AroDrive / Couch Potato Reporters » Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar: Can’t wait to fight Frank Mir

Tony Holt — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:23:41 +0000

Frank Mir issued a formal apology for envisioning Brock Lesnar’s death from fighting-related injuries, but Mir still isn’t sure what the hullaballoo was all about in the first place. From his conversation with SI.com:

“When I got called in and they told me, ‘Listen man, this is an issue,’ I kind of had a smirk on my face the whole time. I was like, ‘You’re kidding, right? This is a joke, right?’

“I’ve heard people say that this is to the death. I’ve heard people say about an opponent, ‘I’m going to kill him.’ I heard Brock say he was going to put his hand up my rear end to pull out a horseshoe. I didn’t hear anyone get too upset about that.

“No one’s been able to explain it to me yet. I thought we understood that what we say on camera is part of the entertainment aspect of our sport and we kind of get a little artistic license. It’s not like I said this to my neighbor, that if his dog shows up in my yard one more time I’m going to kill him. That would be bad. That’s a problem. I didn’t understand it, but hey, it came my way, I said it, and I can’t cry about it now. I’ve just got to deal with it, I guess.”

Brock Lesnar Response

“I feel really good. I’m back to training, I started main camp last week and I feel great. Everything is on track. Starting to build the base up again and get ready to fight hopefully mid-summer. We’re thinking about July 3rd Las Vegas right now.”

“Fighting the winner, hopefully the winner, of Frank Mir and Shane Carwin. If one of those guys are unable to fight after that fight. I’ll probably fight Cain Velasquez from my understanding. I’d really like to fight Frank Mir again.”

“You know I don’t know what he [Frank Mir] thought… he’s still trying to pull his foot out of his mouth and when you say something like that and your wife has to go out and apologize for you, you know you pissed somebody off. I think his wife made the apology before he did probably.”

“But you know in this sport of fighting. Fighting has come so far in such a short amount of time. We want to perceive ourselves as athletes and get the respect of the general public. Yeah it was out of line but in the fighters mentally I don’t want to go in the Octagon and kill somebody but I do want to do whatever I can to win. And maybe that’s what he was saying, I don’t know.”

“But the guy should probably just focus on the task in front of him which is Shane Carwin because if Shane Carwin beats his ass he won’t be fighting me…. Hopefully he gets past Shane Carwin so I can put another beat down on him. For a guy to take an ass whopping like the last I gave him and for him to get up and keep running his mouth. You know I just got to laugh at it.”

“I got to go back to a quote that he said before my second fight. He said if Brock Lesnar beats me, He will become the greatest mixed martial artist ever. And I guess he’s eating his words and he doesn’t want to say that again, he doesn’t want to admit that I am that much better than him.”

“But I am truly hoping that Frank wins this fight so it sets us up for July and maybe the next beat down will … (laughs) I don’t know what I have to do to shut him up.”

Brock Lesnar: Can’t wait to fight Frank Mir is a post from: AroDrive

MMA, not a Summer Olympics Sport.

Tuviere — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:03:50 +0000

Mixed Martial Arts as the name suggests is a combination of all forms of Martial Arts that by the way are already parts of the summer Olympic Games. So, if you already have boxing, karate, judo, pankration, tae kwon and other forms of Martial Arts in the Olympics what is the case against MMA for the Summer Olympics?

The Sport is too Brutal

The sport is too brutal and Fighter’s need a long time to recuperate and it will be a challenge for the IOC to organize a competition around athletes who typically take too much damage during fights and have them fight multiple fights in a very short time frame.

All valid points, the only problem, these were the same argument levied against boxing and now boxing is an Olympic Sport, so I guess they figured it out!

They would wear head gear like in Boxing and add a few more protection to their hands, genitals and ribs. Has anyone even contemplated the kind of fights you’ll see if these guys wear protection, just think about Brock Lesnar and Fedor Emelianenko in the octagon with protection that will be a fight to see.

I do agree that with all those protection it will look like a watered down version of the real thing, but wouldn’t you rather have the watered down version than to have none at all?

The Summer Olympics most popular events are Track and Field and they start during the second week of the event leaving you to watch swimming, weight lifting and boxing in the first week and for most viewers especially in the states no one really follows all those sports.

I know Michael Phelps became very popular from the last Olympics, but, let’s be sincere here, how many of you really knew who he was before the games?

MMA’s addition to the games will invite a whole new generation of viewers and that I think is a win win for everyone.

The Sports has no Drug Testing

This is not an issue, a drug testing body can be instituted and fighters can be tested randomly during qualifiers and during the games.

Drug issue, fixed.

MMA does not have Worldwide Appeal

This is the biggest issue holding the sport back; MMA is practiced worldwide in different capacities (Amateurs and Professionals) but in countries like Brazil, USA, Canada, UK, Japan, Holland & Russia it’s a professional sports with a Hugh following.

Unfortunately that doesn’t make the sport popular enough to make it an Olympic sport.

According to the IOC the criteria for an Olympic Sport are:

The sport must be practiced by men in at least 75 countries and four continents, and by women in at least 40 countries and three continents.

The sport in question must have a governing International Federation in order for the IOC to officially recognize them as a sport.

The governing body has to then file an application to become a demonstration sport. After that, the sport may file another application to officially become a fully recognized Olympic sport.

The bottom line, MMA is not a sport.

And like I said above every other Martial Art is already a part of the Olympics, so why add MMA?

It makes the other forms of Martial Art already in the game redundant and that the IOC can not afford.

MMA, not a Summer Olympics Sport. is a post from: AroDrive

Brock Lesnar returns to UFC

AroDrive Team — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:11:22 +0000

UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar called his recovery from a colon illness a “miracle” on Wednesday.

Announcing that he plans to resume his fighting career this summer, the former professional wrestler thanked just about everyone for supporting him. One notable exception was the Canadian medical staff who first treated him after his collapse.

It was Lesnar’s first televised interview since mysteriously vanishing from public view in mid-November. At the time, Ultimate Fighting Championship boss Dana White hinted cryptically that Lesnar’s life and career were in jeopardy. Later, he said that Lesnar had had surgery. That wasn’t true.

Wednesday, Lesnar told ESPN that his doctors informed him in October that his recurring stomach pain was due to mononucleosis.

“That didn’t sound right to me,” Lesnar said.

Nevertheless, he cancelled his upcoming title fight and headed off to western Canada on a hunting trip.

“I got up there and still didn’t feel right. I had severe stomach pain. And one night I woke up and I was in severe shock,” Lesnar said. “I had 104 (F) temperature and felt like I was shot in the guts. I went to the hospital in Canada, realized quickly that I had to get out of Canadian health care and get down to Bismarck (North Dakota), into the United States.”

