Tulare Advance-Register from Tulare, California • B3

tulareadvanceregister.com 3B positive to be here. Rory another one. He open his mouth now without saying how happy he is and how glad he is he made the The major disparity comes on the revenue model, where UFC has made major bank on monthly pay-per-views and Bellator is largely a ratings-based TV show on Spike. Bellator will broadcast on pay-per-view for only the second time in promotional history, signaling another step in its growth as a rival for the industry-leading UFC. Bellator staged its only previous pay-per-view event in May 2014, shortly before CEO Scott Coker took over the promotion.

With New MMA ban lifted, UFC stacked its debut card at MSG last fall with three title fights that set a promotion and arena gate record with $17.7 million. Bellator certainly match the big box office numbers of a rival promotion that just sold for $4 billion. But 2017 surge has led to a wave of interest and few seats unsold. Sonnen might talk his way into a Garden sellout. career suffered a serious road block when he flunked three drug tests in five years that forced him to announce his retirement and cost him a broadcasting job with Fox.

He rebounded with a gig at ESPN and ended a 3 1 2 -year layoff with his Bellator debut against Tito Ortiz in January. Ortiz choked out Sonnen in just 2:03 of the first round, sending the self-proclaimed gangster from West Linn, to his fourth loss in five bouts. was so Sonnen said. The 40-year-old Sonnen said clean and made changes in lifestyle that have him feel as strong as he did when he beat Michael Bisping in 2012. felt this good in about five Sonnen said.

changed some stuff up with training, with diet. I made a lot of changes in my life. always been a very disciplined guy. I know there was much room for much change or harder work or more discipline. But I found Sonnen put a timetable on the end of his career, which started in 1997, and said a win coupled with rejuvenated training could extend him for at least a few more years.

Sonnen might have a headline fight or two left on pay-per-view. Even with this leap into the more lucrative world of pay-per-view fights, Coker intend to stage regular pay-per-view shows every few weeks, instead following the boxing model of using pay-per- view for only the biggest events. wanted to bring the biggest, the best fight card that we could bring to New Coker said. we have done build stars of their own on the under- card. Bellator has yet to create a star anywhere close to Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey or Jon Jones and watched young talent such as Eddie Alvarez defect and become a UFC champion.

Sonnen, though, said the gap between the companies was closing, especially with some of biggest stars sitting out the summer and others grumbling over pay and lost sponsorship revenue. come over because bitter, seen a little bit of that Sonnen said. Nelson was one of those guys. He was bitter. I never fully found out why, but he just was.

not now. so pumped and Bellator Continued from Page 1B be interested. you have this much cap space, going to be major players next Johnson said. tide has turned. People want to play here again.

exciting times for the LA Lakers. I have made that move if I think I could use that money. Enough Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak had a similar plan several times in recent seasons, believing they could build another super-team around Kobe Bryant. They were repeatedly surprised and disappointed when free agents line up to wear the hallowed gold uniforms, leaving Los Angeles to struggle to four consecutive losing seasons. But Magic and Pelinka believe they will succeed where Buss and Kupchak failed, thanks to what they see as an intriguing young core headlined by Ball and wing Brandon Ingram, last No.

2 overall pick. Pelinka also believes Magic himself is an irresistible asset. just a renewed energy around Pelinka said Thursday night. vision and his persona, I think the organization is really taking on that positive joy that he seems to live with every day. I think players around the NBA feel that as well and are going to be attracted to that energy here.

With the leading teams in the league today, we felt like to be able to look them in the eye and challenge them, we need two superstar players to come here and join this platform and join our core group of great players that we now But if the Lakers are disappointed in free agency again, still have Ball and his father, LaVar, who had promised for years that his son would end up with the Lakers. Magic and LaVar appear to believe in Lonzo with equal fervor, if such a thing is possible. leave me one or two records, Magic told Lonzo with a grin. break all my records. I asked your grandfather, let him leave me EL SEGUNDO, Calif.

Magic Johnson pointed a long index finger at the wall of the Los Angeles training complex, where the 16-time NBA nine retired numbers hang over the practice court. going to put a little pressure on you right Johnson said to Lonzo Ball. look to your right, some jerseys hanging on that wall. We expect a Ball jersey hanging up there one day, all right? Somebody not wearing Big Baller Brand sneakers might be a bit intimidated by bold pronouncements. After all, the president of basketball operations immediately dubbed his 19-year-old point guard new face of the Lakers, the guy who I think will lead us back to where we want to get But after a short lifetime spent preparing for this moment, Ball already knows exactly expected from a superstar on his favorite team.

happy to be home, and ready to get to Ball said as he formally joined the Lakers on Friday after getting chosen with the No. 2 overall pick. Ball is facing sky-high expectations, but also just one part of plan to transform the Lakers into a championship contender after the worst four-season stretch in franchise history. Magic made his intentions known a few days before the draft when he traded Russell to Brooklyn, giving up on the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft after just two mostly promising seasons.

Magic made the deal partly to clear the way for Ball, whose passing talent and leadership enraptured the Hall of Fame point guard in a way that Russell never did. going to do what it takes to get the right players in here with the right Johnson said. lo is an excellent player. He has the talent to be an All- Star. We want to thank him for what he did for us, but what I needed was a leader.

I needed somebody also that can make the other players better, and also that players want to play Johnson also echoed general manager Rob comments one day earlier about the long-term plans when he cited 2018 salary cap relief as the second reason for trading Russell. The Lakers got rid of the final three seasons of center Timofey $64 million contract in the deal, acquiring mobile center Brook Lopez who has one year left on his deal and the 27th overall pick used to get Utah forward Kyle Kuzma. With contract off the books and additional moves planned in the ensuing months, Johnson and Pelinka intend to clear enough cap room for the Lakers to add two free agents on maximum contracts next summer. Paul George, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, DeMarcus Cousins and other big-name veterans could be available and Magic is indefatigably optimistic Ball is 1 piece in grand plan GREG BEACHAM ASSOCIATED PRESS JAE C. The Lonzo Ball, center, poses for photos with Magic Johnson, left, and general manager Rob Pelinka on Friday.

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