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Posted: August 11, 2020 at 3:47 pm
After the last 16 wrapped up over the weekend and several big teams bowed out early -- Juventus even changed managers after losing to Lyon -- we are down to the final eight, competing in Lisbon, for the 2019-20 Champions League.
The format has been altered in light of the coronavirus pandemic, with the traditional "two-legged" home-and-away structure for the quarterfinals and semifinals replaced by a simple one-and-done knockout through to the coronation of a winner. There are no more away goals or aggregate scores; instead, we get 90 minutes for a winner to emerge (or, if that doesn't happen, another 30 minutes of extra time followed by a penalty shootout).
Which teams have the best shot of advancing to the semifinals? Which players could be key in settling the quarters? Will Bayern cruise to the trophy, or will a brand-new team win it in 2020?
Consider this your guide to the quarterfinals.
Jump to: Will we get a new champ? | Depay's redemption | Don't sleep on Atalanta | Why Bayern are confident | PSG's best, and worst, chance to win | Key players | Atletico perfect for this competition | Picking the winners
It's a numbers game, isn't it? You have eight teams left. Only two, Bayern Munich and Barcelona, have won it before, and as luck would have it, they play each other on Friday night, which means three of the four semifinalists, come what may, will be sides who have never lifted the European Cup.
Beyond that, there's plenty of evidence to suggest we'll get a new winner, starting with the fact that the format and circumstances are entirely unprecedented. These are single-leg, straight knockout games, and they tend to be less predictable than the standard home-and-away affairs. Everything, of course, is behind closed doors, and everyone will be in a bubble in Portugal. Most of these teams are accustomed to the former, but not the latter, as during their domestic seasons post-lockdown they were still living at home. We're in uncharted waters here.
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But does that mean an underdog will triumph? Not necessarily. Whoever emerges from the heavyweight Bayern vs. Barcelona quarterfinal will still be a favorite. And while neither Paris Saint-Germain nor Manchester City have won it before, given their spending over the past decade and the fact that they've been Champions League knockout-stage regulars, you wouldn't describe either as an underdog.
Those four clubs are all in the global top six when it comes to spending on salaries, so it's not particularly romantic, but it's fair to say that while the others aren't exactly "superclubs," they aren't all minnows either. Atletico Madrid have reached the final twice in the past decade, but they revel in the ugly, street-fighting underdog status, partly thanks to Diego Simeone, partly because they share a hometown with the game's ultimate blue bloods, Real Madrid.
Leipzig have been in the German top flight only since 2016 and this is only their second Champions League participation, but theirs isn't quite the romantic upstart tale, which is why so many traditional fans dislike them. Or, more accurately, they might admire their state-of-the-art scouting, entertaining football and high-energy style, but lament their heavy reliance on corporate sponsorship. They're underdogs of a different sort, more like outcasts.
Never fear, though -- Atalanta and Olympique Lyonnais fit the underdog tag to a tee. The former's wage bill is less than a tenth that of PSG, whom they face on Wednesday. But they've punched way above their weight the past few seasons, playing an all-out attacking style that has seen them outscore almost everybody in Europe's top five leagues.
As for Lyon, because the French league was abandoned in March, they've played only two competitive games in the past five months. They also had a rough domestic campaign, changing managers in the fall and finishing seventh. Nevertheless, they managed to knock out a heavyweight, Cristiano Ronaldo's Juventus, in the round of 16. If you want to root for the (relatively) little guy, go for one of those two. -- Gab Marcotti
When Memphis Depay left Manchester United for Lyon in January 2017, it was as much to do with the Dutch forward's commitment and attitude as his performances on the pitch which, for a 25m signing, were consistent only in terms of their mediocrity. Louis van Gaal, United's manager at the time, believed he could mould Depay into a team player, having worked with him during his spell as Netherlands coach, but when the then-21-year-old reacted to being dropped to the reserves by turning up for the game in a Rolls Royce while wearing a cowboy hat, it was clear that he had some growing up to do.
United proved to be the wrong club at the wrong time for Depay, but moving to Lyon has been his salvation and the 26-year-old will lead the French team's Champions League assault in Lisbon having come of age with Les Gones.
Depay was handed the captaincy by coach Rudi Garcia earlier this season -- a remarkable turn of events to those who knew him at Old Trafford -- but a cruciate ligament injury suffered in December halted his progress at Lyon, threatening to both end his season and force him out of Euro 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic, which led to both Ligue 1 and Euro 2020 being canceled, has inadvertently led to Depay being able to return to action, however, and his penalty in the round of 16 second-leg tie against Juventus in Turin proved to be the decisive goal that sent Lyon through to the quarterfinals on the away goals rule.
Lyon will now face Manchester City in Estadio Jose Alvalade on Saturday and Depay will go into the game knowing he already has haunted his former club's neighbours in the Champions League. Back in September 2018, Depay created the goal for Nabil Fekir for Lyon's shock 2-1 group-stage win at the Etihad before providing the assists for both of Maxwel Cornet's goals in the 2-2 draw in the return game in France two months later.
City were probably expecting to face another former United No. 7 (Juve's Ronaldo) in the quarterfinals, but they should not feel a sense of relief that it will be Depay instead.
Unusually for United, they insisted on a buy-back clause in the deal that took Depay to Lyon three years ago. They knew what he was capable of in the right circumstances and he has clearly found himself in Lyon. -- Mark Ogden
If footballing aesthetics are your thing, then Atalanta are playing arguably the most beautiful football in Europe at this point in time. But speak to those who have followed the club for years and they're pinching themselves that their beloved Atalanta, so often the outsiders in every competition, are considered genuine Champions League contenders.
Having lost their Champions League opener 4-0 away at Dinamo Zagreb, they somehow edged through the group before dispatching Valencia 8-4 on aggregate in the second round, a pair of games that gained added notoriety in light of the coronavirus pandemic. This is all very new for the Nerazzurri faithful. Though they finished third in each of the past two seasons, they were traditionally a more midtable Serie A side, operating on a low budget and the equivalent of easy prey for other bigger footballing vultures. Their last major trophy was in 1961 when they won the Coppa Italia, but they're now the envy of much of Europe, perhaps this season's "neutrals' favorite" as Ajax were in 2018-19.
