Transgender boy wins Texas girls state wrestling title amid controversy

A 17-year-old transgender boy won the Texas state girls wrestling title on Saturday in a classification he doesn't think he belongs in and amid a controversy that goes beyond being called a boy or a girl or which bathroom to use.

Namely, the use of hormone treatment in sports.

Mack Beggs has said he would rather be wrestling boys, but state policy calls for students to wrestle against the gender listed on their birth certificates meaning the junior from Euless Trinity was forced to compete as a girl.

Beggs, who reached the state tournament after two opponents forfeited, unwillingly became the pawn in a transgender controversy throughout the event after questions about whether or not his testosterone treatments — to help the transition from female to male — gave him an unfair advantage competing against girls.

The shaggy haired wrestler improved to 56-0 after beating Chelsea Sanchez 12-2 in the 110-pound weight class to go undefeated and win the championship.

The Beggs family has said he wanted to compete against boys, but University Interscholastic League deputy director Jamey Harrison, who reportedly has not addressed Beggs directly, said their organization had not received a request to change divisions from any athlete at this competition.

This debate was further pushed to the news forefront this week after the Trump administration announced an end to federal protections that allowed transgender students to use facilities based on their gender identity, leaving states and school districts to determine their own policies.

A mixture of boos and cheers filled the gymnasium as Beggs fell to his knees after his championship victory. The new state champion then hugged his coach and walked off the mat.

  

Beggs later broke his silence by thanking his teammates. 

  

"I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for my teammates," he said. "That's honestly what the spotlight should have been on is my teammates. The hard work that I put in in the practice room with them beside me - we trained hard every, single day."

Attorney Jim Baudhuin tried and failed to get injunctions before both the district and regional meets to prevent Beggs from competing while he transitions because he is taking testosterone. Baudhuin, who is the parent of a wrestler at another school who has never faced Beggs, told The Associated Press earlier this week he doesn’t blame Beggs for the situation, but faults the UIL which oversees athletics in Texas public schools.

Angry dad charges mat to confront ref at a youth wrestling event (VIDEO)

A young wrestler got a nice pin at the NHSCA Duals last weekend in Virginia Beach but it didn't come without some extra grappling off of the mat.

One parent was so incensed that the referee may have allowed his son to get hurt — after a prolonged half nelson/short hook hold — he jumped on the mat to confront the official after his son got up in obvious visible and audible  pain. 

Dad might have good reason to complain, but jumping on the mat to challenge the ref might be a little more Hulk Hogan than Dr. Phil.

Thankfully, order was restored and the uncomfortable situation was diffused.

TV sitcom 'The Goldbergs' planning tribute to The Ultimate Warrior: Report

It seems only fitting for a Eighties-based television sitcom — which touches on that decade's pop culture icons from Alf  to Rubik's Cubes  — to reminisce about the the early years of the World Wrestling Federation (years before it became the WWE) and one of its pioneering stars — the late, great Ultimate Warrior.

The guy behind the ABC sitcom "The Goldbergs" is a hardcore Ultimate Warrior fan — and that's why he's dedicating an upcoming episode of the show to his childhood hero and the phenomenon of the WWF, according to TMZ. 

The gossip site spoke with the Tuesday night show's creator, Adam F. Goldberg, who told them he was heartbroken when he heard about Warrior's death earlier this month and desperately wanted to pay homage to his idol. 

Goldberg says it just so happened his staff was working on an '80s wrestling themed episode — so it seemed like the perfect time for a tribute to one of the modern wrestling ring's first and most popular stars.

"With the help of fans on Twitter, I was able to get in touch with [Warrior's] family and I'm thrilled to dedicate the May 6th episode to him."

"It's my way of saying thank you for being the coolest hero a kid could ever have."

And you can't think everything '80s without the WWF.

WWE 's touching tribute to The Ultimate Warrior (VIDEO)

A week after The Ultimate Warrior delivered an emotional speech on Monday Night Raw, the WWE honored the memory of the wrestler who died last Tuesday.

Dozens of WWE superstars gathered on stage to open the show and fans were given Ultimate Warrior masks to wear. After a video montage, the bell was rung 10 times in his memory.

The larger-than-life Warrior, one of the biggest stars of wrestling during the 1980s and 1990s, died of heart disease, according to the Maricopa County (Ariz.) medical examiner’s office.

