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(Early) Mornin’ Muesli: Money May Headed To ‘Mania?!?!

***Update: The (UK) Sun has good report and a video clip of Mayweather’s appearance. Click here to check it out.

Random WWE No Way Out Thoughts…

1. Wow. Money. May. Wow. The best boxer in the world on WWE TV? Wow. This is bigger than Tyson because Tyson was washed up by the time he arrived. So, that said, why wasn’t his appearance advertised? They could have just mentioned he would be in attendance because I bet a lot more people would have purchased the show had they known Mayweather would be there.

2. Love the angle with Big Show but does this mean we are getting Mayweather v. Big Show at WM 24? I mean, wow (sorry I keep repeating that but I had NO IDEA this one was coming and am still in shock). Who’s behind this? Mark Cuban?

3. Please get rid of the ECW title. It’s worth less than the late Hardcore title right now

4. The bleeding mouth Gogoplata spot is so weak. We’ve all seen a real gogoplata and no one bleeds from it. I dig the fact that ‘Taker has employed this new MMA style but the blood cheapens it

5. Not even the Elimination Chamber could get Big Daddy V and Khali to have a good match

6. This Flair storyline has lost a lot of steam. It just doesn’t seem special

7. While we’re at it, I hope these HBK-Flair ‘Mania rumors are false. How does HBK benefit from defeating Flair? That spot should go to Kennedy or MVP (my pick would MVP)

8. If Mysterio’s injury was as bad as it was made out to be, why the hell did he wrestle? He wasn’t the champ, he wasn’t supposed to win…so what was the point? The Mayweather angle could have easily been done without him having to wrestle.

9. 3-Way at ‘Mania. Yawn.

10. I hated the triple threat match at WM 20 and I know I will hate this one. I’m sorry but there is no good reason why this match needs HHH. Okay, maybe one good reason (hint: he’s married to the boss’ daughter)

11. No surprise in the fact that I enjoyed the Raw Chamber match more than the Smackdown one. For a split second I actually thought Hardy might win but, alas, reality kicked in

12. If you would have told me that following Pavlik-Taylor II and Kimbo v. Tank that the event I would be most impressed by would be this PPV I would say your nuts. However, that’s exactly how I feel. It’s almost as though Vince & Co. said “um, don’t forget about us.” By the way, take Mayweather out of the equation and I might feel a little differently but, nevertheless, great job last night. I actually wrote to Large after the show and this is what he said:

“Money has…a hell of a publicist.”

Amen, Large. Amen.

Posted in No Way Out, Wrestling, WWE | 9 Comments »

Mornin’ Muesli: 15 Random Thoughts From An Amazing Saturday Night

1. Kelly Pavlik is no flash in the pan

2. Miami sure does love them some Kimbo. What an amazing crowd

3. Even in defeat, that was Jermain Taylor’s best fight as a pro

4. Tank Abbott must be a Ric Flair fan

5. Other than the fact that there were no knock downs, I enjoyed the second Pavlk-Taylor fight better than the first

6. Ok, we’ve seen Kimbo fight two tomato cans. Now it’s time for him to fight some stiffer competition. Sean Gannon, anyone?

7. Nice to see a solid undercard on a boxing PPV

8. For Yves Edwards to be truly “back” he needs to fight a top-20 contender. Until then, I just don’t buy it

9. James Thompson needs to rethink the way he starts fights

10. Brett Rogers and Scott Smith should share KO of the night honors. Still not sure which one was better but both men looked great.

11. Very disapointed in Antonio Silva’s performance. In fact, props to Ricco Rodriguez. Hopefully this helps him get his life back in order

12. Bill Goldberg needs to take it down a notch. He is way too aggressive and I hate the fact that he is so visible in the cage after the fights. When the fighters are giving each other props he shouldn’t be jumping in there too.

13. Enough with the DJ after fights. And while we’re at it, enough with making the fighters wear EliteXC hats too. It’s so weak.

14. What’s with all the Shamrock vs. Kimbo talk? Aren’t we in agreement that if Shamrock defeats Buzz Berry next month that he should then fight his brother, Frank?

