Dabo Swinney threatened to go coach somewhere else. Don’t threaten Clemson fans with a good time.
Syracuse win against Clemson no fluke. Orange stomped a hole in the Tigers.
Fran Brown coaches up Syracuse after bad start, while Clemson keeps getting worse.

Obscured in the smokescreen of Dabo Swinney’s petulant rant this week was the reality that Clemson’s coach presides over a football team that’s gone belly up by mid-September.

That’s as shocking as it is unacceptable, that a team with this much veteran talent keeps playing this poorly.

While Swinney shamelessly plays the victim card, Clemson fans have every right to be fuming mad. Swinney’s pathetic rant became the appetizer to another lousy performance.

Clemson just got routed 34-21 by an average Syracuse team, in a development that seemed unfathomable as recently as the summer, when Swinney predicted his team could go 16-0.

Never mind 16-0. The Tigers have 6-6 in their sights, and they’ve lost five of its last six games against Power Four competition.

Syracuse stomps hole in Clemson after Dabo Swinney’s rant

If Swinney had Billy Napier’s record or Sam Pittman’s buyout, he’d be a candidate for the hot seat. He’s not in that position, because he’s Clemson’s best coach in program history, and he’s too expensive to fire, anyway.

That supreme job security gave Swinney the comfort to dare the university to fire him.

“If they want me gone, if they’re tired of winning, they can send me on their way,” Swinney said days before losing to Syracuse.

“I mean, if Clemson’s tired of winning, they can send me on my way,” he reiterated, amid a rant that spanned several minutes, “but I’m gonna go somewhere else and coach.’

Don’t threaten Clemson fans with a good time. The thought of Swinney coaching someone else probably sounds mighty appealing right now.

With any luck, Swinney’s new team would be on Clemson’s schedule, and the Tigers could beat someone.

Clemson faithful aren’t tired of winning, but they’ve just about had their fill of woeful performances like this one. This was a beatdown, in every facet. Syracuse stomped a hole in Swinney’s Tigers on their home field.

This counts as Clemson’s ninth loss to an unranked team since 2021, but, go ahead, Dabo, tell us more about all those games you used to win.

Dabo Swinney goes from great coach to whiny underachiever

If Swinney wants to coach someone else, he should do it. He’d have suitors. If not, how about winning some ball games for the school that’s paying him more than $11 million this season?

Swinney, in his rant, offered a history lesson of his career achievements. It’s true, he’s been one of college football’s best coaches of this millennium. It’s true, he resurrected a sleepy program. It’s also true Clemson slipped from the elite stratosphere Swinney elevated it to and has fallen to also-ran status.

Even a coach with two national championships is open to criticism. Swinney claims he doesn’t allow criticism to affect him.

“That’s a gift I have,” he said, somehow getting those words out with a straight face.

Methinks that Dabo doth protest too much.

This is a guy who once let some fella named Tyler from Spartanburg get under his skin on a radio show. His pregame tantrum was straight from the thin-skinned playbook. Truly, a first-ballot rant bound for the fragile ego hall of fame.

Credit Fran Brown for doing what Swinney couldn’t and keeping his team afloat after a bad start to the season. Tennessee trounced Syracuse in the season opener. Then, Syracuse needed overtime to beat UConn. After that win, Brown had his players stay at the stadium and run wind sprints. His Orange got the message.

No wind sprints after this one. Brown celebrated a win against ‘one of the best teams in college football,’ filled with ‘so many (NFL) draft picks.’ Clemson likely will have several players drafted, but forget about this being one of college football’s best teams. That was the expectation, but here’s the reality: Syracuse played like a vastly superior squad.

Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli looked like Steve Young while shredding Clemson, until he exited in the second half with an injury. The Orange dialed up several explosive plays, while Clemson’s offense remained stuck in neutral for too long under Cade Klubnik. Once a Heisman Trophy frontrunner, Klubnik has regressed in his senior season.

But, seriously, how did Clemson sink to these depths?

Nick Saban has thoughts on that. Coaches, even retired ones, are generally loath to criticize their contemporaries, but Saban offered some searing comments about Swinney’s fall from glory on “College GameDay.”

“The game has changed. You need to change with it,” Saban said, specifically referencing that Swinney must re-evaluate his NIL strategy or his transfer-averse approach to roster building, lest he fall further behind.

And still, Clemson’s bad start to the season cannot be pinned entirely to Swinney’s old-school approach in a new era. More than enough talent exists on Swinney’s roster to be better than 1-3.

Nobody’s buying Swinney’s martyrdom. This is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately business. Lately, Swinney’s a whiny, overpaid underachiever who didn’t come close to beating Syracuse.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.

