(I guess I’ll go with “The side that watches a South Park rerun instead.”)
I’m going to make an assumption right out of the gate here and assume that next to none of you have been following this season of The Ultimate Fighter: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians. I know I haven’t. That said, I’ll give the UFC credit for coming up with a pretty novel concept to inject some life into this season, even if it’s a perfect example of “too little too late.”
My grievances with the show aside, last night’s episode of TUF 21 featured a must-see battle between American Top Team’s Michael Graves and the Blackzilians’ Jason Jackson. Between the unpenalized nut shots, back of the head shots, and the absolutely incredible come-from-behind victory that topped it off, we may have just seen our round of the year — like Hughes vs. Trigg 2, only crazier.
As luck would have it, we’ve managed to find a video of the fight in its entirety and have thrown it after the jump. You’re welcome.
(I guess I’ll go with “The side that watches a South Park rerun instead.”)
I’m going to make an assumption right out of the gate here and assume that next to none of you have been following this season of The Ultimate Fighter: American Top Team vs. Blackzilians. I know I haven’t. That said, I’ll give the UFC credit for coming up with a pretty novel concept to inject some life into this season, even if it’s a perfect example of “too little too late.”
My grievances with the show aside, last night’s episode of TUF 21 featured a must-see battle between American Top Team’s Michael Graves and the Blackzilians’ Jason Jackson. Between the unpenalized nut shots, back of the head shots, and the absolutely incredible come-from-behind victory that topped it off, we may have just seen our round of the year — like Hughes vs. Trigg 2, only crazier.
As luck would have it, we’ve managed to find a video of the fight in its entirety and have thrown it after the jump. You’re welcome.
Damn, that’s a tough loss to take if you’re Jackson, but being that he’s a disciplined, honorable martial artist, I’m sure he took it well.
Oh, or he go that way with it.
If there’s one thing I can’t stand in an argument, it’s a guy repeating the same sentence over and over andover again because he’s too damn stupid to come up with anything else and/or let someone else talk. It’s like that episode of TUF 14 (the last season I watched start to finish, coincidentally) where Dustin Neace and Akira Corissani got stuck in a time loop in the midst of an argument. Of course, Jackson followed that up by telling the guy who submittedhim that “his Jiu-Jitsu isn’t that good”, which should tell you all you need to know about where his head’s at.
But there you have it: The one moment of TUF 21 worth watching. As in Hughes vs. Trigg 2, I’m just glad that the good (or at least tolerable) guy won.
Comparing mixed martial arts to professional wrestling tends to draw the ire of many am MMA fan. While former WWE and UFC world champion Brock Lesnar eventually earned the respect of UFC fans by putting on dominant performances, he was originally greeted with a less than warm reception. Fellow former WWE world champion CM Punk signed with UFC to less than open arms and is expected to compete in his first MMA bout later this year (or early 2016). Pro wrestling and MMA also crossed paths once again last month, when UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey made a special appearance at Wrestlemania to help Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson run off Triple H and his wife Stephanie McMahon.
All of this interplay between pro wrestling and MMA lately got me thinking; How do some of MMA’s top teams compare to great pro wrestling stables of the past and present? MMA fans are well aware of Rousey’s “Four Horsewomen,” which consists of Rousey and her teammates Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke and recent Invicta FC signee Marina Shafir. The group is big pro wrestling fans and while I’m personally not a fan of the name, they’ve wasted no time promoting themselves.
So which pro wrestling stables would I compare to current MMA teams? Here are a few of my suggestions…
Comparing mixed martial arts to professional wrestling tends to draw the ire of many am MMA fan. While former WWE and UFC world champion Brock Lesnar eventually earned the respect of UFC fans by putting on dominant performances, he was originally greeted with a less than warm reception. Fellow former WWE world champion CM Punk signed with UFC to less than open arms and is expected to compete in his first MMA bout later this year (or early 2016). Pro wrestling and MMA also crossed paths once again last month, when UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey made a special appearance at Wrestlemania to help Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson run off Triple H and his wife Stephanie McMahon.
All of this interplay between pro wrestling and MMA lately got me thinking; How do some of MMA’s top teams compare to great pro wrestling stables of the past and present? MMA fans are well aware of Rousey’s “Four Horsewomen,” which consists of Rousey and her teammates Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke and recent Invicta FC signee Marina Shafir. The group is big pro wrestling fans and while I’m personally not a fan of the name, they’ve wasted no time promoting themselves.
So which pro wrestling stables would I compare to current MMA teams? Here are a few of my suggestions:
MMA: Team Jackson-Winkeljohn/Wrestling: New World Order (nWo) – TeamJackson-Winkeljohn in New Mexico is probably the most well-known team in all MMA, and at its peak, the nWo was the most famous wrestling stable of its time (and maybe of all time). The nWo was home at different times to such high-profile wrestling personalities like “Hollywood” Hulk Hogan, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, X-Pac/Syxx and Sting. Meanwhile, Team Jackson-Winkeljohn has almost a who’s-who of MMA on its roster, including UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, Travis Browne, Carlos Condit, Diego Sanchez, Keith Jardine, John Dodson and Leonard Garcia.
Who at Jackson-Winkeljohn could play the roles of the nWo’s original trio: Hogan, Hall and Nash? If I had to venture a guess:
– Hulk Hogan = Jon Jones
– Scott Hall = Donald Cerrone
– Kevin Nash = Carlos Condit
MMA: American Kickboxing Academy/Wrestling: The Dangerous Alliance – American Kickboxing Academy boasts a roaster comparable to Team Jackson-Winkeljohn, including UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, Daniel Cormier, Luke Rockhold, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Josh Thomson. At its peak in WCW, the Dangerous Alliance consisted of “Ravishing” Rick Rude, Bobby Eaton, Larry Zbysko, Arn Anderson and “Stunning” Steve Austin. While the group never boasted a world champion like AKA does with Velasquez, the Dangerous Alliance was among the greatest group of wrestling talent ever assembled – much like AKA is right up there among the best MMA teams from top to bottom.
MMA: Team Cesar Gracie (“The Scrap Pack”)/Wrestling: D-Generation X – The antics of D-Generation X are known and loved by pro wrestling fans worldwide. From its original iteration of Triple H and Shawn Michaels to the grouping of Triple H, X-Pac and the New Age Outlaws to going back to Triple H and Michaels in its final days, DX were rebels without a cause who loved to thumb their noses at authority.
Likewise, Team Cesar Gracie has its own pair of rebels in the Diaz brothers, Nick and Nate. The team also consists of Gilbert Melendez and Jake Shields, among others. The Diaz brothers have caused UFC president Dana White many a headache throughout their careers and fans love the brothers for their antics inside and outside the cage.
MMA: Team Alpha Male/Wrestling: The Filthy Animals – The Filthy Animals in WCW were one of the very few stables in all of pro wrestling to consist of cruiserweights, or “smaller” wrestlers – Billy Kidman, Rey Mysterio, Juventud Guerrera and Eddie Guerrero. Similarly, Team Alpha Male consists entirely of fighters from the UFC’s lighter weight classes – bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw, Urijah Faber, Joseph Benavidez, Chad Mendes and Danny Castillo. The Filthy Animals were thick as thieves during their WCW run, and Team Alpha Male is one of the more tight-knit teams in all of MMA.
MMA: Blackzilians/Wrestling: The Nexus – The Blackzilians are a fairly new team in MMA, coming together in 2011 and boasting talent including Rashad Evans, Vitor Belfort, Anthony Johnson and Michael Johnson. The Nexus also took the pro wrestling world by storm in 2010 and included young talent like Wade Barrett, Ryan Reeves (Ryback), Justin Gabriel and David Otunga. The Nexus tangled with some of WWE’s biggest names, including John Cena and CM Punk, who both at one time were also members of Nexus – in Cena’s case, unwillingly. The Blackzilians have yet to taste gold, unlike the Nexus, but Anthony Johnson gets his chance to bring a belt to the team when he faces Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 187 in May.
Of course, I didn’t list some of the other famous teams in MMA, including American Top Team, Team Quest and Xtreme Couture. Conversely, there are wrestling stables I didn’t mention, such as the Four Horsemen, Nation of Domination, Ministry of Darkness or The Corporation. Agree or disagree with my comparisons? Have some of your own? Leave your thoughts in the comments below, or drop me a line!
We’re still waiting for an official announcement from the UFC about broadcast plans for TUF 21, but a smaller-scale version of TUF airing on Fight Pass seems like a good move — especially because it won’t take any of the UFC’s biggest stars out of action for a considerable chunk of the year. We’ll update you when we know more about the cast; Junior Killer should get a spot based on his name alone.
