TKO, a publicly traded company with Endeavor as the majority owner, houses both WWE, The Rock’s old home, and the UFC. News of Johnson joining the board was announced recently via press release; as part of the deal, Johnson now owns the rights to the “Rock” name, which was also used by his father, “Rocky” Johnson.

The third generation wrestler (his grandfather performed as the “High Chief” Peter Maivia) issued a statement in conjunction with the announcement, saying that “My grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, and my dad, Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson, would’ve never thought this day would come. Which is why I’m very humbled to have a seat at the table that has decades of history and family legacy for me. A table that my family helped to build. Being on the TKO Board of Directors, and taking full ownership of my name, ‘The Rock’, is not only unprecedented, but incredibly inspiring as my crazy life is coming full circle.”

Since nothing in wrestling ever happens by accident, Johnson’s “seat at the table” comment might just be a nod to “Head of the Table” Roman Reigns, the current WWE world champion. The pair are cousins, part of the legendary Anoa’i family of Samoa.

Johnson went on to say that “At my core, I’m a builder who builds for and serves the people, and Ari [Emanuel, Endeavor CEO] is building something truly game changing. I’m very motivated to help continue to globally expand our TKO, WWE, and UFC businesses as the worldwide leaders in sports and entertainment — while proudly representing so many phenomenal athletes and performers who show up every day putting in the hard work with their own two hands to make their dreams come true and deliver for our audiences. I’ve been there, I’m still there and this is for them.”

Johnson is widely expected to return to the ring for this year’s WrestleMania. He has also kept close ties with the UFC, despite never having competed in MMA, and was on hand to award the inaugural BMF title to Jorge Masvidal when he defeated Nate Diaz at UFC 244 in 2019.

The post The Rock Has a “Seat at the Table,” Joins TKO Board of Directors appeared first on Cageside Press.

Gorimbo, who escaped war and poverty to make it to the UFC with just seven dollars in his bank account, then auctioned off the fight kit from his first win (over Takashi Sato) to pay for a water pump in his village back home.

Cageside Press caught up with Gorimbo at the 15th Annual World MMA Awards, where he was nominated for (and won) the Fighting Spirit Award for his selfless act. On the red carpet, he explained that he’d rather be an inspiration than a role model.

“For me when I shared my story, like I always say, to be a role model, it’s like seeking perfection. I don’t want to be a role model because I’m not perfect as a human being myself,” Gorimbo explained. “What I can be though, that I think I can do and I have the power to control is to be an inspiration to the people, that come from where I come from, and the kids that come without anything, that are orphans like I was.”

“I grew up without parents, my mother passed away when I was nine, my father 13. I had to grow up, hustle from a young age myself, with the help of my cousin, brother. It’s just the way life has been to me, and for me. I tried to share my story so that I inspire somebody, probably back in Africa right now in that similar position looking at life and thinking to themselves ‘there’s no means for me to make it in this life.'”

Gorimbo hopes that “when they look at me and my story, I want them to feel like ‘wow, if that guy can do it I can do it.’ That’s what gives me inspiration, that’s what gives me energy, that’s what gives me power to push every single day. And I’m going to continue to do so.”

As for the house gifted to Themba Gorimbo by The Rock, the welterweight, who fights Keifer Crosbie in February, is extremely grateful. Gorimbo also revealed to Cageside Press that he didn’t even sleep in the house until he returned to Africa and helped his family move to the U.S., a process delayed by having to secure visas for them. “When I came back, the first night, I was tired, because on the plane I was carrying the babies. The minute I got into the house I wanted to seep and rest so I could train the next day.”

“I’m always grateful to Dwayne Johnson for the things he has done for me. He didn’t have to, but he did it for me. That’s just trying to give me a head start in America. He’s given me a head start in America, and one of the things I want to do one day is try to give someone else from Africa a head start in the USA with the power of what I do in the cage, with the power of what I do outside the cage,” continued Gorimbo. “I believe it’s going to happen, one day I will give someone also a head start in the United States of America, like [Dwayne Johnson] did for me. And thank you my brother, [Johnson], I don’t know if you will see this but I’m very grateful forever, and it means a lot for me.”

Watch our full interview with UFC welterweight Themba Gorimbo above.

The post UFC’s Themba Gorimbo Wants to Be Inspiration, Not Role Model appeared first on Cageside Press.

