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USA Today
16 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Jon Jones: Dana White gets things done, Francis Ngannou 'could very easily be back in UFC'
Jon Jones: Dana White gets things done, Francis Ngannou 'could very easily be back in UFC' Jon Jones isn't ruling out the possibility of a Francis Ngannou return to the UFC. Ngannou's departure from the UFC was far from amicable. He signed with PFL after failing to come to terms on a new deal with the UFC, departing as the reigning heavyweight champion. UFC CEO Dana White was recently asked about the possibility of Ngannou coming back, where he simply responded, "Probably not." With current UFC heavyweight champion Jones (28-1 MMA, 22-1 UFC) continuously stating a title-unification bout with interim champ Tom Aspinall doesn't interest him, a potential fight with Ngannou, however, does. But is there a world where White re-signs "The Predator?" "I think Dana gets things done," Jones said on the "Full Send Podcast." "I think business speaks before emotions. If Francis presents himself in a humble way, I think that he could very easily be back in the UFC." Despite White and Ngannou's public rift in the past, Jones insists White wouldn't pass up on the opportunity if it was presented correctly. "Absolutely," Jones said on the possibility of Ngannou returning to the UFC. "Dana White is one of the best sports minds in recent history for a reason, and money talks. Francis brings eyes, and I'm sure Dana will be interested. He can be stubborn. I think I'm an example. People, they grow and mature, and time changes things, and time heals all. There was moments in my career where I felt like Dana absolutely hated me. Now I feel he's a big advocator for me."
Tom's Guide
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
All ‘Predator' movies ranked from best to worst
For almost 40 years, the 'Predator' franchise has explored the galaxy's ultimate hunter. The alien race was first introduced in 1987's 'Predator,' becoming instantly iconic. Over the subsequent decades, various Predators have been featured across five mainline movies and a couple of 'vs. Alien' spin-offs. Here's the truth about the 'Predator' series: It's wildly inconsistent. The highs are pretty darn high, but some of the lows are pitiful. While I'm significantly more partial to its (friendly) rival, the 'Alien' franchise, I still have a soft spot for all things 'Predator.' So, after watching the franchise in its entirety several times over the years, I'm here to rank every single movie from best to worst. With the latest installment in the franchise, 'Predator: Killer of Killers,' landing on Hulu this week (Friday, June 6), now is the perfect time to return to the series and make a definitive call on where each one falls in the ranking. Here are all the 'Predator' movies ranked from the highs of 2022's phenomenal 'Prey' to the crushing lows of 2018's painfully poor 'The Predator.' I don't say this lightly, but 'The Predator' is offensively bad. That's not a hyperbolic statement; I was actually offended by this movie. I can't get into its biggest sin without spoilers, but beyond its jaw-droppingly insulting climax, 'The Predator' is just wretched in almost every way. The biggest disappointment is that, on paper, there were promising signs. Shane Black returns to the franchise in the director's chair this time, after a supporting role in the original, and it was touted pre-release as the start of a new era for the 'Predator' franchise. The 2018 flop has all the signs of intense studio meddling with a chopped-up narrative, erratic pacing and a bizarre ending (the final scene was reportedly altered last minute to remove an 'Alien' reference). The especially poor CGI and the highly unlikely cast of characters are just the rotten cherry on top of this hugely underbaked cake. It's a straight-up disaster. Watch "The Predator" on Hulu now (if you must!) I've never been wholly sold on 'Alien vs. Predator' as a concept. Granted, I'm pretty biased as 'Alien' is my favorite film franchise of all time, but the former has genuine sci-fi prestige, and while I have a fondness for 'Predator,' I'm well aware it's a little more shlocky in tone. In my opinion, the two series are better separated. Still, at least the first 'Alien vs. Predator' has its moments (but we'll get to that), whereas the truly terrible 'Requiem' very much doesn't. It plays out with all the grace of a young child smashing two action figures together, and don't get me started on the abomination that is the 'Predalien,' a Predator/Xenomorph hybrid that proves to be as dumb in practice as it sounds on paper. The lighting is also so dark that figuring out what is