#Irish traveller boxing champ

[malethirsty]

The Master Of The Claymore - Drew McIntyre

Summary: Following his success in recapturing the WWE Championship on RAW, Drew has some debts to pay and learns never to cross a swordmaster, especially one who knows how to handle a strong Scottish blade.

Warnings: M/M smut (21+), Bareback (Wrap Before You Tap!)

1, 2 & 3! You lept up and down in the Guerrilla cheering & clapping with other members of the roster whom had come to watch as the sound of Bagpipes filled the ThunderDome, Drew McIntyre had just won back the WWE Championship, the Scotsman ascending once again back to the pinnacle of the Men’s division. As Drew walked up the ramp, issuing a warning to Roman, his opponent for Survivor Series, you used the cover of the swarm of fellow wrestlers to retreat back to his dressing room, there you sat down on the sofa and waited for his arrival. It took a while for him to arrive, but sure enough he turned up, sweated out but still in high spirits, seeing you on the couch he smirked down at you “Well hello there pretty boy, I bet you’ve come to congratulate the champ in person.” You rolled your eyes “Yes of course, all hail the great Scottish stud of a champion.” You sardonically responded and Drew grinned at you “Later I’ll get you to say it like you mean it” he promised, a glint of mischief and eroticism in his eyes.

Ever since you first met him, Drew had been cockily arrogant and at first you’d hated it, your tempering flaring whenever Vince’s ‘Chosen One’ tried to flex his strength towards you and the rest of the roster. However when he won the intercontinental title, that was when your rage boiled over and you had confronted him about his arrogant nature, by the end of the night, you realised his cocky attitude could be backed up with his skills... and wrestling was only the tip of what he could do with his body. Ever since then, you’d engaged in this relationship where you’d show up to wherever he was, he’d drop what he was doing and fuck you, your submissive nature in the bedroom paired perfectly with his cocky demeanour. However as of recently, you’d been in a draught, twenty two long days of no Scottish stud, as insensed by losing the title, he threw himself into training, completely neglecting you. You’d acted fine to his face, but tonight you were going to remind him that you were the only gold he needed to cherish, not some fucking leather strap.

Deciding to keep the nature of the conversation sweet for now, you turned the conversation to a fact you’d discovered on the show that night “I never knew Claymore was a type of sword till Sheamus gave you it in the box.” Drew, whom had been bothering with packing up his stuff to head back to his hotel room, looked across the room at you, rather surprised “Really? It’s quite well known in Scotland.” “Yes, well some of us haven’t lived in Scotland for out entire lives Drew.” “Sheamus is Irish and he knew, maybe your just uneducated about your knowledge of combat weaponry. So Y/N, I think I better teach you about it.” He abandoned what he was doing and crossed the room and sat next to you, his cocky nature out in full force “So the Claymore is quite an old yet strong weapon, known in my homeland for being a symbol of pride and strength. Only the strongest of men can wield it, it needs two hands to cover it” He stopped and leaned in to whisper in your ear “a lot like me.” He nipped at your ear lightly and drew back, which let you know that you had him where you wanted him, so you flirted back “Impressive, I’d like to get my hands around one sometime, wouldn’t that be a sight, little old me handling something so big, heavy and strong? You’d probably have to hold me up so I can keep balance” You moved onto his lap and sensing his hardness, trailed your hand down his hairy chest, above where his title was positioned. Drew groaned, his eyes fluttering closed for a second, as he minicked your ministrations onto your own bare chest, including tweaking your nipples as his cock got harder as you continued. He looked deep into your eyes and said “Why wait? Reach down into my kilt and handle it yourself.”

You didn’t wait to be asked twice and slid down onto the floor pulling off his kilt as you went, his cock flying up, very erect, hitting your face for your trouble. Not wasting anymore time, you slipped your lips over it and began to suck, “Oh yes, suck it down deep Y/N.” Drew groaned, throwing his head back as he got used to your wet, hot mouth around his member, his cock got even harder than before in your mouth, so you had to be careful not to take too much or risk choking, so you lathered it a little before pulling out, taking it in your hand and slapping it on your face “Nah-uh Y/N, remember you handle Daddy’s Claymore with two hands.” Drew chided, grinning at the dirty show he was watching below him, and so you grabbed onto his cock with both hands, fully covering the length of his dick, and pulled down, exposing the head. You trailed your tongue around it, eliciting soft growls from the champion, which soon turned to full out moans as you licked across his slit. “Yeah, you like that Daddy?” You asked, sweetly with a hint of cheekiness, as you knew what licking his slit did to Drew “Fuck yeah I do pretty boy”, motivated by his praise, you moved back onto Drew’s slit, this time giving it kitten licks while looking up into his eyes “Jesus Christ, your tongue’s incredible Y/N. Get back onto my cock before I cum on your face, I wanna bust in your mouth.”

Finally poised to strike, you moved away from him, leaving Drew panting “Wh-wha?” He looked up at you confused “Y/N, I said to get back on my dick.” “No Drew. See this is what’s been going on for the entire time Randy’s been reigning as champion, you’ve been fixated on training and your desire to hold that belt, while ignoring the fact that I’ve been needing you, having to wait for you to come to bef and fuck me has been fucking painful. Do you know how many times I’ve had to pull up the dick pics you’ve sent me and wanked to them cause you won’t man up when you finally stop training and fuck me?” Drew was looking taken aback, a mix of something that looked like anger on his face, but you were past the point of caring about hurting him and carried on. It was as if a faucet had been turned on in your brain, and everything you’d been wanting to say was spilling out of your mouth “I guess you haven’t thought at all, because you’ve been fucking piss weak after losing the championship to get up and keep moving forward, you’ve been so fixated that your forgetting about the one person that has needed you that entire reign. Goddamn it Drew, I WANT YOU TO BE A FUCKING MAN!” You yelled the last part out, all composure gone. You turned around to leave, expecting him to be too stunned to do anything, wanting him instead to think about how he’d left you so lonely and return to your hotel room with an apology with chocolates or some shit like that. Blood was pumping loudly in your ears from the shouting you had done, that you didn’t notice the thud of leather meeting the floor.

You had almost crossed the room before a hand grasped your head and you were slammed into the door, the hand protecting your head from bouncing off it, turning around, you saw Drew, a dangerous alit look in his eyes, dark and determined. With a gruff growl, he moved his hand from your head down to your pants, ripping the fabric clean in two and tossing it away. He then aimed his cock at your entrance and thrusted upwards, your cry of shocked pleasure drowned out by Drew’s bellow. You stayed like that for a while, Drew grunting as he took deep breaths to speak “That man enough for you Y/N? Huh? That enough to sate your slutty fucking ass?!” Drew yelled out and too shocked to form words, you nodded instead. Satisfied, he began to piston forwards, slamming into your ass so hard, the door began to shake. As you cried out from his ministrations you stared at him, the light hearted cocky man he was in the ring now gone, now he looked determined, powerful, dominant. “You want to be treated like a little fucking slut Y/N, is that what you want to be? Daddy’s fucking cock sleeve?” You tried to respond but stunbled over your words, only Y sounds coming from your mouth as you tried to say ‘Yes’. Suddenly he stopped moving and grabbed your face “Nah-uh pretty, you’re gonna use your voice and tell Daddy how much you love his dick fucking your ass, otherwise I can stop right now and leave you desperate to cum.” Drew was meeting you halfway, the fucking bastard.. the fucking hot bastard, so you responded “Yes Daddy, fuck I’ve needed this for so long!” Drew grinned “Good little slut, wrap your legs round Daddy’s waist.”

