BREAKING NEWS Aussie Jack Della Maddalena shocks world with UFC title triumph in welterweight showdown against Belal Muhammad
Della Maddalena, who is undefeated in the UFC, won the title bout by decision after five grueling rounds.
The fight was Della Maddalena's first outing since breaking his left forearm in a TKO win over Gilbert Burns in March last year.
Infection after infection meant Della Maddalena required four different bouts of surgery, putting him out of action for 14 months.
For the first time in history, Australia now has two UFC champions at the same time - with Alex Volkanovski winning the featherweight crown last month.
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Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Report: Flyers' top draft pick Porter Martone to play at Michigan St.
July 21 - Porter Martone, selected No. 6 overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2025 NHL Draft, will delay signing to play for Michigan State in the 2025-26 season, Sportsnet reported Monday. The Canada native spent last season playing for the Brampton Steelheads of the Ontario Hockey League and tallied 98 points (37 goals, 61 assists) in 57 games. He added nine points (four goals, five assists) in six playoff games. The Flyers will retain the draft rights to the 18-year-old forward. "We are aware of the reports surrounding Porter and will support what he decides to do," Flyers general manager Danny Briere told The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Spartans won the Big Ten title in 2024-25 and were the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament but lost to Cornell in the first round. The Flyers finished last season with a 33-39-10 record (76 points) and have not made the Stanley Cup playoffs since the 2019-20 season. --Field Level Media
BreakingNews.ie
an hour ago
- BreakingNews.ie
No doubts for Owen Farrell after late call to Lions tour
Owen Farrell did not hesitate to answer the call to join his fourth British and Irish Lions tour even though he was aware of the potential 'poison' his involvement might generate. Farrell captains the Lions for the first time in Tuesday's match against the First Nations and Pasifika XV at Marvel Stadium, 17 days after arriving in Australia as an injury replacement for Elliot Daly. Advertisement The former England captain had just finished a testimonial golf day for former Saracens team-mate Jackson Wray when his father Andy called with the invitation to join the squad. Owen Farrell will captain the Lions on Tuesday (David Davies/PA) Mechanical issues with his car meant he was able to disappear to answer the phone without raising the suspicions of his golf partners. 'When I got asked to come, the first thing that popped into my head was 'yes',' Farrell said. 'It wasn't a discussion. Elliot got a knock and I got a phone call. 'Can you get ready?' and I said 'Yeah.' That was it. I wanted to take the opportunity and I'm glad I'm here.' Advertisement Until his cameo against AUNZ on July 12, his most recent international appearance was at the 2023 World Cup, after which he stepped back from England to prioritise his and his family's mental wellbeing. It was a response to the vitriol that ensued after he was banned for a high tackle against Wales in the build-up to the tournament and the booing he received during England's march to the semi-finals. The 33-year-old struggles to comprehend why he is such a polarising figure but has learned to deal with the darker moments by retaining perspective, while 'making sure I look after myself and giving myself a break'. Ready for our final midweek match of the Tour! 🙌 #Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 21, 2025 'I understand that times are different now,' he said. 'Sometimes it catches fire and just takes a life of its own and goes wherever it goes and there's momentum behind it. But no, I don't always understand it. Advertisement 'The good and the bad – both are a poison. That's not to say that it's all bad, but the things that should matter to us as players are the people that matter to us. 'If you go and knock on someone's door and ask them their opinion of how you played at the weekend, you wouldn't really listen to their answer. The people that I think we should listen to are the proper rugby people. Your mates. 'Not to say that people will just pat you on the back because you have people who will tell you how it is, but they'll give you a real answer. If you do that and you're in a good place yourself, then you can deal with it. 'Because there are times where people can say this, that and the other and it just go over your head. And there's times where you're not in the best place of all time and you're almost waiting for something to set you off.' Advertisement Farrell roomed with the livewire Henry Pollock in Canberra (David Davies/PA) Sport Owen Farrell to captain Lions for first time in Me... Read More Farrell – the Lions' most experienced player – roomed with the squad's youngest in 20-year-old Henry Pollock when the squad were in Canberra to face the ACT Brumbies. 'He's fascinating. Fascinating. What did I learn about him that I can tell you?! He's brilliant. His energy is nuts. He's always on,' Farrell said of the rising star of English rugby. 'He's always taking the mick out of people. He's got no regard for what anyone's done in the past or anything like that. He looks like he's being himself, which is brilliant.'
