David Taylor (wrestler, born 1990)

1.1. High School

Born in Reno, Nevada, David Taylor attended Graham High School in St. Paris, Ohio. During his high school career, Taylor achieved an outstanding record of 180 wins and only 2 losses, becoming a four-time OHSAA state champion. He maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout high school. In recognition of his exceptional performance and academic excellence, Taylor was awarded the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 2009, an honor bestowed upon the nation's top high school wrestler.

1.2. College

Taylor wrestled for Penn State from 2009 to 2014, where he became one of the most accomplished wrestlers in the program's history. He was a two-time NCAA Division I national champion and reached the NCAA finals four times. Additionally, he earned four Big Ten Conference championships and was a two-time recipient of the Dan Hodge Trophy, an award recognizing the nation's best collegiate wrestler.

In his freshman year, Taylor maintained an undefeated record until the NCAA finals, where he was unexpectedly pinned by Bubba Jenkins of Arizona State. As a sophomore, he moved up in weight from 157 lb ^{(157 lb)} to 165 lb ^{(165 lb)}. This transition proved successful, as he won his first NCAA title and was recognized as the best college wrestler in the U.S. with his first Dan Hodge Trophy, boasting an impressive 70-1 overall record.

During his junior year, Taylor faced Kyle Dake of Cornell in the NCAA finals. Dake had moved up in weight attempting to become the third four-time NCAA champion in history and the first to win titles in four different weight classes. In a closely contested match, Taylor was defeated 5-4. However, in his senior year, Taylor once again achieved an undefeated season, securing his second NCAA title. His victory also contributed significantly to the Nittany Lions clinching the team title. Following this dominant performance, he earned his second Dan Hodge Trophy, becoming only the third wrestler in history to receive the award multiple times. Taylor concluded his collegiate career with a remarkable record of 134 wins and 3 losses, which included 50 pins, 42 technical falls, and 29 major decisions.

2.1. 2010-2014: Early International Competitions

David Taylor made his freestyle debut in April 2010, where he immediately made an impact by claiming a University US National title. In 2012, he participated in the US Olympic Team Trials, finishing with a record of 3 wins and 2 losses.

In 2013, Taylor secured a runner-up finish at the US Open in April, defeating Nick Marable before ultimately falling to the reigning Olympic champion, Jordan Burroughs, in the finals. He then notably pinned the 2012 Junior World Champion Magomed Kurbanaliev from Russia at the Beat the Streets event. That May, Taylor became a two-time US University National champion and earned a spot on the US University World Team. In June, at the 2013 US World Team Trials Challenge, he compiled a 4-1 record, with his only loss coming against four-time NCAA Division I National champion Kyle Dake, securing him a third-place finish. Taylor also earned a bronze medal for the United States at the 2013 Summer Universiade in the 163 lb ^{(74 kg)} category.

In 2014, Taylor's US Open results mirrored the previous year as he again lost to Jordan Burroughs in a rematch. This time, the match was much closer, with Burroughs, then the defending World Champion, having to rally for a last-minute comeback victory. Following this, Taylor delivered a dominant performance at Beat the Streets, overpowering Jabrayil Hasanov, who would later become a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist, two-time World bronze medalist, and two-time European Champion. Taylor advanced to the US World Team Trials finals but was defeated by Burroughs in two consecutive matches.

2.2. 2015-2017: Transition and Breakthrough

With his collegiate career concluded, David Taylor was able to fully focus on freestyle wrestling in 2015. He began the year with a fifth-place finish at the Yasar Dogu event, where he held a 3-2 record. In May, he secured his first US Open National title. This was followed by a decisive technical fall victory over Cuba's Liván López at the Beat the Streets event. In his fourth attempt to make the US World Team, Taylor was again defeated by Kyle Dake in the challenge tournament but rebounded to claim third place by defeating veteran Andrew Howe. In July, Taylor won gold medals at both the Grand Prix of Spain and the Stepan Sargsyan Cup. In September of that year, he made the strategic decision to move up to the 86-kilogram division. His first tournament at the new weight class, the Golden Grand Prix in November, saw him finish fifth, appearing somewhat overpowered. In December, Taylor competed at the US Senior Nationals, where he swiftly defeated 2014 US World Team member and teammate Ed Ruth via technical fall before being defeated by his long-time rival, Kyle Dake.

