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The UFC’s lightweight division has long been considered one of the most talent-rich weight classes in the sport’s history. From dominant champions like Khabib Nurmagomedov, B.J. Penn, Frankie Edgar, and Benson Henderson to electrifying contenders, the 155-pound landscape has never lacked drama—or debate. Chief among them: Who is the greatest lightweight of all time? Recently, a familiar voice entered the conversation again. And when Joe Rogan speaks, the MMA world tends to stop and listen.
On a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the longtime UFC commentator offered a take that instantly got fans buzzing. Rogan didn’t hesitate when reflecting on who he believes deserves lightweight GOAT consideration. 'People talk about Khabib being the greatest lightweight of all time and maybe he is, it’s very possible he is—but I would put the B.J. Penn that fought Joe ‘Daddy’ Stevenson, the B.J. Penn that fought Sean Sherk, the B.J. Penn that was in that peak when he was training with Marinovich, I would put him against anybody.' The comment caught fire quickly and started trending across MMA forums and social media platforms.
The comments sent a ripple through the MMA fanbase. Supporters of Khabib Nurmagomedov, the undefeated former champion, were quick to push back. Some responses included, 'Bro Khabib would beat Penn so bad even Islam, Charles would' and 'He not even top 5.' Others, however, rallied behind the Hall of Famer, claiming 'Prime BJ ruins Khabib.'
Whether viewed as nostalgia or legitimate analysis, Rogan’s comments have reignited a classic debate—one that MMA fans may never agree on.
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Final Fantasy Meets Dragon Quest In Legendary Crossover
What’s more iconic than Cloud wielding a Buster Sword? How about Cloud rocking Erdrick’s Armor and wrecking Dragon Quest monsters all in one event? That’s right, Square Enix has decided to gift us mere mortals a crossover between Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis and Dragon Quest Tact. This limited event runs from July 30 to August 6, and if you’re not hyped yet, you might want to check your gaming pulse. But what does this actually mean for you? Well, buckle up, because this crossover is more than just a gimmick. It’s packed with so much fan service that even Sephiroth might need a break from brooding to join in on the fun. The Chaos, The Loot, The Slimeocalypse First off, Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis is about to host King Slime and his slimy gang because, apparently, even pixels deserve to meet their heroes. Players get to battle these absurdly charming enemies and earn event-exclusive gear worthy of both franchises. We’re talking Cloud stepping into Erdrick’s Armor and wielding what is unquestionably one of the most epic swords in gaming. Aerith, not to be outdone, is gracefully handed the Supreme Sage Garb because, you know, killing enemies and looking fabulous is her thing. And don’t even get me started on Sephiroth taking a cosplay detour as Psaro. Imagine one iconic villain dressing up as another. It’s meta. It’s chaotic. It’s everything we didn’t know we needed. Players, Prepare for Nostalgia Overload The crossover also throws in daily free draws, a boatload of loot, and arguably, a reason to ditch any other mobile games cluttering up your screen time. There’s something inherently rewarding about collecting crossover goodies that scream, “I was there when Square Enix decided Cloud needed an RPG glow-up with Dragon Quest-style flair.” Some highlights from the event include: Daily Free Ten Pulls (Spoiler Alert: Prepare for gacha heartbreak… and joy). Crossover Missions loaded with rewards like Red XIII’s Great Sabrecat Collar (think of it as drip for your furry companion). Event Bonuses that range from refined Mythril piles to rare crossover wallpapers that scream, “Yeah, I’m that gamer.” And, oh yeah, login bonuses stacked higher than a stack of pancakes at a chocobo-catered brunch. Why This Crossover Actually Slaps If you’re rolling your eyes at the idea of yet another crossover event, it’s time for a quick reality check. This isn’t just a lazy cash-grab with recycled assets and buzzwords. It’s a love letter to fans of both games, blending two legendary worlds into an experience that’s as ridiculous as it is satisfying. Think of it like a bizarre but beautiful RPG fever dream where Dragon Quest monsters challenge Final Fantasy heroes, and the only loser is anyone who missed out. Plus, when was the last time you saw King Slime try to flex on Aerith? Exactly. Is this Peak Mobile Gaming? Now, will this event cure all your gaming ailments? Probably not. Will it load up your plate with so much nostalgia and fan-service-packed chaos that even your backlog of unplayed games might get jealous? Absolutely. Square Enix’s crossover brilliance usually lies in its ability to unite wildly different fandoms and generate hype that turns even the most casual gamer into a midnight-grinding, loot-obsessed fan. And if that’s not peak mobile gaming, what even is? Final Thoughts Events like these are why gaming history has a vault packed with “Hype Levels Overload” moments. Whether you’re here for the loot, the cross-franchise cosplays, or just some good old-fashioned Dragon Quest monster smashing with your favorite FF cast, this event delivers on every front. Hot tip? Set your alarms. Grab your popcorn. And pray that RNG is in your favor for those 10 pulls. Trust me, you’ll want bragging rights when someone asks why Cloud suddenly looks like he walked out of a Dragon Quest cutscene. Remember, this party only lasts for a week. Don’t sleep on it, because King Slime certainly won’t. Be sure to visit Total Apex Gaming for more game-related news and content.