Apparently, the irony of rushing back to the place where he’d first been misdiagnosed was lost on the 265 lb. wrestler.

However, this time, he said they got it right – telling him he had a ruptured diverticuli.

“I had a hole in my stomach,” Lesnar said.

He told ESPN that it was touch-and-go for weeks as to whether he would need to have a portion or all of his colon removed, ending his athletic career. He says his 11-day stay in hospital cost him 40 lbs. of body weight.

Then, in the new year, a “miracle.”

“(The doctors) were dumbfounded,” Lesnar said. “They couldn’t find any signs of any trouble with my stomach.

“I’ve had three or four different opinions. I’ve had colonoscopies (sic) done and CT scans done. There’s literally no sign of anything even existing in there,” Lesnar said. “I believe that the mind is a powerful thing.”

His boss, White, echoed the miracle theme. He said that the current plan is to have heavyweight contenders Shane Carwin and Frank Mir fight in March for an interim heavyweight champion designation. The winner will fight Lesnar in “the summer,” according to White.

“It’s been a crazy ride,” White said.

By Cathal Kelly

Brock Lesnar returns to UFC is a post from: AroDrive

Brett Favre (A-List Person of the Year 2009)

AroDrive Team — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:35:37 +0000

There’s no doubt that the A-List voters got it right:-) I hoped and prayed that my 2009-2010 NFL MVP choice Brett Favre gets to win this contest.

Brett Favre no doubt was the number one personality of 2009.

Right from the beginning of the year with the Favre – Jets crisis to the Summer of Favre (nothing like the “Summer of George” – Seinfeld:-)) to the Vikings chase, then came the Packers hatred. And Favre dominating the Packers home and away.

lets not forget all all the Favre magical moment all through out the season.

Favre no doubt made the year exciting for sports fans and none sports fans alike and that was the criteria we were looking for in the A-List Person of the Year.

So ladies and gentle men, your A-List Person of the Year 2009 is ; Brett Favre.

Tell us what you think about the A-List choice for Person of the Years. We are living the voting open so do remember to cast your vote at the bottom of the page. (Remember to vote as many times as you can) For more info on each nominee click on the nominees thumbnail or name.

Here are the nominees;

Brett Favre

From Retirement from the Jets to the come back story of the year. Brett Favre at 40 is having the best season of he’s life and in line for another MVP and Super Bowl ring. More […]

Brock Lesnar

Brock lesner steps into the Octagon and completely dominates the sport. Lesner has become the face of UFC. He’s currently facing health issues, but we expect him to bounce back in 2010. More […]

Tiger Woods

Tiger bounce back from knee surgery to reclaim the number 1 ranking; though he did not win a major, he won 6 PGA titles the most on the Tour. Though, Tiger’s marital transgression has become the biggest story of the year! We nominate him for he’s golf achievements. More […]

Jimmy Johnson

Johnson started the year looking to defend he’s 3rd Sprint Cup Series Championship and hoping to set a record of winning he’s 4th. He did just that and now he’s in the record books and an A-List Person of the Year nominee. More […]

Serena Williams

After taking time out the past couple of years, Serena Williams came back in 2009 to reclaim the tennis thrown. She won 2 Grand Slams (Australian Open and Wimbledon) also won the WTA Championships. Her outburst at the US Open this year made all the news, but she had one of the best year of her career. More […]

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant began the year looking to take the Lakers back to the NBA Finals after being embarrassed by the Boston Celtics in 2008. Kobe and the Lakers got their wish and the Lakers are NBA champions again. The Lakers are on the path for another run again as the NBA season on the way right now has the Lakers on top of the NBA Power Ranking (A-List Edition). More […]

Alex Rodriquez

The year started very rough for A-Rod, questions of failed steroid test, questions of he’s ability to come through in October, questions about he’s health. And at the End, A-Rod answered all the questions and more. Today, the Empire State is World Champions again and A-Rod had a lot to do with it. More […]

Edith Labelle

It’s amazing how the firing of a girl that carries an Octagon board with a number pasted on it, can be the biggest story in a sport she’s no longer a part of.
But, that’s what Edith Labelle managed to achieve this year.
Edith Labelle is a nominee on the A-List Person of the Year solely on her popularity though she’s no longer apart of the UFC. More […]

Tim Tebow

Tebow will not be winning a 3rd BCS Championship Ring, but that’s how the year started for Tebow and the Gator Nation, BCS Champions. That said, Tebow is still the most popular college player in a very long time and in most cases, the one of the most popular athlete in America.
This year just like the last 3 has been very exciting down in Gainesville, and Tim Tebow had a lot to do with that. More […]

Charlie Weis

The Charlie Weis saga finally came to an end in South Bend after 5 seasons of mediocre football. But, right from the beginning of the year till the disappointing end, Weis was the biggest (literally) story in the sports world. We gonna miss you Charlie. More […]

Erin Andrews

No side line reporter is more captivating than Erin Andrews. Though she’s currently ranked 2nd in the A-List – Top 25 Sexiest Sportscasters of 2010, she’s clearly the biggest name in sports broadcasting, from corporate endorsements with Sony to her nude video scandals. This year was a big for Ms Andrews. More […]

Shawn ‘Jay Z’ Carter

Most Rap Stars brag about how they run a town, For Mr. Shawn Carter aka; Jay Z, he Stands above Michael Bloomberg on the sport hierarchy in the Big Apple.
For just a minority owner of the dreadful New Jersey Nets, in 2009 Jay Z became a power broker in sports circles, from being the biggest reason why Lebron James might make the move to the Empire State, to Riding on the Parade Bus with the World Champions New York Yankees, to leading the charge to move the Nets to Brooklyn.
Jay Z has become New York. More [...]

Brett Favre (A-List Person of the Year 2009) is a post from: AroDrive

A-List – Person of the Year 2009

AroDrive Team — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 03:58:02 +0000

Updated [January 19, 2010] Right from the beginning of the year with the Favre – Jets crisis to the Summer of Favre (nothing like the “Summer of George” – Seinfeld:-)) to the Vikings chase, then came the Packers hatred. And Favre dominating the Packers home and away.

Brett Favre (A-List Person of the Year 2009) Click here for the full Story

The following People made the year 2009 a very big one, but, there can only be one Person of the Year.
So we need your votes to choose the A-List Person of the Year 2009.
The final result will be tallied at the end of voting so do remember to cast your vote at the bottom of the page. (Remember to vote as many times as you can) For more info on each nominee click on the nominees thumbnail or name.

