Born in Reno, Nevada, Taylor attended Graham High School in St. Paris, Ohio. As a high schooler, Taylor became a four-time OHSAA state champion with an outstanding 180–2 record and graduated with a 4.0 GPA. He received the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 2009 as the nation's top high school wrestler.[8][9]
As a junior, he faced Kyle Dake from Cornell in the NCAA finals, who moved up to attempt to become the third four-time NCAA champion and the first to win titles at four different weight classes in the history of the NCAA. After a back-and-forth battle, Taylor was defeated 5–4.[11] As a senior, he once again had an undefeated campaign, claimed his second NCAA title, helped clinch the team title for the Nittany Lions, and became the third multiple-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner in history.[12] Taylor graduated with 134 wins and three losses, 50 pins, 42 technical falls, and 29 major decisions.[12]
Freestyle career
2010–2012
Taylor made his freestyle debut in April 2010, when he claimed a University US National title.[13] In 2012, he competed at the US Olympic Team Trials, where he went 3–2.[14]
Now able to focus on freestyle full-time after graduating from college, Taylor opened up the 2015 year with a fifth-place finish at the Yasar Dogu, where he went 3–2.[22] He then claimed his first US Open National title in May,[23] followed up by a technical fall over Cuba's Liván López at Beat the Streets.[24] In his fourth attempt to make the US World Team, Taylor was once again overpowered by Kyle Dake in the challenge tournament, but he came back and claimed the third place when he beat veteran Andrew Howe.[25] Taylor then claimed Grand Prix of Spain and Stepan Sargsyan Cup gold medals in July,[26][27] before making the decision to bulk up to the 86 kilogram division on September.[28] Taylor took fifth-place at the Golden Grand Prix of November, and seemed overpowered in his first tournament at a new weight class.[29] On December, Taylor competed at the US Senior Nationals, and after running through '14 US World Team member and teammate Ed Ruth,[30] Taylor was defeated by long-time rival Kyle Dake.[31]
In 2016, Taylor was unable to make the US Olympic Team, as he was defeated by Dake for the fifth time in the senior level, forcing Taylor to battle for the bronze medal, which he comfortably earned.[32] He then claimed his second Spain Grand Prix title on July,[33] and competed again at the World Clubs Cup of December, where he went 3-1 and helped TMWC reach the first-place, while also defeating the accomplished Alireza Karimi.[34]
Taylor claimed his second US national title in April, with an overall score of 40–4 against five opponents.[39] After a quick win at Beat the Streets,[40] Taylor made the World Team Trials finals when he ran through '16 US OTT Greco-Roman champion Joe Rau and '12 Junior World Championship runner-up Pat Downey, and defeated three-time NCAA Division I All-American Nick Heflin to make the best-of-three, where he faced returning Olympic Bronze medalistJ'den Cox.[41] In the first match, Taylor rallied comfortably with a 9–3 win, but was closely defeated in the second match 4–3, leading to a controversial third bout due to Cox's sweat and alleged passivity, which caused Taylor to kick the challenge cube and his cornerman Cael Sanderson to throw items at the official and a chair onto the mat after losing 5–3.[42][43]
He came back to competition at the World Clubs Cup on December, where he helped the TMWC to second place with notable victories over Alireza Karimi and Pawan Kumar.[44]
2018
To start off the year, Taylor became only the 12th American to claim a gold medal at the Ivan Yarygin Golden Grand Prix, considered the toughest open tournament in the world.[45] He opened with a win over two-time (and defending) Pan American champion Yurieski Torreblanca, followed by Selim Yaşar on points and a fall over '17 Junior World Champion Artur Naifonov to make the finals. In the finals, he got another fall, this time over Fatih Erdin, to claim the gold medal.[46] On April, he claimed his second consecutive World Cup championship, recording four technical falls to help secure the gold medal for the United States.[47][48] He also clinched his third US National title, with four victories over fellow Americans.[49]
On May, he claimed his first Pan American title, with notable wins over Yurieski Torreblanca, Pool Ambrocio and Eduardo Gajardo.[50] On his seventh attempt to make the US World/Olympic Team, Taylor finally and dominantly was able to punch tickets to the World Championships, when he defeated '18 Bill Farrell Memorial medalist Nick Reenan twice via technical fall on May, at Final X: State College.[51] He then warmed up at the Yasar Dogu of July, with four dominant pins over foreigners.[52]
At the World Championships, Taylor had a tough start, as he faced his biggest threat of the tournament in the first round, '16 Olympic Gold medalist and defending World championHassan Yazdani from Iran. After being down two points to six at the end of the first period, Taylor was able to overcome adversity and put on nine points on his side, finishing the legendary match 11–6.[53] In the next round, he tech'd '18 Alexander Medved champion Hajy Rajabau from Belarus, to advance to the quarterfinals.[54] Next, he picked apart the accomplished Cuban Yurieski Torreblanca, to pick up an 8–0 victory.[55] In the semifinals, he had it harder, as he went to the distance against the '17 European Champion and Russia's best Dauren Kurugliev, but was able to score the comeback win 7–5.[56] During the match, Taylor got briefly knocked out after Kurugliev accidentally wheel kicked him on the chin when escaping a single leg attempt by Taylor.[57] In the finals, he dismantled Fatih Erdin from Turkey, overwhelming his opposition with 12 points to two, to claim the World Championship and help Team USA reach third place.[58][59]
