Cowboy Wrestlers Prepared for Final X Titles, Forrest, Valencia, and Hendrickson
(Pokes Report’s Robert Allen contributed to this story.)
STILLWATER - Oklahoma State wrestler Jax Forrest and former Cowboy Wyatt Hendrickson compete for a spot on the Senior U.S. National team Friday at Final X at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
The duo, along with Cowboy RTC member Zahid Valencia, will compete in a best-of-three series against their respective opponents, with the winner moving on to represent the USA at the Senior World Championships in October in Bahrain.
Forrest will take on Penn State's Marcus Blaze for the fifth time and first time since 2024, with the series being split at two matches a piece across both freestyle and folkstyle wrestling. The NCAA champion earned his spot at Final X at last month's World Team Trials, defeating Ohio State's Ben Davino with an 11-1 tech fall in 5:20 to clinch his spot.
Hendrickson will match up with Mason Parris in the best-of-three series, while Valencia will face off with Kyle Dake. Hendrickson and Valencia both qualified for Final X with gold medals in last month's Pan-American Championships. Hendrickson, who won the Hodge Trophy in addition to his NCAA title at OSU two seasons ago, cruised through the 125-kilogram field in Coralville, Iowa, pinning Jorawar Dhinsa in less than two minutes.
One source close to the Cowboy camp said both Forrest and Hendrickson have prepared well and Forrest seems to be as calm and cool “as the other side of the pillow.” Yes, that is a borrowed phrase. Hendrickson is his usual boyant self leading up to competition. It will turn more solemn for the Air Force second lieutenant as the matches near in New Jersey.
In addition to the title series, OSU's Landon Robideau will compete in the true-third match against Caleb Henson. He already qualified for the U20 USA team in May. Former Cowboy Dustin Plott will take on Seth Shumate in the 92kg true-third bout.
Championship Matchups
61kg – Jax Forrest vs. Marcus Blaze
86kg – Zahid Valencia vs. Kyle Dake
125kg – Wyatt Hendrickson vs. Mason Parris
True-Third Matchups
70kg – Landon Robideau vs. Caleb Henson
92kg - Dustin Plott vs. Seth Shumate
Schedule
11:30 a.m. – U.S. National Team true-third matches
1 p.m. – Best-of-three series – Round One
4 p.m. – Best-of-three series – Round Two and Round Three (if necessary)
