St-Pierre to give UFC extra muscle
Ex-welterweight champ provides headliner in absence of McGregor
Georges St-Pierre has officially signed a new fight agreement with the UFC, company president Dana White said on Friday, giving the organization a bona fide pay-per-view headliner to cushion the absence of Conor McGregor.
“He’s back. I’m excited,” White said. “We worked at it for a long time and finally got it done.”
St-Pierre (25-2), the former welterweight champion who left the UFC after a grueling 2013 fight against Johny Hendricks and criticized the organization’s drug screening then, does not have a return date or opponent yet.
The return of St-Pierre helps the UFC cope with the absence of popular lightweight champion McGregor, who is awaiting the spring birth of his first child and is believed to be out until September, and the possible retirement of former women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.
St-Pierre was the UFC’s top pay-per-view draw and a dominant force in the UFC from 2006 to 2013.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency cleared featherweight Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino of a potential policy violation, ending her provisional suspension and allowing her to resume her UFC career. USADA granted a retroactive therapeutic use exemption to Justino for a diuretic commonly used as a masking agent for steroids. Justino (17-1) is considered the world’s top 145-pounder and likely the best poundfor-pound female fighter.
Football
Darrelle Revis has turned himself in to police. The Jets cornerback was surrounded by TV cameras as he arrived at the Pittsburgh Municipal Courts building. Revis was arraigned and was released on a non-monetary bond, according to ESPN. Revis is facing two felony counts of aggravated assault, one felony count of robbery, one felony count of conspiracy and a misdemeanor count of terroristic threats for his alleged involvement in a street fight in Pittsburgh early Sunday.
New England Patriots wide receiver Michael Floyd has pleaded guilty to second-offense extreme drunken driving and been sentenced to 24 days in jail. The former Arizona Cardinals player entered the plea in Scottsdale City Court. He also was sentenced to 96 days home confinement and will be required to wear GPS and alcohol monitoring devices.
Women’s basketball
Jordin Canada scored 22 points to lead No. 18 UCLA to a 90-79 upset victory over No. 9 Washington. The Bruins won their 26th consecutive home game, dating to last season.
Sydney Wiese had 14 points, Kolbie Orum added 10, and No. 11 Oregon State used a late push to get past Colorado 54-49.
Baseball
Adrian Gonzalez is taking a two-week break from hitting to heal tendinitis in the Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman’s right elbow. Gonzalez still hopes to play for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic next month, he said after reporting to camp.
Soccer
The U.S. women’s soccer team will play Russia in a pair of exhibitions this spring. The U.S. Soccer Federation said the Americans will play Russia on April 6 at Frisco, Texas, and three days later at Houston, the first meetings since the Americans won by a combined 15-0 in a pair of exhibitions three years ago.