In this corner…
February 01, 2012
NEW PAULLAZENBY.COM COMING SOON!
January 17, 2012
UFC TAKES ADDITIONAL STAND AGAINST PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING DRUGS
I just received the following press release from the UFC:
Continuing a commitment to the health and safety of its athletes, the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced today that all potential UFC and STRIKEFORCE signees will be subject to a mandatory pre-contract screening for performance-enhancing drugs. Beginning Jan. 1, 2012, all incoming athletes will be tested prior to finalizing a contract with the world's premier mixed martial arts organization.
UFC and STRIKEFORCE already work closely with the most prestigious regulators and athletic commissions to ensure the health and safety of athletes prior to competition. This includes contestants on The Ultimate Fighter, all of whom are pre-screened for performance-enhancing drugs prior to participating on the longest-running sports reality show on television.
All current UFC and STRIKEFORCE athletes will continue to be screened for performance-enhancing drugs, both prior to competition and at random, in accordance with athletic commission rules and regulations.
"We're committed to the health and safety of our athletes and we take it very seriously," UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta said. "We already work closely with athletic commissions to protect our athletes and now we're taking it one step further. We're going to test any potential UFC or STRIKEFORCE fighter before finalizing their contract. This shows that we don't want performance-enhancing drugs in our sport."
This pre-contract screening policy further cements the organization's dedication to the well-being of its athletes. In May, the organization announced that nearly 350 UFC and STRIKEFORCE independent contractor athletes would be eligible for customized accident insurance coverage, an unprecedented policy that covers accidental injuries suffered by athletes while training, as well as non-training incidents such as automobile accidents.
"The health and safety of our athletes is our top priority," UFC President Dana White said. "We've seen the issues performance-enhancing drugs have caused in other sports and we're going to do everything we can to keep them out of the UFC and STRIKEFORCE. Our athletes are already held to the highest testing standards in all sports by athletic commissions. Our new testing policy for performance-enhancing drugs only further shows how important it is to us to have our athletes competing on a level playing field."
January 10, 2012
NEW LOOK COMING
Over the past couple of weeks I've been working on a long-overdue revamp of this site, so expect a pretty radical change in the coming weeks. Aside from updating the photos section and continuing with regular blogs, I'll be offering podcasts and video blogs with some high-profile names in sports and the entertainment industry making occasional appearances. So keep your eyes peeled and please feel free to let me know what you think when the new PaulLazenby.com is launched!
December 31, 2011
THANK YOU AND GOODBYE, BROCK LESNAR
As he shocked the world by announcing his retirement after crumpling under the onslaught of Alistair Overeem, Brock Lesnar taught us all a very valuable lesson.
Some would say he taught us that "fake" wrestlers don't belong in UFC, an ignorant sentiment that I'm not even going to dignify with a rebuttal.
Others would say that he taught us how dangerous it is to play a high-stakes game against long odds, just as Lesnar did by coming back twice after serious illness.
In both cases, I would strenuously beg to differ, and invite you to look back on Lesnar's athletic career for the message that it genuinely contains.
Lesnar could have easily rested on his laurels after winning the NCAA Division 1 freestyle wrestling championship in 2000, a monumental accomplishment all on its own. Instead, he entered the completely-foreign world of professional wrestling, and because of taking that chance he earned international fame and millions of dollars.
He could have also stopped there, but when the bloom was off the wrestling rose and Lesnar found himself wanting more, he refused to stay with what was comfortable and got out. Not caring that his decision would be second-guessed by millions, Lesnar turned his yard-wide back on a stable, lucrative career to chase his dream of competing in the NFL.
With no prior football experience to speak of it was an improbable goal at best (although not impossible--just ask Stephen Neal), but Lesnar took his shot and damn near made it despite dealing with serious injuries from a motorcycle accident. Some would say that his not making the final cut proves that he screwed up in leaving WWE. They'd be wrong. As anyone who has done it will tell you, it is FAR better to try and fail than to spend the rest of your life not knowing.
From there, Lesnar set his sights on MMA, and after stomping Min-Soo Kim in his professional debut, he was given the toughest welcome to the UFC of any fighter since John Alessio when he was matched with former champ Frank Mir. Lesnar lost by submission but looked like a monster in doing so, and only six months later returned to destroy Heath Herring, a world-class heavyweight with 41 prior bouts to his credit. A scant three months later, Lesnar unbelievably knocked out all-time legend Randy Couture to become the UFC heavyweight champion in only his fourth MMA fight.
And then, just as Lesnar was hitting his peak in unprecedented time, came the beginning of the end.
Most people know the story from here--Lesnar's annihilation of Mir at UFC 100 followed by a near-fatal attack of diverticulitis. Victory in his comeback against Shane Carwin, only to have the disease continue to drain him. Then the loss of his title to Cain Velasquez, the loss of a 12-inch-long section of his intestine, and the loss of his career to Alistair Overeem. The end.
A sad story, perhaps, but one that would be much sadder if Lesnar had waited, stalled, or doubted himself. A lack of action during the time that he was given before the onset of his disease would have meant that all he'd have today would be bitter regret. But because he acted when he did and with full commitment, he can at least temper the disappointment of a career cut short by looking back at a long list of accomplishments that will never be duplicated.
