
Photos: Paige VanZant through the years
Web Summit 2018 In Lisbon
LISBON, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 08: Paige VanZant, UFC, on Centre Stage during day three of Web…
LISBON, PORTUGAL - NOVEMBER 08: Paige VanZant, UFC, on Centre Stage during day three of Web Summit 2018 at the Altice Arena on November 8, 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal. In 2018, more than 70,000 attendees from over 170 countries will fly to Lisbon for Web Summit, including over 1,500 startups, 1,200 speakers and 2,600 international journalists. (Photo by Sam Barnes /Web Summit via Getty Images)
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Rayan Cherki sends reminder in battle with fellow Liverpool transfer target Florian Wirtz
There may have been a moment when Arne Slot felt he had to choose: Florian Wirtz or Rayan Cherki? If so, it's clear the Liverpool head coach opted for the former. Given, at 22, he has been voted Bundesliga Player of the Season for two years in a row, has established himself as Germany's star name and spearheaded Bayer Leverkusen 's 2023/24 title win, it's no surprise Slot plumped for Wirtz. Advertisement Many see him as a generational talent. Devin Ozek, Leverkusen's former executive CEO assistant, claimed Wirtz is one of the best signings in Bundesliga history. In the last two seasons he has registered 69 goal involvements at club level, and has also shown his quality on the international scene. READ MORE: Coutinho remarks miss the point as Liverpool justifies big spending in heralded Slot era READ MORE: Bayer Leverkusen resists Florian Wirtz temptation ahead of final Liverpool transfer offer That was evident last week in the Nations League as he played 180 minutes across two games for Germany, scoring in the defeat against Portugal. It comes on the back of a Nations League qualifying campaign in which Wirtz provided six goal involvements from five starts. Advertisement But the finals ultimately proved to be disappointing, with defeats in both outings. Against France, in Sunday's third-place play-off, Cherki's cheeky nutmeg on Liverpool's incoming signing will have drawn a few smiles at Manchester City, where it seems the Lyon star is now destined. It was a moment of skill that caused ruptures on social media, with Cherki 'destroying' Wirtz, as one X user put it. Florian Wirtz played every minute for Germany during June's fixtures -Credit:Maja Hitij/UEFA via Getty Images In reality, that's far from the case. One skilful action won't end any debate over which star name the Reds should have pursued. Reports indicated that Slot met Cherki earlier this summer to discuss a possible transfer, even briefly leaving his holiday, such was the urgency of the appointment. But he ultimately opted against the deal, feeling Wirtz provided a higher-quality option. Advertisement Given that Liverpool's arrival is expected to cost four to five times more than City's, that perhaps underlines the contrast in the duo's standards. Arne Slot was faced with the decision: Cherki or Wirtz? -Credit:Getty Images That's not to downplay Cherki's quality. He enjoyed an encouraging international break, netting a sublime strike against Spain and again impressing in the win over Germany in his first international start. The 21-year-old has been likened to Eden Hazard in recent days, while Liverpool's reported transfer interest certainly intrigued fans earlier this year. But Wirtz is seen as a player who is redefining the no.10 role, who provides the sort of tactical nuances, positional variation and game-changing impacts that will justify a British record transfer bid.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Bublik's rise from Vegas refresh to Sinner showdown
Alexander Bublik has gone beyond the third round at a major for the second time in his career [Getty Images] French Open 2025 Dates: 25 May-8 June Venue: Roland Garros Coverage: Live radio commentaries across 5 Live Sport and BBC Sounds, plus live text commentaries on the BBC Sport website and app The best moment of Alexander Bublik's life came after the most desperate position of his career. The 27-year-old has always had a complicated relationship with tennis, stating he hated the sport "with all my heart" in a 2020 interview. Advertisement After losing eight of his first 10 matches in 2025 and spiralling down the rankings, his coach suggested a new approach. It was unconventional, to say the least. But the decision to practise less and head to Las Vegas has worked wonders. On Wednesday, Bublik will look to extend his remarkable, unexpected French Open run by stunning world number one Jannik Sinner to reach a first Grand Slam semi-final. He has already upset top-10 players Jack Draper and Alex de Minaur - all just weeks after he wanted to quit for good. "My coach suggested a trip to Vegas. He's like, if you [continue