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Rory McIlroy: People Had ‘Ill Intentions’ After Erica Stoll Divorce…

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Rory McIlroy Erica Stoll

Rory McIlroy Says People Had ‘Ill Intentions’ After Erica Stoll Divorce News Went Public

A year of making headlines both on and off the golf course took an admitted toll on Rory McIlroy.

The golf superstar, 35, filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll, in May 2024, before McIlroy rescinded the petition and reconciled with Stoll, 37, the following month. 

During a confessional in season 3 of Netflix’s Full Swing, which premiered on Tuesday, February 25, McIlroy discussed how the ordeal impacted him. 

Rory McIlroy Spoke of People With Ill Intentions After Erica Stoll Divorce News Went Public

READ: Rory McIlroy loophole could be banned as PGA Tour...

“There’s parts of my life that I like to keep as private as possible,” he said. “Unfortunately, in this line of work, that isn’t always possible.”

News of McIlroy’s divorce filing went public just days before the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. McIlroy refused to discuss the divorce during any of his press conferences at the tournament. 

In his confessional, filmed after he and Stoll had reconciled, McIlroy reflected, “I’ve always tried to be protective of my loved ones from people that have ill intentions. I think it was a wake-up call for me to say, ‘Let’s just focus on the golf for a little bit.’”

McIlroy later added, “I’ve been at this a long time. I’ve been on tour for 17, 18 years. I like when the attention is on my golf. Sometimes that is impossible.”

While McIlroy declined to comment at the time, his shocking divorce news was the talk of the build-up to the tournament. 

“Aside from whatever impact it had on his personal life, it was just another thing,” golf personality Dan Rapaport said in a Full Swing confessional. “No one cares about your divorce unless you’ve won majors. That’s life. The more success you have, the more people care about your personal life.”

Rapaport added, “As much as Rory tried, he could not change the topic of conversation.”

Golf influencer Paige Spiranac agreed, saying in a confessional, “Oh, Rory. Gosh, he is just constantly put in the firing zone. It must put such a toll on him.”

At the U.S. Open in June 2024, shortly after McIlroy and Stoll reconciled, Netflix cameras caught a conversation between McIlroy and golfer Martin Kaymer, in which McIlroy explained his wife had expressed interest in switching up their lifestyle a little bit. 

“If it was up to her, she wouldn’t move to England straightaway, but she definitely wants to spend more time there,” McIlroy told Kaymer, 40. 

McIlroy, who is Irish, and Stoll, who was born in New York, share daughter Poppy, 4.

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CELEB NEWS

Melinda French Gates Remembers Serena Williams Hy…

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Melinda French Gates Serena Williams

Melinda French Gates Remembers Serena Williams Hyping Her Up When She Thought Nothing Would Fit Her Body

Melinda French Gates found strength in Serena Williams.

The famed philanthropist, 60, praised the tennis star, 43, for giving her the confidence to embrace her own body during a powerful conversation documented in a season 2 episode of her Moments That Make Us series on YouTube.

French Gates recalled meeting Williams for the first time at a dinner, where guests were invited to dress up in costumes before heading into the “joyful” event. The outfits, however, were provided and seemingly limited in assorted sizes.

Melinda French Gates, Serena Williams

JUST IN: Coco Gauff Gets Huge Offer From Serena Williams…

“We both come in late, and you and I are looking at the costumes,” the mom of three told the athlete. “I’m looking at these costumes and I’m thinking to myself, ‘There is no way one of these is going to fit in my hips’. And I said it out loud,” she added.

Talking to Williams, the billionaire activist recalled, “You said, ‘And you think one of them is going to fit me!’ ” before the pair burst out laughing when thinking back to the situation they found themselves in at the event.

“I just went, ‘Oh my God. Here’s somebody who’s so real in our bodies to celebrate who we are,’ ” French Gates remembered thinking at the time, noting that she told Williams her positive realization that night.

French Gates recalled telling the Olympian that she “didn’t follow tennis that much,” but the “one time” she saw Williams play, she was captivated by the confidence the athlete displayed in her own body and strength.

