People show up in Nebraska for ‘fight’ over name Josh. Here’s how it all started

Hundreds showed up at Air Park in Lincoln — a location chosen at random — to participate in the silliness.

A fight over the name of Josh drew a crowd from around the country to a Nebraska park Saturday for a heated pool-noodle brawl.

Josh Swain, left, the originator of the event, takes on another Josh as they decide the rightful owner of the name Josh via a game of rock, paper, scissors. (AP)

It all started a year ago when pandemic boredom set in and Josh Swain, a 22-year-old college student from Tucson, Arizona, messaged others who shared his name on social media and challenged them to a duel.

Hundreds showed up at Air Park in Lincoln — a location chosen at random — to participate in the silliness.

Joshs gathered to battle it out to find out who is the rightful owner of the name Josh via a pool noodle battle royale. (AP)

The festivities started with a “grueling and righteous battle of Rock, Paper, Scissors” between the Josh Swain from Arizona and another Josh Swain from Omaha. KLKN-TV reports that the Arizona student won that competition, allowing him to claim the title of the true Josh Swain.

The pool-noodle competition that followed was open to anyone with the first name of Josh. The victor of that competition was a 5-year-old, who was coronated with a Burger King crown.

Josh Swain, left, declares Lincoln native four-year-old Joshua Vinson Jr., right, the ultimate Josh after the Josh. (AP)

Swain, the organizer, said he is a little surprised about how the whole thing blew up: “I did not expect people to be as adamant about this as they are right now.”