By Stephen Vilardo, SuperWest Sports
Sports
Hawai’i’s Tough Tourney Road begins with 4-Seed Arkansas
The University of Hawaii is dancing in March for the first time since 2016.
And if they are to duplicate that team’s upset win over the four-seed in the first round, they will need to get past a very good Arkansas squad.
That will not be an easy task.
Here is my preview of the First-Round NCAA Tournament matchup between the Rainbow Warriors and the Razorbacks.
No. 13 Hawai’i vs No. 4 Arkansas
Thursday, March 19
1:25 pm PT, TBS
Portland, Oregon
Both Hawai’i and Arkansas are coming off conference tournament championships and enter the regional First-Round contest in Portland hot.
Arkansas plays fast and will score in bunches, as its 89.9 points per game are the fourth-most in the nation.
Despite the frantic pace, the Hogs are only turning the ball over on 12% of their possessions, the best mark in the nation. During their run to the SEC Tournament title last week, that figure fell to 11.7%.
The Warriors will present unique challenges for Arkansas’s high-octane offense. UH is one of the taller teams the Hogs have faced, and that length could make things difficult for the SEC outfit.
The ‘Bows have blocked 6.8% of opponents’ shots this season, ranking 79th in the nation, while rebounding at a rate of 54.1% to rank 24th in the nation.
Arkansas struggles to rebound efficiently, and Hawaii is especially adept on the defensive glass, ranking 10th nationally, collecting 77.2% of opponents’ missed shots.
When Arkansas misses shots, the Rainbow Warriors cannot allow second-chance opportunities.
The bugaboo for Hawaii this season has been turning the ball over. UH ranks 319th nationally, with a turnover on 18.5% of their possessions.
While the Arkansas defense has not been great this season, they have forced teams into errors at times. The Razorbacks are averaging 19.1 fast break points per outing, the second most in the country.
And with the offensive efficiency UA possesses, this is not a game Hawaii can compete in if they have too many empty possessions.
Collecting offensive boards will also be a key for Hawaii.
Isaac Johnson should be able to produce on both ends of the floor, but the big man is only averaging 21.1 minutes per game.
Will the Rainbow Warriors be able to get production against Arkansas when he is not on the floor?
This Hawaii team is good enough to make a run in the Tournament, but they got a tough draw in Arkansas.
Darius Acuff Jr. is the kind of electric player that can put a team on his back and shine in March.
If Hawaii can dominate the glass and limit the turnovers, they can keep this one tight.
I think Arkansas comes out of the west and plays in the Final Four, though, and that run starts with a win over Hawaii.
writes about various topics for SuperWest sports, including stats and records, college sports, and motorsports. He also founded and runs the Sports and Entertainment Research Center (SERC).
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Arsenal have been paired with Sporting CP in the Champions League quarter-finals, while Liverpool will clash with defending champions Paris Saint-Germain.
The Gunners enter this stage as the only unbeaten team in this season’s competition after defeating Bayer Leverkusen 3-1 on aggregate in the round of 16. A 2-0 second-leg triumph saw Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice find the net to secure progression.
Arsenal’s path to back-to-back semi-finals is blocked by a Sporting side that staged one of the round’s most remarkable comebacks. After losing the first leg 3-0 to Bodo/Glimt, Sporting overturned the deficit with a dramatic 5-3 aggregate victory following extra time, setting up a reunion with former striker Viktor Gyokeres.
If Arsenal navigate past Sporting, they will meet either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals, with the Spanish giants having advanced past Newcastle and Tottenham respectively.
Liverpool, meanwhile, face a repeat of last season’s last-16 encounter with PSG, where the French club triumphed on penalties before claiming their maiden Champions League crown. The winners of the Liverpool–PSG tie will likely meet either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in a mouth-watering semi-final clash widely anticipated as the tie of the round.
Champions League quarter-final first-leg matches are scheduled for April 7 and 8, with return legs taking place a week later.
Champions League Quarter-Finals
- PSG vs Liverpool
- Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich
- Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid
- Sporting vs Arsenal
Potential Semi-Finals
- Winner PSG/Liverpool vs Winner Real Madrid/Bayern Munich
- Winner Barcelona/Atletico Madrid vs Winner Sporting/Arsenal
ENGLAND
Even though four teams have been knocked out this week, it is all but certain that the Premier League will get an extra place.
