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The Dallas Cowboys†latest locker room celebration has LA Knight written all over it.

Following their victory against the Washington Commanders last Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys celebrated in their locker room, with coach Brian Schottenheimer giving a shout-out to all the players who contributed to the win.

As Schottenheimer named each significant stat out loud, the players responded by yelling “Yeah†each time, seemingly inspired by WWE Superstar LA Knightâ€s catchphrase.

The celebration caught LA Knightâ€s attention, and the former United States Champion reposted the video on his X/Twitter.

“Looks like @dallascowboys & @CoachSchotty got the isness and that undeniable kavorka…YEAH!â€

WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash recently addressed why LA Knight hasnâ€t reached the top in WWE yet.

Speaking on his Kliq This podcast, Kevin Nash stated that while Knight is very athletic, his performances were not looking sharp, and suggested that the former United States Champion is going through a stalled push.

“Itâ€s not like we havenâ€t watched LA Knight wrestle a lot in the last couple of weeks. And itâ€s just like — heâ€s an athletic fker, Iâ€ll give him credit. I thought the fking, the one with Uso, I thought that Jey looked like he lost a ton of weight. Like, he was in much better shape.â€

“I thought that LA Knight wasnâ€t as sharp, body-wise, abs, everything else. Which Iâ€m wondering if the anti-push and the kind of dead-end run heâ€s having right now is making it very difficult to not f**king eat as clean. Because thatâ€s — all that s**t that gets in your mind because man, itâ€s a work. It ainâ€t like you can just f**king go out there [and try harder].† [H/T: 411mania]

Read More: Seth Rollins Comments After Having Surgery

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The WWE Legend known as Big Show has been with AEW since February 2021. Paul Wight helps rising talents in AEW these days, as he did in WWE during his 21-yearn run with the company. One star is revealing how the former Giant took her under his wing.

Summer Rae made her name in WWE from November 2011 – October 2017. She held different roles with WWE, from FCW General Manager in developmental, to a member of Beautiful Fierce Females in NXT, Fandango’s dance partner on RAW, and Tyler Breeze’s manager on SmackDown.

The World’s Largest Athlete made his name as a wrestling legend with the chokeslam. Big Show later used the knockout punch or WMD right hook as his finisher, but also relied on The Final Cut, which is a spinning headlock elbow drop, and the Colossal Clutch, his version of the Camel Clutch.

Big Show doesn’t wrestle much these days in AEW, and while his arsenal is not vast, it includes just what the South Carolina native needs to get the job done. One of his other signature moves is called The Showstopper, which is an inverted leg drop bulldog. Summer Rae used the same move during her in-ring career, but called it Summer Crush.

Summer Rae On Big Show Helping Her In WWE

Summer Rae continues to make various wrestling-related appearances, but has not done much wrestling since WWE released her on October 29, 2017. She worked the 2022 Royal Rumble, but currently works multiple roles with Bare Knuckle Boxing.

Rae recently spoke with talkSPORT Boxing and was asked who she enjoyed working with in WWE. The 41-year-old opened up on how Big Show helped her out and passed on his inverted leg drop bulldog to her.

“I love The Big Show. The Big Show is just amazing. He took me under his wing when I first started. He gave me his finisher, so my finisher is his old finisher, and he’s absolutely lovely,” Summer Rae said.

Rae worked a few indie matches in 2018-2019, but has not wrestled a WWE singles bout since the Superstars taping on July 18, 2016, where she defeated Alicia Fox. Summer recently teased a return to WWE.

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AEW rescinded plans for a former WWE star, highlighting AEW’s fan-driven booking.

Max Casterâ€s rise as a solo competitor in All Elite Wrestling forced the creative team to scrap plans for a tag-team reunion, leading to the effective removal of former WWE star Billy Gunn from his role alongside The Acclaimed. Caster earned unexpected crowd support as a babyface after a challenge on AEW Dynamite, prompting AEW President Tony Khan to shift course.

Fightful Select revealed that the reunion of The Acclaimed was never in the original roadmap; instead, Caster and Anthony Bowens were slated to pursue individual storylines. Casting aside Billy Gunn, who had joined The Acclaimed as an honorary partner, marked a clear end to his on-screen presence with the team. Gunn, a WWE Hall of Famer known for Road Dogg and D-Generation X, saw his role reduced as Casterâ€s momentum grew.

AEW initially planned separate pushes: Bowens aiming for singles glory and Caster exploring a gritty, heel persona. However, fan reaction to Casterâ€s babyface turn far exceeded expectations, climbing social media and live-event polls. This audience response led AEWâ€s creative team to prioritize momentum over the original blueprint. Reports indicate that Gunnâ€s segments were quietly written off TV, with no future television appearances scheduled alongside The Acclaimed.

WWE Star Off TV Due to Unexpected Fan Reaction

AEWâ€s pivot reflects a broader trend of responsive storytelling, where audience engagement can override preplanned angles. Casterâ€s breakthrough began with backstage vignettes that showcased his charisma and in-ring skill, generating chants and merchandise buzz. As fans rallied behind ‘Platinum Max,’ AEW had to choose between loyalty to an established star and capitalizing on fresh heat, and Tony Khan opted for the latter, confirming that Gunn would no longer be featured in The Acclaimedâ€s storylines.

Bowens and Caster reunited as a duo to chase the AEW World Tag Team Championship. Their recent victory at Collision cemented their status, illustrating the benefits of agile booking. Meanwhile, Gunnâ€s absence remains unexplained on air; his focus seems to shift to backstage coaching and occasional commentary roles.

If this is the end of the road, thank you Billy Gunn for 34 years of greatness. What a career. pic.twitter.com/UT6PDDSt3o

— 🉠(@JustinsFrame) July 23, 2023

While some viewers lament the loss of the veteranâ€s presence, most agree that the decision underscores AEWâ€s commitment to elevating rising talent. Fans can expect The Acclaimedâ€s push to continue without Billy Gunn as they target new milestones and rivalries in AEW.

MROE: Devastating Update On 3-Time WWE Titleholder Currently On Indefinite Injury Hiatus

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WWE has reportedly made a major change to this weekâ€s SmackDown main event.

Possible spoilers follow…

According to PWInsider, the company has scrapped the originally planned match between Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu. Instead, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes will face McIntyre in a rematch from WrestlePalooza.

“Jacob Fatu will no longer be competing on tonightâ€s edition of Friday Night Smackdown, PWInsider.com can confirm. Fatu is at tonightâ€s taping.

“WWE will be going with WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre as the new main event of the broadcast, a WrestlePalooza rematch. The decision was made minutes ago.â€

Rhodes was initially scheduled to open SmackDown in San Jose, while McIntyre vs. Fatu was set to close the show. Drew even insisted in the lead-up to the show that the match would go ahead as planned.

Bodyslam.net previously reported that Fatu has been dealing with a non-wrestling-related injury that could sideline him for an extended period.

It remains unconfirmed whether the Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre rematch will be for the Undisputed WWE Championship. WWE has not officially announced the updated lineup on social media at the time of this writing. If confirmed, the card will feature Rhodes vs. McIntyre and the WWE Womenâ€s Tag Team Championship match between ZARUCA and the team of Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair.

Despite the report that he will not compete, Fatu is still promoting the match with McIntyre.

WrestleZone will have live coverage of WWE SmackDown later this evening.

Read More: Shotzi Blackheart Had Her Pay Cut After Viral Incident At Indie Show

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The Super Bowl, originally called the AFL–NFL World Championship Game, is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL) in the United States. It has been the final game of every NFL season since 1966 and is now played on the second Sunday in February. Previous Super Bowls were held in January or early February. The winning team receives the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named after the Packers coach who won the first two Super Bowls. Because the NFL controls the “Super Bowl” trademark, it is often called the “big game” by non-sponsoring companies, and the day of the event is commonly referred to as “Super Bowl Sunday.”

The game was created as part of the 1966 merger agreement between the NFL and the AFL to determine a champion between the best teams from each league. It was officially called the AFL–NFL World Championship Game until 1969, when the name “Super Bowl” was adopted. After the 1970 merger, teams were divided into the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC), and Super Bowls have since been played between the best teams from each conference. NFC/NFL has an impressive record of 30 victories, whereas AFC/AFL holds second place at 29 victories.

20 of the 32 NFL teams have won a Super Bowl, and 16 have won several championships.  The New England Patriots hold the record for the most appearances with eleven, while the Pittsburgh Steelers and Patriots have the most championships with six each.  With five losses, the Patriots and Denver Broncos are tied for the most Super Bowl losses. The only teams with two consecutive Super Bowl victories are the Tampa Bay Bucs and the Baltimore Ravens.  The Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Detroit Lions are the four teams that have never made it to the Super Bowl.

Why is the Super Bowl so popular

The Super Bowl remains one of the most popular cultural events in the United States because it combines a high-stakes, easy-to-follow sporting contest with entertainment that appeals to a wide audience. It is a single, winner-take-all event that is easy to follow, with scores and action that make sense even to casual viewers.

Fans often tune in not just for the game but for the halftime performances and commercials. Halftime shows feature top artists, while commercials have become a spectacle of their own. The turning point came with the 1984 Apple Macintosh ad, which showed that Super Bowl commercials could be cinematic and memorable. Today, a 30-second commercial costs $7 million. For the upcoming Super Bowl LX (2026), Bad Bunny will perform at the Halftime Show at Leviâ€s Stadium. He was officially announced as the Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show performer on September 28, 2025.

