PUTTING ASIDE our personal feelings on the nature of war and what it is or isnt good for, the fact is that its a terrible reality of life. Its also, often, where technological development advances at several paces beyond every other sector even remotely like it. These are some of literatures best (and most dystopian) ideas, fully realized. And 2019 especially boasted some of the most mind-bending military tech the worlds ever seen.

From an invisibility cloak to a sonic gun that vibrates a targets brain, military researchers really pushed the limits of what we thought was scientifically possible this year, no doubt at least partly thanks to their sometimes astronomically high budgets looking at you, America.

Without further ado, here isThe Coolest (and Scariest) Military Tech of 2019.

From a real-life invisibility cloak to a mysterious artificial brain capable of directing armed conflicts, some of the military tech we learned about this year sounded like it was pulled directly from science-fiction of the recent (and not-so-recent) past and some of it, we wish remained fiction.

Hyperstealth Biotechnologys Quantum Stealth Material

It works by bending the light around a target to make it seemingly disappear making the material what Hyperstealth calls a broadband invisibility cloak. Watch a Real-Life Invisibility Cloak Designed for Military Use

The National Reconnaissance Offices Sentient Program

[Its] a fully-integrated intelligence system that can coordinate satellite positions and may soon be used tomanage battlefield operations during military engagements. The Military Secretly Built an Artificial Brain Called Sentient

The Air Forces Robot Pilot

The robot can operate a planes yoke and throttle while operating various pedals and other controls, just like human pilots do. Instead of New Drones, the Air Force Built a Plane-Piloting Robot

Military researchers didnt limit themselves to creating better tools for soldiers in 2019 some also looked for ways to use science and technology to upgrade soldiers themselves.

The Pentagons High-Tech Cyborg Plans

The U.S. military has ambitious plans to turn its soldiers into high-tech cyborg warriors by making them stronger, enhancing their senses, and wiring their brains to computers. US Military Warns of Augmented Human Beings

DARPAsNext-Generation Nonsurgical Neurotechnology Program

The Pentagon is trying build tech that would give soldiers the ability to control deadly military drones with their minds. Working with drones and swarms of drones, operating at the speed of thought rather than through mechanical devices those types of things are what these devices are really for, DARPA neuroscientist Al Emondi toldMIT Tech Review. The Pentagon Wants to Control Drones With Soldiers Brain Waves

The Armys Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS)

No other piece of equipment has had this kind of impact since the introduction of night vision, Army Undersecretary Ryan McCarthy told Army Times. This takes night vision to the PhD level. The Military Is Developing Augmented Reality Night Vision Goggles

Sarcos Robotics Guardian XO

American robot developer Sarcos Robotics announced today that its been awarded a contract by United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to deliver a pre-production, full-body robotic exoskeleton called the Guardian XO. And it looks absolutely brutal. The US Military Is Buying a Brutal-Looking Powered Exoskeleton

DARPAs AR Contact Lenses

[T]he Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is reportedly interested in the contact lens to augment troops visual capabilities in the field, according to Task and Purpose meaning the gadget could represent the augmented contact lens that DARPA has spent a decade searching for. DARPA: This Smart Contact Lens Could Give Soldiers Superpowers

Whether you find each of the below weapons breakthroughs really cool or incredibly frightening might depend on whether it was your home nation or another that developed it. For example

Chinas Portable Sonic Gun

All the wielder of the device has to do is point it at a crowd and shoot and focused waves of sound will cause the targets eardrums, eyeballs, and brains to vibrate painfully. Chinas New Weapon: A Sonic Gun That Vibrates Your Brain

The Pentagons Laser Induced Plasma Effect Weapon

The Pentagon is working on a weapon that uses lasers and plasma to transmit sound files, even human speech, directly to individual people at great distances the lasers could be beamed down from military planes or other vehicles to issue instructions or disperse crowds of protestors or otherwise disgruntled people in the area. Pentagon: New Laser Tech Can Make People Hear Voice Commands

Russias Filin 5P-42

The Filin is capable of firing powerful flashes of light that are intended to impair enemy equipment, according toSputnik and can even induce nausea and disorientation. Russian Military Confirms New Weapon Causes Hallucinatory Symptoms

The Armys High Energy Laser Tactical Vehicle Demonstrator

The system was designed to defend against missiles, rockets and artillery, according toDefense News. It could also prove useful against military drones and other unmanned aircraft. The US Military Is Buying a $130 Million Laser Weapon

If 2019 taught us anything about the future of warfare, its that militaries across the globe are really excited about unmanned aerial vehicles and systems designed to destroy them.

The Armys Black Hornet Personal Reconnaissance System

The U.S. Army has placed a $39 million order for tiny reconnaissance drones, small enough to fit in a soldiers pocket or palm. The idea behind the drones is that soldiers will be able to send them into the sky of the battlefield in order to get a lethal edge during combat, according toBusiness Insider. The US Army Is Equipping Soldiers With Pocket-Sized Recon Drones

Russias Sukhoi-S70 Okhotnik-B (Hunter-B) Drone

The stealthy drone could offer the Russian military a way to penetrate air spaces without being detected. Russias Top Secret Heavy Strike Stealth Drone Takes Flight

Anduril Industries Interceptor

Andurils device is able to identify and fly toward targets without any help and if it doesnt destroy an enemy drone with an initial hit, it doesnt give up, autonomously attacking a second or third time until its target is dead. See a Drone Kill Another Drone by Slamming Into It at 100 MPH

The Air Forces Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System Tech

The laser weapon, which can be mounted onto the back of a vehicle, is designed to help the Air Force take down hostile dronesThe laser itself can fire dozens of shots per charge, according to Raytheon. But the Air Force could also hook it up to a generator to deliver a nearly infinite number of shots, the contractor said. The Air Force Just Got a Brutal New Laser Cannon

To ensure super soldiers wouldnt be stuck marching into battle on foot, military researchers also unveiled several new transportation systems for troops this year as well as some that could get the job done without a crew.

Estonias THeMIS Robotic Tank

The robot, whichC4ISRNET reportswas equipped with a 12.7mm machine gun and a 40mm automatic grenade launcher during a demo in Estonia last month, is reminiscent of those T-1 robotic tanks from Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines a deadly inflection point in automated warfare. This Tank-Like Machine Gun Robot Is Straight out of Terminator

Yanjing Autos Armored Military Truck for China

A new Chinese military truck can drive into battle, armed to the teeth with 12 drones that turn the off-road vehicle into a comprehensive mothership of destruction. Chinese Military Truck Launches Killer Drones Like Artillery

Israels Carmel Tank Prototypes

Israel demonstrated three prototypes of the Carmel and based on that demo, the future of military combat might involve more game console-style controllers. Israel Demos Tank of the Future Featuring Xbox-Style Controller

Chinas Marine Lizard

China has announced what local media is calling the worlds first armed amphibious drone boat. The 39-foot-long Marine Lizard is designed to assist land assault operations and can form a web with other drone ships and airborne drones in order to act in tandem with them. Chinas Military Built an Autonomous Amphibious Landing Vehicle

Read the rest here:

The Coolest (and Scariest) Military Tech of 2019 - Futurism

tech predictions 2020: glasses, prosthetics and cochlear implants, the idea of augmenting the human body is nothing new. as long as there have been humans, there have been dreams of superhumans. but in 2020, the line between technology and biology is set to blur beyond measure, and as intelligent machines become increasingly common, the idea of humans turning into cyborgs becomes less farfetched.

2019 saw elon musks latest startup neuralink, unveil a brain-reading device that uses small threads to detect neuron activity so that users can control computers with their mind (read more)

in recent years augmented reality and multimodal interaction technologies have enabled non-invasive ways to augment the body. google and snapchat have revived the idea of smart spectacles and wearable devices that enhance are normal functions have been imagined left, right and center. yet, VR solutions like facebook oculus and HTC VIVE remain still mostly relegated to the gaming industry, and exoskeletons are limited in impact due to their cost and niche rehabilitation applications. yet still, despite augmentations slow journey to mass-market popularity, humans want to break into its next level of capabilities

earlier this year, the design team atLAYER supported panasonic to create six near-future concepts including GROW, awearable device that promotes healthy hair growth (read more)

gartner, an IT research and advisory company, has named human augmentation as one of the major trends that will have a transformational impact in 2019. technology such as biochips, augmented intelligence, emotion ai and immersive workspaces will continue to grow in popularity over the next five to ten years, ushering in an age where bionics, brain-computer interfaces and neurotechnology are the norm. and as humans and machines increasingly work alongside one another, technology is making changes both inside and outside the body.

morphing matter lab and soft machines lab have collaborated to create electrodermis awearable electronic bandage (read more)

physical augmentation falls into four main categories: sensory augmentation (hearing, vision, perception), appendage and biological function augmentation (exoskeletons, prosthetics), brain augmentation (implants to treat seizures) and genetic augmentation (somatic gene and cell therapy). thats things such as powered exosuits to improve agility, which are already used to assist with lifting or to aid those with a physical disability, but also other more invasive augmentation

in september, designboom reported that scientists had developed a soft artificial skin that could be used to help users of virtual reality feel their surroundings (read more)

the US military has its own tech predictions, envisioning a future army made up of half-human half-machine cyborgs. enhancing soldiers using technological advancements, such as mechanical eye that can see parts of the electromagnetic spectrum beyond visible light or neural implants could allow them to control drones and other systems. experts from devcom the combat capabilities development command believe the military will have cyborg soldiers by 2050. it also imagines enhanced limbs for increased strength and an audio device that provides ultra- and subsonic hearing.

in august, a tetraplegic man who was paralysed in a nightclub accident was able to walk again using a mind-controlled exoskeleton (read more)

brain implants are the future of thinking

in july, multi-billionaire and tesla CEO elon musk, revealed details of an implantable wireless system that his company neuralink is currently developing. it is already being studied in monkeys, musk revealed, and it is hoped that human trials will start before the end of 2020. the idea is to use neuralink to treat different forms of brain or spine-related disorders, enabling paralysed humans to control phones and computers using their brainwaves. however, musk also envisions the implant as a means of enhancing your own brain, giving humans the option to achieve a symbiosis with artificial intelligence. to date, neuralink has received $158m in funding, $100m of it from musk.

the 65kgrobotic suit uses advanced computer software and two brain implants that read and transmit information via the patients sensorimotor cortex, which controls motor function

advances in such technologies are empowering, offering improvements to human health, quality of life, and functional performance, but like most technology, the future of augmentation is plagued with questions over ethics and morality. the amalgamation of human and machine creates the need to determine specific vulnerabilities, risks and moral issues. if digital devices can tap into our inner-thoughts, how do we keep our most intimate knowledge and data private? who owns the brain data and what is it being used for? and fears over brainjacking, which refers to the exercise of unauthorized control of anothers electronic brain implant, is being considered a very real potential threat.

of uses beyond that, no one can be sure. brain-to-brain communication? brain-controlled smart home assistants? enhanced memory and cognition? 2020 could really be a year to remember.stay tuned over the coming days as designboom continues to unveil its list of tech predictions.

kieron marchese I designboom

dec 26, 2019

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designboom 2020 TECH PREDICTIONS: cyborgs and brainjacking - Designboom

The evolution of women's mixed martial arts started right at the end of the previous decade, with Cris Cyborg vs. Gina Carano headlining a Strikeforce show on Showtime in front of almost 14,000 fans in San Jose, California. And it exploded in 2013 when Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche faced off in the very first UFC women's fight.

