Paul George’s debut with the Philadelphia 76ers is on hold and Joel Embiid is again set to miss time with an injury.

Embiid and George will miss Wednesday’s season opener against Milwaukee and could miss more games as the All-Stars expected to try to lead Philadelphia to its first championship since 1983 return from injuries.

George was set to make his Sixers debut after he left the Los Angeles Clippers and signed a four-year, $212 million contract as a free agent this summer. But the 34-year-old George got a bone bruise when he hyperextended his left knee during a preseason game.

The Sixers did not say Tuesday how many more games George could miss; his return to play will be assessed later in the week.

The Bucks also lost a dose of star power ahead of the game as the NBA opens this week.

Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers said Tuesday that Bucks forward Khris Middleton also isn’t expected to play in the opener. The three-time All-Star hasn’t had any 5-on-5 work in the preseason as he recovers from offseason surgeries to each of his ankles.

“It’s pretty 100% to 99,” Rivers said of the likelihood that Middleton won’t play.

A nine-time All-Star, George was injured when his knee buckled on a defensive play in the second quarter of a game last week against Atlanta.

George has dealt with injuries for much of his career before he played 76 games last season, the first time he played more than 56 since 2018-19.

He discussed the bone bruise this week on his “Podcast P with Paul George.” A six-time All-NBA selection, George said his knee was stable with no major damage, nor did it cause any long-term concern over his health.

“My leg literally just got stuck. I don’t even know what else to call it. Just my knee locked up, my leg locked up,” George said on his podcast. “When I went to go push off, all my momentum is going forward and my leg, it just caused it to go inwards. I know I’m thinking of when I seen it immediately I was like, ah, this don’t feel right, this don’t feel right.”

The Sixers’ schedule also includes games Sunday at Indiana and home games Wednesday and Saturday.

“I’m going to be good. I’m going to be good,” George said. “I should be back hopefully sooner than later, but it won’t be a long timetable I would imagine.”

The Sixers are down a familiar road with Embiid.

He did not play in the preseason because of a sore left knee.

The Sixers said Embiid was “responding well” to his individualized rehab plan and was scheduled to scrimmage this week. Embiid also will miss Friday’s game against Toronto and will be reevaluated this weekend.

“There’s been no setbacks,” coach Nick Nurse told reporters at the 76ers’ complex in New Jersey. “He’s really active. He’s lost some weight. He’s out on the court. Just kind of sticking with our plan of making sure we’re getting into a really, really good place before we play him live.”

The 30-year-old, who won an Olympic gold medal in Paris with Team USA, signed a $193 million contract ahead of training camp. The 76ers have failed to advance out of the second round of the playoffs since 2001, in large part because Embiid has failed to stay healthy for an entire postseason.

Embiid has never played more than 68 games in a season and was limited to 39 last season in large part because of knee surgery. He tore the meniscus in his left knee on Jan. 30 and had surgery on Feb. 6.

“We’ve got to do whatever it takes to make sure that in the postseason I’m healthy,” Embiid said in September. “It’s whatever it takes to make sure I get to that point and I’m ready to go. Basically, every single year of my career I’ve been hurt in the playoffs. That’s the goal, doing whatever it takes to get there.”

The 76ers finished 31-8 last season season with Embiid — about a 65-win pace — and a woeful 16-27 without him.

Embiid revealed ahead of training camp that he dropped about 25 to 30 pounds over the summer to stay in better condition for the long grind of the season. That includes not rushing back from any further issues with the knee.

“Until I’m at that point where they feel like I’m ready to go, I’m sure they’re going to hold me back,” Embiid said at the team’s media day. “I believe with the guys that we have, and what I can bring to the table, we have a pretty good chance (at a title).”

He has five All-NBA Team honors, seven consecutive All-Star selections from 2017-24, three All-Defensive Team nods and twice has been the NBA scoring champion.

With George joining the 2023 NBA MVP in Embiid and All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey, the 76ers were expected to boast one of the most formidable trios in the league as they try to put together a nucleus that can compete with the defending champion Boston Celtics.

Maxey is expected to play after the guard suffered a bruised right thumb in the preseason.

