Sports
KSAT Explains
SAN ANTONIO
– A mall, a backyard or a business park are just some of the places you’ll find it: a growing passion for professional wrestling in San Antonio, both among pros and fans.
“The wrestling scene in San Antonio — that heartbeat is bumping so loud, so hard, so fast. It’s alive and well,” David Campos, Jr., who is also known as the wrestler StudStache, said.
The Yard
Campos runs The Yard, a wrestling venue in the backyard of his family’s home on McCauley Street.
While “backyard wrestling” often carries an amateur connotation, that is not the case here.
“There’s almost something you actually cannot replicate at the top with the biggest TV companies,” said Alexx Arsenal, pro wrestler. “It’s, just, it’s sweaty, gritty, angry, and it’s in your face.”
Arsenal, who moved to San Antonio for its professional wrestling scene, is one of several wrestlers on the independent circuit who perform at The Yard.
Kalientitaa is another.
“San Antonio has such a strong and passionate fan base, and they hate me here,” Kalientitaa said with a smile. “But I know they love me. OK, they love to hate me.”
StudStache and his team, including his father who is aptly known as PapaStache, put on shows and run their own wrestling promotion called United210.
On weekdays, Campos is a special education teacher at the Harlandale Alternative Center.
He began wrestling in late 2018, years after serving as a combat medic in Iraq.
“I came back to total darkness,” Campos said. “Wrestling has given me my life back.”
“There’s David Campos the person, which, you know, he’s been through everything and the strength he has in him is almost nonexistent,” said Campos. “But then there’s StudStache the wrestler (to) where I could channel everything into that guy and just become so animated, become so alive. And that keeps me going, and I actually feed off that guy.”
Once a month on Fridays, hundreds of people pack The Yard for matches.
Campos said he has food truck operators competing for a place to park and serve the crowd. Security personnel are present, as well.
“I hope to go on and do bigger and better things, but this will, I think, always be one of the most special places I ever got to wrestle,” said Alexx Arsenal.
Dogg Pound Dojo
Some wrestlers on the independent circuit hope to move on to bigger and better things are learning from pros who’ve been there, such as Jazz the Female Fighting Phenom and Redd Dogg Rodney Mack.
The couple runs Dogg Pound Dojo out of a business park in the 9700 block of Culebra Road.
“I’m 54 years old, and I’ve been wrestling about 45 years,” said Mack, who still enters the ring today.
Jazz now produces shows for NWA, but she and Mack have wrestled for some of the biggest promotions in the sport.
“I’ve wrestled in ECW, WWF, WWE, TNA, AEW,” said Jazz. “For Wrestlemania 18, I went in as the WWF Women’s Champion, and I retained my title.”
That made her the first Black woman to do so.
Both Mack and Jazz are training the next generation of pros at Dogg Pound Dojo, from those who want to wrestle in the ring, to working in production or even on “glam teams.”
“They come through us for polishing,” said Mack. “Guys who do have that potential and talent but just haven’t been polished for TV, for pay-per-views.”
“That’s our main goal right now, just to help this younger talent to reach their goals, you know, because it’s possible,” said Jazz.
“If I made it, anybody can make it,” Mack said.
Two of their students are Santiago Medina, who’s known as Loverboy, and Nathaniel Grayson, known as The King of Darkness.
“This city is probably one of the hottest spots for wrestling for sure,” said Loverboy.
Several wrestlers KSAT spoke to compare pro wrestling in San Antonio to ice cream. There are a variety of flavors.
“There’s lucha. There’s just old school hardcore wrestling, like ourselves, and, you know, something for everyone,” said Mack.
“San Antonio is a very vast wrestling scene,” said the King of Darkness.
The Wrestling Shop
That vastness also spreads into Rolling Oaks Mall.
“Expect the unexpected, and be prepared to be entertained,” said Oscar Samarron, owner and promoter of The Wrestling Shop Trademark and Collectibles.
On the second floor of the mall, across from Hot Topic, the shop is full of wall-to-wall wrestling memorabilia with a wrestling ring smack dab in the middle.
It’s a place to shop and watch wrestling matches among aspiring pros, like Redd Davis and King Cobra.
