Oct 24, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Josh Metellus (44), cornerback Shaquill Griffin (1), linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (0), safety Camryn Bynum (24) and cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. (7) celebrate against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Vikings are in the midst of training camp and players are battling it out for a place on the roster. For five Vikings who are trying to keep their place on the roster time could be running out.
5 Vikings Whose Time Is Running Out
I am looking at players who were on the roster last season (or longer) and are in danger of losing their place. Whether that be to a new signing, a rookie, or a player who has been around a while and developed to surpass them. I believe five candidates are in real danger.
Ivan Pace
Minnesota Vikings linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (0) celebrates after returning a fumble for a touchdown against the Detroit Lions during the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Oct 20, 2024. Pace raises his arms in celebration following the defensive score during the NFC North matchup late in the game. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images.
It was three years ago that Ivan Pace somewhat surprisingly fell out of the draft and was ultimately picked up by Minnesota as an undrafted free agent. Pace not only earned a place on the roster as a rookie but also became a starter on Brian Flores’ defense.
However, poor positioning, failing to finish tackles, and a lack of reliability in coverage have seen him fall out of favor as his defensive snaps have reduced each year. He played 706 defensive snaps in 2023 and 323 in 2025 (it would have been lower than that if Blake Cashman didn’t miss four games through injury).
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Jamal Adams has been signed to provide direct competition to Pace for one of the team’s final roster spots. Adams has the edge on experience and versatility.
Dwight McGlothern
Aug 24, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Dwight McGlothern (47) tackles Philadelphia Eagles running back Kendall Milton (36) during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Caean Couto-USA TODAY Sports.
Dwight McGlothern has been a star of the last two training camps since being picked up as an undrafted free agent in 2024. He found his way onto the roster for the last two seasons but it only translated to a combined 50 defensive snaps. You have to wonder if the breakthrough for McGlothern is ever coming.
Senior cornerbacks Byron Murphy, James Pierre, and Isaiah Rodgers will take up three roster spots. Plus, fifth-round rookie Charles Demmings has been turning heads and looks locked in for the fourth spot. It leaves McGlothern battling with the likes of Zemaiah Vaughn and Kahlef Hailassie for the fifth and probably final CB place. Early signs point towards Vaughn as the favorite.
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Zavier Scott
Aug 16, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Zavier Scott (36) runs with the ball against the New England Patriots in the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images
The Vikings carried just three running backs plus fullback CJ Ham last season. Zavier Scott did well to come from nowhere to claim a roster place last year.
He was an undrafted rookie in 2023 who was picked by the Indianapolis Colts. Scott found a new home in Minnesota in 2024 and largely due to his pass-catching ability, impressed enough during the 2025 preseason to secure a roster spot.
Ham has retired and been replaced by Max Bredeson as the fullback. Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason remain the top two backs in Minnesota. If the Vikings plan to just have a three backs again this season then Scott will have to battle it out with the speedy sixth-round rookie Demond Claiborne for the RB3 role
Max Brosmer
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Max Brosmer drops back to pass during the second half against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. The rookie signal-caller continued gaining valuable game experience while Minnesota evaluated its quarterback depth late in the 2025 season. Nov. 30, 2025. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Ng-Imagn Images.
Max Brosmer completed the dream of being a Minnesota Golden Gophers QB to starting an NFL game for the Vikings. In fact, he started two games and even led the team to a win over the Lions in Week 17. Truthfully, the undrafted rookie QB didn’t do much to contribute to the win, only attempting 16 passes with a 56.3% completion percentage.
Brosmer made history for how bad his stat line was for a winning QB. The best praise you can give him is that he managed not to lose the game, but he was clearly not good enough. Assuming Kyler Murray and JJ McCarthy are both sticking around and with Carson Wentz also in the mix. It is the practice squad at best for Brosmer.
Michael Jurgens
Aug 9, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings guard Michael Jurgens (65) holds the ball at the line of scrimmage during the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
Drafted in the seventh round of the 2024 draft, Michael Jurgens got the opportunity to play in his second season thanks to the Vikings’ offensive line being obliterated by injuries. Jurgens got to start in three games at center and did okay apart from committing five penalties. A more penalties-than-games ratio is not good. The fact that Minnesota has opted to go with a guy who had never snapped a ball before last season in Blake Brandel as the new center tells me that there wasn’t a belief in Jurgens being ready.
Add in the fact that another rookie – Gavin Gerhardt – was drafted in the seventh round this year it should leave Jurgens looking over his shoulder. Usually, the younger new draft pick would seem the obvious choice but the Vikings are in the strange situation where one player was picked by the former general manager while the other was selected before the current GM arrived. The preseason likely determines the backup center.
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Proud UK Viking. Family Man. Enjoy writing about my team. Away from football an advocate for autism acceptance.
The 2026 Coaches’ Poll is out with Ohio State and Oregon ranked as the top two teams in the country by the nation’s coaches.
The top 10 isn’t the issue—the SEC bias shows on the back end of the Top 25.
On today’s episode of Locked On College Football, Spencer McLaughlin and ‘Locked On Longhorns’ host Brad Kellner discuss Texas’ 2026 schedule.
Will Steve Sarkisian reach double-digit wins?
Arizona State enters 2026 with a 6.5-win total according to FanDuel.
‘Locked On Sun Devils’ host Philip Mulford discusses why they’re an easy “over” bet this year under Kenny Dillingham.
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03:52 Criticizing preseason college football polls 07:35 Discussion on Missouri’s football ranking 16:00 Big game against Ohio State 16:59 Early games helping team gel 20:20 Predicting Texas Longhorns’ season outcomes 25:11 ASU – Locked on Sun Devils – Philip Mulfod 28:53 ASU London and game dynamics 29:32 Underrated college football rivalries
On August 5, 2026, BTS’ Jimin caught fans’ attention with his gesture during the group’s show at Gillette Stadium. The moment occurred during the ending ment portion, where Jimin personally handed water bottles to each of them in turn. Jimin carried the water and approached them one by one to distribute it before continuing with the segment. This took place on Day 1 of the two-night stop in Foxborough for the BTS’ ARIRANG World Tour.
Videos of the water distribution moment from the concert circulated online shortly after the show. The clip received significant engagement as it spread across the social media platform X.
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Soon, fans started praising Jimin and sharing their comments on X.
One fan commented:
“Translated from Korean: Lovely and angelic Jimin ✨🫶 WE LOVE YOU JIMIN”
Translated from KoreanLovely and angelic Jimin ✨🫶WE LOVE YOU JIMIN
Several fans chimed in and commented on Jimin’s gesture.
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It’s the little things like this that show how thoughtful Jimin is 🥹
Jimin is such an angel. He didn’t even get a water, gave them all to the other members. 🥹
Such a beautiful heart u have jimin 😻💜
jimin is truly an angel always taking care of the members
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More fans shared their thoughts on X.
Jimin taking care of the members on stage is the sweetest thing ever. He truly is an absolute angel who always looks out for everyone around him.
Jimin always takes care of everyone.
Jimin’s caring nature always shines, he looks after his members so naturally.
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the sweetest park jimin 🥹🫶🏼
BTS at Gillette Stadium
During the surprise song portion of the encore, BTS performed Paradise and No More Dream. Now several fans are debating whether Love Maze is next on the list.
In his ending ment, Jimin spoke about his middle school days. He recalled thinking that ranking first in his school would lead him to Harvard, then noted that he had not actually achieved that ranking. He went on to express regret that the group had taken so long to reach the Boston area.
He also said that if the members had known the audience would welcome them with such strong support, sing along to the songs, and offer such warm smiles, they would have visited much earlier. He thanked the crowd, said the night had been a happy one for the group because of everyone present, and expressed hope the evening would remain memorable for those who attended. He closed by asking everyone to return home safely.
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Separately, at the preceding MetLife Stadium shows in East Rutherford, camera operators captured extended close footage of Jimin during moments when he appeared affected by the heat and humidity on the outdoor stage. He repeatedly directed the camera away. This incident has caused fury among fans.
All India Football Federation (AIFF) President Kalyan Chaubey has urged the Tata group to reconsider its “shocking” decision of withdrawing Jamshedpur FC from the embattled Indian Super League (ISL).
The Tata group has made it clear that JFC’s exit from the ISL was a long-planned strategic decision to ensure that the company returns to its core ideal of grassroots football development. Tata Steel vice President (Corporate Services) D B Sundara Ramam has also insisted that the move has “nothing to do” with the uncertainty surrounding the ISL’s commercial future and would not be reconsidered.
However, Chaubey said the AIFF would still hope for a rethink by the legacy corporate house.
