2024 Olympic medalists Lee, Blades among 18 to take a one-match lead in Championship Series at Final X

NEWARK, N.J. – The first round of the best-of-three Championships Series at Final X has completed, with 18 athletes taking a one-match lead after victories on Saturday afternoon at the Prudential Center.

There were nine men’s freestyle weight classes and nine women’s freestyle weight classes contested. The winner of the best-of-three series will earn a spot on the U.S. team which will compete at the Senior World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, September 13-21.

The second round of the best-of -three series begins promptly at 5:00 p.m. ET, followed by any series which require a deciding third match.

MEN’S FREESTYLE

2024 Olympic silver medalist Spencer Lee scored a takedown and two gut wrenches to jump to a 6-0 lead over Luke Lilledahl, and went on to a 7-2 victory at 57 kg. Lilledahl scored a takedown in the first period, but could not score again in the match.

In the final match of the session, 2023 World bronze medalist Zahid Valencia scored a takedown in both the first and second period and secured a 5-3 victory over four-time World champion and two-time Olympic medalist Kyle Dake at 86 kg. Valencia had beaten Dake in the U.S. Open finals earlier this season.

2016 Olympic champion and three-time World champion Kyle Snyder controlled the action in an 8-0 victory over 2022 World Team member Hayden Zillmer at 97 kg. Snyder jumped to a 5-0 lead and Zillmer was unable to get to his attacks.

2022 World silver medalist Yianni Diakomihalis opened up his offense in a 10-0 technical fall over high school star PJ Duke. Diakomihalis had four takedowns and a turn to secure the victory.

Others taking a 1-0 lead in their Championship Series were David Carr (74 kg), Levi Haines (79 kg), Wyatt Hendrickson (125 kg), Trent Hidlay (92 kg) and Real Woods (65 kg). None of these wrestlers have been on a Senior World Team to date, but need only one more win later today to get it done.

In a battle of NCAA champions and age-group World champions, Carr trailed 3-0 at the break, but added two second period takedowns to edge Mitchell Mesenbrink, 4-3.

Haines came out strong in his 10-0 technical fall over Evan Wick, finishing the match in the first period with two takedowns and three ankle lace turns.

Hendrickson was also dominant in his 10-0 technical fall over Trent Hillger, getting two takedown and three turns in the first period.

Hidlay scored a pair of second period takedowns to defeated Josh Barr, 6-1. It was a rugged match in which Hidlay was able to win the key positions.

Woods scored a big four-point move late in the match to emerge with a 7-3 win over Joey McKenna. It was a bout that was close the entire way until Woods hit his big move for the win.

WOMEN’S FREESTYLE

2024 Olympic silver medalist Kennedy Blades trailed 2-1 at the break, but came on strong late to defeat Brooklyn Hays, 10-4. Included in Blades’ second period blitz was a four-point double leg takedown, two other takedowns and a step out point. Hays battled the entire way.

2016 Olympic champion and three-time Olympic medalist Helen Maroulis came out strong with a pin of Amanda Martinez in 1:50. Maroulis scored two takedowns, then turned Martinez with an arm bar and locked down the pin.

Two-time Senior World medalist Macey Kilty was dominant in her first-period 10-0 technical fall over Aine Drury at 65 kg. Kilty had four takedowns and a turn to end the match in the first period.

2024 World bronze medalist Kylie Welker scored a clutch second period point to edged 2022 World Team member Dymond Guilford, 2-1. Guilford was leading on criteria of a 1-1 match when Welker earned the deciding point.

Two of Women’s Team USA’s veteran stars were defeated in the first match of their best-of-three series.

2022 World Team member Abigail Nette finished strong in her 6-4 victory over 2019 World champion and Olympian Jacarra Winchester at 59 kg.  Nette had a pair of second period takedowns to come out with the victory.

At 62 kg, World Military champion Adaugo Nwachukwu turned the tables on two-time World silver medalist and two-time Olympian Kayla Miracle, 14-8. With Miracle leading in the second period, Nwachukwu scored a four-point takedown and a two point turn to take the victory.

Others taking a 1-0 lead in their Championship Series were Audrey Jimenez (50 kg), Felicity Taylor (53 kg) and Cristelle Rodriguez (55 kg). None of these three athletes have made a previous Senior World Team.

Jimenez trailed 2-0 at the break to veteran Erin Golston, but powered back with 10 second-period points to win 10-2. Jimenez had a takedown to a tilt to lead 4-2, then added a four-point takedown and a last second counter takedown for the victory.

In a battle of two athletes who are from the University of Iowa, veteran Taylor won a tight 2-1 decision over Brianna Gonzalez. Taylor scored both of her points in the first period and stayed solid in the second period.

Rodriguez jumped to a 9-0 lead over high school star Everest Leydecker, who ralled for eight straight points to make it 9-8. Rodriguez closed out the win with a step out and a last second takedown.

At 72 kg in women’s freestyle, 2025 U.S. Open champion Alexandria Glaude won her Championship Series by forfeit, when 2024 Olympic champion and two-time Senior World champion Amit Elor did not compete for personal reasons. Glaude, a U23 World medalist, will wrestle on her first Senior World Team when she wrestles in Zagreb.

