Dana White eyeing Bobby Lashley: "Lashley is taking a much slower approach to the sport than...

THIS is why Strikeforce should be trying to lock him up now. He has potential as a PPV draw…which is more than I can say for some of the heavyweights on their roster.

by madiq on Aug 11, 2009 3:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Lashley won’t sign with Strikeforce if he knows more money will be given to him by Zuffa. It’s worth the risk of fighting the Ron Waterman’s of the world….

by AlwaysRelaxing on Aug 11, 2009 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

what risk?

if he can’t beat Ron Waterman…..

Follow me on Twitter @KidNate

by Kid Nate on Aug 11, 2009 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good point.

I bet Lashley gets signed by Zuffa by June ’10 at the latest.

by AlwaysRelaxing on Aug 11, 2009 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

2010?

It will happen by the end of this year, I see this being a big announcement perhaps at the last event of 2009

He was like 'You hit like a bitch.' I'm like all right. And I stood up and slapped him. I go 'Now you just got hit like one.'" - Kurt Pellegrino.

by Gunslinger20 on Aug 11, 2009 9:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Fedor going to Strikeforce makes the UFC so much more likely to sign him. He would be a marketable guy…The average fan might see him and Brock as the same guy.

by SES 84 on Aug 11, 2009 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I’m guessing you meant “Lashley” when you said “Fedor.” If so, I agree.

by madiq on Aug 11, 2009 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I have a friend

that watches whatever wrestling organization Lashley is in, and he’s already asking me if/when he’ll be in the UFC fighting Brock. I suspect his career will get fast-tracked sooner than later.

by rzor on Aug 11, 2009 3:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe you could talk to your friend about Satoshi Ishii or Fedor and get them on the fast-track.

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.

by jemaleddin on Aug 11, 2009 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

Shouldn’t he focus on some one maybe a bit more relevant then ishii and Fedor? How about talk to him about machida and anderson, maybe couture at 205 and hw. Why waste his time with two guys with no relevence to main stream mma

"What do you want from me?..... A Slap?"

by xtremecouture on Aug 11, 2009 4:11 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

IT’s true – his friend is a pretty important guy – don’t want to waste his time with some crazy bullshit like that…

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.

by jemaleddin on Aug 11, 2009 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

Well If you want to be truthful lashley is more important then fedor since he is more marketable at the moment and that makes money and money is what its all about

"What do you want from me?..... A Slap?"

by xtremecouture on Aug 11, 2009 4:39 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

I hear he really has a problem being hit. Obviously, nobody likes to be hit, but you have to overcome that anxiety to succeed, imo.

www.knees2thehead.com
Check it out!!

by BJJDenver on Aug 11, 2009 3:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I dunno – that seems to work fine for Machida.

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.

by jemaleddin on Aug 11, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs

rec'd

You just won that argument right there.

Keep firing Assholes!

Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead.

by Ubernoober on Aug 11, 2009 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

There is no argument.

1st off, how do you compare a veteran like Machida to a new fighter like Lashley, there is no body of work and especially no high end competition.

2nd, I know several of his training partners and this comes from their mouths.

3rd, Lesner and most of the UFC HWs are at a far higher level than Lashley is right now.

4th, Lashley himself recognizes this and works everyday to get better.

5th, again, what does a guy that has anxiety about getting punched have to do with a guy that is elusive and hard to hit?? Machida and Lashley employ the same style???

6th, a guy whose game is built around closing and getting the takedown, better be ready to absorb a few strikes.

www.knees2thehead.com
Check it out!!

by BJJDenver on Aug 12, 2009 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Did your funny bone break?

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.

by jemaleddin on Aug 12, 2009 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I did get a little butt hurt didn’t I, lol!

www.knees2thehead.com
Check it out!!

by BJJDenver on Aug 12, 2009 8:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Actually Machida has no problem being hit. Its other people that have the problem hitting Machida.

