Astana Announced as Replacement Host for 2026 World Championships

Astana, Kazakhstan will host the 2026 World Championships from October 24 to November 1.

United World Wrestling Bureau met on Friday and after careful consideration of the current geopolitical situation, particularly the ongoing uncertainty and impact on international travel, it decided to change the host for the 2026 World Championships.

Manama, Bahrain was scheduled to host the World Championships as it was awarded the tournament in Zagreb last year.

Greg Strobel Leadership Academy Has Another Successful Campaign

Thanks to the commitment of challenge participants and the generosity of supporters, this year’s Greg Strobel Leadership Challenge raised more than $7,600 and was another tremendous success. The event continues to be a meaningful experience for Greg’s family, friends, colleagues, challenge participants, supporters and members of the wrestling community.

Greg Strobel was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 2012. The front lobby of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame has a cabinet that was constructed by Strobel and fellow Distinguished Member Bruce Baumgartner. The cabinet currently houses Baumgartner’s Olympic and World medals.

Blaze, Forrest Set to Clash at Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

For the fifth time ever, and the first time since the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Marcus Blaze, who was the Ohio and National winner of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 2025, and Jax Forrest, who was the Pennsylvania winner of the DSHSEA in 2026, will meet on the mat, this time at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management. Blaze and Forrest will battle for the men’s freestyle 61 kg spot on the 2026 U.S. Senior World Team.

Final X is scheduled for Friday, June 19, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

In addition to Blaze and Forrest, the Final X field includes DSHSEA winners David Carr, 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.

Gomez, Turner Battle at Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

A pair of age-group World champions will square off at 50 kg in women's freestyle for the U.S. World Team spot at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management. Katie Gomez, a 2021 U17 World champion, will face two-time U17 World champion Morgan Turner on Friday, 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.

Lee, Lilledahl Rekindle Rivalry at Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

The rivalry between three-time age-group World champion Luke Lilledahl and Olympic silver medalist Spencer Lee, who was the Pennsylvania and Northeast Region winner of our Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 2017, continues at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management. The winner of the best-of-three series earns the 2026 Senior World Team spot in men’s freestyle 57 kg. Final X is set for Friday, June 19, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

In addition to Lee, 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, Ridge Lovett, Chance Marsteller, Zain Retherford and Zahid Valencia.

Lehigh's Caruso Happy To Escape

In this article from the August 15, 2010 issue of Amateur Wrestling News, longtime AWN editor and National Wrestling Hall of Fame Order of Merit recipient Ron Good looks back to December 7, 1965 and an epic match between Lehigh University legend and National Wrestling Hall of Fame Distinguished Member Mike Caruso and the University of Oklahoma's Bryan Rice at historic Grace Hall, known as the snake-pit.

12 World Team Trials Champions Qualified for 2026 Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

Twelve Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champions have been added to the lineup for 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, including 2024 Olympic champion Amit Elor and 2024 Olympic silver medalist Spencer Lee. Final X is set for Friday, June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and will decide the 2026 U.S. World Team.

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

Women's Freestyle Senior World Team Trials Champions Crowned

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The women's freestyle champions at the 2026 Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament are Amit Elor, Elena Ivaldi, Alexis Janiak, Macey Kilty, Jennifer Page, Morgan Turner and Areana Villaescusa. Janiak and Kilty are both winners of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award.

The seven champions advance to 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management.