Michigan State football linebacker Wayne Matthews III suffered a scary injury in the Spartans’ loss to USC on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Late in the second quarter of MSU’s 45-31 loss to the Trojans in Los Angeles, Matthews attempted to tackle USC running back Waymond Jordan on an option run. Matthews remained down on the ground after making the stop, with the Spartans’ medical staff calling for a backboard and cart for him.

Matthews was transported to LA General Hospital for further testing. Here’s the latest on Matthews’ injury:

Wayne Matthews III injury updates

Matthews’ injury took place with just 42 seconds remaining in the first half, with USC driving into the red zone.

Matthews gave a thumbs-up to the crowd while he was strapped to the backboard. He was taken to LA General Hospital, a Level 1 trauma facility near the stadium, according to the Fox broadcast. A spokesperson for Michigan State told the Free Press that Matthews’ motor skills were intact.

Matthews originally entered the game due to linebacker Jordan Hall being ejected earlier due to a targeting call.

Kent State football defensive back A’tiq Muhammad had to be carted off the field in the second quarter of the Golden Flashes’ loss to No. 9 Florida State on Saturday, Sept. 20.

The redshirt junior from Rockford, Illinois, tried to chase down and tackle Seminoles tight end Amaree Williams with three seconds left in the first half of the matchup from Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.

Muhammad was upended and landed awkwardly. Medical staff from both sidelines quickly rushed onto the field to tend to Muhammad, with both teams taking a knee around him.

Here’s the latest on Muhammad’s injury:

A’tiq Muhammad injury updates

Following his injury, Muhammad was quickly tended to by medical staff from both FSU and Kent State. He was down on the field for several minutes before the UTEP transfer was strapped onto a medical cart and removed from the playing field.

According to the ACC Network broadcast, Muhammad was taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital for precautionary measures.

“I just got word that A’tiq can move everything and feel everything,” ACC Network sideline reporter Victoria Arlen reported. “He is going to the hospital just for precautionary reasons.”

A USA TODAY Sports request to Kent State for an update on Muhammad’s status was not immediately returned.

No. 25 Auburn football dropped its first game of the season on Saturday, Sept. 20, with the Tigers dropping their SEC opener in a 24-17 loss at No. 12 Oklahoma

The SEC later said officials missed a call on a play during the second quarter.

The first play came on second-and-10 on Oklahoma’s opening drive of the game, when it looked as though Tigers cornerback Kayin Lee had a 65-yard scoop-and-score touchdown after the ball popped out of the hands of Sooners wide receiver Isaiah Sategna.

‘I don’t know how it’s not a fumble,’ Freeze told ESPN’s Molly McGrath during an in-game interview, according to Awful Announcing. ‘I don’t know. Maybe they had a different review upstairs. Looked like he juggled at first, regained, and ran. We stripped it. Thought it should have been a touchdown.’

Freeze doubled down on his frustration of the situation in his postgame news conference with reporters when offering what he saw on the play. OU hit a 49-yard field goal on that drive to take an early 3-0 lead as a result of the overturned call.

‘I saw him bobble the catch initially and then gain possession of it with two hands and run two steps, us tackle, and him roll over the top of us and the ball come out,’ Freeze said, according to the Montgomery Advertiser, part of the USA TODAY Network.

The overturned call in the first quarter wasn’t the only play that caused Freeze consternation, as he had to one point in his news conference say, ‘I better be quiet’ of the officiating.

Freeze also addressed another that ESPN rules analyst Matt Austin should have been flagged. It was a controversial no-call on a ‘deviating’ trick play that the Sooners ran in the second quarter. Sategna appeared to be subbing out of the game but instead stayed on the field, resulting in a wide-open touchdown down the left sideline.

‘They said they didn’t hear us trying to call timeout,’ Freeze said on that play. ‘We were instructed all offseason about deceptive plays. We’ll see what’s said. I really don’t know what will be said about that.’

But the SEC said after the game that a penalty should have been called on the play.

SEC admits blown call

After the game, SEC put out a statement saying it should penalized Oklahoma for a ‘hideout tactic’ on the touchdown play in the second quarter.

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Jadeveon Clowney was arrested in his hometown of Rock Hill, S.C., just days before he signed a free-agent contract with the Dallas Cowboys.

Clowney’s arrest occurred Sept. 12, according to multiple reports. He was arrested for trespassing and failure to identify himself after he attempted to park at an apartment complex parking lot that was not public.

Clowney told the officer his aunt lived at the apartment complex and that he was going to visit her, per Queen City News. He also said he might attend a local high school football game between his alma mater, South Pointe, and their cross-town rival Northwestern.

A police report of the incident obtained by ESPN specified Clowney, who was driving a black Cadillac Escalade, never tried to drive away but continued ‘to argue, talk over reporting officer, and display a defiant attitude.’

