Buzz: UFC 91, 50 Cent, Lashley and More

* 50 Cent just dropped a new joint(trying to sound hip) called 'Get Up' in this video for UFC 91, featuring Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture...


* Yesterday we posted Dana White's video blog featuring behind the scenes footage from his visit to ESPN to promote this weekend's fight. Here's the final cut...


* The press conference for the upcoming fight tomorrow night is up at UFC.com. Also, today at 7PM ET/4PM PT, UFC.com will be streaming the official weigh in for the event.

* Bobby Lashley's opponent for next months debut MMA fight has been announced as Joshua Franklin. Franklin is also new to the sport and will be competing in his first match then as well.

Brock and Sable Talk UFC

In Dana White's most recent video blog, he has a chance to talk to Brock Lesnarand his wife about the training for the upcoming fight this weekend, the mentality and the transition from the WWE to MMA. That segment is about 6:00 into the video, after the ESPN studio stuff...

Buzz: Hall+ICP=TNA?, Kennedy, UFC 91 and More...

* In what Mike Tenay simply referred to as "familiar faces", is causing a buzz this morning. Scott Hall and Insane Clown Posse(ICP) showed up ringside during last night's TNA 'Turning Point' PPV. They showed up during the match between Rhino vs. Bashir and caused the crowd to be distracted throughout. But they had tickets...where have I seen that before?

* Mr. Kennedy Kennedy took the time out of his busy schedule(!) to do an interview with the Miami Herald. In it he plugs Wrestlemania 25, talks rehab and his take on the Presidential election...

``I'm really looking forward to my return. Unfortunately, I had another bump in the road. It seems like every time Mr. Kennedy gets his wheels underneath him, the carpet gets swept out. That's just the breaks in this business. What we do isn't ballet."

``The human body is bound to get injured every once-in-a-while, and unfortunately, I've had a couple of setbacks, but I definitely don't let that cast a gloomy cloud over me. I try to always make something positive out of it."

``I, personally, wasn't too thrilled about the outcome of this election. However, being a good American and a good citizen, I'll definitely support the President in whatever he does and what he tries to do."

``I was a little disappointed in the way the media kind of portrayed McCain and Sarah Palin and really treated Barack Obama as a media darling and celebrity. I don't think they gave both sides a fair opportunity to present their case.''

* As part of their illegal substance testing, WWE is now cracking down on marijuana use. What's next? Alcohol and pain killers?

* Tonight @ 11PM ET, SPIKE will be running a UFC 91 Countdown special to hype this weekends big matchup between Lesnar and Couture...

"Go behind the scenes as 3-time UFC® Heavyweight Champ Randy "The Natural" Couture and wrestling powerhouse Brock Lesnar prepare for the biggest fight in mixed martial arts history! Can the legend prevail? Or will a new hero rise?

Re-airs:
Thursday November 13, Midnight
Saturday November 15, 6:00 pm"

UFC.com also has a good article outlining the blueprint to victory this weekend. Also, if you haven't checked out the official UFC 91 site, do so.

Buzz: Lashley, Lesnar, Booker and Sting

* Yesterday we posted that the MMA fight in December featuring Bobby Lashley was postponed due to the AFL taking some time off. MMAMania helped us to straighten this thing out. AFL is indeed taking a hiatus, but allowing their fighters to still fight for other promotions. So, Lashley will be making his MMA debut at Mixed Fight Alliance: “There Will Be Blood” at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Fla., on December 13.

* I was checking out the Vegas odds for some football this weekend, so I also thought I'd check out the UFC 91 odds for the Randy Couture vs Brock Lesnar fight in 2 weeks...and Brock is the favorite! It blows my freaking mind that a guy with 3 fights(2-1) is favored over a top 5 heavyweight in the world. But I'll take that bet, and if I'm wrong - I owe Brock a congratulations.

* According to that Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Booker T has plans to picket a Houston sports bar called Vito’s Deck House because he believes they discriminated against the Christian faith.

On Sunday afternoon, Booker T and Marty Wright (The Boogeyman) went to the sports bar to watch a football game. Wright, who was wearing the cross, was asked to take it off by the bartender, or leave. According to the bartender, it was a violation of the bar's dress code.

Booker got upset and asked to speak to the manager. The manager explained that it was a violation of the dress code. Booker asked where the dress code was posted at, and as it turns out, it wasn't posted anywhere. Booker refused to leave and told Wright not to leave.

