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Merab Dvalishvili brought the Suga Show to a screeching halt, defeating Sean O'Malley by unanimous decision to capture the bantamweight championship Saturday night in the main event of Noche UFC at The Sphere in Las Vegas. The judges scored the bout 49-46, 48-47 and 48-47 for Dvalishvili (18-4), who has won 11 in a row and snapped O'Malley's seven-fight unbeaten streak. O'Malley (18-2, 1 NC) was making the second defense of his title, which he won by knocking out Aljamain Sterling. He earned a decision win over Marlon Vera last time out in his first title defense. O'Malley's speed advantage on the feet was evident in the opening round, but Dvalishvili's wrestling proved to be too much for the champion. He shot for his first takedown and got it about three minutes into the fight. O'Malley quickly got back to his feet, but he ate a few shots as the Dvalishvili wrestled him against the cage. The challenger kept the pressure on, scoring a second takedown and...

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Colorado coach Deion Sanders said after a 28-6 win over Colorado State on Saturday night that the Rams made the game more personal after they took shots at his players and program. Quarterback Shedeur Sanders put it more bluntly: "They just asked for it." Comments quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and receiver Tory Horton made during a media day interview with a local television station surfaced on social media this week. Horton lamented a 43-35 loss to Colorado last year, saying, "We should have murdered them guys, and they came out with that attitude they were on top of the world, and this ain't no Cinderella story. We're coming for revenge." Fowler-Nicolosi said, "I think it goes to show that the hype, the media train, it only gets you so far at the end of the day. You have to line up 11 guys against our 11 guys and we'll find out who wants it more. We'll see how far Instagram followers gets them." In...

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who suffered another concussion during his team's Thursday night game against  Buffalo, is scheduled to meet early this week with neurologists, league sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Tagovailoa will be seeking their input into the severity of his latest concussion and the cumulative effect of the ones he has suffered in the past to make the most informed decision about his future, sources said. Tagovailoa sustained a hit to the head during Thursday night's loss when he lowered his shoulder into Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Tagovailoa's helmet made forcible contact with Hamlin's arm, prompting a fencing response as a stunned crowd at Hard Rock Stadium let out a collective gasp. Tagovailoa remained on the field for several minutes but was able to walk off and into the locker room under his own power. He was almost immediately ruled out for the rest of the game. Tagovailoa was diagnosed with two concussions...

LAS VEGAS -- Canelo Alvarez, boxing's top star, retained his unified super middleweight championship with a unanimous decision victory over Edgar Berlanga on Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena. Alvarez floored Berlanga with a monstrous left hook in Round 3 -- his money punch -- and prevailed via scores of 117-110, 118-109 and 118-109. ESPN scored it a 120-107 shutout. This was the fifth consecutive decision victory for Alvarez, who hasn't scored a knockout win since he defeated Caleb Plant in November 2021. It's also the fourth consecutive bout where Alvarez scored a knockdown. "Now what are they gonna say?" Alvarez, 34, said during his postfight interview. "I fight younger fighters. They say I fight older fighters. They always talk. ... My experience, my talent, my hard work, my intelligence, everything together [makes me the best]. If you have talent but you don't have discipline, you have nothing." Alvarez, ESPN's No. 5 pound-for-pound boxer, is an all-time great. Berlanga,...

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Backup quarterback Marcel Reed accounted for three touchdowns in his first college start and Texas A&M dominated Florida 33-20 on Saturday in what might have been coach Billy Napier's final game with the Gators. Reed, filling in for injured starter Conner Weigman, threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score as the Aggies won a road game for the first time in nearly three years. Texas A&M (2-1, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) had dropped 10 straight on the road. "He was lights out," first-year A&M coach Mike Elko said. "He was calm. He was confident. He made throws." This one will go down as a signature win for first-year coach Mike Elko and could end up being Napier's swan song with the Gators (1-2, 0-1). Florida looked inept on both sides of the ball and overmatched for the second time this season in the Swamp. The first one, against Miami, turned up the heat on Napier. The latest one could result in Napier getting the...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Lionel Messi marked his return to the pitch Saturday night at Chase Stadium with two goals and one assist while playing a full 90 minutes to inspire Inter Miami's 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union. The Argentina forward spent two months on the sideline after suffering a right ankle injury during the Copa America final July 14. He last played for Inter Miami on June 1 in an MLS match against St. Louis City before returning to the starting lineup Saturday. "A little tired, the humidity and heat of Miami doesn't help much, but I really wanted to get back, it was a lot of time off the field," Messi told Apple TV after the match. "Little by little I found myself with the group, I felt good and that's why we decided that I would start. I am very happy."  Inter Miami coach Gerardo Martino said Messi's 90-minute participation was, in part, due to his ability to make a difference at any point. "I'm happy that he...

