The Jordan Oliver vs Zain Retherford Rivalry
The Jordan Oliver vs Zain Retherford Rivalry
Jordan Oliver and Zain Retherford will meet at Final X Stillwater on June 3. Take a look at a deep dive into their 7-year rivalry.
Jordan Oliver and Zain Retherford will meet at Final X presented by Tezos on June 3 for the right to represent Team USA at the world championships at 70kg. The two are no strangers on the mat and have met 6 times in a rivalry dating back to 2015. In preparation for their upcoming Final X showdown, get caught up on their past battles below.
Match 1 - 2015 Dave Schultz Quarterfinals
Jordan Oliver and Zain Retherford first met at the 2015 Dave Schultz Memorial tournament. At this time Oliver was already an established senior-level wrestler for Team USA - he had just come off a runner-up finish to Brent Metcalf at the 2015 world team trials. Meanwhile, Retherford was in the middle of his redshirt season at Penn State following his 5th place finish during his true freshman year.
The experience for Oliver showed in the match as he controlled almost every position and was never in danger of losing. Oliver built a 6-0 lead, scoring from a step out, activity-clock point, takedown, and leg lace. While Retherford was only able to score from a step out and a caution for interlocking fingers to make the final score 6-2. Oliver controlled the match that was contentious throughout, ending with some hard clubs by both athletes.
Match 2 - 2017 US Open Semifinals
Two years later and the match and circumstances were entirely different. Oliver was still the favorite entering this match but Zain Retherford was a different wrestler. Retherford had arrived as one of the most dominant college wrestlers of his generation and a legitimate threat on the senior level. He placed third at the 2016 Olympic Trials and was fresh off his second straight undefeated NCAA season, back-to-back NCAA titles, and his first Hodge Trophy.
In this match, Retherford built a 3-0 lead by controlling the hand fight and moving Oliver toward the danger zone frequently. He scored twice on step-outs and once on Oliver giving up an activity clock point. He held that 3-0 lead until 90 seconds left in the match when things got contentious. Up until that point, Retherford was frequently putting his hands in Oliver’s face - notably frustrated, Oliver alerted the ref to this on multiple occasions. After Retherford was warned, he was then hit with a caution, surrendering 2 points to Oliver. Down 3-2, Oliver increased his offensive attacks but still was unable to score until 12 seconds left in the match. It was at that point controversy hit when Oliver was awarded 2 points for a “correct throw” to go up 4-3. The correct throw is something rarely awarded but, by definition of the rulebook, was the proper call in this situation. After a failed challenge by Retherford’s corner, Oliver took the 5-3 victory.
Match 3 - 2018 American Wrestling League
A year and a half later and, again, there were different circumstances surrounding this match for both Oliver and Retherford. Following Oliver’s win at the 2017 US Open, he tested positive for amphetamines after not declaring a prescription medication containing the drug. For the positive test, Jordan Oliver was given a year suspension by USADA and subsequently missed both the 2017 and 2018 world team trials. With Oliver out, Retherford made his first senior world team at 65kg in 2017 but then sat out in 2018 after winning his third straight national title and second straight Hodge.
Their match also had another unique circumstance - it took place at American Wrestling League’s first professional event. This event was organized by Titan Mercury Wrestling Club in an effort to create more financial opportunities for senior-level athletes - paying each wrestler $2,500 for participation and another $2,500 to the winner.
Whether it was the time off the mat or the potential to earn an extra $2,500, this match was by far the most offensive in their 6-match rivalry. Oliver got out to a quick, 2-0 lead with a takedown in the first 5 seconds of the bout before Retherford responded with a step-out and takedown of his own. Oliver responded in a big way with a takedown and monster 5-point throw to go up 9-3. That 5-point move proved to be the difference as Zain would mount a comeback but fall just short in defeat, 13-11.
Matches 4 & 5 - 2019 World Team Trials Finals
Six months after the AWL match, Oliver and Retherford met again in the finals of the 2019 World Team Trials with a trip to Final X on the line. Though the two matches ended with the same score, 7-6 in favor of Retherford, they unfolded in very different ways. In match 1, Oliver built a 6-1 lead before Retherford mounted his comeback. The most notable exchange in match 1 was during a Retherford head pinch sequence where Retherford appeared to step out but was still awarded 2. In what could have been a three-point swing, Oliver’s corner failed to challenge, leaving a big “what if” surrounding the outcome of this match for Oliver.
Match 2 was a back and forth battle with Retherford building a 7-4 lead and Oliver unable to chase him down late. Zain went on to Final X and defeated Yianni Diakomiahlis in one of the most controversial series in the history of USA Wrestling.
Match 1 of the 2019 World Team Trials Finals:
Match 2 of the 2019 World Team Trials Finals:
Match 6 - 2021 World Team Trials Quarterfinals
The most recent meeting between Retherford and Oliver was also the only time they met at 70kg. Both moved up to the non-Olympic weight in 2021 and wrestled in the quarterfinals of the 2021 world team trials. This was also the lowest-scoring match of their rivalry. Jordan Oliver came out on top with a 2-2 criteria win after securing a step-out with less than 10 seconds left in the match.
Who Wins At Final X?
When Jordan Oliver and Zain Retherford take the mat in Gallagher-Iba Arena, expect competitive matches, decided by the slimmest of margins. Outside of the first match, every bout has been decided by 2 points or less with the last three matches ending by a 1-point margin or criteria. On top of that, they exchanged leads in their last 5 matches with the decisive points coming in the final 20 seconds in 3 of those matches. Both are currently ranked in the top 20 in the world and will be legitimate contenders to medal at the world championships in September.
Complete match series scoring breakdown: