Michael Page won significantly more times than he lost in the UFC, yet it still wasn't enough to sway the promotion to keep him around after his contract expired.
The former Bellator superstar entered the UFC with plenty of fanfare in 2024, scoring a clear-cut unanimous decision win against Kevin Holland at UFC 299. Page, 39, styled on Holland in vintage fashion, utilizing his flashy striking skills to outpoint the veteran in a welterweight showdown. As it turned out, though, finishes — or even similarly entertaining performances — failed to materialize in Page's subsequent five UFC appearances.
Despite winning four straight fights, capped off by his fight against Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris, the promotion opted not to re-sign Page without even having a discussion.
Speaking on Monday's edition of "The Ariel Helwani Show," Page vented his frustrations, saying he felt disrespected by the entire close to his UFC run.
"I had goals to achieve, so regardless of anything, I was winning my fights, which says to me you get to stay," Page told Uncrowned. "That's the premise of this game. Success should breed more opportunities. So, I still felt like we'd sit down at the table.

#holland #winning #fights

The 2026-27 season is quickly approaching for the Philadelphia 76ers as they have their eyes on ending a long ***** le drought after the big additions made in the offseason. The Sixers will field one of the more talented rosters in the league and will look to get to the mountaintop in 2027.
It's now time to look ahead to the new season and time to break down each position for the Sixers in an effort to preview what the season might look like. Sixers Wire will look at the centers now and take a look at what the Sixers bring to the table at the position:
Sure, the Sixers have some shiny new players in Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, but all of this still comes down to the health of Joel Embiid. The big fella is still a dominant player when he can get on the floor as evidenced by his 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.9 ***** ists he averaged in 38 games in the 2025-26 season. Embiid being able to return early from an appendectomy completely changed that Round 1 series with Boston when the Sixers rallied from a 3-1 deficit. He averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.0 ***** ists in Round 1 against the Celtics as he spurred the rally for Philadelphia.
When Embiid is right, there aren't many players in the league who can slow him down. He has lost a step defensively as a result of the injuries and surgeries he's had to undergo has robbed him of a lot of speed and athleticism, but Embiid is so smart and able to find new ways to be effective on defense. He is still one of the top players in the game and should be treated as such. If he's right and healthy, the Sixers take an even bigger leap forward.
The Sixers will rely on third-year big man Adem Bona as they did in the 2025-26 season. He averaged 4.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks as he was able to establish himself in coach Nick Nurse's rotation. He will have competition, though, as the Sixers did add bouncy Ariel Hukporti early in free agency. Also, in his third season, Hukporti will look to find an opportunity in Philadelphia.

#look #still

Fan Bingbing returned to the international stage for the Being Heumann premiere during the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival on the opening night.
ARiEL Lii
After nine days of Venice Film Festival coverage, you might think I'd be tapped out when it comes to glamour, but that can never be the case when Fan Bingbing enters the chat.
ARiEL Lii
The actress operates on a different level when it comes to red carpet glamour, and she reminded us why in this Tony Ward gown.

#international #glamour #venice

Eddie Hearn's roster of UFC fighters appears to have a new addition in the form of Paulo Costa. The former middleweight ***** le challenger is set to join Matchroom Talent Agency alongside reigning heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and Ian Machado Garry.
The Brazilian recently revealed that he has parted ways with longtime manager Tiki Ghosn and is now ready to start a new chapter. During a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Costa revealed that he is set to begin a new managerial partnership with Hearn.
Costa revealed that Hearn sent him the contract a few days before his UFC 332 controversy erupted. He also confirmed that Hearn will handle both his sponsorships and managerial duties moving forward.
He said, "Yes, both! The whole thing. I have too much respect for what he's doing. He's a great guy, a great professional. I think we're going to do great things together."
Costa added, "He's a super important person in the fight business. Not only in MMA, but not only in boxing, but he's coming to MMA right now. I think this is a great acquisition for the MMA community."

#revealed #think #matchroom

Sean "Diddy" Combs landed a major win in his defamation case against attorney Ariel Mitchell and her client Courtney Burgess, who claimed to have videos showing the music mogul **** ually **** aulting minors and celebrities at his "freak off" **** parties.
New York federal judge John P. Cronan denied Mitchell's motion to dismiss the lawsuit in a Sept. 4 ruling obtained by USA TODAY, giving Combs the green light to move forward with his $100 million legal action.
Combs first sued Burgess, Mitchell and Nexstar Media for $50 million in January 2025 but amended his complaint seven months later seeking an additional $50 million in damages. In the filing, he accused the lawyer of damaging his reputation by vouching for Burgess' allegations and making allegedly false statements of her own, "including that a police report corroborated an accusation of rape against Combs and that Combs had used drug-laced baby oil to incapacitate his victims."

