Catégorie : Sport News

Nick Diaz is back in the spotlight, but this time it’s not for being photographed doing alleged ‘shady’ things—it’s for his flashy nunchuck moves! The older of the iconic Diaz brothers, Nick has always been known for his unique personality, and a video posted online just reminded everyone just how much of a maverick he is. 

In the clip, Nick channels his inner Bruce Lee, spinning nunchucks with impressive speed and precision. The video has since viral and serves as a reminder that Nick’s charisma extends far beyond the octagon.

Diaz has always been a lifelong martial artist. He started in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at a young age which inspired his younger brother, Nate to follow in his footsteps as well. After a successful career in MMA, he now runs an academy where youngsters are taught to defend themselves while learning Jiu-Jitsu. 

Diaz was heavily influenced by Bruce Lee growing up and it’s good for him to be going back to what made him fall in love with the sport to begin with.

Bruce Lee’s influence on martial arts is profound and enduring. By founding Jeet Kune Do, he broke away from traditional styles, promoting adaptability and efficiency in combat.

This philosophy resonates in today’s MMA, where fighters blend techniques from various disciplines. 

Icons like Anderson Silva and Conor McGregor have also cited Lee as a key inspiration, reflecting his lasting impact on their training and fighting approaches. Lee’s emphasis on physical fitness, mental acuity, and the seamless integration of techniques continues to be a founding stone for modern mixed martial artists. 

However, it’s not a guarantee of anything and the older Diaz brother is a testament to that.

 Diaz had fans worried after pull-out from UFC 310

The fan-favorite fighter was originally set to face Vicente Luque at UFC 310 on December 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, but those plans fell through. According to Alex Behunin of MMA Mania, Diaz withdrew from the fight, and Themba Gorimbo stepped in as Luque’s replacement.

His last outing against Robbie Lawler had also raised concerns when he appeared disengaged during the fight and retired in the third round.

So, while fans were excited to see him back for the Luque fight, those concerns deepened after a bizarre video surfaced leading up to the fight announcement where Diaz was seen topless on the streets trying to start a fire.

Hopefully, he has gotten the help he needs.

Former UFC middleweight champion Michael Bisping wanted to understand why the Paddy Pimblett- Renato Moicano fight had not been finalized yet and he wanted his answers coming from the horse’s mouth. So he asked Moicano on his podcast, who boldly claimed that the UFC was protecting the scouser from him.

A confident Moicano said,

“I don’t know how the f**k… Actually, I know why they didn’t make the fight.”

‘Money’ Moicano also claimed that he would destroy Pimblett like he had destroyed Benoit Saint-Dennis and the UFC didn’t want to risk that happening. BSD was on a four-fight win streak when the UFC fast-tracked him against Dustin Poirier.

Poirier took some punishment from the Frenchman in the first round at UFC 299 but then bounced back to beat the bejesus out of him to win the fight by KO/TKO in the second round.

BSD would then feature next at UFC Paris, where he would take on Moicano, only to be pieced up by ‘Money’. After a round of relentless striking from Moicano that would see BSD’s face being at the receiving end of countless punches, the match would have to be stopped by the doctor.

Moicano believes this has completely destroyed BSD’s prospects in the UFC, at least for now and that is not something they want happening to Pimblett.

“Because I would f**king destroy Paddy and they know it. And it’s not good business to promote an almost 36-year-old MF that would go over there, to England and beat a guy that could potentially be a poster boy. Because let’s be honest. Paddy Pimblett, he’s very funny. He has a good style and he’s not a terrible fighter.”

Moicano also claimed that he had heard rumors about Pimblett fighting BSD and asserted that it would be a good matchup for both of them but it would prove to everyone that he was right and the UFC didn’t want to risk their could-be star against him.

What’s next for Moicano?

With the Pimblett fight, all but on the shelf for Moicano, he now has to figure out where he wants to go next. And at 36, the only direction he wants to walk in is up. The #10 ranked UFC lightweight wants to watch the Islam Makhachev vs Arman Tsarukyan fight at UFC 311 and challenge whoever walks out as the champion.

