Sports

Worlds 2023: Elimination Games Continue

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The 2023 League of Legends World Championships, better known as Worlds 2023, represents a major change for the long-running tournament. Ahead of the 2023 pro season, Riot Games announced that major format changes would be coming to the season-ending tournament. Since 2017, the tournament has operated a play-in stage, a group stage, and a knockout stage.

Starting in 2023, the scope of the play-in stage will be reduced and modified. Firstly, the play-in will no longer feature teams from South Korea or China. Furthermore, a maximum of one team from Europe or North America will be present. The last of the eight teams to qualify for the play-in stage will be determined by a preliminary qualification tournament.

Furthermore, the Worlds Qualifying Series will pit the fourth seed from Europe against the fourth seed from North America. Subsequently, The winner of this best-of-five series will compete in the Worlds play-in stage. Additionally, this was won by Team BDS, who beat Golden Guardians.

Additionally, the Worlds group stage has been replaced by a Swiss Stage format. Furthermore, teams will play a maximum of five matches, with their opponents determined by their previous results. Subsequently, the top eight teams in the Swiss Stage will progress to an unchanged single-elimination bracket.

When Is Worlds 2023?

Worlds 2023 will be held between October 10 and November 19, 2023.

Where Is Worlds 2023 Being Held?

Worlds 2023 is being hosted by South Korea. Games will be played in Seoul and Busan. Furthermore, the Grand Final will be hosted at Gocheok Sky Dome, a domed baseball stadium in Seoul. Additionally, it is the first time since 2018 that South Korea has hosted Worlds.

What Is The 2023 Worlds Song?

The Worlds 2023 song is “GODS” and is performed by K-Pop group, New Jeans. The video follows the journey of 2022 champion Deft from high school to the Worlds trophy.

How Much Do You Get For Winning Worlds?

The prize pool for Worlds varies each year. There is a base prize pool provided by Riot Games. Furthermore, the prize pool is supplemented by the sale of in-game events and tickets for the event. However, the prize pool for the Worlds 2022 is $2.25 million. In 2022, the tournament champions received 22%, or $489,500, of the prize pool. Additionally, Riot has announced that Worlds 2023 will also have a prize pool of $2.25 million.

Who Won Worlds 2022?

Worlds 2022 was won by LCK team DRX. They defeated fellow Korean team T1 in a thrilling Grand Final in San Francisco. However, DRX failed to qualify for Worlds 2023, finishing fifth in the LCK. This means that Worlds 2023 will be the first tournament since Worlds 2020 to not feature the reigning Worlds champion.

Who Has Qualified For Worlds 2023?

22 teams will qualify for Worlds 2023 based on their performance in their regional Summer split. Furthermore, the 22 places at Worlds 2023 are divided as follows:

  • 4 teams from South Korea’s LCK
  • 4 teams from China’s LPL
  • 3 teams from Europe’s LEC
  • 3 teams from North America’s LCS
  • 2 teams from Southeast Asia’s PCS
  • 2 teams from Vietnam’s VCS
  • 1 team from Brazil’s CBLOL
  • 1 team from Latin America’s LLA
  • 1 team from Japan’s LJL
  • 1 team from the Worlds Qualifying Series (LEC or LCS)

Qualified for Worlds 2023 Swiss Stage

Gen.G
T1
KT Rolster
Dplus
JDG
Bilibili Gaming
LNG
Weibo Gaming
G2
Fnatic
MAD Lions
NRG
Cloud9
Team Liquid

Qualified for Worlds 2023 Play-In Stage

PSG Talon
CTBC Flying Oyster
GAM Esports
Team Whales
LOUD
Rainbow7
DetonatioN FocusMe
Team BDS

Changes From 2022

However, three regions will no longer be represented at Worlds from 2023. Firstly, the TCL, which represents Turkey, vacated its Worlds spot to become part of the European Region League system. Similarly, the LCO, which represents Oceania, vacated its Worlds spot and will seek qualification through the PCS. Finally, the LCL, which represents Russia, has been suspended since the Russian Invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

With the elimination of Team Bliss and Chiefs Esports Club from the PCS playoffs, Worlds 2023 will be the first since 2016 not to feature any teams from Oceania.