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“AIFF would be happy if Tata remains in football, especially in senior top tier football. If an AIFF request or application can change their mind…the AIFF would like to appeal that for the interest of the players and football, Tata should remain in the senior football league,” Chaubey told PTI in an interview.
“The AIFF welcomes any suggestion (from them) and is ready to incorporate the suggestions to ensure the best outcome,” he said.
Tata Steel has assured that Jamshedpur FC will honour all existing player contracts and help footballers find new clubs.
The AIFF president said he has faith in Tata group and its decisions cannot be driven by commercial interests.
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“It’s all about, I think, some decision in the boardroom. And I’m sure there are reasons, but it cannot be for Rs 1.1 crore participation fee or management fee. It is not that. When the board decided to withdraw the senior team from the top-tier league, I am sure they had a reason for taking this harsh decision.
“They are aware of the football fans’ reaction, but I assume this cannot be only a financial decision because Tata has many enterprises and businesses,” he observed.
The former India goalkeeper said he has immense respect for the group’s contribution to the sport’s growth through the Tata Football Academy that has been in operation since 1987. Chaubey too has trained in that facility during his playing days.
“We have seen many corporates become very prominent over the last few decades, but we have also seen many corporates go bankrupt thereafter. But Tata is different. It has gained that respect, earned that respect among Indians,” he noted.
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“Tata will never consider sports merely as a medium for business, revenue generation, profit, or loss. They have done so much for Indian sport. They have invested in archery and several other areas, and in football, I think most of the youth development system has come through the Tata Football Academy,” the former India player added.
Chaubey recalled how the academy survived a financial crisis in the ’90s.
“…it was rumoured that TFA would be closed down, the Archery Academy would start, the Engineer Hostel would start, and the Cricket Academy would start. Many rumours were there.
“But since we won two tournaments in Germany and the Netherlands at the junior level, it became a headline in London. So officers from the London Tata office came and met us. They gave us incentives, PK Banerjee and Ranjan Choudhury were the coach and technical director. So that’s how the Tata Football Academy continued, which was supposed to be closed down in 1992,” he revealed.
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Chaubey fondly recalled his association with the Tata Academy as a cadet player.
“I learned football through Tata Football Academy. Since 1987 till date, nearly 275 or more player have graduated from TFA. I am also one among them and perhaps Renedy Singh and myself served the longest period in the Tata Football Academy,” he said.
Aug 5, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Mets designated hitter Jorge Polanco (11) celebrates his solo home run in the third inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Almost nothing has gone right for Jorge Polanco in his first season since signing as a free agent with the New York Mets. His approach and attitude, however, haven’t changed.
The 33-year-old designated hitter finally reaped some rewards from his hard work in New York’s ongoing series against the Guardians. The Mets will attempt to sweep the three-game set on Thursday in Cleveland.
Polanco snapped an 0-for-26 slump with a solo homer in the third inning on Wednesday. He later doubled off All-Star closer Cade Smith with two outs in the ninth as the Mets rallied for a 6-5, 10-inning win over the struggling Guardians.
“I’m happy for him, he’s worked hard,” Mets interim manager Andy Green said. “He had a good day, and that at-bat in the ninth was unbelievable. That’s as live of a fastball as you’ll ever see (from Smith), and he managed to recover from a tough first swing.
“The homer was great. He had good at-bats all day. Happy for him.”
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Polanco went deep against Tanner Bibee, sending the ball 380 feet over the fence in right. It was his first hit since July 20, a slump that saw his average drop to .131. The clutch double off Smith upped the mark to .144.
Green predicted the breakout performance before the first pitch, noting to reporters that Polanco had taken 300 swings upon arriving at the ballpark.
“I took a lot of swings and we got a good result today,” Polanco said. “I was working on my timing, trying to work on being simple. Don’t try to be too quick. All that stuff that we’ve been working on.”
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Polanco will look to build on that performance Thursday afternoon when Mets right-hander Nolan McLean (7-7, 3.29 ERA) takes on Guardians left-hander Foster Griffin (12-3, 3.06).
McLean continues to come into his own in his second major league season, posting a 1.49 ERA with 42 strikeouts and a 3-2 record over his past six starts. He has yet to face Cleveland.
The Guardians are deep in a two-month swoon that has seen them match their low mark of one game under .500, but they remain tied for the final American League wild-card position with the Texas Rangers. Cleveland is 21-31 since June 4.
