Boxers Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya have been exchanging harsh words upon another for almost a decade. It all started when they fought in 2007 and Mayweather won the match by a split decision against De La Hoya.

Back in November, De La Hoya penned an open letter to Mayweather in Playboy Magazine showing pity on Mayweather. De La Hoya went on to call him a boring fighter and a boxer that likes to run away. Mayweather later responded to the letter by stating that, “Everything I do goes viral,” and that the comments by De La Hoya should be blamed on “jealousy” and “drugs.”

On Saturday night after attending the Danny Garcia/Robert Guerrero fight, he granted an interview with Fight Hype. During a part of the interview where he expressed gratitude for the trainers he has worked with, he landed a real low blow aimed at De La Hoya. “It’s good to work with guys like Richard Schaefer and Al Haymon, guys that’s drug free, guys that wear suits, guys that dress like men,” he said. “Of course, you know I’m sending shots at Oscar De La Hoya. I’m always sending shots at him because I don’t respect a man that dress in drag.”

The comment refer to an incident when De La Hoya was photographed wearing drag clothes though he publicly denied that those pictures were real. He finally came out four years ago to say that the pictures were real and that he was thinking about ending his own life. He since has said he wants to put the whole incident behind him.

Los Angeles Kings forward Milan Lucic is known for being a tough player on the ice during games. On Saturday night, Lucic showed his rather vicious side that could have caused serious injury to the opposing player.

During the third period against the Arizona Coyotes, Lucic was in front of the goalie crease going for the puck when Coyotes defenseman Kevin Connauton was slashing his left arm with his stick. When the play was called dead, Lucic went after Connauton and hit him right in the face with a hard right hook to the face with Connauton going right to the ground.

This resulted in a misconduct against Lucic and an ejection for the rest of the game with 13:05 to play still. “Thankfully, X-rays came back negative,” Lucic said after the game. “If I don’t react, I don’t even think he calls a penalty. Same guy, [referee] Brad Meier. I think that’s the fourth time he’s kicked me out of a game. It’s always the same thing with him.” The Kings ended up losing 3-2 against the Coyotes on Saturday night.

The NHL later suspended Lucic from playing with the Kings against the San Jose Sharks, with the Kings winning 3-2. He also had to forfeit $32,258.06 for the one-game suspension out of his salary.

Photo: GLENDALE, AZ – DECEMBER 26: Milan Lucic #17 of the Los Angeles Kings in action during the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on December 26, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. The Kings defeated the Coyotes 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Yesterday, during halftime of the AFC Championship between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos, the three finalists for the Walter Payton Man Of The Year award were announced. They are San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Anquan Boldin, New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, and New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson.

The winner of the award will be announced on Feb. 6 at the NFL Honors show at 9 p.m., the night before the Super Bowl. The award honors a player’s volunteer and charity work, as well as his excellence on the field. The winner will receive a $55,000 donation to give to the charity of his choice while the two runner-ups will receive $11,000. The other 29 finalists all received $5,000 to give to their respective charities as well. The panel that chose the finalists included Commissioner Roger Goodell, former Commissioner Paul Tagliable, Sports Illustrated writer Peter King, Connie Payton, football greats Anthony Munoz and LaDainian Tomlinson and the 2014 award recipient, Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis.

Boldin’s charity is the Anquan Boldin Foundation, which intends to expand the educational and life opportunities of underprivileged children. Manning is the chairman of the New York March for Babies and also heads the “Tackle Kids’ Cancer,” an initiative to raise money for children. Watson founded the Watson One More Foundation which supports existing charities and also is an advocate of combatting against domestic violence.

After a hectic main event at WWE’s pay-per-view Royal Rumble, a new World Heavyweight Champion emerged – Triple H. Confronting former champion Roman Reigns after 28 other men were eliminated from the match, Triple H would come out victorious.

To begin the main event, Reigns was the first man to enter the match after a rigged draw by WWE CEO Vince McMahon. Early in the match, McMahon led the League of Nations, consisting of Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio and Rusev, in assaulting Reigns, culminating in a Rusev Splash on Reigns through the announcers’ table.