Obeying him, you wrapped your legs around his strong waist and with no effort at all he lifted you off the ground and trapped your lips in a kiss so hot, it felt like steam was coming off the both of you. After a while like this, he began to buck into you again “Fucking love how your tight little ass clenching round my thick hard dick. God damn Y/N, you know how to take Daddy’s cock just right.” You couldn’t respond, he was hitting your prostate so perfectly it felt as if shots of electricity were surging through you, the most you could do was hold onto the hunks back as hard as you could to prevent yourself from falling over from how ferociously he was pounding you. The sound of Drew’s balls slapping against you was joined by the sounds of his moaning and feral growling, which only increased as you raked your fingernails across his back, a thin trail of blood starting to form “Fucking hell babe, two can play at that game!” Drew lowered you to the ground and lifted your legs onto his shoulders, and began to fuck you at a different angle as he began to travel down your neck, kissing and nipping at it, intending to leave hickeys all down it, a mark of the Scot to show the world you belonged to him and him alone. You made soft mewling sounds as he did so, and trailed your left hand through his raven dark hair and your right through his chest hair “You like that?” Drew withdrew from his ministrations to ask “Yeah, I don’t know what about your head and chest hair really gets me going, but it does.” “It’s the sign of a fucking man, a fucking warrior. My raven hair on my head and my chest hair looks like I’ve come from a hard fought battle against a giant or soldier or some shit and I’m ready to claim your arse as a reward.” He punctuated this with a harsh thrust forwards, and you turned into a moaning mess all over again.

Drew moved away from your body now, looking up you saw him standing on his knees, his hips lazily pistoning forward, you began to push up to meet him halfway, his dick now seemingly coated in sweat as Drew pulled it out. He brushed the tip of it with his thumb and saw the sweat was actually precum, catching sight of you looking he grinned down “Want to taste my precum Y/N?” You moved up to him, only to be stopped by a rough hand covering your chest “Manners baby, what do you say to Daddy if you want to taste him?” “Drew, please I-“ “What do you say?” His voice grew seductively dark as he asked twice, so you swallowed deeply and said “Please Daddy, may I taste you?” Satisfied Drew moved his thumb to your mouth and you lapped your tongue out to taste his salty precum, eventually taking his thumb into your mouth “How is it that you look as hot taking my cock balls deep into your mouth as you do my fingers?” Drew pondered looking down at the sweaty mess he made of you, you moaned around his thumb before Drew pulled it out and thrusted his cock back inside you.

His cock began to pulse inside you, the veins bulging as he neared his end. Knowing he was close, Drew grasped onto your cock and began to stroke violently. Already sensitive, this only made you cry out loudly “OH FUCK DREW! YES DADDY, STROKE MY COCK!” You yelled, not caring if Adam Pierce, Randy, Charley or anyone else heard you, you were too intoxicated from Drew fucking you at last to care. Drew got right down to your face, noses touching, his eyes baring down into you so hard, it was as if he was looking into your soul “Tell me who you belong to Y/N, submit and tell me, and I’ll let you cum all you want. Who. Do. You. Belong. To?” Each word was accompanied by a hard thrust into your ass, your muscles clenching softer than before, that it was amazing they hadn’t lost their grip from how hard Drew was railing you “You Daddy Drew! I belong to you!” You wailed out, utterly blissed out on Drew’s cock. He smirked, leaning down to your ear to whisper “Now Y/N, cum for me.” You cried out in relief and pleasure as load upon load shot out over Drew’s chest, spattering onto his chest hair, he waited until you stopped before pulling you up onto his lap and bucked wildly “Fucking hell Y/N, your ass feels so good when you cum that I’m gonna shoot my load, all deep into that slutty ass of yours, your fucking craving it yeah? Craving Daddy’s load up your ass. Well Daddy’s gonna give it all to you my twenty two day load, and you better take every last drop!” Utterly blown out by lust, you kissed Drew deeply, him returning with equal passion until he reached the edge and withdrew from your lips “Yeah, fuck Y/N, I’m cuming, I’m gonna cum deep inside you!” The air was wrent with a crying growl from the WWE Champion as he came, his release shooting inside you, thick and hot. Drew’s eyes were wound shut, his body thrown back so far, it was as if his orgasm was stretching him out. You didn’t think his cock would stop shooting forth his load, but eventually it stopped and Drew collapsed onto you, kissing you all over the face.

It was a while before either of you spoke “Holy fucking shit” you huffed out, Drew releasing a guttural laugh “That’s damn right, fuck Y/N, you’re like a fucking vice when I cum, you milk it all out, bet it’ll drip out of your hole by the time we get back to the hotel.” As your senses restored, you realised that you were still in his dressing room, you’d been caught up in how well Drew fucked you, you forgot you weren’t in privacy, you were in public and likely the whole roster had heard you turn into a desperate needy whore for the Scotsman on top of you. Catchhing your eye and seemingly understanding, Drew lifted you up “Own it, at least your getting dicked down by a fucking man.” A smile forming, you nodded “Now, I’m gonna get my kilt back on and get you some pants so we can head home and get you showered up before round two.” “R-round two?” You questioned “Yeah, you said I left you without sex for the entirety of Randy’s reign, so over the next week I’ll fuck you all over the hotel room that it’ll more than make up for it.” He said, as a matterafactly as talking about the next day’s weather. “Now look who’s the needy slut.” You sardonically responded to a grin from Drew, whom having just fastened his kilt back up, crossed over to you and cupped your face “Now don’t start with me Y/N, you were complaining about me not manning up for you. I’ll tell you what, if you’re good for me then when I win Survivor Series, I’ll make you the Prince of Claymore Country, make you a crown out of my seed, would you like that Y/N.” ‘Damn this man was something else’ you thought, but contented Drew with a nod of your head “Good man, now wait here while I get some new pants for you, and then we can leave and fuck in our own bed.” With that, he left his dressing room and you sat back onto the sofa, getting a little excited about the many more times you’d be getting to handle Drew’s Claymore in the future.

[irishrebelvoice]

Joe Rogan Meets Controversial Boxer, Tyson Fury

Joe Rogan Meets Controversial Boxer, Tyson Fury

Tyson Fury is an English former world heavyweight boxing champion. He is of Irish Traveller identity which makes him a tough SOB. Within the Traveller culture, men are judged by their no nonsense attitude and ability to take care of business. As a former world champ, Fury is top of the heap.

He is also a man who has suffered from well publicized mental health problems. It’s his erratic behaviour…

[ibestofthewestblog]

Team Profile:

Sierra Canyon Trailblazers

CIF-Southern Section 

Coach: Andre Chevalier

Last season: 32-3 (CIF Open Division State Champions)

Cassius Stanley after Sierra Canyon dismantled University School (Florida) in the Les Schwab Invitational Final, a team that included Duke’s Vernon Carey and FSU commit Scottie Barnes

The Skinny:

The ESPN High School Showcase released their roster of games they will be spotlighting this season, as ESPN will be the home of games between top ranked teams across the country.  Upon release of the schedule, one can clearly see that the showcase favors one program over others: the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers.  The school in Chatsworth, California show up a whopping fifteen times on the showcase, which in itself is clearly a record since the series has been developed.  This is due in part of the Trailblazer’s history to accumulate superteams even in the wake of graduation.  In 2017-2018 it was the trio of Cassius Stanley, KJ Martin, & Scotty Pippen, Jr and this season calls for the ridiculous combination of Ziaire Williams, BJ Boston, Shy Odom, Bronny James Jr., & Zaire Wade.  Ziaire Williams & BJ Boston are atop of the ESPN 100 rankings for top ranked seniors as they are supported by the already stacked cast at Sierra Canyon.  They return TCU bound Terren Frank, super sophomore Amari Bailey, & big man from China, Harold Yu.  On paper, the Blazers look like the a top-ten team in the nation but this season they will be tested as they play a national schedule, competing against top competition with little rest in between tournaments and showcases.

