UFC analysis: How South Africa’s Dricus du Plessis built an unstoppable legacy
Dricus du Plessis has spent his entire career proving people wrong. Few fighters have changed the landscape of a sport in their home country quite like ‘DDP’.
As South Africa’s first UFC champion, he has become more than just an elite mixed martial artist, inspiring a new generation of fighters while establishing himself as one of the most dominant competitors in the middleweight division.
From critics questioning his unconventional fighting style to doubters dismissing his championship credentials, the South African has answered almost every challenge in the octagon.
Now, as one of the UFC’s biggest stars, ‘DDP’ is doing more than fiercely representing his country - he is reshaping the legacy of African mixed martial arts, writes Sports News Blitz’s Juliette White.
F1 news: Five drivers to miss Hungarian GP FP1 as teams hand rookie opportunities
Formula 1 teams will give five rookie drivers valuable track time during the opening practice session for this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli and Oscar Piastri among the regular drivers sitting out.
Under Formula 1 regulations, every team must run a rookie driver in each car at least twice during the season.
With the championship heading into its final race before the summer break, several teams have chosen Budapest to complete one of those mandatory sessions.
Padel heading to Cinderford as Bell Sports & Rugby Park serves up facility
Two-court indoor padel facility set to open in August, making padel accessible and affordable for the Forest of Dean community.
The world’s fastest growing sport, endorsed by multiple celebrities from David Beckham to Stormzy is heading to Cinderford in the heart of the Forest of Dean.
Construction work has begun this month with the facility due to complete and open in August. This padel club will be an inclusive club for all members of the local community.
The new club will offer two brand new padel courts built end to end, to the side of the rugby pitch including a canopy structure with retractable sliding walls to ensure the courts can beused throughout the year.
How tennis data is rewriting the script of modern matches
Tennis once lived almost entirely in the moment. A rally unfolded, the crowd reacted, the umpire called the score, and then it was gone, preserved only in memory and a few grainy statistics on a scoreboard.
Today, every serve, spin and split step leaves a digital footprint. From Grand Slam show courts to lower-tier tournaments, the sport is being quietly reshaped by a new protagonist: data.
UFC analysis: Five things Dricus du Plessis proved in his dominant win over Kamaru Usman
Dricus du Plessis returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion with a unanimous decision victory over former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at UFC Oklahoma City.
The South African controlled much of the five-round contest, earning scorecards of 50-45 and 49-46 twice after producing one of the most complete performances of his career.
It was a display that drew praise even from former rival Israel Adesanya, who described it as the best he has seen from Du Plessis.
Sports News Blitz’s MMA expert Aidan Leo unpacks five major takeaways from a performance that could reshape the UFC middleweight division.
The Law of Goals in Halves: Why the Second Half Always Delivers More Action
It’s practically a ritual at this point. The whistle goes for halftime, the scoreboard reads 0-0, and you can bet your house someone’s going to state the obvious: “Second half will be better, it’ll open right up.”
The thing is, they're usually bang on. Across every competition you can think of, the second half outdoes the first for goals. And it's not guesswork - it's a proper statistical trend, backed by years and years of evidence.
Let’s break down the fascinating "law" of goals in halves and see why the final 45 minutes of a match are almost always more thrilling than the opening.
Newcastle Utd lead tributes as club legend Kevin Keegan dies aged 75 after cancer battle
Newcastle United have led tributes following the death of club legend Kevin Keegan, who has passed away at the age of 75 after a battle with cancer.
The Magpies described Keegan as "one of the most iconic, influential and deeply-loved figures in our club's history" after the former England forward and manager's family announced he had died surrounded by his wife and daughters.
In a statement, Newcastle United said: "We are devastated to learn of the passing of Kevin Keegan, one of the most iconic, influential and deeply-loved figures in our club's history.”
The Hundred 2026 – Men’s competition: Outright betting guide, analysis and best bets
The Hundred 2026 men’s competition gets underway on July 21, with the league entering a new era following a complete overhaul of team ownership.
Ahead of the action, Sports News Blitz cricket writer Himanshu Sharma identifies the strongest title contenders and highlights where the betting value lies.
World Cup winning captain believes Southern Brave squad built for success in The Hundred
Southern Brave captain Sophie Molineux, fresh off the back of leading Australia to ICC Women’s T20 World Cup glory, says that the Utilita Bowl-based side is ready to go for this year’s edition of The Hundred.
The annual competition kicks off this week, with Southern Brave’s Men’s and Women’s sides playing their opening fixture against Welsh Fire on Wednesday 22 July at Utilita Bowl, the home of cricket in Hampshire.
