By Oliver Astone

As the nation's toughest youth tournament, Flo Reno Worlds presents an imposing final test before wrestlers head to the high school ranks. 

Over half of this year's NCAA champions previously competed at the tournament, and the field of 3,000 wrestlers heading to Reno, Nevada, this weekend will no doubt offer an early look at the sport's future noisemakers once again.

Watch 2018 Flo Reno Worlds LIVE on FloWrestling

Date: April 6-8 | Time: 9 AM PDT | Site: Reno Livestock Events Center

Looking back at the 2017 tournament, not only did these six finalists rise to the occasion in their last appearance on the Flo Reno Worlds stage, but they also went on to find immediate success in their freshman seasons in high school.

101lb Final
Maximo Renteria, Dethrone vs. Richard Figueroa, Team Selma

It’s pretty crazy that these two met in the Reno Finals right before the start of their high school careers, and then, in their first year at the prep level, both won California state titles. 

Figueroa who was wrestling with Team Selma in Reno, won his state title at 106 pounds for Selma High School. Figueroa is also currently ranked #2 in the nation at 106, after putting together an awesome 2017-18 season which not only included his aforementioned state title but also a Doc B title and a third-place showing at Ironman. 

Renteria, repping Dethrone Wrestling at Flo Reno Worlds, won the 113-pound California state title for Buchanan High School. Renteria also picked up a Reno TOC title and a third-place finish at Doc Buchanan. Figueroa was able to get the win in this match by scoring an early takedown and never giving up the lead after that. Watch these two young studs collide before even entering high school.

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125lb Final
Cleveland Belton, Team SoCal vs. Angel Rios, Columbia High School

When Team SoCal’s Cleveland Belton won the 126-pound bracket—the biggest division at last year's Flo Reno Worlds—by majoring Angel Rios in the finals, you knew he had the ability to do something special in 2018. 

Belton did exactly that this season. Now ranked #12 in the nation, he was not only able to capture a Doc Buchanan title, but he also capped off his season with a California state championship. Belton’s major in the Flo Reno Worlds finals became even more impressive when his opponent, Rios, went on to take second in the Idaho 5A state tournament as a freshman. 

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108lb Final
Nic Bouzakis, Team Greco vs. Henry Porter, Oakdale

Nic Bouzakis, the 2017 Reno champion at 108lb, is another freshman who is coming off an extremely impressive season.

The Florida native had some big wins under coach Mike Palazzo at Lake Highland Prep this year, including a preseason win over Fargo and National Prep champ Zeke Escalera, a pin over Maximo Renteria at the Who’s #1 Duals, a Powerade title, and a Florida Class 1A state championship. 

A year ago, Bouzakis was in a tight Flo Reno Worlds finals match against Henry Porter of Oakdale (CA) before securing a huge takedown for the win. Bouzakis was able to plant Bouzakis on his back with a throw to break the tie in the third period.

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