Dustin Jacoby may just be embarking on an amazing career turnaround
Last May, it seemed as though Dustin Jacoby’s time in the UFC was nearing its end after coming out on the receiving end of a devastating highlight reel finish against two-time light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes. The loss put “The Hanyak” in a precarious situation, standing then with an unfortunate 1-4 record in his last five bouts with further defeats to other power-punchers like Khalil Rountree Jr., Azamat Murzakanov and Alonzo Menifield However, he ended up putting himself back on the board in his last contest of 2024 at UFC on ESPN 63, knocking out Vitor Petrino in the third round.
On a mission to keep his winning streak alive, Dustin Jacoby entered the UFC Apex last weekend opposite another powerful Brazilian finisher in Bruno Lopes. Earning his place in the promotion by starching Mikheil Sazhiniani on Dana White’s Contender Series, “Brunão” capitalized in his debut by toppling the undefeated Magomed Gadzhiyasulov by unanimous decision.
By this point, Lopes had only lost just once in his career, and that was to fellow Contender Series alum Brendson Ribeiro. Losing to his countryman on his first appearance on the show in 2023, Lopes worked his way back toward securing another shot at a UFC contract by claiming the Legacy Fighting Alliance light heavyweight belt in his next fight.
A solid test for the aging Dustin Jacoby, mixed martial fans watched tentatively to see if the former divisional contender could shake off another rising prospect’s onslaught. A mere minute into the scrap, the previous world champion kickboxer floored his South American foe with a powerful jab.
Smelling blood in the water, Dustin Jacoby immediately pounced on Lopes, pelting him with a barrage of punches before severing his consciousness entirely with a stiff left hook. Leaving the Brazilian slumped against the cage wall, Jacoby soaked in the cheers and applause from the crowd, recording a second eye-opening knockout in just six months.
Seemingly having solved his issues with fighting individuals possessing considerable power, Jacoby could very well be on track toward contending for his old position in the top rankings.
Although most of the men within the No. 10 to No. 15 slot either have fights books already or have just competed recently, the Factory X Muay Thai mainstay has his message to the category clear: I am back.
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The Cincinnati Bengals have finally reached an agreement with first-round pick Shemar Stewart, putting an end to what became the story of the offseason for the team. Stewart, drafted 17th overall in this year's draft, has finally agreed to a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.97 million deal that includes a $10.4 million signing bonus, according to his agent Zac Hiller of LAA. Now with this deal done, every first-round pick is signed. The road to this deal was a bumpy ride. For months, negotiations between Stewart’s camp and the Bengals front office stalled due to disagreements over contract language, particularly around guarantees. The team pushed to include contract language that could void the deal under certain off-field circumstances, but since other Bengals first-round picks did not face similar terms, Stewart stood firm and refused to sign. Both sides remained firm throughout the offseason, leading to a long standoff and a lot of reports of frustration from both sides. Despite the frustration and disagreement, the Bengals and Stewart’s group continued to engage in conversations, trying to find a resolution to the issue. And finally, after weeks of back and forth and weeks of controversy surrounding what Stewart may be forced to do, both parties appear to have met in the middle and found common ground. For the Bengals, getting Stewart signed and ready for training camp is a major win. Stewart was viewed as a developmental prospect who needed plenty of on-field reps to reach his full potential. Stewart's absence from earlier camps had slowed a lot of his progress. With the contract dispute resolved, he can now focus entirely on gaining important reps and continuing his development over the coming weeks. Now with this contract done and over with, the team can put their full focus on Trey Hendrickson, who is also seeking a long term deal. If the Bengals can get a deal done with Trey before the season kicks off, they would secure their edge-rushing room for not only 2025, but for years beyond. For a team looking to go all in on making the playoffs, signing Stewart was long overdue. Now it will be vital for the team to get Stewart up to speed with the rest of the roster, and allow him to get as many reps as possible before the 2025 season begins.
The New York Mets are a half-game ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies for first place in the NL East, but their pitching staff is still injury-ravaged despite the recent returns of Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas. Brandon Waddell (hip), Dedniel Nuñez (elbow), Max Kranick (flexor), Paul Blackburn (shoulder), Tylor Megill (elbow), Griffin Canning (Achilles), Drew Smith (elbow), A.J. Minter (lat), Danny Young (elbow), and Christian Scott (elbow) are alll on the Mets' IL. The MLB Trade Deadline is July 31 at 6 p.m. EST, so the front office has one week to add healthy arms from around the league this season. ESPN's David Schoenfield predicted on Thursday that New York would trade for a Minnesota Twins reliever. "One guarantee of the trade deadline: The Mets will add to the bullpen, probably with more than one trade. Though the rotation still ranks fifth in ERA, that was built off a hot start," he wrote. "More importantly, the only Mets starter to complete six innings since June 7 has been David Peterson. As a result, manager Carlos Mendoza has run relievers Reed Garrett, Huascar Brazoban, Jose Butto and Ryne Stanek into the ground. The bullpen had a 2.78 ERA through May, but that figure is over 5.00 since the beginning of June (ranking near the bottom of the majors)." "The Twins have two high-profile relievers in [Jhoan] Duran and [Griffin] Jax, both of whom are under team control through 2027, so they'll be much more expensive than your usual short-term relievers if the Twins decide to trade one or both," he continued. "Duran would be harder to deal -- but bring more in return -- so we'll say Jax will go. Don't be fooled by his 4.09 ERA: He has 68 strikeouts and 12 walks in 44 innings with a 97-mph heater. He's an elite strikeout reliever, the type you want on the mound in October." The Mets are hot despite their injuries, as they're on a four-game winning streak and just swept the Los Angeles Angels. Next up is a road trip against the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres. New York right-handed pitcher Clay Holmes (8-5, 3.48 ERA) will face Giants right-hander Logan Webb (9-7, 3.08 ERA) on Friday.
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