Top 5 US Freestylers of All Time

[WrestlingRecords.com]

1. John Smith

2x Olympic Champ, 4x World Champ. 181-10 wrestling record with a 95% win rate. He beat 45 World/Olympic medalists during his career and retired at 26. So he probably could've kept it rolling if he didn't start coaching.

John Smith's Record: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/john-smith/

2. Jordan Burroughs

1x Olympic Champ, 6x World Champ, 3x World Bronze. 248-21 wrestling record with a 92% win rate. He's beaten 70 World/Olympic medalists in his career so far. JB is definitely the modern era GOAT, having to take out Kyle Dake and David Taylor multiple times to make the US team.

JB's Record: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/jordan-burroughs/

3. Cael Sanderson

1x Olympic Champ, 1x World Silver. 105-19 wrestling record with an 85% win rate. He beat 19 World/Olympic medalists during his career. I might get some heat for putting Cael at #3, but he's my GOAT. He made the 2001 US World Team, but opted out because the NCAAs were the same weekend as Worlds. He made the 2002 US World Team, but the US didn't go due to security concerns. He retired after winning Olympic gold in 2004. Then came back 7 yrs later to take 5th in the world. If he never retired for a coaching job, he would have 20 World titles.

Cael Sanderson's Record: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/cael-sanderson/

4. Kyle Snyder

1x Olympic Champ, 1x Olympic Silver, 3x World Champ, 2x World Silver, 2x World Bronze. 216-22 wrestling record with a 91% win rate. He's beaten 50 World/Olympic medalists so far during his career, and he's only 29. I gave Kyle Snyder the edge over Bruce Baumgartner, because I think the current era of wrestling is more competitive. Plus Kyle Snyder is still wrestling.

Kyle Snyder's Record: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/kyle-snyder/

5. Dave Schultz

1x Olympic Champ, 1x World Champ, 3x World Silver, 2x World Bronze. 489-88-1 wrestling record with an 85% win rate. He beat 53 World/Olympic medalists during his career. He holds the US record for most senior level freestyle wins, and is the only American to win the Tbilisi tournament twice.

Dave Schultz's Record: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/dave-schultz/

Who do you have in your top 5?

I've got Baumgartner, Gable, Kyle Dake, Lee Kemp, and David Taylor close, but I think they are right outside the top 5.

[The Kid]

One Olympic gold and a silver medal for Sanderson.  That's barely top 10 in the USA.  Who would rank him higher than Snyder, Bruce, Kemp, Gable, etc.

Tom Brands is more accomplished for God's sake.

[WrestlingRecords.com]

10 minutes ago, The Kid said:

One Olympic gold and a silver medal for Sanderson.  That's barely top 10 in the USA.  Who would rank him higher than Snyder, Bruce, Kemp, Gable, etc.

Tom Brands is more accomplished for God's sake.

2004 Cael was dangerous. I may be biased though

[Truzzcat]

JB's domestic results put him 1 for me. Kept Dake and DT off the olympic team for a cycle. Dt's runs up until he lost to Brooks may be recency bias but if there was no DT yazdani may be in the goat conversation.

[Tripnsweep]

In no order.

Burroughs.

Smith.

Baumgartner.

Dake. 

Taylor. 

[scourge165]

7 hours ago, WrestlingRecords.com said:

1. John Smith

2x Olympic Champ, 4x World Champ. 181-10 wrestling record with a 95% win rate. He beat 45 World/Olympic medalists during his career and retired at 26. So he probably could've kept it rolling if he didn't start coaching.

John Smith's Record: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/john-smith/

2. Jordan Burroughs

1x Olympic Champ, 6x World Champ, 3x World Bronze. 248-21 wrestling record with a 92% win rate. He's beaten 70 World/Olympic medalists in his career so far. JB is definitely the modern era GOAT, having to take out Kyle Dake and David Taylor multiple times to make the US team.

JB's Record: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/jordan-burroughs/

3. Cael Sanderson

1x Olympic Champ, 1x World Silver. 105-19 wrestling record with an 85% win rate. He beat 19 World/Olympic medalists during his career. I might get some heat for putting Cael at #3, but he's my GOAT. He made the 2001 US World Team, but opted out because the NCAAs were the same weekend as Worlds. He made the 2002 US World Team, but the US didn't go due to security concerns. He retired after winning Olympic gold in 2004. Then came back 7 yrs later to take 5th in the world. If he never retired for a coaching job, he would have 20 World titles.

