Alexander Volkanovski won the featherweight championship for the second time in his career, beating Diego Lopes after a five-round battle in the main event of UFC 314 at the Kaseya Center in Miami.

Volkanovski has now won seven featherweight title fights, moving him into second place all-time in the division behind Jose Aldo’s eight title victories.

The loss snapped Lopes’ five-fight win streak.

The title was left vacant after Ilia Topuria decided to move on from the featherweight division and permanently compete as a lightweight.

Volkanovski lost the title to Topuria at UFC 298 in February 2024, by second-round knockout.

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes highlights

USA TODAY Sports provided complete coverage of all the action from UFC 314. Follow along for live updates:

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes result

Round 1: Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes spend the early moments of the fight feeling each other out before each exchange strikes. Volkanovski lands a strike that stuns Lopes and sends him stumbling backward.

Lopes survived Volkanovski’s ground-and-pound strikes to his face while Lopes had his back down on the mat in the final seconds of the opening round. Lopes returned to his feet with a gash on his nose as he returned to his corner.

Round 2: Volkanovski rocks Lopes with a right-handed strike that sends Lopes backward against the cage. Volkanovski landed more strikes in each of the first two rounds. Lopes did deliver a right-handed strike of his own that dropped Volkanovski within the final 10 seconds of the round. Volkanovski may have still done enough to win the round.

Round 3: Lopes has done a great job preventing Volkanovski from getting a successful takedown throughout the fight. Volkanovski has had just one of his six takedown attempts be successful, and that came in the first round.

Round 4: Both fighters are throwing strikes just before the two-minute mark of the round. Volkanovski was cut in one of the earlier rounds, but it seems to be giving him some trouble as he was seen putting his hand to his face as he was backing up and trying to keep his distance from Lopes.

Lopes had a left-handed strike that forced his glove to slide across the face of Volkanovski before Lopes followed it up quickly with a right-handed uppercut.

Volkanovski told his corner that he did lose his eyesight at some point during the round.

Round 5: Volkanovski continued to land significant strikes in each of the rounds, but Lopes did inflict damage with his strikes. Volkanovski and Lopes were both left standing and shared a hug in the octagon. The fight came down to a unanimous decision in favor of Volkanovski, who became the new featherweight champion. He became the first fighter over 35 years old to win a title in one of UFC’s lighter weight classes.

Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett result

Round 1: The lightweight fight is underway. Pimblett and Chandler stand near the middle of the ring to feel each other out. Pimblett lands some low kicks early in the fight. Chandler managed to get Pimblett down on the ground and land effective strikes.

Round 2: Both Chandler and Pimblett were attempting to throw leg strikes at the same time. Chandler’s leg landed in Pimblett’s groin region. The fight was briefly delayed. Upon returning, Chandler managed to get Pimblett down on the ground.

Pimblett would manage to reverse position with Chandler and take control the fight.

While Chandler managed to win the first round after controlling Pimblett for 2:10 of the round, Pimblett got back in the fight by controlling 1:51 in the second round. Pimblett also landed more significant strikes in the middle round.

Round 3: Pimblett landed several strikes early in the round, including a knee strike that cut Chandler open under his left eye. Pimblett managed to put the fight away and secure the victory after landing several more strikes to the face of Chandler while he was on the ground. The official stepped in to stop the fight. Chandler did not stick around after the fight, leaving the ring immediately to have the cut treated.

Yair Rodriguez vs. Patricio Pitbull result

Round 1: The round ends with words exchanged between the two fighters. Pitbull was not happy with Rodriguez, who was punching him in the back of the head while Pitbull was on top of Rodriguez during the closing seconds of the opening period.

Round 2: Rodriguez got the best of Pitbull in the first two rounds and even recorded a takedown in the final seconds of the round. Yair has managed to use his range to his advantage throughout the fight. Rodriguez had managed to outstrike his opponent and landed a tough blow that allowed him to maul Pitbull while he was on the ground.

Round 3: Rodriguez managed to secure a unanimous decision victory. While the fight did go the distance, Rodriguez dominated Pitbull throughout.

Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva result

Round 1: Mitchell landed several strikes, but Silva managed to get some successful strikes of his own in the opening round. Silva got the best of Mitchell in the final minute of the round with submission attempts.

Round 2: Silva catches Mitchell with a strike that stuns him early in the round. With Mitchell down, Silva had a chance to try and end the fight while he had the momentum, but he allowed his opponent to get back up to his feet.

Silva landed a left hook and a right-handed punch to apply further damage to Mitchell. Silva managed to get Mitchell into a ninja choke while they were both in a standing position before bringing him down to the ground and forcing Mitchell to submit.

Amanada Nunes to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame

Amanada Nunes will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. The news was announced during UFC 314. Nunes has had career-defining victories over Ronda Rousey and Cris Cyborg.

She is considered by some to be the greatest women’s fighter of all time.

Nunes was caught off guard during the event as a video played as part of the announcement with her in the crowd. She was emotional as the video played and was embraced by UFC CEO Dana White and announcer Bruce Buffer.

Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes result

Round 1: Dominick Reyes earns a first-round victory after a left-handed shot rocks Nikita Krylov and immediately drops him. The official steps in immediately. Reyes won by TKO.

It was the first time Krylov was knocked out in a light heavyweight fight.

President Donald Trump arrives at UFC 314

Donald Trump made his way to his seat before the start of the main card.

UFC 314: Time, PPV, streaming for Volkanovski vs. Lopes

The highly anticipated matchup between Alexander Volkanovski and Diego Lopes will take place on Saturday, April 12 and can be purchased on ESPN+ PPV.

Date: Saturday, April 12
Location: Kaseya Center (Miami)
Early prelims start time: 6 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

Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson result

Dan Ige overwhelms Sean Woodson in the featherweight fight. Woodson was down on his knees trying to hold on to the legs of Ige, who continued to throw rapid strikes to his opponent’s head. The officials stopped the fight, and Ige was declared the winner by TKO.

Yan Xiaonan vs. Virna Jandiroba result

Virna Jandiroba earned the unanimous decision in the women’s strawweight fight. Jandiroba controlled most of the fight and nearly forced Yan Xiaonan to submit in the final seconds of the first round.

Jim Miller vs. Chase Hooper result

Chase Hooper won the lightweight fight against Jim Miller by unanimous decision. Most of the fight was spent on the ground and did receive boos from the fans watching the fight because of the lack of action in the bout.

Julian Erosa vs. Darren Elkins result

Julian Erosa rocked Darren Elkins in the first round of the featherweight prelim fight. Erosa landed a series of leg strikes while he was on his back under the jaw of Elkins.

Elkins was never able to recover as he continued to take a beating before the referee stopped the fight. Erosa was declared the winner by TKO.

UFC 314 early prelim results

Middleweight: Michal Oleksiejczuk def. Sedriques Dumas by TKO

Flyweight: Su Mudaerji def. Mitch Raposo by split decision

Middleweight: Marco Tulio def. Tresean Gore by TKO

Women’s Bantamweight: Nora Cornolle def. Hailey Cowan by submission

UFC 314 highlights

President Donald Trump will attend UFC 314 

President Donald Trump is expected to attend UFC 314 in Miami, according to reports.

Trump is no stranger to the mixed martial arts scene, having attended multiple events in the past, including UFC 302 and 309.

