Anderson Silva in a limited-speaking role. A pretty-boy protagonist. Generic hip-hop in the soundtrack. Superman-punches upon superman-punches upon superman-punches. Damn it, I thought we were done with this sort of thing.
Here’s the trailer for a new MMA flick called Tapped, in which “A disgruntled teenager, sent to do community service at a rundown Karate school, enters an MMA tournament to face the man that killed his parents.” A few observations, here:
– Yes, a rundown Karate school. In the year 2013. That’s your boy Disgruntled Teenager swinging a friggin’ bo staff at 0:21-0:22
– 0:29-0:31 is sort of edited to look like Lyoto Machida is checking out that girl’s ass, but come on, nobody wearing a mustache like that would be checking out a girl’s ass.
– Are you telling me that K-Sos was the biggest name they could find for the villain in this thing? (As Jared put it, “I just enjoy that K-Sos is the only MMA fighter allowed to be the bad guy in movies because TATTOOS SKINHEAD RUSSIAN LOOKING.”)
– And exactly what Indian casino sanctioned a fight between a light-heavyweight and a guy who looks like a slightly-fitter version of Telly from Kids?
Anderson Silva in a limited-speaking role. A pretty-boy protagonist. Generic hip-hop in the soundtrack. Superman-punches upon superman-punches upon superman-punches. Damn it, I thought we were done with this sort of thing.
Here’s the trailer for a new MMA flick called Tapped, in which “A disgruntled teenager, sent to do community service at a rundown Karate school, enters an MMA tournament to face the man that killed his parents.” A few observations, here:
– Yes, a rundown Karate school. In the year 2013. That’s your boy Disgruntled Teenager swinging a friggin’ bo staff at 0:21-0:22
– 0:29-0:31 is sort of edited to look like Lyoto Machida is checking out that girl’s ass, but come on, nobody wearing a mustache like that would be checking out a girl’s ass.
– Are you telling me that K-Sos was the biggest name they could find for the villain in this thing? (As Jared put it, “I just enjoy that K-Sos is the only MMA fighter allowed to be the bad guy in movies because TATTOOS SKINHEAD RUSSIAN LOOKING.”)
– And exactly what Indian casino sanctioned a fight between a light-heavyweight and a guy who looks like a slightly-fitter version of Telly from Kids?
Like many before him, including Cung Le, Heath Herring, Roger Huerta and Bas Rutten, to name just a few, Krzysztof Soszynski is parlaying his fame as a professional fighter into an active career in Hollywood. Thus far Soszynski has made appearances in …
Like many before him, including Cung Le, Heath Herring, Roger Huerta and Bas Rutten, to name just a few, Krzysztof Soszynski is parlaying his fame as a professional fighter into an active career in Hollywood.
Thus far Soszynski has made appearances in Here Comes the Boom and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Well, the nine-time UFC competitor has a trio of films on tap for the near future, one being an obvious comfort fit—the mixed martial arts-themed Tapped—while the other two—Severed Connection and Hidden in the Woods—slide into the realm of horror cinema.
Soszynski has apparently built a fine working relationship with the legendary Michael Biehn, who has appeared in some mesmerizing pictures in his day, including Terminator, Aliens, Planet Terror, The Victim and The Abyss.
It may be safe to label these men friends, as Biehn and Soszynski have officially teamed up for all three of the aforementioned films.
While Tapped and Severed Connection will both hit the market from production company Tapped Pictures, Hidden in the Woods will see release under Biehn’s own production company (a dual partnership with his wife of four years, Jennifer Blanc-Biehn), BlancBiehn Productions.
Unlike Tapped and Severed Connection, Hidden in the Woods carries some history and subsequent bonus allure. The picture serves as an American transfer of the popular Chilean film, A Las Afueras de la Ciudad.
Whether or not Soszynski’s acting career takes off remains to be seen. At least the man has a solid start with some excellent connections. Biehn may not sit atop the list of current Hollywood A-listers, but he’s a well-respected thespian with a staggering resume and the power to draw long-term fans to cinemas.
