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Former Notre Dame QB Brandon Wimbush lands prominent role in Hulk Hogan's Real American Freestyle wrestling

Nick Profile Picby: Nick Geddes05/30/25NickGeddesNews
Brandon Wimbush
Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Former Notre Dame and UCF quarterback Brandon Wimbush has been named chief of staff of Real American Freestyle wrestling, per Chris Vannini of The Athletic. The creation of the first-ever pro freestyle wrestling league was announced last month by WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan, former WCW executive producer and senior vice president Eric Bischoff and accomplished wrestling coach Izzy Martinez.

Real American Freestyle is set to have eight weight classes for men and four for women in single matches. The first event is scheduled for Aug. 30th in Cleveland, Ohio. Wimbush will be involved, now six years removed from the end of his collegiate football career.

Wimbush, 28, played at Notre Dame from 2015-18. He made 21 appearances, throwing for 2,606 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on 50.5% passing. Wimbush rushed for 1,155 yards and 16 scores. He transferred to UCF ahead of the 2019 season. Wimbush began the campaign as the starter but was quickly supplanted by then-true freshman Dillon Gabriel.

Brandon Wimbush becomes latest signing of Real American Freestyle wrestling

So far, eight wrestlers from around the country have signed with Real American Freestyle. Among them are Iowa‘s Kennedy Blades, 2025 US Open champion and former Arizona State NCAA champion Zahid Valencia and two-time NCAA champion and former MMA champion Ben Askren (Missouri).

“As we started digging around, we found the athletes [were] very interested. We found a partner that really had influence in that arena of NCAA champions, a gold medalist who has trained almost everybody in the world that is somebody and we decided to start moving forward with that idea,” Hogan told FOX News Digital.

“And once [Hogan’s business partner] Chad [Bronstein] and I started to get into really deep water, I said, ‘Boy, we need to call Eric Bischoff’ because production and television stuff and him knowing the amateur wrestling world himself. He just became the perfect partner to jump in there with us.”