#combs #sean #courtney #york

Trigger Warning: ***** ual ***** ault

Diddy secured a significant legal victory in his defamation case against lawyer Ariel Mitchell and her client Courtney Burgess. Burgess made explosive claims about the music mogul, alleging that he had videos showing Diddy ***** ually ***** aulting minors and celebrities.
Mitchell asked the court to dismiss Diddy's lawsuit, but US District Judge John Cronan has declined to do so. The court ruled that her arguments were not strong enough to warrant ending the case. In a September 4 order, the judge stated that claims alleging Diddy ***** ually ***** aulted people and secretly recorded ***** ual partners have "precise meanings that are readily understood," reports TMZ.
Diddy filed the defamation lawsuit on January 22, 2025. The case was brought in a New York federal court and initially sought $50 million in damages. Later, the amount was increased to $100 million. The lawsuit also named NewsNation's parent company, Nexstar Media. Diddy accused them of promoting "outlandish claims" and "baseless speculation." He claimed the statements were designed to satisfy the public's desire for "wild lies."
Mitchell previously spoke to the outlet about the matter, saying, "This is just a pathetic ploy to silence victims and people who stand up for victims. Diddy has time to sue but refuses to accept service for the lawsuits already filed against him. I look forward to countersuing and ensuring the court punishes not only Diddy but also his lawyers who filed this pathetic lawsuit for this frivolous and meritless filing."
Combs is currently serving a 50-month prison sentence after facing charges of ***** trafficking, racketeering, and transportation for prostitution. A court hearing to determine the next steps in the case is scheduled for September 17.

#sexual

Andy Ruiz Jr.'s life changed forever on June 1, 2019, when he knocked out Anthony Joshua at Madison Square Garden and became boxing's unified heavyweight champion.
In some ways, it changed for the better. He had accomplished his lifelong dream and was financially set for life.
In other ways, however, it changed for the worse. An out-of-shape Ruiz put in an underwhelming performance in the rematch and subsequently lost his belts six months later.
"Leading up to the rematch, [there were] things [where] I should've just been more disciplined," Ruiz said this week on "The Ariel Helwani Show." "I should've taken care of myself a little bit more. I should've been thinking more of the future, not just the present. Once God gave me what I've been asking for, what I've been wishing for, I kind of went over here [and] I was dragged over there — I kind of lost track of the whole mission."
Ruiz had the opportunity to repeat his win over Joshua, which not only would've cemented his legacy in heavyweight boxing, but also opened the door for more major paydays. It would've been an inspiration for his Mexican and Mexican-American fan base.

#changed

The UFC's Contender Series is in full swing for its 10th season, with Alex Apodaca scoring one of the biggest betting upsets in MMA history by defeating Bella Mir in last week's installment.
The bantamweight clash was the series' Week 4 headliner on Aug. 25, and saw Mir — the daughter of UFC heavyweight legend Frank Mir — enter as a colossal -6000 betting favorite. Apodaca entered with a +1500 moneyline as the underdog, then shockingly spoiled the party and stole a UFC contract from her 23-year-old counterpart via unanimous decision.
After her anticlimactic performance as such a huge favorite, Mir took a ton of online heat and criticism, not only from fans but from fighters alike. Ultimately, Apodaca (4-1) felt the response undervalued her efforts more than anything else, she said Tuesday on "The Ariel Helwani Show."
"She is a good fighter, and when you're saying that kind of thing, it's like, well, that means that I'm not. Or maybe I just did a good job," Apodaca told Uncrowned.
"If you're not giving her credit, you're not giving me credit."

#series #giving #credit #alex

WBO president Gustavo Olivieri has categorically denied Hamzah Sheeraz's allegations of corruption after Janibek Alimkhanuly was installed as the mandatory challenger for Sheeraz's WBO super middleweight ******* le.
Alimkhanuly, the former unified middleweight champion, failed a VADA anti-doping test for a banned substance just days before his scheduled three-belt unification with Erislandy Lara this past December.
The fight was canceled, but the WBO later terminated Alimkhanuly's suspension early and has now controversially installed him as Sheeraz's mandatory challanger, despite Alimkhanuly having never competed at 168 pounds.
Sheeraz was unhappy with the WBO's ruling and made his feelings clear in an interview with Uncrowned's Ariel Helwani this past month.
"I think it's a joke," Sheeraz said. "I think what the WBO have done here is disgraceful to the sport of boxing. What they're essentially doing is rewarding someone who has [tested positive], so to me, it doesn't make sense.

