The NFL Veterans of the Ultimate Fighter 10 Cast Get Some Attention
by Kid Nate on Aug 26, 2009 10:38 PM EDT
in News
34 comments
The New York Times covers the story in their football section:
This fall, a number of former pro football players are trying to follow in (Lesnar's) footsteps. As part of the cast of Spike TV's reality show, The Ultimate Fighter, Marcus Jones, Matt Mitrione, Brendan Schaub and Wes Shivers will compete for a chance to fight in the U.F.C.
...
Mitrione, 31, said that intensity is part of what attracted him to the sport. A former Shotokan karate practitioner, he stopped training in martial arts in high school after he found success in football.
...
While the former N.F.L. players may not have made it in football, they are all explosive athletes, according to Rashad Evans, one of the coaches on the show, especially compared with the average heavyweight in mixed martial arts. And Lesnar's success, Evans said, has proved that power and athleticism can go a long way.
Yet technique is still vital in mixed martial arts, and unlike Lesnar, who was an N.C.A.A. wrestling champion, the former N.F.L. players are largely green. They may initially struggle because of their raw and and rudimentary skills.
The combination of cast members of this season's TUF is more intriguing and promising than any since the talent stacked TUF 5 that the UFC used to beef up their relaunched lightweight division in 2007. That season brought us Gray Maynard, Nate Diaz, Joe Lauzon, Matt Wiman, Cole Miller, Manny Gamburyan, and Rob Emerson.
The UFC has clearly made a serious commitment to beefing up their heavyweight class. Now that it's their money division, they need the depth and they need a stream of credible contenders to face champ and superstar Brock Lesnar.
I'm very curious to see how these four NFL caliber athletes fare against the more experienced MMA fighters like Wes Sims and Roy Nelson and of course, Kimbo Slice.
The combination of the very stacked TUF cast and the spate of heavyweight acquisitions that are going straight into the big show -- Ben Rothwell, Chase Gormley, Chris Tuchscherer, Mike Russow, Todd Duffee -- really show a commitment to beefing up the heavyweight division in a big way. I can't wait to see the fruits of these investments in the cage.
0 recs |
34 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Wasn’t someone quoted saying Marcus Jones was one of the stand-outs of the season?
by midwestbred on Aug 26, 2009 9:45 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
i haven't seen that
i remember several people saying they expected a good showing from Jones but nothing since the show came out.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Aug 26, 2009 10:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
whose footsteps?
who were they talking about in the paragraph before those you posted? Lesnar?
by David_ on Aug 26, 2009 9:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
yup
fixed that, thanks!
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Aug 26, 2009 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not fair.
you get to delete your failed replies
by David_ on Aug 26, 2009 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
magical mod powers
what I don’t understand is how they happen — I know how to work the dang reply button!
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Aug 26, 2009 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sad Gimmick
The football guys are just a gimmick for this season.
Two words – Johnny Morton. The way he got KO’ed was really sad and is what’s going to happen to the football players on the show. Football is a game that’s not reliant on a lot of cardio and uses a skillset that these guys aren’t used to. Get ready for some gassing and fast knockouts as these guys humiliate themselves.
The fighting diversion is going to leave a lot of them hurt and they won’t be going very far in the MMA game. The fact that they are here is a sorry reflection of the heavyweight picture and It is sad that they are just actors in the Kimbo circus.
by cyke on Aug 26, 2009 11:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
what a remarkably cynical take
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
by Kid Nate on Aug 26, 2009 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Guess what the person who beat Lesnar in the NCAA finals has been doing?
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Aug 26, 2009 11:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Blocking d-linemen in front of Tom Brady, good point.
by Wonderlic on Aug 26, 2009 11:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not getting a body on Bernard Pollard?
"Japan is half-Machida" - iiowyn
by Day Man on Aug 27, 2009 3:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
making more money
Dont get down on Forrest, no one has moves like Anderson Silva.
by ryanwk628 on Aug 27, 2009 11:02 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Do you realize these guys have trained and fought MMA before? It’s not like they don’t know what they are getting into…seriously.
"You guys are jerking eachother off with some pseudo deep bullshit." - Kid Nate
by kyfm621 on Aug 27, 2009 12:45 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
No cardio?
Have you ever played football?
I dislike Matt Hughes.
by MonkeyCHops on Aug 27, 2009 12:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
this is what I was wondering as well…
by Reaser16 on Aug 27, 2009 2:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Compared to wrestlers?
FB players don’t have the same cardio, at least not in HS. I used to set up trash cans for the FB players to throw up in during warmups when I coached HS wrestling. Obviously, college and NFL, would be different, but FB players are used to competing at top level for 8 seconds at a time. Doesn’t work that way in MMA.
Jim Palmer: "I said to Nolan, 'Why do you run every ball out like that?' and he said, 'Why wouldn’t you?' "
by duck on Aug 27, 2009 7:23 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
+ 1. A game where a long series lasts about 4 minutes at most with breaks for getting into position does not translate into the sustained action of MMA. These are larger guys for whom cardio will be an issue and its not going to be pretty.
by cyke on Aug 27, 2009 8:59 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
As has already been pointed out, you do realize these former NFL guys train MMA and have already had MMA fights right? Lets not act like they pulled them straight off the gridiron and stuck them in an octagon, they know exactly what they are getting in to and have been preparing for it (some of them for years now).
by who me on Aug 27, 2009 9:12 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
different things, sprints and distance. Thats like saying usain bolt had bad cardio because he runs for less than ten seconds. The one thing about NFL guys, is when you have that kind of athletic ability, you transition very easily.
