Lionel Messi discussed his regret of not having learnt English when he was in school in a recent interview. The legendary Argentine is known to communicate in Spanish, having spoken English only on rare occasions.
In an appearance on the Miro De Atras podcast, Lionel Messi shared that he regrets not having learnt English in school. He said (via All About Argentina):
Thanks for the submission!
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“Not having learned English as a kid. I had the time to study at least English and I didn’t do it, and I regret it a lot. Later I found myself in situations where I was with incredible, amazing personalities, and I could have had a conversation with them but instead you feel kind of ignorant…”
Lionel Messi usually communicated in Spanish. He is also fluent in Catalan, having spent 17 years playing for Barcelona. However, he has been spotted speaking English a few times for advertisements. Some examples include a commercial for the movie Bad Boys starring Will Smith, a moment speaking to a referee during a recent MLS clash, and an eFootball commercial.
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The current MLS year did not begin well for Lionel Messi, as Inter Miami suffered a 3-0 loss to Los Angeles FC in their opening MLS game on Sunday, February 2022. The Argentine led the Herons to their first MLS Cup last year and was also the winner of the MLS Golden Boot with 29 goals to his name. He was also named the MLS MVP (Most Valuable Player) for the second consecutive time.
After a rough start, all eyes will be on Messi to replicate the previous year’s success with Inter Miami.
“We should never stop enjoying life”- Lionel Messi shares valuable advice for his fans
In his aforementioned interview on the MDA podcast, Lionel Messi discussed multiple facets of his life, including sharing his message for his fans and followers. The legend of the game believed one should always enjoy the present, and said (via All About Argentina):
“Today is a good day to enjoy. Sometimes it’s hard. Not all of us go through the same things, and there are people dealing with different and difficult situations too. But we should never stop enjoying life. Like I said before, today I enjoy much more what happens to me, what I do, my family, my children, the day-to-day life, the small things. And well, it’s always a good day to enjoy, because we don’t know what might happen tomorrow.”
Apart from the new MLS season, fans are also eagerly looking forward to Lionel Messi leading Argentina once again in the 2026 FIFA World Cup after his triumph in 2022. However, the Argentine has yet to confirm his decision to play or not. He is also expected to feature in the 2026 Finalissima, where Argentina will face Spain in Qatar on March 27.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta describes the 2-1 defeat at home to Bournemouth as “a big punch on the face” as they drop points in the Premier League title race.
Carolina’s offseason started fast when they burgled Jaelan Phillips away from Philadelphia via an incredible $30 million per year contract in the opening minutes of free agency. A team well acquainted with roster holes, the Panthers intentionally filled arguably their biggest need at edge almost immediately, while bringing in several other players on day one including linebacker Devin Lloyd, offensive linemen Luke Forner and Stone Forsythe, cornerback Akayleb Evans, and other ex-Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett and wide receiver John Metchie III. And they kept signing – between 3/10 and 3/20, they signed 21 players in a mad dash of transactions that would leave Julian Vandervelde’s head spinning (they even signed yet another Philly alumnus, RB AJ Dillon … was the Red Rifle trade some kind of peace offering? (Probably not.)) While, of course, not all of these players are starters, Carolina’s activity helped fill holes, add depth, and potentially provide them optionality in the draft.
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Looking at their roster, Carolina has several bright spots. Adding Phillips and Lloyd to a defense featuring stars Jaycee Horn and Derrick Brown as well other solid players like Tre’von Moehrig, Mike Jackson, Bobby Brown, Tershawn Wharton, and Nic Scourton has the makings for a competitive unit. On offense, while there are questions around Bryce Young, he has taken steps forward in years two and three, surpassing 3,000 yards and throwing for 23 TDs in 2025. Due to that progress, Carolina seems prepared to build around him and see if he continues to take positive steps. Around Young, Carolina has some O-linemen to potentially be excited about (at least at guard and tackle) and some skill players that could form a strong core – particularly AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Tetairoa McMillan.
Having said all of that, there are certainly needs. Sites that cover the Panthers seem to vary on the severity of some of these but point out, to some degree, needs along both lines and possibly at WR or LB. However, many point to TE and S as the biggest holes on the roster. While I’m a proponent of selecting the best player available as a baseline M.O., it’s hard to ignore glaring needs on a building team and potentially erasing a void by adding someone who could have an immediate impact – a philosophical point espoused by head coach Dave Canales.
