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Tyrone Spong Wants to Go Down as the Greatest Fighter of All Time

It’s not a new concept for a fighter to decide to crossover into different combat sports, testing their skills against the best mixed martial artists, kickboxers or boxers. Rarely, however, do any fighters find high-level success in multiple sports wh…

It’s not a new concept for a fighter to decide to crossover into different combat sports, testing their skills against the best mixed martial artists, kickboxers or boxers.

Rarely, however, do any fighters find high-level success in multiple sports while dabbling in their chosen crafts. UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem is one fighter that probably came the closest to conquering two sports with his run as Strikeforce heavyweight champion, and eventually capturing the K-1 Grand Prix title in kickboxing.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Maurice Smith started out as a kickboxing phenomenon, winning multiple titles, before moving over to the sport of MMA where he also gained legendary status.

Tyrone Spong hopes to outdo them all and he’s wasting no time letting his intentions be known because the 27-year old Dutch fighter wants to conquer three different combat sports before his career is finished.

Spong is already considered one of the best kickboxers on the planet having defeated some of the biggest names in the industry, and hopes to do the same this weekend when he competes in a one-night Glory tournament in New York City.

But Spong won’t be happy just being the best kickboxer on the planet. He’s already 1-0 as a mixed martial artist and, after his Glory tournament this weekend, Spong plans on returning to World Series of Fighting in August for his second bout.

From there, Spong will then move over into the world of pro boxing where he’s been learning the craft under the tutelage of famed trainer Pedro Diaz. It’s a lofty goal to conquer one sport, but Spong is confident he can be one of the best in three different combat sports simultaneously.

“I want to go down in the sport as the greatest fighter of all time in different sports,” Spong told Bleacher Report recently. “You have lot of fighting disciplines—you have karate, you have judo, you have this, you have that, but I think the hardest combat sports out there really are kickboxing, boxing and MMA.

“Those are the sports that really have my heart, too. I’m just following my dream.”

It may sound cocky for Spong to make such a statement considering he only has one MMA fight and currently zero boxing matches to his name, but that shows just how confident the young fighter is in his own abilities.

Spong‘s kickboxing accomplishments are already noted, and he believes working with coaches like Diaz for boxing as well as his full MMA team at the Blackzilians camp in Florida can prepare him for a successful run through three sports.

“I’m really blessed that I have the ability to adjust,” Spong stated. “A lot of people, I remember when I first came out to the states a couple of years ago, there were a lot of people who doubted me. Not doubted my qualities, but doubted if it was possible to participate in different disciplines like MMA and kickboxing. I’m going to make things even worse—I’m going to compete in boxing just to prove them wrong. Because it’s a challenge for me, I love challenges and that’s the kind of guy I am.”

There’s no doubt Spong is already one of the most devastating strikers in the world, no matter what sport he’s competing at. Spong is deadly accurate with his punches, and when he lands flush on an opponent, bad things tend to happen.

He recently knocked out kickboxing legend Remy Bonjasky, and that’s one fight after he punished and finished another icon of the sport in Peter Aerts.

Spong isn’t shy when talking about his striking because he knows all he needs is one slight opening or for an opponent to make a mistake and they will wake up staring at the lights wondering what just happened.

“I think I’m definitely one of the best strikers in the world without trying to be cocky,” Spong said. “Just speaking facts. I’m just in a rage to build up my own legacy as one of the best athletes in combat sports.”

Spong‘s declaration will certainly be met with some criticism, but he’s not backing down no matter what anyone says about his goals to be considered the best fighter in the history of combat sports.

Former NFL and Major League Baseball All-Star Bo Jackson, who is one of the most prolific two sport athletes ever, may have summed it up best when he said, “set your goals high, and don’t stop till you get there.”

Spong‘s goals are set, and he’s determined to make his dreams a reality.

“That’s exactly what I’m aiming for,” Spong said about being the best fighter in the world. “It’s something that motivates me. I enjoy doing it, I have the best coaches to do that. Everything is just falling in the right places.”

Damon Martin is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and all quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

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Sonnen: ‘Little Chicken Belly Nog’ Pulled ‘Scumbag Move’ in Not Fighting Shogun

Saying that three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes Antonio Rogerio Nogueira faked an injury prior to a scheduled UFC 161 bout with Mauricio Rua would be an understatement. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, “The American Gang…

Saying that three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes Antonio Rogerio Nogueira faked an injury prior to a scheduled UFC 161 bout with Mauricio Rua would be an understatement.

In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, “The American Gangster” blasted his Brazilian adversary for withdrawing from a heavily anticipated rematch with “Shogun” roughly three weeks before the match up due to a back injury.

“Little Chicken Belly Nog pulled the same scumbag move that he does every time, lets the UFC put out posters, commercials, doing everything to promote him, knowing full well he’s not going to do the fight,” Sonnen said. “Once again he calls in sick, three weeks early. In no industry on earth can you do that. Nobody can call their boss and say ‘Hey, boss, 20 days from now, I’m not going to feel good’. So he calls in sick three weeks early… it was a ruse from the beginning, and basically, I just wanted to help out.”

Sonnen was willing to step up to the plate and fight Rua with less than two weeks notice, but instead, a showdown between Rua and Sonnen will headline UFC on FOX Sports 1: #1 this August (via MMA Fighting).

“Little Nog‘s” recent career has been plagued with injuries, not fighting at all in 2012 and only stepping inside the Octagon once in 2013 thus far.

Nevertheless, back-to-back wins over former divisional champions Tito Ortiz and Rashad Evans have earned Nogueira the number 5 spot in the UFC’s official light heavyweight rankings.

While Rua is a former UFC titleholder in his own right, he is just 3-4 in his past seven fights, a far cry from his dominant 13-1 run under the PRIDE banner.

Sonnen has lost consecutive fights to Anderson Silva and Jon Jones, fighting for the UFC middleweight and light heavyweight titles, respectively, though he has notched a 7-1 record in his last eight non-title bouts.

Should Sonnen take out Shogun in Boston on August 17, would the fans be interested in seeing him settle the score with Nogueira in his next fight?

John Heinis is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. He is also the MMA Editor for eDraft.com and contributes MMA videos to The Young Turks Sports Show.

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Frankie Edgar Picks ‘Whole Package’ Weidman over Silva

You know “all the pros” that Dana White says are picking Chris Weidman to dethrone Anderson Silva? Well, you can go ahead and add Frankie Edgar to the list.Last week, White claimed during a media scrum that “All the pros, when you talk to all the fight…

You know “all the pros” that Dana White says are picking Chris Weidman to dethrone Anderson Silva? Well, you can go ahead and add Frankie Edgar to the list.

Last week, White claimed during a media scrum that “All the pros, when you talk to all the fighters – every fighter out there that I’ve talked too, that we’ve interviewed, thinks Weidman is going to beat him [Silva].”

The UFC president didn’t give any names, however, aside from welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.

On June 19, one more high-profile fighter—Edgar—added himself to that mysterious list of “every fighter out there,” discussing the UFC 162 headliner during a live chat on UFC.com.

When asked by fan Tim Melvin, “who will win: silva or weidman?” Edgar responded:

Gotta go with the East Coast boy Weidman. He’s the whole package. Anderson has fought good wrestlers, but Chris has got great jiu-jitsu and a solid standup game as well.

Of course, we’ve heard it all before. This next fighter is the one that poses stylistic problems for Silva. The next one will take him down and submit him. The next one is the end of his reign.

And all Silva does is keep winning.

But there is a collective feeling shared by many—not all, many—heading into UFC 162 that Weidman poses a real threat to Silva, and that this isn’t just another turn of the wheel.

With NCAA Division I All-American honors for wrestling, ADCC grappling experience and a striking game that has come a long way, Weidman certainly looks to be the real deal despite limited experience. His considerable accolades and past performances have garnered attention not just among fans, but among his colleagues, adding authority to his position as a contender.

