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Jordan Burroughs switching over to MMA is one of combat sports' biggest ‘what ifs.' The Olympic wrestler has shown an interest in MMA for years dating back to 2012.
As far as wrestling goes, Jordan Burroughs has done it all. This is why MMA is so tempting. It's a whole different sport that combines his love of grappling with the fun of striking.
The Olympian recently went on The MMA Hour and admitted he isn't ready to close the door on MMA. The temptation is just too great.
“I feel like I have this calling where I’m like, deep down inside, when it’s all said and done and my body’s banged up for good and I’m walking away and putting away my wrestling shoes, I’ll always have that thought, like, ‘Damn, what would it be like if I would’ve gotten into the cage?’ And I don’t want to live with regret,” Burrough said Monday on The MMA Hour. “So ultimately for me, really positioning myself now where I’m like, does this make sense? How does it make sense? And really just entertaining offers.
“OK, can we do this? Is this even possible? Will someone even take me on for a singular event? And does it make sense timeline-wise? Does my wife agree with it, number one? And then I think lastly is, can I still be the best wrestler in the world and go out and commit to training for a fight simultaneously? Sometimes when you chase two things, you don’t get either. So I’m hoping that I can still maintain my position in the wrestling world by being the best at what I do, my craft that I intended to be the best at, but also I just have a desire, bro. I just have a strong desire to get in there and see what I’ve got.”
Jordan Burroughs is currently 33 years old which means if he is to make a decision it has to be now. The clock tick especially fast in combat sports and Father Time can be very cruel.
The wrestler has the grappling abilities to compete with anyone in MMA. He thoroughly outwrestled Ben Askren not too long ago. It's not just about competing though, money plays a factor too.
Article Continues Below“I’m just getting older,” Burroughs said. “I really think as time passes and I start to feel how my body feels after each championship, every year I feel a little bit older, it aches a little bit more, the injuries linger a little bit longer. So I’m like, damn, how long can I do this? And to be honest, I went and I won another world championship, a record-tying championship, and I won $50,000. So I’m like, I worked hard all summer, dedicated, focused, I was dialed in — and my paycheck was less than $100,000. And I’m like, I could go out there and do this and fight ultimately for three, four, five times that. So I think that’s kind of where I stand.
“This gives me an opportunity to elevate my brand, to have respect in all circles in the MMA community if that’s something that I want to pursue,” he continued. “But then also it’s the ability to just like garner financial resources relatively easily. It’s not easy, it’s not an easy sport. But from all accounts that I’ve heard from wrestlers, former wrestlers that are in MMA world, they’re like, ‘It’s a lot different. The training is not as rigorous. It’s a lot more sharpening.’ And I’ve seen guys that I’ve competed with go on and be successful.
“I watched Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler in the ring last week [at UFC 268] and those guys are phenomenal fighters, but I’ve been able to compete with both of them in wrestling. And so I’m like, if they can do it, I believe I can do it. I’ve got a unique set of skills, so I think I could do that.”
Jordan Burroughs is a man of business. His ‘random' tweet about wanting one MMA fight wasn't just some spur of the moment thing, it was a feeler.
What kind of offers would he receive if he was serious about MMA? There are plenty of promotions that would be interested in his services. Especially with more Olympians, like Kayla Harrison and Claressa Shields, making the switch over to the cage.
“I’m not just trying to ruffle the feathers. I don’t try to draw attention that’s unwarranted,” Burroughs said. “I tweeted that because I’m serious about it and I want to kind of entertain offers. Like I always hear, people are like, ‘OK, yeah, if you fight, you can make this. Or if you tried it, you could do this.’ But I’m like, OK, well let me hear these [offers]. Let me actually hear what the professionals in the business would have to say about it, because a lot of people would tell me one fight but then they’ll be like, ‘OK, we need to sign you to a two-year, four-fight deal,’ and I’m like, eh, that’s not really what I’m interested in.
“So I’ve been listening. I’ve been keeping my ears to the pavement, seeing what there is out there and seeing if this is something I can actually get into.”
The clock is ticking and Jodan Burroughs feels like he has until 2024, the year of the Olympics, to make his decision. Is there a chance we'll see him in the cage, even if it's for a one-off?
“I’d say true,” Burroughs said.
“When this is all said and done, wrestling is such an honorable sport, but honor doesn’t pay the bills. So you get to this place where you’re like, if I really want all these things, if I really want all these things that I desire, can I get these from a wrestling perspective? So I think that you have to, for me, start to consider all the sweat equity that I put into the sport and all the things that I’ve been able to get from my body, and I’m trying to maximize that before I step away for good from an athletic competition perspective.”
The MMA world will be watching intently and hoping the right promotion offers Jordan Burroughs the kind of money he's looking for. We already know he has the grappling advantage. It will be interesting to see what his hands are capable of.
