ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – After an offseason filled with glitz and glamour of touring with his ultra-famous girlfriend, Taylor Swift, there’s no place quite like an Andy Reid training camp for Travis Kelce to kick back into pure football mode.

‘This is my sanctuary,” the Kansas City Chiefs star tight end said after Saturday’s padded practice at Missouri Western State University.

“St. Joe, Year 12. That means I’ve spent just about an entire year of my life up here in the dorms. Everybody may say that is pretty grueling, but I enjoy it. There’s something about this place to get you ready every single year and I’m not going to lie, I got pretty excited as the time started counting down to get out here and get this thing rolling.”

Reid runs one of the NFL’s most physically demanding training camps, which include the signature marathon drives that test endurance and greeted the Chiefs when they conducted their first full-pads session on Friday.

Kelce, 34, has come to appreciate such an approach – and there’s no argument about the results that include three Super Bowl triumphs in the past five seasons and the challenge facing the Chiefs this season to become the first three-peat Super Bowl winner.

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“This is where it all starts,” Kelce said. “This is where you find out what you’re made of, how you sharpen the iron, how your guys practice, your practice habits, the attention to detail. And nobody does it better than Coach Reid.”

Kelce knows. As he advances in age, the wear-and-tear of his demanding occupation is undeniable. Sure, he was at his best when it mattered the most last season, dominating during the stretch run with 32 catches for 355 yards with 3 TDs during the four-game postseason. Yet after missing the season opener in 2023 with a bruised knee, he posted his fewest TDs (5) since 2019 and went into the playoffs with a six-game scoring drought.

“Last year was pretty taxing on my body,” he said. “I’ve had more snaps than a lot of guys, if not everybody in the NFL over the past five, six years, and I’m very prideful of that. But I know it has taken a toll on my body.

“So, it’s just making sure my body’s getting that rest and that ability to train harder, but able to withstand an entire 17 to 20-game season.”

Kelce said that he still relies on an extensive support staff of personal trainers and other experts, maintaining that little has changed with an approach that has enabled him to become one of the best tight ends in NFL history.

In other words, despite attending more than a dozen concerts on Swift’s international tour, his fundamentals are intact when it comes to his training regimen.

“Over every single season you find ways to get better at what works for you, what doesn’t, and you just want to amp it up every single year so that you keep finding ways to kind of climb that staircase of success. I would say I’m doing some things differently but nothing really in the grand scheme of things. Just putting my nose to the grinder.”

PARIS — When Jordan Larson rose up to score the final point in the gold medal volleyball match at the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, the storybook ending was ready to be written. 

To have Larson, one of the best players in the history of USA Volleyball, record the final kill against Brazil and lead the Americans to gold, after winning bronze in 2016 and silver in 2012, felt fitting. She smashed the winning point over the net, dropped to her knees and screamed in victory as teammates piled on top of her. Her joy was evident and she cried uncontrollably, the crowning moment in a career filled with achievements.  

Shortly after the Olympics, the Hooper, Neb., native — population 782 — retired from international competition. Ten days after Tokyo, she got married. She finished up her pro career in Italy and transitioned to coaching, moving to Texas to work alongside her husband, UT associate head coach David Hunt. She thought starting a family was part of the next chapter. She knew how few athletes across the world got to go out on top, and felt grateful she could be in that camp. 

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But Larson and Hunt split soon after, and Larson made her way home to Nebraska. Amid significant personal life upheaval, she started to think her time with the national team wasn’t over quite yet. In fact, maybe she missed playing the game she devoted her life to more than she realized. And maybe she could still play at that level.

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

In spring 2023, Larson made a decision: She would come out of retirement and re-join Team USA to help the Americans defend their gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

And yes, she’s just as surprised as anyone that she’s still playing at 37 years old. 

“To be in this position again, I never fathomed it,” Larson told USA TODAY Sports. “I’ve really fallen in love with the challenge of, how far can I push myself? And within that, how can I withstand pressure, especially when people around the game are saying, ‘You’re too old to do this.’ 

“That fuels me. If you have doubt, I’m going to show you you’re wrong.” 

Of course, Larson understands why people might be skeptical about her ability to impact a sport that involves a lot of jumping — particularly for an outside hitter like herself — as she nears 40. But in Paris, the first time she’ll ever visit the city outside of its airport, she’s eager to share all the reasons she can make a difference. 

For one, she’s strong — maybe stronger than she’s ever been before. The three-year break between Olympics didn’t involve as much on-court action for Larson, which allowed her to get in the weight room. 

“I have a lot of muscle memory when it comes to this game,” she said. “For me now, it’s more about keeping myself healthy and strong.” 

She’s got the former down, too, having (mostly) kicked to the curb some nagging Plantar fasciitis that had bothered her leading up to Tokyo. 

But perhaps more than anything, Larson brings a new love and appreciation for the game. Part of that comes from the couple seasons she’s spent coaching at the collegiate level, including at Nebraska, her alma mater. She loves sharing her knowledge with the next generation. Occasionally Huskers coach John Cook even throws her in practice so she can impart that knowledge directly. 

It’s one of her favorite things, she said — so long as she gets to jump into practice immediately. At 37, standing around and waiting and getting stiff isn’t ideal. 

