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Darren Barker predicts difficult night for Anthony Joshua in Oleksandr Usyk rematch

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Darren Barker predicts difficult night for Anthony Joshua in Oleksandr Usyk rematch
After months of uncertainty and drawn-out negotiations, the much-anticipated rematch between unified Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua is set for this coming Saturday and it is a fight which I’m really looking forward to, writes DAZN Editor, Darren Barker.

Joshua will be out for revenge when the pair meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, after losing to Usyk in London last September and it was obvious what happened. The London 2012 gold medalist was rebellious and wanted to prove that he could box, but against a talented operator in Usyk, it didn’t work.

 

The Ukrainian was far too nimble, far too accurate, able to create angles and was punch-perfect in a dominant performance under the bright lights of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What makes this rematch so exciting is waiting to see if Joshua is able to make the obvious changes in order to be victorious. He has to be bullish, not reckless, and dominate the centre of the ring, push Usyk back onto the ropes or into a corner if possible and lands one of those big right hands, but that’s easier said than done.

 

During the first fight, I was impressed with Usyk’s ring positioning. He went straight to the centre, not allowing Joshua to push him back, creating a safe zone and it was quite early on in the fight from ringside that I realized that Usyk was going to win.

 

The second time around, it could be even more difficult for Joshua to overcome Usyk. When you are facing someone as talented as he is, who has already collected 12 rounds of data, he will only get stronger now that he knows the Brit’s strengths and weaknesses.

 

Joshua needs to work upwards in Jeddah, by that I mean to target the body. When facing someone who is elusive like Usyk, he’s moving all the time, but the body isn’t, so if Joshua can target the body with straight shots and move upwards, he’s got a better chance of finding some success.

 

The jab to the body is key for the former unified world heavyweight champion. He has to be hitting everything and put a dent in Usyk early. This doesn’t need to be done by landing clean headshots. Joshua needs to hit the arms, the waistband and the chest.

 

It’s crucial to remember that this is a 12-round contest, it’s a marathon, not a sprint, therefore if Joshua can inflict some early damage on Usyk, it puts him in a good position if the fight reaches the latter stages.

Pro Wrestlers That Hate Each Other In Real Life

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Pro Wrestlers That Hate Each Other In Real Life

The best storylines in wrestling are the ones that blur the line between reality and fiction, Sergio Garcia of Wrestling Inc. writes. It’s when the audience doesn’t know if the animosity in the ring is as a result of terrific acting or because the performers actually want to tear each other’s throats out. Then, there are the cases when wrestlers might not even have a rivalry on screen but absolutely loathe each other backstage, like regular co-workers.

 

