Perhaps one of the most intense struggles between two men in the professional world of combative sport occurred on April 15, 1985, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns fought for the undisputed world middleweight cham…
Perhaps one of the most intense struggles between two men in the professional world of combative sport occurred on April 15, 1985, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Marvin Hagler and Thomas Hearns fought for the undisputed world middleweight championship, but as soon as the first round finally came to a close, all who were watching knew that this wasn’t a contest anymore: It was a brutal struggle for something worth more than any title.
The first round of their fight is still (and rightly, in my opinion) considered one of the very best in the history of boxing, and in 1985 the bout was awarded “Fight of the year” honors by the bible of boxing, Ring Magazine, which dubbed the fight as “the most electrifying eight minutes ever.”
And they couldn’t have been more accurate.
Hagler vs. Hearns had it all—drama, aggression, courage, skill and blood—all mined under the shadow of a violent ending that loomed above all like a taskmaster that would accept nothing less than total war.
There was something about this fight that was bigger than both men, and they fought like everything in the world depended on it.
But the world of combative sport does not belong to boxing alone.
Mixed Martial Arts has been a presence in the fight game of America (and the world) for many years now. During that time, some excellent fights have been won and lost in the first round.
But is that good enough? Does MMA have any fights that produced a first round worthy of consideration alongside the first frame of “Marvelous” Marvin Hagler vs. Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns?
I say “yes,” and in doing so offer 10 candidates from the world of MMA (in no specific order) that had first rounds just as good as that seen on April 15, 1985.
And if they’re not “just as good,” they’re real damn close.
Randy Couture’s acting resume continues to expand, as the former UFC light heavyweight champion is set to star in the action film, “Hijacked.”The UFC Hall of Famer stars alongside actors Dominic Purcell and Vinnie Jones as he plays a CIA agent in searc…
Randy Couture‘s acting resume continues to expand, as the former UFC light heavyweight champion is set to star in the action film, “Hijacked.”
The UFC Hall of Famer stars alongside actors Dominic Purcell and Vinnie Jones as he plays a CIA agent in search of his ex-finance after she boards a plane that is targeted by a group of hijackers.
The film’s plot seems straight forward, but Couture is a good fit for the role.
Couture’s film career isn’t necessarily skyrocketing, but “The Natural” looks to be on a steady path to establish himself as a credible action star. And he is set to have a busy summer, with the upcoming release of “The Expendables 2” on August 17.
Couture’s charm and charisma instantly make him a marketable star in Hollywood. Couture’s stardom will also open the door for other marketable fighters like Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones, should they get bitten by the acting bug in the future.
Couture’s success in films thus far will not only increase his profile, but help build the mainstream acceptance the UFC has been searching for in the last few years. It won’t hurt to have one of the company’s most recognizable faces appear on a UFC broadcast every now and then to promote his latest flick.
It’s a win-win situation for the company, and the UFC should look to take advantage of the opportunity with some of their top guys who are more media-savvy than others.
“Hijacked” will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on July 31.
Luckily “Captain America” is here to put things in perspective:
You know, I understand it. There’s this whole movement out there for anti-aging. It started out with guys in their 50’s who, naturally as you get older, your testosterone levels deplete. Your body quits producing more, and they want to feel and recover and do the things they did when they were younger. I understand that.
But I think there are natural ways to jumpstart your body’s own production rather than put an external source of testosterone in your body. And I think putting the external in only compounds the issues that your already having. I think the problem…obviously Chael, Marquardt, there’s been several athletes that have been using TRT.
I think for them, it’s not a function of having depleted levels of testosterone, it’s wanting to have testosterone levels of a 21 year old again, because when you were 21, let’s face it, you recovered better, you’re probably gonna compete better, especially if you’re 32 and have that experience going into a fight.
Couture goes on to mention several of the methods he used to stay young at heart, which included marrying, then divorcing lunatics at least ten years his junior on the regular. True dat, brother.
Join us after the jump for the full interview.
(Titty Relaxation Therapy > Testosterone Replacement Therapy any day of the week.)
