Month: May 2024

As tensions increase between the China and the United States during China’s Unrestricted Warfare to collapse America, there are concerns about Unrestricted Warfare moving into a Shooting War over issues like Taiwan.  The American military’s dalliance with “woke” ideologies are concerning and are tangibly degrading professionalism, operational planning, and output of the Defense Industrial Base.

Administration officials such as Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth deny “wokeness” is an issue and the Army has been pushing their interpretation of internal polling data that “safety” is the real issue in regards to failures to meet recruiting and retention goals – which immediately triggered Republican Congressional requests to see the complete, unredacted data instead of the Army official interpretation of the data.
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, General Milley blamed allegations of “wokeness” as the real issue causing recruiting and retention – concurrently with West Point being sued for left leaning admission policies.

Despite denials from Administration officials of the existence of wokeness, there is growing evidence that the U.S. Military is in a crisis and this can possibly translate into catastrophic consequences for the U.S. military in kinetic conflict with China.
 Negative Effect on U.S. Navy and Air Force Readiness

The Navy and Air Force are the lead services in deterring Chinese aggression and responding to hostility in the Western Pacific.  Woke policies have reduced readiness of the ships and aircraft as well as the combat effectiveness and morale of the Service Members.
The key metric describing readiness for U.S. Military units is what is known as “Operational Readiness” (OR) rates.  Things are not looking good in this area.  In a stunning admission, the Commandant of the Marine Corps revealed that the OR rate for the 31 Amphibious Vessels of the U.S. Navy was 32%.
That means of the 31 ships, only 9 were ready.  Each deployed Expeditionary Strike Group normally has three of these ships, so the rest of the amphibious ships (22) have various maintenance issues preventing them from deploying.
Not a good situation in anyway – this means only 9 of the 31 Amphibious ships are available for worldwide contingencies.  The USS Boxer, one of the large and valuable amphibious warfare ships will shortly and incredulously be out of service for a year and a half for maintenance issues.

The Air Force has similar issues.  The premier incoming fighter for the Air Force is the F-35A, the Air Force version of the Marine F-35B which unexplainedly ejected a pilot in 2023 after takeoff from Charleston Air Force Base in South Carolina.
The Air Force OR rate for the F-35A is 55% and repairs are slow.  This OR rate is falling, not climbing as more F-35s are introduced into service, an odd phenomena – OR rates should be climbing as more and more of the force becomes more familiar on how to keep these critical assets mission ready.
So how does wokeness play into these hard metrics?  A lot. There is a direct correlation between OR rates and training, cohesion, and lethality of frontline units.
When the Navy obsesses over terms to be more gender-inclusive, when the Air Force Academy promotes critical race theory over combat knowledge, when the Department of Defense embraces corrosive DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) training, these ideologies steal valuable time from focusing on the true mission of the Military, deterring conflict and if necessary winning.
General Milley was infamously curious about “White Rage”, he should have been just as curious on true causal factors of poor OR rates such as wokeness – which will directly lead to more American casualties and losses in possible conflict with China.
Unnecessary American Casualties

 In the Army War College Parameters Journal, an article come out that ignited a debate.  In the article, the authors identified casualties of 3,600 a day in future conflict, losses not seen since the American Civil War, and thus their intuitive conclusion:  Bring back the draft.
This paper purports to be interested in intellectual truth but avoided any possible correlation between the political indoctrination of wokeness and a poorly trained and led military that can lead to these high casualties.
An American aircraft carrier has approximately 5,000 Sailors on board between the ship’s crew and Air Wing.  If the carrier is going in harm’s way with fewer escort vessels and aircraft because of poor OR rates – this could lead to mass casualties and loss of life.
This is sons, daughters, husbands, wives, friends, and loved ones unnecessarily put at risk because of the focus on DEI over military readiness.  The Arleigh Burke Destroyers – the most numerous combat vessel in the U.S. Navy, has been delivered for years with a vacant position for a much needed, Close In Weapons System to protect the ship from Chinese missiles.
It is intuitive that our ships need to have maximum protection in harm’s way, yet the Services prioritize wokism over making sure American ships are fully equipped.
Loss of Territory to Advancing Chinese Forces

 Although some American military leaders theorize wokeness is a strength – it only emboldens China.  The debacle of Afghan withdrawal was woke theater and communicated loss of resolve and strength by America.
The Joint Staff and the Central Command Staff were once the most brilliant military staffs in the world but have been overtaken by wokeness and have lost their military art form.  This is a green light for China to advance and seize territory.
A U.S. military hampered by wokeness could struggle to respond with decisive force before Chinese troops dig in with their gains.  Having to retake seized land would require bloody amphibious operations hindered further by fewer amphibious ships available due to low OR rates.
A highly trained and equipped military focused on readiness would be far better at deterring conflict with China.  Woke ideologies will cause severe human and strategic costs to America. […]

Following Trump’s guilty verdict in his New York City Hush Money Trial, Tucker Carlson wrote on X that Trump’s life could be in danger in the months leading up to the general election.
Tucker wrote on X, “Import the Third World, become the Third World. That’s what we just saw. This won’t stop Trump.”
“He’ll win the election if he’s not killed first. But it does mark the end of the fairest justice system in the world. Anyone who defends this verdict is a danger to you and your family.” added Tucker.
LOOK:

