2025 Final X Preview: Kylie Welker vs Dymond Guilford
2025 Final X Preview: Kylie Welker vs Dymond Guilford
A preview of the match between Kylie Welker and Dymond Guilford at Final X on Saturday, June 14.
Final X is Saturday, June 14, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and will be streamed LIVE on FloWrestling. Final X determines the 2025 U.S. Senior World teams in two Olympic disciplines: men’s and women’s freestyle.
Below is a women’s freestyle preview of the 76-kilogram match between Kylie Welker and Dymond Guilford.
Key Credentials
Kylie Welker, 21
2025 US Open champion
2x NCWWC (NCAA) champion (2024, 2025)
2024 Senior World bronze medalist
2024 U23 World champion
2021 U23 World bronze medalist
2021 Junior World champion
2019 Cadet World bronze medalist
Dymond Guilford, 26
2025 Muhamet Malo Tournament champion
4x college national champion (2019, 2022-23)
2022 U23 World silver medalist
2022 Senior World teamer
2022 Pan-Am champion
Match History: Welker leads, 3-2
2024 Olympic Trials, Third Place: Welker over Guilford, 5-4
2023 Missouri Valley Open finals: Guilford over Welker, 4-2
2023 Final X, Third Place: Welker over Guilford, 8-5
2023 US Open quarterfinals: Guilford over Welker, Fall 2:32
2020 Olympic Trials semifinals: Welker over Guilford, 8-0
How They Reached Final X
Welker reached Final X by winning the US Open. She entered as the one seed and won 10-0 over Alyssa Arana (R16), 10-0 over Shenita Lawson (quarters), 10-0 over Marlynne Deede (semis), and 11-0 over Yelena Makoyed (finals)
Elor reached Final X by winning the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. She entered as the two seed and won 12-0 over Liliana Vergara (quarters), by fall over Marylnne Deede (quarters), and 5-3 over Yelena Makoyed (finals).
What Should You Expect?
Welker is on a hot streak. She hasn’t dropped a match during the calendar year and has only given up three points. No domestic opponent has scored on her in 2025, winning four US Open matches by a 41-0 count.
The Franksville, Wisconsin, native is an offensive juggernaut, hitting snatch singles, knee taps, counters, and turns seemingly at will. And she continues to improve. She won a Senior World bronze and U23 World gold last year, and wants to continue that trend at Final X.
Her opponent will have something to say about that.
The pair have met five times with Welker holding a 3-2 edge, but Guilford is a unique challenge for Welker. Welker led 8-0 during their 2023 US Open quarterfinal, before Guilford pancaked her for a fall.
During their last three matches, Welker has outscored Guilford 15-13, a stark contrast to Welker's destruction of virtually everyone else.
Guilford’s results can be head-scratching at times. She will win tight matches over higher seeds, then dismantle a high-level wrestler who is competing well.
That’s what makes her so dangerous in this series.
Welker is the favorite, but Guilford should not be overlooked. She made the 2022 Senior World Team and is a consistent winner. Her explosive and powerful moves keep her in every match, regardless of the score.
The United States is in good hands here, regardless of the winner.
Watch Welker's gold medal match at the 2025 Pan-Am Championships
Guilford looked impressive in this semifinal win at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series tournament