Category: 6. Sports

De Ridder and Hernandez have collected two of the bigger statement-making wins of the summer. First came de Ridder’s split decision win over Robert Whittaker in Abu Dhabi on July 26. The victory was the fourth in eight months for “RDR,” who came to the promotion in November 2024 after collecting the ONE Championship middleweight and light heavyweight titles. The Dutchman’s win over the former middleweight champion Whittaker was just his third decision win and the first time he had gone past the third round in more than four years.

Hernandez, meanwhile, is one of the hottest fighters at 185 pounds. Since 2021, Hernandez has collected eight wins, six finishes and four Performance Bonuses while carving out a reputation as one of the grittiest fighters in the weightclass. His latest effort, a 4th-round submission win over Roman Dolidze, left many awed with his cardio, pressure and well-rounded skillset. The rear-naked choke finish was also one of the more brutal submissions in recent memory as Hernandez essentially dragged Dolidze across the canvas until the Georgian tapped out.

With middleweights Nassourdine Imavov and Caio Borralho battling in Paris on September 6, de Ridder and Hernandez could put themselves in and around that No. 1 contender spot with a big-time win in Canada.

Joining the card is a welterweight clash between Kevin Holland and Mike Malott. Ontario’s Malott, competing in Canada for the fifth consecutive time, is rounding into his best form yet after picking up a knockout win over Charles Radtke at UFC 315 in Montreal. The victory was his fifth since earning his contract in October 2021. In Holland, he faces one of the true veterans of the sport. “Trailblazer,” inarguably the most active fighter in the promotion since joining the roster in 2018, heads into Vancouver for his fifth fight of 2025 hoping to get back on track after dropping a jaw-dropping bout against Daniel Rodriguez at UFC 318. After dropping a bout to de Ridder in January, Holland returned to welterweight and picked up Performance Bonus-earning victories over Gunnar Nelson and Vicente Luque.

Also on the card are matchups between Marlon “Chito” Vera and Canada’s Aiemann Zahabi as well as a flyweight matchup between Manon Fiorot and Jasmine Jasudavicius.

UFC Fight Night: De Ridder vs Hernandez represents the first trip to “Van City” since UFC 289 in June 2023.

Stay tuned to UFC.com for any updates to events and fights.  

Boxer Julio César Chávez Jr has been deported to Mexico, where he is wanted for alleged cartel ties, following his arrest in the US for overstaying his visa and lying on a green card application.

The Mexican boxer was admitted to a prison outside of the city of Hermosillo, in the northern state of Sonora, an official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Tuesday because they were not authorised to speak publicly about the matter.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the news at her daily press conference.

“I understand he was deported. I don’t know if it was yesterday or this morning, but we were informed that he was arriving in Mexico,” Ms Sheinbaum said.

Chávez, 39, had a warrant for his arrest in Mexico for alleged arms and drug trafficking and ties to the Sinaloa cartel. Alejandro Gertz Manero, Mexico’s attorney-general, said the investigation into Chávez started in 2019.

The boxer, who is the son of legendary Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez, was arrested by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers for overstaying a tourist visa on which he entered the US in August 2023 and which expired in February 2024, the Department of Homeland Security said in July.

The agency also said Chávez Jr submitted a number of fraudulent statements when he applied for permanent residency on April 2, 2024, based on his marriage to a US citizen, Frida Muñoz.

Ms Sheinbaum said after the arrest that she hoped the boxer would be deported to face his charges.

Chávez’s father, who was a major celebrity in the 1980s and 1990s, defended his son following his arrest. However, he has not spoken since his deportation.

The younger Chávez has battled drug addiction for much of his boxing career, failing drug tests, serving suspensions and egregiously missing weight while being widely criticised for his intermittent dedication to the sport.

Chávez won the WBC middleweight title in 2011 and defended it three times. He shared the ring with generational greats Canelo Álvarez and Sergio Martinez, losing to both.

In 2012, he was convicted of drunken driving in Los Angeles and sentenced to 13 days in jail. In January 2024, he was arrested on gun charges.