Import the Third World, become the Third World. That’s what we just saw. This won’t stop Trump. He’ll win the election if he’s not killed first. But it does mark the end of the fairest justice system in the world. Anyone who defends this verdict is a danger to you and your…
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) May 30, 2024

This isn’t the first time Tucker has warned about a possible assassination attempt against Trump.
Last year, during an interview with comedian Adam Carolla, Tucker stated,  “If you begin with criticism, then you go to protest, then you go to impeachment, now you go to indictment, and none of them work. What’s next? Graph it out, man. We’re speeding towards assassination.”
WATCH:

Tucker Carlson Says They Will Do Anything to Stop Trump From Being President Again
“If you begin with criticism, then you go to protest, then you go to impeachment, now you go to indictment and none of them work…What’s next? Graph it out. We are speeding towards… pic.twitter.com/U29a7vMiUe
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) August 30, 2023

In an interview with Dan Bongino earlier this year, Tucker shared that he has warned Trump in person that he should be on full alert for an assassination attempt.

Tucker is absolutely right that assassination is now a very real threat for Trump. He makes the argument simply on the basis of the fact that nothing else, legal or illegal, has worked to stop Trump and Trump’s enemies absolutely cannot afford for him to win.
Other indications… pic.twitter.com/NG3PernSR4
— RAW EGG NATIONALIST (@Babygravy9) January 1, 2024

In recent weeks, Trump’s security has appeared to be more beefed up.
LOOK:

Don’t you find it interesting how much protection surrounds Trump??
There is only 1 reason for this…
This is from Sunday, May 26th, at the Nascar Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina. pic.twitter.com/GOheeayv30
— Seo Ju Ae (@WINHero6) May 30, 2024 […]

President Trump on Friday delivered remarks at a press conference at Trump Tower, announcing his appeal against the sham verdict in Alvin Bragg’s felony witch hunt case.
There was no crime, but the Democrats ratcheted up what would be a misdemeanor to a felony in order to bypass the statute of limitations, and Marxist Judge Juan Merchan helped to rig the trial for a guilty verdict.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg indicted Trump in April 2023 on 34 felony counts related to ‘hush payments’ he made to Stormy Daniels.
Trump was accused of paying porn star Stormy Daniels, AKA Stephanie Clifford, ‘hush payments’ through his then-attorney Michael Cohen in a scheme to silence her and stop the story about their alleged affair from being published in the National Enquirer.

The jury deliberations began on Wednesday after “highly conflicted” Judge Merchan, whose daughter has received MILLIONS of dollars consulting the Democrats who want to take down Trump, instructed them to choose among the three predicate crimes Trump supposedly committed. Judge Merchan told jurors they did not have to agree on a crime. This is unheard of in US history. The jury only had to agree that something bad happened, but not on what that something was.
This, of course, is completely unconstitutional.
The jury returned a verdict in Alvin Bragg’s lawfare ‘hush money’ trial on Thursday: Guilty on all 34 counts! Ironically for the Biden Regime, however, the conviction of Donald Trump on 34 felony charges has translated into MORE THAN $34 MILLION fundraised for our real President.
“We’re going to be appealing it on many different things. He wouldn’t allow us to have witnesses. He wouldn’t allow us to talk. He wouldn’t allow us to do anything,” said Trump during his press conference.
Trump is expected to appeal Merchan’s ruling to greatly restrict the testimony of Trump’s star witness, former FEC Commissioner Bradley Smith, who would have exalted Trump of any alleged, bogus, fake crime.
“He was waiting for two days, and when it was his turn, Bragg’s people protested, and the judge knocked him out and said you can’t testify. He actually said you can’t testify for anything having to do with the trial; you can say what the federal elections is. Well, that doesn’t help. Everybody knows that. But you can’t testify,” said Trump at one point during his press conference today.
Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) recently told The Gateway Pundit in an exclusive interview, “It’s almost as though he has intentionally committed the most egregious reversible error, knowing that if there is a conviction, it will be reversed on appeal. But in the meantime, prior to the election, the Democrats can claim that Donald Trump is a convicted felon. That’s what this is about.”
EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Harriet Hageman Discusses Trump NY Show Trial and Dan Goldman’s Payments to Judge’s Daughter, Says Judge “Has Intentionally Committed The Most Egregious Reversible Error” to Help Democrats in 2024 (VIDEO)

Trump’s sentencing hearing was set for July 11, THREE DAYS before the Republican National Convention, where delegates will choose the GOP nominee for President. The motives of the prosecutors and the judge couldn’t be clearer.
Trump slammed the judge as a “tyrant” and said any honest members of the media in the courthouse could see he was “crazed” and angry with Trump in making his many reversible errors.
Watch below:
Trump: We’re going to be appealing this scam. We’re going to be appealing it on many different things. He wouldn’t allow us to have witnesses. He wouldn’t allow us to talk. He wouldn’t allow us to do anything. The judge was a tyrant, and you got to see that with Bob Costello, a fine man. I’ve never seen anything like it, and neither has anybody that was in that courthouse where he demanded that the courthouse be cleared. Now, the good news is, most of the people in the courthouse were the media. And anybody that was in the media, if you’re fair, you’ll say, “Wow, that was anger. That was crazed. He was crazed!” […]