Pitcher bizarrely faces old team on same day of trade
Seranthony Dominguez certainly had an eventful day on Tuesday. The veteran MLB reliever began the day on the Baltimore Orioles and was with his teammates in the dugout during the first leg of a doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays. The O's went on to win, 16-4, at Oriole Park in Baltimore, though Dominguez did not pitch during the game. But the day took a bizarre turn when the two teams agreed to a deal in the middle of the doubleheader. The Orioles traded Dominguez to the Blue Jays in exchange for minor league pitcher Juaron Watts-Brown. That led to a strange scene where Dominguez switched clubhouses after being traded, walking across the hallway to get to the Toronto side. Things got even weirder during the second leg of the doubleheader. Dominguez got the call to pitch for the Blue Jays against his former team. He had to walk past his ex-Baltimore teammates to get to the Toronto bullpen, and then entered the game in the seventh inning to pitch. Here is the unusual spectacle that saw Dominguez pitch against the guys that he began the day as teammates with. The whole thing was so bizarre that it even looked like Dominguez received a hastily-made Blue Jays jersey with the “8” in his No. 48 apparently stuck on backwards. Dominguez, a 30-year-old in his seventh MLB season, ended up striking out two in a scoreless frame against his former team. We have certainly seen instances of MLB players getting traded in the middle of games before, but that had to be the first instance of a player starting the first half of a doubleheader on one team and then pitching in the second half for the other team.
Report: Bengals draw hard line in Trey Hendrickson contract talks
Cincinnati Bengals star defensive end Trey Hendrickson has been holding out from training camp as he seeks a new contract, and it does not sound like the two sides are all that close to a deal. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler said on "SportsCenter" Monday that there has been "some progress" in negotiations between the Bengals and Hendrickson's representatives over the past week or so. The real disagreement has to do with guaranteed money, and Cincinnati's brass is not budging. "Hendrickson wants a stronger guaranteed structure, particularly later in what should be a multiyear deal. In talking to people with the Bengals they feel like, 'Hey, we've probably relented as far as we can go.' So this is a classic stare-off right now, and it's time to buckle up," Fowler said, via Andrew Peters of Bleacher Report. Hendrickson is set to earn $16M in base salary in the final year of his contract this season. He recently said he has shown a willingness to take less than market value on a new deal, but the Bengals do not want to guarantee him money beyond the 2026 season. Based on what he has said, the 30-year-old Hendrickson is not seeking to become the highest-paid defensive player in football. In order to accomplish that, he would have to top the three-year, $123M extension T.J. Watt signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers last week. Hendrickson had 35 sacks over the past two seasons, which was the most in the NFL during that span. He had 17.5 sacks each season and finished second in NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2024. The Bengals took care of one major offseason issue on Sunday when they finally signed first-round pick Shemar Stewart to a rookie deal. All it will take is one side to budge in the team's ongoing stalemate with Hendrickson, but all parties seem to be dug in as training camp rolls on.
