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Ngannou to make MMA return against Ferreira in PFL bout

MMA superstar and undisputed heavyweight champion of the world Francis ‘The Predator’ Ngannou will make his return to the sport on Oct. 19, when he faces the 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan “Problema” Ferreira. (Supplied/PFL)
MMA superstar and undisputed heavyweight champion of the world Francis ‘The Predator’ Ngannou will make his return to the sport on Oct. 19, when he faces the 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan “Problema” Ferreira. (Supplied/PFL)
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Updated 07 August 2024
Arab News
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Ngannou to make MMA return against Ferreira in PFL bout

Ngannou to make MMA return against Ferreira in PFL bout
  • ‘Battle of the Giants: Brace for Impact’ happens on Oct. 19
  • Cris ‘Cyborg’ to face Larissa Pacheco in world title fight on same bill
Updated 07 August 2024
Arab News
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NEW YORK: MMA superstar and undisputed heavyweight champion of the world Francis ‘The Predator’ Ngannou (17-3) will make his return to the sport on Oct. 19, when he faces the 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan “Problema” Ferreira (13-3, 3 NC) for the new PFL Super Fights championship belt.

The co-main event will feature another world title fight between the greatest women’s MMA fighter of all-time, Cris “Cyborg” (27-2, 1 NC), whose legacy will be on the line when she takes on two-division champion Larissa Pacheco (23-4).

The location and venue of the fights will be announced at a later date by the PFL.

“The Professional Fighters League is excited to announce the highly anticipated return of superstar, undisputed heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou to MMA in ‘The Battle of the Giants’ against the most feared heavyweight, 6 feet 8 inch 2023 PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira in the biggest world title fight of the year,” PFL CEO Peter Murray said.

“On Oct. 19 live on ESPN+ in the US and DAZN worldwide, MMA fans around the world will witness a true battle of the greatest fighters on the planet competing for the PFL Super Fights championship belts.”

Ngannou said: “Renan is a great fighter, I have been watching him for years. I have been studying him for years, in fact I’ve been telling people to watch this guy. He’s quite unique, he’s athletic, fast, his size doesn’t impress me as much as his skill.”

MMA fans have been waiting for more than two years for Ngannou’s return. In that time, much has changed in the combat sports landscape, including the promotion for which “The Predator” competes.

Now, following a two-fight game-changing run in the boxing ring against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, Ngannou is returning to face the Brazilian who has fought eight times since Ngannou’s last MMA bout and who viciously finished his last four opponents, including February’s 21-second thrashing of longtime Bellator champion Ryan Bader.

“Cyborg” is considered the greatest women’s athlete in MMA history, fighting and defeating the best featherweights in the world for almost 20 years.

Never one to shy away from fighting the best, Larissa Pacheco, a fellow Brazilian, is currently on a 10-fight winning streak, with victories against Kayla Harrison and former Bellator champion Julia Budd.

Both world champions have cleaned out their divisions and now will fight for the right to claim to be the best in the world.

Topics: Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) PFL Francis Ngannou

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Esports World Cup introduces $1.5m chess competition to 2025 Games in Riyadh

Esports World Cup introduces $1.5m chess competition to 2025 Games in Riyadh
Updated 32 sec ago
Arab News
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Esports World Cup introduces $1.5m chess competition to 2025 Games in Riyadh

Esports World Cup introduces $1.5m chess competition to 2025 Games in Riyadh
  • Joining the world’s largest gaming and esports festival will bring competitive chess to new online audiences
Updated 32 sec ago
Arab News

RIYADH: The Esports World Cup Foundation and Chess.com have announced a multi-year partnership that will bring competitive online chess to the 2025 Esports World Cup.

The world’s largest esports and gaming festival is set to return to Riyadh next summer.

Chess is one of the most popular games on the planet, with more than 600 million players, and Chess.com is a leading website for playing and learning the game, with almost 200 million members.

Additionally, grandmaster Magnus Carlsen will join Chess.com at the Esports World Cup as a global ambassador.

As part of the partnership, the Champions Chess Tour, a fast Chess.com tournament circuit, will become the primary path for the world’s best chess players to qualify for the EWC championship event.

