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In two days, CM Punk will lock horns with Jey Uso for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event.

The Chicago native returned to World Wrestling Entertainment in November 2023 and spent the next two years working high-profile non-title feuds. But that was until SummerSlam this year, where he defeated World Heavyweight Champion Gunther to hoist a World Title for the first time at the Stamford-based promotion since 2013.

Although his joy was short-lived, with Seth Rollins pulling off the “ruse of the century,” to cash his Money in the Bank contract on The Best in the World a mere 5 minutes after his emotional victory.

Now, Punk’s former colleague, Brodus Clay (aka Tyrus), feels CM Punk should not be chasing titles anymore. Instead, he should simply put over younger talents.

Brodus Clay AKA Tyrus Says WWE Titles Should Not Be On CM Punk’s Radar, Points Out Why

On TMZ Sports’ Inside The Ring, Brodus Clay had a clear stance on CM Punk going after titles in WWE.

Clay felt that at 47, Punk needed to put over much younger talents. His remark about age is debatable because many of the talents on the roster are 40 or above, such as Damian Priest, LA Knight, Cody Rhodes, and Jey Uso himself.

However, the former WWE star has opined that The Best in the World is the right guy to put over younger talents because he knows the business the best. Brodus Clay also brought up something he holds a special place in his heart regarding Punk.

I think CM Punk is at a point in his career where titles should not be on the radar. He should be getting the breakers ready. He should be getting the young guys ready,” Brodus Clay said. “Nothing against Phil [Punk’s real name], I love Phil. He gave me a title match on Monday Night RAW when, at the time, none of the other top guys would. I’m always thankful. He’s always a good dude. But I also think there comes a point when it’s the other guy’s time. And who better to get somebody over than [CM Punk]?”

You can check out his comments in the video below:

Meanwhile, CM Punk winning another World Title is not just about him, but also the fans, as there are plenty of stars who are 40 or above who the fans hope to see get a good run with the top titles. It remains to be seen if Punk walks out of SNME this weekend against Jey Uso with the World Heavyweight Championship.

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The difficulty of playing your way onto the PGA Tour is well known. But what about the steep financial costs of pursuing your PGA Tour dream? We have a clear window into that reality thanks to Korn Ferry Tour pro James Nicholas.

The 29-year-old Yale grad, who hails from New York City, is one of hundreds of elite pros trying to graduate to the big leagues. In 2025, he played in 26 Korn Ferry Tour events, finishing 64th in the standings.

That was good enough to keep his KFT card for 2026, but not enough to make it to the PGA Tour.

But Nicholas is also a burgeoning social media star, with popular Instagram and YouTube accounts.

And in his latest Instagram post, Nicholas gave a transparent look into his costs and earnings from a long year of pro golf.

Over 11 made cuts on the Korn Ferry Tour, Nicholas pulled in $173,507. Add to that $43,544 for a T61 finish at the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, bonuses and a small amount from the Minor League Golf Tour, and Nicholas earned a total of $255,058 on the course in 2025. That figure does not include sponsorships.

But most revealing were his costs. From travel expenses (AirBnbs, rental cars, flights, etc.) to caddie pay, coaches, trainers and even his YouTube crew, Nicholas’ total costs broke down to about $150,000 for the year.

All in all, he played well enough to end the year with a net gain of over $100,000.

You can check out a full breakdown of Nichols’ expenses and earnings below.

James Nicholas’ golf expenses for 2025

Caddie

$58,000

Accommodations

$27,747

Flights

$17,036

YouTube team

$13,100

Food

$12,809

Coaches

$5,855

Rental Cars

$4,661

Entry Fees

$4,600

Trainer

$2,650

Miscellaneous

$3,601

Locker and club repair

$850

Equipment and apparel

Free

Total expenses

$150,909

James Nicholas’ 2025 on-course earnings

Korn Ferry Tour

$173,507

U.S. Open

$43,544

Minor League Golf Tour

$1,711

Bonuses

$35,900

Total earnings

$255,058

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  Dave McMenaminOct 19, 2025, 07:26 PM ET

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  • Lakers and NBA reporter for ESPN.
  • Covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com from 2009-14, the Cavaliers from 2014-18 for ESPN.com and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005-09.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Jaxson Hayes enjoys playing with Luka Doncic so much on the Los Angeles Lakers that the 7-footer is trying to spend his summers playing for the Slovenian national team with Doncic, too.

Hayes said Sunday that his and Doncic’s agent, Bill Duffy of WME Sports, broached the idea with Hayes about playing for Slovenia even before Doncic was traded to Los Angeles last winter.

The 25-year-old center, who was born in Norman, Oklahoma, said the Slovenian national team allows one naturalized citizen on its roster for international competitions, and Hayes is pursuing a Slovenian passport to occupy that spot.

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Part of Hayes’ motivation was fueled by USA Basketball’s selection process for its men’s national team.

“USA doesn’t do open tryouts,” Hayes said. “And I feel like there are guys they invite to the USA [training camp] that shouldn’t be there. So, I wanted to just play on that stage … I’m going to do whatever it takes to play on that stage.”

Duffy also represented Anthony Randolph, a German-born American player, who became a naturalized citizen and helped Slovenia win gold in the 2017 EuroBasket tournament. Duffy also represented Steve Nash and is a big believer in how Nash’s Canada Basketball experience helped him become a two-time MVP in the NBA.

Doncic led Slovenia to the quarterfinals of the 2025 EuroBasket this summer and averaged 34.7 points per game — the most by a player in a single EuroBasket since Nikos Galis averaged 35.6 points for Greece in 1989.

That Slovenian team had planned to have another American-born center, Josh Nebo, on its roster, but the 6-9, 245-pound big man, who played his college ball for Saint Francis and Texas A&M, bowed out because of an injury.

Lakers coach JJ Redick said he supports Hayes’ interest in the Slovenian team.

Part of Jaxson Hayes†motivation for wanting to play with Lakers teammate Luka Doncic on the Slovenian national team is the USA Basketball selection process and its lack of open tryouts. “I’m going do whatever it takes to play on that stage,†said Hayes. Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images

“I looked at my USA Basketball experiences and I had a bunch of them … they were all invaluable to me because you’re learning around great players,” Redick said. “And then, you’re also learning a different way to play, in some ways. The international game is very different. And I think for him, if it ends up happening, getting that connection and chemistry with Luka would be awesome.”

The next major event Slovenia is hoping to participate in is the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Doha, Qatar. There are six qualifying windows to earn a spot in the event, starting in November, but only two of the windows are outside of the NBA season, making it unlikely that Hayes or Doncic will be significant contributors.

“Obviously, I would love to go represent my own country, but we don’t do open tryouts,” Hayes said. “It is what it is.”

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