Manchester City are reportedly interested in signing Pedro Neto from Chelsea. The Portuguese star is one of the wingers they have on their radar this summer.
According to a report in the Daily Mail, Neto is seen as the ideal replacement for Savinho, who has been linked with a move away. Enzo Maresca is looking to reunite with his former Chelsea player and is pushing the club to sign him.
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Neto is reported not to be among the ‘untouchables’ at Stamford Bridge, and the Blues are open to selling the 26-year-old. Apart from the Portugal star, Paris Saint-Germain’s Ibrahim Mbaye and RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande.
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Maresca was quizzed about his time at Chelsea in his first press conference, and he was quick to talk about Leicester City too. He said that the main aim was to return to Manchester City and said:
“I feel quite lucky in terms of my former clubs – Leicester, Chels – I think we did a great job. In both clubs, the identity of the team was clear, the success of the team was clear, and I feel very lucky to be part of these clubs. But now I think we are here today. That is the most important thing, just about City. And nothing to add.”
“I think there was a clear identity at Leicester and Chelsea, probably the reason the club decided for me is they can see similar concepts with the previous manager. We always try to be aggressive on the ball, be the ones that push our idea and try to do the most important thing in football, which is win games.”
Manchester City have been linked with France defender Malo Gusto, while midfielder Enzo Fernandez is also said to be a target.
Former Chelsea manager on Manchester City transfers
Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has not shut the door for Rodri leaving Manchester City for Real Madrid. He recalled that the Spaniard is undergoing surgery and said:
“First of all we have to say that around big players there is always speculation. I am not worried about that because it is normal. I think every manager wants to have Rodri, for now surgery. He needs a holiday, he needs rest, recovery and then he will be back here with us.”
The two sides agreed a £17 million deal in the summer, after the Cityzens held talks with the manager while he was in charge of the Stamford Bridge side.
Scottie Scheffler has never seen Jackson Koivun swing in person. The World No. 1 has heard the hype about the star amateur who turned pro, but his first glimpse of Koivun will have to wait.
“I haven’t had a chance to see him hit a shot yet,” Scheffler said on Sunday at the 3M Open in Minnesota. “Obviously, I’ve heard about his pedigree in college, but I haven’t been able to see it in person yet. I’m looking forward to that.”
While Scheffler has yet to witness the 21-year-old budding star in person, he got a sense for his talent on Sunday when Koivun held him off to win the 3M Open and claim his first PGA Tour win in just his third start as a pro. Koivun started the day with a three-shot lead over a pack of challengers and led Scheffler by six. On a golf course that yields low scores, Scheffler knew he needed to hit the gas early to apply pressure and see if Koivun buckled in his first venture into the PGA Tour Sunday cauldron. Scheffler only made three birdies on his front nine before reeling off three straight circles from 10-12 to excite the TPC Twin Cities crowd and get within a couple.
But despite the best player in the world surging behind him, Koivun never wavered. He started the morning telling his father that he wished everyone would tamp down the hype surrounding him. He’s just playing golf. It was just another round. But then Koivun stuffed his opening approach to 17 inches for a tap-in birdie. He then rolled in an 11-footer for birdie at No. 4 and made another birdie at the sixth.
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Scheffler made two more birdies coming in to shoot a final-round 63 and post 22 under, giving himself a chance should Koivun stumble down the stretch. But while Scheffler talked with the media and waited to see if golf’s next big thing could get it over the line, the other half of Team Scheffler had already seen enough of Koivun to know how the day would end.
After Koivun unleashed his tee shot on the drivable par-4 16th, caddie Ted Scott went to 3M Open executive director Hollis Cavner and said goodbye.
“Ted watched you hit on 16 in the locker room and left to go to the airport,” Cavner told Koivun after the tournament. “I go, ‘There’s a lot of golf left.’ He goes, ‘No, he’ll hang.’ That tells you that when the caddie of the No. 1 guy in the world heads to the airport and you’ve got two holes to play — over water, trouble everywhere — that shows you how much respect these guys have for you already.”
