Saturday In The Park: Here Comes The Pain
February 2, 2008
I touched on this in our UFC 81 preview with John Chandler (found below) but, again, I really do get the feeling that MMA purists are hoping Brock Lesnar loses to Frank Mir tonight and quietly goes back to the “fake stuff.” I have even read some people contemplating whether tonight’s fight will be a work. I guess it makes sense. This wrestler with a weird tattoo is coming into THEIR world? How dare he! Forget the fact that the man was an amateur wrestling standout. The guy wrestled for Vince McMahon and there’s nothing else to it.
Listen, I don’t know Lesnar and was never even a huge fan of his when he did work for World Wrestling Entertainment. But that said, I do find it a little annoying to read these snarky remarks about his MMA abilities and his time in WWE. So, despite the fact that I think Mir deserves a high-profile victory after everything he has been forced to overcome, I am hoping Lesnar wipes the floor with him and then beats every heavyweight contender. Then, I pray he holds that title for approximately 10-15 years. Yeah, that’s right. 10 to 15 years of having to watch this former fake wrestler guy hold the crown jewel of the UFC. What a beautiful sight that would be.
Anyhow, to celebrate Lesnar’s long-awaited UFC debut, The Park presents his top 3 moments as a member of the WWE roster. And away we go…
3. The Debut – 2002: There I was, sitting in the Molson Centre (now known as the Bell Centre) in Montreal enjoying a good old fashioned hardcore match when this behometh jumps into the ring and starts annhilating everyone in sight. To make matters even cooler, he was accompanied by Paul Heyman. What a brilliant pairing that was.
2. The Loss – 2004: Sure, this match was highlighted by the fact that Lesnar lost his WWE title to the late Eddie Guerrero but, nevertheless, I thought it was Lesnar’s best performance in the ring mainly because he helped make us believe that a former Cruiserweight champion was worthy enough of holding that Heavyweight title. (By the way, isn’t it kind of eerie how this clip starts with Lesnar screaming “just die Eddie”? Sheesh.)
1. The Collapse – 2003: Brock Lesnar superplexes Big Show from the top rope. They land simultaneously. The ring collapses. The ring was gimmicked, I know, but it was a tremendous site.
11 Responses to “Saturday In The Park: Here Comes The Pain”
It’s too bad that the lifestyle didn’t agree with him, because he became so good so fast that I think if he’d kept at it that he could have been really great.
By Jason on Feb 2, 2008
True but he is young enough where the same thing can happen with regards to his UFC/MMA career so it’s not a total loss.
By Ariel Helwani on Feb 2, 2008
My belief is that WWE drops the ball when it comes to guys like Lesnar. They fail to feed their competetive hunger. Guys like Lesnar, Goldberg, Angle, Steiner,Shamrock and even Lashley need a challenge. Their not getting that in the WWE. I say its a matter of time before Shelton Benjamin leaves. WWE needs to be more creative when it comes to these high profile athletes. I think if WWE would have work out an agreement with K-1 and brought in Bob Sapp to fued with Lesnar. He would have stayed longer. They couid have brought in other guys like Hong Choi Man and Shamrock to go against Lesnar. He would have loved the competetion from these guys. I think the WWE worries to much about these type of athletes making some of their groomed stars look less like true stars.
By thelake on Feb 2, 2008
Ariel,
Let me be the first to eat my words on the Lesnar Hype. Although he looked decent up until his submission loss. His inexperience in MMA became apparent as he walked right into a kneebar. I do believe with more proper training he will be a force though. I think he needs to move to a better camp (Xtreme Couture would do wonders for him). After that he needs to get fed someone like an Eddie Sanchez to build him back up.
All in all a good night of fights. Nogueira is still the man and I really hope Randy comes back to fight him.
By Matt on Feb 3, 2008
Another note: Tim Sylvia is the Charlie Brown of MMA..
also Ariel how big is the Bell Centre in Montreal? Will it end up being the Biggest Gate that the UFC has ever had if they sell out as Dana is saying?
By Matt on Feb 3, 2008
If they do sell out the Bell Centre it would probably be around 21-22,000 so that would be an all-time record.
What an electric fight Lesnar-Mir was, eh? For a second it appeared as though Lesnar’s strength would be too much but then, as you mentioned, his inexperience revealed itself. That said, this was a win-win for the UFC. A new contender was reborn in Mir and Lesnar fought hard enough where they can spin it as he was too inexperienced against a former champ but now he is back etc…
By Ariel Helwani on Feb 3, 2008
Is GSP big enough in Montreal to get fans to come out and fill the place?
The Mir Lesnar fight was real entertaining. I can’t wait to see both of their next fights which I believe will be the true telling of their talents. I think they need to feed Lesnar either another wrestler or a striker. Mir should have the long awaited Sylvia rematch.
Thank god we got Pavlik/Taylor II to bide us over until Hendo/Silva
By Matt on Feb 3, 2008
He is absolutely big enough in MTL. That show will sell out 100%.
Lots of big fights on the horizon.
Next week – Berto-Trabant & Wiliams-Quintana.
Then:
1)Pavlik-Taylor
2)Kimbo-Tank – yeah, I’m excited
3) Ibragimov-Klitschko
4) IFL
Then there is Hendo-Silva, Vazquez-Marquez, Pacman-Marquez…the list goes on and on.
It’s a great time to be a combat sports fan (not to mention TNA Against All Odds and No Way Out)
By Ariel Helwani on Feb 3, 2008
what does his weird knife tattoo mean?
By Kevin on Feb 4, 2008
Apparently it has something to do with how he felt a knife was put through his heart after leaving WWE and all the legal drama that came with it.
By Ariel Helwani on Feb 4, 2008