C.J. Gardner-Johnson will be sidelined for the next few weeks after suffering a lacerated kidney at the weekend.
The Philadelphia Eagles safety was carted off the field in the first quarter of Sunday's 40-33 win against the Green Bay Packers, appearing to be in considerable pain.
NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported on Tuesday that Gardner-Johnson sustained a lacerated kidney in the game, which will not require surgery and is "not expected to be season-ending", but will keep him out "indefinitely".
The 24-year-old has played a big role in the Eagles' 10-1 campaign so far, leading the NFL in interceptions with six, while he has also made 55 tackles.
Gardner-Johnson was traded to Philadelphia from the New Orleans Saints in August along with a seventh-round draft pick for 2025 in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick in 2024 and the latter of the Eagles' two sixth-round draft picks in the same year.
Undrafted rookie Reed Blankenship replaced him on Sunday, and could be the man to come in again when the Eagles host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Eddie Jones has lost the support of England's fans and may be an example of a world-class coach who has stayed too long in his job, like Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho.
That is the verdict of Ugo Monye, the former England back, who says there is little "tangible evidence" of reasons to be optimistic heading towards next year's Rugby World Cup.
England lost to Argentina and South Africa at Twickenham in November, while beating Japan and fighting back for a draw against New Zealand.
They won just two of their Six Nations matches at the start of the year, and the Rugby Football Union, which governs English rugby, is to review the team's performance. Its chief executive, Bill Sweeney, has already said results are "not where we expect them to be".
This has been England's worst calendar year since 2008 in terms of results, having lost six of their 12 Tests in 2022. World Cup-winning boss Clive Woodward, who oversaw the 2003 triumph, has said Jones should be sacked if England lose to Scotland on February 4 in their Six Nations opener.
A decision could yet come sooner, with Jones seven years into a reign that began in November 2015.
Monye told the BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast: "If he goes, I think there will be people saying it should have happened sooner because of the time sensitivity pressure. We've got the Six Nations in two months and then a World Cup in nine months.
"At this point where you've had poor results and poor performances, you need a sense of faith backed by more than just a gut feeling – there needs to be an objectivity to it and something tangible behind it.
"It is hard to find that tangible evidence. The only people that seem to be able to see it are the players in camp because they see more than we'll ever see, and that's fair, but they're emotionally connected and tied to all of it."
Monye believes the RFU may yet choose to give Jones a vote of confidence and stick with him.
"They may just say, 'Eddie's our guy, we back him'," Monye said.
"I don't think anyone is saying Eddie Jones is a bad coach, he's got an incredible proven track record.
"But when I look at football… I look at the likes of Jose Mourinho. He's still a great coach, but that relationship ran its course at Chelsea as well as other clubs.
"I look at [former Tottenham boss Mauricio] Pochettino. I look at Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. He did so many incredible things, the Invincibles, but he was just there too long and he had to go.
"There are so many examples where you're talking about world-class, incredibly well experienced coaches that either stay too long or for some reason there's a disconnect between them and the players or them and the fans.
"If Eddie is to stay, the number one thing he has to fix is the relationship with the fans. I think the fans don't see it any more. I don't think they're buying into it at the moment."
Jones has been adamant England are "moving in the right direction", saying after the South Africa game: "Obviously on results we are not happy, but I feel like we are building a really good base to have a really good go at the World Cup."
Ben Simmons will be assessed on a day-by-day basis after a recurrence of a knee injury forced his early withdrawal from the Brooklyn Nets' victory over the Orlando Magic.
The point guard departed in the second quarter with soreness in his left knee and did not return, as his team went on to claim a 109-102 win at Barclays Center.
Simmons, who was traded to the Nets from the Philadelphia 76ers in February this year, has already missed six games this term with the same problem.
Nets coach Jacque Vaughn revealed it was the 26-year-old's request to exit the match, but believes there is nothing too serious to be concerned about with his injury.
"We'll check him day by day, see how he responds with a little treatment," he said. "[We will] see what it looks like [on Tuesday]."
"I think more so than anything, [it is] the accumulation of games. He hasn't had this amount of accumulation of games over a period [for] a long time.
