Omar Rahman talks about the mixed messaging coming from the White House over the Gaza ceasefire.
Omar Rahman, a fellow at the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, talks about the mixed messaging coming from the White House over the Gaza ceasefire.
Published On 23 Oct 202523 Oct 2025
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De Ridder’s four-fight UFC winning streak was snapped after he was unable to continue against Brendan Allen.
Published On 19 Oct 202519 Oct 2025
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Brendan Allen shook up the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight division in a big way, handing Reinier de Ridder his first promotional loss by securing a technical knockout (TKO) after the Dutchman’s corner deemed him unable to continue ahead of Round 5.
De Ridder was visibly exhausted in his neutral corner at UFC Fight Night in Vancouver on Saturday night, leading to the sudden ending in the main event of mixed martial arts (MMA).
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Allen (26-7 MMA) avoided de Ridder’s (21-3 MMA) devastating kickboxing ability by utilising his wrestling and controlling de Ridder with strikes from the top position.
De Ridder had few answers for the American fighter, as Allen stepped in on short notice after replacing fellow contender Anthony Hernandez (15-2, 1 no-contest MMA).
“It feels good to do exactly what I said I would do,” Allen said. “This was me three and a half weeks off the couch. I told you I’m a different monster. When my head is clear and we’re on, I’m the best in the world.”
With the UFC’s middleweight logjam in full effect, Allen said post-fight he has done enough to earn a title shot opposite champion Khamzat Chimaev (15-0 MMA).
“Come get it, baby,” Allen said.
De Ridder had not lost in 19 months.
In the co-main event, welterweight Mike Malott (13-2-1 MMA) dodged a bullet by avoiding a no-contest against Kevin Holland (28-15 MMA) after Holland’s protective shorts cup was compromised from a Malott leg kick gone wrong early in the fight.
A Malott arm-triangle choke attempt in the third round was not enough to secure the win either. Malott was eventually awarded the highly competitive five-round fight via decision: 29-28, 29-28, 29-28.
Aiemann Zahabi won his bantamweight bout by decision against former title challenger Marlon Vera (23-11-1 MMA). The final score had Zahabi victorious by a judges’ score of 29-28, 28-29, 29-28.
In women’s flyweight action, former title challenger Manon Fiorot (13-2 MMA) delivered a devastating TKO over Canada’s Jasmine Jasudavicius (14-4 MMA), set up by a flurry of punches to secure the stoppage win at 1:14 of the opening round.
Ohio-based Hixon Zuercher disclosed in an SEC filing on Friday that it sold 10,631 shares of Caterpillar (CAT 2.07%)for an estimated $4.5 million in the third quarter.
According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission released on Friday, Hixon Zuercher reduced its Caterpillar position by 10,631 shares during the third quarter. The estimated transaction value, based on the average closing price in the period, was approximately $4.5 million. The fund reported holding 10,776 Caterpillar shares worth $5.1 million at the end of the third quarter.
This sale reduced the Caterpillar stake to 1.6% of Hixon Zuercher’s reportable U.S. equity portfolio.
Top five holdings after the filing:
As of Tuesday morning, Caterpillar shares were priced at $507.73, up nearly 29% over the year and outperforming the S&P 500’s nearly 13% gain.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Price (as of Tuesday morning) | $507.73 |
| Market Capitalization | $236.8 billion |
| Revenue (TTM) | $63.1 billion |
| Net Income (TTM) | $9.4 billion |
Caterpillar is a global leader in the manufacturing of heavy equipment and engines, operating at scale with over $63 billion in TTM revenue. The company’s integrated business model combines equipment sales with aftermarket services and financial solutions, supporting customer needs across the full equipment lifecycle.
Hixon Zuercher trimmed its Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) stake in the third quarter, selling shares worth roughly $4.5 million just as the heavy equipment giant continues to navigate a soft patch in its construction and resource segments. The move follows Caterpillar’s latest earnings, released in August, which showed sales dipping 1% year-over-year to $16.6 billion and operating profit margin falling to 17.3% from 20.9% amid weaker price realization and higher manufacturing costs tied to tariffs.
Still, Caterpillar’s energy and transformation unit remained a bright spot, with sales rising 7% to $7.8 billion on robust demand from the power generation and oil and gas markets. The company also generated $3.1 billion in operating cash flow during the quarter and returned $1.5 billion to shareholders through buybacks and dividends.
This week, Caterpillar announced plans to acquire Australian mining software firm RPMGlobal for $728 million, expanding its footprint in digital mining solutions and automation. Caterpillar shares have climbed about 4% since the announcement.
AUM (Assets Under Management): The total market value of assets a fund or investment manager oversees on behalf of clients.
Reportable AUM: The portion of a fund’s assets required to be disclosed in regulatory filings, often U.S. equities only.
Filing: An official document submitted to a regulatory authority, such as the SEC, detailing financial or operational information.
Position: The amount of a particular security or asset held by an investor or fund.
Top five holdings: The five largest investments in a portfolio, ranked by market value.
Outperforming: Achieving a higher return than a specified benchmark or index over a given period.
Aftermarket services: Support and products provided after the initial equipment sale, such as maintenance, repairs, and parts.
Leases: Contracts allowing use of an asset for a set period in exchange for regular payments.
Financial solutions: Services like loans, leases, or other financing options offered to customers to support purchases.
