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The Citizen
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
‘Muvhango' axed by SABC 2 less than a year after relaunch
The final broadcast of Muvhango will be on 8 August, just three days after it was relaunched a year ago. Described as a rebirth of sorts, the new version of the longstanding soapie Muvhango has fallen flat and will be replaced just nine months after its launch. 'It has been a privilege and an honour to create moments on Television where the marginalised languages were at the centre of them all,' said creator and executive producer of the show, Duma Ndlovu in a statement on Wednesday. Muvhango made its debut in 1997 and remains one of South Africa's iconic shows. 'Muvhango gave an opportunity to an ignored language that has become one of the most celebrated languages in South Africa now,' said Ndlovu. The show was South Africa's first Tshivenda-language soapie and quickly became a cultural cornerstone of local television. The final broadcast of Muvhango will be on 8 August, just three days after it was relaunched a year ago. ALSO READ: 'Fancier, fashionable and bold': New season of 'Muvhango' premieres this Monday Muvhango's failed attempt Speaking at the relaunch of the soapie in June last year, Ndlovu said he and his team had listened to what the viewers wanted for the new version of the TV show. 'The growth and development of Muvhango have always been us responding to what the viewers were saying,' Ndlovu said at the time. 'What you're going to be seeing this season is probably the most dramatic change and growth that you've ever seen. Our viewers demanded we go fancier, younger, more fashionista, and bolder. 'They wanted us to continue telling stories. They didn't want us to lose the DNA of the show, but they wanted us to jazz things up. So, we have a new logo, we have a new title sequence, and we think you're going to love it,' he said. Contrary to Ndlovu's prediction, the viewers didn't gravitate toward the 'jazzed-up' Muvhango. By the end of 2024, the soapie had attracted just more than 900 000 viewers —a massive drop from the millions of onlookers it had attracted in its prime. ALSO READ: Presley Chweneyagae: 'He was every mother's son, every girl's funny lover, and everyone's best friend' SABC hires Bakwena Productions The SABC's CEO, Nomsa Chabeli, confirmed that a replacement for Muvhango is underway. 'Come August, we are launching a new telenovela called Pimville on SABC2, and based on that, we will be really driving that audience share back to SABC2,' said Chabeli, speaking to TV With Thinus. 'We're working hard to ensure that the script is relevant for the audiences and that the storyline is going to be effectively doing what we need it to do,' Nomsa Chabeli says. The move to hire Bakwena Productions was questioned by the South African Background Actors Guild (SABAG). In an open letter in April, SABAG Chairperson Louis Setabole criticised the move. 'In 2024, Bakwena Productions produced Pound 4 Pound but failed to make timely payments. Payments were only processed three months after the project concluded, and even then, some individuals received partial payment,' read the open letter shared on social media. Bakwena Productions is behind productions such as the film Ingoma – The Song, available on Netflix, and the Losing Lerato films, among others. 'This matter has been publicly addressed, and it is deeply concerning that the SABC would choose to commission work from a company with such a track record of unprofessionalism and financial neglect.' 'Given these circumstances, SABAG demands answers and guarantees from the SABC regarding its collaboration with Bakwena,' noted the open letter. NOW READ: Wiseman Mncube on portraying King Zwide kaLanga in season 2 of Shaka iLembe
Scottish Sun
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘I'd be concerned about him fighting' – Boxing legends including Tyson Fury urge Deontay Wilder to QUIT before comeback
DEONTAY WILDER has been urged to hang up his gloves just a month before his ring return. The former long-reigning WBC heavyweight champion will bid to get back to winning ways on June 27 in a rebuild fight against Tyrrell Herndon. 4 Deontay Wilder has looked like a shell of his old self in his last few fights Credit: GETTY 4 The American has suffered three brutal knockout losses in his last five losses Credit: GETTY 4 Former foe Tyson Fury has urged 'The Bronze Bomber' to hang them up Credit: AP Wilder, 39, will enter the bout on the back of four defeats in his last five outings, with three of those losses being brutal knockouts to Tyson Fury and Zhilei Zhang. The American has looked like a shell of the fighter who struck fear into the hearts of heavyweights during his pomp, so much so that a litany of boxing icons, Fury, included, have urged him to call it a day. During an appearance on the Pound 4 Pound podcast with former UFC champs Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo, he said: "I'd like to see poor old Deontay retire from boxing. 'When I beat Wilder, he was 44 and 0, with 43 KOs, and he KO'd the guy who went the distance with him in the rematch, so that means he knocked out every single person he ever faced. 44 people. READ MORE TYSON FURY 'FOR WHAT?' Tyson Fury insists he's STAYING retired in huge blow to Anthony Joshua 'Obviously, he lost the three fights to me and since that third trilogy, we took a lot of lot of years off each other's lives. "That war, which ended in the 11th round by knockout, that took a lot out of our tanks. "Between me and Wilder in that trilogy there was 10 knockdowns. It takes a lot out of a fighter. 'Even when he's come back and had a couple of fights since, he's only a shadow of his former glory. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS 4 Deontay Wilder has vowed to return to the summit of the heavyweight division Credit: Getty "The only thing left that remains the same about Deontay is his name.' Legendary boxing coach Teddy Atlas, who used to train Mike Tyson, shares the same view as Fury. Deontay Wilder's three-fight 'plan' revealed including overdue Anthony Joshua fight Atlas told Slingo: 'The last thing to go, George Foreman showed, is that the last thing to go with a fighter is power. "As long as you have power, you've got a shot. "But the way he's looked, the punishment he took against Zhilei Zhang. "Wilder took a lot of punishment in his last few fights. "And the way he took it, how clean he got hit, and how he reacted to it, just as a human being. "Forget trainer, promoter, anything, just as a human being, I'd be concerned about him fighting again.' Wilder and his team are hoping a win over Herndon will kick-start an unlikely run to a world title, with head coach Malik Scott saying: "He's still got that urge to become champion, because he's a champion at heart. "He's on the second half of his career, he's filthy rich. "He wants to make another run at the heavyweight championship of the world."
