SAS hardman Jason Fox believes mastering the game of golf is as tough as special forces training.

The commando, spent two decades in the military operating in some of the world’s most hostile environments, first started playing just before the pandemic broke out.

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Since then he has become a committed golfer who is out on the course as often as his busy schedule allows.

He credits the game with helping him maintain his mental health.

He explained: “Golf is incredibly challenging, but so worth putting the effort in for.

“I’d certainly consider bringing my handicap down as big of a challenge as training for the SAS.”

Former Royal Marine Foxy, 48, was medically discharged from the military in 2012 with a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

He has told how he struggled with loneliness and considered suicide after leaving the forces.

Foxy now speaks extensively about mental health and uses his experiences to teach audiences how to be resilient and overcome adversity.

And he credits golf with helping him keep a balance to his mental health.

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He continued: “Golf is such a great release for me. It definitely helps keep me on the straight and narrow mentally.

“It’s so important to have a laugh and relax on the fairway. When you’re having a round it’s important to chat.”

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Foxy’s passion for the game has seen him team up with trailblazing golf brand Stromberg to launch their Autumn/Winter collection – that allows golfers to attack the green whatever the weather may throw at them.

No stranger to extreme conditions, he put the collection through its paces in the iconic location of Land’s End – which is renowned for having some of the wildest weather in Britain.

He explained: “Britain produces some of the best soldiers in the world – because we train and learn to operate in the worst weather conditions possible. And if you can operate there – then when you’re on a mission everything falls into place.

“The same applies to the golf course. If you can master the game when it’s lashing down – then when it’s blue skies and sun overhead, it’s an absolute breeze. This new Stromberg collection provides the ultimate all-weather protection – so there’s absolutely no excuse not to be out on the fairway.”

And while the similarities between the fairway and special forces operations may not at first seem obvious, Foxy believes there are important parallels.

He explains: “You have to have the courage to put yourself into environments you might be uncomfortable in. It’s all down to the discipline of being able to operate at a very high level under any circumstances.

“There’s no substitute for hard graft and putting the hours in – especially when the conditions are against you.”

Jason Fox was clad in a range of the latest A/W gear, including the Bandit Waterproof Jacket, composed using Stromberg’s most water-resistant & breathable fabric, and the Tour Classic Waterproof Spiked Golf Shoes, featuring a stylish design with dynamic traction to provide on-course versatility.

Starting at just £29.99, golfers looking to weather-proof their wardrobe can now shop the collection in-store and online.

Who are golf’s most famous Wags?

The world’s top golfers enjoy an incredible lifestyle – and their Wags lead thrilling lives of their own.

Here are some of the most high-profile beauties…

• Playing off a handicap of three, this sports reporter could give her fella a run for his money on the greens.

• This low-key beauty got married to a superstar golfer in front of Stevie Wonder, Chris Martin and Niall Horan.

• A former gymnast who has been her husband’s rock for 14 years – he even pays tribute to her on his golf balls.

In the ever-shifting MMA landscape, ranking the world’s greatest fighters might seem like a fool’s errand, but that’s exactly what we’ve set out to do with the MMA Fighting Global Rankings. Here, our esteemed panel sorts out the movers and shakers from every division to provide you with the most definitive list of the best fighters on the planet.

Updated pound-for-pound rankings can be found here.

Khamzat Chimaev has arrived. Again.

You can’t blame fans for being disappointed with the past few years of Chimaev’s career after an unprecedented UFC debut in 2020 that saw him finish three fighters in three months. Since then, health issues (and possibly visa issues) have limited his in-cage appearances, he made embarrassed himself at UFC 279 by missing weight and missing out on a main event spot against Nate Diaz, and he had a couple of close calls against Kamaru Usman and Gilbert Burns that raised doubts as to whether he was truly championship material.

At UFC 308 this past weekend, those doubts went out the window as he ran through former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. “The Reaper” was Chimaev’s toughest test yet and he not only succumbed to Chimaev’s ruthless wrestling attack, he left Abu Dhabi with a busted-up mouth courtesy after tapping out to a brutal face crank.

Chimaev jumps up 10 spots in our middleweight rankings to the No. 2 spot, but questions remain. Was his towering performance enough to jump him over Sean Strickland in the contender’s line after UFC CEO Dana White recently proclaimed that Strickland is likely to rematch champion Dricus du Plessis next? More importantly, should Chimaev be granted that opportunity, can he be trusted to make it to fight night?

