Islam Makhachev will make his first welterweight title defence against Ireland’s Ian Machado Garry at UFC 330 in Philadelphia on 30 August.

The 34-year-old Russian claimed two-division champion status last November by dethroning Jack Della Maddalena.

He previously dominated the lightweight division, setting a record of four successful title defences before moving up a weight class.

Garry earns first title opportunity

Machado Garry heads into the bout riding a two-fight winning streak.

The Dublin-born contender secured back-to-back victories over highly rated prospect Carlos Prates and former champion Belal Muhammad to cement his contender status.

His only career defeat came against the injury-plagued Shavkat Rakhmonov in December 2024.

Makhachev had previously dismissed the Irishman as a challenger, suggesting other surging contenders might offer a more intriguing stylistic matchup.

However, UFC executives have now finalised the high-stakes clash for the August pay-per-view.

Dern to defend strawweight crown

In the co-main event, Mackenzie Dern makes her maiden defence of the women’s strawweight championship.

The grappling specialist captured vacant UFC gold last October with a hard-fought decision victory over Virna Jandiroba.

She will face Gillian Robertson, who arrives on an impressive five-fight winning run.

The Canadian challenger most recently dispatched Amanda Lemos in March to earn her shot at the 115lb title.

Former Olympic medallist Jenny Simpson is receiving hospital treatment following a serious medical incident where she collapsed at a running event in North Carolina on Tuesday.

The 39-year-old was acting as a pacemaker for a mile group at a Sir Walter Miler pop-up meet in Raleigh when the frightening episode occurred.

Reports indicate the American required immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the track before being transferred to a local medical facility.

Trackside emergency response

Event organisers swiftly confirmed the situation via a formal statement released on social media.

“Jenny is receiving excellent medical care, and our thoughts are with her and her family during this time.”

The Sir Walter Miler team expressed immense gratitude to those who provided rapid assistance on the ground.

“We are incredibly grateful to the individuals who responded immediately, as well as EMS and the medical professionals who handled the situation with such care, urgency, and professionalism.”

Organisers also thanked the wider athletics community for an outpouring of concern and support following the news.

“We ask that you continue to keep Jenny and her family in your prayers as we all hope for the very best.”

A decorated athletics legacy

The highly decorated middle-distance runner only recently retired from competitive athletics at the conclusion of the 2024 season.

She famously claimed 1500m gold at the 2011 World Championships, establishing herself as a dominant force on the global stage.

The renowned competitor later secured a brilliant bronze medal in the same discipline at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Further cementing her sporting legacy, the former world champion also collected silver medals over 1500m at both the 2013 and 2017 World Championships.

Leinster captain Caelan Doris has been declared fit to start Friday’s United Rugby Championship final against the Bulls at Croke Park as Tadhg Furlong returns to the starting XV.

The Ireland skipper emerged as a significant doubt after sustaining a knee injury during the semi-final victory over the Stormers.

However, the influential back-rower has recovered in time to lead a team featuring three alterations for the highly anticipated Dublin decider.

Tadhg Furlong is named at tight-head prop, marking the three-time British and Irish Lion’s first start since April.

Lowe prepares for Leinster farewell

Connacht-bound Jerry Cahir steps in for the injured Andrew Porter at loose-head prop to complete a formidable front row.

A fit-again Tommy O’Brien is restored to the right wing, joining James Lowe who starts on the opposite flank in his final appearance before departing the province.

Hugo Keenan anchors the backline at full-back, while Rieko Ioane and Jamie Osborne maintain their midfield partnership.

Jamison Gibson-Park and Sam Prendergast are retained as the half-back pairing tasked with dictating the tempo against the South African visitors.

Quest for back-to-back titles

Hooker Dan Sheehan has recovered sufficiently to take a place on the bench after missing the previous fixture, leaving Ronan Kelleher to wear the number two jersey.

Joe McCarthy and James Ryan form an unchanged second row, with Max Deegan and Josh van der Flier joining their captain in the back row.

Leo Cullen’s side are determined to retain their URC crown following a disappointing Champions Cup final defeat by Bordeaux in Bilbao last month.

