Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes the Punjab Kings are finally “moving in the right direction” after making smart and bold decisions at the auction table, raising hopes of ending their long wait for an Indian Premier League (IPL) title.

Speaking on IPL Today Live, Pathan highlighted how the franchise has shown renewed clarity in both leadership and squad-building. Punjab Kings finished as runners-up last season, narrowly losing the final to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Clear Leadership Driving Punjab’s Turnaround

“Leadership has played a huge role in Punjab’s turnaround. You win half the IPL at the auction table. Big purses don’t necessarily mean you will always get what you want, but they did, and they reached the final,” he said.

Smart auction moves key to Punjab’s rise

Pathan pointed out that the franchise has not shied away from taking tough calls, including releasing underperforming players such as Glenn Maxwell, while also strengthening their bench.

“They took bold but important calls… and now you see all-rounders like Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen and Marcus Stoinis, along with a young Indian batting core. They also went all-out for Shreyas Iyer after deciding he would be the captain. There is clarity of thought, and I feel Punjab have started to move in the right direction,” he said.

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Punjab Kings in IPL 2025

The Punjab Kings enjoyed a breakthrough campaign in IPL 2025, emerging as one of the most consistent teams of the season. Under the leadership of Shreyas Iyer, they topped the league stage and advanced to the final, marking their first title clash after 2014. The team displayed remarkable balance, with Iyer leading from the front with the bat where he finished 604 runs, while Arshdeep Singh spearheaded the bowling attack finishing with 21 wickets. Punjab’s journey included a memorable win in Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians after failing in Qualifier 1 from RCB to secure a place in the final, but they ultimately fell short against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in finals. Despite the loss, the 2025 season signaled a major turnaround for the franchise, establishing them as genuine contenders and laying a strong foundation for future success.

Trained by Michael Freedman, Marhoona prevailed in the Golden Slipper 12 months prior and returned firing to bag her latest Group 1 prize in The Galaxy.

“So much for the Slipper hoodoo,” Freedman said.

“I don’t think I’ve had a horse that’s just got as much tenacity as she does. She hates losing.

“She looked out on her feet at the 100m there and just refused to lay down, a bit like the Slipper last year. What a filly.”

The Galaxy handicapping was accurate, seeing nine horses hit the line inside one length.

Kerrin McEvoy guided the $12 chance Marhoona home by a head from fast-finisher Jedibeel ($21), with bold frontrunner Mazu ($18) third by a short head and Briasa ($4 equal elect) nipped in fourth.

Chaos erupted pre-start as $4 favourite Grafterburners reared in the barriers, flipped out the rear, dismounting Zac Lloyd from his Golden Slipper mount and delaying proceedings over five minutes.

On veterinary recommendation, Grafterburners was declared a late scratching, Lloyd exiting with muscle issues in leg and ankle.

Becoming the pioneer post-She Will Reign (Golden Slipper, Moir Stakes 2017), Marhoona is the first Golden Slipper winner to snag another Group 1 beyond juvenile days.

Marhoona links with 1978 hero Luskin Star as the exclusive Golden Slipper winners also victors in The Galaxy.

“We discussed before the race maybe ending up in the one-one,” Freedman said.”But, you know, Kerrin showed great initiative and just went and parked outside the leader.

“I knew when she was there she’d be certainly right in the finish, but I was a little bit concerned, maybe at the furlong (a200m) where I thought maybe she’s going to get sort of steamrolled, but she’s just got such an incredible will to win.”

McEvoy’s 88th Group 1 arrived as he noted slight nerves entering the straight.

“But full credit to her, the more I asked, the more she dug,” McEvoy said.

“Michael said to me, ‘Look, she’s right in it with the weight’ and we were confident she would handle the ground.

“I was under pressure from the top of the straight but she kept fighting back.

“At the 100m, I was still there. It’s a nice surprise when they get off the canvas like that.

“She’s a star filly, its onwards and upwards from here. She’s won a couple of Group 1 races now so well played by Michael.”

Trainer Freedman has Marhoona set for Group 1 $3m TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) Royal Randwick April 4, plotting towards spring’s Group 1 $20m The Everest (1200m).

Brad Widdup’s Jedibeel was last early, buried on the turn, then rocketed through to eye Marhoona.

“He is in super order,” jockey Tommy Berry said. “He gave away a bit of start from the gate and just narrowly missed. It was a tough effort.”

Mazu set the speed and only succumbed late. “He is going super this horse,” jockey Rachel King said of Mazu. “He has his quirks which we all know about, he likes to do things his own way, but he couldn’t be going any better.”

After fourth in last The Galaxy then TJ Smith glory, Briasa’s latest Rosehill feature fourth has Team Hawkes hopeful for Randwick lightning strike soon.

