World's strongest man making MMA debut on Friday

[punisher73]

Weren't they more then just amateur wrestlers though?

There is no real "pro wrestling" in the US except for the WWE which isn't real wrestling at all. Even if they were Olympic caliber wrestlers, they would still be classified as amateur wrestlers because they were never paid.

Most succesful wrestlers before the advent of the UFC would have to get coaching jobs someplace to make money doing what they love to do. Or if they were good enough with a big enough name could open up a training camp or something similiar to supplement their income.

 

[jks9199]

That is incorrect about Brock Lesnar. Here is what most people don't know about Lesnar. He was 106-5 as a collegiate wrestler winning the NCAA HW title in 2000 while attending Minnesota and finishing second place in 1999. He has a BIG fighting background. Later he did sign with the WWE and later left there to play for the Minnesota Vikings before being cut. Lesnar had his first pro fight in K-1 (2007) where he submitted his opponent. It was after this that Lesnar signed with the UFC.

Just because someone decided to make money in the WWE does NOT mean that they have no legitimate fighting skills. Gold medalist, Kurt Angle signed with them after winning his Olympic medal. Ken Shamrock also signed with WWE for a time to make some money and bank on his popularity. Yes, the WWE is fake and many of those guys are athlete/actors, but it does bring in some legit people as well.

I actually respect the hell out of the athlete/performers in professional wrestling. They are doing a highly dynamic, highly demanding act, and they do stuff that could cause crippling injuries without getting hurt! A lot of those moves take a huge degree of athleticism to do -- working alone. Then you add another performer in... In many ways, they're doing a spontaneous stage fight. With no rehearsals.

And a lot of them put on a show 5 to 7 days a week, working through injuries. For very little money, even in the "big time."

 

[MJS]

Of course you have to start somewhere, but going from being a amateur boxer to a pro mma fighter is a load of crap. He's never had a pro fight, never been in an MMA fight, and his only real qualification isn't that great of a qualification. Being in TWSM means you're strong as hell, but it doesn't mean you have any cardio ability.

Edit: I wouldn't be saying anything if he had many some pro fights, or had been in a few amateur MMA bouts, but that is not the case.

The point that I and others are trying to make (and hopefully nobody is misunderstanding what I'm saying, ) is that while the early UFC wrestlers may not, at the time, have had pro mma experience, the fact of the matter is, is that they were not new to competing and had some sort of fighting record, which seems to be a requirement, if you want to fight. Amature or not, this guy has a fighting background, even if YOU dont want to admit it.

Everyone needs to start somewhere. For example...I, even though I have over 20yrs of martial arts training behind me, probably would not be accepted by Dana White, were I to submit an application to fight in the UFC. Now, if I were to start competing and winning in amature events, such as NAGA which is not anywhere near the same level as the UFC, I'd most likely stand a much better chance.

You keep harping on the amature thing, but seem to forget that everyone starts somewhere.

 

[MJS]

That is incorrect about Brock Lesnar. Here is what most people don't know about Lesnar. He was 106-5 as a collegiate wrestler winning the NCAA HW title in 2000 while attending Minnesota and finishing second place in 1999. He has a BIG fighting background. Later he did sign with the WWE and later left there to play for the Minnesota Vikings before being cut. Lesnar had his first pro fight in K-1 (2007) where he submitted his opponent. It was after this that Lesnar signed with the UFC.

Just because someone decided to make money in the WWE does NOT mean that they have no legitimate fighting skills. Gold medalist, Kurt Angle signed with them after winning his Olympic medal. Ken Shamrock also signed with WWE for a time to make some money and bank on his popularity. Yes, the WWE is fake and many of those guys are athlete/actors, but it does bring in some legit people as well.

