10 Unusual Fighters You Won't Believe Exist

In the world of competitive sports, there's very little that can get the heart pumping and the crowd on its feet like a fight between two athletes. It's personal, it's primal, and it can get quite brutal at times, not to mention the variety of fighting styles that clash in the ring into athletes and write bizarre. We think you'll agree these fighters are definitely some of the most unusual we've ever seen.

1. Nikolai Valuev

Nikolai Valuev via bleacherreport

It's likely you've seen pictures of this boxer around the internet and immediately labeled them as photoshop. After all, look how absurdly huge this guy is. The crazy thing is - Nikolai Valuev is very real. The former Russian heavyweight champion often dwarfed his opponents thanks to a seven-foot height and 323-pound weight. Early in his career, the beast from the east crushed everyone in his path. However, his huge size wrecked havoc on his joints and in 2009 Valuev retired from the sport for health reason.

2. Michael Page 

Michael Page via youtube

There's nothing unusual looking about this particular MMA fighter. Then you see him fight. On the surface, Michael Page practices a blend of kickboxing and karate. However, the 29-year-old has some rather strange body movements he uses in the ring. Anyone watching sees page move his arms, shoulders, and head in a rather exaggerated an unusual movement. At first, fans and commentators thought it was showboating. But eventually, it became obvious that these strange movements are used to throw off his opponents and concealed kicks and punches.

3. Izzadeen Burgos

Izzadeen Burgos via philly

It's generally understood that to be a boxer you need two good arms. Izzadeen Burgos showed that isn't always the case. When he lost his arm in an accident at a young age, boxing was probably the last thing on his mind. Then, when he was 12, Burgos started boxing and in 2012 entered an amateur competition where he took on other two armed opponents. While he was sadly shot dead in 2015, official tournaments and video footage from street fights show this unusual fighter was more than capable of holding his own in the ring.

4. Lee Hoy

Lee Hoy via wereblog

If you're going to take on mixed martial arts fighting you need to be in shape. It's also assumed that you need good eyesight. You see, this twenty-seven-year-old is unusual because he's legally blind. To him, his opponents are just blurry outlines with no depth. Despite this massive disadvantage, Hoy is more than capable of holding his own and has medals proving his ability to defeat fully sighted opponents in the ring.

5. Emmanuel Yarbrough

Emmanuel Yarbrough via flickr

At six foot eight inches and weighing 600 pounds,  Emmanuel Yarbrough was definitely a big guy. When he stepped into the MMA ring, he became one of the most unusual fighters to ever grace the Octagon. He only ever fought three matches, winning just one. Despite his large size and strength, his mass meant he didn't have the speed to endure bout with smaller, faster opponents. He sadly died of a heart attack in 2015.

6. Gogea Mitu

Gogea Mitu via thetallestman

In the world of boxing, there have been some pretty big fighters, but they are all dwarfed by the massive Gogea Mitu. There's a good chance you don't even know who he is, but in the 1930s the Romanian claim the record for the tallest pro boxer ever. Mitu was up to 7 foot six inches in height, around 330 pounds of weight and he only ever fought three pro matches. Making regular people look like hobbits, we bet his opponents felt a little uncomfortable when they step into the ring with him.

7. Drunken Fist

Drunken Fist via scifighting

Drunken Fist is a style that comes from Chinese martial arts and imitates someone who is drunk. Fighters sway back and forth, seemingly losing their balance. It's all on purpose, however, as the fighter is actually in complete control. Opponents have trouble tackling this unusual technique because it seems so random. Well, it looks comical, it is actually very difficult to master.

8. Kangaroo Boxing

Kangaroo Boxing via dailymail

If you google this, you'll find footage of two kangaroos fighting or even humans sparring with one of these animals. There are actual exhibition matches that take place where humans really fight kangaroos. We don't know what's more unusual; the fact that kangaroos wear boxing gloves or that someone would actually sign up to box this animal in front of a crowd. It's definitely unusual all around, and we're pretty sure animal rights groups aren't big fans.

