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By Jody Godoy U.S. appeals court judges questioned a 2-1/2-year pause in a shareholder lawsuit against PG&E Corp

Former England footballer Fara Williams has spoken out about the sexist and homophobic abuse she has suffered online, saying she’s been told to “get back in the kitchen”. In an exclusive interview with The Independent, the ex-midfielder turned football pundit said trolls question her knowledge of the sport, telling her she knows “nothing about the game”. The 39-year-old, who is England’s most capped player, said the online abuse is “definitely sexist” and gets worse and is “more aggressive” when she is reporting on men’s football rather than the women’s game. “When I’m doing punditry in a women’s game, the percentages in terms of the abuse you get is really, really minimal compared to when as a female, I talk on the men’s game as a pundit,” Williams said. “The abuse heightens and it’s more aggressive, more direct. Definitely more abusive.” The football commentator said she thought “jealousy” was “probably one of the main things” which drives people to perpetrate online abuse. She said many people think trolls are people who you are “really close to”, adding: “You get trolled by people that you think are your friends and they are the ones that know the most about you.” The former Lioness said she is able to cope with the online hate because she has a “thick skin”, but her ability to handle abuse could potentially change if the harassment were to ramp up. The “daily” abuse suffered by footballers she used to play with who are now prominent in the media is “not acceptable”, she stated. Ms Williams added: “I’ve seen a change in them as people because of social media – close friends that have really been affected by some of the awful abuse that they get online.” She said: “If you are bombarded with abuse daily, at some point it will affect your mental health, whether you think you are strong headed or not.” Ms Williams said: “As I said, I’m quite strong headed now, but there is nothing to say that if I was to be absolutely bombarded with abuse on a daily basis, that couldn’t change how I start to think and see myself.” Her friends are targeted with “horrific abuse” for simply “having an opinion in a workplace that they are supposed to have an opinion in”, she added. Discussing homophobic online abuse, she said: “I’m sure they’re aware that there are a lot of gay people within the women’s game, and it’s easy for them to drop a comment in.” Ms Williams, a member of Hope United, a team of footballers committed to tackling online sexist hate, reflected on whether the abuse she endures would worsen if her punditry for men’s football ramps up. "They could talk about the way I talk, the way I look, the way I sound,” she added. “Who I think I am.” Ms Williams said she hoped abuse on social media would improve when the online safety bill is rolled out as a change in the law would make people “accountable” for their comments. The legislation, which aims to tackle hate speech, cyberbullying, and disinformation, is in its final stages in parliament and would see social media companies also held accountable for abuse published on their sites. The ex-footballer attended a roundtable meeting at 10 Downing Street on Tuesday to demonstrate her backing for proposed changes to the online safety bill, which would boost the online protection of women and girls. “For me, social media has become a fantasy world where you can do whatever you want and get away with it without any consequences,” Ms Williams said. Turning her attention to the World Cup kiss saga, she said it was “disappointing” that it “took so long” to be dealt with. Her comments come after the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales has come under sustained criticism for kissing player Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain secured their 1-0 win over England last month. Rubiales, who was also condemned for grabbing his crotch after Spain won the women’s world title for the first time in history, refused to step down over his behaviour but was suspended by Fifa. He eventually resigned as president on Sunday, after weeks of pressure, after Hermoso filed a legal complaint. Jorge Vilda, head coach of Spain’s women’s team, was fired last week after he was among those who praised Rubiales’ refusal to step down. “It’s the only thing that’s been spoken about when Spain were phenomenal in the World Cup and these women should be celebrated,” she added. “For me, it’s a celebration of their success and I think that’s been forgotten and the girls probably haven’t been able to celebrate.” Discussing Rubiales, she said: “I think the right thing has been done now. He stepped away from it. He still hasn’t apologised.” Read More Fara Williams: England’s most-capped footballer announces retirement England winning Euro 2022 ‘a real proud moment’ for ex-midfielder Fara Williams Jill Scott says World Cup kiss saga ‘overshadowed’ Spanish women’s team playing ‘great football’ Lioness Demi Stokes says misogynistic abuse online ‘really affected’ England players’ game ‘History in the making’: Lionesses’ Euros success sparks booming interest in women’s football Women’s sport is bigger and better than ever in 2023 – rundown of the best in the calendar

