One of the fun hooks of combat sports is the idiosyncratic monikers that are dubbed on sportsmen by themselves, their training team, PR manager and sometimes even their opponents.
I remember asking questions of the impassive Lightweight Al Iaquinta and his short responses when he fought Ross Pearson on the undercard of UFC Sydney last year. The thing that intrigued me was his nick name: ‘The Raging Bull’.
Sometimes it was letting people know the fighter’s roots, like with Jack Dempsey ‘The Manassass Mauler’ or Rocky Marciano ‘The Brockton Blockbuster’. Sometimes a tip of the hat to how sweet they are at the science like ‘Sugar’ Ray Robinson, Ray Leonard, Shane Mosley and MMA’s Rashad Evans were dubbed. Be it rhyme of Daniel ‘The Real Deal’ Geale or clever word smithing of Sam ‘King’ Soliman – they primarily exist as a grab for the promoters.
But one nickname has always stood apart from the rest. It invoked no alliteration or rhyme. It had a simple statement of complete aggression and menace. It was the handle of middle weight great Jake Lamotta, or, ‘The Raging Bull’. The man who went toe-to-toe six times with the greatest boxer of all time, Sugar Ray Robinson.
Such was the power of the name and the physical embodiment of its owner that Martin Scorsese made a film about the him starring Robert Deniro as Lamotta. De Niro won the Oscar depicting the relentless boxer from the Bronx. Even Australians were tentative in dubbing the nickname on our own Gordon ‘Raging Bull’ Tallis. The unforgiving, brutally strong, wild eyed Maroons captain seemed to take hard to a different level altogether. It was a name for the toughest of the tough.
It raises eyebrows then that Al Iaquinta, another New York native, is called by this name. Was this arrogance of youth? Unlikely. Allegedly this is the nickname given to him by his training team.
I learnt quickly in the press conference that I was sitting next to Ray Longo, his coach from the famous Serra-Longo camp. He enlightened me that this fighter was unique.
The fact that he trains with New Yorkers, current UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman and under former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Serra, one can only speculate at what qualities he has shown in the practise room to be dubbed the name of New York tough guy royalty. What was also instructive is that both those apex predators in the sport of MMA also travelled to Sydney to corner him.
Although his base is as a wrestler I had a conversation with Longo just prior to his fight with the Muay Thai specialist Ross Pearson. I was convinced that Pearson would be too much for him on his feet.
“His stand up is world class. We have had him in with best stand up guys in the world and he is at their level,” Longo said.
I was sceptical. In the opening round against Pearson, Iaquinta’s footwork was so fluid I could have sworn that he was indeed a world class boxer. His angle changes mystified Pearson and in the second round he was caught and KO’d during one of the ‘Raging Bull’ charges.
The veteran Joe Lauzon experienced the same, and now with a three-fight win streak all ending on the feet, I expect Jorge Masvidal to succumb a similar fate. With the KO power, slick stand up, wrestling chops and evolving submission game, this UFC fighter is the next big thing. His tenacity and intensity does his nickname justice.
This weekend most commentators are counting against him in his co-main event fight with slugger Jorge Masvidal. I, however, am betting on the insight given directly to me by Ray Longo – “This kid is special”.
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