TWO huge fitness influencers were involved in a nasty clash that was caught on video inside a gym.

Fitness gurus Jeff Nippard and Mike Van Wyck came face to face in a heated confrontation that has now gone viral on social media.

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Nippard is well known for his science-based approach to bodybuilding with the Canadian social star boasting 5.8MILLION subscribers on YouTube.

While Van Wyck’s training content has helped him amass over 289,000 Instagram followers.

The pair seemed to come to blows in a Pure Muscle and Fitness gym in Canada, with a video appearing to show Van Wyck forcefully grabbing Nippard’s neck and pushing him to the floor.

It’s been suggested that the alteration stemmed from a video posted on Van Wyck’s social media titled “science based scammers”.

In the video Van Wyck slammed: “Science guys really need to answer this question before anything – why is it that you remain so mediocre, yet you know so much?”

Nipping later responded to that video with his own opinions on his Instagram page.

And he has since given his version of events in the gym in a separate post after uploading a picture of himself in a hospital by a CT scanner.

He wrote: “If you’ve seen the video by now, I want to clarify the incident. First, I just want to give an update that I got a CT scan done and I’m okay.

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“In case you didn’t see it, this is exactly what happened and there were many witnesses. Mike Van Wyck jabbed me in the throat twice in the middle of the gym and then shoved my camera man.

“There is already a lie going around that Mike asked me to stay away from him, and that I didn’t listen, and approached him first. This is FALSE and @puremuscleandfitness has security footage to prove it. I think they should release it.”

Nipping went on to allege that the incident occurred after the pair exchanged words in the gym with Van Wyck also “pushing his videographer against a cable machine”.

He added: “I don’t know why he attacked me other than that he really, really hates my training style.

“I certainly gave him absolutely no reason to hate me. And even if I did, there’s no excuse to physically attack someone over a disagreement.

“My opinion is that it was the result of anger brought on by the clip I posted yesterday responding to his question about science-based training. Pretty wild stuff.”

Pure Muscle and Fitness gym have also released a statement of their own since the incident, seemingly claiming that Van Wyck has been banned from the premises.

It read: “At Pure Muscle + Fitness, we have a strict zero- tolerance policy for violence and bullying.

“We are deeply saddened by a recent incident involving unacceptable behavior by a member.

“This individual was not employed by or formally associated with our gym, and we have permanently removed their access to our facility, including any privileges to train clients.

“Our hearts go out to the member affected, and we stand in full support of their well-being.

“The safety of our community is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for everyone.

“The matter is currently under police investigation, and we are cooperating fully with authorities.”

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Ferrari’s dominance of the United States Grand Prix came on a weekend when it stood out from its rivals in not bringing any upgrades. Or, to be more accurate, none that it officially declared.

With closest challengers McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes all introducing developments at the Austin track, the FIA’s official submission sheet that details changes showed no tweaks to the Ferrari car.

But that does not tell the true story of Ferrari’s approach to the USA weekend, as there are certain tweaks teams can make that do not have to be declared.

Article 19.1c) of F1’s sporting regulations, which covers what items teams have to tell the FIA about, states that this includes “all major aerodynamic and bodywork components and assemblies that have not been run at a previous Competition or TCC [test] and are intended to be run at the competition.”

Indeed, after seeing Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz take a 1-2 finish, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur repeated several times that just because no upgrades were declared, it did not mean the Prancing Horse did not have any.

“It is not that because we are not declaring something that we are not bringing something,” he said. “We have to be clear that the upgrades are about the external shape.”

Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24

Photo by: Ferrari

Ferrari did not elaborate on what exactly was new for Austin, but speculation has surrounded the possibility that it brought some new specification front wings.

While these externally are identical to what it first introduced in Singapore, insiders suggest Ferrari had spent some time since the last race working on optimising their construction to help exploit aero elasticity more.

In a season when having a more flexible front wing has been instrumental in better balancing a car – helping address the low-speed understeer and high-speed oversteer characteristics of the current ground effect machinery – Ferrari had perhaps been too cautious at the start of the season.

And while it privately felt that others were pushing the boundaries too much in how much flexing was going on, recent FIA clarifications that such behaviour is allowed opened the door for Maranello to go down this route itself now too.

A more optimised flexi-wing is not something that will transform a car but, in a season where the gaps between teams are so close, it is a detail that can have an impact.

