It is Final X time for Thomas Gilman and Alli Ragan of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. The first of three Final X events will take place this Saturday starting at 6 PM CST in Lincoln, NE with the winner making the 2018 World Championships for Team USA. All matchups are a best of three format. Ragan will face Jenna Burkert at 59 kg in the second bout of the evening. Ragan has made five consecutive World Championships teams and has won a World Silver in each of the last two years. Ragan and her opponent, Jenna Burkert, have been at different weights and were teammates on the 2014 Senior World Team and the 2010 and 2011 Junior World Team.
Predication: Ragan wins the series 2-0.
Thomas Gilman took USA Wrestling and the world by storm last year. Gilman came from behind to win the Last Chance Qualifier to even qualify for the World Team Trials. Gilman then ran the gauntlet and took out an impressive list of competitors to make the 2017 World Team. At the World Championships in Paris, Gilman stormed to the finals before placing second at 57 kg.
Gilman will face Daton Fix, a true freshman at Oklahoma State, in the best of three finals. Fix had a very impressive U.S. Open that saw him dominate his opponents before dropping a match in the finals to Tony Ramos. Fix rolled through the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament recently and then defeated Ramos in two straight matches to qualify for Final X. Fix is a former Junior World champion and has made five World teams in three different age groups.
This will be a classic Iowa – Okie State matchup of the explosive Fix and the grinder Gilman. I am looking for Gilman’s recent international experience at the Senior level to be a factor.
Prediction: Gilman wins the series 2-0.
Predictions for the additional bouts: James Green (70 kg), Kyle Snyder (97 kg), Becka Leathers (55 kg), Tamyra Stock (68 kg), Jordan Burroughs (74 kg).
You can watch all of the Final X matches live on FloWrestling at: https://www.flowrestling.org/live/4560-2018-final-x-lincoln/signup
FINAL X IN LINCOLN
Saturday, June 9 at the Bob Devaney Center, starting at 6:00 p.m. CST
Bout Order
Bout One – Men’s freestyle 70 kg
2017 World silver medalist – James Green, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC/Nebraska WTC)
2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion – Jason Chamberlain, Fresno, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC/Valley RTC)
Bout Two – Women’s freestyle 59 kg
2017 World silver medalist – Alli Ragan, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids/Hawkeye WC/OTC)
2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion – Jenna Burkert, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Bout Three – Men’s freestyle 97 kg
2017 World champion – Kyle Snyder, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC)
2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion –Kyven Gadson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids/Cyclone RTC)
Bout Four – Women’s freestyle 55 kg
2017 World bronze medalist – Becka Leathers, Choctaw, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC)
2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion – Jacarra Winchester, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)
Bout Five – Men’s freestyle 57 kg
2017 World silver medalist – Thomas Gilman, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC)
2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion – Daton Fix, Sand Springs, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC/Cowboy WC)
Bout Six – Women’s freestyle 68 kg
2018 U.S. Open champion – Tamyra Stock, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC/OTC)
2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion – Randyll Beltz, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP)
Bout Seven – Men’s freestyle 74 kg
2017 World champion – Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska WTC)
2018 WTT Challenge Tournament champion – Isaiah Martinez, Leemore, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC/Illini RTC)
