List of All Articles with Tag 'sports'

Ty Norris has heard NASCAR fans both cheer and boo Ross Chastain

After much dreamy and not always credible talk of skies filled with flying, non-polluting electric taxis, their developers are preparing to deliver a future they say is now just around the corner

Ilia Topuria has a question for you. Actually, he has a few. “Do you know how good I am?” is the first. Initially, I’m not quite sure whether I should answer on your behalf. He asks again. “Do you know how good I am?” To my relief, he quickly follows up. “I can submit him, I can knock him out. I can do with him whatever I want.” The German-born Georgian, fighting out of Spain, is not actually talking about Josh Emmett – whom he faces in a UFC Fight Night main event on Saturday. Rather, he is reflecting on his win against Bryce Mitchell. In December, Topuria submitted the submission specialist to the surprise of many, and that is why he asks: “Do you know how good I am?” It is also why he asks: “Do you know how dangerous my takedowns are, how dangerous my ground game is?” I had entered our interview presuming I would be asking the questions, but by this point, the unbeaten featherweight might have overtaken me. “I don’t care what people say about me,” he adds. “People were talking like: ‘He’s good on the ground’. I’ve been a black belt since I was 20 years old. For me, there’s no surprise if I submit Bryce Mitchell or anyone in my division. I know that I can finish anyone. Brazilian jiu-jitsu grappling is my world.” As the conversation turns to Emmett, the next obstacle in Topuria’s way as he hones in on a title shot, the 26-year-old has even more questions. “With Josh, people say: ‘His right hand is so dangerous.’ Do you know how dangerous my right hand is? Do you know how dangerous my left hand is?” The answers to all of Topuria’s questions are found fairly easily, so any frustration he has towards those fans who have missed them is understandable. Twelve of the Georgian’s 13 professional wins have coming via stoppage – eight by submission and four by knockout. Nine months before Topuria entered the featherweight top 10 with his arm-triangle choke against Mitchell, he knocked out Jai Herbert on the Briton’s home soil in London. After surviving a knockdown from a picture-perfect head kick, Topuria melted Herbert with a singing left hook to the liver and a molten right hand to the chin. While that bout took place at lightweight, it registered as a message to all UFC featherweight contenders when Topuria later dropped into the division. And, now done asking questions, Topuria has a message for you: “Shut up. Just watch the fight and enjoy.” Topuria will certainly enjoy his clash with Emmett in Jacksonville this weekend, as he looks to hand the American, 38, a second straight defeat, four months after Emmett lost to Yair Rodriguez with the interim featherweight belt on the line. “When I’m in the ring, I’m really happy and really thankful to God,” Topuria tells The Independent, “because I asked him to put me in this position. It was my goal to become a UFC champion, and this is the way I have to pass. When I go inside the cage, I feel very happy to have that opportunity, because I have the chance to fight for my dreams, and right now there are a lot of people in hospitals, [fighting] for their lives. “I’m working for my happiness every day. When I wake up, I’m not happy just for something I did in the past; I can’t live off that for my whole life. I’m just focused on myself and achieving my goals. I don’t care about anyone else – just me, my family, and my friends. That’s it.” Among the small group dearest to Topuria is his three-year-old son – already a “man”, in his father’s words. “He knows [what I do], he knows,” Topuria says. “He calls me every day, supporting me. He speaks perfectly. He’s a man. I don’t know if he’s gonna do MMA. If that’s the call [he makes], I’ll support him in anything he chooses in this life. “If he wants to fight, I’m gonna support him; if he wants to... I don’t know... study, I’m gonna support him. If it makes him happy, I don’t care. Go for that, because in this life, people are always looking for success. What’s success for me? Success is when you’re happy with yourself, that’s it.” In that sense, Topuria is already a very successful man. Winning the UFC featherweight title would only reaffirm that fact. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Topuria vs Emmett live stream: How to watch UFC Fight Night online and on TV this weekend Conor McGregor complains as his team lose yet again on The Ultimate Fighter How Ciryl Gane’s Jon Jones dream turned into a nightmare Topuria vs Emmett and full UFC Fight Night card this weekend What time does Topuria vs Emmett start in UK and US this weekend? How to watch Topuria vs Emmett online and on TV this weekend

