PUTIN DEFENDS WHAT HAPPENED AFTER FIGHT

MOSCOW» Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has met with Khabib Nurmagomedov to congratulate him on winning the UFC lightweight title, and defended the fighter’s actions in the brawl that followed his victory over Conor McGregor.

Putin hailed Nurmagomedov’s “convincing” victory in the highly anticipated mixed martial arts bout in Las Vegas on Saturday, and said the champion’s decision to then climb over the cage and fight with members of McGregor’s corner had been provoked by insults.

The brawl also featured two men from Nurmagomedov’s entourage climbing into the cage and attacking McGregor.

Nurmagomedov told Putin on Wednesday he was sorry that he lost selfcontrol, but that he had heard McGregor’s camp insulting his father and his country.

Putin joked that he would ask Nurmagomedov’s father, who was also present at the meeting, not to punish him too severely.

The president added that “not just you, but all of us can jump out like that if assaulted.”

Wolves’ Butler “brutally honest.”

Jimmy Butler returned to practice with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the first time this season, and told ESPN in an interview that he was “brutally honest” with teammates and other officials in that workout.

Butler asked the Timberwolves to trade him elsewhere last month, and said during an interview that was taped and aired on Wednesday that much of an earlier ESPN report that he had outbursts during the practice was largely accurate.

Minnesota has engaged many teams in trade talks, Miami in particular, before those negotiations broke down over the weekend.

Tour de France trophy stolen.

Team Sky said the Tour de France trophy won by Geraint Thomas has been stolen from a cycling show in Britain.

The team says police are investigating after the trophy disappeared during an event in Birmingham, where Team Sky displayed the three Grand Tour trophies won by its riders. In addition to this year’s Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, a rider for Sky also claimed the 2017 Spanish Vuelta title.

Thomas, who won his first Grand Tour title this year, asked the thieves to return the trophy.

Johnson, Knaus split after 17 years.

There will not be an eighth NASCAR title for Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus.

Hendrick Motorsports will split the driver and crew chief — the longest pairing in NASCAR — at the end of a disappointing season. Johnson has not won a race in 17 months and was knocked out of the playoffs in the first round. Johnson and Knaus won their recordtying seventh championship in 2016 but have slumped since.

Stastny to miss at least 3 games.

WASHINGTON» Vegas Golden Knights center Paul Stastny will miss at least three games with an undisclosed lowerbody injury.

Coach Gerard Gallant on ruled out Stastny for games Wednesday night at the Capitals, Thursday night at the Penguins and Saturday afternoon at the Flyers. Gallant says Stastny was injured Monday in Buffalo.

Receiver suing U. of Wisconsin.

University of Wisconsin receiver Quintez Cephus is suing the school because he says a disciplinary probe it is conducting while he’s trying to defend himself in a criminal sexual assault case violates his rights.

Cephus was suspended from the Badgers in August after he was charged with sexually assaulting two drunken women in his apartment. Cephus says the sex was consensual.

Cephus filed a federal lawsuit alleging that a university disciplinary investigation against him launched in May is unfair. — The Associated Press