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But this year the shirtless, glossy Tongan taekwondo athlete has competition from Vanuatu. Plus: What’s with the team entrance order?

Malia and Pita lead Team Tonga during the opening ceremony. Um, yes, some viewers did in fact notice Pita’s shiny torso.

Things were a little different this year: Taufatofua wore a face mask, and he was joined by Malia Paseka, Tonga’s first female Olympian to compete in taekwondo. He congratulated his teammate and fellow flag bearer.

“A special congratulations to our Flag Bearer, Malia Paseka,” Taufatofua tweeted. “She did an amazing job leading the way for more participation of females and youth in sport in Tonga. So proud to walk along side our first ever female taekwondo Olympian!”

Fans were drawn to the Tonga team.

“Clearly the best pair of flag bearers in the Parade of Nations,” wrote one Twitter user. “You both are amazing!”

Wrote another, “**BREAKING** TONGA HAS WON THE OLYMPICS. We can all go home now.”

This year, Tonga wasn’t alone in the oiled-up athlete arena. Rower Riilio Rii from Vanuatu also pulled off the shirtless and glossy look.

“Pita, we see you and we raise you,” the official Olympics Twitter account wrote.

The countries usually file into the stadium in alphabetical order. But when you watch this year, you may wonder if you even know the alphabet. That’s because it’s in the order used in Japan.

There are also some other variations. Greece, home of the original Olympics, leads the pack, followed by the Refugee Team, athletes from troubled countries who’ve mostly been training in Kenya. The USA marches in near the end, followed by France and then Japan, the host country. (If you want to follow along, Wikipedia has the order.)

Many who were expecting the teams to march in ABC order were thrown.

“This order is bonkers,” wrote one Twitter user. “I clearly need to revisit the alphabet.”

The various sports were also displayed by performers dressed in white and blue and dubbed “human pictograms,” who re-create the icons used to depict each sport.

Wrote one Twitter user, “This live action Wii sports menu was unexpected but very much appreciated.”

Said another, “Give the pictogram team a GOLD.”

The opening ceremonies will be rebroadcast in the US on NBC at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT. The Olympics run through Aug. 8.

If you build it, Major League Baseball will come. And so will Costner.

Kevin Costner starred in Field of Dreams in 1989.

Don’t expect any ghosts of former pro players to appear at the game. It will be a real game that counts in the regular season standings, and will air on the Fox network with a pregame show set to kick off at 3 p.m. PT.

The Field of Dreams is ready to host a real MLB game.

MLB built a temporary 8,000-seat ballpark at the Dyersville farm where the movie was filmed. The new field is located near the current tourist ballpark site and has a view of the surrounding cornfield. “We look forward to celebrating the movie’s enduring message of how baseball brings people together at this special cornfield in Iowa,” commissioner Rob Manfred told MLB.com when the game was announced in 2019.

Costner got in on the nostalgia with a visit to the field. MLB shared a video on Wednesday of the actor walking around on the grass and taking in the sights. “Wow. This is perfect. Every bit of it,” Costner said. “Felt so good to be back,” Costner tweeted when sharing a photo of himself playing catch.

MLB posted a scenic photo of corn, lights and a sign with the phrase “If you build it…” as it hyped up the game on social media on Thursday.

The New York Yankees team Twitter account shared a photo gallery of its own that shows off the verdant green field, stands and signage.

Fans have long made pilgrimages to the Iowa farm where the movie was set. This for-real MLB game will elevate the dream to an even higher level. Is this heaven? No, it’s Iowa.

Originally published Aug. 8, 11:24 a.m. PT.

Week 2 of the Tokyo Olympics is about to begin.

The Tokyo Olympics is here!

The Olympics are back on NBC, with a 24/7 stream online if you verify you’re a cable subscriber. NBCSports Gold will have a dedicated Olympics package — pay an upfront fee and you’ll be able to watch anywhere, uninterrupted by ads.

Tokyo is 16 hours ahead of the West Coast, so watching live should get a good spread of events. It’s a little trickier on the East Coast, where you may have to rely on highlights.

