Valencia, Diakomihalis, Snyder headline exciting CLAW U.S. Open men’s freestyle finals

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – On a night in which six wrestlers won their first Senior National freestyle title, there were some outstanding performances by veteran stars which made the evening especially exciting at the 2025 CLAW U.S. Open.

Champions this evening earned a spot in Final X, which is set for the Prudential Center in Newark, June 14. Final X will determine the members of the 2025 U.S. Senior World Team in men’s and women’s freestyle which will compete at the World Championships in Zagreb, Croatia in September.

There were two finals in which both athletes were past World medalists, and it was the younger star which came home with the U.S. Open stop sign trophy

At 86 kg, 2023 World bronze medalist Zahid Valencia scored an 8-4 victory over two-time Olympic medalist and four-time World champion Kyle Dake. Valencia took control in the first period, jumping to a 5-1 lead on a takedown and turn, plus a step out point. Dake battled back to close the score to 6-4, but a takedown by Valencia with five seconds left sealed the win. Valencia was named Outstanding Wrestler for his performance after winning his second U.S. Open title

At 70 kg, 2022 World silver medalist Yianni Diakomihalis broke a 2-2 tie with a four-point takedown with less than 40 seconds left in the bout and added one more takedown for an 8-2 win over two-time World medalist James Green. Diakomihalis has moved up to 70 kg, a weight which Green has made seven U.S. Senior World Teams. Diakomihalis last won the U.S. Open in 2019.

2016 Olympic champion, two-time Olympic finalist and three-time World champion Kyle Snyder won his second career U.S. Open title with an 11-0 technical fall over Jonathan Aiello in the 97 kg finals. Snyder last won the U.S. Open back in 1995, the first year he became a U.S. World Team member.

The only other previous U.S. Open champion to earn a title tonight was Joey McKenna at 65 kg. McKenna scored a second period takedown to defeat two-time NCAA champion Jesse Mendez, 3-1. McKenna was a 2018 U.S. Open champion.

Winning their first Senior U.S. Open titles were Luke Lilledahl (57 kg), Jax Forrest (61 kg), Mitchell Mesenbrink (74 kg), Evan Wick (79 kg), Trent Hidlay (92 kg) and Wyatt Hendrickson (125 kg).

Lilledahl, a freshman at Penn State, scored four takedowns and two step outs to stop Liam Cronin, in a 10-0 first-period technical fall. Lilledahl will face 2024 Olympic silver medalist Spencer Lee in Final X.

Forrest, a high school junior, was also impressive in his 19-8 technical fall over 2022 World Team member Seth Gross at 61 kg. Gross led the match 6-2, but Forrest quickly tied it at 6-6 with a takedown and turn. Forrest opened up his offense with a variety of takedowns and turns to earn the stoppage. Forrest will battle 2024 World bronze medalist Vito Arujau in Final X.

Lilledahl and Forrest are the only U.S. Open champions who know their Final X opponents. In the other eight weight classes, the second opponent will be determined at the Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament in Louisville, Ky., May 16-17.

In a battle of past U20 World champions and NCAA champions, Mesenbrink blasted open a close match to score a 16-6 technical fall over David Carr at 74 kg. Carr led early 4-1, but Mesenbrink answered with a four-point takedown to lead 5-4 at the break. In the second period, Mesenbrink was able to score takedowns and a turn to close out the win.

Mesenbrink received a new award, the CLAW Most Exciting Wrestler, for his performance.

Wick became the U.S. Open champion at 79 kg with a 9-1 win over 2025 NCAA champion Dean Hamiti, Jr. Hamiti led 1-0 at the break, but Wick blasted open the match with a takedown and four ankle laces in the second period.

Dominating the match with an effective underhook, Hidlay scored a takedown, turn and step out in the first period to lead 5-0, and went on to secure a 7-1 win over Aeoden Sinclair. It was a busy day for Sinclair, who was also competing at 86 kg in the U20 Nationals being held on other mats during the day.

Hendrickson continued his outstanding wrestling, adding a U.S. Open title to the NCAA Div. I title he won in March. In the finals, Hendrickson was dominant on his feet, and added some gut wrench turns, to score a 14-3 victory over Demetrius Thomas in the finals.

The Titan Mercury WC won the team title in men’s freestyle this year.

