ATLANTA — If Lionel Messi and Inter Miami’s cast of former Barcelona stars hope to pull off one of the biggest upsets soccer may ever see against Paris Saint-Germain in the FIFA Club World Cup, they’ll have to outsmart one person who may know them all the best.

Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Javier Mascherano last raised the Champions League trophy together with Barcelona in 2015 under the leadership of coach Luis Enrique.

Ten years later, Enrique reached the sport’s mountaintop again, leading Paris Saint-Germain to its first Champions League title last month.

Now, they’ll reunite again on the same pitch Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium – this time as adversaries with plenty of love and respect at the forefront of their round-of-16 matchup in the Club World Cup.

“I’m sure it’s going to be much more difficult than anyone can imagine,” Enrique said Saturday night before the match.

“They have the level. They have the quality. And they are winners. They’re players who have won a lot throughout their careers (with) that spirit inside them they’ve had all their lives.

“Emotionally, it’s very difficult to prepare for a game like this.”

It’ll be Messi’s first match against PSG since leaving the French club in July 2023 to join Inter Miami.

And he’s leading a Major League Soccer club just five years into its existence into a match against the European champions.

Inter Miami is the biggest underdog of any team in the Club World Cup round of 16. They have +1050 odds to beat PSG, the heavy favorite at -450, according to BetMGM.

But Enrique isn’t overlooking the opponent one bit.

He knows better.

Especially coaching against No. 10 on the other side.

“I had the opportunity to meet Leo Messi at the height of his career. Leo Messi’s peak has lasted 10, 15 years – I don’t know how long it will last,” Enrique said. “He is the best soccer player in history – without a doubt.”

Enrique still believes Messi, Suarez, Alba and Busquets are at the top of their games.

He looks forward to the few moments they’ll share together on the pitch Sunday, before and after the whistle is blown.

“When you give it some space and look back at what we’ve been through over the years, a smile appears on your face, and you want to share things again – even if it’s just 10 minutes before or after the game,” Enrique said.

Rising PSG star Désiré Doué, a 20-year-old who scored twice in the Champions League final, is excited to face Messi and the other Barcelona legends.

“Yes, it’s a special match, but it’s still a soccer game,” Doué told DAZN. “We’re lucky to be able to play against one of the greatest players in history and some of the greatest players who have marked the history of soccer.”

Messi’s heroics will be key if Inter Miami is going to pull off an upset against PSG, which dominated Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final on May 31.

Messi’s free-kick goal against Porto in Atlanta on June 19 is Inter Miami’s defining moment in the Club World Cup to this point. It was instrumental in helping them reach the knockout stage of a tournament featuring 32 of the best clubs in the world.

Some would argue Inter Miami has already peaked in the Club World Cup. They were the only MLS club to reach this point, while the Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles FC both failed to win a match during the group stage.

Many don’t expect them to pull off the upset on Sunday.

Even they know the odds are stacked against them.

“It’s clear and we’re not naïve – we know that we’re the weaker team, but that doesn’t mean you can kill us off beforehand. We’re going to fight, which is what it’s all about,” Mascherano said.

“I think the nice thing about (Sunday’s) match is that we’ve earned the right to play it. … The challenge is to come out tomorrow and test ourselves against what is possibly the best team in the world today.”

Added Inter Miami defender Marcelo Weigandt: “We are a very humble team. We try to give our all. And hopefully, God willing, tomorrow will be kind to us and we can get a good result.”

Ilia Topuria said he would knock out Charles Oliveira in the first round of their UFC 317 bout on Saturday for the vacant UFC Lightweight Championship belt. He did just that.

Topuria vacated his Featherweight title to move up to Lightweight division in April and the move paid off. He knocked out Oliveira in the first round of the main event to win the UFC Lightweight Championship, marking his third straight knockout win. With the victory, Topuria (17-0 MMA, 9-0 UFC) became the first undefeated fighter and only the 10th fighter in UFC history to become a champion in two divisions.

