WWE SummerSlam Preview: Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar, Battle of the Part-Time Stars

The final sell for SummerSlam‘s most heavily hyped match, as judged by total live and video package TV time anyway, had its moments. After watching him get slapped by Stephanie McMahon about 850,000 times to epic music in recap videos over the last few weeks, Paul Heyman treated us to a typically eloquent, dastardly promo. Plus, Shawn Michaels was more interesting in getting his ass kicked than he has in weeks of grinning “special appearances” including that completely incompre-friggin-hensible conversation with “Rowdy” Roddy Piper on RAW. Heyman’s cry of “OH MY GOD YOU BROKE HIS ARM” will probably last as an all-time classic over-the-top wrestling call.

But the final sell to Triple H vs. Brock Lesnar was more miss than hit. Length was the first problem here – yet another contract signing segment slotted for well over thirty minutes is pretty inexcusable no matter how long WWE thinks crowds are willing to wait for Hunter to show up. The buildup we had to deal with for the conclusion that was heavily hinted at–that is, HBK getting a Lesnar-sized beatdown–highlighted the further problem of how lame the final execution of that beatdown turned out. The cheap busted camera trick was pure hackitude and Triple H acting as hostage negotiator felt like more filler. And Triple H, who recovered from his own broken arm in about a week earlier this summer by standing near Justin Bieber at boxing bout, has largely wrecked the bad-ass mystique of the Kimura as a pro wrestling move at this point.

Regardless, look for WWE to finally try and make good on their considerable investment in Lesnar by giving him an explosive, convincing win over Triple H with possible further arm breakage. For him to do any less and keep showing up with his asskicking claims so badly de-legitimized would make zero sense. And c’mon, WWE would never do something that was completely illogical, would they?!?

That being said, stay tuned for more coverage of tomorrow’s SummerSlam in my second preview piece and be sure to come back for our live coverage of tomorrow’s PPV festivities!

Check out Lesnar’s attack on Michaels below. Fortunately, this video’s only a couple of minutes:

PHOTO CREDIT – WWE

Source: http://www.fighters.com/08/18/summerslam-preview-triple-h-vs-brock-lesnar-battle-of-the-part-time-stars

Jon Fitch Kenny Florian Jesse Forbes Xavier Foupa Pokam

Shannon Wiratchai wants to show that Thai fighters can compete in MMA by beating Mitch Chilson

Thailand is famous for its fighters, but while they have won world titles in boxing, kickboxing and, of course, Muay Thai, there has yet to be a Thai MMA champion. Shannon Wiratchai is hoping to be the first and can take a step in the right direction by beating Mitch Chilson at ONE FC: Pride of a Nation on August 31.

It is the sort of fight he has dreamed about ever since he first started studying martial arts and, even more importantly for Wiratchai, he will be representing Thailand on the international stage.

“I know fighters from the Philippines come to Thailand and Thai fighters go the Philippines all the time for boxing so there is a rivalry and I definitely want to do well because I want to show Thai fighters are the best,” exclaimed Wiratchai in an interview with Fighters.com.

Perhaps surprising given his nationality, Wiratchai’s speciality is not Muay Thai as he has a black belt in Judo and a good deal of MMA experience. His professional record is 2-0 and he is hoping to extend that winning streak when he takes on Chilson.

“I have won two fights but I think Chilson will be the best fighter I have ever faced. He works with some of the best coaches in Asia and he is good at Muay Thai, wrestling and Jiu Jitsu,” explained Wiratchai. “I am training hard at Tiger Muay Thai and working with Roger Huerta every day, my fitness and condition is the best it has ever been and I am hoping all the hard work will be worth it when I do my fight.”

Wiratchai’s first two fights were both in Bangkok where MMA is technically banned. That being said, he has never experienced anything on the scale of the next ONE FC event which is expected to attract 16,500 fans but is still sad that he might not get the chance to fight in his homeland again.