The Super Bowl is one of the worldâ€s most-watched single sporting events and usually has the largest TV audience in the U.S. each year. Globally, it is second only to the UEFA Champions League final as the most-watched annual club sporting event. Super Bowl halftime shows feature top musical artists, and commercial airtime during the broadcast is the most expensive of the year. The event is also the second-largest day for food consumption in the U.S., with fans typically spending an average of $58 on beer, hot dogs, nachos, and other concessions.

FAQs

Q. Why is it called the Super Bowl?
A. The name “Super Bowl†came from AFL founder Lamar Hunt. He said it was inspired by his children playing with a Super Ball toy.

Q. When and where was Super Bowl 2025?
A. Super Bowl LIX was held on February 9, 2025, at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Q. Which teams played in Super Bowl 2025?
A. The game was a rematch between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 2025.

Q. Who performed at the Super Bowl 2025 halftime show?
A. Kendrick Lamar headlined the halftime show at the Super Bowl 2025.

Q. What is the purpose of the Super Bowl?

A. Super Bowl is the annual league championship game of the NFL, deciding the top team of the season.

Get the Latest NFL Updates at IceCric.News. Also, Follow Our Social Media for live updates on Facebook and Instagram.

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By Ella Jay

Oct. 12, 2025 1:40 pm EST

Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images

While Mercedes Mone continues to rack up more and more singles championship gold, Matt and Jeff Hardy are expanding their tag team title collection. The brothers’ latest title win came on Friday as they wrestled at House of Glory’s With Glory Comes Pride event in New York City.

For this occasion, The Hardys battled The Mane Event (Jay Lyon and Midas Black) in a Winner Takes All match involving the TNA World and HOG Tag Team Championships. Jeff ultimately picked up the victory for him and Matt after landing a Swanton Bomb.

With this win, Jeff and Matt begin their second reign as HOG Tag Team Championships, having previously held them for 120 days in 2016. Their first HOG reign came to an end in a four-way title match pitting them against EYFBO (Angel Ortiz and Mike Draztik), The Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley), and Private Party (Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen) in December 2016. Looking ahead, The Hardys will face The Dudley Boyz, also known as Team 3D, once more as both the NXT and TNA World Tag Team Championships are on the line in a tables match at TNA Bound For Glory.

Matt and Jeff captured the NXT Tag Team Championships last Tuesday by defeating DarkState’s Osiris Griffin and Dion Lennox in another title-for-title bout on “WWE NXT” x TNA Showdown. Bully Ray and D-Von sat front row for this match in anticipation of their follow-up match at tonight’s BFG event. Outside of “NXT,” TNA, and HOG, The Hardys also currently own tag team championship gold in 4th Rope Wrestling.

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Stephanie Vaquer may have walked out of WWE Crown Jewel 2025 with championship gold, but backstage reaction and expert reviews say the match didnâ€t deliver the energy fans expected.

During the October 12, 2025 episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez broke down Vaquerâ€s match against Tiffany Stratton, which crowned the Womenâ€s Crown Jewel Champion. While Vaquer won clean with a twisting moonsault and delivered an emotional post-match promo, Meltzer wasnâ€t impressed with the overall presentation.

According to Alvarez, the match ran just ten minutes — the shortest of the night — and failed to get the live crowd truly invested.

“So we had Stephanie and Tiffany for the Womenâ€s Crown Jewel title. And this was the shortest match of the show by half of the second-shortest — ten-minute match. And for ten minutes, I thought they did a good job. It was kind of a no-heat…â€

Meltzer cut in to point out the only moment where fans reacted:

“There was no heat until the Devilâ€s Kiss. They popped for the Devilâ€s Kiss. They popped for nothing else. And then they went right to the finish from the Devilâ€s Kiss.â€

He added that the match followed one of the hottest crowd reactions of the night, which made things worse:

“I thought it was very underwhelming… from what I was told, this was the match that people kind of took as the bathroom break match.â€

Alvarez recapped the finish in detail, describing how Vaquer countered Tiffanyâ€s moves and hit her signature cradle backbreaker before landing the twisting moonsault for the pin. After the win, Vaquer got emotional, crying in the ring and delivering a heartfelt promo in English.