“I thought he was terrific,” jockey Tyler Schiller said of Briasa.

“He got into a lovely spot from the wide gate, three deep with cover, and tracked into it nicely.

“His runcame to an end with the heavy weight and the wet ground. A couple with the pull in the weights got him but he did a great job.”

Racing fans should check betting sites for the best sports betting options on elite sprints such as The Galaxy.

The Minnesota Vikings’ heavy-lifting portion of 2026 free agency is largely over, and we have grades for the transactions. The club was quieter than usual because of a cash-strapped budget, but that didn’t stop it from landing a big fish at quarterback in Kyler Murray.

Some moves landed better than others for Minnesota.

Oddsmakers believe Minnesota will win eight or nine games in 2026, a familiar spot, as the club seems to have that forecast every offseason at this time on the calendar.

One Vikings Decision Already Looks Better Than the Rest

How did the Vikings fare in free agency? We have answers.

Signing Johnny Hekker (P)
Grade: C

Signing Hekker as the punting solution after Ryan Wright’s unexpected departure is phenomenal — if the year were 2015 or 2016.

Indeed, Hekker is a six-time All-Pro, but his best days are in the rearview. In 2026, his performance mirrored that of a middle-of-the-road punter. Thankfully, he can still hold field goals and extra points with the best of them, music to Will Reichard’s ears, who lost his holder when Wright skedaddled for the New Orleans Saints.

Hekker could embark on a late-career surge in Minnesota, but it’s probably best for the Vikings to draft a punter in Round 7 or sign one from undrafted free agency. Georgia’s Brett Thorson comes to mind.

Signing James Pierre (CB)
Grade: B

The Vikings needed a CB3, and if Mike Tomlin trusted Pierre for six seasons, so should Brian Flores’s Vikings. Last year’s CB3 at the end of the season, Fabian Moreau, played well, but has not re-signed to date. Minnesota should add him back as the CB4 if it does not draft a cornerback next month.

Pierre logged an outstanding 86.2 Pro Football Focus grade last season, playing 408 snaps — about 40% of the time — and a 41.4 passer rating allowed. If he replicates those stats in Minnesota, the guy should start.

The only knock on Pierre? He’ll turn 30 in September. He’s not a long-term CB1 or anything close to it.

The Extensions
Grade: B

The Vikings have re-signed or tendered these free agents:

• Andrew DePaola (LS)
• Ivan Pace Jr. (LB)
• Jalen Redmond (DT)
• Bo Richter (OLB)
• Zavier Scott (RB)
• Tavierre Thomas (S)
• Carson Wentz (QB)
• Eric Wilson (LB)

Wilson posted Pro Bowl-adjacent numbers in 2025; the team gets a ‘B’ for re-adding him alone. The Vikings owed it to themselves to find out if Wilson is suddenly the real deal as an over-30 linebacker.

Re-adding Redmond was a no-brainer; he might’ve been the best defensive player overall on the roster in 2025. Perhaps Pace Jr. will fix his tackling woes. Wentz returning as the QB3 ensures the quarterback room will be deeper than the Pacific in 2026 — unlike last year at this time, when Minnesota enjoyed only Brett Rypien as the QB2.

The Departures
Grade: B

These players said their goodbyes:

• Jonathan Allen (DT) → CIN
• Ty Chandler (RB) → NO
• Javon Hargrave (DT) → GB
• Jalen Nailor (WR) → LV
• Ryan Wright (P) → NO

The only soul-crusher here might be Nailor, especially as the Raiders are on deck to showcase him as the WR1, given their weak WR1 depth chart.

This grade would otherwise be an ‘A’ — nobody really cares that Allen, Chandler, Hargrave, and a punter left — but we’re playing it safe with a ‘B’ in case Nailor erupts for 1,000+ yards in Las Vegas.

Signing Ryan Van Demark (OT)
Grade: B+

Buffalo had a deadline to match this offer, but declined. Van Demark ended up in Minnesota, and the depth OT concerns will be basically solved. He’s the new Justin Skule or David Quessenberry.

This is the PFF skinny on Van Demark

• 2025: 74.4 (312 snaps)
• 2024: 53.3 (199 snaps)
• 2023: 60.2 (47 snaps)

The pass-blocking:

• 2025: 65.6
• 2024: 51.8
• 2023: 27.2

The run-blocking:

• 2025: 74.9
• 2024: 51.4
• 2023: 64.4

These grades are similar to what Skule brought to the table during the 2024 campaign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Van Demark fetches the ‘B+’ because there’s a chance that he’s sitting on a career breakout, and that would be music to the Vikings’ ears.