9. Mark Zupan

Mark Zupan via usqra.org

He may have only fought one MMA exhibition match, but Mark Zupan is an unusual fighter. Zupan is a wheelchair rugby player and a quadriplegic. In 2012 he took to the ring to fight Jason Ellis, an able-bodied fighter. Unfair fight you say? Not really. Ellis also used a wheelchair for the Las Vegas fight and saw that Zupan could bob and weave with the best of them. It also doesn't hurt that he beat Ellis.

10. Kyle Maynard 

Kyle Maynard via wikipedia

This unusual athlete and fighter is a type of person who rightfully makes the rest of us feel like a lazy slob. Kyle Maynard is a quadruple amputee and an MMA fighter. He actually started out playing high school football and then move to the wrestling mat. Not done there, he started training and taking part in MMA fight. Despite having no arms or legs, his speed and strength are truly incredible to watch.

We hope this article informed and entertained you. Please don't forget to give us a comment below and subscribe to our newsletter for more incredible articles daily. Thanks for reading. Bye!

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The 15 Hottest Female Athletes at the 2016 Rio Oly

Champions heartbreaks, outrages, for the most part, and obviously smoking hot darlings. The 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics is on the way, and then, we are honest in saying that many people watch them just to see the beauty of the athletes. So on the off chance that you need to discover who the hottest women are this year, we are going to give you a rundown. I'm just infraction, and we present to you 15 of the hottest female athlete at this year's Olympics in Rio.

No. 15: Ellen Hoog

via youtube

She's 30, she's Dutch, she's hot. Ellen will be representing the Orange squad in this year's women's field hockey team. Now, you might remember her from a few years ago whenever she left with the golden in Beijing 2008 and London 2012. She scored 32 goals in 127 games for the Dutch field hockey team, and she totally dominates with not just her good looks and charm but her athletic ability.

No. 14: Michelle Jenneke

via thefappening.wiki

Michelle is 23 years old, and she will be representing Australia in hurdling. Now, she doesn't have a gold medal yet, but she's looking for her first one this year. And she previously wants a hundred meter hurdles in the national championship tournament. Michelle also likes to do an exotic dance routine before her competitions so we'll be cheering hard for her.

No. 13: Paige Selenski

Paige Selenski (self.com)

Sorry Hoog, but you've got some competition. Selenski is part of the American women's field hockey team, and she will do everything in her power to unseat you. Selenski did help us win gold at the 2011 Pan American games. But aside from that, her trophy room is empty and of course, there's nothing like winning a gold medal. Selenski appeared in the ESPN magazines body issue in 2015. We'll see if the next time she's photographed, she's holding a gold number.

No. 12: Amber Hill 

Morgan Hill (wordpress)

She's one of the youngest people that you'll see perform at the Olympics. She's 18 years old and a skeet shooter. She won a gold medal in 2015 European games in Baku. So you know she's well prepared to shine on the grand stage.

No. 11: Morgan Mitchell

Morgan Mitchell (smh.com.au)

What a name! She's another lady from Australia, and she is a world-class 400-meter sprinter. And to prepare for the Olympics Mitchell has adjusted her diet and lifestyle to be even hotter on your television screen and to win. But the hotness, that's the cool part.

No. 10: Genevieve Lacaze 

Genevieve Lacaze (news.com.au)

She's Australian; she's also hot, and she's competing in the 3,000-meter steeplechase. So, she's built ford tough. She's an alumni of the University of Florida, and she is one of the most attractive women you will ever see. Steeplechasing and we don't cover enough steeplechasing here total pro sports if you ask me. Especially if Genevieve is a part of it,  they should just let Genevieve chasing far as I'm concerned.

No. 9: Darya Klishina 

Darya Klishina (youtube)

From Russia With Love, she comes to us. Long jumping into our hearts. She also has seven championships under her belt after finishing first in the world youth and European youth tournaments.

