CPHS Senior Daton Fix attains #1 ranking in USA pound-for-pound
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Four-time undefeated State Champion Daton Fix hasn't lost a match in the U.S. since October of 2015.
By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief
Daton Fix is a household name in Sand Springs by now. Every serious high school wrestling fan in the United States is at least somewhat aware of him, and every year his name-recognition increases worldwide as he racks up the hardware at junior and senior level freestyle events across the globe.
Fix has held the #1 ranking from FloWrestling in the 132-pound weight class since June, but after finishing his high school career undefeated as a four-time State Champion, he has now climbed to the top of the pound-for-pound rankings as well.
The previous #1 was Iowa University-signed senior Spencer Lee.
Fix and Lee have held very similar careers these past four years. The two first met in May of 2013 at the Cadet Freestyle Nationals in the 110-pound weight class. Lee rolled to a 13-2 technical fall for the National title.
Two years later it was Fix's turn, winning a 9-6 decision for the Championship. Since then, the Pennsylvania State Champion has won a pair of gold medals at the World Championships while the Oklahoman won bronze the past two years.
So what pushed Fix past Lee in the rankings? How he finished in high school. While Fix concluded his undefeated career with a 168-0 record and four State Championships, Lee lost his final match to end as a three-time State Champ and four-time finalist with a 144-1 record.
Lee could still easily make his case to remain number one, however. His loss was to a no-joke opponent in Drexel-signed senior Austin Desanto, who was then ranked fourth in the nation at their weight class. Furthermore, though he refuses to use it as an excuse, Lee was wrestling with a torn ACL in his right knee.
In the latest Flo rankings, Fix moved from third to first, while Lee dropped from first to third. Second-ranked Cornell-signed senior Yianni Diakomihalis held his spot. Diakomihalis and Fix have split decisions in the past. Diakomihalis defeated Fix 5-0 in the 2014 Super 32 finals, but Fix won a 3-1 overtime decision for the FloNationals Folkstyle Championship in 2015. Diakomihalis finished his career with a 243-3 record but didn't compete for the State Championship due to a broken elbow.
While the odds of meeting the 145-pound Diakomihalis is college is unlikely, it's very likely we could see Fix and Lee meet again, either at the collegiate level or in national/international freestyle competitions.
For now, the only four-time State Champion in Sandite history has certainly lived up to his Twitter handle of "Greatest Ever." At least, greatest ever in Sand Springs. But the State Championships were just small stepping stones in his ultimate quest for Olympic Gold. He'll get his first shot in Tokyo in 2020, but till then he'll have to be content with being the #1 wrestler in America, and maybe win a few NCAA Division One titles for Oklahoma State University along the way.
Daton Fix titles:
2X Oklahoma Junior High State Champion
2X USAW Schoolboy Freestyle National Champion
2X USAW Schoolboy Greco-Roman National Champion
2012 USAW Preseason Middle School National Champion
2013 USAW Cadet Greco-Roman National Champion
2013 USAW Cadet Freestyle National Champion
2014 USAW Cadet Folkstyle National Champion
2014 Cadet Greco-Roman Pan American Champion
2014 Cadet Freestyle Pan American Champion
2014 Youth Olympics Freestyle Silver Medalist
2015 Junior Folkstyle FloNationals Champion
2X UWW Cadet Freestyle National Champion
2015 USAW Junior Freestyle National Champion
2016 Cadet Worlds Freestyle Bronze Medalist
2X Jay Hancock Memorial Champion
2X UWW Junior Freestyle National Champion
2016 Junior Worlds Freestyle Bronze Medalist
4X Perry Tournament Champion
4X Kansas City Stampede Champion
2X Geary Invitational Champion
4X Jerry Billings-Bobby Lyons Champion
4X OSSAA 6A-East Regional Champion
4X OSSAA 6A State Champion