Diversified client base: A wide range of customers from different industries or sectors, reducing reliance on any single group.
Integrated business model: A strategy combining multiple related business activities—such as sales, services, and financing—within one company.
TTM: The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.
JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Rare earth stocks climbed in the US after Beijing tightened its control over these critical materials, used in the vast majority of electronic devices, from smartphones and cars to ballistic missiles.
Across the Atlantic, European markets opened in a mixed mood while the Middle East peace deal progresses, brokered by US President Donald Trump.
With investors also watching political uncertainty in France, the pan-European STOXX 600 was up around 0.1% at 11.45 CEST, and Paris’ CAC 40 also gained 0.1%.
Frankfurt’s DAX and London’s FTSE 100 both slipped 0.1%, after an earlier rise for the DAX.
“The FTSE 100 was stuck in the mud as the rest of Europe ploughed ahead at the end of the trading week,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
“Strength in consumer stocks and utilities was offset by weakness in miners and healthcare,” he said — adding: “it was also notable that defence stocks were being sold down, including Babcock, which has rocketed this year.”
In other news, oil prices were down on Friday morning. The US benchmark crude cost around 0.4% less than at the previous close, and traded at $61.26 per barrel at around 11.45 CEST. The international benchmark Brent lost 0.49% and cost $64.90 per barrel at the same time.
Gold prices also rose after hitting new records recently, trading at $4,018.00 on Friday morning in Europe.
US futures were up slightly, the euro gained against the dollar at $1.1575, and the greenback slipped against the Japanese yen, to ¥152.7950. The British pound also fell against the dollar and cost $1.3290.
As mining stocks led losses in Europe on Friday amid developments in Beijing, the STOXX Europe Basic Resources index shed 0.78%.
This follows a rally in the US, where rare earth stocks rose considerably after China announced that it would tighten control over its exports of these materials.
The country is dominating the market for rare earths. The world’s second-largest economy accounts for 70% of the global supply of these assets that are hugely significant for defence and technological infrastructure.
Following the news, investors in the US placed their hopes on American alternatives. US rare earth and critical mineral miners’ share prices surged on Thursday, partially due to market speculation that Washington will invest more in building out a domestic supply chain.
Many of these companies have seen their prices increase for months now, with several doubling or tripling since the beginning of the year.
USA Rare Earth Inc., a firm building a domestic rare earth magnet supply chain, gained nearly 15% on Thursday. Since January, it has risen 151%.
MP Materials Corp, an American rare-earth materials company headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, also gained more than 2.4% on Thursday, while it is up 341% since January.
Another company, Denver-based Energy Fuels Inc., gained 9.4%, bring its year-to-date rise to 284%.
NioCorp Developments, which benefits from Pentagon support, gained more than 12%, Rare Element Resources Ltd gained more than 10%, and Texas Mineral Resources Corp. gained 9.6% on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Australian rare-earth mining company Lynas Rare Earths lost nearly 3.8% in the Asian trade, and Australia’s Iluka Resources lost 3.22%.
Chinese Shenghe Resources, a partly state-owned rare earths mining and processing company listed on the Shanghai stock exchange, lost 5%.
Beijing’s measures mean that companies need to apply for a licence to export products containing certain Chinese-sourced rare earth metals.
US futures sank, the dollar slipped, and world shares were mixed after a US government shutdown began on Wednesday.
The partial closure of the federal government is feared to have economic implications if it lasts, and Washington is bracing for what could be a prolonged deadlock. This comes after lawmakers missed the deadline to agree on funding for the government.
Equity markets in Europe were volatile in the morning on Wednesday, as investors reacted to the news from across the Atlantic. Major European stock indexes started trading mostly in negative territory, but the picture fundamentally changed by midday.
“The US government shutdown has left investors wondering what might happen next, with a minor pullback on European equity markets and weaker futures prices for Wall Street,” said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell.
At first, the FTSE 100 in London made an exception of the negative trend, rising 0.7% two hours after the opening, “thanks to a surge in pharmaceutical stocks”.
Soon enough, the German DAX turned its initial loss of 0.3% into a gain of more than 0.3%, just like the CAC 40 in Paris. The IBEX 35 in Madrid was down by nearly 0.2% at around midday.
US futures were mostly down at the same time, with the S&P 500 dropping 0.5%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipping 0.5%, and the Nasdaq down 0.6%.
The trend in Europe’s equity markets was also influenced by freshly released eurozone inflation data, showing that prices have increased by 2.2% in September. This is slightly above the European Central Bank’s 2% target, where eurozone inflation had been sitting for the previous three months. Core inflation remained stable at 2.3%, despite services edging up modestly.
“The outlook has not changed and still clearly points to inflation descending thanks to cooling wage growth, low energy commodity prices, a stronger euro, and contained demand-side pressures,” said Riccardo Marcelli Fabiani, senior economist at Oxford Economics.
He added that the September rise in inflation will cement the ECB’s conviction that further easing would be overdue. “Only a strong surprise in inflation could spur a cut this year.”
While trading activity was expected to slow in the case of a shutdown in the US, many investors didn’t sell off their holdings.
One explanation is that past US government shutdowns have had a limited impact on the economy and the stock market, and investors may be predicting something similar this time around. Many analysts agree that the market is tuning out the political noise and focusing on the economic fundamentals.
