Francis Ngannou wept.

He had just finished a fight he dedicated to his son, who died in April at 15 months old.

It was a fight he won in devastating fashion.

“I hope they can remember his name, because without Kobe we wouldn’t be here tonight,’’ Ngannou said with tears in his eyes. “I wouldn’t have (fought).”

In what was billed as “Battle of the Giants’’ in Saudi Arabia, Ngannou knocked out Renan Ferreira to become the PFL Super Fights heavyweight world champion.

It came in the first round of the main event Saturday at the PFL’s Super Fights in Saudi Arabia.

About halfway through the round, Ngannou (6-4, 255 pounds) took down Ferreira (6-8, 261-pounds) near the fence inside the cage. Suddenly, caught dangerously between Ferreira’s massive legs, Ngannou muscled free and let his fists fly.

A barrage of punches pounded Ferreira’s head and the massive Brazilian looked helpless when the the referee called the fight with 1:28 left in the first round.

Watch Francis Ngannou KO Renan Ferreira

Round 1: Ngannou opens with a right leg kick and Ferreira stumbles a bit. Ferreira responds with the Patience here. Or apprehension? Ngannou kicks and Ferreira swings with an overhand right. Ngannou attacks. Has Ferreira on the mat. Horns sound. Ferrieria trying to get up. Throws a couple lefts to the head. They’re up against the cage fence. Ferreira gets the triangle on Ngannou. Impressive move. But Ngannou punches with the left and Ferreira lets go of the triangle. Now Ngannou letting loose with punches! And more punches! Pulverizing Ferreira’s face, driving his left fist into his head. And the ref calls it! The fight is over! Ngannou over Ferreira by TKO with 1:28 left in the first round.

Francis Ngannou’s long-awaited return to MMA

It was a highly successful return to mixed martial arts for Ngannou, 38 from Cameroon, who had not fought in MMA since January 2020. That was before he left the UFC over a contract dispute and tried boxing. He stunned the combat sports world in October 2023 when he knocked down Tyson Fury and almost won his pro boxing debut. But in March, against Anthony Joshua, he was brutally knocked out.

Then came tragedy.

Ngannou announced in April his son Kobe had died. He later said doctors failed to discover a brain malformation that ultimately led to his death.

While mourning the loss of his son, Ngannou agreed to make his PFL debut Saturday. He improved to 18-3 while scoring the 10th first-round knockout of his celebrated career.

And there he was when it ended, inside the cage and overcome with emotion.

“I don’t know,’’ he said when asked how it felt. “I just can’t think about anything. That my son Kobe, you know…’’

The emotion surged again.

He accepted the fight, Ngannou explained, to fight for his son.

Cris Cyborg def. Larissa Pacheco by unanimous decision

At 39, Cyborg did it again.

She beat an opponent almost a decade younger while winning the PFL’s featherweight world title – her fifth title from a major promotion.

It was impressive, but not pretty.

Pacheco, 30, landed plenty of hard shots, and it left Cyborg bleeding over both swollen eyes. But Cyborg survived thanks to her fists and determination. All three judges scored it 49-46.

Cyborg landed 108 strikes to 91 for Pacheco and she also had four takedowns while Pacheco had none. But while Pacheco did not earn the victory, she clearly earned Cyborg’s respect.

Cyborg improved to 28-2 and Pacheco 23-5. 

Round 1: Cyborg opens with a stiff left jab. Looks good for 39. Cyborg has Pacheco, 30, on the fence. Cyborg drives in knees. Ducks a right, grabs Pacheco and drives Pacheco to the mat. Yeah, looks VERY good for 39. Cyborg on top. Pacheco breaks free, answers with big punches. Cyborg pleading around the left eye. Delivers an elbow to Pacheco. Cyborg gets a takedown but now finds herself wrapped up, Pacheco’s hands around her neck. Cyborg somehow gets her head free and then turns the ground-and-pound on Pacheco. Blood everywhere. Cyborg’s blood-smeared face looks like a mess ― cut over both eyes ― but that was quite the performance. Cyborg 10, Pacheco 9. 

Round 2: Fighters out a little slow, maybe because of that brutal first round. Pacheco lands a leg kick and Pacheco drops to the mat. Pain and fatigue, I’m guessing. They’re in a clinch against the fence. Cyborg lands a right elbow. Pacheco still coming forward, only to be grabbed by Cyborg and driven into the mat. Cyborg on top of Pacheco and pounding with the right elbow. A bloody mess, as Cyborg chocks away with some lefts. Cyborg up and Pacheco attacks from bottom before the ref waves her up. Pacheco a solid shot. Cyborg 10-9. Total Cyborg 20-18.

Round 3: Pacheco connects with a hard right. Cyborg backs away and Pacheco beckons her forward. Odd to watch Cyborg keep a distance. But they’re face to face again. Fists fly. Punches miss. Pacheco the aggressor. Throws a nice combo and backs up. Pacheco lands a right and drops Cyborg!!! But no luck capitalizing with ground-and-pound. Yet. Pacheco working hard to create room for punches. An elbow got through, but no serious damage. Pacheco 10-9. Total Cyborg 29-28.

Round 4: Pacheco lands a nasty leg kick. Cyborg throws a big right. Partial landing. A relatively peaceful opening 90 seconds for these two. Pacheco connects with a couple of rights. Another leg kick from Pacheco. Cyborg connects with a solid overhand right. Pacheco catches a kick and pummels Cyborg with a right. Just when she begins to tire…Cyborg lands a left hook and moves forward behind punches. Pacheco 10-9. Total Cyborg 38, Pacheco 38.

Round 5: Cyborg opens the round with a nice jab. Action is light. How does this not end in a brawl? Cyborg lets go with a halfhearted kick. How much gas is in the tank? Pacheco drills Cyborg with a right hand, and suddenly Cyborg comes alive! She’s got Pacheco on the mat and slugs away before they’re both back on their feet. Lots of blood leaking from Cyborg’s left eye. Cyborg lets fly with an overhand right. Pacheco responds with a low kick. Back comes Cyborg with a right. Cyborg with a takedown but Pacheco squirms free fast. Here comes the brawling. Fists fly in the final seconds. Fighters embrace. Cyborg 10-9. Total Cyborg 48, Pacheco 47.

Johnny Eblen def. Fabian Edwards by unanimous decision

It was one body slam after another for Eblen, who had 15 takedowns in all during the five-round fight while retaining his Bellator middleweight world title.

Edwards came alive in the final round with a flurry of punches and kicks. Not to mention an accidental poke to Eblen’s right eye and a kick that landed near Eblen’s groin. But the impressive attack was too little to overcome Eblen’s earlier dominance.

The judges scored it 48-47 in favor of Eblen, a 32-year-old American who improved to 16-0. Edwards, a 31-year-old from England, fell to 13-4.

Round 1: Edwards connects with a left and Eblen counters with a left. Eblen connects with a left and a right; it staggers Edwards. Eblen has Edwards up against the fence before Edwards slips loose. Edwards connects with inside leg kicks. Eblen misses with a kick, then rushes forward and twice slams Edwards to the ground. Big takedown. And drops him a third time! Here come a couple of knees to Edwards’ hamstrings. The twirl around and Edwards knees Eblen in the gut a few times. Eblen 10-9. 

Round 2: Edwards drills Eblen with a left. Evidence he’s not done. Of course, not too long after Eblen has Edwards on the mat. Eblen looks solid in the dominant position, but not capitalizing yet with punches before Edwards gets back on his feet. Only to get slammed back to the mat! Oh, boy. Edwards back on his feet. Wanna guess what happened next? Up and down and up…They’re both on their feet and Eblen strikes with a right elbow. Finishing up the round on their feet. Edwards lands a solid left as the round ends. Eblen 10-9. Total Eblen 20-18.

Round 3: More than a minute and Eblen has yet to take down Edwards. Wow. Eblen lands a right and Edwards counters with a left. Edwards looks far better now – standing face to face with Eblen and trading punches. But 2 ½ minutes in, Eblen attempts another takedown – and he’s now 8 for 8. Edwards fighting hard to get free, and he does. Edwards lets fly with a kick to the face. Mostly blocked. Edward scores with his knee and, ugh, back against the fence he goes, with Eblen driving him there. Eblen 10-9. Total Eblen 30-27. 

Round 4: They open with head kicks – that miss. Face to face here. Eblen connects with a right. Edwards lacks much urgency. He scored with a left and his reward? Another takedown by Eblen. Edwards back on his feet and Eblen knees Edwards and slams him back on the mat. Oof. And, again. Eblen drives another knee into Edwards’ backside. Edwards slides back down on the mat. Geez. He’s up, and guess what? Another body slam. They separate and Edwards lands a couple of blows. Way to late and way to little for this ground. Eblen 10-9. Total Eblen 40-36. 

Round 5: Edwards pokes Eblen with a finger. The ref steps in and gives Eblen time to recover and the poke is ruled accidental. Now Edwards delivers a kick in the groin area and the ref again steps in. No penalty. With fighters on their feet for the opening two minutes, the fight gains a little uncertainty. A little. Eblen tries to take down Edwards and fails. Edwards connects with a sharp left and then a right. Edwards drills an elbow into Eblen’s head. Edwards showing some life!! Now Eblen has Edwards pushed against the fence. Briefly. Edwards showing some viciousness. Edwards strikes with a knee to the body. What a terrific round for Edwards. Where was this earlier? Edwards 10-9. Total Eblen 49, Edwards 46.

Zafar Mohsen def. Husein Kadimagomaev, unanimous decision

It ended with Mohsen dropping elbows and blood on Kadimagomaev. Yes, the three-rounded featherweight was gritty and gory enough for an MMA card.

The fight unfolded slowly. And at the end of the first round, Kadimagomaev waved on Mohsen.

The action came later.

The powerfully built Mohsen dominated Kadimagomaev with his superior grappling over the final two rounds and snuck in ample punches too.

All three judges scored the fight 30-27 for Mohsen, a 29-year-old German who improves to 14-4. Kad, 25 from Switzerland, fell to 11-2.

Round 1: Lackluster first minute. Fighters exchange some leg kicks and Kadimagomaev fires an overhand right, wrestles down Mohsen and drives him into the fence. Tangled on the fence. They break free and work back to the middle of the cage. Mohsen connects with a jab. Kadimagomaev calls him forward and Mohsen delivers a hard elbow. Kadimagomaev kicks and slips. Banana peel? Mohsen 10-9.

Round 2: Light action again until Mohsen tried to leap onto Kadimagomaev. He’s now on top of Kadimagomaev and getting in some right-hand punches. But Kad gains the advantage and they’re clinched on the fence. Kadimagomaev working from underneath, then gets flipped by Mohsen. But his punches are mostly stifled. Mohsen is bleeding from the right eye and Kadimagomaev is covered with it. But Mohsen inflicted more pain. 10-9 Mohsen. Total 20-18 Mohsen.

Round 3: Mohen wastes little time initiating the grappling. Kad seems happy to do it. They’re clinched against the fence, and Mohsen does appear to be the stronger of the two men. Mohsen dropping punches on Kad’s head with his right hand. More punches to the head. Ref breaks then up (thanks, ref!) and they’re back at the center of the cage. Mohsen delivers some nice kicks and a powerful right. Kad shoots low for a takedown and, well, that ain’t happening. Mohsen on top of Kad and dropping elbows and blood onto Kad. Mohsen 10-9. Total Mohsen 30-27.

Paul Hughes def. A.J. McKee by split decision

When it was over, Hughes declared himself a “superstar.’’

“Damn straight,’’ he said during his in-cage interview.

Superstar? Well, maybe headed in that direction.

Hughes defeated a formidable McKee with a barrage of punches unleashed over the course of their three-round lightweight bout. The judges scored it 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 for Hughes.

The bell saved McKee when Hughes dropped him with a right at the end of the first round. But nothing could save McKee from the final outcome. Hughes improved to 13-1 and McKee dropped to 21-2

Round 1: McKee fires with a kick. Hughes nearly catches it but McKee jerks free. McKee punches and kicks and works Hughes against the fence before Hughes turns the tables. Clinched now. They trade knees to the gut. Just tangled. McKee breaks free and Hughes rewards him with a knee to the body. McKee delivers a couple of kicks and Hughes answers with punches. More kicks from McKee and more punches from Hughes. They’re wrapped up on the mat. Back on their feet and Hughes delivers a nasty knee and drops McKee with a huge right as the bell rings. Hughes 10, McKee 9.

