Tag: pro wrestling

Conor McGregor Used the WWE Playbook En Route to Crossover Success

Conor McGregor’s boxing skills allowed him to hang with Floyd Mayweather Jr. longer than anyone expected in the MMA vs. boxing megafight. It was his WWE-style bravado, verbal assaults and larger-than-life presence that helped make that bout the must-wa…

Conor McGregor‘s boxing skills allowed him to hang with Floyd Mayweather Jr. longer than anyone expected in the MMA vs. boxing megafight. It was his WWE-style bravado, verbal assaults and larger-than-life presence that helped make that bout the must-watch phenomenon that it was. 

McGregor is UFC’s biggest name. He’s a fighter even the most casual fan has an opinion about. 

And his star power is so great that his pro boxing debut on Saturday was the talk of the sports world. 

Everyone from P Diddy to LeBron James was in attendance that night. The pay-per-view numbers are expected to be historic. The Telegraph estimated the fight’s total revenue at $700 million. All this for a guy with a 0-0 boxing record.

It’s not just McGregor’s knockout power and defense that got him to this point and allowed him to churn this kind of buzz. His personality and trash-talk acumen moved him into the mainstream. It’s that part of his game that is heavily influenced by the world of pro wrestling.

McGregor is loud, brash and defiantly over the top. He cuts down opponents with one-liners and lands verbal body blows as he lays on the disrespect thick. 

His pre-fight promises sound they belong on WWE Raw.

McGregor told the media in 2013 ahead of his fight with Max Holloway: “There are two things I really like to do and that’s whoop ass and look good. I’m doing one of them right now, and on Saturday night, I’m doing the other.”

He gifted us equally entertaining quotes before tangling with Mayweather: 

The trash talk McGregor emits is art. It’s snappy and unforgiving. It’s the rhetoric of a pro wrestler, the kind of ammo The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Roddy Piper fired at their foes.

Former WWE champion Chris Jericho referred to McGregor in an interview with Sports Illustrated as a “yappy” guy who “knows the concept of cutting a wrestling promo.”

The Notorious One has not been shying about borrowing from Ric Flair in terms of his look, either.

McGregor’s flashy style often parallels that of the WWE Hall of Famer. He sports loud suits, sunglasses indoors, and the finest shoes and watches that money can buy.

The getup he sported at the press conference for his UFC 205 clash with Eddie Alvarez last November looked plucked straight from The Nature Boy’s collection:

At a 2013 press conference, McGregor spat lines that would have been right at home in a Flair promo: “These custom-made suits aren’t cheap. This solid gold pocket watch…three people died making this watch.”

Even McGregor’s gait has a WWE tinge to it.

The Irishman has long emulated The Chairman in the way he walks. Much like WWE head Vince McMahon, McGregor struts with his arms swinging dramatically at his sides, his head bobbing like a peacock.

Like Muhammad Ali before him, McGregor has realized that people will pay big bucks to see someone they find irksome get knocked around.

Ali explained that wrestler Gorgeous George influenced the way he presented himself. It’s clear that McGregor learned similar lessons from the squared circle.

The WWE-esque elements of McGregor’s total package have helped him stand out among all the other hard-hitting warriors of the Octagon. He has leaned on his personality to make a name beyond what his fists and feet could. 

McGregor infamously blasted WWE stars last fall but owes a debt to that world. Pro wrestling provided the blueprint to create headlines and make money from what comes out of his mouth.

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Enzo Amore Shows $10K Ticket to Mayweather Fight, Calls McGregor a ‘Schmuck’

Before Floyd Mayweather knocked Conor McGregor out in the 10th round of their anticipated prizefight Saturday, WWE’s Enzo Amore made sure to antagonize the UFC star a little more.
Amore took to Instagram before the bout to show off his $10,000 ticket t…

Before Floyd Mayweather knocked Conor McGregor out in the 10th round of their anticipated prizefight Saturday, WWE’s Enzo Amore made sure to antagonize the UFC star a little more.

Amore took to Instagram before the bout to show off his $10,000 ticket to the event and call McGregor a “schmuck”:

 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

Former UFC Champ Meets Bobby Lashley In TNA Wrestling

Former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett is currently serving a suspension from mixed martial arts (MMA) competition after being flagged by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), stemming from an out-of-competition test administered on December 9, 2016. Just because Barnett can’t compete inside the Octagon, however, doesn’t mean he won’t be keeping busy by participating in

The post Former UFC Champ Meets Bobby Lashley In TNA Wrestling appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett is currently serving a suspension from mixed martial arts (MMA) competition after being flagged by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), stemming from an out-of-competition test administered on December 9, 2016.