ESPN High School Showcase Games:

11/21 vs. Montgomery (California) ESPN3

11/22 vs. St. Augustine (California) ESPN3

11/23 vs. Cathedral Catholic (California) ESPN3

12/7 at Millenium (Arizona) ESPN3

12/14 vs. St. Vincent St. Mary (Ohio) ESPN3

1/03 vs. No. 4 The Patrick School (New Jersey) ESPN2

1/04 at No. 20 Minehaha Academy (Minnesota) ESPN3

1/11 vs. No. 18 Rancho Christian ESPN3

1/18 vs. Dominican (Wisconsin) ESPN3

1/20 vs. No. 12 Paul VI (Virginia) ESPNU

1/28 at Campbell Hall (California) ESPN3

1/31 at Brentwood School (California) ESPN3

2/04 at Paraclete (California) ESPN3

2/07 vs. Gil St. Bernard’s (New Jersey) ESPN3

2/08 No. 9 Long Island Lutheran (New York) ESPN3

Potential Line-up:

Big bodied Harold Yu will make big strides this season

BJ Boston - high-flying all American opted to transfer from Norcross (Georgia) in search of spotlight and hardware.  Played for Nike EYBL AOT (Athletes of Tomorrow) alongside multitalented point guard Sharife Cooper (McEachern HS, Georgia).  Committed to Kentucky.  Working on tool-box as far as outside game goes, will have a Cassius Stanley like impact.

Ziaire Williams - perhaps the most polished of the group as he showcases the true ability to score from all three levels.  Transferred Notre Dame HS (Sherman Oaks, California).  Played for Nike EYBL Oakland Soldiers and stole the show last spring as he showed all high majors on why he should be considered on the list.  Early to tell, but looks to be the alpha dog for Sierra Canyon early in the season and down the stretch.

Amari Bailey - sophomore originally from Chicago plays hard on every possession, very fluid and hard-working athlete that skies from nowhere on possessions to rebound, block shots, and dunk it on unsuspecting defenders.  Crafty ball-handler that has a variety of moves down the lane.  Can knock down the open jumper.  Add this with the fact that he is only a sophomore and you have a truly scary player over the years.  Played for Nike EYBL Mac Irvin 15U (Chicago, Illinois) last spring.

Terren Frank - Terren is a name that not all are familiar with, for he plays more of a six man role, but is capable of anything on the court.  He is a stretch four, as he can knock down shots from anywhere on the floor as well as has handy moves inside the post.  He has faced injuries in the past two years, but when he was on the floor he was effective as ever.  Overall team player that will do anything to win.  Was a part of the Nike EYBL Finalists Team Why Not.

Harold Yu - big and imposing center originally from China, Yu transferred last season in hopes of getting Division 1 exposure.  He got way more than he bargained for, as he picked up an offer from Cal in his first week playing, got an CIF Open Division State ring, amongst other accolades.  The 7’2” big man is a physical specimen, has a nice touch for a big man, and looks to continue to develop and learn the game as a junior.

How Will They Be Tested:

St. Augustine’s Chibuzo Agbo was a mere freshman when they took down Sierra Canyon in the 2017 CIF Open Division Playoffs

The Trailblazers waste no time at all and begin the season on ESPN, as their games during the San Diego Tip-Off Challenge will be shown on television 11/22-11/24.  There, they will meet Montgomery, St. Augustine & Cathedral Catholic, all San Diego teams.  St. Augustine is an interesting match-up, as the two teams matched up last year in a blowout for Sierra Canyon.  However, interestingly enough, the last time Sierra Canyon lost in the CIF Open Division State Playoffs was to St. Augustine, when they had Marvin Bagley and Cody Riley.  St. Augustine is a tough team led by Coach Mike Haupt, who has a reputation for putting together tough teams and getting the most out of his players.  St. Augustine is led by Texas Tech commit Chibuzo Agbo and Luke Haupt, whom played for Team Why Not.  On another side note, Cathedral Catholic defeated Sierra Canyon in the year before that in the 2016 CIF State Open Division Playoffs, that year they were led by Brandon McCoy (Wisconsin Herd).  San Diego teams have proved difficult for the Trailblazer, so they will be tested right off the bat.

On 12/14 on what is a truly engaging match-up, the Sierra Canyon Trailblazers will meet LeBron James’ alma mater, St. Vincent St. Mary’s (OH) in the Hoophall Classic.  In the 2002-2003 season, LeBron James led the Irish to a national title where his own games were nationally televised on ESPN.  In a truly coming of age tale, Bronny James Jr. will play against his father’s school on ESPN.  

On 12/18, they will travel to Las Vegas for the Tarkanian Classic, where they will play more out-of-state talent.

12/26, they will see a homecoming trip where they will in the Damien Classic in a field that includes Rancho Christian, whom they will surely be seeing a few times in the season.

1/03 they will play The Patrick School (New Jersey), alma mater of NBA superstar Kyrie Irving.  St. Patrick is headed by top 2021 player Jonathan Kuminga, who is being recruited by virtually every school in the school.  This game will be on big-time television on ESPN2.

1/04 will pit them against Minehaha (Minnesota) which has the talented tandem of Jalen Suggs and Chet Holmgren.  Jalen Suggs is ranked as the sixth best prospect in the class of 2020 according to ESPN and is ranked within the ESPN 300 as a dual-threat quarterback as well.  Chet Holmgren is a versatile 7-footer that can dribble like a guard and take it down the middle and jam it on a defender.  Both played on the Underamour Association for Team Sizzle. 

Who Will Stop Them in State?

California has traditionally been amongst the tougher states to claim a state title, as one has to place well in their city championships to claim a good seed in State, not only win their region, but play the Socal/Norcal winner in the State Title game.  More often than not, the Southern California teams claim the title, as there are generally more talented teams in the SoCal area.  Teams that will give Sierra Canyon trouble down the road as State comes include:

Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) - every season you hear about the Monarchs, as they are led by veteran coach Mary McKnight, whom is no stranger to winning himself.  His accolades include one national title, eleven State titles, sixteen SoCal regional championships, and 23 CIF-Southern Section titles.  This season, Mater Dei hosts a slew of talented, headlined by Devin Askew (Kentucky commit) & big man Wilhelm Breidenbach.  Askew is a silky smooth guard with deft balling handling skills, a perfect shot, as well a bulldog demeanor on the court.  Breidenback is a blue collar post who has shown range and ability to rebound and matches Askew’s fire on the court.  The two were a tandem on the Nike EYBL Team Why Not team that made it to the finals.

Rancho Christian (Temecula, California) - the Eagles are led by number one prospect in the country, Evan Mobley, who will join his brother at USC next season.  Evan Mobley is truly a video game character, while at 7-feet he can handle the ball, shoot, cut, just like a guard.  Now, his confidence and skills are at a peak and he is dunking on opponents at will.  This season he looks to win Gatorade Player of the Year as well as cap off his senior season with a State title.  Played for the Adidas Gauntlet Compton Magic, arguably the best program currently in AAU hoops.  Alongside Mobley, the Eagles costar Gonzaga commit Dominick Harris who is pound for pound one of the best players in California.  Harris is listed at 6’4” but can sky for dunks in addition to his overall ability to simple score anywhere on the court.  Look for Rancho Christian to duke it out several times with Sierra Canyon this season.  In fact, they have a date with the Trailblazers on 1/11 as a part of the ESPN High School showcase.

Why They Won’t Make It?

Although Sierra Canyon is not only returning CIF Open Division champs, but in fact back to back Open Division Champs (first time since the introduction of Open Division), they will face stiff competition not only in-state but out of state as well.  With everybody in the country knowing who the Trailblazers are, they will be on their tip-toes to try to put a dent to their name.  This team will be tested physically, emotionally, spiritually as they will play the best individual and team talent with little to no rest.  Although they will mature on the road and as the season progresses, the true question is how well can you mesh a team together for the short-term goal.  

Sierra Canyon has a history of melting teams together as for the 2017-2018 season Bagley skitched on for a ride and Cassius joined for the 2018-2019 season on the route to two State titles.  However, as history shows, there is never a dominant team in California that competes and dominates at the highest level for more than a year or two.  It even took Chino Hills several tries and it didn’t come together until Lonzo’s senior season with Lamelo skipping a grade to enroll earlier along with the other Division 1 talent surrounding them.  Also, the Trailblazers may suffer from too much depth, often times a team with too many all-star players can crash and burn due to little chemistry on the court.  In fact, there are rumors surfacing that with the surplus of talent on this team, they will go with a rolling line-up throughout the entirety of the season, experimenting with line-ups and rotations.  However, questions still stand for the Blazers this season.  Can Sierra Canyon deliver upon the pressures they put on themselves?  Is this the new formula for high school basketball, putting together an on the run team filled with five-star transfers?  Only time will tell.

