Latest news with #LastDance
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
‘That felt good' – Conor McGregor's brutal KO named as UFC star's favourite
DUSTIN POIRIER rides off into the sunset this weekend after a long and storied career. The former interim lightweight champion and fan favourite will bring the curtain down on his days as a mixed martial artist early on Sunday morning in the main event of UFC 318 in New Orleans. Advertisement 9 Dustin Poirier brings down the curtain on his mixed martial arts career this weekend Credit: GETTY 9 Poirier has faced a who's who at featherweight and lightweight over the years Credit: GETTY 9 Poirier won interim UFC gold in April 2019 Credit: GETTY 9 Poirier admits he'd love to relive the build-up to and the result of his rematch with Conor McGregor Credit: GETTY The beloved southpaw has never been one to sit back, smell the roses and reflect on his body work. But he finds himself doing just that ahead of the end of a bona fide Hall-of-Fame career. Despite never touching undisputed UFC gold, Poirier insists he wouldn't change a thing about his story. Advertisement READ MORE UFC NEWS But if he could, he would love to relive the build-up to what proved to be one of the most satisfying moments of his career - his stunning knockout of long-time rival Conor McGregor in January 2021. In an exclusive interview with SunSport, 'The Diamond' said: "It would have to be either the Max fight when I won the belt or that second Conor McGregor fight in Abu Dhabi. "Just because I felt like the odds were against me and it was COVID. I had to travel across the world. "You know, the guy [knocked me out] and I had to wait seven years for the rematch. Advertisement Most read in MMA JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 9 Dusin Poirier lost his first encounter with Conor McGregor in September 2014 Credit: SPORTSFILE 9 He got his revenge in January 2021 with a second-round KO of 'The Notorious' Credit: REUTERS "Just a lot went into that, so much media, so much hype. Advertisement "And to go out there and knock him out and. It was an incredible night, you know?" Watch as emotional Poirier struggles through interview after UFC 302 defeat to Makhachev as he hints at retirement As satisfying as it was to exact revenge on McGregor, "I mean, that felt good," he said. "But winning the belt was the best [feeling]." Poirier's retirement, which will see his 'Last Dance' be a trilogy fight with fellow fan favourite Max Holloway, comes when he's still very much at the peak of his powers. Advertisement But he'd rather call time on his career on his own terms than have retirement thrust upon him like so many before him. He said: "I've been fighting since I was 17 years old, so making this decision is tough. "But the decision was made because, you know, I have over 50 fights. I felt like the odds were against me." Dustin Poirier on his rematch with Conor McGregor "My wife's pregnant, I have a little girl at home. Advertisement "I've said this over and over again, 'I don't want this sport to retire me. "'I want to walk away from this sport.' "And if that's putting only great performances and fighting and beating the best guys in the world, that's the way I want it to be. 9 Dustin Poirier has shown he can still mix it with the elite in his last few fights Credit: GETTY Advertisement 9 But 'The Diamond' insists now is the right time for him to call time on his career Credit: GETTY 9 Poirier will close out his Hall of Fame career with a trilogy fight against Max Holloway Credit: Getty "I want to go out on top with stuff still left in the tank. "I don't want to empty myself out and leave this game broken and bruised for a paycheck. Advertisement "It's just time. I just feel like it's time, youu know. I've done a lot in the sport. "And I want to be healthy and be with my family. I've been doing this for a very long time."
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
‘That felt good' – Conor McGregor's brutal KO named as UFC star's favourite
DUSTIN POIRIER rides off into the sunset this weekend after a long and storied career. The former interim lightweight champion and fan favourite will bring the curtain down on his days as a mixed martial artist early on Sunday morning in the main event of UFC 318 in New Orleans. 9 Dustin Poirier brings down the curtain on his mixed martial arts career this weekend Credit: GETTY 9 Poirier has faced a who's who at featherweight and lightweight over the years Credit: GETTY 9 Poirier won interim UFC gold in April 2019 Credit: GETTY 9 Poirier admits he'd love to relive the build-up to and the result of his rematch with Conor McGregor Credit: GETTY Poirier will retire having fought a who's who at featherweight and lightweight and with a resume that aspiring fighters could only dream of having. The beloved southpaw has never been one to sit back, smell the roses and reflect on his body work. But he finds himself doing just that ahead of the end of a bona fide Hall-of-Fame career. Despite never touching undisputed UFC gold, Poirier insists he wouldn't change a thing about his story. READ MORE UFC NEWS HOUSE WINS Jon Jones makes major career decision and makes shock phone call to Dana White But if he could, he would love to relive the build-up to what proved to be one of the most satisfying moments of his career - his stunning knockout of long-time rival Conor McGregor in January 2021. In an exclusive interview with SunSport, 'The Diamond' said: "It would have to be either the Max fight when I won the belt or that second Conor McGregor fight in Abu Dhabi. "Just because I felt like the odds were against me and it was COVID. I had to travel across the world. "You know, the guy [knocked me out] and I had to wait seven years for the rematch. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 9 Dusin Poirier lost his first encounter with Conor McGregor in September 2014 Credit: SPORTSFILE 9 He got his revenge in January 2021 with a second-round KO of 'The Notorious' Credit: REUTERS "Just a lot went into that, so much media, so much hype. "And to go out there and knock him out and. It was an incredible night, you know?" Watch as emotional Poirier struggles through interview after UFC 302 defeat to Makhachev as he hints at retirement As satisfying as it was to exact revenge on McGregor, whom he beat a second straight time in July 2021, Poirier insists the feeling didn't come close to the one he had when Dana White wrapped the interim title around his waist in April 2019. "I mean, that felt good," he said. "But winning the belt was the best [feeling]." Poirier's retirement, which will see his 'Last Dance' be a trilogy fight with fellow fan favourite Max Holloway, comes when he's still very much at the peak of his powers. But he'd rather call time on his career on his own terms than have retirement thrust upon him like so many before him. He said: "I've been fighting since I was 17 years old, so making this decision is tough. "But the decision was made because, you know, I have over 50 fights. I felt like the odds were against me." Dustin Poirier on his rematch with Conor McGregor "My wife's pregnant, I have a little girl at home. "I've said this over and over again, 'I don't want this sport to retire me. "'I want to walk away from this sport.' "And if that's putting only great performances and fighting and beating the best guys in the world, that's the way I want it to be. 9 Dustin Poirier has shown he can still mix it with the elite in his last few fights Credit: GETTY 9 But 'The Diamond' insists now is the right time for him to call time on his career Credit: GETTY 9 Poirier will close out his Hall of Fame career with a trilogy fight against Max Holloway Credit: Getty "I want to go out on top with stuff still left in the tank. "I don't want to empty myself out and leave this game broken and bruised for a paycheck. "It's just time. I just feel like it's time, youu know. I've done a lot in the sport. "And I want to be healthy and be with my family. I've been doing this for a very long time."
The Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
‘That felt good' – Conor McGregor's brutal KO named as UFC star's favourite
DUSTIN POIRIER rides off into the sunset this weekend after a long and storied career. The former interim lightweight champion and fan favourite will bring the curtain down on his days as a mixed martial artist early on Sunday morning in the main event of UFC 318 in New Orleans. 9 9 9 9 Poirier will retire having fought a who's who at featherweight and lightweight and with a resume that aspiring fighters could only dream of having. The beloved southpaw has never been one to sit back, smell the roses and reflect on his body work. But he finds himself doing just that ahead of the end of a bona fide Hall-of-Fame career. Despite never touching undisputed UFC gold, Poirier insists he wouldn't change a thing about his story. But if he could, he would love to relive the build-up to what proved to be one of the most satisfying moments of his career - his stunning knockout of long-time rival Conor McGregor in January 2021. In an exclusive interview with SunSport, 'The Diamond' said: "It would have to be either the Max fight when I won the belt or that second Conor McGregor fight in Abu Dhabi. "Just because I felt like the odds were against me and it was COVID. I had to travel across the world. "You know, the guy [knocked me out] and I had to wait seven years for the rematch. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 9 9 "Just a lot went into that, so much media, so much hype. "And to go out there and knock him out and. It was an incredible night, you know?" As satisfying as it was to exact revenge on McGregor, whom he beat a second straight time in July 2021, Poirier insists the feeling didn't come close to the one he had when Dana White wrapped the interim title around his waist in April 2019. "I mean, that felt good," he said. "But winning the belt was the best [feeling]." Poirier's retirement, which will see his 'Last Dance' be a trilogy fight with fellow fan favourite Max Holloway, comes when he's still very much at the peak of his powers. But he'd rather call time on his career on his own terms than have retirement thrust upon him like so many before him. He said: "I've been fighting since I was 17 years old, so making this decision is tough. "But the decision was made because, you know, I have over 50 fights. I felt like the odds were against me." Dustin Poirier on his rematch with Conor McGregor "My wife's pregnant, I have a little girl at home. "I've said this over and over again, 'I don't want this sport to retire me. "'I want to walk away from this sport.' "And if that's putting only great performances and fighting and beating the best guys in the world, that's the way I want it to be. 9 9 9 "I want to go out on top with stuff still left in the tank. "I don't want to empty myself out and leave this game broken and bruised for a paycheck. "It's just time. I just feel like it's time, youu know. I've done a lot in the sport. "And I want to be healthy and be with my family. I've been doing this for a very long time."
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
LeBron James landing spots: Which 4 teams inquired about Lakers trade?
