ORLANDO, Florida: An estimated 75,245 fans packed the Camping World Stadium for WrestleMania 33 on Sunday.
The annual WWE event proved a success with fans as the card left a lasting impression for all those in attendance.
James from Manchester, England told Arab News that WrestleMania is an amazing spectacle. ” I enjoyed the Randy Orton-Bray Wyatt match,” said the fan from Manchester.
Juwaid from India said that coming to WrestleMania was his childhood dream and he was happy to experience it with his friends. ” I loved the Undertaker Roman Reigns match. It was the match I came here to see.”
Matias from Munich, Germany, said WrestleMania was amazing. “I was disappointed to see Chris Jericho lose tonight.”
Chris from Wisconsin said that he always comes to WrestleMania weekend for the past three years and was having the time of his life.
“I’m here to see all the matches I can’t really say I have a favorite one.”
The PRW show opened with the king of the cruiserweights Neville retaining his title against Austin Aries. The final moments of the match saw Neville kick out of a two count and Aries followed by putting him in an STF. Neville gouged the eye socket of Aries, but the referee did not stop the match. Neville followed up with the Red Arrow for the win.
Mojo Rawley won the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal trophy.
Kalisto, Simon Gotch, and Heath Slater were the first three participants to be eliminated. Strowman and Big Show continued to eliminate anyone who came across their path early on. The remaining talent ganged
up on Big Show and Strowman, but Strowman then eliminated Big Show. Strowman was eliminated next, and the two early favorites to win were both out already. After a series of fast-paced eliminations, the final four were Jinder Mahal, Sami Zayn, Mojo Rawley and Killian Dain. Dain quickly eliminated Zayn. Jinder and Mojo brawled in front of Robert Gronkowski from the New England Patriots. Jinder threw a drink at Gronkowski, and Robert hopped over the fan barricade. The security stopped him, but it appeared to have been a mistake and the referees ran over and called out security. Gronkowski got in the ring and speared Jinder. Mojo high-fived Gronkowski before he left the ring. Mojo eliminated Dain after a series of running punches, and it was down to Mojo and Jinder. Jinder tried to suplex Mojo outside, but Mojo blocked it and hit a running forearm on Jinder to knock him down for the elimination. Mojo celebrated with Gronkowski after the match.
Dean Ambrose retained his intercontinental title against Baron Corbin. The final moments of the match saw Corbin get frustrated and started throwing elbows at Ambrose. Corbin went for the End Of Days, but Ambrose escaped and hit the Dirty Deeds for the win.
The show kicked off with Aj Styles defeating Smackdown Commissioner Shane McMahon. The final moments of this fast-paced bout came to an end when Shane went up the top rope for a Shooting Star Press, but AJ rolled out of the way and Shane crashed on the ring. AJ followed up with the Phenomenal Forearm for the three count.
The next bout was for the US championship, which saw former friends turned enemies Chris Jericho defending against Kevin Owens. Owens powerbombed Jericho onto the corner of the ring apron and rolled Jericho back in the ring to win the championship.
Next was a fatal four-way elimination match for the Raw women’s title with Bayley defending against Nia Jax, Charlotte and Sasha Banks. The final two participants were Bayley and Charlotte. The match’s final moments saw Charlotte go for a moonsault off the top on Bayley but Bayley rolled out of the way and covered her for a near-fall. Bayley went to the top but Charlotte caught her in mid-air and slammed her. Charlotte went for the Figure Four and Figure Eight but Bayley broke the hold. Charlotte continued working on Bayley’s knee and went for a spear in the corner, but Bayley moved. Bayley followed up with the flying elbow drop off the top rope for the win to retain.
The bout that followed was the triple threat ladder match for the Raw brand tag team title. The match was set to be Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson defending against Sheamus and Cesaro and Big Cass and Enzo Amore. However, The New Day came out to announce that the match is now a Fatal Four Way with a massive surprise that made all the fans in the Camping World Stadium cheer as they saw the return of Matt and Jeff Hardy to the WWE.
The match ended when Jeff Hardy climbed a ladder that is nowhere near the title, and hit a huge Swanton Bomb on Cesaro and Sheamus through the ladders. Back in the ring, Matt grabbed the title belts for the win, and The Hardy Boys are now the Raw Tag Team champions.
John Cena and Nikki Bella defeated the Miz and Maryse in a mixed tag team match. After the match, John proposed to Nikki Bella and she accepted.
Seth Rollins beat Triple H after Stephanie McMahon grabbed Rollins from behind and Triple H went to hit him, but Rollins ducked and superkicked the multitime world champion who bumped into his wife causing her to fall off the apron through a table. Triple H was furious and turned around to Rollins, hitting him with a Pedigree for the win.
The WWE title changed hands when Randy Orton hit an RKO out of nowhere to defeat defending champion Bray Wyatt . Orton celebrated with the WWE World Championship in the ring before he left.
Brock Lesnar beat Goldberg after executing 10 German suplexs, then hitting the F-5 for the win. Lesnar and his advocate Paul Heyman celebrated with the WWE Universal Championship in the ring.
