General Sports 3 Days

Last updated: May 22, 2026, 5:52 PM ET

Motorsports

NASCAR mourns the loss of Kyle Busch, who died at age 41 after complications from an undisclosed illness that saw him hospitalized and coughing up blood the day before his passing. The two-time Cup Series champion embodied motorsports' greatest compliments during his storied career, winning more races across NASCAR's three national series than any driver in history. In Formula, Kimi Antonelli led Mercedes to a practice one-two at the Canadian Grand Prix, while George Russell aims to rebound from a "turbulent" start to his season. Lewis Hamilton confirmed he has no plans to retire from Formula, stating he will "be here for quite some time," as Max Verstappen hinted at continuing in F1 with new engine regulations set to return racing "almost back to normal" next season.

Boxing & MMA

Unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk weighed in at a career-heavy 16st 9lb for his title defense in Egypt, yet remains 25lb lighter than challenger Rico Verhoeven, whose kickboxing background caught promoter Eddie Hearn's attention. Usyk has nothing left to prove atop the heavyweight division, according to ESPN analysis, though his reign faces questions about longevity. Meanwhile, Belfast's Caoimhin Agyarko will challenge Josh Kelly for the IBF light-middleweight title this summer, and former Bellator boss Scott Coker announced plans for a new fight league that he hopes will become a "global brand in MMA." Coker's venture enters a crowded combat sports landscape following Ronda Rousey's record-breaking 17 million audience for her recent MMA return on Netflix.

NBA & Basketball

The New York Knicks produced an 18-point surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 109-93, taking a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference finals series. Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30 points to level their playoff series against the San Antonio Spurs at 1-1. Victor Wembanyama continues shattering the NBA's age curve by defying conventional wisdom about playoff experience necessity, while Sam Presti bet on fit over flash to construct Oklahoma City's championship roster around Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso. In women's basketball, Nneka Ogwumike returns to Los Angeles after helping secure a new collective bargaining agreement, looking to lead the Sparks back to the playoffs.

Tennis

French Open players cut their news conferences short to protest prize money distribution, with leading names including Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Jannik Sinner limiting media duties to 15 minutes. Sinner begins his career Grand Slam bid against French wildcard Clement Tabur, while Emma Raducanu faces Argentine clay-court specialist Solano Sierra in a tricky first-round draw. Britain's Toby Samuel moved within one win of a main draw breakthrough after defeating David Goffin in qualifying, and the tournament will not adjust prize money pools despite player complaints about revenue sharing.

Golf & Cycling

Alberto Bettiol won Giro d'Italia stage 13 with a stunning acceleration over the final climb in the Italian Lakes, while Belgium's Alec Segaert captured his first Grand Tour stage to keep teammate Afonso Eulalio in the overall lead. Ecuador's Jhonatan Narvaez continued his team's extraordinary run with victory on stage. At the PGA Championship, winner Aaron Rai revealed powerful advice from his wife before the biggest round of his career, helping him secure his first major title at Aronimink.

Rugby Union

Ulster appointed Clarke Dermody as forwards coach ahead of their Challenge Cup final against Montpellier, with the province needing to fight with everything they have to end a 20-year trophy drought. Fit-again winger Robert Baloucoune starts for Ulster in the final, providing a major boost after Iain Henderson, Stuart McCloskey, Rob Herring and Jacob Stockdale were ruled out. England captain Zoe Stratford and Tatyana Heard will leave Gloucester Hartpury at season's end, while Bordeaux-Begles chase back-to-back Champions Cups after their remarkable rise from promotion in 2011 to European finalists.

Association Football

Derry City were held to a goalless draw by St Patrick's Athletic in their League of Ireland Premier Division clash at Celtic Park. Cardiff acknowledged no excuses for their upcoming United Rugby Championship playoff quarter-final against Stormers in South Africa, despite traveling with a depleted squad. Left-back Joel Bagan signed a long-term deal with Cardiff City, extending his stay beyond the original free agency timeline.

Other Sports

South Sydney Rabbitohs forward Jai Arrow announced immediate retirement at age 30 after being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, bringing an end to his NRL career. The Enhanced Games launched amid dismay and intrigue as the "Steroid Olympics" force sport and society to confront challenging questions about performance enhancement. Former Wales international Rhys Thomas recently underwent heart transplant surgery in Cape Town, holding his own heart in his hands after the life-saving procedure. Great Britain suffered a 5-0 loss to Hungary at the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship in Switzerland, following an earlier 4-1 defeat to tournament hosts Switzerland.