WWE has decided to add a massive swerve to their Elimination Chamber plans by introducing a massive crate that can’t be opened until the show.
So far, both Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis have been confronted with the crate and have opted to send it to the opposite brand, but this weekend it will finally be opened.
Thanks for the submission!
Advertisement
While there are lots of theories about it being a person or debut, it is somewhat unlikely since the person would have been in the box for two weeks by Elimination Chamber, and mailing humans is illegal.
That being said, there are several options.
Advertisement
WWE Just Spoiled Masked Man’s Identity? Check Here!
4. Becky Lynch’s Massive Bexxie
Becky Lynch already had the Bexxie awards ahead of Elimination Chamber, but she could have decided to immortalise the moment by awarding herself the biggest one when she defeats AJ Lee.
AJ Lee has been a thorn in her side over the past few months, and she has stated that she will retire the former champion in Chicago in front of her own fans this weekend. If Lynch is successful, then it’s easy to see her presenting herself with a massive trophy from inside the crate.
Advertisement
3. Hulk Hogan/Immortal Moment Hall of Fame addition
Hulk Hogan’s passing last year was a massive loss to the WWE Universe, and it’s hard to imagine that the company would not want to honor him in some way heading into the WWE Hall of Fame.
It could be that Elimination Chamber will mark the beginning of the announcements for the Hall of Fame, and the Immortal Moment could be Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan from WrestleMania III, with a statue to symbolise it. The Immortal Moments made its debut at the WWE Hall of Fame last year, with Bret Hart vs Stone Cold Steve Austin from WrestleMania 13 being seen as the inaugural addition.
2. CM Punk Chicago Unveil of 2K26 Cover
Elimination Chamber is in Chicago this year, and it’s the first time that Punk has walked into the Allstate Arena as World Champion in his career. This is a massive deal for the hometown star, and WWE could be backing this up with an unveiling for the Champion.
It could be announced that there is a special edition Chicago cover for the game with CM Punk on i,t and the cover could be unveiled at Elimination Chamber before the game is released on March 13.
Advertisement
1. The Demon Returns at WWE Elimination Chamber
Finn Balor needs to make a change, and that could be the return of his alter ego. He needs to make this World Championship match count, and if he wheels the crate onto the stage at Elimination Chamber ahead of his match, it would be interesting to see if it doesn’t include the red light and the costume to allow him to transform.
The Demon hasn’t been seen for several years, but this could be the time and Balor really needs to make this match count if he wants to be able to walk into WrestleMania as World Champion.
Why did you not like this content?
Advertisement
Was this article helpful?
Thank You for feedback
Read all the hottest WWE news from Sportskeeda by choosing us as your preferred source. Click HERE.
Canadian curling legend Brad Gushue will have home-ice advantage in his final Montana’s Brier with the national men’s championship in St. John’s, N.L. this year.
The field includes recent Olympic gold medallist and defending Brier champ Brad Jacobs.
The competition runs Feb. 27 to March 8.
Here are the standings, schedule and results:
Advertisement
Newfoundland and Labrador (Brad Gushue)
Newfoundland and Labrador (Nathan Young)
Nova Scotia (Kendal Thompson)
Nunavut (Derek Samagalski)
Advertisement
Prince Edward Island (Tyler Smith)
Quebec (Jean-Michel Menard)
Saskatchewan (Kelly Knapp)
Manitoba (Braden Calvert)
Advertisement
New Brunswick (James Grattan)
Northern Ontario (Dustin Montpellier)
Northern Ontario (Jamie Koe)
Saskatchewan (Mike McEwen)
Advertisement
Top three teams in each pool qualify for the Page Playoffs.