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Luckily for Carolina at pick 19, that impact just collided at the intersection of need and available players, despite just missing out on some great options. While Dillon Thieneman, a spice so strong it burns the S out of your mouth (such a fun name to say out loud), would have been a terrific fit here, he is no longer an option thanks to Vikings at No. 18. Neither are most of the top O-lineman or anyone who has ever even audited a class at Ohio State (4 out of the first 9 picks is impressive). But you know who is available? Another exciting safety prospect in Toledo’s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Oregon’s standout TE Kenyon Sadiq, and a couple compelling edge defenders in Akheem Mesidor and Keldric Faulk. Honestly, I could make an argument for any of these four options and any of them could be a good pick at 19. However, if all of these young men are in range of one another talent/value-wise, and I think they are, one must consider positional value and need to help decide. While being an Eagles fan has taught me to lean edge over safety and TE, I have to look closely at a roster that has several pass rushers, including the gem of their free agent class, and the contrasting, significant needs at S and TE. With my options narrowed to choosing between McNeil-Warren and Sadiq, I can’t ignore the potential to surround Young with another dynamic playmaker. Kenyon Sadiq it is and here’s why:
Need
I don’t want to overemphasize need, but addressing Carolina’s TE needs is essential with no compelling option currently on the roster. Sadiq would change that. While Tommy Tremble was selected in the third round in 2021, he has not proven to be a proficient receiver having never topped 250 yards or 3 TDs in a season (2025 was his best receiving year with 27 catches, 249 yards, and 2 TDs). Ja’Tavion Sanders hauled in 29 catches in 2025 for 190 yards (for a mere 6.6 avg) and a TD over 13 games – a down year after netting 33 catches for 342 yards and 1 TD in his rookie season, 2024.
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Good Production (at least in 2025)
Sadiq has averaged 11.2 yards per catch in college, getting better each year. In 2025, he caught 51 passes for 560 yards (11.0 avg.) and a strong 8 TDs. He was a significant contributor to Oregon’s strong season that saw them advance to the Peach Bowl where they fell to the ultimate national champion Indiana Hoosiers. In a season that saw QB Dante Moore (over 3,500 yards) successfully spread the ball around, Oregon had five players surpass 497 yards receiving, Sadiq’s 560 yards were second on the team and his 8 TDs finished first on the team and led the nation among tight ends. He was reliable, catching 51 of his 71 targets (approximate) for a nearly 72% catch rate. While 560 yards and an 11-yard average are not other-worldly, they are good production especially considering his catch rate, number of scores, and YAC ability. 214 of his 560 total yards came after the catch coming in at a 4.73 YAC average. While this is certainly connected to the high number of screen passes that he caught, it exemplifies his versatility (more on that soon), athleticism (much more on that even sooner), and his abilities with the ball in his hands. Dante Moore had a strong 145.5 passer rating when targeting Sadiq, which transparently is not as high as Moore’s overall regular season number (163.72), but also very good (in the top six among TE’s) and possibly reflective of the high frequency of short throws that came Sadiq’s way.
Traits
Driving these numbers are notable strengths, particularly as a receiver. An incredible athlete (wait for it), Sadiq also exhibited good balance, hands, technique, extension, separation, and body control through the catch process. For example, his two TD game against Rutgers was filled with highlight catches, including an over-the-shoulder TD grab that many college tight ends just cannot do. He has a good feel for finding holes in zone defenses, making contested catches and then breaking tackles thereafter. He had a handful of gloriously angry runs this season that are just too fun to watch.
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Coupled with his strength and ability on screens and in open zones, he has unbelievable speed (wait for it) for a TE. He has the potential to blow the top off a defense from the slot, exposing safeties and linebackers that simply cannot keep up with him. Frankly, he’s going to eat up small slot CB’s and blow past LB’s and most safeties. He’s a matchup nightmare for defenses.
Rare Athleticism
Where Sadiq really stands out is athleticism. His combine numbers were elite. While there are some concerns about his agility, his speed and lower body power are remarkable. Nicknamed “The Freak” by his complimentary if not derivative teammates (Jevon Kearse much, anyone?!), this young man can freakin’ run and freakin’ jump.