USA TODAY Sports requested a copy of the police report from the Rock Hill Police Department but has not yet received a response.

Clowney addressed his arrest shortly after news of it broke. He referred to it as a ‘big misunderstanding’ and vowed to dispute it.

‘It was a parking situation and just escalated,’ Clowney said, per ESPN. ‘If you know anything about South Carolina, where I’m from, you know how that can go left very fast and that kind of went left.’

It isn’t yet clear whether Clowney will make his Cowboys debut Sunday against the Chicago Bears, as Dallas’ executive vice president Stephen Jones said in a Friday appearance on 105.3 The Fan that the team was leaning toward not playing the 32-year-old veteran just a week after signing him.

That said, Clowney’s arrest isn’t expected to have any impact on his availability. And the No. 1 overall pick from the 2014 NFL Draft said he is ‘physically ready to go’ as he prepares to suit up for his seventh different NFL team.

Indiana advanced after losing five players to season-ending injuries, including Caitlin Clark.
Las Vegas is led by A’ja Wilson, who was just named Co-Defensive Player of the Year.
The Fever won two of the three regular-season matchups against the Aces.

With five players lost to season-ending injuries – including star guard Caitlin Clark – the Indiana Fever continue their improbable journey in the WNBA playoffs on Sunday as they travel to face the Las Vegas Aces in the opening game of their semifinal series.

The No. 6-seeded Fever needed to win back-to-back games against the Atlanta Dream to get through the first round, but they managed to do it – capping things off with a stunning 87-85 win in Atlanta on Thursday.

The No. 2 seed Aces defeated the Seattle Storm 74-73 on Thursday, behind a dominant 38-point performance from A’ja Wilson, the newly minted Co-Defensive Player of the Year. 

 ‘The job’s not done, it’s just first round and we have to get ready for the next one,’ Wilson said.

While the series might look like a mismatch on paper, the Fever won two of their three regular-season meetings.

What time is Indiana Fever at Las Vegas Aces?

The Las Vegas Aces host the Indiana Fever in the opening game of their WNBA playoff semifinal series on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 3 p.m. ET (noon PT) at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. The game will be broadcast nationally on ABC.

How to watch Indiana Fever at Las Vegas Aces: TV, stream

Time: 3 p.m. ET (noon PT)
Location: Michelob Ultra Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada)
TV channel: ABC
Streaming: ESPN+, Disney+, Fubo (free trial to new subscribers)

To assist with your most difficult lineup decisions, you’ll find my Week 3 fantasy football rankings below (scroll to the bottom for complete rankings). Toggle between standard, half PPR (point per reception), and full PPR to see where players rank in your league’s format.

Our team at the USA TODAY Sports Network also has you covered for all your fantasy football needs. Looking for up-to-date player news? We’ve got it. Need to know who the best starts and sits of the week are? We have an article for that. We also have fantasy defense rankings, kicker rankings and a trade value chart to help with all your trade decisions.

Given the volatility of this league and fantasy football in particular, these rankings will be updated up to a half hour before the Sunday afternoon games kick off. Let’s get to it.

Week 3 fantasy football quarterback rankings: Sleepers

Colts QB Daniel Jones at Titans – Through two weeks, only Lamar Jackson has scored more fantasy points at quarterback than Jones. The Titans project as a tough matchup, but then again, so did the Broncos in Week 2. Jones is in the QB1 conversation in Week 3.
Bengals QB Jake Browning at Vikings – After taking over for Burrow in Week 12 of the 2023 season, Browning ranked as the QB9 or better in five of his seven starts. The 29-year-old eclipsed 16 fantasy points in each of his final six starts.
Seahawks QB Sam Darnold vs Saints – Darnold put up a dud in Week 1, but he rebounded in Week 2 with 295 yards and two scores against the Steelers. A home matchup with the Saints makes the veteran a decent streamer in Week 3.

Week 3 fantasy football running back rankings: Sleepers

Chiefs RB Isiah Pacheco at Giants – In 2024, the Giants gave up the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing backfields. Seventeen backs totaled double-digit half-PPR points against them, including 10 with at least 15 points. Through two games this season, New York has given up the most fantasy points to runners. Pacheco has gotten off to a brutal start in 2025, but this is a perfect ‘get right’ matchup.
Giants RB Cam Skattebo vs Chiefs – It didn’t take long for the Giants backfield to undergo a seismic shift. Rookie Cam Skattebo led the way in snaps (35) and touches (14) in Week 2, while running just one fewer route than Tyrone Tracy Jr. Given Tracy’s inefficient start, expect that shift to continue in Week 3 against the Chiefs
Cardinals RB Trey Benson at 49ers – Week 2 saw Benson and James Conner in a near-even timeshare. While Conner led the way in snaps (30 to 25) and carries (11 to 3), Benson outpaced the veteran in routes (16 to 12) and targets (5 to 1). Conner has been one of the least efficient runners in all of football to start the season, and Benson could continue to chip away at the timeshare in Week 3 against the 49ers.
Commanders RB Chris Rodriguez Jr. vs Raiders – This is for extremely deep leagues only. Prior to suffering a season-ending injury on TNF, Austin Ekeler was dominating the Washington backfield in snaps (36), routes (21) and touches (12). While Jacory Croskey-Merritt should be the primary beneficiary, it’s possible that Rodriguez will get enough touches to be a viable flex play in Week 3.

