Tag Archives: wwe

Posted on 10/19/2019

By: Hans Themistode

It’s been an adventurous past few weeks for Heavyweight Lineal champion Tyson Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs). Just last month at the T-Mobile Arena, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Fury gutted a gritty win over previously undefeated Otto Wallin. Shortly after his victory, Fury was seen making the rounds on the WWE circuit.

What resulted was a back and forth feud with the 6 feet 8, 385 pound Braun Strowman. After dazzling the crowd with plenty of theatrics, the big men will settle their score later this month on October 31st, at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia. With this being Fury’s first foray into the world of WWE, it would seem like a nerve racking situation, but not for Fury.

“I’m not nervous, not nervous at all,” said Fury. You can expect fireworks. I was born to do this. I’m a natural entertainer as you see with the boxing. Now I’m going into the real entertainment. The best value in entertainment in sports is the WWE.

It comes off as a bit strange that someone who is as accomplished as Fury in his own profession, would venture into an entirely different lane. It might come as a shock to everyone else, however Fury relishes in this role. He is finally being given the chance to pursue a dream he has had for quite some time.

“It’s something I always wanted to do. My whole life I’ve watched and been a huge fan of the WWE, I’ve never had the opportunity to do it with boxing comments, but now I am getting the chance to really get involved. I grabbed this with both hands when it was offered to me.”

It may have seemed like a joke at first, but it is now a reality. Fury is officially onboard with the WWE. He is reportedly making 15 million for his lone appearance later on this month. How exactly did the WWE find Fury in the first place? You can thank current wrestler and Executive Vice President of Talent Paul Michael Levesque, or better known as Triple H.

“Part of my job is to recruit athletes globally,” said Triple H. “From every sport whether it is the Olympics, Soccer, the NFL it doesn’t matter but when you are a showman like Tyson Fury it makes the job so much easier.”

Although Fury is currently a Heavyweight champion, he will be completely out of his realm of comfortability come October 31st. Or at least, that is what it would appear to be. Fury has reportedly been making huge strides in his wrestling abilities. So much so, that even Triple H has marveled at how well he has adapted.

“Just seeing him out in the performance Center in Orland, Florida, he has taken to this like a fish to water. His footwork, his mannerisms, everything is there. The athleticism of what he does as a combat athlete is there and then some. Plus is there a better showman on the planet than Tyson Fury. He was custom made to do this.”

Even with Fury working his tail off on his wrestling abilities, everyone around him has advised that he steer clear of this new adventure.

“All of them did. Bob Arum, Frank Warren, my management group, my promoter, my trainer, everybody wanted me to stop but I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do. I’ve got to take these opportunities. I believe life is too short for regrets. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

Fury is right, life is certainly too short to live with regrets. However, boxing fans are hoping that this will just be a one time occasion for Fury so that he can continue to focus on his upcoming rematch with WBC Heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder in 2020.

Posted on 10/16/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Looking at the six foot nine inch Tyson Fury, he has the complete look of a fighter. When glancing at his undefeated record through 30 professional contest in the boxing ring, it only further backs that remark.

In the world of Heavyweight boxing, everyone is considered a large human being. Yet, Fury stands out amongst the rest because of his size. Throughout his career he has been able to utilize his large frame to his advantage each and every time he has stepped foot in the ring.

For most fighters their talents start and stop in the boxing ring. In the case of Fury however, his brilliance stretches far beyond simply putting on a pair of boxing gloves and dominating his opposition.

Recently, Fury has decided to take his abilities to the world of WWE. It was a shocking move but one that made sense. Fury, who is currently the Lineal Heavyweight champion, has always had an attraction for the microphone. His ability to pontificate himself is second to none.

Fury’s decision to join the WWE isn’t simply predicated on a gimmick. He is reportedly receiving 15 million for a showdown with WWE Super star wrestler Braun Strowman later this month on Halloween.

For fans this might seem to be nothing more than a stunt, but for promoter Frank Warren, he is legitimately concerned with Fury’s newfound endeavors.

