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Jeff Blatnick

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Wrestler

The Resume

    (July 26, 1957-October 24, 2012)
    Born in Niskayuna, New York
    Won an Olympic gold medal in Greco-Roman wrestling, super heavyweight division (1984)
    Wrestling commentator for NBC and ESPN
    Mixed martial arts commentator, referee and judge
    Helped develop modern MMA rules as author of the Mixed Martial Arts Council Manual

Why he might be annoying:

    He worked as a bouncer between Olympics.
    He made the 1984 Olympics team with a two-match victory over favorite Pete Lee, who was controversially disqualified in both matches.
    His reaction to winning the gold medal: 'I'm a happy dude.'
    He apparently did not keep up with his webpage, since at the time of his death it mentioned that he was 'looking forward to 2000 in Sydney.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    He qualified for the 1980 Olympic team that got screwed out of a chance for medals by the US boycot.
    He was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma (1982), had his appendix and spleen removed, underwent chemotherapy, and came back to make the Olympics.
    In the gold medal match, he defeated an opponent who outweighed him by 35 pounds (and who, it was later found out, was on steroids).
    Upon winning the match, he fell to his knees and cried for the first time since his older brother David had died in a motorcycle accident seven years earlier.
    He was chosen by his teammates to carry the US flag during the Olympic closing ceremonies.
    With referee Big John McCarthy, he came up with the term 'mixed martial arts' to replace the more controversial 'no holds barred combat.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 8 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 15 Votes: 6.67% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 81.82% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 8 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 27 Votes: 25.93% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 126 Votes: 57.94% Annoying