Wrestling: No. 1 Brandon Cannon Surging Back From Knee Injury Ahead Of Big Ten Championships

When Ohio State’s Brandon Cannon steps onto the mat at the upcoming Big Ten Wrestling Championships from March 7-8, he’ll do so as the nation’s No. 1 wrestler at 157 pounds, though his road to the postseason has looked different than expected.

Cannon opened the 2025-26 season ranked eighth nationally at 157 pounds, but after winning his first two matches in the Clarion Open — Ohio State’s first tournament of the year on Nov. 2 — the redshirt sophomore dropped his first bout of the season in the semifinals.

In that bout, Cannon fell 8-5 to Melvin Miller of Bishop McCort High School in Johnstown, Pa., who went on to claim the 157-pound title and is ranked as the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2027 by FloWrestling.

Cannon said the defeat became a learning moment early in the season.

“I was doing too much in that match,” Cannon said. ”I wasn’t patient enough and I put myself into a bad position, but I learned from that and I’m taking it into account moving forward.”

Since that tournament, Cannon has been lights out on the mat for the Buckeyes. Cannon won all 12 of his dual matches to open the season, with 11 of the 12 victories coming with extra points.

Cannon’s dual season was highlighted by a 12-4 major decision over then-No. 1 Antrell Taylor, two victories over Minnesota’s No. 18 Charlie Millard and a 9-1 major decision over NC State’s then-No. 11 Jackson Arrington.

However, following his twelfth straight dual win and 12-6 decision over Millard on Jan. 23, Cannon suffered a knee injury that required surgery, holding him out for the remainder of the regular season.

The injury was a setback for Cannon, who had been dominating the dual season and climbed to the top of InterMat’s rankings.

With March quickly approaching, the Buckeyes’ Cannon shifted his attention to rehabilitation, focusing on regaining strength and mobility in his knee while staying mentally sharp for the postseason.

Cannon said progress, rather than consistent results, has defined his recovery.

“Mentally, it’s been alright, but physically, it’s been up and down,” Cannon said. “It’s getting there and I’m making progress.”

Ohio State head coach Tom Ryan said Cannon’s focus and discipline since his injury have been evident even off the mat.

“In matches. He’s a steady guy,” Ryan said. “He’s got a strong faith. In his quiet time, his default is to do all the right things. I don’t think he’s someone who can really be pulled off track, and we’re excited to get him back. He’s done a great job with his recovery. He’s done a great job with his training. The surgery went really well and we were excited to get him back in there.”

Cannon, who described his wrestling as “a lot of pressure and chaos,” said he’s been working to channel his intensity into fundamentals rather than relying solely on a fast-paced attacking style.

“I’ve just been working on moving my feet more and moving my hands more,” Cannon said. “I want to be less reliant, relying on dropping my knee.”

Set to return just in time for the postseason, Cannon is no stranger to the Big Ten Championships.

In 2025, Cannon defied odds as the No. 8 seed to reach the finals, before eventually dropping the title bout to Tyler Kasak.

Yet, when questioned whether his previous setbacks would drive him to work harder, Cannon said he isn’t looking in the rearview mirror.

“I mean that really doesn’t shape (my mentality),” Cannon said. “I know I have to work hard and earn everything moving forward. (My past losses) don’t mean anything.”

Cannon said he’s concentrating on the present and the opportunities ahead — the pursuit of both individual and team Big Ten and national titles.

Cannon said when it’s time to finally hit the mat again in State College, Pa., he will focus on executing his game plan while trusting the work he’s put in.

“Well, it’s still far from over, but the biggest thing so far is that I just have to keep sticking with what I’ve been doing,” Cannon said. “I believe in the coaches and my team and they’re helping me out. I think I’m going to be good when the time comes.”

Image courtesy of Ohio State Athletics