Naomi defeated Alexa Bliss, Natalya, Carmella, Mickie James, and Becky Lynch after performing a suicide dive on everyone at ringside, then back in the ring she locked defending champion Alexa into submission to win the Smackdown women’s title.
Roman Reigns defeated The Undertaker with a spear. This match marked the end of the legendary career of the deadman from Death Valley
Fans go gaga over WrestleMania 33
Fans go gaga over WrestleMania 33
South Africa opt for all-pace attack in first Test against Pakistan
- The two-match series is crucial for South Africa, who will qualify for next year’s World Test Championship final if they win one of the matches
- Pakistan have only won two out of 15 Tests in South Africa but they will go into the series on the back of a convincing 3-0 one-day series win
CENTURION: South African captain Temba Bavuma on Tuesday announced an all-pace attack for the first Test against Pakistan starting at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday.
The two-match series is crucial for South Africa, who will qualify for next year’s World Test Championship final if they win one of the matches.
“We back our seamers at Centurion,” Bavuma said at his pre-match press conference.
Fast bowler Corbin Bosch will make his debut for a team missing several leading pace bowlers because of injury. He plays for the Titans provincial team whose home ground is at Centurion.
Bosch, 30, is the son of the late Tertius Bosch, who played in South Africa’s first post-isolation Test, against the West Indies in Barbados in 1992.
“He will be playing at the venue where he has made a name for himself in the provincial set-up,” said Bavuma. “He adds that element of extra pace. He’s a big, strong guy who hits the deck hard and he offers a role with the bat as well.”
Bosch bowled at more than 140kmh (87mph) when he made his one-day international debut against Pakistan in Johannesburg on Sunday and hit 40 not out as a lower-order batsman.
Bavuma said his players were aware of the significance of being on the verge of reaching the world championship final.
“We know what’s at stake. There’s confidence and belief because of the good cricket we have played over the last while. Nothing has happened by accident.”
South Africa’s progress in the Test championship final has come despite Cricket South Africa’s deliberate downgrading of Test cricket to accommodate a high-profile Twenty20 franchise series.
South Africa’s schedule of 12 Tests — all in two-match series — is the joint lowest with Bangladesh in the championship cycle. England have played 22 matches, while Australia and India will have played 19 each when they complete their fixtures.
The system of average points has propelled South Africa to the top of the table despite virtually forfeiting a series in New Zealand when coach Shukri Conrad was prevented from selecting any players contracted to the SA20 league.
South Africa did not play against Australia or England and their only series against one of the “big three” Test nations was a tied one against India.
Pakistan have only won two out of 15 Tests in South Africa but will go into the series on the back of a convincing 3-0 one-day series win. Seven of the Pakistan squad and eight of the South African Test team players were involved in the one-day games.
Teams:
South Africa: Temba Bavuma (captain), Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson.
Pakistan: Shan Masood (captain), Saud Shakeel, Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Babar Azam, Haseebullah Khan, Kamran Ghulam, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Rizwan (wkt), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha.
ICC Champions Trophy schedule announced, matches split between Pakistan and Dubai
- The tournament is set to begin on 19 February in Karachi, with Pakistan taking on New Zealand
- ICC says Lahore will host the final match of the cricket contest on 9 March, unless India qualify
ISLAMABAD: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday unveiled the schedule for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, which will take place from February 19 to March 9, with matches hosted across Pakistan and Dubai in a hybrid model.
The tournament’s structure follows a compromise decision after India refused to play in Pakistan, citing security concerns. Exercising its rights as the host nation, Pakistan designated Dubai as the neutral venue for India’s matches, ensuring all teams’ participation.
“The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 fixtures and groupings have been announced by the ICC ... with the tournament set to begin on 19 February in Karachi with the final on 9 March,” the global governing body of cricket announced in a statement on its website.
“The eight-team tournament will feature 15 matches, and will be played across Pakistan and in Dubai,” it added. “Lahore will also host the final on 9 March, unless India qualify, in which case it will be played in Dubai. Both the semifinals and the final will have reserve days.”
In Pakistan, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi will host three group-stage games each. Lahore is also set to host the second semifinal.
Meanwhile, Dubai will host all three of India’s group matches and the first semifinal, should India qualify.
The tournament opener on February 19 will feature Pakistan taking on New Zealand in Karachi, while India will face Bangladesh in Dubai on February 20.
This will be the ninth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy and its return after an eight-year hiatus, the last tournament having taken place in England in 2017. The event will feature the top eight teams in world cricket competing for one of the sport’s most prestigious titles.
The hybrid model, while a logistical challenge, aims to strike a balance between accommodating geopolitical realities and ensuring the integrity of the tournament, which cricket fans worldwide await.
West Indies cricket team to arrive for first Test tour of Pakistan in 19 years on Jan. 6
- West Indies to play two Test matches against Pakistan in Multan from Jan. 17-29, says PCB
- West Indies last toured Pakistan for a Test series in November 2006 for three-match series
ISLAMABAD: The West Indian national men’s cricket team will arrive for their first Test tour of Pakistan in 19 years on Jan. 6, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed on Tuesday, during which they will play two Test matches.