Worlds 2023 Rosters

Team Top Jungle Mid ADC Support
Gen.G Doran Peanut Chovy Peyz Delight
T1 Zeus Oner Faker* Gumayusi Keria
KT Rolster Kiin Cuzz Bdd Aiming Lehends
Dplus Canna Canyon* ShowMaker* Deft* Kellin
JDG 369 Kanavi Knight Ruler* MISSING
Bilibili Gaming Bin XUN Yagao Elk ON
LNG Zika Tarzan Scout* Gala Hang
Weibo Gaming TheShy* weiwei Xiaohu Light Crisp*
G2 BrokenBlade Yike Caps Hans Sama Mikyx
Fnatic Oscarinin Razork Humanoid Noah Trymbi
MAD Lions Chasy Elyoya Nisqy Carzzy Hylissang
NRG Dhokla Contractz Palafox FBI IgNar
Cloud9 Fudge Blaber EMENES Berserker Zven
Team Liquid Summit Pyosik* APA Yeon CoreJJ*
PSG Talon Azhi JunJia Maple Wako Woody
CTBC Flying Oyster Rest Gemini JimieN Shunn ShiauC
GAM Esports Kiaya Levi Kati Slayder Zin
Team Whales Sparda Bean J Glory Artemis Bie
LOUD Robo Croc tinowns Route Ceos
Rainbow7 Bong Oddie Mireu Ceo Lyonz
DetonatioN FocusMe apaMEN Steal Aria Yutapon Harp
Team BDS Adam Sheo nuc Crownie Labrov
* indicates that the player has previously won Worlds

Worlds 2023 Play In

The Worlds 2023 Play-In Stage will be conducted using the GSL format. The top two teams from each group qualify for a best-of-five series. The winners of those series will then qualify for the Swiss stage. Furthermore, the Worlds Play In stage began on October 10. Additionally, Team BDS secured their place in the Group Stage with a 3-0 win over Golden Guardians in the Worlds Qualifying Series.

October 9: Worlds Qualifying Series

Team BDS 3 – 0 Golden Guardians

Group A

GAM Esports
LOUD
PSG Talon
Rainbow7
PSG Talon 2 – 0 Rainbow7
GAM Esports 0 – 2 LOUD
PSG Talon 2 – 0 LOUD
Rainbow7 0 – 2 GAM Esports
GAM Esports 2 – 0 LOUD

Group B

CTBC Flying Oyster
DetonatioN FocusMe
Team BDS
Team Whales
CTBC Flying Oyster 2 – 0 DetonatioN FocusMe
Team BDS 1 – 2 Team Whales
CTBC Flying Oyster 1 – 2 Team Whales
DetonatioN FocusMe 0 – 2 Team BDS
Team BDS 2 – 0 CTBC Flying Oyster

Knockout

PSG Talon 2 – 3 Team BDS
Team Whales 1 – 3 GAM Esports

Worlds 2023 Swiss Stage

Team Match 1 Match 2 Match 3 Match 4 Match 5
Gen.G [Q] W v. GAM Esports W v. T1 W v. G2 – –
JDG [Q] W v. Team BDS W v. Bilibili Gamin W v. LNG – –
Bilibili Gaming W v. KT Rolster L v. JDG W v. Fnatic T1
G2 W v. Dplus W v. Weibo Gaming L v. Gen.G NRG
KT Rolster L v. Bilibili Gaming W v. Dplus L v. Weibo Gaming LNG
LNG W v. Fnatic W v. Cloud9 L v. JDG KT Rolster
NRG L v. Weibo Gaming W v. Team Liquid W v. MAD Lions G2
T1 W v. Team Liquid L v. Gen.G W v. Cloud9 Bilibili Gaming
Fnatic L v. LNG W v. GAM Esports L v. Bilibli Gaming W v. Cloud9
Weibo Gaming W v. NRG L v. G2 L v. KT Rolster W v. MAD Lions
Dplus L v. G2 L v. KT Rolster W v. Team BDS GAM Esports
GAM Esports L v. Gen.G L v. Fnatic W v. Team Liquid Dplus
Cloud9 [E] W v. MAD Lions L v. LNG L v. T1 L v. Fnatic –
MAD Lions [E] L v. Cloud9 W v. Team BDS L v. NRG L v. Weibo Gaming –
Team BDS [E] L v. JDG L v. MAD Lions L v. Dplus – –
Team Liquid [E] L v. T1 L v. NRG L v. GAM Esports – –
Q = Qualified E = Eliminated

