Two starts are hashing it out to be Liverpool's new striker this season. But who will Andoni Iraola pick?
Liverpool are unfortunately light at centre-forward, despite spending over £200m on the role last summer. Injuries are the problem, naturally.
Alexander Isak endured an incredibly difficult debut campaign at Anfield where he struggled to find fitness before breaking his leg. It meant we never saw anything like the best of Liverpool's record signing and it's difficult to know what to expect in 2026/27.
A pre-season under his belt will surely help Isak enormously and perhaps fix all the problems. But it's still difficult to believe that Liverpool can entirely rely on him next season.
Which is a problem because Hugo Ekitike will miss around half the season at least. His achilles injury keeps him out long-term and, worryingly, we won't know what state he'll be in when he's back.

#Liverpool #isak #know #injuries

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani has admitted to playing through two injuries as he tries to get back on the mound.
Ohtani battles wear that most players do not contend with, since he hits in the lineup five times a week and makes a weekly start of 85-100 pitches.
Shohei Ohtani is dealing with multiple injuries, per Dave Roberts.

Ohtani is dealing with his left knee problem, which is well documented.

Additionally, he had his bicep issue resurface during his bullpen session on Wednesday.

His next bullpen session is to be determined. pic.twitter.com/rexdyvCNGt
Now at 30, Ohtani is no spring chicken, and he is years into a baseball career that has seen him play at this level since his teenage years.
However, for most of the season, Ohtani looked like he was going to have a historic season, posting an amazing ERA and producing a tick below his best as a hitter, but still at the top of MLB.

#ohtani #angeles

JonJones remains highly confident in his ability.

In a recent interview, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight and lightheavyweight **** leholder weighed in on how he believes a fightagainst fellow former two-division king AlexPereira and a wrestling match against longtime rival DanielCormier would unfold, backing himself in both scenarios.
Jones and Pereira were seemingly on a collision course when thelatter announced his move up to heavyweight for UFC Freedom 250. However, with Jones' ongoing stalemate withthe UFC regarding his future, a fight against "Poatan" has fallenthrough.

Nevertheless, Jones cites size as a key factor at heavyweight,claiming his former opponents StipeMiocic and Ciryl Ganeare bigger than Pereira, who previously competed at 185 pounds.

"I watched Pereira train," Jones said in an interview with AFLGlobal. "I see his level of wrestling and it's way behind. I feelas if Stipe Miocic is a true heavyweight. He's a big, big boy.Ciryl Gane, when you see him in person, he's a big, big boy. AlexPereira is not a big, big boy. He's a lean guy. I think right nowhe weighs maybe 250."

Jones believes his size and grappling would have overwhelmedPereira, predicting a submission win had they collided inside theOctagon.

"I feel as if my physical strength would have been too much forhim," Jones said. "I felt as if the moment I would have gotten himto the ground, my submissions would have come pretty quickly. Imean, everyone knows that. I think that's the clearest path tovictory for me against Alex Pereira. But we're not fighting. I am afan of him. I support him, and I want to see him do well."

"Bones" also discussed his approach towards a potential wrestlingmatch with Cormier, who he's already shared the cage withtwice.

"I think I would have beat D.C. in a wrestling match," Jones said."It wouldn't be easy, but I think I would beat him in wrestling. Ihear that he has problems with his back, so my strategy would be tojust try to wear on him. Not shoot, not go for the takedown, butjust hand fight, hand fight, hand fight and see if I could wear onthat back."

#pereira #hand

In the definition of a back-and-forth battle, the Mariners outslugged the Dodgers with a season-high five home runs in a 7-6 loss for the reigning champs. Neither team seemed capable of holding onto a lead for any meaningful period until the Mariners jumped in front in the eighth thanks to a two-run shot from Dominic Canzone, his second and Seattle's fifth homer of the game.
As different as the seasons of the two starting pitchers in this matchup might be, for one game, they both encountered the same problem, completely allergic to the prospect of a shutdown inning. On four separate occasions, a team took the lead in the first five innings only to see its starter unable to put a zero on the board in the following half-inning.
Justin Wrobleski has thrived this season with the ability to raise his level according to the situation, but what does he do when the opposition ambushes him? The Mariners managed to score five runs off the left-hander without even having a single at-bat with a runner in scoring position against him—courtesy of not two, not three, but four home runs against a pitcher who had allowed a total of three long ****** prior to this game. Cal Raleigh, Julio Rodríguez, Rob Refsnyder, and Dominic Canzone all left the yard. While the homers hit by Rodríguez and Raleigh could be categorized as mistake pitches, the ones by Canzone and Refsnyder came on well-located fastballs at or well above the strike zone—it stands to reason that Wrobleski's heater didn't have the same life on it, or that the M's guessed right on multiple occasions.
For the Dodgers' offense against Castillo, it was an eventful game from start to finish, but one that could've been more dominant. The M's veteran starter allowed a leadoff bomb to Shohei Ohtani and had to deal with trouble in some form or another for his entire outing.
The Sho has started! pic.twitter.com/rfu4k1gr7W

