Baumgartner is among the best American wrestlers of all time; his five World/Olympic titles place him behind only Jordan Burroughs, John Smith, and Adeline Gray.

During high school, Baumgartner excelled on the wrestling team, going 23–0, but was defeated in the NJ State Championship match.

Baumgartner is a four-time Olympian and owns four Olympic Medals: two gold, one silver and one bronze.

He holds a Bachelor's degree in education from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN where he competed collegiately for 4 years.

He confirmed his status with the Communist Bloc (Eastern European) wrestlers by winning in 1986, clinching his first of his three world titles.