Real American Freestyle Wrestling Launches RAF CLUBS

Real American Freestyle Wrestling has announced the launch of RAF CLUBS, anew national network connecting local development, national competition and professional opportunity.

Blades, Welker, Woods Receive Medical Delay For Final X Series

2025 Senior World medalists Kennedy Blades, Kylie Welker and Real Woods have each requested and received medical delays for their 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, best-of-three championship series. 

These Final X series were originally scheduled for June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.—Blades against Isabella Mir at 68 kg in women’s freestyle, Welker against Dymond Guilford at 76 kg in women’s freestyle, and Woods against Bo Bassett at 65 kg in men’s freestyle. Mir, Guilford and Bassett qualified for Final X by winning the 2026 U.S. Open. 

Final X will determine the 2026 U.S. World Team in two international disciplines—men’s freestyle and women’s freestyle. In total, 20 weight classes will be contested, 10 in each discipline. The top two U.S. athletes in each weight class will wrestle a best-of-three series at Final X to determine the U.S. representative at the 2026 Senior World Championships.

The Final X field includes Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winners Marcus Blaze, David Carr, Jax Forrest, Wyatt Hendrickson, Spencer Lee, Ridge Lovett, Chance Marsteller, Zain Retherford and Zahid Valencia and Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award winners Alexis Janiak, Everest Leydecker and Macey Kilty.

DeSanto Defends Title; Alirez, O’Toole, Pico Post Statement Wins at RAF 10

ST. LOUIS – Austin DeSanto successfully defended his bantamweight title against Cuba’s Reineri Ortega on Saturday at Real American Freestyle 10, grinding out a 2-1 decision in the championship bout. Aaron Pico, Keegan O’Toole and Andrew Alirez also earned wins on the RAF 10 card.

U.S. Wins Six Gold Medals, Wyatt Claims Golden Boot at U23 Pan American Greco-Roman Championships

LIMA, Peru – Team USA concluded the 2026 U23 Pan American Championships on Saturday with six champions and eight total medalists in Greco-Roman. 87 kg champion Keenan Wyatt was awarded the Golden Boot as outstanding wrestler of the day.

The champions include National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winners Aden Attao and Pierson Manville.

Hidlay Earns Senior Men’s Freestyle World Team Spot

CHANTILLY, Virginia – 2025 World champion Trent Hidlay sealed the series sweep at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, with a four-point maneuver with three seconds left to secure an 8-3 victory in the second match of the 92 kg men’s freestyle series at Freedom High School on Saturday.

With the Final X series victory, Hidlay earns the opportunity to represent Team USA at the 2026 Senior World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, October 24-November 1.

Burroughs to Make Real American Freestyle Debut at RAF 12

TAMPA, Fla. — Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league and the new home for the sport’s elite, has announced that Jordan Burroughs, the most decorated wrestler in American history, has signed with the promotion for RAF 12 in Cleveland on August 22.

Taking place at Rocket Arena, the event celebrates the one-year anniversary of RAF's launch, bringing the promotion back to the city where it launched its historic debut event and sparked a new era for professional wrestling in August 2025. 

Burroughs is widely considered one of the best wrestlers in the sport’s history. His combined seven world titles (1x Olympic gold, 6x World Championships) is the most for any athlete from America in freestyle wrestling. In the midst of his success, he held a legendary unbeaten run at the international senior level of 69 consecutive victories. 

Mortimer, Petzinger Among Seven U.S. Women's Freestyle Gold Medalists at U23 Pan American Championships

LIMA, Peru – Team USA continued its hot streak on Friday at the 2026 U23 Pan American Championships with seven champions and 10 total medalists in women’s freestyle.

The champions include National Wrestling Hall of Fame Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award winners Taylor Graveman and Sage Mortimer.

Wrestling continues at 10 a.m. local time on Saturday with the Greco-Roman competition. Lima, Peru, is one hour behind U.S. Eastern Time.

A live stream and archived matches of the event are available to the U.S. audience through FloWrestling. Brackets and updated results are hosted on UWW Arena.

Hendrickson, Parris Will Clash at Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

Mason Parris, a 2024 Olympian and 2023 World bronze medalist, will square off against 2023 U23 World champion Wyatt Hendrickson, who was the Kansas winner of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 2019, for the 125 kg men’s freestyle spot on the 2026 U.S. Senior World Team at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, on June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.  

Final X will determine the 2026 U.S. World Team in two international disciplines—men’s freestyle and women’s freestyle. In total, 20 weight classes will be contested, 10 in each discipline. The top two U.S. athletes in each weight class will wrestle a best-of-three series at Final X to determine the U.S. representative at the 2026 Senior World Championships.

In addition to Hendrickson, the Final X field includes Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winners Marcus Blaze, David Carr, Jax Forrest, Spencer Lee, Ridge Lovett, Chance Marsteller, Zain Retherford and Zahid Valencia and Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award winners Alexis Janiak, Everest Leydecker and Macey Kilty.