Briton Jack Massey has promised to bring the IBF cruiserweight title back home for his daughter as he prepares to face champion Jai Opetaia in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Massey, 31, has won six of his past seven fights, with his only defeat coming when he stepped up to heavyweight to face Joseph Parker.
He meets Opetaia in Riyadh, on the undercard of Artur Beterbiev’s undisputed light-heavyweight fight against Dmitry Bivol.
“It’s a massive opportunity,” Massey said.
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“I’m doing this for my little girl and family. That’s the fire in my belly.
“I am coming home with that title. My little girl is seeing that title.”
Massey and Opetaia were sitting almost side-by-side during Thursday’s news conference and engaged in a tense stare-off, before sharing a handshake.
Opetaia, 29, beat Mairis Briedis to win the IBF belt in 2022 and has made three defences to extend his undefeated record to 25.
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The Australian said he is not overlooking Massey but also vowed to “take the title home” for his daughter.
Massey, who was working on a scaffolding site two years ago, is undefeated at cruiserweight since losing against Richard Riakporhe for the vacant British title in 2019.
Give credit where credit is due. Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya paid his respect to both Alex Pereira and Khalil Rountree following their recent clash.
This past Saturday, Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) and Rountree (13-6 MMA, 9-6 UFC) gave fans one of the best championship fights of the year, going toe to toe for almost 20 minutes in the main event of UFC 307 in Salt Lake City.
Although the result was maybe expected, many were taken away by Rountree’s toughness and competitiveness, while also admiring Pereira’s comeback ability and skill. Adesanya was one of them.
“He lasted longer than I thought he would,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “At least someone else took him to the fourth round. It shows how good Khalil is. Again he’s (Pereira) got some hard fights in front of him, but he is that guy right now, he’s on.
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“Honestly, I called it, but I thought it was going to be earlier. Shout out to Khalil because fighting with a broken nose and the intelligence not to blow his nose in the fight, respect. His stock goes up after this. What a moment.”
With the victory, Pereira is now on a five-fight winning streak since moving up to 205 pounds and has three title defenses. He won the light heavyweight title by stopping former champ Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295 last November, and went on to pick up his first title defense in April at UFC 300 by finishing Jamahal Hill. “Poatan” then returned on short notice at UFC 303 in June, where he defeated Prochazka in a rematch.
On the other hand, Rountree saw his five-fight winning streak come to an end. This was his first UFC title opportunity in the eight years he’s been in the promotion.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 307.
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Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
“It’s difficult in international games – you don’t have a lot of time to implement your style of play, and I know exactly the way he wants to play. We’ve seen some clips of the way he wants to play and tomorrow it’s about us, how we can cancel that out.
“I know he wants to play good football as we did at Burnley, especially that first season. But it’s always difficult when you only have four or five training sessions, so it’s definitely going to take time for him to implement his style on the team.”
The start of Bellamy’s tenure has rejuvenated Wales, with a bold new style of play apparent during last month’s opening goalless draw with Turkey, followed by a 2-1 win in Montenegro.
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Wales are clearly more aggressive off the ball than they were under Bellamy’s predecessor Rob Page, while they are also more creative and dynamic in possession.
“We have had discussions about it but he’s only two games in and the way he wants to play perfect football is not there,” Gudmundsson added.
“So we have to be wary at what comes to us. The pitch could be trouble as well, as it was in Montenegro. The way he wants to play was not possible there. Against Turkey, you saw more of the way he wants to play.
“It will be interesting. We have looked at the way they want to play and we’ll definitely do everything to cancel that out and implement our style on the game as we are playing at home.”
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Iceland started their Nations League campaign with a 2-0 win at home to Montenegro before losing 3-1 in Turkey.
Fiorentina forward Albert Gudmundsson was acquitted of sexual assault charges in Reykjavik on Thursday and is now eligible to play for the national team.
He has not played for Iceland since scoring in their Euro 2024 play-off final defeat by Ukraine in March.
Iceland boss Age Hareide said he did not know if it was possible for the 27-year-old to line up against Wales, with Turkey’s visit to Reykjavik on Monday a more realistic date for his potential return.
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“We have to call Fiorentina and ask for that,” said Hareide. “We are late anyway, so it could be impossible. We don’t know. We will have to wait and see.”
Judd Trump pinched a tight deciding frame as he came from behind to beat fellow Englishman Chris Wakelin and reach the semi-finals of the Wuhan Open.
Wakelin, who beat Chinese home favourite Ding Junhui in the previous round, continued his impressive form to establish a 2-0 lead, helped by a break of 97 in the first frame.
Trump edged the third but Wakelin closed out the fourth to hold a 3-1 lead, before the defending champion made 54 and 58 in the next two frames to level.
Wakelin regained the lead in the following frame but Trump clinched victory by taking the next two for a thrilling 5-4 win, snatching the close-fought decider on the colours.
