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Ronnie O’Sullivan strikes up surprise friendship with Jackie Chan on FaceTime before playing snooker with icon, 70

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Ronnie O'Sullivan strikes up surprise friendship with Jackie Chan on FaceTime before playing snooker with icon, 70

GLOBE-TROTTER Ronnie O’Sullivan met Jackie Chan for the first time on his latest trip to Asia – despite the pair sharing several FaceTime chats.

The Rocket, 48, was presented with a bouquet of flowers by the Kung Fu icon, 70, last Friday while in gambling city Macau.

Ronnie O'Sullivan and Jackie Chan have finally met

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Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jackie Chan have finally metCredit: YouTube
The pair have spoken before via FaceTime

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The pair have spoken before via FaceTime
They posed for the cameras playing snooker

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They posed for the cameras playing snooker

For the cameras, the pair hit a few balls on the baize along with Jak Jones, who was the runner-up at the last World Snooker Championship at the Crucible.

It was the first time O’Sullivan and Chan had come face-to-face even though they had spoken before on the telephone through mutual pals based in Hong Kong.

The seven-time world champion explained: “We have spoken a few times on the phone, on Facetime.

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“We have friends. Jackie has friends in Hong Kong, who are friends of mine.

“So, we have been in touch. But that was the first time we had met. A lovely guy.”

Chan, star of the Rush Hour films, is a legend of cinema, having appeared in more than 150 domestic and international movies.

And as someone who does their own stunts, he is one of the most influential people in the history of martial arts on film.

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This is not his first meeting with a snooker star because in 2019 he went for a night out with Ireland’s former world champion Ken Doherty.

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Inside Ronnie’s colourful career

FROM his lightning breaks to blasts at officials, Ronnie O’Sullivan has fired snooker into the spotlight.

After performing trick shots together, the duo went out for dinner, smoked some cigars, downed a few drinks and even sang karaoke together.

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O’Sullivan is in Nanjing this week for the International Championship – a ranking tournament in China that he has yet to win.

Ronnie O’Sullivan launches ‘perfect’ new side hustle as snooker legend plans ahead for life after sport

He progressed comfortably to the last 32 – where he will meet Northern Ireland Open semi-finalist Pang Junxu – following a 6-2 victory over He Guoqiang on Monday.

There were no safety concerns with the crowd like there had been for his win over Thai cueist Mink Nutcharut on Sunday.

In his post-match press conference, O’Sullivan sounded like someone from the local tourist board as he spoke about his love and admiration for China and how he is “blown away” every time he goes out there.

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The former world No.1 – who has been granted residency in Hong Kong – said: “I went out this morning to this lake, an amazing lake. It was beautiful.

“I just recommend anybody to come to China – it blows me away.

“Every city I come to, they always take me somewhere and I just go ‘wow’. It’s like you’re in another world, it’s an amazing place.

“So we’re probably going to go to the river on Tuesday evening because obviously there is going to be another experience.

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“For me, it’s the best place in the world. There is no other place like China. Every city just has something amazing about it.

“Nanjing has a lot of history but I’d just say listen, forget going on holiday anywhere else, just come to China.

“Visit some of their most important cities, where all their dynasties were.

“You’ve been here yourself, I imagine you go home and you tell people how wonderful it is, and they’re like ‘really?’

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“I always tell people you have to come to China. For me, it’s the greatest place on Earth.”

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Sporting wonderkid, 17, shows how Ruben Amorim’s Man Utd revolution could work as Gyokeres hits hat-trick against City

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Sporting wonderkid, 17, shows how Ruben Amorim's Man Utd revolution could work as Gyokeres hits hat-trick against City

RUBEN AMORIM gave Manchester United fans a tantalising glimpse into the future as his Sporting side thrashed City 4-1 in the Champions League.

The occasion began in a raucous atmosphere, with Sporting fans waving goodbye to their beloved Man Utd-bound manager in what was his final home game in charge.