Draw 1: Friday, Feb. 27, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) vs. Nunavut Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) vs. Quebec Ontario vs. Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island vs. Canada
Draw 2: Saturday, Feb. 28, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Advertisement
Northwest Territories vs. Saskatchewan (McEwen) Alberta vs. Manitoba (Calvert) New Brunswick vs. Manitoba (Dunstone) Northern Ontario vs. Yukon
Draw 3: Saturday, Feb. 28, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
Canada vs. Saskatchewan (Knapp) Ontario vs. Prince Edward Island Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) vs. Nunavut Quebec vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Young)
Draw 4: Sunday, March 1: 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT
Advertisement
Yukon vs. B.C. New Brunswick vs. Northern Ontario Alberta vs. Saskatchewan (McEwen) Manitoba (Calvert) vs. Northwest Territories
Draw 5: Sunday, March 1: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) vs. Ontario Nunavut vs. Canada Prince Edward Island vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) Nova Scotia vs. Saskatchewan (Knapp)
Draw 6: Sunday, March 1: 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
Advertisement
Alberta vs. New Brunswick Saskatchewan (McEwen) vs. Yukon Northern Ontario vs. Northwest Territories Manitoba (Dunstone) vs. B.C.
Draw 7: Monday, March 2: 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT
Nunavut vs. Prince Edward Island Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) vs. Nova Scotia Saskatchewan (Knapp) vs. Quebec Canada vs. Ontario
Draw 8: Monday, March 2: 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Advertisement
Saskatchewan (McEwen) vs. Northern Ontario Northwest Territories vs. Manitoba (Dunstone) B.C. vs. Manitoba (Calvert) Yukon vs. New Brunswick
Draw 9: Monday, March 2, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
Quebec vs. Nova Scotia Prince Edward Island vs. Saskatchewan (Knapp) Nunavut vs. Ontario Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue)
Draw 10: Tuesday, March 3, 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT
Advertisement
Manitoba (Calvert) vs. Manitoba (Dunstone) Northern Ontario vs. B.C. Saskatchewan (McEwen) vs. New Brunswick Northwest Territories vs. Alberta
Draw 11: Tuesday, March 3, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Ontario vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) Nova Scotia vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) Quebec vs. Canada Saskatchewan (Knapp) vs. Nunavut
Draw 12: Tuesday, March 3, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
Advertisement
New Brunswick vs. Northwest Territories Manitoba (Dunstone) vs. Alberta Manitoba (Calvert) vs. Yukon B.C. vs. Saskatchewan (McEwen)
Draw 13: Wednesday, March 4, 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT
Nova Scotia vs. Canada Quebec vs. Nunavut Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) vs. Saskatchewan (Knapp) Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) vs. Prince Edward Island
Draw 14: Wednesday, March 4, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Advertisement
Manitoba (Dunstone) vs. Yukon Manitoba (Calvert) vs. Saskatchewan (McEwen) Northwest Territories vs. B.C. Alberta vs. Northern Ontario
Draw 15: Wednesday, March 4, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
Saskatchewan (Knapp) vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) Canada vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Young) Nova Scotia vs. Prince Edward Island Ontario vs. Quebec
Draw 16: Thursday, March 5, 8 a.m. ET / 5 a.m. PT
Advertisement
B.C. vs. Alberta Yukon vs. Northwest Territories Manitoba (Dunstone) vs. Northern Ontario New Brunswick vs. Manitoba (Calvert)
Draw 17: Thursday, March 5, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT
Prince Edward Island vs. Quebec Saskatchewan (Knapp) vs. Ontario Canada vs. Newfoundland and Labrador (Gushue) Nunavut vs. Nova Scotia
Draw 18: Thursday, March 5, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
Advertisement
Northern Ontario vs. Manitoba (Calvert) B.C. vs. New Brunswick Yukon vs. Alberta Saskatchewan (McEwen) vs. Manitoba (Dunstone)
Mark that as two wins in two weeks for TaylorMade staff players, but it’s also two wins in two weeks for players without a traditional 4-iron in their bags.
Like Collin Morikawa last week, Jacob Bridgeman also trusts a utility iron head for his 4-iron, going with a 12-year-old TaylorMade Tour Preferred UDI with the same Project X 6.5 iron shaft as the rest of his set.
Both Morikawa and Bridgeman use three different models in their iron, with Morikawa having a true split set of TaylorMade P7CBs and then P730 blades in addition to a P-DHY utility iron, while Bridgeman replaced his P7CB 5-iron with a P770 version to maintain peak heights throughout the set.