Former Scotland midfielder Graeme Souness was unhapp his nation failed to show the level of determination and effort the magnitude of the encounter against England demanded. Speaking on Channel 4 after the Three Lions triumphed 3-1, Souness noted that while the Scots have undoubtedly improved under Steve Clarke, they’ve been shown just how great the distance between themselves and the top nations remains by the ease in which England won. Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored for the visitors, with the hosts unable to create much in the way of attacking chances, with Harry Maguire’s own goal their only consolation. And Clarke’s players needed to produce more to make the atmosphere a hostile one, Souness said, which might have tipped the balance somewhat. “It was a friendly. If nothing else go and empty someone, get the crowd involved. This is a passionate football crowd, and we gave them nothing to shout about tonight,” he said. “I accept that England were fabulous and are a fabulous team but from Scotland’s point of view, they couldn’t get the crowd involved because they didn’t show the required aggression for me. I know it’s a friendly but it’s an England-Scotland game. “They dominated, there was always another gear for them, and I think it was a sobering night for Scotland. They’ve been on a magnificent run but when push comes to shove there’s an enormous gap between where England are and where Scotland are.” Alongside fellow pundits Joe Cole and Jill Scot, both former England internationals, Souness stated his opinion that this squad of players under Gareth Southgate must make good on their potential to win an international tournament. Having made the Euro 2020 final, they’ll hope to go one step further next summer - and all three believe the team has the ability to do so. “England look like a real proper team. I think they can improve on that. They’ve got more attacking options to come on, but England have to be looking to win a trophy now. This is a special group that Gareth Southgate’s got,” Souness added. “This is the golden generation. Forget Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, and Paul Scholes. England have strength in depth, Jude Bellingham was outstanding tonight. I can remember England winning the World Cup, this is the strongest group I’ve ever seen, and they can only get better. England are destined to get [...] a trophy with this group of players.” Scott agreed they “should have their hands on the trophy”, while Cole pointed to the core group having “40 or 50 caps” by the time they play at the Euros. “In the past there was always something missing, this team ticks every box,” he said. “I think it’s the best England team I’ve seen or played in in my lifetime.” Read More Player ratings as Bellingham stars in England win over Scotland Terrible football or bad luck? Social media debates Harry Maguire’s ongoing struggles Maguire’s humiliation is complete — Southgate must save him from himself Player ratings as Bellingham stars in England win over Scotland Terrible football or bad luck? Social media debates Harry Maguire’s ongoing struggles Maguire’s humiliation is complete — Southgate must save him from himself

England were victorious in their heritage match against Scotland to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the first game played between the two nations. Gareth Southgate’s men won 3-1 thanks to goals from Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane but it was the goal they conceded that had social media buzzing in the immediate aftermath. With England 2-0 up at half-time came the introduction of Harry Maguire, replacing a solid Marc Guehi in central defence, and after a decent start the former Manchester United captain turned an Andy Robertson ball past of his goalkeeper and into his own net reigniting hopes of a second-half Scottish comeback. Following the own goal, The Independent’s Miguel Delaney posted on X: “Who is more luckless, Harry Maguire or Stephen Kenny? Whatever you think of their abilities, both have suffered some twists that are just down to pure bad fortune.” Such was the debate around Maguire on social media. Is his downward spiral a matter of decling skills or bad luck at the wrong time? Samuel Luckhurst from the Manchester Evening News tweeted: “Maguire is stuck in a neverending cycle of negativity that will only end when he leaves United. Heckled by Arsenal and Scotland fans this month and things have gone wrong for him in both games. He gives opponents