Watch John Smith Win Six World Titles

A few of the bigger wrestling media outlets have recently stirred up some discussion on wrestling’s Mount Rushmore. Naturally, John Smith is a central part of that discussion and lands on just about everyone’s list. I decided to dig up and put together a compilation of all six of his World Title matches.

1987 — John Smith DEC Khazar Isayev 5-4

At 22 John Smith became the second youngest freestyle World Champion in US history as he beat Khazar Isayev of the Soviet Union. Isayev was the 1987 World Champion and 86-87 European Champion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDmq7oO0c50

1988 — John Smith DEC Stepan Sarkissian 4-0

John Smith picks up his first Olympic gold with a 4-0 win over Stepan Sarkissian of the Soviet Union.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nll6w2fc4cA

1989 — John Smith DEC Gary Bohay (Canada) 6-0

Smith didn’t only beat up on everyone that the Soviet Union threw at him. He took out the top guys from North America as well. Here he takes out Canada’s Gary Bohay 6-0

1990 — John Smith DEC Rosen Vasilev (BUL) 10-0

Guys could hardly touch John at this point in his career. He won his match in the World finals by 10 points! That’s almost unheard of.

1991 — John Smith DEC Giovanni Schillaci (ITA) 8-1

Still really in the peak of his career John Smith dominated Italian Giovanni Schillaci 8-1. John, a member of the Italian American Sports Hall of Fame himself, picked apart Schillaci to win his final title at the World Championships. A link to a video of the match is here.

1992 — John Smith DEC Askari Mohammadian (IRAN) 6-0

Here John closes out his career with this second Olympic gold medal and sixth straight World title.

It’s simply amazing what John Smith was able to put together in a six-year stretch. To date, no other American has won more than three-straight.