England (23.847) already have a coefficient score pretty much the same as last season’s second-placed country (Spain, 23.892).
Nothing should be completely taken for granted, as England seemed destined to get an EPS slot in 2023-24 only to suffer a terrible set of results in the quarter-finals.
But it is going to take another very bad night on Thursday for there to be any real jeopardy.
It also helps that Bayern Munich will face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals, meaning one of England’s closest rivals will lose a team. And Barcelona must play Atletico Madrid, too.
As a picture of how far England are ahead, German and Spanish sides are effectively 18 victories behind. And Serie A can no longer catch the Premier League.
SPAIN
The Spanish league is in second place and now has more teams left in Europe (six) than any other league.
It will be a close battle as each win is worth less to the coefficient than for Germany.
The Champions League meeting between Bayern and Real Madrid could prove crucial in the race.
Spain will also be hit by their teams meeting each other.
Atletico and Barcelona will meet in the Champions League quarter-finals.
In the Europa League, Celta Vigo and Real Betis are on a collision course in the semi-finals.
GERMANY
The Bundesliga has only Bayern left active in the Champions League, and it will need a strong turnaround of results on Thursday.
Of the three German teams in action in the Europa League and Conference League, not one goes into their second leg with a lead. They all need positive results to be able to challenge Spain.
PORTUGAL
It seemed like Portugal’s chances of making the top two were effectively over when Santa Clara were knocked out of the Conference League in the qualifying rounds.
But three of their remaining four teams are still active.
However, to be in contention for second all are going to have to go very deep.
ITALY
Serie A has lost four of its seven teams and now only has a slim chance of making second place.
Bologna and Roma face each other in the Europa League last 16, so another team will go out.
At least Fiorentina won in the Conference League.
FRANCE
It has been a disappointing season for Ligue 1 teams, starting with Nice’s failure to make it through Champions League qualifying.
It did not get much better from there for Nice, as they were then eliminated from the Europa League.
France do have four teams still active but seem unlikely to bridge the gap.
POLAND
It will come as a surprise to many to find Poland so high up in the table, and they were in the top two for a while. But Poland no longer have a realistic chance.
All four of the country’s teams have been playing in the Conference League, while more than a third of their coefficient points were picked up in the qualifying rounds.
It would need both of their teams to win every remaining game.
No other country has a mathematical chance of the top two.
Senegal say they will appeal after they were sensationally stripped of the Africa Cup of Nations title on Tuesday and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) instead declared Morocco champions, two months after their chaotic final.
Several Senegalese players controversially walked off the pitch in Rabat during the final on January 18 in protest when the hosts were awarded a penalty late in second-half stoppage time.
After Senegal’s players eventually returned having been coaxed back onto the pitch by captain Sadio Mane, Morocco missed the penalty and Pape Gueye went on to score the goal in extra time that gave his team a 1-0 victory.
CAF said that having studied Morocco’s appeal, “the Senegal national team is declared to have forfeited the match” and the result was “officially recorded as 3-0” in favour of Morocco.
The CAF Appeals Committee justified its decision by applying Articles 82 and 84 of the AFCON Regulations, which state that if a team “refuses to play or leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorisation of the referee, it shall be considered (loser) and shall be eliminated for good from the current competition”.
The articles add that the team contravening the regulations “will lose its match by 3-0”.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) said in a statement its appeal “was never intended to contest the sporting performance of the teams participating in this competition, but solely to request the application of the competition regulations”.
“The Federation reaffirms its commitment to respecting the rules, to the clarity of the competitive framework, and to the stability of African competitions,” the statement added.
Senegal’s football authorities said they will appeal “as soon as possible” to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“The Senegalese Football Federation condemns this unjust, unprecedented and unacceptable decision, which brings African football into disrepute,” it said in a statement.
Chaotic scenes
Minutes before the end of the match, some Senegalese supporters attempted a pitch invasion, while Senegal’s players halted the game for nearly 20 minutes to protest the late penalty awarded to Morocco.
The controversial spot-kick was awarded by Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala right at the end of the allotted eight added minutes in normal time following a VAR check for a challenge on Brahim Diaz by El Hadji Malick Diouf.
The game was goalless at the time and Diaz could have won the trophy for Morocco with the spot-kick in the 24th minute of added time at the end of normal time.
But Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy easily saved the weak attempted ‘Panenka’ chip by the Real Madrid winger, who was clearly distracted by the long delay that followed the penalty award.
The game at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium then went to extra time, and Gueye’s brilliant 94th-minute strike won it for Senegal.
Several of the team’s players posted on social media after the announcement that they had been stripped of the title.
Defender Moussa Niakhate, who plays for French club Lyon, posted a picture of himself lifting the Africa Cup of Nations trophy with a message that said “they’re mad”, in an apparent reference to CAF.
In the immediate aftermath of the final, FIFA president Gianni Infantino had condemned “some Senegal players” for the “unacceptable scenes”.
“It is unacceptable to leave the field of play in this manner, and equally, violence cannot be tolerated in our sport, it is simply not right,” Infantino, who attended the match, said.
In late January, CAF imposed a series of disciplinary sanctions, including fines amounting to several hundred thousand euros, on the federations of both countries for unsportsmanlike conduct and violations of fair play principles.
The appeal trial of 18 Senegalese supporters, imprisoned since the final and sentenced to prison terms ranging from three months to one year for “hooliganism”, which was scheduled to take place on Monday, has been postponed until March 30.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Before Minnesota Vikings fans really started to dream big about the reality of signing Kyler Murray as the offseason quarterback solution, Andy Dalton twisted in the trade rumor mill. Dalton won’t be a Viking after all, but he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday.
Philadelphia added a steady arm behind Jalen Hurts.
The Eagles evidently needed a stronger QB3 option behind Hurts and Tanner McKee. They got their man.
Eagles Pick Dalton in Their QB Room
It’s his sixth NFL team.
Dalton Traded to PHI
It’s a 7th-Rounder for Dalton. CBS News‘ Tom Dougerty reported Wednesday, “The Philadelphia Eagles are reportedly adding a veteran quarterback to add experience and depth behind Jalen Hurts. The Eagles have acquired 38-year-old Andy Dalton from the Carolina Panthers, according to CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Birds are sending a 2027 seventh-round draft pick to the Panthers.”
“Dalton, a long-time starting QB who made three Pro Bowls with the Cincinnati Bengals, spent the last three seasons in Carolina. In 2024, Panthers head coach Dave Canales benched Bryce Young, who was born in Wynnewood, for Dalton after Week 2. Dalton started five games before he sprained his thumb in a car accident before Carolina’s Week 8 game against the Denver Broncos.”
Dalton will spend his 39th birthday later this fall on Nick Sirianni’s team.
Recent Production
Dalton’s recent performance provides a clear picture of his current abilities. Over the past three seasons in Carolina, despite limited playing time, he’s posted a 0.038 EPA+CPOE. Statistically, this places him alongside quarterbacks like Tyrod Taylor, Quinn Ewers, and Jake Browning, suggesting he’s a reliable, low-risk quarterback capable of managing an offense effectively.
The veteran has largely transitioned to a backup role in recent years, except for a stint as a starter in New Orleans in 2022 due to injuries. Looking at his broader career, Dalton was a primary starter from 2011 to 2020, leading his teams to an 84-83-3 record. Stylistically, he’s often compared to Kirk Cousins — a rhythm passer who excels within a structured system — though he hasn’t faced the same level of criticism.
All told, here’s Dalton’s NFL destination list:
- Cincinnati Bengals (2011–2019)
- Dallas Cowboys (2020)
- Chicago Bears (2021)
- New Orleans Saints (2022)
- Carolina Panthers (2023–2025)
- Philadelphia Eagles (2026)
Extra Insurance for Eagles
Of course, no one is challening the aforementioned Hurts for the QB1 job. If Dalton owned a time machine that could take him back to his 2015 heyday — maybe.
Instead, the Eagles are hedging their bets if injuries arise. Vikings fans know all about those at the quarterback spot after J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz fell injured last year, paving the way for rookie Max Brosmer to see action in a handful of games. Incidentally, Brosmer played dreadfully. The Eagles want to avoid that kind of situation.
McKee will likely remain the QB2 — he has decent upside — but Dalton will be there in a pinch if the injuries mount. NFL teams are becoming increasingly aware of the backup quarterback spot during roster building. Passers are frequently hurt, and it feels like such incidents have become more common in recent years.
Meanwhile, the Eagles know firsthand what a competent backup quarterback can provide; Nick Foles guided them to a Super Bowl in 2017 when Wentz went down.
