Pro Wrestling did NOT sell UFC 117, talking shit did
by II SMASH II on Aug 17, 2010 9:49 PM EDT
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Everyone is all caught up on it, for one reason or another, but pro wrestling antics did not sell UFC 117. Shit talk sold UFC 117 plain and simple. A bunch of guys acting out false emotions and aggresions every monday night didn't sell 117. Chael Sonen dared to talk shit about Anderson Silva. Who up to that point had said a word about Silva? Silva had an aura about him, he was a destroyer of simple mortals by the name of Marquardt, Leites, Cote, Leben, and Maia. Sonen had the balls to talk shit to the baddest man at middleweight, and he talked a ton of it. He blew our minds and even tricked some of us into believing he had a much larger chance than he really did. Of course talking shit can only get you so far, especially when the matches aren't worked. I personally bought 117 to see if Sonen could back it up, he had ran his mouth so much by the time that 117 came around that I had to see if Sonen would nut up or shut up. All my buddies who also purchased 117 didn't buy it because it reminded them of wreslting, they bought it because they know what Silva can do to people and wanted to see what would happen when he was aggravated. Sonnen talk some legit shit, he cut to the point, pushed the limits, and then shocked the MMA world. Pro wrestling had nothing to do with it.
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why u mad tho?
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor/MC's be out like bank robbers/Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor/DJ the getaway driver/Tried to dip but he dive, I socialize on vocal vibes/On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
by Anthony Pace on Aug 17, 2010 10:02 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Too many people mad tonight. Somebody needs to pass the internet blunt.
Follow me on Twitter @kkelchner621
watchkalibrun.com
by Kaleb Kelchner on Aug 17, 2010 10:07 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
people need to get some “fuck it” in their system
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor/MC's be out like bank robbers/Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor/DJ the getaway driver/Tried to dip but he dive, I socialize on vocal vibes/On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
by Anthony Pace on Aug 17, 2010 10:11 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I'm not mad at all
People are just trying to hard to say that pro wreslting is the reason for the buy rate when it isn’t. Sonen talked shit, thats not unique to wrestling.
"If I woke up looking like that, I would run towards the nearest living thing and kill it." -Master Shake
We have to take the amulet to the banana king!
by II SMASH II on Aug 17, 2010 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions
i was just joking
but there are parallels. usually in MMA its just some pre-taped balogna about “He needs to shut his mouth. I’m gonna knock him out.” Thats pretty standard. And then sometimes showbiz and reality bcome muddied (think Edge and Matt Hardy)
I throw raps that attack like the Japs on Pearl Harbor/MC's be out like bank robbers/Fleeing the scene, to be a sole survivor/DJ the getaway driver/Tried to dip but he dive, I socialize on vocal vibes/On tracks stabbed up with razor sharp knives
by Anthony Pace on Aug 17, 2010 10:44 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Pro wrestling = shit talking.
Think about it.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Aug 17, 2010 10:19 PM EDT reply actions
Pro wrestling is falsified shit talking
and lame theatrics.
"If I woke up looking like that, I would run towards the nearest living thing and kill it." -Master Shake
We have to take the amulet to the banana king!
by II SMASH II on Aug 17, 2010 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions
Nobody's disagreeing about the theatrics
And I don’t see anyone defending pro wrestling. The efficacy of building up a story line and compelling casual fans (that, for some reason, seem to value heat and smack talk) is undeniable, and about the only thing holding it up these days.
How can supplementing – not replacing – good, quality mixed martial arts with elements of other mediums that have proven successful be a bad thing?
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Aug 17, 2010 10:31 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't see any supplementing
I see Sonnen running his mouth to a bigger check
"If I woke up looking like that, I would run towards the nearest living thing and kill it." -Master Shake
We have to take the amulet to the banana king!
by II SMASH II on Aug 17, 2010 10:51 PM EDT up reply actions
1) His “check” didn’t include a cut of the PPV revenue
2) More PPV buys = more revenue for the company = a larger amount of money from which everyone’s checks come
3) You can say “I hate Chael Sonnen but the son of a bitch knows how to sell a fight.” How hard is that?