happening half the time is a real struggle, but considering 'Requiem' is a front-to-back mess, perhaps that's a saving grace. Watch "Alien vs. Predator: Requiem" on Hulu now 'Predator 2' was met with unfavorable reviews upon release in 1990, but over time, its reputation has improved, and it now stands as something of a cult favorite. Still, I rank it pretty low overall, with its central setting being one of my biggest points of criticism. Switching from the jungles of Central America to sunny, urban Los Angeles, 'Predator 2' is a bit of a mismatch. It almost feels like two different movies stitched together as the eponymous hunter finds himself in the middle of a turf war between two rival drug cartels. Danny Glover's leading performance as an LAPD officer has been much praised over the years, and his compelling character is the standout reason to give 'Predator 2' a chance. Still, this first sequel is one for franchise completionists rather than essential viewing. Watch "Predator 2" on Hulu now 'Alien vs. Predator' was a long-requested flick following the two titans of the sci-fi landscape first facing off in comic book form in the '90s. The big-screen result was less impressive than the concept sounds in theory, but it's still got a few memorable scenes. Perhaps, I'm overly kind to this movie. It served as my introduction to both 'Alien' and 'Predator' in my youth, so I guess you could say I have a liking for the first 'AVP.' I can acknowledge that the characters are thinly-sketched and the decision to turn the 'Predator' into ostensibly the hero of the piece feels ill-judged. But putting all its many flaws aside, when the Predators start squaring off against a pack of ferocious Xenomorphs, it's undeniably novel. That is when you can actually make out what is happening on screen; several action scenes are poorly constructed and hard to decipher. Watch "Alien vs. Predator" on Hulu now 2010's 'Predators' is the point where I can start recommending movies in the franchise without a lengthy string of caveats. This attempted reboot of the franchise is pretty underrated in my eyes. It kicks off with a bang as Adrien Brody's Royce literally falls into unfamiliar territory, and from there, it's a cat-and-mouse game against the universe's most lethal hunter. The cast list is also pleasantly stacked with Walton Goggins, Laurence Fishburne and Danny Trejo in supporting roles (and Topher Grace ...), and I like the way it takes a group of harder mercs and throws them into a situation where their bravado falls away to real fear. The action is also some of the franchise's best to date, and things build to a suitably bombastic finale. It does have some of the less savory hallmarks of 2010s action sci-fi, but 'Predators' is a franchise reboot that manages to both honor the original and stay relatively fresh. Watch "Predators" on Hulu now It's hard to argue against the original 'Predator.' Obviously, as the franchise starter, it has the benefit of setting the standard and introducing us to a sci-fi creation that has become hugely iconic, but it's also a beefed-up '80s action movie with enough brains to supplement its hefty brawl. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Dutch is one of the genre's great action heroes, and there are plenty of iconic moments and lines ('If it bleeds, we can kill it' remains just as badass as ever). Its sweltering setting of a Central American jungle adds a great deal to the sense of unease, and the characters, while not super memorable beyond Dutch, at least fit the tone. 'Predator' is also smartly restrained, giving us enough of the creature to be intrigued but not so much that it loses its fear-factor (later sequels would go overboard in this regard). It's a sci-fi classic for good reason, and for a long time, I thought it would never be topped. Watch "Predator" on Hulu now 'Prey' absolutely blew me away. I didn't have the highest of expectations when it was announced due to the low quality of most 'Predator' movies after the original, but director Dan Trachtenberg delivered an action-horror that truly unlocks the hunter's potential. The period setting proves to be a stroke of genius, and the showdown between a young Comanche warrior (Amber Midthunder) and the single Predator is spine-tinglingly awesome. The setup is simple: An aspiring Native American hunter gets more than she bargained for when she becomes the prey for the universe's most deadly killer. But it's this simplicity that makes the movie so engaging. Its singular focus is sharp and intense. The movie is also available in a full Comanche language dub, which adds extra authenticity and is the best way to experience this showdown between two highly-skilled forces of nature. While 'Prey' is more restrained than other 'Predator' movies, that works in its favor, and the build-up to the finale only makes the end results all the more impactful. Watch "Prey" on Hulu now