Molineux, who was recently announced at captain of Southern Brave Women, is one of the most decorated in the game, and recently led the Australian side to T20 World Cup victory, beating England in the final.
F1 news: Five key takeaways from Ferrari’s Belgian Grand Prix as optimism continues to grow
Scuderia Ferrari arrived at Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix looking to build on Charles Leclerc’s win at Silverstone in the first race of a doubleheader before the summer break.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer and Ferrari fan Luca Salmasi takes a look at five key takeaways from the Scuderia’s weekend.
Spinbet's Sportsbook: A Closer Look at One of the Rising Names in Online Sports Betting
Modern digital betting platforms merge live sports coverage with expansive casino options.
Discover how emerging operators balance entertainment and responsible play.
European Athletics introduces new guidelines to protect female athletes from sexualised TV coverage
European Athletics and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) have introduced new broadcasting guidelines aimed at reducing the sexualisation of female athletes during television coverage.
The recommendations encourage broadcasters to focus on athletic performance rather than camera angles or slow-motion replays that unnecessarily draw attention to athletes' bodies.
The move comes after years of complaints from competitors who said certain broadcast images had left them feeling uncomfortable and had even led to online abuse.
Liverpool news: New beginnings, high expectations after Andoni Iraola’s first Reds press conference
Andoni Iraola has made his first press appearance in Liverpool red as the Spaniard begins a two-year contract at Anfield. Iraola spoke to the media on Monday, 13 July for the first time since being announced as Liverpool’s new head coach in late May.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Juliette White takes a look at what Iraola had to say.
Run Fast Racing is modernizing the thoroughbred ownership experience
Run Fast Racing, the celebrity-backed thoroughbred ownership group founded by entrepreneur and entertainment executive Adam Kluger alongside partners Lil Wayne, Rauw Alejandro and Lil Yachty, has launched Direct Pay.
Direct Pay is a feature designed to simplify and modernize the horse-ownership experience by allowing owners to receive cash payouts directly to their bank account when any horse in the stable wins.
Soccer news: Paolo Maldini to lead revamp of Italian national team set-up alongside Leonardo
Paolo Maldini has officially been appointed as the new technical director of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and will be joined by former AC Milan team-mate Leonardo as special advisor.
Here, Sports News Blitz writer Luca Salmasi takes a closer look at Maldini’s appointment and what it means for the FIGC and national set-up moving forward.
The Impact of User Experience on Preferences of Online Casino Games
The digital gambling industry has seen many changes, making user experience central to it. Gamblers expect much more than just easy access and convenience.
Everything that players click or scroll impacts their perception. In case one wishes to learn the factors behind player loyalty, it would be useful to start learning about UX design.
World Cup 2026 betting tips: Spain to win World Cup final, Mbappe to score first vs England
Read on for a breakdown of the best bets from the World Cup final and the third-place playoff nobody wanted to see - courtesy of Sports News Blitz’s heartbroken punting laureate - The Bookie Basher.
ITV horse racing tips and best bets for Newbury, Market Rasen and Ripon on Saturday, July 18
Sports News Blitz racing tipster Jeff Mexico has graciously stepped aside to let Andy Burnham become the next Prime Minister. However, he is still planning on standing at the Clacton by-election in August if he can scoop up enough winnings from the next few weeks of his ITV betting tips.
His quest begins at Newbury, Market Rasen, and Ripon this Saturday afternoon.
UFC Oklahoma analysis: Kamaru Usman vs Dricus Du Plessis predictions and preview
UFC Oklahoma will be headlined by former middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis and former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman on July 18 at the Paycom Center.
Usman is coming off a huge win against surging welterweight contender Joaquin Buckley, while Du Plessis arrives off a loss to Khamzat Chimaev, which cost him the middleweight strap.
‘DDP’ is currently the number-two-ranked contender, with number-one-ranked Chimaev recently losing his title to Sean Strickland.
The Chechen most likely needs to win another fight before earning a second shot at middleweight gold.
Sports News Blitz’s MMA writer Luke Mullaney previews the notable Du Plessis vs Usman clash, as well as the implications the fight will have on the middleweight division.
Slow starts at the World Cup: Are they a real concern?
Spain arrived at the 2026 World Cup as one of the favourites, so a goalless draw with debutants Cape Verde in their opening game came as a surprise.
It was a result that set off alarm bells, but Spain have now reached the World Cup final for the first time since they lifted the trophy in 2010.
A slow start can quickly change how a team is viewed, but history suggests an early stumble is not always the warning sign it appears to be.