The Pittsburgh Steelers’ “Stairway to Seven” remains unfinished more than 16 years into its construction. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers has yet to reach what he desires on his – let’s call it a “Step Stool to Two”? – 14 years after capturing a ring in his lone Super Sunday appearance, ironically denying the Steelers their seventh Lombardi Trophy when his Green Bay Packers prevailed in Super Bowl 45.

But is a long-awaited shotgun marriage between one of the NFL’s flagship franchises and, arguably, one of the five best quarterbacks to ever play the game truly going to help both achieve the next step each party is so eager to take? Or should a 41-year-old player coming off what was probably the worst full season of his 20-year career and/or a franchise that’s been mired in mediocrity – at best – at the most important position in professional sports perhaps not show up at the altar?

Two months on since Rodgers reached free agency for the first time and since the Steelers began actively retooling their roster for 2025, it’s still not clear what either side will do – which has only engendered mounting questions.

“I don’t get it. Old guys, they don’t get better. They get worse. And all the headaches (Rodgers) brings?” former New York Giants vice president of player personnel Marc Ross told USA TODAY Sports when asked about the situation. “Now Pittsburgh, you’re just signing him for his name. You’re not even signing him for anything else. He gives you no chance to win, he gives you no chance to compete against the good teams. And he’s gonna be a pain in the ass – you’re dealing with drama right now with the guy, and he’s not even on your team.

“It just baffles me. It really absolutely baffles me.”

For their part, the Steelers have been patiently waiting on Rodgers, NFL Network reporting he already has the parameters of a contract in place with Pittsburgh. Rodgers revealed on “The Pat McAfee Show” last month that he’d spoken with the Steelers, Giants and Minnesota Vikings but that retirement remains on the table as he deals with serious matters – without providing details – in his personal life.

Maybe he should continue focusing on those given his apparent reluctance to commit to Pittsburgh – not to mention the likelihood he would only play another year or two at a time when his job options in the league have clearly diminished. And, unlike his last team, the New York Jets, Rodgers has little familiarity with the Steelers’ offense, players or coaches – yet that still hasn’t spurred him to get to Western Pennsylvania and become familiarized with them during the team’s offseason activities. And perhaps a more sensible landing spot arises for him in the coming months if a less-flawed contender suddenly finds itself with a serious problem due to an injury or other unforeseen quarterback circumstances.

As for the Steelers? I opined during preseason last summer that they would be best served to start Justin Fields while cultivating the 25-year-old’s development rather than spin their wheels with declining Russell Wilson. They belatedly saw the light, trying to re-sign Fields in March, per reports, but lost him to the Jets after ending the 2024 season on a five-game losing streak (playoffs included) – all but one of those defeats a blowout – with Wilson at the helm.

So why go down a similar road now?

Since the start of the 2017 season, the Steelers have lived just north of ordinary, averaging 10 wins over that period – but without a single playoff victory, that stretch coinciding with the marked decline and eventual retirement (after the 2021 season) of two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and an ongoing inability to sufficiently replace him. Longtime backup Mason Rudolph, who has 19 NFL starts – most coming in place of Big Ben – is the only quarterback currently on Pittsburgh’s roster with any semblance of NFL experience.

“It is a weird spot that they find themselves in. I think they obviously recognize, too, that they’re kinda like stuck between a rock and a hard place – otherwise known as purgatory in the NFL,” Louis Riddick, a former NFL personnel executive who’s now an analyst for ESPN, told USA TODAY Sports.

“This is why when you miss at that position, it can screw up everything – it has such a huge trickle-down effect. Such a huge trickle-down effect. … Where do you go from here? It’s really hard for them. Do they really want to go through a year with just Mason? Do you really think that (sixth-rounder) Will Howard is gonna become the find of the ’25 draft?

“It all starts from just not being able to find Ben’s successor. This is just an absolute, classic case of why it’s so important to have some stability and some success at quarterback – because when you don’t get it, you’re just ice skating uphill trying to get everything else to go right.”

And what could go wrong with Rodgers, whose Achilles gave out after four plays in 2023? Then the Jets were so disjointed last season, that they incrementally fired their coaches and GM Joe Douglas before dismissing Rodgers once their new regime was hired. And while he played better at the end of the 2024 campaign, is Rodgers really going to elevate Pittsburgh to a notably superior level that Rudolph or immediate predecessors like Wilson, Fields and now-departed 2022 first-rounder Kenny Pickett couldn’t?

“He doesn’t make them better than what the Justin Fields-Russell Wilson combination gave them last year,” said Ross, now an NFL Network analyst. “And for what he’s gonna bring as far as the distractions?”

Adds Riddick: “I really do think the grand plan all along was for them to have this Aaron Rodgers thing sewn up long ago. … Now it’s just kinda like, ‘What the hell are they trying to do? What is the plan?’

“It takes away from the team-building aspect in a very significant way. … His not signing is screwing up everything they’re trying to get done.”

My advice to the Steelers? Move on – and don’t start mortgaging assets to acquire Kirk Cousins from the Atlanta Falcons, either. Pittsburgh is already in the midst of a muddled offseason, making an aggressive trade with the Seattle Seahawks for wideout DK Metcalf before exporting receiver George Pickens earlier this week – a move that oddly came after the 2025 draft, meaning the Steelers won’t get players in return that can help them for at least a year.

Like every other NFL team, the Steelers also passed multiple times on former University of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the draft, even though he probably has a much better chance to become a long-term NFL starter than Howard. Additionally, Pittsburgh must address the contract of four-time All-Pro pass rusher T.J. Watt, 30, who’s in a walk year.

Yet even if Watt re-ups … and Rodgers joins up and sustains his late-season momentum from 2024 … and maybe a veteran like Keenan Allen signs up and proves an upgrade – from schematic and chemistry perspectives – over Pickens, this team still projects as one that would win nine or 10 games (head coach Mike Tomlin has never had a losing record in 18 seasons), finish behind the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North, perhaps return to the playoffs … and little else. Why make a similar mistake with Rodgers as they did with Wilson, another former Super Bowl winner past his prime, and wind up picking 20th or so in the draft again – a spot where teams sift through quarterback choices like Pickett or Paxton Lynch or Johnny Manziel or EJ Manuel or J.P. Losman or Tim Tebow or Brady Quinn, all NFL washouts (except for Pickett, who’s already on his third team) forced to play before they were ready … if they ever would have been.

Tanking isn’t really a viable route in the NFL. Players who average roughly four seasons in the league can’t afford to put half-hearted efforts on their résumés. Tomlin might be an exception, but almost no coach has that kind of luxury, either. And given there’s no such thing as a can’t-miss draft prospect, even a successful tank wouldn’t necessarily result in the desired dividend.

But being merely decent of late hasn’t satisfied Pittsburgh’s fans nor gotten the Steelers off that “Stairway to Seven,” the clever, Led Zeppelin-inspired slogan applied to the organization’s quest to be the first to win seven Super Bowls. Would it perhaps be best to let the levee break with a new approach? Allow Rudolph, who sparked the club’s late-season surge to the 2023 postseason be the starter? Maybe even consider shipping Watt to a contender and accruing significantly more capital for the 2026 draft – which will be held in Pittsburgh, incidentally – and give yourself a better shot at potentially drafting Texas’ Arch Manning or LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier at a time when there are expected to be more superior quarterback prospects available than there were this year?

“(I)f you’re gonna suck, suck all the way. Let’s go get Arch, or let’s go get Nussmeier,” ex-Steelers safety Ryan Clark said on ESPN following the departure of Pickens, a volatile player who wasn’t served well by the quarterback instability and likely wouldn’t have jelled with Rodgers, either. (‘That would have been a disaster,’ said Ross.)

But Riddick, for one, doesn’t know if the Rooney family would be willing to allow their team to chart such a course.

“That doesn’t even feel like the Steeler Way, for them to ever feel like there’s a throwaway year. I just don’t believe that,” he said.

“I can’t imagine ownership in Pittsburgh giving that directive. … For (Tomlin), too, being there as long as he’s been there and as proud of a dude as he is and the kind of résumé that he’s built? I think he would have a hard time stomaching that, too.”

But you know what they say about the definition of insanity – using the same approach, hoping for different results, etc.

“It’s sad that the Steelers are at this point. They’ve botched this for a while – they just have not been able to get it right since the end of Ben’s time, and they held on to him too long,” said Ross. “They’ve been terrible at quarterback evaluation since they drafted Big Ben (in 2004). … At one point, the Steelers were the standard. But that’s just not there anymore. They’ve gotta evolve, and they just have not.

“For as great as Mike Tomlin does for making the most out of nothing, at some point you’ve got to get something. … They used to never miss in the draft, they just miss a lot now – more than they hit. It’s just something that’s kinda passed them by, and they need to adapt and adjust and move forward.”

Just difficult to envision how Rodgers facilitates that.

Forward Reilly Smith scored his second goal of the game with 0.4 seconds left in the third period to get the Vegas Golden Knights back in their series against the Edmonton Oilers.