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Aug 17, 2010 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't hate chael, I thought this whole thing was brilliant
"If I woke up looking like that, I would run towards the nearest living thing and kill it." -Master Shake
We have to take the amulet to the banana king!
by II SMASH II on Aug 17, 2010 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions
So
did you just completely ignore the part where Chael admitted that pro wrestling was a huge influence on how he did things?
Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.
CagesideSeats.com
apparently nothing really sold 117
600k buys isnt that huge considering it was sliva , hughes , nelson , jds , alves ect
by Richard Doughty on Aug 17, 2010 10:31 PM EDT reply actions
What?
The last three Anderson Silva title defenses averaged about 300,000 (Cote, Maia, Leites). This card exceeded the hell out of expectations, and with a potentially negative co-headliner in Jon Fitch.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Aug 17, 2010 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Leitas defense did 650,000
but that also had Chuck-Shogun
by mma_critic on Aug 18, 2010 7:35 AM EDT up reply actions
Pro wrestling = over the top characters
Chael wasn’t merely “talking shit”. That’s what Dan Hardy does. Chael took it to a character level. Tito talks shit. Saying Anderson dances instead of fights is talking shit. Saying getting a Nog BB is like a Happy Meal toy is some pro wres shit.
Period.
Chael has admitted to calling Roddy Piper for help on his promo game.
If Chael was just talking shit, he would’ve admitted his wrongdoing with Lance Armstrong. No, he said “Nuh uh, wasn’t me”. Pro wrestling shit.
Get over it MMA fans, there are elements of pro wrestling.
Rashad/Rampage wasn’t pro wrestling, that was boxing shit talking.
/sarcasm
Better known as Black Lesnar
Read me at WatchKalibRun
by S.C. Michaelson on Aug 17, 2010 11:44 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
So because he said something and then denied he said it, its pro wrestling?
"If I woke up looking like that, I would run towards the nearest living thing and kill it." -Master Shake
We have to take the amulet to the banana king!
by II SMASH II on Aug 17, 2010 11:58 PM EDT up reply actions
That is one example of pro wrestling in Chael's shit talking
using the country of an opponent to denigrate him is classic pro wrestling
Heeling on your opponent’s manager…pro wres
/sarcasm
Better known as Black Lesnar
Read me at WatchKalibRun
by S.C. Michaelson on Aug 18, 2010 12:17 AM EDT up reply actions
Who actually does like Soares?
"If I woke up looking like that, I would run towards the nearest living thing and kill it." -Master Shake
We have to take the amulet to the banana king!
by II SMASH II on Aug 18, 2010 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions
You take public sentiment and amplify them past the point of no return.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Aug 18, 2010 1:43 AM EDT up reply actions
Is this good.... Or bad?
"If I woke up looking like that, I would run towards the nearest living thing and kill it." -Master Shake
We have to take the amulet to the banana king!
Well, that’s not what your piece it’s about. It’s about what sold UFC 117 (I consider selling PPV’s a good thing for the most part). The answer for that is pretty much pro wrestling.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Aug 18, 2010 1:49 AM EDT up reply actions
That whole Soares thing was a joke more than anything
And I obviously agree selling PPV’s is a good thing. What makes this more pro wrestling/less shit talking to you then?
"If I woke up looking like that, I would run towards the nearest living thing and kill it." -Master Shake
We have to take the amulet to the banana king!
Rampage/Rashad was two guys that just flat didn’t like each other. Oil and water. Genuine animosity. When that doesn’t exist – you get two guys as different as Chael and Anderson, and Silva shit talking someone would elevate him to his level so he’ll never do it – you have to crank up something to generate heat. Again, let me clarify – not for me. I don’t give a shit about any of it. But apparently hundreds of thousands of people do.
Again – in the absence of real heat, you gotta make something up. The Iron Sheik didn’t really hate America. Irwin R Shyster didn’t really work for the IRS. The Ultimate Warrior… well, he really was nuts, but he painted his face and gave goofy ass interviews because… well, again, actually crazy, but you get the idea. The sport is enough for fans like us. For everyone else, there’ shtick.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Aug 18, 2010 2:14 AM EDT up reply actions
You think Chael likes Anderson?
I personally think theres atleast some animosity there
"If I woke up looking like that, I would run towards the nearest living thing and kill it." -Master Shake
We have to take the amulet to the banana king!
