Sports
Expert picks, best bets: How Tsarukyan can reenter title contention at UFC Fight Night
Lightweight contenders Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker will square off in the main event of UFC Fight Night at ABHA Arena in Doha, Qatar, on Saturday (1 p.m. ET on ESPN+, with prelims at 10 a.m. on ESPN+).
Tsarukyan is making his first Octagon appearance of the year after an injury forced him to withdraw from a title shot at UFC 311 in January. He has won each of his past four fights. Hooker also comes into the fight with some momentum, riding a three-fight winning streak. Neither fighter is in ESPN’s divisional rankings.
In the co-main event, former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad looks to get back in title contention as he takes on rising contender Ian Machado Garry. Muhammad lost the belt to Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 315 in May. Garry picked up a unanimous decision win over fan favorite Carlos Prates in his last fight at a UFC Fight Night in April. Muhammad is ESPN’s No. 3-ranked welterweight, and Garry is No. 5.
MMA analysts and commentators provide their predictions for the main and co-main events, and ESPN betting expert Ian Parker adds insight on the value bets available on the card.
Lightweight main event
I’m not sure that Hooker can stop Tsarukyan’s takedowns. Tsarukyan will be the better grappler out there, but if Hooker can defend the takedown attempts, he will beat Tsarukyan, just like he beat Mateusz Gamrot. Gamrot beat Tsarukyan — but MMA math doesn’t work. I expect Tsarukyan to work to dominant positions on the ground better than Gamrot did and win by decision. — Anthony Smith
Tsarukyan is going to get a hold of Hooker, frustrate him and win by decision. Hooker is probably game enough not to get finished, but Tsarukyan will stay on him the entire time. Out of a 25-minute fight, I believe Hooker will get controlled on the mat for at least 18 minutes. — Din Thomas
Betting analysis
This looks good! Here’s the BET link from Sach: Odds current as of Nov. 20. For more, see ESPN BET
Parker: Tsarukyan to win inside the distance. Tsarukyan is a near 5-to-1 betting favorite. Don’t be surprised if he wins inside the distance here. While Hooker is extremely tough and durable, Tsarukyan has knockout power to go with his elite wrestling. I don’t think Hooker will be able to hang for five rounds. Look for Tsarukyan to take Hooker down and get the fight done there.
Welterweight co-main event
I’m leaning toward Machado Garry here. Della Maddalena wrote the book on how to deal with Belal. Now, if Belal can get on the inside and take Machado Garry down, he can win this fight. But some of Belal’s wins aren’t aging very well. We were all super impressed when he beat Leon Edwards and Sean Brady, but those two just lost by knockout. And he lost to Della Maddalena, who was the new guy in the division. — Anthony Smith
It’s a tough one, but I’m going with Belal because of his work ethic and determination. I think he grinds Machado Garry out by getting close to him and avoiding taking big shots. He’ll struggle to do it at times, but when he does get to the inside, he’ll control him and win a decision. I think Belal will win two of the three rounds. — Din Thomas
Betting analysis
Parker: Muhammad to win (+220). This fight will come down to whether or not Muhammad can get the fight to the ground. I expect Muhammad’s wrestling and pace to get Machado Garry down and win at least two of the three rounds. When fighting off his back, Machado Garry doesn’t offer submission threats to Muhammad. If you want to take a safer route, consider taking the fight goes the distance and putting it in your parlay.
Parker’s best bets on the rest of the card
Light heavyweight: Volkan Oezdemir vs. Alonzo Menifield
Menifield to win (+190). At almost a 2-1 underdog, I’m taking Menifield to get the upset. The fight would ideally stay on the feet and Menifield carries the heavier punches. Menifield has won his past two fights by decision which shows an evolution to his cardio and ability to win later rounds while Oezdemir has shown a decline in cardio in recent fights. If it gets past the first round, this goes in Menifield’s favor.
Men’s bantamweight: Bekzat Almakhan vs. Aleksandre Topuria
Topuria to win (-125). Almakhan is coming off a first-round KO over Brad Katona, while Topuria, the brother of lightweight champion Ilia Topuria, recently won in his UFC debut. I like Topuria here because he has more ways to win. If Almakhan doesn’t take the first round, expect Topuria to use his boxing to close the distance and wrestle his way to victory.
Sports
LPGA legend shares her feelings about US women’s Olympic wins: ‘Gets me really emotional’
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The United States came away with 33 total medals at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, and many came from the female athletes who showed out in Italy this month.Â
There were 17 medals won by the U.S. female athletes, including eight of the 12 gold medals.
