Kyle Dake

In the age-group, Dake focused more in the Greco-Roman discipline, but in freestyle, he was a two–time FILA US National All-American and a Fargo All-American. In Greco-Roman, he was a three-time FILA US National finalist, winning the championship in 2008, as well as the US World Team Trials. He placed fourteenth at the '08 Greco-Roman Junior World Championships.[9]

Dake made his senior freestyle debut in April 2011, at the age of 20, when he became the US University National runner-up to 2010 US National champion Andrew Howe.[10] In June, he competed at the US World Team Trials, where he posted notable wins over 2010 NCAA champion J.P O'Connor and 2011 NCAA finalist Tyler Caldwell, going 3–2 overall.[11]

In April 2012, Dake, a three–time NCAA champion, attempted to become the US Olympic Team Member at 74 kilos, but was unable to as he was defeated by Trent Paulson in the semifinals.[12] Overall, he got notable wins over 2012 Dan Hodge Trophy winner and future World Champion David Taylor (pin),[13] and 2012 Pan American Champion Nick Marable (twice) to place third.[14]

After graduation, Dake competed at the 2013 US World Team Trials in an attempt of representing the US at the 2013 World Championships, but after defeating Trent Paulson, David Taylor and Andrew Howe, he was unable to win the best–of–three finale, falling to the defending Olympic and World Champion Jordan Burroughs, who would go on to once again claim the World Championship later on.[15][16] Competing at the Heydar Aliyev Golden Grand Prix in Azerbaijan, Dake severely injured his hand, but still topped two–time World Champion from Russia Denis Tsargush and returning Olympian Ali Shabanau, before losing twice to place fifth.[17] Due to his injury, Dake was unable to continue competing for the rest of 2013, and only came back in February 2014 at his championship performance from the Granma Cup, but after more injuries and infections, he sat out until November 2014, where he won a single match.[18]

During 2015, he competed at the US World Team Trials after winning the Northeastern Regionals, and was able to advance to the best–of–three after cleaning out the consolation bracket.[19][20] Dake was once again dominantly defeated twice in a row by Jordan Burroughs, who also would go on to claim his third World Championship.[21] Dake then did not compete until December when he moved up to 86 kilograms for the US Nationals, placing first after beating the likes of two–time Dan Hodge Trophy winner David Taylor, 2011 NCAA champion Jon Reader, two–time US National champion and 2008 NCAA champion Keith Gavin and three–time DI All–American Tyrel Todd.[22] In 2016, his appearances were also scarce, as he only competed at the Alexander Medved Open, placing ninth, and at the US Olympic Team Trials.[23] At the trials, Dake defeated Richard Perry and David Taylor to advance to the best–of–three finals.[24] Facing two–time and reigning NCAA champion at 197 pounds J'den Cox, Dake was first dominantly defeated in the first match, and after coming back to win the close second match, he was defeated once again in a close match, placing second at the US Olympic Team Trials.[25]

In 2017, Dake moved back down to 74 kilograms, and claimed the Grand Prix of Paris in January after dominating three–time NCAA champion from Oklahoma State Alex Dieringer in the finals.[26] At the US Open of April, Dake once again defeated Dieringer in the semifinals, but was topped by Jordan Burroughs on criteria and placed second.[27] At the US World Team Trials, Dake defeated two–time NCAA champion Isaiah Martinez and three–time NCAA champion Alex Dieringer to make the best–of–three finals.[28] Facing Jordan Burroughs, Dake took the first match on criteria, but was outlasted in the exciting trilogy as he lost twice in a row by decision, seemingly having ended the rivalry 1–7 in favor of Burroughs.[29] He competed one more time in December, when he moved up to 79 kilograms and helped Team USA reach second place at the Clubs World Cup with six flawless technical falls.[30]

In his first event of the year, Dake competed at the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin, considered by many pundits as the most competitive tournament on Earth outside from the World Championships and the Summer Olympics.[31] After defeating Junior World Champion Alan Zaseev and Asian Games Gold medalist Rashid Kurbanov, he was comfortably defeated by two–time tournament champion Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov, claiming the silver medal.[32] However, he came back to the top of the podium at the World Cup, where he was able to dominate '14 World Championship runner–up from Japan Sosuke Takatani and eventual 2019 U23 World Champion from Georgia Tariel Gaprindashvili, before defeating returning Olympic bronze medalist from Azerbaijan Jabrayil Hasanov en route to a team title.[33] Later in the month, Dake claimed his second US National title, defeating the Ukrainian Memorial champion Alex Dieringer in the finale.[34] After tech'ing '11 Pan American Games gold medalist from Cuba Liván López at Beat the Streets,[35] Dake made his first US World Team at Final X: State College, when he defeated reigning NCAA champion and '17 Junior World Championship runner–up Zahid Valencia twice in a row.[36] To warm up, Dake claimed the prestigious Yasar Dogu International when he defeated two–time European Continental champion Jabrayil Hasanov, '07 Junior World Championship runner–up Ayhan Sucu and '10 University World Championship runner–up Ibrahim Yusubov.[37]