Moicano is fighting Beneil Dairush on the same card, and if he can put on a show for everyone to see, there’s no plausible reason why he can’t challenge for the title.

Afterall, #7 ranked light heavyweight Khalil Rountree gave champion Alex Pereira more of a fight than any of the former champions he had fought before. And he was given the opportunity despite Magomed Ankalaev being the #1 contender in the division.

Besides, the lightweight division has rivalries of its own going on. Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria has announced his move to lightweight and called out Charles Oliveira for a fight.

Since Oliveira is next in line for the title shot, this would interrupt that fight. Now, assuming Topuria and Oliveira fight for the #1 contender spot next, this would leave the champion will quite a bit of time to fill before his next title fight.

This is where Moicano could come in and have his title shot.

The notion that money doesn’t buy happiness may appear to be an empty sentiment coming from a former NBA All-Star. However, Joakim Noah shared how he actually felt the worst during his most lucrative years in the league.

After reminiscing about his days with the Florida Gators winning back-to-back NCAA championships, the 39-year-old underlined how emotional it was for his fellow teammates when the group decided to declare for the NBA Draft. Noah revealed that he didn’t understand the sadness at the time, thinking everyone should be excited about the riches and basketball fame that were to come.

It took the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year time to realize, but he eventually looked back at his collegiate years fondly following years in the NBA. Noah acknowledged the appreciation he now has for his time with the Gators, especially after going through his darkest days as one of the NBA’s highest-paid centers.

“When I was making a lot of money, it was the most sad I was in my whole basketball career,” the two-time NBA All-Star said on FanDuel TV’s Run it Back.

Co-host Michelle Beadle also pointed out how most people assume that people are automatically happy when they get paid a lot of money. But a lot of the time big paychecks can entail a stressful life that is not conducive to happiness.

This isn’t the first time Noah recalled his unhappiness while playing for the New York Knicks. The All-Star big man joined his point guard, Derrick Rose, in New York after a memorable stint with the Chicago Bulls. But his mammoth four-year, $72 million contract with the team will always be remembered in infamy.

Joakim Noah’s mental health struggles after falling short of lofty expectations

Noah signed a premium deal with the Knicks during 2016’s free agency craze. But the 39-year-old failed to live up to the lofty expectations that the lucrative contract set for him as he only played in two seasons for the team and totaled just 53 contests for his entire tenure in the Big Apple.

After struggling mightily in New York, with putrid averages of 4.6 points and 7.9 rebounds, Noah’s career appeared to be dead in the water. However, a surprise re-emergence with the Memphis Grizzlies saved not only his basketball career, but his mental health as well.

The veteran revealed during his time in Memphis how he had lost his confidence in the previous years. But slowly, he was beginning to return to form.

“Now I am starting to get my swagger back on the court. Memphis gave me an opportunity; that was the only team that called. I am starting to feel better and better every time I step on the court because I am playing consistently, and I am healthy for the first time in a long time, knock-on wood,” Noah shared in 2019.

The Bulls legend may have collected his biggest paychecks with the Knicks, but his testimony is evidence that there is much more to being happy than riches alone.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes exited his team’s Week 15 victory over the Cleveland Browns with a concerning ankle injury. The three-time Super Bowl champion has dealt with ankle ailments throughout his career. Many NFL analysts believe the Chiefs should rest Mahomes for the playoffs rather than have him play the final three weeks of the season. But some don’t think Mahomes will sit.

Lil Wayne may not be your typical sports analyst, but he’s never shy about sharing his opinion. He told his good friend Skip Bayless that he expects Mahomes to continue playing through his injury.

“[Patrick Mahomes] got hurt, but he also said that he could [have] come back in the game if it was different circumstances… I don’t think he’s gonna miss a game.”

Mahomes has sat out just twice due to injury (Weeks 8 and 9 of the 2019 season) in his professional career. He does everything in his power to ensure he’s able to suit up each week. And so far, Wayne’s projection looks to be accurate.

Patrick Mahomes practiced fully on Tuesday

Kansas City’s first practice report of Week 16 came out earlier today. This gave fans the first glimpse into the organization’s plans for Mahomes in a short week. So far, Chiefs Kingdom can breathe a sigh of relief. Mahomes was listed as a full participant on the team’s Tuesday report.