“So many people will be at ONE FC it is amazing. I never thought so many people would see me fight and I am very excited to go to the Philippines but I hope I can fight in Thailand again soon. Thailand is my home and all my friends love MMA, it is not fair that they are not allowed to see MMA anymore and I hope the Sports Authority of Thailand will change this decision,” stated the up-and-comer.

Although it is early in his career Wiratchai  has already earned a reputation as being an entertaining fighter and you get the sense that every time he steps inside the cage he is enjoying himself. Perhaps it is because before MMA came around he never had an opportunity to use his martial arts experience in a competitive environment.

” I learned Baguazhang which is a  Chinese martial art and Judo, but in Thailand it is mainly Muay Thai and boxing so I never had a chance to use the skills which I had learned until MMA. I have done a lot of amateur MMA fights before I tried fighting in a cage for the first time, I really like to fight MMA,” said Wiratchai.

The trajectory of Wiratchai’s mixed martial arts career has moved more rapidly than might have been expected and he finds himself playing a part in one of the biggest Asian MMA events of the year in only his third fight. Most fighters will never get the opportunity to compete in a stadium filled with over 10,000 spectators and the 23 year old is not intimidated by the thought of fighting in front of so many fans.

“I am excited! I hope my friends will all get to watch the fight late on when it is shown on ESPN in Thailand, it is a big chance for me as a fighter and I hope I can fight my best. Chilson is good at everything, BJJ, wrestling, Muay Thai, so anything can happen in the fight. It will be fun!”

Fans can see how Wiratchai fares at ONE FC: Pride of a Nation when it takes place at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on August 31. The entire card can be viewed online through the company’s website.

PHOTO CREDIT – ONE FC

Source: http://www.fighters.com/08/21/shannon-wiratchai-wants-to-show-that-thai-fighters-can-compete-in-mma-by-beating-mitch-chilson

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UFC middleweight Brian Stann on verge of becoming a superstar, just not as a fighter

When the UFC announced its broadcast partnership with Fox and its family of networks a year ago, it was presented as an opportunity for the fighters to become stars. Who knew, though, that some of them would become bigger stars for their work behind the microphone than in the cage?

It is true, however. In the 10 months the UFC has aired content on Fox, FX and Fuel, it has become obvious that there is some serious broadcast talent within the ranks.

This is one man's opinion of the best of the best so far:

1. Brian Stann -- The UFC middleweight contender is poised, smooth, confident and insightful. It doesn't get much better than that for an expert analyst. Stann is so good in front of a camera, it obscures the work he does in the cage, where he is one of the sport's finest middleweights.

Stann the fighter is nowhere near as good as Stann the broadcaster. As a fighter, he's among the best in his weight class. As a broadcaster, he is easily without peer. He adds to the shows he's on without being obnoxious. He makes good points that aren't blatantly obvious, and he isn't afraid about pointing out mistakes a fighter is making.

The former Marine Corps captain and Navy quarterback has a lot going for him in his life and could choose to do one of any number of things when his fighting career is over.

But Stann is so good as a broadcaster, he's the kind of guy who could rise above just being an MMA analyst.

I could see Stann as he matures becoming a studio host in the mode of a Bob Costas, where he would work on a wide variety of sports.

2. Dominick Cruz -- The UFC bantamweight champion was brilliant as he provided analysis of Renan Barao's victory over Urijah Faber at UFC 149. He isn't as smooth or as polished as Stann, but he showed much potential.

He was comfortable in front of the camera and at ease delivering rather pointed opinions.

3. Kenny Florian -- The recently retired fighter is as versatile as they come, working as an analyst on live fights as well as in a studio. He is very good at both, though to nit pick a bit, he talks too much as a cageside analyst. A good cageside analyst should get in, make his point and get out. While Florian's points are all valid, he is a bit too verbose during fights.

In the studio, he's top notch and is perfectly suited as co-host of Fuel's "UFC Tonight." Florian is another guy who, like Stann, could develop as a broadcaster and be able to work as a host for sports other than MMA.

