Final X is Saturday, June 14, at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and will be streamed LIVE on FloWrestling. Final X determines the 2025 U.S. Senior World teams in two Olympic disciplines: men’s and women’s freestyle.

Below is a women’s freestyle preview of the 55-kilogram match between Cristelle Rodriguez and Everest Leydecker.

Key Credentials

Cristelle Rodriguez, 21
2025 U23 champion
2x NAIA champion (2024-25)
2024 U20 World champion
2023 U20 World teamer
2019 Cadet World silver medalist
2x California state champion (2019-20)

Everest Leydecker, 17
2024 U20 World Team Trials champion
2024 U17 World Teamer (did not compete)
3x Who’s Number One winner (2022-24)
2024 Super 32 champion
2022 16U National champion

Match History

Rodriguez leads, 1-0

2025 US Open finals: Rodriguez over Leydecker, 4-1

How They Reached Final X

Rodriguez reached Final X by winning this year’s US Open. She entered as the three seed and won 10-0 over Cailin Campbell (R16), 10-0 over Sydney Stifter (quarters), 10-0 over Louisa Schwab (semis), and 4-1 over Everest Leydecker (finals).

Leydecker reached Final X by winning the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. She entered as the top seed and won 10-0 over Julia Vidallon (semis) and 11-0 over Ronna Gross (finals). 

What Can You Expect?

Rodriguez is a uniquely gifted wrestler who can score with low-level, mid-level, and upper-body attacks. And she’s tough to take down. These tools were on display during her gold medal run at the 2024 U20 World Championships. She also has the killer instinct and will look to end matches early.

Her U20 gold medal final was particularly memorable. Rodriguez buried an underhook, grabbed the far wrist, and tossed her Mongolian foe for the fall in 59 seconds. 

The Clovis, California, native considered quitting wrestling after high school before Dana Vote convinced her to attend Doane University. Good thing she stayed the course. Rodriguez is developing into a high-level senior wrestler and could be a medal threat.

Standing in the way of her first Senior World team is Everest Leydecker, a tough-as-nails high school junior who is making history. She is already the first three-time Who’s Number One women’s winner and could become the first female to notch four titles later this year. 

And she could join an elite group of U.S. high schoolers to make a Senior World team. 

Leydecker blitzed the U20 field at Women’s Nationals, taking over the 55 kg spot filled by Rodriguez last year. She had an impressive run at the US Open, scoring two 10-0 techs before a 2-1 win over 2024 World Teamer Areana Villaescusa in the semis.

Rodriguez defeated Leydecker, 4-1, in the US Open finals — hitting a low single off the whistle for two and a go-behind for another two. All the scoring happened in the first 39 seconds after Leydecker scored a one-point reversal following the first takedown. The Phoenix, Arizona, native made adjustments, working a two-on-one and an underhook, but Rodriguez stayed solid as Leydecker worked to score.

The high school superstar made adjustments at the World Team Trials Challenge tournament, scoring an 11-0 tech over Ronna Gross in the finals. Gross is a seasoned veteran, having made the 2020 Olympic and 2021 World Team Trials final. 

Position and pace are the name of the game in this best-of-three series. Rodriguez shoots off the whistle, and Leydecker needs to minimize early scoring. 

Look out for points off scrambles. Leydecker created unique scoring opportunities during her match against Gross. Rodriguez is an equal-opportunity pinner and can put matches away early if you aren’t careful. 

Rodriguez looked exceptional during her U20 World gold medal match

Leydecker defeated Ronna Gross, 11-0, to reach Final X