Kim (-400) vs. Nahigian (+315)
Round one started with a heavy favorite as Il Kim, the English department’s nominee, stepped into the octagon against consistent substitute David Nahigian, who took the Art department sub job for the nomination. Nahigian started off the round by landing some good jabs, and he shocked Kim early with his ability to land strikes. After a fight that shockingly went the distance, Kim unanimously took the judge’s scorecards by a razor-thin score of 50-48. However, to win it all for English, Kim would have to step his game up significantly.
Brown (+145) vs. Lee (-130)
In the first fight of the tournament that would be close (on paper), social studies teacher Erin Brown faced off against science teacher Jonathan Lee. Brown, who made an incredible run to the finals in last year’s tournament, told the Observer, “I will bring it home for social studies this time around. Nothing will stop me.” Brown took Lee to his limits early, but after round one, it looked like he would be able to hold on just enough to have a chance at victory. However, Lee wasted too much energy early and, simply by surviving long enough, Brown turned the tides back in her favor and took the win in the later rounds, doing the bare minimum needed to secure the judge’s scorecards.
Moreno-Sanz (+250) vs. Bell (-190)
The World Languages department, who had a tough time deciding on a nominee after a poor showing in the last three tournaments, ultimately settled on a new face to the competition: Carmen Moreno-Sanz. The Security dynasty sent four-time champion Terry Bell for the ninth year in a row. Moreno-Sanz immediately felt the pressure upon seeing the betting odds, but she knew world languages needed a champion badly. The department had not won a tournament since 1995, and she felt she would be the one to end the drought. The chip on her shoulder was ultimately big enough, as she forced an upset via first-round doctor stoppage. The whole field was turned upside down in the blink of an eye and questions arose as to the future of the Security dynasty.
Rydzewski (-300) vs. Hart-Southworth (+200)
For P.E., the relatively easy choice was to go with the reigning champion, Joe Rydzewski. Math, who last had a winner in the shortened 2020 tournament, shockingly changed their competitor despite being a department that does not seem to value making updates year to year, let alone day to day. Some will theorize that math’s leader, Kim Feher, is responsible for this maneuver, but most will agree that, while it is unfair, it is consistent with the department’s unique order of operations, proven by presenting challenges for practice but testing with the unexpected. After the switch, Curtis Hart-Southworth filled the role for his department and would face off against Rydzewski as the underdog. Ultimately, the odds ended up being correct, as Rydzewski secured an early win on his quest for a repeat.
Kim (-140) vs. Brown (+115)
The semifinals kicked off with a banger as Kim eagerly looked to take that leap forward after a lackluster round one. Meanwhile, Brown was desperate to avenge last year’s final round judge’s decision. The fight started strong with a first round for the ages. Both fighters slowed down considerably in the later rounds, but Kim found a burst of energy late in the fifth. Landing a three-strike combo, Kim secured the first knockout of the tournament, paving his way into the finals. After his victory, he got in Rydzewski’s face and took the championship belt from last year from his hands just before his semifinal match with Moreno-Sanz.
Moreno-Sanz (+200) vs. Rydzewski (-220)
Rydzewski, still distracted from the fact that his title belt was taken out of nowhere, was evidently caught off guard enough not to see what was coming. The bookmakers were stunned. Moreno-Sanz, the number eight seed, walked her way into the finals with a 20-second knockout victory over the reigning champion. The stage was set. Kim would face off against Moreno-Sanz, who was only motivated by one thing—ending the 19-year drought that hung over the World Language department’s heads.
Kim (-110) vs. Moreno-Sanz (+110)
The finals had arrived. Kim, wearing the 2024 championship belt, waltzed into the octagon with a smile on his face. He had a chance to bring home a title (and another that he took) back to the English department. Meanwhile, Moreno-Sanz wanted nothing more than to end a nightmare of two decades for her department. The referee told them to fight, and it was on. Neither of them held back; it was easily the most violent fight in WCHSFC history. In the third round, Kim landed a nasty eight-strike combo, and that was all she wrote. The doctor stopped the fight and Kim raised both Rydzewski’s title belt and his own as he became the 2025 WCHSFC champion.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the 2025 WCHSFC tournament was one of the most action-packed ever. While Moreno-Sanz could not end the world language curse that has now spanned three decades, this year saw the fall of the Security dynasty as well as an unexpected winner. All of this year’s chaos has set the stage for 2026 to be the most unpredictable contest in WCHSFC history. Will Rydzewski come back for his belt? Will Moreno-Sanz avenge her brutal loss? Only time will tell.
