Art Schallock, a World War II veteran who collected three World Series rings pitching with the New York Yankees in the 1950s, has died at 100.

Schallock had been MLB’s oldest-living player since 2022.

‘We are saddened to learn of the passing of Art Schallock, who we celebrated last year on his 100th birthday,’ the league announced in a social media post on Saturday. Schallock would have turned 101 next month.

Schallock pitched for the Yankees (1951-55) and Baltimore Orioles (1955) during his MLB career. The left-hander won three World Series rings with the Yankees in 1951, 1952 and 1953, although he only appeared in one World Series game, in 1953. Schallock appeared in 58 career games (14 starts), allowing 199 hits, 76 earned runs and 11 home runs, while recording 77 strikeouts in 170.1 total innings pitched.

‘I had a great career; I can’t complain. I played with some of the best that ever played and I have three World Series rings,’ Schallock said during a 2019 interview with ‘This Great Game’ (TGG). ‘Sure, playing in the majors was stressful at times, but overall I loved every minute of it and I always look back fondly.”

Born on April 25, 1924 in Mill Valley, California, Schallock played baseball, golf and tennis at Tamalpais High School. After graduating, Schallock was drafted in 1943 and served in the U.S. Navy as a radio operator aboard the USS Coral Sea. 

‘I was two weeks out of high school when they drafted me. I went in the Navy and I didn’t see a baseball for three years,’ Schallock told TGG.

Schallock attended Marin Junior College after he was discharged from the Navy and went on to get signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946. He pitched for various minor league teams before the Dodgers traded him to the Yankees on July 12, 1951. Schallock made his major league debut for the Yankees four days later on July 16, 1951. To do so, the Yankees optioned Mickey Mantle to the minors to free up a roster spot.

“To get on the Yankees’ roster, they had to send someone down and it turned out to be Mickey Mantle,’ Schallock said in 2019. ‘He came back quickly, but for many years Mickey and I would joke about it. … Later, when I was pitching for the Orioles, he hit a monster home run against me and smiled all around the bases.”

Schallock became MLB’s oldest-living player in July 2022 following the death of George Elder. Pitcher Bill Greason (DOB: 9/3/1924) is now the oldest-living former player at 100.

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TEMPE, Ariz. − He is one of only four players in history to hit 700 home runs, along with Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron and Barry Bonds.

Now, Albert Pujols is daring to go where no 700 HR Club member has gone before.

Pujols, 45, wants to become the first to be a major-league manager.

“For me, I’ve always been serious about everything that I do in this game,’ Pujols told USA TODAY Sports, “and now I’m serious about managing. This game has done so much for me, and now, I want to give back.

“I’m ready.’

Life after retirement

Pujols, the 11-time All-Star, three-time MVP, two-time World Series champion who hit 703 homers and drove in 2,218 runs, retired after the 2022 season. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do next, but knew he wanted to stay in the game. He became a special assistant to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. He worked as an analyst for the MLB Network. And he showed up every spring as a guest instructor for the Los Angeles Angels as part of his 10-year, $10 million personal services contract.

Then, last February when Jose Miguel Bonetti, one of the owners of Leones del Escogido of the Dominican Republic Professional Baseball League, telephoned Pujols once again trying to persuade him to manage. It was a short winter-ball season. He could be home in the Dominican Republic where his wife, Nicole Fernandez, the daughter of former Dominican president Leonel Fernandez, was born and raised.

Why not?

The next thing Pujols knew, he’s leading Leones del Escogido to the playoffs, then the Dominican League championship, then the Caribbean Series championship. Now, the Dominican Republic national team, under GM Nelson Cruz, is hiring Pujols to manage its star-studded group for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Pujols can’t wait, but there could be one little snag to those plans.

He might be tied up managing a major-league team next spring.

“He’s ready,’ said Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa, who managed Pujols 11 years in St. Louis. “And he’s going to be great.

“You talk about integrity. You talk about his IQ. You talk about his discipline. I call him APP, Albert Perfect Pujols. When a guy has that much to offer and has so much love for the game, the game benefits when he wants to stay active and share.’’

Says Angels GM Perry Minasian: “I remember the old-school managers back in the day whether it was Tom Kelly or Sparky Anderson or Tommy Lasorda or Whitey Herzog, there was a presence when they walked into the room. The volume in the room would go a little lower. The shoulders of the players would go back a little more. And Albert has that presence wherever he goes.

“He’s just a winning guy, he’ll be great whatever he wants to do.’

Mentors convinced Pujols will be successful

There’s a long list of All-Star and Hall of Fame players who have struggled as managers. Many of the managerial greats actually had short or mediocre playing careers. But it’s a lazy narrative to suggest bench players make the best managers. There are plenty of cases where All-Stars became Hall of Fame-caliber managers. Joe Torre was a nine-time All-Star and batting champion, leading the Yankees to four World Series enroute to the Hall of Fame. Dusty Baker was a two-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove winner, leading five different teams to the postseason winning three pennants and a World Series title. Lou Piniella was an All-Star and two-time World Series champion, and led three different teams to the playoffs and a World Series championship.

“The key is not whether you’re a great player or not, but whether you have that love for the game,’ La Russa said. “Torre, Dusty, they love the game. And Albert loves the game. He always had the mental side commitment, and was inquisitive, always talking about the game.

“I don’t want to be critical, but there are guys who were great players in our game, gave it all they got, and then needed to back off. So, if you have somebody with the kind of greatness like Albert, and is still motivated to stay close to the game, it’s a win-win for all of us.’’

San Diego Padres manager Mike Shildt, who has known Pujols since 2005 in their days together in St. Louis, is convinced that Pujols will be an overwhelming success.