Scheffler remembered his first PGA Tour win, when he outlasted Patrick Cantlay in a three-hole playoff to win the 2022 WM Phoenix Open, and lauded Koivun for staying calm on a day that could’ve quickly become chaotic.
“My first win was in a playoff,” Scheffler said. “So to win for the first time with a big lead, probably a bit easier. But I think anytime you’re trying to win for the first time, it’s awfully difficult, especially for a young guy coming out of college. I think that shows not only how talented of a player he is, but I think the mental strength he has as well.”
With Ted Scott already headed home and Scheffler exiting after his first trip to the 3M, Koivun basked in the glow of a win that will only amplify the hype surrounding golf’s next big thing. Asked what he thinks his best trait is, Koivun, hours after Scheffler praised his mental game, pointed to the same weapon.
“My best trait? I would say my mentality,” Koivun said. “I feel like I’ve gotten a lot better over the past couple years of being able to beat guys with my mentality. Sometimes I watch guys hit on the range and I don’t feel like I’m the most talented out there, but if I can go out there and believe and use my brain to my advantage, then that’s definitely kind of like a superpower.”
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But if you really want to know how Jackson Koivun fended off Scottie Scheffer, all you had to do was listen to what Ted Scott said as he exited the premises: “He can hang.”
“That’s what we train for,” Koivun said. “That’s the position we all strive to be in even through college. It’s like you want to be leading a PGA Tour event and that’s what you train for, you work for. Once you’re finally in it, you’ve just got to keep your head down and commit to every single golf shot. Fortunately, it worked out for me today.”
And it feels like it won’t be the last time that’s the case for golf’s next big thing.
UK wellness interiors specialist Zynk Design has completed the design of Round House, a new martial arts academy in Makati, Metro Manila, created to offer a more premium and inclusive alternative to the traditional combat gym.
Located on the sixth floor of A and V Crystal Tower in Legazpi Village, the academy combines a large martial arts floor with strength and conditioning, private training, premium changing facilities and a dedicated recovery suite.
Round House was founded by Jonathan Fong, who drew on his experience of training overseas to create an academy where beginners and experienced martial artists can learn alongside one another through structured programming and high-quality coaching.
The name combines the precision of the roundhouse kick with the idea of the academy as a welcoming place to gather – a dual identity reflected in Zynk’s design.
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Rather than relying on the red-and-black palette traditionally associated with combat sports, Zynk has anchored the training spaces in charcoal, grey and deep green, creating an environment that feels disciplined and athletic without becoming intimidating.
The main floor is wrapped in mirrors, broadening the sense of space and giving students continuous visual feedback as they train. Grey and green mats define the activity zones, while black structural elements, equipment and storage create a strong visual framework around the perimeter.
Overhead, a combination of angular white light panels and linear strips cuts across the dark ceiling. Their fragmented geometry picks up the faceted Round House brand mark and brings energy and movement to the interior, while delivering the even illumination needed for coaching and training.
The academy’s punching bags have been arranged around the edge of the floor, leaving the centre open and adaptable for classes, drills and sparring. Integrated timber storage provides a place for equipment, helping the academy maintain a more ordered appearance than the typically crowded combat gym.
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The strength and conditioning zone continues the dark, industrial treatment, with black rubber flooring, exposed services and streamlined lighting. Perimeter windows bring daylight into the space, while a mirrored wall increases visibility and makes the compact training area feel larger.
Zynk has used a markedly softer palette in the changing rooms and recovery spaces. Timber locker fronts, matching benches and built-in vanity joinery introduce warmth, while concealed lighting and pale finishes create an atmosphere closer to a premium health club or spa.
The recovery suite includes a plunge pool and shower, set within a compact, softly illuminated room featuring stone-effect surfaces, timber detailing and recessed ceiling lighting. Its inclusion supports Round House’s positioning of martial arts as part of a wider wellness routine rather than simply a competitive sport.