Touted Texas backup quarterback Arch Manning stepped in for an injured Quinn Ewers and the No. 2 Longhorns' offense didn't miss a beat in a 56-7 rout of UTSA on Saturday night in Austin.  Manning threw for 223 yards and four touchdowns and added a 67-yard rushing score in his most extensive playing time at the college level after Ewers exited in the second quarter with an oblique strain. Ewers appeared to suffer the non-contact injury on a pass to tight end Gunnar Helm for a 49-yard gain early in the second quarter. Ewers stayed in for one more play before leaving the game. He went into the locker room and returned to the sideline in street clothes just before halftime. The redshirt junior starter threw for 185 yards on 14-of-16 passing with two touchdowns and an interception against the Roadrunners. Manning entered the game with 12:19 left in the second quarter and completed 9 of his 12 pass attempts in the blowout victory. On his first...

Ja'Marr Chase has no plans to negotiate a long-term deal this season with the Cincinnati Bengals, league sources told ESPN. Talks between Chase and the Bengals are off for now, and probably for the rest of the season, unless the team does something to change the situation. According to sources, the star wide receiver believes the Bengals misled him when they told him at the end of last season, and again during the offseason, he would get an extension that ultimately did not happen. To reinforce his word and strengthen his position, Chase also has taken out a $50 million insurance policy on himself for this season to safeguard against injury and any potential lost earnings. As one source said about Chase, with the insurance policy in place, "He's good." The Bengals always could try to jump-start negotiations with Chase. But Cincinnati has a long history of not negotiating deals during the season, and it is considered unlikely that will change, especially because Chase is...

Ja'Marr Chase has no plans to negotiate a long-term deal this season with the Cincinnati Bengals and believes the team misled him during the offseason, league sources told ESPN. According to sources, the star wide receiver remembers the Bengals telling him at the end of last season and again during the offseason that he would get an extension, which ultimately did not happen. Talks between Chase and the Bengals are off for now, and likely for the rest of the season unless the team does something to change the current situation. To reinforce his word and strengthen his position, Chase also has taken out a $50 million insurance policy on himself for this season to safeguard against injury and any potential lost earnings. As one source said about Chase, with the insurance policy in place, "He's good." The Bengals always could try to jumpstart negotiations with Chase. But Cincinnati has a long history of not negotiating deals during the season, and it is considered unlikely...

CORVALLIS, Ore. -- After a week during which Oregon State helped revive the Pac-12 from the ashes of conference realignment, the energy at Reser Stadium on Saturday in the 128th installment of the Oregon- Oregon State rivalry -- the first since the Ducks bolted for the Big Ten -- was high. But over the course of 60 minutes, the Ducks deflated the orange-tinted stands to the point of emptying them with a 49-14 win that more accurately corresponded with the high expectations they had coming into the season. "I love the fact that we got to go in a hostile environment and perform this way, but that's our standard, that's our expectation," Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. Despite beating Idaho and Boise State, nothing about the Ducks' first two wins felt dominant or representative of the talent they have on both sides of the ball. Even though Lanning continued to reiterate they didn't care what the outside noise said about them, everyone wearing green and gold knew...

SEATTLE -- After an on-field trophy celebration at Lumen Field following Washington State's 24-19 win against Washington in the Apple Cup, Cougars coach Jake Dickert burst into the postgame news conference room with a cigar in hand. "Who's got a lighter?" he asked. In the rivalry game's first nonconference version after UW's departure for the Big Ten, it was a memorable win for the program and school left behind. "I think we might retire this trophy. I think it is a Pac-12 trophy," Dickert said. "I think that might stay in our place for a long time and we'll bring a new one next year -- a little Big Ten- Pac-12 on." Dickert's comments appeared to come in jest, but there was no denying how meaningful the win was to him and the program. "It's 1A and 1B," said Dickert, comparing it to the team's Apple Cup win in 2021, when he was the interim coach. Dickert was made the permanent coach the next day by then-athletic director Pat Chun, who left for the same job with...

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers exited the No. 2 Longhorns' 56-7 win over UTSA on Saturday night because of a strained abdomen, according to coach Steve Sarkisian.  Ewers went to the locker room in the second quarter and returned to Texas' sideline in street clothes before halftime. Abdominal muscle strains typically require a recovery time of several weeks. The redshirt junior threw for 185 yards on 14-for-16 passing with two touchdowns and an interception against the Roadrunners.  Touted backup Arch Manning replaced Ewers with 12:19 left in the second quarter. The former five-star recruit threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to DeAndre Moore Jr. on his first snap then scored his first career rushing touchdown on a 67-yard run on his next drive. Manning finished with 223 yards on 9-for-12 passing to go along with four touchdowns tosses.  Ewers entered the weekend as the consensus favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, listed at 5-1 at ESPN BET after throwing...

