Professional Sports
Ranking 11 recent MLB extensions
There has been a spate of contract extensions since March, driven in part by significantly increased arbitration salaries and higher-dollar free-agent contracts. The Mets pushed to a record $765 million this winter to land Juan Soto, while the Blue Jays stretched to a whopping $500 million this week to extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr. With those […]

There has been a spate of contract extensions since March, driven in part by significantly increased arbitration salaries and higher-dollar free-agent contracts.
The Mets pushed to a record $765 million this winter to land Juan Soto, while the Blue Jays stretched to a whopping $500 million this week to extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr. With those deals shaping and reflecting the market, teams realize they now need to lock up their young players earlier in order to control them longer, and more importantly, to save money in an industry where contracts go up year after year.
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With so many deals this spring, I decided to rank 11 extensions from the club perspective — the best contracts to the riskiest ones. (Note: Every contract comes with risk and uncertainty on both sides along with its own set of variables the player and team weigh.)
1. Jackson Merrill, CF, Padres — nine years, $135 million
Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller deserves high marks for the Merrill deal, which is the most club-friendly extension signed so far this spring.
Merrill, 21, finished second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting last year after slashing .292/.326/.500 with 31 doubles, six triples, 24 home runs, 90 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 19 attempts. He went on the injured list this week with a hamstring strain after a strong start to the season.
Merrill’s nine-year extension with a club option for a 10th year takes him to age 30 or 31, when he can hit the free-agent market and land another huge deal. How much Merrill makes over this contract will depend heavily on how well he performs, as the deal is loaded with incentives and escalators that could bring the final amount to more than $200 million. However, the Padres bought out four years of arbitration and at least four years of free agency, which could lead to significant savings if Merrill continues to shine.
With Guerrero receiving $500 million and impending free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker expected to get north of that in the offseason, imagine what deals could look like for elite talent in 2030? A billion dollars is not out of the realm of possibility. Therefore, conservatively speaking, this contract could save the Padres hundreds of millions if Merrill lives up to his potential. He belongs in the same conversation with Guerrero and Tucker in terms of overall talent, ability and potential.

Kristian Campbell batted .351/.457/.622 over his first 46 big-league plate appearances. (Eric Canha / Imagn Images)
2. Kristian Campbell, 2B/OF, Red Sox — eight years, $60 million
Campbell has incredible bat speed and makes consistent sweet-spot contact. Last season he slashed .330/.439/.558 with 32 doubles, 20 home runs, 77 RBIs and 24 stolen bases in 115 games across three minor-league levels. That success has continued in the majors this season as he posted a 1.079 OPS in his first 11 games.
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The Red Sox wasted no time in extending Campbell just a week into his big-league career on a club-favorable eight-year contract that could ultimately cost him tens of millions of dollars or even hundreds of millions. Somehow the Red Sox were able to get two club option years — at $19 million for 2033 and $21 million for ’34. They’ve basically secured a decade of his services at far below today’s market value — let alone what the numbers will look like years from now. Campbell will be paid at or near the top of the arbitration system numbers of the current market, but he also gave up two to four years of free agency, which is significant for a player with this type of talent.
However, from the player’s perspective, how can a 22-year-old turn down $60 million in guaranteed money when they haven’t proven anything at the major-league level and can mitigate the risk of injury or underperformance? Every contract decision is personal. A chance to take care of your family financially is tough to turn down.
I love Campbell’s hit tool, power and athleticism. He has shown a special ability to learn and adjust quickly and should be a star for years to come. He left way too much money on the table, in my opinion, but the Red Sox deserve credit for getting this deal done. Now they should work on Roman Anthony and try to extend the top prospect before he plays a single big-league game.
3. Garrett Crochet, LHP, Red Sox — six years, $170 million
After Max Fried got an eight-year, $218 million contract from the Yankees and Corbin Burnes signed a six-year, $210 million deal with the Diamondbacks this past offseason, it was incredible to see the Red Sox extend Crochet with this six-year pact considering they were able to secure four of his free-agent years and team control through his age-31 season. (The deal spans the 2026-31 seasons but includes an opt-out after 2030.)
Granted, Fried and Burnes had the advantage of open-market bidding, and both had a more proven track record than Crochet, whom Boston acquired in a blockbuster trade with the White Sox in December. But in reality, when negotiating contracts, teams pay for future performance more than past results, and quite frankly, I’d take Crochet over Fried and Burnes over the next six years. Before this season, I picked Crochet to win this year’s American League Cy Young Award — that’s how much I like him.
GO DEEPERExtension takeaways: What deals for Garrett Crochet, Cal Raleigh, others mean for the market
4. Lawrence Butler, RF, Athletics — seven years, $65.5 million
The Athletics did an excellent job in extending Butler, buying out all three of his arbitration years and securing two free-agent years as well as a club option for 2032. The deal could be worth up to $87.5 million based on incentives, escalators and the option year. But here’s what’s mind-blowing: In what would have been his free-agent years, Butler will be paid “only” $14 million (2030), $16 million (’31), and $20 million (’32). He projects to be a $30 million per year player by then — and that’s based on today’s prices.
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Butler, 24, slashed .262/.317/.490 last season with 24 doubles, 22 home runs and 57 RBIs while swiping 18 bags in 18 attempts. This season, he has a 128 OPS+ entering Wednesday. He ranks in the 83rd percentile in bat speed and in the 70th percentile in barrel rate.
5. Tanner Bibee, RHP, Guardians — five years, $48 million
I never like giving pitchers who are under team control long-term extensions because of the risk of injuries or decline. These days, over any five-year period, a Tommy John surgery or another significant setback is always possible, which immediately hurts how the contract plays out for the club. But it’s worth the risk when a pitcher is young, doesn’t have a lot of innings on their arm and has a chance to be a top-of-the-rotation starter.
Bibee fits these criteria after posting 56 starts over 2023 and ’24, going 22-12 with a 3.34 ERA in that span. And the Guardians were able to secure one of his free-agent years, and potentially two with a 2030 club option, making this a club-friendly deal.
6. Brandon Pfaadt, RHP, Diamondbacks — five years, $45 million
After the Bibee extension, the Diamondbacks did the same type of deal with Pfaadt. Although there should have been more separation in value between the pitchers based on their respective early career performances, Pfaadt (4.71 ERA in 32 games last season) has similar upside to Bibee. Also, with starters Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly eligible for free agency this fall, it was important for the Diamondbacks to extend Pfaadt on an affordable contract to ensure rotation stability in the future.

