Michael Carrick enjoyed Manchester United's perfect Champions League return against Sabah but is "pushing for more" with tougher tests around the corner.
Thursday night saw Old Trafford host a first match in European football's premier competition since December 2023 as the Red Devils faced a club that were only founded nine years ago.
United ran out comfortable 4-0 victors against Sabah, the champions of Azerbaijan, with Matheus Cunha, Bruno Fernandes and Benjamin Sesko scoring first-half goals.
Lisandro Martinez tapped home to complete a blemish-free start to the league phase for Carrick's men, who recorded their first clean sheet of the season having made a topsy-turvy start to the Premier League.
Asked if Thursday was the perfect way to kick off their long-awaited Champions League return, the United head coach said: "Yeah, I think so.

#first #premier #return #start

How Sabah coach Valdas Dambrauskas went from Lithuanian game show to Champions League history originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
One of the most fascinating stories to come out of the early phases of this year's UEFA Champions League competition involves newly-formed Azerbaijani club Sabah FK and their mercurial coach.
Valdas Dambrauskas has led the young club to not only its first-ever top flight ***** le, but now their first-ever trip to the league phase of any European competition, let alone the Champions League.
Sabah became one of the final league phase qualifiers in the 2026/27 competition as they reversed a 2-1 aggregate deficit to Hapoel Be'er Sheva in the final qualifying round, winning the second leg 5-2 in a stunning comeback. Trailing 4-3 on aggregate heading into stoppage time of the second leg, Tellur Mutallimov scored in the 94th minute to send the match to extra-time, where they would win the game with a pair of goals in the added period.
That sent Sabah to the lucrative league phase, which has changed the trajectory of the club forever.

#coach

Manchester United's rocky start to the season in Michael Carrick's first campaign as permanent manager continues with a first game back in the Champions League.
The visitors at Old Trafford are Azerbaijani champions Sabah, just eight years after being founded.
LIVE! Follow all the action as Man United make their long-awaited Champions League return
Carrick will be desperate for a positive start to the league phase after another setback at Everton, following Ainsley Maitland-Niles's stoppage-time blockbuster.
And after a year outside of European competition, following the agonising Europa League final loss to Tottenham, United will be desperate to start working towards a top eight finish and automatic progress to the last 16.

#league #champions #first #following

Manchester United have announced a multi-million pound, multi-year shirt sleeve sponsorship deal with British financial technology company SumUp.
United had been without a sleeve sponsor since the four-year partnership with DXC Technology came to an end in the summer.
The SumUp branding will be seen for the first time on Thursday, when United return to the Champions League with an Old Trafford encounter with Azerbaijan champions Sabah. It will be worn by the club's men's, women's and academy teams across all competitions.
United also say they will launch a "co-branded payment card" with SumUp, "which will offer fans special offers and rewards when used with official club outlets, as well as businesses across the UK".
The club's chief business officer Marc Armstrong said: "SumUp is a rapidly growing global business and we are delighted to welcome them to Manchester United as our official sleeve partner.

#sleeve #across

1
Manchester United will take on Sabah on Thursday night as they welcome the Champions League back to Old Trafford for the first time since 2023.
The Red Devils have never played against the club before, as the Azerbaijan side was only formed in 2017.
Here are three plot lines to get the blood racing ahead of United's return to Europe's premier competition.
The Red Devils have never played against a team from Azerbaijan before, making this a historic tie.

#champions

Comstock Resources (NYSE:CRK) finished 11 percent higher on Tuesday after clinching $2.1 billion worth of investment and partnership deals with two companies.
The first deal involved the raising of $1.65 billion in fresh funds from the sale of a portion of its natural gas ***** ets to the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR).
The ***** ets include 20 percent of Comstock's interest in Legacy Haynesville ***** ets; 15 percent of its interest in Western Haynesville ***** ets; and another 15 percent of Comstock's 73 percent stake in Pinnacle Gas Services.
The New York Stock Exchange building. Photo by Дмитрий Трепольский on Pexels
Signing of a definitive purchase and sale agreement is expected by October 31, with closing targeted by the end of the year.

#percent #haynesville #sale #tuesday

The Ultimate Fighting Championship's annual Madison Square Gardencard is taking shape.

NazimSadykhov is set to square off against JeffersonNascimento in a lightweight bout at UFC 334 onNov. 14 at MSG in New York City. While the UFC has yet toofficially announce the bout, Sadykhov took to Instagram to revealthe booking. They last competed on the same card earlier thisyear.
Nascimento (13-1) was a highly touted undefeated prospect goinginto his UFC debut against fellow promotional debutant TahirAbdullayev this past June at UFC Baku. However, he was booed in enemy territory for coastingthroughout the first two rounds.

