Mixed martial artist Tom Lawlor had this interesting ring entrance at UFC 100 for whoever missed it over the weekend. And…I’m just grateful that this sort of thing was on pay-per-view. Because if it was on free TV, I’d never get anything done. And let the record show that Lawlor needed all of 55 seconds to dispose of CB Dolloway in that event. Kind of ironic that he won using a…choke. via
I just thought it was curious that SportsCenter decided to include Dan Henderson’s knockout of Michael Bisping in its Top Plays this morning. Viewers saw ESPN play the image of The Elbow at normal speed, then the knockout punch in slow-mo, and then The Elbow again in slow motion. Obviously, it was better quality than what we have above (for now), but you get the idea. And Hannah Storm’s remarks, while not as typically abrasive as other anchors’ toward non-traditional sports with whom they have no broadcast agreement, were somewhat terse.
“It was a little bloody and it was early in the morning and that’s all I’m saying.”
Maybe I’m reading into the top plays too much, but I found its inclusion to be curious (but fair) reporting. I can’t remember SportsCenter ever showing a UFC highlight in the past, and good luck to you if you’re looking for any semblance of a UFC 100 recap to appear on the front page of ESPN.com (It was on the daily poll) And I haven’t seen any mention of Lesnar’s win in the event on today’s show, either (UPDATE: They’re running a segment on it right now, including an appearance from Dana White on First Take).
Is ESPN using this clip out of context to fuel the “I Told You So” naysayers that think of mixed martial arts as lawless bloodsport and nothing else? Or am I just overly critical of the monolith for my own reaction to the clip? Had it not been for Lesnar’s post-fight rant, wouldn’t this be the centerpiece of everyone’s water cooler discussion of MMA? How many consecutive questions can I ask without answering any of them? What, you mean now I have to count them now?
It’s kinda fascinating that former pro and amateur wrestling champion Brock Lesnar is a favorite in his rematch with Frank Mir at UFC 100 tomorrow night, especially since Mir beat Lesnar with a sneaky kneebar last February at UFC 81. But Brock feels less like the popular choice to win in the main event and more like a guy that’s been slighted by Mir, referee Steve Mazzagatti, the UFC film crew, the Care Bears, and whoever else you can think of. But that door totally had it coming. I could hear it laughing at Lesnar’s eyebrows. What do you tweeze with, dude? A propane torch?
I almost hate to say that I want to see Lesnar win. He would be a solid draw for MMA and a bankable star that corporate types might have an easier time identifying in the white-guy labyrinth of today’s UFC. Any sport needs stars, and if Lesnar loses again, the UFC would lose in box office appeal as much as it would gain by showing that former pro wrestlers have a too steep a hill to climb in the octagon.
