Oct 25, 2025; Pullman, Washington, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Zevi Eckhaus (4) is tackled by Toledo Rockets safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren (7) in the second half at Gesa Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-Imagn Images
Generally speaking, mock drafts before free agency tell us nothing. There’s still almost two months of scouting to be done, a ton of conversations, visits, pro days, etc.
And, of course, players to be signed starting next week. So why do one now? To familiarize ourselves with some prospects, see what the Vikings could do if the draft were tonight, and some of the holes on the roster.
It’s a Safety and RB Out of the Gate for MIN in the Draft
Whether or not the Vikings choose to sign will alter what they do when they are on the clock, but what other teams do can also change who will be on the board at #18. For example, the Los Angeles Rams have been heavily linked to a cornerback early in the draft, but they likely will look somewhere else after trading for Trent McDuffie.
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The quarterback will also impact the players, at least for me. If they stick with J.J. McCarthy, I don’t know how comfortable I’d be with a rookie or inexperienced center. However, if they do sign a veteran QB1, I’d like to see them use a draft pick on a new center. What happens with Jonathan Greenard will also impact the plan.
I think you all get the point. A lot will change between now and the draft. Also, I’m using PFF’s simulator to do this mock.
We still don’t know if Harrison Smith will be back. Regardless, safety is a big position of need even if he returns. But McNeill-Warren isn’t the pick because of his position. His Combine numbers don’t jump off the page, but the tape shows a player with very good zone instincts, good enough athleticism, a knack for finding the football (14 turnovers in four years), and physicality.
His tackling at the line is good, but he will need to improve it in open space, especially against stronger, faster players. He showed he belongs at the Senior Bowl, which is a natural concern for players coming from smaller schools.
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Trade Alert
The Jacksonville Jaguars send picks 56 and 100 for pick 49.
There were still some prospects I liked, and the idea of having five Day 2 picks was enticing. Don’t know how this would look in the trade value charts, but for the Vikings, it looked like a good deal.
For very good reasons, Jeremiyah Love is the Fighting Irish running back in the spotlight. But Price is also a great prospect. He’s explosive, patient at the line, and has fantastic vision. With the team cutting Aaron Jones, a running back to pair with Jordan Mason becomes a necessity.
And I think they’d complement eachother really well. Price will have to become a better tool in the passing game to fit KOC’s offense, but he has that home-run threat that we haven’t seen since Cook’s better days.
3rd Round, 82nd pick: Connor Lew, OC, Auburn
Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
As I said earlier, I don’t envision the team pairing McCarthy with a young center. Considering Lew is 20 years old, I think another player will be the signal-caller in 2026. Lew will likely miss a chunk of his rookie season, as he suffered a torn ACL last October.
Looking at the bright side, though, it could give him some time to develop behind the scenes. If all goes well, he should be cleared during camp, so this could be viewed as a redshirt season. A great processor and pass protector (1 sack allowed in his sophomore season), he could be the final piece in the offensive line.
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3rd Round, 97th pick: Devin Moore, CB, Florida
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Moore is a very big cornerback. At 6’3 and 198lbs, he shows promise as a press corner. He had multiple injuries throughout his career, but his size, jump-ball skills, and tackling ability are hard to ignore.
The Vikings are probably rolling with Byron Murphy and Isaiah Rodgers as the starters in 2026, but Moore can factor as a rotational player, particularly when in the red zone. He will have to improve a lot as a zone defender to be a starter, but he can absolutely use his size when closer to the endzone.
3rd Round, 100th pick: Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
If Moore stands out because he’s big, Louis stands out for being small. But don’t let it fool you. He may lack the size to take on blocks in the running game, but he had 10.0 sacks in the last two seasons. When playing for Brian Flores, the ability to blitz is a must.
He has a little Ivan Pace to him, in that he can slip out of blocks, with 24 tackles for loss since 2024. But he is way better in pass coverage, and has a knack for finding the ball in the air. His 2025 season was worse, but he showed the potential to be, at least, a solid starter.
