When Yianni Diakomihalis walked into the U.S. Open, he wasn’t just another name on the bracket. He was a living blueprint of what relentless toughness looks like. Standing across from him was James Green, a veteran with World medals and big-match credentials. But Yianni didn’t flinch. He controlled the pace, picked his shots, and systematically shut down Green’s offense. It was a performance that didn’t just earn him the win. It reignited his presence on the freestyle circuit with a vengeance. For a guy who’s spent the last eight years bouncing between surgeries and rehabs, this wasn’t about redemption.

Yianni’s story extends far beyond one match. As the wrestling world is buzzing, all eyes are on the upcoming Final X. This isn’t just any match; it’s a high-stakes showdown between Yianni Diakomihalis, the 2022 World Silver Medalist, and P.J. Duke, a rising star and Penn State signee. But before that friendship-turns-battle moment takes center stage, Yianni had a message to send and he delivered it loud and clear against James Green. With a staggering 115–2 career record, all that success hasn’t come easy for Yianni Diakomihalis.

FloWrestling took to X, highlighting, “Yianni breaks down his big four-point move against James Green in the U.S. Open finals.” But this wasn’t just any move. It was the defining moment of the match, a reflection of how far Yianni Diakomihalis has come both physically and mentally since his last U.S. Open title in 2019. In the now-viral clip, Yianni walks viewers through the sequence, revealing just how deliberate and strategic it was. “He punches hook and I swim. We started working on that shot a lot — actually after a Muzai beat me in the world finals.” That admission alone tells you everything: Yianni doesn’t just wrestle hard, he wrestles smart. Every past loss becomes a lesson, every position a puzzle he’s already solved in training.

What stands out most in the video isn’t just the technical breakdown. It’s the self-awareness. He points out how he got punished by a strong right-hand underhook in his 2022 World final and vowed to fix that weakness. “I spent basically the whole match getting underhooked,” Yianni recalled, adding that they began drilling that very pummeling action to neutralize it. And he didn’t just store that fix in a practice room. “I actually hit it a little bit my senior year in college,” he said. That moment in the match, when he shoots straight off the pummel and gets to his lock. It was muscle memory mixed with instinct. “Once we’re here, I kind of knew again, it’s like keep my face off the mat and I’m safe. But if I get my hands locked, I’m gonna score again.” This is what separates elite wrestlers from legends-in-the-making.

And that’s exactly what he looked like against Green, legendary. Locked in a 2-2 match late in the second period, Yianni cracked it open with two back-to-back takedowns that sealed an 8-2 win and sent him to his fourth career Final X. This wasn’t just about wrestling sharp. It was about wrestling mature. The truth is, moments like that against a seven-time World Team member like Green don’t happen by accident. And next up, he’s staring down one of the sport’s most hyped young stars in PJ Duke. A collision of generations that could reshape the future of American wrestling.

From childhood memories to Championship stakes: Yianni vs. Duke

In a podcast clip shared by Justin Basch on X, Yianni Diakomihalis peeled back the curtain on what makes this Final X matchup so personal. He’s known P.J. Duke for more than a decade, recalling their early encounters at youth tournaments with a tone equal parts fond and impressed. “I remember when P.J was like, seven at the New York State Tournament… he came out, and he wrestled for this kid’s club. I think they’re a different name now, but they used to be called Iowa Style,” Yianni said. “And he had like his little head gear, like, he was seven years old.” There’s even a family connection in play, “And you know, he’s very close, or at least, like, when they were younger, he was close to my younger brother, Elijah.”

As the matchup draws closer, Diakomihalis isn’t just tapping into memories. He’s diving deep into tactics. While he speaks about Duke with admiration, there’s no mistaking the seriousness of his preparation. “He’s got a good, like, two on one underhook, seatbelt, kind of series,” he noted, citing the upper-body strength and judo-style flair that make Duke such a dangerous opponent. The plan? Stay sharp and don’t get baited. “So, I think with him, right, it’s, like, good shot selection and just being really disciplined,” Yianni explained. His respect is real but so is his readiness.

And that’s the true tension of this showdown. The collision of personal history and professional ambition. “So I’m gonna come in there and wrestle him like my world championship is on the line because it is,” Yianni declared. Despite the bond they share, Diakomihalis knows there’s no room for sentiment when a Final X spot is on the line.In his mind, the only way to honor both their journeys is to wrestle with complete focus and let the outcome speak for itself. This is the side of sport that doesn’t flinch where deep respect fuels even deeper resolve, and only intensity finishes the story.