#mandatory #past

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tacko Fall is back in the NBA.
The Philadelphia 76ers announced on Tuesday that they have invited the towering 7-foot-6 Fall to training camp later this month.
Fall, 30, last played in the NBA with Cleveland during the 2021-22 season. He's spent the last four years playing internationally, averaging 11.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 18.1 minutes while competing in China and New Zealand.
The Senegal native played in 37 games for Boston and Cleveland from 2020-22.
The Sixers, who signed LeBron James and traded for Jaylen Brown in the offseason, are inexperienced at center behind Joel Embiid, with 23-year-old Adem Bona and 24-year-old Ariel Hukporti as the other two centers on the roster.

#fall #philadelphia #cleveland #zealand

AEW All In 2026 delivered as one of the year's best professional wrestling events this past Sunday in London. On the grand stage of the world-famous Wembley Stadium, one of the annual spectacle's biggest moments was the debut of Kofi and Austin Creed — now known as The New Level after spending years in WWE as Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods of The New Day.
The legendary duo wasn't advertised for the pay-per-view event, but instead made their arrival as a surprise entrant in the promotion's first-ever Trios Roulette Royal match for the AEW Trios Championships. Alongside Swerve Strickland, Kofi and Creed pulled off the win to become the new champions on only their first night on the job.
Kofi and Creed parted ways with WWE in a shocking development in May after a 12-year run teaming together, in addition to teaming with Big E. While Big E remained with the company as a retired wrestler-turned-analyst, Kofi and Creed were asked to take significant pay cuts when it came time to negotiate their contracts.
Speaking on Monday's edition of "The Ariel Helwani Show," they revealed that they only officially signed with AEW a day before All In. Regarding their WWE departure, the reported 50% pay-cut ask was incorrect: it was higher, according to Kofi.
"We just thought the terms that they wanted us to perform under were not fair based on what we brought to the table, based on what we're worth, based on the knowledge and prowess we have as performers and wrestlers," Kofi told Uncrowned. "What we can give back to the younger people and do in entertainment. Being able to go out there and garner a reaction as good guys or bad guys, no matter the situation. We took a lot of great pride in being Swiss Army knives. Whatever the situation was, we would make it great and make it entertaining. Compensation was definitely a big part, for sure, but more so, we wanted to work.

#wanted

Ahead of the new season, Miami Dolphins fans can rock some new merch that's part of a collab between the league and Disney.
The Walt Disney Co. is joining forces with clothing brand Champion on a collection that pairs all 32 NFL teams with characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars.
The Dolphins were paired up with King Triton, Princess Ariel's dad, through a fan draft. And it may say something that the team, whose season is not looking bright, were paired with a C-tier Disney character.
"Around the world, millions of sports fans can likely recite the stats on the back of their favorite football card or relive a clutch touchdown from years ago as if it happened yesterday," Disney said in a news release last month.
"In much the same way, Disney fans can often instantly name their favorite character or top attraction, recalling so many unforgettable stories and memories shared with family and friends over the years."

#paired #favorite #ahead

Jordan Burroughs has called for a wrestling match against Georges St.Pierre, revealing that the Ultimate Fighting Championship legend is his top choice.

The Olympic gold medalist recently called out the UFC Hall of Famerfor a freestyle wrestling match under the Real American Freestylebanner, proposing a meeting at RAF 14 in Las Vegas on Oct. 3.
Burroughs discussed a potential match with St. Pierre during anappearance on "The Ariel Helwani Show" after his recent RAF victoryover Sean Bradyon Aug. 22. When the Canadian's name came up as a possibleopponent, Burroughs made his interest clear.

"Yeah, Georges, if you're out there, I would love to competeagainst you," Burroughs said. "I'd love to wrestle you. I honoryou. I honor your legacy. And I don't want to embarrass you. Idon't want to humiliate you. I just would love to share the stagewith you. And so, he's No. 1. He's at the very top of my list."

Burroughs then proposed a date and location.

"Georges, if you're out there and are watching this show, make ithappen. Las Vegas, Oct. 3."

St. Pierre has not competed professionally since submittingMichaelBisping to capture the UFC middleweight ***** le in 2017. Heofficially retired from mixed martial arts in 2019 and was inductedinto the UFC Hall of Fame the following year.