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs were fined $100,000 for a sideline altercation involving tight end Peyton Hendershot and the Baltimore Ravens during the teams' season opener Sept. 5, a source confirmed to ESPN on Saturday.  Hendershot, who was inactive for the game and standing on the Chiefs' sideline, shoved Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith after Smith had chased Patrick Mahomes out of bounds. News of the Chiefs fine was first reported by NFL Network, which said the league disciplined the team because it violated a rule that prohibits inactive players from making "unnecessary physical contact with, or taunting or directing abusive language, threatening or insulting language or gestures at, opponents, Game Officials or representatives of the League." Hendershot also was fined an undisclosed amount, the source confirmed to ESPN.  Hendershot was acquired by the Chiefs in a trade with the Dallas Cowboys shortly before the...

Jon Jones will defend his UFC heavyweight championship against former titleholder Stipe Miocic in the main event of UFC 309, which will take place at Madison Square Garden in New York on Nov. 16. UFC president Dana White announced the details in an interview with Complex on Saturday. "Jon Jones is going to fight [Stipe Miocic] in Madison Square Garden in November," White said. "And then if he wins or Stipe wins, we see what happens next." The fight between the most decorated light heavyweight and heavyweight, respectively, was originally set for the UFC's annual trip to New York in 2023. However, Jones suffered a torn pectoral that required surgery, forcing him out of the fight and into a long rehabilitation. Now fully healed, Jones will compete for the first time in 20 months against Miocic, a former two-time champion who has been widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight in UFC history, with a record four heavyweight title defenses. But Jones' time off is nothing...

ATLANTA -- Tyler Glasnow has a sprained right elbow and is "highly unlikely" to pitch again this season, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced Saturday, a devastating blow for a high-priced team with World Series expectations but serious concerns about its postseason rotation. Glasnow, 31, had been out since Aug. 11 with what the team described as elbow tendinitis. He seemed to be close to a return before suffering another setback that essentially ended his season. The right-hander was warming up for a two- to three-inning simulated game from Truist Park early Friday afternoon, expected to be his last step before rejoining the Dodgers' rotation, but had to shut it down because of elbow discomfort as he approached his 25th throw from the bullpen. The Dodgers at this point can only be confident in newcomer Jack Flaherty starting their first postseason game. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who missed nearly three months with a shoulder injury but had...

NEW YORK -- Gerrit Cole stuck out four fingers on his pitching hand, then pointed toward first base as Rafael Devers looked on incredulously. Having held the first 10 Red Sox batters hitless, the New York Yankees ace handed Boston's slumping star an intentional walk with no one on base. Boston then walked all over Cole and the Yankees. Devers scored in a three-run fourth inning and hit a two-run single in a four-run fifth that rallied the Red Sox over New York 7-1 on Saturday. "They grabbed the momentum. It inspired them," Cole said. "I think, looking back, it's the wrong move." Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he and Cole discussed in the leadup to the game being more aggressive in the use of intentional walks -- Cole hadn't issued one in seven years. Cole said he talked out the possibility with pitching coach Matt Blake while in the tunnel before the fourth inning, viewing it as a way to get the starter deeper into the game on a day when the Yankees'...

MADISON, Wis. -- Alabama went from its clunkiest performance to its cleanest, which didn't surprise coach Kalen DeBoer or his players. A week after a mistake-ridden win over South Florida, No. 4 Alabama dominated Wisconsin 42-10, delivering big plays on both sides of the ball while also reducing its own mistakes. The Crimson Tide, who had three lost fumbles and 13 penalties against South Florida, did not commit a turnover, forced four fumbles and drew only four penalties in their first road performance under DeBoer, who pointed to a sharp series of practices that "set us up for success." "It just takes time," DeBoer said. "It takes repetitions for everyone, and we were much more in sync this week, whether it was today or whether it was all week, through our game-planning. There's some recall with play calls from last week or the week before, and it isn't just us going against our defense. We're seeing different looks." Quarterback Jalen Milroe...

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers downgraded quarterback Jordan Love to doubtful on Saturday, lessening his chances of playing on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Love had been listed as questionable on Friday's injury report even though he has not practiced since suffering a sprained MCL in his left knee late in last week's season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. The initial prognosis on Love's injury was three to four weeks. The Packers did not put Love on injured reserve because they believe he will miss fewer than four games. Malik Willis is expected to start Sunday, and the Packers elevated Sean Clifford from the practice squad to serve as Willis' backup. Willis was acquired in an Aug. 26 trade with the Titans. He has made three NFL starts -- all during his 2022 rookie season in Tennessee. The Titans went 1-2 in those games, and Willis did not throw for 100 yards passing in any of those starts.

NEW YORK -- Rafael Devers' intentional walk by Gerrit Cole with no one on base sparked a three-run fourth inning, and Devers added a two-run single in Boston's four-run fifth as the Red Sox beat the New York Yankees 7-1 Saturday. Cole (6-5), the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, hadn't allowed a hit and led 1-0 when he walked Devers with one out in the fourth. Boston's only runner until then had been Devers, who was hit by a pitch in the first and erased on a double play. After retiring nine of his first 10 batters, Cole, 34, allowed 10 of the next 12 to reach base. The right-hander gave up seven runs, his most since June 9, 2022, hit a career-high three batters and left after 4⅓ innings. Brayan Bello (14-7) gave up one run and four hits in 5⅓ innings for the Red Sox. Boston (75-74) started the day 4½ games behind Minnesota for the last AL wild card, also needing to overcome Detroit and Seattle. New York (86-63) had a three-game AL East lead over...