The wild finish in Saturday’s 4-3 win added to an already dramatic game in which Golden Knights captain Mark Stone left with an injury, injured teammate Brayden McNabb was a surprise participant and Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner started because of an injury to red-hot Calvin Pickard.

Oilers captain Connor McDavid had tied the score with about three minutes left, and the game looked like it was heading to overtime.

But in another defensive breakdown by the Oilers, William Karlsson carried the puck into the zone and fed Smith. He faked a shot, causing Edmonton defenders to drop to the ice in an attempt to make a block. He skated around them and Skinner and put the puck toward the net. It went in off Leon Draisaitl’s stick and out quickly.

An on-ice official waved it off, but officials conferred and said the puck went in. A review confirmed Smith beat the clock.

‘I think from my angle, it looked like it hit the middle bar but it came out so fast and I wasn’t really sure if the time expired,’ Smith told TNT. ‘And I take a peek at the ref and he’s telling me it didn’t go in. We were just fortunate we were able to get something with time running down there.’

The Golden Knights fell behind 2-0 and were able to rally without Stone, who left the game with about six minutes left in the first period. The team said he has an upper-body injury.

Skinner got the start because Pickard is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. It was Skinner’s first start since he was pulled in Game 2 of the first round, leaving him at the time with a 6.11 goals-against average and .810 save percentage.

He stopped 20 of 24 shots, but was victimized by Oilers defensive breakdowns, including a bad line change that led to Karlsson’s goal that gave Vegas a 3-2 lead.

Edmonton’s six-game winning streak, all with Pickard in net, came to an end. The Oilers still lead the series 2-1 with Game 4 Monday night in Edmonton.

Highlights from Game 3 between the Golden Knights and Oilers:

Mark Stone injury update

Coach Bruce Cassidy said Stone is considered day-to-day for now.

‘He obviously didn’t return, we saw that, but it doesn’t preclude him from playing the next game. We’ll know more (Sunday),’ Cassidy said.

Smith, an original Golden Knight who was reacquired at the trade deadline, was one of the players who received more ice time in Stone’s absence.

‘We’d like to have Mark back, obviously,’ Cassidy said. ‘Hopefully, it’s nothing serious. He’s a big part of our team, but guys got to know we got to dig in.’

Oilers vs. Golden Knights highlights

Oilers-Golden Knights score: Reilly Smith gets game-winner

Reilly Smith beats the clock. He fakes a shot, skates around defenders and a challenging Stuart Skinner and shoots. The puck goes in off Leon Draisaitl’s stick with 0.4 seconds left for a 4-3 win. A video review confirms the goal.

Oilers-Golden Knights score: Connor McDavid ties game

McDavid attempts to pass to Zach Hyman, but the puck deflects off Vegas’ Brayden McNabb and past Adin Hill at 16:58.

Big save by Stuart Skinner

He makes a glove save on Nicolas Roy, who was alone in front.

Third period underway

Vegas leads 3-2, but remember that Edmonton has six consecutive comeback wins.

End of second period: Golden Knights 3, Oilers 2

Pretty evenly played period, but the Oilers make a bad line change and William Karlsson scores on a give-and-go at 17:05. Stuart Skinner gives up three goals on 16 shots for the game, but two were the result of Oilers defensive breakdowns. Vegas plays the period without captain Mark Stone (upper body), who won’t return to the game.

Golden Knights on power play

Zach Hyman loses his balance and falls into Adin Hill, knocking off his mask. Connor McDavid has the best chances with a couple shorthanded rushes.

Oilers-Golden Knights score: Vegas takes lead

William Karlsson takes advantage of an Oilers line change and gives the Golden Knights the lead on a give-and-go with Noah Hanifin. Golden Knights 3, Oilers 2

Big save by Stuart Skinner

Skinner dives across to stop a wraparound attempt by Tomas Hertl.

Mark Stone ruled out

The Golden Knights say Mark Stone won’t return to the game because of an upper-body injury.

Second period underway

Still no Mark Stone.

Mark Stone injury update

Golden Knights captain Mark Stone didn’t play the last six-plus minutes of the first period.

End of first period: Oilers 2, Golden Knights 2

Corey Perry gave the Oilers a 2-0 lead, his second goal coming on a power play. But the Golden Knights roared back to tie. On the first Vegas goal, Stuart Skinner couldn’t control a Nicolas Hague shot and Nicolas Roy put in the rebound. The second goal was a great individual rush by Reilly Smith.

Brayden McNabb injury update

Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb, who went hard into the boards after an unpenalized trip in Game 2, is in the Game 3 lineup.

He didn’t take part in the morning skate but skated in warmups and played.

The Golden Knights also got back injured forward Pavel Dorofeyev, their leading goal scorer during the regular season. He replaced Brandon Saad, who’s day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Forward Nicolas Roy is available after the NHL Player Safety department fined him after a hearing instead of issuing a suspension for his cross-check to Trent Frederic’s face in Game 2.

The Minnesota Timberwolves took a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinal series on Saturday with a 102-97 victory in Game 3 against the Golden State Warriors.

The Warriors held the lead at the end of the third but were unable to keep up with Minnesota’s scoring down the stretch with Steph Curry absent.

Curry suffered a hamstring strain in Game 1, which caused him to miss the past two games in the series. The Warriors have confirmed that Curry will be re-evaluated and, if better, could play in a potential Game 6. But the Warriors have to get there first.

The Timberwolves went on a 9-0 scoring run in the second half of the quarter to move past the Warriors.

Julius Randle produced a triple-double with 24 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Anthony Edwards scored a game-high 36 points in the victory.

“I stunk in the first half,” Edwards told ESPN after the game. “As long as you trust the work, it will be alright.”

Jimmy Butler was just one of two players to score 30 points for the Warriors. Butler finished with 33 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Jonathan Kuminga came off the bench and scored 30 points.

Game 3 highlights: Timberwolves 102, Warriors 97

Final: Timberwolves 102, Warriors 97

3Q: Warriors 73, Timberwolves 69

The Warriors found their 3-point shooting in the third quarter after not making one in the first half. The Warriors went 5-for-10 from long range and will enter the fourth quarter with the lead over the Timberwolves.

Jimmy Butler scored 28 through the first three quarters to lead Golden State. Jonathan Kuminga had 20 points.

Anthony Edwards scored 15 of his 23 points in the third quarter to keep Minnesota in the game. Julius Randle added seven points in the quarter.

Halftime: Warriors 42, Timberwolves 40

The Warriors took the lead into the locker room at halftime.

The Warriors did not make a 3-pointer in the first half. It was the first time the Warriors had not made a shot from long range in a single half of a playoff game since playing the Dallas Mavericks in the first round in 2007, according to ESPN.

Jimmy Butler finished the first half with 18 points for the Warriors. Jonathan Kuminga shot 5-for-7 from the field for 12 points off the bench. Draymond Green scored just two points and Buddy Hield remained scoreless.

Julius Randle is the only member of the Timberwolves to score double-digit points in the first half with 13. Anthony Edwards scored just one point in the second quarter.

1Q: Timberwolves 21, Warriors 21

The Timberwolves led by as many as nine points in the first quarter before the Warriors closed the gap and tied the game at 21 going into the second quarter.

Anthony Edwards scored seven points for Minnesota. He shot 3-of-8 from the field and was 1-for-3 from the 3-point line.

Jimmy Butler scored a game-high 11 points for the Warriors. Draymond Green took the only 3-point attempt for the Warriors in the quarter.

Timberwolves starting lineup for Game 3 vs. Warriors

Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert make up the Timberwolves’ starting lineup for Game 3.

Warriors starting lineup for Game 3 vs. Timberwolves

Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jimmy Butler III, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis were announced as the starting lineup for Game 3. Jackson-Davis is the newest addition to the starting lineup, replacing Quinten Post, who started Game 2.

Is Steph Curry playing tonight?

No, Curry remains out with a hamstring injury.

What time is Warriors vs. Timberwolves?

Game 3 in the NBA playoff series between the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves is set to be played at 8:30 p.m., ET on Saturday, May 10.

How to watch Warriors vs. Timberwolves NBA playoff game: TV, stream

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT)
Location: Chase Center (San Francisco)
TV: ABC
Stream: Sling TV, YouTube TV

Watch Timberwolves vs. Warriors Game 3 on Sling

WWE Backlash kicked off the next slate of premium live events in 2025, headlined by (seemingly) the last matchup between two icons of wrestling. John Cena and Randy Orton reignited their longstanding rivalry with the Undisputed WWE Championship on the line. As if the match needed any more juice, it took place in Orton’s hometown, and ended in chaotic fashion. Four other matches were contested, including Becky Lynch challenging for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship and Pat McAfee’s return to in-ring competition. 

USA TODAY Sports recaps all of the results, highlights and analysis from Backlash:

John Cena attacks R-Truth at press conference

Just when it looks like Cena may be nice, he goes back to his heel ways.

