Sports
Yan and Van’s wins at UFC 323 throw kinks into the MMA timeline
The final UFC pay-per-view of 2025 delivered two new champions who will enter the new year with golden hardware around their waists. Petr Yan and Joshua Van unseated Merab Dvalishvili and Alexandre Pantoja, respectively, and threw their divisions into a tizzy.
At men’s bantamweight, it’s hard to see Yan hold up a title belt and not wonder how things could have been different if the moment that he lost it by disqualification in 2021 had never happened. And at flyweight, a new hard-to-watch moment that resulted in an injury and a changing of the guard may end up affecting that weight class for quite some time.
Brett Okamoto and Jeff Wagenheim give their takeaways on how those moments have altered the timeline of the UFC.
What if Yan didn’t throw that knee?
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Petr Yan completes stunning win over Merab Dvalishvili
Petr Yan somehow pulls off the stunning upset in the main event of UFC 323 to defeat Merab Dvalishvili.
There is an alternate universe where Petr Yan did not throw an illegal knee against Aljamain Sterling and is considered an all-time great.
That illegal knee, man. I hate to go back and get stuck on it, but what a career-changing moment. Remember, Yan was genuinely considered one of the absolute best pound-for-pound fighters in the world at that time. He was 15-0. Undefeated. Perfect. He was cruising through Sterling in 2021 when he was disqualified for one of the most egregiously, unforgivable illegal knees in the sport’s history. And that single moment stuck with him for two years.
He went on to win an interim belt against Cory Sandhagen in his next bout then lost to Sterling via split decision in 2022 — in a fight I scored for Yan at the time. If we’re honest, it had to be a little hard for Yan to get up for that bout. He dominated Sterling in their first meeting. It was a “trap” kind of title fight, if there is such a thing. After that, a split decision loss to Sean O’Malley appeared to rob him of some of his competitive soul. By the time he fought Merab Dvalishvili in 2023, he was on a 1-3 run and, as he later admitted, injured. And he got run over.
None of this is to make excuses or create a false narrative, but in my opinion, Yan fell victim to a perfect storm of awful circumstances — the first of which, to be fair, he did to himself with the illegal knee. But if he never threw that knee and he’s never lost that momentum he was carrying in 2021, who is to say he wouldn’t have put together an all-time historic run? His fight against O’Malley would have been five rounds instead of three. He never would have had to face Sterling in a rematch that was probably hard to get up for. And he would have fought Dvalishvili the first time in a far different scenario.
Say I’m making things up. Fine. I stand by it. A single illegal knee changed the course of history in the bantamweight division, more than we have ever known. Because the fighter I watched on Saturday is a legit pound-for-pound talent. — Okamoto
The top of the men’s flyweight division changed in an instant
Tatsuro Taira was on a rocket ship headed to the top of the MMA world as he won the first 16 fights of his career, including six UFC victories. But then he lost a split decision to Brandon Royval in October 2024 and seemed to disappear from men’s flyweight contendership. Taira certainly made his presence felt in a big way on Saturday by knocking out Brandon Moreno, a former champion. That surely will boost the 25-year-old from Japan toward the top of the rankings.
It’s hard to say how long Taira will have to wait for a title shot, however, because in the very next fight at UFC 323, Alexandre Pantoja suffered a brutal injury seconds into his flyweight title defense and lost the championship to Joshua Van. A Pantoja loss by any other means likely would have resulted in an immediate rematch, since he entered the night with more title defenses than any current UFC champion. With the shoulder injury, however, Pantoja could be out for a while. And some of the other top-10 flyweights who had lost to Pantoja might suddenly be back in the running to challenge Van.
Taira has maybe the strongest case. Saturday’s victory was his sixth finish in the UFC. Perhaps even more impressive: It was the first time Moreno has been finished in 20 UFC fights. Pantoja didn’t do it in two fights with Moreno. Former champion Deiveson Figueiredo couldn’t in four tries. Taira’s opportunity to climb to the top spot seems imminent. — Wagenheim
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The most pressure-packed scoring opportunity in soccer might be the one where no one is defending: the penalty kick.
A goal is almost certain, so long as you keep a cool head and beat the goalkeeper. Simple enough, right?
But what exactly is a penalty kick, and how is it awarded? Here’s everything you need to know about the penalty kick ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
What Is A Penalty Kick?
A penalty kick — or “PK” — is a one-on-one duel between a field player and a goalkeeper in which the field player tries to score a direct kick from the penalty spot.
How Is A Penalty Kick Awarded?
A penalty kick is awarded when a player commits a foul — tripping, pushing or a handball — inside the penalty area, which is a large 18-yard box that extends from the goal line into the field of play. The total width of the box is 44 yards.
A penalty can be awarded in the run of play or during a Video Assistant Referee check.
Who Takes The Penalty Kick?
The designated penalty taker is usually predetermined based on a player’s proven ability to score, from the penalty spot or otherwise. For example, Harry Kane, the active leading goalscorer for England, is the designated penalty taker for the Three Lions.
How Far Is The Penalty Spot?
The penalty is 12 yards from the center of the goal line, meaning that there are just 12 yards that separate the penalty taker and the goalkeeper at the time of a penalty kick.
What Are The Rules For The Penalty Taker?
The penalty taker is given freedom to confuse the goalkeeper during their run-up to the kick so long as:
- The penalty taker doesn’t attempt a fake kick or a “feint” while attempting to strike the ball AND
- The penalty doesn’t make contact with the ball more than once during their attempt.
If a penalty taker participates in illegal feinting, they will be cautioned and an indirect free kick will be awarded to the opposing team.
If a penalty taker makes contact with the ball more than once during their attempt and the attempt is successful, the penalty kick will be retaken. If it isn’t, it will be recorded as a miss and play will resume.
What Are The Rules For The Goalkeeper?
The goalkeeper must follow three key rules during a penalty kick: face the kicker, stay between the goalposts and keep at least one foot on or over the goal line until the kick.
If a goalkeeper leaves their line during a penalty attempt and the attempt is unsuccessful, it will be retaken. If the attempt is successful, it will result in a goal.
Additionally, goalkeepers may not touch the goalposts, crossbar or netting as an intimidation tactic. Trash-talking is also not permitted.
How Often Are Penalty Kicks Awarded?
There were 23 penalty kicks awarded at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which was six fewer than in 2018. Argentina led all countries in penalty attempts with five, and its designated penalty taker, Lionel Messi, converted all five attempts.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled ticketing information for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 Qualifier between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United, set to take place at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Tuesday.
According to the cricket board, E-Tickets for the high-stakes fixture can be purchased from tonight, with prices for all enclosures of the aforementioned venue set at Rs500.
Furthermore, the physical tickets will be available for sale from Tuesday morning and can be bought at the TCS Express Centre at the China Ground situated opposite the venue.
The PCB further advised fans with tickets to reach the stadium “well before the start of play” to avoid any inconvenience. Notably, the coin toss for the Qualifier will take place at 6:30pm as per the Pakistan Standard Time (PST), with the first ball to be bowled at 7pm.
Meanwhile, the ticket details for the remaining two playoffs, set to be played in Lahore, will be announced in due course.
The cricket board announced the ticketing details hours after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif granted approval for public attendance in all three playoffs of the ongoing PSL 11.
Taking to X, PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi said he had a meeting with the premier, during which the cricket board secured his approval for allowing fans in the stadia for the upcoming playoffs of the eight-team tournament.
“Just had a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and I’m pleased to share that we have secured his approval for public attendance in all three PSL playoff matches as well,” Naqvi wrote on the microblogging website.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has unveiled ticketing information for the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 Qualifier between Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United, set to take place at Karachi’s National Bank Stadium on Tuesday.
According to the cricket board, E-Tickets for the high-stakes fixture can be purchased from tonight, with prices for all enclosures of the aforementioned venue set at Rs500.
Furthermore, the physical tickets will be available for sale from Tuesday morning and can be bought at the TCS Express Centre at the China Ground situated opposite the venue.
The PCB further advised fans with tickets to reach the stadium “well before the start of play” to avoid any inconvenience. Notably, the coin toss for the Qualifier will take place at 6:30pm as per the Pakistan Standard Time (PST), with the first ball to be bowled at 7pm.
Meanwhile, the ticket details for the remaining two playoffs, set to be played in Lahore, will be announced in due course.
The cricket board announced the ticketing details hours after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif granted approval for public attendance in all three playoffs of the ongoing PSL 11.
Taking to X, PCB Chief Mohsin Naqvi said he had a meeting with the premier, during which the cricket board secured his approval for allowing fans in the stadia for the upcoming playoffs of the eight-team tournament.
“Just had a meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and I’m pleased to share that we have secured his approval for public attendance in all three PSL playoff matches as well,” Naqvi wrote on the microblogging website.
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