Maroulis, Dake, Snyder Make U.S. Team for 2026 World Championships

Saturday, June 20, 2026 - 08:53 By United World Wrestling Press

NEWARK, New Jersey, United States -- Four-time world champion Kyle DAKE (USA) returned to the United States team for the World Championships after three years after beating defending world champion Zahid VALENCIA (USA) in best-of-three series at 86kg on Friday.

Dake overcame a round one loss to take two straight matches from Valencia at the 2026 Final X, the World Championships selection tournament for the U.S.

Apart from Dake, world champions Kyle SNYDER (USA) and Helen MAROULIS (USA) also made the team and will look to defend their gold medals in Astana, Kazakhstan from October 24 to November 1.

Paris Olympic champion will also be eyeing her third world title after she got a forfeit in her matches to make the team the at 72kg. Now a mother of four-month old child, Elor has not wrestled internationally since the gold medal win in Paris in August 2024.

United States The eight winners of Final X on Friday. (Photo: USA Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

Dake, who lost the first bout to Valencia 3-2, returned to win 4-1 and 4-0 in second and third bouts to lock up his place at 86kg.

Snyder also had to go the distance to beat Stephen BUCHANAN (USA) at 97kg. Buchanan snuck in a 5-5 criteria win in round two, before Snyder rebounded with a controlled 9-3 decision in round three.

For a second-straight year, Maroulis faced Amanda MARTINEZ (USA) at 57kg in Women's Wrestling and it was much closer this time around. Maroulis defeated Martinez, 8-1 and 6-0, for two straight wins.

A few young stars also made the team and will be taking their first trip to the senior World Championships.

Among the top battles was at 61kg in which U20 world champion Marcus BLAZE (USA) defeated U23 world champion Jaxen FORREST (USA) in three bouts.

Blaze managed a 2-2 criteria win over Forrest in the first bout before the latter bounced back with a 6-1 win in the second. Blaze locked the third bout with a 5-2 win.

United States The eight Final X winners in Women's Wrestling on Friday. (Photo: USA Wrestling / Tony Rotundo)

At 50kg in Women's Wrestling, U17 world champion Morgan TURNER (USA) took out Katie GOMEZ (USA) in three bouts. The 18-year-old won the first bout over Gomez 7-2 before dropping the second 3-2. However, dictated the third one and finished as an 8-2 winner.

With the win, Turner has qualified to represent the U.S. at the U20, U23 and Senior World Championships this year.

A second 18-year-old high school graduate, Everest LEYDECKER (USA), won at 55kg in straight matches. The U20 world champion defeated Areana VILLAESCUSA (USA), 2-1 and 3-1, to make her first senior-level world team.

In other Women's Wrestling matches, former world medalist Kayla MIRACLE (USA) got the better of Jennifer PAGE (USA) in two matches, 7-2 and 5-1.

At 59kg, Abigail NETTE (USA) dominated Alexis JANIAK (USA) in both matches, beating her via fall in first and 10-0 in the second. Former U20 world champion Cristelle RODRIGUEZ (USA) also dominant in her bouts at 53kg, beating Elena IVALDI (USA), 10-0 and 9-0.

The 62kg series went back-and-forth as Adaugo NWACHUKWU (USA) defeated Macey KILTY (USA). She pinned Kilty in the first bout before losing the second 4-0. In a thrilling third bout, Nwachukwu held on to a 4-3 win.

In Freestyle, Olympic silver medalist Spencer LEE (USA) will being once again look to win his first world medal after making the team at 57kg. He won 7-1 and 8-4 over Luke LILLEDAHL (USA) who had defeated Lee at the U.S. Open.

World silver medalist Levi HAINES (USA) went 6-1 and 6-3 against Chance MARSTELLER (USA) at 79kg to secure his spot. He will look to change the colour of his medal that he won in his debut World Championships last year.

Veteran James GREEN (USA) will represent the U.S. at 74kg after he defeated David CARR (USA), two bouts to one. James won the first bout 6-3 before Carr levelled it with a 6-5 win. But Green defeated Carr 4-1 to secure his spot.