hope. Element of lucklessness and carelessness.” His thoughts were echoed by ESPN’s James Olley who wrote: “Maguire’s name cheered by the Scotland fans as he replaces Guehi. Becoming a troubling theme for him - opposing fans did the same thing when he was subbed on for Manchester United at Arsenal. England band respond by singing their Maguire song.” While, talkSPORT’s Rory Jennings said: “Harry Maguire is an absolute calamity. A walking disaster. A punchline. So bereft of any talent or natural intuition about how to defend. “The only good thing that can come from this is that hopefully that OG will finally dispel the myth that ‘Maguire has never let England down.’” Meanwhile, the England manager, already facing criticism for picking Maguire in this September squad when he has hardly played for Manchester United, came to the 30-year-old’s defence in his post match interviews blaming pundits and commentators for the vitriol he’s received. "It’s a consequence of ridiculous treatment of him for a long period of time,” Southgate said when asked about the reception Maguire received from both sets of fans. “It’s a joke, I’ve never known a player treated like he is, not by the Scottish fans, but by our own commentators, pundits, whatever it is, they have created something that is beyond anything I have ever seen. “He has been an absolute stalwart for us in the second most successful English team for decades, he has been an absolutely key part of that. I have talked about the importance of our senior players, he has been crucial amongst that and every time he goes on the field the resilience he shows, the balls he shows is absolutely incredible, so he is a top player and we are all with him.” The Guardian’s Jonathan Liew fired back at the England boss referencing Southgate’s previous defence of Jordan Henderson’s move to Saudi Arabia by saying: “Wouldn’t it be great if the England manager could defend LGBT rights with the same energy he defends Harry Maguire.” Read More Maguire’s humiliation is complete — Southgate must save him from himself Gareth Southgate says Harry Maguire criticism ‘beyond anything I’ve ever seen’ Gareth Southgate: England over-experimenting in Scotland would be ‘ridiculous’ Rasmus Hojlund fit to make Manchester United debut at Arsenal – Erik ten Hag Gareth Southgate admits Raheem Sterling not happy after England snub Raheem Sterling may have no way back as Gareth Southgate shows his hard edge

Scotland hosted England in a 150th anniversary of their first-ever meeting; this time around it was the Three Lions who triumphed with a routine and comprehensive 3-1 victory. Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham scored within minutes of each other in the first half, before Harry Maguire turned into his own net to close the gap past the hour mark. Harry Kane wrapped up matters though as England took the bragging rights. Here are the player ratings from Hampden Park. Scotland Angus Gunn - 6. Nothing he could do about either goal, banged past him from close range on both occasions. Massive save from Eze at 2-1 but beaten by Kane one-on-one. Ryan Porteus - 5. Did well in direct duels but struggled to keep pace once England’s runners from deep started showing their movement and ability to swap spaces. Jack Hendry - 7. Important recovery interception to thwart England’s best move on half-hour. Like Porteus, couldn’t get tight enough when the passing started to flow. Kieran Tierney - 6. A few decent moments for Scotland’s attack as he looked to overlap, but couldn’t get close defensively and pulled out of shape for the third in particular. Aaron Hickey - 6. A good outlet at times and looked to be able to beat Tierney at times, but the final pass and cross was lacking. Billy Gilmour - 5. All but ran the game against England a couple of years ago but this time around was swamped in the middle and easily bypassed. Callum McGregor - 6. Hard-working and tried to keep his side moving forward but was also outnumbered and certainly out-passed. Andy Robertson - 4. A nightmare couple of minutes as he played on Marcus Rashford in the build-up to the first then gifted possession inside his own box for 2-0. Caught wrong side of Kane for the third, too, though did deliver the cross for Maguire’s own goal. Scott McTominay - 5. Didn’t offer anywhere near enough, perhaps showing his lack of match fitness. John McGinn - 7. Bustling and energetic, twice going close in the second half with a hammered shot and an attempted header which hit his shoulder. Che Adams - 5. Toiled away without much service in the first half, then when his team tried to push on at the start of the second he was unable to offer hold-up play or movement to aid the attack. Subs: R. Christie 7, L. Dykes 6, L. Ferguson n/a, S. Armstrong n/a. England Aaron Ramsdale - 7. Good footwork for the most part but never really tested as a last line of defence. Kyle Walker - 8. Drilled a half-volley wide