Another week, another slew of finishes on Dana White’s Contender Series. Week 2 of this year’s action saw a night for the underdogs as three of them cashed out and earned their way to the UFC. 

Roman Gabriel Puga and Taner Trembley put on a show to open the festivities on Tuesday. The back-and-forth affair eventually saw Puga emerge victorious on all three scorecards 29-28, but the action was so good that UFC CEO and president Dana White offered both men UFC contracts for their willingness to trade.

Elsewhere, Alik Lorenz scored a stunning upset knockout at light heavyweight to earn his spot on the UFC roster. Lorenz was a big underdog against Aly, but he utilized his strength against him to earn the stoppage.

Sign up for Paramount+ and watch Dana White’s Contender Series on Tuesday night for no additional fee — every UFC numbered event and UFC Fight Night is included with the price of your subscription! Plans start as low as $8.99/month or $89.99/year!

Speaking of underdogs, Trent Miller made his presence felt as a big one against Douglas Henry Rodrigues at middleweight. After surviving an early flurry from Rodrigues, Miller rallied back in the second half with a scoop takedown before locking in the rare Von flue choke on Rodrigues. 

Then in the main event, one of the most brutal knockout punches imaginable connected when Kaik Brito stopped Namo Fazil. Brito and Fazil went back-and-forth for two rounds of high-paced action. Then to start the third, it appeared as though Fazil had Brito hurt in the corner when the Brazilian uncorked a vicious overhand right that left Fazil out cold. 

“What could you not say about the main event. The main event was incredible,” White said. “The fact that Fazil had so many fans in here going crazy. Brito, I love your style, the way you fight. And, you had a guy in your face all night, taking your shots and coming at you. Came out and had a flying knee in the third round, tried to finish the fight and finished it in spectacular fashion. I cannot wait to see you fight in the UFC.”

DWCS Week 2 results

*Denotes contract won
** Denotes both fighters earned contracts

Man Utd will begin the new Premier League season against Hull this weekend.

Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot believes Michael Carrick is creating “something special” at Old Trafford.

Carrick was appointed on a permanent basis at the end of May after guiding United to a Champions League return with three games to spare in the Premier League.

The 45-year-old will look to better a third-place finish in 2026/27. United have wrapped up their pre-season schedule and will kick off the new campaign against Hull at the MKM Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Dalot spoke about his expectations for the season in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, and he suggested that United could clinch silverware because Carrick is building a promising team.

He said: “My expectations are always the same: being able to be the best version of myself, trying to help the club as much as I can and being in the best position mentally and physically to help the team.

“And then try to build around me the energy that the club needs for us to fight for every competition, for every trophy. I think that’s the minimum for this club, is for you to go to every season thinking that you can win every competition.

“And I think we are creating something special. Hopefully we can do it this season and arrive at the end of the season fighting for those competitions.”

Dalot returned to Carrington at the start of the month following his post-World Cup break. The defender reached the Round of 16 with Portugal alongside Bruno Fernandes.

“I think the way it ended was obviously disappointing because we aimed for more,” he reflected. “I think we had the quality to do much more than what we did. But that’s part of football sometimes.

“Having a lot of talent, a lot of quality, it’s not enough to win this kind of tournament. You always need something more, and I think that’s what we need to find out.

“What is that bit that is missing for us to be able to go and fight in a competition like this. But it’s also a learning process and a learning point for us as a country, as a team, and hopefully we can get better in the next competitions, go further and win them.”

United will take on Ipswich Town at Old Trafford after their opening game of the season against Hull. The Reds will then play Everton before taking on Manchester City and Fulham before the international break.

India vs Sri Lanka Highlights, 1st Test Day 5: Manav Suthar took six wickets (10 wickets in total) in the second innings as India beat Sri Lanka by 165 runs in the first Test of the two-match series on Tuesday in Galle.

Chasing an unlikely target of 372, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 206 in 77.4 overs during the post-lunch session, handing India a comfortable victory. Manav Suthar starred with the ball, claiming his maiden five-wicket haul and finishing with impressive figures of 6/55. Veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja provided excellent support, returning figures of 2/16. The 24-year-old left-arm spinner, who made his Test debut against Afghanistan in June, had also played a key role in Sri Lanka’s first innings, where his 4/76 helped India dismiss the hosts for 284 in response to the visitors’ total of 462. (Scorecard)

Here are the Highlights from Day 5 of the India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test:

Fans watch from a general view at Chase Center during the first half of a WNBA basketball game between the Golden State Valkyries and the Dallas Wings in San Francisco, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

SAN FRANCISCO — WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert will never forget the anticipation and energy she felt from an adoring crowd surrounding the Golden State Valkyries’ first home game last year as a new franchise.

