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Quote of the Day – Brock Lesnar
By Zach Arnold | August 15, 2008
He was recently interviewed by The New York Times:
Q: How do you respond to critics who say that you have not “paid your dues,” in that the only reason your fights have been televised twice is because of your name and not necessarily your skill?
A: A lot of people lose sight of the bottom line: this is a business. It’s about making dollars by selling tickets, Pay-Per-Views, and merchandise. It’s up to the promoter to decide what is televised. I just train hard, then get in the octagon and fight.
In regard to the “You haven’t paid your dues” stuff: sure, I came into this sport with a name, but I didn’t just build my name and my reputation in pro wrestling. I also came in with twenty years of amateur wrestling experience.
Topics: MMA, Media, UFC, Zach Arnold | 8 Comments » | Permalink | Trackback | Share This
You know, I’ve said it before…Brock Lesnar is taking MMA seriously. What he showed on Saturday night was the first glimmer that we might want to take him seriously as a fighter, poor ring conduct notwithstanding.
MMA is not like other sports. A guy who has trained and competed in amateur wrestling for as long as he has is not a novice. I wouldn’t say the same thing about a boxer, but a wrestler already has a good portion of the most important skills for MMA.
True dat, Rollo
A pure wrestler will beat a pure boxer in a straight up fight. Proven since the beginning of time.
Just to second Rollo’s opinion… One of those Ms in MMA stands for “Mixed.” Being a good mixed martial artist is about having a variety of skills. Of them being wrestling. When you’re 285, likely have more real strength then anyone in the sport, and an elite level wrestler you already have a “gold star” in one aspect of the sport.
Sure his striking, submissions, stand-up defense and guard could use some work, but every fighter need to improve on those things to varying degrees.
Being an elite level wrestler with freakish strength already gives him a better chance than a lot of people.
Look at someone like Matt Hammill who had shit for skills but could wrestle. A few fights later he’s schooling* Michael Bisping.
Well, Hammill had the same skill set as his rock star mentor.
If Lesnar’s stand up striking is lacking, I fear for the lives of anyone to meet him once it’s “merely adequate.”
I give Brock madd props.
I understand…and agree…with everything in that quote.
I do hope he gets some better striking, or better submissions, though.
I would like to see him get some finishing moves.
I don’t want to see him simply control guys for 3 rounds every time out.