Dake Going Greco

Kyle Dake is going Greco as part of a main event feature match at the Grapple at the Garden in New York City. He will surprisingly take on Arsen Julfalakyan (Armenia), the 2014 Greco-Roman World Champion. 

This is of course a tall task for Dake. He is facing a World Champion in a style he hasn't competed in all while this being his 2nd match back after a year off from injury. Can Dake compete? Of course, he can. He is a 4-time NCAA National Champion and right now the 2nd best freestyle wrestler in his weight class in the United States. The best at his weight is Jordan Burroughs, the best wrestler on the planet. Dake knows how to work in all positions and has been training with the US Greco team. 

I think it's interesting to wonder what a win for Dake would mean for him and US Greco. There are people upset that Dake is in this match and not World Bronze medalist, Andy Bisek. I can't imagine a world where the US Greco team would not want Dake on their team. To me it would be nothing but excitement yet some people are almost seeing it as an insult to Greco to have Dake with little to no experience in this match. Would a win over the reigning world champ launch Dake in to the World Greco scene bringing his large fan fare to a style that is mostly ignored?

I'm not sure what the reaction will be win or lose, but putting people in seats or in front of screens watching wrestling is ALWAYS a good thing. We should try to fill our world teams with the best athletes we can in every style and weight class possible.