The Gauntlet: Fight Night in a Texas Prison [View all]

[WhiskeyGrinder]

https://scalawagmagazine.org/2025/08/the-gauntlet-fight-night-in-a-texas-prison/

In Texas women's prisons, there is a "Fight Night" custom, where the officers choose inmates to fight each other in what they call "the gauntlet." Bets are made and inmates are pitted against each other for entertainment like gladiators in a coliseum. There must be bloodshed, or the officers beat the fighters and see how long they last before they get knocked out or concede. It's a battle until there's only one person left standing, leaving all the others incapacitated.

This is how I ended up with stress fractures in my knee, a broken finger, and bruised ribs. I'm lucky I made it out—some have died in the gauntlet.

(snip)

"Round Two!" echoes through the pod. Minutes pass by slowly. The footsteps of an officer coming down the run sound like the heartbeat in my chest. A knock on my cell door brings me out of my reverie. A brusque voice commands, "Be ready in five minutes," and causes my breath to stop.

I've been chosen.