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Harry Kane breaks Bundesliga record

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Harry Kane breaks Bundesliga record

But suffers injury in Bayern Munich rout

 

 

England striker’s prolific debut season is the best by a new player in Germany’s top flight, reports The National News

 

Harry Kane could be an injury worry for England after twisting his ankle in Bayern Munich’s 5-2 win over Darmstadt on Saturday.

 

Kane broke the record for the most goals scored in a debut Bundesliga season by netting his side’s second just before half-time, but the 30-year-old was substituted eight minutes from time, with England slated to face Brazil and Belgium next week.

 

Harry Kane arrives for medical tests at a hospital in Munich on Friday, August 11, 2023. AP/The National News

 

Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel told the club’s official website: “[Kane] twisted his ankle in the goal netting. He’s been applying ice to it since. We don’t have any news yet. We’ll have to wait and see and hope it’s nothing major.”

 

On securing the German league’s scoring record, Kane said on X, formerly Twitter, ” I’m proud to break a Bundesliga record but more importantly, another good win.”

 

Kane broke the 60-year record while Jamal Musiala scored twice as Bayern recorded a dominant win over Darmstadt.

 

With 31 goals in 26 league games since arriving from Tottenham in the summer, Kane overtook German legend Uwe Seeler, who scored 30 goals for Hamburg in 1963-64.

 

Musiala also assisted in the win, which keeps Bayern’s slim hopes of defending the Bundesliga title alive. They are seven points behind leaders Bayer Leverkusen, who visit Freiburg on Sunday.

 

“We are staying in it. We worked hard to get ourselves some opportunities and took them,” said Bayern captain Manuel Neuer, praising “difference makers like Jamal on the pitch.”

 

England star Harry Kane is in Munich for his medical ahead of his move to Bayern Munich. EPA/The National News

 

However, the goalkeeper was disappointed his side had conceded two goals against rock-bottom Darmstadt, saying, “We all need to work on it.”

 

Darmstadt stunned Bayern after 28 minutes, Tim Skarke capitalizing on some poor defending by Eric Dier to score and give the home side hope of an upset.

 

Kane helped drag Bayern into the lead before half-time, assisting Musiala’s 36th-minute goal before scoring one of his own, rising to head in a Joshua Kimmich cross.

 

Musiala added another midway through the second half. He collected a Thomas Muller throw-in and weaved through before shooting between the goalkeeper’s legs. As he did last week, Serge Gnabry scored moments after coming off the bench to seal the win.

 

Bayern’s Mathys Tel and Darmstadt’s Oscar Vilhelmsson scored in stoppage time.

 

 

Luton Town hold Nottingham Forest

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Luton Town hold Nottingham Forest

Luke Berry scores a last-minute equalizer to secure a point for Rob Edwards’ side as both teams battle for Premier League survival

 

There's a reason why Luton are becoming most people's second team in the Premier League
There’s a reason why Luton is becoming most people’s second team in the Premier League. Getty Images/Mail Online

 

There’s a reason why Luton Town is becoming many people’s second team in the Premier League, Will Pickworth reports for Mail Online.

 

Whether it be the general rags-to-riches story, the quaint old stadium, how they dealt with and united after captain Tom Lockyer’s cardiac arrest on the pitch, or Rob Edwards’ inspirational leadership, the Hatters are a team that never gives up.

 

Yet, when a lengthy list of absentees extended to 11 in a crunch relegation clash with Nottingham Forest, they would have been forgiven for lying down for once.

 

But that’s not what this team does, and when Luke Berry fired home in the 89th minute to cancel out Chris Wood’s opener, Kenilworth Road erupted to their heroes in what felt like a seismic moment to prevent the Hatters from being cut adrift in the relegation battle.

 

‘The way the game was going, I’m pleased,’ Edwards reflected. ‘It’s been a challenging week.

Chris Wood opened the scoring for Nottingham Forest in the 34 minute of the game
Chris Wood opened the scoring for Nottingham Forest in the 34th minute of the game

 

‘This group showed that’s how you react. No matter what’s thrown at us, we will always keep going and fighting, and I love them for that.’

 

The magnitude of the clash was only added to by the pending outcome of Forest’s charges for breaching Profit and Sustainability rules on Monday. Still, neither side showed any evidence of nerves as the contest began at breathtaking intensity.

