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Why Chargers Need a Win Over Eagles to Stay Alive in AFC Wild Card Race | Deadspin.com

Why Chargers Need a Win Over Eagles to Stay Alive in AFC Wild Card Race | Deadspin.com

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A major opportunity is staring the Los Angeles Chargers in the face on Monday night.

The Chargers can take a big step in the AFC playoff picture by beating the visiting Philadelphia Eagles on the primetime stage.

But lose to the defending Super Bowl champions and the Chargers are going to find themselves in a battle to claim one of the conference’s three wild-card berths.

Los Angeles (8-4) is three victories behind the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos (11-2) so the division race is a one-horse Mile High trot. The focus for the Chargers is earning a wild card.

After the game against the Eagles, the Chargers have back-to-back road games against the Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys as part of three away contests in four weeks to close the regular season.

The visit to Kansas City will come on a short week due to the Monday game and also includes travel to the Midwest after the Chiefs played at home on Sunday. Not to mention that Kansas City (6-7) knows it can’t lose another game if it wants its playoff aspirations to have legitimate life.

Beating the Eagles would be a big deal for the Chargers as it would give them the same record as the Buffalo Bills (9-4) and place them one game ahead of the charging Houston Texans and the embattled Indianapolis Colts.

The Baltimore Ravens (6-7) could make a run but their best bet is overtaking the Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6) – who they lost to on Sunday – in the AFC North race.

You can see that getting win No. 9 on Monday would be huge for the Chargers.

The health of quarterback Justin Herbert also will be key against the Eagles.

Herbert has a broken bone in his left (non-throwing) hand and underwent surgery last Monday afternoon. He had a plate and multiple screws inserted into the hand. He was a limited practice participant all week as the Chargers did all they could to keep him away from contact.

Most of the snaps on Monday will undoubtedly come out of the shotgun formation and Herbert has definitely taken a whatever-it-takes outlook.

“I’m doing everything I can to be out there,” Herbert said. “I’d fight through anything for those guys. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to be realistic and listen to the doctors, because they know best. We’ll see how it goes.”

Herbert has passed for 2,842 yards and 21 touchdowns against 10 interceptions and is firmly established among the top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL.

At age 27, Herbert already has thrown 158 career touchdown passes. Only John Hadl (201), Hall of Famer Dan Fouts (254) and leader Philip Rivers (397) have accumulated more for the franchise.

But we are reaching the point where Herbert needs to lead some playoff runs. He’s in his sixth season and has never won a playoff game. And right now, the sudden decline of the Chiefs is opening the door for other AFC teams.

It also doesn’t hurt that the Broncos and New England Patriots are the surprise top two teams in the conference through Week 14.

The Chargers haven’t won a single playoff game since the 2018 season. That’s so long ago that Rivers, Antonio Gates and Melvin Gordon played for the club.

And who can forget that humiliating collapse in Jacksonville when Herbert and the 2022 edition of the franchise blew a 27-point lead and lost 31-30 on a Jaguars field goal as time expired?

And last season? Herbert threw four interceptions during a one-sided 32-12 playoff loss to the Texans.

So if the Chargers are going to be a serious contender for, say, an AFC Championship Game appearance, they need to beat the Eagles. The late-season run unofficially begins Monday.

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UFC Macau Best Bets and Fight Predictions for May 30 | Deadspin.com Aug 7, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Song Yadong (red gloves) reacts to fight against Casey Kenney (blue gloves) during UFC 265 at Toyota Center. credits: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports After a successful visit in November 2024 – which was their first in 10 years – the Octagon will land back in Macau, China, for UFC Macau on May 30.The main event will feature a bantamweight battle between China’s Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo.Yadong has won three of his last five fights; however, he enters this bout off a loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 324 in January. Figueiredo, meanwhile, is 4-3 since moving up to bantamweight. The former flyweight champion, however, has lost three of his last four, most recently falling to Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 324.The co-main event will feature Zhang Mingyang taking on Alonzo Menifield in light heavyweight action. Mingyang most recently fought in August at UFC Shanghai, losing to Johnny Walker. That loss was Mingyang’s first in the UFC and snapped a 12-fight win streak. Menifield has won five of his last eight but was most recently knocked out by Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Qatar in November.The UFC Macau main card will also feature Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tallison Teixeira, Kai Asakura vs. Cameron Smotherman, Jake Matthews vs. Carlston Harris, and Alex Perez vs. Su Mudaerji.SONG YADONG VS DEIVESON FIGUEIREDOIf there’s one thing to appreciate about Song Yadong, it’s his striking. With his Sanda foundation, Yadong has developed strong kickboxing skills, and he will look to use those to try and pressure Figueiredo into a war. Yadong has some strength to his strikes and has the cardio for a war; however, Figueiredo’s counterstriking can still be dangerous if he’s not careful.Figueiredo’s grappling can be a problem for Yadong if he’s not careful. He’ll have to make use of his takedown defense abilities (a 73% takedown defense rate, per UFC Stats) to avoid giving positioning and control, as well as submission opportunities, to Figueiredo. This should be a fight that lasts either way.BET: Yadong vs. Figueiredo to go the distance (Caesars: +100) Our Current Best OffersChannel debug: betting ZHANG MINGYANG VS ALONZO MENIFIELDAugust’s UFC Shanghai was supposed to be a coming-out party for Zhang Mingyang, who has proven himself to be a solid up-and-coming contender in the light heavyweight division. Mingyang, however, was finished solidly by Johnny Walker, halting Mingyang’s upward momentum. This fight gives Mingyang the chance to show he’s still got contender potential.Mingyang is the master of the first-round finish. Simply put, if Alonzo Menifield can be defensive and wear Mingyang down over the first round, he’s in a much stronger position to win. At 38 years old, however, it’s hard to imagine Menifield going five full minutes without getting tagged. And it’s hard to imagine Mingyang dropping a pair of consecutive fights, especially if he slugs the way he wants to.BET: Mingyang via KO/TKO in Round 1 (FanDuel: +160) Our Current Best OffersChannel debug: betting KAI ASAKURA VS CAMERON SMOTHERMANThere were interesting options for a third best bet. As we’ve seen though, however, heavyweight fights can be volatile to pick, and some of the underdog plays on this card are a little harder to read. So, let’s talk about Kai Asakura.Asakura came into the UFC as a highly promoted talent and former RIZIN champion; however, he hasn’t lived up to the billing thus far. A loss to Alexandre Pantoja in a title fight in your UFC debut? Acceptable. Losing (with all due respect to him) to 39-year-old Tim Elliott in a fight Asaukra was a heavy favorite? Yikes. Now, Asakura moves up to bantamweight, hoping to show that a less drastic weight cut will do wonders for him – and he needs to hope this.Asakura has more experience and a stronger resume than his 12-6 opponent, Cameron Smotherman, who is 1-2 in the UFC. Asakura is the better all-around fighter, so the fight falls on him. The more he avoids a brawl and the better he is defensively, the stronger the chance he goes home with a win. A loss here, however, and it smells like the end of an insanely disappointing UFC run.BET: Asakura to win via KO/TKO OR decision (FanDuel: -240) Our Current Best OffersChannel debug: betting #UFC #Macau #Bets #Fight #Predictions #Deadspin.comAug 7, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Song Yadong (red gloves) reacts to fight against Casey Kenney (blue gloves) during UFC 265 at Toyota Center. credits: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

