The atmosphere in Sacramento reached a boiling point on Saturday as the MoonPay X Games 2026 entered its second day, marking a historic turning point for action sports. Under a cloudless California sky, the event—which serves as the high-profile debut of the X Games’ new team-based league format—transformed the city into the global epicenter of skateboarding, BMX, and Moto X. With a capacity crowd roaring in approval, seven gold medals were awarded, and musical titans Mustard and Subtronics provided a high-voltage sonic backdrop to a day defined by progression, broken records, and physical resilience.
A New Era: The League Format Takes Hold
The transition to a team-based league structure has been the most significant strategic shift in X Games history. By fostering inter-squad competition, the format has injected a heightened level of intensity into the proceedings. Teams such as XC New York, XC São Paulo, and XC Tokyo are no longer just collections of individuals; they are tactical units competing for overall supremacy. The synergy was palpable on the course, where athletes were seen strategizing and celebrating not just personal victories, but collective points that could shift the leaderboard.
Chronology of Champions: A Breakdown of Saturday’s Finals
The Resilience of Gui Khury: Vert Best Trick
The day opened with a display of sheer grit. Seventeen-year-old Gui Khury (XC São Paulo) proved once again why he is the most decorated teenager in X Games history. Competing with a broken hand, Khury refused to withdraw, delivering a masterful first-attempt run. His kickflip body varial 900 secured his sixth consecutive Vert Best Trick gold and his seventh overall in the discipline.
“It hasn’t been an easy year for me,” Khury remarked following the podium ceremony. “With this broken wrist, I had to adapt, grabbing with my other hand to land the trick. This is my first win this year, so it feels incredibly sweet.”
The podium was a testament to the global growth of the sport, featuring 16-year-old Soya Inomata (Japan) with silver and 11-year-old Ema Kawakami, who captured bronze with a gravity-defying fakie-to-forward 1080.
Team New York’s Street Dominance
In the Monster Energy Men’s Skateboard Street final, the team dynamic proved pivotal. Ginwoo Onodera (XC New York) emerged as the golden boy of the afternoon. His run was a masterclass in technical difficulty, featuring a switch frontside 270 frontside bluntslide and a clinical kickflip frontside bluntslide to bigspin out.
His teammate, the legendary Nyjah Huston, took silver, showing that even the sport’s most established icons are pushing their limits under the new league pressure. Meanwhile, Juni Kang (Free Agent) made history by securing bronze, becoming the first Korean skateboarder to earn an X Games medal—a milestone that underscores the organization’s push for global inclusivity.
Ryan Williams and the “Oliver Twist”
BMX legend Ryan Williams (XC São Paulo) treated the Sacramento crowd to an electrifying performance in the Dave Mirra BMX Park Best Trick. Williams, now a 12-time X Games gold medalist, landed two never-before-done (NBD) tricks. Perhaps the most poignant moment was his tribute to the late artist Oliver Tree. Williams dubbed his winning alley-oop 540 front flair the “Oliver Twist,” cementing a legacy that blends sport with cultural tribute.
Arisa Trew: Tying History
The women’s division saw Arisa Trew (XC Tokyo) further solidify her status as a generational talent. By clinching gold in the Women’s Skateboard Vert Best Trick, Trew secured her second gold of the weekend and her 10th career X Games gold medal. This victory places her in a tie with Lindsey Jacobellis for the most gold medals by a woman in X Games history.
“The Switch McTwist was my safety trick,” Trew said, seemingly unsatisfied despite her historic win. “I was really aiming for the switch body varial 5, but I didn’t quite get it. There is always room for more.”
Bottger and Evans: Defending and Defining
Gavin Bottger (Free Agent) successfully defended his title in Men’s Skateboard Park, utilizing a technical run that included a slob fastplant on the tower. His victory was closely followed by Egoitz Bijueska, who made history as the first Spanish skateboarder to reach an X Games podium.
In the Moto X arena, Patrick Evans shocked the field by winning Best Trick on an electric motorcycle. His score of 95.66, earned via a harrowing Nak-Nak no-hander front flip, proved that the future of freestyle motocross may indeed be battery-powered.
Supporting Data and Technical Progression
The statistics from Day Two reflect an unprecedented surge in technical difficulty. The inclusion of multiple NBD tricks—from Ryan Williams’ BMX flair to the high-rotation technicality of the street skating finals—suggests that the X Games’ new format is successfully incentivizing athletes to take greater risks.
- Gui Khury: 16 career medals (10 gold), the most decorated teenager in X Games history.
- Arisa Trew: Tied with Lindsey Jacobellis for most women’s gold medals (10).
- Team Performance: The rise of XC New York and XC Tokyo indicates that the team-based point system is successfully creating a more competitive field across all disciplines.
Official Responses and The "League" Philosophy
The shift to a league format has been met with positive, albeit cautious, optimism from the athletes. Officials believe that by moving away from "event-only" participation and toward a season-long narrative, they are providing sponsors and fans with a more stable, engaging product.
"We wanted to change the way the world perceives action sports," an X Games spokesperson stated during the press conference. "By giving these athletes a team identity, we are creating rivalries and alliances that last beyond the final whistle. Today was the proof of concept that this is the right path forward."
Implications for the Future of Action Sports
The success of Day Two in Sacramento carries profound implications for the industry. First, it proves that the X Games can maintain its cultural relevance while professionalizing its structure. By integrating high-profile musical performances from artists like Mustard and Subtronics, the event effectively bridges the gap between extreme sports and youth culture, ensuring that the venue remains a destination for both sports enthusiasts and music fans.
Furthermore, the emergence of younger medalists—such as 11-year-old Mia Kretzer and 15-year-old Mizuho Hasegawa—highlights the rapid acceleration of skill development in the post-pandemic era. The "barrier to entry" for gold-medal performance is higher than ever, and the X Games is serving as the ultimate filter for identifying the next generation of global stars.
As the event moves toward its conclusion on Sunday, the focus shifts to the final showdowns in BMX Dirt Best Trick and Women’s Skateboard Street. With team standings still in flux and the momentum of Saturday night’s concerts still ringing in the ears of the crowd, the final day of the MoonPay X Games Sacramento 2026 is poised to set a new benchmark for what is possible in the world of high-performance action sports. Fans are encouraged to monitor the X Games digital platforms, as the closing day promises not just medals, but the potential for further history to be made on the course.
