Oklahoma State wrestling: Nick Piccininni signs with Zinkin MMA

Nick Piccininni took the first step in his post-Oklahoma State career by signing with Zinkin MMA on Friday.

Piccininni, who a two-time NCAA All-American wrestler and four-time Big 12 champion at 125 pounds, announced the signing on Instagram. The East Setauket, New York native went 26-2 during his redshirt senior season and received the No. 3 seed for the NCAA Championships before it was canceled along with all winter and spring sports due to the coronavirus. In January, he became the 44th Cowboy in OSU history to reach the 100-win milestone and he finished his career with a 110-17 record.

Piccininni is the second former Cowboy to sign with Zinkin MMA in less than a month after Jacobe Smith inked a deal with the company. Piccininni and Smith will train at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, California, with fellow OSU alums Daniel Cormier and Kyle Crutchmer. Cormier also announced on Instagram that Piccininni and Smith will join his coaching staff at Gilory High School, which finished in seventh place in the team race in this past season’s California state Championships.