Over the past 10 years, women's MMA has grown exponentially, from smaller promotions and mere novelty acts to being a key piece of every UFC card.

It took three larger-than-life figures to help it thrive. Each of these three women left people no choice but to notice them for their technique, athleticism, killer instinct and dominance -- and that's why Cyborg, Amanda Nunes and Rousey are the best female fighters of the decade.

2:46

Take a look back at the biggest wins in the career of Amanda Nunes, including thrilling knockouts of Ronda Rousey and Cris Cyborg. Order UFC 245 here on ESPN https://plus.espn.com/ufc/ppv.

Accolades:

15-3 record from 2010 to 2019

10-fight win streak 2015-19, longest among female fighters in UFC history (9 of 15 wins by KO/TKO)

10 first-round finishes

7 UFC title fight wins (tied for most among female fighters)

Defeated every former women's bantamweight champion

12 UFC wins (tied for most among female fighters)

7 UFC knockouts (most among female fighters)

Key fights:

Def. Miesha Tate to win UFC women's bantamweight title (UFC 200, July 9, 2016)

Def. Ronda Rousey to retain UFC women's bantamweight title (UFC 207, Dec. 30, 2016)

Def. Valentina Shevchenko to retain UFC women's bantamweight title (UFC 215, Sept. 9, 2017)

Def. Cris Cyborg to win UFC women's featherweight title (UFC 232, Dec. 29, 2018)

Nunes' first fight in America came on Jan. 7, 2011; it was her Strikeforce debut.

She entered that fight against Julia Budd (another future featherweight champion -- in Bellator) with a 5-1 record. Nunes' lone loss at the time came in 2008 in her pro MMA debut. The Budd fight couldn't have gone better. She won in 14 seconds via TKO and, afterward, the announcing team on the broadcast wondered out loud whether Nunes would be the one to someday beat the great Cris Cyborg.

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"Cyborg's probably sitting at home watching this, going, 'Uh-oh,'" Showtime broadcaster Pat Miletich said seconds after the victory.

Well, it took 13 more fights and almost eight years, but she ended up beating Cyborg at UFC 232 ... in just 51 seconds. It was that win over Cyborg that cemented Nunes' spot as the female fighter of the decade.

If anyone says they saw this coming from the young woman from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, however, they are lying. She followed up her win over Budd with a second-round TKO loss to Alexis Davis. The Cyborg killer hype abruptly stopped after that fight. Nunes' record in the six fights following her spectacular Strikeforce debut was a mediocre 3-3.

And forget fighter-of-the-decade talk following her UFC 178 loss to Cat Zingano in 2014 -- Nunes wasn't even in the title picture.

But a funny thing happened after that loss to Zingano. Nunes hasn't lost since.

Since then, Nunes is a perfect 10-0. Seven of those wins were finishes, with her three decision victories coming against Valentina Shevchenko -- a fellow fighter of the decade contender -- and inaugural UFC women's featherweight champion Germaine de Randamie.

More impressive than the streak itself is whom the wins came against:

First was the win over women's MMA pioneer Shayna Baszler, then a submission of Olympic silver medalist Sara McMann, followed by Shevchenko, and then the bantamweight title victory over Miesha Tate at UFC 200.

That's when people really started noticing Nunes.

Next, she retired Rousey with a 48-second drubbing. At this point, the world was watching.

She followed the Rousey win with another Shevchenko victory. Then, it was the one-sided Raquel Pennington title defense, and then the Cyborg showdown at 145 pounds. Nunes wrapped up the decade by dispatching de Randamie.

Cyborg entered the Cyborg fight last December with a 20-1 (1 NC) record. Like Nunes, Cyborg lost her pro debut in 2005 but had not lost since. She had also never been knocked out. It took Nunes just 51 seconds to change all that. In doing so, Nunes also made history by becoming the first female fighter to hold belts in two different weight classes and just the third fighter ever to be a simultaneous double champion in the UFC.

She followed that performance by becoming the first person to ever knock out former champion Holly Holm in an MMA fight in July.

This one was easy. Nunes is the female fighter of the decade, and in the eyes of most people, the greatest female fighter of all time.

Those Strikeforce announcers were apparently onto something nine years ago.

-- Helwani

Accolades:

12-2 record

12-fight win streak from 2011 to 2015

Headlined UFC 157 with first-ever women's fight on a UFC PPV

All 12 wins by stoppage (9 by submission)

11 first-round finishes

Holds the two fastest UFC finishes among female fighters (0:14 and 0:16)

Held Strikeforce and UFC women's bantamweight titles (7 successful defenses combined)

6 UFC title fight wins (tied for most among female fighters)

First woman inducted into UFC Hall of Fame

Key fights:

Def. Miesha Tate via first-round submission to win Strikeforce women's bantamweight title (Strikeforce Tate vs. Rousey, March 3, 2012)

Def. Liz Carmouche via first-round submission to retain UFC women's bantamweight title (UFC 157, Feb 23, 2013)

Def. Miesha Tate via third-round submission to retain UFC women's bantamweight title (UFC 168, Dec. 28, 2013)

Def. Bethe Correia via first-round KO to retain UFC women's bantamweight title (UFC 190, Aug. 1, 2015)

The manner in which Rousey exited the sport of MMA was abrupt, shocking and overwhelmingly one-sided -- but don't let that take away from what made Rousey who she was. And what defined Rousey was dominance. Eleven finishes inside the first round. Eight of those inside the first minute. Fourteen seconds. Sixteen seconds. Thirty-four seconds. Those were all UFC title fights. Rousey was so good that her challengers literally started experimenting different strategies as their only recourse. Cat Zingano went (uncharacteristically) flying at Rousey from the opening bell simply because -- why not? -- nothing else worked.

Even in her two defeats, which came against outstanding competition in Holm and Nunes, Rousey proved she did have resolve. She was willing to meet adversity head on, and was trying to win through the very end. Some might say that's a weak consolation, but it was a question Rousey answered on her way out. She did not fold at the first sign of a challenge.

For someone who had reached the level of celebrity that she had, who had become so accustomed to immediate success, that's worth noting. Rousey didn't quit. She forced others to pry the torch from her. She did not give it away willingly.

-- Okamoto

Accolades:

Former UFC women's featherweight champion

Most wins in UFC women's featherweight history (4)

Had 13-fight unbeaten streak this decade

Finished 11 of 13 victories by KO or TKO

Former Strikeforce women's featherweight champion

Former Invicta FC women's featherweight champion

Key fights:

Def. Marloes Coenen to retain Strikeforce women's featherweight title (Strikeforce: Miami; Jan. 30, 2010)

Def. Marloes Coenen to win inaugural Invicta FC women's featherweight title (Invicta FC 6; July 13, 2013)

Def. Tonya Evinger to win UFC women's featherweight title (UFC 214; July 29, 2017)

Def. Holly Holm to retain UFC women's featherweight title (UFC 219; Dec. 30, 2017)

Def. by Amanda Nunes to lose UFC women's featherweight title (UFC 232; Dec. 29, 2018)

For the bulk of the decade, Cristiane Justino, aka Cris Cyborg, was the most feared fighter in mixed martial arts. Not the most feared female fighter. The most feared fighter, period. Cyborg didn't just go unbeaten in 13 straight fights to begin the decade -- she absolutely smashed her competition. In 13 victories over the past 10 years, she finished 11 by knockout or TKO. Six of those stoppages came in the first round.

Cyborg, 34, is the only fighter to win titles in the UFC, Strikeforce and Invicta FC. She took home gold in every promotion she fought for during the decade, and she'll go for a fourth promotional belt in January against Bellator MMA women's featherweight champion Julia Budd. Cyborg clashed with the UFC and its president, Dana White, ultimately leading to her contract not being renewed in August. But Cyborg's performances in the cage were unequivocal.

No one could even touch Cyborg until Nunes was able to beat her by first-round knockout at UFC 232. Nunes, also the UFC women's bantamweight champion, has taken the mantle from Cyborg as best female fighter in the world. But for the bulk of the decade, that distinction belonged to Cyborg, outside Rousey's initial period of dominance in the UFC.

Cyborg finished the previous decade with an extremely influential main event win over Gina Carano under the Strikeforce banner on Aug. 15, 2009. She closed this one out with a bounce-back win over Felicia Spencer at UFC 240 in July. All told, Cyborg's record over the past 10 years was 13-1 with one no contest. That no contest stemmed from a failed drug test in 2011, but Cyborg calmed talks of performance-enhancing drug use by being in the UFC's stringent program run by the USADA.

-- Raimondi

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The best female MMA fighters of the decade - ESPN

In pitching the MMA Junkie staff on coming up with a composite ranking of the top 10 fighters of the 2010s, I had people asking me about the criteria. My answer was simple: There is no criteria. Whatever you think it means to be among the 10 greatest fighters of the last decade, thats the criteria.

To me, its better this way. I couldve emphasized in-cage results, in which case No. 1 ends up being Khabib Nurmagomedov without question. Same for emphasizing impact on the sport: Conor McGregor comes out on top easily. But what fun would that have been? Theres so much more to consider when trying to pick the top 10 fighters of the last 10 years among a pool of talent that never has been better.

The beauty of our list is that all 14 MMA Junkie staff members, whove spent so many years covering the sport, submitted individual top 10 lists. No discussion, no debate, no one persons bias determined our final rankings. We all had a say in this. From there, it was a matter of mathematics add up points for each fighter ranked and divide by 14 to determine the final rankings.

Did we get it right? Theres no such thing with these lists. But Id like to think ours is as official as it gets.

For reaction to our top 10, watch the roundtable discussion video above with MMA Junkies John Morgan and Dan Tom, and MMA Junkie Radios Gorgeous George and Goze.

Below is a ranking of all 26 fighters included, as well as notes about our list.