“I happened to sit behind you [at the match] and I thought, ‘There is a woman who is so strong in her body… Why are we not all celebrating our bodies?’ And it gave me the confidence to do that,” the philanthropist said.

Williams replied, “Super wow. Thank you for saying that.”

Of that night they were trying on costumes, the tennis player recalled praising French Gates’ figure at the party.

“I looked at you. I said, ‘Oh, you got body!'” Williams reminded her in the episode, prompting the duo to smile and laugh at the memory.

French Gates added, “You made me feel much better about it.”

Williams emphasized, “You got a nice body!” She told her, “I’m like, ‘Sis, where do you get that from?’ “

“I loved it, I loved it,” French Gates replied.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, French Gates recalled the “sweet” interaction she had with Williams and the empowering moment they shared together at the event.

“That is something that we connected over the first time we met,” she told PEOPLE exclusively. “We were at dinner together with a group of women the night before, and then I saw her the next day. Same group of women, but a different setting.”

“It was just one of those vulnerable moments… Everybody else was in these costumes and there was one that fit everybody,” French Gates continued. “I think most women don’t realize that all of us struggle with some form of body issue. You might not like your arms or your legs or your hips or whatever.”

“And here she is just this incredibly strong, powerful woman on the court,” she gushed of Williams.

French Gates’ Moments That Makes Us YouTube series released its second installment on Wednesday, Aug. 6. The release came one year after its debut season, which she launched in celebration of turning 60.

Season 1 featured impactful conversations with changemakers of all ages, who candidly discussed their biggest life transitions. Guests included Michelle Obama, Megan Rapinoe, Reese Witherspoon, Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King.

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TENNIS

Coco Gauff Gets Huge Offer From Serena Williams…

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Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff Gets Huge Offer From Serena Williams’ Ex-Coach After Canadian Open Setback

Coco Gauff’s serve, once considered one of the most potent weapons in her arsenal, has lately become a major cause of concern for her. Of late, she has struggled with consistency, committing an alarming number of double faults. Last year, she committed 430 double faults in her 71 matches. This year, she has played 44 matches and has committed more than 250 double faults already—42 of them came in just the three singles matches she played in the Canadian Open.

She committed 23 double faults in her opening match against Danielle Collins—the fifth-highest number ever recorded in a WTA Tour match. Last year, when her service struggles cost her the US Open fourth round against Emma Navarro, Rennae Stubbs couldn’t help but flag what she thought were obvious gaps in her technique during an ESPN conversation. And she did that in the presence of the young American’s former coach, Brad Gilbert. “…hard for me to say because Brad [Gilbert] is sitting here…but her technique, the elbow, is too low, the grip is a little weird as well. So it’s hard for her to get that nice first serve and then the same or similar second serve,” Stubbs said. Shortly after that, Gauff and Gilbert went their separate ways.

The kid knows how to fight," Coco Gauff's 'unreal' grit catches Rennae Stubbs' eye as the American saves 3 incredible match points

READ: Serena Williams: “They Never Accepted Me Because of My

Even recently, after seeing her performance at the Canadian Open, she took a jibe at her current team, featuring Matt Daly and Jean-Christophe Faurel, saying, “I don’t understand why now she has literally two coaches. Nothing has changed on her serve…like the ball toss is so far ahead of her on the second serve.” However, Stubbs isn’t the only one who has criticized Coco Gauff’s coaching team recently. In a recent interview with Tennis 365, Serena Williams’ childhood coach, Rick Macci, expressed his interest in working with the youngster on her biggest weakness. Macci said, “To consult or help someone, obviously right off the bat, it would be Coco Gauff. I mean, there’s no doubt about it, I could flip the script with her second serve and forehand. No doubt about it, but it’d have to be done in the off-season.“

Rick Macci’s experience over the past four decades in molding a player is unmatched by any teacher in the tennis world. He has coached the likes of the Williams sisters, Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova, Jennifer Capriati, and many others in their formative years. During the interview, he spoke about his close involvement with Coco Gauff‘s family and also went on to add how he wants to improve Gauff’s serve, “This has to be science-based, and it has to be done from a biomechanical point of view. And I’ve looked at her serve from every different direction, and right now, because she’s been doing this since a little kid, the muscle memory is baked in extra crispy. She has very, very long arms, she has a very loose arm.“

He stated that he would work closely with Dr. Brian Gorden, who has a PhD in Biomechanics, and look to modify Gauff’s technique, even going so far as to claim that Coco Gauff’s constant trouble can be fixed in one hour.