Burroughs is next scheduled to face Magomed Kurbanaliev at RAFMoscow on Sept. 5.

#pierre #match #vegas #called

Middleweight contender Gregory Rodrigues moved up the 185-pound pecking order last Saturday with a unanimous win over No. 7 ranked Antony Hernandez in the UFC Sacramento main event.
Rodrigues entered the fight ranked No. 10 and riding a three-fight winning streak. He utilized leg kicks to take control of the fight in the early rounds. Hernandez mounted a comeback but came up short. During the post-fight press conference, Hernandez accused Rodrigues of cheating.
"The f**ker was cheating and grabbing inside of my gloves. And I told Herb (Dean) that. I fight clean, man. So, it is what it is. Maybe I should be more dirty," Hernandez said. "I told f**king Herb, 'this motherf**ker grabbed my glove like four times, and I was like, 'Hey, he's grabbing my gloves.' And he told him, 'Hey, stop.' But I mean, whatever, don't take a point, whatever. You know what I mean? F**k it. I guess people like to cheat, so it is what it is."
On Monday, Rodrigues responded to Hernandez' allegations during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.
"He can say whatever he wants. You know? The fact is I beat him with the leg kicks, the punches. He didn't take me down. He didn't do nothing. He did put a pressure that was good, but I didn't cheat him. He knows that," Rodrigues said.

#fight #take #told #like

Carlos Prates had a front-row seat to the action at UFC 330 in Philadelphia this past Saturday. With his sights firmly set on the victor, Prates watched intently as UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev defended his **** le against Ian Machado Garry.
In the end, it was Makhachev who walked away with a hard-fought unanimous decision to secure his first defense of the 170-pound **** le. The competitive affair left Brazil's Prates optimistic and excited to challenge the reigning pound-for-pound superstar Makhachev.
Speaking Tuesday's on "The Ariel Helwani Show," Prates revealed that he had a conversation with UFC CBO Hunter Campbell while in Philadelphia — and according to the top-ranked knockout artist, Prates is indeed next in line.
"I'm the next for the **** le. New contract. The next one for the **** le, let's go," Prates told Uncrowned.
"Eight fights [on the new contract]. ... I think [Michael Morales] is going to fight Belal Muhammad or somebody, another fighter. Maybe, I don't know, but another fight."

#title #next #contract

At the height of his WWE career, Adam Copeland (FKA Edge) had the perfect dance partner in John Cena. When the latter retired from professional wrestling in 2025, Copeland was a member of the AEW roster, causing the world to miss out on the two legendary rivals colliding one final time.
That didn't mean there wasn't some openness to the idea, though — at least on one side. Copeland, who's currently one-half of the AEW World Tag Team Champions with his longtime friend and fellow wrestling legend Christian Cage, revealed Tuesday on "The Ariel Helwani Show" that a Cena match was entirely possible. He fully believes AEW founder Tony Khan would have allowed the groundbreaking crossover dream match.
It all came down to WWE being willing to play ball.
"Here's what I realized: They could link [doors] to each other. One place doesn't want it to. So, OK," Copeland told Uncrowned.
"Absolutely [Khan would have allowed it]. I truly believe that. Because he knows what it would have meant to a very large segment of the wrestling fans. And that's important."

#Wrestling #cena #edge #john

MackenzieDern believes she needs to improve a lot.

Dern put her Ultimate Fighting Championship strawweight **** le on the linefor the first time against GillianRobertson in the co-main event of UFC330. She outclassed Robertson in every facet to earn aunanimous decision win, but still isn't happy with herperformance.
The strawweight champion believes she needs to work on her cardio,endurance, striking and grappling. While Dern credits Robertson'stoughness, she believes she should have finished her counterpart.According to Dern, her performance might not have sufficed againsta surging contender.

"I'm not happy with my performance," Dern told Ariel Helwani. "Iwish I did better. I wasn't happy with my cardio, my endurance. Iwasn't happy with my striking. I wasn't happy with my grappling. Iwasn't happy. I should have done a lot of that stuff better. Ishould have finished that fight, honestly. Obviously, Gillian isvery tough too… If I fought that performance against someone elsecoming up, that wouldn't be good."

Dern won the vacant **** le against VirnaJandiroba last year after former champ Weili Zhangvacated the **** le and moved up. She is now looking to defend hertitle against Zhang, TatianaSuarez, or LupitaGodinez next.