Just because Barnett can’t compete inside the Octagon, however, doesn’t mean he won’t be keeping busy by participating in other forms of competition. Wrestling Inc. reports that Barnett will be making his pro wrestling debut for a major American promotion at tonight’s Total Nonstop Action (TNA) tapings (Thursday, January 12, 2017) in Orlando, Florida.

The plan is to pair Barnett up with Bellator MMA competitor Bobby Lashley in an angle that sets up a Bellator fighter going one-one-one with a UFC fighter.

Barnett has some experience inside the pro wrestling squared circle, competing for Japanese organizations such as IWGP and IGF, where he defeated Lashley once before at the Tokyo Dome City Hall during a heavyweight championship tournament.

Aside from his in-ring competition, Barnett is also active in the world of pro wrestling as a commentator, working for New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXS for who he just wrapped up doing six weeks worth of voice over material in California.

The 39-year-old’s last Octagon appearance saw him take home a third round submission victory over Andrei Arlovski this past September, but if he is able to conjure up a nice career inside the wrestling ring, Barnett may have found himself a new occupation.

The post Former UFC Champ Meets Bobby Lashley In TNA Wrestling appeared first on LowKickMMA.com.

UFC 182 Results: Watch Jon Jones Taunt Daniel Cormier After Thrashing Him for Five Rounds

Jon Jones harnessed his inner professional wrestler after defeating Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 — though “defeating” is wording it a bit lightly. Jon Jones outclassed Cormier throughout most of the fight. He even managed to trump the Olympic wrestler in the takedown and clinch-work department throughout the 25-minute ordeal.

But the coup de grace wasn’t any martial arts technique, it was a classic homage to professional wrestling that came after the bell:

Get more on Jones-Cormier and the fight card’s complete results after the jump!

Jon Jones harnessed his inner professional wrestler after defeating Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 — though “defeating” is wording it a bit lightly. Jon Jones outclassed Cormier throughout most of the fight. He even managed to trump the Olympic wrestler in the takedown and clinch-work department throughout the 25-minute ordeal.

But the coup de grace wasn’t any martial arts technique, it was a classic homage to professional wrestling that came after the bell:

You’re seeing it right. Jon Jones pulled off a classic D-Generation X “crotch chop” circa late 90′s WWE. This gesture wasn’t just for show. In Jones’ post-fight interview, he apologized for being classless but insisted he had to be that way in order to convey his intense dislike for Cormier. Like Ronda Rousey and Miesha Tate, Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier legitimately did not like one another. We’re sure Jones will sleep extra well tonight, while the next thousand nights of Cormier’s life will be spent sleeplessly wondering about what he could’ve done differently.

On that note, here are the rest of UFC 182′s results. If you’re interested in a punch-by-punch recap of the admittedly lackluster card, read our full recap here.

Main Card

Jon Jones def. Daniel Cormier via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46).
Donald Cerrone def. Myles Jury via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Brad Tavares def. Nate Marquardt via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Kyoji Horiguchi def. Louis Gaudinot via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27).
Hector Lombard def. Josh Burkman via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28).

Preliminary Card

Paul Felder def. Danny Castillo via KO (spinning back fist), round 2, 2:09.
Cody Garbrandt def. Marcus Brimage via TKO (punches), round 3, 4:50.
Shawn Jordan def. Jared Cannonier via KO (punches), round 1, 2:57.
Evan Dunham def. Rodrigo Damm via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Omari Akhmedov def. Mats Nilsson via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Marion Reneau def. Alexis Dufresne via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-25)

Wild Rumor of The Day: Bellator Is Interested in Signing Alberto Rodriguez, AKA Alberto Del Rio/Dos Caras Jr.


(It’s still “As Real As It Gets” to me, damn it!)

By Seth Falvo

Mention the name “Alberto Rodriguez” to the average MMA fan, and you’ll likely be met with a blank stare. Mention “Alberto Del Rio,” and there’s a distinct possibility that said fan will rant and rave about CM Punk, fake wrestling and the sanctity of guys with bad tattoos punching each other inside of a cage being destroyed. Mention “Dos Caras Jr,” and you’ll almost assuredly engage said fan in a discussion about the freak show awesomeness and/or awfulness of PRIDE.

That those three names all belong to the same person is almost irrelevant when compared to the reactions that those names bring out. That Bellator is rumored to be interested in signing the man shouldn’t surprise you slightly. Via The Wrestling Observer (by way of UPROXX):

“We can confirm that Bellator is looking to sign professional wrestlers to fighter contracts. Alberto Del Rio is one of their targets of interest.

