Burroughs Burns - Will JB's Tweets Rattle Zahid?
Burroughs Burns - Will JB's Tweets Rattle Zahid?
Jordan Burroughs' tweets have been hitting like his well-timed doubles lately. So what does the social media battle with Zahid mean for November 14?
Unlock this article, live events, and more with a subscription!
Already a subscriber? Log In
When Jordan Burroughs tweets, people pay attention. He's been giving everyone plenty to think about recently as he's landed a couple of zingers in conversations with David Taylor and Zahid Valencia. So are the social media jabs just playful banter, or could they have an actual impact on Burroughs' match with Zahid Valencia on November 14?
Watch Burroughs vs Zahid LIVE on FloWrestling
Saturday, November 14 | 8 pm EST
The tweet that really got people talking about JB's social media savvy came over a month ago in response to a challenge from 2018 86kg World Champ David Taylor. Upon learning of Burroughs' match with Zahid, Taylor threw down the gauntlet when he tweeted:
"Thought you've been looking like a beef cake. Test the waters, and if you want a shot at the real 86kg king, hit me up."
-David Taylor
Taylor took Burroughs' burn in stride, and the two spent some time going back and forth about wrestling a match before the end of 2020 but never settled on a date.
I made you disappear from 74kg. So who’s really the magic man? https://t.co/78zxICz4dy
— Jordan Burroughs (@alliseeisgold) October 5, 2020
While we might not see a Burroughs vs Taylor match in the near future, we're guaranteed Burroughs vs Zahid on November 14, and Burroughs has turned his attention on Twitter to that match.
On November 4, the FloWrestling Twitter account posted a clip of Burroughs' epic sprint at the match 1 at 2019 Final X against Isaiah Martinez. Burroughs asked Zahid if he would be ready for a similar sprint when the two meet.
Not to be outdone, Zahid asked Burroughs if he could handle his sprint. This is a fair question, especially considering Zahid's offensive output and late match potential. Burroughs engaged the query in the following two tweet thread:
(2) you come after me relentlessly. With short time, you finally get to your patented single leg and finish the takedown just before the clock hits 0. Your family watching at home screams in excitement! You look over at the scoreboard. Final Score:
— Jordan Burroughs (@alliseeisgold) November 5, 2020
Burroughs 9 - Valencia 2
The punchline at the end hit like Burroughs' forehead to the sternum after a long string of fakes, and wrestling Twitter once again exploded. So Burroughs is clearly winning the trash talk battle, but what does that mean for November 14? Will this have any tangible impact on the match?
Burroughs and Zahid are professionals, so it's safe to assume that both can handle a little back-and-forth, but will these digs be in the back of each man's mind come match time?
To answer that question, it might be worth remembering Zahid's NCAA finals match against Mark Hall in 2019. Zahid had lost to Mark earlier that season, and when Mark won, he played an air guitar solo in front of a roaring Rec Hall crowd. When Zahid took out Hall on the nation's biggest stage a few months later, he pulled out an air guitar of his own and played a few notes before smashing it on the nation's biggest stage.
There's a chance this does serve as motivation for Zahid. Either way, the buzz on Twitter is adding hype to this match, and all eyes will be on Burroughs vs Zahid on Saturday, November 14.