Chris Wood opened the scoring for Nottingham Forest in the 34 minute of the game
Chris Wood opened the scoring for Nottingham Forest in the 34 minute of the game

 

Forest’s attackers were causing plenty of problems to Luton’s makeshift defense, and Divock Origi saw an effort by Reece Burke that was improbably cleared off the line.

 

It was a sign of things to come, though, and when Wood aptly finished Morgan Gibbs-White’s pinpoint cross, it was first blood to Forest as the New Zealander netted his seventh goal in 10 games under Nuno.

 

Luton roared back and thought they had equalized, but Mengi’s bright finish was disallowed for handball.

 

The ding-dong nature of the affair continued, although Forest had the better of the chances as Gibbs-White went close before Mengi somehow cleared Anthony Elanga’s effort off the line.

Rob Edwards admitted he was left 'numb' by the midweek collapse to Bournemouth but Luton roared back and thought they had equalised before Mengi's effort was disallowed

Rob Edwards admitted he was left ‘numb’ by the midweek collapse to Bournemouth, but Luton roared back and thought they had equalized before Mengi’s effort was disallowed

It was Berry who provided Luton Town with an equaliser in the 89th minute of  the game

It was Berry who provided Luton Town with an equaliser in the 89th minute of  the game

Berry has become the first player to score a goal for Luton in the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two

Berry has become the first player to score a goal for Luton in the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two

 

Luton huffed and puffed, yet their threadbare squad looked set to leave them short. But when Burke headed down an 89th-minute corner, Berry was there to turn home to ensure the midfielder maintained his incredible scoring record for the club in every division and kept the Hatters alive in the relegation battle.

 

‘We dominated and controlled the game,’ Nuno lamented after the match. ‘We created many chances, and the problem is up for.

 

‘It should’ve been over much earlier. There were too many chances without finishing. I’m slightly frustrated.’

 

Edwards added: ‘Wherwould’veld’ve been if we lost the game would’ve been a blow. With the manner of our performance, the lads have shown a lot of character, and we can go into the break on a little ‘high.’

Both teams are battling for Premier League survival, with Luton Town sitting in 18th and Nottingham Forest above them in 17th
Both teams are battling for Premier League survival, with Luton Town sitting in 18th and Nottingham Forest above them in 17th

MATCH FACTS

Luton Town (3-4-2-1): Kaminski 6.5; Burke 7,5, Mengi 7.5, Kabore 6; Ogbene 7, Mpanzu 7.5 (Townsend 60), Barkley 7, Doughty 6 (Woodrow 45 6.5); Clark 6.5 (Berry 85), Chong 6.5; Morris © 6.5

 

Substitutes not used: Krul, Shea, Hashioka, Nelson, Piesold, Dos Santos Martins

 

Manager: Rob Edwards

 

Scorer: Berry 90

 

Booked: Kabore

 

Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels 6.5; Williams 7, Boly 7, Murillo 7.5, Toffolo 6.5; Yates © 7, Sangare 7; Origi 7.5 (Hudson-Odoi 76), Gibbs-White 8.5 (Dominguez 82), Elanga 7.5; Wood 8 (Felipe 76)

 

Substitutes not used: Turner, Kouyate, Reyna, Danilo, Omobamidele, Ribeiro

 

Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo

 

Scorer: Wood 34

 

Booked: Toffolo, Sels

 

Referee: Darren England

 

Attendance: 11,630 (1,260 away)

 

Kejelcha goes No.3 all-time

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Kejelcha goes No.3 all-time

With a 26:37 10km win in Laredo, Spain

 

Yomif Kejelcha on his way to winning the mile at the Millrose Games (© Kirby Lee)/World Athletics

 

World indoor mile record-holder Yomif Kejelcha stormed to a 26:37 10km win in the northern Spanish town of Laredo on Saturday (16), World Athletics reports.

 

With that performance at the World Athletics Label event, the Ethiopian 26-year-old achieved the third-fastest men’s 10km of all time. Only Rhonex Kipruto, with his world record of 26:24 set in Valencia four years ago, and Berihu Aregawi, with his 26:33 run in Laredo last year, have gone faster.

