Final X is Set After Wild WTT Finals Matches

We’re another step closer to sorting out the Senior World Team for 2026. After Friday afternoon’s results, all 20 Final X series’ have been set. That’s because of an excellent set of finals matches from the Senior World Team Trials. Five men’s freestyle weights were settled, as were eight from the women’s side.

The day started with fireworks as high school phenom Morgan Turner knocked off returning world team member Felicity Taylor at 50 kg in women’s freestyle. The veteran Taylor held a 6-1 advantage at the break; however, Turner switched her offensive strategy to generally avoid single legs, and it paid off. Turner seized the lead with three straight takedowns, but Taylor regained it with a late two at the edge. As the two came back to the center of the mat, Turner perfectly timed the official's whistle for a low-leg attack and finished the winning takedown at the buzzer. After a challenge by Taylor’s corner, the final score was 10-8 in Turner’s favor.

The action continued in the second bout of the day as Elena Ivaldi prevailed by tech fall over Sydney Petzinger 23-12 at 53 kg. The bout was closer than the scoreboard might indicate, but also as wild as you might gather from the score.

Things really slowed down at 55 kg as there was a lengthy injury delay in Areana Villaescusa’s bout with Alex Hedrick. Hedrick injured her shoulder and initially appeared unable to continue. She managed to finish the match, but could never generate enough offense to threaten Villaescusa and she fell, 6-0.

In a battle of U20 and U23 world medalists, Alexis Janiak got by Amani Jones, 4-1. The contest was generally a defensive struggle, as both wrestlers got in deep on quality offensive attacks only to be thwarted by their opponent. It was Janiak who broke through in the second period to get the only takedown of the match.

At 62 kg, Macey Kilty wasted no time in punching her ticket to Final X. She needed only :14 to corral Claire DiCugno for a takedown and followed with a pair of exposures. Kilty spent the bulk of the bout attempting to secure the fall, something she accomplished in just over a minute.

It was a pair of 2023 Senior World teammates going at it for the spot at 65 kg, as Jennifer Page and Emma Bruntil did battle. As expected, it was a physical and tactical affair. With Bruntil leading 1-1 on criteria, Page was able to break through and convert the bout’s only takedown with under a minute remaining in the second period. Bruntil was able to add a step out point, but nothing further in a 4-2 bout.

The final women’s match was remarkable, as it even occurred as it pitted a pair of recent mothers against each other in Amit Elor and Precious Wieser. Wieser had been out since the 2024 Olympic Trials, but returned to finish second at the US Open and won a gold medal at the Pan-American Championships. Elor is three months removed from having her first son and has not competed in a year. Elor showed no rust in her return, silencing the dangerous Wieser, while also getting to her offense. Elor reached the threshold for a tech fall late in the second period, when she also pinned Wieser.

The men’s finals started with a rematch from the US Open between Spencer Lee and Anthony Knox. In that meeting, Lee ended things quickly with a fall. This time, Knox picked and chose his spots more wisely and was able to hang with the Olympic silver medalist for most of the match. Lee started his scoring spree with a single leg and immediately transitioned into a turn for two. From that point forward, Lee always led, though Knox had his moments where he was able to generate some offense. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough and Lee moved on with a 13-3 tech.

The entire 61 kg bracket was loaded full of fun matchups and the finals were no different. Two of the weight classes' young stars clashed as Jax Forrest and Ben Davino met for the Final X berth. It was Davino who defeated the 2025 World Team member in the quarterfinals of the Open last month. That wouldn’t be the case in Louisville, as Davino was never able to penetrate Forrest’s defense and scrambling skills. Forrest won in a competitive matchup that had plenty of action and didn’t “seem” like an 11-1 tech.

Late entry Zain Retherford is going back to Final X. Retherford hadn’t competed since the 2024 Olympic Trials, but entered this tournament late in the game and ultimately won the whole thing! Retherford’s bout with Caleb Henson was low on offensive attacks, but high on hand fighting and physicality.

Another highly anticipated contest in this set of finals was 2025 World Team member David Carr against high school senior Jayden James. James had already taken out a pair of NCAA finalists and Carr had not looked like his typical self in earlier bouts or even dating back to the Open. Carr picked the right time for his best showing of the tournament and was able to run up a large lead on the youngster, James.

In his first match, James hit a picturesque duck under on Mikey Caliendo. Carr returned the favor on James and then struck with a double leg for four points at the edge of the match. James tried to expose Carr with a chest wrap during that sequence and it ended up getting challenged by James’ corner. The call was upheld in Carr’s favor and gave him a 9-1 lead and ultimately was the difference-maker.

James didn’t give in and notched a takedown, and earned two points from cautions, and an exposure to trim Carr’s lead to 9-7. Carr was able to hang on from that point and held off the talented 17-year-old.

It was only fitting that the final championship bout would be as crazy as the rest of the afternoon. Early in the contest, it appeared that Isaac Trumble had pinned Mason Parris to claim the 125 kg title. The officials signaled for a fall; however, it was overturned after they realized via review that Parris had gone unconscious. That didn’t seem to impact Parris too negatively as he managed to light up the scoreboard and get by Trumble via a 14-12 score.

Men’s freestyle

57 kg - Spencer Lee over Anthony Knox  13-3

61 kg - Jax Forrest over Ben Davino  11-1

70 kg - Zain Retherford over Caleb Henson  2-1

74 kg - David Carr over Jayden James  9-7

125 kg - Mason Parris over Isaac Trumble  14-12
 

Women’s freestyle

50 kg - Morgan Turner over Felicity Taylor  10-8

53 kg - Elena Ivaldi over Sydney Petzinger  23-12

55 kg - Areana Villaescusa over Alex Hedrick  6-0

59 kg - Alexis Janiak over Amani Jones  4-1

62 kg - Macey Kilty over Claire DiCugno  Fall 1:06

65 kg - Jennifer Page over Emma Bruntil  4-2

72 kg - Amit Elor over Precious Wieser  Fall 5:31