Elite Guardians prospect Angel Genao became the first player in franchise history — and the 22nd in the majors’ modern era — to collect four hits in his major league debut, also driving in a run Wednesday just hours after being recalled from Triple-A Columbus.
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“It was more than I could ever imagine,” said the 22-year-old, who had four singles and a flyout in five plate appearances. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to have this. I just tried to enjoy the game and enjoy every at-bat.”
Symbolic of the team’s luck of late, Genao made a double error on the first ball hit to him at third base. Cleveland committed three miscues in the crushing loss, including shortstop Brayan Rocchio’s fumble on what should have been a game-ending grounder in the ninth.
National League All-Star Griffin also is new to the Guardians, coming over from the Washington Nationals as part of a busy trade deadline for the two-time defending AL Central champions.
“We were aggressive in the starting pitcher market, and Foster has been one of the best in baseball this year,” Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “He’s been really consistent and productive since the start of this season.”
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Griffin won eight straight decisions for Washington before being rocked for six runs in 5 1/3 innings during a road loss to the Atlanta Braves on July 31. His lone career game against the Mets was a road win on May 19, 2026, when he gave up five runs in five innings.
MANILA, Philippines —EJ Obiena continues to make up for lost time, winning his seventh gold medal of the season at the International Stabhochsprung Meeting in Jockgrim, Germany.
Obiena cleared 5.83 meters to capture his second straight title, just days removed from his triumph at the Halberstadter Hohenflug.
The Olympic pole vaulter edged Qatar’s Siefeldin Abdelsalam, who also cleared 5.83 meters, on countback. Ersu Sasma of Turkey settled for bronze after clearing 5.77 meters in the 12-man field.
Obiena then attempted a season-best 5.93 meters but fell short.
“[It] was far from smooth competition and some struggles during warm up and earlier bars but happy to scrape an 80 bar,” Obiena said. “We continue to work and now a few trainings in before we go again.”
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The fit-again Obiena, who battled injuries last year, set his season best of 5.85 meters at the Meeting Madrid in Spain, where he settled for silver.
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In Pokemon TCG Pocket, Typhlosion ex is a Stage 2 Fire-type card from the Ruler of the Skies expansion. It is a powerful Pokemon ex thanks to its move Destructive Inferno, which deals 110. However, the move’s secondary effect is very useful as well. It requires you to flip a coin multiple times until you get a tails. For each head, you get to remove an energy from the opponent’s Active Pokemon.
So let us take a look at how to play Typhlosion ex, which cards work well alongside it, and the main strategy involved.
Best Pokemon TCG Pocket Typhlosion ex deck guide: Cards you need
Best Pokemon TCG Pocket Typhlosion ex deck guide: Strategy breakdown
All Typhlosion ex variants in TCG Pocket (Image via The Pokemon Company)
1) Typhlosion ex
HP: 180
Move:Destructive Inferno
Move Damage: 110
Move Description:Flip a coin until you get tails. For each heads, discard a random Energy from your opponent’s Active Pokemon
Move Energy Cost: 2 Fire and 1 Colorless Energy
Retreat Cost: 2 Energy
Destructive Inferno is a powerful move, dealing 110 damage for two Fire and one Colorless Energy. While setting it up can be difficult, Typhlosion ex is worth it. Especially thanks to its secondary effect, which allows players to remove energy from the opponent’s Active Pokemon as long as the coin flips land in your favor.
Victini in TCG Pocket (Image via The Pokemon Company)
HP: 70
Ability: Victory Star:Once during your turn, after you flip any coins for an attack of 1 of your Fire Pokemon, you may ignore all results of those coin flips and begin flipping those coins again. You can’t use more than 1 Victory Star Ability each turn.
Move:V-Flame
Move Damage: 40
Move Energy Cost: 1 Fire and 1 Colorless Energy
Retreat Cost: 1 Energy
The Victini card from Pulsing Aura is useful because of its Ability Victory Star. This Ability will allow you to ignore a coin flip that does not go in your favor. As a result, if you get a tails from using Destructive Inferno, this Ability will allow you to ignore the first one.
3) Entei ex (Secluded Springs)
Entei ex in TCG Pocket (Image via The Pokemon Company)
HP: 140
Ability: Legendary Pulse:At the end of your turn, if this Pokemon is in the Active Spot, draw a card.