"[We] talked to the performance team about that. We were warned about that just as these games [started] to add up.
"It's really stretching him sometimes. The amount of games we've just had, with the minutes that he's played, [have been] pretty high going into tonight's game."
Simmons' absence is a blow for the Nets, with the Australian having arguably found his best form of the campaign this month, with an average of 10.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists across November.
The Nets next welcome the Washington Wizards on November 30, before a clash with the Toronto Raptors on December 2.
Ferrari have confirmed the departure of team principal Mattia Binotto, ending a professional relationship that extends all the way back to 1995.
The 53-year-old, who originally joined almost three decades ago as a member of their engine department, succeeded Maurizio Arrivabene in 2019 in charge of the Scuderia.
But his departure has been widely expected following a Formula One season that saw Ferrari rival Red Bull in the early stages before dropping away amid a series of technical errors and operational failures.
Binotto will officially depart at the end of the year, on December 31, with the team adding a search for his successor is already underway.
"With the regret that this entails, I have decided to conclude my collaboration with Ferrari," he confirmed in a statement.
"I am leaving a company that I love with the serenity that comes from the conviction that I have made every effort to achieve the objectives set.
"I leave a united and growing team. I think it is right to take this step at this time, as hard as this decision has been for me."
Ferrari chief executive officer Benedetto Vigna paid tribute to Binotto, and added he leaves the team in a prime place to continue to compete at the top of the sport.
"I would like to thank Mattia for his many great contributions over 28 years with Ferrari and particularly for leading the team back to a position of competitiveness during this past year," he stated.
"As a result, we are in a strong position to renew our challenge, above all for our amazing fans around the world, to win the ultimate prize in motorsport.
"Everyone here at the Scuderia and in the wider Ferrari community wishes Mattia well for the future."
LeBron James acknowledged "everything went wrong" for the Los Angeles Lakers after their last-gasp 116-115 loss to the Indiana Pacers.
Andrew Nembhard hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer at the Crypto.com Arena to help his side secure victory after fighting back from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter.
Defeat marks a second in four matches for the Lakers, who bounced back from their loss to the Phoenix Suns last week with back-to-back wins over the San Antonio Spurs.
James, who posted 21 points in a tough outing, says he and his team-mates ultimately failed to shut the match down and ensure a hungry Pacers side could have no way back.
"[You have] just got to finish the game," he stated. "Everything has to go wrong in order for you to lose a game like that.
"Everything went wrong today. You tip your hat off to Indiana, they kept fighting, they kept pushing."
Coach Darvin Ham took full responsibility for his side's late collapse and questioned how he can fix his team's inability to chase offensive action over the closing stages.
"You get a lead like that and the free-throw line allows you to maintain your lead," he added. "I wish we'd been a lot more aggressive, [and] continued playing with pace.
"That falls on me. I take responsibility for that. Late in the game, [we were] just giving up offensive rebounds. That's been something that has plagued us the last couple of games."
The Lakers next welcome the Portland Trail Blazers on November 30, with the team mired in 13th place in the Western Conference.
Mike White's superb showings at quarterback do not appear to have changed Robert Saleh's ideas about bringing Zach Wilson back into the New York Jets fold.
The former continued his impressive season over the weekend, passing for 315 yards and three touchdowns during Sunday's 31-10 win over the Chicago Bears.
Wilson has struggled for form in recent weeks and passed for just 77 yards during a 10-3 loss to the New England Patriots, leading to his demotion in favour of White.
But, despite those setbacks, there is still a path back into the side for the 2021 number two overall pick, with Saleh unwilling to commit to one player or the other.
"It's a week-to-week deal," he stated. "The full intent is to get Zach ready to play football again. I'll make that decision when I'm ready.
"While we're going through this process, it's Mike White's opportunity to take advantage of every last play he gets. I'm going to leave it at that. We're going to figure it out as we go."
Saleh refused to suggest what White might be able to do in order to secure the starting spot on a fill-time basis, continuing to publicly back Wilson.
"Mike's got an opportunity to stack another great day up this week," he added. "When we feel like Zach is ready to roll, he's going to roll."