“I truly believe he’s doing to be a tremendous asset to any organization,’’ Shildt said. “A lot about managing is caring about people, and Albert does that. He has such attention to detail. He’s very clear in his messaging, a very principled guy with a great reputation. Really, he’s almost out of central casting for a manager.

“You always observed his talent, but you appreciated the work and how this guy competed. Some guys are naturally gifted, but Albert used his brain and talent to become one of the best right-handed hitters in the history of the game. I never saw this guy give away anything in work or competition. I remember one spring it’s 7 in the morning and he’s fielding grounders from [coach] Dave McKay. He says, ‘Albert, you may want to ease into this.’ Albert says, ‘What do you mean? It’s time to go. It’s time to work.’ There was another time when it was the first spring-training game of the year, I look around, and there’s Albert sitting there, grinding a towel over his head with that grimace, stalking the pitcher like he was stalking his prey.

“So, when he told me last year that he was going to manage in winter ball, I knew it wasn’t some gimmick. He was going to take it seriously. It was clear he had a tremendous experience, and now he’s ready to take the next steps. He has such love and passion for the game that it’s important for the game to recognize and support a guy like Albert with his legacy.’

Pujols wants to give back to the game

The way Pujols sees it, it’s a way to give back. He certainly doesn’t need the money, earning about $350 million in his playing career. He will cruise into the Hall of Fame when he’s eligible for induction in 2028. And he has plenty going on in his life with four kids and new wife without putting in 12-hour days at the ballpark.

“But at the end of the day, man, you want to give back,’ Pujols said. “This opportunity came really quick for me because I wasn’t looking for it.’’

When Bonetti approached him for the third time to manage, Pujols still wasn’t sure he was ready. He was out of the game only for a year. He was newly married. And he knew there would be a whole lot of pressure to succeed.

Bonetti persisted, calling and calling. He finally convinced Pujols to go to lunch for a serious conversation. By the time Pujols put down his knife and fork, he agreed.

“I wasn’t curious about how much I’d like it,’’ Pujols said, “because when you’re in the game as long as I’ve been, this is all you know. So, I knew I’d like it. And I’m the kind of person if I’m going to try something, I’m going to take it seriously. I wasn’t going to waste my time.

“For me, it was the competition that I really loved. And doing it in your country, the team that you grew up rooting for as a little boy, it was pretty sweet. It meant so much for me and everyone in the Dominican.’

And, yes, that familiar feeling of being in the middle of a championship celebration sure felt good, even if there was no bottle of champagne to be found.

“Down there, they don’t use champagne,’’ Pujols said. “It’s just beer and water. They don’t use champagne. It’s too expensive.’

Anyone who has been around Pujols wasn’t surprised in the least that he delivered a championship. Angels owner Arte Moreno fired off a congratulatory text message to him after the game. It simply re-affirmed Minasian’s belief that Pujols could be a great manager.

“I always felt his baseball acumen is second-to-none,’ Minasian said. “His desire to win is second-to-none. And his ability to connect with all different kind of players, and make players believe in themselves is a hell of an attribute.

“Just the person, take the baseball part of it out, is impressive. The honesty. The belief. Everything. I think he can do whatever he wants in this game.’’

Next stop: 2026 World Baseball Classic

Next stop: The World Baseball Classic. It could feature a Who’s Who lineup of Manny Machado, Juan Soto, Julio Rodriguez, Jose Ramirez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Elly De La Cruz, Julio Rodriguez, Fernando Tatis, Rafael Devers and Ketel Marte.

“That,’ Pujols said, “is going to be awesome. A lot of responsibility because you’re representing not just one team, but an entire country. I’m pretty pumped up.’’

Just hearing Pujols’ introductory speech to this array of talent could be worthy of a documentary. The Angels players still are raving about Pujols’ 45-minute meeting with their hitters on Monday, with La Russa stopping in and had pitchers even sneaking into the meeting.

“It was so good,’ Angels three-time MVP Mike Trout said. “He talked about approach, preparation, routine, and how important it was to carry that routine out. For a guy with all of that knowledge, and being in the trenches for that long, and being on teams that won, it was great to hear his message.

“I think he’s going to be a great, great manager.’

Pujols called his speech a collection of knowledge from his early years with the Cardinals, listening to stories from Lou Brock, Stan Musial, Bob Gibson, Red Schoendienst, Joe Buck and Mike Shannon. They took the time to talk to him, and now he’s paying it forward.

“Now I have the responsibility to help these young players,’ Pujols said. “That’s my job. I need to share that same knowledge. I love to talk about the game and talk about the blessings that the Lord has given me in my career.

“I told them, ‘You see how much passion comes out of me talking to you guys, and it’s because I was taught by so many other great players before me. They opened that path and helped me to get to where I am today.’’

Pujols will now wait to see if anyone calls this summer or in the off-season with any managerial vacancies. If someone is interested, they’ll know where to find him.

“I’m open, you know,’’ Pujols said. “Right now, I have the responsibility with the World Baseball Classic, but if any opportunity opens up and somebody call me and wants to interview me, I will evaluate it for sure.

“I’d love the opportunity to give back to the game of baseball. I know I don’t have the experience as a manager, but 23 years in this game, you go through a lot. I’m talking about experience from baseball, being on the field and in the locker room. It’s not going from a university to try to be a manager and not having any baseball experience. Old-school mentality can help young mentality. I’ve learned from some of the best managers in the game. I believe with my experience, and the way I can communicate with players, I can have success.

“I just need someone to take a chance on me. I don’t know how long it’s going to take, but I’ll be in the corner waiting. If they give me the opportunity, I can promise you that I’m going to do my best to prepare the team to win a World Series. Is that a guarantee? No. But I can guarantee that I will prepare the guys to play the game just like I did with that mentality and toughness.’

