WrestleMania 42 Fallout: WWE Shakeups, Releases, and What’s Next | Deadspin.com WrestleMania 42 is in the rearview mirror and will go down as one of the most polarizing of its kind. Ads were galore, the ESPN app kept crashing, and the longest match across the board was 33 minutes long. On the bright side, almost everyone’s favorite won last weekend. Randy Orton was originally supposed to win his 15th title, but Triple H decided to keep his rivalry going with Cody Rhodes. Long story short, WWE wanted to hit the reset button and rid the filth of TKO’s meddling with the insertion of Pat McAfee.The Ruler Has ArrivedOba! Oba! Oba! Oba!Oba Femi beat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania in the opener, and WWE made the right decision. Rumor has it that Brock Lesnar picked Oba Femi to be his WrestleMania opponent and put him over. The Nigerian Giant opened Monday Night Raw, the crowd strutted along to his entrance and serenaded him. Femi said, “The Ruler Has Arrived,” and the mic dropped. Short, sweet, and to the point. Where he goes from here is anybody’s guess but expect a clash with Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight title at SummerSlam or before the year is out.The ‘Mania Match that Should’ve HappenedIt’s a shame Iyo Sky vs Asuka (even adding Kaire Sane) didn’t happen at WrestleMania. Instead, Sky made an appearance in Rhea’s title match and celebrated Ripley’s victory. According to reports, the creative team didn’t want to rush this match and instead gave it time to develop. That same team put Gunther and Seth Rollins together in less than three weeks. On Raw, Sky and Ripley took down Asuka and Sane in the first match of the show. Hopefully, we will get Iyo Sky and Asuka at Backlash. It’s ridiculous that one of the greatest female wrestlers on the planet couldn’t get on the WM card.The N(E)XT Generation is HereEvery year after WrestleMania, WWE calls up the best and brightest stars from NXT. Ethan Page and Sol Ruca made their debuts on Raw, while Fatal Influence was involved in two segments on SmackDown. Page looks to have found his place in the IC title picture, while Ruca stood toe-to-toe with WWE Raw Women’s Champion Liv Morgan. Meanwhile, Fatal Influence got involved in the tag team title bout before Jacy Jayne hit Rhea Ripley with her best shot. Joe Hendry is scheduled to have a concert on Raw, while Blake Monroe and Ricky Saints will be making their debuts soon.All Gas No BreaksWhen Roman Reigns won their first World Heavyweight Championship, fans wondered what was next for the Tribal Chief. Would it be Rock, Bron Breakker, or Oba Femi? None of the above. In the last segment of Raw, Jacob Fatu interrupted Reigns and the Usos looking for a title opportunity. It looks like WWE fans are going to see Roman Reigns vs Jacob Fatu at Backlash in Tampa. Fatu will likely lose to Reigns, but if they add a stipulation that he must join the Bloodline as a result. Things could get interesting. It’s great to see the Samoan Werewolf get his flower and confront the Tribal Chief. Let’s hope there are bigger things for him on the horizon.Spring CleaningThere’s no easy way to put it. Days after WWE/TKO announced WrestleMania 42 was the highest-grossing event in company history, over 20 superstars were released. Most notable were Santos Escobar, Apollo Crews, Kaire Sane, Aleister Black, along with his wife, Zelina Vega, and the Wyatt Sicks. The strange part of all of this is WWE aired a vignette for the Wyatt Sicks during a SmackDown commercial break despite them being released. Something must have gotten lost in translation along the way. Fans might be under the impression that TKO is responsible for this happening, but that lies with Triple H. Hoping all the talent find another home sooner than later.Returns and DeparturesWe got Paige, Bron Breakker, and Street Profits back in the last week. Paige is a Women’s Tag Team champion, while Breakker is targeting Seth Rollins. The Street Profits mysteriously disappeared from WWE television but returned to take out the Vision. Here’s to hoping they take the tag titles off the Vision immediately.On the flip side, a match planned for Backlash has been cancelled. Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll have departed from WWE on their own accord. After harsh backlash (pun fully intended), the two went to their social media platforms and announced their departure from the company. Cody Rhodes on SmackDown said, “To those outside forces that kept interceding and interjecting into my WrestleMania plans… You guys are 0-3. Send your best or count your money and mind your damn business.” He refers to WM 40, where Rock almost took his spot, WM 41 with Travis Scott, and finally Pat McAfee at WM 42. Expect a rematch between Orton and Rhodes for the belt without any shenanigans, and for Orton to win his 15th title. The American Nightmare isn’t medically cleared, so fans will have to wait and see when these two will clash.One last thing before I forget, Tiffany Stratton is the new Women’s US champion after beating Guilia. Don’t worry if you forgot about this title; so, did Triple H and the rest of the creative team. They seem to only care about it when the belt is on Chelsea Green, who is nursing a broken foot and will be out for several months.With new talent in the spotlight, WWE may have found its formula for success. Unfortunately, dozens have lost their jobs in the past few days. Let’s see what Triple H and co. have in store for this next chapter. #WrestleMania #Fallout #WWE #Shakeups #Releases #Whats #Deadspin.com