15. If Pavlik really does fight Trinidad next I will truly fall into a deep depression.

Posted in Boxing, Elite XC, Jermain Taylor, Kelly Pavlik, Kimbo Slice, MMA | 13 Comments »

No Choice But To Watch No Way Out

When it comes to big events, sports fans love to talk about how February is the worst month of the year. I tend to disagree but one thing I will say is that World Wrestling Entertainment’s annual February pay-per-view, No Way Out, is one of the stranger events on the calendar. It’s not TNA Lockdown strange but the fact that it comes between the Royal Rumble and ‘Mania always make it feel a little underwhelming.

That said, I was looking back at some of the old matches and suddenly realized that No Way Out always seems to produce memorable moments. Foley’s first retirement, Lesnar-Guerrero, the rebirth of the nWo, Hogan-Rock II and much more. For a show that’s stuck between the top two events of the year it’s a pretty impressive list.

So, will the No Way Out magic continue tonight? Not so sure about that one just yet. Sure, there will be two Elimination Chambers on the card (although the EC has never really done it for me) but the problem lies in the real problem of holding a pay per view in February. By now, we’re pretty certain as to what ‘Mania will look like so there aren’t many surprises out there. Unless something drastic happens it appears as though we’re getting Edge vs. Undertaker and Cena vs. HHH at ‘Mania. The only real questions are whether Randy Orton will squeeze his way into the main event with HHH and Cena and whether or not Rey Mysterio will compete tonight after suffering a torn right bicep in Santiago, Chile a couple of days ago.

So, yeah, like I said in the first place, you should probably tune in tonight. Carry on.

Posted in No Way Out, Wrestling, WWE | 2 Comments »

Saturday In The Park: Must See Multiple TVs

How the heck am I supposed to watch all the great stuff on television tonight?!?! Obviously, there’s Pavlik-Taylor II which Large did a tremendous job (as always) of previewing yesterday. Then, over on Showtime, there’s EliteXC: Street Certified. We haven’t talked about this one yet but it’s actually a pretty solid card highlighted by the eventual beatdown of Tank Abbott by some guy named Kevin Ferguson. There’s also Antonio Silva-Ricco Rodriguez, Edson (don’t call me Andre) Berto-Yves Edwards, James Thompson-Brett Rogers and Scott Smith-Kyle Noke. Not bad, eh?

Buuuut that’s not all. Tonight also is NBA All-Star Saturday night, which believe it or not, is one of my favorite sporting events of the year. Come to think of it, some of my favorite childhood memories have come on All-Star Saturday night. MJ-‘Nique, Bird, Craig Hodges, Baby Jordan, Vincanity (back when he was cool). Great moments, indeed.

So, my dilemma is what to watch live and what to watch on DVR. As of this morning I am leaning towards NBA until the PPV, then watch the rest of the NBA after the PPV, then watch EliteXC. Got it? Do you even care? Didn’t think so.

Or I could just follow Large’s PPV live-blogging debut over at The Sporting Blog (you go Large!) and then switch between the NBA and the MMA. So many options…

Anyhow, to get everyone jazzed up about tonight’s festivities I offer you these three vids:

First up, it’s Manny Steward cussing out Jermain Taylor in between rounds during the Cory Spinks fight. This was actually back when they were friends. My favorite part is when he says “I wish you would have fought Miranda instead of this.” Classic.

Next up, is an insane clip involving some Latino guy trying to convince innocent bystanders to get tackled by Kimbo Slice. If you ask me, the whole thing seems a little staged but, what the hell, it’s quite entertaining and offers an insane payoff at the end.

Finally, in honor of the NBA All-Star festivities, here’s a clip of second-year Utah Jazz forward Paul Millsap talking about his off-season boxing training regimen. At first glance it’s pretty boring but things actually get interesting when he spars against his brother. The best part is the local Utah station airing this has their sportscaster do some play-by-play coupled with some fake crowd noises. Mr. T and Roddy Piper would be proud of this one if you know what I mean. (I couldn’t stray too far away from the combat sports theme of this site so this was really the best I could come up with.)

Enjoy the action tonight my friends. I am confident you will make the right programming choice.