So what do you think? Does Silva cruise to another convincing win, or do pros like St-Pierre and Edgar have you believing in Weidman?

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Jacob Volkmann Recounts Blackout and Seizure Prior to WSOF 3 Bout

I’ve heard plenty of horror stories that come as a result of a weight cut gone bad in mixed martial arts. Most fighters who undertake a weight cut have done so before. They’ve wrestled since they were kids, and while cutting weight at the junior o…

I’ve heard plenty of horror stories that come as a result of a weight cut gone bad in mixed martial arts.

Most fighters who undertake a weight cut have done so before. They’ve wrestled since they were kids, and while cutting weight at the junior or high school level is mostly frowned upon, the practice is not yet a thing of the past.

According to the Athens Banner-Herald, an astonishing 81 percent of all wrestlers cut weight. It’s no surprise that a wrestler in high school would continue attempting to gain an advantage on his opponents once he grows up and turns professional.

Jacob Volkmann is one of those wrestlers. He’s been cutting weight for what seems like forever and continues to do so as he goes through his professional career. Most of the time, he’s been successful. Other times—such as last week, just days before he was scheduled to make his debut for World Series of Fighting—Volkmann isn’t quite so successful.

Here’s what he told Sherdog.com on Wednesday:

“The maid knocks on my door and keeps on knocking, and I [thought], ‘I’d better not get up too fast.’ So I got up and walked toward the door, and by the time I got my hand on the door, I blacked out,” Volkman told TJ De Santis during a Wednesday interview on “Beatdown” on the Sherdog Radio Network. “Next thing I remember, I was shaking on the floor, having seizures.”

“I banged my head, and I must have hit my back on the door handle,” Volkmann said. “I didn’t tell anybody, because I didn’t want them to say I couldn’t fight because I just had a seizure. I had bills to pay, so I really didn’t have a choice.”

And so you can see why I believe that the biggest harm to mixed martial arts will not come from the sport itself, but from athletes doing dumb things. Blacking out and busting your head open because you’re dehydrated and stood up too fast to answer your hotel door? Yeah, that qualifies as a dumb thing.

I’d like to say that athletes shouldn’t be in a position where they have to lie to the athletic commissions about their health in order to fight. That’s not safe. It’s not good for the athlete, and it’s not good for the sport.

“It was a byproduct of being dehydrated. I don’t think I need a CAT scan or [anything],” Volkmann continued. “There’s nothing cloudy. My memory is fine. I don’t feel sluggish at all. I’m good to go.”

I trust Volkmann‘s judgment more than most. He did attend two straight years of medical school (M.D.) before branching off to become a chiropractor, after all.

But 99.99 percent of fighters regularly attempt the same kind of cognitive self-checks that Volkmann used, only they don’t know what they’re doing. They don’t have any medical training and they don’t know what signs to look for. And even if they do know the signs, they ignore them because, as Volkmann said, they have bills to pay and they need the money.

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Anthony Pettis’ Knee Injury Will Keep Him Out for 6 Weeks

UFC lightweight standout Anthony Pettis caused a stir earlier this year by suddenly announcing his intention to shed 10 pounds and fight Jose Aldo for the featherweight title. The news was a surprise, not only because it came rather abruptly, but …

UFC lightweight standout Anthony Pettis caused a stir earlier this year by suddenly announcing his intention to shed 10 pounds and fight Jose Aldo for the featherweight title.

The news was a surprise, not only because it came rather abruptly, but because it was given the full support of Dana White despite a bevy of viable challengers domestic to the 145-pound class. Even more intriguing was Pettis‘ claim that he would not stick around at featherweight but return to lightweight afterwards.

Well, it all turned out to just be a lot of speculation in the end. Not because Pettis wasn’t genuine in his intent but because he was forced to withdraw from his match against Aldo at UFC 163 because of a knee injury suffered in training.

