The Champions League of American Wrestling (CLAW) is bringing its signature action to Virginia this weekend, and the Philadelphia community will be front and center. On Sunday, October 4, 2026, the CLAW-STAR Classic will be held in Leesburg, Virginia, promising a high-octane showcase designed to add yet another way for fans to experience combat sports. Among the elite roster taking the mat are two familiar figures from the local wrestling community: CJ Composto and Lennox Wolak.
CJ Composto enters the event as a Senior Athlete for the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center, continuing a remarkable trajectory on the mat. A three-time NCAA All-American, Composto has proved his mettle against the best college competitors in the country and recently added an international accolade to his resume by capturing a gold medal at the Poland Open for the United States at 65kg. Joining him on the roster is Lennox Wolak, a former collegiate standout who now serves as an Assistant Coach for the University of Pennsylvania. Wolak brings a unique blend of combat discipline to the mat as an NCAA All-American and a black belt in Judo, giving him a distinct edge in hand fighting and body position.
The connection between the two adds a compelling storyline to the showcase. Composto previously wrestled under Wolak’s guidance at Penn, creating a rapport that now translates into training partners sharing the same corner.
“I look forward to being a part of the CLAW event this weekend,” Composto said. “My old coach Lennox Wolak had good things to say about the organization and the people, so I knew I wanted to join it after I graduated. And now I get to be on the same team as Lennox. We have been competing a lot in the room, so this is a great opportunity to implement what we have been working on.”
Beyond the individual matchups, the event highlights a broader movement within the sport. Founded by Tom Houck and Eric Brugel, the Champions League of American Wrestling was created to address a long-standing challenge in the sport: making elite wrestling accessible, fast-paced, and captivating for every spectator in the stands. Recognizing that traditional hand fighting and low-scoring matches can frustrate non-purists, Houck and Brugel set out to build a structure centered around scoring, continuous action, and strategy. Over the past two and a half years, CLAW conducted more than 100 research matches featuring Division I and senior-level wrestlers, refining their rules based on feedback from competitors, coaches, and fans to create a balanced, engaging product.
The result of that research is "Clawstyle," a ruleset designed to blend the control of folkstyle with the fluidity of freestyle, while introducing new incentives for offense. Matches consist of five total minutes divided into four rounds lasting 90, 60, 60, and 90 seconds. Instead of accumulating aggregate points over time, a wrestler wins the match by securing the majority of the rounds, unless the bout ends prematurely via pinfall, technical fall, or disqualification. If a dual meet context is involved, team scoring rewards dominant action, awarding 5 team points for a win plus the margin of victory, while a pin delivers a massive 25-point payout.
To eliminate stalls and keep the action moving, CLAW reimagined how scoring works across all positions. In neutral, takedowns earn 2 points, pushouts earn 1 point without requiring grounding, and exposure yields 2 points. From the bottom position, an escape earns 1 point, a reversal yields 2 points, and wrestlers can earn a 1-point pylon bonus. On top, wrestlers can collect between 1 and 4 back points with each swipe counting as a point, earn 2 points for riding an entire round while actively pursuing a turn, or claim a pylon point.
Additional scoring avenues keep competitors hunting for points at all times. A quick score bonus awards 1 point for any action secured in the opening 10 seconds of a round. Stalling or hands-locking penalties award 1 point to the opponent, and an optional choice point can be awarded if a wrestler selects the starting position before the final round. If a match ends in a tie after four rounds, the bout enters a 30-second Sudden Victory overtime where both wrestlers start in an over-under body lock inside a condensed circle, ensuring a quick and decisive finish.
One of the most noticeable innovations on the mat is the inclusion of three perimeter football style pylons. If a top or bottom wrestler forces an opponent to knock over a pylon, 1 point is awarded. The addition forces athletes to maintain total spatial awareness and mat control, turning spatial boundaries into an offensive weapon. Only one pylon point can be earned per round, keeping the focus on technical execution.
While the adjustments sound sweeping, the system is designed to be intuitive for viewers within minutes. By calling stalemates quicker and preventing athletes from sitting on leads to kill the clock, CLAW emphasizes relentless pursuit from whistle to whistle.
The CLAW-STAR Classic kicks off on Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 3:30pm ET, at the Top of the Podium facility located at 18665 Conference Center Drive in Leesburg, Virginia. Festivities run throughout the day, featuring youth tournaments, specialized services, and live entertainment preceding the main event card. Fans unable to attend in person can follow live coverage, match highlights, and event updates directly through the official organization portal at wrestlingreimagined.com.