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What we saw unfold in a court room in New York makes it clear – the left will use every single tool at their disposal to maintain power. They are willing to break all norms and obliterate our constitutional protections in the name of self-preservation.
The lawfare being employed against President Donald Trump and many of his high profiles supporters is nothing short of shocking.
Unfortunately, lawfare could be just the beginning.
We saw during the last pandemic that no event gave the left greater control and maximized their ability to trample the Constitution than a “healthcare emergency.”
Which raises the question, will they manufacture another pandemic emergency this year? The answer may be yes.
Bird Flu Could be the Next Pandemic
For months, the globalists have been warning us about the possibility of “Disease X”.
Last week, on a podcast discussing the current bird flu outbreak, Dr. Peter McCullough wasn’t mincing words:

“Bird Flu is the next disease X”

Dr. McCullough went on to elaborate that not only is bird flu the next disease X, like with COVID, it is also a human-manipulated gain of function strain:

“The strain is a gain of function strain. It’s a manipulated strain. Looks like it is coming out of the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) poultry research lab in Athens, Georgia.”

Not surprisingly, one of the biggest names in the globalist cabal is linked to this dangerous research:

“You’d never guess who is the director of the USDA poultry research lab in Athens, Georgia. A former Gates Foundation Director. It’s game on.”

Now is the Time to Stockpile Meds
The Chief Medical Board of The Wellness Company has been closely watching the avian flu (H5N1) outbreak here in the United States over the last few week – recently adding Tamiflu to the company’s Contagion Kit. While it is far from certain that this most recent strand of bird flu will result in a pandemic, Dr. McCullough said:

“Out of an abundance of caution, we are adding Tamiflu to the Contagion Kit. Tamiflu is a safe medication approved treat Influenza type A, viruses like avian flu. We will continue to closely monitor this situation and make further recommendations as warranted.”

Tamiflu Oseltamivir (generic Tamiflu™) is an antiviral medication that disrupts replication of the Influenza A and B virus, including the avian ‘bird flu’ H5N1 variant, within the body to reduce the severity of flu symptoms.
Be Prepared
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2024 is the Year to be Prepared
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Oseltamivir 75 mg (generic Tamiflu™) – 10 tablets

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Don’t be caught unprepared for whatever 2024 sends your way!
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Note: The information provided on this website is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice or used as a substitute for professional healthcare guidance. It is your responsibility to comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines regarding the purchase, possession, and use of prescription medications. […]

By Wayne Allyn Root
Remember what the Japanese Admiral Yamamoto said after his airmen had destroyed Pearl Harbor and sent over 3,000 young Americans to their death in a sneak attack. His men cheered their resounding victory. But he solemnly stated, “I fear we have awakened the sleeping giant.”
Like Pearl Harbor, yesterday was a day that will live in infamy. And Democrats have awakened the sleeping giant.
First, there is no question Democrats will regret this day. They’ve crossed a line that has never been crossed in the history of America. They’ve touched “the third rail.” They’ve destroyed the justice system and “the rule of law.” They’ve turned America into a combination of a Banana Republic, the Soviet Gulag and 1930s Nazi Germany.