 

Racing under ideal weather conditions on a 15ºC windless afternoon, Kejelcha was perfectly paced by his fellow Ethiopian, Addisu Yihune, the reigning world U20 5000m champion. They went through the opening kilometers at a steady 2:38 pace, the tempo needed to attack the world’s best.

 

Meanwhile, Uganda’s Joshua Cheptegei traveled a few meters behind in the company of his pacemaker, his compatriot Naman Kipyeko. Still, the world 5000m and 10,000m record-holder began losing ground six minutes into the race. By the third kilometer, Kejelcha became a virtual victor as he had built a seven-second gap on the Ugandan, with 7:54 and 8:01 their respective times.

 

Despite being well on schedule to challenge the world record, Kejelcha overtook Yihune before reaching the fourth kilometer, and from then on, it was a solo run by the two-time world indoor 3000m champion, who went through halfway in a promising 13:10. Cheptegei ran nine seconds in arrears in the company of Yihune.

 

Over the second half, Kejelcha maintained a frantic rhythm in the 2:38/2:40 per kilometer range to increase his advantage over Cheptegei.

 

Over the closing two kilometers, Kejelcha could not maintain the pace alone. Despite his colossal effort, he romped home 13 seconds shy of the coveted mark and four seconds off the Ethiopian record. As for Cheptegei, the 27-year-old finished in 26:53, his third-quickest time and 15 seconds slower than the then-world record of 26:38 he set in Valencia in December 2019.

 

Surprisingly, the 20-year-old pacemaker Yihune completed the race in a massive lifetime best of 27:28.

 

“I came to Laredo to break the world record, but it was impossible,” said Kejelcha. “I felt discomfort in my hip around the eighth kilometer and could not maintain my speed.”

 

As for Cheptegei, the Olympic 5000m champion confirmed his main goal was to get the Olympic 10,000m standard of 27:00. He expressed his happiness at having reached that target two weeks before he competed at the World Cross Country Championships in Belgrade.

 

Klosterhalfen prevails

Held alongside the men’s race, the women’s event featured Germany’s Konstanze Klosterhalfen as the favorite. Three weeks ago, the European 5000m champion dropped out during her last race, the Ras Al Khaimah Half Marathon, and was trying to bounce back in Laredo. Her main target was to get the qualifying time for the 10,000m at the Paris Olympics (30:40).

 

Running in a group alongside male athletes, the 27-year-old started briskly. It covered the opening kilometers at a tempo of around 3:00 per kilometer to reach halfway at 15:07, which was well on schedule for her target. Kenya’s Purity Gitonga finished second, five seconds back, and Spanish 3000m steeplechase record-holder Irene Sanchez-Escribano was third in 15:32.

 

In the second half of the race, all the leading contenders slowed their speed as Klosterhalfen began to falter dramatically inside the closing kilometer. That saw her lose any chance of achieving the entry standard for Paris, but she still achieved a PB of 31:07.

 

Gitonga finished runner-up in 31:24, and Sanchez-Escribano ran a massive lifetime best of 31:35 for third.

 

Emeterio Valiente for World Athletics

 

Leading results

Women
1 Konstanze Klosterhalfen (GER) 31:07
2 Purity Gitonga (KEN) 31:24
3 Irene Sanchez-Escribano (ESP) 31:35
4 Federica del Buono (ITA) 31:41
5 Sheila Jeruto (KEN) 31:47

 

Men
1 Yomif Kejelcha (ETH) 26:37
2 Joshua Cheptegei (UGA) 26:53
3 Addisu Yihune (ETH) 27:28
4 Hillary Chepkwony (KEN) 27:43
5 Eduardo Menacho (ESP) 28:24

 

Burnley burns Brentford at Turf Moor

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Burnley burns Brentford at Turf Moor

Ten-man Bees have late goal ruled out as winless run continues

 

Brentford beat Burnley 3-0 to claim their first home win of the season. Tom Dulat/Getty Image/The Standard
Sergio Reguilon was sent off within ten minutes at Turf Moor; Jonathan Gorrie reports for The Standard.

Burnley’s 2-1 win extended Brentford’s Premier League winless run to six games.

 

The Clarets took the lead through a 10th-minute Jacob Bruun Larsen penalty given after a foul on Vitinho by Sergio Reguilon, who received a straight red card.