As previously reported, WWE tried to include MMA in their no-compete clause when he was let go from the company. Del Rio reportedly agreed to certain parts of the no-compete clause; it isn’t known whether MMA was part of that. FOX Sports writer Damon Martin posted the following to Twitter, claiming that Del Rio is “itching for a fight”

“Sources within Spike TV and those close to Bellator MMA claim that the promotion has a plan to bring in professional wrestlers as MMA fighters. The company has what is described as a “gameplan” to bring in current and former wrestlers to bolster their roster. Bobby Lashley is currently part of the promotion.”

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “DOS CARAS JR. IS COMING TO BELLATOR! DOS CARAS JR. IS COMING TO BELLATOR! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!” But let’s over-analyze this rumor, shall we?


(It’s still “As Real As It Gets” to me, damn it!)

By Seth Falvo

Mention the name “Alberto Rodriguez” to the average MMA fan, and you’ll likely be met with a blank stare. Mention “Alberto Del Rio,” and there’s a distinct possibility that said fan will rant and rave about CM Punk, fake wrestling and the sanctity of guys with bad tattoos punching each other inside of a cage being destroyed. Mention “Dos Caras Jr,” and you’ll almost assuredly engage said fan in a discussion about the freak show awesomeness and/or awfulness of PRIDE.

That those three names all belong to the same person is almost irrelevant when compared to the reactions that those names bring out. That Bellator is rumored to be interested in signing the man shouldn’t surprise you slightly. Via The Wrestling Observer (by way of UPROXX):

“We can confirm that Bellator is looking to sign professional wrestlers to fighter contracts. Alberto Del Rio is one of their targets of interest.

As previously reported, WWE tried to include MMA in their no-compete clause when he was let go from the company. Del Rio reportedly agreed to certain parts of the no-compete clause; it isn’t known whether MMA was part of that. FOX Sports writer Damon Martin posted the following to Twitter, claiming that Del Rio is “itching for a fight”

“Sources within Spike TV and those close to Bellator MMA claim that the promotion has a plan to bring in professional wrestlers as MMA fighters. The company has what is described as a “gameplan” to bring in current and former wrestlers to bolster their roster. Bobby Lashley is currently part of the promotion.”

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “DOS CARAS JR. IS COMING TO BELLATOR! DOS CARAS JR. IS COMING TO BELLATOR! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! THIS IS NOT A DRILL!” But let’s over-analyze this rumor, shall we?

Why It’s Potentially True: Unlike the UFC, Bellator isn’t flip-flopping on whether it wants to be the most credible major sports organization or the most credible celebrity boxing organization on a weekly basis. Bellator is brutally honest about what it’s trying to be: It’s trying to be the freak show promotion (with the occasional legitimate prospect) that modern MMA both needs and deserves. The UFC just signed a former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, so why wouldn’t Bellator want to sign a former WWE World Heavyweight Champion of their own?

Why It’s Potentially False: Rodriguez is arguably the hottest free agent in professional wrestling right now. Bellator’s quirky partnership with TNA Impact! Wrestling is dissolving, and something tells me that the suits at Viacom aren’t going to be okay with allowing him to wrestle on the independent circuit while under contract with Bellator. Unless Bellator signs Rodriguez to a big money contract – and not just “big by MMA’s standards” – it won’t financially make sense for him to sign on with Bellator.

The Case For Alberto Rodriguez: As we’ve mentioned before, Rodriguez is a far better fighter than his “Cro Cop victim” reputation would lead you to believe. His lifetime MMA record currently stands at 9-5, with seven of his victories coming by submission. He’s also an accomplished amateur wrestler, too. Basically, what I’m trying to say is don’t start comparing Rodriguez to CM Punk, because the comparison both begins and ends at “they’re former WWE World Heavyweight Champions.”

The Case Against Alberto Rodriguez: He’s thirty-seven years old, and hasn’t had a professional MMA fight in nearly five years. Also, the whole “will probably want to keep wrestling professionally while under contract” thing.

So When Brock Lesnar Fights Bobby Lashley And Breaks All of the PPV Records…:  Lesnar will be dominating Lashley, until one of the announcers shouts “WHAT ON EARTH IS ALBERTO RODRIGUEZ DOING IN THE BELLATOR ZONE?!” as Rodriguez makes his way to the cage, holding a steel chair. Rodriguez will tease hitting Lesnar with it, then turn and smack Lashley’s downed body. Will it be the beginning of an unstoppable heavyweight duo set on destroying Bellator once and for all? We’ll find out tomorrow night on Nitro Bellator!