He’s sure been speaking of him in glowing terms since the fight. One of the two, at the very least, it a pro wrestling type gimmick designed to sell a fight – either the first one through hatred or the second one through respect.
When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are in a confederacy against him. - Jonathan Swift
Contributor for WatchKalibRun.com
Still Subo at Fightlinker.com
by Derek Suboticki on Aug 18, 2010 2:25 AM EDT up reply actions
Or you gain respect for someone after they beat you after you tried your very best against them?
I gotta play the advocate here
"If I woke up looking like that, I would run towards the nearest living thing and kill it." -Master Shake
We have to take the amulet to the banana king!
Is what Muhammed Ali did and what Floyd Mayweather does
also “pretty much pro wrestling?” What’s the distinction here?
Muhammed Ali acknlowdged that
his “shit talking” came from pro wrestling. He got advice from Gorgeous George. I think everything is linked to pro wrestling in one way or another. Shit talking, music entrances, promos, build ups, evolution, ect…
Ali was directly pro wres influenced
Money is a character as well. There’s PBF and then there’s “Money” Mayweather. Two different personas.
/sarcasm
Better known as Black Lesnar
Read me at WatchKalibRun
by S.C. Michaelson on Aug 18, 2010 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions
The whole thing about talking shit on a guys country is called cheap heat. It’s an easy way to get loved or hated because most everyone has an affinity for the country they are from.
What kills me is that so many people hate pro wrestling that they disregard things like Sonnen admitting that it influenced him and Tito Ortiz saying that he modeled his whole schtick after Stone Cold Steve Austin. Shamrock helped sell a bunch of early PPV’s with Ortiz off the strength of what? Yeah, pro wrestling. Who is the unquestioned biggest star the UFC has? A former pro wrestler.
Hate it or love it those are the facts. But you know, don’t let facts get in the way of your anger.
Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.
CagesideSeats.com
by Geno Mrosko on Aug 18, 2010 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Not mad at all man
In fact you seem more upset about this than anyone. Also, I have nothing against pro wrestling. It bores me and I dont follow it i’ll admit that, I just happen to disagree that the reason that UFC 117 did as well as it did (whether it be the 1 million buys or the 600k buys) was because of pro wrestling similarities.
"If I woke up looking like that, I would run towards the nearest living thing and kill it." -Master Shake
We have to take the amulet to the banana king!
by II SMASH II on Aug 18, 2010 12:35 AM EDT up reply actions
You’re right that UFC 117 didn’t have a good buyrate because people went “Shit, Chael Sonnen’s acting like a pro wrestler! Let’s buy this!” But there is no doubt Sonnen took notes on the “heel” roles in pro wrestling and added some of their tricks to his shit talking. I haven’t watched the WWF in years and it just seems plain to me Sonnen was playing an over-the-top heel.
...like young thieves in a glowing orchard, loosely jacketed against the cold and ten thousand worlds for the choosing.
- C. McCarthy
So let’s be honest here – are you interested in MMA as a sport, or are you primarily interested in MMA when it copies from pro wrestling (promotion as lifestyle brand, dudes “cutting promos”, etc)?
by VirtualBalboa on Aug 18, 2010 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Both
MMA is a sport, MMA is entertainment
MMA is in the business of “Entertaining sport”.
/sarcasm
Better known as Black Lesnar
Read me at WatchKalibRun
by S.C. Michaelson on Aug 18, 2010 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions
That’s not an answer to what I asked. You seem particularly interested of anything in MMA that is relatable to pro wrestling, from what I’ve seen. It looks like you’re seeking validation more than interested in athletic competition.
by VirtualBalboa on Aug 18, 2010 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions
No I don't.
It’s more like I recognize elements of pro wrestling when they present themselves in MMA. Unlike other who say “LALALALALAL NO PRO WRESTLING”.
You’re acting like I, or others, are pointing to pro wrestling in every MMA event, or even MOST events or event 1/2 or even 1/4 or even 1/100. Not.
It is not “seeking validation” to point out that Chael/Anderson’s buildup had elements of pro wrestling. Especially when Chael Sonnen himself admits to talking to, you guessed it, PRO WRESTLER Roddy Piper for promo help.
