A move we all thought was coming has been confirmed. Cornell head coach Rob Koll stated plainly in a recently distributed newsletter that freshly minted two-time world champion Kyle Dake will be moving down a weight class in his quest for a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. 

"Kyle plans to compete at the 74 Kilogram weight class."

Doesn't get any clearer than that!

This is just one of many weight class changes we can expect to see as the domestic landscape shifts dramatically in anticipation of the Summer Games.

At the World Championships in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, 10 weight classes were contested. At the Olympics, there will be a mere six divisions. For men's freestyle that means the 61, 70, 79, and 92 kg weight classes are going away, leaving only 57, 65, 74, 86, 97, and 125. 

As a returning medalist at an adjacent weight class, Kyle Dake has already qualified for the Olympic Team Trials and will receive a bye to the semifinals. Should he win two matches at the trials, he'll face Jordan Burroughs for the team spot in a best two-of-three series for the Olympic team spot. Burroughs will receive a bye to the wrestle-off by dint of his bronze medal at 74kg. 

Dake's Final X opponent, Alex Dieringer, has stated that he plans on bumping up to 86kg for Tokyo, but Dake and Burroughs will have plenty of company at 74. James Green is widely expected to move up to 74. Two-time Final X competitor Isaiah Martinez will be back. So will and IMar's opponent in the Team Trials Challenge Tournament finals, Jason Nolf. Should be an exciting time at the trials!