Roy Nelson on Pro-wrestling: What’s wrong with being a two-sport athlete?
Roy Nelson (16-7 MMA, 3-3 UFC), a UFC heavyweight fan-favorite and winner of “The Ultimate Fighter 10”, has received nothing but praise for his ability to absorb punishment. In spite of that, with three losses in his last four fights, he may be cut from the UFC if he does not win against Dave Herman (21-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) this Saturday at UFC 146.
The always upbeat Nelson had nothing but praise for his opponent, as reported on MMAjunkie.com: “Dave’s one of the most versatile guys out there. He’ll take you to the ground and submit you, he’ll ground and pound you, he’s more versatile when it comes to unorthodox stuff. You know, with ‘Bigfoot,’ he’s going to plod, he’s going to kick you, he’s more predictable the things he brings to the table. Dave is more unpredictable. Everyone’s watched Dave. Dave’s been around from EliteXC to Japan. He’s been around this business a very long time. Usually you go where the money is.”
With his trademark rapier-like wit, Nelson was quick to add: “He’s a realistic threat. He’s the white version of Jon Jones, tall, lanky, unorthodox, you don’t know what you’re going to expect. At one time, he liked to party. So, you know, he’s just like Jon Jones.”
Nelson indicated that he might consider trying his hand at professional wrestling, pointing to “King” Mo Lawal’s career: “I don’t know why I couldn’t do it. What’s wrong with being a two-sport athlete? You’ve got Deion Sanders, you’ve got Bo Jackson, you’ve got Michael Jordan, he wasn’t a very good baseball player. There’s nothing wrong with crossing over. Mo’s getting paid good money.”
He continued: “We’re in the entertainment business. As much as people would like to say it’s sport, it’s definitely entertainment. We handle it from both sides of the coin: from the sport aspect and the entertainment aspect. You gotta have both because if we’re not doing solid ratings, we’re not going to be on TV. It’s definitely entertainment.”
One thing that cannot be denied is Nelson’s “larger than life” personality inside and outside the Octagon. Whether he remains in the UFC or migrates over to Pro-wrestling, “Big Country” can always be counted on to put on a good show.