In 2025, there will be two online tour events, in February and May, with a combined $300,000 prize pool, offering players the chance to compete on the world’s biggest esports stage.

“Bringing chess, a game that has been played for 1,500 years, to the Esports World Cup is a truly exciting moment,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports World Cup Foundation.

“It’s the perfect example of how games evolve: from boards to screens, the core competition stays the same. Chess’ rich history, global appeal, and thriving competitive scene make it a perfect fit for our mission to unite the world’s most popular games and their passionate communities under one competitive umbrella.”

Reichert said the partnership with Chess.com and appointment of Carlsen as the game’s ambassador “allows us to not only showcase chess on a massive stage but also drive innovation and growth within its already vibrant ecosystem.”

Carlsen said that he was thrilled to see chess join some of the biggest games in the world at the Esports World Cup.

“This partnership is an incredible opportunity to grow the game, by introducing chess to new audiences and inspiring the next generation of players. Being part of the esports family is an amazing opportunity for chess to broaden its reach to a massive group of esports fans,” he said.

The top 12 players from the CCT will be invited to the EWC Chess tournament, which will take place between July 31 and Aug. 3, 2025, in Riyadh. A Last Chance Qualifier, open to both amateur and professional players, will be held in Riyadh and will determine four remaining spots to round out the field of competitors. Players will compete for a share of the $1.5 million prize pool, and valuable Esports World Cup Club Championship points. 

Chess’ transition to online platforms began in the late 1990s, but the sport’s popularity exploded in the 2010s with platforms like Chess.com. This shift was further accelerated during the global pandemic, and the increasing popularity of streaming platforms and influencers, alongside viewing favorites such as “The Queen’s Gambit,” have cemented chess as a widely celebrated digital sport.

The Champions Chess Tour will bring the world’s top players together in a series of rapid-format tournaments. Launched in 2020, the tour revolutionized the sport by offering a fully digital, viewer-friendly experience, together with live commentary and interactive features.

The 2024 tour will conclude in Oslo this week, as eight finalists battle for the final $500,000 out of a total season prize pool of $1.7 million.

Topics: eSports

Saudi’s Nada, UAE duo to feature in PFL’s Road to Dubai Champions Series

Saudi’s Nada, UAE duo to feature in PFL’s Road to Dubai Champions Series
Updated 55 min 46 sec ago
Arab News
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Saudi’s Nada, UAE duo to feature in PFL’s Road to Dubai Champions Series

Saudi’s Nada, UAE duo to feature in PFL’s Road to Dubai Champions Series
  • Event will take place at Coca-Cola Arena on Jan. 25 with main fight pitting Usman Nurmagomedov against Paul Hughes
Updated 55 min 46 sec ago
Arab News

DUBAI: The undercard for the Professional Fighters League’s inaugural Road to Dubai Champions Series event on Jan. 25 has been released and features Saudi Arabia’s Mostafa Nada as well as UAE duo Hadi Al-Hussaini and Youssef Al-Housani.

The main event at Coca-Cola Arena will pit undefeated Bellator Lightweight World Champion Usman Nurmagomedov against rising Irish contender Paul Hughes.

The undercard will now also feature Dubai-based Uzbek fighter, the undefeated Mirafzal “Mirko” Akhtamov (7-0-1), who has an impressive six finishes in his career. He will take on England’s knockout specialist, Mike “Lefty” Thompson (7-2), whose five of his seven victories came by way of KO/TKO.

Nada (9-3), riding a five-fight win streak, will face the British Pakistani PFL debutant Haider “Darth” Khan (8-1), who has won his last four bouts.

Al-Housani (4-1) will face off against Egypt’s undefeated Assem Ghanem (4-0), while Dubai’s 971 Academy product John Mitchell (9-2), a five-time Irish MMA champion, will enter the SmartCage against PFL MENA’s Algerian competitor Souhil Tairi (7-5-1).

Another Dubai-based fighter, Yakub Sulimanov (7-0) will put his unblemished record on the line against Jordan’s experienced Jarrah “Jordanian Lion” Al-Selawe (20-7).