 

David Datro Fofana, having been guilty of a remarkable miss late in the first half, doubled the advantage with a finish just past the hour mark.

 

Kristoffer Ajer pulled a goal back for Brentford with eight minutes of average time to go, but Burnley was able to see out their first victory of 2024 and only their fourth in the league this season.

 

Boss Kompany had emphasized pre-match that he had not given up hope of avoiding relegation. After ending their winless run, the gap between second-bottom Burnley and safety stands at eight points with nine games left to play.

 

Fifteenth-placed Brentford, meanwhile, are four points above the drop zone as their sequence without victory extended to a sixth match.

 

Kompany made one change from last weekend’s 2-2 draw at West Ham. He dropped goalkeeper James Trafford—previously an ever-present in the league this season—and brought Arijanet Muric into the team for his Premier League debut.

One of those coming into Brentford’s starting line-up as boss Thomas Frank made two adjustments from the 2-1 loss at Arsenal was the fit-again Reguilon, whose return proved extremely short-lived.

 

An early Burnley attack saw Josh Cullen swing the ball into the box, where Vitinho went to the ground following contact from behind from the on-loan Tottenham defender.

 

VAR intervened, and after referee Darren Bond had watched the incident back pitchside, a penalty was awarded, Reguilon was given his marching orders, and Bruun Larsen coolly sent the spot-kick past Mark Flekken.

 

Ivan Toney headed over as Brentford looked to hit back, and Burnley then breathed a sigh of relief when Dara O’Shea misjudged an attempted pass back to Muric. The goalkeeper slid to clear the ball off the line with his boot and then saved Toney’s follow-up effort.

 

At the other end, Fofana somehow missed when looking to score from close range, having been teed up by Lorenz Assignon’s cutback.

 

Muric then made a fine save to deny Yoane Wissa. Fofana, having lurked behind Flekken as he prepared to take a kick, emerged to nick the ball, only to be thwarted by the Dutchman as he tried to take it past him.

 

After Charlie Taylor put a shot over the Brentford bar early in the second half, Fofana could redeem himself in the 62nd minute as he was played in by Wilson Odobert and slotted past Flekken.

 

Burnley’s push for more included Zeki Amdouni’s shot being held by Flekken before their lead was halved by Ajer heading in a cross from Shandon Baptiste.

 

The Clarets had been 2-0 up against West Ham only to be held 2-2, and fans may have been fearing a repeat as Muric kept out a Keane Lewis-Potter header.

 

A lengthy period of stoppage time – in which replacement Amdouni has substituted himself – then saw the ball in the Burnley net. Still, no goal was given, with Toney being penalized for a challenge on Muric before the final whistle confirmed three points for the hosts.

 

Osasuna falls to Real Madrid defeat

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Osasuna falls to Real Madrid defeat

The Little Reds 2-4 The Whites: Player Ratings

 

Photo by PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/AFP via Getty Images/Madrid Universal

 

Having not won a game against Real Madrid in 13 years, Osasuna hosted the league leaders tonight at the Estadio El Sadar for game 29, hoping to end that streak with a win and take revenge for last season’s Copa del Rey final, Udhav Arora reports for Madrid Universal.

 

Madrid would never make the task easy for the hosts, though. They started the game with a goal in the 4th minute from Vinicius Jr. after a mistake from Alejandro Catena.

 

Ante Budimir came up clutch three minutes later, scoring from a corner before Daniel Carvajal restored the lead in the 18th minute.

 

The first half ended 1-2, with Osasuna looking not too shabby. However, the second half put the game to bed and beyond, with Madrid shifting things to second gear.

 

Brahim Diaz doubled their lead with a slick finish through route 1 football before Vinicius called time with a sensational finish into the bottom corner.

 

The game’s sixth goal was scored by Osasuna, who pestered Madrid until the end, with Iker Munoz nutmegging Lunin. However, all three points went to the league leaders, who went ten points clear, at least temporarily.

 

Andriy Lunin: 8

He made a superb save to deny Jose Arnaiz in the first half and was composed with the ball at his feet. I collected long balls and corners quickly and could have returned with another clean sheet today if not for that one corner. It could have been done better with Munoz’s goal, though.

 

He was also crucial in Brahim’s goal, finding Valverde in midfield, who headed it onto the Spaniard before the goal.

