There will be something for everyone on streaming platforms in May. Whether you’re a fan of gripping sports dramas or side-splitting comedies. But that’s part of the problem. The big hitters like Netflix, Disney+ and Stan are so packed with content that it makes it difficult to discern what’s worth your time and what’s best left on the backburner – especially when you’re prone to indecision and are paying for the luxury of choice.

Not to worry though, Men’s Health has you covered. Featuring everything from critically acclaimed blockbusters finally making their digital debuts to the premiere of long-awaited original series, we’ve rounded up all the very best films and shows coming to streaming platforms in May 2024.

What’s new on Netflix in May?

May Netflix Highlight – A Man in Full

With Succession drawing to a close with its final season in 2023, fans of the series on the lookout for a similar bingeworthy drama will find it in A Man in Full. Based on Tom Wolfe’s bestselling novel of the same name, A Man in Full follows an unscrupulous real estate mogul who must defend his crumbling empire from rival businessmen and crude politicians when faced with sudden bankruptcy. Jeff Daniels stars in the leading role, a decidedly different look from what many viewers will know him for (Dumb and Dumber).

Also coming to Netflix in May is Unfrosted. Riding on the coattails of successful 2023 documentary films like Air and Blackberry, Unfrosted also dramatises the early years of a now lucrative business – Kellogg’s, and the creation of pop-tarts. Unfrosted is Jerry Seinfeld’s directorial debut and will carry a lighter tone than the other films of its business-docudrama genre. Expect Bodkin to garner its fair share of viewers as well, in light of the recent societal obsession with true crime stories. The series is a thriller/dark comedy and sees a group of podcasters journey to a quaint Irish town to investigate a slate of mysterious, decades-old disappearances.

May 1

• Airport
• Airport ’77
• Airport 1975
• The Best Man Holiday
• Blended
• Blue Mountain State, seasons 1-3
• Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland
• Deaw Special: Super Soft Power
• Down The Rabbit Hole
• Eat Pray Love
• The Edge of Seventeen
• The Equalizer
• Frankly Speaking
• The Gentlemen
• Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar
• Hellboy (2019)
• Hulk
• Jumanji (1995)
• Liar Liar
• Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
• The Matrix Resurrections
• Mortal Kombat (2021)
• Mr. & Mrs. Smith
• The Nutty Professor
• The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
• Outlander, season 6
• Patriots Day
• Public Enemies
• Ride Along
• Shrek
• Shrek Forever After
• Starship Troopers
• Traffic
• The Wedding Planner
• White House Down
• Woody Woodpecker
•  The Young Victoria

May 2

• A Man in Full
• Beautiful Rebel
• Lola
• Secrets of the Neanderthals
• T・P BON

May 3

• 2 Hearts
• John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s In L.A
• Postcards
• Selling the OC, season 3
• The Unbroken Voice, season 2
• Unfrosted

May 4

• The Atypical Family
• Katt Williams: Woke Foke

May 5

• The Peanut Butter Falcon
• Roast of Tom Brady

May 6

• 30 for 30: Broke
• 30 for 30: Deion’s Double Play
• 30 for 30: The Two Escobars
• John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s In L.A
• Reba, seasons 1-6

May 7

• Super Rich in Korea

May 8

• The Final: Attack on Wembley
• War Dogs

May 9

• Bodkin
• The Guardian of the Monarchs
• Mother of The Bride
• Sing Street
• Thank You, Next

May 10

• Blood of Zeus, season 2
• Cooking Up Murder: Uncovering the Story of César Román
• Living With Leopards
• Pokémon Horizons: The Series, part 2
• The Ultimatum: South Africa

May 11

• Mark Twain Prize Award: Kevin Hart

May 13

• Archer, seasons 1-13
• Princess Power, season 3

May 14

• Married at First Sight, season 15

May 15

• Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal
• The Clovehitch Killer

May 16

• Bridgerton, season 3, part 1
• Dumb and Dumber To
• Maestro in Blue, season 2
• Upgrade

May 17

• The 8 Show
• Power
• Thelma the Unicorn

May 19

• A Simple Favor
• Golden Kamuy

May 20

• The Parisian Agency: Exclusive Properties, season 4

May 21

• Rachel Feinstein: Big Guy
• Wildfire, seasons 1-4

May 22

• Act Your Age, season 1
• Toughest Forces on Earth

May 23

• Garouden: The Way of the Lone Wolf
• In Good Hands 2
• Tires

May 24

• Atlas
• Butterfly in the Sky: The Story of Reading Rainbow
• Jurassic World: Chaos Theory
• Mulligan, part 2
• My Oni Girl

May 28

• Bionic
• Colors of Evil: Red
• Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult
• Patrick Melrose

May 30

• Eric
• Geek Girl

May 31

• A Part of You
• Chola Chabuca
• How to Ruin Love: The Proposal
• Raising Voices
• Tòkunbọ̀

What’s new on Disney+ in May?

May Disney+ Highlight – Welcome to Wrexham, season 3

After a quiet few months, Disney+ is back in a big way. Welcome to Wrexham‘s third season will premiere on May 3rd, chronicling Wrexham’s first season back in the English Football League and third under the guidance of celebrity owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Spoiler alert, the team just defeated league leaders Stockport to finish second on the table and secure promotion to the English Football League One next season, so expect another success story.

Elsewhere, the newest series of Doctor Who will be streaming exclusively on Disney+, with Ncuti Gatwa – previously of Sex Education fame – as the first ever black actor to play the titular role. For Star Wars fans, May 4th – practically a religious holiday – will be marked by the premiere of six-part series Tales of the Empire. And if you’re hoping to quench your whodunnit thirst, Shardlake, which follows a 16th century English lawyer sent to investigate a murder at a remote monastery, should provide more than enough intrigue and mystery to suffice.

May 1

• Shardlake

May 3

• Beneath the Planet of the Apes
• Conquest of the Planet of the Apes
• Prom Dates
• Welcome to Wrexham, season 3

May 4

• How Not to Draw, seasons 1-2
• Star Wars: Tales of the Empire

May 5

• Monsters at Work, season 2

May 8

• We Were The Lucky Ones
• Let It Be

May 10

• Past Lies

May 11

• Doctor Who

May 14

• Crash

May 15

• Uncle Samsik
• Queen Rock Montreal

May 17

• Billy & Molly: An Otter Love Story

May 22

• Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of X-Men ’97
• Chip ‘n’ Dale: Park Life, season 2
• Pauline
• Mickey Mouse Funhouse, season 3

May 23

• The Kardashians, season 5

May 24

• The Beach Boys

May 31

• Jim Henson Idea Man

New episodes of The Veil, The Bad Batch, Vanderpump Villa, The Simpsons, The Fable, Grey’s Anatomy, Station 19, Undead Unluck, Will Trent, Not Dead Yet, Chief Detective 1958, Blood Free, House of the Owl, and Marvel’s X-Men 97 will also appear weekly throughout May.

What’s new on Stan in May?

