Paige VanZant wasn’t happy with the result in her latest slap fighting match but she takes responsibility for the foul that ultimately led to her draw against Chelsea Dodson on Thursday in Abu Dhabi.

The former UFC fighter and BKFC veteran landed an illegal blow in the second round of her sophomore match in Power Slap, which cost her a point and ultimately the decision. It was VanZant’s second strike thrown when she was penalized for “clubbing” after connecting more of her wrist and arm than the hand, which actually opened a small cut on Dodson’s face.

As a result, VanZant lost a point and without a knockout or knockdown to help even the score in the final round, she could only earn a draw.

“Well guys, Power Slap is over,” VanZant said on her Instagram. “Went home with the draw. I accidentally clubbed. That was my fault. Still learning. I was a little bit too close on one of my shots. Just got to get my distance right for the next one. Power Slap, you’re going to see me again.”

The match, which ended with 28-28 scores across the board, was VanZant’s second appearance in the Dana White owned promotion after she debuted there back in June. On that night, VanZant earned a unanimous decision win after she ate all three shots from her opponent and actually delivered a brutal knockdown along the way.

VanZant later stated that Power Slap was supposed to be a “bucket list” item to check off for her combat sports career but she enjoyed it so much that she booked a second match ahead of UFC 308 weekend in Abu Dhabi.

Despite the disappointing result, VanZant has now vowed to return with hopes to return to the win column in her next appearance.

In the fan zone at the Circuit of the Americas, next to a jar of earplugs and a few feet from an industrial sized jug of free sunscreen, sat a 3-inch thick book with heavy blank white pages. Fans were shuffling from the midday heat into the tent where the book sat, writing notes in Sharpie to Daniel Ricciardo, the man whose absence hung over the race weekend like a loved one lost.

“You were my first F1 favorite driver,” read one note in the book. “R.I.R. (Rest in Retirement),” another. “Come to COTA to see you & you weren’t here…so sad.”

It wasn’t hard to see all the signs that Ricciardo was meant to be at the U.S. Grand Prix. Literally, Ricciardo’s illustrated, Stetson-wearing face stood out front-and-center on a printed fabric mural of F1 drivers (all wearing cowboy gear) covering a fence at Turn 15. Saturday, in downtown Austin, Ricciardo’s clothing brand Enchanté launched a pop up store with a new capsule collection, conspicuously minus the man himself. Ricciardo facetimed a few lucky fans who’d lined up early for the opening, but otherwise the shop stayed a shop for the weekend. And that was him on the COTA website’s schedule of weekend events, wearing a University of Texas jersey and smiling next to a note about the driver’s parade happening from 12 to 12:30 on Sunday (just before the Globe of Death).

There had even been a rumor that Ricciardo was meant to receive the keys to the city — though when reached for comment, the mayor’s office responded that this was “news” to them.

And then there were the books. Twelve in total — thick black hardcovers sandwiching 600 pages of pristine paper, strewn throughout the fan areas surrounding the track. Signs touting “Letters to Cowboy Ric from Austin”, also featuring another illustrated Ricciardo-as-cowpoke, stood outside the tents. By Sunday morning three had been completely filled, with notes from fans claiming to be from Argentina, Israel, the UK, and beyond.

One of 12 books fans used to write messages to Daniel Ricciardo

The books themselves had been the slightly off-handed idea of Bobby Epstein, chairman of COTA.

“We did it for the fans, but we did it for him, is really why we did it,” Epstein explained. “I feel like he’s made so many contributions to our event and to the spirit of sport that we didn’t want to see him walk away and not know that he was appreciated and loved and beloved. And if he’s not gonna have a farewell tour, then we’re gonna give him at least some fond memories that he can look at any time he wants.”

Epstein was seeing one of the signed books for the first time Sunday morning, wondering what exactly he’d find inside. Flipping through, he excitedly asked, to whoever was in the room, for some bookmarks. A stack of Barbie-pink Post-Its was put in his hand, and he immediately started sticking them to pages. For what purpose, he wasn’t yet sure.

There were sketches of shoeys and full-page love letters, a few messages from haters and cute scrawl from children still confusing their lowercase Bs and Ds.

Ingrid, from Austin but attending her first F1 race ever, had Ricciardo on her mind. “Honestly, the way he left Singapore — the way he was kind of shoved out of Singapore, I should say — was really depressing,” she told Motorsport. “I was kind of hoping he’d be here in Austin.”

Writing in the book, she said, was a way connecting with him, even if it was a one-way street.

“I just wanted to be able to prove that I got the chance to write in the book that maybe he chose to flip through on a random day. Because this sport just brings me so much joy, and I wanted him to know that. Granted, he’s never gonna know me — but he’ll get to know my name in the book that I signed.”

Signs outside tents at the U.S. GP inviting fans to write messages to Ricciardo

Anamarie had driven from Dallas. She was wearing a Ferrari jacket, but talked about how Ricciardo sparked her Formula 1 fandom.

“I wrote him ‘thank you’ for getting me into the sport,” said said. “Without him, I wouldn’t be here today with my sisters at our first grand prix.”