While this was happening, the Wyatt Family, consisting of Luke Harper, Erick Rowan and Braun Strowman, were taking control of the ring, even throwing over WWE veterans Kane and Big Show over. Eventually, Brock Lesnar showed up and wreaked havoc on the family in throwing all three members over the rope. Brayy Wyatt came out immediately after and with the help of the rest of the Family, threw Lesnar over the rope.

Reigns would eventually return since he was never technically eliminated and was able to fight off Del Rio and The Miz but before long, Triple H would come into the ring and fight with Reigns. Triple H would consequently throw Reigns over the rope to officially dethrone Reigns of his heavyweight title. After eliminating the last man in Dean Ambrose, Triple H emerged as champion with Mr. McMahon and his wife Stephanie McMahon throwing his arms in celebration.

Other matches included Ambrose winning in a Last Man Standing match against Kevin Owens for the Intercontinental Championship. The Tag Team Championship was retained by The New Day after Big E and Kofi Kingston defeated The Usos. The Divas title match saw Charlotte, Ric Flair’s daughter, win against Becky Lynch.

A big event happened during the main event when former NXT standout wrestler AJ Styles made his debut in the WWE after becoming a free agent and signing with the wrestling company. He would be third to enter the ring to face against Reigns.

Below is a list of all wrestlers entering the ring and when they were elimnated from the main event.

Royal Rumble entrants:
1. Roman Reigns (28th)
2. Rusev (eliminated first)
3. AJ Styles (11th)
4. Tyler Breeze (second)
5. Curtis Axel (third)
6. Chris Jericho (26th)
7. Kane (ninth)
8. Goldust (fourth)
9. Ryback (seventh)
10. Kofi Kingston (eighth)
11. Titus O’Neil (sixth)
12. R-Truth (fifth)
13. Luke Harper (18th)
14. Stardust (14th)
15. Big Show (10th)
16. Neville (13th)
17. Braun Strowman (19th)
18. Kevin Owens (12th)
19. Dean Ambrose (29th)
20 Sami Zayn (15th)
21. Erick Rowan (16th)
22. Mark Henry (14th)
23. Brock Lesnar (19th)
24. Jack Swagger (17th)
25. The Miz (20th)
26. Alberto Del Rio (21st)
27. Bray Wyatt (23rd)
28. Dolph Ziggler (22nd)
29. Sheamus (27th)
30. Triple H – WINNER

Chinese tennis ace Zhang Shuai was able to put behind the odds of being eliminated in the first round last week. She did this in defeating American player Madison Keys last night in the Australian Open to advance to the quarterfinals.

Zhang defeated Keys with the scorecard of 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 on Monday night in Melbourne to overcome a dismal first round performance and possible retirement. Zhang is ranked No. 133 in the world while Keys is currently No. 18. The first set was solely Keys striking down on Zhang and taking the set. An injury was found in Keys’ upper left thigh and had to be wrapped during a medical timeout. During the course of the match, Keys’ leg was becoming more painful because of landing on that specific leg after serving the ball. At the start of the third set, it seemed Keys had her injury under control but the pain would not suffice and had Keys hitting the shots into the ground and tears rolling down her face. “So difficult to concentrate when I saw her [in pain], it’s so tough to continue to play,” Zhang said after the match.

Zhang has lost in the first round of the 14 Grand Slam tournaments she has participated in since 2008 and retirement was clearly in her path. She will put that on hold when she plays for a semi-final spot against Britain’s Johanna Konta. After finally winning a match, Zhang said, “this time I’m feeling like maybe God will bless me. Like I’m feeling one time, give me many wins.”

Photo: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 25: Shuai Zhang of China plays a forehand in her forth round match against Madison Keys of the United Statesduring day eight of the 2016 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 25, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)

Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is going back to the Super Bowl for what could be his final game as an NFL quarterback. A lot has been speculated this year regarding his status and health on the football field yet the five-time MVP has one more shot to win a second Super Bowl to add to his Hall of Fame career.