May Stan Highlight – Anatomy of a Fall

Oscar-winning French legal drama Anatomy of a Fall will arrive on Stan in May. The film centres on a woman suspected of murdering her husband, while her blind son faces a moral dilemma as the sole witness. Anatomy of a Fall received five Academy award nominations this year and took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay – and believe us, if there was an Oscar for best animal actor, it would’ve won that too.

Also new on Stan, The Tattooist of Auschwitz tells the story of Lali Sokolov, a Slovak-Australian businessman and survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp. Sokolov, who is played by Harvey Keitel in the new series, was first brought to wider attention by New Zealand Author Heather Morris’ bestselling non-fiction novel in 2018. Now, Morris herself becomes a character in the series, with Melanie Lynskey portraying the author who seeks out Sokolov for information on his imprisonment and role in branding the camp’s prisoners with an identification number. Expect a tough watch, but an important one.

May 1

• White House Down
• The Salisbury Poisonings, season 1
• Burning Days

May 2

• The Tattooist of Auschwitz
• Geordie OGs, seasons 1-2

May 3

• Hacks, season 3
• Colombiana
• Intruders

May 4

• Jobs
• The Most Beautiful Day in the World
• Wild Seas

May 5

• Hidden Figures
• Four’s a Crowd

May 6

• Dear David
• Clouds of Sils Maria

May 7

• Darkland: The Return

May 8

• The Expatriate
• Hard Sun, season 1

May 9

• Bright Star
• History of the Occult
• Failure to Launch

May 10

• Mid90s
• Are You The One UK, season 1
• 3rd Rock From The Sun, seasons 1-6

May 11

• Mrs. Doubtfire
• The Last Night of Amore

May 12

• High, season 2
• Predestination
• Love Thing

May 13

• Alma & Oskar

May 14

• Suite Francaise
• The Help

May 15

• Little Bird, season 1
• The Physician
• A Girl Returned

May 16

• Teen Spirit
• Dublin Murders, season 1
• The Eight Hundred

May 18

• RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, season 9
• EO
• Murder On The Orient Express (2017)

May 19

• Mark Felt: Man Who Brought Down The White House
• Shinjuku Incident

May 20

• X + Y
• Believer

May 21

• At War with Love

May 22

• American Ninja Warrior, season 15
• Dark Skies

May 23

• Insomnia, season 1
• Face/Off
• Loro: The Director’s Cut Pt. 1
• Loro: The Director’s Cut Pt. 2

May 24

• Anatomy of a Fall

May 25

• Flashdance
• Butterfly, season 1
• The Fault In Our Stars

May 26

• Revealed: Renee Gracie—Fireproof
• The Core
• Lord, Give Me Patience

May 27

• Those Happy Years

May 28

• The Combination
• The Combination: Redemption
• Bangla

May 29

• Baghdad Central, season 1
• Braveheart

May 30

• Three Thousand Years Of Longing
• Sacro Gra

May 31

• We Are Lady Parts, season 2
• Float
• Disobedience
• The Family

What’s new on Amazon Prime Video in May?

May Amazon Prime Video Highlight – The Test: A New Era for Australia’s Team, season 3

The Test returns for another season documenting the Australian men’s national cricket team’s dominance under their talismanic captain Pat Cummins. This time, the docuseries will focus on the bitter Ashes series between Australia and England that dominated headlines and pub talk in 2023. A trailer for the new season is yet to be released, but expect the in-depth look into the team’s personal perspectives on the series to be just as incendiary as the original incidents.

If cricket’s not to your taste, the first season of Young Rock, starring former Men’s Health cover guy Uli Latukefu, will also make its way to Amazon Prime next month.

May 1

• Mannequin
• Of Mice and Men
• Mr Robot, season 1-4
• Friday Night Lights, seasons 1-5 
• The Bold Type, seasons 1-5 
• Parks and Recreation, seasons 1-7 

May 2

• The Idea of You
• Young Rock, season 1

May 3

• About My Father
• Bring Him to Me
• Clarkson’s Farm, season 3 part 1

May 7

• Muriel’s Wedding

May 9

• Maxton Hall – The World Between Us
• The Goat, season 1

May 10

• Arthur The King
• Clarkson’s Farm, season 3 part 2

May 13

• EXPEND4BLES

May 14

• Gamer

May 15

• Columbo, seasons 1-9

May 16

• Outer Range, season 2
• Academy of Country Music Awards

May 17

• Beyond the Veil, season 2

May 19

• Edge of Tomorrow
• My Spy

May 21

• The Time Traveller’s Wife

May 23

• The Blue Angels

May 24

• The Test, season 3

May 28

• The Dive

May 30

• May December

May 31

• Thanksgiving
• The Outlaws, season 3

What’s new on Binge in May?

May Binge Highlight – Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning

2023 was the year of the blockbuster. After a few years of box office stagnation following the COVID pandemic and the conclusion of the main Avengers storyline, 2023 saw Barbie, Oppenheimer and Super Mario Bros. all gross for more than $1 billion. Released just two weeks before the beginning of the Barbenheimer phenomenon, Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning flew completely under the radar as a result, but it was still a massive commercial success. It’s also the most critically successful film in the Tom Cruise-fronted Mission Impossible franchise, topping Rotten Tomatoes’ audience and critics scores.

Beloved Australian series Colin From Accounts is also returning for a second season on Binge. The rom-com follows a couple who meet through a car crash and are bound by an injured dog. By the end of season one, the pair managed to fit each other into their already wild lives. Season two will be about keeping that spark alive. Assisting Colin From Accounts’ authenticity is the fact that the on-screen leads are also partners off-screen.

May 1

Inside The Shein Machine
Monk, seasons 1-4
Deadly Decisions
El Accidente
Honor, Season 2
48 Hours To Victory
Meg 2: The Trench
Room 212
A Quiet Passion
Drop Dead Fred
The Little Hours
Brewster’s Millions
Some Kind Of Wonderful

May 2

China Rising, parts 1-2
New Nurses, season 2
Turtles All The Way Down
Leatherheads
The Other Boleyn Girl

May 3

Gogglebox UK, season 22
Missile From The East
FBOY Island USA, season 3
#textmewhenyougethome, season 2
Bad Blood: Toppling Turnbull
Big Shots: Anti-Vaxxers Exposed
Catching The Claremont Killer: The Untold Story
Swamp People: Serpent Invasion, season 3
Lust, Lies & Polygamy
Ann Rule’s A Murder To Remember

May 4

The Great South African Bake Off, season 4
My Husband’s Seven Wives
The Neighbours Are Watching
Murder At The Country Club

May 5

Secret Love Triangle
Secrets In The Desert

May 6

Swamp People: Serpent Invasion, season 3
Australia’s Cocaine Crisis
Cooking With The Stars, season 2
Take In Montana
The Venice Murders

May 7

Real Housewives of New Jersey, season 14
New Blood: Morrison’s Miracle
Auschwitz – One Day
Lawyer X: The Untold Story

May 8

Shelved
Sell This House, season 11
Saving Lives At Sea, season 3
Ancient Secrets Of Althorp With Charles Spencer
Barbie
Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie

May 9

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, season 2
Eden: Untamed Planet
What Really Happened In Wuhan
Whitstable Pearl, season 2
Deepwater Salvage, season 2

May 10

Simply Raymond Blanc, season 2
Nick Knowles Heritage Rescue
Hospital, season 6
Countdown To Surrender – The Last 100 Days
Simply Raymond Blanc, season 2
Nick Knowles Heritage Rescue
The Exorcist: Believer

May 11

George Michael: Portrait Of An Artist

May 12

Nikki Glaser: Someday You’ll Die
Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed
The Tasting

May 13

Eat Well For Less: New Zealand, season 4
EXPEND4BLES

May 14

Antiques Road Trip, season 25

May 15

Billionaire Murders

May 16

Confessions Of A Psycho Killer

May 20

Styled
Vida The Vet
The Campaign Uncovered
The Belt Report: Pell Exclusive

May 21

Stax: Soulsville USA
Frozen Planet II, season 2
Changing Our Nation
The Cult Of Dan Andrews

May 22

Haters Online: Erin Molan Fights Back
Liberals In Power
World’s Most Expensive Cruise, season 3
Emergency Helicopter Medics
Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning

May 23

Men In The Mirror: Rudd & Turnbull
Who Murdered Marea?
Paediatric Rescue
Ronnie’s
Britain’s Most Scenic Counties: Norfolk & Suffolk

May 24

Your ABC Exposed
MH370: The Final Search
Ancient Superstructures, season 2

May 28

Christina On The Coast, season 4
Cruising The Med
Location, Location, Location, season 27
Chopped Next Gen

May 29

Movie Pass, Movie Crash

May 30

Colin From Accounts, season 2
Grand Designs: The Street, season 3
May December

May 31

Interior Design Masters With Alan Carr, season 5
Thanksgiving

What’s new on Apple TV+ in May?

May Apple TV+ Highlight – Dark Matter

Starring Australian Joel Edgerton, Dark Matter is based on a bestselling novel and is cashing in on the recent multiverse craze. The story revolves around Chicago-based physicist Jason Dessen, who is kidnapped by a parallel-universe version of himself and taken to an alternate world shaped by a decision he made 15 years earlier. There, he must literally fight against himself to get back to his true reality and protect his family. Mind-bending stuff.

May 1

• Acapulco, season 3

May 8

• Dark Matter
• Hollywood Con Queen

May 17

• The Big Cigar

May 22

• Trying, season 4

Related:

Baby Reindeer and the lure of the binge-watch

What to stream in February 2024: Netflix, Disney+, Stan, Amazon Prime + more

The post What to stream in May 2024: Netflix, Disney+, Stan, Amazon Prime + more appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

It was 9.53pm on a ‘school night’. I looked at my wife. Should we keep going? I felt the familiar grip that a great series can exert on you, gluing you to the couch, unable to resist the pull of finding out what happens next but knowing choosing to stay up could come back to haunt you the next morning. Then, as you wake bleary-eyed, you curse yourself for not calling time on the show at a reasonable hour.

This experience is not unique to Baby Reindeer by any means. This year alone I’ve felt similar levels of paralysis when watching One Day, Heartbreak High, Shrinking and any number of other streaming shows that ruled my world for a few nights, but tellingly perhaps, I now struggle to recall. Part of me loves being in the midst of a streaming binge. The knowledge that you have something good to watch at night gives you a treat to look forward to as you wash the dishes or, if you’re a parent like me, an escape from Bluey.

When you don’t have a series on the go life suddenly becomes more aimless. You face the endless scroll for a show that captures your interest. The number of shows my wife and I have started and abandoned after 15 minutes or so means the “Continue watching for Ben” tab on my Netflix carousel is one of the biggest on my account. Restlessness, boredom, ennui all come calling. A good series is a blessed relief. If you didn’t know better, you’d call this behaviour an addiction.

Is it though? Binge-watching has become a burgeoning field of research after the term was first recognised by the Oxford Dictionary back in 2013. Since then, many researchers have pointed out the practice’s similarities with addictive behaviour, namely its engagement of the same neural pathways.

“When engaged in an activity that’s enjoyable such as binge watching, your brain produces dopamine,” says clinical psychologist Dr Renee Carr. “This chemical gives the body a natural, internal reward of pleasure that reinforces continued engagement in that activity. It is the brain’s signal that communicates to the body, ‘This feels good. You should keep doing this!’”

But the behaviour could be a symptom of underlying issues rather than a cause of them. A study of Taiwanese adults found problematic binge-watching was associated with depression and anxiety related to social interaction. Similarly, a study from Georgia Southern University found associations between binge-watching and anxiety and depression.

But binge watching may also have less sinister motivations, such as boredom or a desire for escapism. A study by Portuguese researchers found participants had positive changes in mood after watching sci-fi, while their “negative affect values” decreased after watching comedy and slightly increased after watching drama.

Regardless of whether you classify binge-watching as an addiction, there’s no denying that it can impact your sleep.

As well as the impact of the message (the show), there’s also the effects of the medium (your 64-inch flatscreen). Blue light emitted by your TV screen suppresses the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, which can keep you awake for longer, often processing what you’ve just watched – I did this after watching episode five of Baby Reindeer.

So, what should you do if you’re in the midst of a streaming binge?

Make a plan going in

Decide on a limit beforehand, say two episodes. Or a time limit. If your normal bedtime is 10pm, then enforce a hard cut-off, no matter where you are in the episode or how climatic the scene you’re watching.

Take a break between episodes

Pause the screen during the countdown to the next episode. Get some water, go to the bathroom, have a chat about what you’ve just watched with your partner. By taking a break you might find you’re good for the night.

Don’t watch in bed

Ideally, you shouldn’t have any screen time an hour before bed. By having the TV in another room you’re at least creating some kind of break, however brief, between hitting stop and hitting your pillow.

 Don’t be too hard on yourself

Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up; everybody does it. Tomorrow is a new day, a new episode, a new series. The journey starts again.

Related:

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Study Reveals Watching Less TV Could Cut Heart Disease 

The post Baby Reindeer and the lure of the binge-watch appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Not everyone will have an answer to that question. Even fewer have the know-how to actually persevere in such circumstances, but that’s the scenario being presented to ten hardcore survivalists on the second season of Alone Australia. Why would anyone willingly subject themselves to abject loneliness, a daunting physical challenge and a supreme test of human will, you ask? A $250,000 prize is why, but even that might not be enough to pry the average person away from the comfort of their home. And let’s be clear, the average person could not handle what the contestants will be facing.

To understand the mindset of someone capable of taking on Alone Australia, we caught up with Andreas Lundin, a season two contestant who might just be Australia’s most self-sufficient man. Originally from Sweden, Andreas is a subsistence hunter who catches or hunts 90 per cent of his protein, ethically butchering and storing his prey himself. Andreas is also an elite personal trainer with a keen focus on his own personal health.

