Browsing: work

AEW President Tony Khan has addressed Mercedes Monéâ€s decision to appear in several independent promotions.

Apart from being the reigning AEW TBS Champion, Mercedes Moné currently holds 11 other championships, including titles from several independent promotions. She also makes appearances for those promotions whenever necessary, and Tony Khan stated that Monéâ€s independent bookings outside AEW show her love for wrestling.

Speaking to Josh Martinez of Z100 New York, Tony Khan revealed that Mercedes Moné was not “really making money†from her appearances on the independent promotions, and that she loves building up companies and meeting new stars.

“With all the commitments Mercedes has taken on, I think itâ€s really impressive. Iâ€ve said it before and Iâ€ll say it again, that shows itâ€s not about pure greed and money for Mercedes because a lot of these places sheâ€s wrestling, Winnipeg, Canada, Denmark, theyâ€re not the highest paying places. Sheâ€s not really making money from these. She loves wrestling. She loves building up companies, she loves meeting new young stars and she really cares about the craft and the sport of wrestling.†[H/T: F4WOnline]

Tony Khan also addressed Chris Jerichoâ€s status with AEW and stated that the inaugural AEW World Champion is always welcome to return.

Speaking on the same interview, Tony Khan said that heâ€d welcome back Chris Jericho whenever the latter is ready.

“Chris Jericho, talk about one of the founding figures in AEW, the very first AEW Champion. Weâ€re so grateful to Chris Jericho. And Chris Jericho is also somebody also that I would love to see back in AEW, any time. The door is always open to get Chris Jericho back in here,†Tony Khan said. “Heâ€s been busy, heâ€s been doing a lot of things, speaking of somebody whoâ€s really busy with projects, including filming and music, and somebody we have a ton of respect for. Chris Jericho is somebody weâ€d love to see any time in AEW.â€

READ MORE: Tony Khan Reacts To Rumor Adam Copeland Is Doing One More Match With John Cena In WWE

Source link

Lakers center Jaxson Hayes avoided major injury on his right wrist after a hard fall in Fridayâ€s preseason finale as X-rays taken after the game came back negative and an MRI scan revealed what Hayes on Sunday called “a light sprain.”

The 7-footer missed the second half of Fridayâ€s exhibition game with a right wrist contusion after he caught a lob from Luka Doncic and was bumped in the air while jamming a two-handed dunk in the first quarter. He stayed in the game for the second quarter and expects to be ready for Tuesdayâ€s regular-season opener against the Golden State Warriors.

Advertisement

“Being a dummy,†Hayes said after practice Sunday of how he got hurt on the play. “I shouldn’t have tried to catch myself, should’ve just fallen.”

Hayes scored six points in the preseason loss to the Sacramento Kings, all on soaring dunks. He and Doncic connected on Hayes†first basket of the game as they were playing together in the preseason for the first time.

Doncicâ€s wizardry in the pick-and-roll makes him an athletic rim-running centerâ€s dream as the crafty point guard drops passes from every imaginable angle. But in Doncicâ€s first training camp with the Lakers since last yearâ€s midseason trade, players, including new center Deandre Ayton are still adjusting to Doncicâ€s passes.

Advertisement

While coach JJ Redick said he was happy with the Lakers†28 assists to 10 turnovers in the preseason game against the Kings, he estimated the team missed seven assist opportunities because of misfired lobs or overly complicated passes.

“For all bigs and point guards, when you start playing with a new big or a new point guard, it’s a learning period,†Hayes said. “You just learn how they like their screens. You learn how they like you to roll to the hoop. It’s just little things. You learn where they like to pass you the ball. … It’s just those guys [Doncic and Ayton] are figuring each other out, just like me and Luka did last year.”

The chemistry between Hayes and Doncic has gotten so strong that Hayes is being recruited to join the Slovenian national team and said he is working on getting a Slovenian passport. He and Doncic are both clients of agent Bill Duffy, and Doncic and his family have been involved in the process for about a year and half, Hayes said.

Lakers guard Luka Doncic looks up the floor while dribbling during a preseason game against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 14. (Kelsey Grant / Getty Images)

Hayes watched Sloveniaâ€s run to the quarterfinals in EuroBasket with a careful eye knowing that joining the team could be a possibility for him in the future. FIBA allows each national team to have one naturalized player, which the international basketball governing body defines as a player who obtains their passport for that country after turning 16.

Advertisement

Hayes said he had hopes of representing the United States, but USA Basketball does not have open tryouts for senior national teams.