Police were called and police officers told Booker and Wright to leave the premises. Booker said he saw two other patrons at the bar wearing crosses and they were not approached by management and told to leave. Although, the two patrons left the sports bar when they saw Booker and Wright being kicked out over Wright wearing the cross.

Booker has a protest scheduled and he hopes it gets as much publicity as possible to inform people about the sports bar suppressing people's freedom to express their belief in God.

Now can you dig that?....SUCKA!

* In a great interview with the UK Sun, Sting revealed that he was really close to signing with WWE.

"I was really close at least three, four times over the years.

A few times in the early 1990s, when I chose TNA and once at a real key moment when WCW had overtaken WWE as the No1 group in wrestling. And I was pretty much at the peak of WCW, in their peak days.

I forget how many weeks in a row WCW beat them in the ratings wars but it got really bad for WWE - WWF at the time. That was a key moment, and I was really close to jumping."

So why not?

"There was always something in me that thought that Vince McMahon wanted me more to undermine WCW than he wanted me as a talent. I just always believed that.

I saw a lot of guys from WCW that went to WWE and that happened. Anyone who made it to a higher level within WCW and then tried to jump over – it just didn’t work.

The other thing was that WCW ended up giving me what I wanted in my contract."

Is he going to hang it up soon?

"Yes, because I cannot go on much longer. I don’t want to embarrass myself, or embarrass Spike or embarrass TNA.

We all know it’s a wave that is coming in to shore. I don’t know when exactly it will hit, but it’s gonna hit.

I thought probably this year. Actually it’s over the last couple of years it seems the thought has been in-and-out, in-and-out, in-and-out these thoughts of retirement and everything else but under the circumstances I think that I want to stick it out for one last – and this is THE last – hurrah.

I don’t know when it will end for sure, but as long as I stay healthy into 2009. But how far into 2009 I don’t know."

He also goes on to talk about how Undertaker vs Sting would be one for the ages.

Buzz: Brooke/Kelly Kelly/Playboy, Warrior and More...

* As reported a while back, Brooke Hogan was offered to pose for Playboy. US Weekly is reporting, through a representative of Brooke's, that she will not be all kinds of naked anytime soon. "Brooke just didn't feel that it was the right time," the rep said. But did add that, "It's not out of the question for the future, but we'll have to see".

* In more Playboy news, Kelly Kelly posted the following blog on her official MySpace regarding the recent rumor of her pictorial...

hey everyone! i know its been a while but i wanted to check in now that i am able to get on and post..im sorry that i dont post more but i just dont get on as much as i want to but i do read all the messages so i thank you soo much...all of you...ok so anyways here is the answer to the question people have been asking me..i finally have a chance to set the record straight...im not posing for playboy..nothing against playboy at all but i dont know who is posing for playboy but it wont be me. i just want to concentrate on wrestling right now.

thank you all for your support..it means soo much to me and keep the messages coming. xoxo kelly kelly

...Boooo...

* The Warrior's ex-wife is pitching a tell all book to publishers entitled "Behind the Paint; My Life with Wrestling's Ultimate Warrior".

For the very first time, the wife of a professional wrestling star speaks out. Shari Tyree was married for ten years to Jim Hellwig, known as the Ultimate Warrior, and saw him through his meteoric rise, and bizarre fall from the pinnacle of WWE.

Warrior packed the aisles, and was a merchandising boom to pro wrestling. Fans, known as 'Little Warriors' screamed and cheered, and then were left baffled by his abrupt disappearance at the height of his success. Only Shari Tyree knows the stunning truth behind the Warrior's face paint. Hellwig was a man possessed by demons, abusing steroids to achieve his massive, muscular frame, and then pain medications and anti-anxiety drugs to quell his fears, who had led a secretive double life that filled his marriage with turmoil and doubts about his fidelity, and even his sexuality. The avowed anti-homosexual avenger and anti-drug advocate battled with his own duality, and became the engine of his own destruction.

Behind the Paint chronicles Helwig's early career as a bodybuilder, and his stunning rise in pro wrestling, the excesses of success beyond imagination, his battles with Vince McMahon and the private life no fan could have guessed at.

Hellwig continues to be a media personality, even outside the wrestling ring, making frequent personal appearances to espouse his anti-gay, anti-drug ideals.

* The fight poster for UFC 91, Couture vs Lesnar, has been released online...



*

Buzz: Angle/MMA, Orton, Salinas/eBay and More

* Kurt Angle told The Sun that he WILL be fighting in the MMA arena in 2009 and is in talks with several MMA companies, including the UFC, where Brock Lesnar is tearing up the ranks and has a title shot in November.