In the days after winning the treble, Manchester City had a meeting to discuss recruitment this summer, but they have not acted with the decisiveness usually expected. The club have long known their list of potential targets but any moves are dependent on who leaves. As many as six players could go, and two of them - Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva - have had offers from Saudi Arabia. Even City, who have become the most assertive force in the game through their Abu Dhabi ownership, have had all their plans affected by this summer window’s most disruptive force. The key figures in Saudi Arabia might say this is the natural order, since they are the main power in the region. It has had an immense influence on this summer’s market, maybe the biggest since Paris Saint-Germain bought Neymar for what remains a record fee. Many involved insist it surpasses the effect of the Chinese Super League in the winter of 2016-17. While the headline element in all this has been the staggering money offered for so many prime players, the main effect has been how it has abruptly changed the plans of every major club. It is difficult to remember anything like it. It’s all the more pronounced since this was expected to be a frenetic summer anyway. All of Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United planned significant comings and goings while Arsenal and Liverpool have been aiming for at least two major signings each. The competition for strikers was meanwhile set to be the driving force, from Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani through Harry Kane to Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund. Even that has been overtaken. Many of those plans have been almost totally put off, because the market has been completely transformed. A number of Premier League clubs have had new meetings this week, as they attempt to untangle so many connected issues. There is first of all the fact that the nature of every negotiation has changed. Saudi Arabian interest weighs over everything, even with players that wouldn’t yet dream of going there. It points to the biggest issue of all. Saudi Pro League money has completely inflated the market. Many within the industry are complaining that it has introduced an instability. Fees have gone up and wages have gone up. As an example, United had been looking at Hojlund for a potential price of £45m but in the last week Atalanta have almost doubled the price. Players that would have been £40m two years ago are now available at £70m. This is one other reason plans have been put off. Some clubs are waiting to see if all this settles down. Right now, though, various sources are describing a situation of “chaos”. It makes it worse that so many intermediaries are trying to get involved. It’s almost a new gold rush. Some officials have complained they have had figures come to them making promises about certain players or signings only for that to go nowhere. It may ironically mean few players go anywhere for a while. This is seen as a huge week for the Saudi Pro League itself as it attempts to convince a number of big names to join. Losing Lionel Messi was a blow and checked momentum. Ruben Neves is a fine player but he doesn’t quite match up to the megastars they want. Ilkay Gundogan, who also received an offer from Saudi Arabia, is set to rebuff them for Barcelona. As one figure who has been involved in negotiations with the Saudi league says, the next few days will determine how big this wave of signings is. It has still caused huge ripples in the wider game, though. While some deals like Kai Havertz to Arsenal and Mason Mount to Manchester United should get done, an increasing feeling is that most of the main business won’t start getting done until mid July. It could be a fractious window. It is certainly one unlike any other, but may be a sign of things to come. Read More Saudi Arabia can help Chelsea solve headache — but talks raise more questions than answers First golf, now football? Saudi Arabia’s grand plan and the 72 hours that changed everything Sportswashing is about to change football beyond anything you can imagine Human rights must be key consideration in selecting World Cup 2030 host – survey Leading figures summoned to Senate hearing over shock PGA Tour-LIV Golf merger Saudi Arabia can help Chelsea solve headache — but talks raise issues

Ethan Finlay had a goal and an assist to lead Austin FC to a 3-0 victory over FC Dallas after a thunderstorm delayed the start for more than two-and-a-half hours

Two people with knowledge of the deal say the Washington Wizards have agreed to trade center Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics as part of a three-team trade that also includes the Celtics trading Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies

Mateusz Bogusz scored in the first minute and John McCarthy made it stand up as Los Angeles FC defeated the Seattle Sounders 1-0

Jake Fraley hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer in the eighth inning, and the Cincinnati Reds extended their majors-best winning streak to 11 games, rallying past the Colorado Rockies 5-3 for a three-game sweep

Freddie Freeman hit his 14th homer off Shohei Ohtani in the fourth inning, and seven relievers combined on a two-hitter in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ second straight shutout victory over the Los Angeles Angels

Kyle Farmer hit a game-winning single that scored automatic runner Willi Castro from third base and the Minnesota Twins beat the Boston Red Sox 5-4 in 10 innings

Rookie Taj Bradley allowed one run over a career-high six innings, Randy Arozarena and Isaac Paredes homered, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Baltimore Orioles 7-2 to split a two-game series between the top two teams in the AL East

José Martínez scored his first MLS goal from distance in the 90th minute to help the Philadelphia Union tie Orlando 2-2