by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling

2020 Olympic champion and 2018 World champion David Taylor (State College, Pa./Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC) has officially accepted his 86 kg men’s freestyle berth in Final X

Taylor will battle for a spot on the 2022 U.S. World Team in Final X New York. presented by Tezos, on Wednesday, June 8 at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Taylor won an Olympic gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. He was also a 2018 World champion in Budapest, Hungary. Taylor was named United World Wrestling Freestyle Wrestler of the Year in 2018. He has also won a 2021 World silver medal. A three-time U.S. Open champion, Taylor was also a 2018 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion in Russia. He was a two-time NCAA champion and four-time NCAA finalist for Penn State, also winning four Big Ten titles. Taylor won a bronze medal at the 2013 University World Games. A native of St. Paris, Ohio, Taylor won four Ohio state titles for Graham High School.

This will serve as the 12th Beat the Streets Annual Benefit. These unique and electrifying annual events help Beat the Streets New York raise millions of dollars to support local youth wrestling programs which empower young people in New York City.

There are a variety of ticket options available for Final X New York, beginning at $65 so you don't miss the first in-person Benefit since 2019. Purchase your wrestling-only event tickets on Ticketmaster. For information on Benefit tickets and sponsorship packages (wrestling event and exclusive after party access) that also provide the best wrestling-event seats, visit give.btsny.org/benefit or email Fund Development Manager Kerry Doyle at kdoyle@btsny.org."

The Final X series will determine the 2022 U.S. Senior World Teams in men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling which will compete in Belgrade, Serbia, Sept. 10-18.

The Team Selection procedures for the U.S. World Teams in each style allows for 2021 Senior World medalists and 2020 Olympic medalists to advance directly to Final X at a specified weight class. Taylor has met this requirement and accepted his qualification.

There are 15 weight classes contested in Final X New York, five in each discipline. The weight classes assigned to the Final X New York are:

• Men’s freestyle: 65 kg, 74 kg, 79 kg, 86 kg, 125 kg

• Women’s freestyle: 50 kg, 53 kg, 57 kg, 62 kg, 72 kg

• Greco-Roman: 60 kg, 67 kg, 77 kg, 87 kg, 97 kg

The Final X opponent for Taylor will be determined at the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, set for Coralville, Iowa, May 20-22.

The Beat the Streets Annual Benefit, a fan-favorite, is a major showcase of the best of international wrestling. These competitions have been at iconic locations across New York City.

This will be Taylor’s sixth Beat the Streets Benefit appearance. He won his first four matches against talented opponents from Russia, Azerbaijan, Cuba and Japan. In 2019, he was injured 31 seconds into the bout and could not finish.

In addition to Final X New York, Final X Stillwater will be held Friday, June 3 at Gallagher-Iba Arena on the campus of Oklahoma State University. There will be 15 other weight classes contested in Stillwater.

FloWrestling will serve as the host broadcasting partner for both Final X Stillwater, presented by Tezos, and Final X New York, presented by Tezos

FINAL X NEW YORK, presented by Tezos at Madison Square Garden Hulu Theater, Wednesday, June 8

Declared Qualifiers to date

Men’s Freestyle 86 kg - David Taylor (State College, Pa./Titan Mercury WC/Nittany Lion WC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Greco-Roman 97 kg - G’Angelo Hancock (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Women’s Freestyle 57 kg - Helen Maroulis (Rockville, Md./Sunkist Kids) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

Men’s Freestyle 79 kg – Jordan Burroughs (Philadelphia, Pa./Sunkist Kids/Pennsylvania RTC) vs. winner at World Team Trials Challenge Tournament

DAVID TAYLOR

Residence: State College, Pa.

Club: Titan Mercury WC

Regional Training Center: Nittany Lion WC

College: Penn State

High School: St. Paris, Ohio (Graham)

Born: Dec. 5, 1990

• 2020 Olympic champion

• 2018 World champion

• 2021 World silver medalist

• Three-time U.S. Open champion (2015, 2017, 2018)

• 2017 and 2018 World Cup champion

• 2018 Ivan Yarygin Grand Prix champion (Russia)

• Three-time Pan American Championships champion (2018, 2019, 2021)

• Two-time U.S. World Team Trials runner-up (2014, 2017)

• Third in 2013 World University Games

• Two-time NCAA champion for Penn State (2012, 2014)

• Two-time Dan Hodge Trophy recipient, as nation’s best college wrestler (2012, 2014)

• 2018 United World Wrestling Freestyle Wrestler of the Year

David Taylor Beat the Streets history (4-1 record)

2013: Magomed Kurbanaliev (Russia), fall 7-2, 0:16

2014: Jabrayil Hasanov (Azerbaijan), 6-0

2015: Livan Lopez (Cuba), tech. fall, 18-7

2017: Takahiro Murayama (Japan), fall 1:19

2019: Drew Foster (USA), injury default loss, 0:31