Round 2: McKee lets fly with a kick to the chin. Nice spinning back kick there. Now, he’s working Hughes’ lead leg. McKee is surprisingly steady in light of the knockdown at the end of the round. He fires a left jab that gets through. Now they’re up against the fence. Not much happening, and then the fists fly and McKee knees Hughes in the chest. Hughes unloads a few strong punches. Referee sends the fighters to neutral corners. McKee warned for a kick that landed in Hughes’ groin area. Hughes answers with a left hook. He fires a barrage and a knee, and McKee cleverly catches it and slams McKee to the ground. Yet McKee works to control and knee McKee. Hughes 10, McKee 9. Total 20-18 Hughes. 

Round 3: McKee quickly works Hughes against the fence and McKee has the back before Hughes squirms free. They’re both back on their feet. Well, for a few seconds. McKee has the back again as they’re against the fence in wrestling mode. Hughes taking knees on his backside. Hughes is lose and smothering McKee with punches. The punches just keep on coming, one landing on McKee’s chin. Fight is back on the mat, with Hughes on top before McKee shows life and turns the table. Hughes find room to throw another scoring punch. Hughes 10, McKee 9. Total 30-27 Hughes.

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira main card 

Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco, women’s featherweight 
Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards, middleweight 
Husein Kadimagomaev vs. Zafar Mohsen, featherweight 
AJ McKee vs. Paul Hughes, lightweight 

Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco time 

This fight is the co-main and will start directly before Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferriera 

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira preliminary card 

Raufeon Stots def. Marcos Breno, bantamweight 
Makkasharip  Zaynukov def. Dedrek Sanders, lightweight 
Ibragim Ibragimov def. Nacho Campos, featherweight 
Taha Bendaoud def. Tariq Ismail, featherweight 

Raufeon Stots def. Marcos Breno by submission, 3rd round

Breno nearly knocked down Stots twice early in the first round of their three-round bantamweight fight. Any celebration would have been premature.

Breno maintained his aggressive attack and won the round. But Stots, a former NCAA Division II wrestling champion, eventually found an opportunity to capitalize on his grappling.

It went from good to brilliant for Stots in the third round, when Breno took down Stots only to find himself quickly under Stots’ control.

He punished Breno with punches and finished him off with a rear naked choke. Breno tapped out with 1:59 left in the fight.

Stots, a 25-year-old from Texas, improved to 21-2. Breno, a 26-year-old from Connecticut, fell to 15-4.

Makkasharip Zaynukov def. Dedrek Sanders, unanimous decision

By the end, about the only thing in question about this three-round lightweight fight was whether Sanders would avoid a submission or survive late hammer fists before the referee interceded.

He did.

But Zaynukov was dominant, securing seven takedowns. Perhaps the most impressive takedown: in the second round, Sanders caught Zaynukov’s leg after an attempted kick and yet moments later it was Zaynukov who wrestled Sanders to the mat.

Multiple times, Sanders appeared to squirm free. It was false hope, as Zaynukov sustained his dominance with superior grappling.

All three referees scored it as a unanimous decision for Zaynukov, a Russian who improved to 16-4. Sanders, a 34-year-old from Alaska, fell to 9-5. 

Ibragim Ibragimov def. Nacho Campos by unanimous decision

Ibragimov opened the featherweight bout with a few kicks, including a flashy wheel kick. In retrospect, it felt like mostly show.

He quickly shifted into his dominant position: grappling, and Campos looked largely helpless. He spent most of the time on the mat – and looking to the referee in hopes he would instruct the fighters to stand up during the three-round featherweight bout.

No luck.

Campos did get in his shots, but Ibragimov’s fists connected far more – 125 strikes for Ibragimov to 57 strikes for Campos.

The crowd grew restless with all the wrestling, but the judges didn’t seem to mind. All three scored it 30-27 in favor of Ibrahimov, the 20-year-old from Republic of Dagestan who improved to 8-0.

Campos, a Spaniard, fell to 5-1.

Taha Bendaoud def. Tariq Ismail by submission, 2nd round 

Bendaoud’s face was bloody and swollen after the fight, but it didn’t keep him from pulling off a surprise move to win the featherweight bout.

Ismail dominated the first round after securing a takedown. It was more of the same in the second round, only this time Ismail pounded Bendaoud’s face as the blood flowed.

But as Ismail leaned in for more strikes, Bendaoud surprised him with a triangle choke and with his legs squeezed him like a boa constrictor before Ismail tapped out with 1:09 left in the second round.

Bendaoud, a 29-year-old from Morocco, improved to 4-0. Ismael, a 34-year-old from Sudan, fell to 8-2.

Francis Ngannou boxing record 

Ngannou is 0-2 in boxing. He is 17-3-1 in MMA with 12 KOs and 4 submissions. 

Renan Ferreira record 

13-3 in MMA with 11 KOs and one submission 

Francis Ngannou wife 

Ngannou, who has two children, has protected the details of his private life. 

How did Francis Ngannou son pass away 

In April, Ngannou announced his son Kobe had died at the age of 15 months. Ngannou said doctors failed to diagnose a brain malformation that resulted in Kobe’s death. 

Francis Ngannou height & weight 

6-4, 256 pounds 

Renan Ferreira height & weight 

6-8, 261 pounds 

How old is Francis Ngannou? 

38 

How old is Renan Ferreira? 

34 

Cris Cyborg record 

27-2 with 21 KOs and one submission 

How tall is Cris Cyborg?

5-8 

Larissa Pacheco record 

23-4 with 11 KOs and 8 submissions 

What time is Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira?

Preliminary card starts at 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday. Main card starts at 4 ET. 

Where is the Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira fight tonight?

The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira how to watch 

Preliminary card on ESPN+. Free with subscription.
Main card on DAZN. PPV fee: $49.99. 

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Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami has been selected to play in FIFA Club World Cup 2025 held in the United States next summer.

The announcement was made by FIFA president Gianni Infanto on Saturday night as Messi and Inter Miami celebrated winning the MLS Supporters’ Shield, given to the club with the best regular-season record this season, following a 6-2 win over the New England Revolution.

Inter Miami will occupy the host bid, which was one of two spots remaining in the 32-team tournament, where soccer giants like Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain will compete in a World Cup-style tournament for a championship.

Inter Miami will play in the Club World Cup opener at Hard Rock Stadium on June 15, 2025. The final is July 13, 2025 at MetLife Stadium – the same venue to host the World Cup 2026 final.

Inter Miami has been widely regarded as an obvious candidate for the host bid because of Messi’s presence. The Argentine World Cup champion and two-time Copa America champion is playing in the twilight of his illustrious career with an American team in Major League Soccer.

Messi is the biggest draw in the sport, and would undoubtedly be the biggest star in the tournament – overshadowing the likes of Real Madrid’s star trio of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham, and Man City’s elite scorer Erling Haaland.

To be clear: FIFA made the decision to choose Inter Miami, not Major League Soccer.

FIFA previously did not share its criteria in deciding its host nation bid, while 30 of the 32 teams either have won a significant championship or considered the next highest-ranking club in their respective delegations.

Essentially, it was unclear whether Inter Miami’s MLS Supporters’ Shield title or Messi’s mere presence were qualifying factors to earn the host bid before the MLS Cup playoffs begin next week.

“Details regarding the host slot allocation will be announced in due course,” FIFA says on multiple articles about the tournament on its website.

Inter Miami becomes the second MLS team, and fifth team from North America in the Club World Cup – joining the last four winners of the Concacaf Champions Cup. Monterrey (MEX) won in 2021, the Seattle Sounders (USA) won in 2022, Club Leon (MEX) won in 2023 and Pachuca (MEX) won the most recent Champions Cup earlier this year against 2023 MLS champion Columbus Crew.

Which clubs are participating in 2025 FIFA Club World Cup?

Here are 31 of 32 teams that have already qualified for the tournament, and how they qualified:

CONCACAF: North America, Central America and the Caribbean

Monterrey (MEX) – 2021 Concacaf Champions Cup
Seattle Sounders (USA) – 2022 Concacaf Champions Cup
Club Leon (MEX) – 2023 Concacaf Champions Cup
Pachuca (MEX) – 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup
Inter Miami (USA) – 2025 Club World Cup host slot

CONMEBOL: South America

Palmeiras (BRA) – 2021 CONMEBOL Libertadores
Flamengo (BRA) – 2022 CONMEBOL Libertadores
Fluminense (BRA) – 2023 CONMEBOL Libertadores
River Plate (ARG) – CONMEBOL ranking pathway
Boca Juniors (ARG) – CONMEBOL ranking pathway
TBD – 2024 CONMEBOL Libertadores

UEFA: Union of European Football Associations

Chelsea (ENG) – 2020/21 UEFA Champions League
Real Madrid (ESP) – 2021/22 and 2023/24 UEFA Champions League
Manchester City (ENG) – 2022/23 UEFA Champions League
Bayern Munich (GER) – UEFA ranking pathway
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) – UEFA ranking pathway
Inter Milan (ITA) – UEFA ranking pathway
Porto (POR) – UEFA ranking pathway
Benfica (POR) – UEFA ranking pathway
Borussia Dortmund (GER) – UEFA ranking pathway
Juventus (ITA) – UEFA ranking pathway
Atletico Madrid (ESP) – UEFA ranking pathway
FC Salzburg (AUT) – UEFA ranking pathway

AFC: Asian Football Confederation

Al Hilal (KSA) – 2021 AFC Champions League
Urawa Red Diamonds (JPN) – 2022 AFC Champions League
Al Ain (UAE) – 2023/24 AFC Champions League
Ulsan HD FC (KOR) – AFC ranking pathway

CAF: Confederation of African Football

Al Ahly (EGY) – 2020/21, 2022/23 and 2023/24 CAF Champions League
Wydad (MAR) – 2021/22 CAF Champions League
ES Tunis (TUN) – CAF ranking pathway
Mamelodi Sundowns (RSA) – CAF ranking pathway

OFC: Oceania Football Confederation

Auckland City (NZL) – OFC ranking pathway

Where will 2025 FIFA Club World Cup games be played?

Here’s the stadium sites where the Club World Cup will be played:

Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
TQL Stadium (Cincinnati)
Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte, N.C.)
MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.)
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami)
Geodis Park (Nashville, Tenn.)
Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando, Fla.)
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Fla.)

The Week 8 SEC clash between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Tennessee Volunteers was a thrilling spectacle that kept fans on the edge of their seats until the final moments.

Both quarterbacks faced a challenging battle in the first half, struggling to get their offenses going. Alabama’s quarterback, Jalen Milroe, had difficulty moving the ball through the air and ran more than usual. Nevertheless, the Crimson Tide managed to take the early lead. The Volunteers experienced a scare when their quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, went down after a hard tackle. He was evaluated in the medical tent but quickly returned to the game. Although his return seemed to energize the offense, he immediately threw an interception, marking the third interception of the game for both teams.

The second half began with renewed energy from both the Crimson Tide and the Volunteers. The Volunteers took their first lead of the game when Dylan Sample scored two touchdowns in the third quarter. However, this lead was short-lived, as Alabama quickly responded. From that point on, a back-and-forth battle for the lead ensued, with Alabama and Tennessee trading the lead throughout the fourth quarter. Ultimately, it was the Volunteers who triumphed in the rivalry, defeating the Crimson Tide 24-17.

Here are the top moments from the Week 8 clash between Alabama and Tennessee.

Alabama vs. Tennessee highlights

Vols hand Crimson Tide second loss of the season

Tennessee kicker Max Gilbert extended the Volunteers’ lead with a 41-yard field goal, making the score 24-17 over Alabama with 1:30 remaining in the fourth quarter.

