J'den Cox
![]() Cox at the 2016 Summer Olympics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | J'den Cox | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National team | USA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Columbia, Missouri, U.S. | March 3, 1995||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (183 cm) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 86 kg (190 lb) 92 kg (203 lb) 97 kg (214 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Country | United States | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | Wrestling | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Event | Freestyle (International) Folkstyle (College) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
College team | University of Missouri | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Club | Cliff Keen Wrestling Club Titan Mercury Wrestling Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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J'den Michael Tbory Cox (/ˈdʒeɪdən/ JAY-dən, born March 3, 1995) is an American retired freestyle wrestler and folkstyle wrestler who competed at 92 kilograms.[1] In freestyle, Cox was a two-time World Champion (bronze medalist in 2021) at 92 kilos, and while competing at 86 kilos, he claimed a bronze medal from the 2016 Summer Olympics and a 2017 World Championship bronze medal.[2] During college, Cox wrestled for the Missouri Tigers, and was a three-time NCAA Division I national champion and four-time Mid-American Conference champion, becoming one of the most accomplished Tigers in the program's history.[3]
Early life
[edit]Cox was born and raised in Columbia, Missouri and began wrestling at the age of four. The first youth state tournament Cox entered is the last state tournament at any level he did not win. Cox began training with Mike Eierman (Jaydin Eierman's father) in 2006 and continued training with Eierman until his move to the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2018.[4]
Cox attended Hickman High School, where he was an all–state linebacker in addition to a standout high school wrestler.[5] He was a four–time Missouri state champion, and one of the first wrestlers in Missouri to win titles at four different weight classes.[5] Cox compiled a 205–3 record in his high school career, suffering all three losses his freshman season.[5]
Cox also had success on the national level. In 2011 he won a Cadet National Championship in Greco-Roman, and took third place in freestyle.[6] A rivalry developed between Cox and fellow future multiple-time World Champion Kyle Snyder. Cox defeated Snyder in the Greco-Roman final while losing to Snyder in pool competition in freestyle. In 2012, Cox won a Junior National Championship in freestyle and took third in Greco-Roman.[6] Again Cox and Snyder traded victories between styles, with Cox defeating Snyder in pool competition in freestyle and Snyder defeating Cox in Greco-Roman pool competition.
Cox was ranked the third-overall recruit in the 2013 class by FloWrestling[6] and sixth overall by InterMat.[7]
College career
[edit]Cox stayed at home in Columbia and wrestled collegiately for the Missouri Tigers. Cox bypassed a redshirt year and wrestled right away for the Tigers at 197 lbs. in the 2013–14 season. He was a MAC champion and entered the 2014 NCAA Championships as the #2 seed. Cox defeated Nick Heflin of Ohio State in final to become a national champion. At the time Cox became just the 14th true freshman national champion in NCAA Division 1 history.[8] Cox finished the season with a 38–2 record and was recognized as both the 2014 MAC Wrestler of the Year and Freshman of the Year.[5]
In his sophomore season, Cox again took home All-American honors by virtue of his 5th-place finish at the 2015 NCAA Championships. Cox entered the tournament undefeated on the season and earned the #1 seed in the 197 lb. bracket. Cox suffered his first loss of the year in the semifinal to Kyle Snyder and suffered another loss to Morgan McIntosh in consolations before finishing 5th. He was a MAC champion again and finished the year with a 37–2 record.[5]
Cox returned to the top of the podium in 2016. After becoming a MAC champion for the third time, he entered the NCAA Championships as the #2 seed. Cox defeated Morgan McIntosh in the final 4–2, avenging his loss from the previous year. He joined Ben Askren as the only other two-time national champion in school history. Cox finished the season with a 33–1 record and was recognized as the MAC Wrestler of the Year for the second time.[5]
In 2017, Cox finished off his collegiate career with another national championship. He was a perfect 28–0 on the season and finished second in Hodge Trophy voting.[9] Cox was a MAC champion for the fourth time and was honored as the MAC Wrestler of the Year for the third time.[5]
