From being totally against doing MMA, Olympic wrestler Jordan Burroughs may actually fight before he retires.
Back in January, Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs wasn’t thinking about transitioning to mixed martial arts. The conversations around him may be growing louder, but ultimately, wrestling remained his top priority.
“I’m a big fan of MMA. But at the end of the day, I love wrestling No. 1, and No. 2 I just don’t want to get punched in the face,” the 33-year-old Burroughs told Jim Rome at the time. “It’s such a different sport. In wrestling, if you lose, you get taken down, you might have gotten put on your back and pinned.
“But if you get beat in a fight, you get choked out, tapped out, someone’s broken something. Wrestling match, if you lose, you go have dinner with your family. MMA, you lose, you go to the hospital.”
Nine months later, Burroughs is doing a full 180, at least based on this recent tweet.
I want one MMA fight before I retire. Just one.
— Jordan Burroughs (@alliseeisgold) October 27, 2021
The tweet drew some mixed reactions of excitement and apprehension. But the most notable responses came from his wife, Lauren.
I literally left you to go down to the gym for an hour and you lost all control.
— Lauren Burroughs (@LoloBurroughs) October 27, 2021
Actual footage of me coming home a few minutes ago. MMA world, carry on… https://t.co/6xEqMHIGy2 pic.twitter.com/jLjSehkncv
— Lauren Burroughs (@LoloBurroughs) October 27, 2021
Talks about Burroughs getting into MMA have already drawn interest in UFC president Dana White.
A five-time wrestling world champion, Burroughs has been competing at the highest level for most of his life. He’s been a constant gold medalist at the Pan Americans and US Open championships and won gold for Team USA at the 2012 Beijing Summer Olympics.