Due to many wrestlers still believing in the principles of kayfabe, a lot of real-life grudges don’t always get spoken about or addressed. After all, they want the audiences to still maintain the belief that what they’re watching is real, so there’s no need to demystify it by revealing secrets. Yet, like that annoying co-worker who insists on whistling MJF’s theme song before every single meeting, there will be a breaking point and the hate will flow in the kind of way that delights Emperor Palpatine. So let’s take a look at pro wrestlers who would love nothing more than to smash a chair over the other’s head for real.
Bret Hart and Goldberg
Considering Bret “The Hitman” Hart’s history with another bald, goateed wrestler who wore simple black trunks, one would have expected him and Goldberg to make magic in WCW. Hart saw stars while wrestling Goldberg at “Starrcade 1999” all right, though they were all his as a stiff kick from his opponent gave him a stinging concussion. Unfortunately, this concussion compounded with other similar injuries that Hart suffered resulted in him having to retire from in-ring competition indefinitely.
During an episode of “Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions” (via ComicBook.com), Hart revealed that he had spoken to Goldberg before their match and had asked him to not do anything dangerous in the ring. “Goldberg, to me, was one of the most unprofessional wrestlers there ever was in the business,” he said. “For Bill Goldberg to be in the Hall of Fame, he hurt everybody he worked with. You might as well wrestle a real gorilla.” Goldberg addressed Hart’s comments in an interview with Inside the Ropes, emphasizing the stray kick was an accident and if he had wanted to hurt his opponent for real, Hart wouldn’t be able to talk about it.
CM Punk and Ryback
CM Punk faced many opponents during his 434-day WWE Championship reign. Having stepped in the ring with the likes of Daniel Bryan, Chris Jericho, and The Rock, no one thought it would be his battles against Ryback that would become dirt sheet fodder. Appearing on Colt Cabana’s The Art of Wrestling podcast, Punk laid into Ryback, stating how working with the former Skip Sheffield took decades off his life.
“I’m already beating up and I have to wrestle ‘Steroid Guy’ and he’s very … I call it like I see it,” Punk said. “He’s very hurty. Sometimes deliberate. There was one time he kicked me in the stomach as hard as he could and he broke my ribs, right at the tail end. And I never got an apology for that.”
Ryback responded by taking digs at Punk on social media. He revealed on Ryback TV that he will continue to do this because Punk’s comments about him were inaccurate and hurt him from a professional standpoint. After Punk announced that he had to have surgery in the week in which he won the AEW World Championship, Ryback took to Twitter and posted: “Karma rules.” It doesn’t appear like these two will be attending a Living Color concert together in the immediate future, that’s for sure.
Hurricane Helms and Shawn Michaels
Hurricane Helms and Shawn Michaels experienced different careers in the WWE. While Helms certainly had some memorable moments with his superhero gimmick and teaming up with The Rock, he never had the title reigns or fanfare that turned “The Heartbreak Kid” into the showstopper, the main event, the icon. However, Helms didn’t think that HBK was quite as good as he made himself out to be, tweeting out in 2011: “[Ric] Flair got over people that absolutely SUCKED!! Shawn hadn’t gotten over anyone but himself in the last decade!!”
A fan took issue with Helms’ comment, asking him why he chose to come at Michaels so strongly. Helms replied that HBK had harmed his career simply because he could and added that Michaels loved to lie for his own benefit.
In 2019, Helms told 411 Wrestling Interviews Podcast that he didn’t have heat with Michaels anymore, since the two were working for WWE behind the scenes and getting on well with one another.
Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair
As part of the Four Horsewomen of NXT, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair established themselves as two of the biggest stars in sports entertainment. They broke the mold for women’s wrestling by headlining WrestleMania 35 along with Ronda Rousey. Lynch and Flair were good friends as they come up through the ranks — both on and off screen — however, none of them wanted to be the Marty Jannetty of the group. Their issues came to a head on live television during a championship exchange segment on “SmackDown,” where Flair allegedly went off script to make Lynch look weaker. The incident resulted in the two having a heated backstage confrontation afterwards.
Lynch revealed to the SI Media Podcast that she and Flair used to be as thick as thieves, but that was no longer the case. She added, “We don’t talk anymore. We don’t talk. So all I’ll say is the locker room needs a hero sometimes. And sometimes somebody’s gotta be a hero. I’m all right being that hero.” Lynch said that it was difficult working with someone where there is real-life tension, since the business of wrestling is built on trust and there’s concern someone might be out for revenge in the ring.
Hulk Hogan and Bret Hart
While Hulk Hogan might have been the face of wrestling in the ’80s, the Hulkster built up a reputation as being one of the greatest politicians backstage. There have been numerous stories about his legendary off-screen feuds due to his tendency to go into business for himself. One person who holds Hogan in the lowest regard is Bret “The Hitman” Hart. Calgary’s favorite son has never missed a beat when discussing Hogan, calling him every name in the book. It’s rumored that their initial heat started after Hogan refused to put Hart over at “WrestleMania IX.”
Even when Hart was about to be inducted in the 2021 Canada Walk of Fame, he couldn’t help but send another parting shot to his rival. “I think if you look back at wrestling when it was the Hulk Hogan show,” Hart told the Calgary Sun, “he was six-foot-eight and a one-out-of-three wrestler. He didn’t know a headlock from a headlamp. He didn’t know very much. He knew how to do a clothesline and maybe a body slam.” The grudge between Hart and Hogan has been ongoing for decades, even outlasting the high-profile feud that Hart had with Shawn Michaels.
Will Ospreay and Seth Rollins
Seth “Freakin'” Rollins committed to becoming the ultimate heel by calling out AEW and other companies as “minor leagues” during a 2019 Q&A panel. Not satisfied with triggering the Internet Wrestling Community enough, Rollins took to his Twitter account, reiterating that WWE was where the big dogs played and no other wrestler on the planet was fit enough to lace his boots.
Someone who didn’t take too lightly to his comments was Will Ospreay, who replied in a now-deleted tweet: “I’m alive.” Rollins immediately fired back that Ricochet was a better version of Ospreay, before adding that they should compare bank accounts. Rollins’ comments received a lot of backlash from the wrestling community, as many perceived that he was simply being a lickspittle for the WWE and undermining the importance of indies and healthy competition. However, it’s likely that Rollins implying that Ospreay was the Wish version of Ricochet was a calculated work that everyone fell for — including Ospreay.
Scott Steiner and Ric Flair
Whenever someone talks about WCW, there are two names that feature in most conversations: “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair and “Big Poppa Pump” Scott Steiner. Flair was part of the main event scene for most of his WCW run, while Steiner was a tag-team specialist until he reached the pinnacle and defeated Booker T for the WCW World Championship at Mayhem 2000. Despite being in the same company for so long, Steiner was no fan or friend of Flair’s.
Arn Anderson revealed on his ARN podcast that the issues between the two performers started in 1991. Reportedly, Steiner believed that Flair intentionally gave a bad performance because he didn’t want to put him over. After that, Steiner had no time for Flair. Eventually, the feud culminated in Steiner delivering a shoot promo about Flair on a 2000 episode of “Nitro.”