Abdullayev finally hurt Nascimento late in the third round andreferee Jim Perdios called a highly questionable stop to thecontest. While Nascimento made his UFC debut at welterweight, theformer LFA lightweight champ will drop back down to 155 pounds inpursuit of his first Octagon victory.

Meanwhile, Sadykhov (11-3-1) was a -250 favorite against MatheusCamilo in front of a home crowd in Azerbaijan. However, Camilosilenced the crowd by knocking Sadykhov out in the first round,although it was yet another controversial stoppage, this time byreferee RichMitchell. This marked Sadykhov's second loss on the bouncefollowing his defeat to Fares Ziamlast December. His UFC record stands at 4-2-1.

#first #lightweight #bout

Dundee United reportedly agree a fee for Vicko Sevelj to join Neftci Baku as St Mirren appear poised to sign a Serbian striker on Sunday and Monaco are linked with Rangers' Djeidi Gassama.
Vicko Sevelj missed Dundee United's win over Kilmarnock on Saturday as the 25-year-old utility man was given permission to travel to the Azerbaijani capital for a medical and contract talks after a fee was agreed for his transfer to Neftci Baku. (The Courier)
Anderlecht have reignited their interest in Will Ferry and are in negotiations with Dundee United for the 25-year-old left-back. (Sacha Tavolieri on X)
Venezuela striker Kevin Kelsy is awaiting a UK visa, medical and work permit before the 22-year-old completes his transfer from Portland Timbers to Rangers. (Ekrem Konur on X)
‌Kevin Kelsy will not be phased by the £9m price tag when the "strong, powerful striker" completes his move to Rangers, according to Portland Timbers coach Liam Ridgewell. (Daily Record)

#dundee #striker #year #baku

Alongside boosting exploration and production offshore its home market Norway, Equinor is pursuing an international growth strategy, aiming to significantly increase its overseas oil and gas output by focusing on fewer but more lucrative regions such as the U.S., Brazil, and Angola.
In recent years, Equinor has streamlined and high-graded its portfolio outside Norway, selling ****** ets and positions in Azerbaijan and Nigeria, to name a few.
But Equinor has kept and grown its U.S., Brazilian, and Angolan businesses, and plans to keep these growing through 2030, the company's executives said at the Offshore Northern Seas (ONS) energy conference in Stavanger this week.
Equinor's international production averaged 750,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) in the second quarter of 2026. The company expects to raise this to 950,000 boepd by 2030, by boosting the U.S., Brazilian, and Angolan output, executive vice president Philippe Mathieu said at a press briefing in Stavanger on Tuesday.
"Equinor's international oil and gas portfolio is simplified, improved and set for significant growth," Mathieu said.

#offshore #boosting

This is the ultimate underdog of the 2026-2027 Champions League: Sabah Football Club, an Azerbaijani club founded in 2017, will play in the greatest competition of all for the very first time in its history.
The team is coached by Lithuanian manager Valdas Dambrauskas... and a completely crazy episode from his past has resurfaced in recent hours following his team's qualification.
In 2000, 26 years ago, while still a student, Dambrauskas took part in the Lithuanian version of the famous TV show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
From "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" to the Champions League...
Clear, simple, precise.

#champions

Everything was on the line at the draw in Monaco. The four home and four away opponents for the 2026–27 season have now been determined. UEFA will announce the exact dates of the matches by Saturday. Today, Thursday, former star strikers Thierry Henry and David Villa began by drawing the opponents for all 36 participating teams.
BVB already faced three of its eight opponents last year: At SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, BVB will once again take on Inter Milan and Villarreal CF—and these two matchups cannot be repeated next year—and will also face FK Bodø/Glimt from Norway again, though this time on the road. The other home opponents are Real Betis from Seville and AEK Athens—both of which will be first-time opponents! Away from home, Borussia will face Bodø/Glimt, as well as ******* nal, Aston Villa, and Sabah FK in Azerbaijan.
Inter MilanThe 21-time Italian champions have reached the Champions League final twice in the past four seasons. Inter has won the trophy three times (most recently in 2010), but suffered a surprising defeat last season in the Round of 16 against Bodø/Glimt—a team that shocked more than just BVB. BVB lost the head-to-head match against Inter 0–2. There will be a reunion with Manuel Akanji and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Real BetisReal Betis Balompié, known as Real Betis for short or simply Betis—that's the name of Spain's 1935 champion and three-time cup winner. Their greatest international achievement was reaching the final of the 2025 UEFA Conference League. Former Borussia player Marc Bartra (pictured) played a key role in helping the team finish fifth in La Liga last season, thereby qualifying for the Champions League for the second time in the club's history. BVB has not yet faced Betis in a head-to-head match.
FC VillarrealThe second Spanish opponent—which finished third last year—comes from Pot 3, even though it made a splash internationally by winning the 2021 UEFA Europa League and reaching the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League the following year. In last season's league campaign, however, "the Yellow Submarine" finished in 35th place with just one point earned. At SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, BVB won 4-0.