 

Daniel Carvajal: 8

He was having a troublesome game, tasked with containing Arnaiz, but as has been the case so often this season, he found the back of the net with a creative outside-of-the-box finish.

 

Aurelien Tchouameni: 7.5

They started as a center-back today and dealt with the Budimir threat multiple times. He also kept his distribution simple and slick, conducting Madrid’s game from deep.

 

Antonio Rudiger: 8

Rudiger’s best moments today came with the ball as he sprayed long passes beyond the Osasua backline, one of which created a superb chance for Vinicius in the first half.

 

Ferland Mendy: 7

They were not a standout performer by any margin, but they did well defensively, mainly while covering for Kroos.

 

Federico Valverde: 9

He was beaten to the ground on a couple of occasions but more than made his mark on the game, first with an acrobatic assist for Carvajal and then one for Brahim, finding him through with a header lay-off.

 

He was everywhere on the pitch without the ball, covering for Carvajal and making runs off the ball into the box and on the wing.

 

Eduardo Camavinga: 7

It was not one of Camavinga’s dynamic performances by any means, but Camavinga kept the ball ticking and breaking lines as Osasuna tried to press high. I was booked for a relatively poor challenge, though.

 

Toni Kroos: 7.5

He was taken advantage of defensively as Osasuna often tried to progress from his side. In possession, though, he was as neat as ever, completing 11/11 of his long ball and creating a couple of chances.

 

Brahim Diaz: 7.5

In a game where he seemed lost for the most part, and all over the pitch, too, Diaz came through with the one chance he got inside the box, as he has so often this season.

 

Rodrygo: 6

It is a game Rodrygo will not remember fondly. He found it difficult to connect with his teammates, especially Vinicius. The one time he did have a chance to convert, he missed.

 

Vinicius: 9

Once again, the Man of the Match, Vinicius, was solid as ever, making threatening runs behind the backline throughout the game. He opened the scoring and then took responsibility for putting the game beyond reach with the sensational fourth, too.

 

He had two solid chances to cap off the game with a hat trick, but unfortunately, he could not convert everything.

 

SUBSTITUTES:

 

Luka Modric: 6

He did not have much responsibility with the game seemingly over, but he did well with his fresh legs, adding energy to the center of the park and nearly scoring.

 

Nacho: N/A

He did nothing noteworthy in the 18 minutes he got to warrant a rating.

 

Lucas Vazquez: 6

They brought on too late but had the chance to convert into an open net with the last kick of the game, but they failed.

 

Arda Guler: N/A

He had too little time to warrant a rating, but he did hit the crossbar from the halfway line, and the goalkeeper was off his line.

 

Fran Garcia: N/A

He was brought on with only five minutes to spare.

 

Newcastle United to joust for Osimhen

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Newcastle United to joust for Osimhen

The Toon Army will ‘compete with’ EPL giants for striker with £111m clause

 

Victor Osimhen transfer rumours continue. Image credit: CaughtOffside

 

Victor Osimhen will likely be this summer’s biggest mover, Andrew Walker reports for the CaughtOffside outlet.

 

The Napoli striker has been heavily linked with a move away from Serie A for over a year. Although he signed a new contract just six months ago, he is still expected to leave Naples at the end of the current campaign.

 

Crystal Palace F.CLoading official content

Nigeria’s Osimhen, 25, has long been linked with a high-profile switch to Stamford Bridge. He is believed to be a top target for Chelsea.

 

However, according to more recent reports, including this one from Fichajes, the Blues face more and more competition as the weeks go by.

 

Newcastle United enters Victor Osimhen transfer race

 

Not only are Arsenal and Manchester United believed to have the prolific 25-year-old on their radars, but Newcastle United is also believed to have that.

 

Despite enduring a tough and disappointing season so far, Eddie Howe’s Magpies, just like the teams above, are also set for a meaningful and busy summer window.

 

Hoping to sign Osimhen — a player capable of firing them to the next level — Newcastle, with the help of their Saudi-backed ownership, have been tipped to join the race to sign the African. The striker’s contract is thought to contain a release clause worth a staggering €130 million (£111 million).

