After making her first Olympic team in 2016, Adeline Gray fell a little short of her goals in Rio. Now, the three-time world champion looks to get another crack at a title as she closes out the women's portion of Final X in State College, PA, this Saturday.

Standing in her way is Korinahe Bullock, who just finished her true freshman season at McKendree. The Illinois native is looking to do what many think is impossible: knock off one of the best wrestlers in the world.

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This 76kg series will be fifth on the card, out of six matchups. Along with Logan Stieber, Gray is one of two world champs competing at Rec Hall. She is the co-main event, leading into Penn State grad David Taylor's 86kg matchup with Nick Reenan in the finale. Action starts at 6 PM Eastern time.

On a recent visit to FloWrestling's HQ in Austin, Texas, Gray detailed the changes in her life since the Olympic Games. She took time off to have surgery and complete rehab, got married and went on her honeymoon, and moved across the country to take a coaching position at Wyoming Seminary in Pennsylvania. The Colorado native feels each of those events has helped her to come back even stronger.

When she won her 2014 and 2015 world titles, Gray was known for her dogged determination to finish single legs. She has made it clear that, even when her technique is off, whether she's winning or losing, her tenacity to complete takedowns is what keeps her in matches.

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Why's that? Because she has one of the best leglaces in the world. Perhaps the best example of that is when she was down 9-2 to Qian Zhou of China in the first round of the 2014 World Championships. Gray used her lace to get back in the match and then eventually won on a crotch lock with less than 10 seconds remaining.

The next year, Zhou and Gray met in the world finals. Once again, Zhou got the first takedown. But Gray ultimately finished her off with a lace in a 13-2 tech. Aside from the lace, I mentioned Gray's crotch lock against Zhou. She used that same finish to knock off Justina di Stasio of Canada in the 2015 Pan Am Games finals. Trailing 6-6 on criteria, Gray hit a crotch lock with one second remaining to capture her continental gold medal.

Kayla Miracle vs. Mallory Velte at 62kg

Pretty much everyone is going to pick Gray, but it is encouraging to see the improvements in Bullock. She did not place at Junior World Team Trials, was eighth at WCWAs as a true freshman for McKendree, and won the U23 world team spot.

In the Open semis, Bullock lost 3-0 to Leilani Camargo-Naone off a step-out on a body lock, a shot-clock point, and a step-out on a single leg. Then, in the third-place match, Bullock was pinned by WCWA and Junior Trials runner-up Mariah Harris.

However, Camargo-Naone was not at the WTT in Rochester, MN, and Bullock turned the tide on Harris in the first match of the finals. She was down 4-0 with 20 seconds left, only to finish a single leg and hit a gut wrench. In the second match, Bullock won on a caution and one with 40 seconds left.

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Now that there are 10 weights, it's going to take a little while—in all three styles—to develop more depth at each weight. The Open and WTT showcased that at 76kg, and it will continue here in Final X. In all likelihood, Gray will win easily with two first-period techs.

This will be Adeline's 11th competition, starting with Beat the Streets LA against Japan. In that time, she has lost just one match, to 2015 bronze medalist Epp Mae (EST). Gray avenged that loss in the semis of the Klippan Open and then beat reigning world champ Yasemin Adar of Turkey in the finals. That victory makes Gray 3-0 all-time against Adar. Most recently, Gray claimed her second Pan Am title, which included a semifinal win over Aline da Silva Ferreira (BRA). Gray and Ferreira met in the 2014 world finals.

There's nothing to indicate an upset from Bullock, and there is good data this year that points to Gray being the favorite heading into Budapest, Hungary. This Saturday night, make sure you're watching her take that next step toward her fourth world title.

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Nomad's Prediction

Gray over Bullock, two matches to none