Week 3 fantasy football wide receiver rankings: Sleepers

Broncos WR Troy Franklin at Chargers – In Week 2, Franklin led all Denver wideouts in snaps (49), routes (28) and targets (9). This came after finishing second in all those categories in Week 1. The 22-year-old has garnered a 23.4% target share to date, which puts him firmly on the fantasy map. Franklin also faced a Chargers secondary that gave up the fourth-most fantasy points to wideouts over the second half last year.
Browns WR Cedric Tillman vs Packers – Through two weeks, Tillman sits among the league leaders in snaps and routes, and his 15 targets are nothing to sneeze at. His fantasy day in Week was saved by a touchdown that should have been intercepted, but the fact that he’s getting elite usage makes him a viable flex, even in a tough matchup.
Titans WR Elic Ayomanor vs Colts – Through two games, Ayomanor ranks second among Tennessee receivers in snap share (78%), route rate (75%) and target share (23.6%). Against the Rams in Week 2, he turned his six targets into 56 yards and a score. With the way the Colts offense has played, Tennessee should be forced to throw plenty in Week 3, making Ayomanor a worthwhile dart throw.
Giants WR Wan’Dale Robinson vs Chiefs – Through two weeks, only 14 receivers have generated more targets than Robinson (18). The 24-year-old is tied for seventh among wideouts with 14 receptions, and he ranks sixth in receiving yards. Given that the Giants will likely be in a negative game script against the Chiefs, Robinson is a viable play.

Week 3 fantasy football tight end rankings: Sleepers

Saints TE Juwan Johnson at Seahawks – Johnson leads all tight ends in targets through two weeks. I’m sure everyone saw that coming. He also happens to be the TE3 in half-PPR points. With Foster Moreau and Taysom Hill still on the PUP list, Johnson is a top-eight play at the position.
Commanders TE Zach Ertz vs Raiders – While Johnson ranks as the TE3 heading into Week 3, Ertz is a spot ahead at TE2. The veteran, who was the TE5 over the final eight weeks last season, is firmly in the TE1 conversation this week. Ertz will face a Raiders defense that ceded 2.3 more half-PPR points per game to tight ends than any other team in the league over their final 10 games of the 2024 season.
Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson vs Bengals – Hockenson has gotten off to a brutal start this season, totaling just four receptions for 27 yards through two games, but he could turn that around in Week 3. In 2024, no team allowed more fantasy points to tight ends than the Bengals. In fact, they allowed 11 tight ends to rack up double-digit half-PPR points against them.

Week 3 fantasy football rankings: PPR and non-PPR

Wrestlepalooza 2025 was WWE’s first premium live event to stream on ESPN, as the company’s top shows now call the top sports network home. It needed a bang to start the partnership, and WWE did it with a card full of mega stars.

Near the end of his farewell tour, John Cena went against the returning Brock Lesnar. After she made her stunning return, AJ Lee had her first match in more than 10 years, tagging with CM Punk against rivals Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins. Also, the Undisputed WWE Championship was on the line, and a new Women’s World Champion was crowned.

Watch: Wrestlepalooza postshow

Undisputed WWE Championship match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Drew McIntyre

No trying to feel the match in this one with an aggressive start from both competitors and several changing swings in momentum. Yet McIntyre looked a step ahead of Rhodes, with the champion looking like he was playing defense after McIntyre got some solid shots in. McIntyre landed an Alabama Slam on the steel steps to rattle Rhodes.

The champion eventually recovered and had his first real offensive rhythm, which including a Cody Cutter. He went for a Cross Rhodes that was quickly foiled by McIntyre, who then turned the tide back in his favor. He wanted a Claymore that Rhodes was able to avoid, and he got out of a second attempt. With McIntyre on the ground, Rhodes locked in the Figure Four. The challenger broke it up and got up to rip out one of the turnbuckles. However, he was soon thrown into it.

McIntyre finally landed the Claymore later on just for Rhodes to kick out of the pin attempt. McIntyre was aiming for a Claymore into the announcer’s table but the referee held him back. He still ended up trying it, only for Rhodes to get out of the way and McIntyre to hurt his leg on the table. Hobbled, McIntyre tried a Claymore but couldn’t get it because his leg gave out.

