Tag Archives: knockout

Sports

Jake Paul explains why Tyron Woodley has a clause in his contract for a $500,000 knockout bonus

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Jake Paul has dispelled a lot of rumors about himself over the years but the latest one involving his boxing career actually got under his skin.

While he always understood there would be criticism aimed at him for his professional fighting career, Paul hated that he actually had to answer questions about the legitimacy of the results whenever he stepped in the ring.

The latest controversy surrounded a supposed clause in his opponents’ contract that stated they were not allowed to knock Paul out during the fight. How that would even be possible remains a mystery but Paul fired back at those claims by upping the ante in his rematch against Tyron Woodley by offering the former UFC champion an extra $500,000 bonus if he could win their upcoming rematch by knockout or TKO.

“There’s rumors going around that everyone sort of has come to believe that my fights are rigged or I don’t allow my opponents to knock me out in the contract,” Paul addressed when appearing on The MMA Hour. “It’s just not true. It’s completely bullsh*t.

“Of course all these people are going to do is try to discredit me. Because when you’re at the top, that’s what happens. I just want to nip the rumors in the [bud] and give my opponent — contractually, I’m giving Tyron an extra $500,000 if he can knock me out. It just nips the rumors in the [bud] and shows people that all of my fights have been real, are real and will continue to be real.”

As a social influencer who came to fame through YouTube videos, Paul relished being an internet troll at times so he was always going to have detractors when it came to his boxing career.

Conspiracy theories are nothing new but Paul is quick to point out the severe ramifications that would fall upon his head if he actually tried to influence the result of any of his fights.

“It’s illegal to rig a fight or to stage a fight,” Paul said. “It’s illegal to have things like that because it’s fraud. There’s outcomes. You can’t change the outcomes of a professionally sanctioned bout. It’s illegal. You would end up in jail. The fact that people would say that, we just wanted to squash the rumors.”

The origin behind the rumor that Paul made his opponents promise not to knock him out may have actually started with Bellator fighter Dillon Danis, who might just be the biggest troll in all of combat sports these days.

Danis once perpetuated that story during his own appearance on The MMA Hour as he jabbed at Paul in an attempt to land a boxing match against him.

When Tommy Fury dropped out of their scheduled fight on Dec. 18, Paul admits for a brief moment he thought about Danis as a potential opponent but he lost interest in that idea rather quickly.

“He was always in the back of my mind,” Paul said about the grappler turned MMA fighter. “It would just be fun.

“But again, he’s a fat pig right now saying sh*t. lunatic, in jail, doing whatever, causing ruckuses. I would love to knock him out but I think that one’s going to happen in the streets, not in the ring.”

As for the fight he’s actually got in front of him, Paul may have offered Woodley an extra $500,000 for a knockout but he has no intentions of losing much less being separated from consciousness.

Instead, Paul hopes to rectify his split decision win over Woodley from September by putting “The Chosen One” to sleep in the rematch.

“The motivation is to prove to everybody that I can knock out Tyron,” Paul said. “It wasn’t a split decision last time and I’m going to finish it and not leave it up to the judges and we’ll go on from there.”

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Sports

Manchester City defeat Paris Saint-Germain as both teams qualify for Champions League knockout stages

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Having been on the back foot throughout the first half, PSG took the lead at the start of the second period when Lionel Messi’s deflected cross was finished by Kylian Mbappe.

But the lead lasted little more than 10 minutes as City equalized through Raheem Sterling’s poked shot from close range — just reward for City, which had dominated possession for most of the match.

And with 15 minutes remaining, Gabriel Jesus grabbed the winner for the home side after he was teed up by Bernardo Silva inside the PSG box.

RB Leipzig’s 5-0 win against Club Brugge in the group’s other game means that both PSG and City go through to the knockout stages.

READ: Bayern stars Joshua Kimmich and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting test positive for Covid-19 as club grapples with virus

The entertaining contest in Manchester — which pitted two of the Champions League’s best sides against each other, both of whom reached the final of the competition in the past two seasons — came to life in the second half after City had controlled the first 45 minutes.

Pep Guardiola’s side could have taken the lead in the game’s opening minutes, but Rodri’s header was cleared off the line by Presnel Kimpembe.

Then midway through the first half, Man City had further chances as Ilkay Gundogan’s powerful shot rattled off the post and Riyad Mahrez had an attempt saved by PSG goalkeeper Keylor Navas.

PSG had few chances and was suffocated by City’s passing and high press, but with Messi, Mbappe and Neymar in attack, a breakaway goal always seemed a possibility.

