MACHIDA TOPS UFC 104 & EX-NFL GUY TO FIGHT STRIKEFORCE
Oklahoma City, OK– The next wave of MMA action will kickoff October 24th with UFC 104 featuring Lyoto Machida (15-0, 5 KOs, 2 SUBs) making the first defense of his UFC light heavyweight (205 lbs) title. It will be a challenging task as he will face the former PRIDE Grand Prix champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (18-3, 15 KOs, 1 SUB). In the mean time let’s look at some of the peope making news in the world of mixed martial arts.
HAS THE NFL’S HERSHEL WALKER LOST ONE OF HIS MINDS?
In a surprise move Strikeforce has signed 1982 Heisman trophy winner, NFL legend Herschel Walker. Walker, now 47, will compete at heavyweight and may be fighting before the end of the year. In Walker’s 2008 autobiography, he claimed to suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder (aka multiple personalities). One has to wonder which one of Walker’s identities decided to try out the fight game at age 47. In other news from Strikeforce, the brand will air a card live on CBS November 7th with the world’s best heavyweight Fedor Emelienenko taking on undefeated knockout sensation Brett Rogers.
“RAMPAGE” PUNKS OUT OF ULTIMATE FIGHT WITH EVANS
The showdown between the two coaches of season ten of The Ultimate Fighter reality series (Team Evans up 5 wins to zip) may never happen. Rashad Evans (13-1-1, 5 KOs, 2 SUBs) was to face Quinton Jackson (30-7, 14 KOs, 7 SUBs) in a grudge match but Jackson has stated on his blog that he is “done fighting.” It appears Jackson wants to focus on his (let’s all laugh together now) acting career. He is to take Mr. T’s place as Sergeant Bosco “B.A.” Baracus in the new A-Team movie which is currently being filmed.
GINA WON’T BE FIGHTING ANYTIME SOON…IF EVER!
Also looking for stardom on the silver screen, the sexiest woman ever to step in a cage, Gina Carano (7-1, 3 KOs, 1 SUB) will be the star in a movie dubbed “Knockout.” The lead character is said to be a female version of “Jason Bourne” (Matt Damon) of the Bourne trilogy. Carano will most likely not be fighting until the fourth quarter of 2010, assuming she ever fights again. She may walk away from the fight game altogether after her brutal knockout loss at the hands of Cris Cyborg (8-1, 6 KOs) last August!
Matt Grizzle