Join Bloody Elbow every Wednesday night to discuss the latest episode of the Ultimate Fighter 12, featuring UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and Ultimate Fighter 1 alum Josh Koscheck.
Mike Tyson fascinates me like no other individual on the planet. He's "Kid Dynamite." He's the youngest man ever to hold a heavyweight belt in boxing. He was once aptly monikered the "Baddest Man on the Planet."
Mike Tyson is also a man convicted of rape in the state of Indiana. His wife accused him of abuse on national TV. He's threatened to eat children. He's verbally berated members of the press. He has refused to talk to female reporters unless they fornicate with him. He bit off Evander Holyfield's ear. He's fabricated stories about breaking his back. He admitted to mugging old woman as a child. For a long period of Mike's life, calling him "emotionally unstable" would be an understatement.
But there's a tragic side of Tyson that prevents him from becoming an entirely unsympathetic character in my eyes. His father fled when he was two years old. His mother passed away when he was sixteen. His sister died of a heart attack in 1991. Cus D'amato, the only father figure Tyson's ever known, died shortly after Tyson professional debut in 1985. Don King, shockingly, cheated him out of millions and millions of dollars.
So when I watch Tyson speak about his life, I see a little boy who's angry and confused. A little boy who just want to know, "Why me?"
I'm a firm believer in personal responsibility, and I don't make any exceptions for "Iron" Mike. But there's a part of me that feels that Mike never had a chance.
Oh yeah. Tyson was on TUF last week. And he'll be on again this week. Does anyone really believe that GSP called up Dana and asked him to invite Tyson? 'Cause I don't.
Team GSP
1. Michael Johnson
2. Jonathan Brookins
3. Spencer Paige
4. Alex "Bruce Leeroy" Caceres
5. Kyle Watson
6. Cody McKenzie
7. Dane Sayers
Team Koscheck
1. Marc Stevens
2. Sevak Magakian
3. Sako Chivitchian
4. Andy Main
5. Nam Phan
6. Aaron Wilkinson
7. Jeff Lentz
Get the latest gear
