Browsing: due

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“WWE Raw” General Manager Adam Pearce opened Monday night’s show with the news that had been rumored throughout the day, Seth Rollins is no longer World Heavyweight Champion following the injury he sustained at Crown Jewel, and in storyline reasons, because of the attack by the former Vision last week.

After a video package of The Vision imploding on last week’s “Raw,” Pearce opened up the show in the ring. As he was speaking, a black SUV rolled up to the arena with Bronson Reed, Paul Heyman, and Bron Breakker, who was carrying the World Heavyweight Championship. The men walked out to the ring and Pearce said he was glad they were there to hear the news themselves.

Pearce said he knew Rollins was banged up from his match against Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel, but said they’ll never know how badly because of what Breakker and Reed did last week. He said Rollins was at home after having major surgery and he had the unfortunate responsibility of announcing that as of right now, because of what Breakker and Reed did, Rollins was stripped of the title.

He explained that Punk had already earned the right to fight for the title with his victory over LA Knight and Jey Uso last Monday, and to figure out his challenger, they’d be doing things the “old school” way with an over-the-top battle royal Monday night. The winner will face Punk at Saturday Night’s Main Event and the winner of that match will take home the World Heavyweight Championship. Pearce asked Breakker to hand over the title, and after a bit of back-and-forth, Breakker handed the belt to Heyman to pass off to Pearce.

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The New York Giants may yet trade veteran quarterback Russell Wilson ahead of the Nov. 4 deadline, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.

Raanan reported Sunday that “there is a belief in league circles that Wilson could eventually become a trade target for a quarterback-needy team.”

The 10-time Pro Bowler, for his part, is eager to get back onto the field.

“I definitely want to play. I know how much more ball I have left in me,” he said, per Raanan. “I’m doing everything I can where my feet are and helping our football team win, and that’s important and learn that along the way is be present where you are and try to do everything you can to be prepared every day. So that’s what I’m focusing on.”

Jaxson Dart hasn’t excelled under center since replacing Wilson ahead of New York’s Week 4 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers. Through three starts, he has thrown for 508 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Giants are 2-1 with Dart as the starter, though, and the rookie is arguably ahead of schedule in his development given the general predraft belief he’s a long-term project.

Many fans starting counting down Wilson’s days in the Big Apple from the moment he got benched. From New York’s perspective, it makes too much sense not to seriously entertain trade offers.

The 36-year-old is only signed for one season, and he presumably won’t want to return to a situation where he’s all but guaranteed to be a second-stringer in 2026.

The security and leadership Wilson provides as a backup is basically no different than the Giants would get with Jameis Winston moving up a spot in the depth chart, either.

Even if New York only recoups a late-round draft pick for Wilson, that’s something of value in return for a player who’s not helping that much now and is likely out the door next spring.

And surely, when surveying the QB landscape, another team would be willing to make a play for Russ.

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Jacob Fatu could miss an extended time off from in-ring competition due to an undisclosed injury.

After helping Sami Zayn defeat Solo Sikoa for the United States Championship, Jacob Fatu was absent from WWE television for a while. He returned on the September 26, 2025, episode of SmackDown, and entered into a rivalry with Drew McIntyre.

However, a recent report from Bodyslam.net suggests that The Samoan Werewolf is dealing with a “non-wrestling related injury,†which could keep him off television for an extended period of time. The report also stated that the injury could sideline him until 2026, but didnâ€t provide other details about the nature of his injury.

Fatu was scheduled to take on Drew McIntyre on the upcoming episode of SmackDown, but it appears WWE has to put that feud on hold until Fatu returns.

Jacob Fatu Was Rumored As One Name Planned For Survivor Series: War Games

Jacob Fatu was one of the names WWE reportedly had in mind to compete in this yearâ€s menâ€s WarGames match at Survivor Series.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE had planned for Jacob Fatu to team with Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Jey Uso, and either Jimmy Uso or LA Knight to take on Seth Rollins, Bronson Reed, Bron Breakker, Brock Lesnar, and Austin Theory inside WarGames.