The Secret Service is reportedly already at the Kaseya Center with dogs before his arrival.

He’s expected to arrive at the arena at 8:55 p.m. ET.

Marco Tulio robbed, involved in a car accident before UFC 314

According to reporter Megan Olivi, middleweight fighter Marco Tulio was the victim of an attempted robbery on his way to the airport to leave for Miami. On his way to UFC 314, he was also said to be involved in a car accident.

Tulio managed to win his fight against Tresean Gore by knockout, but said after the fight that he did break his hand.

UFC 314 preliminary and main card start times

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

Catch UFC action with an ESPN+ subscription

UFC 314: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes card

Main card

Featherweight – Main Event: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes
Lightweight: Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett
Featherweight: Yair Rodriguez vs. Patricio Pitbull
Featherweight: Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva
Light Heavyweight: Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes

Prelims

Featherweight: Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson
Women’s Strawweight: Yan Xiaonan vs. Virna Jandiroba
Lightweight: Jim Miller vs. Chase Hooper
Featherweight: Darren Elkins vs. Julian Erosa

Early prelims

Middleweight: Sedriques Dumas vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk
Flyweight: Sumudaerji vs. Mitch Raposo
Middleweight: Tresean Gore vs. Marco Tulio
Women’s Bantamweight: Nora Cornolle vs. Hailey Cowan

UFC 314 odds

All odds are for moneyline bets as of Friday, according to BetMGM.

Main card

Featherweight – Main Event: Alexander Volkanovski (-145) vs. Diego Lopes (+120)
Lightweight: Michael Chandler (+125) vs. Paddy Pimblett (-150)
Featherweight: Yair Rodriguez (-200) vs. Patricio Pitbull (+165)
Featherweight: Bryce Mitchell (+185) vs. Jean Silva (-225)
Light Heavyweight: Nikita Krylov (-190) vs. Dominick Reyes (+155)

Prelims

Featherweight: Dan Ige (+150) vs. Sean Woodson (-185)
Women’s Strawweight: Yan Xiaonan (+125) vs. Virna Jandiroba (-150)
Lightweight: Jim Miller (+600) vs. Chase Hooper (-900)
Featherweight: Darren Elkins (+240) vs. Julian Erosa (-300)

Early Prelims

Middleweight: Sedriques Dumas(+165) vs. Michal Oleksiejczuk (-200)
Flyweight: Su Mudaerji (-175) vs. Mitch Raposo (+145)
Middleweight: Tresean Gore (-310) vs. Marco Tulio (-400)
Women’s Bantamweight: Nora Cornolle (-170) vs. Hailey Cowan (+140)

UFC 314 predictions

MMA Junkie: Lerone Murphy picks Volkanovski

Matthew Wells and Ken Hathaway write: ‘I think it’s a great fight – I think they’re both top fighters, both exciting fighters,’ Murphy said at a post-fight news conference. ‘Two very high-level competitors, but I think maybe, I can see Volk winning late rounds with the cardio and the experience, but who knows?’

MMA Weekly: Robert Whittaker picks Volkanovski

Jeff Cain writes on behalf of Whittakers comments: ‘Makhachev 1 Volk I believe beats Diego Lopes. Volk’s skillset and just his composure, his toughness, his grit, his fight IQ, his ability to fight in the octagon, is second to none. He’s amazing, but with all the other factors we looked into, what Volk are we going to see.’

Boxing News: Leaning toward Lopez

Staff writes: ‘It’s a very interesting fight. Diego Lopes has been on an absolute hot streak, and his boxing is very sharp. Volkanovski hasn’t had the best performances lately, but he’s still the GOAT and an amazing athlete. However, I’m actually leaning towards Lopes. I believe he has what it takes to grab the belt. Even though Volkanovski is one of the greatest, I think Lopes, with his momentum, will put himself in a better position heading into that fight.’

UFC 314 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.

UFC 314 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.

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes: Tale of the tape

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President Donald Trump walked into the Kaseya Center in Miami alongside UFC CEO Dana White for UFC 314 on Saturday.

The Secret Service was reportedly already at the event earlier in the afternoon with dogs on hand before the president’s arrival.

Trump is no stranger to the mixed martial arts scene, having attended multiple events in the past, including UFC 302 and 309.

The UFC CEO is a friend to Trump. White introduced Trump on the stage on the final night of the 2024 Republican National Convention in July.

Donald Trump arrives at UFC 314

Trump walked out and toward his seat with Kid Rock’s ‘American Bad Ass’ playing.

Trump received a fairly positive reaction from the crowd in attendance.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

Jaron Ennis, the undefeated IBF champion, defended his title in a high-stakes match against Eimantas Stanionis, the WBA regular welterweight champion whose belt was also on the line. The highly anticipated matchup took place Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Stanionis’ corner stopped the fight after the sixth round, which saw Ennis unload a furious flurry of punches.

Ennis improved to 34-0 with the TKO victory (RTD). Stanionis fell to 15-1.

Check out highlights from the card below:

Jaron Ennis def. Eimantas Stanionis

Ennis managed to get Stanionis to go to the canvas with a flurry of punches in the sixth round.

When the round was complete, Stanionis’ corner stopped the fight.

Ennis was declared the winner by TKO.

Jaron Ennis ring walk

Ennis walked out alongside Philadelphia 76ers superstar Tyrese Maxey.

Eimantas Stanionis ring walk

Raymond Ford vs. Thomas Mattice

Super featherweight: Raymond Ford def. Thomas Mattice (via unanimous decision)

Omari Jones vs. William Jackson

Light middleweight bout: Omari Jones def. William Jackson (KO – Round 1)

Shakhram Giyasov vs. Franco Maximiliano Ocampo

Welterweight bout: Shakhram Giyasov def. Franco Maximiliano Ocampo (KO – Round 4)

Ennis vs. Stanionis results, highlights: Prelim fights

Lightweight: Francisco Rodriguez def. Naheem Parker via third-round TKO
Super bantamweight: Arturo Cardenas def. Edgar Joe Cortes via eighth-round TKO
Welterweight: Tahmir Smalls def. Earl Bascome via first-round KO
Super featherweight: Zaquin Moses def. Alex Pallette via second round KO

Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis predictions

ESPN: Ennis by decision

Staff writes: Ennis has great footwork and upper-body movement. You never find him. When you are ready to set up a punch, he’s not there anymore. When he’s moving from right to left, you don’t even realize he’s doing it — it comes naturally to him — and that’s why he catches you with those shots because you don’t know where they are coming from.’

CBS Sports: Jaron Ennis via TKO

Brent Brookhouse writes: ‘The bigger question is whether Ennis can get a stoppage win and add emphasis to a statement victory. Neither man has suffered a professional loss, nor has either suffered a knockdown as a professional. Ennis wasn’t particularly impressive in the Chukhadzhian rematch, ignoring his jab and lacking defensive responsibility, but he still won a clear decision and the performance feels more like an outlier than the start of a new trend.’

BetMGM: Jaron Ennis wins

Anatoly Pimentel writes: ‘I predict that Ennis’ more dynamic style could outpoint Stanionis’ fundamentally based style, which could earn him a unanimous decision nod from the judges. Ennis’ has more variety in combinations and could switch stances, presenting problems for Stanionis as the fight progresses. However, I believe that Ennis’ free-flowing style, along with his longer reach advantage, would be enough for him to outpunch Stanionis and neutralize his pressure-forward approach by attacking from the outside instead of letting Stanionis push him against the ropes.’

Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis odds

Jaron Ennis is the early favorite to win the fight against Eimantas Stanionis on Saturday, according to BetMGM.

Jaron Ennis: -450
Eimantas Stanionis: +330
Tie: +1800

How to watch Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis

The Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis fight can be streamed on DAZN.

Date: Saturday, April 12
Start time: 8 p.m. ET
Steam: DAZN
Main Card start time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Boardwalk Hall (Atlantic City, New Jersey)

Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis fight card

Card information according to DAZN.

Welterweight, for the IBF and WBA titles: Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis
Super featherweight: Raymond Ford vs Thomas Mattice
Light middleweight: Omari Jones vs William Jackson
Super bantamweight: Arturo Cardenas vs Christian Carto

RALEIGH, N.C. – How did the 2024-25 season go so terribly wrong for the New York Rangers?

Well, how much time do you have?

The fatal blow came Saturday, with a lifeless 7-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at Lenovo Center officially eliminating the bumbling Blueshirts from playoff contention.

It served as the final insult to an exasperated fan base, but the origins of this lost season can be traced back much further than any recent results. A damning list of missteps over several months − years, even − culminated with this bitter moment.

This outcome would have seemed improbable at this time last year, when the Rangers were marching toward the franchise’s fourth Presidents’ Trophy and their second Eastern Conference final appearance in three seasons. Now they’ve become the fourth team in NHL history to miss the postseason the year after achieving the league’s best record, joining the 1992-93 Blueshirts in that unremarkable club.

Those Rangers rallied the very next season to capture a Stanley Cup that stands as their only championship in 85 years and counting. Perhaps that will inspire hope for a similar response, but it would require some serious optimism given the tattered state of the organization.

How we got here

On the surface, the overall body of work in team president Chris Drury’s four seasons at the helm is strong.

Three playoff appearances, two trips to the conference finals, one Presidents’ Trophy and a 191-105-30 record have made this a mostly successful era in the franchise’s underwhelming history. But it should be noted that those teams were largely built by his predecessor, Jeff Gorton, who put the core pieces of Adam Fox, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and several others in place before being suddenly – and surprisingly – dismissed in 2021.

Drury’s mission statement from the beginning was to fortify the skill Gorton assembled with gritty role players who would make the Rangers “harder to play against.” There have been several swings and misses in that regard, which at least partially explains why they’ve hit the wall with such a loud thud.

The former Blueshirts’ captain hired two old-school, experienced (and recycled) coaches – first Gerard Gallant, then Peter Laviolette – who were charged with molding the talented roster into the type of north-south, tight-checking, never-back-down outfit that could excel in the playoffs. But the proper pieces were never put in place to implement that assertive play style.

Instead, they won behind a two-part formula: Goaltending and special teams. Igor Shesterkin developed into one of the best goalies in the world, including a brilliant Vezina Trophy-winning campaign in 2021-22, and New York’s high-end playmakers combined to form one of the NHL’s most efficient power plays. But the reality of their middling-to-subpar play at five-on-five always lurked under the hood.

Drury recognized those deficiencies and tried to make moves to address them, but very little materialized outside of a few aggressive trade deadlines in which he dealt future assets for band-aid rentals. You can count the additions who made a lasting impact on one hand – and you won’t even need all five fingers.

After being manhandled by the eventual champion Florida Panthers in last year’s conference final, Drury decided to offload a couple team leaders to clear salary cap space for bigger moves. The logic was sound, but the execution was lacking. He failed to bring in any true difference-makers while his underhanded tactics backfired, unleashing a spiral of negativity that would drag into the season.

Waiving Barclay Goodrow to circumvent his no-trade list without any fair warning and trying to force captain Jacob Trouba out through a messy campaign that landed his wife in the public crosshairs did not sit well in the locker room, but the issues run deeper than that.

Drury, in lockstep with owner James Dolan, had steadily escalated a culture of paranoia and secrecy that’s led to sagging morale in all corners of the organization. It hit a new low in the preseason when an internal memo was issued threatening termination if a strict code enforcing over-the-top barriers between team employees and players was not followed − creating a palpable feeling of walking on eggshells in the workplace.

All of this was bubbling behind the scenes as the 2024-25 season began.

The Rangers got off to a promising start at 12-4-1, but tensions remained high and underlying metrics remained concerning.

Then came a November road trip through western Canada, which ended with ugly losses in Calgary and Edmonton. That prompted a different sort of memo – one that went out to all 31 opposing general managers, with Drury announcing his intention to trade off parts of this stagnating core. Trouba and the longest-tenured Ranger, Chris Kreider, were mentioned by name, furthering the rift between the leadership group and management.

It got leaked in short order and sent the Blueshirts into a tailspin that ultimately doomed their season, with New York losing a staggering 15 of 19 games from mid-November through December.

It was a massive miscalculation on Drury’s part, but also a terrible look for an accomplished group of players who responded by curling up into a non-competitive ball.

Shortly thereafter came trades involving Trouba and Kaapo Kakko, with Filip Chytil, Ryan Lindgren, Reilly Smith and Jimmy Vesey joining the purge in the ensuing months. Most of those players had been staples during Drury’s tenure − and even before he took over − with their abrupt exits representing the swiftest round of changes we’ve seen under this GM.

The Rangers still looked shell-shocked heading into the new year, with a low point coming in a 5-0 loss to the rival New Jersey Devils on Dec. 23 in which they mustered only 12 shots on goal.

They would regroup in January and be buoyed by the addition of J.T. Miller in February, which led to a 15-7-3 record in their first 25 games of 2025, tying for the third-highest points total in the league in that span. But their bad habits − specifically defending the rush, avoiding dangerous turnovers and protecting their own net-front − came back with a vengeance in March.

They ultimately went out with a whimper, posting a 6-10-3 record the past 19 games to once again fade out of contention.

Alarming numbers

The race will conclude with the Rangers getting what they deserve.

They’ve been a few notches below the NHL’s legitimate contenders all season, as evidenced by their 11-24-5 record against playoff-bound opponents. And they’ve fallen off a cliff in almost every statistical category, most notably dropping from a franchise-record 55 wins last season to 37 with two games to play.

Each of their top-six scorers from a year ago – Panarin, Vincent Trocheck, Kreider, Fox, Zibanejad and Alexis Lafrenière – will finish well short of their 2023-24 points totals, with an alarming dip in performance from at least half of that group.

The one area where they consistently excelled − the power play − has become an inexplicable source of frustration. A unit that ranked fourth in the NHL the previous five seasons combined has tumbled all the way to 27th, with a recent 18-game stretch that saw them go 3-for-49 while allowing four shorthanded goals.

Meanwhile, the defensive issues that were always plain to see have festered into a team-wide virus.

The Rangers rank 28th in shots against per game and 29th in scoring chances allowed, according to Clear Sight Analytics, while allowing five goals or more an astonishing 23 times this season. Laviolette’s insistence on using a man-to-man system that requires sticky, mobile, heads-up defenders − of which New York has painfully few − has led to repeated breakdowns, lopsided possession time and embarrassing scores.