5th Round, 161st pick: Bryce Lance, WR, North Dakota State
6th Round, 195th pick: Cole Brevard, DL, Texas
6th Round, 197th pick: Tanner Koziol, TE, Houston
With Jalen Nailor likely out, the Vikings should look to add another young receiver. With Tai Felton on the roster and in contention to be the new WR3, Lance can come in as a depth option. A very good route runner, he would benefit from learning from Justin Jefferson and Keenan McCardell.
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Brevard may not be a scheme fit, as he lacks the versatility that Flores loves. But he can be a solid nose tackle for this defense.
Especially considering I’ve taken an undersized linebacker, a 6’3, 346lbs defensive tackle who eats space would be a smart move. You are unlikely to find a do-it-all player at #197, so finding athletic projects and/or role players is the objective here.
There’s a lot of talk about Hockenson being a cap casualty. Even if he stays, 2026 looks like his last year in purple and gold. So, trying to find another receiving tight end is a good move. Koziol fits exactly that mold, playing mostly as a big slot for Houston in 2025.
Blocking is a huge area of improvement for him, but he does remind me of a young Josh Oliver, who’s also very big and had trouble in the running game. With a 6’7 frame and strong hands, Koziol could be a weapon over the middle and in the redzone.
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6th Round, 202nd pick: V.J. Payne, DB, Kansas State
7th Round, 234th pick: Vincent Anthony Jr., EDGE, Duke
7th Round, 240th pick: Eric Gentry, LB, USC
Safety is a position the Vikings should invest heavily in, even if they trust Jay Ward. Payne would add depth and speed to a unit that needs it.
Athletically, he has the build of a great safety, with a rare combination of size and speed. He is a very good zone defender who played multiple roles in Kansas State’s defense, but he will need to improve his tackling to be an effective player.
Anthony comes as a draft project. He has the size (6’6″) and a solid build at 258 lbs, though he could add some more bulk. But he is as raw as it gets and will need serious development to see the field. But with Andrew Van Ginkel, Jonathan Greenard (at least for now), and Dallas Turner, he will have time to do so.
Gentry would be one of the tallest linebackers in the league at 6’7. He will have to add some bulk, but it is super rare to find a player with his size, athleticism, and playmaking. If he adds weight and improves his play strength without sacrificing much of his speed, there’s a real possibility that the Vikings find their linebacker duo in this class. It’d also be very funny to see a 6’0 and a 6’7 linebacker duo.
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The Vikings may be hard-pressed to find immediate starters in this draft. After all, this was one of Kwesi’s biggest perceived flaws among fans and the media. So, selecting two players with injury history may not sit well with everyone.
But, to me, Lew and Louis have enough upside that it didn’t bother me, and they should factor in as key players from 2027 and beyond. McNeill-Warren and Price would have an impact from Day 1, while Louis would have the chance to start as a rotational player and key special teams contributor.
Lance and Kozior would spend their first two years developing and with few snaps, but could have bigger roles in the future. At least they should improve the depth. Payne is the late pick with the most potential out of the group and, if he’s able to improve his tackling during camp, could even be part of the defense as a rookie.
Brevard is a player with a very specific role, but not less of a contributor because of it. Anthony and Gentry should spend every single day at the gym, but there’s potential there.
Daniel Berger’s nickname is so old it feels like it’s from another life.
And well, maybe that’s because it was.
Once upon a time, “DB Strait Vibin‘” was an Instagram handle as much as it was a way of life — a reflection of both the rising star who slayed some of the best golfers in the world and the way he generally preferred to spend his time (shirtless on his 41-foot Bahama GT boat, with a fishing pole dangling off the back). Now, as Berger finds himself sleeping on a three-shot lead on Saturday night at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, a redemption arc victory within his grasp?
“Oh, who knows?” Berger said Friday. “That’s just a stupid thing from back in the day.”
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Back in the day, Berger was a big deal. As the golf world transitioned into the pandemic years, Berger was one of the pros at the forefront: collecting wins at two of the PGA Tour’s best venues — Colonial and Pebble Beach — in the span of a calendar year, and topping off 18 months of weekly leaderboard presence with a Ryder Cup invite at Whistling Straits.
But then he arrived in the Bahamas for the 2021 Hero World Challenge, and Berger’s life as he knew it changed.
