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Marcus Davis Forced To Change Nickname
Marcus “The Irish Hand Grenade” Davis owns one of the sport’s most unique nicknames. However, for the first time in 15 years, the former professional boxer and now rising UFC welterweight contender will have to drop the moniker for a fight.
UFC 72 takes place at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
“I was told ‘The Irish Hand Grenade’ was not acceptable in Belfast [because] it would translate poorly,” said Davis. “It’d be like calling yourself the Taliban Bomber and fighting in New York. So, it’s a temporary change implemented by the UFC.
“However, I will always be The Irish Hand Grenade when I fight in the U.S.“
Northern Ireland has a turbulent and sometimes violent history of civil war, as well as ethno-political conflicts between its nationalist community (principally Roman Catholic) and unionist community (principally Protestant). UFC management appears it’ll take a better-safe-than-sorry approach with the nickname during its initial foray into the Northern Ireland market.
For now, UFC.com lists Davis as “The Celtic Warrior” on the UFC 72 fight card.
Davis, who posted a stellar 17-1-2 record as a professional boxer in New England, was first dubbed “The Irish Hand Grenade” from an old boxing fan who watched him during a sparring session. The man said that Davis reminded him of boxer who went by the nickname decades ago, and being of Irish descent, Davis decided to stick with it.
He admits he was a little disappointed by the UFC’s mandate.
“It sucks because I’ve used the nickname for 15 years,” he said.
However, Davis also knows he has more to worry about than the name. Take his current eight-fight win streak, for example, which included UFC victories over the heavily favored Forrest Petz (UFC: The Final Chapter), Shonie Carter (UFC Fight Night 7) and Pete Spratt (UFC 69). Once considered “just a boxer,” the now-well-rounded Davis ended five of the eight victories by submission.
He’ll now face Tan, a veteran of the English-based Cage Fighting Championships and Cage Gladiators organizations. The Gracie Barra-trained Muay Thai and boxing vet had posted four consecutive victories before dropping a split decision to Jim Wallhead in a September 2006 event.
For the latest news about “The Celtic Warrior” and the rest of the UFC 72 fighters, check out the UFC Rumors section here at UFCjunkie.com (www.ufcjunkie.com).
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Yea it is kind of weird. But if there is even a slight possibility of a mistranslation, why take the chance? It's only a nickname. And it's only for one fight.
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the "troubles" in Ireland have been ongoing for many many years, i have lost family over it and im ure many others have in bombings and murders. However I really hope they pronounce his nickname as Celtic Warrior.... "Seltic Warrior", that is the football team i support which is a symbol of the catholic side of the troubles. That will cause some unrest
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God that is bull****
Signed,
Chris "the cat smasher" Leben
seriously, that is stupid, im sick of this PC BS
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I don’t like the attitude of some of the fans who always like to complain. When they say if you had a quick fight that they wished it was longer and if you have a long fight they say you should have beaten this guy quicker. Some people you just can’t please. If it is so easy, they can put on a glove and do it themselves. I’ll watch them fight.
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um i do
dont call me ignorant
marcus davis has been here for awhile, it pains me that they all of a sudden decide its not a suitable nickname as if THEY didnt realize what goes on until yesterday
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I don’t like the attitude of some of the fans who always like to complain. When they say if you had a quick fight that they wished it was longer and if you have a long fight they say you should have beaten this guy quicker. Some people you just can’t please. If it is so easy, they can put on a glove and do it themselves. I’ll watch them fight.
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you quite obviously dont understand the conflict in Northern Ireland
there
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I don’t like the attitude of some of the fans who always like to complain. When they say if you had a quick fight that they wished it was longer and if you have a long fight they say you should have beaten this guy quicker. Some people you just can’t please. If it is so easy, they can put on a glove and do it themselves. I’ll watch them fight.
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north carolina
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I don’t like the attitude of some of the fans who always like to complain. When they say if you had a quick fight that they wished it was longer and if you have a long fight they say you should have beaten this guy quicker. Some people you just can’t please. If it is so easy, they can put on a glove and do it themselves. I’ll watch them fight.
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The thing is, they have just in the past several years found a lasting peace and the IRA has disaarmed.. like Nimmy said, no reason to start a war again over a simple nickname.
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ok, excuse me if this come across a bit dicky. but cant you see where i was coming from? im telling you that this is a good idea to change the name not out of PCness, hell im the most non PC guy i know, but out of a real thing that would piss alot of people off in the areana.
I dont know if you have been to Northern Ireland before but i am there at least once or twice a year for the last 20 years. Iv had bricks thrown at me for walking with a guy with a celtic t shirt on in a protestant, iv seen pictures of guys shot to pieces for being in an organised terrorist unit, iv been at the scene of mass riots in the street, you can walk 200 yards from a catholic area with kerbstone painted green white and gold to a protestant area with flags on lamp posts and blue white and red kerb stones.
Northern Ireland has a generation of non official apartheid. you have catholic pubs and protestant pubs, schools, areas, schemes even youth clubs.
having 20,000 mixed people in pne building and having a guy come out to the "irish hand grendade" as gentle as it seems will provoke trouble. now there is nothing wrong with his name but if it prevents even one idiot from throwing a bottle or fighting, even resulting in several people fighting and a mass riot, villifing MMA in its European tour then im happy for him to change it just for 1 night.
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well yea i see it but and obviously marcus davis understands also and has no prob with it
i simply stated my opinion and im not gonna sit here and debate
a majority of nicknames of the potential to be inflammatory, the slippery slope will eventually lead to everyone being nicknamed "The Athlete"
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I don’t like the attitude of some of the fans who always like to complain. When they say if you had a quick fight that they wished it was longer and if you have a long fight they say you should have beaten this guy quicker. Some people you just can’t please. If it is so easy, they can put on a glove and do it themselves. I’ll watch them fight.
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I dunno, being in a conflict zone you have to be careful.. its like if I was a pro fighter named "the hamas bomber" in israel.
Here, I know its wikipedia and all but some of you guys should read up on the conflict, and you'll fully understand why the UFC is erring on the side of caution.
Marcus Davis Forced To Change Nickname
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