No. 8: Natasha Hastings 

Natasha Hastings (uhmagonline.com)

She won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics for sprinting, and she represents the USA. Her time of 50.17 seconds in 400 meters landed her a plane ticket to Rio de Janeiro and a one-way ticket into our hearts.

No. 7:  Ali Krieger

Ali Krieger (thesportsbank.net)

Spoiler alert! She's not the only girl from the US women's soccer team to appear on our list. So, prepare yourselves. Krieger has been a critical part of the team success helping them capture the 2015 women's world cup title in Canada. But an MCL, ACL tear held her off the roster for the 2012 Olympics in London. Now a year for redemption and the beautiful brunette out of Virginia has our love and support.

No. 6: Christen Press 

Christen Press (thundertreats.com)

Another women's soccer team player. She won gold with them back in 2012 and the women's world cup in 2015. A lot of people consider her to be the team secret weapon. Beyond her beauty and you will find an incredibly talented player that we truly hope helps the women's team bring home the gold.

No. 5: Aly Raisman 

Aly Raisman (wordpress)

22 year old American gymnast is not just known for her athletic success, she was also on that show that your mom probably watches "Dancing with the Stars" back in 2013 she apparently finished fourth. Raisman won Gold at 2011 and 2015 World Championships, and she also won two golds at the 2012 London Olympics.

No. 4: Shelina Zadorsky

Shelina Zadorsky (svenskalag)

Canada has given us many great things over the years including maple syrup, ginger ale, ice hockey, and this channel "totalprosport". Canada has also given Shelina Zadorsky. She's a 23-year-old member of Canada soccer team. So, all of you Americans out there won't be cheering for her; the great white north try to take down their southern neighbors.  Zadorsky and Christine Sinclair will be in America all they got even if they don't emerge victoriously, The door is looks will be enough to keep her 5on our love list.

No. 3: Ana Ivanovic 

Ana Ivanovic (zntent.com)

There are only so many hot female athletes out there and this one is special because she comes from Serbia. This hot tennis star was ranked first overall in the world in 2008, and she's going to try to make a name for herself again. Ivanovic won the French open in 2008 as well, but she was injured for the Olympics that year and had a disappointing run in 2012. She's loaded with talent and beauty, and we'd love to see her get back on top of the tennis world.

No. 2: Jaqueline Carvalho 

Jaqueline Carvalho (source)

She plays volleyball, and she's Brazilian, that's all you need to know. I'm just kidding. Jaqueline went to the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics, and she will be on a mission to do it again. And by the way, she's also married to another Brazilian volleyball player. But still, will admire everything shall give in the Olympics because a girl like her only comes around once every four years.

No. 1: Alex Morgan

Alex Morgan (americanlivewire)

Yes, the women's soccer star. That despite her great career is way more famous for her looks than anything else. Morgan. The California bombshell has been one of the US-aced players, being on both their 2011 and 2015 squads. She was also a key player 2012 Olympic gold medal winning team. Morgan has done countless modeling shoots most namely for Sports Illustrated. Judging by how gorgeous she is, it's not hard to see why.

Which one of these athletes would you like to take on a date? Join us in the comments section below if you like this article, don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter. Thanks for reading and we'll see you guys next time. Bye!

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10 Shocking Facts About The Rio 2016 Olympics

10 Shocking Facts About The Rio 2016 Olympics

1. BODY PARTS ON THE BEACH

via pixabay

In June 2016 parts of a mutilated body were found on Copacabana beach, just meters from where the beach volleyball will take place. The gruesome discovery was reported by a city street vendor and prompted a police investigation into identifying the victim. Rio de Janeiro is notorious for crime and often referred to as one of the most dangerous cities in the world. In an attempt to keep crime to a minimum during the Olympic Games, organizers will deploy an extra 80,000 security personnel to patrol the streets and stadiums.
Sources: Reuters, Huffington Post, BBC