“I’m talking to several fight companies about doing MMA by the end of next year - 2009.

“I’m going to cross over to the MMA world for a while but I want to end up back in TNA and back in wrestling.

“I’ve always wanted to do it. I’m the only Olympic gold medallist that will enter the Octagon and it feels right for me.

“I can almost guarantee you’re going to see me in the Octagon.

“Obviously I’m going to have to take a few months away from pro wrestling to get ready for that.

“But I welcome that, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do and TNA have given me their best wishes.

“I’m 100%. A lot of people on the internet are bashing me but I’ve never felt better.”

* During a media tour of the UK last month, Randy Orton was asked by Power Slam if he thought his record of being the youngest World Champion could be broken by any of the newcomers. Here's his answer...

"That's a good question. I'm trying to think of the age of everybody. Cody and Teddy are young, right? Kenny Dykstra (who's 22) I knocked him out in Australia, actually one time. He was drinking and thought that he would f--k with me, and I warned him and slapped him so hard in the temple that I knocked him out. I never liked him at all. And everyone always told him, "You're the next Randy Orton." And you know what? F--k that. Make your own name. What does that mean anyway? I slapped the s--t out of Kenny Dykstra. And I don't even know where he is right now. But age-wise, Cody's 23. That's a long way to go (in less than a year).

I got very lucky. I was wrestling Edge a lot back then. And I was over as a heel and getting a chance because I was wrestling Edge.... They thought I was over, so they thought, 'Let's give this kid a run.' Plus, Brock Lesnar had been the youngest champ and they didn't like Lesnar (who had left the company in March 2004), so I had a lot of luck in getting that spot.

I don't know if the business is going to be ready for a Cody Rhodes as champ. I love him, I think he's really great, he's got his own little niche, but I don't see him or Teddy being the heavyweight champion. I don't know who else is of that age. D.H. Smith (who is 22)? I don't know. Hopefully, no one because, to be honest, I don't want anyone to break my record and I don't think there's any potential right now for anyone to (do so), either."

* You can win..er, buy a date with Shelly Martinez (AKA Salinas) on eBay. As of this morning the bidding is over $10,000.

Speaking of Ms. Martinez, she's in a new horror(ible) movie called "Porn Shoot Massacre".



* The WWE has scheduled a 3 hour RAW for November 3rd when they're in Tampa Bay, FL. No announcement yet to what the special occasion is, but expect it to be announced soon

* Former WWE star Viscera, a.k.a. Big Daddy V, a.k.a King Mabel, a.k.a Mabel of Men on a Mission, a.k.a. Nelson Frazier, Jr., is now going by King V on the independent circuit.

JR on Foley, Tazz, Brock and More

JR just dropped some knowledge on us in his latest and greatest...

On Mick Foley's departure...
"The speculation regarding Mick Foley allowing his contract to lapse with the WWE and knowing at least a portion of Mick's future plans has finally ended. Obviously, Mick cannot and will not be a full time wrestler for any organization but one can easily see Mick wrestling sporadically meaning once or twice a year if everyone involved in this scenario is of sound mind. Mick has many diverse, creative interests and my sense is that he is looking to explore TV opportunities that might come his way. Many of us have said for years that Mick would be great in a TV sitcom. Plus Mick has many more books left to write. No matter what Mick does I wish him only the best. "

"...it would appear that Mick did not burn any bridges with the WWE and a return engagement with the WWE isn't beyond the realm of possibilities for Mick Foley in the future. "

Thoughts on Couture vs Lesnar...
"It will be interesting to see what the betting line will be on the upcoming, November UFC fight between Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture. Scheduled for 5 five minute rounds, this might give Couture the slight edge but this one is really a pick 'em or so it would seem. Some say that the longer the fight goes the more it favors Couture who is 45 years of age,over a decade Lesnar's senior, and will give up some 50+ pounds come fight time to Brock. Couture's wife mentioned that she felt sorry for Lesnar having only 3 MMA fights under his belt while her husband had a huge experience advantage. Certainly Mrs. Couture has the right to her opinion and she is absolutely correct regarding the experience edge her husband holds over Lesnar but it might not be wise to start adding more fuel to the fire of this fight that might become the most talked about in MMA history going into it. Couture has never fought a big man with Lesnar's combined quickness and strength. This only adds to the hype for this bout that I will not miss on PPV IF I don't make it to Vegas to see it live."