“The 770 5-iron was added to his bag to simply find a 5-iron that launched higher and landed softer into long par 3s and par 5s,” TaylorMade Senior Tour Rep Nick Springer said. “He found the 770 to be a versatile club that he could flight when he needed to.”
Advertisement
Using a utility iron in the 4-iron slot is likely done for similar reasons, as many pros now choose more forgiving options for either gapping or peak height purposes.
Gotta love that it’s now two winners in a row using a TaylorMade utility iron in place of a 4-iron.
This is becoming more and more common.
Funny thing about Jacob Bridgeman’s is that it’s from 2014, when he was still in high school.
That’s exactly why Morikawa, who experimented with a 9-wood last season, is the only player on the PGA Tour regularly using TaylorMade’s P-DHY driving iron, the larger of the company’s two utility iron options.
“He was looking for a 4-iron that goes up in the air easier,” TaylorMade Tour Rep Todd Chew said last week. “With the DHY, he doesn’t have to hit it as hard as he can to make it go up in the air. It also spins enough so he can cut it, whereas with previous 4-irons, it was hard to get the spin right to create that ball flight. We added a little more loft as well to get it to go high and cut and still spin when he takes something off of it.”
Advertisement
TaylorMade P-UDI Custom Utility Iron
Tour inspired shaping for a playable and balanced look at address. Strategically positioned CG for a penetrating ball flight with backspin for players who demand shot making with long irons.
INDIVIDUAL MASS OPTIMIZATION
Featuring advanced thick-thin back wall construction, sound stabilization bar, and deliberately distributed mass to maximize forgiveness. Each iron is uniquely designed with every gram strategically placed to achieve specific performance goals with premium forged feel.
OPTIMAL LAUNCH AND FORGIVENESS
Designed to deliver easy launch, increased forgiveness and enhanced consistency. The new internal weighting structure combines with proven technologies such as the forged 4140 OptiFace, Speed Pocket™ and up to 26g of tungsten.
Advertisement
THRU-SLOT SPEEDPOCKET
The Thru-Slot Speed Pocket™ provides increased face flexibility while preserving ball speed and distance on low face strikes.
Shallower face height, increased sole width and longer blade length create a super forgiving and versitile long iron. Designed with a low CG for a mid-high launch and mid-range spin.
Advertisement
INDIVIDUAL MASS OPTIMIZATION
Featuring advanced thick-thin back wall construction, sound stabilization bar, and deliberately distributed mass to maximize forgiveness. Each iron is uniquely designed with every gram strategically placed to achieve specific performance goals with premium forged feel.
OPTIMAL LAUNCH AND FORGIVENESS
Designed to deliver easy launch, increased forgiveness and enhanced consistency. The new internal weighting structure combines with proven technologies such as the forged 4140 OptiFace, Speed Pocket™ and up to 26g of tungsten.
THRU-SLOT SPEEDPOCKET
The Thru-Slot Speed Pocket™ provides increased face flexibility while preserving ball speed and distance on low face strikes.
Dec 2, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) scores a touchdown in the first quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams reclaimed his career on Jerry Jones’s team in 2025 — and he’s not going anywhere in 2026 free agency. Dallas re-signed Williams over the weekend, wiping a high-profile and veteran name off the board for the Minnesota Vikings if the club has interest in a veteran tailback in the first place.
With Williams gone, Minnesota’s best paths now run through a smaller pool of vets and draft depth.
Williams wasn’t inches from signing in Minnesota, but he could have been a quasi-affordable option.
Advertisement
Remaining Free-Agent RB Options for the Vikings
The list of free-agent options for Minnesota is now minus one.
Dallas Cowboys running back Javonte Williams (33) warms up and surveys the field before kickoff at Empower Field at Mile High on Oct 26, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA. Williams returned to face his former team during a season that helped restore his value as a starting-caliber NFL runner. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Williams Back to DAL
Williams re-upping with the Cowboys is a done deal.
ESPN’s Todd Archer announced Saturday, “The Dallas Cowboys kept a key player to their offense Saturday, agreeing to a three-year deal with running back Javonte Williams that guarantees him $16 million, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The total deal is worth $24 million and includes a $6 million signing bonus, according to sources.”