“I wanted to just play on that stage,†Hayes said. “So I’m going do whatever it takes to play on that stage.”

Etc.

The Lakers cut down their roster to 14 standard contract players on Saturday, waiving RJ Davis, Augustas Marciulionis, Anton Watson and Nate Williams after training camp officially ended. The team kept center Christian Koloko and guards Chris Manon and Nick Smith Jr. on two-way contracts. … Manon was nursing an ankle injury during training camp but was a full participant in practice on Sunday. Bronny James (ankle) and rookie Adou Thiero (knee) went through a modified workout.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter on all things Lakers.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Source link

Third baseman Izaac Pacheco has never liked being told something canâ€t be accomplished.

The Tigers’ 2021 second-round pick out of Friendswood High in Texas has proven he is willing to exhaust every option before accepting anything but success.

That stems from a work ethic ingrained from an early age.

“Head down and keep working,†Pacheco said, citing his high school coach Cory Benavides.

The 22-year-old Pacheco has spent the past three seasons at High-A West Michigan. This year he broke through as the Midwest League MVP after hitting .258/.388/.499 with 17 home runs in 99 games.

Routine has always been a focal point for Pacheco, but he found additional inspiration from an MLB all-star.

“I watched a podcast with Bobby Witt Jr., and he talked about journaling,†Pacheco said. “I think he was the first guy I saw who was open about it and said he writes his affirmations and journals and brings the journal into the dugout.

“It made me think, ‘Obviously, this guy is an incredible player,’ so I wanted to do that too.â€

The journal became a daily practice for Pacheco—pages of personal affirmations, notes on opposing pitchers and takeaways from a rotation of mental-skills books. Scouts took note of the differences.

“This was not the same kid I saw last year,†one said. “He played tighter defensively. His swing was better. And he just looked like he understood his body. The kid grew up.â€

For Pacheco, the mental side of baseball holds as much value as the physical.

“I really never failed coming up to pro ball,†Pacheco said. “I think it’s a big realization to know that there are 10 guys behind you who want your spot. It’s not about being scared of it, but wanting to put the work in, and that’s who I am.

“My parents raised me to believe that if you want something, you have to work hard for it. If you want to be better than the people behind you, youâ€ve got to work harder than they do.

“Itâ€s pretty simple.â€

Source link

NXT is expanding its international reach again — and this time, Hank Walker and Tank Ledger are heading to Japan. The former NXT Tag Team Champions have officially been announced for Pro Wrestling NOAHâ€s Sunny Voyage card on October 26 in Kasukabe, Japan.

Walker and Ledger, who captured the NXT Tag Team Titles at Stand & Deliver this past April and held them until August, will take on the high-flying duo of Dragon Bane and Alpha Wolf. The match will be part of a stacked lineup and marks another chapter in NXTâ€s growing partnership with NOAH.

The card will stream live on Wrestle Universe at Midnight ET on Saturday, October 26 — which will be Sunday afternoon in Japan.

This move continues NXTâ€s trend of sending talent to compete in Japan. Last year, Josh Briggs and Tavion Heights took part in NOAHâ€s prestigious N-1 Victory Tournament. More recently, Charlie Dempsey and Harlem Lewis also made the trip for a series of NOAH shows, signaling WWEâ€s increasing willingness to showcase their developmental talent overseas.

Walker and Ledger have only been wrestling since 2022, but theyâ€ve made fast progress as a team. Their inclusion in this card proves WWE sees them as valuable prospects ready for international exposure.

Full Sunny Voyage Lineup:

• KENTA, Tetsuya Endo, Ulka Sasaki & HAYATA vs. Kaito Kiyomiya, Harutoki, Alejandro & Kai Fujimura
• Yoshiki Inamura vs. Shuji Kondo
• Naomichi Marufuji, Kenoh & Daiki Odashima vs. Masa Kitamiya, Takashi Sugiura & Tadasuke
• Hank Walker & Tank Ledger vs. Dragon Bane & Alpha Wolf
• AMAKUSA vs. Junta Miyawaki vs. Black Menso-re
• Shuhei Taniguchi vs. Atsushi Kotoge
• Mohammed Yone & Hajime Ohara vs. Eita & Manabu Soya

With more NXT talent stepping into Japanese rings, fans are keeping a close eye on how these cross-promotional moves could reshape careers — and possibly hint at something bigger between WWE and NOAH.

October 17, 2025 11:40 am

Source link

Infamous WWE star reflects on his recent release.

