Few names are as revered on a wrestling mat as Jordan Burroughs. After a dominant return to motion this previous Saturday in Cleveland, the all-time nice Olympic gold medalist already has some large matchups in thoughts below the Actual American Freestyle (RAF) banner.
Burroughs, 38, made his RAF debut with 2 over the weekend. The match was Burroughs' first since 2024 and introduced loads of pleasure to the occasion, contemplating his legendary credentials as probably the most profitable and adorned American freestyle wrestlers ever.
Now that Burroughs is within the combine with RAF, he revealed on Monday's ; that he has an entire record of dream matches he’d prefer to make a actuality.
"No. 1, I wish to wrestle Islam [Makhachev]. I feel that's the highest of my record," Burroughs advised Uncrowned. "A couple of years in the past in an interview, he was like, 'Man, 'JB's' simply acquired a double-leg, brother. Like, I'm from Russia. Russia is the premier wrestling program.' Effectively, let's see.
"No. 2 for me is Arman Tsarukyan, and I actually wish to wrestle Arman. I feel he's acquired an important title, an important model. He's a very good wrestler. He's somebody I’ve large respect for and somebody who's actually going to promote the occasion, so I'd love the chance to wrestle him.
"No. 3 is Colby [Covington] — I'd like to wrestle Colby Covington," Burroughs continued. "I feel, once more, one other man with charisma, spunk, but additionally championship pedigree, proper? He's been the No. 1 contender for quite a lot of years on the welterweight division within the UFC — somebody I'd prefer to wrestle."
RAF has established a thriving working relationship with the UFC all through its first 12 months of existence, as evidenced by Burroughs' debut opponent, the top-ranked Brady.
Outdoors of the fast record Burroughs shared, he included a couple of honorable mentions, together with the UFC’s Michael Chandler and Aaron Pico. Relating to RAF names, Giorgio Poullas additionally obtained a shoutout, with Burroughs highlighting Poullas' viral takedown problem, wherein Poullas places cash on the road for individuals who can take him down.
However there’s one MMA title above all, maybe extra far-fetched than any of the others, that Burroughs would leap on the alternative to face: UFC legend Georges St-Pierre.
"Georges, should you're on the market, I’d like to compete towards you. I'd like to wrestle you,” Burroughs stated. “I honor you, I honor your legacy — and I don't wish to embarrass you, I don't wish to humiliate you. I simply would like to share the stage with you. So he’s No. 1, he’s on the very high of my record, however he’s a man that I’m probably not positive that we are able to get.
“That’s my dream matchup. ‘GSP,’ Georges, should you’re on the market and also you’re watching this present, make it occur. Las Vegas, Oct. 3, let’s do it — me and also you, instantly. You’ve acquired a month and a half, that provides you six weeks to essentially put together your physique, your thoughts. If not, should you don’t really feel prepared by then, you let me know. I’ll acquiesce to any request that you simply’d have for me. … Toronto, Montreal, anyplace. You possibly can have Firas [Zahabi] in your nook, something. I’d like to share the stage with Georges. He’s in my GOAT [conversation], one of many best fight sports activities athletes of all-time.”
Having achieved all that he has in his profession, Burroughs acknowledged that he has no motive to proceed competing as he nears age 40. However as soon as he began to see what RAF was actually about, he determined to offer it a shot for himself.
"For those who're going to get me up off my sofa and out of the consolation of my dwelling, and get up to have breakfast with my 5 children each day, it's gotta be worthwhile. It's gotta be a premier occasion towards somebody who’s going to assist me develop my model, and it's gotta stay true to the authenticity of wrestling," Burroughs stated.
"I didn't need it to be a gimmick. I didn't need it to be a publicity stunt. I needed it to be actual wrestling — and so they have been in a position to seize all of these components and way more. So I lastly stated sure, and it didn’t disappoint."
Finally, Burroughs stated, his huge second of realization got here in April. Burroughs’ wrestling academy — All I See Is Gold — took a visit to RAF 8 in Philadelphia, and got here again having had the time of their lives.
"We had a big group of our wrestlers that went out to the occasion, and the very subsequent apply that Monday night, they got here again and everybody had RAF singlets and RAF t-shirts," Burroughs stated. "Even one in every of our youngsters acquired chosen to stroll Kyle Snyder out from the stage to the occasion, and the excitement was palpable. You can really feel the power that also lingered, the residue from the occasion. I'm like, 'Man, they're producing actual greatness and actually cultivating a coronary heart of affection for the game on the grassroots.'
"Then, once they began to introduce the next-gen aspect of it, the place you bought a possibility for teenagers to wrestle alongside the senior-level athletes, it was actually particular."
The youth aspect was large for Burroughs. And his first expertise in RAF this previous weekend was made all of the sweeter on a private stage, as he and his 12-year-old son acquired to wrestle the identical week, with the latter do doing for his college.
Evidently, it was a victorious week within the Burroughs family.