Advertisement
“When the Cowboys head to Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine next week, they can turn their attention to Pro Bowl wide receiver George Pickens. The expectation is the Cowboys will put the franchise tag on Pickens at a cost of roughly $28 million before the March 3 deadline and then hope to work out a multiyear deal. Pickens set career highs last year in catches (93), yards (1,429) and touchdowns (nine).”
Williams entered the NFL in 2021 as the next big thing for the Denver Broncos, a scouting report that didn’t translate to immediate stardom. He never wholly struggled in Denver, but Williams did not pop off as a show-stopping bellcow back.
In Dallas last season, he began to reclaim his story. Now, he’ll stick around Arlington for three more years.
The Production in 2025
Advertisement
Williams revitalized his career in Dallas this season, amassing 1,338 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdowns, fueling championship runs for fantasy managers. Williams, who will turn 26 during draft weekend, was expected to garner significant attention in free agency and likely command around $8-10 million per year. The Cowboys settled on $8 million, which seems fair.
Jan 7, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Denver Broncos running back Javonte Williams (33) carries against the Las Vegas Raiders during the first quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
After failing to establish himself as the Denver Broncos‘ lead running back — despite being te 2nd-Round pick in 2021 — many had written him off. His resurgence in Dallas raises questions about whether the Broncos were utilizing him effectively. Probably not. One can’t break off 1,338 yards from scrimmage by accident.
Remaining FA Options at RB for Vikings
If one assumes the Vikings will scour free agency for an RB1, Williams back to Dallas makes the board a wee bit smaller. “Legal tampering” begins in two weeks, and Minnesota, in theory, could target these men:
J.K. Dobbins (Denver Broncos)
Rico Dowdle (Carolina Panthers)
Travis Etienne (Jacksonville Jaguars)
Breece Hall (New York Jets)
Kenneth Walker III (Seattle Seahawks)
Dobbins is oft-injured, and he’s — you guessed it — recovering from a season-ending injury. Dowdle will turn 28 this summer and is probably past his prime. Etienne is the best pass-blocking running back from the group; the Vikings will probably love that. Hall is the almighty free-agent RB prize. And Walker is fresh off the steam of a Super Bowl MVP.
Will Minnesota Pursue an RB in March at All?
Advertisement
The Vikings currently have just over $20 million in 2026 cap dollars committed to Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason, the RB1 and RB2 from 2025. That’s a lot of dough at running back already spoken for. While it’s tempting to glance at the availability of players like Etienne, Hall, and Walker, all those men will fetch contracts over $10 million per season. So, one must wonder if Minnesota has the budget for another veteran tailback.
Many expect Jones to be released, easing the pain a bit of a cash-strapped salary cap. But Minnesota would still be on the hook for $7 million in dead cap funds if so.
Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones Sr. (33) carries the football during first-half action against the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct 23, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA. Jones worked between the tackles and along the edge as Minnesota leaned on its veteran runner in road action at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The Athletic‘sAlec Lewis opined on the possibility of Jones’s release last week: “This move would leave a major void. Jones has played nearly 60 percent of the team’s offensive snaps over the last two seasons. During that time, he ran for nearly 1,700 yards, caught 79 passes and served as a reliable pass protector on early downs.”
“Backfield mate Jordan Mason is an efficient runner, but he’s not a proven three-down guy. That’s why the Vikings could find themselves in the market for another back if they part ways with Jones. The more likely outcome would be a free-agent acquisition.”
April’s draft may be a more reasonable spot to find a running back of the future. Notre Dame runners Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, along with Jonah Coleman (Washington), Emmett Johnson (Nebraska), Mike Washington Jr. (Arkansas), and Nick Singleton (Penn State), headlining the 2026 class.
Feb 21, 2026; Provo, Utah, USA; Iowa State Cyclones guard Tamin Lipsey (3) reacts during the second half against the BYU Cougars at Marriott Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Baker-Imagn Images
Big 12 power Iowa State is in the midst of a stretch in which five of six opponents are nationally ranked.
Tuesday’s contest against unranked Utah in Salt Lake City is supposed to be the breather.