US residents don’t need a cable or satellite TV subscription in order to watch the Olympics on NBC’s family of channels. NBC itself will be the main channel, but you’ll also find coverage on NBCN, CNBC, USA Network, Olympics Channel, Golf Channel and Telemundo. The major live TV streaming services include most or all of these NBC-related channels, and each one includes NBC though not in every market. The Olympics will also stream in 4K HDR on two of the services, FuboTV and YouTube TV. See below for details.

If you live in an area with good reception, you can watch on NBC for free just by attaching an affordable (under $30) indoor antenna to nearly any TV.

Peacock offers three tiers: a limited free plan and two Premium plans. The ad-supported Premium plan costs $5 a month, and the ad-free Premium plan costs $10 a month. Live coverage of the Olympics is available on the free tier for all events except the US men’s basketball games, which require either of the Premium plans.

YouTube TV costs $65 a month and includes NBC, NBCN, CNBC, USA Network, Olympics Channel, Golf Channel and Telemundo. Plug in your ZIP code on its welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area. Read our YouTube TV review.

To watch in 4K HDR you’ll need to subscribe to be signed up for the company’s new 4K option that costs an extra $20 per month on top of the $65 regular monthly rate — although there’s a 30-day free trial that’s long enough to last through the entire Olympics. The 4K feed isn’t available in every market however; here’s the full list.

Hulu with Live TV costs $65 a month and includes NBC, NBCN, CNBC, USA Network, Olympics Channel, Golf Channel and Telemundo. Click the “View channels in your area” link on its welcome page to see which local channels are offered in your ZIP code. Read our Hulu with Live TV review.

FuboTV costs $65 per month and includes NBC, NBCN, CNBC, USA Network, Olympics Channel, Golf Channel and Telemundo. Click here to see which local channels you get. Read our FuboTV review.

Unlike YouTube TV, Fubo’s 4K coverage of the Olympics doesn’t cost anything extra. Unfortunately it’s only available in five markets: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth and Boston.

AT&T TV’s basic, $70-a-month package includes NBC, NBCN, CNBC, USA Network and Telemundo. You’ll need to spring for the $95-a-month plan to also include the Olympics Channel and Golf Channel. You can use its channel lookup tool to see which local channels are available where you live. Read our AT&T TV Now review

Sling TV’s $35-a-month Blue plan includes NBC, NBCN, USA Network, Olympics Channel. You can add CNBC and Golf Channel for an additional charge. Sling does not offer Telemundo. Sling offers NBC only in 11 major markets, so you won’t be able to stream NBC live unless you live in one of those areas. Read our Sling TV review.

All of the live TV streaming services above offer free trials (except Peacock, which just has a free tier), and all allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live-TV streaming services guide.

The BBC will cover the games on TV, radio and online in the UK, with more on Eurosport, a pay-TV channel. The time difference there is eight hours, so you’ll have to get up very early in the morning to watch live.

In Australia, the Seven Network will spread free-to-air coverage over Channel Seven, 7Mate and 7Two. It’s a good year for watching Down Under, with Sydney only an hour ahead of Tokyo.

Those participating in the Olympics will have to use Japan’s COCOA Exposure Notification app and be tested for COVID-19 every four days.

Vaccinations aren’t mandatory for Olympic athletes taking part in the games, but many countries are making sure all of its athletes are vaccinated before attending.

The IOC has released a number of “playbooks” for participants, staff and journalists covering the Olympics. If you’re curious, you can read them here.

Tickets initially sold out for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, but as of right now, spectators will be barred from attending the games in Tokyo and its surrounding areas. Events held outside the area covered by the emergency (like the marathon) will allow spectators, but they’ll be asked not to cheer the runners on the roads, as noted by The New York Times.

We know for sure that international spectators won’t be able to attend. All overseas folks have had their tickets refunded.

Another good question. Despite the fact it’s taking place in 2021, these Olympics are still being officially referred to as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

The logo is this checkered circle, designed by Tokyo-based artist Asao Tokolo.

“This chequered design in the traditional Japanese color of indigo blue expresses a refined elegance and sophistication that exemplifies Japan,” the International Olympic Committee explains. The three different shapes within the pattern represent diversity, equality and excitement.