The Irish heavyweights will draw confidence from recent history, having comprehensively defeated the Pretoria-based outfit 32-7 in last season’s corresponding final.

Starting line-ups

Leinster:

Replacements:

Bulls:

Replacements:

Selwyn Cobbo scored a second-half hat-trick as Queensland produced a stunning 44-24 comeback victory against New South Wales in Melbourne to level the State of Origin series.

The Dolphins winger enjoyed a career-defining performance as the Maroons ran in 36 points after the interval.

This emphatic win banishes the bitter memories of their narrow defeat in Sydney just two weeks ago.

Sam Walker delivered an absolute masterclass from the tee in only his second Origin appearance.

The Sydney Roosters half-back finished with a flawless kicking record, converting all seven tries alongside an early penalty.

Maroons bounce back to force Brisbane decider

Victory sets up a mouth-watering series finale in Brisbane scheduled for 8 July.

The team desperately needed a positive response after squandering a 20-6 advantage in the opening fixture following Kalyn Ponga’s dismissal.

It was really special to bounce back from such a tough loss in game one. I can’t wait to get out there in Brisbane.

Sam Walker

The Queenslanders were forced to show tremendous resilience following a shaky opening period where they fell 12-2 behind.

Their task was made even harder when captain Cameron Munster was temporarily withdrawn for a head injury assessment.

Blues fade despite Nawaqanitawase debut double

New South Wales dominated the first quarter and crossed the whitewash four times throughout the contest.

Dual-code international Mark Nawaqanitawase impressed immediately, scoring twice on his highly anticipated Origin debut.

The Blues initially capitalised on a Thomas Flegler knock-on, allowing Kotoni Staggs to power over for the opening try.

The visiting side then extended their advantage when Nathan Cleary expertly set up the debuting winger in the corner.

Second-half blitz seals Queensland victory

The momentum drastically shifted just before the break following a sweeping passing move finished by Trent Loiero.

The forward was subsequently the victim of a brutal high tackle from Victor Radley, who controversially escaped with only a penalty.

Radley made history by stepping onto the field, becoming the first England international to feature in rugby league’s fiercest rivalry under new eligibility rules.

With their influential skipper back orchestrating the attack, the Maroons completely overwhelmed their rivals after the restart.

An inch-perfect kick from the returning playmaker gifted the lightning-fast Cobbo his first try of the evening.

The dynamic finisher quickly grabbed his second before Jojo Fifita crossed the line to cap off a remarkable offensive display.

Anthony Joshua has invited Tyson Fury to step into the ring for a face-off in Saudi Arabia on 25 July following his upcoming bout against Kristian Prenga.

The two British heavyweights have finally signed contracts for a long-awaited super-fight, although an official date and venue are yet to be announced.

Promoter Eddie Hearn previously suggested the historic clash would take place in the UK, but Las Vegas has now emerged as a frontrunner to host the blockbuster event.

Turning the tables on Fury

The Gypsy King previously called for his domestic rival to join him inside the ropes following his April victory over Arslanbek Makhmudov.

Joshua declined that initial invitation, insisting he would only engage in such promotional face-offs once a contract was officially agreed.

Now that agreements are signed and sealed, the former unified world champion is ready to confront his undefeated rival.

“Come to Saudi July 25 and I’ll welcome you into the ring,” Joshua told Matchroom.
“If you’re serious, come out and we can get talking then.”

Focusing on the Prenga test

Before the decade-in-the-making clash can materialise, the Watford fighter must first navigate his upcoming summer return against Prenga.

This will mark his first competitive appearance since being involved in a fatal car collision last December.

“They’ve dangled the carrot in front of me saying if I beat Prenga I can fight Tyson Fury, so I’m fully locked in on getting the job done,” Joshua added.

The 34-year-old views his upcoming schedule as a clear roadmap back toward the top of the global heavyweight division.

“Give me the opportunity to fight Prenga, give me the opportunity to fight Fury, give me the opportunity to fight for the championship.”

Belgium’s Wout van Aert will miss next month’s Tour de France after sustaining an infected elbow injury during a training crash.

The 31-year-old is a crucial support rider for Visma alongside four-time Grand Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard.

He suffered the initial wound after falling in training prior to last week’s Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes stage race in France.

Hospital treatment and slow recovery

According to a statement from his team, the laceration developed an infection that failed to heal within the expected timeframe.

The Belgian was subsequently admitted to hospital to have the wound cleaned and spent one night under medical observation.

“The Tour de France is one of my main goals every year,” said the Visma rider.

“Unfortunately, a crash during training has put a spanner in the works and the injury to my elbow has worsened and has still not healed sufficiently.”

Crucial blow for Visma’s ambitions

The former Paris-Roubaix victor had been enjoying excellent form this season.

He recently defeated Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar in April’s prestigious cobbled classic.

Often regarded as the nearly man in a golden era of exceptional cycling talents, his absence will significantly impact his squad’s tactical plans.

Visma will announce a replacement rider on 23 June.

This year’s Tour de France is set to begin in Barcelona on 4 July.

World number one Scottie Scheffler insists that completing the career Grand Slam is not a motivating factor ahead of this week’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills.

The 29-year-old enters the tournament as the overwhelming favourite to secure his fifth major title.

Victory in New York would see the four-time major champion complete a historic career sweep on his 30th birthday.

He claimed both the PGA Championship and The Open last season to set up this landmark opportunity.

Focusing on execution over history

Despite the mounting anticipation, the American remains determined to avoid placing unnecessary expectations on his performance.

“Would it be a dream to win the US Open? Of course, but at the end of the day, the Grand Slam has never been a motivating factor for me,” Scheffler said.
“I always just wanted to be the best version of myself and that got me this far.”

The current ranking leader has enjoyed a stellar campaign, recording top-three finishes in six of his 12 worldwide starts.

Managing external expectations

His recent form includes a runner-up finish to Rory McIlroy at The Masters, adding to a remarkable streak of top-10 finishes in 11 of his last 14 major appearances.

“If I finish second this week, it’s almost like ‘hey, you failed in your first chance to win the career Grand Slam’. Is finishing second a failure?” he explained.
“Yeah, it can feel that way, but sometimes when you look at a wider view of the sport and where your game’s at, second is not always that bad – but man, does it frickin’ hurt at the same time.”

The reigning Open champion acknowledged the impossible task of satisfying public demands as a professional athlete.

“A little bit of the fallacy in our sport is like, if I win the US Open then I’m going to be satisfied… but I think the goal posts are always just moving.”

Joe Root will captain a heavily altered England side featuring five changes against New Zealand in Wednesday’s second Test at The Oval as uncertainty surrounding regular skipper Ben Stokes continues.

A victory in south London would secure a first series win in 18 months for the hosts.

However, the build-up to the decisive clash has been dominated by off-field drama and sweeping squad alterations.

Leadership uncertainty lingers

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has firmly denied asking the regular captain to resign amid intense media speculation.

Head coach Brendon McCullum previously expressed worry over the situation, striking a sombre tone regarding his leadership counterpart.

Despite the mounting pressure, positive updates have emerged from the domestic circuit regarding his current mindset.

He is in good spirits.

Ryan Campbell, Durham coach

Sweeping changes for crucial clash

Regardless of the ongoing disciplinary fallout, the absence of the talismanic leader has forced significant structural changes to the playing XI.

Without their premier all-rounder to balance the side, the hosts have had to significantly reshape both their batting and bowling departments.

Debutant Jordan Cox has been drafted in to bolster the middle order, while seamer Sonny Baker also prepares for his maiden international cap.

Promising spinner Shoaib Bashir has been jettisoned to accommodate the extra pace option.

The reshuffle is further compounded by Gus Atkinson’s disciplinary unavailability, an injury to Ollie Robinson, and Jamie Smith’s absence on paternity leave.

Root steps up to historic milestone

The sheer volume of turnover marks the first time the national side has made a quintet of changes between home Tests since 1999.

Ironically, that previous instance also occurred against the Black Caps at this very venue and ended in a bitter defeat.

Now, the responsibility of navigating this chaotic period falls to the most experienced player in the squad.

Leading his country for a record-extending 65th time, the stand-in skipper must integrate three debutants into a cohesive unit.