COMPLETE RANKINGS

1. Jon Jones2. Demetrious Johnson3. Daniel Cormier4. Georges St. Pierre5. Conor McGregor6. Amanda Nunes7. Ronda Rousey8. Khabib Nurmagomedov9. Jose Aldo10. Max Holloway11. Anderson Silva12. Cris Cyborg13. Stipe Miocic14. Henry Cejudo15. Tony Ferguson16. Cain Velasquez17. Donald Cerrone18. Dominick Cruz19-t. Joanna Jedrzejczyk19-t. Patricio Freire21. Frankie Edgar22-t. Ryan Bader22-t. Michael Bisping24. Douglas Lima25. Carlos Condit26. Eddie Alvarez

NOTES

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS

Mike Bohn, senior reporter1. Jon Jones2. Georges St-Pierre3. Jose Aldo4. Demetrious Johnson5. Anderson Silva6. Conor McGregor7. Max Holloway8. Tony Ferguson9. Khabib Nurmagomedov10. Daniel Cormier

Dave Doyle, senior editor1. Demetrious Johnson2. Daniel Cormier3, Jon Jones4. Anderson Silva5. Georges St-Pierre6. Cris Cyborg7. Jose Aldo8. Khabib Nurmagomedov9. Conor McGregor10. Eddie Alvarez

Matt Erickson, assistant managing editor1. Daniel Cormier2. Demetrious Johnson3. Amanda Nunes4. Conor McGregor5. Max Holloway6. Patricio Freire7. Ronda Rousey8. Georges St-Pierre9. Ryan Bader10. Jose Aldo

Brian Garcia, MMA Junkie Radio host1. Georges St-Pierre2. Jon Jones3. Daniel Cormier4. Henry Cejudo5. Demetrious Johnson6. Khabib Nurmagomedov7. Stipe Miocic8. Amanda Nunes9. Max Holloway10. Ryan Bader

George Garcia, MMA Junkie Radio host1. Jon Jones2. Georges St-Pierre3. Daniel Cormier4. Khabib Nurmagomedov5. Demetrious Johnson6. Amanda Nunes7. Cris Cyborg8. Stipe Miocic9. Conor McGregor10. Henry Cejudo

Farah Hannoun, reporter1. Jon Jones2. Ronda Rousey3. Conor McGregor4. Demetrious Johnson5. Khabib Nurmagomedov6. Daniel Cormier7. Amanda Nunes8. Max Holloway9. Stipe Miocic10. Henry Cejudo

Ken Hathaway, senior video editor1. Jon Jones2. Amanda Nunes3. Ronda Rousey4. Max Holloway5. Conor McGregor6. Daniel Cormier7. Georges St-Pierre8. Anderson Silva9. Khabib Nurmagomedov10. Cris Cyborg

Simon Head, reporter1. Demetrious Johnson2. Daniel Cormier3. Jon Jones4. Amanda Nunes5. Donald Cerrone6. Georges St-Pierre7. Conor McGregor8. Douglas Lima9. Cris Cyborg10. Michael Bisping

Nolan King, reporter1. Jon Jones2. Daniel Cormier3. Amanda Nunes4. Demetrious Johnson5. Max Holloway6. Stipe Miocic7. Georges St. Pierre8. Jose Aldo9. Conor McGregor10. Khabib Nurmagomedov

John Morgan, lead staff reporter1. Jon Jones2. Conor McGregor3. Ronda Rousey4. Georges St-Pierre5. Daniel Cormier6. Demetrious Johnson7. Amanda Nunes8. Jose Aldo9. Michael Bisping10. Donald Cerrone

Simon Samano, managing editor1. Demetrious Johnson2. Georges St-Pierre3. Jon Jones4. Daniel Cormier5. Khabib Nurmagomedov6. Amanda Nunes7. Tony Ferguson8. Conor McGregor9. Ronda Rousey10. Max Holloway

Danny Segura, reporter1. Ronda Rousey2. Jon Jones3. Cain Velasquez4. Georges St-Pierre5. Demetrious Johnson6. Jose Aldo7. Cris Cyborg8. Conor McGregor9. Khabib Nurmagomedov10. Daniel Cormier

Abbey Subhan, video editor1. Georges St-Pierre2. Conor McGregor3. Jon Jones4. Daniel Cormier5. Amanda Nunes6. Joanna Jedrzejczyk7. Frankie Edgar8. Anderson Silva9. Carlos Condit10. Ronda Rousey

Dan Tom, fight analyst1. Jon Jones2. Jose Aldo3. Khabib Nurmagomedov4. Dominick Cruz5. Demetrious Johnson6. Conor McGregor7. Ronda Rousey8. Daniel Cormier9. Max Holloway10. Tony Ferguson

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Top 10 MMA fighters of the 2010s: Discussion video, facts about our list - MMA Junkie

2019 was a rollercoaster ride for the world of MMA, featuring plenty of ups and downs.

As the year draws to a close, BJPENN.com looks back on 10 of the biggest MMA stories of 2019, from the good to the bad to the downright ugly.

2019 wasnt the best year for some fighters, including the former bantamweight champion, TJ Dillashaw. In January 2019, he dropped down to 125 pounds to face flyweight champion Henry Cejudo. The decision didnt pay off for the 33-year old as Cejudo picked up a TKO win in less than a minute.

To add insult to injury, it was subsequently revealed that Dillashaw failed his drug test for their January bout. He tested positive for human erythropoietin (EPO), which is an injection-only performance-enhancing drug. As a result, he was stripped of his bantamweight belt, lost multiple sponsorship deals and was suspended from the UFC for two years.

2019 generated a string of anti-doping controversies including Nate Diaz allegedly beingflagged by USADA in the run-up to his UFC 244 fight, and Jon Jones testing positive for a banned substance metabolite for his UFC 235 bout against Anthony Smith.

In December 2019, USADA responded to this year-full of high-profile blunders by making major changes to their UFC anti-doping policies. They adjusted their leniency towards trace-level laboratory findings to attempt to separate intentional doping cases from contaminated supplements or accidental ingestion.

Another drop in the ocean that is MMAs never-ending anti-doping saga.

2019 served Weili Zhang well as she made history, becoming the UFCs first-ever Chinese champion.

At UFC Shenzhen in August, Zhang challenged the strawweight titleholder Jessica Andrade for the strawweight throne. The Chinese athlete had already accumulated 19 successive wins before fighting for the belt. In a shocking turn of events, the 30-year old unleashed a flurry of strikes on Andrade and sealed the TKO victory in 42 seconds of the first round.

Zhang received a herd of recognition from pros including Ronda Rousey and Dana White. Her dominant victory over Jessica Andrade reflected the rise of international fighting stars.

2019 has shown to be a great year for the sport on an international level. The UFC opened a new performance institute in Shanghai. Bellator has announced plans for rapid growth in the European market and is working closely with MMA coach, John Kavanagh to nurture European talent. Also ONE Championship conquered Japan with two blockbuster events in Tokyo.

The emergence of new competition for the UFC outside of the US borders is travelling full steam ahead into 2020 and should see more international events than ever before.

Arguably the most iconic MMA moment of 2019 was Jorge Masvidals infamous flying knee against Ben Askren during their UFC 239 bout.

The weeks leading up to the July bout were filled with insults and verbal exchanges from both fighters. Gamebred anticipated an early takedown attempt from the Olympic wrestler hed been matched up with. His predictions came true, as Askren went for an early takedown at the beginning of their fight.

Masvidal perfectly counteracted Askrens immediate takedown attempt with a flying knee. As soon as Masvidals leg connected with the face of Askren, his opponent crashed unconscious to the floor. The speedy exchange finished the fight as soon as it started and rewarded Masvidal a record-shattering 5-second first-round victory.

His show-stopping performance put an end to Askrens undefeated record. Not only did it destroy the unbeatable perception of the former welterweight champion, but it also changed the perception of Jorge Masvidal. After UFC 239, Gamebreds perception transformed from a streaking journeyman into one of the most deadly opponents in the welterweight division.

ONE Championships 100th show, which went down in Tokyo, Japan, featured Demetrious Johnson attempting to win the ONE Championship Flyweight World Grand Prix.

After beating Yuya Wakamatsu and Tatsumitsu Wada in the quarter and semifinals, Johnson positioned himself as a finalist in the Grand Prix final opposite Team Lakay stud Danny Kingad. Johnson delivered a masterful performance against his game opponent, utilizing his superior wrestling to accomplish a unanimous decision victory. In the process, he won the eight-man competition and broke Kingads six-fight win streak.

2019 was a busy year for Mighty Mouse as the Grand Prix format forced him to rack up three fights in a short period the first time hes done so since 2013.

By winning this ONE Championship Grand Prix, Johnson reaffirmed himself as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world perhaps the best outright and set himself up for a flyweight title fight with the champ Adriano Moraes.

For the first time in UFC history, a new belt was added that existed outside of traditional championships. The new belt was born out of a call out from Nate Diaz following his UFC 241 Antony Pettis victory, with which he targeted Jorge Masvidal. UFC President Dana White responded with the creation of the Baddest Motherf*cker Belt.

Masvidal and Diaz collided for the BMF title in the main event of UFC 244 in November. Due to a severe cut above Diazs eye, the fight was stopped somewhat anti-climatically after the third round. Gamebred was awarded the victory and the BMF title. Dana White revealed that the BMF belt was a one-off, but its greatness will go down in the UFC history books.

2019 was a great year for the current middleweight champion Israel Adesanya who made leaps and bounds in his MMA career. The undefeated star got off to a great start by defeating MMA royalty, Anderson Silva via unanimous decision in the main event of UFC 234 in February. He had the same success when he faced heavy hitter Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236. The Last Stylebender won his first five-round fight against Gastelum by unanimous decision, earning him the middleweight interim belt and placing him in prime position for a title shot against undisputed champ Robert Whittaker.

In the highly anticipated UFC 243 main event against Whittaker, the title challenger made his Octagon entrance in style. Accompanied by an entourage of dancers, Adesanya busted out moves worthy of a Michael Jackson music video. His Octagon performance also lived up to expectation, as Adesanya flattened Whittaker with a jaw-dropping knockout at 3:33 in the second round. This solidified the Nigerian-born Kiwis rise to the top of the UFC middleweight division.

The former UFC, Strikeforce and Invicta featherweight champion Cris Cyborg has had a career full of twists and turns. 2019 was no exception, as Cris Cyborg parted ways with the UFC and signed a new contract with Bellator.

After losing to Amanda Nunes by first-round TKO in their 2018 bout, tensions between the former champion and Dana White were at an all-time high. The UFC kingpin had taken aim at Cyborg for allegedly avoiding a Nunes rematch, a claim which Cyborg vehemently denies. Their media spats included Dana White mocking Cyborgs appearance and Cyborg posting tampered video footage of a conversation with White. Their disagreement culminated in Cyborg being released from the company after her last contractual fight against Felicia Spencer in July.

After considering her future as a free agent, the womens featherweight signed a lucrative new contract with Bellator. She is looking forward to a future full of new MMA opportunities, and first on the agenda is a 2020 bout against Bellator featherweight champion Julia Budd.

After announcing his retirement from MMA in March 2019, youd think it would be a quiet year for the Irish superstar Conor McGregor. Apparently not, as McGregor became embroiled in multiple media scandals. One of those stemmed from his punching an elderly man in a pub.

Footage surfaced of The Notorious sucker-punching a fellow patron after he allegedly refused to drink a shot of McGregors Proper No. 12 Irish Whiskey. The fighters other 2019 controversies include troubles include smashing a fans phone, an two accusations of sexual assault, reported by the New York Times.