“With one strike, that’s all it takes for me to beat someone,” King Cobra said. “No matter the size, no matter anything (sic).”
Redd Davis, whose character name is a nod to his grandfathers, said his ultimate goal is to wrestle for WWE.
“I want to prove people wrong that anything you told me I couldn’t do at a younger age, here I am,” Davis said.
“This is the independent. This is the indies,” Samarron said. “This (is) where it all starts.”
Creating The Wrestling Shop has been one of Samarron’s lifelong dreams. He fell in love with professional wrestling at a young age, like many of the promoters and performers KSAT met.
“There’s just something about it,” Samarron said. “It’s the stories, just that (sic) larger-than-life characters.”
The Hybrid School of Wrestling
Refining the characters of aspiring pros is what Casey Blackrose is all about.
“That’s my character. I’m the Modern Day Back Breaker,” he said.
Blackrose is a graduate of the Hybrid School of Wrestling, where he is now a trainer himself as he pursues his own professional wrestling career.
“I take pride in being probably the No. 1 guy here,” Blackrose said.
Meanwhile, Hybrid is largely considered the No. 1 wrestling school in San Antonio.
“We have champions all over Texas, all over (the) United States,” said Blackrose. “We work with the top promotions in San Antonio.”
River City Wrestling, known as RCW, is the top promoter in town.
“I’ve been running it for 23 years,” said Brandon Oliver, founder and creator of RCW.
Oliver said he has poured decades into his passion project that he does in addition to a full-time career.
Oliver’s love for professional wrestling dates back to his childhood.
“I would write out, you know, three-hour, pay-per-view shows with my action figures, and portray it all out,” Oliver said.
The vibe, if you will, among local wrestling promotions has changed, according to Oliver.
“Ten years ago, the promotions did not work together at all in San Antonio. I mean, it was all-out war, basically,” Oliver said. “There’s more camaraderie than there was in the past.”
RCW has worked with big names that have gone on to sign with bigger promotions.
The Von Erich brothers are among them.
Yes, those Von Erichs of generational pro wrestling fame.
The family was featured in the 2023 film The Iron Claw.
Ross and Marshall Von Erich, son of Kevin Von Erich, have both worked with RCW.
“You know, dad always spoke so highly of San Antonio,” said Ross.
“Because it’s families. It’s huge families,” said Marshall. “They bring their kids, their mom, their dad. It’s a family event. And that’s what Von Erichs are all about. We’re about the families, and so, once we experienced ourselves, it was like, ‘OK, there’s something different here.’”
>>FULL INTERVIEW: The Von Erich brothers discuss their professional wrestling background, family lineage and more
When Ross and Marshall Von Erich aren’t traveling for shows working with the AEW promotion, they sometimes pop in for training at Hybrid.
Both are carving their own path in the professional wrestling world as they carry the legacy of their family name with them.
“We kind of feel like it’s probably the last form of Shakespeare in a way. Just because it’s live, and there’s one take,” said Ross. “You’re the actor and the stunt double.”
Today, the Von Erich family resides in Boerne.
“I feel like pro wrestling is becoming cool again,” said Marshall. “We really do. We feel like that.”
More KSAT Explains coverage:
Sports
Kentucky Track and Field Opens 2025-26 Indoor Season at Commodore Winter Challenge – UK Athletics
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Kentucky Wildcats track and field team is set for the start of a new indoor season this Saturday in Nashville, Tenn. at the Commodore Winter Challenge, hosted by Vanderbilt University.
For the first event of the new season, the Wildcats will send 45 total athletes to Nashville, competing across 21 separate events. The travel list for the weekend’s event is highlighted by returners Camden Bentley, Hannah Douglas, Sharmelle Holmes, Stacey Onyepunuka, Kate Powers and Emmi Scales on the women’s side and Grayson Brashear, Patrick Faust, Miles Jones, Devin Sealey and Anthony Waterman on the men’s side.
The Wildcats welcome 40 total newcomers to the 2025-26 roster, including 22 on the men’s side and 18 on the women’s side. Of the 40 new additions, 30 feature as true freshman, looking to make their collegiate debut this weekend for the Wildcats.
