Cody Rhodes will walk into WrestleMania 42 as the undisputed WWE champion as he took the title back from Drew McIntyre on “Friday Night SmackDown.”
Rhodes and McIntyre were locked in a brutal feud that ended with them locking horns for the title on Friday night. “The American Nightmare” hit McIntyre with a Cody Cutter from the top rope and then hit McIntyre with the Cross Rhodes in the center of the ring.
Cody Rhodes holds the title belt during SmackDown at Moda Center on March 6, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.(Melina Pizano/WWE via Getty Images)
He pinned McIntyre and the celebration began.
Jacob Fatu also got his hand involved in the match as well, taking a chair away from McIntyre who was set to use it for nefarious purposes.
The match was arranged at the Elimination Chamber when McIntyre got himself involved in Rhodes’ attempt to win the match and give himself an opportunity for the title at WrestleMania. He did enough to cost Rhodes then, but SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis sparked his own war of words with McIntyre and booked the title match.
Cody Rhodes celebrate’s his win during SmackDown at Moda Center on March 6, 2026 in Portland, Oregon.(Melina Pizano/WWE via Getty Images)
It ended with Rhodes back on top of the championship picture and earning his spot at WrestleMania 42. It’s his third reign as Undisputed WWE champion.
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He will be going up against Randy Orton, who won the men’s Elimination Chamber match. Orton and Rhodes have a long backstory that began when Rhodes was in Orton’s faction in 2008. About 16 years later, the two will have match on “the grandest stage of them all.”
There are now five matches solidified for the event, though the days on which the matches will take place have not been figured out.
CM Punk will defend the World Heavyweight Championship against men’s Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns. Women’s Royal Rumble winner Liv Morgan will challenge Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s World Championship.
Randy Orton celebrates his win during WWE Elimination Chamber at the United Center on Feb. 28, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.(Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)
Women’s Elimination Chamber winner Rhea Ripley will go up against Jade Cargill, while Brock Lesnar issued an open challenge for anyone brave enough to go up against him.
WrestleMania 42 will take place on April 18 and April 19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Russell Wilson and Breiden Fehoko shared a roster in 2024. Now, the defensive tackle is looking to share a ring with Logan Paul. In a move ripped straight out of “Rocky,” Paul announced a $1 million open bet to any NFL players willing to fight. However, he claimed that “no one” wanted to fight out of the spotlight but still set the venue to be his gym.
Fehoko responded to the post with knives, calling out the fighter on X in a Friday response.
Thanks for the submission!
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“You put up a challenge, now you moving the goalposts,” he posted. “I’ll whoop your a** in a church parking lot. I don’t even want your money no more stop ducking smoke. I’ll fly out on my own dime to fight you or your clown a** brother. Let’s see how strong that jaw is.”
Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!
Of course, as with any pre-fight build-up, there is always a question of whether the beef is real. In this case, if a fight with no spotlight goes down, it will be clear that the beef was real. However, if the fight makes its way into any kind of spotlight, questions will be asked.
Logan Paul and Le’Veon Bell respond to Breiden Fehoko’s challenge
Logan Paul speaks into a microphone – Monday Night RAW – Source: Getty
Breiden Fehoko’s response didn’t take long to cause a reaction. Le’Veon Bell, who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2013 to 2017, floated a “2v2” idea that seemingly would pit the brothers against Bell and Fehoko.
“lol let’s go 2v2 them boys 😭,” Bell responded.
Bell has been fighting in his post-NFL life, but the tone of his post suggested he might have been joking. Paul was seemingly much more serious with his response.
“Wait so are you down or not bc it sounds like you don’t have the money. I’ll send you same contract as Le’Veon if you’re in for next weekend,” Paul posted.
The Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher did not respond to Paul in a comment but instead in a quote post for all to see.
Of course, with things reaching a new level in the brewing conflict, it could have an effect on his future in the NFL.
Fehoko is set to hit free agency this week after a voided 2025 contract with Pittsburgh, per Spotrac. If he’s publicly picking fights in another athletic setting, it could seal the deal on his exit from the NFL.
AEW Revolution is the next pay-per-view for All Elite Wrestling this year in its programming. Tony Khan has been doing an incredible job of building the show into one of the company’s most important stops. Therefore, fans have significant hype for the event. The show takes place in March, around the spring season every year. It also marks the beginning of the build of AEW’s biggest shows of the year, Dynasty and All In.