Signing Kyler Murray (QB)
Grade: A

When it started to feel like Murray would be available this offseason, the first instinct was to think of a trade. Was Murray worth a 3rd-Rounder? Maybe a 2nd-Rounder? Had that deal gone down for Minnesota, this initial grade would be the ‘B’ range.

But the Vikings got Murray for the NFL’s version of free. All 31 teams should’ve attempted to sign him, if only as a backup; that’s how outstanding the value is for Minnesota. Kevin O’Connell is getting a quarterback who averages just under 4,000 passing yards, 30 passing + rushing downs, and about 600 rushing yards every 17 starts.

The Murray acquisition is all about the value. If he gets hurt right away, it doesn’t really matter; his price tag is $1.3 million. Suppose he constructed a season of dreams — even better. The Vikings can make him their franchise quarterback until 2033 or so.

This is an unabashed ‘A’ grade for Murray to Minnesota. The Vikings might’ve stumbled into “their guy” at the sport’s most important position, a la Drew Brees to New Orleans two decades ago.

Michael Page was nonchalant when asked about Dana White leaving during his fight at UFC Fight Night 270.

Page (25-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) drew boos from the crowd when he outpointed Sam Patterson (14-3-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) in a unanimous decision win Saturday at The O2 in London. “MVP” was pretty vocal about his discontent with the UFC’s decision to matchmake him against Patterson, who’s a relatively unknown welterweight on the rise.

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Now Page had the UFC CEO exit his seat during his fight.

“No, not really,” Page said during the UFC London post-fight news conference. “Again, it’s just, when you’re a man in those positions, you need to remember that everything that you do has a big effect, you create bigger waves with what you do and what you say. So, you just need to be mindful of these things, but he’s known to be his own man. He does what he does, but for me, it’s just go out and perform as best as I can, and next time make him sit in his seat.”

White was critical of Page’s performance during the UFC Fight Night 270 post-fight news conference.

“I didn’t think it was a great fight either,” White said. “It was a bad fight. I don’t know. He won, so we’ll see what’s next.”

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Michael Page reacts to Dana White’s walkout at UFC London ‘bad fight’

Ty Simpson helped push himself into first-round consideration after a solid 2025 campaign with the Alabama Crimson Tide. While several quarterback-needy teams are expected to target him early in the April draft, not everyone is sold on the hype.

Former New York Jets scout Daniel Kelly, in his analysis on X on Saturday, raised concerns about using a high draft pick to select Simpson.

Kelly drew a comparison between Simpson and former No. 2 pick Zach Wilson. Wilson is widely seen as a bust after a disappointing three-year stint with the Jets, during which he posted a 12–21 record and struggled with consistency before being traded to the Denver Broncos.

Kelly outlined several similarities between Simpson and Wilson, focusing on their scouting profiles, college development and potential risks. He noted that he labeled Wilson a “surefire bust” before the Jets selected him in the first round of the 2021 draft, and warned that Simpson could follow a similar path.

“What are the similarities? Reckless with the football. Best out of structure and off-platform. Hold the ball too long,” Kelly said. “What pre-draft grade do I have on Simpson? 3rd round. Exact same grade as I gave Wilson!

“‘Don’t do it in the first or second round.’ That’s what I would say if I was still sitting in that building, and I was asked what my opinion is on Ty Simpson.”

While many of Kelly’s comparisons focus on playstyle, there are also broader concerns surrounding Simpson that are similar to the pre-draft narrative of Wilson, especially regarding experience and consistency.

The Alabama quarterback started just 15 games in his college career, all during the 2025 season. While he showed promise early, his form dipped down the stretch, with his completion rate sliding from 66.9% in his first nine games to 60.5% in his final six.

Top-3 potential landing spots for Ty Simpson in the draft

1) Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins may not be in the market for a quarterback early after parting ways with Tua Tagovailoa and signing Malik Willis, but they shouldn’t be ruled out entirely.

If Ty Simpson slips into the second round, Miami could take a chance on his upside. Adding him would provide depth and also set up a potential competition with Willis for the future of the franchise.

2) Pittsburgh Steelers

Even if Aaron Rodgers returns in 2026, the Steelers still need to think long-term at quarterback. At 42, Rodgers is only a short-term answer. That’s where Ty Simpson comes in. Pittsburgh could draft him as a developmental prospect, allowing him to sit and learn behind one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.

For Simpson, landing with a well-run, stable franchise like the Steelers could be the perfect situation to maximize his potential.

3) Arizona Cardinals

There’s still plenty of uncertainty in Arizona after the team moved on from Kyler Murray. With Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew leading the quarterback room, the Cardinals remain without a clear long-term answer.

That could put Ty Simpson on their radar. While selecting him at No. 4 might be a reach, Arizona has the flexibility to trade down, pick up extra assets and still land its quarterback of the future.