Move:Blazing Beatdown
Move Damage: 60+
Move Description:If this Pokemon has at least 2 extra Fire Energy attached, this attack does 60 more damage
Move Energy Cost: 2 Fire Energy
Retreat Cost: 2 Energy
Finally, we come to Entei ex. While it is a decent attacker, the main draw of this card is its Ability Legendary Pulse. By playing Entei ex in the Active Spot you will be able to draw another extra card at the end of your turn.
Best Pokemon TCG Pocket Typhlosion ex deck guide: Support cards
Flame Patch, Rare Candy, and Juliana in TCG Pocket (Image via The Pokemon Company)
Flame Patch can take any discarded Fire Energy and attach it to your Pokemon as needed.
Rare Candy is extremely important since this deck does not run Quilava. As such Rare candy will allow you to directly evolve Cyndaquil into Typhlosion ex.
Juliana is a Supporter that will directly help you find a Typhlosion ex.
Hiking Trail is a Stadium card that lets you draw a few extra cards.
Copycat can help you get a better hand if you aren’t happy with your current one.
Professor’s Research lets you draw two cards.
Poke Ball lets you get a random Basic Pokemon.
Wally is a new Supporter that allows players to attach an extra Colorless Enegy, accelerating the turn by which Typhlosion can deal damage by one.
Finally, Cyrus will help you KO a weakened Pokemon on the opponent’s Bench by switching it into a powerful attack.
BEDMINSTER, N.J. — Will LIV Golf really live to see another season?
An answer to that question came into focus — well, sort of — Wednesday morning when the league’s CEO, Scott O’Neil, made a hastily scheduled appearance in the media center here at Trump Bedminster and announced to a room full of reporters, LIV staffers and other interested observers that the league has an agreement in place with a “lead” investor to fund the operation beyond the 2026 season.
O’Neil’s presser was light on detail in terms of the particulars of the deal, but between his remarks and additional information GOLF.com has learned, here’s what we know (and don’t know):
Who’s the investor?
O’Neil declined to say. Ditto the funder’s financial commitment. The league reportedly has been seeking capital in the $300 million range, which is a long way from the billions, by way of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, that fueled the league for its first five seasons, and means LIV’s so-called 2.0 edition would or will look markedly different from what it was conceived to be.
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How would the league operate on millions instead of billions?
Part of the answer seems to lie in how players would be paid out: via ownership in the league instead of lucrative annual salaries. (“This second bite at the apple is equity instead of cash,” O’Neil said.) For LIV’s biggest stars, some of whom have been enjoying the windfall of nine-figure contracts, it’s hard to figure how an equity arrangement for a diminished league would equate to anywhere close to the kind of money they’ve been making. But O’Neil said some players “love that responsibility” of having more control over their own financial destiny. “The way they engage the media, the way they work with our partners,” he said.
Players would also stand to make less on the course, with only 10 events on the new proposed schedule (five in the U.S., in the weeks before the majors, and five overseas), down from 14 in 2026. Or what was supposed to be 14; LIV cancelled its New Orleans event this season and the status of its season-ending team event in Michigan next month remains very much in doubt. A league source says projected 2027 average player event earnings would be “greater than or equal to the PGA Tour’s dual-track system and far exceeding the DP World Tour.” But the league has offered no detail about actual purse amounts.
The source added that players also would be free to play in any and all non-LIV events for which they are eligible or invited.
What did O’Neil say about the team event?
Not much!
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“We have not made any final formal decisions and hope to in the coming weeks,” he said. “We are all working tirelessly to do everything we can to deliver the events of this season. Some of the stuff is completely in our control. Some of the stuff is not. We are working to deliver the best we can.”
Back to the deal. What would prevent it from being finalized?
O’Neil said the deal had been approved by LIV’s board, and that the league and its investor have a “certain time frame” by which they are aiming to make the agreement official. With both sides on board in principle, what could prevent a deal from happening? O’Neil was coy when asked this question, saying only that LIV’s interested funder is “an investor of weight, and we’re all locked in on making it happen. So I haven’t spent a lot of time on thinking about what might not make it happen.” When I asked O’Neil whether a finalized deal would guarantee a 2027 season, he said, “And ’28 and ’29 and ’30.”
Have any other investors showed interest?
