Abu Dhabi has become a gathering place for MMA fans thanks to the UFC event held at the iconic Etihad Arena. Spectators arrived through various means: some crossed the border on foot, while others flew in from Europe, Africa, and Central Asia.
Abu Dhabi has become a gathering place for MMA fans thanks to the UFC event held at the iconic Etihad Arena. Spectators arrived through various means: some crossed the border on foot, while others flew in from Europe, Africa, and Central Asia.
Upon entering the Etihad Arena on Saturday evening, many languages were heard, including Arabic, Russian, Hindi, Polish, Kazakh, Uzbek, and English. Fans traveled thousands of kilometers to attend the UFC Abu Dhabi event.
Tariq Al-Balushi traveled from Sohar in Oman to support Magomed Zhanyukov, known as Chanko. He noted that hosting the UFC in Abu Dhabi is incredible, and they plan to return on Monday.
Rohan Sharma flew in from Pune, stating that the three-hour flight made Abu Dhabi an ideal destination for a UFC-focused weekend. He emphasized the rapid growth of MMA in India and the admiration for the chance to see world fighters up close.
Daniyar Kasymov came from Almaty, Kazakhstan, to support Central Asian fighters. According to him, Abu Dhabi has become a landmark meeting point for fans from across the region, as Central Asian fighters are actively conquering the UFC.
Mateusz Kowalski flew in from Poland, turning a week of fights into a vacation. He highly praised the atmosphere in Abu Dhabi, noting that it differs from events in Europe, and planned his time with beach activities during the day and fights in the evening.
Kofi Mansa from Accra, Ghana, came to support African MMA. He expressed hope for the quick return of the UFC to Africa but currently considers Abu Dhabi a place where fans gather from all corners of the world.
Among the loudest cheers on fight night for the main card was the support for Chanko and Magomed Ankalaev. Shamil Magomedov, who arrived from Makhachkala in Dagestan, stated that the trip was worth every kilometer after watching his compatriot's dominant performance.
He noted Chanko's and Magomed's complete mastery, adding that Ankalaev demonstrates power in boxing and wrestling, and believes the next goal is the championship title.
Ruben Ward achieved a historic victory by winning the gold medal in the men's all-around gymnastics event for Scotland at the Commonwealth Games held in Glasgow. This win marked the first medal for his country in the men's all-around event at the Commonwealth Games.
On Sunday, Ward won the men's all-around gymnastics final. He managed to edge out Felix Dolci from Canada by only 0.200 points, while Jesse Moore from Australia secured third place. Ward expressed his joy after the results were announced, noting that it felt like climbing a mountain, and thanked his family and teammates.
Dolci, who was part of the Canadian team that won gold, fell twice from the parallel bars early in the competition but then delivered five near-flawless performances to nearly clinch the victory. Highly anticipated Luke Whitehouse from England finished seventh after a disappointing day.
A few hours after winning bronze in the 100-meter breaststroke, Ramsey-Pity returned to the pool, aiming to rectify his setback in the 50-meter freestyle. The three-time Olympic champion cried after failing to secure gold at the fourth Commonwealth Games on Saturday evening. Ramsey-Pity even questioned the continuation of the 100-meter event, believing that the shorter, more explosive 50-meter freestyle better suited his strengths. However, the Englishman only placed fifth in the qualification for the semi-finals the following Sunday, once again losing to Sam Williamson from Australia, who won gold in the 100-meter freestyle. Australian Olympic champion Cameron McEvoy also participated in the 50-meter freestyle final.
In the biggest group stage match in volleyball, Australia secured a convincing victory over England with a score of 66-47. The defending champions took a 35-24 lead at halftime, but England managed to keep hope alive through a tense final quarter, which they won 12-10, minimizing the damage. England, which will play Malawi next Monday, started its competition with an impressive 84-35 victory over Northern Ireland. They will likely need to defeat South Africa in the final group match on Thursday to have a chance of reaching the semi-finals and maintaining medal hopes.
Lando Norris from the McLaren team secured his first victory of the season at the Hungarian Grand Prix, held in Budapest. This win marked his twelfth career victory, and he achieved a triumph for McLaren over Red Bull driver Max Verstappen in Sunday's Grand Prix.
The 26-year-old Briton, who started on pole position, managed to recover after a poor first lap. He finished 15 seconds ahead of four-time champion Verstappen. In third place finished world champion Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes. Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton took fourth and fifth places, respectively, ahead of Isak Hajar in the second Red Bull car, George Russell in the second Mercedes car, and Liam Lawson from Racing Bulls.
