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The five times Manchester has hosted a heavyweight world title fight ahead of Wardley vs Dubois
On Saturday, Fabio Wardley and Daniel Dubois collide at the Co-op Live Arena with the WBO heavyweight world title at stake, as Wardley seeks to prove that he is a valid and worthy ruler after being elevated to the throne.
All-British clashes for the heavyweight title have become more common over the last few decades and the United Kingdom’s presence amongst the divisional elite has become an expectation rather than a blessing. Although, fights for boxing’s biggest prize, away from the capital cities, are still a rarity on British shores.
Still, when Manchester hosts Wardley and Dubois, it will be the sixth occasion in boxing history where a heavyweight world title bout has headed to Manchester. Here, we recall the other instances where the coveted crown was on the line in the ‘Capital of the North’, all of which took place at Manchester Arena.
Herbie Hide vs. Damon Reed – April 18, 1998
Herbie Hide needed just two rounds to run through Tony Tucker in Norwich and get his hands on the WBO heavyweight world title for a second time back in 1997.
His first defence was a forgettable encounter but on a memorable night, as he dispatched of the United States’ Damon Reed on the undercard of Carl Thompson’s triumph over Chris Eubank, on a bill that also featured Naseem Hamed’s stoppage of Wilfredo Vazquez.
Hide took less than 20 seconds to floor Reed, buzzing the American with a straight right-hand before dropping him with a left hook whilst on unsteady legs. Reed returned to his feet, with referee Rudy Battle grimacing as he permitted the challenger to continue, only to change his mind when Hide rushed in to finish the job.
Battle waved off the contest, bringing the ‘action’ to a close inside of a minute, with Reed failing to land a single blow and throwing only one in what was a quick, quirky and questionable affair.
David Haye vs. John Ruiz – April 3, 2010
After a career-defining triumph against the gigantic Nikolai Valuev in Germany, David Haye returned to British soil to defend the WBA heavyweight world title against two-time champion John Ruiz.
Past his prime at the age of 38 years old, the Massachusetts veteran soon looked overmatched, floored by Haye inside 30 seconds after being on the receiving end of a brutal one-two from the former cruiserweight ruler.
Moments later, a series of right-hands reined in on the challenger, who hit the deck for a second time whilst claiming to have been struck on the back of the head. Confusingly, Haye was deducted a point, but the knockdown was awarded, before Ruiz battled to survive the remainder of the opening round.
To his credit, the experienced Ruiz bravely fought on and grew into the bout, but he was forced to take a knee in the fifth, as a measured right-hand got through and landed flush on his chin.
In the sixth, Ruiz took another knee, but as things became more one-sided, the towel came in and the show was closed in the ninth, as Haye scored a dominant victory in his first outing as heavyweight world champion.
David Haye vs. Audley Harrison – November 13, 2010
In his first major boxing event, Eddie Hearn promoted a showdown between David Haye and Olympic gold medallist Audley Harrison. Representing the challenger, Hearn informed British fight fans that Harrison was capable of dethroning ‘The Hayemaker’ – who headlined the M.E.N. Arena for a second consecutive time since becoming the WBA heavyweight champion.
Hearn’s estimations proved to be wide of the mark and an uninspiring and underwhelming contest ensued, with Harrison hardly throwing a punch, as boos echoed around the 23,000-capacity venue in between rounds.
In round three, Haye took the initiative and piled the pressure onto Harrison, who covered up and offered nothing in return, before collapsing face-first into the canvas. ‘A-force’ rose to his feet as a wounded man, with Haye quick to pounce onto his fellow Briton and draw the stoppage from referee Luis Pabon.
Anthony Joshua vs. Eric Molina – December 10, 2016
Anthony Joshua met with Eric Molina for a second defence of the IBF blet, on a card that also featured Dillian Whyte and Derek Chisora’s first fight.
As expected, ‘AJ’ dictated proceedings with the Texan reluctant to engage. In the third-round, Joshua found a home for a pinpoint straight right-hand, slumping Molina into the corner, who looked amazed at the power that he had just felt.