SI.com‘s Eva Geitheim on the Dalton trade, “The trade for Dalton makes sense because Eagles often have a stacked quarterback room, and he gives them needed depth. Two years ago, Philadelphia had both McKee and Pickett behind Hurts.”
“This past season, the Eagles had McKee, Sam Howell — who they traded for last August — and rookie Kyle McCord on the roster/practice squad. With McCord leaving for the Packers and Howell joining the Cowboys this offseason, the Eagles needed a third-string quarterback, and have secured one in Dalton.”
Philadelphia Free Agency Transactions
The Eagles started free agency quietly but have picked up the pace in recent days. To date, they’ve added these newcomers and signed these extensions:
- Marquise Brown (WR) KC → PHI
- Grant Calcaterra (TE) PHI → PHI
- Arnold Ebiketie (ED) ATL → PHI
- Braden Mann (P) PHI → PHI
- Johnny Mundt (TE) JAX → PHI
- Jonathan Jones (CB) WAS → PHI
- Tariq Woolen (CB) SEA → PHI
And the players who’ve left Philadelphia:
- Reed Blankenship (S) PHI → HOU
- Nakobe Dean (LB) PHI → LV
- Kylen Granson (TE) PHI → TEN
- Sam Howell (QB) PHI → DAL
- Azeez Ojulari (ED) PHI → ATL
- Jae’lan Phillips (ED) PHI → CAR
- Matt Pryor (G/T) PHI → ARI
- Brett Toth (G) PHI → SF
- Joshua Uche (ED) PHI → MIA
The Eagles are also in the market for a prominent pass rusher, which could land them at the doorstep of the Vikings with a Jonathan Greenard trade, according to the rumor mill.
FC Barcelona produced a dominant display to knock out Newcastle United from the UEFA Champions League, with Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski both scoring twice.
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe had urged his players to be brave at the Nou Camp, and his side responded well in an entertaining first half.
Barcelona took an early lead when Raphinha finished neatly after a quick exchange with Fermin Lopez. However, Newcastle replied almost immediately as Anthony Elanga tapped in from close range following a cross from Lewis Hall.
The home side went ahead again through Marc Bernal, but Newcastle showed great spirit to level once more. Harvey Barnes found Elanga at the back post, and the winger finished first-time to make it 2–2.
Barcelona regained the lead just before the break when Lamine Yamal converted a penalty after a VAR review penalised Kieran Trippier.
Despite trailing 3–2 at half-time, Newcastle were still in the tie. But the second half told a different story.
Barcelona took control shortly after the restart as Fermin Lopez finished off a fine pass from Raphinha to extend the lead. Lewandowski then scored twice, first with a header and then with a powerful finish, putting the result beyond doubt.
Raphinha completed his brace later on, taking advantage of a defensive error to seal a comprehensive win for the Spanish side.
Newcastle, who had shown promise in the first half, were undone by poor defending after the break and were left to reflect on missed opportunities.
Barcelona now move on to the quarter-finals, where they will face either Atletico Madrid or Tottenham Hotspur.
The Los Angeles Lakers are rolling as the playoffs near, and while Luka Doncic deservedly gets the headlines, it may be Deandre Ayton who has been most key to the recent run.
During a losing streak about a month ago, Ayton was highly criticized for his dismissiveness toward the role the team needed him to play
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“They’re trying to make me Clint Capela,” Ayton was quoted as saying. “I’m not no Clint Capela!”
But after “looking in the mirror,” Ayton has come around and is on board with the team’s plan, as reported by Dan Woike of The Athletic.
“And I’ve completely … I bought in. Completely, like 110 percent. I hope you see the work,” he said.
What Changed for Deandre Ayton?
Ayton told The Athletic Monday that the key was removing an emphasis on scoring.
“I scratched that, I took that out. I said … when it comes to scoring, we don’t need that,” he said. “We need you to put that energy what you have for offense and into defense.
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“I just started looking in the mirror and said ‘Yo bro, … you’re not that guy. You don’t need to be on this team doing that at all. This team, you came here to be the effort guy and close out possessions, rebound. Run the damn floor hard as hell, make bigs work, make superstars work.’”
So far, it’s been a big success.
“And I’m having fun with it, I’m not gonna lie,” he added.
NEW DELHI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season is fast approaching, with all 10 franchises finalising their coaching setups and support staff ahead of the new campaign. The tournament is set to begin on March 28, with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.Teams have assembled a mix of experienced international names and former players in their backroom staff.
