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Though he had been one of America’s most successful freestyle wrestlers, he had come up short of his most lofty goals many times.
After changes in fitness training helped him recover from his injuries, he finally got the result he had sought for so long.
“I had to go out and perform at a level that was better than anyone’s ever seen,” Dake said.
Dake became a world champion twice at the non-Olympic weight of 79 kg before dropping down to 74 to defeat Burroughs.
“I feel like I’m just a better wrestler than all these guys,” Dake said.
He placed third at the Olympic trials in 2012 and second in 2016 before winning his two world titles.
“His execution and plan leading up to an event is much different than mine,” Dake said.
“My sole focus to go out dominate and really just force the action, not by getting extended, not by taking bad shots or taking unneeded risk, but not allowing them to just stand and play pattycake,” he said.
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