If you can’t beat your opponent, indict him on false charges, rig the judge and jury, put on a “communist show trial,” and convict him to destroy his life, reputation and presidential campaign.
But as usual, this weaponization of government and unAmerican lawfare has backfired on Democrats.
With each of the four rigged indictments, they turned Trump into a martyr. They actually made Trump “sympathetic” for the first time. Now with this rigged conviction, they’ve moved into new territory…
Democrats have turned Trump into “America’s Nelson Mandela.”
Mandela spent many years locked up in prison. But in the end, he became a beloved legend, and the President of South Africa. The people of South Africa decided enough was enough. They saw the injustice of their government, and they chose the victim of this unjust, weaponized system to lead the country and reform the system.
The parallels between Trump and Mandela are astounding.
Trump, like Mandela, is a victim of an unjust system- in Trump’s case a weaponized government and a corrupt justice system that has railroaded him. Like Mandela, the victim of this very system (Trump) is the one best equipped to become President, and then clean up the crimes and corruption of the Deep State.
I believe Trump can use this conviction to win not only a landslide, but a mandate from the American people. A mandate to clean up the system, put the evil wrongdoers in prison for treason, and make sure this sad chapter in our history never happens again.
Democrats in their desperation to stop Trump, have made a massive miscalculation. The proof was seen and experienced not just yesterday, but in the past few weeks.
Yesterday, after the verdict, Trump’s campaign fundraising site WinRed.com crashed because millions of Americans went there to donate and show their support for Trump.
For the day WinRed raised $34.8 million- nearly doubling the all-time 24 hour record.
On the same day, one donor gave $800,000 to one of Trump’s campaign fundraising committees.
On the same day, former Hillary Clinton mega-donor Shaun Maguire contributed $300,000 to President Trump.
Yes, from small donors to mega donors, the guilty verdict has turned even Trump critics and fence-sitters into Trump supporters.
But if you’ve been paying attention, this remarkable trend started weeks ago.
The biggest names on Wall Street and Silicon Valley- always liberal, and mostly Jewish- have publicly announced they are for the first time ever, throwing their money and support to Trump and the GOP.
Steven Schwarzman, the CEO of Blackstone announced his support of Trump and the entire GOP Senate. I’d call that a political tsunami.
A Silicon Valley CEO who gave millions to Hillary announced he is now giving $1 million to Trump.
Most of these formerly Democrat donors cited the horrible job Biden is doing for the country and the economy. They all stated they’re scared of the direction of America.
Many also cited the disgusting and disgraceful leftist protests on college campuses. The wealthy class is waking up. They finally understand all of this must end now- the demonization of Jews; the chants of “Death to America;” the open border welcoming Hamas and Hezbollah sympathizers into America; the weaponization of the justice system; and the communist direction of America under Democrats.
Democrats have awakened the sleeping giant.
I believe this rigged trial and now absurd conviction for a crime no one (including the judge or prosecutors) can identify, have finally unmasked the Democrats for the frauds they are. For years now they’ve called Trump a “dictator.” Biden even called Trump a “dictator” in his comments after the conviction yesterday.
But after this rigged trial and fake conviction, smart Americans finally see who the real dictator is. Could a dictator be convicted in a “communist show trial?”
Could anyone falsely indict, arrest and convict a dictator like Putin in Russia? Or Xi Jinping in China? Of course not. They’d have anyone involved in even trying to indict them, instantly executed (without trial).
So how is Trump a dictator? It’s the people who have railroaded him that are the real dictators!
If Trump was a dictator, would he have accepted a rigged and stolen election? Would he have walked away from the presidency?
Would a dictator lose an election in the first place? Of course not. If Trump was a dictator, he’s the one who would have won a rigged election.
It’s the people who won the rigged election who are the real dictators!
When Trump was president, did he use the power of government to arrest political opponents, or to censor and ban critics of his policies? No.
Did he control the media and use them to put out his propaganda and call the truth “misinformation?” No.
Did Trump arrest protestors and put them in prison, without bail, and into solitary confinement for years on end, without trial? Of course not.
The people calling Trump a “dictator” just framed him and convicted him for a crime no one can identify.
Those are all actions committed by President Biden. So, who’s the real dictator? Biden should look in the mirror.
The dictators are the ones who spend all day demonizing Trump, arresting their political opponents, banning critics, censoring opinions on social media, force vaccinating Americans against their will, committing election interference with rigged trials, and opening the border to change the makeup of the electorate so they can stay in power forever.
The truth is out of the bag. The sleeping giant has awakened. We now know who the real dictator is.
And Democrats have just turned Trump into America’s Nelson Mandela.
HOT OFF THE PRESSES: Watch Wayne’s brand new TV Show, “The ROOT Reaction” weeknights at 10 PM ET/7 PM Pacific on Real America’s Voice TV, and Wayne’s weekend “America’s Top Ten Countdown” on Saturdays at Noon ET/9 AM PT on Real America’s Voice TV. Watch at RealAmericasVoice.com, or at Rumble, Roku, Pluto, Apple, Dish TV Ch 219, or go to RootforAmerica.com to watch. […]

President Joe Biden will be the odd man out in a series of town halls focused on the presidential election, according to a new report.
Cable news network NewsNation and social media giant X have secured an agreement “in principle” of former President Donald Trump and independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to participate in live town halls, according to Axios, which cited sources it did not name.
“The Biden campaign has not agreed to take part,” Axios said in an article published on Thursday.
The Trump-Kennedy project is not a debate, but separate live interviews in what is being billed as “The People’s Town Hall.”
Dates and locations have not been determined, but the concept is that users can submit questions to moderators both before and during the events, Axios said it was told.

The final slate of questions will be determined by the moderators, who have not yet been picked.
Axios said X CEO Linda Yaccarino instigated the concept and reported that the goal “is to make X the destination in which everyday people can have a greater voice in the political process.”
Biden and Trump are scheduled for a debate hosted by CNN on June 27 in Atlanta, but Kennedy has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission over the event, according to Fox News.
“The violations occurred when, based on the available evidence, CNN colluded with the Biden committee and the Trump committee to schedule and did schedule a debate with criteria that were designed to result in the selection of certain pre-chosen participants, namely Biden and Trump,” the letter of complaint said.
The alleged collusion means CNN is “in a clear breach of federal campaign finance law,” the letter said.
In a news release, Kennedy said: “By demanding our campaign meet different criteria to participate in the debate than Presidents Biden and Trump, CNN’s debate violates FEC law and is a large prohibited corporate contribution to both the Biden and Trump campaigns.”
Commission on Presidential Debates co-chairman Frank Fahrenkopf said several details still need to be resolved before the June 27 event, according to CBS.
“There are a lot of things that have to be worked out,” Fahrenkopf said this week. “There’s a lot of questions … that aren’t to my knowledge worked out yet. That could prevent it from happening.”
The issues include how the candidates will stand or sit and how much time each will get to speak or reply, he said, noting that details were the reason debates foundered for years before the commission was set up.
“That’s the reason that we were created,” Fahrenkopf said. “The history of two campaigns sitting down and arguing and arguing and arguing.
“Little things can get in the way. I don’t know whether that’s as true here, but there are a lot of things.”

