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PFL’s Donn Davis: I don’t like that Kayla Harrison ‘ran from’ Cris Cyborg, Larissa Pacheco fights for UFC

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PFL’s Donn Davis: I don’t like that Kayla Harrison ‘ran from’ Cris Cyborg, Larissa Pacheco fights for UFC

PFL co-founder Donn Davis continues to claim that Kayla Harrison went to the UFC to avoid fights with Larissa Pacheco and Cris Cyborg.

After a past interview where Davis compared one of the PFL’s biggest stars in the history of the promotion to Kevin Durant, as opposed to a LeBron James, following Harrison’s departure for the UFC earlier this year, Davis doubled down on those comments when Din Thomas said he had some “choice words” when addressing the two-time Olympic champion.

“Choice words, I wouldn’t describe it,” Davis said on Sirius XM’s MMA Today. “We brought Kayla into MMA from the Olympics. Developed her into a [17-1] star, two-time champion, and one of the greatest women [fighters], top-five in the sport today. Nothing but pride for that, and nothing but respect for Kayla. As a competitor, to build the company, I want every great fighter here. I want every fighter here. … So I’m disappointed we couldn’t keep Kayla here for, what I think, are the two biggest fights of her legacy, [and] career — avenging Pacheco and winning the championship, and beating Cyborg, who’s the greatest ever.

“I think those are the two toughest fights ahead of Kayla. I don’t like that she ran from those. I don’t like that, and that she ran to a brand to validate herself. I think so highly of Kayla Harrison, she doesn’t need a brand to validate her. She’s that great. Some fighters need a brand to validate them. Some employees need a validation of a brand, some people need to wear clothes or jewelry to validate them. And other people are so strong that their actual actions and accomplishments validate themselves. That’s how highly I think of her, so that disappointed me.”

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Harrison decimated former champion Holly Holm in her octagon debut at April’s UFC 300 event, and she faces Ketlen Vieira this Saturday at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City. The only MMA loss for Harrison came via decision to Pacheco at the PFL World Championships card in November 2022. Harrison had already defeated Pacheco twice before their trilogy fight.

Cyborg and Pacheco battle it out in their own matchup at the PFL’s PPV card on Oct. 19 in Saudi Arabia.

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Premiership picks: Hearts aim to end Aberdeen run, Hale in form and Simo Valakari watches on

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Premiership picks: Hearts aim to end Aberdeen run, Hale in form and Simo Valakari watches on


Simo Valakari is a familiar name to Scottish football fans of a certain generation following his playing spell with Motherwell in the late 1990s.

On Sunday evening, he will watch on as his St Johnstone side face Rangers at Ibrox, with Andy Kirk and Alex Cleland continuing in the dugout. Valakari will take proper charge after the international break, but any changes he makes after Sunday could be telling.

Saints sustained a heavy 6-0 loss at home to Celtic last weekend and are bidding to end a run of six defeats in a row to Rangers in all competitions.

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However, the player who scored the winner in their most recent victory in the fixture, Nicky Clark, is still going strong in Perth and the former Rangers forward’s experience could be crucial as Saints seek to capitalise on any post-Europa League hangover at Ibrox.

Rangers were humbled 4-1 at home by Lyon on Thursday and could be eight points off the pace in the Premiership by the time Sunday’s game kicks off at 20:00.



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Keinan Davis saved Udinese, now two legends are reviving the Serie A club

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Keinan Davis saved Udinese, now two legends are reviving the Serie A club


“I don’t know how they got in,” laughs Keinan Davis.

The striker had scored the most important goal of his career and returned to his apartment to find ‘thank you’ posters and stickers from Udinese fans across his front door.

Davis’ first goal in Italy was also the one that kept Udinese in Serie A on the final day of last season, the substitute netting a 76th-minute winner at Frosinone that relegated the hosts and lifted his own club to 15th and safety.

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“That was probably the best feeling I’ve ever had in football,” adds the Englishman, who missed most of his debut season in Italy because of a calf injury.

“In football, you get your respect on the field with your team-mates and not being able to do it was a bit difficult. But it was all worth it to score that goal – 100%.”

From almost dropping out of the division in May, Udinese are now eighth, just three points off top spot, a position they occupied before defeats by Roma and Inter Milan.

Davis, largely from the bench, has already made more appearances this term than in his injury-hit first season, and has benefitted from the arrival of English-speaking head coach Kosta Runjaic.

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The striker’s route to Udine, in north east Italy, has been unconventional.

