Kyle Snyder, Stephen Buchanan battle at 97 kg in men’s freestyle at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management

Olympic and four-time World champion Kyle Snyder to face Stephen Buchanan for the first time.

Reigning World champion Kyle Snyder takes on international newcomer Stephen Buchanan for the 97 kg men's freestyle spot on the 2026 U.S. Senior World Team. The two square off on June 19 at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Snyder’s fourth career World title in 2025 guaranteed his spot at Final X. The international stalwart only allowed three total points across his four matches last September in Zagreb, Croatia. For gold, Snyder avenged his 4-1 loss in a 2024 Olympic Games bronze-medal match to Amirali Azarpira of Iran with a 4-2 win.

Throughout his international career, Snyder has competed at three Olympics, securing gold in 2016 and silver in 2020. Snyder has collected a medal in each of his eight World Championships appearances wi four golds, two silvers and two bronzes. He has also won two U20 World medals, with gold in 2013 and bronze in 2014.

Buchanan earned his spot at Final X after going 4-0 to claim the 97 kg title at the U.S. Open Championships. In his first three matches in Las Vegas, he notched a pair of technical falls and a pin. In the finals, Buchanan edged 2022 World Team member Hayden Zillmer in a 5-3 decision.

Buchanan has impressed in his first year of Senior international competition with three medals in as many events. He first won gold at the Henri Deglane Grand Prix of France, then claimed the Zagreb Open Ranking Series crown. Most recently, Buchanan earned silver at the 2026 Pan American Championships in Coralville, Iowa

Both Snyder and Buchanan are cemented in history on the collegiate level. Snyder won three NCAA titles for Ohio State and reached the NCAA finals four times. Buchanan claimed the 2025 NCAA title for Iowa and earned NCAA All-American honors four times across three programs: twice at Iowa and once each at Wyoming and Oklahoma.

Final X will be the first matchup between Snyder and Buchanan.

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 Astana, Kazakhstan.

Snyder is a perfect 10-0 across five Final X appearances. His first four wins came against Kyven Gadson in 2018 and 2019. In Snyder's Final X debut, he swept Gadson, 9-2 and 10-2, then won the rematch, 4-0 and 12-1. At 2022 Final X – Stillwater, Snyder took two matches from two-time age-group World medalist Kollin Moore by technical fall, 11-0 and 12-2. Against six-time World and Olympic medalist J’den Cox in 2023, Cox injury defaulted in the series and Snyder earned the World Team spot. Last year, Snyder won 8-2 and 8-0 against Zillmer.

2026 Final X will be Buchanan’s first appearance.

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.

Snyder is set to make his eighth appearance at a Beat the Streets Benefit event, where he has compiled an 8-1 record. Before his two sweeps at 2023 and 2025 Final X, Snyder competed against international foes at the benefits.

In 2019, he powered to a 14-1 technical fall against age-group World medalist Nishan Randhawa of Canada. Snyder edged four-time World and Olympic medalist Reineris Salas Perez of Cuba in a 9-8 contest in 2018. During the 2017 benefit, Snyder claimed a 10-0 win over Japan’s Koki Yamamoto. His first victory at a Beat the Streets event came against two-time Olympian and World medalist Javier Cortina Lacerra of Cuba in a 4-0 in 2015. Snyder’s lone loss came in 2014 in a 6-3 contest against six-time Olympic and World champion Khadjimurat Gatsalov of Russia.

Buchanan will debut at a Beat the Streets benefit at 2026 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

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. Spencer Lee (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC/Titan Mercury WC)

61 kg - Marcus Blaze (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Jax Forrest (Johnstown, Pa./Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

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. Zain Retherford (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

74 kg - James Green (Lincoln, Neb./Nebraska WTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. David Carr (Ames, Iowa/Cyclone RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

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. Mason Parris (Ann Arbor, Mich./Cliff Keen WC/Titan Mercury WC)

*The 92 kg men's freestyle series between Trent Hidlay and Michael Macchiavello has been moved to Friday, June 13, in Chantilly, Va., and will not be contested in Newark.

Women’s Freestyle

50 kg - Katie Gomez (Van Nuys, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) vs. Morgan Turner (Chicago, Ill./All I See Is Gold Academy/ Titan Mercury WC)

53 kg – Cristelle Rodriguez (Crete, Neb./Tiger WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Elena Ivaldi (Rocklin, Calif.)

55 kg – Everest Leydecker (Phoenix, Ariz./Thorobred WC/New York AC) vs. Areana Villaescusa (Fountain, Colo./Army WCAP)

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. Alexis Janiak (Plainfield, Ill./Titan Mercury WC)

62 kg – Adaugo Nwachukwu (Colorado Springs, Colo./Army WCAP) vs. Macey Kilty (North Liberty, Iowa/Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC)

65 kg – Kayla Miracle (Phoenix, Ariz./Titan Mercury WC) vs. Jennifer Page (Bellefonte, Pa./Titan Mercury WC)

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. Amit Elor (Walnut Creek, Calif./New York City RTC/Titan Mercury WC)*

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

*Alexandria Glaude has withdrawn from Final X due to injury. Amit Elor must complete the Final X process by making weight and receiving a forfeit on the mat in Newark.

Men’s Freestyle True-Third Matches

61 kg – Austin DeSanto (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Benjamin Davino (South Elgin, Ill./Ohio RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

65 kg – Joey McKenna (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Beau Bartlett (Hoboken, N.J./New York City RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

70 kg – Landon Robideau (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Caleb Henson (Cartersville, Ga./Southeast RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

79 kg – Evan Wick (Madison, Wis./Titan Mercury WC) vs. Patrick Kennedy (West Concord, Minn./Hawkeye WC/Titan Mercury WC)

86 kg – Parker Keckeisen (Glendale, Wis./Panther WC-RTC) vs. Aeoden Sinclair (Columbia, Mo./Tiger Style RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

92 kg – Dustin Plott (Tuttle, Okla./Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Seth Shumate (Dublin, Ohio/Ohio RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

Women’s Freestyle True-Third Matches

50 kg – Felicity Taylor (Coralville, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Samara Chavez (Arlington, Texas/Army WCAP)

57 kg – Alex Hedrick (Pollock Pines, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) vs. Amani Jones (Jonesboro, Ga./Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

65 kg – Emma Bruntil (Vernon, Ill./Titan Mercury WC) vs. Reese Larramendy (Reno, Nev./Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC)

68 kg – Latifah McBryde (Buffalo, N.Y./Cobra Wrestling Academy) vs. Jasmine Robinson (Allen, Texas/Army WCAP)

### 

About Beat the Streets New York  

Beat the Streets Wrestling is a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing the full human and athletic potential of New York City’s urban youth through the sport of wrestling. Beat the Streets has pioneered a movement that now includes 110 individual wrestling programs, a youth league and the first girls high school league. Through wrestling, Beat the Streets instills discipline, perseverance, self-reliance, humility, and a strong work ethic, creating lifelong impact for more than 4,000 student-athletes while strengthening NYC’s wrestling culture. To learn more and support the mission, visit btsny.org/donate and follow Beat the Streets on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.