The first problem was a doozy: a bulging disc in his lower back that took more than a year to be correctly diagnosed. Berger played on in agony, trusting the doctors who reviewed his imaging and swore everything looked normal. “It was the worst six months of my life,” he said later.
Finally, in late 2022, Berger found the source of the issue, and underwent surgery to fix it. He spent all of 2023 in rehab, returning in 2024 only to find his form had disappeared. He grinded through the better part of two full seasons in pursuit of his long-lost A-Game, and finally seemed to be finding it in August 2025, when he arrived at Caves Valley for the playing of the BMW Championship.
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On the 14th hole of his opening round on Thursday, Berger felt his ring finger jam as he swung a 7-iron. He thought little of it and played through the pain, only to make it back to the clubhouse to learn he’d shattered his finger directly on the knuckle. What was supposed to be a several-week absence turned into a three-month recovery as the knuckle healed. The familiar feelings of doubt crept back.
This week, Berger arrived at the Arnold Palmer Invitational carrying the weight of a half-decade of injury baggage. He hasn’t forgotten the time he spent watching his name fade from a bona fide top-20 player in the world to outside the top 600 in the Official World Golf Ranking (he is now safely back in the top 75). He hasn’t forgotten the doctors, tests, and ever-changing prognoses. He certainly hasn’t forgotten the hours spent regaining the form that had been robbed from him. But could he remember how to win again?
Berger answered those questions emphatically on Thursday afternoon, when he went out in his opening round at Bay Hill — annually one of the toughest setups anywhere in golf — and shot an opening-round 63, a full three shots clear of the field. He followed it up on Friday, when he shot a second-round 68 (the third-best score in the field) to move five shots clear of the field. And he answered the questions again on Saturday, when he leaned on an artisanal brand of shotmaking skill to fend off a rain delay and charges from several pros to sleep on a three-shot lead again.
Thanks to the delay, Berger will still have three holes to play in his third round when he wakes on Sunday — and then another 18 if he’d like to emerge from Bay Hill a champion. But the added pressure of 21 holes of Sunday golf with the tournament on the line? That’s a problem Berger would’ve dreamed about facing over his last five years of heartbreak.
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“”You play like as if you’re starting the round at even par and you’re not playing other guys,” Berger said. “You’re playing the golf course and yourself. You’re controlling what you can control. It’s not like I’ve done it a million times, so I can’t really tell you exactly how it’s going to feel, but I know what I have to do.”
Indeed, it’s a simple goal. The same simple goal that Berger sought with a nickname and an Instagram account five years ago. A half-decade of pain and trauma followed those early days of glory — and there were more than a few moments when it seemed a Sunday in contention was destined to become a distant memory.
But now he’s here again, on the brink of a moment that years of foul luck took away. This isn’t the old Daniel Berger. Not close to that.
And maybe that’s a good thing.
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“I think that life is, you know, you can’t control what happens,” Berger said. “You just do your best and things happen. I wouldn’t trade what I’ve gone through over this time for another win or whatever. I think your path is your path, and I’m here today because of what I went through over the last couple years. So I just do my best to be the best golfer that I can be, and whatever happens, happens.
A fuming Pep Guardiola is facing a two-game touchline ban after being booked for the sixth time this season as Manchester City eased past Newcastle into the FA Cup quarter-finals.
The Spaniard confronted fourth official Lewis Smith on the touchline at St James’ Park after Kieran Trippier had felled Jeremy Doku, prompting referee Sam Barrott to act, and will now have to sit out the Premier League fixture with West Ham and the club’s last-eight clash.
That proved the only downside for Guardiola on a night when a team featuring 10 changes from the midweek draw with Nottingham Forest won 3-1 at a canter.
The City boss said: “I will tell you something – we have all the records in this country, all of them, despite everything. We have the record of the manager with the most yellow cards. I want all records and now I have it.
“Two-game ban now and I will go on holidays the next two games. There are things after 10 years I cannot understand.
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“Review the action. Of course I’m going to defend Doku and all my teams.”
If that decision left Guardiola perplexed, it was one of few events which did as his side completed a fourth successive victory in five games against Newcastle this season, with his big guns rested ahead of the first leg of their Champions League showdown with Real Madrid on Wednesday night.
