Did anyone else see in FCFighter that former Colorado Buffalo and Washington Redskins star receiver Michael Westbrook was part of the PRIDE tryouts in LA?
Despite one 1,000 yard season, Westbrook was best known for savagely attacking teammate Stephen Davis, shattering his face with what was widely reported as a nearly unprovoked sucker-punch.
He looked very lean and solid at a reported 230 pounds. He's not a ballyhooed name, but the NFL connection does have some cache!
I doubt his NFL contract would permit him to engage in Full contact fighting. Most of these guys aren't allowed to even play basketball in the off season for fear of injury.
I think the article said he was retired from pro-football.
charmCity:
I think he is out of the league for at least 2 years. He has no stats since 2002 and he was at the tryout which was during the season!
He is probably a guy that has fought his whole life and figures that with his size, strength, and quickness he can make it to the big time. He's not going far unless he has some grappling training first though.
I remember seeing the video of his "fight" with Stephen Davis. He really messed him up, although it was a true sucker punch. For that he should be thrown in with Fedor right away.
He doesn't play anymore!!! I also heard that he was fighting. I didn't hear the it was in Pride though!
I think he would have a fairly tough road. He's not a big enough star to walk into main events here or abroad.
I saw him at a grappling tournament in Michigan last march. He was fighting in the No-Gi beginner division.
I've seen him around tournaments in Michigan, and he had entered a couple and done well.
He is fighting another former football player Jarrod Bunch on the KOTC card in Ohio.
Wasn't he at the PRIDE tryouts?
BTW, when will the winners of the tryouts be announced?
Wow the telephone game is in full effect. wingsfan, read the first sentence of the first post!
My bad...For some reason I thought Westbrook was still playing...then again I've always hated the Redskins.
Michael is not playing in the NFL anymore...He is training regularly, and taking it seriously. He boxes, wrestles and trains BJJ. He travels between MI and the west coast (Arizona, I think?). He is fighting Feb. 25th in KOTC versus Jerrod Bunch, another former NFL player. He is friggin' strong and has a grip like a vise. Regardless of all the stories I've heard, he is one of the nicest guys I've met and train with. I think he will do very well in his fight. Those are the facts that I know.
He was a great athlete but never lived up to his full potential as a receiver. If he gets good enough he may bring some more fans to the sport of MMA.
Pretty soon we may have a whole squad of former NFL pros that are fighting. We could even have them fight at the halftime show of the Pro Bowl in Honolulu.
Gman99: Thanks for pointing out my superb attention to detail.
wingsfan,
No offense intended (well, a minor jab). It just seemed better than a TTT! I want to hear more stories from people who train with him.
Ha, no problem...I deserved it. (TTT)
Westbrook is a blue belt.He entered and won the advanced absolute no gi division at Grappling Classic last year in MI.I have trained with him several times he is going to be a force.I heard he won his division at a pretty big tournament recently too.I'm not 100% about that though.
i think he won his division in the pan ams....