As for the Bucks, Rivers said Middleton’s injury is more of a day-to-day issue and shouldn’t keep him out long. A variety of injuries limited Middleton to 55 regular-season games last year and 33 in 2022-23.

“I’d say if this was a playoff game, he’d probably be playing, or close to it,” Rivers said.

Taurean Prince has been starting in Middleton’s place during the preseason.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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ABU DHABI – Arman Tsarukyan thinks the UFC lightweight division is trending toward a championship rematch between himself and Charles Oliveira in 2025.

Tsarukyan (22-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) expects to claim the 155-pound belt from Islam Makhachev (26-1 MMA, 15-1 UFC) during their expected meeting in January or February of next year. Before that happens, though, Oliveira (34-10 MMA, 22-10 UFC) will have a rematch of his own with Michael Chandler (23-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) at UFC 309 on Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

There has been no love lost between Tsarukyan and Chandler in recent months. Tsarukyan was one of the harshest critics of Chandler waiting nearly two years for a Conor McGregor fight to materialize, and Chandler has clapped back on multiple occasions.

Chandler claims his fight against Oliveira is a title eliminator and the winner will get whoever emerges with the belt between Tsarukyan and Makhachev. There’s potential for a fun build for a Tsarukyan vs. Chandler fight, but the current top contender just doesn’t see it happening.

“Michael Chandler is going to lose for sure,” Tsarukyan told MMA Junkie. “He’s the No. 1 easy fight for Charles Oliveira. He’s going to choke him out or knock him out. He’s easy money for Oliveira, so I’m so happy for him.”

Tsarukyan said if both he and Oliveira get the job done, they would run it back. Their first meeting took place at UFC 300 in April with Tsarukyan taking a split decision. He thinks the UFC brass would have no problem running it back.

“After the fight Oliveira is going to be the next after me,” Tsarukyan said. “I’m going to fight with Islam and then after that fight he’s for sure going to fight for the title. He has a big name, he was the champion and UFC loves him.”

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

The UFC 308 fight card, start time is for the UFC pay-per-view Saturday afternoon from the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

In the main event, Ilia Topuria will put his UFC featherweight title on the line against former UFC champion Max Holloway. Topuria has won all seven of his UFC fights en route to a 15-0 career record, while Holloway (26-7) has won four of his past five fights.

Former UFC champion Robert Whittaker will square off against Khamzat Chimaev in the co-main event.

Check out the UFC 308 fight card below.

Main card (ESPN+ PPV at 2 p.m. ET)

Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway

Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev

Lerone Murphy vs. Dan Ige

Magomed Ankalaev vs. Aleksandar Rakic

Shara Magomedov vs. Armen Petrosyan

Prelims (ESPN+ at 10 a.m. ET)

Geoff Neal vs. Rafael dos Anjos

Mateusz Rebecki vs. Myktybek Orolbai

Abus Magomedov vs. Brunno Ferreira

Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Chris Barnett

Farid Basharat vs. Victor Hugo

Ismail Naurdiev vs. Bruno Silva

Rinat Fakhretdinov vs. Carlos Leal

Ibo Aslan vs. Raffael Cerqueira

ABU DHABI – Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway has the MMA world split as to who will leave UFC 308 as champion.

Former interim UFC featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez gave his thoughts and prediction on the highly anticipated championship bout Saturday night at Etihad Arena. Rodriguez (18-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC), who’s fought Holloway in the past, believes the Hawaiian will reclaim his belt and take the undefeated status from Topuria.

“It’s going to be an interesting match,” Rodriguez told MMA Junkie on Tuesday. “I think Max Holloway has more tools, and he’s a super smart fighter. Also, Topuria is a real power puncher. I just think if Max Holloway is smart enough to keep his distance, he can win the fight. My prediction is Max Holloway.”

Earlier this year, Topuria had plenty to say about Rodriguez and vice versa. Topuria questioned Rodriguez’s skillset, and Rodriguez fired back a few verbal shots his way.

“I don’t have a relationship with him at all,” Rodriguez said. “Yeah, some words have been said, and I hope he’s ready to back them up, because I’m ready.”