That’s exactly what happened at the start of the second half when Messi broke down the left and crossed to Mbappe, who slid a shot through the legs of Ederson to give PSG the lead with his ninth goal of the season.

READ: Barcelona’s UCL hopes on a knife edge, but club may have found new star in Yusuf Demir

Man City continued to attack the PSG goal and hit back through Sterling after Kyle Walker’s cross went past Jesus and found the England forward at the back post.

Neymar had a golden opportunity to give PSG the lead on 73 minutes after a slaloming run through the Man City defense, but he pushed his shot wide.

It proved a costly miss, as moments later City took the lead through Jesus’ goal, handing his side a deserved victory.

The result means City has 12 points and is guaranteed to finish top of the group with PSG on eight points.

“We’re very happy — very happy with the three points, very happy because we qualified first in the group, which is very important for us, and very happy as well because our fans deserved a good performance and a good win,” Silva told BT Sport after the match.

Buildup to the game had been dominated by speculation linking PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino with City’s rival Manchester United, which parted ways with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the weekend.

But Pochettino, whose contract with PSG runs until 2023, declined to get drawn into the rumors.

“We cannot talk about that (because of) my respect to my club, to Paris Saint-Germain, my respect to another club. What another club are doing in that moment is not my business, is not my problem,” he told reporters ahead of the game.

“I need to be focused on Paris Saint-Germain. I’m not going to make the mistake to talk … I am so happy at Paris Saint-Germain and I am focused on trying to give my best like I’m doing.”

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Sports

Scott Coker wowed by Fedor Emelianenko knockout win at Bellator 269: ‘It’s like time just stopped for him’

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Scott Coker and Bellator were treated to a vintage performance from Fedor Emelianenko in Russia.

Following Emelianenko’s thrilling first-round knockout of Timothy Johnson in the main event of Bellator 269 on Saturday in Moscow, Coker spoke to the media and couldn’t help but wax poetic when asked to appraise the latest highlight from “The Last Emperor.”

“That was really special,” Coker said at the event’s post-fight virtual media scrum. “I’ve been in the fight game a long time and for him to really deliver in his hometown in front of all of his fans, it was really fun to watch. It was a real special night and like I said, being a promoter for so long there’s a few times that just capture that moment in time and really this was that night.

“I was like, wow, at 45 he can still bring it. He threw combinations at Tim that I haven’t seen for a little while, honestly. I think the pressure of him being at home really helped him. When I saw him yesterday he seemed so focused and I think a lot of it was riding on the line for him. He’s here and he’s proud to be here, all his people here, it was just an amazing night. Wow. Unbelievable.”

Flanked by Bellator Europe executive David Green, American Kickboxing Academy head coach Javier Mendez, and former UFC lightweight king Khabib Nurmagomedov, Coker was in awe of Emelianenko’s performance. It took Emelianenko just 1:46 to find Johnson’s chin and put him down for the count.

Coker agreed that it looked like Fedor, who turned 45 in September, still has plenty left in the gas tank.

“I can’t remember the last time Tim was knocked out or if he’s ever been knocked out like that,” Coker said. “Fedor, he threw some combinations at Tim that I was like, man, his hand speed is still there. His twitch speed is still there. He proved it. He proved to me he’s still the greatest of all time.

“I was sitting around David Green, and Javier Mendez, and Khabib, and we were just talking about how, ‘Jesus. Unbelievable at 45 he can still bring it like that.’ It’s unbelievable, it’s like time just stopped for him.”

Emelianenko’s 40th win and 47th pro bout was the second-last on his current contract and possibly his career, though neither he nor Bellator have made any concrete statements about when he might fight next and if that will truly be the last time he competes.

It remains possible that Emelianenko could receive one more crack at the Bellator heavyweight title, which is currently held by Ryan Bader. The two previously fought in the finals of the Bellator Heavyweight World Grand Prix in January 2019 for a vacant heavyweight title, with Bader winning by knockout in just 35 seconds.

“I’ll tell you, I haven’t talked to Fedor about it,” Coker said when asked about the promotion’s plans for Emelianenko. “I just want to enjoy this moment and I think he just wants to enjoy this moment. So talk to us in maybe two or three weeks and we’ll have an answer for you.”

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Science

Epic images from China’s space station deliver knockout views of the Earth

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Lights sparkle below in this sweeping view of Earth, space and stars taken from the Tianhe module of China’s space station.