Add in a forecheck with no teeth, a soft presence in the high-danger areas, an inability to advance pucks with any semblance of consistency and an effort level that often borders between incertitude and disinterested, and you’ve got the makings of a non-playoff team.

What comes next?

There were already questions about whether that core was championship caliber, and now we have a resounding answer in the negative.

That’s why many believe Drury will continue the dismantling this offseason.

As previously reported by lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network, prior to the March 7 trade deadline, multiple people with knowledge of the situation have indicated that Kreider will be the next big name to fall on the sword.

That would have been a shocking statement less than 12 months ago, when the franchise’s leading playoff goal-scorer was lifting the Rangers to the NHL’s final four with an historic natural hat trick in the third period of a close-out game against the Hurricanes. But a logjam of young left-wingers, a dramatic drop-off in impact and production − the 33-year-old has only five assists (and one primary!) in 66 games − and an increasingly frigid relationship with management has made a divorce feel inevitable.

Others will be on the chopping block, as well, with few outside of Fox, Miller, Shesterkin and probably Trocheck considered safe. Panarin and Zibanejad both hold full no-movement clauses and therefore control their own fates, but no one would be surprised if the trade possibility is broached with either this summer.

It won’t just be players on the move, either. The expectation is that Laviolette will be the first shoe to drop once the season ends next week, joining Gallant as a two-and-out coach under Drury.

Pittsburgh’s Mike Sullivan is considered the apple of his eye, but where will Drury turn if he can’t pry the two-time Stanley Cup winning coach from the Penguins? A lesser-accomplished retread wouldn’t inspire much confidence.

All indications are that Drury will get a crack at hiring a third bench boss and performing more roster surgery this summer, even though there’s a case to be made that he’s among the primary culprits for this mess. But as highly as Dolan regards his hand-picked GM, it’s also hard to believe the owner hasn’t taken notice of the missteps.

The leash is surely growing shorter, which should increase the urgency to act boldly in the coming weeks and months. Drury’s wish list likely includes at least one needle-mover apiece at forward and on defense, as well as improved depth pretty much everywhere outside of left wing − a position it seems every viable prospect in New York’s thin pipeline has played at one point or another.

There are legitimate doubts about whether he has enough cap space to make a splash in free agency or the assets to land a big fish via trade, as well as questions about what will be available to him in a market that’s short on high-end talents.

It all adds intrigue to the most consequential Rangers’ offseason in recent memory, which was born from one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history.

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @vzmercogliano.

Rory McIlroy’s pursuit of the career Grand Slam will carry into Masters Sunday.

The four-time major champion followed up his stellar second round with an impressive 6-under-par 72 third round at the 2025 Masters Tournament to take over the top spot in the clubhouse on Saturday. He will be paired on Sunday with Bryson DeChambeau, who beat McIlroy in the 2024 U.S. Open last year.

McIlroy, one of the biggest stars on the PGA Tour, led the entire way at Augusta National Golf Club on Saturday, turning a three-stroke deficit entering Round 3 into a two-stroke lead heading into Sunday’s final round.

He will now head into Sunday’s final round looking to secure the final leg of the career Grand Slam and end an 11-year major championship drought. If McIlroy holds his lead to win that signature green jacket, he’d become the first golfer since Tiger Woods to accomplish one of golf’s hardest feats.

USA TODAY Sports provided complete coverage of all the action of McIlroy’s third round at Augusta National Golf Club on Saturday at the 2025 Masters Tournament. Follow along for recap of his outing:

Rory McIlroy scorecard today: Masters Round 3 score, results

Results are courtesy of the official Masters leaderboard.

Saturday score: 6-under par
Overall score: 12-under par (first place)

Hole | McIlroy’s score

3 (Birdie)
3 (Eagle)
3 (Birdie)
3 (Par)
3 (Birdie)
3 (Par)
4 (Par)
6 (Bogey)
4 (Par)
5 (Bogey)
4 (Par)
3 (Par)
4 (Birdie)
4 (Par)
5 (Eagle)
3 (Par)
4 (Par)
4 (Par)

What did Rory McIlroy shoot today at The Masters?

McIlroy took full advantage of “Moving Day” at the Masters on Saturday as he shot an impressive 6-under par of 66 in the third round of competition. 

Entering the day tied for third place, the Northern Irishman didn’t mess around to move up in the leaderboard as he started his round with six consecutive threes on the scorecard — which made for some Masters history as the lone golfer to do this.

Two eagles on Holes No. 2 and No. 15, both of which were par 5 holes, helped wash out his two bogeys on the afternoon. 

Rory McIlroy Masters Round 3 highlights

Hole 1: McIlroy started his day with a birdie thanks to a strong 371-yard driver shot off the tee.

Hole 2: McIlroy’s hot start to Day 3 continues as he gets the roll on a beautifully placed chip shot to go in for a putt for an eagle. He moves into first place on the leaderboard.

Hole 3: McIlroy makes birdie on Hole 3 to move 10-under-par on the tournament. An exceptional start for the four-time major champion on ‘Moving Day’ at the Masters.

Hole 5: McIlroy pushes his lead to 11-under-par on the tournament with his third birdie of the day. He is shooting 5-under-par 16 on the afternoon through his first five holes.

Hole 6: McIlroy keeps his three-stroke lead by making par on Hole 6. Per The Masters’ official X (formerly Twitter) account, McIlroy has become the first player in the tournament’s history to start his round with six consecutive threes.

Hole 8: McIlroy can’t get his save himself for par on Hole 8 as hit putt shot goes just past the hole. He would then make bogey on his next shot, his first bogey since Thursday’s opening round, to drop him to 10-under-par in the tournament. He holds a three-stroke lead over the field.

Hole 10: McIlroy records his second bogey of the day, dropping his lead down to one stroke at 9-under par. His hot start on Saturday has now slowed down. It is the second bogey in the last three holes for McIlroy.

Hole 13: McIlroy capitalizes on the opportunity to get birdie on Hole 13 to push his lead back up to two strokes at 10-under par. It is the fourth birdie of the afternoon for McIlroy, who is now back to 4-under-par on the day.

Hole 15: Just when it looked like McIlroy might have gone cold, he struck back in a big win: recording his second eagle of the day to push his lead to 12-under-par in the tournament. The eagle came on the par 5 Hole 15 after his second shot — which went 205 yards — fell six feet from the pin.

Hole 18: McIlroy closes out his strong outing with a putt for par. He will be paired with DeChambeau in the final paring on Masters Sunday, as the two golfers duel for the green jacket.

Has Rory McIlroy ever won the Masters?

No, McIlroy has never finished atop the leaderboard at the Masters. The closest he has come to winning the Masters was finishing second in 2022 behind Scottie Scheffler.

If McIlroy can win the 2025 Masters Tournament, he will become the sixth golfer to accomplish the career Grand Slam, i.e. win each of the four major tournaments at least once in his career. He’d also take home an earning of $4.6 million for winning the Masters from the tournament’s record-breaking $21 million purse, which was announced by Augusta National Golf Club on Saturday.

Masters 2025 purse, payout

The Masters Tournament purse for this year is $21 million, which is a $1 million increase from last year’s tournament. The winner of the 2025 Masters Tournament will take home win earnings of $4.2 million, an increase of $600,000 from what Scheffler took home last year.

