Meet the UFC's next generation: Fighter who cheated death and spat out the bullet, a 'Welsh Gangster', the upstart fleeing a military crackdown and Africa's next megastar
A generation of superstars have retired, been broken into obscurity or drifted away from the UFC over the last couple of years.
Yes, there are still a handful of big names for Dana White and Co to hang their hat - and pay-per-view cards - on but the world-leading MMA promotion is ripe for a new crop of hotshots to take over.
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32 minutes ago
- BBC News
'Really scary' - 105mph ball hits player in dugout
Tampa Bay Rays player Hunter Bigge was taken to hospital after being hit by a 105mph ball while in the dugout at a Major League Baseball relief pitcher, 27, was struck on the side of the face when the Baltimore Orioles' Adley Rutschman smashed a foul shot into the home dugout at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, who was not playing in the game as he is recovering from a muscle strain, had been leaning on a rail in front of the medical staff rushed to help him and he was placed in a neck brace and taken away on a stretcher before going to hospital to be game was halted for 10 minutes while Bigge was treated and he gave a thumbs-up to the crowd as he was taken manager Kevin Cash said after the game that Bigge remained conscious throughout and was talking to the medical staff while he received treatment."Certainly you feel for Hunter and his wife. I can't imagine what she and he were going through," he said."Scary for everybody, none more than them.""It's really scary. It's terrifying. I mean, we all sit in these dugouts every night and in a lot of ways you kind of feel like sitting ducks," Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino who struck the ball, agreed."It's really, really scary," he said. "I haven't really been a part of something like that. You never want to see that," he said.
BreakingNews.ie
36 minutes ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Rory McIlroy trails by two as Scottie Scheffler holds share of lead
Rory McIlroy made an impressive start to the Travelers Championship to sit two shots off the lead before world number one Scottie Scheffler later laid down a marker to defend his title in Connecticut. Masters champion McIlroy had finished tied for 19th at the US Open over a punishing Oakmont course – but ended the weekend on a positive following a three-under-par final round, which was the joint best of the day. Advertisement The Northern Irishman – who saw his driver ruled as 'non-conforming' ahead of last month's PGA Championship before then missing the cut at the Canadian Open – had been looking to build some momentum at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell as focus turns towards the Open at Royal Portrush. Rory McIlroy made an impressive start in Cromwell (Jessica Hill/AP) World number two McIlroy landed a birdie at the second and then sank two more ahead of the turn at the final PGA Tour Signature Event of 2025. After picking up another couple, a further birdie at the 17th – from the best part of 30 feet having hit a fine recovery shot out of the rough and over the water onto the green – saw him finish six under with 64 to sit in a tie for second, two shots behind early clubhouse leader Austin Eckroat. American Eckroat hit a fine eight-under round, which included an eagle at the par-three 13th and a sixth birdie at the 18th. Advertisement Scottie joins Eckroat atop the leaderboard with a 62 (-8) of his own!👏 — TravelersChamp (@TravelersChamp) June 19, 2025 Scheffler was one of the late starters paired alongside newly-crowned US Open champion JJ Spaun – who unlike his playing partner endured a perhaps expected tough round to finish three-over following successive bogeys on the closing two holes. There was, though, no such trouble for Scheffler, who never looked back after three birdies from the opening four holes. The American – who landed a third major title with the PGA Championship crown at Quail Hollow during May – then picked up an eagle on the 13th and another birdie at 15, before a bogey at the 17th was the only blemish on his eight-under 62. McIlroy's playing partner Keegan Bradley is also at six-under, having dropped a shot at the 12th, alongside Wyndham Clark, the 2023 US Open champion. Advertisement Out of position? Not for Rory McIlroy. He is 6-under @TravelersChamp 👀 📺 @PGATOURLIVE on ESPN+ — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 19, 2025 'Overall it was a good start to the tournament, and I think when you're in a two-ball like that and we can sort of feed off one another a little bit too, that's nice as well,' McIlroy said after his opening round. 'I just want to see some good golf and see some better shots. I think if you concentrate on that and you are concentrating on your quality of golf and concentrating on just trying to play to the best of your ability, the result will take care of itself. 'There's no point in thinking about the result right now. I'm just trying to play as good as I can and make good swings, and if I do that enough, more than likely I'll find myself in a position to have a chance to win.' England's Tommy Fleetwood carded a first round of 66 to sit in a group tied for sixth. Advertisement Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, runner-up at Oakmont on Sunday, finished one over following a double-bogey six on the 17th. Jordan Spieth WD during the first round of the Travelers Championship with a neck/upper back injury. — PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) June 19, 2025 Jordan Spieth withdrew during his first round because of a neck/upper back injury. 'I may have just slept wrong and then something came along. I don't know what caused it,' he said. 'I think it was just a random one-off that unfortunately got worse and bad enough on a Thursday that I didn't feel like I could continue.' Advertisement
BBC News
42 minutes ago
- BBC News
Pacers beat Thunder to force NBA game seven decider
The NBA Finals will be decided by a winner-takes-all game seven for the first time in nine years after the Indiana Pacers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 in game six to level the series. A fine attacking display from the Pacers, which included 20 points for Obi Toppin off the bench, stopped the Thunder from claiming the Championship in player Tyrese Haliburton, who missed game five with a calf injury, passed a late fitness test before tip-off and managed 14 points, five assists and two steals in 22 minutes of play."We just wanted to protect our court," Haliburton said. "We didn't want to see those guys celebrate a championship on our home floor. Backs against the wall, we just responded. "So many different guys chipped in. It was a whole team effort. I'm really proud of this group."The victory means the NBA finals will go to game seven for the first time since 2016, when the Cleveland Cavaliers won their first Championship with a 4-3 series win against the Golden State Thunder will host game seven on Monday (01:00 BST) but will need a much improved performance to win their first Championship since Gilgeous-Alexander, the newly-crowned Most Valuable Player, top scored for the Thunder with 21 points but his side paid the price for missing their first eight shots of the game, which gave the Pacers an early eight-point lead. "Credit Indiana," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "They earned the win. They outplayed us for most of the 48 minutes. They went out there and attacked the game."Monday's game will mark the 20th time the NBA Finals have gone to game seven, with the home side in the decider triumphing 15 times. Results Game one: Thunder 110-111 Pacers (Indiana lead 1-0)Game two: Thunder 123-107 Pacers (Series tied 1-1)Game three: Pacers 116-103 Thunder (Indiana lead 2-1)Game four: Pacers 104-111 Thunder (Series tied 2-2)Game five: Thunder 120-109 Pacers (Oklahoma Cit lead 3-2)Game six: Pacers 108-91 Thunder (Series tied 3-3)Game seven: Thunder v Pacers (Monday, 23 June 01:00 BST)