Still, Molina was able to fight on, but only momentarily, as referee Steve Gray intervened after clean shots consistently landed on the helpless challenger, awarding Joshua an 18th consecutive knockout win and teeing up that legendary showdown with Wladimir Klitschko.
Joseph Parker vs. Hughie Fury – September 23, 2017
Last but not least comes the only heavyweight world title affair in Manchester to have lasted more than nine rounds, as Joseph Parker made the maiden defence of his WBO belt against fellow unbeaten heavyweight, Hughie Fury.
In a scrappy fight with little output of any note, Joseph Parker landed the more consequential blows in what proved to be a dismal dust-up, doing enough to claim a majority-decision victory (118-110, 118-110, 114-114).
Parker would earn a clash with Anthony Joshua off the back of this win and although he became the first fighter to go the distance with ‘AJ’, he suffered a first career defeat and lost his title.
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Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman’s absence in the final stretch of the regular season and during the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs was to address his mental health, he revealed in a statement Tuesday.
Hedman, who also missed a significant amount of time this season due to injury, addressed the situation in a statement shared by the team.
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman celebrates with the bench after scoring against the Buffalo Sabres during the third period of an NHL game in Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 28, 2026. (Chris O’Meara/AP)
“I’ve spent most of my life in this game, and nearly all of my career with this organization. Wearing this jersey – and serving as captain – is the greatest responsibility of my professional life,” his statement began.
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“That responsibility doesn’t only apply on the ice. Over the past couple of months, I made the decision to step away and focus on my mental health. It was not an easy decision, but it was the right one.
“I’ve always believed that being a leader means doing what’s best for the team. In this case, it also meant doing what was necessary to take care of myself, so I can be the best player, teammate, husband and father I expect to be.”
Hedman expanded on his statement during his exit interview with the media on Tuesday, adding that he feels “way better” and that it was the “right decision” for him.
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman skates on the ice during warmups before a game against the Boston Bruins in the 2026 Stadium Series at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 1, 2026. (Kim Klement Neitzel/Imagn Images)
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“This is something that exists in our game more than people see. If this moment helps make it easier for others to take care of themselves when they need to, that matters,” he said Tuesday. “I’m proud of this team, and I look forward to what’s ahead.”
Hedman, who spent his entire 17-year NHL career with the Lightning, missed a majority of the season with an elbow injury that required surgery in December. He returned in time for the Olympic break, where he played for Sweden, before being sidelined again before the quarterfinal game against Team USA.
After playing in just 33 games this season, Hedman said he was looking forward to returning next year.
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman handles the puck during the second period against the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich., on Oct. 17, 2025. (Brian Bradshaw Sevald/Imagn Images)
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Tampa Bay was eliminated from the playoffs after suffering a 2-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens in Game 7 on Sunday. The loss marked the organization’s fourth straight first-round exit.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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The second round of the 2026 NBA playoffs got underway Monday when the New York Knicks demolished the Philadelphia 76ers and the Minnesota Timberwolves stunned the San Antonio Spurs with a narrow road victory. The other two series, featuring the No. 1 seeds in each conference, will begin on Tuesday.
First, the Detroit Pistons will host the Cleveland Cavaliers, and later the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder will host the Los Angeles Lakers. Ahead of Tuesday night’s action, let’s take a closer look at each game and make some predictions.
NBA games today: May 5 playoff schedule
Odds via FanDuel, all times ET
- Game 1: Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons (-3.5), 7 p.m. — Peacock
- Game 1: Los Angeles Lakers at Oklahoma City Thunder (-15.5), 8:30 p.m. — Peacock
Pistons vs. Cavaliers Game 1 prediction
Neither the Pistons nor the Cavaliers were particularly impressive in the first round. Detroit had to pull off a 3-1 comeback to escape the Orlando Magic, while Cleveland nearly blew a 2-0 series lead to the Toronto Raptors and also needed to win Game 7 at home.