Fahrenkopf said he still hopes proper debates take place.
“If they’re able to succeed with these two debates that they’re planning, if they’re done right (and) they educate the American people, I will give them a salute. The only reason we exist is to make sure debates take place,” he said.
“If they crash and burn, we’ll still be there and hopefully be able to fill what’s empty.”
______________________________________________

This article appeared originally on The Western Journal. […]

President Trump speaks to media and supporters on Friday, May 31, 2024, following his guilty verdicts in Judge Merchan’s NYC kangaroo court.
President Trump held a press conference this morning at Trump Tower Atrium to speak on his political persecution by radical left Biden Thugs in the Manhattan Court House.
Trump announced the presser on Truth Social on Thursday after the unprecedented guilty verdicts were announced at the Judge Juan Merchan show trial.
President Donald Trump: This should have been a non-case. And everybody said it was a non-case, including Bragg. Bragg said, Until I ran for office. And then they saw the polls, I was leading the Republicans, I was leading the Democrats, I was leading everybody. And all of a sudden, they brought it back. It’s a very sad thing that’s happening in our country, and… I’m honored. In a way, I’m honored. It’s not that it’s pleasant. It’s very bad for family. It’s very bad for friends and businesses. But I’m honored to be involved in it because somebody has to do it, and I might as well keep going and be the one.
But I’m very honored to be involved because we’re fighting for our Constitution. The money that was paid was paid legally. There was nothing illegal. In fact, the lawyer in creating the NDA, because at that time, he was a fully accredited lawyer. He wasn’t a fixer. I never thought of him as a fixer. The media called him a fixer or the prosecutors called him a fixer. He was a lawyer. […]

UFC 302 takes place this Saturday in Newark, NJ, headlined by a lightweight title fight between champion Islam Makhachev and living legend Dustin Poirier. Makhachev is one win away from tying the lightweight record for title defenses, while Poirier has one final chance to claim the only thing that’s eluded him during his MMA career: an undisputed UFC title. Who will win and how will each fighter go about their business on Saturday? Let’s dive in.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Paths to Victory for Islam Makhachev at UFC 302
At this point, there’s not much to say about Makhachev that hasn’t already been said. Still only 32 years old, Makhachev is the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport and already a top-five all-time lightweight. When it’s all said and done, there’s a good chance he goes down as the divisional GOAT, and a win over Poirier moves him closer to that endgame. But how will he do it? It seems like we already know.
Speaking about Poirier ahead of the fight, Makhachev was honest about the fact that his friend and teammate Khabib Nurmagomedov beat Poirier already, and that they have a similar gameplan for this fight. And “beat” is putting it lightly. Though Poirier had some moments against Nurmagomedov, the truth is that Khabib demolished him with his vastly superior grappling skills. Makhachev appears poised to do the same thing.
Poirier’s weakness has always been his grappling. While he is a BJJ black belt and a good grappler by most standards, he’s not a strong positional grappler and he’s far too willing to sacrifice defensive standing un pursuit of low-percentage submission (the man simply would not stop jumping guillotines against Benoit Saint Denis despite his coaches telling him not to). That’s a big problem against a control grappler as good as Makhachev. Islam repeatedly got Alexander Volkanovski into bad positions where the featherweight champion could do nothing, and he can do the same to Poirier. Moreover, Poirier also has a tendency to give up his back during transitions, and that’s something Makhachev can make him pay for.
The trick for Makhachev will be how he goes about getting the takedowns, and fortunately, there’s a playbook for that as well. Makhachev is an exceptional wrestler and while he’s not as good of a shot-wrestler as Khabib was, he’s even better in the clinch, both with knees and trips. Poirier had some success fighting the hands and denying Khabib’s initial takedown attempts when they fought, but had no answer for the trips and chain wrestling that followed. Islam can do exactly the same to get this fight to the ground where he is massively favored, if Poirier doesn’t just jump a guillotine on him and give up the position on his own.
When it comes to the standup, Makhachev is fairly low volume with his striking, but he’s an exceptional defensive fighter, with good kicks and great timing on his rear hand. As long as he stays mindful of Poirier’s lead right hook (arguably his best punch and coincidentally the same punch that Adriano Martins knocked Makhachev out with in his lone loss) then he should be fine.