Brett Favre

From Retirement from the Jets to the come back story of the year. Brett Favre at 40 is having the best season of he’s life and in line for another MVP and Super Bowl ring. More […]

Brock Lesnar

Brock lesner steps into the Octagon and completely dominates the sport. Lesner has become the face of UFC. He’s currently facing health issues, but we expect him to bounce back in 2010. More […]

Tiger Woods

Jimmy Johnson

Serena Williams

Kobe Bryant

Alex Rodriquez

Edith Labelle

Tim Tebow

Charlie Weis

Erin Andrews

Shawn ‘Jay Z’ Carter

A-List – Person of the Year 2009 is a post from: AroDrive

UFC 106 Prize Money, Bonuses and much more

AroDrive Team — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:17 +0000

Though Josh Koscheck and Dana White have reportedly butted heads in the past, it’s clear that Kos is back on DW’s good side. For his second-round submission of Anthony Johnson at UFC 106 last night, Koscheck picked up both the $70,000 Submission of the Night bonus, and a $70,000 Fight of the Night bonus (which Johnson also received). As Dana White explained, “I have to publicly say that [Koscheck] always steps up, always wants to fight, fights the best in the world, and I’m blown away with his performance tonight.” Still, is that enough justification to reward the chaotic mess that Koscheck vs. Johnson turned out to be?

Koscheck’s $140,000 bonus take adds to the $106,000 in show/win money he earned from the fight, meaning he came up just short of headliners Ortiz and Griffin, who were paid $250,000 in disclosed salary. UFC 106′s Knockout of the Night bonus went to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, who needed just under two minutes to run over Luis Cane.

— Though Koscheck declared himself “the #1 freakin’ contender in the [welterweight] division” after his win over Johnson, he won’t be leapfrogging Dan Hardy for the next shot at Georges St. Pierre’s belt. GSP vs. Hardy is already slated for February, and Koscheck said he hopes to fight again in December or January.

— After losing his rematch against Forrest Griffin, Tito Ortiz had just one thing on his mind: Rubber match. Particularly, one that would come after a head-to-head coaching stint on TUF 11. “It’d be awesome. We’d break records with that one…Dana and I talked before about possibly another (coaching stint on) ‘The Ultimate Fighter’. I don’t know. It’s in Dana’s hands.” Griffin said he was open to the idea, but White wouldn’t comment on it other to say that a rubber match between the two is possible.

— The only fight on the card that wasn’t shown on either the pay-per-view broadcast or Spike’s preliminary card broadcast (or both) was Caol Uno vs. Fabricio Camoes — and for good reason. After Camoes was deducted a point for illegal kicks to Uno’s head, the fight ended in a majority draw (29-27 Uno, 28-28 x 2).

— UFC 106 took in $3 million in live gate revenue from 10,529 attendees, which is the smallest crowd for a UFC event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center since UFC 64.

Report by: cagepotato

UFC 106 Prize Money, Bonuses and much more is a post from: AroDrive

Forrest Griffin finds redeemtion in victory over Tito Ortiz

AroDrive Team — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:46:10 +0000

Forrest Griffin finds his way back to the winner’s circle with a victory over Tito Ortiz this past Saturday at UFC 106. This was the second meeting between the two with the first being a close decision win by Tito Ortiz back at UFC 59. That fight was huge for Griffin as it showed the MMA world that he could compete with the best.

Following the battle between the two at UFC 59, Griffin established himself as a legit competitor at 205 and went to log victories against Shogun Rua and Quinton Jackson. Defeating Jackson for the light heavyweight championship as the underdog, which is a role Griffin is used to, was easily the biggest win of his career.

However, being champion is certainly easier said than done. Griffin went on to lose his first title defense against Rashad Evans. Griffin then signed up to face perhaps the best fighter in MMA today and possibly ever, Anderson Silva. The fight was originally supposed to be against Thiago Silva and Griffin jokingly chalked the switch in opponent to a clerical error by the UFC.

Silva walked right through Griffin in a first round victory in which Griffin failed to land one punch. After the loss Griffin ran from the ring which caused a little backlash from even the loyal Griffin fans. Griffin gained his fanfare for being a guy with huge heart and no quit in him, however on that night in many people’s opinions he quit.

Once again Griffin showed the fans that you cannot count him out of any situation. There were big questions of how Griffin would fair mentally following such a lopsided loss, but those questions were answered.

Griffin was in great shape as usual, came out and picked Ortiz apart. Ortiz was able to deliver some of his trademark ground and pound but it was clearly Griffin’s night as he outlasted Ortiz in convincing fashion.

Ortiz started strong but the time off clearly worked against him as going into the third round Ortiz was slow to react and even slower to attempt any offense. You have to respect him for coming back and facing a top guy like Griffin in his return but Ortiz was hardly the ‘Tito of old.’

Griffin can be marked with all the cliche sayings. Walking to the cage to the famed Chumbawamba song ‘Tubthumping’ was both fitting and funny, typical Griffin. Ortiz should have saved the ‘Run Forrest Run’ shirt for another day.

By Greg Garcia

Forrest Griffin finds redeemtion in victory over Tito Ortiz is a post from: AroDrive

Brock Lesnar, UFC and he’s Health

AroDrive Team — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:33:39 +0000

Last month Brock Lesnar sat in a small-town, fast food restaurant, surrounded by blue-collar townies, munching on a five-dollar foot long. He was the reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title holder, yet unlike his old days as a professional wrestler/entertainer, he was far from the spotlight.

His life was now about family, training and humble hard work. It was the antithesis of his days making millions in the cutthroat, 300-days-on-the-road, close-down-the-nightclubs-fast-lane of the WWE.

That was an existence he grew to detest, so much so that five years ago he walked away from a multi-million dollar contract with no job.

Then an interesting thing happened. By moving to real fighting, he found the real Brock Lesnar.

“This is who I am,” he said. “I’m a fighter.”

Now Lesnar is in for the biggest fight of his life; dealing with a serious illness – at this point just described as “bacterial infection in his intestinal tract.” He had “minor surgery” in Bismarck, N.D. Tuesday, according to UFC president Dana White.

“Not 100 (percent) sure he is out of the woods but (he’s) feeling better,” White wrote via Twitter.

The illness has caused the postponement of one title defense and, according to White, could even cost him his budding second-career.

“There’s a possibility Lesnar will never fight again,” White told TMZ.com on Monday.

Lesnar is famously private and precise details of what’s wrong have not been released. His management team and the UFC have declined further comment. All we know is that he grew so weak during an October training camp that he had to pull out of a fight that was scheduled for this Saturday.

