A very underrated Motorhead song from an underrated Motorhead album.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Can't believe it. Absolutely heartbroken that Lemmy of Motorhead passed away. He just turned 70. I knew he wasn't in the best of health but can't believe it. Lost a lot of favorites this year. Leonard Nimoy, Christopher Lee, Dusty Rhodes, Roddy Piper, "Philthy" Phil Taylor, and now Lemmy. Hard to believe another legend is gone. On the plus side, I proud to say that I got to see him and Motorhead twice. While I wish I could've seen him more, I'm proud to say I got to see him at least once than never like Gary Moore. Godspeed Lemmy. Thanks for 20+ albums, 40 years of Motorhead, and two great performances I got to see.
Friday, December 11, 2015
Blue Oyster Cult: White Flags
Yesterday (thought it was today) marked the 30th anniversary of Blue Oyster Cult's Club Ninja first being released. Though not a popular album since it was one of those albums that tries to cater to the times, I like it. It's also the only album of BOC not to feature Allen Lanier on keyboards and the last to feature Joe Bouchard on bass guitar before he left.
Thursday, November 26, 2015
Debunking Jordan Breen's Article on Mirko Cro Cop
Debunking Jordan Breen's Article on Mirko Cro Cop
November 26, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
On November 13, MMA reporter, journalist, and host Jordan Breen wrote an article on the recently retired MMA legend Mirko Cro Cop. The article could pretty much be considered a hit piece criticizing Cro Cop's career and his achievements at a time when Cro Cop announced his retirement after admitting to using human growth hormone to treat a shoulder injury for his November 28th fight against Anthony Hamilton before pulling out. Being a Cro Cop fan, I decided to debunk the article because I refuse for a legend I'm a big fan to be tarred and feathered as he potentially retires which could damage his legacy to newer fans.
November 26, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
On November 13, MMA reporter, journalist, and host Jordan Breen wrote an article on the recently retired MMA legend Mirko Cro Cop. The article could pretty much be considered a hit piece criticizing Cro Cop's career and his achievements at a time when Cro Cop announced his retirement after admitting to using human growth hormone to treat a shoulder injury for his November 28th fight against Anthony Hamilton before pulling out. Being a Cro Cop fan, I decided to debunk the article because I refuse for a legend I'm a big fan to be tarred and feathered as he potentially retires which could damage his legacy to newer fans.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Dokken - "The Hunter" (Official Music Video)
I forgot. Yesterday was the 30th anniversary of the Dokken album: Under Lock and Key.
Well, it's been a sad week regarding celebrities in my opinion. Sad to hear "Philthy" Phil Taylor from Motorhead and wrestling legend Nick Bockwinkel passed away last week while former game show host Jim Perry passed away this weekend.
Taylor was the longtime drummer for legendary heavy metal band Motorhead from 1975-1984 and again from 1987-1992. The lineup with him, frontman Lemmy, and guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke is the most famous lineup. Taylor was 61 and sadly the second Motorhead alumni to pass away with former guitarist Wurzel being the first in 2011.
Bockwinkel was a wrestling legend best known for his time in the now defunct AWA (American Wrestling Association) from 1970-1987 where he was a four time World Heavyweight Champion and three time World Tag Team Champion. He also worked backstage for the WWE from 1987-1989 and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2007. Along with his wrestling skills, Bockwinkel was also known for his elegant promo style. He was 80 and three weeks shy of his 81.
Finally, Perry was a former emcee but eventually became known for his time as a game show host as he was the original host of Card Sharks from 1978-1981 and $ale of the Century from 1983-1989. He was also a successful game show host in Canada to the point where he and Alex Trebek were both hosting game shows in both countries simultaneously. He had just turned 82.
Saturday, November 21, 2015
Brock Lesnar Had No Future In MMA
Brock Lesnar Had No Future In MMA
November 19, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
On October 2015, former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar appeared on "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's podcast and made the claims that he was serious about making a comeback to MMA earlier this year along with saying that if not for his illness than he would still be very successful in MMA. While there has been speculations among journalist and fans with many believing that Lesnar would still be successful and dominant if it wasn't for his bouts with diverticlitis, I'm not one of them. Illness or not, Lesnar would not have had continued success MMA and I will explain why Lesnar's claims are nothing more than a pipe dream while he was never meant to be long for the MMA World.
November 19, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
On October 2015, former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar appeared on "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's podcast and made the claims that he was serious about making a comeback to MMA earlier this year along with saying that if not for his illness than he would still be very successful in MMA. While there has been speculations among journalist and fans with many believing that Lesnar would still be successful and dominant if it wasn't for his bouts with diverticlitis, I'm not one of them. Illness or not, Lesnar would not have had continued success MMA and I will explain why Lesnar's claims are nothing more than a pipe dream while he was never meant to be long for the MMA World.
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Spectre Thoughts
Saw Spectre last night and it was another fun and good James Bond movie. Daniel Craig continues to do a great job as Bond and if this is his last then it's a good one to go out on. The other major characters were great and I like how the other characters are different. Ralph Fiennes M is more active than previous Ms and does more than just sit at a desk while Ben Whishaw's Q appears more than 15 minutes and is far more active while Naomie Harris' Miss Moneypenny is also more than just a secretary who flirts with Bond. Christophe Waltz was great as Blofeld and I love some of the stuff they brought back like the scar on his eye and the white cat. It's so good to see Blofeld officially back after 44 years along with Spectre. I also loved Dave Bautista or Batista as Mr. Hinx. Being a big fan of his wrestling career, I was happy how he came off as he was in a lot of the movie and did a great job as the silent but powerful badass assassin that reminded me of a cross between Richard Kiel's Jaws and Robert Shaw's Donald "Red" Grant (especially with the latter as he and Bond fought on a train which reminded me of From Russia With Love) and I love how they left the window open for him to potentially return. I also loved how the movie tied in the previous Craig movies claiming all the villains were working for Spectre and their schemes along with the women in Bond's life dying in previous movies were all tied to Spectre. The action scenes and music were also great. What makes this movie also good was it had big shoes to fill being the one to come after Skyfall. While I have to watch both over to see which I think is great, I still enjoyed this. Definitely recommended for any Bond fan.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Debunking The Fedor Emelianenko Talking Points
Debunking The Fedor Emelianenko Talking Points
November 3, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
On July 14, 2015, it was announced that MMA Legend Fedor Emelianenko was making his return to fighting after a three year retirement. To no surprise, he quickly became highly in demand and many people began to believe that after all these years, he was finally heading to the UFC. However, on September 19th, Emelianenko announced he would compete on a New Year's Eve card promoted by former PRIDE boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara. To no surprise, the media and certain fans are back to 2007 to 2012 by claiming Emelianenko doesn't want to fight "the best" or "he's scared". To say the least, this is very tiresome to hear the same talking points. As a result, I decided to write this article to debunk the talking points. Whether you think Emelianenko is the best or not is your opinion, but these talks of cowardice or fighting cans his whole career needs to stop because it's not true.
November 3, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
On July 14, 2015, it was announced that MMA Legend Fedor Emelianenko was making his return to fighting after a three year retirement. To no surprise, he quickly became highly in demand and many people began to believe that after all these years, he was finally heading to the UFC. However, on September 19th, Emelianenko announced he would compete on a New Year's Eve card promoted by former PRIDE boss Nobuyuki Sakakibara. To no surprise, the media and certain fans are back to 2007 to 2012 by claiming Emelianenko doesn't want to fight "the best" or "he's scared". To say the least, this is very tiresome to hear the same talking points. As a result, I decided to write this article to debunk the talking points. Whether you think Emelianenko is the best or not is your opinion, but these talks of cowardice or fighting cans his whole career needs to stop because it's not true.
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
FULL FIGHT: ONE Middleweight World Championship Igor Svirid vs. Vitaly B...
Fight of the Year Candidate.
Why Wrestlemania 32 Will Not Likely Break The 100,000 Mark
Why Wrestlemania 32 Will Not Likely Break The 100,000 Mark
October 13, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
On April 3, 2016, The WWE will host Wrestlemania 32 at the AT&T Stadium and attempt to set a new indoor attendance record for a sporting event. It was at AT&T where the 2010 NBA All-Star Game got over 108,000 fans which broke Wrestlemania III's 93,173 attendance from 1987. However, the WWE should not be trying to break the 100,000 mark because it's highly unlikely they will. Basically the WWE has nothing huge going for them heading into Wrestlemania 32 and we'll take a look at all the obstacles that will prevent the WWE from setting a new record.
