Although Tony McEvoy acknowledges the daunting opposition for Half Yours in the upcoming Group 1 All Aged Stakes at Randwick this Saturday, the trainer is thoroughly pleased with the condition of his prominent stable runner ahead of the comeback.
The five-year-old makes his racing return since claiming the Caulfield Cup/Melbourne Cup double on November 4 at Flemington, lining up versus names like Jimmysstar, Giga Kick, Fangirl, Briasa and Angel Capital in the 1400-metre $1.5 million showdown.
It represents Half Yours’ first outing at the distance since March 19 of the previous year, when he fell short to Tumbling in Sandown’s benchmark 64, but the end of 2025 saw him emerge as a top stayer, and McEvoy indicated the work has targeted a snappy initial run.
“We’re training him a bit different at the moment; we’re keeping him really sharp to run in this 1400-metre race,” McEvoy said on Monday morning.
Advertisement
“He’s telling us that he’s loving it. He’s bouncing off the track, he’s eating maximum feed and I think he looks very, very well.
“He had his second trial under Jamie Melham at Flemington last week and we were all pretty with him and Jamie said he felt great.
“We’re really pleased. He’s travelled up to Sydney and he’s settled into Rosehill really well. He’s just going to have a sharp little piece of work tomorrow and then he’s going to run in the All Aged.
“It’s probably a hurdle too far for him to win that race if you look at who’s running, but it’s good kick off for him and it sets him up nicely.”
Advertisement
Next after the All Aged Stakes comes the $500,000 Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) on May 9 for Half Yours, with the $1m Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) a couple of weeks later and $1.2 million Group 2 Q22 (2200m) on June 13.
As a weight-for-age program, McEvoy and son Calvin, the co-trainer, want to gauge his prowess in such races, potentially en route to Melbourne Cup repeat via the 2040m Cox Plate at Flemington this year.
“That’s where he has to be now, weight-for-age, and he’s got to prove to us that he’s a weight-for-age horse,” McEvoy said.
“But, I must say, his run in the Turnbull was pretty good, finishing alongside Via Sistina, and from that moment I thought this horse is going to be able to handle himself at weight-for-age level.”
Advertisement
Half Yours is listed in 19 acceptors for the All Aged Stakes, paired with the $1m Champagne Stakes (1600m) as Randwick’s dual Group 1s this Saturday, starring ATC Sires’ winner Campione D’Italia.
Discover leading betting sites offering racing odds for the All Aged Stakes.
The San Antonio Spurs have evened the Western Conference finals at two games apiece after a 103-82 Game 4 win over the Thunder on the strength of a near perfect defensive performance.
Hell, it might’ve been actually perfect. I’m just assuming they did at least one thing wrong at some point. But you would have to be some kind of cynical sleuth to find it, because this was a masterpiece. And the thing is, it might actually be sustainable as the series shifts to what will be a monstrous Game 5 on Tuesday in Oklahoma City.
What did the Spurs do differently?
San Antonio’s young coach Mitch Johnson made a massive adjustment in Game 4 by backing off all the super high traps and double teams on Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and committing to covering him for most of the game with a single defender and helpers squeezing down to the nail.
That last part is an important note, because it’s not as if San Antonio just allowed SGA to play one on one in open space. He will kill that kind of coverage. They still helped down off shooters, but by doing so at the nail instead of deploying a double team as soon as SGA crosses half court (as they did so often through the first three games) they remained in close enough proximity to their shooters to still have time to fly back out and meaningfully contest the 3s when SGA kicked out.
Advertisement
The result: Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace, Jaylin Williams and Jared McCain, who combined for 68 points and 12 3-pointers Game 3, scored just 12 points on two 3-pointers in Game 4. Consequently, the Thunder bench that outscored San Antonio’s reserves 76-23 in Game 3 only won the bench battle 32-30 on Sunday.
If OKC isn’t winning the bench battle significantly, then that means their starters have to beat the Spurs with Victor Wembanyama on the court. And so far, that hasn’t happened. For the series, the Spurs have thrashed Oklahoma City by 50 points with Wemby on the floor. They are minus-46 with him off. Do the math and that’s nearly a 100-point swing over four games based on one guy being on or off the court.
Which is to say, the Thunder were winning this series with their bench in the non-Wemby minutes. Caruso was the story. A 29% regular-season 3-point shooter had basically morphed into Steph Curry through the first three games by making 14 3-pointers at a 61% clip. He didn’t score a single point in Game 4, and OKC shot just 18% from 3 as a team.
