MAX SPORTS

Monday, 24 August 2026

UFC 'GUNSLINGER' HOSPITALIZED IN SACRAMENTO 'INSTANTLY LOST VISION' DUE TO FRACRURED ORBITAL

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 22: Lerryan Douglas of Brazil reacts after a knockout loss against Jamall Emmers in a featherweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Golden 1 Center on August 22, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

Highly-touted featherweight prospect and Dana White’s “Contender Series” graduate, Lerryan Douglas, suffered the first setback of his UFC career after getting stopped by Jamal Emmers on the UFC Sacramento preliminary card last weekend in “The Golden State.”

A broken orbital sent Douglas to the hospital.

“Lerryan Douglas had a fractured orbital and instantly lost vision in that eye,” coach Cub Swanson wrote on social media. “He is okay and I’m glad he didn’t take more damage. We’ll know more after he sees a specialist this week. Thanks for all the support.”

Douglas was a huge betting favorite coming into the fight.

“I’ll learn from this, get back to work, and come back better,” Douglas added on Instagram. “Huge shout-out to my REAL and LOYAL fans, thank you! I see you, all the support means a lot to me. Much love! I’ll see you guys soon. Real soon.”

- Jesse Holland

49ERS OWNER JED YORK PLEADS NO CONTEST TO 2 MISDEMEANOR CHARGES IN OHIO

San Francisco 49ers team owner Jed York speaks at a news conference in San Francisco, California on Feb. 2, 2026. The 46-year-old York took over day-to-day control of the 49ers from his parents in 2008. (Jeff Chiu/AP

San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York was arrested over the weekend in Ohio and pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and possessing criminal tools.

York was arrested Sunday in East Palestine, Ohio, and was released after posting a $5,000 bond. He was sentenced to one day in jail for both offenses to be served concurrently and was credited with one day served when he pleaded no contest Monday morning.

He also was fined $1,150.

Court records show that York initially was charged with engaging in prostitution, but prosecutors amended that to disorderly conduct.

Jed York speaks during a press conference after Super Bowl LX on Feb. 9, 2026 at Moscone Center in San Francisco, California.

Records also show that York had a cellphone returned to him and that $160 that was seized was to be given to the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force as part of the plea agreement. York also completed an online course.

The 49ers and the NFL didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

The 46-year-old York took over day-to-day control of the 49ers from his parents in 2008. He became the team’s principal owner in 2024. After some initial struggles under York’s leadership, the team has been a consistent contender since hiring coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch in 2017.

The Niners have made the Super Bowl three times under York’s leadership, losing in the 2012 season under coach Jim Harbaugh and the 2019 and ’23 seasons under Shanahan and Lynch.

York also oversaw the building of Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The team moved from San Francisco to the new stadium in 2014. The stadium has hosted two Super Bowls, a World Cup and a College Football Playoff title game.

- Josh Dubow

HAILSTORMS FORCE ABANDONMENT OF LA VUELTA A ESPANA STAGE THREE

Heavy rain and violent hailstorms forced stage three of the Vuelta to be cancelled with 15km to go

Tadej Pogacar leads the overall standings (AP)

Biblical conditions forced stage three of the Vuelta a Espana to be abandoned with 15km to go as a fierce hailstorm made racing nigh on impossible.

The 174km stage had begun amid warm and sunny conditions in Gruissan-Aude but as the riders headed into the Pyrenees for the final third of the stage, with a summit finish atop the category-two climb of Font Romeu, the heavens opened. Huge hailstorms and ice blanketed the roads and the threat of lightning made for added peril.

Race leader Tadej Pogacar was seen telling riders to slow down and divert off the road after they crested the category-one Col de Mont-Louis, with the peloton following his lead as the race was neutralised.

The conditions wrought havoc with the live broadcast too, with live coverage cutting out entirely as hail thundered down. Pictures resumed to show riders sheltering in a nearby hotel at the top of the Col de Mont-Louis while team staff provided cold and wet weather gear and discussions went on over how to proceed.

The decision was made shortly after to cancel the remainder of the stage, with no stage winner. General classification times and positions remained the same as after stage two, with Pogacar nine seconds clear of Wout van Aert and Britain’s Matthew Brennan, who won on Sunday, third a further second back.