The first diagnosis was mono. White said Saturday, though, that Lesnar was “very, very sick.” While he wouldn’t reveal the illness, he said it wasn’t cancer or HIV. There is no word on whether Tuesday’s surgery solves the problem or is just the first of many treatments.

Either way, for Lesnar the person, the timing is tough.

The 32-year old had entered a period of professional success, personal contentment and family bliss (a new baby boy with his wife, former wrestling star Sable, while living near his second grade daughter from a previous relationship).

It was a journey that was a long time and numerous bold lifestyle changes in the making.

After winning a NCAA wrestling championship at the University of Minnesota in 2000, Lesnar entered the scripted WWE as a natural born star. At 6-3, 300-pounds, he boasted incredible athletic ability and a natural touch as an actor. He was a headliner by 2002 and for three years made millions while living the predictable wild life on the road of someone young, rich and famous.

“You could either stay in or go out,” he said. “Guess which I chose?”

Increasingly he detested it. He was miserable. He later got a tattoo of a sword on his chest, blade pointed at his neck.

“At the time it symbolized someone (having) a knife up against my throat,” he said.

The WWE has a long, ugly history of pushing its wrestlers to cut corners and compete at all costs. Dozens of pro wrestlers have died young, even in their 20s and 30s. Others have pointed to a culture of steroids (Lesnar has denied ever taking them), pain killers and substance abuse.

Whatever the reason, Lesnar did what few do. He walked away. He attempted to get out of his contract by trying out for the Minnesota Vikings even though he hadn’t played football since high school. He almost made the team.

He pro wrestled in Japan, got into a legal battle with the WWE and, in 2006, just retired and left everything behind. The $7 million contract. The all-night parties. The rush of fame.

His decision is beyond rare – there’s a reason they’ll never run out of subjects for “True Hollywood Stories.”

Lesnar said he’d rather farm than continue. The fake wrestler was going to be true to himself. He had no clear career path. He said he was depressed. He bought some land. He ran a tractor.

Then he gave mixed martial arts a chance and after one contest approached Dana White.

“Let me fight,” Lesnar begged back in 2007. “Give me one chance.”

The UFC is the highest level of cage fighting, filled with experts at things like Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai boxing. If you don’t know what you’re doing, you’ll get hurt. Even a former NCAA wrestling champ.

“It’s no place for on the job training,” White cautioned.

Lesnar didn’t care.

“I’m either good at this or I’m not,” he said, asking for world class competition from the start, unwilling to waste any more of the present as he searched for a future.

In less than a year he was the UFC heavyweight champion and its biggest box office draw. It turns out he wasn’t just good at MMA, he was great at it.

Suddenly he could earn millions by fighting just a few times a year. Gone were weeks with seven shows in seven cities. It was a real sport. He retreated to Alexandria, Minn., a working-class town a two-hour drive northwest of Minneapolis. It’s where his daughter lives.

He and Sable bought a 40-acre farm in the woods. They had their first son in June. He became the rare athlete who openly discussed trying to be the best father and husband he could.

When not working out at a non-descript training facility, he hunts and fishes. He drives rusted, used trucks. He doesn’t have the Internet. If it weren’t for an occasional hunting show and NFL football, he’d throw out his television. He eats at Subway.

He couldn’t be happier. He’s found balance.

“Fighting is not my life,” he said last month, eating a meatball sub. “My family is my life. I know who I am and what I’m about. My wife knows who I am. My children know who I am. My friends. That’s all that matter to me.”

He’s poured himself into becoming a better fighter, paying training partners and experts to come in and make him better.

He was on the verge of a long career, perhaps even an extended run as the champion. Everything was humming, professionally and personally. The gamble of walking away from the circus and into an honest life had paid off.

Then a week after we had lunch in Alexandria, he got sick. Then he got sicker. Now he might need further hospitalization, surgery, treatment, who knows.

Now everything is up in the air for a guy who found happiness by getting grounded.

By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports

Brock Lesnar, UFC and he’s Health is a post from: AroDrive

Dana White Talks Hendo, Rampage, Liddell, Lesnar And More

Tony Holt — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:53:04 +0000

It’s been a busy couple weeks for the UFC and especially for the man that makes things tick for the world’s biggest MMA promotion, Dana White. In a recent interview with MMA Connected, White spoke about various topics that has the MMA industry buzzing including Dan Henderson, Griffin vs. Ortiz, Rampage and more.

White on the contract negotiations (or lack thereof) with Dan Henderson:

“Dan and I have come to a stalemate in his contract negotiations,” White said of the I like Dan, I consider him a friend. But this is business. We offered him a very good contract that is more than fair and very respectable for everything he’s accomplished in this sport and I guarantee you nobody else can pay him what we offered him, but he wants more. At the end of the day, he has to do what he as to do for his business and I have to do what I have to for mine.

On the new main event for UFC 106, Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz:

I think it’s a great fight; I’m excited for that fight. The great thing about this is, when fights fall off, sometimes we make better fights. And that’s the case here. Forrest is focused, he’s fired up, and he’s training very hard for this fight. He’ll be ready.

On the prospects of potentially having Lyoto Machida take on Brock Lesnar:

He’d [Machida] would have to clean out the light heavyweight division and Brock would have to clean out the heavyweight division before I’d ever consider that.

On Chuck Liddell’s future:

I’m putting together a proposal for him right now and we’ll talk here in a couple weeks. Chuck will always be with me; it’s just whether or not he’ll be fighting.

On the turbulent situation with Rampage Jackson:

Mine and Rampage’s relationship is not great right now. I’m very disappointed with him. We’ve done a lot for him off camera and on camera over the years. I’m disgusted with the ways he’s acting right now.

On GSP’s future:

I think GSP is on track and he should be back for Super Bowl weekend.

On what’s next for Kimbo Slice:

The great thing about the Ultimate Fighter show is that it isn’t over until it’s over, keep watching and you’ll see what happens with Kimbo Slice.

The Complete interview videos below

Dana White Talks Hendo, Rampage, Liddell, Lesnar And More is a post from: AroDrive

Brock lesnar and Shane Carwin fight No More

Tuviere — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:22:24 +0000

Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has pulled out of his UFC 106 title match with challenger Shane Carwin due to illness.

Lesnar (4-1) has been sick for nearly a month and unable to train, forcing him to postpone the title defence which was scheduled to take place Nov. 21.

Yahoo! Sports was the first to report the story. UFC confirmed the report on its website.

“(Lesnar) said he’s never been this sick in his life,” UFC president Dana White told Yahoo! Sports.