It’s not all that different from three-time World Series champion Buster Posey becoming the San Francisco Giants’ president of the baseball operations. Or All-Star pitcher Chris Young to becoming GM of the Texas Rangers and leading them to the 2023 World Series title. Or for Hall of Famer Derek Jeter to become CEO of the Miami Marlins for four years.

“I love it,’ said Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who managed Pujols in 2021. “It’s just really rare that a guy who accomplished so much on the field wants to continue to grind in coaching and managing.

“But I think the game needs him. I think he needs the game as well, clearly.’

Certainly, for what Pujols has given to the game, it’s time for the game to give back to him, too.

“People that have given so much to the game,’ Minasian said, “and still have a lot to give even after playing, is going to have a positive effect on any organization.

“The game is better with Albert Pujols in it.’

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy was arrested on Friday and booked on assault charges.

However, authorities in Williamson County, Texas, have declined to press charges ‘at this time,’ according to the Austin American-Statesman.

County jail records show that Worthy was arrested and charged with assault against a family or household member by impeding their breathing or circulation.

‘We are aware and gathering information,” the Chiefs said in a statement Saturday morning.

That charge is a third-degree felony in Texas and is defined as ‘intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly impeding the normal breathing or circulation of the blood of the person by applying pressure to the person’s throat or neck or by blocking the person’s nose or mouth.’ It is punishable with a sentence of two to 10 years in jail and/or a fine not to exceed $10,000.

Williamson County District Attorney Shawn Dick on Saturday evening told the Statesman that, after speaking with multiple witnesses, his office is not accepting the case at this time.

“After further investigation by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office and further discussion with a third-party witness, Mr. Worthy and his attorneys, this case is being declined at this time pending completion of the investigation by the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office,’ reads an email from Dick’s office. ‘Mr. Worthy and his lawyers are fully cooperating with this investigation. 

‘We will continue to evaluate the case.  As is our practice with all declines, should you develop additional information indicative of probable cause in this case, our office will consider that information and may present the case at that time to a Williamson County Grand Jury.”

Worthy’s lawyers said in a statement that the allegations against their client were ‘baseless’ and that Worthy and a woman were in a dispute and she was asked to leave Worthy’s house, adding that the woman caused property damage and scratched Worthy’s face. The attorneys said Worthy did not want to press charges.

‘We will continue to cooperate with Williamson County authorities as we have full faith their thorough investigation will support Mr. Worthy’s innocence,’ the attorneys, Chip Lewis and Sam Bennett, said in a statement.

The 21-year-old Worthy, who played college football at the University of Texas, was selected with the No. 28 pick in the 2024 NFL draft by the Chiefs after breaking the 40-yard dash record at the NFL Scouting Combine with a time of 4.21 seconds.

‘We are aware of the matter and have been in contact with the club,’ the NFL said in a statement Saturday.

Worthy caught 59 passes for 638 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for three touchdowns in his rookie season, adding three more touchdown catches in the playoffs.

(This story has been updated to add new information.)

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Ronnie Stanley is signing a deal to remain with the Baltimore Ravens for the 2025 NFL season and beyond, per multiple reports.

The contract extension is for three years and $60 million with $44 million guaranteed, per The Athletic’s Diana Russini.

Stanley spent the first nine years of his career in Baltimore after being a first-round pick in the 2016 NFL draft. He developed into one of the NFL’s best offensive tackles and was named an All-Pro first teamer in 2019.

Stanley struggled with injuries after his All-Pro nod. He played in just seven games combined between the 2020 and 2021 NFL seasons and slowly worked his way back into top form the following two seasons.

Stanley started every game for the Ravens in 2024, marking the first time in his career he had achieved that feat. His 1,089 snaps played ranked ninth league-wide among offensive tackles, and he finished the season as Pro Football Focus’ 37th-ranked tackle among 81 qualifiers.

That said, Stanley graded as the 16th-best pass-blocking tackle in the NFL last season with a mark of 80.9. He allowed only two sacks and 35 pressures on 575 pass blocking snaps and played a big part in keeping Lamar Jackson clean during his best statistical season.

Stanley was whistled for 13 penalties in 2024. He will look to cut down on those as he prepares for his age-31 season in 2025.

Magomed Ankalaev became the 18th undisputed light heavyweight champion following his victory over Alex Pereira in the UFC 313 main event.

Ankalaev produced a successful outing after controlling the pace and distances throughout the fight.

He entered the fight as the No. 1 contender after winning his last two fights. The Russian improves his record to 21-1-1 (1 NC).

The main card also featured fights between Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev in a lightweight bout and Amanda Lemos taking on Iasmin Lucindo in a women’s strawweight division bout.

USA TODAY Sports has live coverage of Saturday’s action. Follow along for news, updates and highlights.

Pereira vs. Ankalaev highlights: Magomed Ankalaev wins

Ankalaev became the third fighter from Dagestan to become UFC champion.

UFC light heavyweight title fight: Magomed Ankalaev def. Alex Pereira

Round 1: The two fighters start off slow and manage to remain on their feet through the early minutes.

Round 2: Magomed Ankalaev was building his confidence as he landed several strikes, including one that rattled the champion right as time expired.

Round 3: Following a round that was too tough to call, both corners continue to tell their respective fighters to keep attempting strikes.

Round 4: Ankalaev maintained control of Pereira throughout the round but did not have the same level of explosiveness throughout the fight. The fight will go to the final round.

Round 5: Pereira lands a jab on Ankalaev during the final two minutes but is unable to capitalize. Ankalaev holds the champion against the side of the cage and throws knee strikes at the side of Pereira’s legs. Ankalaev managed to keep Pereira on the defensive and won the light heavyweight championship by unanimous decision.

