Four Champions Lead Cowboy WC in Senior Men's Freestyle Open Finals

The finals of the 2025 Senior US Open featured some incredible performances and some semi-surprising results most notably at 86 kg where Zahid Valencia used his picturesque duck under to knock off four-time world champion Kyle Dake. Valencia was one of four champions (Jax Forrest, Joey McKenna, Valencia, Wyatt Hendrickson) for Oklahoma State’s Cowboy RTC on Saturday night. They also put Dean Hamiti Jr. in the finals at 79 kg, giving them a finalist in half of the ten weights. 

This tournament, and 2025 overall, represents a changing of the guard in US Men’s freestyle as we’ve seen plenty of notable retirements and weight changes in the wake of the 2024 Olympic Games. 

This new era of men’s freestyle wrestling could include a world team member, not named Dake or Burroughs, for the first time since 2010. Mitchell Mesenbrink has the best chance to be that guy as he turned in an impressive win over David Carr - his 2024 NCAA finals opponent.

Winners from the Open automatically punched a ticket to Final X in Newark, New Jersey on June 14th. 

With returning world medalists at the same weight confirmed to compete at Final X, we know the matchups at the 57 and 61 kg weight classes. Olympic silver medalist Spencer Lee will clash with 2025 true freshman All-American Luke Lilledahl at 57 kg. At the next weight class up, 2023 World Champion Vito Arujau will face high school phenom Jax Forrest, at 61 kg. 

The remaining eight champions have advanced to Final X and will await a challenge to emerge from the World Team Trials in mid-May. 

2025 US Open Senior Men’s Freestyle Final Results

57 kg - Luke Lilledahl (NLWC/TMWC) over Liam Cronin (Nebraska RTC/TMWC)  10-0

61 kg - Jax Forrest (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) over Seth Gross (MATPAC WC)  19-8

65 kg - Joey McKenna (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) over Jesse Mendez (Ohio RTC/TMWC)  3-2

70 kg - Yianni Diakomihalis (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) over James Green (Nebraska RTC/TMWC)  8-2

74 kg - Mitchell Mesenbrink (NLWC/TMWC) over David Carr (Cyclone RTC/TMWC)  16-6

79 kg - Evan Wick (SoCal RTC/TMWC) over Dean Hamiti Jr. (Cowboy RTC/TMWC)  9-1

86 kg - Zahid Valencia (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) over Kyle Dake (NLWC/TMWC)  8-4

92 kg - Trent Hidlay (Wolfpack WC/TMWC) over Aeoden Sinclair (Tiger Style WC)  7-1

97 kg - Kyle Snyder (NLWC/TMWC) over Jay Aiello (Penn RTC/TMWC)  11-0

125 kg - Wyatt Hendrickson (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) over Demetrius Thomas (NYAC)  14-3