However, this wasn’t the first time that we’ve seen him addressing this issue with Coco Gauff. There have been plenty of instances in the past where we saw Rick Macci speaking about Coco Gauff’s serving woes. Even last year, Macci made this bold claim that Coco Gauff’s serving woes barely require an hour to be fixed.

What does Coco Gauff have to say about her ‘double trouble’?

Victoria Mboko, wrapping up the match against Coco Gauff, within 62 minutes of their R16 clash at the Canadian Open, raised the eyebrows of several tennis bigwigs. She defeated the American by 6-1,6-4, thanks, in no small part, to the 6 double faults and 24 unforced errors that the latter committed.

Although Gauff managed to reduce the numbers quite significantly since her first match against Danielle Collins, there were a few things that rang alarm bells in the mind of BBC commentator, David Law. According to Law, “I was struck by just how lost… she looked confused. She looked about why it’s going wrong. I just detected somebody who is very confused right now, and that must be a horrible feeling when you’re as experienced as Coco Gauff is, that you’ve won two Grand Slams, one of them quite recently. You’ve come off the back of that. Where has the game gone?“

David Law was quite surprised by her performance, especially in her match against Danielle Collins. But coming to her duel against the teenager, after the match against Coco Gauff, Victoria Mboko was asked if anything had crossed her mind seeing Gauff make plenty of errors in that match. “Well, I mean, nothing really crosses my mind just because, I mean, that’s the game. People make errors. It happens. I make errors too. So I was just really focused on myself and what I had to do,” said Mboko.

But when it came to sharing her own thoughts on this, Coco Gauff spoke about her serving woes after her match against Veronika Kudermetova. She admitted that she is quite “disappointed” seeing her commit such a large number of double faults in her matches. But the most interesting thing from her statements was Gauff claiming she did well during the practice sessions. “I just would like it to transfer to the match,” said Coco Gauff.

he said that she doesn’t want to lead the stats when it comes to double faults. However, having said that, she also claimed, “I know I probably won’t be ever double fault-free, but if I could get that to 2%, 3%, it would make a big difference in just making these matches a lot easier.”

Coco Gauff is now all set to enter the Cincinnati Open, and she has been handed a pretty tricky draw over there.

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GOLF

Rory McIlroy loophole could be banned as PGA Tour…

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Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy loophole could be banned as PGA Tour sanction threat made

Golf star Rory McIlroy has received a warning that he may not be able to skip the FedEx Cup’s opening playoff event indefinitely.

The reigning Masters champ is currently the sole golfer out of the 70-man lineup who has chosen to sit out this weekend’s whopping $20 million showdown at TPC Southwind. PGA Tour policy board player director Peter Malnati expressed significant concern over the absence of a high-caliber player like McIlroy from the tournament.

Fighting sickness, Rory McIlroy salvages 71 to open PGA Championship - PGA TOUR

READ: Why Rory McIlroy ‘reluctant’ to return to the USA ahead of

With three wins under his belt this season, the Northern Irishman comfortably sits in second place, trailing only behind world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, and doesn’t necessarily need to join the fray in the first of the three FedEx Cup events. McIlroy has already secured his entry into the next playoff event, the BMW Championship, but he still faces the possibility of dropping in the overall season rankings.

When asked if future penalties could be imposed on players who skip playoff events, Malnati hinted: “I think there is stuff in the works, and I’ll leave it at that.”

However, Webb Simpson, another player-director on the Tour board appeared less bothered by McIlroy’s decision: “I think it’s too hard of a thing to make guys have to play. We’re still a sport where you can play when you want to play.