“There have been times where it’s felt like a job,” Larson said of her 15-year professional career. “But for me now, there’s a real joy and love of the game, and I don’t take that for granted. There have been times when I’ve been like, ‘Is it time to hang it up?’ But I think the longer I’ve played, the more it’s become a challenge of, how much more can I push myself?” 

How Jordan Larson’s Navy SEAL training at Joshua Tree helped her

Whenever Larson thinks she’s hit a wall, she remembers Joshua Tree. 

In summer 2021, before USA Volleyball headed to Tokyo for the delayed Olympics, Larson and the team drove to Joshua Tree desert, a 2.5-hour journey east of Los Angeles, for a team-building exercise led by a former Navy SEAL. It was brutally challenging, she recalled. At one point they were awake for 40 straight hours. 

So when she’s in the middle of a tough practice or a match that’s not going well and doubt starts to creep in, she reminds herself: “After Joshua Tree, I can do anything!” 

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Who gets to quantify how hard something is anyway, Larson said. 

“When you are in a high performance space, even though the margins are razor thin, there is an addiction to that, to the daily auditing of how you can better,” said Sue Enquist, who won 11 titles with the UCLA softball as both a player and coach and now works as a consultant with USA Volleyball. Enquist added that Larson exemplifies that. 

Larson gushed about the work she’s done with Enquist, crediting Enquist for helping her find success and satisfaction in volleyball no matter the scoreboard outcome. When Larson was contemplating a return to the national team, Enquist was one of the first people she called. 

“I wasn’t surprised at all,” Enquist said. “What we do in sport, unfortunately, is we ring (athletes) dry, their passion and love and joy — not intentionally, but it happens … but she is one of the few who we did not ring her dry. This woman loves volleyball, she loves what it makes her feel, she loves the challenge, loves how it makes her feel, loves the challenge, she even loves it when she hates it. She wakes up every day with a renewed sense of love for it.”

Larson knows some younger members of Team USA, like first-time Olympian Avery Skinner, might look at the veteran team captain and think she’s fearless. Larson said it couldn’t be further from the truth. 

“When I decided to come back, 1000% I had doubt,” she said. “Even now, those fears and doubts are still there. But for me it’s become about, ‘OK, I have years of knowledge to get me out of this (situation) — how can I draw from that information, press into discomfort and get better in this moment?’”  

That journey, she said, has allowed her to find peace no matter the outcome of a match, a perspective she didn’t have in her youth. And it’s why she knows that no matter what happens in these Games, even if she doesn’t win another gold, her love of the process will be the lasting memory. 

Though Larson is viewing Paris as a work trip, she’s hopeful to find time to “enjoy the French cuisine” and see some of sites. Her family, including her dad and aunt, will travel to France to watch her compete, a luxury she didn’t get in Tokyo, where spectators were not allowed because of the pandemic. It’s especially satisfying to her that her loved ones will get to watch her Olympic finale. 

Although … is it actually her last hurrah? 

“I think so!” she said, laughing. 

Then she hedged a bit. “But also, there’s no reason to close the door if it’s not necessary.” 

Morelle “Mo’’ McCane, a member of the U.S. Olympic boxing team, wiped a tear from the corner of her left eye.

She was talking about her struggles, including the death of her youngest sibling, brother Greg, who drowned in 2013 at the age of 15.

He saw her first boxing match before he died, McCane said.

‘It fueled the fire in me because he was so happy,” McCane, 29, told USA TODAY Sports of losing her brother. ‘We used to practice in the kitchen and now I’m on an Olympic stage. It is crazy to me. I want to cry.

“But yeah, that’s beautiful through tragedy. You just have to keep going because life doesn’t stop for people. Just because something happens don’t mean you have to give up or give in. It is time to push forward. Every day we’re fighting.’’

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

She has fought her way to the Paris Olympics and is emerging as a celebrity of sorts thanks to her talent, charisma, and catchy nickname.

Million Dollar Mo.

She is 38-14 with five knockouts. An alternate on the U.S. team for the Tokyo Games in 2021, now she is a contender for a medal at the women’s 145.5-pound division.

‘It’s my time to shine, baby,” McCane said.

‘Fight like a girl isn’t an insult’

McCane was 17 when she drove her niece and nephew to an outdoor boxing facility and got lured into the ring.

Soon she was hooked. One problem: There were no other female fighters, so she sparred with the boys.

One day, she arrived home with her face bruised and her right eye discolored, said her mother, Jocelyn McCane, who recalled marching to the facility and tracking down the head coach.

“I went up there and I stood in his face and I said, ‘She’s a girl.’ He said, ‘No, Ma, she’s a fighter,’’ Jocelyn said. “And that’s when they hit me. I said, ‘Okay, I got to let it go.”

“They (the boys) didn’t have any mercy,’ Jocelyn said. ‘They fought her like a fighter and I guess that’s what got her where she is.’

Morelle continued to spar against the boys, and she climbed the ranks fighting girls.

She was a champion at the national Golden Gloves in 2018, 2019 and 2021. Won titles at USA Boxing Elite National Championships in 2021 and 2022. And qualified for the Paris Olympics when she won a silver medal at the 2023 Pan American Games.

“Fight like a girl isn’t an insult,’’ Morelle McCane said at a public appearance in Cleveland. “It’s a statement of empowerment. …I’m here to change the narrative.’’

By any means possible

Noel Salwan, a former boxer, used to take the young prospects in Cleveland to a strength-and-conditioning morning meetup. There, Salwan said, he once found McCane asleep in her car.