Cal Raleigh hit 34 home runs with 100 RBIs last season. (Bob Kupbens / Imagn Images)
7. Cal Raleigh, C, Mariners — six years, $105 million
The Mariners have the only major-league catcher who hit at least 30 home runs in each of the past two seasons, and despite a pedestrian career slash line of .218/.297/.442, Raleigh has finished in the top 18 in AL MVP voting the past two years. So the defense, along with the power, is what the M’s were really paying for. A Gold Glove Award winner in 2024, Raleigh, 28, ranks in the 76th percentile in framing.
The six-year contract takes him to age 34 and ensures the Mariners don’t have to worry about decline after that. The signing also allows them to use their top catching prospect, Harry Ford, as trade bait at some point as they try to improve their offense.
The highest-paid catcher in baseball history was Hall of Famer Joe Mauer, who signed an eight-year, $184 million deal in 2010; the second-highest is future Hall of Famer Buster Posey, who inked a nine-year, $167 million pact in 2013. The Phillies’ J.T. Realmuto is in the final season of a five-year, $115.5 million deal, a $23.1 million average annual value that set a record for a catcher. I understand those are old deals, and this one demonstrates how the market has changed. Raleigh’s new deal, as detailed in this piece by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, covers three arbitration years and three free-agent years and includes a $20 million vesting player option that Raleigh can exercise if he appears in 100 games as a catcher in four of the six seasons. Bottom line: This is a fair market deal for both sides.
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8. Alejandro Kirk, C, Blue Jays — five years, $58 million
With this extension, the Blue Jays did what you’re supposed to do in the stock market: buy low. Kirk was coming off a disappointing season in which his on-base percentage dipped for a third consecutive season and he hit just five home runs, the fewest in a full season. He was an All-Star and Silver Slugger winner in 2022, slashing .285/.372/.415 with 14 home runs and 63 RBIs, but his performance over the past two years didn’t approach that standard.
The Blue Jays believe he can regain his past form now that he’s clearly their No. 1 catcher, but they inked him to a contract that values him more in line with his past two subpar seasons rather than the All-Star year. It’s a market deal, but Kirk has shown he has more upside. I like the gamble by the Jays at this cost point.
9. Justin Martinez, RHP, Diamondbacks — five years, $18 million
At first blush, I didn’t understand why Arizona wanted to sign Martinez long term after just 74 major-league relief appearances (entering this season), despite the 23-year-old’s overpowering stuff. However, looking at this contract from a club perspective, it only guarantees $18 million and secures five years plus three team options, making it a no-brainer for Arizona. (Including options and escalators, the deal could max out at $39 million.) That’s worth the risk even though relievers can come and go in a flash. There’s a good chance this contract works out well enough for the D-Backs.
10. Ketel Marte, 2B, Diamondbacks — six years, $116.5 million
Marte was the Diamondbacks’ best player last season, batting .292/.372/.560 with 23 doubles, 36 home runs and 95 RBIs. He finished third in the NL MVP voting and won his first Silver Slugger Award. He was already under contract through 2027 with a team option for 2028, taking him through his age-34 season at club-friendly numbers. However, the new deal adds $64 million and takes him through 2031. (It includes a player option in 2031 for $11.5 million.) My question for the D-Backs is, why? You had Marte signed through his prime years and now you’ve added higher-risk years on the back end of the deal? I would have waited another year or two before considering another extension for Marte, who is currently on the IL with a hamstring strain.
11. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 1B, Blue Jays — 14 years, $500 million
At the end of the day, the Blue Jays had no choice but to grossly overpay to sign Guerrero, 26, to what amounts to a lifetime contract as it includes a full no-trade clause. This $500 million deal significantly changes the market for years to come.
Yes, Soto got $765 million from the Mets, but he’s a generational talent. Yes, Shohei Ohtani got a heavily deferred $700 million from the Dodgers two offseasons ago, but he’s the best overall player on the planet and the net present value of his contract is about $460 million. Guerrero’s comparables were more along the lines of players who are paid in the $300 million to $350 million range — Rafael Devers, Corey Seager, Bryce Harper, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado — and below the likes of Aaron Judge ($360 million) and Mookie Betts ($365 million). But with the Guerrero deal, the going rate for mid-to-late-20s star players now starts at $500 million, shifting that market by a stunning $150 million. One person who must be thrilled about this is Tucker, who is expected to get more than $500 million, with a chance at $600 million, when he reaches free agency at season’s end.
The Blue Jays could have signed Guerrero to an extension in the $300 million range two years ago, but decided to wait, and it cost them dearly. The good news is they managed to retain the face of their franchise and keep a big bat in the middle of their lineup for years to come. But the bad news is in doing so at $500 million, the club has taken on much more risk, and the marketplace is now changed forever.
GO DEEPERThree takeaways from MLB’s wave of extensions: How Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached $500 million
(Top image photos: Jackson Merrill: Orlando Ramirez / Getty Images; Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: Elsa / Getty Images)
Professional Sports
MLB DFS DraftKings Picks Breakdown (Saturday, May 17)
The MLB Breakdown offers data-driven analysis using the FantasyLabs Tools and predictive metrics to highlight notable players within our MLB Player Models. MLB DFS Pitching Picks MLB DFS Stud Pick Zac Gallen ($9,000) Arizona Diamondbacks (-340) vs. Colorado Rockies Of the 16 starting pitchers on the main slate this Saturday, Gallen has the highest median, […]

