RAW Preview

Well, WWE really has to start over. Their McMahon death storyline was shot down by Chris Benoit's legitimate death, so the "main event" storyline is out the window. We do, however, now know the two main events for The Great American Bash:

John Cena vs. Bobby Lashley for the WWE Title
Edge vs. Rey Mysterio for the World Heavyweight Championship

So on RAW tonight, I can only assume that a Cena vs. Lashley rivalry may begin. Look for those seeds to be planted tonight.

WWE.com also notifies us that Santino Marella will once again be defending his Intercontinental title against Umaga. It would not surprise me to see Umaga take back the belt. Just like for Wrestlemania, his being the Intercontinental champ adds some legitimacy to him being in a main event-type match, this time against Jackass at SummerSlam. On the other hand, WWE may want to continue Santino's "miracle" title defenses. If this is the case, then look for him to win via interference, maybe from Maria or the Jackass crew?

Also, we'll see the continuation of a feud that I love...Carlito vs. Sandman. I don't even want them to fight a match, I just want to see Carlito interrupted by the Sandman's entrance. I think this feud will be going the "hardcore" route and make Carlito pay some dues.

Drew Arnold, writing for The Irish Whip

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Benoit's Rage Tied To Deadly Mix Of Drugs

When authorities raided the Georgia home of wrestler Chris Benoit last week, they discovered a stockpile of anabolic steroids and prescription drugs, enough to spark the theory that Benoit descended into a violent "roid rage" and, police say, murdered his wife and 7-year-old son and then killed himself.

But in the wake of the lurid events that played out in suburban Atlanta last weekend, the Daily News has learned that another drug may have been part of a deadly cocktail that could have caused Benoit to snap. According to sources familiar with his drug regimen, Benoit was a known abuser of the drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate - or GHB, also known as the "date-rape drug." Benoit was known to have used GHB with former wrestler "Gentleman" Chris Adams when both men competed for the now-defunct World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the late '90s. They used the drug together until Adams' death in 2001, according to sources who knew both men, and friends say Benoit was still using it as recently as two years ago.

"Benoit was a GHB user and he did it with Chris Adams," the source told The News. "The question is, does GHB use play into what happened (in Fayetteville)?"

Authorities are still waiting for toxicology results on Benoit - whose stage name was "The Canadian Crippler" - but would be unable to detect GHB in his system without a complicated test conducted on his hair sample. Still, Benoit's past use of GHB opens up the seamy side of the wrestling world - one filled with hulking men who pile-drive their opponents while scantily clad women parade nearby. Professional wrestling is a "sport" that has long been saddled with accusations of rampant steroid and drug use.

"Everybody in the wrestling business had a liking for GHB back (in the '90s)," says a Benoit family friend. "The whole business was on it." GHB, which increases sexual prowess and boosts energy among other effects, is a Schedule I controlled substance commonly referred to as the "date-rape drug" and is illegal. The Benoit family friend corresponded with Nancy Benoit just weeks before her death but noticed nothing unusual. "She told me, 'I'm driving Chris crazy, but it's a short trip,'" the friend says with a laugh. "I don't think this is a monster acting out. I really don't buy that."

The same cannot be said for the British-born Adams, who was indicted on manslaughter charges after his girlfriend, Linda Kaphengst, died of a GHB-alcohol overdose in April 2000. But before Adams could stand trial, he was involved in a violent scuffle with friend Brent Parnell, before Parnell shot Adams to death with a .38-caliber gun in late 2001 near Dallas. Mickey Grant, a Texas-based filmmaker who recently completed a documentary on Adams, says that "both Chris's (Adams and Benoit) were friends at WCW" and that another wrestler confided to Grant that Benoit and Adams were "G buddies," a reference to GHB's common street name.

Grant, who knew Adams for over two decades, says he never saw the two wrestlers using the drug, but was devastated by Adams' "life gone to hell" as a result of his GHB addiction. "G, in my opinion, is a far worse drug than even crack (cocaine)," says Grant.

In the Benoit case, authorities found Nancy with her feet and wrists bound, and indications are Benoit used a chord to strangle her while applying his knee to her back. Daniel was suffocated. After the murders, Benoit reportedly placed a Bible next to each body and later hung himself using a weight-machine pulley in his workout room.

If Benoit was indeed still using GHB - or if he was trying to kick a habit and suffering from withdrawal - it is likely he would have become violent.

"You see guys that are on (GHB) who go on rages," says Trinka Porrata, a retired Los Angeles police detective who is president of the non-profit Project GHB and who has counseled and detoxed GHB addicts, including several professional wrestlers. "But another possibility, which is more likely, is GHB withdrawal. If (Benoit) tried to stop using it and went into withdrawal, that would explain the bizarre behavior - the text messages, the Bible and the suicide especially. You can suffer a terrible depression coming off this stuff. It's not a quit cold turkey drug."