Indianapolis Colts interim coach Jeff Saturday defended the decision not to use any of their three timeouts earlier in Monday's 24-17 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Saturday, who never coached at the pro or college level prior to his shock appointment by owner Jim Irsay earlier this month, led the Colts for the third time in the narrow defeat, slipping to a 1-2 record.
But Saturday only used the Colts' first timeout on fourth down with 30 seconds remaining before quarterback Matt Ryan threw an incomplete pass to the left sideline for Parris Campbell on fourth-and-3.
Ryan had scrambled for a run on the second-and-17 of the final drive but dived short of the first-down line, yet the Colts played quickly on third-and-3 with running back Jonathan Taylor bottled up before the timeout was called.
"I thought we had plenty of time," Saturday told reporters. "We had plenty of timeouts, so I wasn't too concerned.
"This wasn't a press for time, we just didn't make enough plays."
Ryan, who admitted he thought he was closer to the first-down line on his run, backed Saturday's decision not to call an earlier timeout.
"I don’t mind the call going with some tempo, trying to get that first and probably bang a timeout after that first," he said.
"We didn’t get it, then have to take that timeout on the fourth down call. Credit to them, they did a good job on jumping inside, we had some in-breaking routes.
"It's disappointing. It really is, I think the effort is good, but our execution just hasn’t been good enough."
Ryan was pressured on 44 per cent of dropbacks, which was the highest in a game this season.
The win means the Colts are 4-7-1 overall and second in the AFC South behind the 7-4 Tennessee Titans.
The Steelers improved to 4-7 but remain last in the AFC North. Rookie Pittsburgh quarterback Kenny Pickett enjoyed his third straight game without a turnover, completing 20 of 28 passes for 174 yards.
"He's getting better every week, he's a competitor, he's smart but there's still a lot of meat on the bone," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said about Pickett.
"I've always said he's good enough and we're good enough to win while that happens. We acknowledge he's very much in development."
Kevin Durant produced his best scoring performance of the season to carry the Brooklyn Nets to a 109-102 victory against the Orlando Magic on Monday.
In a remarkably efficient outing, Durant hit 19-of-24 from the field, three-of-five from deep and all four of his free throws for 45 points in 39 minutes. He added seven rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks.
One of the greatest offensive players in league history, Durant has rediscovered his ability to protect the rim defensively this season, with his 1.8 blocks per game placing him eighth in the league while tying his career-high.
Durant was supported well by Kyrie Irving with 20 points on nine-of-17 shooting, but they had to see out the second half without Ben Simmons after the Australian left the game in the second quarter due to left knee soreness.
Starting center Nic Claxton picked up the slack with 17 points (seven-of-10 shooting), 13 rebounds and three blocks, while Joe Harris chipped in 17 points off the bench.
For Orlando, heavy favourite for Rookie of the Year and top overall pick from this year's draft Paolo Banchero continued to display his All-NBA upside, scoring an equal team-high 24 points on nine-of-17 shooting with five assists, four rebounds and two steals.
With the result, the Nets have now won five of their past seven games, and have pulled their record even at 11-11.
Siakam's return ignites Raptors
Pascal Siakam returned to the Toronto Raptors starting line-up and looked right at home with 18 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in a 100-88 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Siakam had missed the past 10 games due to a strained adductor, but mustered 30 minutes in his first game back.
O.G. Anunoby top scored for the Raptors with 20 points on eight-of-13 shooting, while in an interesting coaching decision, Nick Nurse opted to start Juancho Hernangomez and bring reigning Rookie of the Year Scottie Barnes off the bench.
After starting the season with Siakam as the biggest player in the Raptors' starting line-up, Nurse pivoted to a larger group in his return, with Gary Trent Jr also relegated to the bench in favour of Thaddeus Young.
'Point Zion' orchestrates Pelicans win
With C.J. McCollum and Brandon Ingram both missing through injuries, Zion Williamson assumed the role of lead initiator in the New Orleans Pelicans' 105-101 triumph against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Williamson, who largely operated as the lead ball-handler during the second half of his breakout 2020-21 campaign, dished a season-high eight assists to go with his 23 points (11-of-18 shooting) and eight rebounds.