In 2016, Taylor was unable to make the US Olympic Team, as he suffered his fifth senior-level loss to Kyle Dake. He subsequently competed for the bronze medal, which he secured comfortably. In July, he claimed his second Spain Grand Prix title. In December, Taylor participated in the World Clubs Cup, where he posted a 3-1 record and contributed to Team Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC) securing first place, notably defeating the accomplished Alireza Karimi.

Taylor began 2017 with a dominant performance at the Grand Prix of Paris in January, where he claimed a gold medal. Despite being initially banned by the Iranian government, he eventually competed at the World Cup in February, held in Iran. At the World Cup, Taylor showcased his elite skill by defeating four highly accomplished opponents: 2012 Olympic bronze medalist and two-time European Champion Dato Marsagishvili (8-3), that year's World Championship bronze medalist Vladislav Valiev (TF 14-4), 2012 Olympic Gold medalist Sharif Sharifov (TF 12-2), and 2016 Olympic Gold medalist Hassan Yazdani (fall).

In April, Taylor secured his second US national title, achieving an overall score of 40-4 across five matches. After a quick victory at Beat the Streets, Taylor advanced to the World Team Trials finals. En route, he defeated 2016 US Olympic Team Trials Greco-Roman champion Joe Rau and 2012 Junior World Championship runner-up Pat Downey, followed by a win over three-time NCAA Division I All-American Nick Heflin. In the best-of-three finals, he faced reigning Olympic bronze medalist J'den Cox. Taylor comfortably won the first match 9-3. However, he lost the second match narrowly 4-3, and the third bout became controversial due to Cox's sweat and alleged passivity. Following a 5-3 loss, Taylor kicked the challenge cube, and his cornerman Cael Sanderson threw items at the official, including a chair onto the mat.

Taylor returned to competition at the World Clubs Cup in December, helping TMWC to a second-place finish with notable victories over Alireza Karimi and Pawan Kumar.

2.3. 2018: First World Championship and Ascent

To kick off 2018, David Taylor became only the 12th American wrestler to win a gold medal at the Ivan Yarygin Golden Grand Prix, widely regarded as the toughest open tournament in the world. He started with a victory over two-time and defending Pan American champion Yurieski Torreblanca, then defeated Selim Yaşar on points, and secured a fall over 2017 Junior World Champion Artur Naifonov to reach the finals. In the championship match, he achieved another fall, this time against Fatih Erdin, to claim the gold medal. In April, he secured his second consecutive World Cup championship, recording four technical falls that contributed to the United States winning the team gold medal. He also clinched his third US National title with four victories over fellow American competitors.

In May, Taylor won his first Pan American title, earning significant victories over Yurieski Torreblanca, Pool Ambrocio, and Eduardo Gajardo. On his seventh attempt to qualify for the US World or Olympic Team, Taylor finally and decisively earned his ticket to the World Championships by defeating 2018 Bill Farrell Memorial medalist Nick Reenan twice via technical fall in May at Final X: State College. He then prepared for the World Championships by competing at the Yasar Dogu in July, where he recorded four dominant pins against international opponents.

At the World Championships, Taylor faced a challenging start, encountering his toughest opponent of the tournament in the first round: 2016 Olympic Gold medalist and reigning 2017 World champion Hassan Yazdani of Iran. Despite being down 2-6 at the end of the first period, Taylor mounted a remarkable comeback, scoring nine points to win the legendary match 11-6. In the following round, he secured a technical fall against Hajy Rajabau from Belarus, advancing to the quarterfinals. Next, he systematically dismantled the accomplished Cuban wrestler Yurieski Torreblanca to earn an 8-0 victory. The semifinals presented a tougher challenge against 2017 European Champion Dauren Kurugliev of Russia. Taylor fought to the distance and secured a comeback win of 7-5. During this match, Taylor was briefly knocked out after Kurugliev accidentally landed a wheel kick to his chin while escaping a single leg attempt. In the finals, he dominated Fatih Erdin of Turkey, overwhelming him with a 12-2 score to claim his first World Championship title and help Team USA secure a third-place finish.

