Cagewriter - UFC

Brock Lesnar is one of kind in the mixed martial arts world. While 99-percent of the fighters are easily accessible and an open book, Lesnar is a little closer to what we're used to when covering major sports like the NFL, NBA and MLB. He's really only available during the lead-up to his fights and he's one of the only fighters who brings along his own PR/security staff to media sessions. Lesnar showed up to the Wednesday workout day with two fellas he called his lawyers. They essentially play the role of the bad guy to call an end to Q & A sessions after about 10 minutes. They did the same after the UFC 91 press conference when they trumped UFC PR in deciding who was worthy of getting one-on-one interviews.

At the end of the UFC 100 Wednesday workout session, one reporter asked Lesnar if he disliked dealing with the media since he's had a couple of run-ins/explosions (Tom Farrey interview, before UFC 87, UFC 87 postfightwhen being asked about Fedor Emelianenko). Lesnar responded in disbelief. It made for a nervous 15 seconds as everyone waited for a Lesnar explosion (VIDEO).

Lesnar's antics at yesterday's UFC 100 press conference were comical. After the other five fighters on the dais stood in front of the media, gave their opening comments and then sat down, Lesnar made his remarks and tried to leave. It was an awkward moment as Dana White had to grab Lesnar and quietly coax him into staying for the open question portion of the event (VIDEO - 29:10 mark)

Yahoo! Sports Dan Wetzel pounded away at Lesnar with a "who does this guy think he is" approach:

Afterward White shook his head in disbelief at the scene, “the guy’s trying to leave the UFC 100 press conference?” Two other times during the hour-long session, White had to talk to Lesnar about not leaving Mandalay Bay early. Lesnar had decided he was too good to continue promoting an event that will earn him an estimated $3 million.

Wetzel was rubbed the wrong way by the Lesnar entourage the day before:

On Wednesday, he was surrounded by lawyers and agents that take themselves way too seriously. He got shuffled about in a self-important manner that runs counter to the down-to-earth style of every other star in mixed martial arts. Everything around him seemed stressed.

Let's say it straight out, Lesnar doesn't like doing the media stuff. He's a no nonsense guy who gets annoyed by many of the canned answer questions we're often obligated to throw his way. But I'll defend him, He adds a different element. It's real. Which means the possibility of a great quote is a lot higher than the guy that Wetzel props up in his column, Georges St. Pierre. GSP is a great guy but he's become incredibly programmed and withdrawn. It's seems like the mild controversy that erupted after he walked into the cage back at UFC 63 and confronted Matt Hughes, has changed his style. He rarely speaks off the cuff. GSP is more like an Alex Rodriguez-type, almost too polished. I prefer the Lesnar-types who may explode on an opponent or a media member, any day of the week.

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  1. Clint
    1. Posted by Clint Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:04 am EDT

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    Wow! 3 million for this fight!! That is pretty good!
  2. Clint
    2. Posted by Clint Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:06 am EDT

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    I think Roid Rage kicks in pretty easy when you cut weight and the only fluid left in your body is HGH!
  3. Matthew T
    3. Posted by Matthew T Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:30 am EDT

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    Here comes the guy with the saugsage and meatballs in his mouth saying "3 million dollars, that's it? I know sparring partners who get paid more than that"! Come on you superstar of the gay porn industry, I know you wanna open your bean waxer and spew that garbage.
  4. e80ohio
    4. Posted by e80ohio Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:31 am EDT

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    not to be that guy, but i'm pretty sure its a dais, not a deus. Otherwise, I'll still take Mir solely because of the annoying WWE background Lesnar brings.
  5. liftstudios
    5. Posted by liftstudios Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:40 am EDT

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    I agree with Steve on this one and glad someone called Dan out on his comments on Lesnar. Nice job Steve.
  6. Buckley
    6. Posted by Buckley Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:44 am EDT

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    By contrast, Lesnar does look like an unstable hothead. But when you look at other sports and see guys like Terrell Owens, Ron Artest, and even Sean Avery, man, Lesnar is MILD
  7. KJ-MMA Armchair
    7. Posted by KJ-MMA Armchair Fri Jul 10, 2009 10:45 am EDT