CM Punk Will Bring More Professional Wrestling Fans to UFC

CM Punk has been in the media more since his departure from WWE than he ever was while still with the company, and his newest venture is breaking the Internet more than Kim Kardashian’s greased-up backside.
At UFC 181, CM Punk announced that he had sig…

CM Punk has been in the media more since his departure from WWE than he ever was while still with the company, and his newest venture is breaking the Internet more than Kim Kardashian’s greased-up backside.

At UFC 181, CM Punk announced that he had signed a multifight deal with the top MMA promotion in the world that would see him enter the Octagon with a 0-0 record.

Some may criticize Dana White for signing a fighter with virtually no experience, but White is a businessman. He knows CM Punk will draw eyes to the product, and he would be stupid to pass up the opportunity to work with someone who is so passionate about everything he does.

Punk is a polarizing individual. You either love him or you hate him, and that is exactly why he is going to bring many WWE fans with him to UFC.

The constant CM Punk chants during his wife’s matches show that the crowd still misses him, and those people will likely be interested in his MMA career.

The fans who think CM Punk is a cocky jerk who whines too much will want to see him fail, so they will probably watch his fights, too. It’s a win-win for White.

Wrestling and MMA have always shared a cross section of fans, but they both also have their devoted followers who only like one or the other.

Getting those wrestling fans who do not watch UFC to convert has always been one of White’s goals, and bringing in guys like Brock Lesnar and CM Punk is a great way to do that.

Punk is not the first person to transition from one sport to the other. Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn famously made the switch to pro wrestling after dominating the early years of UFC, and plenty of wrestlers like Bobby Lashley (who is currently fighting for Bellator) and Alberto Del Rio have competed in MMA.

Athletes of either sport will automatically have some of the skills needed to succeed in the other, but nobody can just walk out of the ring and into an Octagon. It takes a lot of training and determination to make the switch.

It also takes exposure. Lashley has a professional record of 12-2, but he isn’t signed to a UFC deal yet because he is not going to generate the kind of buzz Punk can.

Punk’s move to MMA may have surprised a lot of people, but anyone who follows him on Twitter knows he has been a fan of the sport for a long time and has spent time training with the famed Rener Gracie.

You can say or think what you want about CM Punk, but one thing you have to admit is that the guy usually accomplishes what he sets his mind to.

Nobody thought this skinny kid with tattoos all over his body would ever make it to a WWE ring, but he busted his butt in Ring of Honor and got himself noticed.

Once he got there, nobody thought he would ever make it past developmental, but Paul Heyman saw something in him and brought him into the new ECW.

Punk was on the main roster, but there was still people who doubted that he could ever be a main event star, let alone the top champion in the company for over a year.

Punk has been proving people wrong every step of the way. Perhaps he works even harder when there is someone doubting him, which is why he probably loves the fact that some people think he won’t accomplish anything in MMA.

However, there are more people who wish for Punk to succeed, and many of them might not have thought about purchasing a UFC PPV before Punk signed with them.

He might not be dropping pipe bombs in MMA, but he will definitely be entertaining because he’s not afraid to say what he’s thinking. His pre-fight press conferences will not be promos, but they will be fun to watch.

One thing is for sure: He won’t be short on challengers. He already has a Power Ranger trying to fight him, and there are several names in UFC who would love to hand Punk a loss in his first fight. If anything, he will be a hot commodity.

His recent appearance on Colt Cabana’s Art of Wrestling podcast definitely shows that he is not going to hold back his opinions, so when he finally gets his first fight, you can expect some trash talk from both sides.

UFC is supposed to be about the best fighters in the world competing to see who is the top dog, but it’s also an entertainment company that has to worry about ratings and sponsors.

Bringing in CM Punk is going to bring a whole new set of fans to the sport, and some of them might even like it enough to watch the fights Punk isn’t involved in.

WWE even posted a message on its website wishing him luck, although the wording of the message could indicate some sarcasm behind those wishes. They phrased it the same way they do when someone is released from their contract: “WWE wishes Phil Brooks (aka CM Punk) the best of luck in his newest endeavor.”

Punk may never return to WWE. We have to accept that, but at least his fans and detractors have some place to go watch him try to climb a new mountain (or in the case of the haters, take a fatal tumble down the cliff).

What do you think? Will CM Punk thrive in the UFC or will he fall flat on his face? Will you be watching his fights?

 

Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter @BR_Doctor.

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