The SEC continues to be wide open in men’s basketball.

The latest victim to fall in the conference is No. 16 Florida, as the defending national champions lost to Auburn 76-67 on Saturday, Jan. 24 at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida. It’s the Tigers’ first signature conference win of the Steven Pearl era.

Keyshawn Hall’s team-high 24 points willed the Tigers to their first win against the Gators in Gainesville since Feb. 10, 1996.

‘Boom. That’s Auburn being Auburn! That’s Auburn Family!’ former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl wrote on X (formerly Twitter) after the Tigers’ win.

The win also marks the second upset in the SEC on Saturday and moves both teams to 5-3 in the conference standings, two things that show the conference remains wide open going into February.

Hall played a big part in Auburn being able to head into the locker room with a 15-point lead at halftime. The Tigers’ senior guard had 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the first half, including a 3-of-4 mark from behind the arc. He finished with 24 points on 8-of-17 shooting with seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block.

Florida trailed at halftime 43-28 but rallied back to tie the game at 54 then at 56-56 at the 8:09 mark following a pair of free throws from Thomas Haugh. But that’d be as close as Todd Golden’s squad would get; Auburn never allowed Florida to be closer than five points for the remaining eight minutes.

Haugh led Florida with 27 points on 9-of-19 shooting from the field and had 10 rebounds for his fourth double-double of the season. Two additional Gators finished in double figures, as Urban Klavzar and Rueben Chinyelu added 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Alex Condon, who tested the NBA draft waters last offseason following the Gators’ national championship, struggled mightily for Florida. Despite grabbing nine rebounds and recording three blocks, the 6-foot-11 forward was held to one point on 0-for-4 shooting from the field and turned the ball over four times. It’s the third time this season that an opponent has held Condon to single-digit points.

Auburn will test its now three-game win streak on Wednesday, Jan. 28 at home against Texas at 7 p.m. ET, while Florida will look to bounce back on the road against South Carolina at 9 p.m. ET on Jan. 28.

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Alex Honnold has completed his free solo climb up the Taipei 101 building. The 40-year-old climber scaled the 101-floor building in Taipei, Taiwan, in roughly 1 hour, 35 minutes, per Netflix.

After standing at the top of the tower, he was seen embracing the moment and taking a selfie.

He displayed a level of confidence and showmanship throughout the climb, accomplishing a feat that he had thought about for several years.

After a few moments at the very top, Honnold scaled down with a harness and rope to embrace his wife.

The Taipei 101 tower officially opened on Dec. 31, 2004, after being constructed between 1999 and 2004. The building was the world’s tallest from its opening until 2009.

Honnold rose to wide fame in 2017 following his historic free solo climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The climb, done without safety equipment, was documented in the film ‘Free Solo.’

Alex Honnold reaches top of Taipei 101

Alex Honnold has reached the 101st floor

Honnold’s adventure is almost complete. He just has to scale 200 feet up the spire. The wind has completely picked up.

The final part of the climb included several more harrowing moments.

Alex Honnold prepares for final section

He successfully scaled the 10th and final ‘dragon’ on the Taipei 101 tower. He had another engaging interaction with a group of fans who were at eye level with him through the window. The next challenge will be steeper.

Honnold was heard on the broadcast stating that he was tired before taking the final stretch. He has been climbing for well over an hour.

Sanni Honnold pays Alex a visit

Alex Honnold was on the 60th floor of his climb up the 101-floor building when he had a visit from his wife, Sanni.

Taipei 101 halfway mark

Alex Honnold appears to have reached the halfway point of the building at the 35-minute mark. He continues to express no fear as he looks down from the building. He used the moment to wave at the crowd, talk with the broadcast team and clean off his shoes to prevent potential slipping.

‘The view is amazing,’ Honnold said, looking down during his break. ‘… Everywhere I look, people are watching.’

WWE superstar Seth Rollins is a member of the Netflix broadcast team.

Alex Honnold conquers a dragon

Honnold conquers the first of 10 ‘dragons’ on the Taipei 101 building.

The ‘dragon’ is a stylized ornament that symbolizes a dragonhead sculpture located on the corners of a particular section of the building.

Alex Honnold stops to take in the view

Honnold has proven not to be afraid to look down below. He stopped and turned around to take a quick break, but also used the moment to take in the scene around him. He does have a live mic on during the climb. As he continued the climb, he could be heard reacting in a joking manner to people who were watching him from out of the window and offered someone a high-five through the window.

Alex Honnold’s climb is underway

Honnold has started his climb up a 1,667-foot building in Taiwan. Just two minutes into the free solo climb, he stopped to reach for more chalk from his bag and waved to the crowd watching below.

How to watch Skyscraper Live with Alex Honnold on Netflix

Here’s all the information you need to know to tune into Honnold’s Skyscraper Live event on Netflix.

• Time: 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT)
• Date: Saturday, Jan. 24
• Stream: Netflix

It is best recommended to start the live viewing on time as it will be broadcasted globally, Netflix said. It’s the best way to ensure viewers experience the full climb.

How tall is Taipei 101?

Taipei 101 is a 101-story, 1,667-foot-tall tower located in the Xinyi District of Taipei, Taiwan. Upon its opening in 2004, the Taipei 101 was the tallest building in the world until it was surpassed by Dubai’s Burj Khalifa in 2009.

