With Brock Lesnar's actions at UFC 100 many people are up at arms in the sports world. Am I? No, I love hearing about controversy especially in sports. What I don't like is article's like this http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slug=dw-lesnar071209&prov=yhoo&type=lgns and Dana White placing blame or judgment on pro wrestling. Lesnar's controversial actions had nothing to do with Vince McMahon or WWE. It had everything to do with a balls to walls competitor who silenced his critics.
I personally am not compelled to watch UFC. It’s like ice cream, it’s just not my favorite flavor. I however am compelled by their achievements in the sports world. Some think that UFC is bigger than pro wrestling but that doesn't matter to me because I'm a wrestling fan, not a MMA fan. I'm just tired of hearing Dana White tell us how his product is better than pro wrestling in general.
I think Dana making Brock apologize is quite simply a bad business decision. Mr. White says and I quote “You don’t have to act like something you’re not. This isn’t the WWE. I don’t ask these guys to act crazy so we get more pay per views. That’s not the business I’m in.” Well if you're not in selling pay per views then what business are you in, Dana? Oh, that’s right.. I'm sorry you run a legitimate MMA promotion. You are creating a level playing field for the best MMA fighters to make it to the top of their profession right? Then why did Brock Lesnar get a UFC title shot in the first place?
Brock lost his debut UFC contest to Frank Mir. Mir had been never actually been beaten when he lost the belt in 2005,so how did Brock Lesnar leapfrog Mir to get a title shot? How did Lesnar with a 1-1 record prove to UFC that he deserved a title shot? I'll tell you how, because Brock Lesnar is a household name. Don't get me wrong a very talented individual but name recognition was the high power in this scenario. Let's not forget why Brock Lesnar is a household name and that's because of pro wrestling. More specifically WWE, Vince McMahon, The Rock, The Undertaker, Kurt Angle, John Cena and anyone else who worked with Brock to make sure that he was a household name.
So now you have Brock Lesnar as your UFC champion. A champion whose name is more recognizable than any other UFC champion in history defending his title against a man who defeated him in his debut and never lost the title to begin with. Wow, you couldn't have SCRIPTED it even better. All of this just happen to culminate at UFC 100, how ironic such a historic match taking place at such a historic even. Dana White uses the promoting style and business practices that pro wrestling has used for over a century then acts like he's above it all. Cashing checks and making millions but saying he's not in the business to sell pay per views. He shuns pro wrestling but drooled to capitalize on a guy like Brock Lesnar. That’s the definition of hypocrisy, I promise and when "The Golden Boy" Greg Anthony makes a promise it’s as good as gold.
----Greg Anthony is a regular on the local area circuit. He won RRO Booker of the Year 2008 and is listed in the top 5 of the RRO Top 10 2008. Greg is currently working as booker of NEW and can be seen tagging with legend Bobby Eaton and Brian Thompson as “Midnight Gold”.
