With news that more professional wrestlers aka "sports entertainers" (term thanks to WWE owner Vince McMahon) are set to enter the mixed martial arts world, seems sports betting fans and wrestling fans will have more more to get excited about. Enter Dave Batista, whose next? Media Man and Gambling911 with this body slamming, clothes liner, no taping report...
Brock Lensar may have been the first former WWE superstar to make his considerable mark on the MMA world (via UFC) but he won't be the last. Enter Dave Batista, fresh off a scripted loss to WWE's who Media Man spys say is heading to StrikeForce...competitor of sorts to the UFC.
Gambling911 and Media Man have been scouring the planet to see who may take odds - bets on Batista's upcoming Strikeforce debut, before year end we understand. Comon' PartyGaming - PartyBets, Gamebookers, BetUS, Betfair, Centrebet, Paddy Power and SBG Global.
Public Challenge To Sports Betting Companies!...
We issue a public challenge to offer betting options on Batista and other pro wrestlers going to the mixed martial arts world!
Wrestling Legend Ric Flair Speaks On UFC (MMA) And WWE Fans...
"MMA doesn’t affect wrestling at all. I’m not saying wrestling fans don’t watch MMA, but it is two different audiences. My take on MMA is that those guys are phenomenal athletes and extraordinarily tough and committed but the people that are crazy about them got nothing going on themselves. I actually think most of the male public that is crazy for that are living vicariously for something they can never be. Wrestling is more entertainment-based. MMA is what it is, those guys are out there trying to kill each other. And the guys that are sitting at home going "Wow" could never find that within themselves on the first day of their life. When Lesnar fights, I like watching Brock… and I recognize a lot of names … you’ve got to have so much respect for what those guys put themselves through but it is a limited time frame [they've got]. It’s hard to develop a star in that business that’s going to have any longevity. In wrestling a guy that develops a name for himself can do it fifteen years."
Gambling911 fans or anti fans. Does Flair's quote piss you off, or do you like his tell it like it is attitude? Tell us in the forum, and we can't wait for Hollywood's crazed comedian nutter Tony Clifton, to offer his 2 cents worth again. Shame about what happened to the late Andy Kaufman (former inter gender pro wrestling champion of the world!!!). Trust us, Andy was not the UFC type... ask Jerry 'The King' Lawler.
'The Nature Boy' has enjoyed previous Gambling911 coverage thanks to his gambling and gaming entrepreneur exploits... namely being former NC Education Lottery front man, and the current man of the moment for the South Carolina Lottery. Woooooo! as Flair would say.
Media Man Profiles
Dave Batista
Brock Lesnar
Ric Flair (front man for lotteries in the Carolina's region)
Roddy Piper
Kevin Nash (once upon a time known as Vinnie Vegas)
Hulk Hogan (face of The Hulk A Mania slot machine)
Other Pro Wrestling Stars Predicted By Media Man To Be Able To Cut It In The MMA World...
Bill Goldberg, mainly known only as Goldberg. Bill is also a motorsport enthusiast, enjoying BullRun, monster trucks and Harley-Davidson bikes.
Antonia Inoki (but just for 1 or 2 matches, due to his age). Details full credit Wikipedia
On June 26, 1976 Antonio Inoki had a scheduled match in Tokyo with Muhammad Ali. Inoki initially promised Ali a worked match to get him to fight in Japan, but when the deal materialized Ali's camp feared that Inoki would turn the fight into a shoot, which many believe was Inoki's intention. Ali visited a professional wrestling match involving Inoki and witnessed Inoki's grappling ability. The rules of the match were announced several months in advance. Two days before the match, however, several new rules were added which severely limited the moves that each man could perform. A rule change that had a major outcome on this match was that Inoki could only throw a kick if one of his knees was on the ground. In the match, Ali landed a total of six punches to Inoki, and Inoki kept to his back in a defensive position almost the full duration of the match of 15 rounds, hitting Ali with a low kick repeatedly. The bout ended in a draw, 3-3. Ali left without a press conference and suffered damage to his legs as a result of Inoki's repeated leg kicks.
Bob Backlund (as above)
'Judo' Gene LeBell, actually, better to pass... Gene is 77 years of age.
John Layfield aka Bradshaw (a low level match, as Bradshaw is a brawler and had a gorgeous and intelligent wife who likely wouldn't risk anything else)
Pro Wrestlers Who Won't Be Going To MMA This Lifetime...
John Cena, Dwayne Johnson (The Rock), Rey Mysterio Jr, Bret Hart...
Hornswoggle (Dylan Postl aka Little Bastard is a midget wrestler and character. Say so more).
Vince McMahon (too old and busy running WWE), Hulk Hogan (who Flair has gone on record with... "Hogan is in constant pain").
Steve Austin aka 'Stone Cold' (Austin has had many injuries and the closest you will see him in MMA is in action movie 'Damage', in a cage match!
Family Of Wrestling Stars In MMA...
Colton Toombs (son of legendary wrestler and pop icon, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper). As a teenager Roddy won a Golden Gloves boxing championship and was also awarded a karate black belt by Gene LeBell.
Former Pro Wrestlers Who Were Once Successful In UFC...
Dan "The Beast' Severn and Ken Shamrock
Too Old Or Dead...
Terry Funk, legit legend and tough guy brawler, still with us, bless the lord
Jerry "The King" Lawler, as above
Bruiser Brody - Frank Donald Goodish - dead - a fight - self defense or murdered in the locker room of a Bayamón - San Juan, Puerto Rico locker room at the hands of Jose Huertas Gonzalez, AKA Invader I. Brody reminds fans of David 'Tank' Abbott, the fighter who achieved fame in the UFC early years.
Karl Gotch - Karl Istaz (August 3, 1924 - July 28, 2007) was a professional wrestler and trainer born in Hamburg, Germany, best known by his ring name Karl Gotch. The German suplex is named after Gotch. Gotch had a behind-the-scenes feud with "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, starting when Gotch asked for a shot at the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Rogers wanted to avoid getting into the ring with a wrestler he feared would 'shoot' on him and legitimately "steal" his championship. This led to a locker room fist fight between the two, ending when Gotch broke Rogers' hand; incapacitating Rogers for several weeks. These events only served to alienate Gotch from the American promoters, who already felt there was no place for his style in the world of American pro wrestling!
PS: WWE NXT former Superstar Bryan Danielson's chances of competing in UFC? "Slim and none, or about 1 million to one", whispered a Media Man insider.
PS: Vince McMahon, no, hardly any of your guys will leave WWE for MMA as they just don't have the skills or the desire to fight in a no holds barred environment, so no need to worry. Pro wrestling ain't MMA, and god knows many MMA fighters would boar pro wrestling audiences to death. If WWE can ever get Lesnar back, even for 1 match or as a special ref or something, they would do well. Shane McMahon met with UFC top brass Dana White last year, but what's his status now? Punters, tell us what you know in the forum.
UFC President Dana White On Potentially Signing Bobby Lashley (December 2008)...
"I don't know how many people can cross over and do what Lesnar has done. I don't think there's very many out there."
Current Status Of Bobby Lashley: In Strikeforce
What Is Strikeforce?
Strikeforce is a U.S.-based mixed martial arts (MMA) and kickboxing organization based in San Jose, California. It is headed by CEO Scott Coker and owned by Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment, operators of the HP Pavilion and the San Jose Sharks. Its live events and fights are currently shown on Showtime in the US and on Super Channel in Canada. The promotion debuted on CBS on November 7, 2009 with Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers.
UFC Update Etc...
Brock Lesnar VS Frank Mir expected to break a number of records including ticketing, PPV media buys and sports betting. The upcoming fight is expected to to the the stuff of legend. Tune in to UFC 116 on July 3, 2010. The match up is to be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.
Shane Carwin, who won the interim heavyweight championship by defeating Frank Mir at UFC 111, will face current heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. The two were originally set to face each other at UFC 106, before Shane Carwin won the interim heavyweight championship, but Brock Lesnar pulled out of the fight due to an illness that kept him from training.
UFC Prez Dana White went on record that the promotion plans to make a down under Australia tour and annual occurrence, due to the massive success of UFC 110 in Sydney.
Media Man thinks that either James Packer 50% owned Betfair or competitor, Centrebet, would do well to become an official sponsor of UFC, even if only for the Australian - Asia Pacific region.
Wrap Up...
We keenly await a reply from sports betting companies on odds re pro wrestlers entering the mixed martial arts world, be it UFC, Strikeforce or other.
Loyal readers, don't hold back in the world famous Gambling911 forums
*The writer is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They also publish Australian Sports Entertainment and
*Media Man is the former manager and agent for Australian MMA fighter Mick Cutajar
Disclaimer:
Media Man has online b2b agreements with the WWE Shop and UFC Shop. Media Man has nothing but respect for the awesome athletes in the WWE, UFC and other martial arts companies. The above article is a tongue in cheek number, intended to both educate and entertain. The disclaimers are there for the haters in the forum, and for those who hate a. WWE b. UFC and other MMA c. The writer!
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