Out pro wrestler trades the ring for rebounds as he aims for Gay Games gold
Pro wrestler Marco Mayur will compete at the upcoming Gay Games in basketball, returning to the sport he loves.
Mark
Out pro wrestler Marco Mayur, co-founder of San Francisco-based pro wrestling promotion Full Queer, has performed on some of the largest events highlighting the presence of LGBTQ identities in pro wrestling, including multiple “EFFY’s Big Gay Brunch” appearances.
But for the next few weeks, he will be repping his community on an international stage on the basketball court.
Mayur, real name Marco Rodriguez, announced this week that he’ll be taking a break away from the ring to compete at the 2026 Gay Games in Valencia, Spain as a member of the SF Shockwaves. Mayur was ranked No. 88 on last year’s QWI 200.
Stepping onto the court at the Gay Games is the culmination of a 15-year journey for Rodriguez that began when he joined the San Francisco Gay Basketball Association in 2011.
“I made really close friendships with my teammates,” he told Outsports. “Being able to represent the Bay Area queers in the Gay Games is such a dream come true. It’s just something that I honestly never thought was in the cards for me.
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“And being able to be on such an amazing team with my boyfriend included makes it even more surreal of an experience.”
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Rodriguez played in the league regularly until a severe ankle injury in 2018 forced him to step away and believe that basketball was a thing of the past for him.
He picked up pro wrestling in the time since, becoming a favorite on the West Coast and holding multiple championships while building Full Queer into a home for many queer and marginalized people alongside out pro wrestler Rosie Fingers.
Though another physical outlet presented itself in pro wrestling, a window of opportunity opened for Rodriguez to give basketball another shot ahead of the SFGBA’s 2026 Spring season. He joined up with the team, which included multiple former players for the SF Rock Dogs who were subjects of the LogoTV reality series “Shirts & Skins,” and was asked to join the Gay Games squad shortly after his first season back.
“I thought I would never play basketball again,” he said. “I hadn’t played in almost 10 years and in my head I thought, ‘Can I even play anymore? Is this something that I can physically do?’
“My friends were so sweet and reassuring. They told me that they really wanted me on the team because of my energy, positive attitude and to rough up the taller players since I’m a pro wrestler.”
Rodriguez reserved special recognition for SF Shockwaves coach Chris Johnson and popular local basketball development coach Conner Teohn with helping him return to and find success on the court.
“Chris is such a gift,” he said. “He’s really the heart and soul of the team and has experience playing at a high level in previous Gay Games. He knows how to get the most out of us in an empowering way.
“And Coach Teohn is one of the best basketball players I know. He helped me ultimately realize I was capable of playing in the Gay Games.”
He also credits his time in pro wrestling for helping him return to basketball.
“I am a much different basketball player since I started my pro wrestling journey. Our footwork in pro wrestling has to be immaculate or we risk not being safe in the ring,” Rodriguez said. “That has carried over into basketball, and it has made a difference for me.
“Another thing has been not being afraid of the contact. Basketball can be a very physical sport and, because of my size and strength, I have used that to my advantage.”
Those new skills, renewed confidence and the power drawn from community have Rodriguez and his SF Shockwaves teammates aiming for a medal when they take the court at the 2026 Gay Games beginning on June 28.
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