Media Throwback: That time BJ Penn cuts Andy Wang from his team

[LilNicky95]

Damn, I just found a huge article on Andy Wang from 2019 :

https://theathletic.com/1222251/2019/09/18/andy-wang-is-more-than-a-meme/

Cliffs:

- He's now 43 and has a kid.
- Andy Wang is a teacher with degrees in political science and history, and went back to teaching high schoolers after TUF.
- Mac Danzig credits Andy for talking him into doing TUF.
- Moved to China 7 years ago and still lives there.
- Teaches high schoolers in China, still does bjj competitions and occasionally refs MMA fights.

Quotes from 2019:

“I don’t feel bad about overreacting; I feel bad about doing it publicly,” he said. “Truth is, if you’ve accomplished something significant — like winning a title — then tears make sense. I did not get anywhere close to that. I should have gone back to the house and kept my emotions and mouth closed.”

“Of course, it’s no fun to take criticism,” Wang said, “especially if it is something you love to do. (But) I was right back to teaching high school, so that kept me busy and away from spending too much time on the negative comments. It stings to get random messages that are super critical, but looking back on it now … the UFC gave me another opportunity to redeem myself against Cole Miller, and I didn’t come through, so I have to be able to take (the) flak.”

“I’m teaching at a school here that uses textbooks from the United States,” he said. “While flipping through the history books, I noticed certain pages were blocked with tape. It’s shocking to see censorship, and (it) feels strange. We peeled off the tape a bit to see what was censored, and it was about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It’s those moments, even though America has and always will have its struggles and problems, that I appreciate the freedoms Americans have.”

“He told me I had the ability, but if I didn’t control my emotions before, during and after a match, I would be remembered as a mediocre fighter — and that’s pretty much exactly what happened,” Wang said. “At the time I thought I needed better or more training or experience, but looking back it at it now, MMA — like any career — requires a lot mentally, physically and emotionally to succeed.”


Seems like a good dude... still a hilarious character on the show though.

Who the hell wrote a full article on some all time TUF goof??

Will be waiting on the three part documentary on Josh “I’m in Pain” Haynes....

 

[SCTwins]

Jens is really a genuine good guy in this show. It's admirable

Jens is the only MMA fighter I've met, and he was just as cool in person as he was on the show. Made eye contact and had genuine conversation with us. Solid dude.

 

[Dbreiden83080]

Considering how lazy BJ was.. If he was a contestant on TUF his coach likely would have wanted to cut him..

 

[GoGetSomeFansJon]

BJ is lucky Andy let him live after that.

 

[aali14]

And then many years later karma stopped by

 

[giusti825]

I can't believe all the shots he took in his career, Yair played with his skull like a damn soccerball. This drunken thug is the only one to separate him from his senses.

BJ was likely shitfaced and it probably wasnt his first fight that night.

 

[gevoudane]

The team cut I thought was messed up was when Hughes gave Franklin Von Flute after he won his fight.

 

[Hassan Mouzine]

that shit is fake

it's a drama scripted show. bj kicks him of the team and pulver takes him in for added drama effect

you guys actually believe it happened as they protrayed it? it's got fake written all over it

 

[IsNormal]

What surprises me when rewatching the season is that AndyWang has gone down in history as some kind of general idiot who no one liked. But that wasn't the case.
Se 5:10 - He was super-popular with even the members of the other team - just see how they reacted about him being kicked off. "Wang? No, you're lying..."
"We'll take Wang, Wang's a nice guy"

 

[Brom Bones]

This is just a reminder of how normal Dana used to look before his head started swelling up in size.

 

[ralphus1]

The article posted earlier makes Wang sound like a cool dude.

But when multiple coaches and teammates are yelling for the takedown and you don't do it, you deserve to be a meme.

 

[Yep]

Jens is the only MMA fighter I've met, and he was just as cool in person as he was on the show. Made eye contact and had genuine conversation with us. Solid dude.

Blue eye or brown? I can say that with no sexual innuendo.

 

[Anung Un Rama]

That TUFF couch looks familiar

 

[Gio]

Damn, I just found a huge article on Andy Wang from 2019 :

https://theathletic.com/1222251/2019/09/18/andy-wang-is-more-than-a-meme/

Cliffs:

- He's now 43 and has a kid.
- Andy Wang is a teacher with degrees in political science and history, and went back to teaching high schoolers after TUF.
- Mac Danzig credits Andy for talking him into doing TUF.
- Moved to China 7 years ago and still lives there.
- Teaches high schoolers in China, still does bjj competitions and occasionally refs MMA fights.

Quotes from 2019:

“I don’t feel bad about overreacting; I feel bad about doing it publicly,” he said. “Truth is, if you’ve accomplished something significant — like winning a title — then tears make sense. I did not get anywhere close to that. I should have gone back to the house and kept my emotions and mouth closed.”

“Of course, it’s no fun to take criticism,” Wang said, “especially if it is something you love to do. (But) I was right back to teaching high school, so that kept me busy and away from spending too much time on the negative comments. It stings to get random messages that are super critical, but looking back on it now … the UFC gave me another opportunity to redeem myself against Cole Miller, and I didn’t come through, so I have to be able to take (the) flak.”

“I’m teaching at a school here that uses textbooks from the United States,” he said. “While flipping through the history books, I noticed certain pages were blocked with tape. It’s shocking to see censorship, and (it) feels strange. We peeled off the tape a bit to see what was censored, and it was about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It’s those moments, even though America has and always will have its struggles and problems, that I appreciate the freedoms Americans have.”

“He told me I had the ability, but if I didn’t control my emotions before, during and after a match, I would be remembered as a mediocre fighter — and that’s pretty much exactly what happened,” Wang said. “At the time I thought I needed better or more training or experience, but looking back it at it now, MMA — like any career — requires a lot mentally, physically and emotionally to succeed.”


Seems like a good dude... still a hilarious character on the show though.

Thanks for sharing. Good for him.