Atalanta's 3-4-1-2 formation is focused on overloading their opponents, with the midfielders there to dictate exactly which areas of the pitch they need to be playing in. It creates both space and opportunity -- their speed in transition involves shifting the point of attack from left to right, and vice versa, creating space in the middle of the pitch for the brilliant roaming Alejandro "Papu" Gomez, Josip Ilicic, Luis Muriel and Duvan Zapata. This tactical trickery is to manager Gian Piero Gasperini's immense credit; he has moulded this team so the players can interchange positions in the blink of an eye, while making them structurally elusive to stop consistently.
This season, Atalanta scored the most goals in Serie A (98, third most in Europe's top five leagues), had the most shots on target and third-most chances (535 -- behind Manchester City and Napoli). In short, they will give PSG a real run for their money with a squad that cost 94m, less than half what their opponents paid for Neymar.
But equally, this is unknown territory for them. They've never been in the Champions League before this season, and they're only a couple of injuries away from trouble -- they are already potentially without Ilicic for the PSG game due to personal reason. While many pundits expected them to bow out gracefully, Atalanta are quietly adamant they will be a force come the final throes of this competition. The scariest thing for PSG? Atalanta have nothing to lose.
"We can beat anyone over a single leg," said Atalanta midfielder Remo Freuler. "We believe in our chances, of course, otherwise we wouldn't even bother going to Lisbon." -- Tom Hamilton
1:22
Steve Nicol is surprised Bayern Munich dominated Chelsea despite time off after their Bundesliga season ended.
Bayern Munich are second-favourites to lift the trophy, and when you talk to those who were part of the 2013 class that won the Champions League, you'll learn about two key factors that must swing in your favour if you are to conquer Europe.
Firstly, according to Bayern Munich centre back Jerome Boateng, you need "a little bit of luck." Then you need to have a "strong mentality," with everyone pulling in one direction. He thinks of Liverpool last year: "They were a little family sticking together." But while Bayern are now in unison, earlier in the season they were a disconnected bunch.
Boateng was one of the club's more experienced players, like Thomas Muller, who, back when the 2019-20 season was still in its infancy, found himself on the periphery of the squad under previous manager Niko Kovac. They were contemplating life away from Bayern, but now, under Hansi Flick, as Boateng reflects on winning his eighth straight Bundesliga and their Champions League aspirations, he smiles as he talks about his coach.
"He [Flick] brought back the joy for us as a team to play football, to have fun," Boateng says. And they play like they're having fun, too: lightning-quick fullbacks, ridiculously talented midfielders, wingers sprinting infield to attack the middle and then Robert Lewandowski, arguably the most prolific striker in world football, leading the attack.
But do not underestimate the importance of Boateng and that partnership with Manuel Neuer. The experienced centre-back has seen it all in a rich and varied career, and he possesses a level-headed personality that gives the impression he is internally evaluating all potential influencing factors in the remaining rounds of the Champions League. He personally feels fitness will be king, with Bayern ideally playing four games in 15 days through to the final.
"At the end, whoever wins will say, we won the Champions League with this kind of little tournament, it was different but we made it," Boateng says. "I think every season of course has its own story and to win this Champions League ... it's really hard work and it's special." -- Tom Hamilton
1:10
Frank Leboeuf says Kylian Mbappe will make the final call on playing in PSG's Champions League match.
Thomas Tuchel has been at PSG for only two years, but on Wednesday night, he neatly explained the dynamic between the club and the Champions League.
"Every time we get close to a Champions League game, something negative happens. I don't know why," the German said. Through the years, even going back to the pre-QSI era, PSG's European campaigns have often been jinxed by injuries, suspensions, mistakes, pressure and the stress of sky-high expectations. This season is no different.
If you look at the season as a whole and where the team is now, with the progress made in the past 12 months, how Neymar and Kylian Mbappe have been playing, how they finally have a top goalkeeper in Keylor Navas, there's a lot of optimism that this could finally be the year. The draw was kind to them. The one-legged games will take away all the ghosts of the humiliating remontadas they suffered last season against Manchester United at home in the last 16, and in 2017 away at Barcelona at the same stage. Over 90 minutes, the French champions are certainly capable of beating anyone. We saw it when they destroyed Bara 4-0, Bayern 3-0 and Real Madrid 3-0 in the past three years.
With their Brazilian superstar and their French prodigy, they have two of the best players in the world, each capable of winning a game on their own. Neymar has never been happier in Paris; he finally feels at home, and the club is hoping that they could renew his deal, just like they did Mbappe's. The atmosphere inside the dressing room is also the best it's ever been. That's why, collectively, they have become better on the pitch too.
They still naturally rely a lot on the individual brilliance of Neymar and Mbappe, but the impact that Angel Di Maria had this season, the output of Pablo Sarabia and the creative talent of Marco Verratti have made the team stronger as a unit. And in Mauro Icardi, they have one of the best finishers in the game if he gets the service he needs.
Strong defensively, balanced in midfield, exceptional offensively and with a manager who hopefully would have learned from his mistakes of last season, with great momentum after winning a domestic treble and a favourable draw: all the lights should be green for PSG. And yet, it's the worst time for them to finally win this Champions League.
The decision taken by the French league to stop Ligue 1 while the rest of Europe's top leagues eventually concluded safely means that the Parisians have played only two competitive games in five months.
Equally, PSG will struggle even more because they won't have their strongest side out. First, Mbappe was the victim of a mistimed but horrible tackle from Loic Perrin against Saint-Etienne. He is a huge doubt for Wednesday's game. After losing Neymar from January and February onward in the past two seasons, PSG really wanted to avoid losing another of their stars. Without the Frenchman, this is a totally different team given the added pressure on Neymar. Then defender Thilo Kehrer hurt his back and broke a bone in his ear, Layvin Kurzawa is out (hamstring) and to top it all, Verratti injured his calf at training last week and should miss the quarterfinal. Even if Mbappe and Verratti can play, they won't be 100 percent for the game and it will be a much weaker PSG side as a result.
On top of that, the club was hoping that the out-of-contract trio, Thiago Silva, Edinson Cavani and Thomas Meunier, would stay to finish the season; PSG were also hoping to keep the very promising Tanguy Kouassi at the club. Only Silva will be there to face Atalanta. Kouassi left on a free transfer to Bayern Munich, while Cavani and Meunier declined the offer of a two-month extension. If you add that Di Maria is suspended, it means that PSG have gone from high hopes and ambition to gloom and pessimism.
