Paul Battison

Islam Makhachev defeated Ian Machado Garry by unanimous decision at UFC 330 in Philadelphia, defending his welterweight title and recording a 17th consecutive UFC victory to surpass Anderson Silva’s record. Makhachev controlled the grappling exchanges, secured seven takedowns and held more than 12 minutes of control time despite Garry landing more significant strikes. Mackenzie Dern also retained her strawweight title against Gillian Robertson, while several future UFC title fights were announced.

Bangladesh defeated top-ranked Australia by nine wickets in Darwin to secure its first Test victory on Australian soil. Mehidy Hasan Miraz took 5-66 after scoring 65, while Hasan Mahmud claimed nine wickets and was named player of the match. Cameron Green's century briefly resisted Bangladesh's dominance, but Australia were dismissed for 284, leaving Bangladesh only 57 runs to chase. The result marked one of Bangladesh's greatest cricket victories despite recent poor form and injuries to two leading fast bowlers.

Hull City have signed forward Joe Gelhardt from Leeds United and midfielder Lucas Gourna-Douath from Red Bull Salzburg for undisclosed fees. Gelhardt returns permanently on a four-year contract with an option for another year after scoring 14 Championship goals during his loan spell and helping Hull win promotion. Gourna-Douath has agreed to a five-year deal after making 95 appearances for Salzburg and spending part of last season on loan at Le Havre. They are Hull's 10th and 11th signings since the club returned to the Premier League.

Mackenzie Dern says playing no-limit Texas hold’em poker helped her develop the composure, patience and strategic thinking that had been missing during the inconsistent early part of her UFC career. After winning three consecutive fights, including a victory over Virna Jandiroba to become strawweight champion, Dern will defend her belt against Gillian Robertson at UFC 330 in Philadelphia. The feature also notes poker’s gambling risks and compares Dern’s experience with Caio Borralho’s use of chess and other strategy games to improve his fighting.

Ian Machado Garry credits switching to a vegan plant-based diet five years ago with improving his health, weight management, recovery and ability to accept short-notice fights. After winning nine of his next 10 bouts, he is set to challenge Islam Makhachev for the UFC welterweight title at UFC 330 in Philadelphia. Garry also promotes veganism for animal welfare and environmental reasons, while acknowledging that the lifestyle requires discipline and nutritional planning. A victory could make him Ireland's first UFC champion since Conor McGregor, give him the most UFC wins by an Irish fighter, and end Makhachev's bid for a record 17th consecutive UFC victory.

Ipswich Town have signed Morocco defender Issa Diop from Fulham on a contract running until 2030, adding a highly experienced Premier League player after their promotion. Diop, who featured at the World Cup, arrives following limited game time at Fulham last season. His move continues a busy transfer window for Ipswich, who have already added Abdul Fatawu, Emersonn, Cedric Kipre, Chuba Akpom and Kayne van Oevelen to strengthen the squad.

Phil Foden has signed a new four‑year contract with Manchester City, extending his stay until 2030. The midfielder, who has made 369 appearances and won multiple major trophies with the club, expressed enthusiasm about working again with new head coach Enzo Maresca. After a dip in output over the past two seasons due to a deeper tactical role, Foden aims to regain form following his omission from England’s World Cup squad. Statistical comparisons highlight his consistently high goal contributions over recent years, while the Professional Footballers' Association attributed his recent decline partly to a congested fixture schedule.

Two British eventing riders, Sophie Fouracre and Kerry Donoghue, died in separate cross‑country accidents at competitions in Oxfordshire and Cumbria. Emergency teams responded at both venues but were unable to save them. British Eventing expressed deep condolences and gratitude to responders, while the charity Riders Minds offered support to the community. Both horses were uninjured as investigations begin. The incidents follow other recent fatalities in the sport, highlighting ongoing safety concerns.

Luke Littler opened his World Matchplay Darts title defence with a 10-6 win over Niko Springer, recovering from an early deficit to dominate the closing stages and post a 109.53 average with seven 180s. Other first‑round results included wins for Stephen Bunting, Josh Rock and Nathan Aspinall. The Professional Darts Corporation prepared contingency plans to avoid schedule clashes with England’s World Cup campaign, and the tournament carries a total purse of £1m with £225,000 for the winner.

