Jordan Burroughs signs with RAF, set for August debut
Olympic wrestling champion Jordan Burroughs has joined RAF's roster and will step onto the mat for the first time Aug. 22 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, according to the promotion.
RAF announced the signing Thursday, adding one of the most decorated American wrestlers in history to its lineup for RAF 12. Burroughs, who captured 74-kg gold at the 2012 London Olympics, won four World Championship titles across a dominant senior career that stretched from 2011 through 2022.
Burroughs' decorated wrestling career and RAF transition
The 37-year-old Nebraska alum claimed World Championship gold in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017 at 74 kilograms, plus bronze medals in 2014, 2018, and 2019. After missing the 2020 Olympic team when he lost to Kyle Dake at the U.S. trials, Burroughs moved up to 79 kg and won back-to-back world titles in 2021 and 2022. His last competition came at the 2024 World Championships, where he fell to multi-time medalist Mohammad Nokhodi.
RAF has not yet named an opponent for Burroughs' promotional debut. The Cleveland card marks another high-profile wrestling crossover for the upstart promotion, which has built its roster around grapplers transitioning to MMA competition.
Photo: Meghdad Madadi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Original reporting:
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