Known for his work on WWE LFG (Legends and Future Greats) Sexy ‘BJ Ray’ was recently released from his contract by the Stamford-based promotion. Not in the good books of the mentors on the show, Ray was also recovering from a serious injury when the promotion decided to part ways with him.

Soon after the news of his release became public, BJ Ray shared an update on X(Twitter) and reflected on his WWE journey and shared his gratitude to the promotion.

WHAT A JOURNEY ðŸŒ

Well obviously I had to have pissed somebody off lmao!

I would like to take this moment to address you guys as Brayden Jesse Ray. First and foremost, I have to give the glory to my lord and savior Jesus Christ, who had given me this opportunity. Secondly, I would like to thank Hunter, Shawn, & Matt Bloom (as well as all the
@WWE
coaches & staff) that were involved with this entire process. The WWE Performance Center is truly a unique place filled with many gifted individuals and unlimited support.

As soon as I stepped out of my uber at my WWE tryout, the SexyBJRay effect was in full play. I had a strategy upon filming WWE: NEXT GEN, to start building one of the most over exaggerated versions of myself, to give the wrestling industry a HEEL like theyâ€ve never seen before.

And quite frankly, it arguably was one of the greatest rookie runs of all time. In a matter of months, whether hate or love, I won the WWE fans over and they were extremely invested. Without ever having a debut match on live
@WWENXT
tv, I have become one of the most recognized names in the brand and industry. From getting swarmed at WWE World in Las Vegas to taking pictures with fans in every airport I walk into, I have been able to build a movement with my hard work and dedication.

The hours behind the scenes, editing social media content, training, and reflecting on my character work, I feel it has all paid off.

There have been many challenges along the way, but I can only control what I can only control. Obviously this release is a big bummer (especially when you have no idea what you could have done different), but the only option in my opinion is an attitude of gratitude.

All I can do is keep pushing, & put it in Godâ€s hands. Iâ€m healing strong and will continue to rehab my shoulder until Iâ€m 100%. And the biggest SHOUTOUT & THANKS to my fans who made it all worthwhile.

And now, Brayden Jesse Ray is back on sabbatical and SexyBJRay has a few words. As my good friend
@TheNotoriousMMA
once said, “Iâ€d like to take this chance to apologize to absolutely nobodyâ€. What youâ€ve seen was just the trailer… get ready for the whole movie ðŸ¿

and p.s. “Ayo you got Snapchat?!â€

With no confirmed in-ring appearances scheduled for BJ Ray, the youngster recently reached out to Tony Khan for a chance.

Released WWE Star BJ Ray Ray Reaches Out To Tony Khan For A Chance In AEW

Soon after his release and a successful surgery, ‘Sexy’ BJ Ray recently reached out to Tony Khan on X(Twitter) for a shot in AEW.

@TonyKhan Your boy is ready… call me – The Ratings Machine (aka SexyBJRay),â€

In other news: Andrade’s in-ring career in jeopardy.

Source link

NBA players making their debut this season will wear a special patch on their shirts as part of a programme by trading card brand Topps, made by sports company Fanatics.

Any player making their debut will wear the patch on their shirt for their first game, before the patch is removed and placed onto a unique one-of-a-kind trading card.

That trading card will not only consist of the debut patch, but will also have the player’s autograph on it.

A similar programme of using debut patches on trading cards has been used by Topps trading cards in Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball previously.

“Imagine having LeBron [James]’s, [Michael] Jordan’s, [Steph] Curry’s debut patch and what that would mean?” Fanatics Collectibles CEO Michael Mahan told ESPN.

“Well, the next generational superstar will have a debut patch – the ultimate rookie card.”

Fanatics have also announced plans to make special patch cards for the Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.

For those players, they will wear a gold NBA Logoman Patch which will then be used on rare trading cards.

“Trading cards haven’t been associated with achievements, success and accolades: we’re going to bring that into trading cards,” added Mahan.

The NBA season starts on Tuesday, 21 October. Among those who will make their debuts this year are Amari Williams, a British centre who was picked up in the NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics earlier this year.

This article is the latest from BBC Sport’s Ask Me Anything team.

Source link

The Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method is a mathematical formulation used in cricket to determine target scores in situations where limited-overs matches are shortened.

First introduced in 1997, DLS is used when games lose time because of weather, but still have sufficient enough time for a match of some description to still go ahead.

The aim of DLS is to attempt to set a statistically fair target for the team batting second, based on how the game had been going prior to time being lost. There is more nuance to it than just using a team’s run-rate to determine a team’s required target.

