Ted Cruz, 49, Challenges Ron Perlman, 70, to Wrestle Jim Jordan, 56, over Twitter Beef with Matt Gaetz, 38

Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images/SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images/Mario Tama/Getty Images/SAUL LO
Carlos Alvarez, Mario Tama/Getty; Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty
Hannah Knudsen

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) challenged left-wing actor Ron Perlman to wrestle Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) following the Hellboy actor’s social media beef with Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL).

“Listen Hellboy. You talk good game when you’ve got Hollywood makeup & stuntmen. But I’ll bet $10k—to the nonpolitical charity of your choice—that you couldn’t last 5 min in the wrestling ring w/ @Jim_Jordan w/o getting pinned,” Cruz said. “You up for it? Or does your publicist say too risky?”

The Texas senator’s challenge follows a lengthy back and forth between Perlman and Gaetz, spurred by the Florida lawmaker expressing disgust over the U.S. Soccer’s board of directors voting to repeal a policy requiring national team players to stand for the national anthem.

Perlman, 70, responded to Cruz’s proposition with a host of insults and dismissed Jordan’s inclusion, challenging Cruz directly.

“I tell you what teddy boy, since mentioning jim jordan and wrestling is… problematic, why don’t we say fuck him and just make it you & me,” Perlman said, promising to give $50k to Black Lives Matter.

“I get it, you’re rich. But, apparently, soft. You sure seem scared to wrestle Jordan (whom you keep insulting),” Cruz responded. “Can’t take the heat? Need to get a manicure?”

This not the first time Cruz has issued a challenge to a celebrity, infamously beating ABC late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel 11-9 in a game of one-on-one-basketball in 2018.

The social media spat with Perlman began with Gaetz’s remarks on U.S. soccer players no longer being required to stand for the national anthem. “I’d rather the US not have a soccer team than have a soccer team that won’t stand for the National Anthem,” Gaetz said of the decision.

“The US Soccer team called and you guessed it… said they couldn’t give any less of a fuck about what you two dipshits think,” Perlman said, sparking a response from Gaetz, who dubbed the actor a hypocrite over his role in Sons of Anarchy. Gaetz’s jab fell flat on some, who criticized lawmaker for conflating life and fiction, “while others pointed out that his comment about ‘Sons of Anarchy’ wasn’t entirely accurate given that strictly speaking SAMCRO isn’t a white supremacist M.C.” according to TheWrap.

“Yessir, so true! So rewarding playing assholes on tv. Tell me sir, how is it actually being one?” the Asher star responded.

“Honestly? The fact that Hollywood thinks I’m an asshole is a badge of honor,” Gaetz fired back. “You wouldn’t be tweeting about me if my message weren’t true & effective. Threatens your wokeness. How triggered will you be when @realDonaldTrump is re-elected? More or less than when crooked lost?”

The spat continued, as Perlman took issue with Gaetz’s negative use of the word “Hollywood.” The argument eventually descended into a debate on gerrymandering.

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