As they prepare to meet in the second round, it’s interesting that the Pistons will face a completely different challenge (Cleveland’s offense is significantly better than Orlando’s, but the Magic were better defensively and far more physical), while the Cavaliers will face a similar challenge (an extremely tough, athletic and defensive-minded team that can struggle to score).
The Cavaliers are a better and more talented team than the Magic, but in some ways this may be an “easier” series for the Pistons — at least from a physicality standpoint. The Pistons won’t want to drop Game 1 at home as they did in the Orlando series, and the Cavs didn’t win a road game in the first round. Pick: Pistons -3.5
Thunder vs. Lakers Game 1 prediction
As expected, the Thunder cruised past the Phoenix Suns in the first round, completing their third consecutive first-round sweep with an average margin of victory of 17.3 points. The Lakers, meanwhile, jumped out to a surprise 3-0 lead on the Houston Rockets and eventually closed out the series in six games to advance to the second round for the first time since 2023.
Unfortunately, this series, like so many others in the playoffs over the last few years, will be marred by injury. Jalen Williams will not play in Game 1 due to a hamstring strain, and does not have an official timeline. And while the Lakers got Austin Reaves back from an oblique injury late in the first round, they remain without Luka Dončić due to his own hamstring strain. As of Sunday, Dončić had not even resumed running, per ESPN, and it’s still unclear when, or if, he’ll be able to play this postseason.
Everyone would pick the Thunder in this series and in this game. They’re the better team and have a far greater ability to withstand Williams’ absence than the Lakers do to withstand Dončić’s absence. But can OKC cover a massive 15.5-point spread? That is an absurd line for a playoff game, and they only did so once in the first round against the Suns. Pick: Lakers +15.5
McLaren has won at Le Mans before.
When the team arrived at the Circuit de la Sarthe in 1995, few predicted that a lightly modified road car, the F1 GTR, would walk away with outright victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Yet, in one of the wettest races in the event’s history—with about 17 hours of steady rain—the team’s F1 GTR driven by JJ Lehto, Yannick Dalmas, and Masanori Sekiya drove off with a victory, McLaren’s first win at the Vingt Quatre Heures.
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Of course, McLaren won there before, when Bruce McLaren himself drove a Ford GT40 MkII to the victory in 1966.
Now McLaren is ready to return to victory with this, the MCL-HY FIA Hypercar that will enter the FIA World Endurance Championship’s Hypercar class in 2027. Current Hypercar competitors include: three-time winners Ferrari AF Corse with the Ferrari 499P, Toyota Gazoo Racing with its GR010 Hybrid, Porsche Penske Motorsport’s 963, Cadillac V-Series.R, BMW M Team WRT with the BMW M Hybrid V8, Alpine Endurance Team’s A424, Peugeot TotalEnergies’ 9X8, Aston Martin THOR Team’s Valkyrie, and Genesis Magma Racing’s GMR-001.
It won’t be just a race car, it’ll be available as a track day car for a handful of lucky customers. But, sadly, it won’t be homologated as a street car.
The track day variant, called the MCL-HY GTR, will be developed in parallel with the race car.
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The MCL-HY test car will be developed in a robust 2026 test program ahead of homologation, McLaren says.
McLaren
It’s all part of a more audacious plan. McLaren says its return to racing in the premier class at Le Mans also marks the beginning of a challenge to once again take the Triple Crown of motorsport: victory at the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. With McLaren already competing at the pinnacle of Formula 1 and the NTT IndyCar Series, the MCL-HY completes the final piece of an ambition that McLaren is uniquely placed to contend for, the team says.
McLaren
The McLaren Hypercar Team will begin on-track testing of the MCL-HY this month, a program that will support the simultaneous development of both the race car and its track car counterpart ahead of McLaren’s WEC debut in 2027.
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For the 2026 test program, McLaren Hypercar Team works driver Mikkel Jensen will be supported by McLaren Driver Development Program (DDP) drivers Gregoire Saucy and Richard Verschoor. In addition, United Autosports driver Ben Hanley will bring his valuable development experience to the team.