He did it on both ends, as his three blocks nearly matched his total for the season, having only tallied a combined four from his first 14 games
The Indianapolis Colts' flickering playoffs hopes have all but been extinguished, as their third-quarter rally was not enough and the Pittsburgh Steelers staved them off for a 24-17 victory at Lucas Oil Stadium on Monday.
Benny Snell Jr's six-yard touchdown run followed by George Pickens' two-point conversion were the only scores in the final quarter, after the Colts charged back with two third-quarter TDs to claim a 17-16 lead at the final change.
Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett completed 20 of 28 passes for 174 yards, along with 32 rushing yards from six carries, as the Steelers improved to 4-7. The Colts, who came into the game second in the AFC South, fall to 4-7-1.
The Colts had rallied from a 16-3 half-time deficit with touchdowns to Jonathan Taylor – sparked by Dallas Flowers' 89-yard kickoff return – and Michael Pittman Jr.
Matt Ryan passed for Pittman for his only touchdown of the game, completing 22 of 34 passes for 199 yards with one interception.
At 16-10, the Colts coughed up a costly fumble as Ryan and Taylor botched an exchange at first-and-goal from the one-yard line, which was recovered by defensive end Chris Wormley. Indianapolis gave up two turnovers for the game, with their season tally up to an NFL-high 21.
The Steelers offensive had 172 rush yards, with four players totalling at least 30 for the first time in the same game since 1999, with Snell (62 yards on 12 carries), Najee Harris (35 on 10), Anthony McFarland Jr (30 on six) and Pickett.
Harris crossed for the only first-half TD on a six-yard second-quarter run, with Matthew Wright converting three-of-three field goals.
Ben Simmons' recent resurgence was halted prematurely on Monday when he exited the Brooklyn Nets' 109-102 win over the Orlando Magic with left knee soreness.
The Nets confirmed the issue which Simmons exit in the second quarter, having only played 11 minutes with no points, four rebounds and three assists.
The six-foot-10 Australian has already missed six games this season with issues on the same knee, but has impressed in recent games since his return. He had also been coming back from offseason back surgery.
Simmons had been averaging 10.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists during the month of November.
The win means the Nets improve their record to 11-11, as Kevin Durant top scored with 45 points.
Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns was initially diagnosed with a right calf strain after leaving Monday's 142-127 loss to the Washington Wizards in the third quarter.
Towns' injury appeared serious when he went down in a non-contact situation, needing to be helped back to the locker room.
Fortunately, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Timberwolves have "early optimism" that he has avoided a "substantial injury to his lower right leg".
Towns, 27, was the 2016 Rookie of the Year and has gone on to make three All-Star games in 2018, 2019 and 2022, and is the only center to ever win the Three-Point Contest during All-Star Weekend.
The self-proclaimed "best big-man shooter ever" is averaging 21.4 points per game, which is his lowest figure since the 2017-18 season, as well as a career-low 8.5 rebounds and a career-low 0.7 blocks.
After trading four first-round draft picks to the Utah Jazz for Rudy Gobert in a win-now move, the Timberwolves are just 10-11 through their first 21 games as they tick past the quarter-mark of the season.
Towns' absence will allow the Timberwolves to play a more traditional line-up with Gobert as the only center on the floor, and will place an increased offensive responsibility on fellow former Rookie of the Year Anthony Edwards.
Three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Aaron Donald has joined the Los Angeles Rams' long injured list with head coach Sean McVay fearing a high ankle sprain.
McVay revealed on Monday that the 31-year-old defensive tackle had an ankle sprain, although he was still undergoing examination on the severity. He said Rams' medical staff indicated they feared it was a high ankle sprain.
Donald joins quarterback Matthew Stafford (concussion protocol) and wide receiver Cooper Kupp (high ankle sprain) on the sidelines.
"We're finding that out right now," McVay told reporters about Donald's injury. "He's still meeting with the doctors and getting the necessary scans.
"On Wednesday when we re-convene I'll have a little bit more information for you."
Donald has five sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, 11 quarterback hits and a forced fumble in 11 games this season.