Enjoy The Show:

Before the season began, Sierra Canyon has already put on a show for the country to follow.  With the blockbuster transfers coming in an alarming rate, the arrival of Bronny James, their own midnight madness, and all of the social media hype surrounding them.  But they are shown to be human, as they lost a fall season league game to Dreamcity Christian, a prep team led by five-star MarJon Beauchamp.  But that says something in itself that their fall season consists of opponents from prep schools, as they played Hillcrest Prep (Arizona) as well.  Right as Sierra Canyon puts together rosters nobody has seen before, with the trio of Bagley, Cody Riley, & Remy Martin, they reload to the tune of Stanley, Martin, and Pippen.  Now they have mixed the theme of five-star talents and sons of NBA players once again as the hoist together talents from all across the country in Boston and Odom.  Add in the cameras, light, and action in the form of the ESPN coverage and you have one of the most highly speculated high school basketball seasons in recently memory, perhaps ever.  Now we will have to see, as whether they deliver on their hype and mania in the form of a State championships, and perhaps number one national spot.  Stay tuned. 

[surrounded-by-superheroes]

Good Old Days (Steve)

Summary; Steve has never been a fan of parties, so you come up with a little surprise for him. Turns out, he surprises you too. 

A/N; Cute, fluffy, fall fluff is my stuff dude. Enjoy!! 

Warnings; Pure fluff. Language.

Words; 1,544

Fall Fluff Masterlist

Steve doesn’t like parties.

Noisy, impersonal, dark things that they are. I know this and that’s why my eyes find him in the crowds every once and a while just to make sure he isn’t contemplating another dive into the ice to escape all this. It’s Tony’s first day of Fall bash. Pumpkins are everywhere, orange, yellow, and red spotlights dance around the room as if searching for felons but instead find heroes. Black and orange streamers decorate every still surface and I know for a fact that there are confetti canons waiting to go off when Tony gets just drunk enough. This isn’t as big a party as Stark would usually throw since we’ve moved to the new facility, but everyone seems to still be having a good time. Tony and Rhodes are teasing each other like crazy with Pepper to referee over on the grey couches, Natasha and Wanda are talking at the bar with Vision close by, and I’m close to the live band sipping on my gin martini and keeping a close eye on Steve. He’s leaning against the far wall and creeping closer to the exit. A smirk on my face, I put my drink down and slither through the swaying bodies on the dancefloor until I’ve reached the elusive Captain.

“Planning an escape?” I ask and he looks up from the amber liquid swirling in the glass held in his hand to meet my eyes. A little relief passes over his face that it’s me and not some stranger, but he still looks weary.

“You gonna stop me?” He replies with a smile teasing the edges of pink lips.

“Tempt you, maybe. Dance with me?” I offer him a hand and he straightens as his eyebrows raise. Soft orange light passes over him and casts him in a darker light. Golden locks turn golden brown, blue eyes look darker like storm clouds, and the shade thrown across his face makes him look older than he is. Still not a hundred though. He seems to think about my proposal a moment, surveying my face and expression before downing the amber courage and setting down his glass.

“It’s been a while.” He admits and takes my hand. Callused, tender, and warm. Steve’s always so warm, no matter where we are or what the weather. He’s like his own little sun. We walk onto the dancefloor and he raises our clasped hands, then slides a hand onto my waist as my hand lands on his shoulder.

“So far, so good.” I commend him and receive a small smile. “Sorry Sam couldn’t come. Said his mom would box his ears if he missed another family meal to pow around with Captain America.” Those blue eyes light up at the mention of his friend and a quiet laugh escapes his tight chest. A little tension rolls off his broad shoulders.

“Eh, it’s alright. Family’s important.” He tells me as a song definitely not meant for slow dancing comes on and we keep slow dancing. I consider his words and his pretty face.

“So why, during this lovely, family event, are you trying to escape?” I ask and he sighs, looking over my shoulder with a half-smile on his face. Blue eyes once again meet mine and he pulls me a little closer. Whether a conscious or unconscious, I don’t care.

“Family can be a bit too much at times. Especially when…not everyone is here.” He murmurs the last sentence and that weight is back on his shoulders again. A moment passes and I realize we’ve stopped swaying. I take a step back but tighten my grip on his hand.

“How about a walk then?” My hand waves to the door and Steve’s eyes turned surprised and amused.

“Now you’re helping me escape?” He teases as we slowly walk to the doors hand in hand. Neither of us make a move to let go and I feel his warmth travel throughout my body. I meet his eyes and feel that familiar spark in my heart at the small amount of happiness there.

“Something like that. Actually, I want to show you something.” I reveal and my steps quicken once we’re out of the main party space. Steve picks up the pace easily to keep up with me and seems to look a little younger as excitement fills those blue eyes. “I know Bucky made you come. He called and told me to keep an eye out on ‘his punk.’” Steve’s eyes widen.

“He called you?” He repeats in disbelief, looking at me in a new light.

I nod and tug him around the corner and into the stairwell. “The minute you left the apartment. He told me you didn’t want to leave him but since things between him and Stark are still rocky he wanted to sit the party out. Thought you might be down so I kept an eye on you.” He stops us once we’ve reached the top of the stairs and I turn towards him, shocked a little when I realize we’re so close in the small space. Eyes soften when he looks at me.

“What’s going on here? What’d you do?” He asks curiously, eyes wide and radiant smile on his lips. He looks younger than I’ve seen in a while. Guess he doesn’t get a lot of good surprises in his life. That’s why I put this together. I slide closer to reach the door and our noses brush. We both breathe in sharply at the feeling, then look to one another’s eyes. Smiling self-deprecatingly, those baby blues glance between my eyes and lips. Before something else happens my hand turns the knob and pushes the door open. Steve reluctantly turns and those pretty lips part as he exhales in shock.

A cool breeze raises constellations of goosebumps across our exposed skin as we step out onto the roof. A small portable record player, my own, plays Louis Armstrong’s Skeleton in a Closet from Pennies from Heaven. The music seems strange out here, but the way Steve tilts his head and shuts his eyes a moment to listen tells me he thinks the opposite. This is his New York, I suppose. There’s a table littered with covered foods; Irish soda bread, champ, stew, even colcannon with a little heart charm in the middle. Two copies of H. G. Wells’ novel, War of the Worlds sits on the end next to some cheap whiskey Bucky snagged for me. Cardboard cut outs of black cats and pumpkins lay against the food table and the one thing not keeping with the 30s-40s theme are the little pumpkin string lights on the edge of the orange table cloth. My eyes watch as Steve turns to look at each and every variable, giggling every once and a while with glee.

When he finishes and looks to me I can’t help but blush slightly. Blue eyes wide, smile wider, hair a little messy from the amount of times he’s run his hands through it in disbelief, he’s breathtaking. “Is everything right?” I ask a little hesitantly. A few steps bring him to me and he frames my face with his big hands.

“Did you do all this? Make all these things?” He asks quietly, tone insistent and hands gentle. I nod, leaning into his touch a little.

“Bucky told me what to do. Sorry it’s not completely perfect, but this is as close as I could get. Tony has yet to make a time machine.” I joke lightly and he exhales a little. The smell of whiskey washes over me and I swallow a little nervously.

“Thank you.” He tells me earnestly. “This is incredible. You’re incredible.” His voice lowers with every word until he’s practically speaking onto my lips.

“You’re incredible.” I breathe and press my lips to his full ones. Soft, tentative, and warm, so warm. I can’t even feel the chilly air around us. Especially not when one of his hands leaves my face to wrap around my waist. Forget warm, everywhere he touches feels like fire ripping its way through me and settling in my gut. Chest to chest with my hands balling up his button down, a little moan slips from my lips when he rocks his hips into mine. Just barely, his tongue teases me by running over the edge of my bottom lip. A cleared throat has us springing apart and looking towards the door. Bucky’s sitting on top with a cowboy hat placed crookedly on his dark hair.

