NWHOF Georgia Chapter - Class of 2026

Bassett, Woods Square Off at 2026 Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

The established veteran against the up-and-coming star is on tap in the men’s freestyle 65 kg series at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management. 2025 World bronze medalist Real Woods and high school phenom Bo Bassett square off 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 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.

U.S. Will Compete at Trophy Adriatic International Tournament in Croatia

The U.S. will send a 14-man unit to this weekend’s Trophy Adriatic international tournament in Porec, Croatia, headlined by experienced U20 World Team members Leister Bowling IV at 77 kg and Arvin Khosravy at 82 kg.

Joining these two talents in Porec are seven other members of the 2026 U20 World Team—Manuel Saldate at 60 kg, Nicholas Sorrow at 63 kg, Amryn Nutter at 67 kg, Eli Esguerra at 72 kg, Aidan Squier at 87 kg, Cittadino Tuttle at 97 kg and Trayvn Boger at 130 kg.

Saldate was the Nevada winner of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Dave Schultz HIgh School Excellence Award in 2025 while Sorrow was the Michigan winner in 2026.

Five-Athlete U.S. Team Will Compete at Beach World Series Porec in Croatia, May 30-31

The U.S. will send a delegation of five wrestlers, three men and two women, to compete in the Beach World Series Porec at the Zelena Laguna Resort in Porec, Croatia, May 30-31. This is the second stop of the five-event Senior Beach World Series for 2026.

Three-time World champion Eliana Bommarito, who was the Michigan winner of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award in 2022, will be competing in Porec in the Over 70 kg division. She scored the most points in the Beach World Series standings at her weight class each of those three seasons. This will be her first Beach World Series event of the 2026 season.

U23 Nationals, U20 World Team Trials Return to Geneva, Ohio

For the fourth consecutive year, USA Wrestling is set to host the U23 Nationals and U20 World Team Trials at SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio. The 2026 event will feature U23 men’s Greco-Roman and men’s freestyle, as well as the U20 men’s freestyle division. Competition is scheduled for May 29-31.

Lots of winners of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award will be competing, including U20 Men's Freestyle Nationals champions Jayden James, Landon Robideau and Aeoden Sinclair and U20 Greco-Roman Nationals champions Manuel Saldate and Nicholas Sorrow.

Action begins at 10 a.m. ET on Friday, May 29, with the U23 Greco-Roman and U20 men’s freestyle World Team Trials competitions. The U23 men’s freestyle brackets will begin on Saturday, May 30, and conclude on Sunday, May 31.

Ivaldi, Rodriguez to Meet at Final X, Presented by Kerberos Capital Management

2025 World Team member Cristelle Rodriguez and two-time age-group World Team member Elena Ivaldi are set to duel at 53 kg at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, with a spot on the 2026 U.S. World Team on the line. Final X is set for June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. This year’s Final X series will be the first meeting between Rodriguez and Ivaldi.

On the international stage, Ivaldi has competed for Team USA at the 2024 U23 World Championships and the 2022 U17 Worlds. Ivaldi also claimed bronze at the 2024 U23 Pan American Championships.

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.

Glaude Withdraws From Final X, Presented By Kerberos Capital Management

USA Wrestling has been notified that 2025 Senior World Team member Alexandria Glaude will not compete at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, due to injury.

She was scheduled to face 2024 Olympic gold medalist Amit Elor, the 2026 Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion, in the women’s freestyle 72 kg best-of-three series on June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

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.