However, if the shutdown lasts, it is expected to prevent the Friday release of a monthly labour market report. This is key for investors and for the Federal Reserve to get a pulse check on the US economy and decide whether to cut interest rates again.
But the stubborn positivity among investors may last, continuing the relentless run the US stock markets have been on since hitting a low in April. The bullish market sentiment is fuelled by expectations that President Donald Trump’s tariffs won’t derail global trade and that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates several times to boost the slowing job market.
Meanwhile, Tuesday brought mixed reports on the US economy. A Conference Board survey showed consumers are feeling less confident than economists expected, with many respondents pointing to the job market and to stubborn inflation.
A second report suggested the job market may be remaining in its “low-hire, low-fire” state. US employers were advertising roughly the same number of job openings at the end of August as the month before. The hope on Wall Street had been for a moderate number, one balanced enough to keep the Fed cutting interest rates.
The central bank just delivered its first cut of the year, and officials have pencilled in more this year.
The US shutdown had a limited impact on US Treasury yields, which rose slightly as European markets opened. This could be explained by the fact that the shutdown had been anticipated and it is not expected to last long.
In other news, gold has struck a new record, with the safe-haven asset hitting $3,918.80 before midday in Europe.
Oil prices reflected concerns, meanwhile, with US benchmark crude oil losing nearly 1% to $61.75 per barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, lost nearly 0.9% to $65.44 per barrel.
The US dollar fell to 147.13 Japanese yen from 147.94 yen. The euro climbed to $1.1745 from $1.1734. The British pound gained slightly, coming to $1.3470.
In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei 225 index shed 0.9% after the Bank of Japan (BOJ) reported a slight improvement in business sentiment among major manufacturers.
The indications from the BOJ’s quarterly tankan survey raise the odds that the central bank will increase its key interest rate to counter inflation that has topped its target range of about 2% for some time.
Political uncertainty is also looming over Japan’s markets, with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party due to choose a new leader and prime minister later this week to replace embattled Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Markets and offices in mainland China are closed 1-8 October for the National Day holiday. Elsewhere in Asia, South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.9%, while Taiwan’s Taiex added 0.6% on heavy buying of semiconductor-related shares. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 slipped less than 0.1%. In India, the Sensex rose 0.6%.
Carlos Ulberg dropped Dominick Reyes in the opening round for his ninth straight win at UFC Fight Night in Australia.
Published On 28 Sep 202528 Sep 2025
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New Zealand’s Carlos Ulberg made short work of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight title challenger Dominick Reyes on Saturday night with an effortless first-round stoppage at 4:27 at UFC Fight Night in Perth, Australia.
Ulberg (13-1 MMA) kept his messaging simple following his ninth consecutive UFC win, confirming his attendance for next Saturday’s UFC 320 title fight rematch in Las Vegas between Russian Magomed Ankalaev (21-1, 1 NC, or no contest) and ex-light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira (12-3) of Brazil.
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“I’m coming [for the belt],” Ulberg said following the fight.
Ulberg dominated the main event bout from the outset, relentlessly coming forward and stifling Reyes’s punches.
Following a straight left punch that appeared to stun Reyes, Ulberg then seized his opportunity with less than a minute remaining in the opening round, unleashing a huge right hook that knocked the American to the ground, ending the fight.
Reyes’s (15-4 MMA) loss on Sunday snapped his three-fight winning streak, and it was his first knockout/technical knockout (KO/TKO) loss since November 2022 to Ryan Spann.
“My goal with Reyes was to box him, and he felt the power early, and I saw in his eyes that he didn’t want to feel that again, so the next opportunity I went with the two and dropped him,” Ulberg said.
The co-headliner event at light heavyweight saw the home country’s Jimmy Crute (14-4-2) win back-to-back fights, this time beating Croatia’s Ivan Erslan (14-6) by rear-naked-choke at 3:19 of the first round.
Erslan is still without a UFC win through three appearances, last coming away with a victory in February 2024. Meanwhile, Crute’s submission was the sixth of his career.
Featherweight Jack Jenkins of Australia used his volume striking and forward movement to overcome the always durable Ramon Taveras of the United States by unanimous decision: 30-27, 30-27, 29-28.
Jenkins (14-4) has won five of his last seven, while Taveras (10-4) has lost three of his last five and has gone more than 20 months without a win.
For the second straight fight, UFC welterweight veteran Neil Magny of the US kept the submission trend rolling with a D’arce choke against Australian fan favourite Jake Matthews at 3:08 of the third round.
Magny (31-14) survived an early onslaught from Matthews (22-8) before rallying to secure his 24th UFC win and improve his winning streak to two.
Sept. 15 (UPI) — U.S. border agents in Texas said they uncovered $16 million worth of methamphetamine hidden in a load of mangoes.
The drug delivery was uncovered weeks after $50 million of the illegal drug was discovered in another bust at America’s southern border.
Officials at U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Laredo said Monday that a tractor trailer shipment of frozen mangos allegedly carried hundreds of packages of what authorities believe to be illicit methamphetamine weighing nearly 2,000 pounds.
“It is not unusual to encounter hard narcotics comingled with fresh produce,” according to Alberto Flores, director of the Laredo Port of Entry.