When calculating a DLS target, multiple factors are taken into account, such as how many wickets a team has lost, the number of runs scored, how many overs had been bowled and how many overs are remaining.

Based on those factors, a team’s resource percentage of their ability to score runs in that situation is calculated.

Resource percentages will lead to a target score being either increased or decreased to create what is determined to be as fair a target score as possible.

As stated by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in its DLS methodology, it says: “To calculate the revised targets, you need to know the resources available at the stage of the match when suspensions and resumption of play occur.

“All possible values of resources have been pre-calculated.”

The use of DLS is standardised across international and domestic limited-overs cricket, and is used across a wide range of competitions.

To give an example, imagine a match is a 50-over game and team one have batted for 20 overs before play was interrupted, scoring 79-3.

Following a suspension, the match is shorted to a 40-over match and the team batting first is bowled out for 180.

In this set of circumstances, the team batting second is deemed to have more favourable chances of posting a better score, and is set a target of 185.

Source link

Seth Rollins injury:Seth Rollins is reportedly injured and has been pulled from WWEâ€s Japan tour and is expected to undergo shoulder surgery “as soon as possible.†The injury appears to be legitimate, not a WWE storyline (work).

He suffered the injury during his match with Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel in Perth. Rollins was originally scheduled to face CM Punk in Tokyo on October 17 and then team with Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed on October 18, but he has now been removed from both shows. Updated lineups list Punk vs. Dominik Mysterio and Punk & Nakamura vs Breakker & Reed instead.

After Monday Night Raw, Rollins was seen wearing a sling, confirming the seriousness of the injury. Reports from Dave Meltzer (Wrestling Observer) suggest the 39-year-old World Heavyweight Champion will require surgery for a shoulder or possible rotator cuff injury and could be sidelined for several months.

Fightful Selectâ€s Sean Ross Sapp reported that WWE is keeping the exact diagnosis private until further medical tests are complete. Some within WWE are hopeful itâ€s only a broken arm, which would allow Rollins to return by late 2025.

WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray on Seth Rollins injury

WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray has commented on Seth Rollinsâ€s injury, which occurred after his match with Cody Rhodes at Crown Jewel in Australia. Rollins was betrayed by Bronson Reed, Bron Breakker, and Paul Heyman on Monday Night Raw, marking a major turn in his storyline.

Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray questioned whether the injury might be part of a storyline, saying:

“Weâ€re not sure because the heel has already used an injury to his advantage and pulled the wool over everybodyâ€s eyes. Is he doing it again? We donâ€t know, but weâ€re going to stick around and watch.â€

He added that Rollinsâ€s past use of worked injuries makes it difficult to tell whatâ€s real and whatâ€s storyline, suggesting this could even be “an elaborate work†that began with his earlier injury angle.

Possible WWE Plans for the World Heavyweight Championship After Seth Rollinsâ€s Injury

Due to Seth Rollinsâ€s injury, WWE is considering multiple options for the World Heavyweight Championship. Rollins suffered a shoulder injury during his Crown Jewel 2025 match against Cody Rhodes. Reports indicate he will be out of action for a few months.

CM Punk earned a title shot on Raw in Australia, and with Rollins injured, WWE could move forward with a match between Punk and Breakker. Breakker left with the belt after attacking Rollins.

WWE could declare the title vacant and organize a tournament to crown a new champion at Survivor Series 2025. CM Punk would remain a top contender, but other names could enter the mix. This approach mirrors 2015, when Rollins vacated the WWE Championship due to a knee injury.

If Rollinsâ€s recovery time is shorter, around three to four months, WWE might let him keep the title during his rehabilitation. This would be similar to early 2024, when Rollins held the championship despite a knee injury suffered in a match against Jinder Mahal in January, and returned in April at WrestleMania 40.

FAQs

Q. What injury did Seth Rollins get?
A. Seth Rollins possibly suffered a shoulder injury when he delivered a coast-to-coast headbutt during his match against Cody Rhodes at WWE Crown Jewel 2025. Reports say he was seen wearing a sling afterward, indicating the injury was legitimate.

Q. Did Seth Rollins wrestle with a torn meniscus?
A. Yes. After WrestleMania 40, Rollins underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus that he had been wrestling with for months.