“I knew I couldn’t fall more than one spot, and I thought losing one stroke at East Lake was worth a week of rest because I was toast. I don’t know Rory’s reason, but I totally get it. It’s a hard to thing to fix.”

From the PGA’s viewpoint, the organization clearly desires its top-tier and most talented players to compete as frequently as possible. However, with McIlroy’s financial security well established and his current focus primarily on prize competition at this career stage, they simply cannot compel such a recognizable figure to participate when his enthusiasm isn’t there.

McIlroy, who characterized this year’s Open as an event he’ll “never forget” despite falling short of the championship, is far from the first professional to skip such a competition. Tiger Woods made identical decisions in both 2007 and 2019, citing fatigue and an oblique muscle injury during those particular instances.

It was nearly two decades ago when Woods withdrew from the inaugural FedEx Cup event. Nevertheless, he went on to claim victory in the final two playoff tournaments and captured the first-ever cup.

McIlroy, who has recently settled into his stunning new residence in Surrey, will be hoping to mirror those remarkable achievements after bypassing the opening tournament of this year’s series. Such an outcome remains entirely possible given his track record of three FedEx Cup victories.

The Holywood native’s decision shouldn’t come as a surprise to Tour administrators, having telegraphed his withdrawal intentions nine months earlier in November 2024: “I finished, basically, dead last there [last] year, and only moved down one spot in the playoff standings.”

Penalties might be levied against players who follow McIlroy’s example moving forward. However, Jordan Spieth, a former Tour player policy director, anticipates such withdrawals will continue to be uncommon.

“You might have one or two guys do that for an event,” Spieth commented. “But I don’t think it will become a thing, because they are still huge events against the best players in the world.

“I think they’re trying to figure out how to make sure you don’t skip both of them and ideally neither of them.”

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BOXING

“I’m Not Better Than Him”: Terence Crawford Admits He Is Only The…

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Terence Crawford

Terence Crawford Admits He Is Only The Second Best Boxer In The World

Terence Crawford has accepted that there is one current fighter that is better than himself.

The unbeaten 37-year-old from Omaha, Nebraska is just over 40 fights into what has been a decorated professional career, where he has won world titles across four weight classes up until this point.

‘Bud’ has also captured the undisputed world championship at super-lightweight and welterweight respectively, remaining just the third male fighter in the history of the sport to achieve this feat.

Terence Crawford Admits He Is Only The Second Best Boxer In The World: “I’m Not Better Than Him”

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He stopped Julius Indongo in the third round of their showdown in August 2017 to capture the undisputed crown at 140lbs before going on to repeat this at welterweight 6-years later, stopping fellow countryman Errol Spence Jr in the ninth round of their Las Vegas bout.

Crawford is now just over one month away from doing battle with Mexican superstar Canelo Alvarez as he bids to become boxing’s first three-weight undisputed champion on September 13.

In an interview with The Ring Magazine, ‘Bud’ revealed who he believes are the top three fighters in the world right now, ranking Ukrainian great Oleksandr Usyk just ahead of him in his pound-for-pound list.

“[I’m] the Ring number three? How y’all rating me number three? Who rating me at number three? I gotta go talk to them. [Oleksandr] Usyk number one, he better be number one. Over Usyk? I’m not over Usyk, but I’m over Inoue.”

Usyk, who became undisputed champion at heavyweight when he defeated Tyson Fury in May 2024, is widely considered to be one of the greatest fighters of his generation, and the overall best within the heavyweight division.

The 38-year-old wrote his name into the boxing history books once again last month when he defeated Britain’s Daniel Dubois in incredible fashion to become the first two-time undisputed heavyweight champion ever.

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BOXING

‘Run him over’ – Oleksandr Usyk called out by Anthony Joshua’s bitter rival in…

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Oleksandr Usyk

‘Run him over’ – Oleksandr Usyk called out by Anthony Joshua’s bitter rival in audacious fight bid

Jarrell Miller fancies his chances at being the heavyweight to beat Oleksandr Usyk.

