The ESPYS are supposed to celebrate the best in sports, but this year, one moment stole the show for all the wrong—or right—reasons. Mike Tyson, alongside Jake Paul and DJ Khaled, presented Shohei Ohtani with the award for best single-game performance. But as the cameras rolled, a hot mic picked up Tyson's bewildered question: "Shohei's a guy?"
It was a classic case of live television gold. Ohtani, who wasn't there to accept, had just been honored for his incredible NLCS outing—six scoreless innings and three home runs—that helped propel the Dodgers to their second straight World Series title. Yet, Iron Mike seemed completely in the dark about who the Los Angeles Dodgers' superstar actually is.
The moment quickly went viral, with fans and analysts alike sharing the clip. It's not every day you hear a boxing legend question the existence of one of baseball's biggest names. But for those who follow the sport, Ohtani is anything but a mystery. He's on track for his fourth consecutive MVP award and is having a career year on the mound with a 1.79 ERA. His .953 OPS ranks fifth among all qualified hitters, proving he's a force both at the plate and on the bump.
Ohtani's absence from the ceremony didn't stop the ESPYS from honoring him, but it did spark some lighthearted confusion. The Dodgers' two-way star skipped the All-Star Game due to a knee issue, but manager Dave Roberts confirmed he'll be in the lineup for this weekend's series against the New York Yankees—a rematch of the 2024 World Series. That series could give Tyson and the rest of the world another chance to watch Ohtani do his thing.
The ESPYS have had their share of controversial moments this year, including a Tiger Woods joke that fell flat and a snub that left NASCAR fans furious. But Tyson's hot mic moment was a refreshingly human blunder that reminded everyone even legends don't always know every star.
For Ohtani, the recognition is just another trophy in a crowded case. He's on pace to add a Cy Young Award to his collection, though he faces stiff competition from pitchers like Jacob Misiorowski and Cristopher Sanchez. With the Dodgers holding an 11.5-game lead in the NL West, October baseball seems inevitable, and Tyson—and all of us—will likely see plenty more of Ohtani's magic.
So, is Shohei a guy? Absolutely. He's the guy dominating baseball on both sides of the ball, and now even Mike Tyson knows it.
