Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier 2 Announced for UFC 200: Full Match Card,

Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images 

After pulling Conor McGregor from the card, the UFC needed to do something drastic to ensure UFC 200 would live up to its status as one of the most highly anticipated pay-per-views of 2016. The company received a lifeline in the form of a rematch between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier.

Jones, who won the first fight between the two, thinks he's capable of triumphing easily once again:

:With the main event now sorted out, the UFC has finalized the main card, although Nate Diaz, who was originally set to face McGregor, still doesn't have an opponent:

UFC 200 Main Card

Matchup	Division
Jon Jones vs. Daniel Cormier	Light Heavyweight
Nate Diaz vs. TBA	Welterweight
Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar	Featherweight
Miesha Tate vs. Amanda Nunes	Women's Bantamweight
Cain Velasquez vs. Travis Browne	Heavyweight
Johny Hendricks vs. Kelvin Gastelum	Welterweight
Gegard Mousasi vs. Derek Brunson	Middleweight
Diego Sanchez vs. Joe Lauzon	Lightweight
Sage Northcutt vs. Enrique Marin	Lightweight
Jim Miller vs. Takanori Gomi	Lightweight
Cat Zingano vs. Julianna Pena	Women's Bantamweight

Source: UFC

McGregor was originally booked to headline UFC 200 with the Stockton, California, fighter. A disagreement about how much promotional work he'd do for the event led to his self-imposed exile.

McGregor is the UFC's biggest star—as shown by the massive reaction to and coverage of his standoff with the company. Nothing the company could do in response to his removal from the UFC 200 card could match having him in the main event. With that said, Jones vs.Cormier II comes close.

What will be the result of Jones/Cormier 2?

Jones win via KO/TKO

31.3%

Jones win via submission

6.9%

Jones win via decision

44.1%

Cormier win via KO/TKO

4.8%

Cormier win via submission

2.1%

Cormier win via decision

10.7%

Total votes: 5,672

The two were originally supposed to fight at UFC 197, but Cormier suffered an injury in training and pulled out of the fight. Jones instead fought OvinceSaint Preux, winning a unanimous decision. It was his return to the Octagon following an indefinite suspension issued in April 2015 as a result of his involvement in a hit-and-run in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

On Jan. 3, 2015, Jones and Cormierfought at UFC 182, with the former earning a unanimous-decision victory.Cormier was a game challenger early in the fight, but the gulf between the two grew the longer the bout went on. Although Jones was the clear winner, he and Cormier were close enough that the UFC could realistically argue a rematch was warranted.

In addition, some might question whether Jones remains at the fighting level he maintained during his previous run as light heavyweight champion. He looked rusty against Saint Preux, which, to a certain extent, was to be expected after his year-plus layoff:

"I wonder if this is the new Jon," Cormier said after the fight, per ESPN.com's Brett Okamoto. "That guy that fought tonight? That guy does not beat me."

That doubt about Jones provides just enough belief that Cormier can avenge his defeat.

From a commercial perspective, the UFC had little other recourse than to fast-track this fight. The company is starved for headline-grabbing clashes, especially with McGregor at a standoff and Ronda Rousey's Hollywood commitments taking up more and more of her time. The UFC couldn't afford to pass on Jones and Cormier, who seem to have a genuine dislike of each other:

In a March interview on Tiki and Tierney (via FoxSports.com's EliasCepeda), Jones explained how their hostility is strictly professional:

I definitely don't hate the guy. We don't like each other because we're both really elite in our sport. We're at the highest level you can get when it comes to being a UFC fighter. He's only lost to me. I've never lost to anyone. So I know that he's a capable guy [who could] possibly defeat me. He knows that I can defeat him because I've already done it. There's just a competitiveness there that only we can bring out of each other.

And even if a certain amount of their competitive rivalry is staged and played up for the cameras, they do a good enough job of creating an entertaining spectacle that it doesn't matter. Take as Exhibit A their post-interview reaction on a 2014 edition of SportsCenter

A 50-year-old Windsor man is facing an array of charges after he allegedly stabbed a police officer in the hand at Caesars Windsor.