Lightweight: Justin Gaethje def. Rafael Fiziev

Round 1: The opening minutes of the round featured a little bit of everything with several submission attempts and strikes being made before both decided to slow things down.

Round 2: Gaethje got the crowd excited in the final minute of the round after a right-handed uppercut rattled Fiziev and took him to the ground. He was able to deliver several more strikes before Fiziev worked his way back up on his feet.

Round 3: Fiziev showed signs of fatigue at the end of round three as both fighters gave it everything they had to finish out the fight. Gaethje earned a unanimous decision with all three judges scoring the fight 29-28. Gaethje said during the postfight interview that his hand might be broken.

Lightweight: Ignacio Bahamondes def. Jalin Turner

Round 1: Bahamondes earned a submission victory against Turner just 2:29 into the first round. Turner was in the process of landing strikes on Bahamondes but the Chilean fighter managed to get his legs around his opponent to secure the triangle choke.

Women’s strawweight: Amanda Lemos def. Iasmin Lucindo

Round 1: Lemos and Lucindo spent part of the opening round feeling each other out before the two ended up on the ground for the second half of the period. Lemos controlled the action on the ground for over two minutes after Lucindo developed a cut under her right eye from Lemos’ elbow.

Round 2: Lemos managed to get back on top of Lucindo to take control and throw occasional elbow strikes to the face of Lucindo. A series of boos were heard from the crowd because of the lack of action through the first two rounds.

Round 3: Lucindo’s corner was asking for her to wake up and come out more aggressive in the final period. Lucindo delivered with an aggressive approach that included taking down Lemos and controlling the early part of the round on top of her opponent. Lemos manages to use her feet against the cage to help her get free of Lucindo’s control. Lemos quickly got on top of her opponent to ride out the closing moments of the fight and earn the unanimous decision.

Robbie Lawler named to UFC Hall of Fame

Robbie Lawler will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer. Lawler finished with a 30-16 (1NC) record during his career. He had his first UFC fight in May 2002 and won his final fight with a TKO victory over Niko Price at UFC 290 in July 2023.

Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy def. King Green

Round 1: Ruffy stunned Green with a right-handed shot before landing a spin-kick to Green’s temple that sent him bouncing back against the cage and buckling down to the mat with 2:54 remaining in the first round.

Flyweight: Joshua Van def. Rei Tsuruya

Joshua Van has won six of his last seven UFC fights following the unanimous decision victory over Tsuruya.

Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira def. Armen Petrosyan

The referee had to call for an official’s timeout twice during the fight after Petrosyan’s leg strikes landed in Ferreira’s groin area. The referee did deduct a point from Petrosyan after the second stoppage. The referee proved to be overly cautious throughout the fight, putting a brief stop to the action again in the second round.

It was Ferreira’s strike to Petrosyan’s hip that led to the stoppage but it was clear on the replay that it wasn’t a dirty strike.

Ferreira brought Petrosyan down to the ground shortly after and performed an armbar in the second round (4:27) to force Petrosyan to submit. Ferreira improves to 13-2 in his career. He’s knocked out nine and submitted four.

Welterweight: Carlos Leal def. Alex Morono

The fighters exchanged heavy strikes with Leal landing over 70% of his attempts against Morono. Leal managed to back his opponent against the cage as they exchanged strikes before the referee stepped in to call the match early.

Featherweight: Mairon Santos def. Francis Marshall

Santos managed to be the more efficient fighter throughout the three-round fight and earned the split-decision victory. Santos improved his win streak to four and felt he managed to win the final two rounds to secure the victory. The crowd expressed their displeasure after the decision was announced.

UFC 313 Early Prelims results:

Ozzy Diaz def. Djorden Ribeiro dos Santos

UFC 313: Time, PPV, streaming for Pereira vs. Ankalaev

The highly anticipated matchup between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev will take place on Saturday, March 8, and can be purchased on ESPN+ PPV.

Date: Saturday, March 8
Early prelims start time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Stream: ESPN+, Disney+
Main Card Stream: ESPN+ PPV
Main Card start time: 10 p.m. ET
Location: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Catch UFC action with an ESPN+ subscription

UFC 313 prelim and main card start times

Early prelim has been updated with a new time of 7 p.m. ET.

Early Prelims: 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT (ESPN+/Disney+)
Prelims: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (ESPN News/ESPN+/Disney+)
Main card: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (PPV on ESPN+)

UFC 313: Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev card

Main Card:

UFC light heavyweight title: Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev
Lightweight: Justin Gaethje vs Rafael Fiziev
Lightweight: Jalin Turner vs Ignacio Bahamondes
Women’s strawweight: Amanda Lemos vs Iasmin Lucindo
Lightweight: King Green vs Mauricio Ruffy

Prelims:

Heavyweight: Curtis Blaydes vs Rizvan Kuniev
Flyweight: Joshua Van vs Rei Tsuruya
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira vs Armen Petrosyan
Welterweight: Alex Morono vs Carlos Leal
Featherweight: Mairon Santos vs Francis Marshall

Early Prelims:

Middleweight: Djorden Ribeiro dos Santos vs Osman Diaz
Featherweight: Chris Gutierrez vs John Castaneda

UFC 313 odds

All odds are for moneyline bets (as of Thursday), according to BetMGM.

