Road to Paris 2024: Ex-NCAA Rivals David Taylor and Kyle Dake Team Up for Olympic Trials Prep

In the wrestling realm, the professional overtures of Kyle Dake and David Taylor are all to all and sundry. With both of them vying for glory on the mats by toppling one another, their journey is now marked by strong bonds forged. Taylor has secured three of the titles, and Dake coveted a tally reaching four. And it seems to be that their friendship continues to reign supreme as Paris glory is what they are aiming for.

Their rivalry slowly changes into a pro-rising friendship, and fans are enjoying their newly formed bond. A recent social media update showcased them being their jocular best while still giving it their all on the mats. Dake recently shared a banter moment on his social media, which left the fans awestruck at their camaraderie forged.

All work and all play in equal measure on the road to Paris 2024

Dake shared a video on Instagram where he and Taylor could be seen clashing, yet in the most heartfelt manner. Their bromance is very visible to the audience; it was captioned, “Find you a girl that looks at you the way I looked at @magicman_psu 😂”

Their respective weight categories place them as non-opponents; however, their collegiate days saw them getting involved in intense battles, with Taylor representing Penn State and Dake coming from Cornell. They clashed at the freestyle wrestling level at the NCAA Championships in 2011 and 2012, respectively. But their relationship evolved over the years, with both of them sharing quite a few milestones cummulatively, like living across from each other, being entrepreneurs together and the like.

Meanwhile, Dake continued to showcase his prowess on the wrestling mat by securing another gold medal for Team USA in the Pan Am Championships, Acapulco. Even after facing a forfeit in the final match, his performance throughout the tournament was incredible. He demonstrated his dominance over his opponent and this places him in good stead ahead of the Olympics.

Teaming up to strive for success, a la the Taylor and the Dake way

With building anticipation for their potential Olympic success in 2024, the duo’s combined wrestling prowess continues to captivate audiences. Beyond their athletic endeavors, they have also done a Hollywood photoshoot where they showcased their friendship in a new light. Dake posted it on Instagram with the caption, “7 weeks to Olympic trials… He definitely woke up with a smile on his face.”

Also read: Road to Paris 2024: David Taylor Kicks Off Olympic Trials Countdown With a Gruesome Training Regimen

Following the photo shoot, Dake took to social media to praise Taylor and call him “King of the Castle.” He recognized his remarkable wrestling career. Fans are now waiting for their upcoming performance at the Paris Olympics, especially if, by any means, there would be a chance to see them face off against each other.