Porrata adds that it is not uncommon for GHB users to add methamphetamine into the mix, and that meth abuse often contributes to bizarre acts involving religion.

"The question everybody asks is, 'How in the hell could you kill your son?' Well, in a meth psychosis, your son could be the devil. That can happen quite easily," says Porrata.

Benoit composed a bizarre series of text messages to several colleagues during the weekend of his killing spree, including one where he wrote out his full, formal Georgia address. In another, he stated that "the dogs are in the enclosed pool area. Garage side door is open." In a voice mail to a colleague, Benoit said "I love you," which the colleague said was "out of context."

Porrata says that the more severe state of GHB withdrawal - as opposed to addiction - requires at least a 14-day detox period under the care of a physician or health professional. She says the suffering is more intense and debilitating than coming off a heroin addiction. "There's sweating, your blood pressure rises in days one and two," Porrata says. "Then the psychosis starts. Days four, five and six are the worst. You hallucinate and there can often be violence accompanied with it. By day 11, the head starts to clear, but you are left with an intense depression."

The Georgia medical offices of Benoit's personal physician, Dr. Phil Astin, were raided by Drug Enforcement Agency agents Thursday, but the records remain sealed. Astin has stated that he has prescribed testosterone to Benoit, who had low levels attributed to rampant steroid use. Fayette County District Attorney Scott Ballard and Lt. Tommy Pope of the Fayette County Sheriff's Office did not return calls from The News, and it is unclear if authorities were planning to test Benoit for GHB use. Many law enforcement agencies, Porrata says, still fail to administer the test.

Michael Benoit, the wrestler's father, said last week that he hopes toxicology tests will help explain his son's actions.

Says Porrata: "We try to put things in our own terms, 'Well, I couldn't kill my own child.' Yeah, but if you were on GHB or were psychotic, a mental illness or (something) drug-induced, it's not a rational act. It doesn't excuse it, but you can't explain it on your own moral values."

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Top 4 UFC Fights Of All Time: Profiled

Earlier this week, we profiled the top UFC fights of all time. From our four lists, only one had full consensus and three had three-quarters consensus. Below, with the help of ExtremeProSports, we'll profile these four fights, showing you why they deserve the accolades.

Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg (UFC 52)-4 out of 4 writers

Short and absolutely sweet. This was a fight where the unthinkable happened. Trigg struck Hughes in the groin; Hughes then turned to referee Mario Yamasaki to complain. Poor move.

Yamasaki hadn't seen it, and Hughes got pelted with punches he wasn't ready for by Trigg. Next thing you know, Trigg has his back, and the choke is sunk in deep. Hughes begins to turn red, even purple. It seems as if his run as champion is about to end.

But this is Matt Hughes, remember. First, he escapes the choke. Next, he picks Trigg up in the air and walks him to his own corner.

Then perhaps the greatest slam of all-time occurs. Next thing you know, Hughes has Trigg in a rear naked choke. Then Trigg taps. It is perhaps the most exciting four minutes and five seconds in an MMA bout...ever.

Stephen Bonnar vs. Forrest Griffin (TUF Finale 1)-3 out of 4 writers

These two guys will forever be stars because of this fight. They set the precedent for great TUF finale fights, for sure.

Was it pretty? No. Was it a display of elite kickboxing techniques? Not in total, though there were some moments (such as Bonnar's spinning back kick). However, this fight was a display of heart, courage, and determination. In other words, it was a brawl; perhaps unlike any that had ever graced an MMA stage.

Afterward, via split decision, Griffin got the edge. Did he deserve it? Who knows? All we do know is that many people, including UFC commentator, Joe Rogan, thought it was one of the best, if not the best MMA fights they'd ever seen.

Matt Hughes vs. B.J. Penn (UFC 63)-3 out of 4 writers

Last time these two met, Penn had submitted Hughes via rear naked choke in the first round. Coming in, both fighters had a lot on the line. A win for Hughes would cement him as perhaps the greatest pound for pound mixed martial artist in history (in the eyes of many), while a loss might actually do the same for Penn. In short, legacies were on the line.

Penn dominated early on, doing something that no other fighter had ever been able to accomplish against Hughes; he stopped his takedowns. Somehow, Penn had managed stay balanced, often on one leg, as Hughes attempted a host of single leg takedowns against him.

Due to the UFC Welterweight Champion's inability to take the fight to the ground, Penn got his chance to throw punches. He immediately proved he was the better man on his feet. The man from Hawaii won the first round rather easily.

In the second, Hughes finally got Penn to the ground. Good thing, right? Well, not initially, anyway. Penn caught Hughes in a triangle choke that nearly did him in. But somehow, through sheer guts and determination, Hughes persevered and got through that round without tapping or passing out. During that round, unbeknownst to spectators, Penn injured a rib. In addition, he apparently spent all his energy trying to submit Hughes. This is a bad thing against a man that trains with Miletich Fighting Systems as they never gas.