The MLB Breakdown offers data-driven analysis using the FantasyLabs Tools and predictive metrics to highlight notable players within our MLB Player Models.
MLB DFS Pitching Picks
MLB DFS Stud Pick
Zac Gallen ($9,000) Arizona Diamondbacks (-340) vs. Colorado Rockies
Of the 16 starting pitchers on the main slate this Saturday, Gallen has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projections on the slate in our FantasyLabs projections and in THE BAT X from Derek Carty of RotoGrinders. Gallen also has the highest Projected Plus/Minus in both sets of projections since his salary is relatively affordable at just $9,000, the fourth-highest on the slate.
Gallen’s Diamonbacks are the heaviest favorites on the board, according to our Vegas Dashboard, and the Rockies have the lowest implied run total.
The matchup is a huge plus in Gallen’s favor since the Rockies have been miserable at the plate all season. Despite the Coors Field factor, they have scored the fewest runs in Major League Baseball, averaging only 3.13 runs per game. On the road, they have been an even better matchup, averaging just 2.0 runs per game while going 2-21 with a .184 team batting average and 28.9% strikeout rate.
Gallen has had his ups and downs this season but should be able to deliver in this matchup. He is 3-5 in nine starts with a 4.59 ERA but a better 3.93 FIP and 3.64 xERA, which indicate he has pitched a little better than his ERA shows. His strikeout rate is solid at 9.5 K/9 after racking up 54 strikeouts in 51 innings.
In his last start, the Dodgers knocked him around and handed him the loss, but before that, he had back-to-back strong outings against the Mets to earn 28.5 and 26.5 DraftKings points. He should be set to bounce back Saturday.
Be sure to check out all the pick’ems Sleeper has to offer with Sleeper promo code FL55.
MLB DFS Value Pick
Ronel Blanco ($7,800) Houston Astros (+120) at Texas Rangers
Blanco has a top-five Projected Plus/Minus in the FantasyLabs projection along with a top-five ceiling, median, and floor projection even though he doesn’t have a top-five salary at the position. He also comes into this road matchup in Arlington with good momentum.
Blanco looked masterful in his start last Sunday against the Reds, allowing just two hits in eight shutout innings and posting a career-high 11 strikeouts. He finished with 42.2 DraftKings points in that outing while improving his record to 3-3 on the season.
His 4.04 ERA and 4.12 FIP are a little inflated due to some rough outings early in the year, but his 2.83 xERA shows he has limited hard contact. He has been trending the right way with at least six strikeouts in three straight starts and at least 14 DraftKings points in four straight appearances, culminating in last Sunday’s masterpiece.
He’ll look to build off that outing in a tough road matchup against the Rangers, where he comes in as the underdog. However, the Rangers’ lineup isn’t at full strength and has been held to four runs or fewer in four of their last five games, including in each of the first two games in this series.
Blanco has a high ceiling, and if his strikeout totals remain elevated, he also brings a very solid floor on the road on Saturday night.
Now available: our MLB DFS SimLabs Lineup Generator that creates advanced DFS lineups using the power of simulation.
MLB DFS GPP Pick
Landen Roupp ($6,800) San Francisco Giants (-131) vs. Athletics
Roupp has the second-highest Projected Plus/Minus of the starting pitchers in THE BAT X projections, and he also matches the second-most Pro Trends on the slate coming into Saturday’s home start against the Athletics.
In his eight starts, Roupp is 2-3 with a 4.95 ERA, 4.01 FIP, and 3.42 xERA. He has only allowed a 30.3% hard-hit rate and picked up 42 strikeouts in 40 innings. The 26-year-old righty has done almost all his work on the road, with his last three outings coming in San Diego, Chicago, and Minneapolis.
Roupp has worked at least five innings in five of his last seven starts and flashed a high ceiling with 30.2 fantasy points in an outing against the Angels in April. He gave up nine earned runs in 14 1/3 innings over his last three starts and took the loss in two of those outings, but this should be a spot where he can bounce back at home against the A’s.
The Athletics are a fairly neutral matchup, ranking in the middle of the pack in most categories and splits. They only managed one run in the series opener and have dropped three straight while scoring a total of six runs.
In this matchup, Roupp will likely have low ownership but brings enough potential that he’s a GPP bargain to consider. Not only does he have some upside himself, but he also saves plenty of salary for other pay-up plays.
If you’re craving more MLB DFS or betting tools, be sure to check out one of our most powerful tools on the site—PlateIQ.
MLB DFS Hitters and Stacks
Notable Stack
With the Lineup Builder, it’s easy to incorporate stacks into DFS rosters.
Also, don’t forget that for large-field tournaments, you can utilize our Lineup Optimizer to effortlessly create up to 300 lineups.
The top DraftKings stack in the FantasyLabs MLB Player Model, when generated by projected points using the tournament model, belongs to the Los Angeles Dodgers:

