Final X Preview: David Taylor vs. Nick Reenan, 86 kg men’s freestyle

Who: David Taylor vs. Nick Reenan
What: Final X
Where: State College, Pa.
When: June 16
Why: Men’s freestyle World Team spot at 86 kg
Tickets: FinalX.tv

David Taylor
How he got to Final X:
Without a returning medalist at this weight, David Taylor advanced to Final X by winning the 2018 U.S. Open at the weight, defeating Richard Perry in the finals.

Background:
For the last five years, David Taylor has been a top contender at each and every World Team Trials but has fallen short of making a team.

This year, it might finally be his time.

With J’den Cox, a 2016 Olympic bronze medalist and 2017 World bronze medalist, moving up to 86 kg, all signs point to Taylor as the favorite.

Although he has yet to make a Senior World Team, Taylor is becoming one of the most feared wrestlers on the planet.

After amassing several impressive accolades at the NCAA level, which include 2012 and 2014 NCAA titles paired with two Dan Hodge trophies, Taylor moved on to the Senior freestyle level, where he made an immediate impact.

Ranked No. 2 in the World, Taylor won the prestigious Ivan Yarygin earlier this year, becoming only the 12th American male to win the tournament. He also won the Pan American Championships last month in Lima, Peru.

Additionally, he has collected two Grand Prix of Spain titles, a Paris International championship and has went undefeated at both the 2017 and 2018 World Cups.

In just the past few years nationally, Taylor has won three U.S. Open titles, finished as runner-up in the 2014 and 2017 World Team Trials and took third at the 2015 World Team Trials and 2016 Olympic Trials.

Should he make the World Team this year, it won’t be the first time Taylor has represented the U.S. on the World stage. He went to the 2007 Junior World Championships in Beijing, China, where he finished eighth, as well as earned a bid to the 2013 University World Games in Russia, where he claimed bronze.

Taylor’s World Championships experience:
2007 Junior World Championships in Beijing, China – EIGHTH
2013 University World Games in Kazan, Russia – BRONZE

Nick Reenan
How he got to Final X:
Reenan defeated freestyle veteran Richard Perry in the finals of the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Rochester, Minn., in May to advance to Final X.

Background:
Nick Reenan came out of relatively nowhere, surprising many when he beat Richard Perry in the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament last month and he remains an enigma heading into State College.

Reenan has been at the top of his age-group before in the U.S., winning spots on the 2014 Cadet and 2016 Junior World Teams. However, in his two trips to the World Championships, Reenan wrestled Greco-Roman.

He’s come close to topping some podiums in freestyle recently, finishing second at the 2017 UWW Junior Nationals and Junior World Team Trials. On the Senior level, he won bronze at the Dave Schultz Memorial International last November and followed that performance with a third-place finish at the U.S. Open in April.

In between those two tournaments, Reenan was in the North Carolina State wrestling room, redshirting the 2017-18 season but actively competing in open tournaments. As a true freshman in the 2016-17 season, Reenan qualified for the NCAA Championships at 197 pounds.

Reenan’s World Championships experience:
2014 Cadet World Championships (Greco) in Snina, Slovakia – did not place
2016 Junior World Championships (Greco) in Macon, France – did not place

Notes:

• David Taylor’s last loss was last year at the World Team Trials when he fell to J’den Cox, two matches to one.
• David Taylor, a two-time NCAA champion for Penn State, will wrestle in his home arena, seeking to make his first World Team.
• Both Taylor and Reenan have represented the U.S. twice at a World-level event.
• Follow David Taylor on Instagram and Twitter @magicman_psu
• Follow Nick Reenan on Instagram @nickreenan and on Twitter @nickyreenan
  
  

86 kg/189 lbs. MEN


David Taylor, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC)

College: Penn State High School: St. Paris, Ohio (Graham) Born: Dec. 5, 1990

• Three-time U.S. Open champion (2015, 2017, 2018)

• Third in 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials

• Two-time U.S. World Team Trials runner-up (2014, 2017)

• Third in 2015 U.S. World Team Trials

• 2017 and 2018 World Cup champion

• 2018 Ivan Yarygin champion

• 2018 Pan American champion

• Third in 2013 World University Games

• Two-time Grand Prix of Spain champion (2015, 2016)

• 2017 Paris International champion (France)

• Two-time NCAA champion for Penn State (2012, 2014)

• Two-time Dan Hodge Trophy recipient, as nation’s best college wrestler (2012, 2014)

Nick Reenan, Dallas, Texas (Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack RTC)

College: NC State High School: Wyoming Seminary (Pa.), Highland Park (Texas) Born: April 23, 1997

• 2018 World Team Trials Challenge Tournament champion

• Third in 2018 U.S. Open

• Third in 2018 Dave Schultz Memorial International

• Second in 2017 UWW Junior World Team Trials in freestyle

• Second in 2017 UWW Junior Nationals in freestyle

• 2016 Junior World Team member in Greco-Roman

• 2014 Cadet World Team member in Greco-Roman

• 2016 UWW Junior Nationals champion in Greco-Roman

• 2017 NCAA qualifier for NC State

• 2015 Junior Nationals champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman

• 2015 Pan American Junior Greco-Roman champion