Paris will host the 2024 Summer Olympics, having lost out to London for 2012. The US gets a shot in 2028, when it’ll be in Los Angeles. The Olympics website has cool pages on every games of the modern era, going back to Athens in 1896.

Naomi Osaka intends to return at the Olympics in July.

Osaka has now withdrawn from Wimbledon in addition to the French Open.

Osaka’s current plan is to make a return to professional Tennis is her home country of Japan at the Olympics in July.

“Naomi Osaka will be greatly missed by all of us at Wimbledon this year, but we completely understand her decision,” Wimbledon reps told CNET in an emailed statement. “We wish her a happy time with her friends and family and look forward to welcoming her back to Wimbledon next year.”

Osaka’s withdrawal is the latest in a series that began with controversy at Roland Garros.

After canceling press obligations during the French Open as a result of mental health issues, Osaka — one of the top-ranked women tennis players in the world — was fined $15,000 and threatened with expulsion by tournament organizers. Ultimately, Osaka decided to take matters into her own hands and left the tournament of her own volition.

“I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my well-being is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris,” Osaka, 23, wrote in a statement describing her struggles with depression. “I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer. More importantly, I would never trivialize mental health or use the term lightly.”

After initially criticizing Osaka’s unwillingness to meet the press in person and answer questions after matches (see below), Gilles Moretton, president of the French Tennis Federation, delivered a statement on Osaka’s decision to exit the match — a statement he delivered in French and English before walking out of the media room without taking questions from the press.

“First and foremost, we are sorry and sad for Naomi Osaka. The outcome of Naomi withdrawing from Roland-Garros is unfortunate. We wish her the best and the quickest possible recovery, and we look forward to having Naomi at our Tournament next year,” Moretton said. “We remain very committed to all athletes’ well-being and to continually improving every aspect of players’ experience in our Tournament, including with the media.”

A stream of support has since come out for Osaka from fans and professional athletes alike. Here’s everything you need to know.

Naomi Osaka is a Japanese tennis player and the current world number 2, behind Australian Ash Barty, having won four Grand Slam championships. Born in Japan to a Haitian father and a Japanese mother, Osaka grew up in the US and won her first Grand Slam — the US Open — aged 20.

Since then she has become a global superstar in the world of tennis, holding the position of number one in 2019 and winning three more Grand Slam tournaments.

Osaka is famously shy and soft spoken, but has regularly pushed past this to use her platform for activism. In 2020 she withdrew from the Cincinnati Open to protest the police shooting of Jacob Blake. During the 2020 US Open she famously wore a series of masks bearing the names of Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castile, and Tamir Rice to raise awareness during Black Lives Matters protests.

Last week Naomi Osaka posted on her social media accounts, stating she wouldn’t be taking part in press conferences during the French Open, to protect her mental health.

“I’ve often felt that people have no regard for athletes mental health,” she wrote, “and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one.”

In response Roland Garros posted a statement on its website and issued a $15,000 fine.

“Following this announcement,” read the statement, “the Roland-Garros teams asked her to reconsider her position and tried unsuccessfully to speak with her to check on her well-being, understand the specifics of her issue and what might be done to address it on site.

“Following the lack of engagement by Naomi Osaka, the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open jointly wrote to her to check on her well-being and offer support, underline their commitment to all athletes’ well-being and suggest dialog on the issues. She was also reminded of her obligations, the consequences of not meeting them and that rules should equally apply to all players.

“Naomi Osaka today chose not to honour her contractual media obligations. The Roland-Garros referee has therefore issued her a $15,000 fine, in keeping with article III H. of the Code of Conduct.”

In the statement, Roland Garros claimed mental health was of the “utmost importance”, but also posted a now-deleted tweet, that made light of Osaka’s mental health concerns.

In response to the fine and the threat of expulsion, Osaka withdrew from the tournament.

“This isn’t a situation I ever imagined or intended when I posted a few days ago,” she wrote. “I think now the best thing for the tournament, the other players and my wellbeing is that I withdraw so that everyone can get back to focusing on the tennis going on in Paris.

“I never wanted to be a distraction and I accept my timing was not ideal and my message could have been clearer. More importantly, I would never trivialize mental health or use the term lightly.