The Taipei building is based on the Chinese number eight, which is considered to be lucky, and is the largest engineering project ever in the history of the Taiwan construction business, according to the Taiwan Tourism Administration. The skyscraper is designed to resemble a bamboo stalk, featuring eight distinct segments symbolizing prosperity.

St. John’s used a second half surge and held on to beat Xavier, 88-83, on Saturday, Jan. 24 to get Pitino his 900th career win. With the victory, Pitino is now fourth place among Division I men’s basketball coaches for all-time wins.

After the Red Storm pulled off the road victory, Pitino was mobbed by his players, who donned shirts to mark the occasion. He didn’t want to take the credit for the elite achievement.

‘Players get coaches wins, and nothing sweeter than getting 900 because of these guys,’ he said on the broadcast.

When asked how he was able to get win No. 900, Pitino praised his family, adding he is still enjoying the job at 73 years old.

‘I’ve got a great family, great wife, who have kept me young,’ he said. ‘They allow me to work with these guys 12-13 hours a day, and I’m just enjoying it more than ever. Great group, great group to coach.’ 

Speaking of family, it played a part in the game. An interesting storyline was the achievement came thanks to Pitino beating his son Richard, who is the coach at Xavier. Pitino said he doesn’t like to be victorious over his son, and praised his work with the Musketeers.

‘I don’t like beating him, obviously, but it’s beating Xavier,’ Pitino said. ‘Richard did a phenomenal job. … I can’t love him or be more proud of him.’

The win moved St. John’s to 15-5 on the season. It now has won six in a row to start Big East play at 8-1.

The UFC’s debut on Paramount+ ended in extraordinary fashion – in a brutal, action-packed fight.

Justin Gaethje defeated Paddy Pimblett by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46 and 49-46) for the interim lightweight title in a five-round fight shown by Paramount+, the UFC’s new live-streaming partner.

Gaethje, known as “The Highlight,’’ lived up to his nickname during the action-packed bout. He bloodied Pimblett, took punishment and dished out even more.

Both still were swinging as the wild affair ended.

What Justin Gaethje, Paddy Pimblett said after fight

Gaethje said the strategy was to put his head in Pimblett’s chest and push him backward. But Gaethje deviated from the plan in the first round as he looked for a knockout.

“Yeah, my coach was definitely upset with me after the first round,’’ he said. “I just love this (stuff) so much. It’s really hard to control myself sometimes. … And so my coach had to really pull me back.’’ 

Still, Gaethje inflicted damage early.

“I’m not going to lie,’’ Pimblett said. “He hit me with a body shot in the first round. He hit me in the solar plexus and it got me…

“I’ll be back better. It’s as simple as that. You haven’t seen the last of me.’’

Gaethje seemed awestruck that Pimblett finished the fight on his feet despite taking so much punishment.

“My God, what a … gangster,’’ Gaethje said.

Pimblett lauded Gaethje.

“I wanted to leave with that belt, but there’s no other man I’d rather lose to than The Highlight,’’ Pimblett said, referring to Gaethje by his nickname. “… It shows why he’s a legend right there.’’

Gaethje, 37, won for the fourth time in five fights and his record improved to 27-5

Pimblett, the 31-year-old from Great Britain, lost for the first time in 10 fights and his record fell to 23-4.

The main event capped a 12-fight card at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 24.

ESPN had broadcast UFC fights for seven years before the UFC signed a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount+, a subscriber channel. The pay-per-view rates routinely charged by ESPN for now are a thing of the past.

USA TODAY Sports provided updates, highlights and analysis from UFC 324:

Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett: Round-by-round analysis

Here’s how their interim lightweight title fight played out:

Round 1

Brits in the crowd wearing blonde wigs, a nod to their man, Paddy Pimblett. (Pimblett’s got the hair in cornrows as he heads into the octagon.) There’s less enthusiasm for Gaethje, who comes out draped in an American flag. Now, time to fight.

Gaethje opens with a leg kick, then throws a right that falls short. But he connects with a body kick. Pimblett lands a left and Gaethje answers with a right. Pimblett active with his feet and fists, but Gaethje scores and comes in for … the kill? He’s on top of Pimblett and pounds away before Pimblett is allowed up. Gaethje looks dangerous. Pimblett scores with a leg kick and knee and the punches are flying. Gaethje wraps up Pimblett on the fence before they break free. Gaethje lands a combination. Pimblett active with the kicks. Pimblett asks for a moment and appears to have been poked in the eye with Gaethje’s right hand. The ring doctor enters the octagon and Pimblett indicates he’s ready to go. Gaethje is warned. Pimblett scoring at will with kicks but now it’s turning into a brawl. Gaethje 10, Pimblett  9

Round 2

Gaethje lands a left. Gaethje takes yet another leg kick but now he’s on top of Pimblett and on the ground. They’re back up and Pimblett knees again and Gaethje answers with a big punch. Gaethje blocks a kick and Pimblett slips to the ground. They trade shots and Gaethje scores more. Huge swings. They’re wrapped up and Pimblett’s kneeing again. Pimblett scores with knees and Gaethje scores with body shots. Gaethje pulls down Pimblett again and connects with punches. Down goes Pimblett! Cut down by a left. Gaethje is on top of Pimblett and blasting. Pimblett’s bleeding and probably exhausted. Gaethje is down again and pummeling Pimblett. His right eye is bleeding baldly. Looks like a mess. A replay shows Pimblett may have been poked in the eye again. Gaethje 20, Pimblett 18