O’Neil said in a statement issued Wednesday morning that the league has seen “strong interest from more than a dozen additional parties to potentially serve as minority investors, creating a multi-partner model built for long-term stability and growth.” But he was less expansive and effusive on this subject in his presser, saying, “We have that opportunity. We don’t need them, but we have the opportunity to do it.”
Any other carrots on the table for the players?
There is at least one: O’Neil said the league plans to return “some” NIL rights back to its players. “There’s a whole formula there we’re walking players through,” he said. The details of that formula are unknown but presumably critical to players like Bryson DeChambeau who have amassed huge followings (and revenue streams) on their personal social channels.
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Will Bryson stick around?
That remains the [insert your favorite dollar figure] question. At a players-only meeting here at Trump Bedminster, DeChambeau, who has been active in the league’s investor-courting process, took the reins and shared what he knew about the state of LIV, which would suggest that he’s still committed to whatever the league could or might become. Asked about the importance of DeChambeau and LIV’s other blue-chipper, Jon Rahm, to LIV’s viability, O’Neil acknowledged their marketing muscle but also was quick to shine a light on LIV’s other players.
“Would certainly love them to come along for the ride and journey, because they carry maybe more weight than anybody in the game and I have a lot of time for that,” O’Neil said. “I think we have enough support from enough players, and we have such an interesting format and global format, I think we’ll do quite well in getting the right stars for this game.”
How will LIV pay out its existing contracts?
For players who are owed tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars, that question is surely top of mind. Same goes for any vendors that might be owed payment. LIV’s debt is significant. O’Neil wasn’t asked directly about any outstanding payouts but he was asked whether there would be need for bankruptcy restructuring “to deal with the legacy liabilities.”
“We want to make sure that we are giving ourselves the best opportunity to do what’s best for this organization to carry forward,” he said. “We’ll consider the best options at that time. That’s not a decision we have to make, and we’ll continue to do what’s best.”
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What’s the takeaway here?
Tough one to read. Word on the ground at Bedminster is that the players have been getting antsy and are understandably hungry for information so they can make decisions about their next steps, be those with LIV or another tour. Wednesday’s news might help put some players at ease but it’s also so light on specifics that it might also make players feel even more uneasy.
Lucas Herbert, who has won two LIV events this season and tied for 6th at the Open Championship last month, said Tuesday that his management team has had discussions with the PGA Tour about what a path back might look like — and PGA Tour CEO Brain Rolapp will tell you that Herbert’s team has not been alone on that front.
“If LIV were to go away and you’ve got nowhere to play, I think ultimately you need somewhere to play as a professional golfer,” Herbert said. “So we’re just doing due diligence, having that conversation. As I said, I haven’t had it personally, and my preference would be to still be playing out here if that was still an option.”
Tsarukyan had been expected to face “Baddest Motherf*****” champion Charles Oliveira in a rematch of their 2024 bout, which Tsarukyan narrowly won on points. But instead, he will face a different Brazilian on 19 September: fellow contender Ruffy.
Fans have theorised that Tsarukyan has not been in the UFC’s good books since he withdrew from a title shot against then-champion Islam Makhachev, with the Armenian pulling out injured on one day’s notice in January 2025.
And earlier this year, UFC president Dana White admitted at a press conference: “I’m not thrilled with Arman right now, and there’s a lot of different reasons. It’s not just the stuff that you see publicly.”
Some fans will feel this explains the No 2 lightweight’s pairing with 10th-ranked Ruffy, 30, although others speculated that Tsarukyan vs Oliveira 2 was in the works, only for Oliveira to withdraw after the death of his teammate Allan Nascimento.
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Nascimento, who fought in the UFC’s flyweight division, died suddenly from an apparent heart attack this week. He was 34 years old.
“Man I can’t believe it, it seems like a f***ing lie brother, it’s crazy,” Oliveira wrote on Instagram. “I don’t even know how I’m going to get onto the mat and go to a fight knowing you’re not going to be there.
“It hurts a f***ing lot brother […] Rest in peace and watch everything. Until after the end.”
Alexandre Pantoja (right) suffered an early injury in December as he lost his belt to Joshua Van (Getty)
In the main event of UFC 331, which will take place at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Joshua Van defends his flyweight title in a rematch with Alexandre Pantoja.
