Olympic wrestler Roman Bravo-Young, a four-time state champion at Sunnyside and two-time national titlist at Penn State, announced via social media Friday that he is set to open a wrestling club in Tucson.
“This has been a dream of mine for a long time,” Bravo-Young announced. “Wrestling shaped my entire life, and now I want to build a place where young athletes can grow and develop.”
Details of the club, including the location, will be announced soon. It will be on the southside, where Bravo-Young was raised and attended school at Sunnyside, where he went 182-0 from 2014 to 2018.
“I want to create a place where young athletes can grow with the same structure and habits that I’ve learned throughout my career and that I’m still learning and applying every day while competing at the highest level of wrestling,” Bravo-Young stated. “The standard is no longer to simply be good in Arizona. The goal is to develop kids who can earn scholarships and chase bigger dreams.
“That process starts early with the right system, the right guidance, and a clear path forward, having a purpose. I want to get kids started on this early. It takes time, discipline, and consistency, but with the right structure and plan, it’s possible for any athlete.”
Bravo-Young, 26, represented Mexico at the 2024 Summer Olympics and was the Pan American champion in 2025 at 57 kilograms (125 pounds) in freestyle competition.
In folkstyle, Bravo-Young was the 2021 and 2022 NCAA Division I national champion at 133 pounds and a four-time All-American at Penn State.
He continues to excel on the mat.
In May, after three victories, Bravo-Young claimed the gold medal at the Pan American Championships. He gave Mexico its first gold medal performance in 32 years at the tournament.
Bravo-Young also competed at the Ulaanbaatar Open in June, in Mongolia. After a win over Turkey, he pinned India’s Olympic bronze medalist Aman Sehrawat in the semifinals before suffering a loss to Mongolia.
In August 2024, Bravo-Young started training at the Oklahoma State Regional Training Center, a significant develop inasmuch as he started training with former college rival Daton Fix (whom he faced in the NCAA finals in 2021 and 2022). Oklahoma State coach David Taylor is a former Penn State wrestler similar to Bravo-Young.
He wrestled at Sunnyside under coach Anthony Leon, who has led the Blue Devils to eight consecutive state titles and nine overall.
“I’ve been surrounded by some of the best coaches, trainers, and performance experts in the world. I want to pass all of that down!” Bravo-Young wrote in his statement. “The same systems used by the world’s best in technique, mindset, strength and conditioning, nutrition, recovery, and consistent daily habits are things I want to make accessible here in Tucson.
“I will also bring in world-level athletes, coaches, and training partners. We will have camps running throughout the year, and coaches from around the country will come in and out of the gym to work with the kids and add their knowledge. This is what I feel called to do, and I’m excited to take this step.”
Bravo-Young added that he is looking for coaches and supporters — “anyone who wants to help build something special for the next generation.”
Updates to this venture will be at the RBY Wrestling Club Instagram page.
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