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Wrestling organization fights back against Oklahoma State Athletic Commission

Posted: Apr 21st 2024 By: David Chasanov

The Oklahoma State Athletic Commission (OSAC) is continuing to face backlash.

Earlier this week, we told you about the OSAC warning All Elite Wrestling after it had a transgender wrestler perform in Oklahoma City. Tonight, we're learning more about a different situation involving the agency, a wrestling organization in McAlester and wrestlers who participated at a certain show.

Co-Owner of the New Class Wrestling Organization Richard Bedford says the OSAC in Oklahoma City challenged him in court a day before his show.

"OSAC has never benefitted professional wrestling," Bedford said. "As far as safety, as far as anything."

Bedford has been fighting the OSAC since he hosted shows on October 21 and 22 without a promoter's license.

"I had told [them] this in July, several months prior to that, that I would be treating this as Indian country and not get my promoter's license. But, I did not tell the performers, so they would be able to say they did not know what was going on."

Several months later, Bedford started promoting for his April 6 event, and that's when he says the OSAC decided to seek legal action, trying to have power over native land.

"We beat their injunction in court. The district judge in Pittsburg County ruled in our favor."

Shortly after the ruling, the OSAC suspended the wrestlers who performed at the McAlester shows in October, like Logan Knight, who says those suspensions were lifted Thursday.

"The media attention about the Nyla Rose situation, as well as the intergender ruling and the 'transgenders can't wrestle' ruling also played a big factor into that," Knight said. "I know the Commission has been getting emails, calls, whatever it takes to get them to realize that their rules are outdated and they're really not justifiable."

A professional wrestler himself, Knight says he plans to also continue fighting back against the OSAC.

"We are hoping to get not only them off native land, but to get the intergender rule and the transgender wrestling rule overturned, and a part of the agenda when we go to the meeting on July 10."