October 13, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
On April 3, 2016, The WWE will host Wrestlemania 32 at the AT&T Stadium and attempt to set a new indoor attendance record for a sporting event. It was at AT&T where the 2010 NBA All-Star Game got over 108,000 fans which broke Wrestlemania III's 93,173 attendance from 1987. However, the WWE should not be trying to break the 100,000 mark because it's highly unlikely they will. Basically the WWE has nothing huge going for them heading into Wrestlemania 32 and we'll take a look at all the obstacles that will prevent the WWE from setting a new record.
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Friday, October 2, 2015
Friday, September 4, 2015
WCW Nitro 09 04 95 Debut Episode (Full Show)
On this day 20 years ago, WCW launched WCW Monday Nitro which started one of the most successful periods in American Wrestling history: The Monday Night Wars as it was WCW Monday Nitro vs. WWF Monday Night RAW.
Friday, August 28, 2015
A Decade Anniversary: A Look Back at PRIDE Final Conflict 2005
A Decade Anniversary: A Look Back at PRIDE Final Conflict 2005
August 23, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
On Sunday August 28, 2005, The Japanese based PRIDE Fighting Championships held PRIDE Final Conflict 2005 in front of 47,629 fans at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. While it looked amazing on paper, few probably knew that it would go on to be one of the greatest and historical events in Mixed Martial Arts history. Going in, it was already announced that the PRIDE World Heavyweight Championship would be on the line between Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop. The event would also feature both the semi finals as well as the finals of the 2005 PRIDE Middleweight (205 pounds/93 kilograms) Grand Prix between PRIDE's Middleweight kingpin, a former RINGS champion, and two great prospects who went on to great success. However, more would also happen. A king fell off his throne, his potential successor would be the one to shine, a UFC legend would not only make his PRIDE debut but it would be his only appearance in the PRIDE ring, and one of Mixed Martial Arts greatest legends would ultimately have his last fight. Let's take a look at one of MMA's greatest events as we celebrate it's ten year anniversary.
August 23, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
On Sunday August 28, 2005, The Japanese based PRIDE Fighting Championships held PRIDE Final Conflict 2005 in front of 47,629 fans at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. While it looked amazing on paper, few probably knew that it would go on to be one of the greatest and historical events in Mixed Martial Arts history. Going in, it was already announced that the PRIDE World Heavyweight Championship would be on the line between Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop. The event would also feature both the semi finals as well as the finals of the 2005 PRIDE Middleweight (205 pounds/93 kilograms) Grand Prix between PRIDE's Middleweight kingpin, a former RINGS champion, and two great prospects who went on to great success. However, more would also happen. A king fell off his throne, his potential successor would be the one to shine, a UFC legend would not only make his PRIDE debut but it would be his only appearance in the PRIDE ring, and one of Mixed Martial Arts greatest legends would ultimately have his last fight. Let's take a look at one of MMA's greatest events as we celebrate it's ten year anniversary.
Fedor vs. Cro Cop: A Look Back At MMA's Biggest Title Fight A Decade Later
Fedor vs. Cro Cop: A Look Back At MMA's Biggest Title Fight A Decade Later
August 23, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
The fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop was MMA's biggest title fight. Very rarely has a fight been years in the making and not only took place, but did so when both were arguably at their very best. It was a fight you would expect to be contested for a World Heavyweight Championship as the participants were two titans who each had everything to gain. One who achieved things that many would never come close to doing all the while looking to continue his dominance on the heavyweight division. The other would attempt to achieve a dream of becoming world heavyweight champion and end a four year journey that had a couple of speed bumps along the way. This article will take a look at the two legends, the setbacks, the hype, and the fight that became MMA's biggest title fight.
August 23, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
The fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Mirko Cro Cop was MMA's biggest title fight. Very rarely has a fight been years in the making and not only took place, but did so when both were arguably at their very best. It was a fight you would expect to be contested for a World Heavyweight Championship as the participants were two titans who each had everything to gain. One who achieved things that many would never come close to doing all the while looking to continue his dominance on the heavyweight division. The other would attempt to achieve a dream of becoming world heavyweight champion and end a four year journey that had a couple of speed bumps along the way. This article will take a look at the two legends, the setbacks, the hype, and the fight that became MMA's biggest title fight.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
Saturday, August 15, 2015
Mark Godbeer vs. Paul Taylor, BAMMA 21
A pretty good fight from BAMMA to crown the first BAMMA World Heavyweight Champion.
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
End the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts
End the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts
July 29, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
In most parts of the world, Mixed Martial Arts is usually contested under The Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts and it's very unfortunate. Since the unified rules came about in the early 2000s, they have been extremely flawed as it resulted in many fighters not putting their on their best performances along with bad, controversal judging. We'll take a look at the problems with the Unified Rules and why they need to go.
Before I begin, I must lay out the Unified Rules before explaining why they are a detriment. Along with the usual MMA rules which include no low blows, no hits to the back of the head, no eye pokes to name some, the following are the rules in Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts but not in other rule sets.
1. Fights are judged using the 10 point scoring system that is used in boxing and kickboxing along with judging fights round by round. If a round is considered a draw then both fighters get 10 points. The winner of the round gets 10 points while the loser gets 9 points or even less. Fighters can be deducted a point for fouls. Three fouls will result in disqualification.
2. Kicks and knees to grounded opponents is considered illegal. A grounded opponent is a fighter with their back on the canvas, sitting down, has one knee or both on the canvas, or even one hand on the canvas.
3. Elbows are allowed on the ground except the point or 12 to 6 angle (as in 12 o' clock to 6 o' clock).
4. Fights are judged by effective striking, grappling, aggression, and cage/ring control in that order.
Having gotten that out of the way, let's take a look at the downside of the rules.
At times, the Unified Rules' can be very vague and illogical. For one, a fighter can throw a kick or knee as hard as they can to their opponents face as long as the opponent is standing. However, kicks and knees to the head are not legal if the opponent is on their back, sitting down, have one or both knees on the canvas, and even one hand on the canvas. Not only does this not make any sense but some of it is downright laughable. A person's skull doesn't soften if they touch the canvas with anything else but their two feet. Not only does it not make any sense but it also affects fighters since they can't focus solely on winning when they have an opponent beat. In the heat of battle, they can accidentally throw a knee or kick when the opponent is down and that can cost them as they can get a point deducted or the fighter may not be able to continue which will mostly result in a no contest. This is bad since the fighter has to keep reminding themselves as they're trying to finish that they can't throw a knee or kick when their opponent is in certain positions. Another factor to think of is if a fighter is on the verge of losing but takes a knee or kick while down then they can take advantage of the rules, take the easy way out, and say they can't continue so they'll get a no contest on their record instead of a loss. Good example was a fight less than a month ago between David Rickels and John Alessio at Bellator 140 back on July 17. The fight saw Rickels on the verge of scoring a TKO against Alessio only to accidentally knee Alessio in the face. After being checked on by a doctor, Alessio claimed he couldn't continue and the fight was ruled a no contest. Anybody who saw it can't deny that Rickels was absolutely ripped off and it was all because of the rules.
Judging is also extremely difficult because of the rules. In boxing and kickboxing, the ten point scoring system works for a variety of reasons. One being that boxers and kickboxers don't have as many tools and weapons at their disposal. Boxers can only punch the face and stomach while kickboxers can only punch and kick the face, stomach, and legs. Neither can use elbows, knees, or grappling. Scoring is easy for the most part. A round that was very close can be scored 10-10 for both fighters. If a fighter clearly won one round then they get 10 while the opponent gets 9. If they get one knock down in the round then it's 10-8. Two knock downs in one round is 10-7. Three knock downs in one round is a TKO. In MMA, things are much more complicated. MMA fighters can punch, kick, elbow, knee, and grapple. As a result, there's more things for a judge to look at when scoring fights. If a fighter gets knocked down then either the other can go for the finish or the referee stops the fight. There is no ten count and the rules don't clearly state what makes a round a 10-9, 10-8, or 10-7. No amount of knock downs or submission attempts guarentees the round is 10-8 or 10-7. In the end, it depends on what the judges think and that's not only right but also unfair to the fighters or to fans who bet on fights as you may have a situation where a fight should've went to a draw but the judges didn't score it that way. In a lot of cases, a fighter probably deserved a 10-8 score but the judges may not have seen it like that and only gave the fight 10-9. Then there are times when a fighter clearly should've won but was only given a razor thin decision which can undeservingly hurt them because it'll always been on their record so people can get the wrong opinion thinking the fighter had a hard time winning when they didn't. There's also guarenteed controversy when there's a split decision so fans see that and think that the fighter probably didn't deserve the win when they did.
