FRIDAY NEWS DIGEST 3/22: DAZN increases subscription price, Frank Shamrock denies reports he’s being investigated for animal cruelty, Woodley calls out Conor, more

By Michael Hiscoe, Managing Editor

DAZN

DAZN doubles up

Streaming service DAZN, which airs most Bellator shows as well as Combate Americas cards announced Thursday that it will be doubling the monthly subscription price for new subscribers.

Formerly $9.99/month in the U.S., the new price will be $19.99 monthly with the option to purchase a full year’s of service for $99.99, bringing the average monthly cost to below the former rate.

The move comes in the wake of DAZN’s signing of top boxing draw Gennady Golovkin, who along with Canelo Alvarez command massive paydays. Alvarez’s contract is for $365 million over 11 fights while Golovkin’s is also said to be nine figures over six fights.

The price increase is only for U.S. subscribers. In Canada, for instance, the price was already set at $20/month or $150/year but the Canadian DAZN service comes with all NFL football games on top of the aforementioned MMA and boxing content. There is no word on if Canadian subscribers will be able to get the same annual rate as American users.

Shamrock says animal cruelty claims ‘fake news’

A report from a Dallas ABC affiliate says that retired MMA fighter Frank Shamrock admitted to tying a dog to the back of his truck and leaving it at an airport for five days.

The report says that Shamrock had tried to find a home for the dog that belongs to his mother, couldn’t find a new owner or a shelter that would take the nearly seven-year-old dog in. When the ABC reporter reached out to Shamrock for comment, he owned up to what he is accused of.

“They can charge me with whatever. I will show up. It is what it is. I’m not hiding in any way. It’s an unfortunate and terrible thing. I’m an animal lover and I ran away crying,” Shamrock said.

Dallas police were said to be looking into pressing charges against Shamrock. In a Thursday night Instagram post, Shamrock is now denying the allegations.

“This is #fakenews. @abcnews Edited to create a story. Very sad. Rebecca Lopez you should be ashamed of yourself, I am not being investigated and only took the call to help bring #awareness to #animalcruelty and #elderabuse.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BvTDM-PgA6h/

Whether it’s true that Shamrock’s story was twisted by the reporter or if he’s now changing his story after realizing the severity of the charges he could be facing, an animal may have been in danger. When he spoke to the ABC affiliate, however, Shamrock felt he did the right thing.

“Here is what I guarantee,” Shamrock said. “That dog is alive and safe right now and I couldn’t guarantee that before I tied that dog to the truck and left.”

Friday Notebook

-Tyron Woodley gave Conor McGregor some career advice through TMZ Sports. “I’d tell him, ‘Sit your ass down and fight Tyron Woodley at 170,’” Woodley said (transcribed by MMA Fighting). “We both just lost in a world title fight. You ain’t in no position to call no shots. You lost, you started a huge religious, culture war, you just got into some smoke by smashing a fan’s phone, you’re constantly in trouble, you constantly get passes. You get through Tyron and we’ll talk.”

-Pedro Munhoz may be facing discipline from the Nevada Athletic Commission for jumping out of the cage following his knockout of Cody Garbrandt at UFC 235.

-The Florida State Boxing Commission is relaxing its rules regarding cannabis ahead of the April 27 event in Fort Lauderdale. Any cannabis was prohibited at all times by the commission but now any CBD will be allowed and increased levels of THC will be permitted in competition. A reading of over 150mg/nL would be considered a failure for an in-competition test.

In case you missed it

MOORE: 10 bantamweight title fights we might see

NEW PODCAST: MMA Fight Picks w/ Aaron Weinbaum picking UFC Nashville

Stephen Thompson media scrum

 

 

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*