RCB will be led by head coach Andy Flower, with support from Dinesh Karthik and Omkar Salvi. Chennai Super Kings continue under the guidance of Stephen Fleming, alongside Michael Hussey and Eric Simons.At Mumbai Indians, Mahela Jayawardene leads a strong staff including Lasith Malinga and Kieron Pollard. Kolkata Knight Riders have Abhishek Nayar as head coach, with Shane Watson and Dwayne Bravo in key roles.Gujarat Titans are coached by Ashish Nehra, while Rajasthan Royals rely on Kumar Sangakkara. Punjab Kings have Ricky Ponting at the helm.Lucknow Super Giants are guided by Justin Langer, with Kane Williamson as advisor, while Delhi Capitals have Hemang Badani as head coach.Sunrisers Hyderabad will be coached by Daniel Vettori, supported by Muttiah Muralitharan and others.
IPL 2026 : Head coaches and Staff
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)
- Head Coach: Andy Flower
- Batting Coach: Dinesh Karthik
- Bowling Coach: Omkar Salvi
- Assistant Coach: Richard Halsall
- Scout: M. Rangarajan
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
- Head Coach: Stephen Fleming
- Batting Coach: Michael Hussey
- Bowling Coaches: Sridharan Sriram, Eric Simons
- Fielding Coach: Rajiv Kumar
Mumbai Indians (MI)
- Head Coach: Mahela Jayawardene
- Batting Coach: Kieron Pollard
- Bowling Coaches: Paras Mhambrey, Lasith Malinga
- Fielding Coach: Carl Hopkinson
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)
- Head Coach: Abhishek Nayar
- Bowling Coach: Tim Southee
- Assistant Coach: Shane Watson
- Fielding Coach: Dishant Yagnik
- Mentor: Dwayne Bravo
Gujarat Titans (GT)
- Head Coach: Ashish Nehra
- Batting Coach: Matthew Hayden
- Assistant Coaches: Aashish Kapoor, Narender Negi, Parthiv Patel
Rajasthan Royals (RR)
- Head Coach: Kumar Sangakkara
- Batting Coach: Vikram Rathour
- Bowling Coach: Shane Bond
- Assistant Coach: Trevor Penney
Punjab Kings (PBKS)
- Head Coach: Ricky Ponting
- Bowling Coach: James Hopes
- Assistant Coach: Brad Haddin
- Spin Coach: Sairaj Bahutule
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
- Head Coach: Justin Langer
- Batting Coach: Matthew Mott
- Bowling Coach: Bharat Arun
- Assistant Coach: Lance Klusener
- Fielding Coach: Abhay Sharma
- Advisor: Kane Williamson
Delhi Capitals (DC)
- Head Coach: Hemang Badani
- Bowling Coach: Munaf Patel
- Assistant Coach: Ian Bell
- Director of Cricket: Venugopal Rao
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)
- Head Coach: Daniel Vettori
- Batting Coach: Hariesh Jaikumar
- Bowling Coach: Varun Aaron
- Assistant Coach: Simon Helmot
- Spin Coach: Muttiah Muralitharan
The shocking and unprecedented news that this year’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner Senegal will be stripped of their title, which will instead go to beaten finalists Morocco, has sent shockwaves across the continent’s football community.
Senegal’s football federation have confirmed they will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with the federation’s secretary general Abdoulaye Seydou Sow quick to express his feelings.
“We will contact our lawyers and file an appeal. We will stop at nothing. The law is on our side,” Sow announced on state radio RTS, calling the decision a “disgrace for Africa.”
Titles being stripped retrospectively is rare in football. Juventus were stripped of two Serie A league titles in the mid 2000s due to match fixing and Marseille had a Ligue 1 trophy taken off them for a bribery scandal in 1993. More recently, Romania were awarded a 3-0 win over Kosovo in 2024 after the Kosovo team walked off in the final minute of their match in Romania when when they heard pro-Serbia chanting from home fans, which Romania has denied. The game was not resumed, and UEFA concluded that Kosovo were responsible.
With that in mind, this decision is seismic, especially after the matter appeared to be settled at the end of January when both teams were fined and Morocco’s appeal was dismissed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
“The timing is really bad. CAF should have taken a decision earlier, quicker. The situation has only rotted more and more,” said DW’s Ali Farhat, an African football expert who was at tournament and final for DW. “Plus, if Senegal wins in front of the CAS, the CAF is going to look less and less credible as an institution. It is really bad for African football.”
