In a highly charged main event at UFC 305, South African fighter, Dricus Du Plessis, retained his middleweight title, defeating Nigerian-born Israel Adesanya by submission in the fourth round.

The grudge match, which had been fueled by pre-fight tensions over race and identity, culminated in a dramatic turn of events as Du Plessis secured the victory with a rear-naked choke.

Adesanya, a former two-time champion, came into the fight determined to reclaim the belt he lost to Sean Strickland last September.

Despite trailing 2-1 on the scorecards heading into the fourth round, Du Plessis turned the tide with a series of powerful hooks and jabs, followed by a decisive takedown.

Once he locked Adesanya into the choke, the Nigerian-born fighter had no choice but to submit.

The fight began with both fighters showing aggression, with Adesanya landing sharp counters and cutting Du Plessis on the forehead early on.

However, the South African’s pressure and wrestling skills proved too much for Adesanya as the fight progressed.

he intense bout was marked by a tense atmosphere, stemming from Du Plessis’ claim of being the first “real” African UFC champion, a statement that did not sit well with Adesanya.

Adesanya cut Du Plessis early in the first round. However, Du Plessis took control in the second round with effective wrestling, dragging Adesanya down twice.

The third round saw intense exchanges on the feet as both men battled for dominance, setting up a dramatic finish.

Adesanya, a former two-time champion, entered the match looking to reclaim his title, but Du Plessis capitalised on his ground game to secure the victory in his first title defence.

The submission win solidifies the South African’s position at the top of the middleweight division and leaves Adesanya pondering his next move after a bitter loss.

The animosity between the two fighters was evident throughout the contest, adding to the drama of the night.

Arne Slot got off to a winning Premier League start as Liverpool manager thanks to two quickfire goals from Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah in a 2-0 win at newly-promoted Ipswich on Saturday.

Slot has the unenviable task of succeeding Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, but a commanding second-half performance will have heartened the Dutchman.

Ipswich were riding the crest of a wave after back-to-back promotions and a return to the Premier League for the first time in 22 years.

Celebrity fan and minority owner Ed Sheeran was in attendance at Portman Road, although the singer-songwriter had to leave at half-time to attend a gig in Serbia.

Sheeran saw the best of the Tractor Boys, who were far from overawed by their illustrious opponents early on.

Omari Hutchinson had a shot blocked inside two minutes before Jacob Greaves headed the best chance of the first half too close to Alisson Becker.

Slot is the only new face at Anfield, as Liverpool, are the only side in the Premier League yet to make a signing in the transfer window.

The need for some fresh faces was shown in a sloppy and slow first 45 minutes on the ball.

However, Slot’s half-time team talk did the trick, as the Reds were a different side after the break and could have run out far more convincing winners.

Greaves needed to make a vital clearance to prevent Salah’s effort from curling in at the far corner.

But Liverpool also had a narrow escape as a potential penalty for a Virgil van Dijk push on Liam Delap was ruled out for a marginal offside in the build-up.

Luis Diaz missed a glorious chance to open the scoring when he scooped over from close range after wonderful play from Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai to tee up the Colombian.

Alexander-Arnold’s teasing cross was then headed wide by Jota, with the goal gaping.

Liverpool’s pressure finally told on the hour mark as another defence-splitting pass from Alexander-Arnold opened up Ipswich, and Salah unselfishly squared for Jota to make amends for his earlier miss.

Five minutes later, it was 2-0 as Salah pounced to score for the ninth time on the opening weekend of the season for Liverpool after a one-two with Szoboszlai.

Ipswich goalkeeper Christian Walton made a string of saves in the closing stages, notably from Salah and Conor Bradley, to prevent a more embarrassing opening-day defeat.

Kieran McKenna’s men had been unbeaten at home in the league for nearly 12 months.

But Ipswich were given an early lesson in the gulf in quality between the Championship and Premier League.

Things will not get any easier for Ipswich next weekend when they travel to defending champions Manchester City.

Liverpool, on the other hand, have the chance to build up some early momentum under Slot.

On either side of a trip to Manchester United next month, they face Brentford, Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth, Wolves and Crystal Palace in their next six Premier League games before the October international break.

The highly anticipated Premier League 2024/25 season which kicked off on Friday and continued on Saturday will see Manchester City begin their title defence with a challenging away fixture against Chelsea on Sunday at 4.30 pm.

Earlier in the day, Brentford will take on Crystal Palace at 2 pm.

In Spain, all eyes will be on Kylian Mbappe as he prepares to make his La Liga debut for Real Madrid against Mallorca at 8.30 pm, following Real Sociedad’s clash with Rayo Vallecano at 6 pm.

Italy’s Serie A action includes Bologna facing Udinese and Verona hosting Napoli, both kicking off at 5.30 pm. Later, Cagliari will go up against Roma, while Lazio meets Venezia, with both matches scheduled for 7.45 pm.

n France, Ligue 1 offers a full slate of matches, starting with Auxerre against Nice at 2 pm. The day continues with Angers versus Lens, Montpellier hosting Strasbourg, and Toulouse facing Nantes at 4 pm. The evening will conclude with Rennes taking on Lyon at 7.45 pm.

Germany’s domestic football scene features 11 ties in the first round of the German Cup.

In the English Championship, Sunderland will battle Sheffield Wednesday at noon, while the Scottish League Cup’s second round will see three ties, including Celtic versus Hibernian at 3 pm.

Full list
English Premier League:
Brentford v Crystal Palace (2 pm)
Chelsea v Manchester City (4.30 pm).

Spanish Liga:
Real Sociedad v Rayo Vallecano (6pm)
Mallorca v Real Madrid (8.30 pm)

Italian Serie A:
Bologna v Udinese, Verona v Napoli (both 5.30 pm)
Cagliari v Roma, Lazio v Venezia (both 7.45)

French Ligue 1:
Auxerre v Nice (2pm)
Angers v Lens, Montpellier v Strasbourg, Toulouse v Nantes (all 4pm)
Rennes v Lyon (7.45 pm).

German Cup, first round: 11 ties

English Championship:
Sunderland v Sheffield Wednesday (12 noon)

Scottish League Cup 2nd round: Three ties, including Celtic v Hibernian (3 pm)

Nigerians have faced ridicule from South Africans after Israel Adesanya lost his fight against Dricus du Plessis. The South African fighter submitted Adesanya in the fourth round of the main event at UFC 305, held at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, to retain the UFC middleweight title.

The Fight Breakdown

The bout was intense from the start, with both fighters showing aggression and skill. Du Plessis strategically mixed leg kicks and blitzes to slow down the game, while Adesanya produced strong attacks but couldn’t subdue his opponent.

Du Plessis managed to execute a rear-naked choke in the fourth round, forcing Adesanya to tap out and ending the contest. This victory marked a significant triumph for Du Plessis and a disappointing loss for Adesanya and his supporters.

The high-profile match also saw rapper Drake lose another ₦720 million after betting on Adesanya to win. This added another layer to the public spectacle surrounding the fight.

South African Fans React

Following the fight, South African fans took to social media to mock Nigerians, celebrating their fighter’s victory with a mix of humor and derision.

• One fan remarked, “DDP made him cry and tapped him out the next day, embarrassed him so hard.”
• Another commented, “Nigeria getting an ass whooping from SA every day.”
• A third fan added, “South Africans are the real owners of Nigerians in any sport.”

The social media response highlighted the rivalry and competitive spirit between the two nations, particularly in the realm of sports.

Adesanya’s Future

For Adesanya, this loss is a setback, but he remains a formidable fighter with a strong record. Fans and analysts will be keen to see how he bounces back from this defeat and what strategies he adopts in his future fights.

Bukayo Saka delivered an outstanding performance to lead Arsenal to a 2-0 victory over Wolves in their Premier League season opener.

Arsenal kicked off the season in impressive fashion, securing a comfortable win at the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta’s side began strongly, with Ben White and Bukayo Saka each missing a few chances, while Saka managed to test goalkeeper José Sá twice.

However, the goalkeeper was partially to blame for Arsenal’s opening goal, as Kai Havertz beat him to Saka’s teasing cross to head home.

The hosts spurned opportunities to double their lead before halftime, but Wolves had a chance to equalize when David Raya made a brilliant save to deny Jorgen Strand Larsen’s header.

Despite serious pressure from Wolves, Saka saved the day with a fine with an important second for the hosts.

He and Havertz combined again with the Englishman cutting inside before firing into the near post.

Arsenal’s rock-solid defense, which was the league’s best last season, continued to impress, securing another clean sheet and bolstering their hopes for another title challenge.

Two-time finalists Nigeria will set up camp in Bogotá, the Colombian capital, starting Sunday for a two-week final training period ahead of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, which kicks off at the end of this month.

The ever-competitive Falconets, who previously reached the semi-finals in Japan 12 years ago and the quarter-finals in 2006, 2018, and 2022, secured their spot in this year’s tournament by defeating Tanzania and Burundi on aggregate.

The Coach Christopher Musa Danjuma-led maidens spent four weeks in the first phase of their final camping in Abuja, during which they won a series of friendly games, losing only once.

“I want to thank the NFF for arranging the two-week camping in Colombia. This will go a long way to help the team, as the players will acclimatize very well and get familiar with their surroundings before the championship begins. I assure you that we will make the best use of this opportunity”.