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Sadiq set three TE records at the combine this year (caveats aplenty). That day, he tied David Njoku’s nine-year broad jump record of 11’1” AND Dorin Dickerson’s 2010 vertical jump record of 43.5”. While he was moments later out jumped by Eli Stowers in both categories (11’3” broad and 45.5” vertical – both new TE records), his jumping numbers are ostensibly elite. One record that Stowers did not beat… his combine 40-yard dash time of 4.39 seconds. While many sources established this as the new record over Vernon Davis’s 4.40 time, many contest that Davis actually ran it in 4.38. Either way, Sadiq is a special athlete.
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Positional Flexibility
Sadiq is a chess piece (which is an odd analogy for versatility since most chess pieces are highly specific, but whatever), able to move all over the formation. He played inline and detached, in the slot, and can even line up out wide or in the back field in some sets. He caught 37% of his passes behind the line (well above average) and 31% between 0 and 9 yards. That 68% mark shows his ability to work in traffic and highlights his YAC skills as mentioned above. 20% of his targets were medium length (10-19 yards) and 13% of them were beyond 20 yards. He can line up just about anywhere and has ability at all depths of target. He truly is a receiving weapon who strains a defense, particularly if playing in an offense that utilizes pre-snap motion, which the Panthers did more of in 2025 at 57% (at least compared to an abysmal 22% of their snaps in 2024) but could still increase. In a copy-cat league, it is worth noting that 2025 marked an all-time high in pre-snap motion across the league at 63.9%. A player like Sadiq could unlock new twists and multiply how the Panthers offense operates, scheming him and his teammates open.
Weaknesses
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The main concerns with Sadiq are his blocking (due to “tweener” size), relative experience, and consistency translating his traits and strengths play-in and play-out. Blunt truth: Sadiq is small for an NFL tight end. At 6’3” (15% among TE’s), and 241 lbs. (9%) with 31.5” arms (7%), he is not going to overwhelm a defensive lineman with his size. Understand, he is not weak. He actually played in line 44% of the time and recorded a 68.7 career PFF Run Block Grade (65%) which is a favorable comparative mark to recent TE sensations Colston Loveland and Brock Bowers (not saying he is on the same level as them). However, he is obviously not a mammoth blocking TE and should not be used as one, at least too frequently.
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As a player that translates more as a big slot or movable piece than he does as an inline blocker, he needs to be fit into a role that maximizes his strengths. To be clear, “blocking want-to” is not an issue. Sadiq plays hard, is strong, and seems to enjoy blocking, especially in the open when he can level a guy and look for another. He can be a tenacious blocker. There are just moments when he does not match up well against larger players (specifically in pass protection) and could use technique refinement. That limitation may give some teams pause in the first round.
With only 80 catches in college, he does not have the body of work that some top TE’s in other years did and despite a high catch rate, there do seem to be the occasional concentration-lapse, possibly from trying to turn and run just a moment too soon. While most of these weaknesses can improve with coaching and experience, especially issues of technique and focus, his size may limit how offenses can use him consistently.
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Impact
Recognizing that I wrote way too much about need above, I want to qualify that it’s not just about a hole on the roster, it is more about the impact Sadiq can have on the offense. In an offense with a potentially budding star WR in McMillan and other pass catchers with potential, a potent RB pair in Jonathon Brooks and Chuba Hubbard and a mobile, progressing QB like Bryce Young, Sadiq could prove to be an offensive weapon that makes Carolina an incredibly tough matchup for defenses. His ability to find a hole in the zone or take a screen pass and churn out tough yards / generate YAC as well as his elite speed to create down field are special and require attention by defenses. They have to plan for him. He has the ability to produce yards and points or to simply preoccupy safeties and clog the middle when necessary to loosen up coverages for teammates on the edges.
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Adding Kenyon Sadiq instantly makes the Carolina offense fun and competitive. The Panthers won the weak NFC South with an 8-9 record last year, taking it over Tampa Bay and Atlanta via tiebreakers. In a weak division, this team could become a consistent playoff team and potentially one that brings some joy to their fanbase, one that has not seen much success over the last decade. For me, Sadiq is a special talent and could be a piece that takes the Panthers’ offense to a new level.
