The Junkie crew had this covered yesterday, culminating with John Morgan's exclusive interview with Kim Couture. As former WWE and current TNA wrestler Victoria (aka Lisa Marie Varon) told Dann Stupp, she's planning an MMA career and has apparently challenged Couture to a future fight.
Couture's record speaks for itself. She may be too big of a bite for Varon, but Brock Lesnar wasn't supposed to steamroll through veteran competition either (Heath Herring, Randy Couture, Frank Mir II). And Varon has always been full of surprises. Before a 2001 WWE (nee WWF) event in San Jose, Varon sat in an empty area with a few WWF developmental league wrestlers and was about as a warm and gracious person you'd ever meet. I knew she'd make an impact someday, but she blossomed into one of WWE's most feared competitors and its women's champion.
Yes, wrestling is an act, but it takes an unbelievable amount of physical talent and incredible charisma to succeed in the business, one that takes a physical and emotional toll beyond comprehension. Varon has the desire to succeed in MMA. The question is whether her skills will be up to standards.
Either way, if I'm Scott Coker, I'm not wasting time. Couture is eying two bouts before the end of the year and this is Coker's opportunity to cash in on the electric fan reaction to Gina Carano-Cris Cyborg by building a women's division. Attendance dropped 8.12 percent from April's "Shamrock vs. Diaz" Strikeforce event, but Carano vs. Cyborg drew 576,000 viewers on Showtime, the highest-rated MMA program to ever air on Showtime Networks according to Showtime officials.
Thanks to the bad economy, you can cut the attendance figures some slack. This is Coker's chance to strike it rich. Dana White had his chance (WEC), but passed. A full-fledged woman's division, combined with Fedor and a growing talent roster and Coker's ready to seriously compete.
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