(A.W.)–Yet again, stories have surfaced concerning celebrities and Northern Cyprus. This time the controversy centers around two muscle masses: Jean Claude Van Damme and Mike Tyson, who, according to Cyprus Mail, will visit the north on Oct. 9.
The reason for the pair’s visit is a mixed martial arts cage fight at a hotel in Kyrenia, the same hotel where Jennifer Lopez was scheduled to perform before backing away under pressure.
Extreme Fighting Championships (XFS) is the organizer of this event, which will be the 12th tournament to date, and the first ever to be held outside the U.S., for which reason the cage ring is being brought in from the U.S.
Cyprus Mail quoted XFC President John Prisco as saying, “We are ecstatic to build our brand in Cyprus and the surrounding area and plan on delivering a quality show there like only the XFC can.”
Cratos chairman Murat Bozoglu told Kibris newspaper that, due to pressures from Greek Cypriots, the hotel could not sign a contract with the XFC for a full week.
“We finally signed and agreed on a 500 thousand dollar contract. This is an important show for Cyprus, because the biggest stars in the world will come to Cyprus and watch the event,” said Bozoglu.
Ha also added that the stadium will hold 3,000 people, and will have a 300 square meter stage. The show will last 6 hours and will be broadcast worldwide.
Despite pressures, XFC President Prisco has reportedly expressed his wish to hold more events, and to even open training facilities there.
Jean Claude Van Damme is known for his martial arts action movies, among them Bloodsport (1988), Kickboxer (1989), and Street Fighter (1994).
Mike Tyson is the former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion, who holds the record for being the youngest boxer to win a number of world heavyweight titles. Tyson became known for his aggressive behavior, his defensive abilities and quickness in his fights, and controversies outside boxing, namely his conviction on rape charges in 1992, subsequent three year imprisonment, and conversion to Islam. He retired from boxing in 2006.
In early Sept., singer Rhianna was expected to perform in the town of Kyrenia on the occasion of the opening of a hotel. The performance never materialized.
On July 24, Jennifer Lopez was scheduled to perform at the same hotel in Kyrenia as the XFC tournament is scheduled to take place in. Following pressures to cancel her appearance there from Greek Cypriots and sympathizers, Lopez’s publicist was quoted as saying, “Jennifer Lopez would never knowingly support any state, country, institution, or regime that was associated with any form of human rights abuse.”
Meanwhile, R&B singer Sean Paul had two performances on the island in August, one in the southern coastal city of Limassol, and another in Kyrenia.
Cyprus became divided after the Turkish invasion in 1974. Turkey is the only country that recognizes the northern portion as the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
Why dont you invite him to Yerevan?
Ahmet, a convicted rapist like Mike Tyson is deserved to be in Turkish part of Cyprus, he will bring fame and wealth and pride, for his Turkish audience..
his character won’t fit for Armenians in Armenia..
The “[insert washed up celebrity’s name here] to visit northern Cyprus” articles are getting tiresome.
APRES GRISH JAN.. shat lav asetsir..:)
Ahmet, you are not really funny.. so stop trying… comedy is not your forte…so stick to your regular day job.. which is scratching your head and trying to comprehend whether or not you are for real or in your own dream world…
Have a nice day sir..
Grish,
so well said.
Ahmet,
I didn’t know that Turkish Cypriots were that desperate. As for Armenia, Gerard Depardieu is a much better fit.
To all posters,
And this story concerns you all HOW? All that you’re doing is sticking your noses into other people’s businesses or other nation’s internal affairs, neither which concern any of you!
Robert are you for real?
Is asking stupid questions part of your natural self or are just intentionally doing that?
Reality Check: CYPRUS is NOT TURKEY’s affair.. Cyprus belongs to Greeks and not Turks.. have you forgotten that Turkey took that part of the country by force.. you know just like Turkey took the ARmenian lands by force and murder??.. but then you already knew that.. right?