Police said he possessed two AR-style ghost rifles. He was later freed on a $US50,000 ($77,400) bond on condition that he went to a residential drug treatment facility. The case is still pending, with Chávez reporting his progress regularly.

AP

No, came the answer again after seven minutes when Jorne Spileers, untroubled by a blue jersey in his midst, side-footed home from a corner. These were the kinds of moments that Rangers survived in previous games. Not now.

And no came the answer again after 20 minutes when Rangers failed with two attempts to clear their box, a hesitancy and incompetence that saw Brandon Michele rifle a third past Butland.

At that point, the only prayers that could have been offered up on Rangers’ behalf would have given thanks to the man above that this team was not going any further in this Champions League.

That it was going to be spared any further humiliation at the hands of Europe’s biggest guns, a lucky escape that was denied one of Martin’s predecessor’s, Giovanni van Bronckhorst – and he lost his job on the back of it.

That Rangers, so early in whatever it is that Martin is trying to do, are not ready for Champions League football is obvious.

They are a burgeoning team in terms of goal threat and have, undoubtedly, discovered a player in Gassama, but they’re a catastrophe at the back. In his brief time in charge, Martin has taken a weak defence, signed loads of players and has somehow made it weaker.

In pulling a goal back in the second half, and almost making it two, they showed the best side of themselves.

They worked hard, they put Brugge under pressure, they created some stuff at one end and avoided further concessions at the other. The whole pursuit resulted in the scoreline becoming less ugly rather than more hopeful.

Speaking on The Rugby Rivals podcast with Sir John Kirwan and Ric Salizzo, Matfield said the All Blacks win away from home and have two home Tests against South Africa.

“Whoever is going to win this Rugby Championship has to get past New Zealand.”

Matfield said he couldn’t understand why Beauden Barrett, a two-time World Rugby player of the year, was ever doubted in the role of first five-eighths.

“He’s an unbelievable 10 and a much better 10 than a 15 [fullback]. It’s always better to play against him if he’s not a 10.

“Maybe he’s not the goal-kicker that Dan Carter was, but now he’s kicking really well.

“I think the balance he brings to a game; when he kicks, when he plays, when he takes the line on, the speed that he’s got. He’s unbelievable.”

Matfield also noted that the All Blacks scored three maul tries in their Championship opener against Argentina at the weekend. In comparison, South Africa did not score one maul try in their loss to Australia.

“New Zealand go out and they have got their balance right; when to play, when to kick the ball in behind them. Not defensive kicking, attacking kicking, putting it behind, forcing them to turn around, and then their forward pack using their energy to score tries.

“When you get into that 22, go at them, use your maul, go around the corner and be effective.”

Kirwan said lock Fabian Holland has been a find for the All Blacks.

“His work rate, his running around the field, he’s making his tackles. We’ve got a real gem there that can build into a world-class lock.”

Matfield said there is a lot of talk about Holland’s big body, but he was impressed with Tupou Vaa’i playing lock last year.

“I thought he was outstanding.”

He also wondered what would happen when Wallace Sititi comes back into the side.

“He must get in there somewhere. I don’t know if you will play him at eight, or if he will go to the blindside and Savea go to the openside. It’s a nice problem to have. At this stage, it’s working.

“You said you guys want a big body in there who can enforce and have an impact. At the moment, it’s working.

“I’m looking forward to that Eden Park Test match.”

The traditional rivals are at different stages of their build-up to the 2027 Rugby World Cup. All Blacks coach Scott Robertson is looking to get his preferred side playing together as often as possible to develop combinations, while also building back-up support beneath them.

However, that was not something two-time Rugby World Cup winner Rassie Erasmus believed in.

“You never know who he’s going to pick, it’s almost like the French, you never know who they’re going to pick. Yes, there was this one failure now, but so far he’s been very successful.

“This is the best Springbok era we’ve had. We’ve never been so successful. It’s very difficult after one Test match to say that whatever they are doing is wrong.”

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