Former Ohio State wrestler Kyle Snyder has made the U.S. senior wrestling team once again, but this time it wasn’t easy. Snyder lost to a fellow American for the first time in ten years in the best-of-three wrestle-off against James Buchanan in the 2026 Final X Trials, but then took care of business to make his 12th straight U.S. World Championship team.
Snyder won the first match 5-2, then dropped the second match via a late takedown to force a third and deciding match. The former All-American won the final match easily, 9-3, to earn his way onto the team that will compete in the 2026 Senior Wrestling World Championships. That will be held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from Oct. 24 to Nov. 1. Snyder will wrestle at 97 Kg. and will face a formidable field once again.
Snyder is one of the best to ever wear the Scarlet and Gray singlet. He was a four-time All-American in Columbus, helping the Buckeyes to win the 2015 NCAA team championship, and was a three-time heavyweight Big Ten and NCAA national champion. He now trains with the Penn State Nittany Lions wrestling club.
Snyder’s main competition figures to be Iranian Olympic Champion Hassan Yazdani, who has successfully moved up to 97 Kg, and six-time world champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev of Russia, who has been the biggest rival of Snyder in the world for a few years now.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Former Ohio State wrestler Kyle Snyder makes U.S. Senior team
Reporting by Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire | USA TODAY Network
