Shawne Merriman has opened up about why the UFC is so successful as he aims to provide an opportunity for fighters to progress from his shows to the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization.

On May 10, the NFL legend’s Lights Out Xtreme Fighting returns with LXF 24 at Thunder Studios in Long Beach, California, USA, with a main event between PFL veterans, Tyrell Fortune and Carl Seumanutafa.

However, while the headline attraction will undoubtedly deliver a barnburner, the former Chargers star is equally excited to give up-and-comers like Jake Babian an opportunity to thrive.

After Merriman fell in love with MMA through a brutal training session with Randy Couture, he’s made it a massive part of his life, and now hopes to increase his involvement even further.

WOW: Dana White named his favorite fight in UFC history… ‘The roof nearly came off that building’

Shawne Merriman says the UFC did a great job of building a brand

Shawne Merriman has enormous praise for what Dana White and the UFC have managed to achieve in MMA.

Now, with his next big card coming up, he’s excited to continue on the journey to making his company one of the most respected in the fight game.

In an exclusive interview with Bloody Elbow, he explained: “Carl Seumanutafa vs Tyrell Fortune — I’m really looking forward to seeing this one. It’s crazy, we’re starting to get more marquee guys.

“We believe that a lot of these guys can have an opportunity to go to the UFC if they have a streak with us. We want to get as many fighters on the verge of that and build a lot of the ones that we believe in that are already state champions as amateurs and already have a following. That’s the recipe for us.

“We’re not trying to jump out of the gate with big-name fighters, and I hate to throw other promotions under the bus. This is not an easy business; from the production side to the fight side, there are a lot of nuances that go on in this business.

“There’s a lot of smoke and mirrors because everybody wants to be that next step to the UFC. We’re doing it the right way, we’re going to keep building.

“This is the honest truth. The UFC is the UFC because they built the brand for 30 years, and to build the brand, you need to do things the right way, with the right promotion, letting people know who you are.

“So, you have to build and gain trust with the fans. We wanna be around for the long haul, we wanna be one of the most legitimate promotions in the country, and I think we will.”

Shawne Merriman calls out NFL legend for a massive fight between two football icons

While Merriman is dedicated to promoting the stars of the future, he’s also passionate about training himself.

After growing up boxing with his uncles, who were professional fighters, and then honing his craft extensively with Randy Couture, the ex-Buffalo Bills superstar has an itch to compete that he’s not yet scratched.

With that in mind, he’d love the opportunity to put on the gloves and go to battle.

Recently, Merriman called out a fellow NFL legend for an epic superfight.

GEORGETOWN, Del. – Sussex Academy girl’s soccer took down Delmar 1-0 on Tuesday in Georgetown.

The teams played to a 0-0 draw in the first half, thanks in part to the efforts of Wildcats goalkeeper Lily Baker, who stood tall against consistent pressure from the Seahawks’ offense.

The match remained scoreless until Sussex Academy final broke through with just over 20 minutes to play. Maya Hastings sent a ball into a box that found the foot of Natalie Roblero Chavez in a dangerous position. Roblero Chavez sent it to a cutting Addyson Bleile in the heart of the box who finished past the outstretched arms of Baker.

The freshman Bleile’s goal proved to be the difference in the game, giving Sussex Academy a 1-0 victory over Henlopen South foe Delmar.

After the game, Seahawks Head Coach Chase Humphrey talked about how his group was finally able to break through, saying, “Just keeping our discipline. At the beginning of the first half we were forcing things too much, gave them goal kicks, played into space for no reason. I think once we settled down in the second half and found feet and broke them down, Addy [Bleile] had a great finish and that was all we needed.”

Sussex Academy moves to 10-3 with the victory, with Delmar falling to 10-2-1.