It is difficult to imagine a more suitable person to conquer the wilderness than Andreas, but even he admits that the challenge presented by Alone Australia is not something within his comfort zone. “No matter how much time you spend outdoors and in nature, I don’t think anyone can go into that show without it being a challenge,” he says. “You don’t have a backup. You don’t have a pause button. You can’t ask for a time out or a break.”

According to Lundin, the fact that contestants have little room for preparation and planning is what makes surviving all the more difficult. “When I was told I was going to be on the show, I thought it was going to be in Australia,” he says. “I know Swedish and European nature quite well and I thought I would do okay in Australia, but then they threw a curveball and took me to New Zealand. So I was like ‘Oh shit’.”

“If you think back in your life, there aren’t many situations where you’re completely unprepared,” Lundin continues. “If you decide to go and live in the woods for a week, you can prepare for that. It’s not the same as having someone literally take you somewhere you don’t know and leaving you to survive on your own.”

Lundin is buoyed by the fact that competitors are allowed to hunt for sustenance, a factor that benefits someone of his skillset. The hunting lifestyle is one that Andreas has grown to embrace after adopting it shortly after moving to Australia. Growing up in Sweden, fresh meats, vegetables and seasonal foods were mainstays in his diet. But a bad experience with Australian seafood drove him to alternatives.

“I woke up one day and really wanted some flathead, so I went to the supermarket, bought some Flathead, got home and cooked it,” Lundin says. “I’m a decent cook, but it just didn’t taste right. I looked at the back of the packet and saw ‘product of Argentina’.”

The situation forced Lundin to question the logic and environmental absurdity of shipping food across the world to a country already possessing an ocean rich in natural bounty. “I was a bit pissed off by that whole scenario, so I went and bought a fishing rod, went to the ocean and caught two flathead in like 30 minutes,” Lundin says. “Not long after that I got myself a speargun, and once I got underwater I realised there’s a smorgasbord of fresh food in the ocean. I was pescatarian for about a year after that.”

As his passion for fishing took off, Andreas found himself running in the same circles as hunters, specifically, bow hunters. And as luck would have it, Lundin was a keen archer during his childhood. “I bought myself a bow, started practicing and out of pure luck, I got a deer in my first month,” he says. “Everything has just rolled on from there. I’ve always wanted to eat healthy, eat good food and eat in an environmentally sound way, hunting allows me to do that.”

Lundin doesn’t believe that wanting to eat healthy and source your own food means you need to only eat self-harvested meals. “It doesn’t need to be all or nothing,” he says. “If I feel like steak or chicken, I’ll just go buy some.” But Lundin emphasises that being self-sufficient isn’t just healthier, it’s also cheaper. Before the COVID pandemic, Andreas was able live on self-harvested food five days a week, and you don’t need to be an exceptional hunter to do so. “If you take yourself a deer, you’re looking at around 35kg of meat. If you vacuum seal it and keep it in a deep freezer, it will last a long time,” he says.

Conquering the wilderness takes more than a little knowledge of the bush and some skill with a bow. Alone Australia is a test of mental and physical strength as much as it is a test of survival skills. Luckily for Lundin, fitness has always been something he’s prioritised. “I’ve worked in the fitness industry my whole life and got my first job in fitness when I was 14. It’s part of who I am now,” he says. “I’m at the point of my life now where I don’t even see things like my fitness as negotiable. I couldn’t live my life the way I do without being fit and healthy.”

In addition to being a full-time personal trainer, hunting and fishing in his spare time, Lundin is also a keen mountain biker. Evidently, keeping fit isn’t something he needs to strive for, it’s simply part of his extremely active lifestyle. “I’ve realised that it’s not that hard to keep weight off if you actually have a good diet as a base. The fitness side of it is just part of my lifestyle,” he says. “I don’t think about going out to burn a specific amount of calories. It’s more about taking a break from the city, hopping on my mountain bike and riding for a few hours. It’s fun, keeping fit is just an extra bonus.”

For Lundin, the key to keeping fit is easy. “Nail the basics,” he says when asked to describe his fitness philosophy in a single sentence. “Today, it’s so easy to get overwhelmed. You can be counting calories here and doing special exercises there and in reality, most people miss out on the basics.”

Taking into account his skillset, lifestyle and prolific survival experience, Lundin seems like the perfect candidate to outlast his competitors and win Alone Australia. But then again, so does every other contestant. So, will Lundin come out on top? We’ll have to wait and see.

Alone Australia season two premieres Wednesday 27 March at 7:30pm on SBS and SBS On Demand.

Related:

Robert Irwin is a man on a mission

Bear Grylls Says ‘Natural’ Diet of Grass-Fed Red Meat Is ‘Secret to Facing Life’s Toughest Challenges’

The post Meet Andreas Lundin, the subsistence hunter braving the wilderness in ‘Alone Australia’ appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

To stay in the loop and not get FOMO, upgrade your TV to experience every single game-changing moment. Trust us; you don’t want to be the clueless friend in the group chat while your mates go back and forth reminiscing on the epic games they’ve witnessed while you’re scrambling through your phone to see what the final score was.

With a ton of new innovative 4 to 8k technology, upgrading your TV is the new ‘it’ thing. Check out some of our options to pimp out your living room below and become the hottest house in the friend group. It’s time to stay ahead of the game while getting your TV game on point. 

TVs below $1000 

Samsung 55″ CU8000 4K Crystal UHD Smart TV 23

Kicking off our TV reviews with a little affordable gem that doesn’t sacrifice quality. Throwing its weight around with some of the more expensive televisions on the market, this telly will certainly tick the boxes for your basic needs. Delivering a stunning visual quality and an intelligent user experience, the Samsung 55″ CU8000 4K Crystal UHD Smart TV, is both sleek and stylish, boasts a razor-sharp 4K resolution that brings all your favourite matches, analysis, and highlights to life with vivid colour and detail. With built-in smart features like voice control and easy app access, you can enjoy your favourite sports content without ever leaving the couch. Plus, with Samsung’s unique Crystal UHD technology, you’ll get even more lifelike colours and contrast, making this TV the perfect choice for anyone who demands the best.

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Kogan LED 4K Smart Google TV

Another option for the value seekers. Taking care of your entertainment needs at a fraction of the price, this top-of-the-line television offers a variety of features to enhance your viewing experience. Its 4K Ultra HD resolution delivers stunning picture quality with vivid colours and sharp details. At the same time, the Smart TV functionality allows you to access all your favourite streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Kayo directly from your TV. The built-in Google Assistant also lets you control your TV with your voice, making it easier than ever to find what you’re looking for. If you’re a sports fan, you’ll love the Kogan Smart Google TV’s high-definition ability to stream live sports events. Whether you’re watching football, basketball, or any other sport, this TV will make you feel like you’re sitting in the stadium, soaking up the atmosphere.

