ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — Kendall Coleman, a Purdue wrestler from 2018-23, was selected in the inaugural draft for the Champions League of American Wrestling (CLAW).
The league consists of six teams including the Cicadas, Kaos, Mat Kings, Enforcers, Hammers and Leopards. Coleman was picked by the Mat Kings in the seventh round, 39th overall.
Each team had a total of eight draft picks, and Coleman slots in as the Mat Kings’ projected starter at 170 pounds.
All draft picks for 3 of the teams.#historybegins #clawstyle #fanfriendly #prowrestling pic.twitter.com/sHL1eWng5S
— CLAW Wrestling (@CLAW_WRESTLING) July 23, 2025
The all-new wrestling league is launching in fall 2025 and claims it will deliver what wrestling fans want; a bona fide professional league featuring the sport’s top stars. Over the past two years, CLAW held events to familiarize athletes and fans with "ClawStyle" rules, which aim to increase action, scoring and fan engagement.
During his time as a Boilermaker, Coleman was a four-time NCAA qualifier and an NWCA First Team All-American in 2020, when the NCAA Championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He finished his career with 304 takedowns, the eighth-most all-time at Purdue.
Coleman was also a household name in the Big Ten Conference, in which he held an impressive 39-20 conference record and was a Big Ten Championships finalist in 2020.
He’s the latest former Boiler to turn pro after assistant coach Matt Ramos was signed by Real American Freestyle in June. Ramos will compete against former NCAA champion Nathan Tomasello at RAF’s inaugural event in Cleveland on Saturday, Aug. 30.
Further details about CLAW such as potential events and match cards will be released in the coming weeks.