On the face of it, soccer and MMA have little in common. One relies on teamwork, creativity and knocking a ball around; the other relies on strength, power and endurance. But there are more soccer players who are UFC fans than you might think, despite their differences.
From Cristiano to Zlatan, footballers have been inspired by UFC fighters (and sometimes vice versa).
The LA Galaxy handed the Houston Dynamo their first loss of the season on Friday night. Zlatan Ibrahimovic converted a penalty kick and Diego Polenta nodded home a late corner kick to give the home side a 2-1 victory at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The victory was a bit of revenge after the Dynamo knocked the Galaxy out of playoff contention on the last day of the regular season last year.
But Zlatan still wasn’t exactly all smiles after the match.
It's been about a year since Zlatan Ibrahimovic debuted in MLS with two dramatic goals to help the LA Galaxy top new cross-town rivals LAFC. Despite the Galaxy's horrid defense, Zlatan kept the team in the playoff race for much of the campaign. He ended the season with 22 goals and 10 assists in just 27 matches. That was with avoiding turf and recovering from the injury he arrived in the U.S. with.
It hasn’t been a good start to the season in Vancouver. Still without a win, the Whitecaps welcomed the LA Galaxy to BC Place on Friday night.
The match actually started well for the home side, which was immediately awarded a penalty kick. But left back Ali Adnan’s awful Panenka attempt failed and the Canadian fans began to turn on their team.
Dare to Zlatan? pic.twitter.com/dWYPWlthkj
After missing two matches due to an Achilles tendon problem, Zlatan Ibrahimovic returned to action on Sunday and scored a brace of penalties in the LA Galaxy’s 2-1 victory over the Portland Timbers at Dignity Health Sports Park.
But the highlight of the night might’ve been an early attempt from Ibrahimovic that struck the base of the post. Using his right leg like the taekwondo expert he is, the 37-year-old flicked this effort on frame in the 14th minute only to be denied by the woodwork.
Americans loves celebrities like apple pie and making fun of baseball. It’s why late night TV shows constantly barrage us with uninspired interviews of famous actors trying to get us to watch their new thing.
But occasionally, a late night show does something truly inspired. They bring on a soccer player, someone who can actually keep the viewers who aren’t in states where marijuana is legalized awake.
The list for the Champions League top scorers of all time stretches from players who played in the European Cup (first held during the 1955-56 season) to its current branding as the Champions League (renamed as such in 1992). The competition is now synonymous with the active footballing behemoths known as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, and for good reason.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic loves to boast and has no lack of self-confidence. His league titles around Europe and amazing goals have placed him in the top echelon of players over the past decade. Even in MLS, Zlatan has already created several memorable moments, including his come-from-behind-victory brace against LAFC on his debut. But this time Zlatan has probably overestimated himself.
The GOAT has made his Hollywood presence felt across the country by joining Jimmy Kimmel again, about a year after Zlatan Ibrahimovic's memorable first appearance on the late-night talk show.
Ibra reflected on his first season with the Galaxy, being named captain and family life in Los Angeles.
He confirmed there is something he is not good at. Surprisingly, its Sweden’s second greatest accomplishment: IKEA.
The MLS season is quickly approaching. The buildup to the season has been full of interesting new kits and player signings.