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    It is a dais. Maybe Steve was awstruck by Lesnar's godlyness :p
    I kind of agree with Lesnar though. All the hype's done, the event sold out weeks ago, and not many more people are gonna need convincing to catch this on PPV. Unfortunately UFC has to make nice with the big media coverage that they covet and need to have these press conferences even if the bulk of them is just going through the motions.
    And yeah, GSP's approach is very generic. You can almost write a checklist that a lot of these fighters seem to follow.
    1) Say it's the best training camp you've been in.
    2) Refuse to comment on speculative match ups before your fight and say you're not looking past your current opponent.
    3) Even if you win, refuse to comment on speculative match ups after your fight and say you'll fight whoever the UFC chooses for you.
    4) Your gameplan is secret and you don't want to give anything away.
    5) Be generally as vague as possible during the pre-fight presser.
    6) Thank the UFC.
    7) Thank Dana White.
    8) Lather, rinse, repeat.
  8. Clint
    8. Posted by Clint Fri Jul 10, 2009 11:04 am EDT

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    I'm sure Lesnar will get the, "Most Hammerfists of the Night Award!" Adding to his 3 Million Take! Ha Ha Ha!
  9. Mangler
    9. Posted by Mangler Fri Jul 10, 2009 11:09 am EDT

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    I know reporters like controversy, but GSP should be the main event at UFC 100. He is by far the superior fighter, better sportsman, etc. Lesnar is a freak show, whose size, not skill is his only weapon. Randy was actually handling Brock pretty good until he got caught. I hope Mir submits him again. Lesnar comes across too much like WWE. The fact he is unstable appeals to Cofield but the act wears thin fast. Mangler Out
  10. Afiz
    10. Posted by Afiz Fri Jul 10, 2009 11:10 am EDT

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    I like lesnar but do the damn interview, its part of your job man!
  11. DCL
    11. Posted by DCL Fri Jul 10, 2009 11:39 am EDT

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    Lesnar is a douchebag. GSP is what every fighter should trive to be. Stop setting MMA back by supporting the spectacle in your spectacle new blog. Talk about the people doing it right, like GSP.
  12. jackswims2003
    12. Posted by jackswims2003 Fri Jul 10, 2009 11:44 am EDT

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    Man, you didnt even make it past the first sentence without a mistake !!!! PLEASE HIRE A JR HIGH STUDENT TO PROOF READ FOR YOU IT WILL SAVE YOU HAVING EGG ON YOUR FACE OVER AND OVER AND OVER
  13. Clint
    13. Posted by Clint Fri Jul 10, 2009 11:52 am EDT

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    Their our alot of typo's recentleey!!! Ha Ha Ha!!!
  14. deece_98
    14. Posted by deece_98 Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:22 pm EDT

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    " He's a no nonsense guy who gets annoyed by many of the canned answer questions we're often obligated to throw his way."
    Who' obliging you? It's certainly not us. I think I speak for most people who watch SportsCenter and follow on the internet when I say that if all you have is "canned answer questions", then don't bother. I don't like Brock, but I don't blame him for getting sick of being asked the same stupid crap over & over again. If you don't have a question for the man that your readers actually WANT the answer to, the just STFU. Athlete interviews are 99.999% boring, recycled crap. If you don't want to ask the questions, they don't want to answer them, and we don't give a crap either way, why not just drop this whole charade?
    Oh, yeah. No paycheque for the sports "reporters". What a shame.
  15. rwl060
    15. Posted by rwl060 Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:23 pm EDT

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    I agree with someguy. Ask some interesting questions then, Steve. I kinda doubt anyone is going to take you to task over it.
  16. jped1968
    16. Posted by jped1968 Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:28 pm EDT

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    Troy..where the hell have you been...this is old news...
    I hope Lensar destroys Mir...I like his antics, I find them amusing much like Nutcrackers. I like a guy who says WWE is lame after he has used them to secured his families future and comes to a sport where it's not scripted and has succeeded because he is a beast. Honestly, screw the press and all the writers, it's what he does in the octagon, not what he says before or after the fight that matters to me. I always liked John Taylor of the 49ers, came to work, did his job well and didn't talk to the press. Granted Taylor had a wee bit more class than Lensar, but I like a guy who gives a big middle finger to the press. There are enough press darlings, say like GSP (snooze), that its nice to see some one not give a damn what people think.
  17. Kevin
    17. Posted by Kevin Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:32 pm EDT

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    That's not the point Wetzel is making. Yeah UFC 100 may have sold out weeks ago, and yes it has had a ton of commercials since, but UFC in general still has a lot of promotion to do. It's still trying to maintain a platform in one of the "major" sports in the spotlight. Lesnar has the talent to promote, but he's being an arrogant ***. GSP has been more apt to be up for this task in this instance because he recognizes what the extra media coverage can do not only for him, but for the UFC. Cofeild, if unstable people get you wet, you should move to North Korea and join Kim's regime. I am a A. Silva fan and far from a GSP fan, but in this instance, I'm taking GSP anyday of the week. And lastly, Derek Jeter is a better model citizen than Alex Rodriguez. How the **** did you manage to land a job writing blogs with Yahoo! good job cutting down one of your companies best writers, in the end you're only a blogger you loser.
  18. Rob R
    18. Posted by Rob R Fri Jul 10, 2009 12:47 pm EDT

