The 2026 Pan-Am Championships are set to go down in Coralville, Iowa, May 7-10. Men’s freestyle wrestlers will take the mat May 9-10 and will feature many of Team USA’s best wrestlers. Check out a full preview with predictions for the Pan-Am Championships in the men’s freestyle division.

57 Kilograms

57 kg Entries:

• Daniel Dos Santos (BRA)
• Christopher Merlo (CAN)
• Juan Ramirez Beltre (DOM)
• Guesseppe Rea Villarroel (ECU)
• Edwin Segura Guerra (GUA)
• Omar Valenzuela Medina (MEX)
• Justin Rosales Lacayo (NCA)
• Andre Huarcaya Lopez (PER)
• Darian Cruz (PUR)
• Liam Cronin (USA)
• Pedro Mejias Rodriguez (VEN)

Liam Cronin and Darian Cruz are the wrestlers to beat in this bracket. Cruz, a 2017 NCAA champion for Lehigh, has been a mainstay on the senior-level for the past decade. Cruz qualified for the Olympics in 2024 and ultimately placed 5th in Paris. Cronin doesn’t have the same credentials as Cruz, but he’s had a great start to his senior-level career and has been incredibly active over the past year. After making the national team last year, Cronin wrestled at both the Zagreb Open and Muhamet Malo Ranking Series events in February. Cronin recently placed 4th at the US Open and is making steady progress in his freestyle game. I expect the match with Cruz to be highly competitive. 

Outside of Cruz and Cronin, Pedro Mejias is a wrestler to watch out for in this bracket. Mejias has been active on the senior-level since 2013 and has placed at Pan-Ams eight times. Beyond that, Mejias had close losses to both Cronin and Cruz. Cronin defeated Mejias for third last year at Pan-Ams (5-3), and Cruz beat Mejias in 2023 (7-4). If anyone other than Cruz or Cronin wins 57 kg at the Pan-Am Championships, it will likely be Pedro Mejias.

Prediction:

Gold - Darian Cruz, PUR

Silver - Liam Cronin, USA

Bronze - Pedro Mejias, VEN

Bronze - Guesseppe Rea, ECU

Cronin's Win over Pedro Mejias at 2025 Pan-Ams:

61 Kilograms

61 kg Entries:

• Garette Saunders (CAN)
• Peter Hammer Cude (CRC)
• Alex Vega Tun (GUA)
• Irie Jackson (JAM)
• Caleb Smith (PUR)
• Austin Desanto (USA)

Austin DeSanto and Caleb Smith are the favorites to win this bracket in Coralville. DeSanto is fresh off a 4th place finish at the US Open and has several significant freestyle wins over the past few years. In fact, DeSanto has senior-level victories over 7 world/Olympic medalists - Aman Sehrawat, Tuvshintulga Tumenbileg, Bekzat Almaz Uulu, Shota Phartanadze, Bekhbayar Erdenebat, Joe Colon, and Assylzhan Yessengeldi. Caleb Smith doesn’t have the same hitlist as DeSanto and is just getting started in his freestyle career. However, Smith had an impressive performance at the 2025 Bill Farrell, where he won gold by defeating 2023 U23 world bronze medalist Munkh Erdene Batkhuyag. 

Prediction:

Gold - Austin DeSanto, USA

Silver - Caleb Smith, PUR

Bronze - Garrett Saunders, CAN

Bronze - Irie Jackson, JAM

Austin DeSanto's run at the 2026 Zagreb Open:

65 Kilograms

65 kg Entries:

• Shannon Hanna (BAH)
• Matheus Da Luz Barreto (BRA)
• Peiman Biabani (CAN)
• Matias Munoz Ramirez (CHI)
• Tommy Garcia Sanchez (DOM)
• Joshua Kramer (ECU)
• Jordan Mitchell (JAM)
• Zachary Espalin Aguirre (MEX)
• Jose Benites Vasquez (PER)
• Joseph Silva (PUR)
• Daniel Olivera Solorzano (URU)
• Real Woods (USA)
• Wilfredo Rodriguez Bocaney (VEN)

Real Woods and Peiman Biabani are the favorites at 65 kg. These two met in the bronze medal match at the 2025 World Championships, where Woods came out on top, 3-1. Biabani, originally from Iran, has some of the best defense in the world and is incredibly hard to open up. Woods has only wrestled in Real American Freestyle Events since the World Championships and hasn’t looked his best. In those events, he’s 1-2, losing to Jordan Oliver twice and defeating Anthony Ashnault. The Pan-Am Championships is an opportunity for Woods to get back on track before Final X and prove he’s still one of the best in the world at 65 kg. 