In the third, Penn was a different fighter; a tired fighter. Hughes, on the other hand, wasn't. He beat Penn to the punch on several occasions and then took him down. And then he pounded his way to a John McCarthy stoppage.

Karo Parisyan vs. Nick Diaz (UFC 49)-3 out of 4 writers

After an intense pre-fight staredown, the welterweights immediately got down to business, with Sanchez landing a hard right uppercut before taking Parisyan down. The fast pace of the bout had the crowd roaring, and once both fighters stood, Parisyan struck with two judo throws that put Sanchez on the defensive for one of the few times in his UFC career.

In the second, the standup battle picked up where it left off in the first round, with Sanchez and Parisyan both taking good shots. One minute in, Parisyan picked Sanchez up and took him down, but Sanchez worked well enough from the bottom to stay out of serious trouble. With three minutes left, Sanchez rose and the welterweight contenders got back to trading punches. Sanchez got Parisyan (whose nose was now bloodied) back to the mat with a little over two minutes left and started to attack with big shots from the top position. Parisyan rose, but now his right eye started to show signs of wear as well, and Sanchez got his foe back to the ground before the bell sounded.

Taking a well-deserved break for the first few seconds of the final round, both Sanchez and Parisyan soon resumed hostilities on the feet, with Sanchez landing the crisper punches. Parisyan got even though, taking Sanchez to the mat and working from the top. Sanchez got out of trouble quickly and tried to sink in a choke, but Parisyan escaped. Seconds later, things got even worse for ‘The Heat’ as Sanchez got on top and started opening up with both hands. Parisyan showed the heart of a lion though, and with little under two minutes left he made it back to his feet. Sanchez scored with a series of uppercuts and a knee though (the knee knocking Parisyan’s tooth out), and the fight appeared to be slipping away from ‘The Heat’, something that was made a certainty as Sanchez pounded away at Parisyan until the final bell tolled.

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UFC 73: Nogueira-Herring Preview

At July 7, 2007, UFC 73: Stacked will feature a heavyweight bout between PRIDE veteran, and UFC newcomer Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira and Heath “The Texas Crazyhorse” Herring.

Minotauro Nogueira is the heavily favored fighter in this one considering that he has already beat Heath Herring twice in PRIDE, and it doesn’t hurt that Nogueira is ranked as the number two MMA heavyweight in the world.

Nogueira is coming in at 30 years of age, 6 feet 3 inches, and an overall record of 29-4-1. Known for his technical mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and his exciting submission victories, Nogueira holds some notable wins of Mirko Cro Cop, Josh Barnett, Dan Henderson and Jeremy Horn.

Nogueira was ranked number one on my top five submission artists of MMA today.

Though, it may be dead obvious who the winner is in this one, Heath “The Texas Crazyhorse” Herring can’t be counted out, after all, this is mixed martial arts and anything can happen. Herring can best be known for his wacky and colorful hairdos, black trench coat and sweet cowboy hat and tremendous power in his knees and kicks.

Herring will forever be part of one MMA’s most memorable moments on December 31, 2005 at K-1’s Dynamite 2005 show. During the usual pre-fight stare down, his opponent, Yoshihiro Nakao decided to kiss Herring on the lips for some reason. Herring didn’t take this too well and blasted Nakao with a heart rattling right hook that sent Nakao flying across the ring and eventually on a stretcher. Herring’s infamous “kiss” video is now quite the popular spectacle on the Internet.

Herring is 29 years of age, 6 foot 4 inches and fighting out of Las Vegas, Nevada and holds a UFC record of 1-1 and an overall MMA record of 26-12-1. Herring has faced some tough competition in the past such as: Fedor Emelianenko, Mirko Cro Cop, Mark Kerr, Igor Vovchanchyn, Evan Tanner and Vitor Belfort. Herring most recently defeated Brad Imes by a unanimous decision at UFC 69: Shootout.

Herring’s performances in the UFC thus far have been mediocre and I hope to see the Herring I’m used to seeing in the PRIDE ring.

This fight is really just a coming out show for Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira. The UFC’s heavyweight division is getting deeper and deeper with the recent additions of Nogueira, Cro Cop, Gonzaga and the possibility of #1 world heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko.

With Nogueira’s incredible jiu-jitsu skills and well polished striking abilities, I strongly believe that he will hold the UFC HW title belt in no time. I can’t see this man losing, unless of course, he has to face Fedor Emelianenko again.

I'm looking forward to see "Minotauro" Nogueira face Gabriel Gonzaga, that has fight of the century written all over it. Let's hope Joe Silva whips that match together down the road. Any who, that's for another time and another article :)

PREDICTION: Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira by submission (armbar) in the 1^st round.

The Lianger

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