“‘Tonight we made history together. This represents the motivation, support, and love youâ€ve all given me. I followed my dreams, and now I believe in myself.†And everybody cheers.â€

Triple H even came out afterward to hug Vaquer in a feel-good moment, but Meltzer still felt the overall presentation fell short:

“It was certainly not fine. It was just there. I didnâ€t think that either of them did anything particularly wrong. It just was ten minutes. It didnâ€t really have time to build. And the crowd wasnâ€t into it… other than that one move—which they really popped for.â€

Stephanie Vaquer is undeniably on the rise in WWE, but the Crown Jewel match didnâ€t connect with the audience the way many hoped. Still, her journey from international star to WWE gold continues — and thereâ€s no doubt more spotlight is coming.

Did you think the Women’s WWE Crown Jewel match was really that bad or? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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The Premier League season is seven games in and with the transfer window closed until Jan. 1, there will be no more incomings or outgoings (unless a free agent can be snapped up.)

‘

As teams start to hit their stride and new additions from the summer become accustomed to their surroundings, it’s time to take a look at where the players stand in their respective squads.

Here are depth charts of the best options for the first XI and backup XI for the six most followed clubs in the league. Of course, it’s hard to predict who could be called upon as the fixtures pile up, but this should give you an idea of how strong each team is.

(Note: Each player appears in the main squad list once, even if he could fit into multiple spots. We have also included injured players, though those likely to be out for the season are noted separately.)

Goalkeeper: David Raya, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Tommy Setford
Right back: Jurriën Timber, Ben White
Left back: Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly
Center back: William Saliba, Gabriel, Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapié
Central midfield: Declan Rice, Martín Zubimendi, Martin Ødegaard, Mikel Merino, Christian Nørgaard, Ethan Nwaneri, Eberechi Eze
Forward: Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard, Noni Madueke, Max Dowman
Striker: Viktor Gyökeres, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz

FIRST XI (4-3-3)

Raya
Timber – Saliba – Gabriel – Calafiori
Ødegaard – Zubimendi – Rice
Saka РGy̦keres РMadueke

SECOND XI (4-3-3)

Arrizabalaga
White РMosquera РHincapi̩ РLewis-Skelly
Merino – Nørgaard – Eze
Trossard – Havertz – Martinelli

EXTRAS: Setford, Dowman, Nwaneri
LONG-TERM INJURY: Gabriel Jesus

Arsenal ended the summer transfer window looking markedly stronger. Midfielder Thomas Partey was the only established departure, with five elite internationals brought in and two credible competitors now for each starting spot.

Martin Zubimendi is the clearest like-for-like upgrade in the No. 6 midfield role, giving manager Mikel Arteta a press-resistant, deep playmaker. Eberechi Eze and Piero Hincapié were also eye-catching additions, and striker Viktor Gyökeres finally answers the long-running call for an out-and-out No. 9 with his tenacity, penalty box presence and goal threat. Kai Havertz can also now drop into a deeper role when required, adding height and timing to the second wave of attacks.

Versatility is a theme throughout the squad. While Myles Lewis-Skelly covers left back and holding midfield with equal high-level input, Riccardo Calafiori, Hincapié and Jurrien Timber are comfortable both at left back and center back, allowing Arsenal to alternate their build-up patterns.

Midfielders Mikel Merino and Eze can operate as advanced No. 8s or between the lines, complementing Martin Ødegaard’s orchestration and Declan Rice’s ball-winning range. Out wide, Noni Madueke also adds options to an already strong line of wide forwards, though has now suffered an injury. And, on top of that that, academy graduates Max Dowman (15) and Ethan Nwaneri (18) offer game-changing qualities off the bench.

Though cohesion may take some time to establish, when it comes to depth, balance and tactical flexibility, Arsenal now look built to contest silverware on every front.

Goalkeeper: Robert Sánchez, Filip Jørgensen, Gabriel Slonina
Right back: Reece James, Malo Gusto, Josh Acheampong
Left back: Marc Cucurella, Jorrel Hato
Center back: Levi Colwill, Benoît Badiashile, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Tosin Adarabioyo
Central midfield: Enzo Fernández, Moisés Caicedo, Romeo Lavia, Andrey Santos, Dário Essugo, Cole Palmer, Facundo Buonanotte
Forward: Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Jamie Gittens, Mykhailo Mudryk, Estevao, Tyrique George
Striker: João Pedro, Liam Delap

FIRST XI (4-2-3-1)

Sanchez
James – Adarabioyo – Chalobah – Cucurella
Fernandez – Caicedo
Estevao – Palmer – Neto
Joao Pedro

SECOND XI (4-2-3-1)

Jørgensen
Gusto – Fofana – Badiashile – Hato
Andrey Santos – Lavia
Gittens – Buonanotte – Garnacho
Delap

EXTRAS: Slonina, Essugo, George.
LONG-TERM INJURY: Levi Colwill.
LONG-TERM ABSENTEES / INACTIVE: Disasi, Mudryk, Sterling.