Screen size: 75 Inches 

Display: 4K smart

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Hisense 55″ U6KAU 4K Mini-LED QLED Smart TV 23

The Hisense 55″ U6KAU 4K Mini-LED QLED Smart TV is a standout TV that offers an immersive viewing experience. With its innovative Mini-LED technology, this TV delivers stunning picture quality with deeper blacks and brighter whites. Now, to drop some TV game on you all, this Hisense telly has Inbuilt Quantum Dot technology (sounding like a line from a space travel film) that delivers over 1 billion beautiful shades of vibrant, accurate colours. At the same time, a full array of local dimming zones ensures deep blacks and bright highlights. The QLED technology adds a layer of colour enhancement, producing vivid and lifelike images.

The TV’s innovative features allow you to easily stream your favourite in-season clashes, while built-in voice control technology makes it easy to navigate content hands-free. With a sleek design and slim bezels, this TV is a stylish addition to any home theatre setup. It’s 55″ screen size provides ample viewing space, perfect for catching teams or athletes in full flight.

Screen size: 55 Inches 

Display: 4K Resolution 

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Televisions between $1000 to $3000

Hisense 65″ U6KAU 4K Mini-LED QLED Smart TV 23

Entering the mid-tier priced televisions on the list, we start with the Hisense Mini-LED telly, because bigger is always better, right? With a larger screen at such an affordable price, it’s hard to resist the step-up. A neat little number that signs, seals and delivers quality without breaking the bank account. With its Mini-LED technology, it delivers stunning picture quality that’ll make you wonder if you’re watching real life. Plus, with over 1 billion shades of vibrant and accurate colour, this TV is perfect for big-game nights or catching up on your favourite sporting highlights. And thanks to the built-in voice control technology, navigating content has never been easier.

It’s like having your own personal assistant but without the awkward small talk. Plus, the sleek design and slim bezels make this TV a stylish addition to any home theatre set-up. With footy season just around the corner, you deserve a TV that’s as smart as it is stunning. The Hisense 65″ U6KAU 4K Mini-LED QLED Smart TV is the way to go to view all the action.

Screen size: 65 Inches

Display resolution: 4K QLED 

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Samsung Q60C 4K QLED Smart TV 23

The Samsung 75″ Q60C 4K QLED Smart TV is a top-of-the-line television set that offers an immersive viewing experience. It comes with a large 75-inch 4K display, which delivers crisp and clear visuals, picking up your team colours by enhancing vibrant colours and deep blacks. The QLED technology used in this TV produces excellent contrast and brightness levels, which ensures that every detail in the image is visible, even in the darkest scenes. The TV also features a smart interface that allows you to access various streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu, to catch all those riveting sports documentaries. Additionally, the TV comes with a range of connectivity options, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and HDMI ports, which make it easy to connect your devices to the TV. For sport lovers, this Samsung Smart TV has your bases well and truely covered. 

Screen size: 75 Inches

Display: 4K Ultra HD

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X85L Full Array LED 4K Ultra HD (HDR) Smart TV Google TV

Looking for a TV that packs a punch with its picture quality and features practically picking up every blade of grass on the field? Look no further than the 75″ X85L Full Array LED 4K Ultra HD Smart TV. This TV boasts a stunning 4K resolution, which means you’ll see every detail from the gold medals to gold point thrillers in breathtaking clarity. And with HDR, you’ll experience more vivid colours and deeper blacks. Plus, the Full Array LED technology ensures the screen is evenly lit, so you won’t have to worry about frustrating blemishes or shadows. And when it comes to innovative features, this TV has it all – from built-in apps like Netflix and Hulu to voice control with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, you’ll have everything you need right at your fingertips. So why settle for anything less than the best?

Screen size: 75 Inches

Display: 4k Ultra HD (HDR) 

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Samsung 85″ CU8000 4K Crystal UHD Smart TV 23

Looking for a TV that will take the sports entertainment experience to the next level? Look no further than yet another killer number from the reliable Samsung range. With its stunning 4K resolution and crystal-clear picture quality, you’ll be able to see every detail of your favourite movies and TV shows like never before. Plus, with its smart features, you can easily access your favourite streaming services and apps right from your TV, making it the perfect addition to any home entertainment setup. And at 85 inches, this TV is sure to impress your mates – whether you’re hosting State of Origin night with friends or just relaxing at home in front of a sold-out Carlton vs Collingwood at the ‘G’, this huge screen has you covered.

Screen size: 85 Inches

Display: 4K Crystal UHD

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Televisions above $3000

OLED S90C 4K Smart TV

Moving up the ladder of telly price tags, we go to a Samsung that’s a true masterpiece of technology. Its stunning OLED display delivers a picture quality that is hard to beat. We’re talking vibrant colours; the contrast is deep and dark, and the viewing angles are incredibly wide. But it’s not just a pretty face. This TV is also incredibly smart. I have to mention, over 8 million self-lit pixels & 4K AI processing; the picture on this screen is unmatched. It comes with all the latest features, including built-in Wi-Fi, voice control, and access to all your favourite streaming services. And with its sleek design and slim profile, it’s a beautiful addition to any home. Whether watching the latest pay-per-view blockbuster or streaming your favourite team take the park, the OLED S90C 4K Smart TV is the perfect choice for fans who demand the best.

Screen size: 65 Inches

Display: Quantum 4K HDR 

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QN900C Neo QLED 8K Smart TV

The QN900C Neo QLED 8K Smart is the ultimate TV for anyone who wants to be transported to all home and away matches without ever leaving their couch. With astounding 8K resolution, AI upscaling, colour accuracy, and contrast, every image comes to life with breathtaking clarity and depth. Setting the standard in picture quality, this TV will make the Aussie Olympic colours pop. We’ll also note the TV is without virtually no bezel so that you can enjoy a near-edge-to-edge picture. But the Neo QLED is more than just a visual feast for the eyes. It also comes equipped with an array of smart features that take your viewing experience to the next level. From voice control to built-in streaming apps and compatibility with all your favourite devices, the Neo QLED is the complete package. So whether you’re watching your favourite teams, streaming replays, or even gaming, the QN900C Neo QLED 8K Smart is the perfect companion for all your entertainment needs.

Screen size: 65 Inches

Display: 8K Resolution

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LG OLED Evo C3 4K Smart 

Now, for those who don’t mind splashing the cash on exceptional quality, the LG OLED Evo C3 4K Smart TV is the one for you. A mouthful of a name, this TV is equipped with self-lit OLED pixels that deliver unparalleled picture quality—met with vivid colours and some of the deepest blacks. You’ll be amazed at the accuracy and lifelike quality of the images, making you feel like you’re the one under the high ball or taking the opening hit up; either way, you’re right in the middle of the action. Now, let us once again drop some TV game on you all: this TV’s α9 AI processor Gen6 has enabled LG OLED to enhance its iconic self-lit pixels with the light boosting algorithm, light control architecture, and other refinements, making them shine brighter than ever. The 4K resolution lets you see every detail of your favourite sporting moments, immersing you in an unparalleled viewing experience. With its smart capabilities, you can easily access all your favourite content. This TV is perfect for those who want nothing but the best when it comes to quality and performance.