The UFC Lightweight belt was up for grabs after champion Islam Makhachev moved up to the Welterweight division. 

Oliveira previously held the UFC Featherweight title from May 2021 to May 2022, when he was stripped of the belt ahead of his second title defense after missing weight by half a pound. It marked the first time in UFC history that a defending champion lost a title due to missing weight. 

USA TODAY Sports recapped UFC 317 and provided analysis through each fight:

UFC 317 main card results

Main event: Ilia Topuria def. Charles Oliveira via KO – Round 1, 2:27

For the vacant UFC lightweight title

Round 1: Charles Oliveira started attacking Ilia Topuria’s legs early. Topuria landed a shot to Oliveira’s head that resulted in a gash above right eye. Oliveira landed a takedown, but Topuria ended up on top. Oliveira almost got Topuria into a leg lock, but Topuria wiggled free and the two fighters returned to their feet. Topuria knocked Oliveira out cold with a right hook that he followed up with a left hook. Topuria finished Oliveira off with a follow-up shot on the ground to end the fight in the first round as he stated he would.

We have a new UFC lightweight champion, Ilia Topuria.

Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Kara-France via submission (rear-naked choke) 

For Pantoja’s UFC flyweight title

Round 1: Kai Kara-France came out swinging and Pantoja quickly took him down and gained control of Kara-France’s back. Fans started to boo to the bewilderment of the commentators. Pantoja threw nasty body shots as he locked his legs around Kara-France’s abdomen. Kara-France attempted to wiggle free and Pantoja mounted Kara-France and almost got an arm bar. Pantoja maintained control on the ground and dominated the round.

Round 2: Pantoja caught Kara-France with a loud body kick to the left abdomen that left a mark. Kara-France countered with some kicks of his own, but they didn’t appear to impact Pantoja. They exchanged some blows before Pantoja took Kara-France down again. Kara-France worked his way to his feet and tried a take down of his own. Pantoja appears to be slowing down, but ended the round with a kick that made Kara-France stumble back.

Round 3: Pantoja came out with another body kick and clinched Kara-France against the cage before scoring another take down. Pantoja got on Kara-France’s back and locked his legs around his waist again in a dominant position. Pantoja worked himself into position for a rear naked chokehold, forcing Kara-France to tap.

And still the UFC flyweight champion, Alexandre Pantoja.

Joshua Van def. Brandon Royval by unanimous decision

Joshua Van may have taken this fight on three weeks notice, but he came out sharp and landed several shots to Royval’s head. Royval focused on Van’s body early on, but Van brilliantly countered many of Royval’s shots. The second round opened with a flurry of punches from both fighters, who remained on their feet the entire round. Royval and Van both landed shots as the bout continued to be very close. The action picked back up in the third round as Royval and Van continued to duke it out without a single take down attempt. Both fighters were bloodied and battered but continued to throw punches at a high clip in the middle of the Octagon. Van knocked down Royval with a right hook to the chin with seconds remaining in the third round. Van won by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27). Van declared that he broke his right big toe three weeks ago.

Beneil Dariush def. Renato Moicano via unanimous decision

Dariush dropped Moicano early in the first round with a kick, but Moicano responded with a punch that knocked down Dariush. The two fighters then jockeyed for position on the ground before returning to their feet. More grappling ensued in the second round with Dariush dominating the exchanges. Dariush again took down Moicano in the third round, but Moicano reversed and almost took Dariush back before he got free. They returned to their feet. A fatigued Moicano had some moments in the third round, but it was too little too late. Dariush won by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

Payton Talbot def. Felipe Lima via unanimous decision

Lima caught Talbot with some punishing punches early on and attempted to take Talbot down, but Talbot continually took control on the ground and showed his improved grappling skills. Talbot defeated Lima by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).