Any spoilers for the Smackdown channel switch?
"Friday Night Smackdown debuts on October 3 on MyNetworkTV. I wonder if there will be any major changes on the show prior to then? Could someone be "future endeavored" prior to the debut? Will any major guests be booked for the premier? Could any trades be on tap? Why is the sky blue?"

On working with the human suplex machine...
"Tazz and I are making progress and matriculating on down the field but we are not where we will eventually be once we have had more time to develop natural chemistry which just comes via hard work and time together.

I would suggest that the best way to describe our team is that it's a work in progress."

Any thoughts on the DNC or RNC?
" I do not like today's politics or professional politicians. This country needs to initiate some tough changes to benefit ALL the people and not just for SOME of the people.



Where's Ventura when we need him??"

...I wonder who he's voting for...

What about Unforgiven this Sunday?

"Something tells me that Sunday's Unforgiven which has sort of flown under the radar with only a 3 week build on TV including a pre-emption for Raw and the Labor Day holiday to contend with will have some shocking moments and major surprises come Sunday. These types of PPV's usually out deliver what is expected of them as often times expectations by the fans are not that lofty for these short turnaround events. I am intrigued to see the "Scramble" bouts and even more stoked to see Shawn Michaels, with one healthy arm, fight, not wrestle, Chris Jericho. Even though HBK is injured this bout will take place and to whoever has to follow it all I can say is good luck. "

Lesnar and Couture Face to Face on ESPN

Buzz: Lesnar, Sammartino/TNA? and TONS MORE!

* Dana White defended his decision in yesterday's presser that "Brock Lesnar showed the MMA world that he is for real in his last fight, dismantling the far more experienced Heath Herring. His combination of speed and power was absolutely devastating. It is a fascinating matchup: the crafty, multiple-time heavyweight champion versus the younger, bigger, and stronger challenger. This is one that will go down in the history books."

Randy Couture talked about his opponent, "I have a lot of respect for Brock as an athlete and a collegiate wrestler, but I know exactly where he’s at, he’s trying to make the transition from a wrestler to mixed martial arts,” said Couture. “I’ve been there, done that, and I know what the pitfalls are. This will be an interesting matchup, and it will be very nice to be home in the Octagon for this fight."

Brock responded to his shot at being the UFC's next big thing, ""It's an honor to fight Randy Couture, he's a legend in this sport, and to get the chance to test myself against him is a gift," said Lesnar. "A lot guys would love to have this opportunity, Randy is the UFC heavyweight champion. There is one goal that I've had since I started training in MMA and that is to capture the title. Now that I'm getting the chance, nothing is going to stop me. I'm walking out of the Octagon with the belt around my waist."

* In even more WOW news, a man that has a strong hatred for WWE and one that they would love to have involved in anything, "The Living Legend" Bruno Sammartino is helping out with a Kurt Angle TNA DVD!!! According to the site, "On Tuesday afternoon at Angle's home in Pittsburgh, Sammartino took part in a sitdown interview for Kurt's DVD, due out on November 25. Sammartino shared stories about his time in the sport and his reign as World Champion, his thoughts on Angle's career, a little-known connection he has with the Olympian and so much more! "

* JBL will be slinging his Mamajuana Extreme next week. The first appearance will be Sunday, Sept. 7, from 11am until 12 noon at The Vitamin Shoppe located at 6255 Mayfield Road in Cleveland. The second appearance will be on Tuesday, Sept. 9, from 11am until 12 noon at The Vitamin Shoppe located at 5425 Greenville Avenue in Dallas.

* As reported, HBK tore his tricep during the attack from Lance Cade on RAW. His match with Chris Jericho this Sunday will go on as planned.

* Carlito explained in a recent interview where he's been hiding.

"I requested some time off for me because it’s been four years without stopping and I’m taking advantage of this time to see the sport from afar. See what I need, what changes I need to make. But I will return soon."

My guess is as soon as it's high tide(Sorry, I couldn't resist).

* According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Vince McMahon was upset backstage after seeing R-Truth's debut on SmackDown last week. He wanted Killings to look like a top level star right out of the gate by looking strong in his first match and to sell nothing for Kenny Dykstra(who's a stroke). Apparently there was some miscommunication and the road agents told R-Truth to do your standard babyface back-and-forth match by selling big at first and then doing a comeback. Oops.

It's Official: Lesnar vs Couture

As JR leaked to us last week, Brock Lesnar vs Randy Couture was officially announced today.