Screen size: 83 Inches 

Display: 4K Ultra HD

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The post Why you need to upgrade your TV for an unbeatable sporting experience appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Nevertheless, Drive To Survive has managed to look behind the predictable front line of the 2023 season to uncover the real drama happening behind pole position. And like sharks circling a chunk of meat, F1 fans are eager to eat it up. Now less than a week out from the opening race, the 2024 F1 season’s vigour has been restored, as fans have more to look out for than the red, blue and yellow of Verstappen’s RB20 pulling away from the pack.

All ten episodes of the new season of Drive To Survive dropped on Netflix last Friday. While fans are doubtlessly keen to absorb all of the newfound theatrics, it can be difficult to watch, process and digest it all in time for the 2024 season’s first race this Sunday. To aid in your quest of being up to date on all the drama, we’ve rounded up the biggest storylines to come out of Drive To Survive season six, the kind that will define the year ahead.

1 The sky is the limit for Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo was never going to last long as Red Bull’s third driver. Not because he didn’t have the requisite talent to fill the position—it mostly entailed posing for photos and fronting media conferences anyway—but because the man belongs behind the wheel.

The struggles of rookie driver Nyck de Vries are well documented early in Drive To Survive season six, as is exactly how out of place the smiling visage of Daniel Ricciardo looks when he’s not allowed to do what he does best. In episode two, concerns over de Vries’ performance reach the point that Ricciardo is given a test lap in a Red Bull car, with Red Bull boss Christian Horner watching on.

After a scintillatingly fast lap, Horner and the Red Bull team were visibly impressed with Ricciardo, with Horner remarking, “That lap he just did would have put him next to Max on the grid.” Horner then speaks with Ricciardo’s management team, telling them, “He looks like the Daniel we recognise, rather than the past couple of years. I want to put him in the car for the next race.”

As F1 fans will know, Ricciardo replaced de Vries at Red Bull’s junior team, AlphaTauri, soon after. The Australian has retained his spot for the 2024 season and now has his sights set even higher. As he reveals in episode nine of Drive To Survive, Ricciardo is aiming to impress in 2024, with the hope of returning to Red Bull from 2025 onwards.

2 Lewis Hamilton’s relationship with Mercedes will be strained

INSTAGRAM | @lewishamilton

Entering the 2024 F1 season, the biggest storyline surrounds something that won’t actually happen until 2025—Lewis Hamilton’s switch to Ferrari. It was hoped that the new season of Drive To Survive would shed some light on Hamilton’s decision, and it did, but not in the way many anticipated.

Clearly, season six of Drive To Survive was finalised before news of Hamilton’s departure from Mercedes broke. Throughout the season, the question of Hamilton’s future is laboured over, with the entirety of episode six dedicated to the contract negotiations held between Hamilton and Mercedes. But the message the series sends at its conclusion seems to indicate that everyone—including Hamilton—expected the driver to stick with Mercedes for the foreseeable future.

New footage from Drive To Survive shows private meetings between Hamilton and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff as the pair discuss the driver’s future. “This is precious years for me. I don’t know,” Hamilton tells Wollf during one meeting. “There never feels like a time when I’m not going to be a Mercedes driver. It’s my home. It’s my family,” he adds.

Episode six culminates with Hamilton signing a new contract that was supposed to keep him at Mercedes for another two years. We now know that Hamilton activated an early-exit clause in the contract to leave the team a year early, but what the series shows is just how unexpected that move was. Presumably, Hamilton and the Mercedes team will have tenuous relationship during the upcoming season.

Obviously, Hamilton and the Mercedes team are professionals and will do their utmost to prevent a fragmented relationship from derailing the outfit’s season before it even starts. However, to find success in F1, drivers, crew members and pit bosses need to be perfectly aligned if they want to have any hope of coming out on top. We’ve seen mistrust and personal grudges disrupt the sturdiest of F1 powerhouses before—the intense rivalry between Australian Mark Webber and his Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel immediately comes to mind—and if such a scenario presents itself, Hamilton’s final season with Mercedes will be filled with more tumult than celebrations.

3 Alpine could be in for a shake-up

As perennial middle of the pack-ers, Alpine have struggled to break away from their lackadaisical company at the bottom of the constructor’s championship and ascend to the tier of teams currently competing for the right to call themselves the best of the rest—as Red Bull has the firmest of firm holds on the top honour. To remedy the team’s lack of progress, Alpine dispensed of most of its leadership during the 2023 season but held onto its drivers—both of whom will be under the pump in 2024.

The feisty French duo of Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly are an odd pairing. Besides their shared nationality, the drivers have little else in common and have been on opposing sides of an intense rivalry for most of their careers. Breaking onto the karting and racing scenes at similar ages, Ocon and Gasly frequently competed for titles and were both touted as future F1 stars. Although, the Frenchmen have failed to replicate their early success in recent years.

Both Ocon and Gasly have won F1 races before, but last season the pair only managed a total of two podium finishes between them. As the new season of Drive To Survive made abundantly clear, that lack of success was responsible for nearly all of Alpine’s leadership team being shown the door, with team principal Otmar Szafnauer and sporting director Alan Permane both sacked. Ocon and Gasly’s performances will be under a microscope in 2024. Neither Frenchman is under contract beyond this season, and unless we see an uptick in results, major changes will likely arrive soon.

4 Liam Lawson has a point to prove

INSTAGRAM | @liamlawson30

A key beneficiary of the chain of events that involved Nyck de Vries’ sacking, Daniel Ricciardo’s lifeline and subsequent injury, was rookie New Zealander Liam Lawson, who pulled no punches in his brief opportunities to demonstrate his potential. After Ricciardo was forced out of action by a broken hand, Lawson stepped up to take his place over the next five races.

Lawson immediately stood out as an improvement on the standard established by AlphaTauri’s previous performances throughout their troubled season. Lawson finished higher than his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, in his first four F1 races. He also chalked up AlphaTauri’s first points of the season when he finished ninth at the Singapore Grand Prix, before Ricciardo returned from injury.

While Lawson wasn’t exactly challenging Max Verstappen for the lead in any of his stints behind the wheel, he consistently outperformed his teammate and was a brief light in a dark season for AlphaTauri. As such, it would be fair to say that Lawson could feel he had earned a permanent spot on the F1 grid from 2024 onwards. Instead, AlphaTauri decided to stick with Ricciardo and the struggling Tsunoda, and Lawson was rightfully ticked off about it, as he made clear in episode nine of Drive To Survive’s new season.

“I’ve just beaten the guy who got the seat,” Lawson tells Netflix’s cameras shortly after learning from Christian Horner that he wouldn’t be getting a starting spot in AlphaTauri’s 2024 lineup. “It’s meant to be me.” Lawson remains the reserve driver for both Red Bull and AlphaTauri for the 2024 season. If there are any slip-ups from the AlphaTauri drivers, Lawson is waiting in the wings and will be ready to strike. With Sergio Perez’s contract at Red Bull expiring at the end of this year, the battle for his vacated seat could be a three-man race between the drivers at Red Bull’s junior team: Ricciardo, Tsunoda and Lawson. Don’t expect Lawson to give it up without a fight.