Good luck, Mr. Soszynski. It seems you’ve got designs on a far less dangerous and significantly more lucrative career!
(We’ll give Anderson this, he has an ability to facially express himself that not even Ernest P. Worrell could hold a candle to.)
Good afternoon, Potato Nation, Danga here. As many of you may or may not have realized/elated over, I have been out of the office since last Thursday, first taking a trip down to New York City, then heading out to Boston to move into the apartment at which I currently reside. Aside from being called a “fahkin retahd” by nearly every citizen who shared the road with me, it was a relatively painless move, but one that left me without Internet access for a good three or four days, which in Internet time is roughly 6 months.
Of course, today is a new day, and with it comes a bit of mixed news. Regardless of who you feel deserves the next shot at Anderson Silva, the fact that “The Spider” is turning down fights in the weight class he resides over in favor of a possible superfight against GSP is a frustrating, if not equally intriguing prospect for MMA fans to digest. But as it turns out, Silva’s absence from the octagon in the near future may also be linked to something a little harder to swallow. Mainly, movie stardom. Because according to a report from metronews.ca, Silva may be heading to England down the line to promote and star in a major-budget MMA film called Tapped.
Details after the jump.
(We’ll give Anderson this, he has an ability to facially express himself that not even Ernest P. Worrell could hold a candle to.)
Good afternoon, Potato Nation, Danga here. As many of you may or may not have realized/elated over, I have been out of the office since last Thursday, first taking a trip down to New York City, then heading out to Boston to move into the apartment at which I currently reside. Aside from being called a “fahkin retahd” by nearly every citizen who shared the road with me, it was a relatively painless move, but one that left me without Internet access for a good three or four days, which in Internet time is roughly 6 months.
Of course, today is a new day, and with it comes a bit of mixed news. Regardless of who you feel deserves the next shot at Anderson Silva, the fact that “The Spider” is turning down fights in the weight class he resides over in favor of a possible superfight against GSP is a frustrating, if not equally intriguing prospect for MMA fans to digest. But as it turns out, Silva’s absence from the octagon in the near future may also be linked to something a little harder to swallow. Mainly, movie stardom. Because according to a report from metronews.ca, Silva may be heading to Canada down the line to promote and star in a major-budget MMA film called Tapped.
Although details remain sketchy at the moment, Silva’s name, along with Lyoto Machida and retired UFC fighter Krzysztof Soszynski have been linked to “the biggest film that’s been shot in London”:
Ultimate Fighting Championship icon Anderson Silva — along with a handful of “big celebrities” — is starring in a Hollywood motion picture that will be partly produced in London over the next couple of months.
“We’re not at liberty to discuss the logistics and budgets, but we’ve been told it’s the biggest film that has been shot in London,” said Allan Ungar, director of Tapped. Other UFC stars, namely Lyoto Machida andKrzysztof Soszynski, will appear in the “Karate Kid meets MMA” full-length movie being produced by Tapped Pictures.
Semi-related: CagePotato has recently been granted an early screener of the upcoming film Brawler, which looks like a combination of Warrior and Bloodsport. The IMDB page summary goes like this:
Sidelined by an injury incurred while protecting his young brother, underground fighter Charlie Fontaine feels blindsided when he discovers his brother having sex on his couch with his new wife, Kat. Fueled by rage, a determined Charlie makes plans to get back in the ring and take on his brother in a fight to the death.
Being that I’ve finally seen Warrior (Spoiler: It was pretty freakin’ sweet, but you should still check out Redbelt), I figured I would possibly draft up a review of Brawler to give you MMA-movie fanatics a little perspective on the film and how it compares to its counterparts in the genre. I’ve attached the trailer below, so check it out and let me know how interested you’d be in a review of the film in the comments section.
The Polish Experiment is not done yet. Following Krzysztof Soszynski’s knockout loss to Igor Pokrajac, a still-dazed Soszynski said that he would be leaving MMA. Days later, Soszynski repented on those comments and even went as far as to say he d…
The Polish Experiment is not done yet.