in the first half and led the best move on the counter soon after. Definitely tried a shot which turned into an assist for the opener. Marc Guehi - 7. Really solid first half where he made two good interceptions with aerial deliveries and played out nicely. Subbed at the break. Lewis Dunk - 8. Similar to his centre-back partner, was good across the board doing the job which was needed. Kept Che Adams very quiet throughout and made a big block just past the hour mark. Kieran Trippier - 7. Filled in at left-back once more and didn’t get forward to quite as good effect as he can down the right, but ensured the team was balanced and kept possession. Kalvin Phillips - 7. A rare run-out for so many minutes for the Man City man. Technically looked perfectly fine and did his defensive work well for the most part, though some of Scotland’s quicker counters did leave him chasing dust. Declan Rice - 7. Very much stuck to his defensive responsibilities and did them perfectly well. Set a strong platform for the attackers to shine from. Phil Foden - 8. Scored the first and involved in setting up the second. Could have netted earlier too but spooned a shot over, then almost made a third on the brink of half-time. Involved in most of the team’s best work. Jude Bellingham - 9. A hit-and-miss start to the game but was in the right place to lash home England’s second. From that point on he was the best on the park, creative and aggressive throughout and set up Kane with a great turn and through pass. Marcus Rashford - 7. A good outlet in early spells for England but never really had the beating of his man one-on-one or a finishing touch. Really decent link play in quick transitions but a bit lacking inside the box. Harry Kane - 7. A mostly quiet game for the Bayern striker who couldn’t get too involved in most of the best England build-up play. A few dangerous balls from deep or wide, but more would be expected - still found space once, and scored. Subs: H. Maguire 4, E. Eze 6, B. Saka 7, C. Gallagher n/a, C. Wilson n/a. Read More Maguire’s humiliation is complete — Southgate must save him from himself Terrible football or bad luck? Social media debates Harry Maguire’s ongoing struggles Scotland handed lesson on ‘enormous gap’ to England, admits Graeme Souness Bellingham makes centre stage his own as England’s youngest star beats oldest rivals Scotland vs England LIVE: Result and reaction as Kane wraps up Three Lions win England want Newcastle duo amid call-up tug-of-war with Scotland

Scotland football host England football team in a special friendly to mark the 150th anniversary of the first international fixture played between the two nations. The clash between neighbouring countries in 1872 is recognised by Fifa as football’s first-ever official international match, with 4,000 fans filing into the West of Scotland Cricket Club in Glasgow to witness the event. Now, 150 years later fans from both countries will flock to Hampden Park for the latest renewal of this old rivalry. Scotland are in fine form following a 3-0 victory over Cyprus on Friday to extend their advantage at the top of Euro 2024 qualifying Group A. They have won all five of their qualifiers so far and need just two points from their final three matches to secure a place at next summer’s championship. Meanwhile, England’s winning streak in qualifying ended with a 1-1 draw against Ukraine on Saturday. Gareth Southgate’s side manage to come from a goal down to secure a point despite a disjointed performance with Kyle Walker netting his first international goal but they will be aiming for a more positive result in Glasgow tonight. Follow all the action from Hampden Park and get the latest odds and tips for Scotland vs England right here: Read More Gareth Southgate hails Evan Ferguson and confirms England interest in Newcastle starlet Scott McTominay stars again as Scotland close on Euro 2024 spot with Cyprus win Gareth Southgate looking forward to tough examination against Scotland

Scotland take on England in a special friendly meeting to mark the 150th anniversary of the first international fixture between the two nations. The 1872 encounter is recognised by Fifa as football’s first-ever official international match, with 4,000 fans filing into the West of Scotland Cricket Club in Glasgow. FOLLOW LIVE: Teams and all the action as Scotland host England in international friendly There should be a great many more at Hampden Park for the latest renewal of the old rivalry, with Scotland continuing a fine recent run with a 3-0 victory against Cyprus on Friday to extend their advantage at the top of Euro 2024 qualifying Group A England’s qualifying winning streak, meanwhile,was ended by a 1-1 draw against Ukraine in Wroclaw. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match, plus all the latest football odds and offers and tips ahead of Scotland vs England. When is Scotland vs England? Scotland vs England is due to kick off at 7.45pm BST on Tuesday 12 September at Hampden Park in Glasgow. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the game live on Channel 4, with coverage from 7pm BST. A free live stream will also be available on the Channel 4 website and app. Team news Scotland impressed against Cyprus, but Steve Clarke could use this opportunity to shuffle his pack, with Stuart Armstrong a possible midfield starter and Lyndon Dykes in the mix further forward. Having earned a first call up ahead of the Cyprus game, English-born Newcastle midfielder Elliot Anderson was forced to pull out with an injury. Gareth Southgate has ruled out sweeping changes to his England side, suggesting it would be “ridiculous” to “over experiment” against a strong Scottish side. That said, Southgate could still use this as a chance to give Chelsea defender Levi Colwill a senior debut. Predicted line-ups Scotland XI: Gunn; Porteous, Hendry, Tierney; Patterson, S Armstrong, McGregor, Robertson; McTominay, McGinn; Dykes. England XI: Pickford; Trippier, Maguire, Colwill, Chilwell; Gallagher, Rice, Bellingham; Foden, Kane, Rashford. Odds Scotland win 7/2 Draw 13/5 England win 3/4 Latest odds here. Prediction Scotland celebrate the occasion with a narrow victory. Scotland 2-1 England. Read More Gareth Southgate hails Evan Ferguson and confirms England interest in Newcastle starlet Gareth Southgate twice talked Kyle Walker out of international retirement Steve Clarke says Ryan Porteous block was highlight of Scotland’s win in Cyprus Scotland vs England LIVE: Latest updates from 150th anniversary clash England want Newcastle duo amid call-up tug-of-war with Scotland How to watch Cyprus vs Scotland online and on TV today

All the latest odds, expert picks, and best bets for the Fortinet Championship in PGA Tour golf this week.

There might be a crisis in the heavyweight division unless the television companies, the promoters, the chancers, the tyrants at the sanctioning bodies, the fixers and the fighters start to realise that they are part of a rich history. The heavyweight division is not a random board game, a place where a good spin can turn the world upside down and a place where all sense of perspective is lost. It is not a game, but it is being run like a crazy game of chance. Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder are circling each other with very little real indication that they will fight each other. In many ways, the crisis point was a long, long time ago. There was a bold claim about six months ago that Saudi Arabian riches would transform the heavyweight division, a claim that over $400m was on the table for the leading four men to meet on one night in two fights. A lot of so-called media were delivered to Riyadh and told the hefty Four Kings would fight, it would be in December, and the heavyweight fairy tale would be complete. The chosen insiders were quick to assure everyone that the money was real, the conviction was real and that it would happen. It fell apart; Fury walked away, Usyk kept busy, Wilder and Joshua are still, in theory, part of a crazy plan. However, even their fight in Saudi in January or February is starting to look more and more like a mirage in that fighting desert. Eddie Hearn, the promoter of Joshua, has not yet ruled the fight out. Usyk’s promoter, Alex Krassyuk, has not yet ruled out a Fury fight. Wilder’s people flew to Saudi to do a direct deal with the promotional company there, so presumably they are still part of the circus. Fury, meanwhile, will fight in Riyadh next month, but his fight with former UFC champion Francis Ngannou is being promoted by another branch of the Saudi government. It is difficult to keep up with this soap opera with blood. Ngannou, incidentally, has never had a single boxing match as an amateur or a professional; his 10 rounds with Fury have recently been given a belt by the WBC. It will not be for Fury’s actual WBC heavyweight title, which I guess is a small mercy. The new Saudi belt, complete with diamonds and gold, is still a belt and that means Ngannou, who is being trained by Mike Tyson, will fight for a WBC belt in his first ever appearance in a boxing ring. Shame on the WBC and their desperate attempt to be relevant. I have no problem with the fight, no problem with crossover events, but the WBC’s decision to award the winner a belt is pathetic. The WBC representative in Riyadh will need sharp elbows to get his face on television, because the Saudi families tend to flood the post-fight ring. Ngannou, incidentally, has been measured to possess the hardest punch in history. It is hard to invent this glorious nonsense. Fury has gone down this route because the money is there, and he is sick and tired of the relentless negotiations for a fight with either Usyk or Joshua. He is, it must be said, not entirely innocent. Although it is hard to blame Fury for going down the Ngannou route, talk of a