"Movement is what matters."

That's what an advertisement in a Boston Nike storefront now reads after the athletic brand replaced the signage following backlash to the original window messaging, which read "Runners welcome, walkers tolerated." The ad appeared at the athletic brand's Newbury Street shop leading up to the 2026 Boston Marathon. The brand took down the sign on Friday, April 17 following reactions on social media saying the language was not inclusive.

"We listen to the voice of the athlete," Nike said in an emailed statement on April 20 to USA TODAY.

Here's the latest and why running adaptive sports advocates were concerned.

Backlash to the Nike ad

A sign with black text on a red background appeared last week on a popular Boston street corner with the language "Runners welcome. Walkers tolerated."

The advertisement came in the run up to the 2026 Boston Marathon, known as one of the most prestigious annual endurance events across the country. An estimated 30,000 racers were expected to take to the streets for the 130th edition of the world's oldest continuously run marathon. Runners need to reach a specific time to get an entry bib, which means a certain level of fitness is required to participate, however, some took to social media to debate whether the language about walking was motivational or exclusive.

Some pointed out Nike's ad could be aspirational to the race's class of elite runners. @irondoctorhaz said in an April 16 Instagram caption "This is predominantly a time-qualification race, with a distinct performance culture. From that perspective, you could argue this is highly targeted, even strategic, marketing," he wrote, adding at the same time, the ad could also perpetuate the idea that "movement only 'counts' if it looks a certain way?"

Others pointed out that walking is often a necessary part of completing a marathon, especially for people with disabilities or don't fit the typical elite runner mold.

"Are you kidding me?" wrote adaptive athlete Robyn Michaud in an Instagram post. "Due to a spinal cord injury I HAVE to take walk breaks. Even with a cyst in my spinal cord, I still regularly break 5 hours in Boston and plan to again this weekend. Thank you for TOLERATING me, @nike."

What adaptive sports advocates say

Nike then course corrected, replacing the storefront message with a new ad that read: "Boston will always remind you, movement is what matters."

But the initial message was still a blow to the diverse community of marathon participants, according to advocates for adaptive athletes. They specifically were concerned by the word "tolerated," which implied that any deviation from running the duration of the race was a failure or shameful. This is especially true because not all participants are ambulatory: 50 wheelchair participants were set to tackle the trail on Monday, neither walking nor running through Boston's streets, yet performing the same level of extreme competition.

"It was extremely disappointing to see a word like 'tolerated' used in a major ad campaign tied to the Boston Marathon," says Emily Glasser, president and CEO of Achilles International, an adaptive running nonprofit that helps provide guides, workouts and community for people with disabilities.

"Every athlete who earns a place at the start line represents grit and determination," Glasser said in an April 20 email to USA TODAY.

2026 Boston Marathon: How to watch, live stream the race for free

And perhaps no race tests runners in America like Boston's difficult marathon course. The 26.2 mile course includes "Heartbreak Hill," an uphill portion between the 20th and 21st mile near the campus of Boston College. The most famous part of the course, the hill is considered a crucial part of the race because it's where participants' energy often is depleted as they "hit the wall."

Inevitably, some athletes may need to walk for a span of time in order to finish the course. But the will to finish, and to listen to your body, is the greatest indicator of strength, Glasser says.

"Grit doesn't have a pace and progress isn’t defined by speed, but by participation."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The controversy around Nike's Boston Marathon ad, explained

The 10th annual US Open of Pickleball was held last weekend on the grounds of the newly-branded USOP National Pickleball Center (formerly known as East Naples Community Park) in Naples, Florida. This center is the largest pickleball facility in the world with 65 lighted courts, and is home to an 8,000-strong club of players.

This year’s US Open featured a brand new title sponsor in Franklin Sports, who continues their push of being affiliated with the biggest assets in the sport.

For most of the last decade, the US Open laid claim as the biggest pickleball tournament (by participation) in the land, and the event continues to max out at nearly 3,500 participants, limited only by the number of courts they have at their avail. The demand for this tournament leads to thousands of applicants being turned away, and this tournament continues to be one of the most important events on the calendar for amateurs, pros, and senior pros alike. I caught up with a representative of new title sponsor Franklin at the Pickleball Slam event held last week, who intimated that the event is exploring ways to capture this demand going forward, along with a possible change in its relationship with the PPA that could clear the way for a return of the UPA contracted pros. Something to possibly look forward to in next year’s iteration.

Click here for the PickleballDen.com home page for the event, where you can get tournament details, draw sheets, and results.

News and Noteworthy ahead of the Event

Here’s a quick recap of notable news items of import to the tour or this event:

• A New Era Begins: Franklin Sports Announced as Official Title Sponsor of the US Open Pickleball Championships
• DUPR Announces Dedicated Wheelchair Pickleball Rating System, Expanding Inclusive Competition Across the Sport

With that said, let’s recap the action.

Men’s Pro Singles Recap

First off, whoever did the seeding in this event should probably reconsider whatever methodology they’re using, since the semi finals were comprised of the following for seeds: 9, 20, 3, and 18. The 20 seed in particular, Ryler DeHeart, seems the most ridiculous, given that he’s ranked 4th on the APP.

In the final, No. 9 Dusty Boyer (who had vanquished the top seed Ronan Camron in an epic 15-13 game three win in the quarters) crushed Jay Devilliers 4,2 for the title.

Gold: Dusty Boyer. Silver: Jay Devilliers. Bronze: Richard Livornese, Jr.

Women’s Pro Singles Recap

One may have thought the final in Women’s singles was a forgone conclusion, based on how many times the two top seeds (Kat Stewart at No. 1 and Sofia Sewing at No. 2) have met recently, but a couple of names in the draw had other ideas. Namely, top Australian No. 5 Roos van Reek and No. 3 seed Seone Mendez, who took the APP’s 2025 Tour Finals event last December.

Sure enough, the semis featured all four players and fans in Naples were treated to an exciting back half of the event. Stewart squeaked by Van Reek in one semi, while Mendez crushed Sewing in the other before Stewart laid down a statement win 4,1 in the final.

Gold: Kat Stewart. Silver: Seone Mendez. Bronze: Roos van Reek.

Mixed Pro Doubles Recap

Anna Leigh Waters, who has historically attended the US Open despite it not being sanctioned by the PPA, got a big boost this year when Jay Devilliers was also granted an exception by the UPA into this event, and they formed the top seed. Waters played in this event last year with Andre Agassi but fell early; this year they had much higher expectations. The pair cruised into the finals without being challenged, topping last year’s Mixed gold winner Jack Munro (playing with van Reek) in the semis.

In the finals, they met the No. 2 seeded team of Casey Diamond & Sofia Sewing, a pair that’s had plenty of success as of late. They won 2025’s USA Pickleball Nationals mixed title and they took the first APP International event of 2026 in Malaysia. The pair beat a tough team of Fudge & Livornese in the semis before facing off against the GOAT GOAT in the finals.

Sewing & Diamond more than held their own against Waters & Devilliers, beating them 12-10 in game one before getting washed in game two 11-2 to send the match to the deciding third game. There a thrilling match was eventually taken by the PPA pros 11-9, however it took Waters & Devilliers an unbelievable SIXTEEN (16) attempts at match point to close out the win, in an amazing display of grit and defensive pickleball from Sewing & Diamond.

Unfortunately the match’s most viral moment was a disputed line call that Sewing called out but which Waters heavily disputed. Replays seemed to support the “out” call, but tensions were high on the court for sure.

Gold: Waters & Devilliers. Silver: Sewing & Diamond. Bronze: van Reek & Munro

Men’s Pro Doubles Recap

Devilliers teamed with the PPA-exiled Ryan Fu and netted the top seed in the draw, but were upset in the semis by the criminally under-seeded No. 13 Ryler DeHeart & Kyle Koszuta (who did DeHeart upset in the seeding department to earn a 13-seed in Doubles and a 20-seed in singles?) They lost in the final to No 2 Jack Munro & Richard Livornese, giving Munro his 2nd US Open title in a row.

Gold: Munro & Livornese. Silver: DeHeart & Koszuta. Bronze: Diamond & Blanco.

Women’s Pro Doubles Recap

Anna Leigh and her mother Leigh Waters entered the event as the two-time defending US Open champions and were fittingly given the top seed. However, the pair were pressed early and went a game down in the semis to No. 5 Roos van Reek & Shelby Bates before rebounding and cruising into the final. There, they met the No. 3 seeds Bobbi Oshiro & Kat Stewart, who ousted the No. 2 pair in the semis. The APP pros could not do much with the Waters’ in the final, losing 5,6 to give Anna Leigh and her mom a 3-peat in this event.

Notable: with the bronze, Roos van Reek finished off a three-medal weekend at the US Open, capturing Bronze in singles, mixed, and gender doubles.

Gold: Waters & Waters. Silver: Oshiro & Stewart. Bronze: van Reek & Bates.

Split Age Pro Quick Recap

The US Open is famous for its Split-Age divisions, where pros and senior pros get to team up and get some early week competition. Here’s some quick recaps of those split-age draws.

• Men’s Split-Age Pro: To little surprise, the No. 1 seeded split-age men’s team of Jack Munro & Jamie Oncins, who individually are each (arguably) the best of their respective age groups in Naples, took the split-age title. They topped No. 3 Brandon Lane & Jose Derisi in the final.
• Women’s Split-Age Pro: Eugenia Carolina Lopez Ascarate & Simone Jardim outlasted the field and took the title as the No. 2 seeds.
• Mixed Split-Age Pro: Ronan Camron & Eugenia Carolina Lopez Ascarate came out on top of a loaded field as the No. 8 seed, winning the title over 10th seeded Eva Welsher & Richard Livornese Jr.

A few notes on the senior divisions at the US Open, which continue to be the gold standard of the senior pro game. Even though the US Open isn’t technically affiliated with the APP, it has adopted the APP monikers for its two senior pro divisions, a change from past years which just featured a 50+ Senior Pro division. These competitions are some of the most stacked senior pro draws I’ve ever seen, and the draws were a “Who’s Who” of the current senior pickleball pro game.

Champions Pro Competition Quick Recap

• Men’s Champions Pro Singles: Last year’s APP No. 1 Youssef Bouzidi took out the fast-rising Blake Arrant in the semis, then beat the No. 1 seed and defending champ Marcello Jardim in the final for his first US Open gold.
• Women’s Champions Pro Singles: Karin Ptaszek-Kochis become the 3-time defending US Open champion by topping the Champions division newcomer Lopez in the final.
• Men’s Champions Pro Doubles: Dave Weinbach & Dayne Gingrich took the title as the top seed, outlasting No. 2 Jardim & Oncins in the final.
• Women’s Champions Pro Doubles: Lee Whitwell & Eugenia Carolina Lopez took the 1-vs-2 final over Molly Carter & Sheri Courter.
• Mixed Champions Pro Doubles: The top seeds were shocked in the 16s, opening a pathway for No. 2 Lee Whitwell / Jaime Oncins to take the title.

Masters Pro Competition Quick Recap

• Men’s Masters Pro Singles: Dana Treister took out No. 1 David Spearman in a battle of the two top seeds.
• Women’s Masters Pro Singles: Karen Seguso took the small Masters singles draw.
• Men’s Masters Pro Doubles: Martin Reist / Dan Granot cruised to the title as the top seed.
• Women’s Masters Pro Doubles: Sophie Amiach / Anna Shirley dominated the final, winning gold 11-0, 11-1.
• Mixed Masters Pro Doubles: Anna Shirley / Lee Sponaugle took the gold in Mixed Masters pro.

The Pro Pickleball Medal Tracker spreadsheets have now been updated with these results. Click here for the Pro-only Medal Tracker, and click here for the Senior Pro Medal Tracker. These spreadsheets hold Medal winners for every pro event going back to the beginnings of the tours.

For US Open results, click on the tab in these spreadsheets that says “Non PPA-APP” or “NonSanc” to show the events in major tournaments that remain unaffiliated with either pro tour.

Next up on the Pickleball Calendar? According to my Master Pickleball Schedule, we get a bit of a break next week with just an Australian event on the major books, then the first weekend in May features the APP’s Sacramento open and the PPA’s Atlanta Slam, the final event before the PPA’s tour finals.

Any Head to Head or career match stats quoted in this article are courtesy of PickleWave. Visit picklewave.com for the premier source of Pro Pickleball data, including match replays, highlights, stats, and discussion. PickleWave has more than 31,000 matches in its database across all the pro tours, and has started a fantastic new Bracket Challenge feature for Fantasy-style sports fans to try out.

Other resources I use frequently to cover Pickleball include:

• PPA Current Rankings
• APP Current Rankings
• DUPR Player Profiles and Ratings (login/account required)
• Pickleball.com Player bios and Stats

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske is so confident the 110^th Indianapolis 500 is nearing sellout status; he quipped that he may want to make alternate arrangements to take care of the massive crowd.

“Let me put it this way,” Penske told me before Sunday’s Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach. “We’re going to be selling folding chairs here before long.”

That is how confident Penske is that in the next few weeks, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will announce a third-straight sellout of the Indianapolis 500.

“We have a great group of people and many of you don’t know them, but they are the ones that make it happen,” Penske told me. “Remember, there is no dress rehearsal. Three-hundred-plus-thousand people. Real number. This isn’t a telephone book number or a newspaper; it’s a real number.

“What we try to do every year is make it better for the guests that come in as fans. We put handrails up these big stands this year going up in the Southwest stands and the North stands so the people can walk up those stands. That is what of the new things we’ve done this year.”

I had a chance to do an exclusive interview with IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Roger Penske early Sunday morning in the Team Penske paddock. It was a chance to talk to the dynamic man whose leadership has helped IndyCar regain its glory and prestige which has been evident with an outstanding start to the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series season.

Roger Penske Expects A Full Field Of 33 Cars For The Indy 500

Another important factor that Penske stressed is there will be a full field of 33 cars at the 110^th Indianapolis 500. At the moment, there are less than 33 car/driver combinations that have filed entries for the Indy 500, but Penske is confident it will once again be 11 rows of three cars abreast taking the green flag to start the Indianapolis 500 on May 24.

“We expect to have 33 cars, let me say that,” Penske said. “There are lots of things working. Remember, it costs a lot of money to go to Indy, and you want to be competitive. It’s not the old days where you picked up your pickup truck, grabbed your car in the garage and came to Indy. That’s not the case anymore.

“We’ll have 33. It’s exciting to fill the field and see what happens.”

As a team owner, Roger Penske has won a record 20 Indianapolis 500s. In many ways, Penske’s success owned the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

On November 4, 2019, Penske purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis 500 and IndyCar from the Hulman-George Family, concluding 74 years of ownership that began when Tony Hulman bought the track from previous owner Eddie Rickenbacker in November 1945.

In many ways, Penske considers it his lasting legacy.

“It was our duty, the iconic track, what the Hulman family had done for so many years,” Penske said. “When we took it over, we wanted to maintain that level of professionalism and add what we know from our track experience.

“When you put that together, we’ve made it better and we want to continue to do that.”

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

Michelle Wie West, former child prodigy, now 36 years old and retired for the last three years, announced that she will be making her return to competitive golf for two upcoming events.

Wie West, who retired after the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, made an announcement last month that she will be playing in the upcoming U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera Country Club in early June. This will be the final year that Wie West has an exemption into the U.S. Women’s Open. She received a 10-year exemption for her 2014 victory at Pinehurst No. 2, which was then extended two more years for maternity leave.

This past Tuesday, she announced that she will be playing in a second event as well, when she tees it up in the Mizuho Americas Open next month in New Jersey. Wie West is the host of the event and will be playing on a sponsors exemption.

Wie West said she has been trying to practice as much as possible at her home in Las Vegas while juggling motherhood. “I’ve been practicing really hard and working out every chance I get,” Wie West said. “Now I have two kids, so there’s a lot of juggling going around. I’m just trying to squeeze in as much as I can. Practice looks very different now then it did when I was playing full time and was single and had no kids. I’m learning to do it a lot smarter. To do it with more quality than quantity.”

She held firm that this is not a comeback attempt while speaking at a media event for the Mizuho Americas Open on Tuesday. “For me personally, knowing that this is not, like, a comeback by any means, it’s not, like, a beginning of something else,” she said. “Because I know it’s so finite, that I just really want to go out there and just two more times, play like how I know I can play, and how I feel like I can play.”

Wie West has won five times on the LPGA Tour, including the lone major at Pinehurst in the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open. She played her first professional event at the age of 13 and retired from professional golf in 2018.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

CM Punk Vs. Roman Reigns At WrestleMania 42 | Key Points

• Roman Reigns beat CM Punk in a great WrestleMania main event. Surprisingly, there was no outside interference amid rumors of a Bloodline reunion.

Roman Reigns beat CM Punk in the WrestleMania Sunday main event. For the second year in a row, Punk lost in the main event. The crowd was mostly behind Reigns early, but the two pros worked Allegiant Stadium into a frenzy to where fans were split right down the middle. The match featured stair steps, table spots and even Punk absconding the Ula Falla and wearing the sacred necklace. Reigns outlasted Punk with multiple spears, and Reigns is once again a world champion.

CM Punk and Roman Reigns had easily the most deeply personal feud of any this WrestleMania season. CM Punk is the greatest of all time at making fans believe his feuds are real, because sometimes his feuds end up being just that. Roman Reigns offered up a fresh canvas for Punk to shower with insults as the two future Hall of Famer are finally faced off in a one-on-one match to close out WrestleMania.

Punk attacked Reigns for being a “plastic” nepobaby who had everything handed to him, while Reigns held his own with scathing insults of Punk’s hypocrisy and shortcomings in UFC.

“You’re just a buck-tooth nepobaby who ate dog food for a weird old man,” Punk said on the April 6 broadcast of Raw in arguably his best promo since coming back in 2023. Punk is an all-world promo who feeds off the energy of a live audience, which gave him a stark advantage over Reigns during live promos. But Reigns used his cool, calm demeanor to flame Phil Brooks in backstage segments and vignettes. Reigns’ best promo on Punk came from the backseat of his towncar.

“It blows my mind that you think we’re f—king equals. In which way?” Reigns began. “The whole industry coddles you just by having you in it. You talk about the old-timers? Those are tough guys. We’ve seen what happens when you try to be a tough guy,” answered Reigns who mocked the “hundred thousand internet marks that love [CM Punk.]”

Reigns vs. Punk has brought out the best in both living legends with each blaming the other for WWE’s struggles to sell out WrestleMania, a first-world problem that WWE has extrapolated into an unnecessary talking point in multiple storylines.

Similar to Roman Reigns blaming Punk for not being able to sell enough tickets as world champion, Pat McAfee’s heel run has been partly defined by his side feud with CM Punk. Reigns co-signed an anti-IWC WrestleMania tweet from Pat McAfee saying “Shopping indy real estate now.”

Reigns has since deleted the tweet.

CM Punk and Roman Reigns have two of the most dedicated fanbases in the world. A key ingredient that enhances every great feud is when the wrestlers’ grown adult fans take their scripted insults seriously. This creates a civil war dynamic where fans tweet each other to death over something a writer told their favorite wrestler to say about his co-worker.

Either way, this feud worked like a charm. Not only did Punk and Reigns go to hell on each other, but it intertwined with the WrestleMania Night 1 main event while taking on similar themes of babyface WWE Superstars being frustrated with TKO meddling. Among all the possible finishes, a finish that created a supergroup featuring Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, Pat McAfee and The Rock was not out of the question.

Then the dust cleared, there was no outside interference necessary for what will go down as one of the better WrestleMania main events in its decorated history. WrestleMania Night 2 saved WrestleMania weekend with a good card that lived up to lofty expectations.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

WWE WrestleMania 42 Night 2 (April 19, 2026) Key Points

• Roman Reigns beat CM Punk to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in a great main event with no outside interference.
• Oba Femi beat Brock Lesnar in the ESPN opener as Lesnar appeared to retire (for now.)
• Trick Williams defeated Sami Zayn for the US Title, while Rhea Ripley dethroned Jade Cargill for the IC Title.

WWE WrestleMania 42 Night 2 Results (April 19, 2026)

• Oba Femi def. Brock Lesnar | ESPN
• Penta won the six-man ladder match for the IC Title | ESPN
• Trick Williams def. Sami Zayn | WWE United States Title
• The Demon Finn Balor def. Dominik Mysterio | Street Fight
• Rhea Ripley def. Jade Cargill | WWE Women’s Title
• Roman Reigns def. CM Punk | WWE World Heavyweight Title

WWE WrestleMania 42 Night 2 Ticket Sales On April 19, 2026

• WWE WrestleMania 42 Venue: Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, Nev.)
• WWE WrestleMania 42 Ticket Sales: 51,266
• WWE WrestleMania 42 2-Night Total: 106,72

WWE WrestleMania 42 Night 2 Results, Winners And Highlights

Trick Williams Def. Sami Zayn

• Trick Williams had a superstar entrance amplified by returning hype man Lil Yachty. Sami Zayn dominated the early minutes of the match. He laid waste to Lil Yachty by throwing him into the barricade and hitting a Helluva Kick. There was a scary spot with Trick on the outside where the referee had to check on Trick to make sure he was okay. He was.
• Sami followed up with a Helluva Kick on Trick against the guardrail. Trick struggled to his feet, but Lil Yachty returned and stunned Sami over the ropes. Trick hit a flying kick for the nearfall.
• Sami set up Trick Williams for a Helluva Kick, but Trick responded with a Trick Knee for the win. Right choice, good match, but this was shorter than it should have been.

Match Grade: B

The Demon Finn Balor Def. Dominik Mysterio

• Dominik Mysterio’s amazing entrance featured several masked luchadors carrying him on a throne. Dirty Dom also donned a lucha mask. Dom removed the mask with no problem and dove onto the luchadors, who caught him. The luchadors stood at attention as Dom walked down the ramp. They followed him with Mexican flags. A truly spectacular entrance for one of WWE’s future pillars.
• Not to be outdone (though he was, but barely) Finn Balor returned as the Demon. There was a familiar sound of a heartbeat as Balor walked through a sea of smoke and touched an artificial heart. Balor grabbed a spiked helmet on a stick and walked down the aisle menacingly. Given how short the matches have been this WrestleMania weekend, these great entrances alone might be better than the match itself.
• Fans popped as the bell rang. The Demon crawled toward an apprehensive Finn Balor. Balor bumped Dirty Dom to the outside and grabbed a table. Mysterio pounced, armed with a kendo stick, and denied Allegiant Stadium a table for now.
• Balor flattened Dominik with a front suplex onto two chairs, but Dirty Dom fired back with a 619. The Demon kicked out at one. Balor went for the Coup de Grace but missed as Dom hit a drive-by chairshot.
• Dom went for the ladder an the heel actually slid it into the ring. Dom set the table up in the corner. Dom put Finn through the table and pummeled him with a steel chair. Dom messed up while setting up the chair, and Allegiant Stadium broke into a chorus of loud boos. Dom soaked them in.
• The Demon rose to his feet and pillmanized Mysterio’s neck with a running dropkick. Demon hit a Coup de Grace through the table for the win.