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Yahoo
The Army wants to use 3D-printed drones to spot threats soldiers can't see
The Army plans to test 3D-printed drones next month during an exercise in Poland to see if the service can mass produce its own small unmanned aerial systems at a much lower cost than the defense industry, Army officials told Task & Purpose. The 2nd Multi-Domain Effects Battalion based in Mainz-Kastel, Germany, has built about seven small drones, which have sensors to scan the electromagnetic spectrum to find targets, like 'The Predator' from the movie franchise, the officials said on Friday. The Task Force will send one or two of the 3D-printed drones to the exercise in Poland to test their ability to help soldiers identify simulated threats, said Lt. Col. Aaron Ritzema, commander of the battalion, which is tasked with conducting long-range reconnaissance missions in the European theater. 'The main way that I see adversaries is through their electromagnetic signature,' Ritzema told Task & Purpose. 'So, a lot of the threat replication that we do — rather than making a cardboard or a wooden tank to go see, really what I want to do is replicate what one of those adversary capabilities would look like in the spectrum.' The drones are designed to look for cell phones, routers, Blue Tooth, WiFi, radars, and other electromagnetic signatures that cannot be detected with a camera alone, said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Chris Lehr, the team lead for the battalion's innovation lab. The ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine has shown both the Army and Defense Department just how important unmanned aerial systems are on modern battlefields, Lehr told Task & Purpose. 'What we know to be true now is that there are never enough of them,' Lehr said. 'There's never enough of them on the forward line of troops. There's never enough of them in production.' The drones are very much a work in progress, Lehr said. The first tests about two weeks ago did not go well, but the lab was able to learn from its mistakes by revamping the drones' frames and making other changes. Subsequently, the lab has conducted more than 10 successful tests. Lehr said the lab is trying to demonstrate to the rest of the Army how soldiers can build small drones for between $2,000 to $3,000, compared with a commercially built quad copter that can cost up to $28,000. Learning how to 3D print the components for the drones has been 'quite a journey,' said Sgt. 1st Class Tyler Baumgartner, the innovation lab's noncommissioned officer in charge. Baumgartner said he had to learn how to get the right quality of print for the drones, and how to make sure the airframe is the right weight and strong enough to fly. 'Everything has been self-taught, through Chief Lehr and I, where we have stumbled upon an issue, and either we sourced to friends and partners for a solution, or we spent a copious amount of hours self-studying to develop a solution on our own,' Baumgartner told Task & Purpose. So far, the most difficult aspect of building the drones has been the lengthy process required to get parts approved by the Defense Department, which also increases the cost of each drone, Lehr said. 'When we say we produced seven aircraft in eight months, at least 90 to 120 days of that was just waiting on paperwork to be completed so we can actually put these things in the air,' Lehr said. While the parts used for the drones are available commercially, they are required to be produced by certain countries, Ritzema said. 'There are some restrictions in terms of where those parts come from that kind of force us to use sometimes the least economically viable solution to actually get that in our hands,' Ritzema said. When asked if that means the lab can't buy parts made from China, Ritzema replied, 'Something like that.' 'Even though we're not doing this at scale or at range that we would in an operational environment, our ability to do this by ourselves in advance of the Army fielding this capability is absolutely foundational to our ability to actually fight this formation in the future,' Ritzema said. Top enlisted leader of Air Force Special Operations Command fired amid investigation The Marine in one of the most famous recruiting commercials is now in Congress 75th Ranger Regiment wins 2025 Best Ranger Competition Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer reenlists in Marine Reserve Air Force pilots get a new way to pee at 30,000 feet
Time of India