“It was the Valkyries’ first game ever, and somehow it felt like this arena was filled with lifelong fans who had been following this league for 30 years,” Engelbert recalled. “It was the true sense that the team already belonged here.”

Now, Engelbert is bringing the WNBA All-Star Game to the Bay Area and “Ballhalla” next summer so all of women’s basketball can experience what she did that night in May 2025.

READ: WNBA denounces ‘bad-faith’ transgender debate

Engelbert made the announcement Tuesday that the WNBA showcase game will be held July 31, 2027, at Chase Center after a weekend of All-Star activities around the San Francisco region.

“I remember looking around that night and thinking to myself, ‘This place is going to be special,’ and in less than two seasons the Valkyries family has proven just how special it can be,” Engelbert said. “The Bay Area community hasn’t simply welcomed the Valkyries, this community has embraced the Valks as their team.”

And Golden State has waited for this moment all along. For Warriors and Valkyries owner Joe Lacob, this is decades in the making since he first began supporting women’s basketball.

Lacob has loved women’s basketball for decades and became one of the original investors in the former American Basketball League with the San Jose Lasers. He bought the Warriors in 2010 then Golden State was granted an expansion team in October 2023.

“It is actually a great honor to be hosting the All-Star Game. All I will say for all of us at Golden State but me in particular, it is a full-circle moment, well it will be full circle when we win the championship,” Lacob said.

At the All-Star Game in Chicago last month, players’ union president Nneka Ogwumike, who played in college at Stanford, said many players felt that Golden State would be a great host for next year’s mid-summer exhibition game.

READ: WNBA All-Star Game: Jones, Clark help Team Spoon beat Team Coop

Warriors coach Steve Kerr and guard Gary Payton II were among those in the audience for the announcement at Chase Center, where a cable car was set up inside the arena for the occasion.

“When you walk into this building for a Valkyries game, it is unlike any experience,” San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said.

Hosting world-class events was always in the plans since long before Chase Center opened in 2019. The Valkyries have sold out all of their home games since the franchise’s inception last year — and the team became the first expansion organization to make the playoffs in its inaugural year. Golden State lost to the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx. The Valkyries clinched a playoff berth for this year on Monday night with a win over Dallas.

The NBA All-Star Game was played at Chase Center last year.

“Hosting AT&T WNBA All-Star in only our third season is an incredible honor and a reflection of everything this fanbase, this region, and this organization have built together,” Valkyries President Jess Smith said. “From day one, the Bay Area has shown up for this team in a way that’s redefined what’s possible in women’s basketball, and we can’t wait to put that same energy on display for the entire league next summer.”

Last week, Major League Baseball announced the 2028 All-Star Game would return to nearby Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.

The Super Bowl was played in February at Levi’s Stadium, which then hosted the World Cup this summer.

Smith can’t wait for her team to add to that list — saying such an opportunity will never be taken for granted “to have a chance to be a part of the WNBA’s growth.”

“But it’s part of what we knew was possible from Day 1 with this organization,” she said. “We have embodied the bay’s energy in every decision that we’ve made, along with the community and our fans and our players, and one of the things we keep in mind is this that we understand this is where the world looks to see what comes next, whether it’s technology, innovation or how we treat people, how we connect what it means to gather, and we’re doing that at Ballhalla. The opportunity to do that in honor of all those stakeholders here, on behalf of this league with the best players in the world, is immense.”

Drew Brees has officially entered the great halls of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, as he, alongside other legends of the game, were inducted earlier this month.

Brees’ career resume speaks for itself: second all-time in passing yards and passing touchdowns, Super Bowl XLIV winner and MVP, 13 Pro Bowls, and the list goes on. Brees was always going to see his golden bust on that stage in Canton one day.

Others, though, have to wait their turn – if it ever comes. And one name in particular has been debated about since he retired from the game.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Former NFL quarterback Drew Brees is introduced before the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game between the Carolina Panthers and the Arizona Cardinals at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium on Aug. 6, 2026, in Canton, Ohio. (Getty Images)

Eli Manning, a fellow quarterback, spent 16 years in the NFL leading the New York Giants to two Super Bowl victories, while joining Brees, though further down, on the all-time passing leaders lists. Surely, Manning should join Brees, his older brother Peyton, and the many others in the Hall, right?

