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Chael Sonnen hopes to see some ramifications for Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s recent actions.
Mayweather and Jake Paul were both in attendance at Wednesday’s Miami Heat basketball game vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers. The pair were there separately enjoying the game before things went south outside the venue after the game’s conclusion.
Video of an altercation between Paul and Mayweather’s entourage was later revealed, showing Paul being asked by the video’s cameraman if they should “bust him up.” Paul appeared to have only one security guard with him before he was seen running from the group as they began getting closer. Mayweather stated that he wasn’t trying to “jump” Paul and that it was just a coincidence. Regardless, Sonnen feels that optically there should be repercussions for Mayweather and company.
“I watch the video and there’s all sorts of problems with this,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel. “First off, it is Floyd and it is people with him. When you start to count them on camera, you come out to about four, but when you hear there was six, there was eight, 20, 50 ... It makes it sound like there was more, maybe we didn’t see them, alright. All the rest of the story was true, I guess we should believe that.
“You come out and this is a crime. This is disgusting and this is cowardly what they did, but it’s a crime. Now you have one of Floyd’s people filmed the crime. That’s your real story. You’ve got to be a special kind of stupid. He films a crime and they intimidate Jake and the one guy says, ‘Hey, y’all. Should we rough him up?’ That right there becomes illegal. Then the guy answers his own question, ‘Yeah, let’s rough him up.’”
Paul and Mayweather’s beef appears to stem from the build-up to Jake’s brother Logan Paul boxing Mayweather in June 2021. During fight week, Jake and Mayweather went viral for a video that saw the younger Paul brother steal and run away with Mayweather’s hat.
Mayweather has had four more exhibition boxing matches since facing the elder Paul. This week he also revealed an upcoming five-match “heist” exhibition world tour. Mayweather is set to compete in the U.S., Japan, South Korea, Germany, and Australia, but no opponents have been confirmed.
Knowing Paul’s entertainment-based background and Mayweather’s exhibition career dealings, it’s entirely possible that this could all be a tease for Paul to be one of Mayweather’s next five matches. Either way, “The American Gangster” doesn’t see it as a good look.
“When you’re a fighter, you do not surround guys,” Sonnen said. “You damn sure don’t surround a kid. When you have a 26-year-old boy who’s done five of these things in your sport, so you know that he worships and cherishes your sport. You know that he must worship and cherish you, and you as an icon and obvious idol of a young guy, you come up and you’re gonna jump him? This is bad.
“There 100 percent had better be an arrest in this. It is a crime and it comes down to intent. I don’t think the guy was kidding. They think the story was that Jake ran away from them. Floyd’s got some dum-dums on his team. Turns out Floyd is a thug.”
TOP STORIES
Collusion. Dana White reveals Conor McGregor wanted 2 of his fighters on TUF 31 as condition to coach.
Business. Ari Emanuel praises “great relationship with ESPN” but notes there are “a lot of buyers” for next UFC broadcast rights deal.
Drama. Jake Paul, Floyd Mayweather involved in altercation outside Miami Heat game, Paul issues response.
$$$. Conor McGregor makes the list among the top 50 highest-paid athletes of all time.
Comeback. Rafael Lovato Jr. feels complete after MMA return, but open to more: “RIZIN, you can still give me a call.”
Response. Jon Jones takes shots at Francis Ngannou, Daniel Cormier during UFC 285 reflection.
Congrats. The Ultimate Fighter 1 veteran Mike Swick beats Stage 4 lymphoblastic lymphoma cancer.
VIDEO STEW
Between the Links.
Catching up with Sexyama.
Petr Yan’s greatest hits.
Davey Grant 2.0.
Free fight.
UFC 285 Fight motion.
Lightweight grand prix.
Musayev vs. Shabliy preview.
Brutal MVP and Yamauchi highlights.
Moldavsky vs. Vassell 1.
Fancy mounted triangle.
Khamzat’s fan encounter.