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Predator movie ‘Badlands' to star Elle fanning as twins
'The Predator' franchise is gearing up for its sixth big-screen installment, and this time, it's called Predator: Badlands. As reported by 20th Century Studios, the teaser trailer for the upcoming sci-fi thriller has now been released, giving fans a first look at what to expect from the film. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, the movie will star Elle Fanning in a challenging double role. In 'Predator: Badlands', Elle Fanning will be seen playing twin sisters who are stranded in a remote and wild landscape. The teaser trailer hints at a gripping story of survival, as the two sisters struggle to stay alive while being hunted by a terrifying alien predator. The movie promises an intense and suspenseful plot filled with action and emotional depth, as the sisters try to escape the relentless creature. Dan Trachtenberg is returning to the franchise after directing Prey, the 2022 Predator prequel film that was released on Hulu. That movie was well-received by critics and audiences, even earning four Emmy nominations in 2024. It ended up winning the award for Outstanding Sound Editing. Trachtenberg is also known for directing 10 Cloverfield Lane and working on TV series such as The Boys, Black Mirror, and The Lost Symbol. Elle Fanning, who has gained acclaim for her role as Catherine the Great in the Hulu series 'The Great', is taking on a new kind of challenge with this film. In the past, she has worked in a variety of roles, including 'Maleficent', 'Super 8', 'Trumbo', and 'The Neon Demon'. She also starred in A Complete Unknown, a biographical film about Bob Dylan, where she acted alongside Timothée Chalamet. The script for 'Predator: Badlands' was co-written by Dan Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison, who also co-wrote Prey. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The movie is being produced by Brent O'Connor, with Richard Cowen serving as co-producer. While the exact release date has not yet been officially confirmed, 'Predator: Badlands' is expected to premiere soon, with more details to be announced in the coming weeks.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Straight Outta L.A.: Ice Cube's new BIG3 team is the Riot and 'here to shake things up'
A tectonic shift in the format of the BIG3 will bring the three-on-three basketball circuit founded by Ice Cube to Los Angeles this summer. For the first time, the teams will each represent a city as the league transitions in its eighth season to a location-based model. Teams will represent Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Washington, D.C. and — yep! — L.A. Los Angeles' team will be called the LA Riot. The coach will be loquacious former Lakers and Clippers guard Nick Young — a.k.a. Swaggy P — whose Southland roots run as deep as those of Ice Cube. Young starred at USC and Reseda Cleveland High before embarking on a 12-year NBA career that involved a whole lot of shooting, a handful of assists and a constant trail of lively quotes and hearty laughs. Young often is a riot. 'I'm super excited," Young told The Times. "Right now, we are the third-best team in L.A., soon to be second hopefully. We gotta win some championships. It's gonna be fun. Come out and support us this summer. LA Riot — great name. BIG3 is on the rise.' Read more: POP MUSIC : The Rap Is: Justice : Ice Cube finally talks about the uprising that he says had to happen; he intends to keep focusing on the injustices that fuel the rage Ice Cube recognizes, however, that not everyone will consider the team name a laughing matter. His album "The Predator," released in November 1992, was a pointed hip-hop response to the L.A. riots after four police officers were acquitted by a Simi Valley jury six months earlier despite being caught on video beating Rodney King. In an email to The Times, Ice Cube said he supports the team name the new owners came up with. "They chose the name LA Riot because it represents the resilience, passion, and unbreakable spirit of Los Angeles," Ice Cube said. "This city is built on energy, culture, and a drive to challenge the status quo — just like the BIG3. "The name embodies the disruptive nature of the league, the competitive grit of their team, and the deep connection they have with the people that make up the rich, eclectic and passionate communities of L.A. They'll say it themselves; the Riot are here to shake things up, bring a new level of excitement to the game, and give this city a team that reflects its bold identity." Read more: Full coverage: 30 years since the 1992 L.A. riots Ice Cube was a member of the groundbreaking Compton-based rap group N.W.A. along with Dr. Dre, DJ Yella, MC