U.S. receives men’s freestyle draw at 2026 U20 World Championships in Slovakia

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia – United World Wrestling has released the men’s freestyle brackets for the 2026 U20 World Championships being held at A4 Studio in Bratislava, Slovakia.

The men’s freestyle team features a pair of past U17 World champions—Bo Bassett (65 kg) and Jayden James (74 kg)—as well as Isaiah Cortez (57 kg), who was a U20 World silver medalist in Greco-Roman two years ago.

Bassett, an incoming freshman at Virginia Tech, opens his quest for another World title against Yeraly Askerbek of Kazakhstan, who was fifth place at U17 Worlds last year. A win against Askerbek puts Bassett in a match against 2022 U17 World bronze medalist Bashir Verdiyev of Azerbaijan. Bassett won a U17 World title in 2021 and was a U20 World bronze medalist in 2024.

James, a Penn State commit, has his first two bouts mapped out. Up first is Samuel Vokal of Slovakia. With a win, he would advance to face Alessio Perentin of Italy. James was a U17 World champion last year.

Cortez, an incoming freshman at Cornell, has a first-round bye and awaits the winner between Isaac Wong of Hong Kong and 2024 U17 Asian bronze medalist Chengtao Wang of China.

Also featured in the men’s freestyle lineup is NCAA champion Landon Robideau of Oklahoma State at 70 kg, plus NCAA All-Americans Aaron Seidel of Virginia Tech at 61 kg and Aeoden Sinclair of Missouri at 86 kg.

Robideau begins his run against Zurab Abalaki of Georgia, who was fifth place at this year’s U20 European Championships.

Seidel is pitted against returning U20 World silver medalist and 2023 U17 World champion Ahora Khateri of Iran in a premier first-round contest.

Sinclair sits to the round-of-16 and will face the winner of the preliminary match between 2022 U17 World bronze medalist and current European runner-up Razmik Yepremyan of Armenia and 2026 U20 Asian bronze medalist Askhab Khajiyev of Kazakhstan.

Another primetime, first-round matchup comes at 97 kg between Ohio native Michael Boyle and returning U20 World bronze medalist Samir Dursunov of Kazakhstan.

Other Americans in the mix are Ryan Burton at 79 kg, Jimmy Mastny at 92 kg and Dreshaun Ross at 125 kg. Burton takes on either Luka Margvelidze of Georgia or 2026 U20 European bronze medalist Narek Nikoghosyan of Armenia. Mastny will see Grigor Chernakov of Bulgaria. Ross opens with 2026 U20 Asian bronze medalist Baejoon Jang of Korea.

The men’s freestyle portion of the U20 World Championships runs August 20-23. The first-round opponent for each U.S. entrant and a full men’s freestyle schedule are available below.

Fans can watch the U20 World Championships live or on-demand at FloWrestling.org. Brackets and live results are available through UWW Arena.

USA Wrestling will provide continued updates from the U20 World Championships on TheMat.com and its social media platforms.