Over the last two years, though, Manning hasn’t received enough votes to be inducted. He missed being one of the 15 modern-era finalists for the second straight time this past voting period.

So, does Manning deserve to be in the Hall of Fame? Brees gave his stance.

“Yeah, he is,” he told Fox News Digital, while also highlighting his work with DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS. “It’s always funny to hear how people want to evaluate the quarterback position. I mean, look, there’s so much that goes into it. It’s body of work, it’s consistency, certainly championships factor into it. I think when you look at all those things, it’s hard to argue the things that he accomplished in his career with his two championships, and then, you know, his body of work and his consistency. “

ADAM VINATIERI SHAMED INTO OFFERING APOLOGY AND EXPLANATION FOR HALL OF FAME SPEECH THAT WAS EPIC

Brees called what Manning did across his 16 seasons leading one of the most iconic franchises in the sport “impressive.” And it’s hard to ignore the fact it was done against a generation of fantastic quarterbacks like himself, Peyton, Tom Brady, who Eli beat in his two Super Bowl appearances, and more.

“I think overall I look at this era that we had a chance to be a part of,” Brees explained. “It started with Peyton [Manning]. You go Peyton, Tom Brady, my draft in ’01, and that ‘04 draft was impressive with Eli, with Philip [Rivers]. With Ben Roethlisberger and then Aaron Rodgers coming the year after that.

“I kind of look at that as kind of an era of quarterbacks that we all battled against each other, man. It was some epic battles , too, when you look at them. I think we all brought out the best in each other in a lot of ways because we knew what we were going up against week in and week out.”

Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints and Eli Manning of the New York Giants meet after their game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on Sept. 30, 2018. (Getty Images)

The argument against Eli, however, is that there was too much mediocrity in his career despite the greatness he showcased. He owned an even 117-117 record in the regular season. Eli also never made a first-team All-Pro squad, while never once receiving a vote for AP NFL MVP.

Then, there’s the turnovers. Eli was never afraid to fit the football in any window, or allow his receivers to make a play – the David Tyree helmet catch in Super Bowl XLII is a prime example of that. But he led the NFL in interceptions three separate times, while owning a completion rate of 60.3% on his passes.

But then again, Manning’s durability (210 consecutive regular-season games played for the Giants), career totals and the ability to clutch up in the playoffs against a dynasty in the New England Patriots twice in the biggest game on the gridiron, let alone other postseason moments, is too great a resume to ignore.

At least, it is for Brees, who believes Manning will eventually hear his name called to Canton one day.

Drew Brees is congratulated by Eli Manning after the New Orleans Saints defeated the New York Giants 48-27 at the Louisiana Superdome on Oct. 18, 2009, in New Orleans, La. (Getty Images)

FOOTBALL ALL IN ONE PLACE

Outside of football, Brees is also a businessman, being a co-owner and partner in Walk-on’s Sports Bistreaux, one of the fastest-growing sports bar franchise concepts in the country. It began in Louisiana, has grown to 80-plus units, and it continues to pave its way through the country.

As a sports bar concept, there’s nothing that matters more than having any game, any time, for customers walking into the establishment.

Football is king in the Southeast, as well as throughout the rest of the country, and DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS makes it easy for those like Brees to bring together live TV and streaming networks all in one place. More than 300,000 bars and restaurants have access to local, national, college and pro games for fans to watch through DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS.

New Orleans Saints retired quarterback Drew Brees (9) reacts during his hall of fame ceremony at halftime against the Denver Broncos at Caesars Superdome on Oct. 17, 2024. (Matthew Hinton/Imagn Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“We pride ourselves on Louisiana-inspired cuisine. It’s unbelievable food,” Brees said of Walk-on’s Sports Bistreaux. “My kids crave it all the time. But like a really family-friendly atmosphere, you know, whether it’s date night, bring the family, bring the little league after the game — something for everybody. Obviously, it’s sports, and high energy, and excitement on the TV all the time. Thanks to our partnership with DirecTV for Business, that’s what allows us to basically have access to every college and pro game around the country. And that’s not just football. We’re talking basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer. So big events like March Madness and the Kentucky Derby, Masters — you name it. So, we’re really appreciative of that DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS partnership. It allows us to help create that energy and excitement around our establishments.

“And for the fans themselves, sportsbarfinder.com allows them to find those sports from DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS at their local spot anywhere in the country, which Brees loved to see.