2. WORKER MISTREATMENT

via pixabay

In November 2015 the Labor Public Ministry in Rio, who are in charge of supervising labor laws, rescued 11 Brazilian workers building the media village, as they were living in squalid conditions. The accommodation provided for the workers did not have any drinking water, was covered in cockroaches and sewage, and the only bathroom had no shower or flushing toilet. The construction company was working on a site, called Cyrela, was forced to pay each worker around $6000 in compensation.
SOURCES: NYTimes, Reuters, Rio On Watch

3. RUSSIAN ATHLETES BANNED

via pixabay

An investigation by The World Anti-Doping Agency revealed that, between 2011 and 2015, Russia operated a state-sponsored doping program across the majority of summer and winter Olympic sports. It is considered to be the biggest doping scandal of all time. While the World Anti-Doping Agency recommended that the whole Russian team is banned from taking part in the Rio Olympics, the International Olympic Committee controversially only banned 68 Russian track and field athletes from competing. The IOC has urged the individual sports’ governing bodies to decide which of the 300+ remaining Russian athletes should be allowed to take part.
SOURCES: The Telegraph, The Guardian, Sky Sports

4. FORCED EVICTIONS

via pixabay

Since 2009 over 77,000 people have been forced out of their homes to make way for infrastructure projects related to the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games. One settlement cleared of residents and completely demolished was a favela called Vila Autódromo. Of the 600 families that lived there, only 20 voluntarily moved after being offered financial compensation or alternative housing. Those that remained formed a human chain around their homes, only for their peaceful protest to be violently broken up by the police with pepper spray and rubber bullets. Six people were left seriously injured.
SOURCES: Vox, Reuters

5. CONDOM O’CLOCK

via pixabay

The first Olympic record to be broken in Rio will be the number of condoms provided by the International Olympic Committee to athletes, totaling 450,000. They will also be handing out 175,000 packets of lubricant. With 10,500 athletes competing in the games, this figure equates to a whopping 42 condoms each. Enough for two or three sexercise sessions a night during the 17-day sporting event. This figure is three times the 150,000 condoms supplied by the IOC during London’s 2012 games.
SOURCES: New York Post, The Guardian

6. FINANCIAL EMERGENCY

via pixabay

49 days before the opening of the Rio Olympics, the governor of Rio de Janeiro, Francisco Dornelles, declared a state of financial emergency. Dornelles begged for federal support to avoid a “total collapse in public security, health, education, transport and environmental management.” He blamed the budget deficit of around $5.5 billion on a tax shortfall, as well as Brazil’s deep recession. Meanwhile, the lack of money in the city has led to the emergency services staging protests. Adopting the slogan ‘Welcome to hell’, they have warned that tourists visiting the city won’t be safe, as they aren’t paid enough to protect them.
SOURCES: USA Today, BBC

7. SEX SALE

via pixabay

Prostitutes in Rio de Janeiro's red light district are offering a 'sex sale' for visitors to the Olympic Games. Over 3000 women will be offering their services in more than 70 bars and nightclubs, with the hope of luring in foreign visitors. The sex workers claim they are slashing their prices, as a business during the 2014 Brazil World Cup fell substantially. They have been preparing flyers, printed in English, detailing their cut-price deals. 30 minutes of sex will cost just $11, half the typical rate of $22.
SOURCES: IBTimes, Inquisitr, Daily Mail

8. ZIKA VIRUS

via pixabay

Since May 2015, a life-threatening, mosquito-borne disease named the Zika virus has spread through Brazil at an alarming rate. The virus has been linked to a birth defect called microcephaly [micro-sef-alee], which gives babies underdeveloped brains and abnormally small heads. Olympics spectators, particularly pregnant women, have been warned not to travel to Brazil. Over 30 male and female Olympians, including tennis player Milos Raonic, have pulled out of the games, as they fear the uncertainty of the disease.
SOURCES: BBC, WHO

