Two-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion Jordan Oliver made his professional MMA debut this past weekend at Bellator 298, and he did not disappoint.
The bout lasted all of a minute, as Oliver managed to secure a takedown with relative ease before smoothly transitioning to side control and locking up a tight arm triangle choke. It wasn’t long before the walls began to close in on his opponent Andrew Triolo, tapping the mat and sealing Oliver’s first victory inside the Bellator cage.
Despite the high volume of media coverage and external pressures surrounding the bout, Oliver felt comfortable as he walked to the cage, battling little to no anxiety as he approached the bright lights.
“The craziest thing is that I thought I would have nerves. Even in wrestling, leading up to (matches) I had nerves, getting on the mat I had nerves,” Oliver said during the post-fight press conference. “(Tonight) I had no nerves.”
Oliver spoke about fellow Oklahoma State wrestling alum Daniel Cormier and how he envisions the UFC Hall of Famer reacting to his performance.
“We’re too close – Cormier and all this guys would probably make fun of me. They’d be like ‘You shot too quick. You scared to let your hands go’ They would be very proud, I got in and took care of business,” Oliver said.
Oliver starts his MMA career off on the right foot, moving to (1-0) and showcasing his superstar potential with an early first round stoppage and effectively demonstrating the hard work he put in throughout his first official training camp.
“I wasn’t taking days off. This is something I pictured and imagined for a while…hopefully I can turnaround and get back on a card here pretty quickly,” Oliver said. “If the boss calls me and wants me to fight in two weeks, I’m fighting in two weeks. I love this.”
Jordan Oliver def. Andrew Triolo via submission (Arm Triangle Choke) (R1, 1:05)
