Author: thaobh.leo@gmail.com

Costello van Steenis knew the moment he wrapped up a buzzer-beating rear-naked choke to put Johnny Eblen to sleep and become PFL middleweight champion that his first title defense was going to end up as a rematch.Undefeated prior to that stunning submission loss, Eblen seemed like a frontrunner to get another shot at van Steenis, especially given the attention their first fight received. The highlight reel finish was MMA Fighting’s Submission of the Year and even van Steenis has learned to embrace that moment after seemingly seeing it hundreds of times now.“I’ve seen it everywhere,” van Steenis said about the…

The International Boxing Federation (IBF) caught a lot of flack from Dana White and also Jai Opetaia’s legal team for not taking part in sanctioning Opetaia’s title fight against Brandon Langton a few weeks ago due to the fact that the Zuffa belt — which IBF does not acknowledge as a boxing sanctioning body — was on the line.Now, it seems we have the same type of drama brewing for the major upcoming cruiserweight title fight between Gilberto Ramirez and David Benavidez, which is set to go down on May 2, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada for what was initially…

IDIQ contract continues NSRI, USSTRATCOM trusted partnership for deterrence, defense R&D OMAHA, Neb., March 17, 2026 — The National Strategic Research Institute (NSRI) at the University of Nebraska (NU) has received a $500 million indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract from U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) to deliver innovative research and development solutions that keep U.S. forces safe and maintain America’s technological edge through rapid-response research capabilities. With this contract, NSRI also retains its designation from the U.S. Department of War (DOW) as a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC), sponsored by USSTRATCOM and affiliated with NU. There are only 15 UARCs…

In recent years, as AI has begun to enter military planning and operational design, a persistent unease has surfaced among practitioners. Even with improved tools, increased tempo, and unprecedented access to data, plans continue to falter on integration, coherence, and a shared sense of direction. Marco Lyons’ recent War on the Rocks article on the perceived decline of operational art gives voice to this unease in a way that is both timely and important.We do not know enough about the specific wargame, its constraints, or its internal dynamics to adjudicate these conclusions directly. What Lyons’ account nevertheless captures with clarity…

No. 1-ranked Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight Movsar Evloev is officially in London ahead of his main event clash with No. 3-ranked Lerone Murphy at UFC London this weekend (Sat., March 21, 2026) inside the O2 Arena in London, England.For a brief moment, it looked like Evloev might be forced to withdraw — again — as rumors swirled about potential visa issues preventing the undefeated Russian from traveling to the United Kingdom.But those concerns can officially be put to rest.“Assalam alaykum to everyone, we finally made it to London,” Evloev said in a video. “I can’t believe it, there was…

HYROX racing demands a rare combination of endurance, strength, power, and repeated high intensity effort. Athletes move quickly between runs and demanding functional movements such as sled pushes, sled pulls, lunges, wall balls, and rowing. Performance depends on the ability to produce force rapidly while maintaining aerobic efficiency for over an hour of racing. For athletes aged 35 and older, preparation before the first run or workout station becomes increasingly important. Many experienced competitors notice that it takes longer to feel “ready” compared with when they were younger. This observation is not just anecdotal. A growing body of research shows…

The chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee wants to develop a “must-pass” authorization bill process for the Department of Veterans Affairs similar to the legislative procedure used to approve the National Defense Authorization Act. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., kicked off a series of hearings Wednesday on legislation that would reauthorize several significant VA programs and said he wants to create a comprehensive authorization process — an omnibus-style procedure — that would ensure a yearly legislative review of all VA programs, some of which have not been reauthorized for 30 years. Bost said such oversight is needed to ensure that…

Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel operate ORCUS counter drone (C-UAS) system. Many sensors and effectors can be integrated into a unified tactical C-UAS web. Credit: RAF. BAE Systems will test its namesake Anti Threat System (BATS) for the first time in April, with live fire trials to follow in the summer This artificial intelligence (AI) driven command and control (C2) software was developed in just six months, beginning in October 2025 The capability meets a global demand to employ layered counter drone hardware BAE Systems confirmed plans to test its BATS system in April, followed by live fire trials in…

In 2024, Thanassis Cambanis wrote, “Leave Syria, Keep Fighting the Islamic State,” where he argued the United States should withdraw from Syria, but continue to invest in counter-terrorism measures to combat the Islamic State. Two years later, after an American withdrawal from Syria and a new Syrian government in power, we asked Thanassis to revisit his article.Image: Photo by Staff Sgt. Jacob Connor In your 2024 article, “Leave Syria, Keep Fighting the Islamic State,” you argued the United States should withdraw from Syria, allow the Syrian government to fight and control the Islamic State, and invest in sustainable counter-terrorism measures. Now that…

Israel Defense Forces 17.03.26 Another IRGC Leader Struck: Today, the IDF eliminated Ali Larijani in a precise overnight strike near Tehran. The operation was carried out by the IAF, based on IDF intelligence and advanced operational capabilities, targeting him as the de facto leader of the Iranian regime. The de facto leader of the Iranian regime, Ali Larijani, has been eliminated. With the elimination of Ali Khamenei at the start of Operation ‘Roaring Lion’, Larijani took control, acting as the regime’s central figure and directing its actions across the region. For years, he had already been one of the most…