Time doesn’t heal all wounds, though, since Steiner still holds a grudge when it comes to “The Nature Boy.” Appearing on the Highspots Sign-It-Live stream (via Wrestling News), Steiner was told how his “old friend” Flair would be returning to in-ring action. In typical Big Poppa Pump fashion, he didn’t hold back, hollering: “He ain’t no old friend of mine. I would kill him. I’d destroy him. Yeah, everybody wants to see him get beat up.”

Konnan and Joe Hennig
As children, we are taught to resolve any disputes we have with others in a private and civilized manner. However, that’s not particularly fun — especially in the Twittersphere, where public feuds provide a nice accompaniment to the morning tea. Deciding to give the fans what they wanted, Konnan and Joe Hennig engaged in a virtual bout of fisticuffs.
It all started in 2013 when Konnan responded to a tweet from a fan asking him which performers he’d pull from WWE TV if he had the chance to. The former WCW performer listed a few names including Hennig (then going by the name of Curtis Axel), adding that he had no charisma and questionable in-ring ability. Two years later, a fan tweeted to Hennig that Konnan was right about him. Konnan agreed and Hennig lashed out, calling them both “marks.” There was some back and forth between Hennig and Konnan, with Hennig offering to squash the beef. Konnan didn’t accept the offer, so Hennig shot back and referred to him as “some washed up dude my dad [Curt Hennig] hated putting over.”

Eddie Kingston and Claudio Castagnoli
Interviews with Eddie Kingston are a hoot. Much like his on-screen persona, he isn’t afraid to be honest about his thoughts on topics and other people, including his peers. He admitted to The Wrestling Perspective Podcast that his AEW feud with CM Punk was built on some real-world animosity and that they weren’t just putting on a story for the audience. There is also another former WWE superstar whom Kingston doesn’t seem to vibe with either.
“There’s certain people in wrestling I do not like,” Kingston told NY News 12 Long Island. “Punk is one. Cesaro is another one, the big Swiss idiot in WWE. I know him as Claudio [Castagnoli]. I don’t like him, I don’t respect him. If he ever comes here, we’re going to have a problem.” In a Q&A for Ad-Free Shows (via EWrestling News), Kingston claimed that Castagnoli was supposed to put him over before he left Chikara for WWE, but he didn’t do so — hence the source of the heat.
Batista and Bully Ray
Looking at the size of Dave Batista, it’s difficult to imagine anyone messing with him. Maybe a gorilla or Bigfoot, since those are the only two creatures that could smash him with their own Batista Bombs. Yet, Batista revealed that there was one fellow WWE alumni who decided to pick on him and Randy Orton when they were coming up in the company and part of the Evolution stable: Bully Ray, then known as Bubba Ray Dudley.
As recounted in “Ruthless Aggression” episode “Evolution” (via Fightful), the Dudley Boyz once faced off against Orton and Batista. Both teams walked out of the contest with multiple injuries and there were some hard feelings, believing that they’d stiffed each other. However, the version of events differed depending on who was asked. Batista thought that Bully Ray wasn’t a fan of him or Orton because of jealousy. “I think he was irritated with Randy and I to begin with,” he said. “Just being that we were two big muscular guys who are now with Ric Flair and Triple H. I think he just hated it.”
Hardcore Holly and the Kliq