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Vikings training camp recap, Day 6: J.J. McCarthy struggles, other notes
Coming into training camp, ups and downs were expected for Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who is essentially still a rookie. The team has high expectations for the 22-year-old, but also realizes that it's going to take some time for him to learn and grow and develop after he missed so many valuable reps due to his knee injury last season. Through the first handful of practices in camp, there had been a lot more good than bad from McCarthy. Saturday's practice, in particular, saw him put on a show for the fans in attendance with numerous impressive throws. With that said, Tuesday's practice was more bad than good. McCarthy's completion percentage — while I didn't track it down to the throw — was well below 50 percent in team periods. There were some that were narrow misses, some that were blatant misses or miscommunications, and a couple balls that were arguably drops by his targets. But the overall theme was that far too many balls hit the grass instead of being completed. In early route-running period near the goal line, McCarthy found Jordan Addison, but he couldn't secure the ball as Jeff Okudah appeared to punch it out. One play later, McCarthy threw just a touch high for Lucky Jackson, who made a great catch but was ruled to be out of bounds. He also failed to connect with T.J. Hockenson on two targets, one of which was well behind the tight end. McCarthy was better in 11-on-11 action in the middle of the field, highlighted by a pretty strike to Addison for a chunk gain. Then came another goal line period, this one 7 on 7, and the struggles resumed. He missed Addison in the back corner of the end zone. He threw another one back there to Addison, who caught it but landed out of bounds. He rifled one just high for Josh Oliver, with the ball deflecting off of Oliver's hands and then directly into the crossbar. McCarthy did throw a couple touchdowns during that period as well. The Vikings finished up with a situational period where the offense faced a third down and then transitioned into either a field goal, a punt, or a fourth-down attempt. McCarthy's first throw was a nice completion downfield to Aaron Jones, setting up a field goal try. But he then threw one way too high for Jordan Mason on a fourth down, and followed that by missing Jalen Nailor by quite a bit due to an apparent miscommunication. That caused McCarthy to put both of his hands on his helmet. It was that kind of day. To be clear, this isn't concerning or worth putting too much stock in. McCarthy has had a strong start to camp, and off days are going to happen. It wasn't a particularly long or high-intensity practice compared to some of the other ones we've seen. And in training camp, results on one day of practice — good or bad — are never all that meaningful, especially when it's still July. Lastly, the first-team offense remains without its two best players, Justin Jefferson and Christian Darrisaw. McCarthy will look to shake it off and have a better day on Wednesday, which will be the second fully-padded practice of camp. Here are a few other things I saw on Tuesday: There were plenty of vet days off today. On the defensive line, Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave sat out, which meant first-team reps for Jalen Redmond and rookie Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins alongside Harrison Phillips. At safety, it was Theo Jackson and Jay Ward in for Harrison Smith and Josh Metellus. Offensively, Michael Jurgens was at center for Ryan Kelly, while Brian O'Neill got some plays off, which meant Blake Brandel sliding out to right tackle. Will Fries pancaked backup defensive tackle Jonathan Harris on a screen pass to T.J. Hockenson, which drew some high fives from teammates. One of the things that shows up on Fries' Colts tape is his tenacity when it comes to finishing blocks. Dwight McGlothern just keeps making plays. After he had an interception on Monday and broke up a pass that created another pick, the second-year cornerback jumped a route and picked off Sam Howell on Tuesday. There are a lot of guys competing for roster spots in the Vikings' CB room, but it feels like "Nudie" (McGlothern's nickname) is going to be on the 53. It was a good day for the Vikings' depth tight ends. Ben Yurosek had one of the highlights of the practice with a leaping touchdown catch from Howell in red zone 7s, but Bryson Nesbit and Giovanni Ricci made some plays as well. With Gavin Bartholomew on the PUP list, those first three guys are competing for the TE3 role, as things stand. Will Reichard hasn't been automatic in the first couple days we've seen him kick. He hit the left upright from 53 yards out in the situational period, then later missed wide right from 46. I believe Reichard was 5 for 7 on the day, including makes from 48 and 50 yards. Rondale Moore and Silas Bolden got the first two punt return reps in the situational drill. More Vikings coverage
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