Author: PlayActionNews

Brett OkamotoOct 17, 2025, 11:18 PM ETCloseBrett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: “Chuck and Tito,” which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare…

Aston Villa told matchday stewards they would not have to work during the club’s Europa League fixture against the Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv, citing possible “concerns” over safety, it has been reported.West Midlands police decided to ban Maccabi fans from the forthcoming match, after saying the force would not be able to police the fixture safely owing to “violent clashes and hate crime offences” at a previous match in Amsterdam in 2024.The Home Office has offered extra support to West Midlands police in an effort to reverse its ban. A meeting with Birmingham’s safety advisory group (SAG) has…

The San Francisco Giants are close to hiring a new manager and the team’s president of baseball operations, Buster Posey, is going with an unconventional hire. The Giants are closing in on University of Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello to be their manager, reports The Athletic. The team has not announced the hire.”Nothing is done,” Vitello told the Knox News following Tennessee’s scrimmage on Saturday.Vitello, 47, has never played or coached in the professional ranks. He was an assistant coach at Missouri (2003-10), TCU (2011-13), and Arkansas (2014-17) before landing the head Tennessee job in 2018. Vitello has transformed the program, guiding the Volunteers…

It’s early in the season, but injuries are hitting the Grizzlies hard. Ja Morant is in question for the opener recovering from an ankle sprain, while centers Zach Edey and Brandon Clarke are both out as well due to injuries.Now add Scotty Pippen Jr. to the mix, with the team announcing he will miss at least three months following surgery on his left big toe.A Sesamoidectomy is the removal of a small, round bone — maybe the size of a pea or smaller — embedded within tendons around the big toe. Those bones help absorb pressure and facilitate movement, but…

Photos By Mark Robinson/ Matchroom Boxing George Liddard made history last night at York Hall in London’s East End, as the 23-year-old ‘Billericay Bomber’ snatched Kieron Conway’s British and Commonwealth middleweight titles away in a dominant performance. Matchroom photographer Mark Robinson captured all the action with his trusty lens work. Enjoy! The post Giant Liddard-Conway Photo Gallery! appeared first on fightnews.com.

Jordan ReidOct 15, 2025, 06:20 AM ETCloseJordan Reid is an NFL draft analyst for ESPN, providing in-depth scouting on the nation’s top pro prospects. Jordan joined ESPN in 2021 and also contributes to SportsCenter and ESPN Radio. He played quarterback at North Carolina Central University and then went on to coach there from 2014-18.The 2025 college football season has fully entered conference play, and we’re exactly one-third of the way through the 2025 NFL season. That means it’s a perfect time to take a look at the 2026 NFL draft and forecast the first 32 picks.Keep in mind that there’s…

Headlined by a pivotal middleweight pairing between Reinier de Ridder and Brendan Allen, and featuring a number of matchups between established competitors, Saturday’s fight card promises to be another thrilling event in a series of entertaining shows over the last several weeks. How To Watch UFC Vancouver UFC Fight Night: De Ridder vs Allen prelims start at 4pm ET/1pm PT, followed by main card action at 7pm ET/4pm PT. The entire card can be streamed live on the ESPN App in the United States. Live Results, Fight Recaps & Backstage Interviews (This page will be updated live throughout the event…

A first Sunderland goal for Nordi Mukiele and an own goal from Ladislav Krejci’s condemn Wolves to a sixth defeat from eight matches.

By Andrew Baggarly, Brittany Ghiroli and Ken RosenthalAfter just one year, it’s already become apparent that Buster Posey is anything but a traditional top baseball executive. And Posey’s unconventional choice to manage the San Francisco Giants is further proof.Industry sources confirmed that the Giants are closing in on hiring Tony Vitello, a 47-year-old Division I head coach who transformed the University of Tennessee from a bottom-feeder in the Southeastern Conference into one of the most talented programs in the country.The Giants did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Vitello, reached via text message, said, “There is nothing to…

Former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers is leaving his role as an ESPN basketball analyst to become president of sports for Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, giving the championship executive the ability to work across many of the world’s top leagues.Myers will work in a full-time role with the goal of maximizing opportunities and bolstering processes for a Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE) portfolio that include the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA, the New Jersey Devils of the NHL, Crystal Palace F.C. of the English Premier League, and an investment in NASCAR team Joe Gibbs Racing.Myers also…