Despite Months Without Competing, David Taylor’s World Team Trials Win Gains OSU Wrestling Community’s Respect: “Pretty Impressive”

The 2024 Senior World Team Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, are wrapping up, and wrestlers are throwing down for a coveted spot at the World Championships. Smack dab in the middle of it all is David Taylor, who made his comeback in the 92 kg category. It’s been a minute since we last saw him on the mat—his last appearance was back in April when he dominated the 86 kg weight class at the Olympic Team Trials. Naturally, fans expected the “Magic Man” to go all-in again, snagging gold in Paris and defending his Tokyo title.

But plot twist! His Penn State teammate, Aaron Brooks, flipped the script and upset Taylor in the finals, handing him his first loss to an American in seven years. Ouch. Taylor then took a detour to coach at Ohio State University, but hold on—he wasn’t done yet! The two-time NCAA Division I national champion stormed back at the US World Team Trials and claimed the 92 kg championship title. And back in Stillwater—Taylor’s return to the mat isn’t just about winning; it’s the perfect motivation for his squad. Who better to fire up the team than a coach who’s out there proving he’s still got it?

David Taylor shines bright at the World Team Trials

The Ohio State University CowboyWrestling took to X to drop the news, proudly announcing, “The Magic Man does it again. David Taylor is the 92 kg champion at the US World Team Trials!” This indeed is an incredible achievement—Taylor, who’s already a World and Olympic Gold medallist at 86 kg, moved up to 92 kg and took home the title. All while spending the last six months coaching rather than competing, he definitely made a triumphant return to the mat alongside another wrestling legend, proving that he is one of the most accomplished Nittany Lions and the highest-paid wrestling coach in the country.

With the win, Taylor scored a spot to represent Team USA at the Senior World Championships in Tirana, Albania, from October 28-31. He went head-to-head with Zahid Valencia, the 2023 World bronze medallist, in a best-of-three Championship Series—a rematch from their 2022 86-kilogram showdown. In their first match, Valencia had a 3-1 lead early in the second period, but guess what? Taylor flipped the script and quickly bounced back and won 3-3 by criteria. He finished the weekend strong by racking up an 8-0 lead and pinning Valencia just before the break in their second bout.

And the wrestling fans? Oh, they’re buzzing with excitement, flooding the comments with all kinds of hype and celebration! One fan, the ultimate sports buff, and athlete Matthew Nick Nicholson, added a cheeky comment: “I wonder how it feels coming to a program where the coach could still whip your a–? Lol. Pretty impressive!”  This win comes right before the NCAA season gets rolling in March 2025. Just think about it: if the coach is already crushing it in the world team trials just months after taking on the coaching role, how awesome are his wrestlers going to be at the NCAA?

Taylor’s leading by example, showing exactly how it’s done with both his performance and coaching. And guess what? This is just the start of the fan love! The “Magic Man” is heating things up, and the excitement is just beginning!

David Taylor’s Got Fans Going Wild!

In May, David Taylor, who had just become the head coach at Oklahoma State, said he was stepping back from competing at 33 after a couple of tough losses to Brooks at the US Olympic Trials. It seemed like he was done on the mat. But now that he’s coaching at the World Team Trials, he’s eyeing new talent. One fan joked, “Great job Coach! Might as well get some recruiting in while you’re there…” It looks like Taylor’s new role might include scouting fresh talent!

Another fan chimed in with, “Way to go DT! Get another world title.” It’s almost like a stroll in the park for Taylor. After all, he’s a 2020 Summer Olympic gold medallist, a World Champion in 2018, 2022, and 2023, and he’s had an epic rivalry with Hassan Yazdani, leading their series 5–1. Taylor’s got a stacked resume and a history of conquering the mat.

You thought that was the end? Think again! The official X account for Oklahoma State Athletics got in on the action with a shoutout: “Get you a coach that can do both.” And honestly, how often do we see a coach who’s not just calling the shots but also out there competing and snagging wins at the World Team Trials? It’s a pretty incredible and rare sight to see someone juggling both roles and absolutely crushing it!

Hold up, there’s more love heading the champion’s way! Tyler Waldrep, the Oklahoma State beat writer for @tulsaworld, threw in some praise: “It seems like the 33-year-old Magic Man is showing us that a new weight class is no big deal.”

From December 7, 2017, at the World Clubs Cup to the 2024 Olympic Team Trials in April, Taylor was practically unstoppable—winning 70 out of 71 matches against the world’s best! We’re talking 32 tech falls, 13 pins, and a jaw-dropping 57-match winning streak. Now from dominating in the 86 kg since 2015 to now conquering the 92 kg, he’s proving once again that he’s one of the best out there!

With all this love for our new champ, how pumped are you to see David Taylor competing with Team USA for the World Championships? Drop your thoughts below and send some good wishes to the Magic Man!