Olympic wrestling gold medallist Gable Steveson has signed a contract with the UFC and will make his promotional debut in Las Vegas this July.
The 25-year-old was officially unveiled to fans during the broadcast of UFC 327 in Miami.
He was seated in the crowd alongside Jon Jones as his arrival in the world’s premier mixed martial arts organisation was confirmed.
Steveson is scheduled to make his first octagon appearance on 11 July at UFC 329 during International Fight Week.
An opponent for the highly anticipated heavyweight bout has yet to be announced.
Rapid rise in mixed martial arts
The American athlete transitioned to cage fighting after departing professional wrestling organisation WWE last May.
He boasts a flawless professional record of three victories, with all of those wins coming via first-round knockout.
His most recent MMA outing featured a devastating left hook that stopped Kevin Hein in just 24 seconds last November.
The Tokyo 2021 gold medallist also secured a 15-second knockout in a Dirty Boxing bout against Billy Swanson.
Following that dominant performance, he directly addressed UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard from the ring.
“Mick, you’ve seen a little bit, I would love to show you a lot more. Hopefully you believe in me and I appreciate you.”
Heavyweight division landscape
Steveson’s arrival adds considerable pedigree to a division currently experiencing significant shifts.
Prior to his full-time commitment to combat sports, the heavyweight briefly spent three months with the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.
He now enters a weight class where reigning champion Tom Aspinall is recovering from a severe eye injury.
In the British fighter’s absence, Alex Pereira and Ciryl Gane are scheduled to contest an interim title later this summer.
Former UFC contender and fellow Olympic wrestler Ben Askren has already backed the new signing to make an immediate impact.
“Gable can be champ in 18 months.”
Australian 18-year-old Gout Gout has recorded a world-leading 200m time of 19.67 seconds at the national championships in Sydney, surpassing the mark set by sprinting legend Usain Bolt at the same age.
The superb performance on Sunday marked the first time the teenager has legally broken the 20-second barrier.
He previously clocked a wind-assisted 19.84 last season before setting this year’s fastest global time.
This latest milestone eclipses the 19.93 seconds achieved by the eight-time Jamaican Olympic champion back in 2004.
A rising track and field star
The Queensland-born athlete, whose parents hail from South Sudan, first burst onto the international scene in 2024.
He already held a national record of 20.06 seconds, which stands as the quickest-ever time recorded by a 16-year-old globally.
Aidan Murphy also broke the 20-second mark during the highly competitive race in Sydney, finishing second with an impressive 19.88.
Reflecting on a historic sprint
“This is what I’ve been waiting for.”
The young sprinter spoke with immense relief and excitement following his historic victory on home soil.
“We have such incredible athletes in Australia and me being able to race these athletes, we push each other to the limits. Two Australians sub-20. I mean, this is amazing.”
“There’s a big weight off my shoulders knowing I ran it legally, and I have the speed and my body to run times like that. So, it definitely feels great, and ready for more.”
Skipping the Commonwealth Games
Despite his rapid rise, the teenage sensation plans to bypass the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this July.
He has instead chosen to focus his efforts entirely on the World Under-20 Championships, scheduled for early August in Oregon.
Defending champion Rory McIlroy saw his six-shot lead evaporate during the third round of The Masters, leaving him tied with Cameron Young heading into Sunday’s thrilling finale at Augusta National.
The Northern Irishman held a record advantage at the 36-hole stage but struggled for consistency off the tee on Saturday.
A soft bogey on the opening hole set the tone for a difficult afternoon where he scrambled to finish the day at 11 under par.
Young and chasing pack close the gap
American Cameron Young surged through the field to join the defending champion at the top of the leaderboard.
Three-time Green Jacket winner Sir Nick Faldo believes the tournament is now wide open, identifying seven genuine contenders for the title.
“There are seven guys who genuinely have a chance to win tomorrow,” Faldo said.
Former champion Patrick Reed piled on early pressure with three consecutive birdies to start his round, while a host of elite names linger within striking distance.
Scheffler, Rose and Lowry in contention
World number one Scottie Scheffler remains a serious threat, possessing the pedigree to mount a dramatic final-day charge.
England’s Justin Rose is also firmly in the mix, motivated by a third runners-up finish at the major last year.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry and Australian Jason Day complete the primary group of challengers hoping to capitalise on any further slips from the leaders.
‘I didn’t quite have it’
Despite the frustrating third round, the four-time major winner remains optimistic about retaining his crown.
