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Reading List
"The Godfather of Grappling" by Gene LeBell
"Pain and Passion: The History of Stampede Wrestling" by Heath McCoy
"Preacher" Graphic Novel series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon
Anything written by Tim Dorsey
Anything written by Andrew Vachss
The John Rain series by Barry Eisler
"The Road to Hell" and "Angels of Death" by William Marsden and Julian Sher
"Rust and Bone" by Craig Davidson
Anything written by Joe R. Lansdale
"Dog Eat Dog" by Edward Bunker
"Dead Famous" by Ben Elton
"The Big Books of Combat" by Bas Rutten
In this corner…
July 02, 2009
OKAY, SO JAMAICA...
Finally getting around to catching up with the events of the past week. As I've already mentioned, last week ended up being as crazy as any that I've had for a long time as I jetted south to Jamaica to do post-fight interviews on RISARC Consulting's "Champions of Champions 2" Muay Thai event.
I first received an e-mail asking me to work on the event on June 21, and after spending a couple of days negotiating (it was a charity event to provide computers for Jamaican schools, so my rate came down in light of that) I was confirmed for the job. However, difficulties in arranging my travel left me in doubt that I'd be going right up until Thursday, the day that my flight was to leave. But with only hours to go before my midnight flight, the wrinkles were ironed out and I was on my way.
However, a six-and-a-half hour delay during my layover in Toronto saw me arrive in Montego Bay, Jamaica ten minutes after the show's scheduled start time, and so after a 14-hour trip I was hustled straight from the airport to the venue. Luckily, the show started late, so I arrived just in time for the first fight. Many thanks to Cubby (forget his last name), a member of the American production crew who made it his personal mission to ensure that I was picked up on time, even though that wasn't in his job description.
The event itself was bizarrely a half fight card-half fashion show, but the in-ring action was AMAZING--my jaw literally dropped as I leafed through the ten-bout schedule and saw names like Yodsinklai Fairtex, K-1 Korea tournament champion Kaoklai Kaennorseng (who had one of the fights of the night against Toronto's Clifton Brown) and a dream matchup of Australian legend John Wayne Parr vs. 2 time K-1 MAX champion Buakaw Por Pramuk. And there was an equal amount of big names in attendance, including Peter "Robocop/Buckaroo Banzai" Weller, Richard "Shaft" Roundtree, K-1 stars "Mr. Perfect" Ernesto Hoost and "Sugar" Ray Sefo, and the always-entertaining "Big Daddy" Gary Goodridge.
Play-by-play commentary was provided by Australia's Michael Schiavello, about whose performances I've had some less-than-complimentary things to say on this site. While those opinons are ones that I still hold, I do have to say that the man takes his information-gathering very seriously. While my opinion on his commentary style is what it is, must also say that his pre-fight comments provided me with a very valuable source of information about the few fighters on the card with whom I was unfamiliar.
Unfortunately, organizational difficulties led to the show running a staggering seven hours in length (many thanks to crew member Max who repeatedly brought me water and energy bars when I began losing my handicap match against the tag team of jet-lag and hunger), and by the time Cubby drove me to the designated hotel I was just about out on my feet.
The accommodations themselves at the Iberostar resort were opulent to say the least. I've had the good fortune to stay at high-end resorts in the past, and the Iberostar easily matched any of them. Hats off to RISARC for really rolling out the red carpet (although I don't think that an all-inclusive resort with 24-hour room service is not the best place for me to be if I want to stay on the right side of 250 pounds!).
RISARC has already expressed an interest in having me take part in their next event, which will be held in Las Vegas, and I want to thank everyone involved in the Jamaica show while expressing sincere hopes that we end up working together again very soon.
June 30, 2009
COMMENTARY DEMO
My new commentary demo is now up on YouTube, and contains footage from bodogFIGHT and Hardcore Championship Fighting events. Be sure to sit down before starting it up so as to keep from hurting yourself when you collapse from shock at the unbelievable awesomeness of my superlative linguistic proficiency.
June 29, 2009
THE LAZENBY CHRONICLES
Today's episode right here:
THE LAZENBY CHRONICLES 06/29/09
BACK FROM JAMAICA
Just walked in the door after an absolutely INSANE three-day journey to Jamaica and back for the "Champions of Champions" Muay Thai event. I'll go into detail about it in my next entry, but for now, sleeeeeeeeeep.
If ya wanna hear a verbal account, check out today's "Lazenby Chronicles" on Fight Network Radio, which starts at 1 PM PST/4 PM EST (Sirius 98 or www.hardcoresportsradio.com).
June 25, 2009
PUNCHIN' INNA FACE, CARIBBEAN-STYLE
It came right down to the wire, but the final details got worked out and tonight I'll be jumping on a plane bound for Jamaica, where I'll be doing post-fight interviews at a world-class Muay Thai event. The work's being done at a drastically reduced rate since the show is a benefit that will be raising money to buy computers for Jamaican schoolchildren, but that's a minor consideration. After all, it's f'n JAMAICA and I'll get to watch some of the world's elite Thai Boxers smacking the crap out of one another! Well worth the 12 hour trip each way, if you ask me.
Back on Monday morning--have a great weekend!
BUREAUCRATIC CHAOS IN INDIANA
I've long been a proponent of proper sanctioning of MMA events to prevent unscrupulous promoters from jeopardizing the safety of the athletes and/or taking advantage of fans. However, the state of Indiana is currently doing a fantastic job of showing us the dark side of sport sanctioning, and showing how good intentions can result in a situation at least as bad as any you'd find in an unsanctioned environment.