Q. Why did Bron Breakker turn on Seth Rollins?
A. Bron Breakker turned on Rollins for personal gain and to possibly execute a plan to overthrow “The Vision.â€

Q. Who is considered Seth Rollinsâ€s biggest enemy?
A. Seth Rollins has stated that his biggest enemy is CM Punk.

Q. Did Becky Lynch betray Seth Rollins?
A. Becky Lynch is still a part of the Vision group, but she joined the group to help her husband, Seth Rollins, against CM Punk. When Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed betrayed Rollins, Lynch was not present. However, she tweeted about this betrayal and said, “Iâ€m gone for one week.â€

Get the Latest WWE News at IceCric.News and Follow for Live Updates – Facebook &  Instagram.

Source link

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has struggled at the plate recently, but he said his hitting slump is not a result of his pitching duties.

“I don’t necessarily think that the pitching has affected my hitting performance,” Ohtani told reporters through an interpreter. “Just on the pitching side, as long as I control what I can control, I feel pretty good about putting up results. On the hitting side, just the stance, the mechanics, that’s something that I do — it’s a constant work in progress. I don’t necessarily think so. It’s hard to say.”

Ohtani played well in the wild-card round but has since gone 2-for-25 with 12 strikeouts. He snapped a 15-at-bat hitless streak with an RBI single in the seventh inning of Tuesday’s Game 2 win over the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS.

Ohtani did not pitch in Game 1 of the NLCS as the Dodgers went instead to Blake Snell. Manager Dave Roberts said before the series that Ohtani would pitch at some point, but he wasn’t sure when.

Roberts said before the series that the pitching plan for Ohtani was not related to his hitting struggles.

“No, not at all,” Roberts said. “I think it was just kind of Shohei’s going to pitch one game this series. So, it’s one game and then you have two other guys that potentially can pitch on regular rest.”

Luckily for the Dodgers, Ohtani’s slump hasn’t hurt them too much thanks to outstanding performances from their starters. Snell gave up just one hit in eight innings in the 2-1 win in Game 1, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched a complete game in Game 2, allowing just three hits and one run.

Source link

While the Detroit Red Wings found themselves in an extremely uncomfortable position in the opening period of Saturday night’s tilt against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Little Caesars Arena, they made sure that it wouldn’t go the way of their disappointing season opener earlier in the week.

Despite trailing by a 2-0 score at the end of 20 minutes, the Red Wings rallied to take the lead by the end of the second period en route to what was a 6-3 triumph for their first two points of their centennial campaign.

Scoring the first of what would be two go-ahead goals on the night was future Hall of Fame forward Patrick Kane, who roofed a one-time shot past a sprawling Anthony Stolarz after a sneaky cross-ice pass from teammate Alex DeBrincat.

Kane had positioned himself at the side of the net and went completely undetected by everyone except DeBrincat, who sent him a perfect tape-to-tape feed.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.

Afterward, Kane chalked up the assist to being, as he called it, “pure chemistry”.

“That’s just pure chemistry right there,” Kane said of DeBrincat’s assist. “Him turning the corner, and trying to lose yourself behind some of their D, he made a great pass. He put it right in my wheelhouse, and I just had to get good wood on it and put it on net. It was a great play by him.”

It’s a chemistry that dates back to when both players were members of the Chicago Blackhawks, where they spent five seasons as teammates and were often involved in scoring plays with one another.

DeBrincat had a huge hand in Kane choosing to sign with the Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent in December 2023, and the friendship between their sons hasn’t hurt either.

Head coach Todd McLellan not only notices their on-ice chemistry, but is keenly aware of how much both players simply love the game.

“You can start on the ice or start off the ice, I’ll start off it,” McLellan said on Sunday. “It’s the joy of the game, they both love playing and they’re both competitors. We’ve talked a lot about Kaner still being young and hungry and excited to be at the rink.”

“Cat is just like that too, so the two of them have the joy for the game. As far as the connectivity on the ice, they’ve played together for so long and had various levels of success doing what they do that when it’s the simple play, they can make it. But when it’s garbage time and something odd is going on, they have a pretty good idea of where someone else is, and their release point.”

“He Just Gets Better and Better”: Lucas Raymond Lauded By Red Wings Teammates After Milestone Goal
While the Detroit Red Wings found themselves trailing by a 2-0 score in the opening 20 minutes of play of Saturday evening’s game against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs, they put in the work to make sure they didn’t suffer the same fate as their disappointing 5-1 setback on Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens.

While DeBrincat has traditionally been the shooter and Kane the setup man, it worked perfectly in reverse against the Maple Leafs.

“One is a passer, and one is a shooter,” McLellan said. “We saw it the other way last night, so they do a good job of reading off each other.”

Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!

Follow Michael Whitaker On X

Source link