The match that the wrestling community anticipated and prayed for finally arrived on October 30th. David Taylor, after years of waiting and, of course, the 2020 call-out, finally managed to go head-to-head with Abdulrashid Sadulaev. But unfortunately, the championships for the Magic Man were anything but magical. Taylor finally entered uncharted territory of 92 kg and faced his long-time rival. This was no ordinary match for the Magic Man; it was a test of his tricks.

Yet, when the moment arrived, Taylor was caught slacking! Abdulrashid Sadulaev won with a 7-0 score. Fans, analysts, and the world at large were taken aback. It has left many wondering if maybe staying in retirement was a better plan. While the world appreciates Taylor coming out of retirement to put on his singlet one last time, he has unfortunately met the same fate as his mentor, Cael Sanderson. Sanderson himself had come out of retirement to wrestle only to meet a dismal end, much like Taylor. So how did the match go?

Well, as one fan rightly puts it, “Taylor takes some horrible shots.” If it isn’t obvious from that statement, the match was not just a downfall in technique but a larger fall from grace for the Magic Man. Sadulaev’s control was on point since the very first minute of the match. Within the first period, Sadulaev had a clear advantage over Taylor with headlocks and snap-downs. That left Sadulaev with a lead of 4-0. And then came the second half.

As the match went on, it became increasingly evident that David Taylor’s shots weren’t landing. Even his high-C attempt was met with a brilliant counter from Sadulaev. Soon, there was no room for a comeback, and the Magic Man, unfortunately, had no tricks up his sleeve. Thus ending in a 7-0 fall. It was a truly “horrible” way for the Magic Man to go out. But that’s not all; some of the fandom blames other reasons for the loss.

A niche part of the fandom went on to write, “Ya, he kinda got dominated 😡😢🥺 I think Sadulaev was a little too big for him.” The statement is not a far-off one. Abdulrashid Sadulaev made a weight class switch, much like Taylor before the World Championships. Taylor had only recently upped his weight class from 86 kg. He knew full well he was entering rather unfamiliar territory. While Taylor expected this to give him an advantage, the reality that unraveled was a different one.

Meanwhile, it worked great for Sadulaev. He made a switch from 97 kg to 92 kg. The major difference here is that Sadulaev has a history of switching weight classes and still winning. On the other hand, Taylor, not so much. And more importantly, the Russian legend has a history of winning in the 92 kg weight class. In fact, he won both the Rio and Tokyo Olympics in the 92 kg category. While much of the fandom wanted to see the magic on the mats again, there was another section that saw it coming from a mile away.

Netizens weren’t just surprised by the loss; they just expected more!

As one fan went on to write, “Sadulaev just outclassed David Taylor… I knew he would win but…” It is an understandable emotion looking at the road Taylor walked on the way to the Worlds. Taylor took down NCAA champion Michael Macchiavello and All-Americans Trent Hidlay and Marcus Coleman on his way. Then, in the best of three, they went on to beat Zahid Valencia after three consecutive wins. But what the fandom forgot to look at is that Abdulrashid Sadulaev was just as riveting!

Sadulaev’s route to the World was an exciting one. He earned his place, beating the Russian Nationals champion, Alan Bagaev. While the anticipation was all about David Taylor, looking at Sadulaev’s track record, the fandom’s disappointment is understandable. Also, let’s not forget that Taylor might be a three-time World champion, but Sadulaev has won it five times! While the disappointment runs on one side, it was only a matter of time before the netizens started wondering what Sadulaev might have done if he had a bigger competition!

One fan even went on to write, “Would Sadulaev have won the Paris Olympics? Guy just shut out David Taylor.” The fan is not completely without reason in speculating the same. While Taylor comes with an Olympic win at the 2020 Tokyo Games in 86 kg, Sadulaev has an even better portfolio. Sadulaev has two Olympic golds, five World Championship titles, and four European championship titles backing him. And Taylor himself knew this.

Right before the Worlds rolled out, Taylor even went on to say, “We’ve been considered two of two of the best in the world for a while, but there’s been that weight class separation and other things. It’s a pretty crazy series of events that have led to us both being in this weight category for this event, a very low statistical probability. But now we could get to wrestle.” Well, since the match is now a game of the past. It also seems like Taylor himself knew that this match was a fight for his pride on the mat. Unfortunately, Taylor has fallen from the throne of grace. But there is a small chance for redemption.

As one fan rightly pointed out, “He now needs Sadulaev to make finals to be pulled into the repechage.” It’s true; David Taylor’s best chance lies in the repechage. A rule that offers a second chance to wrestlers who lose to a finalist. Taylor has one last shot to win a medal. But the hope is rather slim considering the match that the world just saw. Will David Taylor win one last medal before hanging up his singlet once and for all? The world will have to wait and see.