More recently, McGregor has been in the headlines for a more favorable reason: a comeback fight with Donald Cerrone. Earlier this month, it was confirmed that he will be returning to the Octagon on January 18 to face Cerrone in a welterweight bout. Whether McGregor can defeat Cowboy remains to be seen, but McGregor remains undoubtedly one of the biggest stars in UFC history.

The widely renowned G.O.A.T hung up his MMA gloves once and for all in 2019. Georges St-Pierre announced his official retirement from the sport on the 21st February 2019 at a news conference in his native Montreal. The Canadian fighter exited the sport as the most dominant welterweight fighter of all time.

St-Pierre defended his 170-pound belt nine consecutive times between 2008 and 2013. He is tied with Michael Bisping for the second-most wins in UFC history (20), only a few behind hyper-active fighter Donald Cerrone (22). The Canadian superstar also became a dual division champion after submitting Michael Bisping in November, 2017 and claiming the middleweight belt.

The MMA legend managed to step away from the sport whilst remaining on top and solidifying his legacy as the welterweight G.O.A.T.

This article first appeared onBJPENN.comon 12/26/2019.

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The biggest MMA stories of 2019 - BJPenn.com

Photo Credit: Tanya Breen/Getty Images

In case you didn't know, comedy motion picture genius director and actor Kevin Smith had a near-fatal heart attack last year. At that time, Hollywood superstar writer and director J.J. Abrams made a deal with Smith: "Live through this and Ill put you in Episode 9!" FYI: Abrams had given Smith a small role as the voice of a stormtrooper in Star Wars: The Force Awakens back in 2015.

As fate would have it, Kevin Smith pulled through: and J.J. Abrams came through on his promise and castSmith inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. As you'll see in the Instargam post below, Smith said, "Ducking Stormtroopers on Kijimi, Poe passes a cyborg walking beside a bundled-up local. That local is me!"

Congrats to @jjabramsofficial on the #1 opening and for closing out the @starwars saga - and thank you for letting me be in the series of flicks that I fell in love with 42 years ago! Back when I had my heart attack, J.J. sent me an email that said Live through this and Ill put you in Episode 9! When they went into production last year on #theriseofskywalker, I wrote J.J. and asked So... Im alive. That offer still good? He confirmed and I flew out to England to visit @pinewoodstudios for a few days, during which time I giddily watched J.J. do his thing until I was called into action! Ducking Stormtroopers on Kijimi, Poe passes a cyborg walking beside a bundled-up local. That local is me! J.J. had me voice a Stormtrooper in #theforceawakens and then put me in Rise - two things a young Emo Kev never couldve imagined happening while he fanned the flames of his fandom in the 70s and 80s! Thank you, my friend in the Force, for even making the offer in the first place, let alone following through on it! You gave me a rare sensation I havent had since I was an action figure collecting kid in 1983 when you let me come over to your house to play #starwars with you! #KevinSmith #jjabrams

A post shared by Kevin Smith (@thatkevinsmith) on Dec 23, 2019 at 9:42am PST

Source: NJ.com

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Kevin Smith Reveals His 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' Cameo - Talk Radio 1210 WPHT

Check out BJPenn.coms list of the top-10 MMA fighters of the decade, featuring the likes of Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey, Demetrious Johnson and Cris Cyborg.

The first thing to note is that this is a very subjective and difficult list to come up with. There were so many fighters who could be included in the discussion, but ultimately we had to leave many of them off since its just a top-10. But before we do that, heres a list of some honorable mentions that just missed the list.

Honorable mentions: Max Holloway, Nate Diaz, Tony Ferguson, Eddie Alvarez, Donald Cerrone, Michael Bisping, Frankie Edgar, Rafael dos Anjos, Stipe Miocic, Cain Velasquez, Aung La N Sang, Kyoji Horiguchi, Junior dos Santos, Israel Adesanya, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Robbie Lawler, Douglas Lima, Patricio Pitbull, Michael Chandler, Mamed Khalidov.

And now, the top-10 fighters of the decade, along with their records from 2010-2019, and a quick rundown of their accomplishments in the sport.

10. Cris Cyborg (13-1, 1 NC)

Cyborg had an incredible decade as she held the UFC featherweight title, the Strikeforce featherweight title, and the Invicta FC featherweight title. She was the scariest female fighter for most of the decade and deserves a top-10 spot on this list. If Cyborg didnt lose to Amanda Nunes at UFC 232 she would be higher on this list, but that loss does knock her down a few pegs. Still, she was incredible. Some of her top performances include two stoppage wins over Marloes Coenen and her destruction of Leslie Smith in her UFC debut.

9. Jose Aldo (12-5)

Even though Aldo flamed out a bit at the end of the decade, what he did during the first half of it cant be forgotten. He started off the decade by defending the WEC featherweight title twice, then he became the first-ever UFC featherweight champion and went on to defend the belt seven times. Some of his most memorable performances include an epic battle against Mark Hominick at UFC 229, two crazy fights with Chad Mendes, and headlining the WECs first-ever pay-per-view against Urijah Faber at WEC 48.

8. Amanda Nunes (15-3)

Nunes was incredible this decade, winning the UFC bantamweight and featherweight titles the first woman in MMA history to be a champ champ and going 12-2 overall inside the Octagon while fighting the highest-level of competition. A couple of losses earlier in the decade drop her down a few spots and keep her out of the elite of this list, but theres no doubt Nunes was incredibly dominant. Some of her top performances include her KO win over Cris Cyborg at UFC 232, his KO win over Ronda Rousey UFC 207, and her submission win over Miesha Tate at UFC 200.

7. Georges St. Pierre (7-0)

GSP had an underrated decade, going unbeaten over the seven fights he had. He also became one of the few fighters to win two belts in two separate weight classes as he defended the UFC welterweight title six times and then beat Michael Bisping at UFC 217 to become the UFC middleweight champion four years after first retiring. Its a shame GSP didnt fight more frequently and retired twice or else he would have been higher on this list. Some of his top performances including his submission over Bisping and his controversial split decision win over Johny Hendricks at UFC 167 that led to his first retirement from MMA.

6. Demetrious Johnson (22-3-1)

Many will argue that Johnson deserves the top spot on this list, and if we go by pound-for-pound rankings theres a good argument he should be higher. After all, Johnson was a dominant champion in the UFC between 2012 and 2018, becoming the UFCs first-ever flyweight champion and defending it 11 times. The only problem with Johnson is that he wasnt able to win fans over in the way that some of the other fighters on this list did. But if we go by pure dominance inside the cage, hes right up there with the best of them. Some of his top performances include his two wins over Joseph Benavidez, his insane submission over Ray Borg at UFC 216, and knocking out Henry Cejudo at UFC 197. We should also mention he was part of the first-ever trade in MMA history for Ben Askren and went on to win the ONE Championship Flyweight Grand Prix after he left the UFC, further strengthening his resume on a new continent, and signalling more dominance to come.

5. Khabib Nurmagomedov (21-0)

It was an amazing decade for Nurmagomedov as he didnt lose a single one of his 21 fights, which was the best record of anyone on this list. Whats amazing is that Nurmagomedov missed two years between 2014 and 2016 with injuries, otherwise his record might be even better. He was dominant in the Octagon with a 12-0 record, with notable wins over the likes of Conor McGregor at UFC 229 and Michael Johnson at UFC 205. He also carried the torch from Fedor Emelianenko and became a huge star in Russian MMA.

4. Daniel Cormier (21-2, 1 NC)

DCs decade was among the very best as he was both the UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight champion, not to mention the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion. If it wasnt for his loss and No Contest to Jon Jones, theres an argument that DC could actually be at the very top of this list. But even with the Jones fights, what DC accomplished in the 2010s was astonishing. Some of his top performances include his KO win over Stipe Miocic at UFC 226 to win the UFC heavyweight title, beating Josh Barnett in Strikeforce to win the Grand Prix, and two submission wins over Anthony Johnson at light heavyweight.

3. Ronda Rousey (12-2)

Rousey ended up losing a few fights at the end of her career to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, but its hard to argue that she wasnt the most important female fighter in the sport. Before Rousey, there was no such thing as womens MMA in the UFC, but she was the most important driver of bringing women into the Octagon. She was the UFC womens bantamweight champion and the Strikeforce womens bantamweight champion, and she defended that title seven times. Some of her top performances include submitting Miesha Tate twice, knocking out Bethe Correia at UFC 190, and tapping out Cat Zingano in 14 seconds at UFC 184. Its amazing she accomplished all of this in less than seven years.

2. Jon Jones (16-0, 1 NC)

Many will argue that Jones should be No. 1 on this list, and I can see the argument. He was insanely dominant during the decade and emerged as arguably the greatest fighter in MMA history. Jones burst onto the scene in the late 2000s then became the UFC light heavyweight champion in 2011 and he hasnt lost a fight since, defending it 10 times. If it wasnt for his issues outside the Octagon and with USADA, he would be No. 1 on this list, but we cant ignore those issues. Still, Jones was unstoppable for the most part and he deserves to be at the top of this list. Some of his top performances include beating Mauricio Shogun Rua at UFC 128 to win the UFC light heavyweight title, knocking out Daniel Cormier with a head kick at UFC 214, and his violent masterpiece against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 165 in what many regard as the best fight of the decade.

McGregor might not have the most wins this decade, but its hard to argue he wasnt the most important fighter of the 2010s as he transformed the sport of MMA. When the UFC was going through a transition with past stars like Chuck Liddell and Brock Lesnar retiring, McGregor entered the Octagon and became a living legend. He became the UFC lightweight and featherweight champion, coining the term champ champ in the process as he became the first UFC fighter to hold two belts at the same time. Some of McGregors most notable performances of the decade include his 13-second KO win over Jose Aldo to win the UFC featherweight title at UFC 194, his mauling of Eddie Alvarez to win the UFC lightweight title at UFC 205, and his two legendary fights with Nate Diaz. Plus his boxing match against Floyd Mayweather in 2017 broke pay-per-view records. You may not be a fan of McGregor, and some of his issues outside the Octagon hurt him here, but you cant argue with what hes accomplished when he has stepped into the cage.

What do you think of BJPenn.coms top-10 MMA fighters of the decade list?

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Top-10 MMA fighters of the decade - BJPenn.com

Henry Cavills The Witcher has received an official score on the popular review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

This past Friday, Netflixdropped the first season of Henry Cavills The Witcher, a television adaption of the fantasy books by Polish authorAndrzej Sapkowski. Fans of The Witcher novels and the subsequent video games based on the stories have been eager to see how the Henry Cavill would turn out and now Rotten Tomatoes has revealed the debut score for the long-awaited adaptation.

The Critic Rating for Henry Cavills The Witchercurrently stands at 58%based on43 reviews. The audience score, on the other hand, has reached 90% based on2300user ratings. There Critics Consensus for Henry Cavills The Witcher can be found below.