Posted in Boxing, Jermain Taylor, Kimbo Slice, Manny Steward, MMA | 4 Comments »

Will The Ghost Of Jermain Taylor Return?

One of the most anticipated boxing rematches of the last few years is just over 24 hours away and I, for one, can’t wait. Of course, it’s Pavlik vs. Taylor II. The last time we saw these gents they were engaging in arguably the 2007 fight of the year which saw the pride of Youngstown, OH, Kelly Pavlik, beat up on Jermain Taylor and, as a result, snatch away his Middleweight title.

Sadly, Taylor exercised a clause in his contract so tomorrow’s rematch will be fought at 166 lbs instead of 160 meaning the belt won’t be on the line. Weird, I know. And while I also know boxing titles are pretty much useless these days this fact still kind of bugs me. Just doesn’t seem right but, oh well, we are getting the rematch while the first epic is still very fresh in our minds so I can’t complain too much.

As always, Mr. Large (not to be confused with Mr. Big of Sex And The City fame) from No Mas and The Sporting Blog took a stroll with me in The Park to break down tomorrow’s mega-fight. We also discussed:

* Alexander Povetkin’s victory over Eddie Chambers a couple of weeks ago

* Should Chambers move to Cruiserweight?

* What’s next for Povetkin?

* Carlos Quintana’s shocking Welterweight title victory over Paul Williams

* Williams’ extreme weight gain before the bout

* Is it smart for Quintana to fight Shane Mosley next?

* Will lightning strike twice for Pavlik

* What does Taylor have to do to win this time around

* Will Taylor regret not having Manny Steward in his corner

All that and we even discuss a little Bute vs. Joppy! You had to know that I would somehow find a way to talk about my countryman.

Large – 02/15/08

Posted in Boxing, Interview, Jermain Taylor, Kelly Pavlik, No Mas | 6 Comments »

Arianny’s Views From The Best Seat In The House: Welcome Back Valentine’s Day Special!

Aaaand we’re back.

Great to be talking with you all once again and what better way to get this thing rolling than to present our latest edition of Arianny’s Views From The Best Seat In The House. Clearly, it’s a crowd-favorite and if you enjoyed our last discussions, um, I think you’ll definitely LOVE this one.

Why, you ask? Well, consider what we discussed this time around:

* Her Valentine’s Day plans

* UFC 81 and the all the hype surrounding Brock Lesnar

* Her appearance on E!

* The 944 Magazine contest she’s involved in

* Whether or not she is leaving the UFC

Pretty standard, I know. But then how about:

* Will she soon be gracing the pages of Playboy?

* She plays a very special game of F, Marry, Kill.

…

…

You read that correctly. Playboy. F, Marry, Kill. I kid you not.

Take a listen my friends and welcome back to The Park.

Arianny Celeste – 02/14/08

(photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC)

Posted in Arianny Celeste, Interview, MMA | 21 Comments »

Park Memories: McCullough & Varner Engage In A War Of Words

Bad News: My computer is still sick.

Good News: We should be good-to-go in a couple of days.

Bad News: I haven’t been able to talk about what is shaping up to be one of the better weeks in combat sports (Quintana over Williams? Wow.)

Good News: A few months back, I spoke with WEC Lightweight champ “Razor” Rob McCullough and Jamie Varner to preview their upcoming title bout. Well, as you all know, that match goes down tomorrow night and since I suspect many missed these interviews due to the holidays, here they are again. Enjoy the fights.

Rob McCullough

Jamie Varner

(photo courtesy of Zuffa, LLC)

Posted in Interview, Jamie Varner, MMA, Rob McCullough, WEC | 2 Comments »

(A Very Sad) Saturday In The Park

Yesterday at around 12:30 pm EST my computer crashed…again. This marked the second time in the last three months that my MacBook died on me. To say I am pissed would be quite the understatement.

Anyhow, the reason I am writing about this is because no computer means no interviews (I am actually writing this post from one of those funny internet cafes). This disaster can’t come at a worse time for me as there are a plethora of juicy combat events coming up this week (Boxing After Dark, TNA, WEC 32, Pavlik-Taylor II, Elite XC and No Way Out – pretty crazy, I know). So, it saddens me to report that Jarry Park will be closing its doors for the next couple of days. I hope to be up and running by Wednesday.

