Eni Aluko hits back at ‘racist, sexist’ abusers after Declan Rice transfer theory
Eni Aluko has hit back at the “racist, sexist and misogynistic” people who sent her abusive messages after she voiced a theory regarding Declan Rice’s potential move to Arsenal. The Gunners were seemingly struggling to agree a price with West Ham United for the midfielder and had two offers rejected before Manchester City entered the race. Arsenal then upped their bid to £105m as City decided against pursuing the transfer. Aluko’s theory was that City never wanted to sign Rice and that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had asked his friend, and City manager, Pep Guardiola to put in a bid to force Arsenal’s owners to match the Hammers’ valuation and get the deal over the line. She added that this tactic was something she used to do while working as a director of women’s football for Aston Villa and sporting director of Los Angeles-based Angel City FC. “Safe to say I suspected Rice wasn’t going up the M6 to Manchester! I’ve had a lot of laughs on this today, it was very quiet from the pile-on brigade – somehow a lot of haters went missing. Apologies are much quieter than disrespect,” wrote Aluko in a thread on Twitter before adding: “Disagreement is part of the job. But disagreement should never be used by people to be sexist, racist, misogynistic to women in football. It’s an absolute disgrace and I won’t ignore it for the benefit of a lot of men who project their own jealousy & insecurity spouting abuse. Women in football are not going away. Get used to it. “We know our stuff, we speak from a place of professional insight and experience. Take it or leave it, agree, disagree but if you choose sexism, racism, misogyny to disagree, you are the problem and you’re exposing yourself. “If you spend your time attacking women in football, you are exposing the fact you can NEVER be at the same level. You’re entitled to opinion, don’t abuse it to be racist, sexist and misogynistic.” She also posted a video on Twitter with the caption: “My DMs are a bit quiet, looks like the clowns have run away #DeclanRice #TransferTea.” The video was accommpanied by several crystal ball and laughing emojis, followed by a clown emoji as she smiled and shook her head. Arsenal’s deal for Rice has been agreed in principle with £100m in guaranteed cash plus £5m in bonuses. Read More Havertz transfer leaves Chelsea fans conflicted: ‘You won’t be missed’ Arsenal winning race for Rice but Bayern face uphill struggle to capture Kane Rumours: New Harry Kane bid and Hammers target trio including Maguire Havertz transfer leaves Chelsea fans conflicted: ‘You won’t be missed’ Arsenal winning race for Rice but Bayern face uphill struggle to capture Kane Rumours: New Harry Kane bid and Hammers target trio including Maguire
2023-06-29 19:15
James Maddison shares first message to Spurs fans after joining club in £40m deal
Tottenham Hotspur have officially announced the signing of James Maddison. The England midfielder joins Spurs from Leicester City for £40 million, following the club’s relegation to the Championship last season. Maddison, 26, has signed a five-year deal with the north London club. “Hello Tottenham Hotspur fans, James Maddison here, can’t wait to meet you all. Come on you Spurs!” he said, in a separate video posted to Tottenham’s social media. Maddison made 203 appearances for Leicester during his five years at the club and scored 10 Premier League goals last season, but was unable to prevent the Foxes from slipping to relegation. Read More ‘Very high’ expectations on England’s Lionesses at World Cup, Georgia Stanway says Exclusive: WWE star Rhea Ripley recalls how Triple H helped save the Judgement Day Moment Just Stop Oil protesters throw paint over Lord’s pitch during Ashes Test
2023-06-29 05:46
Why Nicolas Jackson has the tools to make Chelsea a free-scoring Mauricio Pochettino team
Chelsea’s biggest issue last season was the inability to simply put the ball in the back of the net. Only four teams scored fewer Premier League goals than the Blues (38), with even relegated pair Leeds and Leicester netting more. Strengthening the frontline was always the priority for a west London side in need of a refresh this summer. Yet they had to strike a balance. Chelsea’s squad remains incredibly bloated, though the departures of N’Golo Kante and Kalidou Koulibaly have helped, at the very least, cut the wage bill. Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz, Edouard Mendy and Mason Mount are expected to follow the pair out of the Stamford Bridge exit as the squad is streamlined. We’re not yet in July but the Blues have at least made their first move to correct their goal issues: Christopher Nkunku has arrived from RB Leipzig on the back of a solid Bundesliga campaign that saw him net 16 times – no player in Germany’s top tier scored more. The 25-year-old won’t be the only forward to rock up in the capital, however, with Nicolas Jackson set to follow suit. Jackson was prepped for a move to Bournemouth in January, only to fail a medical, and was subsequently linked with a move to Aston Villa this summer – yet Chelsea have won the race for the 22-year-old, who scored 12 goals and provided four assists in LaLiga last season, a fine return for a player who registered just 1,603 minutes of game time. Of those 12 goals, 10 were scored since the turn of the year. Only former Real Madrid hitman Karim Benzema (12) bagged more in Spain’s top tier in the first half of 2023. Crucially, Jackson knows exactly where the goal is. Feed the Senegalese star and he’ll score. Of the 120 players to muster 25 or more shots, Jackson returned the best conversion rate (29.3 per cent) in the 22/23 LaLiga campaign. Despite a goal-shy season, Chelsea still averaged the eighth most key passes per game (9.9) in the Premier League, a return that can be improved upon, but a reasonable base nonetheless. In addition, the Blues ranked tenth for big chances created (57), yet in turn missed the sixth most (52). Kai Havertz was the biggest offender, missing 14 clear-cut goalscoring opportunities, but with the German set to leave for Arsenal there is room for a new striker at Stamford Bridge. Jackson, by contrast, performed superbly when the chances were laid out on a plate, returning a clear-cut conversion rate of 56.3 per cent, the best in Spain’s top flight last season. However, there is more to Jackson’s game than scoring goals. He’s not an old-fashioned No 9 but rather a modern-day forward, who looks to link the play as well as get on the end of chances. An average of 1.2 key passes per 90 minutes is a respectable average, while a pass success rate of 76.4 per cent from 17.9 passes per 90 are solid figures for a striker. With Mauricio Pochettino expected to use a 4-2-3-1 setup, he’ll need his leading frontman to work his way into the box and, where needed, hold up possession before laying the ball on for his teammates. Jackson, then, ticks the right boxes. Considering the exciting wingers at Pochettino’s disposal – who’ll undoubtedly benefit from a full pre-season in a settled environment under the Argentine’s watchful eye – and the possibility of Nkunku operating in the No 10 role as a second striker, Jackson’s willingness to bring others into play means Chelsea should quickly dwarf their 38-goal haul from last season. The Senegal star isn’t perhaps the same headline-stealing hitman in the form of Victor Osimhen that some supporters may crave, but then if Jackson is the ideal fit, is that really an issue? Chelsea will be landing a player who will benefit the current crop of attackers on the books at Stamford Bridge and, over the longer term, can become the complete centre-forward with the right coaching. Pochettino, after all, did turn Harry Kane into a world-beater. Read More Mateo Kovacic completes move from Chelsea to Manchester City Koulibaly exits Chelsea to become latest star joining Saudi Pro League Manchester United increase Mason Mount bid Chelsea owners buy stake in French team as part of multi-club ownership plans Robertson appreciative as Newcastle remember Tiote – Wednesday’s sporting social N’Golo Kante, the midfield miracle worker who changed football
2023-06-28 21:27
Michael Chandler reassures fans over Conor McGregor fight
Michael Chandler has insisted that his fight with Conor McGregor will go ahead, despite fears that the latter has missed the deadline to compete in 2023. Chandler vs McGregor was announced by the UFC in February, but no date, location or weight class has been announced for the fight, and it appears that McGregor is unable to compete until next year due to United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) rules. The former UFC champion is seemingly still absent from the Usada testing pool, and athletes must be in the pool for six months and return two negative results – and zero negatives – in order to fight in the UFC. However, Chandler has reassured fans that the fight will go ahead – regardless of when. The American, 37, told ESPN on Wednesday (28 June): “Listen, I understand everybody wants answers, they want results. With a fight of this magnitude – the most exciting guy in mixed martial arts versus the biggest superstar in mixed martial arts – people want answers, and they want them on their timeline. “Their timeline is now. ‘I want my answers yesterday.’ I’m with everybody else, of course, but just let the process play out. Just know that Michael Chandler steps in the cage against Conor McGregor, we put on an electrifying event, and I separate him from his consciousness in the second round. “If there’s one thing I know about Conor: He cares about his public persona, he cares about how people see him, he cares about where he is now and what he has become to the fans. [If you’re not coming back], you don’t do a documentary saying you’re coming back; you don’t tell everybody it’s the greatest comeback in combat-sports history; you’re not out there promoting yourself and saying, ‘This is my game forever, you’ll do what you’re told;’ and calling yourself the pound-for-pound king. “Conor’s coming back. There’s one guy he’s fighting: His name’s Michael Chandler, he’s from High Ridge, Missouri. We are gonna put butts in seats, it’s gonna be an electrifying performance, but I knock out Conor and then maybe he retires after that – we’ll see.” Chandler and McGregor are coaching opposing teams of athletes on the new season of The Ultimate Fighter, which began airing in May and will conclude in August. After five episodes, Team Chandler has a 5-0 lead over Team McGregor. This month, Irishman McGregor denied an allegation that he had sexually assaulted a woman at an NBA Finals game. McGregor, 34, was accused of assault in a bathroom at a Miami Heat fixture on 9 June. McGregor also recently released McGregor Forever, the second documentary around his career, and you can read The Independent’s review of the Netflix series here. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Conor McGregor doubles down on Ultimate Fighter criticism as Michael Chandler’s team dominate How to watch The Ultimate Fighter 31 in the UK Elon Musk vs Mark Zuckerberg: Who would win a fight between tech titans? Conor McGregor doubles down on Ultimate Fighter criticism Conor McGregor complains as his team lose yet again on The Ultimate Fighter Conor McGregor’s team fall to 0-3 on The Ultimate Fighter
2023-06-28 21:24
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s coach makes Zuckerberg vs Musk prediction
Renowned mixed martial arts coach Javier Mendez has predicted that Mark Zuckerberg would beat Elon Musk in the pair’s proposed cage fight, saying the Facebook CEO is ‘more of a dog’ than his counterpart. Zuckerberg and fellow tech billionaire Musk, who is the owner of Twitter and CEO of Tesla, have agreed to fight one another, and Mendez has made a confident pick for the prospective bout. Mendez coached former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and currently trains lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, and the American told Grosvernor Sport: “The big advantage Zuckerberg has over Elon is that he’s actively training and he’s more of a dog right now, because he entered a jiu-jitsu tournament, so that tells me a lot about him. “From the little bit I’ve seen of Zuckerberg, he likes to engage and go at it. He’s very competitive. If I'm not mistaken, he did very well in a legitimate jiu-jitsu tournament, so he might have the dog in him because he was not afraid to expose himself. “All things considered, Zuckerberg is way ahead of Musk, but you won’t really know until you see what Musk possesses. If Elon has no martial arts training whatsoever, he’s really behind. What he’d have to do is get in there and start slinging punches right away. Since Elon is bigger, does he have the power to go with the size? Does he have the speed to go with the size?” Mendez, 52, also advised Musk to focus on preventing takedowns, given Zuckerberg’s grappling experience. “My number-one priority for Musk would be to see how hard he could hit and how easy it would be for him to keep the fight standing up,” Mendez said. “Because Zuckerberg is so ahead of him with the jiu-jitsu, I would want Musk to think about ways to prevent takedowns. But you can't avoid a takedown just by trying to avoid it; you have to avoid it by striking. “Elon would need to learn how to strike and keep his distance, but he has to strike – otherwise it’s a matter of time before Mark would get him down. So, he has to learn defensive, distance striking, because he doesn’t want to go to the ground with Mark. That’s the first thing I’d want to see. “You’ve also got to put him in bad positions on the ground. You can’t just practise stand-up, because if you just do stand-up, you're being an idiot. You might trip, and then you are on the ground; he needs to be prepared for the ground. I’d prepare him for everywhere, but the main objective would be to learn to strike. He is bigger, so he could utilise his size.” UFC president Dana White has insisted that Zuckerberg, 39, and Musk, 52, are ‘dead serious’ about a fight. Musk also seems to have agreed to train under UFC legend Georges St-Pierre, who offered to coach the Twitter and Tesla boss. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Elon Musk picks UFC legend to train him for Mark Zuckerberg fight Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg’s battle of the billionaires is an ego trip worth taking Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg ‘dead serious’ about cage fight, says UFC boss Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg ‘dead serious’ about cage fight, says UFC boss Strickland vs Magomedov and full UFC Fight Night card this weekend What time does Strickland vs Magomedov start in UK and US this weekend?