It is a battle in Knoxville

The Vols are back on top after Iamaleava’s pass to Chris Brazzell II for a 16-yard touchdown puts Tennessee ahead 21-17 in the fourth quarter with 5:52 remaining.

Alabama answers back and finds the end zone

The Vols’ lead was short-lived after Bama’s quarterback Milroe found Haynes, who ran in for a touchdown. Nicholson nailed the field goal to take the lead with a score of 17-14, with 13:56 left in the fourth quarter.

Tennessee scores to take 14-10 lead

Iamaleava connects with Thornton Jr. for a 55-yard play, bringing the Volunteers to Alabama’s 3-yard line for a first down. Dylan Sampson runs in for a 3-yard touchdown, giving Tennessee the first lead of the game heading into the fourth quarter.

Vols bulldozes into the end zone

Vol’s quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, hands off to Dylan Sampson, who runs for two yards into the end zone, putting Tennessee on the board. A successful field goal then ties the game at 7-7 against Alabama.

Alabama finds the end zone first

Milroe rolls to his left and finds Ryan Williams in the end zone for his 13th touchdown pass of the year. The Crimson Tide are 7-0 in the second quarter.

College football Week 8 scores, Top 25

Here are the kickoff times and TV info for the Top 25 teams in the US LBM Coaches Poll. (All times are Eastern): 

No. 6 Miami 52,. Louisville 45, FINAL
Virginia 31, No. 9 Clemson 48, FINAL
Nebraska 7. No. 18 Indiana 56,FINAL
Auburn 17, No. 16 Missouri, 21 FINAL
East Carolina 28,. No. 24 Army 45, FINAL
No. 7 Alabama 17. No. 10 Tennessee 24, FINAL
No. 11 Notre Dame 31, Georgia Tech 13, FINAL
No. 22 Michigan 7, No. 21 Illinois, 21, FINAL
No. 14 Texas A&M 34. Mississippi State 24, FINAL
No. 8 LSU vs. Arkansas, 7 p.m. on ESPN
No. 4 Georgia vs. No. 1 Texas, 7:30 p.m. on ABC
UCF vs. No. 12 Iowa State, 7:30 p.m. on FS1
No. 17 Kansas State vs. West Virginia, 7:30 p.m. on Fox
No. 23 SMU vs. Stanford, 8 p.m. on ACCN

Vols extend lead by 3

Tennessee kicker Max Gilbert extended the Volunteers’ lead with a 41-yard field goal, making the score 24-17 over Alabama with 1:30 remaining in the fourth quarter.

It is a battle in Knoxville

The Vols are back on top after Iamaleava’s pass to Chris Brazzell II for a 16-yard touchdown puts Tennessee ahead 21-17 in the fourth quarter with 5:52 remaining.

Alabama answers back and finds the end zone

The Vols’ lead was short-lived after Bama’s quarterback Milroe found Haynes, who ran in for a touchdown. Nicholson nailed the field goal to take the lead with a score of 17-14, with 13:56 left in the fourth quarter.

Tennessee scores to take 14-10 lead

Iamaleava connects with Thornton Jr. for a 55-yard play, bringing the Volunteers to Alabama’s 3-yard line for a first down. Dylan Sampson runs in for a 3-yard touchdown, giving Tennessee the first lead of the game heading into the fourth quarter.

Nicholson nails 35-yard field goal

Graham Nicholson successfully kicks a 35-yard field goal, giving the Crimson Tide the lead against Tennessee. Alabama leads 10-7 in the final minutes of the third quarter.

Vols bulldozes into the end zone

Vol’s quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, hands off to Dylan Sampson, who runs for two yards into the end zone, putting Tennessee on the board. A successful field goal then ties the game at 7-7 against Alabama.

Iamaleava scrambles for 9-yard gain

Vol’s quarterback Nico Iamaleava attempts to get things going early in the third quarter, but his effort comes up short, and Tennessee punts to end their first possession of the third quarter.

Bama leads 7-0 heading into halftime against the Vols

The Crimson Tide hold a one-touchdown lead as they head into halftime against the Volunteers.

Bama’s Nicholson misses field goal

Alabama’s kicker, Graham Nicholson, misses a 54-yard field goal in the final seconds of the second quarter.

Vol’s Gibert misses another FG

Kicker Max Gilbert couldn’t get Tennessee on the board after missing a 50-yard field goal, the second of the game.

Iamaleava throws interception

After being shaken up by a hard tackle, Iamaleava seemed to get the Tennessee offense moving but threw a pass that was intercepted by Alabama’s Jaylen Mbakwe, who returned it for nine yards to the Alabama nine-yard line.

Nico Iamaleava back in the game

Iamaleava has returned as quarterback after a quick check-up in the medical tent. Reports indicate it is his left hip, but he has assured teammates that he is fine to play.

Gaston Moore takes over at QB for the Vols

Nico Iamaleava left the game with an apparent injury after being tackled. Gaston Moore entered as quarterback and threw a pass that was intercepted by Alabama’s Malachi Moore, who returned it for 41 yards to Tennessee’s 36-yard line.

Nico Iamaleava injury update

The Tennessee quarterback was sacked and went to the medical tent. We will provide an update when more information is available.

Alabama finds the end zone first

Milroe rolls to his left and finds Ryan Williams in the end zone for his 13th touchdown pass of the year. The Crimson Tide are 7-0 in the second quarter.

Alabama vs. Tennessee score 

At the end of the first quarter the score remains 0-0 in Knoxville.

Vol’s Gilbert missing 35 field goal attempt

Max Gilbert’s 53-yard field goal is unsuccessful, as Tennessee and Alabama remain scoreless in the first quarter.

Alabama is intercepted in the end zone

Quarterback Milroe looks to connect with Williams in the end zone, but Tennessee’s McCoy intercepts it and returns it for 54 yards to Alabama’s 46-yard line.

Bama’s Brooks has a 20-yard pickup

Tennessee struggled to establish its offense, leading to Ross punting 48 yards. Alabama’s quarterback Jalen Milroe connected with Law for a 20-yard gain to the Tennessee 15-yard line.

Alabama was force to punt

Alabama was unable to capitalize on their first possession, and Burnip came out to punt the ball for 36 yards. Tennessee’s McCoy caught the punt at the 14-yard line.

Milroe finds the first down

Alabama’s quarterback Jalen Milroe runs for nine yards for the first down at the Crimson Tides’ 36.

When is the Alabama vs. Tennessee game?

Kickoff for the Alabama vs. Tennessee Week 8 game is 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday (Oct. 19) from Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tennessee.

How to watch Alabama vs. Tennessee game

The Alabama vs. Tennessee Week 8 game will be broadcast on ABC and can be streamed via ESPN+. You can also watch on Fubo. 

Catch college football action this season with a Fubo subscrption.

Alabama-Tennessee odds, line

The Alabama Crimson Tide are favorites to defeat the Tennessee Volunteers in Saturday’s college football matchup, according to the BetMGM college football odds.

Spread: Alabama (-3) 
Moneyline: Alabama -150; Tennessee +130
Over/under: 57

Looking to wager? Check out the top college football betting apps in 2024 offering the top NCAA football betting promos and bonuses in 2024. 

Alabama vs. Tennessee all-time record 

Alabama and Tennessee share a long and rich history that dates back to 1901. The Crimson Tide currently holds the advantage with 60 wins, 38 losses, and eight ties against Tennessee. In the last 10 matchups, Alabama has emerged victorious nine times, while Tennessee secured one win in 2022, triumphing with a score of 52-49 in Knoxville.

Week 8 college football games you can’t miss 

It’s a loaded lineup this week, with thrilling matchups all Saturday. But these are the must-see games in Week 8: No. 4 Georgia facing No. 1 Texas and No. 8 LSU against Arkansas.

US LBM Coaches Poll 

The latest US LBM Coaches Poll had some major shakeups after some unexpected results in Week 7, and the top five looks slightly different from the preseason version.

College football bowl projections 

After a wild Week 7 of college football, there were some significant changes for the USA TODAY Sports bowl projections.

College football Re-Rank 1-134 

College football overreactions from Week 7

The random nature of sports makes it impossible to foresee every game’s outcome. A whole lot of well-lit buildings in the desert stand as testimony to this reality.

College football is especially prone to such randomness. Most of the time, analysts might feel like they have a handle on which team might prevail in a head-to-head encounter. Then there are Saturdays like the one we’ve just witnessed that make us question our entire worldview.

An overreaction? Perhaps, but that’s what we’re here for in this space. Here are the top five overreactions from Week 7. — Eddie Timanus 

College football 2024 season predictions 

The experts at USA TODAY Sports offer predictions for the season, including which 12 teams will make the College Football Playoff. Who wins the national championship? 

Scooby Axson: Ohio State 
Jordan Mendoza: Oregon 
Paul Myerberg: Georgia 
Erick Smith: Georgia 
Eddie Timanus: Ohio State 
Dan Wolken: Ohio State 

College football games that will decide College Football Playoff field 

Which games are going to be the ones that matter the most when all is said and done? 

Each week will provide at least one critical game that shapes the Playoff picture. Our task here is to identify which one on the schedule ultimately has the biggest impact on the races for the top seeds, the at-large bids and the battle to be the highest-ranked Group of Five champion.  

Scenes from Knoxville, Tennessee

There’s an electrifying atmosphere in Knoxville, Tennessee! The Volunteers and Crimson Tide are just over 30 minutes away from the 3:30 p.,m. ET kickoff.

Kalen DeBoer’s Crimson Tide

Does Alabama need Nick Saban for a winning dynasty? Blake Toppmeyer from USA Today shares his insights ahead of the Tennessee matchup.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Regardless of how his team performed, Kalen DeBoer was going to be under a more intense microscope than any coach in college football this season after he accepted the thankless (albeit highly paid) task of succeeding Nick Saban as Alabama’s coach.

Seven games into the Crimson Tide’s season, it’s not going particularly well.

Alabama fell to 5-2 on the season Saturday with a 24-17 loss at SEC rival Tennessee at Neyland Stadium, a game in which the Crimson Tide failed to score on any of its final four drives.

A good portion of the criticism of Alabama went beyond their players and to the sideline, particularly with the way it lost. The Crimson Tide was sloppy, with 15 penalties for 115 yards, and made several questionable decisions, including going for it on fourth-and-22 from its own 18-yard line with fewer than two minutes remaining.

Above all else, Alabama suffered its second loss of the season in just its seventh game, the first time that has happened since 2007, which was Saban’s first season at the helm of a rebuilding program.

Given the stakes and the high-profile nature of the setback, social media had plenty to say about the Crimson Tide’s loss. Here’s a sampling of the conversation:

Social media reacts to Alabama’s loss to Tennessee

Francis Ngannou wept.

He had just finished a fight he dedicated to his son, who died in April at 15 months old.

It was a fight he won in devastating fashion.

“I hope they can remember his name, because without Kobe we wouldn’t be here tonight,’’ Ngannou said with tears in his eyes. “I wouldn’t have (fought).”

In what was billed as “Battle of the Giants’’ in Saudi Arabia, Ngannou knocked out Renan Ferreira to become the PFL Super Fights heavyweight world champion.

It came in the first round of the main event Saturday at the PFL’s Super Fights in Saudi Arabia.

About halfway through the round, Ngannou (6-4, 255 pounds) took down Ferreira (6-8, 261-pounds) near the fence inside the cage. Suddenly, caught dangerously between Ferreira’s massive legs, Ngannou muscled free and let his fists fly.

A barrage of punches pounded Ferreira’s head and the massive Brazilian looked helpless when the the referee called the fight with 1:28 left in the first round.

Watch Francis Ngannou KO Renan Ferreira

Round 1: Ngannou opens with a right leg kick and Ferreira stumbles a bit. Ferreira responds with the Patience here. Or apprehension? Ngannou kicks and Ferreira swings with an overhand right. Ngannou attacks. Has Ferreira on the mat. Horns sound. Ferrieria trying to get up. Throws a couple lefts to the head. They’re up against the cage fence. Ferreira gets the triangle on Ngannou. Impressive move. But Ngannou punches with the left and Ferreira lets go of the triangle. Now Ngannou letting loose with punches! And more punches! Pulverizing Ferreira’s face, driving his left fist into his head. And the ref calls it! The fight is over! Ngannou over Ferreira by TKO with 1:28 left in the first round.