Race organisers said: “For the security of the riders, stage three has been cancelled due to hail and severe weather. There will be no winner and no podium ceremony.”

The weather had calmed down by the finish line - where live footage showed race staff shovelling hail away with brooms in an attempt to make the road usable - but questions remained over the safety of the roads, particularly on the 6km long descent towards the final climb of Font Romeu.

At the time the stage was cancelled Mats Wenzel was the only survivor of a five-man breakaway, with a 20-second lead over solo chaser Lorenzo Fortunato and the peloton a further 20 seconds further back.

Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad had controlled the pace for much of the day and the Slovenian was widely expected to attack on the final climb and extend his narrow lead in the red jersey.

The race continues on Tuesday with a 104.8km stage starting and beginning in Andorra la Vella, which will see a shake-up in the general classification standings as the race favourites tackle four tough categorised climbs.

- Flo Clifford

NORRIS DISPUTES ANTONELLI'S MERCEDES CLAIM AFTER BEATING CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER AT DUTCH GP

Lando Norris and Kimi Antonelli.Photo: RacePictures

Lando Norris has disputed Kimi Antonelli's claim that Mercedes are no longer the fastest car in Formula 1, after beating the Italian to victory at the Dutch Grand Prix.

Antonelli finished second at Zandvoort, after the championship leader was overtaken by the reigning champion, who went on to claim his second consecutive victory after his triumph in Hungary.

The Mercedes teenager, who only has one win in his last six races, after winning five back-to-back races prior to that, claimed after the race that he now only has the 'second or third best car'. However, Norris disagreed with his rival's assessment, arguing that Mercedes remain the benchmark despite McLaren's victory.

Antonelli: 'We're clearly not the fastest car anymore'

Speaking in the post-race press conference, Antonelli told the media: "We're clearly not the fastest car anymore on the grid. We’re probably second or third, at least in today’s race, and McLaren has taken a huge step, especially since Hungary, since the big upgrade package they brought.

"But I’m confident with the team. You know, the team has been working super hard on this next package that is coming up, and they just want to make sure that it’s going to work out well once we put it on.

"So for sure, in this race, it’s going to be more difficult, it’s going to be challenging, but we’re ready to do our best and to maximise every opportunity. And then hopefully it’s going to be our turn to bring the package that’s going to give us a little bit of the upper hand again.

Norris disagrees with Antonelli's Mercedes claim

Norris, who showed up at the press conference later than the two Mercedes drivers who joined him on the podium, disagreed with Antonelli insisting they still have the 'better all-round performing car'. He also credited his own performance after his second consecutive victory.

Asked about Antonelli's comments, he responded: "Well, they’re not going to say themselves, are they? So, yeah, no, they’re not going to say themselves. So they’re the team to beat if they just got beaten today, so I don’t think it’s true."

He added: "But for once I would give myself a little bit of credit that I feel like I’m doing a better job than everyone, and I think that can also make a difference. We certainly have a car now capable of beating them. Even, like, we look at yesterday and in qualifying, but we didn’t win yesterday and we didn’t really change much.

"But I worked a lot on my driving. I want to believe more than everyone else again, and we turned things around today. So we certainly have a very similar car, I would say, all in all, to Mercedes, but I think they have a better all-round performing car than what we do. We are more specific in high speed."

- Kieran Lynch

LEWIS HAMILTON BLAMES FERRARI ON PODIUM MISS AT ZANDVOORT FAREWELL

AJ STYLES LEFT CONFUSED BY ILJA DRAGUNOV'S WWE EXIT

Photo Credit: WWE

AJ Styles is as confused as everyone about Ilja Dragunov’s WWE exit.

Speaking on The AJ Styles Show, the Phenomenal One addressed Ilja Dragunov’s WWE exit last week. He clarified that he doesn’t know anything about the situation and that his current role in the company is limited to coaching.

Styles noted that Ilja Dragunov was an awesome talent, but once again said that he doesn’t know anything about the circumstances surrounding the Mad Dragon’s exit.

