Tag: Tommy Morrison

Joe Rogan warns Conor McGregor will have to overcome an infamous ‘curse’ in his UFC comeback

Joe Rogan warns Conor McGregor will have to overcome an infamous 'curse' in his UFC comebackThe long-awaited return of Irish megastar Conor McGregor is closing in. Recently, UFC CEO Dana White teased the former…

Joe Rogan warns Conor McGregor will have to overcome an infamous 'curse' in his UFC comeback

The long-awaited return of Irish megastar Conor McGregor is closing in.

Recently, UFC CEO Dana White teased the former two-division titleholders return to action, sharing a clip of McGregor on Instagram with the caption, “Coming Soon……” It’s been nearly three years since McGregor has graced the Octagon, his last appearance coming in July 2021 when he suffered a nasty leg break in his trilogy fight with Dustin Poirier.

Conor McGregor

If that weren’t already enough for ‘Mystic Mac’ to overcome, UFC color commentator Joe Rogan believes McGregor will also have to avoid being a victim of the infamous “movie curse” in combat sports.

“There’s the movie curse… the Tommy Morrison curse,” Rogan said during a recent episode of his podcast.

Morrison amassed a 28-0 record in boxing before taking a major role in Rocky V as a young heavyweight prospect named Tommy ‘The Machine’ Gunn.

Sylvester Stallone and Tommy Morrison in Rocky V

Upon his return to the ring, ‘The Duke’ suffered a brutal loss to Ray Mercer for the WBO world heavyweight title. However, Morrison later went on to reclaim the WBO belt and also captured the IBC heavyweight title later in his career.

Morrison retired from the ring in 2008 and tragically passed away five years later at the age of 44 after contracting the AIDS virus.

Tommy Morrison

Conor McGregor Makes Explosive Film Debut with Road House

Conor McGregor recently made his feature film debut in Road House, a remake of the 1989 action classic that starred the late Patrick Swayze as a loveable badass bouncer.

In Doug Liman’s updated version, Jake Gyllenhaal (Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain) plays the lead role of Elwood Dalton, an ex-UFC fighter who takes a job working as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse. While there, he wages war with a corrupt businessman and his skull-cracking henchman Knox, played in a brilliantly over-the-top fashion by McGregor.

Conor McGregor and Jake Gyllenhaal in Road House

While the film was met with mixed reviews by both critics and moviegoers, the straight-to-streaming flick scored more than 50 million viewers in its first two weeks, making it the most successful Amazon Studios original ever produced for the platform.

Former Boxing Champ Tommy Morrison Dies at 44


(Morrison celebrating after winning the WBO heavyweight championship in 1993 | Photo via Getty)

Tommy Morrison (48-3-1) was a boxing sensation, a cautionary tale and a controversial figure. He won the WBO heavyweight title in a 1993 fight against George Foreman, starred in Rocky V and earned millions of dollars. In 1996, he signed a multi-fight deal that was supposed to earn him nearly $40 million more.

Then, hours before a fight, he discovered that he had tested positive for HIV. Morrison retired from boxing but would later make a brief comeback, winning two more boxing bouts after denying the existence of HIV or AIDS, not only in his own body but in general, and testing negative multiple times for the HIV virus.

Morrison became ill again after complications from a chest surgery two years ago. Late Sunday night, the 44-year-old former champion died in an Omaha, Nebraska hospital with his wife Trisha by his side. We do not yet know an official cause of death.

A recent ESPN profile of Morrison gave a rare glimpse into his strange and secretive later life. It paints Morrison as troubled, to be sure, but also as a loving partner, son and caring friend who was, perhaps, too generous at times.

Morrison’s fight reels paint a picture of masterful violence — a skilled heavyweight boxer with speed and knockout power to spare. As Morrison’s family mourns his passing, let us fight fans enjoy some of the champ’s work in the sport he loved…


(Morrison celebrating after winning the WBO heavyweight championship in 1993 | Photo via Getty)

Tommy Morrison (48-3-1) was a boxing sensation, a cautionary tale and a controversial figure. He won the WBO heavyweight title in a 1993 fight against George Foreman, starred in Rocky V and earned millions of dollars. In 1996, he signed a multi-fight deal that was supposed to earn him nearly $40 million more.

Then, hours before a fight, he discovered that he had tested positive for HIV. Morrison retired from boxing but would later make a brief comeback, winning two more boxing bouts after denying the existence of HIV or AIDS, not only in his own body but in general, and testing negative multiple times for the HIV virus.

Morrison became ill again after complications from a chest surgery two years ago. Late Sunday night, the 44-year-old former champion died in an Omaha, Nebraska hospital with his wife Trisha by his side. We do not yet know an official cause of death.

A recent ESPN profile of Morrison gave a rare glimpse into his strange and secretive later life. It paints Morrison as troubled, to be sure, but also as a loving partner, son and caring friend who was, perhaps, too generous at times.

Morrison’s fight reels paint a picture of masterful violence — a skilled heavyweight boxer with speed and knockout power to spare. As Morrison’s family mourns his passing, let us fight fans enjoy some of the champ’s work in the sport he loved…

– Elias Cepeda