Luke Lilledahl isn’t looking for payback. He’s just looking for another challenge.  

That challenge comes Friday night, when Lilledahl is set to face Iowa’s Dean Peterson in one of the most highly anticipated matchups of the weekend. Last season, Lilledahl posted a 25-3 record as a true freshman, with one of those three losses coming against Peterson. In their previous meeting, Peterson narrowly defeated Lilledahl in a 4-1 decision. 

Since then, both wrestlers have established themselves among the nation’s best, with Lilledahl entering the match ranked No. 2 and Petterson sitting at No. 6. Still, rankings and past results aren’t at the forefront of Lilledahl’s mind. Instead, he views the rematch as an opportunity to showcase his growth.  

“I’m just looking forward to the environment there. Obviously, wrestling a guy that beat me previously, it’s pretty fun to wrestle him again, and I don’t want to say to get him back, but that’s kind of the way some people would look at it,” Lilledahl said. “I just look at it as another chance to show how much I have improved since the last time I wrestled him.” 

That perspective reflects how Lilledahl has learned to approach rematches. Rather than allowing previous results to define him, he places his focus on forward momentum. 

“I would say just don’t dwell too much on the last time you wrestled that guy. Just focus continuously on improving and looking forward. I feel like the more you dwell on the past, the more things don’t change,” Lilledahl said.  

Even so, Lilledahl doesn’t ignore the lessons that come with each loss. With Peterson handing him one of his few defeats during his freshman season, Lilledahl acknowledges that experience helped shape his development. 

“I would say there are definitely a couple of things I learned. You know, just feeling the guys out, but most of the time it’s just a clean slate every match. Every match starts 0-0,” Lilledahl said.  

As one of the most dangerous offensive wrestlers in his weight class, known for his ankle picks and lightning- quick speed, Lilledahl understands that his opponents will come prepared to slow him down. But he embraces the challenge and is ready to adjust as needed.  

“I have wrestled all over the world. There is probably tons of data on me, but I feel like I can’t let that affect me,” Lilledahl said. “These guys are doing stuff to stop my offense, and it’s just about finding ways to get around that. I think that’s almost part of the fun of the sport as well, is the challenges that the season brings and that these other guys bring.”  

Going into Friday’s match, Lilledahl also emphasizes the shift in his goals from last season to now.  

“I feel like last season was more about showing people my potential, just because people had high expectations of me,” Lilledahl shared. “This year, I feel like it is more about going out there and dominating these guys. Kind of putting myself at the top of the weight class. I want to go out there and dominate these guys every time, and if I’m not, then just go back and figure things out.”  

Friday’s dual is set to take place at Carver Hawkeye Arena, where Iowa’s passionate fan base can be difficult for visiting wrestlers. However, this is the type of atmosphere Lilledahl embraces. 

“I mean, obviously, there’s still a little bit of nerves, just because of the fans and the environment,” Lilledahl said. “I feel like the better guys always feed off that, and I feel like I wrestle better when there are more people watching and the stages are bigger. So yeah, obviously I am a little nervous, but more excited than anything.”   

Lilledahl and the team will continue Big Ten competition in Iowa City this Friday, when they take on the Iowa Hawkeyes. The dual meet is set for 7 p.m on Friday, January 16, and will be streamed live on the Big Ten Network.