Wrestle Wednesday: Sucker-Punch Edition

Unsportsmanlike conduct‼️ Cooper Corder (SPAR Wrestling Academy) defeated Hafid Alicea (Maine West High School) during the "Beat The Streets" tournament wrestling at Oak Park River Forest High School in Oak Park, Ill. After the match, Alicea sucker punched Corder, knocking him… pic.twitter.com/J7hAYY1qVP

— DeL2000 (@DeL2000) April 19, 2023

NYP reports that a horrific video captured a youth wrestler sucker-punching his opponent after a match. The incident took place in Oak Park, Illinois during a third-place 125-128 pound match at the 2023 Beat the Streets Developmental FS tournament. Cooper Corder of SPAR Academy, wearing an orange singlet, won the match over Maine West High School’s Hafid Alicea (in blue) by a 14-2 score between the eighth graders.

As Corder went in for a post-match handshake, he was cold-cocked by Alicea, sending him to the mat. Alicea appeared to be getting escorted away as those in attendance reacted with shock.

Corder suffered a nose injury and is now wearing a face mask during his matches, TMZ reported. 

“He is making the best of the situation and is already back to training,” SPAR Academy founder Justin Pearch told TMZ Sports. “As you may know, wrestling matches can get heated but nothing leading up to the punch would give cause to such bad decision-making on the opponent’s part. “It’s not tolerated in our sport and Spar Wrestling will never condone that behavior.” 

Oak Park Police Department is reportedly investigating the incident.