Anthony Robles: An Unstoppable Force in NCAA Wrestling
Anthony Robles' journey to becoming an NCAA champion is a testament to the power of courage, perseverance, and unwavering belief in oneself. Born with one leg, Robles defied expectations and overcame numerous challenges to achieve wrestling greatness. His story is not just about athletic accomplishment; it's an inspiring narrative of overcoming adversity and realizing one's full potential.
Early Life and Introduction to Wrestling
Born on July 20, 1988, Anthony Robles's birth presented an unforeseen circumstance: he was missing his right leg. Doctors could not explain the cause, but his mother, Judy Robles, instilled in him the belief that "God made me this way for a reason." This unwavering support became a cornerstone of Robles's life. He refused to wear a prosthetic leg, removing it at the age of three, and instead, strengthened his body to compensate for his missing limb.
Robles found wrestling at the age of 14, while living in Mesa, Ariz.. He joined the wrestling team in eighth grade, initially struggling to find his place. As a freshman in high school, he had a record of 5-8 and ranked last in the city of Mesa, Arizona, disadvantaged by being 10 pounds underweight for his weight class. He was, by his own admission, the worst wrestler on the team. However, he possessed tremendous grip strength developed from using crutches, and he was determined to improve.
High School Success
Through dedication and intensive training, Robles transformed himself into a formidable wrestler. He learned to utilize his low center of gravity to his advantage, developing unique defensive and offensive moves. In his sophomore year, Robles was ranked sixth in Arizona. By the time he graduated high school, Robles had won two Arizona state championships-combining for a 96-0 record during his junior and senior seasons at Mesa High School. He finished his high school career with a 129-15 record.
Collegiate Career at Arizona State University
Despite his impressive high school record, few colleges believed Robles could excel at the next level. They thought he was too small to wrestle in college and that a one legged wrestler could never compete with the nations best college wrestlers. Determined to prove them wrong, Robles walked onto the Arizona State University wrestling team in 2006.
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He faced initial setbacks, experiencing the humbling experience of being pinned in practice wrestle-offs. Coach Shawn Charles played a pivotal role, directly addressing Robles's weaknesses. Despite the challenges, Robles persevered, driven by his dream of becoming a national champion.
Over the next three seasons Robles would be a force in the 125 pound class. As a freshman 125 pounder in 2008, he just missed becoming an All-American, finishing just short of the medal stand. He placed fourth as a sophomore and seventh as a junior. Robles earned All-American honors three times (2008-2011). He advanced to the NCAA Championships four times in his career, falling one win shy as a redshirt freshman of becoming a four-time All-American.
The 2011 NCAA Championship
Robles's senior year culminated in an undefeated season (36-0) and the 2011 NCAA individual wrestling championship in the 125-pound weight class. The morning of the NCAA finals, he was filled with fear and struggled to eat. But as he stepped onto the mat, seeing the cameras and hearing the crowd, he found strength in the sight of his mother and siblings in the Arizona State section.
Arizona State’s Anthony Robles, right, poses after beating Iowa’s Matt McDonough in their 125-pound finals match, Saturday, March 19, 2011, at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia.
He defeated Iowa’s Matt McDonough in the finals, securing his place in wrestling history. With 10 seconds left in the match, he heard the countdown and the roar of the crowd. The standing ovation he received is a memory he cherishes daily. As a team, the Sun Devils score 19.5 points and finished 30th overall in the finals standings. Iowa ran away with the team crown with 134.5 point and was followed in the Top 4 by Cornell (90.0), Iowa State (75.0) and Wisconsin (70.5). Robles, who’s only loses in the tournament came to the national runner-up and the fourth-place finisher, took on unseeded Nikko Triggas of Ohio State in the seventh place match and won with a 9-3 decision. The fourth-seeded Robles opened the match with a first-period takedown and added two near-fall points to hold a 4-0 lead at the end of the first period. In the second, Robles had choice and took bottom where he reversed Triggas before the Buckeye escaped to make it 6-1 through two.
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Post-Collegiate Achievements and Legacy
Following his wrestling career, Robles continued to inspire. He broke three Guinness World Records for pull-ups and became a high school wrestling coach, aiming to be a positive role model for young athletes. He also works as a motivational speaker and wrestling analyst for ESPN and the Pac-12 Network.
Robles has received numerous accolades, including two ESPY Awards. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2012, the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame in 2017, and the Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022. He received a bachelor’s degree in business/corporate communications.
"Unstoppable": The Movie
Anthony Robles's life story has been brought to the big screen in the movie "Unstoppable." The film depicts his challenges, his relationship with his mother (portrayed by Jennifer Lopez), and his rocky relationship with his step-dad (portrayed by Bobby Cannavale). Robles is thankful that his story was treated with such great care by a tremendous cast. He felt like he was just going back in time when he first saw the finished movie at TIFF.
Jharrel Jerome portrays Anthony in the film, with Robles himself doubling on scene during the wrestling sequences. Robles worked closely with Jerome and former Arizona State Assistant Wrestling Coach Brian Stith to create the wrestling choreography. Robles remembers getting the call from director Billy Goldenberg and he felt I got to train for something all over again. He had to get into conditioning and wrestling shape. He said that wrestling is something that he's known since he was 14, but creating wrestling choreography with another person was completely different, completely foreign to him. The wrestlers that are in the film are all former Division I wrestlers, so they ended up calling it a violent dance
Several powerful scenes in Unstoppable included moments with his high school coach (portrayed by Michael Peña) and college coach Shawn Charles (portrayed by Don Cheadle).
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