“His profile gets bigger every time and he’s doing us promoters a real favour by going on WWE,” he said. “But truthfully, I don’t like the risk of his cut opening up. Tyson’s a law unto himself. It’s risky though, no doubt about that.”

That aforementioned cut that Warren is speaking of was caused due to the left hand of his previous opponent, Otto Wallin.

What was supposed to be nothing more than a warm up fight for Fury, turned into a grueling 12 round affair. One that Fury almost lost. Still, even with the risks Fury is placing himself in, there are several perks that come along with entering the world of WWE.

As Warren stated, the amount of publicity and exposure that he is being afforded at the moment is a promoters dream. His popularity will undoubtedly soar to new heights but still, he doesn’t enjoy it but he understands the choice.

“In an ideal world I’d prefer he didn’t do it, but it’s all about the bigger picture for him. He’s a natural wrestling star.”

Let’s look at this from two different perspectives. On one hand the WWE, no matter how real it looks is ultimately fake. Much of it is scripted and the wrestlers do their best to prevent each other from sustaining injury. With that being said, tons of injuries do occur as a result of it.

Remember Rey Misterio? The high flying wrestler has suffered from a long list of injuries to both his biceps which resulted in over 3 surgeries and his knee as well. Former champion Edge suffered a neck injury in 2003 which required surgery. In 2005, a torn pectoral muscle forced him back to the sidelines. Four years later in 2009 a torn Achilles tendon caused him to once again hit the sidelines for over a year. Due to his injuries, he was given no choice but to retire as he was diagnosed with spinal stenosis which causes the spine too narrow.

So in many ways the WWE can present Fury with just as much dangers if not more so than professional boxing.

Warren and a host of others have shared their concern and for good reason. Fury might be enjoying his new career ventures, but those who are heavily invested in his championship status as a boxer have plenty to be concerned about.

Posted on 10/12/2019

By: Hans Themistode

Heavyweight champion Tyson Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) will be looking to put his feud with WWE super star Braun Strowman to rest as the two face off in an up coming matchup.

Fury, who has been a unified Heavyweight champion and is the current Lineal belt holder, will be making his WWE debut. His contest against Strowman is slated to take place on October 31st, in Saudi Arabia.

The feud between the two big men has been taking place for quite some time now. After words were exchanged between one another, the two went blow for blow a few days ago on Monday night RAW as the entire roster of WWE super stars separated the two.

Fury, who is patiently awaiting his rematch with current WBC Heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, is thrilled for to be apart of such a massive event.

“How honoured I am to be here and be involved in such a massive event in Saudi Arabia. It’s a fantastic opportunity for me,” Fury said.

Although it is surprising to see Fury jump into the world of WWE, it isn’t surprising to see him take on one of the biggest men that they have to offer. The current Lineal champion might be undefeated in the boxing ring, but Strowman isn’t concerned. According to him, this is a completely different ball game.

“Tyson Fury is a bad dude,” said Strowman. Especially when you take into consideration what he has overcome but in WWE, we don’t wear gloves, you are coming into my world.”

Fury has never been outdone on the mic and that continued as he offered a warning of sorts to Strowman.

“I just want to say how excited I am to be fighting the monster among men, Braun Strowman. After seeing him I really know why he’s got the nickname the monster among men. But me being the undefeated lineal heavyweight boxing champion, I fear no man. I’m undefeated in 30 professional contests. When I go to Saudi Arabia to fight Braun Strowman I’m still going to be undefeated, because I’m going to knock Braun Strowman out. He talks about how good his hands are, but he’s messing with the man with the best hands in boxing. He don’t want none of them hands, let me tell you that.”

Fury’s personality, character and penchant for being a slick talker on the mic has prompted promoter Bob Arum to give a comparison to a former great fighter of his.

“Tyson Fury, the Gypsy King, he’s not only a great fighter, he reminds me of Muhammad Ali, George Foreman,” said Arum. “He entertains in the ring and he is a tremendous personality.”

The comparisons between Ali and Fury has a bit of truth to it. Fury has always been an entertainer. His personality both inside and outside of the ring has drawn attention to 6 foot 9 Heavyweight champion.

