Fighters' Secret Superpowers
By Jordan Newmark
We love watching fighters because their physical abilities seem above and beyond what normal humans can do. Here are some top athletes and the fictional characters they could very well be related to. Take a look and leave a comment with your own suggestions.
Brock Lesnar - The Incredible Hulk
When Bruce Banner gets angry he becomes the Incredible Hulk. When the Incredible Hulk gets angry he becomes Brock Lesnar. Both are big, agile and strong – real strong. The Hulk’s strength is near limitless, and the same can be said for Lesnar -- just ask Frank Mir, Heath Herring and Randy Couture.
Dominick Cruz *New* - Quicksilver Pretty self explanatory.
Ben Henderson *New* - Shatterstar (self proclaimed)
He was genetically engineered to have enhanced physical capabilities so he could serve as an arena gladiator.
Shatterstar learned the arts of battle as a warrior in arenas on Mojoworld, where he participated in combats staged for Mojo's television programs. It’s assumed it was here he developed his strong sense of honor and pride as a warrior, to combat the constant violence and death in his life.
Urijah Faber - Iron Man
Out of his metal suit, Tony Stark is a CEO millionaire playboy with a trademark smile. Out of the steel cage, Faber is one of the most recognizable MMA stars with commercials, big sponsors, gyms, protégés and a trademark smile, plus a cleft chin. But when they’re at work, both superheros are strong, fast and durable with a cache of the newest weaponry available in their respective fields.
Randy Couture - Ra’s Al Ghul
Ra’s Al Ghul uses the Lazarus Pits to heal himself of all wounds and keep himself in the prime of his life. No one is really sure how Couture still stays so competitive as the years wear on, but nevertheless, Couture and Ra’s Al Ghul are both master strategists and experienced warriors from centuries’ worth of fighting.
Joseph Benavidez - Daredevil
Matt Murdock’s alter ego, a club-carrying blind guy who knows karate and charges head first into fight swith anyone, is dubbed “The Man Without Fear.” Joseph Benavidez may be 5’4” (with shoes), but he attacks his opponents first and often without a moment of hesitation, even if that opponent is MMA legend Miguel Angel Torres. Also, they both look good in red.
George St-Pierre - Captain America
Two supreme athletic specimens, these two possess amazing physical prowess. St-Pierre started as a dynamic striker with a submission game and over has evolved into one of the best wrestlers as well. If the Canadian could learn how to throw a shield, he could be “Captain North America”.
Lyoto Machida - The Flash
Using their fast feet to dodge attacks and land lightning-quick counterstrikes, The Dragon and The Flash terrorize using insane speed. Opponents see only a blur of light and then the floor. The only major difference? Machida knows Shotokan Karate.
Jose Aldo - Blade
Blade’s mother was bitten by a vampire while pregnant; this resulted in Blade being born human with vampiric powers, terrorizing those between the two worlds. Aldo is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who has savagely knocked out everyone he has fought in the US. Aldo is scarily-talented on the feet and on the ground. Aldo and Blade are simply the best of both worlds.
Wanderlei Silva - Ghost Rider
No, Wanderlei Silva didn’t sell his soul to the Devil to harvest souls while riding a motorcycle. No, both he and Ghost Rider are famous for their staredowns. Ghost Rider’s “penance stare” makes its victim experience all the pain they have ever inflicted on others. Silva’s pre-fight stare down makes his opponent tremble imagining all the pain they’re about to have inflicted on them by the man they call “The Axe Murderer.”
Jon Jones - Green Lantern
Artists in combat, these figures facilitate the destruction of their opponents through imagination and creativity. Jones uses brutal takedowns, spinning back elbows and high kicks; the Green Lantern’s power ring can do virtually anything. But with no jewelry allowed in the Octagon, point Jones.
A combination of Stretch Armstrong and Robot Chicken *new* - Well you figure it out.
Paulo Thiago - The Punisher
It is not always the prettiest victory, but both men always get the job done. These two steely-eyed killers are prepared to go whereever the fight takes them. The Punisher use his fists, knives, guns, bombs; Thiago uses his arms and legs to rack up submission and knockout–of-the-night bonuses.
