Wyatt Hendrickson Sweeps Trent Hillger at Final X to Earn Team USA Position, Valencia Too

STILLWATER – He hardly worked up a sweat as former OKlahoma State and NCAA heavyweight champion Wyatt Hedrickson continued his perfect record that was 28-0 in his final college season including a win over heavily favored Olympic, World and NCAA champion Gable Steveson of Minnesota in the NCAA finals with United State Presidetn Donald Trump on the front row supporting. Hendrickson now has even more reason to be draped in the American flag. The second lieutenant in the United States Air Force is the 125 kg. top dog on Team USA. He accomplished that with a quick technical fall in match 1 and then completed the sweep later Saturday afternoon in Final X with a 20-14 decision over Trent Hillger.

USA Wrestling

Hendrickson controlling Hillger in the tech fall.

Hendrickson has stayed unbeaten winning the Senior U.S. Open in Las Vegas to qualify for Final X and the shot at the Team USA roster. Hendrickson also took gold in June at the Pan American Wrestling Championships. 

Then in his first of the best-of-three finals at Final X, Hendrickson needed just over a minute and a half (1:38) in fronto fhte crowd at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. to score a 10-0 technical fall over Trent Hillger, the same wrestler he defeated as part of his run to the U.S. Open championship.

In other results involving Cowboy Regional Training Center wrestlers, at 86 kg Zahid Valencia decisioned Kyle Dake of Nittany Lion WC 5-3 and 4-1 to join Team USA. Beating Kyle Dake twice in one day is no easy chore. At 65 kg it was Real Woods, the former Iowa wrestler and now with Cliff Keen WC that won two decisions 7-3 and 5-4 over Joey McKenna of Cowboy RTC.

FloWrestling

Hendrickson on top of Hillger wearing the red and white WCAP singlet.

In round two of the best of three at Final X, Hendrickson wasted no time coming out and getting a takedown and then several turns on the mat to rack up the points. After a brief warning by the official, Hendrickson was back in action with another takedown and enough turns and points to close the match quickly on a tech fall.

Hendrickson had to work on the mat the entire match in round two as Hillger fought with more determination, but Hendrickson led from start to finish and had a couple of chances to finish it and get the 10 point lead. Again, Hillger fought hard to stay in it.

Hendrickson now wrestles for the World Class Athlete Program in the U.S. Air Force and for Cowboy Wrestling Club as part of the wrestlers that train at the Cowboy Regional Training Center. After today he wrestles for Team USA!