“Done yet?” He asks with a smirk and hops down, walking over to us. Shit, I forgot he was part of the surprise. I look at Steve sheepishly, but he’s absolutely glowing with happiness. Bucky reaches up and puts a clown nose on Steve’s. Giggling, I watch Steve furrow his brows and accept the brown cowgirl hat Bucky smushes on top of my head. “Happy Fall, punk.” He punches Steve’s shoulder and gifts him a rare grin.

“Thanks, jerk.” He responds and Bucky steps between us to the table of food. Steve and I meet eyes and he steals a quick kiss before we both walk to the food behind Bucky.

And it’s looking like a good Fall too.

[averymclaren]

#explorein15days

**Disclaimer: I am by no means an expert on travel. These are just my experiences.**

I will be covering itineraries & things I wish I had known prior.

Airports

Avoid the hassle. Make sure your iPad, laptop, & cell phone are in the box. Have all your liquids (must be less than 100mL) in a clear plastic bag. Take off your watches/belts. 

Ireland - Limerick & Dublin

Transport: rented an automatic car ahead of time because Irish transit is not very reliable.

Accommodation: stayed at the place I had been renting.

Day 1 - Limerick - walked across bridge of River Shannon to see hanging flower baskets & St John’s Castle (not worth paying to go up).

Day 2 - Dublin - drove past Guinness storehouse. Walked past the Spire & people watched at St James’ Park.

France - Paris

Transport: shuttle, taxi, bus, metro (beware of strikes)

Accommodation: hotel

Day 1 - Louvre (prebooked tickets), Arc de Triomphe, Avenue des Champs-Elysées, Trocadero (splendid view of Tour Eiffel from here/live music)

Day 2 - Notre Dame Cathedral, Tour Eiffel (took lift up which cost monies), Galleries LaFayette 

Germany - Berlin

Transport: U-Bahn, S train

Accommodation: hotel

Day 1 - Bradenburger Tor (Bradenburg Gate), Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, Großer Tiergarten, Reichstag Building (Bundestag - free prebooked tickets), Alexanderplatz - market, Potsdamer Platz/Sony Center/Mall of Berlin, metro past Museum Island

Italy - Rome, Pisa, Venice

Transport: shuttle, taxi, bus, metro, Italiarail; NB: must purchase tickets ahead of time for transit from a Tabacchi (tobacco shop or the metro - cannot buy on the bus).

Accommodation: hotel

Day 1 - Roma - Colosseo, Palatine Hill, Roman Forvm (all 3 prebooked tickets), Fontani de Trevi, Pantheon (did not go inside)

Day 2 - Roma - St Peter’s Square see the Pope for free, St Peter’s Basilica free BUT MAKE SURE YOU COVER YOUR LEGS/SHOULDERS, Vatican Museums (gorgeous) & Sistine Chapel (underwhelming - no picture taking allowed) (both prebooked tickets) 

Day 3 - Pisa - Torre de Pisa

Day 4 - Venizia - aqua bus to Rialto Bridge & walked the side streets

Spain - Barcelona

Transport: metro, light rail, bus, train - got a Hola! BCN pass for unlimited transit within Barça.

Accommodation: hotel

Day 1 - Casa Batllo (prebooked tickets - not worth imo), La Pedrera aka Casa Mila (prebooked tickets - not worth imo), Platja Barceloneta, Basilica Sagrada Familia (prebooked tickets - ultra worth it)

Day 2 - Parc Guell (prebooked tickets - ultra worth it), Platja Barceloneta 

[superjaysons]

How Tyson Fury's Irish Traveller heritage prepared him to be boxing's biggest new star

How Tyson Fury’s Irish Traveller heritage prepared him to be boxing’s biggest new star

[ad_1]

But there is another part of Fury’s story that many of his American fans know nothing about.

Fury may slip punches with ease, but he hasn’t been able to escape prejudice due to his Irish Traveller heritage. The Travellers, so named for their itinerant lifestyle, have stood on the bottom rung of Ireland’s social and economic ladder for generations.

“I get a lot more racial abuse than I ever…

[aroundtheworldin18years]

HALLOWEEN FAMILY FESTIVAL CULTRA 2018

The scariest time of the year is upon us…Hallowe’en  It’s the time of year when ghosts, ghouls and witches awaken to wreak havoc and instil fear among the living.  Beware the Witching Hour, as this may well be the last hour you ever see.  As darkness falls, the dead come to life and flesh-eating zombies walk the earth hungry for human flesh.  Leave your homes at your peril…don’t say we didn’t warn you.  Happy Halloween from the Halloween Family Festival Cultra 2018.

Fangs for dropping in

So the intro may be a little melodramatic but it is Halloween, and although the living dead don’t actually walk among us (although, Mummy in the mornings….yikes), Halloween is a time for fun, fancy dress, lotions, potions, vampire bats, black cats and witches hats.  For Halloween 2018 we received an invitation from the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum to attend the Halloween Family Festival Cultra, which is situated just outside Belfast.  An invite that we duly accepted.  Lily-Belle brought her school friend Mia, and Matilda was just happy because she could dress up.  Lily-Belle dressed as a Vampiress, Mia a witches black cat and Matilda became a witch for the day.

THE DEATH OF LORD KNOX

Our arrival at the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum came after a 2 hour car journey.  Fortunately we were extremely lucky (and surprised) to find a parking space right outside the main entrance.  Other visitors had to park in the lower car park and use a free shuttle bus to the entrance.  The Halloween Family Festival Cultra is a very popular event as the place was heaving.  Thankfully entry queue times were less than 5 minutes and we were soon transported back in time.  Upon entry we were handed a leaflet by a lady dressed in period costume.  The leaflet contained information about the death of Lord Knox, a suspicious wedding to Elizabeth, his estranged son Lancelot and an invite to attend Lord Knox’s funeral at 15:00 in the church.  As well as the funeral, Lord Knox’s killer would be revealed.  Murder…mystery…suspense!  Who would the killer be?

And Lord Knox’s killer is…..

THE CHAMPION OF CHAMP

Our Halloween trip back through time began with a visit to one of the old terraced houses, the aroma of home cooked food wafting out of the front door.  Boiled potatoes mashed with milk, melted butter, cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper to taste…traditional Irish champ!  Small portions were handed out to sample and what a tasty warm delight on such a cold Autumn day.  Inside another house was offerings of freshly baked apple pies.  Bang goes the diet!  Continuing our journey into the unknown, we tread carefully as we walk past cackling witches, monsters, skeletons and superheroes!  SUPERHEROES?  That’s the great thing about the Halloween Family Festival Cultra, it gives young children (and adults) the opportunity to dress up however they see fit.

Champ…the food of champions

Tasty to the core

AS MAD AS A BOX OF FROGS

In the Dispensary Scientific Sue was demonstrating all kinds of ‘magic’ scientific tricks.  This show was what the girls were most looking forward to at the Halloween Family Festival Cultra.  Lily-Belle and I have met Scientific Sue before.  On that occasion Lily-Belle had waist length hair and was plucked from the audience to help demonstrate static electricity.  For today Scientific Sue used Lily-Belle to demonstrate chemical reactions to change the colour of water.  There was also the use of dry ice to extinguish fire, and a demonstration on how to make slime (a firm favourite with the children) and other equally mesmerising experiments.  Scientific Sue is amazing to watch but, if you ask me, she’s as mad as a box of frogs (in a good way).  In all honesty we could watch Scientific Sue all day long, she is truly fascinating to watch.

What do you call a magic dog? A labracadabrador

Taking notions to make lotions and potions

IS THERE A DR IN THE HOUSE?

There certainly was.  Dr Martin was making his rounds at the Halloween Family Festival Cultra.  No doubt having to dress the neck wounds of those who had been bitten by vampires.  He was more than vocal in expressing his views on the death of Lord Knox.  The Dr was also very keen for all to attend Lord Knox’s funeral where he would be divulging who the killer was.  Dressed to impress in his pinstripe suit, black bowler hat and carrying a brown leather medical bag, Dr Martin disappeared down a narrow lane between Cluan Place and Ballycultra Tearooms.  Was Dr Martin the person who sealed Lord Knox’s fate?  Did Dr Martin and Jimmy O’Neill, the proprietor of the Hardware Shop, meet to work on an alibi?  Suspicious…and why was Dr Martin wearing black gloves?