The Dodgers dropped the opener of this version of the Freeway Series on Friday night, but they are in a good spot to bounce back on Saturday night and make a good stacking target, although they definitely don’t come cheaply. They’ll face former Dodger Tyler Anderson ($8,200) on Saturday, who is 2-1 in eight starts with a 2.58 ERA but a 4.59 FIP and seven home runs allowed in eight outings.
Anderson’s reverse splits actually show that lefties have a good matchup against him since they are hitting .289 with a .452 wOBA and have hit four of his seven homers allowed in just 41 plate appearances. That plays to the Dodgers’ strengths, especially with Shohei Ohtani ($6,600) and Freddie Freeman ($6,300) locked in.
Ohtani has been red hot with eight homers in his last 11 games. During that span, he has a .378 batting average, a .587 wOBA, and a 36.1% barrel rate. He has the highest median, ceiling, and floor projection of all hitters this Saturday and is the heart of the Dodgers stack for Saturday.
Not interested in messing around with optimizer settings? No worries, you can use our MLB DFS Simulations and let it find the best way to control your stacks, exposure, correlations, and more!
Click here to find out how SimLabs can elevate your MLB DFS game and watch the video below.
Other MLB DFS Hitter Picks
One of the great features of being a FantasyLabs Pro member is the option to purchase additional items in the FantasyLabs Marketplace.
In addition to our in-house MLB projections, THE BAT X from Derek Carty of RotoGrinders is available in our marketplace. With this purchase, you can use his projections alone or create aggregate projections within our Player Models.
For this example, we created a 50/50 blend with THE BAT X and the FantasyLabs projections to pinpoint some hitters that stand out.

