Love him or hate him, when Monster Energy Yamaha Star Racing’s Haiden Deegan is part of a championship, the entertainment factor is a guarantee. The latest demonstration of this is the rivalry brewing between he and title-rival Julien Beaumer (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing), and tension like this is exactly what the sport needs.

Traditionalists may recoil at Deegan’s brash approach, whilst YouTubers perhaps thrive on too much fabricated drama. Although, wherever it is that you stand on this hypothetical fence, judging by the traction Deegan gets both digitally and on track means that you are indeed at least on the fence.

The point-blank fact is that fans and media alike are always bound to criticize something – one look at social media commentary, podcasts, or articles will show some form of criticism – it’s honestly just the way that it goes, for better or for worse.

Is Deegan rough around the edges? Sure. Although, casting our minds back to the ‘Ryan’ era, featuring both Ryan Villopoto and Ryan Dungey, fans were bored to death of the lack of controversy and personality out of our sports biggest stars. The status quo was win the race, thank the sponsors, go home, repeat.

Image: Octopi Media.

Fringe traditionalists like and respect this approach, at least from my perspective, but the broader audience wants something to talk about, even if they don’t realise it. Think about when a younger, less robotic Villopoto threw his motorcycle into Jason Lawrences’s face at Hangtown in 2007. Although nearly 20 years old, such a moment pops up on Instagram at least annually.

How about the infamous Chad Reed and James Stewart rivalry, and the iconic neck grab in Jacksonville when the 2009 450SX season reached its boiling point? Or, more recently, Tomac and Barcia, with a post-race shouting match ensuing after a disagreement during the 2020 Atlanta Supercross main event?

These are the moments that are remembered, recognized, and talked about for years to come. Deegan and Beaumer grabbing helmets, putting each other on the ground, and giving fans and media storylines aplenty to talk about in the week leading up to the following round? Keep them coming.

Now, does the Deegan camp push the limit? I would say yes. Haiden seems to be a rider who thrives on that conflict, it’s like the fuel that keeps the engine going. Many athletes in other codes also need this, but for the number 38, it’s all part of the game.

Image: Octopi Media.

“It definitely got a little rowdy [after the race], but I guess all I can say is we’re boys being boys,” Deegan mentioned post-race. “He grabbed my helmet first, and I was like, ‘Hey, don’t touch me.’ But I don’t know – it is what it is – it’s racing, and someone said he said he’s going to get payback or whatever. But yeah, we’ll see.”

It sounds exactly like two teenagers in a competitive sport, fighting for wins, championships, glory, and money, all while under the microscope of literally everyone, especially with the advent of social media. At the end of the day, however, both sides laughed it off, with Beaumer firing his shot back on the podium post-race.

“For that situation [with Haiden], no worries [laughs], I ain’t the only one who posted his address, so he can talk all he wants, but that’s public record. I ain’t worried about it, he’s got one coming in Philly.”

The drama, the controversy – we love it! Everyone has a side, an opinion, and so on, but ultimately, whether we think so or not, we all benefit, as these moments are those that we’ll talk about for years and years to come.

Image: Octopi Media.

Deegan brings the heat, and it sure doesn’t look like that’s going to change anytime soon. But what’s the alternative? The five-minute spiel listing all the riders’ sponsors? We understand the importance of such, but when we have that, we want controversy and personality, and vice versa.

In a nutshell, let’s appreciate what we have now, because these are the rivalries and storylines that the sport needs.