UFC President Dana White held a conference this afternoonto announce that the Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture will finally return to action and the UFC on November 15th when he defends his title against Brock Lesnar in a five round fight in Las Vegas, NV. I know, what about Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira? Nogueira will remain the interim champion and the winners of the Couture/Lesnar and Nogueira/Frank Mir fights will meet in 2009 to unify the titles and make one champion again.


The announcement of this surprised me as a fan, but as a business(which it is) it was smart. Let me explain. I know that there are 20 other fighters in the UFC that are more qualified to be in this fight(and are probably extremely pissed and want to leave the UFC). The bottom line is Brock is marketable and showed promise as a fighter. Dana wants to be done with Couture, Brock has the MMA world buzzing after his last win, Dana is going to let it ride and hope Lesnar pounds Randy into the mat. If he does, then he can talk down the Fedor vs Couture hype when it happens. But if Couture just royally works Brock and gets him to tap...then what? This is what happens when there isn't a legitimate rankings system in place for MMA or UFC.

Regardless, even though Randy has better(or any) submission skills, Brock has the equalizer in those cinder blocks he calls fists. If you take both of those away, they both have a world class grapple game. It should be interesting.

More info here...

Weekend Buzz: Kowalski Passes, Brock vs Couture? and More

- The legendary Walter 'Killer' Kowalski ahs passed away at the age of 81. Out thoughts are with the family.

- Check out this crazy, revolutionary 'Create a Finisher' feature in the upcoming Smackdown vs RAW 2009...(Courtesy of IGN)



- JR had some insider info leaked to him regarding the next opponent for Brock Lesnar in the UFC, and no, it's not Kongo. According to him, it's UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture...

"Sources close to the MMA world indicate that a November fight between Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture could be finalized as early as Tuesday of next week. If a deal can be reached, the fight would likely take place in Portland's Rose Garden. Sources also say that in a perfect world that the legendary Couture would like to have three more fights before he retires and those fights would all be for the UFC. Lesnar vs. Couture would be an extremely intriguing match up if contracts can be worked out. One would assume that getting a deal done quickly after the Labor Day holiday would allow both fighters to officially begin their preparation within a few days. "

...Holy crap!

The Buzz: Cena'sSurgery, Perfect, The Snake and More

- John Cena went in for immediate surgery on his neck yesterday morning and is expected to be out 3-4 months.

- WWE has posted a preview for "The Life and Times of Mr.Perfect", which drops in 2 weeks and I for one, have been looking forward to this for a long time. September 9th will be absolutely perfect.

- Jake Roberts posted his review of RAW this week. As always, he gives an excellent veteran insider perspective to the matches and storylines. Some purists would accuse him of revealing too many secrets, but is any of it really a secret anymore? In this era it's more fascination and appreciation for the art.

- Some site is reporting that Brock Lesnar would be interested in a return to pro wresting. That report holds no water at all. Brock is focused on being the best in MMA and has committed himself to doing so, as in everything he's done. He lives a half hour from downtown Minneapolis on a 40 acre lot, has been vocal in numerous local interviews that he loves training everyday and not being on the road 300 days a year so he can see his family all the time. When he said he'd go where the money is, I think what he meant is get a good payday and still be able to have a life.

Lesnar Answers Fan Questions in the NY Times

NY Times has posted a question answer with UFC latest phenom, Brock Lesnar. Here are some highlights:

Q: I know this is a stupid question, but how does it feel to have an action figure based on yourself?

A: It’s cool. It’s always interesting to see how it will turn out and whether it actually looks like me. I don’t collect toys or novelties though, so I don’t have any around the house.

Q: I just watched you fight Heath. It seemed that you had many opportunities to go for the rear naked choke and other moves. Does the training fade away in the middle of a fight?

A: No. We developed a game plan. The plan was to control Heath, not give up position, dominate, and win. I stuck to the game plan. I won. It’s that simple.

(That answers my question too)

Q: What is the prevalence of steroids in M.M.A. and the U.F.C. in particular?

A: Outside of what you can already find out on your own, I really don’t know. I mean, the shows are tested and the results are made public. A vast majority of the time the guys are clean, but occasionally they’re not. I can tell you that the testing is real and, at least in the U.F.C., the fighters can be tested at any time.

Q: Watching the Ultimate Fighter series definitely gives U.F.C fans an inside view of how childish many of the young fighters are. I call them punks. In your experience with the U.F.C., what percentage of the fighters still have this “punk” mentality?