Therefore, by bringing top stars on this pay-per-view, Tony Khan can propel them on big storylines later on. While it is unclear who will return or make their debut at Revolution this time, over the years, Revolution has proven to be a big stage for All Elite Wrestling, where many big stars have made their debut.
In this article, let’s take a look at 3 current/former stars who made their AEW debut at Revolution PPV:
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#3. Ethan Page
Ethan Page has been working in WWE on the NXT brand for the past few years. But Page has also been in AEW, and he made his debut for the promotion at Revolution 2021. It was an iconic moment that made a lot of buzz all over social media. During the show, AEW announced a 6-Man Face of the Revolution ladder match for a future AEW TNT Championship match that featured stars like Cody Rhodes and Penta.
However, Tony Khan kept the identity of the sixth participant of the match a mystery until the date of the show. At Revolution 2021, Page appeared at All Elite Wrestling for the first time with his All Ego persona. The former IMPACT star received a loud reaction from the fans sitting in the arena, making it a positive debut. While Page failed to win the ladder match, he made a solid impact on the show.
#2. Christian Cage
Christian Cage has been one of the biggest signings of All Elite Wrestling since its inception. Interestingly, Cage made his debut with the company at Revolution pay-per-view in the year 2021. Leading up to the event, Paul Wight announced that a “Hall of Fame-worthy” star will sign his All Elite Wrestling contract at Revolution. There was massive hype among the fans for this one, and when it was revealed, fans were in a frenzy.
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The Patriarch simply walked out of the curtain with a classy smile to reveal himself as the Hall of Fame-worthy signing. A contract was at the stage, and Christian Cage did not waste any time signing the paper for a multi-year contract. Then the former WWE star walked into the ring to greet the fans. It was an iconic moment in AEW history that certainly changed the landscape of the company.
#1. Swerve Strickland made his debut at AEW Revolution
Swerve Strickland is inarguably the most decorated star in the company. The Mogul also made his debut with the company at Revolution pay-per-view in the year 2022. At the event, Tony Schiavone announced The New Flavor on the stage as an All Elite superstar. The Realest then made his first entrance in the company with a stern look before signing his multi-year deal with All Elite Wrestling.
Strickland came from a decent run with WWE back then, and his debut in All Elite Wrestling looked pretty promising. Revolution 2022 marked the beginning of a generational run in pro-wrestling for The Mogul. From there, Strickland went on to become an AEW World Champion and shared the ring with top stars like Hangman Page and Bryan Danielson.
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In the words of Lee Corso, “Not so fast, my friend!”
On this week’s episode of GOLF’s Fully Equipped, co-hosts Johnny Wunder and Jake Morrow explored why the different OEMs all measure the length of golf clubs differently.
While the USGA officially measures length by placing the sole of the club on a 60-degree plane and then measuring from the intersection of the shaft and that plane to the end of the grip cap, not all OEMs do it this way.
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“I had this discussion today with a lot of the guys, and the general consensus is the reason for it is they all think that you should measure from a different spot, essentially,” Morrow said. “Some of them measure from the middle of the sole, some of them only measure length once you have bent the irons, because if you bend the iron flat, they get longer. Right, like it’s longer, shorter, so they only will measure them after you bend them. Some of them measure it before you bend them. Some of them are on a 60-degree ruler.”
Because of all these different measurement methods, OEM Tour Trucks actually have a marking on their rulers for what a 46-inch driver on a USGA ruler would be, so they can ensure all of their drivers are conforming.
While this doesn’t affect the general consumer too often, you see it show up when ordering irons because some companies, like Titleist, Callaway and TaylorMade, have a standard length of 37″ for a 7-iron while Cobra, Mizuno and Srixon list it at 37.25″. Yet, those clubs might all be the same length.
So why wouldn’t this just be standardized to the USGA method?
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“The reason why I think that there’s no urgency to get it done at an OEM level is because there is a little level of unpredictability from truck to truck and OEM to OEM,” Wunder suggested. “So it basically incentivizes them to go, no, we’re going to do it our way. We measure on this ruler.”
