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Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC champion Tom Aspinall is in a 'tough spot' vs. Ciryl Gane, says Din Thomas
Din Thomas thinks there's a massive amount of pressure on UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall. Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) waited for over a year for his title-unification bout with Jon Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) to materialize, but Jones eventually retired and relinquished the championship. As a result, Aspinall was promoted as undisputed champion and will meet Ciryl Gane in the UFC 321 headliner Oct. 25 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Thomas says Aspinall has to top Jones' performance against Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC), where he needed just over two minutes to submit him at UFC 285. "I have to assume this is a nerve-racking spot for Tom Aspinall because he talked himself into a position, and we've all talked him into a position, where he's the best guy," Thomas told MMA Junkie. "Jon dismissed him and dismissed him and dismissed him. Then Jon dispatched of Ciryl Gane. "So anything less than a first-round finish is going to be almost a disappointment for Tom Aspinall. Even a close win is going to be like, 'See, I told you, I beat that guy in seconds.' This is actually a pretty tough spot for Tom. If this fight had happened earlier it might be different, but this is a tough spot for Tom." With Jones already claiming he's out of retirement and wants to compete on next year's White House event, Thomas urges Aspinall to capitalize if he can get past Gane. "Fighters always think they're more important than they are," Thomas said. "We'll get to find out how important he really is. But a win here can really make him important. A big win against Ciryl Gane in Abu Dhabi and he grabs that mic, that's going to be the most important minute of his entire life. To be like, 'Yo, I just beat the guy that you beat, I beat him in two minutes and two seconds, and now I want to fight Jon Jones at the White House.' It's written. ...It doesn't matter if it happens or not. It doesn't matter. "But the idea of him saying that. Just attaching himself, further attaching himself, to the situation. Now there's no denying. Now what would Jon Jones' rebuttal be. Now he can't say anything. That's the biggest thing. Even if the fight doesn't happen and Tom Aspinall goes on his run. If I'm Tom Aspinall and Jon Jones dismisses me, I'm going on a run. I'm beating up Derrick Lewis. I'm going after Jailton Almeida. I'm going after all these guys and create my won lane. But to say that to Jon Jones would be the nail in the coffin to me to Jon Jones' rebuttals." This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC analyst says Tom Aspinall is in a 'tough spot' vs. Ciryl Gane
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings, July 28: Reinier de Ridder vaults into top 10
The UFC's latest trip to Abu Dhabi prompted a big move in the middleweight division. Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker faced Reinier de Ridder in the main event of UFC on ABC 9 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. It was a solid back-and-forth affair in which Whittaker arguably had the bigger moments of the fight. However, after 25 minutes of action, de Ridder edged out a split decision with dueling 48-47 scores. As a result, de Ridder enters the top 10 at middleweight in this week's rankings update, landing at No. 6 while Whittaker falls one spot to No. 7. Check out the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie rankings. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: MMA Junkie rankings, July 28: Reinier de Ridder vaults into top 10
Arab News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
‘I like it hot!': J. Lo sizzles with killer dancing in Abu Dhabi heat
Returning to Abu Dhabi after her stellar performance in February, Jennifer Lopez danced the night away at the Etihad Arena in Yas Island on Tuesday as a part of her 'Up All Night' world tour. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Performing iconic songs including 'On the Floor,' 'Ain't Your Mama' and 'Dance Again,' Lopez sizzled with her high energy and killer dance moves. Although I was disappointed 'Jenny From the Block' did not have its own moment to shine, Lopez still performed her 2002 hit single as a medley with Queen's 'We Will Rock You.' A post shared by Jennifer Lopez (@jlo) To celebrate her 56th year, she sang 'Birthday,' the single released on July 24, which was much appreciated by the crowd. The superstar thanked her fans and urged them to love one another and to pursue what they love. Lopez also joked about the UAE heat. 'I like it hot!' she said, fanning herself. With multiple outfit changes and quick intervals, the show switched from high energy songs to slow ballads and medleys. Lopez paid tribute to her Latin culture and performed some of her hit Spanish songs including 'Que Hiciste' and 'Si Una Vez.' She sang while dancing the flamenco in an outfit inspired by the traditional traje de flamenca, a dress traditionally worn by women at festivals in Andalusia, Spain. The hit singer is no stranger to the Gulf and turned heads in April at the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah. And last November she hit the stage at the '1001 Seasons of Elie Saab' event in Riyadh.
