David Carr and Keegan O’Toole staged a series of epic battles that left college wrestling fans wondering where their rivalry ranked among the greatest in the sport’s history.

To the untrained eye, Iowa State heavyweight Yonger Bastida appeared to be in peril.

On paper, this weekend’s Big 12 Championship should amount to a toss-up between Iowa State, Oklahoma State and Missouri.

David Carr doesn’t need the hype, but when the spotlight finds Iowa State’s standout 165-pound senior, he basks in it — even when it’s so bright that he might need to squint.

Cody Chittum’s fought through injuries, a stylistic change from freestyle to folkstyle wrestling, and, oh — five or six staples to repair a tooth-borne tear atop his scalp.

Iowa State’s Yonger Bastida cracked a smile as he digested the question.

“Misery loves company.”

Yonger Bastida saw an opening and sprang for a shot. It didn’t land in his first bout of the season a month and a half ago against Daniel Bucknavich of Cleveland State a month and a half ago. Instead, Bastida — a two-time NCAA qualifier and 2022 all-American for Iowa State — got taken down himself.

Call it a miniature version of the NCAA Championships. Call it Iowa State’s best tournament-style test in recent years. But by any name, this weekend’s Cliff Keen Invitational will help the Cyclones prime themselves for a strong run once the NCAA Championships roll around this spring.