#time #champions #year

BVB was placed in Pot 2 during the draw held this Thursday evening in Monaco; the team will face three repeat matchups and has two challenging away trips ahead. BVB will play each of these eight opponents only once—for a total of four home games and four away games.
At SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, BVB will face Inter and Villarreal in their current home jerseys, just as they did last year, as well as Real Betis and AEK Athens. The away trips will take them to London (Arsenal), Birmingham (Aston Villa), northern Norway (Bodø/Glimt), and Baku in Azerbaijan (Sabah FK).
The match dates have not yet been set. UEFA plans to announce them by Saturday at the latest.
Reactions to the draw, background on the format, and details about the opponents will follow later this evening. Tickets for the first home game will be available starting September 1 (12:00) in the online ticket shop. Advance sales will begin first for club members. Boris Rupert

#home #evening #face #four

Japan is today set to announce an energy import diversification plan that will include stipulations about support for pipelines in the Middle East aimed at diverting export oil flows away from the Strait of Hormuz.
The plan also features a push to reduce the country's reliance on oil and gas overall, and also reduce its reliance on Middle Eastern oil and gas specifically, Reuters has reported, citing ****** anese media. The government also plans to make energy companies share the higher costs of importing crude from places other than the Middle East.
Before the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran broke out, ****** an relied on the Middle East for almost all of its crude oil imports, which are vital for the resource-poor country. After the war, the ****** anese government rushed to secure alternative suppliers. These include the United States, Canada, African oil producers, and Azerbaijan.
This diversification has carried a hefty price tag, however. Last month, ****** an's total import bill hit an all-time high of $76.39 billion because of higher international oil prices. That monthly import figure beat the previous record set a month earlier, suggesting this month's import bill could be record-breaking as well.
Japan is also one of the world's biggest LNG importers, and earlier this summer reduced gas-fired generation in favor of coal as the price of liquefied natural gas remained elevated. ****** an has been burning more coal and less gas for power generation since the war in the Middle East started, and it is not the only one. Many Asian countries have been forced to make the switch from gas to coal on affordability and availability grounds.

#Japan #east #coal #energy

European champions Paris St-Germain will face Premier League duo Manchester City and Aston Villa as well as five-time winners Barcelona in the league phase of this season's Champions League.
The back-to-back Champions League winners will welcome Barca to Parc des Princes, while they were also handed trips to Villa Park and Manchester in the draw for the league phase.
Premier League champions ******* nal, meanwhile, will host 15-time winners Real Madrid at Emirates Stadium, and have also been handed a trip to Bayern Munich.
Mikel Arteta's men, who were beaten by PSG on penalties in the final last season, will face Borussia Dortmund, Real Betis, Lille, Napoli, Azerbaijan champions Sabah and Slavia Prague as well.
Enzo Maresca's City will welcome PSG to Etihad Stadium and travel to Barcelona, where they will have a reunion with Spanish World Cup-winner Rodri, who moved to the Nou Camp in a £65m deal this summer.

#champions #premier #city #real

Arsenal are set to play the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the Champions League's first phase this season, as the Gunners aim to bounce back from their final heartbreak.
In May, ***** nal lost the Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain after coming up short in a penalty shootout, meaning their wait for a first trophy in the competition goes on.
As they bid to reach a second consecutive final – and third overall – the reigning Premier League winners will this season take on Real Madrid and their Spanish colleagues Real Betis, as well as German duo Bayern and Borussia Dortmund.
Martin Odegaard (left) and Mikel Merino react to their defeat in the 25/26 Champions League final (Getty)
Furthermore, the north London club will face Italy's Napoli, French side Lille, Czech Republic's Slavia Prague, and Azerbaijani debutants Sabah.