"Japan is half-Machida" - iiowyn

by Day Man on Aug 11, 2009 5:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He has no problem being hit? How would we know?! :-)

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.

by jemaleddin on Aug 12, 2009 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They’ve been saying the exact same thing about Lesnar since he entered the sport.

by Foxskinrug on Aug 11, 2009 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Btw, I always questioned brocks chin too after Randy rocked him but then at ufc 100 when I saw Frank make him see stars for a moment I realized Brock has a pretty stable chin at leasts

"What do you want from me?..... A Slap?"

by xtremecouture on Aug 11, 2009 4:08 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

I stopped questioning Brock’s chin after he attempted a shooting star press at Wrestlemania, landed on his head, and was able to continue the match with a concussion.

by deepbeep on Aug 11, 2009 4:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You get that those matches are fake, right? Nobody was actually trying to hurt him? And he was receiving instructions from the ref as to what to do? Yeah?

Don't believe a word I say, I don't train BJJ.
I blog at TangleBones - you should follow me on Twitter here.

by jemaleddin on Aug 12, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

he is a physical specimen

Whose a bit raw but getting better and yes wrestling is the best base to start in mma but come on no offense but this dude isn’t very marketable other then he is huge and ripped. I think he will beat waterman but after that he should fight a ufc cast off and at that point should he win he should get a chance to fight on a fight night card vs a tuf 10 loser

"What do you want from me?..... A Slap?"

by xtremecouture on Aug 11, 2009 4:05 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

People know him from the WWE

That’s where his marketability comes from. Yes he wasn’t the huge star Brock was, but he was still a rising star who was very well “protected” before he left. He wasn’t hugely popular but he was still popular, and made to look like a badass. So yeah, you get a bit of the wrestling demographic. It helps that physically the dude looks like a tank. He’s not Lesnar-sized but he’s still enormous.

If he can keep building up his record successfully and with increasingly stronger fighters, I think he would be ready for the UFC in about three more fights, or maybe he could go directly to Strikeforce if he beats Ron Waterman.

by Chromium on Aug 11, 2009 4:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lashley currently has a part-time contract with TNA wrestling (he has a family to feed so I really don’t get any of the hate he’s gotten from that). I have no idea how long it is but my guess would be a year, or maybe even just six months. I doubt the UFC would let him keep wrestling so he’s not going to be available until he finishes that contract, but Strikeforce would still be an option before then. I think he signed in May, so the most likely time he could be available to the UFC would be May of next year.

The UFC is in the poaching game right now, which includes locking up any fighter that might be in any way a draw for Strikeforce as long as they aren’t has-beens like Ken Shamrock. Now really is the time to be a rising star, because the UFC will pay you more than they used to just to keep you away from the competition. Lashley isn’t about to headline a SF event, but with how thin their HW division is, he could easily be a main-card fighter for them and add a bit of much needed depth.

Anyway my guess is if he doesn’t sign with Strikeforce after beating Ron Waterman, it’s because he may be holding out for the UFC until he’s contractually available.

by Chromium on Aug 11, 2009 4:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I get really tired of this “he has to feed his family” argument when we’re talking about pro athletes. Lashley has probably made more money in the last year than I’ve made in the last ten, let’s not pretend like his kids are gonna starve if he doesn’t make an appearance on TnA Impact next week.

Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.

by ufc4 on Aug 11, 2009 6:18 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

I understand where you’re coming from, but at the same time, not all pro athletes are the same. And we’re not talking priorities, just simple economics. I haven’t seen Lashley’s contract, but I guarantee you he wasn’t making John Cena/HHH money no matter how hard they were pushing him. I doubt Lashley was there long enough to get the perks of having his travel/hotel comped and not to mention if we have no idea how much he’s paying for his MMA training. Don’t we complain all the time how these guys on the lower rung barely make enough to pay for their training camps?

Then again, I could be completely off and the guy hid his money from girlfriend/fiance (who has an ass I take a beatdown from Fedor and Brock at the same time just to touch), saved up, and is rolling in more dough than all of us will see this year.

by black dragon on Aug 11, 2009 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is Lashley a multi-millionaire? Probably not, but he’s making a lot more than these “lower rung” guys because of who he is, I believe his last fight paid him $40-60,000, more than I’ll make this entire year, and both of my kids eat just fine.

Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.

by ufc4 on Aug 11, 2009 8:05 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

First off, I get really tired of people crapping on people doing pro-wrestling on the side just because it’s pro-wrestling and not MMA. Do you seriously have a moral problem with him doing pro-wrestling, and does it make him a worse fighter if he’s wrestling part-time for a wrestling promotion where even the full time guys only work 10 days a month? If he reinvests some of that wrestling money into more trainers it may even be helping his MMA.

