Mikey Caliendo Stuns Jordan Burroughs and Ends His RAF Streak
The four-time NCAA All-American arrived at RAF 14 looking to bounce back from a narrow loss in his previous appearance. Instead, Michael Caliendo handed Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs his first defeat in the promotion.
Jordan Burroughs had opened his Real American Freestyle career with two dominant wins, outscoring Sean Brady 11-0 and Magomed Kurbanaliev 10-0. Michael Caliendo brought that run to an end on Friday at RAF 14 in Las Vegas, building an early advantage before surviving a late push from the Olympic champion.
Caliendo Builds a Lead Burroughs Cannot Erase
Caliendo attacked early, scoring a takedown and forcing Burroughs to work from behind for the first time in his RAF career. By the start of the final period, Caliendo held a 5-0 lead. That cushion proved decisive when Burroughs finally found his way into the contest and began scoring.
The 38-year-old American is renowned for his explosive attacks and ability to create scoring opportunities from seemingly small openings. He showed that persistence in the final period, cutting into Caliendo’s advantage and threatening to turn the match around. Burroughs won the closing period 5-2, but Caliendo added two points of his own and held on for a 7-5 victory.
The result was significant beyond ending an unbeaten run. Burroughs had not conceded a point in either of his first two RAF appearances. Caliendo not only put points on the board early but also had to withstand the champion’s late pressure to finish the job.
Mikey Caliendo takes out Jordan Burroughs 7-5 at RAF 15! 🤯 https://t.co/yglbYOt6cY
— Saturday Night Lights (@WrestlingSNL) October 24, 2026
The NCAA Runner-Up Has a Bigger Target in Mind
Caliendo’s win came after a strong collegiate career at Iowa. He finished as the NCAA runner-up at 165 pounds in both 2025 and 2026 and became a four-time All-American. In his final college season, he went 22-5 and returned to the national final for a second consecutive year.
His transition to RAF had not been seamless. After winning his RAF debut against Mirzo Khayitov in July, Caliendo suffered a narrow setback at RAF 13, losing 5-4 to Timur Bizhoev in September. His victory over Burroughs therefore gives him an important response after that narrow setback, rather than simply extending an already dominant run.
Caliendo made his next ambition clear after the upset.
“I don't care who it is but I want the belt.”
The callout did not identify a specific champion or confirm a title booking. But Caliendo has now beaten one of the sport’s most decorated wrestlers and put himself in a stronger position to ask for a bigger opportunity. His next move will determine whether this breakthrough becomes the beginning of a title run.