A: There are always a couple of rotten apples in the bunch. Almost all of the fighters I have had contact with who reach the U.F.C. level really seem to have their acts together; many of them are well-educated, well-spoken, respectful guys that are looking to make a decent living.

Q: Gov. Jesse Ventura recently stated during an interview on The Howard Stern Show that he felt M.M.A. fighters were “working stiff,” or that the match outcomes are already decided but there is no “script” to be followed by the athletes. As a former professional wrestler, do you believe his comments have any merit whatsoever, or do they stem from an unfamiliarity with M.M.A.?

A: I think Jesse was unfamiliar with the sport when he made those comments and probably has a different view after sitting ring-side at U.F.C. 87 last Saturday. It’s one thing to see it on the TV, but it’s a completely different experience when you are there live.

Q: Do you consider ultimate fighting significantly more or less dangerous than W.W.E. wrestling?

A: They are equally dangerous. You are putting yourself at risk every time you step into the octagon or a pro wrestling ring. With fighting — beyond the obvious risks associated with an actual fight — no matter how careful you are, there is a possibility of injury every time you train. One advantage with fighting is that you can take some time off to let injuries heal up and, generally, you’re not traveling excessively. In pro wrestling, being on the road and taking bumps in the ring almost every night takes a real toll on the body.

Lesnar vs Fedor?

The baddest man on the planet, Fedor Emelianenko, said in a interview, he would like to fight Brock Lesnar after seeing him fight...

Morning Buzz: Orton's Accident - Work?, Sid and More

As WWE.com and RAW reported last night, Randy Orton was injured in a motorcycle accident over the weekend...

Randy Orton was involved in a motorcycle accident near his home Sunday night that could have ended his life were he not wearing a helmet.

Orton, who has only been riding motorcycles for a month, said he was riding around a sharp curve on a steep hill home when an oncoming car veered into his lane causing him to widen his turn.

Orton then struck a curb and was thrown from his bike. He collided with the ground, knocking him unconscious. In his words, Orton "bounced and rolled just under 300 feet, landing in a ditch."

"When I came to, I knew I had rebroken my collarbone," said Orton. "When the police and fireman got there, they asked me 'Where's the guy who was in the wreck?' and I said 'It was me.'"

Orton, who was wearing just shorts and a sweatshirt, only sustained the rebroken collarbone.

"Without a helmet, I would be dead," said Orton. "Now that I have a newborn daughter, so much was going through my head."

Although the initial prognosis is that Orton will not need surgery, this injury will set him back an additional three months before he can return to the ring.

Orton did have one final message for his fans ... "I will ride again."

OK, the way that it was delivered on RAW last night, written in the story above and the fact that I can't find 1 damn local newspaper article or TV report on it(which there usually are, no matter who's involved)...I say work and say we'll see Orton at SummerSlam - Ala Cena's return at the Royal Rumble. If I'm wrong, well I hope he gets well soon.

- Reportedly Sid(Sid! Sid! Sid!) has been telling friends that he will make his WWE return in September. Which had me yearning for this video...



- After Brock kicked the crap out of Heath herring last weekend, UFC President Dana White had this to say, "I'm telling you I'm blown away by his [Lesnar's] performance tonight. One of our guys said it looks like he's hitting people with lunch boxes. The guy's a phenomenon. I didn't think he could come in here with no fights and compete at this level. He proved me wrong. He's a monster. I don't know what guys are going to want to fight him."

UFC Gains Another Tito Ortiz - UPDATED

Oh Brock.

I was in attendance last night at UFC 87, the crowd was into it, the fights were great. Brock Lesnar came into his fight with do or die attitude, especially considering the circumstances and what the UFC has riding on him. Brock needed to prove he was for real in the realm of MMA and gain the respect of the MMA fans and "purists" after his loss in February, due to a rookie mistake. Although big and powerful, during his fight, he showed that he can control anyone with his wresting skills...but what to do when he had control proved that he is still inexperienced and needs to be humble to build his respect in the MMA world. He was able to throw some rabbit punches and knees with the direction from his corner men, but unable to show any attempt at submissions or using his power to control him in the mount and work on ground and pound.