#performance #needs #cardio

Arman Tsarukyan has his Octagon return set in stone. Instead of the long-awaited and endlessly evasive UFC ******* le shot he continues to pursue, the top-ranked lightweight will collide with rising contender Mauricio Ruffy at UFC 331 on Sept. 19 in Los Angeles.
Outside of MMA, Tsarukyan has been on every kind of side quest imaginable in 2026. He hasn't fought since a second-round submission of Dan Hooker in November. Over that time, Tsaurkyan, 29, has gone 7-1 in wrestling matches with Real American Freestyle (RAF) and racked up a 3-0-1 record in submission grappling matches.
Tsarukyan revealed on Monday's "The Ariel Helwani Show" that a rematch against Charles Oliveira was originally on tap for his UFC return bout.
"I was supposed to fight with Charles, co-main event, five rounds," Tsarukyan said. "Then I went for my training camp, and they, in two weeks, when I was in the mountains, called me and said, 'We got a new name for you. It's Ruffy.' I said, 'OK. No problem.'
"I don't want to pull out and wait for Charles, because [it's] LA, five rounds, it's a big card, and I have not fought in long time. I need this fight, so yeah, that's all."

#ruffy #return #fight

Chicago Cubs starter Edward Cabrera, on a rehab **** ignment with the Smokies in Knoxville, held Rocket City hitless through five innings before the visiting Trash Pandas rallied for a 6-1 win Aug. 11.
The Trash Pandas scored six unanswered runs off Smokies relievers after Cabrera left the game at Covenant Health Park.
Cabrera had seven strikeouts and finished his start retiring 13 straight batters. The only baserunner to reach base came from a two-out walk in the first inning.
"That's kind of how you draw it up," Smokies manager Lance Rymel told Knox News. "Really, really electric stuff."
Knoxville's only run came from an RBI double by Ariel Armas in the second inning.

#cabrera #really #inning #Cubs

The Philadelphia 76ers are looking like a much different team as they head into the 2026-27 season. New President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey looks to build a strong roster around the team's talented core. The Sixers have been unable to get over the hump in the past, but Gansey and Co. have made steps towards fixing that problem.
The Sixers began the offseason by selecting Labaron Philon Jr. with the No. 22 overall pick and then went out and brought in Dean Wade, Ariel Hukporti, and Anfernee Simons in free agency. Then, the Sixers swung for the fences with the blockbuster trade to bring in Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics. Then they landed the biggest name in free agency in LeBron James before landing a deal with 2-time champion Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as another depth piece.
Here's an updated look at the depth chart for the Sixers as they move forward:
Starter: Tyrese Maxey
Depth chart: Labaron Philon Jr., Anfernee Simons, Caleb Love (two-way)

#depth #chart

Ariel Investments, an investment management company, released its "Small Cap Value Fund" Q2 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Ariel Investments said its Small Cap Value Tax-Exempt Composite gained 17.19% gross and 17.04% net in the second quarter of 2026, matching the Russell 2000 Value Index but trailing the Russell 2000's 21.49% return. The rebound was supported by easing geopolitical tensions, lower oil prices, resilient earnings, and renewed strength in technology and AI-related stocks, with strong stock selection also aiding performance. The fund enters the second half with a measured outlook, citing uneven global growth, geopolitical risks, persistent inflation, and elevated borrowing costs as potential sources of volatility. The firm remains focused on long-term value creation through disciplined, bottom-up research and investments in durable businesses with strong balance sheets, capable management, and sustainable competitive advantages. In addition, please check the Fund's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Ariel Small Cap Value Fund highlighted stocks like Knowles Corporation (NYSE:KN). Knowles Corporation (NYSE:KN) is an electronic components company providing advanced audio, communications, and connectivity solutions for consumer and industrial applications. The one-month return of Knowles Corporation (NYSE:KN) was -0.49% while its shares traded between $19.29 and $42.93 over the last 52 weeks. On July 31, 2026, Knowles Corporation (NYSE:KN) stock closed at approximately $36.08 per share, with a market capitalization of about $3.125 billion.
Ariel Small Cap Value Fund stated the following regarding Knowles Corporation (NYSE:KN) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
Leading provider of audio components and precision electronic devices, Knowles Corporation (NYSE:KN) also advanced following a strong earnings report that exceeded revenue and profit expectations. Performance was propelled by solid execution across segments, with Precision Devices benefiting from robust demand across diverse applications and its positioning for accelerated growth. MedTech & Specialty Audio also delivered steady results with attractive margins, underscoring the resilience and quality of the business. Meanwhile, KN continued to return capital to shareholders through share repurchases. We believe the company remains well positioned due to its focus on high-value, niche markets where it holds leading positions, supported by favorable end-market dynamics and improving operational execution that provide a compelling path for sustained growth.