Flores said border officers made the discovery last Tuesday in what he described as an “effective combination of targeting and high-tech tools to take down this significant methamphetamine load” of about 733 packages that weighed nearly 1,791 pounds during a traffic stop at World Trade Bridge.
According to U.S. officials, the payload had a value of more than $16 million.
CBP agents seized the narcotics hidden within the shipment after the mango-carrying truck was referred for a secondary inspection and underwent a “nonintrusive inspection” by a canine unit.
The most recent drug bust comes a few weeks after the U.S. border agency revealed it uncovered nearly $50 million of the illegal drug during two separate stops in the same area.
On Monday, Flores added that seizures of hard narcotics “on this scale underscore not only the pervasive nature of the drug threat but our steadfast commitment to keeping our border secure,” he said in a statement.
A criminal investigation is ongoing by agents of Homeland Security Investigations.
SEOUL — The immigration raid that snatched up hundreds of South Koreans last week sent a disconcerting message to companies in South Korea and elsewhere: America wants your investment, but don’t expect special treatment.
Images of employees being shackled and detained like criminals have outraged many South Koreans. The fallout is already being felt in delays to some big investment projects, auto industry executives and analysts said. Some predicted that it could also make some companies think twice about investing in the U.S. at all.
“Companies cannot afford to not be more cautious about investing in the U.S. in the future,” said Lee Ho-guen, an auto industry expert at Daeduk University, “In the long run, especially if things get worse, this could make car companies turn away from the U.S. market and more toward other places like Latin America, Europe or the Middle East.”
The raid last week, in which more than 300 South Korean nationals were detained, targeted a factory site in Ellabell, Ga,. owned by HL-GA Battery Company, a joint venture between Hyundai and South Korean battery-maker LG Energy Solutions to supply batteries for EVs. The Georgia factory is also expected to supply batteries for Kia, which is part of the Hyundai Motor Group. Kia has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on its factory in West Point, Ga.
“This situation highlights the competing policy priorities of the Trump administration and has many in Asia scratching their heads, asking, ‘Which is more important to America? Immigration raids or attracting high-quality foreign investment?” said Tami Overby, former president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. “Images of hundreds of Korean workers being treated like criminals are playing all over Asia and don’t match President Trump’s vision to bring high-quality, advanced manufacturing back to America.”
A protester wears a mask of President Trump at a rally Tuesday in Seoul protesting the detention of South Korean workers in Georgia. The signs call for “immediate releases and Trump apology.”
(Ahn Young-joon / Associated Press)
South Korea is one of the U.S.’ biggest trading partners, with the two countries exchanging $242.5 billion in goods and services last year. The U.S. is the leading destination for South Korea’s overseas investments, receiving $26 billion last year, according to South Korea’s Finance Ministry.
Trump is banking on ambitious projects like the one raided in Georgia to revive American manufacturing.
Hyundai is one of the South Korean companies with the largest commitments to the U.S. It has invested around $20 billion since entering the market in the 1980s. It sold 836,802 cars in the U.S. last year.
California is one of its largest markets, with more than 70 dealerships.
Earlier this year, the company announced an additional $26 billion to build a new steel mill in Louisiana and upgrade its existing auto plants.
Hyundai’s expansion plans were part of the $150-billion pledge South Korea made last month to help convince President Trump to set tariffs on Korean products at 15% instead of the 25% he had earlier announced.
Samsung Electronics announced that it would invest $37 billion to construct a semiconductor factory in Texas. Similarly large sums are expected from South Korean shipbuilders.
Analysts and executives say the recent raid is making companies feel exposed, all the more so because U.S. officials have indicated that more crackdowns are coming.
“We’re going to do more worksite enforcement operations,” White House border advisor Tom Homan said on Sunday. “No one hires an illegal alien out of the goodness of their heart. They hire them because they can work them harder, pay them less, undercut the competition that hires U.S. citizen employees.”
Many South Korean companies have banned all work-related travel to the U.S. or are recalling personnel already there, according to local media reports. Construction work on at least 22 U.S. factory sites has reportedly been halted.
The newspaper Korea Economic Daily reported on Monday that 10 out of the 14 companies it contacted said they were considering adjusting their projects in the U.S. due to the Georgia raids.
It is a significant problem for the big planned projects, analysts say. South Korean companies involved in U.S. manufacturing projects say they need to bring their own engineering teams to get the factories up and running, but obtaining proper work visas for them is difficult and time-consuming. The option often used to get around this problem is an illegal shortcut like using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, a non-work permit that allows tourists to stay in the country for up to 90 days.
Unlike countries such as Singapore or Mexico, South Korea doesn’t have a deal with Washington that guarantees work visas for specialized workers.
“The U.S. keeps calling for more investments into the country. But no matter how many people we end up hiring locally later, there is no way around bringing in South Korean experts to get things off the ground,” said a manager at a subcontractor for LG Energy Solution, who asked not to be named. “But now we can no longer use ESTAs like we did in the past.”
Trump pointed to the problem on Truth Social, posting that he will try to make it easier for South Korean companies to bring in the people they need, but reminding them to “please respect our Nation’s Immigration Laws.”
“Your Investments are welcome, and we encourage you to LEGALLY bring your very smart people … and we will make it quickly and legally possible for you to do so,” the post said.