2023-06-28 19:17
Harry Kane must take Bayern Munich transfer chance – and so should Spurs
An age-old argument, without any definitive answer: when do you let your best player go if the rest of the team needs serious improvement? Is it at the point of emotional guilt-tripping, or when the finances make most sense? Is it when the individual starts creating negativity around the dressing room? Or is it in fact not at all – you keep the top performers and that’s the end of it? Daniel Levy, chairperson at Spurs, has been placed in this position before, but perhaps not when Tottenham have been in such a period of weakness and at such a moment of crossroads. When Luka Modric departed in 2012, Spurs had finished fourth and reached the FA Cup semi-final. A year later when Gareth Bale made his exit, Spurs finished one place further back in the Premier League but actually earned three points more than the campaign previous. The rebuild money across those two summers was perhaps spent in mixed fashion, but it was at a time Tottenham were trying to crack into the top clubs on a regular basis. This time, it’s Harry Kane who looks set for a departure, with Bayern Munich offering up an initial bid – big money, but perhaps not quite big enough just yet – for the striker who has only one year remaining on his contract. Kane has been better, more important, more consistent and longer-serving for Tottenham than either of the two aforementioned stars, or indeed any others they’ve had of late. Yet the club also finished eighth last season, their worst league placing in 14 years, and it’s time for both Kane to move on and Spurs to move on without him. It is not for any reason so crass or emotive or frankly ludicrous as “they owe him”. Spurs do not owe Kane anything. He has been excellent for them, and they have given him the platform to be so. But he clearly has kept his level when the club has lost its own, starting at the most uppermost points of the hierarchy downwards. Kane should be seeking a move for his own prospects, for his own ability to win trophies and his own capacity to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with some of the greatest centre-forwards of this generation. At Bayern in particular, he’ll very much have the opportunity to do that. Of course, the flip side of the player-based argument is twofold: winning silverware at Spurs might mean more, and so too might claiming the Premier League goalscoring record. Only Kane himself can answer those two factors truthfully, but even if he were to head to the Bundesliga to rack up three or four titles now, there’s very little to suggest his playmaking and goalscoring prowess would have deserted him by the time he turns 33 or 34. A comeback to Spurs once they’ve rebuilt and he’s filled his boots elsewhere? Don’t rule it out. A move abroad is also a risk of its own kind, between adaptation to culture and club, especially in a Euros season. But Gareth Southgate isn’t likely to be leaving out his captain any time soon even if form does desert him – let alone the question of whether there’s even an alternative candidate. And so the decision heads once more to Levy, in charge yet again of overseeing transfers after Fabio Paratici’s enforced exit, and tasked with coming up with a price he finds acceptable for a player the fans value above all others, yet will otherwise surely lose for free in a year. To be blunt, Spurs cannot afford the kind of bluster and brinkmanship Levy has shown before with a far stronger hand. The team needs investment. The team might need outright reshaping, given Ange Postecoglou is almost as far removed from Antonio Conte tactically as he is by way of club interim appointments. Without any kind of European football this coming campaign, Spurs have the chance to make the most of the Australian’s excellent coaching capacity on the training pitch with the additional time between matches the schedule will afford him, so to maximise a season on the fringes they should also be seeking to build the group of players