“We don’t just see this as a gym,” said Jen Uyehara, vice president of operations. “It’s an academy that integrates world-class coaching, meaningful community, holistic recovery and premium facilities.”
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Round House offers classes in kickboxing, Muay Thai and mixed martial arts disciplines and is affiliated with the Bas Rutten-inspired Bang Muay Thai system, which combines traditional Muay Thai with modern MMA techniques. Its philosophy – “precision over power” – is expressed through a structured curriculum intended to develop technique, confidence and long-term progression. Round House
The project builds on Zynk’s experience in the Philippines. In 2023, the company designed the 12,000sq ft gym at SMDC’s Rich Residences in Manila, creating a two-storey facility with a prominent boxing and MMA offer, strength and conditioning and multi-use sports spaces. Zynk Design
Spence lost for the first time when he came up short against Terence Crawford when bidding for the undisputed welterweight world title in 2023, then a three-year stretch of inactivity left fans questioning whether the Texas-based operator would ever fight again.
Yet, on Saturday night, the former unified WBC, WBA and IBF welterweight world champion made his ring return, appearing in a middleweight clash against Tszyu in Australia.
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From the opening bell onwards, it appeared as though Spence’s previous injuries, combined with his age and inactivity, had caught up with him and that his ability had faded as a result, lacking the power or speed to cause his Aussie opponent too much trouble.
Spence’s mentality saw him remain competitive in the fight and last the distance, after which a unanimous-decision and career-best win was awarded to the home fighter. On his YouTube channel, Bradley noted that Spence’s balance was off throughout the affair and admitted the performance was ‘hard to watch.’
“That was hard to watch, I’m not going to lie to y’all man. There was times when I was watching that s**t and I felt like jumping through the T.V. and helping Spence.”
“His body betrayed his a** last night. It goes to show that, you know what, you can have that mental, but your body is going to do what it is going to do once that age sets in.”
“It looked like Spence was on ice skates at times when he got hit, his whole body trembled. His balance was all off, it was like he was in high heels or some s**t. He was leaning forward, top-heavy like a motherf***a.”
Astronomix continued his impressive ascent through the grades with a powerful wide run to win the Happy Retirement Lynne McLean Handicap (1300m).
James McDonald, who is on the cusp of claiming a record-equalling eighth consecutive Sydney jockeys’ premiership and his 10th overall, had not competed in a Sydney Saturday race meeting since All Aged Stakes Day in mid-April.
His last appearance in Sydney was actually at a Canterbury midweek fixture on May 27, due to interstate and overseas commitments.
McDonald was seen to great advantage on Astronomix ($3.90), with the emerging three-year-old finishing strongly under 59kg to run down the determined front-runner Nullarbor Jane near the line, winning by a length. Aisle Two ($10) finished a further two-and-a-quarter lengths behind in third.
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Lady Invictus, backed into $3.30 favouritism, appeared to have every opportunity but could only manage to finish fifth.
Astronomix has now amassed a record of three wins and three placings from six career starts, with the promise of more to come, according to McDonald.
“He’s a young horse with a lovely presence about him,” McDonald stated. “He has been so well handled, so well educated, and he was strong to the line today. I don’t think he’s any world-beater but he tries very hard in his races.”
The victory for Astronomix provided trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton with the second leg of a successful double, following the earlier win of two-year-old Scintillation.
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“We like him, he’s a very genuine young racehorse,” O’Shea commented on Astronomix. “He’s only lightly raced, he gives his all but we feel he can only keep improving.”
Earlier, Leovanni also continued her impressive form surge, securing her third consecutive victory in the TAB Highway (1800m).
Leovanni had initially struggled to break her maiden status, accumulating eight minor placings. However, after finally breaking through with a win at Tamworth, she has now won successive Randwick TAB Highways over 1600m and 1800m.
