Jordan Oliver (amateur wrestler)

Oliver was recruited by the Oklahoma State Cowboys.[6] After redshirting '08-'09 and compiling a 19–1 record,[7] Oliver posted an outstanding 32–4 record (15–2 in dual meets), won his first Big 12 Conference title while becoming the second Cowboy freshman to earn Outstanding Wrestler honors at the tournament and also became an All-American after a fourth-place finish at the 2010 NCAA's.[8]

As a sophomore, he racked up 18 wins in 18 dual meets, where he hit 90 takedowns and 26 near falls.[9] In the postseason, he became a two-time Big 12 Conference title holder and claimed his first NCAA Division I national title when he went 5–0 (two pins, one major, two decisions) at the 2011 NCAA tournament.[10]

As a junior, he was the top-ranked wrestler at 133 pounds for the vast majority of the season. Sixty percent of his matches ended with a pin victory, a single-season school record, and 86.7 percent of his matches ended with bonus points for him, ranking second in school history behind John Smith's 1987 season.[11] In the postseason, Oliver claimed his third straight Big 12 Conference title, and after earning three straight pins and a dominant 8–2 win to make the finals of the NCAA's, the defending champion was defeated by Ohio State's Logan Stieber (who would become the fourth four-time NCAA champion in history) in a closely contested match, to claim runner-up honors.[12] For that year's performance, he received the 2012 Wade Schalles Award for best collegiate pinner.[13]

As a senior, Oliver put on 16 pounds and moved up two weight classes, but was still successful as he compiled 38 wins and no losses throughout the season.[14] After becoming a four-time Big 12 Conference champion,[15] Oliver competed as the top-seed at the NCAA's, where he compiled four dominant major decisions to make his third-straight final. He defeated Jason Chamberlain on points to become a two-time NCAA champion.[16]

A high school senior, Oliver made his senior freestyle debut in 2009, winning the U.S. University National Championship.[17] Instead of competing at the University World Championships, Oliver decided to compete at the Junior World Championships after also making the team.[18] In 2012, Oliver competed at the US Olympic Team Trials, where he went 0–2, racking up experience against Brent Metcalf.[19] Fresh out of college, Oliver reached the finals of the 2013 US Open, defeating Metcalf in the process.[20] Next, he competed at United 4 Wrestling, defeating '12 Junior World Champion from Russia Magomed Kurbanaliev and two–time Olympian Haislan Garcia.[21] At the US World Team Trials Challenge, he fell to Brent Metcalf.[22] In 2014, he placed sixth at the US Open, defeated two–time Pac-12 Conference champion Borislav Novachkov at Beat the Streets, defeated Reece Humphrey at the US World Team Trials Challenge before being dropped by Metcalf to end as the runner–up and claimed a Bill Farrell bronze medal, notably defeating Georgi Ivanov.[23][24][25]

In 2015, he claimed Dave Schultz and Bill Farrell Memorial titles, a bronze medal from the Yasar Dogu, and became a two–time US National runner–up, as well as placing second at the US World Team Trials to Brent Metcalf.[26][27] In 2016, he had two appearances, first losing to Aaron Pico at the US Olympic Team Trials and another one where he failed to make the US World Team at 70 kilograms to James Green.[28] In 2017, he started off with another Dave Schultz Memorial title and went on to originally claim a US National title, but it was later overturned when he tested positive for amphetamines.[29] Before his suspension, he was defeated by Frank Chamizo at Beat the Streets.[30] In 2018, he came back after his suspension and defeated Olympic champion Toghrul Asgarov at Beat the Streets, and placed fifth at the Poland Open.[31][32]

In 2019, he placed second at the Dan Kolov Memorial and third at the U.S. World Team Trials, and claimed the Bill Farrell Memorial championship and the U.S. National title.[33][34][35][3] Before the COVID-19 outbreak, he placed second at the prestigious 2020 Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series, defeating '14 University World Champion Selahattin Kılıçsallayan and reigning Junior World Champion Erik Arushanian before losing to reigning Asian Games champion Bajrang Punia.[36] Oliver headlined the first major event during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, losing to reigning Pan American champion at 79 kilograms Jason Nolf.[37] By the end of the year, he competed at the Flo 8-Man Challenge: 150 lbs, where he was upset in the first round by Alec Pantaleo.[38]

In 2021, Oliver competed at the rescheduled U.S. Olympic Team Trials as the number four seed, in an attempt of representing the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[39] After defeating reigning NCAA champion Nick Lee, Oliver was able to upset reigning Pan American Champion Yianni Diakomihalis and advance to the finale.[40] Next, he faced '18 US Open National champion Joey McKenna, whom he was able to shut down twice to non, becoming the 2020 US Olympic Team Member.[41] As Zain Retherford had failed to qualify the weight for the United States at the 2020 Pan American Olympic Qualification Tournament, Oliver was forced to do so at the 2021 World Olympic Qualification Tournament a month after the US Olympic Trials.[38] At the World Qualification Tournament, Oliver was able to reach the semifinals with wins over Yun Jun-sik, Hor Ohannesian and Ruhan Rasim, however, he was stopped by reigning Individual World Cup champion (70 kg) Magomedmurad Gadzhiev, failing to qualify for the 2020 Summer Olympics.[42] As the U.S. Olympic Team Member, Oliver was scheduled to compete at the Pan American Continental Championships from on May 30, however, he was forced to not attend due to a torn LCL sustained at his last tournament, and will be replaced by the runner–up Joey McKenna.[43]

Oliver bulked up to 70 kilograms and compete at the 2021 U.S. World Team Trials on September 11–12, intending to represent the country at the World Championships.[44] After downing two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner Zain Retherford, Oliver was downed himself by World silver medalist James Green, and subsequently forfeited out of the tournament.[45]

Oliver opened up the year by competing at the Yasar Dogu International on February 27, but failed to place.[46]

On March 1, 2023, it was announced that Oliver had signed with Bellator MMA to start his MMA career.[47] Oliver made his MMA debut against Andrew Triolo on August 11, 2023 at Bellator 298.[48] He won the fight via an arm triangle choke submission in the first round.[49]