NCAA Wrestling Championships 2026: Betting Odds, Picks, And Champion Forecasts

The 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships are just around the corner, and excitement is building as analysts, fans, and insiders begin predicting how the tournament will unfold. The tournament is scheduled to take place from March 19 to 21 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland.

The annual event is the biggest stage in college wrestling, where the nation’s top wrestlers compete for individual national titles while their teams battle for the overall championship. With several dominant programs and star athletes entering the tournament, it is one of the most anticipated events. Hundreds of qualified wrestlers across 10 weight classes will compete over three days.

Programs from the Big Ten Conference are expected to play a major role once again, as many top-ranked wrestlers enter the tournament right after the conference. Let’s look at the betting odds, predicted champions, and more for the NCAA Wrestling Championships 2026.

NCAA Wrestling Championships 2026 Odds and Predictions 

133 pounds 

Jax Forrest (Oklahoma State) vs Marcus Blaze (Penn State)

Top seed Jax Forrest will take on Marcus Blaze for the 133-pound title. They will lock horns after almost two years. In their last matchup at the 2024 US Olympic Team Trials, Blaze dominated Forrest in the third-place match with an 8-1 win.

However, considering recent performances at the Big 12 Championships, where Forrest dominated the weight category after besting Kyler Larkin, he is being considered the favorite. On the other hand, Blaze lost his recent 133-pound bout at the Big Ten Championships to Ben Davino.

Predicted winner: Forrest (-240)

141 pounds 

Jesse Mendez (Ohio State) vs. Brock Hardy (Nebraska)

Another head-to-head showdown expected at the NCAA Wrestling Championships in the 141 lbs finals will be between Mendez and Hardy, who are entering the tournament as the top seed and No. 4, respectively. Based on their latest bout against each other on January 25 this year during the dual season, Mendez dominated the clash with a 14-3 major decision. They also locked horns in the 2025 NCAA finals, where the Ohio wrestler won.

Predicted winner: Mendez (-250)

149 pounds 

Shayne Van Ness (Penn State) vs. Koy Buesgens (NC State)

Van Ness, who is entering the NCAA Wrestling Championships as the top seed, will take on Buesgens for the 149 lbs title. Both wrestlers haven’t met on the mat so far; however, as per their recent matchups, the Penn State wrestler is expected to win. The latter recently secured his first Big Ten title after defeating Ethan Stiles in 3:29 in the finals. On the other hand, Buesgens earned a second-place finish at the 2026 ACC Championship final against Collin Gaj.

Predicted winner: Shayne Van Ness (-250)

157 pounds

PJ Duke (Penn State) vs Antrell Taylor (Nebraska)

Two top seeds are all set to contend against each other at the NCAA Wrestling Championships. After their recent bout against each other in the 157 lbs division in the Big Ten Championships, where Taylor, who was the defending champion, lost to Duke by a 12-4 major decision, the latter is currently the favorite for the NCAA title.

Predicted winner: Duke (-110)

165 pounds

Mitchell Mesenbrink (Penn State) vs Joey Blaze (Purdue)

These two are entering the NCAA Wrestling Championships as the top two seeds. It will be their first time facing each other on the mat, and Mesenbrink is expected to win, considering their latest bout at the Big Ten Championships, where the Penn State wrestler won the title. However, the Purdue athlete finished in third position.

Predicted winner: Mesenbrink (-500)

174 pounds 

Levi Haines (Penn State) vs Christopher Minto (Nebraska)

The top seed and No. 3 are gearing up to face one another once again at the NCAA Wrestling Championship after their finals clash at the Big Ten Championships. In this bout, Haines comfortably won 2-1 against Minto, securing his fourth title. This makes him the favorite for this weight category. They also met in the 2026 dual season during the Penn State vs. Maryland Terrapins, where the No. 1 again solidified his position with a win.

Predicted winner: Haines (-500)

184 pounds 

Rocco Welsh (Penn State) vs Max McEnelly (Minnesota)

Another exciting match at the NCAA Wrestling Championships will star No. 1 and No. 3 seeds in the 184 lbs. They have just met once on the mat at the 2026 Big Ten Championships, where Welsh proved his prowess, as he claimed an impressive 2-1 (TB1) win, making him the favorite for their clash at the upcoming championships.

Predicted winner: Welsh (-115)

197 pounds 

Josh Barr (Penn State) vs. Joey Novak (Wyoming)

Barr and Novak have not locked horns yet, but they are all amped up to go against each other at the NCAA Championships. Barr is entering the tournament as No. 1 seed, while his opponent is seeded at No. 5.

Barr’s latest performance came at the Big Ten Championships, where he bested Camden McDanel for the title with a 19-4 technical fall. On the other hand, Novak lost his latest match to Rocky Elam in the Big 12 championships final.

Predicted winner: Barr (-350)

285 pounds 

Yonger Bastida (Iowa State) vs. Taye Ghadiali (Michigan)

Bastida and Ghadiali are entering the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships as the No. 1 and No. 3 seeds, respectively. Their most recent outing against each other came at the NWCA All-Star Classic in 2025. Here, the Iowa wrestler produced a commanding performance, securing a victory over Ghadiali.

Bastida and Ghadiali recently competed in the Big 12 and Big Ten Championships, respectively, and dominated the finals.

Even though both wrestlers are strong contenders and have proved their dominance constantly on the mat, Bastida is currently the favorite for the NCAA heavyweight title.

Predicted winner: Bastida (+105)

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