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Maroulis, Snyder retain belts, Valencia, Woods notch wins at RAF 08

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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling

Helen Maroulis hand raise after defending the Women’s Bantamweight title at RAF 08.

Helen Maroulis hand raise after defending the Women’s Bantamweight title at RAF 08.

PHILADELPHIA – The two championship belts up for grabs at Saturday evening’s Real American Freestyle 08 card went to a pair of the most decorated wrestlers in U.S. history, Helen Maroulis and Kyle Snyder.


Maroulis completed her first successful title defense in the Women’s Bantamweight division with a 10-0 technical fall over three-time age-group World medalist Alexis Janiak. The win moved her RAF record up to 2-0.

Snyder picked up another notable RAF win over a recent World champion, also in his first title defense at Men’s Light Heavyweight, with a 12-6 decision over 2023 World champion Rizabek Aitmukhan. Snyder is now 2-0 in RAF matches. He took out 2024 Olympic champion Akhmed Tazhudinov three weeks ago at RAF 07.


Maroulis and Snyder are Olympic champions and four-time World champions. Both are slotted in to compete for another U.S. World Team berth at Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, on June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.


2025 World champion Zahid Valencia continues to climb the RAF ranks. He defeated 2023 U17 World Team member Aeoden Sinclair 8-2 in a Men’s Cruiserweight contest.

2025 World bronze medalist Real Woods picked up his second RAF win in the Men’s Featherweight division with a 7-2 decision over Anthony Ashnault.


Other winners on the night included Arman Tsarukyan, Shamil Sharipov, Jason Nolf, Vladimer Khinchegashvili, Lance Palmer, Jordan Oliver and Lucas Byrd.


Complete results from RAF 08 are available below.


RAF 09 is set for May 30 in Dallas, Texas, with tickets up for purchase on AXS. USA Wrestling notables on the RAF 09 card include Gable Steveson, Kennedy Blades and Zain Retherford, with more matchups to be announced.


More information on Real American Freestyle is available at realamericanfreestyle.com.

Real American Freestyle 08 

At Philadelphia, Pa., April 18 


Final Results 

Men’s Middleweight – Arman Tsarukyan tech. fall Urijah Faber, 13-1

Men’s Light Heavyweight (Title Match) – Kyle Snyder dec. Rizabek Aitmukhan, 12-6

Men’s Cruiserweight – Zahid Valencia dec. Aeoden Sinclair, 8-2

Men’s Heavyweight – Shamil Sharipov fall Anthony Cassioppi, 1:45

Women’s Bantamweight (Title Match) – Helen Maroulis tech. fall Alexis Janiak, 10-0

Men’s Featherweight – Real Woods dec. Anthony Ashnault, 7-2

Men’s Middleweight – Jason Nolf dec. Joey Blaze, 11-2

Men’s Featherweight – Vladimer Khinchegashvili dec. Johnni DiJulius, 8-5

Men’s Lightweight – Lance Palmer dec. Cayden Henschel, 3-2

Men’s Featherweight – Jordan Oliver dec. Mike Van Brill, 5-0

Men’s Bantamweight – Lucas Byrd dec. Darian Cruz, 2-2