MADISON, Wis. --  Wisconsin starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke left Saturday's loss to No. 4 Alabama with a right knee/leg injury following a run on the game's opening drive. Van Dyke, a transfer from Miami, scrambled for 5 yards along the Wisconsin sideline when his right knee appeared to buckle. The senior didn't put any weight on his leg as he went into Wisconsin's injury tent and then was carted to the locker room, visibly upset and holding his head in his hands. He was later ruled out of the game before returning to the sideline in street clothes and on crutches, with his right leg in a brace. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell didn't have any definitive word on the severity of Van Dyke's injury after the 42-10 loss to the Tide. "We'll get a little more clarity hopefully here soon, get an MRI and things like that," Fickell said. "I don't think it looks real good for us, for him." Jalen Milroe threw three touchdowns and ran for two more in...

MINNEAPOLIS -- The  San Francisco 49ers placed star running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve with calf soreness and Achilles tendinitis, the team announced Saturday.  McCaffrey must miss at least the next four games -- including Sunday's matchup with the Minnesota Vikings -- and is eligible to return for an Oct. 10 meeting with the Seattle Seahawks on "Thursday Night Football," though that's not a guarantee. On Friday, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged for the first time since initially announcing McCaffrey's injury on Aug. 6 that injured reserve was a real possibility. That came after McCaffrey's Achilles did not respond well to limited participation in practice Thursday. "Yesterday was his worst day," Shanahan said. "It's on and off, but with yesterday having the most pain. It's something we're going to be discussing together in the next 24 hours." Those discussions ultimately led to Saturday's decision to shut McCaffrey...

The Cleveland Cavaliers and restricted free agent forward Isaac Okoro agreed to a three-year, $38 million contract Saturday afternoon, agents Michael Tellem, Jeff Schwartz and Marcus Monk told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Okoro, 23, was the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, and was the last restricted free agent left on the market. His signing, which comes just over two weeks before the start of training camp, caps  a busy and productive summer for the Cavaliers. Cleveland secured massive contract extensions with superstar guard Donovan Mitchell (three years, $150 million), young cornerstone forward Evan Mobley (five years, $224 million) and center Jarrett Allen (three years, $91 million). The Cavaliers also hired Kenny Atkinson away from the Golden State Warriors to replace J.B. Bickerstaff as coach. Now Cleveland has brought back Okoro -- a 6-foot-5 forward who averaged 9.4 points and shot a career-high 39.1% from 3-point range on...

Portland State has canceled its Week 3 meeting with South Dakota because of an outbreak of whooping cough within the football program, the Vikings announced Saturday afternoon. Portland State (0-2) was set to host South Dakota (1-1) on Saturday following losses to Washington State and Weber State to open the 2024 season. A statement released by the program noted that no players within the program are seriously ill at this time. Portland State is scheduled to visit Boise State in Week 4. The Broncos are off in Week 3, and the school released a statement saying it was monitoring the situation. "We are aware of Portland State's decision to cancel their game against South Dakota due to health and safety protocols," Boise State said. "We are in communication with Portland State's administration and will remain so as we continue to monitor the situation as it pertains to next Saturday's game. Our utmost priority and concern are for the health and safety of anyone involved." South...

MINNEAPOLIS -- The  San Francisco 49ers are placing star running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve with calf soreness and Achilles tendinitis, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Saturday. McCaffrey must miss at least the next four games -- including Sunday's matchup with the Minnesota Vikings -- and is eligible to return for an Oct. 10 meeting with the Seattle Seahawks on "Thursday Night Football," though that's not a guarantee. On Friday, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged for the first time since initially announcing McCaffrey's injury on Aug. 6 that injured reserve was a real possibility. That came after McCaffrey's Achilles did not respond well to limited participation in practice Thursday. "Yesterday was his worst day," Shanahan said. "It's on and off, but with yesterday having the most pain. It's something we're going to be discussing together in the next 24 hours." Those discussions ultimately led to Saturday's...