"Obviously we'll take the appropriate steps for Aaron in terms of how we move forward and what that means as far as his availability for this week and the weeks to come," McVay said.
McVay added there was no update on Stafford, who remains in protocol, but rejected talk of shutting down all their star players despite the reigning Super Bowl champions' 3-6 record.
"I think you've got to take each individual case," he said. "As a competitor for those players, you want to be mindful of all the things that go into that. I've always consistently said being smart. They're all factors. We're trying to compete.
"But it's been something nobody could have predicted. When it rains, it pours."
On Sunday, the Rams confirmed wide receiver Allen Robinson II will miss the remainder of the season with a foot stress fracture.
San Francisco 49ers running back Elijah Mitchell will spend at least the next six weeks on the sidelines after suffering his second MCL sprain of the season in Sunday's win against the New Orleans Saints.
It is the same injury he suffered in Week 1, and in that instance he did not return until Week 10, proceeding to contribute in three consecutive wins before bad luck struck again.
A sixth-round pick in last year's NFL Draft, Mitchell burst onto the scene with 1,100 yards from scrimmage as a rookie, but following his injury to begin this season, the 49ers made the decision to invest further in the running back position.
Their trade for former Carolina Panthers superstar Christian McCaffrey insulates the 49ers from the crushing blow of this injury, as it will result in an increased workload for the two-time All-Pro.
Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan said he felt for the 24-year-old after the news of his impending stint on the sidelines.
"It wasn't the news we were looking for," he told reporters. "He's pretty disappointed.
"Everyone knows how good Elijah has been, how hard he worked to get back from his last one, how good he's been playing since he came back, and to kind of be right back there, I know he was real down on it.
"It's unfortunate for him. He's just had some real bad luck."
He added: "He knows what's ahead of him. He's just going to have about six weeks of frustration, but hopefully we can do our job here so when he comes back, we're still playing."
There are six weeks remaining in the regular season, and with a 7-4 record, the 49ers are a strong contender for a deep playoff run.
The reigning World Series champion Houston Astros have struck quickly to fill one of their few glaring needs after agreeing to a reported three-year contract with 2020 American League MVP Jose Abreu.
Abreu, who had spent his entire nine-year major league career with the Chicago White Sox, will earn $19.5 million per season, according to Houston television station KRIV.
The 35-year-old first baseman was named the AL’s top player during the coronavirus-shortened 2020 campaign after batting .317 with 19 home runs and an MLB-leading 60 RBIs in 60 games that season.
Though his home run total dipped from 30 in 2021 to 15 this past season, Abreu finished fifth in the AL in both batting average (.304) and on-base percentage (.378) after drawing a career-high 62 walks. Abreu also recorded the lowest strikeout rate of his MLB career at 16.2 per cent in 2022.
Abreu’s addition makes it unlikely the team will re-sign incumbent first baseman Yuli Gurriel, who struggled to a .242 average and a .647 OPS this past season and turned 38 in June.
It is the second notable signing the Astros have made this offseason after retaining reliever Rafael Montero to a three-year, $34.5 million contract earlier this month.
Houston still hopes to bring back its most prominent free agent in 2021 AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander, who is reportedly seeking a deal similar to the three-year, $130 million contract the Mets gave Max Scherzer last offseason.
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was vague about Monday's scan results on quarterback Aaron Rodgers' rib injury, but is not considering shutting him down at this stage.
Rodgers exited Sunday's 40-33 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the third quarter with a rib injury, undergoing examination at the game, before a further MRI on Monday.
The four-time NFL MVP was bullish after the game about playing in next Sunday's game with the Chicago Bears. LaFleur was hopeful too on Monday following Rodgers' additional scan.
"Sometimes there's stuff that doesn't show up on all the scans," LaFleur told reporters. "All I can tell you is he's feeling a little bit better… we'll know more in the next couple of days."
Rodgers has been playing with a broken thumb on his throwing arm for the past six weeks, with his latest knock for a side with a 4-8 record prompting talk he could be shut down for the season.