5 A bumper year is ahead for McLaren

Episode three of Drive To Survive season six focuses entirely on McLaren. Specifically, the episode details the team’s early season woes, as rookie Oscar Piastri struggled to find his footing and stalwart Lando Norris weighed his options regarding testing the waters with another team. Midway through the season, however, McLaren made changes to their troubled MCL60 and their fortunes improved dramatically.

For the second half of the 2023 season, McLaren frequently looked like the biggest challengers to Red Bull’s dominance. With a full season ahead under an improved outlook, coupled with the growing talents of Piastri and Norris’ long-term commitment, McLaren looks like it can threaten Mercedes and Ferrari for the title of best of the rest.

INSTAGRAM | @oscarpiastri

Related:

Everything you need to know about Drive To Survive season 6

The Hamilton-Ferrari bombshell: A new chapter in F1 history

The post Five ‘Drive To Survive’ season 6 storylines that will define the 2024 Formula 1 championship appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Netflix’s hit docudrama series Drive To Survive has played a crucial role in F1’s ascension to global phenomenon status. The show has served as an introduction to the sport for a demographic who never really gave it much thought beforehand, garnering vast swaths of new fans and contributing to surging interest in F1 worldwide.

It is the highly restricted nature of F1—in which cars are more visible than those driving them and access to what’s going on behind closed doors is always limited—that has made Drive To Survive so popular. By providing fly-on-the-wall footage of the biggest moments happening behind the scenes, Drive To Survive has proven that F1 is just as dramatic as any other sport. As a result, a new season of the series is always heralded by eager anticipation from fans. Luckily, they don’t have much longer to wait.

On the eve of the show’s new season, we take a look at what to expect, the degree of Australian involvement and everything else you need to know about Drive To Survive season 6.

Has a trailer been released for Drive To Survive season 6?

It sure has. The first trailer for Drive To Survive season 6 was released on Wednesday, and you can watch it below.

What will Drive To Survive season 6 be about?

The 2023 F1 season was more one-sided than ever before. Max Verstappen won 19 of the 22 races and ran away with the driver’s championship. His Red Bull teammate, Sergio Perez, added another two wins to his team’s tally. There’s no way around it, Red Bull dominated. So don’t expect Drive To Survive’s sixth season to feature an abundance of back-and-forth contests for the top spot on the podium.

The battle for second place, however, was often far more thrilling. Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Aston Martin battled throughout the year to nab the second-best spot in the constructor’s championship. Ferrari eventually beat out Mercedes for second place, by a meagre margin of only three points—sorry, spoilers! Look for that matchup to feature heavily.

The episode guide from Drive To Survive season 6 has already been released. And from that, we can begin to understand what action the new season will hold. We’re going to place a spoiler warning here, in case you’re the kind of person who prefers to completely ignore the previous F1 season and catches up on it through Drive To Survive.

Early in the season, viewers will get an insight into the turbulent rookie campaign of AlphaTauri’s Nyck de Vries. Those not living under a rock will know that de Vries’ story will not have a happy ending, as he was replaced at AlphaTauri by Daniel Ricciardo midway through the season.

Episode three will focus almost entirely on McLaren. Specifically on the team’s early struggles before a midseason resurgence. The bulk of the episode will follow Lando Norris as he weighs his options as to a potential team switch, reflecting the conflicting relationship in F1 between driver’s loyalty to their team and what’s best for themselves.

What is perhaps the most anticipated moment of Drive To Survive season 6 will occur in episode six. The episode will feature an in-depth look at Lewis Hamilton’s expiring contract saga. Hamilton’s final decision is now well known, but there’s a moment in the trailer where the Englishman tells Toto Wolff that while the Mercedes boss will be with the team for the foreseeable future, Hamilton may not. Knowing that saga will have a spectacular conclusion makes the episode a must watch.

Will Aussies feature in Drive To Survive season 6?

INSTAGRAM | @oscarpiastri

Both of the Australian drivers who were on the F1 grid in 2023 will feature in season six of Drive To Survive. With episode three focusing on McLaren, Oscar Piastri is guaranteed to feature. Expect the Australian’s red hot form towards the end of his rookie season to take centre stage.

Meanwhile, Daniel Ricciardo will feature even more prominently, with an entire episode dedicated to his return to the grid. Episode nine, titled ‘Three’s a crowd’ will detail Ricciardo’s role as Red Bull’s third driver before showcasing his triumphant return to the grid with AlphaTauri. The episode could also provide some indication of where Ricciardo’s future might take him. A brief interaction during the trailer shows a visibly impressed Red Bull team member reacting to a lightning-quick test lap conducted by Ricciardo. “That lap he just did would’ve put him next to Max [Verstappen] on the grid,” they remark. Could a return to Red Bull be on the cards?

When is Drive To Survive season 6 coming out?

The wait for Drive To Survive season 6 is nearly over. All ten episodes will premiere on Netflix on Friday, February 23rd, just over a week out from the first race of the 2024 F1 season, the Bahrain Grand Prix.

INSTAGRAM | @danielricciardo

Related:

The Hamilton-F1 bombshell: A new chapter in F1 history

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The post Everything you need to know about ‘Drive To Survive’ season 6 appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Known as one of the most destructive, well-rounded, and frightening fighters in the UFC, Whittaker has proven himself to be one of the guys in arguably the most competitive weight division in the organisation. But his fight against Brazilian Paulo Costa at UFC 298 in California this Sunday shapes as a potential last grasp at glory for ‘the Reaper’. The question is, can he add to his storied legacy? 

Robert Whittaker’s fight history

With an impressive record of 25 wins and 7 losses, Whittaker has stood the test of time, defeating some of the most formidable opponents in MMA, including Uriah Hall, Derek Brunson, Kevin Gastelum, Jarred Cannonier, and Yoel Romero, in two epic five-round wars. 

Whittaker last had his hands on the middleweight title back in 2017. He made a successful title defence against Romero, but before Whittaker could defend his belt a second time against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236, a shocking emergency duel surgery ruled him out of the fight. Ultimately, this precipitated a career slump, with Whittaker losing the belt to a hot Israel Adesanya at UFC 243 in 2019. 

But our man didn’t lie down and quit, instead putting together a handful of fine wins against many challengers, including Darren Till and a scary-looking Jarred Cannonier. Whittaker earned himself a fight to reclaim the belt against Adesanya at UFC 271 in 2022 but lost by unanimous decision. 

Whittaker’s most recent fight saw him lose to the current middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis. After what can only be described as a rough build-up, Whittaker still refuses to reveal exactly what went wrong during his camp before that loss. 

Who is Whittaker’s opponent at UFC 298? 

This Sunday, Whittaker faces another tough opponent, Paulo Costa, on the undercard of fellow countryman Alexander Volkanovski. 

Instagram | @borrachinhamma

Costa is no Adesanya, and he’s no Dricuss Du Plessis, either, but he’s certainly no walkover. Whittaker never gets easy fights, but that’s the way he likes it. All great fighters want to take on the best.