After the year was over, Taylor was named the UWW International Freestyle wrestler of the Year,[60] and was awarded the John Smith Award winner as USA's Freestyle wrestler of the Year.[61]
2019–2020
After time off competition, the returning World Champion came back in April 2019, when he claimed his second straight Pan American title, tournament in where he scored 34 points to none against his four opponents and Team USA claimed all ten medals in freestyle.[62] On May, he competed at the annual Beat the Streets for charity, against Drew Foster, where he suffered a severe knee injury which led him to forfeit out of the match, and ultimately, forced him to stay inactive during the whole year, missing the opportunity to make his second US World Team (forfeiting it to Pat Downey instead, whom he had tech'd twice), to represent the United States at the 2019 Pan American Games or to defend his title at the World Championships.[63][64][65]
Taylor was unable to compete for a couple of months due to the pandemic, but was scheduled to wrestle Pat Downey (whom he was unable to wrestle at the '19 US World Trials) on July 25, at FloWrestling: Dake vs. Chamizo.[70] After Downey pulled out of the bout due to problems with the organization, Taylor wrestled and tech'd the accomplished Myles Martin.[71] After more months of inactiveness, Taylor defeated two-time NCAA champion Gabe Dean by points on November 24, at the NLWC III.[72]
2021
To start the year, Taylor was scheduled to face his former rival and five-time World and Olympic champion (at 74kg) Jordan Burroughs, at 86 kilos, on January 9, while headlining FloWrestling: Burroughs vs. Taylor.[73] However, it was announced on January 8 that Taylor was unable to travel to Austin, Texas due to COVID-19 restrictions and the bout was subsequently postponed for four days later and changed its location for Lincoln, Nebraska, thus moving to a different card also named FloWrestling: Burroughs vs. Taylor.[74] After a 4–0 lead for Taylor in the first period, Burroughs rallied late to score four points of his own, but was unable to secure the victory as Taylor had criteria, defeating Burroughs for the first time in five matches.[75] Taylor was also scheduled to compete at the Grand Prix de France Henri Deglane on January 16,[76] but was not able to travel due to the postponement of his match against Burroughs.[77]
During April 2 to 3, Taylor competed at the rescheduled US Olympic Team Trials as the heavy favorite and top–seed.[78] After cleaning out All–American Brett Pfarr in the quarterfinal round,[79] Taylor flawlessly knocked off reigning US National champion Gabe Dean in a rematch from their match at the NLWC III, advancing to the best–of–three finals.[80] In the finale, Taylor faced reigning U23 World Champion and Penn State legend Bo Nickal, whom he is close with as a friend and teammate at the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. He defeated Nickal twice and did not allow him to score any points while scoring ten combined points of his own, becoming the US Olympic Team Member at 86 kilograms, and qualifying him to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[81] In regards to his close relationship with Nickal, Taylor then stated:
"It was a weird emotion," Taylor said. "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."[82]
As a result, Taylor also competed at the Pan American Continental Championships on May 30.[83] Taylor racked up 30 points against his three opponents while not getting scored on to claim the crown and help the USA reach all 10 freestyle medals.[84]
As an Olympic medalist, Taylor earned the right to automatically represent the United States at the 2021 World Championships without having to compete domestically to make the US World Team, and did do so in October 2–3.[88] On the first date, Taylor once again ran through his competition, dominating the likes of World Championship runner-ups Boris Makojev and Abubakr Abakarov to cruise to the finale.[89] A fourth match with rival and reigning World ChampionHassan Yazdani took place in the finals, but this time the Iranian came up on top for the first time, nullifying Taylor and snapping his 57-match win streak, marking the series 3–1 in favor of Taylor and the latter leaving with a silver medal.[5]
In 2015, Taylor and Adidas released a line of wrestling apparel labeled "M2" after Taylor's college nickname "Magic Man".[90] Taylor received the nickname after a collegiate match in which he turned an unfavorable situation for himself into an advantage.[91] The apparel line began with wrestling shoes and has since expanded to clothing, posters and Adidas sponsored events.
Jordan Ernest Burroughs is an American freestyle wrestler and former folkstyle wrestler who currently competes at 74 kilograms.
Kyle Douglas Dake is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who currently competes at 74 kilograms. Dake is a four-time World Champion, winning back-to-back titles twice, at 79 kilos in 2018 and 2019 and 74 kilos in 2021 and 2022. He claimed a bronze medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics held in Tokyo. During his first World Championship tournament, Dake outscored his opposition 37 points to zero, not surrendering a single point.
Kyle Frederick Snyder is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 97 kilograms. He is the youngest Olympic gold medalist and the youngest world champion in American wrestling history.