Round 3

Pimblett down again but back on his feet. His vision is likely impaired but he’s up to pro-Gaethje chants of “USA, USA.’’ Fighters look tactical now. Fighters trade shots. Pimblett scores with his jab. Gaethje getting battered with kicks. Gaethje charging forward again. But Pimblett is connecting with the jab even as the blood streaks down his face. Pimblett scores with more kicks, too. Pimblett surprisingly effective after getting crushed in the second round. Gaethje’s right hand might be compromised. And if it is, he’s in real trouble. Gaethje takes a knee to the groin and gets time to recover. The fight resumes. Pimblett getting more and more aggressive. Gaethje 29, Pimblett 28

Round 4

They’ve got Pimblett’s cut stopped. No longer looks ghoulish. He comes out firing lefts. Gaethje definitely appears to have lost his momentum. But he scores with two rights, fights off a takedown and is on top of Pimblett on the canvas. They’re up and separated. Gaethje knocks Pimblett down with a left, but the Brit gets back on his feet quickly. Gaethje lands a big right and has Pimblett against the fence and lands a flurry of shots! Gaethje battering Pimblett, but Pimblett hanging on. Brutal. Pimblett is bleeding again and looks like the Joker. Gaethje stalks. Gaethje scoring with solid shots. Gaethje missing the mark with big shot and Pimblett lands a flurry before Gaethje wraps him up and sneaks in a few punches. Gaethje 39, Pimblett 37

Round 5

The crowd rises in a standing ovation as the final round begins. Pimblett lands a knee to the face and Gaethje lands a big right. Gaethje lands two more hard punches. What a fight. Pimblett turns aggressive, attempts a takedown but Gaethje fighting it off. Pimblett’s got him on the fence but Gaethje’s still fighting him off. He breaks free and fires the right hand. Pimblett misses the spinning elbow and eats three punches. Pimblett turns it on and pummels Gaethje. Gaethje hanging on. What a fight, a war. It’s over. And the two men embrace. Gaethje 48, Pimblett 47

Sean O’Malley def. Song Yadong by unanimous decision

At times O’Malley looked tentative. But certainly not in the third and final round.

He finished with gusto, enough to defeat Song by unanimous decision in their bantamweight fight.

All three judges scored it 29-28 in O’Malley’s favor.

Song punished O’Malley with kicks. But O’Malley delivered the more visible punishment.

With Song bleeding from the nose and mouth in the third round, it looked even more gruesome after O’Malley kneed Song in the face. It was the lasting image of an impressive performance.

O’Malley, the 31-year-old former bantamweight champion, improved to 19-3.

Song, a 28-year-old from China, fell to 22-9-1.

Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong: Round-by-round analysis

Here’s how their bantamweight bout played out:

Round 1

Sean O’Malley, at 5-foot-11, has a three-inch height advantage over Song. But Song is stockier. Will the extra muscle matter? More chants of “USA, USA!’’ Of course, Song is from China and O’Malley from Montana. The fighters are trading low leg kicks. None of them are fierce. O’Malley scores with a left. Chants: “Sean O’Malley!’’ Song charges in but O’Malley evades. O’Malley scores with a jab and gets moving. Can’t be a sitting duck for Song. O’Malley dancing, out of danger. For now. More exchange of kicks. Song on the chase. Song scores a takedown and there’s 30 seconds left in the round. Song unable to land anything of consequences. O’Malley 10, Song 9

Round 2

Song knocks O’Malley off balance with a leg kick. Song lands a right and he’s throwing punches with more force. Song connects with two left hooks. Song has O’Malley from behind. Song is stomping on O’Malley’s feet and O’Malley is throwing elbows. Song scores another takedown but O’Malley is up again. He takes a left hand and may be suffering from all of the kicks. O’Malley 19, Song 19

Round 3

O’Malley comes out tentative? Song throws some big punches that miss and O’Malley seems to know how dangerous they are. O’Malley takes another leg kick but he responds with two solid lefts. He lands another left and now O’Malley seems to be in a groove and evades some punches. Song bleeding from the mouth and nose and O’Malley’s punches clearly hit the mark. Two more lefts. Song attempts a takedown and fails. O’Malley lands a hard right. Song charging forward but not scoring with any authority. Song attempts another takedown and takes a knee from O’Malley. The blood is pouring from Song, and confidence oozing from O’Malley. O’Malley 29, Song 28

Waldo Cortes-Acosta def. Derrick Lewis by TKO

Lewis found himself on his back in the second round after what appeared to be a harmless slip. And he showed no urgency to get up.

What a bad idea.

Cortes-Acosta lowered himself onto the canvas and battered Lewis with punches until the referee halted the heavyweight fight.

Cortes-Acosta, the 34-year-old from the Dominican Republic, improved to 17-2. Lewis, the 40-year-old from Texas, fell to 29-13.

Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis: Round-by-round analysis

Here’s how their heavyweight bout played out:

Round 1

Derrick Lewis unleashes a couple of leg kicks. No luck, even as the crowed chants “USA, USA!’’ Context: Waldo Cortes-Acosta is from the Dominican Republic. And he backpedals fast when Lewis, the American star, fires punches that do not land. Cortes-Acosta inching toward Lewis. Lewis lands a left. Barely. Slow start. Cortes-Acosta looks wary of Lewis’ power, but Lewis has yet to land anything big. Cortes-Acosta lands a serviceable left and a lower leg kick. Lewis avoid an overhand right and scores with one of his own. Lewis kicks, Cortes-Acosta grabs his leg and Lewis is allowed on his feet. Lewis lands a nice left kick but can’t find the range with his punches. Cortes-Acosta 10, Lewis 9

Round 2

Both fighters come out a little tentative and suddenly Lewis charges forward. Again, up go the chants: “USA, USA!’’ Cortes-Acosta scores. Maybe these guys can try sumo wrestling. But Cortes-Acosta lands a solid jab and fires a couple more. Lewis at the jab buffet, eating them by the handful. Lewis lands a left but Cortes-Acosta signals he’s OK. Which means he felt it. Lewis slips and falls back on his back. Now Cortes-Acosta lowers himself on the mat and pounds away. And it’s over! The ref stops the fight! It’s Cortes-Acosta by TKO.

Natalia Silva def. Rose Namajunas by unanimous decision

Silva got showered before she even left the octagon. Showered in boos.

The judges awarded her a unanimous decision victory over Namajunas, but the fans responded to the decision with boos.

“I’m sorry, guys, because this was not my best moment,’’ Silva said through a translator.

But it was the judges who angered the crowd. All three scored the women’s flyweight fight 29-28 in favor of Silva.

Silva, a 28-year-old Brazilian, won for the 14th time in a row dating back to 2018 and improved to 20-5-1. Namajunas, a 33-year-old from Colorado, fell to 15-8.

Natalia Silva vs. Rose Namajunas: Round-by-round analysis

Here’s how their women’s flyweight fight played out:

Round 1

Lots of fast twitching as Natalia Silva and Rose Namajunas feint and jockey at the center of the octagon. Namajunas lands a left and a low leg kick but not much action yet. Namajunas lands a right and … what’s Silva waiting for? Silva shaking her hips like she’s doing the salsa. I don’t think you get points for that, do you? Namajunas lands another right and then a low leg kick. Silva strikes back with a low leg kick, but so far has been underwhelming. Namajunas scores again with a punch. Silva scores with a right but an uneventful round. Namajunas 10, Silva 9

Round 2

Namajunas capitalizes on her quick start with two shots early. Although she’s not landing many of her leg kicks, they do seem to be creating a comfortable distance between her and Silva. Still more dancing than punching or kicking. Silva takes down Namajunas, but she pops up on her feet and the two fighters clinch along the fence. Faint boos. Strange they’re not louder. Namajunas scores the takedown. Can she set up for the ground and pound? Silva has her wrapped up with her legs as Namajunas throws punches that aren’t landing with great force. But she was in control. Namajunas 20, Silva 18

Round 3

Silva comes out more aggressive and lands some blows. But Namajunas not backing up. In fact, she lands a couple of lefts but not without suffering some damage. Now Namajunas starting to backpedal more. But Silva not seizing the moment. Namajunas appears to be bleeding from the bridge of her nose and she takes a kick to the head. Silva staying active but doesn’t look especially dangerous. The fighters are on the ground now and Silva is delivering some punches before she takes down Namajunas again. Has 30 seconds to end it, but Namajunas is back on her feet and pursuing Silva. It’s Silva’s round, but hard to imagine it’s her fight. Namajunas 29, Silva 28

Jean Silva def. Arnold Allen by unanimous decision

Silva was crying as the fight was ending and barked when it was over.

The behavior followed his victory over Allen by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28). The three-round featherweight bout featured something rare, if never seen before.

In the third round, Silva got Allen onto the canvas and jumped off of his back as if he were a trampoline.

Silva, a 29-year-old Brazilian, improved to 17-3. Allen, a 32-year-old from England, fell to 20-4.

Jean Silva vs. Arnold Allen: Round-by-round analysis

Here’s how their featherweight fight played out:

Round 1

Arnold Allen opens with an underwhelming low leg kick. Jean Silva lands a body shot. But no real fireworks yet as the fighters assess each other. Another leg kick from Allen. Crowd already sounds restless. Silva noticeably thicker. Allen lands a left and another as he bounces on the balls of his feet. Silva unleashes a high kick that’s blocked. Allen still moving and Silva unable to catch up. Allen lands a low legal kick. Allen scores with a kick and follows up with a solid left. Silva struggling with Allen’s style. Silva lands a left and Allen immediately responds with a left and Silva pours it on as the round ends with a kick and a left! Allen 10, Silva 9

Round 2

Silva emerges with a knot on his left temple. He connects with a combination and then eats a left and right from Allen. Allen connects with a kick and jab but Silva takes him down and Silva delivers a head kick. Allen fires back and it’s getting delightfully messy. Allen drills Silva with a left and takes an uppercut. Silva appears to be bleeding under his left eye – the result of Allen’s fists. It’s a back-and-forth bout, two game fighters. Allen lands a knee and takes a spinning elbow and it’s getting wild. Now Allen’s bleeding from the nose while Silva delivers leg knicks. Allen unleashes two big leg kicks. Silva lands another spinning elbow and sticks out his tongue. Allen 19, Silva 19

Round 3

Silva comes out firing! Fists and legs flying. Then the action slows. At least temporarily. Silva strikes hard with the right. He drills Allen again and those punches look fierce. Allen waved him and now has him pinned against a fence. Allen trying to take Silva down but Silva breaks free. Silva lands a right elbow and takes down Allen after Allen appeared to be complaining about something. Silva lands a kick and an elbow and the momentum builds for Silva. Silva points to the center of the canvas, wants to brawl. Allen declines. Silva lands two head kicks, knocks Allen to the floor and then jumps off Allen’s back! What? Yep, jumped off his back! Silva 29, Allen 28

UFC 324: Time, PPV, streaming for Gaethje vs Pimblett

The highly anticipated fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will take place on Saturday, Jan. 24 and can be streamed on Paramount+, marking the sport’s debut on the service.

