Kyle Dake (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)ROUND ROCK, Texas -- On Saturday, Kyle Dake earned the right to wrestle for a second consecutive world title in September.
The 28-year old Dake won in two straight matches over Alex Dieringer at Round Rock High School outside Austin, Texas, to claim a spot on the 2019 U.S. World Team at 79 kilograms. The best-of-three series was originally slated for June 8 at Final X: Rutgers. However, Dake requested a delay due to injury, which was granted.
Dake picked up a 3-2 victory over Dieringer in the first match on Saturday, before closing out the series with a 4-2 win in the second match.
In the first match, Dieringer scored the match's first point off the activity clock, and moments after the activity clock expired, Dake picked up a point off a step out to take a 1-1 criteria lead. Dake added another step out with three seconds left in the period to take a 2-1 lead into the break.
In the second period, Dieringer was put on the activity clock with just under two minutes remaining, but was unable to score, giving Dake another point and a 3-1 lead. Trailing by two late, Dieringer fired off multiple shots in final 30 seconds before Dake was called for a caution one with eight seconds left, making the score 3-2. But the returning world champion would hold on to win.
The second match took place after a 30-minute intermission. Dake came out quickly, getting to his single leg and forcing Dieringer out of bounds for a step out to go up 1-0 in the first 10 seconds. He added another step out with just over minutes remaining in the period. Dake took a 2-0 lead into the break.
Just under 30 seconds into the second period, Dake got to his body lock on the edge of the mat and lifted Dieringer before getting thrown in a headlock, which he rolled through. The mat official initially awarded Dieringer four points and Dake two. But after the call was reviewed, it was determined that Dieringer stepped out of bounds prior to the exchange, giving Dake a 4-0 lead. Dieringer scored a point off a step out with just under 20 seconds left and added another point off a step out with two seconds left, but it wouldn't be enough and Dake punched his ticket to the World Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
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