U23 Greco-Roman Division Finalized

GENEVA, Ohio – Max Black was named Outstanding Wrestler after storming to the 60 kg title on Friday in Geneva, Ohio, at the 2026 U23 Nationals and U20 World Team Trials, leading a dominant group of 10 U23 Greco-Roman champions that closed out the opening day of competition.

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

The 10 U23 Greco-Roman champions are now well-positioned to represent the U.S. at the 2026 U23 World Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 12-18. The U23 World Team spot goes to the U23 Nationals champion unless a higher-ranking age-group eligible Senior National Team member elects to take the roster spot.

U20 Men’s Freestyle World Team Set

GENEVA, Ohio – The 2026 U20 Men’s Freestyle World Team was set on Friday night on the opening day of the 2026 U23 Nationals & U20 World Team Trials at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio.

The roster includes National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winners Jayden James, Landon Robideau, Dreshaun Ross, Aaron Seidel and Aeoden Sinclair.

Each of the 10 champions has qualified to compete for Team USA at the 2026 U20 World Championships in Bratislava, Slovakia, August 16-23.

10 True-Third Matches to Decide U.S. National Team Spots at 2026 Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

Coveted spots on the U.S. National Team will be decided with 10 true-third matches—six in men’s freestyle and four in women’s freestyle—to open 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, on Friday, June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

True-third matches include Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winners Patrick Kennedy, Landon Robideau, Aeoden Sinclair and Evan Wick and Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award winner Felicity Taylor.

True-third matches determine the No. 3 athlete on the U.S. National Team for the 2026-27 season. The winner of each true-third match is eligible for U.S. National Team support that includes funding, plus training and competition opportunities.

U.S. Athletes Receive U20 Greco-Roman Trophy Adriatic Draw

POREC, Croatia – The brackets have been released for this weekend’s Trophy Adriatic competition, with 13 U.S. athletes entered in the U20 Greco-Roman division.  

The Trophy Adriatic, which takes place at the Sports Hall Finida on the Croatian coast, will serve as an international tune-up tournament for eight members of the 2026 U20 World Team.

Carr, Green Will Clash at 2026 Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

A generational matchup between past U.S. World Team members James Green and David Carr, who was the Ohio and National winner of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 2018, will take place at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, on Friday, June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. The first meeting between the two stars comes with the 74 kg men’s freestyle World Championships berth hanging in the balance.

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 Carr, the field includes Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winners Marcus Blaze, 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.

U23 Nationals Men's Freestyle Field Includes Henckel, Mirasola

2025 U20 World silver medalist William Henckel and 2025 U20 World bronze medalist Connor Mirasola headline the U23 men’s freestyle field at the 2026 U23 Nationals & U20 World Team Trials at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio.

Competition in the U23 men’s freestyle division begins on Saturday, May 30, and concludes on Sunday, May 31. Champions will be decided Sunday in best-of-three finals.

Champions in each weight class will be well-positioned to represent the U.S. at the 2026 U23 World Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 12-18. The U23 World Team spot goes to the U23 Nationals champion unless a higher-ranking age-group eligible Senior National Team member elects to take the roster spot.

Maroulis, Martinez Will Meet Again at Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management

Reigning World champion Helen Maroulis and age-group World Team member Amanda Martinez gear up for a rematch of last year’s Final X contest. The two square off for the 57 kg women’s freestyle spot on the 2026 U.S. World Team on June 19 at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management 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 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.

Real American Freestyle Expands Partnership with FOX Nation for Live Events, RAF NEXT GEN, Original Competition Series

Real American Freestyle (RAF), the first unscripted professional freestyle wrestling league, today announced another major moment in its partnership with FOX Nation - adding 14 more live events, year-round coverage of RAF NEXT GEN, and development of a new original series, UNDISCOVERED: The Search For The Next RAF Superstar (WT). This continues to extend RAF programming on FOX Nation, underscoring the platform’s explosive momentum and growing importance inside the combat sports landscape.