He went down and Rhodes landed the Super Cody Cutter to set up the Cross Rhodes. It landed and Rhodes got the successful pin to retain his championship.

Analysis: The champion isn’t dropping the gold just yet. All the signs pointed to this being the event Rhodes would drop the title or something stunning would happen, but instead it ended with ‘The American Nightmare’ on top. Now it feels like Rhodes will keep the championship for the remainder of the year and into WrestleMania season. It feels like the clock is ticking on McIntyre to get his hands back on gold, so it will have to happen soon or he’ll get lost back in the shuffle.

This match was kinda funky and nothing really eventful happened, but still a quality performance put on by the two. This could be a rivalry that has a few more matches coming up, and that could be when the title change happens.

The Undertaker appears to surprise Stephanie McMahon

The WWE Hall of Famer comes out on his motorcycle and sits next to Stephanie McMahon to tell her she will be inducted into the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame.

AJ Lee and CM Punk vs. Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins

The mind games were going on for Lynch and Rollins as they baited their opponents early, including a slap from Lynch to Punk to start the match. The champions embraced each other and left themselves open to Punk attacking Rollins outside of the ring. When the referee wasn’t looking, Lynch hit Punk, and then Lee did the same to Rollins a few moments later.

After the frenzied start, the match settled in with Rollins on offense against Punk. He was in full control, taunting Lee while getting some kisses from Lynch in between attacks. Rollins would distract the referee so Lynch could get her own shots on Punk.

There were several failed attempt tag attempts for Punk that were thwarted by Rollins. He eventually got it, but Lynch caught the referee’s attention and didn’t see Lee get tagged in. Rollins and Lynch assaulted Punk and the World Heavyweight Champion tried to launch his wife for a high attack, only for Punk to miss. The window for a tag looked to be wide open, but just as Punk got there, Lynch pulled Lee down to prevent it. Rollins then taunted Lee by skipping around his opponents.

That decision proved costly as Punk surprised Rollins with a GTS. Lynch tried to prevent Punk from tagging in, and Punk blew her a kiss as he finally got Lee in the ring. The returning star smiled before going full crazy on Lynch to turn the tide.

It took Rollins to slow down Lee, but she unleashed the same fury to him and teed off on the couple. Punk then got it to help his wife for a sweet sequence. Lee and Punk mirrored each other in the ring as they brought the fight. Lee was able to executed the Black Widow on Lynch while Punk had Rollins in a sharpshooter. Rollins got out of it and he got Lee off his wife, but Lee used the Black Widow on Rollins.

Lynch recovered and broke up the hold on her husband and the champions landed a synchronized Pedigree to try to finish the match. Lee and Punk both kicked out of pin attempts. They tried to finish the match once more, but it failed. Lee was closing in on a win before Rollins tripped her.

Punk then came in with a stomp to his rival, and was beating him down until Lynch slapped Punk. He confronted Lynch and she was able to get Punk in the sharpshooter. Punk reversed it and Rollins came back in time to land the Pedigree and stomp. Rollins was going to get the pin until Lee stomped Rollins. Then came a Manhandle Slam from Lynch on Lee and that nearly was enough to win.

Lee and Punk soon cleared the announcers’ tables to try and land a huge blow, but it was countered by Lynch throwing Lee into Punk. Lynch threw Lee back in the ring and went for the Manhandle Slam, but Lee caught her in the middle for the Black Widow. Lynch tapped out to get Lee and Punk the victory.

Analysis: Not bad for a 10 year break. It wasn’t the perfect performance, but Lee showed she still definitely has the talent that made her such a beloved star. This match had plenty twists and turns and whether you believe it or not, all of the competitors work so well in the ring together. The entertainment was there from start to finish, exactly what people envisioned when Lee made her triumphant return.

Now that Lee is officially back, she can set her eyes on challenging Lynch for her title. Meanwhile, Punk and Rollins may have to take a brief pause since the World Heavyweight Champion will be occupied with the Undisputed WWE Champion at Crown Jewel.

AJ Lee, CM Punk enter ring together

The best entrance music combination in WWE?

‘Cult of Personality’ plays for Punk before ‘Light it Up’ takes over for Lee.

Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins make epic entrance

The championship marriage comes out in style.

Women’s World Championship match: Iyo Sky vs. Stephanie Vaquer

A meeting between two of the best wrestlers on the roster started in strict technical fashion, each trying to get an early leg up on each other. There were plenty of smiles and nods to each other before Sky was the first one to get a real offensive rhythm. Vaquer changed the tone when she had Sky’s arm locked on the turnbuckle. Sky countered the momentum with a backbreaker to Vaquer that left both stars laying on the mat.

