Blades vs. Boyd - RAF Featherweight Title

When all is said and done there’s going to be a lot of hardware between Kennedy Blades and Alara Boyd. An NCWWC championship and twice a runner up is Boyd and an Olympic silver medal, RAF Featherweight belt, Pan American gold, World Junior gold and more for Kennedy Blades. It’s rare to see two athletes in their primes brought together outside of international competition and in their own discipline, nonetheless.

Unlike the men on the RAF roster, nobody’s stepping away from a folkstyle background to “try out freestyle.” Freestyle is what has built the decorated foundations of Blades and Boyd and adds even more pride to the pot.Blades may be coming in with the buzz and the wind at her back but Boyd is no stranger to taking out the odds-on favorites.

Blades is almost indisputably the face of women’s wrestling at the moment but there’s nobody more equipped to knock her down a peg than Boyd.

Regardless of who walks off the mat a champion, one thing is certain, they’re going to earn it.

OPPOSING STYLES AT PLAY

Alara Boyd: The world was introduced to Boyd in 2020 when the McKendree University freshman finished runner up in head-turning fashion. Since then she has been one of the key pillars in women’s wrestling and set a high bar for excellence. Boyd has a knack for finding real time flaws in the offense of her opponents and turning their attacks into points against them. She avoids risky scrambles and exclusively makes high-percentage decisions in every match.

Kennedy Blades: Blades is the talk of women’s wrestling in both the collegiate and international scene and it’s obvious why. She has one of the most exciting styles we’ve ever seen. Opposing Boyd’s conservative approach to attack situations, Blades is an “attack-first” wrestler that keeps opponents under constant threat rather than letting them dictate pace, pressure or position. Blades also doesn’t rely on a go-to move for opponents to watch for. She mixes in double-legs, throws and more to light the scoreboard on fire rather than grinding out decisions.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Distance Warfare: Boyd thrives on close-quarters and contact, Blades looks for range. Should one of them fall into their groove, the winner of that battle could not only win but win big.

Momentum is Key: Both Blades and Boyd offensively catch fire when things are clicking. Both are using their heads as much as their skill on the mat; it’s important for both women to avoid “flinching” and letting the other have the upper hand or it could all come unraveled.

Underhook Watch: Both utilize underhooks effectively. Boyd dictates posture and sets up close-quarter attacks with underhooks while Blades uses them to set up throws and long attacks. Don’t blink when you see angling for underhooks from either wrestler.

Who will own the title? Find out Saturday, December 20 ONLY on Fox Nation!