After his ‘clickbait’ press conference at WrestleMania 41, Cena said he needs to be better with media and said he would actually answer all questions asked. But just as the first question was asked, R-Truth emerged to tell Cena he was proud that he won after his interference in the match. R-Truth mentioned the ‘Cena can’t wrestle’ remarks and the champion said he took it too far and to not say another word.

R-Truth did, though, and it resulted in an AA through the table. Cena then walked out of the press conference.

Undisputed WWE Championship match: John Cena (c) vs. Randy Orton

Meeting for (seemingly) the last time in their incredible rivalry, Cena and Orton soaked in the environment for their final chapter. Cena then put his hand out for a handshake, and when Orton put his hand out, the champion snuck in a slap. However, Orton returned the favor soon after, resulting in Cena leaving the ring.

Orton had the advantage early and Cena tried to leave, but the challenger wasn’t accepting it and he dragged Cena back into the ring. That’s when the 17-time champion finally got some offense in. It just didn’t last as Orton landed 20 consecutive blows.

After absorbing plenty of hits, Cena got his first real offensive rhythm with some of his vintage moves, capped off by the Five-Knuckle Shuffle. He went for the early end with an Attitude Adjustment, but Orton got down. Cena then got the STF hold onto Orton as the challenger tried to reach the ropes. Orton got out and then did his vintage DDT move to stop the attack.

‘The Viper’ went to strike with an RKO, and Cena was ready for it. Cena got the AA ready, and while he did land it, Orton got the arms around the neck for an RKO at the same time to take each other out in a very impressive spot.

The two got back to their feet, and Cena landed a clean AA. Orton was able to kick out of the pin attempt. Cena went for another finisher and Orton got down and surprised him with an RKO. Orton tried to go back to his ‘Legend Killer’ phase with a punt to Cena, but he got out of the way and greeted him with an AA. Orton again kicked out of the attempt to keep the match going.

Cena mocked Orton’s killer instinct move, and he tried to punt Orton. He got out of the way, and then got shoved into the referee. The champion landed another AA, but with the referee down, Cena went to get the title to use it. However, Orton shocked him with an RKO. The referee recovered to count the pin, but the slow count was enough to save Cena.

Orton decided to clear the announcer’s table, and Cena pushed his opponent into the referee, who hit his head against the steel steps. With the official out again, Cena tried the AA on Orton, but he reversed it and delivered the AA to Cena himself, onto the table.

The challenger set up a table and then used Cena’s finisher again on him to send him through the table. After two punishing spots, Orton brought Cena back in the ring and was ready for the final strike. Cena got to his feet and was met with an RKO, and even though another referee came in for the pin attempt, the champion kicked out.

Cena tried the cheap shot on Orton with the title, but he hit the referee after Orton dodged it. Orton landed another RKO and went for the pin, and even though he had it, no referee was able to count it. WWE officials came out to help the injured referees, and a frustrated Orton delivered RKOs to SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis and anyone else in a suit.

Orton readied for the punt, but R-Truth came out to stop him from hurting his ‘childhood hero.’ Orton delivered an RKO to him, but Cena got back to his feet and gave a low blow to Orton. He then hit Orton with the championship and went for the pin. It took a long time, but the referee crawled his way back and counted to three to secure Cena’s victory.

After the win, Cena took the microphone and told the crowd he doesn’t need music or the fans, but he needs competition. He held up the title as the show came to a close.

Analysis: It was (seemingly) the last time they were facing off, and Cena and Orton delivered a classic match. After the disappointing performance Cena had at WrestleMania, he improved his game against his longtime foe, almost looking like he did in the glory days in the ring. Was the match a five-star classic? No, but it was a good title match that didn’t feel like a complete dud. The atmosphere was incredible inside the arena, and the match met the moment.

There were always big moments whenever these two faced off, and they had plenty of them in this one. The AA-RKO combination move was such a great spot that many didn’t recognize at first, and the way both sides took pages out of each other’s book was a nice touch given all the history they’ve had in their careers. They both had the chance to shine. The match was going to end with chaos, but it was a relief Travis Scott or The Rock didn’t show up. That allowed things to happen somewhat organically. R-Truth showing up was confusing for a moment but comical in the sense that he has been supporting Cena in recent weeks, and maybe could play a part in Cena’s farewell tour. Cena had to win dirty, just like he’s been doing recently.

If this is indeed the last time Cena and Orton face off, they ended their rivalry on a high note. Now, a new challenger will have to come out and try to rip the title out of Cena’s hands. Who could it be? That answer doesn’t seem clear now, but it will likely be addressed in the coming week.

Watch: John Cena vs. Randy Orton introductions

Alicia Taylor gets the excitement going with her introduction of the Undisputed WWE Championship match.

Watch: John Cena makes entrance

Watch: Randy Orton makes hometown entrance at Backlash

‘The Viper’ returns home.

Pat McAfee vs. Gunther

The crowd let it be know Gunther tapped out at WrestleMania, almost angering him further. McAfee showed some fight early, getting out of a hold and landing some shots on Gunther. ‘The Ring General’ put an end to it quickly and encouraged McAfee to get some chops on him. All Gunther did was absorb it and ask for more before he sent McAfee flying. Almost anything McAfee tried to do seemed to not have any effect on Gunther.

After spending much time just standing over his opponent, Gunther finally landed the sleeper hold. However, McAfee broke out of it, only to take a German suplex and prolong the match. Gunther tried a German suplex off the top turnbuckle, and McAfee got out of it and landed a quick flurry of kicks. McAfee tried to sneak a pin but Gunther quickly got up.

McAfee landed two super kicks and had some momentum, but Gunther caught it and landed a powerbomb. Tired of what was happening, Michael Cole took off the headset and tried to encourage his colleague. However, it resulted in Cole getting dragged into the ring. As Gunther was about to powerbomb Cole, McAfee kicked him to break it up and nearly got a roll-up pin. Cole tried to hold Gunther’s leg and help McAfee pin him, but he kicked out.

Distracted, Gunther got put in a sleeper hold by McAfee. A tap out looked possible, but Gunther broke it off. He then put McAfee in a sleeper hold, and even though he tried breaking out of it, McAfee passed out and Gunther got the victory.

After the match, Cole helped McAfee to his feet and Gunther stared him down. ‘The Ring General’ gave his respect to McAfee before walking away. Cole and McAfee then hugged before the former NFL punter received applause from the crowd.

Analysis: A match that turned out to be much more entertaining than expected. Gunther winning was inevitable, but McAfee was going to have glimpses of hope during the match. He definitely made the most of it as the WWE commentator does have the skills to hang in the ring with anyone and make it worth watching. Cole getting in the action added another great element to the match and got the crowd more invested, believing a McAfee win was possible. Really exceptional storytelling within a bout.

Gunther wasn’t as brutal as he could’ve been, and the show of respect at the end likely means the two sides can show some sort of respect to each other in the future. So, anytime Gunther comes out, there shouldn’t be any issues. ‘The Ring General’ gets a victory to get back on his feet and get on the path back to glory, while McAfee adds another impressive performance to his wrestling career.

Intercontinental Championship match: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Penta

The crowd was loving both sides as the match began, and there was no real advantage to start with shots coming from both sides. Mysterio continued to show his growth in the ring with an early suicide dive turned into a DDT on Penta. The champion focused on his opponent’s lower body, trying to slow down Penta with some fatigued legs. There was also a nice tribute to Liv Morgan by Mysterio with an ObLIVion on Penta.

Mysterio had all the momentum until Penta recovered for a Mexican Destroyer on Mysterio. With the champion down, The Judgment Day then came out and tried to distract the referee and attack Penta. However, the referee saw it and banned the stable from ringside. While they argued about what happened, Penta launched himself out of the ring to take them out.

Finn Balor didn’t go away easy, and as the referee tried to get him to leave, El Grande Americano snuck out and hit Penta with his loaded mask. It took the challenger out and Mysterio took advantage with a frog splash on the challenger and got the pin to retain.

Analysis: A match that had plenty of potential ends in unspectacular fashion. Mysterio has not only shown growth with the crowd, but he’s become a bonafide WWE superstar, and he came out of the gate and showed he can match up with the skills of Penta. Both of them got chances to show off in what was a very fast-paced start.

The involvement from The Judgment Day was inevitable, but it was refreshing to see them not actually do anything. However, El Grande Americano got in the fold again in what is becoming a very silly plot. While annoying to see the ‘luchador’ be the reason Penta lost, it will actually help with getting Penta off the title chase and give him his first real feud. The two will put on quality matches when they finally meet in the ring. Meanwhile, Mysterio gets to hold onto his gold and awaits a new challenger. Finn Balor doesn’t seem like he will be turning on his stablemate soon, so some fresh face may be the next one to contend.

Women’s Intercontinental Championship match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Becky Lynch

From idol to foe, the veteran Lynch had a little showmanship for the champion out of the gate, trying to get in the head of Valkyria. The youngster wasn’t rattled, and she toyed with Lynch by swinging her around and lifting her up in the air for an impressive submission roll. Lynch had an early cut on the elbow.