Agreed and points taken, however you missed my point. Brock was fast tracked to the top, no matter how you look at it. Most people have to prove themselves against lower ranked guys, before they get to the top of the ladder. Why should someone totally new to the UFC, get bumped right to the top and fight someone like Randy, Chuck or any of the other top guys? Unless I've missed it, and perhaps I have, but I've been watching the UFC since day 1. Everyone that I've seen, or that I can recall, has had to work their way up. Brock, new to the UFC, fought Randy after only 2 prior UFC fights. IMO, thats a quick jump. But then again, thats just my opinion. The UFC is Danas baby, and he can do as he wishes.

I'm not dissing Brock, so if I'm giving that impression, thats not the case. The guy has alot of heart, and hopefully, he'll recover from whatever illness he has, and will make a return.

 

[jarrod]

here's the other sad truth: fighting is a business. brock got an early title shot because he brought a lot of skill & athleticism to the table, plus he's marketable. they do not want another tim sylvia holding the HW belt. we can all complain about who deserves what, but if you can drive pay per view sales, you can go places. that's how it's always been & how it always will be, not just in mma but any commercial fight sport.

jf

 

[MJS]

here's the other sad truth: fighting is a business. brock got an early title shot because he brought a lot of skill & athleticism to the table, plus he's marketable. they do not want another tim sylvia holding the HW belt. we can all complain about who deserves what, but if you can drive pay per view sales, you can go places. that's how it's always been & how it always will be, not just in mma but any commercial fight sport.

jf

Bingo!! Of course, the other sad thing is....what happens, when the person that gets brought in, the person that gets hyped up, loses? Now, I'm not saying thats the case with Brock, but look at Kimbo. Big youtube brawler, KO'd guys left and right in the clips, but gets KOd himself, by some unknown guy in the Elite XC. I dont think anyone can say that there wasn't talk about that.

And you're 100% correct...in the end its all about the $$$$$. Once the person who brings those $$$ in, seems like they get kicked to the curb, in favor of the next money maker.

Just my .02.

 

[jarrod]

sad is all in perspective...i don't think many people had realistic expectations of kimbo being a serious contender. but he made more money than he ever would have staying on youtube.

i had a discussion with one of my coaches about taking a pro mma fight recently. his advise was un-romantic but very realistic, "don't glamorize it; you're fighting for money. that's it. there's nothing wrong with that, but if you do it just pick the biggest tomatoes you can". kimbo isn't wowing anyone with his skill, yet he still had a place in the ufc. i doublt he's crying when he cashes his checks.

jf

 

[celtic_crippler]

Yup... it is a business and influenced by it's ability to make money.

Did ya know Pro Rasslin' was legit way back when?

Sure was.

However, the masses did not find hours of grappling entertaining. At least not enough of them to produce the revenue the promoters were looking for.

It started with some hoaky promotions... guys wrestling bears... then came more "colorful" participants... and so on...

So that over time... about a century actually... we now have "Sports Entertainment" instead of actual professional wrestling.

Don't be surprised if in the near future allegations of rigged matches in the UFC start to surface and we find out fighters are "blading" to make the spectacle even more entertaining. LOL

 

[xfighter88]

Of course you have to start somewhere, but going from being a amateur boxer to a pro mma fighter is a load of crap. He's never had a pro fight, never been in an MMA fight, and his only real qualification isn't that great of a qualification. Being in TWSM means you're strong as hell, but it doesn't mean you have any cardio ability.

Edit: I wouldn't be saying anything if he had many some pro fights, or had been in a few amateur MMA bouts, but that is not the case.

Well all that being said...he just knocked a guy out in the first round in his first MMA fight. It was against a guy who has had amateur and pro mma fights. Could you give him a bit more props. If he is so unworthy then why don't you challenge him? After all you have "real" martial arts experience. Seems to me you can disrespect him all you want before the fight when he is an unknown but after he has proven himself in 44 seconds maybe you could cut him some slack.

As far as conditioning goes. have you seen the Worlds Strongest Man events? They are totally functional strength measurements that are aerobic and anaerobic kind of like....oh I don't know.....wrestling with a guy for a minute or 2.

In closing....HE WON! Therefore he must be qualified.