Sydney Seiler, senior advisor and Korea chair at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that the timing of the raids was an “irritant” but that South Korean companies would eventually adjust.
“Rectifying that is a challenge for all involved, the companies, the embassies who issue visas, etc.,” Seiler said, adding that the raids will make other companies be more careful in the future.
Nassourdine Imavov beats Caio Borralho in Paris, then issued a title challenge to UFC middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev.
Published On 7 Sep 20257 Sep 2025
Nassourdine Imavov outlasted Caio Borralho in the main event of UFC Fight Night in France, earning a unanimous decision and consolidating his claim as a potential title challenger to middleweight champion Khamzat Chimaev.
Imavov, fighting in front of his home crowd at Accor Arena in Paris, secured a fifth straight UFC victory, with the three judges delivering a clear win for the 84kg (185-pound) fighter: 50-45, 49-46, 49-46.
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The Saturday night bout was one-sided, with Imavov (20-4 MMA) controlling the distance for the fight’s duration with clean boxing and pressure volume, not allowing Borralho (17-2 MMA) to find openings, as he entered the contest with an imposing 62 percent of his wins by either KO/TKO or submission.
Imanov, who laid claim to the UFC middleweight division’s No 2 ranking, was hard on himself about not finishing Borralho as he had planned.
Despite not earning a stoppage victory, he had one message for Chimaev (15-0 MMA).
“I am next,” Imavov said as the crowd erupted during his post-fight speech. “[Borralho] was unbeaten for 10 years. I just beat him, and beat him with style as well. I need to be the next one [to fight for the UFC middleweight title].”
The loss for the No 7-ranked Borralho marked his first inside the UFC. After the fight, he acknowledged Imavov as one of the toughest opponents of his career.
“Thank you, Nassourdine, for the respect,” Borralho said. “Thank you so much… I think Nassourdine was the better man today. He was very fast, as I was expecting. He did very good in the fight. I couldn’t really adapt [my strategy] that much. I wanted to make this fight entertaining for the fans and the UFC. So, I tried to strike with one of the best strikers in the world, and that’s what you guys saw: a great war.”
In the co-headline fight, lightweight Benoit Saint Denis secured a rear-naked choke over Mauricio Ruffy at 2:56 of the second round.
Saint Denis (15-3 MMA) got a large lift from the hometown crowd and became the first fighter to submit Ruffy (12-2 MMA) in his career.
Ruffy’s loss to Saint Denis snapped a seven-fight winning streak dating back to November 2019.
If the opening day had the air of an exhibition at certain times, the finals night immediately felt like business.
From the start it brought the feel of a traditional US Open showpiece event, with a patriotic rendition of the national anthem and a group of US Marine Corps standing with an unfurled Stars and Stripes flag providing pomp.
Many feel the overhaul has devalued the mixed doubles as a major title. Some are even putting asterisks next to the champions.
Given that, the stadium announcer outlining what winning the title would mean for each player’s Grand Slam résumé felt like an attempt to add legitimacy.
The opening semi-final was played at a ferocious intensity – not surprising given the will-to-win of the characters involved – while Ruud calling for a VAR-style check on a Pegula shot was another indication of how seriously it was being taken.
At 3-3 30-30, the umpire confirmed the American had not reached over the net – following fervent discussion between the opposing players – with Pegula and Draper using the momentum to win the opening set.
But Pegula’s clasp of her head after they blew an 8-4 lead in the first-to-10 match tie-break summed up their bitter disappointment at missing a shot for the trophy.
Unsurprisingly, Errani and Vavassori were also seriously pumped up.
The duo mirroring Hulk Hogan-style underarm bicep flexes after winning their semi-final was one of the defining images.
While the energy on court ramped up, the emphasis on providing entertainment for those watching in the stands remained.
A pair of DJs were perched behind courtside decks, tasked with whipping up the crowd through a New York-inspired playlist including Jay-Z, Cyndi Lauper and the Friends theme tune, while the familiar sight of Celeb Cam and Dance Cam added to the party atmosphere.
Fashion icon Anna Wintour, who recently stepped back from her role as Vogue editor-in-chief, added further star-dust in a near-full capacity crowd.
Thousands stayed late until the end and were rewarded with a fine finale to a transformative tournament which looks destined to stay in the coming years.
An excitable atmosphere continued as the fans – who paid between $25 (£18.50) and $145 (£107) for what British doubles player Jamie Murray described as a “glorified exhibition” – danced to tunes played by an on-court DJ and acted up when appearing on the big screen.
Both sets of players smiled and laughed throughout, further illustrating how the stars are using the event to tune up for their greater priority of the singles.
For some, it underlined the view of the doubles specialists sidelined that a Grand Slam tournament had lost value.
Pegula, who has been ranked world number one in the women’s doubles, and Draper were also a scratch pairing but had too much quality against a pair who are less experienced in tour-level doubles.
For Draper, it was third time lucky – having seen previous planned partners Zheng Qinwen and Paula Badosa withdraw through injury.
Pegula and Draper’s mutual will-to-win was more evident than some of the pairings, looking focused as they later beat Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev to reach the last four.
The Russian pair earlier knocked out 24-time major singles champion Novak Djokovic and his fellow Serb Olga Danilovic in the first round,
There was the loss of another star name before Tuesday’s play started, when men’s world number one Jannik Sinner withdrew through illness.