All the recent setbacks and bad news will certainly make their life harder. But considering PSG are a club that's never ceased to amaze, both in good and bad ways, you can never say never. -- Julien Laurens
1:42
The FC guys weigh-in on whether Clement Lenglet should've been called for a push before netting Barca's opener.
Single-game knockout rounds tend to lend themselves to impactful individuals imposing themselves on the action, so we asked pro scout Tor-Kristian Karlsen to look at a trio of players who could be especially significant next week.
Alejandro "Papu" Gomez, FW, Atalanta: Although highly respected in Italy, the creative Argentine attacking midfielder still hasn't quite achieved the worldwide recognition he deserves. Gomez is a technically brilliant player, full of lovely little touches and layoffs, with the ability take on opponents in wide and central areas, set up teammates or finish with a thunderous shot. Perhaps somewhat underappreciated due to never having played for one of the established Italian giants, Gomez has earned only four caps for his country.
Now, at 32, Gomez is playing the football of his life, and Atalanta's chances of causing an upset against PSG rest heavily on their inspirational captain.
Emil Forsberg, MF/FW, RB Leipzig: Once regarded as one of the most exciting, up-and-coming players in the German Bundesliga, the Swedish winger/attacking midfielder hasn't quite managed to push on from his excellent 2016-17 season when he topped the assist charts with an impressive 22. Even so, Forsberg is still an outstanding footballer, and while Timo Werner has grabbed the headlines (and since gone to join new team Chelsea), the 28-year-old does have the technical ability and touch of class to make a valuable contribution -- be it a brilliant cross or a well-executed direct free kick -- when it matters the most.
He scored Leipzig's first-ever Champions League goal (vs. Monaco in 2017-18) and will need to have a big game as a possible fulcrum in Leipzig's attack.
Renan Lodi, DF, Atletico Madrid: The left-back had the most traumatic of La Liga debuts when he was sent off before half-time against Getafe in August last year. Then followed a period of inconsistency and frequent displays of defensive frailty, but Diego Simeone stuck with the young Brazilian. Renan Lodi is no longer a weak spot and has since established himself as a regular in the Atletico Madrid side. The 21-year-old masters both phases of the game; he loves defending (and an old-fashioned tackle), is able to deliver crosses from advanced positions and is smart and technically gifted enough to engage in combinational play. He was man of the match in the Champions League home leg against Liverpool. -- Tor-Kristian Karlsen
Does it heighten your suspicion that Atletico might be the "shock" winners of this redesigned tournament if you know that under Simeone, they've never lost a knockout Champions League tie or match unless Ronaldo's been in the other team? If nothing else, it should certainly heighten your appreciation of the Argentinian coach.
Of course, Atleti lost two finals to Ronaldo-inspired Real Madrid teams, plus a semifinal and a quarterfinal. Then, last season, it was Ronaldo's hat trick for Juve that dumped Los Rojiblancos out at the first knockout stage.
So is the fact that Ronaldo and Juve flopped last week and aren't in Lisbon a hint that nothing can stand in Atleti's way now?
That has to be too big a conclusion given Simeone still has a fitness concern over a key player, Thomas Partey, and ongoing calibration required to get the best out of his decent array of attacking players. The likelihood, you'd say, is that he doesn't double down on his post-lockdown idea that Alvaro Morata and Diego Costa don't work well enough as a starting pair. Meaning, in all likelihood, that Costa is preferred up front, potentially with Marcos Llorente as his partner. In fact, there's a good chance that this is his starting XI against RB Leipzig: Jan Oblak; Santiago Arias, Stefan Savic, Jose Gimnez, Renan Lodi; Angel Correa, Koke, Sal, Yannick Carrasco; Costa, Llorente.
Realistically, Atleti are one of those sides who lose something with the absence of a home crowd. The brand-new Wanda Metropolitano might not be quite as rabidly passionate as the Calderon was, but those fans are special, and they help. The huge plus for Atleti in one-off matches is that they're awfully hard to beat, starting with a keeper in Oblak who often plays like he's the best in the world in that position. There have been three Champions League/European Cup finals for Atleti and three terrible "sob" stories thanks to two extra-time equalisers from opponents to deny victory, and a heartbreaking penalty shootout loss. This might just be the panacea year. -- Graham Hunter
Last, but not least, we have predictions! Which teams will be left standing in Lisbon? Here are our best guesses.
PSG vs. Atalanta (Wednesday): Before the coronavirus stoppage, PSG had been one of the three most dominant teams in the Champions League field thus far, generating 19 points from eight matches (third best) with an average goal differential of +2.0 per match (second best). EloFootball.com ranks them third in Europe, too. But March was a long time ago, and Atalanta played a lot of matches, at a solid level, this summer. If the layoff, and Mbappe's absence, don't matter, PSG is a solid favorite.
RB Leipzig vs. Atletico Madrid (Thursday): This is a stylistically fascinating matchup, and it might be the most statistically tight, too. FiveThirtyEight gives RBL a 52% chance of advancing, while Atletico has a slight edge per EloFootball. Atleti's form was better after the summer restart, though, and while Leipzig should be formidable again next season, they haven't yet had an opportunity to replace new Chelsea addition Timo Werner. That alone probably tips the scales in favor of the 2014 and 2016 finalists.
Bayern Munich vs. Barcelona (Friday): Despite the seemingly nonstop existential crisis around Messi and co, there's nothing inherently wrong with Barcelona. But Bayern has played like one of the top two teams in Europe for much of the past nine months, while Barca has been merely very good. Bayern had the best post-restart goal differential among the top leagues, and they have yet to suffer a single blemish in the Champions League. They would be favored against anyone except maybe Manchester City, and it's no different here.
Manchester City vs. Lyon (Saturday): Here's your David vs. Goliath matchup. FiveThirtyEight ranks Manchester City and Lyon as the No. 1 and No. 40 teams in Europe, respectively. For context, Lyon ranks between Everton and Sheffield United, two teams that were outscored by Man City by a combined 8-2 in four Premier League matchups this season. City have had an attention span problem this year, suffering about one baffling loss per month during the Premier League season, but that's really the only thing you can reference to think Lyon's got a chance. -- Bill Connelly
Posted: August 11, 2020 at 3:47 pm
Picture this:You live in rural Arkansas and tragedy strikes. A family member has fallen ill with that contagious respiratory illness that has already killed so many but you dont have enough space in your small home to quarantine them in a room of their own. Your relatives case doesnt appear to be life-threatening, but you are terrified that their persistent cough will spread the illness to more vulnerable family members. You call the local public health authority to see if there is room in local hospitals, and they explain that they are all stretched too thin with emergency cases. There are private facilities, but you cant afford those.
Not to worry, you are told:A crew will be by shortly to set up a sturdy, well-ventilated, portable, tiny house in your yard. Once installed, your family member will be free to convalesce in comfort. You can deliver home-cooked meals to their door and communicate through open windows and a trained nurse will be by for regular examinations. And no, there will be no charge for the house.
This is not a dispatch from some future functional United States, one with a government capable of caring for its people in the midst of spiraling economic carnage and a public health emergency. Its a dispatch from this countrys past, a time eight decades ago when it similarly found itself in the two-fisted grip of an even deeper economic crisis (the Great Depression), and a surging contagious respiratory illness (tuberculosis).
Yet the contrast between how U.S. state and federal government met those challenges in the 1930s, and how they are failing so murderously to meet them now, could not be starker. Those tiny houses are just one example, but they are a revelatory one for the sheer number of problems those humble structures attempted to solve at once.
Known as isolation huts, the little clapboard houses were distributed to poor families in several states. Small enough to fit on the back of a trailer, they had just enough space for a bed, chair, dresser, and stove, and were outfitted with large screened-in windows and shutters to maximize the flow of fresh air and sunshine considered essential for TB recovery.
As physical structures, the TB huts were an elegant answer to the public health challenges posed by crowded homes on the one hand and expensive private sanatoriums on the other. If houses were unable to accommodate safe patient quarantines, then the state, with Washingtons help, would just bring an addition to those houses for the duration of the illness.
Its worth letting that sink in, given the learned helplessness that pervades the U.S. today. For months, the White House hasnt been able to figure out how to roll out free Covid-19 tests at anything like the scale required, let alone contact tracing, never mind quarantine support for poor families. Yet in the 1930s, during a much more desperate economic time for the country, state and federal agencies cooperated to deliver not just free tests but free houses.
And that is only the beginning of what makes it worth dwelling on the TB huts . The cabins themselves were built by very young men in their late teens and early20s who were out of work and had signed up for the National Youth Administration. The State Board of Health furnishes the materials for these cottages and NYA supplies the labor, explained Betty and Ernest Lindley, authors of a 1938 history of the program. The total average cost of one hut is $146.28, or about $2,700 in todays dollars.
The TB cabins were just one of thousands upon thousands of projects taken on by the 4.5 million young people who joined the NYA: a vast program started in 1935 that paired young people in economic need, who could not find jobs in the private sector, with publicly minded work that needed doing. They gained marketable skills, while earning money that allowed many to stay, or return to, high school or college. Other NYA projects including building some of the countrys most iconic urban parks, repairing thousands of dilapidated schools and outfitting them with playgrounds; and stocking classrooms with desks, lab tables, and maps the young workers had made and painted themselves. NYA workers built huge outdoor pools and artificial lakes, trained to be teaching and nursing aides, and even built entire youth centers and small schools from scratch, often while living together in resident centers.
A group of men planting trees during a Civilian Conservation Corps project on the Nett Lake Reservation in Minnesota.
Photo: MPI/Getty Images
The NYA served as a kind of urban complement to FDRs better-known youth program, the Civilian Conservation Corps, launched two years earlier. The CCC employed some 3 million young men from poor families to work in forests and farms: planting more than 2 billion trees, shoring up rivers from erosion, and building the infrastructure for hundreds of state parks. They lived together in a network of camps, sent money home to their families, and put on weight at a time when malnutrition was epidemic. Both the NYA and the CCC served a dual purpose: directly helping the young people involved, who found themselves in desperate straights, and meeting the countrys most pressing needs, whether for reforested lands or more hands in hospitals.
Like all New Deal programs, the NYA and CCC were stained by racial segregation and discrimination. And the gender roles were lets just say that the girls discovered they could sew, can, and heal; and the boys discovered they could plant, build, and weld. Black girls in particular were streamed into domestic work.
Yet the scale of these two programs, which together altered the lives of well over 7 million young people over the course of a decade, puts contemporary governments to shame. Today, millions upon millions of young people are beginning their adulthood with the ground collapsing beneath their feet. The service jobs so many young adults depend on for rent and to pay off student debt have vanished. Many of the industries they had hoped to enter are firing, not hiring. Internships and apprenticeships have been canceled via mass emails, and promised job offers have been revoked.
These economic losses, combined with the decision of many colleges and universities to close residences and move online, have abruptly severed countless young adults from their support systems, pushed many into homelessness, and others back into their childhood bedrooms. Many of the homes young people now find themselves in are under severe economic strain and are not safe or welcoming, with LGBTQ youth at heightened risk.
All of this is layered on top of the pain of the virus itself, which has spread grief and loss through millions of families. And that is now mixing with the trauma of tremendous police violence directed at crowds of mostly young Black Lives Matter demonstrators, compounding the murderous events that precipitated the protests in the first place. In the background, as always, is the shadow of climate breakdown, not to mention the fact that when members of this generation first heard terms like lockdown and shelter in place related to the pandemic, many of their minds immediately turned to the terrorizing active shooter drills U.S. schools have had them practicing since early childhood.
It should be little wonder, then, that depression, anxiety, and addiction are ravaging young lives.
According to a survey conducted by National Center for Health Statistics and the Census Bureau last month, 53 percent of people aged 18-29 reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. Fifty-three percent. Thats more than 13 percentage points higher than the rest of the population, which itself was off the charts compared with this time last year.
And that still may be a dramatic undercount. Mental Health America, part of the National Health Council, released a report in June based on surveys of nearly 5 million Americans. It found that younger populations including teens and young adults (25<) are being hit particularly hard by the pandemic, with 90 percent experiencing symptoms of depression.
Some of that suffering is finding expression in another invisible crisis of the Covid era: a dramatic increase in drug overdoses, with some parts of the country reporting increases over last year of 50 percent. It should all be a reminder that when we talk about being in the midst of a cataclysm on par with the Great Depression, it isnt only GDP and employment rates that are depressed. Huge numbers of people are depressed as well, particularly young people.
This is, of course, a global crisis. U.N. Secretary-General Antnio Guterres recently warned that the world faces a generational catastrophe that could waste untold human potential, undermine decades of progress, and exacerbate entrenched inequalities. In a video message, he said, We are at a defining moment for the worlds children and young people. The decisions that governments and partners take now will have lasting impact on hundreds of millions of young people, and on the development prospects of countries for decades to come.
As in the 1930s, this generation is already being referred to as a lost generation but compared to the Great Depression, almost nothing is being done to find them, certainly not at the governmental level in the U.S. There are no ambitious and creative programs being designed to offer steady income beyond expanded summer job programs, and nothing designed to arm them with useful skills for the Covid and climate change era. All Washington has offered is a temporary break on student loan repayments, set to expire this fall.
Young people are discussed, of course. But it is almost exclusively to shame them for Covid partying. Or to debate (usually in their absence) the question of whether or not they will be permitted to learn in-person in classrooms, or whether they will have to stay home, glued to screens. Yet what the Depression era teaches us is that these are not the only possible futures we should be considering for people in their late teens and 20s, especially as we come to grips with the reality that Covid-19 is going to be reshaping our world for a long time to come. Young people can do more than go to school or stay home; they can also contribute enormously to the healing of their communities.
While guest hosting Intercepted this week, I dug into what it would take to launch youth employment programs on the scale on the NYA and CCC programs that, like their predecessors, addressed broad social needs while giving young people cash, skills training, and opportunities to work and possibly live in each others company. Put another way: What are the modern day equivalents of the home-delivered, NYA-built tuberculosis isolation hut?
Delving back in the history of New Deal youth programs, I was struck by how many of its projects have direct application to todays most urgent needs. For instance, the NYA made huge and historic contributions to the countrys educational infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on low-income school districts, while training many young women as teaching assistants. It also provided significant reinforcements for an ailing public health system, training battalions of young people to serve as nursing aides in public hospitals.
Two members of the Fire Department of New Yorks Emergency Medical Team wheel in a patient with potentially fatal coronavirus to the Elmhurst Hospital Center in the Queens borough of New York City on March 30, 2020.
Photo: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images
Its easy to imagine how similar programs today could simultaneously address the youth unemployment crisis and play a significant role in battling the virus. As just one example: We sure could use some of those nursing aides if there is a new surge of the virus this winter. A New York Times investigation last month quoted several doctors and nurses who are convinced that significant numbers of the Covid-19 deaths that took place in New Yorks public hospitals could have been prevented if they had been adequately staffed. In emergency rooms where the patient-to-nurse ratio should not have been higher than 4 to 1, one public hospital was trying to get by with 23 to 1; others werent doing much better. Nightmare stories have emerged of disoriented patients pulling themselves off of oxygen machines and other vital equipment, trying to get up, and with no one there to stop them, dying alone. More nurses would have made all the difference.
Then there are the public schools, similarly understaffed after decades of cutbacks, that will be trying to enforce social distancing this year. If we werent in such a rush to get back to a bleak and diminished version of normal, there would be time for a NYA-style program to train thousands of young adults to help reduce class sizes and supervise kids in outdoor education programs.
And since we know that the safest place to gather is still outdoors, some college-age students could pick up the work begun by the NYA and expand the national infrastructure of trails, picnic areas, outdoor pools, campsites, urban parks, and wilderness trails. Thousands more could be enrolled in a rebooted CCC to restore forests and wetlands, helping draw planet-warming carbon out of the atmosphere.
Creating these kinds of programs would be complex, and costly. But the individual and collective benefits would be immeasurable. And as was the case during the Great Depression, many young people would be given the chance to do something they desperately want and need to do right now: Get the hell out of their childhood homes and live with their peers.
On Intercepted, I spoke about this prospect with Neil Maher, professor of history at Rutgers UniversityNewark and the author of a definitive history of the Civilian Conservation Corps, Natures New Deal. He told me that in his research into the CCC, he came across many participants describing their time in the program as a kind of sleepaway camp or even an outdoor university: a unique chance to live collectively, away from their families and the city, and become adults. But unlike so many actual university campuses that cant reopen safely given the daily commutes of faculty, staff, and many students modern-day CCC-inspired camps could be designed as Covid bubbles.
The program would have to test participants on the way in, quarantine anyone who tested positive for two weeks, and then everyone would stay at the camp until the job was done (or at least their part of it). It could be that rare triple win: Heal some of the damage done to our ravaged planet, offer an economic and social lifeline to people in need, and design what might be one of the most Covid-safe workplaces around.
In the panic about this lost generation, there has been a lot of talk about how there is no work for young people. But that is a lie. There is no end of meaningful work that desperately needs doing in our schools, hospitals, and on the land. We just need to create the jobs.
Read more from the original source:
How Not to Lose the Lockdown Generation - The Intercept
Posted: August 11, 2020 at 3:46 pm
Jamie McCarthyGetty Images
After declaring 2020 the year of me, Kelly Osbourne revealed that shes dropped 85 pounds after sharing a selfie to Instagram.
Today Im feeling #Gucci, Osbourne wrote in the caption, rocking a chic updo and full face of glam. Many fans called out how the reality TV star looks just like her mom, Sharon Osbourne, in the photo.
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Other fans took notice of Osbournes transformation, and the reality TV star let everyone in on her secret. The Real co-host Jeannie Mais mother commented Oh my gosh, you lost a lot of weight. Osbourne replied: Thats right mamma Mai I lost 85 lbs since I last saw you. Can you believe it?
In another Instagram Story, Osbourne shared a photo of a clothing tag that reads size 26. Yes, I'm bragging because I worked hard and it feels so good!! she wrote.
Osbournes weight loss comes several months after she declared that she would focus on herself this year. In an Instagram post from December 2019, she admitted that 2019 had been one hell of a year.
In many ways it has been amazing especially in terms of self-growth. In many ways it has been gut-wrenchingly difficult, she wrote alongside a collage of photos. However, through all the good and bad it has been incredibly educational for me. I have come to the realization that I constantly put the needs of others before my own.
Osbourne further explained that she has a fear of conflict. With almost 2 1/2 years of sobriety under my belt I still struggle with confrontation (which was NEVER a problem when I was using) Well this all STOPS today, she said. Its time to put myself first, stop taking on other peoples shit, and be the badass sober women I was born to be.
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While Osbourne has yet to reveal the exact routine that led to her weight loss, her personal trainer Lacey Stone opened up to Hollywood Life about her go-to high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout.
Stones HIIT workout involves squats, lunges, deadlifts, push-ups, dumbbell bicep curl shoulder press, and tricep dips. Id recommend you do a circuit like this 2 to 3 times per week and spin class or any sort of cardio class 2-3/week, she told the outlet.
Shes also a huge fan of spinning and strength training. Spin is a great way to lose pounds, but strength training is an absolute must-have to keep your curves, Stone said. You dont want to do so much cardio that you lose definition and thats why adding a strength component is essential to a weight loss plan even though youd think it adds size; stimulating muscle will really help highlight those curves and definition.
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Kelly Osbourne Says She Worked Hard for Her 85-Pound Weight Loss Transformation - Prevention.com
Posted: August 11, 2020 at 3:46 pm
CAESAREA, Israel, Aug. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Epitomee Medical, a privately held biomedical company based in Israel and Nestl Health Science, a global leader in nutritional science, announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership for the commercialization of Epitomee's weight loss product. The Epitomee Capsule is an innovative and patented product with demonstrated efficacy and safety in various preclinical and clinical studies, resulting in significant weight reduction and other beneficial health impacts.It is considered a medical device and will be sold under medical prescription (Rx) in the US and Europe.
Under the terms of the agreement, Epitomee grants Nestl Health Science exclusive and global commercial rights to use the weight loss product. Nestl Health Science will use its global marketing and sales channels to launch the product and bring it to the global market.
Hans-Juergen Woerle, Chief Scientific & Medical Officer of Nestl Health Science, said, "The research and development that Epitomee is doing is very promising. We look forward to working together to realize the commercialization of the product, an innovative approach to reducing weight and managing other associated metabolic health co-morbidities."
Epitomee CEO Dan Hashimshony, PhD commented, "This transformational deal is another recognition of the good science, hard work, commitment, and vision of our team. Nestl Health Science is an ideal strategic partner for Epitomee. This partnership around the Epitomee Capsule will enable the worldwide scale-up this product deserves. Our strategic intent to develop more science-based nutritional health solutions and focus on fighting metabolic disorders."
Shimon Eckhouse PhD chairman of the board and co-founder of Epitomee said "The Epitomee capsule and its associated technology platform is offering, for the first time, a safe and effective solution for almost 1 billion people around the world suffering from over-weight and its comorbidities. We are proud to team up with Nestl Health Sciences to bring our proprietary technology to the large number of people around the globe suffering from metabolic syndrome."
Epitomee Medical Ltd.is a privately held Bio-medical company based in Israel that has developed a proprietary, ingestible device in the form of an easy to administrate capsule that induces a feeling of satiety and reduces caloric intake to address metabolic disorders. The Epitomee gastric retention platform synergistically balances ingestible devices and the body's natural mechanism to tackle some of today's most prevalent chronic diseases at their. Epitomee's first product is drug-free, self-administered shape-shifting Capsule which aims to prevent diabetes, address obesity-related comorbidities, and establish a healthier lifestyle. The company was co-founded by Shimon Eckhouse, PhD.
Nestl Health Science, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nestl, is a globally recognized leader in the field of nutritional science. At Nestl Health Science, we are committed to empowering healthier lives through nutrition for consumers, patients, and their healthcare partners. We offer an extensive consumer health portfolio of industry-leading medical nutrition, as well as consumer and VMS brands that are science-based solutions covering all facets of health, from prevention, to maintenance, and all the way to treatment. Headquartered in Switzerland, Nestl Health Science employs over 5,000 people around the world who are committed to making a difference in people's lives, for a healthier today and tomorrow.
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SOURCE Epitomee Medical
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Epitomee Medical Ltd. and Nestl Health Science Announced Partnership for Development and Commercialization of the Epitomee Weight Loss Capsule -...
Posted: August 11, 2020 at 3:46 pm
Amanda Rose, like so many others, had been let down by the weight-loss methods she had tried. Facing a delay in her planned bariatric surgery, she decided to try something new: eating like a bear.
The Delano native who now lives in California Hot Springs has built a social media following with her diet and will now reach a wider audience with her appearance in the new issue of the weekly magazine Woman's World.
In the cover article, she discusses how her plan, which combines principles of keto diet and intermittent fasting, got its unusual moniker.
She told Woman's World, I live in Californias bear country. I know bears feast and hibernate, and as they hibernate, their bodies are fueled by fat. Id tell people I was eating like a bear.
Of course the cornerstone of her diet is not something you'd imagine a bear consuming in the wild. The "ridiculously big salad," or RBS, was what Rose turned to in 2017 when she was looking to lose weight.
At 280 pounds, Rose looked into gastric sleeve surgery to lose weight.
"I was clamoring to get the surgery in spring 2017 but I wasn't able to get in and approved in time," Rose said.
The doctor's schedule and her planned family trip to Wyoming to view the total solar eclipse meant surgery would have to wait six months, which she decided to use to her advantage.
She said, "In that period of time I decided I needed to dial in on the diet. ... I was going to prove to myself that I did everything I could do. I thought about all the diets I had done in the past."
Considering going for low carb and high fiber, she considered a meal that met her needs and was filling. Having heard of success with intermittent fasting, she incorporated that as well, although being a self-described "extreme person," she opted to reduce that eating window to one hour.
"I made a giant salad and it filled me up like it was Thanksgiving. I lost a half a pound a day."
The salad was based in greens, with options including cabbage, iceberg or romaine (Rose said her typical salad consists of two romaine hearts), and 8 ounces of protein (eggs, chicken, fish or meat). Vegetables and other low-carb toppings like nuts, cheese, avocado and bacon are also OK, and it's all topped with homemade dressing. Focused on consuming healthier fats, Rose adjusted mayo-based dressing recipes by substituting Greek yogurt.
With a Ph.D. in political science, Rose said her experience with negotiation theory may have helped her with her weight-loss efforts.
"It's mastering the internal negotiation, when you're facing the doughnut versus the long-term goal."
By January 2018, Rose was down 90 pounds, just 10 pounds from the projected weight loss expected with surgery.
BUILDING THE BEAR COMMUNITY
Family members noticed the change as did some of her fellow Delano High alumni (Class of 1987) when she posted she now weighed less than when she was in school.
Rose shared her journey on social media, including a video, and when others found her online, she started the "Eat Like a Bear!" Facebook group in July 2018. Although there are men in the group, Rose said it's about 95 percent women with 80 percent age 45 and older.