which will benefit him most. While Kane the player is irreplaceable, Spurs can provide Postecoglou with a group to more than make up for what they lose through his sale, if the proceeds are reinvested well and existing players nurtured. Richarlison is the most obvious example, especially as the potential replacement No 9, but Dejan Kulusevski has so much more to give too. Spurs don’t need to gut the building entirely, but they certainly need a better structure than they had last season. Selling Kane is a hard choice, but the right one for the club to move into a new phase of more normalised expectations with long-term prospects for improvement – and the right one for the striker to prove himself on a whole new level, too. Read More Man City ‘to submit improved offer’ for Declan Rice after Arsenal bid Tottenham standing firm on Harry Kane amid interest from Bayern Munich Football rumours: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain weighs up Saudi Arabia move Osimhen and five Man United transfer alternatives to signing Kane Football rumours: Manchester United make last-gasp attempt to sign Harry Kane Range of armband options for Women’s World Cup as FIFA aims to avoid repeat row
2023-06-28 15:17
Conor McGregor doubles down on Ultimate Fighter criticism as Michael Chandler’s team dominate
Conor McGregor has reiterated his criticism of the bout structure on The Ultimate Fighter, after his team fell to a 0-5 skid against Michael Chandler’s team. McGregor’s fighters have lost every contest in the first five episodes of the new season of the UFC television show. In this week’s episode, Carlos Vera suffered a decision defeat by Brad Katona – a long-time training partner of McGregor. Katona won both rounds on the judges’ scorecards, with former UFC champion McGregor bemoaning the lack of a third round in The Ultimate Fighter’s bouts. “Tell them ‘three rounds’, yeah?” McGregor said after Vera’s loss to Katona, appearing to aim the comment at UFC president Dana White. “The fight’s not over, they’re unfinished fights,” the Irishman added in a backstage interview. “If they got unfinished fights, give them a third round. The guys are fighting for their life here. In those situations where they’re closely contested, back and forth, there should be a third round. “I mean, this guy [Katona] is in there, [saying]: ‘Yeah!’ What was done there? Nothing. I’m surprised that those two [fighters] were called at the second round to be honest.” McGregor, 34, also told Vera in the team’s locker room: “Unfinished fight, that’s it. They’re unfinished fights, man. Let them go another round. They’re three-rounders [that] we need. F*** two rounds. “That was great, that was great. That body kick was money, man – beautiful shot. He’s a solid fighter, I know; he’s trained with us a long time. So, keeping going, Carlos. Great work, my man. Proud of you, bud.” Vera, meanwhile, said in an interview on this week’s episode: “I hate to lose. It is what it is, and there’s a lot of things I have to work on, but I fought my fight. I have nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to be sad about. So, onto the next one.” McGregor and American Chandler are supposed to fight one another at the conclusion of The Ultimate Fighter’s run this summer, but McGregor is still not in the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s testing pool. Fighters must be in the pool for six months and return at least two negative tests – and zero positives – in order to compete in the UFC, unless an exemption is granted. As such, McGregor vs Chandler is unlikely to take place in 2023. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More How to watch The Ultimate Fighter 31 in the UK Conor McGregor denies allegation he sexually assaulted a woman at NBA Finals McGregor Forever: The problem with the new Conor McGregor documentary UFC schedule 2023: Every fight happening this year Football pays tribute to Craig Brown – Monday’s sporting social Conor McGregor complains as his team lose yet again on The Ultimate Fighter
2023-06-28 11:18
England women’s star Alex Greenwood suffers injury scare in training
England defender Alex Greenwood appeared to suffer an injury scare during a training session ahead of the Women’s World Cup. The Manchester City star limped off the pitch after a challenge from Georgia Stanway, according to Sky Sports. Footage from the training session shows Greenwood on the floor surrounded by her international teammates, before receiving some treatment on the bench. England’s first World Cup game is against Haiti on 22 July. Sarina Wiegman has already lost a number of stars to injuries, with Fran Kirby, Leah Williamson and Beth Mead all ruled out of the tournament.
