Who is having the best 450 debut, Haiden or Kay ?

It is interesting to notice these two, who never met each other, have been enjoying a distant rivalry, and they both do their first 450 season at the same time.

Kay started injured and he is getting closer to the leader. In Kegums, he even passed the sand bullet Jeffrey Herlings and the actual MXGP world champion Romain Febvre. 

Haiden is showing more and more speed, closer to the Lawrence (and even passed Hunter in Colorado)

Their results are :

5-4-3-3-11-3 = Haiden Deegan

10-8-5-4-4-3-7-4-4-5-5-5-2-3 = Kay De Wolf

In your opinion, who is having the best rookie season so far ? 

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uncledaddy69
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6/17/2026 9:39pm

Kay, because he does it without cutting the track. 

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peelout
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6/17/2026 9:52pm

what's his name has just been oKay 

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6/17/2026 11:44pm

I feel like they're both similar. Both are gonna get better and both are probably 3-4th best in their class right now.

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ando
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6/17/2026 11:47pm Edited Date/Time 6/17/2026 11:47pm

Kay came into the season still recovering from a thumb injury.  It seems like he is improving as the season progresses.

Too early to tell yet for Deegan.  His first few races have been good but let’s see how it plays out.

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Motofinne
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I think it isn't a fair comparison because Kay came into the season injured and even missed rd1, and he hurt his other thumb again during the season.

Like someone mentioned earlier, i think it's too early to say.

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DeStouwer
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Motofinne wrote:
I think it isn't a fair comparison because Kay came into the season injured and even missed rd1, and he hurt his other thumb again during...

I think it isn't a fair comparison because Kay came into the season injured and even missed rd1, and he hurt his other thumb again during the season.

Like someone mentioned earlier, i think it's too early to say.

It's not a fair comparision because they don't even race in the same championship. Pretty useless statistics, imo.

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Bonanza69
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6/18/2026 12:45am

They will finish 3. in the championship end of the season,they are both on the same level.

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matze
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6/18/2026 2:10am
Motofinne wrote:
I think it isn't a fair comparison because Kay came into the season injured and even missed rd1, and he hurt his other thumb again during...

I think it isn't a fair comparison because Kay came into the season injured and even missed rd1, and he hurt his other thumb again during the season.

Like someone mentioned earlier, i think it's too early to say.

DeStouwer wrote:

It's not a fair comparision because they don't even race in the same championship. Pretty useless statistics, imo.

this

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Zacka 161
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6/18/2026 2:29am

As some people are saying, the top ten in MXGP is way way way more stacked than the top 10 in USA 450s with less injuries this year.

Prado is on par, last week anyway, with Kawi's B rider -- and he's the 4th best guy (not that JCoop was out)

So Deegs is is in no mans land between Kawi's B rider and Hunter (technically Honda's B rider) -- and on 2nd half of the moto speed he's definitely closer to Marchbanks than Jett...

So yeah, De Wolf is De Best.



 

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BossWool2800
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6/18/2026 8:54am
It is interesting to notice these two, who never met each other, have been enjoying a distant rivalry, and they both do their first 450 season...

It is interesting to notice these two, who never met each other, have been enjoying a distant rivalry, and they both do their first 450 season at the same time.

Kay started injured and he is getting closer to the leader. In Kegums, he even passed the sand bullet Jeffrey Herlings and the actual MXGP world champion Romain Febvre. 

Haiden is showing more and more speed, closer to the Lawrence (and even passed Hunter in Colorado)

Their results are :

5-4-3-3-11-3 = Haiden Deegan

10-8-5-4-4-3-7-4-4-5-5-5-2-3 = Kay De Wolf

In your opinion, who is having the best rookie season so far ? 

Both Haiden and Kay are entering the races at a time when the pace is super fast. 
Kay has Coenen, Herlings, Febvre, Gajser - all champions. 
Haiden has Lawrences, Prado - again all champions. 
It’s pretty close. Kay is getting there. Haiden has better scores so far

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kawasa84
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6/18/2026 9:07am
It is interesting to notice these two, who never met each other, have been enjoying a distant rivalry, and they both do their first 450 season...