During the indoor portion of the 2025-26 schedule, the Wildcats will compete in eight meets, beginning with tomorrow’s event in Nashville. Following the turn of the calendar, Kentucky will host the Rod McCravy Memorial on Jan. 9-10 at the Norton Center in Louisville, Ky.
The final stretch of the regular season for the Cats consists of the Crossroads of America Invitational (Jan. 23-24), Razorback Invitational (Jan. 30-31) and the David Hemery Valentine Invitational and the Tiger Paw Invitational on Feb. 13-14.
For the second consecutive season, the Texas A&M Aggies will play host to the 2026 SEC Indoor Championships at the Fasken Indoor Track & Field Facility in College Station, Texas on Feb. 26-28. The 2025-26 indoor season will conclude on Mar. 13-14 in the Cats’ second trip to Fayetteville, Ark. for the NCAA Championships.
On Saturday in Nashville, Kentucky will compete against fellow SEC programs Tennessee and host Vanderbilt, as well as Arkansas State, Austin Peay, Belmont, Chattanooga, Lipscomb, Middle Tennessee and Western Kentucky.
Competition for the Commodore Winter Challenge in Nashville is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. ET, starting with Meagan Ewers, Gwyneth Lori, Kate Powers and Addison Stadsholt representing the Wildcats in the women’s weight throw event.
Event Schedule
| Commodore Winter Challenge: Saturday, December 6: ALL TIMES IN EASTERN TIME | |||
| Women’s Weight Throw | 9:30 a.m. | FINAL | Meagan Ewers, Gwyneth Lori, Kate Powers, Addison Stadsholt |
| Women’s High Jump | 9:30 a.m. | FINAL | Kemarah Howard |
| Men’s High Jump | 9:30 a.m. | FINAL | Devin Sealey |
| Men’s Long Jump | 11:00 a.m. | FINAL | Kingi McNair |
| Men’s Pole Vault | 11:00 a.m. | FINAL | Grant Harrison, Jack Marek |
| Men’s Weight Throw | 11:30 a.m. | FINAL | Grayson Brashear, Brock Conrad, Cian Crampton |
| Women’s Long Jump | 12:30 p.m. | FINAL | Dahlia Beasley, Julia Gunnell, Kemarah Howard, Skyler Reynolds |
| Women’s 60m Hurdles | 1:00 p.m. | PRELIMS | Dahlia Beasley, Camden Bentley, Julia Gunnell, Kashia Hoo, Kori Martin, Rukia Nusra Omulisia, Emmi Scales, Alene Washington |
| Men’s 60m Hurdles | 1:25 p.m. | PRELIMS | Anthony Waterman |
| Women’s Shot Put | 1:30 p.m. | FINAL | Dahlia Beasley, Meagan Ewers, Julia Gunnell, Gwyneth Lori, Addison Stadsholt |
| Women’s 60m | 1:45 p.m. | PRELIMS | Briley Cline, Sharmelle Holmes, Naseera Efua Quansah, Briana St. Louis |
| Women’s Pole Vault | 2:00 p.m. | FINAL | Kaylee Daniel, Annie Murphy, Chelsea Wetzel |
| Men’s 60m | 2:00 p.m. | PRELIMS | Coy Hyre, Miles Jones, Jack Marek, Zyrie Stewart-McLaren, Oscar Baltan Vivero |
| Men’s 60m Hurdles | 2:45 p.m. | FINAL | TBD |
| Women’s 60m Hurdles | 2:55 p.m. | FINAL | TBD |
| Men’s 60m | 3:05 p.m. | FINAL | TBD |
| Women’s 60m | 3:15 p.m. | FINAL | TBD |
| Men’s/Women’s Triple Jump | 3:30 p.m. | FINAL | Theo Mudzengerere |
| Men’s Shot Put | 3:30 p.m. | FINAL | Grayson Brashear, Brock Conrad |
| Women’s 300m | 3:35 p.m. | FINAL | Dahlia Beasley, A’Laji Bradley, Briley Cline, Tressia Davis, Hannah Douglas, Julia Gunnell, Kashia Hoo, JahQueen McClellan, Rukia Nusra Omulisia, Emmi Scales, Briana St. Louis, Alene Washington |
| Men’s 300m | 3:55 p.m. | FINAL | Tyrique Johnson, Brandon Nyandoro, TK Pahuwa, Zyrie Stewart-McLaren, Oscar Baltan Vivero |
| Women’s 600m | 4:15 p.m. | FINAL | Vanice Kerubo Nyagisera |
| Men’s 600m | 4:35 p.m. | FINAL | Patrick Faust |
| Women’s 4x400m | 5:05 p.m. | FINAL | Kentucky |
| Men’s 4x400m | 5:20 p.m. | FINAL | Kentucky |
Follow Kentucky Track and Field and Cross Country on Facebook, Instagram, X, and UKathletics.com.