Francis Ngannou’s long-awaited return to MMA

It was a highly successful return to mixed martial arts for Ngannou, 38 from Cameroon, who had not fought in MMA since January 2020. That was before he left the UFC over a contract dispute and tried boxing. He stunned the combat sports world in October 2023 when he knocked down Tyson Fury and almost won his pro boxing debut. But in March, against Anthony Joshua, he was brutally knocked out.

Then came tragedy.

Ngannou announced in April his son Kobe had died. He later said doctors failed to discover a brain malformation that ultimately led to his death.

While mourning the loss of his son, Ngannou agreed to make his PFL debut Saturday. He improved to 18-3 while scoring the 10th first-round knockout of his celebrated career.

And there he was when it ended, inside the cage and overcome with emotion.

“I don’t know,’’ he said when asked how it felt. “I just can’t think about anything. That my son Kobe, you know…’’

The emotion surged again.

He accepted the fight, Ngannou explained, to fight for his son.

Cris Cyborg def. Larissa Pacheco by unanimous decision

At 39, Cyborg did it again.

She beat an opponent almost a decade younger while winning the PFL’s featherweight world title – her fifth title from a major promotion.

It was impressive, but not pretty.

Pacheco, 30, landed plenty of hard shots, and it left Cyborg bleeding over both swollen eyes. But Cyborg survived thanks to her fists and determination. All three judges scored it 49-46.

Cyborg landed 108 strikes to 91 for Pacheco and she also had four takedowns while Pacheco had none. But while Pacheco did not earn the victory, she clearly earned Cyborg’s respect.

Cyborg improved to 28-2 and Pacheco 23-5. 

Round 1: Cyborg opens with a stiff left jab. Looks good for 39. Cyborg has Pacheco, 30, on the fence. Cyborg drives in knees. Ducks a right, grabs Pacheco and drives Pacheco to the mat. Yeah, looks VERY good for 39. Cyborg on top. Pacheco breaks free, answers with big punches. Cyborg pleading around the left eye. Delivers an elbow to Pacheco. Cyborg gets a takedown but now finds herself wrapped up, Pacheco’s hands around her neck. Cyborg somehow gets her head free and then turns the ground-and-pound on Pacheco. Blood everywhere. Cyborg’s blood-smeared face looks like a mess ― cut over both eyes ― but that was quite the performance. Cyborg 10, Pacheco 9. 

Round 2: Fighters out a little slow, maybe because of that brutal first round. Pacheco lands a leg kick and Pacheco drops to the mat. Pain and fatigue, I’m guessing. They’re in a clinch against the fence. Cyborg lands a right elbow. Pacheco still coming forward, only to be grabbed by Cyborg and driven into the mat. Cyborg on top of Pacheco and pounding with the right elbow. A bloody mess, as Cyborg chocks away with some lefts. Cyborg up and Pacheco attacks from bottom before the ref waves her up. Pacheco a solid shot. Cyborg 10-9. Total Cyborg 20-18.

Round 3: Pacheco connects with a hard right. Cyborg backs away and Pacheco beckons her forward. Odd to watch Cyborg keep a distance. But they’re face to face again. Fists fly. Punches miss. Pacheco the aggressor. Throws a nice combo and backs up. Pacheco lands a right and drops Cyborg!!! But no luck capitalizing with ground-and-pound. Yet. Pacheco working hard to create room for punches. An elbow got through, but no serious damage. Pacheco 10-9. Total Cyborg 29-28.

Round 4: Pacheco lands a nasty leg kick. Cyborg throws a big right. Partial landing. A relatively peaceful opening 90 seconds for these two. Pacheco connects with a couple of rights. Another leg kick from Pacheco. Cyborg connects with a solid overhand right. Pacheco catches a kick and pummels Cyborg with a right. Just when she begins to tire…Cyborg lands a left hook and moves forward behind punches. Pacheco 10-9. Total Cyborg 38, Pacheco 38.

Round 5: Cyborg opens the round with a nice jab. Action is light. How does this not end in a brawl? Cyborg lets go with a halfhearted kick. How much gas is in the tank? Pacheco drills Cyborg with a right hand, and suddenly Cyborg comes alive! She’s got Pacheco on the mat and slugs away before they’re both back on their feet. Lots of blood leaking from Cyborg’s left eye. Cyborg lets fly with an overhand right. Pacheco responds with a low kick. Back comes Cyborg with a right. Cyborg with a takedown but Pacheco squirms free fast. Here comes the brawling. Fists fly in the final seconds. Fighters embrace. Cyborg 10-9. Total Cyborg 48, Pacheco 47.

Johnny Eblen def. Fabian Edwards by unanimous decision

It was one body slam after another for Eblen, who had 15 takedowns in all during the five-round fight while retaining his Bellator middleweight world title.

Edwards came alive in the final round with a flurry of punches and kicks. Not to mention an accidental poke to Eblen’s right eye and a kick that landed near Eblen’s groin. But the impressive attack was too little to overcome Eblen’s earlier dominance.

The judges scored it 48-47 in favor of Eblen, a 32-year-old American who improved to 16-0. Edwards, a 31-year-old from England, fell to 13-4.

Round 1: Edwards connects with a left and Eblen counters with a left. Eblen connects with a left and a right; it staggers Edwards. Eblen has Edwards up against the fence before Edwards slips loose. Edwards connects with inside leg kicks. Eblen misses with a kick, then rushes forward and twice slams Edwards to the ground. Big takedown. And drops him a third time! Here come a couple of knees to Edwards’ hamstrings. The twirl around and Edwards knees Eblen in the gut a few times. Eblen 10-9. 

Round 2: Edwards drills Eblen with a left. Evidence he’s not done. Of course, not too long after Eblen has Edwards on the mat. Eblen looks solid in the dominant position, but not capitalizing yet with punches before Edwards gets back on his feet. Only to get slammed back to the mat! Oh, boy. Edwards back on his feet. Wanna guess what happened next? Up and down and up…They’re both on their feet and Eblen strikes with a right elbow. Finishing up the round on their feet. Edwards lands a solid left as the round ends. Eblen 10-9. Total Eblen 20-18.

Round 3: More than a minute and Eblen has yet to take down Edwards. Wow. Eblen lands a right and Edwards counters with a left. Edwards looks far better now – standing face to face with Eblen and trading punches. But 2 ½ minutes in, Eblen attempts another takedown – and he’s now 8 for 8. Edwards fighting hard to get free, and he does. Edwards lets fly with a kick to the face. Mostly blocked. Edward scores with his knee and, ugh, back against the fence he goes, with Eblen driving him there. Eblen 10-9. Total Eblen 30-27. 

Round 4: They open with head kicks – that miss. Face to face here. Eblen connects with a right. Edwards lacks much urgency. He scored with a left and his reward? Another takedown by Eblen. Edwards back on his feet and Eblen knees Edwards and slams him back on the mat. Oof. And, again. Eblen drives another knee into Edwards’ backside. Edwards slides back down on the mat. Geez. He’s up, and guess what? Another body slam. They separate and Edwards lands a couple of blows. Way to late and way to little for this ground. Eblen 10-9. Total Eblen 40-36. 

Round 5: Edwards pokes Eblen with a finger. The ref steps in and gives Eblen time to recover and the poke is ruled accidental. Now Edwards delivers a kick in the groin area and the ref again steps in. No penalty. With fighters on their feet for the opening two minutes, the fight gains a little uncertainty. A little. Eblen tries to take down Edwards and fails. Edwards connects with a sharp left and then a right. Edwards drills an elbow into Eblen’s head. Edwards showing some life!! Now Eblen has Edwards pushed against the fence. Briefly. Edwards showing some viciousness. Edwards strikes with a knee to the body. What a terrific round for Edwards. Where was this earlier? Edwards 10-9. Total Eblen 49, Edwards 46.

Zafar Mohsen def. Husein Kadimagomaev, unanimous decision

It ended with Mohsen dropping elbows and blood on Kadimagomaev. Yes, the three-rounded featherweight was gritty and gory enough for an MMA card.

The fight unfolded slowly. And at the end of the first round, Kadimagomaev waved on Mohsen.

The action came later.

The powerfully built Mohsen dominated Kadimagomaev with his superior grappling over the final two rounds and snuck in ample punches too.

All three judges scored the fight 30-27 for Mohsen, a 29-year-old German who improves to 14-4. Kad, 25 from Switzerland, fell to 11-2.

Round 1: Lackluster first minute. Fighters exchange some leg kicks and Kadimagomaev fires an overhand right, wrestles down Mohsen and drives him into the fence. Tangled on the fence. They break free and work back to the middle of the cage. Mohsen connects with a jab. Kadimagomaev calls him forward and Mohsen delivers a hard elbow. Kadimagomaev kicks and slips. Banana peel? Mohsen 10-9.

Round 2: Light action again until Mohsen tried to leap onto Kadimagomaev. He’s now on top of Kadimagomaev and getting in some right-hand punches. But Kad gains the advantage and they’re clinched on the fence. Kadimagomaev working from underneath, then gets flipped by Mohsen. But his punches are mostly stifled. Mohsen is bleeding from the right eye and Kadimagomaev is covered with it. But Mohsen inflicted more pain. 10-9 Mohsen. Total 20-18 Mohsen.

Round 3: Mohen wastes little time initiating the grappling. Kad seems happy to do it. They’re clinched against the fence, and Mohsen does appear to be the stronger of the two men. Mohsen dropping punches on Kad’s head with his right hand. More punches to the head. Ref breaks then up (thanks, ref!) and they’re back at the center of the cage. Mohsen delivers some nice kicks and a powerful right. Kad shoots low for a takedown and, well, that ain’t happening. Mohsen on top of Kad and dropping elbows and blood onto Kad. Mohsen 10-9. Total Mohsen 30-27.

Paul Hughes def. A.J. McKee by split decision

When it was over, Hughes declared himself a “superstar.’’

“Damn straight,’’ he said during his in-cage interview.

Superstar? Well, maybe headed in that direction.

Hughes defeated a formidable McKee with a barrage of punches unleashed over the course of their three-round lightweight bout. The judges scored it 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 for Hughes.

The bell saved McKee when Hughes dropped him with a right at the end of the first round. But nothing could save McKee from the final outcome. Hughes improved to 13-1 and McKee dropped to 21-2

Round 1: McKee fires with a kick. Hughes nearly catches it but McKee jerks free. McKee punches and kicks and works Hughes against the fence before Hughes turns the tables. Clinched now. They trade knees to the gut. Just tangled. McKee breaks free and Hughes rewards him with a knee to the body. McKee delivers a couple of kicks and Hughes answers with punches. More kicks from McKee and more punches from Hughes. They’re wrapped up on the mat. Back on their feet and Hughes delivers a nasty knee and drops McKee with a huge right as the bell rings. Hughes 10, McKee 9.

Round 2: McKee lets fly with a kick to the chin. Nice spinning back kick there. Now, he’s working Hughes’ lead leg. McKee is surprisingly steady in light of the knockdown at the end of the round. He fires a left jab that gets through. Now they’re up against the fence. Not much happening, and then the fists fly and McKee knees Hughes in the chest. Hughes unloads a few strong punches. Referee sends the fighters to neutral corners. McKee warned for a kick that landed in Hughes’ groin area. Hughes answers with a left hook. He fires a barrage and a knee, and McKee cleverly catches it and slams McKee to the ground. Yet McKee works to control and knee McKee. Hughes 10, McKee 9. Total 20-18 Hughes. 

Round 3: McKee quickly works Hughes against the fence and McKee has the back before Hughes squirms free. They’re both back on their feet. Well, for a few seconds. McKee has the back again as they’re against the fence in wrestling mode. Hughes taking knees on his backside. Hughes is lose and smothering McKee with punches. The punches just keep on coming, one landing on McKee’s chin. Fight is back on the mat, with Hughes on top before McKee shows life and turns the table. Hughes find room to throw another scoring punch. Hughes 10, McKee 9. Total 30-27 Hughes.

