By now, everyone has heard the rumors (via Fox Sports’ Mike Chiappetta) that Brock Lesnar may or may not be returning to the UFC. The idea of getting a pay-per-view draw like Lesnar back into the UFC is clearly intriguing, especially since Georges St-Pierre has walked away from the sport. Big events are built around […]
By now, everyone has heard the rumors (via Fox Sports’ Mike Chiappetta) that Brock Lesnar may or may not be returning to the UFC. The idea of getting a pay-per-view draw like Lesnar back into the UFC is clearly intriguing, especially since Georges St-Pierre has walked away from the sport. Big events are built around […]
This is the second in a two-part series on Josh Barnett. Please check out the first part here. The main theme that you will have noticed in our discussion of escapes in Part 1 is that Barnett does not waste time mucking around on the bottom if he doesn’t have to. BJ Penn was the […]
This is the second in a two-part series on Josh Barnett. Please check out the first part here. The main theme that you will have noticed in our discussion of escapes in Part 1 is that Barnett does not waste time mucking around on the bottom if he doesn’t have to. BJ Penn was the […]
Wrestling has evolved into one of the most useful foundations for any fighter seeking prolonged Octagon success. It helps create substantial balance, exceptional defense and the ability to ward off any opponent unwilling to stand and bang. Even though …
Wrestling has evolved into one of the most useful foundations for any fighter seeking prolonged Octagon success. It helps create substantial balance, exceptional defense and the ability to ward off any opponent unwilling to stand and bang. Even though a fighter can find ultimate success without the tools to defend a takedown or gain proper […]
Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Muhammed Lawal is looking to add another piece of hardware to his trophy case when he rematches Emanuel Newton for the interim Bellator 205-pound strap at Bellator 106 this Saturday. When asked how he envisions this fight going, “King Mo” was succinct in his answer. “It’s a different fight, and […]
Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Muhammed Lawal is looking to add another piece of hardware to his trophy case when he rematches Emanuel Newton for the interim Bellator 205-pound strap at Bellator 106 this Saturday. When asked how he envisions this fight going, “King Mo” was succinct in his answer. “It’s a different fight, and […]
If you didn’t think that Canelo Alvarez’s multiple attempts to guillotine (and even kimura, at one point) Floyd Mayweather over the course of their 10 round throwdown last weekend was proof enough that MMA is slowly, perhaps even subconsciously trickling into mainstream sports, check these out.
Chances are you’ve seen or at least heard that more and more professional football players are taking up mixed martial arts by the day — either as a hobby or as a way of staying in shape in the offseason. As well they should; it’s a fantastic cardio workout, it increases one’s understanding of balance and leverage, etc. But perhaps the most interesting effect that MMA training (or MMA in general) is having on the world of football can be seen in the vicious slams that have punctuated the first two weeks of the 2013 NFL season.
Just look at the video above, for instance, in which New York Jets cornerback Ellis Lankster pulls off a b-e-a-utiful German suplex on Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Eric Page. And if you think that MMA/wrestling-style slam was an isolated incident, just check out the ones we’ve placed after the jump…
If you didn’t think that Canelo Alvarez’s multiple attempts to guillotine (and even kimura, at one point) Floyd Mayweather over the course of their 10 round throwdown last weekend was proof enough that MMA is slowly, perhaps even subconsciously trickling into mainstream sports, check these out.
Chances are you’ve seen or at least heard that more and more professional football players are taking up mixed martial arts by the day — either as a hobby or as a way of staying in shape in the offseason. As well they should; it’s a fantastic cardio workout, it increases one’s understanding of balance and leverage, etc. But perhaps the most interesting effect that MMA training (or MMA in general) is having on the world of football can be seen in the vicious slams that have punctuated the first two weeks of the 2013 NFL season.
Just look at the video above, for instance, in which New York Jets cornerback Ellis Lankster pulls off a b-e-a-utiful German suplex on Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Eric Page. And if you think that MMA/wrestling-style slam was an isolated incident, just check out the ones we’ve placed after the jump…
Major props to Deadspin for grabbing this gif of Atlanta Falcons DB William Moore power-slamming St. Louis Rams tight end Mike McNeil yesterday. I imagine that McNeil’s chest felt the same after that slam as mine did during the entirety of last night’s Breaking Bad episode. I’m so fucking topical, you guys.
Our final slam takes out out of the big leagues and into the realm of high school football, where Woodbridge High five-star defensive end recruit Da’Shawn Hand suplexed Josh Hayes into a fine powder during Woodbridge’s 26-22 victory over Osbourn Park last week. As Jim Ross’ God as my witness, that Hayes kid is broken in half.
(We did it, Daniel. | Photo via Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
So, that was a close one. After temporarily dropping wrestling as an Olympic sport, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has reconsidered and voted to keep the ancient grappling art in the lineup of events, at least for the 2020 and 2024 games.
Last February, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to drop wrestling beginning with the 2020 Olympics, and people went nuts. But thanks in part to a massive online effort to save it, wrestling was given a second consideration, along with sports vying to become Olympic sports for the first time, and was voted back into the games on a secret ballot in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Saturday.
“Wrestling had been dropped from the 2020 Olympic programme in February after the IOC assessed the performance of all 26 sports at London 2012,” the BBC reports.
“The sport — one of the original disciplines at the Ancient Olympics — had been due to end its Olympic participation at Rio 2016 following its dismissal by the IOC earlier this year…Wrestling — which was the favourite — received a majority of 49 votes, while a combined baseball/softball bid got 24 votes and squash 22.
(We did it, Daniel. | Photo via Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
So, that was a close one. After temporarily dropping wrestling as an Olympic sport, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has reconsidered and voted to keep the ancient grappling art in the lineup of events, at least for the 2020 and 2024 games.
Last February, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to drop wrestling beginning with the 2020 Olympics, and people went nuts. But thanks in part to a massive online effort to save it, wrestling was given a second consideration, along with sports vying to become Olympic sports for the first time, and was voted back into the games on a secret ballot in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Saturday.
“Wrestling had been dropped from the 2020 Olympic programme in February after the IOC assessed the performance of all 26 sports at London 2012,” the BBC reports.
“The sport — one of the original disciplines at the Ancient Olympics — had been due to end its Olympic participation at Rio 2016 following its dismissal by the IOC earlier this year…Wrestling — which was the favourite — received a majority of 49 votes, while a combined baseball/softball bid got 24 votes and squash 22.
“Wrestling’s triumph in the vote follows a number of sweeping reforms made following its exclusion, including overhauling its rules, administration, gender equality and operations.”
The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA) has vowed to make changes to amateur wrestling that they believe will stylize the grappling sport and make it more marketable. According to a report at MMA Junkie, beginning at the 2015 world wrestling championships in Las Vegas, FILA will begin to unveil these upgrades at their tournaments.
Basically, they want to package wrestling like MMA and boxing. Possible changes include staged weigh-ins, walk out music, change of mat color, improved lighting and visual effects for telecasts, video screen replays and the allowance of punches and chokes. The last part we just made up but the rest is true.
Will adjustments in wardrobe and match presentation change wrestling’s marketability? Who knows, but at least the sport that the Olympic Games is essentially based on is back in the Olympics.