A certain level of stability has finally arrived after over £2 billion of spending and years of chopping and changing, but right now injuries — and a couple of internal decisions — are testing the squad depth. A defensive crisis (and, to a lesser extent, one up front), plus Raheem Sterling, Axel Disasi and Mykhailo Mudryk being frozen out, has also complicated matters.

The first choices in central defense were edging toward clarity after the Club World Cup, only for Levi Colwill’s long-term absence to force changes. It’s now a priority is to find a preferred pairing and, until then, the defensive line will feel patched together. By contrast, the full backs are quality starters and Chelsea have competent cover on both sides. The fact that Malo Gusto isn’t a certain starter proves that point.

In midfield, the double pivot is already well-established and high-performing. Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo offer control in possession, energy and defensive bite. They are arguably the league’s top duo on paper, which means there is a drop in performance when either is missing. While Andrey Santos is a brilliant player, he’s still learning the trade at this level, and Romeo Lavia’s fitness is an issue.

Further forward, the talent is undoubtedly there, even if the cohesion is a work in progress. Summer signings Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens are still finding their feet at Chelsea, but provide elite competition to Pedro Neto and Estevao for the inverted-winger slots. Up front, Liam Delap’s physicality and directness blends in nicely with Joao Pedro’s more-technical skill set.

Despite the issues, manager Enzo Maresca has enough quality to compete on multiple fronts. Yet the key elements to succeed are settling the center back partnership, keeping the double pivot on the pitch and accelerating the adaptation of the new wide forwards — the signs are certainly promising, given Estevao’s magnificent start.

Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Freddie Woodman
Right back: Jeremie Frimpong, Conor Bradley
Left back: Andy Robertson, Milos Kerkez
Center back: Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, Joe Gomez, Giovanni Leoni
Central midfield: Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch, Stefan Bajcetic, Florian Wirtz
Forward: Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Federico Chiesa, Rio Ngumoha
Striker: Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike

FIRST XI (4-2-3-1)

Alisson
Frimpong – Konate – Van Dijk – Kerkez
Mac Allister – Gravenberch
Salah – Wirtz – Gakpo
Isak

SECOND XI (4-2-3-1)

Mamardashvili
Bradley – Gomez – Leoni – Robertson
Endo – Jones
Ngumoha – Szoboszlai – Chiesa
Ekitike

EXTRAS: Bajetic

Champions Liverpool were already in a position of strength, but spent over £450 million to bring in five high-profile additions this summer. Their start to the season has been wobbly. Still, there’s tremendous potential in the squad and the challenge is to get the new names properly bedded in.

With Alisson still the trusted No. 1 — and arguably the most complete goalkeeper in the world — Giorgi Mamardashvili gives Liverpool a valid second option. Yet, judging from his debut (and from Valencia), there’s room for improvement when it comes to distribution and there’s little reason to believe that the Georgia international will threaten Alisson for the starting spot this season if he’s not injured.

While pace and energy have been a staple of Liverpool’s full backs during the recent seasons, there’s even more of that to come as the new pair settles in. Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez were clearly brought in to be starters and should add significant attacking output — providing width, underlaps and relentless running power in the final third — with Andy Robertson and Conor Bradley high-level cover.

Centrally, Liverpool’s summer interest in Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi shows they would have liked even more strength in depth. Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté are one of the best partnerships there is, but neither Joe Gomez nor Giovanni Leoni can provide the same sky-high standards, and the 18-year-old Leoni recently tore his ACL. If Liverpool lose either of their starting central defenders, their solidity will be compromised.

The double midfield pivot — Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch — was brilliant last season, with Curtis Jones and Wataru Endo reliable rotation … though Gravenberch’s creativity deep in midfield can’t be easily replaced. Higher up the pitch, £100 million new signing Florian Wirtz will need minutes to adjust to the pace of the Premier League, and though Dominik Szoboszlai is versatile and highly useful, Liverpool haven’t quite been able to keep up last year’s momentum. Hugo Ekitike has shown some encouraging early signs, as has 16-year-old winger Rio Ngumoha, but £150 million arrival Alexander Isak hasn’t hit the ground running and Mohamed Salah’s patchy start to the season is a real worry.

Regardless of their shaky start, Liverpool have built their squad meticulously by reinforcing several areas that were already functioning well. With a bit of patience, they should be devastating.

Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donnarumma, James Trafford, Stefan Ortega
Right back: Rico Lewis
Left back: Rayan Aït-Nouri,
Center back: Rúben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Aké, Joško Gvardiol, Abdukodir Khusanov
Central midfield: Rodri, Mateo Kovacic, Tijjani Reijnders, Nico González, Nico O’Reilly, Bernardo Silva, Matheus Nunes, , Kalvin Phillips
Forward: Phil Foden, Jérémy Doku, Savinho, Rayan Cherki, Oscar Bobb
Striker: Erling Haaland, Omar Marmoush

FIRST XI (4-1-4-1)

Donnarumma
Matheus Nunes – Dias – Gvardiol – Aït-Nouri
Rodri
Foden – Bernardo Silva – Reijnders – Doku
Haaland

SECOND XI (4-1-4-1)

Trafford
Khusanov – Stones – Aké – O’Reilly
Nico Gonzalez
Savinho – Kovacic – Cherki – Bobb
Marmoush

EXTRAS: Ortega, Phillips, Lewis

Given Pep Guardiola’s insistence on keeping a small squad, it’s ironic that, after a very busy summer window, he has ended up with a more abundant group than at any other point during his tenure. But with his unique perception of roles and characteristics, Guardiola will ensure his side is among the most versatile out there.

Signing goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, just weeks after spending £25 million to sign James Trafford, was a likely result of an opportunity rather than planning. Yet the outcome is a huge upgrade on last season as Ederson headed out to Fenerbahçe.

The options in the defensive line also open up a variety of scenarios. At right back there’s Khusanov when duel prowess and recovery speed are needed, Matheus Cunha for possession-heavy encounters, and Rico Lewis for the underlapping variation. Having four left-footed defenders (including Nico O’Reilly, who can easily slot in at left back) is also a luxury.

With 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri back in central midfield, Nico Gonzalez provides decent cover at No. 6. There’s also Mateo Kovacic to turn to for most tasks in the middle of the park or if reverting to a double pivot. Five brilliant dribblers competing for two winger roles is also more than sufficient, and Guardiola does like to change his wide men after 75% of games, so they will all get minutes. The obvious shortcoming of not having a proper central striker to take some pressure off Erling Haaland — although he hates to be substituted — was fixed in January with the £70 million arrival of Omar Marmoush.

In essence, following their two-window revamp, City have a more complete squad that a year ago, but the question remains whether there’s enough world-class quality throughout the team to fight for another Premier League or Champions League title this season.

Goalkeeper: Altay Bayindir, Senne Lammens, Tom Heaton
Right back: Diogo Dalot, Noussair Mazraoui
Left back: Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Patrick Dorgu, Diego León
Center back: Matthijs de Ligt, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martínez, Ayden Heaven
Central midfield: Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount, Manuel Ugarte, Kobbie Mainoo
Forward: Amad, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha
Striker: Benjamin Sesko, Joshua Zirkzee, Chido Obi

FIRST XI (3-4-2-1)

Bayindir
Yoro – De Ligt – Martinez
Dalot – Fernandes – Ugarte – Dorgu
Cunha – Mbuemo
Sesko

SECOND XI (3-4-2-1)

Lammens
Maguire – Heaven – Shaw
Mazraoui – Mainoo – Casemiro – León
Amad – Mount
Zirkzee

EXTRAS: Heaton, Obi
LONG-TERM INJURY: Malacia

Manchester United emerge from another lavish summer — with around £200 million spent — still a work in progress. Ruben Amorim’s squad is arguably stronger, particularly up front, yet the manager’s insistence on sticking to his 3-4-2-1 system keeps the puzzle complicated. While the wing back dilemma has somewhat edged toward balance (there are at least three defined options now), misalignments remain, or have popped up elsewhere.

Midfield remains the headline issue. Despite seasons of evidence, no new summer recruit arrived to add stamina, tenacity, or defensive coverage across the system’s most vulnerable zone. The consequence is a cascade of challenges: namely, that star player Bruno Fernandes is pulled closer to the buildup, reducing his impact as an “No. 8½” and final-third force. United still possess hybrid midfielders with technical ability rather than the pure ball-winners or destroyers the structure cries out for.

At center back, Lisandro Martínez’s recurrent absences remove the distributor and proactive defender the setup relies upon (with left back Luke Shaw being relied upon instead) and there is no like-for-like cover to replicate his quality. Cohesion suffers, and the line oscillates between competent and shaky under pressure.

The bright spot is the front line. A summer spending spree saw United splash most of their money on signing Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo, and while that adds speed, physicality and finishing skill to the starting XI, it also complicates things. Their compatibility with each other and the system is still lacking, so at least one of them would be more useful as a rhythm changer off the bench. Furthermore, the attacking output logically remains tied to the platform behind it — supply, timing, and structure — which currently points to greater effectiveness in transition. Until those structural weaknesses are addressed, their summer’s work reads as incremental rather than decisive.

