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It’s about that time! In the past couple of weeks, we’ve spent time loosely discussing Final X; however, it’s time to start talking about the individual matches themselves. Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll break down all 20 Final X matchups - leading into the event itself on June 14th, from Newark, New Jersey. In our next women’s freestyle preview, we’ll look at a matchup that seems impossible to call? Why? Because, they are very familiar with each other as ex-collegiate teammates and they’ve both beaten each other, multiple times. There is the experience factor for Felicity Taylor who has been under the bright lights at Final X before; however, Brianna Gonzalez is riding the wave of an incredible showing at the US Open. Prior Previews 57 kg men’s freestyle 61 kg men's freestyle 50 kg women’s freestyle 53 kg Women’s Freestyle Brianna Gonzalez vs. Felicity Taylor We’ll have a first-time Senior World qualifier at this weight as we have this matchup that features plenty of storylines. Both Brianna Gonzalez and Felicity Taylor were teammates on the Iowa women’s team in 2023-24. Not only were they teammates, but the pair also met each other in the 2024 NCWWC national finals. Though she still has two years of collegiate eligibility remaining, Gonzalez does have some decent international experience under her belt. She made the U20 world team last year and also competed at the Grand Prix of Spain. Back in 2021, Gonzalez claimed a gold medal at the U17 Pan-American Championships. Taylor was a perennial college title contender wrestling for McKendree; however, she transferred home to Iowa and was able to capture her elusive collegiate championship for the Hawkeyes. On the international front, Taylor made two U23 World teams and wrestled in a bronze medal match on one occasion. How they got here Gonzalez: As the sixth seed at the 2025 US Open, Brianna Gonzalez ran quite the gauntlet to claim a title and earn a berth in Final X. In the Round of 16, she downed collegiate national champion and former U20 world team member Jaslynn Gallegos. A match later, Gonzalez blanked former Final X participant Katie Gomez. In the semis, she teched 2024 U23 world champion Sage Mortimer. That set up a finals win over Taylor, 6-5. Taylor: Though she had a tough field at the World Team Trials, Taylor won both of her matches via tech and secured her spot in Final X. First was North Central’s national champion Sydney Petzinger and then came Mortimer in the finals. Taylor also downed Petzinger in the semifinals of the Open. Recent Form Gonzalez: Based on her recent history, you probably would not have picked Gonzalez to be two matches away from a berth on the Senior World Team. She finished fifth in the nation at the 2025 NCWWC National Championships and then third at the U23 World Team Trials at Women’s Nationals. Those are not poor finishes, by any means; however, they are not what you’d expect from someone in contention for the Senior World Team. Taylor: Taylor comes in after finals appearances at the Open and the Trials. Obviously, she won the Trials in convincing fashion, so she has to be feeling pretty good. In her only international tournament of 2025, Taylor went 0-2 at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series event in Turkey. Prior History This is about as even as you’re going to get in any series we’ll see in Newark. These two women have four career matches against each other and each has two wins. Gonzalez at the Open and in 2024 at the Regional finals in college. Taylor got revenge in the national finals and then a few months later at the Olympic Trials. This might be one of the most obvious series that will need three matches to decide. Keys to Victory Gonzalez: Attack on the outside. During the US Open finals bout with Taylor, Gonzalez’s two takedowns came when she created angles. She finished with relative ease. Gonzalez got in trouble when she attacked Taylor head-on. She either got stuffed, stalemated, or countered and taken down in the shooting directly at Taylor. Taylor: Be disciplined in her positions. Taylor generally does a better job of controlling the ties and the center of the mat - key for freestyle and in a close match where the shot clock might be a factor. Taylor is also very good from the front headlock position, so getting that area would be beneficial for her. She also had a strategic error late in the Open finals against Gonzalez. After a Gonzalez takedown put her down on criteria, she tried to wrestle through the position and ended up getting exposed. It ended up being a difference-maker in that match.