UFC 317: Time, PPV, streaming for Oliveira vs. Oliveira

The match between Charles Oliveira and Ilia Oliveira will take place on Saturday, June 28 and can be purchased on ESPN+ PPV.

Date: Saturday, June 28
Location: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas
Early prelims start time: 7 p.m. ET
Early prelims stream: UFC Fight Pass

Welterweight Jacobe Smith def. Niko Price via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:03 
Heavyweight Jhonata Diniz def. Alvin Hines via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Prelims card start time: 8 p.m. ET
Prelims card TV: ESPN; Prelims stream: ESPN+, Disney+

Middleweight Gregory Rodrigues def. Jack Hermansson via KO (punch) – Round 1, 4:21
Featherweight Jose Miguel Delgado def. Hyder Amil via KO (knee and punches) – Round 1, 0:26
Women’s flyweight Tracy Cortez def. Vivian Araujo via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Lightweight Terrance McKinney def. Viacheslav Borshchev via submission (Guillotine choke) – Round 1, 0:55

Main card start time: 10 p.m. ET
Main card stream: ESPN+ PPV

Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira; For the vacant UFC lightweight title
UFC flyweight title: Champ Alexandre Pantoja def. Kai Kara-France via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 3, 1:55
Flyweight Joshua Van def. Brandon Royval via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
Lightweight Beneil Dariush def. Renato Moicano via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Bantamweight Payton Talbot def. Felipe Lima via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Catch UFC action with an ESPN+ subscription

UFC 317 prelim results

Gregory Rodrigues def. Jack Hermansson via KO (punch)

Gregory Rodrigues caught Jack Hermansson with a left hook to the chin that stunned Hermansson and knocked him out cold. Rodrigues landed one more punch before referee Herb Dean called the fight. Hermansson remained down in the Octagon several minutes after.

Jose Miguel Delgado def. Hyder Amil via KO (knee and punches)

It only took Jose Miguel Delgado 26 seconds to defeat Hyder Amil. Delgado dropped Amil with a knee to the chin.

Tracy Cortez def. Vivian Araujo via unanimous decision

Cortez dominated Araujo on the ground and won by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27).

Terrance McKinney def Viacheslav Borshchev via submission (Guillotine choke)

The bout between Terrance McKinney and Viacheslav Borshchev was over soon after it began. McKinney caught a kick from Borshchev and immediately took him down. McKinney went for the Anaconda choke, before mounting Borschchev for the Guillotine choke after 55 seconds in the first round. ‘I want to show people I’m well-rounded,’ McKinney said after his win.

Jacobe Smith def. Niko Price via submission (rear naked choke)

Jacobe Smith remains undefeated after making Niko Price tap in the second round by way of a rear-naked choke, which marked the first submission of Smith’s career.

Jhonata Diniz def. Alvin Hines via Unanimous decision

Alvin Hines’ UFC debut didn’t go according to plan. Hines and Diniz went the distance, but the judges crowned Diniz the winner by unanimous decision, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28.

UFC reporter Megan Olivi announces maternity leave

FOX Sports reporter Megan Olivi, who covers the UFC and NFL for the network, announced that UFC 317 will be her last assignment before going on maternity leave. Olivi is expecting her first child with husband Joseph Benavidez, the former UFC flyweight title challenger.

‘Incredibly grateful to be healthy enough to work this event – not gonna lie, it feels pretty empowering,’ Olivi wrote on X. In a post on Instagram, she captioned a photo of her interviewing various UFC stars alongside her baby bump: ‘I cannot wait for this card … then it’s off to maternity leave to have a baby next week lol.’

UFC 317 preliminary and main card start times

Early prelims: 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+, Disney+)
Prelims: 8 p.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN+, Disney+)
Main card: 10 p.m. ET (PPV on ESPN+)

UFC 317: Topuria vs. Oliveira card

Fight card according to ESPN.

