Wrestling's "Magic Man" is back: Why returning David Taylor is more motivated than ever

The “Magic Man” David Taylor is back, and he may be even better than before.

Five months ago, arguably the world’s greatest pound-for-pound wrestler announced his shock retirement after being eliminated at the US Olympic Trials for Paris 2024. He sighted a ‘dwindling inner fire’ after sealing 86kg Olympic gold at Tokyo 2020, the final major accolade he could win.

He accepted an offer to become head coach at Oklahoma State University (OSU), but after watching the action in the French capital his inner fire was relit.

The 33-year-old returned to the mat to win the national Trials at 92 kg and is now set to compete in the non-Olympic weight class at the World Wrestling Championships in Tirana, Albania in October.

‘When you step away from it, it gives you a different perspective coming into practice, and it just created an energy and excitement that I hadn’t felt — I hadn’t felt that in four years,” he said according to Pistols Firing Blog.

“When you have that fire to do something, it’s such a small window in wrestling. And I started to feel that again. Shoot, if I have it, I think this is a really good opportunity for OSU wrestling, I think it’s a great opportunity to be competing in a World Championship. It just kind of happened pretty naturally.”

• Jordan Burroughs and David Taylor to lead strong US men's wrestling team at 2024 Senior World Championships

While a college wrestling coach still competing at the top level of the sport is indeed rare, it isn’t unique.

John Smith, the man Taylor took over from as OSU head coach, won his second Olympic gold medal at the Barcelona 1992 Olympics just months after finishing his first season as the Cowboys’ head coach.

Elsewhere, Athens 2004 Olympic champion Cael Sanderson, briefly came out of competitive retirement in 2011 — while coaching Taylor at Penn State — to compete at the World championships where he finished fifth.

Far from seeing it as a distraction, OSU believes Taylor competing at the Worlds will provide great exposure to their programme while inspiring their athletes.

The college was so supportive, in fact, that they decided to break the news of Taylor’s return to competition.

“I think it’s a great thing any time that we can put the brand of the programme out in the wrestling world,” OSU athletic director Chad Weiberg said.

“For our team here to see him competing and doing the things to get ready to compete, it only makes what’s happening in our room better.”

Historic clash with Abdulrashid Sadulaev?

Even after routing 92 kg world bronze medallist Zahid Valencia 2-0 in the final at Trials, Taylor isn’t getting ahead of himself.

As a three-time world champ, he knows all too well that competing in Albania will be a significant step up in intensity.

“There are some exciting opponents that I could get a chance to wrestle, but to go would need a little bit more preparation than what I had going into the Trials,” he continued.

One such opponent is two-time Olympic gold medallist Abdulrashid Sadulaev.

“The Tank”, himself a five-time world champion, breezed through his national trials and is also set to compete at 92 kg.

Taylor has wanted this match-up for a long time. In a conversation with FloWrestling, Taylor once stated, “Sadulaev... I know you’re watching. Let’s find a way to get you over here. Let’s wrestle…”

Taking to Instagram last week, the Penn State legend shared a picture posted by United World Wrestling predicting a bout between the pair, neither of whom competed at Paris 2024.

Should Taylor and Sadulaev meet at the 2024 World Championship it will be a battle for the ages.