So they next time you go looking for a specific length, make sure you know which ruler that club is getting measured on, because the difference could mean something later on.
A stroke of fortune for England, Seb Atkinson’s ill-conceived crossfield kick half-blocked but landing in the hands of Bevan Rodd, ruled onside thanks to the Italian touch. But that’s fortune for Italy, the ball bouncing free at a ruck with England building momentum in the 22.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 March 2026 18:22
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Italy 16-18 England, 71 minutes
Some pick-up from Elliot Daly, there, as if at second slip as he scoops off his bootlaces after Tom Roebuck’s tap back.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 March 2026 18:21
Italy 16-18 England, 69 minutes
It feels mightily tense in Rome – pressure on England after back-to-back defeats, pressure on Italy with an historic win in sight. Lorenzo Pani and Monty Ioane get in a mix up over a Jack van Poortvliet box kick, though there are enough Italian shirts there to pick up the pieces. Alessandro Fusco hooks a superb clearance away with his left boot beyond halfway.
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(AFP via Getty Images)
Harry Latham-Coyle7 March 2026 18:20
Italy 16-18 England, 67 minutes
England are still in the mire, particularly with Jamie George increasingly struggling. He takes his time before picking out his target right at the front of the lineout, clearing enough space for Jack van Poortvliet to clear.
Here comesOllie Chessum…and that’s superb impact from the lock, up like lightning at the front to steal an Italy lineout. Van Poortvliet is then tackled in the air, foolishly – penalty to England, and Sam Underhill returns. Luke Cowan-Dickie will soon be on to relieve George, too.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 March 2026 18:18
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Italy 16-18 England, 66 minutes
A vital defensive stand from England! Ben Earl, that is superb, almost single-handedly halting an Italian maul and then hauling it towards touch. With just six forwards to defend the drive, that’s some effort.
Gonzalo Quesada spreads his hands in disbelief – that’s four 22 entries for just one try so far for his side, a persisent problem throughout this competition.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 March 2026 18:16
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YELLOW CARD! Maro Itoje is sent to the sin bin! Italy 16-18 England, 65 minutes
And England are down to 13! Maro Itoje follows Sam Underhill to the sin bin, deemed to have cynically slapped the ball out of Alessandro Fusco’s hands at the back of a maul.
Wow. England are up the proverbial here, even with that narrow lead. Italy kick into the 22.
(Adam Davy/PA Wire)
Harry Latham-Coyle7 March 2026 18:14
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Sam Underhill’s sanction stays a yellow card! Italy 16-18 England, 64 minutes
Good news for England – Sam Underhill will be back once his 10 minutes in the sin bin have elapsed. A high degree of danger in the tackle but mitigation from the presence of Ellis Genge and a late change in direction.
Italy are back to 15 men – Tommaso Di Bartolomeo replaces Giacomo Nicotera.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 March 2026 18:13
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Italy 16-18 England, 62 minutes
Elliot Daly beats both Monty Ioane and Federico Ruzza in a phonebox, but ends up smashed through the glass by the next tackler. Into touch.
Harry Latham-Coyle7 March 2026 18:11
PENALTY! ITALY 16-18 England (Paolo Garbisi, 61 minutes)
A friendly peck off the post and Paolo Garbisi’s kick goes through. Pressure on England with Italy back within a couple of points.
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Harry Latham-Coyle7 March 2026 18:10
Italy 13-18 England, 59 minutes
Fin Smith looks to be cramping up – the fly half grasped at his right hamstring immediately after taking the restart. No sign of Marcus Smith just yet.
And Italy are beginning to surge. They snatch England;s lineout ball at the front and fling the ball away to the right. Louis Lynagh puts the ball in behind via his boot, and Italian support arrives to earn another breakdown penalty.
Nigeria’s two biggest stars in the Turkish Super Lig, Victor Osimhen and Wilfred Ndidi, will face each other on Saturday evening when Galatasaray take on Besiktas in the famous Istanbul derby.
The match will take place at Tupras Stadium and is one of the most intense fixtures in Turkish football. For Nigerian fans, the game is special as it will see two key Super Eagles players compete on opposite sides.
Both players were important for Nigeria during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. Ndidi captained the team while Osimhen scored four goals as the Super Eagles finished third in the tournament.
