Blades ends Iowa career to focus on RAF, Olympic gold pursuit
Olympic silver medalist Kennedy Blades is moving on from collegiate wrestling.
Blades announced Friday that she is ending her college wrestling career at Iowa and will join Real American Freestyle (RAF) full-time, shifting her focus toward pursuing Olympic gold. She shared the news on social media.
"These past two years have been a blessing to represent the Tiger Hawk on my chest, surrounded by the best coaches, teammates, and community," Blades wrote. "I am grateful to Clarissa Chun for her guidance and the opportunity to represent the University."
Blades arrived in Iowa City as one of the most accomplished wrestlers in the world and quickly became one of the faces of the Hawkeye program. During her two seasons with Iowa, she compiled a 37-1 collegiate record, won two national championships and helped lead the Hawkeyes to national titles. Her only collegiate loss came in the 2025 national finals before she returned to claim an NCAA championship in 2026. Following her dominant 2025-26 campaign, Blades was named the 2025 NCAA Women's Wrestler of the Year by The Open Mat.
Her departure comes at a pivotal moment for the sport, as the emergence of Real American Freestyle has created a professional pathway that did not previously exist for elite wrestlers.
"As a little girl, I dreamed of competing at the highest levels of this sport for as long as possible, and for the first time, there is a real pathway for athletes like me to continue building a career in professional wrestling," Blades wrote. "That's why, ahead of the season, I'll be joining Real American Freestyle and pursuing Olympic gold full-time. For so long, opportunities for wrestlers after college were limited and now I get to live out my dream doing the sport that means so much to me."
Blades has already established herself as one of RAF's marquee athletes. The reigning RAF Women's Middleweight Champion owns a perfect 3-0 record in the promotion, winning all three bouts by technical fall. She captured the inaugural title with an 11-0 victory over Alejandra Rivera at RAF 03 in Chicago, defended it with a 10-0 win over Alara Boyd at RAF 04 and posted an 11-0 technical fall over Milana Dudieva at RAF 07.
Despite stepping away from college competition, Blades plans to continue training in Iowa City as she prepares for future World Championships, RAF events and Olympic competition.
"It's the beginning of a new chapter, but I'll continue training in Iowa, chasing big goals, and carrying with me everything this program has taught me," Blades wrote. "I hope to continue making the Hawkeye Nation proud, just on a new stage."
At just 22 years old, Blades has already assembled one of the most impressive résumés in wrestling. In addition to her Olympic silver medal at the 2024 Paris Games, she is now a two-time collegiate national champion and one of the first elite athletes to fully embrace the professional opportunities created by Real American Freestyle. Her decision signals both the next phase of her career and the changing landscape of wrestling, where world-class athletes can pursue professional competition while continuing their quest for Olympic success.