Type “The Kliq” into YouTube’s search bar and countless shoot interviews will pop up. Most of them aren’t complimentary of the faction, as a multitude of wrestlers believed Shawn Michaels, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, Triple H, and Sean Waltman tried to elevate themselves at the cost of others. Having been consistently around the WWE in the mid-’90s, at the peak of The Kliq’s powers, Hardcore Holly had his own encounters with them.
 
In a shoot interview, he didn’t hold back on his thoughts. “I hated them,” he said. “Just because of the way they acted, they ran everything. Guys didn’t have a chance with them around.” Holly added that he wasn’t sure of what they said about him backstage or if they actively tried to sabotage him, but he knew of their influence in ruining careers and it was something he didn’t like to see. In his autobiography, “The Hardcore Truth: The Bob Holly Story,” he further claimed that The Kliq wasn’t as unified as it presented itself, and that the members would backstab each other all the time as well.


CM Punk and Triple H

CM Punk wasn’t interested in playing The Game — in both senses of the word. Not only did he despise the backstage politics of the WWE, but he also wasn’t keen on wrestling Triple H again.
 
After Punk left WWE in 2014, he revealed on Colt Cabana’s The Art of Wrestling podcast how he held resentment over all the losses he had suffered at Triple H’s hands, questioning if they were really what was best for business. When Vince McMahon proposed that Punk wrestle The Game at “WrestleMania XXX,” Punk looked at Triple H and said, “All due respect, I do not need to wrestle you, you need to wrestle me.”
 
Appearing on The Steve Austin Show (via Sportskeeda), Triple H replied to Punk’s comments and denied being aware of any issues between them. While he expressed regret over how the Punk-WWE situation had unfolded, he also blamed Punk for not communicating his problems when he had them.

Vince McMahon’s exit heralds the return of former WWW talents from rival AEW

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Vince McMahon’s exit heralds the return of former WWW talents from rival AEW

A performer under contract with All Elite Wrestling was contacted by a WWE official, according to Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp writes Joseph Zucker.

 

 

Sapp added it’s unclear whether this amounts to unlawful tampering since the talent is signed to AEW on a full-time deal.

 

 

 

For the most part, the pipeline between WWE and AEW has flowed one way. A number of stars either released by WWE or seeking a new challenge have landed on their feet with AEW. Cody Rhodes is the most notable wrestler to go the other way, returning to WWE at WrestleMania 38 in April.

 

 

However, it’s a new era at Titan Towers with Vince McMahon gone and Triple H running the creative team.

 

Karrion Kross, who was let go by WWE last November, returned on the Aug. 5 episode of SmackDown.

 

 

One week later, Hit Row (sans Swerve Strickland) was back in WWE as well.

 

It would appear Triple H is looking to showcase wrestlers he helped nurture in NXT and who were then marginalized or jettisoned altogether.

 

 

That raises the question as to whether anybody who went to AEW might suddenly be looking at WWE differently. Rhodes getting pushed as a main event player immediately upon his return also eased some concerns about WWE potentially pushing any ex-AEW performers to the periphery if for no other reason than spite.

 

 

Since arriving on the scene, AEW represented the kind of domestic competition WWE hasn’t had in years. But it didn’t feel like a return to the Monday Night Wars of the 1990s for a few different reasons.

 

 

For one, WWE is such a financial behemoth that it’s almost impossible for any other promotion to be a true rival. There isn’t the same kind of unpredictability from week to week when so much of the roster movement is one-sided, too.

 

Based on Sapp’s report, WWE is ready to reverse the talent exodus that significantly depleted its ranks.

