Hey, you know all those videos of Floyd Mayweather running around the cage looking agile and buff?
Vitor Belfort is not impressed.
“The Phenom” knows a thing or two about mixed martial arts (MMA), having been in the fight game for over two decades. And to Belfort, this notion that Mayweather could cross over to cage fighting and not get ground into dust is preposterous.
“I think he doesn’t have a chance even against the young kids, 15, 14-year-olds,” Belfort told MMA Fighting. “He has a lot to learn on the ground, kicks. With his arms, on his weight, he’s a phenom. Now, involving legs and other things, no chance.”
Mayweather has been teasing a debut in UFC in the wake of his technical knockout win over Conor McGregor in last August’s boxing spectacle. That led to some lame tweets from both sides but nothing in the way of substance.
But if Belfort is right, then Mayweather should skip UFC and fight here.
Another Division I head coaching position has been filled. South Dakota State has tapped Damion Hahn as its new head coach.
Hahn leaves the Cornell Big Red program after over a decade in Ithaca, NY. Hahn had been an assistant coach since 2006 and the associate head coach since the 2013-14 season, working primarily with Cornell’s middle and upper weights.
Forty-eight CU wrestlers reached All-American status under Hahn’s tutelage. Furthermore, Cornell wrestlers reached the NCAA podium 20 times at 174, 184, and 197 pounds during his tenure. Three Big Red upper weights have been crowned NCAA champ with Hahn’s help: Steve Bosak, Cam Simaz, and most recently Gabe Dean in 2015 and 2016.
While Hahn has been on the staff, Cornell as a team has won every single Ivy League championship and every EIWA championship except one when the Big Red finished as runners-up this past season.
At South Dakota State, Hahn’s job will be to keep the momentum going that former head coach Chris Bono had built in Brookings. Bono left the Jackrabbits program less than a month ago for the University of Wisconsin, taking over the reins from Barry Davis, who retired after 15 years at the helm.
South Dakota State is coming off its best season in program history. Seth Gross won the 133-pound NCAA championship and the team finished in 12th place overall.
Before establishing himself as a DI coach, Hahn was a four-time All-American and two-time national champion at the University of Minnesota. Hahn was also a three-time New Jersey state champ wrestling out of Lakewood High School.
After two challenges, the UIL’s current steroid policy remained intact Tuesday.
The policy came into public light in relation to the case of Mack Beggs, the Euless Trinity transgender wrestler who went on to win a girls wrestling state championship while taking testosterone under a “safe harbor” provision in the education code.
On Tuesday, a Travis County judge dismissed a lawsuit asking the UIL to not allow Beggs to compete. Around the same time, the Senate Education Committee left pending a bill that would have changed the organization’s safe harbor provision.
The lawsuit, originally filed just before the wrestling regional championships in February, was brought by Coppell lawyer Jim Baudhuin and alleged the risk of injury to other wrestlers and an
unfair advantage to Beggs. Baudhuin amended the lawsuit several times leading up to the hearing and argued that the UIL was not following its rules related to steroid use.
The UIL filed for a “Plea of Jurisdiction,” which asked for the case to be dismissed for several reasons before it went on to a trial, leading to the hearing Tuesday.
In her explanation for dismissing the claims, the judge said Baudhuin’s case was more of a question of what the UIL did with its discretionary powers than a question of the UIL not following the law or its constitution.
Both UIL Deputy Director Jamey Harrison and the Beggs camp were pleased with the result.
“It was kind of expected,” said Damon McNew, Beggs’ stepfather. “It’s what the UIL stated a little bit after the competition.”
McNew said there was “absolutely” relief the lawsuit is over.
Baudhuin also said the ruling “wasn’t unexpected.”
“This was a very difficult, frustrating case,” Baudhuin said.
Baudhuin attempted, in part, to argue that the UIL had failed to prove Beggs fell under the “safe harbor” provision outlined in the state’s education code. The UIL cited FERPA privacy law.
Baudhuin subpoenaed Harrison to testify on UIL rules but the judge cut off the testimony, saying this hearing was not the time to fish for information.
Baudhuin said he’d talk with an appellate lawyer and discuss if they’ll choose to appeal.
“As I’m standing here 15 minutes after the hearing is done, I don’t think we’re going to pursue it any further,” Baudhuin said.
Part of the UIL’s argument was the law could change in the coming months. That chance got smaller Tuesday as Senate Bill 2095 was left pending.
Leo Barnes, the UIL’s directory of policy and compliance, told the committee that as of now, the organization can only conduct randomized drug testing, and that program is not currently funded.
It also would require any person seeking protection under the safe harbor provision to release medical records to the UIL and allow communication between the organization and the student’s healthcare professionals.