“There’s a saying: fans have more friends. You know, they really do. You step into your local sports bar wearing the local jersey. Man, all of a sudden, next thing you know, you’re high- fiving everybody and you just made 100 more friends. That’s the kind of atmosphere and that’s what sports does, it brings people together,” he said.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Overall, building out from the back has been a promising part of United’s game in pre-season and where we have most clearly seen some of the principles Carrick has tried to instil in his squad.

Going back to Amorim’s United once more, when they did play out from the back, they would execute pre-planned passing routines.

Carrick’s United instead look to escape pressure through trios of players passing the ball between each other in a less choreographed manner.

Pre-season coaching has reinforced the players’ understanding around supporting team-mates to create clusters of threes.

Which three players converge differs throughout the game and the players are given a level of personal responsibility to interpret the match during it.

More specifically, a collective principle being taught to the players is to look to make third-man runs – often off the back of their marker – to receive the ball with time and space.

Once United have broken the opposition’s initial pressure in the described manner, they often find themselves in open space with pacy attackers ahead of them ready to attack in a more direct fashion.

The signings of technical, deep-lying midfielders aid these overarching concepts.

Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Mason Mount in particular have combined well to help United get up the pitch. This style of play suits the strengths of Kobbie Mainoo too, who returned to action with a cameo in Saturday’s 4-2 defeat by AC Milan.

Aryna Sabalenka celebrates her win against Xinyu Wang of China during day eight of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 18, 2026 in Mason, Ohio. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP

Aryna Sabalenka unleashed her big game with devastating effect on Tuesday, hammering China’s Wang Xinyu 6-1, 6-3 to reach the fourth round of the ATP-WTA Cincinnati Masters.

The world number one took only 20 minutes to blow through the first set against her 36th-ranked opponent and began the second set with a break of serve.

Sabalenka kept up the pressure in the second set with Wang double-faulting on the top seed’s first match point after 54 minutes.

READ: Aryna Sabalenka squeezes out win on 6th match point in Cincinnati

Statement Start from Sabalenka 🐯

Aryna Sabalenka takes the first set against Wang.#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/wgTXV5VE9s

— wta (@WTA) August 18, 2026

The victory marked the 45th in a row for Sabalenka at the Masters 1000 level.

“I cannot complain. She’s a tough opponent,” Sabalenka said. “To win in straight sets like this in under an hour is insane.

“I’m super happy to be through. I really trusted myself and went for my shots. I wasn’t over-thinking. I was able to stay focused and be in every point.”

Sabalenka next plays Czach Sara Bejlek, a 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 winner over Ekaterina Alexandrova.

Fourth seed Coco Gauff needed to battle following a sizzling first set in a 6-1, 7-6 (7/3) victory over fellow American Ann Li.

The 2023 champion had it all her own way in the opening set against her 29th-ranked foe, winning in 30 minutes. The pair exchanged early breaks in the second on the way to a tie-breaker, in which Gauff seized a 4-1 lead and won on her third match point.

“She played better in the second set and I missed a couple of break opportunities,” Gauff said. “I tried to forget about those.

“It was hard to control the ball for both of us and it was my first time playing a day match on this center court so I had to adjust to that.”

Mirra Andreeva’s French Open reigning champion status counted for little as the fifth seed struggled to close out a 6-1, 7-6 (7/5) victory over Janice Tjen.

The Indonesian challenger ranked 37 was bowled over in the first set but made Andreeva work to finally advance.

“In the first I was in command and she had unforced errors here and there, but in the second after a couple of games I started getting nervous, she made fewer mistakes — it turned into a match of mentality and physicality,” Andreeva said.

Eighth seed Elina Svitolina was forced to withdraw before her match against Wang Xiyu with an ankle injury.

“I’ve been advised by the doctors to take a little bit of time to rest and recover completely,” the Ukrainian said in a statement.

Canada’s second-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime eliminated Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo 7-5, 6-1 in 90 minutes.

“It was a tricky start, finding my rhythm,” the Canadian said. “Lefties are tricky, you don’t play them so often. You can prepare all you want but until you step onto the court you can’t find your right adjustments. Then you feel comfortable.”

Washington winner and fifth seed Taylor Fritz fired eight aces in defeating Daniel Merida 6-3 6-4 in 83 minutes. The Spaniard made 25 unforced errors as Fritz booked a fourth-round match against Australian Chris O’Connell, who is 0-3 against the American.