Everton have new Chelsea man in sights in part-exchange for Gordon and Lampard has signed off transfer

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Everton have new Chelsea man in sights in part-exchange for Gordon and Lampard has signed off transfer
According to Everton FC, Frank Lampard has given the green light to the arrival of Michy Batshuayi as part of Anthony Gordon’s potential transfer to Chelsea, claims a report.
Chelsea have joined the chase for Toffees winger Gordon and have already seen a £40m offer rejected. Newcastle are also after the 21-year-old, according to The Times.
 

But Chelsea appear to be leading the chase with Sky Sports confirming a bid from Chelsea has been knocked back.

 

Chelsea though are expected to formulate another offer for the speedy Gordon. Everton are thought to want around £50m for the Liverpool-born attacker.

 

It had been suggested that  striker Armando Broja could be used in part-exchange. The 20-year-old earned valuable experience and showed glimpses of class on loan at Southampton last season. However he faces a struggle to get neat Thomas Tuchel’s first XI and he is available for transfer.

 

But a more likely part-exchange could involve Belgian striker Batshuayi.

 

According to Belgian reporter Sacha Tavolieri, the 28-year-old is looking for a permanent transfer after a number of loan moves.

 

Chelsea are also finally looking for a permanent transfer for the striker, who has been loaned to Besiktas and Crystal Palace in recent seasons.

 

What is more, Lampard has reportedly “validated” the arrival of Batshuayi. The Toffees boss has yet to replace Richarlison who left for Spurs for £50m earlier this summer. And with Dominic Calvert-Lewin sidelined, Gordon was left to lead the line against Chelsea and Aston Villa.

 

Lampard has been left short of options and he is well aware he needs to strengthen his squad.

 

Michy Batshuayi and Serhou Guirassy?

 

“We are looking at that [to sign a striker],” said Lampard last weekend. “Because we should be able to replace a player like Dominic Calvert-Lewin who comes three days before the match injured. Solomon Rondon was suspended so yes we are looking at players who can play in that role.”

 

French outlet L’Equipe has reported that Lampard’s side are closing in on a deal for the 26-year-old. The move may be made easier as Paris Saint-Germain’s Arnaud Kalimuendo has just joined Rennes.

 

Batshuayi though maybe a deal that complements any move for Guirassy.

 

Batshuayi has scored 15 goals and has five assists from 77 Premier League appearances for Chelsea and Palace.

 

He netted 33 goals on loan at Marseille for two seasons and last term he scored 14 goals in 33 appearances for Besiktas.

 

And he could prove a useful addition for Everton with his experience. Lampard will be hoping the No.9 can hit the ground running if they can get a deal over the line as part of the Gordon transfer.

Everton transfer news: Time up for Dele Alli as European side agrees loan with option to buy

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Everton transfer news: Time up for Dele Alli as European side agrees loan with option to buy
Turkish giants Besiktas are reportedly ready to sign Dele Alli on a season-long loan deal from Everton, with an option to keep him permanently claims Everton FC on the club’s official website.
Alli has really struggled to recapture the form of his early years at Tottenham and it was hoped a switch to Merseyside playing under Frank Lampard could have led to a revival for the attacking midfielder.

The Toffees paid a fee which could rise to as much as £40million for the 26-year-old in January.

 

However, he faces a tough task to earn game time at Goodison Park, after failing to impress Lampard.

 

It’s now suggested by Turkish broadcaster A Spor that Besiktas are poised to complete the signing of Dele on loan.

 

The Turkish side will also have an option to keep the midfielder on a permanent basis. That is if they trigger an option to buy clause.

 

All that remains is for Everton to sanction the exit, which is likely after the arrivals of Dwight McNeil and Amadou Onana to bolster Lampard’s midfield.

 

While McNeil has struggled to make an impact in his first two games for the club, Onana made a big impression when he was introduced as a substitute in the defeat at Aston Villa.

 

There are also reports that the Toffees are still in the running to sign midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.

The Wolves star is a similar player to Dele, so it makes sense to let the latter move in.

 

Dele has managed a total of 38 minutes in Everton’s first two games of the campaign. In total, he has failed to notch a single goal in Premier League 13 appearances for the club.

 

Dele needs a complete change

 

It appears that Dele needs a complete change of scenery to try and recapture former glories, with a move to a different league now a major option for him.

 

Swapping Tottenham for Everton failed to do the trick, so a different country is the next logical step.