The Cameron Crockett-trained Leovanni ($7) settled on speed, took the lead on the turn, and went on to score comfortably by three-quarters of a length from Maples ($5.50), with Moon Sweeper ($2.35 favourite) a long neck away in third.
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“I thought she probably should have been favourite today,” Crockett said. “But when you have an Arrowfield horse (Maples) and one of Matt Dunn’s (Moon Sweeper) then I don’t mind being third favourite. If we win it doesn’t make any difference.”
“As soon as Alysha Collett got up outside the leader I was worried that maybe she might over-race. But when she relaxed and half switched off then I thought she won’t let any of them pass her as I know how tough she is.”
Consider the Australian betting sites for future races after this exciting performance.
After putting on an incredible performance in his debut World Cup at 40-years old, Cape Verde’s star goalkeeper Vozinha has reportedly reached a verbal agreement to join Chilean club Colo Colo.
The transfer follows a breakout campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where Vozinha helped lead Cape Verde to the round of 32 in the country’s first-ever appearance. The signing was teased by the club on social media.
Named to FIFA’s team of the tournament, the veteran goalkeeper recorded 18 saves across four matches, 15 of which came against the two teams that reached the final, while helping Cape Verde without a loss in 90 minutes.
Born Josimar Jose Evora Dias, the goalkeeper entered the World Cup as an unattached free agent after his contract expired with Portuguese second-division side Chaves.
He adopted the name Vozinha early in his career to avoid sharing a name with a teammate, referencing a childhood nickname given to him while being raised by his grandparents.
Off the pitch, Vozinha’s tournament performances generated widespread international attention, expanding his social media following from 50,000 to over 29 million followers after the tournament, alongside reported transfer interest from MLS side Inter Miami prior to settling on terms with Colo Colo.
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At Colo Colo, Vozinha will play under Argentine manager Fernando Ortiz as the Santiago club builds its roster for the upcoming Copa Libertadores, the South American equivalent to the UEFA Champions League.
Second placed Red Bull Racing’s Dutch driver Max Verstappen celebrates with champagne on the podium after the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary, on July 26, 2026. (Photo by Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP)
Max Verstappen continued to complain about his car and put pressure on his Red Bull team on Sunday despite securing his second consecutive podium finish and a third in four races.
The four-time champion came in second behind McLaren’s world champion Lando Norris in the Hungarian Grand Prix while grumbling about his car’s gearbox and aerodynamic performance.
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He had earlier described the car as “undriveable” a comment repeated by teammate Isack Hadjar, who finished sixth.
“I didn’t expect to be on the podium today, but we worked hard for it,” said Verstappen. “The start was decent, you know, to get through turns one and two, and then after the first stop to get back ahead of Lewis, under braking into Turn One.
“Then, I was just trying to survive on the compounds, trying to make the right calls with the strategy as well. So, yes, I’ve very happy, considering everything, to be second here.”
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He added that his lunge to pass Lewis Hamilton – the move of the race – was his chance to regain the position he had lost when Ferrari pitted the Briton to create an undercut.
“I saw that opportunity as my only one and so I just went for it. We were good on the brakes so that helped! But, it was all under control.”
He was enigmatic about the quality of his car on Sunday after criticising it severely on Saturday when, after spinning in qualifying, he said it was “a big problem.”
“The weekend in general has been difficult, but when instead of the tyres degrading your car is degrading, then you have a big problem.”
“The car just kept getting worse and worse, lap after lap. So the more laps I did, it was just more and more difficult. We have to fix it because the car is undriveable like this.”
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The team had abandoned an experimental ‘Macarena’ rear wing at the Belgian Grand Prix a week earlier when Verstappen described it as “super-dangerous” after crashes in Austria and Britain.
His descriptions of the car during Sunday’s race were laced with profanities.
However, that may have been the highlight of the night for Soto.