Goalkeeper: Guglielmo Vicario, Antonin Kinsky, Brandon Austin
Right back: Pedro Porro, Djed Spence
Left back: Destiny Udogie, Ben Davies
Center back: Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Radu DraguÈin, Kevin Danso, Kota Takai
Central midfield: João Palhinha, Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Matar Sarr, James Maddison, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall
Forward: Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert, Mohammed Kudus, Xavi Simons
Striker: Dominic Solanke, Richarlison, Randal Kolo Muani, Mathys Tel

FIRST XI (4-2-3-1)

Vicario
Porro – Romero – Van de Ven – Udogie
Bentancur – Palhinha
Kulusevski – Simons – Kudus
Solanke

SECOND XI (4-2-3-1)

Kinsky
Gray – Danso – Dragusin – Spence
Bergvall – Bissouma
Johnson – Sarr – Richarlison
Kolo Muani

EXTRAS: Austin, Davies, Takai, Odobert, Tel
LONG-TERM INJURIES: Bissouma, Maddison

Calling this the most competitive Spurs squad of the modern era is not a stretch, though their current injury predicament is masking the real depth. New boss Thomas Frank has a large, fresh and talented group — evenly divided position-wise — at his disposal, and the rearguard alone (goalkeepers included) features 10 full internationals. Sure, availability has haunted them over the past year and, yes, losing center backs Cristian Romero or Micky van de Ven — too frequent a theme last season — still triggers an immediate drop in quality, but that first-choice pairing remains among the Premier League’s elite.

If the midfield and attack stay injury-free, the selection puzzle will only grow. While characteristics differ, standards don’t as Pape Matar Sarr, Lucas Bergvall, Joao Palhinha, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur can all claim to be ready to start games. Under the 4-2-3-1, with a dedicated No. 10, only two of that quintet can start, which makes the “First XI” a moving target.

The same pattern holds out wide. Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson, Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert bring distinct threats — ball progression, creativity and one-on-one proficiency — and rotation is simpler here given changes up front are pretty standard after the hour.

The fight for the No. 9 striker role is also a proper battle. With just one place left to lead the line, the question is which profile Frank prefers: Richarlison’s aggression, Dominic Solanke’s hold-up and link-up play, Randal Kolo Muani’s runs in behind and movement, or Mathys Tel’s explosiveness. Injuries aside, this is a deep squad with quality starters and genuine competition for places, which in theory should allow them to fight for a Champions League spot and not languish toward the end of the table as they did last season.

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TNA iMPACTâ€s October 9 episode—just days before Bound For Glory—featured a revealing backstage segment with The Rascalz. Zachary Wentz, Trey Miguel, and Myron Reed aired their frustrations about not being scheduled for the pay-per-view and made it clear theyâ€re searching for a way onto the show.

While brainstorming their next move, Wentz casually mentioned that their current contracts are set to expire at the end of 2025. That detail adds even more weight to their current situation, with the group feeling overlooked heading into one of TNAâ€s biggest events of the year.

The Rascalz have deep roots in TNA, dating back to the pre-pandemic era. After a run in WWE, Wentz returned to TNA and reunited with Miguel. Myron Reed has since joined the faction and become a regular presence on television. Despite their loyalty and performance, the trio finds themselves sitting on the sidelines during a crucial moment in the promotion.

With time ticking on their contracts and no match booked for Bound For Glory, The Rascalz are clearly ready to shake things up—whether TNA is ready for it or not.

Do you think this TNA Tag Team should re-sign with the company or would you like to see them go elsewhere? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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The video is only five seconds long. In it, the pro hits just one driver on the range, and the caddie just looks on. But that was more than enough for more than a few folks. On Twitter, the PGA Tour’s posting of the video has gotten over 100,000 views. Over on Instagram, it’s received just under 5,000 likes.

Geno Bonnalie, one of golf’s most popular loopers, is back, after all.

As shown in the video, he’s connected with Isaiah Salinda, a 28-year-old pro out of San Francisco, and the pair is playing this week’s Sanderson Farms Championship. You might like them, and we’ll get to that in a sec, though Salinda’s colorful socks in the video give at least a heads-up of what’s to come. But Bonnalie’s former boss was also a personality, and their breakup even got some headlines (including two on this site, and they can be found here and here).

That’s how much Bonnalie and pro Joel Dahmen were known. They’d won only once on the PGA Tour, but social media gave them a voice, before Netflix’s “Full Swing” gave them stardom. On the show, they were open. They were relatable.

But then they were done. In mid-July, Dahmen wrote on Twitter that they had split. They thought they needed “a fresh perspective.”

“Man, I love Geno,” Dahmen said a few weeks later, at the Wyndham Championship. “We still text almost daily. He’s doing well. Yeah, I mean, I miss him but sometimes the hardest — you have to do something hard to …”

He paused.

