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The Big Lead Quarterly: NBA Finals Ratings, Pat McAfee and Shannon Sharpe All on the Move

Diamond Sports and the Arizona Diamondbacks have postponed their federal bankruptcy court hearing scheduled for Thursday

Michael Chandler has insisted that his fight with Conor McGregor will go ahead, despite fears that the latter has missed the deadline to compete in 2023. Chandler vs McGregor was announced by the UFC in February, but no date, location or weight class has been announced for the fight, and it appears that McGregor is unable to compete until next year due to United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) rules. The former UFC champion is seemingly still absent from the Usada testing pool, and athletes must be in the pool for six months and return two negative results – and zero negatives – in order to fight in the UFC. However, Chandler has reassured fans that the fight will go ahead – regardless of when. The American, 37, told ESPN on Wednesday (28 June): “Listen, I understand everybody wants answers, they want results. With a fight of this magnitude – the most exciting guy in mixed martial arts versus the biggest superstar in mixed martial arts – people want answers, and they want them on their timeline. “Their timeline is now. ‘I want my answers yesterday.’ I’m with everybody else, of course, but just let the process play out. Just know that Michael Chandler steps in the cage against Conor McGregor, we put on an electrifying event, and I separate him from his consciousness in the second round. “If there’s one thing I know about Conor: He cares about his public persona, he cares about how people see him, he cares about where he is now and what he has become to the fans. [If you’re not coming back], you don’t do a documentary saying you’re coming back; you don’t tell everybody it’s the greatest comeback in combat-sports history; you’re not out there promoting yourself and saying, ‘This is my game forever, you’ll do what you’re told;’ and calling yourself the pound-for-pound king. “Conor’s coming back. There’s one guy he’s fighting: His name’s Michael Chandler, he’s from High Ridge, Missouri. We are gonna put butts in seats, it’s gonna be an electrifying performance, but I knock out Conor and then maybe he retires after that – we’ll see.” Chandler and McGregor are coaching opposing teams of athletes on the new season of The Ultimate Fighter, which began airing in May and will conclude in August. After five episodes, Team Chandler has a 5-0 lead over Team McGregor. This month, Irishman McGregor denied an allegation that he had sexually assaulted a woman at an NBA Finals game. McGregor, 34, was accused of assault in a bathroom at a Miami Heat fixture on 9 June. McGregor also recently released McGregor Forever, the second documentary around his career, and you can read The Independent’s review of the Netflix series here. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Conor McGregor doubles down on Ultimate Fighter criticism as Michael Chandler’s team dominate How to watch The Ultimate Fighter 31 in the UK Elon Musk vs Mark Zuckerberg: Who would win a fight between tech titans? Conor McGregor doubles down on Ultimate Fighter criticism Conor McGregor complains as his team lose yet again on The Ultimate Fighter Conor McGregor’s team fall to 0-3 on The Ultimate Fighter

Conor McGregor has reiterated his criticism of the bout structure on The Ultimate Fighter, after his team fell to a 0-5 skid against Michael Chandler’s team. McGregor’s fighters have lost every contest in the first five episodes of the new season of the UFC television show. In this week’s episode, Carlos Vera suffered a decision defeat by Brad Katona – a long-time training partner of McGregor. Katona won both rounds on the judges’ scorecards, with former UFC champion McGregor bemoaning the lack of a third round in The Ultimate Fighter’s bouts. “Tell them ‘three rounds’, yeah?” McGregor said after Vera’s loss to Katona, appearing to aim the comment at UFC president Dana White. “The fight’s not over, they’re unfinished fights,” the Irishman added in a backstage interview. “If they got unfinished fights, give them a third round. The guys are fighting for their life here. In those situations where they’re closely contested, back and forth, there should be a third round. “I mean, this guy [Katona] is in there, [saying]: ‘Yeah!’ What was done there? Nothing. I’m surprised that those two [fighters] were called at the second round to be honest.” McGregor, 34, also told Vera in the team’s locker room: “Unfinished fight, that’s it. They’re unfinished fights, man. Let them go another round. They’re three-rounders [that] we need. F*** two rounds. “That was great, that was great. That body kick was money, man – beautiful shot. He’s a solid fighter, I know; he’s trained with us a long time. So, keeping going, Carlos. Great work, my man. Proud of you, bud.” Vera, meanwhile, said in an interview on this week’s episode: “I hate to lose. It is what it is, and there’s a lot of things I have to work on, but I fought my fight. I have nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to be sad about. So, onto the next one.” McGregor and American Chandler are supposed to fight one another at the conclusion of The Ultimate Fighter’s run this summer, but McGregor is still not in the United States Anti-Doping Agency’s testing pool. Fighters must be in the pool for six months and return at least two negative tests – and zero positives – in order to compete in the UFC, unless an exemption is granted. As such, McGregor vs Chandler is unlikely to take place in 2023. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More How to watch The Ultimate Fighter 31 in the UK Conor McGregor denies allegation he sexually assaulted a woman at NBA Finals McGregor Forever: The problem with the new Conor McGregor documentary UFC schedule 2023: Every fight happening this year Football pays tribute to Craig Brown – Monday’s sporting social Conor McGregor complains as his team lose yet again on The Ultimate Fighter

NFL quarterback Jalen Hurts has signed a multiyear deal with Keurig Dr Pepper Inc.-backed energy drink label A

Musician Stormzy and Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha are set to buy non-league club Croydon Athletic, their hometown

By Sarah Young LONDON (Reuters) -JD Sports Fashion said there had been some softening in trade in its North American

A bloke was forced to go on a date with a cardboard cut-out of Taylor Swift after losing at fantasy football. Greig Dick was forced to sit at a table with it as a forfeit for coming last in his league. Unlucky Greig and his date were both given a menu at a local restaurant in Motherwell, Scotland. A grinning waitress took their order. The fake Taylor was later taken to a casino where Greig put a £22 bet on red – a nod to the singer's hit tune and album. Later she joined the lad and his mates for a pint in a pub. Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Pal Gregor Sleith said: "A boy in our team was in a fantasy football league with his mates. “The lad who finished bottom for the year had to do a public forfeit. "They made him sit at a table at a restaurant with a cut out as a date." Football fans have praised the humiliating penalty. The official Fantasy Premier League account called it "incredible." Elsewhere, Donagh Barry said: "At least he can scroll away on his mobile phone without being given out to." Jason added: "Where do I sign up to be 'punished' by going on a date with a cutout of Taylor Swift?" Arthur Fowler said: "She's pretty fit to be fair." Mac added: "Decent night out that. Cheap and quiet." James Caiger added: "This is amazing." Another football fan said: "I’ve been on worse dates." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

Ibrahim Mohamed heard gunfire outside his house as bullets streaked over the skies of Khartoum, where, he said, he saw warring militias killing people and looting houses.

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders said on social media that he expects to be released from the hospital on Sunday, two days after surgery for blood clots in his legs