Main Card:

UFC light heavyweight title: Alex Pereira (-120) vs Magomed Ankalaev (-100)
Lightweight: Justin Gaethje (+130) vs Rafael Fiziev (-155)
Lightweight: Jalin Turner (+110) vs Ignacio Bahamondes (-135)
Women’s strawweight: Amanda Lemos (+120) vs Iasmin Lucindo (-145)
Lightweight: King Green (+390) vs Mauricio Ruffy (-525)

Prelims:

Flyweight: Joshua Van (-165) vs Rei Tsuruya (+135)
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira (+115) vs Armen Petrosyan (-140)
Welterweight: Alex Morono (+550) vs Carlos Leal (-800)

Early Prelims:

Featherweight: Mairon Santos (-275) vs Francis Marshall (+210)
Middleweight: Djorden Ribeiro dos Santos (-210) vs Osman Diaz (+170)

UFC 313 predictions:

MMA Junkie: Jamahal Hill picks Ankalaev

Staff writes regarding Jamahal Hill’s pick: “’I’m going to go with Magomed. I feel he has more tools to win,’ Hill said. ‘Obviously Alex has that one hit wonder. If he catches you, he can put you away, but I believe Magomed also has that. He has the speed, the patience to counter. He’s been in this position before. He already let the title slip out of his hands once before, and I believe he’ll be a lot more focused, locked in for this, and ultimately has more ways to win.’”

ESPN: Pereira to win by knockout

Staff writes: ‘He must use his range and educated striking to find the damaging shots, like he did against Rountree. The key will be leg kicks. Jan Blachowicz damaged Ankalaev’s legs on both sides, and Blachowicz is not nearly as slick setting up those kicks as Pereira is. Despite being a skilled wrestler, Ankalaev has often failed to commit to wrestling, opting to stand and trade, which will put him right in line for Pereira’s leg kicks. If that happens, Ankalaev will be compromised by Round 3, if the fight lasts that long.’

Sportskeeda: Alex Pereira via KO

Puneeta Sharma writes regarding Alexander Volkanovski’s pick: ‘Alex Pereira very dangerous because he puts the pressure on and he can flick stuff out untelegraphed and set things up offensively and then on the counter, very, very, very good on the counter. Hard, hard fight for Ankalaev to stay on the feet. [Ankalaev’s] gonna wanna take it down, he will try and take it down, he might get takedowns… I don’t see him being able to submit Pereira unless Pereira gives something up in his process to building up… I’m gonna go with a favorite on this one, Alex Pereira, KO. I’m gonna go with KO/TKO. I think with him, it’s always a pretty safe bet… I don’t think it’s gonna be early rounds. I’m thinking maybe second or third round TKO.’

UFC 313 live stream

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

UFC 313 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.

UFC 313 location

Alex Pereira defends his light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev. The event will be held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev: Tale of the tape

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Alabama’s Mark Sears didn’t have his best game of the year on Saturday. But he did hit arguably the biggest shot of the Crimson Tide’s 2024-25 season, hitting a buzzer-beating, game winner to beat top-ranked Auburn, 93-91 in overtime.

One week after being on the wrong end of a buzzer-beater vs. Tennessee, Sears’ last-second shot from the top of the paint lifted the eight-ranked Crimson Tide over the Tigers, with the teams splitting their games in the regular season. It was the first time all season the Tigers lost consecutive games after dropping their Tuesday game to Texas A&M.

Here’s the shot from Sears:

Sears finished with nine points on 3-of-9 shooting, including 1 of 4 from 3-point range. He also added three rebounds and seven assists in the win, though Alabama was led in scoring by Grant Nelson’s 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting. He also added eight rebounds and a block in the win.

Auburn’s Johni Broome, names as one of the top 15 players for the John Wooden Award on Saturday, was spectacular again, with a game-high 34 points on 15-of-28 shooting. He also added eight rebounds, three assists, three steals and five blocks.

That wasn’t the only notable storyline from the game, which saw Auburn’s Chad Baker-Mazara ejected with a flagrant 2 foul after elbowing Alabama’s Chris Youngblood in the back of his head midway through the second quarter.

Up next for Alabama and Auburn is the men’s SEC tournament. Auburn has already claimed the top overall seed in the conference tournament, though its grasp on the No. 1 overall seed may be in danger if it doesn’t win it. The Crimson Tide has already been guaranteed a double bye in the tournament.

Alex Pereira will defend the light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev in the UFC 313 main event.

Pereira, who represents Brazil, enters the fight with a 12-2-0 record and a four-inch arm reach advantage. Pereira has won his last four by knockout. He won the first of a two-fight series against Israel Adesanya and has since bounced back from the loss by winning his next five fights.

Ankalaev is the No. 1 contender for the title and has a two-inch leg reach advantage. He represents Russia and has a 20-1-1 (1 NC) record. He won his last two fights.

The main card also features Justin Gaethje taking on Rafael Fiziev in a lightweight bout and Amanda Lemos will fight Iasmin Lucindo.

USA TODAY Sports has live coverage of today’s action. Follow along for news, updates and highlights.

UFC light heavyweight title: Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev

Round 1: The two fighters start off slow and manage to remain on their feet through the early minutes.

Round 2: Magomed Ankalaev was building his confidence as he landed several strikes, including one that rattled the champion right as time expired.

Round 3: Following a round that was too tough to call, both corners continue to tell their respective fighter to keep attempting strikes.

Round 4: Ankalaev maintained control of Pereira throughout the round but did not have the same level of explosiveness throughout the fight. The fight will go to the final round.

Round 5: Pereira lands a jab on Ankalaev during the final two minutes but is unable to capitalize. Ankalaev holds the champion against the side of the cage and throws knee strikes at the side of Pereira’s legs.

Lightweight: Justin Gaethje def. Rafael Fiziev

Round 1: The opening minutes of the round featured a little bit of everything with several submission attempts and strikes being made before both decided to slow things down.

Round 2: Gaethje got the crowd excited in the final minute of the round after a right-handed uppercut rattled Fiziev and took him to the ground. He was able to deliver several more strikes before Fiziev worked his way back up on his feet.

