From: Beyler, Chad Allen [email protected] Subject: Illinois Wrestling: Isaiah Martinez Advances to Final X Series Against Olympic Champion Date: May 20, 2018 at 1:58 PM To: Undisclosed recipients:; FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Sunday, May 20, 2018 SID Contact: Chad Beyler (O: 217.300.1449; C: 217.493.3777 or [email protected]) Final X Tickets | Final X Hub FIGHTING ILLINI WRESTLING Isaiah Martinez Advances to Final X Series Against Olympic Champion Martinez sweeps Kulchytskyy in Challenge Tournament Final ROCHESTER, Minn. – Former Illinois wrestler Isaiah Martinez advanced to the Final X series, the last qualifying round for World Championships, with a sweep of Nazar Kulchytskyy in the World Team Trials Challenge Tournament 74 kilogram best-of-three championship series. In the Final X on June 9, Martinez will wrestle 2012 Olympic champion and reigning World Champion Jordan Burroughs. The Final X, a best-of-three series held over three weekends in three different cities with each site hosting three or four of the 10 series. The 74-kilogram series will be held on June 9 in Lincoln, Nebraska where Martinez will wrestle Burroughs as one of four Men’s Freestyle matches and three Women’s Freestyle matches. The event is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. central time. The other Final X series will be held at State College, Pennsylvania (65kg, 79kg and 86kg) and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (61kg, 92kg and 125kg). In Sunday’s best-of-three Challenge Tournament final against Kulchtskyy, Martinez outscored his fellow Titan Mercury Wrestling Club teammate 26-4 with a pair of 13-2 tech falls. Martinez won the first match behind a 7-0 first period, finishing the match in four minutes, five seconds, and the second match on the backs of a 9-1 second period that ended the bout in four minutes, 36 seconds. Martinez reached the Challenge Tournament finals by way of an automatic bid as the U.S. Open Champion. Martinez won the U.S. Open with five shutouts, outscoring his opponents by a combined score of 49-0, on April 28 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tickets for the Final X in Lincoln, Nebraska can be purchased through the University of Nebraska. Also competing in the Senior Men’s Challenge Tournament, former Illini Zane Richards placed fourth at 57 kilograms with a 2-2 record on the weekend. For complete coverage of Fighting Illini wrestling, go to FIGHTINILLINI.com and follow @IlliniWrestling on Twitter and Instagram. .