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    GSP = Derek Jeter. He's nice to the media because the media gushes over him. If they were still giving him the business about Greasegate or getting swarmed by Serra the way Lesnar still gets the business about WWE, I bet GSP wouldn't be so cuddly.
    Lesnar also still gets the business about:
    - Steroids (despite a lack of proof)
    - Not being a "real" MMA fighter (despite training at Minnesota MMA the past three(?) years)
    - Not deserving his title shot (despite winning)
    - Getting lucky in his title shot (despite winning by TKO)
    Everybody wants to ask GSP about what it was like growing up poor in Montreal, but nobody cares about Lesnar's background, college wrestling experience, or home and family life. Don't get me wrong...I like GSP. But Brock has every reason not to treat the media the same way GSP does.
    Treat him nicely and with the respect he deserves (after all, he IS a 2-to-1 favorite), and maybe he'll return the favor. You read yesterday how when he and Mir met in the hallway, they talked about their families. From all accounts, they were civil and pleasant to one another even though tomorrow they're going to try to bash each others' skulls in for money.
    I like Wetzel's work most of the time...but I'm with Steve on this.
  19. rwl060
    19. Posted by rwl060 Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:17 pm EDT

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    Agreed, Rob. Well said. I'll add that Lesnar will probably come around and be more social eventually, as his WWE past recedes into the background. For now, it probably doesn't help to have writers like Wetzel write him off.
  20. Rob R
    20. Posted by Rob R Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:25 pm EDT

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    If and when he beats Mir, they'll have to recognize that he's legit. If they do so, maybe he'll lighten up.
    It's just a vicious cycle. Barry and the media got along fine until BALCO. Then it was just a downward spiral.
    - You ask questions I don't like.
    - I respond in a way you don't like.
    - You smear me in your newspaper as being surly and unfriendly.
    - I don't appreciate that.
    - I'm even more of a jerk in later interviews.
    If Lesnar wins, maybe things will cool off before they get out of hand. Though one wonders if people will ever think he's legit until he beats someone with a triangle choke or a Peruvian necktie...or until he beats Randy again, or Noguiera, or Velazquez or Carwin...or Fedor.
  21. Count Di amon
    21. Posted by Count Di amon Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:32 pm EDT

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    I gotta go with Steve on this too. And besides that, as far as Brock's " [profane] image" goes, honestly the sport DOES need somebody like Brock to help promote it into the future. Every sport needs a "heel" if anything to get people to want to see the heel get beaten. It's basic psychology. Boxing had Muhammad Ali back in the day and look how much crap he talked. Tyson with his devouring babies line and other antics was pulling in the cash for Boxing as well. Point being, Brock's outbursts are something that liven things up in a world of fighters gushing with respect. It's nice to see and all but its also nice to see the tree get shaken up a little bit. Lol don't get me wrong, i'm not for someone beating up their wife or drunk driving or crap like that to get attention for UFC but some outbursts at reporters I can easily overlook and get behind.
  22. Daniel W
    22. Posted by Daniel W Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:35 pm EDT

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    Damn leave the man alone for god sakes,he just wants to fight,what do people want from him.
  23. Georgelkj
    23. Posted by Georgelkj Fri Jul 10, 2009 1:46 pm EDT

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    I BELIEVE THE GUY CAN'T WAIT TO KNOCK MIR'S HEAD OFF. This guy is mean and pissed. He commented on Mir not releasing his submission for quite awhile after his tap. Mir wore the look of a seriously beat up winner after the last fight. Lesnar won't make the same mistakes. It will be over quick and I wouldn't want to be Mir!
  24. MMAniac
    24. Posted by MMAniac Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:53 pm EDT

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    I know how you feel Nut, read the last boxing blog. I'm mentioned in about 30 or 40 posts before I ever read it. Its nice to have people thinking about me when i'm not around, and flattering that the boxing bloggers find me more interesting than the blog itself.
  25. Rob R
    25. Posted by Rob R Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:57 pm EDT

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    The last boxing blog? You mean the one from a month ago talking about the huge Rodela v. Garcia showdown? Or the one from two months ago on Pacquiao-Hatton?

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