Takedown Report

Hall of Fame Class of 2026 inducted on Saturday night at Honors Weekend to themes of resilience and gratitude

STILLWATER, Okla. – The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum Honors Weekend concluded on Saturday night at the McKnight Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Oklahoma State University with the formal induction of the Class of 2026 honorees.
The evening of celebration was moderated by Hall of Fame announcer Sandy Stevens. Each honoree was introduced with a detailed short film created by Skooter Schultz, before being presented with their tailored award and sharing some words of inspiration for the crowd of supporters.
Four Distinguished Members were inducted this year: Ben Askren, Tervel Dlagnev, Lee Roy Smith and Shannon Williams-Yancey.
As one of the most influential wrestlers of his generation, Asken was a two-time NCAA Division I champion, four-time NCAA finalist and two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner for the University of Missouri. Askren represented the U.S. at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Following his competitive career on the mats, Askren pursued mixed martial arts with great success and helped found Askren Wrestling Academy, which is now one of the nation’s premier youth wrestling clubs. In 2025, Askren required a double lung transplant, which he has pushed through to a full recovery.
In a few words, Askren explained to the crowd how wrestling is among the highest of intellectual pursuits, and something that drew him because he could control his own fate on the mats.
“Wrestling showed me I was capable,” he reflected. … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2026/june/06/hall-of-fame-class-of-2026-inducted-on-saturday-night-at-honors-weekend-to-themes-of-resilience-and-gratitude?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

June 19, 2026 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized