Issue 119
September 2014
The sport’s strangest stories from around the globe
The UFC’s most recent trip to Dublin sold out within three minutes of going on public sale.
NEW JAPANESE PROMOTION GRANDSLAM USING WESTERN MMA RULES
New Japanese organization, Grandslam, is embracing Western mixed martial arts by using an octagonal cage and employing the Unified Rules in order to better prepare Japanese fighters for competition outside the country.
Holding its first event in July in Tokyo, and booking names such as Japanese standout Hideo Tokoro and UFC fan favorite Nam Phan, Grandslam aims to increase opportunities for Japanese fighters to compete in cage-based events without going overseas.
Company founder, and head of parent company Reversal Gym Yokohama, Shuichiro Katsumura said: “I would like to provide a place to raise young fighters and also at the same time revive veterans as well.
“Some fighters may be coming off a loss in a title shot, some may have just got released from a promotion overseas, some fighters are just simply coming back from injury.”
Katsumura, an 11-9-3 Shooto and K-1 Hero’s veteran, added: “I would like to promote more amateur shows so MMA can be like BJJ where many athletes can do this for a lifetime. Lastly, by continuing to promote MMA shows, I want to expand the possibility of MMA in Japan.”
The promotion is planning on holding three events per year.
LURKING AROUND EVERY CORNER, BRAZIL
BRUCE BUFFER DOES UNLIKELY THINGS IN RENAULT CAR AD
Brazil really likes MMA. This we now know for certain. Because it’s not like UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer is starring in any TV adverts for cars in the English-speaking world.
The veteran voice of the Octagon is in two Renault car TV adverts in the football-crazy nation. In the second he twice turns up to deliver his, ‘It’s time!’ catchphrase to males in need of a confidence boost. First when one chap looks nervous while his wife is in labor (Buffer pops out from under a hospital sheet), and another as a guy is having second thoughts before a bungee jump (our man rises into shot thanks to a jet pack).
The message of the ad appears to be, ‘Buy a Renault Duster 4x4 or you’re a p***y.’ Preaching to the choir, guys. Preaching to the choir.
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
UFC’S TOM LAWLOR DEBUTS AS PRO WRESTLING MANAGER, ISN’T APPALLING
MMA’s best candidates for stepping full-time into pro wrestling’s squared circle are without a doubt Ronda Rousey, Chael Sonnen, ‘Rampage’ Jackson, ‘King Mo’ Lawal and Daniel Cormier.
But absolutely sixth in line must undoubtedly be UFC middleweight Tom Lawlor. The TUF almunus is as known for his fancy dress walkouts (Hulk Hogan, Apollo Creed) and weigh-in shenanigans (Dan Severn, UFC 15’s ‘Just Bleed’ guy) as he is for his six years of UFC bouts. In short, he’s a showman.
So, (long-winded link finally coming to a conclusion) no wonder he recently played ‘manager’ for one of the independent wrestling circuit’s best regarded tag teams, reDRagon, when they challenged for (and won) the Ring of Honor tag titles at the War of the Worlds internet pay-per-view in May.
‘Filthy’ drew upon his past experiences as an in-ring wrestler, from before getting on The Ultimate Fighter in ‘08, taking and giving a ‘crotch shot’ and cornering reDRagon by applying ice packs in between tags.
Which all means Lawlor is now in need of a wrasslin’ gimmick that ties in his love of lampooning MMA history and that ‘Filthy’ nickname. Something to do with Tim Sylvia’s jock strap springs to mind...
