Wanderlei fans

Brueskie

Brown Belt
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Has any MMA legend so completely lost their fan base as Wanderlei? Anderson Silva, Shogun, Dan Henderson, Big Nog, etc. all still have a loyal cadre of fans. Wanderlei's fans seem to have abandoned him to a man. I'm guessing it all goes back to his behavior on the Ultimate Fighter.

I've never been a big fan, I just found it interesting how the mockery of him on these forums last night was almost total.
 
Wand is a total nutcase. Really shown his true colours over the last few years. Much respect for all the wars he's been in the past, but don't see how you can be a fan of the dirtbag
 
I don't think his fans have abandoned him, he's been out of sight for a few years and life goes on. He's one of the few fighters that when he fights I'll always tune in
 
20 years in the game and he can't stop a takedown. If bellator want to see him in exciting match ups from now just put him against non wrestlers.
 
Wand is a beast but I think he lost a lot of fans when he ran from the USADA testing and then went on rants about the UFC and "retired". His fights with Hendo, Brian Stann, and Rampage are always going to be classically viewable fights. He has been pretty fucking odd the past few years though.
 
I'll always remember that pic of the PRIDE guys walking down street in Brazil all roided out. I liked Wandy and enjoyed his fights but I always knew he was limited. When he ran from the test, I was done following him though.
 
Once upon a time he was the most beloved figure in the sport ... I think his attitue ever since joining the UFC rubbed a lot of people the wrong way
 
20 years in the sport and he CAN stop a takedown and he has before, just not last night. Chaels a good wrestler whos been wrestling his whole life, stopping him from taking tou down is a hard thing to do.
 
I prefer to remember him as having been knocked into a semi-coma by Hendo at the end of Pride and everything that happened since was just the result of his brain damage.
 
Myself and I sense a lot of fans went south on Wandy when his behavior changed, particularly when he was making those crazy anti UFC videos.

Nobody should be surprised at all how last night went.
 
I was scared he would have a heart attack last night. The guy can't even breathe normally. Probably needs juice just to be able to spend 15 min in the ring
 
Once upon a time he was the most beloved figure in the sport ... I think his attitue ever since joining the UFC rubbed a lot of people the wrong way
Not really. Wand was kind of a bully and a jerk back in pride. He would start fights backstage and was clearly on the juice back in his prime. So I don't know why it bothers people now. Many fighters didn't like him back then, and I used to hate him even though he was one of the most exciting fighters at that time. I found it easier to like when he joined the UFC. He seemed to mello out and be more fan friendly, but he was already past his prime as a fighter.
 
Wanderlei fan reporting in. When you're a fan of a someone that makes his living by getting punched in the face, you take the good with the bad.
If you think you've been seeing less fans of his around, it's probably because people have short memories. Wanderlei hadn't fought in over 4 years prior to last night. Just look at the sign up dates for the people on this post, half of them started Sherdog after Wand's last fight. Not saying they didn't like MMA prior to it, but they probably didn't grow up on watching his savage fights. There's plenty of fans out there, but many of them have also gotten older and probably don't get on Sherdog as much for a variety of reasons. The new breed always takes over. I've heard arguments on why New Direction is better than The Beatles. Lebron is better than Jordan. Hell, no one ever defends Babe Ruth anymore. He is undoubtedly the best player of all time if you judge his performance numbers by the people he played with at the time. Just the way these things work, out with the old, in with the new.
 
Big fan of Wanderlei. I agree. It's a shame he's turned into a whiner and resorts to petty unsportsmanlike conduct. I thought the guy mellowed down over the years in the UFC but then he turned batshit crazy with the UFC rants.

It's a shame. I am still a fan of his old fights. Not really sure I can support him these days. But I suppose you gotta" be pretty crazy to be in this business for this long. Maybe emotions just got the best of him. He probably wanted the win real bad.
 
Wanderlei fan reporting in. When you're a fan of a someone that makes his living by getting punched in the face, you take the good with the bad.

Ok, so let's say he goes on a murder spree and kills a bunch of kids, are you still going to be a fan? I know, stupid question and of course you wouldn't be, but as a long-time ex Wand fan, I'm no longer a fan of his simply because he has been acting like an idiot for the last couple of years. I'll always tune in to watch him fight but I won't cheer for him. I have no issues with him roiding, everyone does it, but I do have a problem with his constant lies and psychotic rant videos. He also showed no class post fight against Sonnen and I can't respect someone who can't show respect to someone who outclassed you.
 
Wand is a total nutcase. Really shown his true colours over the last few years. Much respect for all the wars he's been in the past, but don't see how you can be a fan of the dirtbag

Hate to read this, but I guess it's true.

Runs away from his piss test, fights with no strategy, whines, trash talks in a way that's not entertaining....

I wonder how his gym in Vegas is going.
He spent a fortune on that. At first he had some top guys training with him there, like Demian Maia and Forrest Griffin. I don't know who trains with him now.
 
Has any MMA legend so completely lost their fan base as Wanderlei? Anderson Silva, Shogun, Dan Henderson, Big Nog, etc. all still have a loyal cadre of fans. Wanderlei's fans seem to have abandoned him to a man. I'm guessing it all goes back to his behavior on the Ultimate Fighter.

I've never been a big fan, I just found it interesting how the mockery of him on these forums last night was almost total.
Without PED/Roids, Wandy is a bum. Look at his loss to Leben. He was obviously cycling off something. Look at his Pride body. By the way, Sonnens skills are more one dimensional then Honda . She actually has TKO'ed people. LOL
 
Has any MMA legend so completely lost their fan base as Wanderlei? Anderson Silva, Shogun, Dan Henderson, Big Nog, etc. all still have a loyal cadre of fans. Wanderlei's fans seem to have abandoned him to a man. I'm guessing it all goes back to his behavior on the Ultimate Fighter.

I've never been a big fan, I just found it interesting how the mockery of him on these forums last night was almost total.
Wand for instance lied to his fans. He said in the build up "I wi detroy Tale Sonnen!" and he didnt....
Also doesnt help the Brazilians hold no belts but Amanda Nunes an Cyborg. Also doesnt help all of the big names in Brazil got caught as PED users except Shogun but doesnt mean he hasnt used just because he wasnt caught.
Lastly, He is old..newer fans arent familiar with his past victories.
 
I will always be a huge fan of PRIDE Wand. I enjoyed watching him throttle Jardine and KO Cung and Stann, but he was clearly not the same fighter outside of the PRIDE ring, the PRIDE rules, and Japan's lack of governance regarding PEDs.

It is what it is, PRIDE Wand will always hold a particularly prominent place in my heart as an MMA fan, but as a man I must admit that my respect and admiration for him dwindled rapidly as he aged outside the PRIDE ring.
 
You guys are crazy. Wand is a legend and the best LHW ever.
 
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