Packers backup QB Jordan Love came on in the fourth quarter against the Eagles and threw 113 yards on six-of-nine passing including one touchdown in a bright cameo. Shutting down Rodgers would offer Green Bay a chance to give Love more experience.
However, LaFleur insisted that Rodgers would play if he is healthy and that he was not thinking beyond the next game.
"We've not even gone down that road," he said. "I don't think that's what we're arguing here.
"It's just, we've got a lot of faith, quite frankly, in both those guys. But you know, Aaron's the starting quarterback. He's battled through a lot throughout the course of his career. It's pretty well documented.
"I think he's been able to play at a pretty high level through a lot of different situations. So again, we'll take it one game at a time and make the best decision moving forward."
The Packers have the bye after the Bears game, offering the potential for a few weeks' rest for Rodgers if he does not play on Sunday.
"I think all those conversations, we'll have those conversations," LaFleur said. "If that's what we feel is best, then that's what we'll do."
Rodgers has a 64.8 per cent completion rate this season, making 254 of 392 passes for 2,682 yards with 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 12 starts.
The 38-year-old QB's nine interceptions are the most in his career since 2010, while he has also been sacked 24 times.
Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh acknowledged he was surprised by Lamar Jackson's social media incident following Sunday's 28-27 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The quarterback passed for 254 yards, and rushed for a further 89 from 14 carries, but was unable to prevent defeat as the Jags mounted a late comeback to win at TIAA Bank Field.
Jackson subsequently posted and then deleted a response on Twitter to a fan criticising him following his side's defeat, one which included an apparent homophobic reference.
Speaking on Monday, Harbaugh revealed he has discussed the issue with Jackson, and while he did not condone his player's actions, defended his reputation.
"[I] just beg guys to not to get into the Twitter world right after the game, especially after a loss," he said. "It's never going to be positive. It's not going be a nice place, you know?
"That's kind of reflected in Lamar's response because... that's not the way he speaks. It's not the way he talks. It's not the words he ever uses. I've never heard him say things like that before."
Harbaugh suggested Jackson may have been pulled into his online dispute, and spoke of the player's character in his defence.
"Lamar Jackson, you've been around him," he added. "He's got one of the biggest hearts of anybody I know. You all have seen him the way he treats people, the way he treats kids, the way he treats the media.
"You get trapped sometimes by someone that's baiting you just a little bit. You can't live there. I think that's not a place he wants to be and that's certainly not things that he wants to say."
Tiger Woods' return to competitive golf has been delayed after he announced on Monday that he has withdrawn from this week's Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas.
Woods, 46, is also the host of the highly anticipated event, which features a small field consisting of 20 elite players, including world number two Scottie Scheffler, as well as major champions Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth.
Arguably the greatest golfer of all time, Woods was scheduled to take part in three events in December, but the announcement of his foot injury on social media has put all three in jeopardy.
His statement says: "In my preparation and practice for this week's Hero World Challenge, I've developed plantar fasciitis in my right foot, which is making it difficult to walk.
"After consulting with my doctors and trainers, I have decided to withdraw this week and focus on my hosting duties.
"My plan is to still compete in The Match and PNC Championship."
Woods, who has not played competitively since failing to make the cut at The Masters in July, will not have long to recover.
He is scheduled to partner up with Rory McIlroy to take on the pair of Thomas and Spieth on December 10 for The Match, and just five days later he hopes to team up with his son, Charlie, in the PNC Championship.
With his withdrawal from the Hero World Challenge, Austria's Sepp Straka will take his place.
Shiaeine Blake, Jamaica's 155lbs Rough Fight League (RFL) Amateur MMA Lightweight Champion, will be fighting for a kickboxing title at the International Combat Sports Championships set for the LB Scott Auditorium in Phillipsburg, St Maarten, on Saturday, December 3.
Blake will be part of an eight-member team that Jamaica sends to the championships considered to be one of the major combat sports tournaments for countries in the Caribbean and Central America.
The team also includes professional fighters mixed martial artist Kasrie Cassells, who will take on hometown boy Akeem Lewis at 185lbs in the feature bout and Nakia Anderson will battle for a title at 145lbs.