“I was like, ‘Why are you sleeping? You just get up?” Salwan recalled. “And she’s like, ‘No, I’m coming (from a) night shift.

‘And I was like, ‘Well, you probably shouldn’t come to this. You should be rested before you do strength and conditioning.’ She’s like, ‘No, no, I’m straight. I went home and slept for a couple hours,’ and then she, she smoked all the dudes. She smoked all the boys that day. So I was like, Hey, I would’ve never guessed (that) you could do (a) night shift and then smoke everybody.’’

The pursuit of boxing did not interfere with her pursuit of education. She graduated from Cuyahoga (Ohio) Community College and parlayed that into a job she juggled with boxing.

In 2019, she was selected as an alternate to the U.S. Olympic team that competed at the Tokyo Games in 2021. She earned a spot on the team in October when she won a silver medal at the Pan American Games – but it was no reprieve.

She said she continued working food delivery and an online job before she headed to Colorado Springs to train with her new teammates.

“By any means possible,’’ she said of paying the bills and pursuing her boxing career.

‘Oh, we’ve got you’

In January, McCane started a GoFundMe. The hope was to raise money so her family could watch her in Paris.

The amount raised was almost $12,000, well shy of her goal of $50,000 she thought she’d need. However, in March, McCane and her story came to the attention of Cleveland mayor Justin Bibb, city council members and prominent members of the Black community such as Connie Hill-Johnson, who works with the Cleveland Black Equity and Humanity Fund. Hill-Johnson said she and her husband met in person with the boxer.

“Within 60 seconds, we said, ‘Oh, we’ve got you,’’ Hill-Johnson remembered. “I am serious.’

“Immediately fell in love with her,’ Hill-Johnson said. ‘I’m a huge sports fan, but I can’t tell you I know a whole lot about boxing. But as she shared her story and how she got started and just her confidence that, I’m going for the gold this time and just this self-assuredness, not cockiness at all.’’

McCane now will be joined in Paris by her mother, two of her siblings, a niece a nephew, her fiancé and coach Marlon Davis, one of her longtime coaches thanks to the fundraising efforts. Enough money has been raised to cover the cost of airfare, hotels, food, ground transportation and tickets for the boxing competition.

(McCane’s mother said she also has sold Eiffel Tower keychains to raise extra money and recently bought ‘some new stuff’ for her grandchildren. ‘You can’t wear Cleveland underwear in Paris,” Jocelyn explained. ‘You wear new underwear in Paris.”)

“I love my city,’’ Morelle said during a public appearance in Cleveland, referring the support she’s received. “They love me.’’

They will be with her in spirit at the Olympics, as will someone else: Greg.

The 12th anniversary of his death was July 16.

‘I have his picture with me,” Morelle said recently, ”and he’s going to be on the plane to Paris.”

The 2024 Paris Olympics are Simone Biles’ third Olympic Games and she seems poised to add to her already-impressive medal count.

In the days leading up to her first competition in Paris, the 27-year-old superstar has shown why she is the most decorated gymnast of all time. Biles has already submitted a new skill on uneven bars (if she completes it in competition, it will become her sixth eponymous skill) and nailed aYurchenko double pike vault (the most difficult vault in women’s gymnastics that has been named the Biles II) during podium training.

Biles has competed in two Olympic Games: the 2016 Rio Olympics and the pandemic-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics. However, she withdrew from many of her events at the Tokyo Games after suffering from a case of the “twisties,” a term gymnasts use to describe a loss of ability to track where they are in the air.

Biles still won a silver and bronze medal in Tokyo though, adding to her four gold medals and bronze medal from Rio.

Simone Biles at the 2016 Rio Olympics

Biles put the world on notice at the 2016 Rio Olympics, winning one bronze and four gold medals. Biles won the team final alongside teammates Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Madison Kocian and Laurie Hernandez before going on to dominate the all-around final, vault final and floor exercise final. Biles also earned a bronze medal in the beam final despite receiving an automatic 0.5-point deduction for grabbing the beam with her hand after losing her balance.

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

Biles’ gold medal haul set the American record for the most gold medals won in women’s gymnastics at a single Games. To mark her achievements, Biles was selected as the flag bearer for Team USA at the Rio closing ceremony, becoming the first American female gymnast to do so.

Simone Biles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Although Biles was the only athlete to qualify for every individual final at the Tokyo Games, which were held in 2021 because of the pandemic, she suffered from a case of the twisties, a term gymnasts use to describe losing their spatial awareness and orientation in mid-air. During the team final, Biles visibly lost her position in the air on vault, completing just 1.5 rotations of a planned 2.5 twists. Biles subsequently withdrew from the rest of the team final, although she did take home a silver medal after teammates Jordan Chiles, Grace McCallum and Suni Lee continued in her absence. Biles later withdrew from the uneven bars, vault and floor finals before performing a reduced-difficulty balance beam routine that won her another bronze medal in that event.

In a summer freefall, the New York Yankees decided it was time to take a gamble and traded for Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Miami Marlins on Saturday.

The Marlins receive three prospects in return, including 22-year-old catcher Agustin Ramirez, ranked as the Yankees’ third-best prospect, according to Baseball America. Abrahan Ramirez and Jared Serna are the other players in the deal.

Chisholm, who has played center field the past 1 ½ years, started playing second base in recent weeks, and is expected to play both positions for the Yankees.

