Comments on: Kyle Jensen, Micah Miller Win at First-Ever MMA Event in Pittsburgh

By: chrisl

chrisl — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 19:52:34 +0000

No worries. Just so you know Angle is actually only 5′11 himself. He’s a stocky guy in real life.

By: carls

carls — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:30:09 +0000

Glad to see we’ve got a doctor on here to clear things up from time to time.:D Hope all goes well for you in the future dude.

By: jcohl

jcohl — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:07:07 +0000

Thanks for the feedback, everyone.
And I agree with Justin in that MMA is an attention-grabber for Angle’s pro wrestling career. I read somewhere that Angle even managed to drag Frank Trigg into the pro wrestling show on SpikeTV, which I thought was odd because I tend to think or pro wrestling as a big man’s vocation, and Trigg is like maybe 5′10″ and walkaround 180??
Also, I wasn’t aware of the extent of Angle’s injuries. I’m surprised he can perform in pro wrestling, let alone do anything in MMA other than sit ringside.
And chrisl, sorry to hear about your own condition. And to think I used to complain about getting my knee tweaked when I joined a Florida shoot wrestling camp a few years back. It got wrenched pretty good, and after a year or so I called it quits.
I feel like a little girl crying about a skinned knee compared to what you went thru. Respect for sure.

Finally, I guess Angle is entitled to his leeway, considering what he did in ‘96 for his country and the sport. I wish the guy well, as I’m sure he has a family to provide for…

By: Justin

Justin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:11:34 +0000

Angle not only injured his neck qualifying for the Olympics, but again in a “wrestling” match against Lesnar at some point during their stints with WWE.

Angle definitely has a decorated amateur wrestling career, but has never trained MMA, and hasn’t done any amateur wrestling in years. Combine that with his already stated neck injuries make it hard to believe that he will ever compete (legitimately) in MMA. Also, he has been talking about fighting in MMA, and for the UFC for years, but obviously that hasn’t happened. I think its just a way for him to draw attention to himself.

By: chrisl

chrisl — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:07:43 +0000

Tito’s issues were all lower down the spinal cord(though some would say his issues are from a lack of anything at the top of the spinal cord but I digress) and were corrected with surgery that was not career ending. Tito’s recent inactivity has been more due to the clause in his old UFC contract not allowing him to sign with anyone until around now and promotions that are uneasy meeting his high demands. The back surgery was done because it was convenient to allow him to recoup. Nate Quarry had an extremely risky(for fighters) procedure done that has allowed him to compete but very few doctors will attempt it on the cervical vertebrae(as opposed to Thoracic and Lumbar, which spinal fusion is more readily accepted) of normal people and for a fighter it’s essentially a career ender.

As far as my neck, it’s connected haha. I make people cringe sometimes when I turn my head to the left or right sometimes because it pops a lot but other than a little pain there was no paralysis so I am fortunate. I’ll probably end up having surgery once I graduate from college but I still won’t be competing.

By: carls

carls — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 08:34:10 +0000

Do you think that will have an effect on Tito? Sorry to hear about that by the way. Hows the neck now?

By: chrisl

chrisl — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:51:24 +0000

Just so you know Kurt will have severe issues ever being cleared as an MMA fighter due to the massive injuries he sustained qualifying for the Summer Games in ‘96. He broke two cervical vertebrae back then and somehow was allowed to compete in Atlanta then of course won his gold medal.

Once you’ve sustained cervical vertebrae breaks it is almost impossible to get any doctor to sign off for MMA if you ever have any sort of neck issues later. It kept me from fighting myself even though I sustained a break in ‘03 and resumed training after I couldn’t get sanctioned for a fight by anyone after I tore some cartilage there again in ‘07.

By: carls

carls — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:10:57 +0000

Ya I remember on TSN Michael Lansberg asked him “when will we see Kurt Angle in the UFC” and he said “next year”. This was summer 08.
Since then Ive heard nothing.

By: jcohl

jcohl — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 06:06:43 +0000

Question here.
Is this Pittsburgh card the event that pro wrestler Pittsburgh native and former Olympian Kurt Angle talked about earlier this year making his MMA debut in? From what I’ve read since he talked about trying MMA he got some truly bad doctors reports, so maybe he’s waved that off?

By: Justin

Justin — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 05:48:59 +0000

That really sucks for Clementi.