4. Rashad Evans -- The ex-light heavyweight champion has a good presence on television and a feel for what works on camera. He could stand to be more decisive and not hem and haw when he's giving an opinion, but Evans clearly has a future in broadcasting, if he chooses to pursue it.

I think he'd be outstanding one day as a cageside analyst given his knowledge of the game and his ability to think quickly on his feet.

5. Chael P. Sonnen -- Sonnen is good; quite good, in fact. But it's hard to live up to the standards he's set in his interviews. When he's not pulling off the pro wrestling style lines, he can come off as a little stiff.

That's not a criticism more than an acknowledgement that he's a rookie as an analyst. It's also a tribute to how good he is with his shtick on the fight side.

Sonnen, though, is very bright and with more experience, could wind up moving higher on the list.

There are other very talented potential broadcasters among UFC fighters. I think Frank Mir and Stephan Bonnar are fabulous, and I think if given a chance, so, too, would Ronda Rousey.

It's clear, though, that the Fox deal isn't just benefiting the bottom line for UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and UFC president Dana White. It's also doing a lot to help prepare some of their fighters for their post-career careers.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-middleweight-brian-stann-verge-becoming-superstar-just-234720738--mma.html

Pat Barry  Vitor Belfort  Robert Berry David Bielkheden

Who is to blame for UFC 151 cancellation?

Plenty of anger bubbled up after UFC 151 was canceled. From UFC president Dana White to fans who posted on Cagewriter's Facebook page, people are angry there won't be fights in Las Vegas next weekend. Anger quickly turns into a search for blame. Who do you blame for UFC 151's demise?

Jon Jones: When an injury happens, fighters often have to make sacrifices to still be able to fight. Ask Rich Franklin about the many times he has stepped up when the UFC needed him to, and how he's been rewarded. Jones didn't do that, and missed out on an opportunity to win a ton of fans. He made a business decision, but now will have to face the business consequences for how fans react when fights at UFC 152.

The UFC: In planning a top-heavy card with UFC 151, they were playing with fire. Main event fighters are injured all the time. Even Jones has had to postpone fights for an injury. Putting a holiday weekend pay-per-view on the backs of two fighters was begging for a problem, as was hoping for a late replacement after a very busy summer of MMA.

Greg Jackson: UFC president Dana White threw some blame towards Jackson, Jones' coach.

"Jones's trainer, Greg Jackson, told Jon that taking the fight with Chael would be the biggest mistake of his life. That's what he told Jon Jones. Let me tell you, this guy (Greg Jackson) is a sport killer," White said on a media conference call.

"When you are a champion, much less one of the guys who is supposed to be one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, you are supposed to step up. Jon Jones is a guy a lot of fans don't like, and I don't think this is going to make him any more popular. Lorenzo Fertitta (UFC chairman and CEO) and I are disgusted with Jon Jones and Greg Jackson."

Dan Henderson's knee: And here we come to the real culprit behind the cancellation of UFC 151. How dare you become injured when training in a brutal, dangerous sport, knee?

Canada: Always blame Canada.

Does any one person or group deserve the blame for UFC 151 being canceled? Tell us in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/blame-ufc-151-cancellation-120222893--mma.html

Shinya Aoki  Andrei Arlovski  Ricardo Arona  Noboru Asahi

Randy Couture isn?t planning a return to the cage, unless Steven Seagal gets in first

You will be disappointed if you want to see UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture fight again. He is focused on his movie career, and recently told me he is starting to feel more like an actor and less like a professional athlete.

"I still feel like a professional athlete. That's slowly, I think, changing. I'm starting to get recognized for my movies. Hopefully, being considered by the industry as a bona fide actor. That's a transition I'm embracing."

But there just may be one challenge who could bring Couture back to the cage. On G4's "Attack of the Show," he said:

"Not unless (Steven) Seagal wants to sign up," Couture answered with a smile and a laugh.