“He said it’s been going on for a long time and he just hasn’t been able to shake it.”

White said he did not think Lesnar had the H1N1 flu, but Carwin (11-0) on his Twitter account, wrote Monday that it “looks like it is posponed till Jan 2. I had h1ni myself and I understand how devastaing it can be.”

UFC 108 takes place Jan. 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The current main event pits Rashad Evans versus Thiago Silva. Anderson Silva, if healthy, might also be on the card, defending his middleweight title against Vitor Belfort.

Carwin told Yahoo! Sports his “heart just sank, as you can imagine,” when he heard the news about Lesnar.

The pay-per-view, taking place at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, was expected to be one of the biggest of 2009, with Tito Ortiz taking on Forrest Griffin in the co-main event. That match will now be billed as the headliner.

The Lesnar-Carwin match was to pit two of the biggest powerhouses in UFC.

Lesnar is a former NCAA Division I wrestling champion, while Carwin won a Division II national title.

Lesnar beat Randy Couture last November to win the UFC heavyweight title and then unified the championship with a victory over interim champion Frank Mir at UFC 100 in July.

Carwin is undefeated in 11 professional bouts, none of which have lasted longer than 2:11. He was originally scheduled to meet Cain Velasquez at UFC 104, but was offered the title shot instead.

Brock lesnar and Shane Carwin fight No More is a post from: AroDrive

Brock Lesnar Faces Biggest Test To Date At UFC 106

Tony Holt — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:40:49 +0000

Brock Lesnar has battled some of the best heavyweight fighters in the world. The Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight title holder has dominated seasoned veteran Heath Herring and put away former UFC champions Randy Couture and Frank Mir.

Lesnar will face another stern test Nov. 21 in undefeated 6-foot-3, 262-pound top contender Shane Carwin at UFC 106: LESNAR vs. CARWIN, live from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

“Brock Lesnar has been tearing through everyone over the last year,” said UFC president Dana White. “But in Shane Carwin, he’s not only fighting someone as big as he is, he’s fighting someone who has ended all of his fights in less than three minutes. This is literally the biggest heavyweight title fight ever and may also be the most explosive.”

A fighter that has dominated the competition in his last three bouts, Lesnar is a four-time All-American, two-time Big Ten Champion and 2000 NCAA Division I National Champion at the Univerisity of Minnesota who parlayed his amateur successes into a UFC world championship.

“I’m excited to get back in the Octagon on November 21 to defend my title,” Lesnar said. “I’m looking forward to fighting Shane Carwin. He’s undefeated and I’m the man who is going to put an end to that.”

Fighting out of Denver, Carwin has destroyed his competition. The 34-year-old former NCAA Division II wrestling champion and All-American college football player has put away all three of his UFC opponents in under three minutes.

“I was extremely excited when I got the news that I was fighting Brock,” Carwin said. “I couldn’t even sleep that night. This fight is going to be different for both of us. We’re not used to facing someone who equals us in size. I can see this fight taking place everywhere. We both have wrestling backgrounds, but hopefully we’ll get into some exchanges on the feet, too.”

Brock Lesnar Faces Biggest Test To Date At UFC 106 is a post from: AroDrive

Ex Champs Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin square off at UFC 106

Tony Holt — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:39:37 +0000

A rematch of former UFC light heavyweight champions is set for UFC 106, as Tito Ortiz will take on Forrest Griffin in the co-main event on Nov. 21 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Ortiz was originally scheduled to face Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall-of-Famer Mark Coleman, but a knee injury forced the veteran off the card.

“So the match has been set,” Ortiz wrote on his Twitter account Thursday night.

“Forrest versus Ortiz 2 . . . Let the punishment begin.”

Ortiz won a hotly-debated split decision over Griffin when they squared off at UFC 59 in April 2006.

In the headline match at UFC 106, heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar takes on challenger Shane Carwin.

It will be the first match for Ortiz since a unanimous-decision loss to current light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida in May 2008. After reaching a truce with UFC president Dana White, he re-signed with the company this summer.

Ortiz and White had a long-standing feud that dated back to 2003, when Ortiz — then UFC light heavyweight champ — refused a fight versus Chuck Liddell, saying he didn’t want that match because the two were close friends and agreed to not fight each other (Liddell denied that claim).

One of the biggest drawing cards in company history, Ortiz has had more fights (21) in UFC than any other fighter, and he held the light heavyweight title from April 2000 (when he beat Wanderlei Silva at UFC 25) until losing to Randy Couture in September 2003 at UFC 44.

After leaving the company in February 2005, he re-signed later that year to coach on The Ultimate Fighter reality-TV series. Following his return, he helped the company set numerous business bests, including 770,000 pay-per-views buys for his UFC 61 main event versus Ken Shamrock in July 2006, 1.05 million PPV buys for his match versus Chuck Liddell at UFC 66 in December 2006, plus , and a TV rating of 3.1 for his third and final match versus Ken Shamrock.

Griffin, meanwhile, is looking to rebound after back-to-back losses. After winning the light heavyweight title with a win over Quinton Jackson at UFC 86 in July 2008, he lost the crown to Rashad Evans at UFC 92 in December and, in August at UFC 101, was knocked out by middleweight champion Anderson Silva.

Other matches scheduled for UFC 106 include Antonio Rogerio Nogueira versus Luis Arthur Cane, Dustin Hazelett versus Karo Parisyan, Jon Fitch versus Ricardo Almeida, Amir Sadollah versus Phil Baroni, Marcus Davis versus Ben Saunders and George Sotiropoulos versus Jason Dent.

Ex Champs Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin square off at UFC 106 is a post from: AroDrive

Mark Coleman out of UFC 106 after hurting knee

Tony Holt — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:19:34 +0000

An injury has forced Mark Coleman out one of his biggest career fights on one of the year’s biggest mixed-martial-arts cards.

Coleman, a former NCAA Division I national wrestling champion at Ohio State University, was slated to fight ex-UFC champ Tito Ortiz on Nov. 21 at UFC 106 in Las Vegas. The fight was the pay-per-view broadcast’s co-main event behind the headliner of UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin.

However, a knee injury (torn MCL) has forced the 44-year-old Coleman off the card.

Ortiz first broke the news on Twitter and said Coleman “sissied” out of the fight. However, the injury is legit and will likely keep Coleman out until 2010.

No replacement has been named.

The fight was supposed to be Coleman’s first since he upset Stephan Bonnar at UFC 100 in July.

