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Michael Chandler has weighed-in on Eddie Alvarez's 'tough' loss to Jeremy Stephens.
Both stars of the UFC and Bellator MMA, Michael Chandler and Eddie Alvarez have spent 43 minutes in the cage fighting each other, leaving their series all tied up at one win a piece.
Alvarez won their last meeting by split decision in 2013, and right after Alvarez jumped ship to the UFC, where he eventually became the UFC lightweight champion in 2016. Chandler, the #7-ranked lightweight contender, didn't join the UFC until 2020, years after Alvarez had entered free agency.
In January, Alvarez would take on recently re-signed UFC fighter Jeremy Stephens under the BKFC banner in his hometown of Philadelphia. Alvarez had his moments in the bareknuckle fight, but the momentum quickly shifted for Stephens, who knocked Alvarez down twice in one round.
The fight was stopped in between rounds after the third. Post-fight X-rays would show that Stephens broke Alvarez's jaw, putting the 41-year-old's career into question after KnuckleMania V.
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Reporter offers theory on why Kirk Cousins has not been traded
There have been multiple injuries to starting quarterbacks through the first two weeks of the NFL season, which has led to speculation that the Atlanta Falcons might finally trade Kirk Cousins. It does not sound like that is close to happening. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported on Thursday that no teams have reached out to the Falcons about trading for Cousins despite injuries to Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow, San Francisco 49ers' Brock Purdy, Minnesota Vikings' J.J. McCarthy, New York Jets' Justin Fields and Washington Commanders' Jayden Daniels. Cousins was once considered the type of player who would generate buzz if a team's starting QB were to go down. So why hasn't it happened? According to Rapoport, the Falcons have no real incentive to trade Cousins. Cutting the 37-year-old never made sense, as Atlanta has to pay Cousins anyway, hence why the asking price has not dropped significantly. "He is a proven starting quarterback who happens to be the backup quarterback. If Michael Penix gets hurt, Cousins will step in there," Rapoport said. "That allows the Falcons to drive a very, very hard bargain. In other words, if you're going to trade for Kirk Cousins, if you're a team that says, 'Alright, we gotta have this guy,' you're gonna have to pay some of the salary and you're gonna have to give up a real draft pick. That is the luxury the Falcons have. "If they've got to keep him, they can just keep him because he's an excellent, excellent backup quarterback. Perhaps that is why we have not seen a deal yet, but every time there is a real, long-term quarterback injury, we're gonna have the same conversation this season." Kirk Cousins was benched for poor play in 2024 Cousins lost his job to Michael Penix Jr. midway through the 2024 season. The four-time Pro Bowl quarterback got off to a decent start in his first season with Atlanta, but then played poorly for a stretch. Cousins finished with 3,508 yards, 18 touchdown passes and a career-worst 16 interceptions. There were numerous trade rumors involving Cousins during the offseason, but nothing materialized. That is mainly because he is only in the second year of a four-year, $180M contract. The Falcons do not seem eager to eat much of that salary in a trade, unless a team were willing to make it worth their while with draft-pick compensation. A desperate team could still want Kirk Cousins The Bengals are bracing for a lengthy absence for Burrow, who could potentially miss the remainder of the season. The other quarterbacks who have gotten hurt are not expected to be sidelined for very long. It is possible that teams aren't desperate enough this early in the season to give up assets for Cousins. There also seems to be a belief among some that Cousins' skills have declined, which makes it tougher for the Falcons to ask for much in a potential deal.
Raiders' Pete Carroll admits disappointing truth about Ashton Jeanty
The Las Vegas Raiders had high hopes and expectations when they took Boise State phenom Ashton Jeanty with the No. 6 pick in this year's draft. It's becoming increasingly rare to see running backs drafted so high, but after watching him post one of the single greatest seasons in college football history, he looked more than worthy of that honor. So far, however, the 2024 Heisman Trophy finalist has looked quite mortal in his first two games in the pros. Ashton Jeanty hasn't gotten off to a fast start in the NFL He logged 38 yards and one score in his NFL debut, and then logged just 43 yards on 11 carries in the loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2. That's why Raiders head coach Pete Carroll had to admit that they needed to take things slowly with Jeanty. While he acknowledged that they hadn't done much to put Jeanty in a position to succeed, he remains optimistic about the RB's prospects. "We're just getting started (with Jeanty)," Carroll told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "He's breaking into the NFL. He's figuring it out. He'll get more carries. We have to run the ball more effectively. We only got (68 yards), and that's not enough. We need more than that. We're bringing (Jeanty) along. More will come." Ashton Jeanty knows he has to do better Jeanty is averaging 2.7 yards per attempt, which is a far cry from his 6.4 yards per carry in college. At least he knows he has to be better, and he believes it's just a matter of time before he gets used to the speed of the pros. "Last week it was on me, I didn't do a good job of reading the plays. I'll put it on myself again this week," Jeanty said. "Just getting used to the speed, honestly. Last week kind of felt like I was moving a little slower, this week felt better. Still not there yet, but once it happens, it will be good." Jeanty continued commenting on the situation on Wednesday. He didn't mince words. Jeanty has posted the fewest rushing yards (81) among players with at least 30 carries, and his next chance to turn the page will come in Week 3 against the Washington Commanders' beatable run defense.
