How to Watch Penn State's Wrestling Stars at Final X

Wrestling brings one of its biggest events to a busy sports calendar Friday, when Final X returns to the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. One of the biggest days of the annual freestyle wrestling calendar will compete for attention against the World Cup and U.S. Open.

Fortunately for USA Wrestling, there's no World Cup game schedule at nearby MetLife Stadium, so wrestling fans get the region to themselves. And Penn State wrestling fans will have plenty to watch at the Prudential Center.

Four current or former Nittany Lions will compete at Final X, alongside two fellow members of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. They will wrestle best-of-three freestyle series to earn spots on Team USA for the 2026 Senior World Championships in Kazakhstan.

Here's what you need to know about Penn State and the 2026 Final X.

What is Final X?

Penn State Nittany Lions wrestler Luke Lilledahl competes against Princeton Tigers Marc-Anthony McGowan at NCAAs. — Penn State Nittany Lions wrestler Luke Lilledahl competes against Princeton Tigers Marc-Anthony McGowan at the NCAA Wrestling Championship at Rocket Arena. | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Final X is the annual qualifying event that determines the U.S. men and women's freestyle teams for the World Wrestling Championships. Wrestlers in 10 weight classes (hence the name "Final X") compete in best-of-three series to determine the U.S. representative at worlds, which will be held in October in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Eight of the 10 men's freestyle matches will be contested Friday at Final X. Round 1 of the best-of-three series begins at 2 p.m. ET. Round 2 is scheduled for 5 p.m., with Round 3 (when necessary) to follow immediately after.

Tickets are available for Final X through Ticketmaster.

How to watch, stream Final X

Final X is available to stream only at FloWrestling, which has the exclusive rights to the event. FloWrestling will carry the day's full wrestling card. A subscription is required to watch.

Penn State wrestlers to watch at Final X

Penn State’s Marcus Blaze pulls off his shirt before his 133-pound semifinal match at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. — Penn State’s Marcus Blaze pulls off his shirt before his 133-pound semifinal match at the NCAA Wrestling Championships at Rocket Arena. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two of the event's most anticipated matches involve current Penn State wrestlers. Luke Lilledahl, the undefeated 2026 NCAA champion at 125 pounds, will meet defending Olympic silver medalist Spencer Lee in the 57 kg final.

The Lilledahl-Lee series is a rematch of their 2025 Final X duel, which Lee swept on his way to the World Championships. However, Lilledahl scored a dramatic 5-4 win over Lee at the 2026 U.S. Open with a takedown in the waning seconds of the second period. Lilledahl and Lee rank first and second in the world at 57 kg, according to FloWrestling.

Another match to watch pits two of the nation's top freshmen wrestlers in Penn State's Marcus Blaze and Oklahoma State's Jax Forrest at 61 kg. Blaze finished fourth at the 2026 NCAA Championships at 133 pounds, the weight class Forrest won despite enrolling midway through the year.

Blaze-Forrest already is a superb rivalry. Blaze defeated Forrest at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in State College and also has a folkstyle win over him at the 2023 Clarion Open. Forrest defeated Blaze twice at the Super 32, once as juniors.

Former Penn State national champions Levi Haines and Zain Retherford seek to return to the world stage through Final X. Haines made his first Senior World team in 2025, earning a silver medal, and Retherford is a two-time world qualifier who won gold in 2023.

Haines takes on Chance Marsteller in a fascinating match at 79 kg. Retherford will compete against Ridge Lovett at 70 kg as he continues his competitive comeback after withdrawing from the 2024 Olympics because of concussion symptoms.

The Final X main event at 86 kg features Kyle Dake of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club, who is a four-time world champion, against 2025 world champ Zahid Valencia. And four-time world champion Kyle Snyder, will represent the NLWC at 97 kg against 2025 NCAA champion Stephen Buchanan of Iowa.

Match Order is SET for Final X. 👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/83hJMniJfH
— Justin Basch (@JustinJBasch) June 17, 2026

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