Coleman was an early UFC fighter and the organization’s first-ever heavyweight champion. But he left the UFC in 1999 to fight in Japan, where MMA was more lucrative at the time. However, in 2008, Coleman was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame and promptly announced he had signed a new deal with the UFC. After a lackluster loss to Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in his return fight in January, many dismissed Coleman. But the Bonnar victory earned him a second life.

Coleman, a former heavyweight, dropped to 205 pounds for his recent UFC fights and recently told the Dayton Daily News he’s in the best shape of his career, thanks to his new training camp in Las Vegas.

Mark Coleman out of UFC 106 after hurting knee is a post from: AroDrive

The MVP of Smackdown’s first decade – Brock Lesnar

Tony Holt — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:40:32 +0000

Brock Lesnar

It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since I saw Shawn Michaels don his trademark girlie referee outfit – complete with spandex short shorts – in the main event of the very first Smackdown.

Tonight, WWE celebrates the milestone anniversary of its blue brand with “A Decade of Smackdown” airing tonight at 8 p.m. on your local MyNetworkTV station.

Over those ten years, WWE’s B-Show has felt more like its F-show, especially during the years of Kenzo Suzuki and Moredcai. At other times, it’s very much felt like the A-Show, producing better storylines, better performers and better matches than Raw. I’d say that’s been the case for most of the last year, up until the present.

But I’d say the peak point of the Smackdown era came in 2003, when the show was built around one man – a man whose size, brutality and athleticism captivated the pro wrestling world – just as it is doing now in the mixed martial arts world. That man, of course, is Brock Lesnar.

In mid-to-late 2003, with Paul Heyman on booking duties, Smackdown was the show to watch. That was largely due to Lesnar, and his rivalry with Kurt Angle. Together, the two put on a series of classic matches, ranging from their WrestleMania XIX main event, to an incredible one-hour iron man match on Smackdown, to another classic at SummerSlam.

But, even Lesnar wasn’t mixing it up with Angle, he was still a heck of a lot of fun to watch. One of my favorite Smackdown feuds involved him and – of all people – Matt Hardy, who spent weeks calling out and mocking Lesnar, similar to how The Miz called out John Cena for weeks earlier this summer. The mismatches feud led to some fun TV segments involving Lesnar, Hardy and his “Moore-on” Shannon Moore.

As well, Lesnar provided one heck of a TV moment during a match with The Big Show, when the impact of a top rope superplex caused the entire ring to collapse. And who among us could forget the night he left “The Immortal” Hulk Hogan in a bloody heap during an episode of Smackdown.

But if I had one favorite Smackdown moment from its ten years on the air, it might be this one. You talk about a mismatch – Well, disparities don’t get much bigger than that between the superheavyweight Lesnar and the one-legged cruiserweight Zach Gowen.

This match showcased what made Lesnar such a star during his relatively brief WWE career. He was the ultimate heel – massive, intimidating, technically skilled, a good talker, and as vicious as they come.

My favorite part of this match is actually in the first half (which you could link to at the end of the video.) In it, he walks up to Gowen’s sweet old mom, stares at her up and down and sniffs her like a gorilla might do to his prey, and then just simply flexed one of his pectoral muscles. Just awesome.

And so, while Montel Vontavius Porter may have contributed a lot to the brand, for my money, the true MVP of Smackdown’s last ten years was Brock Lesnar.

The MVP of Smackdown’s first decade – Brock Lesnar is a post from: AroDrive

Shane Carwin: “I Wish I Could Kick [Brock Lesnar's] Ass Tomorrow”

Tony Holt — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:33:10 +0000

Although their heavyweight showdown is still weeks away, Shane Carwin claims that he is ready to fight now. In fact, there appears to be a lot more bad blood behind this UFC 106 title scrap than initially anticipated and the challenger is ready to shut Brock Lesnar up.

Ass Tomorrow””]

Shane Carwin: “I Wish I Could Kick [Brock Lesnar's

“This is the first time that I am getting ready for a fight with a little hate for my opponent,” Carwin told Heavy.com. “He continues to fuel the fire with his ignorant comments about my opponents and my record. Next thing you know, he will tell you his high school was bigger then mine and therefore that’ll be the deciding factor.”

Odd that the former WWE star would bring up Carwin’s perfect 11-0 record when he’s only had five fights in total himself, one of which was a loss. But who knows, maybe Lesnar’s senior class will prove to be bigger than Carwin’s…

Back to what might actually impact their ginormous showdown, Carwin states that, although he is taking his lumps everyday, he is in the midst of experiencing the best training camp of his brief MMA career.

“The camp is going great,” Carwin said. “We train pretty hard, and getting beat up every day by some of the elite athletes in the sport doesn’t hurt. Well, it hurts, but it’s a good kind of hurt.”

If he’s enjoying the “good kind of hurt now,” he’s hoping Lesnar will be suffering through the “bad kind of hurt” on November 21st inside the Mandalay Bay Event Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

“I am ready. I wish I could kick “Brock Lesnar’s] ass tomorrow,” Carwin emphatically stated.

This fight could prove to be an explosive one as Carwin poses devastating knockout power in both of his haymakers. However, he also comes from a strong wrestling background so don’t be surprised if he’s not uncomfortable if this one goes to the mat.

“I really don’t care where the fight goes,” Carwin stated. “He is not going to be able to lay on top of me like he has against the smaller guys he’s faced. He won’t have a huge advantage anywhere, so I will be ready for whatever happens.”

Shane Carwin: “I Wish I Could Kick [Brock Lesnar's] Ass Tomorrow” is a post from: AroDrive

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira To Face Winner of Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin

Tony Holt — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:53:26 +0000

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, back on track after his August victory over Randy Couture, will challenge the winner of the November 21 Brock Lesnar-Shane Carwin fight for the heavyweight title, according to Inside Fights, which confirmed a Wrestling Observer report.

Nogueira (32-5-1), a former PRIDE champion and recent interim UFC title-holder,was dominated by Frank Mir in their December meeting, but “Minotauro” bounced back strong with an impressive performance against Couture, winning by unanimous decision in the “Fight of the Night” at UFC 102.

Lesnar (4-1), the UFC’s current heavyweight champion, won the title with a victory over Randy Couture last November, then defended the belt against Frank Mir at UFC 100 in July. Carwin (11-0) earned his title shot with three-straight wins inside the Octagon, including a 69-second knockout of Gabriel Gonzaga in March.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira To Face Winner of Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin is a post from: AroDrive

Shane Carwin responds to Brock Lesnar

Tony Holt — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:04:57 +0000

Shane Carwin

I posted earlier the Brock Lesnar comments on Shane Carwin’s fight record and amateur wrestling credentials. Well, Carwin has wasted little time in responding in a interview today with Heavy.com. Check out what Carwin had to say about Lesnar:

Heavy.com: Have you been able to bring anyone into your camp to try and replicate the size of Brock Lesnar?