However, two major injuries have changed the course of this match. Apart from Jacob Fatu getting sidelined, World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins has also sustained a legitimate injury, which he reportedly endured during his match against Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel: Perth.

It will be interesting to see how WWE adjusts the storylines heading into Survivor Series: WarGames now that Jacob Fatu and Seth Rollins are out of the picture. Fans were also looking forward to seeing Fatuâ€s feud with Drew McIntyre, as it wouldâ€ve been The Samoan Werewolfâ€s first major storyline outside the Bloodline vortex.

Read More: New WWE Contracts Add Lengthy Non-Compete If Talent Is Fired With Cause — Report

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ROME — Forget about thin ice. For now, thereâ€s no ice.

With NHL players preparing to return to the Olympics for the first time in more than a decade, construction on the main hockey arena for the Milan-Cortina Games is going down to the wire.

Local organizers confirmed to The Associated Press on Wednesday that the main test event for the 16,000-seat Santagiulia arena that was scheduled for December has been moved to a smaller arena — and that no new test event has been scheduled yet.

The issue raises the prospect that there might not be a game held in the main arena until the puck is dropped for the womenâ€s preliminary round competition at the Olympics on Feb. 5 — one day before the opening ceremony.

“Itâ€s going to be very close to the start of the games, the timeline is very tight. But we knew that,†Milan-Cortina local organizing committee CEO Andrea Varnier said recently.

The event that was supposed to test the Santagiulia ice was part of the under-20 world championship from Dec. 8-14. That event has been moved to the Rho Fiera hockey venue, which is being set up inside a giant convention centre on Milanâ€s outskirts and will host secondary matches during the games.

Usually, new Olympic venues are tested at least the year before hosting medal events. And with a large hockey arena, it’s not just about the ice and making sure that the playing surface is ready and safe. It’s also about testing concession stands, bathrooms and everything else inside a brand-new modern arena.

The Santagiulia venue, which is being built by a private company, is slated to become Italyâ€s largest indoor arena. For after the Olympics, itâ€s being eyed as a possible future host of the ATP Finals tennis event.

Despite the delays and concerns, high-priced tickets are already being sold for events at the Santagiulia arena. Seats for the menâ€s gold medal game on Feb. 22 — the closing day of the games — are going for as much as 1,400 euros (more than $1,600). Thatâ€s more than for any other sports event at the Milan-Cortina Games. Only tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies cost more.

The return of NHL players at the Olympics was announced last February, with the worldâ€s top hockey league allowing its players to participate in the Winter Games for the first time since 2014 in Sochi.

The menâ€s Olympic hockey tournament is scheduled to run from Feb. 11-22. The womenâ€s tournament runs from Feb. 5-19.

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As we begin the 2025-26 regular season, some things in the NHL arenâ€t changing – namely, the Chicago Blackhawks are still a win-challenged team, as theyâ€ve gone 0-2-1 in their first three games.

The Blackhawks have kept the scores close, as all three games were one-goal games. So, having only one standings point to show for it has to be disappointing to Hawks fans, players and executives.

That said, one of the bright lights of Chicagoâ€s first three games is the performance of blossoming star center Frank Nazar. The 21-year-old is currently tied for third place in NHL scoring, with four assists and five points. Itâ€s unfair to expect the second-year NHLer to sustain his current point pace, but after Nazar posted 12 goals and 26 points in 53 games with the Hawks last season, heâ€s now got the opportunity of a lifetime this season.

It was always going to be a tremendous long shot for the Blackhawks to be even in the conversation for a playoff berth, so the winless three-game start to the season canâ€t be a surprise. This is still a franchise with serious holes in the lineup, and thereâ€s going to be pain ahead for Chicago, no matter what Nazar does.

But for Hawks fans whoâ€ve suffered through the bad part of the competitive cycle virtually all teams go through from generation to generation, having another legitimate star player to invest their time, money and emotion into is no small step forward. Nazar is blossoming before their eyes, and Blackhawks fans are stoked to see it.

