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Ibrahimovic reveals details of Onyewu brawl

Oguchi Onyewu 1 (AP)

It was a fight that we didn't hear many details about, but given the players involved, it figured to be a serious scuffle.

Now we know just how serious.

Just days after the one-year anniversary of the Oguchi Onyewu-Zlatan Ibrahimovic fight, details have surfaced about the highly-publicized brawl that left one of the combatants with a broken rib.

In his autobiography, "I am Zlatan Ibrahimovic," the Swedish international reveals that Onyewu landed a blow that broke the forward's rib, an injury that AC Milan never made public. Ibrahimovic says the two hulking players "were close to killing each other," and that it took about a dozen players and staff members to break up the fight that occurred after a rough tackle during a scrimmage.

What do you think of this story? Impressed with Onyewu winning a fight against a black belt in Tae Kwon Do? Can you see Onyewu turning to a career in the UFC?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I’m much more interested in continuing to read about Gooch’s return to form, Ives. I wonder if there could be an article written about who has mentored him, what drills have worked, where the corner was turned. Has there been an interview with him? I bet I missed it. It’s the comeback story we want Davies to have also.

    And I really don’t understand what the appeal is with the two grown men fighting angle? Same headlines grabbing was going on with that ridiculous NYRB vs LA schoolyard stuff, too. Anyone who has really been in a fight knows it’s usually a very clumsy, embarrassing thing. Otherwise, they were in a bar being a choad. Or, they like to pop towels in the locker room.

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  2. More impressed that Zlatan survived a full on attack. He’s a big dude, but judging what Gooch does to people when NOT trying to hurt them, damn.

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  3. you did not read what Chosun said which is proper training in tkd does teach close combat situations. I am a 2nd degree black belt and not only do I kick really well but I can block and punch and choke quite well too.

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  4. Couldn’t agree more about what a classless idiot Ibrahimovic is. Look no further than the title of his book: “I am (insert name here)” has got to be the stupidest name for an autobiography in the history of autobiography.

    On another note, I disagree with many of you in that I never considered Gooch a particularly tough guy or fighter. He’s really big and strong, no doubt, but that never translated for me into tough-guy action. Correct me if I’m wrong, but if I’m right that’s fine with me.

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  5. What I got from article: 1. Always let Gooch off the bus first. 2. Post this article and picture in Mexico’s dressing room the next time we play them!

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  6. Gooch is a monster, but Ibrahimovic is 6’5″ not 6’3″ or 6’4.” While Gooch is stronger, Ibrahimovic is a very quick and strong 6’5″ beast with a black belt. This was no one sided fight. This would have been a nasty, nasty fight. Ibrahimovic has no history of making racist comments either as someone claimed. Ibrahimovic revealed that he himself is called a “Gypsy” by fans in Italy who chant “Gypsy.”

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  7. Chosun I disagree with you Tae Kwon Doe does not even focus on using the upper body it is mostly with legs. In fights in the real world most people punch you will see sometimes people kick and stomp people out, but most people use their hands when they fight now in days.

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  8. Knew there’d be one guy who had to post just to get others riled up. You should’ve ended your post with something like “Modern Warfare 3 sucks too!” just to make sure you really got the attention you crave.

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  9. “What do you think of this story? Impressed with Onyewu winning a fight against a black belt in Tae Kwon Do? Can you see Onyewu turning to a career in the UFC?”

    No. And to even suggest such a thing is moronic. Impressed that Gooch was so dumb that he broke a superstar teammate’s ribs by hitting him and subsequently rotted away on a bench for years? Why would you possibly be impressed by that?

    How about chastising Gooch for being an idiot?

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  10. I’m a 4th degree in TKD, and you’re misguided if you believe that it’s impractical for real-world scenarios. Every art has its strengths and weaknesses, but I’ve had to use it (unfortunately), and it’s quite effective. Also, proper training in TKD should be teaching close-combat situations as well. If not, then all you’re learning is the sport aspect of it, and should consider finding a better school.

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  11. so, if this is Ibra’s side of the story in his book, we can all assume that it was actually 2 or 3 broken ribs, that Ibra ran scared and it was only gooch who was close to killing Ibra, right?

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  12. First of all, what a great picture for this article! Second, Ibrahimovic cannot complain about a broken rib, when he acts like a goon. Ibra karate kicked his AC Milan teammate from behind during the training(Rodney Strasser). He also kicked Milan’s fitness coach (Giannino Beffa) in the crotch and another teammate (Cassano) in his head, while Cassano was giving an interview. Ibra also elbowed a former teamate (Matterazzi) to the hostpital after his attempted kick missed. Ibra just miscalculated thinking that he could bully Onyewu.

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  13. Between Gooch taking down Ibra and Dempsey breaking John Terry’s nose a few years ago, our guys take on some pretty tough dudes. I gotta imagine Jermaine Jones has had an altercation with a big name player as well…

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  14. I bet this book won’t reveal the racial slur Ibrahimovic threw at Gooch after the tackle. He’s a punk.

    There are few soccer players I’d want to cross less than Gooch.

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  15. This is funny sh*t! There was a video of Ibra practicing his Kung Fu kicks on the players with their
    backs to him while he was messing around in practice. One of his kicks scraped the back of Rodney Strasser, and then when he came near Gooch, Ibra didn’t try to mess with him. LOL

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  16. This only reaffirms what a badass gooch is. If he broke Ibrah’s rib, can you imagine what he would have done to Borgetti during that staredown?

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  17. haha impressed because he had a black belt in tae kwan do? good one!

    (they are trained as stand-up fighters with total emphasis on kicking, so be careful from a distance. so get close in and grapple, take to ground where they have no training and are thus defenseless). that one is on the house 😉

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  18. I wonder if the actual autobiography has more details. The only news this Gazzetta article reveals is that Zlatan got a broken rib out of it. We already knew it was over a tackle in practice and that the rest of the team had to break it up based on the pictures from last year.

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