 

From the outside looking in, it looks like Dele needs to get his love back for the game.

 

During his early days at Spurs, he was a sensation, scoring brilliant goals and laying on assists at will.

 

However, things have been on the decline now for a number of years and numerous managers have failed to get that spark back.

 

Perhaps moving to a completely different league, and one that isn’t as intense as the Premier League is the answer.

Chelsea ‘agree terms’ with Wesley Fofana as Todd Boehly eyes Arsenal transfer hijack

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Chelsea ‘agree terms’ with Wesley Fofana as Todd Boehly eyes Arsenal transfer hijack

CHELSEA finally appear to be nearing the capture of Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana reports Express writer, Archie Griggs.

 

Chelsea have reached an agreement on personal terms with Leicester City defender Wesley Fofana and could also decide to battle Arsenal for the services of Yeremy Pino in the not-too-distant future, according to reports. The Blues have been chasing a move for Fofana for a number of weeks but have so far been thwarted by Leicester’s reluctance to sell, with only a few weeks remaining until the end of the summer window.

The Blues have already seen at least two lucrative bids knocked back by Leicester, who are in no mood to let go of their prized asset in spite of Chelsea’s fixation on bringing him to Stamford Bridge. Fofana wants to join Chelsea, though and has now settled on personal terms with the west Londoners, according to Fabrizio Romano.

It is claimed that Fofana is desperate to sign for the Blues before next month’s all-important transfer deadline and would be prepared to sign a contract on the agreed terms if a deal can be struck at club level in the near future. However, Leicester are yet to revise their firm stance against a move elsewhere for the 21-year-old, which suggests that Chelsea will need to improve on their previous offers in order to resolve the situation.

 

Those in power at Chelsea are said to be planning a new bid after establishing Fofana as a priority target, with Thomas Tuchel keen on adding at least one new centre-back to his ranks over the coming days. The possibility of a successful move for the Leicester man is still believed to be on the cards, but it will be hugely difficult for the Blues to tempt the Foxes into selling without agreeing to make Fofana the world’s most expensive defender.

Meanwhile, new Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is also said to be planning for the capture of Villarreal winger Yeremy Pino, who has been mentioned in connection with a possible move to Arsenal as of late. The Gunners are said to have developed a keen interest in bringing the teenager to the Emirates Stadium but it seems as though Chelsea may look to jump the queue in the race to secure his signature before the transfer window closes.

 

Pino is currently being tracked by the Blues but it remains to be seen whether a deal can be agreed with Villarreal as a matter of urgency in order to pip Arsenal in the battle to snap him up. Chelsea have also been exploring a move for Everton wide man Anthony Gordon.
Chelsea have already spent more than any other Premier League club on new players since the end of last season, with Boehly having splashed around £175million in the market over the last few months. Tuchel has already insisted that he will be looking to make further additions to his squad between now and the end of the window but went on to admit that it would not be the end of the world if no more deals are struck over the coming weeks.

“We don’t play fantasy football, and in the end, we need to pay for it, convince the players, and convince clubs to give us their best players, and this is simply not happening,” the Chelsea boss told reporters earlier this month.

 

“I am super happy with what we’ve succeeded so far. Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, Carney [Chukwuemeka] and Marc Cucurella are fantastic signings, and I’m more than happy they are with us.

 

“It’s not finished, everybody knows. But if it’s finished, if we don’t do anything else, we fight with this squad. If it’s not finished, we try to get further quality and with further quality, the ambition level rises.”

Sergio Ramos forced to step in and stop Neymar and Kylian Mbappé feud

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Sergio Ramos forced to step in and stop Neymar and Kylian Mbappé feud

Neymar and Mbappé reportedly clashed in the dressing room recently, reports Sports Joe writer, Callum Boyle.

 

Sergio Ramos was forced to step in and separate Neymar and Kylian Mbappé in Paris Saint-Germain’s dressing room after their win against Montpellier.

The pair fell out over the ranking of penalty takers in the squad after Neymar refused to allow Mbappé to take PSG’s second penalty of the game after the Frenchman had missed his first effort from the spot earlier in the game.
Tempers flared on and off the pitch as Mbappé initially tried to take the ball from Neymar, but the Brazilian stepped up from 12 yards instead and scored. Both players also scored from open play in the 5-2 win.