The rules also greatly affect fighters performances and not in a good way. Because of the judging and ruleset, fighters can play safe and be more concerned about not losing instead of winning. You have fighters who just jab and score points standing up while taking opponents down and doing just enough to keep the fight on the ground all the while making no attempt to either go fot a knockout or submission. Because fights are judged round by round, if a fighter is confident they won the first two rounds, then they usually feel the need to coast and not take chances to finish the fight. Meanwhile, if a fighter believes they're losing then they'll emotionally give up most of the time which means they'll make no effort to dig deep and finish the fight but rather go the distance so they'll get a moral victory. These type of performances are awful and boring to watch as a fan and don't do the sport any favors. Nobody wants to watch a fight where both participants are clearly not doing their best and just putting on a half ass performance.
There's also problems in the Unified Rules regarding grappling. Fighters can earn points and be in a position where it looks like they're winning the fight by successfully getting takedowns and remaining on top even if they're not doing much. Meanwhile, blocking takedowns aren't considered as important and the rules make the judges consider them meaningless. If a fighter gets taken down, it's bad in the eyes of the judges and in the rules. When a fighter is on their back then they're losing the fight even if they're more busy in the fight with strikes or submission attempts. If a fighter is someone who is used to grappling off their back then they have to adjust their style and leave their comfort zone because if they don't get a submission then the judges have to look at it as they're losing the round. As for fighters who prefer to fight on top, then the rules heavily benefit them because they can take someone down, do almost nothing, and still have done enough to win the round. The only thing they have to worry about is doing enough so the referee doesn't stand them up. Obviously, this makes for fights that are unfair since it should be balanced instead of benefiting one side.
In the end, the best rule set is the one previously used in Japan and currently in ONE over in Singapore either considered PRIDE rules (based on the famous Japanese promotion) or Global rules (the name of the ONE rule set). The judges determine a winner by judging the entire fight instead of round by round. They also look for things such as which fighter came the closest to winning. Kicks and knees to grounded opponents are legal which makes sense since fighters can already kick and knee opponents standing up. With these rules, it makes it easier for judges to decide who won fights which can prevent a lot of controversy. Fights are more exciting because fighters can't afford to coast since they can out strike or grapple their opponent in the first two rounds only to lose the fight because the opponent came close to knocking them out or briefly caught them in a submission hold during the third. If anything, trying to coast gives the opponent more time to get the finish. The playing field is also fair as takedowns don't mean a fighter's winning and opponents on the ground can still win by attempting submissions. There's also a yellow card system. Whenever a fighter is stalling or refusing to engage, the referee will eventually pull out a yellow card and point it to a fighter or both fighters. If a fighter gets a yellow card then they're deducted 20% of their paycheck. Yellow cards are also given for fouls. Three fouls will result in a disqualification. Because of the possiblity of losing a percentage of their pocket book, this results in more action as fighters can't risk putting on lazy performances and have to engage more instead of grinding out decisions. The only negative to the rules is damage is also judged which isn't right since certain fighters bleed or bruise easier than others. It's not right to lose a fight because someone may get cut easy or bruise easier than a peach.
At the end of the day, no rule set is perfect and each have flaws. However, it's become clear that the unified rules are the most flawed and need to go. They are ridiculous, illogical, and frustrating. They are too vague at times for judges to use effectively while providing many ways for fighters to take the easy way out. Like any other tumor, they need to be removed from the body before taking it down.
July 29, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
In most parts of the world, Mixed Martial Arts is usually contested under The Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts and it's very unfortunate. Since the unified rules came about in the early 2000s, they have been extremely flawed as it resulted in many fighters not putting their on their best performances along with bad, controversal judging. We'll take a look at the problems with the Unified Rules and why they need to go.
Before I begin, I must lay out the Unified Rules before explaining why they are a detriment. Along with the usual MMA rules which include no low blows, no hits to the back of the head, no eye pokes to name some, the following are the rules in Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts but not in other rule sets.
1. Fights are judged using the 10 point scoring system that is used in boxing and kickboxing along with judging fights round by round. If a round is considered a draw then both fighters get 10 points. The winner of the round gets 10 points while the loser gets 9 points or even less. Fighters can be deducted a point for fouls. Three fouls will result in disqualification.
2. Kicks and knees to grounded opponents is considered illegal. A grounded opponent is a fighter with their back on the canvas, sitting down, has one knee or both on the canvas, or even one hand on the canvas.
3. Elbows are allowed on the ground except the point or 12 to 6 angle (as in 12 o' clock to 6 o' clock).
4. Fights are judged by effective striking, grappling, aggression, and cage/ring control in that order.
Having gotten that out of the way, let's take a look at the downside of the rules.
At times, the Unified Rules' can be very vague and illogical. For one, a fighter can throw a kick or knee as hard as they can to their opponents face as long as the opponent is standing. However, kicks and knees to the head are not legal if the opponent is on their back, sitting down, have one or both knees on the canvas, and even one hand on the canvas. Not only does this not make any sense but some of it is downright laughable. A person's skull doesn't soften if they touch the canvas with anything else but their two feet. Not only does it not make any sense but it also affects fighters since they can't focus solely on winning when they have an opponent beat. In the heat of battle, they can accidentally throw a knee or kick when the opponent is down and that can cost them as they can get a point deducted or the fighter may not be able to continue which will mostly result in a no contest. This is bad since the fighter has to keep reminding themselves as they're trying to finish that they can't throw a knee or kick when their opponent is in certain positions. Another factor to think of is if a fighter is on the verge of losing but takes a knee or kick while down then they can take advantage of the rules, take the easy way out, and say they can't continue so they'll get a no contest on their record instead of a loss. Good example was a fight less than a month ago between David Rickels and John Alessio at Bellator 140 back on July 17. The fight saw Rickels on the verge of scoring a TKO against Alessio only to accidentally knee Alessio in the face. After being checked on by a doctor, Alessio claimed he couldn't continue and the fight was ruled a no contest. Anybody who saw it can't deny that Rickels was absolutely ripped off and it was all because of the rules.
Judging is also extremely difficult because of the rules. In boxing and kickboxing, the ten point scoring system works for a variety of reasons. One being that boxers and kickboxers don't have as many tools and weapons at their disposal. Boxers can only punch the face and stomach while kickboxers can only punch and kick the face, stomach, and legs. Neither can use elbows, knees, or grappling. Scoring is easy for the most part. A round that was very close can be scored 10-10 for both fighters. If a fighter clearly won one round then they get 10 while the opponent gets 9. If they get one knock down in the round then it's 10-8. Two knock downs in one round is 10-7. Three knock downs in one round is a TKO. In MMA, things are much more complicated. MMA fighters can punch, kick, elbow, knee, and grapple. As a result, there's more things for a judge to look at when scoring fights. If a fighter gets knocked down then either the other can go for the finish or the referee stops the fight. There is no ten count and the rules don't clearly state what makes a round a 10-9, 10-8, or 10-7. No amount of knock downs or submission attempts guarentees the round is 10-8 or 10-7. In the end, it depends on what the judges think and that's not only right but also unfair to the fighters or to fans who bet on fights as you may have a situation where a fight should've went to a draw but the judges didn't score it that way. In a lot of cases, a fighter probably deserved a 10-8 score but the judges may not have seen it like that and only gave the fight 10-9. Then there are times when a fighter clearly should've won but was only given a razor thin decision which can undeservingly hurt them because it'll always been on their record so people can get the wrong opinion thinking the fighter had a hard time winning when they didn't. There's also guarenteed controversy when there's a split decision so fans see that and think that the fighter probably didn't deserve the win when they did.
The rules also greatly affect fighters performances and not in a good way. Because of the judging and ruleset, fighters can play safe and be more concerned about not losing instead of winning. You have fighters who just jab and score points standing up while taking opponents down and doing just enough to keep the fight on the ground all the while making no attempt to either go fot a knockout or submission. Because fights are judged round by round, if a fighter is confident they won the first two rounds, then they usually feel the need to coast and not take chances to finish the fight. Meanwhile, if a fighter believes they're losing then they'll emotionally give up most of the time which means they'll make no effort to dig deep and finish the fight but rather go the distance so they'll get a moral victory. These type of performances are awful and boring to watch as a fan and don't do the sport any favors. Nobody wants to watch a fight where both participants are clearly not doing their best and just putting on a half ass performance.