Tang Hongbo/China Manned Space Agency

It’s been a busy year for China in space. The country has landed a rover on Mars, launched a key module of a new space station into orbit and sent astronauts up for a visit. Those astronauts — known as taikonauts — have now gifted us with some seriously stunning views from above.

Taikonauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo are currently on their way back to Earth after a three-month stay. The China Manned Space Agency has released a series of photos over the last few weeks showing what Earth looks like from the station’s windows. 

Tianhe is the core module of the station, which is coming along in its 18-month construction schedule. The station is expected to be completed by late 2022. 

The Tianhe module’s solar array makes a cameo appearance in this view over Earth that shows part of South Africa.


Tang Hongbo/China Manned Space Agency

The views out the window are spectacular, but we also got a photo that includes a Tianhe window, which looks a lot like a porthole on a ship.

This porthole-like window gives China’s taikonauts a view of the planet below.


Tang Hongbo/China Manned Space Agency

Hongbo shared a look at his bedroom on board Tianhe, which helps to put the size of the window into perspective. Notice how the bed can be closed up like a sleeping bag. That’s so the taikonauts can stay put and not float off in microgravity while they’re snoozing.

Taikonaut Tang Hongbo snapped this view of his bedroom on board the Tianhe core module of China’s space station.


Tang Hongbo/China Manned Space Agency

The core module is home base in space for the taikonauts. It will get an expansion with the eventual addition of two more modules designed to host research and experiments.

Between China’s space station, the International Space Station and now SpaceX’s all-private Inspiration4 mission, we’re experiencing a welcome outpouring of outstanding photography from orbit. Keep it coming, astronauts, cosmonauts and taikonauts!



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Science

Epic images from China’s space station deliver knockout views of the Earth

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Lights sparkle below in this sweeping view of Earth, space and stars taken from the Tianhe module of China’s space station.


Tang Hongbo/China Manned Space Agency

It’s been a busy year for China in space. The country has landed a rover on Mars, launched a key module of a new space station into orbit and sent astronauts up for a visit. Those astronauts — known as taikonauts — have now gifted us with some seriously stunning views from above.

Taikonauts Nie Haisheng, Liu Boming and Tang Hongbo are currently on their way back to Earth after a three-month stay. The China Manned Space Agency has released a series of photos over the last few weeks showing what Earth looks like from the station’s windows. 

Tianhe is the core module of the station, which is coming along in its 18-month construction schedule. The station is expected to be completed by late 2022. 

The Tianhe module’s solar array makes a cameo appearance in this view over Earth that shows part of South Africa.


Tang Hongbo/China Manned Space Agency

The views out the window are spectacular, but we also got a photo that includes a Tianhe window, which looks a lot like a porthole on a ship.

This porthole-like window gives China’s taikonauts a view of the planet below.


Tang Hongbo/China Manned Space Agency

Hongbo shared a look at his bedroom on board Tianhe, which helps to put the size of the window into perspective. Notice how the bed can be closed up like a sleeping bag. That’s so the taikonauts can stay put and not float off in microgravity while they’re snoozing.

Taikonaut Tang Hongbo snapped this view of his bedroom on board the Tianhe core module of China’s space station.


Tang Hongbo/China Manned Space Agency

The core module is home base in space for the taikonauts. It will get an expansion with the eventual addition of two more modules designed to host research and experiments.

Between China’s space station, the International Space Station and now SpaceX’s all-private Inspiration4 mission, we’re experiencing a welcome outpouring of outstanding photography from orbit. Keep it coming, astronauts, cosmonauts and taikonauts!



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Science

New domed window to give SpaceX Dragon astronauts knockout view of Earth

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Inspiration4 mission commander Jared Isaacman poses inside the Crew Dragon cupola window.


Inspiration4

Astronauts talk lovingly about seeing Earth from space for the first time and about how profoundly emotional the experience can be. A crew of “everyday people” astronauts set to launch on SpaceX’s Inspiration4 mission later this month will get quite a visual treat thanks to a new viewing window.

The Inspiration4 mission isn’t visiting the International Space Station, so it didn’t need the docking mechanism on the nose cone that a NASA mission would require. That left room for a fishbowl-like viewing window called a cupola. 

The Inspiration4 Twitter account shared a look at what the new cupola looks like: “The crew visited the flight-hardware cupola in California before it was shipped to Florida for integration with Dragon Resilience.”

Billionaire Shift4 Payments founder Jared Isaacman is funding and commanding the mission, which also includes childhood cancer survivor Hayley Arceneaux, aerospace industry professional Chris Sembroski and geoscientist Sian Proctor. Inspiration4 is billed as “the world’s first all-civilian mission to orbit.”