Michael A. Knapp has been charged with aggravated assault, assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, uttering threats, two counts of possessing a dangerous weapon, and raising a false fire alarm.

The incident happened around 11:45 p.m. Saturday at the downtown casino.

The police officer was in uniform working on contract duty for Caesars Windsor in a common area at the casino. Security asked for his help with a disorderly male who had allegedly been pulling fire alarms.

Advertisement

The officer approached and spoke to the suspect. The man allegedly threatened the officer in reply.

The officer attempted to arrest the man, but the suspect brandished a knife and stabbed the officer in the hand.

While bleeding from his hand, the officer fired his taser and brought the suspect under control.

Staff Sgt. Dan Potvin said the officer had to use the taser at least twice.

“He kind of worked through it and — even though he was using his injured hand — was able to deploy the taser again and arrest the male,” Potvin said.

Once the man was in custody, the officer was taken to hospital for treatment. Police described the injury to the officer’s hand as serious. He underwent surgery Sunday morning and is now recovering at home.

Anyone with further information about the suspect or this incident is encouraged to call Windsor police at 519-255-6700 ext. 4830 or make an anonymous tip via Crime Stoppers at 519-258-8477 or catchcrooks.com.

Windsor police officers are sometimes privately contracted as additional security for businesses such as downtown nightclubs.

My Thoughts

I would not want to be a police officer. You can't predict other people, especially if someone has mental illness. In this case the police officer is attempting to arrest the guy and instead of listening he used violence. I don't blame the police officer for tasing him. People don't respect the laws and police officers and that's why these situations happen. Police are generally good and want to help, in this case the officer did not lose his cool. I probably would have beat that man. Props to the cops!

Two teenage males are facing charges after Windsor police interrupted a break-in at Kennedy high school early Friday.

Police were called to W.C. Kennedy Collegiate Institute at 245 Tecumseh Rd. E. around 1:15 a.m.

A security guard had heard voices inside the building.

Officers arrived and saw two young males leave the building. They were running west through Jackson Park.

There was a brief foot chase until the officers found the teens in the 2200 block of Pelissier Street.

Both males were arrested.

Police went back to the school and found some property gathered near the door that the suspects had exited.

Both of the teens are Windsor residents. One of them is 18. He’s been charged with breaking and entering, as well as possession of break and enter tools.

The other is 17. He’s been charged with breaking and entering.

Anyone with more information about this incident is encouraged to call Windsor police at 519-255-6700 ext. 4350, or make an anonymous tip via Crime Stoppers by calling 519-258-8477 or visiting catchcrooks.com.

My Thoughts

I can't understand why anyone would want to break into a school. Most of the equipment and electronics in schools are outdated and most likely used and abused. Not only are they taking things from a school where these items are intended for kids to learn, they are interfering with our educational tools. They obviously do not value their own education or they would not be out at 1 in the morning breaking into a school for a quick buck. Stay in school, break into it.

A garbage truck lost its load at the intersection of Riverside Drive East and Starbane Avenue in Windsor, Ont. on Tuesday, April 12, 2016.     

A Windsor truck driver is facing charges after the load he was towing spilled-out onto Riverside Drive East Tuesday afternoon.
Traffic snaked along Riverside Drive after the garbage truck from Recycling Makes Cents flipped over around 2:30 p.m.
It happened near the intersection of Strabane Avenue.
The westbound lane of Riverside Drive was blocked while crews worked to clear the scene.

Windsor police said a 61-year-old Windsor man has been charged with operating a motor vehicle with an insecure load.

A garbage truck lost its load at the intersection of Riverside Drive East and Starbane Avenue in Windsor, Ont. on Tuesday, April 12, 2016. Adam F. Dullum / Windsor Star

A garbage truck lost its load at the intersection of Riverside Drive East and Starbane Avenue in Windsor, Ont. on Tuesday, April 12, 2016. Adam F. Dullum / Windsor Star

A garbage truck lost its load at the intersection of Riverside Drive East and Strabane Avenue in Windsor, Ont. on Tuesday, April 12, 2016. Adam F. Dullum / Windsor Star

My Thoughts

This accident could have been a lot worse if that tipped over onto a person or a car. I have seen things fall out of trucks while driving with my parents in the wind or because the person was driving too fast and didn't strap it down. I am glad this truck driver is being charged because otherwise people won't learn.