Cox was the first three-time national champion in program history. Among program records, he finished his career ranked first in winning percentage (.965, 136–5) and tied for second in wins (136).[5]
Freestyle career
[edit]2014–2015
[edit]Cox was an accomplished freestyle wrestler growing up, claiming multiple US National Championships, despite never competing overseas.[6] In 2014, the newly crowned freshman NCAA champion at 197 pounds, decided to compete at 97 kilograms (214 pounds) despite being undersized for the weight class, and made his senior level debut by placing third at the US University National Championships, and later in the month competing at the US World Team Trials, but failing to place.[10][11] In 2015, he placed fourth at the US Senior Nationals, falling to eventual 2015 World Champion Kyle Snyder by one point throughout the bracket.[12]
2016
[edit]As a 2016 NCAA champion, Cox qualified to compete at the 2016 US Olympic Team Trials, and chose to trim down to 86 kilograms.[13] Despite being the ninth seed, Cox was able to upset multiple high–level opponents to make the best–of–three, beating '11 NCAA runner–up from Oklahoma State Clayton Foster, '09 World Championship runner–up Jake Herbert and two–time US Open and NCAA champion Keith Gavin to reach the finale.[14] There, he defeated four–time NCAA champion Kyle Dake, who was bumping up from 74 kilograms, two matches to one to claim the 2016 US Olympic Team spot.[15]
However, the weight had not been qualified for the Summer Olympics for the United States, which meant Cox would have overcome a field at one of the qualification tournaments to qualify.[16] Cox did just that when he comfortably won gold at the 2016 World Olympic Qualification Tournament I, his first tournament overseas.[17] After defeating '12 University World Champion from Iran Meisam Mostafa-Jokar at Beat the Streets,[18] Cox competed for Team USA at the 2016 World Cup, beating two–time Commonwealth champion Pawan Kumar, returning World Championship bronze medalist from Iran Alireza Karimi and 2016 European Championship runner–up Aleksander Gostiev, before being defeated himself by '12 Olympic bronze medalist from Georgia Dato Marsagishvili, helping Team USA reach fourth place.[19] To warm up for the Summer Olympics, Cox placed third at the Grand Prix of Germany, suffering his lone loss to World and reigning Olympic champion from Azerbaijan Sharif Sharifov.[20]
At the Summer Olympics, Cox claimed victories over Amarhajy Mahamedau and Alireza Karimi before suffering a loss to '09 Junior World Champion Selim Yaşar in the semifinals, getting knocked off to the consolation bracket, where he posted a victory over reigning Pan American Games champion Reineris Salas, in a match were the Cuban refused to continue after suffering a takedown from Cox.[21] This result drove Cox to becoming a bronze medalist at the 2016 Summer Olympics.[22]
2017
[edit]After collegiate graduation, the three–time NCAA champion went on to defend his US World Team spot against reigning US National champion and eventual '18 World Champion David Taylor at the 2017 US World Team Trials in June.[23] After losing the first match, Cox rallied to defeat Taylor twice in a row despite a knee injury to retain the spot, although controversially due to his excessive sweat and alleged passivity.[24] At the 2017 World Championships, he most notably went on to defeat '12 Junior World Championship runner–up Ahmed Dudarov and Dan Kolov International champion Zbigniew Baranowski before losing to Boris Makojev, coming back and defeating 2010 World Champion Mihail Ganev for bronze.[25][26]
2018–2019
[edit]Cox made his return by moving up to 92 kilograms in February 2018, claiming a silver medal from the Ukrainian Open after losing to World and Olympic champion Sharif Sharifov in the finale.[27] He then went 1–2 at the World Cup, helping Team USA reach the team championship for the first time in 15 years.[28] Cox then went on to claim the US National Championship and retain the US World Team spot at Final X.[29][30] Before the World Championships, Cox went 0–1 at the Yasar Dogu.[31]
Despite his low international success at the new weight class earlier in the year, Cox went on to claim his first World Championship for the United States, defeating two–time European Continental champion from Georgia Dato Marsagishvili, three–time Olympian from Moldova Nicolai Ceban, '18 Asian Games gold medalist from Iran Alireza Karimi and '16 European Championship runner–up from Belarus Ivan Yankouski.[32]
The returning World Champion, Cox claimed his first Pan American Continental Championship in his first tournament of the year, helping the US reach gold in all of the 10 freestyle categories in the competition.[33] Cox then went on to defend his US World Team spot once again, headlining Final X Rutgers, where he shut down reigning US National champion, recently graduated three–time NCAA champion and Dan Hodge Trophy winner Bo Nickal twice in a row.[34] He then swept past the prestigious Yasar Dogu field with all technical falls to claim the championship.[35]