Collins Okinyo, a former CAF media consultant, agrees.
“It puts African football under a lot of scrutiny because the decision has shocked almost everyone,” he told DW.
‘Value of African football will go down’
Okinyo doesn’t believe Morocco can be blamed for pursuing the letter of the law, a view supported by Moncef El Yazghi, a Moroccan researcher author, and expert in sports politics.
“The most important factor is the application of the law,” El Yazghi told DW. “Announcing the title two months after the end of the tournament is secondary, as history remembers titles and results rather than the surrounding circumstances.
“Moreover, this establishes a vital legal precedent that will deter other teams from withdrawing from matches whenever a referee’s decision does not suit them—a behavior that has unfortunately been observed in several matches across the African continent in recent weeks.”
Combined with the recent news that the women’s AFCON has again been delayed, the image of African football has definitely enjoyed brighter days.
“If you look at it critically, the value of African football will definitely go down with this,” Okinyo said.
A lot of criticism has surrounded the referee’s handling of a chaotic final in which Senegal left the pitch after having a late goal disallowed before seeing Morocco awarded an injury time penalty which they missed on the resumption of play.
“It is important to remember that several top officials from CAF and the tournament hierarchy were present at the stadium, which may have shaped how events unfolded,” Okinyo said. “It’s a situation that deserves deeper reflection.”
DW has contacted CAF with a series of questions but has not yet received a reply.
Morocco within rights to appeal
Morocco is clearly emerging as a major hub in African football, but talk of influence is without foundation, said El Yazghi.
“The suggestion that there was Moroccan interference in the decision is incorrect; Morocco simply exercised its right to litigation,” he said. “Morocco does not ‘control’ CAF. This is evidenced by the fact that Morocco lost two Women’s AFCON finals on home soil, one of which was due to a clear refereeing error. CAF has its own jurisdictions and authorities, and its integrity cannot be questioned without evidence. Ultimately, CAS will have the final word—unless one believes Morocco controls CAS as well.”
With Senegal’s appeal now going to the highest court in sport, tougher questions will follow. How did it reach this point? What were the decisions that led to chaos in the final?
But, for many, the saddest part is that this dispute comes off the back of an Africa Cup of Nations widely considered to be a major success for both host Morocco and the continent.
Final overshadows successful tournament
“The AFCON in Morocco was the best ever,” Okinyo said. “A lot was done to improve facilities and the organization was perfect, but the tournament was overshadowed by the final. It was one of the worst things to happen. The impact is heavy. African football led by [CAF President] Patrice Motsepe has to find a way to bring things back to life, because at this moment the damage is so big.”
While this story will roll on, El Yazghi believes that, contrary to much reporting, the image of football in Africa should be burnished by the decision.
“The real issue is that some still wish to maintain hegemony over Africa and manage its affairs on its behalf,” El Yazghi argued. “When a decision is made by CAF, it is suddenly viewed as a loss of credibility. Why? Why don’t we instead say that CAF has implemented the law and provided fair litigation opportunities to all parties? That is the real question.”
Ali Farhat and Hicham Driouich contributed to this article.
Edited by: Matt Pearson
For as quietly as unbeaten Lerone Murphy has snuck up on the UFC featherweight title picture, his spinning back elbow knockout of Aaron Pico last August — on short notice, no less — proved to be a resoundingly loud statement that his ascension upon the rankings can no longer be denied.
“I’m used to people overlooking me,” Murphy told CBS Sports HQ on Tuesday. “I’m like the silent assassin. I come in and people underestimate me. That’s the worst thing they can ever do.”
Although the 34-year-old native of Manchester, England, did not get the immediate title shot he coveted by recording his ninth straight win inside the Octagon, Murphy (17-0-1) was given what likely amounts to one more chance to prove himself in Saturday’s final eliminator.
Murphy, the No. 3 ranked featherweight, will enter as a slight betting underdog when he faces fellow unbeaten and No. 1 ranked Movsar Evloev (19-0) inside the O2 Arena in the main event of UFC Fight Night in London (special start time of 4 p.m. ET on Paramount+). Even though neither fighter has been guaranteed a title shot with a win, the expectations remain that a strong performance from the winner should be enough.