The world of The Witcher still only feels half-formed as it gallops onto screens, but Henry Cavill brings brawny charisma to a series teeming with subversive fantasy elements and dark humor.

Have you seen Henry Cavills The Witcher? What are your thoughts on the series so far? Sound-off in the comments section!

Here is the official synopsis for Henry CavillsThe Witcher:

Based on the best-selling fantasy series, The Witcher is an epic tale of fate and family. Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. But when destiny hurtles him toward a powerful sorceress, and a young princess with a dangerous secret, the three must learn to navigate the increasingly volatile Continent together.

The Witcherstars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, Freya Allan as Ciri, Anya Chalotra as Yennefer, Jodhi May as Queen Calanthe, Bjorn Hlynur Haraldsson as Eist, Adam Levy as Mousesack, MyAnna Buring as Aretuza, and Millie Brady as Princess Renfri, with Mimi Ndiweni and Therica Wilson-Read as novice sorcerers.

The Witcheris now available on Netflix. Stay tuned for the latest news on the Henry Cavill series!

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

Along with the premiere of the first teaser forDoom Patrol,DC Universe also debuted a collection of character posters for each of the members of perhaps the strangest team of characters to be adapted in live-action form for DC Comics.

In particular, these new character posters highlight Timothy Dalton's The Chief, Diane Guerrero's Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade's Cyborg, April Bowlby's Elasti-Woman, Matt Bomer's Negative Man and Brendan Fraser's Robotman. These posters each follow unique designs that reflect the nature of each character and tease unique personalities amongst the group as well.

You can start the gallery of new posters by clicking "Next".

Which of theseDoom Patrolposters is your favorite? Are you excited to see what the cast brings to these roles? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to continue following Heroic Hollywood for all the latest news in the DC Universe.

Doom Patrol is a reimagining of one of DCs strangest group of outcast Super Heroes which includes: Matt Bomer as Larry Trainor/Negative Man, Brendan Fraser as Cliff Steele/Robotman, April Bowlby as Elasti-Woman, Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade as Victor Stone/Cyborg and Timothy Dalton as Dr. Niles Caulder/The Chief.

Here is the synopsis for the show:

Doom Patrolwill find the reluctant heroes in a place they never expected to be, called to action by Cyborg, who comes to them with a mission hard to refuse, but with a warning that is hard to ignore: their lives will never, ever be the same.

Doom Patrolwill premiere on February 15, 2019 exclusively on DC Universe.

Read the original here:

Henry Cavill's 'The Witcher' Gets An Official Rotten Tomatoes Score - Heroic Hollywood

Fresh off of a busy year withThe Report, Marriage Storyand of course,Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,Adam Driver is set to host the firstSaturday Night Liveepisode of 2020.

Saturday Night Liveofficially announced that following the holiday season and for much of January, the legendary sketch comedy series will return to the airwaves on January 25, 2020 on NBC. Adam Driver is set to host, with Grammy-nominee Halsey as the musical guest:

This will be the third time Adam Driver will hostSaturday Night Live.He first hosted in 2016 with musical guest Chris Stapleton and for a second time in 2018 with musical guest Kanye West. His 2016 episode is particularly noteworthy, given that it came right after the hype ofStar Wars: The Force Awakensand featured an instant classic sketch in the form of a parody ofUndercover Boss.The sketch involved Adam Driver reprising his role as Kylo Ren and going undercover on Starkiller Base as Matt, the Radar Technician.

Given that this new episode ofSaturday Night Live will come off the heels of the release ofStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,it would be fun to see if anotherUndercover Bossparody sketch is produced, and if so, we see the return of Matt, the Radar Technician as well. Either way, it seems likeSaturday Night Liveappreciates Adam Driver enough to bring him back for a third time.

Are you excited about the prospect of Adam Driver hostingSaturday Night Livefor the third time? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to continue following Heroic Hollywood for all the latest news on Adam Driver,Star WarsandSaturday Night Live.

Here is the synopsis forStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker:

Lucasfilm and director J.J. Abrams join forces once again to take viewers on an epic journey to a galaxy far, far away withStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the riveting conclusion of the seminal Skywalker saga, where new legends will be born and the final battle for freedom is yet to come.

Directed by J.J. Abrams,Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerstars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyongo, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant, Keri Russell, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Ian McDiarmid, and Billy Dee Williams. Carrie Fisher will appear as General Leia Organa through the use of previously unreleased footage shot forStar Wars: The Force AwakensandThe Last Jedi.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalkeris now playing in theaters.

Source: SNL

Along with the premiere of the first teaser forDoom Patrol,DC Universe also debuted a collection of character posters for each of the members of perhaps the strangest team of characters to be adapted in live-action form for DC Comics.

In particular, these new character posters highlight Timothy Dalton's The Chief, Diane Guerrero's Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade's Cyborg, April Bowlby's Elasti-Woman, Matt Bomer's Negative Man and Brendan Fraser's Robotman. These posters each follow unique designs that reflect the nature of each character and tease unique personalities amongst the group as well.

You can start the gallery of new posters by clicking "Next".

Which of theseDoom Patrolposters is your favorite? Are you excited to see what the cast brings to these roles? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to continue following Heroic Hollywood for all the latest news in the DC Universe.

Doom Patrol is a reimagining of one of DCs strangest group of outcast Super Heroes which includes: Matt Bomer as Larry Trainor/Negative Man, Brendan Fraser as Cliff Steele/Robotman, April Bowlby as Elasti-Woman, Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade as Victor Stone/Cyborg and Timothy Dalton as Dr. Niles Caulder/The Chief.

Here is the synopsis for the show:

Doom Patrolwill find the reluctant heroes in a place they never expected to be, called to action by Cyborg, who comes to them with a mission hard to refuse, but with a warning that is hard to ignore: their lives will never, ever be the same.

Doom Patrolwill premiere on February 15, 2019 exclusively on DC Universe.

Originally posted here:

'Star Wars': Adam Driver Hosting First Saturday Night Live Of 2020 - Heroic Hollywood

Mum, when I grow up, I want to be a police officerno, a soccer playerno, a scientist!

Ok darling, that sounds great! But how about becoming a cyborg?

As intelligent machines become increasingly common and powerful things are going to change, especially for those of us in the workforce. To prepare ourselves for the future, we need to learn how to work together with these machines. How can we get the best out of machines, and work together as a seamless team? Or, in a sense, how can we become cyborgs?

Its not just down to the individual to figure out how to transform into an AI-human hybrid. Organizations need to create environments that foster these alliances. So, if your position involves creating jobs, or hiring and managing people, this blog post is for you.

Here, I propose some crucial questions that you should ask in order to future-proof your workplace.

When it comes to discussing AI and the future of work we exhale in relief when someone says machines will have a hard time replacing us. This statement is backed by the argument that most AI systems are narrow. This is when AI systems only do one thing but do it really well, for example, predicting what you want to watch on Netflix. If you ask the same system to make you a cup of coffee or drive your car, youre likely to be disappointed. Similarly, when it comes to work the expectation is that AI can take over certain tasks, but perhaps not entire multidisciplinary roles.

But what happens when the AI system can perform the most significant tasks that a job entails? In our report about creative machines, we looked at how AI can impact work life. One interesting example we found came from the fashion industry, where a company had implemented two AI systems to produce novel designs. Together, the machines did all work, from trend scouting to creating new designs, and predicting how well they would sell. The first human intervention didnt occur until the designs were sent to production. In short, the humans role was to surveil the system.

The AI proved to be successful, but how much fun did the human overseer really have? Especially if they were an educated designer capable of creating new designs by themselves...

For future jobs, we need to learn how the humans role can evolve beyond supervisor, and how we can we draw on human strengths to improve AI systems. Most importantly, we need to ensure that work conducted alongside AI is still perceived as meaningful.

If you dont figure this out, youre unlikely to attract the most talented people in the future.

Lets say you find a way to make working with a machine both meaningful and attractive. How do you make sure your team becomes good at it?

Research published earlier this year coined the term Shadow Learning. As explained in the Harvard Business Review article titled Learning to work with intelligent machines, the researcher studied the challenges new surgeons faced when learning robotic surgery skills. Previously, they learned how to perform surgery by working alongside expert surgeons, but now theyre forced to watch over the surgeons shoulder as, thanks to robotics, individuals can handle entire surgeries with one pair of hands resulting in fewer hands-on learning opportunities for the student.

The term, however, does not mean that you learn by shadowing someone. The phrase refers to students who gained experience with robotic tools by taking it upon themselves to acquire new skills outside of the curriculum. Some students, for instance, used simulation tools or watched videos of robotic surgery on YouTube (what cant you learn from YouTube?). This, however, often forced the students to skip other crucial parts of the course.

For creating the AI-human workforce of the future we need to ensure that there are enough learning opportunities. So, how do you foster continuous learning and create chances for machine-human teams to excel?

See this as an opportunity. When trying to attract future star employees, offering them a chance for professional development and exposure to new technologies will give you a competitive edge against other employers.

We often say that ensuring trust in the machines is crucial. However, overreliance on AI systems could become an issue, especially during decision-making. If you always have an intelligent assistant aiding you it could get harder to ignore its advice. The smarter it gets, the harder it would be to argue against it. It may even lead to increased mental obesity, where humans just ask the AI and mindlessly follow its instructions. I have also previously written about this in another post about mental obesity and AI. In another post, my colleague also writes about the effects of overdependence on technology where he notes the typically western habit of taking the escalators rather than the stairs, its just so easy to let the machine do the work.

Overreliance on AI systems could also lead to bolder decisions, as we saw in one of our public safety studies. This insight later turned into another hot consumer trend, as our researched showed that people who perceive their smartphone as a safety device knowingly take greater risks when they have their smartphone with them. Translating this into an organizational setting, its fair to raise the question: will people be more open to taking risks if they believe a system will always be there to aid them? Is it possible that theyll also reflect less on the consequences of AI-guided decisions?

We should be augmented by the machines that we work with, not pacified. But how can you support critical thinking and autonomy at work when employees are aided by intelligent machines?

Finding the sweet spot of trust and reliance in the AI-Human collaboration you will not only inspire and empower your employees to take informed decisions, you will probably also stimulate people to generate more novel ideas.

If we look beyond the current discussion of AI and the future of work which usually revolves around the number of jobs that will be impacted by AI we can focus on how to create inspiring new ways to work with machines.

To get there, we need to figure out how to foster new alliances and bring out the best in both AI and humans.

This is a great opportunity. Just imagine what you can do when your employees are motivated, well trained and empowered. Imagine having Cyborgs!

Visit our IndustryLab and ConsumerLab pages to read more about how technology will impact our lives in the coming years.

Link:

AI and the future of work: becoming cyborgs! - Ericsson

TORONTO - Canadian Felicia (Feenom) Spencer looks to bounce back from a July loss to former UFC featherweight champion Cris Cyborg when she takes on France's Zarah (Infinite) Fairn on Feb. 29 in a televised UFC card in Norfolk, Va.