• Date: Saturday, Jan. 24
• Location: T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas, NV)
• Early Prelims start time: 5 p.m. ET
• Early Prelims card stream: Paramount+
• Prelims card start time: 7 p.m. ET
• Prelims card stream: Paramount+
• Main card start time: 9 p.m. ET on Paramount+

Catch UFC action now all fights on Paramount+

Dominick Cruz entering UFC Hall of Fame

Dominick Cruz, considered one of the greatest bantamweight fighters in UFC history, was announced as a member of the 2026 UFC Hall of Fame class.

It was a no-brainer.

Cruz, 40, was a two-time bantamweight champion, winning the title in 2010 and winning it again in 2016. He finished his career 24-4.

Josh Hokit shows worst of UFC with Brittney Griner comments

Heavyweight Josh Hokit, the “winner’’ of the second fight of UFC’s debut on Paramount+, reflected the worst of the sport.

After stopping Denzel Freeman by TKO, Hokit recited a post-victory poem that ended with, “And P.S., Brittney Griner is a man.’’

Taking cheap shots at Griner, the legendary women’s basketball player and 10-time WNBA All-Star, is bad enough. But members of the broadcast team endorsed Hokit’s outrageous remarks as entertaining. Joe Rogan, who had a chance to admonish Hokit, instead said, “Brittney Griner catching strays.’’

Paramount+ offered no comment on the matter.

Does Bruce Buffer get a do-over?

Bruce Buffer, UFC’s ring announcer, left an unfortunate mark on UFC’s debut on Paramount+. Before the first prelim fight, Buffer botched the introduction of fighters Ty Miller and Adam Fugitt by reading their bios in the wrong order.

UFC 324 fight results: Prelims

• Umar Nurmagomedov def. Deiveson Figueiredo by unanimous decision, bantamweight
• Ateba Gautier def. Andrey Pulyaev by unanimous decision, middleweight
• Nikita Krylov def. Modestas Bukauskas by KO (3rd round), light heavyweight
• Alex Perez def. Charles Johnson by TKO (1st round), flyweight

UFC 324 fight results: Early prelims

• Ty Miller def. Adam Fugitt by TKO (1st round), welterweight
• Josh Hokit def. Denzel Freeman by TKO (1st round), heavyweight

UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett predictions

Action Network: Pimblett

The 31-year-old Pimblett has looked better and better in every fight, and the market is banking on him continuing to improve against 37-year-old Justin Gaethje. The former interim champion Gaethje is getting another crack at the interim title and has only ever lost to champion-level opponents, with all five of his losses coming against men who’ve at least won an interim title. That makes this a fairly big step up for Pimblett, whose best win to date was likely his third-round finish of Michael Chandler last year. Of course, that’s the same Michael Chandler who took Gaethje to a decision a few years ago, albeit an early version.

Dan Hooker: Gaethje

In an interview on Submission Radio, Hooker, the UFC lightweight fighter, said of Gaethje, ‘I think he’s gonna put Paddy to the test. …Gaethje’s takedown defense is pretty sharp, I don’t see (Pimblett taking Gaethje down). We haven’t seen Paddy get in there that often and mix it up with the best guys in their prime.”

Dustin Poirier: Gaethje

In an interview on the Ariel Helwani Show, Poirier, the former interim UFC lightweight champion, said ‘It’s a fun fight. I’m leaning towards Justin, but we’ll see. I just think he’s been in those 25-minute fights. He’s been in dogfights before. I think Paddy’s going to have a tough time stopping him on the feet. And I don’t think Paddy’s going to be able to get him down, so he’s going to have to fight with him unless Paddy can stay super disciplined for 25 minutes, stay at distance, pick his shots. …Justin’s just a bigger puncher, and he’ll put himself in harm’s way to land one of those shots. It’s tough to stay away from him for 25 minutes. I think Justin stops him.’

UFC 324 odds: Gaethje vs Pimblett fight

Odds via BetMGM as of Wednesday.

• Justin Gaethje (+190) vs. Paddy Pimblett (-235),  For interim lightweight title

Where is UFC 324: Gaethje and Pimblett?

UFC 324: Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will be held at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026.

UFC 324 live stream

The Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett marks a historic turn for the UFC. All fights, from eraly prelims to the main card, will be available on Paramount+.

UFC 324 price

Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett will fight for the interim lightweight title in the main event of UFC’s debut on Paramount+. Say goodbye to the pay-per-view fees, but don’t forget the Paramount+ subscription fee of $8.99 that gets you access to UFC fights — starting with UFC 324 Saturday, Jan. 21 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

Are Amanda Nunes and Kayla Harrison fighting at UFC 324?