Things could change throughout the week, but this is good for Mahomes’ chances of battling the Houston Texans (9-5). Following Sunday’s game, the two-time MVP said he intended on playing if doing so wouldn’t hinder Kansas City’s odds of winning.

“The reason you play this game is to push to play. I’ll get to work in practice and try to push it to see where I can get to, but at the end of the day, I’m not going to put our team in a bad position. If I feel like I can play and go out there and win a football game, I’ll play and if I don’t feel like that’s the best-case scenario, I’ll let guys like Carson (Wentz) play.”

Wentz, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, may be the most qualified backup Mahomes has ever had. If he stays within Andy Reid’s system and avoids backbreaking turnovers, the Chiefs can win with him at the helm. Whether he’ll actually be needed against the Texans, though, remains to be seen.

After completing a full-time campaign in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2024 and finishing a respectable P12 in the standings, Shane van Gisbergen is gearing up to leap to the Next Gen cars for the 2025 Cup Series season. While his abilities on road courses were evident throughout the year, adapting to ovals proved to be a steeper learning curve than anticipated.

According to van Gisbergen, even among oval tracks, a specific track category requires more focus on his end. Highlighting his area for improvement, he explained, “My weakness, I would say, is the intermediates – the one-and-a-half-mile tracks. I’ve had some good results, but I’ve had some pretty average ones as well where I’ve never really been competitive or comfortable.”

Underlining the distinction between Cup and Xfinity cars, SVG expressed his eagerness to adapt, stating that intermediate tracks are where the differences between the two cars are most apparent.

Reflecting on his journey, the Supercars champion admitted that oval racing was an entirely new experience for him. “A different style of racing to anything that I have ever done,” he shared. While he entered the season with zero expectations about results, he acknowledged making progress and becoming competitive at times while still leaving scope for improvement and learning.

Grateful for his Xfinity Series experience, SVG remarked, “I am glad I did a year of Xfinity to learn, even though the cars are a lot different. That was the right decision, to do a learning year and to settle into the country and the style of racing, before getting thrown to the sharks in the Cup Series.”

In his limited 12 starts in the Cup Series this season, Shane van Gisbergen delivered his strongest oval performance at Martinsville during the penultimate race of the season. Starting from P29, SVG climbed to finish P12 by the end of the race.

Martinsville Speedway marked his best oval result in the junior Xfinity Series as well, where he secured P11 in the Dude Wipes 250. Additionally, his P3 finish at Atlanta was an impressive one too, particularly given the challenges posed by the venue.

SVG’s best performance during the 2024 Cup Series season

Gisbergen’s best performance in the 2024 Cup Series came at Watkins Glen International, where he delivered an impressive P2 finish after starting from P3. The race turned into a rousing overtime showdown between SVG and Chris Buescher, with the RFK Racing driver ultimately prevailing in a dramatic finale.

On the final overtime restart, SVG moved up to P4 and made an aggressive move, nudging Buescher out of the way to take the lead. However, the Kiwi knew payback was inevitable. A misstep saw him go off track before Turn 5, giving Buescher the opening he needed. The #17 driver returned the favor, nudging SVG aside and maintaining the lead until the checkered flag fell, securing his first win of the season.

Reflecting on the race, SVG shared, “I moved on from that, but I certainly kicked myself for a couple of days. I would have loved to have won that race, but I made an error and you certainly learn from that. It was an awesome finish and one of the most talked about races on a road course this year. It was great, from that regard.”

As SVG prepares to transition full-time to the Cup Series in 2025, it will be fascinating to watch him compete on road courses against elite drivers like Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson.

Since security stopped Belal Muhammad from entering the octagon, Joe Rogan quipped that they didn’t know he was the champion, fighters like Conor McGregor and Kamaru Usman have been trolling him. However, Belal doesn’t mind. The welterweight champion actually knows the security guys and they weren’t letting him in for an entirely different reason.

In an interview with SiriusXM, Belal explains that the security thought he was going to jump into the octagon to pull off a Sean Strickland or Merav Dvalishvili, or something crazy like that.