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira main card 

Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco, women’s featherweight 
Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards, middleweight 
Husein Kadimagomaev vs. Zafar Mohsen, featherweight 
AJ McKee vs. Paul Hughes, lightweight 

Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco time 

This fight is the co-main and will start directly before Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferriera 

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira preliminary card 

Raufeon Stots def. Marcos Breno, bantamweight 
Makkasharip  Zaynukov def. Dedrek Sanders, lightweight 
Ibragim Ibragimov def. Nacho Campos, featherweight 
Taha Bendaoud def. Tariq Ismail, featherweight 

Raufeon Stots def. Marcos Breno by submission, 3rd round

Breno nearly knocked down Stots twice early in the first round of their three-round bantamweight fight. Any celebration would have been premature.

Breno maintained his aggressive attack and won the round. But Stots, a former NCAA Division II wrestling champion, eventually found an opportunity to capitalize on his grappling.

It went from good to brilliant for Stots in the third round, when Breno took down Stots only to find himself quickly under Stots’ control.

He punished Breno with punches and finished him off with a rear naked choke. Breno tapped out with 1:59 left in the fight.

Stots, a 25-year-old from Texas, improved to 21-2. Breno, a 26-year-old from Connecticut, fell to 15-4.

Makkasharip Zaynukov def. Dedrek Sanders, unanimous decision

By the end, about the only thing in question about this three-round lightweight fight was whether Sanders would avoid a submission or survive late hammer fists before the referee interceded.

He did.

But Zaynukov was dominant, securing seven takedowns. Perhaps the most impressive takedown: in the second round, Sanders caught Zaynukov’s leg after an attempted kick and yet moments later it was Zaynukov who wrestled Sanders to the mat.

Multiple times, Sanders appeared to squirm free. It was false hope, as Zaynukov sustained his dominance with superior grappling.

All three referees scored it as a unanimous decision for Zaynukov, a Russian who improved to 16-4. Sanders, a 34-year-old from Alaska, fell to 9-5. 

Ibragim Ibragimov def. Nacho Campos by unanimous decision

Ibragimov opened the featherweight bout with a few kicks, including a flashy wheel kick. In retrospect, it felt like mostly show.

He quickly shifted into his dominant position: grappling, and Campos looked largely helpless. He spent most of the time on the mat – and looking to the referee in hopes he would instruct the fighters to stand up during the three-round featherweight bout.

No luck.

Campos did get in his shots, but Ibragimov’s fists connected far more – 125 strikes for Ibragimov to 57 strikes for Campos.

The crowd grew restless with all the wrestling, but the judges didn’t seem to mind. All three scored it 30-27 in favor of Ibrahimov, the 20-year-old from Republic of Dagestan who improved to 8-0.

Campos, a Spaniard, fell to 5-1.

Taha Bendaoud def. Tariq Ismail by submission, 2nd round 

Bendaoud’s face was bloody and swollen after the fight, but it didn’t keep him from pulling off a surprise move to win the featherweight bout.

Ismail dominated the first round after securing a takedown. It was more of the same in the second round, only this time Ismail pounded Bendaoud’s face as the blood flowed.

But as Ismail leaned in for more strikes, Bendaoud surprised him with a triangle choke and with his legs squeezed him like a boa constrictor before Ismail tapped out with 1:09 left in the second round.

Bendaoud, a 29-year-old from Morocco, improved to 4-0. Ismael, a 34-year-old from Sudan, fell to 8-2.

Francis Ngannou boxing record 

Ngannou is 0-2 in boxing. He is 17-3-1 in MMA with 12 KOs and 4 submissions. 

Renan Ferreira record 

13-3 in MMA with 11 KOs and one submission 

Francis Ngannou wife 

Ngannou, who has two children, has protected the details of his private life. 

How did Francis Ngannou son pass away 

In April, Ngannou announced his son Kobe had died at the age of 15 months. Ngannou said doctors failed to diagnose a brain malformation that resulted in Kobe’s death. 

Francis Ngannou height & weight 

6-4, 256 pounds 

Renan Ferreira height & weight 

6-8, 261 pounds 

How old is Francis Ngannou? 

38 

How old is Renan Ferreira? 

34 

Cris Cyborg record 

27-2 with 21 KOs and one submission 

How tall is Cris Cyborg?

5-8 

Larissa Pacheco record 

23-4 with 11 KOs and 8 submissions 

What time is Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira?

Preliminary card starts at 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday. Main card starts at 4 ET. 

Where is the Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira fight tonight?

The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira how to watch 

Preliminary card on ESPN+. Free with subscription.
Main card on DAZN. PPV fee: $49.99. 

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Just two teams are on a bye in Week 7 of the NFL season: the Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears. The two teams have plenty of fantasy football stars and starters with the likes of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Jake Ferguson, Caleb Williams, D’Andre Swift, DJ Moore, Cole Kmet, and the Chicago Bears D/ST.

There’s also tough matchups across the league with a Super Bowl rematch and a battle between two of the top teams in the NFC North. If you’re facing some crucial choices for your fantasy football team, we’re here to help. Here are 50 players to start or sit in Week 7.

Week 7 Fantasy football start ’em and sit ’em: QBs

START: Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Baltimore Ravens)

Mayfield leads the NFL with 15 passing touchdowns and has been a must-start on a weekly basis in fantasy football. Baltimore’s allowed at least 250 passing yards and two touchdowns to opposing quarterbacks in three of their last four games. Mayfield can take advantage of the Ravens’ secondary with one of the best wide receiver tandems in the league.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

START: Kirk Cousins, Atlanta Falcons (vs. Seattle Seahawks)

It’s unrealistic to expect Cousins to put up 500 yards and four touchdowns every week like he did in Week 5. But he can be trusted in favorable matchups, like this week against Seattle. The Seahawks have allowed 257.7 yards per game and eight passing touchdowns over their last three games. This could be a high-scoring game to Cousins’ benefit.

START: Geno Smith, Seattle Seahawks (at Atlanta Falcons)

Smith leads the league in passing yards but has thrown exactly one touchdown in every game. He could break out this week, though. Atlanta has allowed multiple passing touchdowns in three of the last four games. They’re also a subpar pass rush again with a league-low five sacks and a 14% pressure rate, 31st in the NFL. At the very least, Smith is a great stand-in for a starter facing a tough matchup.

START: Drake Maye, New England Patriots (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

Maye threw three touchdowns in his first start against a tough Houston defense. His reward? A matchup in London against the Jaguars, who allow the most points to opposing quarterbacks in fantasy football. They’ve allowed 14 passing touchdowns through six weeks. Maye could have a great outing in London as a fill-in at quarterback or in SuperFlex leagues.

SIT: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (at Cleveland Browns)

Burrow followed his QB2 performance in Week 5 with a down week against the Giants. New York’s pass rush had a big impact and Cleveland could pose similar issues. Myles Garrett is one of the top edge rushers in the league and will likely be lining up against rookie tackle Amarius Mims. Burrow’s also historically struggled against Cleveland with four touchdowns and four interceptions in his last four matchups against the Browns.

SIT: Jared Goff, Detroit Lions (at Minnesota Vikings)

Goff has been excellent in his last two games with 607 yards and five touchdowns in that span. He isn’t a top-15 play this week, though, against a Vikings pass defense that bends but doesn’t break. Minnesota’s allowing the third-most passing yards per game in the NFL – likely a product of playing with a lead more often thatn not – but have given up just eight total touchdowns to quarterbacks in five games. Detroit may elect to lean on the running game in this one, especially in the red zone.

SIT: Russell Wilson, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. New York Jets)

The Jets’ defense is dealing with injuries but still ranks second in the league in passing yards allowed per game. The Steelers also have the sixth-highest sack percentage in the league. Neither are great for a 35-year-old quarterback making his first start in nearly a calendar year. Unless you’re really in a pinch, this is a quartebrack situation to avoid.

SIT: Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts (vs. Miami Dolphins)

Richardson should make his first appearance on the field since Week 4 but it’s against one of the top pass defenses in the league. Miami’s allowing just 159.6 passing yards per game, third in the NFL. The Dolphins are 18th in rushing yards allowed per game but Richardson may not have many designed runs in his first game back from injury.

Week 7 Fantasy football start ’em and sit ’em: RBs

START: Austin Ekeler, Washington Commanders (vs. Carolina Panthers)

Carolina ranks 32nd in the NFL in yards (803) and touchdowns (12) allowed to running backs in 2024. Ekeler may be the Commanders’ No. 2 back with Brian Robinson Jr. back from a knee injury but he’ll still have a lot of value. Last week, both Atlanta Falcons running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier finished in the top six of standard scoring leagues. Ekeler’s a great choice even if Robinson Jr. is fully back as the starter.

START: Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. New England Patriots)

With starter Travis Etienne Jr. dealing with a hamstring injury, that moves Bigsby into a lead-back role against a Patriots defense that’s struggled against the run lately. That unit’s allowed at least one rushing touchdown every week and average 130.3 rushing yards allowed this season. Bigsby should have another good week in London.

START: Antonio Gibson, New England Patriots (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

Gibson’s in a similar spot to Bigsby. Jacksonville’s allowed at least one rushing touchdown in every game this season and are giving up 113 rushing yards per game. They’re also allowing the second-most receiving yards to running backs in the league which plays to Gibson’s strengths. He’s a good play this week regardless of Rhamondre Stevenson’s status.

START: Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings (vs. Detroit Lions)

Vikings starting running back Aaron Jones is questionable this week. If he can’t go, Chandler will likely handle most of the workload. Detroit just lost Aidan Hutchinson for the season and that should benefit opposing running games, especially on the edge. Chandler could easily reach double-digit points if he gets around a dozen touches.

SIT: Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

Chubb is set to take the field for the first time since Week 2 of last season. Because of that, it’s hard to trust him immediately, especially considering the offensive line injuries in Cleveland and Cincinnati’s performance last week against the run versus the Giants. The Bengals held New York to 63 yards on 20 carries. This isn’t a good matchup for Chubb.

SIT: Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Baltimore Ravens)

Irving’s breakout performance against the Saints precedes a tough test against Baltimore this week. The Ravens are allowing a league-low 59 rushing yards per game in 2024. For context, the NFL average is more than double that at 122.1 yards per game. The Buccaneers will likely lean on the passing game in this one.

SIT: Zack Moss, Cincinnati Bengals (at Cleveland Browns)

Moss’ second-half fumble last week effectively ended his night against the Giants. Chase Brown took over for the rest of the game. Cincinnati may give Moss another chance but he’ll still likely remain behind Brown on the RB hierarchy going forward.

SIT: Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco 49ers (vs. Kansas City Chiefs)

Mason may be back in the lineup after last week’s injury but it’s hard to trust either 49ers running back in this one. Kansas City has allowed just 52.6 rushing yards per game to opposing running backs. Both Mason and Guerendo are low-end flex plays if you’re struggling for options this week, especially if San Francisco splits the workload in light of Mason’s injury.

Week 7 Fantasy football start ’em and sit ’em: WRs

START: Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens (vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Flowers broke the Ravens’ record for catches in a half with nine for 132 yards last week. He likely won’t repeat that performance again on ‘Monday Night Football’ against the Buccaneers but Tampa Bay’s much better against the run than pass. That may force Baltimore to throw more to Flowers’ benefit.

START: DeMario Douglas, New England Patriots (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

Yes, you read that correctly. A New England Patriots wide receiver is a recommended start thanks to rookie Drake Maye being under center this week. Douglas had six catches for a season-high 92 yards and a touchdown last week. The Jaguars’ defense is allowing the second-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers this season.

START: Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings (vs. Detroit Lions)

One of the best games of the week pits undefeated Minnesota off a bye against the surging Detroit Lions. Addison could play a significant role in this one with tight end T.J. Hockenson unlikely to be back in the lineup. Detroit’s allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to wide receivers this season.

START: Ladd McConkey, Los Angeles Chargers (at Arizona Cardinals)

After facing a top pass defense against Denver, McConkey and the Chargers get a break this week against Arizona. The Cardinals are giving up the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in the NFL. McConkey could take advantage.