NC State quarterback Grayson McCall left during the first half of the Wolfpack's 30-20 win over  Louisiana Tech with an undisclosed injury and did not return. McCall struggled early, going 9-of-13 for 54 yards. After leading a drive that resulted in a field goal, McCall was seen heading into the locker room with a towel over his head. NC State did not describe the nature of the injury.  True freshman quarterback CJ Bailey entered the game in place of McCall and brought the Wolfpack from behind for the win. Bailey completed 13-of-20 passes for 156 yards with one interception. McCall transferred to NC State from Coastal Carolina in the offseason, hoping to lead the Wolfpack to an ACC championship. Instead, it has been a rocky start, as the Wolfpack came into Saturday off a 51-10 loss to Tennessee.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The  San Francisco 49ers are placing star running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve with calf soreness and Achilles tendinitis, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Saturday. McCaffrey must miss at least the next four games -- including Sunday's matchup with the Minnesota Vikings -- and is eligible to return for an Oct. 10 meeting with the Seattle Seahawks on "Thursday Night Football," though that's not a guarantee. On Friday, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged for the first time since initially announcing McCaffrey's injury on Aug. 6 that injured reserve was a real possibility. That came after McCaffrey's Achilles did not respond well to limited participation in practice on Thursday. "Yesterday was his worst day," Shanahan said. "It's on and off, but with yesterday having the most pain. It's something we're going to be discussing together in the next 24 hours." Those discussions ultimately led to Saturday's...

MADISON, Wis. --  Wisconsin starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke left Saturday's game against No. 4 Alabama with an apparent right knee/leg injury following a run on the opening drive. Van Dyke, a transfer from Miami, scrambled for 5 yards along the Wisconsin sideline when his right knee appeared to buckle. The senior didn't put any weight on his leg as he went into Wisconsin's injury tent and then was carted to the locker room, visibly upset and holding his head in his hands. He was later ruled out of the game before returning to the sideline in street clothes and on crutches, with his right leg in a brace. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound Van Dyke suffered a rare right knee lesion last year against North Carolina but returned for Miami later in the season. The 2021 ACC Rookie of the Year missed parts of six games because of injury at Miami in 2022. Van Dyke had 406 passing yards with a touchdown and no interceptions on a 60.3% completion rate in his...

The Minnesota Twins activated All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa from the 10-day injured list on Saturday. Correa has missed 51 games since the All-Star break while dealing with right plantar fasciitis. He is expected to be in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Cincinnati Reds in Minneapolis. Correa, who will turn 30 on Sept. 22, is batting .308 with 13 home runs, 47 RBIs and 51 runs in 75 games this season. He was named to his third All-Star Game this season but didn't play in the contest because of the foot injury. Correa is in his third season with the Twins after spending seven with the Houston Astros. He has a .275 career average with 186 homers and 665 RBIs in 1,098 games. Also on Saturday, the Twins optioned outfielder DaShawn Keirsey Jr. to Triple-A St. Paul. Keirsey, 27, went 1-for-10 while playing in four games for Minnesota since his major league debut Sept. 5.

MADISON, Wis. --  Wisconsin starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke left Saturday's game against No. 4 Alabama with an apparent right knee/leg injury following a run on the opening drive. Van Dyke, a transfer from Miami, scrambled for five yards along the Wisconsin sideline when his right knee appeared to buckle. The senior didn't put any weight on his leg as he went into Wisconsin's injury tent, and then was carted to the locker room, visibly upset and holding his head in his hands. The 6-4, 225-pound Van Dyke sustained a rare right knee lesion last year against North Carolina but returned for Miami later in the season. The former ACC Rookie of the Year missed parts of six games because of injury at Miami in 2022. Van Dyke had 406 passing yards with a touchdown and no interceptions on 60.3% completions in his first two starts at Wisconsin, and had completed his first five pass attempts for 16 yards against Alabama. Backup Braedyn Locke, who competed...

Seeking to strengthen the bench for a potential postseason run, the New York Mets promoted Luisangel Acuna from Triple-A Syracuse, the team announced Saturday. He is the younger brother of Atlanta Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. Luisangel Acuna has played second base, shortstop and center field at Syracuse, where he has posted a .258 average, 7 home runs, 50 RBIs and 40 stolen bases. The Mets acquired Acuna, 22, in a trade on July 30, 2023, when New York dealt pitcher Max Scherzer and cash to the Texas Rangers. Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor reported back tightness Friday night in the Mets' 11-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies and left the game early. He is considered day-to-day. Second baseman Jeff McNeil is out the rest of the regular season with a broken wrist.

KAMPALA, Uganda -- Ugandan Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who died after allegedly being doused in petrol and set alight by her former partner, was buried Saturday with full military honors at her ancestral place in Uganda's northeast. Cheptegei, 33, returned to her home in the highlands of western Kenya, an area popular with international runners for its high altitude training facilities, after coming 44th in the marathon at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 11. It would be her final race. Three weeks later her former boyfriend, Dickson Ndiema Marangach, allegedly attacked Cheptegei as she returned from church with her two daughters and younger sister in the village of Kinyoro, Kenya, police and her family said. Her father, Joseph Cheptegei, told Reuters that his daughter had approached police at least three times to file complaints against Marangach, most recently on Aug. 30, two days before the alleged attack by her former partner. She suffered burns to 80% of her body and...

