The man Paul Kent called ‘dog head’ finally tells his side of wild street brawl

The man Paul Kent labelled “dog head” has spoken for the first time about the night that ended the high-profile journalist’s career at Fox Sports and News Corp, and has offered a vastly different version of the events that led up to their infamous street fight.

Kent claims he was provoked, but Tamer Uzun – reacting to Kent’s interview in this column last week – says he did not bait the former NRL 360 co-host.

Uzun was also critical of Kent for claiming to be suffering from mental health issues when he faced court on an affray charge that resulted from the fight. Kent has often called out what he describes as “snowflakes” – people who claim to be suffering from mental health issues when they get in trouble.

Kent conceded he used mental health as an excuse for his behaviour because his lawyers advised him to.

“When you have a court case you are advised by a lawyer how to handle the case, that’s what you do,” Kent told me last week. “I took advice from lawyers. That’s what they’re paid for. They advise you the best way to handle the court case.”

Uzun said: “It’s a shame that he was critical of people who go down the path of mental health to avoid punishment, and then it becomes part of his narrative on the advice of a lawyer. It’s not nice for those who actually suffer from mental health to see the way he categorises them.”

Paul Kent leaves the Downing Centre court last year.Credit: Kate Geraghty

Uzun disputes Kent’s version of events on the night of the fight on April 27. He fiercely denies he abused Kent about his domestic violence court case – Kent was found not guilty – and says he did not provoke Kent by suggesting that he hit women.

Uzun, 35, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of affray in relation to the fight with Kent, while the league journalist pleaded guilty to affray but avoided a conviction and was placed on a two-year good behaviour bond. Uzun will be back in court in July.

Kent was left with six broken ribs and a collapsed lung from the fight, during which he was thrown head-first into a tree.

Uzun has been asked by multiple media outlets to speak about that night, but finally agreed to speak to this column.

“The truth is I had no idea that person was Paul Kent,” Uzun said. “I can tell you he started abusing my friend first before things escalated. He keeps saying he has the CCTV footage. Well, I hope he releases it.

Tamer Uzun (centre) leaves the Downing Centre District court in July 2024.Credit: Nikki Short

“My friend got really scared and froze, and that’s when I had to ask the person, Paul Kent, to back away and leave us alone. That’s when he started threatening and abusing both of us.

“We both do not take drugs or consume alcohol, and I’ve done a full blood test to prove this. My lawyer has got the [Sackville] hotel video [where Kent was drinking before the incident]. And apart from the video showing him drinking alcohol, there’s also vision of him shadow-boxing. After 20 beers, who would you believe? He was ready for a fight.

Paul Kent is flung into a tree during his infamous srreet fight.Credit: Instagram

“After the incident I had bleeding on my back from the assault and a massive bruise on my neck and head from Kent and his friend attacking me and from knocking my head and shoulder on the pavement, and from his friend tackling me after I hit the floor or gutter.

“After it happened, Paul walked over … and kept on top of me and kept yelling abuse and spat in my face. That’s when those strangers and my wife ran over and intervened and stopped both of them. All these lies about me saying something about him being a woman basher is false, and that vision [of the fight] outside Totti’s [restaurant] will show you the truth.”

Uzun claimed he has “had to do physio and chiropractic sessions to get myself better”.

“The police still contact my partner, asking her about her mental health,” he said. “They actually sent her a text this week [which has been seen by this column]. She was very upset. No female should witness what she and her friend witnessed.”

Kent has been on a media blitz to launch his new podcast and he has made it very clear that he was provoked.

“I’d be disappointed if he didn’t give you a different version,” Kent said of Uzun’s claims. “I’m not interested in responding to him. Last time it didn’t end too well.”

Is Gould-Politis stand-off finally over?

Former close friends Nick Politis and Phil Gould had not spoken to each other for more than three years. However, it appears the pair may have ended that frosty stand-off following a chance meeting at the NRL combine in Las Vegas last week.

Friends of both men have been confused for some time as to what caused their long-running dispute.

Politis and Gould had been extremely close since Gould was recruited by the Roosters supremo way back in 1994. But three years ago, the relationship ended abruptly, with no signs of a reconciliation in sight.

Roosters board member Mark Bouris, Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould, NFL legend Todd Gurley and Roosters chairman Nick Politis in Las Vegas.Credit: Instagram

Several of their close friends have tried to get the two men together, but neither Politis nor Gould had been willing to budge. However, after a chance meeting in Vegas last week, Gould posted a photo of himself with Politis, Roosters board member Mark Bouris and NFL legend Todd Gurley.

From all reports, the two men spent some time talking while watching the US athletes being put through their paces at the NRL combine.

No one is commenting on the nature of the discussions, but the two were spotted together again in the chairman’s lounge at Allegiant Stadium during the football on Saturday night (local time).

I guess we will all have to watch this space to see just how things develop between the two.

Hooper missing in action in Vegas

The culture at Fox Sports is again in question after their chief rugby league reporter, James Hooper, failed to appear on any of their programs during the NRL’s season-opening weekend in Las Vegas.