START: Diontae Johnson, Carolina Panthers (at Washington Commanders)

Johnson led the Panthers with 10 targets last week and converted that to six catches, 78 yards, and a touchdown. Washington’s allowing the fifth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this season. Johnson should benefit as the Panthers will likely play catch-up for most of the game.

SIT: Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals (vs. Los Angeles Chargers)

Wilson scored his second touchdown of the season last week against Green Bay but will probably have a tougher time on Monday night. Los Angeles is sixth in the NFL in fewest fantasy points allowed to opposing wide receivers. Marvin Harrison Jr. will play which could help take some attention but Wilson likely won’t replicate his performance from last week.

SIT: Allen Lazard, New York Jets (at Pittsburgh Steelers)

The Jets’ trade for Davante Adams affects the receiving hierarchy in New York and Lazard will likely see the biggest change. Almost half of his yards last week came on a Hail Mary to close the first half. Adams will likely play this week and the Steelers’ defense is allowing the 10th-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers in the NFL. That makes him a tough start this week.

SIT: Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans (at Buffalo Bills)

Ridley had zero catches on eight targets last week, albeit most of those targets were under-thrown. Tennessee’s pass offense is one of the worst in the league and face a stingy pass defense in Buffalo. The Bills are allowing the eighth-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers in 2024, making Ridley a bad choice this week.

SIT: Michael Pittman Jr., Indianapolis Colts (vs. Miami Dolphins)

Pittman Jr. surprisingly played last week after a reported back injury and tallied five catches for 35 yards and a touchdown. But the Dolphins’ pass defense could stifle him this weekend. They rank third in the NFL in fantasy points to wide receivers allowed this season. Wide receivers who have had the most success against Miami are faster players that don’t fit Pittman Jr.’s profile.

Week 7 Fantasy football start ’em and sit ’em: TEs

START: Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans (at Green Bay Packers)

With Houston missing top wideout Nico Collins, Schultz saw more usage last week. He finished second in targets behind Tank Dell. This week, he faces a Packers defense allowing the fifth-most yards to tight ends and tied for the most receptions. That makes him an especially good play in PPR leagues.

START: Hunter Henry, New England Patriots (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

Maye’s debut was a boost to the Patriots’ pass offense, Henry included. He had five targets last week – second most on the team – and converted that to three catches for 41 yards and a touchdown. With a bad offensive line, Maye could lean on Henry against the worst pass defense in the league that just got torched by Cole Kmet last week.

START: Brock Bowers, Las Vegas Raiders (at Los Angeles Rams)

Davante Adams is out and Jakobi Meyers is doubtful to play. That makes Bowers the top threat in the passing game for the Raiders. Los Angeles is allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to tight ends in the NFL this season. Bowers is averaging 11 catches and 84 yards since Adams exited the lineup. He could be a top tight end on Sunday.

START: Jonnu Smith, Miami Dolphins (at Indianapolis Colts)

Smith could be a great start in a pinch this week. He had a season-high eight targets against the Patriots last time out in Week 5. He converted that to five catches for 62 yards. This week, he faces a Colts defense giving up the fourth-most points to opposing tight ends this season.

SIT: Grant Calcaterra, Philadelphia Eagles (vs. New York Giants)

Eagles’ starting tight end Dallas Goedert will be out for this one so many fantasy football managers may turn to Calcaterra as a fill in. But he’s facing a Giants team allowing the fifth-fewest fantasy points per game to tight ends. With a fully healthy wide receiver corps and a solid pass-catching back in Saquon Barkley, Calcaterra’s far down the list of options in the passing game for Philadelphia.

SIT: Tucker Kraft, Green Bay Packers (vs. Houston Texans)

Kraft’s was one of the top tight ends in the league in Weeks 4 and 5. But with Christian Watson back in the lineup, his production dropped off to just five touches for 15 total yards. Houston’s one of the toughest defenses against tight ends this season. Kraft will likely struggle again this week.

SIT: Dalton Kincaid, Buffalo Bills (vs. Tennessee Titans)

Kincaid’s been a reliable tight end this season, ranking top-15 in PPR leagues in four of the last five weeks. But he faces the best defense against tight ends in fantasy football this week. The Titans have allowed just 24 yards per game to tight ends this season and have yet to allow a touchdown to the position.

SIT: Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. New York Jets)

Freiermuth’s been a top-10 tight end in all formats this season but may be a tough start this week. Wilson is the new starter in Pittsburgh but he’s an unknown for fantasy owners this week. That makes it hard to trust any of the Steelers pass-catchers, especially Freiermuth facing a defense allowing the seventh-fewest fantasy points to tight ends in the NFL.

Week 7 Fantasy football start ’em and sit ’em: Ks

START: Chase McLaughlin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Baltimore Ravens)

McLaughlin is averaging more than 10 points per game this season and could have another strong week against Baltimore. The Ravens gave up four field goal attempts to Washington last week. McLaughlin should have a few attempts in this one unless Tampa Bay falls behind early. He can be trusted as a top-10 kicker.

START: Joshua Karty, Los Angeles Rams (vs. Las Vegas Raiders)

Karty may not be a household name, but the rookie is coming off a bye week and getting a favorable matchup against a Raiders team that allows 2.8 field goal attempts per game, tied for the second-most in the NFL. The Rams’ offense should get reinforcements on offense this week and may put up more points against Las Vegas.

START: Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks (at Atlanta Falcons)

Myers could be a great start this week against a Falcons team giving up the second-most fantasy points to opposing kickers this season. Myers will be kicking indoors in this one and opposing kickers have made all 17 field goal attempts against the Falcons this year. This one could be a shootout and may benefit Myers.

SIT: Greg Joseph, New York Giants (vs. Philadelphia Eagles)

Philadelphia leads the league in field goal attempts per game allowed this season with three. But Joseph missed two field goals inside 50 yards last week against Cincinnati and that could rattle his confidence. It’d be smart to avoid him for this week at least.

SIT: Jake Bates, Detroit Lions (at Minnesota Vikings)

Bates had a career day against Dallas last week by making all nine of his kicks: four field goals and five extra points. Detroit’s offense is churning out points over the last two games but Bates may have a tough day this week. Minnesota is allowing just 1.3 field goals per game this season. Bates had a stretch in Weeks 3 and 4 with zero field goals. Detroit may be more aggressive in the red zone in this one, leaving Bates with fewer chances for field goals.

SIT: Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles (at New York Giants)

It’s surprising but New York has a top-10 scoring defense this season and have played well against the run. That could play to the Eagles’ strengths with wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith in the passing game but at Elliott’s expense. It may be a lower-scoring affair and Elliott – who is just 6 of 8 on field goals this season – doesn’t inspire tons of confidence.

Week 7 Fantasy football start ’em and sit ’em: D/STs

START: Buffalo Bills (vs. Tennessee Titans)

Tennessee is the most fantasy-friendly offense to opposing D/STs. They’ve allowed 12.2 points per game in standard scoring leagues this season. Buffalo could use a strong day on defense and it’s hard to pick a better opponent for that than Tennessee.

START: Cincinnati Bengals (at Cleveland Browns)

Cincinnati’s defense hasn’t been good by fantasy points or real-world stats. But this week they’re playing a Browns team that just traded away their best receiver and lead the league in sacks allowed (31) by a big margin. They could have their best game in a while this week.

START: Los Angeles Chargers (at Arizona Cardinals)

Los Angeles’ first prime-time game of the season comes against a Cardinals team that just committed a season-high three turnovers last week. Even on the road, the Chargers could take advantage with one of the top pass defenses in the league.

START: New England Patriots (vs. Jacksonville Jaguars)

New England hasn’t had a strong season on defense but could have a good game this week. The Jaguars are dealing with backfield injuries and allowed four sacks and two turnovers against the Bears last week. The Patriots’ D/ST isn’t on Chicago’s level but could still put up some points.

START: Los Angeles Rams (vs. Las Vegas Raiders)

The Rams are one of the worst D/STs in fantasy football in 2024. This week could be their best matchup of the season. Las Vegas is giving up the third-most points to opposing D/STs in the NFL. Opposing defenses are averaging two turnovers and three sacks per game. The Raiders just traded Davante Adams away and could be without Meyers.

SIT: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. Baltimore Ravens)

Tampa Bay’s D/ST had a fantastic showing in Week 6 with five sacks, three turnovers, and a touchdown. It’d be shocking if they replicated that this week. Baltimore is the toughest team for opposing D/STs in the league, allowing fewer than two points per game.

SIT: Minnesota Vikings (vs. Detroit Lions)

The Vikings are the top D/ST in the league and outscoring any unit from the past five season. Week 7 is a rare time to sit this unit. Detroit is allowing the third-fewest points to D/STs this season. The Lions are the toughest offense Minnesota’s faced all year.

SIT: Seattle Seahawks (at Atlanta Falcons)

Seattle’s D/ST struggled against San Francisco with no turnovers or sacks. Atlanta will likely be another tough outing for the Seahawks. The Falcons’ offense played a near-perfect game against Carolina last week and are giving up the fifth-fewest points to opposing D/STs in the NFL this seaosn.

SIT: Houston Texans (at Green Bay Packers)

Despite playing like a good defense by most metrics, Houston hasn’t been a very good fantasy football D/ST in 2024. Almost three-quarters of their points came in two games: Week 2 versus Chicago and at New England last week. Green Bay’s allowed just three sacks and four turnovers in the last three weeks, making it hard for opposing D/STs to put up points.

SIT: Cleveland Browns (vs. Cincinnati Bengals)

Cleveland’s D/ST is playing well despite but face one of the top offenses on their schedule this week. Cincinnati has allowed just seven sacks and three turnovers in the last three weeks. The Browns’ defense is talented on paper but conditions are not good this week for them to put up fantasy points.

The message is clear: If an NBA team is at least a 50-win squad (or close to it) with multiple stars (or burgeoning stars), the time to make a title push is now.

Since Golden State won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018, no team has repeated as champ and not even one team has returned to the Finals following a Finals appearance the previous season.

New champions and different teams in each Finals starting in 2019.

Teams who believe they are contenders see that championship windows can open quickly – and shut quickly.

The five most intriguing, title-altering free-agent acquisitions to watch in the 2024-25 NBA season:

Klay Thompson, Dallas Mavericks

In Boston’s Finals victory against Dallas, it was clear the Mavericks needed more and better 3-point shooting: 9.6 made 3s at 31.6% shooting isn’t sufficient to win a title. Enter Klay Thompson, whose 11-year career with Golden State expired after last season. Thompson needed a new team and found it with Dallas on a three-year, $50 million contract. This isn’t All-Star Klay but he still shot 38.7% on 3s, made 3.5 3s per game and was No. 4 in total made 3s last season. With Dallas featuring the Luka Doncic-Kyrie Irving pairing, Thompson doesn’t have to be a No. 2 scorer and some games he doesn’t even need to be the No. 3 scorer. But for Dallas to get back to the Western Conference finals and beyond, it needs Thompson’s 3-point shooting and competent defense.

Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers

The 76ers want a title with one-time MVP Joel Embiid at the center. With Embiid and young All-Star Tyrese Maxey, the addition of George should give the Sixers their best chance to win the East since Allen Iverson led them to the Finals in 2001. Philadelphia hasn’t won a title since Julius Erving and Moses Malone got it done in 1983. Now, so much of the 76ers’ postseason success in April and perhaps May and June depends on Embiid’s health. But George was an All-Star for the ninth time last season, averaging 22.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals and shooting 47.1% from the field, 41.3% on 3s and 90.7% from the field. That’s a difference-maker on a four-year, $211.5 million deal that the Los Angeles Clippers were unwilling to spend to keep George.