In October, Dake competed at the World Championships for the first time in his career, at age 27.[38] He trampled through his competition, winning every match via technical fall without giving up a point up until the finals, dominating European Championship silver medalist from Germany Martin Obst, 2011 World Championship bronze medalist from Georgia Davit Khutsishvili and avenging his only loss at the weight class to European Continental champion from Russia Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov.[39] In the finale, Dake once again defeated Jabrayil Hasanov, on points, to comfortably claim his first World Championship.[40] Throughout the tournament, Dake flawlessly outscored his opponents 37–0.[41]

The newly crowned World Champion, Dake was unable to defend his US World Team spot in June at Final X: Rutgers against US National champion Alex Dieringer, due to a "freak accident" which required surgery, pushing the wrestle–offs for later on.[42] Instead, he came back on July at the prestigious Grand Prix of Spain, where after five matches, Dake was victorious and stood on top of the podium.[43] The wrestle–offs for the US World Team spot with Alex Dieringer took place in August, and the same results as in the five previous matches popped up, with Dake defeating Dieringer twice to defend the spot.[44] A month later, Dake competed at his second World Championships.[45] After notably defeating 2017 U23 World Champion from Russia Gadzhi Nabiev and two–time Asian Continental champion from Uzbekistan Rashid Kurbanov, he once again downed Jabrayil Hasanov from Azerbaijan to repeat become a two–time World Champion.[46]

Now a two–time World Champion at the non–Olympic 79 kilograms weight class, Dake moved back down to 74 kilograms to attempt to compete at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[47] In his first tournament of the year, Dake claimed the notorious Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series championship, tech'ing three–time European Continental champion Soner Demirtaş in the finale to emerge in the rankings at 74 kg.[48] He was then scheduled to compete at the US Olympic Team Trials in April 4–5, however, the event was postponed along with the Summer Olympics due to the COVID-19 outbreak.[49] Due to the pandemic, Dake was only able to compete one more time in the year, defeating two-time World Champion (65kg and 70kg) from Italy Frank Chamizo while headlining FloWrestling: Dake vs. Chamizo in July.[50]

To start off the Olympic year, Dake defeated multiple–time All–American David McFadden at the SCRTC I in January 8.[51] A week later, he claimed the prestigious Grand Prix de France Henri Deglane, dismantling his three opponents en route to gold.[52] He then swept two–time and three–time NCAA champions from Penn State Vincenzo Joseph and Jason Nolf, the latter also being the 2020 Pan American Champion.[53] In April, Dake competed at the rescheduled US Olympic Team Trials in April 2–3, without a seed as he would go on to get a berth to the semifinals as a World Champion at a non–Olympic weight.[54] In the challenge bracket, Dake dismantled All–American Evan Wick and the accomplished Jason Nolf to head to the best of three.[55] Facing former rival and five–time Olympic and World Champion Jordan Burroughs, Dake was able to nullify opponent and execute his game plan without much problems to down Burroughs, thus putting an end to his nine year–long reign. After one of the biggest wins of his career, Dake earned the right to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics.[56] As a result, Dake also competed at the Pan American Continental Championships on May 30.[57] He claimed the crown after racking up 40 points against four opponents and going unscored, helping the USA reach all the 10 freestyle medals.[58]

On August 5, Dake competed at the first date of the men's freestyle 74 kg event of the 2020 Summer Olympics as one of the favorites to claim the gold medal.[59] After a 4–0 victory over two-time Asian champion Mostafa Hosseinkhani from Iran, Dake was bombed by Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov from Belarus in a one-sided upset, losing by technical fall for the first time since 2015 and not being able to score a point on an opponent since 2013, as well as snapping a former 49-match win streak.[60] After the stunning loss, Dake battled and rallied for the bronze medal as the Belorussian advanced to the finals, taking out four-time World medalist Geandry Garzón from Cuba and most notably two-time World Champion Frank Chamizo with perfect scores in repechage.[61]

As an Olympic medalist, Dake earned the right to automatically represent the United States at the 2021 World Championships without having to compete domestically to make the US World Team, and did so from October 2 to 3.[62] After a quick first day to make the finals, Dake got his redemption after downing reigning European champion Tajmuraz Salkazanov to claim his third straight World Championship, and his first at 74 kilograms.[63]