Here’s a breakdown of the payout for the top 10 finishers at the Masters:

1st place: $4.2 million
2nd place: $2.268 million
3rd place: $1.428 million
4th place: $1.008 million
5th place: $840,000
6th place: $756,000
7th place: $703,500
8th place: $651,000
9th place: $609,000
10th place: $567,000

When was the last time Rory McIlroy won a major?

McIlroy is currently in an 11-year major drought, with his last major tournament win being The Open Championship in 2014. He won his first major at the U.S. Open in 2011 and then followed that up by winning the PGA Championship in 2012.

What is the Grand Slam in golf?

There have been just five golfers to achieve the career Grand Slam, with Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus as the only two golfers in the history of the sport to win it three times.

Click here to read more on the career Grand Slam in golf.

Rory McIlroy Masters Shoes

McIlroy is currently rocking the limited edition Nike Victory Tour 4 shoes at the 2025 Masters Tournament. The Nike Victory Tour 4 has a touch of the Masters incorporated into them with the Azalea flowers on the back of them.

When does Rory McIlroy tee off today?

Time: 2:30 p.m. ET

McIlroy will tee off at 2:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, April 12 in Round 3 of the 2025 Masters Tournament alongside Corey Conners.

Masters 2025 Leaderboard

Click here to view the full leaderboard from USA TODAY.

How to watch Rory McIlroy at The Masters today?

TV channel: CBS
Streaming options: Masters.com | Masters App | Fubo (free trial) | Paramount+

CBS will carry McIlroy’s entire round three at the Masters on Saturday, as the network’s live coverage starts at 2 p.m. ET and will run through 7 p.m. ET. You can also stream McIlroy’s round on Saturday on Masters.com, the Masters App, Fubo, which carries CBS and offers a free trial to new subscribers, and Paramount+, CBS’ subscription streaming service.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

It’s moving day at Augusta National Golf Club at the 89th edition of the Masters.

Rory McIlroy moved to the top of the leaderboard during the third round and sits at 12-under, marking the first time he’s had a lead at the end of a major round since 2014. McIlroy is 18 holes away from his first green jacket. The Northern Irishman has a two-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau (-10) and Corey Conners (-8) isn’t too far behind. Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is lurking just behind the leaders at 5-under.

USA TODAY Sports will provide complete coverage of all the action during Saturday’s third round at Augusta National Golf Club. Follow along for live updates here:

Masters 2025 leaderboard

Here’s the current Masters leaderboard with Saturday’s third round in full swing:

1: Rory McIlroy: -12 (F)
2. Bryson DeChambeau: -10 (F) 
3. Corey Conners: -8 (F)
T4. Patrick Reed: -6 (F)
T4. Ludvig Åberg: -6 (F)
T6. Justin Rose: -5 (F)
T6. Shane Lowry: -5 (F)
T6. Scottie Scheffler: -5 (F)
T6. Jason Day: -5 (F)

You can get the latest leaderboard updates and tee times here.

What channel is the Masters on? TV, streaming

Live coverage of the third and fourth rounds will broadcast on CBS, beginning at 2 p.m. ET, with early coverage on CBS Sports Network and Paramount+, starting at 10 a.m. ET.

The 2025 Masters can also be streamed via Masters.com or the Masters App, with particular feeds available for featured groups and featured holes at Augusta National Golf Club. The tournament can also be streamed on CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports app (TV provider or Paramount+ with Showtime login required) and with Fubo, which is offering a free trial to new subscribers.

Saturday’s schedule

TV channel: CBS, beginning at 2 p.m. ET
Streaming: Paramount+, Masters.com, the Masters App and Fubo, the last of which offers a free trial subscription for new users.

Watch the 2025 Masters on Fubo (free trial)

Bryson DeChambeau ends round with a birdie

Bryson DeChambeau went out with a bang, just how he started. He capped No. 18 with a birdie to bring himself within two strokes of leader Rory McIlroy (-12) heading into Sunday. DeChambeau celebrated by enthusiastically high-fiving patrons as he walked back to the clubhouse. DeChambeau will be paired with McIlroy in the fourth and final round on Sunday.

Bryson DeChambeau hits consecutive birdies

Bryson DeChambeau strung together back-to-back birdies to take sole possession of second place. His birdies on No. 15 and No. 16 mark his fourth and fifth of the day. He’s two-under on Friday and nine-under on the tournament, just three strokes back from leader Rory McIlroy (-12). DeChambeau is one of seven LIV golfers that made the cut into the weekend. He’s in search of his third major title and first Masters win.

Justin Rose, Shane Lowry bogey down stretch

While Rory McIlroy is climbing up the leaderboard, Justin Rose and Shane Lowry are going the opposite direction. Rose looked like he was on the verge of an eagle or birdie after a spectacular tee shot landed him six feet from the flagstick on No. 16. Rose, however, three-putted the hole and ended with a bogey to drop him to 2-over on the day and six-under on the tournament. Lowry also picked up a bogey on No. 17 to bring him to 1-under on the day and six-under on the tournament. They are both tied for fourth place.

Rory McIlroy’s hits second eagle of the day

Rory McIlroy’s lead is up to four strokes after he picked up his second eagle of the day. After hitting a birdie on No. 13, McIlroy followed it up with an eagle on the No. 15. He found the fairway on his first stroke and used a 6 iron from the fairway to land on the green, where he sank a six-foot putt for an eagle to go to 6-under on the day and 12-under for the tournament. His two eagles in the third round tie the most in a round in his major career.

Rory McIlroy’s birdie adds to lead

Rory McIlroy is adding some cushion to his lead. The Northern Irishman carded a birdie on No. 13 to bring him to 4-under on the day and 10-under for the tournament. McIlroy started the third round at 5-under with three birdies and an eagle, but his red-hot start slowed significantly as he recorded two bogeys on No. 8 and No. 10. He appears to have righted the ship with his fourth birdie of the round on No. 13, the first since No. 5.

Ludvig Åberg knocks in three straight birdies

Ludvig Åberg got off to a rough start in the third round by carding two bogeys in the first four holes, but the Swedish golfer has settled in and is making a run up the leaderboard. Åberg knocked in three consecutive birdies on No. 14, No. 15 and No. 16 to bring him to 3-under on the day and 6-under on the tournament. He’s currently tied for fourth place and is only four strokes behind leader Rory McIlroy. Åberg is in pursuit of his first major title. He’s coming off a runner-up finish at the 2024 Masters.

Min Woo Lee assessed penalty stroke on 14

It’s moving day at Augusta National and Min Woo Lee is headed the wrong way. Lee finished the third round 5-over on Saturday to bring him to 4-over for the tournament. He shot six bogeys during the third round, including one on No. 13 following a penalty stroke. Tournament officials added the stroke to his score after determining ‘his actions near the ball did cause it to move.’ Tough break for Lee.

Corey Conners rising up Masters leaderboard on moving day

Corey Connors could have easily gotten swallowed up by playing in the same pairing as Rory McIlroy Saturday, when McIlroy ripped off two birdies and an eagle to open the third round of The Masters. Instead, the 33-year-old Canadian is giving McIlroy the biggest push back thus far, answering back with three straight birdies right during the same three-hole stretch in which McIlroy came away with two bogeys (No. 8 and No. 10).

Conners was a popular sleeper pick before the 2025 Masters and he’s handling the pressure of contending at a major well thus far.

