• Look Back In History
• Pmessages
• Quiz
• Stump The Staff
• Top Fifty
• Close

JR's Blog: Happy Mothers Day!...UFC 113...Cowboy's Getting Hitched...Kinji Shibuya

Posted: May 10th 2010 By: CMBurnham

Just wanted to say 'Happy Mothers Day' to all the Moms who may occasionally sample our website and, more importantly, sample our BBQ Sauces and Chipotle Ketchup. We hope that each of you have a great, relaxing day.

Enjoyed UFC 113 Saturday night from Montreal. Bottom line as is the case with any PPV investment is that I felt that I received my monies worth.

WWE still has the TV production edge on UFC as WWE would have made the live event feel bigger than it did Saturday night with their shot selection and the way the event was mic'ed. The Bell Centre was packed but there were too many close up shots up dudes drinking and not enough shots of pretty women in attendance.

I thought Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg were on their game Saturday night and enjoyed their work. I have to admit when the show came on the air that I was 'Jonseing' at bit at the adrenaline rush the feel of the event gave me.

Why GSP wasn't given a star's entrance or at least a better presentation to the live crowd and the PPV consumer is a head scratcher. GSP, image wise, represents the best in UFC/MMA and the 'pop' GSP would have gotten in his home town wold have been a 'PPV Moment.' TV producers are always on the look out for special, 'PPV Moments.'

Montreal was a hot crowd and I've been there when it's been on fire w/ WWE. Hulk's response after the Rock-Hogan WM match in Toronto was a 'moment.' Those were the days when my face was more 'WWE TV friendly.' (Come on, it's a little funny.)

Loved Alan Belcher's in ring approach....unpredicatable and nasty. Very exciting fighter from Arkansas. Couldn't tell if his large upper arm/shoulder tattoo was that of Elvis, Jackie Fargo or Honky Tonk Man but Belcher can fight. The announcers should have told us the significance of the tat....or so I think.

Kimbo...thanks for coming. Kimbo Slice apparently got 'cut' from UFC after his performance against Matt Mitrione in a less than stimulating battle of heavyweights. I do like Matt Mitrione's athleticism and if he can continue to improve he might become relevant in the UFC heavyweight picture which is presently crowded and competitive. Perhaps 2012 could be targeted for Mitrione's coming out party if all continues to go well. He's a big athletic guy with a solid football background so he's got a chance if he commits to his new craft.

Kimbo won't totally disappear as he has too much name identity for someone to not attempt to take advantage of either in MMA or pro wrestling. Boxing 'might' be an option but not a viable one unless one's name is Mayweather or Pacquiao.

Josh Koscheck is a lightning rod-like villain and is the perfect adversary for the squeaky clean hero, Georges St. Pierre. The Ultimate Fighter TV show got very interesting for next season when the controversial and outspoken Koscheck beat Paul Daley without too much strain or pain by out wrestling the striker from the UK. Daley lost his cool which has apparently got him 'suspended for life' from UFC but I have a difficult time thinking that decision won't be revisited at some point.

I do agree that Daley should be severely penalized for striking his adversary after the fight had ended with a blatant left hook but to banish the guy for life seems a bit heavy.

Nonetheless fans will pay good money to see GSP kick Koscheck's ass once their TUF season airs, where both will be coaches, and everyone gets adequately pissed at the former 4X, college wrestling All American Koscheck. This will be an organically built PPV main event, highlighted by a 'personal issue' not to mention a title at stake, and the sound bytes from both camps should make for compelling TV.

Bottom line is that the controversial and intelligent Koscheck knows how to sell a fight and to emotionally engage the fan base which makes him an ideal 'villain' in the MMA genre.

Shogun Rua made sure that the judging of his return fight for the Light Heavy Weight Title would be a non issue when Rua faced Champion Lyoto Machida.This main event left no questions asked as Rua over powered Machida with strikes in an amazing display of aggression. Rua is 'hot' and the question is who does Rua fight next? What about Anderson Silva down the road? No one can argue that fight isn't money.

In just two weeks the UFC has yet another PPV and it will be interesting to see how the numbers come out when all is said and done. May PPV business for all genres is going to tell an interesting story.

Congrats to Cowboy Bill Watts who is marrying again next week.

I remember being in the 4th grade and going to school in Santa Rosa, California (I was born in Ft. Bragg, California) when Kinji Shibuya and Mitsu Arakawa were an infamous tag team in the San Francisco territory. My grandma and I watched Roy Shire's wrestling show every Saturday and I remember a huge card that came to Santa Rosa one weekend, huge for a 4th grader, where Cowboy Bob Ellis and a partner battled Shibuya and Arakawa and the promos leading into this match are still stuck in my mind. Ellis seemed to bleed every week but he would be the only one on the show that did which made it seem special and I'm sure, upon further review, that Cowboy Bob didn't bleed EVERY week but it seemed like it to a 10 year old.

Shibuya died last week at 88. He was perfect in his role as the 'evil Japanese' and was so good at his craft that this young fan feared the 'karate thrust' and the damage it could do to my favorites not to mention those 'deadly, nerve holds.'

Kinji Shibuya was truly an artisan and our condolences go out to his family and friends including the great Pat Patterson who had many a classic with the former Utah football star. Shibuya portrayed the epitome of evil that still resonated from the Second World War ("December 7 is a date that will live in infamy.") and the Korean War as the 'hate' was kept alive by enterprising, wrestling promoters. This concept of despising a Japanese or a German wasn't new but Kinji Shibuya was amazing in his in ring role and raised the bar for other Asian Americans or Hawaiians, who played Japanese bad guys, to strive to attain.

We've updated our Q&A's which I hope that you will check out. Thanks for your on going support of our site and especially those that order from our store.

Have a great day and be sure and count your many blessings today and every day.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R.

Tags: Jim Ross, WWE, Honky Tonk Man, Bill Watts, Pat Patterson