Accidents happen all the time but this could have been avoided if the driver properly secured his container.

Hundreds line up for Raise-A-Reader book sale at Devonshire Mall  

Published on: April 10, 2016 | Last Updated: April 12, 2016 1:10 PM EDT

Christel Gaoiran, 6, looks through children's books with her father, Charlie Gaoiran, at the Raise-a-Reader book sale at Devonshire Mall, Sunday, April 10, 2016. Windsor Star

Charlie Gaoiran saw long lineups and people running to the doors at Devonshire Mall Saturday morning near the former Target store and wondered what all the fuss was about.

The Leamington man soon discovered people were rushing to get inside the annual Raise-A-Reader book sale which was held at Devonshire Mall for the first time this weekend. After seeing the crowds and the room with thousands of books Saturday, he returned Sunday with his three children.

Shoppers browse through thousands of donated books at the Raise-a-Reader book sale at Devonshire Mall, Sunday, April 10, 2016. Dax Melmer / Windsor Star

His six-year-old daughter Christel could barely reach up and over into the boxes of books. She had nabbed some princess books, Sleeping Beauty and My Pretty Kitten.

“Excitement,” she said of her first look inside the room full of books.

“You get to learn stuff and learn how to read,” she said.

If you missed this weekend’s Windsor Star Raise-A-Reader sale, don’t worry. The sale continues next weekend and volunteers will put out more books. The cash-only sale is April 16 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Volunteers said there was a lineup Saturday morning that was four people across and went to about the middle of the mall.

“We sold thousands and thousands of books yesterday,” Beverly Becker, The Star’s director of local marketing and special projects, said Sunday morning. “I think we raised over $10,000 in one day.”

Volunteers were carting in more boxes of books Sunday morning and will re-stock the tables next weekend.

“People wait for it,” Becker said of both the annual sale and the chance to donate books to a good cause.

Charlie Gaoiran looks through children’s books with his daughter Christel Gaoiran, 6, at the Raise-a-Reader book sale at Devonshire Mall, Sunday, April 10, 2016. Dax Melmer / Windsor Star

Sharron Thompson is a book lover who didn’t want to miss the sale. The retiree was in the romance section Sunday looking for any paperbacks by Nora Roberts she hasn’t read. She comes to the sale with her list so she knows which ones she’s already read.

“I try to come every year.”

The Raise-A-Reader campaign which includes the book sale has raised more than $725,000 for literacy programs in Windsor and Essex County.

My Thoughts

As a kid I can remember participating in the Raise A Reader campaign. When I was in grade 1 my teacher Mrs. Vlanich helped teach me how to read. I remember how frustrated I would get when sounding out the words. she made reading fun. It actually challenged me. I remember she gave me a part in a mass at the church and I went home and practiced everyday. I had to read it in front of the whole school. Because of her and her desire to teach her kids to read I improved because she believed I could. By the end of grade one I was reading on my own. Every year since then my family donates books to a whole classroom at Christmas. Its a good feeling to help kids.

Leamington men charged in connection with $150K fire  

Published on: April 7, 2016 | Last Updated: April 7, 2016 7:05 PM EDT

The Ontario Fire Marshall investigates a suspicious fire on Emerson Street in Leamington on Wednesday, April 6, 2016.     

Two Leamington men face arson charges in connection with a fire that gutted a home on Emerson Avenue and caused $150,000 in damage.

The blaze broke out about 3 a.m. Wednesday. It took firefighters about two hours to douse the blaze.

The fire was deemed suspicious and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office and the Essex County OPP Crime Unit were called in to probe the blaze.

Charged with arson, disregard for human life; and arson, damage to property, are Travis Desrosiers, 20, and Brandon Sheehey, 18 both of Leamington.

