Did You See That? Big Final X Moments

Here’s some “wow” moments from Final X action…

True 3rd Matches
53 kg Felicity Taylor vs Samara Chavez
In a tight match, with Chavez holding a 2-1 lead, the Tornado Wrestling Club member hit headlock for the shocking fall over last year’s Final X finalist Felicity Taylor.

72 kg Rose Cassioppi vs Brooklyn Hays
Cassioppi seems in cruise control with an 8-2 lead when Augsburg All-American Brookyln Hays started chipping away at the lead. Near the end of the second period, Hays hit a 4-pointer to win it 9-8 as time expired.

76 kg Dymond Guilford vs. Kylie Welker
Down 5-4, Welker hit a 4-point move in the second with a cradle-like lift to go ahead 8-5. She held on in the final 9 seconds to earn the #3 spot on the U.S. national team.

Finals, Round 1
50 kg Sara Hildebrandt vs. Audrey Jimenez
If you expected a blow out, you were wrong. The high schooler Jimenez was competitive in match 1 against the 2x world silver medalist and Olympic bronze medalist Hildebrandt, going down 8-0, and scoring a takedown late in the second to lose 8-2. The scoreboard said 8-0. Not sure if the score was wiped off or neglected by the table. Either way, a solid performance in her first match against one of the best senior wrestlers in the world.

53 kg Dominique Parrish vs. Katie Gomez
Wow! The returning world champ countered Gomez’ shot with a pancake to get the fall and win match 1.

59 kg Michaela Beck vs. Jennifer Page
How strong is Page down at 59 kg? Up 3-0, Page got a takedown and transitioned into a gut wrench with three turns for the 11-0 victory. We weren’t sure what Page would look like against a top opponent at 59 kg like Beck, but she continued the dominance we saw at the WTT Challenge Tournament.

65 kg Mallory Velte vs. Macey Kilty
Kilty is back! Velte held a lead late in the second 2-0 when Kilty turned on her offense, scoring on a leg attack that she transitioned into a roll-up fall to take match one. Surprising ending to a match that Velte seemed to be on control of even with under a minute left on the clock.

76 kg Kennedy Blades vs. Adeline Gray
After Blades scored a 10-0 tech fall over Adeline Gray at the U.S. Open, it looked like more of the same as Blades went out to a 5-0 lead in round 1, only to see Gray mount a comeback that put her in position to get a last second takedown to go ahead 6-5. Wow! Hit a go-behind at the buzzer that was reviewed but upheld to give Gray the 7-5 win. The crowd was into that one.

Finals Round 2

55 kg Jacarra Winchester vs. Alisha Howk
Winchester looking the part. Finishes second tech fall to close series with workman-like steady scoring throughout the day. Dominant performance by the 2019 world champion as she makes her return to the world team.

59 kg Jennifer Page vs. Michaela Beck
Jennifer Page is a force at 59 kg! Wraps up second straight tech fall vs. Michaela Beck to earn a spot on her first-ever world team.

72kg Amit Elor vs. Joye Levendusky
Elor’s handfighting, defense, and upper body work showed us again why she’s a world champion as she won the series 2-0 over Levendusky. She earned her second straight trip to the Senior World Championships.

76 kg Adeline Gray vs. Kennedy Blades
Adeline Gray got to the position that has made her a 6x world champion—par terre. You could tell right away Blades was in trouble as Gray began to work her boa constrictor magic with legs, grips & bars, transitioning from one to another until she found what she wanted. In the end, she earned a fall and, in spite of her accolades, shocked the wrestling world by winning the series 2-0 over Blades and earning a trip to Belgrade.