Come October 31st on Halloween, Fury will receive all the attention he has been looking for. His upcoming contest with fellow champion Deontay Wilder could be put on ice if he doesn’t first rid himself of the larger than life Braun Strowman.

Posted on 10/08/2019

By: Hans Themistode

The current Lineal Heavyweight champion of the world Tyson Fury has decided that no one in the boxing ring can deal with his size, strength and overall boxing ability. Through 30 fights in his career he has gone undefeated and he has looked impressive as well.

Instead of taking on fighters in the boxing ring, he has switched his focus to another squared circle. The one associated with the WWE. Fury has made several appearances at WWE events but his most latest act which took place at last nights RAW episode saw Fury enter the ring against another big man, Braun Strowman.

It isn’t often that Fury is considered the smaller man when he enters the ring, but standing at 6 feet 8 inches and weighing roughly 385 pounds, Fury was completely overmatched when he stood across the ring from Braun Strowman.

Photo Credit: Tyson Fury Twitter Account

The beef between these two began when they got into an altercation which forced the security team from the WWE to hold Fury back. It was a pretty funny act on the part of Fury. He was animated as he was removed from his ring side seat and escorted out of the building.

It seemed as though the rivalry between these men would be over from there right? Wrong.

Fury has never backed away from a challenge and he sure wasn’t going to now. This past Monday night, Fury entered the ring and wanted something very specially from Braun.

“Last week I was here minding my own business,” said Fury. “Braun tried to make me look like a fool. I ended up getting choked out, so tonight I’m here to demand an apology.”

Instead of apologizing, Braun made it clear that Fury was in the wrong ring.

“I will literally eat you for lunch,” said Braun.

After a few more minutes of back and forth arguing, the two larger than life big men stood eye to eye. Soon after it was Fury who pushed back the current WWE super star which then made him retaliate by picking Fury up and dragging him across the ring.

In true WWE fashion a huge brawl ensued. For the next five minutes we witnessed fake punches, imitation grappling and plenty more. It was highly entertaining to say the least.

In what was possibly the most enjoyable act of the night, as security separated the two men, Fury pushed them all out of the way and jumped on Braun. Rights, lefts and uppercuts by Fury landed on Braun but in the world of the scripted WWE Braun simply walked through those punches without even a scratch.

After they were finally separated for good, Braun continued his rant about Fury.

“Tyson’s a tough son of a bitch but he’s gonna get these damn hands before it’s over and done with!”

It looks like this will be a long and animated beef between Fury and Braun. Who will come out is anyone’s guess but the last time I checked, Fury has never been defeated no matter which ring he has entered.

Who knows how much longer Fury will stay in the world of boxing, but it is clear that he might just have a future in the WWE.

Posted on 05/13/2019

By: Jesse Donathan

Did Brock Lesnar retire from mixed martial arts because he failed another USADA prohibited drug test? “If you were a level of conspiracy theorist, or as we do over here, we just simply speculate, and visit, and talk, there is some clues to point to that is a possibility, said Bad Guy Inc. CEO Chael Sonnen in his May 9, 2019 YouTube video titled, “Did Brock Lesnar fail a USADA drug test and retire?” An ESPN analyst and current Bellator fighter, Sonnen is a former UFC middleweight challenger who counts UFC President Dana White among his friends. In other words, Sonnen is an industry insider and someone you should listen to when he has something to say.

Sonnen, who once famously thrashed Anderson Silva in the Brazilians’ prime before succumbing to a come from behind triangle armbar submission in the fifth and final round went on to list a litany of reasons of why its possible that rumors of a Lesnar failed USADA drug test could possibly be true:

“The first of which is Brock Lesnar retired out of nowhere, he retired out of nowhere after taking a lesser WWE schedule, he retired out of nowhere after going into training for 12 full months. He retired out of nowhere after entering and clearing the USADA protocol of things that he had to pay for from his last outing at UFC 200 against Mark Hunt.”

