{"id":47672,"date":"2026-08-16T00:45:38","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T19:45:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=47672"},"modified":"2026-08-16T00:45:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T19:45:38","slug":"ellie-blue-is-turning-heads-at-dunkman-and-shes-not-done-yet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=47672","title":{"rendered":"Ellie Blue Is Turning Heads at DUNKMAN And She&#8217;s Not Done Yet"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/theblast.com\/tag\/shaquille-oneal\/\" data-type=\"post_tag\" data-id=\"3804\"><strong>Shaquille O\u2019Neal<\/strong> <\/a>built DUNKMAN to prove that dunking deserves to be treated as its own sport, not just a highlight-reel afterthought. Since launching with TNT Sports earlier this year, the league has delivered exactly that: a genuine professional circuit built around the athletes who can jump higher, and do more with that height, than anyone else on earth. But as DUNKMAN barrels toward its August 25 world championship on TNT and HBO Max, one of the loudest voices talking about the league isn\u2019t in the competitor pool. It\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/elliebluegregoria\/\">Ellie Blue<\/a> \u2014 model, influencer, competitive fighter, fashion designer, and philanthropist \u2014 who showed up to a DUNKMAN qualifying event, walked away stunned, and hasn\u2019t stopped talking about it since.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-a-front-row-seat-to-something-she-d-never-seen-before\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A front-row seat to something she\u2019d never seen before<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full caption_belowImage credit_onImage mobile-image-full-width\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/page1_image1-2-788x1182.jpeg\" class=\"pss-trigger\" role=\"button\" data-pss-trigger=\"0\" aria-controls=\"pss-modal\" aria-label=\"Open gallery of 4 images.\" title=\"Open gallery of 4 images.\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1365\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=1365%2Cheight=2048%2Cfit=crop%2Cquality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/page1_image1-2.jpeg\" alt=\"Ellie Blue with Shaq\" class=\"wp-image-835359\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=788%2Cheight=1182%2Cfit=crop%2Cquality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/page1_image1-2-788x1182.jpeg 788w, https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=428%2Cheight=642%2Cfit=crop%2Cquality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/page1_image1-2-428x642.jpeg 428w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 430px) 100px, 100vw\"\/><span class=\"pss-trigger__badge\" aria-hidden=\"true\">4<\/span><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ellie Blue <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ellie Blue has built a career on being in rooms most people only see from a distance \u2014 Miami Swim Week, New York Fashion Week runways, MMA gyms, red carpets. DUNKMAN, she says, still managed to catch her off guard.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAttending DUNKMAN was honestly one of the most incredible sporting events I\u2019ve ever experienced,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve always known dunking takes an insane amount of athleticism, but seeing these athletes perform at this level in person gave me an entirely new appreciation for the sport.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<!-- TargetVideo video matching --><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That appreciation only deepened as the event went on. DUNKMAN\u2019s format pushes competitors well past the traditional dunk contest \u2014 cars, people, and ladders have all been used as literal obstacles to clear \u2014 and Ellie says watching that in person changed how she thinks about the sport entirely. \u201cWatching these guys jump over cars, people and ladders, and seeing how every athlete had his own completely different style and approach to dunking, was unbelievable,\u201d she said. \u201cThere were moments where I genuinely couldn\u2019t believe what I was watching. The height they get, the control they have in the air, and the creativity behind these dunks make you realize these guys aren\u2019t just great dunkers \u2014 they are world-class athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s not an offhand compliment. DUNKMAN\u2019s roster includes Darius Clark, who broke the world record for vertical jump this July with a staggering 53-inch leap \u2014 the kind of number that turns a dunk contest into a legitimate athletic proving ground. Ellie\u2019s reaction tracks with how the sports world has responded to the league since it launched: this isn\u2019t a novelty act. It\u2019s professional sports with a new set of records still being written in real time.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full caption_belowImage credit_onImage mobile-image-full-width\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/D3867EE7-A797-4FB5-B91A-1405B01E835A_1_105_c.jpeg\" class=\"pss-trigger\" role=\"button\" data-pss-trigger=\"1\" aria-controls=\"pss-modal\" aria-label=\"Open gallery of 4 images.\" title=\"Open gallery of 4 images.\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"755\" height=\"1040\" src=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=755%2Cheight=1040%2Cfit=crop%2Cquality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/D3867EE7-A797-4FB5-B91A-1405B01E835A_1_105_c.jpeg\" alt=\"Ellie Blue with Shaq\" class=\"wp-image-835364\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=755%2Cquality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/D3867EE7-A797-4FB5-B91A-1405B01E835A_1_105_c.jpeg 755w, https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=428%2Cheight=590%2Cfit=crop%2Cquality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/D3867EE7-A797-4FB5-B91A-1405B01E835A_1_105_c-428x590.jpeg 428w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 430px) 100px, 100vw\"\/><span class=\"pss-trigger__badge\" aria-hidden=\"true\">4<\/span><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ellie Blue <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond the athleticism, what stuck with Ellie was the stakes. DUNKMAN athletes aren\u2019t just performing \u2014 they\u2019re competing for a $500,000 grand prize and the DUNKMAN World Champion title, and Ellie says that competitive charge was impossible to miss courtside.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI also loved how competitive the entire event felt,\u201d she said. \u201cThese athletes are pushing the limits of what people think is physically possible, while competing for the opportunity to become a DUNKMAN World Champion. Being able to experience that energy firsthand made me even more excited for the championship.