Cris Cyborg Knocks Out Sinead Kavanagh to Retain Bellator’s Women’s Featherweight Title

Less than two minutes… That’s the time it took Cris Cyborg to roll past her latest opponent.

The 36-year-old Brazilian mixed martial artist, Bellator’s women’s featherweight champion, was as dominant as ever in defending her belt for the third time, knocking out Sinead Kavanagh in the first round of the Bellator 271 main event on Friday night in Hollywood, Florida.

Cris "Cyborg" Justino

This fight looked like most of the fights during Cyborg’s 16-year pro career. She came out blitzing Kavanagh, trapping her against the cage and unleashing punches that within the first minute had bloodied her face.

Kavanagh (7-5), a 35-year-old from Ireland who trains in the same SBG Dublin gym as Conor McGregor, did manage to get her back off the cage and, relying on her background as an amateur boxer, she began trading punches with Cyborg, which wasn’t the best idea.

A right hand wobbled the challenger and another right sent her crashing to the canvas, flat on her back. Referee Jason Herzog immediately jumped in to wave off the fight as a knockout at 1 minute, 32 seconds of Round 1.

For Cyborg (25-2, 1 NC), a former 145-pound champion in the UFC, Strikeforce and Invicta FC promotions, it was her fifth straight win and the 11th first-round knockout of her career.

Cyborg, who lives and trains in Southern California, has just one loss in her past 27 fights, a run of success that extends back to her pro MMA debut in 2005.

In an interview afterward inside the cage, Cyborg, who was a 25-1 betting favorite, smiled as she apologized to her coaches.

“I’m sorry, my team,” she said. “I didn’t do anything that we planned.”

Then Cyborg put this virtuosic performance behind her and shifted her focus to her next title defense. She mentioned that she had called for a fight with former UFC title challenger Cat Zingano, who has won two fights since signing with Bellator two years ago.

“But I leave it to Scott Coker,” Cyborg said, referring to the Bellator president. “I don’t choose fights.”

However, a fight might end up choosing her. Cyborg was reminded that among those in the crowd at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino was two-time PFL lightweight champion Kayla Harrison, who is a free agent and has been checking out her options. She was at UFC 268 last Saturday. On Friday night, she was at Bellator 271.

“Kayla, thanks for coming to the fights. I really appreciate you’re here,” Cyborg said to Harrison, a 2012 and 2016 Olympic gold medalist in judo. “I’m here. If you want to fight me one day, it’s gonna be a great fight.”

Justin Gonzales to Fight Aaron Pico at Bellator’s Bellator 271 in November

Justin Gonzales is readying for battle…

The 30-year-old Latino mixed martial artist and Aaron Pico, two of Bellator MMA‘s top featherweight prospects, have agreed to meet at Bellator 271 on November 12, according to ESPN.

Justin GonzalesThe promotion is finalizing the details for the bout between Gonzales and Pico, which will take place at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida. The event will air on Showtime. Tickets are expected to go on sale next week.

Pico (8-3) will be seeking his second win of 2021 and fifth consecutive overall. The 25-year-old Latino featherweight made his pro debut in 2017 under extremely high expectations, and got off to a somewhat disappointing 4-3 record. Fighting out of JacksonWink MMA in Albuquerque, New Mexico, he has looked phenomenal during this win streak with four straight finishes.

Gonzales (12-0), of Greeley, Colorado, picked up a split decision win against Tywan Claxton in his Bellator debut in June. Gonzalez, 30, is undefeated since turning pro in 2016. He enjoyed a successful amateur career prior to that dating back to 2012.

Anderson Silva Knocks Out Tito Ortiz in First Round

Anderson Silva has knocked out a fellow MMA legend…

The 46-year-old Brazilian mixed martial-artist-turned-boxer stopped fellow MMA legend Tito Ortiz via knockout at 1:21 of the first round on Saturday night in Hollywood, Florida.

Anderson Silva

Ortiz had Silva trapped in the corner, throwing punches. But Silva ducked an Ortiz shot and landed a huge counter right hook. Silva followed up with a left as Ortiz slumped against the corner to put him down for good. Ortiz appeared to be completely unconscious.

Silva defeated former world champion Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. via split decision on June 19 in Guadalajara, Mexico. That was Silva’s first pro boxing match in 16 years.

The Silva-Ortiz bout — Ortiz’s pro boxing debut — took place on the undercard of the Evander HolyfieldVitor Belfort boxing match under the Triller Fight Club banner at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

“I trained hard to show my respect for boxing,” Silva said in his post-fight interview. “I continue to work every day to prove my respect for the martial arts and for Wing Chun  and for Bruce Lee.

“The grandmaster Bruce Lee said, ‘Be water, my friend.’ That’s what I do today.”

Both Silva and Ortiz are 46 years old. The bout was contracted for eight, two-minute rounds and at 195 pounds. Ortiz weighed five pounds over that catchweight limit on Friday, coming in at 200 pounds.