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Paths to victory for Dustin Poirier at UFC 302
Poirier’s career turnaround has been one of the most fulfilling journeys to watch in MMA. Going from a hard-punching, reckless featherweight to one of the most technically and defensively impressive lightweights in the world is no small feat. It’s how Poirier won an interim title and cemented himself as a future Hall of Famer. And he’ll need every bit of that on Saturday, plus heaps of good fortune.
While Makhachev is often compared to Nurmagomedov along the lines of “Khabib but with better striking” that comparison misses the mark. Makhachev is a “better” striker in a vacuum but really his game is a mirror of Khabib’s: he’s defensively tight but with low volume, he’s a menace in the clinch, and most importantly, he allows fights come to him (he’s also not nearly as mean as Khabib nor quite as athletic but that’s not really the point). Nurmagomedov’s game was built entirely in service to his grappling. Makhachev’s is not. Makhachev’s game is defined by being a great grappler, but he’s content to move to that phase within the rhythm of the fight. It’s simple one option for Makhachev, not the only option. And that might be Poirier’s window for success.
Poirier’s only realistic path to victory is knocking Makhachev out. We know that he can be knocked out and we know that Poirier certainly is more crafty and hits harder than Adriano Martins. We also know that Makhachev and his camp are enamored with his striking ability. If Makhachev wants to start brawling, that’s good for Poirier. So draw him into a brawl.
The one time Makhachev has ever looked vulnerable (other than the Martins knockout) was his first fight with Alexander Volkanovski, where Volk simply competed as hard as he could in all phases. Because Makhachev isn’t Khabib, when he gets a fighter down, it’s not immediately curtains via hellish elbows and ground-and-pound. Makhachev is happier to control, meaning you can make him work there. The more you make him work, the more tired he gets, meaning takedowns don’t come as easy, meaning he’ll start striking more because he’s not someone to force the issue. If Poirier can take Makhachev out of his comfort zone early, as the fight drags on it will move into territory that Poirier can excel in.
In service of that end, Poirier has to stay in the center of the cage and constantly put hands on Makhachev. Jabs and uppercuts for days, elbows when Makhachev steps inside, and constant circling. Put volume on Makhachev and see what finds the chin. Maybe nothing, and maybe you lose, but it’s better to go down swinging than jumping a guillotine with no chance of success.

X-Factors
This is almost certainly Poirier’s final chance at undisputed UFC gold. He’s 35 years old and, frankly, doesn’t really deserve this title shot. In the famous words of Jimmy McGinty, “there is no tomorrow for you, and that makes you all very dangerous people!” Poirier is going to let it all hang out on Saturday. Will it be enough? We’ll see.

Prediction
I am an unapologetic Islam Makhachev fan but every fiber of my being wants to pick Dustin Poirier to pull off the upset. He’s one of the very few people that are universally beloved in MMA and him winning a title at this stage of his career, when he was truly written off, would instantly rank as one of the greatest moments in MMA history.
But this ain’t a Disney movie. There are no happy endings in sight. Just the harsh realities of the MMA world and its gods.
Makhachev is too defensively sound on the feet, too good on the ground, and too smart to give Poirier any chance in this fight. He’s the heir apparent to the best fighter I’ve ever seen, and while I don’t think Makhachev is quite what Khabib was, he’s 95 percent of the way there, which still makes him the best fighter in the world today. Poirier is great, but Islam is the best.
Islam Makhachev def. Dustin Poirier via submission (rear-naked choke) — Round 3, 1:36 […]

Jason Aldean, Grant Cardone, Elon Musk, and Rob Schneider
Moments after Trump was found guilty, social media was flooded with celebrities, politicians, athletes, and the everyday American showing their support for Trump.
Following the verdict, NFL Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher, who played for the Chicago Bears, took to Instagram and wrote: “It doesn’t matter how many fake charges they find him guilty of, he’s still got my vote.”
Antonio Brown, a former wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, also supported Trump and shared on X a photo of Trump’s mugshot with the caption, “Still gonna win the election.”
Country star Jason Aldean wrote: “Scary times in our country right now, man. When a former POTUS gets treated like this by our justice system, what does that mean for the rest of us??? If there was ever a time to speak up, ITS NOW!”
LOOK:

#Bears Hall of Fame LB Brian Urlacher posted this picture on Instagram today in support of former President Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/Kh3U9VAVKt
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) May 31, 2024

COUNTRY MUSIC STAR JASON ALDEAN COMES TO RIGHTFUL PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DEFENSE IN NEW INSTAGRAM POST!
“If there was ever a time to speak up, ITS NOW! Make no mistake… We are in trouble,” Aldean wrote.
Share to make this go viral! pic.twitter.com/FLldcMw48u
— Bo Loudon (@BoLoudon) May 30, 2024

Nigga of 2024 #CTESPN
Still gonna win the election while Biden shits himself pic.twitter.com/bhh8dLqRsj
— AB (@AB84) May 30, 2024

Other notable figures who posted on social media in support of Trump were Elon Musk, Grant Cardone, and Rob Schneider.

Indeed, great damage was done today to the public’s faith in the American legal system.
If a former President can be criminally convicted over such a trivial matter – motivated by politics, rather than justice – then anyone is at risk of a similar fate. https://t.co/zrHCyIZazh
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 31, 2024

I WILL NEVER DO BUSINESS IN NEW YORK CITY !
As a result of these findings.
— Grant Cardone (@GrantCardone) May 30, 2024

Remember, everything the Democrats warned Trump would do…Was a playbook of what the Democrats intended to do themselves;Doing anything to stay in power,Political show trials of political opponents,arresting political opponents,Censoring opposing views,Starting more wars…
— Rob Schneider (@RobSchneider) May 31, 2024 […]

J6 political prisoner Ryan Samsel is pleading for assistance from prison guards, his attorney, and the American public to get to an emergency room immediately after strange lumps surfaced on the back of his neck while the blood clots in his leg and foot that he developed months ago remain dangerously untreated.
The new lumps may be malignant tumors or blood clots, but getting to a doctor or the life-saving surgery he was prescribed over three years ago, before his arrest for protesting at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, is an ongoing and uphill battle.
If Samsel suffers a medical emergency, it could take hours or days before anyone even notices while detained in perpetual lockdown in MDC Brooklyn, the jail system where Jeffrey Epstein allegedly killed himself, and inmates are known to die while begging for help from lazy, abusive prison staff.
And he suspects the notorious medical negligence within the understaffed correctional facility is exactly why the prosecutors and US District Judge Jia Cobb transferred him to the dangerous prison, “to set him up” to die or endure assaults while living on blood thinners.

“I’m on the eighth floor in a high-rise building in the back corner cell and literally in a corner and there is no call button. If I get sick, I might not see a CO for a full day. It’s dangerous here. It’s literally dangerous,” Samsel told The Gateway Pundit in an exclusive interview Wednesday.“ This place is as harsh as where Jeffrey Epstein died.
“They should not put this many inmates in the prison because they are understaffed, and we are constantly locked down. Judge Cobb knew how bad the conditions were in this jail a year and a half ago when she first sent me here.”
Mysterious lump on J6 political hostage Ryan Samsel’s leg.
The 40-year-old former MMA fighter has a history of bilateral thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that causes him to develop blood clots. Over time if not treated, the clots become muscular tumors or fibroids. Samsel now lives with golf-ball-sized lumps on his body as he continues to develop more mysterious tumors.
A glandsectomy, a simple vascular procedure, would prevent his blood from clotting and save his life. But Judge Cobb refuses to grant him the surgery and his attorney Stanley Woodward refuses to fight for his medical rights.
“The plastic surgeon said, ‘You need a glandsectomy and we need a biopsy,’ before you start to get more lumps. Today, I have four more lumps, like he said I would. Judge Cobb and the prosecutor are the ones who recommended that I come to MDC Brooklyn, that ‘The medical here is good.’
“The prosecutors and the judge sent me to New York to set me up.”
“No human being should have to go through this. Where is Jim Jordan? How can Jim Jordan sit there and totally ignore what is happening to me? MTG promised she was going to do something. What is she doing? I need help! I got new lumps in my neck.”
Samsel called attention to the ongoing dispute between federal judges and the Department of Justice and Bureau of Prisons over the abuse of inmates detained in the dilapidated Brooklyn prison.
“The medical staff here have lied to the judges,” he explained. “The judges here in New York, because the conditions are so horrible, the inmates here are [serving] three days for every one day spent in jail. And they really are violent offenders, some of them. If that’s the case, we all should go home.”

**PLEASE SUPPORT J6 POLITICAL HOSTAGE RYAN SAMSEL’S MEDICAL BATTLE FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT HERE**
New York judges are indeed cutting down the sentences of inmates detained in MDC Brooklyn as inmates are being served maggot-infested meals amid illegal perpetual lockdowns, lack of proper medical treatment by cruel correction officers, short-staffing and a host of other miserable conditions that have gone unchecked for decades.
The corruption in MDC Brooklyn most recently boiled over in January when Manhattan Federal Court Judge Jesse Furman issued a blistering 19-page ruling laying out why the Brooklyn prison, which handles pre-trial detention for the Manhattan and Brooklyn federal courts, should shut down, particularly after the jail lost power for eight days in 2019 during a polar vortex.
“It has gotten to the point that it is routine for judges in both this District and the Eastern District [Brooklyn] to give reduced sentences to defendants based on the conditions of confinement in the MDC,” Furman wrote. “Prosecutors no longer even put up a fight, let alone dispute that the state of affairs is unacceptable.”
“When I ask my lawyers, what about me, they say, ‘Judge Cobb is not going to do that. She disagrees with these judges,’” Samsel continued. “How is that not selective prosecution? How come these guys get the medical? How come one guy got $120,000 for his stitches being left in too long? I don’t know what to do. Judge Cobb, I wrote her. I’ve sent her everything and she does nothing.”