Even as Lynch tried to play mind games with the champion, Valkyria still showed fight, almost inspired by any words her opponent was throwing at her or her fiancé at ringside. The two traded blows on one of the turnbuckles and Valkyria executed a superplex on the challenger in a hard fall. Valkyria went for a pin and Lynch kicked out.

After getting out of a potential Manhandle Slam, Valkyria tried a flying leg drop and moonsault to finish her opponent, only for Lynch to get her knees up. The two then traded punches and after attempted armbar submissions from both sides, Lynch got the Manhandle Slam and looked to have the title. However, Valkyria kicked out, much to the surprise of the crowd.

A frustrated challenger brought a chair into the ring and tried to hit Valkyria with it before the referee stopped it. Lynch exposed the turnbuckle while the referee wasn’t looking, and later on landed her finisher on Valkyria, but the champion again kicked out. Valkyria turned around and landed Nightwing, but the referee was trying to fix the turnbuckle and didn’t get to the pin in time.

Lynch recovered and tried to get Valkyria to submit, but a flurry of rollups happened and Valkyria ended up on the right side of it to get the victory over Lynch.

Almost as soon as the bell rang, an upset Lynch didn’t rest and she continued to beat down on the champion. She did the Disarm-her as officials came to the ring and tried to stop it. It eventually happened as Lynch strutted her way backstage, but Valkyria got up and was able to raise her hand in victory despite the injured arm and likely injured nose she suffered.

Analysis: If you didn’t expect the Women’s Intercontinental Championship match to be a banger, you should have known better. Lynch showed there’s no rust from her absence in her first singles match in nearly a year, but it was Valkyria that really stood out. She had been needing a signature performance in her title reign, and she made the most of it in what was the biggest match of her career.

There were some missteps and botches in this one, but it didn’t take away from the quality of the match. The two sides were given plenty of time to show off their skills, and Lynch remains a powerhouse while Valkyria gets a quality victory. The after-match tirade from Lynch signifies she isn’t done with Valkyria yet, and Bayley could be coming to the fold soon to aid the champion.

Fatal four-way match for United States Championship: Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest vs. LA Knight

Of course, the rivals in the match started beating up on each other, with Fatu and Knight in the ring and others outside. Knight, the former United States champion, was the one with early momentum, getting strikes in and countering all moves from his foes. McIntyre was next to get the advantage with neck breakers to all three opponents, followed by Priest. The clear goal from the challengers was to limit Fatu from causing the destruction he’s known for.

McIntyre and Fatu shared a tense stare down in the ring, and the champion finally got into his rhythm. He showed off his athleticism, which got the crowd going. However, Knight stopped it with a BFT on the champion. It started a string of finishers between the challengers, and Priest nearly had a pin on Knight before McIntyre broke it off.

All of the stars laid in the ring and McIntyre landed two Future Shock DDTs on Fatu and Knight. He geared up for a Claymore and landed it on Knight. He was set to get the pin but Priest pulled the referee out of the ring before he could finish the count. The heated rivals then battled outside of the ring, essentially taking themselves out of the match. Priest executed a diving South of Heaven chokeslam onto tables in the spot of the match.

With Knight and Fatu essentially the last two stars left, the challenger propped Fatu on the announcer’s table. He was about to leap from the turnbuckle when Solo Sikoa emerged to help his family member. Someone blindsided Knight, and it was Jeff Cobb, the newest WWE signing that unleashed a vicious assault on Knight.

It was easy work for Fatu. He leaped off the top turnbuckle onto Knight and pinned him to retain his title. Fatu walked past Sikoa and Cobb on his way backstage.

Analysis: The dynamic between Sikoa and Fatu gets even more intriguing.

It was all but known Fatu was going to retain given the hot streak he’s been on, but how he held on to his title was unexpected. Cobb made his WWE debut and has aligned himself with Sikoa as another weapon for the former self-proclaimed ‘Tribal Chief.’ Fatu didn’t look all that thrilled with the help, which makes sense since Fatu doesn’t need it with all of the talent he possesses. This pretty much guarantees a split between Fatu and Sikoa is going to happen soon. Sikoa will begin to favor Cobb, which will only make Fatu more frustrated and eventually fracture the relationship.

McIntyre and Priest continued their heated rivalry, and Priest got revenge from WrestleMania by sending his foe through a table outside of the ring. That storyline seems far from over, and one more match will be needed to settle the score. As for Knight, he gets pinned twice in less than a month, and it feels like the title is no longer within reach for him, so he either needs to chase other gold or find another person to feud with.

Jeff Cobb debuts in WWE

Some new help may be on the way for Solo Sikoa.

Jeff Cobb emerged from the crowd to assist Sikoa in beating down LA Knight and helped Jacob Fatu retain his United States Championship.

Cobb is a longtime wrestler that notably spent time in New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he won multiple tag team championships and is a one-time NJPW World Television Champion. Cobb also recently spent time in All Elite Wrestling. In April, it was announced Cobb was leaving NJPW, and it had been speculated he’d be headed to WWE.

Now he has arrived, and seems to be a new weapon for Fatu to use.

Who sang national anthem at Backlash?

Pershard Owens, the national anthem singer for the St. Louis Blues, sung the ‘Star Spangled Banner’ in the hockey team’s home arena.

Watch WWE Backlash 2025 kickoff show

When is Backlash 2025?

Backlash is Saturday, May 10.

What time does Backlash 2025 start?

Backlash starts at 7 p.m. ET. The preshow ‘Countdown to WWE Backlash’ begins at 5 p.m. ET.

Where is Backlash 2025?

The 2025 event will take place at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.

How to watch Backlash 2025

The event can be streamed on Peacock, but you must have the premium or premium-plus subscription to watch. Internationally, it will be available on Netflix in most markets.

Watch WWE’s Backlash with Peacock

How to watch Backlash 2025 preshow

The preshow will be available to watch on Peacock, and on WWE’s social channels, including on YouTube.

Backlash 2025 match card

Matches not in order

Undisputed WWE Championship match: John Cena (c) vs. Randy Orton
Fatal four-way match for United States Championship: Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest vs. LA Knight
Intercontinental Championship match: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Penta
Women’s Intercontinental Championship match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Becky Lynch
Pat McAfee vs. Gunther

Backlash 2025 predictions

Here are predictions for every Backlash match from USA TODAY Sports’ wrestling experts:

Pat McAfee vs. Gunther

Jordan Mendoza: Gunther
Richard Morin: Gunther
James H. Williams: Gunther

Women’s Intercontinental Championship match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Becky Lynch

Jordan Mendoza: Lyra Valkyria
Richard Morin: Lyra Valkyria
James H. Williams: Lyra Valkyria

Intercontinental Championship match: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Penta

Jordan Mendoza: Dominik Mysterio 
Richard Morin: Dominik Mysterio 
James H. Williams: Dominik Mysterio

Fatal four-way match for United States Championship: Jacob Fatu (c) vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Damian Priest vs. LA Knight

Jordan Mendoza: Jacob Fatu
Richard Morin: Jacob Fatu
James H. Williams: Jacob Fatu

Undisputed WWE Championship match: John Cena (c) vs. Randy Orton

Jordan Mendoza: John Cena
Richard Morin: John Cena
James H. Williams: John Cena

To see the full predictions of what could unfold, read here.

WWE Backlash commentators

Michael Cole and Wade Barrett will be on the call Saturday night. Barrett will be filling in for Pat McAfee due to his match against Gunther.

John Cena, Randy Orton meet again

Two future hall of famers in the ring one more time.

After Cena won the title at WrestleMania 41, he detailed his plans to ‘ruin wrestling’ in his final year of in-ring competition at the Raw After WrestleMania. However, he was interrupted by Orton and was dealt an RKO.

The two stars faced off on SmackDown, and Orton scolded Cena for his change in attitude and said he couldn’t let Cena ruin WWE. He challenged the champion to a match, but Cena said it will instead be done at Backlash, since it will be held in St. Louis, Orton’s hometown. Cena then attacked Orton, but ‘The Viper’ countered with an RKO.

It will be the first singles match between Cena and Orton since 2017.

John Cena vs. Randy Orton history

There aren’t many stars that have faced each other as often as Orton and Cena have. They first teamed up together in WWE in 2002, and the two had their first match against each other in 2005. Twenty years later, they’ll meet for the last time.

Saturday will mark the 94th time Cena and Orton will share the ring. In one-on-matches, Cena and Orton have faced each other 21 times. Cena has the edge with a 13-8 record against Orton in singles matches.

The tag team category has been overwhelmingly dominated by Cena, as his side is 28-6 whenever matching up against Orton and other stars. In matches where there’s been multiple wrestlers, they’ve each won six times.

Pat McAfee returns to the ring

The former NFL punter and sports media giant has thrived in the wrestling world, bringing his chaotic energy and fun-loving self as the commentator for WWE Raw. But while he’s great on the headset, he has shown some skill as a wrestler, and he will get a chance to do it again against a very formidable opponent.

Read the full match preview here.

Where will Duke freshman star Cooper Flagg be playing next season?