A highly anticipated bout between Kayla Harrison and Amanda Nunez was canceled after Harrison suffered a neck injury that required surgery. That elevated a bantamweight matchup between Sean O’Malley and Song Yadong.

Ring walk time for Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett main event

The Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett fight card consists of 13 fights and will begin at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, with early prelim fights. The main event for the Gaethje vs Pimblett fight is expected to be around 11:30 p.m. ET. However, the duration of the undercard will impact the actual start.

UFC moves to Paramount+ ending PPV era

UFC moves on from its PPV model with ESPN and ESPN+. With its seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount, the promise is upwards of 40 UFC events a year. It all begins in 2026 with UFC 324 on Jan. 24, which will broadcast on Paramount+.

UFC 324: Gaethje vs Pimblett fight card

Fight card according to ESPN and odds according to BetMGM as of Wednesday.

Main Card:

• Justin Gaethje vs. Paddy Pimblett,  For interim lightweight title
• Sean O’Malley vs. Song Yadong; Bantamweight
• Waldo Cortez-Acosta vs. Derrick Lewis; Heavyweight
• Natalie Silvia vs. Rose Namajunas Women’s flyweight
• Arnold Allen vs. Jean Silva; Featherweight

Prelims:

• Umar Nurmagomedov vs. Deiveson Figueiredo; Bantamweight (Odds unavailable)
• Ateba Gautier vs. Andrey Pulyaev; Middleweight
• Nikita Krylov vs. Modestas Bukauskas; Light heavyweight
• Alex Perez vs. Charles Johnson; flyweight

Early Prelims:

• Josh Hokit vs. Denzel Freeman; Heavyweight
• Ricky Turcios vs. Cameron Smotheron; Bantamweight (canceled)
• Adam Fugitt vs. Ty Miller; Welterweight

Aaron Rodgers sobbed, according to the Athletic, when Mike Tomlin announced to the team he was stepping down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Jan. 12 after another wild-card round exit.

“I’m sorry,” Rodgers said, per the report.

Now those tears could be turning into ones of joy with the Steelers hiring native son Mike McCarthy, his longtime coach with the Green Bay Packers from 2006-2018.

The head coach-quarterback pairing won Super Bowl 45 with the Packers.

After spending the 2025 season with the Steelers and winning the AFC North, Rodgers is a free agent with an uncertain future, to say the least. His decision to sign with the Steelers last June came after months of speculation. The reason, he often told the media, that Pittsburgh was his next late-stage destination was Tomlin.

At the end of his two-year tenure with the New York Jets, which was mired by a torn Achilles in 2023 and soap-opera 2024 campaign that included a fired head coach and too many appearances on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Rodgers told a member of the local media he could see himself winding up where McCarthy — who coached the Dallas Cowboys from 2020-2024 — did.

Rodgers’ next decision may include darkness retreats and culturally illicit substances. But McCarthy’s presence in Pittsburgh will be noteworthy, even if the NFL Network separately reported prior to the hiring that the Steelers would be moving on.

Steelers owner Art Rooney II told reporters after the Tomlin split that he had no designs of a rebuild.

Rodgers obviously doesn’t embody his former four-time MVP self most days but it’s pretty evident he can make most of the throws a starting quarterback in the NFL must make to keep his team competitive. His mental understanding of the game is second to none, although his teammates’ inability to match him intellectually often rears its ugly head.

Backup Mason Rudolph is under contract next season and Will Howard will be entering his second NFL season. For Rooney’s vision to become a reality, presenting either as a viable option to winning is dubious.

Perhaps McCarthy, 62, will stick in his hometown long enough that he can develop the next franchise quarterback. Acquiring said player in the coming months, particularly via the draft — the Steelers’ first-round selection (No. 21 overall) — doesn’t seem likely.

They’ll need a stopgap in some shape or form. McCarthy knows Rodgers. Rodgers knows McCarthy. Sometimes that’s all it takes.

AI-assisted summary
• Colorado football coach Deion Sanders receives about five death threats per day, according to his head of security.
• Players were warned to be mindful of who they let into team facilities due to security concerns.
• His bodyguard, Michael Rhodes, is on the university payroll and previously worked with Sanders at Jackson State.

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders gets about five death threats per day, according to his bodyguard, which is why his team was urged to take safety precautions during its first team meeting of 2026.

Sanders’ bodyguard, Michael Rhodes, told the team’s players to “be mindful” of who they let into football facilities, as documented in a video posted Friday, Jan. 23, by Sanders’ eldest son, Deion Jr.

“I’m Officer Rhodes. I’m head of security for Coach Prime,” Rhodes told the team. “Real quick, I want to say this. Those of y’all that are new, when y’all head up to the facilities in the morning, be mindful of who comes in with you, especially on the elevator. Don’t let somebody coerce you into scanning them up on the floor, because everybody’s trying to get to Coach Prime. Those people that are trying to get to them, not all of them have good intentions. So just be mindful of that, don’t prop open any doors, because my philosophy is, if the doors open, they will come through. Then they’re gonna have to meet me.”

Deion Sanders: ‘We get death threats all the time’

Deion Sanders then interjected to tell the team why he needs private security. Rhodes is listed on Colorado’s staff as “private security to the head coach” and was on the Colorado payroll last year at $48,880. Rhodes previously worked as a police officer at Jackson State, where Sanders served as head coach before getting hired at Colorado in December 2022. Rhodes also scans Sanders’ mail for potential risks, in addition to following him around at Colorado.

