When David Taylor made that announcement in May this year about his retirement for the second time, the wrestling world was in shock. People were worried he might be done with the sport for good. But then, in a total plot twist, the 34-year-old Olympian jumped into the coaching world, taking the reins as head coach at Oklahoma State. And he didn’t waste any time; right from the start, he got to work, training his new team with laser focus. The results were almost immediate.

At the 2024 Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational, his Cowboys didn’t just compete; they dominated, racking up 192 team points, the second-highest in the event’s history. That wasn’t a fluke. Taylor’s magic as a coach was clear right away. And just when you thought it couldn’t get better, it did. Fast forward to Bedlam week, and the Oklahoma State Cowboys were ready for their big rivalry match against the Oklahoma Sooners on December 13. This was a big moment for Taylor; it was his first Bedlam duel as a coach. But if there were any nerves, they didn’t show.

The Cowboys crushed it, securing a massive 35-3 win. While the whole team came through, Caleb Fish stood out in the 157-pound category. In a tense match with Carter Schubert, Fish managed to turn a narrow 1-0 lead into a dominant 6-0 win, sealing the deal for his team. It was a standout moment, and it showed that Taylor’s coaching was already paying off. After the big win, Taylor had something to say about his team’s success. He made it clear that this wasn’t just luck; slapping the critics, his guys were prepared.

“Our guys prepare, and they go out expecting to score points and have success,” Taylor said. “It is not an accident that we go out and perform the way we do. It is what our goal is.” Taylor wasn’t just talking about individual wins—he was talking about a whole mindset. This isn’t a team that’s relying on good fortune; they’ve got a plan, they’ve put in the work, and now they’re seeing the results. But David Taylor’s own success became the key to OSU’s momentum after his final match following retirement.

Retirement? Not so fast! David Taylor’s return to wrestling dominates the world!

David Taylor began to understand the essence of the competition only after he was out of the competition. When he said adieu to competitive wrestling in May during the introductory press conference as Oklahoma State’s head coach, he did not doubt it. But as Taylor often says, “Funny how things turn out.” Indeed, after months of introspection, the desire to race again was growing stronger. And so it was determined to compete at the U.S. Senior World Trials in Omaha, Nebraska, and, well, he didn’t just compete—he dominated.

It reminded him of two things: the excitement one gets when one wins at this level and how crucial it is to market OSU wrestling worldwide. But why he returned to wrestling again, Taylor does not deny it was not an easy call. When he first came to OSU, he knew that he was finished competing; more so, his tenacity prompted him to work even harder. But after considering this and perhaps some encouragement from his former head coach, John Smith, he felt ready to get back into the mix.

It was not solely a question of wrestling, however; he had to elucidate whether he would be able to perform as a wrestler and, at the same time, dedicate himself 100 percent to coaching. “Can I help the team? Can I prepare for that level still?” were questions he used to ponder; according to him, it was the best thing he could do. Hence, Taylor has aimed at growing the OSU wrestling program to be the desired program by talents. Because OSU has earned 34 team national titles and Taylor’s current successful string, he knows that bringing both to the world level is the only way to develop the program.