'That's a concern': Steelers' Omar Khan hears something a GM never wants to
The Pittsburgh Steelers went through a big change back in the 2022 offseason. Once the NFL Draft had been completed, the organization searched for its next general manager after Kevin Colbert was set to walk away. The franchise ended up promoting from within and gave the reins to long-time front office member Omar Khan. It's been clear since he got the keys to the kingdom that a physical brand of football would be emphasized, as his three first-round selections as the man in charge have been either on the offensive or defensive lines. While the team has made a conscious decision to build in the trenches, it hasn't panned out just yet. The defense allowed 299 yards rushing to the Baltimore Ravens in the 2024 Wild Card Round, and the offensive line has not been able to consistently protect the quarterback or help the rushing attack find a consistent groove. Reporter has concerns about the Steelers' player development On Wednesday, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette hosted his weekly fan chat. Someone wanted to get the insider's thoughts on both sides of the ball on the line of scrimmage. The reporter did not mince words. "My thoughts are you are right. They want to play a physical brand of football, but they can't because their players are not developing at the rate they had hoped," Fittipaldo wrote. "When Omar was hired as the GM, that was one of his main goals. Get bigger and more physical and be able to maul teams." It didn't stop there for Fittipaldo. He brought Andy Weidl into the equation, who is Khan's partner-in-crime. The lack of development regarding several players has to be something that is leaving the front office uneasy. "I remember a quote from Andy Weidl from a while back about how physical offensive and defensive lines travel well in the playoffs," Fittipaldo noted. "And yet, three years into the new regime, the Steelers don't resemble a physical football team at all. I'm sure that's a concern for the front office." It's one thing to worry internally about a trend, but it's even worse when it's blatantly obvious for the outside world to see. The Steelers' front office simply cannot be happy with how the coaching staff is making it look. Players with promise are being selected, but not turning into the professionals that they should be. Head coach Mike Tomlin is continuously recognized as one of the best coaches in the NFL, but still, somehow, lacks a legitimate coaching tree. There are arguments to be made that he is seriously losing his ability to truly develop the players that are drafted, and the individuals on his staff aren't as qualified as he would like to believe they are. It's currently being seen with the young group that is on the roster in 2025, specifically those who operate in the trenches. There is still time remaining to turn the ship around, but it's fair for fans to start worrying about the franchise's recent drafts. It's hard to blame Khan specifically, or Weidl for that matter, because the coaching staff is in charge of getting young players ready to compete at the professional level. The NFL is played at a completely different speed than college, so Khan's goal of dominating the trenches only ends up working if the draftees are developed and coached the proper way. Steelers' Omar Khan and Andy Weidl not necessarily at fault for losing in the trenches While the goal in recent seasons has been clear from a front office perspective, the vision on the field has not exactly gone according to that plan. The best organizations are on the same page at every level, but something is missing in Pittsburgh right now. The coaching staff is running out of time to get certain young players up to speed, and that is only going to delay the team's ability to compete for a seventh Lombardi Trophy.
After announcing retirement, Clayton Kershaw's next stop is Cooperstown
The Los Angeles Dodgers are about to lose a franchise icon. Pitcher Clayton Kershaw announced on Thursday that he is retiring at the end of the season. Kershaw did not make his 2025 debut until May 17 but quickly showed that he still has something left in the tank. He has been a steady presence in a Dodgers team that has used 17 different starting pitchers this season, posting a 3.53 ERA and a 1.216 WHiP over 102 innings, striking out 71 batters with 30 walks. His 20 starts this season are second on the Dodgers, trailing only Yoshinobu Yamamoto. The 2025 season has been a fitting capstone on Kershaw's career. An 11-time All-Star, Kershaw was a three-time Cy Young award winner and took home the 2014 National League MVP. He took home the pitching Triple Crown in 2011, one of just 22 pitchers to accomplish that feat. He became the 20th player, and fourth left-hander, in major league history to strike out 3000 batters, reaching that plateau on July 3. For all of Kershaw's accomplishments, there was one that had eluded the Dodgers' ace — a World Series ring. He was able to get that monkey off of his back in 2020 as the Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games. Kershaw was his dominant self during the series, allowing just three runs on seven hits and three walks over 11.2 innings, striking out 14 batters as the Dodgers won both of his starts. Kershaw has one more stop once he hangs up his cleats for good. Cooperstown will be calling once he is on the ballot, his dominance earning the highest honor in the game. It will be a well-deserved honor for a pitcher who was one of the best of his generation.
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