This is not the WWE, not sports entertainment. Yes, Brock is a great guy, very marketable and entertaining to watch. There were times during the fight when 15 thousand of us were chanting his name and he was encouraging us, which I don't have a problem with. My problem lied when the cockiness side came out during the fight and afterwards, showing no respect for his veteran opponent. Laughing and pointing at Herring (who looked like he had an allergic bee sting on half of his face from a Brock punch) during breaks in the action and when the 3rd round ended, and it was obvious he would get the decision, Brock started to do the bull dance around the ring, air lassoing a beaten down Heath Herring and...gesturing. Even though Herring said some trash talk about Brock in interviews leading up to the fight, that's a part of the business. Everyone is going to talk down about their opponent before hand, because if you give your opponent credit in a way that makes you sound like there's a chance that he might get a victory over you, you've lost before you've started.

After it was official, Joe Rogan comes in the ring for an interview with UFC's latest heavyweight, with a MMA record of 2 wins and 1 loss. Luckily, Brock was in his hometown when he took the mic and said "Can you see me now?!", which of course received a huge (cheap)pop for the crowd. If it were in any other MMA host city, he would have been booed out of the building, much like his last fight in Vegas, but then again Joe Rogan said in a radio interview on Friday that, "Vegas is full of a bunch of drunken idiots that will boo anything". Then again, to have Lesnar save face and create the impression that he is over with the MMA fans, it was smart of Dana to have this fight in Minneapolis.

In the main event, John Fitch went 5 rounds with George St. Pierre, who won by decision as well. I felt that "GSP" redeemed the UFC and the sport by showing classiness and respect for Fitch after the fight by shaking his hand, hugging/kneeling with him on the ground in the center of the octagon and telling him that he was a worthy opponent. Which is what this sport is going to need in order to change the MMA haters, who think it is nothing more than human dog fighting(but yet boxing is ok), into appreciators.

"The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Tito Ortiz got away with his cocky attitude in the UFC, which MMA fans loved to hate(Dana White hated, but made a lot of money), because he had established himself as a legit contender within MMA (current record is 15-6-1) and even though fans didn't like his attitude, they respected him...and that took awhile. For an "outsider" to come in and declare Marshall Law so to speak, that's not a way to gain MMA fan support.

I'm not a Brock hater. I have watched Brock in college, WWE, NFL and now MMA. I'm a fan, there's no doubt. He has all the right tools to become a legend in this sport. But he has a lot of growing, maturing and winning to do before he can become the "Midwest Bad Boy".

Up next for Brock will probably be Cheick Kongo, who won via TKO last night after loosing previously to the man Brock just beat, Heath Herring.


UPDATE:
First off, I don't understand why the peanut gallery has to send me nasty emails saying I know nothing about MMA and that Lesnar earned the win, instead of using the comment board. Secondly, I did not say that Lesnar didn't deserve to win. I have been a fan of MMA since Royce Gracie entered the octagon and ruled the tournaments(yes, there was a time when they'd fight 3 times a night) in the early 90's. Brock absolutely dominated and destroyed Herring, but I and others saw room for improvement as I'm sure he did. In my original assessment, I was simply pointing out the character issues with some of the dominate fighters and the impressions they leave on MMA fans, the sport and those outside who want to shut it down. If you want to see MMA earn respect and legitimacy with the outside world, then sportsmanship with the fighters is a great starting point.

Here's what good 'ol JR thought.

Afternoon Buzz: Lesnar, Foley and More

- If you've been on WWE.com today, you noticed that Brock Lesnar has a big presence on it. Speaking of the guy whole had to cut weight to get down to 265 pounds, MSNBC did an interview talking about his opponent this weekend and also includes some training footage.



- Mick Foley recently told the Long Island Press that "I can't say much until after my contract expires, which is September 1st. But at this point, there is a good chance, through mutual agreement, that I will not be renewing the contract". So that pretty much confirms it.

- "The Animal" Batista is featured on the new Muscle and Fitness magazine(and in between the mag's 10 thousand advertisements that will help you give her what she wants).

- Rumors are running wild that WWE will release someone else yet today...I know it's not The Miz, life isn't that good.

JR's 2 Cents on Flair, Lesnar and More

Jim Ross gives some thoughts on the latest events in his recent keyboard mashing...

"The announcement a few days ago that Ric Flair and the WWE had mutually agreed to part ways surprised me."

"I do know that Ric had apparently received several offers to do numerous outside projects that were beyond the parameters of the WWE and that he seemed keenly interested in doing. Since the memorable Hall of Fame/Wrestlemania retirement weekend that really sent Ric off in style, Flair’s popularity is arguably at an all time high. There is no doubt that Ric can stay very busy over the next several months and earn significant money in the process."