At 70kg, former world champion Zain RETHERFORD (USA) will also return to the mega event after blanking Ridge LOVETT (USA), 2-1 and 8-2.

Wyatt HENDRICKSON (USA) will wrestle at 125kg after he defeated former world medalist Mason PARRIS (USA), 9-5 and 7-1.

World champion Trent HIDLAY (USA) had already secured his spot at 92kg spot last week with a series win over Michael MACCHIAVELLO (USA) as the series was rescheduled earlier due to Hidlay's wedding.

The 65kg selection between 2025 world bronze medalist Real WOODS (USA) and Bowen BASSETT (USA) has been delayed and will be contested at a date and location to be determined.

In a similar case, 2025 world bronze medalists Kennedy BLADES (USA) and Kylie WELKER (USA) requested and received medical delays for their match-ups against Isabella MIR (USA) at 68kg and Dymond GUILFORD (USA) at 76kg, respectively.

#WrestleZagreb

Zagreb Open 2026 Day 5 Greco-Roman Highlights

Sunday, February 8, 2026 - 09:18 By Vinay Siwach

ZAGREB, Croatia (February 8) -- All Greco-Roman day at the Zagreb Open on Sunday with 55kg, 60kg, 72kg, 82kg, 97kg and 130kg weight classes in action. World and Olympic champion Riza KAYAALP (TUR) will be in action today after being away for 2 years.

WATCH LIVE | LIVE MATCH ORDER | DAY 4 RESULTS

15:25: 130kg semifinals - Riza KAYAALP (TUR) is back in a Ranking Series final after he beats Olzhas SYRLYBAY (KAZ), 4-0. He par terre positions in both periods and a turn the first time to lead 4-0. Syrlybay did get the third passivity which is without any points but he did not score. To capture the gold medal, Kayaalp will face Cohlton SCHULTZ (USA) who posted a 2-1 victory over Artur SARKISJAN (CZE). He got a reversal when Sarkisjan was put on top.

15:10: 97kg semifinals - Alex SZOKE (HUN) gets par terre in both the periods of his semifinals against Iussuf MATSIYEV (KAZ) to win the bout 2-0 and a place in the final. He will face another Kazakhstan wrestler in former U20 world champion Islam YEVLOYEV (KAZ) who managed to get past Mihail KAJAIA (SRB), 5-3, after a big throw from par terre in the first period. Kajaia failed to turn Yevloyev from par terre but got two points for a defensive foul.

14:55: 82kg semifinals - Mihail BRADU (MDA) blocks Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) when the Iranian was trying to turn Bradu from par terre and he gets the fall. Mokhtari is devasted. Bradu is hyped as he will wrestle for gold against Yuksel SARICICEK (TUR) who defeated Ibragim MAGOMADOV (KAZ) 4-3 after scoring two stepouts and overturn the result.

14:45: 72kg semifinals - Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY), former U20 world champion, beats Almatbek AMANBEK (KAZ), 8-1, and moves into the final at 72kg. He will face Nika BROLADZE (GEO) for the gold medal after the Georgian found a way to beat Shakhzod KUCHKOROV (UZB) despite being down 2-1. Both wrestlers had locked each other but then Broladze just flung Kuchkorov for two points. He continued the action and scored a suplex for four points to extend his lead to 7-2, which was also the winning score.

14:35: 60kg semifinals - Alisher GANIEV (UZB) takes 29 seconds to finish his semifinal against Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) at 60kg. He gets a bodylock throw for four points and then lifts Shiotani again and completes the suplex for another four points and the world silver medalist reaches the final. But for the gold medal, he will have to go through another Japanese phenom in U23 world champion Koto GOMI (JPN) who rolls to a 10-0 technical superiority win over Sajjad ABBASPOUR (IRI).

14:25: 55kg semifinals - Ikhtiyor BOTIROV (UZB) gets Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ) in a front headlock and continues throwing him until securing a 9-0 lead for the win. It is ultimately called a fall. Botirov will face Mohammad HOSSEINVAND (IRI) for the gold medal after he defeated Iran's longtime 55kg wrestler Poya DAD MARZ (IRI) 1-1.

