Month: September 2024

Former UFC bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley (18-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC) will undergo hip surgery early next month.

Per ESPN’s Brett Okamoto the surgery will rule him out for “anywhere from six months to one year.” The 29-year-old suffered a torn labrum in his hip 10 weeks ago, but went through training for his second defense title against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 306 on Saturday in Las Vegas, where he lost to Dvalishvili via unanimous decision. O’Malley loss snapped a seven-fight unbeaten streak, and was also his second career defeat.

O’Malley revealed the news in an interview with online streamer Adin Ross following his championship loss at UFC 306. O’Malley said (per MMC Uncensored): “I have surgery on Oct. 3. I tore my left labrum in my hip. That’s the only reason I’m going to be out for so long. This surgery should only take two months to come back from, then a couple of months recovery, so a year is a long time. It could be six to eight months. But you never know. … UFC won’t be the same without me.”

In his podcast with head coach Tim Welsh, O’Malley stated that the injury had nothing to do with his loss to Dvalishvili: “Best weight cut, felt good, no excuses. My mom, she’s like, ‘You just weren’t the same, what was wrong?’ Nothing. I just got beat. Everyone keeps asking me, ‘Something seemed off.’ No excuses.”

Dvalishvili will likely face undefeated challenger Umar Nurmagomedov in his first title defense, however Dvalishvili said he would prefer a fight against former flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo.

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Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that they are planning to start Justin Fields as quarterback in their Week 3 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, while Russell Wilson continues to work through a lingering calf injury he suffered in training camp on Sept. 5.

Tomlin said Tuesday (per ESPN): “We’re kind of in the same posture as we were in last week with Russ. As I sit here today, Russ is not scheduled to be a full participant in practice [Wednesday], and so we’re readying a plan that features Justin and his readiness … We’re readying ourselves around Justin. We’ll stay in that mindset until something happens. Hypotheticals are a waste of time.” Tomlin added that he wouldn’t speculate on the starting quarterback job until Wilson is healthy.

Fields has gone 2-0 in his first two starts for the Steelers this year, and threw his lone touchdown of the season in Pittsburgh’s 13-6 win over the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Wilson was limited in practice all of last week and won’t be able to fully participate when the Steelers start practice on Wednesday.

The Steelers will play the Chargers at Acrisure Stadium at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.

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Veteran center Sidney Crosby has signed a new two-year, $17.4 million contract extension with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Crosby is in the final season of a 12-year contract; the new deal starts in the 2025-26 season and runs through the 2026-27 season, when Crosby will be 39 years old.

Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas announced on Monday in a news release: “There are no words to properly describe what Sidney Crosby means to the game of hockey, the city of Pittsburgh and the Penguins organization Sidney is the greatest player of his generation and one of the greatest players in the history of the game. His actions today show why he is one of hockey’s greatest winners and leaders. Sid is making a tremendous personal sacrifice in an effort to help the Penguins win, both now and in the future, as he has done for his entire career.”

The contract carries an annual average value of $8.7 million against the NHL salary cap; and his contract extension earns him a base salary of $780,000 with a $9 million signing bonus in 2025-26 and a $1.09 million salary and a $6,530,000 signing bonus in 2026-27. The contract carries a full no-movement clause.

Crosby, 37, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft; he won three Stanley Cup titles, three Ted Lindsay Awards, two Art Ross Trophies, two Conn Smythe Trophies, two Hart Memorial Trophies, two Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies and the Mark Messier Leadership Award over his first 19 seasons with the Penguins.

The veteran center has logged 592 goals and 1,004 assists over his first 1,272 appearances for the Penguins; last season, he totaled 42 goals and 52 assists over 82 games last season. H

Crosby is the franchise leader in games played, even-strength goals, even-strength points and game-winning goals. Crosby’s 17 seasons as captain are the second-most for any player for the same franchise, trailing only the 19-year tenure of former Detroit Red Wings star Steve Yzerman.

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Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco is expected to be placed on injured reserve after suffering a fibula injury during the Chiefs’ 26-25 win in Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said on X: “#Chiefs star RB Isiah Pacheco, who left the stadium in a walking boot and crutches, fractured his fibula based on initial tests, sources say. More information coming to determine severity and associated damage, but Pacheco is set to miss real time.”

ESPN reported that early tests show that Pacheco suffered a fractured fibula in the Chiefs’ win over the Cincinnati Bengals; Pacheco underwent X-rays on Sunday night and will have an MRI on Monday to determine whether there is a fracture and/or ligament damage to his right ankle. The RB left Arrowhead Stadium on crutches and with his right foot in a walking boot after the game.

Pacheco, 25, has led the Chiefs’ in rushing in each of the past two seasons, running for 935 yards on 4.6 yards per carry and seven touchdowns last season. In two games this season, he has rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown while averaging 4.0 yards per carry; during Sunday’s game, Pacheco rushed for 90 yards on 19 carries and caught five passes for 21 yards.

Pacheco will be sidelined for the next four weeks if he winds up on injured reserve. Kansas City has games against the Atlanta Falcons, Los Angeles Chargers and New Orleans Saints in the next three weeks before their bye week in Week 6.

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