The moment has finally come for every wrestler across America to put on their A-game. Why? Because the World Team trials are finally here, the grapplers will finally get a chance to prove themselves on the mat and make a mark on the national team. But while each weight category is full of future Hall-of-Famers, there is one division that is about to be on everyone’s tongues. After all, from undefeated names to major glory holders, the 65kg weight class is going to be an absolute riot. But what do the experts have to say about that? Well, quite a lot.
After all, despite all that talent, one guy’s name keeps coming up as the one to beat: Jesse Mendez. He’s got the top seed, and yeah, he seems set to dominate. But let’s be real, it’s not going to be easy. Guys like Brock Hardy and Bo Bassett are gonna push him hard and see what he’s made of. So, what’s the deal with Mendez being the favorite, and how do Hardy and Bassett stack up against him in this crazy, tough bracket?
Let’s get into the details, starting with the pre-seeds everyone was talking about. Wrestling analyst Pyles mentioned something pretty big: “The big news here in these pre-seeds is no Nick Lee. He registered for this, but withdrew for whatever reason, not competing here.” Nick Lee was someone a lot of folks thought could win this whole thing, so his dropping out changes everything.
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Pyles put it straight: “So he was in many ways the favorite to win this way; not with him now, the top seed Jesse Mendez looks like the favorite to me.” Mendez being seeded first isn’t just a formality; it shows how well he’s been doing lately. But Pyles didn’t pretend it would be a walk in the park, adding, “But it’s going to be a tough path no matter how you slice it for whoever it is, they’re gonna be a lot of tough guys.”
This just tells you that in this weight class, any match could see an upset, making Mendez’s road to the top anything but a sure thing. But if Mendez is the guy to beat, what about the other big names in the mix? Here are the big names: Brock Hardy and Bo Bassett. Just hearing those names is enough to make even seasoned wrestlers think twice.
Hardy’s got tons of experience—he was a four-time state champ in Utah and won the USA Folkstyle Nationals five times. He’s even been on the U-23 world team, showing he can hang internationally, even if he hasn’t wrestled a ton at the senior level yet. Then you’ve got Bo Bassett. This kid is young, but his resume is wild for his age. Back when he was just in seventh grade, he made both the Freestyle and Greco-Roman Cadet World Teams at 45kg in 2021.
He was just teaching guys left and right to get to the best-of-three finals in both styles. Pyles nailed the potential vibe of a match between Bassett and another contender, Bo Bartlett: “You got the machine gun mindset versus Bo Bartlett, the positional master, a very, very tough challenge here for Bo Bassett truly.” This paints a picture of a weight class where everyone brings a different style and skill set to the mat. But can Hardy and Bassett take down the favorite?
The winner Will Have to fight Joey McKenna in the Final X
Okay, so you know how it goes, right? Whoever wins this brutal tournament doesn’t just make the team; they earn this huge shot—they get to face Joey McKenna in Final X! Talk about a career-defining match. McKenna’s no joke, either. He’s won medals at the age-group Worlds twice and made a name for himself. Get this: he won his first U.S. Open title just a couple of weeks after finishing his college season!
His path to Final X was super impressive too—he didn’t give up a single point through the semifinals and then beat Jesse Mendez with a 3-2 score, securing his place in FINAL X. So, that sets things up for a massive showdown. The person who wins the Trials has to prove they can handle McKenna’s non-stop pressure and smart wrestling. But with McKenna’s track record, is the Trials winner even ready for what’s coming?
Pyles, when he was breaking it down, made sure to point out, “Winner here gets Joey McKenna at Final X.” That line just packs in all the expectation and pressure. So, whoever wins the Trials—whether it ends up being Jesse Mendez, Brock Hardy, or Bo Bassett—they’re going to be facing a guy who not only has the skills but also knows how to handle the heat of a huge match.
So, as we watch the Trials unfold, the big question hanging in the air is, who out of this tough field has what it takes to go head-to-head with Joey McKenna in Final X?
The post Jesse Mendez Favored Over Bo Bassett & Brock Hardy as American Analyst Predicts First Seed to Dominate 65kg Weight Category appeared first on EssentiallySports.