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While Murphy, who replaced an injured Evloev against Pico, isn’t bitter about being passed over by matchmakers for Alex Volkanovski’s February title defense in Australia at UFC 235, he did call the champion’s subsequent decision win over Diego Lopes, whom Volkanovski fought for the second straight time, an “I told you so” moment.
“For sure, I thought that all fingers pointed in [my] direction [after knocking out Pico,]” Murphy said. “Obviously, before I stepped in, people were saying Movsar and Pico were in a No. 1 contender fight. I took that fight on short notice in the co-main event and KOed him in spectacular fashion on a big card. I thought straight away there was no one else Volkanovski could’ve fought and I thought I would be the guy.”
Evloev, a 32-year-old from Russia, has been slowed down considerably by a series of injuries and illnesses in recent years that have limited him to just four fights over the past four years. The good news for Evloev’s title hopes, however, is that all four fights came against elite competition — Dan Ige, Lopez, Arnold Allen and Aljamain Sterling — that made his inclusion in such a fight as this inevitable.
Murphy, on the other hand, has embarked upon a journey over the past 15 years of his adult life that has been anything but normal, predictable or easy. So, when tasked with the challenge of waiting for his moment against all odds, Murphy can take solace in the fact that he has learned to feel a sense of destiny carrying him throughout each difficult step up the ladder.
“I’m wired differently. I believe I’m cut from a different cloth,” Murphy said. “Many people wouldn’t have even started training after what I went through.”
If it isn’t already crazy enough to consider that Murphy didn’t begin training MMA until the age of 22, what happened to him one year prior in 2013 is almost unthinkable.
Years after a teenage knee injury cut short his goal of becoming a professional soccer player, a 21-year-old Murphy had graduated college but severely lacked direction. After falling into local gang culture, he found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time exiting a barber shop when a car drove by and shot him three times in the neck and face.
A conscious Murphy went to spit out blood and bullets literally came out onto the sidewalk next to him. He lost teeth, needed a tracheotomy to breathe and spent a week in intensive care. To this day, he still has a bullet shard embedded in his tongue.
Not only did Murphy miraculously survive, however, the experience turned his life around as he began training MMA in earnest the following year. Five years later, he made his UFC debut in 2019, fighting Zubaira Tukhugov to an exciting split draw at UFC 242 in a fight that would trigger the nine-bout winning streak that followed.
But that’s not where Murphy, who aptly calls himself “The Miracle,” would see his setbacks and challenges end. In 2022, just seven months after a highlight-reel knockout of Makwan Amirkhani raised his UFC profile considerably, Murphy was struck by a car in a cycling accident that left him bleeding with a head injury.
The accident became yet another near-fatal experience when it took an ambulance 45 minutes to arrive on the scene, nearly causing Murphy to bleed to death. Murphy, who was told he would never fight again, somehow returned to the Octagon just 10 months later when he took a split decision from Gabriel Santos in London.
“I think it’s destiny and I believe it’s my calling to then pass this story on to the younger generation,” Murphy said. “There are a lot of people who go through things and come across some hurdles and they are not able to get past it. I believe I’m the person able to show people it is doable, especially from the kids coming from deprived areas. That is one of my goals to do after fighting, to get these guys the opportunity and mindset to look around them and do better.
“I just think it’s consistency, faith and having a good support system around you. Because it’s like, if you have no one to lean on in tough times, it’s hard but if you have a good support system, I believe you are stronger than anything.”
Against Evloev, the task is simple for Murphy, who has yielded at least four takedowns in five of his 10 UFC bouts — keep his back off of the mat. Should the fight be a five-round kickboxing match, the advantage moves quickly into the favor of Murphy but that won’t be easy considering Evloev averages just shy of five takedowns per 15 minutes.
But at the end of the day, especially after exciting Brazilian striker Jean Silva has already publicly announced that he believes he is next for Volkanovski, Murphy knows that a victory isn’t enough. He will need to be exciting.
“I think everybody knows what the guys from that region do. Movsar is an excellent grappler, wrestler and I think it’s clear as day that are his strengths,” Murphy said. “I think he’s well-rounded and can fight everywhere but I just believe in myself. I just think I’m very creative, very smart in there. I don’t just fight. I’m always setting things up, I’m always changing distance and letting it go. I think that’s just where the difference will be.
“I think he can hang with anyone on the feet for a certain time but I think the longer he stands with me, the greater chance he has of getting knocked out. I just want to go out there and have a good fight. I don’t want the fight to be boring, I just want to have a good fight.”
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