COULD MMA BECOME AN OLYMPIC SPORT?
Just over a month after announcing his retirement, Khabib Nurmagomedov is pursuing his next challenge: trying to make mixed martial arts an Olympic sport.
Nurmagomedov, who in October completed his third lightweight title defense at UFC 254, believes MMA can become an Olympic event by the 2028 Games in Los Angeles, he told reporters this week at a news conference in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
“The inclusion of MMA in the Olympics is one of my biggest tasks for the next couple of years,” he said in Russian. “We’re already working in this direction.”
Nurmagomedov is working to set up a meeting with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach.
He said MMA has the ratings and sponsorships to draw interest on par with track and field, one of the most watched Olympics sports in the U.S., although he expects its inclusion will require adjustments, including heavier gloves, to make the sport more palatable to squeamish viewers.
The Opening Ceremonies of the Tokyo Olympics, which were delayed from this past summer, are scheduled for July 23, 2021. The Games will feature combat sports including boxing, judo, taekwondo, wrestling and karate, which will make its Summer Olympics debut.
“In the Olympics, with boxing, I think they changed the gloves,” Nurmagomedov said. “They don’t want there to be a lot of blood.”
Horse racing
Golden Gate Fields has extended is suspension of live horse racing until Dec. 26 because of COVID-19. That’s the same day sister track Santa Anita opens its winter meet.
• Agent Ron Anderson announced this week that jockey Joel Rosario, who won four races last week at Del Mar, would ride this winter at Santa Anita.
Soccer
Kevin Molino scored twice in the first half and visiting Minnesota United advanced to the MLS Western Conference finals, beating Sporting Kansas City 3-0. Fourth-seeded Minnesota will play at No. 2 seed Seattle on Monday night for a spot in the MLS Cup finals.
• AC Milan came from two goals down to beat Celtic 4-2 and qualify for the Europa League’s knockout stage, while Tottenham advanced despite giving up a late equalizer. Gareth Bale scored his first Europa League goal since returning to Tottenham from Real Madrid in the London club’s 3-3 draw at Austria’s LASK, which was enough to advance from Group J.
Fans returned to a European football game in England for the first time since March when Arsenal hosted Rapid Vienna. Arsenal hasn’t won a Premier League game since Nov. 1 but is the last team to keep a perfect record in Europe’s second-tier competitions after a 4-1 victory.
The Premier League agreed to a rescue package worth 250 million pounds ($330 million) to ease the financial burden on lower-division teams in English soccer as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
San Jose goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski was added to the U.S. training camp ahead of a Dec. 9 exhibition against El Salvador in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The 23-year-old replaced Salt Lake’s David Ochoa, who strained his right quadriceps.
Virus
USA Curling decided to cancel or postpone all remaining events this season until at least May, meaning the reigning national champions in men’s, women’s and mixed doubles will represent the United States at the 2021 world championships.
• The U.S. long track national speedskating championships scheduled for this weekend in Utah were called off.
Also
An investigation has been opened into Formula One driver Romain Grosjean’s horrifying crash at the Bahrain Grand Prix, governing body FIA said. The FIA said it could take up to eight weeks before the conclusions are made public. The French driver was trapped in a burning car on Sunday when it sliced in half after penetrating a metal crash barrier and then exploded into a fireball.
Vickie Johnson agreed in principle to be the next coach of the WNBA’s Dallas Wings, a person familiar with the situation said.
ESPN announced that Dan Le Batard will be leaving the network on Jan. 4.
Alexis Lafreniere will not play for Canada in the world junior hockey championship. Hockey Canada said in a statement that the NHL’s New York Rangers will not loan Lafreniere to Canada’s team for the tournament in Edmonton. The Rangers selected Lafreniere with the No. 1 pick this year in the NHL Draft.