The 27-year-old drew two walks, but partway through the sixth inning, the Mets took Soto out of the game.
The calf injury has been lingering for a while and has been on the Mets’ radar. In fact, it first surfaced on July 16. Soto was even given time off earlier this week to address it.
Soto was the only All-Star for the Mets this season, which underscores what a problem it is if he’s not in the lineup.
Juan Soto of the New York Mets walks back to the dugout after striking out in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 16, 2026.(Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
Through 84 games this season, Soto is batting .283 with 83 hits and 21 home runs. He is in the second year of a 15-year, $765 million deal that he signed with the Mets in December 2024.
There is something deeply satisfying about a global golf ball factory that doesn’t try to look like a spaceship.
If you roll up to Callaway’s golf ball plant in Chicopee, Massachusetts, you aren’t greeted by hyper-futuristic glass facades or floor-to-ceiling LED screens. It’s a solid, weathered brick building sitting in a quiet New England town. It looks like a place where real work gets done by people who have spent their entire lives perfecting a trade.
Truth is, they have — and like Callaway’s golf ball journey, this dedicated plant in Chicopee has seen its ups and downs. But since it started, the plant’s ethos has always been to evolve and grow the economy for the residents of this town. Needless to say, an evolution is precisely what has taken place. Inside these humble brick walls sits one of the most technologically advanced golf ball production lines in the world.
Some would argue it’s the alpha.
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Having spent a significant chapter of my career inside Callaway starting in 2021, this facility and the people in it hold a very special place in my heart. When I first walked through those doors, part of my explicit mandate was to help educate golfers on what Callaway was doing in the ball space. I saw firsthand how much heart, pride and relentless sweat the team poured into every single shift. So watching the evolution of this ball business over the years isn’t just an industry case study for me — it’s personal.
When Callaway first took ownership of the Chicopee facility, the operation was remarkably modest. Inside those walls were just 98 workers. The plant was vital to the local economy, but Callaway’s footprint in the premium golf ball space was still finding its footing. Back around 2012, if you told anyone inside the company that ball revenues might one day clear $200 million, the room would have cheered.
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Eventually, the brand hit those financial milestones, but it did so largely off the massive popularity of lines like SuperSoft and the early generations of Chrome Soft. Golfers ate those up. They were comfortable, soft-feeling and incredibly forgiving for everyday players. But if we are being honest with ourselves, that initial commercial boom was powered by casual retail appeal, not a dominant, tour-first performance model.
Callaway was making a fantastic ball for the weekend player, but it hadn’t yet forced the best players in the world to re-evaluate what was in their bags.
Callaway’s ball history actually far pre-dates the Chrome era. Long before Chrome Soft became a household name, Callaway made serious, pioneering statements in ball design. In 2000, they rocked the industry with the Rule 35, proving that a multi-layer solid-core ball could compete at the highest level. A few years later came the HEX aerodynamics platform, ditching traditional round dimples for hexagonal geometry to stabilize flight in heavy crosswinds — innovations that directly paved the way for iconic major moments, including Phil Mickelson’s dramatic 2004 Masters win.
Those products proved Callaway had the R&D chops, but maintaining bulletproof consistency across millions of production runs while rapidly scaling is an entirely different beast. Good was never going to be good enough.
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Around 2019, the trajectory shifted drastically. Did industry critics cause all of this? No. Knowing Callaway CEO Chip Brewer the way I do, building the best golf ball business in the world was already the standard he demanded. He isn’t a guy who takes half measures. Chip Brewer is a big-swing, all-or-nothing CEO, which for a guy like me was music to my ears. Instead of just moving the tile puzzle around, Chip blew it all up. He knew the ball could be even better, so he pulled out the checkbook for Mark Leposky and the engineering team to execute a massive, multi-stage overhaul.
In the gear business, you eventually hit a fork in the road: you either accept being a very profitable retail option, or you commit to the massive expenditures and intensive labor required to elevate your manufacturing quality.