Round 3: Fiziev showed signs of fatigue at the end of round three as both fighters gave it everything they had to finish out the fight. Gaethje earned a unanimous decision with all three judges scoring the fight 29-28. Gaethje said during the postfight interview that his hand might be broken.

Lightweight: Ignacio Bahamondes def. Jalin Turner

Round 1: Bahamondes earned a submission victory against Turner just 2:29 into the first round. Turner was in the process of landing strikes on Bahamondes but the Chilean fighter managed to get his legs around his opponent to secure the triangle choke.

Women’s strawweight: Amanda Lemos def. Iasmin Lucindo

Round 1: Lemos and Lucindo spent part of the opening round feeling each other out before the two ended up on the ground for the second half of the period. Lemos controlled the action on the ground for over two minutes after Lucindo developed a cut under her right eye from Lemos’ elbow.

Round 2: Lemos managed to get back on top of Lucindo to take control and throw occasional elbow strikes to the face of Lucindo. A series of boos were heard from the crowd because of the lack of action through the first two rounds.

Round 3: Lucindo’s corner was asking for her to wake up and come out more aggressive in the final period. Lucindo delivered with an aggressive approach that included taking down Lemos and controlling the early part of the round on top of her opponent. Lemos manages to use her feet against the cage to help her get free of Lucindo’s control. Lemos quickly got on top of her opponent to find out the closing moments of the fight and earned the unanimous decision.

Robbie Lawler named to UFC Hall of Fame

Robbie Lawler will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame this summer. Lawler finished with a 13-6-0 (1NC) record during his career. He had his first UFC fight in May 2002 and won his final fight with a TKO victory over Niko Price in UFC 290 in July 2023.

Lightweight: Mauricio Ruffy def. King Green

Round 1: Ruffy stunned Green with a right-handed shot before landing a spin kick to Green’s temple that sent him bouncing back against the cage buckling down on the mat with 2:54 remaining in the first round.

Flyweight: Joshua Van def. Rei Tsuruya

Joshua Van has won six of his last seven UFC fights following the unanimous victory over Tsuruya.

Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira def. Armen Petrosyan

The referee had to call for an official’s timeout twice during the fight after Petrosyan’s leg strikes landed in Ferreira’s groin area. The referee did deduct a point from Petrosyan after the second stoppage. The referee proved to be overly cautious throughout the fight, putting a brief stop to the action again in the second round.

It was Ferreira’s strike to Petrosyan’s hip that led to the stoppage but it was clear on the replay that it wasn’t a dirty strike.

Ferreira brought Petrosyan down to the ground shortly after and performed an armbar in the second round (4:27) to force Petrosyan to submit. Ferreira improves to 13-2 in his career. He’s knocked out nine and submitted four.

Welterweight: Carlos Leal def. Alex Morono

The fighters exchanged heavy strikes with Leal landing over 70% of his attempts against Morono. Leal managed to back his opponent against the cage as they exchanged strikes before the referee stepped in to call the match early.

Featherweight: Mairon Santos def. Francis Marshall

Santos managed to be the more efficient fighter throughout the three-round fight and earned the split-decision victory. Santos improved his win streak to four and felt he managed to win the final two rounds to secure the victory. The crowd expressed their displeasure after the decision was announced.

UFC 313 Early Prelims results:

Ozzy Diaz def. Djorden Ribeiro dos Santos

UFC 313: Time, PPV, streaming for Pereira vs. Ankalaev

The highly anticipated matchup between Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev will take place on Saturday, March 8, and can be purchased on ESPN+ PPV.

Date: Saturday, March 8
Early prelims start time: 6:30 p.m. ET
Stream: ESPN+, Disney+
Main Card Stream: ESPN+ PPV
Main Card start time: 10 p.m. ET
Location: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Catch UFC action with an ESPN+ subscription

UFC 313 prelim and main card start times

Early prelim has been updated with a new time of 7 p.m. ET.

Early Prelims: 7 p.m. ET/ 4 p.m. PT (ESPN+/Disney+)
Prelims: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (ESPN News/ESPN+/Disney+)
Main card: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (PPV on ESPN+)

UFC 313: Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev card

Main Card:

UFC light heavyweight title: Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev
Lightweight: Justin Gaethje vs Rafael Fiziev
Lightweight: Jalin Turner vs Ignacio Bahamondes
Women’s strawweight: Amanda Lemos vs Iasmin Lucindo
Lightweight: King Green vs Mauricio Ruffy

Prelims:

Heavyweight: Curtis Blaydes vs Rizvan Kuniev
Flyweight: Joshua Van vs Rei Tsuruya
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira vs Armen Petrosyan
Welterweight: Alex Morono vs Carlos Leal
Featherweight: Mairon Santos vs Francis Marshall

Early Prelims:

Middleweight: Djorden Ribeiro dos Santos vs Osman Diaz
Featherweight: Chris Gutierrez vs John Castaneda

UFC 313 odds

All odds are for moneyline bets (as of Thursday), according to BetMGM.

Main Card:

UFC light heavyweight title: Alex Pereira (-120) vs Magomed Ankalaev (-100)
Lightweight: Justin Gaethje (+130) vs Rafael Fiziev (-155)
Lightweight: Jalin Turner (+110) vs Ignacio Bahamondes (-135)
Women’s strawweight: Amanda Lemos (+120) vs Iasmin Lucindo (-145)
Lightweight: King Green (+390) vs Mauricio Ruffy (-525)

Prelims:

Flyweight: Joshua Van (-165) vs Rei Tsuruya (+135)
Middleweight: Brunno Ferreira (+115) vs Armen Petrosyan (-140)
Welterweight: Alex Morono (+550) vs Carlos Leal (-800)

Early Prelims:

Featherweight: Mairon Santos (-275) vs Francis Marshall (+210)
Middleweight: Djorden Ribeiro dos Santos (-210) vs Osman Diaz (+170)

UFC 313 predictions:

MMA Junkie: Jamahal Hill picks Ankalaev

Staff writes regarding Jamahal Hill’s pick: “’I’m going to go with Magomed. I feel he has more tools to win,’ Hill said. ‘Obviously Alex has that one hit wonder. If he catches you, he can put you away, but I believe Magomed also has that. He has the speed, the patience to counter. He’s been in this position before. He already let the title slip out of his hands once before, and I believe he’ll be a lot more focused, locked in for this, and ultimately has more ways to win.’”