After the 20-18 win over the New England Patriots in Denver, Manning was summoned to speak with the media during a post-game press conference. The quarterback invited his son, Marshall Manning, to join him while he addressed the press. Marshall sported his father’s jersey and an AFC Championship hat in which he wore it backwards. The only thing about this incident is that Marshall was rather quiet, hiding behind the podium and Manning while his father talked about the game’s highlights and the upcoming Super Bowl matchup.

pic.twitter.com/Cpkxv20b1T

— Nicki Jhabvala (@NickiJhabvala) January 25, 2016

Photo: DENVER, CO – JANUARY 24: Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos speaks in a post game press conference with his son Marshall Manning after defeating the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 24, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Patriots 20-18. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

New England Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski rarely misses a kick, whether it would be an extra point or field goal to help his team score points. Before yesterday’s game, Gostkowski had an NFL record of 523 consecutive PATs in his career since joining the Patriots in 2006. An error would occur that Gostkowski sure will not live down for the rest of his career.

During the AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos yesterday, after a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Steven Jackson to bring the score 7-6 with 1:49 left in the first quarter, Gostkowski was set to kick to tie the game up. When the ball was snapped and placeholder Ryan Allen had the ball in its upright position, Gostkowski kicked the ball wide right of the goal posts and suffered his first missed PAT in nine years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVl2r5pSBC4

The last time Gostkowski missed a PAT was his last time missing one which occurred in his rookie in 2006 against the Tennessee Titans. “I just feel terrible,” the 4-time Pro Bowler said. “All day, these guys put their bodies and lives on the line, and for me to come out here and miss a kick, it’s a nightmare scenario. I can’t even explain how I feel right now. It’s just a complete shock and I let a lot of people down.”

Photo: DENVER, CO – JANUARY 24: Stephen Gostkowski #3 of the New England Patriots kicks a 38-yard field goal held by Ryan Allen #6 in the third quarter against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 24, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

There is nothing that has stood in the Carolina Panthers’ way since the 2015-16 season began. The team led the entire league with a 15-1 record for the season, the number one overall playoff seed, and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. With a presumed MVP quarterback in Cam Newton and a league-high 10 players going to the Pro Bowl, the doubters of the team may be officially silenced. The continuing demolition by the Panthers happened yesterday against the Arizona Cardinals in the NFC Championship game, culminating in a 49-15 defeat on the Cardinals.

At the end of the first quarter, the Panthers were already shutting out the Cardinals by 17 and eventually up 24-7 without any breather being taken by the defense. The Panther defense pressured Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer throughout the game, causing four interceptions and two fumbles. With this in mind, Newton would take advantage of great field position and throw 19 of 28 for 335 yards with two touchdowns to make it 24-7, including a one-yard touchdown run to add to his impressive play throughout the year. The score would be run up through the second half, with another rushing touchdown by Newton, a Devon Funchess touchdown catch, and a pick-six by Pro Bowl linebacker Luke Kuechly late in the fourth quarter.

With the win, the Panthers are officially in Super Bowl 50, their second Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, which will take place in Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. on Feb. 7. They will face the Denver Broncos, with quarterback Peyton Manning playing in what could be his final game as an NFL quarterback.

Photo: CHARLOTTE, NC – JANUARY 24: Cam Newton #1 of the Carolina Panthers scores a touchdown in the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals during the NFC Championship Game at Bank of America Stadium on January 24, 2016 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

Two of the greatest NFL quarterbacks met for the 17th and possibly final time yesterday for the AFC Championship, with the big stage of the Super Bowl in sight. This was the case for the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots, whose respective quarterbacks in Peyton Manning and Tom Brady going head-to-head in what was promised to be a shootout throughout the game.

An explosive force came out in the Broncos defense yesterday, pressuring Brady and giving him no time to throw, hitting him 23 times including four sacks. Brady admitted to the highly enabled pass-rush defense, saying, “It’s a tough front with good players,” he said. “They’re teeing off on the cadence. We’re trying to keep changing it up. They did a great job of it.” Brady finished the day with 27-of-56 for 310 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, with the touchdown going to tight end Rob Gronkowski with seconds left on the clock. With a two-point conversion on the line to send the game to overtime, Brady was on point in throwing the ball to receiver Julian Edelman, only to have tipped by Broncos cornerback Aqib Talib. After the tip, the ball would land in cornerback Bradley Roby’s hands and seal the victory for the Broncos.

Manning, on the other hand, was poised on every offensive drive, seeing opportunities to throw the ball at the right times, and connecting with tight end Owen Daniels for his two touchdown passes for the game. What surprised Broncos players and fans alike was his scrambling phase, which saw him run 12 yards for a signature first down in the early third quarter, something that has not been seen since the 2002 season before all the surgeries Manning would endure in the future. Manning would finish the day with 176 yards passing and two touchdowns.

The Broncos would go on to win the game 20-18, and a bid for the Super Bowl, which will take place on Feb. 7 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., against the fiery Carolina Panthers. The Broncos will be going for their first Super Bowl win since they last won it 17 years ago, when Broncos quarterback great and current Executive Vice President of Football Operations John Elway won it. Elway was age 38 the day he won the Super Bowl with Manning at 39, he will be the oldest quarterback to compete in the Super Bowl.

Photo: DENVER, CO – JANUARY 24: Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos passes in the third quarter against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on January 24, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard has a season free throw percentage of 53.2 percent with a career percentage of 57.3 percent. This means that Howard is not the most efficient when it comes to shooting from the foul line.

During a recent Rockets practice, Howard thought that he could quiet critics by doing a trick shot. The shot took place from the opposite foul line from where he was shooting. He also shot it under-hand and with his back to the basket. Howard ended up making the shot with ease with his teammates screaming in the background in disbelief.

Howard currently has a 14.2 PPG and 12.0 RPG ranking for the 2015-16 season. Next game for the Rockets is against the Clippers in Los Angeles.

Photo: HOUSTON, TX – JANUARY 10: Dwight Howard #12 of the Houston Rockets celebrates after the Rockets defeated the Indiana Pacers 107-103 in overtime during their game at the Toyota Center on January 10, 2016 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

The 2016 Australian Open officially kicked off the first Grand Slam of the tennis season today iat Melbourne Park in Australia. Temperatures were at a scorching high for the first round and saw players struggling with the heat as the day went on. Reigning champions Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams as well as other big names in tennis were all on hand for first round play.

Djokovic beat South Korean ace Hyeon Chung in three straight sets with a scorecard of 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. Djokovic had some encouraging words for the young player, saying, “Having to play somebody for the first time, especially somebody that is as young as him, he’s only 19, it can be tricky… He’s got that potential, no question about it. He needs experience, he needs more time.”

Williams took care of business against Camila Giorgi, beating the stern Italian in straight sets with a scorecard of 6-4, 7-5. “I haven’t played a competitive match in a really long time, but I think it was really good for me to come out here,” Williams told the Los Angeles Times. “I was able to stay in it and stay calm today and I think that’s what matters most. I haven’t played in a long time, but I have been playing for 30 years, so it’s kind of—I try to focus on that.”

An upset lost that occurred included former world No. 1 player Caroline Wozniacki, who lost her match against Yulia Putintseva, with the young Russian sealing the victory with a scorecard of 1-6, 7-6, 6-4.

Photo: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 18: Serena Williams of the United States plays a forehand in her first round match against Camila Giorgi of Italy during day one of the 2016 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 18, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

The feud between Memphis Grizzlies’ small forward Matt Barnes and New York Knicks head coach Derek Fisher has not lost its fumes since their initial altercation in August over Barnes’ ex-wife Gloria Govan. Barnes was reported to have driven to Los Angeles during the NBA offseason to confront Fisher about his relationship with Govan. This resulted in Barnes receiving a two-game suspension in December.

The Grizzlies were set to face the Knicks on Saturday night in a regular season game in Memphis. During the morning shootaround, Barnes gave some harsh words regarding Fisher relating to the August confrontation, “Every man who looks at the situation knows what’s right and wrong. Violence is never the answer, but sometimes it is. And unfortunately, it happened. I don’t regret it.” Because of this comment, the NBA fined Barnes after the game with a $35,000 fine. He was not only fined for his comment on Saturday but also a New Year’s Day Instagram post that included some more comments about Fisher. It read, “Being stuck in the ‘triangle offense’ w my ex & snitch, I mean former teammate & friend.. Who went behind my back, messed w my ex, got caught, got dealt w for being a snake, then ran & told the Police & NBA.. Instead of taken that ass whoopin like a man & kept it moving….!”

