NBA TODAY | SHOCKING 😲 SHAMS SAYS VANVLEET OF ROCKETS SUFFERED TORN ACL

 

'WHAT YOU DON'T SEE...' - DOCTOR BREAKS DOWN FULL EXTENT OF CONOR MCGREGOR'S INJURY AGAINST MAX HOLLOWAY

 McGregor's UFC return ended with a knee injury after just 69 seconds.

A doctor has explained the diagnostic details that might have been missed amid speculation over the extent of Conor McGregor's knee injury in his comeback fight in Las Vegas.

McGregor 'blew out' his knee right at the beginning of his welterweight main event against Max Holloway at UFC 329 on Saturday.

The Irishman appeared to injure himself while attempting his first high kick of the fight, which was subsequently awarded to Holloway by technical knockout after just 69 seconds.

McGregor now faces a spell on the sidelines after a five-year hiatus. Holloway promised that McGregor vs Holloway 3 will appear on a future card, acknowledging the unsatisfying manner of the conclusion.

The injured fighter will undergo scans to confirm the extent of his injury, which commentators immediately identified as a potential rupture of his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

If that proves to be the case, the 37-year-old can expect to be out of action for several months.

Dr Brian Stutterer is the expert behind a YouTube channel through which he assesses the medical stories that occur in the world of sport and he has been analysing the footage of the abortive UFC 329 bout.

"The commentators were talking about it looked like [McGregor] blew out his knee," said Sutterer in a six-minute video that forensically examines the moments leading up to Holloway's TKO victory.

"I will admit, yes, this position looks like the classic position that you will see with an ACL tear in terms of the rotation of how the foot is externally rotated, the idea that we see a little bit of the knee going inward, the trunk is leaning over his injured side.

Nevertheless, Stutterer offered some reason for doubt about the specific nature of the injury, which UFC head honcho indicated could be an ACL tear, but Stutterer has pointed out can be hastily evaluated even by the UFC's own medical staff at ringside. Only a scan will confirm the reality.

"But what you don't see on this injury is the classic pivot shift that you will sometimes see with an ACL tear," he added.

"Now that doesn't mean that this is not an ACL tear, but you at least don't see that stereotypic kind of pathognomonic shift forward of the tibia and then pop backwards like we would if you could confirm 100% that this was an ACL."

Will McGregor pursue another comeback?

While Holloway said after the fight that the appetite is there to go again after one win each in two McGregor vs Holloway fights, 13 years apart, there has to be some doubt over the 37-year-old's desire to get himself back into the kind of shape that would be required to actually win it.

Saturday's brief appearance was McGregor's first in the octagon since 2021 and marked a third consecutive defeat after back-to-back losses against Dustin Poirier.

McGregor's third consecutive loss dropped him to a 22-7 career record. He hasn't won two in a row since the end of 2016, when he won the UFC lightweight championship by beating Eddie Alvarez.

He lost the belt to Khabib Nurmagomedov by submission two years later.

Featured Image Credit: Getty Images

- Chris Nee

LINDSEY VONN'S SISTER OFFERS HEALTH UPDATE AS WINTER OLYMPICS ICON AIRLIFTED TO HOSPITAL

American skiing legend Lindsey Vonn, 41, was airlifted to hospital following a devastating crash at Milan Cortina 2026, with her sister Karin Kildow speaking out on the terrifying incident

Lindsey Vonn was airlifted to hospital(Image: AP)

Lindsey Vonn's sister has spoken out after the American skiing legend's terrifying crash at the Winter Olympics, which required her to be airlifted to a hospital.

She revealed that Vonn's surgeon is present and will be heading to the medical facility. Competing in her first Olympics in eight years at Milan Cortina, the 41-year-old Vonn had only recently suffered a complete rupture of the ACL in her left knee.

Despite making a remarkable comeback to competition last year following a five-year hiatus, Vonn's Olympic dreams were shattered during the downhill alpine event on Sunday morning.

Lindsey Vonn suffered a shocking fall on Sunday(Image: GETTY)

The Team USA superstar seemed to lose her balance after her right arm made contact with the gate, sending her veering sharply to the right while airborne. As she attempted to regain control, Vonn crashed to the ground at high speed, ending up in a crumpled heap on the snow.

Her anguished cries filled the unsettling silence, prompting organisers to play background music to mask the eerie quiet, as stunned spectators sat frozen in the stands.

After what felt like an eternity, Vonn was carefully placed into a medical bag and then transported to the hospital via helicopter, reports the Mirror.