Hooper made the trip to Vegas, but then became the invisible man as far as work was concerned. Hooper failed to appear on the programs he was scheduled to be on, including NRL 360, where he has a regular gig.

Hooper also did not file his regular column from Las Vegas.

I asked Hooper about his behaviour and how he ended up with a cut on his head. He did not offer an explanation and would not comment.

This is a particular problem for Fox and its management because this is not the first time Hooper has struggled to meet his commitments in Vegas.

This column revealed that on a promotional trip with the NRL in December 2023 Hooper missed a flight and at least one other of his scheduled work appearances where a fellow News Corp journalist covered for him doing crosses for Fox Sports. On this occasion, his place on NRL 360 was taken by senior reporter Brent Read.

The fact Hooper had previously failed to meet his responsibilities in Vegas but was still sent on this most recent trip to the US brings the management of the company into question. It also comes after the public demise of Paul Kent, when it was clear he was struggling with issues in his personal life.

It has never been made clear what Fox Sports management did to ensure Kent was getting the necessary support away from the bright lights of the camera. Kent refused to discuss News Corp when interviewed in this column last week.

Allegiant Stadium: The field of NRL dreams after another Vegas venture.Credit: Getty Images

Vegas the ultimate sporting pop-up

Wisely, the NRL has pivoted in a big way when it comes to its Las Vegas extravaganza. It is clear now that Vegas is the best way to launch the season.

But the reality is that rugby league is making only a small amount progress in Las Vegas and other pockets of America. However, the best way to view what the NRL is achieving is that it is becoming the ultimate Australian sporting pop-up – and by doing that, creating a position for the code that rivals just can’t match.

It was interesting to see two of Melbourne’s biggest sporting media figures in the chairman’s box at Allegiant Stadium. Chris Jones, the head of Channel Seven sport and the man who revamped their AFL programming, was there and would have been impressed by what he saw. Seven AFL panelist and SEN chief executive Craig Hutchison was also in attendance.

They were certainly enjoying the hospitality of ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys and no doubt picking up ideas they can work with in the AFL. Hutchison was not just there for the prawns and hot chips, as he is a partner of the game through his SEN network.

The Las Vegas season opener has become a destination sports event..Credit: NRL Photos

Even the game’s biggest cheerleaders would acknowledge that even though league is a great product capable of capturing some international attention, it is hardly making an impact in most of America. And, you know what, that’s OK. Because it is making an impact in Australia, giving the opening round a vibe matched only by State of Origin deciders and grand finals. And that is something the game didn’t have before.

The Vegas season opener is now a destination event for sports lovers.

There was, not surprisingly, almost universal acknowledgement in the chairman’s box at Allegiant Stadium of what V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo have put in place.

But it’s not just them. John Vellis, the head of American operations for the NRL, has done a grand job with his team, and they have been well supported by those running the media operations, who have worked tirelessly to try and create interest for Australian media and make little inroads in America.

The NRL employed a team headed up by former Tigers, Sea Eagles, Bulldogs, Dragons and Sharks star Aaron Woods, which was almost a black ops PR team. They hounded American sports stars and celebrities, and used a Steeden with an American flag on it as a Trojan horse to get them connected. They’d ask the stars to hold the ball and plug the NRL on social media.

Also crucial was Woods’ engaging personality and physical presence, which made him almost a Steve Irwin-style figure in rugby league’s US promotion. He can chat to anyone about anything, and he’s worth his weight in Las Vegas merchandise to the NRL as they try and get Americans interested.

The Vegas mistakes have been well documented, and it appears the likes of Canterbury, Melbourne, St George Illawarra and the Dolphins are a good chance to be the next teams in the US.

The lack of a game-day walk-up crowd is a concern for the NRL in Las Vegas. They were secretly hoping for an attendance of 50,000, and with 45,000 tickets pre-sold, they were hopeful of getting that magic number. As it turns out, the game day boost was non-existent, with the final tally 45,209.

Last year, the weather was an excuse when Vegas was hit by strong winds. But there was no reason other than a lack of cut-through in Vegas for the minimal game-day response from the locals this year.

Of all the teams pitching to come to Las Vegas in 2026 it was the Bulldogs who made the most noise on the ground in America. The club was represented by general manager Phil Gould, chairman Adam Driussi, CEO Aaron Warburton and former chairman John Khoury. There is no question the Bulldogs’ presence caught some of the clubs by surprise, and it definitely caused some angst.

Gould went on a tour of the training facilities and also made sure he attended the combine to see exactly what the lay of the land is in Las Vegas. What impressed Gus most was the set-up that the players can train and recover in at the UFC Centre.

Karl Stefanovic takes a picture for a fan with Allan Langer in Las Vegas.Credit: Instagram

Karl the cameraman

This was my favourite behind-the-scenes moment in Las Vegas. High-profile Today show host Karl Stefanovic was asked by English fans to be the photographer in snaps with rugby league legend Allan Langer. It’s usually Karl who is getting stopped every two steps by fans for a selfie, but he was the invisible man next to Langer when they caught up in Vegas. To his credit, Karl was more than happy to turn the lens onto one of his idols, little Alfie.

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