9. SOCIAL CLEANSING

via pixabay

In Rio’s north zone, far away from the picture-perfect Copacabana beach, is an area called Maré, home to a massive complex of neglected slums. During the run-up to the Olympics, a concrete wall was built around the neighborhood’s favelas. Officials stated that the wall was built to protect the residents of Maré from sound pollution. However, residents believe it was actually built so visitors traveling from Rio de Janeiro airport to the southern part of Rio would not see the reality of the city. Further along the wall, a brand new school has been built. At this point, the wall becomes transparent, allowing foreign visitors to have a perfect view of this brand new building.
SOURCES: The Daily Telegraph, Reuters

10. SHITTIEST OLYMPICS EVER

via pixabay

In 2015, officials for the Rio Olympics promised to remove 80% of the sewage that flows into the Guanabara Bay, where the Olympic water sports will take place. However, only 65% of the water has been treated. This means that athletes could be swimming, sailing, and rowing through raw sewage. It’s not just feces that athletes will have to watch out for, but trash too. Every day, 100 tons of trash gets washed up into the bay. Rio officials have now acknowledged that a complete clean up of Guanabara Bay would take about 20 years.
SOURCES: The Atlantic, Gawker

That's all for today guys. If you want to catch another article from us, please subscribe to our newsletter. See you next time. Bye!

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Why Do We Stretch in the Morning?

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Alright, well, maybe the second thing you do, after you say some nasty stuff to your alarm clock. Have a cup of coffee? Watch the news? Read Twitter in your bed? Or do you - ah yeah - give it a good stretch? That feels good. You are not the only one. Along with humans, some animals—like your pet cat or dog—also instinctively stretch after they wake up from a long sleep.

Except what those animals are doing isn’t called stretching. It’s called pandiculating. Pandiculation is the act of stretching while yawning. It’s from the Latin word pandere, meaning "to stretch." You’ve likely seen plenty of cats and dogs pandiculate before. You’ve seen this move; they arch their back, drop their belly, and lengthen their legs in a sort of full body yawn. Humans pandiculate too -- often first thing in the morning. This instinctive movement is the one where you extend your legs, raise your arms, and, tilt your head up and yawn.

So why do we pandiculate in the morning? And why do we stretch in general? Think of it like this: Your alarm clock wakes you up, but stretching wakes up your sleepy muscles. Plus, it makes you feel good. Stretching is good for your body in all kinds of ways. Your muscles typically feel stiff and tight in the morning from lack of movement. That’s because many people lie in the same position for much of the night. Stretching loosens and realigns your muscles, letting your brain know, “Hey! It’s time to wake up! Time to get things moving again!”

Stretching also gets your blood pumping. While you sleep, your muscles relax and your blood flow decreases, slowing your heart rate way down. In fact, your heart rate is usually at its lowest just before you wake up. A big stretch increases your blood flow to your extremities, improving your circulation. This combination of loose muscles and increased circulation also helps with flexibility, making the morning a good time for you to get your yoga on.

So the reason you instinctively pandiculate in the morning is basically to reboot your body. It realigns your muscles; it improves your circulation, and it makes you more flexible. Stretching has also been shown to relieve stress and tension and so has yawning—meaning pandiculation might pack a double whammy.

So, what are you waiting for? Make like a cat and pandiculate. Thank you to our readers for stretching the limits of awesome—you keep these answers coming.

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10 Things You Didn't Know About Conor McGregor

McGregor is an Irish mixed martial art fighter. UFC featherweight champion and a lightning rod for controversy. McGregor's fiery attitude outside of the rain can psychologically break his opponent down, but his skills do all the talking while inside the Octagon. Despite being in the national spotlight, there's still 10 little-known facts about Conor McGregor.

No. 1

In 2013 he was unwelfare. One week before his first UFC fight against opponent Marcos Bromage he collected a welfare check for 186 Euros which was roughly $235. After winning the fight, he collected a check for $60,000 as a bonus for achieving fight of the night. When asked, "what he would spend the money on?" He responded "a nice car and some custom-made suits." He went from rags to riches with one brutal knockout.

