The road to Zagreb runs through Newark. And for Trent Hidlay and Josh Barr, it’s a collision course that could define the trajectory of their wrestling careers. On June 14, at the 2025 Final X inside New Jersey’s Prudential Center, these two will battle in a best-of-three war for the 92kg spot on Team USA’s Senior World squad. Both have tasted international glory before. Hidlay won a U23 world medal in 2022, and Barr won U20 hardware in 2024, but this time, the stakes are higher. This isn’t age-group success. This is for a spot in Croatia.

What makes this matchup even more electric is the fact that they’ve never faced each other before. No history, no previous data. Just two studs with starkly different styles primed to throw down. Barr brings the gas pedal, a high-volume pace that never lets up. Hidlay brings the hammers, using vicious underhooks to launch foes for big four-point moves.

Both are known for horsepower, grit, and fearlessness, and when they meet in Newark, expect the mat to become a battleground where only one walks away with Team USA stitched across his chest. Unlike many Final X matchups that come with built-in rematch drama, this clash is completely fresh, and that only adds to the intrigue. As the old MMA saying goes, “styles make fights,” and this one brings contrast in spades.

Hidlay is built like a battering ram. Shorter, stockier, and explosive in close quarters, especially with his punishing underhooks. On the other side, Barr is long, rangy, and lethal when he’s diving in on legs. Though they’re built differently and still at very different stages in their NCAA careers. Barr, with three years left at Penn State, and Hidlay, who wrapped up his decorated run at NC State in 2024.

They’re both laser-focused on making their first Senior World Team. The stylistic chess match? It’s going to be fireworks. Trent Hidlay earned his Final X ticket the hard way by running through a loaded bracket at the U.S. Open. He breezed through his early matches with a pair of lightning-fast tech falls, then ground out a gritty 7-4 win over Eric Schultz in the semis.

In the finals, he imposed his will on Missouri phenom Aeoden Sinclair, coasting to a 7-1 victory.  Those results weren’t just wins. They were statements. Hidlay is peaking at the perfect time, and he’s hungry to make the jump from domestic dominance to the global stage. Josh Barr, meanwhile, took a different route. After his grueling NCAA debut season ended with a runner-up finish at 197 pounds, Barr opted to rest and recharge instead of entering the U.S. Open.

That move paid off. He showed up fresh and focused at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, where the 92kg bracket was slim but still dangerous. After a bye to the semis, Barr outpaced Dustin Plott 10-4, then secured his Final X berth by toppling Aeoden Sinclair 7-3. The same Sinclair Hidlay beat in the U.S. Open final. Now, with momentum on both sides and a trip to Croatia on the line, Barr and Hidlay are set to light up the mat in one of Final X’s most compelling matchups.

Trent Hidlay’s Final X charge: Precision and a potential classic ahead

Trent Hidlay continues to show why he’s one of the most dangerous men at 92kg. In the finals against Aeoden Sinclair, he dismantled his opponent with sharp technique and an unrelenting pace, cruising to a 7-1 decision. From the first whistle, Hidlay dictated the tempo, leaving little doubt about his dominance. As Justin Basch aptly put it on X, “Trent Hidlay takes out Aeoden Sinclair 7-1.”

The win not only showcased Hidlay’s technical edge but also stamped his ticket to Final X, where he’ll look to lock down a spot on the World Championships team. In a weight class stacked with talent, Hidlay’s steady, punishing style gives him a strong edge but he may be in for a real test. Final X matchups don’t often go to a third bout, but that could change if Josh Barr is the challenger.

Though still early in his collegiate career, Barr’s ability to push opponents to their breaking point. Especially in the third period, this potential face-off makes it more than just intriguing. With both wrestlers built for war, fans might just witness a classic.

Josh Barr’s breakout sends shockwaves through NCAA wrestling

There’s no easing in at Penn State and Josh Barr proved he didn’t need any. In his first major collegiate showdown, the freshman phenom took on Lehigh’s Michael Beard. A seasoned former Nittany Lion, he delivered an 11-3 major decision that turned heads across the wrestling world. Not only did Barr control the match, he exposed a veteran with a level of poise. And dominance that’s rare for a first-timer.

Just like that, the buzz around Barr wasn’t potential. It was proof. Climbing through Penn State’s elite program is no easy feat, but Barr has done more than survive the grind. He’s thriving in it. Known for breaking opponents late in matches, his endurance and smart pacing were evident against Beard. “I feel like my gas tank is one of my biggest attributes,” Barr said.

“When they get tired of wrestling me, that’s when I go get my stuff.” It’s that exact mindset and a relentless motor. That’s made him one to watch. With his name already flashing after dismantling the nation’s No. 6 and a showdown looming on a bigger stage, Barr is no longer the underdog. He’s the storyline.