It was a 19th win in 21 FA Cup ties in the last year – the only two defeats have come in finals against Manchester United and Crystal Palace – a record of which he is justifiably proud.
He said: “It’s the best game we have played against Newcastle here in our period together in 10 years, in the FA Cup and a difficult one, so I’m really, really pleased how we behaved, how we played defensively, offensively and the concentration on top.
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“Eight times in a row in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, that means how good this organisation is.”
The hosts took an 18th-minute lead as they started impressively, Harvey Barnes running on to Sandro Tonali’s picture-book pass, but once City flexed their muscles it proved a chastening evening for Eddie Howe’s men.
Savinho levelled before the break and Marmoush put the game to bed after it with a double to take his tally against the Magpies to seven in five appearances, half his entire total for City.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe now faces the task of raising his players for Tuesday night’s visit of Barcelona to St James’ Park, which is unlikely to be any less challenging.
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Asked about chief executive David Hopkinson’s aim of being part of the debate over the top club in the world by 2030, he said: “My focus is really short-term and it’s trying to win the game that’s in front of me, and that’s Barcelona in the Champions League.
“As much as it is easy to be very negative in this moment – and I understand, we’ve gone out of the FA Cup – but we have the biggest game in the club’s history coming up in no time at all. We’ve got to get the players ready for that, we’ve got no time to dwell on this.”
Mar 7, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Quentin Grimes (5) drives to the basket against Atlanta Hawks guard CJ McCollum (3) during the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images
Jalen Johnson had 35 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists as the Atlanta Hawks completed a four-game season series sweep with a 125-116 victory over the visiting Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker had four second-half 3-pointers and finished with 24 points and six assists for Atlanta, which won its season-high sixth straight game. The Hawks have won five straight at home.
Johnson and Alexander-Walker made back-to-back 3-pointers as part of a 12-2 fourth-quarter run that took a tie game to a 10-point, 114-104 Hawks advantage.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia, which lost for the third time in four games, with 31 points. Quentin Grimes scored 15 of his 26 points in the second half, while Kelly Oubre Jr. returned to the lineup after missing one game and had 24 points and five rebounds.
Joel Embiid missed his fourth straight contest with a strained right oblique, while rookie VJ Edgecombe missed his second straight game with a back contusion.
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Maxey had 15 first-quarter points as Philadelphia took a double-digit lead in the first quarter and stayed in front for the rest of the half, despite Johnson’s 13 second-quarter points.
Both teams were hot throughout the first half. The Sixers shot 65.2% (30 for 46) from the field, including 61.5% (8 for 13) from beyond the arc.
Atlanta responded by shooting 63.9% from the field (23 of 36) and 50% (5 for 10) from 3-point land. The Hawks were able to stay close at the break thanks to shooting 88% (15 for 17) from the foul line in the half.
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Alexander-Walker had three 3-pointers in the third quarter as Atlanta took its first lead since the game’s early minutes. Despite Grimes’ 10 points in the quarter, Philadelphia was outscored, 31-21.
CJ McCollum added 17 points and seven assists for Atlanta, which is two games over .500 for the first time since mid-December. Dyson Daniels contributed 15 points and nine rebounds, and Onyeka Okongwu chipped in with 10 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
The 76ers will no doubt be pleased to know they don’t have to face Johnson anymore this year, at least in the regular season. He scored 35 or more points three times against Philadelphia this season. He posted four double-doubles and one triple-double.
Trendon Watford had 10 points for the Sixers, followed by Jabari Walker with nine points and five rebounds, Andre Drummond with seven rebounds, and Cam Payne with six assists.
Chelsea reached the FA Cup quarterfinals after goals in extra time from Alejandro Garnacho and João Pedro sealed a 2–0 win over hosts Wrexham at the Racecourse Ground on Saturday.
The match was tightly contested, with Wrexham putting in an incredible effort to keep the score level during normal time. The breakthrough came in extra time when Garnacho rose to meet a precise cross and powered the ball into the net, giving Chelsea the lead. João Pedro later added a second to secure the win.