There's also problems in the Unified Rules regarding grappling. Fighters can earn points and be in a position where it looks like they're winning the fight by successfully getting takedowns and remaining on top even if they're not doing much. Meanwhile, blocking takedowns aren't considered as important and the rules make the judges consider them meaningless. If a fighter gets taken down, it's bad in the eyes of the judges and in the rules. When a fighter is on their back then they're losing the fight even if they're more busy in the fight with strikes or submission attempts. If a fighter is someone who is used to grappling off their back then they have to adjust their style and leave their comfort zone because if they don't get a submission then the judges have to look at it as they're losing the round. As for fighters who prefer to fight on top, then the rules heavily benefit them because they can take someone down, do almost nothing, and still have done enough to win the round. The only thing they have to worry about is doing enough so the referee doesn't stand them up. Obviously, this makes for fights that are unfair since it should be balanced instead of benefiting one side.
In the end, the best rule set is the one previously used in Japan and currently in ONE over in Singapore either considered PRIDE rules (based on the famous Japanese promotion) or Global rules (the name of the ONE rule set). The judges determine a winner by judging the entire fight instead of round by round. They also look for things such as which fighter came the closest to winning. Kicks and knees to grounded opponents are legal which makes sense since fighters can already kick and knee opponents standing up. With these rules, it makes it easier for judges to decide who won fights which can prevent a lot of controversy. Fights are more exciting because fighters can't afford to coast since they can out strike or grapple their opponent in the first two rounds only to lose the fight because the opponent came close to knocking them out or briefly caught them in a submission hold during the third. If anything, trying to coast gives the opponent more time to get the finish. The playing field is also fair as takedowns don't mean a fighter's winning and opponents on the ground can still win by attempting submissions. There's also a yellow card system. Whenever a fighter is stalling or refusing to engage, the referee will eventually pull out a yellow card and point it to a fighter or both fighters. If a fighter gets a yellow card then they're deducted 20% of their paycheck. Yellow cards are also given for fouls. Three fouls will result in a disqualification. Because of the possiblity of losing a percentage of their pocket book, this results in more action as fighters can't risk putting on lazy performances and have to engage more instead of grinding out decisions. The only negative to the rules is damage is also judged which isn't right since certain fighters bleed or bruise easier than others. It's not right to lose a fight because someone may get cut easy or bruise easier than a peach.
At the end of the day, no rule set is perfect and each have flaws. However, it's become clear that the unified rules are the most flawed and need to go. They are ridiculous, illogical, and frustrating. They are too vague at times for judges to use effectively while providing many ways for fighters to take the easy way out. Like any other tumor, they need to be removed from the body before taking it down.
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
The Need For Managers In Wrestling
The Need For Managers In Wrestling
July 18, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Wrestling Managers. They are heat seekers, mouthpieces, and can be the deciding factor for victory in their wrestler's matches. For decades, managers have been a great addition to professional wrestling for these reasons. They are also capable of helping wrestlers catch on with the fan base and can eventually transition to other positions in wrestling later Unfortunately, the concept of managers has fallen out of popularity in recent times. Many major and minor companies in America rarely use them and mostly prefer their talent to speak for themselves even if they're not capable of doing so. Even in 2015, managers can still be very useful and here are some examples why.
We'll start with the obvious which is they're usually great mouthpieces. Over the decades, there have been many wrestlers who were not able to cut good promos which is important in wrestling. Some wrestlers were from countries like Japan or Mexico and couldn't speak English. As a result, they required a manager to cut promos for them. While some have learned English, not everyone is going to quickly learn it. Even if they did learn it, there's no guarantee that they would be great on the mic. With companies like the WWE and TNA bringing in talent from around the world these days, a manager would be great to speak for them. Even if they learn English, they could benefit from having a manager until they become comfortable speaking. In the past, many great international wrestling legends benefited from having a manager like Killer Khan, The Great Kabuki, and The Great Muta. It's very possible that they likely would not have caught on with the fans like they did without someone to talk for them. In American wrestling, talking is important and wrestlers can have a hard time connecting with the fans if they can't talk and there's no one to talk for them.
Speaking of wrestlers who don't know English, there's also wrestlers who have gimmicks that make them pretend not to know English. For decades, we've seen many legendary wrestlers who knew English but had to pretend they didn't for the sake of the gimmick. Wrestlers including Yokozuna, The Wild Samoans, and Kamala are the best examples of this. Even in the last twenty years, we've seen it. During his first full year in 1998, Kane came off as someone who couldn't talk without the use of a voice box. Sabu has always been known for being mute and never talking. Then there's Umaga who was a Samoan savage that couldn't grasp the English language. In the end, each and everyone of these wrestlers had someone to speak for them and it helped them connect with the fans in ways they probably would not have been able to.
Along with wrestlers who can't speak English or have gimmicks where they can't, there's the wrestlers that don't have those problems but have other ones. Good example is Jack Swagger. Not only is Swagger not a good talker but he has a lisp. So even if Swagger learned to cut a promo, his lisp may make it difficult for fans to take seriously. Then there's the Great Khali who did learn English but has a thick accent that makes it difficult to understand what he is saying at times. They're only two examples as there's other wrestlers who may have these problems so a manager would be very beneficial to them.
Managers can also allow wrestlers to be off TV for a week or two. If a wrestler gets hurt or the company doesn't have anything for them, the manager can represent them for that week or two. By doing this, wrestlers don't get stale with the fans but they're still fresh in the fans memories. This can be very important since wrestling is more about television then live events these days which means the main stars are on every week which can result in fans getting bored of them faster. As a result, if a manager can help a wrestler stay fresh for even a little bit longer then they're a great asset.
Then there's the fact that many legends were either able to have careers in wrestling or have a new lease on life because of managing. Ultimately, managers can mostly be divided into three categories. One is managers who were too small and/or didn't have the athletism to make it as wrestlers which includes Jimmy Hart, Paul Heyman, Jim Cornette, Slick, and the Grand Wizard of Wrestling. The second is managers who started as wrestlers but never really made it as one like Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, "Playboy" Gary Hart, and "Captain" Lou Albano. Then there's managers who were successful as wrestlers but got too old to wrestle like "Wild" Red Berry, "Classy" Freddie Blassie, Mr. Fuji, JJ Dillon, Skandor Akbar, and Tojo Yamamoto. A fourth possible category is women who either weren't meant to be wrestlers like Miss Elizabeth and Sunny or women who were working in a major company that didn't have a women's division like Sensational Sherri. Managing has given many people the opportunity to either be successful in wrestling or continued success after their in-ring careers ended. Without managing in wrestling, we never would've seen the likes of Hart, Heyman, Cornette, Slick and Wizard. Meanwhile, Heenan, Hart, and Albano would've been forgotten and faded out of the business by the early 70s. Then there's the successful wrestlers who retired and would've been done in wrestling despite being able to still offer something.
An important factor that no one thinks of is the fact that a lot of successful managers found success or careers in other areas of wrestling after managing. Jimmy Hart became a composer and songwriter for the WWF and WCW, Paul Heyman would go on to run ECW, Jim Cornette would find and run SMW, Bobby Heenan would become a legendary color commentator, and Hart booked for World Class. Meanwhile, Lou Albano became an important part of the WWF national expansion thanks to the Rock n' Wrestling Connection and his ties with Cyndi Lauper. Each of these men either got their foot in the door because of managing or their first taste of success in wrestling because of managing. As a result, think of what things would be like if there were no managers. Shawn Michaels and Ted Dibiase would never have had their signature theme songs. ECW would not have been as revolutionary as it was. SMW would never have existed. The wrestling business would never have, what many consider, the greatest announce team in history. World Class wouldn't have been as successful in the 70s and 80s. The Rock n' Wrestling Connection would never have happened which would mean the WWF national expansion would not have been as successful.
Even in the 21st century, managers can still have a place in wrestling. They can be very beneficial to many wrestlers and possibly transition to other positions later on which can benefit companies and wrestlers for different reasons depending on the position. Managers have been some of the most fun and colorful characters in wrestling and without them, wrestling is a little more black and white.
July 18, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Wrestling Managers. They are heat seekers, mouthpieces, and can be the deciding factor for victory in their wrestler's matches. For decades, managers have been a great addition to professional wrestling for these reasons. They are also capable of helping wrestlers catch on with the fan base and can eventually transition to other positions in wrestling later Unfortunately, the concept of managers has fallen out of popularity in recent times. Many major and minor companies in America rarely use them and mostly prefer their talent to speak for themselves even if they're not capable of doing so. Even in 2015, managers can still be very useful and here are some examples why.