It's one of the more intriguing stories of the 2025 NBA offseason: after LeBron James exercised his $52.6 million player option last month, a statement from agent Rich Paul about how James wanted to play for a contender ignited all kinds of trade rumors. And now, there's one more to add to the pile. Per ESPN's Dave McMenamin, four teams have inquired into a trade involving James since that statement dropped. Which teams were they? That's the part we have no idea about. But we decided it's a good time to speculate and figure out who picked up the phone inquiring about getting James in for a title run. Let's run through four candidates that are TOTAL SPECULATION as the LeBron trade rumors swirl. New York Knicks There's been some chatter about this franchise perhaps having interest in LeBron, and it makes a little bit of sense -- the team is a contender, a trade might be possible and could give the Lakers a pretty good return ... but it feels too soon to blow up the core of a team that was this close in 2024-25. We'll see. But I think Leon Rose at least picked up the phone. Cleveland Cavaliers It's the perfect end to James's career: where it all started. He's an Ohio native, he was drafted there, he eventually won a title for the Cavs ... and now they look like a favorite in the East that might need one more player to push them over the edge. Storybook! Their front office has to be on the list, right? Golden State Warriors The Steph Curry and Draymond Green core is approaching Last Dance territory ... and we've always wanted to see Steph and Bron play in the NBA together. Maybe there's a trade to be had and LeBron wouldn't have to leave California. It would make sense if they at least inquired. Los Angeles Clippers This is my total out there guess. With Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac and James Harden, they're a dark horse in the West. Adding John Collins in a trade and Brook Lopez means they've got an intriguing roster. What if the pitch here is: "Hey, LeBron: you don't even have to move houses?" I'd say it's worth at least a phone call.
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"He calls me an a–hole and says I hate him" - Isiah Thomas opens up about feeling unfairly vilified by Michael Jordan's version of history
"He calls me an a–hole and says I hate him" - Isiah Thomas opens up about feeling unfairly vilified by Michael Jordan's version of history originally appeared on Basketball Network. When "The Last Dance" dropped in April 2020, it did more than revive old highlights. It reopened wounds. Advertisement For Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas, those 10 episodes were a nostalgic look back at the dynasty of the '90s Chicago Bulls and became a moment of public re-litigation. But Thomas wasn't prepared for the kind of portrayal he found himself receiving from a man who had once shared the same hardwood. This wasn't just another basketball docuseries. This was the definitive cultural canonization of Michael Jordan. Like many others, Thomas had spent hours sitting down with producers, offering what he thought would be part of a broader look at the era. Last Dance portrayal By the time The Last Dance reached the public, the world was locked indoors, sports were suspended and Jordan's voice had the floor all to himself. Advertisement Viewers anticipated behind-the-scenes insight into one of the most dominant teams in basketball history. Zeke, like many others from that time, expected to see history remembered with some balance. But the narrative, as it aired, left him deeply unsettled. "Forgive me when I say this, but I watch a whole documentary about [Jordan] being an a—hole and he calls me an a—hole and says I hate him," Thomas said. "[Hate] is a big word. Ain't nobody said that about me, a former player, current player, ain't nobody ever said I hate him." The two-time champ was by no means wasn't a saint. The tension between him and Jordan wasn't manufactured by the camera. It was real, raw and decades old. Their rivalry reached a boiling point in the 1991 Eastern Conference finals, when Thomas and the Detroit Pistons famously walked off the court without shaking hands after being swept by the Bulls. The moment became mythologized, a permanent ink stain on their dynamic. But what The Last Dance seemed to imply was deeper than Thomas was part rival and part villain. Advertisement Still, Thomas wasn't naive to how he and his Bad Boy Pistons were seen. Those late-'80s and early-'90s Detroit teams led by him and coach Chuck Daly made their name on grit and elbows, playing with a level of physicality that blurred the line between strategy and outright intimidation. From their bruising style to controversial moments, like the famous Jordan Rules used to wear down Jordan, the Pistons embraced their role as basketball's disruptors. But Thomas, a 12-time NBA All-Star and two-time champion, believed his contributions deserved better than a hit piece cloaked in nostalgia. Related: Donovan Mitchell hints about his long-term plans with the Cavaliers after being judged for leaving Utah: "Just being able to call a place home and be there' Thomas' rift If the documentary was supposed to settle the score, it only complicated things. Thomas recounted how Jordan didn't reach out after the episodes aired to soothe the sting. Advertisement "My phone starts ringing," Thomas said. "[Jordan's] former teammates, his inner circle [call me and say], 'Michael didn't mean that, he didn't come off the right way,' so forth and so on. Okay. I never hear from Michael. Now I'm hearing from everybody around him and now every interview I do, including this one, I have to answer the Michael Jordan question." Zeke wasn't simply responding to a slight; he was reckoning with how history was being written. That's the power of the lens, of course. A man can spend his whole career shaping moments, but in the editing room, even legends lose control. Jordan's version of events became the final cut and for Thomas, that meant his name kept coming up not for what he did on the court, but for how he was framed in someone else's story. Thomas ranks among the most accomplished point guards the game has ever seen. He averaged 19.2 points and 9.3 assists over his 13-year NBA career, all with the Pistons. He led Detroit to back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990 and was named Finals MVP during their first title run. But instead of celebrating that history, he found himself locked in an eternal back-and-forth with a narrative that wouldn't let him go. Advertisement However, the tension between Thomas and Jordan doesn't start with the documentary. It dates back to 1992, when Thomas was left off the original Dream Team — a snub many still believe MJ orchestrated behind the scenes. That exclusion was never just about basketball. And when The Last Dance aired nearly three decades later, it tore that scar wide open for a new generation of fans, most of whom had no idea there was another side to the story. Related: "I am happy for them, but it doesn't trickle down to me" - Michael Jordan on how his 1995 return affected the stock market for over $2 billion This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 3, 2025, where it first appeared.