Luckily “Captain America” is here to put things in perspective:
You know, I understand it. There’s this whole movement out there for anti-aging. It started out with guys in their 50′s who, naturally as you get older, your testosterone levels deplete. Your body quits producing more, and they want to feel and recover and do the things they did when they were younger. I understand that.
But I think there are natural ways to jumpstart your body’s own production rather than put an external source of testosterone in your body. And I think putting the external in only compounds the issues that your already having. I think the problem…obviously Chael, Marquardt, there’s been several athletes that have been using TRT.
I think for them, it’s not a function of having depleted levels of testosterone, it’s wanting to have testosterone levels of a 21 year old again, because when you were 21, let’s face it, you recovered better, you’re probably gonna compete better, especially if you’re 32 and have that experience going into a fight.
Couture goes on to mention several of the methods he used to stay young at heart, which included marrying, then divorcing lunatics at least ten years his junior on the regular. True dat, brother.
But Couture’s greatest bit of wisdom on TRT came when he simply stated that the positives are by far outweighed by the negatives:
[MMA Commissions] designate what the top line is for a natural human being, and unfortunately, if you get carried away with TRT, you’re gonna cross that line and you’re gonna come up positive in a test.
In our profession, to be banned from making a living for probably a year, and trashing your reputation, it’s really not worth it.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is why Couture is one of the guys you go to when you’re trying to make sense of things. Because, like your war-hardened Grandpa, he can both school you in a debate on almost any subject and still kick your ass if things get physical.
Speaking of grandfathers, for those of you hoping that Couture was just biding his time before he attempts to become the first AARP card-holding heavyweight champion, we are sorry to inform you that Couture “doesn’t want any part” of Junior dos Santos. He also states that he picked Mir to win over dos Santos, proving that some of those senility theorists might just be onto something.
It takes one to know one, we guess, because according to UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture,former UFC Heavyweight Champion and current WWE superstar Brock Lesnar should be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Yes, on last night’s episode of UFC Tonight, Couture sat down alongside Kenny Florian and Todd Harris to answer questions from all around the Twittersphere, because apparently that’s something which happens now. Among the questions asked were, “Do you have any up and comers in [Team Couture] that have a chance to make an impact in the next two years?” Couture was quick to point out Martin Kampmann, but also commended welterweight contender Mike Pyle, who he stated was “one of the most talented guys I’ve had the privilege of training with the last seven years.”
But Couture’s most interesting comment came after he was asked whether or not Lesnar deserved a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame. Considering Lesnar’s brief run in the sport, which totaled just over four years in its entirety, combined with his mediocre 5-3 record, one would not expect that Couture would be quick to jump on the “yes” bandwagon. Then again, Lesnar was able to capture the Heavyweight title by pummeling Couture into masturbatory hammerfist oblivion at UFC 91, so perhaps it made sense for Couture to declare that Lesnar did in fact deserve a spot alongside such names as Chuck Liddell, Royce Gracie, and Matt Hughes. Oh, and let’s not forget Tito Ortiz and B.J. Penn.
Anyway, check out the video after the jump, and let us know what you think of Couture’s assessment in the comments section. Not that we need to remind you, but be sure to be as scathing with your criticisms as humanly possible.
(All he needed was a little convincing.)
It takes one to know one, we guess, because according to UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture,former UFC Heavyweight Champion and current WWE superstar Brock Lesnar should be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Yes, on last night’s episode of UFC Tonight, Couture sat down alongside Kenny Florian and Todd Harris to answer questions from all around the Twittersphere, because apparently that’s something which happens now. Among the questions asked were, “Do you have any up and comers in [Team Couture] that have a chance to make an impact in the next two years?” Couture was quick to point out Martin Kampmann, but also commended welterweight contender Mike Pyle, who he stated was “one of the most talented guys I’ve had the privilege of training with the last seven years.”
