Once 'shy' 9-year-old Middle Georgia boy, now seeking top spot in USA mullet competition

HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. -- Mullets might seem like a thing of the past, but one Centerville 9-year-old is proving they never went out of style.

Bentley Bryan seems like a typical kid. He's got his mom, dad, siblings, and goes to elementary school in Centerville.

But there is something that sets Bentley apart -- he's got a haircut that's taking him to the top.

Bentley's dad Chris says it all started last year when Bentley's hair grew over the COVID-19 quarantine. Chris says he kind of egged his son on, but the decision was up to Bentley in the end.

"I'm a child of the 80s, so I grew up with them, me and my brothers," says Chris. "And he did, and he liked it."

Chris describes his son as shy but says all the commotion surrounding Bentley's mullet has given him a major self-esteem boost. "You know, the mullet just kind of has that tough air about it anyway," he says.

So when Bentley's dad learned about the USA Mullet Championships -- he says he had to enter his son. Chris says it's all been a fun and silly thing for the family to do, but he adds that it's all helped Bentley come out of his shell.

All the positivity that's come out of the Facebook posts, the comments, and everything, it's just really cool seeing him when he hears how many likes he's gotten, and how many comments he's gotten. Letting him read those comments, and seeing how excited it makes him, that's been the best part of it for me.

Bentley's already made it through round one by making it to the top 35 in his group of 9-12-year-olds.

Now, he's up against 100 other kids, and this group ranges in age from 1-12.

Bentley and his family are hoping he can make it to the top 25 in this second round to get to the finals.

To win, Bentley needs reactions on his USA Mullet Championships post. Chris explains that every reaction each picture gets counts as a vote.

There are prizes for the championship's first, second, and third place winners, and Bentley's hoping that a trip to Disney is in there for him if he wins.

You can head here to check out all the mullets in the competition and head here to see Bentley's post.