Ahead of Final X clash with PJ Duke, Yianni Diakomihalis makes his feelings known about their personal connection

Ahead of his clash against PJ Duke for a spot in the US team competing at the 2025 World Wrestling Championship, Yianni Diakomihalis shared a personal connection with the young wrestler. Yianni is one of the childhood heroes of PJ Duke, and their relationship goes beyond the competition.

In 2023, the former Cornell University star won his fourth NCAA wrestling title with a 4-2 victory over Sammy Sasso at the 149-pound finals. Yianni was also the Hodge Trophy finalist in 2022 and 2023 and was selected to be part of the "Faces in the Crowd" series for Sports Illustrated. After winning his fourth All-American and EIWA title, Yianni went on a 21-match winning streak during the end of his wrestling career at Cornell and finished 21-1 overall.

Penn State committed wrestler PJ Duke will fight against Yianni Diakomihalist at the Final X in June. The two wrestlers will be competing in the 70 kg division. PJ Duke is a good friend of Yianni's younger brother Elijah and has visited Yianni, asking for training advice and asking for autographs. In a video posted by Flowrestling on X, Yianni opened up about his relationship with Duke, saying:

"I've known PJ, he took a visit to Cornell, he's been to Cornell a lot but he have known him since he was young, like he came to my house like in high school where I grew up and trained with me, I think he was in like seventh grade ummm and he had already been very good and he is the same age as my younger brother Elijah and they were pretty tight so I just had overlapped him a lot I know his family pretty well and I would say I am friends with the family....."

The Final X will take place at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on June 14, 2025.

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Yianni Diakomihalis and other wrestlers match up for the Final X

Yianni Diakomihalis, the 2022 World Championships silver medalist, recently revealed he is looking forward to making his mark in Newark. In an Instagram post, Yianni wrote:

"In the heat of training it’s difficult to remember the great things you have in your life, but without that you have nothing. Can’t wait to put myself to the test in Newark"

Other wrestlers matched up for the Final X event in men's wrestling are Spencer Lee vs Luke Lilledahl for 57 kg and Vito Arujau vs Jax Forrest for 61 kg. In 65 kg, it will be Joey McKenna vs Real Woods, and Evan Wick will clash against Levi Haines in the 79kg. Mitchell Mesenbrink will face David Carr for 74 kg, and four more clashes will take place for the final spot.