2023-06-28 05:46
Anti-Glazer protesters block Manchester United megastore on day of new kit release
Manchester United supporters staged fresh protests against the Glazers at Old Trafford on Tuesday 27 June, as the club launched their kit for next season. A group of fans were seen blocking the entrance to the megastore, holding signs that read “Glazers Out” and “Don’t feed the greed”. “We want Glazers out, say we want Glazers out,” they could be heard chanting. United have projected record annual revenue of up to £640 million in the current financial year as the takeover saga surrounding the club rumbles on. The Glazer family are weighing up offers for the club from Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Read More Andy Murray addresses retirement rumours ahead of his 15th Wimbledon Brendan Rodgers regrets ‘hurt’ he caused Celtic fans when he left for Leicester Ashes 2023: Ben Stokes ‘devastated’ as England fall behind after thrilling first Test
2023-06-28 01:21
Marshall vs Crews-Dezurn time: When does fight start in UK and US this weekend?
Savannah Marshall will bid to reclaim her status as a world champion this weekend, as the former middleweight title holder moves up a division to challenge Franchon Crews-Dezurn for her undisputed belts. Marshall was unbeaten until she suffered a decision loss to Claressa Shields last year, a result that saw the Briton lose her WBO middleweight title as Shields became undisputed in the division. Now, the Hartlepool fighter takes on another American in Crews-Dezurn, who will put all four of her super-middleweight belts on the line against Marshall in Manchester. The event marks another big night in women’s boxing, with Natasha Jonas also in action and seeking to become a two-weight world champion. Here’s all you need to know. When is it? The fight will take place on Saturday 1 July at the AO Arena in Manchester. The main card is scheduled to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET), with ring walks for the main event due at approximately 10pm BST (2pm PT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET). How can I watch it? In the UK, the event will air live on Sky Sports and on the broadcaster’s website and Sky Go app. In the US, ESPN+ will air the fights live. Odds Marshall – 1/4 Crews-Dezurn – 16/5 Draw – 14/1 Full odds via Betway. Full card (subject to change) Franchon Crews-Dezurn (C) vs Savannah Marshall (WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF women’s super-middleweight titles) Natasha Jonas vs Kandi Wyatt (vacant IBF women’s welterweight title) Zak Chelli vs Mark Jeffers (super-middleweight) Ben Whittaker vs Vladimir Belujsky (light-heavyweight) Callum Simpson vs Boris Crighton (super-middleweight) Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Dillian Whyte reveals why Anthony Joshua rematch is being delayed Carl Froch criticises Tyson Fury legacy — and outlines what he needs to become ‘the best of a generation’ The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings How to watch Marshall vs Crews-Dezurn online and on TV this weekend Natasha Jonas to face Kandi Wyatt in bid to become two-weight world champion The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings
2023-06-27 20:52
Marshall vs Crews-Dezurn live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV this weekend
