Masanosuke Ono will return to competition for the first time since the 2024 World Championships when he takes on Ben Davino in the bantamweight class at RAF 12 on Aug. 22 in Cleveland.

The matchup adds another chapter to the Penn State-Ohio State rivalry on the Real American Freestyle circuit. Davino defeated Penn State's Marcus Blaze in the NCAA semifinals at 133 pounds last season en route to placing second to Oklahoma State's Jax Forrest. Blaze recently defeated Forrest at Final X to earn the U.S. men's freestyle spot at 61 kilograms for the upcoming Senior World Championships.

Ono, 22, signed with Penn State in 2025 but did not compete for the Nittany Lions on the road to their fifth straight NCAA title. He has spent the past year learning the nuances of folkstyle wrestling in Penn State's room. The RAF12 bout will mark his first major competitive appearance in the United States since joining the roster.

His credentials are staggering. At the 2024 Senior World Championships, Ono outscored his opponents 55-2, defeating 2020 Olympic champion Zaur Uguev of Russia and then-defending world champion Vito Arujau en route to the title. He also won the Japanese national title and U20 world title in 2024, defeating Blaze 7-2 in the process. Ono already owns one signature win in the U.S., defeating Spencer Lee 3-2 in a freestyle exhibition at FloWrestling Night in America in 2025 -- just a month before committing to Penn State.

Ono figures to be one of the most talked-about wrestlers in college wrestling this season if he earns a spot in Penn State's lineup. He and Blaze both wrestle at 133 pounds, where Blaze is a returning All-American, meaning Ono could potentially move up to 141 pounds to compete alongside 2025 All-American Braeden Davis.