No one is looking a BJ/Edgar and saying “That’s pro wrestling” or even Lesnar/Carwin and saying “that’s pro wrestling”.
Some of you MMA fans refuse you admit that some of your sport is basically the evolution of what pro wrestling is and was about.
/sarcasm
Better known as Black Lesnar
Read me at WatchKalibRun
by S.C. Michaelson on Aug 18, 2010 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions
There are others pointing to pro wrestling in pretty much every MMA event. Who are you kidding? This is a sport where the top journo is a guy running a wrestling dirtsheet. He can’t help but compare to pro wrestling all the time.
What is seeking validation isn’t arguing that Chael Sonnen was influenced by pro wrestling. What’s seeking validation is saying that by trashtalking, it WAS pro wrestling. Look at your last sentence – “YOU MMA FANS REFUSE TO ADMIT ITS THE EVOLUTION!” But it isn’t! MMA isn’t an evolution of pro wrestling in the US. Its been co-opted by bitter pro wrestling fans as such, but is anything but. Aspects of business that are applicable to pro wrestling being shared with the UFC and MMA don’t make it “pro wrestling” any more than it makes boxing “pro wrestling” or NASCAR “pro wrestling”.
by VirtualBalboa on Aug 18, 2010 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Exactly
Thats the point everyone seems to be missing
"If I woke up looking like that, I would run towards the nearest living thing and kill it." -Master Shake
We have to take the amulet to the banana king!
by II SMASH II on Aug 18, 2010 11:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Who? Who are these people? Name them.
I don’t go to every nook and cranny of the MMA web, but I rarely see people saying things in mma are pro wresling UNLESS they are actually pro wrestling like.
You’re crazy if you don’t think MMA is the evolution of pro wrestling. Pro wrestling was worked fights. MMA is real fights. Commentary, entrances, interviews, the whole setup is a more refined version of wresttling except that it’s real. I think even the most cynical would admit the connection. Dana White has stated on numerous occassions that he borrowed heavily from pro wrestling in terms of his business model and how he promotes the sport. Many MMA fihters have admitted to usig pro wrestling as influence on how they promote themselves.
LOL @ “bitter” fans co-opting. No one is a) bitter or b) co-opting. MMA and pro wrestling are cousins, just like MMA and boxing are cousins. Stop trying to fight it. You say fans of wrestling are adamant trying to prove connections, I say haters of wrestling are adamant trying to sa there is no connection. When you have the head of the biggest org in the world saying there is a connection, there’s a connection.
Look at the beloved PRIDE. That was pro wrestling. I mean it’s in your face and you refuse to see it. Either blinded by hate or ignorance.
There anen’t many, if any, aspects of NASCAR that are pro wrestling except for the couple of fake feuds they had. Same with boxing, not much pro-wrestling there as no one adopted characters (you could say “Money” Mayweather is the pro wrestling version of PBF and Prince Naseem also adopted many pro wrestling characteristics.).
/sarcasm
Better known as Black Lesnar
Read me at WatchKalibRun
by S.C. Michaelson on Aug 19, 2010 2:31 AM EDT up reply actions
Dave Meltzer: #1.
MMA IN THE US was born when a non-wrestling industry guy saw an instructional tape showing Rickson Gracie (a dude who didn’t much like wrestling) beating people up on the beach and challenging anyone in the world. Japan, it grew out of the wrestling industry. MMA did not. It is not some extension of wrestling merely because it is similar except real. Pro wrestling is by definition a worked art form and has been for over 100 years. MMA is not an artform. It is a sport.
Again; there are things that look similar. There are even moments with direct influence. But HBO 24/7 is NOT PRO WRESTLING. Joe Namath is NOT PRO WRESTLING. Ali “cutting promos” may have been influenced by pro wrestling, but make no mistake, he made it his own and transcended while being a legitimate fighter. Ali dabbling in pro wrestling is pro wrestling. Ali hating Frazier is NOT PRO WRESTLING.
by VirtualBalboa on Aug 19, 2010 9:02 AM EDT up reply actions
Which came first, the UFC or the Japanese orgs?