"You would be amazed at the photos and the gray hair. If people ever wonder if you can do it, I had a woman who was 83 and got down to her high school weight."
Although Rose still sticks with that one salad a day, she said others have adapted the method to their own lives (her husband, Sander, eats two meals within a five-hour window and has lost 30 pounds). The key is establishing the intermittent fasting and sticking to low-carb/keto meals.
"I never intended to start a weight-loss platform," she said. "It was all these years of just struggling. Being a weight-loss guru is one of the stupidest things on the planet."
Rose is very supportive of her online community, including her century cases, people who have, like her, lost more than 100 pounds with the method.
And those success stories are what she says got the attention of a freelance writer who pitched the story to Woman's World.
"When I had my interview that was one of the things I really zeroed in on," Rose said of the cases of significant weight loss. "Then we had 30 people who lost 100 pounds. We have 50 now. By early 2021, were going to hit 100."
When she found out she might be a contender for the cover, Rose was excited to prepare for the photo shoot with Jennifer Williams-Cordova of Willis & Williams Design. Photos were shot at her home in California Hot Springs.
Rose was given a style guide with suggested colors to wear. Finding a highlighter-yellow-colored shirt, she realized she might need some support to look her best.
"I looked all busty. When you've lost weight you don't like to look that way. I headed to The Bra Shoppe in Bakersfield. I didn't realize it had reduced hours with COVID. Luckily (owner) Elizabeth (Sotelo) was in there and she had sympathy for me and she did this quick minimizer fitting."
With her website and Facebook community and a new book, Half My Size with The Ridiculously Big Salad," on the way, Rose is excited for people to continue their weight-loss journey.
"They find their own framework. The locus of control of their weight loss is themselves. ... People learn the solution is themselves. It's phenomenal."
Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter at @realstefanidias.
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Discovering 'Bear' necessities of weight loss - The Bakersfield Californian
Posted: August 11, 2020 at 3:46 pm
A thali can contain more preparations than ten depending on the part of India you are eating in. A typical thali contains a healthy mix of:
Lentils: Dal or sambar depending on if you are in north or south India. It gives the daily dose of protein.
Grains: A grain such as rice or a flatbread like wheat chapati can be served. Some thalis contain both in controlled amounts. They supply the body with healthy carbohydrates and fibre.
Vegetable: A simple preparation made with seasonal vegetable with less oil or spices. They serve as a source of vitamins and minerals.
Raita: Curd mixed with spices and chopped vegetables. A great source of probiotics.
Pickles: Zesty pickles usually made of raw mango, although this one might vary from region to region. They are good for digestion.
Papad: A deep-fried and salted snack made with lentils, tapioca (sabudana), flour or rice. It is a source of protein and carbs.
Chutney: A tangy condiment made with spices, herbs, fruits and even fish or vegetables depending on the region. A source of vitamins and minerals it is.
Drink: The filling meal is topped off with buttermilk, coconut milk-based drink or kokum drink depending on the region. Acts as a great digestive.
Ghee: Mostly added to the chapatis, dal and rice is an excellent source of vitamin A and antioxidants.
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How eating a basic Indian Thali is ideal for weight loss and immunity - Times of India
Posted: August 11, 2020 at 3:46 pm
Getty
Action Bronson in June 2019
Rapper Action Bronsons weight loss journey continues!
The star just revealed on Instagram hes down a whopping 90 lbs. Bronson is clearly working for it. He showed off his moves, including lifting 80-lb. weights, pushing a giant tire, and push-ups. He even flexed for the camera.
He wrote in the caption, 90 POUNDS DOWN. STRENGTH DEVELOPING NICELY. YOU HAVE THE POWER TO MAKE ANY CHANGES YOU WANT IN YOUR LIFE. TAKE CONTROL.
Bronson has been documenting his workouts on Instagram, and is a serious foodie who hosts Vicelands Fk, Thats Delicious. See another photo of his transformation here, taken by his trainer Dave Paladino.
He recently told Seth Meyers hes taking a break from some of his favorite foods and opting for green juice instead.
Green juice is a beautiful thing, Bronson said. Kale, celery, green apple, ginger, a little lemon. Its one of the greatest things on earth. Its lowered my cholesterol, its taken away chance of diabetic situations. Ive lost like 80 f--king pounds, man. Eighty pounds is a lot of weight...
The 36-year-old insisted that after losing even more weight, he would allow myself to have some fun.
In May, he told TMZ he was down 50 lbs. and also credited healthy eating, juicing, and working out.
He added, I do cook every day, about three or four meals for my wife, because we have a brand-new baby She is giving nourishment to our baby, so she needs to be nourished as well.
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Action Bronson Shows Off 90-Lb. Weight Loss in New Video - Extra
Posted: August 11, 2020 at 3:46 pm
Weight loss is more than just skipping meals. To be successful in bringing the scales down, you need to put effort into it. You also have to make sure that you are doing it in a healthy way.
However, most people do not have the luxury of time to focus on their weight loss regimen as they go about their everyday lives. So a quick fix would be very much welcome.
Fortunately, there are a lot of options to do just that, and one of them is replacing your breakfast and snacks with smoothies.
But, not all smoothies are healthy. Even the fruits you use for your smoothies have natural sugar, so you have to be sure to use only small portions.
So, what exactly makes a healthy smoothie? A well-concocted smoothie should have proteins, healthy types of carbohydrates, and good fats. It should be able to jumpstart your weight loss with nutrients.
Also, smoothies with the right ingredients can satiate your cravings or make you feel full until the next meal, so you can do away with snacks, according to Kim Pearson, a nutritionist.
Pearson told the Daily Express that to make a healthy smoothie, you should not use fruit juice as the liquid for your smoothie. Instead, use unsweetened nut milk or simply just water.
A good weight loss regimen should be able to regulate your sugar intake. Even naturally occurring sugar such as those in fruits can still be harmful if taken in excess. So, you have to keep the number of fruits you use to no more than two portions.
Adding protein powder to your smoothie will help you feel full longer, said Pearson, which means you will not need a snack until lunch.
The nutritionist also said that adding half of an avocado can satisfy the healthy fat requirement that your smoothie must-have. Or maybe a palmful of seeds, such as linseeds, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds. You can also use unsweetened nut butter to make your smoothie creamy.