Some of that is shooting variance, but a lot of it was how much more contested their shots were as the Spurs stopped ignoring them to send multiple bodies at SGA. Turns out, shooting 3s is a lot harder when you aren’t being left wide open. Who woulda thunk it.
Advertisement
Did SGA at least score big?
No. And that’s the real revelation here. SGA only scored 19 points on 6-of-15 shooting. Had SGA gone for 40 in Game 3, then the Spurs would be out of luck. They tried double covering and the shooters killed them; they tried single covering him and he killed them. But that didn’t happen for three reasons.
1. San Antonio has great individual perimeter defenders. Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper, Devin Vassell, all these guys have proven throughout this series that they can stay in front of SGA (within reason) and apply physical pressure that genuinely impacts his rhythm and, ultimately, production.
2. San Antonio was still helping a lot on SGA. So these defenders weren’t on a total island. The Spurs continued to crowd SGA’s driving lanes and swoop down on him like vultures whenever he gained any kind of advantage. But again, it’s about the spots at which they were helping. When it’s 35 feet from the basket, you can’t get back to the shooters. When it’s at the elbow, or really anywhere inside the 3-point line, you can as long as you’re collectively committed to the cause. The Spurs were totally committed. You can come up with as many defensive schemes as you want, but in the end they all come down to effort. Top to bottom, the Spurs were full throttle all night long.
3. SGA had an off game. Some of that was San Antonio’s defense, but we know SGA can beat any defense on any night. This just wasn’t the one for him. It easily could be in Game 5.
This will get very interesting if SGA hangs a 40-piece in Game 5 and the Spurs go down 3-2. With their backs against the wall, will they still have the nerve to single cover SGA? Or will they go back to playing percentages and hope Alex Caruso and company can’t reignite. Maybe it won’t get to that point, and the Spurs can simply continue with this defensive game plan because of this last factor.
Will Ajay Mitchell play in Game 5?
Being down Jalen Williams hurts, but with Mitchell the Thunder still have a legit No. 2 scorer who can create his own offense. It was no accident that OKC entered Game 4 having outscored opponents by 25.1 points per 100 possessions in the playoffs with Mitchell on the floor, per Cleaning the Glass.
First, he can flat out carry an offense for stretches if SGA doesn’t have it going and the shooters aren’t making shots; Mitchell is making 53% of his shots as a pick-and-roll creator in the playoffs, per NBA.com, and he’s a top-10 scorer on drives. But he also too much as a tandem scorer with SGA when the MVP is also cooking, because now Mitchell, a top-10 scorer on drives in this postseason, is getting to attack against scrambling defenses.
Williams can fill that role, too, but right now there’s no indication that he’ll be ready to go any time soon. Mitchell being out for Game 5 would allow San Antonio to double-down on its single coverage of Shai knowing that even if he goes for 40, who else is going help him if the shooters are accounted for and there isn’t a second scorer?
Advertisement
For my money, Mitchell’s status will be the biggest story leading up to Game 5. But in all honesty, even if he does play, and even if he’s not compromised, the Spurs might’ve already flipped this series. I’d still call it a 50/50 deal, but they made a move that changed the whole chess board on Sunday.
The thought was that single covering the MVP straight up was suicide, but instead it wound up holding the Thunder, who didn’t crack the 50-point mark until the 3:28 point of the third quarter, to their lowest playoff scoring output since 2020.
The champs can definitely still win this series. They have the home court for Game 5, and in a 2-2 best-of-seven series, the winner of Game 5 has historically gone on to win the series 82% of the time. They will definitely take their chances, but they also know they have a serious problem on their hands with this new wrinkle San Antonio has put into play.
Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev earned a $1m bonus for going under the official 50m freestyle world record held by Cameron McEvoy with a time of 20.81 seconds at the inaugural Enhanced Games in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Gkolomeev, who failed to make the podium in four Olympics, won the same bonus last February when he swam 20.89 to beat Brazilian Cesar Cielo’s previous world record of 20.91 set in 2009.
Australian McEvoy improved on Cielo’s mark with a legal time of 20.88 at the Chinese Swimming Open in Shenzhen in March.
Gkolomeev was ecstatic, though, heaving his young son in the air and catching him as he celebrated with his family by the pool, having also banked $250,000 for winning the race.