Bryson DeChambeau cuts into Rory McIlroy lead

Rory McIlroy makes the turn at The Masters with his lead cut in half to two shots at Augusta Nationals eighth hole. He’s cooled off a bit after his red-hot start Saturday and had his first bogey of the day at No. 8. Playing in the group behind McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau then responded to bogeys at No. 3 and 7 with a birdie at No. 8.

Shane Lowry moves into top-3 of Masters leaderboard

Rory McIlroy’s third round is getting a lot of shine during Saturday’s coverage, and rightfully so. He’s been awesome so far, outside of a bogey at No. 8. But some familiar names have crept into the top-five of the Masters leaderboard, led by McIlroy’s good friend, Shane Lowry. He’s also having a strong Saturday at Augusta National, going 2-under on the front nine to move into a tie for second place with Bryson DeChambeau at 7-under, four shots back of McIlroy.

Rory McIlroy now 5-under through 5 holes

Rory McIlroy is on an absolute heater to begin his third round at the 2025 Masters. He just birdied again at No. 5 to move to 5-under for the round and 11-under for the tournament. He’d be running away from the field if not for those two double bogeys on the final four holes of his first round Thursday. Nonetheless, he’s opened up a three-shot lead on Bryson DeChambeau and has the Augusta National gallery buzzing as he pursues his first green jacket and a career grand slam.

Bryson DeChambeau bogey extends Rory McIlroy’s lead

A bogey Bryson DeChambeau at No. 3 has given Rory McIlroy a little more breathing room atop the 2025 Masters leaderboard. After going 4-under through the opening three holes on Saturday, McIlroy has opened up a two-shot lead on DeChambeau and second-round leader Justin Rose. McIlroy is now 9-under par over his past 13 holes of golf, including Friday’s back nine.

Rory McIlroy is the new 2025 Masters leader

Rory McIlroy couldn’t have asked for a better beginning to his third round at the 2025 Masters. After a birdie putt on No. 1, McIlroy just chipped in for eagle at No. 2 to move to 9-under for the tournament. He’s now one shot ahead of second-round leader Justin Rose and Bryson DeChambeau on the leaderboard.

‘An electric start,’ is how CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz described it and he isn’t being hyperbolic. Buckle up for an exciting afternoon at Augusta National Golf Club.

Bryson DeChambeau, Rory McIlroy start with birdie

The leaders are off and running during Saturday’s third round and Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy each responded with a birdie on No. 1 playing in the final two groups of the afternoon. McIlroy set up his birdie putt after hitting the longest drive of the entire tournament (370+ yards), while DeChambeau hit a 45-foot putt to move into a tie for the lead (briefly).

Scottie Scheffler gains traction early

Scottie Scheffler starts the third round with a birdie at No. 2, moving him into a tie for fourth place with a score of six under par.

Sungjae Im eagles No. 2

Sungjae Im made eagle on No. 2 for the second eagle of the day at that hole, moving him to a tie for 5th place.

Zach Johnson is charged up

The 2007 champion, Zach Johnson, continues to shine as he birdies No. 16, soaring to a tie for 5th place.

Zach Johnson continues the momentum

Zach Johnson makes significant strides up the leaderboard after a birdie at No. 13, achieving a score of five under par for the day.

Patrick Cantlay eagles at No. 8

Patrick Cantlay eagles at No. 8, moving up 10 spots on the leaderboard to for 30th with a score of one under par.

What holes are Amen Corner? What to know

Amen Corner, a term first introduced in 1958 by Herbert Warren Wind, refers to a three-hole stretch in golf renowned for its significant influence on the outcomes of the Masters Tournament each year.

Amen Corner consists of holes 11, 12, and 13, which have a pond sitting to the left of hole 11. Rae’s Creek runs in front of the 12th hole and alongside the fairway in front of the green at the 13th hole.

The 12th and 13th holes feature two bridges, each named after past champions.

Jon Rahm comes out hot

Jon Rahm begins Round 3 on a high note, making three consecutive birdies to climb 18 spots on the leaderboard and tie for 22nd place.

Joaquín Niemann birdies on No. 3

Joaquín Niemann starts Round 3 strong with a chip-in for a birdie on the third hole. Niemann moves up the leaderboard and is tied for 37th place.

Round 3 is underway

The first groups of golfers, including Joaquín Niemann and Jordan Spieth, have started play in Round 3. Justin Rose, who is atop the leaderboard, will tee off at 2:40 p.m. ET with Bryson DeChambeau.

What time does Round 3 of the Masters begin?

Tom Kim will be the first golfer to tee off on Saturday, at 9:50 a.m. ET. He will be followed by Jordan Spieth and Joaquín Niemann at 10 a.m. ET.

Masters tee times today

Here are the tee times and pairings for Saturday’s third round (all times Eastern):

9:50 a.m. — Tom Kim
10:00 a.m. — Joaquín Niemann, Jordan Spieth
10:10 a.m. — Stephan Jaeger, Max Greysermann
10:20 a.m. — Danny Willett, J.T. Poston
10:30 a.m. — Jon Rahm, Zach Johnson
10:40 a.m. — Patrick Cantlay, Akshay Bhatia
10:50 a.m. — Denny McCarthy, J.J. Spaun
11:10 a.m. — Maverick McNealy, Charl Schwartzel
11:20 a.m. — Brian Campbell, An Byeong-hun
11:30 a.m. — Aaron Rai, Justin Thomas
11:40 a.m. — Sahith Theegala, Davis Thompson
11:50 a.m. — Matt Fitzpatrick, Wyndham Clark
Noon — Nick Taylor, Daniel Berger
12:10 p.m. — Tom Hoge, Max Homa
12:30 p.m. — Harris English, Min Woo Lee
12:40 p.m. — Sam Burns, Nicolás Echavarría
12:50 p.m. — Brian Harman, Bubba Watson
1:00 p.m. — Davis Riley, Michael Kim
1:10 p.m. — Xander Schauffele, Tommy Fleetwood
1:20 p.m. — Patrick Reed, Collin Morikawa
1:30 p.m. — Ludvig Åberg, Hideki Matsuyama
1:50 p.m. — Jason Day, Sungjae Im
2:00 p.m. — Rasmus Højgaard, Viktor Hovland
2:10 p.m.— Scottie Scheffler, Tyrrell Hatton
2:20 p.m. — Matt McCarty, Shane Lowry
2:30 p.m. — Rory McIlroy, Corey Conners
2:40 p.m. — Justin Rose, Bryson DeChambeau

Masters weather forecast: Latest updates for Saturday

It should be a great day for golf. The Weather Channel is projecting a high of 68 degrees on Saturday with ‘mostly sunny’ skies. Wind is projected to be between 5 and 10 mph and there’s only a 2% chance of rain.

Masters odds: Favorites to win at Augusta

All odds via BetMGM following second round action on Friday.

Bryson DeChambeau: +360
Rory McIlroy: +360
Scottie Scheffler: +400
Justin Rose: +850
Corey Conners: +1200
Shane Lowry: +1800
Tyrrell Hatton: +1800
Viktor Hovland: +2800

Masters predictions: Sleeper picks at Augusta

Experts from Golfweek and the USA TODAY Network had thoughts on long shots before the 2025 Masters began. Here is who they picked.