Maureen and Valerie, two fans who’d just finished signing one of the books, had flown from the British Virgin Islands to attend the U.S. GP.

“I came from the Virgin Islands, so it wasn’t easy to come here. And he is not even here!” said Maureen, Valerie’s travel partner.

“Danny Ric, I saw a video of him on Instagram and that’s how I started following Formula 1,” said Valerie. “He is so charismatic and so good.“

Of course, you can only mourn for so long.

“However, I’m a little bit salty, because I’m a Lando fan, too. And he stole that point from Lando, fastest lap, in Singapore,” said Valerie.

Afterward, she asked if this reporter could share her Instagram handle with Norris.

“I’m single,” she explained.

Murphy compiled a break of 104 to win the first frame against Bingham, who responded with 121 to draw level.

Essex veteran Bingham moved 3-1 ahead, helped by a run of 101 in frame four, but breaks of 56 and 52 helped Murphy draw level before the world number eight got over the line.

Despite a break of 60 from Bingham, Murphy sank a match-winning black along the baulk cushion in the decider to secure a third quarter-final appearance at the event.

A 91 break saw Wilson get off to a flying start against 18-year-old Moody, who was bidding to reach the quarter-final stage of a ranking tournament for the first time.

The world number two added the next frames to take firm control before his teenage opponent replied with a 70 to reduce his arrears.

Wilson closed out the match by winning a scrappy fifth frame.

Former NI Open winner Williams was pegged back from 2-0 to 2-2 in his match against Ma, but the three-time world champion from Wales proved too strong as he advanced.

ABU DHABI – Dana White might have other plans, but Khamzat Chimaev isn’t opposed to the idea of changing his mind after Saturday.

UFC CEO White recently said a rematch with former champion Sean Strickland will be the next title defense for middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, who recently defended the belt with a submission of former champ Israel Adesanya.

Du Plessis beat Strickland by unanimous decision in January to win the 185-pound strap. But among the fighters waiting in the wings is Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC), who on Saturday takes on another former champ, Robert Whittaker (27-7 MMA, 17-5 UFC), in the UFC 308 (pay-per-view, ESPN+) co-main event at Etihad Arena.

If Chimaev, more than a 2-1 favorite to stay unbeaten against Whittaker, can win impressively, is it possible he could skip past Strickland? Stranger things have happened than upheaval at the top of a UFC title picture after things apparently had been settled.

But Chimaev certainly won’t count on the idea of being next.

“I hope so, but they said that before, as well,” Chimaev said at Wednesday’s UFC 308 media day in Abu Dhabi. “When I beat Gilbert Burns, I didn’t have my chance. After that was (Kamaru) Usman, and ‘if he beats Usman, he’s going to fight for the title.’ I haven’t fought (for the title) yet, so we’ll see.”

One of the things that has been holding Chimaev back in that regard, almost certainly, has been his inactivity due to health issues. He beat Burns in April 2022, but for a September fight with Nate Diaz, he botched his weight cut severely and fought Kevin Holland at middleweight, instead. But then he didn’t fight again for more than a year when he beat Usman, and his fight with Whittaker already was delayed from June.

Chimaev has dealt with lingering COVID-19 issues in the past, to go along with a mysterious illness that took him out of commission over the summer.

He’s apparently done well enough financially to not stress about his lack of activity, and insists having more money isn’t making him less hungry for a title.

“I’m happy with the money. I’m making more money than any champions,” he said before he added: “Money is not changing (me). People will be the same. I’m staying humble as I was before.”

Check out Chimaev’s full media day interview above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.

The Flatrock Motorsports Park, which features a 30-degree banked bend and could host IndyCar or MotoGP races in the future, officially opened on Thursday.

The Tennessee venue has been constructed to the FIA’s Grade 2 standard, which means it is homologated to run any racing series outside of F1.

It has grabbed attention ever since construction work first began in 2022 with its layout making the most of the undulations of the land it is built on.

This includes dramatic rises and falls on the straights, corners with blind brows, as well as an iconic 30-degree banked turn that will push cars and drivers to the limit.

The official opening for the 3.5-mile, 23-turn Club circuit for members took place on Thursday, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the starting grid, and the first laps was completed by its development and founding partner Rusty Bittle.

Construction is continuing at the venue for a kart track, and future phases will include a 2.7-mile FIM and Grade 2 Grand Prix track – as well as hotel, restaurant, campgrounds and an amphitheatre for concerts and events.

Speaking after the opening, Bittle said: “We are beyond thrilled to open the ‘Club’ track to our members today.

“After months of hard work and dedication, it’s amazing to see them on track, enjoying what we’ve built.

“Flatrock is destined to become one of the top motorsport destinations, and this is just the beginning. I can’t wait to see where we go from here as we continue to develop and expand the facility.”

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LONGSHOT

MAGICAL SPIRIT (3.18 Doncaster)

Has won this race before and doesn’t mind the testing conditions he will face today.

EACH WAY THIEF

TRIPLE TRADE (2.25 Cheltenham) 

He goes well here and ended last season with a decent run at Aintree. 

STRICTLYADANCER (3.35 Cheltenham) 

He has finished first and fourth in this race before and is handicapped for another good run.

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