At first though, it seemed that all hope was not lost. Pettis turned his sights back to the lightweight crown and campaigned to usurp T.J. Grant’s place at UFC 164. Any chance of that scenario, however, just went out the window.

That’s because after meeting with UFC approved doctors, Pettis will be sidelined for six weeks, meaning Aug. 31—UFC 164—is an unrealistic return date for him.

The news of Pettis‘ injury was confirmed by Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting.

While Pettis had been hopeful he could cut the lightweight line as he had the featherweight one, he concedes that Grant is a suitable man for the job.

On the latest episode of the MMA Hour, Pettis said:

TJ Grant earned his shot I’m not going to say I should be fighting and TJ Grant didn’t earn his shot. TJ Grant earned his shot an he’s there for a reason, I don’t want the fans to think I’m trying to take his position or anything like that, but at the same time, you can’t knock me for trying. I want a title shot so bad.

It’s a sentiment that many fans expressed when speculation first began that Pettis might be handed the opportunity. Grant’s recent run has been extremely impressive, and there isn’t much of a case beyond Pettis being a bigger name or having a stronger reputation that can be made to justify swapping him in.

But now it’s a moot point.

Pettis‘ featherweight loss is Chan Sung Jung’s gain, and his extended injury-induced absence will preserve Grant’s spot in the lightweight pecking order.

So while it’s clear that “Showtime’s” title aspirations will have to wait a bit, it will be curious to see what the UFC does with him when he is once again able to compete.

Will he be ushered into an immediate title fight at 145? Or maybe 155? Or will he have to win a bout before getting his chance at UFC gold?

We shall see.

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King Mo Lawal Defeats Seth Petruzelli by Vicious KO at Bellator 96

Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal returned to action Wednesday, June 19th, for the first time since his devastating loss to Emmanuel Newton back in February. It took him all of one minute and 35 seconds to return to the win column, as he knock…

After Lawal collided heads with Petruzelli on his first takedown attempt, referee “Big” John McCarthy briefly called a halt to the action.

After the restart, Lawal landed a takedown—something he hadn’t done his last two fights—which led to him standing up in Petruzelli’s open guard. From there, the former Oklahoma State Cowboy threw both of his opponent’s legs to the side to pass before landing the vicious over-hand right that would end the fight:

Petruzelli had talked a lot of trash leading up to the fight, saying he would spoil Bellator’s plans for Lawal to become a champion. Lawal is no stranger to running his mouth, but he didn’t have much of a response to Petruzelli’s pre-fight talk, letting his hands do the talking instead.

The AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) fighter is now 2-1 inside the promotion; he needed a win to avoid further criticism after his embarrassing defeat to Newton back at Bellator 90. Many media members panned Lawal for being overconfident and cocky before getting caught with Newton’s spinning-back fist.

Viacom has invested quite a bit in Lawal, and it would’ve been even harder to promote him in Bellator as well as TNA had he lost back-to-back fights at this juncture of the newest chapter in his career.

“King Mo” will now advance to the finals of the summer series four-man tournament where he will take on Jacob Noe. Noe was also victorious at Bellator 96, by third-round TKO over Renato “Babalu” Sobral.

He may not have said much about Petruzelli, but Lawal had plenty of disdain for Noe during the post-fight press conference:

“I didn’t know when the fight was going to end, but I knew I was going to stop him, and I did,” Lawal said.

He went on to talk about the Noe fight:

But now it’s time for me to fight Jacob Noe. Noe, No, I don’t know, I don’t care. I don’t like him, admitted Lawal. I don’t like the gym he trains at. He’s fake. He talked a lot of trash behind my back. I hope he’s here listening, you all can tell him this because I’m going to beat the brakes off him. I’m going to whip his ass so bad, I’m going to retire him.

The two finalists will meet on July 31 at the Santa Ana Star Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The summer series tournament champion will earn the right to face the winner of the light heavyweight championship bout between current champ Attila Vegh and season eight tournament-winner Newton.

Those two will likely square off at some point during season nine this fall.

Michael Stets is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained first hand unless otherwise noted.

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