Mark Byrnes
Mark Byrnes is a senior associate editor at CityLab who writes about design and architecture.
Earlier this morning, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford defeated former pro-wrestler Hulk Hogan in an arm-wrestling match at the Toronto convention center during "Fan Expo," the Comic-Con of Canada.
Ford struggled at the beginning of the match, but eventually managed to gain the upper hand. After claiming victory, he jumped up, both arms in the air, reveling in his most recent job perk.
Here's the very short match, captured on video by one spectator:
The local media, who are perhaps resigned to the Ford administration serving solely a source of amusement from here on out, tweeted the entire event as it happened:
Rob Ford ripping off his tie before the match! True showmanship...#HulkFord pic.twitter.com/x8JzAEUcau
— Tammie Sutherland (@citytammie) August 23, 2013
Rob Ford wins!! "He's younger," says Hulk Hogan. #hulkford pic.twitter.com/Wm8HtLHjDo
— Natalie Johnson (@NatalieCTV) August 23, 2013
Hulk Hogan calls Rob Ford "the number one Hulkamaniac" #TOpoli #hulkford pic.twitter.com/cXCwAcmk48
— Don Peat (@reporterdonpeat) August 23, 2013
Afterwards, one journalist hoped they could get Hogan's take on the mysterious crack video but got nothing:
Someone asked Hogan if he thinks crack videa is real, "I'm hungry!" He replies #hulkford #topoli
— Kaleigh Rogers (@KaleighRogers) August 23, 2013
Hogan though, says Ford is a natural fit for the world of wrestling:
Hulk on Ford: "If gets tired of being Mayor he'd be a great wrestler." #hulkford pic.twitter.com/NRwhtuDMSM
— Natalie Johnson (@NatalieCTV) August 23, 2013
While the event was meant to be lighthearted, not everyone in Toronto enjoyed the latest example of Ford turning himself (and some feel, the whole city) into an international source of cheap amusement:
Toronto, I'm so embarrassed for you right now. #hulkford
— Sarah B. Hood (@SarahBHood) August 23, 2013
It has been 99 days since news first broke of the existence of a video allegedly showing the mayor smoking crack cocaine.