Spencer, 29, lost a unanimous decision to Cyborg at UFC 240 in Edmonton. Cyborg has since moved to the Bellator promotion and will take on Canadian featherweight champion Julia (The Jewel) Budd in January.

Spencer (7-1-0) is 1-1 since joining the UFC. The Montreal native, who trains in Orlando, Fla., won her debut in May when she choked out Australian Megan Anderson in Rochester, N.Y., in a matchup of former Invicta FC featherweight champions.

Fairn, 33, is coming off a loss to Anderson at UFC 243 in October.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 18, 2019.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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Canadian featherweight Felicia Spencer returns to action on UFC card in Norfolk - The Chronicle Journal

Damon Lindelof reveals why the first season of HBOsWatchmenended up having 9 episodes rather than its original 10.

In an interview with Collider, Damon Lindelof revealed that following the events of the sixth episode entitled This Extraordinary Being, where Regina Kings Angela Abar takes her grandfathers nostalgia pills, the writing team couldnt stretch the story to 10 episodes for this season so it was cut down by one episode for narrative reasons.

You can read Damon Lindelofs explanation for cuttingWatchmendown to 9 episodes rather than 10 down below:

The original plan was to do 10. And, then, I think around the time that we had written the scripts for four and five, and understanding what episode six was going to beand six needed to happen exactly when it happened in the season, in our opinionthat we felt like once six ended, that we were closer to the ending than we were to the beginning. Six didnt feel like a mid point. It felt like, we now know everything that we need to know to move into the endgame. And, every way that we looked at it, it felt like if we were going to do seven, eight, nine and ten, one of those episodes was going to be filler. And I was like, Were just not doing the filler episode. We know exactly what we need to do in our endgame. Its time to start doing it. I dont want to stall.'

Damon LindelofsWatchmenhas received universal acclaim from critics, with much of the praise given to the writing on display. Based on this decision to cut down one episode from the original 10-episode plan, Damon Lindelof wanted to make sure that there was no excess to the story. And based on how the product turned out, this was certainly the right decision creatively.

What do you make of this? Do you think it was wise forWatchmento cut down on one episode to avoid unnecessary filler? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to continue following Heroic Hollywood for all the latest news on Damon LindelofsWatchmenand more of HBOs hit series.

Here is the synopsis for Damon LindelofsWatchmen:

Set in an alternate history where superheroes are treated as outlaws, WATCHMEN embraces the nostalgia of the original groundbreaking graphic novel while attempting to break new ground of its own.

Watchmenstars Regina King, Jeremy Irons, Don Johnson, Jean Smart, Tim Blake Nelson, Louis Gossett Jr., Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Hong Chau, Andrew Howard, Tom Mison, Frances Fisher, Jacob Ming-Trent, Sara Vickers, Dylan Schombing, and James Wolk.

Source: Collider

Along with the premiere of the first teaser forDoom Patrol,DC Universe also debuted a collection of character posters for each of the members of perhaps the strangest team of characters to be adapted in live-action form for DC Comics.

In particular, these new character posters highlight Timothy Dalton's The Chief, Diane Guerrero's Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade's Cyborg, April Bowlby's Elasti-Woman, Matt Bomer's Negative Man and Brendan Fraser's Robotman. These posters each follow unique designs that reflect the nature of each character and tease unique personalities amongst the group as well.

You can start the gallery of new posters by clicking "Next".

Which of theseDoom Patrolposters is your favorite? Are you excited to see what the cast brings to these roles? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to continue following Heroic Hollywood for all the latest news in the DC Universe.

Doom Patrol is a reimagining of one of DCs strangest group of outcast Super Heroes which includes: Matt Bomer as Larry Trainor/Negative Man, Brendan Fraser as Cliff Steele/Robotman, April Bowlby as Elasti-Woman, Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade as Victor Stone/Cyborg and Timothy Dalton as Dr. Niles Caulder/The Chief.

Here is the synopsis for the show:

Doom Patrolwill find the reluctant heroes in a place they never expected to be, called to action by Cyborg, who comes to them with a mission hard to refuse, but with a warning that is hard to ignore: their lives will never, ever be the same.

Doom Patrolwill premiere on February 15, 2019 exclusively on DC Universe.

Go here to see the original:

Watchmen: Damon Lindelof On Why There Were 9 Episodes Instead Of 10 - Heroic Hollywood

The Witcherstar Henry Cavillclaims that his role as Geralt of Rivia shouldnt interfere with him playing Superman again.

Warner Bros. Pictures and DC Films currently has a slate of new films coming out within the next decade already, but many fans are wondering when another Superman film will get made, and if so, would Henry Cavill reprise his role he originated from Zack SnydersMan of Steel.

In an interview with Radio Times, Henry Cavill reiterated that despite his busy schedule withThe Witcher,he should be able to squeeze in another project to work on in the same year, leaving a possible opening to play Superman again if given the opportunity to do so:

Youve got to keep in mind that regardless of what movies Ill be doing over the next few years, you can fit two projects into one year.

Given the uncertain future regarding his reign as Superman on the big screen, Henry Cavill was asked about whether or not he had any hope left in playing the Man of Steel for a fourth time, to which he referenced Supermans emblem as portrayed in Man of Steel:

I mean, thats what it stands for, right?

Do you hope Henry Cavill will have the opportunity to play Superman again even with his busy schedule withThe Witcher?Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to continue following Heroic Hollywood for all the latest news on the future of Henry Cavills Superman.

Here is the official synopsis for Henry CavillsThe Witcher:

Based on the best-selling fantasy series, The Witcher is an epic tale of fate and family. Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. But when destiny hurtles him toward a powerful sorceress, and a young princess with a dangerous secret, the three must learn to navigate the increasingly volatile Continent together.

The Witcherstars Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia, Freya Allan as Ciri, Anya Chalotra as Yennefer, Jodhi May as Queen Calanthe, Bjorn Hlynur Haraldsson as Eist, Adam Levy as Mousesack, MyAnna Buring as Aretuza, and Millie Brady as Princess Renfri, with Mimi Ndiweni and Therica Wilson-Read as novice sorcerers.

The Witcherwill be available on Netflix on December 20, 2019.

Source: Radio Times

Along with the premiere of the first teaser forDoom Patrol,DC Universe also debuted a collection of character posters for each of the members of perhaps the strangest team of characters to be adapted in live-action form for DC Comics.

In particular, these new character posters highlight Timothy Dalton's The Chief, Diane Guerrero's Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade's Cyborg, April Bowlby's Elasti-Woman, Matt Bomer's Negative Man and Brendan Fraser's Robotman. These posters each follow unique designs that reflect the nature of each character and tease unique personalities amongst the group as well.

You can start the gallery of new posters by clicking "Next".

Which of theseDoom Patrolposters is your favorite? Are you excited to see what the cast brings to these roles? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to continue following Heroic Hollywood for all the latest news in the DC Universe.

Doom Patrol is a reimagining of one of DCs strangest group of outcast Super Heroes which includes: Matt Bomer as Larry Trainor/Negative Man, Brendan Fraser as Cliff Steele/Robotman, April Bowlby as Elasti-Woman, Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade as Victor Stone/Cyborg and Timothy Dalton as Dr. Niles Caulder/The Chief.

Here is the synopsis for the show:

Doom Patrolwill find the reluctant heroes in a place they never expected to be, called to action by Cyborg, who comes to them with a mission hard to refuse, but with a warning that is hard to ignore: their lives will never, ever be the same.

Doom Patrolwill premiere on February 15, 2019 exclusively on DC Universe.

Here is the original post:

The Witcher: Henry Cavill Says Show Won't Block Him From Superman Role - Heroic Hollywood

The final UFC pay-per-view event of the year on Saturday night in Las Vegas is set to deliver us one of the most loaded fight cards of the year as 2019 comes to a close and 2020 looms on the horizon. With not one ... not two ... but three championship fights set to take place, you'd be hard-pressed to find an MMA fan out there that isn't eagerly awaiting the UFC 245 festivities this weekend.

The main event features one of the most anticipated rivalries in the sport coming to a head while the co-main and co-feature will showcase two of UFC's top champions returning to action. Plus, this card also features the return of some legendary names on the main card and some fast-rising prospects on the prelims.

Can't get enough UFC? Subscribe to our podcast State of Combat with Brian Campbell where we break down everything you need to know in the Octagon, including a complete preview of UFC 245 below.

With so much to look forward to, we at CBS Sports took the time to give you a breakdown of every fight on the card. Let's take a closer look at each bout to come on Saturday night from Sin City with some background on each fighter.

(Odds via MGM)

Oskar Piechota -115 vs. Punahele Soriano -115, middleweights: After an 11-0-1 start to his career that only saw two fights reach the judges' scorecards, Piechota (11-2-1) has lost back-to-back fights. Making matters worse, both fights -- against Gerald Meerschaert and Rodolfo Vieira -- ended in submission losses. Soriano (6-0) will be making his official Octagon debut after earning his way to the UFC with a win on Dana White's Contender Series. That fight was the only in his career to end in decision, with two submissions and three knockouts coming previously.

Viviane Araujo -170 vs. Jessica Eye +140, women's flyweights: Eye (14-7) started her UFC career with a win over Sarah Kaufman that was overturned due to a positive drug test for marijuana metabolites. She then lost five of her next six fights, with every loss coming via decision against some top names in the division. Eye then dropped to flyweight and the UFC's decision to keep her around despite the move coming after a four-fight losing skid paid off. With three straight wins, Eye received a title shot against Valentina Shevchenko, but lost via second-round head kick knockout. Araujo (8-1) doesn't share as dramatic a ride in her UFC career, simply entering the UFC on a three-fight win streak before Octagon wins over Talita Bernardo and Alexis Davis ran that streak to five. Her May knockout of Bernardo was a highlight reel display of power.

Kai Kara-France -160 vs. Brandon Moreno +130, flyweights: Kara-France (20-7) enters the fight as the No. 6 ranked flyweight in the CBS Sports UFC divisional rankings. After a 7-6 start to his career, he has gone on a 13-1 run as his competition has gotten better and the lights have gotten brighter. Making his Octagon debut one year ago, Kara-France has won three straight decisions in the UFC. Moreno (15-5-1) has spent more than three years as a member of the UFC roster. After three wins to kick off his career, he has a 1-2-1 record in his four most recent fights. His most recent bout was a draw against Askar Askarov.

Chase Hooper -130 vs. Daniel Teymur +100, featherweights: Teymur (7-3) made his way to the UFC after a 6-0 start to his career and things quickly went wrong. He lost his first three UFC bouts, two by rear-naked choke. He finally turned things around in June with a decision win over Sung Bin Jo. Hooper (8-0-1) is an undefeated 20-year-old prospect set to make his UFC debut on one of the biggest cards of the year. He has won two fights by submission, four by knockout and has only seen the judges's scorecards three times, once battling to a draw.