Following his extraordinary year, Taylor was named the UWW International Freestyle Wrestler of the Year for 2018 and was also honored with the John Smith Award as USA's Freestyle Wrestler of the Year.

2.4. 2019-2020: Injury and Olympic Qualification

After a period away from competition, the reigning World Champion returned in April 2019, securing his second consecutive Pan American title. In this tournament, he outscored his four opponents 34 points to none, contributing to Team USA's sweep of all ten gold medals in freestyle. However, in May, while competing at the annual Beat the Streets charity event against Drew Foster, Taylor sustained a severe knee injury. This injury forced him to forfeit the match and subsequently kept him out of competition for the remainder of the year. As a result, he missed the opportunity to qualify for his second US World Team (a spot which he forfeited to Pat Downey, whom he had previously defeated twice by technical fall), represent the United States at the 2019 Pan American Games, or defend his 2018 World Championship title at the World Championships.

After almost a full year without competition, Taylor made his return to wrestling in March 2020 at the Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament. He comfortably secured three victories to win his bracket and internationally qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Taylor was then scheduled to compete at the US Olympic Team Trials on April 4 in State College, Pennsylvania, where he was considered a heavy favorite. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event, along with the Summer Olympics, was postponed to 2021, leaving all qualified athletes unable to compete as planned.

Taylor was unable to compete for several months due to the pandemic. He was initially scheduled to wrestle Pat Downey (whom he had been unable to face at the 2019 US World Trials) on July 25, at the FloWrestling: Dake vs. Chamizo event. After Downey withdrew due to organizational issues, Taylor wrestled and secured a technical fall victory over the accomplished Myles Martin. Following additional months of inactivity, Taylor defeated two-time NCAA champion Gabe Dean by points on November 24, at the NLWC III event.

2.5. 2021: Olympic Gold Medal and World Championship Silver

To begin 2021, David Taylor was slated to face his former rival and five-time World and Olympic champion (at 74 kg) Jordan Burroughs at 86 kilograms, headlining the FloWrestling: Burroughs vs. Taylor event on January 9. However, on January 8, it was announced that Taylor could not travel to Austin, Texas, due to COVID-19 restrictions. The bout was subsequently postponed by four days and relocated to Lincoln, Nebraska, becoming part of a different card, also titled FloWrestling: Burroughs vs. Taylor. After Taylor secured a 4-0 lead in the first period, Burroughs mounted a late comeback, scoring four points. However, Taylor ultimately secured the victory based on criteria, marking his first win against Burroughs in five matches. Taylor was also scheduled to compete at the Grand Prix de France Henri Deglane on January 16 but was unable to travel due to the rescheduling of his match against Burroughs.

From April 2 to 3, Taylor competed at the rescheduled US Olympic Team Trials as the top seed and heavy favorite. After dominating All-American Brett Pfarr in the quarterfinal round, Taylor flawlessly defeated reigning US National champion Gabe Dean in a rematch, advancing to the best-of-three finals. In the highly anticipated finale, Taylor faced reigning U23 World Champion and Penn State legend Bo Nickal, who was also a close friend and teammate at the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. Taylor defeated Nickal in both matches, scoring a combined ten points while preventing Nickal from scoring any points. This victory earned him the position of US Olympic Team Member at 86 kilograms, qualifying him to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics. Regarding his close relationship with Nickal, Taylor commented, "It was a weird emotion. We had a discussion leading up to it, and we have such a deep room in the wrestling club, especially at 86 kilos, so we're challenged every single day and none of us would be where we are without each other. Bo's amazing, and I wouldn't be where I am without Bo."

As a result of his Olympic qualification, Taylor also competed at the Pan American Continental Championships on May 30. He dominated his three opponents, scoring 30 points without conceding any, ultimately claiming the championship and contributing to the USA securing all 10 freestyle medals at the event.