Miller is no stranger to making wild call-outs to potential opponents, and sparking furious rivalries whilst he’s at it.

JUST IN: Terence Crawford makes surprising admission ahead of Canelo Alvarez fight following recent...

A prime example being the American’s countless clashes with Anthony Joshua.

The pair were meant to fight in 2019 to settle the score but Miller failed three drug tests at the time and the bout couldn’t go ahead.

Despite that, he blames Joshua for things never going any further than exchanging verbal jabs.

It seems unlikely that we will see him go head-to-head with Joshua now, even though the pair continue to clash, as Miller is preoccupied with the idea of securing a bout with Usyk.

After delivering a brutal fifth round knockout to Daniel Dubois, Usyk was rightfully crowned the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world.

As it stands Usyk is unbeaten in all 24 of his professional fights, but one boxer that believes he can conquer the king of the division is American heavyweight Miller.

Miller told The Ring: “I would run him over.

“Usyk has a problem with guys who put their chin down and want to bang out.

“I know for a fact I can beat Usyk. With me training and me having a proper training camp, I know I can beat Usyk.”

The American is coming off two back-to-back disappointments in the ring, having lost to Dubois in 2023 before a controversial draw with Andy Ruiz Jr the following year.

Despite that, Miller is confident that with the right preparation he could execute what all of Usyk’s opponents thus far have failed to do.

Usyk is unlikely to be next for Miller, as Turki Alalshikh has revealed he is vying for ‘the American to fight Jared Anderson on September 13.

The bout would be part of the undercard for Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford’s super-fight, and a great opportunity for Miller to return to the ring.

Who will Oleksandr Usyk fight next?

While the Ukrainian’s next move remains undecided, he is a certainly a decorated opponent that many are vying for a chance to fight.

Following his recent outing, Usyk was ordered by the WBO to face mandatory challenger Joseph Parker.

A lack of update has only added to the speculation that Usyk may be instead gearing up for an MMA bout against Jake Paul.

After dominating the boxing scene, perhaps Usyk will venture into MMA if negotiations were to prove fruitful.

A trilogy with Tyson Fury has also been an option put on to the table by the Briton’s quest for revenge.

The ‘Gypsy King’ suggested a trilogy could be staged next April, but Usyk’s decision has yet to be made.

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BOXING

Terence Crawford makes surprising admission ahead of Canelo Alvarez fight following recent…

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Terence Crawford Canelo Alvarez

Terence Crawford makes surprising admission ahead of Canelo Alvarez fight following recent criticism of both men

On September 13, a dream matchup will finally take place in what is likely the biggest fight of the year.

Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford may have one common opponent but for years, the potential of seeing them go head-to-head seemed unlikely.

Terence Crawford and Canelo Alvarez face off at Fatal Fury City of Wolves in Riyadh, inset Crawford celebrates after beating Errol Spence Jr.

READ: Jake Paul Gains Rare Support From MMA Fans as

Over time, the weight discrepancy between them has been reduced, with ‘Bud’ continuing to collect more belts and accolades as he moved through multiple weight classes.

While Mike Tyson urged Crawford not to pursue this fight, the American has been wanting to test himself against another of the sport’s top stars for a while now.

There’s no denying that it’s a true super fight between two all-time greats but neither of them has earned rave reviews for their recent performances.

Terence Crawford says both he and Canelo Alvarez ‘need to step it up’ following their recent performances

Canelo Alvarez facing Terence Crawford is exactly the kind of matchup that boxing fans dream of.

Both men have shown a remarkable ability to shine under the brightest lights and to deliver their best performances when the stakes are highest.

They’ve also both been criticized for their recent performances inside the ring that didn’t exactly leave fans on the edge of their seats.

Fortunately, they’re such huge stars and this is such a dream clash that it likely won’t have much impact on the fight itself, though Crawford did recently acknowledge that they both may have a point to prove.

In a recent interview with Boxing News, ‘Bud’ was asked whether he was able to gain confidence from Alvarez’s heavily criticized win over William Scull where a lack of activity from both men led to a new record being set for the fewest punches thrown in a 12-round fight in CompuBox history.

