Live Penn State Wrestling Updates From Final X

Final X 2026 is here. USA Wrestling’s annual main event is underway at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. And Penn State wrestling will be a major player.

Four current or former Nittany Lions are competing in best-of-three freestyle series for trip to the 2026 Senior World Wrestling Championships. They will wrestle in some of the event’s most anticipated matches as part of the daylong celebration of freestyle wrestling. The winners qualify for the October world championships in Kazakhstan

We’re tracking all the Penn State results here, so follow along throughout the day. Until there, here’s what you should know about the action. Looking for streaming information? Check out our Final X guide.

Penn State wrestlers at Final X

The four current and former Nittany Lions competing have won a combined six NCAA titles. In addition, two world champions representing the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club are on Friday’s Final X card. Here’s who to watch from Penn State.

Luke Lilledahl: The defending NCAA champion at 125 pounds has continued his sophomore season success, winning the U.S. Open freestyle title this spring. Lilledahl scored a late takedown for a dramatic 5-4 win over Spencer Lee to earn his spot at Final X.

Lilledahl also gets a rematch with Lee in the 57 kg final. Lee earned the world spot last year by sweeping Lilledahl at Final X, so this promises to be an engaging duel. Watch for Lilledahl offensive quickness, his strength in both freestyle and folkstyle.

Marcus Blaze: The Penn State freshman called his 2026 U.S. Open title “bittersweet,” primarily because it soon followed his fourth-place finish at NCAAs. Blaze didn’t get a chance to wrestle Oklahoma State’s Jax Forrest in the 133-pound final after losing in the semifinals. He’ll get that matchup today at 61 kg.

Forrest, who won the NCAA title as a freshman, has two folkstyle wins over Blaze, but the Penn State standout has the freestyle edge. Blaze defeated Forrest 4-1 at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials in State College.

Levi Haines: The two-time NCAA champ capped his Penn State career with an undefeated season and national championship at 174 pounds. Haines now returns to freestyle after winning a silver medal in 2025. His opponent at 79 kg is Chance Marsteller, the 2023 U.S. Open champion who looks to make his first Senior World team.

Zain Retherford: A three-time NCAA champion and Hodge Trophy winner at Penn State, Retherford has resumed his freestyle career after being forced to withdraw from the 2024 Olympics due to concussion symptoms. The 2023 world champ meets 2025 NCAA champion Ridge Lovett of Nebraska in the 70 kg final.

In addition, Kyle Snyder and Kyle Dake will represent the NLWC at Final X. Snyder and Dake each have won four world titles and are two-time Olympians.

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