As Sonnen correctly surmises, Lesnar’s abrupt retirement from MMA came out of left field. Everything was pointing to a Lesnar return to the cage; he had been training with Gable Stevenson, one of the top collegiate wrestlers in the country at the University of Minnesota and had shoved the UFC heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier across the octagon at UFC 226 in a picture-perfect promo in the lead up to the fight. “It looked like all; everything was a go. He had a world title fight, he had a main event, he had a huge pay day, he had Daniel Cormier standing in front of him,” Sonnen exclaimed, and out of nowhere, Lesnar retires.

“Guys, I don’t want to add to something right now, I want to come to you candidly and tell you that I do not have information but I am starting to hear things from people who generally do have the correct information that perhaps that wasn’t totally wrong,” Sonnen said on the rumors of a Lesnar issue with USADA that went ignored by the MMA media when the information first started trickling out.

“The new way that USADA is operating, okay, I’ll remind you of the old way first. Which was a guy flags, boom! They put out a boilerplate statement, the only thing they change between athletes is simply the name. John Doe right, fill in the blank, and the whole rest of the uniform statement. We get it. But when USADA got confronted with five people who were later cleared and the USADA was able to look at it and go you know what, we didn’t total clear out, we cleared them, but in the world of PR and the mess they went through, in the minds eye, the day of the internet, the sponsors that were already lost, its just very hard to unfry that egg.”

The Bellator light heavyweight contender who lost to “The Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko in a valiant effort during the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix Tournament last year at Bellator 208 went on to say of USADA’s new approach to handling athletes who may have flagged a prohibited substances test:

So, what we’re gonna do now is if we flag somebody, we are not going to say a word. They will very quietly not be booked for a contest but we will also very privately see the process through to the very end. And when we make our release, we will not only tell you who, what and when but we will also tell you what the remedy was. Whether it’s a disciplinary action or a clearing of the athlete. But we will present one statement to you in its entirety. Okay great, really good way to do things. There is now some people that are saying that they have dug into this and it’s the very spot Brock Lesnar is in.”

Prior to Sonnen’s fire side chat, Dave Metzler on Wrestling Observer Radio had suggested that the new UFC deal with ESPN had been a factor in Lesnar’s retirement, according to Sonnen that just isn’t the case.

“It is a very strange circumstance, and it seems that there was then a later dialogue that came in and said no, the reason Brock walked away is because the pay-per-view model has changed, and therefor he can’t collect his pay-per-view points and therefor he lost his enticement to do this. Now, that is, I can tell you now that is not what happened. I don’t know what happened, but I think it’s probably a pretty straight forward. One, either, we’re going to find something out in the next 45 days or two, and far more likely if I am being fair, far more likely, he started training and his body was just sore and tired and he wasn’t getting the same reaction as fast as he had in the past and he said I’m done.”

As reported by Foxsports.com in their January 4, 2017 article titled, “Brock Lesnar suspended one year by USADA after failing two drug tests,” the WWE superstar infamously, “tested positive for clomiphene and its metabolite, 4-hydroxyclomiphene, following an out-of-competition urine test conducted on June 28, 2016, and an in-competition urine test conducted on July 9, 2016, at UFC 200 in Las Vegas, Nev. Clomiphene is a prohibited substance in the category of Hormone and Metabolic Modulators and is prohibited at all times under the UFC Anti-Doping Policy.”

According to USADA.org, “In men, clomiphene can alter testosterone levels by interfering with the negative feedback loop of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis.” Interestingly, the USADA description of clomiphene goes on to state that, “clomiphene is not FDA-approved for use by men for any condition,” but there are some exceptions to that claim as USADA goes on to state.

“However, it may be prescribed off-label, meaning that a doctor may prescribe a medication for a use that is not indicated on the FDA’s approved packaging insert or label. Once the FDA approves a drug, healthcare providers can typically prescribe the drug for an unapproved use when they judge that it is medically appropriate for their patient.”

The USADA clomiphene description goes on to state that, “In males, similar to other substances with anabolic properties that lead to increased muscle mass, clomiphene is associated with a number of potential and serious side effects, including: increased risk of negative cardiovascular events, liver damage, and gastrointestinal discomfort.”