It is interesting to notice these two, who never met each other, have been enjoying a distant rivalry, and they both do their first 450 season at the same time.

Kay started injured and he is getting closer to the leader. In Kegums, he even passed the sand bullet Jeffrey Herlings and the actual MXGP world champion Romain Febvre. 

Haiden is showing more and more speed, closer to the Lawrence (and even passed Hunter in Colorado)

Their results are :

5-4-3-3-11-3 = Haiden Deegan

10-8-5-4-4-3-7-4-4-5-5-5-2-3 = Kay De Wolf

In your opinion, who is having the best rookie season so far ? 

Both Haiden and Kay are entering the races at a time when the pace is super fast. Kay has Coenen, Herlings, Febvre, Gajser - all champions. Haiden has...

Both Haiden and Kay are entering the races at a time when the pace is super fast. 
Kay has Coenen, Herlings, Febvre, Gajser - all champions. 
Haiden has Lawrences, Prado - again all champions. 
It’s pretty close. Kay is getting there. Haiden has better scores so far

Ferrandis is also a 450 class champion. Sexton, has one and Webb, a few 450 SX championships in SX. Pretty stacked and Eli will probably be back.

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BossWool2800
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6/18/2026 9:12am
kawasa84 wrote:
Ferrandis is also a 450 class champion. Sexton, has one and Webb, a few 450 SX championships in SX. Pretty stacked and Eli will probably be...

Ferrandis is also a 450 class champion. Sexton, has one and Webb, a few 450 SX championships in SX. Pretty stacked and Eli will probably be back.

Yep. I would like to see Ferrandis catch fire. He’s got it in him. I think the wreck he had on the Yamaha took it out of him a little. 

Webb has one foot in retirement. Sexton could be a force if he gets on a Yamaha. Eli has about two feet in retirement. 

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6/18/2026 9:13am

Who is the Kay lady? Never heard of her.

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JayDeerTay
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6/18/2026 9:15am Edited Date/Time 6/18/2026 9:16am

WHen these Euro guys split time with SX and MX like the guys who ride in the US then we can talk. 


Put it to you this way, how much better would Jett be if all he did was out-doors like them?

 

I get the need to pile on Deegan, but lets be real. Most of these guys that end up "splitting time" have gone backwards when its all said and done and that has just been the facts of the matter. 
 


I think they put themselves at a massive disadvantage trying to learn SX on a 450. 

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Mavetism
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6/18/2026 9:33am
JayDeerTay wrote:
WHen these Euro guys split time with SX and MX like the guys who ride in the US then we can talk. Put it to you this...

WHen these Euro guys split time with SX and MX like the guys who ride in the US then we can talk. 


Put it to you this way, how much better would Jett be if all he did was out-doors like them?

 

I get the need to pile on Deegan, but lets be real. Most of these guys that end up "splitting time" have gone backwards when its all said and done and that has just been the facts of the matter. 
 


I think they put themselves at a massive disadvantage trying to learn SX on a 450. 

I don't even know if SX is actually a disadvantage these days. The schedule and limiting time for setting up a bike? For sure, no doubt about that. But to me it feels like riding SX sharpens the skills even more. Prado rode SX in the 2023 off season and then did the first couple SX races after, so overall less MX prep than usual and he looked better than he ever did in 2024 MX. Sadly he is only a shadow of himself currently.

But Tomac in 2015/2022, Kenny in 2014/2016, Ferrandis in 2021, Sexton in 2022-2024 and now Jett, Hunter and Deegan. They're all amongst the fastest versions of MX riders we have ever seen and they all ride SX. Obviously not to forget RC, Js7, RV, Dungey back then. Except for Herlings, Lucas, Gajser and Cairoli over the last decade (or even longer) the fastest guys we have seen in MX all ride SX. Do we really think that SX is still a "massive disadvantage" or is SX actually a positive factor for skill development on the bike?

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philG
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6/18/2026 9:55am

As has been said KdW came in hurt , and got hurt again, and is having to deal with the fact that he has been shuffled back in the pecking order. 

Lucas Coenen went 450 to get the spot the Herlings was going to vacate at some point, without worrying that he didnt win in 2024, and then in 2025 KdW doesnt retain, and goes to 450 anyway , but with a way weaker hand ( literally as well as actually). 