The game was also marked by a dramatic VAR moment. Wrexham midfielder George Dobson was initially shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Garnacho. However, after a review prompted by Video Assistant Referee Paul Howard, referee Peter Bankes upgraded the decision to a straight red card for serious foul play.
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“After review, Wrexham No 15 catches his opponent high with intensity,” Bankes announced to the crowd. “The final decision is a red card for serious foul play.”
The incident highlighted the difference between Wrexham’s usual Championship games, which do not use VAR, and top-tier matches where video technology is in play.
Despite the setback, Wrexham continued to challenge Chelsea throughout the match but were unable to find a goal. Chelsea’s victory sets up a quarterfinal clash as they continue their pursuit of FA Cup glory.
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Garnacho’s performance, including the winning goal, underlined his growing influence for Chelsea, while João Pedro’s late strike confirmed the Blues’ spot in the next round.
Quinton de Kock has criticised the International Cricket Council after reports suggested that England cricket team would return home before both South Africa national cricket team and the West Indies cricket team following their exits from the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Travel plans for several teams have been affected due to international airspace restrictions linked to the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. As a result, a number of sides have remained in India while waiting for charter flights arranged by the ICC. The West Indies were knocked out of the tournament on March 1 after a defeat to the India national cricket team in the Super 8 stage, while South Africa’s campaign ended with a semi final loss to the New Zealand national cricket team. Since then, both teams have remained in India awaiting travel arrangements. The Caribbean side has been in the country for about a week following their elimination, while the Proteas have been waiting for three days. In contrast, England were beaten by India in the second semi final on Thursday but are set to leave for home on Saturday, just two days after their exit. The situation prompted de Kock to question the apparent imbalance, suggesting that some teams might have greater influence within international cricket.
Quinton de kock’s insta story
“Funny @icc, we have heard nothing! Meanwhile, England are leaving before us somehow? @westindies and @proteasmencsa are just in the dark! Strange how different teams have more pull than others,” wrote Quinton de Kock on Instagram Stories. Earlier, former England captain Michael Vaughan also raised similar concerns about the travel situation. He questioned why England were able to leave earlier despite other teams being stuck in India for longer.
Michael Vaughan post
“So England got knocked out on Thurs, get a charter home today .. West Indies go out last Sunday and are still in Kolkata .. SA in the same position .. That’s where the power is all wrong .. All teams in this situation should be treated the same .. just because you are more powerful at the ICC table shouldn’t count .. #JustSaying,” he wrote on X. According to ESPNCricinfo, England are expected to depart on Saturday, while both South Africa and the West Indies are likely to leave on Sunday once charter flights organised by the ICC become available. England’s flight is scheduled to head directly to London. Meanwhile, South Africa and West Indies are set to travel first to Johannesburg, after which the Caribbean side will continue their journey to Antigua. However, neither team has officially confirmed the exact timing of their departures. Frustration within the West Indies camp has been visible. Head coach Daren Sammy posted “Day 6” on X on Friday, highlighting how long the team had been stranded in Kolkata since their match against India at the Eden Gardens. Earlier in the tournament, the Zimbabwe national cricket team also faced travel delays after playing their final match against South Africa on March 1 in New Delhi, before eventually departing India on March 4.
Guardiola was shown a yellow card after confronting fourth official Lewis Smith on the touchline at St James’ Park after Kieran Trippier had fouled City’s Jeremy Doku.
New regulations introduced this season mean Premier League managers are suspended for one game once they have received three yellow cards, while six cautions will result in a two-match ban.
The ban applies to league and FA Cup games but not European games or domestic cup finals, meaning Guardiola will be on the touchline for the Carabao Cup final with Arsenal on 22 March.
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However, the Spaniard will have to sit out next Saturday’s Premier League fixture with West Ham and City’s FA Cup quarter-final clash on the weekend of 4-5 April, with the draw yet to be made for that round.
After the win at Newcastle, Guardiola said of his angry reaction that led to his booking: “I will tell you something – we have all the records in this country, all of them, despite everything.
“We have the record of the manager with the most yellow cards. I want all records and now I have it, two-game ban now and I will go on holidays the next two games.
