Kyle Dake

Early and high school years

Born in Ithaca, Dake was raised in Lansing, New York, where he started wrestling at the age of four, following in his grandfather's and father's footsteps, both coaches of the sport. He went on to attend Lansing High School, where he became a two-time NYSPHSAA Division II state champion for the wrestling program, which was founded by his grandfather. With a 224-14 record in-state, Dake was also a three-time NHSCA National champion.

While Dake was an All-American at the FILA US Freestyle National Championships in multiple occasions, his biggest success in the age-group came in Greco-Roman in 2008 when he became the Junior US National champion and placed fourteenth at the Junior World Championships. Afterwards, he committed to Cornell University in October 2008.

Cornell University

With his first season being 2009-2010 and his last 2012-2013, Dake became only the third wrestler to win four NCAA Division I Wrestling titles. Among four-time champions, Dake became the first wrestler to win each title in four different weight classes, and the only one to not redshirt a season during his college career. Following his senior season, WIN magazine awarded Dake the Dan Hodge Trophy as the most outstanding college wrestler and the Wade Schalles Award for best collegiate pinner.

Dake notably became a US University National finalist in 2011 and placed fourth at the 2012 US Olympic Team Trials in freestyle during his collegiate career. During this run, he remarkably posted wins over NCAA champions J.P O'Connor and David Taylor, as well as multiple-time All-Americans Tyler Caldwell and Nick Marable.

Post-collegiate career

2013-2014

After graduation, Dake competed at the 2013 US World Team Trials in June 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 again claim the World Championship.

While competing at November's 2013 Heydar Aliyev Golden Grand Prix in Azerbaijan, Dake broke his hand, though still topped two-time World Champion from Russia Denis Tsargush, before losing twice to place fifth. 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 competed in and won a single match.

2015-2017

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 finals. Dake was once again defeated twice in a row by Jordan Burroughs, who would go on to claim his third World Championship. He did not compete until December, when he moved up to 86 kilograms for the US National Championship, placing first after beating David Taylor, Jon Reader, Keith Gavin and Tyrel Todd. 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,. At the trials, Dake defeated Richard Perry and David Taylor to advance to the best-of-three finals. Facing J'den Cox, Dake was defeated in the first match, and after coming back to win the second match, he was defeated again in the third match, placing second.

In 2017, Dake moved back down to 74 kilograms, and claimed the Paris Grand Prix in January after defeating Alex Dieringer in the finals. At the US Open in April, Dake once again defeated Dieringer in the semifinals, but lost to Jordan Burroughs on criteria and placed second. 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. Facing Jordan Burroughs, Dake took the first match on criteria, but lost twice in a row by decision. 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 technical falls.

2018

In his first appearance of the year, Dake competed at the Golden Grand Prix Ivan Yarygin. After defeating Alan Zaseev and Rashid Kurbanov, he was defeated by Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov, claiming the silver medal. However, he came back to the top of the podium at the World Cup, where he was able to beat Sohsuke Takatani and Tariel Gaprindashvili, before defeating Jabrayil Hasanov en route to a team title. Later in the month, Dake claimed his second US national title, defeating Alex Dieringer in the finale. After defeating Liván López at Beat the Streets, Dake made his first US World Team at Final X: State College, when he defeated Zahid Valencia twice in a row. He then claimed the Yasar Dogu International crown, where he defeated Jabrayil Hasanov, Ayhan Sucu, and Ibrahim Yusubov.

In October, Dake competed at the World Championships for the first time in his career, at age 27. He won every match via technical fall without giving up a point up until the finals, defeating Martin Obst, Davit Khutsishvili and avenging his only loss at the weight class to Akhmed Gadzhimagomedov. In the finale, Dake once again defeated Jabrayil Hasanov, on points, to claim his first World Championship.

2019-2020

The newly crowned World Champion, Dake was unable to defend his US World Team spot in June at Final X: Rutgers against Alex Dieringer, due to surgery, pushing the wrestle-offs for later on. Instead, he came back on July at the Grand Prix of Spain, where after five matches, Dake was victorious and stood on top of the podium. The wrestle-offs for the US World Team spot with Alex Dieringer took place in August, with Dake defeating Dieringer twice to defend the spot. A month later, Dake competed at his second World Championships. After defeating Gadzhi Nabiev and Rashid Kurbanov, he once again defeated Jabrayil Hasanov from Azerbaijan to become a two-time World Champion.