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At national team level, the two players work closely together. Ndidi protects the defence from midfield while Osimhen leads the attack. But on Saturday, they will try to stop each other.
Osimhen goes into the match as one of the top players in the Turkish league. The Galatasaray striker has enjoyed a strong season, scoring 10 league goals and adding seven more in the UEFA Champions League.
The Nigerian forward recently returned from injury and made an immediate impact by scoring and providing an assist in Galatasaray’s 3-1 win over Alanyaspor.
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Reports from the club say Osimhen has also been motivating his teammates during training.
“Osimhen is very motivated and continues to energise the team. He has also been encouraging his teammates strongly in training,” a club source said.
Galatasaray currently sit at the top of the Super Lig table with 58 points, four points ahead of rivals Fenerbahce. The team is also preparing for a Champions League round-of-16 match against Liverpool next week.
However, they must first overcome Besiktas in the derby.
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Ndidi will play a key role for Besiktas. The Nigerian midfielder joined the club last summer and has quickly become one of their most important players.
His defensive work, leadership and ability to win the ball have helped the team enjoy an impressive run of form.
Besiktas are currently unbeaten in their last 18 matches in all competitions and have gone 13 league games without defeat. The run has lifted them to fourth place on the table with 46 points.
Ndidi also delivered an excellent performance last weekend, scoring a ninth-minute header in Besiktas’ 4-0 victory over Goztepe.
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The midfielder has become the shield in front of the defence, stopping attacks and helping the team maintain balance.
Osimhen and Ndidi have faced each other before at club level. One of their most memorable meetings came when Napoli played Leicester City in European competition, with Osimhen scoring twice in a 2-2 draw.
Earlier this season, Galatasaray and Besiktas also played a 1-1 draw in the reverse league fixture.
With both players yet to record a win over the other, Saturday’s derby offers them another chance to settle the rivalry.
To understand Chloe Kelly’s year and the series of game-turning inventions that led to the historic successes in Lisbon and Basel, you have to go back to her bathroom floor in Liverpool and the toughest period of her life. Kelly could not get up from it, sick with anxiety and struggling with panic attacks, crushed by the feeling of not being in control of her own future. It was January 2025, a few months before the Euros, and Kelly was desperate to move away from Manchester City and to get more minutes on the pitch. Not just that, she needed to take charge again.
Even at her lowest, she knew the determination and talent were still there; what was missing was a sense of purpose and the joy she first felt dribbling a ball when growing up in the five-a-side street cages of west London. A journey that began by trekking across the city after school with Lotte Wubben-Moy to get to Arsenal’s academy, taking the underground, a train, a bus and finally a walk over the M25, was in danger of fizzling out as the hours ticked towards the transfer deadline. She felt as if the door to getting out was closing. At the age of 27, she was prepared to walk away and quit.
But, clearly, that was not Chloe Kelly’s year, not after a summer that was shaped by how both she and the Lionesses refused to bend or break but then rose above everything in their way.
To mark International Women’s Day, Kelly has been named top of The Independent’s influence list, in recognition of the role she played in England’s Euro 2025 triumph. The Lionesses successfully defended their European crown and became the first senior England side, men’s or women’s, to win a major tournament on foreign soil.
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Under the fiercest pressure, Kelly stayed calm and composed to score the winning penalty in the Euro 2025 final against Spain (Getty)
“It’s not the action, it’s the reaction,” Kelly said during the rollercoaster of England’s run. The match-winner in the transformative Euro 2022 final at Wembley three years before, Kelly was reborn from the resilience and strength she had shown when all had appeared lost. By the end, her growth and England’s survival in Switzerland came to mirror each other.
“My journey and taking control of my own destiny, writing your own script, was really important,” Kelly tells The Independent. Shehas a powerful sense of what her message is and what it represents: that speaking up when feeling down can be the first step towards turning a story around.
For Kelly, it was posting where she stood and where she was coming from. Her situation at City, she told her millions of followers on Instagram, was having “a huge impact on not only my career but my mental wellbeing” – it was not necessarily a cry for help, but a vow to not suffer in silence. “The world’s full of social media where you see great things all the time, but sometimes you have to see the realness,” she says. “I’m proud I did do that, because I don’t think I’d be in the position I am in without it.”