The last time the West Indies played a Test series on Pakistani soil was in November 2006, when they played three Tests. Their last Test away Test series against Pakistan was in the UAE in October 2016, which was selected as Pakistan’s home venue for cricket series after 2009 when a militant attack in Lahore scared away international cricket teams from touring the country.
The former two-time ODI World Cup champions have, however, thrice toured Pakistan since April 2018— one for an ODI series in June 2022 and twice for a bilateral T20I series in April 2018 and December 2021.
“The West Indies cricket team will arrive in Islamabad on 6 January and after playing a three-day match against Pakistan Shaheens from 10-12 January at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium, they will take on Pakistan in back-to-back Tests in Multan,” the PCB said. “The first Test will be played from 17-21 January, while the second Test will be held from 25-29 January.”
International cricket teams refused to play cricket in Pakistan for years after militants attacked the Sri Lankan cricket team’s bus in Lahore in 2009, wounding six players and killing two civilians and six security officials.
International cricket and its stars, however, slowly returned to playing in the country as the security situation in Pakistan gradually improved. The South Asian country is gearing up to host the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 from February to March next year.
This will be the first time that Pakistan will be hosting an ICC tournament on its home soil since 1996 when it co-hosted the ICC ODI World Cup won by Sri Lanka.
Inter beat Como to keep in touch with leaders Atalanta
- Como, coached by Cesc Fabregas, slipped a spot to 16th and sit just one point clear of the relegation zone
MILAN, Italy: Inter Milan saw off Como 2-0 on Monday to stretch their unbeaten run in Serie A to 11 games and move back to within three points of leaders Atalanta.
Defender Carlos Augusto headed in from a corner early in the second half before Marcus Thuram wrapped up a fourth successive league win with a thumping finish in stoppage time.
Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer made a crucial save on the hour to deny Nico Paz an equalizer as Simone Inzaghi’s side showed signs of weariness at the San Siro in what was their third outing in a week.
Thuram’s goal was his 12th of the season and sent him level with Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui for the league lead.
“Marcus is a high-class player who always trains well and has adapted very quickly to the way we play,” said Inzaghi.
“You have to congratulate Como for coming here and giving it their all, but we stayed focused and showed great maturity.”
Third-placed Inter are a point behind Napoli but have played a game less than the top two teams after their match with Fiorentina was called off at the start of December following Edoardo Bove’s sudden collapse.
Reigning champions Inter visit lowly Cagliari this weekend and could put the pressure back on Atalanta, who are away to Lazio in the late game on Saturday.
Como, coached by Cesc Fabregas, slipped a spot to 16th and sit just one point clear of the relegation zone.
Fiorentina lost more ground in the title race after falling to a 2-1 home defeat by Udinese.
Moise Kean’s early penalty gave Fiorentina the lead as they sought to shake off last weekend’s loss to Bologna that snapped the club’s eight-match winning streak in Serie A.
However, Udinese equalized shortly after half-time through Lorenzo Lucca and former France international Florian Thauvin curled in the winner from outside the area.
“The most important thing for me is not the goal but the victory. These are three important points against a very strong team,” said Udinese captain Thauvin.
Udinese stayed ninth and are eight points off the European places.
Complete lineup for February UFC event in Riyadh announced
RIYADH: Organizers confirmed on Monday the complete list of fighters for the UFC Fight Night event in the Saudi capital on Feb. 1.
Israel Adesanya versus Nassourdine Imavov is the main event for the second UFC event held in the Kingdom.
The card features Dagestani fighter Said Nurmagomedov (18-3-0) will face Brazilian Vinicius “Lok Dog” Oliveira (21-3-0), while Tajik Muhammad Naimov (11-3-0) squares off against Australian Kaan Ofli (12-3-1).
In another bout, American Terrance McKinney (15-7-0) will clash with Denmark’s Damir Hadzovic (14-7-0), and Austrian Bogdan Grad (14-2-0) will meet Brazilian Lucas Alexander (8-4-0).
Highlighting Arab representation, Egyptian Hamdy Abdelwahab (5-0-0) will take on American Jamal Boggs (11-4-0), while Bahraini Shamil Gaziev (13-1-0) faces a tough challenge against American Thomas Petersen (9-2-0).
The excitement continues as Americans Jordan Leavitt (11-3-0) and Abdul Kareem Al-Selwady (15-4-0) battle it out, and Russian Sergei Pavlovich (18-3-0) faces Surinamese fighter Jairzinho “Bigi Boy” Rozenstruik (15-5-0).
Dagestani Ikram Aliskerov (15-2-0) will take on Brazilian André Muniz (24-6-0) in a blockbuster bout.
Adesanya, the Nigerian-born New Zealander, is one of UFC’s all-time greats, making a return after a title fight against Dricus du Plessis earlier this year. He is determined to reclaim his dominance with a decisive victory over Imavov.
In June the UFC hosted the first ever event in the Kingdom, bringing the premier fighting championship to Saudi fans of MMA.
Tickets are available for the event at the anb Arena on Jan. 3.