Chisholm drew the ire of former Marlins manager Don Mattingly and teammates in the past – with a long team meeting held in 2022 to discuss his conduct – but has matured in the past two years, Marlins officials say.

They warn it will be a learning process for Chisholm with the New York media, but believe he’ll be fine with strong leadership in place with captain Aaron Judge.

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The Yankees, of course, were warned about the strong personalities of free agent starter Marcus Stroman and outfielder Alex Verdugo, but they acquired both in the offseason and they’ve each fit in nicely into the clubhouse.

Yankees hitting coach James Rowson, who was formerly the Marlins bench coach, spoke highly of him recently with the New York Daily News.

“I’ve always had a great relationship with Jazz,” Rowson said. “I’ve gotten a chance to know him, but I think one of my strengths is building relationships with players over the years. It’s the same thing I try to do with the players I have here and the players I’ve been with in the past. Personally, I have no issues with Jazz.”

Yankees pitcher Cody Poteet, who was with the Marlins in 2021-2022, told the Daily News: “Playing with Jazz was fun. He’s a good teammate and plays hard. He’s a talented player, so I had nothing but a good time playing with Jazz.”

Chisholm, 26, certainly could be the jolt the Yankees need for their struggling offense. He is hitting .249 with 13 homers, 50 RBI, 22 stolen bases and a .730 OPS.

The Yankees, who had the best record in baseball in June, have since lost 23 of their last 33 games.

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PARIS — It can never be like it once was here for Rafael Nadal, in the middle of the place where it seemed like nobody could touch him for almost two decades.

But for the next week or so, Philippe Chatrier Court could be the scene of a different kind of last hurrah: One for his country, one for his scrapbook, one for – and with — his tennis heir.

And so it began Saturday night: An aging, slowing, balding 38-year old Nadal with his right thigh bandaged and his body in a general state of disrepair, taking to the court at his last Olympics alongside 21-year old phenomenon Carlos Alcaraz, who has already taken over the sport with four Grand Slam titles.

Their games were about as in sync as the mismatched red kits Nike provided them. But the only thing that really needed to be in alignment was the fist pumps. That’s what the fans who packed every seat of this venerated stadium came to see.

And when Alcaraz pelted a backhand return for a clean winner at around the 100th minute of play Saturday night, giving Nadal a chance to serve out the match, they dipped their knees and balled their fists in unison, letting out a Spanish roar and drawing an eruption from the packed crowd that could be heard all the way to Mallorca and Murcia.

A few moments later, it was over – a 7-6, 6-4 victory over a highly-regarded doubles team from Argentina. Now they’re just two more wins from a shot at a medal. Four more wins from a storybook run at doubles gold that, for both of them, might even be more meaningful and fun in this event than even a singles title.

Nadalcaraz? Rafalos? Alcaral?

Who cares. In a city full of superstars, this might be the biggest show in town.

Vamos.

“It has been an emotional night, electrifying night, amazing crowd,” Nadal said. “And to play with Carlos in this court have been so special. So just super happy about the victory, that we have a chance to keep going.”

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It is an increasingly complicated thing to discuss where Olympic tennis truly fits amidst the landscape of professional tennis. It is not as big as any of the four Grand Slams that are played every year. And yet, despite the lack of prize money and ranking points, winning an Olympic medal would assuredly be a more meaningful experience for any athlete than, say, the title in Cincinnati.

When some top players opted out of the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, it was understandable: The severe COVID restrictions, the inconvenient travel to Asia for one event, the brutal heat. And this year, in a vacuum, the difficult switch from the French Open clay, to the Wimbledon grass, then back to clay at Roland Garros before US Open prep on hard court is not an easy transition on the body.

But this much seems clear: It’s becoming easier for players to find reasons to skip the Olympics than to go out of their way to play in them. That’s not a great trend. The Olympics will never be the pinnacle of tennis, but they need to seem like a big deal to be worthwhile.

Part of the answer to making them more relevant is likely an increased emphasis on team play and on doubles, where you get to see pairings and matchups you’d never see in a million years on tour.

That’s what makes this Alcaraz-Nadal pairing so irresistible. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the two Spanish GOATs – one young, one old – try and win something that they can share with their country and with each other.

“It’s just a dream for me,” Alcaraz said. “I’m going to enjoy it. We want the win.”

They want it bad. They want it so bad that for the first 20 minutes or so of the match, Alcaraz could barely find the middle of his racquet. A kid who just ran through the French Open and Wimbledon draws like a cold-blooded killer was so nervous that he was the worst player on a court that included two guys who had losing records as singles players on the ATP Tour.

They want it so bad that Nadal may not even show up Sunday to play his singles match against Hungary’s Martin Fucsovics. In interviews with the Spanish media, Nadal was disappointed that he was scheduled to be the second match on Chatrier after finishing doubles relatively late Saturday. He’s also injured, without a whole lot left in the tank, and knows that his best chance to do one last special thing on the court he owned for a generation may be with Alcaraz by his side.

“Just enjoying every single moment,” he said. “And let’s see what’s going on.”

Let’s see, indeed. All of Paris is ready for this show to go as far as it can.

PARIS — One day after NBA star Steph Curry pledged to do everything he could to help Vice President Kamala Harris become the next president of the United States, his WNBA counterparts said they’re excited to get to work, too. 

