Eight athletes accept automatic bids to 2026 Final X

Eight athletes, all of whom are 2025 Senior World medalists, have accepted an automatic bid to 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, and will compete for spots on the 2026 U.S. World Team. Final X is set for Friday, June 19 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

Five men’s freestyle athletes and three women’s freestyle athletes were eligible for and accepted an automatic bid to Final X—Real Woods (61 kg), Levi Haines (79 kg), Zahid Valencia (86 kg), Trent Hidlay (92 kg) and Kyle Snyder (97 kg) in men’s freestyle, plus Helen Maroulis (57 kg), Kennedy Blades (68 kg) and Kylie Welker (76 kg) in women’s freestyle.

To be eligible for an automatic berth to Final X, an athlete must have medaled at the 2025 World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, at the weight being contested for 2026 Final X. All eligible athletes accepted their places at Final X.

The U.S. won four gold, one silver and three bronze medals at the 2025 World Championships. Snyder and Maroulis each won a fourth World title last fall. Valencia and Hidlay became first-time World champions. Welker earned a second World bronze medal in as many years. Woods, Haines and Blades were all first-time World Team members who found a place on the podium.

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 Manama, Bahrain.

The eight athletes who accepted automatic bids to Final X will face the U.S. Open champion in his or her weight class in a best-of-three series at Final X for the U.S. World Team spot.

20 athletes will be added to the Final X lineup at the U.S. Open, which is set for April 22-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The champions in the Senior Men’s Freestyle and Senior Women’s Freestyle divisions advance to Final X.

In the 12 weight classes where no athlete earned an automatic Final X berth, the champions of the U.S. Open and Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament will wrestle at Final X. The Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament is May 14-15 in Louisville, Kentucky.