General Sports 24 Hours

Last updated: August 29, 2026, 3:30 PM ET

Boxing & UFC

Song Yadong delivered one of the year's biggest upsets in Shanghai, knocking out heavily favored Umar Nurmagomedov in the men's bantamweight main event of UFC Fight Night. Across the Atlantic, boxing fans are circling Saturday's heavyweight world title fight between Moses Itauma and Filip Hrgovic, with predictions rolling in from across the sport. In the women's division, Chantelle Cameron and Mikaela Mayer are set for a unification bout, and the numbers suggest a razor-thin margin — current champions and analysts are split on the outcome.

College Football

Indiana ended a 30-year drought for first-time national champions, and now 20 teams look ready to join the club, with several obvious candidates emerging from the Power Four. But the headline story is the turmoil in Chapel Hill: as Bill Belichick enters Year 2 at North Carolina, the end could already be in sight amid internal strife. Meanwhile, major college football opened its season abroad for the fifth straight year, with North Carolina facing TCU in Dublin — the sights and sounds from the Week 0 clash were electric. For a historical footnote, Missouri's rogue 1896 trip to Mexico — a last-minute addition that got the program in trouble — remains one of college football's oddest tales.

In a major legal development, a temporary restraining order now blocks the SEC from punishing teams that field players who previously signed NFL, NBA or WNBA contracts. The ruling could reshape roster construction across the conference.

Cycling & Triathlon

Five-time Tour de France champion Tadej Pogacar has pulled out of the Spanish Vuelta after crashing during the eighth stage — a stunning blow to the race's overall picture. In triathlon, France's Cassandre Beaugrand continues her dominance, earning a fourth straight win in the World Triathlon Championship Series in Weihai, with Britain's Beth Potter finishing second.

WNBA & Tennis

Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell combined for 68 points in a 111-91 rout of the Sun, each dropping 34 points in a historic dual performance for the Fever. The win keeps Indiana firmly in the playoff hunt.

At the US Open, all eyes are on the contenders. Bill Connelly ranks the field from favorites to underdogs, while experts weigh in on whether Carlos Alcaraz can defend his title with Jannik Sinner out and Aryna Sabalenka's No. 1 ranking at risk. Rising star Alex Eala has drawn comparisons to Manny Pacquiao and Maria Sharapova, and the hype is real — she has the game to make a deep run at Flushing Meadows. British No. 1 Katie Boulter, however, is dealing with an unusual distraction: the smell of cannabis at the tournament is putting her off her game. She also confirmed she won't follow Andy Murray's lead on wedding ring safety, having learned from his mistake ahead of her own US Open campaign.

Rugby League & Union

Huddersfield Giants scored five tries to upset in-form Leigh in Super League, keeping the Leopards waiting to secure their playoff place. In rugby union, Rory Best says Joe Schmidt's new role with Ulster is about "small steps" as the province looks to build a platform for long-term success under the former Ireland coach.

Lacrosse & Cricket

The PLL playoffs are underway, and the winners of the Outlaws-Redwoods and Whipsnakes-Cannons matchups will advance to face the Archers and Waterdogs in the semifinals. In cricket, Pakistan head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed denies knowing about the PCB's threat to end the tour over a Sky interview with Imran Khan's sons. Meanwhile, Michael Vaughan predicts England's new pace quartet will trouble Australia — the attack's effectiveness against Pakistan has been impressive.

Coaching & Tributes

Florida's Todd Golden received his third raise in as many years, a contract extension worth $1.5M annually that makes him the second-highest-paid basketball coach in the SEC. Finally, football fans gathered to pay tribute to PC Matthew Blades and PC Tom Clough, the Cleveland police officers killed in a head-on collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough.