Cris Cyborg to Defend Her Bellator Title Against Arlene Blencowe Next Month

Posted on September 12, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Cris Cyborg is getting into defensive mode…

The 35-year-old Brazilian-American mixed martial artist, whose real name is Cristiane Justino, is ready for her first Bellator title defense as part of the promotion’s debut on a new network.

Cyborg will put her Bellator women’s featherweight title on the line against Arlene Blencowe on October 15 at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, promotion officials have announced.

The card will air in a Thursday night time slot on CBS Sports Network. Bellator had been on Paramount Network (formerly Spike TV) since 2013.

Cyborg (22-2, 1 NC), ESPN’s No. 3-ranked pound-for-pound female fighter in the world, won the Bellator title in her last outing, stopping Julia Budd by fourth-round TKO in January.

Cyborg has won two straight after losing the UFC women’s featherweight title to Amanda Nunes at UFC 232 in December 2018.

Cyborg departed the UFC after her contract expired last year. She’s one of the most fearsome women’s MMA fighters of all time with 18 KO/TKO finishes in 22 pro wins.

Blencowe (13-7) has won three straight and is coming off a unanimous decision win over UFC veteran Leslie Smith last November. The Australia native has just two MMA losses in the past five years, both to Budd. Blencowe, a 37-year-old boxing veteran, has seven KO/TKOs in 13 pro wins.

Martin Reenacts Tom Cruise’s Infamous “Risky Business” Underwear Scene on Spike TV’s “Lip Sync Battle”

Posted on April 20, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Ricky Martin isn’t afraid of a little risky business…

The 45-year-old Puerto Rican superstar got down to his skivvies in an all-out effort to beat Kate Upton on Lip Sync Battle.

In a preview clip of the episode airing Thursday (April 20), Martin takes on Bob Seger‘s “Old Time Rock n Roll,” and recreates Tom Cruise‘s famous Risky Business scene featuring the song — underwear and all.

Sliding onto the stage in socks, boxer briefs and an Oxford shirt, Martin nails every move, as well as every lyric in his lip-syncing. He even uses a candlestick like the one Cruise used as a microphone in the scene.

Martin’s opponent Upton also recreates an iconic vid for her performance, lip-syncing to Britney Spears‘ “…Baby One More Time.” Dressed as schoolgirl Spears, Upton dances just like the pop singer did in her video, and puts up quite the fight against Martin’s Risky Business reenactment.

The full episode, hosted by Chrissy Teigen and LL Cool J, airs Thursday (Apr. 20) at 10:00 pm ET on Spike.

Spike TV Renews Navarro’s “Ink Master” for a 10th Season

Posted on March 24, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

There’s more Ink in Dave Navarro’s future…

Spike TV has renewed its hit Ink Master, featuring the 49-year-old part-Mexican American musician as host and one of the judges, for a 10th season.

The announcement comes ahead of the tattoo-competition series’ Season 9 summer premiere.

Ink Master has received a 16-episode order and will go into production later this year for premiere on the rebranded Paramount Network in 2018.

Each week, Ink Master puts artists through a series of tattoo challenges that not only test the artists’ technical skills but also their on-the-spot creativity, as they must create and execute an original tattoo on a “human canvas.” After every challenge, the contestants face a panel made up of Navarro, a founding member of Jane’s Addiction, and tattoo artists Chris Nunez (Miami Ink) and Oliver Peck (Elm Street Tattoo).

“I’m so pleased to see Ink Master reach a milestone 10th season as it continues to be a great ratings driver for the network,” said Chachi Senior, SVP Original Programming, Spike. “The franchise has shown such amazing growth with our female audience that it is a natural progression to launch a female-fronted stand-alone competition, as well.”

Season 9 of Ink Master debuts this June.

Jay Z Reportedly Co-Producing Film Adaptation of Miranda’s “In the Heights” Musical

Posted on March 1, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Lin-Manuel Miranda is pairing up with one of music’s greats…

According to Playbill, Jay Z will serve as a co-producer for the film adaptation of the 37-year-old Puerto Rican actor, playwright, composer, rapper and writer’s Tony Award-winning musical In the Heights.

Harvey Weinstein reportedly announced the news at a pre-Oscars party on Sunday.

Last September, Jay Z joined forces with the Weinstein Company for the upcoming Spike TV docuseries TIME: The Kalief Browder Story.

In the Heights was a 2008 Broadway musical that earned a Tony Award for its story about Latino characters growing up in New York City’s Washington Heights. The eclectic film, reportedly directed by Jon M. Chu, is said to feature hip-hop, salsa and merengue, with the screenplay penned by Quiara Alegría Hudes.

In an interview with Variety last September, Miranda revealed that the shooting for the film would take place in the spring. The interview also indicated that the Hamilton star would not return as the play’s central character Usnavi — a Dominican bodega owner. While that might be a letdown for avid fans of the original musical, Miranda said that he would be open to tackle another role for the forthcoming film.

No official comment on the news from Jay Z and Miranda.

Aguilera Producing Music-Based Game Show “Tracks” for Spike TV

Posted on March 15, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

It’s game (show) on for Christina Aguilera…

The 35-year-old half-Ecuadorian American singer and The Voice coach is set to executive produce the music-based game show Tracks for Spike TV.

The project, produced by Mission Control Media and MX Productions in association with Lionsgate, is scheduled to premiere later this year as a half-hour special on the network.

On Tracks, a team of two attempts to name a song title just by listening to its individual tracks (e.g. guitar, bass, vocal, etc.). The series will also feature surprise celebrity musical guests performing tracks – which could be their own – or others.

“Having finely tuned my ear for music over the years, I thought it would be fun to test other folks and see if they can identify a track – with a twist – since contestants will have to focus on a single component of a song,” said Aguilera. “I’m excited to have Tracks debuting on Spike TV, and proud to have this as the first project springing from our first-look deal with Lionsgate.”

Aguilera serves as executive producer.

She has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, achieved four No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won six Grammy awards.

She has served as am on-and-off coach on NBC’s Emmy-winning The Voice since 2011.

Hayek Wins Decade of Hotness Award at Spike TV’s Guys Choice Awards

Posted on June 8, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Salma Hayek’s a perfect 10 (years of sexy)…

The 48-year-old Mexican actress picked up the Decade of Hotness award at Spike TV’s Guys Choice Awards 2015.

Hayek, who rocked a sexy low-cut dress to pick up the gong made of golden antlers from actor Liam Neeson, recalled her first time being called a “bombshell” after Desperado was released.

“My English was worse than now and I read the reviews that, ‘Salma Hayek was a bombshell,’ and to me this means that I was terrible, that I had bombed!” said Hayek. “Everyone told me, ‘No, no, it means that you’re great, that you’re sexy!’ And [I was like], ‘That’s it? They didn’t talk about my acting?”

Hayek says a nod to an actress’ “hotness” becomes more and more precious to her as she gets older.

“When you start you’re like, ‘No, I want them to see me for my talent, and know me as an actress,’ ” she told reporters on Saturday.

“Now?! They want to give me a decade of hotness – I’m like, ‘Bring it on!’ ” says the mother of Valentina Paloma Pinault. “You really like to be ‘hot’ after you’re 40.”

Hayek says she owes her hotness to husband François-Henri Pinault.

“You know makes you ‘hot’? When you have the hots for someone,” she said. “I have the hots for my husband, and that keeps you, I think that keeps that in you. When you like somebody it comes out of you, almost naturally, and you’re motivated. Love motivates you.”

Hayek has been married to Pinault, a French businessman, since 2009.

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