Step by step, or in her case, fight by fight. That’s how Veronica Hardy is approaching things now that she’s in the best moment of her  career.

Hardy rides a three-fight winning streak heading into her return to the octagon Saturday at UFC 309 from Madison Square Garden in New York. The Venezuelan women’s flyweight takes on Eduarda Moura in the opening bout of the card.

A potential four-fight winning streak is no joke in the women’s 125-pound division. Yet, Hardy (9-4-1 MMA, 4-4 UFC) doesn’t want to get too far ahead and start projecting herself into the rankings or the UFC title picture.

“I think if you look too ahead, the road just seems so long like, ‘Wow, I’m not even ranked,’” Hardy told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “So for me, I’m just taking it fight by fight and focused on improving.

“It’d be a waste to get to the title and not be ready because I needed something in my game. Imagine getting so far just to come up short. So for me, if I’m ready, then yes. Right now I just want to get tough fights, keep climbing up the rankings and keep improving as a martial artist.”

Hardy doesn’t think a win alone on Saturday will get her a spot in the official UFC rankings for her division. She thinks it can get her a future fight to compete for a spot, but given the right performance, maybe she can squeeze in the world’s best.

“I don’t think I will enter the rankings, but maybe I’ll get a fight to enter the rankings,” Hardy said. “I think the fighters in the rankings are all very skilled and have picked up big wins, so I don’t think me winning will get someone out. I also think it comes down to whether or not they like your fights because you might just need more to enter the rankings. So I think the performance itself is very important.”

Taking things back to her fight-by-fight approach, Hardy can’t wait to compete Saturday. She likes the matchup with Moura (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC), but more importantly she’s fighting in a legendary arena.

“I’m so excited, so excited, especially because I asked for this fight so much,” Hardy said. “I asked for it last year to fight at this (MSG) event, and they said no. I was more persistent in asking for this one.

“I train here in New York, so it makes it more special. Going to training every day and seeing the arena right there, because it’s a giant monster, it’s something that’s helped me because it’s such an impactful city, and I feel right at home. I think it will help me a ton.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.

Jim Lampley believes Mike Tyson is playing a dangerous game this weekend.

On Friday, Tyson faces Jake Paul in an eight-round boxing match in what is likely to be the biggest combat sports event of the year. Though Tyson is a former heavyweight champion, he’s also pushing 58 years of age and facing a man 30 years his junior, which has led to some concern among fans about the wisdom of going forward with the matchup. And longtime boxing commentator Jim Lampley seems to be among those who believe Tyson is taking a big risk.

“I hope that Mike makes a ton of money,” Lampley told Fight Hub TV. “He’s a dear and old friend. My television boxing career began calling his first several exposures on ABC sports back in the 80s. I’ve known him a long time, love him, I want his life to be what he wants it to be and so I hope that Mike does well in the business of the fight and doesn’t get hurt.

“Obviously when a man is 57, almost 58 years old going into the ring, I don’t care who the opponent is. The opponent could be a figure skater, he’s still taking a chance. And so I think Mike is taking a chance with this because Jake Paul will train, Jake Paul will lift weights, Jake Paul will get himself into shape to do the best that he can possibly do and try to land one big shot and separate Mike from his senses long enough to get a win.

“So I think the essence of the drama is ‘is Jake Paul going to knock Mike out or is Mike going to go through the necessary motions and show enough energy and commitment over the course of however many rounds it takes to gradually beat down Jake Paul and get a win. And I hope Mike comes out of it healthy and wealthier.”

Though Tyson had an exhibition bout against Roy Jones Jr. in 2020, this will be his first professional fight in almost 20 years. That a long time on the shelf and given his advanced age, Lampley says that come Friday he will not be watching along.

“The age difference is big enough that the event is dangerous,” Lampley said. “And I kind of wish Mike found some other way to do business rather than to fight somebody who’s Jake’s age and has a chance to get into the kind of shape that Jake might get into. But he’s still a far, far piece removed from understanding boxing and having the kind of refined skills that Mike had at his peak.

