UFC: Bisping to face Gastelum
Michael Bisping, fresh off a Nov. 5 loss to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 217, will fight Kelvin Gastelum on Nov. 25 in the main event of the UFC’s card in China.
Bisping, 38, is stepping up on short notice after Anderson Silva was pulled from the bout over a positive drug test, and despite the fact he was choked unconscious just a week ago in a third-round submission that cost him his middleweight belt.
In Saturday’s main event in Norfolk, Va., Dustin Poirier submitted Anthony Pettis in Round 3.
JR Motorsports teammates Justin Allgaier, William Byron and Elliott Sadler joined Daniel Hemric in capturing the four spots next week in the Xfinity Series championship race. Valtteri Bottas claimed pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix after Mercedes teammate Lewis Hamilton crashed on the first lap. Hamilton, who won his fourth Formula One championship two weeks ago, will start at the back of the grid Sunday . ... Marc Marquez took pole position for the Valencia Grand Prix in Spain, where the defending MotoGP champion has the chance to clinch his fourth title . ... Eddie Krawiec wrapped up his fourth Pro Stock Motorcycle season title by qualifying at the season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals in Pomona. Ashley Sanford, running her last race in Top Alcohol before moving up to Top Fuel, qualified 14th, then lost her first-round matchup and was eliminated.
Eric Wedge, the former manager of the Cleveland Indians and Seattle Mariners, interviewed for the New York Yankees’ job.
Rickie Fowler finished his rain-delayed second round of the OHL Classic in Mexico in a three-way tie for the lead . ... Defending champion Paul Goydos took a one-stroke lead in the Champions Tour’s season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship . ... Shanshan Feng shot a two-under 70 to win the Blue Bay LPGA in China by one stroke.
Boston Celtics point guard Kyrie Irving has a minor facial fracture from being elbowed by a teammate and is doubtful for Sunday’s game.
Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Roy Miller was arrested in Florida on a domestic battery charge . ... Miami Dolphins right tackle Ja’Wuan James has been placed on injured reserve because of a left hamstring injury, ending his season.
Russia came back from a two-goal deficit to beat the United States 5-2 at the Deutschland Cup, a preOlympic tuneup hockey tournament in Germany . ... Petra Vlhova edged American Olympic skiier Mikaela Shiffrin in the slalom at the season’s first World Cup race in the discipline, at Finland. Sloane Stephens lost in three sets to Aryna Sabalenka as host Belarus and the United States ended the first day of the Fed Cup final even at 1-1.
Morocco and Tunisia qualified for the World Cup, taking Africa’s last two places. Denmark and Ireland played a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their playoff.
Erika Okuma’s goal 18 seconds into the second overtime lifted defending national champion USC to a 2-1 win over Eastern Washington in a first-round game of the NCAA women’s soccer tournament.
USC, ranked ninth nationally, will meet Baylor in the second round next weekend in Texas.
Eleventh-ranked Pepperdine did not allow a shot on goal in beating visiting Cal State Fullerton 1-0 on Bri Visalli’s score in the 87th minute. The Waves (135-4) meet No. 12 Virginia in Round 2.