USA Today
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Kamaru Usman reveals moment that took him 'over the edge' prior to fighting Gilbert Burns
Kamaru Usman reveals moment that took him 'over the edge' prior to fighting Gilbert Burns Kamaru Usman says he dealt with the most emotional camp of his career while preparing to fight his friend, Gilbert Burns. Usman, who was UFC welterweight champion at the time, was caught off guard when longtime training partner Burns called him out after beating Tyron Woodley in May 2020. It was during the time Usman was seeking help from Trevor Wittman, and he felt that his gym, Kill Cliff FC, was taking sides when it came to his fight with Burns. Usman and Burns ended up being matched up in a title fight at UFC 258 in 2021, which "The Nigerian Nightmare" won by third-round TKO. Although it was hard for Usman to deal with the emotional build-up, there was one particular moment that helped motivate him to beat Burns. "All of these things were festering, and then I see posts and then what really took me over the edge was watching the 'Countdown,'" Usman said on his "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Henry Cejudo. "He was walking with Pedro and Josh. They were walking along maybe some little canal, and they're talking, and he asked them – and I love Pedro. I used to love playing with Pedro when he was small, and he says, 'Who's going to be the new champion?' And Pedro and Josh were like, 'Daddy.' "'Who's going to take this belt?' And they were like, 'Daddy, you're going to take the belt.' It just hit me in my heart. I don't know why. Like I say, athletes at the highest level. You find little things to motivate you. I don't know why it triggered me, but it hit me in a way where I was like, I love that little boy. I play with him all the time and the whole time, you start getting paranoid. I'm like, 'The whole time y'all were plotting to take my title, take food away from me'" As soon as he finished Burns, Usman yelled, "Taking what from who?" However, immediately after, the emotions started kicking in for Usman as he watched a deterred Burns in tears. The training partners ended up embracing. "Once the fight took place, it didn't hit me until right after at the end of the fight," Usman said. "I'm being animated, and I'm up, and I'm up and then, out the side of my eye, I see Gilbert down here and then I see my coach, Trevor was like, 'Yeah, fight's over.' I see him and it hit me like, 'Bro, that's my boy, that's my friend,' and I just got crushed."
USA Today
12-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Kamaru Usman insists he's 'indifferent' to rival Belal Muhammad losing title at UFC 315
Kamaru Usman insists he's 'indifferent' to rival Belal Muhammad losing title at UFC 315 Don't expect Kamaru Usman to revel in Belal Muhammad's title loss at UFC 315. Muhammad (24-4 MMA, 15-4 UFC) lost his welterweight title to Jack Della Maddalena (18-2 MMA, 8-0 UFC) by unanimous decision in Saturday's main event at Bell Centre in Montreal. Muhammad took numerous shots at Usman during fight week when referencing their altercation during his appearance on the "Pound 4 Pound" podcast, but Usman (20-4 MMA, 15-3 UFC) didn't take the opportunity to fire back. He offered a classy response to Muhammad's loss. "People get so invested in this game to where they think that I'm supposed to be happy because he lost," Usman said on his "Pound 4 Pound" podcast with Henry Cejudo. "Why would I be happy because he lost? I hadn't fought him yet. Yes, me and him weren't the best of friends, I'll tell you that for sure, but that doesn't mean I'm happy that he lost. As a former champion, as far as a pound-for-pound top dog, as far as not just the rankings, but also as far as selling pay-per-views, I understand what this game is. Listen, as much as we didn't like each other, it was still something that people wanted to see. "It was something that was on the cusp of potentially happening. So no, I'm not excited that he lost. I'm not disappointed. I'm indifferent, absolutely. Especially when a champion loses, I'm not excited about that because it's difficult after you lose. It's difficult to get back. It's difficult to work so hard to get in there, step in there, and try to accomplish something and fall short. It's very difficult. So I'm not going to pray on anyone's downfall in any way, shape or form. So no – absolutely not excited that he lost." Like many others, Usman was confused with Muhammad's game plan. He thinks Muhammad underestimated Della Maddalena by saying he wouldn't shoot any takedowns on him. "On the flip side, I will say it was a way that I was looking at this fight," Usman said. "I was looking at the matchup and what was happening leading up to the matchup, and what was being said before to where I'm like, why are you not paying too much attention to this guy? It was almost dismissive. "Almost like, 'Yeah, I'm not even going to take him down, I'm going to Canelo hands,' to where I'm like, this kid's not bad. This dude ain't no joke – this dude is good. I see something