Dake 86kg?

[Dark Energy]

What the?!?!?!  Really?  Seems crazy. Why not go 79kg.  Build body up.  Then go 86kg if that is what is really desired for Olympics. 

If Dake is able to beat the field here at 86kg, this year, I’ll be even more in awe.  
 

Part of me wants it to not occur because I want to have more faith in our depth.  But part of me is like, hell yes!!  

But again, why not give time for body to grow / bulk?  Or is he simply never going to actually get to 86kg?

[Gantry]

I'm guessing he walks around quite a bit over 174 and cutting hinders his plan to be a proper 86kg wrestler for 2028. 

[Hammerlock3]

What I'm taking is he isn't going 74 again and he isn't hanging around for any other reason than getting an olympic title. Therefore he's going 86, and if he wins he'll hang around. I doubt he thinks valencia can beat him. 

[neweruser69]

I'd think given where he practices he has a pretty good gauge on where he stands at 86KG. I don't think much changes for him unless he has in fact gotten old.

Kadi just jumped to 86 and seems just fine. 

[Dark Energy]

I figure Taylor is someone that really knows Dake’s style, strengths, and weaknesses.  This is a big coaching challenge for him.  Really wish I could hear his advice for Zahid.  

[Hammerlock3]

2 hours ago, Dark Energy said:

I figure Taylor is someone that really knows Dake’s style, strengths, and weaknesses.  This is a big coaching challenge for him.  Really wish I could hear his advice for Zahid.  

I doubt his feelings or tactical advise would be that interesting. 

[okokzach]

I think Dake knew he was never going 74kg again (unless they changed the weigh-in rules), so he's surely been putting on weight this past year.

[Former158]

Perhaps late in his career---he needs some break from cutting weight---seems like he is likely walking around close to 180---adding 6-8 pounds of muscle in the 8 months since the Olympics seems very doable. 

[cangemi]

I rember the Jden matches. Really close. He's fine at this weight.

[Dogbone]

I recall an interview Taylor gave about how it took him about a year to acclimate to 86 KG.  If that is the case, then maybe Dake wants to go up early so he is in prime form in 2027 where he can win a world medal and get an easier path to final x.

[mspart]

He's trying to win at different weights like he did in college.   Gold at 74 and 79, now on to 86!   Dake is an incredible wrestler and I wish him all the luck in the world as he keeps on pursuing his wrestling passion. 

mspart

[CHROMEBIRD]

He held his own at 86 before, so he'll probably be fine. I also thought it was a little early in the cycle for such a big ascent, but maybe it's the smart move. Remember how much Taylor sucked when he first bumped up to 86kg? This will give Dake some time to grow and adjust to the new weight.

[Truzzcat]

2 hours ago, Dogbone said:

I recall an interview Taylor gave about how it took him about a year to acclimate to 86 KG.  If that is the case, then maybe Dake wants to go up early so he is in prime form in 2027 where he can win a world medal and get an easier path to final x.

I worry about him being big enough in 2027 with the rate he is aging backwards, he could be an infant by then.

[Lucho]

I really hope Dake makes the team at 86kg. Him and Snyder are the last two wrestlers of the US golden generation. Those two guys are absolute beasts. I wish them the best (except against Iran of course). But I think moving up 12kg is a big ask even for a guy like Dake...

[nhs67]

5 hours ago, Lucho said:

I really hope Dake makes the team at 86kg. Him and Snyder are the last two wrestlers of the US golden generation. Those two guys are absolute beasts. I wish them the best (except against Iran of course). But I think moving up 12kg is a big ask even for a guy like Dake...

He is physically larger than 2016, when he last went 86 KG and Cox was better then than Valencia is now (debatable, I know - but styles make Cox a tougher out then ford Dake than Valencia now).

It would take some deep diving, but I vaguely remember him saying he could have made 79 KG day of the Best of 3 with Cox with clothes on and no cut.  I expect him closer to 86 KG than 79 KG this week.

[Dogbone]

2 hours ago, nhs67 said:

He is physically larger than 2016, when he last went 86 KG and Cox was better then than Valencia is now (debatable, I know - but styles make Cox a tougher out then ford Dake than Valencia now).

It would take some deep diving, but I vaguely remember him saying he could have made 79 KG day of the Best of 3 with Cox with clothes on and no cut.  I expect him closer to 86 KG than 79 KG this week.

I agree with this.  I don't have doubts he can fill into a decent size 86.  Maybe not the largest 86 but he will be able to hold his own.  

I think the question is more (for me at least) is Dake at his current age better than Valencia (or Cox was)?   I know he is getting younger but father time remains undefeated. 

[bnwtwg]

2 hours ago, nhs67 said:

Cox was better then than Valencia is now

Agreed. 2016 Cox had to win a bracket featuring Taylor and Dake and former world silver three years prior Jake Herbert; then he competed in the World Cup back when countries actually gave a crap about it where he beat Iran returning world bronze Karimi (also beat him at Rio) and the Euros runner-up, then he won the global last chance qualifier since the US didn't qualify the weight yet. Zahid has quite a few pelts on his wall, but I strongly believe 2016 J'Den beats any version of Zahid.

[nhs67]

48 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

Agreed. 2016 Cox had to win a bracket featuring Taylor and Dake and former world silver three years prior Jake Herbert; then he competed in the World Cup back when countries actually gave a crap about it where he beat Iran returning world bronze Karimi (also beat him at Rio) and the Euros runner-up, then he won the global last chance qualifier since the US didn't qualify the weight yet. Zahid has quite a few pelts on his wall, but I strongly believe 2016 J'Den beats any version of Zahid.

To be fair, I do think that version of Cox beats this version of Zahid, but the reasoning(s) are due to matchup.  I think Cox was just too defensively sound and explosive that Zahid wouldn't have been able to get his offense going.  This Zahid likely beats all the same people that version of Cox did.

This version of Dake verse this version of Zahid is probably close to a 50/50 toss-up, honestly.  They should both be considered the favorite(s) and honestly I am looking forward to seeing how PK does against Dake, being as just a few weeks ago PK was a VERY large 184lber and last summer Dake was a 74 KG (163lber).

That version of Cox against the version of Dake was probably also close to a 50/50, but they're both very defensive wrestlers.  That means the bigger, stronger, and more explosive one is going to win more often than not, and he did (2 of 3)

[bnwtwg]

I buy into the Keckeisen hype, but methinks if he runs into Dake that he might get a quick takedown in the ways Dake is susceptible domestically (ala ankle pick or blast double to shrug) but he either gets Dakebombed or bails every time as soon as Dake touches his legs.

I also think Keck is like Yianni in that his folkstyle funk would do better internationally than domestically.

[okokzach]

3 hours ago, bnwtwg said:

I buy into the Keckeisen hype, but methinks if he runs into Dake that he might get a quick takedown in the ways Dake is susceptible domestically (ala ankle pick or blast double to shrug) but he either gets Dakebombed or bails every time as soon as Dake touches his legs.

I also think Keck is like Yianni in that his folkstyle funk would do better internationally than domestically.

I think Dake runs through Keck with little resistance at this point. By 2028 it could be a different story though 

[bnwtwg]

2 minutes ago, okokzach said:

I think Dake runs through Keck with little resistance at this point. By 2028 it could be a different story though 

In 2028 that different story practically writes itself. Dake will be the first junior high kid to compete at the olympic trials and in his path is a bald old man named Keck who will stop at nothing to keep him from accomplishing his dream