The stark image of the yellow helicopter and Vonn's red bag against the snow-covered mountains' white backdrop left viewers worldwide watching in horror.

Speaking to USA Today, Vonn's sister Karin Kildow revealed that she was aware of all the risks and was simply pushing her limits. Kildow also reassured fans that Vonn was in the hands of the best medical team possible.

"I mean that definitely was the last thing we wanted to see and it happened quick and when that happens, you're just immediately hoping she's okay," she expressed.

"And it was scary because when you start to see the stretchers being put out, it's not a good sign. But she really...she just dared greatly and she put it all out there. So it's really hard to see but we just really hope she's okay.

"She does have all of her surgeons and her PT staff here and her doctors, so I'm sure they'll give us a report and we'll meet her at whatever hospital she's at."

- Daniel Blackham, Mikael McKenzie and Will Schofield

NEYMAR SUBBED OFF WITH INJURY

Neymar felt his thigh in Al Hilal vs Esteghlal
Yasser Bakhsh / Getty Images via AFP

Neymar made his second appearance for Al Hilal as he continues his return following a year-long absence due to an ACL tear, but it didn't last long.

The Brazil international came on in the 58th minute of his team's 3-0 win in an Asian Champions League Elite match on Monday, but was subbed off less than 30 minutes later after going to ground and grabbing the back of his right leg having seemed to pull up while stretching his leg out for the ball in the penalty area.

Aleksandar Mitrovic scored a hat trick to lead Al Hilal to the win and put them at the top of the league phase table of the Asian Champions League

Neymar saw his first action for Al Hilal, who he joined in 2023 from Paris Saint-Germain, on Oct. 21, but hadn't played again until Wednesday's game against Esteghlal as he cannot be registered for Saudi Pro League games until January.

Al Hilal had planned a slow return for Brazil's all-time leading scorer, who suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury during Brazil's qualifier against Uruguay shortly after joining the Saudi side and underwent surgery last November.

Neymar was also left off Brazil's latest squad for a pair of November World Cup qualifiers, with coach Dorival saying the team and federation didn't want to rush his return to the national team.

Brazil are fourth in their World Cup qualifying group, four points adrift of leaders Argentina after 10 games.

Information from Reuters was used in this story.

- ESPN News Services

REAL MADRID GOAL KEEPER COURTOIS TEARS MENISCUS IN KNEE AFTER RECOVERING FROM TORN ACL TEAR

AP Photo 

 MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has sustained another serious knee injury, just as he was close to returning from a torn ACL.

Madrid said Courtois ruptured the meniscus in his right knee during Tuesday's training session. The Belgian has not played since tearing the ACL in his left knee in August, two days before Madrid's first game of the season. He just recently returned to training after recovering from surgery.

Madrid did not give a timeline for how long Courtois will be out this time, saying only that “the injury will be monitored.”

Courtois had said in December that he did not expect to be fit for this summer's European Championship in Germany because of the ACL injury, but that he was hoping to start playing for Madrid again before the end of the season.

SHOHEI OHTANI WON’T PITCH FOR REST OF SEASON BECAUSE OF TORN ELBOW LIGAMENT, ANGELS GM SAYS

Getty 

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani won’t pitch for the rest of the season because of a torn ligament in his right elbow, Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian said Wednesday night.

The Angels don’t yet know whether the major league homers leader and 10-game winner will need surgery to repair his ulnar collateral ligament for the second time. Ohtani had his first Tommy John surgery in late 2018, following his AL Rookie of the Year season.

“A tough day for him,” Minasian said. “Tough day for all of us.”

The two-way superstar left the mound abruptly in the second inning of his start against Cincinnati after throwing 26 pitches in the opener of a doubleheader. Ohtani, who hit his 44th homer in the first inning, then insisted on playing in the nightcap even after the tear was discovered while running tests between games.

ANCELOTTI RULES OUT REAL MADRID MOVE FOR MBAPPÉ IN THOS WINDOW

Reuters 

Real Madrid have ruled out signing Kylian Mbappe before the transfer window closes next week, manager Carlo Ancelotti said on Thursday as the Paris St Germain forward continues to be linked with the LaLiga club.

Ancelotti added that Real are unlikely to do any more transfer business in the current window which closes on Sept. 1.

When asked about France striker Mbappe, he told reporters: "No, I rule it out 100%. I think our squad is closed and our players are thinking about our season."

PAIGE BUECKERS OIT FOR THE SEASON WITH A TORN ACL

 Paige Buechers will miss the rest of 2022-23 due to a torn ACL. 

Terrible news but she is well wished for recovery by the sports fraternity.