Australian MMA fighter Jack Della Maddalena has scored a UFC contract on Dana White’s Contender Series with an impressive performance against Swiss fighter Loosa Ange. Della Maddelena won a unanimous decision, all judges scoring the bout 30-27. This is the first decision victory in Della Maddelena’s professional career, and the first time one of his fights went past the second round. This victory extends his win streak to an impressive 10 in a row, his previous nine fights

Archie Calder arrived at St Kilda skate park on a cold Saturday morning to warm up before heading into the city to try film some new tricks. The prolific Melbourne street skater is training for a video he’s been working on with a group of friends. A skateboarder for most of his teenage years, he’s had multiple injuries that have resulted in weeks of rehabilitation. Most of those injuries could have been avoided, had he worn some form of protective equipment, Archie says. “I d

The moment Paralympian Olivia Breen finished the long jump competition at the English Championships last month, her attire should have been the last thing on her mind. Instead, the 24-year-old, who has cerebral palsy, was left “speechless” when a female official criticised her choice of sprint briefs. “Women should not be made to feel self-conscious about what they are wearing when competing, but should feel comfortable and at ease,” she said on Twitter. While shocking, Bree

The finals picture has cleared considerably following round 22, but there are still a few scenarios that could see teams jump in and out of the top 8 and top 4. Two favourites in the race to the eight have separated themselves from the rest, while top 4 teams will clash on Friday and Saturday nights in what could be finals previews. The Favourites Greater Western Sydney Giants GWS all but secured their place in the finals while simultaneously ending Richmond’s season in the

If the race to the finals was heating up last week, it is now reaching boiling point. The equation was supposed to get simpler with one less round to play, but instead we saw three genuine upsets that brought the field closer together. It has now become decidedly more difficult to predict what will happen in the home-stretch of this AFL season. With six teams in the running for those two finals berths, let’s unpack where every contending team stands before Round 22. The C

With three rounds to go and two finals spots yet to be claimed, the race for the AFL finals is well and truly on. From the group of seven contenders, all of who can mathematically make or miss the finals, eight premiership points (two wins) is all that separates them from the top six or the bottom five teams on the ladder. Let’s dive into what it’ll take for each of them to stay in the mix come September. The favourite West Coast Eagles West Coast has the best chance by far

American MMA fighter Nick Diaz has been slated to make his official return to competition, the UFC announced via its Twitter account . The return bout is set for the UFC 266 fight card in September against American Robbie Lawler. Diaz and Lawler fought for the first time 17 years ago at UFC 47, with Diaz coming away with a knockout victory in the second round. Now, nearly two decades later, the two are running it back in Las Vegas. Embed from Getty Images It will be Diaz’s

Australian UFC fighter Tai “Bam Bam” Tuivasa scored a big knockout over ex-NFL star Greg Hardy just 67 seconds in to their fight on Sunday (AEST). Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena was back to full capacity for the fight, delivering a stacked fight card to a star-studded crowd. Tuivasa’s knockout blow came in the first round of the heavyweight bout on the UFC 264 main card, headlined by Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier. Hardy connected with a stiff right hand that seemed to have Tui

The round of 16 of the Euro2020 has wrapped up, with an uneventful group stage giving way to fireworks in the first elimination round. This year’s tournament has surprised at every turn, with the favourites France unceremoniously dumped out by minnows Switzerland. Elsewhere, an English team playing lacklustre football throughout the group stages put in a polished performance to beat historic rivals Germany. Part-month long festival, part-geopolitical circus, the Euros are

Local football teams are experiencing a dramatic rise in serious injuries after losing last year’s season to Covid-19 and lockdowns, a paramedic and sports trainer says. Aquinas Old Collegians Football Club trainer Katelyn Redfern said there were many more injuries than usual this season. “I would say the injury rate among the men’s teams are double what they would normally be at this halfway point of the season,” she said. Not only have I seen an increase in the frequency o

Local sporting teams may have returned to the fields in 2021 after grassroots sporting competitions were cancelled last year, but leagues are now struggling to find umpires. Southern Football Netball League (SFNL) umpire Michael Moore said umpire shortages were a growing problem. “Whether it’s the endless abuse, or older umpires simply retiring so that they can spend the weekend with their families instead, there’s less of us sticking around and less young umpires coming thr

Residents have every right to protest over the council’s plans for a substantial new netball centre, Bayside’s mayor says. Mayor Laurence Evans said the council was listening to objections and trying to resolve residents’ concerns, while also attempting to create a balance in sporting facilities. “The netballers deserve to have an appropriate place to play,” Cr Evans said. After endless years of gender inequity, it is enlightening to be spending money on female sporting fac