BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA – History was made once again as Hokies Wrestling went three for three on medals on Sunday, August 23 at the 2026 U20 World Championships. Aaron Seidel and Bo Bassett were crowned world champions as Ryan Burton garnered bronze for the Hokies to help Team USA lock up the team title – the third team championship in a row for the red, white, and blue. The trio scored 65 out of Team USA’s 205, which would have placed the Hokies seventh in the world among the final team standings.
🗣️ HOKIES ARE COMING
Two World Champs. One World Bronze.
It's getting brighter in Blacksburg.#ALLINALLTHETIME #Hokies 🦃 pic.twitter.com/yIINDsBPIF
— Virginia Tech Wrestling (@HokiesWrestling) August 22, 2026
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Seidel showing the world why he’s the Savage
Sophomore sensation Aaron Seidel was in vintage form all weekend with three tech falls, a fall and one controlling decision to take the 61-kilogram crown. In his signature fashion living up to his “Savage” moniker, Seidel was a point-scoring machine in his international debut, outscoring the opposition 54-8 to the tune of two tech falls, two falls and one decision. He defeated three continental championship medalists, including Iran’s world champion and returning finalist Ahora Khetari as his opening draw.
𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 🥇
Dominant & Entertaining. Aaron Seidel with an absolute show in Bratislava - a dec, three tech falls and one fall, outscoring opponents 54-8! Take bow, Savage. You are a WORLD CHAMPION 👑#ALLINALLTHETIME #Hokies 🦃 pic.twitter.com/5sT8KTticb
— Virginia Tech Wrestling (@HokiesWrestling) August 21, 2026
Bassett returns to top of the mountain with second world title
Incoming freshman and phenom Bo Bassett continued to light the world on fire with his signature style while defeating three former world medalists en route to the 65-kilogram title. The Bo Bassett run was electric over the two-day tournament with a tech fall, two pins and a lone decision, which was the only bout of his weekend to go beyond the first period. Bassett blitzed the field 37-6, including an emphatic pin in the semifinals over Russia to advance to the finals. To finish off his world title run, Bassett met Japan’s Takuto Usedo in what would be the only match to go the distance for the Hokie all weekend, a dominant 8-2 decision to win his second world title.
𝐀𝐧 𝐌𝐆𝐌 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 🥇
Look up "dominant" & you'll see a photo of Bo Bassett. Outscored the field 37-6 with a dec, two techs & two falls with one match going past the first period. Left no doubt. MGM once again WORLD CHAMPION 👑#ALLINALLTHETIME… pic.twitter.com/GHkGmeKH5u
— Virginia Tech Wrestling (@HokiesWrestling) August 22, 2026
Burton bursts onto international scene with podium finish
Ryan Burton announced his name to the world with a podium finish in just his second international tournament in what was regarded as the toughest bracket of the weekend. Beginning his world championship in style, Burton finished a controlling opening-round match with a fall to punch his ticket into the quarterfinals. The Hokie then wrestled a savvy, stingy bout to take out Kazakhstan’s Asian world medalist to set up the biggest match of his career – a semifinal bout against senior Asian champion and Japan’s U20 and senior world championship representative Keyvan Gharehdaghi. In an extremely close match, Burton pushed the world’s No. 5-ranked 79-kilogram competitor to the brink but fell short at the buzzer to drop to the bronze medal bout. Burton found himself down early in his medal bout but battled back to a 10-4 victory to add world bronze medalist to his name.
𝐑𝐁𝟏. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞 🥉
Just the beginning for Ryan Burton. RB1 with unwavering belief and battles back to take the next best thing. Not bad for a World Championship debut. WORLD BRONZE, the best is yet to come for RB1⚡#ALLINALLTHETIME #Hokies 🦃 pic.twitter.com/9ToSKlYuAA
— Virginia Tech Wrestling (@HokiesWrestling) August 22, 2026
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2026 U20 World Championships official results
Aaron Seidel, champion, 61 kilograms
Qualification Round: TECH FALL Ahora Khateri, Iran, 15-4
Round of 16: FALL Marian Kret, Slovakia, 12-2, 0:46
Quarterfinals: TECH FALL Jamal Abbasov, Azerbaijan, 13-1
Semifinals: TECH FALL Moses Mendoza, Mexico, 10-0
Finals: DEC Bekassyl Assambek, Kazakhstan, 7-0
Bo Bassett, champion, 65 kilograms
Qualification: Yeraly Askerbek, Kazakhstan, 11-0
Round of 16: FALL Bashir Verdiyev, Azerbaijan, 5-0, 0:40
Quarterfinals: TECH FALL Haci Zade, Turkey, 12-2
Semifinals: FALL Zalimkhan Umarov, Russia, 5-2, 1:26
Finals: DEC Takuto Usedo, Japan, 8-2
Ryan Burton, bronze, 79 kilograms
Round of 16: FALL Luka Margvelidze, Georgia, 5-0, 5:12
Quarterfinals: DEC Aibek Kalyakhmet, Kazakhstan, 3-1
Semifinals: loss via dec Keyvan Gharehdaghi, Japan, 2-5
Bronze: DEC Eljan Ismayilzada, Azerbaijan, 10-4