#fund

Ariel Investments, an investment management company, released its "Small Cap Value Fund" Q2 2026 investor letter. A copy of the letter can be downloaded here. Ariel Investments said its Small Cap Value Tax-Exempt Composite gained 17.19% gross and 17.04% net in the second quarter of 2026, matching the Russell 2000 Value Index but trailing the Russell 2000's 21.49% return. The rebound was supported by easing geopolitical tensions, lower oil prices, resilient earnings, and renewed strength in technology and AI-related stocks, with strong stock selection also aiding performance. The fund enters the second half with a measured outlook, citing uneven global growth, geopolitical risks, persistent inflation, and elevated borrowing costs as potential sources of volatility. The firm remains focused on long-term value creation through disciplined, bottom-up research and investments in durable businesses with strong balance sheets, capable management, and sustainable competitive advantages. In addition, please check the Fund's top five holdings to know its best picks in 2026.
In its second-quarter 2026 investor letter, Ariel Small Cap Value Fund highlighted stocks like Masco Corporation (NYSE:MAS). Masco Corporation (NYSE:MAS) manufactures branded home improvement and building products, including plumbing, decorative architectural, and other residential products. The one-month return of Masco Corporation (NYSE:MAS) was -11.80% while its shares traded between $58.16 and $83.64 over the last 52 weeks. On July 31, 2026, Masco Corporation (NYSE:MAS) stock closed at approximately $72.11 per share, with a market capitalization of about $14.095 billion.
Ariel Small Cap Value Fund stated the following regarding Masco Corporation (NYSE:MAS) in its Q2 2026 investor letter:
We added Masco Corporation (NYSE:MAS), the world's largest manufacturer of plumbing fixtures and a leading provider of paint in the United States. The company benefits from a portfolio of differentiated brands, including well-recognized leaders such as Behr paint, Delta faucets and Hansgrohe shower systems, alongside complementary offerings like AXOR premium faucets and KILZ primer. Following the divestiture of its more cyclical windows and cabinets businesses, Masco has sharpened its focus on higher-quality segments where it enjoys meaningful scale, strong brand equity and operational advantages. We expect these attributes combined with deep technical expertise and a well-established supply chain to support continued margin expansion in its core paint and plumbing businesses. In addition, Masco's longstanding relationship with Home Depot is likely to further strengthen its professional paint segment, while its broad distribution and channel penetration should drive sustained growth within plumbing.

#ariel #small #fund

In case one lives under a rock, the Philadelphia 76ers landed LeBron James in free agency. The future Hall of Famer, 41, is set to enter his 24th season in the league, but he is still one of the game's best after averaging 20.9 points, 7.2 ****** ists, and 6.1 rebounds in the 2025-26 season. His presence immediately transforms the Sixers in so many ways.
Let's just start with his versatility. James can play all five positions on the floor and can still stuff a box score no matter where he's placed in terms of his position and whoever is on the floor with him. The way James can just grab a rebound and immediately take it the other way and start a transition opportunity is going to be important for this group to take advantage of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe for easy buckets.
Another thing that stands out is when Joel Embiid inevitably has to miss games. The presence of James makes it easy at the center spot now. James can now slide to the 5 in some lineups to replace Embiid as he can help Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti fill the void. James will be able to play that spot and continue to play at a high level as there will be plenty of nights when he will have the mismatch, even at this stage of his career.
Shooting will be somewhat of an issue as it isn't like James lights it up from 3-point range, and Embiid isn't a knockdown shooter, but Maxey, Edgecombe, and, at times, Jaylen Brown can pick up the slack from there. The Sixers should still be able to have enough ****** ing with the lineup thanks to those three and they should be able to find efficiency and a groove with those lineups.
James is the ultimate player to have on the floor as he is the Queen piece on the chessboard. Coach Nick Nurse and his staff will have plenty of ways to use him on the floor and in different lineup combinations. There will be times he's bringing the ball up, or playing off the ball on the wing, as well as playing up front, and he will be effective in every spot. Truly. There isn't anything James can't do in this game, even when considering where he's at in his career.