A superb second-half goal from substitute Callum Hudson-Odoi gave Nottingham Forest the biggest surprise win of the Premier League season so far as they beat Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield on Saturday. The win was Forest's first at Anfield since 1969, and the players and the away fans celebrated accordingly as the home crowd was left to rue a rudderless display from the Reds that lacked a cutting edge. Liverpool dominated the opening half, and Luis Díaz came close to breaking the deadlock in the 17th minute, hustling to keep the ball in play on the Forest goal line and cutting inside before firing a rasping shot off the near post. Two minutes later,  Mohamed Salah crossed beautifully with the outside of his left boot for Dominik Szoboszlai, whose header went just wide as Liverpool increased the pressure. In truth, though, Salah was being well-contained by Forest fullback Álex Moreno, who was relentless in his pursuit of...

Tom Brady responded to his former NFL rival Eli Manning joining Wrexham's supporter base ahead of the Welsh team's game against Birmingham City on Monday with a boast about his Super Bowl success. Brady, who has a 3.3% stake in Birmingham, was called out by Manning on Friday, with the former New York Giants quarterback being drafted in by Wrexham's co-owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, according to an official club announcement. Manning commented on the post, saying: "Now I can beat @tombrady in football and fútbol! Go @wrexham_afc!" Brady replied with a video shared to his official X account where he is seen brandishing a Super Bowl trophy and addressed McElhenney directly. "I've been working on a little response video to Eli and I was looking around the house but I can't find the other six of these [trophies]. "Rob, can you just educate the Wrexham fans just a little bit on the history of the NFL? Thanks bud, I'll see you Monday." Brady...

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Graham Mertz will start at quarterback Saturday for Florida against Texas A&M, but there is a plan in place for freshman DJ Lagway. Florida coach Billy Napier told ESPN that Mertz would be the first quarterback on the field and that Lagway would play specific possessions each half and certain plays throughout possessions. "Both players will play. They have a great relationship," Napier said. "The staff and team have confidence in both players. Both have been impressive this week. It's a positive for our team as a whole." Mertz, a redshirt senior, missed last week's game with a concussion suffered in the season-opening 41-17 home loss to Miami. Lagway filled in for Mertz and passed for 456 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-7 rout of FCS foe Samford. Lagway broke the school record for single-game passing yards by a freshman, topping Chris Leak's 268 against Kentucky in 2003. Napier had said all week that Florida...

Charles Leclerc secured his fourth consecutive pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after beating McLaren's Oscar Piastri to the fastest time in qualifying. Piastri's teammate and title hopeful Lando Norris will start the race in 17th after an unfortunately timed yellow flag saw him knocked out of qualifying in Q1. The lowly starting position delivers a blow to his hopes of reeling in Max Verstappen's 62-point lead in the drivers' standings after two consecutive weekends taking eight points out of the Red Bull driver's advantage. The disappointing result for Norris comes on the same weekend his McLaren team pledged to give him priority over Piastri in racing situations to aid his championship bid. Norris might take consolation from Verstappen qualifying sixth, which leaves the championship leader behind his Red Bull teammate Sergio Pérez, who secured fourth on the grid. Norris said there was nothing he could do about the yellow flag, caused...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Rookie star Caitlin Clark broke the WNBA single-season assist record Friday night in the Indiana Fever's 78-74 loss to the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces. Clark recorded her 317th assist of the season at the 4:55 mark of the second quarter when  Kelsey Mitchell took her pass and scored on a drive. The rookie passed Alyssa Thomas' 316 dimes from last season. Clark finished the game with nine assists, giving her 321 assists on the season. Clark's feat came two days after MVP front-runner A'ja Wilson set a record for points scored in a season. Wilson, who scored 15 points Friday night, now has 971, putting her 29 from becoming the first WNBA player to reach 1,000 points in a season. Earlier this summer,  Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese set a WNBA single-season record for rebounds (446). Reese's rebounding (13.1) and Wilson's scoring (27.0) averages are both on pace to set league...

Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman's status for Saturday's game at Florida is uncertain, sources told ESPN. A source called Weigman a "legitimate game-time decision" as the Aggies open SEC play in The Swamp. Sources told ESPN that Weigman is dealing with an upper-body injury that will be tested before the game. The staff will evaluate how Weigman looks in pregame warmups before making a decision on whether he plays. Weigman has been limited in practice this week, sources said. He was listed as questionable on the SEC injury report earlier in the week. If he can't go, sources told ESPN that redshirt freshman Marcel Reed will make his first career start for Texas A&M. He has taken a majority of the first-team reps in practice this week when Weigman hasn't been available. Reed played in a backup role against McNeese last week, throwing for 71 yards and rushing for 43 yards. He played well in Texas A&M's bowl game last season, entering early in the Texas...

Former New Orleans Saints safety and ALS advocate Steve Gleason is stable and recovering at a local hospital after a medical event earlier this week, according to his publicist Clare Durrett. Durrett said Gleason spiked a fever and had extremely low blood pressure Wednesday, prompting his physician to suggest he be taken to a hospital. However, this was after Hurricane Francine, a Category 2 storm, made landfall near Morgan City, Louisiana, with sustained winds of almost 100 mph. Nearly 390,000 residents across Louisiana lost power, and New Orleans and surrounding areas experienced some street flooding. Durrett said there was a concern that EMS and first responders would not be able to reach Gleason, but "luckily, they made it through to him at a time when Steve's health was deteriorating." "They immediately stabilized him and transported him to Ochsner," Durrett said. "He remains there and stable. He's continuing to be treated, and we are hopeful Steve will do what Steve...