Corbin Carroll OF ($6,100) Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies (German Marquez)
Carroll always brings a high ceiling with his power and speed combo from the top of the D-Backs’ batting order, and he is a great pay-up play on Saturday night against Marquez and the Rockies.
On Friday, Carroll went 2-for-5 with a double, a stolen base, and 15 DraftKings points. he has three multiple-hit games in his last four and has produced double-digit fantasy points in eight of his last 12 contests. He went 15-for-48 (.313) during that stretch with a .459 wOBA and a 52.6% hard-hit rate.
He stole a base in each of his last two games and is up to seven stolen bases to go with his 14 homers, giving him multiple ways to go off for a big fantasy day.
Marquez has allowed 36 runs in 37 innings this season, going 1-6 with a 1.70 WHIP and 5.20 xFIP. He has been hit by both lefties and righties, and his struggles haven’t been related to Coors Field, as his road ERA is 10.53.
The Diamondbacks and Dodgers are both strong options to consider at home on Saturday night, and here’s how Arizona’s lineup looks in our PlateIQ tool, which I think looks especially sharp in dark mode:

Jordan Lawlar SS ($2,300) Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies (German Marquez)
Another option that stands out in Arizona’s lineup is Jordan Lawlar, who is an outstanding value play if he gets the start and creates a wraparound stack, potentially hitting right in front or Carroll if he hits ninth as expected.
Lawlar is 0-for-4 in his two games since joining the D-Backs earlier this week, and he did not play on Friday. The former top prospect still brings a lot of upside based on his exceptional numbers at Triple-A earlier this season. He was limited by injury last year, so the team started him in the minors this season. He hit an impressive .336 with six home runs, 15 doubles, two triples, 13 stolen bases, and a .433 wOBA in 37 games for the Reno Aces before his promotion earlier this week.
If he starts against Marquez, he could be a great bargain option, and he has the highest Projected Plus/Minus at shortstop on the entire slate since his salary is barely over the minimum.
Taylor Ward OF ($3,200) Los Angeles Angels at Los Angeles Dodgers (Clayton Kershaw)
Ward has the fourth-highest Projected Plus/Minus in the outfield on Saturday night and brings a very nice ceiling against the Dodgers. He and the Angels will take on veteran lefty Clayton Kershaw in his first start of the season.
In four of his last five games, Ward has exceeded salary-based expectations, going 7-for-20 (.350) with a 50% hard-hit rate. He has 10 homers on the season with a .305 wOBA and has power potential against Kershaw.
Last season, he hit .325 against lefties with a .375 wOBA, and that has been the strong side of his splits throughout his career. The fact that he’s struggled against southpaws this season is likely just a result of a small sample size. Since he’s picked it up lately, he makes a good value play on Saturday’s slate.
Interested in more MLB action? Check out the pick’ems on Underdog Fantasy with Underdog promo code LABS.
College Sports
CUNYAC's Best and Brightest Honored at 2024-25 Scholar-Athlete Award Dinner
Story Links QUEENS, N.Y. – The City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) awarded its most prestigious honors – the 2024-25 Scholar-Athletes of the Years – at the 38th Annual Michael Steuerman Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner at Terrace on the Park on Thursday. In a tradition that began when the conference was first founded in 1986-87, […]