“Again, the question is, how much of Mike do you get to see when he’s 57 years old? I love him, I’m rooting for him, I’m not going to make the buy. It’s not an event that I want to see. It’s too much of a distortion. It’s not competition, it’s a freak show.”

Despite many boxing luminaries sharing Lampley’s trepidation about this matchup, Tyson insists there’s nothing to worry about, saying he’s in a much better place than he was 20 years ago. And while Lampley may not share that belief with Tyson, he does ultimately think that come Friday, Tyson will end up OK.

“The vast majority of those people, who pay attention to Mike because of his celebrity and his illustrious image don’t know anything about boxing,” Lampley said. “They don’t really understand the risk that he’s taking by going into the ring. We’re not faking it here. People are going to hit each other. And again … he’s 57, 58 years old.

“I think he’ll be fine. I think he probably still has enough craft that he can protect himself int he right way against somebody who, no matter how long he trains, is still at that level of novice. So I think that Mike is going to be OK. But my biggest hope about the entire event is that nothing bad happens to my friend.”

Tyson. Mike Tyson sends a message to fans concerned about his fight with Jake Paul.

Gloves. UFC 309 will feature a return to the old fight gloves.

Heavyweight. Jon Anik reacts to Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira talk and the heavyweight title picture.

Duck. Matt Brown criticizes Jon Jones for poor handling of Tom Aspinall situation.

London Calling. The UFC announced a return to London in March.

Free Agency. Marcus Buchecha discusses his impending MMA free agency.

Roundtable. Discussing the various angles ahead of UFC 309 this Saturday.

Between the Links.

Jake Paul as a rooster.

Michael Chandler interview.

Jon Anik previews Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic.

Embedded.

Tyson on TMZ Sports.

Guys want in.

Alexa Grasso broke a leg. And not in the good way.

Durinho.

Edson Barboza (24-12) vs. Steve Garcia (17-5); UFC, Feb 22.

I sincerely hope Jim Lampley is correct.

Just a few more days and we’ll know one way or the other.

If you find something you’d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @AlexanderKlee or @JedKMeshew on Twitter and let us know about it. Also, follow MMAFighting on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and like us on Facebook.

A flurry of withdrawals from senior players has hit interim England manager Lee Carsley’s plans for his final two games in charge this week.

Experienced internationals Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish are among eight players to have pulled out – many citing injury – from the third international break of a busy season.

Some reports have cited pressure from clubs for the amount of drop-outs, with Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola critical of Grealish’s initial call-up for Nations League games against Greece and Republic of Ireland.

And for players and fans, these two games represent a strange ‘limbo’ period before new head coach Thomas Tuchel takes over in January.

The five replacements called up by Carsley, including Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Everton’s Jarrad Brathwaite, both 22, have taken the squad’s average age down to 25 years and four months, including five uncapped players.

England’s Euro 2024 squad under former manager Gareth Southgate had an average age of 26.1 years, which was already the third youngest at the tournament behind Turkey (25.8) and the Czech Republic (25.3).

Carsley said he would put “his own stamp” on the England squad during his time as interim boss and “freshen it up” with each get-together. He has certainly done that.

He has again turned to ‘England pathway’ players he knows well from his time as Under 21 manager, and even with Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill dropping out, there are still eight players from his Euro 2023 squad which beat Spain 1-0 in the final.

However, this is one of the least experienced squads in recent history, with Harry Kane (100) and Kyle Walker (95) making up almost half of the 400 caps across the entire squad. England’s high-profile withdrawals have 240 caps between them.

England need to win these two matches to earn automatic promotion back to the top level of the Nations League and ensure Tuchel’s first game is not a Nations League play-off rather than the World Cup qualifier he says he has planned for.

Tuchel will not be in Greece and Carsley said the German has had no influence over the squad selection for this match – and that “he is highly respectful” of the job that Carsley and his staff are doing.

Ultimately, Carsley’s lasting impact could be fast-tracking the next generation of England stars quicker than expected.

It all makes for an interesting ‘audition’ for some players in this squad… BBC Sport takes a look.