After a successful visit in November 2024 – which was their first in 10 years – the Octagon will land back in Macau, China, for UFC Macau on May 30.

The main event will feature a bantamweight battle between China’s Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo.

Yadong has won three of his last five fights; however, he enters this bout off a loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 324 in January. Figueiredo, meanwhile, is 4-3 since moving up to bantamweight. The former flyweight champion, however, has lost three of his last four, most recently falling to Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 324.

The co-main event will feature Zhang Mingyang taking on Alonzo Menifield in light heavyweight action. Mingyang most recently fought in August at UFC Shanghai, losing to Johnny Walker. That loss was Mingyang’s first in the UFC and snapped a 12-fight win streak. Menifield has won five of his last eight but was most recently knocked out by Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Qatar in November.

The UFC Macau main card will also feature Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tallison Teixeira, Kai Asakura vs. Cameron Smotherman, Jake Matthews vs. Carlston Harris, and Alex Perez vs. Su Mudaerji.

SONG YADONG VS DEIVESON FIGUEIREDO

If there’s one thing to appreciate about Song Yadong, it’s his striking. With his Sanda foundation, Yadong has developed strong kickboxing skills, and he will look to use those to try and pressure Figueiredo into a war. Yadong has some strength to his strikes and has the cardio for a war; however, Figueiredo’s counterstriking can still be dangerous if he’s not careful.

Figueiredo’s grappling can be a problem for Yadong if he’s not careful. He’ll have to make use of his takedown defense abilities (a 73% takedown defense rate, per UFC Stats) to avoid giving positioning and control, as well as submission opportunities, to Figueiredo. This should be a fight that lasts either way.

BET: Yadong vs. Figueiredo to go the distance (Caesars: +100)

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Channel debug: betting


ZHANG MINGYANG VS ALONZO MENIFIELD

August’s UFC Shanghai was supposed to be a coming-out party for Zhang Mingyang, who has proven himself to be a solid up-and-coming contender in the light heavyweight division. Mingyang, however, was finished solidly by Johnny Walker, halting Mingyang’s upward momentum. This fight gives Mingyang the chance to show he’s still got contender potential.

Mingyang is the master of the first-round finish. Simply put, if Alonzo Menifield can be defensive and wear Mingyang down over the first round, he’s in a much stronger position to win. At 38 years old, however, it’s hard to imagine Menifield going five full minutes without getting tagged. And it’s hard to imagine Mingyang dropping a pair of consecutive fights, especially if he slugs the way he wants to.

BET: Mingyang via KO/TKO in Round 1 (FanDuel: +160)

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Channel debug: betting

KAI ASAKURA VS CAMERON SMOTHERMAN

There were interesting options for a third best bet. As we’ve seen though, however, heavyweight fights can be volatile to pick, and some of the underdog plays on this card are a little harder to read. So, let’s talk about Kai Asakura.

Asakura came into the UFC as a highly promoted talent and former RIZIN champion; however, he hasn’t lived up to the billing thus far. A loss to Alexandre Pantoja in a title fight in your UFC debut? Acceptable. Losing (with all due respect to him) to 39-year-old Tim Elliott in a fight Asaukra was a heavy favorite? Yikes. Now, Asakura moves up to bantamweight, hoping to show that a less drastic weight cut will do wonders for him – and he needs to hope this.

Asakura has more experience and a stronger resume than his 12-6 opponent, Cameron Smotherman, who is 1-2 in the UFC. Asakura is the better all-around fighter, so the fight falls on him. The more he avoids a brawl and the better he is defensively, the stronger the chance he goes home with a win. A loss here, however, and it smells like the end of an insanely disappointing UFC run.

