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Mercedes Mone is now Twelve Belts Mone, holding 12 titles across a litany of companies worldwide. It’s a great gimmick and gets her over to a large degree. This is pro wrestling though, and we’re always looking for the endgame. That means if Mone won all these titles, at some point, she has to lose them. She may end up forfeiting some of these titles rather than being pinned or submitted in the ring for them, especially those from more territorial companies.

The one she absolutely has to lose in the ring is the AEW TBS Title. Which brings up the question of who should benefit from that victory. A Mone loss at this point, especially a loss that costs her one of her precious titles, should be a huge deal. Who on the AEW women’s roster should be the one to knock Mone off her perch? Here are three of the top contenders.

-Kris Statlander: Stat is next up to face Mone at Full Gear, but only Statlander’s AEW Women’s World Title is on the line, not Mone’s title. Would Statlander retain her title here and then be booked at some point down the line to beat Mone again for the TBS Title? It seems unlikely. If Mone beats Statlander, then an eventual Stat victory over Mone would make more sense. At that point though Mone will hold both the AEW Women’s Title and the TBS Title; would both titles be on the line? Or would Mone have to be booked to lose the titles on two separate occasions?

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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-Toni Storm: Storm seems more focused on the new Women’s Tag Titles now than winning a singles belt. Mone may not lose her title for a while, so that could provide an opportunity for Storm to circle back. At All In earlier this year, Storm already beat Mone; she wouldn’t gain as much from a victory as others may since Storm is already an established top star. A win over Mone could be used as a catalyst to push someone and give them needed credibility, something Storm isn’t lacking right now.

-Athena: Mone’s tag team partner in the Women’s Tag Title Tournament, Athena could be lulling Mone into a false sense of security, eventually planning to take the TBS Title from her. Athena is someone who many feel has been underutilized on ROH and should be a top star in the AEW Women’s Division. A title win over Mone would put her on the map and in the thick of the women’s division if a full-time move to AEW is in the cards. To a certain extent, Athena is valuable to the ROH brand and Tony Khan may not want to move her.

Check out Greg’s column in next week’s PWTorch Newsletter for more contenders and in-depth analysis on who could be the one to defeat Mone.

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Texas football enjoyed an emphatic 23-6 win over arch rival (and No. 6 ranked) Oklahoma 23-6 on Saturday afternoon.

Any victory for Texas in the Red River Rivalry should be a cherished one, but this was a huge win for the program after the Longhorns fell 29-21 last week to Florida, who was 1-3 going into the game.

To their credit, Texas shut out any outside noise, worked hard and got the job done, and head coach Steve Sarkisian was thrilled with the process and result.

Sarkisian talked about the team’s resiliency and response more broadly in his opening statement after the victory.

Texas began the season as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press preseason poll. However, that lasted only one week after Ohio State shut down the Texas offense en route to a 14-7 victory.

The Longhorns then rolled off three straight wins by a combined score of 120-17 over San Jose State, UTEP and Sam Houston.

The UTEP game did cause some concern, as Texas’ passing game didn’t really get going, with quarterback Arch Manning connecting on just 11-of-25 passes for 114 yards, a touchdown and an interception.

Still, Texas was on a three-game win streak going into its first SEC game. However, Florida took control of that game early and never really relented, with the team out-gaining Texas 457-341 and possessing the ball for 34 minutes.

That loss knocked Texas out of the AP poll entirely, so it’s clear folks were negative on the Longhorns, especially after their high expectations.

To their credit, though, the Longhorns bounced back strong on Saturday in all three phases. The defense stepped up, intercepting starting quarterback John Mateer three times and holding the Sooners to just 48 rushing yards.

Meanwhile, Texas’ offense played clean, efficient and turnover-free football. Manning went 21-of-27 for 166 yards and a touchdown, and running back Quintrevion Wisner rushed for 94 yards on 22 carries.

And then the special teams excelled courtesy of Ryan Niblett, who returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown to help give Texas a 20-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.

Texas will look to keep the positive momentum rolling on Saturday when the team visits Kentucky.

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Blake Monroe believes thereâ€s a great story waiting to be told between her and Liv Morgan in WWE.

During her appearance on Busted Open Radio with Bully Ray, Monroe discussed potential opponents she would like to face in WWE. She said that when she looks at the womenâ€s roster across NXT, RAW and SmackDown, several names stand out to her.

Monroe mentioned that in NXT, she has always wanted to face Sol Ruca because their characters are complete opposites. She also expressed interest in facing Tatum Paxley, saying she finds her fascinating.

When it comes to the main roster, Monroe said she would love to face Rhea Ripley. However, she added that a matchup with Liv Morgan could also tell an incredible story.