Speaking about the value of a good flexi front wing after what we saw in Austin, Vasseur said: “Clearly it is not a game-changer, but we are in the situation today that every single hundredth of a second is making a difference.

“In qualifying we had two or three cars behind us by less than one-tenth, and that meant if these details or another one are down to the hundredths of a second, then we have to do it.”

The new wing design that originally appeared in Singapore is an evolution of its predecessor, with many of the design features retained, albeit more deliberate in their approach.

In terms of the actual design changes to the wing, aside from the obvious flap geometry changes, the design of the spoon-shaped transition from the centre of the mainplane has been altered. This will, in turn, provide a different aerodynamic reaction from the nose assembly.

Meanwhile, the outboard section of the flaps has been redesigned where they mate with the endplate. This is in order to enhance the outwash effect being generated and alter the wake generated by the wheel and tyre assembly behind.

The new flap tips are much more roundly curved (left image, above) and the supporting metal work that had previously been employed has been cast aside, which will alter their dynamic behaviour as a consequence.

Ferrari is also undoubtedly benefiting from a wing designed with a greater ability to exploit aeroelasticity, given the FIA’s clearance of solutions fielded by its rivals in recent races.

Hollie-Mae Dodd is back in England’s squad for the first time since her move to Australia as they face Wales in an autumn Test in Leeds.

The Canberra Raiders second row became the first English player to feature and score in the Women’s NRL after joining from York Valkyrie in 2023.

She has regained fitness and form after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament in September 2023, shortly after her move to Australia.

England head coach Stuart Barrow has selected six potential debutants, including Leeds Rhino pop Izzy Northrop and Huddersfield Giants full-back Amelia Brown, for the match at AMT Headingley on 2 November (12:00 GMT), which will be shown live in the UK on the BBC.

“With the squad currently carrying a number of long-term injuries and some players unavailable, today’s squad is very much a transitional one, but we have a great mix of youth and experience heading into camp next Wednesday,” said Barrow.

St Helens centre Erin Stott and Wigan Warriors trio Mary Coleman, Eva Hunter and Jenna Foubister are the other first-time call-ups.

With a decision on the UFC antitrust lawsuit settlement looming Tuesday, another group of 52 fighters submitted statements in hopes of convincing the courts to approve the $375 million payout.

Judge Richard Boulware in Nevada is expected to issue a ruling soon on the preliminary settlement agreement that was submitted to settle the first UFC antitrust lawsuit that was filed all the way back in 2014. The decade-long case covered fighters who competed in the UFC from 2010 to 2017.

A second lawsuit covering fighters from 2017 to present is still working towards a potential trial date, although it’s possible a separate settlement could be reached before that happens.

The latest round of support for the settlement including a number of former UFC champions including recently retired strawweight Carla Esparza as well as former bantamweight king Renan Barao.

Perhaps the most in-depth response came from retired strawweight competitor Felice Herrig, who fought five times during the class period represented by the first UFC antitrust lawsuit. In her statement, Herrig detailed both physical and financial hardships that she’s suffered through during and after her time spent competing in the UFC.

“Fighting for the UFC was the achievement of what I thought was my dream, but the reality is after a lengthy career I left with a worn-down body, severe depression, and nothing to show for my years competing at the top of the sport,” Herrig wrote. “I still battle depression to this day and am angry that I saw so little reward for what I provided to the UFC.

“Throughout most of my UFC fight career, I was going into debt and borrowing money from family to fund fight camps and then paying off this debt with my purses. As a result of this debt, I and other peers frequently take fights while injured to pay off the debt from training camp that was already incurred. At other times, fighters are pressured to take fights on short notice or against last-minute replacement opponents who they have not prepared for and face the dilemma of taking a risky fight for little reward or enduring through a lengthy period on the shelf with no fight offered, your contract extended and no income.”

Herrig detailed her struggles with weight cutting and a number of injuries she suffered, which continued to plague her in retirement.

“Throughout my career, my ideal weight to compete at was 125 pounds, but with weight divisions in the UFC at 10-pound increments, this would have left me with the choice of fighting undersized at my natural weight or enduring grueling weight cuts to get down to 115 pounds for weigh-ins,” Herrig said. “In one instance, I was asked to do 12 hours of media obligations the day before weigh-ins while cutting weight. I was exhausted, starving, and experienced an adrenaline dump soon after my fight started that left me unable to move. I now believe that fighters promote the UFC and not vice versa—fighters are interchangeable, disposable and expendable when MMA is not operated as a sport.