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“It was frustrating at times and especially in that last frame, where it looked like he was going to fluke a couple of balls and end up winning,” said Trump.
“In the end, I took my chance and played a really good shot on the brown to knock the pink out.
“You are just relying on your opponent to miss [in those situations]. He did that in the last frame. There was a bit of pressure out there and he took his eye off the brown looking for an angle to get the pink out.”
Earlier, England’s Shaun Murphy fell to a 5-1 defeat against China’s Xiao Guodong.
Carlos Prates has gone from a Dana White’s Contender Series signee to a UFC main eventer after just three fights.
At UFC Fight Night 247 on Nov. 9 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Prates (20-6 MMA, 3-0 UFC) will get his first headlining opportunity. The hard-hitting Brazilian welterweight will share the main stage with a mainstay in the rankings, Neil Magny. Two sources confirmed the news with MMA Junkie following a first report from MMA Fighting.
Prates, 31, was signed to the UFC after impressing on DWCS last August with a second-round knockout of Mitch Ramirez. He made his UFC debut in February, and picked up another second-round finish, earning his first Performance of the Night bonus for stopping Trevin Giles.
Four months later, Prates stopped Charles Radtke in the opening round to earn his second POTN award. The bonus machine Prates took another fight two months later, where he earned his third $50,000 check in his first UFC main card slot for stopping Li Jingliang at UFC 305 – a victory that extended his current winning streak to 10.
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Prates previously agreed to face Randy Brown at UFC 309, but the fight fell through.
Looking to hault his momentum will be UFC welterweight wins leader Magny (29-12 MMA, 22-11 UFC). “The Haitian Sensation” has traded wins and losses over his last eight appearances as he has struggled to build momentum of his own.
In his most recent outing, Michael Morales stopped the 37-year-old welterweight in the first round at UFC on ESPN 62. Prior to the setback, Magny came through as a sizable underdog against Mike Malott at UFC 297, finishing the fight in a wild third round comeback.
With the addition, the current UFC Fight Night 247 lineup includes:
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Neil Magny vs. Carlos Prates
Cody Garbrandt vs. Miles Johns
Luana Pinheiro vs. Gillian Robertson
Mansur Abdul-Malik vs. Dusko Todorovic
Melissa Mullins vs. Montserrat Rendon
Tresean Gore vs. Antonio Trocoli
Bernardo Sopaj vs. Ricky Turcios
Denise Gomes vs. Karolina Kowalkiewicz
Reinier de Ridder vs. Gerald Meerschaert
Nicolas Dalby vs. Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos
Da’Mon Blackshear vs. Cody Stamann
Gaston Bolanos vs. Cortavious Romious
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
ALTHOUGH this was the night when England’s embarrassment of riches in attack was put on full show, here was a stark reminder that the nation remains unbelievably thin in quality at the back.
Central defenders, full-backs and even the goalkeeper. Right across the board, England have some major issues.
John Stones captained England for the first time in the absence of Harry Kane and this is not a night he will look back at with any fondness.
Along with Levi Colwill, he was also lucky that Pavlidis’ strike towards the end was ruled offside as both players were at fault.
Yet right at the end, when Pavlidis struck again for the winner, Stones – along with Rico Lewis – could have done much better.
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The options for Lee Carsley – and whoever takes this team forward over the next two years – are not exactly mind-blowing when it comes to strength in depth across the back.
Over the last couple of years, we should have seen this issue coming. But there has been too much focus on what we could do at the other end of the pitch.
This was Stones’ 82nd cap, meaning he has now overtaken former defender Rio Ferdinand in England appearances. He is now joint 17th on the all-time list with Raheem Sterling.
Yet Stones’ lack of games for Manchester City is a huge worry and this could harm England over the next two seasons.
England and Greece stars in emotional minute’s silence to pay tribute to George Baldock after tragic death at 31
He enjoyed a decent Euros in Germany even though this followed the most difficult season of his club career when form and injuries limited him to just 12 starts in the Premier League.
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And this season, despite playing a part in other competitions for Pep Guardiola, Stones has only started one top-flight match this term.
There were times against the Greeks when Stones found himself exposed as England did their Harlem Globetrotters impression.
It was a mix-up between Stones and Jordan Pickford which presented a chance to Tasos Bakasetas yet Colwill dashed back to deliver a heroic goal-line clearance.
But as for the goals – along with the disallowed ones – Wembley witnessed some Car-crash.
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Here was the proof, not that we needed it, that left-back is also a huge problem.
England player ratings vs Greece
By Tom Barclay
LEE CARSLEY’S tactical experiment of playing no strikers backfired as Vangelis Pavlidis’ double secured an emotional shock win for Greece at Wembley.
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Interim England boss Carsley played all three of our nation’s gifted No10s – Phil Foden, Jue Bellingham and Cole Palmer – in varying positions.
But it did not work and the Greeks took a deserved lead thanks to Pavlidis’ belting second-half finish.