The 61 kg men’s freestyle Final X series has been delayed, as 2024 World bronze medalist Vito Arujau has received a delay of the series due to injury. Only a 2024 Olympic or World medalist has the right to seek a delay. His best-of-three series against 2024 U.S. Open champion Jax Forrest will be held Monday, July 14 at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D., alongside the U.S. Marine Corps Junior and 16U Nationals.

All of the matches are being broadcast live on FloWrestling. https://flosports.link/3Fr6q8K

FINAL X

At Newark, N.J., June 14

Men’s Freestyle Best-of-Three Championship Series

74 kg –. David Carr (Ames, Iowa/Cyclone RTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Mitchell Mesenbrink (Bellefonte, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout One – Carr dec. Mesenbrink, 4-3

(Carr leads series, 1 match to none)

79 kg – Levi Haines (Arendtsville, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Evan Wick (San Gabriel, Calif./Askren Wrestling Academy/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout One – Haines tech fall Wick, 10-0, 2:31

(Haines leads series, 1 match to none)

125 kg – Wyatt Hendrickson (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy RTC/U.S. Air Force WCAP) vs. Trent Hillger (Minneapolis, Minn./Gopher WC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout One – Hendrickson tech fall Hillger, 10-0, 1:38

(Hendrickson leads series, 1 match to none)

92 kg – Trent Hidlay (Raleigh, N.C./Wolfpack WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Joshua Barr (Davison, Mich./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout One – Hidlay dec. Barr, 6-1

(Hidlay leads series, 1 match to none)

97 kg – Kyle Snyder (State College, Pa./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Hayden Zillmer (Deerwood, Minn./Gopher WC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout One – Snyder dec. Zillmer, 8-0

(Snyder leads series, 1 match to none)

65 kg –Real Woods (Ann Arbor, Mich./Cliff Keen WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Joseph McKenna (Stillwater, Okla./Cowboy RTC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout One – Woods dec. McKenna, 7-3

(Woods leads series, 1 match to none)

70 kg – Yianni Diakomihalis (Rochester, N.Y./Spartan Combat RTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. PJ Duke (Slate Hill, N.Y./KD Training Center/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout One – Diakomihalis tech fall Duke, 10-0, 3:26

(Diakomihalis leads series, 1 match to none)

57 kg – Spencer Lee (Iowa City, Iowa/Hawkeye WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Luke Lilledahl (Saint Charles, Mo./Nittany Lion WC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout One – Lee dec. Lilledahl, 7-2

(Lee leads series, 1 match to none)

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

Bout One – Valencia dec. Dake, 5-3

(Valencia leads series, 1 match to none)

Women’s Freestyle Best-of-Three Championship Series

55 kg – Cristelle Rodriguez (Fresno, Calif./Tiger WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Everest Leydecker (Phoenix, Ariz./Thorobred WC)

Bout One – Rodriguez dec. Leydecker, 12-8

(Rodriguez leads series, 1 match to none)

62 kg –Adaugo Nwachukwu (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) vs. Kayla Miracle (Phoenix, Ariz./Valiant WC)

Bout One – Nwachukwu dec. Miracle, 14-8

(Nwachukwu leads series, 1 match to none)

53 kg – Felicity Taylor (Coralville, Iowa/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Brianna Gonzalez (Baldwin, Calif./Iowa Women's WC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout One – Taylor dec. Gonzalez, 2-1

(Taylor leads series, 1 match to none)

59 kg – Abigail Nette (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) vs. Jacarra Winchester (Colorado Springs, Colo./USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout One – Nette dec. Winchester, 6-4

(Nette leads series, 1 match to none)

65 kg – Macey Kilty (Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa Women’s WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Aine Drury (Westminster, Calif./New York AC)

Bout One – Kilty tech fall Drury, 10-0, 2:57

(Kilty leads series, 1 match to none)

76 kg – Kylie Welker (Iowa City, Iowa/Iowa Women's WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Dymond Guilford (Lancaster, Calif./USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout One – Welker dec. Guilford, 2-1

(Welker leads series, 1 match to none)

50 kg – Audrey Jimenez (Bethlehem, Pa./Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Erin Golston (Denton, Texas/New York AC)

Bout One – Jimenez dec. Golston, 10-2

(Jimenez leads series, 1 match to none)

68 kg – Kennedy Blades (Tiffin, Iowa/Hawkeye WC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Brooklyn Hays (Colorado Springs, Colo./USOPTC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout One – Blades dec. Hays, 10-4

(Blades leads series, 1 match to none)

57 kg – Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md./Titan Mercury WC) vs. Amanda Martinez (Riverside, Ill./Cardinal WC/Titan Mercury WC)

Bout One – Maroulis pin Martinez

(Maroulis leads series, 1 match to none)

72 kg – Alexandria Glaude (Atherton, Calif./Beaver Dam RTC/Titan Mercury WC) won by forfeit

Note: Amit Elor (Walnut Creek, Calif./Titan Mercury WC) did not compete