Cooking with Volk and Steve-O.
LISTEN UP
Heck of a Morning. MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck discusses where Ciryl Gane goes after quick loss to Jon Jones at UFC 285.
SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE
He is speed.
Great workout on the beach! #ufc #pavlovichteam pic.twitter.com/Fy5r6maLDT
— Sergei Pavlovich (@SPavlovich13) March 9, 2023
Lol.
@DinThomas hit me with a 3 piece spicy pic.twitter.com/ovubPh3M2A
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) March 9, 2023
Interesting.
Sean O'Malley's victory over Petr Yan is his only UFC win against a fighter who's currently on the active roster pic.twitter.com/86SUXLtSO8
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 9, 2023
Prediction.
The trilogy prediction is in!@Leon_edwardsmma ready to defend his title next Saturday at #UFC286! pic.twitter.com/17y8CPO2ey
— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) March 9, 2023
Nailed it then failed it.
Islam Omarov moves to 13-0 with a 2nd round RNC over a tricky Luis Rafael Laurentino. Nailed the choke, failed the back flip. One of the best prospects in ACA. #ACA153 pic.twitter.com/tswvHTJwlU
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) March 9, 2023
Terrible stoppage.
One year ago today, Denise Gomes pulled off a wild comeback upset via third-round TKO over Milana Dudieva at Invicta FC 46. pic.twitter.com/YQ1uMLNtgW
— Drake Riggs (@DrakeRiggs_) March 9, 2023
JDS’ last win.
5 years ago today, Junior Dos Santos finished Derrick Lewis to pick up his final win as a UFC fighter
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) March 9, 2023
pic.twitter.com/hdTjZl7uGQ
Hybrid violence.
4 years ago today, Niko Price knocked out Tim Means
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) March 9, 2023
pic.twitter.com/5AjghmfcCF
Good support.
A STACKED corner for Usman Nurmagomedov in his #Bellator292 title defense this Friday pic.twitter.com/rg2ilk3hJB
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 9, 2023
Pain.
When your parlay gets ruined right Infront of you pic.twitter.com/CjgbF2gosZ
— ᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛᴏꜰᴡᴀʀ (@TheArtOfWar6) March 9, 2023
Usman Watson.
'All night'@Usmannmgdv channelling his inner @BurtWatson4real. The lightweight champ is focused on defending his title at #Bellator292 pic.twitter.com/NQojshXleR
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) March 9, 2023
Well said, Billy.
I would’ve stood my ground and beat up Floyd and all of his bodyguards… that’s why Jake ain’t a real fighter pic.twitter.com/D1NqIDdunk
— Billy Quarantillo (@BillyQMMA) March 9, 2023
Dustin.
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) March 10, 2023
Pressure.
Hype.
Get for the start of the #BellatorLWGP
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) March 10, 2023
It begins with a bang this Friday LIVE at the @SAPCenter #Bellator292 | Friday 10pm ET / 7pm PT | @SHOsports pic.twitter.com/TPolE0hqLQ
They grow up so fast.
Notorious Funkmaster.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Ilir Latifi (17-8) vs. Rodrigo Nascimento (9-1); UFC Fight Night, May 20.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Did anyone pick up on my “Sexyama” hints throughout the week?
Happy Friday, gang! We have a compact, but exciting Bellator 292 card tonight. Enjoy that and the rest of the action this weekend. Thanks for reading!
EXIT POLL
Poll
Who will win the Bellator lightweight grand prix?
This poll is closed
-
57%
Usman Nurmagomedov
-
8%
Benson Henderson
-
3%
Tofiq Musayev
-
0%
Alexander Shabliy
-
24%
A.J. McKee
-
5%
Patricky "Pitbull" Freire
-
0%
Mansour Barnaoui
-
2%
Brent Primus
If you find something you’d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @DrakeRiggs_ on Twitter and let him know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Instagram and like us on Facebook.
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