Trent Hidlay's World Champ Underhooks: A Guide to Underhook Offense

Explore Trent Hidlay's underhook offense, his 2025 World final comeback, and the knee picks and transitions in World Champ Underhooks.

By Eric Lundgren · 2026-11-10T22:23:36.568Z · 5 min read

Trent Hidlay trailed 10–2 in the 2025 World final at 92 kg, then scored 11 unanswered points to win 13–10. That comeback provides a reason to study how he builds and sustains offense under pressure.

His Ocean instructional, World Champ Underhooks, focuses on his signature underhook series. Here is a practical framework for understanding the tie, alongside the results that brought more attention to his wrestling.

TL;DR

Trent Hidlay won the 2025 World Championship at 92 kg after coming back from 10–2 down to win the final 13–10.
His underhook offense is a useful position to study alongside the comeback; a match result alone does not explain every scoring action.
The underhook is more than a setup; it's a controlling tie that opens takedowns, throws, and scoring sequences
Ocean's World Champ Underhooks covers Hidlay's underhook series, including knee picks and transitions.
A practical takeaway: build an offense you can return to under pressure, while practicing alternatives when an opponent clears your preferred tie.

The 10-2 comeback

At the 2025 World Championships in Zagreb, Hidlay trailed Amanula Gadzhimagomedov 10–2 in the 92 kg final. He scored 11 unanswered points to win 13–10. USA Wrestling's Final X preview recaps the result.

The comeback makes a strong case for staying connected to a practiced offense under pressure. Ocean's course description identifies the underhook as Hidlay's signature offense and specifically highlights knee picks and transitions.

Why the underhook is a useful attacking tie

The underhook adds another route into offense alongside inside ties and collar ties. Getting an arm under the opponent's arm is only the start: head position, stance, and the ability to move your feet determine whether the tie helps you.

With sound position, an underhook can help you:

Break posture — with an underhook on one side, you can post the other hand on the opponent's head to help break posture
Open an angle — you can drive into the opponent's space and move them sideways or backward
Chain to other attacks — high crotch, double underhooks to a body lock, throws (especially in freestyle), even arm drags off the re-pummel

Many wrestlers reach for the underhook when they need to make something happen, and the tie is used at high levels of folkstyle, freestyle, and no-gi grappling.

Earning and recovering an underhook

Practice both reaching the underhook and attacking from it. Knowing a finish is less useful if you cannot establish the tie against resistance.

General underhook practice priorities:

Earn the tie — pummel or move the opponent to make space for your arm.
Hold useful position — keep your stance and head position while the opponent tries to clear the tie.
Connect to an attack — practice a finish appropriate to the opponent's reaction.
Recover or reset — when the tie is cleared, rebuild position instead of reaching from a poor stance.

These are a framework for drilling the position. The course page is the source for its advertised coverage.

The finishes: takedowns, throws, and back exposures

From an underhook, a wrestler can create angles for leg attacks, knee picks, slide-bys, and upper-body attacks. The right choice depends on the opponent's stance, pressure, and defensive reaction.

Ocean's World Champ Underhooks description specifically highlights knee picks and transitions. The position is useful across folkstyle and freestyle, but scoring and legal finishes depend on the ruleset.

What wrestlers can take from this

Choose a position that fits your wrestling and build connected attacks from it. Practice against different reactions, including an opponent clearing the tie or forcing you to reset.

Hidlay's course is one option for wrestlers developing underhook offense. His comeback is an example of sustained offense, rather than proof that one tie wins every match.

Where to learn the full system

Trent Hidlay's World Champ Underhooks on Athletes Ocean focuses on his signature underhook offense, including knee picks and transitions.

If you are building offense around one tie, use the course alongside partner practice: establish the position, identify the reaction, and choose an attack you can finish.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Trent Hidlay?

Trent Hidlay is the 2025 World Champion at 92 kg in men's freestyle and a two-time NCAA finalist for NC State. He also swept Michael Macchiavello in their 2026 Final X series on June 13 to make a second straight U.S. Senior World Team. USA Wrestling's Final X report.

What's the 10-2 comeback story?

Hidlay erased a 10–2 deficit against Amanula Gadzhimagomedov in the 2025 World final in Zagreb and won 13–10. World Champ Underhooks teaches his signature underhook offense; the course description is not a move-by-move explanation of that final.

Why is the underhook so important in wrestling?

It can provide leverage to move an opponent and create angles for several attacks. Its usefulness depends on stance, head position, timing, and the opponent's response.

Is this instructional only for advanced wrestlers?

The position can be practiced at different experience levels. Check the course preview and description with your coach to decide whether its pace and detail fit your current needs.

Does the underhook game work in folkstyle and freestyle?

Yes. An underhook can create offense in either style. The scoring and legal finishes differ, so practice the version that fits your competition.

Does Hidlay have a brother who also wrestled?

Yes. His brother Hayden also wrestled at NC State. The university announced in March 2026 that he was returning to the program as an assistant coach.

Eric Lundgren writes about wrestling, grappling, and the systems behind elite-level technique.

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