Callaway chose to put its shoulder into the wheel and take the big swing.
SPEED TECHNOLOGY
Revolutionary new Tour Fast Mantle that increases distance through an optimized core/layer system.
ADVANCED SEAMLESS TOUR AERO®
Incredible distance and flight consistency on every shot.
PRECISION TOUR URETHANE COVER
Incredible feel and wedge control.
PRECISION TECHNOLOGY
Provides the ultimate in consistency. Every detail in the design, manufacture, and testing of the Chrome Tour X ball has been engineered to ensure maximized performance throughout your game.
They didn’t just tweak a cover or change a logo. They poured well over $100 million directly into modernizing Chicopee from top to bottom. Every single square inch of the plant was re-engineered — a comprehensive transformation touching everything from state-of-the-art raw material mixers and high-precision digital printing to ultra-controlled barometric testing rooms.
While internal core updates laid the foundation, focusing solely on the core misses the real story of what happened in Chicopee. The true leap forward — the innovation that took this platform from world-class to outright transcendent — happened on the surface with aerodynamic performance.
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In high-speed golf ball design, raw energy off the face is completely wasted if the ball fights the air. That’s where Seamless Tour Aero redefined everything. For years, traditional golf ball manufacturing relied on dimple patterns that left a physical seam where the mold halves met, creating subtle variations in lift and drag depending on how the ball sat on the tee or faced the breeze. Callaway’s team blew past conventional geometries to engineer a complex, seamless aerodynamic surface that completely eliminates seam-orientation variance.
Whether hit into a howling 20-mph wind or a tricky cross-breeze, surface geometries and micro-dimple depths are held to ultra-tight tolerances, keeping drag to an absolute minimum and delivering a piercing, unshakeable flight window. That aerodynamic stability is what gives high-speed players total command of their trajectories.
That structural visibility and aerodynamic depth changed everything. Years ago, you could say, “We build a world-class golf ball that stands toe-to-toe with anyone.” Today, backed by automated quality tracking, barometric precision and relentless manufacturing standards, the engineering team can make a far bolder assertion: the product coming off the line is measurably faster, remarkably consistent and built with zero room for error.
SPEED TECHNOLOGY
Revolutionary new Tour Fast Mantle that increases distance through an optimized core/layer system.
ADVANCED SEAMLESS TOUR AERO®
Incredible distance and flight consistency on every shot.
PRECISION TOUR URETHANE COVER
Exceptional feel and greenside control.
PRECISION TECHNOLOGY
Provides the ultimate in consistency. Every detail in the design, manufacture, and testing of the Chrome Tour ball has been engineered to ensure maximized performance throughout your game.
All the factory data in the world is meaningless if the world’s elite players don’t trust the ball when a trophy is on the line. Tour pros are obsessively protective of their setups, and the ball is the most sensitive item in the bag because it’s involved in every single shot.
When Jon Rahm was evaluating a move to Callaway, his baseline condition was simple: let me test the golf ball first. He wanted to isolate that single variable before talking about clubs. Rahm stood on the range, pounding ball after ball into different wind conditions, watching how it launched, pierced the air through with the Tour Aero dimples and reacted around the greens. The performance and predictability of that aerodynamic flight became the exact reason he decided to switch his entire setup.
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The story with Xander Schauffele was just as direct. Xander walked into his initial testing session making it clear that if the ball didn’t perform immediately, he was done — famously saying he’d know within three swings. He teed up a ball, hit a few shots dead into a heavy breeze, and watched it hold its line perfectly. He turned back to his team with a grin and admitted they had a good problem on their hands because he loved the flight.
When you see major championship trophies raised by Rahm at Augusta or Schauffele at the PGA Championship and The Open, those balls weren’t born in some secret lab on Mars. They were mixed, molded and packaged by the men and women in Chicopee.