Arsene Wenger acknowledged that mandatory hydration breaks at the 2026 World Cup were unpopular and said FIFA will evaluate their impact after the tournament. Introduced as a welfare measure, the breaks drew criticism for enabling lucrative TV advertising opportunities and disrupting play, leading to fan frustration. UEFA ruled out adopting the practice, while England manager Thomas Tuchel opposed it and Spain coach Luis de la Fuente supported it. Wenger also said the expanded 48‑team World Cup proved successful and ethically justified.

Argentina’s rugby team wore replicas of the 1986 dark blue football kit made famous during Diego Maradona’s quarter‑final win over England as they faced England in the Nations Championship. The choice of kit follows heightened sporting rivalry after Argentina’s football side reached the 2026 World Cup final and displayed a contentious banner asserting sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, prompting a review by Fifa. England’s squad relocated hotels in Buenos Aires to avoid possible disruptions from expected celebrations. The match takes place amid recent victories for both teams, with England seeking a sixth straight win over Argentina.

Karolina Muchova will be out for several weeks after undergoing a minor surgery following her Wimbledon final loss to Linda Noskova. She did not reveal details of the injury but confirmed she will miss the Canadian Open while focusing on recovery ahead of the US Open. The world number six continues to manage recurring wrist issues and previously lost the 2023 French Open final to Iga Swiatek.

Samuel Bensoussan’s ban for fixing four tennis matches was extended by three years after the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld all charges and dismissed his appeal. The court determined the sanction should align with similar cases, prolonging his suspension until 2030. The case is part of a wider investigation that uncovered a criminal organisation involved in manipulating hundreds of matches and corrupting more than 180 players globally. Bensoussan, previously fined and linked to a Belgian match‑fixing syndicate, has not competed professionally since 2019.

Olympic swimmer Mollie O'Callaghan was briefly sidelined after scans revealed spinal stress fractures, leading doctors to instruct her to stop swimming last month. Subsequent assessments cleared her to compete at the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Pan Pacific Championships in California. O'Callaghan, who has eight Olympic medals, plans to race multiple freestyle and backstroke events and expressed determination to perform despite recent uncertainty.

Paddy Pimblett revealed he would have considered retiring if he had lost to Benoit Saint-Denis, but instead secured a quick submission victory at UFC 329 to revive his title ambitions. His win moved him to fifth in the lightweight rankings while Saint-Denis dropped to eighth. With Justin Gaethje holding the undisputed title, several contenders including Ilia Topuria, Arman Tsarukyan, Charles Oliveira and Max Holloway remain in the mix for a future title shot.

Conor McGregor’s return at UFC 329 comes amid doubts fueled by a five-year absence, declining form, and extensive personal and legal controversies. Civil court findings of sexual assault, an anti-doping ban, political backlash in Ireland, and past criminal incidents have damaged his public standing. Despite this, the UFC continues to rely on his drawing power, as his past fights dominate pay-per-view records. McGregor insists he is innocent of the allegations and remains confident ahead of facing Max Holloway, though concerns persist over whether he can regain his former competitive level after a severe leg injury and long inactivity.

Conor McGregor and Max Holloway faced off heatedly at the UFC 329 news conference in Las Vegas, where McGregor removed Holloway’s glasses before lifting commemorative belts representing his past championships. McGregor’s return follows years of controversies, including a civil judgment for assault, missed drug tests leading to an 18‑month ban, and questions about his current standing among Irish fans. Despite this, he received strong crowd support, and UFC leadership expects the event to generate record revenues. Paddy Pimblett also drew significant cheers ahead of his co‑main event, while Holloway appeared relaxed and confident as he looked toward their rematch.

Sunderland intend to keep captain Granit Xhaka despite Chelsea’s rejected £8m bid and continued interest. Club sources say Xhaka is not for sale, and after talks he has reaffirmed his commitment. Chelsea believe he remains open to a move but have yet to decide on another offer. Xhaka helped Sunderland reach European competition and is currently playing for Switzerland at the World Cup.

Fenerbahce are negotiating a £7m transfer with Manchester City for defender Nathan Ake, with personal terms reportedly agreed and final details being settled. The move could rise to £8.5m with add-ons. Ake, who played in the 2026 World Cup and has one year left on his City contract, is expected to join Fenerbahce’s training camp in Austria. Limited playing time last season and strategic plans at City have made his departure likely after winning multiple major trophies with the club.