Crawford responded by saying that he may be in a similar position after his last fight with Israil Madrimov ended up being more competitive than many expected after he went the full 12 rounds for the first time since 2016.

“A lot of people criticized my last performance so, you know what I mean? We both need to step it up I guess.”

Terence Crawford wouldn’t reveal whether he’ll come after Canelo Alvarez on September 13

The fact that Terence Crawford’s latest win saw him go the full 12-round distance for the first time since 2016 shows just how dangerous a finisher the American is.

There’s always a risk with any fight of this magnitude that due to the stakes involved, the two fighters will become too cautious and the matchup won’t live up to the expectations.

While Crawford didn’t give anything away when speaking to Boxing News, the hope is that he will look to make a statement by going after his opponent.

“That’s why you gotta watch the fight, so you can see.”

Crawford signed off with a quick message to his opponent.

“See you soon.”

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CELEB NEWS

Amanda Balionis Breaks Silence as CBS

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Amanda Balionis

Amanda Balionis Breaks Silence as CBS Wraps Up PGA Tour Season With a Big Reveal

Banking on the PGA Tour has paid off! CBS has been a primary broadcast partner of the American golf league since 1970. They have presented Jack Nicklaus‘s 18th major win, Tiger Woods‘s rise and fall, the emergence of Scottie Scheffler, and the end of Rory McIlroy‘s 11-year suffering. Throughout this time, the viewership has experienced highs and lows, depending on the enthralling nature of the action. However, things shockingly went downhill as the ratings mysteriously plummeted last year. But the latest report from CBS reveals that things are better than ever.

Amanda Balionis shared a story on Instagram of a post from GOLF.com, which mentioned how the average viewership is up by 17%. In fact, it also reveals that this is the best viewership CBS has received since 2018, confirming that the ratings are better than ever. To end, the post read, “It was also the most-streamed golf season in Paramount+’s history.” Celebrating the outstanding feat, Balionis captioned the post, “You love to see it 👏.”

Amanda Balionis Stuns in Masters Day 1 Fit

READ: Why Rory McIlroy ‘reluctant’ to return to the USA ahead of

Amanda, who only joined CBS in 2017 as a part-time golf reporter, had seen the highs of golf broadcasting on CBS back in 2018. She also bore witness to the huge influx of fans during the 2019 Masters Tournament when Tiger Woods captured his 15th major and 5th Green Jacket. Today, Balionis is one of the most respected reporters in the sport. She was also one of the lead analysts at Augusta National. In fact, the 39-year-old had expressed how grateful she was to get the opportunity to work with Jim Nantz & Co. at CBS and present such a prestigious event to the fans.

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Such personalities within the team have helped the network gain great viewership in 2025. Interestingly, CBS Sports had shared a few other figures to reflect how well the network had performed statistically. Let’s take a deeper dive into that.

Do the numbers justify Amanda Balionis’s celebration?

Considering the dip the TV ratings took in 2024, 17% might not seem like a huge increase. However, the actual numbers do tell a different story altogether. As per details provided by CBS Sports, they averaged 2.969 million in every tournament preceding the FedEx Cup playoffs in 2025. A year back, the network averaged around 2.5 million viewers only. This came as a huge surprise, considering that viewership was constantly growing every year before that.

In 2022, CBS Sports saw 2.545 million viewers throughout the main season before heading into the last three events. A year later, the number increased by 5% to 2.666 million viewers. The reason behind the TV ratings taking a dip in 2024 is still unexplained. However, it’s still good to see that the network and the PGA Tour have recovered from it in 2025 itself. That means Brian Rolapp will not need to pull off any dreadful stunt to retain viewership by the end of the year, unlike Jay Monahan in 2024.

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BOXING

Jake Paul Gains Rare Support From MMA Fans as

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Jake Paul Conor McGregor

Jake Paul Gains Rare Support From MMA Fans as Conor McGregor’s UFC Return Faces Backlash

Conor McGregor is stirring the pot once more!