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*That was as TLDR as possible. Work sucked this week and I needed this. I hope it was enjoyable to read. Thanks.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, the Paris Marathon sees participants staying connected throughout the race, with technology playing a key role in managing exertion and optimizing performance. Caitlin Brown reports.
Jeamie Tshikeva (British heavyweight champion) vs Richard Riakporhe
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Frazer Clarke vs Justis Huni (heavyweight)
Jeamie TKV (left) beat Frazer Clarke in a savage but brilliant bout last time out, and the pair will be in separate fights tonight (Getty Images)
Troy Williamson vs Simon Zachenhuber (super-middleweight)
Breyon Gorham vs Eduard Georgiev (super-lightweight)
Mikie Tallon vs Cristopher Rios (flyweight)
Felix Cash vs Liam O’Hare (middleweight)
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Hector Lozano vs Sultan Almohammed (super-featherweight)
Elliot Whale vs Tom Hill (welterweight)
Alex Pattle11 April 2026 14:53
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Fury vs Makhmudov and Benn vs Prograis odds tonight
The odds for this evening’s main event, per William Hill on Friday, stand as such:
Fury – 2/9; Makhmudov – 7/2; draw – 20/1
Meanwhile, the co-main odds from William Hill yesterday looked like this:
Benn – 1/12; Prograis – 13/2; draw – 25/1
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Conor Benn (left) and Regis Prograis facing off two days before their bout (Getty Images for Netflix)
Alex Pattle11 April 2026 14:38
How to watch Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov this evening
The event will stream live exclusively on Netflix worldwide. It will be available to all existing subscribers; in other words, the event will not be a pay-per-view.
A glimpse of Tyson Fury’s outfit for his return press conference, including his Netflix-branded shoes (Getty)
Alex Pattle11 April 2026 14:22
Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov start time tonight
Fury vs Makhmudov will take place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London tonight.
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The main card is due to begin at 7pm BST (11am PT / 1pm CT / 2pm ET), with main-event ring walks from 10pm BST (2pm PT / 4pm CT / 5pm ET).
There will be a bit of preliminary action before the main card gets under way.
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on a sunny day! (Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images)
Alex Pattle11 April 2026 14:10
Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov LIVE: Welcome!
Follow live updates and results from Fury vs Makhmudov and the undercard, including Conor Benn vs Regis Prograis, right here.
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Tyson Fury (left) and Arslanbek Makhmudov face off at their final press conference (Getty)
NEW DELHI: Shivang Kumar’s journey to the IPL isn’t the usual story of a smooth rise through the ranks. The 23-year-old spinner from Moradabad made his debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad earlier this season, but what makes his story stand out is a mix of bold decisions, setbacks, and a surprising source of inspiration, MS Dhoni: The Untold Story.Picked for Rs 30 lakh in the 2026 mini auction, Shivang’s breakthrough didn’t happen overnight.
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It began in the railway colony of Harthala, where his father, Praveen Kumar, a Chief Ticket Inspector and former Bengal Ranji cricketer, took charge of his training. One unconventional move changed everything: despite being right-handed, Shivang was turned into a left-arm wrist spinner. He later described this bold switch as his father’s “masterpiece.”
A tough pause and a turning point
Like many young cricketers, Shivang’s path wasn’t without doubt. After failing to make an Under-14 team, he stepped away from cricket for five months, convinced his journey had hit a dead end. The break could have ended his career before it truly began.But a film changed his mindset. Watching MS Dhoni: The Untold Story pushed him to reconsider quitting. The story of Dhoni’s struggles and rise struck a chord, helping Shivang return to the game with renewed determination.Interestingly, his story mirrors that of Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq, who also found inspiration in the same film. Tariq said, “I came back to cricket after watching the MS Dhoni movie. After watching that movie, I felt our stories were similar… I came back to cricket just because of MS Dhoni.”
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Performances that opened doors
Once back, Shivang let his performances do the talking. He impressed in domestic cricket, including a standout Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign where he picked up 10 wickets in just three matches. A five-wicket haul against Karnataka proved to be a defining moment, putting him firmly on the radar of IPL scouts.In T20 cricket too, he showed promise with a best spell of 3/25 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. These performances eventually led to IPL opportunities, though not without frustration. He attended trials for multiple franchises and even missed a couple of chances with Sunrisers Hyderabad due to scheduling issues.Yet, SRH didn’t forget him. They returned at the auction and secured him at base price, finally giving him the break he had been waiting for.
