Louden Swain is a high-school wrestler who has just turned 18 and decided that he needs to do something truly meaningful in his life. He embarks on a mission to drop two weight classes to challenge the area's toughest opponent, Brian Shute, a menacing three-time state champion from nearby rival Hoover High School, who has never been defeated in his high school career. In his zeal to drop from 190 pounds to 168 pounds, against the wishes of his coach and teammates, he disrupts the team around him and creates health problems of his own.