Worlds 2023 Knockout Stage

Qualified:

  • Gen.G (LCK)
  • JDG (LPL)

Worlds Stats

Additionally, here are the stats for KDA leaders and champion presence. Furthermore, these stats change daily and are updated as such. Gen.G’s entire lineup currently dominates the KDA standings. Meanwhile, Orianna maintains a 100% pick/ban rate.

KDA Leaders

  1. Peyz [Gen.G] – 15.7
  2. Chovy [Gen.G] – 14.3
  3. Doran [Gen.G] – 11.3
  4. Peanut [Gen.G] – 11.0
  5. Delight [Gen.G] – 9.3

Champion Presence

  1. Orianna – 100%
  2. Xayah – 94%
  3. Maokai – 91%
  4. Kalista – 89%
  5. Jarvan IV – 74%

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“Bahamas Bowl” To Be Played In North Carolina This Year

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The Bahamas Bowl, an annual bowl game between schools from the MAC and Conference USA, will not be played in the Bahamas this year. Instead, the game will be played in Charlotte, North Carolina under a temporary name. The news was broken via a press release from ESPN. The game cannot be hosted at its traditional site of Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau due to ongoing renovations. Instead, the game will be hosted by UNC Charlotte. The 2022 edition of the game saw UAB defeat Miami (Ohio) 24-20.

“We appreciate the support and willingness of Charlotte and its administration, specifically Director of Athletics Mike Hill, to work with us on relocating this game to Jerry Richardson Stadium. We are fortunate to have great partners who understand the importance of the college football postseason and the positive impact these games have on both student-athletes and the participating programs,” said Clint Overby, Vice President of ESPN Events. Furthermore, the game is expected to return to the Bahamas in 2024.

Read More: Deion Sanders Approves Of Kenan Thompson’s SNL Impression

Peach Bowl Reportedly Enquired About Colorado

In other bowl season news, rumors emerged earlier this season that the organizers of the Peach Bowl had reportedly met with representatives of the Colorado Buffaloes. Originally reported on an episode of Undisputed, the organizers of the Peach Bowl have reportedly met with Colorado officials about having the Buffs participate in the game this year. The Peach Bowl is one of the most prestigious bowl games during bowl season. The game forms part of the New Year’s Six. That typically means that it features teams that were in contention for the College Football Playoff. The game has not featured an unranked team since 2011. Furthermore, outside of years it has been a CFP semifinal, it typically featured teams ranked in the top 15 of the AP poll.

Colorado is currently 4-3 and may struggle to be bowl-eligible given their tough schedule to close out the year. 6-6 is widely considered the record needed to be considered for a bowl game. However, Colorado still has to face #25 UCLA, #11 Oregon State, #13 Utah. Arizona, and a Washington State team that has spent multiple weeks in the top 25 this season.

Read More: Usher Invites Las Vegas Aces To Residency Show After Missing Championship Parade

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Dolphins Announced For “Hard Knocks” But Players Aren’t Happy About It

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The 2023 in-season edition of Hard Knocks will feature the Miami Dolphins, but players aren’t exactly thrilled about the idea. QB Tua Tagovailoa paused for over 10 seconds when asked about he felt before adding “That’s probably my reaction”. Meanwhile, CB Xavien Howard had a much more blunt response. “Hard Knocks is sh-t, especially during the season. No, I’m serious. I’m not a fan,” Howard said. However, teams cannot refuse to participate once selected. HBO’s cameras will arrive in Miami following their game in Frankfurt, Germany on November 5.