At the World Championships, the defending champion was able to retain his spot on top of the podium and claim his second World Championship, most notably defeating Irakli Mtsituri and Alireza Karimi.[36]
2020–2021
[edit]To start off the 2020 Summer Olympic year, Cox moved up to 97 kilograms to fit the weight class requirements for the Olympics. In his first tournament, he most notably downed '15 Pan American Games champion (86kg) Reineris Salas and returning Junior World Championship runner–up Yonger Bastida to claim gold at the Cerro Pelado International.[37] Cox was then scheduled to compete at the US Olympic Team Trials, however, the COVID-19 outbreak postponed both the US Team Trials and the Summer Olympics for a year later.[38]
Cox did not come back to action until a year later when he competed at a series of FloWrestling events, compiling six more wins in total during January and February 2021.[39] Cox was then expected to compete at the rescheduled US Olympic Team Trials, as the favorite to challenge reigning Olympic champion Kyle Snyder in the best–of–three.[40] However, it was announced on the day of the event that Cox had missed weight, therefore he had been removed from competition.[41] Days later, more detail was given to the public, and it was explained that Cox had arrived to the weight-ins on time, but once he had stepped on the scale and successfully made the weight limit of 97 kg, it had been thirteen minutes past the 8:00 AM deadline, therefore, it was ruled as invalid by USA Wrestling.[42] Cox explained that he was misinformed of the weight-ins schedule by his coach Kevin Jackson, who is part of USA Wrestling.[43]
Cox protested the decision and him and his coach Kevin Jackson decided to appeal, however, nothing came to fruition.[44] A month later, Cox dropped the appeal and announced he had moved past the incident, stating;
"I don't think I could have taken it any better. My only issue when it came to what happened at the trials was there were people who in the light of things, when things were all good, turned their backs, literally." said Cox, "I think I told this to Bill Zadick when he called me, just like a week ago, I told him.; 'I'm here to destroy people's lives now. That's what I'm here to do. I'm here to take people out. I'm here to tear up the world.' It's not out of spite, it's not out of vengeance. It's just what will be. It's to prove to everyone what I've known and to prove and show what's been shown in the last two years, that I'm the best wrestler in the world. And I truly believe that and I'm going to do even more to showcase it."[45]
After the incidents, Cox moved back down to 92 kilograms and competed at the Poland Open on June 9.[46] In an upset, Cox was defeated in the semifinals by a regional circuit wrestler from Ukraine, and forfeited his next bout.[47]
Cox came back and competed at the 2021 US World Team Trials as the top-seed on September 11–12, intending to represent the country at the World Championships for the third straight time.[48] He was once again able to show off his signature movements and went unscored throughout his championship run, downing NCAA champions Drew Foster and Myles Martin, as well as powerhouse Kollin Moore.[49]
At the 2021 World Championships, Cox ran through his first three opponents on the first date, before being downed in a frenetic match by two-time U23 World Champion Kamran Ghasempour in the semifinals. The former champion defeated Ukraine in the bronze medal match to claim third place instead.[50]
2022
[edit]In late 2021, it was announced that the brand RUDIS would organize an event headlined by a super match between Olympic, World and NCAA champion Kyle Snyder and Cox, which took place on March 16, 2022, in a best of three format.[51] Cox was defeated in two straight bouts via decision.[52]
2024
[edit]On April 19, 2024 Cox competed in the United States Olympic Team Trials for the 2024 Paris Olympics. He won his quarterfinal match over Christian Carrol by a 1-1 criteria decision. In the semifinals, he lost to Kollin Moore by a 2-2 criteria decision. Following the match, Cox left his wrestling shoes in the center of the mat to indicate that he was retiring from wrestling competition.[53]
Personal life
[edit]J'den is the son of Michael and Cathy Cox, both musicians. Cathy has long been associated with Mizzou athletics herself: she regularly performs the national anthem at Tiger basketball games. He has two older brothers Zach and Drae, and a younger sister Chai.[5] Cox's uncle Phil Arnold was a two-time Missouri state champion for Hickman High School.[4] The headgear Arnold used in winning his two titles is the same Cox and his older brothers wore during their high school careers.[4]