ESPN: Pereira to win by knockout

Staff writes: ‘He must use his range and educated striking to find the damaging shots, like he did against Rountree. The key will be leg kicks. Jan Blachowicz damaged Ankalaev’s legs on both sides, and Blachowicz is not nearly as slick setting up those kicks as Pereira is. Despite being a skilled wrestler, Ankalaev has often failed to commit to wrestling, opting to stand and trade, which will put him right in line for Pereira’s leg kicks. If that happens, Ankalaev will be compromised by Round 3, if the fight lasts that long.’

Sportskeeda: Alex Pereira via KO

Puneeta Sharma writes regarding Alexander Volkanovski’s pick: ‘Alex Pereira very dangerous because he puts the pressure on and he can flick stuff out untelegraphed and set things up offensively and then on the counter, very, very, very good on the counter. Hard, hard fight for Ankalaev to stay on the feet. [Ankalaev’s] gonna wanna take it down, he will try and take it down, he might get takedowns… I don’t see him being able to submit Pereira unless Pereira gives something up in his process to building up… I’m gonna go with a favorite on this one, Alex Pereira, KO. I’m gonna go with KO/TKO. I think with him, it’s always a pretty safe bet… I don’t think it’s gonna be early rounds. I’m thinking maybe second or third round TKO.’

UFC 313 live stream

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

UFC 313 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.

UFC 313 location

Alex Pereira defends his light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev. The event will be held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev: Tale of the tape

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Ahead of the unofficial (next Monday) and official (next Wednesday) start of NFL free agency, a massively seismic deal occurred Friday …

Sorry, let me try to responsibly tamp down the hype juuust a touch here given what you might have been exposed to on social media or 24-hour sports networks as your weekend started. The league was not, in fact, shaken to its foundations Friday night. But a 34-year-old, two-time Pro Bowl quarterback who’s never won a playoff game was traded, the Seattle Seahawks agreeing to send Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round draft pick, No. 92 overall, according to multiple reports.

Does the move change the outlook of free agency and the draft? Probably … somewhat?

Does it appreciably change the trajectory of two franchises that missed the playoffs in 2024? Sure … to some degree – but it was obvious that the Raiders and Seahawks were already in the midst of course corrections prior to this move, which cannot become official before 4 p.m. ET Wednesday, the start of the NFL’s new league year.

And while you won’t see Seattle vs. Las Vegas in Super Bowl 60 – I’m pretty comfortable betting the mortgage on that – it’s fair to label a few winners and losers in the aftermath of this pending transaction, and they are as follows:

WINNERS

Mike Macdonald

The 37-year-old was the league’s youngest head coach in 2024, and led the Seahawks to a fairly surprising 10-7 record that fell a tiebreaker short of the playoffs. But Macdonald honed his coaching chops with the Universities of Georgia and Michigan when he wasn’t racking up nine years assisting on defense in various capacities for the Baltimore Ravens – which is to say, if you saw the 2024 ‘Hawks, you probably knew this wasn’t the type of football Macdonald wanted to play. Expect Seattle to quickly begin reverting to its Super Bowl DNA of yesteryear, which means a relentless, game-changing D coupled with a ball-control offense.

Since replacing Russell Wilson as Seattle’s QB1 in 2022, Smith has spent most of his time chucking the ball, averaging about 550 throws and more than 4,000 passing yards per season. (By comparison, Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson has averaged just a touch more than 400 passes per season since he became the Ravens’ full-time starter in 2019. Last season was the first time he eclipsed 4,000 yards through the air.) None of that is a knock on Smith. But given how heavily skewed Seattle’s passing ratio has been with him at the helm, the team’s inability to block or run the ball effectively and the firing of offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb after one season, it was fairly apparent changes were coming – and that was prior to the recent release of longtime WR Tyler Lockett and fellow WR DK Metcalf’s request to be traded.

Whether or not Macdonald and longtime GM John Schneider were truly on the same page in 2024, it appears they’re quickly getting aligned now.

Geno Smith

He heads to Sin City and a reunion with coach Pete Carroll, for whom he played five of his six seasons in Seattle, which is also where the former second-round pick of the New York Jets belatedly saw his career take off. Smith is probably no more than a bridge to somewhere undetermined in Las Vegas, but that’s also what he always appeared to be for the Seahawks, too, after his recent contract negotiations with them fell apart. At least he’ll know exactly what’s expected of him after getting reacquainted with Carroll and will likely enjoy a QB1 gig for at least one more season – and might even play himself into yet another extension with the Raiders, if not an opportunity elsewhere.

Ashton Jeanty

Is the star running back from Boise State quietly rising up the draft board? After rushing for 2,601 yards in 2024 – 7.0 per carry! – he might be the best player available this year on merit, the position he plays probably his biggest devaluating factor. But with the Chicago Bears already rebuilding their offensive line via the trade market, the Jets hiring a coach (Aaron Glenn) who saw first-hand the benefit of drafting an explosive runner (Jahmyr Gibbs) in Detroit, and the Raiders now in a better position to support a bellcow back without having to lean on him inordinately, it’s starting to seem incrementally likely that Jeanty might land in the top 10 next month.