rematch under mixed martial arts rules is slightly alarming. It is probably harmless chat, but the WBC needs to decide how long they will let their champion loose in the lawless playground of celebrity and crossover fights. There is simply no order, no strict rules, and nobody in a position to call a halt to the anarchy. In the last 12 months, Joshua has fought twice, staying busy and learning with his new coach; Fury has not fought since beating Derek Chisora for the third time last December in defence of his WBC title; Wilder has not been near a ring this year; Usyk stopped Daniel Dubois last month to retain his WBO, WBA and IBF titles. Dubois, incidentally, officially launched an appeal against the decision in that fight, claiming that the fight should have been stopped in Round 5 when he landed what he considers a legitimate body shot. Usyk was instead given nearly four minutes to recover. Krassyuk has ruled out a rematch, insisting that the punch was low and illegal. It means that in 2023, with two champions owning four recognised belts, with a lot of television backing and with a lot of quality contenders, there will be only one world heavyweight title fight. It is crazy and self-harming, and no other sport would survive such idiocy. Boxing has always been in a race against time, a race to get as much money as possible, as quickly and safely as possible, but this decaying state is so bad for business that it will hurt the business going forward. Read More Fans tear apart Tyson Fury over claim that Francis Ngannou poses tougher test than Oleksandr Usyk Watch moment topless Tyson Fury goads Francis Ngannou into taking his shirt off during press conference Sean Strickland shocks Israel Adesanya and MMA world with title win at UFC 293 Eddie Hearn outlines ‘deluded’ plan for Anthony Joshua Tyson Fury urged to highlight Saudi Arabia’s ‘disturbing’ human rights record What is an exhibition fight and how is it different to a professional bout?

Luis Rubiales is to resign as president of the Spanish FA (RFEF) after kissing midfielder Jenni Hermoso on the lips following Spain’s victory in the Women’s World Cup final. Rubiales was asked by the Spanish football federation to step down, with Hermoso insisting the kiss was not consensual and subsequently filing a complaint to the national prosecutor’s office. Fifa has provisionally suspended Rubiales for 90 days and opened up disciplinary proceedings against him, but he has now confirmed his intent to resign. “I love so much my daughters, and they love me so much, I’m very happy and proud of them,” Rubiales told Piers Morgan Uncensored. “My resignation? Yes, I'm going to, I cannot continue my work. “My father, my daughters, I spoke with them, they know it’s not a question about me. They say to me, ‘Luis, now you have to focus on your dignity and continue your life, because you will do damage to people you love.’ “When somebody is not thinking only about themself, because I had to in these few weeks, it’s not only a question of me. It can affect third parties, it’s very important, this situation now, it’s the thing I have to do.” Spain’s women’s team claimed they would not play again for their country until Mr Rubiales was removed from his post. Rubiales maintained throughout that the kiss was “mutual” and “consensual”, but did add that he had made “some obvious mistakes”. More to follow... Read More Rubiales could face prison over kiss as prosecutor accuses FA chief of sexual assault Rubiales could face criminal charges after sexual assault filing Sacked Jorge Vilda defends clapping Luis Rubiales’ ‘I will not resign’ speech

Israel Adesanya’s coach Eugene Bareman has revealed that he asked the UFC’s head matchmaker for a rematch in one week’s time, after Sean Strickland stunned Adesanya to win the middleweight title on Saturday. Strickland, a huge underdog in Sydney, beat Adesanya on all three scorecards in the main event of UFC 293, making the Nigerian-New Zealander’s second title reign a short one. Adesanya, 34, only spoke to the media briefly after the fight, saying: “I had a different plan for this, but life throws curveballs at you. Win or lose, I wasn’t going to say much anyway, but right now, I lost to the better man on the night, and I just want to be with people who care about me, my team, so I’m going to go do that. “But I’ll leave you in the capable hands of a man who is much smarter than me... I’ll leave it with Eugene Bareman, who will handle this for the first time.” Bareman then explained that he and his coaching team had struggled to connect with Adesanya during the fight with American Strickland. Bareman also revealed that he had approached Mick Maynard, the UFC’s chief matchmaker, later in the night, asking if they could set up a rematch in a week’s time. “I think Sean’s a great fighter, and I never once thought that Sean wasn’t capable of beating Israel,” said Bareman, “[but] it was an alternate