Main Card:

Ilia Topuria vs Charles Oliveira; For the vacant UFC lightweight title
Alexandre Pantoja vs Kai Kara-France; For Pantoja’s UFC flyweight title
Brandon Royval vs Joshua Van; Flyweight
Beneil Dariush vs. Renato Moicano; Lightweight
Payton Talbot vs Felipe Lima; Bantamweight

Prelims:

Jack Hermansson vs Gregory Rodrigues; Middleweight
Hyder Amil vs Jose Miguel Delgado; Featherweight
Vivian Araujo vs Tracy Cortez; Women’s flyweight
Terrance McKinney vs Viacheslav Borshchev; Lightweight

Early Prelims:

Niko Price vs Jacobe Smith; Welterweight
Heavyweight Jhonata Diniz def. Alvin Hines via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Christopher Ewert vs Jackson McVey; Middleweight

UFC 317: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira predictions

MMA Junkie: Volkanovski predicts Topuria knocks out Oliveira

Farah Honnoun writes:  ‘I think Ilia’s going to get the win. I think Ilia can catch him. I reckon early knockout – early knockout for Ilia Topuria. … He doesn’t just come forward and just stand in your face. He has a lot of movement. You see him slipping and slipping and trying to find his way in.’

ESPN: Experts pick Ilia Topuria

Anthony Smith writes: ‘Everything I look at in this matchup tells me to pick Ilia. He’s a better technical boxer. Against Josh Emmett in 2023, he showed he was defensively responsible, even though he had no problem standing in the pocket. Most people who avoid taking a big shot from Emmett do it by refusing to engage with him and backing away. Ilia is so technically sound, which is extremely impressive. And if he gets on top of Charles on the ground, I think he’ll do serious damage.’

Forbes: Ilia Topuria to beat Charles Oliveira

Trent Reinsmith writes: ‘If Oliveira approaches this fight like he has been competing as of late, he will be in trouble. That means Oliveira cannot opt to strike in range against Topuria, who is a powerful striker with good footwork and finishing skills. Oliveira must fight at distance and keep Topuria from getting in close. Oliveira has not shown a willingness to fight that type of battle.’

UFC 317 live stream

The Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira early prelims and prelims fight will be available to stream on ESPN+ and Disney+, while the main card will be streamed on ESPN Pay-Per-View.

UFC 317 price

UFC events are available to ESPN+ subscribers. The cost of the service is $10.99 a month or $109.99 for the year. The PPV is available for an additional $79.99.

UFC 317 odds: Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira fight card

*All odds via BetMGM

Main Card:

Ilia Topuria (-450) vs. Charles Oliveira (+325); For the vacant UFC lightweight title
Alexandre Pantoja (-250) vs. Kai Kara-France (+200); For Pantoja’s UFC flyweight title
Brandon Royval (EVEN) vs. Joshua Van (-120); Flyweight
Beneil Dariush (-110) vs. Renato Moicano (-110); Lightweight
Payton Talbot (-150) vs. Felipe Lima (-180); Bantamweight

Prelims:

Jack Hermansson (+190) vs. Gregory Rodrigues (-235); Middleweight
Hyder Amil (+135) vs. Jose Miguel Delgado (-170); Featherweight
Vivian Araujo (+210) vs. Tracy Cortez(-260); Women’s flyweight
Terrance McKinney (-175) vs. Viacheslav Borshchev (+145); Lightweight

Early Prelims:

Niko Price (+1000) vs. Jacobe Smith (-3000); Welterweight
Jhonata Diniz (-370) vs. Alvin Hines (+280); Heavyweight
Christopher Ewert (+125) vs. Jackson McVey (-150); Middleweight

Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira: Tale of the tape

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One night after a historic performance, Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers will be out for June 28’s matchup against the Washington Mystics due to a right knee injury.

This will be the fifth game that the 2025 No. 1 overall pick will have missed this season. Bueckers missed three games earlier in the season because she was in the WNBA’s concussion protocol and then sat out another game because of an illness.

