Eight Make Men’s Freestyle World Team at 2026 Final X, Presented By Kerberos Capital Management

NEWARK, N.J. – Two-time Olympic medalist and four-time World champion Kyle Dake will represent the U.S. for a sixth time at the Senior World Championships. Dake overcame a round one loss to take two straight matches from 2025 World champion Zahid Valencia on Friday night at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management.  

Budding rivals Marcus Blaze and Jax Forrest went the distance at 61 kg, with Blaze earning a 5-2 decision in the rubber match.

The lace man James Green qualified for his eighth Senior World Team, and first at 74 kg, with a 4-1 win over 2025 World Team member David Carr in the decisive round three match.

The men's team includes National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winners Marcus Blaze, Wyatt Hendrickson, Spencer Lee and Zain Retherford.

Eight Earn Spots On Women’s Freestyle World Team At 2026 Final X, Presented By Kerberos Capital Management

NEWARK, N.J. – Two women’s freestyle series needed the rubber match on Friday night at Prudential Center as eight individuals cemented themselves on the U.S. World Team at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management.

Reigning World Team member Adaugo Nwachukwu staved off two-time World medalist Macey Kilty in a classic best-of-three series at 62 kg. After getting a pin with one second left in the first period of round one, Nwachukwu was stifled by Kilty, 4-0, in round two. The last women’s freestyle match of the event went to Nwachukwu, 4-3, in a match that was decided as time expired.

Two-time U17 World champion Morgan Turner made the jump to the Senior World Team as an 18-year-old, fresh out of high school. She won a decisive round three match over 2026 U.S. Open champion Katie Gomez, 8-2. Turner has now qualified to represent the U.S. on the U20, U23 and Senior World Teams this year.

The women's team includes Everest Leydecker, who is the Arizona winner of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award for 2026.

10 U.S. National True-Third Spots Decided At 2026 Final X, Presented By Kerberos Capital Management

NEWARK, N.J. – The 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, showcase opened on Friday afternoon at Prudential Center with U.S. National Team spots in 10 weight classes being decided—six in men’s freestyle and four in women’s freestyle.

True-third matches determine the No. 3 athlete on the U.S. National Team for the 2026-27 season. These matches are specifically held in weight classes where the second- and third-place finishers from the last Final X qualifying event—either the U.S. Open or Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament—did not wrestle against one another in said qualifying event.

The winner of each true-third match is eligible for U.S. National Team support, including funding, training, and competition opportunities.

NWCA Honors Montgomery, Randall with 2026 Trailblazer Awards

MANHEIM, Pa. - Two trailblazers who have led the way in the sport of women's wrestling at the collegiate level are being honored this year as the National Wrestling Coaches Association Trailblazer Award winners.

Toccara Montgomery and Archie Randall are the 2026 Trailblazer Awards honorees, as nominated by the NWCA's member collegiate women's wrestling coaches. Montgomery was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2024 while Randall received the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award from the Oklahoma Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2008.

The Leadership Group members from both the NCAA and NAIA groups, along with the slate of former Trailblazer Award winners then voted on the honorees, with Montgomery and Randall emerging as this year's top nominees.

The 2026 Trailblazer Awards will be presented at the Celebration of Women in Wrestling, July 31, as a part of the 2026 NWCA Convention in Baltimore, Maryland.

Ultimate Fan Guide to USA Wrestling’s 2026 Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

Whether you’re attending Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, in person at Prudential Center or following every match from home, this Ultimate Fan Guide has everything you need to get ready for USA Wrestling’s flagship Senior-level event, Final X, including schedules, matchup previews, FAQs and lead-up coverage.

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.

Pierson Manville Named USA Wrestling Athlete Of The Week

Pierson Manville (Tempe, Ariz./Southwest WC), who was the Pennsylvania winner of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 2024, has been named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week.

Manville went 4-0 en route to the gold medal at the U23 Pan American Championships in Lima, Peru. He teched his way into the gold medal match and then grabbed a 4-2 decision over 2026 Senior Pan American silver medalist Clisman Carracedo Veliz of Ecuador.

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.