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-a-model-an-athlete-and-now-a-believer-in-a-brand-new-sport\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>A model, an athlete, and now a believer in a brand-new sport<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full caption_belowImage credit_onImage mobile-image-full-width\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/E88A9B9B-69F2-45AD-89FB-2C486FF455E8_1_105_c.jpeg\" class=\"pss-trigger\" role=\"button\" data-pss-trigger=\"2\" aria-controls=\"pss-modal\" aria-label=\"Open gallery of 4 images.\" title=\"Open gallery of 4 images.\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"1084\" src=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=724%2Cheight=1084%2Cfit=crop%2Cquality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/E88A9B9B-69F2-45AD-89FB-2C486FF455E8_1_105_c.jpeg\" alt=\"Ellie Blue\" class=\"wp-image-835365\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=724%2Cquality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/E88A9B9B-69F2-45AD-89FB-2C486FF455E8_1_105_c.jpeg 724w, https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=428%2Cheight=641%2Cfit=crop%2Cquality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/E88A9B9B-69F2-45AD-89FB-2C486FF455E8_1_105_c-428x641.jpeg 428w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 430px) 100px, 100vw\"\/><span class=\"pss-trigger__badge\" aria-hidden=\"true\">4<\/span><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ellie Blue <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ellie\u2019s own background makes her an unusually credible hype woman for a sport built on physical extremes. Long before Mariella Swimwear \u2014 the brand she launched in 2021 after growing frustrated with the swimwear options available to working models, and which now donates 10% of every sale to charity \u2014 Ellie was a competitive fighter, training in boxing, MMA, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. She\u2019s talked openly about how that training shaped her relationship with her body and her mental health, and it\u2019s part of why her read on DUNKMAN carries more weight than the average front-row influencer take: she knows what elite physical training actually looks like from the inside.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That same instinct for building something from scratch shows up in Ellie\u2019s Angels, the youth-focused nonprofit she founded in 2025 to support kids facing adversity \u2014 a project she says is rooted in the belief that \u201ceveryone has a place where they belong.\u201d Between the swimwear brand, the charity, and a modeling career that\u2019s taken her from Jupiter, Florida beaches to Miami Swim Week runways, Ellie has made a habit of showing up early to things and building a real presence around them. DUNKMAN, by her own account, is the newest addition to that list \u2014 and she\u2019s making no secret of wanting to be part of where the league goes next.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-don-t-miss-the-finals\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Don\u2019t miss the finals<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full caption_belowImage credit_onImage mobile-image-full-width\"><a href=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/quality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/098B9D72-B4D6-43F8-9CC8-8EE8EAE6D236_1_105_c.jpeg\" class=\"pss-trigger\" role=\"button\" data-pss-trigger=\"3\" aria-controls=\"pss-modal\" aria-label=\"Open gallery of 4 images.\" title=\"Open gallery of 4 images.\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"724\" height=\"1084\" src=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=724%2Cheight=1084%2Cfit=crop%2Cquality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/098B9D72-B4D6-43F8-9CC8-8EE8EAE6D236_1_105_c.jpeg\" alt=\"Ellie Blue\" class=\"wp-image-835363\" srcset=\"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=724%2Cquality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/098B9D72-B4D6-43F8-9CC8-8EE8EAE6D236_1_105_c.jpeg 724w, https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/width=428%2Cheight=641%2Cfit=crop%2Cquality=75%2Cgravity=auto%2Csharpen=1%2Cmetadata=none%2Cformat=auto%2Conerror=redirect\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/098B9D72-B4D6-43F8-9CC8-8EE8EAE6D236_1_105_c-428x641.jpeg 428w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 430px) 100px, 100vw\"\/><span class=\"pss-trigger__badge\" aria-hidden=\"true\">4<\/span><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ellie Blue <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For Ellie, the qualifying event was only a preview of what\u2019s coming. \u201cI cannot wait to see who takes home the title,\u201d she said. \u201cIf the championship is anything like what I witnessed at the qualifying event, people are going to be blown away. I definitely want everyone to tune in, because DUNKMAN is bringing something completely different to professional sports, and I truly believe this is only the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DUNKMAN World Championship airs August 25 on TNT and HBO Max, with the winner walking away with the $500,000 grand prize and the league\u2019s first World Champion title. Between Darius Clark\u2019s record-breaking vertical and a 24-athlete field built to push the sport into territory it\u2019s never been in before, DUNKMAN has already proven it belongs on the biggest stage in sports television. If Ellie Blue\u2019s reaction to the qualifying rounds is any indication, the finals won\u2019t just be a dunk contest \u2014 they\u2019ll be appointment viewing.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shaquille O\u2019Neal built DUNKMAN to prove that dunking deserves to be treated as its own sport, not just a highlight-reel afterthought. Since launching with TNT Sports earlier this year, the league has delivered exactly that: a genuine professional circuit built around the athletes who can jump higher, and do more with that height, than anyone&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47673,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/media.theblast.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/F0E23F6B-097F-45E9-965D-1EAA385EBD13_1_105_c-768x675.jpeg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-47672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity-gossip"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47672","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=47672"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47672\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/47673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=47672"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=47672"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=47672"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}