(Getty)After 26 fights and a key role in turning the UFC into the promotion it is today, Forest Griffin has retired. His decision was announced at the UFC 160 post-fight press conference.

"It's been a good eight years, I guess. Biggest thing I've learned ... when [UFC president] Dana White says retire otherwise you will blow your knee out," Griffin said at the press conference.

Griffin's last fight was a win over UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz in July of 2012. Coincidentally, it was Ortiz's last bout before retirement. He won that fight by decision. His career included 19 wins, 7 losses and stint as the UFC light heavyweight champion.

What Griffin will always be remembered for is being one-half of a fight that catapulted the UFC into fame. He and Stephan Bonnar were finalists on the first season of the UFC's reality show, "The Ultimate Fighter." Their fight was a close, thrilling battle that played on Spike TV on April 9, 2005.

It was responsible for earning the UFC many fans, which helped earn bigger sponsors and television deals. Griffin won the decision, taking the title of the first "Ultimate Fighter," but both fighters were given contracts.

During the media scrum following the press conference, White said that Griffin and Bonnar will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame together.

Griffin went on to be a force in the 205-lb. division, upsetting Pride star Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in 2007, then taking the belt from Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in July of 2008. He lost the belt to Rashad Evans that December.

White said Griffin will continue to have a role with the UFC.

Tim Duncan's teammates in 1997 included Brad Lohaus and Willie Burton (Getty Images)

The San Antonio Spurs are a different team, in 2013. For some reason it’s taken until Saturday night’s comeback 103-94 overtime win over the Memphis Grizzlies, and a commanding 3-0 lead in the Western Conference finals, to drive home the point that tells us that this team isn’t just another admirable contender amongst many.

Of course, we’ve heard that this is a “different team” before. In each of the years since the team’s 2007 NBA championship the NBA has marveled at the team’s resiliency and ability to bring in new helpers to keep the team within the league’s short list for championship hopefuls. Due to a series of imposing factors, though, this year’s model seems primed to contend for a championship in ways that the previous five outfits could not.

And a 3-0 lead in a seven game series doesn’t hurt, when it comes to admiring from afar.

Best friends forever. (Getty)Glover Teixeira had two thrills on Saturday at UFC 160 in Las Vegas. Not only did he win with a submission in the first round of his bout with James Te Huna, but he was also congratulated by his hero, boxing legend Mike Tyson.

Teixeira fought the exact fight he wanted to. Early in the first round, he took Te Huna down, kept him on the ground, and worked a perfect guillotine. Te Huna tapped at 2:38 in the first round, and Tyson stood and cheered for Teixeira.

Secondly, after the fight was called for Teixeira, Tyson was in the cage with UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell, who is one of Teixeira's training partners. He congratulated Teixeira and shook his hand. The fighter who was ferocious just moments before morphed into an awestruck 12-year-old who was so excited to meet his hero.

"I couldn't be happier! Mike Tyson is here!" Teixeira said to UFC commentator Joe Rogan after the bout. Rogan asked Teixeira if he was more excited that he won, or that Tyson was there to watch it.

"I don't know. I met him yesterday, and I was so excited. I said I was going to be like him! I watched his highlights before I fought."

Teixeira is becoming a hero, too, as he continues an impressive run in the UFC's stacked light heavyweight division. The win over Te Huna was his 19th straight, including four in a row in the UFC.

Well, this is one way to defend the Memphis Grizzlies' vaunted high-low game:

Sound strategy, Tim Duncan. Bad luck, Marc Gasol. Grab some ice.

Luckily, Gasol bounced right back and got back into the fray. Unluckily — for us, at least — this was probably the most exciting moment of Game 3 through the first three quarters.

For our sake, we're hoping for a more thrilling final frame; for Gasol's sake, we're hoping said thrills don't come in a similar fashion that could eventually require a nose job.

Video via NBAshowtimeHD.

(USA Today Sports Images)To kick off UFC 160, Jeremy Stephens beat Estevan Payan with a 30-26, 20-26, 30-27 decision. The bout was so bloody that it left deep, red-colored stains in the Octagon. It was really, really bloody.

Ever since the late, great Paul the Octopus went a perfect eight for eight in his 2010 World Cup predictions, animal oracles have been all the rage. This year's Champions League final has been no different, with everything from otters to elephants trying their psychic powers for Bayern Munich's match against Borussia Dortmund. But now a new power in the novelty predictions racket has shown itself: the Royal Prognosticator.

The day before the big game, FA president Prince William welcomed football officials from across Europe to UEFA's congress in London. In his opening remarks, he tossed in his prediction: "My money is on Bayern Munich 2-0."

He ended up being quite close. He got the winning side right (Bayern), as well as the number of goals they scored (2), but his magical prince powers apparently could not foresee Borussia Dortmund scoring in the 68th minute from the penalty spot. Still, Paul never messed around with scorelines. Only winners.

Anyway, now there's finally a practical

After losing the Champions League final in 2010 and again, most painfully, last year on penalties, Bayern Munich has finally won the Champions League for the first time since 2001, beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1. One of the men most tortured by and responsible for their recent failures, Arjen Robben, proved to be the man of the match, setting up Bayern's first goal and scoring their second in the 89th minute. When the final whistle blew, he couldn't hold back the tears.

Robben was the target of scorn after he missed a penalty in extra time of the 2012 Champions League final against Chelsea that could've prevented the match from going to a shootout, where Bastian Schweinsteiger's miss gave Chelsea the title. In the first half against fellow German side Dortmund, it looked like Robben was set to be the scapegoat once again. He missed a couple of golden chances, even blasting one off Dortmund keeper Roman Weidenfeller's face.

Will Smith and his son Jaden are in London to promote their new film (and hold a mini Fresh Prince reunion), and their trip happens to coincide with the city hosting this year's Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. So before the match, the Smiths stopped by the UEFA Champions Festival on the International Quarter to attempt a few penalty kicks against former Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.

After a big stretch, Will stepped up to the spot first. He took a smooth run up, a big kick and then weakly scuffed the ball to the top corner of the miniature penalty box. A penalty so bad that the cameraman couldn't even keep it in frame. The crowd laughed and Smith had Van der Sar get rid of the offending ball.

Jaden was up and he was able to score, in part because his father physically restrained Van der Sar. Sadly, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Alfonso Ribeiro (who was also there) did not take penalty kicks of their own.