Harris, a Bay Area native and the former Attorney General of California, is the presumptive Democratic nominee for president; she’s expected to officially become the party’s nominee when the Democratic National Convention starts on Aug. 19.

The WNBA has a long history of activism, which came to a head in 2020 when players helped flip the U.S. Senate blue by unseating former Atlanta Dream owner Kelly Loeffler. After Loeffler criticized the Black Lives Matter movement, players organized and threw their support behind Rev. Raphael Warnock, helping him to victory. They plan to do the same to help Harris become the first female president of the United States. 

“She’s my sorority sister, so I’m going to always stand behind her in that sense,” said forward A’ja Wilson, who like Harris is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha. “This is a big, big, big election.” 

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

Breanna Stewart is a member of the league’s Social Justice Council, and said players across the league — some playing at the Paris Olympics this month and some not — have been in touch via group text about plans. She stressed that they are committed to “finding a way to make sure we can back Kamala as much as we can.” 

Stewart mentioned that two of the biggest issues players have fought to bring awareness to, voting rights and reproductive rights, are expected to be the foundation of Harris’ campaign, so it would only make sense to support her.

During the WNBA Commissioner’s Cup each summer, teams pick one local charity for which to raise money. This season, four of the league’s 12 teams chose charities explicitly dedicated to reproductive or voting rights.  

“The things she stands for, we also stand for,” Stewart said. “So we’re making sure that we can stay united and continue to push the message of registering to vote, knowing where to vote and all the resources behind it.” 

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The UFC went back across the pond for another highly anticipated pay-per-view: UFC 304.

The United Kingdom was where Saturday’s fight night went down — and championships were up for grabs. The event was headlined by a rematch years in the making between Leon Edwards and Belal Muhammad as Edwards put his welterweight title on the line. The co-main event saw Tom Aspinall defending the interim heavyweight championship in his home country against Curtis Blaydes. In total, there were 14 bouts that made up an exciting night for a raucous English crowd.

Here is a recap of all the results and top highlights from UFC 304:

UFC Welterweight Championship — Leon Edwards (c) vs. Belal Muhammad: result

Leon Edwards’ eight-year unbeaten streak is no more.

Belal Muhammad wasted no time going after the champion with a takedown of Edwards just 20 seconds into the fight. Edwards was able to recover and land some body shots. Muhammad got his own strikes in before he took Edwards down again in what was a great opening round for the challenger. Edwards struggled in the second round as Muhammad had complete control with several takedowns against the octagon.

The champion turned the tide in the third round when he had Muhammad on the ground and attempted a rear-naked chokehold on him while in a solid lock of the legs for nearly all of the round. The fourth round started off with Edwards landing strikes but Muhammad retook the momentum, setting up a make-or-break final round for Edwards.

Edwards’ corner told him he needed urgency and a finish in the fifth round, but Muhammad didn’t let his control of the match go. He secured another takedown and played the long game. Edwards got the offense going in the final seconds and Muhammad was cut bad, but Edwards ran out of time before the fifth round ended.

Muhammad secured the victory by unanimous decision and was emotional celebrating the victory, becoming the first person to beat Edwards since 2015.

UFC Heavyweight Interim Championship — Tom Aspinall (c) vs. Curtis Blaydes: result

The interim champion performing close to home does it in quick fashion.

It took less than a minute for Tom Aspinall to defend his title with a first-round knockout. He landed a solid left-handed punch that took Curtis Blaydes down, and he unleashed a full assault on top of the challenger. The referee stopped the match and Aspinall retains his championship in the city he grew up next to.

Aspinall called out Jon Jones as his next challenger, saying he has nothing against him but ‘knows’ he’s better than the heavyweight champ.

King Green vs. Paddy Pimblett: result

It may be early in the morning in Manchester, but the crowd was ready to root Paddy Pimblett to victory.

And he delivered.

Pimblett quickly took down King Green after he tried to get on offense and did a mixture of submissions on his opponent. He got in a guillotine followed by a triangle choke, and just as he transitioned into an arm bar, Green was put to sleep and the referee called the match after seeing Green completely out of it.

It is the eighth consecutive victory for Pimblett and his UFC record is now 6-0 as he quickly climbs up the ranks.

Paddy Pimblett makes hyped entrance

Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Gregory Rodrigues: result

It didn’t take long for Gregory Rodrigues to try to do some ground work on Christian Leroy Duncan. Duncan knew his opposition would try it and he handled it perfectly to end the first round without much damage to him. The second round was more strike based than the first, with Duncan trying to land some flying elbows. Rodrigues was able to adjust his game and both of them were bleeding pretty good by the time the horn went off.

There was lots of blood dripping out of both competitors as Rodrigues got another takedown in the final minutes, making it a complete mess on each other and inside the octagon. The match ended without much flair but Rodrigues emerged victorious by unanimous decision. He nearly doubled Duncan in landed strikes (79-40) and he recorded four takedowns, outclassing his opponent in dominant fashion.

Ben Roethlisberger and UFC?

If you thought you’d go through the day without hearing about Ben Roethlisberger’s third down miscues, think again.

After the first fight of the main card, ESPN randomly showed this graphic of the former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback several times. People on social media were questioning why it was shown and how, considering Roethlisberger retired in 2021.

Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze: result

Plenty of strikes landed between the two competitors as they tried to get a feel of the match early on, with every hit qualifying as a significant strike in the first round. The second round was more of the same with hits that were getting the crowd hyped, and the fighters each had a cut on their face by the end of it.