14:00: Georgij TIBILOV (SRB) must be heartbroken with that loss. He led 7-0 against Yu SHIOTANI (JPN) in the 60kg quarterfinal but Shiotani gets the par terre in the second period and punishes Tibilov with two reverse lifts. A defensive foul and lost challenge give Shiotani a 11-7 lead. Another reverse lift for four points helps him win 15-7

13:45: ~~In a battle of two age-group champions, Moustafa ALAMELDIN (EGY) pins Abror ATBAEV (UZB) and advances to the semifinal at 72kg.~~ After a review on challenge from Uzbekistan, they cancelled the fall for a foul from Alameldin. However, the Egyptian still posts a 2-1 victory to advance.

13:30: Reza MOKHTARI (IRI) takes out Olympic silver medalist Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ) with a 3-1 victory at 82kg. A turn in par terre was all that was needed for Mokhtari to win the bout

13:15: Two of the most talented wrestlers at 60kg and both U23 world champions in different years, Koto GOMI (JPN) and Alisher GANIEV (UZB), have made it to the semifinals in Zagreb. A treat awaits if both reach the final

12:55: Riza KAYAALP (TUR) looks extremely good in his comeback! Using the gut-wrench against, he marches on with yet another 9-0 win at 130kg, this time over Rati TALIKISHVILI (GEO)

12:45: U23 world champion Koto GOMI (JPN) with two beautiful throws to beat Pouya NASERPOUR (IRI), 9-0, and advance to the quarterfinals at 60kg

12:40: Alisher GANIEV (UZB) continues his good form in Zagreb with another technical superiority win at 60kg. This time he beats Mert ILBARS (TUR) 10-0

12:30: Mihail KAJAIA (SRB), a mainstay of the Serbian team, begins his 97kg team with 9-2 victory over NITESH (IND). Kajaia had flirted with the idea of moving up to 130kg but has returned to 97kg.

12:20: Yu SHIOTANI (JPN), known for his explosive reverse lift, keeps it simple against Maxwell BLACK (USA) at 60kg and battles out a controlled 8-4 win to advance.

12:00: Demeu ZHADRAYEV (KAZ), Olympic silver medalist at 77kg in Paris, gets the fall over Alexander JOHANSSON (SWE) in their bout at 82kg.

11:45: Riza KAYAALP (TUR), returning to action after two years, begins with a 9-0 technical superiority win over Aden ATTAO (USA). He scores four turns from par terre for the victory at 130kg

11:35: Not something we see everyday but Marko MILANOVIC (CRO), the son of President of Croatia, is wrestling. At 130kg, he is off to a flying start with a technical superiority 9-0 victory over Joginder RATHEE (IND). After leading 5-0 at the break, Milanovic hits a suplex for four to finish the bout.

11:25: World silver medalist Alisher GANIEV (UZB) wins his opening bout at 60kg, 9-0. But that's not the story. He defeated former United States team member in Freestyle Zane RICHARDS (USA), who wrestled Greco-Roman for the first time internationally.

11:05: Arsen ZHUMA (KAZ) stuns former European champion Artiom DELEANU (MDA) at 55kg. He finishes the bout after rolling from par terre and winning 9-0

10:55: Shahin BADAGHIMOFRAD (QAT) takes his match into the second period but has not trouble in winning the 82kg bout against Marek VRBA (CZE), 9-0.

10: 45: World bronze medalist and big hope for a medal for the hosts Croatia Karlo KODRIC (CRO) drops his opening bout against Tornike MIKELADZE (GEO) 1-1 after failing to score any points from the two par terre positions he got in the 97kg bout.

10:30: Six Greco-Roman weight classes in action but Riza KAYAALP (TUR) comeback will be the most anticipated event on Sunday in Zagreb

Maroulis, Dake, Snyder Make U.S. Team for 2026 World Championships

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Zagreb Open 2026 Day 5 Greco-Roman Highlights