Ruben Amorim gave Man Utd fans a thrilling glimpse into the future

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Ruben Amorim gave Man Utd fans a thrilling glimpse into the futureCredit: Reuters
Viktor Gyokeres bagged his latest hat-trick

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Viktor Gyokeres bagged his latest hat-trickCredit: AFP
Geovany Quenda was brilliant down Sporting's right flank

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Geovany Quenda was brilliant down Sporting’s right flankCredit: Getty

The home faithful unfurled a huge banner reading “Obrigado” – Portuguese for “thank you” – ahead of kick-off.

And after tonight’s performance, it’s easy to see how Amorim left such a mark.

Sporting actually got off to a ropey start, with Phil Foden giving City a fourth-minute lead.

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The side Amorim has built in Lisbon is resilient, however, and after weathering City’s storm they came roaring back to win 4-1.

Viktor Gyokeres grabbed the headlines by scoring a stunning hat-trick – taking his season tally to an astonishing 23 goals in just 17 games.

The Swede’s numbers would make United’s current forwards Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund blush.

But how has Amorim given the former Brighton and Coventry star such a platform on which to shine?

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The 39-year-old has generally favoured a 3-4-3 formation with Sporting, although tonight’s average positions show that his system turned into more of a 3-5-2, or even 3-4-1-1 – with Francisco Trincao, formerly of Wolves and Barcelona, playing off Gyokeres.

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How Amorim will be able to introduce his three-at-the-back system into the Premier League will be fascinating.

After Antonio Conte‘s Chelsea won the Premier League in swashbuckling style using a back three in 2017, the system suddenly became all the rage.

How Ruud van Nistelrooy’s ‘donut solution’ kicked off Ruben Amorim’s Man Utd revolution early

Even Arsene Wenger, after more than 20 years of deploying a back four at Arsenal, dabbled with it during his final season at the Emirates.

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These days, however, back threes have become more scarce.

In fact, none of last season’s top 13 used it as their primary formation.

Despite Sporting’s left wing-back Maxi Araujo grabbing a goal on the night, it was actually right wing-back Geovany Quenda who consistently got further forward.

TEENAGE SENSATION

The Guinea-Bissau-born wonderkid is just 17-years-old but has already made himself a regular in Sporting’s first team.

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As a left-footer playing on the right, Quenda cut inside to great effect as he created Sporting’s equaliser.

His brilliant through-ball found Gyokeres who, having fluffed an earlier one-on-one, made no mistake when through on Ederson‘s goal for a second time.

This sort of chance was typical of the service Gyokeres received all night, with Sporting consistently forcing turnovers with their solid base.

BUILDING A PLATFORM

Irrespective of conceding a harsh penalty in the second-half, which Erling Haaland went on to miss anyway, 20-year-old centre-back Ousmane Diomande was impressive at the heart of Sporting’s defence.

While midfielders Hidemasa Morita and Morten Hjulmand offered excellent protection and were rarely far from the scene when Sporting’s back line needed help.

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As soon as Sporting won the ball back, Gyokeres would be sent on his way.

It was Araujo’s turn to cause havoc from the left wing-back position right at the start of the second period, the Uruguayan converting beyond Ederson after a brilliant run by Pedro Goncalves.

Gyokeres then showed coolness to convert two penalties and complete his hat-trick.

Amorim will have another crack at Pep Guardiola in April, as United host City at Old Trafford in the Portuguese’s first Manchester derby.

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When he begins work at Carrington on Monday, United’s new boss will seek to begin developing a Red Devils team that can emulate what Sporting did to City tonight.

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MMA

Tracy Cortez withdraws from Miranda Maverick bout in Tampa

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Tracy Cortez withdraws from Miranda Maverick bout in Tampa

Tracy Cortez vs. Miranda Maverick is off once again, this time due to injury.

Scheduled for UFC on ESPN 63 in Tampa, Fla., Cortez (11-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) has withdrawn from the bout against Maverick (14-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) due to injury. The event takes place Dec. 14 at Amalie Arena.

Two people with knowledge of the situation recently informed MMA Junkie of the change but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Cortez and Maverick were originally scheduled to fight July 20 in Las Vegas. However, when Maycee Barber fell out of a July 13 main event in Denver, Cortez was slotted in against Rose Namajunas.