Davis grew up in Stevenage but was let go by the League One club and was playing under-18s football at seventh-tier Biggleswade Town when he was scouted and signed by Aston Villa, going on to make more than 70 appearances in the Championship and Premier League before loan spells at Nottingham Forest and Watford.

In September 2023 Davis joined Udinese for an undisclosed fee.

“I was a bit scared to leave England because that’s obviously all I knew,” explains the 26-year-old. “When you get older different situations arise, like this one. It opened my mind to playing in a different country, learning a different language.”

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He watched former Villa team-mate Tammy Abraham succeed at Roma, and now AC Milan, and brings a physicality to Serie A which can be rare.

“The tactical side of it is slower than English football,” says Davis. “I am physical and there are not really too many of those types of player.

“You see [Romelu] Lukaku and people with physical attributes do well. In England everybody is physical and everybody is fast.”

Joining Udinese has also presented Davis with the opportunity to link up and learn from one of his heroes.

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Podcast: Mixed fortunes in Europe & Premiership preview

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Podcast: Mixed fortunes in Europe & Premiership preview



Iona Ballantyne, Kevin Thomson and Ryan McGowan discuss the big Scottish football news



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Liverpool: Teagan Micah, Taylor Hinds, Fuka Nagano & Mia Enderby take on Honesty Cards

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Liverpool: Teagan Micah, Taylor Hinds, Fuka Nagano & Mia Enderby take on Honesty Cards


Liverpool stars Teagan Micah, Taylor Hinds, Fuka Nagano and Mia Enderby share the unfiltered truth with BBC Sport’s Ryhanna Parara as they take on the Honesty Cards.

Watch Tottenham v Liverpool in the Women’s Super League on Sunday 6 October at 14.00 BST on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website & app.



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Lionel Messi scores twice as Inter Miami win MLS Supporters’ Shield for first time

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Lionel Messi scores twice as Inter Miami win MLS Supporters' Shield for first time


The trophy is Messi’s 46th piece of silverware in his glittering career for club and country.

By finishing top of the standings, Miami have secured home advantage during the post-season play-offs.

“The first objective has been achieved and now we have to think about what’s next,” said Messi.

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“The first round is three games but then it’s one game and anything can happen. But we have the great advantage of playing all the games at home, which is what we were looking for. We are very strong at home.”

Miami need two wins from their final two league matches to beat the MLS record for most points in a regular season, which currently stands as the 73 amassed by the New England Revolution in 2021.



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FPL tips & team of the week: Brennan Johnson, Evanilson and Bryan Mbeumo are great value for Gameweek 7

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FPL tips & team of the week: Brennan Johnson, Evanilson and Bryan Mbeumo are great value for Gameweek 7


David Raya, Arsenal, keeper, £5.6m – home to Southampton

This is the second of Arsenal’s plum home games in a row and, despite last week’s disappointment, they are the team most likely to keep a clean sheet in gameweek seven.

Taking Raya is a hefty investment, but he has been worth it this season with three clean sheets and also six bonus points.

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Riccardo Calafiori, Arsenal, defender, £5.8m – home to Southampton

Doubling up on Arsenal’s defence feels like a safe bet.

It’s a small sample size, but in Calafiori’s two starts for Arsenal, he has a higher expected goals number (xG) than goal machine Gabriel (0.26 to 0.21).

The Italian scored a cracker at Manchester City and is averaging a couple of shots per game he starts. He’s also had more touches in the box than any other Gunners defender in the past two games.

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Rico Lewis, Manchester City, defender, £4.7m – home to Fulham

Speaking of touches in the box, Lewis leads that statistic for City and for just £4.7m he feels like an FPL cheat code, with a decent chance of an attacking return.

The flip side is you never know who Pep Guardiola is going to play on any given week in defence, but Rodri’s absence makes Lewis’ involvement against Fulham feel a bit more likely.

At the price, Lewis owners can make sure they have a decent fourth defender in case he stays on the bench.

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Max Kilman, West Ham, defender, £4.5m – home to Ipswich

A budget defender at home to the team with the lowest xG so far this season – makes sense, right?

Kilman is a threat from corners – he scored twice last season for Wolves and has had two headers on target so far this term.

Team-mate Konstantinos Mavropanos has been more threatening from set-pieces this season, but he didn’t start the last game.

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New signing Jean-Clair Todibo should eventually become Kilman’s defensive partner and he will make West Ham’s defence better.



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