Advertisement
Kristian Gkolomeev’s record won’t be recognised by global sporting authorities but he is nevertheless $1m richer (Reuters)
“Great race. I had a lot of fun. This is amazing,” said the Bulgaria-born 32-year-old.
“I had a mistake on the break-out and I got a little bit nervous, but then the rest of the swimming was good, so I got it.
“I’m going to say it’s not bad at all,” he added of the prize money. This is going to change my life to the good, for sure.
“It’s a big help for me and my family. And yeah, I’m going to continue next year. Maybe I’ll break it again.”
Global swimming body World Aquatics has condemned the Enhanced Games as a “circus, built on short-cuts”.
Advertisement
McEvoy did not receive a financial reward for his world record, with World Aquatics only paying bonuses for records set in competitions they organise.
“It’s crazy to think that to get a world record without a suit, and without anyperformance-enhancing drugs, as a clean athlete, the bonus is zero dollars,” McEvoy said in March.
On the track at the event, American former world champion Fred Kerley won the 100m in 9.97 seconds, well short of his personal best of 9.76.
WADA and other sporting authorities staunchly oppose the Enhanced Games, warning athletes they risk not only sporting bans but also their health.
Advertisement
Its organisers operate under the principle that banning performance-enhancing drugs does not protect athletes but rather stifles their performance.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is just 18 days away from its official start, as the tournament is set to commence on June 12 with the clash between Mexico and South Africa.
After a gap of 40 years, Argentina will take the field in the 2026 edition of the tournament as the defending champions after beating France in the 2022 World Cup final on penalties.
Advertisement
However, the defending champions have suffered a huge injury scare as their captain and previous edition’s Most Valuable Player, Lionel Messi, left the field limping during his Major League Soccer (MLS) appearance for Inter Miami against Philadelphia Union on Monday.
The incident took place during the 73rd minute of the game when Messi complained about some discomfort in his thigh. He left the field while grabbing his leg and went straight into the locker room.
Advertisement
Messi’s absence did not hurt Inter Miami much as they beat Philadelphia Union 6-4 to walk away with three points.
Miami coach gives update on Messi
Inter Miami head coach Guillermo provided a crucial update regarding Messi’s injury, saying it does not look anything serious at the moment and mentioning that the Argentine was feeling fatigued and was substituted as they did not want to take any injury risk so close to the FIFA World Cup 2026.
However, Guillermo also stated that the final update regarding Messi’s fitness can only be provided after a thorough medical examination of the Argentine.
Advertisement
Why Messi’s injury could prove disastrous for Argentina?
If Messi is deemed unfit to play in the FIFA World Cup, or even if he is not at his hundred per cent fitness, it will deal a huge dent to Argentina’s title defence as the last two times when Argentina played the final of the FIFA World Cup, Messi was their leading goal-scorer.
In 2014, when Argentina finished as runners-up, Messi scored four goals in seven appearances, while in their title-winning campaign in 2022, Messi was once again their leading scorer with seven goals. He won the MVP award in both tournaments.
Messi’s recent form has also been exceptional as he is currently the second highet goal scorer in MLS 2026-27 season with 12 goals to his name.
Argentina’s schedule in the FIFA World Cup 2026
The defending champions Argentina will start their title defence in 2026 on June 17 against Algeria. They will take on Austria on June 22 before ending their group-stage matches on June 28 against Jordan.
Tottenham beat Everton on the final day of the Premier League season and secured their place in the league. Chelsea will miss out on all European competitions.
Mamelodi Sundowns have won the African Champions League. At Roland Garros, it was a very tough day for the French players. Evan Fournier won the EuroLeague and was named MVP of the Final Four. In Formula One, Kimi Antonelli won his fourth consecutive Grand Prix.
An emotional Emma Raducanu was at a loss to explain her horror start at the French Open as she crashed to a first opening-round loss in Paris.
The British number one failed to win a game in a one-sided opening set against Argentina’s Solana Sierra, hitting zero winners and making 15 unforced errors.
Raducanu looked like she could be heading for one of the worst defeats of her career when she trailed 4-1 in the second set but she found a belated foothold, fighting back to force a tie-break before losing 6-0 7-6 (4).
“It was difficult,” said the 23-year-old, who made 42 unforced errors in total. “I don’t think I’ve fully processed it yet, so it’s hard to speak about the match right now.