WrestleMania 42 Fallout: WWE Shakeups, Releases, and What’s Next | Deadspin.com

WrestleMania 42 is in the rearview mirror and will go down as one of the most polarizing of its kind. Ads were galore, the ESPN app kept crashing, and the longest match across the board was 33 minutes long. On the bright side, almost everyone’s favorite won last weekend. Randy Orton was originally supposed to win his 15th title, but Triple H decided to keep his rivalry going with Cody Rhodes. Long story short, WWE wanted to hit the reset button and rid the filth of TKO’s meddling with the insertion of Pat McAfee.
The Ruler Has Arrived
Oba! Oba! Oba! Oba!
Oba Femi beat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania in the opener, and WWE made the right decision. Rumor has it that Brock Lesnar picked Oba Femi to be his WrestleMania opponent and put him over. The Nigerian Giant opened Monday Night Raw, the crowd strutted along to his entrance and serenaded him. Femi said, “The Ruler Has Arrived,” and the mic dropped. Short, sweet, and to the point. Where he goes from here is anybody’s guess but expect a clash with Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight title at SummerSlam or before the year is out.
The ‘Mania Match that Should’ve Happened
It’s a shame Iyo Sky vs Asuka (even adding Kaire Sane) didn’t happen at WrestleMania. Instead, Sky made an appearance in Rhea’s title match and celebrated Ripley’s victory. According to reports, the creative team didn’t want to rush this match and instead gave it time to develop. That same team put Gunther and Seth Rollins together in less than three weeks. On Raw, Sky and Ripley took down Asuka and Sane in the first match of the show. Hopefully, we will get Iyo Sky and Asuka at Backlash. It’s ridiculous that one of the greatest female wrestlers on the planet couldn’t get on the WM card.
The N(E)XT Generation is Here
Every year after WrestleMania, WWE calls up the best and brightest stars from NXT. Ethan Page and Sol Ruca made their debuts on Raw, while Fatal Influence was involved in two segments on SmackDown. Page looks to have found his place in the IC title picture, while Ruca stood toe-to-toe with WWE Raw Women’s Champion Liv Morgan. Meanwhile, Fatal Influence got involved in the tag team title bout before Jacy Jayne hit Rhea Ripley with her best shot. Joe Hendry is scheduled to have a concert on Raw, while Blake Monroe and Ricky Saints will be making their debuts soon.
All Gas No Breaks
When Roman Reigns won their first World Heavyweight Championship, fans wondered what was next for the Tribal Chief. Would it be Rock, Bron Breakker, or Oba Femi? None of the above. In the last segment of Raw, Jacob Fatu interrupted Reigns and the Usos looking for a title opportunity. It looks like WWE fans are going to see Roman Reigns vs Jacob Fatu at Backlash in Tampa. Fatu will likely lose to Reigns, but if they add a stipulation that he must join the Bloodline as a result. Things could get interesting. It’s great to see the Samoan Werewolf get his flower and confront the Tribal Chief. Let’s hope there are bigger things for him on the horizon.
Spring Cleaning
There’s no easy way to put it. Days after WWE/TKO announced WrestleMania 42 was the highest-grossing event in company history, over 20 superstars were released. Most notable were Santos Escobar, Apollo Crews, Kaire Sane, Aleister Black, along with his wife, Zelina Vega, and the Wyatt Sicks. The strange part of all of this is WWE aired a vignette for the Wyatt Sicks during a SmackDown commercial break despite them being released. Something must have gotten lost in translation along the way. Fans might be under the impression that TKO is responsible for this happening, but that lies with Triple H. Hoping all the talent find another home sooner than later.
Returns and Departures
We got Paige, Bron Breakker, and Street Profits back in the last week. Paige is a Women’s Tag Team champion, while Breakker is targeting Seth Rollins. The Street Profits mysteriously disappeared from WWE television but returned to take out the Vision. Here’s to hoping they take the tag titles off the Vision immediately.
On the flip side, a match planned for Backlash has been cancelled. Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll have departed from WWE on their own accord. After harsh backlash (pun fully intended), the two went to their social media platforms and announced their departure from the company. Cody Rhodes on SmackDown said, “To those outside forces that kept interceding and interjecting into my WrestleMania plans… You guys are 0-3. Send your best or count your money and mind your damn business.” He refers to WM 40, where Rock almost took his spot, WM 41 with Travis Scott, and finally Pat McAfee at WM 42. Expect a rematch between Orton and Rhodes for the belt without any shenanigans, and for Orton to win his 15th title. The American Nightmare isn’t medically cleared, so fans will have to wait and see when these two will clash.
One last thing before I forget, Tiffany Stratton is the new Women’s US champion after beating Guilia. Don’t worry if you forgot about this title; so, did Triple H and the rest of the creative team. They seem to only care about it when the belt is on Chelsea Green, who is nursing a broken foot and will be out for several months.
With new talent in the spotlight, WWE may have found its formula for success. Unfortunately, dozens have lost their jobs in the past few days. Let’s see what Triple H and co. have in store for this next chapter.