The Iowa State volleyball team will return to the NCAA Tournament after missing out last season. The No. 23 Cyclones (22-7, 12-6 Big 12) will face the St. Thomas Tommies (21-9, 11-5 Summit League) in the opening round.
“This is the first time I get to experience something like this, and I’m just really happy I get to experience it with this group of girls in this program,” senior middle blocker Tierney Jackson said. “I’m ready to have a long run in Minnesota.”
Iowa State will be participating in its 18th NCAA Tournament, while the Tommies are making their first appearance in program history.
This is the first postseason St. Thomas is eligible to compete in after elevating to the Division I level for the 2021 season. The Tommies won their first Summit League Tournament, making them undefeated in Division I postseason play.
The Tommies secured their NCAA Tournament berth by claiming the Summit League title. St. Thomas defeated No. 1 seed South Dakota State in the Summit League Tournament championship.
The Tommies are the only team to defeat the Jackrabbits over the past two seasons, winning in 2024 and 2025.
The Summit League champion has not won an NCAA Tournament match for 28 seasons. The last tournament victory for the conference came in 1977 — a five-set win for Oral Roberts over Arizona.
The Big 12 does not hold a conference tournament, giving its automatic NCAA bid to the regular-season champion.
No. 8 Arizona State (26-3, 17-1 Big 12) had a near-perfect conference schedule, their one loss coming to the Cyclones on Oct. 31. The Halloween victory was Iowa State’s biggest win of the season.
“I am super excited to make the tournament and continue on our run with my favorite group of girls, and we’re excited to go to Minnesota,” senior setter Morgan Brandt said.
Brandt was the Big 12 Setter of the Year and leads all active Big 12 players with 3,736 career assists. She also led a Cyclone offense that topped the conference in assists at 13.03 per set.
Iowa State occasionally switched from a 5-1 to give sophomore setter Ava Martin opportunities.
St. Thomas had an impressive nonconference schedule, with its best win coming against Big Ten opponent Northwestern. The Tommies won seven straight matches after defeating Northwestern, a program best since joining Division I.
The match will be played at Minnesota’s Maturi Pavilion, a venue where St. Thomas has already taken a set this season. The Tommies took a set from then-No. 11 Minnesota on Aug. 31, the first set victory against a ranked opponent in program history.
While the Cyclones are favored in this matchup, they have lost their last two matches, while the Tommies have won five straight.
These teams have met once before. In 2021, Iowa State swept St. Thomas in the same building as part of the Diet Coke Classic. The only active player from that match is Iowa State redshirt senior defensive specialist Paula Krzeslak. She has appeared in 94 matches across her Cyclone career.
Both head coaches have led their programs for more than 20 years. Christy Johnson-Lynch is in her 21st season with Iowa State, and Thanh Pham is in his 23rd season at St. Thomas. Pham coached the Tommies to a Division III national championship in 2012, while Johnson-Lynch has guided Iowa State to two Division I regional finals (2008, 2011).
“We never want to take the day for granted,” Johnson-Lynch said. “So we’re excited to get up there and get going.”
St. Thomas will play Iowa State at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Maturi Pavilion and will stream on ESPN+. The winner will advance to face either No. 4 seed Minnesota or Fairfield in the second round Saturday.
Event: BU Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener
Host: Boston University
Date: Saturday, Dec. 6, 2024
Location: Boston University Track and Tennis Center (Boston, Mass.)