Brock Bowers

Pretty safe to say his debut season with the Raiders qualified as the greatest rookie campaign by a tight end in league history. A first-team All-Pro after catching 112 passes for 1,194 yards – he wasn’t the Offensive Rookie of the Year because Washington’s Jayden Daniels had the greatest rookie year ever by a quarterback – Bowers could be even more dangerous in 2025 with a bona fide NFL passer like Smith feeding him.

Sam Darnold

Unless this is only the first of many subsequent (and more substantial) moves, the Smith trade is almost certainly not one that’s going to put the Seahawks in position to draft Cam Ward of Miami (Fla.) or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. But, all due respect to former Washington Commanders QB Sam Howell (Smith’s backup in 2024), it does appear there’s an opening here – most likely for a free agent … and I’d venture Wilson isn’t returning and Aaron Rodgers isn’t coming.

If we start to connect some dots, it seems some blinking signs point to the potential arrival of recently minted Pro Bowler Sam Darnold, who – coincidentally? – worked with new Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak in 2023, when Kubiak was the San Francisco 49ers’ passing game coordinator and Darnold was Brock Purdy’s understudy in what was something of a career rehab year. If Darnold heads to the Pacific Northwest rather than serve as what would more than likely be a stopgap for the Minnesota Vikings until their 2024 first-rounder, J.J. McCarthy, is ready to take over, he would land in a familiar scheme and – presumably – not be asked to shoulder a disproportionate amount of the burden for a team that has two studs at running back in Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. And Darnold showed last season, in Week 16, that he’s comfortable playing in rowdy Lumen Field, his fourth-quarter TD pass to Justin Jefferson capping a Vikings comeback that ultimately doomed Seattle’s season.

TOP 25* FREE AGENTS: Best unsigned NFL veterans who could be on the move

Darnold and the Seahawks seem very likely a match made in caffeinated heaven if the 27-year-old gets one more shot to be a franchise quarterback … but for a franchise that won’t have to pay top dollar for him and can distribute its cap and draft resources more broadly to import other players Macdonald covets and can better fill a supporting cast Darnold never enjoyed in the NFL prior to 2024. Still, with Smith gone and Metcalf possibly set to follow, Darnold could get a very enticing financial offer to move back to the West Coast.

LOSERS

Jaxon Smith-Njigba

The 23-year-old wideout had a Pro Bowl coming-out party of his own in 2024, catching 100 passes for 1,130 yards in his second NFL season while establishing himself as Seattle’s new No. 1 receiver. With Lockett and, apparently, Metcalf leaving the Emerald City, no reason to expect JSN’s role will be changing. But what’s likely to change is the number of double teams and/or No. 1 corners he’s more probable to see – plus the possibility he won’t enjoy 137 targets again given the likelihood Walker and Charbonnet will be touching the ball a lot more in 2025, regardless of who the quarterback is.

Shedeur Sanders

Just because Smith, who is entering a contact year, is being re-routed to Las Vegas doesn’t necessarily mean Sanders would be out of consideration for the Silver and Black, who currently hold the draft’s sixth overall pick. But the Raiders’ desperation to upgrade behind center has certainly been reduced, and new GM John Spytek won’t have to reach, either, given all the other areas of the roster he needs to address. As for Sanders, it’s quite possible he’s a top-five pick in the draft, whether organically or if a team comes up to get him. Yet it also seems increasingly likely – especially as teams like the Raiders find alternatives – that he could find himself sliding on draft day.

AFC West

Tom Brady

The theory that his presence in his new station as minority owner of the Raiders would be a boon for recruiting coaches and players, welp … But, hey, Smith is a fine player and Carroll is a Hall of Fame coach. Yet the likelihood that either will still be here in, say, 2027? We’ll just have to see where this all goes as TB12 continues to juggle priorities in his frenetic post-playing career.

Russell Wilson

The greatest quarterback in Seahawks history … will undoubtedly merely remain part of that history. And any notion that he and Carroll might get back together after their 2022 breakup is now dead – Las Vegas preferring to surrender a Day 2 draft pick for Smith rather than simply signing Wilson from the free agency market, where his prospects already appear to be quickly diminishing.

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March Madness has arrived in the Big East.

In a back-and-forth meeting between top-25 teams, No. 6 St. John’s and No. 20 Marquette appeared to be heading towards a second overtime period. Then, St. John’s Simeon Wilcher entered the chat.

Shortly after the Red Storm missed what would have been a buzzer-beater to end the game, he caused Golden Eagles guard Chase Ross to turn the ball over and tossed it to Zuby Ejiofor, who hit a jumper inside the paint as time expired to give Rick Pitino’s Red Storm an 86-84 road win at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

With Ejiofor’s heroics on Saturday, St. John’s extended its win streak to six. The Red Storm have now won 16 of their last 17 games since New Year’s Day. Ejiofor’s shot also kept the Red Storm in the conversation for a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which the team can further solidify in the men’s Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden.

But Ejiofor’s shot at the buzzer wasn’t the only big shot St. John’s made on the afternoon to win its ninth road game of the year. After Marquette guard Stevie Mitchell missed the tail end of two free throws with 21 seconds left in regulation, Kadary Richmond found RJ Luis inside the paint for a game-tying layup.

Luis Jr., the top candidate for Big East Player of the Year, led St. John’s in scoring with 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting, adding 11 rebounds. Richmond had a quiet triple-double on the afternoon, finishing with 12 rebounds, 11 assists and 10 points.

Kam Jones led Marquette with 32 points on 14-of-30 shooting with nine rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block. St. John’s will now travel back to New York to prepare for its Big East tournament lid lifter on Thursday, March 13 at Madison Square Garden at noon ET against either Providence or Butler.