After months of rumors, setbacks, and a toe injury that scrapped his UFC 303 comeback, the Irish icon is reigniting excitement around his long-anticipated return to the Octagon. The former two-division champion has been out of action since suffering a brutal leg break in his trilogy clash with Dustin Poirier back in July 2021. After nearly three years of hyping up a comeback, Conor McGregor has finally taken a concrete step toward making it happen. He has rejoined the UFC’s drug testing pool and has turned talk into a real possibility.

On Sunday, ‘Notorious’ amped up the excitement surrounding his return by sharing a video of himself drilling kicks. He gave fans a glimpse of the firepower he’s preparing to bring back to the Octagon. Conor McGregor’s comment section lit up after he posted his latest training video, with a wave of fans cheering on his long-awaited comeback. But not everyone was in his corner. Among the critics was none other than Jake Paul, the YouTuber-turned-boxer who’s made a habit of throwing jabs at McGregor online.

Jake Paul offers UFC fighter Conor McGregor $50 million to box him | CNN

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Paul, who’s been publicly campaigning for a fight with the UFC megastar for years, once again took the opportunity to mock the 37-year-old under the post. Despite his repeated callouts, McGregor has never entertained the idea of stepping into the ring with Paul. Still, that hasn’t stopped the social media provocateur from taking shots at MMA’s biggest name whenever the spotlight is shining. The 28-year-old reminded the former UFC dual-champion that it was time he called it quits and commented, “Bro, just give it up lol.” Jake Paul clearly believes it’s time for McGregor to hang up the gloves, but retirement doesn’t appear to be on the Irishman’s agenda anytime soon.

Redditors then took up the comment and shared the video of McGregor training on UFC’s subreddit. However, more than the video, it was Jake Paul’s reaction that caught the attention of many. Just hours before posting the training clip that ruffled Jake Paul’s feathers, ‘Mystic Mac’ made a headline-grabbing prediction about his future. McGregor boldly declared his intention to compete on the UFC’s White House card in July 2026, right after pulling off what many would consider an improbable political victory. But unfortunately, fans don’t quite agree with the sentiment.

Conor McGregor’s latest training video gets honest assessment from fans

If there’s one thing fans have come to expect from Conor McGregor—besides sharp suits and sharper trash talk—it’s his consistent stream of training videos on social media. For McGregor, training isn’t just a private grind—it’s a performance. This habit dates back years, but it’s become even more prominent during his periods of inactivity. Of course, not every post is met with applause, and this is exactly what has happened with his latest post. The fans have surprisingly taken the side of Jake Paul.

One of the fans pointed out how the 37-year-old McGregor looked nowhere close to his best and sarcastically commented, “What an incredible speed.” A fan shared another sarcastic jab suggesting McGregor looks sluggish and awkward, like how people often move in slow motion during dreams, and commented, “How I fight in my dreams..” There was a time when McGregor was known for his movement inside the Octagon. However, looking at his recent video, one user commented, “Looks like he’s stuck in the mud.”

One direct critique pointed out how the former dual champion doesn’t seem sharp or in sync like he used to. While “McCoker” might be a mocking nickname, the comment read, “McCoker seems slow and uncoordinated.” It has been quite a lot of time since Conor McGregor fought under the UFC banner. While he has been training for quite some time now, it seems he has yet to get back to full fitness, as pointed out by one of the fans: “He’s looking so slow.”

Jake Paul and McGregor have been trying to get into a fight with each other for quite some time now. While the fight is yet to happen, one fan feels McGregor might lose it and commented, “So slow and stiff but tbh I’d still favour him on Jake in a fight.” A nostalgic critique suggested that McGregor has declined and lost the fluidity and speed that defined his earlier career and commented, “Old Conor would be ashamed of that stiffness.” 

Overall, most of these comments reflect disappointment in how the Irishman appears in his training footage, especially compared to his prime. However, one just cannot rule out McGregor in a fight. But the big question is, will the Dubliner ever make a return to the Octagon?