#floor #isn 't #sixers #maxey

The offseason is nearly down for the New York Knicks and they're close to fully realizing their roster, but with just NBA roster spot remaining for New York, how the team manages that roster spot will be crucial.
One glaring need for the Knicks before the season begins is to land another center to replace Ariel Hukporti, who signed with the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason. Without Hukporti, the Knicks don't have a solid third option at center to back up Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond, so addressing that deficit in their roster is critical.
The same could be said about the power forward slot. Beyond OG Anunoby, the Knicks can rely on Towns to slot in at power forward, running a double big setup that relies on Towns' ability to ****** e the floor with his shooting ability, but having more support at the four would serve the Knicks well.
The free agent market may be limited, and the Knicks' desire to stay under the second apron should be considered, so with all of that in mind, there are three free agents that the Knicks could reasonably target to full out their roster in time for the pursuit of another championship.
Mason Plumlee has bounced around the NBA the last few seasons, playing with the Charlotte Hornets on a minimum contract during the 2024-25 season before being traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, then subsequently waived by the Thunder. Plumlee didn't play again until the San Antonio Spurs signed him to a 10-day contract in February 2026, then being signed to a rest-of-season contract.

#towns #york

Canelo Alvarez has suggested he will never box David Benavidez, saying “it’s not fair” that the Mexican-American fights in the weight classes he occupies.
Fans have long desired a showdown between Mexico’s Canelo, a former four-weight world champion, and Benavidez, a three-weight world champion, with many accusing Canelo of “ducking” the 29-year-old.
Canelo has held ***** les at super-welterweight, middleweight, super-middleweight, and even light-heavyweight, while Benavidez has held gold at super-middleweight, light-heavyweight and cruiserweight.
Benavidez was even the WBC mandatory challenger to Canelo at super-middleweight for more than two years, without obtaining a fight with the 36-year-old. Benavidez thus moved up to light-heavyweight and, most recently, cruiserweight, where he took the WBA and WBO belts from Gilberto Ramirez with a stoppage win in May.
But Canelo has said he does not care about suggestions that he has avoided Benavidez, telling journalist Ariel Helwani: “I’m not worried because I did everything. I did everything in boxing. I accomplished everything in boxing, and I have nothing to prove, but yes, I will miss boxing a lot [when I retire].

#super #middleweight #light #everything

Ryan Garcia won’t be bound by guidelines if he ever signs with Zuffa Boxing.

Garcia is scheduled to put his WBC welterweight ***** le on the line against Zuffa Boxing’s Conor Benn on Sept. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. While the particulars of the bout are unknown to Garcia, he believes it will be co-promoted. Furthermore, Garcia is certain that he will not be wearing Zuffa fight gear and claims he will never wear a Zuffa uniform even if he signs with the promotion.
Garcia explains that he likes to express himself by designing his own outfit and walkout music. He vows to never sign with Zuffa Boxing if they don’t allow him to express himself the way he wants. However, Garcia complimented Dana White for the way he is building up Zuffa Boxing.

“Even if I ever signed with Zuffa, I will make sure that I never wear a Zuffa outfit,” Garcia told Ariel Helwani. “I'm wearing my own outfits, doing my own thing. If you don't like it, then I'll never sign with you. At the end of the day, I love the whole ‘design your outfit, design your walkout.’ I'm not about to be a robot. I don't care how much money you offer me. I just love the whole show of it and I feel like they should let certain fighters do that. I would like to express myself… I think Dana White's doing an amazing job with Zuffa so far... I like how they run the press conferences... I think it's better.”

Zuffa Boxing is White’s venture into the world of pugilism. The Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO wants to bring boxing under a centralized UFC-style model, but is facing fierce competition from traditional boxing promoters like Eddie Hearn.
"If I ever signed with Zuffa, I will make sure that I never wear a Zuffa outfit. I'm wearing my own outfits, doing my own thing.

If you don't like it, then I'll never sign with you... I'm not about to be a robot, I don't care how much money you offer me."

"I think Dana White's… pic.twitter.com/QOh7pIS3h0— Ariel Helwani (arielhelwani) July 22, 2026

#like #OUTFIT #don 't #wearing

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alyssa Thomas recorded her 20th triple-double in the regular season, Kahleah Copper scored 21 points and the Phoenix Mercury edged the Los Angeles Sparks 86-82 on Wednesday afternoon.
Thomas, who also has six triple-doubles in the playoffs, finished with 19 points, 15 ****** ists and 11 rebounds. She had ****** ists on seven of the last eight baskets scored by the Mercury, who had 28 ****** ists on 35 baskets. Her final one, to Monique Akoa Makani with 14 seconds left, sealed the win.
Akoa Makani had 14 points for the Mercury (10-18), who won their second straight after a six-game losing streak. Natasha Mack added 10. Phoenix was 12-of-18 shooting with 10 ****** ists in the fourth quarter.
Rae Burrell had 20 points for the Sparks (10-16), who take a five-game losing streak into the All-Star break. Dearica Hamby had 18 points and 10 rebounds, but missed a tying layup with 19 seconds to go. Ariel Atkins added 15 points and Nneka Ogwumike had 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Ogwumike, with her ninth rebound of the game, passed Candace Parker (2,902) for second place on the Sparks’ career list behind Lisa Leslie. She finished with her 12th double-double of the season.