WATCH OUR INTERVIEW WITH DR MIKE SIMMS

Vampires are a real pain in the neck!

Is there a Dr in the house? No, he’s in the hardware shop

SEEKING SANCTUARY AND SALVATION

Feeling fearful, we found sanctuary in the church at the Halloween Family Festival Cultra.  A beautiful building dating back to the early 1900’s, the building was void of all things demonic.  Although, we did see a Witch and a Vampiress deep in prayer!  Maybe a turning point in their undead lives?  Just across the village green the old Picture House was showing a horror film…not for the faint-hearted!  Just a few doors down was Ballycultra tearooms so we took the opportunity to drop in for a feed.  ‘Ghoul’ash for Daddy, Pork and L’eeeeek’ sausages for Mummy, a saucer of milk for the cat (Mia), a bag of Type X blood for the Vampire (Lily-Belle) and a cauldron of critters for the Witch (Matilda).

A cup of tea and a bowl of blood Type X

Lights, camera, popcorn

SENTENCED TO DEATH

Approaching the old Courthouse we saw a sinister figure lurking behind the wrought iron gates, a vampire, fangs sharpened and ready to ambush his next victim.  The Courthouse gave us an insight into the history of law, cops, crime and capers at Ballycultra.  In the chambers Lily-Belle and Mia pretended to be Judges and poor Matilda was sentenced to death!  A tad harsh considering her only crime was ‘being grumpy’!  I’d settle for her tidying her bedroom…far less paperwork!  On to the Wicker Man who was sculpting a magnificent huge throne from willow.  There was also the opportunity for the girls to wear wicker heads.  Plenty of giggles at the Halloween Family Festival Cultra!

Blood donors step this way

Wicker…but not Alan

TRADITIONAL GAMES 

Throughout the course of the Halloween Family Festival Cultra there were lots of different activities for the children to enjoy.  Not wanting to commercialise the Halloween event, the museum had traditional Halloween games such as apple bobbing, magic shows and craft activities.  The girls were less than happy to participate in the apple-bobbing as they didn’t want to get their hair wet!  Mantella had brought a fantastic assortment of animals including a very friendly boa constrictor, a Chilean rose hair tarantula, a scorpion with a definite sting in its tail and a giant gecko lizard.  The children loved handling this array of weird and wonderful creatures….all in the name of education.

READ ALL ABOUT OUR VISIT TO SEE DIPPY ON TOUR

Making friends with Mantella

THE CLOCK STRUCK THREE

After our encounter with the critters of Mantella we visited a number of the old properties.  Ulster Folk & Transport Museum is a charming place to spend the day and the attraction is steeped in history.  I thought the children would get bored but no, they were more than content nipping in and out of the buildings.  Bong…and the clock strikes three at the Halloween Family Festival Cultra, well…it struck three ten minutes ago.  We’re late for the funeral of Lord Knox!

The Bob Marley printer….a;ways jammin’

Fine dining with a musical interlude

A very dapper looking dude

AND THE KILLER IS…

As the saying goes ‘you’ll be late for your own funeral’, that may be so, but we were definitely late for Lord Knox’s!  This will come as no surprise to our regular readers as we are ALWAYS late!  In the pulpit the Minister listened intently as Dr Martin read out excerpts from the late Lord Knox’s diary.  Lady Knox, with a black veil covering her identity; paced erratically in front of Lord Knox’s coffin.  The mourners sat silently, every now and then letting out gasps of disbelief at what Dr Martin read from the little black diary.  Alas, the time had come to reveal Lord Knox’s killer.  Have you guessed who it is?  Watch our video as we reveal the name of Lord Alfred Charles Knox’s murderer…

Lord Knox’s killer was none other than Lady Elizabeth Knox, but not as you and I know her, Lady Knox was in fact…Isabel Sidegrave….a callous and cold hearted witch who haunts Ballycultra’s residents!  Hysteria ensued and the Minister urged mourners to return home instantly and barricade their doors.  Evil is truly among us!

What a magnificent drama to end our day at Halloween Family Festival Cultra 2018 – in a word, brilliant!

WOULD WE GO BACK

Of course.  Although the Halloween family Festival Cultra isn’t very scary, it is a great event for children and adults.  Lots of traditional games and activities for the children, and there’s also the historical aspect of the visit for the adults.  A very worthy attraction to visit.

With a very special thank you to:

Sinead Cunningham – Head of Marketing and PR at NMNI

National Museums Northern Ireland

Ulster Folk & Transport Museum

Thank you for making our visit fun, special and memorable!  We look forward to seeing you all again in the not so distant future.

LILY-BELLE (age 9) SAYS  I was glad that my friend Mia could come with us.  Seeing all of the animals from Mantella was my favourite part of the event.

MATILDA (age 3) SAYS I liked my wiggly witch hat, but Mummy dropped it and broke it.  The science lady was really funny and she made good slime.

Travel Itinerary and Costs

Date of visit:  31st October 2018

Disclaimer: we were working alongside NMNI for our visit to the UF&TM, entry was gratis and in return we have provided this write up of our experience.  All experiences and opinions are our own.

If you would like to:

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Information, currency and prices are correct at the time of publishing. Views, opinions and experiences are that of The Callaghan Posse and are correct at the time of publication. Photos, unless credited below, taken by The Callaghan Posse for use and distribution by Around The World In 18 Years.

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HALLOWEEN AT ULSTER FOLK & TRANSPORT MUSEUM HALLOWEEN FAMILY FESTIVAL CULTRA 2018 The scariest time of the year is upon us...Hallowe'en  It's the time of year when ghosts, ghouls and witches awaken to wreak havoc and instil fear among the living. 

[snapzuplaces]

UFC Champ Conor McGregor has taken over the headlines this past week after he allegedly assaulted an Irish Cartel member at a night club in Dublin. In this video, live footage of the time when Irish Cartel members dressed up as police and murdered a man linked to Conor McGregor at a Dublin Boxing event... via Snapzu : Places, Culture & Travel

[prague-lematic]