Casper Ruud is looking lethal on his own serve.
Despite being a singles player usually, he serves and charges into the net like a real doubles player.
He holds serve with ease and squares the match up.
One of the best rallies of the day between the two pairs.
It sees Musetti plays a superb forehand down the baseline, which looks out, but the replay shows it just touched the line.
Swiatek/Ruud manage to claw their way back into it as they square the game up at 30-30.
A double fault from Musetti then gifts break point to their opponents.
Ruud then sends a shot from the baseline into the net to tie us up at deuce.
A superb cross shot from Musetti ensures they hold serve.
McNally/Musetti quickly go into a 0-30 lead in this one.
However, Ruud steps up his game and single-handedly wins two points back.
A good net shot from Swiatek then sets up set point for the pair.
As Musetti sends a volley long, it took all of 16 minutes for the first set to be concluded.
McNally agreed to join this pairing very late in the day.
She was only playing in Cincinnati yesterday.
Ruud gets some good shots in as the game is tied at 30-30.
Casper Ruud is looking in lethal form out there.
He smashes a forehand down the middle for the break of serve.
Finally we see some points won off the serve of an opponent.
Some good work from Musetti at the net, forcing Swiatek to make up some ground.
McNally/Musetti have a break point in this one.
Musetti misses the chance to break as his deft volley at the net drops wide of the line.
A long return from McNally sees Swiatek hold her serve.
This match seems to be very much going with serve here.
Another game where no points are won off the serve by the receiving pair.
Based on what we have seen in the opening stages, this could head to a tie-break to decide the set.
THIS year’s US Open mixed doubles winners are set to be awarded a mouth-watering sum.
The 2025 US Open kick starts with a new mixed doubles championship, with eight duos battling it out for the title.
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Organisers have controversially made the event stand-alone this year in an attempt to encourage top singles players to participate in the mixed doubles.
The competition is set to be played between August 19-20 with the US Open Singles tournament getting started on August 24.
Many of the big name singles players will be competing in the competition with seven teams gaining direct entry based on their combined singles rankings.
Emma Raducanu pairs up with Carlos Alcaraz as she faces fellow Brit Jack Draper and his teammate Jessica Pegula in the Round of 16.
Wimbledon winner and last year’s men’s US Open champion Jannik Sinner teams up with experienced doubles player Katerina Siniakova.
Reigning champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori return as they will try to defend their title.
Novak Djokovic is also in the competition and pairs up with Olga Danilovic.
The 24-time Grand Slam winner has only reached the second round of a doubles competition once – at Wimbledon in 2006 – but did make a run to the semi-finals of the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
This year’s prize money has increased significantly from last year with the winning team now being awarded $1million (£736,880).
This is a staggering improvement on the $200,000 (£147,364) given to 2024 champions Errani and Vavassori.
Intent has clearly being shown by organisers significantly increasing the prize pool, upping the stakes and hopefully increasing the suspense and excitement of the games throughout the competition.
Here is a full breakdown of the prize money for the mixed doubles competition:
THE US Open mixed doubles tournament is getting a revamp this year, with some of the best singles players in the world stepping on court.
Instead of doubles happening at the same time as singles – like at the other three Grand Slams – the 2025 mixed doubles tournament at Flushing Meadows will take place a week before the singles tournament.
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The change has caused some controversy, as 2025 Wimbledon mixed doubles champ Sem Verbeek branded it “a shame“.
There are eight teams confirmed for the US Open mixed doubles.
Five-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz will team up with British No. 1 Emma Raducanu – who won the singles tournament in 2021.
Earlier this year, they sparked romance rumours after being spotted at each other’s matches at Wimbledon and Queen’s.
Other confirmed teams include World No 1 Jannik Sinner and Emma Navarro, Brit No 1 Jack Draper and Spain’s Paula Badosa, and all-American duo Tommy Paul and Jessica Pegula.
Two more teams will receive a wildcard in the coming weeks. Among the favourites to receive the final wildcards are Naomi Osaka and Nick Kyrgios, plus British No 2 Katie Boulter and her fiance Alex de Minaur, who tweeted: “Katie and I would like to ask for a WC pretty pretty please”.
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Bottom Half
The revamped US Open mixed doubles championship will take place over two days, on August 19 and 20.
The first and second rounds will start at 11am New York time (6am BST) on August 19, and the semi-final at 7pm (2pm BST) the following evening – with the final set to begin soon after.
The US Open as a whole will last three weeks, and will finish with the men’s singles final on September 7.
The 2025 mixed doubles champions will receive $1 million (about £740,000) in prize money.
This is five times as much as last year’s $200,000 (£148,600) prize money, won by Italy’s Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori – who have received a wildcard into this year’s tournament.
The new US Open mixed doubles format has sparked controversy for taking away opportunities from players who specialise in doubles.
Wimbledon mixed doubles champion Sem Verbeek of the Netherlands told BBC Sport that his “heart is bleeding” at not having the chance to play.
His doubles partner at Wimbledon, Czechia’s Katerina Siniakova – currently the world No 2 in doubles and an Olympic gold medallist – added: “I think it’s a marketing step, but they are taking [away the] chance of doubles players.”
Last year’s US Open mixed doubles champions, Errani and Vavassori, echoed their feelings.
“We see it as a profound injustice that disrespects an entire category of players,” the Italian duo said in a joint statement.
All the US Open action – singles and doubles – can be streamed in the UK and Ireland on Sky Sports.
British number ones Emma Raducanu and Jack Draper will face each other in this week’s new-look US Open mixed doubles event in New York.
Raducanu, 22, is partnering five-time Grand Slam winner Carlos Alcaraz, while Draper, 23, will play with American Jessica Pegula after their original partners, Tommy Paul and Paula Badosa, both withdrew.
Organisers were heavily criticised in February after announcing that the mixed doubles competition would be a standalone event on 19-20 August – before the singles tournament begins on 24 August.
The 16 pairs involved will compete for $1m (£749,077) at Flushing Meadows.
Raducanu, who won the US Open title in 2021, and Spaniard Alcaraz have been handed a wildcard entry for the two-day tournament.
Before the event, Alcaraz, 22, is taking on world number one Jannik Sinner for the fourth time this season, in the final of the Cincinnati Open in Ohio on Monday.
Italian Sinner, 24, who is also a wildcard entrant, has been re-paired with Czech Katerina Siniakova after his partner, American Emma Navarro, withdrew.
Draper and Pegula, meanwhile, have qualified directly and have been given the top seeding, because both players are inside the top five in the singles rankings.
The first two rounds will take place on Tuesday and the semi-finals and final will be played on Wednesday.
Just four games will be required to win a set in matches before the final, with no-advantage scoring (four points will be needed to win a game) and 10-point match tie-breaks instead of a third set throughout.
Khamzat Chimaev overpowers title holder Dricus Du Plessis in a lopsided UFC title bout in the Octagon.
Khamzat Chimaev is the new undisputed UFC middleweight champion after a dominant display against title holder Dricus Du Plessis at the United Center in Chicago.
Billed as a battle between the undefeated UFC middleweights, Du Plessis put his belt on the line for the third time on Saturday against Chimaev, the No 3-ranked contender and considered one of the most feared pound-for-pound fighters on the UFC roster.
But Chimaev was in control of the bout from the beginning until the end in one of the most one-sided title fights in UFC history; all three judges scored the bout 50-44 for the Chechen fighter, who holds dual Russian and United Arab Emirates citizenship.
“I am happy, always,” Chimaev said post-fight. “I never have a game plan, just go in and work like I do in the gym. That guy [Du Plessis] is strong. I couldn’t finish. I respect that guy. He is the only champion that would say my name. This guy has big heart.”
The victory extends Chimaev’s unbeaten UFC win streak to 15. Du Plessis experienced his first UFC loss and drops to 23-3 for his mixed martial arts (MMA) career.
Chimaev, who first entered UFC in 2020 and has previously defeated former champions Kamaru Usman and Robert Whittaker, was rarely threatened against Du Plessis, and despite being denied a finish by the South African he relentlessly took down the defending champion in the opening minute of every round.
The 31-year-old converted 12 of 17 takedown attempts in the bout and spent 84% of the 25-minute fight in control of Du Plessis, according to official UFC match data.
Du Plessis’s only moment to stage a come-from-behind victory came in the final round when he spun his way on top of his tiring opponent and executed a guillotine. Unfortunately for the reigning champion, the choke only lasted a couple of seconds as Chimaev methodically fought his way out and again resumed his control of the fight until the final bell.
“The man has incredible control on top,” Du Plessis said. “It wasn’t a matter of strength; it wasn’t physical; it was almost like he knew what your next move was. I could almost taste that victory [with the guillotine choke hold], but he beat me fair and square. He was the better man tonight. I’ll be coming to get my belt back, but for now, it’s his. He deserves it.”
Reinier de Ridder survives a brutal knockdown to win by split decision against Robert Whittaker in the main event at Etihad Arena in the UAE.
Reinier de Ridder secured the biggest win of his Octagon career at UFC Abu Dhabi, narrowly securing a hard-fought split decision over former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker at the Etihad Arena in the United Arab Emirates.
De Ridder (21-2) earned his third win of 2025 by defeating the Australian by split decision; two of the three judges scored the 84kg (185-pound) bout 48-47 for de Ridder, while a third had it 48-47 for Whittaker.
“I don’t want to fight like this [Whittaker], man, this guy was too tough,” de Ridder said in a post-fight interview on Saturday. “I expected to take him down. He was so tough, so durable. Heavy f****** hands.”
The Dutch fighter had to survive a brutal knockdown in round three when Whittaker dropped him with a right hand to the chin in the opening minute.
De Ridder managed to survive the attack, and consolidated his overall superiority in strikes – de Ridder landed 169 in total, compared with 100 for Whittaker, according to official UFC statistics – and recovered to win the final two rounds by wearing down the 34-year-old with repeated knees to the body and constant grappling.
Throughout the five-round fight, there was little to separate the pair. When the final bell sounded, the split decision reflected the closeness of the contest.
De Ridder’s victory was his fourth Ultimate Fighting Championship career victory. Whittaker (27-9) has now lost two straight and three of his five most recent fights.
Following his victory, de Ridder, ranked 13th heading into the Whittaker fight, called for a title shot against the winner of the middleweight championship bout between Dricus Du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 on August 16.
“I want to finish a guy in the first round, so maybe it would be better if I fought Khamzat [Chimaev] or Dricus [Du Plessis]. Give me my title shot.”
In the co-main event, former UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan defeated Marcus McGhee by unanimous decision. Yan outpaced his opponent in total strikes, significant strikes, control and takedowns.
In the middleweight match, Shara Magomedov bounced back from his first professional loss, which came against Michael Page in February, to win over Marc-Andre Barriault by unanimous decision. Magomedov earned a 30-27 score from all three judges.
Izzy Thorpe and Ranjuo Tomblin have won Great Britain’s first medal of the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
They scored 322.0583 points in the synchronised mixed duet free event to win bronze and claim GB’s first ever medal in the event.
It was a tight contest for a podium place, with just 1.7980 points separating first and third.
Spain’s Dennis Gonzalez Boneu and Iris Tio won gold, while six-time artistic swimming champion Aleksandr Maltsev and partner Olesia Platonova – who are Russian but compete as neutral athletes – took silver.
The British duo had the highest difficulty and execution score in the final despite only competing together once before.
Olympic silver medallist Thorpe and rising-star Tomblin won silver in the mixed duet technical event at the European Championships last month.
They have both enjoyed successful seasons as Tomblin became the first British male to win a European artistic swimming title last year, while Thorpe won GB’s first synchronised medal at the Olympics in Paris 2024.
Justin Poirier couldn’t secure a dream sendoff in final fight of his 16-year storied UFC career, losing to Max Holloway.
The trilogy fight between Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier may not have been a microcosm of their first two encounters, but it delivered an electrifying final 15 seconds when Holloway and the retiring Poirier traded blows in the fifth round.
The result was a victory for lightweight Holloway by unanimous decision on the three judges’ cards – 48-47, 49-46, 49-46 – at UFC 318 in New Orleans on Saturday night.
Holloway (27-8 MMA) was classy in victory against Poirier, as he had lost the first two fights of the series before returning the favour in Louisiana native Poirier’s last mixed martial arts bout.
“The baddest man alive, bro,” said Holloway, 33. “Give it up for Dustin Poirier.”
A first-round knockdown from the Hawaiian set the tone early as Holloway nearly finished Poirier (30-10), but his 36-year-old opponent persevered.
By the fourth round, Poirier had little energy left but admitted post-fight that he was impressed that the former featherweight champion Holloway’s striking was still as sharp as ever. According to the final stats on the broadcast, Holloway outlanded Poirier 113-99 in significant head strikes.
“I thought he was going to be in here cracking a little bit harder, which he was,” Poirier said of Holloway. “This guy is tough to deal with when he’s in front of you. He’s slick. He’s crafty. He’s fast. He’s the [BMF] champ. I got nothing but respect for Max, man. He’s one of the good guys.”
Holloway made his first defence of the “BMF” title a successful one since winning it last April at UFC 300. It is unclear what direction the belt takes, as it is not associated with a division and has been used infrequently since November 2019.
In earlier matches, Paulo Costa of Brazil got back in the win column with a unanimous decision over Roman Kopylov, utilising his boxing to sweep the cards 30-27, 30-27, 29-28. Costa (15-4) remains in the middleweight title picture, while Kopylov (14-4) has won his last two fights.
The next two fights also saw another string of decisions, with welterweight Daniel Rodriguez outlasting Kevin Holland despite a late rally from Holland, nearly finishing him in the third round with strikes. The cards read 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, as Holland (28-14) was another betting favourite at the expense of Rodriguez (20-5).
Patricio Pitbull earned his first UFC victory with a win by unanimous decision over featherweight Dan Ige by identical 29-28 scores. Pitbull’s wrestling was too much for Ige, who entered the fight having lost two of his last three fights. Pitbull (37-8) last fought in April at UFC 314, where Ige (19-10) earned a win on the same card.
UFC 318’s pay-per-view got under way with lightweight Michael Johnson earning a unanimous decision in an upset of Daniel Zellhuber. The 39-year-old Johnson (24-19) was a significant underdog entering the fight but won the cards with matching 29-28 scores. A second-round knockdown swung the fight in Johnson’s favour, as Zellhuber (15-3) has now lost back-to-back outings.
Wimbledon mixed doubles champion Sem Verbeek says his “heart is bleeding” over a change in format at the US Open that means he and partner Katerina Siniakova will be unable to play there together.
The duo beat Britain’s Joe Salisbury and Brazilian partner Luisa Stefani 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-3) in the final on Centre Court on Thursday.
The US Open will hold its mixed doubles competition as a standalone event before the start of the Slam from this year onwards in an attempt to attract top singles players to participate.
Several eye-catching partnerships have been announced for the new-look event, including British number one Emma Raducanu teaming up with two-time Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz.
But it means the vast majority of doubles specialists will miss out on playing in the mixed competition in New York.
“It’s a shame they decided to do it,” Czech Siniakova, the world number one in women’s doubles, told BBC Sport.
“I think it’s a marketing step, but they are taking [away the] chance of doubles players.”
Dutchman Verbeek agreed, adding: “As two athletes that would love to play it, it’s a shame to obviously know that we can’t.
“I’m not going to actively root against it for it not to be a success. The positive I can think of is that there’s going to be more people that can see the top single stars earlier in the tournament when they are maybe a bit more accessible to the public.
“But as a doubles athlete, my heart is bleeding.”