By 2024, Callaway took everything they learned from the plant overhaul and executed a complete blank-canvas reset for their tour lineup, stepping away from the previous Chrome Soft X framework to introduce Chrome Tour and Chrome Tour X.
The goal with Chrome Tour X was clear: build a pure performance ball for players who need max speed, real greenside control and complete flight management. They focused heavily on lowering driver drag through Seamless Tour Aero to keep the ball penetrating through wind while preserving that crisp, responsive touch into and around fast greens.
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When the Callaway team handed me the latest build of the Chrome Tour X late last fall, I was blown away. In modern fitting, we are usually hunting for tiny fractions of a percent. Huge jumps late in the game are rare.
Then I took it out to hit shots.
Right away on the monitor, I saw a 3 mph jump in ball speed off the driver. For my swing, finding 3 extra miles an hour without changing my tempo or sacrificing control is huge. But what really won me over was how it behaved in the air. Thanks to that aerodynamic package, it launched with a lower, penetrating driver window that held its line straight through crosswinds, while still giving me an aggressive, sticky response with my scoring wedges.
For how I play golf — where controlling my launch into the breeze and having absolute trust in short-game check is everything — this ball solved a major issue for me. It gave me real distance and flight control without forcing me to give up touch around the greens.
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It’s easy to get lost in the marketing noise of the golf industry. Every season, everyone promises more distance and better feel. But real progress in engineering isn’t flashy. It’s hard, grinding work. It’s millions of dollars invested in manufacturing tools, tighter controls and endless testing loops on the range with players who demand perfection.
Callaway’s journey from Rule 35 and HEX to a major-winning, tour-dominant force was built step-by-step inside a brick factory in Massachusetts.
Standing in Chicopee and watching Chrome Tour X balls roll off the line today, knowing how far this team has come and how much care goes into every layer, fills me with pride for what they’ve built and genuine excitement for where they are taking this business next. For my money and my game, the Chrome Tour X isn’t just a ball that performs on paper — it’s the ball that earned its spot in my bag through pure performance.
Jul 4, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) during batting practice before a game against the New York Mets at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Colin Hubbard-Imagn Images
The Atlanta Braves reinstated star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. from the 10-day injured list ahead of Monday’s series opener against the host New York Mets.
The five-time All-Star is batting .251 with seven homers, 22 RBIs and 15 stolen bases in 53 games during an injury-plagued campaign.
Acuna, 28, has not played with the Braves since June 9 due to a left hamstring strain, the same injury that kept him out for more than two weeks in May.
The 2023 National League MVP, Acuna is a career .287 hitter with 193 homers, 481 RBIs and 220 steals in 870 games since making his debut with Atlanta in 2018.
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The Braves optioned outfielder Brewer Hicklen, 30, to Triple-A Gwinnett in a corresponding move. He batted .368 (7-for-19) with four doubles and three RBIs in eight games.
Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi are set to write the final chapter of one of WWE’s biggest rivalries of 2026. After splitting victories in their first two encounters, the two powerhouses are set to collide inside Hell in a Cell at SummerSlam. Thus, raising the stakes for what has already become a career-defining feud for the rising Nigerian star.
Oba shocked the WWE Universe by defeating Lesnar at WrestleMania 42, proving he belonged in the main-event scene. However, The Beast Incarnate bounced back later at Clash in Italy. Thus, ensuring that the score remains tied heading into SummerSlam. With everything on the line, Triple H could book another unforgettable moment that firmly establishes Femi as WWE’s next dominant attraction.
Thanks for the submission!
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That said, in this article, we look at three shocking ways Oba Femi could defeat Brock Lesnar at WWE SummerSlam 2026.
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#3. Oba Femi survives multiple F-5s before finally putting Brock Lesnar away
Brock Lesnar has built his legendary career by overwhelming opponents with unmatched explosiveness. Many of his biggest victories have come after a single F-5. Meanwhile, only a select few competitors have managed to survive repeated finishers from The Beast.