“I knew today wasn’t going to be easy,” McIlroy said.
“The quality of the chasing pack was very obvious, and a lot of the guys went out and played superb golf.
“I didn’t quite have it today. Even from the first hole, making that sort of soft bogey, I was doing my best to hang on.”
The 36-year-old acknowledged he must improve his tee-to-green game to secure back-to-back victories at Augusta.
“I would have wanted to be in a better position going into tomorrow starting with a six-shot lead, but I still have a great chance,” he added.
“If I’m going to win tomorrow, I’m going to have to be a little bit better than I was today.”
Shane Lowry has sent the patrons at Augusta National wild by hitting a spectacular hole-in-one on the par-three sixth hole during the Masters.
The 2019 Open champion produced a moment of magic at the iconic Georgia venue.
Striking a crisp iron shot down the significant elevation change, the Irishman watched his ball track perfectly toward the pin.
It landed softly on the putting surface before trickling directly into the cup, sparking thunderous roars through the pine trees.
A magical moment for the Irishman
Achieving an ace at the first major championship of the year is a rare feat that guarantees a place in tournament folklore.
The 37-year-old immediately raised his arms in celebration as the deafening crowd reaction confirmed the perfect shot.
This spectacular effort provides a massive momentum boost for the seasoned European star.
Conquering a legendary par-three
The sixth hole is notorious for its tricky pin placements and a severely undulating green.
Navigating this section of the course safely is often a primary objective for the world’s elite golfers.
Instead, the former major winner bypassed the putter entirely to safely etch his name into the iconic Augusta highlights reel.
Anthony Joshua will return to the boxing ring this July to face Deontay Wilder before pursuing a highly anticipated all-British showdown with Tyson Fury, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.
The former unified world heavyweight champion has not competed since securing a knockout victory over Jake Paul in December.
His planned comeback was significantly delayed following a tragic car accident in Nigeria earlier this year that claimed the lives of two close friends.
Wilder issues aggressive post-fight challenge
The 34-year-old made his first major public appearance since the fatal incident last weekend at London’s O2 Arena.
The Olympic gold medallist was ringside to support Derek Chisora, who suffered a narrow split-decision defeat to Wilder.
Following the gruelling bout, the victorious American immediately confronted his long-time heavyweight rival.
“Now let’s get it on.”
Deontay Wilder
The ‘Bronze Bomber’ subsequently accused his British counterpart of being scared while aggressively pushing for the blockbuster clash.
Hearn confirms active negotiations
Matchroom Boxing chairman Eddie Hearn has now confirmed that discussions for the heavyweight spectacle are nearing completion alongside Saudi Arabian officials.
“We had the fight virtually agreed before the terrible accident and we have had to obviously jig timings around, but the same conversations are being closed off.”
Eddie Hearn
The veteran promoter outlined a clear two-fight roadmap for his athlete, prioritising the American knockout artist before turning attention to the ‘Gypsy King’.
“We plan to fight in July, then we want to fight Tyson Fury.”
Eddie Hearn
Scouting a domestic rival
Fury recently emerged from retirement and is scheduled to face Russian contender Arslanbek Makhmudov in London on 11 April.
Demonstrating a renewed focus, the two-time world champion is expected to be ringside for that April fixture to heavily scout his prospective domestic opponent.
Hearn noted that this proactive approach is highly unusual for the typically reserved fighter, indicating a significant shift in his sporting mindset.
“Right now, I have never seen ‘AJ’ so fired up for fights. He is actively chasing these fights.”
Eddie Hearn
Wales will target a desperately needed Women’s Six Nations victory when they host Scotland at Principality Stadium on Saturday following a dismal previous campaign.
Head coach Sean Lynn is under mounting pressure to deliver positive results in his second year in charge.
The Welsh Rugby Union significantly increased investment when the side turned professional in 2022.
Despite initial success, including consecutive third-place tournament finishes, the national team has since suffered a severe decline in form.
Overhauled coaching staff
The former Premiership Women’s Rugby title-winning coach endured a punishing debut season at the helm.
His squad suffered defeats in all five championship matches last year before losing three consecutive World Cup pool fixtures.
The backroom staff has now been drastically reshaped to halt this alarming slide.
Ashley Beck and Steve Salvin have replaced Shaun Connor and Mike Hill to oversee the attack and forwards respectively.
New faces and renewed optimism
Former Scottish set-up member Tyrone Holmes has also crossed the divide to become the first full-time Welsh defence coach.
The playing roster itself features significant changes, with nine potential debutants named in the latest squad.
“It’s a high performance sport,” said Lynn.
“I learned a lot about myself last year. I learned a lot about the group and I learned a lot about the programme.”
“Those small changes that I’ve made within the programme itself, the Celtic Challenge, what we’re looking at coming into camp, I’m hoping we will start to see the big difference in that.”
Taking inspiration from the men’s squad
The women’s setup is looking to mirror the recent resurgence of their male counterparts.
Men’s head coach Steve Tandy recently guided his squad to a drought-breaking final-round victory over Italy.
This cross-department collaboration has provided a vital boost to morale in Cardiff.
“I’ve worked really closely with Steve Tandy, I’ve been into his camp, it’s an open environment,” added the head coach.
“That’s what we’re about, supporting each other as a nation.”
Captain Kate Williams believes her side must forge their own path to success this weekend.
“We can be inspired by them, but we’re not limited to what they’re doing as well,” Williams explained.
“We’re looking internally about what we can do and finding confidence in ourselves.”
New Zealand’s Carlos Ulberg will face former champion Jiri Prochazka for the vacant light-heavyweight title at UFC 327 in Miami on Saturday.
The 35-year-old enters the Octagon at the Kaseya Centre riding a formidable nine-fight win streak.
This championship opportunity arises after Brazilian star Alex Pereira vacated the 205lb belt to move up to the heavyweight division.
While the bout represents the pinnacle of his sporting career, the surging contender credits a turbulent upbringing for his elite resilience.
Forged in foster care
Moving between dozens of different families from the ages of four to 13, the challenger experienced a remarkably challenging childhood.
He acknowledges that while some households provided stability, others left him facing daily physical abuse from fellow foster children.
That’s what has created me into this space that I am now and it’s a good thing. That’s what’s brought the best out of me.
I grew out of that kind of feel-sorry-for-yourself mentality and started to just push forward, and that’s what built a resilience in me.
An unconventional path to the top
The Auckland native has lived an exceptionally diverse life before focusing entirely on mixed martial arts.
Known for his explosive athleticism, the former reality television star previously played semi-professional rugby league and competed in professional boxing.
He believes experiencing such a wide spectrum of family dynamics during his youth ultimately fostered a crucial sense of empathy and open-mindedness.
I was really understanding at that age how different families would be, how loving some would be.
I guess it just made me understand people. It just made me open-minded.
The final hurdle in Miami
Standing between him and championship glory is the formidable Czech fighter Prochazka.
Ranked third in the division, the New Zealander has frequently visualised the moment the referee raises his hand in victory.
When I get that belt raised, it’s gonna feel amazing because time will flash at that moment.
When you’re visualising it you just know you’ll be thinking back to the times you had and the stresses – the physical stress, the emotional stress and everything that you’d gone through.
Chinese golfer Li Haotong overcame severe stomach illness to shoot a three-under-par 69 in the second round of the Masters, moving within two shots of the lead at Augusta National.
The 30-year-old feared he would be unable to compete on Friday after spending the morning violently unwell.
Despite arriving at the course drained of energy, he displayed remarkable resilience to complete all 18 holes.
Surviving the front nine
The returning competitor, making his first appearance at the prestigious tournament since 2019, initially intended to play only a handful of holes.
This morning when I got to the golf course I was still feeling really bad and kind of living in the toilet.
He started steadily with a birdie on the first hole before consecutive bogeys on the fourth and seventh left him one over par at the turn.
At that stage, mere survival appeared to be the primary objective for the exhausted athlete.
A stunning back-nine surge
However, his fortunes changed dramatically as he settled into the notoriously challenging back nine.
The Chinese star delivered an exceptional run of four successive birdies across the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th holes.
This spectacular flurry propelled him high up the leaderboard, securing a position just two strokes behind clubhouse leader Sam Burns.
I didn’t hit many balls on the driving range. I was feeling really, really bad. No energy, fuzzy, want to throw up something.
Defying physical expectations
The impressive second-round performance leaves him at four under par overall for the first major of the year.
He admitted that the sudden sequence of birdies served as an unexpected remedy for his acute physical discomfort.
I actually just planned to play a few holes, see how it goes. If really sick, then I probably just decide not to. I’m glad I survived today.
His sheer determination now sets up an intriguing weekend as he unexpectedly hunts for the coveted Green Jacket.