The visitors then held up a shirt in celebration bearing the name Baldock – in reference to their team-mate George Baldock, whose passing at the age of just 31 on Wednesday rocked the world of football.
Bellingham looked to have ensured the points were shared with a thunderous strike with three minutes to go.
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But there was still time for Pavlidis to expose some woeful defending deep into injury time by firing past Jordan Pickford.
Here are SunSport’s player ratings from a dire night for England under the arch.
Jordan Pickford: 4
Wandered into no-man’s-land territory outside his box early on and lost the ball, allowing Greek skipper Tasos Baksetas a free shot at goal – only to be saved by Levi Colwill’s last-gasp clearance. Did not instil confidence, despite his experience.
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Trent Alexander-Arnold: 6
Some tasty passes – they are his speciality, after all – but not great at the back. He, John Stones and Cole Palmer were weak in their attempt to close down Vangelis Pavlidis before the Benfica man smashed home the opener.
John Stones: 5
Made captain for what was his 82nd cap, surpassing Rio Ferdinand’s haul. But it was a shaky display from his defence and Stones should have done better to stop Pavlidis.
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Levi Colwill: 7
Greece would have been ahead far sooner were it not for Colwill’s athletic hack away to deny Bakasetas. Replays showed it would have crossed the line had the Chelsea man been a split second later with his incredible intervention.
Rico Lewis: 6
Tried to bomb up the left flank where he could but, just like Kieran Trippier at the Euros, was hamstrung by constantly having to cut back onto his favoured right foot.
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Declan Rice: 6
Played as England’s only holding midfielder, as fans had been imploring Gareth Southgate to use him for years. It was not like he was overrun but his side did look vulnerable on the counter.
Phil Foden: 4
Spent most of the game pressing the Greek backline as a false nine without really getting on the ball and causing any damage. Ineffective.
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Cole Palmer: 6
Deployed in a deeper, central-midfield role which at least meant he saw plenty of the ball, though he blazed England’s best chance of the first half over the bar. Remarkably, his first competitive England start, despite being named on Tuesday as Three Lions player of the 2023-24 season.
Bukayo Saka: 5
Struggled to get into the game and then was forced out of it, worryingly limping off early in the second half. The last thing Arsenal fans wanted to see.
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Jude Bellingham: 7 STAR MAN
Played in a false nine position and had a belting early shot well saved. The system did not work but Bellingham still so nearly emerged as the saviour by banging in his first goal of the season for club and country.
Anthony Gordon: 5
Caused Greece few problems and his touch looked off it. Had a decent chance from Alexander-Arnold’s peach of a delivery but headed over.
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SUBS:
Noni Madueke (for Saka 52): Played out on the left, rather than his natural right, when coming on. Went down in the box deep into injury time but no penalty was given. 6
Ollie Watkins (for Gordon 60): Almost scored with his first touch when played through by Palmer, but smashed just over. 7
Dominic Solanke (for Foden 72): Grabbed an assist when laying the ball back to Bellingham who thumped in the leveller. 7
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Manager Lee Carsley: 4
Seemed to gamble unnecessarily with this experimental system instead of playing it safe to add another win to boost his case to earn the job full-time. Carsley played without a natural centre-forward when winning the Under-21 Euros because he had to after Flo Balogun switched the USA and Rhian Brewster got injured, but here he did it by choice and it did not work. Bellingham looked to have saved his bacon – but then Pavlidis struck again.
Although happy to play there, Lewis considers himself as a midfielder. Colwill can also play in that spot but he is more comfortable in central defence.
Even at right-back, where we seemed to be spoilt for choice, there are concerns.
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Carsley clearly considers Alexander-Arnold as the team’s first-choice right-back even though Gareth Southgate listed him as a midfielder.
Alexander-Arnold, though, was guilty of allowing Pavlidis to brush past him too easily for the opening goal and it was not the only time he was caught out.
Kyle Walker, who did not make the England squad last month, will probably start against Finland but he will be 36 at the next World Cup.
While Pickford has been England’s best keeper by some distance over the years, he was properly dodgy in this Greek humiliation.
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Yet the alternatives are Dean Henderson and Nick Pope, along with Aaron Ramsdale. All are decent keepers but neither are going to challenge the Everton keeper.
Now, there is a real chance England might have to go into a Nations League play-off in March as they might not win the group.
Neil Magny and Carlos Prates will collide in a welterweight battle of generations in the main event of UFC Vegas 100 at the UFC APEX on Nov. 9, multiple people with knowledge of the situation told MMA Fighting.
A veteran of 33 octagon appearances, Magny (29-12) enters the cage looking to rebound from a first-round stoppage defeat to Michael Morales in August, alternating wins and losses for over two years.
With a record of 20-6 in the sport and riding a 12-fight winning streak with 11 finishes, Prates has impressed so far under the UFC banner with three bonus-winning stoppages over Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke and Jingliang Li in 2024.
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