General Sports 3 Days

Last updated: August 5, 2026, 2:31 PM ET

Combat Sports and Wrestling

Brock Lesnar decorated 10-time WWE world champion and former UFC heavyweight champion, has announced his retirement from combat sports following his match at WWE Summer Slam. SummerSlam Night 1 featured a significant moment where Brock Lesnar appeared to pass the torch to Oba Femi. Reigns successfully retained the World Heavyweight Championship, ending his rivalry with Seth Rollins at Summer Slam Night. Nascimento tragically passed away from an apparent heart attack. UFC owners reportedly lost $30 million staging the Freedom 250 event at the White House in June. Ian Machado Garry's switch to a plant-based diet has been credited with helping him earn a welterweight title shot against Islam Makhachev at UFC. PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov is expected to decide his future between the UFC or PFL very soon. Irish boxer Reeves remains in critical but stable condition in the hospital after being carried out of the ring on a stretcher in Dublin.

Golf and Horse Racing

LIV Golf secured a deal with an unnamed lead investor to continue operating next season after Saudi Arabian financial backing was withdrawn earlier this year. League CEO O'Neil confirmed that LIV Golf has received funding from an outside investor that will ensure the circuit's survival beyond the current season. The Preakness Stakes will be moved to three weeks and a day after the Kentucky Derby and will be run on a Sunday for the first time in its history. Robert Mac Intyre Patrick Reed, Francesco Molinari, and Sepp Straka are scheduled to compete in the Irish Open at the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg, County Clare, from September 9-13. Michael Thorbjornsen won his first PGA Tour title at the final Rocket Classic, sinking a 26-foot putt for birdie on his last hole to finish at 18 under par.

Basketball

Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham expressed her desire for the focus to return to basketball following a national debate sparked by her comments on transgender athletes. expansion team has unveiled its new branding as the Cleveland Sirens, set to join the WNBA in 2028. The WNBA's ongoing challenges are highlighted by the "disunited United States" that shadow the league, with player Sophie Cunningham's comments drawing further attention. The New York Knicks' OG Anunoby believes that the planned launch of a bespoke European NBA league has the potential to elevate basketball in the United Kingdom significantly. The impact of the Kelsey Plum trade on the Mercury and Sparks is being analyzed, with the Mercury's success potentially hinging on retaining her beyond 2026. Minnesota and Indiana are ranked first and second respectively in the latest WNBA Power Rankings, with Las Vegas rounding out the top three.

American Football

Miami coach Mario Cristobal has agreed to a long-term contract extension with the school after leading the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff title game last season. Indiana star defensive lineman Stephen Daley will return to the Hoosiers for his fifth year. Big Ten Conference is aiming to extend its streak of college football national championships to four, with Ohio State beginning the 2026 season as the No. 1 team in the AFCA Coaches Poll. Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman is emphasizing a focus on winning the upcoming opener rather than immediate College Football Playoff aspirations for his players. The rivalry between USC and Notre Dame is set to be renewed starting in 2030, though the Fighting Irish's home-and-home series with Indiana scheduled for that year is now canceled. Bears new safety Coby Bryant is expected to miss eight to 10 weeks due to a leg injury. The dynamics of the J.J. McCarthy-Kyler Murray quarterback competition are being explored for their impact on the Vikings' locker room, with teammates focused on supporting both players.

College Sports and Future Seasons

ESPN's analysis of the 2026 college football season highlights 31 teams with the strongest potential to reach the playoffs, based on their players and schedules. The 2026 college football season will feature key nonconference games for many ranked teams, with Texas moving into the top five and North Carolina falling out for UCLA. Notre Dame's home-and-home series with Indiana, set to begin in 2030, has been canceled. Ohio State begins the 2026 season as the No. 1 team in the AFCA Coaches Poll, aiming to extend the Big Ten's run of college football national championships to four. Coach Marcus Freeman wants his Notre Dame players focused on winning now, starting with the Fighting Irish's opener, rather than on College Football Playoff aspirations. The Big Ten conference faces scrutiny, with every team having a defined ceiling for success, ranging from winning the national title to missing the tournament entirely. Bill Connelly's projections for the 2026 college football season identify games with the highest combined SP+ ratings and a projected scoring margin under eight points. Indiana star defensive lineman Stephen Daley will return to the Hoosiers for his fifth year. The QBs who will have an outsized influence on the 2026 season are being ranked, starting with CFP-hopeful signal-callers.

Other Sports News

The Preakness Stakes is moving to three weeks and a day after the Kentucky Derby and is set to be run on a Sunday for the first time. Robert Mac Intyre Patrick Reed, Francesco Molinari, and Sepp Straka will play the Irish Open at the Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg, County Clare, from September 9-13. Jos Buttler starred as Manchester Super Giants beat Welsh Fire by nine wickets in The Hundred. Sophia Dunkley helped Trent Rockets beat Birmingham Phoenix, while Orla Prendergast took four wickets in Welsh Fire's victory over Manchester Super Giants. ESPN's 75-hour tradition, "The Ocho," showcases obscure competitions and will celebrate its 10th anniversary this year with a broadcast of the world's quirkiest and most unconventional sports. Jemima Lines has been selected as the first British woman for the America's Cup team in 90 years, hailing it as a "pivotal moment" in her sport. UK Sport will no longer channel investment in skiing and snowboarding through the governing body GB Snowsport, though athletes are reportedly unaffected. Ireland goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran has been ruled out of the forthcoming Hockey World Cup due to injury. The 2026-27 Irish League season is set to start on time after votes to endorse three proposals were overwhelmingly passed at an Extraordinary General Meeting. Former rugby star Joe Marler will be known as Mauler when the fourth series of a BBC celebrity show airs in 2027. Derry City has parted ways with manager Tiernan Lynch by mutual consent following a poor run of form. Television presenter Nick Knowles has become a shareholder in the rugby club Cornish Pirates. Officials at the Tour de France Femmes Avec Zwift will inspect rider clothing to prevent aerodynamic gains from bra padding. Elite climber Mary Falconer is pursuing a 2028 Olympic dream, with bouldering having helped her cope with the loss of her mother. Great Britain Sevens players have had to find alternative employment and teams since their contracts were reduced to part-time status last summer. The former rugby star Joe Marler will be known as Mauler when the fourth series of a BBC celebrity show airs in 2027. The Irish League season is set to start on time after votes to endorse three proposals were overwhelmingly passed at an Extraordinary General Meeting. Scotland's one-day international against the United Arab Emirates was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to persistent rain. Henry Pollock is reportedly set to demand a substantial increase on his current Northampton contract, with agent Eddie Hearn suggesting annual earnings of £1 million are his going rate. Investment from the Indian Premier League side Mumbai Indians has led to changes within MI London. Tadej Pogacar, the newly crowned five-time Tour de France champion, will race in this month's Vuelta a Espana in an attempt to win all three of cycling's Grand Tours. Northern Ireland's 158 Commonwealth Games medals are being analyzed by BBC Sport NI. Team Wales returned from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with 31 medals, including nine gold, 10 silver, and 12 bronze. Questions and doubts remain about the future of the Commonwealth Games, despite Glasgow 2026 being a joyful success in isolation. Great Britain claimed gold medals with Lauren Henry in the women's single sculls and Benjamin Pritchard in PR1 men's single sculls at the European Rowing Championships in Italy. Emma Finucane made history by winning a fourth track cycling Commonwealth Games gold and led Wales into the closing ceremony.