Nate Diaz - Juggernaut
Physically, they are polar opposites; Juggernaut is a dump truck of muscles and Diaz is skinny as a rail. They are both little brothers (of Professor X and Nick Diaz); mentally they are blood brothers; they have an unflinching resolve to attack their opponent head-on. Both are supremely confident in their abilities and are impervious to mental games. But one look at the scene from X-Men III where Juggernaut yells “I’m the Juggernaut, b#*ch,” and the true similarity is instantly clear.
Junior Dos Santos - The Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer’s sleek bald head used to be an omen that an evil God-like villain, Galactus, was about to eat your planet. Nowadays, it’s Cigano’s sleek bald head it’s that signifies imminent vicious punching power that will destroy your world. Hyperbole is disproven by his UFC record: four knockouts in the first round and one man-handling of Mirko “Cro Cop” is not hyperbolic.
*New* - Colossus - Goofy nice guy who speaks in a foreign accent. Then changes once he gets into the Octagon then he turns into a powerful fighter.
Shane Carwin - Thing from the Fantastic 4
Fill in the Thing’s cracks with silly putty and it is Shane Carwin. They’re both huge and freakishly powerful individuals who club opponents with their ginormous stone hands. Carwin has won all of his UFC fights by demolishing KO in the first round. When Shane Carwin steps into the Octagon it certainly is “clobberin’ time”.
Chael Sonnen - Banshee
Banshee possesses a "sonic scream," capable of harming enemies’ auditory systems and causing physical vibrations. He is named after the banshee, a legendary ghost from Irish mythology, said to possess a powerful cry, although the banshee spirit is invariably female and the Irish Gaelic to English translation of Bean Sidhe (Banshee) is literally Fairy Woman, making it an odd choice for a male character (the male version is Fear Sidhe). Nonetheless a fitting name for the mouth of West Linn, Oregon.
BJ Penn - Cabbage Patch Kid
Cute and cuddly. Posesses a perfectly spherical round head near impervious to wound.
Roy Nelson - Most would say Kung Fu Panda, but today I'm leaning towards Nacho Libre.
Chancho. When you are a man, sometimes you wear stretchy pants in your room. It's for fun.
Anderson "The Spider" Silva - You guessed it. Peter Parker.
Why, cuz in his own words he's the only super hero with bills to pay...haha! Oh and inside the Octagon he weaves traps and ensnares his opponents.
By Jordan Newmark
We love watching fighters because their physical abilities seem above and beyond what normal humans can do. Here are some top athletes and the fictional characters they could very well be related to. Take a look and leave a comment with your own suggestions.
Brock Lesnar - The Incredible Hulk
When Bruce Banner gets angry he becomes the Incredible Hulk. When the Incredible Hulk gets angry he becomes Brock Lesnar. Both are big, agile and strong – real strong. The Hulk’s strength is near limitless, and the same can be said for Lesnar -- just ask Frank Mir, Heath Herring and Randy Couture.
Dominick Cruz *New* - Quicksilver Pretty self explanatory.
Ben Henderson *New* - Shatterstar (self proclaimed)
He was genetically engineered to have enhanced physical capabilities so he could serve as an arena gladiator.
Shatterstar learned the arts of battle as a warrior in arenas on Mojoworld, where he participated in combats staged for Mojo's television programs. It’s assumed it was here he developed his strong sense of honor and pride as a warrior, to combat the constant violence and death in his life.
Urijah Faber - Iron Man
Out of his metal suit, Tony Stark is a CEO millionaire playboy with a trademark smile. Out of the steel cage, Faber is one of the most recognizable MMA stars with commercials, big sponsors, gyms, protégés and a trademark smile, plus a cleft chin. But when they’re at work, both superheros are strong, fast and durable with a cache of the newest weaponry available in their respective fields.
Randy Couture - Ra’s Al Ghul
Ra’s Al Ghul uses the Lazarus Pits to heal himself of all wounds and keep himself in the prime of his life. No one is really sure how Couture still stays so competitive as the years wear on, but nevertheless, Couture and Ra’s Al Ghul are both master strategists and experienced warriors from centuries’ worth of fighting.
Joseph Benavidez - Daredevil
Matt Murdock’s alter ego, a club-carrying blind guy who knows karate and charges head first into fight swith anyone, is dubbed “The Man Without Fear.” Joseph Benavidez may be 5’4” (with shoes), but he attacks his opponents first and often without a moment of hesitation, even if that opponent is MMA legend Miguel Angel Torres. Also, they both look good in red.
