Olympians Kyle Dake, Kayla Miracle among 20 U.S. Open champions qualified for 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management

Ten athletes each in men's and women's freestyle will compete for spots on 2026 U.S. World Championship Team.

Twenty U.S. Open champions have been added to the card for 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, including a pair of two-time Olympians - Kyle Dake and Kayla Miracle - and will compete for spots on the 2026 U.S. World Team. Final X is set for Friday, June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Dake, a two-time Olympic bronze medalist (2020, 2024) and four-time World champion (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022), returns to 86 kg in men's freestyle, where he will face reigning World champion Zahid Valencia in a Final X rematch. Valencia defeated Dake, 5-3 and 4-1, in the 2025 Final X best-of-three series at Prudential Center. In this year's U.S. Open finals, Dake defeated Zagreb Open Ranking Series champion Parker Keckeisen by an 8-2 decision to secure his place in Newark.

Miracle, a two-time Olympian (2020, 2024) and two-time World silver medalist (2021, 2022), is the first Final X qualifier at 65 kg in women's freestyle. Miracle, who bumped up in weight from 62 kg this year, won the U.S. Open in dominant fashion, holding her opponents scoreless across four bonus-point wins.

Two-time World medalist and Willingboro, New Jersey, native James Green booked his Final X spot to compete in his home state with an impressive run through the U.S. Open at 74 kg in men's freestyle and will vie for his eighth Senior World Team in his home state.

Seven more past U.S. World Team members qualified for Final X: Chance Marsteller (79 kg) and Wyatt Hendrickson (125 kg) in men's freestyle; and Cristelle Rodriguez (53 kg), Abigail Nette (59 kg), Adaugo Nwachukwu (62 kg), Alexandria Glaude (72 kg) and Dymond Guilford (76 kg) in women's freestyle.

Past age-group World champions to win the U.S. Open, looking to make their first Senior World Team, include Luke Lilledahl (57 kg), Marcus Blaze (61 kg) and Bo Bassett (65 kg) in men's freestyle, plus Katie Gomez (50 kg) and Everest Leydecker (55 kg) in women's freestyle.

Rounding out the list of U.S. Open champions and new Final X qualifiers are men's freestyle competitors Ridge Lovett (70 kg), Michael Macchiavello (92 kg) and Stephen Buchanan (97 kg), and women's freestyle athletes Amanda Martinez (57 kg) and Isabella Mir (68 kg).

What’s at stake at Final X?

Final X will determine the 2026 U.S. Senior World Team in two-of-three 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 for the 2026 Senior World Championships in Manama, Bahrain.

Eight weight classes have finalized matchups for Final X, five in men's freestyle and three in women's freestyle. All qualified athletes and set matchups are listed below.

Returning World medalists who previously accepted an automatic bid to Final X were Real Woods (61 kg), Levi Haines (79 kg), Zahid Valencia (86 kg), Trent Hidlay (92 kg) and Kyle Snyder (97 kg) in men's freestyle, plus Helen Maroulis (57 kg), Kennedy Blades (68 kg) and Kylie Welker (76 kg) in women's freestyle.

The remaining 12 athletes will be added to the Final X lineup at the 2026 Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, scheduled for May 14-15 in Louisville, Kentucky. The champions in the Senior Men's Freestyle and Senior Women's Freestyle divisions advance to Final X.

Beat the Streets New York Annual Benefit

Final X will serve as the 2026 Beat the Streets New York Annual Benefit, its 16th to date. These unique electrifying events help BTSNY raise critical funds each year to support local youth wrestling programs, which empower young people in New York City. The BTSNY Annual Benefit after-party takes place at the conclusion of Final X.

Get Final X Tickets

BTSNY Annual Benefit tickets and sponsorship packages, which include access to premier seating at Final X, plus the exclusive after-party, are currently available at btsny.org. For more information on ticket packages, email BTSNY Executive Director Bob Seidel at bseidel@btsny.org. Donations and BTSNY Annual Benefit tickets and sponsorship packages directly help BTSNY make a lifelong impact on New York City youth in need.

Event-only tickets for Final X without access to the BTSNY after-party celebration are available on Ticketmaster.

Final X Event Schedule

12:30 p.m. (ET): U.S. National Team true-third matches

2 p.m. (ET): Session I (Round 1)

5 p.m. (ET): Session II (Rounds 2 & 3, if necessary)

Match order will be announced at a later date.

How to Watch Final X

FloWrestling will serve as the host broadcast partner for Final X. Fans can watch the event live or on-demand at FloWrestling.com. Online results for Final X will be available on USA Bracketing.

For more information about Final X, please visit TheMat.com.

2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, Qualifiers (As of April 30, 2026)

June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey

Men’s Freestyle

57 kg - Luke Lilledahl (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Senior World Team Trials champion

61 kg - Marcus Blaze (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Senior World Team Trials champion

65 kg - Real Woods (Ann Arbor, Mich./Cliff Keen WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Bo Bassett (Windber, Pa./Titan Mercury WC)

70 kg - Ridge Lovett (Post Falls, Idaho/Nebraska WTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Senior World Team Trials champion

74 kg - James Green (Lincoln, Neb./Nebraska WTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Senior World Team Trials champion

79 kg - Levi Haines (Bellefonte, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Chance Marsteller (Reading, Pa./New Jersey RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

86 kg - Zahid Valencia (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Kyle Dake (Port Matilda, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

92 kg - Trent Hidlay (Raleigh, N.C./Wolfpack RTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Michael Macchiavello (Northampton, Pa./Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

97 kg - Kyle Snyder (Bellefonte, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Stephen Buchanan (Coralville, Iowa/Hawkeye WC/Titan Mercury WC)

125 kg - Wyatt Hendrickson (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy RTC/U.S. Air Force WCAP) vs. Senior World Team Trials champion

Women’s Freestyle

50 kg - Katie Gomez (Van Nuys, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) vs. Senior World Team Trials champion

53 kg – Cristelle Rodriguez (Crete, Neb./Tiger WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Senior World Team Trials champion

55 kg – Everest Leydecker (Phoenix, Ariz./Thorobred WC/New York AC) vs. Senior World Team Trials champion

57 kg - Helen Maroulis (Scottsdale, Ariz./Titan Mercury WC) vs. Amanda Martinez (Riverside, Ill./Cardinal WC/Titan Mercury WC)

59 kg – Abigail Nette (Colorado Springs, Colo./Army WCAP) vs. Senior World Team Trials champion

62 kg – Adaugo Nwachukwu (Colorado Springs, Colo./Army WCAP) vs. Senior World Team Trials champion

65 kg – Kayla Miracle (Phoenix, Ariz./Titan Mercury WC) vs. Senior World Team Trials champion

68 kg – Kennedy Blades (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Isabella Mir (Naperville, Ill./Cardinal WC)

72 kg – Alexandria Glaude (Menlo Park, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) vs. Senior World Team Trials champion

76 kg – Kylie Welker (Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Dymond Guilford (Colorado Springs, Colo./USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC)