After a long period of off-again, on-again courtship, the UFC has pulled the trigger and signed 41-year-old boxing champion James Toney.
UFC President Dana White confirmed the signing to MMA Fighting after it was first reported by FiveOuncesofPain.com.
Toney had actively campaigned for a contract from the UFC, following White around the country to several events and eventually meeting with him in Las Vegas. Toney reportedly turned down at least one contract offer before signing.
Man, I’m not sure how I feel about this. Lights Out was an animal in his day, but his day passed a long time ago. I really hope they haven’t signed him as some kind of freakshow attraction so if/when he loses the MMA fanboys can say “see, MMA’s superior to boxing!!!”. But, if he has been training appropriately to be a legitimate mixed martial artist and connects with with those little gloves the first few rows might get covered in brain. Guess we’ll see.
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
I really hope they haven’t signed him as some kind of freakshow attraction so if/when he loses the MMA fanboys can say “see, MMA’s superior to boxing!!!”. [/quote]
I’m pretty sure that’s exactly why they signed him. I bet Dana will try find him a winnable fight and then let Randy Couture maul him on the cage/mat in a fight that would definitely draw good PPVs and let Dana talk about how great the UFC is.
Ok I did a quick search and it turns out he has never trained for MMA, he just started. Not good. Of course, he prob doesn’t need to work on striking so he can focus on TD defense and sub defense.
Well god knows there’s been way too many 1 dimensional wrestlers in MMA, why not a 1 dimensional striker? just don’t put him against Kimbo, I have no interest in that.
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
I really hope they haven’t signed him as some kind of freakshow attraction so if/when he loses the MMA fanboys can say “see, MMA’s superior to boxing!!!”. [/quote]
I’m pretty sure that’s exactly why they signed him. I bet Dana will try find him a winnable fight and then let Randy Couture maul him on the cage/mat in a fight that would definitely draw good PPVs and let Dana talk about how great the UFC is.[/quote]
Dana White is a cocksucker. I’m sorry guys, But I fucking hate the UFC. It’s like “Who can find a bigger freakshow fight so we can get ratings?”
Soon they’ll be putting tripwires in there for claymores and throwing knives at them while they fight.
[quote]Sonny S wrote:
Ok I did a quick search and it turns out he has never trained for MMA, he just started. Not good. Of course, he prob doesn’t need to work on striking so he can focus on TD defense and sub defense.
Well god knows there’s been way too many 1 dimensional wrestlers in MMA, why not a 1 dimensional striker? just don’t put him against Kimbo, I have no interest in that.[/quote]
That’s what I was afraid of. Obviously I don’t know him personally, but Toney seems like the kind of dude who thinks he’ll get in there, knock some dude out, collect his check and leave. Like boxers are so much better than mma’ers that all he has to do is show up. I really hope I’m wrong on that and he has been busting his ass.
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
I really hope they haven’t signed him as some kind of freakshow attraction so if/when he loses the MMA fanboys can say “see, MMA’s superior to boxing!!!”. [/quote]
I’m pretty sure that’s exactly why they signed him. I bet Dana will try find him a winnable fight and then let Randy Couture maul him on the cage/mat in a fight that would definitely draw good PPVs and let Dana talk about how great the UFC is.[/quote]
Dana White is a cocksucker. I’m sorry guys, But I fucking hate the UFC. It’s like “Who can find a bigger freakshow fight so we can get ratings?”
Soon they’ll be putting tripwires in there for claymores and throwing knives at them while they fight.
God I’ve had it…[/quote]
I think this is a genius signing, on a par with the kimbo slice marquee signing.
[quote]Sonny S wrote:
Ok I did a quick search and it turns out he has never trained for MMA, he just started. Not good. Of course, he prob doesn’t need to work on striking so he can focus on TD defense and sub defense.
Well god knows there’s been way too many 1 dimensional wrestlers in MMA, why not a 1 dimensional striker? just don’t put him against Kimbo, I have no interest in that.[/quote]
He didn’t know what a leg kick was up until a week ago. He will need to work on his striking too. I’ve no idea what a winnable fight would be for him… Houston Alexander is already gone, and even Kimbo would probably sub him as he did to Mercer. Maybe Mitrione?
[quote]FightinIrish26 wrote:
Dana White is a cocksucker. I’m sorry guys, But I fucking hate the UFC. It’s like “Who can find a bigger freakshow fight so we can get ratings?”[/quote]
Really? The UFC? I don’t recall them ever putting on a freakshow fight. I think they even did the right thing with Kimbo, not treating him like he was some ultimate badass streetfighter and the matchup with Houston should’ve been two bangers looking for a KO until Houston brought that bullshit.
If anything, I think the UFC has avoided the “freakshow” stuff until this recent James Toney signing.
Truth/funny thing is though, you have a better chance of surviving in a low level MMA compeition with a purely BJJ/wrestling background, than you do with a purely boxing/kickingboxing background. Somewhat ironically though (at least in my opinion) having a merely basic level of ground technique combined with an elite level of striking, can put you at the top of some MMA competitions.
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
I really hope they haven’t signed him as some kind of freakshow attraction so if/when he loses the MMA fanboys can say “see, MMA’s superior to boxing!!!”. [/quote]
I’m pretty sure that’s exactly why they signed him. I bet Dana will try find him a winnable fight and then let Randy Couture maul him on the cage/mat in a fight that would definitely draw good PPVs and let Dana talk about how great the UFC is.[/quote]
Dana White is a cocksucker. I’m sorry guys, But I fucking hate the UFC. It’s like “Who can find a bigger freakshow fight so we can get ratings?”
Soon they’ll be putting tripwires in there for claymores and throwing knives at them while they fight.
God I’ve had it…[/quote]
There is definitively SOME of that, yes. But the freak fights doesn’t affect the serious fights. To me it seems like you really hate that MMA is becoming more popular than boxing, and you use every opportunity to bash on MMA.
[quote]WhiteFlash wrote:
I really hope they haven’t signed him as some kind of freakshow attraction so if/when he loses the MMA fanboys can say “see, MMA’s superior to boxing!!!”. [/quote]
I’m pretty sure that’s exactly why they signed him. I bet Dana will try find him a winnable fight and then let Randy Couture maul him on the cage/mat in a fight that would definitely draw good PPVs and let Dana talk about how great the UFC is.[/quote]
Dana White is a cocksucker. I’m sorry guys, But I fucking hate the UFC. It’s like “Who can find a bigger freakshow fight so we can get ratings?”
Soon they’ll be putting tripwires in there for claymores and throwing knives at them while they fight.
God I’ve had it…[/quote]
You couldn’t be more right about Dana White and company. While they’ve brought mma into the 21st century at the same time they’ve created a virtual circus monopoly which is unhealthy for the sport in the long-term.
First White says that Kimbo Slice would be beaten by BJ Penn easily. Then when he realizes that he can sign Slice he suddenly becomes “better than I expected”. White is a media hound of the first degree and it appears that he’d do anything for a buck. I’ve posted umpteen times on how the UFC fighters are underpaid for what they bring to the UFC. There is a lot wrong with the UFC and I’m speaking as a die hard mma fan.
