Ebony and Ivory promotions put on a slam bang six bout show at The Venue in North Little Rock, Arkansas Friday night.
Headlining the show was Fayetteville, Arkansas’ Light heavyweight knockout artist, Kalvin “Hot Sauce” Henderson, taking on Los Angeles gatekeeper Cleotis “Mookie” Pendarvis in a scheduled eight rounder. With 46 bouts under his belt, Pendarvis looked to use every trick in his arsenal to frustrate Henderson. The action picked up in the third as both men landed telling blows. In the fourth, Pendarvis would back himself to the ropes to lure Henderson in, then neatly pivot away to safety. In the middle of the fifth, a heated exchange saw Henderson finally rock Pendarvis with a hard right in ring center. The crowd reacted as if the end was near, but Pendarvis moved, clinched and survived. It wasn’t however a total defensive effort by Pendarvis, as he did land his fair share of good shots, bloodying Henderson’s lower lip for good measure. In the end, It was Henderson who forced the action, and did enough work to take the nod via scores of 80-72 twice and 77-75. Henderson moves to 19-2, 13 KOs, while Pendarvis dips below .500 at 22-23-2, 9 KOs.
In a heavyweight blowout, Arkansas Kendon Smallwood tangled with the inactive Joshua Brown, Shreveport, Louisiana. Brown hadn’t fought in over three-and-a-half years and it showed. After a sloppy first round, Smallwood connected with a left on the crouching Brown”s temple, which forced him to gently kneel down for the full ten count. Time was 1:10 of round two. Smallwood improves to 3-0-1, 2 KOs, while Brown drops 1-4, 1 KO.
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Little Rock super middleweight Yavontae “YaYa” Christopher dispatched Fort Worth ‘s winless Willie “No Joke’ Miller with a 3-knockdown drubbing at 2:20 of round one. A hard right accounted for the first knockdown, while a follow-up barrage to the head, then a body shot made up for the second two trips to the canvas. Christopher comes back from his first loss last March to move to 6-1, 4 KOs, while Miller, and this is indeed “No Joke,” plummets to 0-22! Perhaps a new career if not a new nickname…
Kenton Lee and Justin Jones went at it in another light heavyweight amateur match over three rounds. In the first, it appeared as if both fighters were trying NOT to hurt each other, as if in an easy sparring session. Southpaw Jones came out with a little more gumption in the second, throwing and landing body shots with some intent. The pedestrian affair ended with no bumps or bruises, no blood and with Jones’ hand being raised as the winner. Jones announced that this was his last amateur fight and that he will be turning pro soon.
Light heavyweights Arkansan, Charles Austin Stringfellow and Kansan, Luke Gerard locked horns in a scheduled 4-rounder. It was sloppy early on, but there wasn’t much more to feel out as Stringfellow landed a series of blows to the head, dropping Gerard in a heap in the neutral corner. Gerard beat the count, but was terribly unsteady, prompting referee Rocky Demier to wave matters off at 1:53 of the opening stanza. Stringfellow moves to 2-0, 2 KOs, while Gerard starts out 0-1.
Bryton Cook and Brad Coffey opened the show in a scheduled 3 round super middleweight amateur bout (no head gear or jerseys). It was apparent from the get-go that the shorter Cook’s southpaw stance and precise, combinations were too much for Coffey, his head snapping back time and again. Early in the second, Coffey’s face was a mess, blood pouring from his nose and smearing all over the white gloves of both fighters. Final scores weren’t read, but Cook was the unanimous winner.
Part One: Preview for multiple title events in Japan
The Arkansas Court of Appeals released opinions Wednesday. The court’s ruling and the names of the cases are reprinted here. The full opinions and other court proceedings, including per curiam decisions, orders and submissions, can be found on the internet at arcourts.gov.
PROCEEDINGS OF Jan. 7, 2026
CHIEF JUDGE N. MARK KLAPPENBACH
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CR-23-821. Kenneth Steward v. State of Arkansas, from Benton County Circuit Court. Affirmed. Gladwin and Brown, JJ., agree.
JUDGE ROBERT J. GLADWIN
CR-25-24. Bryce Anderson v. State of Arkansas, from Benton County Circuit Court. Affirmed. Virden and Harrison, JJ., agree.