Savannah Marshall will bid to reclaim her status as a world champion this weekend, as the former middleweight title holder moves up a division to challenge Franchon Crews-Dezurn for her undisputed belts. Marshall was unbeaten until she suffered a decision loss to Claressa Shields last year, a result that saw the Briton lose her WBO middleweight title as Shields became undisputed in the division. Now, the Hartlepool fighter takes on another American in Crews-Dezurn, who will put all four of her super-middleweight belts on the line against Marshall in Manchester. The event marks another big night in women’s boxing, with Natasha Jonas also in action and seeking to become a two-weight world champion. Here’s all you need to know. When is it? The fight will take place on Saturday 1 July at the AO Arena in Manchester. The main card is scheduled to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT, 1pm CT, 2pm ET), with ring walks for the main event due at approximately 10pm BST (2pm PT, 4pm CT, 5pm ET). How can I watch it? In the UK, the event will air live on Sky Sports and on the broadcaster’s website and Sky Go app. In the US, ESPN+ will air the fights live. Odds Marshall – 1/4 Crews-Dezurn – 16/5 Draw – 14/1 Full odds via Betway. Full card (subject to change) Franchon Crews-Dezurn (C) vs Savannah Marshall (WBC, WBO, WBA and IBF women’s super-middleweight titles) Natasha Jonas vs Kandi Wyatt (vacant IBF women’s welterweight title) Zak Chelli vs Mark Jeffers (super-middleweight) Ben Whittaker vs Vladimir Belujsky (light-heavyweight) Callum Simpson vs Boris Crighton (super-middleweight) Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Dillian Whyte reveals why Anthony Joshua rematch is being delayed Carl Froch criticises Tyson Fury legacy — and outlines what he needs to become ‘the best of a generation’ The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings What time does Marshall vs Crews-Dezurn start in UK and US this weekend? Natasha Jonas to face Kandi Wyatt in bid to become two-weight world champion The Independent’s pound-for-pound boxing rankings
2023-06-27 20:49
Strickland vs Magomedov card: All UFC Fight Night bouts this weekend
Sean Strickland and Abus Magomedov will square off in a meeting of middleweight contenders this weekend, as the pair clash in a UFC Fight Night main event. American Strickland, 32, is looking to make it back-to-back wins, having beaten Nassourdine Imavov on points in January, following two straight losses last year. Meanwhile, Russian Magomedov, also 32, enters Las Vegas on the back of a three-fight win streak, with all of those wins having come via stoppage. Strickland sits at No 7 in the middleweight rankings as he bids to re-enter the title picture, and he is risking his place in the top 10 here as he faces an unranked opponent in Magomedov. Here’s all you need to know. When is it? The event will take place on Saturday 1 July, at the UFC Apex institute in Las Vegas. The prelims are set to begin at 9pm BST (1pm PT, 3pm CT, 4pm ET). The main card is then due to follow at 12am BST on Sunday 2 July (4pm PT, 6pm CT, 7pm ET on Saturday). How can I watch it? The card will air live on BT Sport in the UK, with the broadcaster’s app and website also streaming the fights. In the US, ESPN+ will stream the action live, as will the UFC’s Fight Pass. Full card (subject to change) Main card Sean Strickland vs Abus Magomedov (middleweight) Damir Ismagulov vs Grant Dawson (lightweight) Max Griffin vs Michael Morales (welterweight) Ariane Lipski vs Melissa Gatto (women’s flyweight) Ismael Bonfim vs Benoit Saint-Denis (lightweight) Brunno Ferreira vs Nursulton Ruziboev (middleweight) Prelims Kevin Lee vs Rinat Fakhretdinov (welterweight) Joanderson Brito vs Westin Wilson (featherweight) Yana Santos vs Karol Rosa (women’s bantamweight) Guram Kutateladze vs Elves Brener (lightweight) Ivana Petrovic vs Luana Carolina (women’s flyweight) Alexandr Romanov vs Blagoy Ivanov (heavyweight) Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More UFC schedule 2023: Every major fight happening this year Ilia Topuria makes bold Alexander Volkanovski claim after dominating Josh Emmett Elon Musk picks UFC legend to train him for Mark Zuckerberg fight What time does Strickland vs Magomedov start in UK and US this weekend? How to watch Strickland vs Magomedov online and on TV this weekend When is the next UFC event?
2023-06-27 19:56