The fight appeared even heading into the final round, each fighter trying to make the case for a victory if it came down to the judges. They both put up some worthy strikes, but Allen landed significantly more blows in the final round, and that likely was the winning round for him as he took the victory by unanimous decision in a brilliant first bout of the main card.

Nathaniel Wood vs. Daniel Pineda: result

The fight nearly ended just minutes in when Daniel Pineda got caught sleeping and Nathaniel Wood landed a perfect kick to the head. Pineda went down and Wood had a chance to go for the knockout, but Pineda quickly recovered and kept him at bay.

Wood landed a fantastic strike to Pineda’s head that cut him just above his right eye, and he was checking on the injury several times afterward. Wood then went for the lower body and the strikes landed perfectly, putting Pineda in a tough position to overcome. His eye had a gnarly bruise by the end of the second round. Pineda knew he needed a miracle to win in the third round. While he did control the third round in a surprising effort, it wasn’t enough to change the result; Wood won by unanimous decision.

Molly McCann vs. Bruna Brasil: result

The home crowd was pulling hard for Molly McCann but she took a big strike and an accidental groin shot a minute into the contest. A few minutes later, she took a knee to the body that took her down, and a kick just moments later did the same thing. Brasil tried to go in for the kill but McCann didn’t go down quickly; she improvised and stayed alive through the rest of the round.

McCann recorded a takedown in the second round and while nothing came of it, she had more attack than she did in the opening round. Since Brasil dominated the majority of the match, McCann tried a last-ditch effort in the final minute to secure a comeback victory, but it was unsuccessful. It was a win by unanimous decision for Brasil, an impressive effort by someone that had to deal with the crowd backing McCann.

Jake Hadley vs. Caolan Loughran: result

Jake Hadley had himself an efficient opening five minutes of this fight with 30 of his 38 first-round strikes marked as significant hits, focusing on the lower body of Caolan Loughran. In the second round, Hadley took an inadvertent groin strike that put a stop to the action for a moment.

Loughran’s takedown game was no match for Hadley, who countered nearly all of his opponent’s attempts and asserted control of the match. Hadley won by unanimous decision in a result that was easily decided.

Muhammad Mokaev vs. Manel Kape: result

The animosity between these two fighters before the bell even rang made the entire arena electric. The hype died down in the opening round with each fighter very patient, forcing the referee to tell them to do something several times.

Mokaev tried a takedown in the second round but he clearly grabbed Kape’s shorts, and the referee called a timeout and scolded Mokaev for what he attempted. Even with the stoppage, Mokaev had a productive second round. One of Kape’s toes was noticeably bothering him but he refused medical attention.

Kape had a nicely executed takedown in the final round in an attempt to lock a guillotine choke, with Mokaev landing strikes as he tried to get out of it. Once he did, each fighter just threw everything at each other. Neither was able to get a stoppage before time expired, but it looks like they’ve put their hate for each other to bed, both of them embracing afterward.

It was a unanimous decision victory for Mokaev; he outperformed Kape in nearly every statistical category and controlled the pace of the fight the entire way.

Muhammad Mokaev, Manel Kape try to start fight early

There’s no love lost between Muhammad Mokaev and Manel Kape.

The two tried to take each other out before Bruce Buffer could say each of their names, forcing security to get between the two inside the octagon.

Oban Elliott vs. Preston Parsons: result

The first round was pretty tame with neither fighter landing anything significant, but the action picked up in the second round when Elliott was able to take control on the ground even though Parsons attempted to initiate for the majority of the second frame.

The bout appeared to be tied before the third round, and each fighter needed to make the case for them to get the win from the judges, but Elliot won by unanimous decision, thanks to his outstanding defense on takedowns while landing the most significant strikes.

Modestas Bukauskas vs. Marcin Prachnio: result

Marcin Prachnio had control of the bout early but Modestas Bukauskas connected on a punch that resulted in his opponent losing his balance, completely changing the momentum of the contest just before the first round ended. The same exact sequence happened in the second round, and again Prachnio was able to recover and avoid defeat.

Bukauskas got a takedown late in the second round, the first of his UFC career. However he wasn’t able to gain any advantage on the ground, and the second round ended without much happening.

Prachnio started the third round with a flurry of punches that landed, only for Bukauskas to get another takedown to kill the advantage. It looked like things were stalling for a few minutes, but the long play paid off; he was able to get his arms wrapped for an arm triangle and Prachnio tapped out with less than two minutes left in what was a thrilling contest.

Sam Patterson vs. Kiefer Crosbie: result

Another quick finish, this time by submission.

Sam Patterson landed quality strikes on Kiefer Crosbie before he took him down. It was clear Crosbie didn’t have much time left, and Patterson got the arm triangle executed. Crosbie tapped out to give Patterson his seventh win by submission in 12 victories.

Mick Parkin vs. Lukasz Brzeski: result

This one didn’t need the entire first round to finish as Mick Parkin got a knockout victory in his home country.

After three minutes of feeling each other out, Parkin got his golden chance when he landed an over-the-top right hand on Lukasz Brzeski’s head. After that it was blow after blow from the England native. Brzeski backed into the cage and was dropped, and that was all the referee needed to see to end the bout.

