It all began with an image of Chewbacca carrying C-3PO on his back. That one image from The Empire Strikes Back would inspire one of the best Predator movies ever, a fresh reimagining of the sci-fi horror franchise that turned the slasher monster into the protagonist. But while Star Wars will always be a north star for director Dan Trachtenberg, he didn't make Predator: Badlands with the ultimate goal of making a Star Wars movie - not that he would say no to one.
Silva held center early in the UFC 324 main card opener, barely moving while Allen worked from the outside, starting off the action with a kick. Allen was far more mobile, circling, firing a probing leg kick while Silva appeared to bide his time, hand cocked. The first punch from the Brazilian targeted the body, and he'd go there again later. Jean Silva did flip the script, going high with a kick, while Allen borrowed from Silva's playbook by targeting the body.
It's time once again for our annual Year-End awards, and this year we're leading with a new category: Story of the Year. The MMA media business is often a reflection of the sport itself (as it should be), one in which anything can happen. In the cage and out of the cage, MMA rarely has a shortage of storylines. Hence introducing a "Story of the Year" category in our Year-End awards.