Final X, presented by Tezos, is Saturday, June 10 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and will be streamed LIVE on FloWrestling. Final X determines the 2023 U.S. Senior World teams in all three Olympic disciplines: men’s and women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman.

Below is a women’s freestyle preview of the 53-kilogram match between Katie Gomez and Dominique Parrish.

Key Credentials

Katie Gomez, 19
— 2023 US Open champion (53 kg)
— 2022 U20 World bronze medalist (53 kg)
— 2022 FloWrestling’s Who’s Number One winner
— 2021 U17 World champion (53 kg)
— 2022 Missouri Valley Open champion (123 lbs)

Dominique Parrish, 26
— 2022 World champion (53 kg)
— Bronze at 2022 Yasar Dogu (53 kg)
— 2019 U23 World Teamer (55 kg)
— 2019 (December) US Open champion (53 kg)
— 2019 Final X runner-up (55 kg)
— 2018 U23 World Teamer (55 kg)
— 2017 U23 World Teamer (55 kg)
— Placed 3-2-1-1 (2016-19) at WCWAs for Simon Fraser

Match History

This is the first meeting between Gomez and Parrish. 

How They Reached Final X

Gomez reached Final X by winning this year’s US Open. She entered as the three-seed and won 10-0 over Melanie Mendoza (R16), 10-0 over Vanessa Ramirez (quarters), 7-2 over Felicity Taylor (semis), and 12-2 over Samara Chavez (finals).

Parrish reached Final X as a returning 2022 World champion. She recently placed fifth at the Pan-Am Championships. 

What Can You Expect?

Katie Gomez has said that her coaches want her to wrestle like Katie. That means moving her feet and using her diverse array of low-level and mid-level attacks — then transitioning to turns. She did that at times at this year's US Open. 

Gomez gave up the opening takedown to Taylor in the semis and to Chavez in the finals before storming back for wins. The Los Angeles native was down 2-0 against Taylor at the break before securing a takedown in the second period and executing a series of turns. Taylor controlled the ties in the first period and shut down Gomez’s stellar offense before Gomez scored a takedown from space. 

The Gomez-Tayor match offers insight into how the Final X match between Parrish and Gomez will be wrestled. Parrish defeated Taylor at Final X last year — 7-2 and 8-2 — to make her first senior-level World team. 

Parrish had a breakout year in 2022 by winning her first international medal followed by a World title a few weeks later. The Scotts Valley, California, native was good at controlling her opponents and keeping the pace high. She also transitioned into turns, which may be the difference in this best-of-three series. 

This should be one of the best Final X match-ups at the Prudential Center on June 10. And there’s something intriguing about two California natives from different generations squaring off for a World team spot. 

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Katie Gomez earned a technical superiority in the finals of this year's US Open

Final X is the Beat the Streets New York Benefit

It is the second straight year Final X will serve as the Beat the Streets New York Annual Benefit. This year’s event will be the 13th BTSNY Annual Benefit. These unique and electrifying annual events help BTSNY raise more than $1 million each year to support local youth wrestling programs which empower young people in New York City. The BTSNY Annual Benefit after-party will follow the conclusion of Final X. Benefit tickets and sponsorship packages (Final X plus exclusive after-party celebration access), that also provide the best wrestling-event seats, are available at give.btsny.org/beatthestreetsbenefit2023. For more information on ticket packages, email Katrin Pokalyukhin at katrin@btsny.org. Event-only tickets for Final X without access to the BTSNY after-party celebration are available on Ticketmaster.