In an April 24, 2012 bleacherreport.com article titled, “Brock Lesnar: Understanding Diverticulitis, the Illness That Changed His Life,” author Louie Babcock wrote that, “In November of 2009, Brock was diagnosed with mononucleosis, and later in the month it was discovered he had a serious case of diverticulitis.” According to Babcock, “Diverticulitis is a disease of the digestive tract, normally in the large intestine. On the colon of the patient, tiny pouches form. These pouches are called diverticula. When these pouches become inflamed, diverticulitis is diagnosed.” The bleacherreport.com article would go on to note that Lesnar suffered another bout of diverticulitis in May of 2011, retiring after his last match in December of 2011 against Alistair Overeem before coming out of retirement to face Mark Hunt at UFC 200 in 2016.

According to dopinglinkki.fi, “Clomiphene is a doping substance according to the Penal Code. Particularly men, who use anabolic steroids, commonly use clomiphene or other anti-estrogens (for example, tamoxifen) as an accompanying drug.”

Dopinglinkki.fi would go on to state that, “The purpose of clomiphene, in this case, is to inhibit the estrogen problems caused by the overdosed anabolic steroids, that appear when anabolic steroids convert in the body to estrogens or other metabolic products that have estrogenic effects.”

With Lesnar’s history of at least two bouts of diverticulitis in 2009 and 2011, one would think that Lesnar would have been weary of using Clomiphene, a drug described as causing “gastrointestinal discomfort” as one of its potential side effects. Which immediately brings me to one of the oldest questions plaguing mankind. Which came first? The chicken or the egg? The answer to that question could very well let many cats out of the bag.

According to thesmokinggun.com, “Brock Lesnar, the World Wrestling Entertainment champion, was once arrested for illegally possessing steroids, though the felony charge against the 26-year-old athlete was dismissed four months after his January 2001 arrest.” The report would go on to state:

“Lesnar was exonerated when tests showed that the seized pills were not, in fact, steroids. While a Louisville detective told TSG that the material was some kind of growth hormone, Lesnar’s defense attorney, Scott Cox, characterized the confiscated pills as a ‘vitamin type of thing.’”

Regardless of the true circumstances of Lesnar’s retirement(s), health problems and reported prohibited drug use, there is no question that Brock Lesnar is a huge draw for both the WWE and UFC. Former K-1 kickboxing champion Mark Hunt once famously sued UFC President Dana White, Lesnar and the UFC, accusing them of collusion, “in an effort to allow Lesnar to use performance enhancing drugs,” according to a February 15, 2019 ESPN.com article titled, “Judge dismisses most of Mark Hunts case Against UFC, Brock Lesnar,” by Brett Okamoto.

According to ESPN, “U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey threw out all but one of the claims Hunt made against the UFC,” with the Judge ordering, “Hunt and the UFC to enter a mandatory settlement conference on the final outstanding claim — breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. That claim is against the UFC only. All of Hunt’s claims against White and Lesnar were dismissed.” Putting the pieces together, the extent of the breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing could potentially stretch back some time in this case with the reader being left to make up their own minds as to what the actual truth may be.

Posted on 05/02/2019

By: Jesse Donathan

Déjà vu is the sense that we’ve been here before, and indeed, there is a haunting familiarity in the air. Recently it was announced that World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (WWE) juggernaut Brock Lesnar has retired from mixed martial arts. We’ve heard this song and dance before, so call me skeptical when I say that I won’t be surprised to see Brock Lesnar back in the cage again. “Brock Lesnar is officially done with the UFC—at least for the time being,” writes Tim Briechle of mensjournal.com in his article titled, “Brock Lesnar retires from MMA for the Second Time in Six Years.” According to Briechle:

“Additionally, the US Anti-Doping Agency has reported that Lesnar has been removed from their testing pool. UFC requires all of their fighters to undergo USADA-run tests, and Lesnar infamously failed two tests prior to his fight against (Mark) Hunt due to testing positive for the banned substance clomiphene.”

