Blades, Mir Will Meet at 2026 Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

2024 Olympic silver medalist Kennedy Blades and two-time age-group World Team member Isabella Mir are slated to square off at 68 kg in a battle of 2026 NCAA champions at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management. The 2026 World Team spot will be decided 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.

The Final X field includes Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award winners Alexis Janiak, Everest Leydecker and Macey Kilty and 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.

Hidlay, Macchiavello Will Clash at 2026 Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

North Carolina State alums, 2025 World champion Trent Hidlay and three-time U.S. Open champion Michael Macchiavello, are set to battle in a Final X best-of-three series on Saturday, June 13, at Freedom High School in Chantilly, Va.

Hidlay and Macchiavello are wrestling for the 2026 U.S. World Team spot at 92 kg a week before the 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, card at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

We Exist to Recognize

Recognition is the controlling purpose of the Florida chapter.

The process begins when you recommend a hero from your wrestling community.

Qualified individuals may reside in your home, at your school, or even in your neighborhood. You might know people who have devoted a lifetime to our sport or have used wrestling to rise in their field of expertise.

Hall of Fame's Class of 2026 Shares Stories of Gratitude, Resilience

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum Honors Weekend concluded on Saturday night at the McKnight Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Oklahoma State University with the formal induction of the Class of 2026 honorees. 

The evening of celebration was moderated by Hall of Fame announcer Sandy Stevens. Each honoree was introduced with a detailed short film created by Skooter Schultz, before being presented with their tailored award and sharing some words of inspiration for the crowd of supporters. 

Four Distinguished Members were inducted this year: Ben Askren, Tervel Dlagnev, Lee Roy Smith and Shannon Williams-Yancey. 

The Hall of Fame also honored Meritorious Official recipient Zach Errett, Order of Merit recipient James L. Porter, Medal of Courage recipient Patrick Morrissey, Outstanding American recipient Major General (Ret.) Mike Nardotti, Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award recipient Austin Collins and Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award recipient Natalie Radecki.

Moving Presentation of Plaques Jump-Starts 2026 NWHOF Honors Weekend

The 2026 National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum Honors Weekend began on Friday evening at “The Hall” with the longstanding, traditional open to the weekend—The Presentation of Plaques.

Friends and family of the 10 Class of 2026 inductees were invited to the private ceremony within the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors. Doors were opened to the general public an hour after the ceremony, with streams of others joining in on the celebration. 

With each unveiling, inductees get to see their display case for the first time, as Hall of Fame announcer Sandy Stevens presides over the fun by introducing each new member and adding in her unique brand of humor. Of course, there is no shortage of pictures taken “for the gram.”

National Wrestling Hall of Fame Will Broadcast Honors Weekend Events On June 6

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has announced that it will broadcast its Honors Weekend events for the Class of 2026 LIVE on the Hall of Fame’s Rokfin channel at rokfin.com/nwhof.

Title sponsors for Honors Weekend are Tom Graddy, the Hyman Family, Ed and Amy Gallegos, Resilite Sports Products Inc., and the Richison Family Foundation.

Rokfin is a subscription service and it is recommended that accounts be created in advance at rokfin.com.

World Medalists Miracle, Page Collide at Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

Kayla Miracle, a two-time Olympian and two-time World silver medalist, will face 2023 World bronze medalist Jennifer Page in the women’s freestyle 65 kg series at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management. Miracle and Page will duel for a spot on the 2026 U.S. World Team 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.

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

Dake, Valencia Renew Rivalry at Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

A rematch of last year’s Final X series is on tap at 86 kg in a clash of titans with reigning World champion and two-time World medalist Zahid Valencia, who was the California and National winner of our Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 2015, taking on two-time Olympic bronze medalist and four-time World champion Kyle Dake 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 Valencia, the field includes Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winners Marcus Blaze, David Carr, Jax Forrest, Wyatt Hendrickson, Spencer Lee, Ridge Lovett, Chance Marsteller, and Zain Retherford and Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award winners Alexis Janiak, Everest Leydecker and Macey Kilty.