#WrestleMania #Fallout #WWE #Shakeups #Releases #Whats #Deadspin.com

Sports news April 27, 2026

WrestleMania 42 is in the rearview mirror and will go down as one of the most polarizing of its kind. Ads were galore, the ESPN app kept crashing, and the longest match across the board was 33 minutes long. On the bright side, almost everyone’s favorite won last weekend. Randy Orton was originally supposed to win his 15th title, but Triple H decided to keep his rivalry going with Cody Rhodes. Long story short, WWE wanted to hit the reset button and rid the filth of TKO’s meddling with the insertion of Pat McAfee.

The Ruler Has Arrived

Oba! Oba! Oba! Oba!

Oba Femi beat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania in the opener, and WWE made the right decision. Rumor has it that Brock Lesnar picked Oba Femi to be his WrestleMania opponent and put him over. The Nigerian Giant opened Monday Night Raw, the crowd strutted along to his entrance and serenaded him. Femi said, “The Ruler Has Arrived,” and the mic dropped. Short, sweet, and to the point. Where he goes from here is anybody’s guess but expect a clash with Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight title at SummerSlam or before the year is out.

The ‘Mania Match that Should’ve Happened

It’s a shame Iyo Sky vs Asuka (even adding Kaire Sane) didn’t happen at WrestleMania. Instead, Sky made an appearance in Rhea’s title match and celebrated Ripley’s victory. According to reports, the creative team didn’t want to rush this match and instead gave it time to develop. That same team put Gunther and Seth Rollins together in less than three weeks. On Raw, Sky and Ripley took down Asuka and Sane in the first match of the show. Hopefully, we will get Iyo Sky and Asuka at Backlash. It’s ridiculous that one of the greatest female wrestlers on the planet couldn’t get on the WM card.