‘I played amazing’

Last week’s Montreal finalist Brandon Nakashima came from the brink to upset fourth seed Daniil Medvedev 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (7/4), 6-1.

Nakashima led 5-2 in the first set before falling in the tie-breaker, then saved three match points in the 10th game of the second set on the way to forcing a third, which he dominated.

Italian 10th seed Lorenzo Musetti defeated American Michael Zheng 6-1, 6-3 in 71 minutes.

Portugal’s Nuno Borges defeated 2021 runner-up Andrey Rublev 6-3, 6-4 in 72 minutes.

The 47th-ranked Borges ended a five-match loss streak in the rivalry while Rublev will drop from the ranking top 20 for the first time since January 2020.

“I played amazing,” Borges said. “It means a lot to be in the fourth round. It’s a big moment for me.”

Ivan Pace Jr. is the Vikings’ bulldog at linebacker. He’s unusually aggressive and physical at a position that attracts people who boast those some attributes.

What’s been missing has been consistent growth. Worse yet, he may have been declining over these past several years, failing to shore up the deficiencies in his coverage. There were then the missed tackles that led to him getting bumped down from LB2 to RB3 in favor of veteran add Eric Wilson. Very few on that defense needs a huge week in the same way as Pace.

The Vikings’ Bulldog ‘Backer Needs to Step Up

No matter how this thing goes, Ivan Pace has been a fantastic success.

Pace has started a pile of games across three seasons. As an undrafted pickup, Pace has done well by sticking around, helping on specials, and getting into plenty of snaps for Brian Flores.

Most undrafted young fellas get axed before long. Even living on the practice squad can be deemed a success for plenty of undrafted players. Not so with Pace.

So, why the pessimism? Why the insistence on him needing a huge week?

Well, he’s now the LB4. Blake Cashman and Wilson remain, gobbling up the LB1 and LB2 job along the way. The 2026 NFL Draft then featured going for the long-and-strong Jake Golday in the 2^nd. He’s a rangy, physical player who is going to surprise onlookers with how much work he earns in his debut NFL season. Pace may therefore be left a lesser role after already seeing his role diminish across the past pair of seasons.

Consider, as well, that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah isn’t in town any longer. GM Nolan Teasley is coming over from the Seahawks, a franchise that’s well-known for terrific defensive football. What does the new front office executive think of the small ‘backer with snarl?

Part of the cruel reality of training camp is that bodies go down. Guys get hurt, creating voids in the lineup that didn’t exist just a few weeks ago. Is there an open spot somewhere within the NFL’s other 31 teams to play more at linebacker? A trade isn’t that hard to foresee.

Again, there doesn’t appear to be an obvious path toward playing time in Minnesota short of injury. Special teams will remain central to what he’s going to offer but does the cap charge — $3.52 million (OTC), the entirety of which could get wiped off the books – make sense if he’s only doing specials work?

Pace is a young player who is at his best when allowed to be really aggressive. Upon first glance, that basic description means seeing what should be a perfect marriage between Flores and Pace. The reality, though, is that Flores craves being unpredictable.

Look at edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel. The edge rusher could be sent forward all the time but isn’t. Look at safety Josh Metellus. He, too, could be sent forward all the time but he isn’t. Why? Because being aggressive is just a means to an end; being unpredictable due to being multiple better fits the Flores ethos than just plain ol’ aggression.

Ivan Pace, with his limitations in coverage, is reasonably predictable: he’s almost certainly going to go in a certain direction and it’s not backwards. The other side knows that when seeing the linebacker on the field and can therefore plan accordingly. Problems that give rise to predictable solutions aren’t as potent as problems with an uncertain solution.

Now, all of the dot connecting can come to a screeching halt if the ‘backer shows huge growth. The Vikings’ opening preseason game involved some fantastic run defense from Mr. Pace (so says PFF alongside some of the film clips). That’s a nice step but then he needs to offer more.

Consider a trio of factors that would make Pace a compelling fit for the final roster:

1) Sensational Run Defense and an Unusual Level of Blitz Aggression
2) All-Out Effort on Specials that Means Gaining Field Position
3) At Least Passable Ability to Hang in Coverage, Creating a Possibility to Start if Needed

Seeing Ivan Pace tick off all the items on checklist will mean that he’s not going anywhere for the 2026 season. Seeing Ivan Pace show evidence of being able to complete his checklist throughout the upcoming week will therefore be huge.

Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.