Anyhow, we’ve been going strong the last few months with our daily interviews so I thought this would be a good opportunity to ask you if there is someone in particular that you would like to invite to The Park. I try to keep my finger on the pulse of the combat sports world but am always up for guest suggestions so drop me a line at ariel@jarrypark.com or leave a comment below.

Thanks for your understanding and speak to you in a couple of days. (And, yes, I know those are IPods…I couldn’t find any anti-mac pictures.)

Posted in Blogroll | 7 Comments »

Carlo Prater Is Ready For The Fight Of His Life

Just days before the biggest fight of his career, Carlo Prater stopped by The Park to discusses his upcoming bout against WEC Welterweight champ Carlos Condit this Wednesday in Albuquerque, NM. Prater will be making his WEC debut and will also be looking to capture his second victory over the 23-year-old Condit. He is actually one of the few contenders out there who never received a shot at fighting for one of the major MMA promotions but come Wednesday all that will change. Some of the topics we also touched on included:

* The difference between the Carlos Condit he defeated in 2004 and the one he will be facing in a few days

* How he received a title shot in his WEC debut

* His strategy going into the fight

* Why it took so long to make it to the “big leagues”

* His thoughts on fighting in the WEC as opposed to the UFC

* Why he was not promoted in the last WEC show and why he is the only fighter from the triple main event not to be featured on the official poster (weird isn’t it?)

Really enjoyed this one. I genuinely felt how anxious, ready and excited Prater was to fight Condit. Take a listen.

Carlo Prater – 02/08/08

Posted in Carlo Prater, Interview, MMA, WEC | 7 Comments »

Between Rounds With Maya & Shanelle

It’s been several weeks since we checked in with the lovely ladies at The Platinum Agency to talk a little combat sports. So, to make up for lost time (and to spice things up) we present Between Rounds with Maya (top) AND Shanelle (bottom). Consider this a sort of make believe combat menage-a-trois. They really treat us well over there.

Ariel Helwani: Are you a lover or a fighter?

Maya: Definitely more of a lover.
Shanelle: I’m a fighter for my loved ones. I would do just about anything for them including an elbow or rear choke!

AH: Would you ever date a fighter?

Maya: Yes, it would be a total turn-on knowing my man could (kick) anyone’s butt for me if he had to. Plus, muscles and six-packs are totally hot.
Shanelle: If my man became a fighter I would continue to date him and would love to watch him kick some butt. I would be really hard seeing him bleed.

AH: Which sport intrigues you the most: boxing, mixed-martial-arts or wrestling?

Maya: Boxing more than MMA for sure. Boxing has more discipline.
Shanelle: Mixed martial arts. It seems to have more techniques than boxing or wrestling. Because you fight with all your body parts – Legs, arms etc. It also is a training for fitness, confidence, meditation, self- defense and character development.

AH: Who is your favorite professional fighter?

Maya: Oscar de la Hoya
Shanelle: Dong Haichuan, his moves inspire me. (Ed. note: Definitely the best answer we will ever get)
AH: Have you ever been to a live fight?

Maya: Yes, I was a ring girl a few times at some boxing matches. It was so much crazier live than what you see on TV! Those guys are tough…and sweaty…and bloody!
Shanelle: I have seen live fights, they weren’t professional though. When I was younger I felt excited (and) an adrenaline rush from watching people go at it. Lately, I don’t get much amusement from amateur fighting but more so interested on how all the techniques work in the professional realm.

AH: What do you think of female fighters?

Maya: They rock. Tough chicks can be super hot!
Shanelle: I think it’s great to know women are participating in the sport. There are strong and educated men and there are weak men. Just as there are strong and educated women and there are weak women.

AH: Would you ever consider stepping into the octagon or ring?

Maya: To fight?!? Ummm, not unless I wanted to get my ass kicked. (I’m) not much of a brawler. But maybe as a ring-card girl – they get the best seats in the house.
Shanelle: Yes I would! But only if I knew what I was doing and the other person had no idea what they were doing. That seems like a fair fight, right?

Posted in Between Rounds, Interview | 2 Comments »