#runs #Dodgers #dominic

You guys have probably heard the line 'its hard not to be romantic about baseball' before, and tonight was a perfect encapsulation of that very phrase. It had all the highs of the big blowout win, the heartbreak of the blown save, and then the triumph of the unsung hero coming out of nowhere in the extra innings to save the team. Nights like tonight either drive you crazy, or make you fall in love with the game that much more. No other sport can play with our emotions quite like baseball can.
The Diamondbacks offense got off to such an amazing start. Scoring consistently with team baseball throughout each of the first 4 innings. It really felt like this offense was clicking. Overall they recorded 16 hits in the 12 innings highlighted by James McCann with 4 and Nolan Arenado with 3. On the flip side, this offense also set a franchise record recording 24 outs with runners in scoring position tonight. What started out so good, quickly turned into a start reminder of the problems that have been plaguing this offense most of the season with its struggles with RISP.
Then in the 7th inning, the offense suddenly came to a screeching halt. And the Pirates offense came jolting to life. The Pirates would erase the 6-0 lead the Dbacks had going into the 8th inning with 3 runs in the 8th and 3 runs in the 9th. Unfortunately what had been a strength much of the season in the backend of the bullpen in Thompson and Sewald was a weakness tonight. Thompson simply could not get away with anything tonight giving up 4 hits and a walk in just .2 of an inning. And the leader of this bullpen, Sewald came into the game with a 3 run lead in the 9th and proceeded to give up a base hit and back to back home runs to immediately erase the 3 run lead and tie the game. This was such a low moment for this team in such a big game. Especially with how lock down Sewald has been in save situations this season coming into the game having blown only 2 saves in 24 chances.
However fortunately for the Dbacks there was Gerardo Carillo who tonight put this team on his back and carried them back into the 3rd wildcard spot. Carrillo, who came into today working primarily as the low leverage long man, was thrust straight into some of the most high leverage innings of the season thus far, and boy did he deliver. Carillo was able to give the team 2 innings tonight in which he allowed 0 hits and 0 runs while striking out 3 while getting his first career major league win. He threw a 6 pitch scoreless 11th and then put up another 0 in the 12th to keep this team alive. Carillo has always been an intriguing relief option in the upper minors given his upper 90's fastball velocity combined with his pitch mix including a cutter, a splitter, and sinker. However tonight he also showed that he has what could arguably be the most important trait for a late inning reliever and that is he has that dog in him.
It is also worth discussing Brandon Pfaadt who tonight was dominant over 7 innings and definite

For three consecutive presidential campaigns, President Donald Trump regularly told the same lie when he spoke in the swing state of Michigan. Before he even entered politics, he claimed, he was named "Man of the Year" in the state.
The problem: CNN and other media outlets repeatedly noted that this award did not exist. But Trump revived the tale once more near the end of a falsehood-filled economic speech in Michigan on Monday — and added an additional lie claiming that an initially skeptical media had eventually discovered the award story was correct.
"I was here 25 years ago, I got Man of the Year. They — oh, by the way, the press questioned that, and then they found out it was true, actually," Trump said with a chuckle. "And I made a speech, and all I talked about was why are you letting them steal your auto industry?"
Nope. This is yet another example of the fake history that has littered various Trump addresses this month.
Approaching 10 full years after Trump debuted the "Man of the Year" lie, ***** ody has ever been able to find any evidence for it. The state of Michigan does not give out a "Man of the Year" award, Trump has never lived in the state, and he and his team have never specified who or what entity supposedly gave him this award and when.

