It’s finally time for UFC 202. Fight fans have been waiting for this day ever since Nate Diaz scored a stunning victory over Conor McGregor at UFC 196 in March, and for good reason. The Diaz-McGregor rivalry is the biggest in UFC at the moment, as even water bottles aren’t safe when those two are around each other. McGregor is looking for redemption Saturday night at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, which would also force a decisive third bout between the two fighters, while Diaz hopes to shut up “The Notorious” once and for all. This welterweight fight should be one for the ages. The main event card will kick off at 10
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Friday roundup: Bolt says this is goodbye before winning 9th…
By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Sports Writer RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Usain Bolt bid goodbye with another gold medal. Ryan Lochte apologized on Instagram. Bolt won his ninth Olympic medal Friday night, anchoring the Jamaicans’ winning 4×100 relay team in what he has insisted will be his last Olympic race.Jamaica's Usain Bolt celebrates after he won the Men's 200m Final during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 18, 2016. / AFP / Adrian DENNIS (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images) Bolt, who has won the 100, 200 and 4×100 relay gold medals at Beijing, London and now Rio, crossed in 37.27
U.S. basketball knocks off Spain to advance to gold-medal ga…
By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Gone was the all-offense, all-action play that turned the last two gold-medal games into classics. To get by Spain again, the U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team would have to win ugly, so unusual it’s practically un-American. “It was just a real different game today,” coach Mike Krzyzewski said. Same result, though. The U.S. advanced to its third straight gold-medal game win an 82-76 victory Friday, another tight matchup between the teams that met in the last two championship games. Klay Thompson scored 22 points for the Americans, who will play Serbia on Sunday for their third consecutive Olympic title. Serbia beat Australia 87-61 in the second semifinal. “This is where we wanted to be,” Kevin Durant said.
Lochte issues apology, blames ‘language barrier’
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — U.S Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte has apologized for his behavior surrounding a late-night incident at a Rio de Janeiro gas station, saying he should have been more “careful and candid” about how he described what happened. Lochte said in a lengthy post on Instagram Friday that he was apologizing for his role in taking the focus away from other Olympic athletes. “This was a situation that could and should have been avoided,” Lochte said. “I accept responsibility for my role in this happening and have learned some valuable lessons.” The 12-time gold medalist reiterated his view that a stranger pointed a gun at him and demanded money to let him leave. Lochte had called it a robbery; Brazilian
Ryan Lochte’s Supposed Apology Falls Flat, But What Else Did You Expect?
Ryan Lochte issued an “apology” Friday, but if his statement left you wanting a little more, you’re not alone. The highly decorated United States swimmer forced his way onto the world’s biggest stage during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro but for all the wrong reasons. We still don’t know the entire story, but here’s one side of the story: Lochte and some teammates (probably) got stupid drunk, got into some trouble at a gas station and got involved in a scary situation. As anyone who’s had one too many drinks can attest, things can get away from you in a situation like that. Sometimes you make bad decisions under t... NESN.com
U.S. considers Spain a worthy foe in basketball semis
By BRIAN MAHONEY AP Basketball Writer RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The U.S. men’s basketball team expected this. Whether it was for the gold medal, as in the last two Olympics, or just along the road to gold, the Americans figured they would see the Spanish again. “No doubt in my mind,” Kevin Durant said. Well, here they are. The world’s top teams meet again Friday in the semifinals, with Spain getting another chance to finish the job against the U.S. after being oh-so-close in the last two gold-medal games. “We’ve been battling against them for a long time,” Spain point guard Ricky Rubio said. “We’ve always come up short. It would be a dream for us to beat them. I really think we can do it,
Usain Bolt easily wins gold in 200 meters
By EDDIE PELLS AP National Writer RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Usain Bolt tilted his head backward and screamed. He plaintively raised his palms to the sky, tugged hard on his shirt, then angrily ripped the No. 6 sticker off his right hip. It had the look of an unthinkable loss in the Olympic 200 meters. But there’s only one opponent that can really beat Bolt: Time. The Jamaican superstar romped in what he says is likely his last Olympic individual race Thursday night, but finished in 19.78 seconds, .59 short of his own world record — the one he said he really wanted to break. “I’m always happy for the win,” said Bolt, who turns 30 on Sunday, in a post-race interview with NBC. “But