While at Oklahoma State Jordan Oliver was always a topic of discussion whether fans were talking about the one-second ankle pick, a takedown clinic he put on someone or the still argument-infusing final seconds of his NCAA finals match against Logan Stieber.

But all that is in the past and he has made the transition to the international scene where he is still a force, but admits that he hasn’t wrestled like the high pace, point-scoring J.O. of old.

“I was really holding back in matches a lot,” said Oliver. “I know that I can put points on the board and score on anyone. But I wasn’t doing that. So I made some changes to my training. And I’m getting back to what makes me, me.”

One of those key changes was leaving his alma mater of Oklahoma State and joining Zeke Jones at Arizona State. Though he left the John Smith led Cowboys’ complex, his orange and black roots are still a part of his style, training and attitude.

“I talk to John Smith everyday, he said. “He has been such a huge part of my career that there’s no way I’d be able to be successful without him. Having John and Zeke both in my corner is like the best of both worlds for me. Those two are the most knowledgeable coaches in this sport so having them behind me is huge for me.”

Since falling short against Brent Metcalf, Oliver and his camp have taken a hard look at what he had been doing to prepare. Now, he feels that he’s making the changes to complete his mission of being the best in the world.

“I realized that I was training to beat Metcalf. I wasn’t training to be the best in the world and that was the problem,” he admitted. “I was just focusing on what I needed to do to make the team instead of the goal of winning a gold medal. And don’t get me wrong, Metcalf is a great competitor and ambassador for the 65kg spot, but he’s obviously not the best in world. And that’s what I need to prepare for.”

Throughout his international career he has had to endure injuries and the weight issues that have at times forced him to move up at certain tournaments. But according to him, the weight issues are no longer a problem.

“My weight is under control,” he said. “I’ve made it plenty of times without plastics and everything, so I feel great and know that any problems I had are gone. Now, I’ve just been focusing on my training camp and getting ready for this year's U.S. Open. I’ve never won it and I really want to. After that I’m heading to Turkey for Medved.”

With the refocused attitude and backing of sponsors such as adidas and club Sunkist Kids, Oliver feels that everything he wants to accomplish is within reach.

“When I got done with college and they said they wanted to sign me I was excited because adidas is one of the big power companies,” Oliver said. “Everyone knows that I’m one of the biggest prima donnas in wrestling too. I always want new shoes and the best gear for every tournament and they make sure I have it. Having sponsors like adidas allows me to focus on just wrestling and doing the things I want and need to do to be successful.”