WWE Hall of Famer, now Tennessee mayor, challenges Walz to wrestling match
Glenn Jacobs, the Republican mayor of Knox County, Tenn., and a WWE Hall of Famer, has challenged Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) to a wrestling match.
Jacobs joined NewsNation’s Lelan Vittert on Friday and was asked about Walz’s claim that he could “kick the a‑‑” of supporters of President Trump.
“Is Tim Walz a worthy opponent for you?” Vittert asked.
“He’s not, but he threw down the gauntlet, so I had to pick it up,” Jacobs replied.
Walz, during an appearance on California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) podcast, made a joke about WWE and said he could take Trump’s supporters in a fight.
“I think I could kick most of their a‑‑. I do think that. I know I can outrun them, but I don’t know if we’re going to fall into that place of, 'OK, we’re going to challenge you to a WWE fight' type thing,” said Walz, who ran alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
Jacobs said he thought he may as well call Walz on the remarks and take him up on the challenge.
“So, I challenged him to a charity wrestling contest,” he said.
The WWE star-turned-mayor said he has yet to hear back from Walz, but “lots of people” have already pledged money to the hypothetical event.
“I figured we could rase several hundreds of thousands with this event, and it would all go to charity. We’d split the gate 50/50; half would go to my charity, half would go to his,” he said. “So, it’s a great opportunity actually to have some fun but then also to benefit a great cause.”
Walz has emerged as one of the more vocal Democrats in recent weeks as he has kicked off a speaking tour across the country. He has drawn sharp criticism from Elon Musk’s supporters after joking about Tesla stock dropping during an event last week.
The Hill has reached out to Walz’s office for comment.
Topics
-
Bill Goldberg guarantees WWE retirement match in 2025, wouldn't mind getting his 'hand around Cena's throat'
WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg has one last match in him — and it'll come in 2025.Yahoo Sports - 6d -
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says Democrats played 2024 elections too "safe"
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is now weighing in on what Democrats should have done better in 2024. Political strategists Joel Payne and Michael LaRosa join "America Decides" with analysis.CBS News - Mar. 10 -
Walz: Democrats' CR votes 'muddied the water'
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) said on Tuesday that votes by Senate Democrats in support of a stopgap Republican measure to fund the government "muddied the water" on possible government shutdown ...The Hill - 6d -
Walz reemerges as Democratic fighter with shots at Musk
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) all but disappeared after he and former Vice President Kamala Harris lost the presidential race to President Trump in November. But while Harris has remained out of the ...The Hill - 2d -
Tim Walz says he 'boosts mood' by looking at Tesla stock
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) told a crowd in Wisconsin on Tuesday that he boosts his mood by looking at Tesla stock, taking a shot at Elon Musk, the automaker's CEO and the face of President Trump's ...The Hill - 6d -
Walz walks back Tesla stock quip: 'Being a smart-a--'
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) walked back his joke about Tesla stock dropping, saying he was “being a smart-a--.” “I have to be careful about being a smart-a--, I was making a joke,” Walz said. ...The Hill - 2d -
'Celtics City' highlights Hall of Famer Bill Russell's challenges in Boston
While he might be the greatest Celtics player, when Russell was suiting up for the Celtics, he had anything but an ideal relationship with the city.Yahoo Sports - Mar. 17 -
Walz: 'We wouldn’t be in this mess if we had won the election'
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D), the 2024 Democratic nominee for vice president, sharply criticized President Trump’s governance style and economic policies but said he takes some responsibility for ...The Hill - Mar. 13 -
Kevin O'Leary: Walz's Tesla stock quip 'beyond stupid'
Investor Kevin O'Leary slammed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) over his joke about Elon Musk and Tesla stock, calling it “beyond stupid.” O’Leary, a panel contributor for CNN, weighed in on the recent ...The Hill - 5d
More from The Hill
-
Trump officials face records lawsuit over Signal chat
A government watchdog group is suing national security leaders for their use of Signal to discuss military actions, saying the move violated the Federal Records Act (FRA). The suit from American ...The Hill - 29m -
Trump signs order targeting mail-in ballots, proof of citizenship in federal elections
President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order that would dramatically overhaul how federal elections are run, a move that follows years of exaggerated claims from Trump about mail ballots ...The Hill - 49m -
GOP rallies behind debt limit hike in Trump tax bill, speedy timeline
Top Republican lawmakers emerged from a meeting at the Treasury Department on Tuesday saying the House and Senate are moving closer together on key aspects of how to unlock President Trump’s ...The Hill - 54m -
Moulton rips Hegseth for chat that 'cheapens' work of military, intelligence
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) hammered Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for using a Signal group chat to communicate about strikes on the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. “This put American lives at ...The Hill - 1h -
How the Signal 'group chat' furor has affected the 5 biggest players
The furor over a headline-making group chat consumed Washington for a second day on Tuesday. President Trump spoke to reporters from the White House about the matter, and it was also the focus of a ...The Hill - 1h
More in Politics
-
Trump officials face records lawsuit over Signal chat
A government watchdog group is suing national security leaders for their use of Signal to discuss military actions, saying the move violated the Federal Records Act (FRA). The suit from American ...The Hill - 29m -
Trump signs order targeting mail-in ballots, proof of citizenship in federal elections
President Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order that would dramatically overhaul how federal elections are run, a move that follows years of exaggerated claims from Trump about mail ballots ...The Hill - 49m -
GOP rallies behind debt limit hike in Trump tax bill, speedy timeline
Top Republican lawmakers emerged from a meeting at the Treasury Department on Tuesday saying the House and Senate are moving closer together on key aspects of how to unlock President Trump’s ...The Hill - 54m -
Moulton rips Hegseth for chat that 'cheapens' work of military, intelligence
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) hammered Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth for using a Signal group chat to communicate about strikes on the Houthi rebel group in Yemen. “This put American lives at ...The Hill - 1h -
How the Signal 'group chat' furor has affected the 5 biggest players
The furor over a headline-making group chat consumed Washington for a second day on Tuesday. President Trump spoke to reporters from the White House about the matter, and it was also the focus of a ...The Hill - 1h