DeMar DeRozan, Sacramento Kings

The Kings are trying to carve out a spot in the West – no easy feat considering the competition. They lost in the first round in 2023 and didn’t escape the play-in game format from the ninth-place position last season. Enter DeMar DeRozan, who is embarking on his 16th season and trying to help a team that won 48 games in 2022-23 and 46 games in 2023-24 win a playoff series for the first time since 2004. DeRozan posted All-Star stats for Chicago last season, averaging 24.0 points, 5.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.1 steals and shooting 48% from the field. The Kings sought DeRozan, who signed a three-year, $73.8 million contract, to help Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox take the team to the next level.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Orlando Magic

Denver’s loss is Orlando’s gain. The young and promising Magic won 47 games last season but lost to Cleveland in a seven-game first-round series. Like Dallas, the Magic need 3-point shooting (30.9% in the playoffs, 35.2% in the regular season) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope can deliver there, shooting at least 40% on 3s in three of the past four seasons. He also provides defense to an already strong defensive team and his championship experience (titles with the Los Angeles Lakers and Nuggets) will help Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. Pope joined the Magic on a three-year, $66 million deal.

Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City Thunder

As the New York Knicks battled injuries during the 2024 playoffs, Isaiah Hartenstein took on a significant role offensively and defensively. Oklahoma City snuck in and signed the center to a three-year, $87 million contract, giving the Thunder, who had the top seed in the West last season with a 57-25 record, more depth alongside a roster that includes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams. Hartenstein averaged 8.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and nearly one block while shooting 59.2% from the field in 13 playoff games last season. At 7-foot, 250 pounds, he also brings a physical presence to the Thunder.

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

Francis Ngannou and Renan Ferreira enter the cage Saturday with proper billing.

‘Battle of the Giants,’ trumpets the Professional Fighters League (PFL), will pit Ngannou, a 6-4, 256-pound Cameroonian, against Ferreira, a 6-8, 261-pound Brazilian, in the main event of the PFL Super Fights in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Both men have jaw-dropping power.

Ferreria, 34, is 13-3 with 11 KOs. Ngannou, 38, is 17-3 with 12 knockouts. But numbers fail to account for another important storyline. This clash marks Ngannou’s first MMA fight since January 2022, after which he left UFC because of a contract dispute and ventured into pro boxing.

He stunned the world of combat sports in October 2023 when knocked down and nearly beat Tyson Fury in his pro boxing debut. But he got brutally knocked out by Anthony Joshua in their March fight.

The following month, Ngannou announced his 15-month-old son died. Still grieving, Ngannou told USA TODAY Sports he decided to fight again in part because of his son’s death. Whether it was too soon will become clearer Saturday during his giant PFL debut.

Up next: Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira, heavyweight 

The fight of the night is about to begin. Stay tuned for round-by-round analysis. Scroll down for results from all other main card and preliminary fights tonight.

What time is Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira?

Preliminary card starts at 1:30 p.m. ET Saturday. Main card starts at 4 ET. 

Where is the Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira fight tonight?

The Mayadeen in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira how to watch 

Preliminary card on ESPN+. Free with subscription.
Main card on DAZN. PPV fee: $49.99. 

Cris Cyborg def. Larissa Pacheco by unanimous decision

At 39, Cyborg did it again.

She beat an opponent almost a decade younger while winning the PFL’s featherweight world title – her fifth title from a major promotion.

It was impressive, but not pretty.

Pacheco, 30, landed plenty of hard shots, and it left Cyborg bleeding over both swollen eyes. But Cyborg survived thanks to her fists and determination. All three judges scored it 49-46.

Cyborg landed 108 strikes to 91 for Pacheco and she also had four takedowns while Pacheco had none. But while Pacheco did not earn the victory, she clearly earned Cyborg’s respect.

Cyborg improved to 28-2 and Pacheco 23-5. 

Round 1: Cyborg opens with a stiff left jab. Looks good for 39. Cyborg has Pacheco, 30, on the fence. Cyborg drives in knees. Ducks a right, grabs Pacheco and drives Pacheco to the mat. Yeah, looks VERY good for 39. Cyborg on top. Pacheco breaks free, answers with big punches. Cyborg pleading around the left eye. Delivers an elbow to Pacheco. Cyborg gets a takedown but now finds herself wrapped up, Pacheco’s hands around her neck. Cyborg somehow gets her head free and then turns the ground-and-pound on Pacheco. Blood everywhere. Cyborg’s blood-smeared face looks like a mess ― cut over both eyes ― but that was quite the performance. Cyborg 10, Pacheco 9. 

Round 2: Fighters out a little slow, maybe because of that brutal first round. Pacheco lands a leg kick and Pacheco drops to the mat. Pain and fatigue, I’m guessing. They’re in a clinch against the fence. Cyborg lands a right elbow. Pacheco still coming forward, only to be grabbed by Cyborg and driven into the mat. Cyborg on top of Pacheco and pounding with the right elbow. A bloody mess, as Cyborg chocks away with some lefts. Cyborg up and Pacheco attacks from bottom before the ref waves her up. Pacheco a solid shot. Cyborg 10-9. Total Cyborg 20-18.

Round 3: Pacheco connects with a hard right. Cyborg backs away and Pacheco beckons her forward. Odd to watch Cyborg keep a distance. But they’re face to face again. Fists fly. Punches miss. Pacheco the aggressor. Throws a nice combo and backs up. Pacheco lands a right and drops Cyborg!!! But no luck capitalizing with ground-and-pound. Yet. Pacheco working hard to create room for punches. An elbow got through, but no serious damage. Pacheco 10-9. Total Cyborg 29-28.

Round 4: Pacheco lands a nasty leg kick. Cyborg throws a big right. Partial landing. A relatively peaceful opening 90 seconds for these two. Pacheco connects with a couple of rights. Another leg kick from Pacheco. Cyborg connects with a solid overhand right. Pacheco catches a kick and pummels Cyborg with a right. Just when she begins to tire…Cyborg lands a left hook and moves forward behind punches. Pacheco 10-9. Total Cyborg 38, Pacheco 38.

Round 5: Cyborg opens the round with a nice jab. Action is light. How does this not end in a brawl? Cyborg lets go with a halfhearted kick. How much gas is in the tank? Pacheco drills Cyborg with a right hand, and suddenly Cyborg comes alive! She’s got Pacheco on the mat and slugs away before they’re both back on their feet. Lots of blood leaking from Cyborg’s left eye. Cyborg lets fly with an overhand right. Pacheco responds with a low kick. Back comes Cyborg with a right. Cyborg with a takedown but Pacheco squirms free fast. Here comes the brawling. Fists fly in the final seconds. Fighters embrace. Cyborg 10-9. Total Cyborg 48, Pacheco 47.

Johnny Eblen def. Fabian Edwards by unanimous decision

It was one body slam after another for Eblen, who had 15 takedowns in all during the five-round fight while retaining his Bellator middleweight world title.

Edwards came alive in the final round with a flurry of punches and kicks. Not to mention an accidental poke to Eblen’s right eye and a kick that landed near Eblen’s groin. But the impressive attack was too little to overcome Eblen’s earlier dominance.

The judges scored it 48-47 in favor of Eblen, a 32-year-old American who improved to 16-0. Edwards, a 31-year-old from England, fell to 13-4.

Round 1: Edwards connects with a left and Eblen counters with a left. Eblen connects with a left and a right; it staggers Edwards. Eblen has Edwards up against the fence before Edwards slips loose. Edwards connects with inside leg kicks. Eblen misses with a kick, then rushes forward and twice slams Edwards to the ground. Big takedown. And drops him a third time! Here come a couple of knees to Edwards’ hamstrings. The twirl around and Edwards knees Eblen in the gut a few times. Eblen 10-9. 

Round 2: Edwards drills Eblen with a left. Evidence he’s not done. Of course, not too long after Eblen has Edwards on the mat. Eblen looks solid in the dominant position, but not capitalizing yet with punches before Edwards gets back on his feet. Only to get slammed back to the mat! Oh, boy. Edwards back on his feet. Wanna guess what happened next? Up and down and up…They’re both on their feet and Eblen strikes with a right elbow. Finishing up the round on their feet. Edwards lands a solid left as the round ends. Eblen 10-9. Total Eblen 20-18.

Round 3: More than a minute and Eblen has yet to take down Edwards. Wow. Eblen lands a right and Edwards counters with a left. Edwards looks far better now – standing face to face with Eblen and trading punches. But 2 ½ minutes in, Eblen attempts another takedown – and he’s now 8 for 8. Edwards fighting hard to get free, and he does. Edwards lets fly with a kick to the face. Mostly blocked. Edward scores with his knee and, ugh, back against the fence he goes, with Eblen driving him there. Eblen 10-9. Total Eblen 30-27. 

Round 4: They open with head kicks – that miss. Face to face here. Eblen connects with a right. Edwards lacks much urgency. He scored with a left and his reward? Another takedown by Eblen. Edwards back on his feet and Eblen knees Edwards and slams him back on the mat. Oof. And, again. Eblen drives another knee into Edwards’ backside. Edwards slides back down on the mat. Geez. He’s up, and guess what? Another body slam. They separate and Edwards lands a couple of blows. Way to late and way to little for this ground. Eblen 10-9. Total Eblen 40-36. 

Round 5: Edwards pokes Eblen with a finger. The ref steps in and gives Eblen time to recover and the poke is ruled accidental. Now Edwards delivers a kick in the groin area and the ref again steps in. No penalty. With fighters on their feet for the opening two minutes, the fight gains a little uncertainty. A little. Eblen tries to take down Edwards and fails. Edwards connects with a sharp left and then a right. Edwards drills an elbow into Eblen’s head. Edwards showing some life!! Now Eblen has Edwards pushed against the fence. Briefly. Edwards showing some viciousness. Edwards strikes with a knee to the body. What a terrific round for Edwards. Where was this earlier? Edwards 10-9. Total Eblen 49, Edwards 46.

Zafar Mohsen def. Husein Kadimagomaev, unanimous decision

It ended with Mohsen dropping elbows and blood on Kadimagomaev. Yes, the three-rounded featherweight was gritty and gory enough for an MMA card.

The fight unfolded slowly. And at the end of the first round, Kadimagomaev waved on Mohsen.

The action came later.

The powerfully built Mohsen dominated Kadimagomaev with his superior grappling over the final two rounds and snuck in ample punches too.

All three judges scored the fight 30-27 for Mohsen, a 29-year-old German who improves to 14-4. Kad, 25 from Switzerland, fell to 11-2.

Round 1: Lackluster first minute. Fighters exchange some leg kicks and Kadimagomaev fires an overhand right, wrestles down Mohsen and drives him into the fence. Tangled on the fence. They break free and work back to the middle of the cage. Mohsen connects with a jab. Kadimagomaev calls him forward and Mohsen delivers a hard elbow. Kadimagomaev kicks and slips. Banana peel? Mohsen 10-9.

Round 2: Light action again until Mohsen tried to leap onto Kadimagomaev. He’s now on top of Kadimagomaev and getting in some right-hand punches. But Kad gains the advantage and they’re clinched on the fence. Kadimagomaev working from underneath, then gets flipped by Mohsen. But his punches are mostly stifled. Mohsen is bleeding from the right eye and Kadimagomaev is covered with it. But Mohsen inflicted more pain. 10-9 Mohsen. Total 20-18 Mohsen.

Round 3: Mohen wastes little time initiating the grappling. Kad seems happy to do it. They’re clinched against the fence, and Mohsen does appear to be the stronger of the two men. Mohsen dropping punches on Kad’s head with his right hand. More punches to the head. Ref breaks then up (thanks, ref!) and they’re back at the center of the cage. Mohsen delivers some nice kicks and a powerful right. Kad shoots low for a takedown and, well, that ain’t happening. Mohsen on top of Kad and dropping elbows and blood onto Kad. Mohsen 10-9. Total Mohsen 30-27.

Paul Hughes def. A.J. McKee by split decision

When it was over, Hughes declared himself a “superstar.’’

“Damn straight,’’ he said during his in-cage interview.

Superstar? Well, maybe headed in that direction.

Hughes defeated a formidable McKee with a barrage of punches unleashed over the course of their three-round lightweight bout. The judges scored it 29-28, 28-29, 29-28 for Hughes.