The No. 6 Cyclones (23-4, 10-4 Big 12) are 2-1 so far on the difficult stretch after succumbing 79-69 to No. 23 BYU on Saturday night in Provo, Utah.
Iowa State began the span with a 74-56 home rout of then-No. 9 Kansas on Feb. 14 and a 70-67 home win over then-No. 2 Houston on Feb. 16.
But playing a tough team on the road didn’t go well for the Cyclones, who fell to 4-4 on enemy soil this season with the loss to BYU.
Advertisement
“We know who we need to be,” Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said. “We need to come out on the road and have that same level of physical toughness mentality to turn people over. When we did that (against BYU) in short stints, we had success. We need to do it more.”
BYU held a 39-28 rebounding advantage and scored the Cyclones 40-22 in the paint. Iowa State also couldn’t stop Cougars star AJ Dybantsa, who registered 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
Hours before the game, the Cyclones were forecasted to be a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Iowa State point guard Tamin Lipsey said the club didn’t play like a team of that status against BYU.
Advertisement
“You have to earn it every game (and) every day,” Lipsey said afterward. “Obviously, we didn’t earn the right to be there.”
Lipsey scored 19 points for Iowa State while Joshua Jefferson had 13 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Jamarion Batemon excelled off the bench with 14 points to raise his scoring average to 6.4.
“We have terrific confidence in his abilities and he works so hard,” Otzelberger said of Batemon. “He cares so much. He’s a great player for us now and he has so many bright moments ahead as a Cyclone.”
Advertisement
Iowa State finishes the challenging six-game stretch with a home game against No. 13 Texas Tech on Saturday before visiting No. 4 Arizona on Monday.
The Utes (10-17, 2-12) are tied for last in the Big 12 and have dropped 13 of their past 15 games.
One of the two wins over a two-month stretch was an 82-79 home win over TCU on Jan. 17. The other was last Wednesday when Utah recorded a 61-56 road win over West Virginia.
On Saturday, the Utes lost 73-71 to UCF after Themus Fulks made two free throws with 3.7 seconds to give the Knights the win.
Advertisement
Utah’s Terrence Brown had a chance to force overtime but his jumper bounced off the back of the rim. Brown scored 21 points for his 16th outing of 20 or more points this season. Brown leads the Utes with a 20.2 scoring average.
Utah’s Don McHenry, who scored 19 points, was dejected following the contest.
“It just hurts to lose a game that you know you can win,” McHenry said. “It didn’t happen a bunch of times, but the feeling right now for me is just wishing we could take a couple plays back, because we were there and we could have won that game.”
First-year coach Alex Jensen feels like he was watching a replay. The Utes have four losses by six or fewer points since Jan. 10.
Advertisement
“I’m getting sick of the moral victories,” Jensen said before referring to a 69-65 loss to Cincinnati on Feb. 15. “We were up five at Cincinnati. We very well could have won that one. I think we’re better than our record.”
Iowa State routed Utah 82-59 last season at Ames, Iowa.
David Benavidez has given his honest thoughts on Ryan Garcia’s unanimous decision victory over Mario Barrios, which saw him become the WBC world welterweight champion last Saturday.
Entering their showdown as the defending champion, despite coming off back-to-back draws, some felt that Barrios’ engine would prove too relentless for Garcia.
The 30-year-old had previously tied with a 46-year-old Manny Pacquiao in July, but nonetheless showed that he is capable of fighting at a considerable pace for 12 rounds.
That was his first outing since being handed a year-long drugs ban by the New York State Athletic Commission, who acted in response to him testing positive for ostarine, a banned substance, following his majority decision victory over Devin Haney.
The result of their encounter in April 2024 was then overturned to a no-contest, with Garcia openly admitting to ‘drinking and partying’ during his suspension.
Reacting to his friend’s world title triumph, WBC light-heavyweight champion Benavidez told DAZN Boxing that he was mightily impressed by Garcia’s ‘great’ performance.
“I think it was a great comeback – not only a comeback fight, but a comeback victory for Ryan.
“Now he’s world champion. He looked great; he looked fast. [His] movement was good. He has the world at his feet right now.