When both stars got up, Sky was the one rolling and after doing her signature emote, went flying outside of the ring for another shot at her opponent. Sky tried a power bomb on the apron, and Vaquer reversed it for her own leap outside of the ring. The tide kept turning again back in the ring with shots and counters being traded at a quick pace.

Another rapid sequence unfolded and Sky had the Over-the-Moonsault readied, only for Vaquer to get her knees up. Vaquer was taking any chance to target Sky’s right knee and the pain she handed helped her finally get the Devil’s Kiss in. The crowd did it with her and she followed it with a SVB, but Sky kicked out. Vaquer took to the top rope and Sky got up to meet her to execute the Spanish fly.

Sky was started to feel the victory get closer, even exposing her knee for to land more damage. She tried the Over-the-Moonsault again and it didn’t land after Vaquer rolled out. ‘La Primera’ got up the turnbuckle and did her own Spiral Tap off the top. It landed and she got the pin for her first main roster title.

After the match, Vaquer and Sky showed respect to each other as the new champion celebrated.

Analysis: Another amazing match, what else did you expect? Sky and Vaquer are among the best in the business and they showed their excellent chemistry in what could end up being the match of the night. The momentum changed so frequently and allowed both stars to display their top-tier talent.

A case could have been made for either wrestler to win but Vaquer’s sensational rise continues. She’s achieving so many things at an incredible rate and she’s bound to become one of the faces of the company real soon. This championship reign should be fun to watch as ‘La Primera’ is indeed first in the women’s division.

The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) vs. The Vision (Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed)

There was back-and-forth shots traded to start the match, and The Vision tried to see what they could get away with by using a chair. LA Knight didn’t like that and Jimmy Uso took it, and the referee allowed it as Reed took a shot to the back. It didn’t seem to affect The Vision much as they began to tee off against Jimmy Uso, including reciprocating a shot with the chair.

It was a heavy assault from Breakker and Reed, not allowing Jimmy Uso to tag his brother in. After several missed attempts, it finally landed and Jey Uso went to work on Breakker, using his family’s signature moves in the process. The Usos brought tables into the ring as they were riding the momentum, including delivering a 1D to Breakker. The move has brought them plenty of victories, but Reed came in just in time to break up the pin.

Everyone was laid out in the ring when a finisher bonanza happened, lastly with Jey Uso landed a spear on Breakker. He then did an Uso Splash to try and get the win, only for Breakker to kick out. Uso and LA Knight were arguing over the incident and LA Knight nearly got an inadvertent hit with the chair. During this sequence Uso was badly cut and bleeding.

The Usos were caught off guard, allowing The Vision to seize the moment. Breakker speared his opponents through the table and Reed landed a tsunami on Jimmy Uso to capture the big victory for The Vision.

Analysis: Finally, The Vision picks up a much needed victory. The group have been wrecking havoc, but it needed to start winning matches. Now the momentum can keep on going rather than halting and having to start all over again. The Usos brought back some of the great things that made them one of the best tag teams in WWE history, and it showed they definitely should take another crack at a run together.

A funky match, this one wasn’t bad but wasn’t great either. The pacing was a little bit off, and the cut to Uso made it seem like the ending was rushed rather than let it naturally develop.

The Usos come out to old entrance music

Jimmy and Jey Uso are running back for their tag team match, coming out with their old signature entrance song before they change it up to Jey’s song to Yeet.

LA Knight will be a special guest referee

There will be another star in the ring for the tag team match between The Usos and The Vision as LA Knight will be the special guest referee.

John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar

Feeding off Paul Heyman’s electric introduction, Lesnar immediately attacks and gets Cena on the ground. He throws Cena around the ring while gloating to the fans. There’s also an introduction to Suplex City. Cena nearly turned the tide with a sudden Attitude Adjustment, but Lesnar quickly got out and put him back on the mat.

It took time, but Cena is able to land some shoulder shots to get Lesnar down. He delivers three consecutive AAs, yet Lesnar kicks out. Cena then goes for the five-knuckle shuffle but Lesnar gets up to deliver his own signature move, the F5. He executes two and gets Cena up for a third. After standing over Cena, Lesnar delivers a fourth but doesn’t attempt a pin.

Cena got up only for Lesnar to deliver a fifth and sixth F5 in brutal fashion. He finally went for the pin and got the victory.

Lesnar wasn’t done after the bell rang. He delivered an F5 to the referee and another one to Cena before walking away.

Analysis: All of that build for that. This match was heavily hyped by ESPN, but people seem to forgot Lesnar matches haven’t been great in some time. Much like most of his recent bouts, this one was quick and just a finisher bonanza with Lesnar ending up on top.