Adam Schupak, Golfweek: Will Zalatoris (+5000)
Beth Ann Nichols, Golfweek: Corey Conners (+5000)
Cameron Jourdan, Golfweek: Corey Conners (+5000)
David Dusek, Golfweek: Sepp Straka (+5500)
Jason Lusk, Golfweek: Shane Lowry (+3300)
Tim Schmitt, Golfweek: Sergio García (+6600)
Will Cheney, Augusta Chronicle: Akshay Bhatia (+6600)
Dan Spears, USA TODAY Network: Tom Kim (+10000)
Todd Kelly, Golfweek: Nick Taylor (+30000)

Who is leading after Round 2 of the Masters?

Justin Rose leads the field through the first two rounds of the Masters. Rose sits at 8-under heading into Saturday’s third round after opening with a 7-under 65 on Thursday and shooting a 1-under 71 Friday. Rose has a one-stroke lead over Bryson DeChambeau, who stands at 7-under through two rounds.

Masters odds: Favorites to win at Augusta

All odds via BetMGM following second round action on Friday.

Bryson DeChambeau: +360
Rory McIlroy: +360
Scottie Scheffler: +400
Justin Rose: +850
Corey Conners: +1200
Shane Lowry: +1800
Tyrrell Hatton: +1800
Viktor Hovland: +2800

Which LIV golfers made the cut at the 2025 Masters?

Bryson DeChambeau, Tyrrell Hatton and Bubba Watson are among seven LIV golfers that will play into the weekend at Augusta National after making the cut at 2-over on Friday. DeChambeau is in second place through the second round at 7-under on the tournament, one stroke behind leader Justin Rose at 8-under. Hatton is tied for fifth place at 5-under. — Cydney Henderson

Seven LIV golfers remain in the field at the 2025 Masters:

Bryson DeChambeau (-7)
Tyrrell Hatton (-5)
Patrick Reed (-3)
Bubba Watson (-1)
Joaquin Niemann (+2)
Charl Schwartzel (+2)
Jon Rahm (+2)

Masters location: Where is Augusta National?

The Masters is played every year at Augusta National Golf Club, widely considered one of the top courses in the sport. Augusta National is located in Augusta, Georgia, which sits on the state’s eastern border with South Carolina.

Of the PGA Tour’s four majors, only the Masters has been played at the same course every time, with the 2025 tournament the 89th edition. — Jason Anderson

How many courses are at Augusta National?

Augusta National Golf Club has just two courses (or one-and-a-half, depending on how you look at it). The Masters will take place on the club’s legendary 18 holes, while Wednesday’s Par 3 competition took place at the nine-hole Par 3 course. — Jason Anderson

How much does it cost to play Augusta National?

The good news is that there are no greens fees, meaning that the cost to just drop in and play a round is $0 … if you can get on the course.

That’s where the bad news comes in: Augusta National is a private club, and the only ways to actually tee off without an altercation with club security are by being a member (or a guest of one), being an employee of the club, or by becoming one of the world’s best golfers and qualifying for the Masters or the Augusta National Women’s Invitational as a professional. — Jason Anderson

How do you become a member at Augusta National Golf Club?

If you’d like to land a membership at Augusta National Golf Club, you’d better start networking. There is no application process, with membership an invite-only process. The club has a long history of privacy, and while many reports have listed the total number of members around 300, there is no exact number confirmed by Augusta National.

Once you secure the remarkably exclusive invitation, you’d better make sure you can afford to actually accept it. A range of reports over the last 15 years have placed the initiation fee at somewhere between $40,000 and $300,000, while annual dues are estimated to run between $4,000 and $30,000. — Jason Anderson

Food at the Masters

The traditional Augusta National staples will all cost the same as they did last year. In fact, the price of the egg salad and pimento cheese sandwiches hasn’t gone up since 2002.

Egg Salad: $1.50
Pimento Cheese: $1.50
Masters Club: $3.00
Pork Bar-B-Que: $3.00
Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich: $3.00

Beverages, too, remain the same as last year.

Soft drinks: $2.00
Iced tea/bottled water: $2.00
Beer/wine: $6.00

Augusta National also serves a special wheat ale called ‘Crow’s Nest,’ which replaced Blue Moon ale in 2021 and also sells for $6.00. — Steve Gardner

Jaron Ennis, the undefeated IBF champion, is set to defend his title in a high-stakes match against Eimantas Stanionis, the WBA regular welterweight champion, with his belt also on the line. This highly anticipated matchup is scheduled for Saturday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Ennis holds an undefeated record of 33 wins, with 29 of those victories coming by knockout. His journey to the IBF title began with a unanimous decision victory over Karen Chuckhadzhian in January 2023. He successfully defended his title against Roiman Villa, winning by knockout in July 2023, and defeated David Avanesyan by TKO in July 2024. Ennis also faced Chuckhadzhian again in November 2024 and won by unanimous decision.

Stanionis, the WBA regular welterweight champion, is in top form with an undefeated record of 15 wins and 0 losses, including nine knockouts. His last fight was in May 2024, in which he retained his title with a unanimous decision victory over Gabriel Maestre.

Here’s what to know ahead of the Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis fight on Saturday.

Ennis vs. Stanionis results, highlights: Prelim fights

Lightweight: Francisco Rodriguez def. Naheem Parker via third-round TKO
Super bantamweight: Arturo Cardenas def. Edgar Joe Cortes via eighth-round TKO
Welterweight: Tahmir Smalls def. Earl Bascome via first-round KO
Super featherweight: Zaquin Moses def. Alex Pallette via second round KO

Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis predictions

ESPN: Ennis by decision

Staff writes: Ennis has great footwork and upper-body movement. You never find him. When you are ready to set up a punch, he’s not there anymore. When he’s moving from right to left, you don’t even realize he’s doing it — it comes naturally to him — and that’s why he catches you with those shots because you don’t know where they are coming from.’

CBS Sports: Jaron Ennis via TKO

Brent Brookhouse writes: ‘The bigger question is whether Ennis can get a stoppage win and add emphasis to a statement victory. Neither man has suffered a professional loss, nor has either suffered a knockdown as a professional. Ennis wasn’t particularly impressive in the Chukhadzhian rematch, ignoring his jab and lacking defensive responsibility, but he still won a clear decision and the performance feels more like an outlier than the start of a new trend.’

BetMGM: Jaron Ennis wins

Anatoly Pimentel writes: ‘I predict that Ennis’ more dynamic style could outpoint Stanionis’ fundamentally based style, which could earn him a unanimous decision nod from the judges. Ennis’ has more variety in combinations and could switch stances, presenting problems for Stanionis as the fight progresses. However, I believe that Ennis’ free-flowing style, along with his longer reach advantage, would be enough for him to outpunch Stanionis and neutralize his pressure-forward approach by attacking from the outside instead of letting Stanionis push him against the ropes.’

Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis odds

Jaron Ennis is the early favorite to win the fight against Eimantas Stanionis on Saturday, according to BetMGM.

Jaron Ennis: -450
Eimantas Stanionis: +330
Tie: +1800

How to watch Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis

The Jaron Ennis vs. Eimantas Stanionis fight can be streamed on DAZN.

Date: Saturday, April 12
Start time: 8 p.m. ET
Steam: DAZN
Main Card start time: 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Boardwalk Hall (Atlantic City, New Jersey)

Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis fight card

Card information according to DAZN.

