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Jake Paul is still hearing detractors of his date with Mike Tyson ahead of his fight against Mike Perry this Saturday.

Paul and Tyson were originally set to compete this weekend, but after a health scare forced Tyson out, the bout was postponed to November. Now, BKFC star Perry steps in for a main event boxing showdown in Tampa.

In response to fans and media still critical of the Tyson matchup, Paul is letting people know that the 58-year-old is capable enough to make his own decisions — and cash a huge paycheck.

“I view it as, say it to Mike Tyson’s face and see what he does to you,” Paul said on The Pat McAfee Show. “The one reporter that who was discrediting him, he was about to jump over the press conference table and beat the dude’s ass.

“We aren’t Mike Tyson’s dad. We don’t control Mike Tyson. He’s his own boss. If he wants to go in there and make tens of millions of dollars, and potentially end my run, then who are we to stop him? This guy has been doing this his whole entire life. He’s a natural born killer, and this is what he loves, and maybe this is what he needs. So, yeah, the age is a thing, but I believe it’s the equalizer because he has more experience, but I have the youth, and the speed, maybe, to be able to put him down.”

Perry has been a major success story since leaving UFC, having become the face of bare-knuckle boxing and a legitimate combat sports draw. Many believe Perry’s style, durability, and punching power will allow Paul to potentially show a different side of him, and perhaps the ability to overcome adversity in a bloody battle.

Paul agrees that could happen, which is a big reason why fighting Perry seemed like a perfect opportunity for a number of reasons.

“So when Mike Tyson pulled out, it was like, ‘Who can I fight to keep this July 20 date alive?’” Paul said. “Because Amanda Serrano, Ashton ‘H20’ Sylve, the whole entire undercard, we wanted to keep the event alive [for them], and Mike Perry instantly was the first name that popped up.

“I was like, ‘Yeah, he’s amazing. He’s like a Mike [Tyson] appetizer.’ [Perry’s] violent, comes forward, scary, doesn’t give a frig … but he doesn’t care. I would like that same attitude he has, and it’s a good warm-up for Mike Tyson. To be honest, I was nervous going into the Mike Tyson fight because of how scary he is, how much more experience he has, and so any more experience I can get under my belt, the better.

“It will be a big boxing showcase of the sweet science. Maybe he’s going to land some big shots, maybe he’s going to be all wild and do some crazy things, but as the rounds go on, I will slowly pick him apart with my footwork, my jab, working to the body, and exposing him in different areas he hasn’t been exposed before by these other BKFC or MMA fighters.”

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko are dead even when it comes to their featherweight fighters.

This week’s episode of The Ultimate Fighter 32 featured the final quarterfinal matchup of the 145-pound tournament, which saw Team Grasso’s Mairon Santos (13-1) win a hard-fought split decision over Team Bullet’s Edwin Cooper Jr. (6-1). That leaves the opposing coaches neck-and-neck in the competition, with both having sent two featherweights to the semifinals.

Team Grasso’s latest win was far from easy as Santos and Cooper went to a third “sudden victory” round after two competitive frames. Cooper, a lifelong wrestler, effectively neutralized Santos’ striking in the first round with five minutes of tenacious grappling. It was a clear 10-9 for the Team Bullet fighter, but Santos wasn’t finished.

The 23-year-old Brazilian got his striking going in Round 2 and Cooper was unable to bring the fight back to the mat. Santos pressed forward and connected with accurate blows to the head and body, pushing Cooper back for the entirety of the round. To no one’s surprise, a third round—only used on TUF if the scores are tied after two rounds—was needed.

Round 3 was razor close as Santos dominated much of the early action, only for Cooper to come on late with some aggressive striking and a late takedown. Neither fighter managed to land a definitive blow in the final round, though Santos appeared to have the edge in impactful strikes, and the judges agreed as he earned a split nod.

Long touted as a top prospect out of Brazil, Santos advances to the semifinals alongside teammate Kaan Ofli (Australia), and Team Bullet fighters Roedie Roets (South Africa) and Zygimantas Ramaska (Lithuania).

Next week features the final middleweight bout of the quarterfinals as Team Grasso’s Paddy McCrory fights Team Bullet’s Mark Hulme.

The Ultimate Fighter 32 airs live every Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

Following the season finale, Alexa Grasso and Valentina Shevchenko are expected to face off in a flyweight championship trilogy bout at a date still to be determined.

The finalists of the TUF 32 middleweight and featherweight tournaments will also compete for a six-figure UFC contract at the show’s live finale. A date for that event is also yet to be announced.

Here are the TUF 32 rosters divided by team:

Team Grasso

Featherweights

1. Guillermo Torres (Mexico) (7-1)
2. Kaan Ofli (Australia) (10-2-1)
3. Bekhzod Usmonov (Tajikistan) (11-4)
4. Mairon Santos (Brazil) (13-1)

Middleweights

1. Robert Valentin (Switzerland) (10-3)
2. Paddy McCorry (Ireland) (4-1)
3. Omran Chaaban (Finland) (6-1)
4. Tom Theocharis (Canada) (9-5)

Team Shevchenko

Featherweights

1. Roedie Roets (South Africa) (7-1)
2. Zygimantas Ramaska (Lithuania) (9-2)
3. Nathan Fletcher (England) (8-1)
4. Edwin Cooper Jr. (USA) (6-1)