Match Grade: B+

Rhea Ripley Def. Jade Cargill

• Jade Cargill had a storm-themed entrance as she walked out in an immaculate, layered dress. Rhea came out to a great reaction and got the fans hyped in Vegas. Jade Cargill was unbothered in the ring. Rhea was cheered just as loudly as Jade was booed during the ring introductions.
• Jade hit an early shoulder tackle followed by a bodyslam for the heat. Rhea answered with an inverted back suplex. Jade hit another shoulder tackle as Rhea bounced off the ropes and walked into a powerslam. Jade worked over Rhea on the outside as she took control of the match.
• Cargill hit an impressive spinout power bomb for a nearfall. Rhea battled out of a rest hold but Jade rained down with elbows. Rhea stunned Jade with a dropkick as the two struggled to their feet.
• The match degenerated into a a brawl as Jade and Rhea took turns on top, then exchanged kneeling strikes. Rhea won the exchange with a one-legged dropkick. Ripley hit an electric chair slam for a nearfall.
• Rhea went for a powerbomb, but Michin distracted the ref. B-Fab saved Jade before Ripley knocked her off the apron. Michin ran in with a driveby kick on Rhea.
• Jade hit a One-Winged angel for a nearfall, then tossed Rhea out of the ring. Cargill soaked in the boos, but then Iyo Sky’s music hit as the most talented wrestler not on this card ran down to the ring and cleaned house.
• Jade went for Jaded, but Rhea slipped out of it and hit a Riptide for the win. A great match that got the time it deserved.

Danhausen Gets A WrestleMania Moment With The Miz And John Cena

• John Cena announced a two-night attendance of 106,72. He was interrupted by The Miz and Kit Wilson who wanted their WrestleMania moment. John Cena asked who Kit Wilson was, and fans actually booed in support of Wilson.
• Danhausen interrupted with mini-hausens. One of the minis punched Kit Wilson in the groin and Danhausen did the John Cena comeback on The Miz. This was a campy, silly segment that the miserable IWC will whine about, but Allegiant Stadium ate it up.
• Cena announced the main event as the entire stadium exploded in cheers. To this point, WrestleMania 42 Night 2 has been a stark improvement over Night 1, and it’s one great main event from being a great WrestleMania.

Match Grade: B+

Roman Reigns Def. CM Punk

• Roman Reigns received pianos, drums and a singer as WWE aired an Anoa’i legacy photo album. Reigns made his slow walk to the ring and was given an impressive pyro display.
• CM Punk received his vintage Miseria Cantare entrance as a callback to his ROH days. The music ended, and CM Punk led Allegiant Stadium in an “it’s clobbering time!” battlecry before “Cult of Personality” aired.
• This felt like a main event from the moment the bell rang with dueling chants for Punk and Roman. The two faced off and talked trash to one another. They didn’t touch for at least a minute. Fans broke into applause before they locked up.
• Punk and Reigns went back and forth before Reigns stuck Punk with a Samoan drop. Fans chanted for Roman Reigns as he took control of the match. The action spilled to the outside as Reigns tossed Punk into the barricade.
• Reigns stood triumphantly on the table and threw up the one. Punk fought back on the outside and got the better of Reigns. Punk stood on the table and mocked Roman Reigns by throwing up a one of his own.
• Back inside the ring, Reigns exploded on offense with 10 strikes in the corner followed by a flying clothesline for the nearfall. Punk battled back with a running knee in the corner followed by a bulldog. Reigns answered with a Superman punch for another nearfall.
• Reigns went for a spear, but Punk countered and hit another running knee. Punk clotheslined Reigns to the outside and posed over Reigns on the table. Punk teased an elbow through the table, but Reigns recovered. Punk and Reigns exchanged strikes on the apron.
• Reigns tied up Punk in a Tree of Woe and bludgeoned the champion with three Superman Punches. Punk bled from the mouth as he lay trapped upside down. Reigns smashed Punk with the steel step as as some fans began to turn on Reigns.
• Reigns hit a running powerbomb on Punk through the table. Back in the ring, Reigns went for a spear, but Punk caught him in the GTS for a nearfall. There was a light “this is awesome" chant following the spot.

• Reigns fought out of a second GTS attempt and hit a spear for a two count. Reigns couldn’t believe it. Reigns went for a GTS, but Punk countered and hit a roundhouse kick for a nearfall.
• Punk teased the Superman punch and scored with Reigns’s signature move. Punk donned the Ula Falla to immense heat. He trapped Reigns in an Anaconda Vice. Reigns battled out of it and the two legends hit a double clothesline. The crowd was smoldering with heat with loud dueling chants for Reigns and Punk.
• Reigns and Punk went back and forth with strikes as Allegiant stadium was losing its collective mind. Punk threw his tape at reigns. The referee went to grab the tape, and Punk hit a low blow followed by a GTS for the best nearfall of the match. Punk brawled to the outside and set Reigns up on the table. Punk a flying elbow as fans chanted “holy s—t!” Now the entire stadium was chanting “this is awesome!”
• Punk hit a third GTS and tried a fourth, but both men crumbled as the white-hot main event was dead even. Reigns ran in with a spear. The two talked trash. Reigns ran back and forth agains the ropes and hit a spear for the win. An amazing main event.

Match Grade: A

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

The fourth signature event of the golf calendar is in the books as the tour made its annual dogleg right from Augusta on over to Hilton Head and the game’s most coveted threads were slipped onto the shoulders of its latest champions.

Rory McIlroy surrendered a sizeable lead before rallying in the clutch to earn another green jacket, while Matt Fitzpatrick rebounded from a late miscue to win his second RBC Heritage title in a playoff—earning another dapper tartan jacket and bringing to a close a stretch that functions as pro golf’s Spring Sports Coat Swing.

The RBC Heritage offered a markedly different test to golf’s first major, as tight sightlines and an emphasis on precision replace the power demands and sweeping corridors.

Harbour Town Golf Links, a Pete and Alice Dye design with Jack Nicklaus chipping in as a design consultant, has long favored accuracy over distance. Even after a recent restoration led by Davis Love III that closed the course down for six months after last year’s event, that identity remains very much intact.

“It’s a special and unique place in the sense that you have to control your ball,” Scottie Scheffler said earlier in the week. “You have to shape it both ways…which when you look at modern golf course design, I think it's a bit of a lost art.”

From Power to Precision

Narrow, tree-lined fairways, pronounced doglegs and some of the coziest greens on the PGA Tour shift the emphasis from power to precision and short-game finesse, rewarding players who execute their targets rather than overpower the course.

The famous finisher is case in point. The candy-striped Harbour Town Lighthouse frames the 18th, one of the tour’s most recognizable holes, where Calibogue Sound and marshland press along the left and the margin for error off the tee all but disappears. With the tees pushed back another ten yards, that hazard looms even larger, placing a steep premium on finding the fairway.

When Golf Meets Pollen Season

The shift isn’t merely strategic—it’s also the height of sneeze season. April marks the peak of tree pollen season across much of the Southeast, adding another variable during a stretch when players are already adjusting from one of the most demanding weeks on the calendar.

Roughly one in four adults deal with seasonal allergies, according to the CDC, and a much higher percentage of PGA Tour players report being affected, based on recent data. With events often staged in high-pollen areas and players spending hours outdoors, the disparity isn’t surprising.

“I think it’s the environment and the constant barrage of allergens when you’re on these courses in certain locations,” said Jenn Lovell, head of U.S. allergy at Kenvue. “You’re outside in a great environment, but that’s also high pollen.”

Kenvue’s Zyrtec became the PGA Tour’s first official allergy relief sponsor last month and was among the brands with a presence on site, aligning with the overlap between peak golf season and elevated pollen conditions in the region. At Harbour Town, fans moved through a small activation area that included a putting challenge through a nose-shaped obstacle and product sampling, a nod to the realities of spectators spending full days outdoors during the height of allergy season.

Sold out for the fourth consecutive year, attendance topped 100,000 across tournament week in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, where fans traipsed through pine straw and shaded cart paths beneath a canopy of live oaks, giving the event a more laid-back feel than most tour stops.

While the concessions don’t get nearly the same fawning press attention as the previous week’s Masters, they have been making a concerted effort to chart their own culinary path, complementing their DL III 5-Time Champion Burger with a Defending Champ Burger curated by the previous year’s leaderboard topper.

Justin Thomas’s short rib and brisket blend topped with smashed avocado, a fried egg, and Southwestern aioli with $1 from every sale supporting the Heritage Classic Foundation which since its founding in 1987 has donated $61.8 million to South Carolina charities.

For players, the annual shift from Augusta to Hilton Head is less about a reset and more about recalibration. While course knowledge remains essential, the move to vastly different conditions presents a different kind of test. The player who best understands H-Town’s quirks and executes accordingly ultimately slips on the plaid. On Sunday, that was Matt Fitzpatrick.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

Oba Femi Vs. Brock Lesnar At WrestleMania 42 | Key Points

• Oba Femi beat Brock Lesnar in a quick, but entertaining, match to open WrestleMania 42 Night 2.
• Brock Lesnar appeared to retire after the loss, removing his gloves and boots before embracing longtime manager Paul Heyman. Fans chanted “thank you Lesnar,” however Gunther (the king of retirement matches) is still owed a favor by Paul Heyman after saving him from Seth Rollins.

Oba Femi destroyed Brock Lesnar in the opening match of WrestleMania 42, Night 2. Oba no-sold Brock’s early offense, shades of his squash-match loss to Goldberg at Survivor Series 2016. Oba sold for Brock moments later on the outside of the ring, before quickly recovering from the F5. Oba chokeslammed Lesnar and hit the fall from grace for the win.

After the match, Brock Lesnar removed his gloves and boots, signaling his retirement. Brock shared a warm embrace with an equally emotional Paul Heyman. Fans chanted “thank you, Brock” as the Beast’s career appears to be over. The monumental win for Oba means that much more if Brock is truly retiring. This would be a fitting retirement match for Brock as WWE is undergoing a dawning of a new era.

It’s fair to question whether Lesnar’s retirement is legit as Gunther—who has made a career out of retiring legends—is still owed a favor by Paul Heyman.

Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi felt like the spiritual main event in Las Vegas, but not only did it open WrestleMania Sunday, it did so on free television with an elusive broadcast on ESPN.

Considering the reach, this was essentially an upgrade.

Several households prayed witness to a blockbuster matchup with proven PPV draw Brock Lesnar and rising star Oba Femi. Killing two birds with one stone, not only did this match serve as a strong sales pitch for WrestleMania, it was also a harbinger of what was to come for WWE’s bright, Black future.

Oba Femi is part of the iconic “AfricaNXT" class of Black performers including Trick Williams, Carmelo Hayes, Ricky Saints and Je’Von Evans who redefined NXT with a predominately Black roster that helped the brand easily surpass AEW Dynamite in weekly viewership. Since moving to the CW, NXT aired 67 weeks of the AfricaNXT era. In the weekly ratings battle, NXT went 61-6 against Dynamite in total viewership. Since the promotion of Femi, Williams, Evans and Hayes to the main roster—all of whom where called up by January 6, 2026—NXT has fallen behind Dynamite with a roster that suddenly lacks seasoning.

But NXT’s sacrifice is WWE’s come-up. Oba Femi’s WrestleMania spotlight signals a sea change in WWE that has already led to the type of motion fans saw in NXT ubiquitously. With Williams, Evans, Femi, Jade Cargill, Lash Legend and even IShowSpeed on the card, this is easily the Blackest WrestleMania since WrestleMania 37, if not the Blackest ever.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

The most anticipated WWE WrestleMania 42 clash? Well, that would be Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi.

Although WWE booked two major world championship matches in Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes and CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns for Allegiant Stadium, one could argue that the best-built rivalry heading into WrestleMania was none other than “The Beast” vs. “The Ruler.” The two gargantuans engaged in a handful of in-ring segments that sent WWE fans into an absolute frenzy, generating the type of roof-rattling reactions every WWE feud should strive for.

That’s why the prospects of two of WWE’s most physically impressive superstars facing off on “The Grandest Stage of Them All” had fans salivating and anxiously awaiting to see if Femi could manhandle the most dominant star of his generation.

MORE FROM FORBESWWE WrestleMania 42 Preview And Predictions For SundayBy Blake Oestriecher

WWE WrestleMania 42 Results For Brock Lesnar Vs. Oba Femi

If ever there were a passing of the torch, Oba Femi’s win over Brock Lesnar at WWE WrestleMania was precisely it.

Yes, WWE, for once, listened to its fans and booked the right finish on pro wrestling’s biggest stage. Femi demolished Lesnar in mere minutes after planting Lesnar with the Fall From Grace.

Here are the key highlights and moments from Femi’s career-defining victory over “The Beast” at WrestleMania 42:

• Lesnar and Femi immediately locked up for a test of strength, and it was a stalemate. Lesnar then took the early advantage and hit Femi with a series of shoulder blocks, but they didn’t affect Femi at all. He pushed Lesnar off, took two clotheslines and remained standing, then pummeled Lesnar with a massive clothesline to take him down. The crowd went wild.
• A frustrated Lesnar escaped the ring and pulled Femi to the outside, then sent him spine-first into the ring post followed by the steel ring steps. Back inside, Lesnar hit a series of German suplexes. Lesnar went for another, but Femi blocked ti and nailed Lesnar with a big elbow and some running uppercuts in the corner. On his third attempt, Lesnar picked him up and blasted Femi with an F5. Femi immediately got to his feet and hit Lesnar with a massive choke slam.
• Femi picked up Lesnar and slammed him down with the Fall From Grace sitout powerbomb. That was enough for Femi to get the win after about five minutes.
• After the match, Lesnar took off his gloves and boots in the middle of the ring as of the crowd applauded and cheered, “Thank you, Brock!” Paul Heyman entered the ring and hugged Lesnar.

WWE WrestleMania 42 Results: What’s Next For Brock Lesnar And Oba Femi?

If Lesnar was the original “Next Big Thing,” then Femi’s win at WWE WrestleMania 42 cemented him as the, well, next “Next Big Thing.”

Femi didn’t make his official main roster debut until January’s Royal Rumble, and in less than three months, he established himself as one of WWE’s most popular stars. WWE fans got a snippet of Femi’s main roster potential at John Cena’s retirement show on Saturday Night’s Main Event last December when he faced Cody Rhodes.

But now, WWE fans are getting the total package, and boy oh boy, are they reacting to him like he’s already one of the biggest stars in the business. And he very well might be.

There is no such thing as a sure thing in pro wrestling, but especially after his big win over Lesnar at WWE WrestleMania 42, Femi is about as close as it comes. He has the prototypical superstar look, the jaw-dropping entrance, the power, the charisma and the aura that you need to make it to the very top of the pro wrestling business.

One report indicates that WWE officials view Femi on the same level as fellow rising star Bron Breakker, but in reality, Femi may have already surpassed him. All you have to do is hear the reaction to his entrance or his segments to see that Femi has the majority of WWE’s fans wrapped around his finger.

The key to Femi’s long-term success will be how he performs in the ring, but he demonstrated in NXT that he’s a main event level in-ring performer as well. In other words, the sky is limit for Femi, who just beat the man who ended The Undertaker’s WrestleMania undefeated streak at, you guessed it, WrestleMania.

WWE is clearly putting all its eggs in the Femi basket, and it’s obviously the right choice, too. Lesnar leaving his gloves and foots in the ring after the match indicates that the legend is retiring, leaving the need for a new unbeatable Goliath at the top of the card.

With Lesnar seemingly gone, Femi is the new top monster in WWE.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

The Toronto Blue Jays dropped their series versus the Arizona Diamondbacks with a loss on Saturday, marking the team’s sixth consecutive series loss in the early season.

And while the Blue Jays can remain optimistic about a turnaround and even a trip back to the World Series, it seems like a significant bullpen change might be in order soon.

“Jeff Hoffman surrendered a grand slam in the eighth inning of Saturday’s 6-2 loss, which is all Blue Jays fans will be talking about this weekend,” Keegan Matheson wrote for MLB.com. “The Blue Jays had every opportunity to win this one late, but Hoffman’s inning blew up the back end of the game. This comes after he blew a save last time out when he walked three batters.”

MORE FROM FORBESDodgers Superstar Offers 4-Word Response On Sudden Death Of World Series ChampionBy Peter Chawaga

Toronto Blue Jays Manager John Schneider Offers 4-Word Response On Jeff Hoffman’s Role

In his first season with the Blue Jays last year, Hoffman endured an up-and-down campaign that included giving up a lead to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series. And so far, his second season hasn’t been much better.

Hoffman has a 7.71 ERA, with 13 hits allowed and 20 strikeouts in less than 10 innings so far. But while Saturday’s brutal outing might serve as the final straw for some Blue Jays fans, the team appears to be sticking with him in the closer’s role.

“I have a lot of confidence in Jeff Hoffman,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said after the game, per The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon. “I feel for him right now because he’s going through it. I get it; when you’re in that spot, it gets magnified, and that’s part of it. He’s man enough to handle it.”

Regarding the specific role of closing out games, the skipper added a clear, four-word summary of how he views the beleaguered pitcher amid his struggles.

“I’ll take Jeff Hoffman,” Schneider added.

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Toronto Blue Jays Star Max Scherzer Sends Jeff Hoffman Message After Arizona Diamondbacks Game

Hoffman took ownership of the team’s loss on Saturday and he told reporters that he feels healthy and plans to work on his command. In the meantime, a prominent teammate joined the manager in offering his public support.

“We all believe in him,” future Hall of Fame starter Max Scherzer told reporters, according to Bannon. “We all love him. We all believe he’s going to figure it out and get big outs for us. That’s never going to change.”

But as the Blue Jays look to turn a losing season around before it’s too late, Hoffman will have to improve if they are to avoid making that change for much longer.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

HIGHLIGHTS

• A former UFC title challenger left his gloves on the canvas Saturday night after a brutal finish in Canada.
• One of the welterweight division's most entertaining fighters admitted before the fight he didn't want to be "that guy" — and kept his word.
• His exit hands a rising contender one of the biggest wins of his career and shifts the division’s balance of power.

Gilbert Burns called it a career on Saturday night in Winnipeg. Burns, a former UFC title challenger, took a rough TKO loss to Mike Malott in the main event of UFC Winnipeg. After the fight, Burns called it a career in an emotional post-fight speech surrounded by his family.

Burns has lost five fights in a row and the last two defeats have come by way of nasty finish.

How Did Gilbert Burns' Career End?

When you take a look at the way Cub Swanson and Michael Chiesa's careers ended earlier this year and compare it to the way Burns' career has ended, it is easy to see that the former two had the much happier send-offs.

Burns had a solid run, but he probably should have called it a career two fights ago. Malott dropped him with a right hand in Round 3 and finished him with ground-and-pound at 2:08, prompting Burns to tell the crowd "I think that's it… I've had a great career" before leaving his gloves on the canvas in the traditional retirement gesture.

He entered UFC Winnipeg on a four-fight losing streak against top-10 opposition, having dropped bouts to Belal Muhammad, Jack Della Maddalena, Sean Brady, and Michael Morales.

What Made Gilbert Burns Special?

In his prime, Burns had a combination of dangerous striking and elite jiu-jitsu. As he aged, his skills seemed to dull and the losses started to rack up. Burns turns 40 in July and his decision to walk away was a wise one.

At his peak, he ran through names like Tyron Woodley, Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson, and Demian Maia on his way to a welterweight title shot against Kamaru Usman — a career arc that cemented him as one of the most legitimate contenders the division has produced.

He was rarely in a boring fight, and that walk-forward, trade-big-shots style made him a fan favorite at both lightweight and welterweight throughout his 30-fight UFC career.

What's Next After Burns' Retirement?

Burns has done podcast work with Renato Moicano on the Show Me the Money podcast. I'd expect that to continue. On the other side of the main event, Malott's back-to-back wins over Kevin Holland and Burns put him firmly in the ranked welterweight conversation — anything short of a top-10 opponent next would be a disservice to what he's built.

The welterweight division loses one of its most familiar faces, but Saturday night in Winnipeg made clear it has a worthy successor ready to fill that space.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

WWE WrestleMania 42 is halfway done after an underwhelming and disappointing Saturday night that featured the return of Paige and a confusing main event between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes. But WWE is only halfway home.

Although WrestleMania Saturday featured big title wins for popular stars like Becky Lynch and Liv Morgan, it has been widely panned for its short match lengths, strange booking and overload of commercials. WWE will be looking to rebound on Sunday with a memorable night inside Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Among the biggest attractions for WrestleMania Sunday are CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship and a clash of two titans in Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi.

WrestleMania Saturday fell far short of expectations, not because of the performers’ themselves but due to the pacing and booking of the show. But now, all eyes fall on WrestleMania Sunday as WWE attempts to clean up its self-induced mess from the lackluster Night One.

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WWE WrestleMania 42 Preview For Sunday

WWE WrestleMania 42 will feature four championship matches on Sunday. Here are the confirmed matches (in random order):

• World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk (c) vs. Roman Reigns
• WWE Women’s Championship: Jade Cargill (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
• United States Championship: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Trick Williams
• Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
• Finn Balor vs. Dominik Mysterio
• Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship: Penta (c) vs. Rusev vs. JD McDonagh vs. Dragon Lee vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Rey Mysterio

Below are some key notes and tidbits for Sunday’s WrestleMania 42 PLE:

• Asuka vs. Iyo Sky was reportedly once set for WrestleMania 42, but instead, it looks like that match will take place at Backlash instead.
• Lesnar vs. Femi will kick off the action as the first hour airs on ESPN, with the idea being that it will get a lot of eyeballs on a big match.
• Reigns has headlined every WrestleMania since WrestleMania 37, even doing so twice at WrestleMania 40. This will be his 11th WrestleMania main event, the most all-time.
• Ripley has dominated WrestleMania in similar fashion. This will be her seventh consecutive title match at WrestleMania, with all but one of those bouts being for world titles.
• Williams and Zayn are rumored for a potential double turn, with Williams turning face and Zayn going heel.
• Lesnar reportedly could retire later in 2026, meaning this may be his final WrestleMania match.
• Balor has not won a WrestleMania match since Wrestlemania 36.

WWE WrestleMania 42 Predictions For Sunday

World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk (c) Vs. Roman Reigns

When Reigns battles Punk in Sunday’s main event, it will be one of the most unpredictable matches at WrestleMania 42.

While Punk has been a tremendous World Heavyweight Champion, it would be a surprise to see Reigns lose his third straight WrestleMania match. What’s more, Reigns appears to potentially be on the verge of rejoining forces with The Usos as the original Bloodline, which could play out in his favor.

What’s likely is that either Reigns gets helps from the Usos to win the world title, or one of the Usos betrays him to help Punk. It’s a slight lean to the former but could easily go either way. In today’s WWE, its main event finishes are often overbooked, and that should hold true here as well.

Prediction: Reigns

WWE Women’s Championship: Jade Cargill (c) Vs. Rhea Ripley

The WWE Women’s title rivalry between Cargill and Ripley has been one of the most disappointing feuds in route to WrestleMania 42.

Ripley and Cargill simply don’t have great chemistry while Cargill’s new stable along with Michin and B-Fab feels like a midcard level act. Although Cargill vs. Ripley may be surprisingly good at WrestleMania 42 itself, Cargill has really underwhelmed as champion as a character and talker.

Of course, Ripley is arguably WWE’s most pushed women’s star, and though Cargill could benefit from a win over “The Eradicator,” the women’s world title picture would be better off with the wildly popular Ripley as champion.

Prediction: Ripley

United States Championship: Sami Zayn (c) Vs. Trick Williams

Zayn vs. Williams has been one of WWE’s most underrated WrestleMania 42 rivalries, and the story is simple: Zayn is on his way down while Williams is on his way up.

The outcome of this match at WrestleMania 42 should be simple, too, and that’s Williams winning the United States Championship for his first title win on the main roster. Williams has quickly become one of WWE’s most popular stars, but it’s unlikely that he enters the main event scene so quickly after his main roster debut.

A US title win at WrestleMania would be a great stepping stone to bigger and better things to come for Williams, and WWE is likely going to go all in on a reported double turn for both stars as the crowd continues to boo the once beloved Zayn.

Prediction: Williams

Brock Lesnar Vs. Oba Femi

Sometimes in pro wrestling, the simplest story is also the best story. Exhibit A: Lesnar vs. Femi.

It’s not as if WWE has created some sort of jaw-droppingly original feud between these two behemoths. It’s just that WWE fans have completely bought into anything and everything the two giants have done in their handful of interactions on Raw.

This is a story of Goliath vs. Goliath, and the Goliath who’s 20-plus years younger should win at WWE WrestleMania 42.

Prediction: Femi

“Demon” Finn Balor Vs. Dominik Mysterio

WWE seems to be slowly but surely dismantling The Judgment Day, and Mysterio vs. Balor at WrestleMania 42 should take another step in that direction.

Balor is already in full-blown babyface mode after being exiled by his former faction, which has lost a lot of star power over the past couple of years. The most sensible booking move at WrestleMania 42 is for Balor to get his revenge on Mysterio, pick up the win and create more cracks in the stable’s foundation.

The Judgment Day already has plenty of those cracks, and at WrestleMania 42, Balor will add a few more.

Prediction: Balor

Ladder Match For The Intercontinental Championship: Penta (c) Vs. Rusev Vs. JD McDonagh Vs. Dragon Lee Vs. Je’Von Evans Vs. Rey Mysterio

There is really no story in the Intercontinental title ladder match. It’s essentially WWE’s waying of giving fans a spot-filled car crash on a card that will be more storyline-driven.

That’s all fine and dandy, too. The ladder match should be a ton of fun, and there’s a case to be made for virtually every star in the match winning it. Penta could very well leave WrestleMania still the champion while Rusev could be reinvigorated with a win and someone like Dragon Lee has earned a potential title win, too.

This WrestleMania feels like a great time and place to focus on new talents. The newest in this match is Evans, who could leave WrestleMania with his first title win. But Penta’s done well as champion and should hold onto the title for a bit longer.

Prediction: Penta

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

Seventy-nine years ago this past Wednesday, Jackie Robinson went out to first base at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn and became the first Black man to play major league baseball. These facts are well-known and well-trod. So, too, is the story that Branch Rickey told Robinson that they had to win with hitting, running, and fielding, and that he was looking for a ballplayer “with the guts not to fight back” against the racial abuse, taunts, and violence he would encounter. One need not be a baseball historian, or even a baseball fan, to appreciate and honor the legacy of Jack Roosevelt Robinson.

And yet, every year since 1997, on April 15^th, in ballparks all across our great land, we do just that, with MLB’s official “Jackie Robinson Day.” Since 2004, players on every team wear Jackie’s #42 on the back of their jerseys, and they do so in Dodger blue. Pregame festivities include remembrances of the great Dodger and civil rights leader, and special care is taken to make sure that Jackie’s memory is not lost to any generation.

There is no place where the celebration of Jackie is bigger or more heartfelt than at Dodger Stadium. While the Dodgers don’t always play at home on this particular day (as recently as 2014 they played in San Francisco), the schedule-makers do attempt to make that happen. And this year was a perfect alchemy, with Los Angeles playing the New York Mets, who play at CitiField in Queens, which has an entrance that is designed to evoke Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.

Prior to the game, both the Mets and the Dodgers gathered in the Centerfield Plaza, where a statue of Jackie Robinson is located, and listened to the words of Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. There is no one better to discuss the Negro Leagues and the history of the Black player in baseball. Kendrick reminded the assembled players that “the social advancement of America can be tied directly to Jackie’s breaking of baseball’s color barrier…that it wasn’t just a part of the Civil Rights Movement, but the beginning of the Civil Rights Movement.”

Back in the ballpark, the players – and essentially all MLB players on this day – took batting practice sporting t-shirts and sweatshirts that read: “Breaking Barriers” with the years of Robinson’s career on either side of the logo.

Once the players had completed their pre-game routines in Los Angeles, Sonya Pankey Robinson, Jackie and Rachel Robinson’s granddaughter, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Mookie Betts (himself a leading voice for increasing Black representation in baseball). Unfortunately, Rachel Robinson (age 103), who continues to be the guiding force for the Jackie Robinson Foundation that she established in 1973 shortly after her husband’s death, was not in attendance at Dodger Stadium Wednesday night.

The home team took the field wearing Brooklyn Dodgers hats, and proceeded to beat the visiting Mets by the score of 8-2. Shohei Ohtani continued his early-season dominance, throwing six innings, striking out ten, while allowing just two hits (both to MJ Melendez), and his first earned run of the season.

Prior to the game, José Mota, the son of Dodger legend Manny Mota, who broadcasts Dodger games for SportsNet LA, told Forbes.com that in 1948, his father, just ten year’s old at the time, first saw Robinson play. During spring training in the Dominican Republic, and Mota and some other boys climbed a mango tree to look inside the ballpark and watch baseball’s first “colored” player get ready for his sophomore season. That spring in the DR was special for Robinson, in that it was the first time that he stayed and swam in the same hotel as his teammates.

On Tuesday night, ESPN’s Buster Olney had a chance to speak with the older Mota, MLB’s all-time pinch-hit king, who told the reporter that Robinson was his hero.

On October 15, 1972, twenty-five years after his first appearance in a MLB game, the baseball establishment recognized the importance of the achievement, and Robinson gave a speech prior to Game 2 of the World Series in Cincinnati. He concluded his remarks that day with this famous line:

“I am extremely proud and pleased to be here this afternoon, but must admit that I am going to be tremendously more pleased and more proud when I look at that third-base coaching line one day and see a Black face managing in baseball. Thank you very much.”

Those words would carry even more import insofar as Robinson died of a massive heart attack just nine days later. Two and half years after Robinson said those words, on April 8, 1975, future Hall of Famer Frank Robinson managed his first game for Cleveland, breaking yet another color barrier. Rachel Robinson threw out the first pitch.

While today the Dodgers and MLB hold the icon in the highest regard, ‘twas not always thus. In fact, in 1969, barely a decade after he retired, Los Angeles issued his #42 to Ray Lamb, a 40^th round draft pick. The right-handed pitcher made his MLB debut on August 1, 1969, and immediately gave up a double to Joe Torre. Lamb ultimately pitched three inning and gave up one run in what one might view as a righteous Dodger loss to St. Louis. The Dodgers retired Robinson’s #42 in 1972, followed by the rest of the league on the 50^th anniversary – April 15, 1997.

The statue of Jackie Robinson that sits at the “front door” of Dodger Stadium has three different quotes attributed to the man:

• “There’s not an American in this country free until every one of us is free.”
• “I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me… All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”
• “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”

Today, the question of freedom still pervades our polity, and we know from history that many people did not like Jackie Robinson – the man or the player. But, the arc of time has allowed Robinson to accrue a level of respect rarely seen outside of world or religious leaders. The impact his achievements and triumphs had on the lives of others is unquestioned. And, the results of Jackie’s feats, performances, and words and deeds – those that were celebrated at Dodger Stadium and fourteen other ballparks Wednesday night – confirm for all time that Jackie Robinson lived an important life.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

The WNBA has a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), and it significantly increased player salaries around the league. Indiana Fever star guard Kelsey Mitchell, for example, signed a one year, $1.4 million supermax contract in the offseason. Her career earnings during her first eight WNBA seasons was just $1.12 million in total.

The salary cap for teams is $7 million in 2026 – it was $1.5 million last season. The player contracts are, in turn, way higher. Multiple stars have become the first million dollar signee in their franchise’s history.

Because the old CBA had a determined opt out date, most players prepared for the spike in the salary cap by signing deals that would make them a free agent this year. That allowed many of them to cash in, literally, on the influx of spending power around the league. Mitchell is, for example, one of three players to sign for the supermax at 20% of the cap, joining A’ja Wilson and Napheesa Collier.

But what about players that weren’t projected to be free agents in the 2026 offseason? How did their salary outlook change? In reality, those questions almost exclusively apply to either first-year players or players who are on their first contract after being drafted in either 2023, 2024, or 2025. The only veterans who were signed to a contract entering the free agency period were Seattle’s Lexie Brown and Phoenix’s Kalani Brown – Lexie’s previously-agreed to salary for 2026 was $98,818 while Kalani’s was $132,500. Both of those numbers are below the league’s new minimum salary, though, so both players had their 2026 salary figure bumped up to that minimum ($277,500). Kalani agreed to a contract buyout with the Phoenix Mercury this week.

Every other player who wasn’t a free agent in the 2026 offseason was a recent draftee, meaning their contract wasn’t negotiated and was instead set by the CBA. Their salaries also were bumped up, and in some cases significantly so.

How were WNBA player contracts raised?

Take Indiana Fever star guard Caitlin Clark for example. In her first and second season, she made less than $80,000 on her initial contract. In year three, she was set to make $85,873 and the salary cap was projected to land at $1,552,300. Under the old CBA, Clark’s salary would have been 5.5% of the cap.

Now, with new values for rookie deals, Clark’s salary jumps significantly. In 2026, her salary is $528,846 with a cap of $7 million. Now, the MVP candidate makes 7.6% of the salary cap.

Dallas Wings superstar Paige Bueckers earned the same bump. Her 2026 salary would have been $80,408 under the old CBA, but it will now instead be $500,000 thanks to the new governing rules. Bueckers was the top pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, and both her and Clark are set to make more than six times more money than previously expected in the coming season.

Rookies who were drafted in the recent 2026 WNBA Draft entered the league with the new CBA intact, so their contracts start with those higher values. Azzi Fudd, the first overall pick last week, is set to have a cap hit of $500,000 during her first season with the Wings.

Players who were selected in later rounds during recent drafts and were previously on minimum-salary contracts had their deal bumped up to the new league minimum. Fever forward Makayla Timpson, a second-round pick during the 2025 WNBA Draft, saw her salary jump from $70,653 to $277,500 for 2026 thanks to the new CBA.

Another way for players on their first contract after being drafted to make more money is the newly-created Exceptional Performance on Initial Contract (EPIC) extension. Players who were named to either the All-WNBA First or Second Team, or named Most Valuable Player, within their first three years in the league are eligible for this type of extension, which permits a raise during the fourth season of their contract before an extension that begins at the supermax in year five.

The only players eligible for the EPIC extension this offseason were Clark and Fever center Aliyah Boston – Bueckers will be eligible next season. Boston is the only player who is incentivized to sign such a deal right now, though, since Clark and Bueckers could make more by waiting and trying to earn more accolades.

Boston ultimately signed a three-year contract extension using the EPIC provision. She earned a $425,388 raise in 2025, then approximately $5.236 million more from 2027 to 2029. Her 2026 salary was already bumped up to $574,612 thanks to the CBA, then climbed into the seven figures with her extension.

The new cap system gives the best young WNBA players significantly more money before they hit free agency. It also boosts salaries across the board. It’s a win for the players who weren’t able to negotiate a new deal on the open market, and a win for the teams able to pay their players a more appropriate salary to entice them to stick around as long as possible. Training camps and preseason play begin for the league this week.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

So far this month, we’ve covered both which quarterbacks and tight ends to trade away in dynasty fantasy football. In this article, we’ll be jumping over to running backs.

MORE FROM FORBES3 Quarterbacks To Trade Away In Dynasty Fantasy FootballBy Steve Bradshaw

MORE FROM FORBESTight Ends To Trade Away In Dynasty Fantasy FootballBy Steve Bradshaw

To recap, the players on this list are not bad football players or even bad fantasy assets. The goal with trading away a player is to try to sell them before they see a significant decline in value. That way, you can get ahead of the curve.

The rankings we’ll use for reference are from Keep Trade Cut. With that being said, here are three running backs to trade away in your dynasty fantasy football league. The

Quinshon Judkins (KTC Rank: RB12)

Quinshon Judkins just made the top 12 running backs list, coming in at RB12. With Judkins, the reason that I believe you should trade him away is that he’s a better NFL running back than a fantasy football running back.

If you’re in a PPR league, this is even more true, but the KTC rankings are for .5 PPR leagues. Regardless, pass catching ability matters as long as you’re not playing in a standard league.

Last year, Judkins had a good but not elite rookie season, scoring 12.1 PPG (PPR). However, he only had 171 receiving yards.

While Judkins had 26 catches and 36 targets in 14 games, which isn’t bad as a rookie, he wasn’t doing much with those opportunities. That makes me think that the Browns will draft a true pass catching back to cut into those opportunities.

Outside of that, Judkins wasn’t very efficient at all. Judkins ran for only 3.6 YPC, which, to be fair, is somewhat because the Browns offense didn’t have a ton of weapons.

That said, I’m not sure that’s going to get much better in 2026, even with two first-round picks in the 2026 NFL draft. It seems like the Browns window to contend starts in 2027.

While Judkins isn’t a player you should sell no matter what, I’m not expecting him to get much better than the 11-13 PPG range in 2026, while would likely cause his value to decline.

Bhayshul Tuten (KTC Rank: RB22)

Without Travis Etienne, it seems like Bhayshul Tuten will be the Jacksonville Jaguars RB1 as of now. However, Tuten just profiles as a complementary back, and it’s tough to think that Jacksonville won’t draft another running back in the NFL draft.

Keep in mind that Tuten was not a day two pick last year, going just outside the top 100 at 104. Tuten also wasn’t very efficient on his 83 carries, running for just 3.7 YPC.

It’s not as if Tuten is being extremely overvalued, but if you can up-tier from him to another running back, that’s a move worth making right now.

Blake Corum (KTC Rank: RB31)

It’s tough to see a world where Blake Corum is going to be fantasy relevant with Kyren Williams on the roster. While Williams has four years of experience in the NFL compared to Corum with two, both are 25 years old.

To me, there are two main problems with Corum right now. It seems like the dynasty market is still holding out hope that he can be a relevant fantasy asset after running for 5.1 YPC on 145 carries last year.

That said, even with great efficiency, it turned into just 7.2 PPG. If Corum has his third season in a row with under 10 PPG, I believe the community will start to lose hope, and his value will plummet.

As mentioned with Judkins above, you need to be at least a solid pass catcher in fantasy football. Despite having 145 carries, Corum only had 14 targets, eight catches, and 36 yards last year.

If you can trade Corum for Jaylen Warren, J.K. Dobbins, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Woody Marks, or Trey Benson, those players are all ranked behind him in dynasty fantasy football on KTC.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

HIGHLIGHTS

• A welterweight veteran with one of the longest win streaks in divisional history called it a career inside the cage Saturday night.
• A featherweight made the kind of debut that immediately puts the division on notice.
• The co-main event produced one of the most entertaining fights of 2026 and rewarded both fighters handsomely for it.

Mike Malott was the star of the show on Saturday night in Winnipeg, and he fought like it, battering UFC title challenger Gilbert Burns into retirement. Malott scored one of the evening's performance bonuses en route to the third-round TKO win.

Burns called it a career after the fight.

In the co-main event, Charles Jourdain defeated Kyler Phillips in a back-and-forth battle that won each man a $100,000 bonus for Fight of the Night. Here's a look at all of the bonus winners and the results from the entire card in Winnipeg.

Main Event: Mike Malott Retires Gilbert Burns

Malott def. Burns via TKO (punches) at 2:08 of Round 3 — welterweight.

Malott has mostly beaten up guys he's supposed to beat — with the exception of his loss to Neil Magny in January 2024. After scoring wins over Kevin Holland and now Burns, anything besides a ranked opponent seems silly for Malott.

As for Burns, it's probably past the time for him to have hung up the gloves. He's lost five fights in a row and the last two defeats have been brutal knockout losses.

Burns had big moments early with his trademark calf kicks and overhands, but Malott took over in Round 3 with a right hand that hurt Burns, swarmed him against the fence, and forced the stoppage.

The finish earned Malott a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus — one of two on the night.

Co-Main Event: Jourdain vs. Phillips — Fight of the Night

Jourdain def. Phillips via unanimous decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) — bantamweight.

This was an all-action fight well worthy of the Fight of the Night honors. Jourdain's body work and late pressure edged out Phillips' speed and combination punching across three rounds of non-stop action.

Both men earned $100,000 for the performance. Jourdain moves to 3–0 at bantamweight with post-fight bonuses in all three appearances, solidifying himself as one of the division's most entertaining action fighters.

Other Highlights From Winnipeg

Barbosa's KO had some gasping. It was one of the most memorable KOs of the first four months of 2026. Márcio Barbosa flattened Dennis Buzukja with a perfect left hook just over a minute into Round 1 of his UFC debut at featherweight, instantly earning a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus.

It might have been a tough night to pick the fighters who were worthy of bonuses given how many finishes the card produced. Jai Herbert stopped Mandel Nallo by first-round TKO, Robert Valentin submitted Julien LeBlanc with a rear-naked choke in Round 1, Gokhan Saricam stopped Tanner Boser by second-round KO at heavyweight, and John Yannis stopped Jamie Siraj by TKO at 2:43 of Round 1 — all four earning $25,000 finish bonuses.

Much like UFC 327 in Miami, Winnipeg delivered a card where finishes were the story from top to bottom.

Full UFC Fight Night Winnipeg Results

Bonus Winners

• Fight of the Night ($100,000 each): Charles Jourdain & Kyler Phillips
• Performance of the Night ($100,000): Mike Malott
• Performance of the Night ($100,000): Márcio Barbosa
• Finish Bonus ($25,000): Jai Herbert
• Finish Bonus ($25,000): Robert Valentin
• Finish Bonus ($25,000): Gokhan Saricam
• Finish Bonus ($25,000): John Yannis
• Gate: ~$1.9 million USD

Main Card(Paramount+ / ESPN+)

• Mike Malott def. Gilbert Burns — TKO (punches), Round 3, 2:08
• Charles Jourdain def. Kyler Phillips — Unanimous Decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
• Jai Herbert def. Mandel Nallo — TKO (punches), Round 1, 2:05
• Jasmine Jasudavicius def. Karine Silva — Unanimous Decision (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
• Thiago Moises def. Gauge Young — Unanimous Decision (30–27, 30–27, 29–28)

Preliminary Card

• Márcio Barbosa def. Dennis Buzukja — KO (punch), Round 1, 1:22

• Robert Valentin def. Julien LeBlanc — Submission (RNC), Round 1, 2:22
• Gokhan Saricam def. Tanner Boser — TKO (punches), Round 2, 4:43
• Melissa Croden def. Darya Zheznyakova — Unanimous Decision (30–27, 29–28, 29–28)
• JJ Aldrich def. Jamey Horth — Unanimous Decision (30–27, 29–28, 29–28)
• John Castaneda vs. Mark Vologdin — Majority Draw (29–29, 28–29, 28–28)
• John Yannis def. Jamie Siraj — TKO (strikes), Round 1, 2:43

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

WrestleMania 42 Night 1 | Key Points

• Fans bash WrestleMania 42 Night 1 for being a four-and-a-half-hour show where none of the seven matches went over 22 minutes.
• The wrestling of WrestleMania lasted for less than 90 minutes despite airing from 3 pm to 7:30 pm.
• Fans are continue to blame TKO for having an adverse effect on WWE.

WWE WrestleMania 42 Night 1 is in the books, and some fans are calling out WWE and TKO’s budding corporate romance for hurting the show, a sentiment expressed by WWE fans during the buildup. Not only was Pat McAfee scripted to diss WrestleMania’s lower ticket sales in its return to Vegas (which still eclipsed 50,000 as WrestleMania flirts with a live gate record), but WrestleMania host John Cena hinted at chaos surrounding the attendance number. That chaos is part-and-parcel to the IWC outrage directed at TKO’s corporate meddling in WWE’s wrestling product.

WrestleMania’s main event was a very good. I found it highly entertaining with Bret Hart-Stone Cold vibes from WrestleMania 13 given the constant teasing of a double-turn. But the apparent retconning of Pat McAfee, who vowed to never appear in WWE again if Randy Orton lost, mixed with Cody Rhodes playing the heel and winning only for Orton to punt Cody like a heel led to confusion among viewers.

“Punting Cody after you lose the match and you stand tall even though you ain’t the champion WWE in 2026 boys,” tweeted one user.

Though internet wrestling fans are the most miserable human beings on earth, this doesn’t mean that there is no validity to their opinions. In fact, that same love for pro wrestling that drove them to insanity is what makes select opinions valid to begin with. By the time WrestleMania 42 Night 1 wrapped, some of WWE’s more impassioned fans were furious with what they felt was a disjointed main event that ended a show filled with more commercials and corporate branding than wrestling on the card itself.

Many Twitter accounts listed match times, and the results are quite shocking considering the four-and-a-half hour length of this PLE:

WrestleMania 42 Night 1 Match Times

• Usos & LA vs. Vision—7 minutes
• Jacob vs. Drew—14 minutes
• Women’s Fatal 4-Way—9 minutes
• Becky Lynch vs. AJ Lee—8 minutes
• Gunther vs. Seth Rollins—15 minutes
• Liv Morgan vs. Stephanie Vaquer—7 minutes
• Randy Orton vs. Cody—23 minutes

Three of the seven Night 1 matches eclipsed double-digit minutes in match time, and with the exception of the 23-minute main event, none of them went over 15 minutes.

“This WrestleMania has been hilariously produced so far. We got Hulk Hogan ads, Singers lip syncing their own song, cameramen tripping while their angle is active, Michael Cole getting cut off on commentary before the commercial break. Kinda sums up WWE in 2026 huh,” tweeted one account.

Twitter accounts such as Wrestle Features and FADE asked fans to grade WrestleMania 42 Night 1 on a scale of one to 10, with some fans (incorrectly) calling it the worst WrestleMania of all time. Others felt it was a solid WrestleMania bogged down with too many commercials.

Still, not everyone was down on WrestleMania’s Night 1 showcase, with WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair calling the heated main event between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton of the greatest matches he’s seen in the past few years.

Once the lineups were announced, WrestleMania Night 2 was projected to be the more anticipated night. With fan reaction to WrestleMania 42 Night 1 polarizing at best, WWE will need to deliver an all-time classic for a show that was just as dramatic for reasons outside of WWE’s control as it was for the card itself.

Key matches of WrestleMania 42 Night 2 include an apparent coronation of Oba Femi, a showdown between Jade Cargill and Rhea Ripley, a six-man Ladder match and a heavily anticipated main event between Roman Reigns and CM Punk.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

The MLB best home run bet drought continued yesterday, with two more misses. The season ledger sits at a 3-12 record, with one no bet for a player who didn’t start. The skid has eaten away at most of the season’s profits.

Nevertheless, readers who bet $100 on each of the suggested home run props at the listed odds are still up $200. Sunday’s home run bets will decide if the season line dips to $0 or swells.

Fortunately, all 30 teams are playing on Sunday, creating a vast pool of home run props to pick from. The two following home run bets offer the best blend of likelihood of coming to fruition and betting odds offered.

MLB Best Home Run Bets

Rafael Devers (San Francisco Giants - 1B)

Over 0.5 Home Runs (+449) at DraftKings Sportsbook

Rafael Devers is off to a forgettable start to his 2026 campaign. He has hit only two homers in 21 games and 90 plate appearances this year, and he hasn’t hit one since April 8.

Devers’ low home run total early in the season mask less discouraging batted-ball data. Among 277 qualified batters in 2026, Devers is tied for 80th in barrels per plate appearance rate (7.1%), 83rd in barrels per batted-ball event rate (11.3%), tied for 80th in fly-ball and line-drive exit velocity (95.0 mph) and tied for 101st in launch-angle sweet-spot rate (35.8%). Those marks don’t live up to the standard Devers has set to this point in his career. Nevertheless, they’re not dreadful.

Devers has a golden opportunity to get off the schneid today. Among today’s probable starters, Miles Mikolas has allowed the most home runs per nine innings (3.45 HR/9) this season.

Mikolas has allowed at least one home run in three of his four appearances this year, including coughing up four homers to the Dodgers on April 3. He has also permitted 19 home runs to 403 left-handed batters faced since last year.

Devers has the power-hitting prowess to take homer-prone Mikolas deep. Yet, if he’s unable to hit a homer against Washington’s starter, Devers could get on the board against Washington’s bullpen. Washington’s relievers have allowed the second-most home runs per nine innings (1.93) in MLB this season. Devers’ matchup against Mikolas and the relievers for the Nationals is too tasty to overlook his +449 odds to hit a home run offered at DraftKings Sportsbook.

Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies - 1B)

Over 0.5 Home Runs (+389) at DraftKings Sportsbook

Bryce Harper provided us with one of the winning home run props earlier this year, when he launched a home run at +400 odds on April 1. Harper is once again a sweet pick to hit a homer today.

The veteran left-handed-hitting outfielder is a terror for right-handed pitchers in his homer-friendly home ballpark. Harper has crushed 25 homers in only 397 plate appearances against righties at home since 2024.

Harper also has pristine batted-ball info. Among 277 qualified batters this year, Harper is tied for 20th in barrels per plate appearance rate (11.4%), 32nd in barrels per batted-ball event rate (15.3%), tied for 70th in fly-ball and line-drive exit velocity (95.4 mph), 39th in maximum exit velocity (112.5 mph) and tied for 62nd in launch-angle sweet-spot rate (39%).

His most recent batted-ball data is stellar, too. Among 185 qualified hitters in the previous 14 days, Harper is tied for 28th in barrels rate (16.7%), tied for 39th in hard-hit rate (52.8%) and had a 10.1-degree launch angle.

Harper doesn’t have a great matchup to hit a home run today. Grant Holmes has allowed only two homers this year, coughing up one in two of his four starts. Still, Holmes has a mediocre 20% strikeout rate against the 290 left-handed batters he’s faced since last season.

Holmes isn’t the caliber of righty to fade Harper’s +389 odds to homer against a right-handed pitcher at homer-friendly Citizens Bank Park. The 115 park factor for home runs at Citizens Bank Park is the fourth-highest in MLB from 2024 through 2026.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

It was a long and at times bumpy road, but WWE finally arrived at WrestleMania 42, with Night 1 taking place on Saturday, April 18.

Headlined by Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton for the WWE Championship, the build was largely overshadowed by the inclusion of Pat McAfee, who served as the Viper’s mystery caller heading into the match. The big question was how the College GameDay analyst would factor into it all.

Gunther and Seth Rollins also went head-to-head in a match thrown together late in the WrestleMania build. Did they manage to turn that into something special?

WrestleMania 42 left plenty of questions coming out of Night 1. So, let’s get into what stood out and what’s worth thinking about after the first night of action.

What’s Next For Gunther And Seth Rollins?

Actual wrestling was missing from most of this card, because most of the matches weren’t given a chance to, well, wrestle. Gunther and Seth Rollins were, though, and they delivered a stellar match—two guys trying to outwrestle each other to prove who’s better.

It was a simple, effective story for a match thrown together late in the WrestleMania build, and sure enough, it ended up being the best bout of the night.

Gunther is consistent at his craft. No matter the opponent, the setting, or the time, he tends to put on something special. Pairing him with someone who people sometimes forget can go at that same level—Rollins—makes for a recipe for magic. There were no crazy theatrics, just a story told through pacing. Wrestling on a wrestling show.

Hard to imagine anyone being against seeing these two run it back, maybe with a title on the line down the road.

So where does Gunther go from here? He’s said Paul Heyman owes him a favor, and the obvious route is getting the chance to slay the beast and retire Brock Lesnar, with SummerSlam in Minneapolis looming. It’s the perfect setup, and it would add another strong piece to the résumé of someone who’s already retired Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles in the past year.

As for Rollins, he’s likely heading into a summer program with Bron Breakker—something that once looked like a WrestleMania match before injuries got in the way. Better late than never, and it’s good to have them both back to give Raw a blood feud that should anchor the show.

What Can Be Made Of The Main Event’s Psychology?

For as talented as Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton are, the psychology of that main event was confusing.

Commentary immediately focused on speculation about Orton’s back, and he ended up selling for roughly half the match. He looked like the face in peril, while Rhodes methodically, and at times viciously, attacked him, targeting body parts like a heel working over a wounded babyface.

Then Orton got busted open, and while Rhodes did too later, seeing the former bleeding while getting beaten down only amplified the crowd reaction. The Las Vegas fans were already behind him, and that just pushed it further. It seemed, for a moment, that these two planted the seeds of a double turn to embrace the crowd reactions and take two of their top stars in opposite directions.

Michael Cole and Wade Barrett told a different story, however. They didn’t frame Rhodes as a heel, but as someone trying to match Orton’s recent viciousness. The problem is, it didn’t line up with what was actually happening in the ring, and none of the pieces really synced.

And then the finish: Rhodes seemingly wins clean, after Orton RKO’d McAfee, only for the Apex Predator to punt the two-time Royal Rumble winner. He stood tall with the WWE Championship as if it were the end of an episode of Raw, not WWE’s biggest show of the year.

It was all confounding. The psychology and story were all over the place, and maybe that kind of messiness was the point, but it didn’t fully land.

Was That Actually The Last Of Pat McAfee?

Per McAfee’s own stipulation, if Randy Orton lost at WrestleMania, he wouldn’t be seen again. So that should be it, right?

The speculation heading into WrestleMania was that McAfee and Orton would team up to face Cody Rhodes and Jelly Roll at Backlash. Jelly Roll taking McAfee out would suggest this isn’t over, and with Orton punting Rhodes after the match, it definitely feels like there’s more to come.

But Orton also RKO’d McAfee.

So maybe that really was the end for McAfee, an appropriate write-off for something that never quite made sense and often felt like it was just there to sell tickets.

We’ll find out soon enough on SmackDown whether McAfee sticks to his word or if this was all just a setup for a match at a smaller Premium Live Event.

Was This More About Moments Than Matches?

It’s been abundantly clear the direction WWE has been taking over the past year or so, in going for the snapshot moment over doing something coherent. Sometimes those moments fit well within the story, but WWE seems busy trying to go viral wherever it can, by any means necessary.

It started with IShowSpeed’s jump from the top turnbuckle onto Logan Paul after a seven-minute tag match. With it airing on ESPN2 and a different audience tuning in, maybe that could lure a few new people in.

Then there’s Drew McIntyre using the phone mid-match, as is WrestleMania tradition. Bron Breakker running down the ramp to spear Seth Rollins was fun. Paige returning to wrestle a WWE match for the first time in eight years was an awesome moment. And then Pat McAfee got elbow-dropped through the announce table by Jelly Roll, which might have been the lead-in to Backlash.

The moments dominated the actual matches, which had some short runtimes, some even briefer than the entrances for the main event between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, with McAfee getting his own full strut down the ramp.

Liv Morgan vs. Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s World Championship went under seven minutes, for one, and four of the seven matches went under 10 minutes. For WWE’s biggest event of the year, that’s just uncharacteristic, and much of it can be attributed to the excessive commercials.

At least some of that time could’ve gone to video packages to help tell the story of why these matches were happening, but the only one that got real background was the main event. That doesn’t help the new viewers WWE is trying to attract, especially when they’re trying to understand why two talents are even fighting.

Wrestling took a backseat for most of the night, which is unfortunate, but there was still some good stuff on the card.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

WWE WrestleMania 42 On ESPN 2 (April 18, 2026) Key Points

• WWE WrestleMania 42 Night 1 aired two matches for free on ESPN 2.
• LA Knight pinned Austin Theory in the opening match. After Logan Paul turned on IShowSpeed, the babyfaces came to his aid as he hit a frog splash on Paul through the table.

WWE WrestleMania 42 Results On ESPN 2 (April 18, 2026)

• The Usos and LA Knight def. The Vision and IShowSpeed
• Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre | Unsanctioned Match

WWE WrestleMania 42 Ticket Sales On April 18, 2026

• WWE WrestleMania 42 Venue: Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas, Nev.)
• WWE WrestleMania 42 Ticket Sales: 50,386

WWE WrestleMania 42 On ESPN | Results, Winners And Highlights

John Cena Kicks Off WrestleMania 42

• Fans went wild for John Cena, who wore a suit and casually walked to the ring as opposed to a sprint. Cena introduced himself as a longtime wrestler and a first-time host.
• Cena said the road to WrestleMania has been “chaotic” and “polarizing.” He said this is the moment he loves the most because “the time to talk is up. The time to deliver is now.”
• Cena formally welcomed Las Vegas to WrestleMania as the Usos made their entrance through the crowd.

The Usos And LA Knight Vs. The Vision And IShowSpeed

• IShowSpeed wore a red, latex Superman cape to the ring and donned full gear with long tights an kickpads. The match started with the Usos superkicking Logan Paul and Austin Theory, leaving IShow Speed to contend for himself. Speed locked in a headlock on LA Knight, who picked him up with no hands Speed hit a moonsault and landed on his feet, much to the chagrin of out-of-touch reporter Dave Meltzer.
• Speed hit an impressive body slam on LA Knight before tagging LA Knight. The babyfaces worked over Paul, including 10-count Yeet punches. It was all Usos and Knight to begin ESPN’s first WrestleMania match.
• Theory tagged in and too control as he grounded-and-pounded Jimmy Uso. Speed tagged in. He tried a suplex on Jimmy before it was quickly reversed. Logan Paul tagged in and retook control for the heels, but Jimmy came back with a Whisper in the Wind to a standing Logan Paul.
• Jey made the hot tag and rand wild. He hit a Spear on Austin for the nearfall. Suddenly, Speed found himself alone with Jimmy Uso, but Speed hit an impressive tilt-a-whirl on Jimmy to a big pop for the pseudo-heel. Speed accidentally bumped into Theory, who ran into a BFT as LA Knight scored the winning pinfall.
• The Usos and LA Knight celebrated as Logan Paul berated IShowSpeed. Paul knocked out Speed as fans booed vociferously and chanted “Logan sucks!” Paul dumped speed out of the ring and cleared the Spanish announce table. Paul attempted a flying elbow, but the babyfaces made the save.
• The Usos hit an off-target 1D on Paul as Knight saved Speed. The Usos put Paul on the table and gassed up Speed to hit an elbow drop of his own through the table. Fans were with it, chanting “Speed!” Speed did Ronaldo’s “sui!" celebration and hit a frog splash as fans chanted “holy s—t!”

Match Grade: B-

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

The Oklahoma Sooners are NCAA Gymnastics National Champions – again. For the eighth time in 11 years and fourth title in five, K.J. Kindler’s unbreakable squad cemented its status as the best gymnastics team in the land.

With back-to-back titles and unmistakable dominance over the last decade, the Sooners didn’t just win another title – they cemented a dynasty. With the win, Kindler is now the most efficient coach in NCAA Gymnastics history, averaging more than one title every three seasons.

The Sooners fought off a formidable late-meet push from the LSU Tigers, who surged into the lead after a stellar bars rotation. The Tigers finish second for the third time in program history, falling just short of the program’s second title.

Though the Florida Gators came in as the hottest team in the nation, the stacked lineup struggled to find its rhythm all day, falling into third place and continuing the program’s 11-year title drought.

The Cinderella team, Minnesota, finished fourth after another strong effort. Though the Gophers entered the final rotation ahead of the No. 3 Gators, a subpar vault rotation dropped Minnesota to fourth. Nonetheless, the team’s fourth-place finish is historic, passing their previous sixth-place finish from 2022.

Final Results

1. Oklahoma Sooners: 198.1625
2. LSU Tigers: 198.075
3. Florida Gators: 197.6875
4. Minnesota Golden Gophers: 197.375

Fort Worth Play-by-Play

Rotation One: Oklahoma Rocks the House on Vault

The Sooners started their title push on vault, the event where they posted a staggering 49.750 in the semifinal round. Though the Sooners only found two stuck landings today – instead of four – they posted the highest rotation of the field to start. Sophomore Lily Pederson nabbed a career high 9.9875 to lead the Sooners.

Like Oklahoma, Florida followed the same rotation order as Thursday’s semifinals, starting on the balance beam. The Gators also started on beam in their victorious SEC Championship effort, and hoped the same outcome would translate here. Though Florida saw strong hits from Selena Harris-Miranda and Skye Blakely, the scores could not match the near-perfect results from OU. After a fall in the anchor spot, the Gators had to count a sub-par 9.8 score for a below-average beam total.

Over on floor, the LSU Tigers looked for an emphatic start on their best event. Though the scores began modestly, the Tigers saw key 9.9+ efforts from the star-studded backend of their lineup. Amari Drayton and Kaliya Lincoln delivered back-to-back 9.9375 marks to keep the Tigers just behind the Sooners.

Starting on bars – the event where they finished in Thursday’s semifinal – the Golden Gophers were less precise than their semifinal effort. However, the team saw a clutch 9.900 routine from freshman Arianna Ostrum.

After One: Oklahoma: 49.600, LSU: 49.5125, Florida: 49.3875, Minnesota: 49.2625

MORE FROM FORBESJordan Chiles’ Collegiate Career Ends In Elite Eight With NCAA Floor TitleBy Caroline Price

Rotation Two: Kailin Chio Brings Her Best

In the second rotation, an all-out battle unfolded. The Sooners struggled to find their bars dismounts in the semifinal round, and that same struggle carried into half of their lineup on Saturday. Freshmen stars Ella Murphy, Mackenzie Estep, and Caitlin Smith redeemed the effort, nabbing three scores of 9.9+.

The Gators needed to move past their shaky beam rotation with power and finesse on floor. Though the Gators looked confident and precise in their routines, scores remained tight through the end of the rotation. All-around bronze medalist eMjae Frazier hit a stellar floor routine, but scored nearly .050 below a similar effort from Thursday. Nonetheless, the Gators finished the rotation with a strong hit from Selena Harris-Miranda.

After a tentative start on vault with no sticks, sophomore star Kailin Chio brought the arena to its feet in the anchor spot. Chio stuck her 14th vault of the season, making a 87.5% stick-rate on the year. The judges awarded Chio with an outright perfect 10.0, her 13th of the season. With the score, the Tigers stayed close behind the Sooners.

On beam, Minnesota needed a huge effort on their best event: the balance beam. Despite a fluke mishap in the penultimate routine, the Gophers delivered once more, posting a huge 49.450. Newly-crowned NCAA Beam Champion Brooklyn Rowray and junior Jordyn Lyden both earned key scores of 9.9+.

After Two: Oklahoma: 99.0625, LSU: 98.9875, Florida: 98.8000, Minnesota: 98.7125

Rotation Three: LSU Sticks, Florida Sinks

Heading into the second half of the meet, the Sooners maintained their lead, but it was tight. They now headed to the balance beam, one of the team’s strongest events. However, the tide turned for the Sooners.

After the injured Addison Fatta scored just a 9.7375 in the leadoff, Keira Wells fell off the beam in the second spot and the pressure was on for K.J. Kindler’s team. Freshman Ella Murphy responded without hesitation, nailing a spectacular 9.9375 in the next spot. The Sooners continued to respond, closing the rotation with a massive 9.95 from all-around champion Faith Torrez. Though they gave up the lead, the Sooners powered through to salvage another hit rotation.

Entering the rotation in third, Florida faced its biggest weakness: vault. That reality continued on Saturday in Fort Worth, with the lineup producing zero stuck landings across six vaults. Though they entered the third rotation in contention, Jenny Rowland’s team may have vaulted themselves out of the national title.

Now on the floor, Minnesota rebounded from a sub-9.8 in the leadoff spot to surge onto the podium over Florida. Jenny Hansen’s team recorded a strong 49.3875 behind a trio of 9.9+ scores from the backend of the lineup. While Florida struggled on vault, the Gophers climbed into the third-place spot with one rotation to go.

After recording their lowest bars score all season on Thursday, the LSU Tigers needed to dial in on bars, and the Tigers delivered. Lexi Zeiss was spectacular in the leadoff, opening the rotation with a huge 9.925. The big scores and stuck dismounts kept coming, with junior Konnor McClain closing the rotation with a huge 9.95. Just like that, the Tigers took the lead.

After Three: LSU: 148.600, Oklahoma: 148.525, Minnesota: 148.100, Florida: 148.0875.

Rotation Four: Tigers vs. Sooners for the Title

With Minnesota and Florida over a half-point behind, the meet turned into a two-team race between the LSU Tigers and Oklahoma Sooners. The Sooners went to the floor while the Tigers went to the beam, and only the smallest of margins separated the two programs.

Kylie Coen led off the Tigers with a spectacular hit, shifting the momentum towards LSU. However, that momentum quickly changed after a minutes-long judges conference iced out sophomore Lexi Zeiss. Zeiss fell off the beam in the second spot, putting the Tigers at a significant disadvantage.

While the Tigers worked to avoid counting a fall, the Sooners powered forward to five scores of 9.90 or higher. All-around champion Faith Torrez closed the rotation with another 9.95, closing the door on Jay Clark’s Tigers.

After Four: Oklahoma: 198.1625, LSU: 198.075, Florida: 197.6875, Minnesota: 197.375

MORE FROM FORBESFaith Torrez Defies Odds To Capture All-Around National ChampionshipBy Caroline Price

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

WWE WrestleMania 42 Night 1 Betting Odds | Key Points

• Cody Rhodes is heavily favored to bleed, while many titles are expected to change hands with every champion on Night 1 listed as an underdog.
• Vince McMahon is a longshot to appear onscreen, while Triple H and Stephanie McMahon getting physically involved is also unlikely to happen per the odds.

WWE WrestleMania Night 2 betting odds suggests a cavalcade of title changes. Not only is every champion favored to lose, but oddsmakers suggest there will be more than 4.5 title changes throughout the entire weekend. As a culmination of several major feuds and WWE’s biggest show of the year, WrestleMania typically features several title changes. Last year, WrestleMania 41 featured six title changes, with three happening each night.

WrestleMania props include McMahon family involvement, whether or not Cody Rhodes will bleed in the main event just how many F5s Oba Femi will take from Brock Lesnar.

WWE WrestleMania 42 Night 1 Betting Odds (Via Betonline.com)

• The Vision (+165) vs. The Usos (-215)
• Jacob Fatu (-2000) vs. Drew McIntyre (+700) | Unsanctioned Match
• Stephanie Vaquer (+400) vs. Liv Morgan (-7000) | WWE Women’s World Title
• AJ Lee (+350) vs. Becky Lynch (-600) | WWE Women’s IC Title
• The Irresistible Forces vs. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria vs. The Bella Twins | WWE Women’s Tag Title (No Odds Available)
• Seth Rollins (+400) vs. Gunther (-700)
• Randy Orton (-450) vs. Cody Rhodes (+275) | Undisputed WWE Title

WWE WrestleMania 42 Night 1 Betting Props

• Will Cody Rhodes Bleed | -1000 for Yes
• Does Unsanctioned Match Take Place In Steel Cage? | +100 for Yes
• Will a Fire Extinguisher be used as a weapon? | +400 for Yes
• Will a guitar be used as a weapon? | +300 for Yes
• Will Triple H or Stephanie McMahon get physically involved? | +200 for Yes
• Will Oba Femi Take two or more F5s? | -500 for Yes
• Will Pat McAfee take a Cross Rhodes? | -700 for Yes
• Paul Heyman to walk Gunther to the ring? | +200 for Yes
• Will Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk have outside interference? | -1000 for Yes
• Total Ref Bumps this WrestleMania Weekend
  • Over 2.5 | -120
  • Under 2.5 | -120
• Total Title Changes this WrestleMania Weekend
  • Over 4.5 | -275
  • Under 4.5 | +185
• Will Undertaker chokeslam someone? | +300 for Yes
• Will Vince McMahon be shown on screen? | +500 for Yes
• Will IShowSpeed take the pin? | -500 for Yes
• Will there be a female wardrobe malfunction? | -150 for Yes

This article was originally published on Forbes.com

HIGHLIGHTS

• Three women's title matches are on the docket for Saturday night alone.
• A celebrity-packed six-man tag match could be the most unpredictable bout of the entire weekend.
• The Night 1 main event has the potential to reshape the WWE Championship picture for the rest of 2026.

The Showcase of Immortals is set and there are several intriguing questions to answer over the next two nights of WWE action. WrestleMania 42 Night 1 is on Saturday from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Here’s everything you need to know about Saturday's event.

What Time Does WrestleMania 42 Night 1 Start?

The pre-show begins at 5 p.m. ET, and that could be packed with stars. This is WrestleMania, so the pre-show is probably worth a look. The main show starts at 6 p.m. ET. U.S. viewers can catch it on ESPN and the ESPN app, with the first hour also simulcast on ESPN2. International viewers can watch live on Netflix at the 6 p.m. ET equivalent in their local time zone.

What's on the WrestleMania 42 Night 1 Card?

Night 1 — Saturday, April 19, 2026 | Allegiant Stadium, Las VegasHow to Watch: ESPN / ESPN app (US) | Netflix (International)

• Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton
• Six-Man Tag Team Match: Logan Paul, Austin Theory & IShowSpeed vs. The Usos (Jimmy & Jey) & LA Knight

• Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre — Unsanctioned Match

• Women's World Championship: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan

• Women's Intercontinental Championship: AJ Lee (c) vs. Becky Lynch
• Women's Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way: Nia Jax & Lash Legend (c) vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. Nikki & Brie Bella
• Seth Rollins vs. Gunther

What Should Fans Watch For on Night 1?

Saturday night is ladies night. All but one of the women's matches on the WrestleMania 42 ledger happen on Night 1. That'll be a focus, but everything builds up to Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton.

The latest rumors and updates heading into the show suggest plenty of outside involvement is possible in that main event, and the women’s tag title match in particular carries significant intrigue given the injury and roster news swirling around it. Gunther vs. Rollins is the widely predicted workrate match of the night — don't sleep on that one.

I’ll have takes on various parts of the show on Saturday and Sunday night.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com