Wrestling: Former Cox star comes home to hero's welcome

HAMPTON | Bubba is back, and he hasn't changed a bit.

Former Cox wrestler Bubba Jenkins, who won an NCAA championship for Arizona State last March, came back to Virginia for the first time since taking his title, visiting the Virginia Duals on opening day.

Just as fit, he is currently training in mixed martial arts.

Just as flashy, he was sporting a Bubba J Squad T-shirt with his face on it.

And he's just as free-spirited, coming back to promote a Beat the Streets wrestling program - that he hopes to name the Bubba Jenkins Underdog Academy - and providing impromptu speeches to the high school wrestlers that crowded around him.

Jenkins rarely had a moment at Hampton Coliseum when he wasn't shaking hands.

"It's been nuts," he said of winning the championship. "It's what you dream of. And after that, people treat you different. All the haters, the people who made me the most-hated wrestler, they're gone."

Jenkins said his goal is to get more kids interested in the sport, particularly underprivileged youths, who he hopes to provide with free equipment, practice time, camps and speakers.

The effort is in its early stages and he hasn't begun significant fundraising, but Jenkins said there is a board of directors in place. He hopes to have funding within 90 days.

"I want to give something back to wrestling," Jenkins said.

In the meantime, Jenkins is living in Coconut Creek, Fla., where he trains at American Top Ten, a highly-regarded MMA academy. Competing for Tachi Palace Fights, he won his first fight by submission.

Jenkins said he's been approached by Bellator, a well-known MMA organization, but eventually hopes to join UFC.

"I love the sport," Jenkins said. "It's like wrestling, but with extra things added. It's like taking something good and adding sugar to it."

Cox follows loss with 2 opening-day wins

Cox had the busiest day of any local program at the Virginia Dual, competing in three matches in the National High School Division.

The Falcons were the only school from South Hampton Roads to compete in the toughest division, going 2-1 with a first-round loss to Caesar Rodney (Camden, Del.), followed by wins over Chantilly and Wheeling Park (W.Va).

Gabe Gibson, Cody Stageberg, C.J. Jablonski and Gunter Dickson all won three matches.

Odds and ends

The quarterfinals of the American and Black & Blue Division started too late for results to be printed in The Pilot, but were highlighted by a quarterfinal between Kellam and Great Bridge, two of the top four teams in South Hampton Roads.... At The Pilot's deadline, South Hampton Roads high schools were 8-5 on the first day.