The French capital is turning up the heat for Team USA at the 2024 Olympics. Although the American squad holds the top spot on the medal table, the wrestling team is wrestling with fierce competition from some heavy hitters. Aaron Brooks, competing in the 86 kg weight class, has found the path to victory to be not easy at all. His semifinal match ended in a nail-biting 4-3 loss to Magomed Ramazanov of Bulgaria, proving that the competition in Paris is anything but a pushover.

Despite these hurdles, Team USA has managed to strike gold in wrestling due to the outstanding performance of two-time World Champion Amit Elor. Wrestling remains a strong suit for the Americans at the Games, with more medals on the horizon. However, as three-time NCAA Division I national champion Bo Nickal, a former Penn State star turned UFC fighter, knows all too well, succeeding in wrestling at the Olympics requires fighting tooth and nail for every win. Recently, Nickal even accused the Paris Olympics of throwing a wrench in Team USA’s plans.

Bo Nickal’s claims of bias against American wrestlers at the Paris Olympics

In a recent Instagram short clip shared by Betr, which is basically a podcast channel, Bo Nickal was welcomed when he voiced his honest views on the wrestling events at the Paris Olympics. He accused organizers of trying to “screw the US,” stating that American wrestlers are being given “every single American, the reigning world champion, the first round to try to make it tough on us.” Nikcak further claimed that “they pay them off,” referring to other countries being financially incentivized to manipulate the competition and “sneak in a medal.”

When asked by the host, “Do you think the U.S. should clean house?” Nikcak responded with strong opinions on the matter.

Nickal responded, “I definitely think we should. Everybody should have a really good chance to medal; I think everyone should medal. It’s tough—it’s the Olympics. I definitely think we’ll have multiple golds.”

But how accurate are these claims? Let’s examine an example:

In the Paris Olympics, Zain Retherford, the 2023 World Champion and 2022 World Silver Medalist from the USA, faces a challenging draw in the first round. He will compete against Rahman Amouzad Khalili, an Iranian freestyle wrestler who competes at 65 kilograms and is a 2022 World Wrestling Championship contender. This matchup could be one of the toughest for Retherford, as Khalili is a formidable opponent in a highly competitive weight class.

Retherford’s path to the Olympics has been anything but smooth. At the Olympic qualifier in Istanbul, Turkey, he faced early setbacks but managed to secure a bronze medal after a grueling series of repechage wins. His clinching victory came with a decisive 7-0 decision over Niurgun Skriabin of Belarus. As one of only six Americans to qualify for the freestyle wrestling events, Retherford joins notable wrestlers like Spencer Lee, Kyle Dake, Aaron Brooks, Kyle Snyder, and Mason Parris. Lee and Brooks have already begun their competitions—with Lee advancing to the gold medal match and Aaron Brooks?

Aaron Brooks’ rollercoaster ride at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Aaron Brooks’ 2024 Paris Olympics campaign began with a tight 4-3 win over Kazakhstan’s Azamat Dauletbekov, a two-time bronze medalist in the men’s 86 kg event. Despite Dauletbekov’s initial lead with a single-leg attack, Brooks quickly rebounded with a takedown to take a 2-1 lead. He extended his advantage to 4-1 in the second period but faced late pressure from Dauletbekov. Brooks managed to secure the win despite conceding a step-out and a fleeing point.

In the quarterfinals, Brooks delivered a dominant performance with an 11-1 technical fall over Japan’s Hayato Ishiguro. After a slow start, Aaron Brooks ramped up the intensity in the second period, executing multiple takedowns and leg attacks that overwhelmed Ishiguro. However, the semifinals saw Brooks suffer a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to Bulgaria’s Magomed Ramazanov.

Aaron Brooks initially led 3-0 but struggled as Ramazanov’s late counterattacks and strategic moves turned the match in his favor. Despite the setback, Brooks is set to compete for the bronze medal, aiming to end his Olympic run on a high note. Do you believe injustice is being done to USA wrestlers at the Paris Olympics?