The Washington Wizards, who last had the No. 1 pick in 2010, can picture Flagg in their lineup alongside Alex Sarr, Bilal Coulibaly and Bub Carrington – and they envision becoming the next Houston Rockets – a team built around quality young players and savvy veterans.

The Utah Jazz have never had the No.1 overall pick, and Utah’s front office led by Danny Ainge and Justin Zanik would love to win the draft lottery. They are sending co-owner Ashley Smith to Monday’s NBA draft lottery for good luck.

The Charlotte Hornets, who haven’t had the No. 1 overall pick since taking Larry Johnson first in 1991, will enter its second season with Charles Lee as coach and Jeff Peterson as executive vice president of basketball operations as they try to improve.

Which teams needs Flagg the most?

Utah (17-65), Washington (18-64) and Charlotte (19-63) are going through major rebuilds, could use a player like Flagg to accelerate a turnaround and have the best odds to win the lottery. Brooklyn, Toronto, Philadelphia and New Orleans need help, too.

Or will a longshot get lucky (say San Antonio which pictures Victor Wembanyama alongside Flagg) and win the NBA draft lottery?

We will find out where each team picks in the draft on June 25-26 when the NBA conducts its annual draft lottery Monday.

Here is what you need to know about the draft lottery:

When is the NBA draft lottery?

Monday, May 12, 7 p.m. ET

How to watch the NBA draft lottery

TV: ESPN, various streaming services

How does the draft lottery work?

According to the NBA, “Fourteen ping-pong balls numbered 1 through 14 will be placed in a lottery machine. There are 1,001 possible combinations when four balls are drawn out of 14, without regard to their order of selection. Before the lottery, 1,000 of those 1,001 combinations will be assigned to the 14 participating lottery teams.

“All 14 balls are placed in the lottery machine and they are mixed for 20 seconds, and then the first ball is removed. The remaining balls are mixed in the lottery machine for another 10 seconds, and then the second ball is drawn. There is a 10-second mix, and then the third ball is drawn. There is a 10-second mix, and then the fourth ball is drawn. The team that has been assigned that combination will receive the No. 1 pick. The same process is repeated with the same ping-pong balls and lottery machine for the second through fourth picks.”

The remaining lottery teams are slotted in order of their draft odds.

Utah can’t slide any lower than No. 5, Washington no lower than No. 6, Charlotte no lower than No. 7 and New Orleans no lower than No. 8. After that, if a team doesn’t move into the top four via ping-pong ball selection, it can’t move up any higher than its draft lottery odds position. For example, if Brooklyn, with the sixth-best odds to get a top-four pick doesn’t move into the top four, it can’t land a pick any better than No. 6.

The lottery is conducted in a separate room just before ESPN’s draft lottery show. Select media, NBA officials and representatives of the participating teams and the accounting firm Ernst & Young will be in attendance in the room for the drawings.

2025 NBA draft lottery odds

Percent chance of winning the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft:

Utah Jazz: 14%
Washington Wizards: 14%
Charlotte Hornets: 14%
New Orleans Pelicans: 12.5%
Philadelphia 76ers: 10.5% (pick may be conveyed to Oklahoma City if it falls outside of the top six)
Brooklyn Nets: 9%
Toronto Raptors: 7.5%
San Antonio Spurs: 6%
Phoenix Suns: 3.8% (Pick to Houston via Brooklyn)
Portland Trail Blazers: 3.7%
Dallas Mavericks: 1.8%
Chicago Bulls: 1.7%
Sacramento Kings: 0.8% (pick may be conveyed to Atlanta if it’s not in the top 12)
Atlanta Hawks: 0.7% (pick to San Antonio)

The three teams with the best odds – the Jazz, Wizards and Hornets – all have a 52.1% chance of landing a top-four pick.

Who is the projected No. 1 pick in the NBA draft?

Cooper Flagg, who played his freshman season at Duke and was the national player of the year, has been at the top of draft boards for a year.

How can Cooper Flagg help a team?

The do-it-all young star led the Blue Devils in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. Flagg has outstanding footwork, especially in the low post. He can use either hand on shots in the paint, knows how to run plays, can hit catch-and-shoot 3s and is an active weakside defender. Flagg, who added more muscle since the start of the year, is a physical player who initiates contact, is confident and plays with force when necessary. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks and shot 48.1% from the field, 38.5% on 3-pointers and 84% on free throws.

Who are the other projected top picks in the NBA draft?

Rutger’s Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, Baylor’s V.J. Edgecombe, Texas’ Tre Johnson, Duke’s Kon Knueppel and Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears are expected to go in the top 10 in USA TODAY’s NBAmockdraft.

NBA draft lottery simulator results

Using tankathon.com’s draft lottery simulator, this is what the draft lottery results could look like:

1. Washington
2. Utah
3. New Orleans
4. Philadelphia
5. Charlotte
6. Brooklyn
7. Toronto
8. San Antonio
9. Phoenix
10. Portland
11. Dallas
12. Chicago
13. Sacramento (pick will go to Atlanta)
14. Atlanta (pick will go to San Antonio)

The NASCAR Cup Series arrives in Kansas City, Kansas, for a Mother’s Day race at Kansas Speedway. And if this year’s race is anything like last year’s, fans could be in store for a whole lot of drama and an incredible finish.

At the 2024 spring race, it came down to a freeze-frame, to a numerical measurement basically undetectable, to see which driver crossed the finish line first at the 1.5-mile track. In the end, after slow-motion video review, Kyle Larson edged Chris Buescher for the checkered flag by 0.001 seconds in the closest finish in NASCAR history.

Larson has won two Cup races at Kansas in his career, while Denny Hamlin has the most wins at the track among active drivers with four. Another driver to keep an eye on is Bubba Wallace, who scored the second win of his Cup Series career at the speedway in 2022.

Who will triumph on Sunday? Here’s all the information you need to get ready for the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway:

What time does the NASCAR Cup race at Kansas start?

The AdventHealth 400 starts at 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. local) at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas.

What TV channel is the NASCAR Cup race at Kansas on?

FS1 is broadcasting the AdventHealth 400 and has a pre-race show beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. local).

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR Cup race at Kansas?

The AdventHealth 400 can be live streamed on Max and the FoxSports app. Viewers can also stream the race on Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Watch NASCAR race at Kansas on Fubo (free trial)

How many laps is the NASCAR Cup race at Kansas?

The AdventHealth 400 is 267 laps around the 1.5-mile oval for a total of 400.5 miles. The race will feature three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 80 laps; Stage 2: 85 laps; Stage 3: 102 laps.

Who won the most recent NASCAR Cup race at Kansas?

Ross Chastain led 52 laps, including the final 21, before holding off William Byron by 0.388 seconds in the playoff race on Sept. 29, 2024.

And one year ago, Kyle Larson led 64 laps before edging Chris Buescher in overtime by a record 0.001 seconds in the closest finish in Cup Series history, on May 5, 2024.

What is the lineup for the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas?

(Car number in parentheses)

(5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet
(17) Chris Buescher, Ford
(20) Christoper Bell, Toyota
(45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota
(22) Joey Logano, Ford
(54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota
(24) William Byron, Chevrolet
(99) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet
(9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet
(12) Ryan Blaney, Ford
(71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet
(7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet
(2) Austin Cindric, Ford
(11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota
(23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota
(43) Erik Jones, Toyota
(42) John Hunter Nemechek, Toyota
(38) Zane Smith, Ford
(19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota
(3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet
(48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet
(77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet
(34) Todd Gilliland, Ford
(4) Noah Gragson, Ford
(35) Riley Herbst, Toyota
(1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet
(47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chevrolet
(67) Corey Heim, Toyota
(10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet
(60) Ryan Preece, Ford
(41) Cole Custer, Ford
(33) Jesse Love, Chevrolet
(16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet
(88) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet
(8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet
(6) Brad Keselowski, Ford
(51) Cody Ware, Ford
(21) Josh Berry, Ford

In a bloody battle, Jack Della Maddalena upset Belal Muhammad by unanimous decision at UFC 315 in Montreal and won the welterweight title.

The judges scored the five-round title bout 48-47, 48-47, 49-46 for JDM.

Della Maddalena, a 28-year-old Australian, entered the fight No. 5 in the UFC welterweight rankings and then spoiled Muhammad’s first title defense. He also ended Muhammad’s unbeaten streak at 11 fights in a row.

JDM won for the 18th straight time while winning his first UFC championship and improving his record to 18-2 (8-0 UFC).

“It’s exactly how I thought it would feel,’’ JDM said. “It feels (very) good.’’

Muhammad, a 36-year-old Palestinian-American, lost for the first time in 12 fights, a stretch dating to 2019. His record dropped to 24-4 after the loss.

Before the fight, Muhammad vowed to use his “Canelo (Alvarez) hands’’ and box. He tried, but eventually leaned on his ground game.

It served him well, but wasn’t enough to overcome the hard-hitting Della Maddalena.

JDM, respected for his striking ability, squirmed free from several takedowns and survived Muhammad’s push in the final two rounds. JDM did not give up a takedown until the fourth round against Muhammad, known for his strong ground game.