“They were like, ‘Not you too’. Because earlier that day, they were already on edge because of Nate Diaz and Islam the day before… And then you had Merab almost fight a fan. They were already on the edge and they were like, ‘Belal, what the heck, you are hopping over the barricade, what’s wrong with you? You never do that.’”

But obviously, it ended up being a moment that saw Belal being made fun of.

Belal also excused Rogan’s comments by saying he is a comedian, so “obviously” he was going to make it funny. Then there was his long-standing beef with McGregor and former welterweight champion Usman. The two have taken quite a few potshots at him in the past. So, this wasn’t really a surprise to him either.

“Guys like McGregor and Usman take their shots but that’s all they could do, right? So, that didn’t bother me at all.”

Belal focussed on Rakhmonov

The only reason Belal claims he jumped into the cage was because Rakhmonov had called him out. However, he claims it was also a guilty pleasure of wanting to have one of those classic in-octagon faceoff moments.

Anyway, he couldn’t talk trash to Rakhomonov either since the latter doesn’t speak any English whatsoever.

“I am not a guy who’s gonna fake it, right? So I was not going to go there, do a Brock Lesnar, and push him to the floor or anything crazy like that. But for me, it was so fun to do, have that Dricus-Adesanya moment because it builds off it.”

Belal was supposed to face Rakhmonov at UFC 310 for his first title defense but had to pull out after an infected toe needed some serious medical attention. Despite this, Belal really tried to make it on D-Day, to the point where he has claimed to have even considered amputating the toe.

Thankfully, it didn’t come to that, and rising welterweight star Ian Garry stepped up to the plate and fought Rakhmonov in a #1 contender fight instead.

Garry also managed to put on a show and give Rakhmonov the fight of his life, almost choking him out in the championship rounds.

The Cincinnati Bengals (6-8) likely will not appear in the NFL postseason this year. Joe Burrow and Co. still have a couple of paths to the playoffs. But the chances are very improbable. The most likely scenario is dependent upon their Week 16-18 outcomes and those of the three other franchises.

On Monday’s episode of Nightcap, Shannon Sharpe revealed the Bengals have a “milk chance: 2%” playoff probability. Despite such steep odds, Sharpe’s co-host – former Pro Bowl receiver Chad Johnson – thinks Cincinnati will pull off a miracle after beating the Broncos and two remaining opponents.

“Forget 2%… there’s a whole milk chance we go to the playoffs and we squeeze in a little wild-card spot. I’m telling you… I believe in my Bengals.”

Johnson stated his confidence comes from the Bengals’ offensive trio of Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. His personal bias projects were much rosier than the analytics do, but he’s steadfast, nonetheless.

Chad Johnson feels the Broncos might finish the season with 3 losses

As mentioned, there are two avenues for Cincinnati to sneak into the playoffs. One involves the Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) losing out. However, head coach Jim Harbaugh’s squad plays the New England Patriots (3-11) and Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) to end the season. It’s possible Los Angeles slips up in one of those games, but them dropping both is borderline unfathomable.

A single Chargers triumph leaves just one other way for the Bengals to reach the playoffs. Sharpe laid out that last resort option on the show:

• Cincinnati needs to win out (3-0)
• Indianapolis must lose at least once (2-1)
• Miami must lose at least once (2-1)
• Denver must lose out (0-3)

Of the factors beyond Cincinnati’s control, the Broncos (9-6) losing out is the hardest to fathom. But Denver’s remaining slate – at Chargers (TNF), at Bengals, vs. Kansas City Chiefs – is challenging. Most importantly, Cincinnati gets the opportunity to aid their own cause by facing the Broncos in Week 17.

Once he learned Denver’s schedule, Johnson said “there’s a good chance” the Broncos finish the year with three straight losses. Part of that potentially tragic stretch involved a “guaranteed” defeat at the Bengals’ hands.

“When the Bengals play the Broncos, we’re gonna beat y’all’s a**. When we do the show that night, I don’t want to hear you say ‘foot’ or ‘ball’ at all. I’m telling you right now.”