Bueckers had 27 points in a 94-86 loss to the Caitlin Clark-less Indiana Fever on June 27. Clark missed the matchup between the last two No. 1 picks because of a groin injury.

Paige Bueckers’ stats vs Indiana Fever

Along with her 27 points against the Fever, Bueckers also added six assists, two steals and two blocks. She became the first player in WNBA history to record a game with 25-plus points, five-plus assists, two-plus steals, two-plus blocks and zero turnovers.

Bueckers shot 9-for-18 from the field, made two of her three 3-point attempts and knocked down all seven free throws.

On the season, Bueckers is averaging 18.4 points, 5.8 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.8 steals on 46.1% shooting from the field in 13 games. She was the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft in April after leading UConn to its 12th national title and the first since 2016.

Chris Koclanes on Paige Bueckers

Dallas coach Chris Koclanes provided an update on Bueckers’ injury ahead of the matchup against Washington on June 28.

‘Just precautionary,’ Koclanes said of the Bueckers injury. ‘Some soreness. We’re doing our due diligence of managing what’s best for her long-term health.’

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Carlos Pineda helped Honduras secure the victory over Panama in penalties Saturday in the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal at the State Farm Arena in Glendale, Arizona.

Pineda’s successful penalty kick attempt helped make up the difference after Eduardo Guerrero was unable to score on the fifth attempt for Panama.

Anibal Godoy (Panama) and Anthony Lozano (Honduras) had each missed penalty kick attempts early, allowing the game to come down to the final set of kicks tied at 4-4.

Lozano still managed to play a key role in the final minutes of regulation, scoring the equalizer in the 82nd minute for Honduras to even the score at 1-1. In the end, Honduras managed to get over 5-4 on penalties.

Watch Carlos Pineda lift Honduras over Panama

Honduras vs. Panama penalty kick results

Los Angeles Rams edge rusher Jared Verse was asked in a recent interview with Whistle Sports which opposing NFL team has the best fan base.

His answer was a surprise to many who closely observed the 2024 first-round pick during his rookie season.

‘Probably the Eagles,’ Verse replied. ‘I’ve got to give them that.’

Verse’s assertion comes just months after the 24-year-old expressed his disdain for the Philadelphia faithful ahead of a playoff clash between the two teams.

‘I hate Eagles fans,’ Verse told the Los Angeles Times in January. ‘They’re so annoying. I hate Eagles fans.’

‘When I see that green and white I hate it,’ he added. ‘I actually get upset. Like I actually, genuinely get hot.’

The Eagles acknowledged they used Verse’s jab as fuel in their 28-22 win over the Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs.

But that didn’t appear to be the main reason behind Verse’s change of tune. While the Florida State product may not like Philadelphia fans, he appears to have a healthy respect for their fervent support of the Eagles.

‘I like when you kind of like get into it, you’re aggressive, you’re loud and all that stuff,’ Verse said. ‘They stand by that with no doubt.’

Verse likened the atmosphere at Eagles games to a college rivalry matchup.

‘You never know what they’re going to say and they’re gonna try to say disrespectful stuff,’ he said. ‘Don’t get me wrong, they’re not gonna say anything where it’s like, ‘Bro, you crossed the line,’ but they’re gonna say some stuff where you’re like, ‘Who you talkin’ to?”

Verse figures to face plenty of those jeers and taunts every time he suits up against the Eagles as a response to his initial comments. Philadelphia fans will next get a chance to heckle the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year when the Eagles host the Rams in Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season.

The Kansas City Chiefs spent their first-round selection in the 2025 NFL Draft on Ohio State offensive tackle Josh Simmons in the hopes of shoring up the left side of their offensive line.

Jason Kelce acknowledged he is a big fan of the pick during a discussion with his brother, Travis, and Chiefs guard Trey Smith in a recent episode of the ‘New Heights’ podcast.