McLaren
Built to the ACO/IMSA LMDh regulations, the MCL-HY combines a lightweight carbon fiber monocoque with what McLaren calls exceptional balance. Power comes from a twin‑turbocharged V6 race engine paired with a hybrid MGU system, delivering up to 697 bhp to the driven rear axle. With a minimum weight of 2,270 pounds and a highly efficient power‑to‑weight ratio, the MCL‑HY has been developed “to balance outright performance with endurance racing efficiency, designed to operate at the very highest level of the FIA World Endurance Championship and the demanding 24 Hours of Le Mans.”
McLaren
Just as Ferrari eliminated the hybrid component from its 296 to make the Ferrari Challenge car (for instance), the MCL-HY GTR track car variant of the McLaren has been deliberately developed without the FIA Hypercar’s mandated LMDh hybrid system and is powered purely by the 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged gasoline-fed racing engine. That results in a lower dry weight while still making 720 bhp.
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“This decision ensures that clients benefit from a purer driving experience on track days; one that delivers authentic Hypercar performance and feel without additional complexity, and a simpler ownership model that prioritizes accessibility above all else,” McLaren says.
The MCL-HY GTR track car variant also represents a first-of-its-kind collaboration between McLaren Racing and McLaren Automotive, engineered in parallel with the race car.
McLaren
For those who possess one of these, ownership of the MCL-HY GTR extends far beyond the car itself, McLaren notes.
McLaren Automotive has developed an exclusive program offering unprecedented access to McLaren Racing’s World Endurance Championship operation. Project: Endurance will immerse clients in the team’s journey, from testing and development, through to the drama of the 2027 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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That means MCL-HY GTR owners will also take part in a two-year, six-event track driving program curated across premier international circuits, which includes opportunities to drive their car on PURE McLaren track events, exclusive, high-performance driving programs organized by McLaren Automotive at iconic racetracks globally. Each client will benefit from professional driver coaching, a dedicated pit crew and race engineering support, participating on a fully inclusive arrive-and-drive basis.
But patience will be a virtue. Deliveries of the McLaren MCL-HY GTR track car are to begin toward the end of 2027.
McLaren
The Barrie Colts are moving on to the OHL championship series.
In a bizarre press conference following their 5-0 Game 7 win over the Brantford Bulldogs on Monday, head coach Dylan Smoskowitz and star defenceman Kashawn Aitcheson, who scored the winning goal, offered the same answer to every question.
“No one cares. Work harder,” was the party-line response.
It is unclear what led to the dissatisfaction as the Colts now stand four wins away from reaching the Memorial Cup. They will face the Kitchener Rangers in the finals.
Smoskowitz and Aitcheson faced six total questions before the moderator cut off the availability.
With each, they pretended to give a genuine answer before reverting to the script. Smoskowitz was asked to compare how the team felt after it dropped Game 4 6-1 to fall behind 3-1 in the series to now after it had completed the comeback.
“Yeah, really good question,” he said. “No one cares, work harder.”
Many believe that the Vikings would do well to add a pass rushing mercenary, a conclusion many accept due to moving on from Jonathan Greenard. If Dante Fowler was on your wish list, then go ahead and work down to Plan B.
The update arrives courtesy of Tom Pelissero of The NFL Network: “Veteran edge rusher Dante Fowler Jr. is signing with the Seahawks on a one-year deal worth up to $5 million, per sources. The No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 draft, Fowler is now entering his 12th NFL season.”
The Vikings, The Pass Rush, & A Veteran Gone from FA
The past year has seen the Seattle Seahawks completely eviscerate the Minnesota Vikings. Most obvious, of course, was the Week 13 game where the Vikings decided that playing football was optional. Seattle emerged victorious by a score of 26-0.
But then there’s the other component of things, the more consequential way that the Seahawks have been annihilating the Vikings. Seattle has rallied around a young, hotshot coach to win the Super Bowl. Winning the Lombardi came with Sam Darnold at QB1 and with Klint Kubiak as the OC, both of whom were employed in Minnesota before Minnesota decided to move on from both.