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In her first promotional main event, Cortez lost to Namajunas by unanimous decision. One week later, Maverick defeated fill-in Dione Barbosa by unanimous decision.

While no replacement for Cortez has been locked yet, Maverick is expected to remain on the card against a different opponent.

With the change, the current UFC on ESPN 63 lineup includes:

  • Ian Machado Garry vs. Joaquin Buckley
  • Mackenzie Dern vs. Amanda Ribas
  • Dustin Jacoby vs. Vitor Petrino
  • Tracy Cortez vs. Miranda Maverick
  • Josefine Knutsson vs. Piera Rodriguez
  • Navajo Stirling vs. Tuco Tokkos
  • Davey Grant vs. Ramon Taveras
  • Manel Kape vs. Bruno Silva
  • Ottman Azaitar vs. Michael Johnson
  • Daniel Marcos vs. Adrian Yanez

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 63.

Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.

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Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon expected to miss multiple weeks with calf strain

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Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon expected to miss multiple weeks with calf strain


Denver Nuggets power forward Aaron Gordon is expected to miss multiple weeks with a strained right calf, two people familiar with the injury told The Associated Press.

The people spoke on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the extent of the injury hasn’t been announced. Gordon left Monday’s win over Toronto in the first quarter and didn’t return.

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His absence is a blow for a team that’s been without guard Jamal Murray (concussion protocol) for the last two games.

Gordon is averaging 15.4 points and 6.7 rebounds this season while playing 30 minutes a night.

The 29-year-old Gordon signed a four-year, $133 million contract extension just before the start of the season. He was an integral piece when the franchise captured its first NBA championship in 2022-23.

Gordon was originally drafted by Orlando with the fourth overall pick in 2014. He was traded to the Nuggets in March 2021 and has become a fan favorite with his play around the rim and his energizing dunks.

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Before the season, Gordon switched jersey numbers to No. 32 in honor his brother, Drew, who died last spring in an auto accident in Oregon.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

[Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.]

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Sporting 4-1 Manchester City: Pep Guardiola post match press conference

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Sporting 4-1 Manchester City: Pep Guardiola post match press conference

A defiant Pep Guardiola says he relishes the challenge ahead for the season as Manchester City suffer their third defeat in a row across all competitions, losing 4-1 to Sporting CP on match week four of the Champions League.

MATCH REPORT: Sporting CP 4-1 Manchester City

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MMA

Chihiro Suzuki vs. Kleber Koike title rematch to headline RIZIN’s NYE show

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Chihiro Suzuki vs. Kleber Koike title rematch to headline RIZIN’s NYE show

RIZIN Fighting Federation will close the year with a highly anticipated featherweight title rematch between champion Chihiro Suzuki and former titleholder Kleber Koike, the company announced Tuesday.

RIZIN DECADE will take place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, on Dec. 31, and air live through its own pay-per-view platform. Suzuki vs. Koike will serve as the main event.

Koike (33-7-1, 1 no contest) was the 145-pound champion when he first scheduled to face Suzuki inside the ring in June of 2023, but lost the title on the scale after missing weight. Per RIZIN rules, an overweight fighter can’t win a bout, so his first-round submission victory over Suzuki was automatically overturned to a no-contest.

The Brazilian veteran, a former KSW champion as well, won his past two with first-round finishes over Yutaka Saito and Juan Archuleta to earn a crack at the belt that now belongs to Suzuki.

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Suzuki (13-3, 1 no contest) won three in a row since his match with Koike, scoring a huge upset against Bellator champion Patricio Pitbull before claiming RIZIN gold with a quick knockout over Vugar Karamov. Suzuki last defended his belt with a first-round knockout against veteran Masanori Kanehara.

The 25-year-old Japanese was expected to face Manny Pacquiao in a three-round boxing exhibition, but was later replaced by kickboxing veteran Rukiya Anpo. The bout ended in a draw.

RIZIN has yet to announce other match-ups for the card, but MMA Fighting has learned that undefeated welterweight Igor Tanabe is expected to be part of the card. The 5-0 grappler was scheduled to face Marcos Yoshio de Souza at RIZIN Landmark 10 on Nov. 17, but Souza was forced of the match due to an injury.