“But I have to at least take the fact that, from a set and 4-1 down, I came back and made it competitive in the second set. I’m pretty disappointed. Obviously I wanted to do better.
Advertisement
“I went on the court, I felt like the conditions were extremely lively and I felt like I wasn’t able to trust my shots and didn’t feel like I had control over the ball.
“I think probably just a bit light on matches, a bit light on confidence coming into the tournament.
“The first set happened super quickly, and it’s not a nice feeling when the points and the games are going very, very fast. I’m glad at least in the second set I was able to get a few games on the board.”
Raducanu had looked eager and confident in practice having reunited with US Open-winning coach Andrew Richardson earlier this week but she arrived in Paris having played only one match in two-and-a-half months after struggling with a post-viral illness.
Advertisement
Emma Raducanu was beaten in straight sets (Aurelien Morissard/AP)
She is still bothered by a lingering cough that was aggravated by the clay blown up off the court, and it will clearly take time for Raducanu to find a groove again after this latest break from the tour.
The weight of everything she has been through since her life-changing win in New York in 2021 has taken a toll, and tears welled up in her eyes when she was asked how she had kept picking herself back up.
“It’s very difficult,” she said. “I think you need a lot of resilience. I think I’m trying my best each day, and I think that’s all I can ask of myself.”
Raducanu will now turn her attention to the grass-court season, where she has traditionally performed strongly, and the build-up to the HSBC Championships at Queen’s Club starting on June 8.
But she insisted she did not regret coming back for the end of the clay season, saying: “In hindsight, after the two matches I’ve played, it could have been nice to have saved yourself the match like today.
Advertisement
“I think it will help me. I think I haven’t played matches, and it’s obviously very difficult coming in not having had any matches towards the back end of the clay season and these girls having tournament after tournament of confidence and wins. So I think that was pretty tricky for me.
“I didn’t necessarily do as well as I’d like to this year but I think the only way to face and improve how I’m feeling is to go through the tough parts, to go through the pain of it, and hopefully come out on the other side better and stronger.”
Man City, Man United, Aston Villa and Liverpool qualified for next season’s Champions League, while Bournemouth and Sunderland reached the Europa League, and Brighton will play in next season’s Conference League. Here are the Independent Sport’s awards from the 2025/26 season:
Player of the season
Miguel Delaney:Declan Rice – I have also gone back and forth on David Raya and Bruno Fernandes a few times but, now that the title is secured, I’d pick Rice for pushing through under immense pressure.
Advertisement
Richard Jolly: Rice – I actually voted for Bernardo Silva for Footballer of the Year but it was when it looked like Manchester City could do the treble. So I will switch to Rice, who has been Arsenal’s outstanding individual.
Lawrence Ostlere: Fernandes – His ability to create chances was a world apart from every other player in the league and made a huge contribution off the ball too (he completed the same number of tackles as Rice).
Kieran Jackson: Rice – Those with short memories quickly forget how talismanic he was for Arsenal as they built a top-of-the-table lead in the first half of the season which, ultimately, proved insurmountable. Faded towards the end of the season, sure, but has been back to his monstrous self in the past few weeks. A proper leader.
Will Castle: Fernandes – You can easily give this to Rice and I’d have no complaints, but for me, Fernandes’ ability to remain a constant light for Manchester United even through the dark final days of Ruben Amorim makes him the league’s individual best this term. He was integral to their resurgence under Michael Carrick and his title of all-time assist king makes his season one for the books.
Advertisement
Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes celebrates scoring against Brighton (Reuters)
Manager of the season
MD: Mikel Arteta – I could easily have Keith Andrews, Andoni Iraola or Unai Emery here, but I think the scale of Arsenal’s long-term overperformance is being overlooked. And Arteta did show true management – especially dispelling doubts – at key moments.
RJ: Emery– At the start of the season, Aston Villa looked like they could go into decline. They end the campaign having qualified for the Champions League twice and won their first trophy in 30 years, and a first in Europe in 44 years. At the risk of recency bias, John McGinn’s strike against Liverpool might be my goal of the season.
LO: Regis Le Bris – Sunderland’s newly compiled team quickly gelled and racked up points via Le Bris’s gameplan built on defensive solidity. To finish in the top half of the Premier League is a phenomenal achievement, but qualifying for the Europa League, and delivering European football to the Black Cats for the first time in more than 50 years is incredible.