The second Emirati fighter, Al-Hussaini (5-1-1), will be looking to get back to winning ways after losing his undefeated record in his PFL debut this past July, as he fights in front of a home crowd against former RSF champion Ruel “Bagsik” Panales (5-2).

The marquee preliminary bout of the night will see Tarek Suleiman (13-8) square off against Ahmed “Lee” Samy (11-4).

The Champions Series event is the inaugural Road to Dubai showing following the signing of a groundbreaking multi-year partnership between the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Sports Council and the Professional Fighters League.

Headlining the event will be the returning “Pride of Dagestan,” undefeated Bellator Lightweight World Champion Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0). He will look to defend his title against Ireland’s Paul “Big News” Hughes (13-1) who is coming off the biggest victory of his MMA career at PFL “Battle of the Giants” in Riyadh, where he defeated AJ McKee.

The first-of-its-kind partnership will see MMA world champions and the sport’s biggest stars from the PFL compete in title fights as Dubai becomes a new marquee destination for the best of MMA. All other Champions Series events will now be co-branded as Road to Dubai, as each show culminates to the finale set in the new fight capital. As part of the PFL’s commitment to developing the sport of MMA in Dubai, rising Emirati fighters will now have an opportunity to become future PFL Champions.

 

Road to Dubai Champions Series Main Card:

 

Lightweight World Title Bout: Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0) vs. Paul Hughes (13-1)

Featherweight Main Card Bout: Khasan Magomedsharipov (10-0) vs. Nathan Kelly (11-2)

Featherweight Main Card Bout: Ibragim Ibragimov (8-0) vs. Kenny Mokhonoana (5-1)

Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Renat Khavalov (8-0) vs. Cleiver Fernandes (9-1)

 

Road to Dubai Champions Series Preliminary Card:

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Tarek Suleiman (13-8) vs. Ahmed Samy (11-4)

Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Hadi Omar Al-Hussaini (5-1-1) vs. Ruel Pañales (5-2)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Yakub Sulimanov (7-0) vs. Jarrah Al-Selawe (20-7)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: John Mitchell (9-2) vs. Souhil Tairi (7-5-1)

Featherweight Preliminary Bout: Youssef Al-Housani (4-1) vs. Assem Ghanem (4-0)

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Mostafa Nada (9-3) vs. Haider Khan (8-1)

Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mirafzal Akhtamov (7-0-1) vs. Mike Thompson (7-2)

Giannis, Bucks use 3-point barrage to beat Thunder 97-81 for NBA Cup title

Giannis, Bucks use 3-point barrage to beat Thunder 97-81 for NBA Cup title
Updated 18 December 2024
AP
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Giannis, Bucks use 3-point barrage to beat Thunder 97-81 for NBA Cup title

Giannis, Bucks use 3-point barrage to beat Thunder 97-81 for NBA Cup title
  • Tournament MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 26 points to go along with 19 rebounds and 10 assists
  • Damian Lillard added 23 points and the Bucks connected on 17 3-pointers
Updated 18 December 2024
AP

LAS VEGAS: Everyone has a lucky number in Las Vegas. For the Milwaukee Bucks, it was 3.

And the NBA Cup was their prize.

Tournament MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 26 points to go along with 19 rebounds and 10 assists, Damian Lillard added 23 points and the Bucks connected on 17 3-pointers on the way to beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 97-81 in the NBA Cup title game Tuesday night.

Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. each scored 13 for the Bucks, who joined the Los Angeles Lakers as the only champions of the 2-year-old event. A 19-5 Milwaukee run in the second half turned what was a five-point game into a 19-point game early in the fourth, and the Bucks kept control the rest of the way.

“It’s great, it’s great for our team,” Antetokounmpo said. “We’re getting better. ... We know we’re leaving Vegas as a better team. I’m so proud of this group. Man, I’m so proud of this group.”

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 21 and Jalen Williams added 18 for the Thunder, who had scored at least 99 points in every game this season. But they sputtered in plenty of ways Tuesday, getting outscored 51-15 from beyond the arc and shooting only 34 percent.

