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JR's Blog: Monday Blog, Brock Lesnar, Eric Bischoff. UFC 200, Paige VanZant, Randy Orton, JR's in Australia, OklaMania This Weekend

Posted: Jul 12th 2016 By: Jim Ross

Greetings to all and a happy Monday! Thanks for stopping by our site. Just had a great weekend in Las Vegas attending UFC 200 while getting ready for another The Ross Report Podcast week with part two of my conversation with Eric Bischoff. A new show drops every Tuesday night at 9 ET on Podcast One and ITunes plus you can access it here on the homepage of our site. Subscribe for FREE at iTunes and never miss a broadcast as they will be downloaded into the device of your choice automatically.

Thoroughly enjoyed our stay at The D Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas over the weekend while in Vegas attending UFC 200. The next time that you are in Vegas, go downtown and check out The D and their neighbors. The night life on Fremont Street is a sight to behold.

Happy for both Brock Lesnar and Daniel Cromier winning their fights at UFC200. Both fought exactly the way they should against two, powerful strikers and that's by essentially destroying the vertical base of each punch/striker and making their adversaries fight from underneath. Some fans might have found those styles to be too methodical but I didn't and that strategy was spot on for both Brock and DC. Don't allow strikers to stay standing and get in a comfortable groove which the two, wrestlers prevented from happening Saturday night.

DC overcame a miserable week after Jon Bones Jones failed a drug test that easily cost DC $1M+. Fighting Anderson Silva on two days notice can be an intimidating piece of business for any MMA fighter plus the live audience turned on DC to cheer for the veteran Silva who likely has only a handful, if that, of fights left in his career on a major level.

Lesnar looked beastly winning a unanimous decision over Mark Hunt who couldn't stay upright long enough to land then necessary, heavy punches to disable the former WWE Champion. Lesnar was in magnificent condition while earning at least $2.5M for the night's work with likely much more coming via pay per view bonuses. Brock made weight at 265 but looked to be back up to 280ish by fight time and was as agile and quick and athletic as I've seen hin in a good while.

I'd be shocked to hear that Lesnar was not going to fight again in the UFC. There are too many winners in this formula notwithstanding it creates a significant new, payday for Lesnar which keeps him happy, gets WWE a ton of global media stretch plus it creates a potential, organic storyline for WWE to utilize for Brock's next WWE event after said, UFC fight. I'd keep any subsequent UFC fights for Brock away from Wrestlemania but where there is big money involved, deals can quickly be made and likey will be made.

Randy Orton is next for Lesnar at Summer Slam in Brooklyn August 20 in the sold out Barclay Center airing on the WWE Network. I'm curious to see how WWE sets this one up on TV and how, if any, that it may be impacted by the upcoming WWE Draft. There is no viable reason that Lesnar vs Orton shouldn't be a terrific, in ring bout but that will be largely influenced by the build up to the match which is about episodic, compelling storytelling.

No, I'm not concerned about the number of Suplex City trips that RKO may go on in this main event level bout as some who have expressed such online. I could see Orton looking to debilitate Lesnar's leg, for example, therefore making it more challenging for Brock to suplex Randy which is an easy and believable story to tell. Nonetheless there are multiple ways to structure a compelling pro wrestling presentation especially when dealing with two men as skilled as Brock Lesnar and Randy Orton.

It was smart and strategic of WWE to announce this match ahead of UFC 200 as it was brought up endlessly throughout the build to Saturday night's big event including post fight media.

What an amazing story of success in the world of business by the UFC management team in taking a business that was bought for $2M and was just sold for $4B. I can see films, books, etc being produced to document this once in a life time accomplishment. This is only just the beginning as to what the UFC can and will be in the future from a global basis. @DanaWhite should be revered within the world of sports business for what he has done with the UFC brand.

Big meeting in OKC tomorrow for yours truly with Australian food representatives traveling to meet with us about launching JR's in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and beyond. Fingers crossed that it goes well as it could be a game changer.

Huge weekend of pro wrestling in Oklahoma this weekend starting off on Saturday night in Shawnee and Sunday afternoon/evening in OKC at the Cox Convention Center with a fan fest entitled OklaCon plus the Indies wrestling event we're calling OklaMania. Several WWE HOFERS, former Mid South Wrestling stars and stars of ROH, NWA, TNA and more will be with us. Info is available at www.imperialwrestlingrevolution.com and tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster.com. Join us if you can for this exciting, two day event.

If you can assist us with the production of the documentary '6:05 The Film' and would like more info on the August 4-7 NWA Legends Fan Fest in #Charlotte please check out www.nwalegends.com. The $109 VIP, All Axxess pass is the way to go as it gets you into EVERYTHING for 4 days and three nights. I can't wait for this event because it excites the wrestling fan in me.

I pitched a movie idea to a film maker in a meeting Saturday in Vegas and it looks as if our pitch hit home as the project is moving forward and I hope to have something to announce regarding it soon.

New episode of New Japan Pro Wrestling on AXSTV airs this Friday night that I think that you will enjoy. It amazes me that many fans are unaware that I'm back in the game on most Friday nights but instead still want me to return to WWE. AS I;ve said, the WWE was the best job in the biz that I ever had and I am grateful for my time there but Id like to think that my legacy in WWE is established and will be long lasting. I will always entertain any opportunities that come my way from any entity including WWE but I'm pleased with what I'm currently doing.

Good luck to Paul Heyman aka @HeymanHustle who is in the #UK this week doing a series of one man shows that I'm certain will be highly entertaining. I hope that WWE gets Heyman back on TV soon to assist with the Lesnar-Orton build. From my perspective, Paul Heyman is essential in selling this bout at Summer Slam.

Headed back to Cancun next week for our next Cancun Boxing special on the CBS Sports Network that will air live on Saturday night July 23. Excited to work with @AlBernstein again.

On this week's The Ross Report, I will provide information on our RINGSIDE with Jim Ross and Friends Shows that we will produce in Orlando next April during Wrestlemania 33.

Enjoyed meeting and chatting with Paige VanZant Saturday at the T Mobile arena prior to UFC200. She was with her father and what a lovely, charming, young women who told me she was a big WWE fan. There's no doubt that some day Paige and WWE will do some business but for now she's focusing entirely on her next UFC fight. Ms VanZant is only 22 years old so there is absolutely no hurry for her to make a career change or an addition.

Thanks for the visit and remember that we are now on Facebook at JimRossBBQ. A new, The Ross Report drops Tuesday night at 9 Pm ET/ 6Pm PT on @PodcastOne and @iTunes.

Boomer Sooner!

J.R. @JRsBBQ