Two-time World bronze medalist Kylie Welker and 2022 World Team member Dymond Guilford renew their rivalry at 2026 Final X, presented by Kerberos Capital Management, with a spot on the 2026 U.S. Senior World Team on the line. The 76 kg women’s freestyle best-of-three series takes place on Friday, September 25, at Hilliard Davidson High School in the greater Columbus, Ohio, area starting at 6 p.m. ET.
Originally scheduled for June 19, Welker requested and received a medical delay, which pushed the matchup with Guilford to next week.
Welker locked up her spot at Final X after she accepted her bid following a bronze-medal performance at the 2025 World Championships. After an 8-3 setback to World silver medalist Aiperi Medet Kyzy of Kyrgyzstan, Welker stormed through the repechage with a 10-0 win over three-time age-group World medalist Elmira Yasin of Türkiye. Welker then defeated five-time age-group World medalist Anastasiya Alpyeyeva of Ukraine, 6-2, to claim bronze.
In 2026, Welker had a standout performance to win the Senior Pan American title in May. She had 11-0 wins over World bronze medalists and 2024 Olympic bronze medalists Tatiana Renteria of Colombia and Milaimys Marin of Cuba. Welker then claimed gold with a fall against 2025 World champion Genesis Reasco of Ecuador. Welker also won the NCAA title for Iowa at 180 pounds at the inaugural NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships in March.
Guilford locked in the rematch of last year’s Final X series after going 4-0 at the U.S. Open Championships. For the spot at Final X, Guilford took down NCAA champion Tristan Kelly of McKendree, 3-1. Across her four matches as the top seed in Las Vegas, Guilford outscored her opponents 30-6 and notched a pin in the quarterfinals against Kiley Dillow.
This season, Guilford, who also earned the U23 World silver medal in 2022, has medaled in her two United World Wrestling Ranking Series appearances. She started 2026 with a bronze medal at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series in Tirana, Albania. Highlighting her performance in Albania, Guilford upended World medalist Alexandra Anghel of Romania, 4-0. Then, at the Polyák Imre, Varga János & Kozma István Memorial Ranking Series in Budapest, Hungary, she claimed silver. She headlined her tournament in Hungary with a 5-1 decision over six-time age-group World medalist Priya of India.
Welker holds a 5-2 series lead against Guilford in a rivalry that began at the 2020 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Welker won the first meeting, 8-0, but Guilford collected two wins over Welker in 2023. Guilford won a 4-2 contest at the Missouri Valley Open and pinned Welker at the U.S. Open. Welker has won the last four meetings. At 2023 Final X, Welker won 8-5 in a true-third match, and at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials she won 5-4 in the third-place bout.
The last two meetings between Welker and Guilford came at 2025 Final X, where Welker won 2-1 and 9-1.
What’s at Stake?
The winner of the best-of-three wrestle-off secures the 76 kg women’s freestyle spot on the 2026 U.S. World Team, competing at the 2026 Senior World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, October 24-November 1.
This is slated to be Welker’s second best-of-three Final X series. She is currently 2-0 all-time, after sweeping Guilford in 2025.
Guilford is 2-2 all-time in Final X best-of-three series. She won two straight matches in her first appearance against Yelena Makoyed, 12-2 and 10-5, at 2022 Final X – Stillwater. Then in 2025, Guilford was swept by Welker.