The UIL could also declare the student ineligible despite the safe harbor provision if it determines the safety of other students or fairness of competition would be affected by the student’s steroid use.
With the bill pending, it could be voted out of committee, but the chances of that are small. Thus, the UIL’s current steroid policy remains.
At least until June, when the UIL legislative council meets.
Euless Trinity (Texas) transgender wrestler Mack Beggs won his second straight state title Saturday evening to a chorus of boos.
Beggs (36-0), who won last year’s Class 6A girls championship in the 110-pound division, won by decision 15-3 against Chelsea Sanchez of Katy Morton Ranch.
Last year, the 18-year-old beat Sanchez for the championship.
Texas transgender teen Mack Beggs wins regional wrestling title amid firestorm of opposition
Beggs was the center of both praise and criticism in 2017 when a parent filed a lawsuit to try to keep him from wrestling in the female division.
A few years ago, Beggs began transitioning from female to male. The lawsuit’s argument centered around Beggs’ use of testosterone to help with that transition.
But, according to the UIL, it’s not a banned substance since it comes from a physician.
A UIL policy also says that student-athletes in high school must compete as the gender that’s on their birth certificate.
Beggs wants to wrestle boys and said he would if that law didn’t exist. Though the UIL has said publicly that it has never received an official request from Beggs or his school asking to wrestle boys.
Marco Karem, Beggs’ father, said that his son’s story should bring encouragement to others.
“He inspires a lot of people, and if he can help just one person—then it’s worth it to Mack,” Karem said.
WFAA spoke with a number of parents, and all seem to support Beggs’ choice to be transgender. However, many voiced that he should be wrestling boys or not wrestling at all.
Beggs shrugged off the jeers and told WFAA, “I don’t care, I gave my all in that match.”
“You put me in front of anybody and I’ll wrestle them,” he said. “Each time I read comments, they all say the same thing about steroids. It all comes down to technique and who has the most heart.”
Beggs wants to wrestle in the NCAA and is entertaining a scholarship offer from an out-of-state school.
He also wants to train for the Olympics.
Both the NCAA and the Olympics have rules in place that allow athletes to compete as the gender they identify with.
Beggs is also working towards a gender reassignment surgery.
At the end of the day, the teen said he’s glad to close this chapter of his life–and hopes the state reconsiders many of the rules that brought him to the center of controversy.
“I wanted to come out on top, and in my heart–I feel like a champion,” Beggs said.
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Update: Conor McGregor turned himself in to police late Thursday night following the incident that took place in Brooklyn. According to MMA Fighting, an NYPD spokesperson has confirmed the current lightweight champion has been charged with three counts of assault and one count of criminal mischief.
Conor McGregor may soon be a wanted man in the state of New York. After McGregor caused an incident at the Barclays Center on Thursday afternoon by throwing a guardrail at a bus and injuring at least one person, UFC president Dana White said McGregor now has a warrant out for his arrest, one that prevents him from leaving the state.
“They are looking for him right now. His plane cannot take off; he cannot leave the state of New York,” White said. “I’m assuming, eventually, if they don’t catch him, he’ll turn himself in. You can imagine he’s going to be sued beyond belief, and this was a real bad career move for him.
“After this disgusting, despicable move, I think everyone’s relationship with Conor is going to be not so great,” White continued. “Even the police officer who came to me was like ‘God, I was a fan of his, too. Not anymore.’ This is the type of bad move you make that turns a lot of people off.”
However, contrary to White’s statement, ABC News reports that the NYPD is still investigating the incident involving McGregor with no formal arrest warrant out for the UFC champion at this time.
In addition to McGregor’s legal situation, one of his teammates, Artem Lobov, has been pulled from the UFC 223 card. Lobov was set to fight Alex Caceres.
McGregor and his team showed up after the UFC 223 media day festivities wrapped up at Barclays Center and appeared to be looking for a fighter. When they were unable to get access to the bus, McGregor picked up a guardrail and hurled it at the vehicle, shattering the glass and cutting UFC 223 fighter Michael Chiesa on the face. Chiesa was transported to the hospital to be treated for the cuts, and it is unknown whether he will be able to on Saturday night.
“He’s got some beef with Khabib because of the Artem [Lobov] thing that went down. You don’t come into Barclays Center [and] attack people on a bus who are fighting the next day,” White said. “And the worst part is the women that were on the bus. They’re fighters. Rose [Namajunas] is a fighter. Karolina [Kowalkiewicz] is a fighter. But these goons are throwing bike racks and chairs like that through the windows of the bus and didn’t care who they hit or who they hurt.”
Video quickly surfaced of the fracas, showing McGregor and his team rushing the venue before hurling the guardrail and leaving in a bus that was waiting for them outside.
It is unclear at this time what sparked the seemingly planned attack.
