Jax Forrest
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jaxen Patrick Forrest | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | October 13, 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 61 kg (134 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country |  United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Wrestling | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Events | Freestyle and Folkstyle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College team | Oklahoma State | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Cowboy Regional Training Center Young Guns Wrestling Club (formerly) Ranger Pride Wrestling Club (formerly) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | David Taylor Howard Forrest | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World finals | 5th (2025) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jaxen Patrick Forrest (born October 13, 2006)[1] is an American freestyle and folkstyle wrestler who competes at 61 kilograms and 133 pounds.[2] In freestyle, he was the 2025 US World Team member and National champion, as well as the U23 World champion.[3]
In folkstyle, Forrest was an undefeated NCAA Division I National champion as well as a Big 12 Conference champion as a true-freshman in 2025–2026, out of the Oklahoma State University.[4]
Career
[edit]High school
[edit]Born and raised in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Forrest moved to Johnstown, Pennsylvania to attend Bishop McCort High School.[5] Forrest was a two-time PIAA Class AA state champion.[6] While in high school, he competed at and won multiple collegiate open tournaments.[7] At the freestyle age-group level, Forrest claimed a U17 World silver medal at 55 kg in 2022.[8][9]
2024
[edit]In April 2024, Forrest made his senior level debut and qualified for the US Olympic Team Trials by claiming the US Last Chance Qualifier crown, racking up dominant wins over NCAA champion Nathan Tomasello, veteran Josh Rodriguez and All-American Devan Turner.[10]
Later in the month, Forrest competed at the US Olympic Team Trials, where, after defeating All-American Liam Cronin, he suffered a loss to World champion Thomas Gilman.[11] Competing for third-place after a pair of forfeit wins, he was defeated by U17 World champion Marcus Blaze.[12]
In September, Forrest moved up to 61 kilograms and competed at the US World Team Trials, where he went 3–1 with a lone loss to four-time All-American Austin DeSanto and technical fall wins over All-Americans Nico Provo and Liam Cronin.[13]
2025
[edit]In February 2025, Forrest, a high school junior, committed to wrestle for David Taylor at the Oklahoma State University.[14]
In April, Forrest claimed the US Open National championship at 61 kilograms, notably defeating NCAA champions Nahshon Garrett in the quarterfinals and Seth Gross in the finals, both by technical fall.[15] As the winner of the tournament, Forrest qualified for Final X, where he would face World champion Vito Arujau for the US World Team spot.[16] Originally scheduled to take place at the Final X event, the series was postponed after Arujau's request following an injury.[17] In the meantime, Forrest claimed a Pan American title after three victories over foreign opposition, in May.[18]
In July, Forrest faced Arujau at the Fargo National tournament, clinching up two upset victories in a row to dethrone the World champion and become the United States' senior level rep at 61 kilograms for the 2025 World Championships[19]
In September, Forrest competed at the World Championships, where he racked up notable wins over Asian champions Takara Suda from Japan and Taiyrbek Zhumashbek Uulu from Kyrgyzstan, before falling to World and Olympic champion Zaur Uguev from Russia in the semifinals and U23 World finalist Assylzhan Yessengeldi from Kazakhstan in the bronze-medal match, finishing in fifth place.[20]
A month after the senior-level 2025 World Championships were held in September, he won gold at the U23 World Championships at 61 kg in October 2025, at the age of nineteen.[21]
On December 30, 2025, Forrest, a high school senior, announced he would be graduating early in order to enroll at Oklahoma State University and compete in the NCAA during the second semester of the 2025–2026 season.[22]
Oklahoma State University
[edit]2025–2026
[edit]On January 11, 2026, Forrest made his Oklahoma State wrestling debut, pinning his opponent in 47 seconds, as Oklahoma State shut out the Oklahoma Sooners in their dual meet.[23] After his dual meet match against Iowa on February 22, 2026, Forrest officially burned his redshirt, with the intention to compete in the 2026 post-season.[24] Forrest won the 133-pound title at the 2026 Big 12 Wrestling Championships, and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament.[25]
At the NCAA Wrestling Championships, Forrest delivered a dominant performance en route to an NCAA title. He scored a fall in the first round followed by two technical falls in the second round and quarterfinals, all three finishes coming in during the first period.[26] In the semifinals, Forrest defeated Aaron Seidel from Virginia Tech by a 14–3 major decision, in a rematch of their 10–9 match during regular season, where Forrest had also been victorious.[27] In the finals, Forrest posted a 5–2 score over Ben Davino from Ohio State, who had previously not been taken down during his college career.[28]
Onto freestyle season, Forrest competed at the US Open National Championships held in April, where he was knocked off in the semifinals by Ben Davino in a rematch from the NCAA finals held a month earlier.[29] He defeated All-American Michael McGee and avenged a loss to Austin DeSanto to come back for third-place.[30]
In May, Forrest competed at the US World Team Trials Challenge, in a second attempt to qualify for Final X.[31][32] He took out All-American Aaron Seidel on points to set up a rematch with Davino, where he was victorious by technical fall.[31] This result set up a best-of-three showdown against US Open and U20 World champion Marcus Blaze, which took place in June.[33] Forrest was defeated two matches to one.[34]
Freestyle record
[edit]
NCAA record
[edit]Stats
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Abbott, Gary. (July 17, 2024). 2024 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals Men's Freestyle finalist biographies. USA Wrestling. Retrieved July 17, 2025.