Hassan Yazdani Charati is an Iranian freestyle wrestler. Yazdani is an Olympic and World Champion in freestyle wrestling in two weight categories. He became Olympic champion in the 74kg category at the 2016 Summer Olympics after defeating Russian wrestler Aniuar Geduev in the final. The following year he became World Champion at the 2017 World Wrestling Championships in the Men's freestyle 86 kg category. He won his second world title at the 2019 World Wrestling Championships in Kazakhstan and third at the 2021 World Wrestling Championships in Norway.
James Malcom Green Jr. is an American retired freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 70 kilograms. His most successful year came in 2017, when he placed second at the World Championships and the World Cup and claimed the Pan American Continental Championship and the US Open National Championship, as well as other international titles. In college, Green was a four–time NCAA Division I All–American and a Big Ten Conference champion for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
J'den Michael Tbory Cox is an American retired freestyle wrestler and folkstyle wrestler who competed at 92 kilograms. In freestyle, Cox was a two-time World Champion at 92 kilos, and while competing at 86 kilos, he claimed a bronze medal from the 2016 Summer Olympics and a 2017 World Championship bronze medal. During college, Cox wrestled for the Missouri Tigers, and was a three-time NCAA Division I national champion and four-time Mid-American Conference champion, becoming one of the most accomplished Tigers in the program's history.
Thomas Patrick Gilman is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 57 kilograms. In freestyle, Gilman is a 2020 Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist and the 2021 World Champion and Pan American Continental champion. In folkstyle, Gilman was a three-time NCAA Division I All-American, the 2016 NCAA national runner-up, and a Big Ten Conference champion out of the University of Iowa.
John Michael "Yianni" Diakomihalis is an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler who competes at 65 kilograms and 149 pounds. In freestyle, he is the 2022 World silver medalist, a two-time US World Team member, the 2020 Pan American champion, the 2019 US Open national champion, and a two-time age-group World champion. As a collegiate wrestler, Diakomihalis was a four-time NCAA Division I champion and four-time EIWA champion out of Cornell University.
Bo Dean Nickal is an American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle and graduated folkstyle wrestler who currently competes in the UFC middleweight division. In freestyle wrestling, he claimed the 2019 U23 World Championship and the US Open national championship, and was a finalist at the 2020 US Olympic Team Trials and a Final X contestant in 2019. As a collegiate wrestler, Nickal was a three-time NCAA Division I national champion and a three-time Big Ten Conference champion out of Pennsylvania State University.
Mark John Hall II is an American former freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competed at 86 kilograms. As a folkstyle wrestler, Hall was an NCAA Division I National champion and a three-time Big Ten Conference champion out of the Pennsylvania State University. As a freestyle wrestler, Hall was the 2021 US Open National champion, 2018 Pan American Continental champion, a two–time Junior World Champion and a Cadet World Champion.
Zain Allen Retherford is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 70 kilograms. In freestyle, he is a gold and silver medalist at the World Championships, as well as a Pan-American champion.
Jason Michael Nolf is an American freestyle and former folkstyle wrestler who competes at 74 kilograms. In freestyle, he is a three-time U.S. national champion and a multiple-time medalist in international tournaments.
Roman Guillermo Bravo-Young is a Mexican-American freestyle and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 57 kilograms. In freestyle, he is qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics, and has won multiple international tournaments while representing Mexico, where he is a two-time National champion.
Isaiah Alexander Martinez is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 79 kilograms. In freestyle, Martinez is a two-time US Open National champion and was the 2017 US U23 World Team Member. As a folkstyle wrestler, he was a two-time NCAA Division I National champion and a four-time Big Ten Conference champion.
Zahid Valencia is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 86 kilograms. As a folkstyle wrestler, he was a two-time NCAA Division I national champion and three-time Pac-12 Conference champion out of Arizona State University. In freestyle, he was the 2019 US national champion and has competed at multiple international tournaments, winning gold at the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series 2021 and 2021 Poland Open and bronze at the Grand Prix de France Henri Deglane 2021.
Myles Najee Martin is an American freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 86 kilograms. In freestyle, he placed second at the '19 US National Championships and is a two-time US U23 National Champion. As a folkstyle wrestler, he was an NCAA Division I National champion, a four-time All-American and a Big Ten Conference champion out of the Ohio State University.
Vitali Orujov is an American freestyle and former folkstyle wrestler who competes at 61 kilograms. In freestyle, he was the 2023 World Champion, Pan American champion and US National champion.
Aaron Marquel Brooks is an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler who competes at 86 kilograms. In freestyle, he is qualified to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics, is a U23 World champion and US National champion, and was a U20 World silver medalist and U17 World champion.
Joseph Christopher McKenna is an American freestyle and graduated folkstyle wrestler who competes at 65 kilograms. In freestyle, he is a two-time Pan American Continental champion, multiple-time Grand Prix medalist, and a U23 World medalist and US National champion.
Gabriel Curtis Dean is an American retired freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler who formerly competed at 86 kilograms. In freestyle, he was the 2020 US National Champion, a '17 Pan American Championship medalist, and a '14 Junior World Championship medalist. He was also the '15 Pan American Championship runner–up in Greco-Roman. As a collegiate wrestler, Dean was a two–time NCAA Division I champion, a four–time EIWA Conference champion, and a four–time NCAA Division I All-American for the Cornell Big Red.
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