The bell saved McKee when Hughes dropped him with a right at the end of the first round. But nothing could save McKee from the final outcome. Hughes improved to 13-1 and McKee dropped to 21-2

Round 1: McKee fires with a kick. Hughes nearly catches it but McKee jerks free. McKee punches and kicks and works Hughes against the fence before Hughes turns the tables. Clinched now. They trade knees to the gut. Just tangled. McKee breaks free and Hughes rewards him with a knee to the body. McKee delivers a couple of kicks and Hughes answers with punches. More kicks from McKee and more punches from Hughes. They’re wrapped up on the mat. Back on their feet and Hughes delivers a nasty knee and drops McKee with a huge right as the bell rings. Hughes 10, McKee 9.

Round 2: McKee lets fly with a kick to the chin. Nice spinning back kick there. Now, he’s working Hughes’ lead leg. McKee is surprisingly steady in light of the knockdown at the end of the round. He fires a left jab that gets through. Now they’re up against the fence. Not much happening, and then the fists fly and McKee knees Hughes in the chest. Hughes unloads a few strong punches. Referee sends the fighters to neutral corners. McKee warned for a kick that landed in Hughes’ groin area. Hughes answers with a left hook. He fires a barrage and a knee, and McKee cleverly catches it and slams McKee to the ground. Yet McKee works to control and knee McKee. Hughes 10, McKee 9. Total 20-18 Hughes. 

Round 3: McKee quickly works Hughes against the fence and McKee has the back before Hughes squirms free. They’re both back on their feet. Well, for a few seconds. McKee has the back again as they’re against the fence in wrestling mode. Hughes taking knees on his backside. Hughes is lose and smothering McKee with punches. The punches just keep on coming, one landing on McKee’s chin. Fight is back on the mat, with Hughes on top before McKee shows life and turns the table. Hughes find room to throw another scoring punch. Hughes 10, McKee 9. Total 30-27 Hughes.

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira main card 

Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco, women’s featherweight 
Johnny Eblen vs. Fabian Edwards, middleweight 
Husein Kadimagomaev vs. Zafar Mohsen, featherweight 
AJ McKee vs. Paul Hughes, lightweight 

Cris Cyborg vs. Larissa Pacheco time 

This fight is the co-main and will start directly before Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferriera 

Francis Ngannou vs. Renan Ferreira preliminary card 

Raufeon Stots def. Marcos Breno, bantamweight 
Makkasharip  Zaynukov def. Dedrek Sanders, lightweight 
Ibragim Ibragimov def. Nacho Campos, featherweight 
Taha Bendaoud def. Tariq Ismail, featherweight 

Raufeon Stots def. Marcos Breno by submission, 3rd round

Breno nearly knocked down Stots twice early in the first round of their three-round bantamweight fight. Any celebration would have been premature.

Breno maintained his aggressive attack and won the round. But Stots, a former NCAA Division II wrestling champion, eventually found an opportunity to capitalize on his grappling.

It went from good to brilliant for Stots in the third round, when Breno took down Stots only to find himself quickly under Stots’ control.

He punished Breno with punches and finished him off with a rear naked choke. Breno tapped out with 1:59 left in the fight.

Stots, a 25-year-old from Texas, improved to 21-2. Breno, a 26-year-old from Connecticut, fell to 15-4.

Makkasharip Zaynukov def. Dedrek Sanders, unanimous decision

By the end, about the only thing in question about this three-round lightweight fight was whether Sanders would avoid a submission or survive late hammer fists before the referee interceded.

He did.

But Zaynukov was dominant, securing seven takedowns. Perhaps the most impressive takedown: in the second round, Sanders caught Zaynukov’s leg after an attempted kick and yet moments later it was Zaynukov who wrestled Sanders to the mat.

Multiple times, Sanders appeared to squirm free. It was false hope, as Zaynukov sustained his dominance with superior grappling.

All three referees scored it as a unanimous decision for Zaynukov, a Russian who improved to 16-4. Sanders, a 34-year-old from Alaska, fell to 9-5. 

Ibragim Ibragimov def. Nacho Campos by unanimous decision

Ibragimov opened the featherweight bout with a few kicks, including a flashy wheel kick. In retrospect, it felt like mostly show.

He quickly shifted into his dominant position: grappling, and Campos looked largely helpless. He spent most of the time on the mat – and looking to the referee in hopes he would instruct the fighters to stand up during the three-round featherweight bout.

No luck.

Campos did get in his shots, but Ibragimov’s fists connected far more – 125 strikes for Ibragimov to 57 strikes for Campos.

The crowd grew restless with all the wrestling, but the judges didn’t seem to mind. All three scored it 30-27 in favor of Ibrahimov, the 20-year-old from Republic of Dagestan who improved to 8-0.

Campos, a Spaniard, fell to 5-1.

Taha Bendaoud def. Tariq Ismail by submission, 2nd round 

Bendaoud’s face was bloody and swollen after the fight, but it didn’t keep him from pulling off a surprise move to win the featherweight bout.

Ismail dominated the first round after securing a takedown. It was more of the same in the second round, only this time Ismail pounded Bendaoud’s face as the blood flowed.

But as Ismail leaned in for more strikes, Bendaoud surprised him with a triangle choke and with his legs squeezed him like a boa constrictor before Ismail tapped out with 1:09 left in the second round.

Bendaoud, a 29-year-old from Morocco, improved to 4-0. Ismael, a 34-year-old from Sudan, fell to 8-2.

Francis Ngannou boxing record 

Ngannou is 0-2 in boxing. He is 17-3-1 in MMA with 12 KOs and 4 submissions. 

Renan Ferreira record 

13-3 in MMA with 11 KOs and one submission 

Francis Ngannou wife 

Ngannou, who has two children, has protected the details of his private life. 

How did Francis Ngannou son pass away 

In April, Ngannou announced his son Kobe had died at the age of 15 months. Ngannou said doctors failed to diagnose a brain malformation that resulted in Kobe’s death. 

Francis Ngannou height & weight 

6-4, 256 pounds 

Renan Ferreira height & weight 

6-8, 261 pounds 

How old is Francis Ngannou? 

38 

How old is Renan Ferreira? 

34 

Cris Cyborg record 

27-2 with 21 KOs and one submission 

How tall is Cris Cyborg?

5-8 

Larissa Pacheco record 

23-4 with 11 KOs and 8 submissions 

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MINNEAPOLIS — Let’s be honest, this was the outcome we all wanted. 

A series — heck, a whole season — this tremendous deserves to go the distance, and that’s exactly what it’s going to do after the Minnesota Lynx staved off elimination with an 82-80 win over the New York Liberty on Friday night. 

It was a fitting performance by the Lynx. While Napheesa Collier is their best player, they got the No. 2 seed and a spot in the Finals by being a team. Everyone contributes. Everyone gives it everything they’ve got. 

And no one ever, ever gives up. 

“This team, from the beginning of the season all the way through to Game 4, has the unique ability to believe in themselves and believe in each other,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. 

Collier was outstanding Friday, coming up two rebounds shy of a double-double with 14 points and nine boards. But the Lynx also got monster games from Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams, who was most definitely in her bag. A Birkin, she’ll have you know, not one from Target. 

Alanna Smith and Bridget Carleton had 12 apiece, meaning all of Minnesota’s starters finished in double figures. 

“The ups and downs and all of that, this group is just equipped to handle it,” Reeve said. “It’s just special.”

And it’ll come to a fitting end, the first WNBA Finals to go a full five games since 2019. 

Here are the winners and losers from Game 4:

WINNERS

Alanna Smith

What a gutsy performance. 

Forty-eight hours after taking a very hard fall in Game 3, Smith played through a lot of lower back pain Friday and finished with 12 points, seven rebounds, a block and a pair of steals and assists. Her defensive contribution won’t show up in the stat sheet, but she was again tough in the paint, especially when she had to body up Jonquel Jones. 

“All season long, Alanna’s been in those positions for us,” Reeve said. “I appreciate her ability to turn around, buck up and do what her team needed her to do. It’s important for her to be on the floor with us.”

Though Smith was clearly laboring when she ran, she was able to play 30 minutes. Reeve said they didn’t put any minutes restrictions on her, approaching the game as if Smith was fine with the understanding “they’d adjust if Alanna was too long on the bench, sitting too long,” Reeve said. “Other than that, we weren’t concerned.” 

Bridget Carleton 

It felt fitting that one of the most unsung heroes of the Lynx got to hit the game-winning shots. Carleton is, Reeve likes to say, a “hustle play player.” 

That was never more evident than with just a few seconds left, when Carleton went flying into the paint to try to rebound Williams’ miss with four seconds to go and the game tied 80-80. Carleton got a hand on the ball and tipped it up, drawing a foul on Sabrina Ionescu and sending Carleton to the line with a chance to take the lead — which she provided by draining both free throws, which Collier called “the hardest shot in basketball.” Carleton finished with 12 points and numerous hustle plays, a performance Reeve called “an epitome of the year she’s had.” 

Spike Lee

New York’s No. 1 basketball fan will get a chance to see his newly adopted team, the New York Liberty, go for a championship on its home floor, likely with Lee sitting courtside. What more could he ask for? 

A Bar of Their Own

Reeve has a specific game day outfit when the Lynx play at home, sporting jeans, a blazer and some sort of graphic tee. 

During Game 4 Reeve wore a shirt from “A Bar of Their Own,” the Minneapolis bar that shows exclusively women’s sports — great publicity for a young, local business. 

“I don’t know about these guys,” Reeve said, gesturing to Collier and McBride, “but when I’m out, everyone is talking about (us). Everyone is talking to me about it, ‘I got to this bar, and this is a bar that wouldn’t have had a women’s game on five years ago. All the TVs have the game on and the volume on, and the place is going crazy.’

“Obviously I appreciate the opportunity that A Bar of Their Own has given women in making that front and center. … Obviously the (Timberwolves) energized the city in their playoff run, and I’m thrilled to see the same energy for this team because they deserve it.” 

LOSERS

Players in foul trouble

It’s never fun when superstars are stuck on the bench in foul trouble, and Friday night, that was Breanna Stewart. 

The Liberty’s best player looked off all night — she said Minnesota was doing a good job rushing her offensively — and finished with 11 points on just 5-of-21 shooting. She was plagued by foul trouble much of the night, too, whistled for four personals. 

Sandy Brondello’s wallet

The New York Liberty coach was hot about the officiating, dropping an F-bomb and using the word “bloody” twice. Given how even-tempered Brondello normally is, this was her version of a punch-the-wall, break-the-door rampage. 

“We got no calls today. Do I need to talk up in a press conference?” Brondello said, referring to Reeve’s complaints after Game 3 that officials had favored Stewart. 

“They were getting ticky-tacks and we went down there and got hit and got nothing,” Brondello said. “All we want is fair. If we’re getting hit, that’s a foul. I’m one of the nicest bloody coaches in the league but this pisses me off. Just be fair. If they’re getting hit, it’s a bloody foul.”

For what it’s worth, Minnesota was called for nine fouls while the Liberty were whistled for 14, four on Stewart.

Oh, the officials also apparently missed a timeout in the final minute, too. 

Brondello said she wanted a timeout on the Liberty’s penultimate possession — that’s where the F-bomb came in — but didn’t get it because officials couldn’t hear her. Stewart wound up getting whistled for a shot-clock violation, the Lynx got possession and Carleton was fouled under the basket. She made both to seal the win. 

“They didn’t hear me. So that’s on me,” Brondello said of the timeout. “Maybe I need to sprint out onto the court next time.”

Drama seekers

For a hot minute, it was looking as if there was some major UConn drama brewing, with Geno Auriemma being the cause of it. 

After the game, Collier was asked about a text Stewart supposedly got from their old coach, telling her to drop 50 on the Minnesota Lynx in Game 4. Which would be problematic because Collier, the Lynx’s star player, also played for UConn. 

With Stewart no less. On a team that won a national title. 

“Looks like he wants them to win. He’s not texting me,” Collier said. “Looks like I’m going to have to text him about some things now.” 

Indeed, given she had 14 points, nine rebounds, four steals and four assists in the Lynx’s 82-80 win that forced a Game 5. 

“Wow, Husky drama,’ said Lynx teammate McBride, who played at Notre Dame. ‘Go Irish!’

Sadly, it wasn’t true. There was no text to Stewart, no picking sides. 

Guess the annual reunion can go ahead as planned.