“I see a lot of myself in Liv. I feel like she was very underrated for her in-ring and sheâ€s good, but when she found her character and she found her feet… I mean, she was having the run of a lifetime before she got hurt and Iâ€m sure sheâ€s gonna pick back up where she left off. But I see—I donâ€t know, I feel like I see similarities there and I feel like there could be a really good story.†[H/T: WrestlePurists]

Monroe recently finished her feud with Jordynne Grace at WWE NXT No Mercy and is now focused on Sol Ruca. Liv Morgan is currently out with a shoulder injury, but she is on the road to recovery. A future matchup between Monroe and Morgan would be very exciting.

Read More: Blake Monroe Shares Regrets Over Using Mariah May As Her In-Ring Name

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One MLB scout told SNY’s John Harper the New York Mets should respond to the potential departure of Pete Alonso by targeting Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber in free agency.

“Kyle Schwarber would solve a lot of their problems,” the scout told Harper about the Mets. “I don’t know if it’s possible, but if Steve Cohen wants to flex again this winter, he should pay whatever it would take to get Schwarber to leave the Phillies.”

Alonso, who posted a career-high .272 batting average and led the Mets with 126 RBI last season, has said he plans to opt out of the final year of his two-year, $54 million contract and test free agency this winter.

The news came after the Mets lost out on a postseason berth after being shut out last Sunday during a win-or-go-home season finale against the Miami Marlins.

Schwarber, who led MLB with a career-high 132 RBI while helping the Phillies secure the top of the NL East, is also set to hit free agency this winter.

While Schwarber prepares to join the Phillies when the postseason begins Saturday with an NLDS matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets will be contemplating what changes can be made to ensure the club won’t repeat this season’s collapse in 2026.

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand wrote in August that Schwarber could receive as much as $400 million on his next deal.

Only teams unwilling or unable to pay that price, or clubs like the Los Angeles Dodgers or San Francisco Giants who already have players settled in the DH position, can be counted out of the running to pursue him in free agency.

Cohen showed last winter with his historic offer to Juan Soto that he is willing to spend on top players. Should Schwarber consider leaving Philadelphia after the Phillies wrap up the postseason, the Mets could consider adding him, with Alonso’s future uncertain.

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Sep 29, 2025, 05:42 AM ET

Pep Guardiola has confirmed midfielder Rodri missed Manchester City’s resounding 5-1 win over Burnley due to having pain in his knee.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner suffered an ACL tear in September 2024 in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal which ruled him out for almost the entire rest of the season.

He has since had further setbacks which saw him miss City’s 4-0 Premier League opening win over Wolves, while he played only 15 minutes in the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham.

Rodri missed the clash with Burnley due to pain in his knee. Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

The Spain midfielder appeared to be returning to full fitness after starting three games in a week against Manchester United, Napoli and Arsenal but Guardiola confirmed Rodri was not named in the squad for the romp of Burnley due to pain in his knee again.

“Rodri was training and said, ‘I’m not able to play. I have a lot of pain in my knee. I cannot play, I cannot play.’ And I said, ‘if you cannot play, you cannot play’,” Guardiola said.

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Nico González started in place of Rodri at the Etihad on Saturday, as City rose to seventh in the table thanks to two Maxime Estève own goals, an Erling Haaland brace and a goal from Matheus Nunes.

Rico Lewis covered the defensive midfield role in the 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Huddersfield.

City face Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday and Guardiola could not say whether Rodri would be fit for the clash with the Ligue 1 side. “I don’t know yet, I don’t know [about Rodri’s fitness],” Guardiola said.

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There has been no love lost between Alan Shearer and Sunderland over the years.

The Newcastle United legend has unsurprisingly never been popular with his home-town club’s arch-rivals and fittingly scored his final Magpies goal against the Black Cats in April 2006.

It was a time when the teams met regularly but their clash at the Stadium of Light in December will be the first Tyne-Wear derby in the league since 2016, with Sunderland back in the top flight after eight years away.

The Black Cats have settled back into life in the Premier League impressively and sit seventh after five games – six places higher than Newcastle and above fellow promoted clubs Leeds United and Burnley.

And Sunderland’s form has even won praise from Shearer – who is ranked at no.4 in FourFourTwo’s list of the greatest Premier League players of all time – with the former striker telling Betfair: “At home Sunderland are unbeaten and when you look at the three promoted teams, they’ve made a right good start.

“When you compare it to last season, where teams have struggled and it’s been a long time since teams have got the first win, whereas Burnley, Leeds got a great result against Wolves and Sunderland as well, going down to 10 men [against Aston Villa].

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“Sunderland have made a great start to the season, and I think what message that sends out is that anyone going to those three teams will find things tough.