U.S. MEN’S FREESTYLE OPEN

At Las Vegas, Nev., April 25-26

57 kg

1st - Luke Lilledahl (Nittany Lion LWC/TMWC) dec. Liam Cronin (Nebraska RTC/TMWC), 10-0 (2:45)

3rd - Nico Provo (California Regional Training Center) T.F. Brendan McCrone (Ohio RTC/TMWC)), 13-2 (2:04)

5th - Austin Assad (Seasons Freestyle Club) For. Daniel DeShazer (Gopher Wrestling Club,

7th - Brady Roark (Jackrabbit Wrestling Club) T.F. Dalton Henderson (Virginia), 17-6 (4:09)

61 kg

1st - Jax Forrest (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) tech fall Seth Gross (MATPAC Wrestling Club), 19-8 (5:35)

3rd - Marcus Blaze (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club) Dec. Benjamin Davino (Ohio RTC/TMWC)), 7-0

5th - Austin DeSanto (Hawkeye WC/TMWC)) Dec. Michael McGee (Atreus Wrestling Club), 10-6

7th - Fernando Barreto (California) Disq. Nathan Tomasello (West Coast RTC/TMWC)

65 kg

1st - Joseph McKenna (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) dec. Jesse Mendez (Ohio RTC/ TMWC), 3-2

3rd - Aden Valencia (California RTC/TMWC) Dec. Real Woods (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club), 5-3

5th - Beau Bartlett (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) Dec. Carter Young (Cowboy RTC/TMWC), 7-1

7th - Tom Crook (Southeast RTC/TMWC)) Med. For. Vince Cornella (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC)

70 kg

1st - Yianni Diakomihalis (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) dec. James Green (Nebraska RTC/TMWC), 8-2

3rd - Ian Parker (Cavalier Wrestling Club) Dec. Will Lewan (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club), 2-1

5th - Bryce Andonian (Southeast RTC/TMWC)) Dec. Brayton Lee (Indiana RTC), 14-11

7th - Jackson Arrington (Wolfpack WC/TMWC)) Dec. Yahya Thomas (New Jersey RTC/ TMWC), 5-2

74 kg

1st - Mitchell Mesenbrink (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) tech. fall David Carr (Cyclone RTC/TMWC), 16-6 (5:32)

3rd - Quincy Monday (New Jersey RTC/TMWC)) Dec. Jarrett Jacques (Tiger Style Wrestling Club), 11-3

5th - Terrell Barraclough (Brunson UVRTC) Dec. Peyton Hall (West Virginia RTC), 3-2

7th - Edward Scott (Wolfpack WC/TMWC)) Dec. Drayden Morton (West Coast Regional Training Center), 2-1

79 kg

1st - Evan Wick (SoCal RTC/TMWC) dec. Dean Hamiti Jr (Cowboy RTC/TMWC), 9-1

3rd - Simon Ruiz (Spartan Combat RTC/TMWC) Dec. Carson Kharchla (Ohio RTC/TMWC)), 7-7

5th - Muhamed McBryde (New York Athletic Club) Dec. Kennedy Monday (New Jersey RTC/TMWC), 7-6

7th - Ethan Riddle (Minnesota - RTC) T.F. Dajun Johnson (Ranger Wrestling Club), 14-4 (4:56)

86 kg

1st - Zahid Valencia (Cowboy RTC/TMWC) dec. Kyle Dake (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC), 8-4

3rd - Chance Marsteller (New Jersey RTC/TMWC) Dec. Parker Keckeisen (Panther Wrestling Club RTC), 4-2

5th - Rocco Welsh (KD Training Center) Dec. Marcus Coleman (Cyclone RTC/TMWC), 6-5

7th - Chris Moore (Illinois Regional Training Center) Dec. Brayden Thompson (Cowboy RTC/TMWC), 9-2

92 kg

1st - Trent Hidlay (Wolfpack WC/TMWC) dec. Aeoden Sinclair (Tiger Style Wrestling Club), 7-1

3rd - Michael Macchiavello (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC/TMWC)) Dec. Eric Schultz (Nebraska RTC/TMWC), 2-1

5th - Dustin Plott (Cowboy RTC/TMWC)) Dec. Hayden Walters (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club), 8-0

7th - Patrick Brophy (Charleston Regional Training Center) Dec. Jack Davis (Lehigh Valley Wrestling RTC), 8-1

97 kg

1st - Kyle Snyder (Nittany Lion WC/TMWC) tech fall Jonathan Aiello (Pennsylvania RTC/TMWC), 11-0 (3:19)

3rd - Zane Lanham (West Virginia) Dec. Christian Knop (TMWC/Wolfpack RTC), 3-0

5th - Gavin Hoffman (Pennsylvania) Dec. Ethan Laird (DMV RTC), 8-2

7th - Massoma Endene (Burg Training Center) Dec. Tyrie Houghton (Wolfpack WC/TMWC), 8-4

125 kg

1st - Wyatt Hendrickson (Cowboy RTC/Air Force WCAP) tech fall Demetrius Thomas (NYAC), 14-3 (3:51)

3rd - Christian Lance (Nebraska RTC/TMWC)) For. Hayden Zillmer (Gopher Wrestling Club)

5th - Trent Hillger (Gopher Wrestling Club) Med. For. Jordan Wood (New York Athletic Club)

7th - Lucas Stoddard (West Point Wrestling Club) T.F. Alex Semenenko (Brown Regional Training Center), 11-0 (3:56)

Outstanding Wrestler – Zahid Valencia

CLAW Most Exciting Wrestler – Mitchell Mesenbrink

Team Standings – 1. Titan Mercury WC, 2. New York Athletic Club