Isaiah Hartenstein had 16 points and 12 rebounds for Oklahoma City, which was held to 31 points after halftime.

“We did some good things. We outscored them in the paint so obviously we did the job defensively on that end,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. “But obviously a tough night offensively all the way around for us. We didn’t score nearly enough points, especially in the second half, to give ourselves a chance to win. But we can learn from it, move forward here.”

It’s a game that only counted for tournament purposes. There was about $300,000 in additional bonus money for Bucks players — they got $514,971 apiece, while the Thunder players got $205,988 each — but the win, the loss and the statistics from the game won’t count toward the regular season.

Mired toward the bottom of the NBA after a 2-8 start, the Bucks have been on a tear since. This was their 13th win in their last 16 games, even though it won’t be part of the official record.

No matter: When the Bucks emptied their bench with 1:37 left, Antetokounmpo pumped his fists like it was a true championship moment.

He’s won bigger games — he and the Bucks captured the 2021 NBA title, after all. But they said from the outset of this tournament that the NBA Cup was a priority.

And they left no doubt in the end.

“We struggled coming out of the gates,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. “No one here doubted what we can be and who we can be and we just hung in there. We stuck together and this is the byproduct of a team sticking together. But we still have work to do.”

Antetokounmpo was even more succinct: “Job’s not done,” he said.

His point was clear: There’s another title to chase. But this was still a trophy moment to celebrate.

Takeaways

Bucks: Milwaukee played without guard Khris Middleton (non-COVID illness) and still improved to an NBA-best 12-1 all-time in NBA Cup games, including a perfect 7-0 this season. The Bucks’ only in-season tournament loss was to Indiana in last year’s semifinals.

Thunder: It was a rare night of playing uphill for Oklahoma City, which trailed by as many as 20. The Thunder trailed by more than 14 points in only two of their 25 games so far in the regular season — getting down by 30 against Golden State and by 21 to San Antonio.

Key moment

No fewer than five players ended up on the floor, all scrapping for a loose ball with 9:12 left in the third quarter. Thunder forward Lu Dort was hit with a technical, Daigneault got another a few seconds later and Lillard ended up with a five-point possession — two free throws for the techs, followed by a 3-pointer.

Key stat

The Thunder are 20-1 this season when leading after three quarters. They’re now 0-5 when tied or trailing going into the final quarter (even though it will officially be 0-4 since this game won’t be counted).

Up next

The Thunder visit Orlando on Thursday and Miami on Friday. The Bucks visit Cleveland on Friday and host Washington on Saturday.

Vinicius and Bonmati named FIFA Best players of the year

Vinicius and Bonmati named FIFA Best players of the year
Updated 18 December 2024
AFP
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Vinicius and Bonmati named FIFA Best players of the year

Vinicius and Bonmati named FIFA Best players of the year
  • The award comes two months after 24-year-old Vinicius was second in the Ballon d’Or, with Real electing to snub the ceremony when they found out beforehand that Manchester City midfielder Rodri was set to win the trophy
  • The 26-year-old Spaniard Bonmati picked up the Best women’s player award for the second year running, adding to the two Ballon d’Or trophies she already boasts
Updated 18 December 2024
AFP

DOHA: Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior won the FIFA Best men’s player of the year award at a ceremony in Doha on Tuesday, while Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati picked up the women’s prize for the second time.

The award comes two months after 24-year-old Vinicius was second in the Ballon d’Or, with Real electing to snub the ceremony when they found out beforehand that Manchester City midfielder Rodri was set to win the trophy.

But the Brazilian was this time on hand to collect the prize in person as he is in Qatar with his club ahead of their Intercontinental Cup final clash with Mexico’s Pachuca on Wednesday.

“Thank you very much. I don’t know where to start. It was impossible to think of getting here. I grew up in a world of poverty, of organized crime. It’s for all the children who grow up in that world. I thank everyone who voted for me,” Vinicius said on stage.

“(Thank you) To my family, to the club, to my teammates, to Carletto (Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti), who always helps me.

