LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 1: Jeff Grosso performs during the Skateboard Park Legends Final at the Event Deck at LA LIVE during X Games 16 on August 1, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
Skateboarding legend Jeff Grosso died Tuesday at the age of 51.
TMZ Sports confirmed the news with police in Newport Beach, California. The cause of death remains unknown, with the local medical examiner expected to perform an autopsy.
"He was a true skateboarder at his core, and a great wealth of entertainment, insight and valuable philosophy to a younger generation. ... One of the last times we spoke, we talked about how ridiculous it is that we still get to do this for a living and that anyone even cares what we do or think in terms of skateboarding at our age. I believe Jeff is a big reason that anyone truly cares, and skateboarding was lucky to have him as an ambassador and gatekeeper to its history."
Grosso was one of the most recognizable skateboarders in the United States in the 1980s, but Huck'sEd Andrewswrote in 2011 that "heavy indulgence in drink and drugs meant that his career was over by the early 1990s." He told Transworld Skateboardingin October 2012 that he had overdosed on heroin three times.
In recent years, Grosso hosted the YouTube seriesLoveletters to Skateboarding(warning: video contains profanity), which helped him build a following among younger fans and showed off his colorful personality.
Grosso made one appearance in the X Games, finishing fourth in the Skateboard Park Legends event at X Games 16 in 2010.
Shaun White Eliminated from 2019 Skateboarding Championships; Unsure on Olympics
Sep 14, 2019
Shaun White of the US competes during the Skate Park World Championship in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Friday, Sept. 13, 2019. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Shaun White saw his run at the 2019 World Skateboarding Championships end in the semifinal round Saturday in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The 33-year-old finished 13th among 20 remaining skaters. Only the top eight moved on to Sunday's final, and White missed the cut by 1.5 points with a score of 82.00, according to TeamUSA.org. He was competing to gauge where he stood among the world's best skaters ahead of skateboarding's Olympic debut next summer in Tokyo.
"This will be the deciding event," White told SporTV following Thursday's qualifying round. "I basically told myself I'd go here and give it everything I have, and then, after this competition, see how I stack up with the other skaters and then make the decision to fully commit to the Olympics."
White also admitted that "it's been difficult" to translate the tricks he has mastered on vert (halfpipe) ramps to the bowl for park skating, which is necessary because the only two featured Olympic skateboarding events are park and street for both men and women.
While White has earned five medals (two gold, two silver, one bronze) as a skateboarder at the X Games, he competed in vert and hasn't participated since 2011. Should he first decide to try for Tokyo and then qualify, it would be his fifth trip to the Olympics but first as a skateboarder.
Along with the competitors in Sao Paulo, White was previously seen sharpening his skating skills with the legendary Tony Hawk:
White became a household name as an Olympic snowboarder. He has competed in snowboarding in four Olympics (2006, '10, '14, '18) and notched three gold medals—all in halfpipe.
Brandon Curry, Dexter Jackson and Top Contestants Competing at 2019 Mr. Olympia
Sep 14, 2019
Past champions Phil Heath, Jay Cutler and Shawn Rhoden will not be competing at the 2019 Mr. Olympia.
Four-time winner Cutler has not participated since 2013, while Phil Heath—whose seven-year winning streak was broken by Rhoden last year—is not taking part.
Rhoden will not compete after America Media LLC revoked his eligibility to compete "in the 2019 and future Mr. Olympia competitions" after he was charged with felony rape, felony object rape and felony forcible sexual assault in July.
Per Gretel Kauffmanof KSL.com, Rhoden has been accused of raping a female bodybuilder in a Utah hotel room in October. TMZ reported Rhoden turned himself in to the police and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Date: Saturday, September 14
Time: 7 p.m. PT, 10 p.m. ET, 3 a.m. BST (Sunday)
Where: Orleans Arena, Las Vegas
Prize Money: $1.4 million total ($400,000 for first)
The full schedule is available at the competition'sofficial website.
2008 winner Dexter Jackson is the only previous champion competing in the field this year.
The veteran is two months shy of his 50th birthday in November, and he'll be making his 20th appearance at the event:
Jackson has a record 29 IFBB bodybuilding titles, most recently winning the Tampa Pro event in August, and he'll hope he can use his experience to his advantage on Saturday.
Brandon Curry will also be among the favourites.
He only placed fifth at Mr. Olympia last year, but his victory at the Arnold Classic in March will put him in contention:
Amid talk of an open field, the 36-year-old feels he's in pole position to win the title.
"It's wide open they say, but I've got that door handle in my hand," he said. "It's my time right now, it's all about timing, and yeah I'm ready to close that door man. I don't see a better opportunity, I don't see a better weekend to have this happen. It's all about now and I'm ready."