Nico Hulkenberg earned his first points of the season by finishing ninth for Audi, ahead of newcomer Arvid Lindblad in the second Racing Bulls car. Norris repeated last year's success at the Hungaroring track, where McLaren has won the last three years consecutively. Thanks to decisive driving in a tense race with various tire strategies, Antonelli increased his championship lead over Hamilton by 50 points.
After the race, Norris stated over the team radio: 'Great. The car was incredible today! It flew!' He added: 'This is probably the best pace I have ever had. This track suits us.' Verstappen, however, criticized his car but was pleased to secure another podium, noting: 'I didn't expect this – we had to work very hard for it.' Antonelli described the race as difficult, stating: 'It was so hard to overtake, but it's the best result for me before the break, and now we can keep pushing.'
The race began in hot conditions, reaching the highest temperature of the weekend—31°C air and 51°C on the track. Ferrari took a risk by using soft tires for the start, while all other teams started on mediums. Oscar Piastri started quickly and overtook Leclerc. When Norris went off track at the second corner, Piastri took the lead, and Hamilton overtook Leclerc, taking fourth place behind Verstappen.
Meanwhile, Russell's Mercedes car suffered a failure on the grid, dropping from sixth to twentieth place, while his teammate Antonelli advanced to sixth place. Hamilton tried unsuccessfully to attack Verstappen and began losing control by the tenth lap. Hamilton reported: 'Max is slow,' and made a pit stop for Verstappen's undercut on lap 14, returning to tenth place and overtaking Lindblad, before Red Bull called the Dutchman in on lap 15.
Verstappen pulled out behind Hamilton but regained his positions by making a pass on the inside at the first corner. Piastri pitted from the leading position, followed by Leclerc. The situation was extremely tense, and when Norris entered the pits, Antonelli took the lead. When the Italian driver stopped, he moved back to sixth place. Piastri led the race, followed by his teammate Norris. The Briton requested a stop, but McLaren first sent Piastri into the pits.
Midway through the race, Norris was five seconds ahead of Verstappen. Then Norris pitted from the leading position on lap 40 and returned to third place behind Piastri. The Australian narrowly avoided a serious collision with Williams' Carlos Sainz at the second corner, where they crashed. Sainz received a five-second penalty.
After another pit stop by Verstappen, Antonelli took the lead, with Norris following him. Norris, on fresher tires, regained the lead on lap 46, diving inside the young Italian at the first corner, and extended his advantage before Antonelli pitted again. Hopes for a McLaren 1-2 were dashed when Piastri slowed down and retired from the race due to gearbox issues, leading to the deployment of a Virtual Safety Car (VSC). Norris, Hamilton, and Leclerc immediately stopped for soft tires. In the final sprint, Norris led Verstappen, and Antonelli finished third, ahead of Hamilton, who received a five-second penalty for speeding in the pit lane.
South Africa has released its list of 20 athletes to participate in the upcoming IIHF Women's Hockey World Championship. This squad represents a combination of experienced international players and young, promising talents.
The squad was presented in Belgium and the Netherlands on Sunday. Team captain Edith Molikoe leads the group, which includes 10 Olympic champions, nine of whom represented South Africa at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The national team is preparing to face the world's best teams starting in mid-August.
The announcement followed a promising preparation period during which South Africa secured a convincing 4-0 victory over Namibia in a series of test matches in Cape Town. This allowed the coaching staff to refine various combinations before finalizing the squad.
Experienced players Ongizive Mali and Ntsopa Mokoena will join Molikoe, both of whom marked their 50th international appearance during the series against Namibia. Hannah Pearce also earned a spot after becoming the top scorer against Namibia, netting six goals in four matches, highlighting her importance from penalty corners.
Tahira Augusti and Ontatile 'Tati' Zulu were also included in the squad, adding experience. Young players Ane Yanse van Vuuren and Kaylin Marie will aim to transition smoothly from the Junior World Championship to the main adult global tournament. South African President Deon Morgan congratulated the athletes on their selection, calling participation in the World Championship the greatest honor for a hockey player.
The squad announcement came shortly after Sports Minister Geyton Mackenzie approved financial assistance of 3 million rand to ensure that both the men's and women's teams can participate in the World Championship with full funding, given the financial constraints in South Africa. Following this, the South African women will continue preparations in a training camp and friendly matches in Scotland before heading to the Netherlands for the World Championship.
