CORALVILLE, Iowa — Yu Sakamoto beat Riley Rayome of North Central (IL) 4-3 to win the 117-pound crown and clinch the team title for McKendree on Saturday night at the inaugural NCAA women’s wrestling championships.

After a wild scramble in the final seconds, a challenge by North Central and a review, Sakamoto’s win gave McKendree a 167-166 lead over Iowa — which finished with three individual champions and a runner-up but had no remaining competitors with two matches remaining. The Bearcats finished with 171 points and third-place North Central had 123.5.

Grand Valley State’s Katerina Lange, the No. 1 seed, beat second-seeded Claire DiCugno of North Central 4-1 to claim the 138-pound title and become the first women’s wrestling national champion.

North Central’s Bella Mir won at 145 pounds, beating No. 1 seed and former teammate Reese Larramendy of Iowa in the first round to avenge her only regular-season loss. The second-seeded Mir — an Iowa transfer and the daughter of former UFC heavyweight champion, Frank Mir — reversed a takedown attempt, immediately rolled and pinned Larramendy with 34 seconds left.

Iowa’s Valarie Solorio, the No. 2 seed, beat fourth-seeded Rayana Sahagun of Grand Valley State by technical fall in the second round to win the 103-pound title. Sahagun beat No. 1 seed Heather Crull on criteria (7-7) in the semifinals.

Lehigh’s Audrey Jimenez pinned Sage Mortimer of Grand Valley State just 1:19 into the first round to claim the crown at 110 pounds.

Quincy’s Xochitl Mota-Pettis won at 124 pounds, beating Shelby Moore of McKendree by technical fall (10-0) in the second round.

Cameron Guerin of McKendree beat Alexis Janlak of Aurora on criteria (5-5) to win the championship at 131 pounds in the final match of the night.

Iowa’s Kennedy Blades, the No. 1 seed, pinned third-seeded Tiffani Baublitz of East Stroudsburg in 1:19 to claim the 160-pound crown.

Iowa’s Kylie Welker outscored Destiny Rodriguez of McKendree 11-0 in the first round to win the 180-pound title by technical fall.

McKendree’s Tristan Kelly beat Sabrina Nauss of Grand Valley State by technical fall (11-0) in the second round to secure the national championship at 207 pounds.

WASHINGTON: An Ultimate Fighting Championship event to be staged on the White House’s South Lawn in June will be headlined by Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje, the UFC announced Saturday.

The lightweight championship clash will top a bill of six fights set to take place on the US Flag Day holiday and the 80th birthday of President Donald Trump, who is an avowed UFC fan.

The June 14 event has been dubbed “UFC Freedom 250,” in reference to the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations this summer.

Topuria is one of the UFC’s top-rated fighters and a double-weight champion who has won all 17 of his fights.

A former featherweight champion, he earned the lightweight belt last year by knocking out Brazil’s Charles Oliveira before temporarily stepping away from the sport for personal reasons.

Born in Germany to Georgian refugee parents, Topuria moved to Spain as a teenager, and has both Georgian and Spanish citizenship.

In Topuria’s UFC absence, Arizona native Gaethje won an interim lightweight title, but will now have a chance to capture the undisputed championship.

The 37-year-old American has a 27-5 record in UFC.

Trump has said a stadium for more than 100,000 people would be constructed in front of the White House for the fight, although organisers have since said the event is expected to host some 3,000 to 4,000 people at the heart of Washington DC.

Large screens to view the event are expected to be raised in other places near the White House for larger crowds to watch the show.

The event was originally announced for July 4, which is Independence Day in the US, before being moved to Trump’s birthday.

The Republican president has also unveiled plans for an IndyCar race on the streets of Washington to mark the 250th anniversary of the country’s independence.

UFC is the largest and most successful organisation in the burgeoning world of MMA, a blend of martial arts disciplines like jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, boxing and wrestling.

Bouts take place in an eight-sided ring — dubbed “The Octagon” — bounded by a chainlink fence.

With few exceptions — such as eye-gouging — male and female fighters are allowed to employ almost any technique to attack their opponent.

The sport’s popularity with young men — a key demographic in the 2024 US election — and Trump’s long association with the UFC have made the president a regular fixture at some of its more high-profile events, where he is greeted like a rock star.

Its brutal nature and high injury rate mean the sport is controversial, with doctors decrying the potential for brain damage amongst fighters who are repeatedly hit in the head, though it has gained increasing mainstream acceptance in recent years.

Former Chicago Blackhawks standout Troy Murray, who transitioned to the broadcast booth after his playing career, has died, the team announced Saturday. He was 63.

The Blackhawks said he died earlier in the day.

It’s unclear where Murray spent his final moments. Murray publicly disclosed his cancer diagnosis in August 2021. While he revealed he had been undergoing chemotherapy, details about the type of cancer he was fighting were kept private.

Murray, affectionately known as “Muzz,” continued to appear on Blackhawks broadcasts during his cancer battle, though his appearances eventually tapered off. He stepped away from the booth entirely ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season.

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For more than a decade, Murray starred at center for the Blackhawks. CEO Danny Wirtz said the loss of one of the franchise’s most respected leaders left the team “deeply heartbroken.”

“Troy was the epitome of a Blackhawk so far beyond his incredible playing career, with his presence felt in every corner of our organization over the last 45 years,” Wirtz said.

“During his long and hard battle with cancer, it was often said that Troy didn’t have any ‘give up’ in him,” Wirtz added. “While our front office won’t be the same without him, we will carry that spirit forward every day in his honor. We’ll miss you, Troy.”

Troy Murray, a former player for the Chicago Blackhawks, is honored during the “One More Shift” campaign prior to a game against the Ottawa Senators at the United Center Feb. 21, 2018, in Chicago.  (Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images)

After 12 seasons with the Blackhawks, Murray finished his NHL career with the Colorado Avalanche, winning the 1996 Stanley Cup.

After spending the following season with the International Hockey League Chicago Wolves, Murray stayed in the city to begin his broadcasting career in 1998. Murray was also named the president of the Blackhawks alumni association.

“Troy Murray is remembered for not only his contributions on the ice, but for his professionalism and humility and dedication to the city of Chicago,” the team said in a release. “He leaves behind a lasting legacy within the Blackhawks family and the broader hockey world.”

Chicago Blackhawks radio announcers John Wiedeman and Troy Murray wear lavender ties in honor of Hockey Fights Cancer night during a game against the Vancouver Canucks Oct. 20, 2010, at the United Center in Chicago.   (Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images)

From Calgary, Alberta, Murray topped 20 goals five times, but he also became known for his defensive play. In 1986, he became the Blackhawks’ first player to win the NHL’s Frank J. Selke Trophy, the award for the league’s top defensive forward.

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Murray finished with 197 goals in 688 games over two stints with the Blackhawks and also played for the Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators and Pittsburgh Penguins. Overall, he had 230 goals in 915 career games.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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