“There are things after 10 years I cannot understand. Review the action. Of course I’m going to defend Doku and all my teams.”
Manchester City player ratings from the Manchester Evening News after Pep Guardiola’s side won 3-1 at Newcastle in the FA Cup
Manchester City came from behind to stun Newcastle at St James’ Park and knock them out of another cup. Having claimed victory across two legs in the Carabao Cup semi-final, it was the Blues who overcame a shaky start to book a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
That looked like it was never going to happen when Harvey Barnes slammed Newcastle in front early on after waves of pressure from the home side that City looked to have no answer for. But they dug in and were able to wrestle control of the game away from Newcastle, with Savinho equalising before half-time.
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Omar Marmoush put them ahead early in the second half and then blasted in another after 65 minutes to make the game safe. Here are the player ratings from the Manchester Evening News.
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Trafford: A few nervy moments with his feet and hands that could have cost City, even if there were no disasters. 6
Nunes: Struggled to get City up the pitch from goal kicks, although he worked well with Savinho on the right. 7
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Khusanov: Found himself alone against a pacy Newcastle attack a lot in the first half and never lost his composure. 8
Stones: Nearly set up a Savinho goal with a stunning pass, becoming City’s metronome after initially struggling with tempo. 7
Ake: Never going to win many foot races against Elanga but he did well, using his reading of the game to lock the left flank down and contributing up front. 7
Gonzalez: Bossed Tonali in the midfield, keeping City feet on Newcastle throats as the Blues came back to dominate. 8
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O’Reilly: Straight back into the starting XI after his recent injury and looked comfortable mixing it with the Newcastle midfield. 7
Reijnders: Should have scored at least one goal from the chances he found himself with in front of goal. 6
Savinho: Instrumental in City dragging themselves back into the game and got the equaliser, keeping up his running afterwards. 8
Doku: Too skittish early on before finding his poise and his rhythm perfectly for the first goal and looked better after. 7
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Marmoush: A quiet start but he grew into the game and won it for City with his two goals, full of confidence after the second. 8
Substitutes
Semenyo (for Marmoush, 73) Kept possession and won fouls. 6
Foden (for Savinho, 80) No time. 6
Cherki (for Doku, 80) No time. 6
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Not used: Donnarumma, Dias, Guehi, Ait-Nouri, Rodri, Silva
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ORLANDO — You watching this Bay Hill tourney? Another important moment on this exciting Rickie Fowler comeback tour. Sunday here is gonna be big. Next Sunday, Sunday of the Players Championship, will be bigger yet, what with the Academy Awards being held and all.
Fowler’s close personal friend and absolute doppelganger (asking for a little latitude here, folks), Leonardo DiCaprio, is up for an Oscar at the 98th Academy Awards, being held at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. Meanwhile, Fowler is trying to play his way back to Augusta. If you’re top 50 in the World Golf Ranking at the end of March, you’re in the Masters. Fowler is 67th. A good finish here and at the Players would do him wonders. Of course, a lot of other talented golfers are trying to do the same thing.
It’s not going to be easy — not for Leo, not for Rick — but what worthwhile thing ever is? DiCaprio was nominated for his performance as Bob Ferguson, a paranoid, weed-smoking, self-styled revolutionary in One Battle After Another, a dark comedy-thriller-satire directed by Thomas Paul Anderson. But let’s tip the cap here to his competition:
Michael B. Jordan in Sinners, and formerly Apollo Creed’s son in one of the many stepchildren spawned by the original Rocky movie.
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Also (speaking of sports), Timothée Chalamet, who plays the Ping Pong champ Marty Supreme in Marty Supreme.
Also, rounding out this fivesome, there’s Ethan Hawke in Blue Moon and Wagner Moura in The Secret Agent.
While we’re at it, here’s a foursome of super-talents trying to play their way into the 2026 Masters: Tom Kim, Joaquin Niemann, Sahith Theegala and Will Zalatoris.
So, yeah.