“I knew I had to be smart,’’ JDM said. “I knew I couldn’t spend too much time on my back.’’

Jack Della Maddalena def. Belal Muhammad (C) by unanimous decision

ROUND 1: Lights dim as Belal Muhammad begins to make his way to the octagon for his first title defense. Jack Della Maddalena (JDM), No. 5 in the UFC welterweight rankings, awaits Muhammad’s arrival. JDM throws a right as he stalks and Muhammad fires back to the body. JDM lands a nice right and Muhammad answers with a kick. JDM lets fly with a few kicks, showing he’s got more than fists. Muhammad connects with a solid right and then another. JDM lands a kick and a right, and follows with another right. Muhammad promised to box. Maybe a bad idea. JDM attacks with low kicks and Muhammad nearly lands one to the head. They’re exchanging kicks, and JDM connects with a left. Muhammad attempts the takedown, and settles for a scoring punch. Muhammad connects with a right and starts to attack before he takes an uppercut. JDM 10, Muhammad 9.

ROUND 2: They open with kicks, but no damage done. But a head kick from Muhammad may have gotten through. More kicks. JDM strikes with a right. Muhammad answers with a body kick. Fighters throwing punches, but not in bunches. Chants go up. “Let’s go, Jack! Let’s go, Jack!’’ More kicks and single shot punches. Muhammad bleeding from the nose. He attempts a takedown but JDM gets free and looks skillful with his takedown defense. Big right from Muhammad, who’s bleeding more profusely now. JDM 20, Muhammad 18.

ROUND 3: Muhammad out quickly with punches, but JDM answers with authority. A flurry of punches backs up Muhammad, and then he scores with jabs. Blood flowing again from Muhammad’s nose, but he lands a nice right. JDM pummeling that nose. Muhammad lands a right and a left, but JDM fires another right that lands. Muhammad neglecting his ground game and perhaps to his detriment as JDM continues to land. JDM bobbing and weaving and scoring before Muhammad attempts the takedown and presses JDM against the fence. JDM 30, Muhammad 27.

ROUND 4: Muhammad stalking now. But catching up to JDM is dangerous. Muhammad lands an uppercut and JDM looks wobbly. But JDM responds with punches. Muhammad stays aggressive but takes a big shot to the face. Muhammad lands a combination and keeps the pressure on. Muhammad lands two uppercuts, but JDM answers. Brawling ensues until Muhammad pins JDM against the fence. Muhammad on top and in control before JDM reverses and punches Muhammad in the rib cage. Muhammad lands two punches and the men separate. But Muhammad quickly fires again and goes for another takedown. JDM fights it off. They’re clinched, with JDM on the fence and Muhammad fires knees and JDM takes more punches. JDM looks to be bleeding from the right ear, and Muhammad looks energized. JDM 39, Muhammad 37.

ROUND 5: JDM moving, but not fast enough. Muhammad appears to land a knee. JDM lands a solid jab and gets moving. JDM lands a knee but takes a big right. Muhammad bleeding badly. Muhammad scores a takedown with three minutes left. This is not where JDM wants to be. Muhammad on top and trying to fire with his left arm. JDM squirms free. Muhammad fires more punches. JDM’s right eye nearly swollen shut. JDM on the attack! Muhammad trying to clinch and cover up. Muhammad scores another takedown with about a minute to go. JDM back on his feet. He punishes Muhammad with a knee. Blood everywhere. JDM lands some big shots. JDM 49, Muhammad 46.

Valentina Shevchenko (C) def. Manon Fiorot by unanimous decision

Shevchenko bloodied Fiorot and her striking overcame Fiorot’s attempt to keep her legendary opponent wrapped up.

Fiorot showed grit and power while controlling huge chucks of each round with her wrestling. But Shevchenko, who allowed her opponent to stalk, countered with big shots.

All three judges scored the five-round flyweight title fight 48-47 for Shevchenko.

Shevchenko, the 37-year-old from Kyrgyzstan, was appearing in a 12th straight title fight and improved her record to 25-4-1 (14-3-1 UFC).

Fiorot, the 35-year-old from France, lost for the first time in 12 bouts, including seven UFC fights.

ROUND 1: Manon Fiorot carries into the fight a 12-fight winning streak. But to extend it she’ll have to beat the legendary Valentina Shevchenko.

Fiorot applies some early pressure, but a poised Shevchenko lands a right to the face. Fiorot rushes forward and throws a punch but it doesn’t land. Shevchenko looks comfortable but waiting to counter. Shevchenko unleashes a couple of kicks but misses the target. Fiorot rushes forward again and eats a right, and she’s bleeding badly from the nose. Perhaps a broken nose. What a bloody mess. Shevchenko scores with the right and then a takedown. Fiorot looks defeated, but she’s digging elbows into Shevchenko’s rib cage as Shevchenko stays on top as the round ends. Shevchenko 10, Fiorot 9.

ROUND 2: Fiorot tries to wrap up Shevchenko without success. Action slows as Shevchenko waits on Fiorot. Shevchenko scores a takedown but Fiorot is quickly on her feet. Now they’re wrapped up again and Fiorot lands a knee to the midsection. That shot to the nose did not deter Fiorot, who’s starting to apply pressure. She has Shevchenko on the fence and is kneeing Shevchenko to the glute and elbows Shevchenko as they sperate. Fiorot scores a takedown and is landing punches with Shevchenko on the ground and against the fence. Shevchenko blocks a vicious-looking knee as the round ends. Shevchenko 19, Fiorot 19.

ROUND 3: Shevchenko on the run a bit, content to let Fiorot be the aggressor. Fiorot attacking with her knee and pins Shevchenko against the fence. Crowd grows restless as the action slows. Shevchenko breaks free and lands a spin kick. But quickly Fiorot has Shevchenko wrapped up and is kneeing her in the thigh. Fiorot demonstrating power and determination. Fiorot 29, Shevchenko 28.

ROUND 4: Shevchenko scored with a stiff jab and Fiorot is bleeding again. Fiorot bulls Shevchenko against the fence and scores with her knees. Shevchenko gets free, but Fiorot looking to another takedown with blood on her face. Shevchenko lands a spin kick to the body. Fiorot gets Shevchenko back on the fence and is using those knees again and they separate. Shevchenko scores the takedown with about a minute left, but Fiorot is quickly back on her feet and they clinch for about half a minute. Shevchenko lands two rights and drops Fiorot! Fiorot 38, Shevchenko 38.

Round 5: Fiorot stalking, lands a knee. Then she wraps up Shevchenko again, briefly. Chants go up. “Valentina! Valentina!” They’ve settled at the center of the octagon before Shevchenko starts moving again. Shevchenko spun and landed a punch to the face, at which point Fiorot pinned Shevchenko against the fence. Shevchenko away and fires a kick. More clinching on the fence. Zzzzz. They separate. Fiorot lands a nice right and uses the moment to wrap up Shevchenko. Crowd boos. Round ends, appropriately if not satisfyingly, with the fighters in a clinch. Shevchenko 48, Fiorot 47.

Aiemann Zahabi def. Jose Aldo by unanimous decision

Zahabi did more than win the fight. He also appeared to send Aldo into retirement.

“I don’t think I have it in me anymore,’’ Aldo, a 38-year-old Brazilian and Hall of Famer, said through a translator after the fight.

Blood was splattered on the mat when the featherweight bout ended. That blood belonged to Aldo.

After getting knocked down early in the third round, Zahabi chased down the Hall of Famer and for the last two minutes of the fight he pounded Aldo.

An elbow with about 40 seconds left opened up a big cut on Aldo’s forehead. But somehow he survived the round – perhaps the final round of his career.

All three judges scored the fight 29-28 in favor of Zahabi.

Aldo failed to win for the fourth time in seven fights as his record fell to 32-10 (14-9 UFC)

Zahabi, a 37-year-old Canadian, won his fifth straight fight and improved to 12-2 (6-2 UFC). 

ROUND 1: Aldo, the Hall of Famer, steps into the octagon with unclear intentions: Does he truly think he has a shot at fighting for a title again? Or is he putting himself at unnecessary risk of injury because he can’t stomach permanent retirement? Aiemann Zahabi might be the man to provide the answer.

Aldo comes out stalking. One minute, one jab. Aldo lets loose with a right head kick. It’s blocked. Zahabi stays on the run, but Aldo connects with a left. Lands a big right and another combination. Zahabi throws a hard right and loses his balance. Aldo looks poised and patient (too patient?) as he looks for an opportunity to connect. He throws two hard body shots. Now Zahabi pressuring and he catches Aldo with a handful of punches before Aldo responds. Big exchanges as the round ends. Aldo 10, Zahabi 9.