Cox has lost most of the hearing in his left ear and some of the hearing in his right. Even before he started losing his hearing in college, he was interested in sign language. He took classes on sign language in both high school and college and one day would like to teach those who are hearing impaired.[54] Cox posts videos teaching basic elements of sign language on social media, and Nike apparel supporting him includes the spelling of “Cox” in sign language.[55]
Freestyle record
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Smith, Earl (February 11, 2020). "Two-time World Champion J'Den Cox to Move up to 97 kg". The Open Mat. Archived from the original on May 8, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ "Biography - J'den Cox, CO". www.usawmembership.com. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
- ^ "J'den Cox - Wrestling". University of Missouri Athletics. Retrieved November 20, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Hickman's Cox could be Columbia's first four-time state wrestling champion". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "J'den Cox Bio". MUTigers.com. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ a b c d "Mizzou Wrestling Announces Five New Student-Athletes for 2013–14". KOMU. November 15, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "Where were 2015 All-Americans ranked in high school?". Intermat. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "True freshman 15: History of true freshman NCAA champs". InterMat. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ "Penn State's Zain Retherford wins 2017 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented by ASICS". WIN Magazine. March 28, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
- ^ Huguelet, Austin (May 30, 2014). "J'Den Cox to compete in 2014 World Team Trials". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ Huguelet, Austin (May 31, 2014). "Missouri wrestler J'den Cox falls in semis at world trials". Columbia Missourian. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ "J'den Cox's test awaits at U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials: Kyle Snyder". OlympicTalk | NBC Sports. March 31, 2021. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ Guillotine1 (April 7, 2016). "2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials". The Guillotine. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Warsinskey, Tim (April 10, 2016). "Olympic Wrestling Trials 2016 results (photos)". Cleveland. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
- ^ Scott, Roxanna. "Missouri wrestler J'Den Cox has been on a roll leading up to NY event". USA TODAY. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ "Nine Olympic Trials champs to compete in Olympics World Qualifying Tournament in Mongolia, April 22–24". teamusa.org. April 19, 2016. Archived from the original on April 20, 2016.
- ^ Forrester, Nick (May 27, 2016). "Missouri to Rio: Get to know wrestler J'den Cox". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ "Olympic and world champion Burroughs among wrestling stars at New York's "United in the Square"". www.insidethegames.biz. May 20, 2016. Retrieved May 8, 2021.
- ^ "USA falls to Iran, Georgia to finish fourth at Freestyle World Cup". InterMat. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
- ^ "Cox Claims Bronze at Grand Prix of Germany". University of Missouri Athletics. July 2, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
- ^ "Cox claims Olympic bronze, Dlagnev places fifth". InterMat. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
- ^ "J'den Cox Earns Olympic Bronze Medal at #Rio2016". University of Missouri Athletics. August 20, 2016. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
- ^ Steen, Alex (June 10, 2017). "Finals Set at 2017 Men's Freestyle World Team Trials". The Open Mat. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ "Cox overcomes knee injury in final bout to clinch spot on National Team at world trials". Missourinet. June 11, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ "J'den Cox wins bronze at World Wrestling Championships". OlympicTalk | NBC Sports. August 25, 2017. Retrieved May 13, 2021.
- ^ "Mizzou wrestler J'den Cox finishes third at World Championships".
- ^ "Dieringer wins gold, three others claim medals at Outstanding Ukrainian Memorial". teamusa.org. February 25, 2018. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021.
- ^ "US wins World Cup for 1st time in 15 years". apnews.com. April 8, 2018.
- ^ "Dake, Ramos, Colon score big wins as 10 freestyle champions crowned at Marine Corps U.S. Open". teamusa.org. April 28, 2018. Archived from the original on September 10, 2019.
