WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for Unstoppable.
The ending of the 2024 sports biopicUnstoppablechronicles theremarkable true story of Anthony Robles, who faced obstacles and challenges both on and off the wrestling mat before becoming the 2011 NCAA wrestling champion. Directed by Oscar-winning editor William Goldenberg in his feature film directorial debut,Unstoppableis based onRobles' 2012 bookUnstoppable: From Underdog to Undefeated: How I Became a Champion.
Emmy winner Jharrel Jerome leads anoutstandingUnstoppablecastincluding Jennifer Lopez, Michael Peña, Don Cheadle, and Bobby Cannavale.Unstoppablehas received mostly positive reviews, earning a Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 74%. Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, andthe real-life Anthony Roblesproduced the film. Robles also appears in the film as his own double in certain scenes.Unstoppablebecameavailable to stream exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on July 26, 2025.
As demonstrated at the end ofUnstoppable, Robles remains the only NCAA wrestler with one leg to win a national championship and the first athlete to be signed by Nike after retiring from a sport. Because Robles was a direct part of the film’s creation and production,Unstoppableaccurately depicts his inspiring true story. The end ofUnstoppablehighlights Robles' inspiring victory and the end of a difficult roadfull of sacrifice, support, and determination that played integral roles in getting him there.
Anthony Robles Defeated Matt McDonough To Become A 2011 NCAA Champion
Unstoppable ends at the high point of Robles' impressive wrestling career
The ending ofUnstoppablefocuses on Robles' well-deserved victory over reigning 125-pound National Champion Matt McDonough from The University of Iowa. Robles' historic 2010-2011 season was his last year of eligibility at Arizona State. As portrayed inUnstoppable,Robles went a perfect 36-0 to become the 2011 NCAA National Wrestling Champion, defeating McDonough and preventing him from becoming a 3-time NCAA champion.
At the beginning of the film, Robles looked on in shock after he was ignored by Iowa’s head coach, Tom Brands, after winning the high school championship. Iowa was one of Robles' top choices for college and he likely believed that finishing first would garner him the attention he deserved from a historic college wrestling program like the University of Iowa. Although Robles does not come off with a vindictive edge inUnstoppable, it likely felt extra great winning the 2011 NCAA Title over the reigning champion from the college that didn’t select him. Despite this,Robles is an honorable champion and celebrates his victory with his mother Judy, who is in many ways his personal champion.
Did Anthony Robles Lose To McDonough In The 2010 NCAA Finals?
Robles finished 7th that year and did not advance to the finals
Anthony Robles did not face McDonough in the 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championship Final in the 125-pound division, which is arguably the biggest factual error in the film. While McDonough won the NCAA title in 2010 and 2012, he was not a back-to-back champion as stated in the film. Instead, McDonough defeated freshman Andrew Long from Iowa State that year, whileRobles finished 7th overall after losing in a quarterfinal match. This was a drop for Robles, who finished 4th in his sophomore year the year before.Unstoppablelikely exaggerated McDonough’s momentum to make him a more formidable foe for Robles in 2011, even though his real-life record and accolades were certainly impressive enough.
Tom Brands & The University Of Iowa’s Wrestling History Explained
Brands was a historic wrestler for the Iowa Hawkeyes and in his professional career
University of Iowa wrestling coach Tom Brands is painted as somewhat of an antagonist inUnstoppable. Brands is actually quite an impressive wrestler and person in his own right, havingwon an Olympic Gold Medal in 1996 after becoming a world champion in 1993. Brands also had an undefeated season in 1991 when he went 45-0, adding to a career collegiate wrestling record of 158-7-2 at the University of Iowa. Additionally, Brands was a 4-time All-American and 3-time NCAA champion. He became an assistant coach at Iowa for 12 seasons from 1993 to 2004 before becoming the head coach at Virginia Tech and then Iowa in 2006. He has been Iowa’s head wrestling coach for 19 years.
Why Anthony Robles Went Back To The Rocky Steps Before His Championship Match
The scene creates a full-circle moment to Robles' undefeated high school season
When Robles competed in the high school championship at the beginning of Unstoppable, he made a point to climb to the top of the famous Rocky Steps in Philadelphia, something that the real Robles actually did. Before his 2011 championship match, Robles returned to the historic spot and placed his one foot over Rocky’s engraved footprints, which creates a lasting image inUnstoppablethatdemonstrates Robles' unique physical attributes and desire to be a champion. Robles brings this “Eye of the Tiger” energy into his championship battle, linking back to the time when he last won a big championship back in high school.
What Happened To Anthony Robles After Winning The 2011 National Title
Robles became a motivational speaker, ESPY winner, presidential councilman, and high school coach
As depicted before the end credits ofUnstoppable, Anthony Robles' story has inspired millions, including Nike Founder and CEO Phil Knight, who said “After what he accomplished, Anthony Robles will be a Nike athlete for life.” Robles retired from wrestling after winning his 2011 NCAA Title and became a motivational speaker, currently working with Keppler Speakers and Washington Speakers Bureau. In 2011, Robles won the prestigious Jimmy Valvano ESPY Award for perseverance. He became an NCAA wrestling analyst for ESPN in 2012 beforePresident Obama appointed him to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition in 2013.
Robles wrote his bookUnstoppablesoon after winning the 2011 NCAA Title. It was published in 2012 and acts as the inspiration for the movie of the same name. In recent years, Robles took over as wrestling coach at Mesa High School, where he went undefeated and earned an impressive 96-0 record during his junior and senior years under coach Bobby Williams. His mother, Judy Robles, graduated from Arizona State University in 2014 and earned her Doctorate of Education in 2022. She is currently the Assistant Dean of Students at ASU. In this way,Unstoppablehas become a success story for not only Anthony Robles but his mother Judy as well.
The Real Meaning of Unstoppable’s Ending
Unstoppable shows what it means to be a champion
Unstoppableis a story about hope that is made even more palpable because it is mostly true. There are many moments in Unstoppable and in Robles' actual life when he could have lost focus on his wrestling dream and crumbled under the weight of pressure and expectation. While Robles himself is an incredible beacon of inspiration,Unstoppableproves that he could not have done it alone, especially without the unwavering support of his mother Judy, the initial belief in him by high school coach Bobby Williams, and the challenges that ASU coach Shawn Charles presented Robles every day.Unstoppableis a reminder of how a champion is built through skill and determination but also through the strength of one’s character.
Unstoppable
Cast
Despite being born with one leg, Anthony Robles overcomes significant challenges both at home and in the competitive world of wrestling. His determination and relentless drive lead him to become an NCAA Division 1 wrestling champion, earning him national recognition and a place in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
