(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 a 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.

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.

(Instagram)

Lightweight Donald Cerrone got back on the winning track with a dominating decision over K.J. Noons at UFC 160. Plenty of blood was spilled during the bout. Though Noons took the most damage in the bout, Cerrone didn't escape unscathed. He showed off his wounds on Instagram after the bout, saying. "Sometimes you get cool scars to show people!"

Yep, those cuts and bruises should bring about some pretty cool scars.

Getty ImagesNo. 1 Star: Andrew Shaw, Chicago Blackhawks

Shaw got a little chat from Michal Handzus telling him that calming down would be beneficial for the Blackhawks. It worked and Shaw scored twice in Game 5 as Chicago downed the Detroit Red Wings 4-1, forcing a Game 6. His first goal snapped a 1-1 tie and came 3:31 after Danny Cleary evened things up:

No. 2 Star: Gregory Campbell, Boston Bruins

The Bruins' "Merlot Line" has stepped up for them all series and they in Game 5 they led the way during Boston's 3-1 win to eliminate the New York Rangers. Campbell scored twice, the go-ahead goal midway through the second period and then the empty-netter to seal things. Campbell, along with Shawn Thornton and Daniel Paille, combined for 10 points in the series.

No. 3 Star: Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks

Toews scored his first goal of the playoffs to give the Blackhawks a 3-1 lead. Just as important, he finished with zero penalty minutes and led all Chicago forwards in time on-ice with 20:33.

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.

(Getty)

Neymar has declared his intention to sign a five-year deal with Barcelona on Monday through his Instagram account, bringing an end to a transfer saga that feels like it has gone on since sometime around 1993.

Barcelona confirmed Neymar's announcement on their official website in a report titled "Neymar da Silva: 'O Rei' of the 21st century." O Rei is, of course, Pele's nickname. So calling the 21-year-old O Rei of the 21st century furthers the frequent comparisons between the two and adds an extra scoop of ridiculousness to the already impossible expectations on Neymar. The report also includes a section titled "Pele's blessing" which highlights the basic points of comparison and admiration between the two Brazilians.

Neymar will play his final match for Santos on Sunday, which he plans to use as a farewell party for himself. From the AP:

''I want to thank Santos fans for these nine incredible years,'' Neymar said. ''My feelings for the club and the fans will never change. I made it sure that I play (this last match) so I can have the opportunity to once again enter the field wearing the team's jersey and to hear the fan chant my name.''

Neymar failed to impress when he faced Barcelona in the 2011 Club World Cup final, though he was named the tournament's third best player. Now that he and Lionel Messi will be teammates, it could ease some of Barcelona's reliance on the four-time Ballon d'Or winner and return Barca to their old dominance. Or the move to a new continent and years of ballooning expectations will prove to be a heavy burden on a young footballer who has already been declared royalty.

(USA Today Sports Images)The next lightweight contender had a chance to make himself known at UFC 160. T.J. Grant earned the spot with dismantling of Gray Maynard on Saturday night.

Grant absorbed a few early shots from Maynard, and then landed a right hand that shook Maynard. He had no time to recover, as Grant continued to swarm with punches and knees. Maynard went down, worked his way back to his feet and then was taken back down again. Finally, the bout was stopped at 2:07 in the first round.

Both Maynard and Grant knew going into the bout that the winner was expected to get the next UFC lightweight title shot. After such an impressive performance, he should get it, but he made sure to ask for it in his post-fight interview.

"I want to fight [UFC lightweight champ] Benson Henderson for the title. I wanna be the champ. I wanna beat the champ," Grant said.

He's on a five-fight win streak. Before Maynard, he took out Matt Wiman with a first-round TKO in January.

Henderson fully expects to fight Grant. He tweeted:

Wowser!!! TJ Grant it is...#UFC160

— Benson Henderson (@BensonHenderson) May 26, 2013

With the display Grant put on at UFC 160, Henderson isn't the only one looking forward to that fight.

Getty ImagesThe Detroit Red Wings couldn't escape. Two times. Two penalty kills. Twice they were unable to clear the puck out of their own zone, allowing the Chicago Blackhawks to capitalize and stay alive for at least one more game. Andrew Shaw and Jonathan Toews took advantage and scored power play goals in the second period as Chicago beat Detroit 4-1, staving off elimination and forcing a Game 6 Monday night.

"We had to play desperate," said Shaw to NBC Sports Network's Pierre McGuire afterward.

Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader cancelled out a power play opportunity after retaliating on Dave Bolland early in the second period. Detroit was able keep Chicago off the board during that 4-on-4 time, but later in the period, he was back in the box after cross-checking Patrick Kane. The Blackhawks would make him pay with their third goal of the game, coming off the stick of captain Toews:

The goal was Toews' first of the playoffs and a nice comeback from his Game 5 meltdown where he took three consecutive penalties in a 5:34 span. That was part of a bigger storyline of the Blackhawks' getting frustrated by not only the Red Wings, but by some of the calls on the ice.

"You can't change a call when it happens," Shaw said. "You have to move forward. Our PK (4-for-4 in Game 5) has been unbelievable, they've been helping up out all series. [The coaching staff] let us know if we stay out of the box we'll get more offensive chances and we created the win here."

Aside from getting the captain going, the Blackhawks were able to solve Jimmy Howard, who allowed only two goals in Detroit's three straight wins leading up to Game 5. Head coach Joel Quenneville also reunited Brent Seabrook with Duncan Keith and Niklas Hjalmarsson and Johnny Oduya on the blue line. Toews skated with Patricks Kane and Sharp. The moves paid off.

It was a shakeup within the Blackhawks' roster that needed to happen. It woke them up for one game. What about for Game 6?

Follow Sean Leahy on Twitter at @Sean_Leahy