Ok, let's face it. Some of the ladies on the U.S. national team are tough (Germany's team as well). So let's give them their due for their toughness. They are great fighters (on the field, and maybe off of it too). If you had to guess, who would be the Top 4 (MMA style) cage fighters on the USWNT team? If they were to have a cage tournament with one another, who could hold their own the most, and who would kick ass the most? Here are my four (one may shock you): Abby Wambach (she could dish out some pain, i'm sure. plus she can take the pain) Nicole Barnhart (something tells me she would be tough in the cage, also has solid strength) Amy LePielbet (you don't want to tick her off, she could be a spazz in the cage) Amy Rodriguez (somehow I get the feeling that her "kicks" would be good here, better than on the pitch) I almost chose Lauren Cheney. I would probably put her 5th here. I think Tobin might have some sweet roundhouse style kicks. Would she be able to endure the pain though? (nobody could like Wambach. staples to the head) I'm almost positive that Heather Mitts would be near or at the bottom of this list. I wonder about Rapinoe. She's tough, yes, but would she be in the Top 4? I chose Rodriguez because I think her kicks could be deadly. Something tells me her feet might hurt the most if they struck your head. And she actually has that look in her eye, like she is a prize fighter or something. She sorta looks like some of today's female MMA fighters (not very tall, but explosive). The intriguing choice could be Sydney Leroux. She would be quick, elusive, and is stronger than she looks. And if Natasha Kai were on this team, I'd definitely have her in the Top 4 (although she gets injured too easily). But something tells me that she's "crazy", and would be "crazy" in the cage. I mean, I'm talking Mike Tyson crazy (Tyson was a boxer, but you get what I'm saying). You don't want to be next to Natasha Kai if she "snaps" and goes ballistic. And Melissa Tancredi of Canada would be an assassin in the ring.
I still remember Pinoe shoving that Columbian girl who was standing over Cheney. She's fiesty and has a bit of a chip on her shoulder. Im actually thinking I should has picked Solo over Buehler.
No way on Buehler. She may be able to throw some slide tackles in there, but she wouldn't have it from the waist up for this sport. She wouldn't be as passive as Mitts in there though. Leroux has that quickness, and her "history" and adversity in life would add fuel to the fire. But I don't know how much "grit" she has for this kind of thing. Solo has size, but that's it. She's like a big stuffed animal in there, not an angry animal. Although, if the Riptide were in the crowd to taunt her, then she might kick some ass and call everyone racists "into the microphone" when congratulated by her victory afterwards. Abby Wambach's pain tolerance is incredible. That would be half the battle for surviving in this sport. Her "header" in this sport would be her killer "head-bunt". I'm intrigued by Carli Lloyd. I could see her having some strong kicks (not just because she has a strong leg at kicking the ball in her primary sport). I really could see her being tough in this sport, if she gave it her all. My Top 4 stays the same for now, with Rodriguez as my darkhorse surprise pick, but only if Rodriguez is quick enough in the cage.
interesting thread. wps you're on a roll. If the winner of this match gets a WC trophy, Abby would win. i'm certain she'd sacrifice a few fingers for that title. Mitts, 10 years ago, would have been great. she was one nasty tackler in her day. that pretty blond girl who would cut a bitch behind the school gym when nobody's watching. too old now. Leroux is tough as hell and strong as hell. I'd take Hope any day over Barney and I also wouldn't count out grandma, Ms. Rampone. But with out a doubt, If Kai where on the team, she'd destroy everyone and spit on them when they are down. She's on the national team for Rugby now. no big deal. Mine: Abby Leroux Lloyd Kai (i'd bring her back)
And I still don't know at this point. I still take Barnhill over Solo in the cage (although Hope is the better goalkeeper of course). VS. LIVE EVENT: Caesers Palace (Las Vegas) GOALKEEPER RAGE IN THE CAGE. GLOVE to GLOVE - BLOOD for BLOOD - CRAVE TO SAVE Winner advances to take on Lauren Cheney in the next round (who has a BYE in the first round).
All I know is that when I saw the team at Nike last year, I commented to my granddaughter on how big Abby looks in real life as compared to on TV and her comment was, "Yeah, but the goalkeeper [Barnhart], she's humungous!"
Lupus was mentioned in her health history here years ago. She is still the toughest player In history, with the exception of Akers, who had her own health history.
In a fightoff for cage champion of the US team, I'd go with Wambach over Boxx. Both of them are old and mean. For World Champion Wambach vs. Tancredi Waiting in the wings to replace Wambach is Sydney Leroux. Compact and quick -- like Mike Tyson -- but she needs to work on accuracy. I suspect that glamour girl Alex Morgan would give a pretty good account of herself also. She may be tougher than she looks.
Leroux is a lightweight. If you want old and mean I'd go for Rampone before anybody you named. I'd bring back Lilly Also. Hell, I'd bring Akers off her horse farm.
Faucett wasn't mean. She'd let you hold her kid, chat with you about what a great game it was and how nice it was to be playing on this great turf with you just before she dropped you to it.
Tancredi stomped on Lloyd's head and she just got up and kept playing. That makes Lloyd tougher than she. Abby went leg to leg with Andreia Rosa, who's name means rose, and spent a year in rehab.
Not sure why I'm indulging this thread, but this fun video seemed kinda relevant: http://www.ussoccer.com/media-library/Videos/US-Women/2013/04/Boxercise-with-the-WNT.aspx
Great video. I've already got a WWC (women's world cage) tournament set up, with the girls seeded. Each participant has her own fighter nickname. #1 seed Abby Wambach (Wombat) vs. #16 seed Lotta Schelin (The Swedish Purse) #8 seed Camille Abily (Blue Zorro) vs. #9 seed Jill Scott (Great Kitten) #4 seed Melissa Tancredi (Crazy Leaf) vs. #13 seed Crystal Dunn (Shorty Spazz) #5 seed Hope Solo (Tweety Mouth) vs. #12 seed Ramona Bachmann (Bach Street) #3 seed Nilla Fischer (Merciful Madness) vs. #14 seed Caitlin Foord (Dog Austro) #6 seed Sydney Leroux (Tasmanian Tattoo) vs. #11 seed Marta Da Silva (The Samba Queen) #2 seed Shannon Boxx (Thirst Quencher) vs. #15 seed Tobin Heath (Naughty Nuttzo) #7 seed Kim Kulig (BiteWurst) vs. #10 seed Alex Morgan (Dream Horse / Nightmare Pony) Referees: Ali Riley and Kelley O'Hara Commentators: Alexi Lalas and Brandi Chastain (with cage reporter: Ronda Rousey) Many of these nicknames actually fit the individual player's personality (especially in the ring). Certainly for Heath. Don't sleep on Dream Horse (aka Nightmare Pony). She's tougher than she looks, and she has a "split personality" in the cage. This leads to differentiated "special moves" in the cage that she possesses on attack & in defense. "Wombat" is the favorite to win the tournament. "Don't mess with me, I have more than one special move in the cage" -Nightmare Pony "If I get a chance to face you in the 2nd round, I will slaughter you Tobin" -Dream Horse
That "Boxercise" training video is great. LOL, KO at 2:11...she never takes anything too seriously, does she? Sometimes I think I'd give anything to be a fly on the wall observing the USWNT for a day. They seem like such fun people.
The official "weigh in" for the first Steel Cage match is shown below (Hope Solo vs. Abby Wambach). The two fighters get a chance to relax with a nice steam bath before the weigh in, so they can reduce weight.