Big 12

Another NCAA Champion Falls: Michael Caliendo Knocks Off Shane Griffith

Another NCAA Champion Falls: Michael Caliendo Knocks Off Shane Griffith

Michael Caliendo of North Dakota State just knocked off NCAA champion Shane Griffith of Stanford.

Jan 13, 2023 by Kyle Klingman
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The upsets keep coming this season.

This time, it was #19 Michael Caliendo of North Dakota State defeating #2 Shane Griffith. 

Griffith, you might remember, was an NCAA champion in 2021 who reached the NCAA tournament finals in 2022. The two 165-pounders squared off in a dual at Stanford with Caliendo earning a 6-3 decision. 

This was a rematch of the Southern Scuffle finals on January 2 where Griffith eked out a 3-2 win. Caliendo was part of a stellar team performance where the Bison sent five to the finals and had three champions. North Dakota State placed second behind Oklahoma State in the tournament. 

Caliendo scored a late takedown to seal the win over Griffith to give his team a 6-0 lead in the dual. 

Watch the match-clinching takedown below.: