Kyle Dake vs. Frank Molinaro: 2011 NCAA title match (149 lbs.)

Cornell sophomore Kyle Dake won his second of four national championships with a win over Penn State's Frank Molinaro in the 149-pound title match of the 2011 NCAA wrestling championships. Watch the full match here.
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[@andizzyJD12]

This has to be the record for riding time in the NCAA finals.

[@zaynes5094]

Zain Retherford in all three of his title matches had bonus point wins and won by having more than 2 minutes of riding time. He had almost 3:20 against Brandon Sorenson and had almost 4:30 in riding time.

[@James-tj9cx]

@@zaynes5094bro got 6 minutes tho

[@xenonmaster6668]

@@zaynes5094not true. 6-2 against the kid from LockHaven

[@teddyvincent4833]

Dake’s dominance on top is something else. And Molinaro is so powerful - like trying to hold down an angry bull.

[@cander6751]

The “I choose down” match

[@andizzyJD12]

Wouldn’t have mattered. lol

[@ogot344]

When Molinaro went bottom against his coaches will i kinda felt satisfied when he got smashed on

[@millennium_gaming]

I wrestled Molinaro at a camp when I was 13 going into high school the next year. He was a really great guy and helped alot of us have fun at the camp.

[@PsychExperience]

It crazy how even after being ridden for the whole period, he still somehow thought he could get out of bottom

[@thesoccertrotter1]

"takedown and a reversal sorry" 😂

[@definitelynottigerwhitten5865]

You always take bottom

[@andizzyJD12]

I don’t think there is a 149 or 150 (the old weight class) pounder in the history of college wrestling that could’ve beaten Dake that night…..and, yes, that includes Zain Retherford. That being said, you do have to give Molinaro and the Penn State coaches a lot of credit because Frank did a really good job bouncing back from this.

[@andizzyJD12]

This is the match that woke everyone up as to how good Dake really is.

[@RogerPack]

domination

[@andizzyJD12]

@No Cap That was seriously impressive. An amazing accomplishment. I just think he demonstrated a whole new level of wrestling in the Molinaro match that he never regressed from.

[@crimsonchin142]

@No Cap nah it was this. Many believed even though he won as a true freshmen that there was room to grow so people needed to see more.

[@quincyspielberger4366]

Why do people think Dake is a great wrestler? He's strong for his weight and his endurance is off the charts but when his strength and conditioning aren't a factor he loses. Mad props for his chest wrap and gutwrench - he's a beast with the moves he has but Burroughs out teched him for a decade and then Kadzi made him look bad.

[@quincyspielberger4366]

Everyone doesn't agree that Dake is a great wrestler. He's really good but a great wrestler doesn't get teched 11-0 in an Olympic match...

[@ianshue2890]

In my opinion this is Dakes most dominating performance in the NCAA finals. All he did was just take Molinaro down first 30 seconds, and rode him the entire time, and setting the riding time record for the NCAA finals. This is Frank Molinaro, a guy that has gorilla hands and Dake handled him easily. If you want an example of how dominant Dake is, this is one of them

[@xenonmaster6668]

He didn’t major Molinaro. He only beat him 8-1

[@ianshue2890]

Xenomaster 666 He got 6 points worth of riding time. When the match ended, the lead was 7-1, and adding the 6 points would make it 13-1, so yes he majored him

[@samtaylor904]

That’s not how riding time works

[@ianshue2890]

@@samtaylor904 how exactly does it work then? I don’t see how that wouldn’t be how it works, some people have won by being behind one point but having 2 minutes or more of riding time, so I don’t see how that wouldn’t be how it works. I’m not saying this as if I’m ticked off, I’m just saying why I think it works that way

[@samtaylor904]

@@ianshue2890 you can only ever get 1 riding time point. You earn the point by having over 1 minute of riding time at the end of the match. Even if you have 2,3,4,5, or 6 minutes of riding time you still only get 1 point. That’s why the score changes to 8-1 when the match is over(final) from 7-1

[@elihg3827]

Dake would be a monster in mma. So powerful and great control on the ground. He would be a backpack for mma fighters.

[@timheatherly493]

He is to busy trying to get an Olympic gold medal.

[@lawsonransom8318]

I'm from Jersey, and Italian, so Frank was my boy. I hated this match but dake owned him.

[@dohcsmr1175]

I was at this Championship. I am a Penn State Grad and was sitting next to many Cornell fans and family members. Penn State won the National Championship but the Big Red was obnoxious during this match. Frank cam back the next year and won a N.C. Using this leg ride. Great wrestler and young man.

[@skinnyslims5327]

Bro I graduated with molinaro. He is literally up to your nipples in height lolololololol he was always a tool and I was so pleased to watch this match 😂😂😂😂😂

[@GeeJayO1022]

Jersey people always have to tell people they’re from jersey like we care

[@lawsonransom8318]

@@GeeJayO1022 your

[@lawsonransom8318]

@@GeeJayO1022 words

[@iangalt6899]

Absolutely unequivocally the biggest beatdown handed out in NCAA Finals history. Taylor vs. Hatchett is close, but this one in my opinion has got to be it. Kyle Dake's mat returns are a thing of beauty

[@JHank-yb4jv]

Watch that first takedown in slow motion. Dake’s precision and control manipulating Molinaro’s limbs and leverage is a virtual master class

[@rapidroha9245]

anyone who chooses bottom when facing him should be physiologically evaluated

[@J-wu8nv]

I swear this whole match was just Dake riding Molinaro like a horse

[@jamest3552]

....easily making the 8 count.

[@robertpalatsky5017]

Dake was dominant in defeating a future National Champion. In fact, the last three guys Dake beat in the finals won national titles the year AFTER losing to Dake. Shows not only how good he was, but how he forced his opponents to level up.

[@nitrox1613]

How did Dake win 4 NCAA championships but only 2 state championships?

[@godswarriors3664]

Over time he got increasingly better

[@andizzyJD12]

My best guess: Rob Koll and Jeremy Spates.

[@dohcsmr1175]

A lot more talent in the Northeast then the Midwest.

[@lawsonransom8318]

It's called "physically peaking."

[@ryanmercier3791]

@@godswarriors3664 can’t argue with that but he did it without a redshirt! Literally how

[@thomasmurphy9354]

I Love You Kyle Dake

[@jamest3552]

Too late he's married.

[@Randomproductions333]

Mad respect

[@donaldalexander3555]

Dake is a monster

[@yogabrent2138]

Most over used comment for the first takedown,” that was a statement”.

[@Cellkist]

ikr what is the statement? We are wrestling?

[@keyboard2758]

@@Cellkist the statement that roughly 80% of wrestlers who get the first takedown go on to win the match

[@crazythomas_]

Frank used to go to the school i go to before he went to southern. to see him get his ass kicked though is insane.

[@firerrhea1086]

Brutal to watch

[@major_inc]

Dake hit returns like mortal combat

[@ianshue2890]

I don’t mean to be rude, but where is Montell Marion and Derek St John?

[@scottg6754]

What did you think when he picked down? "What an idiot!"

[@andizzyJD12]

Sometimes this gets overlooked, but Dake took him down 24 seconds into the first period. Reversed him in 4 seconds in the 3rd. I don’t think it mattered that he chose down….Unless Molinaro wanted to get majored.

[@Willsmiff1985]

@@andizzyJD12 he was possessed in this match. There was some Terry Brands level aggression going on here. Frank was done from the moment he gave up the first takedown. First blood is a thing

[@ClownCarCoup]

He knew he couldn’t ride Dake, so why not?

[@steventhury8366]

Choosing down had no bearing whatsoever on the outcome.

[@Lilzo2.7]

Blessings ❤️

[@bigk8210]

There was a time when a 2 minute riding time advantage got a wrestler 2 points (Dan Gable, while still losing to Larry Owings, scored 2 for a 2 minute riding time advantage). Too bad this wasn't the case then.

[@genghiskhan7041]

Dake saddled Molinaro and rode him like a donkey :D Frank won the NCAA title the next year after Dake moved up :D

[@CrankedGarage]

Why did he correct it to 1200 when it was actually 12,000 fans

[@rawsondenna6329]

Wondering same thing. Bad look for cornell

[@kristopherwilson506]

Math is hard

[@gregbaker7572]

Excelsior!

[@e2go]

Lol at Frank taking bottom, what a horrible decision. I've never seen someone so good get so thoroughly manhandled on bottom for that length of time. His coaches should've just gotten up and went to the concession stand after he went against them.

[@mattgillispie1471]

Note to self…DO NOT tak bottom against dake

[@major_inc]

Dake giving cael a hard time as always

[@quincyspielberger4366]

This match and the matches against Taylor still have the world wondering how Dake wins when nobody thought he would. He did what he had to do - he made a much better wrestler wrestle his match. And you know it still kills Molinaro to this day!

[@e2go]

Dake would beat Molinaro 100/100 times and the only one who can't understand it is you.

[@quincyspielberger4366]

@@e2go There is ZERO chance Molinaro would have been teched 11-0 in an Olympic tournament! ZERO chance Burroughs would have given up that kind of margin. Dake peaked in 2013! He's a folkstyle wrestler.

[@Jlundeen]

@@quincyspielberger4366 ZERO chance Jordan would have given up that kind of margin?? Take a look at the 2016 Olympics when HE got teched and didn't even medal! The guy who teched him didn't even medal! Get it through your head that ANYONE can have a bad match over the years. The only thing that Dake has against him is being behind Burroughs for so many years, and that doesn't mean the now 3-time world champ peaked in 2013.