“While fighting for the UFC and during my MMA career, I suffered many significant injuries including a torn ACL, MCL, PCL and meniscus on my right knee. After almost a year and with my insurance coverage running out for the initial occurrence, my knee was not fully healed, but I took a fight anyway, and discovered I needed additional surgery on my meniscus. This knee continues to give me problems to this day and will require ongoing maintenance and physical therapy for the rest of my life.”

One-time UFC title challenger Jessica Eye, who retired from competition in 2022, detailed the struggles she’s faced since leaving the sport. In particular, Eye says the physical toll fighting took on her brain and body have made it that much tougher to move forward with a new career where she’s no longer getting punched in the face for a living.

“While fighting for the UFC, I suffered many significant injuries including to my left elbow which required Tommy John surgery, removal of my gall bladder which became inflamed during fight camp, kidney failure and sepsis following a grueling weight cut that caused permanent damage, and a laceration to my forehead that required 20 stitches to close,” Eye wrote. “During my career I also suffered dozens of concussions. I fear that during my career I have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI) and am noticing symptoms common with TBI and CTE including anxiety, depression, irritability, sensitivity to light, headaches and memory loss.

“I was hospitalized for 32 days receiving treatment for PTSD and TBI. To date, no treatment for CTE has been found. I have fainted on two different occasions, including while riding my motorcycle and TBI is the suspected cause of these episodes. I was extremely depressed following my retirement from the UFC, and I have struggled to acclimate to my post-career life. I have been unable to maintain adequate focus to complete schooling and have had difficulty writing even simple paragraphs. I face serious challenges in meeting basic everyday expenses for food, shelter, and transportation and in paying for health insurance and the medical treatment I need now.”

Eye also stated that “endured grueling weight cuts” on multiple occasions that she fears “caused permanent damage to my body.”

Gina Mazany, who also last fought in the UFC in 2022, claims that her body suffered so much from extreme weight cuts that she’s not sure she’ll ever be able to have children as a result.

“[I] endured grueling weight cuts, cutting from 163 pounds to 136 pounds for a fight offered on 16 days’ notice that I fear has caused permanent damage to my body,” Mazany wrote. “My menstrual cycle did not return until six months after this weight cut and has never returned to normal. I fear that I am unable to have children.”

In addition to her weight-cutting problems, Mazany also claimed that a surgery she needed while she was still active during her UFC career was denied after he final fight with the promotion.

“While fighting for the UFC, I suffered a broken nose and crushed septum that makes me unable to breath out of the right side of my nose,” Mazany explained. “After this fight, I was advised to wait to have surgery to repair my septum until I was finished fighting. After my last fight in the UFC, I requested surgery to repair my septum and the UFC denied coverage, stating that I didn’t break my nose during my final fight.

“I have been unable to afford the surgery to repair my septum, and it remains crushed to this day.”

Joe Riggs, who spent several stints with the UFC after his debut in 2004, also revealed a long list of injuries and surgeries he’s dealt with throughout his career.

“While fighting for the UFC and during my MMA career, I suffered many significant injuries and had 23 surgeries including three nasal surgeries, fractures to both orbital bones, three retina detachments in my left eye, shoulder surgery, six surgeries on my left hand including the insertion of four screws, elbow surgery, arm surgery on a compound fracture on my right arm that led to the insertion of a plate, and multiple concussions,” Riggs said.

“I fear that during my career I have suffered traumatic brain injury (TBI) and am noticing symptoms common with TBI and CTE including anxiety, depression, insomnia, irritability, quick to anger and memory loss.”

Alexander Yakovlev, who competed in the UFC between 2014 and 2020, also revealed long term health problems he’s faced with the majority of his issues coming from grueling weight cuts.

“During my career, I have had about 10 concussions. But most of the damage to my health was due to weight cutting,” Yakovlev said. “In 2015, while preparing for the fight with Gray Maynard, I had a very difficult weight cut. After which I suffered great harm to my health. I developed problems with the cardiovascular system and a disruption in the functioning of the nervous system. The transmission of nerve impulses worsened. The functioning of the lymphatic and venous systems worsened. This negatively affected the functioning of many systems and organs of the body. My memory worsened, I became emotionally unstable, edema appeared, my sleep worsened, and I periodically had problems with my heart.

“After this weight cut, I never returned to my previous level of health, and my career went downhill. I am still struggling with the consequences of that weight cut.”

Many other fighters revealed similar issues when it came to struggling with finances as we as physical problems that persist long after they’re doing competing.