kind of universe where Israel performed poorly, where Sean could win, and I’m sitting in that universe right now.” Adesanya first won the UFC middleweight title in 2019, before losing it to old kickboxing rival Alex Pereira via TKO last November. Adesanya regained the belt with a knockout of Pereira in April, before dropping it again on Saturday. Meanwhile, 32-year-old Strickland suffered his own stoppage loss to Pereira last July, before winning back-to-back fights this January and July. He then trained with Pereira ahead of Saturday’s main event. Click here to subscribe to The Independent’s Sport YouTube channel for all the latest sports videos. Read More Sean Strickland shocks Israel Adesanya and MMA world with title win at UFC 293 Two fighters apologise for using homophobic slurs at UFC 293 UFC schedule 2023: Every major fight happening this year

Sean Strickland pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history on Saturday, outstriking and outpointing Israel Adesanya to win the middleweight title in Sydney. Few fans or pundits believed that Strickland had a chance to dethrone Adesanya, one of mixed martial arts’ finest strikers, but the challenger combined constant forward movement with solid defence and clinical output at UFC 293. In doing so, the controversial American – who claimed in 2021 that he would like to “kill” an opponent in the ring one day – beat Adesanya 49-46 on all three scorecards. Strickland, 32, dropped the Nigerian-New Zealander late in Round 1 with a picture-perfect right cross, sending Adesanya spinning to the canvas before seeking a finish. Strickland could not quite find the knockout blow, however, as Adesanya, 34, survived to the buzzer. The champion appeared to level the score in Round 2, remaining calm, switching stances and using feints to good effect – as he so often does. The “Last Stylebender” also worked the body of Strickland well, but the challenger would soon get back out in front. The third round saw limited output from both middleweights, until Strickland landed a one-two, left hook and stinging jab late in the frame. Still, the main event was in the balance, with Strickland’s coach Eric Nicksick telling him before the championship rounds: “I don’t want to lose a boring-ass decision.” There was no sign whatsoever of Strickland looking to wrestle, despite many believing that such an approach would be his only chance of success. In fact, the American had a body-lock opportunity in Round 4, when Adesanya overshot a strike, but Strickland let go of his opponent. While Adesanya increased his output in the final round, he was still a step behind Strickland, who continued to press forward and even began to talk to his rival late in the round. When the final buzzer sounded, Nicksick hoisted a tearful Strickland aloft, before the American’s championship victory was confirmed. Adesanya then appeared to pay respect to Strickland, burying the hatchet after a heated build to their fight. Much of Strickland’s post-fight, in-ring interview was censored by TNT Sports. With the result, Adesanya lost the middleweight title for the second time. In November, he suffered a TKO loss to his old kickboxing rival Alex Pereira, but Adesanya regained the belt by knocking out the Brazilian in a rematch in April. Pereira, who also knocked out Strickland last July, helped the American train for Saturday’s main event, which saw Strickland seal a third straight win since his loss to Pereira. UFC 293 results Sean Strickland def. Israel Adesanya (C) via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 49-46) Alexander Volkov def. Tai Tuivasa via second-round submission (Ezekiel choke, 4:37) Manel Kape def. Felipe dos Santos via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) Justin Tafa def. Austen Lane via first-round TKO (punches, 1:22) Tyson Pedro def Anton Turkalj via first-round KO (punches, 2:12) Carlos Ulberg def. Da Un Jung via third-round submission (rear naked choke, 4:49) Chepe Mariscal def. Jack Jenkins via second-round TKO (elbow injury, 3:19) Jamie Mullarkey def. John Makdessi via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) Nasrat Haqparast def. Landon Quinones via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Charlie Radtke def. Blood Diamond via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27) Gabriel Miranda def. Shane Young via first-round submission (rear naked choke, 0:59) Kevin Jousset def. Kiefer Crosbie via first-round submission (rear naked choke, 4:49) Read More UFC schedule 2023: Every major fight happening this year Fans tear apart Tyson Fury over claim that Francis Ngannou poses tougher test than Oleksandr Usyk UFC rankings: The Independent’s pound-for-pound fighters list Israel Adesanya’s coach reveals strange request after shock loss to Sean Strickland UFC 293 LIVE: Adesanya vs Strickland updates and results tonight Back-up fighter revealed for Adesanya vs Strickland at UFC 293