#michigan #award #years

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Padres fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The San Diego Padres stumbled out of the All-Star break dropping back-to-back series on the road to the Kansas City Royals and the Atlanta Braves. Each loss, four in all, seemed to be another nail in the coffin on the 2026 season. The Padres limped into their final series of the road trip against the Miami Marlins with their season seemingly hanging in the balance. Anything less than a winning series would have surely resulted in the team looking to offload expiring contracts at the deadline relegating the remaining players on the roster to play out the string of games before heading to the offseason.
The Padres had other plans and instead of just winning the series against the Marlins, they swept the team from South Beach and handed them their 12th consecutive loss. San Diego had a thrilling win in the third and final game of the series that saw the Padres enter the eighth inning trailing by two runs. Manny Machado hit a two-run home run to tie the game and two batters later, Jackson Merrill connected on a solo home run to put San Diego in the lead. Luis Campusano later added an RBI-single in the inning and the Friar Faithful got a glimpse of what the Padres could be — and were expected to be.
Starting pitching has been problematic for San Diego, but the offense has come to life in the past week. With the offense turning around and the Padres adopting the pitching chaos theory with their rotation has San Diego changed your mind about what they should do at the MLB Trade Deadline. There are five games remaining after the Padres played their series opener against the Colorado Rockies tonight. There is still time to make a decision, and there is still an opportunity to sway decision makers within the organization or maybe the team has already done so. Have they changed your thoughts about the deadline approach?
Brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

#team

Cathie Wood doesn't mind volatility. The founder, CEO, and chief investment officer of Ark Invest went shopping as many of her existing positions were sinking.
Ark bought more shares of Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), **** e Exploration Technologies (NASDAQ: SPCX), and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) last week. The stocks would go on to decline between 7% and 18% for the week. Let's take a closer look at some of Wood's most prolific trades from the past week, each one among the 10 largest companies by market cap.
Missed Nvidia in 2009? This Rare Signal Is Flashing Again. In 2009, a "Double Down" signal flashed for a little-known chipmaker called Nvidia. For the first time in years, that same "Total Conviction" signal is flashing for a company 1/100th the size of Nvidia. Continue »
It's been a **** py road for the world's largest automaker by market cap. Tesla stock has fallen 16% in the final two trading days of last week, after the company posted disappointing financial results. The pullback isn't a fluke. Tesla has now fallen a humbling 37% since peaking seven months ago. Tesla entered this week just 5% away from taking out its 52-week low.
The second-quarter results were problematic. Total revenue rose 26% to $28.2 billion, but that was largely expected. Tesla had announced a 25% jump in vehicles delivered during the last three months three weeks ago. It's commendable that Tesla is growing its flagship business, following back-to-back quarters of sequential declines after the end of federal tax credits for electric vehicles in the third quarter of last year. The report gets worse once you get past the top-line results.

#last #NVIDIA #flashing

The San Francisco Giants unsteady future plans for their rotation just got murkier. On Tuesday, the team announced what many had feared for a few days: that right-handed pitcher Trevor McDonald will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair his throwing arm.
McDonald, who has a 5.12 ERA and a 4.28 FIP on the year, left his last start after feeling discomfort in his elbow during warm-up pitches before the fifth inning. The 25-year old was promptly placed on the 15-Day Injured List with a UCL strain which, unfortunately, leads to Tommy John most of the time. After getting a second opinion from a specialist, McDonald and the Giants decided on the surgery, which will take place next week.
The timing of the surgery means that McDonald will not only miss the rest of this year, but almost certainly all of next season as well. Barring any setbacks, he should have a good chance of being ready to return by the time Spring Training rolls around in 2028. Unfortunately for McDonald, he'll find himself in an unenviable situation then: he'll be not only trying to shake off the injury rust and get back in form, but he'll be out of options, essentially eliminating his leash to get back in a rhythm and proove himself.
But that's a problem for another day. Unfortunately, a whole lot of rehab awaits McDonald before he gets to the stage. And a whole lot of moves await the Giants, who will need to rebuild an already-bad rotation this offseason — and one that is likely about to lose Robbie Ray and Tyler Mahle — without McDonald as an option.