George St-Pierre - Captain America
Two supreme athletic specimens, these two possess amazing physical prowess. St-Pierre started as a dynamic striker with a submission game and over has evolved into one of the best wrestlers as well. If the Canadian could learn how to throw a shield, he could be “Captain North America”.
Lyoto Machida - The Flash
Using their fast feet to dodge attacks and land lightning-quick counterstrikes, The Dragon and The Flash terrorize using insane speed. Opponents see only a blur of light and then the floor. The only major difference? Machida knows Shotokan Karate.
Jose Aldo - Blade
Blade’s mother was bitten by a vampire while pregnant; this resulted in Blade being born human with vampiric powers, terrorizing those between the two worlds. Aldo is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt who has savagely knocked out everyone he has fought in the US. Aldo is scarily-talented on the feet and on the ground. Aldo and Blade are simply the best of both worlds.
Wanderlei Silva - Ghost Rider
No, Wanderlei Silva didn’t sell his soul to the Devil to harvest souls while riding a motorcycle. No, both he and Ghost Rider are famous for their staredowns. Ghost Rider’s “penance stare” makes its victim experience all the pain they have ever inflicted on others. Silva’s pre-fight stare down makes his opponent tremble imagining all the pain they’re about to have inflicted on them by the man they call “The Axe Murderer.”
Jon Jones - Green Lantern
Artists in combat, these figures facilitate the destruction of their opponents through imagination and creativity. Jones uses brutal takedowns, spinning back elbows and high kicks; the Green Lantern’s power ring can do virtually anything. But with no jewelry allowed in the Octagon, point Jones.
A combination of Stretch Armstrong and Robot Chicken *new* - Well you figure it out.
Paulo Thiago - The Punisher
It is not always the prettiest victory, but both men always get the job done. These two steely-eyed killers are prepared to go whereever the fight takes them. The Punisher use his fists, knives, guns, bombs; Thiago uses his arms and legs to rack up submission and knockout–of-the-night bonuses.
Nate Diaz - Juggernaut
Physically, they are polar opposites; Juggernaut is a dump truck of muscles and Diaz is skinny as a rail. They are both little brothers (of Professor X and Nick Diaz); mentally they are blood brothers; they have an unflinching resolve to attack their opponent head-on. Both are supremely confident in their abilities and are impervious to mental games. But one look at the scene from X-Men III where Juggernaut yells “I’m the Juggernaut, b#*ch,” and the true similarity is instantly clear.
Junior Dos Santos - The Silver Surfer
The Silver Surfer’s sleek bald head used to be an omen that an evil God-like villain, Galactus, was about to eat your planet. Nowadays, it’s Cigano’s sleek bald head it’s that signifies imminent vicious punching power that will destroy your world. Hyperbole is disproven by his UFC record: four knockouts in the first round and one man-handling of Mirko “Cro Cop” is not hyperbolic.
*New* - Colossus - Goofy nice guy who speaks in a foreign accent. Then changes once he gets into the Octagon then he turns into a powerful fighter.
Shane Carwin - Thing from the Fantastic 4
Fill in the Thing’s cracks with silly putty and it is Shane Carwin. They’re both huge and freakishly powerful individuals who club opponents with their ginormous stone hands. Carwin has won all of his UFC fights by demolishing KO in the first round. When Shane Carwin steps into the Octagon it certainly is “clobberin’ time”.
Chael Sonnen - Banshee
Banshee possesses a "sonic scream," capable of harming enemies’ auditory systems and causing physical vibrations. He is named after the banshee, a legendary ghost from Irish mythology, said to possess a powerful cry, although the banshee spirit is invariably female and the Irish Gaelic to English translation of Bean Sidhe (Banshee) is literally Fairy Woman, making it an odd choice for a male character (the male version is Fear Sidhe). Nonetheless a fitting name for the mouth of West Linn, Oregon.
BJ Penn - Cabbage Patch Kid
Cute and cuddly. Posesses a perfectly spherical round head near impervious to wound.
Roy Nelson - Most would say Kung Fu Panda, but today I'm leaning towards Nacho Libre.
Chancho. When you are a man, sometimes you wear stretchy pants in your room. It's for fun.
Anderson "The Spider" Silva - You guessed it. Peter Parker.
Why, cuz in his own words he's the only super hero with bills to pay...haha! Oh and inside the Octagon he weaves traps and ensnares his opponents.