At the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, it all came down to the last seconds for ‘Magic Man’ David Taylor to snag the Olympic gold. Trailing 3-2, Taylor pulled off an incredible comeback, scoring two crucial points to turn the match around. He secured a dramatic 4-3 victory in the freestyle wrestling 86 kg final against his arch-rival, Rio 2016 Olympic champion Hassan Yazdani. Now coaching the Oklahoma State Cowboys wrestling team, Taylor had hoped for a rematch with Yazdani at the Paris Olympics.

Unfortunately, his dreams were dashed at the Olympic trials. So, it’s Yazdani who’ll face another tough American opponent in Paris’s 86 kg weight class. Despite not making it to the Olympics himself, Taylor shared his thoughts on Team USA’s chances of wrestling gold against Yazdani in Paris.

David Taylor sizes up Hassan Yazdani’s quest for Paris Olympic gold

In a post on X, Christian Pyles, the Content Director for FloWrestling, shared a video of JD Rader catching up with David Taylor at the Iridium Wrestling Camp in Fresno, California. Taylor was asked about his thoughts on the upcoming Aaron Brooks vs. Hassan Yazdani match since he’s wrestled both at different times in his career. The reigning Olympic champ said it’s tough to predict how it will go because Yazdani has been dominating for so long and many haven’t seen Aaron in action.

‘Magic Man’ mentioned that both wrestlers have their strengths: Aaron Brooks is dynamic, and Yazdani’s confidence is “through the roof.” He noted that both should be preparing hard for each other, and they definitely stand out among the Paris Olympics contenders. But, as Taylor wisely pointed out, anything can happen.

Reflecting on Yazdani’s recent competition, Taylor said, “It looked to me like in Yazdani’s last competition; you know, for the first time, it looked like he had competed with a smile in a long time. You know, he almost looked relieved.” He also added that Aaron is really good and a fierce competitor, so everyone will just have to wait and see. Taking Taylor’s insights into account, let’s see how Hassan Yazdani and Aaron Brooks stack up against each other.

Wrestling clash of the titans: Hassan Yazdani Vs Aaron Brooks

Hassan Yazdani and Aaron Brooks are set to clash in what promises to be an epic showdown in the 86 kg weight class at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Yazdani, the Iranian powerhouse, is a seasoned champ with two Olympic medals and three World Championship titles under his belt. He’s been nearly unstoppable in his weight class, except for his bouts against David Taylor. Since 2017, Yazdani is 26-0 at the World Championships and Olympics when you take out his matches with Taylor.

Simply put, outside of David Taylor, no one has come close to beating him. With Taylor out of the picture, Yazdani is the favorite to snag the gold in Paris. On the flip side, we have Aaron Brooks from the USA, a rising star who shocked everyone by beating Taylor twice to qualify for the Olympics.

Aaron took down the reigning gold medalist at the US Olympic trials with scores of 4-1 and 3-1, breaking a seven-year streak of Taylor not losing to an American wrestler. Brooks’ unique style and strong defense make him a serious contender, and he’s not one to be underestimated. With Yazdani’s wealth of experience and Brooks’ fresh talent, this matchup is set to be one of the most exciting bouts at the Olympics. Who are you rooting for? Share in the comments below!