Ren and and founder Eazy-E. He morphed from hip-hop musician into a mainstream movie and television actor, director and producer, and lives in L.A. with his wife of 33 years, Kimberly Woodruff. And since 2017 he's been a league executive after creating BIG3, which plays a short season of weekly games involving every team at a given location. The Riot, for example, will host one day of three or four games and play the rest of the two-month season on the road. Coaches are the biggest names in the league, and Young joins a fraternity that includes Naismith Hall of Famers Gary Payton (Boston Ball Hogs), Michael Cooper (Miami 305), George Gervin (Detroit Amplifiers), Calvin Murphy (Houston Rig Hands) and Nancy Lieberman (Dallas Power) — the only female head coach of a men's pro basketball team. Stephen Jackson coaches the DMV Trilogy and the Chicago Triplets have yet to hire a coach. The BIG3 commissioner is Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler. Rosters will be filled during a BIG3 draft in May. Many BIG3 veterans played 10 or more years in the NBA, making it a bit younger than, say, the 50-and-over PGA Tour Champions. Rosters are full of ballers whose best days are behind them but who can shine in the half-court format. That's what Ice Cube, 55, envisioned from day one, but he's not above employing marketing savvy to raise awareness. Ahead of last year's WNBA draft, he offered Caitlin Clark $10 million to play in the BIG3 for two seasons — this in a salary structure that pays most players $10,000 per game over a seven-game season. Read more: Will Caitlin Clark accept Ice Cube's $5-million offer to become BIG3's first woman player? The BIG3 has introduced rules and concepts to make the game fan-friendly. Winners are the first team to 50 points. The three-point line is the same distance as in the NBA, but a longer shot counts as four points. A foul can be challenged by the "Bring the Fire" rule once per half, with the two players going one one one to determine its validity. Ice Cube expects the L.A. fan base to thoroughly enjoy the basketball, and the spectacle. "L.A. has one of the richest grassroots basketball histories in the world, from legendary leagues like the Drew to the city's pro dynasties," he said. "The L.A. team plans to tap into that legacy and create a full-day celebration that feels like a true neighborhood block party. Whether it's partnering with local nonprofits, spotlighting community vendors, artists, and performers, or building programming that reflects the real Los Angeles, from the court to the concourse, they intend to make LA Riot the people's team — authentic, inclusive and built for the city." Ice Cube founded the BIG3 with his longtime collaborator, media and talent manager Jeff Kwatinetz. After seven years of teams being unaffiliated with cities, the BIG3 moved to the location-based model to build fan loyalty and is selling the franchises to local owners. Read more: Ice Cube reflects on the 25 years since the release of 'Death Certificate' The price tag is $10 million, and four franchises have been purchased so far, including the LA Riot by Shawn Horwitz, co-founder and chairman of Alliant Communities, which its website says focuses on building affordable and workforce housing. He also has experience in sports ownership in English soccer. "As a lifelong basketball fan and entrepreneur, I saw an incredible opportunity to bring the excitement of the BIG3 to Los Angeles — one of the greatest basketball cities in the world," Horwitz said in a statement. "This franchise isn't just about the game; it's about community, culture, and giving fans a new way to experience the sport they love." The season is set to begin June 14 and will last two months, followed by two weeks of playoffs. Ice Cube is already looking ahead. "The basketball energy in these cities is unmatched, and we've seen first-hand the power of their fan bases," Ice Cube said. "Transitioning to a full city-based model for this season is another marker of the league's continued exponential growth, and fans can expect an increased talent pool and a more competitive style of game than ever before." Read more: The moment N.W.A changed the music world The next step is to go international. "We've played in London, Toronto, and the Bahamas in previous seasons, and are still eyeing cities like London and Toronto for additional franchises," Ice Cube said. "We have also entered into a partnership with the NBL in Australia and will be bringing our game over there in November. "Best-case scenario for us is to continue to grow our style of game and have a number of BIG3 leagues running year-round in different countries around the world." Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