Cutler believes Hadi Choopan's presence could upset the apple cart, and he's looking forward to seeing how he fares against Jackson:
The Iranian won gold in the IFBB Vancouver Pro this year, as well as in last year's Asia Grand Prix and IFBB Portugal Pro.
Roelly Winklaar is another to watch out for. The Curacao-born bodybuilder only came fifth in this year's Arnold Classic, but he finished third last year at Mr. Olympia.
With the two men who finished in front of him—Rhoden and Heath—not competing, he'll also fancy his chances.
Mr. Olympia 2019: Dates, Schedule, Prize Money, Top Bodybuilders and Predictions
Sep 13, 2019
Curacao bodybuilder Roelly Winklaar performs during the Kuwait Pro bodybuilding tournament in Kuwait City on September 29, 2016. / AFP / Yasser Al-Zayyat (Photo credit should read YASSER AL-ZAYYAT/AFP/Getty Images)
Mr. Olympia 2019 promises to be one of the most open and exciting tournaments in recent years, with a new winner set to be crowned at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Defending champion Shawn Rhoden will not feature after having his eligibility revoked by Olympia's parent company American Media Inc. (AMI) after he was charged with rape in Utah, per FitnessVolt.com. Rhoden has denied the charges but turned himself in to police in July, per TMZ Sports.
Seven-time champion Phil Heath has also announced he will sit this one out. Heath told Ron Harris at Muscular Development that he has "chosen to bypass this year's event."
Australian bodybuilding champion Josh Lenartowicz is another big name not competing in 2019 after undergoing surgery on a tumour on his skull, while Kai Greene and Mamdouh "Big Ramy" Elssbiay also miss out, per Roger Lockridge at Barbend.com.
All of which means the title is there for the taking, and stars such as Hadi Choopan, Roelly Winklaar, Brandon Curry, William Bonac and Dexter Jackson head into the event as the favourites.
The 2019 winner will take home $400,000 from a total prize money pot of $1.4 million, which is a new tournament record, per Derek Hall at FitnessVolt.com.
The first event is on Friday at 7 p.m. local time (10 p.m. ET/3 a.m. BST Sat), and thefull schedule is available via the tournament's official website.
Top Bodybuilders and Predictions
Curry heads into Mr. Olympia 2019 after a great win over Bonac at the Arnold Classic USA in March.
It is the first time he has won the title, although he has clinched victory at the 2013 Arnold Classic Brasil and the 2017 Arnold Classic Australia:
The 36-year-old put in the best performance of his career at the Arnold Classic, and if he can come up with something similar in Las Vegas, he looks destined to win the Sandow.
Curry only finished fifth at the 2018 Mr. Olympia, an improvement on his eighth-placed finish in 2017, but he heads into the event looking in the best shape of his career and certain to improve on that placement.
The American told RxMuscle (h/t Hall) in the buildup to the event that he thinks he is in his "prime season" and is not short of confidence.
He added: "Winning is the ideal, so right now I've just got a winner's mindset, and I know what it takes. I know what it takes to win."
He will face fierce competition from Winklaar, who placed third at this event in 2018. The Dutch star has been training hard in the gym, and his impressive physique will take some beating:
The 49-year-old claimed the 2019 Tampa Pro in August and heads to Las Vegas hoping to win Mr. Olympia for the second time in his career and for the first time since 2008.
There will be no shortage of quality on show at Mr. Olympia 2019, despite some of the big stars missing out, but Curry looks to have the edge on his rivals and is the man to beat in Las Vegas this weekend.
X Games 2019: Full Results, Medal Winners and Best Trick Highlights
Aug 4, 2019
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - AUGUST 01: Mitchie Brusco competes in Skateboard Vert at the X Games Minneapolis 2019 at U.S. Bank Stadium on August 01, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The X Games wrapped up Sunday in Minneapolis, bringing a close to the four-day event.
Vince Byron got the action underway with his gold-medal performance in BMX vert, and Mike Varga formally closed the curtain by winning Dave Mirra's BMX park best trick with a 900 tailwhip.
Here are the medalists from the 2019 X Games and a recap of some of the best moments.