The elder Kelce brother referred to Simmons’ tape from his lone season at Ohio State as ‘absurd’ and had a lofty comparison for the 22-year-old rookie.

‘I’ve watched a lot of these linemen coming out the last few years,’ Kelce said. ‘This kid, I mean, he is the closest thing I’ve seen to like a Trent Williams – like that next level strength and athleticism. The only reason he fell to you guys is because of that (patellar tendon) injury.’

Williams has long been one of the NFL’s top offensive tackles. The 37-year-old was the fourth overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and has made 11 Pro Bowls and earned three All-Pro first team nods during his 14-year career. Williams graded as Pro Football Focus’ 7th-best tackle among 81 qualified players at the position in 2024, ending a run of four consecutive seasons as a top-two tackle.

With that comparison in mind, Kelce is excited to see if Simmons can win Kansas City’s left tackle job, which the former Philadelphia Eagles center classified as ‘a revolving door’ in 2024. The rookie’s main competition for the job will be Jaylon Moore, who signed a two-year, $30 million deal with the Chiefs in free agency.

The younger Kelce and Smith are also excited about Simmons’ potential. Smith – who made his first Pro Bowl in 2024 in his fourth year as a starting guard for the Chiefs – hasn’t seen Simmons in action yet but has heard the 6-5, 310-pounder is ‘unbelievably strong.’

Kelce came away with a similar takeaway after going head-to-head with Simmons when the rookie took some scout-team reps at defensive end.

‘I felt that man’s hands grab me, and I was like, ‘All right, I gotta come with it,” Kelce said, laughing. ‘Even when he’s just giving the looks, I gotta make sure I got my feet planted.’

Simon (Haoxi) Wang, the first player off the board in Round 2, was among the notable players selected during Day 2 of the 2025 NHL Draft on June 28 in Los Angeles.

The second day got off to a historic start as Wang became the highest drafted Chinese-born player in NHL history when the San Jose Sharks took him with the top selection of Round 2 (No. 33 overall).

‘Coming from China, I hope I can inspire a lot of kids coming over,’ Wang said, expressing an interest in continuing to grow the sport in his home country.

Not to be outdone, Australia set its own record when Swedish national – and Australian born – Jakob Ihs Wozniak was selected 55th overall by the Vegas Golden Knights, becoming the highest an Australian-born player had ever been taken.

The Seattle Kraken took Blake Fiddler from the Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) at No. 36, continuing a family NHL tradition. His father, Vernon, played in 877 games for the Nashville Predators, Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars and New JerseyDevils from 2002-17.

In a similar vein, the Anaheim Ducks chose Eric Nilson, the son of Marcus Nilson, at No. 45. The elder Nilson skated for 521 career games with the Florida Panthers and Calgary Flames.

A day after Pyotr Andreyanov became the first goalkeeper taken in the first round since 2021 (No. 20 to Columbus) and then Joshua Ravensbergen followed him at No. 30 (San Jose), two more goalkeepers were taken in the top 50, making it the first time since 2014 that four goalkeepers went in the top 50.

The Carolina Hurricanes selected Semyon Frolov at No. 41, and the Vancouver Canucks picked Aleksei Medvedev at No. 47.

Three teams made their first selections of the entire draft in the third round. The Colorado Avalanche nabbed defenseman Francesco Dell’elce at No. 77, the Edmonton Oilers picked right wing Tommy Lafreniere at No. 83, and the Stars took rightwing Cameron Schmidt at No. 94.

The son of Thomas Vanek, Blake Vanek, went to the Ottawa Senators at No. 93. The elder Vanek was a former first-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres who played in 1,029 career NHL games.

The Panthers, the last team to participate, selected their first player in the fourth round, Mads Kongsbak Klyvo, a left wing who went No. 112 overall.

The last player to go off the board in the seventh round, at No. 224, was also taken by Florida, goalkeeper Yegor Medlak from Russia.