Upamanyu Biswas
‘Unstoppable’ conveys a stirring tale of rising above adversity through the eyes of Anthony Robles, a wrestler born with only one leg. The William Goldenberg directorial depicts Anthony’s struggles through life and how he defied expectations to clinch the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship title in 2011. His opponent during the final was Iowa wrestler Matt McDonough, who was the NCAA champion and Anthony’s last hurdle in his path to clinch the national championship. As such, the film elevates Matt as a formidable rival to Anthony and someone who poses a threat to his wrestling dreams. However, McDonough was an illustrious wrestler in his own right and showcased his skill at various stages in his career.
Matt McDonough Was a Talented Wrestler With Numerous Accolades and Championship Victories
Matt McDonough was born on May 12, 1990, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He attended the Linn-Mar High School in Marion, Iowa, where he started wrestling for the high school team. He won three high school wrestling state championships and was also a four-time state-place winner for Linn-Mar. He was coached by Doug Streicher while at school. After graduation, McDonough enrolled at the University of Iowa in 2008 for a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Physiology with a minor in Chemistry and Psychology. It was during this time he began his collegiate wrestling career in the 125-pound division. In the 2009-10 season, McDonough won the NCAA Championship by beating Iowa State’s Andrew Long in the final with a record of 3-1.
The following season, which was his sophomore year, Matt came out with a record of 27-2. It was also the same year he contested for the NCAA Champion title with Anthony Robles in the final. He came short against Anthony, with the final score reflecting 7-1. However, he also managed to secure his first conference title that year by winning the Big Ten conference tournament. In the 2011-12 season, Matt reclaimed his spot at the top of the 125-pound division by claiming a victory over Nico Megaludis at the NCAA Division I Championships final held at St.Louis, Missouri. The next season was McDonough’s last year representing the Iowa Hawkeyes. It proved challenging, especially after he sustained a shoulder injury that curtailed his chances of garnering the All-American honors for the fourth time.
Matt McDonough is a Proud Family Man and Runs a Wrestling Program Today
After the shoulder injury in his final college season, Matt found it difficult to return to wrestling immediately. However, he managed to make his return by debuting at the Dave Schultz tournament. In 2014, he represented Team USA at the University World Championships, where he clinched the bronze medal. He repeated the same feat at the Paris Grand Prix the following year. Subsequently, McDonough served as a Club Coach for the Eastern Iowa Wrestling Club, where he worked for around three years. In 2018, he became the Assistant Wrestling Coach at the University of Wisconsin-Madison under Head Coach Christopher Bono. After two years, McDonough changed scenery once more by taking up the Assistant Wrestling Coach position at Cornell College in October 2020. He left the role over a year later.
Today, McDonough specializes in Orthopedics-Joint Replacement at Stryker, a company dedicated to furthering medical technologies. He lives with his wife, Cori, and their children in Marion, Iowa. He also parallelly runs the McDominate Training Center, a sports club that exclusively develops wrestlers and prepares people for the demands of the sport. He and his wife have been together for over fifteen years, and their relationship is a shining beacon in his life’s achievements alongside his children. He loves to spend time with his family amidst his other responsibilities, taking the time to cherish those intimate moments. The 34-year-old is showing no signs of stopping and is helping prepare the next generation of athletes through his work as a wrestling coach.
Read More: Unstoppable’s True Story: Where is Anthony Robles Now?