Dake moved back down to 74 kilograms to attempt to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics. For his first tournament of the year, Dake claimed the Matteo Pellicone Ranking Series championship, defeating Soner Demirtaş in the finale to emerge in the rankings at 74 kg. 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. Due to the pandemic, Dake was only able to compete one more time in the year, defeating two-time World Champion from Italy Frank Chamizo while headlining FloWrestling: Dake vs. Chamizo in July.

2021

To start off the Olympic year, Dake defeated David McFadden at the SCRTC I on January 8. A week later, he won gold at the Grand Prix de France Henri Deglane. He then defeated Vincenzo Joseph and Jason Nolf. 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. In the challenge bracket, Dake defeated Evan Wick and Jason Nolf to head to the best of three final. Facing former rival and five-time Olympic and World Champion Jordan Burroughs, Dake was able to defeat 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. As a result, Dake also competed at the Pan American Continental Championships on May 30. He claimed the crown after racking up 40 points against four opponents and going unscored, helping the USA reach all the 10 freestyle medals.

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. After a 4-0 victory over Mostafa Hosseinkhani from Iran, Dake was defeated by Magomedkhabib Kadimagomedov from Belarus, 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. After the stunning loss, Dake battled and rallied for the bronze medal defeating multiple-time World medalist Geandry Garzón from Cuba and Frank Chamizo from Italy.

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. After three victories to make the finals, Dake defeated Tajmuraz Salkazanov from Slovakia to claim his third straight World Championship, and his first at 74 kilograms.

2022

In his first competition of the year, Dake defended his Pan American Championship on May 8, notably beating Franklin Gómez. Exactly a month after, he defeated three-time NCAA champion Jason Nolf twice in a row to defeat his US World Team spot.

On September 17, at the World Championships in Belgrade, Dake won his second straight world championship at 74 kg, and fourth overall. In the finals, Dake defeated Tajmuraz Salkazanov of Slovakia 3-2.

2023

History repeated itself with Dake claiming the Pan American title with a win over Franklin Gómez in the finals in May, and repeating as the US World Team Member in June after defeating Jason Nolf twice in a row at June's Final X NYC.

Hunting for a third-straight World title at 74 kilograms, Dake made the finals of the World Championships with notable wins over eventual World champion Nurkozha Kaipanov from Kazakhstan, eventual Olympic finalist Daichi Takatani from Japan, and another eventual World champion in Georgios Kougioumtsidis from Greece. In a highly anticipated gold-medal bout, Dake fell to three-time World and Olympic champion Zaurbek Sidakov from Russia, seven points to ten.

2024

After adding a fourth Pan American title to his name in February, Dake claimed the right to represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics with two straight wins over Jason Nolf at the US Olympic Team Trials in April.

In August, Dake made his second appearance at the Summer Olympic Games, reaching the semifinals with wins over Venezuela's Anthony Montero and Iran's two-time World medalist Younes Emami. In a 24-point match, Dake fell to Japan's World medalist Daichi Takatani, getting knocked into the third-place match. He was able to clinch the bronze medal for the United States with a win over 2014 World champion from Serbia Khetag Tsabolov.

2025

Dake once again in his career bulked up to 86 kilograms, making his first appearance at April's US Open National Championships, where after a notable win over NCAA champion Parker Keckeisen, he fell to World medalist at 92 kilograms Zahid Valencia to claim silver.

In May, Dake added yet another victory over Parker Keckeisen, before qualifying to Final X by adding five-time NCAA champion Carter Starocci to his resume. At Final X, he was unable to defeat Zahid Valencia in two matches, placing second at the US World Team Trials.

Dake then competed in the first two events for Real American Freestyle, claiming the Cruiserweight title in the first one over NCAA champion Dean Hamiti and retaining it in the second one over two-time World medalist Boris Makoev.

2026

To open up January, Dake scored revenge when he retained his title over Mahamedkhabib Kadzimahamedau at RAF 5, who had denied him a finals appearance at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

In February, Dake placed fifth at the Muhamet Malo Ranking Series, falling to two-time U20 World champion from Russia Ibragim Kadiev and World medalist from Azerbaijan Arsenii Dzhioev.

In March, Dake once again retained his RAF title, now with a third win over Parker Keckeisen. At April's US Open, Dake claimed the gold medal to qualify for Final X in June.

Having set up a best-of-three rematch with now reigning World champion Zahid Valencia, Dake dropped the first match, but was able to outwrestle Valencia in two straight matches to claim the series and make his eighth US World/Olympic team.