Cael Sanderson's Record: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/cael-sanderson/

4. Kyle Snyder

1x Olympic Champ, 1x Olympic Silver, 3x World Champ, 2x World Silver, 2x World Bronze. 216-22 wrestling record with a 91% win rate. He's beaten 50 World/Olympic medalists so far during his career, and he's only 29. I gave Kyle Snyder the edge over Bruce Baumgartner, because I think the current era of wrestling is more competitive. Plus Kyle Snyder is still wrestling.

Kyle Snyder's Record: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/kyle-snyder/

5. Dave Schultz

1x Olympic Champ, 1x World Champ, 3x World Silver, 2x World Bronze. 489-88-1 wrestling record with an 85% win rate. He beat 53 World/Olympic medalists during his career. He holds the US record for most senior level freestyle wins, and is the only American to win the Tbilisi tournament twice.

Dave Schultz's Record: https://wrestlingrecords.com/wrestler/dave-schultz/

Who do you have in your top 5?

I've got Baumgartner, Gable, Kyle Dake, Lee Kemp, and David Taylor close, but I think they are right outside the top 5.

I'm probably just swapping Taylor for Cael...I love him, but he didn't' win 20 more golds, he went into coaching. I think Gable could have been #1. He was so dominant. 

#5...I could see Gable given his dominance but I'm going to put Dake in there. It feels counterintuitive though. Taylor couldn't get past Dake much less JB...but he went up and won, so he gets the nod. Dave Schultz was great but...it's those '84 Olympic titles that I just don't see as being equal to most. He was great and won a WC... but Dake had a run of 6 years where he was three matches from 5 WC and 2 OCs. 

That didn't happen, but 4 WC, a couple Bronze Medal and a Silver in what is...probably the best weight(Generally speaking) speaks for itself and shows how great he was. Add that Olympic year that he had his best chance of winning and...things just didn't fall quite right for him, but he was right there. And hell, he's probably gonna try another Cycle and he's someone I could actually see winning it at 37 or whatever he'll be. 

 

I will say...I don't really like the idea of putting Cael or Gable ahead of Snyder as Snyder could have walked away with 3 WCs, an Olympic Title, a 2/1/1/1 in the NCAAs and a win over Sadulaev and people could argue he's #1 ever using the same logic that Cael would have kept winning or even Gable.

[Fadzaev2]

22 hours ago, The Kid said:

One Olympic gold and a silver medal for Sanderson.  That's barely top 10 in the USA.  Who would rank him higher than Snyder, Bruce, Kemp, Gable, etc.

Tom Brands is more accomplished for God's sake.

Gable only has one Olympic Gold and one World Gold.....just saying

[jchapman]

George Mehnert won two Olympic Gold medals.  He has to be in the top 5.

[The Kid]

52 minutes ago, Fadzaev2 said:

Gable only has one Olympic Gold and one World Gold.....just saying

It's still better than Sanderson.  

[mspart]

Should we forget Lee Kemp, Mark Schultz, Kevin Jackson, and Big Bruce?

They did it when there was  no financial advantage to do so.  They did it definitely for the love.  That has to count for something I would think.     Win ranks them thusly for world championships:

https://www.win-magazine.com/2023/09/11/26123/ 

6 – Jordan Burroughs (74 kg 2011, 74 kg 2013, 74 kg 2015, 74 kg 2017, 79 kg 2021, 79 kg 2022), plus one Olympic Gold (74 kg 2012)

4 – John Smith (62 kg 1987, 62 kg 1989, 62 kg 1989, 62 kg 1990), plus two Olympic Golds (62 kg 1988 62 kg 1992)

4 – Kyle Dake (79 kg 2018, 79 kg 2019, 74 kg 2021, 74 kg 2022)

3 – Lee Kemp (74 kg 1978, 74 kg 1979, 74 kg 1982)

3 – Bruce Baumgartner (130 kg 1986, 130 kg 1993, 130 kg 1995), plus two Olympic Golds (+100 kg, 1984, 130 kg)

3 – Kyle Snyder (97 kg, 2015,  97 kg 2017, 97 kg 2022), plus one Olympic Gold (97 kg 2016)

2 – David Taylor (86 kg 2018, 86 kg 2022), plus one Olympic Gold (86 kg 2020)

2 – Kevin Jackson (82 kg 1991, 82 kg 1995), plus one Olympic Gold (82 kg 1992)