Thursday, Aug. 1
BMX Vert
Gold: Vince Byron (90.66)
Silver: Jamie Bestwick (89.33)
Bronze: Mykel Larrin (88.66)
Moto X Step Up
Gold: Jarryd McNeil
Silver: Bryce Hudson
Bronze: Colby Raha, Ronnie Renner
Skateboard Vert
Gold: Jimmy Wilkins
Silver: Mitchie Brusco
Bronze: Clay Kreiner
Friday, Aug. 2
Men's Skateboard Street
Gold: Yuto Horigome (89.00)
Silver: Nyjah Huston (88.00)
Bronze: Sora Shirai (87.00)
Women's Skateboard Park
Gold: Misugu Okamoto
Silver: Cocona Hiraki
Bronze: Lizzie Armanto
Moto X Quarterpipe High Air
Gold: Corey Creed (32'6")
Silver: Tyler Bereman (31'9")
Bronze: Colby Raha (31'4")
BMX Big Air
Gold: Ryan Williams (93.66)
Silver: Morgan Wade (91.66)
Bronze: Vince Byron (84.66)
Moto X Freestyle
Gold: Rob Adelberg (92.33)
Silver: Josh Sheehan (90.00)
Bronze: Jackson Strong (87.33)
Saturday, Aug. 3
Men's BMX Park
Gold: Logan Martin
Silver: Rim Nakamura
Bronze: Jose Torres
Moto X Best Trick
Gold: David Rinaldo (94.00)
Silver: Jackson Strong (91.33)
Bronze: Josh Sheehan (90.00)
Skateboard Big Air
Gold: Elliot Sloan (91.66)
Silver: Mitchie Brusco (89.66)
Bronze: Rony Gomes (82.00)
Men's Skateboard Street
Gold: Yuto Horigome (89.00)
Silver: Nyjah Huston (88.00)
Bronze: Sora Shirai (87.00)
Adaptive Skateboard Park
Gold: Vinicios Sardi
Silver: Felipe Nunes
Bronze: Mike Minor
BMX Street
Gold: Garrett Reynolds (89.66)
Silver: Matt Ray (86.33)
Bronze: Chad Kerley (85.00)
BMX Dirt
Gold: Logan Martin (94.66)
Silver: Brandon Loupos (92.00)
Bronze: Dawid Godziek (90.66)
Moto X Best Whip
Gold: Tyler Bereman
Sunday, Aug. 4
Men's Skateboard Street Best Trick
Gold: Nyjah Huston
Silver: Yuto Horigome
Bronze: Matt Berger
Men's Skateboard Park
Gold: Ivan Federico
Silver: Jagger Eaton
Bronze: Alex Sorgente
Women's Skateboard Street
Gold: Aori Nishimura (92.00)
Silver: Momiji Nishiya (90.00)
Bronze: Mariah Duran (88.33)
Dave Mirra's BMX Park Best Trick
Gold: Mike Varga
Ryan Williams won gold in BMX big air and made history in the process. Williams opened his run with a backflip onto the ramp, becoming the first person to achieve the feat at the X Games.
Australian Ryan Williams became the first athlete to ever backflip into a Big Air ramp at the X Games! #SCtop10
He received a 93.66 overall score, giving him a two-point edge on silver medalist Morgan Wade.
"I thought, you know what, I'm going to bring in some Dave Mirra spice to this little mega ramp contest," Williams said of the backflip, per Andrew McMurtry of News.com.au. "I'd actually never done a backflip drop-in before so that's my first ever backflip drop-in on BMX. Best place to try it I guess."
David Rinaldo dug down and delivered a trick that must be seen to be believed en route to gold in Moto X best trick. And multiple viewings are required to appreciate his backflip body varial.
France’s David Rinaldo became the first-ever athlete to land a backflip body varial at #XGames Minneapolis 2019! pic.twitter.com/X0x1HTxZF2
Rinaldo picked a memorable way to earn his first X Games medal.
Elliot Sloan stood at the top of the podium in skateboard big air with the slimmest of margins separating him from Mitchie Brusco.
Tony Hawklanded the first 900 at X Games 5 in 1999, a moment fans still remember today. Brusco did Hawk one better, adding another revolution for a 1260.
Logan Martin successfully defended his BMX park title in Minneapolis and added a gold in BMX dirt. Rim Nakamura stole the show, however. The 17-year-old silver medalist was the first Japanese rider to get on the podium in a BMX event.
17-year-old Rim Nakamura becomes the second-youngest BMX medalist of all-time and the youngest overall in BMX Park.⁰ ⠀⠀ He's was the first Japanese rider to compete in #XGames Park and with his medal becomes the first Japanese rider to medal in a BMX discipline. pic.twitter.com/ClgRAt43Qg
The X Games return to U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis for next year's event. The 2020 edition will begin July 16 and run through July 19.