KJ: Andrews – The Irishman has made a mockery of the “most likely to be sacked” tag at the start of the season, steering Brentford so close to Europe. As the antics at Arsenal will attest to, perhaps the “set-piece coach” really is the way forward.
Advertisement
WC: Arteta – You just can’t give it to anyone else, can you? Yes, Arsenal aren’t the most enjoyable team to watch, hence Arteta-ball regularly being the subject of resentment. But his philosophy has been justified; Arsenal are Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years. It’s not come without its real tests of fortitude, either – Manchester City’s fightback threatened to bring about a four-peat of second-place finishes. Arteta managed to drag his side out of the darkness; now he’s potentially 90 minutes away from the best double in football.
Keith Andrews, Manager of Brentford, applauds the fans after keeping the Bees in the Premier League (Getty)
Moment of the season
MD: “After review…” Very far from the best football moment, but the theatre around Chris Kavanagh’s VAR review of Callum Wilson’s goal was among the most exquisite tension I’ve experienced in the Premier League, and decided so much. There’s also a symbolism in how the fact it was a VAR review of a set-piece also summed up so much. Not necessarily for good.
RJ: It may be off the field, albeit about 30 yards from it – Mohamed Salah’s remarkable interview at Leeds. It feels like quite a bit of the drama has come off the field, whether Ruben Amorim’s press conference at Elland Road or Pep Guardiola standing down.
LO: Declan Rice’s “It’s not over” at full-time in Arsenal’s defeat by Manchester City. He was mocked for showing supposed weakness, but in truth it was a glimpse of a defiant mentality that proved so integral to Arsenal’s season. That phrase will be repeated for years to come.
Advertisement
KJ: Max Dowman’s goal against Everton. The 16-year-old came on, conjured a key assist late on, before gliding sumptuously through desperate defenders to score into an empty net, becoming the Premier League’s youngest-ever goalscorer in a statement victory for Arsenal. Of course, understandable given his age, but it’s felt like a shame we’ve barely seen him since.
WC: “After review…” Stockley Park shenanigans take the cake on this one; you truly hate to see it. But the magnitude and significance of this sole moment in the title race – and the relegation race – cannot be denied.
West Ham are contacting PGMO over their concerns regarding the decision to disallow a Callum Wilson equaliser against Arsenal (PA Wire)
Game of the season
MD: Newcastle United 2-3 Liverpool – It feels like it was almost from a different campaign, not least in how it touched football levels that the season didn’t always reach.
RJ: Newcastle 2-3 Liverpool – Astonishing drama, plenty of plotlines and a 100th-minute winner from a 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha.
Advertisement
LO: Manchester United 2-0 Manchester City – Michael Carrick’s first game in charge was a masterclass, and it sparked a transformation of the team’s season.
KJ: Liverpool 1-2 Manchester City – One stunning free-kick from Dominik Szoboszlai and a City fightback which extended the title race by two months. Farcical VAR scenes at the end were, perhaps, a sign of things to come.
WC: Fulham 4-5 Manchester City – Do not assume anything as given in this league. This had the look of a classic City rout when they went 3-0 up before half-time, then 5-1 by 53 minutes. By 77 minutes, Fulham had reduced their deficit by three and looked on a collision course for one of the greatest comebacks this league has ever seen. Alas, it didn’t happen, but those minutes of edge-of-your-seat action were unmatched.
Rio Ngumoha has signed his first professional contract with Liverpool (PA Wire)
Signing of the season
MD: Senne Lammens – A personification of Manchester United’s recently-found stability.
Advertisement
RJ: Dominic Calvert-Lewin – Plenty of clubs spent a fortune on strikers last summer. Leeds got a free transfer who kept them up.
LO: Calvert-Lewin. A free signing who scored the goals (15) that kept Leeds in the Premier League.
KJ: Granit Xhaka. The Swiss midfielder, signed for £13m, was quickly named captain by Regis Le Bris and has been the key cog in Sunderland’s remarkable season, as they push for Europe on the final day. At 33, he’s still got it.
WC: Antoine Semenyo – Who knows how much earlier Arsenal would’ve won the league if not for City’s January business, signing the two most sought-after players in the league. Semenyo was on fire at Bournemouth and only got hotter under Pep Guardiola.
Advertisement
Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Leeds United celebrates victory against Brighton & Hove Albion (Getty)
Surprise of the season
MD: Brentford – To think there was expectation Keith Andrews could be sacked in a nosedive.