Source

No. 2

Connors charismatic attitude and pre-fight trash talking draw a lot of comparisons between himself and the great Muhammad Ali although he doesn't think he should be compared to the legendary fighter. That won't stop him from paying tribute to him from time to time. McGregor appeared on the cover of UFC Magazine behind a pile of money in front of a bank vault. To some, it seemed like merely a flamboyant flaunting of his prize money but in actuality, it was an homage to a Sports Illustrated cover of all the opposing in the exact same way. An awesome tribute to a phenomenal boxer.

Source

No. 3

As a child growing up in Dublin, Connor was tormented by bullies on a daily basis. He was tiny compared to his other classmates. When he walked home from school, he would come up with plans in his head for what to do when other kids tried to pick on him. At one point in his adolescence, he carried a hand-held barbell in his backpack for self-defense. He said, "I had a face bullies like speeding up." He also said, "the only reason he started training in combat sports was to learn how to defend himself" would ultimately lead to his aspiration of becoming a professional fighter.

Source

No. 4

Connor has a sister named Erin McGregor, who also has a passion for fitness and training. She is a champion in competitive bodybuilding. Erin stated that after joining the bodybuilding scene, she grew closer to her brother. And they bonded over their strict diets in intense training regimens. When she first got into the muscle sculpting, she was naive as to how much work and dedication really went into staying in peak physical condition. She remembers telling her mother that she now fully understood how hard Connor works.

Source

No. 5

Most believe that his UFC championship fight against Josie Aldo was the fastest knockout of his career covered in the fight in less than 13 seconds. But it wasn't his fastest knockout performance. The speediest win was at the immortal Fighting Championship of April 2011 where he fought Paddy Doherty the fight only lasted four seconds. Connors opponent wind down after a vicious right hook and the fight was over.

Source

No. 6

Connor is not only known for his championship record, but he's also considered a fashion icon. His tailor-made suits allow him to stand out in a crowd of brothers that are usually seen wearing tank tops and sweatpants. From his well-groomed hairstyles to his swanky stock selection Connor is a person who loves to dress well. And people started to take notice at Dublin's Peter Mark VIP style awards 2014; Connor was voted Ireland's most stylish man.

Source

No. 7

Connor is an outspoken human rights activist. He is a strong advocate for the equality of all people no matter their color religion or gender. More specifically he's a huge supporter of gay marriage. He has been using his social media influence to get the people of Ireland to vote in favor of passing laws that allow it. When Ireland legalized gay marriage in May of 2015, he sent out a tweet expressing his happiness. Calling it a great time to be Irish and proud.

Source

No. 8

The president of the UFC Dana White heard about Conor McGregor from dozens of people while visiting Dublin.  During meet and greets, fans would tell Dana about a mysterious unknown fighter that was blowing up in the underground MMA scene. From the stories he had heard, Dana was convinced. He flew Connor out to the USA for a personal meeting which involves the night on the Las Vegas Strip in a Ferrari. After the meeting, Dana was so confident in Connors abilities that he signed him to a 5 fight contract in the UFC without ever seeing him fight.

Source

No. 9

Lots of athletes throughout the ages tend to follow superstitious rituals before they're about to compete. Professional boxers are known to abstain from sex for days, weeks, or even months leading up to a big fight; because many of them feel as though it is absorbing their energy. Connor doesn't believe in these kinds of superstitions as he sees it as a form of fear. And as a matter of fact, He often goes on record to say that he has a lot of sex before each fight. To put it in his words, "that is most certainly a superstition that I do not abide by, I definitely have as much sex as possible."

Source

No. 10

Connor is known as a finisher. Out of his nineteen wins, 17 of them have been knockouts. There was one fight where he didn't win by a KO. In the middle of that fight, he tore his ACL, an important ligament of the knee joint. Miraculously he still won the fight by Judge decision in the 2013 bout against Max Holloway. Midway through the fight he said,  he "heard a big pop" and "let out a scream." When he stood back up, he was unsteady and wobbly but continued for the duration of the fight, risking further injury.  The Celtic Tiger definitely earned his spot among the MMA greats.

Source

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