Dont get down on Forrest, no one has moves like Anderson Silva.
by ryanwk628 on Aug 27, 2009 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Yep.
Also, while NFL guys only go in short 5-10 second bursts, they have great recovery abilities.
by Steve4192 on Aug 27, 2009 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
You’re correct, football does generally require a different kind of cardio, and especially so in highschool. But this is FAR from highschool. The best of the best in highschool play in top-tier college football programs. The best players from there find their way to the NFL.
Obviously professional football didn’t work out for these guys (I honestly don’t know much about the history – football, fighting, or otherwise – of the ex-NFL guys on TUF) but just getting there in the first place says something about the caliber of athlete that they are. Also considering they didn’t just begin training MMA at the beginning of TUF, I think they deserve a little more credit.
But if you are stupid, you will be beaten with a stick - Proverbs 10:13
by Ominous on Aug 27, 2009 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
come on cyke
So you are going to judge an future fighter who has a NFL/or fottball background to that success Johnny Morton had ? There are tons of fighters who have a background in football in MMA. Shane Carwin is a great example if not for his back injury before the 98 Draft he would of been drafted even after the injury he was invited to the Colts training camp. Please don’t judge all fighters together who have played the same sport befroe hand ? If just makes no sence there is no way you can no there still set buy what Johnny Morton did or did not do for that matter in MMA.
by Shocbomb on Aug 27, 2009 9:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Not buying it
Guys, read the article. These are just some lower tier guys who couldn’t cut it in the NFL and are trying out something else.
Going to a McDojo for some basic jiu-jitsu and striking is not going to make you a good fighter. They aren’t specialized in any discipline or have the stamina to go three rounds and it will show come fight time.
Know who else is training MMA? Matt Leinert. Can you seriously say that he would be any good in a ring/cage, let alone on the football field? Why isn’t “athlete” Jose Canseco in the TUF house? Was he busy?
The fighters that you will see will be of the Canseco/Leinart weekend warrior caliber and it will be a trainwreck. This is an exercise in hype. Plain and simple.
However, I will be watching it all. Because that’s what you do when you see a trainwreck.
by cyke on Aug 27, 2009 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
How do all other MMA fighters start out in MMA? They start training. Just like these guys, give them a chance.
'Ello G'vnor!
by IHateMMA on Aug 27, 2009 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions 6 recs
LOL
Come on man. Be serious.
Brendan Schaub is 4-0 and tearing up the same circuit that training partner Shane Carwin tore up in 2007 in exactly the same fashion. All of his fights have ended in TKO within the first 90 seconds. The guy obviously has some ability.
Marcus Jones is 4-1, trains out of a respected camp (Gracie Tampa) and turned pro nearly two years ago. His first career win came via submission.
I’ll grant you that Mitrione and Shivers are suspect, but Schaub & Jones are the real deal.
by Steve4192 on Aug 27, 2009 11:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
These are guys who have been training seriously for a while now, (i wouldn’t call Greg Jackson’s camp a “mcdojo”) and most already have notable fight experience. Perhaps you should do a bit of basic research before you stereotype these four fighters like that.
by who me on Aug 27, 2009 12:55 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
First time in a while that I have been excited about an upcoming TUF. Not only for the show itself, but the aftermath for the division. It really brings questions that I will enjoy seeing answered.
Mostly, if these big guys do well, will it finally lead to a split in the division? I certainly hope so.
In any case, this TUF season can’t come soon enough for me.
Also, on a pessimistic note — if Kimbo doesn’t fight in the first two or three episodes, can we assume that some behind the scene manipulation is going on? Hmmm… :)
by mythbuster on Aug 27, 2009 1:03 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Spike has always changed the timing of fights shown to make for better drama. They most likely will not influence when Kimbo fights, but will probably change the order it is shown in.
A man should never waste an opportunity to keep his mouth shut.
by iiowyn on Aug 27, 2009 2:48 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I still wish they did LW’s this season instead of try and build a whole season around Kimbo Slice.
for all intents and purposes, just consider all my posts as works of satire.
by Bandaka on Aug 27, 2009 2:21 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
They have done lightweights three times now, and in each of the past two seasons. The heavyweight division is the least showcased division on TUF with only one season featuring them, and even then that was a cast full of overblown light heavyweights. This season actually has some big, athletic heavyweights and Kimbo is just as much of a prospect as some of the bottom of the barrell lightweights they would have dug up trying to fill another season’s roster.
This shirt is "dry clean only", which means it's dirty.
by SamCupitt on Aug 27, 2009 3:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They were planning on heavyweights before Kimbo came up. They dropped light heavyweight and decided to go all heavyweight about half way through the process, which is about the only difference in this and other seasons (and being as how they haven’t done heavyweights since season 2 it makes sense).
by who me on Aug 27, 2009 9:18 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bloody Elbow
Related FanShots on Bloody Elbow
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
MMA Rankings
Certain photos copyright © 2009 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