And as reported by Le Parisien, the pair continued their feud into the changing room, where Ramos was forced to step in and intervene to prevent it from escalating further.

 

Neymar’s social media activity has also shown signs that all is not well between him and Mbappé. After the game, PSG boss Christophe Galtier confirmed that Mbappé was the club’s first-choice penalty taker.

After the game the 30-year-old appeared to like two posts on social media calling out Mbappé. The first of those said:  “Today [Saturday], in the PSG game, Neymar scored and HUMILIATED the goalkeeper (once again) in the penalty kick. Mbappé, on the other hand, hit VERY badly and lost.

 

“After the game, the coach said that Mbappé will be the team’s main hitter for the season. An absurdity.”

 

The second post he liked said: “Now it’s official, Mbappe is the one who takes the penalties at PSG.

 

“Clearly this is a contract thing because, in no club in the world that has Neymar, he would be the second collector, none!! It seems that because of the contract, Mbappe is the owner of PSG!!”

FIFA’s decision to suspend India unfortunate, says surprised CoA

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FIFA’s decision to suspend India unfortunate, says surprised CoA
The Telegraph Online reports that the Committee of Administrators (CoA) on Tuesday said it was “surprised” at FIFA’s “unfortunate” decision to ban the All India Football Federation despite closing in on a consensus on matters concerning the elections and structure of constitution.

In a massive setback for the country, world football governing body FIFA suspended India for “undue influence from third parties” and said the U-17 Women’s World Cup “cannot currently be held in India as planned.”

 

“The CoA is surprised that the FIFA decision has come when extensive discussions were going on for the past few days between all stakeholders, including FIFA-AFC, AIFF, CoA, and the Sports Ministry as per the Order of the Supreme Court,” the CoA said in a statement.

 

“While the CoA was committed to implement the Hon’ble Supreme Court’s Order regarding the elections of the AIFF, passed on August 3, 2022, it was also in constant dialogue with all stakeholders. In the discussions held among the FIFA-AFC, AIFF, CoA, and the Sports Ministry in the past few days, it was suggested that the present elections of the AIFF Executive Committee may be conducted with the Electoral College consisting of 36 state representatives,” the statement said.

 

The country is scheduled to host the women’s age-group FIFA tournament from October 11-30.

 

This is the first time the AIFF has been banned by FIFA in its 85-year existence, with the Bureau of the FIFA Council saying there have been “flagrant violations of the FIFA Statutes”.

The CoA said in its statement, “It was also suggested by FIFA through the Sports Ministry that the EC may consist of 23 members, including six eminent players. The 17 members (inclusive of the President, a Secretary General, a Treasurer, one Vice President, and one Joint Secretary) will be elected by the above electoral college. Out of the six eminent players, four will be men, and two women. The eminent players may be nominated (co-opted) in the EC and shall have the voting rights, thus making it above 25 percent of the EC.”

 

The Bureau of the FIFA Council said the lifting of the suspension will be subject to repealing of the CoA’s mandate in full. In a statement, the FIFA also said it wants the AIFF administration to “be fully in-charge of the AIFF’s daily affairs”.

 

The CoA said that it made all arrangements as per the Order of the Supreme Court, to conduct the AIFF elections under an independent committee, consisting of eminent and highly reputed election officers.

 

“This too, is in line with the FIFA letter dated August 15, 2022, which says: ‘Concurrently, an independent electoral committee to be elected by the AIFF general assembly to run the elections of a new executive committee’,” the CoA said.

 

“In light of the above, the CoA is surprised by the world body’s decision to slap the suspension on Indian football in the midst of discussions going on among all stakeholders to find the best possible solution in the current situation. The fact that while the letter dated August 15, 2022, from FIFA stated that Indian football, was being suspended from August 14, 2022, the discussions between the world body and all stakeholders in India were in full swing till late in the day on August 15, 2022, ‘ the CoA added.

Centre seeks SC’s urgent hearing

 

In the wake of the latest development, the Centre sought an urgent hearing in the Supreme Court on the AIFF matter.

