Camila Torres set to compete for No. 1 ranking in the country at Who’s Number One

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - For Cibola senior wrestler Camila Torres, the opportunity to compete for the No. 1 spot in the country is the latest milestone in a career that has already made history in Yuma County.

Torres is set to become the first Yuma native to compete in FloWrestling's Who's Number One, a national event featuring some of the top wrestlers in the country.

"It's an opportunity for Yuma. When we started here, we said we wanted to be the best in the country," Airam Moreno said. "We've had All-Americans, but to have someone have an opportunity to legitimately go wrestle for the No. 1 spot in the country is awesome."

For Camila Torres, the invitation came as a surprise — and immediately changed the way she approached training.

"FloWrestling just hit me up about Who's Number One, I was like going crazy," Torres said. "We were already training pretty hard, but we started training really hard. Like, even harder the next day. And yeah, it's like unreal."

Torres has already built an impressive résumé.

At Cibola, she became the only freshman in program history to win a state championship. She then spent two years dominating at Brawley before returning to the Raiders for her final season of high school wrestling.

In July, Torres finished as the runner-up at Fargo Nationals, one of the country's largest and most prestigious wrestling tournaments.

That performance helped propel her into the national spotlight and ultimately led to her current No. 1 ranking at 135 pounds.

On Sept. 26, Torres will compete at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where she will defend that ranking against Isabella Miller of Iowa.

The matchup carries another distinction for Torres. She will be the first wrestler from Yuma County — male or female — to compete in Who's Number One. She also said she will be the only female wrestler from Arizona competing in the event.

"I'm not just representing myself or the city, like, I'm representing the state. And it's like an honor just to be, like, representing all that," Torres said.

The opportunity has been years in the making.

Torres said she first learned about Who's Number One when she was in eighth grade. From there, she began following the wrestlers competing at her weight class and imagining herself in their place.

"Ever since I found out about this event, I think my eighth grade year," Torres said. "I would, like, always be like, oh, I wonder who's wrestling at my weight. I could be that good one day. And, like, now I'm that good and I'm the one wrestling at that. Like, it's crazy."

Her run at Fargo Nationals further cemented that belief.

Torres entered the tournament unranked but defeated the No. 3 and No. 2 seeds in the bracket on her way to a runner-up finish.

Now, she gets another opportunity against Miller, whom Torres already defeated at Fargo.

Repeating that result will require Torres to stay disciplined throughout the match.

"Staying good position and, like, I tend to, like, get a little too crazy and then, like, I lose, like, position," Torres said. "So I just need to stay focused on, like, me and my dad are running a bunch of drills. I already know what I'm kind of going to go in there doing."

While the game plan will be important, Moreno said Torres' work ethic has been a major part of her rise.

"Man, she's always been tough," Moreno said. "But her and her dad came here in March and, again, having her set the bar for the boys, the girls. And then, man, she's the hardest worker here."

He said Torres regularly trains five or six days a week and is often the last person to leave practice.

Torres also credits a change in her mindset over the past year for helping take her wrestling to another level.

"Just, like, focusing on myself more and putting myself in front of others," she said. "I guess, like, in the sport, to be the best you, like, kind of do have to be selfish. Just consistency. Consistency is key."

Regardless of what happens on Sept. 26, Moreno said the opportunity already carries significance for Yuma County.

"It's a big deal for the county," he said. "Camila, regardless of what happens, she's showing that she belongs. And, man, it's just, for me, it's a great opportunity for other places to start recognizing Yuma."

Torres said she will leave the result in God's hands while continuing to focus on improving.

"No matter what happens, it's like, all trust in God," she said. "If I lose, like, it was just meant to be. I just work harder and come back."

The match will take place Sept. 26 at Oklahoma State University. Matador Wrestling will also hold a watch party for those looking to support Torres as she competes for the No. 1 ranking in the country.