Worse yet, the Seahawks have been conducting a masterclass on team building. Recent years have seen the Seahawks do exceptionally well within the draft. There is no Lombardi, folks, were it not for the contributions of various homegrown talents who were added in recent seasons.
Moreover, there’s something to be said for a team that can add a solid quarterback from within free agency before then rolling out an elite defense to win. The Vikings tried to do that back in 2018 with Kirk Cousins and failed.
All of this isn’t to say that the Vikings should have signed Dante Fowler. Nor, in fact, is the argument that the Fowler deal is definitely going to be a huge success in the Emerald City. Rather, the insistence here is that the Seahawks deserve ample respect. Seeing them make a move involves giving them the benefit of the doubt in a way that the Vikings haven’t earned.
Bringing the discussion closer to home means taking stock of where the Vikings’ pass rushing department stands.
Leaning on a starting duo of Andrew Van Ginkel (a cyborg) and Dallas Turner (so much potential) isn’t a bad spot to be. Seeing these two live up to their ability will mean that Minnesota does well on Sunday, especially if Caleb Banks thrives in his debut NFL season. Employing these two means that there’s no reason to panic.
At minimum, though, there does need to be some urgency to address a twofold issue:
- Pass rushers rotate, so there does need to be capable talent behind the top two. Is the current depth sufficient?
- What happens if the top two underperform and/or get hurt?
Neither of these questions have ironclad solutions. Some of the solution rests in LB Eric Wilson, who can get kicked up to edge rusher. Similarly, Jake Golday — the Vikings’ 2nd-Round selection — is seen as someone who can get shuffled around, playing both off-ball ‘backer and edge rusher.
Still, there’s much to be said for signing someone else, a veteran who can solidify the pass rushing floor as the in-house young lads reach for a high ceiling. Seattle’s decision to pickup Fowler means that there’s one less option to consider.
The Vikings’ cap space is going to get a boost in June due to the post-June 1 cuts for DT Jonathan Allen and S Harrison Smith. Quite possibly, the move will be to wait until then, but the front office may need to jump into the third wave of free agency sooner if more talent gets stolen way.
Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
The champion Seattle Seahawks are loading up on the edge.
Defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. signed a one-year contract worth up to $5 million with the Super Bowl winners, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported on Tuesday.
Fowler, the No. 3 pick in 2015, is entering his 12th season in the NFL.
He spent last season with the Dallas Cowboys, where he had three sacks in 15 games.
Across 159 career games, the 31-year-old has 58.5 sacks. He has also suited up for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders.
The Seahawks lost fellow edge rusher Boye Mafe in free agency.
After a 15-year absence from the playoffs, the Buffalo Sabres are in no rush to leave. They are in the second round for the first time since 2007 and will host the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 on Wednesday.
“It’s one step in the right direction. That’s it,” Sabres forward Alex Tuch told reporters after Buffalo eliminated the Boston Bruins in six games. “Every team sets out in training camp to try to be the best at the end of the year and try to hoist the Stanley Cup, so obviously that’s our goal for our team as well. We’re one round into the playoffs. In our eyes, we haven’t done anything yet.”
Here is what the Canadiens will have to contend with in the next round:
A top-of-the-line top line
The Sabres got past the Bruins despite scoring just once on the power play in 24 tries (4.2 per cent). That is because Buffalo practically lived in Boston’s defensive zone at five-on-five, generating 57.2 per cent of the expected goals (xGF%). The Sabres (4:34) averaged a full minute more of offensive-zone possession time per game than the Bruins (3:33) at five-on-five.
The Bruins had no answers for the Sabres’ top forward line of Tuch, Tage Thompson and Peyton Krebs. Buffalo outscored Boston 6-0 over the nearly 70 minutes that Krebs, Thompson and Tuch shared the ice at five-on-five. (Thompson’s 26 scoring chances and 17 slot shots on net in all situations both rank tied for third in the playoffs.)
The Canadiens survived the first round with top-line forwards Cole Caufield, Nick Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky getting outscored 4-0 and recording a 40.1 xGF% in 55:07 of ice time. That, of course, is not a sustainable formula. (Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis split up his top line in the latter portion of the series against the Tampa Bay Lightning; Caufield, Suzuki and Slafkovsky played together for just 10:10 at even strength in Games 5-7.)