We'll start with the obvious which is they're usually great mouthpieces. Over the decades, there have been many wrestlers who were not able to cut good promos which is important in wrestling. Some wrestlers were from countries like Japan or Mexico and couldn't speak English. As a result, they required a manager to cut promos for them. While some have learned English, not everyone is going to quickly learn it. Even if they did learn it, there's no guarantee that they would be great on the mic. With companies like the WWE and TNA bringing in talent from around the world these days, a manager would be great to speak for them. Even if they learn English, they could benefit from having a manager until they become comfortable speaking. In the past, many great international wrestling legends benefited from having a manager like Killer Khan, The Great Kabuki, and The Great Muta. It's very possible that they likely would not have caught on with the fans like they did without someone to talk for them. In American wrestling, talking is important and wrestlers can have a hard time connecting with the fans if they can't talk and there's no one to talk for them.
Speaking of wrestlers who don't know English, there's also wrestlers who have gimmicks that make them pretend not to know English. For decades, we've seen many legendary wrestlers who knew English but had to pretend they didn't for the sake of the gimmick. Wrestlers including Yokozuna, The Wild Samoans, and Kamala are the best examples of this. Even in the last twenty years, we've seen it. During his first full year in 1998, Kane came off as someone who couldn't talk without the use of a voice box. Sabu has always been known for being mute and never talking. Then there's Umaga who was a Samoan savage that couldn't grasp the English language. In the end, each and everyone of these wrestlers had someone to speak for them and it helped them connect with the fans in ways they probably would not have been able to.
Along with wrestlers who can't speak English or have gimmicks where they can't, there's the wrestlers that don't have those problems but have other ones. Good example is Jack Swagger. Not only is Swagger not a good talker but he has a lisp. So even if Swagger learned to cut a promo, his lisp may make it difficult for fans to take seriously. Then there's the Great Khali who did learn English but has a thick accent that makes it difficult to understand what he is saying at times. They're only two examples as there's other wrestlers who may have these problems so a manager would be very beneficial to them.
Managers can also allow wrestlers to be off TV for a week or two. If a wrestler gets hurt or the company doesn't have anything for them, the manager can represent them for that week or two. By doing this, wrestlers don't get stale with the fans but they're still fresh in the fans memories. This can be very important since wrestling is more about television then live events these days which means the main stars are on every week which can result in fans getting bored of them faster. As a result, if a manager can help a wrestler stay fresh for even a little bit longer then they're a great asset.
Then there's the fact that many legends were either able to have careers in wrestling or have a new lease on life because of managing. Ultimately, managers can mostly be divided into three categories. One is managers who were too small and/or didn't have the athletism to make it as wrestlers which includes Jimmy Hart, Paul Heyman, Jim Cornette, Slick, and the Grand Wizard of Wrestling. The second is managers who started as wrestlers but never really made it as one like Bobby "The Brain" Heenan, "Playboy" Gary Hart, and "Captain" Lou Albano. Then there's managers who were successful as wrestlers but got too old to wrestle like "Wild" Red Berry, "Classy" Freddie Blassie, Mr. Fuji, JJ Dillon, Skandor Akbar, and Tojo Yamamoto. A fourth possible category is women who either weren't meant to be wrestlers like Miss Elizabeth and Sunny or women who were working in a major company that didn't have a women's division like Sensational Sherri. Managing has given many people the opportunity to either be successful in wrestling or continued success after their in-ring careers ended. Without managing in wrestling, we never would've seen the likes of Hart, Heyman, Cornette, Slick and Wizard. Meanwhile, Heenan, Hart, and Albano would've been forgotten and faded out of the business by the early 70s. Then there's the successful wrestlers who retired and would've been done in wrestling despite being able to still offer something.
An important factor that no one thinks of is the fact that a lot of successful managers found success or careers in other areas of wrestling after managing. Jimmy Hart became a composer and songwriter for the WWF and WCW, Paul Heyman would go on to run ECW, Jim Cornette would find and run SMW, Bobby Heenan would become a legendary color commentator, and Hart booked for World Class. Meanwhile, Lou Albano became an important part of the WWF national expansion thanks to the Rock n' Wrestling Connection and his ties with Cyndi Lauper. Each of these men either got their foot in the door because of managing or their first taste of success in wrestling because of managing. As a result, think of what things would be like if there were no managers. Shawn Michaels and Ted Dibiase would never have had their signature theme songs. ECW would not have been as revolutionary as it was. SMW would never have existed. The wrestling business would never have, what many consider, the greatest announce team in history. World Class wouldn't have been as successful in the 70s and 80s. The Rock n' Wrestling Connection would never have happened which would mean the WWF national expansion would not have been as successful.
Even in the 21st century, managers can still have a place in wrestling. They can be very beneficial to many wrestlers and possibly transition to other positions later on which can benefit companies and wrestlers for different reasons depending on the position. Managers have been some of the most fun and colorful characters in wrestling and without them, wrestling is a little more black and white.
Monday, July 20, 2015
Sunday, July 19, 2015
Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Friday, June 19, 2015
Selling Bellator 138
Selling Bellator 138
June 18, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
This Friday, Bellator will hold their Bellator 138 event on Spike TV. However, I see many hardcore fans skipping this event because of the main event between Ken Shamrock and Kimbo Slice. I decided to write this article to explain that the event is worth seeing because there are some gems to look at.
June 18, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
This Friday, Bellator will hold their Bellator 138 event on Spike TV. However, I see many hardcore fans skipping this event because of the main event between Ken Shamrock and Kimbo Slice. I decided to write this article to explain that the event is worth seeing because there are some gems to look at.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Friday, June 5, 2015
Debunking the Rousey/Cyborg Talking Points and Looking At Why This Fight Hasn't Happened
Debunking the Rousey/Cyborg Talking Points and Looking At Why This Fight Hasn't Happened
June 4, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
"Rowdy" Ronda Rousey vs. Cris "Cyborg" Justino is a superfight that fans have been looking forward to for years. It's also a fight that could potentially be the biggest fight in Women's MMA to date. Unfortunately, things have prevented the fight from happening. With most of blame going to Cyborg because she has not moved down to bantamweight, I've decided to write this article to debunk the talking points and show that while Cyborg is no saint, she's not to blame here. Also, I will take a look at who are really responsibile for the fight not happening and why they don't have much to gain from it happening. Before beginning, I want to make it perfectly clear that this isn't an anti-Rousey, anti-UFC, and pro-Cyborg article. It's me trying to clear the air on ridiculous talking points and who the fans should really be calling out if they want this fight.
June 4, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
"Rowdy" Ronda Rousey vs. Cris "Cyborg" Justino is a superfight that fans have been looking forward to for years. It's also a fight that could potentially be the biggest fight in Women's MMA to date. Unfortunately, things have prevented the fight from happening. With most of blame going to Cyborg because she has not moved down to bantamweight, I've decided to write this article to debunk the talking points and show that while Cyborg is no saint, she's not to blame here. Also, I will take a look at who are really responsibile for the fight not happening and why they don't have much to gain from it happening. Before beginning, I want to make it perfectly clear that this isn't an anti-Rousey, anti-UFC, and pro-Cyborg article. It's me trying to clear the air on ridiculous talking points and who the fans should really be calling out if they want this fight.
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Sunday, May 31, 2015
Out With The Old, In With The New
Out With The Old and In With The New
May 31, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Ever since the recent wrestling boom ended in 2001, professional wrestling has been in a lull. Business and interest has declined and there have been many reasons why. One of the reasons many don't think of is the fact that the big companies can't seem to let go of talent. The big promotions in the WWE, TNA, and ROH have had the same problem where they either cling to aging talent long past their prime or talent that's been ridiculously stale for years. Because of this, the companies have had times when they've gotten stale and boring because we've been watching the same talents that been around forever. We'll take a look at the benefits of cycling talent out every now and then.
May 31, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Ever since the recent wrestling boom ended in 2001, professional wrestling has been in a lull. Business and interest has declined and there have been many reasons why. One of the reasons many don't think of is the fact that the big companies can't seem to let go of talent. The big promotions in the WWE, TNA, and ROH have had the same problem where they either cling to aging talent long past their prime or talent that's been ridiculously stale for years. Because of this, the companies have had times when they've gotten stale and boring because we've been watching the same talents that been around forever. We'll take a look at the benefits of cycling talent out every now and then.
