UFC lightweight contender Justin Gaethje recounts the time he wrestled Jordan Burroughs in college.
Olympic gold medallist Jordan Burroughs is all the rage in the MMA sphere right now.
The wrestling powerhouse made waves in the media when he dominated former ONE FC and Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren in a charity wrestling match last week at Beat the Street’s “Grapple at the Garden.”
He's a GOAT for a reason.
— FloWrestling (@FloWrestling) May 7, 2019
Jordan Burroughs leaves no doubt over Ben Askren. pic.twitter.com/OK7Bif5rip
The four-time world champion, who has flirted with a move to MMA in the past, also fought UFC lightweight standout Justin Gaethje in a wrestling match back in their collegiate wrestling days, and ‘The Highlight’ had nothing but praise for his former opponent.
In a recent tweet Gaethje, an NCAA Division 1 wrestler, hailed Burrough’s double-leg takedown a ‘masterpiece’ and credited the 30-year-old as one of the best wrestlers of all-time.
The double leg from @alliseeisgold is a masterpiece. I wrestled him twice in college. First time I had a bruised sternum from trying to stop it . Second time he broke his tooth on my knee right away and beat me 7-4. I always brag it was his closest match his last 3 yrs
— Justin Gaethje (@Justin_Gaethje) May 7, 2019
“The double leg from @alliseeisgold is a masterpiece. I wrestled him twice in college. First time I had a bruised sternum from trying to stop it. Second time he broke his tooth on my knee right away and beat me 7-4. I always brag it was his closest match his last 3 yrs,” Gaethje posted on Twitter last week.
If Burroughs did make a transition to MMA, his wrestling pedigree alone would make him a serious threat to the UFC welterweight division. UFC president Dana White said on a recent episode of The Jim Rome Show that he’s very interested in seeing how Burroughs would fare in MMA.
“Yeah, listen, I’m always interested in, you know, these guys that are considered the best athletes in whatever it is they do wanting to come to the UFC,” White said. “Yeah, obviously I’d be very interested.”
As for Gaethje, the fan favorite last fought at UFC on ESPN 2, where he knocked out Edson Barboza in the first round. The former WSOF lightweight champion has won Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses in all of his fights under the UFC banner.