“I don’t know anything about it. I know that I’m very sad about this situation. I enjoy his work very much. So I don’t know what’s going on. I can’t say much about it. You’d think I know. I work for the company, but my place is in the coaching and the talent and little things to hopefully help make WWE better and build that foundation with the younger talent. So, I don’t know what was going on. I just know “Holy c**p!” That’s about all I know,” AJ Styles began.

After co-host Tony Giles noted that Ilja Dragunov showcased a hard-hitting style and looked very believable in the ring, AJ Styles said, “Seems like that’s all the things that we want, and again, I don’t know. We’re going to have to wait and see what he says about the situation when he’s able to talk about it, and then we’ll all know the truth. We can speculate about what this is; the truth is. We don’t know. I’ll be the first one to tell you I thought the guy was awesome. So I don’t know.”

- KEBIN ANTONY

DUTCH GRAND PRIX RESULTS AF ZANDVOORT FAREWELL

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WITH F1 MCLAREN CEO ZAK BROWN

President Trump and McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown took an apparent FaceTime call in the presidential suite during Sunday's IndyCar race in Washington, D.C. Brown, a race car driver himself, oversees the Arrow McLaren IndyCar team.

- CBS

A PERFORMANCE TO REMEMBER |

SIR LEWIS HAMILTON FURIOUS AT FERRARI DURING THE DUTCH GRAND PRIX

COCO GAUFF CINCINNATI OPEN CHAMPION'S SPEECH

FIDE OPERATIONS MANAGER SERGEI INDEIKIN HAS PASSED AWAY

We are deeply saddened by the passing of our colleague Sergei Indeikin, FIDE Operational Manager, following a sudden illness.

Sergei started working at FIDE events in 2021 and quickly became an integral part of our operations at major international events. Over the past five years, he worked behind the scenes at World Championships, World Cups, World Rapid and Blitz, Candidates Tournaments, as well as many events organised by the FIDE Events Commission, including championships for seniors, juniors and amateurs.

He travelled across the world to make sure these events ran professionally, efficiently and in accordance with FIDE standards. Much of this work is rarely visible to the public, but everyone who worked with Sergei knew how much responsibility, energy and care he put into every event.

Beyond his work, Sergei was also a generous person. He supported an orphanage and, wherever his work took him, he would bring back chess memorabilia and small gifts for the children from different parts of the world.

We will remember Sergei as a true professional, a reliable colleague and a kind person who contributed enormously to the work of FIDE.

Our deepest condolences go to Sergei’s wife, his young daughter, his family, friends and everyone who had the privilege of working with him.

He will be greatly missed.

- FIDE

COCO GAUFF VS. JESSICA PEGULA FOR THE CINCINNATI 2026 TITLE

CINCINNATI 2026 | DOUBLES FINAL

CINCINNATI 2026 | SEMI-FINALS

NORRIS WINS F1 DUTCH GRAND PRIX FOR BACK-TO-BACK VICTORIES

Antonelli extends championship lead with 2nd-place finish as Russell takes 3rd and Verstappen crashes out early

Reigning Formula 1 champion Lando Norris won the Dutch Grand Prix on Sunday to claim back-to-back victories, finishing ahead of championship leader Kimi Antonelli and George Russell at Zandvoort.

The McLaren driver followed his victory in Hungary by winning the 12th round of the 2026 season, while home favorite Max Verstappen crashed out on the opening lap.

Verstappen lost control of his Red Bull in damp conditions at the banked final corner before hitting the barriers heavily, bringing out the red flag. The Dutch driver emerged unhurt from the accident.

Pole-sitter Norris led at the original start, while Antonelli passed Mercedes teammate Russell for second.

Antonelli then took the lead when the race resumed on Lap 5. Norris moved across in an attempt to cover the inside line, but the Italian held his position and forced the McLaren driver wide at the first corner.

Norris remained close to Antonelli as the pair pulled away at the front, with changing conditions and pit-stop strategy shaping the race.

The British driver made his final stop for hard tires on Lap 48 and rejoined in third place behind Lewis Hamilton and Antonelli.

Norris overtook Antonelli around the outside at Tarzan corner on Lap 54, narrowly avoiding Hamilton as he completed the move.

Esteban Ocon then stopped on track on Lap 55, prompting a virtual safety car.