 

CoA chairman Justice (retd.) Anil Dave said, “It is unfortunate to see such a directive by FIFA during a time when all efforts were being made to put Indian football back on the right track. That being said, we are constantly in talks with all the stakeholders, including FIFA, to find the correct solution to this situation, and get the ball rolling once again.”

 

Dave added, “It is really deplorable that for almost last two years, the body, whose term had already been completed, had continued in an absolutely undemocratic and illegal manner, no action was taken. But when the Hon’ble Supreme Court passed an order to set things right so as to see that a democratically elected body takes charge, and when the CoA and the Sports Ministry were doing their best for the implementation of the Order of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the order of the suspension was passed by FIFA.”

 

CoA member SY Qureshi, too, expressed his disappointment at the FIFA decision.

 

“The recent suspension of the FIFA comes as a surprise to us all, especially since we had already found mutually accepted terms. Besides, democratic elections to elect a General Body were already on the way,” Qureshi said.

“However, we are hopeful that all problems will be solved to restore normalcy at the earliest,” he added.

 

Soon after the blow, a bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and A S Bopanna was told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that “important development” has taken place and FIFA has sent a letter suspending India which is in public domain and needs to be brought on record.

 

The development comes after a four-member FIFA delegation had held a meeting with senior sports ministry officials and the CoA on Friday and Monday, respectively.

WWE RAW Spoilers: Surprise appearance rumored for tonight

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WWE RAW Spoilers: Surprise appearance rumored for tonight

This week’s episode of WWE RAW will take place from the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, and a surprise appearance may take place writes Jake Skudder of Fight Fans.

 

According to a recent report/rumor from Xero News, Dexter Lumis will be making another surprise appearance on the show this week.

“As it stands, I’m told by sources we likely aren’t getting a return tonight or on this week’s SmackDown” Xero News claimed.

 

“I was told earlier that the next returns, may be at Clash I was told to expect to see Dexter Lumis in one or two segments tonight though. However, could change later” the site concluded.

 

WWE RAW Rumors

 

It’s worth noting that this rumor from Xero News is just that, a rumor, as we are unable to verify whether or not the report is legitimate at this time.

After Lumis made a shocking appearance last week, it’s not surprising that he will be returning this week to television.

 

We’re expecting that he’ll be having a minor part on the show if any.

UFC 278: Israel Adesanya predicts the winner of Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edwards

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UFC 278: Israel Adesanya predicts the winner of Kamaru Usman vs Leon Edwards

Israel Adesanya has given his thoughts on the UFC 278 main event between Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards reports Gimesport writer, Harry Kettle.

 

After years of waiting for his crack at the UFC welterweight championship, Leon Edwards will finally get a shot this weekend at UFC 278 in Salt Lake City. The Brit is currently riding a 10-fight unbeaten streak and although he’s coming into this contest against Kamaru Usman as the underdog, you’d best believe he’s as confident as he’s ever been that he can get past the king at 170 pounds.

 

A lot of different fighters have voiced their thoughts and opinions on what’s going to go down on Saturday night and that includes Israel Adesanya.

 

The UFC middleweight champion knows both men pretty well and when previewing the bout, he was fairly confident in picking Usman to retain the title.
“It’s a no-brainer for me because I know what we’re doing. Francis Ngannou, Kamaru Usman, what we’ve been doing as three fighters from Africa when there’s only less than 25 Africans on the UFC roster that are over 500 at the moment. For there to be three champions in this era, and winning, crazy. So, I wanna keep the three kings going.”
“But, the biggest threat to Kamaru’s throne is Leon Edwards. I’m going with Kamaru because of his momentum right now, also I know how hard he works.”

Adesanya went on to note that he does ‘love’ Edwards and appreciated their time together recently in London, suggesting that the fight could resemble Izzy’s battle against Kelvin Gastelum.

 

When will Adesanya return?

 

Although he’s caught some criticism from fans in the wake of his fight against Jared Cannonier, there’s no denying that Israel Adesanya is one of the most dominant champions of this generation.

 

He continues to turn back challengers who come after the gold and later this year, at the world’s most famous arena, he’ll have the opportunity to prove himself once again in the main event of UFC 281.

 

He’ll defend the title against long-time rival Alex Pereira who, as many people know, holds two victories over Izzy from their days in kickboxing.

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