#FreestyleFriday: J’den Cox leading Team USA on and off the mats
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by Mike WIllis, USA Wrestling
J'den Cox looks up, while on the raised platform at Final X: Rutgers. Photo by Tony Rotundo, Wrestlers Are Warriors.
In an era of incredible success in men’s freestyle wrestling, J’den Cox stands out as being one of the driving forces behind Team USA’s podium efforts. Winning World or Olympic medals for the USA for three straight years, Cox is also emerging as an outspoken leader on the men’s freestyle national team.
His record of leadership on the mat speaks for itself.
After winning his second NCAA title for Missouri as a junior, Cox earned the right to represent the U.S. at the 2016 Olympic Games competing at 86 kg. In the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Championship Series, he defeated future World Champion Kyle Dake, two matches to one. However, despite this impressive feat, competing at the Olympics was not guaranteed as the USA had not qualified the weight class.
Cox, who had never left the country before, travelled to Mongolia just two weeks after the Olympic Trials, to compete in the World Olympic Qualifier. He needed to finish in the top two to earn an Olympic berth for the country. He ended up going 5-0 and taking home the title.
Representing Team USA in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in his first major Senior-level test, Cox took home an Olympic bronze medal. He responded after losing a close semifinal match to defeat one of the top wrestlers in the world, Reineris Salas of Cuba for the bronze medal.
The following year, Cox defeated another future World Champion, David Taylor, two matches to one, to make the 2017 World Team. In Paris, France that summer, Cox secured another bronze medal in his first World Championships. It was an effort that helped Team USA secure its first men’s freestyle World Team Title since 1995.
In 2018, Cox represented the U.S. at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. He moved up to the newly formed 92 kg class, where he earn his first World gold medal with a commanding performance. At 24 years old, Cox already has three Olympic and World medals to his name and has never gone to a World-level event without getting a medal.
Last weekend, Cox earned his fourth straight World or Olympic Team spot, defeating Bo Nickal in two matches, 4-2 and 5-0. Nickal, coming off his third NCAA title for Penn State, was one of the most dominant NCAA wrestlers in history.
In his post-match interview, Cox spoke as a team leader, sharing his frustration with some people not understanding and respecting the team component of competing in the World Championships.
“I’ve been busting my butt for three years, giving everything I have, blood, sweat, and tears, for this country. To represent the USA, it’s an honor. But it’s like, if you want us to be as loyal to the country as you would like, then why don’t you try being loyal to your team. The sad thing is that a lot of fans see “USA”, and that’s the only thing that makes us a team, the logo. It’s not the reality, not the loyalty, not the passion behind it,” he said.
“I’m hoping to change that one day. I want that to change. When it comes down to it, it’s all cool, cheer for your names, who you want to make the team. But when that team’s made, support that dude. Be behind that guy,” said Cox.
He pointed to this year’s 86 kg World Team member, Pat Downey, as an individual that is not being supported by some of the wrestling community. The World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion, Downey did not have the chance to wrestle returning World Champion David Taylor at Final X: Rutgers, after Taylor pulled out with an injury.
“We’ve got a guy that made the team this year, Pat Downey. He’s an awesome guy, an amazing person. But it’s funny because, one second people will be like, 'It’s a great time for the U.S., it’s a great time for wrestling in the USA.' But as soon as that dude made the team, what’d everyone do? ‘Oh, there goes the team title. Oh, we ain’t going to be good,’” he said.
Cox was very specific about why he takes offense to this kind of thinking.
“You’re willing to say that the depth that we have here and what we’re able to do is so amazing, and the next thing you went on to do is doubt us and say we won’t be able to achieve what we put our heart and souls into. And you know why I take that personally? Because then that downplays our other guys. It downplays Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, myself. We’re going to be in the room with a guy like that, and we’re going to push him. We’re going to make sure he’s ready to go, and he knows that, and he wants that. Not only is it disrespectful to him, but it’s disrespectful to abilities of the people around him,” said Cox.