Middleweights

1. Shamidkhan Magomedov (Russia) (7-1)
2. Mark Hulme (South Africa) (12-3)
3. Ryan Loder (USA) (6-1)
4. Giannis Bachar (Greece) (9-2)

Here are the quarterfinal results so far:

Roedie Roets def. Guillermo Torres via decision

Robert Valentin def. Giannis Bachar via KO (strikes) (R1)

Kaan Ofli def. Nathan Fletcher via decision

Omran Chaaban def. Shamidkhan Magomedov via technical submission (anaconda choke) (R2)

Zygimantas Ramaska def. Bekhzod Usmonov

Ryan Loder def. Tom Theocharis via submission (arm-triangle choke)

Mairon Santos def. Edwin Cooper Jr. via split decision

Advancing to semifinals: Roets, Valentin, Ofli, Chaaban, Ramaska, Loder, Santos

Eliminated: Torres, Bachar, Fletcher, Magomedov, Usmonov, Theocharis, Cooper Jr.

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UFC

Colby Covington is still sidelined after his Leon Edwards title fight defeat at UFC 296 in December 2023.

Everything appeared to be lining up for a no-brainer match up between Covington and rising undefeated 15-0 Welterweight contender, Ian Machado Garry. That was until Covington claimed Garry wasn’t a big enough name for him to return and fight. Covington also hasn’t flat-out said it, but he’s hinted that he’s not yet 100 percent after claiming to have broken his foot against Edwards.

Before Covington gets back in the Octagon, the title will once again be defended when Edwards rematches Belal Muhammad at UFC 304 next weekend (Sat., July 27, 2024). Muhammad had long hoped to take on Covington, but at this point, he believes “Chaos” has run his course.

“Honestly, Colby Covington just needs to retire, there’s literally nothing left for him,” Muhammad told The Schmo.

“He’s still trying to attach his glory days to three or four years ago when they thought he was good, but I think everyone figured out now that he sucks and I think that right now he’s just trying to figure out who’s gonna be the next person that he can beat up and then he can get on the mic and talk trash,” he concluded. “He’s kind of like Sean Strickland where he doesn’t have the belt anymore no one cares what he has to say.”

Between Edwards and Muhammad, they are each’s only non-victory in their last 13 and 10 fights. They battled to a no contest after Muhammad suffered an illegal eye poke in March 2021.

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MMA: Mixed Martial Arts

The Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry fight card is headlined by Jake Paul boxing Mike Perry in an eight-round cruiserweight contest on Saturday night at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.

Jake Paul (9-1) has won three straight fights since losing a split decision to Tommy Fury in February 2023. Paul defeated Ryan Bourland via first-round TKO this past March in his most recent bout. He is scheduled to fight Mike Tyson next on November 15.

Mike Perry (0-1) lost his only pro fight against Kenneth McNeil via fourth-round KO on March 28, 2015. He is undefeated (5-0) in the BKFC, having knocked out Thiago Alves in the first round in his most recent outing this past April.

Amanda Serrano squares off against Stevie Morgan in a super lightweight contest in the co-main event.

Former UFC fighter Uriah Hall battles Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on the pay-per-view main card as well.

Check out the Paul vs. Perry fight card below.

Main card (DAZN, PPV.com at 9 p.m. ET)

Jake Paul vs. Mike Perry

Amanda Serrano vs. Stevie Morgan

H20 Sylve vs. Lucas Bahdi

Tony Aguilar vs. Corey Marksman

Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. vs. Uriah Hall

Prelims (MMA Fighting at 7 p.m. ET)

Shadasia Green vs. Natasha Spence

Alexis Chaparro vs. Kevin Hill

Angel Barrientes vs. Edwin Rodriguez

Ariel Perez vs. Dane Guerrero

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While many have claimed the likes of current champions, Alex Pereira and Tom Aspinall would prove a significant threat to heavyweight kingpin, Jon Jones, former titleholder, Stipe Miocic is the most likely to beat the Rochester native, according to former champion, Randy Couture.

Jones, the current heavyweight champion and a former two-time light heavyweight titleholder, is expected to make his return to action in November in the main event of UFC 309 in Madison Square Garden taking on the above-mentioned Miocic in a rescheduled paring.

First set to deal with two misdeameanor charges in relation to an incident with a drug-testing agent earlier this year in a virtual court hearing later this month, Jon Jones has been sidelined for over 500 days from the Octagon.

In his last outing, Jones landed the vacant heavyweight crown with a blistering first round win over former interim gold holder, Ciryl Gane, finishing the Frenchman with an early guillotine choke. 

Stipe Miocic tipped as biggest threat to Jon Jones

And linked with huge championship fights against interim kingpin, Aspinall as well as former two-weight champion, Pereira, who currently holds light heavyweight spoils, Jones would be doing well enough alone to beat Miocic in November, according to sport icon, Couture.

“I think right now, because of experience, Stipe’s probably got the best shoting at beating Jon,” Randy Couture told InsideFighting. “Aspinall has that raw physical ability and is still green enough and young enough that he’s going to be tough for Jon to deal with, especially if Jon waits any longer because he’s getting stronger and stronger each time out.”

“And I think the longer Jon waits, the better he’s going to be, he’s going to be in full stride so it’s interesting,” Couture continued. “Pereira has some things to prove, moving up is no easy task. It’s one thing to cut weight and move down and there’s still some questions there even, but moving up and dealing with the bigger guys, and Jon’s answered that question already dealing with the bigger guys, it’s a different thing. …”

Do you think Stipe MIocic has what it takes to beat Jon Jones?

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