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Noel Gallagher hit by commentator’s curse as eight-word statement live on TNT Sports backfires horribly

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Noel Gallagher hit by commentator's curse as eight-word statement live on TNT Sports backfires horribly

Brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher have a long history of ongoing fights – both physical and verbal – here’s the full history of the band and what they’ve said to each other.

1991 – Liam Gallagher forms Oasis with Paul Arthurs, Paul McGuigan and Tony McCarroll, later asking Noel to join.

1993 – The band sign to Creation Records and start work on their debut album.

August 1994 – Oasis shoot to fame with their debut album, Definitely Maybe, with tracks including Rock n Roll Star, Live Forever and Supersonic. It’s one of the fastest selling debuts ever for a British band.

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September 1994 – Noel temporarily leaves the band’s tour after Liam smacks him in the face with a tambourine on stage in Los Angeles.

1995 – The band release their second album, (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? which features Wonderwall, Don’t Look Back in Anger, and Champagne Supernova.

1996 – Liam is forced to sit out a leg of tour shows due to laryngitis, but causes chaos when he was filmed heckling his brother from a balcony while a taping of MTV Unplugged.

2000 – Noel quits the band temporarily for a second time when, while partying in Barcelona, Liam riles Noel by questioning if his daughter, Anais, is actually his. The pair get into a fist fight.

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2005 – Noel tells Q Magazine that he’s ‘never forgiven’ Liam for his comments about Anais and he’s ‘never apologised. He tells the mag: “He’s my brother. I hope he’s reading this and realises that. He’s my brother but he’s at arm’s length until he apologises for what he’s done.”

2009 – Noel admits in an interview with Q that he ‘doesn’t like Liam’, branding him “rude, arrogant, intimidating, and lazy”. “He’s the angriest man you’ll ever meet,” he added. “He’s like a man with a fork in a world of soup.”

Liam later retaliates and tells NME: “It takes more than blood to be my brother. He doesn’t like me and I don’t like him.”

August 23, 2009 – Oasis pull out of a headline slot at V Festival in the UK due to Liam having laryngitis.

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August 28, 2009 – Ahead of the Rock en Seine festival, Noel and Liam get into another fight, during which time Liam breaks one of Noel’s guitars after “waving it like an axe” according to Noel.

August 28, 2009 – Noel quits the band for the third and final time, saying in a statement: “It’s with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer.”

2010 – Oasis win ‘best album of the last 30 years’ at the Brit Awards for (What’s the Story) Morning Glory. Liam picks up the gong, and thanks everyone except Noel. He later says this was misinterpreted as a dig.

2011 – Liam tries to sue Noel after he claims in the interview they cancelled their V Festival performance due to Liam being hungover. Liam disputed it said the comment “questioned my professionalism”. He later apologised and the lawsuit was dropped.

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2011 – Noel admits regrets at quitting before the Paris gig, telling Absolute Radio and admits if he did “we may never have split up.”

2011 – 2014 – Liam and the other bandmates continue under new name, Beady Eye, while Noel forms new band, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.

2015 – After years of jabs online, especially through media and Twitter, Liam teases he’s buried the hatchet with Noel by sharing an All Areas pass from a High Flying Birds gig. However, the fight would recommence two months later after Noel publicly dismissed suggestion Oasis would reunite for Glastonbury 2016.

2017 – Liam performs at Manchester’s One Love concert after the bombing at Ariana Grande’s show, with Don’t Look Back In Anger becoming a unifying anthem for the incident. He then slams Noel for not attending. Noel later tells Sunday Times: “Young music fan were slaughtered, and he, twice, takes it somewhere to be about him. He needs to see somebody.”

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2018 – Liam suggests a reunion for the 2018 World Cup on Twitter, writing: “let’s get the big O back together and stop f***ing about the drinks are on me”. When it fell on deaf ears, he added: “I’ll take that as a NO then.”

2019 – Noel speaks out after Liam sends ‘threatening messages’ to Anais after a comment made about then wife Sara McDonald. Liam later apologises publicly to Anais.

2020 – Liam urges Noel to reunite for a one-off charity gig.

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