What's On
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- What's On
Michael Lives Forever is coming to Dubai this September
If you've ever wanted to see Michael Jackson live, this is the closest you're going to get. Rodrigo Teaser, one of the most acclaimed MJ tribute artists in the world, is bringing Michael Lives Forever to the Dubai Opera stage on Saturday, September 7. This isn't your average tribute act. We're talking full-scale production – iconic vocals, legendary dance moves, and stage presence that has even MJ's former choreographer calling it the real deal. The tracks you know by heart Expect to hear the tracks you grew up moonwalking to, Billie Jean , Thriller , Smooth Criminal , Beat It , Black or White – performed live and loud. Whether you know every lyric or just the hooks, this one will have you dancing all night. Who is Rodrigo Teaser? Not just a lookalike. Teaser is the only Latin American artist officially recognised by Sony Music as a Michael Jackson tribute performer. He's toured the world, performed with Jennifer Batten (MJ's longtime guitarist), and is now directed by Lavelle Smith Jr – yes, the same Lavelle who worked directly with Michael for years. The venue One of the city's most iconic venues, Dubai Opera is the perfect setting for this kind of show – theatre-level acoustics, comfy seating, and bang in the heart of Downtown. The details Location: Dubai Opera, Downtown Dubai Times: Saturday, September 7 | Show starts at 8pm Cost: Starting from Dhs295 Booking: Get your tickets via Contact: @dubaiopera More big names If you're planning your concert calendar, the UAE is stacked: Jennifer Lopez at Etihad Arena on July 29, Lil Baby on October 18, Elissa at Dubai Opera on November 3, Enrique Iglesias in November, and Katy Perry closing the year in December. > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
UFC analyst says Robert Whittaker's title days over after UFC on ABC 9 loss
Din Thomas was impressed with the fighting spirit of Robert Whittaker at UFC on ABC 9, but can't overlook the negative career impact of the result against Reiner de Ridder. Thomas was on-site Saturday in Abu Dhabi serving as the broadcast analyst when former middleweight champion Whittaker (26-9 MMA, 17-7 UFC) suffered a split decision loss to de Ridder (20-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) at Etihad Arena. It was a competitive battle with both men getting hurt at moments and fighting hard until the end, and two of three judges had it for the former two-division ONE Championship titleholder. At could've been a deflating moment for Whittaker, who lost consecutive fights for the first time since 2014. Instead, he only said he was "butt hurt" about what happened then left the octagon with no further excuses. And Thomas likes what he saw in that moment. "Even when the result was read and he lost, he still seemed to be in a good place," Thomas told MMA Junkie. "I like this for Robert Whittaker because he's not sour, he didn't seem like he was complaining and he wasn't pointing fingers at anybody. He knew what he was in with that fight and he knew it was a tough fight, he knew it wasn't a dominant performance so neither fighter could complain either way. "I was really impressed with Robert Whittaker his ability to withstand those hard times in the fight and have a lot of positivity left a lot of confidence in his ability to win. ... In the trenches in this fight, Robert Whittaker still seemed to be able to bounce back, and I liked that. I thought it was inspiring." Despite his commendable performance, results are almost always the ultimate dictator in the UFC, and now Whittaker's record shows four losses in his past seven fights, albeit to elite competition. At 34, Whittaker has logged more than four hours of total fight time during his run at 185 pounds. It's a crossroads moment going forward, and with the top of the division being as intruiging as ever, Thomas said it would be a good time for Whittaker to drop down in rankings and fight someone who will truly serve as a barometer. "I think you give him Roman Kopylov," Thomas said. "I think you give him Kopylov before you start feeding him to the guys. Before we say, 'We're done with you and we're going to start feeding you.' Because Kopylov is somewhere in the back of the rankings. You give him Kopylov to say, 'We're giving you No. 15 and if you win that we keep you up here. We'll keep you fighting these guys. But if you lose that, now you've got to fight the up-and-comers.'" Fighting up-and-comers is surely a far cry from what Whittaker wants to do, but Thomas said it's not an easy spot. "The Reaper" needs a victory to keep his head above water with the emerging contenders, but as far as the pre-fight plans he expressed to have a "fairytale end" to his career with UFC gold? Thomas said that seems like a long shot. "No, if I had to bet I wouldn't assume he gets there," Thomas said. "It's interesting though because he said he had a four-fight plan to get back to a title. Now it looks like it's going to take about four fights. With a win over RDR it would've of been less than four fights." To hear more from Thomas, check out his complete appearance on "The Bohnfire" podcast with MMA Junkie senior reporter Mike Bohn above. This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC analyst: Robert Whittaker's title days over after Abu Dhabi loss