The Dolphins’ reactions are very similar to those of the Jets, who were featured in the show’s preseason edition. “I understand the appeal with us. Obviously, there are a lot of eyes on me, a lot of eyes on our team, and a lot of expectations for our squad. One of the only things I like about Hard Knocks is the voice of God, the man who narrates it, Liev. They forced it down our throats and we have to deal with it,” QB Aaron Rodgers said back in July.

Read More: New York Giants Promise Reignition Of Jets Rivalry After Portrayal On Hard Knocks

Dolphins Don’t Need Hard Knocks Distraction

For the Dolphins especially, Hard Knocks represents an unnecessary distraction in a title contention season. Entering Week 8, the Dolphins are in sole control of the AFC East with a 5-2 record. A tough loss to the Eagles was canceled out by divisional shenanigans, with the Patriots stunning the Bills over the weekend. However, despite their title aspirations, the Dolphins still have some tough games they’d rather not have to dance around a TV crew to prepare for.

The two biggest games left on the Dolphins’ schedule are a December 24 game against Dallas and a regular season-ending game against Buffalo. The Bills rematch especially could determine who wins the AFC East. The last time the teams met, the Bills blew out the Dolphins in dominant fashion. It remains to be seen how much of the team’s animosity towards Hard Knocks will come through on the show.

Read More: HBO Struggling To Find Team Willing To Do Hard Knocks

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Rich Paul Claims He Would Be One Of The Best Shooters In The NBA, Compares Himself To Steph Curry

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Rich Paul made some wild claims during his appearance on Club Shay Shay. “I would be one of the best shooters in the league. Me, Dame, Steph, Klay. If we’re just talking shooting, this is the class I’m in. Trae, Darius Garland. I’m talking about guys who shoot the three really well,” Paul said. Host Shannon Sharpe was absolutely blown away by the braggadocious claim of his guest. “You gotta drink so more because you’re too sober to be saying what you saying right now,” Sharpe quipped.

Paul, who represents some of the biggest names in the NBA, is not one who is often seen on the court. The man hasn’t even appeared in an NBA All-Star Celebrity Game. Therefore, it’s nearly impossible to tell just how good his three-point shot is. However, he and Sharpe did say “bet” during their interview. Maybe someday we’ll find out if Paul’s claims are cap or not.

Read More: Rich Paul Says The Phrase “Max Contract” Makes Players “Entitled”

Rich Paul Defends Anthony Davis

Elsewhere, Rich Paul came to the defense of client Anthony Davis in recent weeks. “Shout-out to my man Rich Paul. Whoever is Rich Paul’s clients, you guys should feel very lucky. He doesn’t let nothing slide. He’s very passionate about his clients. He’ll call and try to check you about his clients. He texted me like, ‘Y’all kinda went hard on Anthony Davis the other day.’ Just in case y’all missed the episode, there was a statement where LeBron said, ‘This is the year they want to hand the team over to Anthony Davis.’ And we up here and we made a little fun of Anthony Davis,” Cam’ron said on a recent episode of It Is What It Is.

However, Cam’ron didn’t entirely offer a mea culpa, defending his comments as well. “I texted Rich Paul back that’s my man you know we Ohio and all that. I texted him back, ‘Yo Rich listen, maybe I’m on the outside looking in, but I thought that was the whole reason he left New Orleans anyway. He got to the Lakers and I thought that was LeBron saying, ‘Okay cool, I got somebody young on the team,’” the Dipset rapper added. “I can defer to him and this is a four-year project that hasn’t taken the team over and I relayed that to Rich. I thought that was the plan from the jump to give him the team and LeBron is about to be 39 and we still have to go about LeBron giving him the team. LeBron been ready to defer and give him the team,” Cam’ron argued.