JUDGE CASEY R. TUCKER
CV-24-537. Flywheel Energy Production, LLC v. Van Buren County, Arkansas; and Van Buren County Judge Dale James, in His Official Capacity as Van Buren County Judge, from Van Buren County Circuit Court. Reversed and dismissed. Abramson and Harrison, JJ., agree.
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JUDGE WENDY SCHOLTENS WOOD
CV-24-209. LRS South, LLC v. Benton County Solid Waste Management District and the Benton County Solid Waste Management District Board, from Benton County Circuit Court. Reversed and remanded. Hixson and Murphy, JJ., agree.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas continued its offseason roster work by adding a transfer defensive back and securing a future offensive line piece from Texas, addressing both immediate depth and long-term development.
The Razorbacks announced the signing of Georgia State defensive back Tyler Scott, a transfer with multiple years of eligibility remaining, while also landing Carey Clayton, an offensive lineman from Southlake Carroll High School, as part of the 2026 recruiting class.
Scott joins the Hogs after spending the 2025 season at Georgia State, where he appeared in two games and recorded four tackles. He arrives in Fayetteville with three years of eligibility remaining, giving Arkansas flexibility in how he’s developed and used in the secondary.
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Before his time at Georgia State, Scott spent two seasons at Auburn. One of those seasons was cut short due to an ACL injury, limiting his opportunity to contribute on the field.
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The Razorbacks now provide him with a chance to reset and compete in a defensive back room that continues to evolve.
At 6 feet tall, Scott adds experience to a secondary that has seen significant turnover through the transfer portal. His addition gives the Hogs another option at defensive back as the staff works through spring and fall evaluations.
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Clayton strengthens 2026 offensive line class
Arkansas also added a future piece up front with the commitment of Carey Clayton, a 6-foot-3, 270-pound offensive lineman from Southlake Carroll, one of Texas’ most consistent high school programs.
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Clayton helped Southlake Carroll complete an undefeated regular season last fall and reach the state semifinals. He enters college football as a consensus three-star prospect, ranked among the top offensive line recruits in Texas.
In addition to Arkansas, Clayton held offers from Air Force, Arkansas State, Florida Atlantic, UAB and UTEP. He ultimately chose the Razorbacks, becoming the 16th commitment in the Hogs’ 2026 recruiting class.
Clayton is ranked around No. 251 nationally and No. 141 in Texas. While not among the highest-rated prospects in the class, his high school experience and physical development make him a long-term project for Arkansas’ offensive line.
Hogs continue roster building
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The additions of Scott and Clayton reflect the Hogs’ continued focus on roster balance. Scott becomes the 23rd transfer portal addition this offseason, reinforcing a secondary that has emphasized competition and depth.
Clayton’s commitment adds to a growing 2026 class that prioritizes size and developmental upside, particularly along the offensive line.
Arkansas has steadily worked to build future depth in the trenches while supplementing current needs through the portal.
While neither move is designed to generate immediate headlines, both fit into a broader plan aimed at improving roster stability.
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Scott offers experience and flexibility in the defensive backfield, while Clayton provides a long-term option at a position that often requires patience.
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As the Razorbacks move through the offseason, these additions help establish depth at key positions and give the coaching staff more options heading into the coming seasons.
Key takeaways
Arkansas added Georgia State transfer defensive back Tyler Scott, who brings experience and remaining eligibility to the secondary.
The Razorbacks signed 2026 Texas offensive lineman Carey Clayton, adding size and long-term depth up front.
The Hogs continue balancing immediate roster needs with long-term development through recruiting and the portal.
John Brummett’s career in news began when he was in high school, as a part-time reporter for the Arkansas Democrat. He moved to the Arkansas Gazette in 1977.
He wrote a political column for the Gazette from 1986 to 1990. He was an editor for the Arkansas Times from 1990 to 1992.
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In 1994, his book, “High Wire: From the Back Roads to the Beltway, the Education of Bill Clinton,” was published by Hyperion of New York City. He became a columnist with the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in 1994. In 2000, he signed a deal with Donrey Media Group, now known as Stephens Media, and wrote for them for 11 years.
He rejoined Democrat-Gazette as a columnist on Oct. 24, 2011.