Barnes may have gotten his revenge on the basketball court though, after he scored a key shot late in the fourth quarter for his only two points, but ultimately raising the Grizzlies to a victory. The next time the two teams will meet will be on February 5 in New York.

Photo: CHICAGO, IL – DECEMBER 16: Matt Barnes #22 of the Memphis Grizzlies goes up for a shot past Taj Gibson #22 of the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on December 16, 2015 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

A long time in the making, Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas had a special fan in the stands during the Broncos’ divisional playoff game yesterday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. That special person was his mother, who attended her first game since being released from prison.

Katina Smith, 43, was acquitted from all her drug charges after President Barack Obama had commuted her and 45 other people who were in prison for non-violent crimes in November. She had to stay in Georgia for another 60 days but finally, she was able to see her son Thomas play in a football game. “It’s very special,” Thomas told the media after the media. “She came out, got to see us win a game, her first time here, her first time seeing me play. It felt great, a really special feeling.”

Thomas caught four passes for 40 yards but caught an important 2-point conversion in the closing seconds of the game to solidify the win for the Broncos. The Broncos will host the New England Patriots next Sunday for the AFC Championship game with a Super Bowl berth on the line for both teams.

Match-fixing has been part of the top level of competitive tennis for over a decade, according to a report from the BBC.

In the report, it states that 16 Top 50 professional tennis players have been flagged by the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) for throwing matches in exchange for various sums of money. These individuals include winners of Grand Slam tournaments in the past. The TIU, which was set up after the initial claim that was found in 2007, has stated that there is a zero-tolerance approach to corruption. Chris Kermode, head of the Association of Tennis Professionals, has stated that the evidence has been “suppressed” and “isn’t being thoroughly investigated” but has added that because of the report, the association “will investigate any new information.”

The evidence started off with an investigaion in 2007 after a match between Nikolay Davydenko and Martin Vassallo Arguello. Both players were eventually acquitted of any wrongdoing, but it led to further investigations of private gamblers who may have been linked to top level players. Once these claims reached the TIU, it was unable to investigate because the incidents occurred before the TIU’s founding. According to BuzzFeed, “Bookmakers have told BuzzFeed News that, in many cases, when they tried to warn the Tennis Integrity Unit about suspicious matches they got no response. The tennis authorities often did not follow up to request in-depth information – such as the betting history and computer details of the suspicious gamblers – to which only bookmakers have access. Without that information, they say, a thorough investigation would be virtually impossible.”

No names have been named in either report from BuzzFeed or the BBC due to strict libel laws in the UK.

Videos of NASCAR driver Tony Stewart have been surfacing online that shows Stewart getting into a heated argument with a heckler during a racing event. The confrontation happened Friday night during the Chili Bowl, a weeklong dirt-racing event that happened at the Tulsa Expo Center in Tulsa, Okla.

Different cellphone videos posted to YouTube show Stewart walking into the stands and locking hands with a fan and exchanging words with the man. The two continued their fight until a security guard pushed the fan away from Stewart and breaking up the two, only to see Stewart continuing exchanging words with the man.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F9-OSwUig0

The heckler has been identified as Cpl. Kyle Hess who works with the sheriff’s office, according to the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Green has stated that the confrontation would be investigated and a statement would be released after the investigation was done. Green states that charges may not be filed against either man but is keeping the investigation open because there could be more to the argument than what is shown in the video. “Of course, there may be other details that are still out there other than that video,” he said.

The three-time Sprint Cup champion was on hand for the event in helping out with track maintenance in between races. In the past, he has won the bowl twice in 2002 and 2007 and is in hopes of competing in it again after he retires from NASCAR after the 2016 season.

Photo: TALLADEGA, AL – OCTOBER 24: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 24, 2015 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images)

The worst possible eye injury that a human being could have ever suffered came last night during UFC’s Fight Night 81.