Hamilton pitted one lap later, allowing Norris to regain the lead, while Antonelli subsequently made another stop before recovering to finish second.

Norris controlled the closing stages and crossed the line 11.536 seconds ahead of Antonelli to secure his second consecutive Grand Prix victory.

Russell completed the podium after resisting late pressure from Ferrari drivers Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Hamilton challenged Russell for third on the final lap, with Leclerc also close behind, but the Mercedes driver held his position to finish ahead of the Ferrari pair.

Antonelli’s runner-up finish took him to 242 points and extended his Drivers’ Championship lead to 59 points over Hamilton and Russell, who are tied on 183.

- Dutch Grand Prix results:

Lando Norris

Kimi Antonelli

George Russell

Lewis Hamilton

Charles Leclerc

Oscar Piastri

Liam Lawson

Nico Hulkenberg

Fernando Alonso

Pierre Gasly

Yuki Tsunoda

Arvid Lindblad

Gabriel Bortoleto

Franco Colapinto

Sergio Perez

Carlos Sainz

Alex Albon

Valtteri Bottas

Esteban Ocon

Lance Stroll

Oliver Bearman

Max Verstappen

- Halis Sünnetci

Sunday, 23 August 2026

RUNNING HISTORY HAS BEEN REWRITTEN AGAIN! | YOMIF KEJELCHA SETS NEW WORLD RECORD

Yomif Kejelcha has just broken the world half marathon record in Buenos Aires, winning in an incredible 56:51 (2'41/km or 4'19"/mile)

The Ethiopian took a massive 29 seconds off Jacob Kiplimo’s previous record of 57:20, set in Lisbon, and reclaimed his place as the fastest man in history over 21K.

Kejelcha also smashed the course record, which was previously held by Kiplimo at 58:29.

And on the way to this incredible record, Kejelcha also set the fastest-ever 15K split, passing through 15K in 40:39. The previous best was also Kiplimo’s, at 40:42.

- The Running Week

ROGER FEDERER SENDS MESSAGE TO FANS AHEAD OF SPECIAL US OPEN RETURN

Roger Federer built one of the greatest records in US Open history during his dominant years in New York.

The Swiss legend won the title five years in a row between 2004 and 2008, becoming the only player, man or woman, to win five consecutive US Open singles crowns.

His final title in that run also remains an important mark in the men's game. Federer is still the last man to successfully defend the US Open title, having beaten Andy Murray in the 2008 final. Since then, several great champions have lifted the trophy at Flushing Meadows, but nobody has managed to win it in back-to-back years.

Federer finished his career with five US Open titles, putting him level with Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors for the most men's singles crowns in the Open Era. Now, years after his final competitive appearance in New York, the 20-time Grand Slam champion is preparing to return to Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Federer looking forward to his New York return

Federer will be back on court at the US Open on August 25 for a special exhibition event. The 45-year-old will be joined by three other former US Open champions and big names from tennis history: Andy Roddick, Andre Agassi and John McEnroe.

It will be Federer's first appearance on court at the tournament since 2019. Seven years ago, the Swiss reached the quarterfinals before losing to Grigor Dimitrov in five sets.

Ahead of his return, Federer shared his excitement with his followers on social media and made it clear that New York still means a lot to him.

“Looking forward to being back in New York and adding new memories to so many special ones over the years.

See you soon NYC,” Federer wrote on Instagram

There are certainly many memories for Federer at Flushing Meadows. His first title came in 2004, when he defeated Lleyton Hewitt in straight sets in the final. That victory also saw him become the first man since Jimmy Connors in 1974 to win the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open in the same season.

Federer returned a year later and successfully defended his title, before doing the same in 2006 and 2007. In 2008, Murray was his opponent in the final, but Federer won in straight sets to complete a remarkable run of five consecutive titles.

He came very close to making it six in 2009. Federer reached another final and led Juan Martin del Potro by two sets to one, before the Argentine fought back to win in five sets.

That defeat ended Federer's winning run in New York, although he remained a regular contender for many more years. He reached the final again in 2015, losing to Novak Djokovic, and made his final US Open appearance four years later.

A very open men's US Open awaits

Federer's exhibition will be one of the big attractions during Fan Week, but attention will soon move to the current generation when the main singles draw begins on August 30.