“I think it’s still very early, but a lot of people would’ve changed their opinion already and say that Sunderland can stay up – because of their home form, they’ve a really good chance of staying up.

Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has guided his side to seventh in the fledgling league table (Image credit: Getty Images)

“The home form was always going to be key to any of the promoted teams. Sunderland will be absolutely delighted with the start they’ve made.”

The Black Cats host the Magpies on Saturday, December 13, with the return fixture at St James’ Park currently scheduled for Saturday, March 21.

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  Tim BontempsSep 23, 2025, 01:25 PM ET

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  Tim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what’s impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Jalen Brunson admitted it was hard for him to see Tom Thibodeau, whom he’s known since childhood, depart the New York Knicks.

Brunson spoke publicly for the first time since the Knicks fired Thibodeau in June, ending his five-year coaching tenure punctuated by New York’s first appearance in the Eastern Conference finals since 2000.

“I think obviously it’s sad to see a man I’ve known for a long time part ways with this organization,” Brunson said Tuesday at the Knicks’ season-opening media day. “But he’s meant a lot to me. I’ve expressed that to him, publicly and personally. He’s meant a lot to my career up to this point.”

Brunson’s relationship with Thibodeau goes back to childhood, as his father, Rick, has both served as an assistant coach on Thibodeau’s coaching staffs with the Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves. Rick Brunson also played under Thibodeau when he was an assistant coach with both the Knicks and Houston Rockets.

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After coming to the Knicks as a free agent three years ago, Brunson has morphed into one of the league’s best players, making back-to-back All-Star and All-NBA teams while leading New York to playoff series wins in three consecutive seasons for the first time in a generation, including last year’s conference finals run.

All of that, though, wasn’t enough to save Thibodeau’s job, as he was fired shortly after the Knicks lost in six games to the Indiana Pacers on the cusp of the NBA Finals.

Brunson, 29, averaged 26.4 points per game in his three seasons under Thibodeau and was named the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year last season. After New York’s season-ending Game 6 loss in Indiana, he was asked about Thibodeau being the right coach for the job moving forward.

“Is that a real question right now? You just asked me if I believe he’s the right guy,” Brunson said at the time. “Yes. Come on.”

Brunson, like the rest of the Knicks, is taking an optimistic stance about what working with new coach Mike Brown will be like.

Jalen Brunson averaged 26.4 points per game in his three seasons under Tom Thibodeau and was an All-Star in each of the past two seasons. AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

It also marks the second straight year that the Knicks will enter the season having made significant changes after playoff success. New York traded for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges last summer.

“Yeah, well, for me, it’s my job to go out there and just find a way to help this team win,” Brunson said. “There’s different people in this organization with different jobs and different things they have to do to make this team better. And that’s their point of view. For me, I have to come in and do my job to the best of my abilities.”

While he didn’t have the lifelong relationship with Thibodeau that Brunson has, Josh Hart also quickly forged a strong one with the coach during their season-and-a-half working together. Hart enjoyed the best season of his career last season under Thibodeau with the Knicks, averaging career highs in rebounds (9.6), assists (5.9) and steals (1.5).

Hart also said he would miss Thibodeau’s presence around the franchise, but that he was optimistic about the future working with Brown.

“Obviously, I love Thibs,” Hart said. “I’m always going to have love for Thibs for the things that he helped me with and putting me in a position to get paid. So I always got love for him. Hope he’s doing well right now.

“But obviously, we have Mike and we’re extremely excited about what he brings to the table offensively and defensively. Obviously, there’s going to be a little bit of a feeling-out process, but we’re excited. We’re excited for what this team has, what this team can be.”

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Reigning NXT Champion Oba Femi has made a bold statement about the current state of WWE’s developmental brand, stating that…

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

SHOW SUMMARY:Today we jump back five years to the Sept. 10 and 17, 2020 episodes the All Elite Aftershow. Mike and Andrew began the Sept. 10 episode reacting to some of the headlines from All Out, including a long conversation on how AEW handled the Matt Hardy injury (yeah, he was injured). Then they switched to that weekâ€s Dynamite, including discussing a reset of sorts for AEW, with Chris Jericho & Jake Hager moving into the tag division, the Young Bucks turning heel, Kenny Omega and “Hangman” Adam Page going into singles, and a lot more.

Mike and Andrew began the Sept. 17 episode reacting to Dynamite, specifically the main event Parking Lot Brawl between the Best Friends and Santana & Ortiz. They discuss everything about that match, including the finish and the post-match comedy with Trentâ€s mom. They also discussed Lance Archer and Jon Moxley, the tag-team division, and take emails on an array of topics.

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Ogbene, who has since made the switch to fellow Championship side Sheffield United, said he spent “a lot of hours…