Texas Rangers right-hander Jacob deGrom struck out four in 3⅔ scoreless innings Friday night in his return from Tommy John surgery. "I told [a teammate] I'm like a baby deer out here: 'I don't know what I'm doing,'" deGrom said after a 5-4 loss to the  Seattle Mariners. "I almost fell over. I had quite a bit of nerves, so getting back out there was big. My legs were shaking a little bit." DeGrom, 36, gave up two hits in the fourth and was removed after he retired Jorge Polanco on a fly ball to center. Walter Pennington came in and got J.P. Crawford to bounce to second, leaving runners on the corners. DeGrom threw 61 pitches, 41 for strikes, in his first major league appearance since April 28, 2023. The two-time National League Cy Young Award winner gave up four hits and walked none. He graded his performance as a "C." "It's big to get out and pitch in a major league game, so you don't feel like you're in rehab mode for two...

INDIANAPOLIS -- Rookie star Caitlin Clark broke the WNBA single-season assist record Friday night in the Indiana Fever's 78-74 loss to the two-time defending champion Las Vegas Aces. Clark recorded her 317th assist of the season at the 4:55 mark of the second quarter when  Kelsey Mitchell took her pass and scored on a drive. The rookie passed Alyssa Thomas' 316 dimes from last season. She finished the game with nine assists, giving her 321 assists. Clark's feat came two days after MVP front-runner A'ja Wilson set a record for points scored in a season. Wilson, who scored 15 points Friday night, now has 971, putting her 29 from becoming the first player to reach 1,000 points in a season. Earlier this summer,  Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese set a WNBA single-season record for rebounds (446). Reese's rebounding (13.1) and Wilson's scoring (27.0) averages are both on pace to set league records, and while Clark leads the...

The  Detroit Tigers took a perfect game into the eighth inning and fell one out short of a combined no-hitter in a 1-0 win over the  Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. Gunnar Henderson hit a two-out triple just past the glove of diving first baseman Spencer Torkelson in the ninth inning for the Orioles' first hit, but Tigers left-hander Tyler Holton struck out Anthony Santander to close out the win. "That was an incredibly well-pitched game by all four of our guys tonight," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. "There's the letdown of the near miss, but that's still a shutout of a really good offense." It was the third no-hit bid in the majors this season that was lost with two outs in the ninth inning. The Atlanta Braves fell short of a combined no-hitter in a win over the New York Mets on May 11 and the Houston Astros' Framber Valdez lost his no-hitter on a two-out home run by Texas Rangers shortstop ...

NEW YORK -- Aaron Judge ended the longest home run drought of his major league career in the loudest way possible Friday night. With the New York Yankees facing a three-run deficit against the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning, Judge clubbed a go-ahead grand slam for his major-league-leading 52nd home run of the season. The swat unleashed thunderous delirium at Yankee Stadium. MVP chants prompted Judge, the American League MVP front-runner, to emerge from the dugout for a curtain call. The blast was Judge's eighth career grand slam and his first home run since slugging two against the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 25. He had gone 16 games, 60 at-bats and 75 plate appearances without one. After the game, which New York held on to win 5-4, Judge claimed the length of the drought was news to him. "Was it 16 games? I didn't really know that," Judge said. "It's just another day. I really don't focus on hitting homers. I don't focus on any of...

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert promised Friday that she and the league will show leadership in fighting against the abusive discourse that players experience on social media. Engelbert also apologized to the players for an interview she gave Monday on CNBC in which she focused on the popularity of rivalries but did not condemn the abusive rhetoric players have faced. "I was asked a question about WNBA rivalries and the dark side of social media and race, and simply put, my answer missed the mark and I'm sorry," Engelbert wrote to the players in a letter obtained by ESPN. "I regret that I didn't express, in a clear and definitive way, condemnation of the hateful speech that is all too often directed at WNBA players on social media." The letter, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, was sent to all the WNBA players. Engelbert also had conversations with some players, a league source told ESPN. Engelbert was asked on CNBC's "Power Lunch" on Monday about the "more menacing"...

UFC lightweight Michael Chandler is moving on from a fight against Conor McGregor -- at least for now. Chandler (23-8) will face Charles Oliveira (34-10) in a five-round co-main event at UFC 309 on Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden, UFC president Dana White told Barstool Sports on Friday night. The UFC had not yet announced a main event for that card, but an announcement was expected soon.  The bout will be a rematch of a vacant championship bout that took place in 2021, when Chandler hurt Oliveira with punches in the opening round of the fight before suffering a TKO loss in the second round.  The news does not necessarily mean Chandler will not fight McGregor (22-6), whom he coached against on "The Ultimate Fighter" in 2023. The two were supposed to fight in June, but McGregor was forced to pull out of the bout because of a toe injury. It was the first time McGregor had ever pulled out of a scheduled bout. He has not fought since 2021. McGregor has...