#real #madrid

The final teams to qualify for the 2026/27 Champions League league phase were confirmed this Wednesday (26).
Seven clubs secured their spots this week after coming through the final playoff round.
The biggest clash was between Fenerbahce and Lyon, with the Turkish side coming out on top and returning to the main phase of the Champions League for the first time in 18 years.
Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia), AEK Athens (Greece), LASK (Austria), Sabah (Azerbaijan), Bodo/Glimt (Norway) and Viking (Norway) also qualified this week.
The league phase draw takes place this Thursday (27), determining the eight matchups for each participating team.

#norway #coming

Camilo Duran of Celtic scores his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 play-offs first leg match between Celtic and LASK at Celtic Park on August 19, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Camilo Duran has impressed plenty of people during his short time at the club, even more so after his midweek heroics against LASK in the 3-0 Champions League play off win at Celtic Park.
Signed for a fee believed to be worth upwards of £6 million from Azerbaijan side Qarabag, the player has impressed with his boundless energy, and ability in front of goal, naturally leading to comparisons with the man he's said to have replaced – Daizen Maeda.
Former Celtic skipper Charlie Mulgrew is one of those who believes that the Colombian is similar to the **** anese International, even claiming that he's an upgrade on the man who left for Ipswich in a £10 million deal.
Mulgrew recently told Go Radio listeners:

#league #play

PHILADELPHIA – Myktybek Orolbai is taking it step by step, but he plans to climb the ultimate mountain of the UFC.
Riding a three-fight winning streak, Orolbai (16-2-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) is breaking out the English – and it's pretty good – ahead of his UFC 330 bout on Saturday vs. Jeremiah Wells. The bout takes place in Philadelphia, two hours from where Wells (13-4-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) grew up.
Enemy territory? Orolbai is used to it.
"No problem," Orolbai said. "I'm everyday in the gym training two to three times, brother. My second fight was a Brazilian fighter. It was Elves Brener. (Same with) Tofiq Musayev (in) Azerbaijan, Baku. Whatever country, I go. No problem, brother. I like my opponent, country, and fight. I like. I'm ready."
While he doesn't mind traveling, experiencing all of the homecomings has made him want one of his own. The UFC has never been to Kyrgyzstan, but Orolbai hopes to change that. Give him a couple years, he said.

#orolbai #bout

Celtic have been drawn against Austrian champions LASK in the Champions League play-off round.
Meanwhile, Rangers will face either Larne or Iberia Tbilisi of Georgia in the Europa League play-offs should they defeat Jagiellonia Bialystok of Poland.
And Heart of Midlothian will take on either AGF Aarhus of Denmark or Sabah of Azerbaijan should they defeat Benfica.
Should they lose, the Edinburgh side will face Paide Linnameeskond of Estonia or Rapid Vienna of Austria.
If Rangers lose, they will face Jablonec of Czech Republic or RFS of Latvia.

#champions #either

Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Motherwell and Rangers now have a clearer idea of who they might face in Europa League and Conference League qualifying after Uefa confirmed the groupings for Monday's draws.
Celtic already knew their potential opponents in their Champions League play-off, with their draw at 11:00 BST and the Europa League draw an hour later, followed by the Conference League at 13:00.
Now Rangers know that, if they defeat Polish side Jagiellonia Białystok in the third round of Europa League qualifying, they will face either Lillestrom of Norway, the winners of the tie between Northern Irish champions Larne and Iberia 1999 of Georgia, or the losers of two Champions League qualifiers - between Levski Sofia (Bulgaria) and Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan) or Mjallby (Sweden) and Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia).
Having dropped down from Champions League qualifying, Hearts face Benfica and the winners of that also have four possible opponents.
Those are OFI Crete, the winners of Thun (Switzerland) and Vikingur Reykjavik (Iceland), or the losers of two Champions League qualifiers - AGF Aarhus (Denmark) and Sabah (Azerbaijan) and Dinamo (Croatia) and Kauno Zalgiris (Lithuania).