Sam Alvey gets title shot at Karate Combat 43

He may have left the UFC off one of the worst slumps imaginable, but the always smiling Sam Alvey has plenty of reasons to be grinning these days — as he’s landed a title shot at Karate Combat 43.

Alvey is actually on a two-fight win streak in combat sports, having won his first MMA fight outside the UFC, then his Karate Combat debut. Looks like there’s still some gas in “Smile’n” Sam’s tank after all.

The fight is at heavyweight, which is the weight class Alvey has been competing in of late.

The card goes down on December 15. Alvey is up against Ross Levine for the title.

https://twitter.com/KarateCombat/status/1724568849851588663

John Lineker is trying his hand at Muay Thai

Those “Hands of Stone” could be deadly in Muay Thai.

Per ONE Championship officials, John Lineker is booked for a Muay Thai bout against Liam Harrison at ONE Fight Night 18 on January 12, 2024. It’s a detour from his MMA run, that has him with two straight wins after losing a rematch with Fabricio Andrade. The pair have fought twice, with the first bout ending in a No Contest after a low blow left Lineker unable to continue.

Guaranteed FIREWORKS 💥 John Lineker crosses over to Muay Thai to take on the legendary Liam Harrison at ONE Fight Night 18 on Prime Video! Who you got? 👀#ONEFightNight18 | Jan 12 at 8PM ET
🇺🇸🇨🇦 Watch Live on Prime pic.twitter.com/tQDRTbsDM1

— ONE Championship (@ONEChampionship) November 18, 2023

The Rock’s PRIDE tale

Dwayne Johnson, a.k.a. The Rock, was the biggest thing in wrestling in the late 90s/early 2000s. Big enough that he had an entire show named for him (which is still going today in WWE SmackDown).

Things weren’t always so rosey in Rockland, however. Early on, the third generation wrestler struggled to get over with fans. According to The Rock, speaking on The Joe Rogan Experience recently, that led him to consider trying his hand at MMA. Believable? We’ll get to that. He’s what Johnson had to say on the matter (h/t Bloody Elbow).

“97, during that time, I was was still going to LA and working out. We were crossing all the MMA guys. PRIDE just opened up in Japan. I started seeing all these MMA guys going over to PRIDE,” Johnson told Joe Rogan. “At that time, I was making $150,000 wrestling 235 days a year. Do the math on that and how much you’re making per match.”

The allure of big money in Japan appears to have been a motivating factor (when you consider what The Rock is worth today, you can understand that ultimately, he made a smart decision in staying put).

“We start hearing, ‘Hey, these guys in PRIDE are making $250,000, $350,000, $500,000.’ I thought then, ‘F—, I don’t think I’m going to make it in WWE. People are booing me out of the arenas. I can’t be myself. They’re telling me to f*cking smile, I don’t want to f*cking smile. That’s not who I am.’

“I start talking to Ken Shamrock at that time, who is wrestling with us. I run into Mark Kerr, I start talking to him,’ Tell me a little bit about PRIDE’. I have this idea in my head, ‘Maybe I should train in MMA, go to PRIDE, and make real money and then I don’t have to smile’. I’m sure I’m going to get f*cked up, knock one of my lungs loose, but maybe I could do something like that.

“Find the right coach and train, so I had this whole thing in my head. I was talking to my wife at that time, I said, ‘I think that’s the way to go. Those guys are paying real money and these fans are booing me over here for 150 grand.’”

The Rock did not end up joining PRIDE, or fighting anywhere. Instead, the ex-college football star was put into the Nation of Domination in WWE by Vince McMahon, a faction/storyline that turned his wrestling career around.

How legit is this PRIDE story? Let’s not forget that pro wrestlers are almost always working, and The Rock knows just who Rogan’s audience is. This feels a lot like Hulk Hogan’s “I was going to be the bassist in Metallica” story.

The post Sunday MMA Quick Hits: Alvey Gets Title Fight, Lineker Gets Muay Thai Bout appeared first on Cageside Press.

Gorimbo fought his way into the UFC, and found himself with just seven dollars in his bank account after moving to the U.S. from Zimbabwe to further his training at MMA Masters. Winning his second fight, he used the money to have a well dug for his village.

That prompted WWE legend Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to visit Gorimbo recently, taking him by surprise while he was filming a video clip.