Live Results: PortlandPilots.com
Live Video: PortlandPilots.com
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS & PILOTS’ ENTRIES
• Women’s Mile: 9 a.m (PT) | Rose Perotin
• Men’s 3000m: 11:40 a.m (PT) | Mark Milner
• Men’s 5000m: 4:15 p.m (PT) | Jonas Price
THIS WEEK
• The Pilots are set to compete at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener, hosted by Boston University in Boston. They will be represented in three events.
• Live results and video streaming are available on PortlandPilots.com.
Get Your Tickets Now!
Secure your spot now for any upcoming Portland Pilots ticketed home event by visiting PortlandPilots.com/Tickets or by downloading the Portland Pilots App. For group and fan experience package information, email pilotsboxoffice@up.edu.
Donate Today
Fans interested in making a contribution to the Pilot Athletic Fund can do so by clicking here. Your gift directly helps our nearly 300 student-athletes as they strive to make a difference in our community and achieve academic and athletic excellence. Thank you for support of Pilot Athletics!
Follow Along With the Action
Get the latest news and information about your favorite University of Portland athletic programs by visiting PortlandPilots.com. You can also follow along for the most dynamic coverage and team-centric content by following us on Twitter, liking us on Facebook, and following us on Instagram.
ROCK HILL, S.C. — Winthrop Track & Field Head Coach Raffael Craig has unveiled the Eagles 2025-26 indoor and outdoor schedule on Friday, outlining a slate that begins in early December and runs through the end of May.
“I’m proud of the work they have all put in,” said Craig. “This first meet will be a good opportunity to see where we are at heading into the holiday season.”
The Eagles open the indoor season on Dec. 7 at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick-Off in Winston-Salem, N.C. Winthrop continues at the Gamecock Opener on Jan. 10 in Columbia, S.C., followed by three meets in Tryon, the Tryon International Classic (Jan. 16-17), the Tryon College Banked Invitational – East Coast Elite (Jan. 30), and the Tryon Mid-Winter Collegiate Invite (Feb. 13-14).
The Big South Conference Indoor Championship is scheduled for Feb. 27-28 in Tryon.
Outdoor competition begins with the Big South vs. Southern Conference Challenge on Mar. 20-21 in Asheville, N.C. Winthrop will also compete at the Raleigh Relays (Mar. 26-27) and the VertKlasse Meeting (Apr. 2-3) in High Point, N.C.
The program will host the annual Winthrop Invitational on Apr. 17-18 at the Irwin Belk Complex. The regular season concludes at the Lenoir-Rhyne Open on Apr. 25 in Hickory, N.C.
The Big South Conference Outdoor Championship is set for May 11-13 in High Point, N.C. Qualifiers will advance to the NCAA Championships East First Round, held on May 27-30 in Lexington, Ky.
ALLENDALE, Mich. — Despite having just four student-athletes in action, the Western Michigan track and field team was able to post some strong results at the GVSU Holiday Open earlier today.
Laurine Elisa Marimon stole the show, earning the sixth best triple jump mark in program history. She finished the meet with a top leap of 12.07 meters. The meet was her first in the Brown and Gold.
Sierra Sommers also impressed in her college debut, competing in both the shot put and weight throw. She opened the meet with a weight throw mark of 12.87 meters. She followed that up with a throw of 14.14 meters in the shot put. That was good enough to win the event and just missed a top-10 mark in program history.
Mickaliliah Vassell made her WMU debut by racing in both the 60-meter dash and 60-meter hurdles. She crossed the finish line in a time of 7.89 in the 60m and earned a time of 9.19 in the 60m hurdles.
To conclude the meet, Shannon Gillahan was great in her season debut. She was able to produce a time of 11:07.28 in the 3000-meter run.
UP NEXT
The Broncos will be off until the start of the new year. WMU will be back in action at the Wolverine Invite on Jan. 10.
HONOLULU – The Hawai’i track and field team announced its schedule for the 2026 indoor season Friday, starting with a trio of meets in Seattle and ending with the MPSF and NCAA Championships in March.
UH begins the season at the UW Preview, Jan. 16-17 in Seattle before returning to the Pacific Northwest for the UW Invite, Jan. 30-31. The Rainbow Wahine then have a split-squad weekend, Feb. 13-14, sending athletes to both the Husky Classic in Seattle and the Battle Born Classic in Reno, Nev.