Paris, France to Budapest, Hungary in 5 days

Hello hello! Bonjour! This weekend Kellie and I did the unthinkable and went to Paris, France on a whim. We decided to spent two nights there and see as much as we could as it was a trip we both wanted to do but slightly feared because of all the issues over there and attacks. We decided to just take a leap and live- we headed there Wednesday evening, mind you we had booked our hotel two nights before while in our hostel in Croatia haha. Nuts, if you ask me. But it was lovely. We were 20 minutes from the center and our hotel front desk couldn’t have been more secure or sweet or helpful. When we first arrived we took bus to the center bus stop only to be fined minorly for not sticking one of our tickets in the slot. 30 euros later and we were allowed off with a shrug. They made a lot of money off tourists on that one ride let me tell you. People tried to fight them saying, “this isn’t fair! where did it say that?” but Kellie and I just shrugged and off we went after a long and tiring travel day. We quickly settled in and then got our first drink in Paris just around the corner. The man at the front desk was such a dad and asked when we’d be back and worried about us out that late. We would save the center and the tourist attractions for the following day. We first taxi’d from our hotel to the eiffel tower that morning. We were surprised by the lack of people there, just tour busses whizzing by and people selling mini eiffel towers and selfie sticks just outside the security gates. We both fangirled real hard as soon as we were standing under it, looking up. How big it is is just surreal and high. I felt like an ant. We stood underneath for awhile, just letting it all soak in. For me, Paris had been a far away place mentioned in french class in seventh grade and now it was real. I’m still amazed I was there. We then hopped on our Hop on hop off green bus on the other side past the eiffel tower gardens. We were headed off to see the Grand Palais and other things as we drove past them, finally we got off in the wealthy district with all the ritzy shops and fancy macaroons in windows and grabbed lunch at this little red music food place. We both got ham and cheese croquey things. YUM. Unreal. Next we saw the Place de la Concorde with the ferris wheel and monuments. We ran over before deciding to skip out on the bus on this lovely day and walking champs-elysees to the Arc de Triomphe. It was so busy but so beautiful, with parks on both sides and green trees before turning into shops and restaurants. There was a small little area filled with flowers and the french flags and signs in french saying “We stand with the police” etc. based on the recent attack right on the champs-elysees. definitely felt real being there right then. so sad. Finally, at last- the arc de triomphe. It was just lovely and huge. Tough to get a picture of it fully because what you don’t notice in the pictures is it’s literally surrounded on all sides by road so to back up for the fullness of it, you would be in the street. But beautiful all the same. Then we ran around to find the bus to get back on to and next we saw the Trocadero Gardens, which we returned to later that evening and then to the Louvre Museum. Though we didn’t go inside, we went and took the pictures standing on the boxes and pretending to touch the tip of the triangle structure. We had some laughs and then moved on, as the rain began to come down a bit on our way. We then went into a little cafe and got croissants. So french. Then we taxi’d home to get our lives together before seeing Notre Dame from the outside. Beauteous. When we came back in, we saw the eiffel tower during sunset and then ate below the eiffel tower both getting pasta cause italian never hurt anyone, right?! Next, we got the sweetest french man to drive us to see the eiffel tower at different angles and stops before heading home. It was at the Trocadero Gardens that we first saw it- the eiffel tower lighting up and dazzling quite literally. With my newly purchased red barre, we decided it was fitting and snapped pictures with tears in our eyes. What a perfect night. There is truly no words to describe it. Of course we stopped in an irish pub right by the tower that evening as well and lived up our last night in Paris. Quite the night to remember and quite the day on our feet whoo! We fell asleep watching Ratatouille which seemed fitting. The next morning, off we went to see the OG Moulin Rouge and then we headed to the bus station to take us to the airport. We made our flight with ten minutes to spare (relief!) then off we went to Budapest for the second time for basically 3 full days. Paris, you were lovely and full of things to see and do. I will be back for you one day. Stay safe, please. Xo

[the-telegraph-sport-yahoopa-blog]

Carl Frampton vs Leo Santa Cruz: When is the title fight, what TV channel is it on, and can the Northern Irish fighter retain his belt in the rematch?

What is it?

It's the fight for the WBA Super World Featherweight Title, between holder Carl Frampton and challenger Leo Santa Cruz.

It's also a rematch; Frampton took the title from Santa Cruz back in July, having stepped up a weight division from super-bantamweight.

When is it?

January 28, 2017.

That's a Saturday, unsurprisingly.

Where is the fight being held?

The MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada will play host to 'Frampton v Santa Cruz 2'.

Here's the champ @RealCFrampton in action metres high on the Las Vegas strip. pic.twitter.com/GPpOOEUQsK

— Stephen Nolan (@StephenNolan) January 18, 2017

What time does the fight start?

The action gets under way at 3am GMT on Sunday, Jan 29.

What TV channel is it on?

Sky Sports 1 will be broadcasting from 2am on the Saturday night/Sunday morning.

#ANDTHENEW Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year: @RealCFrampton!#FramptonSantaCruzII rematch January 28 10p ET/7p PT. pic.twitter.com/GcCtf9yr1Z

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) January 17, 2017

Who is fighting on the undercard?

Dejan Zlaticanin and Mikey García are fighting for the WBA Super Featherweight title, before which Lee Selby and Jonathan Victor Barros will contest the IBF Featherweight Title match.

Josh Taylor is also due to fight a 10-round Super Lightweight bout, though his opponent is yet to be confirmed.

Tale of the tape: Frampton vs Santa Cruz

How do Frampton and Santa Cruz measure up?

What are they saying?

Carl Frampton

#ANDTHENEW Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year: @RealCFrampton!#FramptonSantaCruzII rematch January 28 10p ET/7p PT. pic.twitter.com/GcCtf9yr1Z

— SHOWTIME Boxing (@ShowtimeBoxing) January 17, 2017

The rematch is the fight we wanted. I enjoyed our first fight in New York. The atmosphere was fantastic and the fight lived up to the hype.

On January 28th I will be better and I will win more convincingly. I know the way Leo fights, he throws a lot of punches and he is brave, but his style suits me.

It has always been a dream of mine to headline in Las Vegas and I cannot wait to get out there and put on a great performance for the American boxing fans and the travelling support from Ireland and the UK.

"I'm hungry to prove that this wasn't a fluke. I think I win this fight more convincingly."—126-lb champ @RealCFrampton#FramptonSantaCruz2pic.twitter.com/I95vJRq1rY

— PBC (@premierboxing) January 18, 2017

Leo Santa Cruz

Former champ @leosantacruz2 finishing up on the speed bag today. El Terremoto says he will reclaim his belt Jan. 28. pic.twitter.com/pQF3PdEJIL

— PBC (@premierboxing) January 12, 2017

From the moment our last fight ended, when the decision came and I lost the fight, I knew my only goal was to get my belt back.

When I sat in the locker room afterward, I felt more motivated than ever to get back in the gym. All I’ve thought about since the fight was this rematch.

There won’t be any distractions in this camp. I’ll be heading into the fight with a better game plan. I’m putting in 100 per cent in training and I’m excited to get in the ring.

What are the betting odds?

Carl Frampton to win: 8/13

Leo Santa Cruz to win: 6/5

Draw: 18/1

[scrumptiousnerdcollectionzi-blog]

__ of: done with Zeros Wide shoe widths Truly Tree's sticky output Traditional Hindu retreat The USA's 50 The Judds, e.g Taking the place (of) Suffuse (with) Suffix with pay State without proof Spitball need Slowing, on a music score: Abbr Skating leap Silly sort Sick __ dog Series of related emails Samoan capital Razor name R&B singer Baker Queried Prefix with -lithic Postwar British prime minister Polish port where Solidarity was founded Pay with plastic Ornamental pin Numbered musical piece Not at home Not accented, as syllables Nissan model Next of __ Neck mark from necking Music producer Brian Move in the wind Migration formation Lustrous fabric Luau instrument Little point to pick Layered cookie Ivory in the tub Irish county bordering Limerick Infantile vocalizations, and a hint to the starts of 17-, 25-, 37- and 50-Across Illegal parker's risk Help with a heist Have a good laugh Guffaw Grunting female Fort Bragg mil. branch Formal pronouncements Fermented honey drink FDR agency Facial expression Face adversity well Eyelid sore Ex-GIs' gp Dueling sword Doofus Disputed Mideast territory Delivers a lecture Dates one person exclusively Dandelion, e.g Curved molding Cries of triumph Confined, as a bird Bridal attire Boston hrs Bogart film set in a California range Bell hit with a padded mallet Baja vacation spot Avocado dip, for short Autumn blossom Anniversary celebration at the Met, say Address for a noblewoman Actor Erwin 'That's all __ wrote' 'Hannah and __ Sisters': Woody Allen film 'Come again?' sounds - See more at: http://crosswordssolver.net/clue/L.A.-Times-Daily-Crossword-Answers---Jan-17-2017#sthash.1L9brcz4.dpuf

___ de Triomphe ___ Aviv, Israel Word with 'flotation' or 'mnemonic' Where to let your fingers do the shopping? Where to find Santiago Wheel shafts Wet marshy place Was picturesque? Turn tail Tree part used for timber The Inuit, old-style Temporary property holder Taking a personal day Supply the food Spiral-horned African creature Some missing soldiers Soccer mom's org Soaked up some rays Shoe type Sheepish expanse See 32-Across Sang 'Silent Night' here and there Royal Indian woman (var.) Resist a roaming charge Ran its course Ramble on Plumber's pipe material (Abbr.) Part of an English exam, often Part of a willow tree Not a st Neptune is one Name tag, essentially Muzzleloader accessory Miner's valuable discovery MacKenzie of old beer ads Long, broad strips Like some islands Like Count Basie's 'Doll' Least wild It's far from the point? It knows which way the wind is blowing Infra's opposite Honey relative? Hit the horn on a subcompact Handy pencil holder Greek lyric poet Glide high Flat back muscle, briefly Flaps the gums Feature of a building in Oz? Fairy-tale beast Eye part Equipped and trained for the job Eggs, in a lab Drummer's forte Dressy trousers feature Dentist's directive Den newcomer Comedy, sci-fi or drama, e.g Columbus' state Cleans oneself Chisel for a stonemason Cancel, as a law Butting heads Bracket-braced window Blooper originating in an alley? Batting practice structures Bad thing to have at a housewarming? Atty's. group Athletic supporter? Alfred Hitchcock-shaped fruit Achieve victory 90-degree joint 'It doesn't matter which' 'Here!' 'Eight ___, and all's well!' - See more at: http://crosswordssolver.net/clue/Universal-Crossword-Answers---Jan-17-2017#sthash.tQWCMrrj.dpuf