With a continued strong start, Nazar has the potential to open up even more opportunities for himself. Namely, weâ€re talking about him making Team Americaâ€s 2026 Olympic roster. With the U.S.â€s center spots basically taken up by Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews, Vegas Golden Knights star Jack Eichel, New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes, and New York Rangers star J.T. Miller, thereâ€s not an opening for Nazar. But maybe Nazar gets on the roster to fill one of the two extra forwards spots. Thatâ€s not unreasonable for him to aim for.

So, having Nazar continue his hot streak helps the Blackhawks on numerous levels. If he plays well, he takes some heat off of Bedard, who has had to bear the brunt of the spotlight as Chicagoâ€s foundational player. Nazar isnâ€t at Bedardâ€s stage right now, and he may never be.  But as long as he continues to grow his game, thereâ€s every chance he can establish himself as a fixture in the Windy City for many years to come.

Nazarâ€s usage has skyrocketed in the three games heâ€s played this year. After averaging just 15:52 of ice time last season, Nazar has played more than 20 minutes in two of his three games, and heâ€s averaging 19:53 of ice time in total. Thatâ€s a huge step forward, and new Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill is going to be hitching his wagon to Chicagoâ€s young core of players. That core now clearly includes Nazar, as he has been prominent at 5-on-5, the power play and the penalty kill.

Chicago still needs to stock up on as many elite young players as possible, so when the Hawks do as expected and finish at the bottom of the league again this season, there will be a payoff consolation from the draft system. The Blackhawks are going to wobble and fall over often in the next few years as they put parts in place for a sustained playoff push, but given how rare it is to find legitimate difference-makers, it has to be a thrill for Hawks management and coaching to know they have an emerging gem in Nazar.

A lot can still happen to Nazar as teams scout him and figure out his weaknesses, but Nazar can continue to stay one step ahead of his opponents and thrive in hockeyâ€s top league. His start to this season is very encouraging for the Blackhawks and for Nazar himself, and itâ€s a good idea to keep your eyes on Nazar as he negotiates the ascent up the competitive mountain and carves out a great legacy in Chicago.

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By Ella Jay

Oct. 9, 2025 10:46 pm EST

Brandon Nagy/Shutterstock

Through the partnership between TNA and “WWE NXT,” a number of former WWE stars have recently returned to the company for matches and appearances. This includes former Intercontinental Champion Matt Cardona, who departed from WWE in 2020 following a 14-year run. Looking ahead, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T hopes to see Cardona (formerly known as Zack Ryder) back in WWE in a more permanent capacity.

“I’ve been so invested in the TNA-NXT crossover that they’ve been doing,” Booker said on “The Hall of Fame” podcast. “It’s been so good for both sides to see so many different guys get to come up. Seeing Matt Cardona back in the building. I don’t know, he, Matt Cardona, might have got a raw deal his first time around. I’d love to see Matt Cardona get another shot in WWE and doing his thing. Then seeing guys like Moose, a guy who I had talked about for quite some time. I was just like, man, I wish this guy could get a shot. I’m hoping we can figure out how we can get him in there somehow.”

Since leaving WWE, Cardona has worked on and off for TNA, with his current run beginning earlier this year and including shots at the TNA X-Division and International Championships. Despite this, reports indicate that Cardona is not officially signed to TNA, meaning he is technically a free agent.

Next Tuesday, Cardona will return to the “NXT” ring when he takes on Josh Briggs in singles competition. This comes after the veteran cost Briggs a match against Myles Borne on the September 30 episode of “NXT.”Â

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “The Hall of Fame” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant doesn’t believe he’ll miss the start of the regular season, telling reporters Thursday that anybody worried about the possibility is “tweakin’.”

The Grizzlies announced on Oct. 6 that Morant was considered week to week after suffering a left ankle sprain in practice.

Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo said the injury occurred during a “basketball play” toward the end of practice.

“Luckily, it’s preseason, and we look to have him back soon,” Iisalo said at the time.

Morant has played just 59 games over the last two regular seasons combined due to injuries and suspensions.

He appeared in 50 games of the 2025-26 season, returning for the first round only to suffer a hip contusion that sidelined him for the Grizzlies’ elimination Game 4 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

In his last four seasons with the Grizzlies, Morant has appeared in just 56 percent of his team’s regular-season games, per the AP.

The Grizzlies face a steep climb to an eventual playoff bid in a stacked Western Conference. The team’s postseason hopes hinge in large part on a strong season from Morant, whose numbers dropped slightly last season as he averaged 23.2 points and 7.3 assists per game.

Morant potential return in time for his team’s Oct. 22 season opener against the New Orleans Pelicans, and hopefully returning to his previous All-Star production levels, could help the Grizzlies get off to a strong start to the 2025-26 campaign.

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The 2026 NBA All-Star game is coming to the Clippers†new home, the Intuit Dome, and the NBAâ€s ongoing investigation into possible salary cap circumvention by the team to get more money to Kawhi Leonard is not going to change that, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.

“Thereâ€s no contemplation of moving the All-Star Game,†Silver said Monday, while at the NBC Sports headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut, to discuss the networkâ€s return to broadcasting NBA games (including the All-Star Game). “Planning for the All-Star Game and the surrounding activities are operating completely independently of the ongoing investigation.â€

This shouldnâ€t be a surprise. The NBAâ€s All-Star Game is a massive production and undertaking that goes well beyond just the on-court games and showcases. Players and league sponsors plan events and parties, hotels and venues are booked, and fans plan trips to the host city around the All-Star events. To rip that up and move a game less than five months out would be an impossible task. The NBA did move the 2017 All-Star Game out of Charlotte in reaction to the “bathroom law†in North Carolina; however, it made that move in the previous summer (the league returned to Charlotte with the game two years later, in 2019).

The league is investigating an alleged “no-show†endorsement contract Leonard had with a Clippers sponsor, a company called Aspiration, that team owner Steve Ballmer had invested in multiple times. Aspiration also became a team sponsor and the Clippers bought environmental credits from the company — that was Aspirationâ€s “business†— for the Intuit Dome. The relationship between the Clippers and the sponsor fell apart in 2023 (although not before minority owner Dennis Wong made a $2 million investment in Aspiration, just before Leonard received one of his $1.75 million endorsement payments). Aspiration has since filed for bankruptcy, and its CEO pled guilty to defrauding investors.

At the heart of the allegations — first uncovered by the Pablo Torre Finds Out podcast — is that Leonard did no work or marketing for Aspiration yet got a $48 million endorsement deal ($20 million in now-worthless stock). People with Aspiration told the podcast that this deal was about circumventing the salary cap. Both Leonard and the Clippers have maintained their innocence, saying they were duped and defrauded like other investors, and that they welcome the leagueâ€s investigation.

There is no timeline for when that investigation will be complete, but it will not stop the All-Star Game from coming to the Intuit Dome.

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Day 1. Day 10. Day 50. Day 100. Day 365?!

The past year has been tough on all Manchester United fans, but for Frank Illet, it really shows. Illet set himself a quirky challenge last October: he wouldn’t cut his hair until his beloved Red Devils won five games in a row.

“I thought it would only go for a few months and be a bit of a laugh,” Illet told ESPN. “It was something to spread humor to Man United fans during a difficult period of time.

“It didn’t feel unrealistic then, because the season before, they had won five games in a row.”

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At the time, United were still managed by Erik Ten Hag and had ended the previous season by winning the FA Cup final against Manchester City. Illet thought that it would be the perfect time to try out the challenge, despite all of the false dawns and inconsistent form the club have managed in recent years.

The 29-year-old boyhood United fan from the U.K. now living in Spain, started the challenge after a 0-0 draw with Aston Villa. He expected a five-win streak to come quickly. Instead, 77 games across all competitions and a change of manager later, it still hasn’t happened. In fact, the most Illet has been able to see in the past year were three wins in a row when Man United beat Rangers, Fulham, and FCSB in late January under current boss Ruben Amorim.