FIFA has sought to draw a line under the controversy surrounding Gianni Infantino’s abandoned World Cup sell-off plan, saying senior officials have reaffirmed their full support for the president after the governing body admitted mistakes and issued an apology over the handling of the proposal.The governing body made the announcement following a crisis meeting in Rabat, Morocco, where FIFA’s leadership attempted to present a united front amid mounting calls for governance reform and even demands for Infantino to step down.The controversy stemmed from Infantino’s proposal to sell stakes in future FIFA World Cup profits through a commercial subsidiary known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). The plan was withdrawn after facing fierce opposition from stakeholders across world football.
FIFA apologises, backs Infantino
In an official statement, FIFA acknowledged that errors had been made in the way the proposal was handled.Referring to the FFE project, the organisation said “mistakes made were acknowledged” and admitted that the “process should have been handled differently.”FIFA also revealed that a letter had been sent to its Council members and national associations apologising for the handling of the matter and committing to “ensure they do not happen again.”Despite the controversy, FIFA insisted that Infantino continues to enjoy the backing of the organisation’s leadership.According to the statement, Secretary General Mattias Grafström and members of FIFA’s management board who attended the Rabat meeting “reaffirmed their full support” for Infantino’s presidency.The governing body also confirmed that the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal is “now off the table.”“There are always lessons to be learned, and FIFA will continue to improve its processes in light of this experience,” FIFA added.The show of support is particularly significant because Grafström had earlier distanced himself from the proposal in an email to FIFA staff, describing the past week as a “sad and reproachable series of events.” FIFA also said Infantino had reiterated his support for the secretary general.
Pressure refuses to ease
While FIFA has attempted to close ranks, criticism of Infantino continues to grow.The association of European Leagues, representing competitions including the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, called the FFE proposal “dangerous” and said it raised “serious questions about FIFA’s governance, internal culture and decision-making.”The organisation demanded sweeping governance reforms and warned that FIFA “must not be allowed to continue taking unilaterally disruptive decisions,” while also opposing any further expansion of the men’s World Cup to 64 teams.Former Portugal captain Luis Figo also urged Infantino to resign, accusing him of having “debased the office.”Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney added to the pressure, saying he no longer had confidence in the FIFA president and describing the failure to consult senior advisers as a “fatal” governance failure.FIFA also dismissed reports that Infantino had promised Morocco the right to host the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for political support, calling the claims “false and misleading.”Infantino is expected to seek a fourth and final term as FIFA president at elections scheduled for March, but the fallout from the failed World Cup commercialisation plan has left his leadership facing its biggest challenge in years.
Nigeria booked their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations with a convincing 6-2 win over Egypt at the Rabat Olympic Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Super Falcons went into the final Group C game under pressure after losing 3-2 to Malawi in their opening match and narrowly beating Zambia 1-0.
But they produced their best attacking display of the tournament when it mattered most, scoring three goals in each half to secure qualification.
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Asisat Oshoala opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 21st minute before Gift Monday doubled Nigeria’s lead in first-half stoppage time, finishing from Rinsola Babajide’s assist.
Egypt reduced the deficit when Nadine Ghazi converted a penalty deep into added time, sending Nigeria into the break with a 2-1 lead.
Nigeria came out strongly after the restart and restored their two-goal advantage in the 57th minute when Uchenna Kanu finished from another Babajide assist.
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The Super Falcons continued to dominate and were awarded another penalty in the 81st minute, with Christy Ucheibe converting to make it 4-1.
Ghazi scored her second goal of the night three minutes later, but Egypt could not mount a comeback.
Rasheedat Ajibade then converted Nigeria’s third penalty in the first minute of stoppage time before setting up Joy Omewa for the sixth goal eight minutes later.
The emphatic victory completed a strong response from Nigeria after their disappointing opening-day defeat to Malawi.
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Malawi Finish Top, Zambia Eliminated
Despite Nigeria’s big win, Malawi finished top of Group C after beating Zambia 2-1 in the other match played at the same time.
Malawi, Nigeria and Zambia all finished with six points, but Malawi topped the group based on the tournament’s tiebreaking criteria.
Nigeria finished second and advanced to the quarter-finals, while Zambia were eliminated despite also collecting six points from their three matches.
Egypt finished bottom of the group without a point after suffering three defeats and conceding 15 goals.
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The Super Falcons have now recovered from their difficult start with two consecutive victories and remain in the hunt for another WAFCON title.
The knockout stage will now provide a much tougher test for Justine Madugu’s side.
Arizona State enters 2026 with a 6.5-win total according to FanDuel. 
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