Sharpe spent 12 of his 14 NFL seasons with the Broncos. Johnson played in Cincinnati for a decade. To say they have a personal interest in that game would be an understatement. For Sharpe, there’d likely be nothing sweeter than the Broncos officially eliminating the Bengals from playoff contention with a victory. Kickoff for the Week 17 contest is Saturday, Dec. 28 at 4:30 p.m. E.T. on NFL Network.

Derrick Rose announced his retirement from the NBA earlier this year after 15 years in the league. The former Bulls guard was destined for greatness before injuries ravaged his career. For a while, it seemed he was set for an early retirement. However, he refused to give up on his dream and carved out a bench role on several teams. As good as his story is, there are doubts about whether his body of work is worthy of a Hall of Fame induction. However, Joakim Noah believes he deserves it.

In an appearance on the Run It Back podcast, Rose’s former teammate spoke about his legacy as a player and his impact on the city of Chicago. He said,

“As great as [he] was as a player, he’s an even better human. The most humble superstar out there, and just the way he represented Chicago every time he stepped out there was unreal… Hall of Famer for sure.”

Rose is a Chicago native and grew up on the city’s South Side. He led his high school, Simeon Career Academy, to back-to-back state championships and was named Illinois’ Mr. Basketball in 2007. He spent a season with Memphis and led to the national championship game before declaring for the 2008 NBA draft, where the Bulls picked him first overall.

Rose was phenomenal for the franchise. He won the Rookie of the Year and was named the league MVP in only his third season. He was and remains the youngest player to win the prize.

With Rose leading the charge, Chicago looked destined to win the NBA title, their first since Michael Jordan led them to their sixth in 1998. However, he suffered an ACL tear in the 2012 playoffs, which took away his explosiveness and athleticism. It also started his long bout with injuries that stole his prime years from him.

Despite the setbacks, he spent 15 years in the league and was universally revered. But is that enough to earn a Hall of Fame induction?

Joakim Noah believes Derrick Rose should be in the Hall of Fame, and he’s right

After discussing the possibility of the Bulls giving Derrick Rose a statue, the topic turned to whether he deserved to be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Players become eligible for enshrinement four years after retirement. Rose, who retired in September, will have his first shot in 2028.

Noah’s first-hand experience playing alongside Rose has given him a unique perspective. Unsurprisingly, he believes that his former teammate “for sure” deserves to be enshrined. He said,

“His story, it’s a painful story. There’s a lot of adversity in it. It’s a big what-if story, like if he hadn’t gotten hurt.”

Chandler Parsons pointed out that if Rose isn’t inducted, he would be the first former MVP not to make the Hall of Fame. Eight others haven’t made it, but they’re all still active. The guard’s situation has some precedence in other sports, namely football.

Terrell Davis and Gale Sayers were two all-time great running backs whose careers were cut short by injuries. But because their peaks were so transcendent, they both made it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

As the youngest MVP in NBA history, Rose is in the same boat, and the fact that he was able to remake his game and continue for over a decade more in the league should give his argument more weight.

Talk about a tale of two halves. Davante Adams had zero catches on two targets in the first 30 minutes of the New York Jets’ 32-25 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. He came out of the halftime locker room looking for violence. Adams responded with nine catches for 198 yards and two TDs on 10 targets in the second half to key the Jets’ comeback.

On Tuesday, Adams graced Kay Adams’ Up & Adams morning show with his presence, and his polar-opposite performances in the first and second halves of that game were bound to come up. When it did, the star wide receiver started by taking a shot at himself, saying with a chuckle that he needed to “get my head out of my ass” after Kay asked him, “What the heck” happened in the final half.

“I don’t know, I guess I had to get my head out of my ass first. And that helps when you do that. And then, I had a drop earlier in the first half, right before the half, and I got my hair pulled on the route, so when I pulled my head back, I couldn’t really find the ball,” Adams said.

“And then, I think that was my second target or whatever, and then once we got back in there and got a few grabs, stuff like this just starts to happen. Just need a few plays to kinda unlock it and get in that flow,” he continued.

The Jets were down 13-7 before halftime, and Adams’ resurgence served as the catalyst for their comeback. Aaron Rodgers found him on the very first play of the second half for 12 yards. He then found Adams for a 43-yard bomb on the second drive before targeting Adams twice inside the five-yard line later in the drive, the second of which resulted in a one-yard touchdown catch by the wide receiver.