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Could Michael B. Jordan play Tiger E. Woods in a Tiger Woods biopic? The actor is not a golfer, but of course he could. Michael B. Jordan could play anybody — he’s that good. Could Ethan Hawke play Russell Henley in a Russell Henley biopic? Ab-so-lute-ly. (While we’re at it, and they were once at the same party at the same time and it did actually create a little confusion, despite the age difference: Nick Faldo and Harrison Ford. Ford received one of those industry lifetime achievement awards the other day and concluded his remarks by saying of the accolade, “It’s encouraging.” He’s 83.)
But it’s unlikely that Tiger has ever been asked if he is Michael B. Jordan. It’s even more unlikely that Russell Henley has ever been asked if he is Ethan Hawke. But people have actually asked Rickie Fowler, 37 years old and a six-time winner on the PGA Tour, if he is, in fact, Leonardo DiCaprio, 51 years old and a six-time Oscar nominee (and one-time winner) in the Best Actor category.
“I’ve gotten that a handful of times from people, that there’s a little resemblance there,” Fowler said on Friday. “I definitely take it as a compliment, not a bad one to have.”
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Absolutely. It’s their hair and broad foreheads, their narrow eyes filled with life — and their impish, chill manner. As there really was something about Mary (Cameron Diaz) in Something about Mary, there is something about Rick, as there is with DiCaprio. It’s been a joy to watch Fowler play his ready-to-play golf on Tour for more than 16 years now.
The actor and golfer have met once, through Mike Meldman, the real-estate developer behind the Discovery golf properties. This was in Mexico, in Cabo San Lucas, at the El Dorado Golf & Beach Club, a Discovery Land Company property.
“I was just down there on vacation,” Fowler said. “He was down there as well. We were over at a house [owned] by a good friend of mine, Mike Meldman, at El Dorado. Just hanging out, maybe having a couple beers or cocktails, but nothing crazy.”
Fowler was asked if he mentioned to the actor that he is sometimes mistaken for him.
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“No,” Fowler said in his boyish way. “I didn’t want to bring that up.”
Meldman has his own take on the visit:
“I will just say they got along great as they are both stars.”
A major showdown between two of UFC’s most beloved action stars is set for Saturday night in Las Vegas. The promotion is back at T-Mobile Arena for UFC 326, which is anchored by a bout for the ceremonial BMF title between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira.
Saturday marks just the fourth BMF fight in promotional history. It began in 2019 when Nate Diaz took on Jorge Masvidal for the inaugural belt where Dwyane “The Rock” Johnson was on hand to place the title around the winner’s waist. It was not until four years later in 2023 when the title reappeared for a matchup between Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier at UFC 291, where Gaethje scored a brutal knockout win. The title was then “defended” by Gaethje against Holloway at UFC 300.
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Holloway, the former featherweight king, moved up to lightweight for the challenge. He scored one of the best knockouts in recent memory over Gaethje and then defended the title against Dustin Poirier at UFC 318. Despite a setback against Ilia Topuria sandwiched between them, Holloway still has one of the deepest resumes in the sport’s history.
Oliveira, meanwhile, has traded wins and losses in his last six appearances. After rocketing up the lightweight rankings in 2020 to earn his first title against Michael Chandler in 2021, “Do Bronx” finally saw his 11-fight win streak snapped against Islam Makhachev in 2022. He has since picked up another win over Chandler, a brutal knockout of Beneil Dariush and a vicious face crank submission of Mateusz Gamrot.
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Be sure to keep up with all the action on Saturday with our live coverage, including round-by-round scoring and updated fight results throughout the night!
Let’s take a closer look at the rest of the fight card below. Stay tuned to this page for the latest news and updates ahead of fight night.
UFC 326 fight card, odds, results
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Max Holloway (c) -220 vs. Charles Oliveira +170, lightweights (BMF title)
Caio Borralho -250 vs. Reinier de Ridder +205, middleweights
Raul Rosas Jr. -270 vs. Rob Font +220, bantamweights
Michael Johnson -118 vs. Drew Dober -102, lightweights
Gregory Rodrigues -162 vs. Brunno Ferreira +136, middleweights
Xiao Long -155 vs. Cody Garbrandt +130, bantamweights
Donte Johnson -800 vs. Cody Brundage +550, middleweights
Alberto Montes def. Ricky Turcios via second-round submission (anaconda choke)
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