[@e2go]

@@quincyspielberger4366 "He made a much better wrestler wrestle his match" lol. I'm not sure we've ever seen a man get his ass literally handed to him in a wrestling match like this before. Manhandled. And that was after he already lost to him earlier that year. There isn't a thing on a wrestling mat aside from cleaning it with his chest for almost seven minutes that Molinaro could do better than Dake🤭🤣

[@e2go]

@@Jlundeen I watched some Dake matches one day and this guy is on a bunch of them under a variety of names trashing him with pretty much the same comment worded very similarly😆 He's entitled to not like the guy as a person or think he's worth a damn as a wrestler but clearly Dake beat "Quincy's" kid out for the starting spot back in junior high and he still holds a grudge🤭😂 He's also on this one under another name "Brian Egal" with pretty much the same exact comment.

[@AndreasJohanns]

Rather telling with Molinaro's coach wouldn't even look at Dake, though shaking his hand.

[@thesoccertrotter1]

How are you announcing college wrestling and don't even know what a reversal is

[@e2go]

ESPN historically has had some horrible lead announcers in the finals. There's a video on here of the 2002 184-pound championship match and a guy named Rob Rohn is losing 14-2 in the third period. Nearly gives up back points to get tech'd while trying to roll to an escape then gets to his feet and hits an incredible move to throw his opponent on his back. Anyone that has wrestled for two days or spent time learning the rules knows that Rohn needed to PIN the dude to win. The announcer declares something making it seem as if he can keep getting swipes for back points from the same position and win that way. Rohn has to really strain and put every ounce of himself into getting this done and finally gets the pin and there's this incredibly dramatic comeback that is too crazy for even a movie and the dumbass announcer doesn't express it properly to the audience. Could've been ten times bigger and a career defining moment for the announcer had he been prepared.

[@thesoccertrotter1]

@@e2go 😂 I here a lot of parents say that, but it's embarrassing when you are announcing

[@harrisonrowner194]

How about stalling?

[@letsssgooo4618]

No matter how much he moved up dake usually looked much bigger than his opponent.

[@FirstLast-xr9lo]

I was a huge Dake fan this year! We were all looking forward to a rematch in 2012 but Dake ducked Molinaro hard and moved up a weight class because of the "HULK"! Then he went on to duck Burroughs in 2016 trying to get past J'Den Cox - it did not go well.

[@user-mi9wn2dw2p]

Dake bumbed up to 165 to take on David Taylor pretty sure that over takes your argument

[@OGSmush32]

Lessoned learned for Molinari. ALWAYS listen to your coaches! Especially in an NCAA final. He never got an opportunity to attack offensively bcz of that arrogance. On a side note, Fuck that referee! He's seemed indifferent in the 1st period calling that an illegal leg lock. Fortunately for Dake, he wasn't able to influence this match. If it were close, I think this official certainly had an interest for a PSU wrstler to win.

[@leslielively3092]

Looked up dake it showed me a picture of Jesus in head gear

[@ryan80166]

riding time should be 1 point a minute

[@ryan80166]

fantastic reffing btw

[@pauldarling330]

Mitch Clark spent some time in the Cornell wrestling room.

[@iaintevengonholdyou]

7:45

[@justsaynrush9689]

I just realized something, For years I have heard a lot of people talk negatively about boxer vasily lomachencko and realized the reason Dake kept Molinaro on his belly was he was afraid to wrestle with him.

[@justsaynrush9689]

@@Logan-zv4xg Sorry, I thought you would see the sarcasm. My comment was directed at people who cannot see obvious god given skills.

[@timheatherly493]

The ref was trash.

[@jeffgrove6568]

Molinaro is a much better wrestler but Dake is tough as nails! This was the rematch people say Dake ducked by moving out of Molinaro's weight class. i never really believed it until 2016 when Dake went up in weight to try and get past Burroughs to finally make an Olympic showing. It didn't end well - J'Den Cox beat the poor guy too.

[@dvm5609]

How is molinaro a much better wrestler? Dake mauled him in this match and has done way more on the senior and world level than molinaro has.

[@Outlaw6985]

He rode him like Shetland pony.

[@willflum2847]

Molinaro let his pride get in the way of making the smart choice. Not only did Dake ride him out in the first period, he had legs in with Frank's legs completely off the mat. And when Frank managed to stand up Dake had full control on those nasty mat returns. The Penn State coaches knew that nothing good would come out of Molinaro going back underneath in the second and they were right. I am sure Frank regrets letting his emotions cloud his judgement to this very day.

[@brianegal2286]

Molinaro wouldn't have allowed someone to beat him 11-0 at the Olympics!!! WOW! I don't know how Dake gets past such great wrestlers. He now has more than 40 losses!

[@jeffvanderwerf3561]

I mean, Dake did get a bronze, which isn't too shabby... I think we can confidently say that the 11-0 match wasn't really indicative of Dake's quality as a wrestler.

[@atlasbailly5439]

3 time world champ and olympic bronze medalist. I dont think you can say molinaro is better lmaoooo