Prediction:

Gold - Real Woods, USA

Silver - Peiman Biabani, CAN

Bronze - Joey Silva, PUR

Bronze - Shannon Hanna, BAH

All of Real Woods' matches at the 2025 World Championships:

70 Kilograms

70 kg Entries:

• Mauricio Lovera (ARG)
• Michael Zale (CAN)
• Francisco Gonzalez Torres (MEX)
• Victor Soto Rivera (PUR)
• Ridge Lovett (USA)

Ridge Lovett is fresh off his gold medal performance at the US Open and will be a big favorite to win this bracket. Lovett was ultra-impressive in Vegas, defeating Ian Parker (8-3), Alec Pantaleo (17-6), and Caleb Henson (14-12). With that performance, Lovett is sitting in Final X, and the Pan-Am Championships will likely be his last competition prior to June 19. This will be a great tune-up competition for Lovett, and I expect him to cruise to gold in Coralville. 

Prediction:

Gold - Ridge Lovett, USA

Silver - Mauricio Lovera, ARG

Bronze - Michael Zale, CAN

Ridge Lovett's win over Caleb Henson in the 2026 US Open Finals:

74 Kilograms

74 kg Entries:

• Renato Da Silva (BRA)
• Adam Thomson (CAN)
• Jorge Gatica Hinricksen (CHI)
• Arbey Alarcon Tovar (COL)
• Geannis Garzon Tamayo (CUB)
• Julio Rodriguez Romero (DOM)
• Brandon Hernandez Cardona (GUA)
• Luis Barrios Rochez (HON)
• Raul Palacios Dominguez (MEX)
• Sixto Auccapina Pedragas (PER)
• Jonathan Parrilla Ramos (PUR)
• Kannon Webster (USA)
• Ibsen Aguilar Canizalez (VEN)

Kannon Webster was a surprise US Open finalist, defeating Bryce Andonian, Jarrett Jacques, and Quincy Monday. Webster’s biggest competition will be Cuba’s Geannis Garzon, who finished with a bronze at the 2025 U23 World Championships. Geannis Garzon, son of multiple-time world medalist Geandry Garzon, hasn’t wrestled at 74 kg since last year’s Pan-Ams and should be huge for the weight. Last year, Garzon lost a close 5-2 match to Rocco Welsh at the Junior Pan-Am Games and was DQ’d against Dee Lockett at the Senior Pan-Am championships. Outside of those close losses, Garzon’s most notable win came against Chris Foca in December at the 2026 Central American Games. Garzon vs Webster should be fantastic and should decide the gold medal in this bracket. 

Prediction:

Gold - Kannon Webster, USA

Silver - Geannis Garzon, CUB

Bronze - Adam Thomson, CAN

Bronze - Sixto Auccapina, PER

Kannon Webster's victory over Quincy Monday at the 2026 US Open:

Garzon's loss to Dee Lockett at last year's Pan-Ams:

79 Kilograms

79 kg Entries:

• Patrik Leder (CAN)
• Jhoan Serna Rodriguez (COL)
• Sergio Espinoza Muniz (MEX)
• Michael Labriola (PUR)
• Levi Haines (USA)

Levi Haines is a huge favorite to win the 79 kg bracket at Pan-Ams. Haines, a returning world silver medalist, is also coming off a phenomenal career at Penn State, highlighted by NCAA titles in his sophomore and senior seasons. Haines’ toughest test will likely be 4-time All-American Mikey Labriola, who is representing Puerto Rico. Labriola has only wrestled in two senior-level tournaments, but he should be a tough match for Haines. 