Following Krzysztof Soszynski’s knockout loss to Igor Pokrajac, a still-dazed Soszynski said that he would be leaving MMA.
Days later, Soszynski repented on those comments and even went as far as to say he does not remember making those comments. Soszynski cleared up where the comments would have come from.
“It’s kind of funny,” Soszynski said to Bleacher Report’s Gary Herman, when asked if he would be leaving the UFC, “everybody is talking about the fact that I got knocked out and that’s why I said something about retirement.
“That’s got nothing to do with it. It’s MMA. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. I’m fine with that. It’s my injuries.”
Soszynski has been fighting professionally for the past nine years. Before that, he had the added injuries that result from time as a professional wrestler.
“When you can’t train even close to 50-percent capacity, it’s pretty hard to get ready for a fight,” Soszynski said. “It’s something I’ve been dealing with for about two years now. That’s the problem.”
Soszynski determined that he could not go on in the sport dealing with the lingering injuries.
“We’re going to see a doctor this month,” Soszynski said, “and hopefully, you’ll see me back in the cage real soon.”
As for what is his biggest problem, Soszynski comically said, “I have three bad knees. Really, really bad knees.”
When Soszynski was fully healthy, he competed across Canada as a pro wrestler. After he decided to make the transition to mixed martial arts, he enlisted in the help of the late former pro wrestler Bad News Allen (also known as Bad News Brown).
Allen never took part in mixed martial arts for one reason—it was not very popular. Soszynski is certain the former judo star would have been dominant.
“I think he would have been ruthless,” Soszynski said. “The last time I spoke with him, he said, ‘If MMA was around when I was around, I would have been the champ.’”
Soszynski is also impressed by another pro wrestler’s transition to MMA.
“Brock Lesnar was always an athlete from a very young age,” Soszynski said about the recently retired former UFC champ.
“I think it was a little easier for him. I think somebody who starts off in wrestling as a youngster has a better chance transitioning to martial arts than somebody like myself, who started at age 25.”
Even though Soszynski started his professional career in his mid-20s, he has had a very good career. With wins over Brian Stann, Stephan Bonnar and Goran Reljic, Soszynski has certainly accomplished a lot in the sport.
However, if he needs any inspiration to continue, he does not have to look further than his current training partner.
“I was right there when Dan Henderson knocked Bisping out,” Soszynski said about Henderson’s victory.
While on The Ultimate Fighter season 8, Soszynski verbally sparred with Henderson’s opponent at UFC 100, Michael Bisping.
“That was one of the best moments of my MMA career,” Soszynski said of Henderson’s vicious one-punch knockout over Bisping.
“It’s amazing to watch a 41-year-old man can still compete with the best fighters in the world—knock them out, destroy them. His fight with shogun Rua was absolutely amazing.”
At age 34, Soszynski is seven years younger than Henderson. Therefore, he maintains his goal of getting back in the Octagon. Even though Soszynski would still like the chance to fight Bisping, he will not be selective of his opponent.
“It doesn’t matter,” Soszynski said, when asked who he wants to face. “Just the fact that I get another chance to fight will be an amazing experience itself.”
Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were garnered first-hand.
Now that we’ve all officially finished binge-eating/drinking our way through Christmas, our good pal DW is back and with a late gift of his own – the gift of heartbreak. In typical fashion, this week’s Danavlog focuses on the aftermath of UFC 140, giving us a behind the scenes look at the pre and post-fight moments of Tito Ortiz, Jon Jones, and perhaps most importantly, Krzystof Soszynski, who, after suffering a 35 second knockout at the hands of Igor Pokrajac, informs us that he has fought his last MMA contest. Whether he is just pulling a BJ Penn on us or is truly sincere about his decision remains to be seen, but if we really have witnessed the last of “The Polish Experiment,” we here at CP would just like to thank him for all the great fights and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
Join us after the jump for the rest of the highlights.
