Originally posted by Dave MeltzerBrock was given the Floyd Mayweather offer weeks ago by WWE.
There is no deal.
I doubt he'd do it but nobody can answer for Brock but Brock.
Vince McMahon wants Undertaker and Brock at WrestleMania. I just can't imagine ... I mean his contract with UFC wouldn't allow it, so who knows.
Obviously the fact that Undertaker was there, you know, they obviously think that they got... What I can tell you there is no deal for that match, but they do want that match and obviously Brock has been contacted and there you go. For the streak against the UFC title, but he lost the title. Sounded like a good idea at the time.
If you're Vince and you're trying to recoup that fifty million dollars that you've just lost in the election campaign, you know, you're going to come up with ideas like this.
I doubt UFC would let Brock go even after his lose unless they were told he was going over Taker. I also doubt Vince would sacrificial the streak, one of the signature reasons to get Mania in the last few years for a few buys this year. If Vince is willing to do this and it falls through, what other stunts or surprises are we in store for now that by all accounts, Linda's run is done.
Difference between Mayweather/the failed Lennox Lewis idea of several years ago is that Lesnar actually would have an authority figure who he would need approval from, while the boxing promoters really would have had minimal involvement. Perhaps Vince realizes his product has stagnated and needs a spark. Whether he can find something to provide that spark again at his age might be questionable though.
I'm for Brock eventually going back to the WWE but only when he's for sure through with UFC. I do want to see Mark Calloway emerge as the last cycle of the Undertaker's personality and have an angle leading to WM. How about against Tito Ortiz or Bobby Lashley? Or Randy Couture?
But not Brock. Not yet.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Yeah, he just seems incredulous that Vince would have the temerity to try and broker such a deal. Don't get me wrong, Meltzer is far and away the best "official" wrestling journalist, but he just seems to view pro-wrestling more and more as the redheaded stepchild of his chosen subjects. Which it kind of is, but still.
I guess Brock getting hammered increased the odds of a WrestleMania match, but it would seem pretty arbitrary now that there's not the UFC title in the mix.
The Lovely Mrs. Tracker and I are a little boggled that Taker would attempt this drive-by challenge during an interview for a segment that doesn't belong to the WWE. Wouldn't WWE have to pony up for that footage?
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Originally posted by Amos CochranYeah, he just seems incredulous that Vince would have the temerity to try and broker such a deal. Don't get me wrong, Meltzer is far and away the best "official" wrestling journalist, but he just seems to view pro-wrestling more and more as the redheaded stepchild of his chosen subjects. Which it kind of is, but still.
Sometimes I do feel like Dave has forsaken us to be a real life MMA journalist for Yahoo with press conferences and credentials and everything. I can see how that would be enjoyable. But his passion for wrestling is definitely still there and in some ways unmatched even as a Meltzer divided. I'll be happy when the UFC growth is over (in who knows how many years) so I don't have to hear about Goofus and Gallant anymore, but realistically it kind of is Goofus and Gallant at this point in terms of resonating with your audience.
Originally posted by Matt TrackerThe Lovely Mrs. Tracker and I are a little boggled that Taker would attempt this drive-by challenge during an interview for a segment that doesn't belong to the WWE. Wouldn't WWE have to pony up for that footage?
I'd guess that Vince wouldn't even want to show that footage to the kayfabed WWE Universe. Could you even see a way to cross-promote the match to both the wrestling marks and any MMA fans that might crossover? I think Vince would target his ads more toward the fans that dropped off in the past few years, who might pop for "Here Comes the Pain" vs. the Deadman's streak.
As for why Lesnar would take the match? If it's 7-figures for one worked match, why not? I'm not an MMA fan, but it doesn't seem like this would be the credibility-killer that Inoki/Ali was feared to be back in the day.
Does Dana White even pay his stars the kind of jack that would make this proposition a non-starter? I know there was an injury, but Lesnar's only had 6 fights in 41 UFC PPVs since his debut.
The UFC incentives for a night's best submission, KO, and fight can greatly -- and the Rock means greatly -- swing a paycheck. And that's before one considers a guarantee purse for a fight. They encourage competition with big bonuses.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Originally posted by Amos CochranYeah, he just seems incredulous that Vince would have the temerity to try and broker such a deal. Don't get me wrong, Meltzer is far and away the best "official" wrestling journalist, but he just seems to view pro-wrestling more and more as the redheaded stepchild of his chosen subjects. Which it kind of is, but still.
Sometimes I do feel like Dave has forsaken us to be a real life MMA journalist for Yahoo with press conferences and credentials and everything. I can see how that would be enjoyable. But his passion for wrestling is definitely still there and in some ways unmatched even as a Meltzer divided. I'll be happy when the UFC growth is over (in who knows how many years) so I don't have to hear about Goofus and Gallant anymore, but realistically it kind of is Goofus and Gallant at this point in terms of resonating with your audience.
I wouldn't be too hard on Dave. He's still traumatized from the Bragging Rights teams wearing t-shirts.
Originally posted by Matt TrackerThe UFC incentives for a night's best submission, KO, and fight can greatly -- and the Rock means greatly -- swing a paycheck. And that's before one considers a guarantee purse for a fight. They encourage competition with big bonuses.
The top guys also get bonuses based on PPV buys. Lesnar has likely banked seven figures a fight on top of his $400,000 salary for the last few fights.
Also, Dana White makes all this speculation moot for now. From the Observer site (f4wonline.com)
Dana White told TMZ.com that he would not approve of a Brock Lesnar vs. Undertaker match at WrestleMania, noting Lesnar is under an exclusive contract with UFC. "He is not going to wrestle in the WWE. He cannot wrestle, box or fight anywhere else."