#league #rangers

The Inner Circle 24 ignited Bangkok's iconic Lumpinee Stadium with another heart-racing Asia primetime event packed with explosive finishes and unforgettable performances this past Friday, July 31.
This members-only card featured four high-octane Muay Thai and MMA bouts, which streamed exclusively on live.onefc.com from "The Madison Square Garden of the East." With three of the four bouts ending in highlight-reel fashion, the show delivered non-stop thrills from beginning to end.
A new bantamweight MMA king was crowned in the main event, as Azerbaijani-Russian destroyer Elbek Alyshov turned off Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu's lights in the second round.
Alyshov dropped the Mongolian ******* leholder with a thunderous uppercut in the clinch, and then he followed up with relentless ground-and-pound to force the referee to wave off the contest. That spectacular performance earned him the ONE Bantamweight MMA World ******* le, as well as a US$50,000 performance bonus.
The co-main event featured another impressive display, as 19-year-old Lebanese sensation Ramadan "The Scorpion" Ondash continued his meteoric rise. Ondash edged out fellow teen star Johan "Jojo" Ghazali in a razor-close flyweight Muay Thai battle to claim a hard-fought split-decision victory.

#four #bouts

The 22-year-old had emerged as a player of interest for the Scottish champions earlier this year, with reports in May claiming Celtic had outlined their plans in an attempt to persuade him to make the move to Glasgow.
Italian side Sampdoria were also credited with an interest, although Basel ultimately won the race after stepping up their pursuit in recent weeks.
According to reports, the Swiss club have agreed a fee of around €3 million with Azerbaijani side Sabah FK to secure the signature of the wideman.
Basel officially confirmed Malouda's arrival this week as they continue reshaping their squad ahead of the new campaign.
He arrives as the replacement for Benie Traore, who recently departed for Major League Soccer after joining New York City FC.

#interest #side #celtic

Competing in the United World Wrestling U17 Freestyle World Championships might be the least of Kooper Deputy's worries.
The 16-year-old from Bedford County was dealing with other issues in the buildup to his first international competition. The travel to Baku, Azerbaijan, where Deputy will wrestle in the 48-kilogram weight class Friday, was a challenge. He was also getting accustomed to different types of food and the time change, which is eight hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time.
"It's a little out of his comfort zone," said Josh Deputy, Kooper's father and head coach of Chestnut Ridge High School and the Orchard Wrestling Club. "It's an obstacle for him.
"He's a regimented kid who likes to do things a certain way."
The weight cut has also been difficult for Kooper. He won a PIAA ****** le at 107 pounds in March, but the sport's 2-pound growth allowance made the limit 109 by that point in the season. The world championships' 48-kilogram weight class equates to 105.8 pounds, making it even more difficult on a rising sophomore who has grown over the past few months.

#weight #Wrestling

Kooper Deputy's quest for gold at the United World Wrestling U17 Freestyle World Championships came to a controversial end in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Friday with a 10-7 loss to India's Aaryan in the quarterfinal round.
The 16-year-old from New Paris trailed the Indian, who competes under a mononym, 10-5 with 25 seconds remaining. The U.S. Open champion worked a half-nelson and an arm bar but couldn't turn Aaryan until just over a second remained in the bout. The Indian turned at that point, and a screenshot from video appears to show Aaryan's shoulders completely flat on the mat with a second remaining on the clock.
Deputy was awarded two points for exposure but not the fall, and a pin cannot be challenged so the decision stood, giving Aaryan a 10-7 victory.
Deputy can still medal in the tournament. He'll need Aaryan to reach the championship match to be pulled into the repechage, which Americans often refer to as the consolation bracket.
Aaryan avenged an Asian championships loss to Amirali Ragheb by throttling the Iranian 10-0 in the opening round, then stunned European champion Huseyn Rzazade of Azerbaijan with a late comeback for a 6-5 victory.

#championships

For 21 grueling years, Azerbaijani-Russian sensation Elbek Alyshov has poured his heart and soul into martial arts.
However, the true motivation pushing him through the daily grind isn't the intoxicating allure of fame, legacy, or even the glimmer of 26 pounds of ONE Championship gold. It is a profoundly simple vision: putting a permanent roof over his family's head.
That quiet but incredibly powerful purpose will be front and center when the undefeated challenger faces reigning ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion "The Tormentor" Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu at The Inner Circle 24.
The massive World ******* le showdown broadcasts live in Asia primetime on Friday, July 31, from Bangkok's historic Lumpinee Stadium, exclusively for subscribers at live.onefc.com.
Ahead of the defining moment of his career, Alyshov spoke with genuine honesty about the life-changing dream that could permanently transform the trajectory of his loved ones' lives.

