The Oklahoma State wrestling program is on a roll! With Olympic gold medalist David “Magic Man” Taylor at the helm of things, the Cowboys are riding high on a pristine 13-0 (9-0 in Big 12) record so far into the 2024-25 season. In Taylor’s first year as the head coach of the storied program, the squad has already taken down intimidating opponents like Arizona State and Oklahoma and has finished first at the 2024 Cliff Keen Invitational. But that seemingly unstoppable momentum almost took a hit tonight.

On Saturday night, Taylor’s boys traveled to Arkansas to take on Little Rock. Considering the mesmerizing show the Cowboys put up so far in the season, the visitors were naturally expected to walk away from the mat as victorious without breaking much sweat. However, Little Rock tantalizingly held the fort and refused to give in without a fight, making many fans note their astonishment.

David Taylor’s camp wriggles out a well-earned victory, despite stern opposition

The official UFC Fight Pass took to X on February 8 to share snippets from the action that went down at the Jack Stephens Center. The accompanying video shows how Oklahoma’s three-time All-American wrestler Dustin Plott gave David Taylor’s squad a 17-13 lead after the eighth bout (184lb) of the night. The visitors ultimately won the dual 25-13, but the Little Rock athletes gave them a run for their money’s worth.

OSU dropped three of the first five matches but won the last five to pull away and retain its winning streak. And yet, Little Rock’s exhibition of grit compelled fans to laud their determination to keep pushing. One of the highlights of the night was undoubtedly Jordan Williams‘ 3-2 victory over OSU’s Carter Young in the 149lb bracket. Williams was a former Cowboy athlete, dismissed from the squad in August last year, months after Taylor took over the reins.

Naturally, OSU fans were left with their jaws wide open after seeing how the team struggled to overcome the Little Rock challenge. Without much hindrance, they quickly took to social media to note their admiration.

Wrestling fans hail the Trojans’ iron will

“Uh, the score was what???” commented one fan in disbelief. Taking into account that Little Rock posed almost similar points to David Taylor’s boys at one point of the dual, the admiration is well deserved. The Trojans currently boast an impressive 14-3 record this season, with wins over heavyweight opponents like Oregon State and Mizzou. Understandably, their latest clash against the Cowboys is also making many fans consider Little Rock as a force to be reckoned with. “Time to bring them to the Big 12!” suggested another fan, who evidently is keen to see the Trojans make itself at home with the big boys.

Sharing the OG X post, award-winning wrestling journalist Seth Duckworth also hailed Little Rock. “Regardless of how this thing finishes out, Little Rock being within striking distance of Oklahoma State with two matches left is an incredible testament to what is happening at that program,” wrote “MatBoy”. Another fan also mirrored similar sentiments, saying, “Honestly…this score is not about how OSU wrestled, but how good Little Rock wrestled.”

For understandable reasons, many fans think Little Rock’s success is a shining example of Neil Erisman‘s wisdom and knowledge about the sport. “Neil has been doing work in LR and is reaping his rewards! They are rapidly becoming a go to program!” one fan lauded the Trojans’ head coach, who bagged NWCA Coach of the Year and Pac-12 Coach of the Year awards after taking Litle Rock to unprecedented heights in the 2023-24 season. “Truly amazing what they’ve done down there,” read another fan’s vehement cheer.

David Taylor & Co. will lock horns with Big 10 powerhouse Iowa next on February 23. Do you think the team will manage to perform better than they did tonight, or will one of the country’s most successful programs finally subdue the Olympian coach’s triumphant run? Will Taylor’s vision for the Cowboys see its fruition? Or will Tom Brands have the last laugh on the Hawkeyes’ home turf? Share your predictions in a comment!