Matt Brown -360 vs. Ben Saunders +290, welterweights: It seems almost impossible Brown (21-16) and Saunders (22-12-2) have never fought in the UFC. With a combined 42 UFC fights, it seems the two always-game competitors would have crossed paths by now. Brown has been fighting in the Octagon since June 2008, but he has not fought since November 2017 due to an ACL injury and associated rehabilitation. Saunders made his UFC debut in December 2007 and after seven fights was let go from the promotion with a two-fight losing skid. It took four years before he battled his way back to the UFC in August 2014, winning his first three fights back. Saunders is currently on a three-fight losing skid and a 1-5 run.

Ian Heinisch -150 vs. Omari Akhmedov +120, middleweights: Middleweight is a tough division to crack into the top 10, but these are the kind of fights that place the winner on the verge of earning their way onto the list. Akhmedov (19-4-1) has been fighting in the UFC for more than six years and has only suffered three defeats. He's on a five fight unbeaten streak that includes four decision wins and a draw. Heinisch (13-2) had a five-fight winning streak snapped in his most recent bout, a decision loss to Derek Brunson in August.

Ketlen Vieira -185 vs. Irene Aldana +155, women's bantamweights: With a women's bantamweight title fight as one of the night's headliners, Vieira (10-0), ranked No. 3 in the CBS Sports rankings, may be just one win away from punching her ticket into a fight with the winner. She continued her unbeaten ways once joining the UFC, winning four consecutive bouts, though not always convincingly. Two of her Octagon victories have come via split decision. No. 9 ranked Aldana (11-5) doesn't have as sparkling a record as Vieira, but she has faced some big names in the Octagon and has a 4-3 record.

Geoff Neal -250 vs. Mike Perry +200, welterweights: Perry (13-5) made a splash in the UFC with his big power punching style. He won four of his first five UFC bouts, all by knockout. As the competition increased, the knockouts -- and wins -- stopped. After his blazing start to his UFC career, Perry has gone on a 2-4 skid. Neal (12-2) has been perfect over his six most recent fights, which include four in the UFC. Nine of his 12 career victories have come via stoppage and he has only seen the scorecards once in his UFC career.

Petr Yan -500 vs. Urijah Faber +360, bantamweights: Faber (35-10) was once the face of the featherweight division, winning the WEC championship and defending it successfully five times. While he remained a big star, becoming champion again was not in the cards. He lost six attempts to win back a championship in WEC and UFC after his title loss to Mike Brown. He only lost two non-title fights from the time he won the WEC title in March 2006. Faber retired after a win over Brad Pickett in December 2016 but came out of retirement this July and scored a knockout win over Ricky Simon in just 46 seconds. He now, unbelievably, could return to a title fight if he defeats the highly regarded Russian. Yan (13-1) is riding an eight-fight winning streak that includes five UFC victories. He is ranked No. 2 at bantamweight in the CBS Sports rankings and a win over Faber is the kind of signature win that could land him in the Octagon with division champ Henry Cejudo.

Marlon Moraes -200 vs. Jose Aldo +160, bantamweights: Aldo (28-5) defeated Faber during his lengthy reign as the top featherweight on the planet. After an 18-fight winning streak, a mega-fight with Conor McGregor ended in disaster for the Brazilian as he lost just 13 seconds into the fight. Aldo won the interim featherweight championship in his next bout, a decision win over Frankie Edgar and was later promoted to full champion status. He lost the belt against Max Holloway and lost the rematch, both by knockout. He is 2-1 since, but the decision to drop to bantamweight has brought controversy as he already struggled to make the 145-pound featherweight limit. Moraes (22-6-1) entered the UFC after an impressive career that saw him capture the WSOF championship and defend it successfully five times. He dropped a split decision to Raphael Assuncao in his Octagon debut before rattling off four consecutive wins, including two by knockout. That run landed him in the cage with Henry Cejudo for the vacant UFC bantamweight championship, losing by knockout in the third round. Moraes is currently ranked No. 5 in the CBS Sports rankings.

Amanda Nunes (c) -340 vs. Germaine de Randamie +270, women's bantamweight championship: Nunes (18-4) defeated de Randamie in November 2013, before the Brazilian established herself as possibly the greatest fighter in the history of women's MMA. Nunes lost her next fight but then rattled off nine straight victories, including beating Ronda Rousey and Cris Cyborg, both by knockout in less than a minute. She captured the bantamweight title with a submission of Miesha Tate while the Cyborg knockout earned her the featherweight title. The names littering her current win streak read like a who's who of the top names in the history of women's MMA: Rousey, Cyborg, Holm, Tate, Shevchenko (twice), Pennington, McMann, Baszler. For de Randamie (9-3) redemption for their first fight will not be easy. She has run through the opposition since that loss, going 5-0 and scoring wins over big names of her own, including Holm, Pennington and Ladd. De Randamie comes from a kickboxing background and that power has shown with three knockouts during her five-fight winning streak. Nunes is the clear No. 1 ranked fighter in the division with de Randamie at No. 2 in the CBS Sports rankings.

Max Holloway (c) -185 vs. Alexander Volkanovski +155, featherweight championship: A 13-fight winning streak for Holloway (21-4) was snapped when he made the decision to move to lightweight to battle Dustin Poirier for the interim title at 155 pounds. He bounced back with a win over Frankie Edgar to defend the featherweight crown. Volkanovski, ranked No. 2, is riding a 17-fight win streak that includes seven wins in the Octagon. In his two most recent fights, he knocked out Chad Mendes and scored a decision win over Aldo. Eleven of his 20 career victories have come via knockout.

Kamaru Usman (c) -185 vs. Colby Covington +155, welterweight championship: When the UFC was pushing the idea of Tyron Woodley as the greatest of all-time in the welterweight division -- this despite Georges St. Pierre's existence -- Usman (15-1) came along and dominated 25 minutes of action in their bout to become the champ. That March fight feels like a lifetime ago, and Usman had, in many ways, faded from the spotlight until Covington (15-1) and his trash talk turned their rivalry into one of the most talked about in MMA. This is a battle of men on lengthy winning streaks, Usman at 14 and Covington at seven, but it's also a battle of egos. Covington has played up a character, for better and for worse, but he has backed up his talk with impressive wins, most recently dominating Robbie Lawler while throwing a record-breaking 541 strikes. Both men have solid amateur wrestling backgrounds and have developed well-rounded games to go along with them. It's an intriguing battle on paper and there will be no disputing the true champion at 170 pounds once the men settle things in the cage.

Read more here:

UFC 245 odds, fight card: A closer look at every bout from the early prelims to the main event - CBS Sports

Along with the premiere of the first teaser forDoom Patrol,DC Universe also debuted a collection of character posters for each of the members of perhaps the strangest team of characters to be adapted in live-action form for DC Comics.

In particular, these new character posters highlight Timothy Dalton's The Chief, Diane Guerrero's Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade's Cyborg, April Bowlby's Elasti-Woman, Matt Bomer's Negative Man and Brendan Fraser's Robotman. These posters each follow unique designs that reflect the nature of each character and tease unique personalities amongst the group as well.

You can start the gallery of new posters by clicking "Next".

Which of theseDoom Patrolposters is your favorite? Are you excited to see what the cast brings to these roles? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to continue following Heroic Hollywood for all the latest news in the DC Universe.

Doom Patrol is a reimagining of one of DCs strangest group of outcast Super Heroes which includes: Matt Bomer as Larry Trainor/Negative Man, Brendan Fraser as Cliff Steele/Robotman, April Bowlby as Elasti-Woman, Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade as Victor Stone/Cyborg and Timothy Dalton as Dr. Niles Caulder/The Chief.

Here is the synopsis for the show:

Doom Patrolwill find the reluctant heroes in a place they never expected to be, called to action by Cyborg, who comes to them with a mission hard to refuse, but with a warning that is hard to ignore: their lives will never, ever be the same.

Doom Patrolwill premiere on February 15, 2019 exclusively on DC Universe.

Read this article:

'The Falcon and The Winter Soldier' Set Photos Tease New York City Setting - Heroic Hollywood

THACKERVILLE, Okla. Arlene Blencowe thinks shes positioned herself as the No. 1 contender after this past Friday.

She defeated Leslie Smith by unanimous decision at Bellator 233, outpointing her on the strength of her jab en route to a 30-27 sweep on the judges scorecards.

Blencowe (13-7 MMA, 6-3 BMMA) was narrowly edged out by current 145-pound champion Julia Budd nearly two years ago at Bellator 189 for the womens featherweight title. It was her second loss to the champ.

Since then, Blencowe has won three in a row and thinks shes done enough to get the next title shot against the winner of Budd and Cris Cyborg, who are set to fight for Budds title at Bellator 236 on Jan. 25.

Obviously, since my controversial split decision loss to Julia, Ive just worked my way back into the next title shot, Blencowe told MMA Junkie after her win over Smith. I knew just getting wins is what I needed. I got two stoppage wins. I was hoping for a third win by stoppage, but we also knew that Leslie was a tough girl, so she doesnt go down easy. But I definitely I think Ive earned my spot to get another shot at the title.

And while avenging her loss to Budd is definitely on her mind, a stylistic matchup against Cyborg is also something that interests her.

To be honest, if its Julia, yeah, that would be awesome, Blencowe said. Ive got some redemption to do there. But Cyborgs another awesome fight. Id love to stand in there and bang it out with her. Ill just be sitting back in January, just excited to watch a good, quality fight, and I think both girls are going to be absolutely awesome.

More:

Arlene Blencowe thinks she's earned another title shot with win over Leslie Smith at Bellator 233 - MMA Junkie

On November 8, Bellator will once again showcase the talent of their roster with an exciting Friday night card in Thackerville, Oklahoma, headlined by highly touted middleweight John Salter. Also competing that night is UFC veteran Leslie Smith, who will be making her promotional debut, and King Mo Lawal, who is coming out of retirement for one last fight.

Not only is the main card full of intriguing bouts, so too are the preliminaries. Undefeated prospects Logan Storley and Jordan Young have the opportunity to extend their professional records to 11-0 and 12-0, respectively, and if successful come Friday, will continue climbing the ladder in Bellator.

Also fighting on the prelims is Janay Hollowpoint Harding (5-3), a bantamweight who has recently moved to featherweight in search of championship gold. The Australian will be taking on brawler Amanda Bell, who will be looking to rebound from her July defeat.

Harding spoke to John Hyon Ko of The Body Lock about her upcoming bout and her journey to becoming a well-rounded fighter.

Janay Harding will step into the Bellator cage for the fourth time this Friday. Although she suffered defeat in her first outing for the promotion, Hollowpoint has bounced back with two dominant wins, with the latest coming in March.

In her last fight, Harding outclassed Russian submission maestro Marina Mokhnatkina for three rounds to score a unanimous decision victory. Despite controlling her opponent for the full 15 minutes, the 25-year-old was critical of her performance, stating that she was disappointed.

