Identical twins Terry and Tom Brands of Sheldon, Iowa, are arguably the most successful wrestling brother combination in American history. Here are 10 stats that make them wrestling icons.
Twin Titles
When Terry and Tom made the 1993 Senior World Team, the United States had never won the team title. That changed when the recent University of Iowa graduates won World titles at 57 kg and 62 kg. It was the first and only time American brothers won World championships in the same year.
The United States outpaced Russia, 76-54, in Toronto thanks to four golds and five medals.
Each had a memorable showdown against a Cuban. Terry won a chaotic match over Jesus Wilson (garbage was thrown on the mat during the match), and Tom defeated Lazaro Reinoso Martinez in overtime the year after Martinez upset six-time World and Olympic champion John Smith at the 1992 Olympics.
Watch both matches against the Cubans below.
Doubling Up
Tom and Terry look alike, competed alike, and won alike. Here are a few of the major tournaments they won at the same time.
1986: Iowa state titles — Terry (98), Tom (105)
1990: NCAA titles — Terry (126), Tom (134)
1992: NCAA titles — Terry (126), Tom (134)
1993: World titles — Terry (57 kg), Tom (62 kg)
1994: World Cup — Terry (57 kg), Tom (62 kg)
1995: World Cup — Terry (57 kg), Tom (62 kg)
Terry Times Two
The Hawkeye Wrestling Club has produced some of the best wrestlers in the World, but only one is a two-time World champion. Terry won titles in 1993 and 1995, placing him in rarefied air.
King of 57 Kilograms
Former Iowa wrestlers have an unmatched domestic legacy at 57 kg, beginning with Terry McCann and continuing through Spencer Lee. Terry still has the most World/Olympic titles among this elite group.
Former 57 kg Hawkeyes At The Worlds and Olympics
Terry McCann: 1960 gold (O)
Randy Lewis: 1978 DNP (W)
Barry Davis: 1984 silver (O), 1986 bronze (W), 1987 silver (W), 1988 DNP (O)
Brad Penrith: 1989 DNP (W), 1991 silver (W)
Joe Melchiore: 1999 DNP (W)
Terry Brands: 1993 gold (W), 1995 gold (W), 2000 bronze (O) at 58 kg
Tony Ramos: 2014 DNP (W), 2015 DNP (W)
Dan Dennis: 2016 DNP (O)
Thomas Gilman: 2017 silver (W), 2020 bronze (O), 2021 gold (W), 2022 silver (W)
Spencer Lee: 2024 silver (O), 2025 DNP (W)
Tom and Terry Brands with their mother, Bonnie
62 Kilogram Streak
The United States owned 62 kg internationally thanks to a trio of domestic superstars. Randy Lewis won Olympic gold in 1984, followed by John Smith in 1988 and 1992, and Brands in 1996. That marks four consecutive Olympic cycles in which the United States won gold. Additionally, Brands' 1993 World title extended the American wrestlers' streak to seven, following Smith's remarkable six in a row.
If You Can’t Beat ‘Em, Disqualify ‘Em
If you haven’t seen it already, it’s worth watching Terry’s 1995 World finals against Canada’s Guivi Sissaouri — a five-time World/Olympic medalist and 2001 World champion who defected from the Soviet Union.
Brands was down 3-0, then mounted a glorious comeback in the final minute, disqualifying his Canadian foe in Atlanta, Georgia.
Reminder: Takedowns were worth 1, 3, and 5 points, instead of 2, 4, and 5.
Watch Terry mount an all-time comeback at the 1995 World Championships
1991 NCAA Tournament Run
If there were a college wrestling video game, then Tom Brands would have broken it with his 1991 NCAA tournament run. He scored 98 match points over five matches (avg. 19.6), including a 33-19 major over Michigan’s Joey Gilbert in the semifinals.
Tom isn’t satisfied with a 14-point margin, but he can rest easy knowing that he would have easily secured the tech with three-point takedowns.
1991 NCAA Championships, 134 pounds, #1 seed
R32: Jason Dewland, Boston University, TF 23-8
R16: Shannyn Gillespie, Lock Haven, TF 25-10
QF: Dave Zuniga, Minnesota, 12-6
SF: Joey Gilbert, Michigan, 33-19
F: Alan Fried, Oklahoma State, 5-3
Terry and Tom with former Iowa coach Dan Gable
Rarified Air
Only one human being has accomplished all of the following:
— Won an individual NCAA wrestling title (1990-92)
— Won an NCAA wrestling team title as an athlete (1991-92)
— Won an NCAA wrestling team title as a coach (2008-10, ‘21)
— Won an individual World title (1993)
— Won a World Wrestling Team Championship as an athlete (1993, ‘95)
— Won an Olympic gold medal (1996)
His name is Tom Brands.
An (Almost) Perfect Run
Brands won the 1996 Olympics, surrendering one point in four matches, jokingly stating he didn’t want to match his college coach, Dan Gable, who won the 1972 Olympics without surrendering a point.
His gold medal run included four wins over World champions.
Won over Abbas Hajkenari (IRI), 3-0 — 1997 World champion
Won over Sergey Smal (BLR), 5-0 — 1991 World champion
Won over Magomed Azizov (RUS), 4-1 — 1994 World champion
Won over Jang Jae-sung (KOR), 7-0
Another Reminder: Takedowns were worth 1, 3, and 5 points, instead of 2, 4, and 5.
The Work Never Ends
After Brands won his Olympic gold medal in Atlanta, he and his wife rented a three-cylinder Geo, drove through the night to Iowa City, and immediately mowed the lawn because it was shaggy.
Terry and Tom as youngsters