It led to her deadline day return to Arsenal, initially on loan, as well as a reframing of her season. At Arsenal, she told her new coach, Renee Slegers, that she wanted to enjoy her football again. At the Lionesses, Sarina Wiegman took the pressure off trying to make her Euros squad away by letting her know she had time. Outside of her close bubble of family and friends, there was understanding, too. “It’s important, especially for young girls, to see that not everything is bright and daisy, not everything is about winning,” Kelly says. “Sometimes it’s the dark moments that get you to those winning moments.”
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Not that it was immediately clear how dark those moments were. Kelly recently told Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place podcast that her hair was falling out due to the stress of her situation at Manchester City, and that she was conscious of covering the patches during her first few games at Arsenal. But after settling back into a familiar environment, the smile returned, and Kelly started to put things together piece by piece. A starring role in Arsenal’s comeback against Real Madrid was followed by the full-circle moment of helping the Gunners become European champions again in Lisbon, following the example of her idols Kelly Smith and Rachel Yankey from 18 years before.
Kelly became a European champion at both club and country months after considering quitting the game (Getty)
‘Sometimes it’s the dark moments that get you to those winning moments’ (Getty)
And then there was the Euros – “the most chaotic tournament ever”, as Wiegman famously said. “Going down, it didn’t phase us,” adds the super-sub whose arrival off the bench would signal a shift in mentality from the Lionesses and bring a change-changing moment. There were two assists to rescue England against Sweden, and another crucial penalty in that quarter-final shoot-out. Coming on again against Italy, Kelly scored the winner at the end of extra time. Then, in the final and another shoot-out, the ball was again placed in Kelly’s hands. And yet it is in those moments, where time stands still, that Kelly thrives the most.
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But for confidence to be declared unbreakable, it needs to be tested. Kelly’s was. At the Euros, other moments would become just as iconic because of how she responded; to standing on the touchline until the 78th minute against Sweden, as England trailed in the quarter-finals; to putting a last-minute corner into the side-netting against Italy, as the Lionesses desperately chased an equaliser; to missing three penalties in training on the day before the Euros final, knowing she was still going to be given the fifth if it went to the shootout.
These were also the moments that made Kelly’s year, as they gave her the opportunity to show that what comes next is always what matters. “The action is always the one you think about, but the reaction is what makes the story even better. I think that does shape the whole of 2025 for me,” Kelly says. “You have to ride the wave at times, and speak out, and be proud of speaking out too. Hopefully, it inspired many women and young girls this year to achieve great things. For me, it’s just being real.”
Read The Independent’s influence list for International Women’s Day 2026 here.
Liverpool suffered a frustrating 2-1 defeat at Wolves on Tuesday, a result that felt depressingly familiar. After a flat first-half display, the Reds fought back from an early deficit only to concede an injury-time winner. For Arne Slot, the match epitomised a season of inconsistencies and underperformance, raising serious questions about the club’s position in the Premier League this year.
‘The same old story’
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Slot described the Wolves loss as “the same old story,” and his frustration was evident. From predictable lapses to late-game collapses, the pattern of disappointing performances has persisted all season. The team that once won the Premier League title now finds itself under real threat of finishing outside the top five, a dramatic fall just 12 months after reaching the summit.
Can Slot turn it around?
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The critical question is whether Slot can reverse this slump. Evidence so far suggests it may be unlikely. The argument for extending his tenure beyond the current campaign is weakening, as Liverpool’s recent form has undermined confidence in the Dutchman’s ability to maintain success.
Emotional Loyalty vs. Rational Decisions
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Many supporters are still hesitant to call for Slot’s dismissal, partly due to his historic achievement of winning the title in his debut season and partly because of the emotional connection with his leadership. Slot is one of only two managers to deliver a championship to Liverpool in the past 36 years. Fans’ loyalty is often rooted in gratitude for the joy of that victory rather than a rational assessment of current performance.
The club’s tradition of backing managers through hard times also plays a role, in line with Liverpool’s ethos of “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” However, past achievements cannot mask the present reality: Liverpool’s current struggles put Champions League qualification, and the club’s financial stability following a record-breaking £450 million investment in players and wages, at risk.
