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Team Cormier took hold of the lead in the The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) competition after a dazzling flyweight contest between two undefeated heavy-hitters in Tuesday night’s episode.
Third TUF Episode Marked Historic Debut for Fighter From India
Returning to the flyweight category for the third week of the show, touted strikers Imanol Rodriguez and Arshiyan Memon faced off in the second 125-lb bout of the 33rd TUF season.
Emerging as the latest in a long line of talented prospects coming from Mexico, Rodriguez has compiled an impressive 5-0 professional record prior to TUF since making his debut in 2022. Collecting all finishes across those five fights, “Hitman” has never realized a third round, with only two of those scraps going past the first.
Much in the same vein as his North American foe, Memon has also stopped all of his opposition in all of his seven cage appearances as a professional. Possessing a strong background in kickboxing, the Indian had previously captured several national championships before making the transition to mixed martial arts in 2016. With his inclusion in the flyweight tournament, Memon stands as the first athlete from his country to compete in the TUF house in an episode which saw Colby Covington make an appearance during the program.
Flyweight Barnburner Produces Stunning First-Round Stoppage on TUF
From the word go, Rodriguez closed the distance on Memon, staying inside the pocket to take away the Indian’s four inch reach advantage. While a low blow would halt the action momentarily, the Mexican was quick to resume his onslaught.
Finding a strong body shot, Rodriguez caused Memon to stumble to the canvas, though the older competitor was able to recover after delivering a series of up kicks. Urging his adversary on after taking a few blows, Memon was soon rocked by a solid punch from Rodriguez, who followed up with a barrage of similar hits before the fight was called off.
Gaining the lead for his team with an incredible finish, Rodriguez put his team ahead in the TUF competition 2-1. He also handed Team Cormier’s first victory in the 125-lb bracket after they initially dropped the ball in the opening episode of the show.
More must-reads:
- Phillies' Kyle Schwarber inches closer to franchise history vs. Yankees
- Browns make curious decision with rookie QB Shedeur Sanders
- The 'NBA Summer League MVPs' quiz
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Lexie Hull News Emerges Before Chicago Sky Game
The Indiana Fever are set to face the Chicago Sky in their next matchup, with all eyes in the WNBA community pointed toward the league rivalry. Indiana is coming off a victory against the Las Vegas Aces, looking to maintain a postseason position in head coach Stephanie White's first season back. The Fever sit at 13-12 on the season, ranked No. 6 in the WNBA. Before they look to defeat the Sky in hopes of earning a win streak, notable news on Indiana Fever star Lexie Hull surfaced online. Hull has officially signed an endorsement deal with Portland Gear, a lifestyle bag and apparel company. "I'm excited to share a major milestone for Portland Gear — we’ve officially signed our first WNBA athlete, @lexiehulll, to an endorsement deal! Lexie isn’t just a rising star with the Indiana Fever; she’s a Pacific Northwest native whose values align with everything our brand and city stand for," posted Lexie Hull and the Portland Gear. Hull is playing in her fourth season with the Indiana Fever. The star guard has posted 7.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game. While Hull is viewed as a role player for the Fever, largely taking a back seat to players like Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell, she's widely regarded as one of the best three-point shooters in the WNBA. The Fever guard has posted a 42.5 field goal percentage and a 43.7 three-point percentage this season. Lexie Hull is having a career season with the Indiana Fever. If the season ended today, each of Hull's major statistical averages would count as her career high. She's also making noise outside of the white lines, proving to be a star for the Fever on and off the court. Indiana will face the Chicago Sky on Sunday at 3 p.m. ET.
Bengals finally reach agreement with first-rounder Shemar Stewart
The Cincinnati Bengals have finally reached an agreement with first-round pick Shemar Stewart, putting an end to what became the story of the offseason for the team. Stewart, drafted 17th overall in this year's draft, has finally agreed to a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.97 million deal that includes a $10.4 million signing bonus, according to his agent Zac Hiller of LAA. Now with this deal done, every first-round pick is signed. The road to this deal was a bumpy ride. For months, negotiations between Stewart’s camp and the Bengals front office stalled due to disagreements over contract language, particularly around guarantees. The team pushed to include contract language that could void the deal under certain off-field circumstances, but since other Bengals first-round picks did not face similar terms, Stewart stood firm and refused to sign. Both sides remained firm throughout the offseason, leading to a long standoff and a lot of reports of frustration from both sides. Despite the frustration and disagreement, the Bengals and Stewart’s group continued to engage in conversations, trying to find a resolution to the issue. And finally, after weeks of back and forth and weeks of controversy surrounding what Stewart may be forced to do, both parties appear to have met in the middle and found common ground. For the Bengals, getting Stewart signed and ready for training camp is a major win. Stewart was viewed as a developmental prospect who needed plenty of on-field reps to reach his full potential. Stewart's absence from earlier camps had slowed a lot of his progress. With the contract dispute resolved, he can now focus entirely on gaining important reps and continuing his development over the coming weeks. Now with this contract done and over with, the team can put their full focus on Trey Hendrickson, who is also seeking a long term deal. If the Bengals can get a deal done with Trey before the season kicks off, they would secure their edge-rushing room for not only 2025, but for years beyond. For a team looking to go all in on making the playoffs, signing Stewart was long overdue. Now it will be vital for the team to get Stewart up to speed with the rest of the roster, and allow him to get as many reps as possible before the 2025 season begins.
Trade rejection speaks volumes about Red Sox's Jarren Duran intentions
The Boston Red Sox appear to have no interest in trading outfielder Jarren Duran, at least not in the near future. Trade rumors have swirled around Duran for most of the season, especially after designated hitter Rafael Devers was traded to the Giants. However, Sean McAdam from MassLive reported that the Red Sox may wait until the offseason before moving on from the former All-Star. The decision to wait on Duran is not due to a lack of offers. McAdam also reported that the Padres made a significant offer for Duran involving pitcher Dylan Cease, catching prospect Ethan Salas and another unnamed prospect. That offer was quickly rejected. The Padres have long coveted Duran. McAdam had previously reported that the Padres have been "relentless" in their pursuit of the Red Sox outfielder. The reported trade offer including Salas, the Padres second-best prospect and the 21st-best prospect in baseball per MLB.com, illustrates how serious they are about acquiring Duran. Likewise, the Red Sox's refusal to entertain such an offer, even as a starting point for negotiations, speaks volumes about their interest in moving Duran. The Padres' offer would help solve several problems for the Red Sox in both the present and future. Moving Duran would help clear up the logjam in the outfield, while Cease and Salas would respectively improve the back of their rotation and provide a possible cornerstone behind the plate going forward. Duran is a valuable trade chip as he is under team control through 2028. He has also taken a step back in production from his stellar showing in 2024, posting a respectable .254/.321/.428 batting line in 459 plate appearances entering Friday, with nine homers and 25 doubles while stealing 16 bases. That production would be an upgrade for several teams looking to improve their outfield going forward. The question is whether or not the Red Sox will be realistic in their asking price for Duran. Considering how quickly the Padres' offer was reportedly rejected, that may not be the case.
Justin Eboigbe continues to track as a breakout player at Chargers training camp
The hype keeps growing for Los Angeles Chargers defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe. Eboigbe was a spotlight earlier this offseason as a possible breakout because of the work he’s put into his body and within the NFL itself. And now it’s a topic showing up in a major way with the right people inside the Chargers organization as training camp gets going. Take, for example, what Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter had to say after a recent practice. “The weight has helped him,” Minter said, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper. “He’s been dominant in there at times in different techniques, and I think he’s just got confidence. … When you see that work translate to the field and to how he’s playing, that’s really gratifying for a player, where the hard work that they put in shows up and allows them to play better than they played the year before.” It’s not easy for a player to break into the defensive line rotation right now for the Chargers. Just ask Eboigbe, who didn’t even register 30 snaps last year. Twenty pounds heavier and more experienced this summer, Eboigbe will compete with the likes of free-agent add Da'Shawn Hand to play a bigger role as a sophomore. Overall, the Chargers are really counting on a mix of new arrivals like Hand and upstarts like Eboigbe to boost a front seven that underwent the loss of Joey Bosa, Poona Ford and others this offseason. If Minter likes what he’s seeing so far, though, Eboigbe certainly appears to be on the right track.
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