For the first time in years, Kyle Snyder looked vulnerable.
The Olympic gold medalist and one of the most decorated wrestlers in American history was pushed to the brink at Final X on Friday night by newly crowned NCAA champion Stephen Buchanan. What was expected to be another routine victory for Snyder instead turned into a dramatic three-match battle that had wrestling fans locked in from start to finish.
When the dust settled, Snyder had done just enough to keep his grip on the United States’ 97-kilogram spot for the 2026 Senior World Team. But Buchanan’s performance left no doubt that a serious challenger has arrived.
The showdown marked one of Snyder’s toughest domestic tests in recent memory. Buchanan forced a decisive third match after earning a controversial 5-5 criteria victory in Match 2, creating a level of suspense rarely seen in Snyder’s long-running dominance of the weight class.
Snyder has represented the United States at either the World Championships or Olympic Games every year since 2015, a streak that has included world titles, Olympic medals, and countless victories over elite competition. Buchanan came closer than almost anyone has in recent years to ending that run.
Buchanan Forces Snyder Into Rare Third Match
The pivotal moment of the series came during the second bout.
Trailing late, Buchanan managed to secure a takedown that tied the score at 5-5. Because of criteria, the tie score awarded him the victory and forced the series into a winner-take-all third match.
The sequence sparked confusion and debate, including from Snyder himself, who admitted afterward that he wasn’t entirely sure about the ruling.
Despite the controversy, Snyder chose not to dwell on it.
“Yeah, I just was a little confused by the call at the end of the match, in match two,” Snyder said after the event. “But, like I said, God’s in control of the results. That’s my belief.”
Rather than complain about the outcome, Snyder embraced the challenge and praised the man standing across from him.
“So if I’m supposed to wrestle a third match, Stephen’s just a great opponent, and I really appreciate his faith and his character, the way that he works. I’m thankful to have somebody like him in the United States to compete against.”
That respect was evident throughout the series. While Snyder ultimately prevailed, Buchanan earned widespread admiration for pushing one of wrestling’s all-time greats to the limit.
Iowa Star’s Incredible Rise Continues
Buchanan’s emergence as a legitimate world-level contender is the latest chapter in a remarkable collegiate career.
The Iowa standout finished the 2025 season with a dominant 26-1 record and captured the NCAA national championship. In the title match, Buchanan defeated Penn State’s Josh Barr by a score of 5-2 to secure the biggest achievement of his college career.
His path to the top was anything but conventional.
Buchanan wrestled three seasons at Wyoming before spending two years at Oklahoma. He then transferred to Iowa for his final collegiate campaign, where he completed his championship journey.
Over the course of his college career, Buchanan compiled an impressive 112-26 overall record. He also earned multiple All-America honors, finishing eighth nationally in 2021 and third in 2022 while competing for Wyoming. In 2024, he added another third-place NCAA finish while wrestling for Oklahoma.
Those accomplishments already made him one of the nation’s most accomplished wrestlers. His performance against Snyder, however, may have elevated his reputation even further.
Many observers entered Final X expecting Snyder to advance comfortably. Instead, Buchanan demonstrated that he belongs in conversations about America’s future at 97 kilograms.
Snyder Adds Another Chapter to Legendary Career
Although Buchanan stole plenty of headlines, Snyder once again reminded everyone why he remains the standard in American wrestling.
The former Ohio State superstar owns one of the most decorated résumés the sport has ever seen.
During his collegiate career, Snyder reached four NCAA finals and captured three national championships. Internationally, his achievements are even more impressive.
He won Olympic gold in 2016 and followed it with a silver medal at the 2020 Olympic Games. Across World Championships and Olympic competition, Snyder has accumulated five gold medals, two silver medals, and two bronze medals.
Those accomplishments have cemented his place among the greatest wrestlers in United States history.
Yet maintaining that level of excellence becomes increasingly difficult with every passing year. The 97-kilogram division remains one of the toughest weight classes in international wrestling, filled with younger challengers eager to take over.
That reality made Snyder’s Final X victory particularly significant.
After more than a decade competing at the senior level, he continues finding ways to win against elite opposition. Buchanan may have exposed vulnerabilities, but Snyder still had enough left to claim the decisive third match by a convincing 9-3 score.
Bigger Challenges Await on the International Stage
The Final X victory guarantees Snyder another opportunity to compete for a world title, but his toughest tests may still lie ahead.
Next on his schedule is a highly anticipated showdown with longtime rival Abdulrashid Sadulaev at RAF Georgia on July 11. Snyder will be defending his light-heavyweight belt in a matchup that has become one of wrestling’s defining rivalries.
The two stars could potentially meet again later this year at the World Championships and may even continue their rivalry through the 2028 Olympic Games.
For wrestling fans, few matchups generate more excitement.
Snyder’s ability to hold off Buchanan ensures that those dream battles remain alive for now. But Final X also delivered another message: the next generation is closing the gap.
Eyes Now Turn Toward Kazakhstan
With Final X complete, Snyder officially punches his ticket to the 2026 World Championships.
This year’s event is scheduled to take place in Astana, Kazakhstan, from October 24 through November 1, where the world’s best wrestlers will compete for international supremacy.
Snyder will enter the tournament chasing another gold medal and another historic achievement in a career already filled with them.
Buchanan, meanwhile, leaves Final X without the World Team spot but with something almost as valuable: proof that he can compete with the very best.
On Friday night, he pushed an Olympic champion to the edge and nearly ended one of the longest-running reigns in American wrestling.
He didn’t get the final victory.
But after forcing Kyle Snyder into one of the toughest battles of his recent career, Stephen Buchanan proved that his rise is far from over.