My Thoughts

Why would anyone want to set fire to someone else's home. I am glad these two guys were caught. The charges they are faces are pretty harsh, especially disregard for human life. I couldn't imagine setting someone's house on fire especially with someone inside. These guys are young and have ruined their futures because of this. I couldn't imagine at three in the morning running for my life because some idiots set the house on fire. this could have ended much worse. I'm glad there were no deaths.

Canadian turtle smuggler receives five years in prison  

A Canadian man who repeatedly entered Michigan to buy and ship thousands of turtles to his native China was sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison today for smuggling.

It was a tough punishment for Kai Xu, who has been locked up for 19 months since his arrest and had hoped to be released. The 27-year-old expressed remorse to a judge and thanked agents “for stopping the darkness of my greed and ignorance.”

Ahead of the hearing, Xu wrote a letter to U.S. District Judge John Corbett O’Meara, saying he sold turtles partly to make money for college. He said he was a semester short of an engineering degree from the University of Waterloo.

The government said Xu shipped turtles to China from Canada and the U.S., or hired people to fly to China with turtles in their luggage. In 2014, he was caught at the Windsor-Detroit border with 51 turtles taped to his legs.

It’s not illegal to buy turtles from breeders in the U.S., but Xu’s crime was shipping them overseas without a federal permit.

Xu was not a “sophisticated international dealer,” defence attorney Matthew Borgula told the judge, adding that hiding turtles under his pants was “not a good way to get them across the border.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Woodward said Xu’s remorse was genuine, but described his smuggling scheme as one of the largest in recent years.

Woodward asked for five years in prison, near the low end of the sentencing guidelines. O’Meara settled on 57 months without an explanation, though he praised Xu for becoming fluent in Spanish while in prison and helping Hispanic inmates.

“We don’t have a whole lot of cases exactly like this every day,” O’Meara said of turtle smuggling.

The guidelines were enhanced by the value of the reptiles as estimated by the government. Prosecutors said shipments intercepted at airports were worth more than $1 million US.

Borgula objected to the government’s conclusion and asked that O’Meara hear testimony. The judge declined, saying he was pressed for time. An appeal is planned.

“The sentence is very severe,” Borgula told The Associated Press.

My Thoughts

This makes me really mad. These poor turtles are helpless. When you transport an animal like that you really don't care about what happens to it. This guy deserves what he gets for smuggling these turtles. I have stopped traffic to help turtles cross the road in River Canard to prevent them from being hit while trying to cross. If people want pets they should go to the proper places to get them. I am glad this man was caught and that people look for these kids of criminals.

First trailer for new Star Wars film, Rogue One hits the screens

It’s been a good and bad week for Star Wars — first, the good news: The Force Awakens was released on DVD. In bad news, Erik Bauersfeld, the voice of Admiral Ackbar (It’s a trap!) passed away. But on Thursday morning, there’s another indication of the changes in the franchise, as the trailer was released for the upcoming standalone movie, Rogue One.

The trailer gives us tantalizing hints of the Star Wars universe as it existed between the conclusion of Revenge of the Sith and the original, A New Hope. (It’s a universe already richly populated with books, but Star Wars canon has, to some extent, been reset for these new movies.)

The premise of the film is the daring mission to steal the Death Star plans, and, judging from the trailer, seems to have the gritty feel of the original films, not the flashy features of the prequel trilogy. The familiar laser blast noises are there, but crucially, the trailer’s absent the familiar zing of the lightsaber.

We see the newest hero, Jyn Erso (played by Felicity Jones) walking, clapped in irons. To Mon Mothma, the matriarch of the Rebellion, she says, “This is a rebellion, isn’t it? I rebel.”

We see glimpses of the Rebel base, perhaps on Yavin 4, the jungle planet from which the Rebels staged their attack on the first Death Star. There are familiar sights, AT-AT walkers, which destroyed the Rebel base on Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. There are Rebel pilots in their familiar orange jumpsuits, and X-wing fighters in the background.

And then there’s the Death Star itself; the trailer shows the giant laser being installed as a Star Destroyer floats past. There are black stormtroopers. Some rough looking characters. Potentially a new villain.

