Tag: Alex

Alex Pereira keeps title with TKO of Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303

On: By: admin


Alex Pereira of Brazil stands over Jiri Prochazka of the Czech Republic during a light heavyweight championship bout during UFC 303 at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ian Maule/Getty Images/AFP

LAS VEGAS — Alex Pereira delivered a vicious left kick to Jiri Prochazka’s head and then pounded the top-ranked challenger 13 seconds into the second round to retain his light heavyweight championship Saturday night in UFC 303.

Pereira (11-2) now has beaten Prochazka (30-5-1) twice since November to end any doubts about who reigns in that weight class.

Most of the drama at UFC 303 occurred outside the octagon in the weekend and even the hours leading up to the event.

READ: UFC 300: Alex Pereira retains title, knocks out Jamahal Hill

Officials had to act quickly after a late change was needed in the co-main event when an illness forced Brian Ortega to drop out. Dan Ige already was in Las Vegas training for another fight and wound up taking on Diego Lopes in the lightweight fight.

All three judges scored the fight 29-28 in favor Lopes (25-6) of Brazil. Ige (18-8), who is from Honolulu but lives in Las Vegas, was cheered loudly for showing up with little notice.

The UFC also scrambled to pair Pereira and Prochazka after scheduled headliner Conor McGregor’s broken toe forced him to withdraw. They were given about two weeks to prepare after Pereira had his Australia vacation disrupted and Prochazka was interrupted while at a three-day meditation retreat.

Even without McGregor, this fight could have been the richest in UFC history. A packed crowd of 18,881 that included New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, sitting next to former Green Bay Packers teammate Marcedes Lewis, watched. Lewis now plays tight end for the Chicago Bears.

Pereira and Prochazka engaged in a lengthy stare-down that carried through Bruce Buffer’s fighter introductions and referee Herb Dean’s instructions.

READ: UFC 295: Pereira is light heavyweight champ, Aspinall wins interim heavyweight title

Both fighters spent the opening round feeling each other out, but there was a strong hint of what was to come as it ended. Pereira knocked down Prochazka with a left hand, but it occurred after the bell.

Then Pereira finished the job to open the second round.

The bout was a rematch from Nov. 11 at New York’s Madison Square Garden when Pereira won the championship with a technical knockout at 4:08 of the second round to claim the vacated light heavyweight champion.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

Then Pereira cemented his hold on the belt by beating previous title holder Jamahal Hill with a first-round stoppage in UFC 300 on April 13 in Las Vegas. On the same card, Prochazka recorded a second-round TKO of Aleksandar Rakic to put himself in position for the earlier-than-expected rematch.

Mayra Bueno Silva (10-4-1) suffered a gash so big in her bantamweight fight that the ring doctor called the fight at 1:58 of the second round in favor of Macy Chiasson (11-3). Blood poured down Silva’s face, who asked to continue.

Alex Eala misses out on Wimbledon main draw

On: By: admin


FILE–Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala fails to advance to the Wimbledon main draw. –VENETO OPEN via ALEX EALA FACEBOOK

MANILA, Philippines—Alex Eala missed out on the chance to advance to the Wimbledon main draw after falling to New Zealand’s Lulu Sun, 7-6(3), 7-5, in the last round of the qualifiers late Thursday.

The Filipino tennis ace just needed one win to get to the main draw, which would’ve made her the first Filipino to make a pro Grand Slam appearance.

Eala outlasted higher-ranked Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia and French bet Jessika Ponchet to advance to against Sun.

READ: Alex Eala closes in on Wimbledon main draw after big win

Sun, the world’s no. 123, proved to be too much for the 19-year-old Eala and it showed late in the first set.

Eala, an Asian Games bronze medalist, took an early commanding 5-2 lead over Sun to move just one win away from winning the opening set.

However, Sun came storming back and took a 6-5 lead en route to the first set win.

READ: Alex Eala eyes another fruitful year starting with Australian Open

The same story happened in the following set, with Eala winning two straight games to open the second before Sun retalited to keep the Filipino bet at bay.

It was not the first time that Eala fell short in the last round of the Grand Slam qualifiers and failed to make it to the main tournament.

Eala also fell short of making it to the French Open main draw last month after losing in the final round.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

Alex Eala closes in on Wimbledon main draw after big win

On: By: admin


FILE– Filipino tennis player Alex Eala in the WTA Veneto Open. -VENETO OPEN/RAFA NADAL ACADEMY

Filipino tennis ace Alex Eala just moved a win away from entering the main draw of Wimbledon.

Eala beat Tamara Zidansek of Slovenia, 1-6, 7-6(9), 6-3 in a marathon match in the second round of the Wimbledon qualifiers on Wednesday, pushing her closer to a pro Grand Slam debut.

Eala battled back from a first-set loss and saved eight match points to force a decider against her higher-ranked opponent, who was seeded No. 14 in the qualifiers.

READ: Alex Eala hits biggest pro career win at Madrid Open over world no. 41

Now standing in the way of a historic Wimbledon stint is Lulu Sun of New Zealand. Their match is at 7:30 pm on Thursday.

Sun won 6-4 4-6 7-6 (6) Czech Republic’s Gabriela Knutson to advance against Eala.

Eala, the first Filipino to capture a singles’ Grand Slam by ruling the 2022 US Open girls singles, opened the Wimbledon qualifiers with a  7-6, 6-4 win on Tuesday over France’s Jessika Ponchet.

In May, the 19-year-old Eala also closed in on a main draw berth in the French Open but yielded to Julia Riera of Argentina in the final round.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

Kings nearly pulled off trade to acquire Alex Caruso–report

On: By: admin


FILE – Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso gestures after making a 3-point shot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, March 31, 2024, in Minneapolis. Caruso has been traded to Oklahoma City for Josh Giddey. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr, file)

The Sacramento Kings nearly pulled off a big trade last week while shopping their first-round pick in Wednesday’s NBA draft in an effort to improve their roster.

League sources told The Athletic the Kings were close to making a trade for Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso, a two-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection. The Kings reportedly offered the No. 13 pick as the “key chip” in trade talks with Chicago, but the Bulls instead chose to send Caruso to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a deal for Josh Giddey.

Caruso, 30, is a 6-foot-5, 186-pound shooting guard who would have added a lockdown defender to a Sacramento backcourt that features De’Aaron Fox, Kevin Huerter, Malik Monk, Davion Mitchell and Keon Ellis. He was an NBA All-Defensive First Team selection in 2023 and an All-Defensive Second Team selection in 2024.

Caruso averaged a career-high 10.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks for the Bulls last season. He shot a career-best 46.8% from the field and 40.8% from 3-point range on 4.7 attempts per game.

The Kings have been active and aggressive in trade talks since general manager Monte McNair and assistant general manager Wes Wilcox came to Sacramento in September 2020. In February 2022, they pulled of a blockbuster deal to acquire Domantas Sabonis in a trade that sent Tyrese Haliburton, Buddy Hield and Tristan Thompson to the Indiana Pacers.

READ: NBA: Thunder trade Josh Giddey to Bulls for Alex Caruso

The Kings have also had a few near misses over the past three years. In July 2021, they were on the verge of trading Hield for Kyle Kuzma before the Los Angeles Lakers chose to send Kuzma to the Washington Wizards in a deal for Russell Westbrook. In February, the Kings were close to acquiring Pascal Siakam before the Toronto Raptors traded him to the Pacers.

Recent reports have linked the Kings to Kuzma and Bulls guard Zach LaVine. In July 2018, the Kings signed LaVine to an offer sheet before the Bulls matched the offer to keep him in Chicago. LaVine is entering the third year of a massive five-year, $215 million contract that will pay him $43 million in 2024-25, $46 million in 2025-26 and $49 million in 2026-27.

Kuzma is entering the second year of a much more team-friendly four-year, $90 million contract with a declining salary scale. He is owed $23.5 million in 2024-25, $21.5 million in 2025-26 and $19.4 million in 2026-27.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

Gilas coach Tim Cone praises ‘ageless’ Alex Cabagnot

On: By: admin


FAMILIAR FACES. (From L-R) Taiwan Mustangs coach Chris Gavina, Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone, Taiwan guard Alex Cabagnot and Gilas assistant Richard del Rosario catchup during Gilas’ exhibition game against the Taiwan Mustangs at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

MANILA, Philippines—Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone felt the nostalgia in the air at Philsports Arena on Monday.

Cone had a chance to catch up with some familiar faces when Gilas faced the Taiwan Mustangs in an exhibition game. One of those names was former PBA star Alex Cabagnot, who now plays for the Mustangs after starring in nine championship runs with San Miguel Beer.

“Alex is ageless,” said Cone of the 41-year-old veteran after Gilas beat Taiwan, 74-64.

READ: Gilas Pilipinas beats Taiwan Mustangs in tune-up before OQT

“He’s absolutely ageless. He can step into a team right now and still contribute any way he wants to at this point.”

Cone, the most decorated coach in the PBA with 25 championships, has had countless battles with Cabagnot ever since the heady guard entered the league as the second overall pick by defunct Sta. Lucia in the 2005 PBA Draft.

Alex Cabagnot Tim Cone Gilas Taiwan Mustangs

Taiwan Mustangs guard Alex Cabagnot watches the ball during a tune-up game against Gilas Pilipinas as coach Tim Cone looks on at Philsports Arena in Pasig.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

On Monday, Cone was reminded of just how difficult it was to slow down Cabagnot.

READ: Gilas coach Tim Cone says Scottie Thompson presence ‘irreplaceable’

Cabagnot finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists for Taiwan.

“He’s been an awesome player after all these years. He’s just really tough to defend, a lefty and crafty. He’s tough,” said Cone.

Cone and Gilas now head to Latvia for the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament, where the Filipinos shoot for a spot in the upcoming Paris Olympics.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

Alex Eala advances to WTA Veneto Open quarterfinals

On: By: admin


Filipino tennis player Alex Eala in the WTA Veneto Open. -VENETO OPEN/RAFA NADAL ACADEMY

MANILA, Philippines — Alex Eala entered the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Veneto Open quarterfinal after dominating home bet Georgia Pedone, 6-3, 6-3, on Thursday (Manila time) in Gaiba, Italy.

The 19-year-old Filipino netter is making her first quarterfinal appearance in the WTA Tour, where she suffered early exits in her previous outings.

It took an hour and 23 minutes for Eala to beat Pedone to move to the farthest she had reached in the WTA.

READ: Alex Eala vows to come back stronger after Miami Open exit

Eala is facing former World No. 5 Sara Errani early Saturday morning (Manila time) as she hopes to continue her dream run.

“First WTA Quarterfinal! Fully focused for the next round!” Eala wrote.

The World No. 169 Eala opened her campaign in Italy with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Carole Monnet of France.

The Rafael Nadal Academy product faces a 37-year-old veteran in World No.91 Errani, whom she upset in the qualifiers of the Miami Open with a 6-3, 6-1 win last March 18.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.

Thunder trade guard Josh Giddey to Bulls for Alex Caruso

On: By: admin


Oklahoma City Thunder’s Josh Giddey handles the ball in Game 6 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks, May 18, 2024, in Dallas. Giddey has been traded from Oklahoma City to Chicago for guard Alex Caruso, a person familiar with the situation said. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because trades can’t be announced until July 6. ESPN first reported the deal. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, file)

The Oklahoma City Thunder traded Josh Giddey to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for guard Alex Caruso, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because trades can’t be announced until July 6. ESPN first reported the trade.

The 21-year-old Giddey was investigated following accusations by an anonymous social media user that he had an improper relationship with an underage girl.

READ: NBA looks into Thunder’s Josh Giddey alleged relationship with underage girl

The NBA and the Newport Beach, California, Police Department investigated Giddey during the season. The Newport Beach police completed their investigation in January and detectives were “unable to corroborate any criminal activity. ” The NBA also later dropped its investigation.

Giddey’s play suffered this season and he was constantly booed on the road. The point guard averaged 12.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists with 47.5% shooting this season. Those averages were down from 16.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists the previous season.

Giddey’s play improved the second half of the regular season, after the Thunder traded for Gordon Hayward. He averaged 16.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists while shooting 57.2% from the field in April regular-season games. His playing time was cut significantly in the playoffs, and he lost his starting job for the first time in his career.

READ: Bulls to acquire Lonzo Ball, sign Alex Caruso

Giddey was the No. 6 overall pick in 2021 and he made the All-Rookie second team. He is a member of Australia’s national team that will play at the Paris Olympics this summer. He is an exceptional passer and at 6-foot-8, his size makes him a solid rebounder.

The 30-year-old Caruso, who plays point guard and shooting guard, has established himself as a defensive presence in four years with the Los Angeles Lakers and then three years with the Bulls. He has career averages of 6.8 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists. He averaged a career-high 10.1 points this past season. He was on the all-defense first team in 2023 and the second team in 2024.

The Thunder also have Cason Wallace, a second-team all-rookie selection this past season, in place at point guard.



Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.


Your subscription has been successful.