SpaceX had previously shared a rendered view of what the dome window would look like on Crew Dragon. In March, SpaceX founder Elon Musk described it as “probably most ‘in space’ you could possibly feel by being in a glass dome.”

This is what the viewing dome should look like on Dragon.


SpaceX

SpaceX is targeting Sept. 15 to launch the cupola-equipped Crew Dragon Resilience on a Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The journey is set to last three days. Inspiration4 has also been dedicated to raising funds for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.  

The civilian mission will mark a new milestone in space tourism. Unlike the recent Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin billionaires-in-space events, Dragon is scheduled to carry its crew into orbit. They’ll have quite a window on the world.

Follow CNET’s 2021 Space Calendar to stay up to date with all the latest space news this year. You can even add it to your own Google Calendar.      



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Sports

Bas Rutten weighs in on Joe Schilling bar knockout, fighting civilians

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Bas Rutten has been a few street fights. From what he remembers, 35 of them took place in a bar, give or take.

When you’re a bouncer like Rutten was, it came with the territory. In his case, it even made him famous. His bar self-defense tutorial at a crusty watering hole became the stuff of internet legend.

So where does “El Guapo” stand on the kind of violence seen in a now-viral video featuring Joe Schilling? The short answer is, conflicted.

When the Bellator veteran posted thank-you messages he’d allegedly received from the man’s ex-girlfriends, Rutten felt a sort of justice had been delivered (MMA Fighting was not able to verify the authenticity of the text messages Schilling posted). Then again, it was a justice that didn’t necessarily need to take place, given the relative experience of its combatants.

“In the beginning you go, was the guy really provoking him?” Rutten, who serves as a commentator for the CBS Sports debut of Karate Combat, told MMA Fighting. “But the messages [Schilling, allegedly] got from his ex-wife, apparently, he was a violent guy. It looked like, yeah, why would he hit him? But apparently, he was saying really bad stuff, and he had done it in the past with his ladies. So he kind of deserved it, I guess.”

The man, Justin Balboa, has already lawyered up and plans to press charges after learning about Schilling’s profession through internet reports. Police say he’ll have to convince the state attorney’s office to pursue a misdemeanor battery charge written up from his report to officers. A civil suit is likely to be filed against the bar where he was knocked out.

Absent the additional information about Balboa, Rutten wouldn’t agree with Schilling’s approach. There is a different standard for professional fighters when it comes to using their skills in public, even when that public is hostile and possibly aggressive.

“For me, I don’t, not against a civilian,” he said. “In that situation, I wouldn’t have done it. I’m happy that it came out that he used to beat his exes, because I personally wouldn’t have done it. With me, they’re going to have to throw the first punch. Otherwise, I don’t do anything. And most of the time when I see they’re drunk, I’m not even going to fight. I might, if he really…put him in a choke. Just choke him out, put him on his side, call the cops.

“But listen, I’ve been drunk a lot in my life also. I don’t like to be the person – this guy knew what he was doing, obviously, what he was doing. But if somebody’s really drunk, why would I bash his face in? The next day he wakes up and doesn’t remember what happened. Yeah, I’m not into that.”

Rutten has given viewers around the world plenty of instruction on how to come out ahead should one find themselves in the middle of a fight at a bar. He’s shot plenty of videos since that famous one about what to do when – and more importantly, way before – fists start flying. His glee in describing headbutts and finger-breaking and counter-punching is apparent. But it’s always the other guy who starts it.

When Rutten was traipsing around the world, not looking for a fight but not exactly backing away from one, it was long before the time of social media. As Schilling might attest, that’s where the trouble really starts.



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Sports

Jake Paul destroys Ben Askren in first-round knockout

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Jake Paul wasn’t facing Nate Robinson this time, but a decorated MMA fighter, and the result was the same.

Paul, a YouTube sensation, knocked out Ben Askren in the first round of their Saturday night pay-per-view cruiserweight bout at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta with a straight right hand to the head.

The Triller Fight Club event was televised on FITE.tv for $49.99, and the main-event bout lasted less than two minutes.

The stoppage was questionable. Askren, 36, wanted to continue, but referee Brian Stutts said he was not in the shape to fight and it was stopped at the 1:59 mark.

Askren — who has a 19-2-0 (one no contest) record in UFC — didn’t seem crushed after the loss. He was shown walking backstage smiling after the fight, and apparently was in good spirits after making $500,000 in disclosed pay for the bout, according to CBS Sports.