Silva is the former longtime UFCmiddleweight champion and considered one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. He holds the longest winning streak in UFC history (16) and has the most knockouts ever in UFC title fights at seven. Silva asked for and was granted his release from the UFC in November. “The Spider” had just one win in his past nine UFC fights. Silva has said he is effectively retired now from MMA.

Ortiz, meanwhile, is one of the best UFC light heavyweight champions of all time. “The Huntington Beach Bad Boy” had five successful UFC 205-pound title defenses, the second-highest total in division history behind only all-time great Jon Jones. Ortiz, a California native, is also considered one of the biggest financial draws for the UFC over the years, with notable rivalries against Chuck Liddell and Ken Shamrock.

Ortiz most recently fought in December 2019, an MMA bout against former WWE champion Alberto Del Rio under the Combate Americas banner. Ortiz won that bout via first-round submission.

Anitta Appears in This Year’s Edition of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 

It appears Anitta is doing swimmingly

The 28-year-old Brazilian singer/songwriter appears on the pages of this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, which launched online on Monday, July 19.

Anitta, SI Swimsuit

Anitta is one of three musicians appearing in the issue. The other two? Megan Thee Stallion, who becomes only the second musician ever to star on the cover of the issue, and R&B singer Tinashe. This is the 58th edition of SI Swimsuit.

For Latin artists like Anitta, being featured in SI Swimsuit can not only make their reach more global, but it can also make their brand more relatable, says Isabel Paz, publicity and promotions associate director at Warner Music Latina. Paz works with artists including Anitta, Justin Quiles and Sofia Reyes.

Anitta, SI Swimsuit

Warner Records worked with the global Warner Music Latin team to sign the “Girl From Rio” singer last June ahead of her U.S. debut album due this year.

“I think Sports Illustrated is such a big brand that it definitely has a global reach. We don’t have Sports Illustrated in our market, like a Spanish version,” Paz tells Billboard, adding that print coverage exposes fans to a multidimensional view of their favorite singers. “It also shows another side of the artist that perhaps we wouldn’t see if they wouldn’t have been featured there. If you see them in a sports-related magazine, then you’re able to discover that this artist also has that interest. I think it just makes them more well-rounded and perhaps shows a side that is not just them on stage, but it also lets you know that the artist is capable of doing something else. It humanizes them a bit, because you can relate to them further.”

While SI Swimsuit works to “redefine the cultural conversation around beauty by celebrating a diverse group of women,” according to the publication’s statement during the annual Miami runway show earlier in July, Paz believes it has the power to celebrate “the whole variety” of Latina artists. The question remains if SI Swimsuit will continue to break grounds with whom the magazine wants to feature on the cover and in its pages in the coming years, and how many of those models will come from the music industry.

Megan Thee Stallion, Tinashe and Anitta will take the stage and perform at the official launch event for the 2021 issue on July 23 and 24 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. SI Swimsuit partnered with Hard Rock International for the two-day series of festivities, including interactive daytime events and a red carpet before the blowout concert at Hard Rock Live.

SI Swimsuit also worked with Roc Nation, where all three artists have direct and indirect management ties, to book the talent featured in its pages. Anitta signed a worldwide management deal with Brandon Silverstein’s S10 Entertainment, which is a partner of Roc Nation, in August 2019.

Anitta’s “Girl From Rio” single has been getting steady rotation at top 40 and rhythmic radio, further helping to ensure the Brazilian superstar’s long overdue breakout in the United States, with special thanks to DaBaby for his guest verse on the remix.

The 2021 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue will be on newsstands on Thursday, July 22.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRg2_T2McN8/

Dusty Hernández-Harrison to Fight WBO Middleweight Champ Demetrius Andrade in November

Dusty Hernández-Harrison is taking on a champ…

The 26-year-old Puerto Rican professional boxer will fight WBO middleweight champ Demetrius Andrade in a 10-round non-title fight on November 27 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.

Dusty Hernández-Harrison

The card, which also features former two-time titlist Daniel Jacobs vs. Gabe Rosado, will take place without fans in attendance due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Andrade (29-0, 18 KOs) is fighting for the first time since he stopped Luke Keeler with a ninth-round TKO in January.

The undefeated Harrison (34-0-1, 20 KOs) sees this as a chance to stamp himself as a world-class fighter.

“This is the opportunity I have been waiting for my entire life,” Harrison said. “This is why I started boxing. All of the time I have dedicated to this sport, I finally get my opportunity to show the world who I am and what I am capable of. … Demetrius talks a big game and says he is the boogeyman of the division, but who has he fought?”

Harrison said he isn’t impressed by Andrade.

“He goes out, fights whoever it is, runs around the ring, picks up a win and goes back to running his mouth,” Harrison said. “He says that he is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. OK, so be it. On November 27, I take his spot.

“I know that people are going to doubt me going into this fight, and that is fine. That fuels my energy. Keep doubting me. Andrade doesn’t know what he got himself into. He better be ready when we step into that ring because I’m coming for him.”