Krebs, Thompson and Tuch were not the only Sabres forwards who left their marks on the team’s first playoff series win in almost two decades. Zach Benson was an absolute menace, pacing the Sabres in shot quality and puck-battle wins at five-on-five against the Bruins.
Benson’s feistiness was on full display in the third period of the Sabres’ series-clinching win. He rifled an inner-slot shot past Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman to give the Sabres a two-goal cushion, then goaded defenceman Charlie McAvoy into slashing him as time ticked down in Boston’s season. Benson’s 5.44 penalties drawn per 60 minutes lead all 279 players who have appeared in at least four playoff games.
“It’s his game,” Thompson told reporters after Game 6. “You see guys doing stuff like that to him, there’s a reason for it. He gets under the best players’ skin, and now he came through in a big moment for us there with a goal, too. Love the way he plays. Huge fan of his game, and he’s a big piece of why we’re successful and where we’re at.”
The Sabres’ top four on defence features three players selected in the top five of their respective drafts — Rasmus Dahlin (No. 1 overall in 2018), Bowen Byram (No. 4 overall in 2019) and Owen Power (No. 1 overall in 2021). Those three ultra-talented defenders, plus the understated Mattias Samuelsson, have driven play in a big way to start the playoffs.
Dahlin, who is a Masterton Trophy finalist and could be a Norris Trophy finalist, leads all 90 defencemen who have played at least four playoff games with a 68.2 xGF% at five-on-five. The next-closest defenceman is Dallas’ Nils Lundkvist, who had a 62.9 xGF% in the first round. Power and Byram had a 6-3 edge in on-ice goals and a 58.5 xGF% as a pair in the opening series.
Montreal’s Lane Hutson is arguably the most dynamic player at his position in the upcoming series, leading all Canadiens and Sabres defencemen in scoring chances (eight), offence-generating plays (54) and slot-driving plays (28). But Buffalo has three defencemen in Dahlin, Byram and Power who excel at activating offensively. They have combined for 19 scoring chances, 93 offence-generating plays and 38 slot-driving plays.
Canadiens goaltender Jakub Dobes attained hero status Sunday when he withstood a 29-9 shot disadvantage and stole Game 7 against the Lightning. The 24-year-old rookie has been dialed in since the Olympic break. He has recorded nine steals (39.1 per cent) and 19 quality starts (82.6 per cent) in 23 tries since Feb. 28.
The Sabres, meanwhile, are riding Alex Lyon into the second round after he stonewalled the Bruins to close out the series. Lyon, 33, relieved Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in Game 2 against Boston and has not looked back, saving 6.8 goals above expected over parts of five games (1.6 per 60 minutes). He stopped 18 of 19 inner-slot shots on net and 41 of 44 slot shots.
Lyon and Carolina’s Frederik Andersen are the only remaining goaltenders who have posted a perfect quality-start rate, meaning they have saved more goals than expected in all of their starts.
—All stats via Sportlogiq
Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic will meet with media Tuesday in wake of his team’s first-round loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Watch it live on Sportsnet.ca starting at 11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT.
England International Phil Foden has agreed a new four-year contract with Manchester City.
The 25-year-old midfielder’s current deal was due to end next summer, but the new agreement will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2030, with the option of an extra year.
Although Foden has struggled for form in recent months and has not scored since December 14, both the player and the club are still keen to continue working together.
Foden came off the bench during Manchester City’s thrilling draw against Everton on Monday. The result left City five points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, although Pep Guardiola’s side still have a game in hand.
The England midfielder will now hope to secure his place in Thomas Tuchel’s squad for this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
Tuchel recently warned that Foden’s place in the England team is not certain despite starting both matches in England’s last training camp before the tournament.
Foden made his first-team debut for Manchester City at the age of 17 under manager Pep Guardiola.
Since then, he has played 365 matches for the club and helped City win six Premier League titles, one UEFA Champions League trophy and two FA Cups.