“Your story moved me. When I found out you had seven bucks in your bank account, I know what that’s like. I was here in Miami when I had seven bucks,” the pro wrestling legend and action star said in a newly released video.

Welcome home @TheAnswerMMA
You and your family enjoy your new house brother.
Lights are on.
Bills are paid.
Keep your “My Reason” list close, keep taking care of your people and I’m honored to play a very, very small role in your $7 bucks journey.
$7 bucks.
I’ve been there… pic.twitter.com/rSyC7EiD5I

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) August 3, 2023

After taking a tour of Gorimbo’s lodgings at MMA Masters — he’d been sleeping in the gym — Johnson took Gorimbo to visit a pal of his. At least, that’s what he told Gorimbo. However, when they showed up at the house supposedly belonging to Johnson’s buddy “Jay,” the house was empty — save for photos of Gorimbo and his family.

“I wanted to bring you here, and I wanted to tell you ‘welcome home,'” said Johnson, gifting Gorimbo a new home.

Gorimbo now intends to use the money he would have saved to purchase a home himself to help his village further. “Because I was supposed to get a house to come here and stuff. The money I was going to use for the house, I’m going to build another borehole in my village now when I land in Africa.”

The post “Welcome Home” — The Rock Buys UFC Welterweight Themba Gorimbo a House appeared first on Cageside Press.

Terrance McKinney Implores The Rock to Support Fighters

The UFC has a new official footwear sponsor, with Under Armour’s “Project Rock” sneakers sported by UFC fighters… who are paid absolutely nothing to wear them.

Unlike the Venom outfitting deal (Venom replaced Reebok not too far back), there’s no outfitting pay when it comes to the Project Rock deal. And that isn’t sitting well with a number of UFC fighters.

UFC lightweight Terrance McKinney is in that camp, and spoke out about the issue this past week. And he’s imploring the shoe line’s namesake, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, to get behind the fighters.

“Hey brotha @TheRock if you’re a fan of what we do make the deal favorable for the ones modeling your shoe,” McKinney posted on social media. “I get it’s not your fault or your business doin it to us, but show us the love you think you are. Get in our corner and support us.”

John Dodson leads BKFC 28 salaries

For those wondering what folks are making over in the bare-knuckle realm and particularly BKFC, the BKFC 28 salaries have been released by the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department (RLD). Obtained by MMA Junkie, the payouts all appear to be flat purses, meaning no win bonuses, just guaranteed money.

Former UFC title challenger John “The Magician” Dodson leads the way. The full list is below:

John Dodson – $75,000 def. Ryan Benoit – $20,000
Christine Ferea – $22,500 def. Taylor Starling – $20,000
Jeremy Sauceda – $2,500 def. Roderick Stewart – $2,000
Jayme Hinshaw $5,000 def. Cassie Robb – $5,000
Josh Watson $2,000 def. Kyle McElroy – $3,000
Joshua Moreno – $3,000 def. Zion Tomlinson – $4,000
Tony Soto – $4,000 def. Joshua Morales – $3,500
Eric Dodson – $2,500 def. Nick Villar – $2,000
Will Santiago – $4,000 def. Jake Young – $5,000
Jeremy Smith – $4,000 def. Donald Sanchez – $7,500
Brad Kelly – $5,000 def. Isaac Vallie-Flagg – $9,000

Alex Pereira is one hell of an archer

No, not Archer as in Sterling Archer, though he could probably do a great revenge rampage. But Brazilian middleweight contender Alex Pereira is one heck of an archer, as in, bow an arrow.

How good? Check out the clip below.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CifuTPIDBvX

Nate Diaz gives behind-the-scenes look at infamous UFC 279 presser

UFC 279’s pre-fight press conference nearly derailed the event, with altercations breaking out between Khamzat Chimaev and Kevin Holland, and later Chimaev and Nate Diaz’s camp.

Little footage of the Diaz/Chimaev crews interacting has circulated, but in a video log, Diaz himself has provided a glimpse of what was nearly a disastrous affair.

Check it out for yourself below.

Cageside Live covers Diaz, and the passing of Elias Theodorou

The passing of Elias Theodorou shocked the entire MMA community; Cageside Live covered that, Nate Diaz, and more this past week.

The post Sunday MMA Quick Hits: McKinney Urges The Rock to Support Fighters, Diaz Pulls Back Curtain on UFC 279 Presser appeared first on Cageside Press.