“I’m happy for Ryan and I just wish the best for him. I feel like, if he worked on some different stuff, he could’ve got the knockout.
“But Barrios [was] a live dog in there. Not only was he a live dog; he was the champion, so he wasn’t going down without a fight.”
Previously, ‘King Ry’ has said that he would meet the pound-for-pound star at a catchweight of 144lbs, though the finer details of their matchup are seemingly yet to be discussed.
The PGA Florida Swing gets underway on Thursday with the 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches at the PGA National Champion Course. Coming off two Signature Events, the Cognizant Classic field is missing some of the top names on tour, but it does feature past major winners like Adam Scott, Shane Lowry and Brooks Koepka, who is playing in his third event since rejoining the PGA this season.
The latest 2026 Cognizant Classic odds via FanDuel Sportsbook list Lowry as the +1600 favorite, followed by Scott and Ryan Gerard at +1900. Koepka is +3000 after missing the cut in his last prior event, the WM Phoenix Open. Before locking in any 2026 Cognizant Classic picks, or making any PGA DFS picks on sites like FanDuel or DraftKings, be sure to see the golf predictions and projected leaderboard from the proven computer model at SportsLine.
SportsLine’s proprietary model, built by DFS pro Mike McClure, simulated every PGA Tour event 10,000 times and reveals golf betting picks that have a history of being extremely profitable.
This same model has also nailed a whopping 16 majors entering the weekend, including the 2025 Masters — its fourth Masters in a row — as well as this year’s PGA Championship and Open Championship. Anyone who has followed its sports betting picks could have seen massive returns on betting sites.
One major surprise the model is calling for at the Cognizant Classic 2026: Lowry, the favorite this week and the 2019 Open Championship winner, doesn’t even crack the top 3. He’s a golfer to fade this week. Lowry hasn’t won an individual event on the PGA Tour since that major championship, though he did team up with Rory McIlroy to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2024. Lowry finished T8 at Pebble Beach earlier this month, but that marked his first top-10 finish since May of 2025. See who else to fade here.
Another surprise: The model is extremely high on Daniel Berger as a +3300 longshot, saying he’s a top-six contender despite not being in the top 10 on the odds board. Berger struggled in his past two events, though he does have a pair of top-20 finishes this season — one at the Sony Open and another at the WM Phoenix Open. He has three top-five finishes at this event, which used to be known as the Honda Classic, including one in 2022. See who else to pick here.
Shane Lowry +1600 Adam Scott +1900 Ryan Gerard +1900 Nicolai Højgaard +2200 Rasmus Højgaard +2500 Keith Mitchell +2500 Michael Thorbjornsen +2500 Brooks Koepka +3000 Christiaan Bezuidenhout +3000 Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen +3000 Aaron Rai +3300 Daniel Berger +3300 Thorbjørn Olesen +3300 Will Zalatoris +3500 Max McGreevy +3500 Davis Thompson +3500 Max Homa +4000 Kristoffer Reitan +4000 Mac Meissner +4000 Haotong Li +4000 Alex Smalley +4000 Chris Kirk +4000 Richard Hoey +4500 Jordan Smith +4500 Patrick Rodgers +5000 Stephan Jaeger +5000 Mackenzie Hughes +5000 John Parry +5500 Sami Valimaki +5500 Seamus Power +5500 Johnny Keefer +5500 Doug Ghim +6000 Austin Eckroat +6000 Tom Kim +6000 Kevin Yu +6000 Matt Wallace +6000 Ricky Castillo +6000 Nico Echavarria +6000 Sam Ryder +6000 Kris Ventura +7000 Dan Brown +7000 Michael Brennan +7000 Garrick Higgo +7000 Eric Cole +7000 Emiliano Grillo +7000 Vince Whaley +7000 Jesper Svensson +7500 Lee Hodges +7500 Matt Kuchar +7500 Gary Woodland +7500 Billy Horschel +8000 S.H. Kim +8000 Joel Dahmen +8000 Kevin Roy +8000 Steven Fisk +8000
In a statement of support for their players, Rangers say: “For any player, opening a phone and seeing abuse tied to the colour of their skin is simply unacceptable.