#Giants #tommy

Well this is a peculiar first move for trade deadline season. Jake Rogers, the longest tenured Detroit Tigers player, has been designated for ***** ignment. Eduardo Valencia was recalled on Sunday and will be taking over the backup catcher duties. Rogers' roster spot will go to Javier Báez, who returns from a three-month absence after suffering a high ankle sprain at the end of April.
The 31-year-old Rogers made his major league debut with the Tigers back on July 30, 2019 after coming to the Tigers in the trade that sent Justin Verlander to the Houston Astros in August of 2017. He finally became the Tigers primary catcher in 2021 before tearing his UCL and requiring reconstruction surgery that cost him all of the 2022 season. In 2023 and 2024 Rogers put together good seasons based around his defensive ability, plate discipline, and the occasional burst of home run power. He was worth 4.7 fWAR across those two years, but since that point his offensive contributions collapsed as Dillon Dingler took over the everyday catching role. This season, Rogers' defense finally showed real signs of cracking as well. He's hitting .161/.266/.301 for a 60 wRC+ which ranks him 48th out of 59 catchers with 100 plate appearances or more this season.
Despite his struggles, two part-time White Sox catchers, and numerous others, are even worse offensive players than Rogers. It won't be a surprise if he gets claimed, but it's too bad no one would flip a lottery ticket prospect to acquire him. The problem is that Rogers defensive numbers have declined this year and he's finally grading out a little below average as a defender. Whether that's partly the result of lack of playing time is hard to say, but hopefully he'll be claimed somewhere. If he clears waivers and is outrighted the Tigers will still be on the hook for the rest of his $3.05M salary for 2026.
Valencia is far and away a better hitter than Rogers, so that should provide a little support to the offense. On the other hand, Valencia isn't that good behind the plate, particularly in terms of holding opponents' running game in check. Still with Rogers defensive numbers in decline, perhaps Valencia won't do worse.
Getting Báez back could be pretty helpful to the Tigers although it's just funny to look at Báez as a way to trim strikeouts in the lineup by taking over some of the workload from James Outman. It will be interesting to see how he's deployed. With Kerry Carpenter out with a foot injury, the outfield needs help. It needed help anyway. We'll see if Báez is back to full speed and can get back to playing a solid enough center field. If he's back to 100 percent, that also gives the Tigers options, with Báez getting some time at shortstop and around the infield to get another right-handed bat into the lineup. Either way, it's good to have Javy Báez back, and hopefully further support for the outfield isn't too far away as Max Clark will be available to be called up without spoiling his 2027 rookie eligibi

Many expected the Dodgers to be facing the Mariners in the World Series last season, but Seattle couldn't close the deal against the Blue Jays. Now, a year later, they're an inferior team, but one still fighting to enter the postseason. The M's will go with the veteran Luis Castillo for the opening game of this series; potentially good news for a Dodgers offense that scored more than four runs only once in its last five games, making the pitching do the heavy lifting in the road trip's last stop at Citi Field.
A symbol of stability for this young Mariners staff ever since his acquisition back at the deadline in 2022, Castillo has a 3-9 record this season, which is a direct indicator of career-low numbers almost across the board. Lately, though, Castillo has had problems keeping the ball in the yard, allowing five home runs in his last two outings, the losing pitcher of record in each of his three outings this month. Although that 4.85 ERA this season justifies a lousy record, it is also a byproduct of the Mariners' complete inability to provide him any run support, scoring just 19 runs in his last eight starts.
Back to the home runs and how they might come into play, the one Dodger to actually leave the yard against the Mets, Kyle Tucker, is also one of the two who has gone deep against Castillo before. The two home runs in Citi Field were encouraging, but even in this recent stretch, Tucker needs to show more to come close to the player the Dodgers thought they were getting. Hitting at home hasn't been an enjoyable task for Tucker with a .607 OPS at Dodger Stadium.
One player who has definitely enjoyed performing at Dodger Stadium, though, is Justin Wrobleski. The Dodgers' starter has managed to keep an ERA below 3.00 both at home and on the road, but his .461 OPS allowed in seven starts at home genuinely sounds made up. Monitoring how he does with an increased workload in the second half is a priority for the Dodgers.
Teams: Dodgers vs. Mariners

#castillo #runs

Jalen Carter is no longer being paid for potential. The Philadelphia Eagles are compensating him like the centerpiece of a championship defense.
Carter agreed to a four-year, $152 million extension that reportedly includes $106 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid defensive tackle in NFL history by annual value. That distinction brings more than financial security. It establishes a standard Carter will be expected to meet every week. The Eagles have already seen stretches in which Carter appears capable of controlling games from the interior. His first-step quickness, power and ability to collapse the pocket create problems that cannot always be measured through sacks. Quarterbacks are forced to move, running backs must alter their paths and offensive lines frequently commit additional help to his side.
Philadelphia's investment is based on the belief that those stretches can become the norm.
Record contracts invite record expectations. Carter will be evaluated against the NFL's elite defensive tackles rather than other young players at his position. Quiet stretches will receive more attention, while availability, conditioning, and discipline will become increasingly important factors in his performance. The extension also gives Carter an opportunity to **** ume a larger leadership role. Jordan Davis has received his own long-term deal, but Carter's contract makes him the financial centerpiece of Philadelphia's defense. Younger linemen will follow his example, and the organization will expect his preparation to match his talent.
None of that should be viewed as unfair. Carter earned the leverage that produced a historic agreement. The Eagles responded by making one of the largest commitments in franchise history.