Clomiphene is an anti-estrogen pharmaceutical often times used in conjunction with anabolic steroid use. According to dopinglinkki.fi, “Clomiphene is a doping substance according to the penal code. Particularly men, who use anabolic steroids, commonly use clomiphene or other anti-estrogens (for example, tamoxifen) as an accompanying drug.” The document goes on to state:

“The purpose of clomiphene, in this case, is to inhibit the estrogen problems caused by the overdosed anabolic steroids, that appear when anabolic steroids convert in the body to estrogens or other metabolic products that have estrogenic effects.”

With Lesnar out of the testing pool, one would naturally assume that in order to fight again he would have to undergo lengthy and rigorous testing in order to enter the cage again. And indeed, for any other fighter this might be the case. However, we’ve seen this exact scenario play out before. So, while Lesnar may in fact be retired for good, history has shown us that where there is a will, there is a way. And that there are many ways to skin a cat.

In a January 11, 2019 independent.co.uk article titled, “UFC, Brock Lesnar and president Dana White being sued by Mark Hunt over Lesnar’s UFC 200 failed drugs test,” author Marx Clark writes that, “Hunt has accused the promotion of racketeering and fraud, and is seeking compensation for having to fight against Lesnar despite the UFC allegedly knowing he tested positive for banned substances.” The Independent would go on to write that:

“According to Hunt, the UFC deliberately hid all knowledge that Lesnar had tested positive. He says Lesnar and the UFC had four months to put him through USADA testing but elected to do it one week before fight night, not providing enough time for the results to come through.”

All but one of Hunt’s claims against the UFC were ultimately thrown out of court according to a February 15, 2019 ESPN.com article titled, “Judge dismisses most of Mark Hunt’s case against UFC, Brock Lesnar,” by ESPN reporter Brett Okamoto. According to Okamoto, “Judge (Jennifer) Dorsey ordered Hunt and the UFC to enter a mandatory settlement conference on the final outstanding claim — breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. That claim is against the UFC only.”

So, while there was a breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, everything else Mark Hunt alleged was deemed without legal merit. If the UFC isn’t dealing fairly and acting in good faith, what this essentially means is that the exact circumstances that played out in the Mark Hunt versus Brock Lesnar fight could happen again. Thus, why I believe its entirely possible we see Brock Lesnar back in the cage once again, probably ready to hulk smash anyone that gets in his way while he’s at it too.

Lesnar last competed in the UFC in July of 2016, putting the beat down on former K-1 kickboxing champion and perennial UFC knockout artist Mark Hunt in a fight many expected to see Lesnar go down in flames in. It was a convincing, dominate performance that opened a lot of people’s eyes to what Lesnar still brought to the table, a fighter who had been previously written off as all but finished after a bout with diverticulitis ultimately left his career in professional mixed martial arts very much in doubt. The unanimous decision victory was later overturned to a no contest after Lesnar’s positive tests results were made public.

Unknown to most, Brock Lesnar brings legitimate grappling credentials to the sport of MMA. A former University of Minnesota NCAA national wrestling champion, Lesnar is much more than just the hulking professional wrestler you see on television. A former UFC heavyweight champion, Lesnar has fought a murderer’s row of fighters during his UFC tenure, capturing the UFC title against mixed martial arts legend Randy Couture at UFC 91 in 2008 in only his third fight with the promotion. A former member of the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings practice squad before being cut from the team in 2004, Lesnar brings size, athleticism and dominate wrestling to the table and is a handful for even the most elite fighters in the sport when he is on his A-game.

Generally speaking, when people say something you are forced to take them at their word. That is of course, unless you have reason to believe otherwise. In this case, this is the same old song and dance we’ve heard before. Brock Lesnar retires, everyone in the sport moves on before ultimately being thrown a wild card where Lesnar returns and makes a huge splash. I won’t be surprised to see Brock Lesnar back in the cage, looking jacked and ready to beat the living daylights out of whoever is holding the UFC title.