Welterweight, for the IBF and WBA titles: Jaron Ennis vs Eimantas Stanionis
Super featherweight: Raymond Ford vs Thomas Mattice
Light middleweight: Omari Jones vs William Jackson
Super bantamweight: Arturo Cardenas vs Christian Carto

DeChambeau was even going into No. 15 with three birdies and three bogies on the day, but after birdies on Nos. 15 and 17 he hit a thrilling shot on No. 18 to close the day just two strokes back of McIlroy at 10-under-par 206 for the weekend.

He will look for his third victory in a major and first at The Masters Sunday.

Recap DeChambeau’s third round Saturday below.

What did Bryson DeChambeau shoot today at The Masters?

DeChambeau finished at 3-under-par 69 for the day, landing himself within striking distance of leader Rory McIlroy. DeChambeau is 10-under-par 206 for the tournament, two strokes back of McIlroy.

Bryson DeChambeau Round 3 Masters scorecard

This section will be updated as DeChambeau’s round progresses Saturday.

Saturday score: 3-under-par 69
Overall score: 10-under-par 206

3 (Birdie)
4 (Birdie)
5 (Bogey)
3 (Par)
4 (Par)
3 (Par)
5 (Bogey)
4 (Birdie)
4 (Par)
4 (Par)
4 (Par)
4 (Bogey)
5 (Par)
4 (Par)
4 (Birdie)
2 (Birdie)
4 (Par)
3 (Birdy)

Bryson DeChambeau hits back-to-back birdies

DeChambeau hadn’t birdied since Hole No. 8, but he gets off the schneid by shooting a 4 on the par-5 15th hole and a 2 on the par-3 16th. He enters No. 17 at 9-under 199 for the tournament, well within striking distance of current leader Rory McIlroy.

Bryson DeChambeau birdies eighth hole

On the par-five eighth hole, DeChambeau put his power and long strikes to good use, going just off the green on his second shot.

After missing an eagle putt, he tapped in for birdie to get him within two strokes of leader Rory McIlroy.

Bryson DeChambeau birdies second hole

DeChambeau moved closer to the top of the leaderboard by sinking a relatively short putt to birdie the second hole, moving him to 2-under for the day and within a stroke of Rory McIlroy for the lead at The Masters.

Bryson DeChambeau Round 2 Masters scorecard

Here’s a hole-by-hole look at how DeChambeau fared in Friday’s second round:

Friday score: 4-under

4 (Par)
4 (Birdie)
4 (Par)
2 (Birdie)
3 (Birdie)
3 (Par)
4 (Par)
4 (Birdie)
4 (Par)
4 (Par)
4 (Par)
3 (Par)
5 (Par)
4 (Par)
5 (Par)
4 (Bogey)
3 (Birdie)
4 (Par)

What time is Bryson DeChambeau playing today?

DeChambeau is set to tee off at 2:40 p.m. ET from Augusta National. He’ll be playing alongside Justin Rose, the tournament’s leader through two rounds.

Bryson DeChambeau caddie

DeChambeau’s caddie is Greg Bodine, who has been carrying the LIV Golf star’s bag since 2023.

Bryson DeChambeau world ranking

DeChambeau entered The Masters at No. 19 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

Has Bryson DeChambeau ever won The Masters?

For all of his success as a professional golfer, DeChambeau has never won The Masters. His best finish in the tournament came last year, when he tied for sixth place with Cameron Smith and finished nine strokes behind winner Scottie Scheffler.

Has Bryson DeChambeau won a major?

Though he’s searching for his first green jacket, DeChambeau has won two majors. Both of those victories came at the U.S. Open, in 2020 and 2024.

Bryson DeChambeau hometown

DeChambeau was born in Modesto, California and grew up in Clovis, California, just outside of Fresno. He currently lives in Grapevine, Texas.

Bryson DeChambeau LIV team

DeChambeau is a member of Crushers GC on the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour. His teammates are Paul Casey, Charles Howell III and Anirban Lahiri. He often wears the team’s logo — a crushed golf ball on top of two crisscrossing tees that looks a bit like a pirate shield — during competition, including at The Masters.

NEW YORK – It’s been a rough early spring for a Yankees’ rotation battered by injuries and underperformance – outside of $218 million lefty Max Fried.

Early Saturday afternoon, the Yankees placed Marcus Stroman on the 15-day injured list due to left knee inflammation, following the right-hander’s first inning knockout Friday night.

To replace Stroman on the active roster, the Yankees called up right-hander Allan Winans from Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Clarke Schmidt (shoulder fatigue) says he’s ready to come off the IL and join the Yankees’ rotation after his second successful minor league rehab start, but the club hadn’t told Schmidt of any specific plans as of Saturday morning.

Marcus Stroman joins list of Yankees starters on IL

Entering Saturday’s game, the Yankees starters’ 5.46 ERA over 13 games was the AL’s worst mark, and that includes Fried’s sparkling 1.56 ERA in three starts.

Giants’ batters reached an ineffective Stroman (11.57 ERA, 3 starts, 9.1 IP in 2025) for five runs in just two-thirds of an inning Friday night, a mercifully rain-shortened 9-1 win by San Francisco.

It wasn’t certain if Friday night’s cold, rainy conditions factored into Stroman’s knee issue, which he first reported to the team after he exited the game.

Stroman met with the Yankees’ team physician, Dr. Christopher Ahmad, prior to Saturday afternoon’s game against the Giants.

Now, Stroman joins Schmidt, Luis Gil (lat strain) and Gerrit Cole (Tommy John surgery) on the list of Yankees’ starters on the IL since spring training.

Also, Yankees’ top pitching prospect Chase Hampton underwent reconstructive elbow surgery in late February, and the club didn’t possess a wealth of rotation depth to begin with in 2025.

However, the club quickly went from a starting surplus to a deficit; prior to Gil’s injury (he might return by July), Stroman was briefly the sixth starter on a five-man staff.

Until the Gil injury, Stroman was the subject of trade discussions, but his contract was seen as a hindrance; he earns $18 million this season with another $18 million for 2026 should he reached 140 innings this year.

Clarke Schmidt ready to join Yankees’ rotation

Winans, 29, has big-league experience with the Atlanta Braves, posting a combined 7.20 ERA in eight starts across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, totaling 40 innings.

In camp with the Yankees this spring training, Winans – a former 17th-round Mets draft pick – yielded eight runs on 14 hits and nine walks in five appearances (14.1 innings).

Winans made one relief appearance this year at Triple-A, giving up one run in 2.2 innings.

Schmidt declared his readiness Saturday morning, two days after his latest rehab start.

“My last two starts have been productive down there (at Class AA) Somerset,’’ said Schmidt, who was “happy with the results and the stuff and the command and everything that goes with it.’’

Schmidt was initially delayed in camp by a back issue, then developed shoulder fatigue in mid-March which impacted his recovery between starts.

“Obviously frustrating, I want to be out there competing with my guys,’’ said Schmidt, whose goal is to “make sure I’m able to…play at a high level consistently and be (someone) that these guys rely on.’’

Asked if he felt a sense of urgency to help rescue a staff that’s been underwater, Schmidt said he felt that sense “regardless of how we’re doing or how anybody’s performing.

“I’m eager to get out there.’’