“The truth is I have suffered long bouts of depression since the US Open in 2018 and I have had a really hard time coping with that.”

Osaka wrote that she was already feeling “vulnerable and anxious” about the French Open and the prospect of having to face the press, that she was exercising “self care” by skipping the conferences. Osaka also claimed she privately wrote to the organizers of the Grand Slam tournaments to apologize.

“I’m going to take some time away from the court now,” she said, “but when the time is right I really want to work with the Tour to discuss ways we can make things better for the players, press and fans.”

Observers were quick to note that Moretton’s follow up statement expressing his sadness and support for Osaka seemed disingenuous. “The immense irony of the FFT President not taking questions from the media in the wake of this Osaka withdrawal is not lost on anyone,” wrote journalist Ben Rothenberg, describing Moretton.

In the wake of Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open multiple athletes across different sports came out in support.

Serena Williams, who Osaka famously defeated to win her very first Grand Slam recently commented on the situation.

“I feel like I wish I could give her a hug because I know what it’s like,” she said. “I’ve been in those positions

“We have different personalities, and people are different. Not everyone is the same. I’m thick. Other people are thin. You just have to let her handle it the way she wants to, in the best way she thinks she can.”

Venus Williams, had a different response. Speaking out on how she dealt with press conferences — during a press conference.

“[M]e personally, how I cope, how I deal with it, was that I know every single person asking me a question can’t play as well as I can and never will,” Williams said. “So no matter what you say, or what you write, you’ll never light a candle to me.”

Tennis legends like Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova — alongside athletes like Steph Curry — tweeted messages backing up Osaka.

“Right now, the important thing is that we give her the space and time she needs,” said Billie Jean King.

“You shouldn’t ever have to make a decision like this,” said NBA star Steph Curry, “but so damn impressive taking the high road when the powers that be don’t protect their own.”

Osaka received support from all corners. Not just for standing up for herself, but for raising awareness of mental health issues.

Calm, an app dedicated to helping with sleep and meditation, is donated $15,000 — the equivalent of Osaka’s initial fine — to Laureus Sport in France, a company that does work in the mental health space.

It’s also offered to the same if any other tennis athletes are fined for taking the same stand in the future.

Here’s what you need to know.

Skateboarding is at the Tokyo Olympics and it’s been awesome so far.

The park discipline will feature a course that resembles a large basin with lots of dips, twists and turns.

The Park event takes place on the 4th and 5th of August.

The women’s Park Qualification takes place at 8 p.m. EDT (5 p.m. PDT) on August 3. The final takes place 11:30 p.m. (8.30 p.m. PDT) on the same day.

The men’s Park Qualification takes place at 8 p.m. EDT (5 p.m. PDT) on August 4. The final takes place 11:30 p.m. (8.30 p.m. PDT) on the same day.

Skateboarding at the Olympics features two disciplines: park and street.

The park competition will take place on a hollowed-out course featuring a complex series of twists and turns. Park courses resemble large bowls with steep sides, nearly vertical at the top. Skaters send themselves to dizzying heights, performing jaw-dropping spins and tricks midair, and then gracefully bring themselves back down to the bowl to do it all over again on the other side.

The street competition features a straight course with stairs, handrails, benches, walls and slopes to mimic a real street. This kind of skateboarding is characterized by riding along curbs and rails, leaping into the air without using hands, and that familiar grind of board on metal.

Olympic skateboarders will experience at least some of the creative freedom they get in their home parks and streets: They’re free to choose which parts of the course to cover and, of course, which tricks to perform. Also, in an attempt to maintain the feel of the sport, music will accompany each rider.

Only one athlete rides at a time, and competitors get three timed runs to post their best score.

The street discipline mimics what it’s like to skateboard in a city environment. The course will feature rails, benches, curbs and other things you’d find on a real street.

Judges will score athletes based on speed, difficulty, originality, timing, stability and the overall flow of the performance. One important skill judges will be looking for is the ability to seem suspended in midair.

In the sixth round of their rematch, Jake Paul defeated Tyron Woodley with a massive right hand shot.

Jake Paul, after defeating Tyron Woodley on Saturday night.