Please note:reporting the facts is nothing new to anyone.. Any media outlet can report on anything that they wish.. don’t tell me you did not know that Robert (is that even your real name? why are you hiding behind a westernized name?.. why don’t you use your real name? are you not a nationalist Turk and proud of your heritage?)..
Back to my point…AW is doing nothing but to report facts to show people such as yourself that your country is so desperate and low in self esteem that she throws herself like a cheap female at celebrities to gain attention and money …which she will then use to promote her ugly, manipulative, dispicable actions/threats/promises toward other countries and societies… SOOOOOOO PETTY… so petty and so desparate that she goes as low as to invite an ex-convict and c-class actor…it is just sad.
I know you don’t want this pettiness and desparation to come out on the surface and that is why you ask questions like that.. but it is ok.. the minute you let your guard down and shatter your frozen heart and mind, things will be better and you will see the light…..
To the Editorial Board,
It’s one thing to censor and delete me for my fact-based viewpoints. I’m used to your facist style. But when you knowingly censor and delete my post, where I discuss my oldest sister (she was just 14 at the time), who was raped, murdered and mutilated by the Greek-Cypriot EOKA-B thugs, along with her friend which she was visiting, in 1965 in Famagusta, Cyprus, that becomes personal and crosses the line. Shame on you for committing such a dasterdly, low & cheap deed!! How can any of you look yourselves in the mirror every morning without cringing or accidently ?
PLEASE RETURN MY TWO POSTS!!
Robert,
I am truely sorry to hear about your sister. A 14 year old girl does not deserve to die like that. But that sad event should help you understand the feelings of the descendants of those who lived through the horrors of 1915 and witnessed the horrible deaths of their loved ones, many of them much younger than your sister. Why is it that you show such insensitivity when the victims are the Armenians? You get upset that you are not given the opportunity to discuss it. How would you feel if you were called a liar, hater, and a truth distorter, like you often call us? Think about that.
Robert, what happened to your sister is truly tragic. I offer you my condolences.
Have you noticed that Robert’s family has suffered a lot at the hands of the “Gavurs”? He has in the past told us stories about how his grandparents were mutilated by Greeks and Armenians, and now, the story of his sister being mutilated by Cypriots!
I also remember that .. Robert did share a story about his grandparents…and now his sister…
I am not here to question his grief but it seems very odd to me… what happened to his sister is very upsetting as no human being should die for no reason like my people did in the hands of the Turks…so why such hatred toward Armenians and Greeks when these same people were murdered in cold blood by his own ancestors…
However, what buggles my mind is that Robert continues to deny the facts and try to falsify matters…if you ask me, that is pure hypocracy….
Robert.. I know this may be hard for you if you went through such aweful experience…but you have to look at the circumstances and understand the correlation between what Turks did in the past and what they are doing now that angers everyone they come in contact with…
G
Robert:
Nice try. There WAS no EOKA B in 1965.
Sorry to spoil your scam.
John
This is what I heard
I never visited both
You should well know T
That Arab Muslims from Gulf
They never buy lands or flats
in northern Cyprus…
(as recently invaded…defined…)
They only buy in Christian south
Because they trust them
They call the north a mafia place…
This is what I heard
I never visited both…
Sylva
Robert …Did you ask your family
How they arrived to Cyprus
Is this home were you live
Belongs to you
Or to Cypriot place
Or probably an Armenian
Who left every thing for you to enjoy
May be that person
Who raped your sister and her friend
Was his sister or his beloved raped
By your Turkish friend…
So he wanted to revenge
I never heard A christian man
Like to rape a Muslim girl
This happened in your history
And no where else…
Are you sure who was he…!
May be he was sex maniac
And not a proper human…
Analyze…
Before you commit a crime…!
Sylva
Sylvia (TODAY) :
“They call the north a mafia place…
This is what I heard
I never visited both… ”
Sylvia (TOMORROW) :
“They call the north a mafia place…
This is what I heard”
Sylvia (DAY AFTER TOMORROW) :
“They call the north a mafia place…”
Sylvia (THREE DAYS LATER) :
“The north is a mafia place… ”
You are making history ?