Shauna Bannon vs. Alice Ardelean: result

Shauna Bannon landed some early strikes but Alice Ardelean surprised her opponent with a takedown. Ardelean has yet to win by submission and she wasn’t able to do much on the ground, but Bannon countered with an arm bar attempt that nearly connected. Ardelean recovered with neither fighter able to take advantage in the first round.

The second round started like the first with Bannon successfully landing strikes, including a combination attack. Ardelean got another takedown but there wasn’t much done. The third round was much more strike-based and Ardelean was cut. Bannon landed some quality strikes, yet none were enough to take out Ardelean and the fight came down to the judges.

Bannon won by split decision. Even though Ardelean had the takedowns and no submission attempt was officially recorded, Bannon landed 130 strikes − with 60 significant hits to the head − while Ardelean had only 76 strikes.

When is UFC 304?

Early prelims: 6 p.m. ET.
Prelims: 8 p.m. ET.
Main card: 10 p.m. ET.

UFC 304 live stream

Early prelims for UFC 304 can be streamed via the UFC Fight Pass and ESPN+. The prelims will air on ESPN2 and ESPN+. The pay-per-view card can be purchased via ESPN+.

How much is UFC 304 PPV?

The main card of UFC 304 is $79.99.

Where is UFC 304?

UFC 304 will take place at Co-op Live in Manchester, England.

UFC 304 fight card

Main card

UFC Welterweight Championship: Leon Edwards (c) vs. Belal Muhammad
UFC Heavyweight Interim Championship: Tom Aspinall (c) vs. Curtis Blaydes
Lightweight: King Green vs. Paddy Pimblett
Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan vs. Gregory Rodrigues
Featherweight: Arnold Allen vs. Giga Chikadze

Prelims

Featherweight: Nathaniel Wood vs. Daniel Pineda
Women’s strawweight: Molly McCann vs. Bruna Brasil
Bantamweight: Jake Hadley vs. Caolan Loughran
Flyweight: Muhammad Mokaev vs. Manel Kape

Early prelims

Welterweight: Oban Elliott vs. Preston Parsons
Light heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas vs. Marcin Prachnio
Flyweight: Muhammad Mokaev vs. Manel Kape
Welterweight: Sam Patterson vs. Kiefer Crosbie
Heavyweight: Mick Parkin vs. Lukasz Brzeski
Women’s strawweight: Shauna Bannon vs. Alice Ardelean

UFC 304 odds

Odds according to BetMGM

UFC Welterweight Championship: Leon Edwards (-275) vs. Belal Muhammad (+225)
UFC Heavyweight Interim Championship: Tom Aspinall (-400) vs. Curtis Blaydes (+310)
Lightweight: King Green (-110) vs. Paddy Pimblett (-110)
Middleweight: Christian Leroy Duncan (-135) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (110)
Featherweight: Arnold Allen (-250) vs. Giga Chikadze (+195)
Featherweight: Nathaniel Wood (-450) vs. Daniel Pineda (+333)
Women’s strawweight: Molly McCann (-350) vs. Bruna Brasil (+275)
Bantamweight: Jake Hadley (+195) vs. Caolan Loughran (-250)
Light heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas (-165) vs. Marcin Prachnio (+135)
Welterweight: Oban Elliott (+140) vs. Preston Parsons (-165)
Flyweight: Muhammad Mokaev (-190) vs. Manel Kape (+160)
Welterweight: Sam Patterson (-500) vs. Kiefer Crosbie (+350)
Heavyweight: Mick Parkin (-550) vs. Lukasz Brzeski (+400)
Women’s strawweight: Shauna Bannon (-190) vs. Alice Ardelean (+160)

Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad: Tale of the tape

Tom Aspinall vs. Curtis Blaydes: Tale of the tape

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The 2024 Paris Games saw the first medal events on Day 1 of competition and NBC broadcasted all the biggest highlights and moments in primetime. 

To name a few must-see moments, Katie Ledecky, the renowned U.S. swimmer and most decorated Olympian in women’s swimming history, clinched her 11th Olympic medal by winning the Bronze in the 400m freestyle event. Ledecky competed against the world’s best, including Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, who secured the gold medal.

After today, Caeleb Dressel became an eight-time Olympic gold medalist after anchoring the USA’s men’s 4x100m freestyle relay, leading them to victory and another gold medal.

Here are all of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games Day 1 best moments and highlights from NBC’s ‘Primetime in Paris’ replay. 

2024 Olympic medals: Who is leading the medal count? Follow along as we track the medals for every sport.

2024 Paris Olympic Games schedule for Day 2

The Summer Games continue to Day 2 with an action-packed schedule of events in Paris. Here are all the events on Sunday, July 28 and how to watch.

Ledecky gets emotional after winning bronze

Katie Ledecky spoke to the press after winning the bronze medal in the 400m freestyle event. She praised the competitive field and acknowledged that it was not her best performance, but she is proud to have come away with a medal.

‘I know what I am capable of,’ Ledecky said.

When asked about training with Finke and Smith, Ledecky was brought to tears. She said they are a special group and she believes she is lucky to be able to spend every day with her teammates and coaches who believe in her.

Synchronized divers Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook win silver

Childhood best friends Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook won the silver medal in the women’s 3-meter synchronized springboard event on Saturday. The duo recorded a five-dive score of 314.64, making them the first Americans to win a medal in the event since 2012.

