The mats are ready, the wrestlers are primed, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. The USA Wrestling 2025 World Team Trials are here, taking place on May 16-17 at the Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center in Louisville, Kentucky. For fans, this is the ultimate showdown—a heart-pounding spectacle where America’s top freestyle wrestlers battle for a shot at global glory.

With the Trials determining the final 16 spots for Final X, the stakes are sky-high. Every move on the mat could be the difference between a dream realized and a dream deferred. Let’s break down what’s in store for this electrifying event.

The Road to the World Stage: Why the Trials Matter

The USA World Team Trials are a cornerstone of American wrestling, serving as the gateway to the 2025 Senior World Championships. This tournament will decide who advances to Final X on June 14 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., where the winners will face the 2025 U.S. Open champions in a best-of-three series to secure their spot on Team USA.

Eight brackets will be contested in both men’s and women’s freestyle divisions, but four weight classes—men’s 57 kg and 61 kg and women’s 57 kg and 65 kg—are already set for Final X, leaving the remaining 16 spots up for grabs in Louisville. 53 elite women are entered in the freestyle division, with a deep men’s field to match, showcasing the incredible talent pool in the U.S.

Add to that Team USA’s recent dominance at the 2025 Senior Pan American Championships in Monterrey, Mexico, where the men’s freestyle team clinched the title with four champions and seven medals on the final day, and you’ve got a recipe for a blockbuster event. But who will steal the show in this stacked field?

Big Matches to Watch: Stars and Wild Cards Across Weight Classes

Get ready for some seriously exciting matchups at the Trials, especially in the men’s freestyle wrestling! FloWrestling’s seed predictions give us a sneak peek at the potential battles. Take the 65 kg weight class, it’s absolutely stacked! Nick Lee is at the top, snagging the first seed because he was on the 2023 World Team and finished second at the 2024 Olympic Team Trials. Close behind is Zain Mendez as the second seed, thanks to his second-place finish at the 2025 U.S. Open and coming in fourth at the Olympic Trials.

The big question marks here are Seth Gross and Marcus Blaze, both moving up from 61 kg. Gross did lose to Aden Valencia at the 2023 Senior Nationals, but he’s got wins over guys like Alec Pantaleo and Austin DeSanto, and DeSanto actually beat Valencia. Then there’s Bo Bassett, who’s new to the senior level but has a strong case for a high seed after beating Valencia four times last year, which puts him ahead of Valencia in the predicted seeds.

Over at 70 kg, James Green is the one to watch, holding the top seed with a history that includes wrestling for Team USA at the World Championships seven times and finishing second at the 2025 U.S. Open. PJ Duke, the second seed, is riding some momentum after finishing third at last year’s World Team Trials and winning gold at the 2024 Bill Farrell tournament. He picked up some impressive wins there, beating Will Lewan twice, Bryce Andonian, Jarrett Jacques, and Yahya Thomas.

The 86 kg class is shaping up to be explosive! Chance Marsteller is leading the charge; he’s got a tight 5-4 win over Carter Starocci from the 2022 World Team Trials and he beat Trent Hidlay (who also beat Starocci) at the 2024 Olympic Trials. Even though Starocci didn’t compete at the U.S. Open, he’s seeded above Parker Keckeisen based on his NCAA results. With so much talent in the mix, you won’t want to miss these epic showdowns!

Schedule Breakdown: Two Days of Wrestling Intensity

Get ready, because the USA World Team Trials are packed with action over two days! The schedule is designed so you won’t miss a thing. Here’s the rundown, all times are Eastern Time (ET):

Friday, May 16

• 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM ET: Things kick off with the Men’s and Women’s Prelims and Quarters. This is where everyone starts fighting their way through the brackets. It’s a tough start as the field gets smaller and smaller.
• 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM ET: The afternoon brings the Men’s and Women’s semifinals. The pressure is really on now! These matches decide who makes it to the finals, and every single bout is a make-or-break moment.

Saturday, May 17

• 10:00 AM ET: The Men’s and Women’s Consolation rounds start. This gives wrestlers a chance to fight their way back for a podium spot – nobody goes down without a fight!
• 12:00 PM–1:30 PM ET: The Women’s Freestyle Finals and 3rd Place Matches take center stage. This is when they crown the wrestlers heading to Final X, and the third-place matches are important for future rankings.
• 1:30 PM–3:00 PM ET: Right after the women finish, the Men’s Freestyle Finals and 3rd Place Matches get going. This wraps up the Trials, with the winners earning their shot at Final X.

With a schedule this full, you’ll definitely want to plan so you can catch everything. So, how exactly can you make sure you see every single second of this wrestling spectacle?

How to Watch: Streaming and Coverage Details

Okay, here’s how to make sure you don’t miss a second of the action! If you’re a big wrestling fan, you know you have to watch the World Team Trials. FloWrestling is your go-to place for coverage—they’re streaming every single session live, and you can catch it on-demand later too, over at FloWrestling.com. You’ll get a prime view of everything, right from the early matches on Friday morning through the finals on Saturday afternoon. FloWrestling will also keep you updated with highlights and analysis so you’re always in the know.

For even more insights, check out Baschamania: The Podcast with Justin Basch. He gives some great breakdowns that are worth a listen if you’re really into the sport. To track results as they happen, head to USA Bracketing. It’s USA Wrestling’s new system, so you can follow every match in real-time online. With FloWrestling, Baschamania, and USA Bracketing, you’ve got everything you need to stay connected. But what is it about this event that makes it so important for American wrestling?

Why the World Team Trials Are a Game-Changer

Okay, let’s talk about why the USA World Team Trials are such a huge deal in American wrestling. For the athletes, this is the moment – their shot at earning a spot on the World Team and getting to compete on the world stage. It’s that dream they’ve worked towards for years! The Greco-Roman World Team already punched their tickets at the U.S. Open in Las Vegas last month, so in Louisville, it’s all about freestyle, which really ramps up the intensity.

For us fans, the Trials are a fantastic way to see just how deep the talent pool is in this sport. We’ve got 53 incredible women and a loaded men’s field, showing off the bright future of American wrestling. Building on how well Team USA did at the Senior Pan American Championships, the Trials are setting the stage for what could be a dominant run at the World Championships. You’ll see everyone from seasoned veterans like James Green to exciting up-and-comers like Bo Bassett – it’s a real clash of generations. As Louisville gets ready to host this incredible wrestling event, the big question is, who’s going to step up and write their name into Team USA history?