OVER 4,000 MMA TRAINING CENTERS IN US & FEDOR
San Francisco, CA– The latest count according to MMA TV is that there are over 4,000 registered MMA training facilities in the USA…Fabrice Werdum, the Brazilian who upset Fedor Emelianenko in April on Showtime in what has been called, “the tap heard around the world,” had elbow surgery and he’s out until January or February. Looks like Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem will face Fedor with the winner to meet Werdum. The real fight for Fedor is with UFC champ Brock Lesnar, but his manager Vadim Finkelchtein of M-1 Global knows that probably means a KO loss and then having to admit to UFC supremacy, something they are deathly afraid of.
DAVE BAUTISTA “DIFFERENT ANIMAL” THAN SISSY LASHLEY
Although he has yet to ink a Strikeforce deal, (or at least announce it publicly) one has to wonder what ex-WWE star Dave Bautista was thinking as he watched Bobby Lashley “punk out” last Saturday night? Pathetic performance for Lashley who left the WWE, then TNA to go MMA 24-7. Better go back to the fake stuff Boooby! As for Dave Bautista, the now 240 lb. (down from 290) Filipino-American, he beat the snot out of Booker T (Huffman) in a “real” locker room fight.
11,000 MMA FANS TURN OUT IN ST. CHARLES, MO!
Local MMA product Jesse Finley had 11,000 paid in the house for his clash with ex-UFC star Josh Neer. The last boxer to do this was Joe Mesi in Buffalo, NY. That was before the Nevada State Athletic Commission did a number on Mesi, ending his career after a fight with Vasilily Jirov. To show you how things change when people change hats, Mesi had a small brain bleed, Mark Ratner and the Commission decided to “prevent” him from getting licensed because of such. Now a UFC VP in MMA, Ratner’s stance on this issue is a bit contrary now.
UFC LEGAL NOW IN TORONTO
The Ultimate Fighting Championships, they estimate that 17% of their fan base is Canadian. That being said, Toronto, long an opponent of sanctioned MMA has now legalized the sport. The aforementioned Mr. Ratner, his job is to get the UFC and MMA into new jurisdictions. With the 17% figure coming from Dana White, you know this Toronto deal that Ratner facilitated means big returns!
YOUNG PRO WRESTLER DEAD OF HEART ATTACK
Lance Cade, who had two WWE runs, the last ending in 2008, died recently from a massive heart attack. Cade seemed to have everything going for him, including a push by the WWE. But there was “something” missing and that might have come from his problems with prescription drugs which brought about his second and final departure from the company two years ago.
“SUPERSTAR” BILLY GRAHAM
With a body wrecked from steroid use, ex-WWF (now WWE) star Billy “Superstar” Graham has called out to several friends of late asking that they be pallbearers. Now 67 and with more body replacement parts (including a liver) than a still running 1965 Chevy, Graham, born Wayne Coleman, is a devout Arizona preacher who senses the end.
Pedro Fernandez