The attorneys representing the fighters have now submitted more than 150 testimonials from athletes past and present in hopes of swaying the judge to approve the settlement. In the initial paperwork filed with the preliminary settlement agreement, the plaintiffs stated that the fighters involved in the $375 million settlement “would recover (on average), after all fees and costs are deducted, $250,000.”

BMW factory driver Raffaele Marciello will defend his FIA GT World Cup title in next month’s Macau GT3 showpiece, which features all previous winners on the entry list.

Victorious last year with Mercedes, Marciello will line up as part of a 23-car field comprising representation from six manufacturers as he seeks a third victory in the event he also conquered in 2019, the last edition held before a three-year hiatus induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marciello (Toro Racing powered by MCG) will be joined in BMW’s four-car roster by Augusto Farfus (Team KRC), who scored BMW’s only previous GT World Cup win in 2018, along with WRT pair Sheldon van der Linde and Dries Vanthoor.

“I have won the last two editions of the FIA GT World Cup, but this time the situation is completely new for me as I will be driving the BMW M4 GT3 there for the first time,” said Marciello.

“I have always had good fights with BMW in the past, especially with Augusto in 2018 and also in 2017. Now I am very much looking forward to being on the other side.

“I will do everything in my power to bring the trophy back to Munich.”

Race winner Raffaele Marciello, Mercedes-AMG Team Landgraf Mercedes-AMG GT3

Photo by: Mercedes AMG

Other previous winners on the entry list include Maro Engel (2015), Laurens Vanthoor (2016) and Edoardo Mortara (2017) with Mercedes, Porsche and Lamborghini respectively.

Newly-crowned GT World Challenge Europe Sprint champion Engel (GMR) is joined in the four-car Mercedes-AMG GT3 Evo roster by Ralf Aron (Toro Racing), 2011 Macau Grand Prix winner Dani Juncadella and Jules Gounon (both Craft-Bamboo).

WEC Hypercar points leader Vanthoor and Alessio Picariello will both be entered in Porsche 911 GT3 Rs by Absolute Racing, with newly crowned IMSA SportsCar Championship GTD Pro winner Laurin Henrich (Schumacher CLRT) and outgoing DTM champion Thomas Preining (Origine) also seeking to become Porsche’s first GT World Cup victors.

Lamborghini too has its sights set on a first victory in the event, and returns with works drivers for the first time since 2017.

Mortara and Matteo Cairoli’s Huracan GT3 Evo 2s will be run by Vincenzo Sospiri Racing under the VSR Theodore Racing banner, with DTM race winner Luca Engstler in a third Lamborghini entered by his family-run team.

Ferrari is also seeking a maiden victory in the event and has entered World Endurance Championship Hypercar drivers Antonio Fuoco and Yi Yifei, making their first GT World Cup appearances.

Fuoco, the outright Le Mans 24 Hours victor in 2023, will race a 296 GT3 run by the AF Corse team that operates his works 499P in the WEC, while Ye and fellow works driver Daniel Serra are fielded by Harmony Racing.

Audi is also present with R8 LMS GT3 Evo2s for works aces Christopher Haase (Phantom Global) and Ricardo Feller (FAW).

THEO WALCOTT has been mocked by fans after his blind ranking of Champions League stars.

The pundit was asked to judge stars one by one on where they fit in a top ten order.

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And fans were left shocked by some of Walcott’s picks, with the former winger himself not entirely happy with his selection.

Thierry Henry was the first name out of the hat and as a long-term admirer, Walcott placed his former team-mate at the top of the rankings.

Next came five-time Champions League winner Paolo Maldini, and Walcott sparked outrage from fans by putting him in ninth spot.

Walcott drew criticism for placing Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos in tenth despite his six Champions League wins, with Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney ranked above him.

Unfortunately for Walcott he only had one spot left by the time Lionel Messi was picked out, meaning the Argentine had to be picked in third spot behind Henry and Zinedine Zidane.

Fans were quick to tear into former Arsenal star Walcott, with many particularly dismayed by Henry’s placing.

One fan reacted saying: “This is shocking. I didn’t think it could get worse after he put Henry 1st, then he puts Mr Champions League Maldini 9th 🤦‍♂️ I stopped watching.”

Another added: “Henry 1st 😂😂 And off you go immediately. Banter FC gonna banter.”

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A third wrote: “Is this a prank! Please post the real video.”

And another commented: “