Contextual challenges
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Slot deserves credit for several mitigating circumstances. He navigated the tragic loss of Diogo Jota, managed injuries to key players including Alexander Isak, and handled tensions with star forward Mohamed Salah. Additionally, his tactical adjustments transformed a squad that had finished third under Jurgen Klopp into Premier League champions.
Yet even with these considerations, Liverpool’s current form is unacceptable for a team of their calibre. Sitting fifth, 16 points behind an average Arsenal side, is a stark indicator of regression.
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Poor results and underwhelming performances
Slot’s future may depend not only on results but also on the quality of performances. Unfortunately for the manager, the Reds’ displays have matched their disappointing outcomes. Between late November and mid-January, Liverpool went 10 league games undefeated but only secured four wins, posting underwhelming performances against newly promoted sides like Sunderland, Leeds, and Burnley.
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Even during a short three-game winning streak, the results were misleading. Victories at Sunderland and West Ham were aided by late goals or set-piece situations, while the win at Nottingham Forest relied on a 97th-minute strike by Alexis Mac Allister. Underneath the surface, Liverpool’s performances have lacked consistency, creativity, and dominance, highlighting deeper issues in both mentality and execution.
Liverpool’s season has been a stark contrast to their title-winning campaign. While Arne Slot has earned respect for his achievements and handling of exceptional challenges, his ability to maintain elite performance is under scrutiny. With the top-five finish under threat and Champions League qualification in jeopardy, the club faces a critical period in evaluating whether past loyalty can outweigh present underperformance.
“Last night around midnight I received several very disturbing messages on WhatsApp from an unknown number on my personal phone. The person told me that if I didn’t lose my match today, they would harm members of my family,” Udvardy posted on Instagram, along with screenshots of the messages, regarding her match against Anhelina Kalinina at the Megasaray Hotels Open, which she lost in two sets.
Lucrezia Stefanini and Panna Udvardy both received threatening messages, ordering them to lose recent tennis matches.(Flaviu Buboi, Robert Prangevia Getty Images)
“They said they knew where my family lives, what cars they drive and that they had their phone numbers. They even sent photos of my family members and a picture of a gun.”
The message Udvardy received said the culprit or culprits “know everything about your family and you” and were “ready for war if necessary, and we won’t hesitate to send them to your mother’s house to kidnap her until she returns the money we would lose because of your disobedience.”
Udvardy said she contacted the Women’s Tennis Association, and three additional police officers were sent to her match “which I’m extremely grateful for.” Police also went to her parents and grandmother’s homes, she added.
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Panna Udvardy of Hungary in action against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in the Women’s Singles first round match on Day 2 of the French Open at Roland Garros on May 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (Robert Prange/Getty Images)
The message Stefanini received was eerily similar.
“I received a WhatsApp message in which I was threatened over winning yesterday’s match. They threatened me and my family and named my parents, the place where I was born, and they sent me a photo of a gun,” Stefanini said in an Instagram post of her own.
Stefanini, too, told the WTA about the situation, and she also received boosted security.
“I’m making this video and explaining what happened because I don’t think it’s right to put me under this pressure and unease before a match,” Stefanini said.
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Lucrezia Stefanini of Italy in action during day one of the Upper Austria Ladies Linz 2024 on Jan. 28, 2024, in Linz, Austria.(Alexander Scheuber/Getty Images for MatchMaker)
“Even as athletes or public figures, it’s not acceptable to receive threats against our families, especially not on our private phone numbers and alongside disturbing images. We should not normalize abuse like this in sport.”
Stefanini lost her Indian Wells qualifying match in three sets.
Wrexham and Chelsea are meeting for the first time since the 1981-82 season. That season, Wrexham and Chelsea played an FA Cup fourth-round tie that required two additional replays.
Wrexham are into the fifth round for the first time since the 1996-97 season. They reached the quarter-finals that season, one of three times they have reached that stage after 973-74 and 1977-78.
Jamie Braidwood7 March 2026 17:15
Wrexham’s ‘everything to gain, nothing to lose’ mindset
After consecutive promotions, Wrexham are the in-form team in the Championship, up into the play-off places and on a run of three straight wins. The Premier League may be the ultimate goal, but Phil Parkinson says the FA Cup is not a distraction.