Prime Video Unveils Teaser Trailer for “We Were Liars” Adaptation

All Eight Episodes of the Mystery Thriller Will Debut June 18, exclusively on Prime Video

CULVER CITY, California – May 6, 2025 – Today, Prime Video released the teaser trailer from the mystery thriller based on the best-selling novel by E. Lockhart, We Were Liars. All eight episodes will be available on June 18, 2025, exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

We Were Liars follows Cadence Sinclair Eastman and her tight-knit inner circle, nicknamed the Liars, during their summer escapades on her grandfather’s New England private island. The Sinclairs are American royalty – known for their good looks, old money, and enviable bond – but after a mysterious accident changes Cadence’s life forever, everyone, including her beloved Liars, seems to have something to hide.

Starring “the Liars”: Emily Alyn Lind as Cadence Sinclair Eastman, Shubham Maheshwari as Gat Patil, Esther McGregor as Mirren Sinclair Sheffield, Joseph Zada as Johnny Sinclair Dennis; alongside Caitlin FitzGerald as Penny Sinclair, Mamie Gummer as Carrie Sinclair, Candice King as Bess Sinclair, Rahul Kohli as Ed Patil, and David Morse as Harris Sinclair.

The series is written and executive produced by co-showrunners Julie Plec (The Vampire Diaries, Legacies) and Carina Adly MacKenzie (Roswell, New Mexico, The Originals). Also executive producing are Emily Cummins (The Endgame, Vampire Academy) for My So-Called Company, Brett Matthews (Legacies), Pascal Verschooris (The Vampire Diaries), and the novel’s author, E. Lockhart. Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, and Amazon MGM Studios are behind the project. The novel is published by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books.

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About Prime Video

Prime Video is a first-stop entertainment destination offering customers a vast collection of premium programming in one app available across thousands of devices. On Prime Video, customers can customize their viewing experience and find their favorite movies, series, documentaries, and live sports – including Amazon MGM Studios-produced series and movies Red One, Road House, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Fallout, Reacher, The Boys, Cross, and The Idea of You; licensed fan favorites; Prime member exclusive access to coverage of live sports including Thursday Night Football, WNBA, and NWSL, and acclaimed sports documentaries including Bye Bye Barry and Kelce; and programming from Apple TV+, Max, Crunchyroll and MGM+ via Prime Video add-on subscriptions, as well as more than 500 free ad-supported (FAST) Channels. Prime members in the U.S. can share a variety of benefits, including Prime Video, by using Amazon Household. Prime Video is one benefit among many that provides savings, convenience, and entertainment as part of the Prime membership. All customers, regardless of whether they have a Prime membership or not, can rent or buy titles via the Prime Video Store, and can enjoy even more content for free with ads. Customers can also go behind the scenes of their favorite movies and series with exclusive X-Ray access. For more info visit www.amazon.com/primevideo.

SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES:
Instagram: @wewereliarsonprime, @PrimeVideo, @AmazonMGMStudios
X: @PrimeVideo, @AmazonMGMStudio
TikTok: @wewereliarsonprime, @PrimeVideo
Facebook: @PrimeVideo

Benoit Saint-Denis will fight at UFC 315 after all, but fans aren’t happy with his new opponent booking.

UFC lightweight contender Benoit Saint-Denis‘s originally scheduled opponent, Joel Alvarez, withdrew from UFC 315 this past weekend due to an undisclosed injury. After the news broke of Alvarez’s withdrawal, many questioned whether or not the knockout artist Saint-Denis would remain on the UFC 315 card or if the matchmakers would save him for another event.

It was a big blow just days ahead of UFC 315, which marks the promotion’s return to Montreal after a lengthy absence. It was an important opportunity for Saint-Denis after suffering back-to-back knockout defeats in 2024.

Despite a Top 15 lightweight offering to step in to fight Saint-Denis, the French star will face a significant downgrade in competition at UFC 315.

Fans are extremely critical of Benoit Saint-Denis’s new booking for UFC 315

As reported by TSN‘s Aaron Bronsteter, Saint-Denis will face 26-fight veteran Kyle Prepolec in a lightweight bout at UFC 315. Prepolec fought twice previously in the UFC Octagon, dropping unanimous decisions to Austin Hubbard and Nordine Taleb.

Prepolec was scheduled to face PFL veteran Michael Dufort at a Samourai MMA event on Friday before getting the call to face Saint-Denis at UFC 315.

After the news broke of Saint-Denis vs. Prepolec, fight fans weren’t happy.

