Final X is set to go down on June 19 in Newark, New Jersey, and will feature the country’s best wrestlers with world team spots on the line. One of the most highly anticipated matches at Final X was the 65 kg bout between Real Woods and Bo Bassett. However, Real Woods recently announced he was hospitalized with a knee infection, and the match against Bo Bassett will not be contested on June 19th and will be delayed to a later date. We're still waiting to hear when the match between Woods and Bassett will take place, but until then, check out the article below to see a full breakdown, with a prediction, for this matchup.

Key Credentials

Real Woods

• 2025 Senior World Bronze (65 kg)
• 3X NCAA All-American (2nd, 4th, and 6th)

Bo Bassett

• 2024 U20 World Bronze (65 kg)
• 2021 U17 World Champion (45 kg)

Results Against Common Opponents

Real Woods and Bo Bassett have never wrestled in competition, but below are their results against Common Opponents.

Aden Valencia

• Bo Bassett over Aden Valencia, 11-10 at the 2026 US Open
• Real Woods over Aden Valencia, 6-4 at the 2025 WTT
• Aden Valencia over Real Woods, 5-3 at the 2025 US Open
• Aden Valencia over Real Woods, 5-4 at the 2025 US Open

Beau Bartlett

• Bo Bassett over Beau Bartlett, 10-0 at the 2026 US Open
• Bo Bassett over Beau Bartlett, 15-5 at the 2025 Bill Farrell
• Bo Bassett over Beau Bartlett, 1-0 at the 2025 WTT
• Real Woods over Beau Bartlett, 9-8 at the 2025 US Open

Joey McKenna

• Bo Bassett over Joey McKenna, 10-0 at the 2026 US Open
• Real Woods over Joey McKenna, 5-4 at 2025 Final X
• Real Woods over Joey McKenna, 7-3 at 2025 Final X

Brock Hardy

• Brock Hardy over Bo Bassett, 12-7 at the 2025 WTT
• Real Woods over Brock Hardy, 10-6 at the 2025 WTT

Darrion Caldwell

• Bo Bassett over Darrion Caldwell, Fall (3-0) at RAF 03
• Real Woods over Darrion Caldwell, Fall (10-3) at RAF 01

Shannon Hanna

• Bo Bassett over Shannon Hanna, 13-0 at the 2025 Bill Farrell
• Real Woods over Shannon Hanna, 9-00 at 2026 Pan-Ams

Complete Record vs Common Opponents

• Bo Bassett - 7-1
• Real Woods - 7-2

Breaking Down The Matchup

Bo Bassett enters Final X with a ton of momentum after his performance at the US Open. There, Bassett teched Joey McKenna in the finals and recorded impressive wins over Beau Bartlett (10-0) and Aden Valencia (11-10). Along with that performance, Bassett has experienced success at age-level worlds as a U17 World Champion in 2021 and a U20 World bronze medalist in 2024. On the senior level, Bassett is currently 13-2, outscoring his opponents by a combined score of 130-39. Bassett also has an outstanding 73% bonus rate in his senior-level matches with 7 techs and 4 pins. Bassett is one of the United States’ best young prospects and could be poised to make his first senior world team at just 19 years old. 

Bo Bassett’s Full 2026 US Open Run:

Real Woods made an unlikely run to make his first senior world team last year and surprised many by winning a bronze medal at Worlds. Since then, Woods hasn’t been very active on the international scene and has only wrestled 7 matches, going 5-2. Woods notably lost to Jordan Oliver twice at Real American Freestyle events, and that has caused many to overlook Woods in this matchup and forget just how impressive his performance was last year. In 2025, Woods was 19-5 with 7 techs, 2 pins, and outscored his opponents 180-83. Woods’ 2025 culminated with his performance at Worlds, where he lost only to eventual world champion Rahman Amouzad while defeating Sujeet Kalkal (7-5), Ikromzhon Khadzhimurodov (10-0), Peiman Biabani (3-1), and Maxim Sacultan (14-2). Woods’ bronze at Worlds was just the second time since 2006 that Team USA earned a world medal at 65/66kg and the first since Yianni Diakomihalis’ silver in 2022. 

So, how do Woods and Bassett match up stylistically? This will be a battle between Woods’ fast starts and Bassett’s conditioning. Real Woods is one of the fastest starters in all of wrestling and has the skills and athleticism to build an insurmountable lead in the first period. Woods is incredibly fast to legs, and once on top, he has a lethal gut wrench. Woods also proved at Worlds that he’s capable of putting together complete matches against wrestlers with a great handfight and cardio. This was highlighted particularly in Woods’ match against India’s Sujeet Kalkal, who wrestles a style comparable to Bassett. In that match, Woods got out to a 7-2 lead in the first period and held on to win 7-5. Woods will look to enforce a similar game plan against Bassett at Final X, and no one should be surprised if Woods builds a big lead early in their matches. If I were coaching Woods, I’d tell him to do whatever it takes to get on top early and build a 4-6 point lead before the break. 

Woods’ win over Sujeet Kalkal at the 2025 World Championships:

Woods might be a fast starter, but Bo Bassett is known for his “Machine Gun Mindset” and “Sprinting The Mile”. That means if Bassett can stay disciplined and endure the first two minutes of the match, he’ll look to put the pace on Woods and overwhelm him as the match unfolds. Bassett has been able to melt even the best wrestlers with his pace, and he’ll look to do the same against Woods. Bassett has also made big improvements in his leg attacks over the past year and does a great job of using his handfight to open up his offense as the match progresses. If I were coaching Bassett, I’d tell him to stay as disciplined as possible to start the match and then open things up towards the end of the first period. 

Prediction

So many people are riding Bo Bassett’s hype and momentum that they forget that Real Woods is one of the best 65 kg wrestlers in the world. Woods has all of the skills to defeat Bassett. Many might need to be reminded that in the past 6 weeks, Bassett trailed 4-0 off early takedowns and exposures to Kellen Wolbert, Clinton Shepherd, and Tyler Dekraker. Woods is levels above those three, and if Bassett makes the same errors against Woods, Woods won’t just take a 4-0 lead; he’ll end the match. 

Does that mean Woods is my pick to win at Final X? I’ve gone back and forth, but I’m ultimately rolling with Bo Bassett to come out on top. Because it’s a best-of-three series, and because Bassett has had almost two months to prepare, I think he’ll be ready for Real Woods in the first period. It might sound like hyperbole, but Bassett really does get better every time we see him, and if that’s the case at Final X, I’m predicting he wins in two straight.

Final X Prediction - Bo Bassett wins 2 matches to 0 over Real Woods