(LR) J’Den Cox and Ivan Yankousk (Belarus) face off in the men’s 92 kg freestyle final. category at the World Wrestling Championships on October 22, 2018 in Budapest.
Burroughs defeated four-time United World Wrestling Ranking Series gold medalist Alex Dieringer to make his 10th World and / or Olympic team.
“10,” he wrote in the post showing him with a swollen and bruised eye. “I’m really just a reflection of all the phenomenal people in my life. God has been good to me. Age does not determine toughness. I always choose to operate with faith, discipline and effort. Everyday. Struck, but all smiles. Next stop in Norway!
Cox, who won the Olympic bronze medal at 86 kg. in 2016 then two world champion titles in 92 kg. in 2018 and 2019, had a very different experience at the Olympic trials.
Planning to challenge Kyle Snyder for the 97kg spot, Cox said his coach told him the wrong time for the weigh-in ahead of the competition last spring. Thinking it ended 30 minutes later than before, Cox weighed in but didn’t have enough time to get rid of what he needed and said he weighed 0.1kg. Overweight. After weighing 96.9 kg. once the deadline passed, he unsuccessfully applied to be reinstated in the competition.
A month later, NBC Sports reported that Cox told national team coach Bill Zadick that he was “here to destroy people’s lives now.” I’m here to take people out. I am here to tear the world apart. It is not out of spite. It is not for revenge. It’s just what will be. It’s to prove to everyone what I’ve known and to prove and show what has been shown over the past two years that I’m the best wrestler in the world.
With Snyder winning silver in Tokyo and claiming his place at 97kg. in Oslo, Cox took part in the world team trials at 92 kg. and defeated Kollin Moore. The 26-year-old from Columbia, Missouri, will now go for his third weight title. He is a medalist at all the Olympic and World Championships he has wrestled in so far in his career.
Both athletes received their draw on Friday, along with the rest of the US men’s freestyle team.
The unranked Burroughs will start with 2021 Pan American Championships bronze medalist Samuel Barmish of Canada. Cox, also unranked, will start with a game against Mongolian Orgilokh Dagvadorj. He could face the number 2 and seed 3 if he qualifies for the semi-finals.
Burroughs and Cox are both in Group 2 and will face each other on Sunday and Monday.