Monday, May 25, 2015
Monday, May 18, 2015
Vince McMahon Needs To Retire
Vince McMahon Needs To Retire
May 18, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Vincent Kennedy McMahon is a man who will go down in history as one of wrestling's most successful promoters. After buying the WWF (now WWE) fron his father Vincent James McMahon in 1982, he took it from a regional northeast promotion and made into a national powerhouse. Within five years of his ownership, he became the king of American wrestling with the highly successful Wrestlemania events, the Saturday Night's Main Event specials on NBC, and some of the best wrestlers in the world. In fact, with the exception of 1996-1998, McMahon has largely been the top promoter in American wrestling and continues to be as of this writing. However, times have changed and so have the fortunes of the WWE. In recent years, McMahon has become the WWE's biggest detriment. Like the promoters of old, McMahon has had his share of success but as he's gotten older and he's clearly fallen behind the times. He's also shown a very stubborn attitude, someone who seemingly can't make up his mind, and is stuck in the past instead of looking to the future. These are things the WWE doesn't need right now. While it's been said that McMahon will likely run the WWE until the day he dies, everybody would be better off if Vinnie Mac decided to call it a career.
May 18, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Vincent Kennedy McMahon is a man who will go down in history as one of wrestling's most successful promoters. After buying the WWF (now WWE) fron his father Vincent James McMahon in 1982, he took it from a regional northeast promotion and made into a national powerhouse. Within five years of his ownership, he became the king of American wrestling with the highly successful Wrestlemania events, the Saturday Night's Main Event specials on NBC, and some of the best wrestlers in the world. In fact, with the exception of 1996-1998, McMahon has largely been the top promoter in American wrestling and continues to be as of this writing. However, times have changed and so have the fortunes of the WWE. In recent years, McMahon has become the WWE's biggest detriment. Like the promoters of old, McMahon has had his share of success but as he's gotten older and he's clearly fallen behind the times. He's also shown a very stubborn attitude, someone who seemingly can't make up his mind, and is stuck in the past instead of looking to the future. These are things the WWE doesn't need right now. While it's been said that McMahon will likely run the WWE until the day he dies, everybody would be better off if Vinnie Mac decided to call it a career.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Is Jackson's MMA the Next Lion's Den and Miletich Fighting System?
Is Jackson's MMA the Next Lion's Den and Miletich Fighting System?
May 6, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Since becoming an MMA gym in 2000, Jackson's MMA has become home to some of the best fighters of the 2000s as well as all time. Many fighters experienced championship success and big career wins during their stay. However, the gym has started to see a decline in recent years. The top fighters have either left the gym or were out of action while the recent prospects haven't reached expectations. Is the gym becoming the next Lion's Den or Miletich Fighting System? Is it becoming a gym that was once dominant but then got outdated in a sport that keeps evolving?
May 6, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Since becoming an MMA gym in 2000, Jackson's MMA has become home to some of the best fighters of the 2000s as well as all time. Many fighters experienced championship success and big career wins during their stay. However, the gym has started to see a decline in recent years. The top fighters have either left the gym or were out of action while the recent prospects haven't reached expectations. Is the gym becoming the next Lion's Den or Miletich Fighting System? Is it becoming a gym that was once dominant but then got outdated in a sport that keeps evolving?
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Monday, April 27, 2015
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Time To Go, Shogun
Time To Go, Shogun
April 26, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Mauricio Rua is a man who will go down in history as one of the greatest fighters to ever compete in the sport known as Mixed Martial Arts. No doubt, the man affectionally known as "Shogun" is a shoo-in for the UFC Hall of Fame as well as a MMA Hall of Fame should one ever be created. His hitlist is a who's who in MMA. The promotions he's found success in are some of the biggest in the sports history. He's also one of the most popular fighters to ever fight. Sadly though, Rua is a mortal and his days of dominating are not only over but have been for a long, long time. Though only 33 years old, Shogun has competed for more than twelve years and the years of fighting, the wars he's had, and the brutal training have taken their toll. Along with bumps, bruises, and many injuries, Shogun has gone under the knife three times for his knee and his iron chin is a thing of the past. Sadly, inspite of all of this as well as pleas from family to call it quits, Shogun still believes he can still go. Even more sad are his fans who can be considered the most stubborn and supportive in all of MMA. To them, it's all so simple as he just needs to move down to middleweight and reunite with former head trainer Rafael Cordeiro as if that will be some sort of fountain of youth that will make him better than ever, cure his wear & tear, and harden his chin. Not many will like this article nor will it convince anyone to change their mind but I will explain why Shogun needs to retire and his fans need to realize the cold, hard truth that he's finished.
April 26, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Mauricio Rua is a man who will go down in history as one of the greatest fighters to ever compete in the sport known as Mixed Martial Arts. No doubt, the man affectionally known as "Shogun" is a shoo-in for the UFC Hall of Fame as well as a MMA Hall of Fame should one ever be created. His hitlist is a who's who in MMA. The promotions he's found success in are some of the biggest in the sports history. He's also one of the most popular fighters to ever fight. Sadly though, Rua is a mortal and his days of dominating are not only over but have been for a long, long time. Though only 33 years old, Shogun has competed for more than twelve years and the years of fighting, the wars he's had, and the brutal training have taken their toll. Along with bumps, bruises, and many injuries, Shogun has gone under the knife three times for his knee and his iron chin is a thing of the past. Sadly, inspite of all of this as well as pleas from family to call it quits, Shogun still believes he can still go. Even more sad are his fans who can be considered the most stubborn and supportive in all of MMA. To them, it's all so simple as he just needs to move down to middleweight and reunite with former head trainer Rafael Cordeiro as if that will be some sort of fountain of youth that will make him better than ever, cure his wear & tear, and harden his chin. Not many will like this article nor will it convince anyone to change their mind but I will explain why Shogun needs to retire and his fans need to realize the cold, hard truth that he's finished.
Friday, April 24, 2015
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
TNA: Career Killer or Star Maker?
TNA: Career Killer or Star Maker?
April 22, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
In January 2015, TNA Wrestling made their move from Spike TV to Destination America. Rumors circulated that the company was interested in Alberto El Patron (WWE's Alberto Del Rio) and wanted to sign him. When they couldn't come to terms on a deal, wrestling writer and reporter Dave Meltzer claimed that El Patron did not sign because TNA has a reputation for being a "career-killer". While Meltzer has had an ax to grind against TNA and a lack of journalistic integrity, this is still a ridiculous thing to say. Not only is TNA not a "career-killer" but at times it's a star maker and I'll explain in this article.
April 22, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
In January 2015, TNA Wrestling made their move from Spike TV to Destination America. Rumors circulated that the company was interested in Alberto El Patron (WWE's Alberto Del Rio) and wanted to sign him. When they couldn't come to terms on a deal, wrestling writer and reporter Dave Meltzer claimed that El Patron did not sign because TNA has a reputation for being a "career-killer". While Meltzer has had an ax to grind against TNA and a lack of journalistic integrity, this is still a ridiculous thing to say. Not only is TNA not a "career-killer" but at times it's a star maker and I'll explain in this article.
Thursday, April 16, 2015
Friday, April 10, 2015
Can Mirko Cro Cop Right What Was Wrong?
Can Mirko Cro Cop Right What Was Wrong?
April 10, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
This Saturday will see the return to the UFC of one of the greatest fighters in Mixed Martial Arts history. Mirko Filipovic (known in the MMA World as Mirko Cro Cop) will begin a third campaign in the UFC when he reenters the Octagon on Saturday and will have a memorable return as he faces the man who handed him one of the most crushing defeats in his career: Gabriel Gonzaga. For Cro Cop and his fans, this run is important as he gets to right some wrongs. After earning a legendary reputation as one of MMA's most dangerous strikers in PRIDE Fighting Championship, Cro Cop entered the UFC in 2007 where he had two tenures over the next four years. Unfortunately, the two runs were disappointing as Cro Cop not only failed to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship but he never even got into title contention. Will the third time be the charm? Can Cro Cop finally have the UFC run people thought he was capable of having?
April 10, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
This Saturday will see the return to the UFC of one of the greatest fighters in Mixed Martial Arts history. Mirko Filipovic (known in the MMA World as Mirko Cro Cop) will begin a third campaign in the UFC when he reenters the Octagon on Saturday and will have a memorable return as he faces the man who handed him one of the most crushing defeats in his career: Gabriel Gonzaga. For Cro Cop and his fans, this run is important as he gets to right some wrongs. After earning a legendary reputation as one of MMA's most dangerous strikers in PRIDE Fighting Championship, Cro Cop entered the UFC in 2007 where he had two tenures over the next four years. Unfortunately, the two runs were disappointing as Cro Cop not only failed to win the UFC Heavyweight Championship but he never even got into title contention. Will the third time be the charm? Can Cro Cop finally have the UFC run people thought he was capable of having?