#Eagles

When it comes to Chicago Bears cornerback Kyler Gordon, the one word that encapsulates his current injury situation is "frustration."
Gordon, a former second-round pick, was hampered by soft tissue injuries last season, playing in just three regular-season games with two stints on injured reserve. After playing in two postseason games, the arrow was pointed up for Gordon, who's elevated the defense when he's on the field.
But Gordon suffered yet another soft tissue injury -- a calf injury, as confirmed by general manager Ryan Poles -- that held him out of the offseason program and has him on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to start training camp. There's also no current timetable for his return.
"Obviously, he's frustrated," Poles said Tuesday. "We're frustrated. Everybody here is putting their time and effort into getting him back."
Head coach Ben Johnson hasn't been shy when it comes to voicing his frustration with Gordon, making it clear that his lack of availability has been a problem. On report day, Johnson had a message to Gordon as he starts the summer injured.

#soft #season

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) beat quarterly expectations, secured $20 billion in net awards, reported record backlog, and raised its 2026 sales and MTM-adjusted earnings forecasts. Yet the shares closed 2.23% lower at $512.29 on July 21.
The contradiction becomes clearer when the quality of the earnings beat is separated from the size of the order book. ***** ysts said a substantially lower tax rate drove much of the upside, while operating income declined in two of Northrop's four segments. The company also left its segment operating-income and adjusted free-cash-flow forecasts unchanged.
JPMorgan ***** yst Seth Seifman pointed to the market's "tendency to punish execution challenges." That appears to capture the reaction. Investors did not question whether Northrop can win more work. They questioned how much profit it can retain while delivering that work and expanding production.
Are the latest program charges temporary costs of meeting surging defense demand, or evidence that Northrop's backlog is growing faster than its ability to execute profitably?
The bull case is that Northrop's execution problems remain concentrated in a few programs, while the broader demand environment is becoming stronger.

#adjusted #forecasts #much

Liverpool's planning at centre-back has taken an uncomfortable turn after Joe Gomez suffered an injury in the pre-season friendly against Sunderland, a development that further narrows Andoni Iraola's options before the new season begins.
As reported by BBC Sport, Gomez went off after only eight minutes and was then absent from training in Chicago on Sunday. There is still no confirmed timescale on the issue, but the immediate picture is clear enough. Liverpool are short in a key area of the pitch, and that shortage is sharpening the focus on both recruitment planning and existing contingency measures.
Photo IMAGO
At present, Virgil van Dijk stands as the only fit senior centre-back available. For a side preparing for another demanding campaign, that is far from ideal. Van Dijk's status as captain and defensive leader remains central, but relying so heavily on one established figure at this stage of pre-season leaves little margin for error.
The problem has been compounded by the unavailability of summer arrivals Jeremy Jacquet and Giovanni Leoni. Jacquet's issue is understood to be minor, yet the timing leaves Iraola with an undeniably thin group in central defence. It is the sort of situation clubs prefer to avoid in July and August, because even short absences can disrupt rhythm, partnerships and tactical work.

#season #centre #short

Astros' trade deadline plan revealed with .664 OPS problem originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
With the trade deadline less than one week away, the Houston Astros plan to be buyers.
ESPN's Alden Gonzalez wrote Tuesday that the Astros' general manager, Dana Brown, is not prepared to trade for an impending free agent, however.
Their biggest need is in the outfield.
"The Astros began the week with a combined .664 OPS from their outfielders, the worst mark in the majors," Gonzalez wrote.

