IS THIS UFC OR WWE?
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By Tim Dahlberg The Associated Press
AS VEGAS—Khabib Nurmagomedov apologized, though it was clear he wasn’t sorry about much. Not after putting a beating on Conor McGregor in their highly anticipated fight. Not after leaping out of the octagon to settle another score while a couple of his thugs jumped in to deliver a few more blows to McGregor’s head. And certainly not after getting a call from Vladimir Putin offering congratulations for a job well done. Fighting means never having to say you’re sorry, especially if you’re doing it in the UFC. Nothing seems to be off limits, whether it’s a dive out of the octagon or an attack with a hand truck on a bus. UFC or WWE? About the only thing missing on Saturday night on the Las Vegas Strip was a script and some folding chairs for Nurmagomedov to smash over the heads of his tormentors. Sadly, it was all too predictable. So, too, will be the punishment for the fight after the fight. If you didn’t get any bets down on the fight itself, here’s something you can bet on: Nevada’s fight officials will get together sometime soon and hand down a fine and suspension to the Russian for the melee that broke out after his win over McGregor. There will be some stern warnings issued, some promises extracted that it won’t happen again. Nurmagomedov might even offer a more believable apology. And then there will be the rematch that will make even more millions of dollars for everyone involved. Oh, and here’s another prediction: UFC fans will eat it all up. Remember that the biggest fight in the history of UFC became that only after McGregor launched a criminal attack on a bus containing Nurmagomedov and others in Brooklyn, then followed it with a verbal attack on his opponent’s nationality and religion. It became that only after UFC chief Dana White embraced the bus attack and used video of it in ads to sell what he says will be a record number of pay-per-views to fans eager to see even more. Blame Nurmagomedov for his extracurricular action, yes. People were put in danger when he vaulted from
Sports BusinessMirror
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| Tuesday, October 9, 2018 mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph Editor: Jun Lomibao
KHABIB NURMAGOMEDOV (right) takes down Conor McGregor during their lightweight title bout over the weekend. AP
LEWIS HAMILTON moves a step closer to a fifth world championship. AP
Hamilton easily wins Japan GP, closes in on fifth world crown
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UZUKA, Japan—Lewis Hamilton stormed to victory at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, claiming his fourth straight Formula One win and moving a step closer to a fifth world championship. Starting from pole, the Mercedes driver was never seriously challenged and crossed the finish line 12.919 seconds ahead of teammate Valtteri Bottas. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was third, 14.295 seconds back. “The whole weekend has been incredibly strong
SWEEP CAROLINE
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EIJING—Caroline Wozniacki defeated Anastasija Sevastova, 6-3, 6-3, to win the China Open and her third Women’s Tennis Association title of the year on Sunday, while Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia beat top-seeded Juan Martin del Potro, 6-4, 6-4, in the men’s final. The victory was Wozniacki’s second title in Beijing. The unseeded Sevastova downed US Open champion Naomi Osaka in the semifinal, but couldn’t handle the secondseeded Dane’s punishing groundstrokes. Though Sevastova threatened late in the second set, Wozniacki broke in the ninth game to wrap up the title, the 30th of her career. Wozniacki said eight was her lucky number and, having won in Beijing eight years ago, she “felt it was my year.” “Last time was different. I was 20 years old,” Wozniacki said. “A lot has happened since then. “I think I just really appreciate still being here, playing well, being able to win these titles.” Sevastova said she had seen a path to victory in the second
the octagon, including Nevada’s governor, who White claimed was last seen running from the arena. But most of the blame should be put directly on White and UFC’s new owners for promoting—and profiting from—both a criminal act and trash talk that should be outside any sport—even in a sport that seems to have no standards. It was White, you might remember, who expressed outrage in Brooklyn in April when McGregor took a hand truck and smashed the window of the bus carrying Nurmagomedov and others. The rampage, White said at the time, was “the most disgusting thing that has ever happened in the history of the [UFC].” But there were no real consequences for McGregor, other than a brief trip to jail and a court appearance. Certainly no suspension by the UFC, which badly needs its only remaining big star to sell pay-per-views and keep investors happy. A few months later, White was using video from the incident to promote the fight. And a few days before the fight, he stood smiling as McGregor spouted a bizarre conspiracy theory about the Russian’s manager and the 9/11 terrorist attacks and then vowed to put a hole in Nurmagomedov’s skull. It was clown behavior, but this is a sport that rewards clown behavior. And that’s why both fighters stand to make even bigger money the next time they meet in the cage, something McGregor was already calling for just hours after his loss. “Good knock,” McGregor tweeted after tapping out in the fourth around. “Looking forward to the rematch.” That there will be a rematch is a foregone conclusion. And don’t be surprised if it is promoted with shots of the melee, much like Saturday night’s fight was promoted with video of McGregor going crazy in Brooklyn. This despite White’s claim that it was all some sort of aberration. “This is not what we do,” he said. “This isn’t how we act.” Actually it is precisely what UFC—and boxing to some extent—does. Controversy sells fights, and the bigger the controversy, the bigger the next fight. So spare us any fake outrage. Don’t try to pretend nobody could have seen this coming. Just get on with selling the next one.
for the team,” Hamilton said. “It’s a great 1-2 for Mercedes and shows you the strength and depth of our team.” Hamilton has won six of the last seven races and now leads Sebastian Vettel by 67 points with four races left. He only needs to outscore Vettel by eight points at the next race in the United States to clinch a fifth world championship. “We’ve gone from strength to strength as a team,”
set before Wozniacki slammed the door. “I think the second set should have been closer. Maybe I had even chances to win it,” Sevastova said. In the men’s final, big-hitting Basilashvili collected his second title of the year after winning in Hamburg. US Open finalist del Potro has the consolation of having qualified for the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Finals in London next month. Basilashvili saved all seven break points he faced against the Argentine. Daniil Medvedev, meanwhile, beat local favorite Kei Nishikori, 6-2, 6-4, in the Japan Open final on Sunday for his third career ATP title. The third-seeded Nishikori reached the tournament
Hamilton said. “And Austin is usually a good track for us so I can’t wait to unleash this beast there.” Vettel started eighth and quickly moved up to fourth place, overtaking both Toro Rosso cars that started ahead of him. But the Ferrari driver attempted to pass Max Verstappen on the ninth lap and the two cars collided with the Ferrari spinning off into the runoff. The move dropped Vettel back to 18th place. “I’m not the one who makes the rules,” Verstappen said. “It was a similar situation to what happened in China with him. He could have been more careful.” Vettel worked his way back up to sixth but couldn’t move higher than that. It was an impressive day for Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo who started 15th but finished fourth ahead of
decider without dropping a set but was broken three times by Medvedev. Medvedev won for the second time this year as a qualifier, after Sydney in January, and became the first Russian to win the Japan Open. Nishikori was bidding to join Pete Sampras and Stefan Edberg as tournament winners at least three times, but struggled from the outset and was 4-1 down in the first set. Medvedev served too good, winning 32 of his last 33 service points. He didn’t lose his serve from the quarterfinals on. Nishikori has lost his last eight finals, since 2016. AP
Vettel’s Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen. Force India’s Sergio Perez was seventh ahead of Haas driver Romain Grosjean. Force India’s Esteban Ocan was ninth, while Renault’s Carlos Sainz rounded out the top 10. There was an early collision with Sauber driver Charles Leclerc hitting the rear tire of Kevin Magnussen resulting in a puncture and bringing out the safety car. Verstappen was given a five second penalty for an incident with Raikkonen where he clashed with the Ferrari as he rejoined after running off at the chicane. “Kimi chose the wrong line in the chicane, he could have also just waited for me to come back on the track,” Verstappen said. “We touched a little bit but I really think it’s ridiculous those five seconds.” AP CAROLINE WOZNIACKI grabs her third Women’s Tennis Association title of the year. AP
ONE HITS $250-M BASE
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NE Championship says it has closed a $166-million financing round led by Sequoia Capital, pushing the Asian mixed martial arts promotion’s total capital base past $250 million. The Singapore-based promotion announced its latest equity investment on Monday. ONE Championship claims to be the largest sports media property in Asia, staging regular live shows that are viewed on television across the region and worldwide online. The promotion has added boxing and kickboxing matches to its busy slate of MMA shows in recent months, including a title defense by World Boxing Council super-flyweight boxing champion Srisaket Sor Rungvisai last weekend in Bangkok. The promotion also plans to add competition soon in sanda and wushu, two Chinese martial arts. ONE Championship will debut in Japan and Vietnam in 2019. AP
Farah bags 1st marathon win
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HICAGO—Britain’s Mo Farah won the Chicago Marathon on Sunday, claiming his first marathon victory in three attempts. Farah finished in two hours, five minutes and 11 seconds. It was the first marathon on US soil for Farah, who’s won four Olympic gold medals and six world championships on the track. Mosinet Geremew of Ethiopia finished second, 13 seconds behind Farah. Japan’s Suguru Osako came in third at 2:05:50. American Galen Rupp, last year’s winner and Farah’s former training partner, was fifth at 2:06:21. Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei won the women’s race in 2:18:35, the third-fastest time in the history of the Chicago race. Kosgei finished second in Chicago last year. Ethiopia’s Roza Dereje finished second, two minutes and 43 seconds behind Kosgei. Shure Demise of Ethiopia was third at 2:22:15. More than 40,000 runners started the race, which drew more than a million spectators. AP