Coming into Bellator 298, there was already plenty of hype surrounding Jordan Oliver. Well, the former NCAA Div. I wrestling standout did not disappoint, scoring a quick first round finish to begin the action.
Bellator 298: Jordan Oliver Shines In His Debut
Jordan Oliver dominated at Bellator 298 Friday night, putting the hype surrounding the top prospect on a train straight to the top.
Oliver scored a submission victory over Andrew Triolo when he locked in an arm-triangle choke. The finish in the featherweight fight came at 1:05 of the first round.
A two-time NCAA Div. I wrestling national champion, Oliver was also a member of the 2020 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team before coming up short.
He was the 2019 US national champion, a four-time conference champion and also reached the finals in 2012 of the NCAA meet.
All in all, the 33-year-old from Pennsylvania enters into the mixed martial arts world with a lot of hype surrounding him.
Jordan Oliver Is Now All-In On MMA
With his amateur wrestling career coming to an end after falling to Zain Retherford at the 2022 US World Team Trials, Oliver went full-on into a career in MMA.
Oliver told MMA Fighting recently that the move to combat sports was already in the cards well ahead of his debut.
“I almost made it in 2016 but for myself and the goals that I wanted to accomplish in wrestling, I couldn’t leave wrestling without making the U.S. team,” Oliver said. “With that said, I got to make the Olympic team and this opportunity came up again.
“It was something that I wanted to do. It was something I thought I’d be great in but it also challenges you. It’s not just wrestling. Wrestling is challenging enough but now there’s striking, there’s a whole bunch of different crafts and I’m a person that likes to take on challenge.
“I like to be the best in the world and of against the best competition.”
Making his MMA debut into his 30s might scare off some, but he is kind of following in the footsteps of a fellow former Oklahoma State Cowboy legend in Daniel Cormier. Cormier did the same, going on to win gold in Strikeforce and UFC.
“That was my main inspiration,” he said. “When I was at Oklahoma State, me and ‘DC’ had a very good relationship. Someone I called my big brother.”