#trade #week

That series in Arlington wasn't a complete disaster thanks to that come-from-behind victory on Sunday, but the Mariners were pretty thoroughly outplayed by the Rangers over the last four games. That puts Seattle in a really tough position. The team clearly isn't good enough as constructed — they're also supposedly a buyer ahead of the trade deadline too — but it feels like the issues on the roster are deep enough that pasting over a few acquisitions this week won't solve the underlying problems (namely, massive underperformance from Cal and Julio). Anyway, the M's will be making big decisions about the rest of their season while playing a three-game set against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Good luck.
Game
Time
Mariners Starter
Dodgers Starter

#Mariners #Dodgers #enough #arlington

Alphabet reported earnings on July 22 and the stock dropped more than 7% in a single session. The numbers weren't bad. Cloud grew 82% year over year. Advertising held up. EPS beat. What rattled investors was the spending. Capital expenditure guidance for 2026 came in at $195 billion to $205 billion. Free cash flow went negative for the first time in the company's history. The market looked at that bill and sold first, asked questions later.
Five days later, Phillip Securities ****** yst Serena Lim Yi Qi published a note saying the market got it wrong. On July 27, she upgraded Alphabet to Buy from Accumulate, lowered her price target to $425 from $450, and explained why the combination of those two moves makes sense.
The upgrade from Accumulate to Buy is the meaningful part of the call. Phillip Securities is saying Alphabet's AI momentum has reached the point where sitting on the sidelines no longer makes sense, according to Investing.com.
Lim Yi Qi pointed to Alphabet's vertically integrated AI ecosystem as the core of the bull case. The company controls its own custom silicon through its Tensor Processing Units, runs optimized data centers, and deploys its Gemini models across Search, Cloud, and its broader product suite. That integration, in her view, gives Alphabet a structural advantage that is starting to show up in the numbers in a meaningful way.
The free cash flow picture is more complicated. Alphabet turned negative on free cash flow for the first time this quarter because of the scale of its AI investment. Lim Yi Qi views that as a temporary condition supporting stronger long-term growth rather than a structural problem. The company has also raised its 2026 capex guidance to a range of $195 billion to $205 billion, signaling the buildout is far from over.

#free #flow #first #cloud

Blue Jays might have fixed Jeff Hoffman originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Toronto Blue Jays have dealt with plenty of problems this season, and it has led to lots of disappointment after having made it to extra innings in Game 7 of the World Series to end the 2025 campaign.
Many of the problems still exist, but the Blue Jays seem to have at least solved Jeff Hoffman's issues.
Hoffman, who blew the save in Game 7, opened this year in miserable form. It was just a mighty struggle.
He earned himself a demotion from the closer role, and he's had to work to prove he still deserves decent bullpen opportunities.

#jays #game #preferred #source

Chris Weidman sees welterweight champion Islam Makhachev frustrating Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330.
Makhachev (28-1 MMA, 17-1 UFC) makes his first ****** le defense against Machado Garry (17-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) in the Aug. 15 main event at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia (Paramount+). Makhachev claimed the welterweight ****** le at UFC 322 by taking down Jack Della Maddalena four times and controlling him for more than 19 minutes.
"I think this is going to be a really stressful fight for Ian Garry," Weidman said on "Deep Waters." "I don't think he's going to be as comfortable because he's going to be sh*tting his pants about the takedown because he sees how good Islam is on the ground, and Islam is going to throw hard on the feet, too."
Machado Garry has been criticized for his fighting style, which Weidman believes will benefit him against Makhachev.
"The best thing that he's got going for him is that he's not afraid to have a boring fight," Weidman said of Machado Garry. "He's not afraid to use footwork, run non-stop. He has no problem running from you the whole ****** time."

#makhachev #think

As well as Yan Diomande and Rodri, Real Madrid have not yet ruled out the possible signing of another central defender. Ibrahima Konate has also been brought in as a free agent, but head coach Jose Mourinho wants to have another option at his disposal in time for the 2026-27 season starting in a few weeks' time.
Earlier in the summer, Nico Schlotterbeck had been Real Madrid's leading target, but after he picked up an ankle injury while on duty with Germany at the 2026 World Cup, club officials have pivoted to Alessandro Bastoni. Mourinho is also a big fan of the Inter Milan and Italy star, who could soon be set to make the move to the Bernabeu.
As per MD, Inter have agreed a deal to sign former Manchester City defender John Stones, and the expectation is this will open the door for Bastoni to move to Real Madrid later this summer, should an approach be made.
Real Madrid want to go for Bastoni, although they are clear that any new defender cannot be signed until someone leaves. Mourinho has already informed Raul Asencio that he is not in his plans for the new season, so he would be the prime candidate to leave, which would open the door for Bastoni to move to the Bernabeu.
Asencio has some interest in his services, but right now, there is no indication from the player himself that he wants to leave. Thus, Real Madrid may have a problem doing the necessary business to bring in Bastoni, which would be frustrating for Mourinho in his efforts to build the perfect squad ahead of the first season of his second spell as manager. For now, it simply remains to be seen how the situation plays out with both defenders.