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Footy star reveals the simple diet change he used to beat horrible disease that is ruining the lives of tens of thousands of Aussies
Jake Waterman enjoyed one of his best seasons in a gold and blue guernsey in 2024. The 27-year-old was the West Coast's leading goal kicker, booting 53 goals for the year, which is a career high for the key forward. But rewind the tape back, and things were very different for Waterman, who had been unknowingly suffering from a horrible illness that over 180,000 people in Australia currently suffer from. He admitted he'd wake up in the morning suffering from severe pain in his abdomen and struggled to play footy. Prior to a game in 2023, the Eagles star had been feeling nauseous, had severe stomach cramps and was suffering from diarrhoea. 'I had to fly home and get myself into a hospital because I couldn't do anything, I was too ill,' Waterman told The Daily Telegraph. Waterman (right) was diagnosed with the illness back in 2023 after spending several weeks in hospital The footy star was subsequently diagnosed with ulcerative colitis (UC), after spending several weeks in hospital. UC is a bowel disorder that can cause inflammation and ulceration in a person's large intestine. Inflammatory bowel disease affects the inner lining of the large intestine and is a lifelong condition. The inflammation can cause redness, swelling and pain, while ulcers can also develop on the surface of the intestines. Other symptoms can include fatigue, diarrhoea and a loss of appetite. The cause of the illness is unknown, and while there is no known cure, it can be treated using medication, dietary changes and surgery. Spending several weeks in hospital felt like a 'blur' for the footy star, who revealed that he felt like he was stuck in a vicious cycle and didn't have 'much hope.' 'I woke up every day in pain, stuck on the couch trying to sleep again,' he explained. The illness sent him into a downward spiral, with Waterman explaining: 'I was down in the dumps, feeling horrible.' 'I just wanted to feel normal again.' Waterman played only 11 games during the 2023 season, a far cry from the 20 he featured in the previous year. But the resilient footballer was not going to let the illness get to him. He made some big changes to his diet and lifestyle, removing processed foods from his diet. He has begun to focus more on his nutrition in a bid to improve his gut health. The 27-year-old admitted that, even though he is an elite athlete, he had not been much of an expert in nutrition prior to being diagnosed. Now, Waterman is staying focused on refuelling with the right foods; a vital step in helping him perform at his best and manage the illness. And it sure has worked. Amid the tribulations of 2023, Waterman bounced back from a horrible period to enjoy an excellent 2024, earning himself his first All-Australian blazer. Waterman is also an ambassador for Chron's and Colitis Australia, and is helping to raise awareness of the illness. 'I feel like I've got an obligation to speak up and shine a light on these conditions,' he said. Agonisingly, Waterman has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2025 season after he dislocated his shoulder during the Eagles' Round 11 defeat by Adelaide. During his time away from the pitch, the 27-year-old has been using his time to speak to others who have the condition. 'I recently went to a Crohn's and colitis day, and I was able to speak to some young kids and parents about their struggles and hardships,' Waterman explained. 'My situation doesn't hold a candle to what they're going through… my heart breaks for them.' After his successful 2024 campaign, Waterman re-signed with the Eagles until 2029. It was a just reward for the work he did to help lift the West Coast, who have been battling their way through a torrid few seasons. And now, after Jack Darling's departure from the Mineral Resources Park, Waterman has stepped up to fill the void, while turning down offers from Geelong and Melbourne to lure the Western Australia-born star to Victoria. 'Now it's finally done, it's reality now, and I'm just happy that I'm locked away here for the next five years,' he said.
