David Taylor (wrestler, born 1990)


David Taylor is an American world champion freestyle wrestler and former folkstyle wrestler. WIN magazine twice awarded Taylor the Dan Hodge Trophy as the most outstanding folkstyle wrestler in college wrestling.

Early life

Taylor lived in several states before spending most of his youth in Wyoming and Ohio. In his youth, he admired world and Olympic champion Cael Sanderson, who is from the nearby state of Utah.

Folkstyle

Taylor competed for the wrestling team at Pennsylvania State University, where Cael Sanderson was head coach. In his first year, Taylor did not officially compete. In Taylor's freshman and junior seasons, he finished as an NCAA Division I national runner-up, and in his sophomore and senior seasons, he finished as a champion. WIN magazine recognized his two championship seasons as the most outstanding performances in college wrestling, making him only the fourth wrestler to win the honor two or more times.

Freestyle

In 2018, Taylor became the twelfth American wrestler to win the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin, a major wrestling tournament held annually in Siberia. He followed that effort up by winning continental and world titles.

Freestyle matches

! colspan="7"| Senior Freestyle Matches
! Res.
! Record
! Opponent
! Score
! Date
! Event
! Location
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Austin, Texas
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Ottawa, Canada
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Buenos Aires, Argentina
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Budapest, Hungary
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Istanbul, Turkey
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
State College, Pennsylvania
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Lima, Peru
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Las Vegas, Nevada
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Iowa City, Iowa
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Krasnoyarsk, Russia
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Tehran, Iran
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Lincoln, Nebraska
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
New York City, New York
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Las Vegas, Nevada
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Kermanshah, Iran
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Paris, France
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Madrid, Spain
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Iowa City, Iowa
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Las Vegas, Nevada
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Baku, Azerbaijan
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Yerevan, Armenia
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Madrid, Spain
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Madison, Wisconsin
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
New York City, New York
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Las Vegas, Nevada
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
New York City, New York
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Istanbul, Turkey
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Madison, Wisconsin
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
New York City, New York
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Las Vegas, Nevada
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Kazan, Russia
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Akron, Ohio
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
Las Vegas, Nevada
! style=background:white colspan=7 |
New York City, New York

Awards and honors

;2019
;2018
;2017
;2016
;2015
;2014
;2013
;2012
;2011
In 2015, Taylor and Adidas released a line of wrestling apparel labeled “M2” after Taylor's college nickname “Magic Man”. Taylor received the nickname "Magic Man" after a collegiate match in which he turned an unfavorable situation for himself into an advantage. The apparel line began with wrestling shoes and since has expanded to clothing, posters and Adidas sponsored events.