“The accounts appear to be anonymous and are not connected to the club in any way. That may make action harder to take, but it does not lessen the seriousness of what happened, or the responsibility of the platform involved.
“Our immediate priority is the wellbeing of the players involved. We are in direct contact with Djeidi and Manny and have offered our full support both now and through any future judicial process.
“We are proud that they stood up for themselves by highlighting this vile abuse last night.
Advertisement
“Manny and Djeidi represent Rangers with commitment and pride. Every time they step on to the pitch, they do so on behalf of this club and our fans.
“Many supporters have already reached out with messages of support. We welcome that backing. It reflects what this club stands for: pride in the shirt, respect for those who wear it and a commitment to stand together.”
Last month, Livingston wrote to the Scottish FA over an alleged racial comment made to striker Jeremy Bokila during their Premiership defeat by Aberdeen.
And, after Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri and Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana both received racist abuse on Instagram.
Advertisement
On Sunday, Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Tolu Arokodare and Sunderland winger Romaine Mundle were also sent racist abuse on social media.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s official spokesman described the abuse as “abhorrent”, adding: “The Prime Minister has supported footballers before who have had the courage to come forward and call out discrimination and racism and this is no different.”
The spokesman pointed out that English top-flight clubs have said they want to work with social media sites, including Meta, the Premier League and the police to identify those responsible.
“And Meta has said that it will continue to work to protect people from abuse,” he said. “Ministers will be holding them to account to ensure it happens.”
Advertisement
Anti-discrimination group Kick It Out said it had been an “appalling weekend” but “the sad fact is, we know it happens regularly”.
In November, a BBC investigation found more than 2,000 extremely abusive social media posts – including death and rape threats – were sent about managers and players in the Premier League and Women’s Super League in a single weekend.
With the West Coast Swing over, the PGA Tour heads to Florida this week for the 2026 Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches, and a U.S. Ryder Cup star leads the betting favorites. Here is everything you need to know about the Cognizant Classic odds and other betting favorites to start the week.
Cognizant Classic betting favorites
Heading into this week’s Cognizant Classic at PGA National, three-time PGA Tour winner Ben Griffin is the betting favorite with +1400 odds-to-win.
Griffin broke through in a big way in 2025, picking off his first three PGA Tour victories. Before any of those wins, Griffin finished T4 at last year’s Cognizant Classic. The hot streak landed him a spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black. It also earned him a nomination for Player of the Year.
So far in 2026, Griffin hasn’t found the winner’s circle again. But in five starts, he’s made five cuts, with his worst finish (T41) coming at last week’s Genesis Invitational. He earned a T19 at the season-opening Sony Open in Hawaii.
Bridgeman is neck-and-neck with one of Europe’s Ryder Cup heroes, Shane Lowry (+1800).
Filling out the top five are Ryan Gerard and Adam Scott, who earned a 4th-place finish at the Genesis, at +2000 odds-to-win. Brooks Koepka is back in the field this week, too, opening with +3500 odds-to-win.
You can see the top 20 and ties in the 2026 Cognizant Classic betting odds as of Monday morning below, or download the Fanatics Sportsbook app to see the full list of odds and bets for this week.
Advertisement
NEWSLETTER
Sign up for GOLF’s Top Stories Newsletter!
Get the latest golf news and our most-read stories delivered to your inbox daily!
2026 Cognizant Classic betting odds (top 20 and ties)
Ben Griffin (+1400) Jacob Bridgeman (+1800) Shane Lowry (+1800) Adam Scott (+2000) Ryan Gerard (+2000) Nicolai Hojgaard (+2500) Keith Mitchell (+2800) Michael Thorbjornsen (+2800) Rasmus Hojgaard (+2800) Brooks Koepka (+3500) Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (+3500) Aaron Rai (+4000) Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+4000) Daniel Berger (+4000) Davis Thompson (+4000) Thorbjorn Olesen (+4000) Alex Smalley (+4500) Max Homa (+4500) Will Zalatoris (+4500) Chris Kirk (+5000) Haotong Li (+5000) Max McGreevy (+5000)
Kevin Cunningham
Golf.com Editor
As senior managing producer for GOLF.com, Cunningham edits, writes and publishes stories on GOLF.com, and manages the brand’s e-newsletters, which reach more than 1.4 million subscribers each month. A former two-time intern, he also helps keep GOLF.com humming outside the news-breaking stories and service content provided by our reporters and writers, and works with the tech team in the development of new products and innovative ways to deliver an engaging site to our audience.