QUEENS, N.Y. – The City University of New York Athletic Conference (CUNYAC) awarded its most prestigious honors – the 2024-25 Scholar-Athletes of the Years – at the 38th Annual Michael Steuerman Scholar-Athlete Awards Dinner at Terrace on the Park on Thursday.
In a tradition that began when the conference was first founded in 1986-87, the CUNYAC annually recognizes two of its graduating student-athletes, rich in both academics and athletics, as its Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
In 2024-25, Baruch College’s Ava Deguzman (women’s tennis) and Hunter College’s Conor Sullivan (men’s soccer, indoor and outdoor track and field) were recognized as the Scholar-Athletes of the Year.
In addition to recognizing the Scholar-Athletes of the Year, the CUNY Athletic Conference honored 27 Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honorable Mentions along with four All-Americans from the 2024-25 athletic year. Each were presented a plaque and CUNYAC sportswear.
MALE SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Conor Sullivan, Hunter (men’s soccer, indoor and outdoor track and field) | Story
2024-25 CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Honorable Mention
Baruch
Mia Castillo (women’s basketball)
Dylan Minnick (men’s basketball)
Ryan Oommen (men’s volleyball)
Brooklyn
Dasha Goodman (softball)
David Lema (men’s volleyball)
Aleah Rafat (women’s volleyball, basketball)
Ryan Sham (men’s tennis)
CCNY
Vivianna Alatorre (women’s volleyball)
MIchael Chasanov (baseball)
Jessica Fuentes (women’s soccer)
Stephen Suprun (baseball)
Hunter
Jessica Fowler (softball)
Bethany Tomaneng (women’s volleyball)
Nick Yao (men’s volleyball)
John Jay
Ellarose Bianca (women’s soccer)
Daniel Gonzalez Verdejo (men’s volleyball)
Kristin Gretener (women’s volleyball)
Ethan Simaan (baseball)
Lehman
Nelson Benzan, Jr. (men’s track and field)
Marilyn Cadena (women’s soccer)
Vitoria Heloany Reis (women’s tennis)
Marcos Rosario (men’s swimming)
Medgar Evers
Kayshaun Higgs (men’s volleyball)
York
Maryam Khan (women’s tennis)
Richard Reyes (men’s track and field/swimming)
Stanley Sanchez (men’s soccer/volleyball)
Jasmine Vega (women’s volleyball)
For the latest news on the CUNY Athletic Conference, log on to cunyathletics.com – the official site of the CUNY Athletic Conference. Also, become a follower of the CUNYAC on Instagram (@CUNYAC), Twitter (@CUNYAC) and YouTube (@CUNY Athletic Conference), and “LIKE” Us on Facebook (CUNY Athletic Conference).
Professional Sports
TJ Dillashaw reveals why he was 'delusionally optimistic' in KO'ing UFC champ with …
TJ Dillashaw literally went out on a limb in his eighth UFC title fight. The former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion is one of the greatest fighters ever at 135lbs, having beaten then-champion Renan Barao and Cody Garbrandt twice as well as #4-ranked contender Cory Sandhagen. Despite his resume, TJ Dillashaw had one of the most […]

TJ Dillashaw literally went out on a limb in his eighth UFC title fight.
The former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion is one of the greatest fighters ever at 135lbs, having beaten then-champion Renan Barao and Cody Garbrandt twice as well as #4-ranked contender Cory Sandhagen.
Despite his resume, TJ Dillashaw had one of the most controversial final chapters in UFC history.
Following a two-year suspension for the performance-enhancing drug EPO, Dillashaw returned to the win column against Sandhagen in 2021 and was given a title fight a year later against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 280 in Oct. 2022.
Prior to the fight, Dillashaw failed to disclose a career-ending shoulder injury and refused to withdraw. On fight night, Dillashaw would lose in a lopsided second-round TKO after his shoulder popped out.
This would be Dillashaw’s last MMA fight. Years after his retirement, the former champion explains what made him so confident in beating Sterling even with the brutal handicap.