The 2026 Masters is heating up at Augusta National. Defending champion Rory McIlroy has a big lead heading into Saturday and Sunday’s weekend rounds. Fortunately for golf fans, you can watch Masters Rounds 3 and 4 free of charge online. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch the Masters for free on Saturday and Sunday.
How to watch Masters for free this weekend
The Masters cut has been made (sorry, Bryson DeChambeau), and now the survivors will battle for the green jacket over the final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday.
CBS picks up the TV coverage for the third and final rounds, with their broadcasts running from 2-7 p.m. ET both days. Additionally, Paramount+ will offer early streaing coverage from 12- 2 p.m. ET on the weekend.
But you don’t need to have access to CBS or a Paramount+ account to watch the Masters this weekend. You can watch all of that coverage for free on Masters.com and the Masters App. There, you’ll find a single “Broadcast” stream running from 12-7 p.m. ET. It’s free of charge, and you can stick with that one stream all day long without changing platforms.
That’s not the only streaming coverage available on Masters.com this weekend, though. They will also provide featured group coverage, multiple featured hole streams (including at Amen Corner) and more. Those feeds can also be viewed via the ESPN App, Amazon Prime Video, Paramount+ and DirecTV.
No other major championship or PGA Tour event offers such incredible free access to coverage. It’s one new way to Masters is setting itself above every other tournament.
You can check out the full 2026 Masters streaming schedule for Saturday and Sunday below.
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2026 Masters streaming schedule for Saturday, Sunday
Prochazka won the title from Glover Teixeira in 2022 but was forced to vacate the belt after suffering an injury. Prochazka twice failed to regain the belt in losses to Alex Pereira, the only man to have defeated Prochazka in the UFC. Now that Pereira has vacated the belt to challenge for the interim heavyweight championship at UFC Freedom 250 at the White House, Prochazka has a clear path back to the title.
Saturday represents Ulberg’s first chance at UFC gold. After suffering a knockout loss to Kennedy Nzechukwu in his UFC debut, it appeared Ulberg may have a lower ceiling than the hype that was behind him entering that night. Since that loss, Ulberg has rattled off nine wins, six by stoppage, and now finds himself on the verge of being UFC champion.
Sign up for Paramount+ and watch UFC 327 live on Saturday night for no additional fee — every UFC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with the price of your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year!
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In the co-main event, Paulo Costa returns to action in a light heavyweight fight against Azamat Murzakanov. Costa has struggled late in his career, posting a 2-4 record in his last six appearances. Costa, 34, is coming off an impressive win over Roman Kopylov last July. Murzakanov, meanwhile, is 16-0 so far in his career with 12 knockouts to his name. In fact, the Russian has scored three straight knockouts against an increasingly difficult set of opponents in Alonzo Menifield, Brendson Ribeiro and Aleksandr Rakic.
With so much happening on Saturday night, let’s look closer at the full fight card with the latest odds before we get to our staff predictions and picks for the PPV portion of the festivities that you can consider before hitting the sportsbooks.
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UFC 327 fight card, odds
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook (Odds as of April 10)
Jiri Prochazka -118 vs. Carlos Ulberg -102, vacant light heavyweight title
Azamat Murzakanov -205 vs. Paulo Costa +170, light heavyweights
Curtis Blaydes -122 vs. Josh Hokit +102, heavyweights
Dominick Reyes -148 vs. Johnny Walker +124, light heavyweights
Nate Landwehr -112 vs. Cub Swanson -108, featherweights
Aaron Pico -285 vs. Patricio Pitbull +230, featherweights
Kevin Holland -112 vs. Randy Brown -108, welterweights
Mateusz Gamrot -205 vs. Esteban Ribovics +170, lightweights
Tatiana Suarez -148 vs. Loopy Godinez +124, women’s strawweights
Chris Padilla -162 vs. Marquel Mederos +136, lightweights
Kelvin Gastelum -278 vs. Vicente Luque +225, middleweights
Charles Radtke -180 vs. Francisco Prado +150, welterweights
UFC 327 predictions, picks
With such a massive main event on tap, the crew at CBS Sports went ahead with predictions and picks for the main card from Brian Campbell, Brent Brookhouse, Shakiel Mahjouri, Michael Mormile and Brandon Wise.