Read More: Rich Paul Hints That He And Adele Are Headed Towards Engagement: “You Can Say Whatever You Want”

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James Harden Stopped By Security While Trying To Board Sixers Flight To Milwaukee

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James Harden reportedly tried to join the Sixers’ team flight to Milwaukee, only to be stopped by airport security. Earlier this week, it was reported that Harden would miss the first two games of the Sixers’ season following a ten-day absence from the team. However, this was reportedly interpreted as a suggestion rather than an order. This led Harden to attempt to board the team’s charter at a private airfield. There, he was stopped by security, who told him he wasn’t authorized for the flight to Milwaukee.

It’s unclear how the error was made. Team comments about Harden’s return to appeared very clear that he would not be playing until at least the team’s home opener against the Blazers on Sunday. “He’s been gone for 10 days, so we’re in ramp up phase again. So, like we would normally do, he will stay and get on-court work with our staff and with our players from the Blue Coats [G-League affiliate] and two-way guys and things like that and try to get him ramped up as soon as we can. He is fine. He understands he’s got to get ramped up. Like I said, he’s been gone for 10 days so he understands it. He wants to get back to playing live, full-court basketball,” head coach Nick Nurse told reporters.

Read More: James Harden Returns To Sixers Practice

Clippers Pausing Harden Pursuit

In other news about Harden, the Clippers will no longer pursue a trade for Harden. “I’m told that, with the start of the season now, at least for the foreseeable future, the Clippers are stepping back from these trade talks about James Harden. They are essentially pausing them. They have talked with Philadelphia for months about a trade, they’ve made their best offer for Harden. And they are now gonna start their season and see what this team looks like with a healthy Kawhi Leonard, a healthy Paul George,” Adrian Wojnarowski said.

However, the Clippers may return to the table later in the year, Woj noted. “Now, the Clippers may revisit this at some point. But they know they’re the only bidder for James Harden, they’re the only team that’s made a serious offer. They don’t wanna bid against themselves, and again, while they may revisit this later in the season, I think the Sixers have to wonder: Have we already gotten the best offer we’re gonna get for James Harden? Especially as the games start to peel off the calendar, if you’re the Clippers, why offer more when there’s fewer and fewer games that James Harden can play for you?”

Read More: Michael Rubin Says James Harden Saga Wouldn’t Have Happened If He Was Still Sixers Owner

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Dwight Howard Tells People To Stay Out Of His Business

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Amid speculation surrounding his sexuality, Dwight Howard has told people to “stay out my damn business”. “What happens in my bedroom is my business. What happens in yours is your business,” Howard argued in a social media post. It comes after the likes of Stephen A. Smith and Ma$e took to their respective shows with massive audiences to preach about the salacious details of Howard’s private life.

However, as many people noted online, only half the story is being told in Howard’s latest post. It’s not just Howard’s sexuality that is being questioned. Howard has been accused of sexually assaulting a man at his home. Howard has formally denied sexually assaulting model Stephen Harper. However, he did not deny inviting Harper to his home for a threesome, which allegedly involved a cross-dresser named Kitty. Furthermore, Harper alleges that he was forced to perform sexual acts on Howard and that Howard performed non-consensual acts on him after he objected to participating in the account. Howard has been sued by Harper but has not been formally charged with a crime.

Read More: Dwight Howard Continues To Troll Fans Amid Sexual Assault Allegations

Alleged Former Partner Of Howard Speaks Out

Meanwhile, influencer and author Masin Elije has reportedly broken an NDA to speak out against Howard. “He goes to sex parties and preys on younger men, which is why he originally why he threatened, forced, and tried to intimidate me into signing a NDA,” Elije wrote on social media. Furthermore, Elije claimed that they had also been harassed by the aforementioned “Kitty” in 2018.

Furthermore, the likes of Stephen A. Smith have theorized that the lawsuit filed against Howard by Harper is the reason that Howard is not in the NBA this season. The ESPN personality made his claims on the most recent episode of The Stephen A. Smith Show, becoming visibly disgusted while reading Harper’s account of what Howard did to him following an invitation for a threesome at Howard’s home.