Shane Carwin: Yes. We have been doing a “bring your child to the gym” day so we can deal with temper tantrums and irrational thoughts.

We have brought a lot of big guys in to replicate his size. Ron Waterman and I are training together again and he has great wrestling and size, and a few others.

Coach Whittman has the right game plan for me to beat Brock. It’s my job to execute it.

Heavy.com: Are you focused on keeping Lesnar on his feet, where you have a significant advantage in striking?

Shane Carwin: I really don’t care where the fight goes. He is not going to be able to lay on top of me like he has against the smaller guys he’s faced. He won’t have a huge advantage anywhere, so I will be ready for whatever happens.

Heavy.com: Brock recently said that you haven’t fought any real fighters outside of Gonzaga. He said that to him, you are 1-0 and that some of the guys you have beaten aren’t worthy of having on your record. How do you respond to that?

Shane Carwin: I agree that Brock is not good with math. Thankfully, the UFC and WWE have paid him enough money to get a math tutor.

I know I wasn’t walked through the front door of the UFC with people holding the door for me. I wasn’t fed fights that sell pay-per-views. I was matched up by promoters and took whatever they put in front of me.

One of those fights was the former enforcer for the Mongols Motorcycle Club. His previous fight ended when Mongols in the crowd started fighting and stabbing people.

For Brock to say that I have hand-picked my fights is just stupid.

I got my start in the WEC and I have fought everyone the UFC put in front of me. I have fought three times as many people then Brock has. If he wants to disrespect the opponents I have fought, that is his choice. I say any man or woman that enters that cage to face an opponent is worthy of my respect. They have trained hard, and to disrespect MMA fighters is disrespecting the sport of MMA.

What I can tell you is, talent-wise I respect Brock, but he needs a filter put on his words.

I must say that I wasn’t really all that excited about the Lesnar/Carwin match up when it was first announced. However, if the verbal jabs keep flowing between these two huge masses of meat, I might just be hyped come fight time. Just think, we are still almost two months away from this fight and they are already going at it.

Shane Carwin responds to Brock Lesnar is a post from: AroDrive

Brock Lesnar questions Shane Carwin’s credentials

Tony Holt — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:59:28 +0000

Brock Lesner

Brock Lesnar is set to take on undefeated heavyweight Shane Carwin at UFC 106. Carwin got the opportunity after defeating former #1 contender Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 96 earlier this year. However, Lesnar isn’t necessarily impressed with Carwin’s resume it seems. Lesnar spoke to the Las Vegas Sun about his upcoming opponent:

He’s a tough guy. He’s undefeated, but some of the guys he’s beaten aren’t worthy of having on your record,” said Lesnar. “He hasn’t fought anybody. He’s fought (Gabriel) Gonzaga, so I really think he’s 1-0.”

Lesnar is speaking on the fact that the fighters Carwin has faced minus Gabriel Gonzaga, have an overall record of 51 wins and 46 losses. Both Lesnar and Carwin have great amateur wrestling credentials, but Lesnar is quick to point out the difference between the two:

“He’s a tough guy and a wrestler. But he’s a Division II national champion — enough said

Both guys are absolutely huge at over 6’2″ tall and well over 250 pounds. Carwin was the 1999 Division II national wrestling champion at Western State College. While Lesnar was a Division I national champion at the University of Minnesota in 2000. I do think Carwin is largely unproven at this point. He’s never been in the second round of a mma fight, and he was nearly finished by Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 96 before landing a big right hand that put Gonzaga away. It’ll be interesting to see if this fight goes to the ground or not as well as how Carwin would respond to going past the first round. I think Lesnar will be too much for him. How do you see this one ending at UFC 106?

Brock Lesnar questions Shane Carwin’s credentials is a post from: AroDrive

Nogueira Wants Brock Lesnar or Frank Mir Next

Tony Holt — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:07:31 +0000

Nogueira Wants Brock Lesnar or Frank Mir Next

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira says he’s ready to fight anytime, and hopes to fight for the title or avenge his most recent loss if he has his way.

“I want Brock Lesnar for sure,” said Nogueira, who rebounded from a UFC 92 loss to Frank Mir by defeating Randy Couture by unanimous decision at UFC 102 in August. “I want to fight him. But I would fight Frank Mir also. That’s my second choice.”

Lesnar is scheduled to fight Shane Carwin in November, but Nogueira is clearly still a top-five UFC heavyweight, and fresh off his teammate Junior Dos Santos’ dominating performance over Mirko Cro Cop at UFC 103, Nogueira told FanHouse that he’s re-energized in his chase for UFC gold.

“I’m keeping my diet and staying in shape,” he said. “I want to fight soon. I didn’t have any serious injuries after the fight, and I feel good.”

Nogueira added that he didn’t take any time off after the Couture fight as he moved right into preparing Dos Santos for his fight. Because of it, he says he’ll be ready whenever he gets a call from UFC matchmaker Joe Silva.

“I won’t have an excuse that I need time to train,” he said.

The former PRIDE champ and UFC interim champ says his Couture camp was fueled by the doubters who insisted that his career was nearing an end after he was TKO’d for the first time in a loss to Mir at UFC 92.

At the time, most didn’t know that Nogueira had suffered from a staph infection and knee injury in the weeks prior to the fight, but refused to pull out.

He says the thought of all the negative comments pushed him forward in training for and then beating the legendary Couture.

“For those people, I feel sorry I had to shut their mouths,” he said. “I heard some bull—- radio people say that Nogueira is done, that he’s an old guy. Those people have never been athletes and they don’t how it is to be one. I hurt my knee and had to train so I didn’t want to make it more serious. I fought hurt, and then people talk s—? I feel sorry for them.”

Nogueira Wants Brock Lesnar or Frank Mir Next is a post from: AroDrive

Former WWE Diva Ready to Become ‘Next Brock Lesnar’

Tony Holt — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:49:42 +0000

Lisa-Marie-Varon

Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley have already proven that pro wrestlers, or at least a select few, can hang in mixed martial arts. Now Lisa Marie Varon, known as “Victoria” during her nine-year run in World Wrestling Entertainment, is poised to prove that WWE Divas can compete with the best female mixed martial artists as well.

Varon, who currently works for Total Nonstop Action wrestling as “Tara,” recently announced her intention to make her MMA debut in the near future. And while she has not set a date, the 38-year-old told FanHouse that she would love to fight before the end of the year.