A leader on the mats since he made his Senior debut over three years ago, Cox is quickly becoming a vocal leader of Team USA off the mats as well.
In an era of incredible success in men’s freestyle wrestling, J’den Cox stands out as being one of the driving forces behind Team USA’s podium efforts. Winning World or Olympic medals for the USA for three straight years, Cox is also emerging as an outspoken leader on the men’s freestyle national team.
His record of leadership on the mat speaks for itself.
After winning his second NCAA title for Missouri as a junior, Cox earned the right to represent the U.S. at the 2016 Olympic Games competing at 86 kg. In the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Championship Series, he defeated future World Champion Kyle Dake, two matches to one. However, despite this impressive feat, competing at the Olympics was not guaranteed as the USA had not qualified the weight class.
Cox, who had never left the country before, travelled to Mongolia just two weeks after the Olympic Trials, to compete in the World Olympic Qualifier. He needed to finish in the top two to earn an Olympic berth for the country. He ended up going 5-0 and taking home the title.
Representing Team USA in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in his first major Senior-level test, Cox took home an Olympic bronze medal. He responded after losing a close semifinal match to defeat one of the top wrestlers in the world, Reineris Salas of Cuba for the bronze medal.
The following year, Cox defeated another future World Champion, David Taylor, two matches to one, to make the 2017 World Team. In Paris, France that summer, Cox secured another bronze medal in his first World Championships. It was an effort that helped Team USA secure its first men’s freestyle World Team Title since 1995.
In 2018, Cox represented the U.S. at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. He moved up to the newly formed 92 kg class, where he earn his first World gold medal with a commanding performance. At 24 years old, Cox already has three Olympic and World medals to his name and has never gone to a World-level event without getting a medal.
Last weekend, Cox earned his fourth straight World or Olympic Team spot, defeating Bo Nickal in two matches, 4-2 and 5-0. Nickal, coming off his third NCAA title for Penn State, was one of the most dominant NCAA wrestlers in history.
In his post-match interview, Cox spoke as a team leader, sharing his frustration with some people not understanding and respecting the team component of competing in the World Championships.
“I’ve been busting my butt for three years, giving everything I have, blood, sweat, and tears, for this country. To represent the USA, it’s an honor. But it’s like, if you want us to be as loyal to the country as you would like, then why don’t you try being loyal to your team. The sad thing is that a lot of fans see “USA”, and that’s the only thing that makes us a team, the logo. It’s not the reality, not the loyalty, not the passion behind it,” he said.
“I’m hoping to change that one day. I want that to change. When it comes down to it, it’s all cool, cheer for your names, who you want to make the team. But when that team’s made, support that dude. Be behind that guy,” said Cox.
He pointed to this year’s 86 kg World Team member, Pat Downey, as an individual that is not being supported by some of the wrestling community. The World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion, Downey did not have the chance to wrestle returning World Champion David Taylor at Final X: Rutgers, after Taylor pulled out with an injury.
“We’ve got a guy that made the team this year, Pat Downey. He’s an awesome guy, an amazing person. But it’s funny because, one second people will be like, 'It’s a great time for the U.S., it’s a great time for wrestling in the USA.' But as soon as that dude made the team, what’d everyone do? ‘Oh, there goes the team title. Oh, we ain’t going to be good,’” he said.
Cox was very specific about why he takes offense to this kind of thinking.
“You’re willing to say that the depth that we have here and what we’re able to do is so amazing, and the next thing you went on to do is doubt us and say we won’t be able to achieve what we put our heart and souls into. And you know why I take that personally? Because then that downplays our other guys. It downplays Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, myself. We’re going to be in the room with a guy like that, and we’re going to push him. We’re going to make sure he’s ready to go, and he knows that, and he wants that. Not only is it disrespectful to him, but it’s disrespectful to abilities of the people around him,” said Cox.
A leader on the mats since he made his Senior debut over three years ago, Cox is quickly becoming a vocal leader of Team USA off the mats as well.