World Series official With 61- and 37-Across, famous line by 53-Across in [see circled letters] With 51-Down, late, beloved actress When Polonius says 'Brevity is the soul of wit' Tusked beast Turnoff for drivers Tree-lined walkway, in France The 'E' in HOMES Tennis champ Agassi Swoon Swindles Squeak stopper Speak with a gravelly voice So far, informally Sign of things to come See 2-Down See 18-Across See 18-Across Renaissance Faire instrument Reference in 'Treasure Island' Real head-turners? Rae Sremmurd, e.g Puppy sounds Place where trials are conducted Online crafts seller Nubian heroine of opera Not deceived by Nosedive Non's opposite Mont Blanc, e.g., to locals Modern lead-in to space or security Michelangelo masterpiece Merit badge displayer Makeup of the planet Hoth Make slo-o-o-ow progress Like old, neglected sweaters, maybe Knock 'em dead Kind of threat Is victorious in Influence In fine ___ (healthy) Iconic role for 2-/51-Down Hitting blackjack after blackjack, say Hell-bent (on) Heeds Having four sharps Hairstyle for 53-Across, colloquially Formerly named Figure on an Aussie Xing sign, perhaps Family member who was probably adopted Essential point Entitled sorts? Drag Deviate during flight, as a rocket Deal with a broken teleprompter, say Cripple Country singer Judd Concealed mike Coffee container Chant after a fútbol goal Certain marketing gimmicks British derrière Brand of artificial fat Beer barrel Amy Adams's 'Man of Steel' role Ambience Alan who played Captain Pierce Agree to a proposal Agonizes (over) A few '___ late!' '___ a trap!' 'What have we here?!' 'Same here!' 'Harrumph!' 'Doctor Faustus' novelist Thomas - See more at: http://crosswordssolver.net/clue/New-York-Times-Crossword-Answers---Jan-17-2017#sthash.5SfJNoYV.dpuf

___ Minor (Polaris setting) World's longest river Without charge Winter Olympian Winning hand, and a hint to the puzzle theme Williams of 'Game of Thrones' Wax-coated cheese Two-time role for Jim Carrey Ticklish Muppet Tap Take home Take advantage of Supporting vote Source Snake-haired monsters of myth Small bills Skilled in Skating sites Singer DiFranco Salad bar item RuPaul, notably River through Florence Pressing need? President before Hayes Poker ploy Pleasant Place to get pampered Pile Ocean off Calif Not barefoot Musical sound Movie beast billed as 'the Eighth Wonder of the World' Mother who was sainted in 2016 Monsoon weather Miles away McGregor of 'Moulin Rouge!' Malleable metal Mah-jongg piece Lip curls Like cigars and enchiladas Like an old cuss Lamb's mother Knotted mass Headache helper Halliwell also known as Ginger Spice Glacier National Park locale Generous General Bradley Fraternity letters Former Yankees slugger, familiarly Fast-running bird Fashion designer Michael Farrow of 'Rosemary's Baby' Even so Drink cooler Deteriorate Danny of 'Moonstruck' Cut, as hay Countless Coffee dispensers Chamber group Busy hosp. areas Bullring cry Bullring beast British flag Bread for a Reuben Bloomingdale's rival Bicycle type Bearded antelope Bauxite and magnetite Banned insecticide Asian entertainer Army address Archipelago unit 'Yo!' 'Scarface' star 'Oh, got it!' 'Maple Leaf Rag' composer - See more at: http://crosswordssolver.net/clue/Wall-Street-Journal-Crossword-Answers---Jan-17-2017---Good-Deal#sthash.4y4sGb49.dpuf

Words on a box of dishes, maybe Word after black or photo West Virginia resource URL suffix for AA or AARP Triumphs over Trade verbal jabs Tex-Mex snacks Ten C-notes Tabloid twosomes St. Louis landmark Sporty auto, for short Spock, in part Sell, as an automat does Score before ad in Ready to serve Rash symptom Rail rider Put on hold Princess Fiona, for one Picnic contest, perhaps Parkinson's treatment Paleontologist's find Origami bird Off one's rocker O, on a greeting card Norman who created the Bunkers Minnesota state bird Merchant's supply Memory unit Luau greeting Like some family history Like Mayberry Like die-hard fans Level or bevel Leprechaun land, in poetry Kitchen allure Kept back Jury member, in theory Judgment slip-up Jawbone source, in the Bible Jagger and McCartney, for two It's on the house Inherited item In a funk Honor ___ thieves Henry VIII's house Hefty volume Heart chamber Hard to rattle Goes to seed Gathering clouds, to some Fraternal fellows Flipped item Fifth-century sacker of Rome Fairy tale starter Destinations of some errant drives Deejay's smooth transition Dark ___ (Hogwarts subject) Cruiser driver Cross to bear Come-on Cat calls Carbon monoxide's lack Calculus pioneer Leonhard Brief time, briefly Baskin-Robbins implement Barley brew Bake sale sponsor (Abbr.) Arabian Peninsula sultanate Any of the Dionne quints Aerie babies ABM part 44-Down, e.g 41-Across multitude 1933 Erskine Caldwell novel 1-Down et al 'Sully,' for one 'Frozen' snowman - See more at: http://daily-crossword.com/clue/USA-Today-Crossword-Answers---Jan-17-2017#sthash.J15TgIzV.dpuf

__ monster (Arizona lizard) __ Major (Big Dipper locale) When planes should leave: Abbr Vote in Vocal inflections Veggies in minestrone Urgent Unruly kid Unable to move Traffic tie-up Tango or waltz Talks and talks Takes advantage of Take to court Swelled heads Squeaking rodents Spherical hairdo South Pole's region Small citrus fruits Singing star Lady __ Side order with eggs Short golf stroke Second-year student School attendee Sandwich fish San Francisco baseballers Sacred music genre Remove chalk from Read electronically Ram of the zodiac Racing bikes Postpones Players who are paid Pellet shooter Pay-__-view movie Pacific or Atlantic Overwhelmingly Offer for purchase Movie excerpt More elegant Loch __ monster Likes a lot Less common Laundry appliance Japanese money Japan's continent Informal talk Huff and puff Hoofbeat sound Honey source Greek liqueur Great poker cards Get a glimpse of G sharp alias Furniture to sleep on Football arbiters Fly high Entice Ensnare Embarrass Drop __ (visit briefly) Copper-coated coin Competent Classroom furniture Charged towards Breakfast potatoes Block, as a river Billionaires' boats Barnyard cacklers Baking appliance Backbone Atmospheric layer All over again A Great Lake ''That's too bad'' ''Taps'' instruments ''Once __ a time . . .'' ''Hurry up!'' - See more at: http://daily-crossword.com/clue/Newsday.com-Crossword-Answers---Jan-17-2017#sthash.wEoUkjOP.dpuf

___ choice Words that encourage people to do as they're told With a traveling band Wind down Washed Ward off Varsity QB, to some Trojan War hero They smell in a pigsty Taking care of business Swindle Stinger Sounds of disapproval Snapped out of it Small diamond, perhaps Served up a whopper Sean Connery, for one Really bad coffee Raggedy doll Pulled tight Proctor's call POTUS appointee Participates at a certain kind of meet One who gets everything Muscle quality Most intense Middle of London? Man of La Mancha 

'Hannah and __ Sisters': Woody Allen film 'Come again?' sounds