It has been an eventful few days in the world of wrestling with the recent US Olympic Wrestling team trials. Notably, we’ve seen a lot of controversy specifically regarding Jordan Burroughs, an Olympic gold medalist and six-time World champion. As such a lot of former UFC fighters also felt the need to address the same.
Things began during the recent matchup between Jordan Burroughs and Penn State’s Mitchell Mesenbrink. Even before the contest began, it was expected to be a tense and competitive one with a hostile crowd on the side of PSU’s own Mesenbrink. During the bout itself, the PSU star, who was down 0-8 at one point took to shoving Jordan’s head. Eventually, the 35-year-old lost his patience and shoved the youngster’s head into the mat.
Jordan Burroughs walking off the mat for what looks like the final time in his illustrious career.
Classless act by a fan in attendance, yelling “career is over” at Burroughs.
Hell of a career by the most decorated wrestler in US history. #WrestlingTrials24 pic.twitter.com/VY4BXeMw3Z
— Jake Rohm (@jakerohm) April 20, 2024
For those unaware, Burroughs is no stranger to hostility from Penn State or its alumni. Naturally, it drew a lot of reaction from the crowd as they jeered on with boos. After a warning, Burroughs was allowed to continue, going on to win 8-3. However, as he made his way back after the win, the crowd continued to boo the Olympic champion. Not only that but following his eventual loss to former PSU wrestler Jason Nolf, a fan classlessly yelled that his ‘career was over’.
Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo address the Jordan Burroughs situation
Naturally, the events did not sit well with a lot of people, including Olympic champion Henry Cejudo and former UFC welterweight champ Kamaru Usman, who had also achieved a lot of success on the national level in the sport of wrestling. According to them, the behavior of that fan and the rest of the crowd at Penn State was completely unacceptable.
“Everybody at Penn State owes Jordan Burroughs an apology. I think he’s a legend, I think he’s a real legend, he’s a GOAT, he’s one of the GOATs, I think second only to John Smith but the dude has done some amazing things for the sport, and it was sad for me to watch him,” said Henry Cejudo.
Further, Kamaru Usman followed it up by stating, “It goes to show how humans are. How can you hate on a man that’s out there, gone to war for the country, several times, that has gone to battle for the country and came back victorious multiple times?”
“I honestly think Jordan Burroughs is the greatest American wrestler right now. With what he’s done, his records, World and Olympic champion, to be treated the way he was treated is ridiculous, it was insane.”
All things considered, both UFC fighters were in agreeance that an athlete as skilled and as accomplished as Jordan Burroughs deserves a lot more respect. Here, they also mention that Penn State head coach Cael Sanderson, an Olympic gold medalist himself, should be making an apology on behalf of the crowd and even the referees who did not intervene as Msenbrink chipped away at Burroughs.
Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen feel that there was a ‘changing of the guard’ at the Olympic trials
For the most part, Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen have also touched on the Jordan Burroughs situation and feel the same way about it as Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo do. Whilst they have covered the matter on their own channels, they also spoke about the trials in how they were run and the overall logistics of it all. Either way, they were very surprised and at the same time, glad to see new names come through.
“I love the changing of the guard, but it’s also very sad. Those guys that are now, I’m not saying they’re retiring, the only one that retired was J’den Cox, but Jordan Burroughs, David Taylor Thomas Gilma, they’re all World champions. We were in the Golden Age of United States wrestling because every time we sent those guys out there, we knew that they were coming home with championships.”
Not only that, but DC believes that World champions like Jordan Burroughs and David Taylor should be fighting earlier so as to not have the viewers wait two days to catch sight of them. Seeing that they are two of the biggest names in American wrestling, the fans and other enthusiasts are drawn in by them.
As for Burroughs, his bid for a spot at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris is likely over, with him possibly calling time on his career as well. While he hasn’t officially announced his retirement yet, the six-time World champion had announced, prior to his 0-3 loss to Jason Nolf that he would retire if he was unable to make it through to the Games.