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BOXING

Khabib Nurmagomedov Labels Floyd Mayweather a

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Khabib Nurmagomedov Floyd Mayweather

By late 2018, the fight between Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather was in the rearview mirror. And by now, Khabib Nurmagomedov had successfully defeated McGregor.

Meanwhile, talks had begun swirling around about a potential bout between Mayweather and Nurmagomedov. Despite a colossal sum of money being offered by Dana White, the undefeated UFC champ refused to take the fight. At the time, there appeared to be no personal animosity between the two—just personal choices. Both went their merry ways. But now that dynamic seems to have shifted.

‘The Eagle,’ who officially retired in 2021 after his win over Justin Gaethje in October 2020, appeared in a speaking engagement on Saturday in New York for the Miftaah Institute, where he severely criticized Floyd Mayweather. The topic came when he was asked about legacy. “You know, yesterday I watched an interview with a guy whose nickname is ‘Money.’ They paid him to fly to Jerusalem. And there he was, talking about how he supports that country. He fought for money. I fought for legacy—because if you inspire people, that is legacy. But garbage people like that guy—they’ll never inspire anyone. I apologize for my language,” the Russian translation of his response read. If his dig wasn’t clear enough, Khabib Nurmagomedov spelled it out for the listeners.

Khabib Nurmagomedov is willing to box Floyd Mayweather

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“I’m talking about Mayweather. Mayweather,” the Eagle asserted. Talking about how the 48-year-old undefeated boxer prioritizes money over legacy, he stated, “I would never do something like that, because I fought for legacy. And when the truth comes, you must stand by the truth. That’s what legacy is—when you inspire people.” The 36-year-old continued, “We know so many champions. They were amazing in the octagon or in the ring. We know footballers too. But as human beings, they’re nobodies. People see them and don’t even want to talk to them, because inside, they’re empty. But we also know champions who inspire people, who fought for legacy.” The former UFC lightweight champion then brought up Muhammad Ali, prompting cheers from the crowd!

“For example, we know Muhammad Ali. He’s the greatest athlete to walk the earth in the last 100 years,” Nurmagomedov told the crowd gathered. Comparing Ali’s resume with Floyd Mayweather, the Dagestani fighter acknowledged that Mayweather is a great boxer, “But as a person, no one wants to be like [Mayweather], because he’s a nobody in life. Look at Muhammad Ali. He died, but he inspired millions, billions of people—not just Muslims. People love him. And not just because he was a Muslim.”

Praising Muhammad Ali, Khabib added, “It’s because he was a genuinely good person who stood on the side of truth. That’s why we can call him a fighter for legacy.” However, ‘Money’ Mayweather caught more insults from the Dagestani legend. “And that other guy—who is he? When he dies, people will forget him. They won’t even want to hear his name. That’s the difference between fighters who fight for money and those who fight for legacy,” Khabib said during the event.

While Mayweather—who retired from boxing in August 2017—has yet to respond to these statements, the reason their fight never happened has long been revealed, and it’s something to do with money.

Khabib Nurmagomedov reveals why he rejected $100 million fight against Floyd Mayweather

In August 2021, during an episode of Hot Boxin’ with Mike Tyson, Nurmagomedov revealed he rejected multiple offers to box Floyd Mayweather for $100 million. He insisted the main reason behind his refusal to fight Mayweather was his principle—he never fights for money. “Money brings you to the situation that you have never been, and you don’t know how to act… In this business, I don’t come to make money. I come here for legacy,” he said.

Khabib’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, also claimed that the UFC supported the fight. “Dana White was on board… But Khabib is an MMA fighter. If Floyd wanted to come to fight, get his little a– whooped, no problem.” Mayweather went on to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Logan Paul in an exhibition fight, which also failed to impress the 36-year-old retired UFC fighter. Khabib told Russian media, “There was no competitive aspect to it, old Mayweather came out, they sparred and made money—what else is there to say?”

It appears that even though Khabib Nurmagomedov never liked Floyd Mayweather, this is the first time he has been this severely critical of Mayweather’s actions.

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