And do you really think the founders of MMA in teh US had never heard of the Japanese orgs? C’mon son. US MMA did not grow until they stole/borrowed elements from Japan and pro wrestling. Promotion of feuds as the driving force? Pro Wrestling. Over the top entrances? Pro Wrestling. Biggest star Tito Ortiz? Pro wrestling. Ken Shamrock? Pro wrestling. That show TUF? Stolen from Tough Enough. Monthly PPVs? Wrestling. I mean I could go on and on. Dana has admitted to stealing from pro wrestling. Why can’t youand other fans admit the truth?
And I hate to break it to you, but MMA right now is entertainment with a sporting aspect. It’s not a pure sport yet. That’s why you have fans that boo at boring fights, that’s why you have promoters calling fights the “worst ever”, etc, etc. Fans don’t boo baseball games because it’s 0-0 in the 8th. Fans don’t boo basketball games because both teams scored under 70 points. You’re a NICHE entertainment sport right now. You’re big, but you’re still a NICHE sport.
/sarcasm
Better known as Black Lesnar
Read me at WatchKalibRun
by S.C. Michaelson on Aug 19, 2010 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions
Pancrase started about a month prior to the UFC, but it wasn’t exactly the foundation from which the UFC was built. The UFC was really and truly created as a showcase for BJJ and ostensibly designed by the Gracies. Pancrase was in its promotion an evolution of pro wrestling, just as RINGS was and the shootstyle feds. There were physical similarities – of course. But there’s physical similarities to Pancrase with San Shou; Didn’t make Pancrase a kickboxing variant. Pancrase and Shooto were VERY similar to Seidokaikan karate, which is perhaps why its no surprise that there was crossover from the karateka. Does it make PRIDE karate because Schilt and Saatake fought there? God no.
It is not a “sporting aspect” that these people actually compete in real fights. Sport is sport. Its a terribly run sport with moron fans, but as long as the competition is legitimate, it is a sport. It is not pro wrestling with the slight change that the combat is real. Good god.
by VirtualBalboa on Aug 19, 2010 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions
The UFC as it is today is nothing like what it was back then.
What it is today is a mix of the NHB fighting and pro-wrestling. There’s no denying that.
As for the sporting. It’s not a pure sport. I hate to break it to you. It’s success and the success of its fighters is predicated on entertainment value just as well as win-loss record. It’s in the same genre of “entertaining sports” as ice skating, the X-Games, and gymnastics. Yes, an actual sport is taking place, but if it’s not “entertaining”, it won’t succeed. if the fighter doesn’t “entertain”, he won’t get far.
There’s no objective measure of success in the UFC besides the titles. There is no ranking. Brock Lesnar got a title shot with one win. Jon Fitch had to win several in a row to get his shot. Until the UFC gets to a point where fans don’t bitch about boring fights, promoters don’t threaten to cut people for being boring and fans don’t boo aspects of the game, it cannot be called a pure sport.
/sarcasm
Better known as Black Lesnar
Read me at WatchKalibRun
by S.C. Michaelson on Aug 19, 2010 10:49 AM EDT up reply actions
As I said, its a poorly run sport, like boxing. That doesn’t make it like pro wrestling, which is not a sport in any way, shape, or form.
by VirtualBalboa on Aug 20, 2010 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Lemme put this another way – You argued that Sonnen “put over” Anderson Silva. Do you think that was his intention? Hell, Sonnen wasn’t even the star of that fight. Anderson was. Sonnen’s mouth made him into a name, and he took the fight because he believed he could win. If he had, he would be a huge star right now capable of demanding a fat new contract. Even in losing, he’s become a star who is likely working on a restructuring of his contract as we speak. This was not some conscious decision to make Silva a big star. Hell, there’s no evidence that Silva has ascended into the heavens as the megastar you suggest he is. What evidence exists is that Sonnen provided the fire for that fight. He’s the catalyst. And that’s really what his intention was, influences or not.
by VirtualBalboa on Aug 19, 2010 10:45 AM EDT up reply actions
No, I never made the point that it was intentional at all.
All I did was look at the buildup to the fight (and the fight itself) in professional wrestling terms.
Chael made himself the star of the fight the moment he opened his mouth. No one cared about Anderson, they cared about Chael. And then Sonnen kept talking and talking and then it became, “I want to see Silva kick his ass.”