Former Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney believes Foden should remain a regular starter despite his recent struggles.
“I think you have to put him in the team,” Rooney said.
“I love watching him play and the way he moves into spaces. It is not nice seeing him on the bench.
“He has had difficult moments, but when a player of his quality has a bad spell, you should keep playing him instead of leaving him out for weeks,” Rooney added.
Rooney also mentioned players like Jérémy Doku and Antoine Semenyo while discussing Manchester City’s attacking options and suggested Guardiola may want more defensive support from his wingers.
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Trust and loyalty were two of the biggest themes on “Monday Night Raw.”
Nobody on the WWE Raw roster has any trust in Seth Rollins, while Liv Morgan questioned the loyalty of Roxanne Perez after her impromptu meeting with Finn Balor last week.
First, let’s get to Rollins.
“The Visionary” broke the trust of many when he aligned himself with Paul Heyman to topple Roman Reigns and CM Punk in the main event of WrestleMania 41 Night 1 last year. He picked up the World Heavyweight Championship and brought in Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed to his group, The Vision, which later disintegrated under his watch. Breakker and Reed turned on him as he watched Austin Theory and Logan Paul join the faction before WrestleMania 42 rolled around.
Bron Breakker attacks Seth Rollins during Monday Night RAW at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Neb., on May 4, 2026. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
After Rollins lost to Gunther at WrestleMania 42, he’s turned his sights back on Breakker. And even though Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins (the Street Profits) appeared to have his back, they’ve made it clear they have no trust in him. The trust issues became apparent again after Breakker brutalized Rollins at the start of the show and then took care of Ford and Dawkins later in the night.
Ford and Dawkins jumped Theory and Paul as Theory was taking on Joe Hendry in a singles match. Breakker handled Ford and Dawkins with relative ease. Rollins came out to save the Street Profits. But as Ford cleared out Theory and Paul on the outside, Rollins was distracted for a split second. It allowed Breakker to hit another spear on Rollins.
“Tez, thank you for getting me that second spear out there, pal,” Rollins told Ford in the back.
“Well, Seth, thanks to your past antics with The Vision, nobody, nobody, trusts you,” Ford fired back.
“Nobody trusts me. You don’t trust me. I don’t even know you (pointing to Hendry), you probably don’t trust me,” Rollins responded. “Guess what? I don’t even trust myself. Who cares? We’re in the same fight. You’re fighting The Vision, I’m fighting the Vision. Sometimes, those fights are gonna come together. Here’s the deal, you stay out of my way, I’ll stay out of your way.”
Rollins walked off getting the last word. He will face Bron Breakker at Backlash on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Morgan put Perez to the test. She wanted to make clear that “The Prodigy” wasn’t going to side with Balor and fracture the group even further.
“What the hell was Finn doing in the clubhouse last week? You see, I’m not worried about Finn, Roxanne, because JD is going to take care of Finn tonight, “Morgan said to Perez. “I’m worried about you. Why did Finn think it was OK to talk to you and why didn’t you tell me and why do I need to watch Netflix to figure out what’s going on in the Judgment Day?”
Perez said she didn’t say anything because she “made it very clear” to Balor to remove himself from the clubhouse and don’t comeback.
LIV MORGAN RETURNS TO THE TOP OF WOMEN’S DIVISION WITH WRESTLEMANIA 42 WIN OVER STEPHANIE VAQUER
“You’re right though, I should have said something. But Liv, you know I’m loyal to the Judgment Day,” Perez responded.
Morgan made Perez promise that she wouldn’t keep “anymore secrets from the family.” Perez agreed and repeated what Morgan told her.
Perez later helped Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez and Dominik Mysterio distract Balor in his match against McDonagh. It seemed Perez made clear where her loyalties lie.
Later, Morgan said that Rodriguez and Perez were going after tag team champions Brie Bella and Paige next.
Roman Reigns, Jacob Fatu contract signing
Jacob Fatu attacks Roman Reigns during Monday Night RAW at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Neb., on May 4, 2026. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
Roman Reigns was hot coming into “Monday Night Raw” after receiving a Tongan death grip from Jacob Fatu to end the show last week.