Also in the team sponsored by shipping company Aeolus Shipping, Caribbean Dreams and illmatic Services are amateur MMA fighters, Nicholai Reid and Demar Haslam. Blake fights in the amateur kickboxing category along with Roberto Williams, Chris Daley, and Shanice Blake, his sister.
Radcliffe Cunningham, Blake’s trainer explained that while his fighter does not have a record in kickboxing, his accomplishments in MMA qualify him to fight for a title this coming weekend. Notwithstanding his relative inexperience as a kickboxer, Blake, meanwhile, has expressed supreme confidence at coming home with the 155lb title.
“A beautiful victory shall be had,” he told Sportsmax.TV. “My base is in stand up. The groundwork is the most recent addition.
“I have been training in this for a while so I want to go and execute properly and have a beautiful performance. I want something that people will remember because oftentimes you watch fights and it’s just punches and kicks, I want my performance to evoke emotion. I want to display that artistic side of it.”
Having successfully defended his MMA title five times, including his recent victory over Trinidadian Joshua Jones in Trinidad in October, Blake has good reason to be confident. Having been in training all year, he has maintained his competition readiness. But for this coming tournament, he ramped up his preparation.
“I have been training six days a week for the past six to eight weeks but the training has not stopped all year because I have been in competition all year. Training for this, I have been getting in a lot more running, a lot more sparring than I usually do,” he said.
“So the training has been a little bit rough on the body; thank God Christmas is coming soon so we can get a little break and we can eat and not have to worry about diets and all that - but it’s all been done properly and in good faith that we are prepared properly for this upcoming event.”
Winning in St Maarten, he said, would also be a great way to build momentum into 2023 when he launches his campaign to qualify for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
“I believe I am ranked first in the Caribbean so it is a matter of upholding that rank and lengthening the distance between me and the rest of the field," he said.
“Boxing nationals are coming up in January. I want to use that to qualify for other events that lead-up to the Olympics in two years’ time, so that’s the main medium-term goal I am looking at right now.”
Blake’s ambition and confidence has helped him attract supporting sponsors like Aeolus Shipping that in addition to backing the national team, has also built a strong relationship with the rising MMA star.
“We are so happy to be on board. We are definitely fans of boxing and MMA sports and to know that we have Jamaican talent in this sport is something that we want to highlight and spread awareness and we are looking forward to great things from Shiaeine and this brand partnership,” said Jessica Dewar, Marketing Director at Aeolus.
“We couldn’t be happier to be a huge support to his journey and we wish him all the best. Over the last two to three years we have seen him blossom and grow on his journey to become a huge brand representative for the country and in the international sphere. We are looking forward to seeing him do great things.”
He, in turn, expressed his gratitude for the support being provided for him and the team.
“We couldn’t have gotten the team over there without them and it is something that I have been talking with them about for some time,” Blake said.
“They have always supported the fights that I have. Them reaching out to us shows that there is support and their supporting us in this endeavor - a lot of times when I compete and post things online people are saying is this really happening in Jamaica - the wider community doesn’t really know about it (the sport) so for them to now be on brand with us helping us to get out there to the wider public, we are really happy about it.”
The team departs Jamaica on Tuesday, November 29.
The Dallas Mavericks are set to sign four-time NBA All-Star Kemba Walker, according to reports.
The Mavericks have struggled of late, losing their last four as they sit on 9-10 for the season, and they apparently intend to do something to arrest that slide.
The Athletic's Shams Charania reports that Dallas plan to waive Facundo Campazzo in order to make room for experienced guard Walker, who himself was waived by the Detroit Pistons last month.
Walker has suffered from injuries in recent years, but the Mavs appear to be willing to take a chance to help out star man Luka Doncic, who in spite of his team's struggles is leading the league on points per game this season, averaging 33.1 from his 18 appearances.
Walker will hope to rediscover the form he showed in his last few seasons with the Charlotte Hornets, having been limited during his time at the Boston Celtics, while he only made 37 appearances for the New York Knicks last year.
His average of 11.6 points per game was the worst of his career so far, though he also averaged fewer than 26 minutes per game for the Knicks, before being briefly traded to the Detroit Pistons.
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