Secondly, is Lashley going to still be making the sort of money he is now when he’s 45? Maybe, but it’s unlikely. Professional athletes have much shorter careers than most, which is why he better take advantage of his opportunities while he can. You’re right in that I’m sure his kids would eat fine without him wrestling in TNA, but the more money he makes, the more opportunities his kids will have, and I think you’d do the same for your kids unless you feel what he’s doing somehow morally wrong or offensive. And as you said, he’s not likely a multi-millionaire. He’s not making NBA money or even NHL money.

Third, of course he’s making a lot more money than the “lower rung” guys because of who he is. Obviously the promoters feel his drawing power justifies it.

by Chromium on Aug 11, 2009 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Some wrestlers blow all their money immediately. Lashley drives a Cadillac Escalade, but also talks of investing in mutual funds and life insurance plans. He just opened a shop that sells health smoothie drinks. He’d like to open a gym, or even a chain of gymnasiums in the future.

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/arts/story.html?id=67b7badb-4a9b-449e-97f4-0f8743440273

The Lashley Network is a portal for Lashley’s network of websites. Sites under the Lashley Network of website include his personal site, his nutrition store, and his new online social networking website. BobbyLashley.net serves as Bobby’s official site for news on Bobby’s MMA career. Bobby’s online store Lashley Nutrition was launched in 2008. FightBobby.com is a social networking site for online fans to connect with each other and chat with Bobby.

http://www.aawebandmarketing.com/news.php

Instead of getting all pro wrestling defensive (I was probably watching pro wrestling before you were born) it should be pointed out that Bobby Lashley has a business degree and knows to invest his money wisely. He isn’t doing pro wrestling with TNA to feed his family he’s doing it because A) he likes doing pro wrestling and B) he gets more money and exposure out of it. The guy isn’t poor or desperate to feed his family, they are secure because Bobby Lashley is a smart guy who knows how to make and invest money.

by who me on Aug 11, 2009 9:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He isn’t doing pro wrestling with TNA to feed his family he’s doing it because A) he likes doing pro wrestling and B) he gets more money and exposure out of it. The guy isn’t poor or desperate to feed his family, they are secure because Bobby Lashley is a smart guy who knows how to make and invest money.

Thank you who me, my thoughts exactly. Chromium, I don’t give a shit if Lashley is a pro wrestler or not, if that’s what he wants to do then more power to him, but you were the one who started with this “he has a family to feed” crap and I’m calling BS. He isn’t wrestling to feed his kids, he’s wrestling so they can have a bigger house than all their friends and will have the nicest car when they turn 16. I don’t buy the idea that it is helping his MMA, it just takes time away from his training and puts him at major risk of injury which would further hinder his career.

Walla walla walla I'm an idiot.

by ufc4 on Aug 11, 2009 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

But it does give him an additional outlet to promote himself on the outskirts of the Zuffa Umbrella…

Nothing wrong with that.

by madiq on Aug 11, 2009 11:44 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why did you even bring it up if you don’t care whether or not he’s wrestling?
Okay, like I said three posts up, “you’re right in that I’m sure his kids would eat fine without him wrestling.” Point ceded on that his kids won’t starve.

However, do you really think that spending a lot of money on your kids is all about blinging them out? You can’t be serious. Regardless of whether or not his kids have nice cars, making a lot of money now means if he’s sensible (and I think he seems to be), his kids will get the opportunity to go to better schools and colleges, and have a better shot of having successful lives of their own. A good education costs a hell of a lot more than a really nice car anyway, and has a much bigger effect on a kid’s life than growing up in a big house.

by Chromium on Aug 12, 2009 1:00 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

id work for tna on the side too if i was lashley tna films like a whole month of episodes at once to me that sounds like an easy way to pay training bills and still live large till he gets on the big show

by ldglass on Aug 12, 2009 4:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

They also film television and some of their PPVs in Orlando, which is just a three hour drive from ATT’s facility in Coconut Creek. It seems like a pretty good set-up for him.

by Chromium on Aug 12, 2009 5:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He’s no Lesnar but obviously the UFC is going to be paying attention (you would hope they have someone keeping an eye on every prospect out there). He’s not ready for the UFC but it wouldn’t surprise me if they locked him up anyway. Heck being as he is also on TNA wrestling maybe they could get SpikeTV to pay his contract?

by who me on Aug 11, 2009 4:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Waterman vs Lashley, who will gas first?

