Wrestling fans, the exciting news is incoming. The Cowboy RTC in Stillwater, Oklahoma, has turned up the heat with their training session. Wonder how? Well, it’s because a brand-new talent has joined them for a mind-blowing training session. And it has elevated the center to its utmost firepower. And if you are someone who follows elite-level wrestling, you already know that this is a big deal. This is about to change the game for some of the top athletes training here. And it includes one of the biggest names in the sport.

David Taylor, the GOAT Coach, who’s known for his incredible wrestling career and ecstatic energy-driven performances, is gearing up for new challenges in training. But we have a twist. He now hosted a world-class training session to help take the Cowboy RTC game to the next level. The excitement comes from the introduction of a wrestler with deep international experience. This addition is about to shake up the scene in Stillwater, especially with Taylor already pushing himself toward even greater success.

Abubakr Abakarov Joins Cowboy RTC

Alright, here’s the big news: Abubakr Abakarov, a Russian-Azerbaijani freestyle wrestling champ, joined Cowboy RTC to enhance the training experience on Jan 9th. He’s not just any wrestler—he’s a complete powerhouse with a solid record at the highest levels of competition. This kind of experience is huge for Cowboy RTC. They have been having great talents to train with them, usually, someone who has been dominating the international stage for years and years. Abakarov’s presence will undoubtedly raise the stakes for everyone in the room, including the legendary David Taylor.

Abakarov is a gold medalist in both the 2022 European U23 Wrestling Championship and the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series. And yes, that’s the beginning. Abubakr made his senior debut at the 2021 World Championships and bagged a bronze at 86 kg. Abakarov is a true competitor who has proven himself at every level, including youth, where he earned a Cadet World Championship, Junior World silver, and U23 World silver. Now, he’s bringing all that experience to Cowboy RTC to demonstrate, setting the stage for some serious training sessions with Taylor and the rest of the crew. David took a glimpse of their time on his Instagram story, and stated, “Thanks for coming to Stillwater @abubakr_abakarov86 🤝@cowboy.rtc.”

The video David shared shows them training together on the mat, in which Taylor’s voiceover is added, him saying, “I think Abubakr, I’ve wrestled all the Russians, and I think he’s really good. He was a guy that when I competed against, it wasn’t a guy I wanted to wrestle again, just the way he wrestled. I think when we look at RTC, we’re trying to create the best training environment in the world.”

He continues saying, “It’s cool to see these guys. They reach out and they want to come and they want to train, and we want to show them good hospitality. He was great, great to have in. Great for the guys on our team to wrestle with. Great for DJ and Dustin Serber, great for Zaheed; just a good feel, you know.”

Taylor and Abubakr’s previous encounter in Tirana

David Taylor and Abubakr Abakarov have faced each other on the mat before, and their most recent matchup came at the 2024 Senior World Championships in Tirana, Albania. It was an intense round when Taylor met Abdulrashid Sadulaev, a legendary figure in wrestling. Sadulaev turned out to stay out on top with a dominant 7-0 victory, which sent Taylor into the repechage round. That’s when things take a new turn! Taylor had bounced back real soon, and then things happened leading to the session.

So, In the repechage round, Taylor found his opponent to be none other than Abubakr Abakarov. And then these two icons went toe-to-toe on the mat in a heated match. Taylor gradually secured a hard-fought 3-1 victory. Abakarov, despite the loss, successfully displayed his skills and showed why he’s considered one of the toughest competitors, and that is undeniable. This showdown was just the latest chapter in their ongoing wrestling saga, and now the both of them joined hands with each other in the practice room at Cowboy RTC.

But all of it is not just about their history—they’ve secured some serious accolades. Taylor, for instance, has stacked up gold medals at the World Championships and the Olympic Games. Abakarov, on the other hand, has proven himself with golds at the European U23 Championships and Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series. And when these two elite athletes trained together, pushing each other to new heights, everyone there felt the motivation and fuel within themselves! Also, their previous bouts speak loads about the level of competition both wrestlers bring to the table. With Abakarov’s session at Cowboy RTC, you can bet there are going to be some more intense practices ahead.