2 – Mark Schultz (82 kg 1985, 82 kg 1987), plus one Olympic Gold (82 kg 1984)

2 – Terry Brands (57 kg 1993, 57 kg 1995)

2 – J’den Cox (92 kg 2018, 92 kg 2019)

1 – Dan Gable (68 kg 1971), plus one Olympic Gold (68k 1972)

1 – Wayne Wells (74 kg 1970), plus one Olympic Gold (74 kg 1972)

1 – Dave Schultz (74 kg 1983), plus one Olympic Gold (74 kg 1984)

1 – Kenny Monday (74 kg 1989), plus one Olympic Gold (74 kg 1988)

1 – Tom Brands (62 kg 1993), plus one Olympic Gold (62 kg 1996)

1 – Kurt Angle  (100 kg 1995), plus one Olympic Gold (100 kg 1996)

1 – Rick Sanders (52 kg 1969)

1 – Fred Fozzard (82 kg 1969)

1 – Lloyd Keaser (68 kg 1973)

1 – Stan Dziedzic (74 kg 1977)

1 – Chris Campbell (82 kg 1981)

1 – Bill Scherr (90 kg 1985)

1 – Zeke Jones (52 kg 1991)

1 – Melvin Douglas (90 kg 1993)

1 – Les Gutches (85 kg 1997)

1 – Sammie Henson (54 kg 1998)

1 – Stephen Neal (130 kg 1999)

1 – Bill Zadick (66 kg 2006)

1 – Logan Stieber (61 kg 2016)

1 – Thomas Gilman, 57 kg 2021

I bolded my top 5.   I did not put Dake there because he won 2 golds at non Olympic weights.  That experience helped him get to the Olympic weight for sure.   His goal was to be the champ at an olympic weight obviously.  Incredible  wrestler but not top 5. 

mspart

[BAC]

I'd have it Smith, Burroughs, Bruce, Taylor, Dake, Snyder. 

Yes, I know that's 5.  Not sure yet which one I'd drop.  Probably Dake, as he lacks an Olympic title.

Regarding the others mentioned:

Dave Schultz was great, but he doesn't have the titles these others have.  Doesn't help that his Olympic title was from the boycott year.

Cael is awesome but he has even fewer titles (one).  He was never that good at freestyle.  Even the year he won, it was an upset as everyone expected Saijidov to torch him as he'd done at the prior worlds, but the Korean upset him in the semis. 

Kemp is probably next in line after the above 6 guys, but they each have at least 4 world/Olympic titles while Kemp has 3.  

[bnwtwg]

Taylor and Dake both sit below Burroughs and Cox. They could not beat either for multiple years and should be rated accordingly.

It is not hyperbole to say that if Cox was able to stay down at 86 that David Taylor may have never made a single team if you also factor in JB moving to 79 as their catch-weight after he also lost to Dake at the 2020ne trials and beyond. Obviously we will never know, but it certainly would have been a very realistic outcome that Burroughs, Dake, and Cox continued their winning ways if Taylor shifted weights. Would he have attempted 92 at any point? That may rub some people the wrong way, but that does not mean it is wrong.

Burroughs, Smith, Big Bruce, Snyder in that order is Mt. Rushmore. Kemp takes home the final spot because he was robbed of the opportunity in 1980 as an all-time what-if. JB gets top billing over Smith for winning tournaments that required zero losses. '84 and '21 come with hard asterisks unfortunately.

Edited yesterday at 01:13 AM by bnwtwg

[bnwtwg]

On 3/6/2025 at 4:26 PM, Truzzcat said:

 if there was no DT yazdani may be in the goat conversation.

If Cox stayed down at 86 then what's to say the Yazdani vs. USA results are any different? Transitive property and such, but he beat Taylor 4x and Taylor only lost to Yazdani once at a trap-game 21 worlds.

[666]

On 3/7/2025 at 8:18 PM, jchapman said:

George Mehnert won two Olympic Gold medals.  He has to be in the top 5.

Never heard of him. Greco guy? 

[jchapman]

11 hours ago, 666 said:

Never heard of him. Greco guy? 