China’s duo Chang Yani and Chen Yiwen won gold with a score of 337.68 and Great Britain’s Yasmin Harper and Scarlett Mew Jensen won bronze with a score of 302.28.

Snoop Dogg goes wild for Team USA

Snoop Dogg cheered on Team USA as they won gold in the men’s 4×100 meter freestyle alongside Caeleb Dressel’s wife and baby.

USA wins men’s 4×100 meter freestyle title

Caeleb Dressel secured his eighth Olympic gold medal by anchoring Team USA’s 4×100 meter freestyle team to victory. Jack Alexy, Chris Giuliano, Hunter Armstrong, and Dressel combined for a time of 3 minutes and 9.28 seconds to claim the top spot.

Australia took home silver, while Italy took the Bronze medal.

Australia wins the women’s 4×100 meter free relay

Team Australia won the gold medal for the fourth consecutive Olympic Games in the women’s 4×100 meter freestyle relay. The United States won silver as Simone Manuel touched the wall before China, who took bronze.

Michael Phelps on Australia swimming rivalry

Michael Phelps was fired up after hearing comments from an Australia swimmer.

Paul Juda, Frederick Richard headed to the all-around finals

Team USA’s Paul Juda scored a total of 82.865, securing a spot in the all-around finals at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

American Frederick Richard will also join Juda in the all-around finals on Wednesday, July 31.

Brody Malone, a small town gymnast

Brody Malone hails from a small town in Georgia, where he works on his family farm and prides himself on strong work ethic, believing in the principle of ‘you get what you work for.’

Malone remembered a high bar incident at the DTB Cup in Germany in March 2023, where he suffered an injury that could have ended his gymnastic career. During the incident, Malone suffered a tibial plateau fracture in his right knee, a fully torn LCL, a torn meniscus, a partially torn PCL, and some cartilage damage when he failed to land properly from the his high bar routine. As a result, Malone had to relearn how to walk, not to mention regain his strength to be able to compete again.

Now, Malone is back on the Olympic Games chasing a medal for Team USA.

Ledecky takes bronze in the women’s 400m freestyle

Celebrities packed the stands to witness the Katie Ledecky, most decorated female swimmer in Olympic history, capturing the bronze medal in the women’s 400-meter freestyle. The American finished three seconds behind the gold medalist, Australian Ariarne Titmus.

Katie Ledecky mom and Leslie Jones

Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky’s mother bumped into Leslie Jones at the airport, and they sent a video to Ledecky. Jones and Ledecky reminisced about the encounter during a one-on-one interview before the Paris Olympics.

First Olympic swim medal goes to Germany

In the men’s 400 free final, Lukas Märtens of Germany emerged victorious, defeating three world champions. Märtens finished with a time of 3:41.78, showcasing an incredible performance.

U.S. men’s gymnastics compete on Day 1

On the first day of competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Team USA gymnastics did not perform as expected. Brody Malone, the only returning member from the 2021 Olympic team, battled to qualify for the individual all-around final after returning from a knee injury.

The U.S. men are attempting to win their first team medal at the Olympics since 2008.

France beats Fiji in Rugby Sevens to win gold

The host nation, France, shocked Team Fiji, ending their Olympic reign in Rugby Sevens and taking gold in front of nearly 70,000 fans at the Stade de France on Day 1.

NBC primetime Olympics schedule tonight

NBC “Primetime in Paris” features today’s swimming finals, men’s gymnastics qualifying, diving finals for synchro springboard, men’s skateboarding street final and surfing Day 1 report. 

How to watch Olympics primetime today

In primetime, starting at 8 p.m. ET (2 a.m. the following day in Paris), NBC’s marquee broadcast will air live and focus on the biggest events of the day with “Primetime in Paris.” That block will have a storytelling lens with more in-depth coverage opportunities. Mike Tirico will be the host from Paris’ famed Trocadero, with the Eiffel Tower serving as the backdrop. The show will typically open with highlights from a Team USA gold medal and the last hour of the show will revolve around the event of the night.

Medal count today

Our 2024 Paris Olympics medal count tracker updates after every single medal event.

2024 Paris Olympic Games results today

Catch up on all of today’s Paris Olympic results, highlights, medal wins and more.

How many countries are in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games?

There are 206 total countries, including the Refugee Olympic Team.

What number Olympics is the 2024 Games?

The 33rd edition of the modern Summer Games is the Paris Olympics. There have been 24 Winter Games events, with the most recent one in Beijing in 2022, bringing the combined total to 55 Olympic Games.

When does Katie Ledecky swim at the Olympics?

Katie Ledecky will take the pool in the 400m freestyle final at 8:57 p.m. ET on NBC during the Primetime airing.

How many medals does Katie Ledecky have?

Prior to Saturday’s race in the 400, Ledecky claimed 10 Olympics medals, including seven gold.

Paris Olympics 2024: How to watch the Summer Games across TV and streaming

Every event at the 2024 Paris Olympics will be aired live across NBC, USA Network, E!, CNBC, GOLF Channel, and there will be a Spanish broadcast on Universo and Telemundo. All events will be available to stream live on Peacock and NBCOlympics.com.

Date: July 24-Aug. 11

TV: Games broadcast across NBC, USA Network, E!, Telemundo, Universo, CNBC and Golf Channel

Streaming: Peacock, nbcolympics.com, fuboTV

How long is NBC’s ‘Primetime in Paris?’

The primetime presentation is scheduled to run three hours.

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