“When we beat Ipswich (in the fourth round) we spoke to the lads about putting the Chelsea game on the backburner, concentrate on the league form,” Parkinson said. “We go into this weekend with an ‘everything to gain, nothing to lose’ mindset, but also in a strong position in the league.
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“This is the next stage for us against a team of Chelsea’s quality. The main thing on the night is to bring our best performance, but also for ourselves, to see where we are individually and collectively against a team of this standing.”
Jamie Braidwood7 March 2026 17:08
Hollywood in the house
Co-owner Ryan Reynolds is in attendance this afternoon and the Deadpool star has been glad-handing pre-match
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(Getty Images)
(Martin Rickett/PA Wire)
(AFP via Getty Images)
Jamie Braidwood7 March 2026 16:56
Wrexham team news
And here’s how Wrexham line up. Central midfielder George Dobson was an injury doubt as he recovers from wrist surgery but he’s fit to start.
However, Issy Kabore isn’t in the squad after suffering hamstring tightness and Nathan Broadhead is only on the bench after a knock last time out.
Sam Smith leads the line with Lewis O’Brien and Ollie Rathbone among the other attacking threats.
The teams are out and here’s how Chelsea will line up. Nine changes from their last match – will that rotation give Wrexham a chance…?
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Rory Delap will lead the line, with Pedro Neto and Alejandro Garnacho providing the other creative attacking heft.
It looks potentially like three at the back with Tosin, Benoit Badiashile and Mamadou Sarr as that trio and then Josh Acheampong and Jorrel Hato as the wing-backs.
Chelsea’s impressive record against lower-league opposition
Speaking of, the last time Chelsea lost to a team from a lower division in the FA Cup was that 4-2 defeat to Phil Parkinson’s Bradford in 2015, with the Blues winning their last 24 ties.
Among top-flight teams, only Arsenal (28 from January 1998 to January 2013) and Man Utd (30 from January 1985 to February 2009) have had a longer run of eliminating lower league teams.
Jamie Braidwood7 March 2026 16:30
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Wrexham boss has special memories of facing Chelsea in FA Cup
Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson is already responsible for one famous FA Cup upset against Chelsea.
He was in charge of Bradford when they came from 2-0 down to beat Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea 4-2 at Stamford Bridge in a fourth-round clash in 2015.
“I was thinking about it this week leading into the game,” Parkinson said. “The build-up to that, the preparations and the principles we took into the game.
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“We were two down but playing well in the game. We didn’t let it knock us, we kept believing and stuck to the game plan and got the goal back before half-time. Obviously it was a memorable second half!
“We mentioned that to the players, on Saturday everything is possible.”
(Nick Potts/PA Wire)
Jamie Braidwood7 March 2026 16:15
Liam Rosenior ‘delighted’ to have Romeo Lavia available from start
After spending three and a half months out, Romeo Lavia played 15 minutes in each of the team’s last two games, last Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Arsenal and the 4-1 win over Aston Villa in midweek, and Liam Rosenior was optimistic of the midfielder playing a significant role in the coming months, starting with Saturday’s fifth-round tie.
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“I’m delighted for him,” he said. “Romeo will definitely play a part. He’ll play a huge part for the rest of the season.
“We know his attributes. He’s been itching to play. We’ve tried to build him in the best possible way. He’s definitely going to play in these next few games.”
(Getty)
Jamie Braidwood7 March 2026 16:00
What is the Chelsea team news?
For Chelsea, Romeo Lavia will feature but this match will likely come too soon for Dario Essugo and Estevao and Jamie Gittens is also sidelined until later this month. The main decisions for Rosenior will concern who to start, considering the club have a Champions League tie against PSG coming up, as well as who to pick in goal, after dropping Robert Sanchez for the win at Aston Villa.
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Possible Chelsea XI: Jorgensen; Gusto, Tosin, Sarr, Hato; Santos, Lavia; Palmer, Fernandez, Garnacho; Delap.
Jamie Braidwood7 March 2026 15:45
What is the Wrexham team news?
The hosts could be missing a key trio in the form of George Dobson, Issy Kabore and Nathan Broadhead, who are all doubts. Dobson required surgery on his wrist, while Broadhead took a knock last time out and Kabore has supposed tightness in his hamstring.
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Ben Sheaf, Liberato Cacace and Matty James are also doubts, while Lewis Brunt and Aaron James are both sidelined.