And, one other ingredient that your smoothie must-have is the veggie or the greens. One advantage of having green leafy veggies in your smoothie is that there is less chance of tasting them, that is, if you are not a big vegetable eater.
A smoothie is a good way to start your day and your weight loss regimen. Once you've decided on the ingredients, it will be easy and quick to make. And, you can also make different flavors every day.
Image credit courtesy of Anna Volkova/Flickr
Originally posted here:
Weight Loss: How to make smoothies healthy and help in shedding excess pounds - EconoTimes
Posted: August 11, 2020 at 3:46 pm
A travel blogger by profession, 32-year-old Nivedith was following an unhealthy lifestyle and with time, it got the worse of him. Determined to get healthier, Nivedith used the lockdown time to work on his body. In a span of six months, he shed off all the extra weight and now looks fitter than ever. All this without going to the gym or following a fad diet!
To know his inspiring story, read the details below:
Name: Nivedith G a.k.a #MacroTraveller
Occupation: Travel blogger & Content creator
Age: 32 years
Height: 5 feet 6 inches
City: Bengaluru
Highest weight recorded: 126.6 kilos
Weight loss: 41.2 kilos
The duration it took me to lose weight: 5 months
The turning point:
I have been working as a full-time travel content creator for the past 12 years now. I led a pretty unhealthy lifestyle which made me pile on weight. I weighed 126.6 kilos in January this year, which was the highest ever. That was when I decided to bring in a little bit of discipline and get in shape. The lockdown period served as the perfect time to do so.
My breakfast: I start off my day with a cup of black coffee. Post that, I go for a healthy breakfast option like oats or millet dosa with some chutney.
My lunch: 1-2 chapatis with a bowl of vegetables or curry which would be heavy on protein, such as paneer.
My dinner: I prefer to have a lighter meal, such as a bowl of soup or grilled veggies.
Pre-workout meal: I do not have a pre-workout meal as such. Walking has been extremely beneficial for me. Depending on my schedule, I have something simple like a cup of black coffee or warm water before heading out. That is enough for me.
Post-workout meal: Post my walk, I have something filling such as nuts (almonds) with a serving of seasonal fruits.
I indulge in (What you eat on your cheat days): I am very proud to say that I haven't cheated on my diet ever since I started my diet. It has been five months since I had anything oily, fried, chocolatey, sugar.
My workout: Walking is my go-to exercise. Initially, I could only go about walking for 4-5 kilometres and that too with difficulty.
Since its lockdown and I am not travelling for the last 4 months, I have been doing almost 3-4 hrs walk to cover 10-15 km walk/run.
Low-calorie recipes I swear by: Paneer bhurji, baingan bharta are some of the things I really like eating.
Fitness secrets I unveiled: More than the diet or exercise, it's the discipline that matters.
I never followed any fad diet such as Keto or went to the gym. Clean eating and a good fitness regime helped me lose 41 kilos this year. Don't listen to others, just stick to basics
How do I stay motivated? I keep thinking of all the things I can do once I am fit and that is enough to motivate me.
For example, I always wanted to do skydiving and with my weight, I couldn't do it. I did bungee jumping with great difficulty a couple of years ago when I weighed 119 kgs and the deadline was 120 kgs.
How do you ensure you dont lose focus? On days I feel lazy or tired, I just try to do a simpler workout, or walk less. But I do exercise and not skip it entirely. Once you get in the flow of things, you won't find a reason to stop.
Whats the most difficult part of being overweight? One is physical appearance. People start looking at you in a different way and your self-confidence goes down. Weight gain also dips your energy levels. Before my weight loss, I was too lethargic and lazy. I couldn't even wear the stuff that I did like. Once, I was size XXXL, and now I have come down to size M.
What shape do you see yourself 10 years down the line? I didn't begin my journey with a final goal weight. I do, however, want to follow a healthier and fitter lifestyle. Some years down the line, I want to be able to run a marathon.
What are the lifestyle changes you made? My main lifestyle changes are:
See the original post here:
Lockdown weight loss: This guy lost 41 kilos in 5 months without going to the gym! - Times of India
Posted: August 11, 2020 at 3:46 pm
Derrick Lewis already has the most knockouts in UFC heavyweight history, but he believes after shedding a few more pounds, he might be even more terrifying when he next sets foot in the octagon.
The Houston native closed out the UFC Vegas 6 card on Saturday night with a punishing performance, finishin Aleksei Oleinik with vicious punches in the second round. Ahead of the fight, Lewis upped his training regimen, and while he tipped the scales at 265 pounds, he looked in better shape than almost any of his previous UFC fights.
According to Lewis, thats just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to his potential now that hes approaching his fight career with a little more focus and discipline.
I owe it to the fans, Lewis said at the post-fight press conference. I owe it to everyone that supports me. I got to really take it more serious than what I have been.
Lewis has said in the past that hes not the most dedicated fighter when it comes to his training sessions. But now, hes looking to change that.
With plans to drop another 15 or 20 pounds before competing again, Lewis anticipates an even better showing when he returns to the UFC for his next fight.
Ive really been eating whatever I want and just been training a lot longer than 30 minutes this camp, Lewis said. Weve just been training a lot more. Ive still been eating bass [fish], still been eating Popeyes and stuff like that. Just been training more. For sure, Ill be a lot quicker, a lot more agile, a lot more aggressive and everything.
I for sure have to get down 15, 20 pounds to feel comfortable in there, and you really will see something scary out of me for sure.
While his immediate plans involve a return home to see his family, followed by dieting and training to get his weight in order, Lewis knows that as the No. 4 ranked heavyweight, there are many options for his next fight.
He mentioned names like Francis Ngannou and Alistair Overeems as potential opponents, but he had barely left the octagon before fellow heavyweight Curtis Blaydes called him out.
Judging by his comments, Lewis would happily accept that challenge.
Thatd be perfect to fight Curtis next, Lewis said. All hes going to do is try to grab me and hold me and try to win a decision. Hes not going to try to finish me. If he do try to finish me, thats fine, but I do believe I can take Curtis down and punish him on the ground.
Yeah, put that on the headline. Make the headlines, go ahead. Type it. Thats headlines right there. Im going to take Curtis Blaydes down and finish him.
The rest is here:
Derrick Lewis promises to be even scarier after more weight loss, ready to finish Curtis Blaydes next - MMA Fighting