ROUND 2: Zahabi attacks early with a knee to the body. Aldo then keeps him at bay with a kick to the body. Zahabi fires a couple of jabs. Aldo responds with a combination, and Zahabi fires back. Aldo digs in with a body shot. Both fighters firing and neither taking control of this round. Zahabi sporting a cut on the corner of his right eye, evidence Aldo has landed. Brief delay after Zahabi kicks Aldo in the protective cup. Then happens a second time – or close. Aldo grinning instead of wincing. Zahabi lands a couple of solid punches as the round ends. Aldo 19, Zahabi 19.

ROUND 3: Aldo has the high guard in place but it doesn’t keep him from throwing and landing punches. Zahabi connects with a combination with this fight potentially up for grabs. Zahabi scores again and then Aldo scores with a knee and knocks him down with a kick. Zahabi on the run but nails Aldo with a right. It’s a brawl unfolding. Zahabi scores with two knees and Aldo running out of gas. Zahabi unloading and Aldo looks cooked. Tries a takedown and falls down. Zahabi on top and Aldo in trouble. Zahabi on top of Aldo and landing elbows as Aldo tries to cover up. Somehow Aldo hanging on here. Zahabi opens up a cut on Aldo’s forehead, doing serious damage as less than 40 seconds remain in the fight. Aldo survives with blood strewn on the mat. Zahabi 29, Aldo 28.

Natalia Silva def. Alexa Grasso by unanimous decision

Grasso’s face told the story. It sported knots, welts and a cut that bled profusely.

All courtesy of Silva.

Silva battered Grasso, the former UFC champion, with an assortment of kicks and punches while she frustrated Grasso by staying on the move during the three-round flyweight fight.

All three judges scored it 30-27 for Silva, the 28-year-old from Brazil who won for the 13th time in a row. She improved her record to 19-5-1 (7-0 UFC)

Grasso, a 31-year-old from Mexico, entered the women’s flyweight bout No. 3 in the UFC women’s pound-for-pound rankings. But her record fell to 16-5-1 (8-5-1 UFC) after Silva’s dominant performance.

ROUND 1: Natalia Silva enters having won 12 straight bouts. But to keep that record alive, she’ll have to beat a former UFC champion — Alexa Grasso.

Grasso opens with a pedestrian low kick. Silva unleashes a kick to the head. But Grasso comes back with a nice right. Silva responds quickly with her feet and fists. Silva stalking and connects with a left hook. Silva’s speed very evident. Grasso scores with a double jab. Silva answers with a couple of kicks that miss and then one to the head that may have squeezed through. Silva slips on a kick and Grasso scores a takedown. Doesn’t last long before Silva squirts free. A nice exchange follows. Silva connects with a kick to the face, but Grasso comes right back with her jab. Grasso scores with another jab, but Silva stays active and whips a spin kick. Silva 10, Grasso 9.

ROUND 2: Grasso opens with her double jab again. It’s her primary weapon. Silva looking like the Energizer Bunny and she connects with a head kick and then lands a left hook. Grasso looks almost flat-footed compared to Silva, who’s staying on the move between kicks and punches. Silva getting her steps in today, to the frustration of Grasso. Silva gets rushed and responds with a left, then connects with a jab. Crowd’s booing, maybe tiring of Silva staying on the move. But she pounds Grasso with a right-legged kick down the middle. Grasso wants to trade. She gets her chance late, pounding Silva but taking punches too. Silva 20, Grasso 18.

ROUND 3: Grasso comes out aggressively. The speedy Silva lands a couple of shots, but Grasso wraps up Silva and attempts the takedown. She’s got her pressed against the fence and lands a knee. Silva breaks free, and her face is red and swollen. Silva connects with another left, and probably another lump. Grasso tries to chase her down. Silva slows and delivers kicks and delivers a side kick to Grasso’s chest. Silva lands another hard head kick, opening a cut. A spinning kick follows as Grasso bleeds profusely. Silva smiling and pounds Grasso as the fight ends. Silva 30, Grasso 27.

Benoit Saint-Denis def. Kyle Prepolec by submission (arm triangle)

Saint-Denis mauled Prepolec and ended the fight with an arm triangle at 2:35 of the second round of the lightweight bout. He dominated the first round after scoring an early takedown and keeping Prepolec wrapped up.

About the only thing that could slow Saint-Denis was an eye poke early in the second round. After taking time to regroup, Prepolec caught him with a couple of shots.

But Saint-Denis got revved up again, pounding Prepolec with elbows and punches before taking him down and finishing him off.

Saint-Denis, a 29-year-old from France, improved his record to 14-3 (6-3). Prepolec, a 35-year-old Canadian, lost his first UFC match since 2019 and dropped to 18-9 (0-3 UFC).

ROUND 1: Kyle Prepolec, a Canadian, is on the mat for his first UFC fight since 2019. France’s Benoit Saint-Denis, by contrast, fought six times in the UFC over the past two years and is 4-2 in those bouts.

Saint-Denis gets the quick takedown. He looks in control, but isn’t capitalizing with punches or getting in position for a submission. Crowd booing as the two fighters stay wrapped up. Saint-Denis delivers a few elbows and threatens to wrap his right forearm under Prepolec’s neck. Prepolec gets back on his feet and Saint-Denis wrestles him right back down to the mat. Saint-Denis pounds a couple of lefts on Prepolec’s head after failing to wrap his arm around Prepolec’s neck. Saint-Denis mounts Prepolec for the potential chokehold but the horn sounds. Saint-denis had Prepolec down for about 90% of the round. Saint-Denis 10, Prepolec 9.

ROUND 2: Now Saint-Denis swinging, with his fists and then a leg. But Prepolec stops him – with an eye poke. Needs time to regroup and then Prepolec welcomes him back with a big left hand. Saint-Denis responds with elbows to the head. Prepolec gets in an elbow of his own, but Saint-Denis is taking over. More elbows followed by a knee. Saint-Denis scores another takedown 2½ minutes into the round and Prepolec taps out at 2:35 of the second round! 

Mike Malott def. Charles Radtke by TKO

Malott took a solid left hand from Radtke just moments into the second round. It was worth the pain.

Malott, at the same time he got hit, connected with a brutal left that dropped Radtke to the canvas. Malott then pounced, throttling Radtke with a flurry of punches before the referee halted the fight 26 seconds into the second round of the welterweight fight.

The victory for Malott, a 33-year-old from Canada, exhilarated the Montreal crowd as he improved his record to 12-2-1 (5-1 UFC).

Radtke, a 34-year-old from Chicago, lost for the third time in four fights as his record fell to 10-5 (3-2 UFC).

Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Jessica Andrade by submission (rear naked choke)

Jasudavicius scored a takedown less than two minutes into the first round of the women’s flyweight bout and the assault was on.

Jasudavicius pounded Andrade’s head with right hands and then submitted her with a rear naked choke at 2:40 of the first round.

The Montreal crowd roared for Jasudavicius, a 36-year-old Canadian who won for the fifth time in a row. She improved her record to 14-3 (8-2 UFC).

Andrade, a 33-year-old Brazilian, failed to land anything of consequence against Jasudavicius as her record dropped to 26-12 (17-4 UFC).

Modestas Bukauskas def. Ion Cutelaba by split decision

The three judges stole the spotlight for all the wrong reasons in a controversial decision.

Bukauskas appeared to need a finish as the fight headed into the third round. Cutelaba, who seemed to dominate the fight early, grew less active as the light heavyweight fight came to a close.

It cost him.

The judges scored the fight 27-30, 30-27, 29-28 in favor of Bukauskas.

Three times, Cutelaba unleashed spinning kicks and all three times he fell to the ground. But he made up for the poor kicking technique with active fists. But it was Bukauskas who threw the more punishing punches in the final round.

Bukauskas, a 31-year-old born in Lithuania, won for the fifth time in six fights and improved his record to 17-6 (6-4 UFC).

Cutelaba, a 31-year-old from Moldova, had won three of his last four fights but his record fell to 19-11-1 (8-10-1 UFC).

Navajo Stirling def. Ivan Erslan by unanimous decision

Stirling took control of a close fight with about a minute left in the third round when he dropped Erslan with a hard right.

The attack escalated as Stirling got on top of Erslan and landed more punches before the three-round light heavyweight fight came to an end.

Erslan gained command in the first round with a handful of nasty right hands, one of which opened up a cut under Stirling’s right eye. But Stirling responded in the second and third rounds with a blend of kicks and grappling before he landed the game-changing right hand.

The judges scored it 29-28, 29-28, 29-27.

Stirling, a 27-year-old from New Zealand, improved to 7-0 (2-0 UFC). Erslan, a 33-year-old from Croatia, lost for the fourth time in six fights and his record dropped to 14-5 (4-4 UFC).

Bruno Silva alert after KO

Silva, who got knocked unconscious in his fight with Marc-Andre Barriault, was alert and had movement in all of his extremities after leaving the octagon, according to report on the ESPN broadcast that cited UFC Chief Medical Director Jeff Davidson.

Davidson said Silva had movement in all of his extremities but complained about his neck, and he was taken to the hospital, according to ESPN. He will get head and neck scans.

Update: All X-rays are negative on Silva, per ESPN, and he is expected to be released from the hospital Saturday night.