Paulo Costa hasn’t fought since his win over Luke Rockhold in 2022. Costa was, however, supposed to fight Khamzat Chimaev late last year, before a sudden elbow injury followed by a staph infection ruled the Brazilian out, with Kamaru Usman stepping into the cage in his place.

Months have passed, and the fighter is now prepping to face the Reaper. 

Why is this fight so important for Whittaker? 

The UFC middleweight rule of thumb is that you must go through Robert Whittaker if you want a shot at the belt. Many UFC fans are now fixated on what happens if Whittaker loses against Costa? 

Does a loss this weekend lay to bed any possibility of the former champ getting his hands on the hardware again? 

At 33, Whittaker should be in the prime fighting years of his life, but the middleweight division is so stacked and injuries have taken their toll on the former champion. One or two losses in a row might be all it takes to drown among the talent. 

I’m sure I’m not alone in being nervous about this fight. It’s a must-win; either a final run at the belt begins or a loss on Sunday marks the beginning of the end for the Aussie. The fight shapes as Whittakers’s final chance to get back to the top. 

If you follow Whittaker’s social media, you’ll see he’s adapted his training. Training at the Bulldog Gym, a Muay Thai gym with high-calibre coaches and seasoned sparring partners, Whittaker must focus on dismantling Costa’s weapons, namely his heavy punch and attacking style. This recent training change-up might be the recipe to do just that. 

In a recent interview, Whittaker put his cards on the table. “Every fight to me is do or die… that’s why losing sucks so much.”

“He (Costa) is a great fighter. He’s a good fighter, a power puncher, and he pushes forward. He likes controlling and dictating fights that way, but I don’t think he’s encountered anyone like me, and I don’t think anyone has until they come up against me.” 

“I’m going into this fight cocked and ready.”  

How does Whittaker beat Costa? 

When looking for similar opponents to Costa, fans only have to go back to Whittaker’s fight against Marvin Vettori. The Aussie pieced him up quite convincingly when the two met in 2022. Whittaker landed back-to-back head kicks and threw in multiple takedowns to put on an all-time master class. This fight could potentially follow the same script.

Costa also stands relatively flat, particularly as the fight progresses. Now, this only being a three-round fight, both fighters will only have to worry about fatigue issues if someone takes early damage. Whittaker needs to utilise his explosiveness to catch a flat-footed Costa in the opening round, hopefully rattling the Brazilian and setting up a possible stoppage in the second round. 

Given that we know Whittaker has worked on his Muay Thai throughout his camp, look for more changes to his stance. This allows different entries and angles we aren’t used to seeing from him. Muay Thai fighters are incredibly good at changing angles, capitalising in the clinch, and working around a personal guard, which is a significant gap in Costa’s game. 

Whittaker could also focus on his decisive counter-striking in the early rounds, possibly catching an aggressive Costa off guard. That said, Costa is strong, physically gifted, and known to have knockout power; caution must prevail for the former Aussie champ if he goes for the KO. 

Instagram | @robwhittakermma

The post Robert Whittaker’s last chance for middleweight redemption appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Sydney will once again be transformed into a rainbow city this year to host the 2024 festival, which has become one of the biggest events in the Australian calendar spanning various different events, venues and landmarks. Running from February 16 through to March 3, organisers are adamant on maintaining a similar scale and range of events to enjoy what’s affectionately known as ‘queer Christmas’ – a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community.

 

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A post shared by Sydney Mardi Gras (@sydneymardigras)

As always, at the centre of festivities is the Mardi Gras parade. However, it’s not the only way to surround yourself with community: with over 100 events planned, here’s a selection to get involved with this Mardi Gras. Think international icons such as CeCe Peniston and Ultra Nate, as well as other celebrities like Adam Lambert and Slayyyter.

Check out our ultimate guide below.

Festival First Light

At dawn on February 16, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras will begin in Taylor Square with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony led by Aunty Nadeena Dixon and followed by a performance from the Buuja Buuja-Butterfly Dance Group. You can also attend a Welcome to Country led by a queer First Nations elder at Bondi Beach, Victoria Park, Sydney Town Hall and Hordern Pavillion.

Find out more here.

The Mardi Gras parade

The most iconic of events, the official Mardi Gras parade, is something you have to see at least once in your lifetime. Make your way to Oxford or Flinders Street on Saturday March 2nd and you will see numerous floats with statement-making outfits and dance moves making their way down the main thoroughfare with a bunch of different viewing options open for the general public. It’s a bucket list moment.

Find out more here.

Official Mardi Gras party

As the last stiletto walks the parade, the Mardi Gras energy kicks on at the official Mardi Gras Party. This adult party playground is taking over Hordern Pavilion and five more surrounding venues at The Entertainment Quarter from 10pm to 8am on Saturday, March 2.

Grammy-nominated pop superstar Adam Lambert has been confirmed to lead the Mardi Gras Party lineup, joined by a whopping 150 other artists showcasing a hypnotic fusion of house, techno, pop, electronica, nu-disco, club, and R’n’B.

Find out more here.

Laugh Out Proud

Mince OpenAir: House of Mince is linking up with the Ace Hotel for a sold out laneway dance on Sunday, March 3, featuring COZi, Boris, Kevin Aviance, MikeQ and Mince Angels.

Heaps Gay: Heaps Gay returns to Manning Bar for its Mardi Gras party on March 2.

Pavlovabar Mardi Gras Closing Party: Get your ass to Kinselas from 10pm, Sunday, March 3 and dance to Bashkka, Bertie, Boris, Goat Spokesperson, and Mykki Blanco.

Heaps Gay x GiRLTHING: Head to the Abercrombie for post Fair Day festivities. From 4pm until 2am.

Unknown Pleasures: There are still tickets left to House of Mince’s Mardi Gras party on March 2 at UTS. Featuring Baschoe, Deepa, Gillielove, Deep Faith, House of Juicy Sle, and more.

What is Mardi Gras and why is it celebrated?

Now a month of pride in Australia, where the LGBTIQA+ community can celebrate love, community and queerness without shame or fear, the history of Mardi Gras hasn’t always been so bright,

After a collection of global anti-LGBTQIA+ attacks, American activists called for an International Day of Gay Solidarity on June 24, 1978. Australian activists joined, and mobilised to orchestrate a day of marches and in the evening police met the protesters with violence.

In the months following, more protests and arrests continued, until April 1979, when the Parliament of New South Wales repealed the NSW Summary Offences Act legislation that had allowed the original arrests to be made. It was a huge win for civil rights in Australia, and every year since the Mardi Gras celebrations have only increased.

What date is Sydney Mardi Gras in 2024?

In 2024, the 46th Sydney Mardi Gras celebrations will kick off on Friday, February 16 and continue through to Sunday, March 2.

Find out more about the official Mardi Gras Party and get tickets over here.

This article was originally published on Womenshealth.com.au.

The post Everything you need to know about Mardi Gras 2024 appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.