- ^ "Returning world medalists Cox, Gwiazdowski win at Final X". InterMat. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
- ^ "Dake dominates to win gold, Gwiazdowski claims bronze as USA takes team title at Yasar Dogu in Turkey". July 29, 2018. Archived from the original on August 23, 2018.
- ^ Jones, Daniel. "J'den Cox wins gold at World Wrestling Championships in Budapest". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
- ^ "USA Men's freestyle sweeps all 10 Pan American gold medals in Buenos Aires". teamusa.org. April 21, 2019. Archived from the original on May 7, 2019.
- ^ "J'den Cox sweeps past Bo Nickal at Final X Rutgers, has chance to defend World title". nj.com. June 8, 2019.
- ^ "Burroughs, Cox, Snyder Close out, Yasar Dogu with Day 4 titles". uww.org. July 14, 2019.
- ^ "J'den Cox wins Second Consecutive Wrestling World Championship". teamusa.org. September 21, 2019. Archived from the original on September 23, 2019.
- ^ "Pantaleo and Cox win titles, seven others claim medals at Cerro Pelado in Cuba". teamusa.org. February 16, 2020. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023.
- ^ "With Olympic Trials postponed, wrestlers find alternative plans, perspective, while staying at home". teamusa.org. April 4, 2020. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020.
- ^ "RTC Cards and special events will be used in Olympic Trials seeding; check out all of those results here". teamusa.org. March 24, 2021. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021.
- ^ Gallo, Ed (April 1, 2021). "USA Men's Freestyle Olympic Team Trials - 97 kg Preview". Bloody Elbow. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
- ^ "Top American Wrestler J'Den Cox misses weight at trails, ending Olympic hopes". Washington Post. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
- ^ Miller, Christopher (April 5, 2021). "An Update on the J'den Cox Weigh-In Saga". The Open Mat. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
- ^ "J'den Cox says Olympic Wrestling Trials removal due to miscommunication". olympics.nbcsports.com. April 3, 2021.
- ^ "J'den Cox drops Olympic wrestling appeal, plans to "bring the wrath of God" on the mat". olympics.nbcsports.com. May 6, 2021.
- ^ Blum, Eric. "Former Missouri wrestler J'den Cox after Olympic Trials fiasco: 'I'm here to tear up the world'". Columbia Daily Tribune. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
- ^ Eric. "Poland Open Entries (June 9–13)". United World Wrestling. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
- ^ "Gwiazdowski and Diakomihalis advance to the Poland Open finals, while three Americans will wrestle for bronze". teamusa.org. June 9, 2021. Archived from the original on June 9, 2021.
- ^ "Who's Registered For World Team Trials So Far? - FloWrestling". www.flowrestling.org. August 10, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
- ^ NJ.com, Bill Evans | NJ Advance Media for (September 12, 2021). "Jordan Burroughs, James Green back on U.S. wrestling world teams after trials wins". nj. Retrieved September 25, 2021.
- ^ "Former Mizzou Tigers wrestler J'den Cox wins bronze at World Championships". kansascity.com. October 4, 2021.
- ^ "rudisplus on Twitter: "SUPER MATCH. Stream Live Exclusively on RUDIS+. Who do you want to see on the Super Match Card?"".
- ^ "Kyle Snyder beats J'den Cox at RudisPlus". BOEC.COM. March 19, 2022. Retrieved April 1, 2022.
- ^ "Men's Freestyle 97kg Challenge Tournament Bracket - US Olympic Trials 2024". TRACKWRESTLING.COM. April 19, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ^ "Missouri wrestler J'den Cox battling with new challenge". KOMU. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^ "J'den Cox Teaches The Wrestling Community Sign Language". Fanatic Wrestling. Retrieved October 6, 2019.
External links
[edit]- J'den Michael Tbory Cox at the International Wrestling Database (alternate link)
- Jden Michael Tbory Cox at United World Wrestling
- Jden Michael Tbory Cox at Olympics.com
- J'den Cox at Team USA (archived October 23, 2021)
- J'den Cox at Olympedia