Freestyle

NWHOF Bio

Edited yesterday at 12:37 PM by jchapman

[BarSeries]

Smith, Burroughs, Baumgartner, Snyder, Taylor

[BarSeries]

1 hour ago, BarSeries said:

Smith, Burroughs, Baumgartner, Snyder, Taylor

I can't believe it took 15 replies before someone had the correct answer! lol

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

1 minute ago, BarSeries said:

I can't believe it took 15 replies before someone had the correct answer! lol

 

1 hour ago, BarSeries said:

Smith, Burroughs, Baumgartner, Snyder, Taylor

That's pretty good.  I think it was Teague Moore who said that while he was coaching at Harvard, Granit Taropin (Soviet coach who trained Belaglazovs) was also there.  Taropin couldn't believe how often Americans left Big Bruce off the GOAT lists.

[BAC]

14 hours ago, bnwtwg said:

Taylor and Dake both sit below Burroughs and Cox. They could not beat either for multiple years and should be rated accordingly.

It is not hyperbole to say that if Cox was able to stay down at 86 that David Taylor may have never made a single team if you also factor in JB moving to 79 as their catch-weight after he also lost to Dake at the 2020ne trials and beyond. Obviously we will never know, but it certainly would have been a very realistic outcome that Burroughs, Dake, and Cox continued their winning ways if Taylor shifted weights. Would he have attempted 92 at any point? That may rub some people the wrong way, but that does not mean it is wrong.

Burroughs, Smith, Big Bruce, Snyder in that order is Mt. Rushmore. Kemp takes home the final spot because he was robbed of the opportunity in 1980 as an all-time what-if. JB gets top billing over Smith for winning tournaments that required zero losses. '84 and '21 come with hard asterisks unfortunately.

I'm a fan of Cox, and would have him top 10 overall, but you're overstating it here.  Both Taylor and Dake went up from 74kg to 86kg to take on Cox because they couldn't beat Burroughs, but neither (especially Dake) was an actual 86kg'er at that time (2016-17) -- and Cox was huge for the weight. 

As you know, Dake's been at 74kg/79kg ever since.  I don't think you can say Cox's career is better than Dake's because Dake went up 26.5 pounds (!) for ONE year, and lost to Cox in a competitive OTT series, 2 matches to 1.  At their respective weights, Dake's career accomplishments are better. 

Taylor, of course, did later settle into 86kg when the new weight classes (79kg and 92kg) came out, enabling Cox to move up, so the weight differential wasn't as pronounced.  But in that brief period of overlap, it was very close between them.  The only time they met, I believe, was the 2017 WTT series, which was also 2 matches to 1 -- including the controversial "slick mat" third match. Is it possible that, if Cox stayed at 86kg after 2017 and they didn't add the 2 new weights, "David Taylor may have never made a single team"? Well, anything's possible, but it's more likely that Cox may have never made another team.  Taylor, after all, never really hit his stride in freestyle until 2017/2018.  Once Taylor took over 86kg, he met, and easily defeated, many of the foreign wrestlers who had defeated Cox at Worlds -- e.g. Makhoev, Sharifov, and most recently, coming out of retirement to beat Ghasempour, who beat Cox at the '21 Worlds.  Bottom line, when you look at their full freestyle careers, Taylor's was more accomplished, and that isn't changed by a single 2-1 series on a single day in 2017 when Taylor hadn't yet reached full form. 

Again, that's not to minimize Cox's own brilliant career.  But putting Cox over Dake/Taylor since they lost when they bumped up to take him on, is sort of like putting Taylor over Burroughs based on Taylor's win when Burroughs bumped up to 86kg to take him on a few years ago.

[peanut]

Ranking across decades is fun, but probably not fair or accurate or realistic. 

Some very notable names, of course, are Smith, JB, and Bruce. However, there are other names that perhaps should be notable, but are often overlooked:

• Others have pointed out that Menhert, who is not normally mentioned, won two Olympic golds -- in 1904 and 1908. That puts him in rare company with only Smith and Bruce.
• Robin Reed (1924 Olympic gold medalist) was apparently extremely good. Allegedly he never lost a match to anyone at any weight class.
• For more than 50 years Jack van Bebber was the only wrestler to win three NCAA titles (plus he was undefeated) and an Olympic gold.
• Lee Kemp, I believe, is underrated, although he gets more attention than the previous three athletes.
• Etc etc

Edited yesterday at 04:56 PM by peanut

[bnwtwg]

David Taylor: still undefeated in fantasy matches

[mspart]

On 3/13/2025 at 10:07 AM, bnwtwg said:

David Taylor: still undefeated in fantasy matches

And there you have it!!!

mspart