BET: Asakura to win via KO/TKO OR decision (FanDuel: -240)

Our Current Best Offers

Channel debug: betting

#UFC #Macau #Bets #Fight #Predictions #Deadspin.com">UFC Macau Best Bets and Fight Predictions for May 30 | Deadspin.com Aug 7, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Song Yadong (red gloves) reacts to fight against Casey Kenney (blue gloves) during UFC 265 at Toyota Center. credits: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports After a successful visit in November 2024 – which was their first in 10 years – the Octagon will land back in Macau, China, for UFC Macau on May 30.The main event will feature a bantamweight battle between China’s Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo.Yadong has won three of his last five fights; however, he enters this bout off a loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 324 in January. Figueiredo, meanwhile, is 4-3 since moving up to bantamweight. The former flyweight champion, however, has lost three of his last four, most recently falling to Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 324.The co-main event will feature Zhang Mingyang taking on Alonzo Menifield in light heavyweight action. Mingyang most recently fought in August at UFC Shanghai, losing to Johnny Walker. That loss was Mingyang’s first in the UFC and snapped a 12-fight win streak. Menifield has won five of his last eight but was most recently knocked out by Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Qatar in November.The UFC Macau main card will also feature Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tallison Teixeira, Kai Asakura vs. Cameron Smotherman, Jake Matthews vs. Carlston Harris, and Alex Perez vs. Su Mudaerji.SONG YADONG VS DEIVESON FIGUEIREDOIf there’s one thing to appreciate about Song Yadong, it’s his striking. With his Sanda foundation, Yadong has developed strong kickboxing skills, and he will look to use those to try and pressure Figueiredo into a war. Yadong has some strength to his strikes and has the cardio for a war; however, Figueiredo’s counterstriking can still be dangerous if he’s not careful.Figueiredo’s grappling can be a problem for Yadong if he’s not careful. He’ll have to make use of his takedown defense abilities (a 73% takedown defense rate, per UFC Stats) to avoid giving positioning and control, as well as submission opportunities, to Figueiredo. This should be a fight that lasts either way.BET: Yadong vs. Figueiredo to go the distance (Caesars: +100) Our Current Best OffersChannel debug: betting ZHANG MINGYANG VS ALONZO MENIFIELDAugust’s UFC Shanghai was supposed to be a coming-out party for Zhang Mingyang, who has proven himself to be a solid up-and-coming contender in the light heavyweight division. Mingyang, however, was finished solidly by Johnny Walker, halting Mingyang’s upward momentum. This fight gives Mingyang the chance to show he’s still got contender potential.Mingyang is the master of the first-round finish. Simply put, if Alonzo Menifield can be defensive and wear Mingyang down over the first round, he’s in a much stronger position to win. At 38 years old, however, it’s hard to imagine Menifield going five full minutes without getting tagged. And it’s hard to imagine Mingyang dropping a pair of consecutive fights, especially if he slugs the way he wants to.BET: Mingyang via KO/TKO in Round 1 (FanDuel: +160) Our Current Best OffersChannel debug: betting KAI ASAKURA VS CAMERON SMOTHERMANThere were interesting options for a third best bet. As we’ve seen though, however, heavyweight fights can be volatile to pick, and some of the underdog plays on this card are a little harder to read. So, let’s talk about Kai Asakura.Asakura came into the UFC as a highly promoted talent and former RIZIN champion; however, he hasn’t lived up to the billing thus far. A loss to Alexandre Pantoja in a title fight in your UFC debut? Acceptable. Losing (with all due respect to him) to 39-year-old Tim Elliott in a fight Asaukra was a heavy favorite? Yikes. Now, Asakura moves up to bantamweight, hoping to show that a less drastic weight cut will do wonders for him – and he needs to hope this.Asakura has more experience and a stronger resume than his 12-6 opponent, Cameron Smotherman, who is 1-2 in the UFC. Asakura is the better all-around fighter, so the fight falls on him. The more he avoids a brawl and the better he is defensively, the stronger the chance he goes home with a win. A loss here, however, and it smells like the end of an insanely disappointing UFC run.BET: Asakura to win via KO/TKO OR decision (FanDuel: -240) Our Current Best OffersChannel debug: betting #UFC #Macau #Bets #Fight #Predictions #Deadspin.com

loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 324 in January. Figueiredo, meanwhile, is 4-3 since moving up to bantamweight. The former flyweight champion, however, has lost three of his last four, most recently falling to Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 324.

The co-main event will feature Zhang Mingyang taking on Alonzo Menifield in light heavyweight action. Mingyang most recently fought in August at UFC Shanghai, losing to Johnny Walker. That loss was Mingyang’s first in the UFC and snapped a 12-fight win streak. Menifield has won five of his last eight but was most recently knocked out by Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Qatar in November.

The UFC Macau main card will also feature Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tallison Teixeira, Kai Asakura vs. Cameron Smotherman, Jake Matthews vs. Carlston Harris, and Alex Perez vs. Su Mudaerji.

SONG YADONG VS DEIVESON FIGUEIREDO

If there’s one thing to appreciate about Song Yadong, it’s his striking. With his Sanda foundation, Yadong has developed strong kickboxing skills, and he will look to use those to try and pressure Figueiredo into a war. Yadong has some strength to his strikes and has the cardio for a war; however, Figueiredo’s counterstriking can still be dangerous if he’s not careful.

Figueiredo’s grappling can be a problem for Yadong if he’s not careful. He’ll have to make use of his takedown defense abilities (a 73% takedown defense rate, per UFC Stats) to avoid giving positioning and control, as well as submission opportunities, to Figueiredo. This should be a fight that lasts either way.

BET: Yadong vs. Figueiredo to go the distance (Caesars: +100)

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Channel debug: betting


ZHANG MINGYANG VS ALONZO MENIFIELD

August’s UFC Shanghai was supposed to be a coming-out party for Zhang Mingyang, who has proven himself to be a solid up-and-coming contender in the light heavyweight division. Mingyang, however, was finished solidly by Johnny Walker, halting Mingyang’s upward momentum. This fight gives Mingyang the chance to show he’s still got contender potential.