Hawai’i then begins postseason action with the MPSF Championships, Mar. 1-2 before sending any qualifiers to the NCAA Championships, Mar. 13-14 in Fayettevile, Ark.
The Rainbow Wahine are coming off of a fourth-place finish at last year’s MPSF Championships, and return a pair of individual conference champions from a year ago in Lilian Turban (high jump) and Tara Wyllie (triple jump).
The ‘Bows also welcome back last season’s pentathlon bronze medalist Catherine Touchette, who also sits in third all-time at UH in the event. Lucy Milliner also returns for her sophomore season after setting the school indoor mile record and moving into second in school history in the indoor 800m.
Kentucky Track and Field Opens 2025-26 Indoor Season at Commodore Winter Challenge – UK Athletics
Cyclones meet St. Thomas for NCAA Volleyball Championship first round – Iowa State Daily
Formula 1 World Championship down to 3 drivers in 2025 finale
Michigan State Just Entered The College Football Arms Race With A Bang
Pilots Open Indoor Season at BU Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener
The DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation Quarterly Giving Series: Q3 2025
Craig Announces 2025-26 Track & Field Schedule
Broncos Produce Strong Results in Season-Opening Meet
Track & Field Releases 2026 Indoor Schedule
Volleyball’s historic season wraps up in NCAAs Thursday night
How historic $401 million donation to Michigan State helps Tom Izzo, Pat Fitzgerald
Indoor season begins for Vikings on Saturday
No. 24 Colorado Sweeps American in NCAA First Round
NASCAR president Steve O’Donnell testifies in NASCAR antitrust trial – Speedway Digest
Track and Field Begins the Indoor Season at the Visit Winston-Salem College Kick Off Saturday – University of South Carolina
First Tee Winter Registration is open
Fargo girl, 13, dies after collapsing during school basketball game – Grand Forks Herald
CPG Brands Like Allegra Are Betting on F1 for the First Time
Volleyball Recaps – November 18
F1 Las Vegas: Verstappen win, Norris and Piastri DQ tighten 2025 title fight
Two Pro Volleyball Leagues Serve Up Plans for Minnesota Teams
Utah State Announces 2025-26 Indoor Track & Field Schedule
Sycamores unveil 2026 track and field schedule
Texas volleyball vs Kentucky game score: Live SEC tournament updates
Bowl Projections: ESPN predicts 12-team College Football Playoff bracket, full bowl slate after Week 14
Redemption Means First Pro Stock World Championship for Dallas Glenn
Pohlman admits ‘there might be some spats’ as he pushes to get Kyle Busch winning again
Indiana’s rapid ascent and its impact across college football
How this startup (and a KC sports icon) turned young players into card-carrying legends overnight
Troy Football Need to Know; Gameday at The Vet — Georgia State Game
Why a rising mid-major power with an NCAA Tournament team opted out of revenue-sharing — and advertised it
NBA Legend Michael Jordan to Join NBC Sports as Special Contributor
Falcons mailbag
Portal Update – Basketball and Gymnastics Take Hits
has always dreamed in Mercurial. Now his initials are on the boots.
The new Kyl…
-
Rec Sports2 weeks agoFirst Tee Winter Registration is open
-
Rec Sports1 week agoFargo girl, 13, dies after collapsing during school basketball game – Grand Forks Herald
-
Motorsports1 week agoCPG Brands Like Allegra Are Betting on F1 for the First Time
-
Sports2 weeks agoVolleyball Recaps – November 18
-
Motorsports2 weeks agoF1 Las Vegas: Verstappen win, Norris and Piastri DQ tighten 2025 title fight
-
Sports1 week agoTwo Pro Volleyball Leagues Serve Up Plans for Minnesota Teams
-
Sports1 week agoUtah State Announces 2025-26 Indoor Track & Field Schedule
-
Sports1 week agoSycamores unveil 2026 track and field schedule
-
Sports1 week agoTexas volleyball vs Kentucky game score: Live SEC tournament updates
-
NIL5 days agoBowl Projections: ESPN predicts 12-team College Football Playoff bracket, full bowl slate after Week 14