It isnt a fair comparison, and its pretty meaningless anyway. 

 

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6/18/2026 10:18am
It is interesting to notice these two, who never met each other, have been enjoying a distant rivalry, and they both do their first 450 season...

It is interesting to notice these two, who never met each other, have been enjoying a distant rivalry, and they both do their first 450 season at the same time.

Kay started injured and he is getting closer to the leader. In Kegums, he even passed the sand bullet Jeffrey Herlings and the actual MXGP world champion Romain Febvre. 

Haiden is showing more and more speed, closer to the Lawrence (and even passed Hunter in Colorado)

Their results are :

5-4-3-3-11-3 = Haiden Deegan

10-8-5-4-4-3-7-4-4-5-5-5-2-3 = Kay De Wolf

In your opinion, who is having the best rookie season so far ? 

Both Haiden and Kay are entering the races at a time when the pace is super fast. Kay has Coenen, Herlings, Febvre, Gajser - all champions. Haiden has...

Both Haiden and Kay are entering the races at a time when the pace is super fast. 
Kay has Coenen, Herlings, Febvre, Gajser - all champions. 
Haiden has Lawrences, Prado - again all champions. 
It’s pretty close. Kay is getting there. Haiden has better scores so far

Plus, Haiden is competing with the fastest rider in the world at the moment.  I don’t think anyone could argue that point, since both of the Lawrences have been mopping the floor with a multi-time world champion in almost every race all year.  If Jett beats Lucas at Southwick, I’d say that all but cements his title of the fastest rider in the world, both indoors and out.

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Press516
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6/18/2026 10:21am

I’d probably pick Kay regardless of the actual results.


🤷🏻‍♂️ 😉

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USA
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6/18/2026 10:54am

Haiden is handling it better so far. As has been mentioned, Kay is having a hard time staying on the 450 and been injured multiple times in his first year. 

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kxking
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6/18/2026 11:20am Edited Date/Time 6/18/2026 11:21am

I'd say Haiden just looking at the results so far, I know its only 3 races but 3rd in the standings ain't bad at all. It sucks we don't have Eli, Chase, or J-Coop in the mix, but just like Jett his first year, he can only race who lines up....

 

Edit: I didn't even think he would be top 5 this year.

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Paul333
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6/19/2026 7:22am

Kay hands down


Doesn’t act like an entitled little rich boy ghetto rapper either 

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Kenny Banyan
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6/19/2026 8:07am

Danger Boy because MXGP is b league.💯

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Hasletjoe
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6/19/2026 9:33am

Maybe Haydon can take an off weekend and go contest a MXGP race....

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aeffertz
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6/19/2026 9:36am Edited Date/Time 6/19/2026 11:22am

Danger Boy because MXGP is b league.💯

A current MXGP rider just came over and smoked Haiden on his home soil this past weekend...

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Flatliner
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6/19/2026 9:56am

As posted, purely based on results its Deegs.  

 

He also won back to back titles in sx and mx.  De wolfe didn't successfully defend.

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Nairb#70
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6/19/2026 10:02am

Danger Boy because MXGP is b league.💯

More like the crashing fools over here are B league.

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Kenny Banyan
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6/19/2026 10:29am

Danger Boy because MXGP is b league.💯

Nairb#70 wrote:

More like the crashing fools over here are B league.

Ya know , I wonder why those 2 brothers even wanna even come here….🤔

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Paul333
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6/19/2026 10:41am
Hasletjoe wrote:

Maybe Haydon can take an off weekend and go contest a MXGP race....

Never going to happen 

Deegandashian has dodged Kay for years in avoiding the MXDN

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Mavetism
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Danger Boy because MXGP is b league.💯

Mental 0.png?VersionId=KnqlbrJu4UnHiE
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Kenny Banyan
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6/19/2026 10:55am Edited Date/Time 6/19/2026 10:59am

Danger Boy because MXGP is b league.💯

Mavetism wrote:
Mental 0.png?VersionId=KnqlbrJu4UnHiE

Posting up an MXGP track layout….Where are the whoops Bro?….🤔

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