RJ: How well (two of) the promoted teams have done. It has been a welcome surprise, too, to see Sunderland and Leeds excel. It wasn’t healthy if the same three teams that came up went down. But with Sunderland and Leeds doing well, it rather caught out Wolves, West Ham and Tottenham.
LO: I genuinely thought this would be the season when VAR clicked and began to become the smooth background operation it was meant to be. Somehow, it got worse.
KJ: Tottenham. Thomas Frank was highly rated and seemed a shrewd pick in the early weeks. How rapidly did that optimism plummet? Their battle against relegation was the story of the campaign.
Advertisement
WC: Brentford – The Bees lost their manager, captain and two best attackers last summer. Predicting the drop for them was hardly a hot take. Shows how much we know.
What are you looking forward to next season?
MD: More open football, hopefully from some rule changes.
RJ: Some managerial changes are confirmed (Xabi Alonso at Chelsea, Marco Rose at Bournemouth), some very likely (Enzo Maresca to Manchester City) and some remain to be determined (Crystal Palace). It will be interesting to see how they get on and how that changes the Premier League pecking order.
Advertisement
LO: Alonso at Chelsea is a great storyline and it will be fun to see how he gets on in the Premier League.
KJ: Manchester City. End of an era with Pep Guardiola leaving – how will Maresca (we assume) fare? It’s some figure to follow.
WC: Alonso to Chelsea is very intriguing – partly because of how unbothered a lot of Blues fans are at the appointment. A quick reminder that ‘failing’ at this Real Madrid team is not the be-all and end-all. What he did at Bayer Leverkusen was truly remarkable – this looks like a coup.
Xabi Alonso’s appointment as Chelsea manager has been confirmed (PA)
The design seamlessly integrates traditional banknote elements with imagery directly referencing McTominay’s crucial World Cup qualifying goal for Scotland against Denmark.
This historic moment saw the team secure their place at the men’s international tournament for the first time since 1998, following a dramatic 4-2 victory over Denmark at Hampden Park in Glasgow last November, where McTominay scored the opening goal with his spectacular overhead kick.
Reflecting on the achievement, the midfielder stated: “Reaching the biggest stage of world football is something every player dreams of, and I know it means everything to our fans. Moments like that belong to everyone who follows the team, so seeing my goal featured on a Scottish banknote feels incredibly special. Being able to work with Bank of Scotland to turn it into something that also supports Crisis, and the work they do to tackle homelessness, makes me even more proud.”
Fans will have a chance to win one of just 100 brand new notes in the coming weeks. (PA)
Emma Noble, chair of the Scottish executive committee at the Bank of Scotland, highlighted the note’s significance: “Securing qualification in such dramatic fashion is a moment fans will never forget, and we wanted to mark it in a way that’s rooted in Scottish identity. Like football, banknotes have long been part of our country’s story, and this limited edition £20 note combines those two traditions with a modern, creative twist.
“Scott’s overhead kick is already regarded as one of the nation’s greatest ever goals. It’s been a privilege to work with him to bring it to life in such a unique way, and we’re grateful for his support in helping raise funds for Crisis as they work to end homelessness across Scotland.”
Advertisement
Only 100 of these special notes have been printed, with 50 available to the public through a combination of collector auctions, a prize draw, and two pop-up “vaults”. Proceeds from the auction and prize draw will directly benefit Crisis Scotland, the national charity dedicated to supporting individuals experiencing homelessness. The online auction is currently live and concludes at 11am on Friday, 26 June, the same deadline for entering the prize draw. Additionally, pop-up vaults will appear in Glasgow and Edinburgh, offering fans a chance to crack a code and secure one of these highly sought-after notes.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman protected his head of hair and recaptured the AEW World Title at Double or Nothing 2026. Interestingly, The Devil witnessed a fan-favorite turn to the dark side in a shocking post-match angle at the end of the pay-per-view.
Last month at Dynamite: Spring BreakThru, Darby Allin squashed MJF in a massive upset to become the new AEW Men’s World Champion. Since then, the self-proclaimed “generational talent” has been obsessed with reclaiming his prized “Triple B”, and repeatedly demanded a rematch for the belt from his long-time rival. The latter, however, refused all of Friedman’s offers for a World Championship bout, stating that he would grant him a rematch only if he agreed to put his hair on the line in return.