#mourinho #bernabeu

Max Verstappen is already firmly locked into a long-term contract with Red Bull Racing that runs through the end of 2028. However, amid a chaotic 2026 silly season fueled by internal team politics and public flirtations from Mercedes, rumors of a potential performance-based exit clause have loomed over the Milton Keynes garage all year.
Now, it appears Red Bull's upper management is ready to throw a massive amount of cash at the problem to ensure their star driver has no legal avenues to jump ship.
According to a recent report originating from the German outlet BILD, Red Bull and Verstappen's management are actively engaged in contract extension talks.
The rumored deal on the table would extend Verstappen's tenure with the team through the 2029 season. To sweeten the pot, Red Bull is reportedly offering a significant pay **** p on top of his current base salary, which already sits at a staggering €65 million (roughly $71 million) per year.
But the massive financial upgrade comes with one major condition: the new contract would completely eliminate any existing exit clauses.

#contract #year #management #million

Luis Robert Jr. doesn't want to be traded by the Mets.
"To be honest, I'd like to stay here," Robert told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com on Monday. "I don't like those types of moves or trades that just happen in the middle of the season and you have to move around fast."
Whether he prefers to stay in Queens with the Mets, Robert needs to brace for a trade.
Outfield is the least of the Mets' problems as the focus shifts to next season and beyond. With phenoms A.J. Ewing and Carson Benge blossoming into everyday players alongside superstar Juan Soto, it would be a surprise if the Mets picked up Robert's $20 million club option for next year. There's no spot for him to get consistent playing time.
Therefore, since Robert must be treated like a player on an expiring deal, the Mets will look to get as much back for him as they can. Bob Nightengale of USA Today used the word "desperate" to describe how badly the Mets are trying to move Robert this week.

#robert #next #anthony #dicomo

The regional administrative authority in Madrid has withdrawn Spanish top-flight club Rayo Vallecano's right to use the Vallecas stadium in order to begin urgent renovation work. This comes just under two weeks before the start of the season, even though the inadequate conditions have long been known.
"There is no way to guarantee that nothing can happen," explained the Regional Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Mariano de Paco.
The immediate consequence is that Rayo will not be able to start the season in its own stadium. The authority gives no exact details, but ***** umes that the renovation work will take "months" and plans to begin "as early as tomorrow."
The regional government is making this decision to "ensure people's safety" and says the work will address possible problems related to fire safety or sanitation. "We will act with the utmost urgency and try to make it happen in the shortest possible time," the minister announced.
Rayo Vallecano uses the municipal stadium under a right-of-use agreement; it is not owned by this year's Conference League finalist.

#work #right #begin

The Cincinnati Bengals have a good problem most teams would take. They have two young corners worthy of re-signing for a second contract.
DJ Turner (a second-round pick in the 2023 draft) and Dax Hill (a first-round selection from the 2022 draft) are both quality starters. Especially Turner, who has received the underrated tag pretty frequently this offseason.
However, it is still a problem when you need to re-sign them. The Bengals have been spending quite a bit, and while they could re-sign both players. The team would be left without the wiggle room it usually would like to have.
We've seen players like Trey Hendrickson, Jessie Bates, and Ja'Marr Chase all skip out on portions of training camp while entering the last years of their respective contracts. The Bengals aren't expecting that this time around.
"When you draft guys like that that come in and find roles and elevate their game and elevate the people around them. Those are guys you want to be around," Director of Player Personnel Duke Tobin said of the cornerback duo. "And I'm not going to make any predictions about future contracts. We have everyone signed up right now, which is really good. It's a good feeling. I think everyone is locked in on the season, and we'll see what the future holds. But right now, our focus is winning and winning now."

#draft #problem

Former Edmonton Oilers forward and NHL enforcer Georges Laraque believes the team's biggest issue remains unchanged despite another offseason overhaul.
Speaking on the Bleed Oil Blue Podcast, Laraque argued that Edmonton's goaltending continues to hold the team back during Connor McDavid's Stanley Cup window.
"The biggest problem we've had for years, which I don't understand, is the goalie," Laraque said. "Every year we go get a goalie. I never agree with it. I know it's not going to work."
MORE: Connor McDavid calls Mike Babcock hire 'great opportunity' for Oilers
Laraque questioned Edmonton's repeated strategy of acquiring reclamation projects instead of proven starters.