This year's men's tournament looks more open than many expected. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew from the event on Friday because of a right knee injury. The Italian had won Wimbledon this summer and was expected to be one of the biggest favorites in New York.

His absence gives Carlos Alcaraz an even bigger opportunity. The Spaniard is the defending champion after beating Sinner in last year's final, and he confirmed this week that he will return at the the final Grand Slam of the season following a right wrist injury.

However, there is still some uncertainty around Alcaraz because he has not played a competitive match since April. He has already won the Australian Open this season and owns two New York major titles, so he will still be the man many expect to beat if his body holds up

Alexander Zverev should also be confident after winning Roland Garros this year. The German has previously reached the the final Grand Slam of the season, losing to Dominic Thiem in 2020, and Sinner's withdrawal removes one of the biggest obstacles in his path.

Novak Djokovic cannot be ignored either. The 39-year-old is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title and already has four US Open trophies. With Sinner out and questions over Alcaraz's condition, New York may give the Serbian another big chance.

Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz will carry much of the American hope. Shelton won Montreal this summer, while Fritz was the US O*en runner-up in 2024.

The main draw begins on August 30, and with one of the biggest favorites already missing, this year's battle for the title could be far less predictable than usual.

- Sead Dedovic

MAX VERSTAPPEN HEALTH UPDATE AFTER HUGE DUTCH GP CRASH

RacingNews365 understands that Max Verstappen is uninjured following his huge accident on the opening lap of the Dutch Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen is uninjured and okay following his huge accident on the opening lap of the Dutch Grand Prix, RacingNews365 understands.

On the first tour of Zandvoort, Verstappen lost control of the Red Bull rounding the banked final corner, with rain having fallen in the 30 minutes prior to the race, and smashed into the concrete wall on the outside of the track.

He then spun across the track and into the wall on the inside - albeit this secondary impact was at lower speed.

He was able to climb unaided from the car and reported that he was okay, but given the g-forces involved in the accident, he was required to make a mandatory visit to the medical centre for a health check.

RacingNews365 understands that Verstappen did not suffer any injuries in the accident, and is spending time in the Red Bull energy station in the paddock, before attending to his media duties.

- RN365 Staff

F1 DUTCH GP RED-FLAGGED AFTER MASSIVE MAX VERSTAPPEN CRASH

The Dutch Grand Prix has been red-flagged following a huge crash for Max Verstappen.

Max Verstappen smashes into the barriers in the opening stages

Formula 1's Dutch Grand Prix has been red-flagged following a huge crash for Max Verstappen.

Verstappen lost control of his Red Bull in damp conditions at the final corner before slamming into the concrete barriers hard at the end of the first lap.

The Dutchman immediately confirmed he was ok over team radio but his Red Bull suffered substantial damage.

Other drivers managed to avoid Verstappen as he slewed back across the track, though Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto spun on his own behind at the same corner. Unlike Verstappen, the Brazilian avoided hitting anything.

🚩 RED FLAG 🚩

Big crash at the end of the first lap 💥

And it's agony for Max Verstappen - he's out ❌#F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/qD5f3tB9XO

— Formula 1 (@F1) August 23, 2026

The final F1 race to be held at Zandvoort has been red-flagged on lap three.

It marks a hugely disappointing outcome for Verstappen at his final home F1 race.

A heavy downpour of rain had hit the track around 45 minutes before the start, but conditions dried up enough before the start for the field to start the race on slicks.

The top-10 order under the red flag is Lando Norris, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, George Russell, Charles Leclerc, Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton, Liam Lawson, Arvid Lindblad, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto.

Norris retained the lead from pole position but Russell lost out to his Mercedes team-mate Antonelli.

Total heartbreak for Max in his final race at Zandvoort 💔

Verstappen makes his way back to the pits on foot#F1 #DutchGP pic.twitter.com/gjPiU34hbG

— Formula 1 (@F1) August 23, 2026

Leclerc had a fast start to jump Ferrari team-mate Hamilton, who banged wheels with Verstappen. The seven-time world champion also lost out to Piastri.

The race will resume with a standing restart in the order the field was in at the end of the first lap.

- Lewis Larkam