Advertisement
Despite his initial reservations, MJF eventually agreed to Darby’s stipulation for AEW Double or Nothing. Their PPV bout started off hot, with Allin immediately attempting to pin Friedman- the latter turned the tables, however, by dodging the World Champion’s dive and then rattling him with an apron powerbomb. MJF tried to maintain his dominance over Darby, but the daredevil fought back valiantly, although he was once again incapacitated by a missed apron Coffin Drop, after which he destroyed his opponent with a package piledriver on the ringside steps.
However, Allin landed a low-blow on Friedman when the referee’s back was turned, and the matchup continued with both stars countering every move the other dished out. At a key point during the bout, The Wolf of Wrestling pulled a cameraman in the way of Darby’s dive, taking out both. He then carried the AEW World Champion and sat him down on a chair on the entrance ramp to try and shave his hair. Allin thwarted Friedman’s efforts, however, choking his challenger out with a guillotine hold.
He then set MJF up on a table and hit him with a Coffin Drop from the top of the entrance stage scaffolding- however, nothing could keep Friedman down for the count. Afterwards, Allin tried submitting Friedman with the Scorpion Death Lock, but once again passed out due to the exhaustion of his recent punishing schedule. His weariness opened the door for Big Hebrew to deliver an avalanche tombstone on Darby and pin him to regain the World Title.
Post-match, Friedman was looking to humiliate Darby by celebrating his victory standing over his foe as the latter was recovering on a stretcher. However, Kevin Knight arrived to chase him off, only to then shockingly hit Allin with a UFO splash on the stretcher, seemingly turning heel.
Advertisement
What this means for the future of the TNT Champion and his relationship with his tag partner Speedball Mike Bailey remains to be seen.
Match results for AEW Double or Nothing
All Elite Wrestling hosted this year’s iteration of Double or Nothing in the Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York. The event featured a star-studded card comprising of a number of high-stakes matches, the results of which have been listed out below:
Christian Cage and Adam Copeland defeated FTR (c) [World Tag Team Title “I Quit” Match]
Konosuke Takeshita defeated Kazuchika Okada (c) [International Title Match]
Athena defeated Mina Shirakawa [Women’s Owen Hart Cup Quarterfinal Match]
Jon Moxley (c) defeated Kyle O’Reilly [Continental Title Match with no time limits]
Will Ospreay defeated Samoa Joe [Men’s Owen Hart Quarterfinal Match]
The 2025/2026 Nigeria Premier Football League season finally comes to an end on Sunday and, without doubt, it has been one of the most dramatic campaigns in recent years.
From the title race to the battle for continental tickets and relegation survival, almost every position is still open ahead of the final day.
For me, Rivers United are favourites to win the league title despite Rangers International currently sitting top of the table. Rangers probably deserve the title more because of their consistency this season, but their final game against Ikorodu City looks very difficult.
Advertisement
Ikorodu City are fighting for a possible third-place finish and a continental ticket, while Rangers need at least a positive result to keep their title hopes alive. Both clubs have already mobilised fans for the game, which shows how important the encounter is to both sides.
I expect Rivers United to beat Katsina United comfortably in Port Harcourt. That is why I feel the title could eventually swing in favour of the Pride of Rivers if Rangers fail to win in Lagos.
Ikorodu City have impressed me this season and I strongly believe they can finish third. They have shown character throughout the campaign and look ready for continental football.
Advertisement
Shooting Stars are still in the race, but their away trip to Niger Tornadoes will not be easy because the hosts are also battling for survival. The pressure in Minna could affect both teams.
The relegation battle is another area that will attract plenty of attention. Wikki Tourists and Bayelsa United are already down, but I believe El-Kanemi Warriors and Remo Stars could join them.
Remo Stars have struggled badly this season after winning the title last term and their trip to Bendel Insurance is far from straightforward. El-Kanemi Warriors are also in a difficult position and may not get the results needed to survive.
I see Enyimba, Plateau United, Warri Wolves and Kun Khalifat using their home advantage to secure safety. Clubs fighting relegation usually become very dangerous at home on the final day.
Advertisement
In the race for the Golden Boot, Rangers striker Godwin Obaje remains my favourite to finish as the top scorer. However, Victor Mbaoma, Joseph Arumala and Jonathan Mairiga are still close enough to cause a late surprise.
No matter how the season ends, one thing is certain — the NPFL has once again delivered drama, excitement and unforgettable moments. Sunday could still produce another shocking twist before the curtain finally falls on the campaign.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login