One thing is for sure: There are few fighters in the world today more intriguing than Chimaev when he steps into that cage.

Let’s take a quick look at the other big storylines in our latest rankings update.

• Kamaru Usman out! Our criteria includes an automatic removal clause if a fighter is inactive for 18 months, which might have some of you scratching your head as to why Usman is no longer listed. His bout with Chimaev occurred 12 months ago, however, it was contested at 185 pounds. The former welterweight champion hasn’t actually competed at 170 pounds since March 2023 (and hasn’t actually won a fight since November 2021, yikes!), meaning he has passed the threshold and is no longer eligible to be ranked in that division.
• Julianna Peña is back! Whether you agree with the scoring or not, Peña is officially bantamweight champion again after defeating Raquel Pennington. Our panel still didn’t see enough in that comeback fight to put her over Kayla Harrison, our No. 1 fighter at 135 pounds by just a few points. Hopefully, they get the chance to prove who deserves the top spot inside the octagon.
• Hat tip to Anthony Hernandez, Paul Hughes, and Iasmin Lucindo for making major moves in the rankings. Hernandez impressed in his first UFC main event, bulldozing Michel Pereira and cracking our top-10, while Lucindo eked out a split decision over strawweight stalwart Marina Rodriguez to jump up seven spots. But the most surprising shakeup came from PFL, where highly touted Irish lightweight Paul Hughes made a gargantuan step up in competition and became just the second man to earn a victory over A.J. McKee. Hughes earns a coveted top-15 spot in MMA’s deepest division and could soon be one of the faces of the league.

Check out the complete October rankings below.

Heavyweight

Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): Francis Ngannou def. No. 9 Renan Ferreira

Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 3 Alexander Volkov vs. No. 6 Ciryl Gane (UFC 310, Dec. 7), No. 5 Sergei Pavlovich vs. No. 12 Jairzinho Rozenstruik (UFC Saudi Arabia, Feb. 1), No. 7 Jailton Almeida vs. No. 8 Serghei Spivac (UFC 311, Jan. 18), No. 10 Anatoly Malykhin vs. Reug Reug (ONE 169, Nov. 8), No. 13 Phil De Fries vs. Darko Stosic (KSW 100, Nov. 16), No. 15 (tied) Derrick Lewis vs. Jhonata Diniz (UFC Edmonton, Nov. 2)

Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Linton Vassell (3), Oleg Popov (2), Ryan Bader (1)

Light Heavyweight

Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 1 Alex Pereira def. No. 10 Khalil Rountree, No. 3 Magomed Ankalaev def. No. 7 Aleksandar Rakic

Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 9 (tied) Nikita Krylov vs. No. 15 Azamat Murzakanov (UFC 309, Nov. 16), No. 9 (tied) Anatoly Malykhin vs. Reug Reug (heavyweight bout) (ONE Fight Night 28, Nov. 8),

Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Roman Dolidze (2), Bogdan Guskov (2), Impa Kasanganay (2), Anthony Smith (1)

Middleweight

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Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 12 Khamzat Chimaev def. No. 4 Robert Whittaker, No. 5 Johnny Eblen def. Fabian Edwards, No. 7 Nassourdine Imavov def. No. 8 (tied) Brendan Allen, No. 14 Roman Dolidze def. Kevin Holland, Anthony Hernandez def. No. 15 Michel Pereira

Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: N/A

Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Michel Pereira (4), Fabian Edwards (1), Jack Hermansson (1)

Falling out of the rankings (previous ranking shown): No. 15 Michel Pereira

Welterweight

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Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 15 Joaquin Buckley def. No. 10 Stephen Thompson, No. 13 Geoff Neal def. Rafael dos Anjos

Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 1 Belal Muhammad vs. No. 2 (tied) Shavkat Rakhmonov (UFC 310, Dec. 7), No. 15 Shamil Musaev vs. Magomed Umalatov (PFL 2024 Championships, Nov. 29)

Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Michael Morales (4), Bryan Battle (1), Rinat Fakhretdinov (1), Vicente Luque (1), Magomed Umalatov (1)

Falling out of the rankings (previous ranking shown): No. 4 Kamaru Usman (inactivity at 170 pounds)

Lightweight

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Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): Ilia Topuria def. No. 3 Max Holloway (featherweight bout), No. 12 Renato Moicano def. No. 14 Benoit Saint Denis, Paul Hughes def. No. 13 A.J. McKee

Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 4 Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler (UFC 309, Nov. 16)

Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Alexandr Shabliy (2), Grant Dawson (1), Matt Frevola (1), Paddy Pimblett (1), Jalin Turner (1)

Falling out of the rankings (previous ranking shown): No. 15 Alexandr Shabliy

Featherweight

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Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 1 Ilia Topuria def. No. 3 Max Holloway, Lerone Murphy def. No. 15 Dan Ige

Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 4 Movsar Evloev vs. No. 11 Aljamain Sterling (UFC 310, Dec. 7)

Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Dan Ige (2), Chihiro Suzuki (2), Movlid Khaybulaev (1), Adam Borics (1)

Falling out of the rankings (previous ranking shown): No. 15 Dan Ige

Bantamweight

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Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): Mario Bautista def. No. 7 Jose Aldo, No. 14 Rob Font def. Kyler Phillips, No. 15 Raufeon Stots def. Marcos Breno

Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 6 Petr Yan vs. No. 7 Deiveson Figueiredo (UFC Macau, Nov. 23)

Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Magomed Magomedov (2), Raufeon Stots (2), Kai Asakura (1), Kyler Phillips (1)

Falling out of the rankings (previous ranking shown): No. 15 Raufeon Stots

Flyweight

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Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 2 (tied) Brandon Royval def. No. 8 Tatsuro Taira, No. 15 Asu Almabayev def. No. 13 Matheus Nicolau

Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 1 Alexandre Pantoja vs. Kai Asakura (UFC 310, Dec. 7), No. 4 Brandon Moreno vs. No. 6 Amir Albazi (UFC Edmonton, Nov. 2), No. 7 Adriano Moraes vs. Danny Kingad (ONE 169, Nov. 8), No. 11 Manel Kape vs. Bruno “Bulldog” Silva (UFC Tampa, Dec. 14)

Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Tim Elliott (3), Charles Johnson (3), Hiromasa Ougikubo (2), Askar Akarov (1)

Falling out of the rankings (previous ranking shown): No. 14 Tim Elliott

Women’s Bantamweight

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Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 1 Kayla Harrison def. No. 4 Ketlen Vieira, Julianna Peña def. No. 2 Raquel Pennington, Jacqueline Cavalcanti def. No. 13 (tied) Nora Cornolle, No. 15 Ailin Perez def. Darya Zheleznyakova

Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: N/A

Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Miesha Tate (2), Tainara Lisboa (2), Nora Cornolle (1), Melissa Mullins (1)

Falling out of the rankings (previous ranking shown): No. 13 (tied) Miesha Tate, No. 13 (tied) Nora Cornolle

Women’s Flyweight

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Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): N/A

Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 4 Erin Blanchfield vs. No. 9 Rose Namajunas (UFC Edmonton, Nov. 2), No. 5 Taila Santos vs. No. 14 Dakota Ditcheva (2024 PFL Championships), No. 11 Amanda Ribas vs. Mackenzie Dern (strawweight bout) (UFC Tampa, Dec. 14), No. 12 Viviane Araujo vs. Karine Silva (UFC 309, Nov. 16)

Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Karine Silva (3), Ariane da Silva (2), Miranda Maverick (1)

Falling out of the rankings (previous ranking shown): No. 11 Lauren Murphy (inactivity)

Strawweight

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Recent results for ranked fighters (previous ranking shown): No. 14 Iasmin Lucindo def. No. 7 Marina Rodriguez

Upcoming bouts featuring ranked fighters: No. 3 Yan Xiaonan vs. No. 12 Tabatha Ricci (UFC Macau, Nov. 23), No. 8 Mackenzie Dern vs. No. 10 Amanda Ribas (UFC Tampa, Dec. 14), No. 14 Gillian Robertson vs. No. 15 Luana Pinheiro (UFC Vegas 100, Nov. 9)

Fighters also receiving votes (number of ballot appearances shown): Loma Lookboonmee (3), Tecia Pennington (3), Karolina Kowalkiewicz (1)

A refresher on the ground rules:

• The six-person voting panel consists of MMA Fighting staffers Alexander K. Lee, Guilherme Cruz, Mike Heck, E. Casey Leydon, Damon Martin, and Jed Meshew.
• Fighters will be removed from the rankings if they do not compete within 18 months of their most recent bout in a given weight class. Updates to the rankings are typically completed following each month’s UFC pay-per-view.
• Should a fighter announce their retirement, our panel will decide whether that fighter should immediately be removed from the rankings or maintain their position until further notice. (Let’s put it this way: We’d have taken Khabib Nurmagomedov out of our rankings a lot quicker than the UFC did.)
• Holding a promotion’s title does not guarantee that fighter will be viewed as the best in their promotion. Additionally, fighters who regularly compete or hold titles in multiple weight classes are eligible to be ranked in multiple lists.

Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Make your voice heard in the comments below.

England prop Joe Marler has been criticised after posting that the haka “needs binning” before Saturday’s match against New Zealand.

Marler, 34, will not feature in the Autumn Nations Series opener at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, but has recovered from a broken foot he sustained during the first Test against the All Blacks in July to make the wider squad.

In rugby union, regulations prevent opposing teams crossing the halfway line while New Zealand are performing the Maori war dance.

“The haka needs binning. It’s ridiculous,” Marler posted on X, external, before subsequently deactivating his X account.

After reactivating his account, the Harlequins prop posted, external: “Context is everything. Just having a bit of fun trying to spark interest in a mega rugby fixture. Some wild responses [finishing emoji]. Big Love x.”

He added that he “also needed to satisfy my narcissism”.

In 2019, England were fined £2,000 for crossing the halfway line as they lined up in a V formation to face the haka before their Rugby World Cup semi-final match against New Zealand.

Marler was criticised by cultural advisers for his initial comment about the haka. Mana Epiha said Marler was obviously “a little bit lost”, external, while Dr Karaitiana Taiuru said he lacked cultural appreciation.

“Calling for it to be binned with no reasoning shows a lack of appreciation for traditions which is a contradiction for any rugby player – cultural appreciation and lack of open mindedness,” Taiuru added.

The rule about not crossing the halfway line does not apply in rugby league, with responses and face-offs more common.

When Samoa’s rugby league team performed a traditional war dance, the Siva Tau, before their first Test against England last Sunday, the players became involved in an intense standoff.

“It’s only any good when teams actually front it with some sort of reply. Like the league boys did last week,” Marler later added, before initially taking down the post.

Marler’s comments prompted a mixed response online, with one X user adding: “Have a bit of respect for other cultures.”

However, another user said: “I’m a Kiwi and I’m over it. I think they should only do it at home Tests. Yes it should be challenged.”

Toyota Gazoo Racing Europe race director Rob Leupen is departing the Cologne-based organisation that masterminds the Japanese manufacturer’s World Endurance Championship campaign.

The 60-year-old Dutchman, also managing director of the company, will leave the employ of TGR-E at the end of the year, but has stepped down from his operational role with immediate effect ahead of this weekend’s WEC finale in Bahrain. 

The move is part of what TGR-E is calling a “renewal of its leadership structure”, which started earlier in the year when longtime technical director Pascal Vasselon was replaced by David Floury. 

A short statement from TGR read: “TGR-E began a long-term update of its leadership structure earlier this year: with the end of the calendar year approaching, TGR-E announces the next phase in this ongoing process.

“Rob Leupen will officially depart TGR-E at the end of year, and by mutual agreement he will suspend his operational role with immediate effect. 

“Rob has made an immense contribution to TGR-E and Toyota in motorsport over almost three decades of service and the company places on record its sincere thanks, and wishes him success in the next phase of his life.”

Rob Leupen, Toyota Director Business Operations and Mike Conway

Photo by: Toyota Racing

Leupen joined what is now TGR-E, then known as Toyota Motorsport GmbH, in 1995 in a human resources role and moved up to become general manager and then director of business operations.

He stepped up to become managing director in 2015. 

Toyota has not given details of a revised management structure at Cologne, which also produces the engines for the marque’s World Rally Championship programme and earlier this month announced a technical partnership with the Haas Formula 1 team. 

Masato Hirai is currently president, with former driver Kazuki Nakajima vice-chairman, a position he assumed on his retirement from the cockpit at the end of the 2021 season. 

Kamui Kobayashi dovetails racing in the WEC with the position of team principal of the sportscar team. 

Leupen’s departure, like that of Vasselon, has come as a surprise.

Vasselon had been expected to step down from the technical directorship he had held since 2006 and hand over to Floury at the end of this season, but was relieved of his duties at short notice before the start of the season.

The Frenchman, also 60 when the move happened, moved into a new role as vice-president of TGR strategic motorsport development focussed on its planned hydrogen combustion prototype programme.

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