Real American Freestyle wrestling to debut at Cleveland’s Wolstein Center with Olympic medalists

Real American Freestyle wrestling’s inaugural event will be held at the 13,000-seat Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio on Aug. 30, commissioner Hulk Hogan said in a statement.

“Cleveland is an incredible city, and Real American Freestyle is channeling its rock and roll style into this first event,” he said.

The first set of matches and the location for the new promotion’s first event were announced Wednesday. The first two women’s matches are American Olympic gold medalist Sarah Hildebrandt vs. Mexico’s Zeltzin Hernandez Guerra and American Olympic silver medalist Kennedy Blades vs. Mexico’s Alejandra Rivera Arriaga.

The men’s matches so far are Real Woods vs. Darrion Caldwell and Austin Gomez vs. Lance Palmer.

The format will include eight men’s and four women’s matches. Major signings have included American Olympic medalists Kyle Snyder, Kyle Dake and Aaron Brooks and NCAA heavyweight champion Wyatt Hendrickson.

Real American Freestyle wrestling to debut at Cleveland's Wolstein Center with Olympic medalists | iNFOnews.ca
FILE – United State’s Sarah Hildebrandt celebrates after defeating Mongolia’s Otgonjargal Dolgorjav during their women’s freestyle 50kg wrestling semifinal match, Aug. 6, 2024 at Champ-de-Mars Arena during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
Real American Freestyle wrestling to debut at Cleveland's Wolstein Center with Olympic medalists | iNFOnews.ca
FILE – Oklahoma State’s Wyatt Hendrickson, right, takes on Minnesota’s Gable Steveson during a 285-pound match in the finals at the NCAA wrestling championship, March 22, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, file)

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