With under four minutes remaining and the Jets down five, Rodgers found Adams for another deep shot, this time, a 71-yard trip to pay dirt. Adams completed the elusive octopus by catching the ensuing two-point convert to give N.Y. a three-point lead.

Somehow, he wasn’t done there. After the Jags tied it up at 25, Adams caught a 23-yard pass to put the Jets in Jacksonville territory. Then, he snagged a 41-yarder to set up Breece Hall’s game-winning TD. While Adams was playing out of his mind, the whole team seemed to rally in the second half, and the veteran wideout says it had a lot to do with a speech from Rodgers.

“Aaron spoke to the offense before we started in warmups. He said, ‘Look man, we’re 3-10, and this freaking sucks, and it is what it is. Either we can go out like weenies, or we can pull it together and figure it out and find a way to make something out of the remainder of this year.’”

The wideout also spoke about how he appreciated that the Jets’ mindset is still to go and win every game. There are no thoughts about tanking in the New York locker room, despite their 4-10 record. The best the Jets can hope, for now, is a 7-10 year. But with a tough final slate (vs. LAR, @ BUF, vs. MIA), even that might be wishful thinking.

Davante Adams has now contributed 49 receptions for 651 yards and five TDs in the eight games he’s played in the Big Apple. That means his performance against the Jags represented about 18 percent of his total Jets receptions, over 30 percent of his total receiving yards for the team, and 40 percent of his touchdowns.

The ATP Next Gen Finals has produced some of the finest talents in the sport, and one of them is Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard is about to complete three years of playing that memorable tournament in Milan, which he used as a launching pad to showcase his skills.

Alcaraz played one of his best matches in the 2021 edition against Brandon Nakashima of the United States. The Spaniard was leading 4-3, 3-0 when Nakashima upped the ante.

He started the rally with an impressive serve, then launched an all-out attack from the baseline. Alcaraz, for his part, withstood everything that came his way, displaying impressive defensive skills. Soon, he was able to turn defense into attack.

After hitting a powerful forehand, Alcaraz stepped forward, forcing Nakashima to respond with a forehand of his own. The Spanish youngster was in the position to return the shot, but the ball hit the net, forcing him to quickly switch positions. Despite struggling to keep his balance, Alcaraz instinctively used his one-handed backhand to gently nudge the ball to the other side of the net, which Nakashima was unable to intercept.

The stunned audience erupted in joy, unable to believe what they had seen. The now-four-time Grand Slam champion won that group match 4-3, 4-1, 4-3. In general, Alcaraz’s campaign was exceptional, as he defeated Holger Rune, Sebastian Baez, and, in the final, Sebastian Korda. These three players are now on the ATP Tour.

The 2021 tournament demonstrated the importance of the Next Gen Finals, providing talented young players with a chance to prove themselves in a high-pressure environment. They are required to beat opponents who had performed well throughout the season in events such as the ATP Challengers, ATP Futures, ITF events, and so on.

Next Gen Finals 2024: The line-up and other details

The favorite to win this year’s tournament in Jeddah is Arthur Fils. The Frenchman has had a breakout 2024 season, winning titles on clay in Hamburg and hard courts in Tokyo, an ATP 500 event.

Ranked No.20 in the world, Fils is knocking on the doors to win more ATP 500 and Masters 1000 titles. In his career, he has already defeated Alexander Zverev, Holger Rune, Alex de Minaur, Taylor Fritz, Ben Shelton, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini, and Ugo Humbert.

A talented group of players will challenge Fils at the Next Gen Finals 2024. It includes three young American stars – Alex Michelsen, Nishesh Basavareddy, and Learner Tien. Jakub Mensik of Czechia, Juncheng Shang of China, Frenchman Luca van Assche and Brazilian Joao Fonseca complete the list.

Michelsen, Mensik, Shang, and Fonseca are rising stars on the ATP Tour, and their success has not gone unnoticed. This could be the most competitive Next Gen Finals tournament in years. The event will take place from December 18 to 22, with Tennis Channel holding the broadcast rights.