He didn’t want to hear anything that Raw general manager Adam Pearce had to say. But after Pearce told him that Fatu wasn’t in the building yet, Reigns waited his turn to address the “Samoan Werewolf” until later in the night.
The two met in the ring to sign the contract for their World Heavyweight Championship match at Backlash. Reigns made clear to Fatu that he was always watching him from a distance as Fatu grinded his way to get to WWE and became a main-event player.
“I was the one in this company holding the door open for Solo (Sikoa),” he said after Fatu mentioned that it was Sikoa who got him into WWE in the first place. “Solo was the one who brought you in, huh? Well, guess what, I brought Solo in and therefore, I brought you in. And I will be damned if there was not respect to be had in this business from me.”
ROMAN REIGNS, CM PUNK PUT ON PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING MASTERCLASS AT WRESTLEMANIA 42
Reigns questioned Fatu’s use of the Tongan death grip he said Fatu used as a “desperate” measure.
“You don’t do that to family,” Reigns explained. “You don’t do that to your own. You don’t do that to your ‘Tribal Chief.”
Fatu stared down Reigns before he responded.
“Yes, I am desperate. Yes, it feels like it’s just me against the world. Yes, my back is against the wall. So, I had no other choice but to take you out, take this title and everything that comes with it,” Fatu explained. “And to keep it 100, then I’m going to put a chokehold on this game and I’m gonna squeeze out every dollar and every cent just the way this company has been doing our family for decades.”
Fatu said he has no intention of going back to where he came from and was as “desperate” as ever to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
Reigns responded that he wasn’t concerned about just Fatu’s “seven kids,” but the generations of their family that came before them and the ones that are up next.
When Reigns said that Fatu was “beneath” him, Fatu got up and tried to put the Tongan death grip on Reigns again. Reigns threw a desk chair at Fatu. As Fatu tried to go for the death grip again, Reigns broke out of it. Fatu ended up getting the advantage in the end, finally sinching the Tongan death grip on Reigns.
Fatu signed the contract and the match was made “official.”
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Sol Ruca steps up to “The Man”
There were a few moments of celebration on “Monday Night Raw” as newcomer Sol Ruca “officially” signed her contract with the Raw brand.
Pearce said he missed the days when he was at NXT and a “blue-chip” prospect was able to sign a contract with one of the main brands. He said “today was one of those days” as he introduced Ruca to the Omaha, Nebraska, crowd.
Women’s intercontinental champion Becky Lynch interrupted the ordeal. She claimed that Ruca’s time should have been given to her to celebrate her own greatness and was upset that Pearce scheduled Iyo Sky in a match against her last week.
Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch confronts Sol Ruca during Monday Night RAW at the CHI Health Center in Omaha, Neb., on May 4, 2026. (Georgiana Dallas/WWE)
“Becky, not everything is about you,” Ruca declared. “Everyone knows who you are. I know who you are. I know what you’ve done and I know everything that you’ve accomplished. But the thing is, I didn’t expect to find out when I met you that you are exactly what everyone says that you are … a rude, big-headed, b—h.”
Lynch was flabbergasted and asked whether the crowd would let her talk to her like that. The crowd seemingly backed Ruca in the exchange.
“I’m Sol Ruca, and if you ever interrupt me again, not only will I kick your a–, I’ll snatch your soul,” she added.
Lynch went to hit Ruca, put slapped Pearce instead. Ruca hit Lynch with a Sol Snatcher to end the segment. Lynch appears to have a new challenger for her title.
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Raw recap
Asuka hit Iyo Sky with a mist in a confrontation before their Backlash match.
JD McDonagh def. Finn Balor.
Ethan Page and Rusev def. Penta and Je’Von Evans.
Joe Hendry def. Austin Theory via DQ.
Oba Femi def. Otis in Oba Femi’s Open Challenge.
Original El Grande Americano, Julis Creed and Brutus Creed def. El Grande Americo, Rayo and Bravo.
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