Catching up on some MMA…
By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com
Been pumped about the first two months of boxing, can’t say as much about the first two months of MMA.
Nothing has stood out, but there were a couple of announcements in the last two days that actually have me excited.
No. 1: Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir will fight for the UFC heavyweight title at UFC 98 in Las Vegas.
Mir, of course, made Lesnar tap out to a kneebar 13 months ago. Lesnar came in a little reckless and got caught.
It’s made him a better fight as he’s looked more disciplined and calm in the Octagon his last couple of times out. Especially in his last bout where he knocked out Randy Couture in the second round.
Mir was beyond dominant in becoming the first person to ever stop Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira on Dec. 27 (my birthday).
Mir is on the biggest role in his MMA career, and this fight is being made at exactly the right time. Wish it wasn’t in Vegas but a more local, more frenzied atmosphere, but can’t get everything.
No. 2: Might take some heat for this one, but Ken Shamrock and former WWE wrestler Bobby Lashley have agreed to fight March 21 on the same card as Roy Jones and Omar Sheika. It’s a mix of boxing and MMA on the same PPV in Pensacola.
My wrestling bias is why I dig this so much. I’ve gone on record in the past saying how much I still remember the Shamrock of 12, 13 years ago instead of the one now. You can’t take away those memories from me.
And Lashley, well, I was a Lashley fan in the WWE. His heart wasn’t in it 100 percent and he left to pursue this career. He won his first fight in December. And I don’t know what a win vs. Shamrock would mean in the grand scheme of things, but it’s got my interest.
Lashley was a solid amateur wrestler and one of the best in the armed forces. He’s 32, so he can’t really sit around and wait.
***
Former Oklahoma State wrestler Johny Hendricks picked up his second win in the WEC on Sunday night. The two-time national champion won a unanimous decision on the undercard of featherweight Mike Brown’s win.
Really hoping Brown and Urijah Faber have a rematch. Faber got arrogant with that spinning back punch and got caught. Brown’s a rough and gruff dude.
This Saturday is UFC 96 with Rampage Jackson vs. Keith Jardine as the main event. I’ve said it before, but it’s just too many UFC events going on. I don’t see this as a PPV-worthy main event so even if I wasn’t at HS basketball, I wouldn’t buy this.
You have to be more selective in this economy, and the UFC PPVs are getting to be overkill at this point. Still interested in the results but not in the forking over the money anymore.
- Cowboy Bill Watts is the latest member that will be inducted as part of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2009.
Watts played football at OU and with the Houston Oilers and Minnesota Vikings before turning to wrestling.
Plan on doing much more on Watts when the ceremony (April 4) gets closer.
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