Monday, April 6, 2015
Expand Your (MMA) Horizons
Expand Your (MMA) Horizons
March 21, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
For nearly ten years, the UFC has been the top promotion in Mixed Martial Arts. As a result, it's the one promotion that most MMA fans will watch. Sadly though, there are fans that only want to just watch the UFC and nothing else. That's nothing against the UFC but there's tons of other companies out there as well as fighters that fly under the radar which is sad because some deserve more attention. This article will explain why I believe MMA fans should broaden their horizons and discover other MMA because they might enjoy it. Now I want to be clear and say this isn't a "Bash UFC" or "Bash Zuffa" article because that's not what I'm going for. Like any MMA company, UFC can be great with the right cards so there's nothing wrong with being a fan of the UFC or it's fighters. Instead, I just want to encourage people to look at other companies and fighters because sometimes, I feel they deserve some attention.
Watch The Potential UFC Stars of Tomorrow Today
The first reason to explore other promotions is the fact that we could be seeing future UFC stars in the making. While UFC has developed talent and signed fighters with less than five fights, they usually prefer to bring in fighters in their prime and have created a buzz. A lot of times, the UFC likes to bring in champions and top fighters from other organizations from smaller companies to national promotions or big international promotions. It usually fun getting into up and coming fighters and watching their journey as they claw their way to the top. It's great to see fighters fight their way to the top and maybe make it to the UFC. Look at how many fighters have found success since coming in over the years. From Strikeforce, we've seen Daniel Cormier, Luke Rockhold, Gilbert Melendez, Ronaldo Souza, Tyron Woodley, and Ronda Rousey to name some. From WEC, we've seen Ben Henderson, Dominick Cruz, Urijah Faber, Demetrious Johnson, Donald Cerrone, Jose Aldo, and Anthony Pettis. Imagine getting into fighters like Henderson and Pettis early in their WEC run. Imagine watching them win the WEC Lightweight Title and then go to the UFC where they win the UFC Lightweight Title. Doesn't that feel great? It makes their title wins more emotional for you because you've watched them since the beginning and saw their major victories. Same with Robbie Lawler. His UFC title win is even bigger when you watched his story unfold. From his struggles in Strikeforce where he looked washed up to coming back to the UFC where he rose like phoenix. Even if certain fighters don't make it to the UFC, that's fine. I'm sure there's someone that may not make it to the UFC that you can get into and support them in their quest for MMA gold.
Different Enviroments
Not the greatest reason but a lot of MMA companies have different looks and/or rule sets that you may enjoy. In Bellator, they have big sets and PRIDE like intros during their tent pole events. It really makes the show look like a bigger deal. ONE FC has also done PRIDE like intros and has a nice set. They also use the best rules in MMA which include elbows, soccer kicks, and knees to a grounded opponent. The rules are the way all MMA should be with fights being judged in their entirety instead of round by round and who comes closer to finishing. In M-1, they run shows in arenas and other times, in places like the mountains all the while having their fights contested in a regular ring or a six sided ring. Then there are companies like WSOF, Titan, and companies that air on AXS TV that run shows in smaller buildings which can be nice if you're not into the big crowd or flashy set up. Like I said, this isn't the biggest reason to get into other MMA companies but sometimes certain atmospheres can help make an event more memorable or magical. Good example would be in PRIDE as they ran 15 - 20,000 seated arenas for the regular shows and then ran 50,000 for their Grand Prixs and Shockwave New Year's Eve shows. The bigger crowds and setting made the Grand Prixs, NYE events, and the title matches on them seem like a bigger deal. Like something you couldn't miss and if you didn't miss it, then it was something you wouldn't forget.
You Don't Know What You're Missing
The UFC is home to some of the best fighters but not every great fighter or exciting fighter has ever fought in the UFC. In fact, if fans limit themselves to the UFC, then they're missing out on many legendary fighters. Fighters like Fedor Emelianenko, Igor Vovchanchyn, Kiyoshi Tamura, Ricardo Arona, Sergei Kharitonov, and Masakatsu Funaki have been considered some of the greatest and/or exciting fighters in MMA History but never step foot once into a UFC octagon. Then there are legends who have made only a few appearances and never appeared again like Kazushi Sakuraba, Bas Rutten, Minowaman, Hayato Sakurai, and Yuki Kondo. Then there are fighters like Mirko Cro Cop, The Nogueira Brothers, Wanderlei Silva, Kid Yamamoto, and Takanori Gomi who made it to the UFC but were past their primes after years of fighting and injuries. By being just confined to the UFC, people are missing out on great fighters from the first two examples. Meanwhile, people see the fighters from the third example but as shells of their former selves and people are asking themselves "What was the big deal?". Even nowadays, there's plenty of talented and/or exciting fighters that people could be missing out on. People can't wait for them to get to the UFC because they may be past their prime by the time they get there or they may never get there at all.
Not only that, but by skipping other companies, people could be skipping exciting fights, knockouts, and submissions. In 2014 alone, there were plenty of great and fun fights outside the UFC that UFC only fans missed like Emanuel Newton vs. Linton Vassell at Bellator 130, Vinny Magalhaes vs. Jason Brilz at Titan 30, and Ji Xian vs. Song Ya Dong at ONE 24. Same with knockouts including Derek Anderson over Brandon Girtz at Bellator 110, Timofey Nastyukhin over Eduard Folayang at ONE 23. There's also been good submissions like Eduardo Dantas over Anthony Leone at Bellator 111. Overall, there's plenty of great gems out there people can be missing.
Who Cares If The Fighters Aren't The Best?
One of the big reasons it seems fans don't want to get into other promotions or take them seriously is because they don't feel these companies have great fighters or the best in the world. That's not true. If anyone looks hard enough, they can find great fighters and potential diamonds in the rough in just about every promotion. It's impossible for any company, even the UFC, to have all the best fighters in the world. In fact, there's plenty of talented fighters out there. It's just a case of finding them. Even if a company didn't have amazing fighters, so what? You don't have to enjoy a fighter just because they're elite. Some fighters are good but are gatekeepers and that's not a bad thing. Then there are those fighters that aren't good but still provide fun fights. In fact, a lot of the most popular fights in MMA History featured guys who could never be considered "elite" by any means. The fight that has been considered one of the best in UFC history is between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar. The fight was, by no means, a masterpiece in terms of technique. It was a wild, haymaker throwing brawl that was fun to watch. That fight also didn't feature the best fighters in the world. Griffin enjoyed success in MMA but he was more about heart and hard work than incredible skills. Bonnar was, more or less, a tomato can. He achieved nothing huge before this or after this. Same goes for PRIDE. The fight that's considered one of the best and most fun was between Don Frye and Yoshihiro Takayama. Once again, there was nothing pretty or technical about it. It was a brutal slugfest that saw both fighters throw technique out the window, grab each other by the head, aimed, and fired into the opponent's face. While Frye is a legend in MMA, Takayama is a professional wrestler with a 0-4 record. He couldn't even be considered in the top 5,000. The point I'm trying to make with this is don't underestimate certain fighters or companies because you never know what you'll get.
I also want to say to the people that only watch UFC because it's the place where the best fight and the other places don't have good talent. Don't be silly. Even if it's true, I bet MMA is the only thing they hold those standreds to. I bet those type of MMA fans don't just go to five star resturants. They have gone to coffee shops before and enjoyed them. I bet they don't just only watch movies that won the academy award for best picture. I'm sure they have watched B-movies as well and were entertained. I bet they don't just watch professional teams who are coming off championship wins. Instead they always watch their choice of team and not just the recent champions. So my point is, if fans can be open minded with so many other things, why not MMA, as well?
Final Thoughts
I want to close by once again saying that I'm not trying to bash the UFC. I think people have every right to watch the UFC if they want to. What I want to do is encourage fans to try out other MMA because there's plenty out there. Even if you don't think the companies are elite, they still can be fun to watch and I think it's worth given a look. You may uncover some gems.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
Friday, March 27, 2015
Here Comes The Pain? It Should Be There Goes The Pain.
Here Comes The Pain? It Should Be There Goes The Pain.