(I have a feeling that the shirtless guy with the belt is a ringer. Photo via Mike Roach/Getty)
We’re still waiting for an official announcement from the UFC about broadcast plans for TUF 21, but a smaller-scale version of TUF airing on Fight Pass seems like a good move — especially because it won’t take any of the UFC’s biggest stars out of action for a considerable chunk of the year. We’ll update you when we know more about the cast; Junior Killer should get a spot based on his name alone.
(The same can be said about their understanding of the English language, it appears.)
You guys, I don’t want to instigate anything, but it sounds like Tyron Woodley *might* just be ducking Hector Lombard.
On the heels of a first round TKO of Dong Hyun Kim, Woodley has quickly rebounded from the three round drubbing he suffered at the hands of Rory MacDonald in June, and is in a prime position to receive another highly-ranked opponent. Enter Hector Lombard, currently ranked #6 (if UFC rankings are your thing) and riding back-to-back wins over Nate Marquardt and Jake Shields since dropping to welterweight. A fight with the #3 ranked Woodley makes sense for both men given their current trajectories, but Woodley isn’t having any part of it.
As things of this nature usually are, word of Woodley’s hesitance was first made public by Dana White during the UFC 177 media scrum:
I called Woodley and said, ‘Here’s what your teammate just said, and he wants this fight bad.’ And he said, ‘He can say whatever he wants, he’s about him and he’s always been about him. This fight doesn’t work for me and my brand.’ He started telling me all the reasons why he doesn’t want this fight and I just said, ‘Whatever kid, whatever.’ He wants nothing to do with Hector. Hector wants this fight, Woodley does not.
It’s not good for his brand? Is Woodley even aware that Lombard is the king of rebranding? That’s “Shower There” Lombard you’re talking about, so show some goddamn respect!
(The same can be said about their understanding of the English language, it appears.)
You guys, I don’t want to instigate anything, but it sounds like Tyron Woodley *might* just be ducking Hector Lombard.
On the heels of a first round TKO of Dong Hyun Kim, Woodley has quickly rebounded from the three round drubbing he suffered at the hands of Rory MacDonald in June, and is in a prime position to receive another highly-ranked opponent. Enter Hector Lombard, currently ranked #6 (if UFC rankings are your thing) and riding back-to-back wins over Nate Marquardt and Jake Shields since dropping to welterweight. A fight with the #3 ranked Woodley makes sense for both men given their current trajectories, but Woodley isn’t having any part of it.
As things of this nature usually are, word of Woodley’s hesitance was first made public by Dana White during the UFC 177 media scrum:
I called Woodley and said, ‘Here’s what your teammate just said, and he wants this fight bad.’ And he said, ‘He can say whatever he wants, he’s about him and he’s always been about him. This fight doesn’t work for me and my brand.’ He started telling me all the reasons why he doesn’t want this fight and I just said, ‘Whatever kid, whatever.’ He wants nothing to do with Hector. Hector wants this fight, Woodley does not.
It’s not good for his brand? Is Woodley even aware that Lombard is the king of rebranding? That’s “Shower There” Lombard you’re talking about, so show some goddamn respect!
Woodley expounded upon his decision to turn down a possible fight with Lombard while on Inside MMA.
I always like to do the fights that make the most sense. Especially from American Top Team, my goal is to be the No. 1 guy, the world champion. It is a goal for my team to be No. 1. I’m an avid believer of ‘no strap, no scrap,’ so if there is not a world title on the line I’m not open to fight guys from ATT.
Okay, so Woodley doesn’t want to fight a teammate/friend. I can respect that. I fundamentally disagree with any fighter who claims to “want to be the best” while refusing to fight a teammate, but I can understand where Woodley’s coming from I suppose. American Top Team is a tightly run ship, so I hear, so surely Lombard feels the same way, right?
We’re not friends. He just comes to use the gym. He doesn’t even live here. It’s not a difficult decision at all.
That doesn’t make sense anyway. I’m going to make him be the next Dana White. Is that fair? I don’t think that’s fair at all. You’ve got to do what the company wants you to do. I understand that once you get injured, there’s no way you can fight. Whoever you have to fight, you have to fight. Period.
I’ll be more than ready, and I’ll say again: We ain’t friends.
Ah, so they’re not friends, and Hector doesn’t even consider Woodley a true member of ATT. Looks like Woodley needs to purchase a copy of He’s Just Not That Into You, amiright ladies?