“To everyone who helped make my dream come true. I hope to be at Madrid for many years, because it is the best club in the world. To Flamengo (his first club in Brazil). To my teammates in my national team. And to my country, which always supports me in my work.”

Vinicius succeeds Lionel Messi as the FIFA Best men’s player after the Argentinian scooped up the last two editions of the award.

The live wire forward scored 24 goals and laid on 11 assists in 39 matches across all competitions as he led Real to a La Liga and Champions League double last season.

Having already wrapped up his third La Liga title in May, Vinicius secured the second Champions League trophy of his career as Real beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 on June 1.

Vinicius was on the scoresheet at Wembley with a pinpoint finish inside the final 10 minutes to make the game safe for his team.

If Vinicius at times played second fiddle to clubmate Jude Bellingham in La Liga, he was undoubtedly the main man for Madrid in Europe once the going got serious.

He was the top scorer for the Champions League winners with six goals in the competition, including the strike in the final and a brace in Madrid’s 4-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich in the semifinals.

He also scored a hat trick in a 4-1 victory in the final of the Supercopa against arch-rivals Barcelona in January.

But it was not all plain sailing last season for Vinicius as he endured a disappointing Copa America with the Brazilian national team over the summer.

He scored two goals in a group-stage win against Paraguay, but his side ultimately crashed out on penalties to Uruguay in the quarter-finals.

The 26-year-old Spaniard Bonmati picked up the Best women’s player award for the second year running, adding to the two Ballon d’Or trophies she already boasts.

“I’m grateful, I’m proud to receive this award,” Bonmati said via video link from Barcelona’s Olympic stadium.

Last term, Bonmati led Barcelona to a historic continental quadruple of titles and claimed the Nations League with her national team.

She won every trophy available to her in club football in 2023/24 — the Spanish league, the Copa de la Reina, the Supercopa de Espana and a second successive Women’s Champions League.

Bonmati scored a goal and put in a player-of-the-match performance as Barcelona beat Lyon 2-0 in the final of the Champions League to claim their third title in four seasons.

Manchester United’s Argentine forward Alejandro Garnacho won the Puskas award for the best goal of the year for his spectacular bicycle kick against Everton in the Premier League.

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Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into Italian Cup quarterfinals

Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into Italian Cup quarterfinals
Updated 18 December 2024
AFP
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Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into Italian Cup quarterfinals

Koopmeiners stunner sends Juventus into Italian Cup quarterfinals
  • Juve join Lazio, Empoli, Bologna and AC Milan in the next stage of the cup
  • Serie A leaders Atalanta are in action on Wednesday against Cesena, while Roma take on Sampdoria
Updated 18 December 2024
AFP

MILAN: Holders Juventus progressed to the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup with a 4-0 win at home to Cagliari on Tuesday.

Dusan Vlahovic slotted home a first half opener, before Teun Koopmeiners wrapped up the last-16 tie for the 15-time winners with a sensational free kick from distance.

Francisco Conceicao and Nico Gonzalez netted late to underline an emphatic performance by the Old Lady.

“It was a good performance,” Juve coach Thiago Motta told Canale 5.

“These lads are going through a tough situation in the right way, giving their all in every training session,” he added of his players who have endured a stop-start domestic campaign as they sit sixth in the league table.

Juve join Lazio, Empoli, Bologna and AC Milan in the next stage of the cup.

Serie A leaders Atalanta are in action on Wednesday against Cesena, while Roma take on Sampdoria.

Reigning Scudetto champions Inter Milan complete the round of 16 when they host Udinese on Thursday.

In Turin, Vlahovic put the home side in front one minute before half-time when he swivelled smartly on a pass to feet from Kenan Yildiz and rolled the ball into the far corner.

Summer signing Koopmeiners then notched up his second goal for Juve with an unstoppable left-footed free-kick from 25 meters out in the 53rd minute.

Vlahovic had the ball in the net twice more for Juve as they pressed forward in search of a third, but was on both occasions denied by the assistant’s flag for offside.

Conceicao eventually made it three on 80 minutes with a whipped finish after cutting in from the right flank and Gonzalez chipped home a fourth with one minute remaining.

Topics: Italian Cup Juventus

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