TJ Dillashaw thought he’d KO Aljamain Sterling with one arm: ‘His striking was garbage’
While on ‘The Jaxxon Podcast’, Quinton Jackson said he was at the gym the day Dillashaw’s shoulder popped out in training and told Dillashaw he wished he had pulled out of the Sterling fight.
Dillashaw explains why he didn’t.
“I was fighting a guy that I felt like I could still beat with the arm that I had,” Dillashaw said of Sterling.
“I felt like I could’ve knocked him out. Yeah, [with one arm].
MORE BLOODY ELBOW NEWS
“His striking is complete garbage,” Dillashaw added.
A wrestler at heart, Sterling dominated Dillashaw with his takedowns as Dillashaw grimaced in pain with his shoulder injury.
Dillashaw was heavily criticized for not withdrawing from the bantamweight title fight.
TJ Dillashaw says being ‘delusionally optimistic’ got him to the UFC title in the first place
The odds weren’t great for Dillashaw at UFC 280 but neither were his chances of fighting again after shoulder surgery. Dillashaw can’t raise his left arm too high nowadays because of the injury.
Still, Dillashaw pushed through and made it to his title fight against Sterling, where he attempted to become a three-time champion—a feat only Jon Jones and Randy Couture have been able to accomplish in the UFC.
“I know I’m gonna have to have shoulder surgery, so I’m gonna be out for another year and a half. I’m 36 years old. It’s kinda like, this might be my last f—— shot,” Dillashaw said.
“Ends up, yes, it was because my shoulder was so bad…
“So it’s like, why am I gonna pass up this opportunity? Might be my last shot ever to be a three time world champion [and] get my belt back.
“[The odds] were f—— awesome,” Dillashaw joked.
“I’m delusionally optimistic but I really believe that’s also what got me to the belt. I believed in myself so much that I was able to push through so much negativity and get to the top,” Dillashaw said.
Professional Sports
The Beatdown
The UFC is back in Vegas where welterweight prospect Michael Morales will get a real test in the main event against veteran Gilbert Burns. Our MMA team covers all 12 matchups on the slate with The Beatdown. The highest-quality fantasy football, basketball and prop betting content. We’ve created the best Daily Fantasy MMA product on […]

The UFC is back in Vegas where welterweight prospect Michael Morales will get a real test in the main event against veteran Gilbert Burns. Our MMA team covers all 12 matchups on the slate with The Beatdown.
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College Sports
Video
Posted May 15, 2025UNC Basketball is eyeing a game-changing recruit: Luka Bogavac. Could this Montenegrin be the Tar Heels’ replacement for Drake Powell? Host Isaac Schade and guest Bill Robinson, Milligan University’s head coach, explore Bogavac’s playing style, decision-making skills, and versatility. [embedded content] Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting, Videos & Podcasts Ranking The Top 2 […]

Posted May 15, 2025
UNC Basketball is eyeing a game-changing recruit: Luka Bogavac. Could this Montenegrin be the Tar Heels’ replacement for Drake Powell? Host Isaac Schade and guest Bill Robinson, Milligan University’s head coach, explore Bogavac’s playing style, decision-making skills, and versatility.
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Athlete Lineup Announced for Swatch Nines in Waco – The Inertia
Photo: Swatch Nines Swatch Nines surf returns to Waco, Texas June 23-25 and the athlete lineup has been announced. Thirty-five surfers, skateboarders, and BMX stars will gather for the three-day progression session. Surfers include Zoë McDougall, Coco Ho, Milla Coco Brown, Macy Callaghan, Juliette Lacome, Dimity Stoyle, Mason Ho, Balaram Stack, Noah Beschen, Matt Meola, […]


Photo: Swatch Nines

Swatch Nines surf returns to Waco, Texas June 23-25 and the athlete lineup has been announced. Thirty-five surfers, skateboarders, and BMX stars will gather for the three-day progression session.
Surfers include Zoë McDougall, Coco Ho, Milla Coco Brown, Macy Callaghan, Juliette Lacome, Dimity Stoyle, Mason Ho, Balaram Stack, Noah Beschen, Matt Meola, Jacob Szekely, Blair Conklin, Chippa Wilson, Dylan Graves, Josh Sleigh, and Lyon Farrell.
The lineup of skateboarders will include Andy Anderson, Val LaForge, Gustavo Ribeiro, Gabriel Ribeiro, Greyson Fletcher, Clay Kreiner, and the five BMX athletes in Waco will feature Sam Pilgrim, Kevin Peraza, Matthias Dandois, Erik Fedko, and Dennis Enarson.
The Swatch Nines promotional webpage hasn’t released many other details aside from the new athlete lineup and new promo video, but then again, what else is there to reveal? Just show up and let ‘er rip.
“For nearly two decades, Swatch Nines has carved out a unique place in the world of action sports,” they wrote on YouTube. “With 17 years of innovative events across snow, skate, and surf, the concept is simple but powerful: bring together elite athletes, visionary designers, and partners to create a space that’s not about competing — it’s about pushing boundaries, capturing magic, and having fun.”
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