“We get death threats all the time,” Sanders said. “Why? I’m a Black man making it happen, making things move, making all that happen. So we have stuff that’s real.”

Sanders then asked Rhodes, “How many death threats we get?”

“About five every day,” Rhodes replied.

Sanders is entering his fourth year at Colorado after his team finished 3-9 in 2025, 9-4 in 2024 and 4-8 in 2023. The Buffaloes open the 2026 season Sept. 5 at Georgia Tech.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney called out Mississippi coach Pete Golding for recruiting tampering with a then-member of the Tigers’ transfer class during his media availability on Friday, Jan. 23.

The two-time national championship head coach specifically called out Golding and Rebels general manager Austin Thomas for contacting now-former Clemson linebacker Luke Ferrelli, who recently flipped his transfer to Ole Miss after he initially transferred to the Tigers after his freshman season at Cal.

‘I know you’re signed, what’s the buyout?’ Swinney said of the text Ferrelli told Clemson general manager Jordan Sorrells that he received from Golding during his 8 a.m. class he was taking at Clemson.

Swinney continued by stating Ferrelli also disclosed that he received a photo of a $1 million check from Golding and received calls from Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss and former Rebels quarterback Jaxson Dart. On the call with Chambliss, Swinney said that Ferrelli mentioned Golding — who was named the Rebels’ full-time coach following Lane Kiffin’s departure for LSU back on Nov. 30 — was also on the call and was trying to ‘push him to re-enter the transfer portal.’

‘If you tamper with my players, I’m going to turn you in,’ Swinney said.

Carter also mentioned that Neff said that Clemson is ‘exploring’ legal options with the situation as well.

Ferrelli flipped his transfer to the Rebels on Thursday, Jan. 22 after reentering the portal on Friday, Jan. 16, the final day it was open for players to enter unless they were playing in the College Football Playoff national championship.

‘We have a broken system, and if there are no consequences for tampering, then we have no rules and we have no governance,’ Swinney said.

In his lone season at Cal, Ferrelli recorded 91 tackles, a sack, an interception and one pass breakup in 13 games this season for Cal. He was additionally named ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year.

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AI-assisted summary
• Colorado coach Deion Sanders banned players from wearing gear from their previous teams in Colorado facilities.
• He warned players against having their parents call coaches with grievances.
• The team welcomed several new assistant coaches for the upcoming season.

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders has so many new transfer players on his team again he’s needed to come up with a rule for how they dress.

Do not wear the gear of your previous team in Colorado facilities, he said in his first team meeting of 2026, as documented in a video posted Friday, Jan. 23, by his eldest son Deion Jr.

Sanders Sr. likened it to a player’s girlfriend wearing a shirt with her ex-boyfriend’s name on it.

“Don’t wear your old team’s gear in this facility,” Sanders told his team. “That’s disrespectful. That would be like your lady that you have currently wearing her ex (boyfriend’s) stuff. How you feel about that? She sitting up here with a shirt on that has her ex’s name… That’s how I feel about that when I see you coming to the cafeteria. You eat our food with your last teams on it? Obviously, if you wanted to stay there, you should have stayed.”

Sanders recruited 42 transfer players to his new team, replacing more than 35 who left for other schools. With so many new faces coming from other places, he’s had to lay down this and other rules for them.

Deion Sanders lays down Colorado team rules

Here’s a partial list of them as told to the team this week:

∎ No profanity outside the team meeting room.

“Profanity needs to stop,” said Sanders, who never uses it himself. “I heard it myself, especially in the dining area. It needs to stop. We’re not the only ones in the cafeteria.”

∎ No cellphones, food or drink in team meetings.

∎ Treat women with respect and address female staff members by calling them “miss” and not their first names.

∎ Sanders also warned players about parents who call Colorado coaches with any grievances.

“When you have your parents call the coaches, the coaches gonna report to me, and I’m gonna call your mom and your daddy and tell them to come and watch you practice, so they can see who you really are,” Sanders told his team. “Because you’re telling them you’re Tarzan, and most of the time, you Jane.”

Colorado football’s new assistant coaches introduced

Several new assistant coaches also introduced themselves at the meeting, including former Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Chris Marve (linebackers coach), former Abilene Christian co-defensive coordinator Aaron Fletcher (cornerbacks), former Gainesville, Georgia high school coach Josh Niblett (tight ends) and former Sacramento State head coach Brennan Marion (offensive coordinator).

Sanders also promoted Colorado staffer Johnnie Mack to running backs coach, replacing Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk, who left to become head coach at Southern.

“There are some things that transpired in 2025 that obviously changed the faces in this room,” returning receivers coach Jason Phillips told the team.

Colorado finished 3-9 in 2025. The Buffaloes open Sanders’ fourth season as head coach on Sept. 5 at Georgia Tech.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

The injury bug is swirling throughout the NBA and its latest victims are Phoenix Suns guards Devin Booker and Jalen Green.

Both players left during the Suns’ 110-103 loss against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Friday, Jan. 23.

The Hawks were led by Onyeka Okongwu, who tallied 25 points, while Jalen Johnson had a monster game with 23 points, 18 rebounds and was an assist shy of a triple-double.

Booker scored 31 for Phoenix. Collin Gillespie and Grayson Allen had 16 apiece.

