Ronnie Ramirez wrestles his way to victories

With three California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) regional championships, three CIF individual championships and two state champion titles to his name, senior Ronnie Ramirez has climbed up the ranks to become No. 1 in California and No. 2 in the nation in the 126 pounds wrestling division.

From his first victory in the 2013 Reno Worlds Tournament to most recently winning the 2025 Doc Buchanan Invitational, Ramirez’s success has come through consistent practice and discipline. In the fall, he is set to continue his academic and wrestling career at Oklahoma State University, ranked No. 3 in college wrestling programs.

“I think it’s crazy to see how far I’ve come from my freshman year to my senior year,” Ramirez said. “I’m definitely a much different person, and I’ve seen myself grow a lot—especially through going forward and [reminding myself during each match] why I’m there.”

Beginning freshman year, Ramirez placed first in the CIF regional finals and was the Las Vegas Holiday Classic champion. In his sophomore year, Ramirez achieved his first state championship in his weight class (113 pounds) and became the first boy to secure a state title in Mustang history. Adding to his accolades, he earned his second state title during his junior year in the 120 pounds division. Outside of school, he also competed in tournaments such as the Reno Tournament of Champions Wrestling and the Doc Buchanan Invitational, having won both competitions twice.

“Winning competitions makes me more motivated and confident in myself to win more and do more in wrestling,” Ramirez said. “I remember winning my first state title, and it was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez’s training ritual consists of two practices each day of the week. These practices include wrestling skills and a wide range of conditioning drills including lifting, running and CrossFit workouts. Sometimes arriving home as late as 9 p.m., he especially emphasizes completing work early and establishing strong relationships with teachers when juggling a busy schedule. Before heading to matches, maintaining his weight class is also crucial, so Ramirez keeps a clean, healthy diet, slowly cutting off certain nutrients as the week progresses. Along with the physicality and discipline wrestling involves, mindset also plays a significant role.

“I think the dedication and the sacrifice is what really [played into my success]. We practice all the time, and it is important to stay positive,” Ramirez said. “A lot of people can’t do it, and then eventually mentally can’t do it and end up quitting—so I think the dedication, and the mental aspect was the main part.”

Ramirez began wrestling at the age of 5, following in his father’s footsteps, who was a wrestling coach and former wrestler. With daily practices and multiple tournaments, Ramirez recalls quickly figuring out the sport. His most famous move is the “slide-by,” which involves swift movements to gain control over an opponent. Though his success has brought in hateful remarks at times, he thrives off of them, using them as motivation. His passion and drive to improve in wrestling are clear to those around him. Senior Christian Garcia, Ramirez’s training partner since youth, especially, has been able to observe this.

“He eats, sleeps and drinks wrestling,” Garcia said. “He’s a go-getter and doesn’t have fear when he [steps out onto the wrestling mat]—he just knows what he wants and he’s gonna get it when he wants it.”

Ramirez’s coach, Cecil Sebastian, who has witnessed his growth over time, emphasizes his leadership qualities.

“He’s a good leader that leads by example. With just his work ethic, determination, training and the way he competes, he can lead that way tremendously,” Sebastian said. “His work ethic is something that you rarely see. It’s not that he’s just talented—he’s a student of the sport and he’s constantly improving himself, whether it’s through wrestling or real life.”

When his sophomore year season concluded, Ramirez began to be recruited by numerous schools with Division I wrestling programs. After paying visits to multiple campuses, he decided his dream school, Oklahoma State University, was the best fit.

“I grew up watching them and really liked them—and I managed to get there and achieve my goal,” Ramirez said. “It’s pretty crazy thinking about how I was once a little kid watching them, and now, next season, I’ll be on the team representing them.”

Interested in a degree in kinesiology, Ramirez sees himself focusing on working toward becoming a chiropractor, but also sees professional wrestling as a potential career option. Reflecting on his journey, there is a piece of advice he emphasizes to other  wrestlers.

“Just keep going. Take it serious, but don’t take it too serious,” Ramirez said. “The biggest part is to just have fun and make sure you’re having fun doing the sport that you love.” Ω