As the year winds down, the sports world is buzzing with excitement, and the World Wrestling Championships are just two weeks away! Fans are eagerly waiting to see legends like Jordan Burroughs and Abdulrashid Sadulaev back on the mat. On one hand, there is Burroughs, who is set to compete in the 79 kg category, while Sadulaev, who typically dominates the 97 kg weight class, has also shown his prowess in the 86 kg division in the past.

Let’s rewind to the Paris Olympics, where wrestling stars Jordan Burroughs and Abdulrashid Sadulaev were absent for different reasons. Burroughs lost a tight 3-0 match to Jason Nolf at the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials in the 74 kg category, ending his Olympic bid. Meanwhile, Sadulaev, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, faced a ban after being denied entry at a Romanian airport. But the story didn’t end there. At the world team trials, Sadulaev made a fierce comeback, winning a wrestle-off against Alan Bagaev to secure his spot on the 2024 World Team at 92 kg.

Now, as the championships approach on October 28, the wrestling community is buzzing with excitement. Fans are passionately picking sides and debating who will emerge as the pound-for-pound (P4P) king between these two legends. With anticipation building, all eyes are set on the mat, ready for what promises to be an epic showdown in their respective weight classes!

On October 17, r/wrestling sparked some serious chatter on the subreddit by asking fans to settle the debate: “Abdulrashid Sadulaev vs. Jordan Burroughs—who’s better pfp?” The comments lit up, and the wrestling community became split, with people diving into different discussions and opinions!

One user chimed in, “For me, it’s Sadulaev, he’s one of the greatest to ever do it in Freestyle. They aren’t too dissimilar in accolades though” Nevertheless, Sadulaev has garnered acclaim as one of the most dominant active freestyle wrestlers on the globe, with an impressive five world championship medals.

But let’s not sleep on Jordan Burroughs, who shines just as brightly with nine world championship medals under his belt. Both legends have carved their names in wrestling history, making the debate all the more thrilling! But hold on, this is just the tip of the iceberg! Fans are chiming in with a whirlwind of mixed responses as they rally to choose their favorite.

Fans caught in a tangle over their favorite in the Jordan Burroughs vs. Abdulrashid Sadulaev debate

Once that Reddit question dropped, wrestling fans were abuzz! Some rallied behind Jordan Burroughs, while others stood firmly with Abdulrashid Sadulaev. Jordan Burroughs made his debut in freestyle way back in 2007 at the US University Nationals, clinching second place behind Teyon Ware. Since that moment, he’s been on a winning streak, making an impressive collection of accolades across the board. From his 9 shiny medals at the World Championships to Olympic gold in London, plus 6 golden treasures from the Pan-American Championships, Burroughs has truly made his mark.

So one fan hyped the American, Burroughs, pointing out, “Career wise I think Jordan’s accolades/wins are better than Sadulaev. Dudes been wrestling monsters since he made his freestyle debut.” Another fan shared their opinion, acknowledging some bias but firmly supporting Burroughs.

They emphasized Jordan’s achievements, “won some insanely stacked brackets” and competing against wrestling legends throughout his career. While acknowledging Sadulaev’s exceptional talent as “obviously incredible,” the fan believed that Jordan faced tougher competition in the 74 kg division compared to Sadulaev’s 97 kg bracket over the years.

The fan also highlighted Sadulaev’s encounters with Kyle Snyder, mentioning his loss in 2017 but a comeback victory in 2018, where he pinned Snyder to secure the gold. Despite Sadulaev’s success, the fans argued that considering the pound-for-pound ranking, they would choose Burroughs because of the extensive range of opponents he has faced, including David Taylor saying, “I’m taking Burroughs.”

But let’s not ignore Abdulrashid Sadulaev’s incredible journey—his fans didn’t hold back in the comments either! One fan defended him, saying,

“Snyder was probably the p4p best in the world when he got beat by Sadulaev. The dude literally had two career loses. I’m a huge Burroughs fan but Sadulaev is as dominant a freestyle wrestler as we’ve seen over the last few decades.” And they’re correct. Sadulaev has been the one delaying Snyder’s streak since 2017.

At that time, Snyder’s defeat against Sadulaev came as a surprise, considering Snyder’s exceptional performance. Snyder notably achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the youngest American wrestler to secure world, NCAA, and Olympic championships all in a single year—a notable achievement in American wrestling history that he accomplished during the 2016 Rio Olympics. Hence, when Sadulaev began outmaneuvering him, it was indeed a significant challenge. Looking at the banter, it is obvious that there wasn’t a single right answer, as both are undeniably among the best in their game. But what do you think? Share in the comments below!