Samsel said he spoke with Furman last week as the federal judge inspected the prison. Furman reportedly notified Judge Cobb about the detriments of the deplorable conditions of the jail.  Evidently, Cobb couldn’t care less.
“Judge Cobb told him to stop reaching out to other judges,” Samsel said. “Now, I haven’t gotten any medical. They just gave me Statin, for blood vessels. It took them 3 years to do that. I want a status hearing and I want that status hearing to be public. We are tired of being treated like this. This is not fair.”
Throughout 40 months of incarceration in pretrial detention, Samsel has been transferred to 19 different correctional facilities 26 times. When he finally gets to a doctor in jail, they prescribe him surgery. Then he is transferred to another jail and never sees his way to the operating table.
In April, hours after TGP published Ray Epps’ interviews with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in which the suspected government plant is repeatedly heard lying to authorities in violation of federal law, prison guards dragged J6 political hostage Ryan Samsel’ to solitary confinement.
Samsel was detained in the hole, a small cage on the rooftop of the dilapidated MDC Brooklyn prison, for weeks. Prison guards finally released Samsel back to the general population of the prison on May 18. This time, they housed him in a unit with convicted child sex offenders and trannies.
“I don’t care. If I have to lay my life down for people to know the truth, then I will,” Samsel said. “No human being — you’re never going to change the crime rate on the outside if you treat people like this. There is no reform. It’s sad. You have to reform people physically, mentally, and spiritually. You can’t bring people in here and break them.”
The J6 political prisoner is now barred from visitation for a year and prohibited from purchasing a commissary.
And he might as well starve than eat the rotten food that is regularly served in the New York prison. The general population of the federal prison is almost as bad as the hole. Inmates are perpetually locked in their cells for days and even weeks at a time, where dirty water from the toilets above leaks from the ceilings.
Defense lawyers have confirmed MDC Brooklyn is serving maggot-infested food to inmates.
“We actually get maggots here. There are maggots in our food,” Samsel said. That dust that you see on the air vent — there was a tuberculosis outbreak and they never cleaned the air vents. There are people that die here, constantly, I swear to God. There is no emergency call button. You are literally locked in a cell here, with thousands of people, and left in a room.”
“I’m not allowed to get visits for a whole year. I’m not allowed commissary. And they still haven’t given me medical. I wish that people would come here and help stand up for me.”
**PLEASE SUPPORT J6 POLITICAL HOSTAGE RYAN SAMSEL’S MEDICAL BATTLE FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT HERE**

Last week, Samsel sent TGP photographs an investigator obtained from inside MDC Brooklyn, showcasing the unsanitary conditions of the correctional facility and the barf-inducing, rotten trays of food inmates are regularly served.

TGP has tried reaching Woodward numerous times about the status of Samsel’s health. Woodward has yet to respond.
Samsel warns prison guards have been canceling his legal calls, but Woodward and mitigation expert Sam Mangel, whom Samsel just invested $45,000 to retain, contend to Samsel’s family they have been repeatedly told by the prison that Samsel has canceled the calls.
Samsel was scheduled to be sentenced on June 13, but Judge Cobb postponed his sentencing to Sept. 3, on Samsel’s birthday.
Judge Cobb “is such a nasty person to me, she purposely set my sentencing to my birthday,” he noted.
Last year, when Samsel was detained in a Philadelphia jail, a doctor issued are report to the government outlining Samsel’s immediate need for surgery. The jail staff locked then him in the broom closet, which they substituted for a “hard cell,” for over five months with the light on. Correctional officers also forced him to use a bucket for a toilet to prevent him from communicating and “fishing” through the toilet for food.

“Instead of giving me physical rehab, I sat in a broom closet.  Congress has yet to do anything about it. I don’t know why they are not investigating my assaults,” he said.

Samsel rendered aid to Josh Black, another demonstrator who was shot in the face by cops at the J6 Save America rally.

Police attempted to arrest Black as Samsel attempted to provide him aid, but Samsel fended the cops away.

The cops then fired another munition that ignited inches away from Samsel’s face.

For shielding Black from the cops, federal district Judge Jia Cobb convicted Samsel of felony assault.
Judges are treating hardened criminals more humanely than J6 protesters.
On May 22, Brooklyn Federal Court Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall scolded a Bureau of Prison attorney who “lied” about whether MDC inmate Jonathan Goulbourne received his antibiotic regimen. Goulbourne’s appendix burst on April 14, and jail staff ignored him for more than several hours before sending him to the hospital. Hall is demanding the MDC staffers get private defense attorneys to replace their DOJ lawyers who shield them from criminal exposure.
Goulbourne, who is charged with causing death through the use of firearms in connection with a murder, “returned to the hospital with prescriptions for painkillers and antibiotics, but a weekend lockdown and a problem with a missing ID cut him off from his painkillers,” New York Daily News reports. “After the lockdown ended, Goulbourne was thrown into the jail’s segregated housing unit after an encounter with a nurse and lost access to the last few doses of his antibiotic regimen.”
In December, Brooklyn Federal Court Judge Dora Irizarry threatened to hold an assistant US attorney in contempt for ignoring her order to send MDC Brooklyn detainee James Young to a medical facility. Instead, they housed Young, accused in a string of gunpoint store robberies, among the general population despite open wounds and a highly contagious MRSA infection and forced by prison staff to wear a yellow jumpsuit to signify infection.

Samsel has been repeatedly assaulted for refusing to cooperate with the government in a plea deal that entailed lying about Proud Boys leader Joe Biggs having a gun at the Capitol riot and testifying against former President Donald Trump. The assaults have left him with lifelong injuries including a broken jaw and brain damage that has resulted in the loss of vision in his right eye.

“I refused to turn on the Proud Boys. I refused to turn on Donald Trump. I stood my ground. I went to trial. I didn’t take a plea deal. I ask the public to stand for me, when I need you,” he said. “I need help. If there is an organization at this point that can help me, please help.”
This reporter is assisting Samsel with retaining an attorney who will fight for his medical rights so that he may finally undergo surgery that may save his life.
WATCH: 

**PLEASE SUPPORT J6 POLITICAL HOSTAGE RYAN SAMSEL’S MEDICAL BATTLE FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT HERE** […]