Read More: Dwight Howard Claims Accuser Was Mad That He Blocked Him On Instagram

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50 Cent’s Sire Spirits Partners With New Orleans Saints

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50 Cent has announced a partnership between his alcohol brand, Sire Spirits, and the New Orleans Saints. “New Orleans has a special place in my heart. It’s a city that exudes creativity and soul, and it’s an honor to partner with an organization like the New Orleans Saints that embodies those same values. Together, we aim to create unforgettable moments and experiences for the city and its fans,” the rapper said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the Saints were just as excited to bring Fif on board. “We are truly excited to partner with Sire Spirits. This collaboration represents a perfect blend of the energy and enthusiasm both the New Orleans Saints and Sire Spirits bring to the table. We believe this partnership will further enhance the game-day experience for our fans both inside and outside of the Caesars Superdome,” said Matt Webb, the team’s Vice President of Corporate Partnerships.

Read More: Rick Ross Furthers 50 Cent Beef After He Suggests Fat Joe Called Fif Out

Saints Latest Sports Venture For Fif

However, the Saints are just the latest sports team to partner with Sire Spirits. The brand already has an agreement with the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, as well as several NBA teams. Furthermore, Fif has a special place in the hearts of Vegas fans. The rapper was chosen to sound the T-Mobile Arena siren ahead of Game 5 of the Stanley Cup earlier this year.

The siren appeared to work its magic as the Golden Knights decimated the Panthers 9-3. After two periods, the Golden Knights led 6-1. The game became tied for the third-highest margin of victory in a Stanley Cup Finals game. There have been six other instances of a 6-goal margin in the Stanley Cup Finals. Many hailed 50 as the team’s good luck charm, attributing his siren ring as helping cause the rout. The win sealed the Cup for Vegas, marking the franchise’s first title. Furthermore, it was the second major championship for the city of Las Vegas, following on from the Las Vegas Aces’ WNBA title in 2022. The Aces repeated as WNBA champions earlier this month.

Read More: 50 Cent Condemns Joe Biden But Says He Has “No Political Aspirations”

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Rob Gronkowski Wants Less Taylor Swift During NFL Broadcasts

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Rob Gronkowski believes that the NFL is going too hard on their Taylor Swift coverage. “Bye bye bye, it’s just a little bit too much. We want more football,” the retired tight end said on Up & Adams Wednesday morning. Of course, Swift Fever has taken over the league ever since she started dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. However, the obsessive focus on Swift has garnered significant backlash from fans.

Furthermore, Gronk isn’t the only player who thinks the league is going too far. Travis Kelce himself called the league out a couple weeks ago. “I think it’s fun when they show who all is at the game. I think it brings a little bit more to the atmosphere, brings a little bit more to what you’re watching. But at the same time, I think they’re overdoing it a little bit for sure. Especially my situation.” With Swift watching the Chiefs beat the Jets in person, cuts to Swift were frequent. Some fans complained that Swift’s reaction was being prioritized over the action on the field. One notable example was when the broadcast cut away from an Isaiah Pacheco touchdown celebration to get Swift’s reaction.

Read More: Travis Kelce, Andy Reid React To Tight End’s Stats Being Better With Taylor Swift In The Stands

Gronk Wants To Play Olympic Flag Football

Elsewhere, Gronk recently hinted at a very specific return to football. “Hopefully there’s no tryouts and they just accept me. But I’m in. I’m going for that if there is flag football in the Olympics in 2028. USA going all the way!” Gronk told TMZ. The tight end retired in 2022. Furthermore, he has said on multiple occasions that he’s done for good. This is despite unretiring once before.

Flag football was one of five sports approved by the IOC executive board this week. It will debut at the 2028 Olympics in LA. The other sports approved were cricket, lacrosse, squash, and baseball/softball. Despite the perception of American Football being, well, an American sport, it actually enjoys immensely popularity around the world. Furthermore, the inclusion of flag football, as opposed to full contact football, mitigates many of the safety concerns involved with the inclusion.