There was a lot I was disappointed in, Harding said.

For me, it wasnt my best performance, I think mentally I wasnt in the fight. We made a few changes in the [training] camp so I think a combination of increased muscle mass and just not being used to my new physique did make a bit of difference in how technical I was, especially [going] into the third round. I was just a bit sloppy and obviously gassed quite a bit. I was still happy to come away [with the win] and be dominant.

As of late, Harding and her team have begun putting a newfound focus on her grappling game, which was critical considering the level of jiu-jitsu her opponent possessed.

I was just really looking forward to showcasing my jiu-jitsu against someone who has such [a] high [level of] jiu-jitsu. And just being able to show that as much as Im a striker Ive been working on my jiu-jitsu this whole time and I have solid jiu-jitsu as well. Its just not something I gravitate towards in [terms] of my performance, so it was really good to test that stuff.

Last month, Bellator unveiled the signing of one of the greatest female mixed martial artists of all time: Cris Cyborg. Shortly after this, they announced that she would get an immediate title shot against the companys featherweight queen Julia Budd.

Harding weighed in on the former UFC stars immediate title shot, and who she thinks will walk away with the featherweight crown.

They are both such great caliber opponents for one another, and I think thats a matchup that they have both been waiting for for a very long time, Harding said.

Julias such a strong champion that its kind of the first matchup that comes to mind thats going to be Cris biggest challenge. Im happy that she gets the title fight and interested to see who walks away with the title.

I do think she [Cyborg] is slowing down a tiny bit, just because of her age, and because of her age in this sport [which] makes a big difference. So I think technically theyll go head to head in a few different sections. I think well get to see a few different areas from both women and then whoever makes the best decisions comes out on top. I really dont think its going to be one of those quick finishes from either girl, but either way, itll be interesting.

The arrival of Cyborg in Bellator is not only huge for the promotion financially but crucial to the success of their 145-pound division. Along with their champion, many other of the female featherweights on the roster have spoken publically about the strength of Bellators featherweight division; they were able to create something the UFC was so desperately trying to force.

Janay Harding is one of many who feel like Bellator is the premier destination for all female featherweights, and credits Cris Cyborg for being a non-stop advocate for the division.

Even when I got signed Cris shared that on her story shes always been a massive advocate of just growing the sport, especially the featherweight division for females, said Harding.

In the last two years its just really skyrocketed, and I think theyve extended the gap between the UFC and Bellator featherweight division. So much so that its almost out of reach for the UFC now.

If I become a titleholder in Bellator, Im not only world champion, Im world champion in the deepest featherweight division on earth.

On November 8, Janay Harding will square off against highly experienced Amanda Bell, who will be hungry to return to the win column. Bell has won two of her four Bellator bouts, both via TKO.

I think shes a fantastic opponent exclaimed Harding, her record isnt the best of course, but shes fought some of the best people, which makes a massive difference and it just gives [her] so much more credibility.

For me, thats a great fight. I love to be challenged, and not only am I challenged, but I do feel like my style works perfectly against hers. That kind of thing will just allow me to showcase my skills and showcase the fact that I am super worthy to be up the top end of these featherweight female rankings.

Her opponent is known to be a brawler, meaning she likes to stand and bang in order to dictate the victor. Harding must be wary of this, as 4 of Bells 6 wins have come via knockout.

Nonetheless the Australian remains certain that she will display her full skillset, which will leave doubters over how well rounded she really is.

I want to utilize every skill I have. I want to make sure that Im showcasing the fact that Im an all-round fighter like I attempted last time. I just wanted to reiterate that I have a solid ground game and I have a solid all-round MMA game.

Although she is the biggest female signing in the promotions history, Cris Cyborg wasnt the first to jump ship from the UFC to Bellator. At the start of the year, the companys president Scott Coker revealed that former UFC bantamweight Leslie Smith had signed a contract, and would be competing at featherweight.Smith made her promotional debut in July, picking up a majority decision victory of Sinead Kavanagh.

Smith will also be competing on November 8 against Arlene Blencowe, who happens to have a stoppage victory over Harding. The Australian has her sights set on both women and is confident a fight could materialize with the two in the future.

When Leslie got signed I was super interested in that fight for myself, Harding told John Hyon Ko.

And of course Ive always been interested in that rematch with Arlene and Im sure well get our time, no doubt now that were in the same promotion. But Im just interested to see how they go: obviously Leslie had a great run in the UFC and shes a veteran on her own accord, but Arlene has incredible skills, especially in the striking. Shes so heavy-handed that I think Leslie will have a little bit of trouble with that. But either way, I think itll make a great fight.

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See the article here:

Janay Harding: Bellator women's featherweight division is 'almost out of reach for the UFC now' - The Body Lock

Jorge Masvidal is the first official BMF in UFC history, but no one would argue that the 34-year-old welterweight from Miami is the first of his kind.

The UFC, now in its 26th year in the BMF business and an athletic pursuit that went from no-holds-barred to mixed martial arts, has provided a platform for the toughest, surliest, determined, talented and driven people in sports. In the choppy wake following Saturdays UFC 244 card at Madison Square Garden, lets put into context where Masvidal ranks among the all-time BMFers out there.

What better way to flesh that out than a 32-fighter tournament?

Back in the day, this is how the toughest kid on the block was identified, and for our purposes, it makes good sense.

This is how it works:

One fighter from each calendar year between 1993 and 2019 is represented. Five wild card fighters have been selected to fill out the...

Read more from the original source:

Is Jorge Masvidal now the undisputed BMF? We put together a 32-fighter bracket to find out - The Athletic

A synopsis for an upcomingTeen Titans GO!episode spoofs the announcement ofThundercats Roarand the backlash it faced.

According toWikia,one of the upcoming episodes ofTeen Titans GO!, Teen Titans Roar, revolves around the Titans really, really not liking the direction that a reboot of a classic cartoon that they liked is headed in, and they use their resources to try to get the show pulled. This, in and of itself, can be seen as another thinly-veiled reference to the backlash that Teen Titans GO! got when it was announced from fans of the 2003Teen Titans cartoon, but the episode seems to be more specifically focused on dunking on Thundercats Roar, as evidenced by the episode title. Thundercats Roaris also set to air on Cartoon Network, andTeen Titans GO! is no stranger to poking fun at the various properties that are part of the WarnerMedia conglomerate.

The premise of theTeen Titans GO! episode spoofingThundercats Roar is as follows:

The Titans are outraged when their favorite cartoon is rebooted, so they come up with a plan to get this new show off the air.

Interestingly, while no release date has been given, the release of this episode seems to have been delayed to coincide with the release ofThundercats Roar. Originally, it was ordered as part of Season 5 ofTeen Titans GO!, but it will now air alongside the episodes of Season 6. This would not be the first time that the show has referencedThundercats, as the Teen Titans dressed up as the team (with Raven dressed as their arch-enemy, Mumm-Ra) in a Halloween episode.

Here is the official synopsis forTeen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans:

Teen Titans Go! vs Teen Titans, the comedic modern-day quintet takes on their 2003 counterparts when villains from each of their worlds join forces to pit the two Titan teams against each other. Theyll need to set aside their differences and work together to combat Trigon, Hexagon, Santa Claus (thats right, Santa!) and time itself in order to save the universe.

Directed byJeff Mednikow from a script written by Marly Halpern-Graser and Jeremy Adams,Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titansfeatures the voices talents of Greg Cipes, Scott Menville, Khary Payton, Tara Strong, Hynden Walch, and Kevin Michael Richardson.

Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titansis now available on Digitial HD and will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray on October 15, 2019.

Source: Wikia

Along with the premiere of the first teaser forDoom Patrol,DC Universe also debuted a collection of character posters for each of the members of perhaps the strangest team of characters to be adapted in live-action form for DC Comics.

In particular, these new character posters highlight Timothy Dalton's The Chief, Diane Guerrero's Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade's Cyborg, April Bowlby's Elasti-Woman, Matt Bomer's Negative Man and Brendan Fraser's Robotman. These posters each follow unique designs that reflect the nature of each character and tease unique personalities amongst the group as well.

You can start the gallery of new posters by clicking "Next".

Which of theseDoom Patrolposters is your favorite? Are you excited to see what the cast brings to these roles? Sound off in the comments below, and be sure to continue following Heroic Hollywood for all the latest news in the DC Universe.

Doom Patrol is a reimagining of one of DCs strangest group of outcast Super Heroes which includes: Matt Bomer as Larry Trainor/Negative Man, Brendan Fraser as Cliff Steele/Robotman, April Bowlby as Elasti-Woman, Diane Guerrero as Crazy Jane, Joivan Wade as Victor Stone/Cyborg and Timothy Dalton as Dr. Niles Caulder/The Chief.

Here is the synopsis for the show:

Doom Patrolwill find the reluctant heroes in a place they never expected to be, called to action by Cyborg, who comes to them with a mission hard to refuse, but with a warning that is hard to ignore: their lives will never, ever be the same.

Doom Patrolwill premiere on February 15, 2019 exclusively on DC Universe.

Read the original here:

'Teen Titans GO!' Will Roast Controversial 'Thundercats' Reboot - Heroic Hollywood

Tokyo (CNN)Kristen Sorensen was 55 when she got incapacitated starting from the neck a year ago.

It appeared suddenly, says Sorensen. Id been fine and practicing each day, however it just began with shivering in my fingertips at that point advanced.

Determined in October 2018 to have Guillain Barre disorder, an uncommon issue that influences the bodys sensory system, she never expected to walk again.

In any case, prior that year, the Brooks Cybernic Treatment Center in Jacksonville, Florida, turned into the main US focus to utilize a one of a kind rehabilitative innovation created in Japan the Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL).

HAL basically a wearable cyborg helps those with spinal string wounds and strong dystrophy recover their developments and reinforce their nerves and muscles. Known as exoskeletons, theyre a sort of lightweight suit, with joints controlled by little electric engines, that fill in as mechanical muscle.

This is whats genuinely stunning: Patients think carefully waves to control them.

At the point when Sorensen caught wind of the mind wave-controlled exoskeleton, which was created by Japanese roboticist Yoshiyuki Sankai, she realized she needed to try it out. She was resolved to stroll at her little girls wedding a couple of months after the fact in December.

In any case, its not only those with incapacities or wounds who remain to profit. By 2050, there will be in excess of 2 billion individuals over age 60, as indicated by the World Health Organization (WHO), and exoskeletons could offer an answer for the worlds maturing populace.

Later on, as human bodies wear out with age, an exoskeleton fueled by dynamic personalities could assist individuals with remaining on their feet.

With such tremendous potential applications accessible, the worldwide therapeutic exoskeleton market will merit an expected $2.8 billion by 2023, as indicated by look into organization Markets and Markets.

(Source)

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The wearable cyborgs that utilization cerebrum waves to control up your muscles - Herald Journalism 24