Devin Booker injury

Booker went down with 5.4 seconds left in the third quarter as Phoenix led 91-84. He seemingly rolled his right ankle on Okongwu’s foot, which left Booker in serious pain.

He grabbed at his ankle and screamed in agony before the Suns medical staff left the bench to tend to Booker.

Booker needed assistance from Gillespie and the medical staff to get off of the floor and he limped back to the locker room and did not return to the game.

Booker finished with 31 points on 12-of-21 shooting, including 5-of-9 (55%) on 3-point field goals, in 28 minutes.

Jalen Green injury

Green has missed the majority of the Suns’ games this season due to a nagging right hamstring injury.

He’s only appeared in four games so far, most recently returning against the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 20 in a 116-110 victory where Green scored 12 points in 20 minutes. It was his first NBA action since Nov. 8.

Green played 4 minutes, scoring four points, in Friday’s loss at Atlanta. He left the game early in what was reported to be a precautionary move due to right hamstring tightness.

Green drove to the basket and scored a layup as the Suns trailed 23-22 with 2:21 remaining in the first quarter. He went back to the bench and eventually the locker room, following a Hawks timeout after Green’s basket.

Suns injury updates

Suns coach Jordan Ott spoke to reporters about the injuries after the game.

Per Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic, part of the USA TODAY Network, Booker left the locker room on crutches.

• College Football Playoff expansion isn’t about double the teams, it’s about double the money.

We’re going about this the wrong way, staring at the glam instead of the guts. 

College football doesn’t have a playoff problem. College football has a player movement problem.

Yet the solution from all involved is as daring as it is dumb: Throw more money at it. 

The Big Ten wants a 24-team College Football Playoff format, and the SEC, Big 12 and ACC want 16. The CFP officially stayed at 12 teams for 2026 Friday because the SEC and Big Ten, at this point, can’t agree the sun sets in the West.

The idea of CFP change didn’t quickly evolve because university presidents decided they like the new postseason, and want more teams to experience the sheer magnitude of it all. It’s because their athletic departments are desperate for money in the new player empowerment era.

These movers and shakers of higher education took nearly 150 years to agree on a four-team playoff, and 12 years later, are already debating moving to 24. Not because it works, but because of necessity.

A 12-team playoff earns an estimated $1.5 billion annually in media rights from ESPN. Double the teams, and you’ll more than likely double the price. 

Player salaries have not only taken $23 million annually in media rights money from a university’s bottom line, they’re on the verge of taking much more. Apparently, only the Big Ten sees this. 

There’s no other reason the Big Ten, which had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the original four-team CFP, is digging in on 24 teams. Who would take a playoff that already has obvious growth flaws just two years into moving to 12 teams, and want to double the entries? 

Buy IU championship books, prints

The same person who tried to sell 10% of the Big Ten’s media rights to capital investors for $2.4 billion. You may not like Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti’s business chops, but at least he’s stepping into the box and taking swings. 

At least he sees the employee train barreling down the track, and knows it’s time to do something. Because once players become employees — once the only salve to free player movement is enacted and players begin working off multi-year, unbreakable contracts — universities will be sharing much more than $23 million annually. 

Call it what you want. You say 1099 individual contractors, I say collective bargaining. No matter how you swing it, you’re still negotiating with players for a significantly larger piece of the media rights pie in exchange for multi-year deals. 

The Big Ten presidents understand this, and have given Petitti leeway to find new revenue streams. So he’s taking Ruthian swings.

Do you really think Petitti believes the sixth or seventh (or more) Big Ten or SEC team in a 24-team playoff is good for the health of the game? Of course not. 

It is, however, good for the financial bottom line of every university in the Big Ten. He’s gambling — to a larger extent than the SEC, Big 12 and ACC — that college football is bulletproof. 

No matter how you change, reformat or tweak it, fans can’t get enough. More to the point: Media companies (legacy and streaming) can’t pay enough.

Indiana and Miami just played a national championship game that drew an average of 30.1 million viewers. At one point in the game, the high-water mark was 33 million.

College football is second only to the NFL in live television viewership numbers, and is wildly undervalued. The NBA in 2024 signed an 11-year deal worth $76 billion from ESPN/ABC, NBC and Amazon Prime, and its television numbers pale in comparison to college football.

The Big Ten presidents and Petitti see the fatted calf, and want it. That doesn’t mean the SEC, Big 12 and ACC don’t also, it just means they haven’t reached that point of desperation. 

Because if the Big 12 and ACC were to agree with the Big Ten and want a move to 24 teams in the playoff, the SEC would go along. The presidents of the SEC and commissioner Greg Sankey can threaten to have their own playoff, but they won’t be the single reason college football isn’t whole.

Now, the rub: The CFP actually feels right at 12 teams. But get rid of the freebies for the Group of Six, and give them the same access as Notre Dame. If you’re ranked in the top 12, you’re in.  

Moving to 16 teams eliminates the reward of a first-round bye, further diminishing the regular season. Moving to 24 teams likely means a clunky first round of eight byes, presumably the top eight teams.

It also includes four automatic bids for each of the Power conferences. In 2025, that would’ve moved USC, Virginia, SMU, Pittsburgh, BYU, Utah and Houston to the CFP. 

Woof. 

Hey, somebody has to take big swings to fix the looming player movement problem.

Even if it’s as daring as it is dumb.