#game

Saul "Canelo" Alvarez has already had a professional boxing career spanning more than 20 years and 68 fights. On Wednesday, just days after he turned 36 years old, the Mexican superstar opened up about how much time he believes he still has left in the sport.
"Maybe three, four more fights for me there, because I have other goals out of boxing too," Alvarez revealed on Uncrowned's "The Ariel Helwani Show," while also announcing a rescheduled date of Oct. 31 for his WBC super middleweight ******* le challenge against Christian Mbilli in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Alvarez (63-3-2, 39 KOs), who has been earning eight-figure paydays for more than a decade, explained that money is no longer his principal motivation. At this stage in his career, "Canelo" continues to compete because he has a deep-rooted love for the sport.
"[Boxing] makes me feel alive," Alvarez said. "I was born for this. I really enjoy it. It's hard to adapt yourself again [and again to different opponents], and the training camps are very hard, but I love that, and I enjoy it a lot.
"I don't need anything. ... I did everything in boxing already, and I'm good [financially]. But I still love boxing. When I fight, I always break records, and that's the motivation for me. You need to do something in life. You need to keep your mind busy, motivated. Right now, my motivation is boxing."

#already

The Philadelphia 76ers have had a busy offseason with the additions they made in free agency and in the trade market. President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey has been working hard to build a roster that can compete for a championship and look to make the big leap in the Eastern Conference.
The Sixers, obviously, swung the big deal to acquire Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics in exchange for Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks, but they also signed Dean Wade, Anfernee Simons, and Ariel Hukporti in free agency. They also selected Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. with the No. 22 pick in the draft to add to the roster.
ESPN graded each team's offseason and gave the Sixers an A- grade:
Regardless of Jaylen Brown's precise value, turning 36-year-old Paul George into a 29-year-old All-NBA wing is a big win for Philadelphia. The forward positions have long been a concern for the 76ers, but they're on much firmer ground now with Brown and Dean Wade, and Brown is specifically a strong fit next to Joel Embiid because of his reliability.
The 76ers' roster isn't perfect -- it lacks some shooting and is still too reliant on Embiid for its size -- but Philadelphia at least has a narrow path to the Finals now, when such a route didn't exist before this summer.

#philadelphia #roster #george

The summer league has ended for the Philadelphia 76ers after they finished 2-3 out in Las Vegas. They won their first two games, but then ended on a 3-game skid. However, wins and losses do not matter out in Vegas. It's all about how the young players look and how they can adjust to the NBA game after to prepare for what's to come.
Sixers big man Johni Broome went out to Vegas looking to still establish himself in the league. He had a tough rookie season in which he was limited to only 11 games due to a torn meniscus in his right knee, but he was able to get some run while in the summer league. The No. 35 pick of the 2025 draft averaged 14.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.7 ****** ists in the three games he played.
For Broome, here are three observations that stood out in the 2026 summer league:
Broome had a poor showing in his third and final summer league game, but he was a monster on the boards in the first two games. He grabbed 13 rebounds in the first game against the Detroit Pistons and then 11 in an overtime win over the Indiana Pacers. There was ****** ody on either team who could slow him down on the glass and Broome went to work as he attacked the glass and really gave Philadelphia a presence in the paint. That has to continue into the 2026-27 season as it would give him a real chance to produce and earn some minutes from coach Nick Nurse and the coaching staff.
If one has been following along with Sixers Wire, they would know that summer league coach TJ DiLeo wanted Broome to launch some 3s and show off his work there. Broome struggled as he shot just 2-for-15 from deep in the three games, but he has been working hard on that shot and has been wanting to show it off in a game setting. As he continues to develop his game, Broome will get more opportunities to show his game, but he will have to beat out both Adem Bona and Ariel Hukporti in the coming season in order to earn some minutes behind Joel Embiid in the center rotation.

#three