As Jordan Burroughs Falls, John Smith Remains the Definitive GOAT

The United World Wrestling championships were this past weekend, and there were no former or current Cowboys wrestling here.

Redshirt freshman phenom Daton Fix came the closest of any to making the team. He fell just short dropping the best of three final to Thomas Gilman at “Final X“.

As a wrestling fan I still sat down on Saturday morning excited to watch and cheer on Team USA. There were a number of great story-lines associated with this. Team USA is going for back-to-back world titles for the first time since ever, Kyle Snyder going for his fourth-straight world title, and Jordan Burroughs was trying to win his sixth World/Olympic title overall.

So with no OSU guys wrestling how does this connect to the Cowboys? Jordan Burroughs is the greatest wrestler of this current generation. He’s an incredible wrestler and by all accounts a good person and great ambassador for the sport. As “wrestlers” go that are unrelated to Oklahoma State, I’m a huge fan of him, probably more so than any other non-Cowboy. I wanted to see him go out there and pick up that sixth world title, I wanted to see the team win, etc…

That team title may still happen, in large part thanks to Jordan fighting back and getting a bronze medal on Sunday. But in his quarterfinal matchup Jordan dropped a tough 6-5 match to Russian Zaurbek Sidakov detailed here. That match ended Burroughs’ bid to win his sixth world title.

It’s notable as it relates to Oklahoma State because had Burroughs won, he would have tied John Smith as the only other American to win six World/Olympic titles. Jordan talks a little about that here.

Will Jordan Burroughs tie John Smith in Budapest? pic.twitter.com/wMqMWW57Xe

— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) October 15, 2018

When you talk American wrestling the closest it gets to John Smith is Jordan Burroughs. A win here would’ve put Jordan in a very direct historical argument as the greatest ever along with John. Naturally it would be debated on both sides, John won six in a row, Jordan did not, Jordan has more overall medals, and there are many other points that would come into play on both sides of that discussion. Just like any other sports argument.

But as Smith remains the only American to win six World titles, it’s hard to argue against John being the greatest American ever until another matches that number.

As I write this Kyle Snyder has yet to wrestle this weekend. He’s impressive, and could win his fourth world title here. That continued success could soon enter him into the conversation with Burroughs and then eventually Smith. But until another American wins six, John by most standards remains the GOAT, and only American to win six titles.