#World #live #russian #bantamweight

Undefeated and uncompromising, Elbek Alyshov steps into the brightest spotlight of his career at The Inner Circle 24 with absolutely no intention of leaving without the coveted 26 pounds of gold.
The surging 27-year-old Azerbaijani-Russian challenges ONE Bantamweight MMA World Champion "The Tormentor" Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu in the blockbuster main event on Friday, July 31, with the division's most coveted prize hanging in the balance.
The highly anticipated World ****** le showdown streams exclusively for members at live.onefc.com from Bangkok's historic Lumpinee Stadium.
To Alyshov, Baatarkhuu is the ultimate blueprint of what relentless ambition and an unbreakable will can build on the world's largest martial arts stage.
The Mongolian ****** leholder's ascent has been nothing short of legendary. A Road to ONE: Mongolia winner and a breakout sensation on Netflix's hit series Physical: Asia, Baatarkhuu permanently sealed his place in history by submitting former divisional king Fabricio "Wonder Boy" Andrade to become his country's historic second ONE World Champion.

#historic #elbek

The 2026 Formula 1 calendar has been in a state of flux since the Middle East conflict forced the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix earlier this year. Now, the scramble to fill the void is reaching a climax, and a fan-favorite circuit is on the verge of an unexpected return.
According to a recent update from F1 Speed Indonesia, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has officially addressed the rumors surrounding the Sepang International Circuit. Responding to press inquiries regarding F1's request to have Malaysia replace the canceled Bahrain GP, Ibrahim confirmed that a definitive answer is imminent.
"Regarding F1, we will make an announcement on Sunday," the Prime Minister stated, setting a July 26 deadline for the decision.
This aligns with recent confirmations from Malaysia's Youth and Sports Ministry, which has been actively ***** sing the feasibility, costs, and logistics of hosting a Grand Prix at short notice.
The aggressive push for Malaysia comes after F1's initial contingency plans fell apart. Organizers had originally hoped to reschedule the Bahrain GP for early October—slotting it right between the Azerbaijan and Singapore races. However, with geopolitical tensions flaring up once again, the FIA and F1 management have been forced to abandon the Middle East makeup dates entirely.

#Bahrain #prix #malaysia #circuit

At the UFC Abu Dhabi weigh-ins, all 26 fighters on Saturday's fight card step on the scale Friday in Azerbaijan. Watch ceremonial weigh-ins above, set to kick off at 10 a.m. ET.
In the main event, former UFC light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev fights fast-rising contender Bogdan Guskov. Both fighters can weigh no more than the 206 pound limit for their non-title fight.
Ankalaev is currently No. 3 at light heavyweight in the MMA Fighting Global Rankings, while Guskov stands at No. 12. Coming off of his first loss since 2018, a ***** le fight defeat to Alex Pereira, Ankalaev also holds a spot in the MMA Fighting Pound-for-Pound Rankings at No. 17.
In the co-main event, one-time UFC ***** le challenger Steve Erceg squares off with Ramazan Temirov in a flyweight contest. Neither man may weigh more than 126 pounds.
Check out the UFC Abu Dhabi weigh-in results below.

#weigh #pound

Malaysia could return to the Formula One calendar at short notice this year if the Iran conflict causes more problems, specialist website the-race.com reported on Thursday.
In mid-March, Formula One postponed April races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the war, reducing the calendar initially from 24 to 22 grands prix.
If the final two races of the year on November 29 in Qatar and on December 6 in Abu Dhabi cannot take place either due to trouble in the Middle East, Formula One bosses are examining further options, the report said.
Before the recent escalation in the Iran conflict, officials had hoped that a Bahrain Grand Prix could be rescheduled on the first weekend in October between races in Azerbaijan and Singapore.
That now looks unlikely with the US and Iran again trading blows, so candidates for a race on October 4 now include Malaysia, the report said, as well as Turkey.

#october #calendar #conflict

Malaysia could return to the Formula 1 calendar for the first time since 2017 as the sport eyes up contingency plans for the second half of the 2026 season.
After races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were cancelled in April due to the conflict in the Middle East, F1 is keen to add to its current 22-race calendar and was hopeful of racing in Bahrain in October, in between already scheduled races in Azerbaijan (26 September) and Singapore (11 October).
However, given the recent escalation in the region after the ending of the US-Iran ceasefire, F1 bosses are seeking alternatives and the Sepang International Circuit, just outside Kuala Lumpur, is one option.
Malaysia withdrew from the sport in 2017 when they couldn’t match the host fees required, yet the racetrack is still used regularly for other series such as MotoGP.
In this instance, its proximity to Singapore means a Europe-Asia triple-header, over the last weekend in September and the first two weekends in October, is feasible.

#malaysia #Singapore #calendar #formula