Rodriguez hasn’t fought since losing to Brian Ortega in February. He says he’s healthy and ready to return and just waiting on the green light from the promotion. There’s nothing official, but Rodriguez said the UFC has shown interest in having him fight in February in Mexico City.

Jhon Duran has made a habit of coming off the substitutes bench and scoring for Aston Villa this season.

On Tuesday, the Colombia forward made his first start at Villa Park for 11 months and marked it with his side’s second goal against Bologna in the Champions League.

Duran’s celebrations were cut short when he was immediately replaced by Ollie Watkins, and he showed his displeasure by kicking the back of one of the dugout seats in frustration.

Unai Emery is not too upset with Duran’s reaction, however.

Duran now has seven goals in all competitions while Watkins has five – two forwards delivering goals as Villa enjoy one of their best starts to a season for years.

“Duran got a goal again and he’s on fire,” former England defender Matt Upson told BBC Radio 5 Live.

“Villa have great competition for that centre-forward role, with him and Watkins capable of scoring goals.”

Thanks to a fight against Nate Diaz back in 2019, Jorge Masvidal ushered in the “BMF” era after he became the first ever “baddest motherf*cker” champion in UFC history.

At the time, UFC CEO Dana White said the symbolic title that was wrapped around Masvidal’s waist by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson was just something fun to heighten the stakes in the fight but he had no plans for the belt to stick around long term. That changed in 2023 when the UFC re-introduced the “BMF” title with Justin Gaethje claiming the belt following a stunning second-round knockout over Dustin Poirier.

Less than a year later, Max Holloway took that belt from Gaethje with arguably one of the greatest finishes in UFC history after he pointed to the canvas and invited the human wrecking machine to stand and trade with him. The final punch from Holloway that landed sent Gaethje crashing face first to the canvas and a new “BMF” champion was crowned.

“I’m the biggest Max fan also,” Masvidal said about Holloway when speaking to MMA Fighting. “I love this guy. I love how he fights. I love his style. I love how he carries himself outside of the ring. One of my favorite all-time fighters.”

While he’s still holding the “BMF” title, Holloway’s next assignment comes in October when he faces reigning featherweight champion Ilia Topuria in the UFC 308 main event.

Immediately after flattening Gaethje at UFC 300, Holloway called for the chance to reclaim the belt he previously held until coming up short in a trilogy of fights against Alexander Volkanovski.

The “BMF” title isn’t going up for grabs but no matter what happens in that matchup, Masvidal loves the idea of putting himself against Holloway in a fight for the ages.

“It would be an honor to get in there with Max,” Masvidal said. “It would be an honor and we could throw down. We’d put on a f*cking epic show. One of those fights for all the generations, all lifetime. I wouldn’t mind that.”

The promotional possibilities for a fight like that are nearly endless, especially considering Masvidal’s standing as the first ever “BMF” champion and Holloway now holding onto that same “BMF” title.

Masvidal isn’t necessarily calling for that fight but he has so much admiration for Holloway that he couldn’t at least entertain that idea if the UFC came calling.

“Me and Max could do some serious shit out there,” Masvidal said. “One of the greatest fights ever. One ‘BMF’ has the quickest knockout ever, the other ‘BMF’ has the latest knockout ever in a fight. It was at 4:59 in round five. So many interesting [parts] to me and Max fighting.

“We’re not going to grapple obviously, We’re just going to stand there and bite down on the mouthpiece and f*cking let the leather go. A f*cking dream match.”

Now if there was one major obstacle preventing that fight from happening it would be the weight class.

Holloway has spent most of his career fighting at 145 pounds but he has traveled up to lightweight a few times in his career including the fight against Gaethje in April.

Meanwhile, Masvidal started his career at 155 pounds but in recent years he’s been competing only at welterweight and he admits there’s very little chance he could ever go back down to his old division again.

That said, Masvidal understands the entire concept behind the “BMF” title is a willingness to throw down against anybody, at any time and doing it anywhere — and he has a feeling Holloway lives by that same code.

“It’s also a lot to ask of Max to come up to 155 or 170,” Masvidal said. “I can’t really fight at 155 anymore. I wouldn’t mind it one bit. Max is a legend and I’d love to get in there and mix it up with him.”