The 54-year-old Warrior collapsed outside a Scottsdale, Ariz., hotel last Tuesday while walking with his wife Dana. He made his first appearance on “Monday Night Raw” in 18 years the night before his death.

Warrior died of “atherosclerotic/arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease” and of natural causes, which means no drugs or alcohol were directly involved in his death.

Born James Hellwig, he had legally changed his name to Warrior. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

A full autopsy report likely won’t be completed for several months.

Semi-pro wrestler offers $100 reward on Facebook to kill Florida police officer: Report

A semi-professional wrestler in Florida was arrested after allegedly offering $100 to anyone on Facebook who would kill a police officer for him.

Bruce Allen Santee II, also known as "The Marquee," was booked on a felony charge Monday after posting the name of a Pinellas Park officer and a reward for his death, according to police.

The 35-year-old Santee sounded off on Facebook about a traffic stop in Pinellas Park shortly after 2 a.m. Monday. In the post, he identified the officer who had pulled him over and offered $100 to anyone who would kill the officer.

Santee had been a front-seat passenger in a car driven by a woman who failed to yield and was pulled over, said police. He was arrested at 3:30 p.m. Monday on a charge of making written threats to kill or do bodily injury, a second degree felony.

The St. Petersburg resident turned himself into police and apologized to detectives for what he did, Sgt. Adam Geissenberger told ABC News. He also blamed his behavior on being drunk.

"He was remorseful. He told them, 'I was stupid, I was drunk. I posted something I shouldn't have,'" said Sgt. Geissenberger.

Santee was being held at the Pinellas County Jail Monday night in lieu of $10,000 bail.

NJ wrestling team posing with 'lynched' dummy sparks controversy (PHOTO)

A controversial photo depicting members of a New Jersey high school wrestling team posing with a black-colored dummy wearing a rival team's T-shirt and hanging with a rope around its neck has sparked an investigation into the incident.

The photo of seven young men from Phillipsburg High School surrounding a wrestling dummy wearing a Paulsboro High School T-shirt has spurred the school district to discipline the boys for what critics are calling racist, mean-spirited and just poor taste.

Six of the seven boys in the photo are wearing Phillipsburg team jackets and two of the individuals have hoods pulled over their heads in a point. One of the boys is leaning toward the front of the photo with a paddle in his hand.

Fierce rivals for decades, both Phillipsburg and Paulsboro boast two of the most competitive wrestling programs in New Jersey. The blue-collar towns are located on opposite ends of the state and matches between the Stateliners and Red Raiders have always been intense.

The teams met earlier this month in a dual meet, with Phillipsburg prevailing, 38-21.

Phillipsburg School District Superintendent George M. Chando said "actions were taken" Tuesday. But he refused to say what they were.

In a brief news release issued yesterday afternoon, Chando called the incident "a student matter dealing with minors."

"An investigation was undertaken and upon conclusion of the investigation, actions were taken by the District consistent with its policies," the statement read.

High school wrestler uses The Force to pin opponent (VIDEO)

Even with three more Star Wars movies on the way, fans can't get enough of The Force. Watch these two high school wrestlers decide that a match would be the perfect place to demonstrate the powers of a Jedi and give the $4 billion franchise a little free publicity.

That's until the ref went Darth Vader on the two grapplers.

Apparently these two teammates — they each have the same uniform — wrestling on a mat which says "New York State Champions" planned the fake match in advance.

And pretty funny, is it ...hmm.

HS wrestler wins national title with daring 'Flying Squirrel' move (VIDEO)

A New York State high school wrestler used an incredible move to win the 138-pound Junior Class (11th grade) title at the National High School Coaches Association wrestling championships in Virginia  Beach.

What makes Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer's "Flying Squirrel" move even more spectacular is that it came when he was trailing 4-3 to 5th-ranked Alfred Bannister with only 10 seconds to go in the final period. You can hear the timekeeper call it out right before Rodriguez-Spencer leaps over his opponent.

Rodriguez's daring tactical gamble earned him the win and the Most Outstanding Wrestler award — not to mention the admiration of grapplers everywhere.

And it looks like the Cheektowaga (N.Y.) High School star did it without headgear too.



Just another reason the Olympics are going to miss this sport.