It’s hard to see how this match sets anything up, especially with such little dates left for Cena. He had been putting on exceptional performances recently, but this one seemed to be a waste.

Paul Heyman joins Brock Lesnar

The advocate is back for Lesnar, as Heyman introduces his longtime friend after the two had a conversation on SmackDown the night before.

John Cena makes entrance with several kids

It’s a party for the 17-time champion as children join Cena in his iconic entrance.

Pat McAfee arrives

The sports media giant makes trip from ‘College GameDay’ in Miami earlier in the day to Indianapolis. McAfee is accompanied by Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton as will be back on commentary.

Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque begins ESPN era

WWE chief content officer takes the microphone to welcome people ‘to the final form of sports and entertainment’ with the company now on ESPN.

When is WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025?

The event takes place Saturday, Sept. 20.

WWE Wrestlepalooza start time 2025

Wrestlepalooza begins at 7 p.m. ET. The Wrestlepalooza preshow begins at 5 p.m. ET.

Where is WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025?

Wrestlepalooza 2025 will be at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

How to watch WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025

WWE Wrestlepalooza will stream on ESPN’s streaming service. Viewers can sign up for a subscription to the site here. Subscriptions start at $29.99 a month.

ESPN’s streaming service is available through select cable and TV packages, including:

DIRECTV
Fubo TV
Hulu + Live TV
Spectrum
Verizon FiOS

If your cable or TV package includes ESPN, steps to activate it can be found here. The event will also be shown at select movie theaters nationwide.

Internationally, Wrestlepalooza will be available on Netflix in most markets.

Stream WWE Wrestlepalooza on ESPN

WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025 preshow: how to watch

The Wrestlepalooza preshow will be available to watch on ESPN and WWE’s social platforms like YouTube and TikTok.

WWE Wrestlepalooza 2025 match card

Matches not in order

John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar
AJ Lee and CM Punk vs. Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins
The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) vs. The Vision (Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed)
Women’s World Championship match: Iyo Sky vs. Stephanie Vaquer
Undisputed WWE Championship match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Drew McIntyre

What will be first match at Wrestlepalooza?

As announced on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Sept. 18, John Cena and Brock Lesnar will be the opening match of Wrestlepalooza.

What match will close Wrestlepalooza?

The Undisputed WWE Championship match between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre will end the night.

Wrestlepalooza predictions

USA TODAY Sports’ wrestling writers predict what will unfold at Wrestlepalooza. See the full predictions for the entire event here.

John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar

Jordan Mendoza: John Cena
Richard Morin: John Cena

AJ Lee and CM Punk vs. Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins

Jordan Mendoza: AJ Lee and CM Punk
Richard Morin: AJ Lee and CM Punk

The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) vs. The Vision (Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed)

Jordan Mendoza: The Vision
Richard Morin: The Vision

Women’s World Championship match: Iyo Sky vs. Stephanie Vaquer

Jordan Mendoza: Stephanie Vaquer
Richard Morin: Stephanie Vaquer

Undisputed WWE Championship match: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Drew McIntyre

Jordan Mendoza: Drew McIntyre
Richard Morin: Drew McIntyre

WWE moves to ESPN

Wrestlepalooza marks the start of WWE’s new partnership with ESPN, as it will now stream its premium live events on the platform after previously doing so on Peacock.

According to CNBC, the deal is for five years with an average of $325 million per year. All WWE premium live events will air on ESPN. ‘WWE has an immense, devoted and passionate fan base that we’re excited to super-serve on our new ESPN DTC platform,’ said ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro. ‘This agreement, which features the most significant WWE events of the year, bolsters our unprecedented content portfolio and helps drive our streaming future.’

AJ Lee returns to WWE

It’s time to light it up. 

AJ Lee has made her triumphant return to WWE after she retired from wrestling 10 years ago. Lee made her comeback during the Sept. 5 edition in SmackDown, joining her husband CM Punk in his hometown of Chicago. 

Her return to wrestling is something fans had been hoping and anticipating for years. Known for her unstable persona along with her elite promo skills and signature skip, Lee is considered one of the best wrestlers in the early 2010s. She was consistently at the top of the women’s division and is a three-time Divas Champion, tied for the most reigns in what was once the top women’s title. She retired in 2015.

John Cena farewell tour reaching end

Time is almost up for Cena as his 2025 farewell tour is in its final months. In his last year of in-ring competition, Cena has won the Elimination Chamber and the Undisputed WWE Championship, becoming the first 17-time title holder in WWE history.

Wrestlepalooza will mark the 31st appearance of 2025, and with 36 promised in his final year of wrestling, there are only five shows left for Cena after the show. His career will culminate with Saturday Night’s Main Event on Dec. 13.