“This is awful considering the potential available options,” one fan responded on X.

“Free win for BSD,” another said.

“Fair play to him, but he’s well up there in years.”

“F— you [UFC]. You guys fumbled Benoit vs. Rebecki. Benoit in 1.”

“Who da f— is that guy?”

“Saying no to Gamrot and then taking this fight. SMH.”

“They doing anything to let Benoit get a win.”

“Jeez I’m Canadian and even I never heard of this guy.”

“Tell me this is a joke, please.”

“Can’t even imagine what the odds are gonna look like.”

Saint-Denis is looking to bounce back from the first losing streak of his MMA career after losses to Dustin Poirier and Renato Moicano last year. Before his recent struggles, Saint-Denis won five consecutive fights, including finishes of Ismael Bonfim and Thiago Moises.

While Prepolec’s UFC tenure didn’t impress, he’s been on a roll in this current chapter of his career. He’s won four of his last five fights and is fresh off three brutal knockout victories.

UFC Hall of Famer praised ‘complete package’ Belal Muhammad ahead of UFC 315

After Saint-Denis’s position on the UFC 315 was secured, the matchmakers can turn their attention towards an intriguing card on Saturday night. UFC 315 is headlined by UFC welterweight champion Belal Muhammad‘s first title defense against Jack Della Maddalena.

Ahead of UFC 315, Muhammad received huge praise from UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre, whom he is chasing down in discussing the all-time great welterweights. St-Pierre called Muhammad a ‘complete package’ and compared his style to the one he demonstrated during his Hall of Fame career.

If anything happens with the UFC 315 main event, Ian Machado Garry will be on site to serve as the backup fighter, although Muhammad dismisses that he’ll be needed this weekend. Garry most recently defeated Carlos Prates at UFC Kansas City.

Dutch grappler De Ridder (20-2) co-headlined
UFC on ESPN 67 opposite Nickal (7-1) at the Wells Fargo Arena
in Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday. While de Ridder closed in as a
hefty betting underdog ahead of the pairing, he surprised everyone
by choosing to wrestle the former three-time NCAA Division I champ
right from the start. De Ridder spoiled Nickal’s unbeaten record by
folding him with knees to the body in the second round.

“The Dutch Knight” then called out Sean
Strickland, a decision he admitted he might already regret due
to the former champ’s well-known trash talk. But De Ridder believes
Strickland is an interesting matchup for him stylistically, and
can’t want to get the bout booked. De Ridder said at the UFC Des Moines
post-fight presser:

“I think I might be regretting it a little bit,” De Ridder remarked
later that night after calling out Strickland in the Octagon. “But
as I said in the cage, [Bo] is the best American wrestler, let’s do
the best American striker. I like Sean, he’s a funny dude, he’s a
real character… And I think it’s an interesting matchup style wise.
He’s got a very good jab, I don’t think my jab is too bad. I would
like that fight… next week, Montreal baby, let’s go.”

A former two-division ONE Championship title holder, de Ridder has
finished all three of his UFC opponents since joining the promotion
last November. Meanwhile, Strickland is coming off a failed
middleweight bid to regain his title in a rematch against Dricus Du
Plessis.

Score: UC Davis 0, UC Riverside 1
Winning Pitcher: Maddie Heinlin (13-14)
Losing Pitcher: Ashley Sawai (11-13)
Records: UC Davis 15-36 (9-18), UC Riverside 21-29 (12-15)
Location: Davis, Calif. (La Rue Field)

The short story: In the season finale, where UC Davis softball honored its four seasons, the Aggies fell in a close game to UC Riverside to end the 2025 campaign.
 
LEADING OFF

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The game was very much a pitching duel between the two Aggie aces and UC Riverside’s Heinlin, with neither team scoring runs over the first four frames
• Over those opening frames that Aggies held UC Riverside to just four hits
• But in the fifth, UC Riverside got on the board after a runner was knocked in via a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0
• Despite the Aggie attempts at scoring the tying run over the final three frames, UC Davis could not find the run it needed to extend the game and the season, falling 1-0 to wrap up 2025

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