 

Osimhen doubtful for San Siro visit

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Osimhen doubtful for San Siro visit

Nigeria Superstar could miss Inter Milan versus Napoli Serie A clash due to muscle problem

 

Napoli Striker Victor Osimhen Image credit: Sempreinter.com

 

Striker Victor Osimhen is doubtful for tomorrow’s Serie A match between Inter Milan and Napoli due to a muscle problem, Tony Weeler reports for Sempreinter.com.

 

This is according to today’s print edition of Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport via FCInterNews. The newspaper reported that Giovanni Simeone would be ready to start an attack if the Nigerian missed out.

Inter and Napoli are in a similar situation heading into tomorrow’s match.

 

Both teams suffered the bitter blow of elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Spanish opposition during the week.

 

Having each gone into the second leg of their round of sixteen tie with reason for hope, both lost their away ties.

 

Therefore, the Nerazzurri and the Partenopei will want to bounce back tomorrow.

 

The Serie A clash at the San Siro will be the final fixture in the Italian top flight before the international break.

 

Victor Osimhen: A doubt for Inter versus Napoli Serie A clash

 

Moreover, Napoli may have to approach tomorrow’s match without their star man.

 

The Gazzetta reports that the Nigerian international picked up a muscular knock in training yesterday.

 

Therefore, Osimhen could leave the Napoli squad if the problem persists.

 

Today’s training should be decisive. The 25-year-old former Lille and Wolfsburg man will be in the squad if he can complete a normal training session.

 

But, the Partenopei will not take risks if lingering issues remain.

 

If Osimhen is to miss out due to injury, then Simeone will start.

 

The former Hellas Verona, Cagliari, Genoa, and Fiorentina striker has been Osimhen’s deputy throughout the season, as the Nigerian has had a few injury problems.

 

Simeone provides a different sort of profile to Osimhen. He is more of a physical striker with holdup play qualities than the Nigerian.

 

Rumor Roundup:Bray Wyatt not in Hall of Fame

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Rumor Roundup:Bray Wyatt not in Hall of Fame

CM Punk altercation, Mercedes Moné, more!

WWE could be set to induct Bray Wyatt into this year's Hall of Fame class, according to a report
WWE could be set to induct Bray Wyatt into this year’s Hall of Fame class, according to a report (Daily Mail)

Wyatt starred in WWE for a number of years before his shock passing last year at the age of 36
Wyatt starred in WWE for several years before his shock passing last year at the age of 36 (Daily Mail)

 

Speculating on the rumors surrounding pro wrestling is a favored pastime of many fans, perhaps second only to watching the matches. In this daily column, Randall Ortman reports for Cageside Seat; we examine the latest rumors being churned out by the pro wrestling rumor mill.

Important reminder: Rumors are just that — rumors. None of this has been confirmed; it’s just circulating in the pro wrestling rumor mill. We track rumor accuracy in a weekly feature called Rumor Look Back, which you can find here. Remember, take it all with a grain of salt.

 

Rumors for the Day:

  • F4WOnline’s Dave Meltzer says Bray Wyatt was “on the list at one point” for the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024, but that’s no longer part of WWE’s plan. However, Meltzer believes that Bray “will be put in soon.”
  • Fightful’s NXT sources were skeptical about Booker T’s claim that he and CM Punk almost had a backstage altercation at this week’s taping. The sources weren’t aware of any confrontation, security wasn’t aware of a confrontation, and there was no talk of a backstage incident between Punk and Booker T.
  • The people Fightful spoke to were frustrated about Booker T’s claim about Punk, especially “given Punk’s history with backstage altercations.” It was reiterated that CM has not had any backstage issues since he returned to WWE. He has been helpful behind the scenes and was in good spirits this week at NXT.
  • Sean Ross Sapp was told there will be more focus on the AEW women’s division now that Mercedes Moné is on the roster. It sounds like there will be a Mercedes segment in addition to the average women’s segment on the TV shows.
  • One of the women’s stars in WWE told the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that they heard Moné is now “the highest-paid woman in pro wrestling.” The star is thrilled about Moné’s deal because it creates a better market for the industry’s top women wrestlers.
  • WWE is considering changes to their PLE pre-shows that could be implemented this year, per PWInsider Elite. WWE is said to be looking at ESPN College GameDay as a model and hoping to have the Kickoffs feature more “live, high-energy, free-flowing discussion” about events and big matches.