Though Couture was joking, oh please oh please oh please can this happen? Seagal claims to have taught Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida some of their best moves. In fact, he claimed the kick Machida used to knock out Couture in his last fight. In a cage with Couture, Seagal would have to back up everything he's said about teaching some of MMA's best fighters.

Plus, it would be one heck of a way to sell a movie.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/randy-couture-isn-t-planning-return-cage-unless-131654528--mma.html

Viacheslav Datsik Marcus Davis  Tony DeSouza  Edwin Dewees 

Bellator 73 Weigh-Ins: Main Card Set

Bellator 73's main card is set for tomorrow in Tunica, Mississippi. The card will be headlined by the "Summer Series" light heavyweight final between Attila Vegh and Travis Wiuff. The card will also feature the Season 6 bantamweight final between Marcos Galvao and Luis Nogueira. The main card will air live on MTV2 with the preliminary card airing on Spike.com.

MMAFrenzy.com

Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/30076/bellator-73-weigh-ins-main-card-set/

Dos Caras Jr   Phil Cardella Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin 

Lyoto Machida, Chad Mendes, Matt Hamill: The Morning News Roundup ? 8.4.12

It's fight day!  Which means while you and I are gathering provisions for tonight's UFC on FOX 4 ? you know, things like avocados for fresh guacamole, cases of TAB soda and Kleenex for the tears that are sure to come ? there are twenty fighters in a hotel in Los Angeles milling about with butterflies in their stomachs, anxious to punch each other in the face.  Hooray!  But despite the violence that's impending on Fuel TV (the preliminary bouts start at 5:00 p.m. EST) and FOX (main card at 8:00 p.m. EST), the news cycle trudges on.  Here, then, are some headlines.

  • Although he's fighting in the 205-pound weight class tonight in the co-main event, the simple fact that former UFC light-heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida stepped on the scale at 201 pounds has got people speculating he could move down to the 185-pound division.  My personal policy is to never fix something that isn't broke, but hey, what do I know.

 

  • When last we saw UFC featherweight contender Chad Mendes, he was squashing Cody McKenzie like a bug at UFC 148.  When the police last saw Mendes, he was fleeing a 40-person bar fight.  Yikes.  A 40-person bar fight?  See, this is why I only hang out at Chuck E. Cheese.  When little kids brawl, it's harmless.

 

  • Fellow scribe Kevin Iole reported yesterday that UFC light-heavyweight Matt Hamill has decided to fight again.  Awesome.  And let's not forget, Hamill is the only person to ever defeat UFC champ Jon Jones, so be excited for that future match-up.

 

That's all for now.  I'll be tweeting my observations of the fights tonight as they happen.  Follow along if you want.  A word of caution, though: as a devout Native American, I'll be undertaking a cleansing ritual at the same time (they're wheeling a TV into the sweat lodge) ? but I'll try to keep the hallucinatory stuff under control.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/lyoto-machida-chad-mendes-matt-hamill-morning-news-133924954--mma.html

Marcio Pe de Pano Cruz Luke Cummo  Jeff Big Frog Curran Dai Shuanghai 

Mark Bocek battling Rafael dos Anjos in Montreal

As might be expected, the UFC is taking care of its fans from North of the Border this fall by stacking a pair of Canadian cards with athletes hailing from the nation. The latest fighter to join the group is Mark Bocek, a Toronto native who will see action on November 17 at UFC 154 in Montreal.

According to the UFC, the red-headed submission specialist will face Rafael dos Anjos at the event. The show is expected to be headlined by welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre attempting to unify his belt by beating interim title-holder Carlos Condit.

Bocek will enter the bout with the momentum of back-to-back wins behind him. He holds an overall record of 11-4 including seven submissions and victories over Dustin Hazelett, Nik Lentz, and most recently John Alessio.

A Closer Look at Bocek’s Latest Performance

The 17-6 Dos Anjos has also been hot as of late, scoring consecutive instances of success against Kamal Shalorus and Anthony Njokuani in his last two outings.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Source: http://www.fighters.com/08/21/mark-bocek-battling-rafael-dos-anjos-in-montreal

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