Mingyang is the master of the first-round finish. Simply put, if Alonzo Menifield can be defensive and wear Mingyang down over the first round, he’s in a much stronger position to win. At 38 years old, however, it’s hard to imagine Menifield going five full minutes without getting tagged. And it’s hard to imagine Mingyang dropping a pair of consecutive fights, especially if he slugs the way he wants to.

BET: Mingyang via KO/TKO in Round 1 (FanDuel: +160)

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Channel debug: betting

KAI ASAKURA VS CAMERON SMOTHERMAN

There were interesting options for a third best bet. As we’ve seen though, however, heavyweight fights can be volatile to pick, and some of the underdog plays on this card are a little harder to read. So, let’s talk about Kai Asakura.

Asakura came into the UFC as a highly promoted talent and former RIZIN champion; however, he hasn’t lived up to the billing thus far. A loss to Alexandre Pantoja in a title fight in your UFC debut? Acceptable. Losing (with all due respect to him) to 39-year-old Tim Elliott in a fight Asaukra was a heavy favorite? Yikes. Now, Asakura moves up to bantamweight, hoping to show that a less drastic weight cut will do wonders for him – and he needs to hope this.

Asakura has more experience and a stronger resume than his 12-6 opponent, Cameron Smotherman, who is 1-2 in the UFC. Asakura is the better all-around fighter, so the fight falls on him. The more he avoids a brawl and the better he is defensively, the stronger the chance he goes home with a win. A loss here, however, and it smells like the end of an insanely disappointing UFC run.

BET: Asakura to win via KO/TKO OR decision (FanDuel: -240)

Our Current Best Offers

Channel debug: betting

#UFC #Macau #Bets #Fight #Predictions #Deadspin.com">UFC Macau Best Bets and Fight Predictions for May 30 | Deadspin.com
UFC Macau Best Bets and Fight Predictions for May 30 | Deadspin.com Aug 7, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Song Yadong (red gloves) reacts to fight against Casey Kenney (blue gloves) during UFC 265 at Toyota Center. credits: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports After a successful visit in November 2024 – which was their first in 10 years – the Octagon will land back in Macau, China, for UFC Macau on May 30.The main event will feature a bantamweight battle between China’s Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo.Yadong has won three of his last five fights; however, he enters this bout off a loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 324 in January. Figueiredo, meanwhile, is 4-3 since moving up to bantamweight. The former flyweight champion, however, has lost three of his last four, most recently falling to Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 324.The co-main event will feature Zhang Mingyang taking on Alonzo Menifield in light heavyweight action. Mingyang most recently fought in August at UFC Shanghai, losing to Johnny Walker. That loss was Mingyang’s first in the UFC and snapped a 12-fight win streak. Menifield has won five of his last eight but was most recently knocked out by Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Qatar in November.The UFC Macau main card will also feature Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tallison Teixeira, Kai Asakura vs. Cameron Smotherman, Jake Matthews vs. Carlston Harris, and Alex Perez vs. Su Mudaerji.SONG YADONG VS DEIVESON FIGUEIREDOIf there’s one thing to appreciate about Song Yadong, it’s his striking. With his Sanda foundation, Yadong has developed strong kickboxing skills, and he will look to use those to try and pressure Figueiredo into a war. Yadong has some strength to his strikes and has the cardio for a war; however, Figueiredo’s counterstriking can still be dangerous if he’s not careful.Figueiredo’s grappling can be a problem for Yadong if he’s not careful. He’ll have to make use of his takedown defense abilities (a 73% takedown defense rate, per UFC Stats) to avoid giving positioning and control, as well as submission opportunities, to Figueiredo. This should be a fight that lasts either way.BET: Yadong vs. Figueiredo to go the distance (Caesars: +100) Our Current Best OffersChannel debug: betting ZHANG MINGYANG VS ALONZO MENIFIELDAugust’s UFC Shanghai was supposed to be a coming-out party for Zhang Mingyang, who has proven himself to be a solid up-and-coming contender in the light heavyweight division. Mingyang, however, was finished solidly by Johnny Walker, halting Mingyang’s upward momentum. This fight gives Mingyang the chance to show he’s still got contender potential.Mingyang is the master of the first-round finish. Simply put, if Alonzo Menifield can be defensive and wear Mingyang down over the first round, he’s in a much stronger position to win. At 38 years old, however, it’s hard to imagine Menifield going five full minutes without getting tagged. And it’s hard to imagine Mingyang dropping a pair of consecutive fights, especially if he slugs the way he wants to.BET: Mingyang via KO/TKO in Round 1 (FanDuel: +160) Our Current Best OffersChannel debug: betting KAI ASAKURA VS CAMERON SMOTHERMANThere were interesting options for a third best bet. As we’ve seen though, however, heavyweight fights can be volatile to pick, and some of the underdog plays on this card are a little harder to read. So, let’s talk about Kai Asakura.Asakura came into the UFC as a highly promoted talent and former RIZIN champion; however, he hasn’t lived up to the billing thus far. A loss to Alexandre Pantoja in a title fight in your UFC debut? Acceptable. Losing (with all due respect to him) to 39-year-old Tim Elliott in a fight Asaukra was a heavy favorite? Yikes. Now, Asakura moves up to bantamweight, hoping to show that a less drastic weight cut will do wonders for him – and he needs to hope this.Asakura has more experience and a stronger resume than his 12-6 opponent, Cameron Smotherman, who is 1-2 in the UFC. Asakura is the better all-around fighter, so the fight falls on him. The more he avoids a brawl and the better he is defensively, the stronger the chance he goes home with a win. A loss here, however, and it smells like the end of an insanely disappointing UFC run.BET: Asakura to win via KO/TKO OR decision (FanDuel: -240) Our Current Best OffersChannel debug: betting #UFC #Macau #Bets #Fight #Predictions #Deadspin.comAug 7, 2021; Houston, Texas, USA; Song Yadong (red gloves) reacts to fight against Casey Kenney (blue gloves) during UFC 265 at Toyota Center. credits: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

After a successful visit in November 2024 – which was their first in 10 years – the Octagon will land back in Macau, China, for UFC Macau on May 30.

The main event will feature a bantamweight battle between China’s Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo.

Yadong has won three of his last five fights; however, he enters this bout off a loss to Sean O’Malley at UFC 324 in January. Figueiredo, meanwhile, is 4-3 since moving up to bantamweight. The former flyweight champion, however, has lost three of his last four, most recently falling to Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 324.

The co-main event will feature Zhang Mingyang taking on Alonzo Menifield in light heavyweight action. Mingyang most recently fought in August at UFC Shanghai, losing to Johnny Walker. That loss was Mingyang’s first in the UFC and snapped a 12-fight win streak. Menifield has won five of his last eight but was most recently knocked out by Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Qatar in November.

The UFC Macau main card will also feature Sergei Pavlovich vs. Tallison Teixeira, Kai Asakura vs. Cameron Smotherman, Jake Matthews vs. Carlston Harris, and Alex Perez vs. Su Mudaerji.

SONG YADONG VS DEIVESON FIGUEIREDO

If there’s one thing to appreciate about Song Yadong, it’s his striking. With his Sanda foundation, Yadong has developed strong kickboxing skills, and he will look to use those to try and pressure Figueiredo into a war. Yadong has some strength to his strikes and has the cardio for a war; however, Figueiredo’s counterstriking can still be dangerous if he’s not careful.

Figueiredo’s grappling can be a problem for Yadong if he’s not careful. He’ll have to make use of his takedown defense abilities (a 73% takedown defense rate, per UFC Stats) to avoid giving positioning and control, as well as submission opportunities, to Figueiredo. This should be a fight that lasts either way.

BET: Yadong vs. Figueiredo to go the distance (Caesars: +100)

Our Current Best Offers

Channel debug: betting


ZHANG MINGYANG VS ALONZO MENIFIELD

August’s UFC Shanghai was supposed to be a coming-out party for Zhang Mingyang, who has proven himself to be a solid up-and-coming contender in the light heavyweight division. Mingyang, however, was finished solidly by Johnny Walker, halting Mingyang’s upward momentum. This fight gives Mingyang the chance to show he’s still got contender potential.

Mingyang is the master of the first-round finish. Simply put, if Alonzo Menifield can be defensive and wear Mingyang down over the first round, he’s in a much stronger position to win. At 38 years old, however, it’s hard to imagine Menifield going five full minutes without getting tagged. And it’s hard to imagine Mingyang dropping a pair of consecutive fights, especially if he slugs the way he wants to.

BET: Mingyang via KO/TKO in Round 1 (FanDuel: +160)

Our Current Best Offers

Channel debug: betting

KAI ASAKURA VS CAMERON SMOTHERMAN

There were interesting options for a third best bet. As we’ve seen though, however, heavyweight fights can be volatile to pick, and some of the underdog plays on this card are a little harder to read. So, let’s talk about Kai Asakura.

Asakura came into the UFC as a highly promoted talent and former RIZIN champion; however, he hasn’t lived up to the billing thus far. A loss to Alexandre Pantoja in a title fight in your UFC debut? Acceptable. Losing (with all due respect to him) to 39-year-old Tim Elliott in a fight Asaukra was a heavy favorite? Yikes. Now, Asakura moves up to bantamweight, hoping to show that a less drastic weight cut will do wonders for him – and he needs to hope this.

Asakura has more experience and a stronger resume than his 12-6 opponent, Cameron Smotherman, who is 1-2 in the UFC. Asakura is the better all-around fighter, so the fight falls on him. The more he avoids a brawl and the better he is defensively, the stronger the chance he goes home with a win. A loss here, however, and it smells like the end of an insanely disappointing UFC run.

BET: Asakura to win via KO/TKO OR decision (FanDuel: -240)

Our Current Best Offers

Channel debug: betting

#UFC #Macau #Bets #Fight #Predictions #Deadspin.com

The road to the Men’s College World Series begins on Friday, as regional action gets underway.

Here is everything you need to know about the first stage of the NCAA baseball tournament.

How do the NCAA baseball regionals work?

The NCAA baseball tournament is not your standard single-elimination, bracket format. The tournament kicks off with the regionals, followed by the super regionals, and ultimately the Men’s College World Series.

Regionals are a double-elimination format, with the 64 teams divided into 16, four-team mini-brackets. The top 16 teams in the nation each host a regional, and each of those 16 teams is the No. 1 seed in its regional. Games begin on Friday in a double-elimination format, with each bracket winner advancing to the super regionals.

Super regionals consist of 16 teams advancing to eight matchups, which are a three-game series. The winner of each super regional advances to the Men’s College World Series, which will see those eight teams split again into two brackets of four, in a double-elimination format. That builds to the Championship Series, which is a best-of-three series between the final two teams.

Who are the top 16 teams?

Here are the top 16 teams in the NCAA baseball tournament, ranked from No. 1 to No. 16. Each of these teams is hosting a regional this weekend, and the top eight are guaranteed to host a super regional … provided they advance.

No. 1 UCLA (51-6)
No. 2 Georgia Tech (48-9)
No. 3 Georgia (46-12)
No. 4 Auburn (38-19)
No. 5 North Carolina (45-11-1)
No. 6 Texas (40-13)
No. 7 Alabama (37-19)
No. 8 Florida (39-19)
No. 9 Southern Mississippi (44-15)
No. 10 Florida State (38-17)
No. 11 Oregon (40-16)
No. 12 Texas A&M (39-14)
No. 13 Nebraska (42-15)
No. 14 Mississippi State (40-17)
No. 15 Kansas (42-16)
No. 16 West Virginia (39-14)

What are the 16 regional pairings?

Here are the 64 teams in the field, broken down into the 16 regionals. In addition to the top 16 overall teams being seeded, within each regional the teams are seeded No. 1 through No. 4:

No. 1 UCLA (51-6) (No. 1 overall seed)
No. 2 Virginia Tech (30-24)
No. 3 Cal Poly (36-22)
No. 4 Saint Mary’s (34-25)

No. 1 Georgia Tech (48-9) (No. 2 overall seed)
No. 2 Oklahoma (32-21)
No. 3 The Citadel (35-24)
No. 4 UIC (27-27-1)

No. 1 Georgia (46-12) (No. 3 overall seed)
No. 2 Boston College (36-21)
No. 3 Liberty (41-19)
No. 4 Long Island (30-20)

No. 1 Auburn (38-19) (No. 4 overall seed)
No. 2 UCF (31-21)
No. 3 NC State (32-22)
No. 4 Milwaukee (25-31)

No. 1 North Carolina (45-11-1) (No. 5 overall seed)
No. 2 Tennessee (38-20)
No. 3 East Carolina (36-22-1)
No. 4 VCU (37-23)

No. 1 Texas (40-13) (No. 6 overall seed)
No. 2 UC Santa Barbara (38-18)
No. 3 Tarleton State (37-19)
No. 4 Holy Cross (25-28)

No. 1 Alabama (37-19) (No. 7 overall seed)
No. 2 Oklahoma State (37-20)
No. 3 USC Upstate (33-28)
No. 4 Alabama State (34-21)

No. 1 Florida (39-19) (No. 8 overall seed)
No. 2 Miami (38-18)
No. 3 Troy (32-29)
No. 4 Rider (33-18)

No. 1 Southern Miss (44-15) (No. 9 overall seed)
No. 2 Virginia (36-21)
No. 3 Jacksonville State (46-13)
No. 4 Little Rock (36-26)

No. 1 Florida State (38-17) (No. 10 overall seed)
No. 2 Coastal Carolina (37-21)
No. 3 Northern Illinois (35-17)
No. 4 St. John’s (33-24)

No. 1 Oregon (40-16) (No. 11 overall seed)
No. 2 Oregon State (43-12)
No. 3 Washington State (30-26)
No. 4 Yale (30-13-1)

No. 1 Texas A&M (39-14) (No. 12 overall seed)
No. 2 USC (43-15)
No. 3 Texas State (36-24)
No. 4 Lamar (34-25)

No. 1 Nebraska (42-15) (No. 13 overall seed)
No. 2 Ole Miss (36-21)
No. 3 Arizona State (37-19)
No. 4 South Dakota State (24-31)

No. 1 Mississippi State (40-17) (No. 14 overall seed)
No. 2 Cincinnati (37-20)
No. 3 Louisiana (39-23)
No. 4 Lipscomb (29-24)

No. 1 Kansas (42-16) (No. 15 overall seed)
No. 2 Arkansas (39-20)
No. 3 Missouri State (34-19)
No. 4 Northeastern (38-20)

No. 1 West Virginia (39-14) (No. 16 overall seed)
No. 2 Wake Forest (38-19)
No. 3 Kentucky (31-21)
No. 4 Binghamton (31-20)

NCAA baseball schedule and scores

Here are all the games currently scheduled for the NCAA baseball regionals, by day. In the first set of games, the No. 1 seed in each region takes on the No. 4 seed, while the No. 2 and No. 3 teams square off. All times listed are Eastern:

Kentucky vs. Wake Forest, 12:00 p.m., ESPN2
East Carolina vs. Tennessee, 12:00 p.m., ESPNU
UIC vs. Georgia Tech, 12:00 p.m., ACCN
Northeastern vs. Kansas, 1:00 p.m., ESPN+
Holy Cross vs. Texas, 1:00 p.m., SECN
Rider vs. Florida, 1:00 p.m., ESPN+
Milwaukee vs. Auburn, 1:00 p.m., ESPN+
Liberty vs. Boston College, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+
USC Upstate vs. Oklahoma State, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+
Little Rock vs. Southern Miss, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+
Lipscomb vs. Mississippi State, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+
St. John’s vs. Florida State, 3:00 p.m., ACCN
Saint Mary’s vs. UCLA, 3:00 p.m., ESPNU
Washington State vs. Oregon State, 3:00 p.m., ESPN+
Lamar vs. Texas A&M, 4:00 p.m., SECN
South Dakota State vs. Nebraska, 4:00 p.m., ESPN+
The Citadel vs. Oklahoma, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+
VCU vs. North Carolina, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+
Binghamton vs. West Virginia, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+
Missouri State vs. Arkansas, 6:00 p.m., ESPN+
NC State vs. UCF, 6:00 p.m., ESPNU
Tarleton State vs. UC Santa Barbara, 6:00 p.m., ESPN+
Troy vs. Miami, 6:00 p.m., ACCN
Jacksonville State vs. Virginia, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Louisiana vs. Cincinnati, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Alabama State vs. Alabama, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+
Long Island vs. Georgia, 7:00 p.m., SECN
Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+
Cal Poly vs. Virginia Tech, 8:00 p.m,. ESPN+
Yale vs. Oregon, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+
Arizona State vs. Ole Miss, 9:00 p.m., ESPNU
Texas State vs. USC., 9:00 p.m., ESPN+

Scores and schedule by region

Here are the schedule and scores for the NCAA baseball regional games by each region. As with the above, the No. 1 team plays the No. 4 team in the opening round, and all times listed are Eastern:

No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 4 Saint Mary’s, 3:00 p.m., ESPNU
No. 2 Virginia. Tech vs. No. 3 Cal Poly, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+

No. 1 Georgia Tech vs. No. 4 UIC, 12:00 p.m., ACCN
No. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 The Citadel, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+

No. 2 Boston College vs. No. 3 Liberty, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+
No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Long Island, 7:00 p.m., SECN

No. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 3 East Carolina, 12:00 p.m., ESPNU
No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 VCU, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+

No. 1 Texas vs. No. 4 Holy Cross, 1:00 p.m., SECN
No. 2 UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 3 Tarleton State 6:00 p.m., ESPN+

No. 2 Oklahoma State vs. No. 3 USC Upstate, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Alabama State, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+

No. 1 Florida vs. No. 4 Rider, 1:00 p.m., ESPN+
No. 2 Miami vs. No. 3 Troy, 6:00 p.m., ACCN

No. 1 Southern Miss vs. No. 4 Little Rock, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+
No. 2 Virginia vs. No. 3 Jacksonville State, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+

No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 4 St. John’s, 3:00 p.m., ACCN
No. 2 Coastal Carolina vs. No. 3 Northern Illinois, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+

No. 2 Oregon State vs. No. 3 Washington State, 3:00 p.m., ESPN+
No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 4 Yale, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+

No. 1 Texas A&M vs. No. 4 Lamar, 4:00 p.m., SECN
No. 2 USC vs. No. 3 Texas State, 9:00 p.m, ESPN+

No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 4 South Dakota State, 4:00 p.m., ESPN+
No. 2 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Arizona State, 9:00 p.m, ESPNU

No. 1 Mississippi State vs. No. 4 Lipscomb, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+
No. 2 Cincinnati vs. No. 3 Louisiana, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+

No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 4 Northeastern, 1:00 p.m, ESPN+
No. 2 Arkansas vs. No. 3 Missouri State, 6:00 p.m., ESPN+

No. 2 Wake Forest vs. No. 3 Kentucky, 12:00 p.m., ESPN2
No. 1 West Virginia vs. No. 4 Binghamton, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+

#NCAA #baseball #tournament #Schedule #scores #regionals">NCAA baseball tournament 2026: Schedule, scores, and more for regionals The road to the Men’s College World Series begins on Friday, as regional action gets underway.Here is everything you need to know about the first stage of the NCAA baseball tournament.How do the NCAA baseball regionals work?The NCAA baseball tournament is not your standard single-elimination, bracket format. The tournament kicks off with the regionals, followed by the super regionals, and ultimately the Men’s College World Series.Regionals are a double-elimination format, with the 64 teams divided into 16, four-team mini-brackets. The top 16 teams in the nation each host a regional, and each of those 16 teams is the No. 1 seed in its regional. Games begin on Friday in a double-elimination format, with each bracket winner advancing to the super regionals.Super regionals consist of 16 teams advancing to eight matchups, which are a three-game series. The winner of each super regional advances to the Men’s College World Series, which will see those eight teams split again into two brackets of four, in a double-elimination format. That builds to the Championship Series, which is a best-of-three series between the final two teams.Who are the top 16 teams?Here are the top 16 teams in the NCAA baseball tournament, ranked from No. 1 to No. 16. Each of these teams is hosting a regional this weekend, and the top eight are guaranteed to host a super regional … provided they advance.No. 1 UCLA (51-6)No. 2 Georgia Tech (48-9)No. 3 Georgia (46-12)No. 4 Auburn (38-19)No. 5 North Carolina (45-11-1)No. 6 Texas (40-13)No. 7 Alabama (37-19)No. 8 Florida (39-19)No. 9 Southern Mississippi (44-15)No. 10 Florida State (38-17)No. 11 Oregon (40-16)No. 12 Texas A&M (39-14)No. 13 Nebraska (42-15)No. 14 Mississippi State (40-17)No. 15 Kansas (42-16)No. 16 West Virginia (39-14)What are the 16 regional pairings?Here are the 64 teams in the field, broken down into the 16 regionals. In addition to the top 16 overall teams being seeded, within each regional the teams are seeded No. 1 through No. 4:No. 1 UCLA (51-6) (No. 1 overall seed)No. 2 Virginia Tech (30-24)No. 3 Cal Poly (36-22)No. 4 Saint Mary’s (34-25)No. 1 Georgia Tech (48-9) (No. 2 overall seed)No. 2 Oklahoma (32-21)No. 3 The Citadel (35-24)No. 4 UIC (27-27-1)No. 1 Georgia (46-12) (No. 3 overall seed)No. 2 Boston College (36-21)No. 3 Liberty (41-19)No. 4 Long Island (30-20)No. 1 Auburn (38-19) (No. 4 overall seed)No. 2 UCF (31-21)No. 3 NC State (32-22)No. 4 Milwaukee (25-31)No. 1 North Carolina (45-11-1) (No. 5 overall seed)No. 2 Tennessee (38-20)No. 3 East Carolina (36-22-1)No. 4 VCU (37-23)No. 1 Texas (40-13) (No. 6 overall seed)No. 2 UC Santa Barbara (38-18)No. 3 Tarleton State (37-19)No. 4 Holy Cross (25-28)No. 1 Alabama (37-19) (No. 7 overall seed)No. 2 Oklahoma State (37-20)No. 3 USC Upstate (33-28)No. 4 Alabama State (34-21)No. 1 Florida (39-19) (No. 8 overall seed)No. 2 Miami (38-18)No. 3 Troy (32-29)No. 4 Rider (33-18)No. 1 Southern Miss (44-15) (No. 9 overall seed)No. 2 Virginia (36-21)No. 3 Jacksonville State (46-13)No. 4 Little Rock (36-26)No. 1 Florida State (38-17) (No. 10 overall seed)No. 2 Coastal Carolina (37-21)No. 3 Northern Illinois (35-17)No. 4 St. John’s (33-24)No. 1 Oregon (40-16) (No. 11 overall seed)No. 2 Oregon State (43-12)No. 3 Washington State (30-26)No. 4 Yale (30-13-1)No. 1 Texas A&M (39-14) (No. 12 overall seed)No. 2 USC (43-15)No. 3 Texas State (36-24)No. 4 Lamar (34-25)No. 1 Nebraska (42-15) (No. 13 overall seed)No. 2 Ole Miss (36-21)No. 3 Arizona State (37-19)No. 4 South Dakota State (24-31)No. 1 Mississippi State (40-17) (No. 14 overall seed)No. 2 Cincinnati (37-20)No. 3 Louisiana (39-23)No. 4 Lipscomb (29-24)No. 1 Kansas (42-16) (No. 15 overall seed)No. 2 Arkansas (39-20)No. 3 Missouri State (34-19)No. 4 Northeastern (38-20)No. 1 West Virginia (39-14) (No. 16 overall seed)No. 2 Wake Forest (38-19)No. 3 Kentucky (31-21)No. 4 Binghamton (31-20)NCAA baseball schedule and scoresHere are all the games currently scheduled for the NCAA baseball regionals, by day. In the first set of games, the No. 1 seed in each region takes on the No. 4 seed, while the No. 2 and No. 3 teams square off. All times listed are Eastern:Kentucky vs. Wake Forest, 12:00 p.m., ESPN2East Carolina vs. Tennessee, 12:00 p.m., ESPNUUIC vs. Georgia Tech, 12:00 p.m., ACCNNortheastern vs. Kansas, 1:00 p.m., ESPN+Holy Cross vs. Texas, 1:00 p.m., SECNRider vs. Florida, 1:00 p.m., ESPN+Milwaukee vs. Auburn, 1:00 p.m., ESPN+Liberty vs. Boston College, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+USC Upstate vs. Oklahoma State, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+Little Rock vs. Southern Miss, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+Lipscomb vs. Mississippi State, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+St. John’s vs. Florida State, 3:00 p.m., ACCNSaint Mary’s vs. UCLA, 3:00 p.m., ESPNUWashington State vs. Oregon State, 3:00 p.m., ESPN+Lamar vs. Texas A&M, 4:00 p.m., SECNSouth Dakota State vs. Nebraska, 4:00 p.m., ESPN+The Citadel vs. Oklahoma, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+VCU vs. North Carolina, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+Binghamton vs. West Virginia, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+Missouri State vs. Arkansas, 6:00 p.m., ESPN+NC State vs. UCF, 6:00 p.m., ESPNUTarleton State vs. UC Santa Barbara, 6:00 p.m., ESPN+Troy vs. Miami, 6:00 p.m., ACCNJacksonville State vs. Virginia, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+Louisiana vs. Cincinnati, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+Alabama State vs. Alabama, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+Long Island vs. Georgia, 7:00 p.m., SECNNorthern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+Cal Poly vs. Virginia Tech, 8:00 p.m,. ESPN+Yale vs. Oregon, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+Arizona State vs. Ole Miss, 9:00 p.m., ESPNUTexas State vs. USC., 9:00 p.m., ESPN+Scores and schedule by regionHere are the schedule and scores for the NCAA baseball regional games by each region. As with the above, the No. 1 team plays the No. 4 team in the opening round, and all times listed are Eastern:No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 4 Saint Mary’s, 3:00 p.m., ESPNUNo. 2 Virginia. Tech vs. No. 3 Cal Poly, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 1 Georgia Tech vs. No. 4 UIC, 12:00 p.m., ACCNNo. 2 Oklahoma vs. No. 3 The Citadel, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 2 Boston College vs. No. 3 Liberty, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Long Island, 7:00 p.m., SECNNo. 2 Tennessee vs. No. 3 East Carolina, 12:00 p.m., ESPNUNo. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 VCU, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 1 Texas vs. No. 4 Holy Cross, 1:00 p.m., SECNNo. 2 UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 3 Tarleton State 6:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 2 Oklahoma State vs. No. 3 USC Upstate, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Alabama State, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 1 Florida vs. No. 4 Rider, 1:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 2 Miami vs. No. 3 Troy, 6:00 p.m., ACCNNo. 1 Southern Miss vs. No. 4 Little Rock, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 2 Virginia vs. No. 3 Jacksonville State, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 4 St. John’s, 3:00 p.m., ACCNNo. 2 Coastal Carolina vs. No. 3 Northern Illinois, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 2 Oregon State vs. No. 3 Washington State, 3:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 4 Yale, 8:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 1 Texas A&M vs. No. 4 Lamar, 4:00 p.m., SECNNo. 2 USC vs. No. 3 Texas State, 9:00 p.m, ESPN+No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 4 South Dakota State, 4:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 2 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Arizona State, 9:00 p.m, ESPNUNo. 1 Mississippi State vs. No. 4 Lipscomb, 2:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 2 Cincinnati vs. No. 3 Louisiana, 7:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 4 Northeastern, 1:00 p.m, ESPN+No. 2 Arkansas vs. No. 3 Missouri State, 6:00 p.m., ESPN+No. 2 Wake Forest vs. No. 3 Kentucky, 12:00 p.m., ESPN2No. 1 West Virginia vs. No. 4 Binghamton, 5:00 p.m., ESPN+ #NCAA #baseball #tournament #Schedule #scores #regionals

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