March 27, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Wrestlemania 31 is only days away and I decided to write on someone who will play a big part in this year's Wrestlemania. Brock Lesnar will headline the event as the defending WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Since returning to the promotion three years ago, Lesnar has been given the red carpet treatment and an extremely limited schedule. Many fans have been happy for Lesnar's return and justify everything he gets because he's a "special attraction" and a "draw". I don't agree with them and if anything, I'm heavily against Lesnar's deal and special treatment. In this article, we'll take a look at why Lesnar is not worth the time and the WWE would be better off with out him.
March 27, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Wrestlemania 31 is only days away and I decided to write on someone who will play a big part in this year's Wrestlemania. Brock Lesnar will headline the event as the defending WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Since returning to the promotion three years ago, Lesnar has been given the red carpet treatment and an extremely limited schedule. Many fans have been happy for Lesnar's return and justify everything he gets because he's a "special attraction" and a "draw". I don't agree with them and if anything, I'm heavily against Lesnar's deal and special treatment. In this article, we'll take a look at why Lesnar is not worth the time and the WWE would be better off with out him.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
Monday, March 23, 2015
Saturday, March 21, 2015
WWE Hall of Fame? Or Hall of Shame?
WWE Hall of Fame? Or Hall of Shame?
March 16, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
The WWE Hall of Fame has been one of wrestling's most known hall of fames and one of the oldest. It was originally created in 1993 to honor one of wrestling's greatest names in "The Eighth Wonder of the World" Andre the Giant. Following this, the WWF would continue the Hall of Fame for three more years where it truly felt like a Hall of Fame. While some inductees were questionable, the majority unquestionably deserved it and it felt prestigous. After an eight year period of inactivity, the now WWE brought the Hall of Fame back. Unfortunately, since it's return eleven years ago, many inductees and the way the WWE has treated it has seen some rightful criticism. While many WWE and/or wrestling legends have rightfully taken their place in the Hall of Fame, the WWE has also made their Hall of Fame, at times, to be nothing more than a joke. Along with deserving legends, the WWE has also inducted wrestlers who spent their WWE careers as jobbers; celebrities who may have only made one forgettable appearance in a pathetic attempt at some publicity; or wrestlers who have been retired or deceased for a short period of time while legends from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s routinely get snubbed. This article will take a look at the continuing mistakes the WWE makes and ways they could make it better.
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Monday, March 16, 2015
Friday, March 13, 2015
Monday, March 9, 2015
The Money is in the Hero
The Money is in the Hero
May 4, 2014
By Ryan Porzl
Professional wrestling is like anything in life in that everyone has their opinions. Probably one of the most well-known and popular opinions among wrestlers, fans, and journalist is that heel (villain) world champions draw more money than babyface (fan favorite) world champions. The thought is fans would rather pay to watch their favorites chase the villains for the World Title across the territory or country then to watch their heroes defend against all comers. I personally disagree with this theory and think the people who believe are absolutely wrong. This article will not only debunk this theory but prove fan favorite world champions are the better choices. Since wrestling is considered "Sports-Entertainment" at times, I think it's only appropriate for me to use sports and entertainment as examples.
Friday, March 6, 2015
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Fantasy Booking: Booking New Royal Rumble Winners (2000-2005)
Fantasy Booking: Booking New Royal Rumble Winners (2000-2005)
February 15, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Continuing with the Royal Rumble winners, it's time for Part III where I look at the 2000-2005 Royal Rumble matches and pick new winners. The real life winners are not available so who will I pick to substitute them? Read on.
February 15, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
Continuing with the Royal Rumble winners, it's time for Part III where I look at the 2000-2005 Royal Rumble matches and pick new winners. The real life winners are not available so who will I pick to substitute them? Read on.
I don't own the picture
Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Monday, February 2, 2015
Fantasy Booking: Booking New Royal Rumble Winners (1994-1999)
Fantasy Booking: Booking New Royal Rumble Winners (1994-1999)
Feburary 2, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
We're now at Part II where I look at the 1994-1999 Royal Rumble matches and pick new winners. I will select my own choices for who should win the Rumble and I won't be able to use the real winner since they will be injured. Like KOTR, the rules will be same as I can only pick wrestlers that are not only in the WWF/E at the time but they have to be active. I can't use wrestlers if they weren't under contract to the WWF/E at the time of the Rumble and I can't use wrestlers if they were out of action because of injuries, suspensions, or leave of absences.
I don't own the picture
Feburary 2, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
We're now at Part II where I look at the 1994-1999 Royal Rumble matches and pick new winners. I will select my own choices for who should win the Rumble and I won't be able to use the real winner since they will be injured. Like KOTR, the rules will be same as I can only pick wrestlers that are not only in the WWF/E at the time but they have to be active. I can't use wrestlers if they weren't under contract to the WWF/E at the time of the Rumble and I can't use wrestlers if they were out of action because of injuries, suspensions, or leave of absences.
I don't own the picture
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
A Potential Comeback That Wasn't To Be
A Potential Comeback That Wasn't To Be
January 21, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
On March 26, 2001, WCW held their final show due to the WWF buying the promotion. The promotion had been owned by Ted Turner since 1988 and had been around under various incarnations decades before. Every long time fan knows the story that saw WCW go from coming extemely close to driving the WWF out of business to being bought by them cheap only a few years later. There's been many reasons why from backstage politics to incompetent management to bad booking. Here's a question for you. If WCW wasn't bought, could they have made a comeback? Could they have regained their momentum and take advantage of the WWF/E's declining fortunes? I think so. While not overnight, I do believe that if the company wasn't bought that they could've made a comeback within two-three years and I'm going to explain why. Obviously, these are "what ifs" since I don't know where the booking and matchmaking would've gone. Instead, I'll look at where things were in the last few months.
Saturday, January 17, 2015
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Friday, January 9, 2015
Fantasy Booking: Booking New Royal Rumble Winners Part 1
Fantasy Booking: Booking New Royal Rumble Winners
January 9, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
A while back I did a series of articles in which I would pick winners for each years King of the Ring tournament with the scenerio being the real life winner was injured. I'm now going to do it for the Royal Rumble. To bring everyone up to speed, the Royal Rumble is a yearly event held every January since 1988. The main feature is the Royal Rumble match which is a battle royal where a new entrant comes out every two minutes and usually consist of 30 wrestlers. As was the case with my KOTR articles, I will select my own choices for who should win the Rumble and I won't be able to use the real winner since they will be injured. Like KOTR, the rules will be same as I can only pick wrestlers that are not only in the WWF/E at the time but they have to be active. I can't use wrestlers if they weren't under contract to the WWF/E at the time of the Rumble and I can't use wrestlers if they were out of action because of injuries, suspensions, or leave of absences.
I don't own the picture
January 9, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
A while back I did a series of articles in which I would pick winners for each years King of the Ring tournament with the scenerio being the real life winner was injured. I'm now going to do it for the Royal Rumble. To bring everyone up to speed, the Royal Rumble is a yearly event held every January since 1988. The main feature is the Royal Rumble match which is a battle royal where a new entrant comes out every two minutes and usually consist of 30 wrestlers. As was the case with my KOTR articles, I will select my own choices for who should win the Rumble and I won't be able to use the real winner since they will be injured. Like KOTR, the rules will be same as I can only pick wrestlers that are not only in the WWF/E at the time but they have to be active. I can't use wrestlers if they weren't under contract to the WWF/E at the time of the Rumble and I can't use wrestlers if they were out of action because of injuries, suspensions, or leave of absences.
I don't own the picture
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Sunday, January 4, 2015
2014 MMA Year End Awards
2014 MMA Year End Awards
January 4, 2015
By Ryan Porzl
It's that time of year where I give out my choices for what I believe is the best and worst in Mixed Martial Arts. I will pick the best and worst in MMA. To paraphrase Siskel and Ebert, these are the choices that these newsletters would pick if they were as smart as I am. Speaking of Siskel and Ebert, my worst awards will be done with the same rules as they used for worst movie which is I won't pick on obscure, little known fighters and companies no matter how bad they are. I'll pick on the big visible companies including since they're more likely to be seen by more people and therefore, cause more suffering. I also think it's only fair to inflict insults and give them the same amount of pain they gave us with their performances.
Another important note before beginning. Understand one thing which is that this is an MMA Awards article. When I say "MMA", I mean MMA. I'm not going to be Sherdog or the World MMA Awards and claim to give MMA awards but 90% are UFC choices.
ONE FC 23: Тимофей Настюхин - Эдуард Фолаянг / Timofey Nastyukhin vs Edu...
MMA Knockout of the Year in 2014
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)