Prochazka vs. Ulberg
Prochazka TKO3
Prochazka KO2
Prochazka KO3
Ulberg KO2
Prochazka SUB4
Murzakanov vs. Costa
Murzakanov UD
Murzakanov TKO3
Murzakanov UD
Murzakanov KO3
Murzakanov UD
Blaydes vs. Hokit
Blaydes UD
Blaydes TKO3
Blaydes KO2
Blaydes KO2
Blaydes TKO3
Reyes vs. Walker
Walker KO1
Reyes KO1
Reyes KO1
Reyes KO2
Reyes KO1
Swanson vs. Landwehr
Swanson SUB3
Swanson TKO2
Swanson KO3
Swanson UD
Landwehr UD
Records to date
9-6
11-4
10-5
9-6
9-6
Jiri Prochazka vs. Carlos Ulberg predictions
Campbell: Let’s face it, Prochazka was built for danger. Words like patience and gameplans only water down what this exciting slugger brings to the table. And with nemesis Alex Pereira having moved up to heavyweight, the time is now for Prochazka to regain his 205-pound title. For as quick and powerful as Ulberg can be, the awkwardness of Prochazka should be enough to give him pause and freeze him. That’s the only opening Prochazka needs to land the big one and finish him off. As evidenced by his rally to finish Khalil Rountree Jr. in the final round last October after being picked apart for most of the fight, Prochazka’s ability to carry his cardio through chaos while dragging foes into the deep end of the pool is unique unto itself and the only man to beat him in the Octagon is no longer in this division.
Brookhouse: Prochazka is a throwback fighter in the sense that his style is unrefined and nearly as strange as his personality. He’s the kind of guy who used to litter MMA cards before everyone trained and refined their game to where a generally homogeneous way of fighting dominates fight cards, with small edges in techniques deciding most fights. For that reason, and the excitement his fights produce as a result, I never want to pick against Prochazka unless it’s against another throwback type of fighter — like Alex Pereira.
Mahjouri: Prochazka is never a safe bet, but that’s why we love him. He will probably get rocked, and we’ll watch with bated breath. But Prochazka has the sheer audacity to eat Ulberg’s punches, march forward and drag the technical striker into an inescapable hellstorm. Prochazka has only lost to Alex Pereira in the UFC — losses that age better with every accolade “Poatan” achieves. Until someone other than Pereira crushes my dreams, I’ll ride with Prochazka.
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Azamat Murzakanov vs. Paulo Costa predictions
Campbell: This is the type of big-name opponent the unbeaten Murzakanov needs to truly crack the title picture. Expect Costa, who has lost four of his last six bouts and is making his return to light heavyweight, to play his part as the perfect foil. Costa will be dangerous at times and his reputation for a sturdy chin should be enough to help him go the distance. But he’s simply outgunned in this matchup should he decide to go blow for blow with the powerful Murzakanov. Costa has historically only lost to the best of his division and Murzakanov is starting to look as if he fits that mold.
Brookhouse: One of Costa’s best qualities is his toughness. I don’t know if that toughness will hold up in moving to light heavyweight against a guy who has been ripping through established light heavyweights the way Murzakanov has. While Costa is good at making a fight ugly and willing to make his opponent wallow in the muck with him, he’s not the guy used to fighting at light heavyweight or the one who has actual career momentum, having gone 2-4 since 2020.
Mahjouri: Costa is nearly impossible to finish. That’s a valuable asset against a known knockout artist like Murzakanov. Costa is coming off an impressive win over Roman Kopylmov, where he fought with veteran composure. I don’t have enough information to support Costa as a light heavyweight. Murzakanov’s decision win over Dustin Jacoby wasn’t pretty, but at least I know he can win a 15-minute fight.