X Games 2019: Minneapolis Dates, TV Schedule, Live Stream, Athletes, Event Info
Aug 1, 2019
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JULY 22: Brandon Loupos of Australia competes in the Final during the ESPN X Games at U.S. Bank Stadium on July 22, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Some of the most thrilling action sports competitors in the world will be in Minneapolis for X Games 2019, which begins on Thursday.
Various events will be held across four days at the Minnesota Vikings' U.S Bank Stadium, Medtronic Plaza and The Armory.
Lively crowds will provide a backdrop to the competition across Minneapolis, and a number of musical performers will also feature.
Here are the key details for the event, including where to tune in to catch the action, as well as a closer look at some of the stars the fans will flock to see over the next four days.
Date: Thursday, August 1 - Sunday, August 4
TV Info: ABC and ESPN will show the action live in the United States.
The X Games YouTube channel provided a look at the type of courses the competitors will be facing in their respective events:
In the men's skateboard competition, all eyes will be on Mitchie Brusco, who lit up the Games with some of his displays a year ago.
Overall, he's won eight medals at the X Games but only clinched his first gold in 2018 when he won the Big Air competition. He was the first person ever to land a 1080 at the X Games in 2013, a feat he repeated on his way to glory five years later.
Speaking ahead of the X Games, Brusco said that skydiving has helped him improve his skateboarding, per Michelle Bruton writing for OZY.
"My spatial awareness and overall awareness has been challenged so much," he said. "Getting on a mega ramp or spinning a different way on a vert ramp—those things just started to make sense."
Elsewhere, having won the Men's Skateboard Street event in 2018, 11-time X Games champion Nyjah Huston will be back to defend his title and add another chapter to his already remarkable legacy. He was recently named Best Male Action Sports Athlete at the ESPY Awards after yet another prosperous year:
WE DID IT!!! Best male action sports athlete🏆 Thanks to everyone that voted and all of you for the support over the years. Love you guys!♥️ #espyspic.twitter.com/Po1Pm79ttk
In the women's street event, Mariah Duran remains the athlete to beat. While she was ninth in Shanghai earlier in the year, she shone in 2018, with wins at the Minneapolis and Sydney X Games.
On the BMX, Logan Martin was the star of the show a year ago, with two silvers and a gold, showcasing his tremendous versatility across different events.
In the Moto X, Jarryd McNeil is seeking to become the first competitor to win four golds in a row in the same discipline, and he will look for success in the Step Up once again.
How to Watch World Armwrestling League on B/R Live
May 15, 2019
Bulging biceps, high-energy, brute strength and shirts that are two sizes too tight. Welcome to the World Armwrestling League.
It's based in Chicago, Illinois, but the WAL travels all over, bringing its top competitors to big events. Now in its fifth season, there are intense matches, stars, strategy and passionate fans on stages across the country.
The competitors in the WAL range from security officers, to mechanics, to chemistry teachers, to chefs, to firefighters, to bartenders, to nurses, to military veterans. The WAL features regular people with regular jobs, but with the right mix of strategy, skill and force, anyone can compete in this sport.
And you can watch them all battle it out live on B/R Live.
WAL 502 takes place Thursday, May 16 at 8 p.m. ET in Baltimore, Maryland at Ram's Head Live. It's the latest installment of the Supermatch Showdown Series, which will also make stops this season in Richmond, Virginia; Los Angeles, California and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Supermatch Showdown in Baltimore, featuring the world's top armwrestlers, includes a card of five matchups.
- Matt Mask (field specialist from Red Deer, Alberta) vs. Todd Hutchins (mechanical engineer from Lowell, Ohio)
Supermatches are played in a best-of-five format. Nothing can be worn on the hand, wrist or elbow, except for chalk. Leading up to the start of the match, competitors have 60 seconds to negotiate a grip with their opponent, and a coin flip will determine the sides for the first pull.
During the match, competitors must keep one foot on the floor at all times, must keep their non-pulling hand in contact with the peg, must follow all commands of the referee, and must start the match with their elbow on the pad, with their shoulders square and with an open hand presented. For a pin, competitors must push their opponent's hand—from the wrist to the fingertips—against the pin pad.
World Armwrestling League: How to watch and stream
In the United States and Canada, the WAL can be streamed live on B/R Live. The entire schedule is available here. Outside the U.S. and Canada, it is available on Fanseat.
Pricing for World Armwrestling League coverage on B/R Live is as follows:
- $2.99 USD per Supermatch Showdown
- Free for WAL Local Events
If you tune in to any Supermatch Showdown at any point after the start time, you can watch for the first five minutes for free. Payment is required to continue.
