Grudge Match Postponed: Carter Starocci-Gabe Arnold Won’t Clash Friday

Arnold explained what he said.

”I was just letting my presence be known,” Arnold told FloWrestling the day after Penn State-Iowa. “I want the college world to know that I’m here, and everyone says, ‘Oh, you’re a punk.’ There were some chirps back. ‘Punk high school kid,’ this, that, (people saying I) trashed an NCAA champ. Whatever.”

Arnold claimed he “wasn’t taking anything away from Carter Starocci.”

”Carter Starocci is one of the best at 174 pounds (his weight class at the time),” Arnold said, “and that’s who I have in my mirror every single day. That’s who I see. That’s who I’m going to beat next year. So, these are goals that I have set for myself, and whether people like me or not, I honestly could care less. But my goal is to beat Carter Starocci. My goal is to be a 2024 NCAA national champ at 174 pounds. So, by any means necessary, that is what I will do. So, hate me or love me, I’m Gabe Arnold.”

Well, a few days later, Starocci had a chance to say something himself.

As anybody who knows anything about Carter Starocci could probably guess, Starocci jumped at the chance to respond to Arnold.

”If you can kiss enough butt and get in the starting lineup,” Starocci told reporters, “I’ll take care of business there, and it’ll be in his home dojo, too. He can get whooped in front of his mom and dad. So, that’ll be fun.”

Because Tom Brands decided to redshirt Arnold as a true freshman in 2023-24, the clash between Starocci and Arnold never happened.

Many thought it would happen this year, especially because of what Arnold recently said about Penn State.

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After Arnold beat Ohio State’s Ryder Rogotzke in sudden victory, he had a chance to talk with reporters, and he had something to say about Penn State.

“We have Penn State next week, and we didn’t get the job done last year and that kind of sucks,” Arnold said. “We’re going to get it done this year. This time, we’ll be in your home dojo, and I promise, your head is mine.”

Arnold then slapped the table and said “Book it.”

Two days later, Starocci had a chance to respond.

He’s their starter,?” Starocci asked. “I thought the other guy (Angelo Ferrari) was their starter. Didn’t the other guy win the (Soldier Salute)?

“I have to gameplan for the other guy. The other guy is a better wrestler. I don’t know. Maybe he’s trying to sell tickets, but I think our crowd comes out every time, so there’s nothing to say. I’ll be there Friday night ready to go.”

Penn State-Iowa is scheduled to begin at 7 on the Big Ten Network.