Now, I don’t know the first thing about professional wrestling. Never watched it as a kid, never got into the whole mystic growing up. (Though WWF King of the Ring for the original Game Boy was pretty radical.) So when people tell me that Brock Lesnar heading back to the WWE is big deal for pro wrestling, I tend to believe them at their word. After all, the guy can draw numbers. That much is obvious.
But after watching a replay of last night’s glorious return, I can’t help but feel happy for Lesnar. That world seems to appreciate him much more than this one ever did. The Monday Night Raw crowd actually looked like it was on the verge of spontaneously combusting. Lesnar could have fought for ten years in the UFC, and he would have never heard a reception close to that. (You could hear the “HO-LY S***” chant through the broadcast.)
So kudos to Brock for his success. MMA will probably never see another transcendent persona quite like him. Now let us never speak of pro wrestling here again.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
The MMA Hour. Ariel Helwani and The MMA Hour hit the airwaves with another packed show headlined by Wanderlei Silva, Cain Velasquez, Greg Jackson, Ben Askren, Che Mills and Brian Green.
Brock Lesnar appears on WWE Monday Night Raw. Three months after falling to Alistair Overeem via first-round TKO at UFC 140, former heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar returned to his pro wrestling roots with a surprise appearance on WWE Monday Night Raw.
Nick Diaz’ lawyer shoots back. Las Vegas attorney Ross C. Goodman, lawyer to suspended UFC welterweight contender Nick Diaz, shot back to the NSAC’s latest claim, declaring that there was no need for Diaz to seek a therapeutic marijuana use exemption.
Gilbert Melendez vs. Josh Thomson III confirmed. Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez has agreed to defend his title against the only man to have defeated him over the past four years, former champ Josh Thomson.
Cain Velasquez picks Junior dos Santos over Alistair Overeem. Cain Velasquez explained his side of the beef between Josh Koscheck and AKA, and predicted Junior dos Santos to defeat Alistair Overeem at UFC 146.
MEDIA STEW
Not too long ago Dana White said some pretty ridiculous things about soccer. Given that soccer is the most popular sport in the world, it probably wasn’t the smartest move. So, taking matters into his own hands, former U.S. National player Jimmy Conrad issued this challenge to the UFC boss.
Cyborg Santos did it. Ronda Rousey did it. Now it’s Marloes Coenen’s turn to fight a Japanese man on Honoo No Taiikukai TV. We don’t know what it is with Japanese game shows pitting grown men against female wrecking machines, but it’s hard to look away. (Thanks to @pegson for the tip.)
So this is Bob Sapp pushing Inoki Unko Ba Ye Laxative Tea. That’s all we’ve got. There are really no words to describe this. (HT: Middle Easy)
If you’ve never seen a 45-year-old man fight a 37-year-old man, you should probably check out Murilo Bustamante vs. Dave Menne from this past weekend’s Amazon Forest Combat 2. (HT: Reddit)
BROCK IS BACK
I think he’ll kick some ass now that he knows how to fight for real! RT @bubbacr @StephanBonnar Did you hear that Brock returned to the WWE?
— Stephan Bonnar (@StephanBonnar) April 3, 2012
I think Lesnar going back to @WWE is bad ass. Good for him. Bad for us @UFC fans, but I doubt we’ve seen the last of him.
— Jason Mayhem Miller (@mayhemmiller) April 3, 2012
DANA WHITE ACCEPTS YOUR SOCCER CHALLENGE
@JimmyConrad_com @jakesjournal @kick I’m in bro!!!
— Dana White (@danawhite) April 2, 2012
@JimmyConrad_com 🙂
— Dana White (@danawhite) April 2, 2012
HARD TO ARGUE WITH THAT
Press tour with UFC 146’s Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, hereafter known as “Bighand” Silva @BigfootSilva @UFC_Brasil twitpic.com/94uuwl
— UFC (@ufc) April 2, 2012
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced yesterday (Monday, April 2, 2012):
– Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Final: Gilbert Melendez (20-2) vs. Josh Thomson (19-4, 1 NC)
– Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Final: Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (11-3) vs. Mike Kyle (19-8-1)
– Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Final: Nah-Shon Burrell (8-1) vs. Bobby Voelker (24-8)
– KSW 19: Bob Sapp (11-12) vs. Mariusz Pudzianowski (3-2, 1 NC)
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today’s Fanpost of the Day is a video-packed primer of Scandinavia’s newest UFC hopeful from BE’s Norreshizzle: Let me introduce you to Jörgen Kruth
I’m positive everyone knows that the UFC will be coming to Sweden, and its already happening the 14th of April. I’d like you to meet one of our legends, the greatest kickboxer Scandinavia has ever seen,
Jörgen “The Last Viking” Kruth. He have been fighting most of his kickboxing career in K-1 and at Heavyweight with a total record of 71 Wins (T)KO’s, 39 Decisions), 14 Losses, and lately Kruth have been focusing more on his MMA career. He had his first fight early 2009 and thus far into his career he is 5 – 0, with all bouts ended in the first round, with a combined time of 9 minutes and 35 seconds.
I’ll start off with some of the positive things about Kruth, he is as I mentioned a very decorated kickboxer, to be more specific he’s got his base in Muay Thai. He got the feared “K-1 level striking”. He used to fight at Heavyweight when he was the WMC Super Heavyweight Muay Thai World Champion, but he has since moved down to Light Heavyweight (205). He’s a tall man, 6’2″ and has a nice reach aswell. I would say that his strenghts are his fast kicks, hard knees and sharp ellbows.
Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we’ll include it in tomorrow’s post.