Marc-Andre Barriault def. Bruno Silva by KO

Barriault knocked Silva unconscious with three elbows, dropping him to the canvas and following up with a handful of rights before the referee stopped the fight at 1:27 of the first round.

Barriault, a 35-year-old Canadian, climbed atop the fence and basked in applause from the Montreal crowd after the middleweight bout. At the same time, Silva remained face-down and appeared to need at least two minutes to regain consciousness.

Silva was taken out of the octagon on a stretcher.

Barriault ended a three-fight skid and improved his record to 17-9 (6-8 UFC).

Silva, a 35-year-old Brazilian, lost for the fifth time in a row and his record dropped to 23-13 (4-7 UFC).

Daniel Santos def. JeongYeong Lee by unanimous decision

Santos got knocked down in the first round and by the end was bleeding under the eye. Which demonstrated how impressive he was in the three-round featherweight bout.

Lee knocked down Santos in the first round with a right hand, and Santos responded with his own right that dropped Lee to a knee. It commenced as a brawl, which left Lee with a cut at the corner of his right eye, and Santos gained control in the second and third rounds with impressive grappling.

All three judges scored the fight 30-27.

Santos, a 31-year-old Brazilian, was fighting for the first time in almost two years and showed no ring rust while improving to 13-2 (3-1 UFC).

Lee, a 29-year-old from South Korea, had won eight of his last nine fights before the loss, which dropped his record to 11-3 (2-2 UFC)

Bekzat Almakhan def. Brad Katona by TKO

Almakhan floored Katona with a brutal uppercut in the first round and, with Katona on his back, finished him off with a couple of right hands.

The fists were flying early in this bantamweight fight. But Almakhan absorbed an uppercut from Katona before delivering his own, and the referee stopped the fight at 1:04 of the first round.

Almakhan, a 27-year-old from Kazakhstan, was coming off a loss by unanimous decision in his UFC debut. But he rebounded by demolishing Katona, a 33-year-old Canadian.

Almakhan improved his record to 12-2 (1-1 UFC) and Katona fell to 14-5 (4-5 UFC).

UFC 315: Time, PPV, streaming for Muhammad vs. Della Maddalena

The highly anticipated matchup between Belal Muhammad and Jack Della Maddalena will take place on Saturday, May 10 and can be purchased on ESPN+ PPV.

Date: Saturday, May 10
Location: Bell Centre (Montreal)
Early prelims start time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Early prelims stream: ESPN+, Disney+
Prelims card start time: 8 p.m. ET
Prelims card TV: ESPN; Prelims stream: ESPN+
Main card start time: 10 p.m. ET
Main card stream: ESPN+ PPV

Catch UFC action with an ESPN+ subscription

UFC 315 preliminary and main card start times

Early prelims: 6:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+, Disney+)
Prelims: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN+)
Main card: 10 p.m. ET (PPV on ESPN+)

UFC 315: Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena card

Main card

Welterweight Title: Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena
Flyweight title: Valentina Shevchenko vs. Manon Fiorot
Bantamweight: Jose Aldo vs. Aiemann Zahabi
Flyweight: Alexa Grasso vs. Natalia Silva
Lightweight: Benoit Saint Denis vs. Kyle Prepolec

Prelims

Welterweight: Mike Malott vs. Charles Radtke
Flyweight: Jessica Andrade vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
Light heavyweight: Modestas Bukauskas vs. Ion Cutelaba
Light heavyweight: Navajo Stirling vs. Ivan Erslan

Early prelims

Middleweight: Marc-Andre Barriault vs. Bruno Silva
Featherweight: Daniel Santos vs. Jeong Yeong Lee
Bantamweight: Brad Katona vs. Bekzat Almakhan

UFC 315 predictions

CBS Sports: Ian Machado Garry picks Belal Muhammad

Gary told CBS Sports: ‘Every minute that goes by puts Belal in a better position because he is a workhorse. He’s a grinder. He’ll grab hold of you and beat you. He’ll be in your grill. He will make it ugly. He will slam you. He will constantly be there. I’ve watched Jack get ragdolled by people who aren’t as good as Belal… Honestly, I think he gets a finish in the later rounds. If Jack can survive until three or four, I think that’s when the finish will come.’

Bleacher Report: Two of the three combat sports experts pick Belal Muhammad

Tom Taylor writes: ‘Della Maddalena is one of my favorite fighters to watch right now, but I’ve got to disagree with Lyle on this one. While the Aussie is a much sharper striker than Muhammad, I don’t think that will matter much. Muhammad is a master at overwhelming his opponents on the mat, and we saw Gilbert Burns successfully control Della Maddalena in that area. Considering Della Maddalena hasn’t fought since his win over Burns, which was well over a year ago, ring rust could also be a factor for him. I just can’t shake the feeling that he will get mauled, even if he’s too tough to be finished.’

Sports Illustrated: Leon Edwards picks Jack Della Maddalena

Mathew Riddle writes Edwards’ remarks on the Ariel Helwani Show: ‘If I could put money on it I’d probably favor JDM. My thing with JDM is his boxing will probably shut him down and he’s a good anti-grappler, like you can take him down but his scrambles on the floor are good. I feel like Belal won’t be enough to hold him down for that long.’

UFC 315 live stream

The early prelims will be available to stream via ESPN+ and Disney+. The prelims follow with coverage on ESPN as well as streaming on ESPN+. The main event is available on ESPN+ PPV.

The early prelims will be available to stream via ESPN+ and Disney+. The prelims follow with coverage on ESPN as well as streaming on ESPN+. The main event is available on ESPN+ PPV.

UFC 315 price

UFC events are available to ESPN+ subscribers for $119.99 for the entire year. You can also purchase a monthly subscription of ESPN+ for $11.99. The PPV is available for an additional $79.99.

Belal Muhammad vs. Jack Della Maddalena: Tale of the tape

Pat McAfee is back in a WWE ring.

The former NFL punter and sports media giant has thrived in the wrestling world, bringing his chaotic energy and fun-loving self as the commentator for WWE Raw. But while he’s great on the headset, he has shown some skill as a wrestler, and he had a chance to do it again against a very formidable opponent.

McAfee faced Gunther at WWE Backlash 2025 on Saturday in St. Louis. The feud began at the Raw after WrestleMania, where Gunther went on a tirade following his loss at WWE’s top event. He targeted announcer Michael Cole, but McAfee stepped in to stop the attack. Gunther then focused on McAfee and put him in a sleeper hold that took him out. The following week, McAfee gave a passionate promo targeted at Gunther. He wanted a match with ‘The Ring General,’ and the two got it inside Enterprise Center.

Did Pat McAfee win his WWE match?

No. Gunther beat McAfee by knockout.

What happened in Pat McAfee’s WWE match?

McAfee showed some fight early, getting out of a hold and landing some shots in on Gunther. ‘The Ring General’ put an end to it quickly and encouraged McAfee to get some chops on him. All Gunther did was absorb it and ask for more before he sent McAfee flying. Almost anything McAfee tried to do seemed to not have any effect on Gunther.

After spending much time just standing over his opponent, Gunther finally landed the sleeper hold. However, McAfee broke out of it, only to take a German suplex and prolong the match. Gunther tried a German suplex off the top turnbuckle, and McAfee got out of it and landed a quick flurry of kicks. McAfee tried to sneak a pin but Gunther quickly got up.

McAfee landed two super kicks and had some momentum, but Gunther caught it and landed a powerbomb. Tired of what was happening, Cole took off the headset and tried to encourage his colleague. However, it resulted in Cole getting dragged into the ring. As Gunther was about to powerbomb Cole, McAfee kicked him to break it up and nearly got a roll-up pin. Cole tried to hold Gunther’s leg and help McAfee pin him, but he kicked out.

Distracted, Gunther got put in a sleeper hold by McAfee. A tap out looked possible, but Gunther broke it off. He then put McAfee in a sleeper hold, and even though he tried breaking out of it, McAfee passed out and Gunther got the victory.

After the match, Cole helped McAfee to his feet and Gunther stared him down. ‘The Ring General’ gave his respect to McAfee before walking away. Cole and McAfee then hugged before the former NFL punter received applause from the crowd.

Pat McAfee WWE match history

This was McAfee’s eighth WWE match and his sixth singles competition. He had his first WWE match in 2020 against Adam Cole, and his last match was when he was briefly in the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble match. His last singles match took place in 2023 at WrestleMania 39.

Here’s McAfee’s WWE match history:

NXT TakeOver XXX: loss vs. Adam Cole (Aug. 8, 2020)
NXT TakeOver WarGames: loss vs. The Undisputed ERA (Dec. 6, 2020)
WrestleMania 38: win vs. Austin Theory (April 3, 2022)
WrestleMania 38: loss vs. Mr. McMahon (April 3, 2022)
SummerSlam 2022: win vs. Happy Corbin (July 30, 2022)
WrestleMania 39: win vs. The Miz (April 1, 2023)
Royal Rumble 2024: loss (January 27, 2024)
Backlash 2025: loss vs. Gunther (May 10, 2025)