to] play like this, we're just going to be out of tennis, [out] of the conversation," Bublik said. Advertisement "I said, OK, if it goes well, it goes well. If not, thank you very much, tennis." It's safe to say it worked. Journey back from 'disgraceful' low Stood with hands on hips, face covered in red clay after falling to the ground in joyous disbelief following his fourth-round win over Draper, Bublik lapped up the crowd's adulation. Eyes filled with tears, he told the crowd: "Sometimes in life, there's only one chance. I had a feeling that that was mine and I couldn't let it slip. "Standing here, it's the best moment of my life." What has made it even sweeter is how unexpected it all is. Alexander Bublik came back from a set down to beat Jack Draper 5-7 6-3 6-2 6-4 [Getty Images] Bublik, currently ranked 62nd, is set to return to the top 50, only three months after dropping to 82 in the world. Advertisement "I was telling my coach I want to quit tennis because I can't be 80 in the world, it feels disgraceful. I hated it," Bublik told TNT Sports. "I had no room to cry. If I have room to cry, I always will cry. "When you have no options [left], this is how it works." The 'Hangover-style' Vegas reset Bublik's trip to Vegas - off the back of a first-round exit at Indian Wells in March - was never meant as a training exercise. He told reporters it was "like a Hangover thing Vegas" - a reference to the 2009 comedy film. "My fall was not linked with lack of attitude and lack of practising," said Bublik, who has been criticised for his on-court behaviour and racquet smashing. Advertisement "I just burned out because I was waiting for the results to come. I got to the point of 'OK, why am I sacrificing so much? For what?' "It was a good three days [in Vegas]. I let it all out. "I said, I'm useless now, I can't win a match, so let it be - let's see how it goes." Bublik is the lowest-ranked man to beat two top-10 opponents at Roland Garros since the 100th-ranked Andrei Medvedev beat Pete Sampras and Gustavo Kuerten to reach the 1999 final [Getty Images] Bublik then went from Vegas to Phoenix, Arizona, for a Challenger event, landing just five hours before his first match. He went on to make the final, denied only by talented teenager Joao Fonseca. Two months later, he won the title in Turin. But it is in Paris where he has truly shone. Armed with a remarkable range of shot-making, including an utterly devastating drop-shot, he has thrilled the crowds on his way to his best Slam result. 'We just have to be ourselves' Bublik, who has a two-year-old son, has long been clear that tennis is not everything. Advertisement "Tennis is 50% of my life. I have other parts - being a dad, being a friend - which have the same importance to me," he said. "I will not put my health on the line. I'm not going to fight through injuries. "If you tell me I will win a Slam but won't be able to walk by 40, I'm not going to take the Slam." That freedom has helped Bublik become the lowest-ranked man to earn two wins over top-10 opponents at Roland Garros since 1999. None of his four ATP Tour-level titles or 11 finals have come on clay - a surface on which his 41% win rate before this French Open represented his lowest across all surfaces. Advertisement But Bublik is, crucially, enjoying his time on court - and is all the more dangerous for it. "I'm the guy you can see having a nice time down the street in Paris in the evening before a match," Bublik added. "I'm social. I can skip practice if I don't feel [it]. I think it's pretty normal. "This craziness that social media put in us, that we have to be the best version of ourselves? "No - we just have to be ourselves."
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Middletown native Kayla Harrison wins UFC title
Kayla Harrison continues to win more gold. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Middletown native won the women's bantamweight championship Saturday in the UFC 316 co-main event in Newark, NJ, according to the Associated Press. Advertisement She beat Julianna Pena in the final seconds of Round 2. Harrison improved to 19-1 in MMA overall and 3-0 in the UFC. She dominated every second of Saturday's fight. TRENDING STORIES: She dropped to her knees in celebration. 'I prayed in the dark. I fought in the light. And God never left my side,' she wrote on her Facebook page. 'Thank you to my team, my family, and everyone who believed. This life is wild—and I'm so damn blessed to live it." President Trump attended the fight on Saturday. As previously reported by News Center 7, Harrison graduated from Middletown High School, where she took up judo. Advertisement Harrison won two gold medals at the Olympics in 2012 and 2016. The Associated Press contributed to this story Photo from Kayla Harrison's Facebook page [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]