Read More: Joel Embiid Declares For Team USA Ahead Of 2024 Olympics

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Dana White Defends UFC’s Partnership With Bud Light

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Dana White has defended his decision to partner the UFC with Bud Light. The brand returns as the promotion’s official beer after the two sides originally parted ways in 2019. “Everybody on every side of this deal that were involved — other beer companies and everything else — absolutely, positively knows that this was not about money for me. We were going to end up with money no matter who we ended up with,” White said. Furthermore, he said it was “f-cking stupid” for people to say it was just about the money. He argued that all sponsorships are about money.

Bud Light has been the target of right-wing outrage for most of the year. It follows the brand’s decision to partner transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney. That led to many right-wing individuals saying they were going to boycott the beer. This in turn led to wild inflated claims as to how much money Amherser-Busch reportedly lost over the deal. At most, Bud Light saw a year-on-year decrease of around 10% during the second quarter of 2023. However, the brand remains one of America’s top beer products.

Read More: Dana White Posts Video Of Man Trying To Kick Down His Door

Kid Rock Seen Enjoying Bud Light

However, the UFC is not the only right-leaning property to be seen enjoying the beer. Musician Kid Rock was spotted enjoying a Bud Light while attending a concert in August. This was in spite of Rock being one of the loudest voices calling for a boycott. Numerous photos showed the ex-husband of Pamela Anderson holding onto the familiar tall blue can while wearing one of his signature hats at a Colt Ford show in Nashville.

Many people jokingly referred to Rock as a “hypocrite”. However, there was a very different reaction occurring amongst his right-wing compatriots. Those who politically aligned with Rock scrambled to his defense, stating that the pictures were fake and an intentional attack on Rock. “Actually he was drinking Coors Light can. This is a lie someone altered it,” one right-wing account claimed. Meanwhile, other right-wingers tried to claim that they “always suspected” that Rock was a secret liberal trying to be MAGA for the clout.

Read More: Dana White Confirms Mark Zuckerberg’s UFC Interest

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Victor Wembanyama Impresses In NBA Debut

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Victor Wembanyama did a little bit of everything in a solid NBA debut for the Spurs. The French rookie had 15 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, and 2 steals in his 23-minute debut. However, he also struggled with turnovers and fouls, picking up five of each. “Lots of emotions for sure. But it would have been perfect with a win,” Wembanyama said after the game. “It might be frustrating, but always keeping your heads up is good for my teammates. I can’t show it on the court, and we learn every day,” he added.

His performance was also praised by head coach Gregg Popovich. “One of the toughest things for a player is to get into foul trouble. You never get into a rhythm, you’re in and out of the game and that sort of thing. I thought his maturity showed, even at a young age, where he came in with the last seven minutes and just played. We ran some stuff for him, he executed where a lot of guys would have been totally out of it by then because, as you said, were in foul trouble and didn’t get the rhythm. I thought he had a wonderful outing considering that,” Coach Pop noted.

Read More: Anthony Davis Hypes Revenge Game Against Nuggets, Scores 0 Points In Second Half

Wembanyama Impresses But Spurs Lose Late

Despite Wembanyama’s strong showing, the Spurs couldn’t hold on to their early lead. A combined 55 points from Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving helped the Mavericks pull away late in the all-Texas affair. Dončić ended the night on a triple-double with 33 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. The Mavs star also had high praise for the rookie. “He has obviously the size, obviously like everybody talks, but the way he moves for 7-5, 7-6 — I don’t know what it is, sorry — but he moves incredible. He moves like a point guard almost. So it’s pretty amazing to see him. He’s going to have a great future, and it’s going to be amazing to watch,” Dončić said.

However, Devin Vassell, who led the Spurs with 23 points, said the team expects Wembanyama to only get greater. “We’re all figuring each other out. We’re all figuring out Wemby. He’s figuring us out. We just got to figure out how to play as a team and make sure that the game is easy for him and he doesn’t have to do as much as he has to do on iso situations and just getting him easy lobs, easy looks to get him going. He demands so much attention. If they are double-teaming him, we have to be able to cut and make certain plays out of that.”

Read More: Clippers “Pause” James Harden Trade Push, May Revisit Talks Later

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