As many Americans enjoyed watching the events at home, LPGA Tour legend Michelle Wie West was in Milan watching the U.S. reach the podium in several events.Â
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Michelle Wie attends Netflix’s “Happy Gilmore 2” New York Premiere at Jazz at Lincoln Center on July 21, 2025, in New York City. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
“I had the honor to be in Milan with Nike and got to see some Winter Olympic Games for the first time in person. It’s amazing to see all these competitors,” she told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. “Got to see [silver medalist] Chloe [Kim] do her halfpipe, and that was incredible.Â
“Women’s hockey, I mean, incredible. I got to go to the first game, and it was just lights out.”
From Mia Manganello in speed skating, to Alysa Liu’s captivating gold medal in figure skating, Wie West admitted the Olympics made her a bit emotional seeing the athletes achieve their dreams.
“This whole Winter Olympics season has been so — I think every Olympic season is so uplifting,” she said. “But this one in particular was so inspiring, and it feels like the female athletes really knocked it out of the park.
“I feel like every Olympics gets me really emotional. I can see athletes achieve their dreams, and it’s so cool. It was really cool to see it in person.”

Gold medalist Alysa Liu of Team United States poses for a photo during the medal ceremony for the Women’s Single Skating on day thirteen of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on Feb. 19, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Wie West also added that Lindsey Vonn’s “heartbreaking” crash, after competing through a torn ACL, was hard to see. However, “seeing her journey up until that moment and even afterwards has been so inspiring to me.”
Breanna Stewart, a three-time gold medalist with Team USA women’s basketball, shared Wie West’s sentiments about seeing American success overseas.Â
“I think there were so many events I really learned a lot about, whether it was bobsledding, or curling, or watching hockey,” she said. “Just wanting to cheer on the USA in whatever event they were doing, and see the pride and passion the athletes were having whenever they stepped up to compete with their sport.”

LPGA player Michelle Wie West plays her shot from the 14th tee during the Golden Bear Pro-Am prior to the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on May 28, 2025, in Dublin, Ohio. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
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Stewart even mentioned getting “goosebumps” thinking about what it feels like getting a medal around your neck, and better yet, seeing the flag raise with the national anthem playing.Â
“It’s really just satisfaction and justification of why you’re doing it and why you’ve gone through those hard moments and times,” she explained. “To me, the Olympics is the highest of the high. You’re playing your sport at the highest level against everyone else in the world, and you see that. It’s just a goosebump feeling no matter how many times you do it. Just the pride and knowing you’re representing something bigger than yourself always comes through full circle.”
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Sports
Washington State’s Emmanuel Ugbo suspended for rest of season
PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State forward Emmanuel Ugbo, who is currently under a court order resulting from allegations of stalking and harassment, has been suspended for the remainder of the season.
Coach David Riley told reporters this week that Ugbo, who has neither played nor practiced for the Cougars since he was suspended on Jan. 28, will sit out the rest of the way.
“As an institution,” Riley told reporters, “we believe that’s the best course of action.”
Ugbo was accused by a Washington State women’s volleyball player of stalking and harassment after she ended their relationship. Last week, a Whitman County judge granted the woman a full protection order against Ugbo.
Ugbo’s suspension began with Washington State’s home game on Jan. 31, shortly after the woman filed for a temporary protection order. Ugbo averaged 6.7 points and 3.5 rebounds in 18 minutes this season. He previously played for Boise State.
Sports
How Pakistan can qualify for T20 World Cup semi-finals after New Zealand loss? | The Express Tribune
A win over Sri Lanka would tie Pakistan with New Zealand on points, with net run rate deciding semi-final progression
England’s Phil Salt (2L) walks back after getting out as Pakistan’s players celebrate during the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup Super Eights match between England and Pakistan at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on February 24, 2026. Phot: AFP
Pakistan’s hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup remain alive following New Zealand’s defeat against England in the Super Eight stage.
England beat New Zealand by four wickets in a thrilling encounter in Colombo, denying the Kiwis a guaranteed place in the semi-finals while keeping Pakistan’s slender chances intact.
England, having already qualified for the semi-finals, sit at the top of the table with six points from three wins, whereas New Zealand are second with three points.
Pakistan, who lost their crucial Super Eight match against England, are third with one point, earned from a washed-out match against New Zealand. Co-hosts Sri Lanka, having lost both of their opening Super Eight matches, are already out of contention for the final four.
Pakistan’s semi-final fate now rests on their match against Sri Lanka, scheduled for tomorrow at Pallekele. A win would level Pakistan and New Zealand on points, leaving net run rate as the deciding factor for progression.
However, the path to qualification is far from straightforward. Pakistan will need to secure a convincing victory over the hosts or chase their target rapidly to overcome New Zealand’s net run rate advantage, following the Kiwis’ comprehensive win against Sri Lanka.
If batting first, Pakistan must defeat Sri Lanka by 64 runs or more to improve their net run rate sufficiently. Alternatively, if chasing, they must reach the target within 13.1 overs to ensure a semi-final berth.
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