During one of the main card bouts in the heavyweight division, Matt Mitrione was set to face Travis Browne before the main event involving the UFC bantamweight championship match. During the first round of the match match, Browne threw a punch so hard at Mitrione that his eye started swelling. Using this to his advantage, Browne then jabbed his fingers into Mitrione’s eye twice and landed a giant fist to Mitrione’s eye socket, and the result of this punch is currently deemed NSfW and to be looked at with extreme caution.

Mitrione would end up losing the fight in the third round to Browne at the 4:09 mark, resulting in a TKO because of his eye. Later, it was revealed that Mitrione had suffered a broken orbital bone in his right eye in a hospital visit after the fight.

Photo: BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 17: Matt Mitrione reacts after his heavyweight bout against Travis Browne (not pictured) during UFC Fight Night 81 at TD Banknorth Garden on January 17, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw walked into Sunday’s UFC Fight Night 81 headlining match being ranked number one in the USA Today MMA bantamweight rankings. This match would see him face former UFC and WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz in a televised match that took place at the TD Garden in Boston. Cruz has been sidelined for the past four years with injuries and only saw him compete in one match in that time.

After a rigorous match ensued between the two competitors, it seemed that the match was on the brink of being a no contest since both fighters fought diligently. After the judges deliberated, it was decided that Cruz would take the UFC bantamweight belt via a split decision. The official scorecards read 48-47, 46-49 and 49-46, giving the edge to Cruz and the title.

Dillashaw stated that he felt he won the fight regardless of the scorecards. “Dominick’s a very good fighter,” Dillashaw said after the fight. “I do feel like I won the fight – just pressure alone, controlling the octagon and landing the bigger strikes. I know he got a few takedowns that I don’t really feel like should be scored that great with three seconds of control total.” This was a big moment for Dillashaw since he technically won the title from Cruz since Cruz was dealing with injuries and had to forfeit the belt to Renan Barao who was next in the rankings. Dillashaw would press on how his aggressive hits could have been the deciding factor in the match. “I definitely feel like I won that fight,” Dillashaw said. “I mean, I was pushing forward, being the aggressor, landing the bigger shots. I just don’t understand how you can’t score it (for me) for that.”

Photo: BOSTON, MA – JANUARY 17: T.J. Dillashaw (R) attempts to punch Dominick Cruz in their bantamweight bout during UFC Fight Night 81 at TD Banknorth Garden on January 17, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The New England Patriots are used to the AFC Championship title game, having advanced to it four years in a row and ultimately winning a Super Bowl last year. Yet again, the Patriots had a chance of advancing again in their divisional playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday at home.

The Patriots jumped the gun in the first half in dominating the Chiefs with a touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady to tight end Rob Gronkowski and Brady executing a quarterback sneak for a score of his own. After two field goals by Chiefs kicker Cairo Santos before halftime, another Gronkowski touchdown in the early third quarter brought the score up to 21-6. The Chiefs would retaliate back with a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Alex Smith to wide receiver Albert Wilson to bring the score to 21-13. After two field goals by Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski, the Chiefs brought the score within one touchdown after a running score from running back Charcandrick West, but was too late and solidifying the Patriots with a victory and berth in the AFC Championship game.

“It’s pretty special to get back to another AFC championship game,” said Brady, who finished with 302 passing yards and two touchdowns. “It’s pretty cool. It’s hard to do, man. You’ve got to grind throughout the entire year. There’s only four teams playing next week and we’re one of them. That game means a lot.” Gronkowski finished with 83 receiving yards and two touchdowns while returning wide receiver Julian Edelman finished with 100 yards. Smith finished with 246 passing yards and one touchdown for the Chiefs.

The Patriots will travel to Denver next week to face the Broncos in the AFC title game, where Brady and Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning will face each other for the fifth time in the playoffs and 16th time overall in their careers.

Photo: FOXBORO, MA – JANUARY 16: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots scores a touchdown in the second quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs during the AFC Divisional Playoff Game at Gillette Stadium on January 16, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)