“I feel more than ready now. I mean, if someone said tomorrow, You have to fight tomorrow, I feel I can fight tomorrow,” she said.

A former high school track star, and a fitness competitor later in life, Varon was first introduced to MMA by watching The Ultimate Fighter. Since then, she says, stepping into an MMA cage or ring has always been in the back of her mind.

“I really got sucked in by seeing how they lived, how they trained and everything like that. You know, for wrestling, that’s our lifestyle, too: we eat, breathe and sleep wrestling. So it kind of paralleled the same lifestyle I led, but I’ve always been a fan of it,” she said.

“When I retired from WWE in January — I’m not a stay at home person. I can’t stay home and eat bon bons, and be lazy, and enjoy the fruit of my retirement — I was looking into classes to still keep in shape and still be an athlete. I came across a school, Core Combat in Louisville, KY, and I looked at their MMA classes, and it was taught by Alex “The Brazilian Killa” Stiebling.”

Soon, she caught the MMA bug and decided to train more. First, though, she was warned that MMA was, you know, real.

“I’m surrounded by, ‘This is not phony wrestling.’ It’s kind of an insult to my craft. We break our limbs. [Pro wrestling] is a sport, as well, even though it’s entertainment. You still have to be in shape for it,” she said.

Lisa-Marie-Varon

“I know I have the stigma of being a pro wrestler coming into this industry, but I know I’m not going to go in there just to make a competitive match. I’m there to make a statement and to dominate the fight. I’m not going to be going in there half-ready; I’m going to make a statement. I know that I’m going to be representing Brock Lesnar, Bobby Lashley, but I feel like I am the next Brock Lesnar. He has ridiculous strength and so do I.”

Varon currently trains in all disciplines, and is learning jiu-jitsu with world champion Helio “Soneca” Moreira. She doesn’t have any kind of martial arts background, but her three brothers did compete in amateur wrestling.

She recently made headlines when Rich Franklin’s manager, J.T Stewart, told the Dayton Daily News that he was representing her in MMA, and she was interested in a fighting Kim Couture. However, Varon says that she is not affiliated with Stewart.

“He did want represent me, and I had to clear that up by saying I represent myself. He wanted me to sign a contract with him. I don’t want to do it exclusive; I’ve done contracts in the past. I represent myself; I’m a smart woman. I own my own business here in Louisville, KY, and it’s Black Widow Customs, and I’ve always done well. I have education. I’m not that muscle head stereotype of a wrestler that people think I am,” she said.

“I think he took it upon himself to post something out there, and it got out. I don’t know how it came about, but then, I guess, Kim Couture took wind of it.”

Nevertheless, Varon, who expects to compete in the 135-pound weight class, says she would love to fight Couture.

“I have a lot of respect for Kim Couture, nothing against her. I respect her as a fighter,” she said.

“I know she has a big name behind her, but I’ve watched several of her fights online, and I thinks she’s a great fighter. But no one trains as hard as I do. If people want to watch me train, they can watch me. I think I train the hardest. I don’t think anybody is strong like me.”

Varon has yet to contact Strikeforce about fighting Couture, but hopes to talk to CEO Scott Coker soon about her MMA future.

“Strikeforce is where all the best female competitors are, and I do want to be in that ranking,” she said.

The former bio-med student at UCLA only works for TNA five days a month, and says she trains 3-to-4 hours a day on her off days. Her next big TNA match airs on pay-per-view on Oct. 18.

She used to share a locker room with former WWE heavyweight champion turned UFC heavyweight champion, Lesnar, and said he recently told her that if he could pick one female pro wrestler to get into MMA, she would be the one.

“I know that I’m going in here kind of blind, but I’m not a lazy, stereotypical pro wrestler that people think I am. If you could ask anybody in the pro wrestling industry who the top five female wrestlers are, I think I fall into that category. The strongest girl in WWE, Beth Phoenix, one slap and I broke her jaw, and I put her out for a year, which I felt guilty about. Didn’t plan on that,” she said.

Varon’s only major injury from wrestling is a torn ACL, but it never bothers her during training. She also knows that people will point to her age as a major hurdle, but considers this the best time to enter the newest chapter in her life.

“People know that I’m 38, but I like to correct them and say that I’m 38 and a half. It’s not an obstacle for me. I’m in the best shape of my life right now. I really do believe that. I have muscle mass from years of training, and I’ve always been an athlete, so like fine wine, I get better with age,” she said.

Her old WWE entrance song was entitled “I Ain’t the Lady to Mess With,” and even before competing in her first fight, it appears as though Varon has adopted a similar mindset heading into her new career.

“I know I have a lot at risk, and I know have a lot of opportunities that other female fighters do not have, and I know that I’m cutting in line of current MMA fighters. But at the same time, I’m going to go in there and prove a point that I’m not one to mess with.”

Lisa-Marie-Varon

Former WWE Diva Ready to Become ‘Next Brock Lesnar’ is a post from: AroDrive

Champ Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin, Tito Ortiz vs. Mark Coleman official for UFC 106

Tony Holt — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:11:49 +0000

Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin

With tickets set to go on sale for UFC 106 later this week, the organization today announced the first two bouts for the Nov. 21 event.

As was previously reported, UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar (4-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) meets top challenger Shane Carwin (11-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC), while UFC veterans Tito Ortiz (15-6-1 MMA, 14-6-1 UFC) and Mark Coleman (16-9 MMA, 7-4 UFC) meet in a light-heavyweight contest.

“UFC 106: Lesnar vs. Carwin” takes place at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The main card airs live on pay per view.

The main event is Lesnar’s first title defense after unifying the UFC’s heavyweight belts with a UFC 100 win over then-interim champ Frank Mir.

Meanwhile, Carwin will seek his 12th-straight win in addition to the UFC’s heavyweight title. The 34-year-old has yet to fight longer than 2:11 in any bout.

Ortiz announced his intentions to fight Coleman in August when he posted a video of him signing and faxing his bout agreement for the fight. The 34-year-old fights for the first time since a May 2008 decision loss to Lyoto Machida.

Coleman, meanwhile, looks to build off his July win over Stephan Bonnar at UFC 100. The victory was Coleman’s first since a February 2006 win over Mauricio “Shogun” Rua under the PRIDE banner and his first in the UFC’s octagon since February 1997.

Tickets for UFC 106 are scheduled to go on sale to the general public on Saturday, Sept. 19, at Ticketmaster.com, while UFC Fight Club members will have the first shot at tickets on Thursday, Sept. 17.

Champ Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin, Tito Ortiz vs. Mark Coleman official for UFC 106 is a post from: AroDrive