And just like in pro wrestling, it doesn’t always work. Chael “did his part” though. Who knows where Anderson goes after this? I was just looking at the build up and fight through those eyes.
/sarcasm
Better known as Black Lesnar
Read me at WatchKalibRun
by S.C. Michaelson on Aug 19, 2010 10:53 AM EDT up reply actions
In wrestling, does the baby face usually end up being “put over by a heel” by having the heel beat the crap out of them for the entire fight before pulling out a last second win? Or is that considered a weak way of treating the hero? I know the answer to that question without even answering it.
The article was pretty obviously worded to be more than just a interpretation of the fight’s effect through Meltzereze. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have spent the entire second paragraph regurgitated a tired and completely inane argument for MMA as pro wrestling.
by VirtualBalboa on Aug 20, 2010 12:38 AM EDT up reply actions
I mean “without even asking it” but its nearly 1AM. These things happen.
by VirtualBalboa on Aug 20, 2010 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Yes
It happens, but not often.
I don’t know what Meltzerese is.
/sarcasm
Better known as Black Lesnar
Read me at WatchKalibRun
by S.C. Michaelson on Aug 20, 2010 2:57 AM EDT up reply actions
Translating any real world event into wrestling speak. Examples: “Obama is great at cutting promos.” “Brett Farve’s decision to return to football with the NJ Jets capped off a long coming heel turn.”
by VirtualBalboa on Aug 20, 2010 9:04 AM EDT up reply actions
Ah ok
/sarcasm
Better known as Black Lesnar
Read me at WatchKalibRun
by S.C. Michaelson on Aug 20, 2010 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions
Don't really understand why people go out of their way to draw the pro wrestling parallel
I mean, it’s there, but even beyond boxing, it’s everywhere in sports. In stick and ball sports, it’s just more subtle.
In sports, you generally have the luxury of marketing based on competition as well as on any number of essentially peripheral concepts that can get a viewer’s attention irrespective of competitive merits. Professional wrestling is a form of entertainment that has traditionally made an art form out of the latter, especially since abandoning the pretense that it was a legitimate sporting competition. The parallel is unavoidable.
people are all too often looking for connections between mma and pro wrestling and when you look for something you’re bound to find it everywhere.
that being said i gotta say
if you think dana didn’t have his hand in sonnens shit talking i’d be forced to call you gullible. remember how quickly dana was up mir’s ass after he said the stuff about brock dying in the octagon? yet when sonnen makes comments that get him media attention but are incredibly offensive he just shrugs smiles and says
“he says some crazy stuff, what am i supposed to do?”
i fully believe sonnen did what he was told he’s creative and smart so his shit talking was epic but i can’t help but believe dana was behind the sheer amount of shit talking that was being done. and if dana did encourage it then it is dana not chael who is the one to blame for a momentary connection between pro wrestling and mma.
The sea refuses no river. The idea is to remain in a state of constant departure while always arriving. It saves on introductions and goodbyes. The ride does not require explanation - just occupance.
by Johnathan Willis on Aug 18, 2010 9:49 AM EDT reply actions
I would not disagree with the article if Chael Sonnen himself didn’t admit that he has admitted to calling Roddy Piper for help on his promo game, and that he admitted that pro wrestling was a huge influence on how he did things. There was an article here on BE very recently that stated all this. This is coming from the “horse’s mouth,” and I tend to believe what comes from the actual person, Chael Sonnen, than some poster on a website.
If you don't get pro wrestling you wont see the connection...
Fact is Chael called Roddy Piper for promo advice on AAnderson and Piper had nothing.
And the whole, “say something crazy and deny I ever said even tho i know its on tape” he admittedly ripped off from Ric Flair!
Muhammed Ali admittedly didn’t start talking shit until he heard pro wrestler Gorgeous George.
The UFC business model is the same as pro wrestling.
The owner of UFC and WWE are its 2 biggest stars.
The way the UFC is presented is old school pro wrestling booking.
Hell alot of the sports roots come DIRECTLY from pro wrestling.
The connection is there because MMA, like it or not is a DIRECT off shoot of pro wrestling. Its just historic fact.
the UFC is partially where it is today because of PRO WRESTLING. If people don’t like it then that’s too bad for them.
Forget it Donny, you're out of your element.
CagesideSeats.com
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