But Couture’s most interesting comment came after he was asked whether or not Lesnar deserved a spot in the UFC Hall of Fame. Considering Lesnar’s brief run in the sport, which totaled just over four years in its entirety, combined with his mediocre 5-3 record, one would not expect that Couture would be quick to jump on the “yes” bandwagon. Then again, Lesnar was able to capture the Heavyweight title by pummeling Couture into masturbatory hammerfist oblivion at UFC 91, so perhaps it made sense for Couture to declare that Lesnar did in fact deserve a spot alongside such names as Chuck Liddell, Royce Gracie, and Matt Hughes. Oh, and let’s not forget Tito Ortiz and B.J. Penn.
Anyway, check out the video below, and let us know what you think of Couture’s assessment in the comments section. Not that we need to remind you, but be sure to be as scathing with your criticisms as humanly possible.
Couture’s main argument was that one should look at more than just the numbers when determining Lesnar’s place in MMA history. Regardless of his brief time in the sport, Lesnar was able to make a huge impact, and managed to convert entirely new legions of fans to the sport, so he has earned a consideration at the minimum according to “The Natural.” Florian agrees with this notion, stating that, “No one probably will ever have that kind of an impact in that short amount of time.”
As we prepare ourselves for UFC 146, it’s probably a good idea to discuss one of the biggest heavyweights in UFC history. Brock Lesnar retired from MMA following his UFC 141 loss to Alistair Overeem, which makes him a viable candidate for the UFC’s Hal…
As we prepare ourselves for UFC 146, it’s probably a good idea to discuss one of the biggest heavyweights in UFC history. Brock Lesnar retired from MMA following his UFC 141 loss to Alistair Overeem, which makes him a viable candidate for the UFC’s Hall of Fame.
On UFC tonight, a fan asked the following question of Randy Couture and Kenny Floridan: “Should Brock Lesnar be in the Hall of Fame? Is there enough room for the big man?” (2:05 in the video.)
Couture, a one time opponent of Lesnar and a current UFC Hall of Famer, was quick with his response in support of Lesnar.
He definitely should be. Anybody who’s gone in there and won the title, whether it’s been four fights, or six fights or whatever. He still made a huge impact in our sport. I think he brought that whole WWE crowd too. We saw that in the pay-per-view numbers that he put up every time he fought. I think it’s justified. I think he should be included in the Hall of Fame.
Couture is the fighter that Lesnar bested to capture the UFC gold. Couture is also one of the most well respected people in the sport and his opinion has always carried weight.
His co-host, Kenny Florian, was equally rapid in his response. He added: “Yeah, definitely. Former champ. Was in the UFC for a short amount of time, but no one probably will ever, ever have that kind of impact in that short amount of time.”
Only time will tell if Lesnar will be inducted in the UFC’s Hall of Fame. To make the discussion a bit easier, here are some Brock facts:
4-3 in the UFC
Wins: Heath Herring, Randy Couture, Frank Mir, Shane Carwin
Loses: Frank Mir, Cain Velasquez, Alistair Overeem
Title Defenses: 2
One of the biggest Pay Per View draws in combat sports history
Knowing the facts, does Lesnar belong in the UFC Hall of Fame?
Whether it’s Jon Jones wanting to move up to heavyweight, or everyone wanting Frankie Edgar to cut to 145, weight-class-shifting is a hot topic for MMA fans and pundits alike. And while we’ve recently covered the perils and benefits of dropping to a lower weight class, the same can be said for moving up in weight. After jumping to heavier divisions, some fighters’ proverbial stars have shined brighter, some have dimmed, and some have gone God-damn-supernova — and it’s never easy to predict which fighters will have success. Check out some notable examples below, and tell us which other fighters you think would do well with some extra meat on their bones.
The Good
Alistair Overeem
(Same guy as above, same backdrop, and yet something is different…)
All insinuations aside, Overeem is a prime example of success at moving up a weight class. As I previously mentioned, Overeem has gone 12-1-1 since making a full commitment to heavyweight, and while the quality of opponents he faced was often questionable, that is still a hell of a good run. If you take a look back at his time at light-heavyweight, the stats are not nearly as impressive. Overeem’s losses usually came at the hands of the light-heavyweight division’s top guys, like Chuck Liddell, Antônio Rogério Nogueira, and Ricardo Arona. His run at light-heavyweight showed that he couldn’t hang with the elites of the respective weight class, and was vulnerable to being manhandled by stronger opponents.
After doing whatever it is he did to bulk up, he turned his fortunes around and achieved the greatest stardom of his career, becoming the poster child for successful jumps up the weight-class ladder. If it wasn’t for some bad decision-making, he would be fighting for the sport’s highest prize this weekend. Here’s to hoping he gets his shit together soon.
Whether it’s Jon Jones wanting to move up to heavyweight, or everyone wanting Frankie Edgar to cut to 145, weight-class-shifting is a hot topic for MMA fans and pundits alike. And while we’ve recently covered the perils and benefits of dropping to a lower weight class, the same can be said for moving up in weight. After jumping to heavier divisions, some fighters’ proverbial stars have shined brighter, some have dimmed, and some have gone God-damn-supernova — and it’s never easy to predict who will have success. Check out some notable examples below, and tell us which other fighters you think would do well with some extra meat on their bones.
The Good
Alistair Overeem
(Same guy as above, same backdrop, and yet something is different…)
All insinuations aside, Overeem is a prime example of success at moving up a weight class. As I previously mentioned, Overeem has gone 12-1-1 since making a full commitment to heavyweight, and while the quality of opponents he faced was often questionable, that is still a hell of a good run. If you take a look back at his time at light-heavyweight, the stats are not nearly as impressive. Overeem’s losses usually came at the hands of the light-heavyweight division’s top guys, like Chuck Liddell, Antônio Rogério Nogueira, and Ricardo Arona. His run at light-heavyweight showed that he couldn’t hang with the elites of the respective weight class, and was vulnerable to being manhandled by stronger opponents.
After doing whatever it is he did to bulk up, he turned his fortunes around and achieved the greatest stardom of his career, becoming the poster child for successful jumps up the weight-class ladder. If it wasn’t for some bad decision-making, he would be fighting for the sport’s highest prize this weekend. Here’s to hoping he gets his shit together soon.
What can be said that already hasn’t been about Captain America? (Sorry Stann, but there’s only room for one in my heart.) A man probably best known for his trilogy at light-heavyweight with Chuck Liddell — oh, and also for being a former interim light-heavyweight champ, and two-time unified light-heavyweight champ — Randy Couture also racked up accolades in the heavyweight division. Kicking off his MMA career by winning the UFC 13 heavyweight tournament in 1997, Randy went on to win the UFC’s heavyweight title three times.
Ten years later, after seven consecutive fights at light-heavyweight and a short lived “retirement,” the 43-year-old legend returned to take on then-heavyweight champ Tim Sylvia. (Note: a little piece of me dies every time I’m forced to mention “Tim Sylvia” and “champion” in the same sentence.) Couture’s dominant win over Sylvia and subsequent title defense against Gabriel Gonzaga were nothing short of inspiring. Randy managed to do what every man who’s experienced a mid-life crisis has only dreamed about. Besides, he also honorably represented the sport of MMA by making James Toney look as foolish as possible at UFC 118. For that alone, he gets a much deserved nod on our list.
Say what you will about Jake’s fighting style (boring as fuck, for the most part), but his move up to middleweight during his run in Strikeforce produced the best possible results. With wins over Robbie Lawler, Mayhem Miller, and Dan Henderson (!), Jake beat every top middleweight Strikeforce could throw at him. Since jumping to the UFC, Shields has dropped back down to 170, and hasn’t fared nearly as well, going 2-2, including a verrrrry questionable win over Martin Kampmann. Damn Jake, maybe you should think about moving back up in weight. Now that we’ve talked about that, can we all agree to never speak of Hendo vs. Shields again?
Motivated, unmotivated, whatever you want to call it, BJ’s career has seen its share of peaks and valleys. But the fact still remains that when the UFC decided to temporarily scrap its 155-pound division in 2003, the Prodigy jumped up to welterweight, and managed to beat five-time defending welterweight champion Matt Hughes in his welterweight debut at UFC 46. Penn then decided to leave the promotion, making short work of Duane Ludwig at K-1 Romanex four months later. This was, of course, before he decided to fight anyone regardless of weight. Hang on, we’ll get to that…