"...I hope that Ric doesn’t succumb to a big money offer to actually wrestle. Any one who would pitch that idea doesn’t have Ric’s best interests at heart. "

Now that we got the 'Naitch' business out of the way, let's talk about the announcer moves. Are the temp or permanent?

"With Foley’s status as it is, I would not be surprised to see both Striker and Tazz back in the same, fill-in roles that they fulfilled this week on next week’s ECW and Friday Night Smackdown broadcasts. I also thought that Todd Grisham did a really nice job in his second week on ECW after replacing Mike Adamle who is the new, Raw G.M."

A big weekend for UFC and wrestling fans...

"From what I hear, and this isn’t official but what sources tell me, the UFC can actually cut Lesnar if he loses his first two fights and as we all remember that Brock lost his debut by being careless and allowing his inexperience to be exposed. Heath Herring, Lesnar’s opponent in Lesnar’s home town of the Twin Cities, is a veteran of many, many high profile fights over the years and Herring has far less pressure on him going into this fight than one would assume Lesnar has."

Admale's debut as GM of RAW...

"New Raw G.M.Mike Adamle did a solid job Monday night much to the chagrin of apparently an ample amount of Adamle haters. Being any brand’s G.M. is infinitely easier than being a member of any brand’s broadcast team. It would not surprise me to see Adamle settle in, get comfortable, and over exceed the expectations of his critics."

What about the Brett Favre cluster...fudge?

"The Green Bay Packers, an organization that I have long followed and respected, have completely bungled their dealings with the face of the franchise, QB Brett Favre. I am a player’s guy as a rule and this matter has been a complete embarrassment to the Packers, Favre’s family and the national Football League."

...and the status of Kennedy - Kennedy?

"Mr. Kennedy dislocated his shoulder Monday night in Macon in a match with U.S. Champion Shelton Benjamin and looks to be out of action for a few weeks depending on the results of his latest MRI."

Morning Buzz: Foley, Flair and More...Oh my

- Midway Games(who recently posted a second quarter loss of $34.8 million) has plans for big media events this weekend to promote the upcoming TNA "iMPACT!" video game. They have a lot riding on this one.

- Reportedly, one of the main factors for Mick Foley not wanting to continue his on-air commentating and possibly opting out of the WWE when his contract expires soon, is Vinny Mac barking lines to announcers through the headsets, which for obvious reasons can make it very difficult to focus...not to mention annoying as hell. They should switch to a teleprompter - "I'm Mick Foley?"

- Eric Bischoff compares Ric Flair's retirement to Brett Fav-era's retirement in his latest blog.

- The Sandman's son, Tyler Fullington, is the latest second gen'er that will make his debut. "Twisted Sand" as he'll be know as will make his debut with Pro Wrestling Unplugged on August 23rd, at the Clementon Amusement Park in Clementon, NJ.


- If you're in the Minneapolis area this weekend...more specifically tomorrow(Thursday), head over to the Mall of America in Bloomington for the UFC 87 Press conference with all the fighters, including Brock Lesnar.

- What do you want for your 101st birthday(other than a fresh diaper)? How about WWE tickets?

Afternoon Buzz: Heyman on Lesnar, Lesnar on Mir, Balls and More...

-Paul Heyman just posted his thoughts on his former client Brock Lesnar's fight this weekend at UFC 87 versus Health Herring...

"Brock is motivated by the thought of being a lot better today than he was yesterday. He's inspired to be better tomorrow than he is today.

And he's obsessed to show such progress, that two days from now, tomorrow's improvement will pale by comparison. "

Lesnar also did a interview that was just posted on UFC.com.

“I’m still disgusted with myself,” said Lesnar. “I got so excited, then for Mazzagatti to stop the fight kinda threw a monkey wrench into my rhythm a little bit, and then you can chalk it up to a little bit of inexperience. I had Frank on the mat and then I stood up, which was pretty foolish of me. I think Frank will be the first one to admit that I had him up against the ropes and I think he was scared s**tless. He was reaching at anything out there and he grabbed it and he got me. But that’s the beauty of mixed martial arts.”

- Reportedly, Balls Mahoney was involved in a street fight that nearly escalated in to a riot after a show in Ireland recently.

- According to TMZ.com, Rampage Jackson is in deep dookie after the person he sideswiped when he went on his...rampage, lost her 16 month old baby by miscarriage recently. Holli Griggs, 38, was perfectly healthy before the incident, but after the wreck she lost a lot of fluid from her womb and eventually lost the baby.