Indiana has been the home to a number of MMA organizations over the past decade and a half, most notably Jeff Osborne's groundbreaking "Hook n Shoot" group. Some of those shows (including Jeff's) have been properly run, but others have been atrocities, and as a result of the latter there's been a recent move toward sanctioning. That sounds like a good thing on the surface, but only until you realize that while the deadline for commission oversight has been set July 1st, amazingly no one has drafted a rules structure by which the sport is to be governed.
Now there is talk of hastily slapping together a set of "Emergency Rules" which would purportedly be in place until the "real" rules are ratified. Uh...right. How safe and responsible does this sound to you?
Indiana has a ridiculously oversaturated MMA scene (if no currently scheduled shows are cancelled, then by the end of June it will have already hosted a mind-boggling 121 shows), and any commission that wants to govern in such a crazy environment can ill afford the kind of laziness and lack of attention to detail that is being evidenced here.
Making things even worse is that a new state budget is currently under debate, and if it ends up that available funds prove inadequate, this whole shaky plan will come down like a house of cards (which it sounds like it's going to do anyway).
And as always, nobody has called Jeff Osborne and asked for help despite the fact that he's one of the world's top experts on MMA who has been running safe and well-received shows far longer than anyone else in the state.
Unbelievable.
June 23, 2009
RIP BILLY RED, AND MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS ON THE WEEKEND
First and foremost, my condolences go out to the family and friends of recently departed wrestler/WWF announcer Billy "Red" Lyons who died on Monday (reportedly in my hometown of Kitchener, Ont.). Billy was a fixture on the wrestling scene for decades and will be sorely missed for sure.
On a happier note, I did my ring announcing thing again for West Coast Boxing Promotions this past Friday during their sixth "Rumble at the Rock" event. I really have to take my hat off to those guys, they run a smoother show every time out and booker Manny Sobral knows how to pair his fighters up to ensure the best matchups in a way that few bookers truly understand. Congratulations to Paul "The Typhoon" Cheng who scored the second 1st-round KO of his two-fight career, and newly-crowned Canadian champion Junior "The Real Deal" Moar who endured a storm of deliberate groin shots en route to a DQ victory that would have been a KO anyway in my mind.
Great weekend for fights with both Strikeforce and UFC holding events. Take my word on this--if you haven't seen Clay Guida vs. Diego Sanchez and Chris Lytle vs. Kevin Burns from the "Ultimate Fighter 9" finale, and Jorge Gurgel vs. Conor Heun from the Strikeforce show, you should MOVE HEAVEN AND EARTH TO SEE THEM!!! All three were classics, and both Guida/Sanchez and Gurgel/Heun are solid candidates for Fight of the Year (with the latter of the two getting my nod by an infinitesimal margin).
Coming up, I've got a busy few days as I was contacted on Monday and asked to do post-fight interviews on a Muay Thai show in Jamaica. If my tickets come through (still waiting as I type this), then I'll be doing voice-overs for an Electronic Arts video game and then going straight to the airport to spend all night flying to Jamaica for the show. I'll have to hit the ground running as the scheduled arrival time in Montego Bay is just a few hours before the first fight, but I'll have an extra day to relax before coming back which will make the whole thing worthwhile. Well, that and the fact that I'll get to see some of the best MT fighters in the world punch, kick, knee and elbow one another right inna face!
I'll check in when I get back, or perhaps sooner if the trip doesn't pan out.
June 17, 2009
MOTIVATION
Usually the millions of "inspiration videos" with which the internet is filled smack of shameless self-indulgence and parrotting of catchphrases in an attempt to prod oneself into action that will very likely never take place. But this short video, in my mind, is an exception to that rule. In spite of being an immensely jaded and cynical bastard, I still loved it.
June 15, 2009
THE MAULER VS. THE GRIND
My good friend Coreena Robertson is currently vying for a position on The Score sports network's on-air staff, and decided to up her chances by following the legend that is Yours Truly during my bid to crush the record for scaling North Vancouver's famous Grouse Grind mountain trail. Check it out:
June 13, 2009
RIP MITSUHARU MISAWA
I just heard that only a few hours ago, Japanese pro wrestling legend and figurehead of the Pro Wrestling NOAH promotion Mitsuharu Misawa died after receiving a backdrop during a tag team match in Hiroshima. The cause of death is said to be a heart attack. He was 46 years old.
Misawa is commonly acknowledged as one of the all-time greatest wrestlers ever, specifically due to his incredible performances during the 90s when he shot to prominence in the All Japan promotion as both himself and as the second incarnation of the hugely popular "Tiger Mask" gimmick, before leaving All Japan to form NOAH. To completely list all of his classic bouts would probably take me hours, and he deservedly enjoyed Hulk Hogan-level popularity in his home country, as well as with die-hard fans in North America.
During recent years, he allowed his physical fitness to seriously decline, while continuing to wrestle a punishing style that would have exacted a heavy toll on even a well-conditioned body. I never had the pleasure of meeting the man, but as a longtime pro wrestler I have trouble thinking about the business of wrestling without Misawa in it, and it goes without saying that he will be terribly missed.
UPDATE June 15/09: The Wrestling Observer is now reporting that the actual cause of Misawa's death was a spinal cord injury caused by the suplex that he took. I sincerely hope that Akitoshi Saito, the man who delivered the suplex in what was reported to be a safe manner, does not take this excessively hard, seeing as Misawa's bad physical condition was undoubtedly the main reason for his death.
June 10, 2009
YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!!!
One of the greatest video clips EVER. You'll wonder what I'm talking about until about 30 seconds in, but bear with me.
ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE THINGS