Thus, SummerSlam could present an opportunity for WWE to elevate Oba Femi into that exclusive category. The Ruler could simply refuse to stay down. Lesnar might connect with one F-5 after another, growing increasingly frustrated as his opponent continues kicking out. The Minneapolis crowd would likely become more invested with every near fall, sensing that they are witnessing the arrival of a new superstar.
The turning point could come when Brock Lesnar attempts a third or fourth F-5, only for Oba Femi to counter it into a devastating Fall From Grace before immediately following up with another crushing power move for the victory.
This ending would accomplish two major objectives. The Beast Incarnate would lose nothing because he had clearly dominated large stretches of the contest. Meanwhile, Femi would earn enormous credibility by surviving an assault that very few WWE Superstars have ever endured.
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If Triple H wants fans to believe Oba belongs alongside Roman Reigns, CM Punk, and Cody Rhodes as one of WWE’s elite attractions, having him overcome Lesnar’s most devastating offense would make the perfect statement.
#2. Oba Femi embraces the brutality of Hell in a Cell and outlasts The Beast
Hell in a Cell has always rewarded competitors who can adapt to extreme environments.
Although Brock Lesnar has participated in several violent stipulation matches throughout his career, Oba Femi has consistently shown that he thrives when physicality reaches another level. Their rivalry has already featured intense confrontations since Femi’s WrestleMania 42 upset victory. Thus, making a Cell match the ideal setting for the rubber match.
Instead of trying to wrestle The Beast Incarnate conventionally, The Ruler could fully embrace the unforgiving nature of the structure.
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Imagine Oba repeatedly driving Lesnar into the steel walls, countering German Suplexes into crushing spinebusters against the Cell wall, and surviving every comeback attempt through sheer determination. The match would evolve into less of a wrestling contest and more of a war of endurance.
Late in the encounter, Brock Lesnar might even lock in the Kimura Lock, appearing moments away from forcing a submission. However, Oba Femi could use his incredible strength to power out, perhaps slam Lesnar through a table positioned inside the Cell, and hit one final Fall From Grace to secure the biggest victory of his career.
This ending would not only complete one of WWE’s most compelling rivalries of the year but would also symbolically mark the passing of the torch.
Defeating Brock Lesnar inside Hell in a Cell would instantly become the defining moment of Oba Femi’s career. It would validate his WrestleMania triumph and settle the trilogy once and for all. Also, it would establish him as one of WWE’s most dominant stars heading into the remainder of 2026.
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Considering the company has invested heavily in presenting Femi as the company’s next breakout powerhouse, there may be no bigger stage or more convincing way to cement his arrival than by conquering The Beast Incarnate in one of the most brutal matches in WWE history.
#1. Paul Heyman betrays Brock Lesnar and helps Oba Femi score the biggest win of his career
Few moments in WWE history have been as shocking as Paul Heyman turning on one of his longtime clients. Although Heyman and Brock Lesnar have shared one of the most successful partnerships in wrestling history, SummerSlam 2026 could provide the perfect stage for an unexpected betrayal.
As the match reaches its climax, The Beast Incarnate could be moments away from victory after delivering an F-5 inside Hell in a Cell. However, instead of celebrating, The Oracle could create a shocking distraction.
Whether he pulls the referee out of the ring during the count or even strikes Lesnar with a low blow while the official is distracted, Heyman could leave the WWE Universe stunned. The betrayal would give Femi the opening he needs to deliver a thunderous Fall From Grace and pin The Beast clean in the middle of the ring.
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Such a finish would instantly become one of the biggest moments of SummerSlam 2026. Also, it would open several intriguing storylines. Lesnar would seek revenge against his former advocate while Heyman introduces Oba Femi as WWE’s next unstoppable force.
For Femi, defeating Brock Lesnar with the backing of one of wrestling’s greatest masterminds would elevate him into the main-event scene. Also, it would cement him as one of Triple H’s biggest success stories of the year.
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