What we don’t see in this trailer is Darth Vader — will some younger incarnation of the villain show up in coming trailers? Or in the movie?

Rogue One will be in theatres in December.

My Thoughts

The Star Wars Rogue One movie I think is going to be a box office top seller. The latest movie, The Force Awakens made over 2 billion dollars. Star Wars Rogue One takes place shortly before the events of a New Hope. The story focuses on a group rebel spies on a mission to steal the plans of the Galactic Empires secret weapon, the Death Star. There are rumors speculating the return of the Sith Lord Darth Vader who is being played by a new actor. I have also heard Vaders bounty hunter Bobba Fett, from the original Star Wars movies has returned. So many fans have followed these movies and I personally am looking forward to watching it in theaters. I would like to see lots of lightsaber action. May the force be with you!

Villanova tops North Carolina 77-74 on Jenkins' buzzer-beater

Daniel Ochefu #23 of the Villanova Wildcats (C) hoists the trophy after the Villanova Wildcats defeat the North Carolina Tar Heels 77-74 to win the 2016 NCAA Men's Final Four National Championship game at NRG Stadium on April 4, 2016 in Houston, Texas.

HOUSTON — One good shot deserved another.

Kris Jenkins of Villanova wasn’t about to be outdone.

Jenkins overcame the shock of watching North Carolina’s Marcus Paige hit a double-clutch 3 to tie it by spotting up behind the right side of the arc and draining a 3 of his own at the buzzer to lift Villanova to a 77-74 victory and the national championship Monday night.

What a shot! What a game!

The second-seeded Wildcats (35-5), had a six-point lead with 1:52 left, but watched it slowly trickle away. Then, it was gone, when Paige jumped — and with Ryan Arcidiacono running at him — double clutched and pumped one from beyond the arc to tie the game at 74 with 4.7 seconds left.

After a timeout, Arcidiacono took the inbound pass from Jenkins, worked the ball upcourt and got it back to the junior guard. He took two quick stutter steps and swished it from about two steps behind the 3-point line.

“Kris told him he was going to be open, Arch made the perfect pass,” Villanova coach Jay Wright explained. “Kris lives for that moment.”

Jenkins’ range is anywhere in the gym, as he showed earlier in the tournament by nonchalantly draining a shot from the edge of the midcourt logo.

When this one went up, he never had a doubt.

“I think every shot’s going in, and this one was no different,” he said.

He finished with 14 points — the last three as memorable as any that have been scored in the history of this tournament.

After being thrown to the floor by his teammates, he got up, leaped over press row, hugged his family in the stands and shouted, “They said we couldn’t, they said we couldn’t, they said we couldn’t.”

Oh yes, they could.

This adds to the other title Villanova won in 1985, when Rollie Massimino, who was on hand Monday night, coaxed a miracle out of his eighth-seeded underdogs for a victory over star-studded Georgetown.

Hard to top this one, though.

Jenkins, who was adopted by the family of North Carolina guard Nate Britt, now has a spot with Keith Smart, Lorenzo Charles, Christian Laettner and anyone else who ever made a late game-winner to win a big one.

Paige finished with 21 for the Heels (33-7), the only No. 1 seed to make the Final Four, who came one agonizing shot short of giving coach Roy Williams his third national title.

Not surprisingly, the tears flowed from a coach who, some speculate, could have worked his last game on the sideline; the entire sports program at Chapel Hill is under NCAA
scrutiny and awaiting possible penalties for a long-running academic-fraud case.

“I’m not very good because I can’t take away the hurt,” Williams said. “I told them I loved them. I told them I wish I could have helped them more.”

His thought when he saw the last shot fly: “It was helpless. It was not a good feeling.”

Even MJ felt the pain. In the stands with the thousands of Carolina Blue-wearing fans, Michael Jordan simply nodded, smiled, looked at his buddy Ahmad Rashad and said, “Good shot, good shot.”

High praise from the Great One. And what a night for Villanova, a team full of scrappers, grinders and also-rans, who proved you don’t have to have a roster full of NBA-bound one-and-doners to win a title.