His next appearance won’t be until Oct. 11 for WWE Crown Jewel: Perth. Here are the rest of the dates of his final run:

Oct. 11: WWE Crown Jewel: Perth (Perth, Australia)
Nov. 10: Raw (Boston, Massachusetts)
Nov. 17: Raw (New York City, New York
Nov. 29: Survivor Series (San Diego, California)
Dec. 13: Retirement Match at Saturday’s Night Main Event (Location TBD)

Vacant Women’s World Championship to be awarded

A new Women’s World Champion will be crowned after Naomi vacated the title due to her pregnancy. She was set to face Vaquer at Clash in Paris but she dropped the championship prior to the event.

Vaquer, who won a title opportunity at Evolution, was still given her chance, and she’ll face Sky, who was the champion before Naomi won it by cashing in her Money in the Bank contract.

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The chase for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship is down to 12 drivers following the first elimination race last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway to conclude the first round.

Joe Gibbs Racing drivers swept the three races of the Round of 16, with Chase Briscoe winning the playoff opener at Darlington Raceway, Denny Hamlin earning the victory at World Wide Technology Raceway and Christopher Bell taking the checkered flag at Bristol.

The three-race Round of 12 begins Sunday, Sept. 21 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, then moves to Kansas Speedway on Sept. 28 before concluding with another elimination race on Oct. 5 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on the part oval/part road course Roval.

New Hampshire is hosting a playoff race for the first time since 2017 and just the fourth time since the current playoff format was enacted in 2014. Bell has won two of the past three races at the track, though recent races were held during warmer weather in June or July.

The playoff standings were reset to kick off the second round at New Hampshire, with Hamlin holding the top position (3,024 points). He has a two-point lead over Hendrick Motorsports drivers William Byron and Kyle Larson, with Bell six points back in fourth and Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney rounding out the top five, seven points behind.

Here is all the information you need to get ready for the Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

What time does the NASCAR playoff race at New Hampshire start?

The Mobil 1 301 is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 21 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire.

What TV channel is the NASCAR playoff race at New Hampshire on?

The Mobil 1 301 will be broadcast on USA Network. Pre-race coverage will start at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Will there be a live stream of the NASCAR playoff race at New Hampshire?

Yes, the Mobil 1 301 will be streamed on Peacock, HBO Max, Sling TV and Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Stream all NASCAR Cup Series playoff races on Fubo

How many laps is the NASCAR playoff race at New Hampshire?

The Mobil 1 301 is 301 laps around the 1.058-mile track for a total of 318.46 miles. The race will have three segments (laps per stage) — Stage 1: 70 laps; Stage 2: 115 laps; Stage 3: 116 laps.

Who won the most recent NASCAR Cup races at New Hampshire?

Christopher Bell led 149 of 305 laps, including the final 64, of the USA TODAY 301 on June 23, 2024. Bell outlasted the rain, darkness, repeated cautions and the rest of the field before pulling away from Chase Briscoe by 1.104 seconds following an overtime restart.

Two years ago, on July 17, 2023, Martin Truex Jr. earned his 34th and final win of his Cup Series career with a dominating performance in the Crayon 301. Truex led 254 laps, including the final 24, before edging Joey Logano by 0.396 seconds

What are the NASCAR playoff standings entering New Hampshire?

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, 3,034 points
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, 3,032
Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, 3,032
Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, 3,028
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske, 3,028
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing, 3,018
Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports, 3,013
Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing, 3,009
Austin Cindric, Team Penske, 3,008
Joey Logano, Team Penske, 3,007
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing, 3,007
Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, 3,006

What is the lineup for the Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire?

Here is the lineup for the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (car number in parentheses; P=playoff driver):

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

Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout hit the 400th home run of his career on Sept. 20.
Trout’s big moment also became a memorable moment for the fan who caught the 485-foot drive into center field at Denver’s Coors Field.
The fan, who was at the game with his wife and two children, received some signed bats and also requested that he and Trout play catch. Trout obliged.

Trout’s big moment also became a memorable moment for the fan who caught the 485-foot drive into center field against the Colorado Rockies at Denver’s Coors Field.

‘I’m looking forward to seeing what it will take,’ Trout said after the 3-0 victory about getting back the milestone ball. ‘Hopefully, I can get it for my family and my collection. My boys are probably fired up back home.’

Trout obliged.

Mike Trout hits 400th career home run

The Angels star hit the milestone home run in the eighth inning and became the 59th MLB player to reach 400.

He has hit 200 home runs at home and 200 on the road.

It was the 22nd home run of the season — and first in eight games — for the three-time MVP and 11-time All-Star, who has played all of his 1,642 career games with the Angels.

‘A lot of my buddies back home and family members and a lot of people texted me, ‘Hey when are you going to hit this homer?’ I’m glad I got it out of the way,’ he said.

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