For context, Liverpool — the defending Premier League champions and United’s bitter rivals — have already won five games in a row this season in just over a month (33 days to be exact).

What began with a clean-shaven Illet has turned into a viral spectacle: a bush of hair growing longer and higher with every passing day and every dropped point.

His daily social media updates to more than 700,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok — counting up the days since his last haircut, whether United played that day or not — have turned him into a cult figure and a living, growing monument embodiment of the club’s travails.

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“I’ve had a lot of ups and downs, and the thing is, the sheer amount of it takes so much out of my time,” he said. “The washing, the brushing, the drying, everything takes so much longer than I’m used to.”

Illet’s mood has mirrored United’s fortunes. He was in the stands at Old Trafford to watch his team beat Chelsea 2-1 earlier this season, only to then see them lose 3-1 at Brentford a week later.

Add in the humiliation of a shock Carabao Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby Town, and even his optimism has started to fray.

“I’ve tried to keep positive, I’ve tried to keep optimistic,” he said. “But that was the moment where I thought that I couldn’t find a positive and keep pretending that something would happen.”

Manchester United fan Frank Illet has not cut his hair for a year because the team has not won five games in a row. Instagram

The reaction has not been universally positive. Police are investigating an incident at the Chelsea game in which one fan grabbed Illet’s hair aggressively and appeared to hurl abuse at him. “It was all a bit weird to be honest,” Illet said at the time. “I will always try to focus on the positives and hope that this was just a one-off.”

Despite United’s continuing on-pitch woes, Illet isn’t calling for Amorim to go. While reports swirl about the Portuguese coach’s future, he believes performances haven’t been as dire as results suggest.

“I don’t think changing the manager is certainly the answer,” he said. “I understand completely that people are saying that they want him out because they’re saying the most important thing in football is results.

“I do think there are some positives. We’ve had the most expected goals and shots in the league. There are a few things like that where a few of those goals go in, and we have completely different conversations. I think in the short term, we need good results immediately.”

With more than 30 Premier League games left this season, plus the FA Cup still to come, Illet hasn’t given up hope for his hair.

“We’ll find out together how much longer it can go,” he said with a laugh.

For now, United don’t have a five-game winning streak, though they have just begun a new run following Saturday’s 2-0 win over Sunderland. But Illet’s hair? That’s just about the only thing that has been going strong all year for anyone associated with Manchester United.

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The Yankees won’t see some familiar faces when they take on the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 American League Division Series.

Toronto announced its roster for the playoff series on Saturday morning, ahead of Game 1 at 4:00 p.m., and star shortstop Bo Bichette is not on it.

Bichette, 27, has been out since Sept. 6 with a knee injury.

The SS finished the 2025 regular season tied for second in hits with 181 (along with Padres’ Luis Arraez), just three less than the Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. over 18 less games (139 played by Bichette). He also finished second in the AL in batting average at .311 behind Aaron Judge‘s .331 mark.

Bichette hit .281 with nine hits, including a home run, six RBI, and five runs scored over nine games against the Yanks in the regular season.

He would be eligible to be added to the ALCS roster if the Blue Jays were to advance.

Additionally, Toronto left veteran pitchers Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt off the ALDS roster, as well as 1B Ty France. The club decided to go with Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, and Trey Yesavage as their starting pitchers, plus Eric Lauer, who started 15 games in the regular season and pitched in another 13 out of the bullpen.

Scherzer went 5-5 over 17 regular seasons start, pitching to a 5.19 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. He gave up four runs on 10 hits across 5.0 IP in his last start on Sept. 24 against the Red Sox.

Bassitt owned a 11-9 record with a 3.96 ERA over 32 games (31 starts). Like Scherzer, he also struggled down the stretch, allowing three runs on eight hits over 4.1 IP against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sept. 18.

As for the Yankees, no major changes were made to their ALDS roster compared to the Wild Card series. Luis Gil, who’s starting Game 1, was added to replace Mark Leiter Jr.

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