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This past Saturday on the main card of UFC London, we saw a fun matchup in the welterweight division. Promotional fan favorite Kevin Holland (27-13) is dropped back down to 170 pounds as he took on the returning Gunnar Nelson (19-6-1).
This was Gunnar Nelson’s first fight in two years while Holland was dropping back to welterweight after he moved back up to middleweight last year. Holland always struggled with the size and strength of grapplers at 185 pounds which is why he dropped to welterweight in the first place. After two straight losses at 185, Holland was back at 170.
While Nelson was still able to land takedowns on Holland on Saturday, you could tell why Holland is much better at 170 pounds. He was able to rock Nelson and nearly finish him at the end of the first round. Throughout the fight, he was able to scramble decently well and he always felt like he was out in front on the scorecards. When the decision was read at UFC London, it was a unanimous decision for The Trailblazer.
What’s next after UFC London?
Let’s be clear here, Kevin Holland belongs at 170 pounds. I know that he doesn’t love the weight cut, but if he’s serious about his success inside the octagon, he needs to stay at welterweight. He just has a much easier path to success at 170 than he does at 185.
With that, let’s assume his next fight is at welterweight. Who should the UFC pair him with? I really like the idea of Holland facing Carlos Leal in his next fight. Leal is coming off a huge TKO win over Alex Morono just a couple of weeks ago. I think these two would have a sensational fight and I think that’s a great next option for both guys.
More must-reads:
- Yankees add needed infielder in trade with Nationals
- Tigers' needs even more apparent after loss to Blue Jays
- The 'MLB mascot names' quiz
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New York Yankees Trade for Amed Rosario Ahead of 2025 MLB Trade Deadline
The New York Yankees look to continue to improve their roster ahead of Thursday’s MLB Trade Deadline and they have added another infielder to hopefully improve their defense. The team has traded with the Washington Nationals for infielder Amed Rosario. Let’s take a deeper dive into what we know about this trade and what it means for the New York Yankees and Washington Nationals going forward. New York Yankees Trade for Amed Rosario The New York Yankees trade for Amed Rosario is the second infielder joining the team in the last 48 hours as he joins Ryan McMahon heading to the Bronx so far. YES Network’s Jack Curry first reported that the trade happened as the Washington Nationals will acquire pitcher Clayton Beeter and outfielder Brown Martinez. MLB lists Beeter as the team’s 20th-ranked prospect while Martinez is outside of the top 30. Amed Rosario adds infielder versatility as he has played third base, second base, shortstop, and outfield this season. He has been hitting well as he has a .736 OPS (109 OPS+) with five home runs, 18 RBI, 19 runs scored, and one stolen base in 148 at-bats this season. It appears at first glance that the New York Yankees trade for Amed Rosario will likely give them a platoon at third base with McMahon at the hot corner, while also being able to give Jazz Chisholm some time off if needed. This should not be the end of the team trying to improve as they still need to find some pitching before Thursday’s deadline, but this at least creates some much-needed stability at third base going forward. Rosario is a true rental as he signed with the Washington Nationals for $2 million last offseason. It will be interesting to see how the Yankees construct the roster, but it appears that they will be able to have Oswald Peraza as expendable as a backup infielder on their 26-man roster, which can be a piece in another New York Yankees trade.
New suitor emerges for Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez
The Arizona Diamondbacks have plenty of suitors for third baseman Eugenio Suarez. A new team has reportedly entered the market for his services. Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Phillies have reached out regarding Suarez. While Lauber did not provide any indication as to whether or not those talks have gained traction, the Phillies are an intriguing suitor for the Diamondbacks' third baseman. The Phillies' interest may be a recent development. Jon Heyman of the New York Post speculated on Friday that the Phillies could emerge as a suitor in the wake of third baseman Alec Bohm landing on the injured list with a fractured left rib. Suarez is in the midst of what is arguably his best season thus far. He has produced a .249/.321/.587 batting line in 421 plate appearances entering Saturday with 36 homers and a major league-leading 87 RBI. Suarez would be more than just another powerful bat in the lineup. Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Bryce Harper are both left-handed hitters — adding Suarez would provide more balance in the batting order. He would also provide a counter against opposing managers bringing in a lefty reliever to face Schwarber and Harper. The biggest question would be how the Phillies would handle an eventual logjam on the roster. Bohm is expected to return from the IL in mid-August and would not have a clear path to regular at-bats if Suarez were acquired. Schwarber could theoretically return to left field to open up playing time at the DH spot, but his outfield defense is mediocre at best. However, as the Phillies are also looking to upgrade the outfield, where Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh have been disappointments, adding Suarez could solve several problems in one fell swoop.
Blue Jays Announce Alejandro Kirk News After Leaving Tigers Game
The Toronto Blue Jays have sole possession of the AL's first seed, and it's partially because of catcher Alejandro Kirk's breakout campaign. The 26-year-old is slashing .304/.361/.413 with seven homers and 47 RBI over 88 games. Kirk's batting average ranked seventh in baseball entering the game and is 33 points above his career average. The 5-foot-8-inch, 245-pounder slashed .253/.319/.359 with one homer and five RBI over 103 games last season. He then signed a five-year, $58 million extension with Toronto this past March. Kirk left Saturday's bout with the Detroit Tigers in the fourth inning with an injury, via MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. "The Blue Jays’ All-Star catcher left Saturday’s game against the Tigers in the fourth after taking a foul tip off the mask in the inning prior," he reported. "The club is expected to share an update, but Kirk finished that inning before he was pinch-hit for. Kirk has been incredibly durable on top of his great numbers this season, but beyond him, the Blue Jays’ catching depth is thin." Toronto manager John Schneider said postgame that Alejandro Kirk is being evaluated for a concussion, via Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling. The Blue Jays' only backup catcher is Tyler Heineman, who subbed in for Kirk on Saturday. Heineman entered Saturday slashing .330/.394/.495 with three homers and 16 RBI over 37 games. Toronto is now on a four-game winning streak and 6.5 games ahead of the New York Yankees for first place in the AL East after Saturday's 6-1 win. It is also 2.5 games ahead of the Houston Astros and 3.5 games ahead of the Tigers for the AL's top seed.
Why as many as 100 NFL players are facing fines and potential suspension
There is not a bigger sporting event in North America than the Super Bowl, and tickets are only getting more expensive every year. There is also a ridiculous secondary market for tickets where seats sell for well above the original face value. It is usually fans or ticket resellers going for a quick profit. But as was reported on Friday, sometimes it can be players in the NFL looking to make a profit. According to multiple reports, including the Associated Press and ESPN, more than 100 players are facing fines and potential suspensions for selling their allotment of tickets to this year's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for above face value. Players are reportedly facing fines of one-and-a-half times the face value they originally paid for the tickets, while they are also prevented from purchasing tickets to the Super Bowl for the next seasons. The Associated Press obtained a memo from the NFL detailing the violation and investigation. That memo was as follows: “Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.” If players are not willing to pay the fine, they could be facing suspension from the league. It seems unlikely that any of the players — none of whom have been named, or their teams — would refuse to pay such a fine. It's also one of those moments where you can say, professional athletes — they're still normal people trying to make a quick buck. The most logical answer here is perhaps some of the players caught up in this are younger players who have not yet struck it rich on a big contract or perhaps even practice squad players who are not making top dollar.
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