Before Jenkins did his thing, it was sophomore Phil Booth — one of the many unheralded players on that Villanova squad — pouring in a career high 20 points to give the Cats their late six-point lead.

Booth’s forced turnaround jumper with the shot-clock blaring, then a free throw from Josh Hart gave Villanova a 70-64 lead with 1:52 left.

But Carolina never quits. Paige sandwiched a 3-pointer and a putback around a bucket from Brice Johnson (14 points, eight rebounds) to help the Tar Heels stay within striking range. Then, he tied the game and the Carolina fans went wild.

It looked like overtime.

Thanks to Jenkins, it wasn’t.

“Every kid dreams about that shot,” Arcidiacono said. “I wanted that shot, but I just had confidence in my teammates and Kris was able to knock down that shot.”

My Thoughts

This NCAA Final Four Championship game is probably the best game in college basketball history. Throughout the entire game it was nothing but close on the scoreboard. In the final half with 1:52 left on the clock Villanova was up by 6 when north Carolina hit a deep 3 to be down by 3 again. The Tar Heels got the ball back and hit a double clutched and pumped 3 with 4.7 seconds left tying the game at 74. After a timeout, Arcidiacono took the inbound pass from Jenkins, worked the ball up court and got it back to the junior guard. He took two quick stutter steps and swished it from about two steps behind the 3-point line to call it a game and win it all. There are not many games that intense, clean or close in basketball especially a championship one that has 2 back to back deep 3s with less than 10 seconds remaining. I would have liked to see the Tar Heels take the win but all in all it was a good game.

Scottie Pippen Says 1995-96 Bulls Would Have Swept Warriors in 7-Game Series

In case you haven't paid attention to the NBA at all this year, the Golden State Warriors are on the verge of breaking the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' single-season record of 72-10.

Through 76 games, Golden State is 68-8 and has to win five of its last six to break Chicago's mark. During the Warriors' quest for history, many have compared the teams and debated which one would win a seven-game series.

On Saturday, Bulls legend Scottie Pippen, who was a part of that 1995-96 squad, shed some light on who he thinks would come out on top when he spoke with Paul Pabst of The Dan Patrick Show (via producer Seton O'Connor), saying "Bulls in four":

Pippen and the legendary Michael Jordan would have been tasked with trying to shut down the Splash Brothers, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, a duo that is revolutionizing the game with its three-point shooting.

When Pabst asked him, Pippen disclosed who he thought would guard the two Golden State shooters

Pippen saying the Bulls would take four straight from a Warriors team that is on the verge of setting the new standard of single-season excellence could be viewed as disrespectful. 

Here's a look at how the teams match up on paper:

1995-96 Chicago Bulls vs. 2015-16 Golden State Warriors

Bulls	Stat	Warriors
72-10	Record	68-8
105.2	Points Per Game	115.0
92.9	Points Allowed Per Game	104.1
47.8	Field Goal Percentage	48.6
40.3	3-Point Field Goal Percentage	41.6
44.8	Opponents FG %	43.5
35.0	Opponents 3 Pt. FG %	33.1
1,405	Turnovers Forced	1,110

Golden State's high-powered offense would have to compete with Chicago's stingy defense, which was the best in the league in 1995-96. In comparison, the Warriors defense ranks fifth in the NBA this season.

But with Golden State's offense, giving up more than 104 points per 100 possessions is OK. It would be a different story if it played a team with several Hall of Famers, though, such as the Bulls featured. However, Pippen and Co. would probably not sweep this Warriors team.

Then again, we'll never know. Let the debate continue.

My Thoughts 

I predict that if the 2015-16 Warriors played the 95-96 bulls in a 7 game series the bulls would beat them in 4 games straight with the series of 4-0 in the finals. No one on the Golden State Warriors could stop Jordan or Pippen from scoring 30 points per game or out rebound Dennis Rodman. and the only way to shut the Warriors down is to prevent Curry from heating up and locking down the 3 point line. If the bulls do that their offence would not be able to withstand the Bulls physical defense in the paint. Jordan and Pippen would be at the top perimeter defending and that is how the bulls would beat the Warriors.