Spinning Back Clique LIVE (noon ET): Dustin Poirier loses retirement bout vs. Max Holloway
Check out this week's "Spinning Back Clique," MMA Junkie's weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.
This week's panel of Brian "Goze" Garcia, Farah Hannoun and Danny Segura will join host "Gorgeous" George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:
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USA Today
13 minutes ago
- USA Today
Can 'South Park' take on Trump 2.0? They're walking a tightrope
This week's "South Park" premiere pulled no punches. The sharply sardonic series skewered President Donald Trump and a hefty settlement Paramount paid to him following a lawsuit over CBS' "60 Minutes." Paramount is the parent company of both CBS and Comedy Central, which airs "Park." Known for a no-holds-barred approach to comedy, "Park" (Wednesdays 10 ET/PT) has beckoned controversy for decades, to the delight of its viewers and the ire of its subjects. Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, it's part of a class of raunchy adult animation programs that burst onto the scene in the late '90s. It stands out among its peers, always deeply reflective and cynical about current events. 'South Park' creators 'apologize' for latest Trump episode: 'We're terribly sorry' Incorporating pointed criticism of Trump's second term as president into the show might offer a challenge for the writers, however, after a major merger between Paramount and Skydance Media received the green light from Trump's FCC. The merger puts "Park" under the stewardship of a company many assume will be aligned with the Trump administration. Skydance executives have made public statements suggesting they have similar opinions on DEI initiatives as Trump, for example. Skydance CEO David Ellison is the son of Larry Ellison, the billionaire chairman of Oracle, who has hosted a fundraiser for Trump on his property and donated to Republican-friendly super-PACs. Paramount too paid a $16 million settlement to Trump earlier this month, after the president sued the company for defamation over an interview "60 Minutes" ran with former political rival Vice President Kamala Harris. The company also recently announced the cancellation of CBS' "The Late Show," hosted by Stephen Colbert, a prominent Trump critic. Against that backdrop, "Park" seems to be sending a message to viewers that it has no plans to fall in line. The July 23rd episode, the first of the show's 27th season, depicted Trump literally getting into bed with Satan, his lover, using actual photos of the president crudely placed on an animated body. It's the same depiction that Saddam Hussein received in 1999's "Park" movie. The Satan character in the new episode even comments that Trump and Hussein are "exactly alike." White House: 'South Park' hasn't 'been relevant for over 20 years' after Trump parody Paramount itself also wasn't safe from the ire of Parker and Stone. The episode also features a pair of animated "60 Minutes" anchors covering protests as they nervously praise Trump and insist they don't agree with the protesters, intimating that they might be worried he will sue again. The administration responded in anger. "This show hasn't been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention," White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said in a statement provided to USA TODAY July 24. "President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country's history − and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump's hot streak." The day after the episode aired, the show's creators, onstage at a San Diego Comic-Con panel, seemed unfazed. "We're terribly sorry," Parker said with a sly grin, sitting next to next to Stone. Whether the pair will be able to maintain that "sorry not sorry" sentiment as the new season airs remains to be seen, though. Parker and Stone spoke at the Comic-Con panel about how they are making the episodes on the fly in response to the news of the day, and will likely poke at Trump again in the future. Under an administration increasingly intolerant of criticism (comedic or otherwise), "Park" finds itself in a difficult bind. The popularity of the show hinges on the very style of comedy that may enrage the Trump White House. To maintain a robust and loyal audience, Parker and Stone will likely need to continue making the politics of the day into punchlines. But to do that, thet may also need to defy the the sensibilities of their newly merged parent company. Wednesday's episode may provide an important clue, however: It hit the air the same day Paramount inked a five-year agreement for 50 new episodes of "Park." Contributing: Brendan Morrow, Brian Truitt, Kelly Lawler
USA Today
13 minutes ago
- USA Today
Live: UFC on ABC 9 preview with Farah Hannoun and Mike Bohn (2 p.m. ET)
ABU DHABI – It's fight week once again in the Middle East. MMA Junkie staff reporter Farah Hannoun is boots on the ground on Yas Island as UFC on ABC 9 takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena. In anticipation of the event headlined by Robert Whittaker vs. Reinier de Ridder, Hannoun will be joined by MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn on Friday at 2 p.m. ET to preview the event from top to bottom – and to answer your questions. Check out the live stream above and please submit your question. Farah and Mike would love to hear from you!
USA Today
42 minutes ago
- USA Today
UFC 319's Bryan Battle: 'I'm gonna wipe the floor' with Nursulton Ruziboev
Bryan Battle is back to middleweight again, for now. Battle (12-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) popped onto the UFC's scene as a middleweight on Season 29 of "The Ultimate Fighter," and fought his first two fights on the big stage in the weight class. He won his first two fights in the UFC at 185 pounds, but then switched to welterweight, where he made his last seven appearances, putting together a 5-1 record with one no contest. Now, Battle is moving back up, and his reason is pretty straightforward. It's not a permanent move either, but he'll be ready to answer the call for welterweight or middleweight fights in the future. "It was a matter of I wanted to fight, and this was the fastest way to get a fight," Battle told MMA Junkie. "I told my agent, 170, 185 – it's all the same to me. There's little tradeoffs in each direction, but big guys, smaller guys, it doesn't matter. I'm a fighter. I train to fight people. I train to whoop everyone's ass. That's what I'm excited to do this fight. Go out there and just remind everybody who 'The Butcher' is and what he does." Battle's middleweight return takes place at UFC 319 at the United Center in Chicago, where he will face Nursulton Ruziboev. The Uzbekistan-born fighter quickly turned heads with his finishing power when he entered the UFC in 2023, but Battle isn't worried about the challenge that lies ahead. "He's a big, aggressive guy," Battle said. "A lot of people, when they fight him, I guess because he's so ugly, it's easy for him to intimidate people. You know, big, scary, ugly foreign dude. I watched his tape. He seems like a tough guy. He seems like a game challenge, but nothing I'm too concerned about. I feel really good. I feel really locked in right now. I feel like I'm gonna wipe the floor with this guy. Whether it was someone who made welterweight before or if he was just a real middleweight, it doesn't f*cking matter. He's just the next person whose ass I'm gonna whoop." Ruziboev (36-9-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) has recorded three finishes in his four UFC victories. He's a finisher, but so is Battle, with five of his seven UFC wins coming before the final horn. "The Butcher" intends to tally another on Aug. 16 to be the first to finish Ruziboev in the UFC. "I won't want to reveal too much, but I see my opportunities," Battle said. "Maybe we'll get him out of there quick, maybe we gotta go to hell. The one thing I can confidently say, it's not gonna go to the judges' scorecards."