Curtis Blaydes vs. Josh Hokit predictions
Campbell: Is the colorful Hokit, an athletic heavyweight with power and a solid wrestling background, the type of newcomer that the division badly needs? Eventually, that could very well be true. But this feels like too much, too soon for the former NFL player in just his seventh pro fight and third walk to the Octagon since debuting in the UFC last November. The fact that the 35-year-old Blaydes has only lost to sluggers with fast hands makes this an interesting matchup given Hokit’s aggressive style and confidence in his technique. But those same heavyweights were named Francis Ngannou (twice), Derrick Lewis, Sergei Pavlovich and Tom Aspinall. Hokit has yet to go the distance as a pro and has seen six of his eight fights end in the first round. Expect Blaydes to test Hokit’s gas tank over the full 15 minutes and rely on his wrestling and experience to humble the brash upstart.
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Brookhouse: I could pick against Hokit on the fact that I don’t want to see his post-fight promo alone. Beyond personal taste, this feels as though it could be a case of too much, too soon for Hokit. Heavyweight isn’t currently a deep division, but Blaydes is one of the few men who has shown himself to be a reliable performer in the division, and his performances have been good enough that he holds the No. 5 spot in the heavyweight rankings. Hokit has skills, but he has only shown those skills in eight career fights, two in the UFC. And Blaydes is worlds better and more dangerous than Max Gimenis and Denzel Freeman, Hokit’s two UFC opponents. I side with the man who has proven himself dangerous against many of the best in the division over the man hoping to establish himself as on that level.
Morocco defender Achraf Hakimi has admitted he is not proud of the towel incident that overshadowed key moments at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
The incident first came into focus during Nigeria’s semi-final clash against Morocco, where Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali had his towel repeatedly taken away by pitch-side staff.
The situation drew attention again in the final between Morocco and Senegal, with similar actions involving players and goalkeepers, including Senegal’s Edouard Mendy.
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Hakimi has now spoken openly about the controversy, admitting that the scenes did not reflect well on the team.
“They were difficult moments, full of tension inside the stadium,” Hakimi said. “I don’t feel proud of the image we showed because of the towel incident.”
Despite the controversy, the Paris Saint-Germain full-back insisted that Morocco remained competitive and respectful throughout the tournament.
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“Still, the team presented a good competitive showing. We respected the opponent and the tournament,” he added.
The issue came amid wider drama at the competition, after Senegal walked out during the final at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah, leading to Morocco being declared champions by the Confederation of African Football.
Hakimi also addressed the ongoing dispute over the title, as Senegal have taken their appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“What should happen is currently being assessed, and we hope a decision is taken that serves the interests of African football,” Hakimi said.
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“We hope to get the title because we deserve it, and because you can’t leave the pitch that way.”
Former NFL quarterback Browning Nagle, a Louisville standout in the 1991 Fiesta Bowl, has died, his alma mater announced Friday. He was 57.
Nagle was diagnosed with colon cancer earlier this year.
He made his pro football debut in 1991 after the New York Jets selected the strong-armed quarterback in the second round. Nagle saw limited action in his rookie season, attempting just one pass, but he moved into the starting role in 1992.
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Nagle finished his time as the Jets’ starter with a 3-10 record and seven touchdown passes.
Quarterback Browning Nagle of the Atlanta Falcons warms up before the Falcons’ 21-20 loss to the Miami Dolphins at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Fla., Dec. 3, 1995.(Scott Halleran/Allsport)
Boomer Esiason, the 1988 NFL MVP, was traded from the Cincinnati Bengals to the Jets in 1993, relegating Nagle to a reserve role. Nagle joined the Indianapolis Colts in 1994 before ending his NFL career with the Atlanta Falcons.
Nagle was long linked to Brett Favre, whom the Jets had targeted in the 1991 NFL Draft. After failing to trade up, New York selected Nagle after Atlanta took Favre one pick earlier at No. 33 overall.
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Quarterback Browning Nagle of the New York Jets stands on the sideline during a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh Aug. 7, 1993.(George Gojkovich/Getty Images)
Months before entering the NFL, Nagle etched his name into college football lore, throwing for 451 yards and three touchdowns in Louisville’s upset win over Alabama in the 1991 Fiesta Bowl.
“We are saddened by the passing of Browning Nagle, former Fiesta Bowl MVP quarterback and Louisville great,” the Louisville football program said in a statement.
“His leadership on the field and passion for the game left a lasting mark on our program.
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New York Jets quarterback Browning Nagle throws a pass against the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Ga., Sept. 6, 1992.(Gin Ellis/Getty Images)
“Our thoughts are with his loved ones and teammates during this difficult time.”
;)
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