And therein lies the lesson: that the clock is ticking on all of us, and none of us really knows how much time we have left to act. Waste time second-guessing yourself and opportunities will be lost, perhaps forever. But take your shot NOW in spite of what you're told, and who knows where you might end up?
So thank you, Brock Lesnar, for leaving the sport of MMA in much better shape than you found it, and for showing us how much can be attained by refusing to waste time on self-doubt, or to believe nay-sayers who'll never have the guts to shoot for the stars themselves.
December 27, 2011
JON FITCH DOESN'T UNDERSTAND
In THIS INTERVIEW with Ariel Helwani, UFC welterweight Jon Fitch stated that he hopes that MMA won't become pro wrestling, and feels that eventually other fighters like him will sway the focus away from bombast and showmanship and toward pure fighting ability.
I respect Jon Fitch greatly, but he is DEAD WRONG about that. MMA already IS pro wrestling, minus the predetermined outcomes of course, and while fighting ability is definitely very important, any fighter who fails to observe the rules of effective self-promotion is going to get left by the wayside.
Perhaps Fitch should consider one thing: Not too long ago there was a UFC fighter who in spite of his killer (yet largely unspectacular) wrestling skills was mired in the mid-card; a "who cares" fighter with little, if any, name recognition.
That fighter's name was Chael Sonnen, and without changing his fighting style one iota, he used pro wrestling promotional tactics to produce a series of interviews that transformed him into one of the sport's biggest draws.
Using the "sell the sizzle, not the steak" analogy, Jon Fitch is Chael Sonnen without the sizzle, and unless he finds a way to capture the interest of ticket buyers, he's never going to get the fan attention that he so richly deserves.
December 23, 2011
IN THE NAME OF THE KING 2
Not sure how long this is gonna stay up, but a Dolph Lundgren movie I had a small role in is up on YouTube and can be found HERE. My bit starts at 2:25 and I'm stupid awesome in it--you're totally gonna lose your mind over how amazing I am and an Oscar nomination is a virtual lock. After I win I'm totally gonna be a douchebag and forget all my friends, too.
December 22, 2011
RUMOURS OF MASSIVE KICKBOXING EVENT IN HOLLAND
THIS LINK has info regarding a rumoured card from Holland's "It's Showtime" promotion that could be one of the biggest kickboxing events of all time. It is said to be featuring the final fights of two of the greatest heavyweight kickboxers in history, Peter "The Dutch Lumberjack" Aerts and Ernesto "Mr. Perfect" Hoost, who have won a combined seven K-1 World Grand Prix championships between them.
I've reached out to Bas Rutten who's currently checking to see how much validity there is to this rumour, and I will post follow-up information as it becomes available.
December 20, 2011
ALISTAIR OVEREEM DRUG TEST UPDATE
"The urine sample that Alistair Overeem took on 12/14 in the U.K. came back today negative for all prohibited substances.
The urine sample submitted by Overeem on 12/7 to his doctor in Holland and sent to a German lab was returned to the doctor with no testing done of its contents. Overeem's doctor then disposed of its contents and sent a letter to UFC saying that since it wasn't tested, and it had been more than 24 hours, the sample would be worth nothing and it was disposed of. The sample was returned to his doctor untested on 12/12 and his doctor disposed of the sample on 12/13."
CHAEL SONNEN RETURNS TO "OFF THE RECORD"
In a development few saw coming, controversial UFC middleweight contender Chael Sonnen will be granting a follow-up interview to Michael Landsberg of TSN's "Off The Record". The first interview ended abruptly with Sonnen storming off the set, and it's anybody's guess how this one will play out.
The interview will air on TSN this Friday at 2 PM PST/5 PM EST. If you missed the first interview, it can be found HERE.
December 09, 2011
ILLEGAL FIGHT NIGHT'S CHARITABLE AFFILIATION REVEALED
Despite promoter Inderjit Bisla's continued insistence upon concealing the charitable beneficiary of "Bisla Fight Night 2", I eventually discovered via Jacob Zinn of 24 Hours magazine that Bisla did donate money from his event to the Kyle Demsey Gionco Foundation, a registered non-profit organization with a stated mission to provide martial arts training to underprivileged children.
During a subsequent conversation with foundation founder Gerry Gionco, I was told that money had indeed been donated by Bisla. At present, no figures have been given with regards to the amount.
That begs the question: why would Inderjit Bisla tell me that his show's charitable affiliation was none of my business when money was actually donated to a known charity? Am I to wonder whether or not there was a discrepancy between the amount that was collected at Bisla's event and the amount that was given to Gerry Gionco? Were those amounts even monitored?
Further information will be posted on this site as it becomes available.
December 08, 2011
SURREY NOW COVERS ADAM FIRESTORM MEMORIAL SHOW AND ILLEGAL FIGHT NIGHT
Today's edition of the Surrey Now newspaper contains stories on the ongoing situation regarding the illegal November 18th "Bisla Fight Night 2" event (with some VERY feeble excuses from Surrey City Hall), and a memorial show being held tomorrow night in honour of my friend and sometime adversary, pro wrestler Adam "Firestorm" Dykes.
The Adam Dykes story can be found HERE and the Bisla Fight Night story is HERE.