Now that we’ve all officially finished binge-eating/drinking our way through Christmas, our good pal Dana is back and with a late gift of his own – the gift of heartbreak. In typical fashion, this week’s Danavlog focuses on the aftermath of UFC 140, giving us a behind the scenes look at the pre and post-fight moments of Tito Ortiz, Jon Jones, and perhaps most importantly, Krzystof Soszynski, who, after suffering a 35 second knockout at the hands of Igor Pokrajac, informs us that he has fought his last MMA contest. Whether he is just pulling a BJ Penn on us or is truly sincere about his decision remains to be seen, but if we really have witnessed the last of “The Polish Experiment,” we here at CP would just like to thank him for all the great fights and wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.
Some highlights.
00:16 – Dana White “You guys have been bitching about me not popping out blogs. I swear to God, I mean it this time, I will be popping out blogs this week. Fight week, blog week!” We’ll believe it when we see it, DW.
1:00 – Walel Watson pleads his case after dropping a unanimous decision to Yves Jabouin. Personally, this was the only fight on the card that I missed, and considering Sherdog’s three livebloggers scored it three different ways, I’m guessing the second and third rounds weren’t as cut and dry as Watson claims.
2:40 – Now that Tito Ortiz has begun to make some significant life changes, might we suggest he overhauls his pre-fight pump up music, because that auto-tune shit is weak, son. Throw on some Pantera if you really want to hurt someone.
3:15 – Soszynski makes his announcement, then asks Igor Pokrajac if he can split his Knockout of the Night bonus that will eventually be upended by Chan Sung Jung. Mark Munoz plays the role of supportive friend.
4:36 – Mark Hominick explains to the physician that he remembers every second of his fight with “The Korean Zombie.” It has been said that the human brain can only store seven things in its short term memory bank, so his recollection seems about right.
5:06 – The Black House crew, warming up.
5:50 – Then celebrating Lil Nog’s win over Ortiz.
6:00 – Ortiz informs the physician that none of his ribs are broken. His soul, on the other hand, is cracked to say the least.
6:30 – Jon Jones is a screamer, Lyoto Machida is not.
7:40 – A feeling that most of us will never know, and probably the reason that Brett Favre can’t quite come to terms with retirement. It’s hard to blame the guy.
There’s a time for fightin’, and a time for dancin’! Nog breaks out “The Robot“, Mir shows off the “Smooth Criminal“. (Photo: UFC.com)
I’m not sure what sort of pre-fight pep talk was given to the fighters in their locker rooms last night, but I hope somebody recorded it to play at all future events. “Never leave it in the hands of the judges” doesn’t begin to capture the sentiment that most of the fighters carried with them to the Octagon. Last night’s finishes were emphatic and extraordinary. Knocking your opponent out wouldn’t do—it would have to tie for the quickest KO in UFC history. Subbing the previously untapped wasn’t enough—you had to break them or render them unconcious.
There’s a time for fightin’, and a time for dancin’! Nog breaks out “The Robot“, Mir shows off the “Smooth Criminal“. (Photo: UFC.com)
I’m not sure what sort of pre-fight pep talk was given to the fighters in their locker rooms last night, but I hope somebody recorded it to play at all future events. “Never leave it in the hands of the judges” doesn’t begin to capture the sentiment that most of the fighters carried with them to the Octagon. Last night’s finishes were emphatic and extraordinary. Knocking your opponent out wouldn’t do—it would have to tie for the quickest KO in UFC history. Subbing the previously untapped wasn’t enough—you had to break them or render them unconcious.
If Frank Mir was watching the main event back stage, his heart must have dropped along with Machida’s unconcious body. After all, there are only so many “Submission of the Night” bonuses to go around. Mir has now notched two Nogueira “firsts” on his belt. In their bout at UFC 92, Mir battered Big Nog in the standup, dropping him multiple times before following him to the ground with strikes and becoming the first man to finish the durable Brazilian. Last night, Nogueira nearly flipped the script, rattling Mir with a combination that sent him to the canvas. The writing was on the wall as Nog dropped hammerfists on a dazed Mir, but the black belt switched his attack from bludgeoning to Brazilian jiu jitsu as he attempted a D’arce choke. Mir worked free from the hold and swept the Brazilian with a Kimura. Nogueira rolled to escape, but Mir ended up on top and still in control of the arm. Nogueira would tap for the first time, but not before significant, grimace-inducing damage had been done. A post-fight x-ray revealed a very broken arm which will be repaired with surgery this week. Despite the main event, Mir’s merciless cranking earned him the evening’s $75k “Submission of the Night” bonus.