Natti Natasha to Take Part in Selena Tribute at This Year’s Premios Juventud

Natti Natasha will be honoring a Latina legend…

This year’s Premios Juventud will include a special segment, honoring 25 years of Selena Quintanilla’s music and legacy, with the 33-year-old Dominican singer-songwriter among the artists set to take part.

Natti Natasha

In addition to Natasha, Selena’s brother and producer of her biggest hits, A.B. Quintanilla III, will participate in the special dedicated to la Reina de la Musica Tejana.

The other artists participating in the Selena tribute include Karol G, Danna Paola, Ally Brooke and Greeicy.

“For me being part of this special was a real honor. She is a woman that after all these years, and everything that has happened, is a legend. I never hard the chance to meet her while she was here but she is an icon, an icon that lasts a lifetime,” Greeicy tells Billboard.

“How amazing is it that she has inspired so many with her music. It was very challenging for me to create the energy and portray her flavors of cumbia. It was a beautifully difficult challenge and it was very special because I learned from her music and I’m going to keep enjoying it with respect and I hope to honor her. To have the privilege to prepare this special with her brother, who knew her, lived with her, and spent her life with her, is very special. It was a hard challenge for me because I felt like I was speaking directly to her. The special is going to be really great, it was beautiful to be able to create it with him, he was wonderful to work with,” she adds.

With 12 nominations, J Balvin leads the 2020 Premios Juventud, followed by Karol G, Bad Bunny and Anuel AA.

Confirmed performers include CNCO, Ozuna, Natanael Cano, Pitbull and Gloria Trevi, to name a few.

Following all the safety guidelines, PJ 2020, broadcasting live from the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, will feature artists performing at the venue, a virtual audience, an innovative integration of the latest state-of-the-art, augmented and virtual reality technologies for award presentations, intros and musical performances.

Premios Juventud 2020, hosted by Ana Patricia Gámez, Francisca Lachapel, Borja Voces, Sebastian Yatra, and Julissa Calderon, will air at 8:00 pm ET on Thursday, August 13, via Univision, preceded by “PJ Takeover,” a one-hour pre-show hosted by Jomari Goyso and Clarissa Molina and Amara La Negra, beginning at 7:00 pm ET.

Christina Aguilera Launching First Tour in 10 Years

Christina Aguilera is hittin’ the road again…

The 37-year-old half-Ecuadorian American has announced official plans for the Liberation Tour, Aguilera’s first tour since 2008.

Christina Aguilera

Produced by Live Nation, the 22-city trek will kick off in the fall with a September 25 stop in Hollywood, Florida, at the Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Aguilera’s tour includes dates in Boston, Detroit, Denver, Los Angeles and Atlanta before wrapping up in St. Petersburg, Florida, on November 13.

The tour will offer Aguilera’s fans a chance to see her in relatively intimate venues, including New York’s Radio City Music Hall and the Chicago Theatre.

The singer’s new album, Liberation, will be released on June 15 and every online ticket purchased for the tour will include a standard CD copy of the release.

The first song from the collection, “Accelerate,” (featuring Ty Dolla $ign and 2 Chainz), dropped last week and she will perform the new track “Fall in Line” with Demi Lovato at the Billboard Music Awards on May 20.

American Express card members can buy tickets before the general public beginning on Monday, May 14 at 10 a.m. local time through Thursday, May 17 at 10 pm ET. Tickets will go on sale to the general public starting Friday, May 18 at 10 am ET here.

Here are the Liberation Tour dates:

Sept. 25 — Hollywood FL @ Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Sept. 28 — Atlantic City, NJ @ Mark G. Etess Arena at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
Sept. 30 — Washington, DC @ The Theater at MGM National Harbor
Oct. 3 — New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
Oct. 4 — New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall
Oct. 6 — Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena
Oct. 8 — Boston, MA @ Boch Center Wang Theatre
Oct. 11 — Orillia, ON @ Casino Rama Resort
Oct. 13 — Detroit, MI @ Fox Theatre Detroit
Oct. 16 — Chicago, IL @ The Chicago Theatre
Oct. 17 — Chicago, IL @ The Chicago Theatre
Oct. 19 — Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
Oct. 22 — Oakland, CA @ Paramount Theatre – Oakland
Oct. 24 — Indio, CA @ Fantasy Spring Resort Casino
Oct. 26 — Los Angeles, CA @ Greek Theatre
Oct. 27 — Las Vegas, NV @ The Colosseum at Caesars Palace
Oct. 29 — Phoenix, AZ @ Comerica Theatre
Nov. 1 — Sugar Land, TX @ Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land
Nov. 3 — Thackerville, OK @ WinStar World Casino and Resort
Nov. 4 — Tulsa, OK @ Paradise Cove at River Spirit Casino Resort
Nov. 6 — St. Louis, MO @ Peabody Opera House
Nov. 9 — New Orleans, LA @ Saenger Theatre
Nov. 11 — Atlanta, GA @ Fox Theatre Atlanta
Nov. 13 — St. Petersburg, FL @ The Mahaffey Theatre