The  Detroit Tigers took a perfect game into the eighth inning and fell one out short of a combined no-hitter in a 1-0 win over the  Baltimore Orioles on Friday night. Gunnar Henderson hit a two-out triple just past the glove of diving first baseman Spencer Torkelson in the ninth inning for the Orioles' first hit, but Tigers left-hander Tyler Holton struck out Anthony Santander to close out the win. It's the third no-hit bid in the MLB this season that was lost with two outs in the ninth inning. The Atlanta Braves fell short of a combined no-hitter in a win over the New York Mets on May 11, and the Houston Astros' Framber Valdez lost his no-hitter on a two-out home run by Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager on Aug. 6. Before Holton pitched the ninth,  Beau Brieske and Brant Hurter teamed to take a perfect game into the eighth inning, retiring 21 consecutive batters before ...

ATLANTA -- The thought of Shohei Ohtani pitching in the playoffs is suddenly not impossible, even if it might still be unlikely. Speaking Friday, a little over an hour after frontline starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow suffered another setback in his recovery from elbow tendinitis, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts left open the possibility of Ohtani being an option on the mound in October, saying it's "not a 0 percent chance." Ohtani, who underwent a second repair of his right ulnar collateral ligament 12 months ago, has been throwing semiregular bullpen sessions and could progress to facing hitters before the end of September. The likelier plan had been for Ohtani to shut down his throwing program in October, then restart it relatively early in the offseason to prepare for his return as a two-way player in 2025. Under another potential scenario, though, Ohtani would keep throwing, then could be an option for the Dodgers in the later postseason rounds...

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- When it comes to San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey's availability, no guesswork is needed this week. Niners coach Kyle Shanahan on Friday ruled McCaffrey out for Sunday's game at the Minnesota Vikings after the running back didn't feel right with limited participation in Thursday's practice. Putting McCaffrey on injured reserve, which would require him to sit out at least four games, is now a part of the conversation, Shanahan said. "It's something we're considering now," Shanahan said. "Yesterday was his worst day. It's on and off, but with yesterday having the most pain. It's something we're going to be discussing together in the next 24 hours." McCaffrey has been dealing with a right calf injury and Achilles tendinitis that made him a surprise pregame scratch before Monday night's opener against the New York Jets. As he was last week, McCaffrey was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and...

Georgia's repeated driving-related issues continued Thursday night when cornerback Daniel Harris was arrested and charged with reckless driving for going 106 mph (41 mph over the speed limit) on a wet road, according to an Athens-Clarke County Police Department incident report. Harris traveled with No. 1 Georgia to Lexington, where the Bulldogs play Kentucky on Saturday, according to school officials, who declined further comment on his status. Harris' name was not listed on the SEC availability report Friday. A final availability report will be released before Saturday's 7:30 p.m. ET game. Players who are suspended for any reason, per league policy, are listed as "out." Police say Harris, a sophomore who played in the first two games this season, was traveling at a high rate of speed around 8 p.m. Thursday on Georgia 10 outer at the College Station Road entrance ramp. His 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee passed two other vehicles in the rain, and the arresting officer...

Mauricio Pochettino began his tenure as United States men's national team coach saying his players should aspire to achieve as much as the American women. "We are here because we want to win," he said Friday at his introductory news conference. "We have many examples next to us we need to follow." While the U.S. men haven't reached the  World Cup quarterfinals since 2002 and have never won the sport's top tournament, the American women have won four World Cups and five Olympic gold medals. "We need to believe we can win the World Cup," he said. Pochettino said his reasons for taking the reins as the manager of the U.S. men's national team were "too many" to name, but when asked to distill them into one sentence, that was the one he settled: "We believe." "'Believe' for me, it's a word that is so powerful," Pochettino said. "You can have an enormous talent and you can be clever. In football, you need to believe that it's possible. [If] we find the way together, I...

Auburn redshirt freshman quarterback Hank Brown will start for the Tigers against New Mexico on Saturday, a source confirmed to ESPN's Pete Thamel on Friday. Brown replaces incumbent starter Payton Thorne after the senior passer struggled in the program's Week 2 loss to Cal.  Brown, a former three-star passer in the 2023 class, will make his first career start in the wake of Auburn's 21-14 home defeat to Cal last week. Thorne, who started each of the Tigers' past 15 games, completed 14 of his 27 passes for 165 yards with a touchdown and a career-high four interceptions in the loss. Auburn coach Hugh Freeze initially hinted at a possible quarterback change during his Monday news conference. He remained vague on the situation later in the week but hinted at his willingness to take action after the Tigers were held under 10 points by an unranked opponent for the first time since 2018. "There's a very, very short leash on us playing as poorly as we did...