Zahid Valencia, Kyle Dake renew rivalry at 86 kg men’s freestyle at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management

Reigning World champion Zahid Valencia defeated two-time Olympic bronze medalist and four-time World champion Kyle Dake at 2025 Final X.

A rematch of last year’s Final X series is on tap at 86 kg in a clash of titans with reigning World champion and two-time World medalist Zahid Valencia taking on two-time Olympic bronze medalist and four-time World champion Kyle Dake at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, on June 19, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Valencia automatically qualified for Final X with his gold-medal performance at the 2025 World Championship. Valencia ripped through the field at 86 kg, shutting out each of his six opponents, with four coming by technical fall.

2025 was the year of Valencia as he won gold in each of his four international events he competed in. Before winning gold last year, he claimed bronze at the 2023 World Championships at 92 kg in Belgrade, Serbia.

Dake locked in the rematch at Final X after winning the 86 kg title at the U.S. Open Championships in April. Dake went 5-0 and started with a pin and a technical fall. Across his five matches, he allowed just three points, all coming in his final two bouts. In the championship match, Dake outlasted 2026 Zagreb Open Ranking Series gold medalist Parker Keckeisen in an 8-2 contest.

In his career, Dake has earned Olympic bronze medals in 2020 in Tokyo, Japan, and 2024 in Paris, France. He has also medaled in each of his five Senior World Championship appearances, finishing with four golds (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022) and a silver (2023).

Valencia holds a 3-2 edge in the all-time series against Dake. All three of Valencia’s victories came last year. He first won an 8-4 decision in the championship match at the U.S. Open to claim his spot at Final X. Then, Dake and Valencia squared off in the best-of-three series at Final X, where Valencia swept the series, 5-3 and 4-1.

The first two battles between the two came at 2018 Final X. Dake swept the two matches, 4-0 and 4-3, in State College, Pennsylvania.

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.

Valenica is making his fifth appearance at Final X. Across his first four appearances, he has compiled a record of 4-4. Valencia won the best-of-three series against Kyle Dake last year and beat Michael Macchiavello, 9-2 and 8-0, in 2023. Valencia took part in 2022 Final X, dropping two matches to 2020 Olympic champion David Taylor and losing his first two Final X contests to Dake in 2018.

Dake is 8-2 all-time at Final X in five appearances. He started winning eight-straight matches at Final X, sweeping Valencia (2018), Alex Dieringer (2019), and Jason Nolf (2022 and 2023). Dake’s only two Final X defeats came to Valencia last June.

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.

Both Valencia and Dake have competed in four Beat the Streets Benefits. Valenica is 4-3 all-time, and Dake is 5-2.

Valencia swept appearances at 2023 and 2025 Final X, but lost two matches at 2022 Final X. During the 2016 benefit, Valencia lost a 10-1 contest to World bronze medalist and two-time age-group World champion Majtaba Goleij of Iran.

Dake’s first win at Beat the Streets Benefit came in 2018 with a 13-1 victory over Olympic bronze medalist and three-time World medalist Livan Lopez Azcuy of Cuba. Dake then went on to sweep a best-of-three series at 2022 and 2023 Final X over Nolf. He then lost two matches at last year’s Final X to Valencia.

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.