Month: January 2022

4:17 PM ET Bellator has penned a deal with a controversial former college wrestling standout. Earlier this week, Bellator signed Pat Downey III, a former NCAA Division I All-American wrestler, to a contract, the promotion confirmed with ESPN on Friday. Downey, 29, has yet to make his MMA debut. He will compete in Bellator’s middleweight
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2:09 PM ET The UFC is finalizing a five-round main event between former lightweight champion Rafael Dos Anjos and rising contender Rafael Fiziev for Feb. 19, multiple sources told ESPN. Contracts have not been signed, but both sides have agreed to the matchup. The 155-pound contest will headline the UFC Fight Night event in Las
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1:13 PM ET The UFC is booking a heavyweight contest between Derrick Lewis and Tai Tuivasa for its pay-per-view event next month, officials confirmed to ESPN. Contracts have not been signed, but the promotion is close to finalizing the matchup for UFC 271 on Feb. 12 in Houston. Lewis (26-8) is a former two-time title
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1:30 PM ET Former UFC champion Max Holloway will not be able to challenge Alexander Volkanovski for the featherweight title in March after aggravating a prior injury Thursday, sources told ESPN. The setback occurred just days after Holloway, 30, accepted a trilogy bout against Volkanovski that was slated to headline UFC 272 on March 5
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4:39 PM ET INDIANAPOLIS — As the College Football Playoff management committee prepares to continue its discussions on Saturday about expanding the current four-team format, Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren told ESPN he remains steadfast in his belief that the Power 5 conference champions should automatically qualify for a spot in the future. Saturday’s meeting
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4:05 PM ET GREEN BAY, Wis. — Don’t tell Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur that Sunday’s regular-season finale at the Detroit Lions is a meaningless game even though his team wrapped up the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs last week. His decision to play quarterback Aaron Rodgers confirms as much. While it’s
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12:17 PM ET Associated Press Long considered the biggest event in women’s golf, the U.S. Women’s Open now has prize money and future sites to match. The U.S. Golf Association announced Friday the purse will nearly double this year to $10 million, by far the richest in women’s golf and challenging top prizes in women’s
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3:31 PM ET PITTSBURGH — Just one day after he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson was activated off it Friday. Johnson, who leads the team with 1,100 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches on 100 receptions, is a key piece of the offense for the Steelers’ regular-season finale
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2:34 PM ET Kansas State has promoted Collin Klein, a former Heisman Trophy finalist at the school, to offensive coordinator. Klein, who played quarterback at Kansas State from 2008 to 2012, has been the team’s quarterbacks coach since 2017. He served as Kansas State’s interim offensive coordinator for Tuesday’s TaxAct Texas Bowl, a 42-20 win
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1:59 PM ET Murray State accepted an invitation from the Missouri Valley Conference on Friday, and will officially become the league’s 11th member on July 1, 2022. At least 13 of the Racers’ 15 sports will join the MVC, with its football program yet to officially join a conference and its rifle program continuing in
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1:05 PM ET OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley will start Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers, coach John Harbaugh said Friday. Huntley will fill in for Lamar Jackson, who will miss his fourth straight game with a right ankle injury. This marks Huntley’s third start in the past four weeks.
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12:57 PM ET Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols after testing positive for COVID-19. Kidd is the 13th NBA head coach to enter the protocols this season. Kidd tested positive Thursday night after the team traveled to Houston for the road game Friday against the Rockets. Assistant coach
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12:35 PM ET INDIANAPOLIS — The College Football Playoff is considering Las Vegas and Miami as future host cities for the national championship, sources told ESPN on Friday. The CFP is currently finishing its eighth season of a 12-year contract, which runs through the 2025 season, and hasn’t yet finalized where the national championship game
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10:44 AM ET HENDERSON. Nev. — The scenario that has the Las Vegas Raiders (9-7) and Los Angeles Chargers (9-7) needing only to tie in Sunday night’s season finale at Allegiant Stadium for both AFC West rivals to clinch a playoff spot has the Raiders quizzical and bemused. “I don’t think I ever passed math,
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7:46 AM ET Michael Rothstein Close ESPN Staff Writer Previously covered University of Michigan for ESPN.com and AnnArbor.com Also covered Notre Dame for Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Ben Baby Close ESPN Staff Writer ESPN Staff Writer Previously a college football writer for The Dallas Morning News University of North Texas graduate Predicting what could happen
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10:33 AM ET Jay Bateman is out as defensive coordinator at North Carolina following the Tar Heels’ struggles on that side of the ball this season, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday. Bateman spent the past three seasons with the Tar Heels after defensive coordinator stints at both Army and Ball State. UNC’s defense struggled
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