“Look, it wasn’t an easy decision,” Dahmen said. “I won’t say I’m not happy about it, but it’s hard. He’s my best friend, he’s still my best friend.”

And now Bonnalie’s returned.

This year, Salinda has posted a couple top 10s. Entering the Sanderson, he’s 104th in the season-long points race, but only the top 100 keep their full-time playing privileges, so work will need to be done. But Salinda, like Dahmen, is affable. Dude’s a character.

For more on that, GOLF’s Sean Zak talked with him at this year’s Players Championship, and his story can be found by clicking here, or by scrolling immediately below.

***

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Isaiah Salinda looks comfortable. That alone draws you in. But what he leads with really makes you lean forward.

“Can I be honest?” he starts. “Are you recording this or anything?”

“We don’t have to be,” a reporter clarifies.

“No, no, no — you can. F–k it,” he says. “Too many guys out here are just kind of cookie-cutter, vanilla shortbread cookies, you know what I mean? I’m trying to be different.”

It’s Wednesday morning and Salinda is one of 12 Players Championship debutants sitting in director’s chairs, spread out in a massive circle for their first-timer’s press conferences. He’s wearing a Bad Birdie polo with a desert sunset pictured on it, which partly explains what he means by different. His mountain-man thighs are testing the limits of his hiked-up golf shorts. He’s the proud owner of what the Tour calls “a robust selection of fun socks” — which included the Cookie Monster pair he wore early in the week — but he’s elected for clean white ones today, as to not distract from his shirt. He’s different. In many ways, that is exactly what the PGA Tour is in search of.

In recent months, the Tour has launched Fan Forward, a catch-all name for initiatives driven by survey responses from more than 50,000 golf fans. Among the four takeaways being put into action is a simple one on paper — make players more relatable — that isn’t so easy in reality. Because pros prefer to keep their public opinions as straight as their tee shots. It might maintain the brand pillars of the sponsors ironed on their shirts, but that safe approach doesn’t attract the eyes and ears the Tour seeks most in this time of TV ratings and popularity contests.

With Salinda, the work is easy. He’s trending, too: He has less than 5,000 Instagram followers, but reels the Tour’s content team have made featuring him regularly outperform those of better-known stars. Like the one he posted after our convo Wednesday, which has earned him an extra couple hundred followers since. Later that afternoon, when Collin Morikawa’s caddie made an ace on the island green 17th hole Wednesday, it was Salinda centering himself in front of the camera with a Gladiator impression.

“Are you not entertained!”

Salinda is considering joining Twitter, looking to get in the mix on the Tour discourse a bit, definitely interested in establishing a personal brand. But mostly, he just wants his fellow Tour pros to lighten up a bit. Go off script. Play practice rounds with Tour rookies. Talk a little s—. He graduated from Stanford in 2019 and slowly rose through the Tour ranks, from PGA Tour Canada to a couple years on the Korn Ferry Tour. He turned 28 Thursday, but the youthful streak in him very much misses the team golf days of college. He moved to Vegas, he says, just so he could compete with the crew of Tour players who live there, such as Morikawa and Min Woo Lee.

“I just love the juice,” Salinda says, so I ask him very plainly, “Do you talk s—?”

“Buddy, I talk too much s—,” he replies. “To the point where I think not too many people like me out here.”

To play a practice round with Salinda — at least according to him (sorry, I have no experience) — is to be chided and ridiculed constantly. It’s just “raw confidence,” he says, regularly unleashing vicious club-twirls regardless of where the ball goes.

The ongoing absence of Tiger Woods plus LIV Golf snatching stars means the Tour has been eager to develop more fan favorites. The best golfers will gain popularity as a result of their play, but the Tour hopes more players could gain fans from their personalities, too, and then launch to greater heights from their best on-course weeks. The best way to get noticed is to win, of course, something Salinda came damn close to a couple weeks ago, finishing one shot back of a playoff at the Mexico Open. While waiting for the leaders to finish, he said he was “clowning” off-camera, but the instant the broadcast producers turned the red light in his direction, he buttoned himself up.

“I hate myself,” he said this week, laughing. “I hate that I did that. But my agent was standing next to me. He didn’t tell me anything, but I knew I can’t say anything absurd. Next time, whenever that is, I’ll be more unique, I guess. I’ll stand out.”

Next time may be the next broadcast window. Salinda’s opening round at TPC Sawgrass was clean and efficient, comprised of 15 pars and three birdies, leaving him three shots back of the leaders. He walked to scoring with just a fraction of the fanfare of the Xanders, Jordans and JTs, who all also get requested for interviews by the media. Despite outplaying them all Thursday, Salinda wasn’t requested by anyone. His relative anonymity continues, if only for another 18 holes.