in his spirit when he fights to where I'm like, this guy could be a problem. He went out there, from start to finish I thought looked like a freaking insane – he looked like the defending champion." Muhammad did eventually try and wrestle Della Maddalena, but Usman thinks it was too late. "I don't want to take anything away from Belal," Usman said. "Belal stood in there, he tried to potentially switch the momentum. But I just thought it was the wrong game plan because he just stood with the guy. Then by the time he eventually decided to start changing levels, this guy's confidence is already up so high, and he's feeling so good to where it didn't do anything." Usman, who meets Joaquin Buckley in the UFC on ESPN 69 headliner on June 14, isn't ruling out the possibility of a future matchup with Muhammad, but admits the desire isn't as high now that he's no longer champion. "I don't wish bad on anybody," Usman said. "It's sad because obviously for a guy like Belal, even though he's a troll and as distasteful as I thought all the antics and all the crap that he was doing was, he was representing something and fighting for something that I thought was meaningful, and that I think the majority of the world was getting behind. It's always sad when a champion loses because it's almost like undercover what everyone's waiting for. "Everyone's waiting to see that fall. Everyone's waiting: 'See – I told you: You're not special. You're not that good. Look at you now.' I know how it feels. It's not great, but hopefully he'll bounce back and get back on the horse. And listen, it's not done. Maybe there is a future for him and I, but I'm not chasing that fight because what I was chasing was the title."
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Security Would Have To Be There'
Kamaru Usman returns from a year and a half away from the sport in June to take on Joaquin Buckley in a battle for welterweight contender status. And while we could be witnessing a changing of the guard from one generation to the next, there's unfinished business between Usman and current 170 pound champion Belal Muhammad. While the footage has never been released, Usman and Muhammad reportedly got into a brawl on the set of Kamaru's Pound 4 Pound podcast last year. In a new interview with ESPN, 'The Nigerian Nightmare discussed the incident and his feelings towards 'Remember The Name.' Advertisement 'There's allegedly a lot of speculation, you know?' he said of the podcast fist fight. 'A lot of things being said.' 'Belal is a guy that was always around and I never really paid attention to because I was doing what I needed to do,' Usman said. 'I was always fighting the next guy up, next guy up. I didn't really pay attention to Belal. But now that I'm forced to actually look at Belal, he's not bad. He's just good everywhere. And that's been working for him. So he's not bad. I'm never in any way discrediting that.' 'Once I was forced to pay attention to him, I started to kinda see the antics that go on outside of the cage, and I was never that guy. If I was champion and the next guy up was barking at me, then of course I would respond and then we get in there and we'd settle it. But Belal just seems to be a different type of champion who is willing to make memes and get on Twitter because he wants the attention. He craves that attention.' 'Even if you're a guy that's not in his division, he's willing to have that back and forth with you,' Usman continued. 'And for me, I just find it a little bit distasteful and I wasn't a part of it. Then he became champion, and he started to come at me with that energy. It was like, 'Oh, you have a problem with me? Well, if you have a problem, I don't really play on the internet. Let's talk it out.' And so we invited him on a podcast and ... it went how it went.' Advertisement 'That's all I can say. Eventually, hopefully, we'll release that podcast because he was only there for like maybe ten minutes. It wasn't really long. And then it was over and he left.' While Usman has a reputation for being a chill dude, he said there would have to be security on hand to keep things from popping off if the two ran into each other again. 'Probably, yeah,' he told ESPN. 'I'm very level headed, especially when I'm outside of the cage. But for the last two years, I haven't been in the thick of it.' 'When you're in the thick of it, you're on alert all the time. Me and George St-Pierre, we had this conversation where he expressed that to me. He's like, 'When you're in it, you're always this defensive guy.' And I hadn't been that for a while, but now that I'm back in the thick of it, yeah. They probably have to have security back there with us.' Advertisement Belal Muhammad defends his welterweight title against Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 on May 10th. Kamaru Usman fight Joaquin Buckley in the main event of a June 14th Fight Night in Atlanta. What happens after that depends on who wins and who loses ... or if there's enough security around to stop something from going down outside the cage. More from