Winter X Games 2019: Full Results, Medal Winners and Best Trick Highlights
Jan 28, 2019
ASPEN, COLORADO - JANUARY 26: Chloe Kim takes a practice run prior to the Women's Snowboard Superpipe final at the 2019 Winter X Games on January 26, 2019 in Aspen, Colorado. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
The curtain officially closed on Winter X Games 23 in Aspen, Colorado, on Sunday.
The event got underway Thursday and featured plenty of big air, head-turning tricks and memorable highlights. Here are the full results from the four-day event.
A showdown between veteran and newcomer took center stage during the women's snowboard big air on Thursday.
It was the youngster who took home gold, as 22-year-old Laurie Blouin just eclipsed silver-medalist Zoi Sadowski-Synnott. The veteran—28-year-old Jamie Anderson—still added to her impressive resume with a bronze medal.
The Aspen Times noted it was the 16th X Games medal of Anderson's career, although she fell hard on a frontside 1080 and needed some time with the medical team.
It was another veteran who was under the spotlight Friday, as Joe Parsons was going for the 18th Winter X Games medal of his career. It would have tied Shaun White's record, but he finished a disappointing fourth place at the snowmobile freestyle final and just off the podium.
Daniel Bodin captured gold, defending champion Brett Turcotte won silver and Justin Hoyer took home the bronze. According to the Aspen Times, Bodin was dealing with an injured thumb and limited practice time, but he still paced the field.
Saturday was a day for superstars, as Olympic champion Chloe Kim added to her list of accomplishments with a gold in the women's snowboard superpipe. She battled through icy conditions and an apparent leg injury but still managed to hold off silver-medalist Queralt Castellet and bronze-medalist Cai Xuetong.
"I obviously wanted to do a completely different run," Kim said, per Austin Colbert of the Aspen Times. "I have a lot of tricks I wanted to do out here. Unfortunately, it was just a little unsafe. My health is more important."
Elsewhere, Mark McMorris won the gold in the men's snowboard slopestyle over Rene Rinnekangas and Mons Roisland.
The men's snowboard superpipe was part of the Sunday slate, and Scotty James captured gold over Yuto Totsuka and Danny Davis.
Chloe Kim Wins Snowboard Superpipe Gold Medal at 2019 Winter X Games
Jan 27, 2019
ASPEN, COLORADO - JANUARY 25: Chloe Kim practices in the Superpipe prior to the Women's Snowboard Superpipe event at the 2019 Winter X Games on January 25, 2019 in Aspen, Colorado. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Chloe Kim won her fifth Winter X Games snowboard superpipe gold medal on Saturday in Aspen, Colorado, thanks to an 84.00 score during her second run:
Competitors are each given three runs, with the best score standing as the one that counts toward the final results. Queralt Castellet won silver with 80.00 points in her first run, and Cai Xuetong took the bronze with a 72.66 result in her final run.
Kim turns just 19 years old in April, but she looks well on her way toward becoming one of the most decorated winter-sports athletes in recent history, let alone in snowboarding.
That's in part because she's the owner of a lot of "firsts." Per the Olympic Channel, she's the first halfpipe rider to sweep an Olympics gold medal, a Winter X Games gold medal and the U.S. Open.
Charles Lam of NBC News reported Kim was the first person under 16 years of age to win back-to-back golds at the Winter X Games. She is the first woman to hit back-to-back 1080s and land a frontside double cork 1080 in the halfpipe as well.
Kim also became the youngest woman ever to win an Olympic snowboarding medal when she took down the halfpipe event in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Kim has been dominating the snowboarding scene for years, as she won the silver medal in the 2014 Winter X Games at just 13 years of age.
TMZ: Skateboarder Nyjah Huston Sued by Ryan Sheehy After Alleged Fight
Jan 22, 2019
Ryan Sheehy filed a lawsuit against professional skateboarder Nyjah Huston following an alleged attack at a February 2017 house party that forced him to undergo reconstructive surgery.
TMZ Sports provided details from the suit Monday with Sheehy stating he suffered a broken nose and a cut above his left eye leading to "noticeable disfigurement." He said the injuries caused "immense pain" and forced him to miss work.
Sheehy, who's seeking damages from the lawsuit, said he was "jumped" during the party.
A representative for Huston released a statement from the skateboarder to TMZ about the incident after he was charged with felony battery in May 2017.
"My actions were a result of someone acting in an aggressive manner towards me and solely defensive in nature," the statement read. "I have the utmost faith in the process and believe that I will be fully exonerated as the truth emerges."
The charge carries a maximum sentence of four years in prison.
Huston has continued to compete following the allegations. He won a gold medal in the Skateboard Street event at the 2018 X Games and opened 2019 by taking first place in the Street League Skateboarding world championships in Rio de Janeiro last week.