The 24-year-old Paul — a social media influencer who insists he’s a real boxer — hasn’t fought a professional yet, but this was his first victory over a pro fighter. He is now 3-0 with three knockouts with previous wins over Robinson and AnEsonGib, a fellow YouTuber.

Jake Paul celebrates after his first-round knockout win over Ben Askren.
Getty Images for Triller

“This is the craziest moment of my life,” said Paul, who did pushups in the ring after the win. “I told y’all I was going to do it in the first round. I told y’all I’m a real fighter. I don’t know how many times I got to prove myself that this is for real.

“It’s been four months, I’ve been in training camp every day. I deserve this s–t. I don’t know how many times I have to prove myself that this is for real.

Paul, a showman who took a stunner from Kevin Owens in a WrestleMania 37 match last week, doesn’t have these top fighters quaking in their boots, judging by their reactions on Twitter.

Nate Robinson, who was panned for taking his fight with Paul, now actually has bragging rights for lasting the longest in the ring against the YouTube star. The former Knick and NBA slam-dunk champion was knocked out in the second round in their Nov. 28 bout.



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Sports

Derrick Lewis explains extra punches after Curtis Blaydes knockout: ‘That’s not my fault, that’s Herb Dean’s fault’

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Derrick Lewis finished Curtis Blaydes in the UFC Vegas 19 main event with one of the most vicious uppercuts in the history of the promotion. But he also landed a couple of extra punches afterward.

Blaydes was already unconscious from the initial impact of the punch as Lewis stuffed a takedown attempt with his fist. But the fight wasn’t over just yet – Lewis jumped down to land two more shots before referee Herb Dean was able to rush into stop the fight with the end coming at the 1:26 mark of the second round.

Afterward, Lewis was shouting at Blaydes’ corner, but it turns out the verbal exchange had nothing to do with any kind of ill feelings or personal grudge being settled in the cage.

“Because his corner, his coaches was talking about, ‘That was bullsh*t.’ I was saying that’s not my fault, that’s Herb Dean’s fault,” Lewis said at the UFC Vegas 19 post-fight press conference.

“I’m going to keep fighting until the referee pulls you off. That’s with anyone. Same thing could happen to me. I’m going to just keep fighting until the referee says stop.”

While there are a long list of highlights that feature one-punch walk off knockouts, Lewis promises that’s never going to be him because he’s just not built that way.

His argument comes from the instructions issued to athletes prior to the event where they are told to continue fighting until the referee tells them to stop. Lewis said that’s what he is always going to do even if it appears his opponent is clearly not mounting a comeback.

“I can’t just turn the switch off just like that,” Lewis said. “I know some fighters could do that, but I can’t do that. I’ve got to wait until the referee pulls you off them, cause you never know what happens. Anything can happen.

“He could turn into ‘Undertaker’ and sit straight up and eat all those shots. You never know. You’ve got to keep going until the referee says chill out.”

The finish also tied Lewis for the most knockouts in UFC history alongside former champion Vitor Belfort with 12 overall.

Entering the record books was the least of his concerns when the fight started as Lewis explained that he felt sluggish during the opening round and he was struggling to get going.

“I couldn’t wake up in there really,” Lewis said. “Like the whole time in the back, the walk to the octagon, the first and second round, my body couldn’t just wake up. I don’t know why. I just didn’t have it today, the energy that I needed to have. I wanted to be more explosive in the first but I couldn’t just pull the trigger.

“But all I was waiting on was just for him to shoot. I didn’t care about anything else. I was just waiting on him to shoot. Throw the uppercut or knee. We knew it was coming.”

Prior to the takedown attempt that led to the knockout, Lewis saw Blaydes starting to find more confidence in his striking, and that only fueled his desire for the finish that much more.

“At the end of the first round I’m like, ‘He’s messing up,’” Lewis said. “That’s what I was saying in my head. His coach was trying to pump his head up – ‘Good, you’re doing good’ –and I’m like all right, keep playing that game. That’s what I was saying to myself.

“Then the second round came and I figured he was going to come out and stand up a little bit, then he was going to try to shoot. I just had to be patient.”

The game plan worked perfectly as Lewis was just waiting for Blaydes to finally make his move, and that’s when he dropped the bomb that ended the fight.

“That’s what we’ve been drilling all month,” Lewis said about his uppercut. “Really 12 weeks, really, trying to get prepared for this guy.”

It obviously paid off as Lewis built his winning streak to four overall while adding Blaydes to the long list of fighters who made the mistake of testing the power of “The Black Beast.”

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