Prediction:

Gold - Levi Haines, USA

Silver - Mikey Labriola, PUR

Bronze - Patrik Leder, CAN

All of Levi Haines' matches from the 2025 World Championships:

86 Kilograms

86 kg Entries:

• Jorge Llano (ARG)
• Pedro Goncalves Da Silva (BRA)
• Taran Goring (CAN)
• Christopher Foca Mejia (DOM)
• Kevin De Leon Trevino (MEX)
• Angel Cortes Bonilla (PAN)
• Jesus Landa Cespedes (PER)
• Ethan Ramos (PUR)
• Zahid Valencia (USA)
• Jose Pinero Segueri (VEN)
• Lucas Bordeaux Rego Alvan (BRA)

Defending world champ Zahid Valencia will be a huge favorite to win gold in Coralville. Pan-Ams will also be a great opportunity to see how good Valencia is wrestling a month before Final X. Valencia notably lost to Parker Keckeisen at RAF 04 in December and Vladimeri Gamkrelidze at the Zagreb Open in February. No one in this bracket should be capable of challenging Valencia, but All-Americans Ethan Ramos and Chris Foca are tough enough to test how close Valencia is to his peak. 

Prediction:

Gold - Zahid Valencia, USA

Silver - Chris Foca, DOM

Bronze - Ethan Ramos, PUR

Bronze - Kevin De Leon, MEX

All of Zahid Valencia's matches from the 2025 World Championships:

92 Kilograms

92 kg Entries:

• Andrew Johnson (CAN)
• Shane Jones (PUR)
• Trent Hidlay (USA)

With only three wrestlers in the field - this is a “Trent Hidlay next topic” weight. Hidlay, the defending world champion, should dominate to gold, and Pan-Ams should be a nice little warmup before Final X. 

Prediction:

Gold - Trent Hidlay, USA

Silver - Shane Jones, PUR

Bronze - Andrew Johnson, CAN

Trent Hidlay's 2025 World Finals Match:

97 Kilograms

97 kg Entries:

• Ailton Brito Rocha (BRA)
• Nishan Preet Randhawa (CAN)
• Arturo Silot Torres (CUB)
• Luis Perez Sosa (DOM)
• Steven Burrell (JAM)
• Humberto Valverde Uzner (MEX)
• Pool Ambrocio Greifo (PER)
• Edwin Morales (PUR)
• Stephen Buchanan (USA)
• Cristian Sarco Colmenarez (VEN)

Stephen Buchanan has started his senior-level career as strong as anyone in recent memory. Buchanan has won three consecutive tournaments to start the year - the Grand Prix of France, the Zagreb Open, and the US Open. During that run, Buchanan recorded victories over world/Olympic champion Hassan Yazdani, U20 World champ Justin Rademacher, and 2022 world teamer Hayden Zillmer. Buchanan will now face Kyle Snyder at Final X, and Pan-Ams should be another preview for us to see if Buchanan is ready to challenge Snyder. Luis Prez and Arturo Silot are likely the toughest wrestlers in the bracket, but Buchanan should win gold without too much trouble. 

Prediction:

Gold - Stephen Buchanan, USA

Silver - Arturo Silot, CUB

Bronze - Luis Perez, DOM

Bronze - Steven Burrell, JAM

Stephen Buchanan's win over Hassan Yazdani:

125 Kilograms

125 kg Entries:

• Gabriel De Sousa Silva (BRA)
• Jorawar Dhinsa (CAN)
• Maxwell Lacey Garita (CRC)
• Elison Adames Garcia (DOM)
• Aaron Johnson (JAM)
• Brandon Anguiano Flores (MEX)
• Jonovan Smith (PUR)
• Wyatt Hendrickson (USA)
• Jose Diaz Robertti (VEN)

Last year, Wyatt Hendrickson dominated at the Pan-Am Championships, winning a gold medal by going 3-0 with 2 pins and a tech while outscoring his opponents 31-0. It’s essentially the same field this year, so it’d be shocking to see anyone other than Hendrickson atop the podium in Coralville. Hendrickson should dominate, and you’re likely to see highlights of him brutalizing his opponents all over social media on Sunday.

Prediction:

Gold - Wyatt Hendrickson, USA

Silver - Jose Diaz, VEN

Bronze - Jorawar Dhinsa, CAN

Bronze - Jonovan Smith, PUR

All of Wyatt Hendrickson's matches at the 2025 Pan-Am Championships: