ARAB TIMES, MONDAY, MARCH 8, 2021 SPORTS 14 Blachowicz, Nunes keep belts at UFC 259 Sterling wins on DQ

LAS VEGAS, March 7, (AP): learned that holding two UFC title belts simultane- ously is not nearly as easy as makes it look. And learned that even a momentary lapse in discipline can dearly cost a champion. Jan Blachowicz defended his UFC light heavyweight title with a unani- mous decision over the previously unbeaten Adesanya at UFC 259, thwarting the reigning middleweight champ’s bid to claim a second belt. Two-division champion Nunes defended her belt with ease, beating by sub- mission 2:03 into the first round at the Apex gym on the UFC’s corporate campus. also won the UFC’s title when Yan was disqualified for an illegal knee strike in the fourth round. The 38-year-old Blachowicz (28-8) made his first title defense in impres- sive style by outworking Adesanya (20-1), the fearsome 185-pound cham- pion moving up for a shot at history. The Polish champion used his size advantage and veteran savvy, taking control of their fight with two huge takedowns and subsequent ground control in the fourth and fifth rounds.

MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

Blachowicz won 49-46 on two judg- Brickyard Ride, (front left), with jockey Alexis Centeno, heads through a turn on the way to winning the San Carlos Stakes horse race at Santa Anita on March 6, in Arcadia, California. (AP) es’ scorecards and 49-45 on the third. The Associated Press scored it 48-47 for Blachowicz. Idol takes Big ‘Cap Blachowicz ended the fight in full Egypt’s El Kama wins men’s 800-meter freestyle mount while raining down punches on Adesanya, who had never lost in a career that began in Life Is Good wins San Felipe 2012. The charismatic Nigerian-born ARCADIA, California, March 7, in the San Felipe. Ledecky finishes 4-for-4 in meet New Zealander failed to join Nunes, (AP): Life Is Good won the “I always thought he would be a Conor McGregor, and $300,000 San Felipe Stakes by super horse,” Baffert said, “but at SAN ANTONIO, March 7, (AP): as the UFC’s only eight lengths for Hall of Fame train- the quarter pole, I could tell he was simultaneous two-belt champions. Katie Ledecky won the 800-meter er Bob Baffert, affirming the 3-year- just still cruising, just doing it easy.” freestyle in Texas for her fourth Van der Poel masters gravel Adesanya appeared to be the sharper, old colt’s status as the West Life Is Good paid $3, $2.20 and more aggressive striker in the early Coast’s top Derby hope- $2.10 as the 1-2 favorite. Baffert’s title in her first national competi- rounds, but Blachowicz countered the ful. other entry, Medina Spirit, returned tion in a year because of the coro- onslaught with his own strikes and even- Ridden by Hall of Famer Mike $2.80 and $2.20. Dream Shake navirus pandemic. roads to win Strade Bianche tually implemented his game plan. Smith, Life Is Good led all the way, was another 2 1/4 lengths back in Her winning time of 8 minutes, SIENA, Italy, March 7, (AP): Mathieu Blachowicz turned the fight in the fourth and despite drifting out very wide third and paid $3 to show. 13.64 seconds at the TYR Pro van der Poel’s many talents across round with an impressive takedown and through the stretch, was timed in Life Is Good is undefeated in multiple disciplines came in handy 1:42.18 over 1 1/16 miles. Smith Swim Series was a whopping 12.3 strong ground work, all but forcing the three career starts, with earnings of seconds ahead of Leah Smith, who when he won the Strade Bianche race judges to give him the round. blamed the infield video board for $274,200, and will be pointed distracting the colt. touched in 8:25.67. Haley ahead of a stellar field. He took down Adesanya again mid- toward the Santa Anita Derby on Having already accelerated on the last way through the fifth before ending April 3. Anderson, who already qualified of 11 sections of white, gravel roads to the fight in a dominant position. In the $400,000 Santa Anita for the Tokyo Olympics in open winnow the lead group down to three, Blachowicz joyously celebrated the HORSE RACING Handicap, Idol rallied wide turning water, was third. the Dutch champion left behind world latest victory in a late-career surge for for home to win by a half-length. Ledecky also won the 200, 400 champion Julian Alaphilippe and 2019 a fighter who won his title last “When the big screen is lit up, Ridden for the first time by Joel and 1,500 freestyles over the four- Tour de France champion Egan Bernal September after six years in the UFC they can see it,” he said. “In the Rosario, Idol ran 1 1/4 miles in day meet. She will attempt all four on the short but steep finishing climb to and 13 years as a pro. mornings, he goes by the screen 2:02.46. He paid $12.80, $6.40 and Siena’s Piazza del Campo on a stretch of $3.40 at 5-1 odds. He is trained by events in Tokyo, and likely some Nunes (21-4) handled her second like it’s nothing because it’s not on. relays, too. cobblestones where the gradient reached featherweight title defense with her He was locked on it down the lane. Richard Baltas. a leg-breaking 16%. usual flair, making short work of her I had a strong hold on him down to Express Train returned $5.40 Van der Poel had time to unleash a Australian challenger while extending the wire, just holding onto him, and $2.80. Maxfield, the even- money favorite, was another 1 1/2 SWIMMING series of fist pumps as he crossed the her winning streak to 12 fights since making sure that he stayed Mathieu van der Poel, of The line in the piazza, which was empty of 2014. After peppering Anderson (11- straight.” lengths back in third and paid $2.40 Netherlands, holds his trophy on to show in having his five-race win- fans due to the coronavirus pandemic. 5) with strikes, Nunes jumped on her Life Is Good earned 50 qualifying Egypt’s Marwan El Kama won the podium after winning the Strade Alaphilippe crossed second, five off-balance challenger and worked her points for the Kentucky Derby, and ning streak snapped. Bianche (White Roads) men’s he has 60 total, which assures him The victory, worth $240,000, the men’s 800 in 7:58.33 over cycling race, in Siena, Italy, on seconds behind, and Bernal came way into a triangle armbar, forcing Jordan Wilimovsky, who has third, 20 seconds back. Anderson to tap out quickly. of a berth in the May 1 race that increased Idol’s career earnings to March 6. (AP) Baffert has won six times. The $416,464, with three wins in six already qualified for the Olympics Van der Poel, who rides for the The fight was Nunes’ first since her trainer earned his record eighth win starts. wife, fellow UFC fighter Nina Ansaroff, in open-water competition. El gave birth to their first child. Nunes has Kama earlier won the 400 free. CYCLING been the UFC’s bantamweight cham- ing on the canvas in front of him. appeared to be losing to Yan (15-2). Simone Manuel won the 50 free Dhafiri, Kuwari win pion since 2016, and she added the MMA rules strictly prohibit such Sterling threw the belt onto the canvas in 24.70 seconds, ahead of Abbey 2nd place in FIA T4 featherweight strap in late 2018. blows to a downed opponent, and the before he left the octagon. Weitzeil, who touched in 25.00. Alpecin-Fenix team, required 4 hours, The much-anticipated slate of three knee clearly hurt Sterling, who strug- Earlier, former bantamweight cham- “I would’ve liked to swim fast- KUWAIT CITY, March 7, 40 minutes to complete the 184-kilo- championship fights at UFC 259 got gled and failed to get up for several pion beat Casey er. I’m always going to think that,” (KUNA): Kuwaiti rally driver meter (114-mile) route, which also off to a bizarre start when Yan’s inex- minutes. The bout was called off by Kenney by split decision for his first Mishari Al-Dhafiri and his began in Siena. plicable rules violation handed the referee Mark Smith, who had verbally victory since June 2016. Cruz, who Manuel said. “I had some goal Qatari assistant, Nasser times I wanted to hit at this meet Having won last year’s Tour of 135-pound title to Sterling, the first warned Yan not to throw such a strike turns 36 on Tuesday, saw his ascendant Al-Kuwari, won second place Flanders, this was another big road fighter to become a UFC champion on a few seconds earlier. career derailed long ago by brutal inju- that I didn’t hit. I haven’t been to in FIA T4 category and fourth race victory for Van der Poel, who also a disqualification. Sterling (20-3), a Long Island ry problems, but he persevered against a meet during COVID and that’s a place in the third round of the has multiple titles in cyclo-cross and The fight was stopped with 31 seconds native, appeared disoriented and dis- a similarly exhausted Kenney to win in different experience.” World Championship of the mountain bike racing. left in the fourth when Yan drove his knee appointed when the belt was wrapped just his sixth MMA bout since October Defending Olympic champion Eastern Baha Rally 2021. “This is one of the races I was really into the face of Sterling, who was kneel- around his waist after a fight he 2011. Ryan Murphy won the 100 back- The rally was held in harsh focusing on this year,” Val der Poel stroke in 53.56 seconds. weather conditions and poor said. “I had really good legs and I made visibility that led to the can- the difference where I wanted to.” The women’s 100 back was cellation of Friday’s rally and Crusaders rout Hurricanes in Super Rugby Aotearoa won by Olivia Smoliga in 59.49. Last year’s winner Wout van Aert merging it with Saturday’s finished fourth and last year’s Tour de CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand, ties when Savea headed to the bin and Crusaders a 14-6 lead. Taylor made She defeated world-record holder stage, with a total distance of France champion, Tadej Pogaar, March 7, (AP): Hooker Codie Taylor the Crusaders took full advantage of the initial break, dashing from halfway Regan Smith (59.50) and 2016 645 km in Al-Aqi area, came seventh. scored two tries as defending champi- the extra man to turn the match around. and linking with Mitch Drummond Olympic silver medalist Kathleen Al-Dhafiri told KUNA in a The 136-kilometer (85-mile) wom- ons the Crusaders beat the Hurricanes Taylor touched down for his first try whose inside pass sent Mo’unga under Baker (59.57). statement. en’s race had a similar finish and a 33-16 Sunday to stay unbeaten after the posts. The men’s 50 free went to Santo He added he won third Dutch winner, too. two rounds of Super Rugby Aotearoa. Backrower Ethan Blackadder who, Condorelli of Italy in 22.49. place in general ranking of the Chantal van den Broek-Blaak, the Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea was RUGBY with Taylor, was a powerful force in Nathan Adrian was second in world championship and keen 2017 world champion, attacked to sin-binned for pulling down a maul in the game, drove over from close range 22.56. to achieve the title of world leave behind Olympic bronze medalist the 19th minute and the Christchurch- on the half hour to give the Crusaders champion for this year. Elise Longo Borghini on the finishing based Crusaders scored three tries three minutes after Savea left, catching a 21-6 lead. Bidding to make a fifth Olympic Al-Dhafiri thanked the climb up Via Santa Caterina. which put them on course to a 26-6 the Hurricanes napping with a quickly Lock Scott Barrett scored just team at age 36, Ryan Lochte fin- Kuwaiti officials who helped Longo Borghini finished seven sec- halftime lead. tapped free kick. before the break to put the Crusaders ished fifth in the 200 individual facilitate his mission to onds behind and Olympic champion The Wellington-based Hurricanes Flyhalf Richie Mo’unga then scored ahead 26-6, taking the match out of medley. He was timed in 2:01.71. achieve these results. Anna van der Breggen came third, led 6-0 from two Jordie Barrett penal- and converted his own try to give the reach of the Hurricanes. Michael Andrew won in 1:58.05. nine seconds back.