- ↑ "Despite team's bus being showered with bullets, Greeley Central's Andrew Alirez unflappable, winning Pan Am wrestling title in Brazil". Greeley Tribune. September 1, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
- ↑ "Forrest, Joseph highlight men's freestyle champions at Last Chance Olympic Team Trials Qualifier". www.themat.com. April 7, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ↑ sports@tribdem.com, Eric Knopsnyder (March 22, 2026). "'Funkytown' phenom: Bishop McCort graduate Jax Forrest captures NCAA title as freshman for Oklahoma State". The Tribune-Democrat. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
- ↑ Tribune-Democrat, Eric Knopsnyder For The (November 5, 2021). "'Going to sting': Bishop McCort wrestlers, parents call District 6 penalties unfair". The Tribune-Democrat. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ↑ Bishop McCort Crimson Crushers Wrestling : Jax Forrest. PA-Wrestling.com. Retrieved August 8, 2025.
- ↑ Tribune-Democrat, The (November 19, 2023). "Bishop McCort's Bo Bassett, Jax Forrest earn Millersville College Open titles". The Tribune-Democrat. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ↑ "Jax Forrest named USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week presented by U.S. Air Force Special Warfare". www.themat.com. April 10, 2024. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ↑ Smith, Earl. (October 27, 2025). Forrest Wins U23 World Championship; USA Takes Team Title. InterMat. Retrieved March 26, 2026.
- ↑ Tribune-Democrat, The (April 8, 2024). "WATCH VIDEO: Bishop McCort sophomore Jax Forrest qualifies for United States Olympic Trials". The Tribune-Democrat. Retrieved April 19, 2024.
- ↑ Tribune-Democrat, The (April 19, 2024). "Bishop McCort sophomore Jax Forrest is 2-1 at U.S. Olympic Trials, will wrestle in Friday night session". The Tribune-Democrat. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
- ↑ Tribune-Democrat, The (April 20, 2024). "Bishop McCort's Jax Forrest finishes in 4th place at U.S. Olympic Trials". The Tribune-Democrat. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
- ↑ "2024 Senior World Team Trials Entries". FloWrestling.
- ↑ Scott, Marshall (February 6, 2025). "OSU Wrestling: Jax Forrest Commits to Oklahoma State". Pistols Firing. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ↑ Scott, Marshall (April 27, 2025). "OSU Wrestling Commit Jax Forrest Wins U.S. Open as High School Junior". Pistols Firing. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ↑ "Arujau, Forrest to meet at 61 kg in men's freestyle at 2025 Final X." www.themat.com. May 8, 2025. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
- ↑ Bray, David (June 3, 2025). "Vito Arujau Receives Delay For 61 kg Final X Series Against Jax Forrest". Flo Wrestling. Retrieved June 4, 2025.
- ↑ "Forrest, Lockett, Valencia claim gold in men's freestyle at Senior Pan American Championships". www.themat.com. May 11, 2025. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
- ↑ Waldrep, Tyler (July 15, 2025). "Jax Forrest Earns Spot on Team USA Ahead of World Championships". Pistols Firing. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
- ↑ Tribune-Democrat, The; Johnstown; read, Pa ·1 min (September 15, 2025). "Bishop McCort senior Jax Forrest comes in 5th place at world senior freestyle championships". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ Forrest Delivers Gold Medal, Men’s Freestyle Wins U23 World Team Title. nwhof.org. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
- ↑ Bush, Braden. (January 6, 2026). Jax Forrest enrolls early at Oklahoma State, joins Cowboy wrestling roster: Will he compete right away?. Yahoo Sports. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
- ↑ Keating, Bryan. (January 12, 2026). Oklahoma State's Jax Forrest shines in wrestling debut. KOCO. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
- ↑ Kosko, Nick. February 22, 2026). Oklahoma State uses Jax Forrest vs. Iowa, burns redshirt. On3. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
- ↑ (March 8, 2026). Bishop McCort graduate Jax Forrest wins Big 12 title, OW honors. Yahoo Sports. Retrieved March 20, 2026.
- ↑ "OSU freshman Jax Forrest advances to finals of NCAA wrestling championships". The Oklahoman. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
- ↑ Uveino, Jeff. "See who won NCAA wrestling rematch between Jax Forrest, Aaron Seidel". Erie Times-News. Retrieved March 22, 2026.
- ↑ NCAA Wrestling Championships 2026 Results, Champions, Team Scores www.flowrestling.org
- ↑ "Six out of seven past World Teamers advance to Men's Freestyle Finals; Davino Beats Forrest in NCAA finals rematch". www.themat.com. April 25, 2026. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
- ↑ read, R. R. Ellis·40 min (April 25, 2026). "US Open Wrestling 2026 Senior Men's Freestyle Day 1 Results". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - 1 2 read, Jon Kozak·19 min (April 21, 2026). "2026 US Open Wrestling Championships Preview & Prediction - Men's Freestyle". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ Scott, Marshall (May 14, 2026). "Jax Forrest Advances to World Team Trials Final". Pistols Firing. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ↑ sports@tribdem.com, Eric Knopsnyder (May 16, 2026). "Jax Forrest defeats Ben Davino for spot in Final X". The Tribune-Democrat. Retrieved May 17, 2026.
- ↑ Wright, Scott. "Wyatt Hendrickson wins spot on USA Wrestling world team, Jax Forrest barely misses out". The Oklahoman. Retrieved June 20, 2026.
- ↑ Wrestlestat.com. "Jax Forrest". WrestleStat. Retrieved March 21, 2026.