#connor #former #georges

When it comes to starting jobs, the Cincinnati Bengals don't have many major roster battles of note to start training camp.
That's the byproduct of a strong roster that received some major additions at the problem areas like defensive tackle, removing any doubt about who starts where.
Except for one spot on the roster, apparently.
Let special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons tell it, there's a starting-job battle between kick returners Charlie Jones and Ke'Shawn Williams.
"I think Ke'Shawn did a good job in the limited opportunities he had last year," Simmons said, according to Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com. "Obviously, it's no big secret that Charlie has been productive when he's been on the field. We just need him to stay on the field longer. I think Ke'Shawn has earned every opportunity to put himself right in the thick of the competition."

#roster #simmons #starting #think

What's clear in Cleveland: Even after the signing of Mario Hezonja, sources with knowledge of the Cavaliers' thinking insisted Monday that they continue to maintain ****** inga interest. The problem: Cleveland's lack of available salary-cap ****** e means it would require a sign-and-trade to add ****** inga. And sources say that the Cavaliers, because they are already hard-capped at the first apron, have found it challenging to ****** emble a trade construction that Atlanta would find suitable.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Even after the signing of Mario Hezonja, sources with …

#trade

Philip's $45,000 household income in Los Angeles is an earnings problem. California's cost of living runs 11% above the national baseline, and average consumer expenditures hit $78,535 in 2024.
At a record 21% APR, carrying medical copays on credit cards makes debt repayment nearly impossible at Philip's current income level.
Ramsey argues Philip moving to full-time work at the national median wage of $1,251 per week would roughly double his household income.
Two retirees, same $1 million, same 4% rule, buy one finished with $1.4 million, the other hit $0 in 12 years. Our free reader guide explains the flaw that separated them, and the income-first method built to avoid it.
On July 23, a caller named Philip told Dave Ramsey he could not stop taking on new debt. He is 49, works part-time as a grocery store courtesy clerk in Southern California, and shares a household income of roughly $40,000 to $45,000 with his wife. The debt was credit cards and routine medical bills, copays, doctor visits, dental care. When asked why he was not working full-time, Philip said, "A lot of emotional stuff, a lot of baggage, a lot of... yeah, I have a long history."

#income #time

Enterprise AI agents were meant to be the breakout software offering for 2026, yet instead they've become one of the major sources of buyer distrust. According to Anaconda and Forrester research, over 88% of AI agent pilots never reach production, as confirmed by independent polls from a16z and MIT Sloan's CIO panel, while Gartner predicts that more than 40% of agentic AI initiatives will be discontinued entirely by 2027 due to questionable ROI.
Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:CRM) walked into the gap between agent hype and agent reality when it placed its growth narrative on Agentforce, and by 2026, that bet has made Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:CRM) one of the worst-performing components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, down around 31.48% year to date.
The immediate cause appears to be a credibility problem, not a demand issue. Bernstein downgraded Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:CRM) to Sector Weight from Outperform on July 9, removing its price target completely and citing poor customer feedback on Agentforce in particular. According to **** yst Jackson Ader, the released data doesn't yet indicate growing momentum, and a recent CIO survey found Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:CRM) to be "a standout for the wrong reasons."
That said, this interpretation is not uniform, and the debate on the market is serious. On July 14, Goldman Sachs reiterated its Buy rating and $242 price target, expecting organic growth to pick up in the third quarter as more details on AI monetization become available at Salesforce's Agentforce event in September. Goldman's more constructive reading is based on management's own acknowledgment of headwinds in Tableau, Commerce, and Marketing, which the firm sees as realistic rather than concerning, arguing that Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:CRM) is being open about a 12-to-24-month drag on its organic growth algorithm rather than covering it up.
Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:CRM)'s historical valuation decline looks to be the most mispriced aspect of the market story. Shares are currently trading at a compressed forward earnings multiple of only 10.83x, a substantial drop from the stock's five-year historical average of over 127x. The disparity is even more obvious when compared to prominent peers such as ServiceNow, which trades at a forward P/E of around 20.43x and requires consistent revenue growth above 18% through 2028 to maintain its valuation premium. Salesforce's current valuation of less than 11x forecast earnings is in near-total deadlock, despite the company's strong free cash flow generation and substantial enterprise data integration.

#valuation #july