After the dismal loss to Abdulrashid Sadulaev, the branches of hope had started to dry for David Taylor. The world had started to wonder if the Magic Man was really done. Luckily, then came the repechage matches. Taylor went through his top competitors like Abubakr Abakarov from Azerbaijan and Germany’s Lars Schaefle like a hot knife through butter. After all, this was his last shot at redemption, but soon after came his Bronze match against Iranian wrestler Kamran Ghasempour.
Kamran Ghasempour also happens to be a two-time World Champion. But let’s not forget that while Taylor is a coach, he is also a three-time World Champion. The world finally saw some real magic from the Magic Man during the match. Taylor went on to take the win with a score of 6-2. While the win itself is monumental, the emotional moment that followed has left the fandom swimming in feelings. Soon after the match, Taylor was met with a surprise.
Japanese wrestler Masanosuke Ono was waiting for Taylor. Taylor saw him and quickly walked towards him. Ono had a small request for the Magic Man. He wanted to do a singlet swap with David Taylor. And Taylor, being the man he is, happily agreed. As one fan rightly puts it, “Look how happy he (Ono) is!” The video showed Ono extremely happy and with a smile that can only be called beaming. While the swap in itself had made him happy, it was also something Taylor told him!
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As the two met, Taylor first shook hands with Ono and said, “Congratulations.” So why the congrats? Well, Masanosuke Ono was also a part of the World Championships. In fact, as he stood before Taylor, he was a World Champion in the 61kg weight class. As Taylor congratulates him, Ono couldn’t contain his happiness and goes on to say “Thank you” and hug him. It was truly a wholesome moment for the ages. And, of course, the fandom saw that, too!
As one fan rightly puts it, “Game definitely recognizes game!” Right on! Taylor might have fumbled the gold during the 2024 Championships. But wrestling history cannot ever erase David Taylor’s name. He has three world titles and an Olympic Gold to his name. And if that wasn’t enough, he also has a 161-22 run in the senior freestyle matches. In 2028, when Taylor won his first title, he also put on one of the most exciting matches.
David Taylor went on to take down Russia’s Dauren Kurugliev in the semifinals. But this match was not an easy one. Kurugliev accidentally wheel-kicked Taylor, knocking him down mid-match. Despite that, he went on to make it to the finals. In the finals, he took down Fatih Erdin from Turkey and went on to win with a 12-2 score. Now, that is the kind of legacy that wrestlers dream of, and of course, Ono sees it, too. Ono also sees that Taylor is, of course, the head coach of Oklahoma State University. And the fandom hasn’t forgotten that either, and they have something to say!
Fandom falls into spirals of speculation on Taylor’s and Ono’s future!It wasn’t long before the spirals of Ono’s possible future began amongst netizens. A hopeful fan even went on to write, “Ono in Orange?” It is not a far-off question to ask. Ono is, after all, 20, and the possibility of him being an OSu recruit is very much a possibility. However, neither NCAA nor college recruitment has ever been that easy and straight cut. In fact, it was not long ago that Masanosuke Ono himself went on to reveal that Magic Man’s OSU is not his first choice! So who is?
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Well, it is yet again the age of the story of mentor and mentee. Recently, in an interview with FloWrestling, Ono was asked about his thoughts on American wrestling, and he had just one line to say. “I like Penn State University, Coach Cael Sanderson.” That’s right, Taylor’s competition yet again is with his own mentor, Cael Sanderson. While PSU might be Taylor’s alma mater, the thing about the legacy of an institution is that it doesn’t follow the individual. And no one can dispute PSU’s legacy. But that’s not all Ono said!
Masanosuke Ono also went on to disclose something else. He said, “I will go to Penn State, maybe from January to March for training camp.” Oops, Coach Taylor. As one fan sums it uprightly, “One era ends, Ono era begins.” While Taylor’s run at the Worlds might not have ended with a goal, he has done something that his mentor never could. A point so strong it could maybe sway Ono’s decision.
Cael Sanderson, much like David Taylor, after joining Penn State, stepped out of retirement. He, in fact, had a pact with his students, which eventually led to him stepping back onto the mat in 2011. Unfortunately, he had a terrible run, and Sanderson went on to finish fifth. When Taylor lost his chance at gold, many predicted he might end up like Cael. But by proving them all wrong, Taylor has, in fact, made history. One that his alma mater cannot claim or associate itself with. The moment of the win combined with moments with Ono, the world is loving the Magic Man all over again. In fact, the fandom had some predictions, too!
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One fan went on to write, “This right here is one of many reasons, but a very important one, why DT will be a massive success with @CowboyWrestling #okstate.” Yet again, the fandom is not wrong. But the major point to note here is the focus now shifts. The World is coming to an end, and the 2024-25 NCAA season will begin for the Cowboys. And boy, oh boy, is the schedule hectic!
The collegiate season begins with a match against Utah Valley. Post-Thanksgiving, the Cowboys will head to Las Vegas for their next tournament. If there is one thing that all the wins and moments tell us, it is that David Taylor may be stepping out of the mat. But continues to inspire wrestlers around the world. And the best part? He doesn’t even need a singlet to do it.
Source : EssentiallySports