After his win in Dubai, with Roger Federer watching from the stands, Stan Wawrinka spoke about the level of the current generation and where he believes the sport is heading.
Wawrinka, who won Olympic doubles gold with Federer at the 2008 Beijing Games, reflected on how the game continues to evolve.
“I think the evolution of the game is, right now, the level is really high, that’s for sure,” he said. “The new generation is always going to be better than the last generation. We can see that. A little bit changed with the conditions and the balls, the tournaments being a bit slower. The game style is a little bit different. But in general, I always try to improve myself, play my best tennis, and find a way against players against me.”
Advertisement
Asked whether the peak of this generation could surpass the previous one, Wawrinka did not hesitate.
“Yeah, I think if you look at the level right now of Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, they’ve been crazy high… crazy high level,” he said. “You have Novak Djokovic still in the fight with them. And as a fan of tennis in general, it’s amazing to watch that.”
Wawrinka added that facing the new generation has not been easy.
Advertisement
“I had the chance to play Jannik many times. Last few times was really tough. And hopefully I can play Carlos once before I stop playing.”
In Dubai, the Swiss veteran reminded fans of his own enduring presence, earning a win with Federer in attendance.
UFC Houston was a mixed bag of action – the prelims were boring, some of the officiating was questionable, and Sean Strickland simultaneously got just his second finish in six years – and stirred the controversy pot around him.
Medic was in control from the start, coming out of the gate with forward pressure while trying to back Neal up and dictate the fight early on. And all Medic needed was 79 seconds to connect with a left hand that dropped Neal, head smacking on the mat, out cold.
Taking on Neal, who was ranked No. 12 entering the fight, and winning in that devastating fashion makes this the most important win of Medic’s career so far. And he’s shown his growth since coming into the UFC off a 2020 win on Dana White’s Contender Series.
Advertisement
Medic originally dropped to lightweight to start his UFC run, and, as noted on the broadcast, in retrospect, it’s amazing how the 6’1” Serbian was able to drop to and compete at 155.
He moved up to welterweight in 2023, and while his run there started just 2-2, he’s now won three straight. And this is now three straight victories in the first round, following up on finishes of Gilbert Urbina and Muslik Salikhov in 2025.
The certainty of Medic’s success in the welterweight division isn’t too certain. While Medic’s stock is on the rise, Neal’s has been falling. This is now Neal’s fourth loss in his last five fights and his sixth loss in his last nine. It’s also his second straight fight losing via a harsh-looking, first-round knockout; this was his first fight since the knockout he suffered at the hands of Carlos Prates at UFC 319. Neal’s time in the rankings is certainly done, and now he might be fighting for his UFC future.
But the highlight knockout and the post-fight bonus money wasn’t all.
Advertisement
If a fighter is looking to make a statement with a post-fight promo, but not go over the top, Medic nailed the kind of verbiage you can look for. Making a “Houston we have a problem” reference and referring to himself as the problem of the welterweight division was perfect. Additionally, his callout of former welterweight champion Leon Edwards was bold, but a solid play with the momentum he’s got.
Medic even used his time to appeal to U.S. President Donald Trump – not about competing on the UFC White House card, but to ask for his assistance in trying to get home to Serbia.
And guess what? It worked. Backstage, Medic got to speak to President Trump, who helped to ensure Medic could return to his family in Serbia without restriction, eliminating travel difficulties.
To get the biggest win of your career, a spectacular highlight knockout, cut a solid post-fight promo, get $100,000 extra with a bonus, rub elbows (over the phone) with the U.S. President, and the President helps you back home to your family?
Advertisement
Yeah, that’s got to be one of the best nights of Medic’s life. Hats off to “The Doctor” and bright hopes for his next UFC outing.