It’s hard to fault Woodley for his loyalty to his team, even when a supposed teammate has stated an outright desire to fight him, but on the other hand, “The Chosen One” isn’t exactly in the position to start picking and choosing the terms of his fight, and certainly not when it’s calling for a title shot. Even champions oft have little say over who they will fight next (especially if they fight at under 170 lbs), so Woodley’s refusal to fight Lombard and wait it out is presumptuous to say the least.
Considering that Dana White has already labeled Tyron as a guy who “chokes in big fights” (whether it’s true or otherwise), I don’t think it would be good for Woodley’s “brand” if “unwilling to fight” was added to that list.
King Mo is pro wrasslin’ tonight. I learned this by looking at the above poster, which was posted on his Instagram last night. According to all sources, this event is an actual thing that is happening. I don’t whether to laugh or cry.
I have so, so many questions about this poster: Why is “The Beast” wearing a Tron outfit? Where does one obtain a degree from the House of Hardcore? Or is that like when someone says that they graduated the School of Hard Knocks, The Streets, or ITT Tech?
Is “Macho Man Richie Boombots” the most hackneyed, unforgivably terrible wrestling nickname of all time? On the contrary, is “Merican Mayde” the greatest? Do you think the member of “Merican Mayde” doing the bird hands is a member of the 19th Street Gangsters? Why isn’t “Senor Entertainment’s” name “Senor Entretenimiento,” you know, so that both words are actually in Spanish? Does Flash (or maybe he’s Cash) have the most uninspired costume of all time? Is he wearing that pink headband in support of breast cancer?
Do you think…
(Best. Fight Pass card. Ever.)
King Mo is pro wrasslin’ tonight. I learned this by looking at the above poster, which was posted on his Instagram last night. According to all sources, this event is an actual thing that is happening. I don’t whether to laugh or cry.
I have so, so many questions about this poster: Why is “The Beast” wearing a Tron outfit? Where does one obtain a degree from the House of Hardcore? Or is that like when someone says that they graduated the School of Hard Knocks, The Streets, or ITT Tech?
Is “Macho Man Richie Boombots” the most hackneyed, unforgivably terrible wrestling nickname of all time? On the contrary, is “Merican Mayde” the greatest? Do you think the member of “Merican Mayde” doing the bird hands is a member of the 19th Street Gangsters? Why isn’t “Senor Entertainment’s” name “Senor Entretenimiento,” you know, so that both words are actually in Spanish? Does Flash (or maybe he’s Cash) have the most uninspired costume of all time? Is he wearing that pink headband in support of breast cancer?
Do you think Mikey Mondelli is on TRT? Because that pose kind of suggests that he’s on TRT. Why is Sidney Jones so serious? Did he just find out that the big break he thought he was about to have is taking place in an MMA gym following a BJJ belt ceremony? And why, oh why, did he not choose a more intimidating wrestling name than Sidney? Unless that his actual name, in which case, do you think his parents chose to be emancipated from him?
Does King Mo wear that crown everywhere, kind of like how Tim Sylvia treated his UFC belt? Does he bring it into the bedroom? Or do you think he just dons it during his post-coital pee while posing like Captain Morgan? Is this the low or high point of his professional wrestling career? It’s the low, isn’t it? Do you think Mo hates Felice Herrig?
Melvin Guillard‘s recent training history could charitably be described as “nomadic.” Or, if you don’t want to be charitable, you could say that the UFC lightweight has spent the last couple years burning bridges in gyms all over the continental United States. The last we heard, Guillard ended up at Grudge Training Center after being rejected when he tried to sneak back into Jackson’s MMA. (Before that, he was briefly a Blackzilian, but that didn’t work out either.)
“[Guillard] told me he left Grudge, because, basically they couldn’t come to an agreement about how much he owes them. They had a disagreement about the percentage that he had to pay them. They gave him an ultimatum, he said ‘goodbye,’ and now he’s training at ATT. He said he is not moving again. This is his home for life. ATT it is.”
Melvin Guillard‘s recent training history could charitably be described as “nomadic.” Or, if you don’t want to be charitable, you could say that the UFC lightweight has spent the last couple years burning bridges in gyms all over the continental United States. The last we heard, Guillard ended up at Grudge Training Center after being rejected when he tried to sneak back into Jackson’s MMA. (Before that, he was briefly a Blackzilian, but that didn’t work out either.)
“[Guillard] told me he left Grudge, because, basically they couldn’t come to an agreement about how much he owes them. They had a disagreement about the percentage that he had to pay them. They gave him an ultimatum, he said ‘goodbye,’ and now he’s training at ATT. He said he is not moving again. This is his home for life. ATT it is.”
