Wrestling-Back on the mat in new professional promotion, Burroughs dreams of Olympic return

On August 21, American wrestler Jordan Burroughs, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, announced his return to professional wrestling. Burroughs, 38, had previously retired after the 2024 world championships but was drawn back to the mat by a new professional promotion called Real American Freestyle (RAF). Launched last year, RAF aims to give wrestlers the chance to earn money from the sport and also helps them prepare for a potential Olympic return.

For Burroughs, competing in his home country of the United States during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is a dream that he acknowledges is long-shot, given his age. However, he remains hopeful, stating that he believes he is capable of achieving something extraordinary. Burroughs also hopes his return to competition will serve as an inspiration for the young wrestlers at his youth wrestling club in New Jersey.

RAF co-founder and CEO Chad Bronstein hopes the promotion will help grow wrestling internationally by hosting events in various countries, including India, the Middle East, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, and Japan.