IAwrestle is proud to announce the return of Night of Conflict on Friday, October 10, 2025, in Iowa City. The preseason showcase will be held at the Courtyard Iowa City University Heights (901 Melrose Ave, Iowa City, IA 52246). Doors will open at 6:30 PM with wrestling set to begin at 7:00 PM.
Fans unable to attend in person can watch the action live on the IAwrestle Rokfin channel. At this time, tickets are being offered exclusively to participating wrestlers, coaches, and families, with public ticket sales scheduled to open closer to the event date. Please contact us at IAwrestlecontact@gmail.com for VIP tables.
This year’s edition marks a heartfelt homecoming, nearly 10 years to the day from the inaugural Night of Conflict on October 16, 2015, held at the iconic Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. The event immediately made a statement by bringing marquee matchups to one of the sport’s most iconic stages. From there, the event hit the road across the state—stopping in Sioux City, Des Moines, Cedar Falls and Waterloo—each year building on its reputation as the place to see state champions collide, national talent test themselves, and rising stars announce their arrival.
Through the years, Night of Conflict has featured dozens of eventual NCAA standouts and Division I recruits, cementing its status as a proving ground for wrestlers looking to compete on the biggest stages. Whether at Carver or a convention center packed shoulder to shoulder, the event has always been about the same thing: putting elite high school talent under the spotlight and giving fans a preview of the future of wrestling.
“This is more than just a wrestling event—it’s a chance to showcase the sport in Iowa and give these athletes a stage,” said IAwrestle founder Tony Hager. “Bringing Night of Conflict back to Iowa City for the 10-year anniversary makes this one even more special.”
While specific bouts are still being finalized, expect the signature blend of in-state rivalries, out-of-state showdowns, and emerging talents ready to make their mark.
More event information can be found at NightofConflict.com
Nolan Fellers (Bondurant-Farrar) vs Mason Peterson (Columbus, Nebraska)
Moving to a middle weight showdown we will see Bondurant-Farrar’s Nolan Fellers face off against Mason Peterson, who comes in from Nebraska looking to knock off the nationally rated Iowan. Both wrestlers are three-time state medalists in their respective states, and nationally rated in the Class of 2026.
Fellers has established himself as one of the top Iowans in his class, checking in at #4 on IAwrestle’s Fab 50 senior list. In his career he has finished third at the state tournament all three seasons. He has also earned U17 All-American honors, and this past summer he was Iowa’s freestyle state champion and finished runner-up in both styles at the Northern Plains Regional. MatScouts has Fellers #92 in his class.
On the other side of the matchup is Petersen, who is a two-time state champion in Nebraska winning titles as a sophomore and junior and he was third as a freshman. He has placed top three at Preseason Nationals back-to-back years and medaled at the US Open in Greco-Roman. MatScouts has him #186 in the 2026 class and 16th nationally at 150lbs.
Alexander Pierce (Iowa City West) vs Robert Ruscitti (Montini, IL)
This next bout will have two wrestlers with familiarity square off in Iowa City. Hometown kid Alexander Pierce will take on Robert Ruscitti of Illinois. These two squared off back in April for USA Wrestling Greco-Roman World Team spot at the U17 World Team Trials, with Pierce winning the series two matches to one.
Pierce is a three-time Iowa high school state finalist winning a title as a freshman and then taking runner-up in each of the last two seasons. In addition to wrestling at U17 World’s this summer, Pierce has finished runner-up at Preseason Nationals and he was a Fargo All-American back in 2024.
In addition to making the U17 finals, Ruscitti won a Greco-Roman national title out at Fargo this past summer. He was also a Illinois freestyle and Greco-Roman state champion, in a state that has had sustained success at the national level in FRECO for years.
Cooper Hinz (Jesup) vs. Nico DeSalvo (Southeast Polk)
Our next match announcement will feature a change to a previously announced match. From Southeast Polk we will see Nico DeSalvo take on Jesup’s Cooper Hinz. Both Hinz and DeSalvo will be making their return to the Night of Conflict event, with both wrestlers competing back in 2022.
DeSalvo rates among one of top wrestlers in all of Iowa and is a highly rated national prospect. In Iowa he is the #2 ranked wrestler in the Class of 2027 and #9 in the IAwrestle Fab50, which ranks all Iowa high school wrestlers regardless of grade. MatScouts ranks him #72 overall in the Class of 2027. He is at the halfway point to becoming a potential four-time Iowa high school state champion.
Hinz is a three-time state medalist for Jesup taking fourth, fifth and then third this past winter at the Iowa high school state tournament. Hinz was also a Junior Greco-Roman state runner-up this past Spring.
Announced Matchups:
Kaiden Belinsky (Don Bosco) vs. Urijiah Courter (West Marshall)
Abe Heysinger (Dubuque Hempstead) vs Ace Schweitzer (Central City, Nebraska)
Brayden Koester (Bettendorf) vs Eli Leonard (Mount Horeb/Barneveld, Wisconsin)
Eddie Woody Jr (Southeast Polk) vs Cruzer Dominguez (Creighton Prep, Nebraska)
Gage Spurgeon (Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont) vs Easton Enyeart (Ballard)
Cale Vandermark (Ankeny Centennial) vs Zaiyahn Ornelas (Wilber-Clatonia, Nebraska)
Justis Jesuroga (Southeast Polk) vs Owen McMullen (Bishop McCort, Pennsylvania)
Diego Robertty (Iowa City West) vs Mike Rundell (Oak Park-River Forest, Illinois)
Nolan Fellers (Bondurant-Farrar) vs Mason Peterson (Columbus, Nebraska)
Alexander Pierce (Iowa City West) vs Robert Ruscitti (Montini, IL)
Cooper Hinz (Jesup) vs. Nico DeSalvo (Southeast Polk)
About IAwrestle
IAwrestle is Iowa’s leading wrestling media platform, delivering coverage, rankings, podcasts, and premier events across the state. Learn more at IAwrestle.com or follow live streaming at Rokfin.com/IAwrestle.
Media Contact:
Tony Hager
Founder, IAwrestle
Email: hagertakedown@gmail.com