The smaller of the Nogueira brothers faired much better in his equally short bout. As expected, Rogerio’s hands were superior to Tito Ortiz’s. “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy People’s Champion” failed with an early single leg takedown, forcing him to trade with Little Nog. “Minotoro” caught him with a left hand before dropping him with a knee to the body eerily similar the knees that folded him in his fights with Rashad Evans and Lyoto Machida. From there Nogueira went to work on Ortiz’s body from the guard, targeting hard punches and elbows on a single spot along his rib cage. Tito turtled up, obviously in pain, and Yves Lavigne waived the Brazilian off. Tito remained on the writhing on ground and clutching his mid-section. Dana White was unsure of Tito’s future following this second loss since his win over Ryan Bader. For Nogueira, it was a bounce back from two consecutive losses and a questionable decision victory over Jason Brilz.
“The Korean Zombie” set the tone for the evening early on. Mark Hominick came out aggressively, swinging away and looking to make short work of Chan Sung Jung, but that door swings both ways. Jung avoided Hominick’s haymaker and landed a beautiful counter that sent “The Machine” careening backwards to the mat. A few blistering follow-up shots on the ground prompted Herb Dean to step in to protect the defenseless Hominick. With his seven-second win, Jung picked up the “Knock Out of the Night” bonus and tied for the fastest ever UFC knock out, though Dana White promised to look into Duane Ludwig’s rightful claim to that record.
Jung wasn’t alone in making quick work of his opponent. Igor Pokrajac drove Krzysztov Soszynski across the cage with brutal punches that knocked him out cold in just 35 seconds.
Constantinos Philippou lit up Jarrad Hamman, dropping him multiple times throughout their fight. Hamman was mostly-unconscious for the duration of their three minute, eleven second bout, before Philippou flipped his switch for good.
Whether motivated by his exposing loss to Ebersole or a tough weight cut that left him low on energy, Dennis Hallman stormed after John Makdessi, quickly dragging him to the canvas. From there he unleashed some heavy blows before sinking in a rear naked choke just shy of three minutes into the bout.
Not all of the evening’s battles fit so neatly in the “Who Won” box, however. Brian Ebersole emerged victorious in a close contest with Claude Patrick. Boos poured out when the split-decision went against the hometown fighter. We also had the bout scored for Patrick, but if anything this bout highlighted the inconsistency in MMA judging criteria rather than outright incompetence.
Main Bouts (on Pay-Per-View): -Jon Jones def. Lyoto Machida by submission (guillotine choke) at 4:26, R2
-Frank Mir def. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira by submission (kimura) at 3:38, R1
-Antonio Rogerio Nogueira def. Tito Ortiz by TKO at 3:15, R1
-Brian Ebersole def. Claude Patrick by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
-Chan Sung Jung def. Mark Hominick by TKO at :07, R1
Preliminary Bouts (on ION Television): -Igor Pokrajac def. Krzysztof Soszynski by KO at :35, R1
-Constantinos Philippou def. Jared Hamman by KO at 3:11, R1
-Dennis Hallman def. John Makdessi by submission (rear naked choke) at 2:58, R1
-Yves Jabouin def. Walel Watson by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Preliminary Bouts (on Facebook):
-Mark Bocek def. Nik Lentz by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
-Jake Hecht def. Rich Attonito by TKO at 1:10, R2
-John Cholish def. Mitch Clarke by TKO at 4:36, R2
Like many before him, including Cung Le, Heath Herring, Roger Huerta and Bas Rutten, to name just a few, 