 

‘Greatest of all time’ move

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‘Greatest of all time’ move

Gravity-defying try hailed as Storm beat the Warriors in a last-minute thriller

 

 

Brett Lackey reports for Daily Mail Australia and the Australian Associated Press that the Storm have secured a nail-biting victory over the Auckland Warriors in Melbourne, courtesy of a last-minute try hailed as one of the best of all time.

 

Melbourne winger Xavier Coates scored the miracle try with 25 seconds left to rob the Warriors of victory in a pulsating Round 2 NRL clash at AAMI Park.

 

Coates took flight from almost five meters out and somehow managed to plant the ball from his vertical position before taking out the corner post or going into touch.

 

Fox Sports commentator Mick Ennis dubbed the four-pointer ‘the best toy I’ve ever seen.’

 

‘That is ridiculous what he has just done.’

 

The try put the Storm back in front, with Nick Meaney converting for a final score of 30-26.

 

Fox commentator and former player Mick Ennis dubbed the try the best he'd ever seen

Fox commentator and former player Mick Ennis dubbed the try the best he’d ever seen

 

‘To be fair, I don’t know [how I did that],’ Coates said after the siren.

 

‘It was a bit of adrenaline going. I didn’t even know if I got the ball down.

 

‘That came down to the last sorta five minutes. It was collectively a team effort to get ourselves back into the game.’

 

Melbourne scored twice in the final three minutes of the game – until then, the Warriors looked certain to have finally taken down their bogey team after dominating the home side in the second half.

 

The victory extends the Storm’s winning run to 15 over the Warriors, who haven’t been victorious against the men in purple since 2015.

 

Melbourne led 18-6 at halftime, but the visitors scored three second-half tries to take control of the match.

 

The 23-year-old is a Papua New Guinea international who previously played for the Broncos Image credit: Daily Mail
Cooper Cronk praised the Superman effort, saying he doesn’t ‘fathom’ how Coates pulled it off. Image credit: Daily Mail
Coates said after the game, he didn’t even realize he got the ball down and was running on adrenaline Image credit: Daily Mail

 

Nothing appeared to be going the Storm’s way, with Ryan Papenhuyzen and skipper Harry Grant giving away four points with dumb penalties in front of the goalposts.

 

After being pinged for an illegal steal, Papenhuyzen made amends with his second try of the night, coming in the 77th minute, with Meaney making it a two-point game.

 

Winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scored a try in each half, and Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson marshaled his backline in style.

 

The try and conversion secured the Round 2 clash for the Storm after the Warriors looked to have it in the bag

The try and conversion secured the Storm’s Round 2 clash after the Warriors looked to have it in the bag

 

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, playing in the centers, was also a constant danger as he transitioned back to the NRL after two years in rugby.

 

The first half was all Melbourne, with halfback Jahrome Hughes starring with two try assists, two line breaks, and six tackle busts.

 

Meaney’s galloping try came off a Hughes break, but the No.7 was equally important on defense, stopping a confident Marcelo Montoya try with a ball-and-all tackle.

 

Booker T takes backstage heat

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Booker T takes backstage heat

 For reporting fake CM Punk ‘Altercation’ claims

 

 

Some behind the scenes at WWE reportedly aren’t thrilled with this story, Jamie Kennedy reports for What Culture.

 

Fightful Select reports that some behind the scenes at WWE are frustrated with Booker T for discussing an apparent non-story on his podcast. The legend discussed a seemingly fabricated backstage altercation with CM Punk at NXT this past Tuesday.

 

The site reports that Punk has been on his best behavior since returning to the company last November and was cheery when he stopped by to check out the third brand midweek. Nobody in WWE knows what incident Booker was referring to, but he told co-host Brad Gilmore that the pair almost “got into it.”

 

Later, Book laughed off the chatter amongst fans on social media.

 

Of course, Punk had several well-known backstage scuffles during his time in AEW, and he’s never been one to shy away from controversy throughout his entire pro wrestling career. It looks like Booker was creating drama where there was none, though, and no one’s quite sure why he’d bother.

 

This wasn’t in Fightful’s writeup on the situation, but it’s hard to imagine WWE chief Triple H would be happy with his fellow legend for stirring the pot over nothing.

 

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