A nun commends Dodgers' handling of Pride Night controversy; some archbishops call it blasphemy
The Los Angeles Dodgers, over the decades, have endured fans' diatribes along with their cheers
2023-06-16 18:15
The hardest decision – Reported Arsenal target Alessia Russo leaves Man Utd
England forward Alessia Russo will leave Manchester United this summer. The 24-year-old will become a free agent when her contract expires at the end of this month. Russo was the subject of a reported world record £450,000 bid from Arsenal in January but the approach was rebuffed by United at the time. She is again being linked with the Gunners as well as French outfit Lyon and American side Washington Spirit. A United statement read: “Manchester United can confirm that Alessia Russo will leave the football club on completion of her contract at the end of June. “Everyone at the football club would like to thank Alessia for her service and wish her luck for the future.” Russo joined United in 2020 after previous spells with Chelsea, Brighton and North Carolina Tar Heels. She scored 26 goals in 59 appearances for the club and helped them to second place in the Women’s Super League and the FA Cup final last season. Russo said on Instagram: “It’s been the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. @manutdwomen, thank you for everything.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
2023-06-16 17:54
Brighton firm on Moises Caicedo fee as Chelsea near personal terms agreement
Brighton have laid out their demands for Arsenal and Chelsea target Moises Caicedo. The 21-year-old is valued by the Seagulls at over £80m and the club will use Declan Rice's valuation at West Ham as a measuring stick for a potential sale.
2023-06-16 17:47
Crusaders slay Blues to reach Super Rugby final
Leicester Fainga'anuku scored two superb tries as the Canterbury Crusaders bulldozed their way into the Super Rugby Pacific final with a 52-15 thrashing of...
2023-06-16 17:46
Modestas Bukauskas on UFC exile: ‘I was in a picture with no colour, I was mentally broken’
“I live in the middle of nowhere, literally in the woods. It’s like freakin’ Hogwarts out here,” Modestas Bukauskas says, sounding distinctly more like a Londoner than a Lithuanian. “There’s a bit near my house with no signal, and right before I was about to drive in there, my manager gives me a video call. It was late at night, I freakin’ swerve to the side of the road, completely disregarding that there were about two cars behind me. My manager goes: ‘Bro, you’re fighting in Australia in two weeks – in the UFC.’ I literally broke down into tears.” It was as if the Lithuanian-born Briton had entered a mirrored reality; one year earlier, Bukauskas had been shedding tears over a call from his manager, but the news was altogether less positive. In late 2021, the development was that Bukauskas had been cut by the UFC. Sitting at home recovering from a serious knee injury, and reflecting on a third successive defeat, Bukauskas had in fact seen the news on Twitter before his manager could even confirm it. In the year that ensued, Bukauskas was out of the Octagon, but he was still in a cage. “The amount of pain and struggle, drinking in bed...” The 29-year-old cuts himself off. “I just so many hard f***ing memories, having to go through the deepest and darkest times. I don’t remember a time when I was acting myself. It just seemed like I was in a picture with no colour. Everything was black and white. Mentally, I was broken. I had a lot of things to fix before I could even move forward.” First to be fixed was the knee. Then, somehow, Bukauskus was indeed able to move forward. At first, it might have seemed like moving backwards. In 2019, before joining the UFC, Bukauskas had won and retained the Cage Warriors light-heavyweight title; after leaving the UFC, he turned down other offers and opted to return to the London-based promotion. Perhaps, unknowingly, Bukauskas was shining the glass of that mirrored reality. Within two months, and two fights, he had once again secured Cage Warriors’ light-heavyweight crown. And then came the call – on the side of the road, at the opening of the forest, in the middle of nowhere. “I was absolutely elated,” Bukauskas tells The Independent. “After I got off the phone with my manager, I was playing some, like, war music in the car – a remix of the Witcher video-game music – full blast for the last five minutes back to my house. I was screaming with just... fierceness. I got home and felt kind of dizzy, it was weird. I didn’t feel like I was there. “I went upstairs to tell my step-mum, and she was kind of worried, because I was almost out of breath. Then my dad was chilling in bed after a hard day, and he was like (Bukauskas taps into a Lithuanian accent): ‘What the hell do you need to get me out of bed for?’ I brought them downstairs and told them, ‘We’re back in the UFC,’ just hugged them and broke down in tears again. Over the last couple of years, that’s probably one of the happiest moments I’ve had, just me with my family, hugging each other in our sitting room.” Bukauskas’ father, in particular, understands the struggles that the sport entails. In the 1980s, before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Gintas Bukauskas learned to fight on the streets of occupied Lithuania, before going on to work as a mixed martial arts coach. Gintas brought his family to Britain when Modestas was three years old and first introduced his son to combat sports two years later. “I just remember vividly that he would show me some kicks, some moves,” Modestas recalls. “At that age, you’re just like, ‘That looks cool! Look at that kick!’ Literally about a week into showing me some stuff, he goes (Bukauskas dips into that Lithuanian accent again): ‘Okay, now you must train hard.’ My childhood was thrown into strict regime and training. There was kickboxing, sambo. I kind of branched into different sports later – county-level tennis, I went to high school in the US for a couple of years and played basketball and American football – and I took a break from full-on martial arts from 12 to 18. But as a teenager I still became a four-time British kickboxing champion.” Bukauskas’ father was there through it all, and he was in his son’s corner when the 29-year-old’s journey brought him back to the UFC this February, as Bukauskas took on Tyson Pedro on the Australian’s own turf. Fighting in Perth on two weeks’ notice, Bukauskas emerged as a decision winner against Pedro over three rounds, greeting the revelation of the judges’ scorecards with a roar of relief in the RAC Arena. “This is where everything can start to make a solid story,” Bukauskas says. “It’s by no means finished, we’ve got many more things to do, but I’m starting to build a proper comeback story.” That story continues on Saturday, when Bukauskas takes on Zac Pauga at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Bukauskas might live off the map, but he is now firmly back on the UFC’s. Read More UFC 2023 schedule: Every major fight happening this year UFC rankings: The Independent’s pound-for-pound fighters list Former Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler opponent makes prediction for UFC clash MMA fighter skips press conference due to fear of heights Conor McGregor announces fiancee is pregnant with couple’s fourth child Conor McGregor offers update on Miami Heat mascot after punching incident
2023-06-16 17:26
Julen Lopetegui to stay on as Wolves manager
Wolves confirm that Julen Lopetegui will be staying at the club next season despite rumours suggesting he could resign as manager. The 56-year-old previously said it would be "difficult to compete" without investment.
2023-06-16 17:22
Mominul, Najmul take Bangladesh to mammoth 614-run lead
Mominul Haque closed in on his 12th Test ton as Bangladesh reached 378-4 before tea Friday on the third day of their one-off...
2023-06-16 17:22
Angels winning despite aches and pains; Rendon among injured infielders
The Los Angeles Angels are hurting — and still winning games
2023-06-16 14:28
Freeman wins it in the 11th as the Dodgers edge the White Sox 5-4 to salvage series victory
Freddie Freeman singled to deep center field with the bases loaded in the 11th inning, Chris Taylor hit a tying grand slam in the sixth, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago White Sox 5-4
2023-06-16 14:18
Conor McGregor denies allegation he sexually assaulted a woman at NBA finals
Representatives of Conor McGregor have denied allegations the former UFC champion sexually assaulted a woman at a basketball match last week. The Irish mixed martial arts star has been accused of the assault in a bathroom at game four of the NBA Finals in Miami on June 9. A statement from McGregor’s lawyer Barbara Llanes said: “The allegations are false. Mr McGregor will not be intimidated.” The NBA and Miami Heat said they were investigating the allegations that Mr McGregor assaulted a woman in a bathroom after the match. A statement from the Miami Heat, who were facing the Denver Nuggets in the finals, said: “We are aware of the allegations and are conducting a full investigation. Pending the outcome of the investigation, we will withhold further comment.” UFC said it would “allow the legal process to play out” before making any additional comments. In a statement, the mixed martial arts organisation said: “The organisation is aware of the recent allegations regarding Conor McGregor and will continue to gather additional details regarding the incident.” The complainant’s lawyer said her client had provided Miami police with the clothes she was wearing at the time. The incident is alleged to have happened on the same night Mr McGregor injured a mascot in a promotional stunt. A Heat employee inside the costume of the team’s mascot Burnie required medical attention after two punches from the fighter during a stoppage during the third quarter. The team said he received pain medication and was recovering. Mr McGregor, who was booed by many in the crowd, was at the match to perform the promotional piece for a pain-relief spray and hit the mascot with left hook, punching him again after he had hit the floor. He then tried to apply the spray while Heat staff dragged the mascot off the court. Mr McGregor has not fought since injuring his left leg in a loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021. His last win came in January 2020.
2023-06-16 13:29
Marlins vs. Nationals prediction and odds for Friday, June 16 (Arraez Gets out of slump)
Last year’s NL Cy Young award winner has had a much tougher go of it this season. Sandy Alcantara is slated to make his 14th start of the year for the Miami Marlins as the teams take on the Washington Nationals in DC on Friday night. Alcantara comes into this one at 2-5 with a 4.75 ERA and wil...
2023-06-16 12:59
USA 3-0 Mexico: Player ratings as USA advances to Nations League final
The USMNT defeated Mexico 3-0 to advance to the Nations League final.
2023-06-16 12:57
