American Top Team coach's son stuns Kazakh opponent in 18 seconds to clinch gold at U17 World Wrestling Championships

American Top Team might have their next young prospect on the rise. As one of the most respected MMA gyms in the world, the team has been known to produce some of the best fighters in combat sports and might have another upcoming star.

The team's wrestling coach, Steve Mocco, celebrated a big victory on Aug. 24 with his family after the former fighter's son took gold in the 2024 U17 World Wrestling Championships. In the final match, Michael Mocco defeated Yedige Kassimbeck of Kazakhstan in 18 seconds to win his first world championship.

Once he returns home, Mocco will still be a junior at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He is already a two-time state champion and is expected to compete in the NCAA upon his graduation but has not committed to a school.

Before becoming a coach, Steve Mocco was a highly decorated collegiate wrestler who briefly attempted to transition to MMA. He was a two-time NCAA Division I national champion with Oklahoma State and won the Dan Hodge Trophy in 2005. As an MMA fighter, he went 5-1 including a 1-1 stint in WSOF before shifting his attention to coaching.

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Wrestling prospects from the American Top Team

If Michael Mocco decides to train at American Top Team following his collegiate career, he would not be the first to do so. Aside from his father, the gym has welcomed several elite wrestlers into its facilities.

Many former collegiate wrestlers do not successfully transition to MMA but few teams have guided such athletes through the process better than American Top Team. The gym is currently the home of UFC middleweight prospect Bo Nickal, who took home three NCAA Division I national championships at Penn State.

As one of the biggest gyms in MMA, American Top Team has countless locations worldwide but is centrally located in Coconut Creek, Florida. Aside from Nickal, some of the other elite wrestlers from the gym include Kayla Harrison, Danny Sabatello, Movsar Evloev, Yoel Romero, and Johnny Eblen.