The N(E)XT Generation is Here

Every year after WrestleMania, WWE calls up the best and brightest stars from NXT. Ethan Page and Sol Ruca made their debuts on Raw, while Fatal Influence was involved in two segments on SmackDown. Page looks to have found his place in the IC title picture, while Ruca stood toe-to-toe with WWE Raw Women’s Champion Liv Morgan. Meanwhile, Fatal Influence got involved in the tag team title bout before Jacy Jayne hit Rhea Ripley with her best shot. Joe Hendry is scheduled to have a concert on Raw, while Blake Monroe and Ricky Saints will be making their debuts soon.

All Gas No Breaks

When Roman Reigns won their first World Heavyweight Championship, fans wondered what was next for the Tribal Chief. Would it be Rock, Bron Breakker, or Oba Femi? None of the above. In the last segment of Raw, Jacob Fatu interrupted Reigns and the Usos looking for a title opportunity. It looks like WWE fans are going to see Roman Reigns vs Jacob Fatu at Backlash in Tampa. Fatu will likely lose to Reigns, but if they add a stipulation that he must join the Bloodline as a result. Things could get interesting. It’s great to see the Samoan Werewolf get his flower and confront the Tribal Chief. Let’s hope there are bigger things for him on the horizon.

Spring Cleaning

There’s no easy way to put it. Days after WWE/TKO announced WrestleMania 42 was the highest-grossing event in company history, over 20 superstars were released. Most notable were Santos Escobar, Apollo Crews, Kaire Sane, Aleister Black, along with his wife, Zelina Vega, and the Wyatt Sicks. The strange part of all of this is WWE aired a vignette for the Wyatt Sicks during a SmackDown commercial break despite them being released. Something must have gotten lost in translation along the way. Fans might be under the impression that TKO is responsible for this happening, but that lies with Triple H. Hoping all the talent find another home sooner than later.

Returns and Departures

We got Paige, Bron Breakker, and Street Profits back in the last week. Paige is a Women’s Tag Team champion, while Breakker is targeting Seth Rollins. The Street Profits mysteriously disappeared from WWE television but returned to take out the Vision. Here’s to hoping they take the tag titles off the Vision immediately.

On the flip side, a match planned for Backlash has been cancelled. Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll have departed from WWE on their own accord. After harsh backlash (pun fully intended), the two went to their social media platforms and announced their departure from the company. Cody Rhodes on SmackDown said, “To those outside forces that kept interceding and interjecting into my WrestleMania plans… You guys are 0-3. Send your best or count your money and mind your damn business.” He refers to WM 40, where Rock almost took his spot, WM 41 with Travis Scott, and finally Pat McAfee at WM 42. Expect a rematch between Orton and Rhodes for the belt without any shenanigans, and for Orton to win his 15th title. The American Nightmare isn’t medically cleared, so fans will have to wait and see when these two will clash.

One last thing before I forget, Tiffany Stratton is the new Women’s US champion after beating Guilia. Don’t worry if you forgot about this title; so, did Triple H and the rest of the creative team. They seem to only care about it when the belt is on Chelsea Green, who is nursing a broken foot and will be out for several months.

With new talent in the spotlight, WWE may have found its formula for success. Unfortunately, dozens have lost their jobs in the past few days. Let’s see what Triple H and co. have in store for this next chapter.

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#WrestleMania #Fallout #WWE #Shakeups #Releases #Whats #Deadspin.com

World Team Table Tennis Championships Preview: Indians target group dominance as new era begins <div id="content-body-70912866" itemprop="articleBody">India’s men’s and women’s teams head into the 2026 World Team Table Tennis Championships, beginning in London on Tuesday, with a familiar mix of promise and pressure.Placed in Group 7, the Indian men’s team—featuring Manav Thakkar (WR No. 38), G. Sathiyan (42), Manush Shah (51), Harmeet Desai (80) and Payas Jain (127)—will start as the clear favourite against Slovakia, Tunisia and Guatemala.On paper, the rankings tilt heavily in India’s favour, particularly against a Slovak line-up led by Lubomir Pistej (149) and Yang Wang (184).Yet, the absence of now-retired Sharath Kamal’s experience in crunch ties could test India’s composure, especially in tight five-match encounters.The women’s team finds itself in Group 6, alongside Ukraine, Uganda, and Rwanda.Led by Manika Batra (WR No. 49), India also has Yashaswini Ghorpade (88), Diya Chitale (92), Sutirtha Mukherjee (120) and Syndrela Das (175), who at 16 is the youngest from the country to play at the worlds.Ukraine, spearheaded by Margaryta Pesotska (51), presents a more tangible threat, making the group a closer contest than the men’s draw.India’s recent history at this event offers both encouragement and caution. At the 2024 edition in Busan, both teams advanced to the knockout stage but exited in the Round of 32.The women’s team impressed with a second-place group finish that included narrow wins over Hungary and Spain, while pushing China in a close 2-3 loss.The men, meanwhile, showed resilience with wins over Chile and Kazakhstan but faltered against stronger opposition, going down 0-3 to South Korea in the knockouts.The format in London raises the stakes further.Only group winners are guaranteed direct entry into the main draw, while second-placed teams face a complicated qualification route based on match ratios.For the men, depth remains a strong suit.Sathiyan and Thakkar bring consistency, while Shah’s upward trajectory adds firepower.The women’s side, on the other hand, appears more balanced than before, with Manika’s big-match temperament complemented by a young core gaining international exposure.If India can convert its numerical advantage into clinical performances and avoid slipping into the uncertainties of second place, a deeper run than 2024 is well within reach.A century after the inaugural ITTF World Table Tennis Championships took place in England in 1926, the sport returns to where it all began for a truly historic centenary celebration.Published on Apr 27, 2026</div> #World #Team #Table #Tennis #Championships #Preview #Indians #target #group #dominance #era #begins

PBKS vs RR, IPL 2026: Opening acts in focus as Punjab Kings faces Rajasthan Royals <div id="content-body-70912478" itemprop="articleBody">Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Priyansh Arya, and Prabhsimran Singh – in any other era, at least two of them would’ve been opening for India in T20Is. Yet none of them is, at the moment. But when they turn up for their respective sides – Rajasthan Royals and Punjab Kings – on Tuesday, all eyes at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Stadium will be on them.Jaiswal and Sooryavanshi have struck at 192.45 while opening, just behind Arya and Prabhsimran’s 215.53. The two opening pairs have been monumental to their teams’ performances so far.While PBKS has been unbeaten in seven games, RR has won five out of eight.Of course, the other nine players have had a say in their respective teams’ positions in the table, but remove these four, and there’s a problem to solve.For Punjab, Cooper Connolly has done well to establish himself in his debut IPL season, scoring 240 runs in six outings. He’s followed by another in-form batter, Shreyas Iyer, who has been just as impressive in keeping pace with his openers, striking at 186. Beyond that, the scoring rate dips to 9.71 per over for batters five to seven.For Royals, the issue runs deeper. While the top three – with Dhruv Jurel at one down – seem in control, inconsistency from Riyan Parag and Shimron Hetmyer has dragged the numbers down. RR’s No. 5 to 7 batters score at 7.75 runs per over – second-worst after Lucknow Super Giants this season.The drop in effectiveness down the order makes the openers’ role even more crucial, and these four have shouldered that responsibility, shaping how their batting line-ups function.For Royals, the bowlers – led by Jofra Archer (13 wickets), Ravi Bishnoi (11), and Nandre Burger (8) – have compensated for the batting vulnerabilities. Their economy rate of 9.39 is the second-best after Super Giants, and they pick up a wicket every 14 balls.PBKS, though, hasn’t been able to keep opposition batters in check, conceding 10.30 runs per over – second-worst after Mumbai Indians. Yet, Punjab remains unbeaten. As was evident from its record chase of 265 in Delhi a couple of days ago, it is a side built to score 250.On Tuesday evening, it will be a contest between a side designed to score 250 and another built to restrict the opposition to around 220. For the away captain Parag, the most important moment could come at the toss – if he gets it right, he would have to bowl first and try to exploit the early swing on offer. Otherwise, Punjab would be more than happy to chase any target at this point.Published on Apr 27, 2026</div> #PBKS #IPL #Opening #acts #focus #Punjab #Kings #faces #Rajasthan #Royals

#Jack #Draper #withdraws #Wimbledon #arm #injury"> $Jack Draper withdraws from Wimbledon with arm injury Jack Draper became the second leading British player to withdraw from Wimbledon as the former US Open semi-finalist followed Emma Raducanu out of the tournament.Draper has suffered a recurrence of an arm injury and will not be able to face American sixth seed Taylor Fritz on Centre Court on Tuesday.It is the latest fitness setback for the former world number four, who has played only a handful of tournaments this year.Coached by former Grand Slam champion Andy Murray, the 24-year-old reached the semi-finals of the Wimbledon warm-up event at Eastbourne last week in his first tournament since April.ALSO READ:With Carlos Alcaraz absent, Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar impresses on Wimbledon debut“There have been a lot of painful moments in the last 12 months but this one is definitely the absolute worst as there is no greater honour for a British player than playing at Wimbledon,” Draper said.Former US Open champion Raducanu pulled out late on Sunday after scans showed she had suffered a stress fracture in her right leg.The 23-year-old, seeded 30th, was due to start her campaign on Monday against Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic.Published on Jun 29, 2026 #Jack #Draper #withdraws #Wimbledon #arm #injury$

mwasimuddin125 0

Jack Draper became the second leading British player to withdraw from Wimbledon as the former US Open semi-finalist followed Emma Raducanu out of the tournament.
Draper has suffered a recurrence of an arm injury and will not be able to face American sixth seed Taylor Fritz on Centre Court on Tuesday.
It is the latest fitness setback for the former world number four, who has played only a handful of tournaments this year.
Coached by former Grand Slam champion Andy Murray, the 24-year-old reached the semi-finals of the Wimbledon warm-up event at Eastbourne last week in his first tournament since April.
ALSO READ:With Carlos Alcaraz absent, Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar impresses on Wimbledon debut
“There have been a lot of painful moments in the last 12 months but this one is definitely the absolute worst as there is no greater honour for a British player than playing at Wimbledon,” Draper said.
Former US Open champion Raducanu pulled out late on Sunday after scans showed she had suffered a stress fracture in her right leg.
The 23-year-old, seeded 30th, was due to start her campaign on Monday against Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic.
Published on Jun 29, 2026

#Jack #Draper #withdraws #Wimbledon #arm #injury">Jack Draper withdraws from Wimbledon with arm injury

Jack Draper became the second leading British player to withdraw from Wimbledon as the former US Open semi-finalist followed Emma Raducanu out of the tournament.

Draper has suffered a recurrence of an arm injury and will not be able to face American sixth seed Taylor Fritz on Centre Court on Tuesday.

It is the latest fitness setback for the former world number four, who has played only a handful of tournaments this year.

Coached by former Grand Slam champion Andy Murray, the 24-year-old reached the semi-finals of the Wimbledon warm-up event at Eastbourne last week in his first tournament since April.

ALSO READ:With Carlos Alcaraz absent, Spanish teenager Rafael Jodar impresses on Wimbledon debut

“There have been a lot of painful moments in the last 12 months but this one is definitely the absolute worst as there is no greater honour for a British player than playing at Wimbledon,” Draper said.

Former US Open champion Raducanu pulled out late on Sunday after scans showed she had suffered a stress fracture in her right leg.

The 23-year-old, seeded 30th, was due to start her campaign on Monday against Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic.

Published on Jun 29, 2026

#Jack #Draper #withdraws #Wimbledon #arm #injury

Deadspin | Japan hope to slay Brazil without star player in World Cup knockouts June 24, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; Brazil’s Rayan reacts. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images In a friendly in Tokyo last October, Brazil surrendered a two-goal halftime lead and watched Japan pull ahead for an eventual 3-2 victory. Rayan, a 19-year-old forward, was not part of Brazil’s team that day, so perhaps he can be forgiven for admitting he doesn’t know much about the Japanese squad. “I don’t know who their best player is,” Rayan said when a Japanese reporter asked him. “I’d have to watch the video to be able to tell you. We know that Japan is a very strong team and we have to work hard to give it our all and beat them.” The Selecao will be on alert when they come face to face with the Samurai Blue in the round of 32 on Monday afternoon in Houston. Options Rayan could have considered in his answer included Takefusa Kubo, a forward nicknamed “the Japanese Messi,” or perhaps Ayase Ueda, a Feyenoord striker with 18 goals for his national team. But Kubo hasn’t played since suffering a meniscus tear in Japan’s opener against the Netherlands, and Sunday he was ruled out for the Brazil clash. Ueda and Daichi Kamada are tied for the team lead with two goals apiece in the group stage — and Ueda had the go-ahead goal in that 3-2 upset back in October. Japan are nevertheless the clear underdogs going into this match. They finished second to Netherlands in Group F with a win over overmatched Tunisia and two draws. They don’t have the history that Brazil can boast, but Japan have qualified for the knockouts at three straight World Cups and four of the past five, though never advancing past the round of 16. “Brazil are always a leading team. They have a very good chance of winning,” coach Hajime Moriyasu said Sunday. “Some people will say Japan are underdogs. We will play with that in mind. We will respect the opponents, but like last year (in the friendly win) we weren’t given a chance to win. This possibility to win — we can change history.” After opening with a draw against Morocco, Brazil rang up 3-0 wins over Haiti and Scotland to win Group C. Vinicius Junior (four) and Matheus Cunha (three) have combined to score all of Brazil’s goals thus far, with Bruno Guimaraes earning assists on three. They’ve made up for the absence of Neymar, who was not ready at the onset of the tournament as he rehabbed a calf injury suffered May 17 while playing for his club. Neymar made his first showing of the tournament Wednesday by subbing on for the last 15 minutes against Scotland. For what it’s worth, Neymar scored his first goal for the Selecao against Japan in a FIFA Confederations Cup match in 2013, and in a friendly the following year the ex-wunderkind poured in four goals. The Brazil faithful hope coach Carlo Ancelotti has the team on course for its record sixth World Cup win and first since 2002. “We’re not perfect. We can improve. For example, our pace on the ball. We can be quicker,” Ancelotti said after the Scotland match. “But I’m pleased because the team has improved a lot since the first match. Now it’s a knockout competition. We need to show real grit.” –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Japan #hope #slay #Brazil #star #player #World #Cup #knockouts

#Deadspin #Japan #hope #slay #Brazil #star #player #World #Cup #knockouts">

mwasimuddin125 0

June 24, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; Brazil’s Rayan reacts. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

In a friendly in Tokyo last October, Brazil surrendered a two-goal halftime lead and watched Japan pull ahead for an eventual 3-2 victory.

Rayan, a 19-year-old forward, was not part of Brazil’s team that day, so perhaps he can be forgiven for admitting he doesn’t know much about the Japanese squad.

“I don’t know who their best player is,” Rayan said when a Japanese reporter asked him. “I’d have to watch the video to be able to tell you. We know that Japan is a very strong team and we have to work hard to give it our all and beat them.”

The Selecao will be on alert when they come face to face with the Samurai Blue in the round of 32 on Monday afternoon in Houston.

Options Rayan could have considered in his answer included Takefusa Kubo, a forward nicknamed “the Japanese Messi,” or perhaps Ayase Ueda, a Feyenoord striker with 18 goals for his national team. But Kubo hasn’t played since suffering a meniscus tear in Japan’s opener against the Netherlands, and Sunday he was ruled out for the Brazil clash.

Ueda and Daichi Kamada are tied for the team lead with two goals apiece in the group stage — and Ueda had the go-ahead goal in that 3-2 upset back in October.

Japan are nevertheless the clear underdogs going into this match. They finished second to Netherlands in Group F with a win over overmatched Tunisia and two draws. They don’t have the history that Brazil can boast, but Japan have qualified for the knockouts at three straight World Cups and four of the past five, though never advancing past the round of 16.

“Brazil are always a leading team. They have a very good chance of winning,” coach Hajime Moriyasu said Sunday. “Some people will say Japan are underdogs. We will play with that in mind. We will respect the opponents, but like last year (in the friendly win) we weren’t given a chance to win. This possibility to win — we can change history.”

After opening with a draw against Morocco, Brazil rang up 3-0 wins over Haiti and Scotland to win Group C. Vinicius Junior (four) and Matheus Cunha (three) have combined to score all of Brazil’s goals thus far, with Bruno Guimaraes earning assists on three.

They’ve made up for the absence of Neymar, who was not ready at the onset of the tournament as he rehabbed a calf injury suffered May 17 while playing for his club. Neymar made his first showing of the tournament Wednesday by subbing on for the last 15 minutes against Scotland.

For what it’s worth, Neymar scored his first goal for the Selecao against Japan in a FIFA Confederations Cup match in 2013, and in a friendly the following year the ex-wunderkind poured in four goals.

The Brazil faithful hope coach Carlo Ancelotti has the team on course for its record sixth World Cup win and first since 2002.

“We’re not perfect. We can improve. For example, our pace on the ball. We can be quicker,” Ancelotti said after the Scotland match. “But I’m pleased because the team has improved a lot since the first match. Now it’s a knockout competition. We need to show real grit.”

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Japan #hope #slay #Brazil #star #player #World #Cup #knockouts">Deadspin | Japan hope to slay Brazil without star player in World Cup knockouts

June 24, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, U.S.; Brazil’s Rayan reacts. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

In a friendly in Tokyo last October, Brazil surrendered a two-goal halftime lead and watched Japan pull ahead for an eventual 3-2 victory.

Rayan, a 19-year-old forward, was not part of Brazil’s team that day, so perhaps he can be forgiven for admitting he doesn’t know much about the Japanese squad.

“I don’t know who their best player is,” Rayan said when a Japanese reporter asked him. “I’d have to watch the video to be able to tell you. We know that Japan is a very strong team and we have to work hard to give it our all and beat them.”

The Selecao will be on alert when they come face to face with the Samurai Blue in the round of 32 on Monday afternoon in Houston.

Options Rayan could have considered in his answer included Takefusa Kubo, a forward nicknamed “the Japanese Messi,” or perhaps Ayase Ueda, a Feyenoord striker with 18 goals for his national team. But Kubo hasn’t played since suffering a meniscus tear in Japan’s opener against the Netherlands, and Sunday he was ruled out for the Brazil clash.

Ueda and Daichi Kamada are tied for the team lead with two goals apiece in the group stage — and Ueda had the go-ahead goal in that 3-2 upset back in October.

Japan are nevertheless the clear underdogs going into this match. They finished second to Netherlands in Group F with a win over overmatched Tunisia and two draws. They don’t have the history that Brazil can boast, but Japan have qualified for the knockouts at three straight World Cups and four of the past five, though never advancing past the round of 16.

“Brazil are always a leading team. They have a very good chance of winning,” coach Hajime Moriyasu said Sunday. “Some people will say Japan are underdogs. We will play with that in mind. We will respect the opponents, but like last year (in the friendly win) we weren’t given a chance to win. This possibility to win — we can change history.”

After opening with a draw against Morocco, Brazil rang up 3-0 wins over Haiti and Scotland to win Group C. Vinicius Junior (four) and Matheus Cunha (three) have combined to score all of Brazil’s goals thus far, with Bruno Guimaraes earning assists on three.

They’ve made up for the absence of Neymar, who was not ready at the onset of the tournament as he rehabbed a calf injury suffered May 17 while playing for his club. Neymar made his first showing of the tournament Wednesday by subbing on for the last 15 minutes against Scotland.

For what it’s worth, Neymar scored his first goal for the Selecao against Japan in a FIFA Confederations Cup match in 2013, and in a friendly the following year the ex-wunderkind poured in four goals.

The Brazil faithful hope coach Carlo Ancelotti has the team on course for its record sixth World Cup win and first since 2002.

“We’re not perfect. We can improve. For example, our pace on the ball. We can be quicker,” Ancelotti said after the Scotland match. “But I’m pleased because the team has improved a lot since the first match. Now it’s a knockout competition. We need to show real grit.”

–Field Level Media

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