2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, to feature 13 Pan American Championship gold medalists

Zahid Valencia and Kylie Welker earned the Golden Boot Award as the Outstanding Wrestler in men's and women's freestyle divisions, respectively.

Thirteen athletes already set to compete at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, won gold medals at the Pan American Championships this past weekend in Coralville, Iowa. The athletes will vie for a spot on the 2026 U.S. World Championship Team at Final X, which is set for Friday, June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

In women's freestyle, Kylie Welker (76kg) delivered the standout performance of the tournament. The two-time World bronze medalist defeated two Paris Olympic bronze medalists and reigning World champion Genesis Reasco Valdez of Ecuador to claim gold. Welker had two falls and a 11-0 technical fall for her second straight Pan American gold and the women's freestyle Golden Boot Award as the outstanding wrestler.

Two-Olympian and two-time World silver medalist Kayla Miracle (65kg) earned her third Pan American gold with two technical falls. Abigail Nette (59kg) had a notable 12-2 technical fall win over 2025 World bronze medalist Laurence Beauregard of Canada en route to gold.

Additional women's freestyle champions include Katie Gomez (50kg), Everest Leydecker (55kg), Amanda Martinez (57kg) and Adaugo Nwachukwu (62kg). Cristelle Rodriguez (53kg) earned bronze.

Six men's freestyle athletes also captured gold led by 2025 World champions Zahid Valencia (86 kg) and Trent Hidlay (92 kg). Valencia had three technical falls to earn the men's freestyle division Golden Boot Award. It marked his third Pan American gold, while Hidlay claimed his second consecutive title.

A pair of 2025 World medalists in Real Woods (65kg) and Levi Haines (79kg) also took home Pan American gold along with Ridge Lovett (70kg) and Wyatt Hendrickson (125kg), who repeated as Pan American champion. Stephen Buchanan (97kg) added a silver medal.

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.

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)

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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.