I say both will be gassed by 3 mins 30 seconds into the first.

by DirtyML on Aug 11, 2009 4:48 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Best decision for Lashley ...

would be to sign with Strikeforce … They won’t restrict him like the UFC will do if under contract. Lashley has actually been on record lately saying he wants to continue in entertainment wrestling in the future.

Strikeforce would be a good place to be a star and headliner right away. I think he needs Strikeforce as much as they need him to beef up that middle tier of their HW roster. Lashley won’t have the benefit Lesnar did by being catapulted into the title shot after two fights as he will actually have to earn himself and prove he belongs. I want to see him step up in competition and fight some guys who are relevant. I would love to see him fight Werdum, Buentello, Monson or Rogers.

I’m rooting for the guy because I’ve seen him on Inside MMA and he is a lot more humble than Lesnar is at this stage in his career. He doesn’t seem to have that sense of trying to always prove himself as legitimate like Lesnar. Maybe thats just good handling.

by Johnnynumber5 on Aug 11, 2009 5:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Plus, Lashey could go to Japan, and get a few entertainment fights over in DREAM, or fight a few “under the radar” fights for M-1.

by madiq on Aug 11, 2009 5:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

his whole reason for wanting to continue pro wrestling was to feed his family, cause the shows he’s doing now are low rent, i’m sure once he has a couple more fights under his belt ufc will give him a decent wage, plus he’ll be able to rack up more sponsor $

by kanodogg on Aug 11, 2009 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A while ago, on the Big O and Dukes radio show, Dana said that Lashley would NEVER be in the UFC.

"Negative, negative. I gotta stay lean and lightning and ready to fight." Capt. H.M. Murdock

by BadB on Aug 11, 2009 5:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Why would he say that? Does he has a known beef with lashley? It’s not like lashley is doing anything bad for the sport or against the ufc right now. He is gaining experience on small shows, the slow way, nothing wrong with this.

You don't look like a Tanaka.

by spectaa on Aug 11, 2009 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dunno why. But he said it. Doesn’t really matter, really. Dana flip-flops constantly.

"Negative, negative. I gotta stay lean and lightning and ready to fight." Capt. H.M. Murdock

by BadB on Aug 11, 2009 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

really.

"Negative, negative. I gotta stay lean and lightning and ready to fight." Capt. H.M. Murdock

by BadB on Aug 11, 2009 8:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously!

Forget it.I’m not going to drag the s word into this conversation.The whole thing is getting old and I hope this isnt a sign of the future.I guess you can only evolve so much before you end up at the beginning.

by E.Nightmare on Aug 11, 2009 6:32 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Serpentine? Surreptitious? Sarsaparilla? Snuffalufagus?

I STILL poop rainbows.

by Blackout612 on Aug 11, 2009 6:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Too many dudes are surreptitiously hitting the snuffalufagus right now.They need better snuffalufagus testing.

by E.Nightmare on Aug 11, 2009 7:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

When the UFC came to Chicago Bobby Lashley was behind the scenes (kinda) and it appeared that he was with either TapOut and/or UFC management. When the weigh ins were done he came around to the back and signed autographs – so I don’t think he’d totally out of the picture.

Yes, time flies. And where did it leave you? Old too soon...smart too late. - Mike Tyson

by lovingmma25 on Aug 11, 2009 11:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Either way, I like Lashley's ethic

He’s earned my respect for simply going from something full time that he was making more money to starting from the ground up in a different kind of competition, learning as he goes and taking the baby steps. That’s a great quality that if he keeps getting better and keeps winning, people should take more notice when he decides to jump to a bigger promotion.

"I call this here Clark Kent. Just sniff this, right here. It’s good, huh?! You smoke this s**t and you just wanna rip your clothes off in a phone booth and fight crime"

by TheKCB on Aug 12, 2009 1:42 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs