Sports
JUST IN: Alex Pereira KOs Israel Adesanya to win middleweight title at UFC 281
Alex Pereira pulled off an unbelievable upset at UFC 281 by knocking out Israel Adesanya in the final round.
As reported by The Mirror, the Brazilian was behind going into the fifth session, but managed to drop Adesanya and impose his fearsome striking power to stop his old kickboxing rival.
Adesanya had never lost at middleweight or been stopped in his career, but Pereira was able to re-live their second kickboxing bout with a come-from-behind win.
The stars were out in force at Madison Square Garden to witness an historic battle between the duo with the likes of Mike Tyson, Jake Gyllenhaal and Sylvester Stallone in attendance for Adesanya’s sixth world title defence since dethroning Robert Whittaker in October 2019 and unifying the division.
Pereira was the aggressor at the start of the contest, flying out of the traps to throw a big head kick that missed the champion. They both focused more on leg kicks after the quick start, with Adesanya finding some success with his jab as well as moving up with his kicks.
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But it was ultimately something of a chess match in the opening stanza on a night otherwise filled with finishes. Just three of the 13 undercard bouts went to the judges, with the entire main card ending in stoppages including a barn-burner between Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler.
That was until the final second of the round when Adesanya landed a beautiful combination that saw Pereira wobbled before being directed to his corner. A right hand caused the damage which was compounded by a left hook, but the Brazilian was able to continue into the second.
Adesanya narrowly dodged some big shots in the second round, but appeared comfortable sitting against the cage and allowing Pereira to come to him. At that point, both men were opening up more with their movement, with the champion looking solid in the clinch before shooting for a rare takedown that had fans excited.
In the third, Adesanya began to get his punches together more fluidly, but he was once again brought to the ground by a Pereira trip before taking control and taking the Brazilian’s back. The round played out almost entirely on the ground, something nobody could have anticipated going into a fight between two such high level strikers, with Adesanya controlling the action.
Sports
Ronaldo, Vinicius, Yamal win big at 2024 Globe Soccer Awards [Full list of winners]
Ronaldo, Vinicius, Yamal win big at 2024 Globe Soccer Awards [Full list of winners]
The winners of the 2024 Globe Soccer Awards were unveiled Friday evening in Dubai, celebrating outstanding achievements in football over the past year.
The event honored players, managers, and clubs across various categories.
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior stole the spotlight, clinching both the Best Player and Best Forward of the Year awards, reinforcing his status as one of the world’s finest talents.
Cristiano Ronaldo, the legendary Al Nassr captain, added another accolade to his storied career by securing the Best Middle Eastern Player Award, while Barcelona’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal was recognized as the Best Emerging Player of the Year.
Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti was awarded Best Coach of the Year, and Jorge Mendes received the Best Football Agent Award, further cementing their influence in the football world.
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2024 Globe Soccer Award categories and winners
Alongside the standout men’s and women’s categories, here is a rundown of the other winners:
Best Men’s player (18 finalists): Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Best Midfielder (11 nominees): Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
Best Forward (10 nominees): Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Best Women’s player (12 finalists): Aitana Bonmati (Barcelona)
Best Men’s club (10 finalists): Real Madrid
Best Women’s club (4 finalists): Barcelona
Best Coach (7 finalists, all in men’s football): Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid)
Best Emerging player (7 finalists, all men): Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
Best Agent (7 nominees): Jorge Mendes
Best Sporting Director (6 nominees): Piero Ausilio (Inter Milan)
Best Middle Eastern player (5 finalists): Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr)
Best Middle Eastern coach: Jorge Jesus (Al Hilal)
Best Middle Eastern club (4 finalists): Al Ain
Revelation award: Olympiacos
Maradona Award: Jude Bellingham
Ronaldo, Vinicius, Yamal win big at 2024 Globe Soccer Awards [Full list of winners]
Sports
Vinicius should have won Ballon d’Or, not Rodri – Ronaldo
Vinicius should have won Ballon d’Or, not Rodri – Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo has reignited controversy surrounding the 2024 Ballon d’Or, accusing the organisers of unfairly denying Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior the prestigious honour.
Speaking at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai on Friday, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner openly criticised the decision to crown Manchester City’s Rodri as the year’s top player.
“In my opinion, he [Vinícius] deserved to win the golden ball [Ballon d’Or award],” Ronaldo declared on stage.
“It was unfair in my opinion. I say here in front of everybody. They give it to Rodri, he deserved it too, but they should have given it to Vinícius because he won the Champions League and scored in the final.”
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Rodri’s Ballon d’Or win, attributed to his pivotal role in Manchester City’s historic treble-winning season, has sparked ongoing debates.
Ronaldo’s remarks have added weight to criticisms that the award often overlooks key performances in favour of broader narratives.
Vinicius’ absence from the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris this October, along with his Real Madrid teammates, was widely interpreted as a silent protest against perceived biases in the voting process.
Despite missing out on the Ballon d’Or, Vinícius has enjoyed an exceptional year.
The 24-year-old Brazilian winger was crowned FIFA’s The Best Men’s Player earlier this year and was recently named the Best Men’s Player at the Globe Soccer Awards.
His consistent performances, including his decisive goal in the Champions League final, have cemented his reputation as one of football’s most dynamic players.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who received the Best Middle East Player Award during the ceremony, praised the Globe Soccer Awards for their fairness and transparency.
Vinicius should have won Ballon d’Or, not Rodri – Ronaldo
Sports
Why I named my dog Messi – AC Milan star
Why I named my dog Messi – AC Milan star
AC Milan midfielder, Tijjani Reijnders, has shared the reason behind naming his dog after Argentina football legend, Lionel Messi.
The 26-year-old Dutchman, who joined AC Milan from AZ Alkmaar in 2023 for a reported €20 million, said Messi had always been his idol.
Reijnders explained that he made the decision to name his dog Messi due to his admiration for the legendary player.
“My dog’s name is Messi, when I was young I always said if I got a dog I would name him Messi, because for me [he] is the best player in the world,” Reijnders said in an interview with All About Argentina.
“Then we decided we would get a dog, and the first thing I said to my wife is if we got a dog we would name him Messi.”
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Messi, who currently plays for Inter Miami in the US after an illustrious career at Barcelona, is widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time.
He has won the Ballon d’Or record eight times and is the highest goalscorer in the history of European football, with 704 goals and 303 assists in 853 games. Additionally, he has scored 112 goals and assisted 58 in 191 matches in the US.
Reijnders’ dog is a Pomsky, a crossbreed between a Pomeranian and a Husky, as he had previously revealed in an interview with Sempremilan.
The midfielder’s deep admiration for Messi has now extended to his furry companion, making the dog’s name a tribute to the football icon.
Why I named my dog Messi – AC Milan star
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