On August 4, Taylor competed in the first day of the men's freestyle 86 kg competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He displayed dominant form, securing technical fall victories over all three of his opponents on his path to the finals: four-time World Championship medalist Ali Shabanau from Belarus, 2020 European Championship runner-up Myles Amine from San Marino, and defending World silver medalist Deepak Punia from India. On the other side of the bracket, his rival and reigning Olympic and World Champion, Hassan Yazdani from Iran, awaited in the final. This was their rubber match, as Taylor had defeated Yazdani twice previously in his career. In the Olympic final on August 5, Taylor found himself trailing 0-2 in the second period due to a step-out and a passivity point. He scored his first takedown to tie the match, but Yazdani quickly earned another step-out, taking a 2-3 lead. However, in the final moments of the match, Taylor executed a crucial two-point move, securing a stunning upset comeback victory that shocked the wrestling world, as he was considered the underdog. This momentous win earned Taylor the 2020 Summer Olympic Games gold medal and extended his remarkable win streak to 54 matches.

As an Olympic medalist, Taylor earned the right to automatically represent the United States at the 2021 World Championships without needing to compete domestically to make the US World Team. He did so on October 2-3. On the first day of the competition, Taylor once again dominated his opponents, cruising to the finale with victories over World Championship runner-ups Boris Makojev and Abubakr Abakarov. A fourth encounter with his rival and reigning World Champion Hassan Yazdani took place in the finals. This time, however, the Iranian emerged victorious for the first time in their series, effectively neutralizing Taylor and snapping his impressive 57-match win streak. The series stood at 3-1 in favor of Taylor, who earned a silver medal at the championships.

2.6. 2022-2023: Consecutive World Championships

In June 2022, David Taylor secured his spot on the US World Team once again by defeating two-time NCAA champion Zahid Valencia twice at Final X NYC. In September, after a dominant run to the finals, Taylor avenged his previous loss to Hassan Yazdani and claimed his second World Championship title in Belgrade, Serbia.

In June 2023, Taylor repeated as the Final X champion, earning his spot as the US World Team member at 86 kg by defeating US National champion and teammate Aaron Brooks in two consecutive matches. At the World Championships, Taylor once again showcased his dominance, defeating every opponent by either fall or technical fall, including a decisive victory over his rival Hassan Yazdani. This extended his lead in their series to 5-1. Taylor secured his third World title at the 2023 Belgrade event.

2.7. 2024: Initial Retirement, Coaching, and Return

Competing at the US Olympic Trials in April, David Taylor was seeded directly into the best-of-three finals as a 2023 World medalist. However, he was upset in two consecutive matches by his teammate Aaron Brooks, who was the reigning U23 World Champion and a four-time NCAA champion. This loss meant Taylor would not compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics. In May, shortly after the Olympic Trials and following his appointment as head coach at Oklahoma State University, Taylor announced at a press conference that he had retired from competitive wrestling at the age of 33.

However, in September, Taylor, now the head coach of the Cowboys, announced his decision to come out of retirement to compete at the US World Team Trials in the 92-kilogram category. On the first day of the trials, he achieved notable victories over 2018 NCAA champion Michael Macchiavello and All-Americans Trent Hidlay and Marcus Coleman, securing his spot in the best-of-three finals. In the finals, he faced 2023 World medalist Zahid Valencia. After consecutive victories over Valencia, Taylor earned his place back on the US World Team.

In October, Taylor competed in his final World Championships, and his first at 92 kilograms. In a highly anticipated match between two Tokyo Olympic champions, Taylor was defeated by seven-time World and Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev from Russia in the first round. After being pulled into repechage, Taylor rebounded with victories over 2021 World medalist Abubakr Abakarov from Azerbaijan and Lars Schäfle from Germany, earning him the opportunity to contend for a bronze medal. In a battle between two 2022 World champions, Taylor defeated two-time World champion Kamran Ghasempour from Iran to claim the bronze medal. Following this victory, he officially retired from the sport as an athlete.

3.1. Oklahoma State University

In May 2024, one month after his runner-up finish at the 2024 US Olympic Trials, it was announced that David Taylor would assume the role of head coach for the Oklahoma State University wrestling team. This appointment followed the retirement of legendary coach John Smith. As head coach, Taylor is responsible for leading the program, overseeing training, recruiting, and competitive performance of the team.

6.1. Freestyle Record

6.2. NCAA Record

6.3. Head Coaching Record