The rematch between Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley ended in brutal fashion Saturday night, thanks to a crushing, fight-ending right hand from Paul that sent Woodley face first to the canvas.  It was as clean a shot as you’ll see in a fight that — up until that point — was mostly devoid of action.

A cut from a head clash early in the contest saw Paul facing some early adversity, but Woodley failed to land any real, significant shots in a fight that was mostly fought in the clinch.

But then, at the end of the sixth round, Paul landed the right hand. With force.

Paul was rowdy in the post-fight interview, seemingly calling out UFC stars Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz, but paid tribute to Woodley, for taking the fight on two weeks notice after his initial opponent, Tommy Fury, pulled out with a rib injury.

See below for our live, round-by-round coverage of the event as it happened.

Jake Paul at the weigh-ins.

Alright it’s time for the big one. Paul vs. Woodley 2.

Personally, I’m picking Paul here. I thought he clearly won the first fight and, as I mentioned earlier, Woodley has been gun shy for at least five years. Kinda gutted were not seeing the Tommy Fury fight, but also happy to see Woodley get a second shot.

Let’s see how this all plays out. If anything I’m expecting Paul to be more dominant. He’s a young guy, improving constantly and Woodley is very much at the tail end of his career. Another thing: The size difference. It’s huge. Woodley was a welterweight in the UFC at 170 pounds and he’s fighting at 192 here. That’s a huge difference. Very tough for Woodley to knockout the bigger fighter, even if he clips him hard.

And Jake Paul just walked out to Y.M.C.A.. Fair play, what an absolute banger. Mad props for that Tai Tuivasa-esque walkout song!

Alright, here we go!

Woodley already looking more active than he was last fight, which is a good sign for his chances.

But after than fast opening, things have slowed up a little. Both Paul and Woodley are trying to jab their way in. A couple of head clashes already. Weird round so far.

My score: 10-9 Paul

Is Woodley really going to come to this fight and do the exact same thing as last time? It would be a very Tyron Woodley move. Paul is landing the jab more here and Woodley is en route to giving away another round. Not great. Extremely dull. 

Would be great if Woodley actually threw a shot or two.

My score: 10-9 Paul

A clash of heads or an elbow has opened up a cut on Paul, but he’s winning.

But wait, Woodley is opening up here, landing big shots. Much better round for Woodley here so far. 

Woodley is not taking advantage of this cut though, standing flat footed and not throwing. He does better when he’s on offence. Woodley is not a counter puncher.

My score: 10-9 Woodley

Woodley lands a nice uppercut, but he’s still incredibly frustrating to watch. A sharp hook lands as well for Woodley, but hardly game changing.

Woodley randomly dumps Paul to the ground? This fight is so grim man. Hard to watch.  Woodley is sort of winning this round, but just… not a great fight. 

My score: 10-9 Woodley

Woodley landing a couple of body jabs, and some tight shots in the clinch. So many head clashes in this fight. These guys are constantly clinching and it’s the worst. 

Is this what Woodley is doing with his second chance? Can’t believe how bad this is. 

My score: Man who knows. Or cares. 10-9 Woodley I guess.

These guys don’t want to fight. Absolute shitshow.

Paul looks tired to be honest. After this there’s only two more round, and it feels like they haven’t landed any shots yet? Just embarrassing. 

OH SHIT!

And Jake Paul lands absolutely CLEAN and puts Woodley straight out to the canvas. Oh my god, what a huge shot!

Jake Paul wins by KO.

Damn, that was a crazy shot. Clean as a whistle and Woodley went face first to the canvas. What a punch. Fair play to Paul, he had to go through some adversity here with the cut and he ended up completely melting Woodley with that shot.

Woodley was CLEAN OUT. Face first to the canvas. Very obviously a straight out stoppage.

Amanda Serrano is one of the best female boxers alive.

In one corner we have Amanda Serrano, one of the most decorated female boxers of all time, in the other corner we have Miriam Gutierrez. She’s not exactly a gimme for Serrano, but most expect her to win this en route to a true women’s super fight against Irish boxer Katie Taylor. That’s probably the biggest fight in women’s boxing right now.

Let’s see how this one plays out…

Serrano corners Gutierrez and absolutely wails on her. Crazy output for the first round, Serrano is just going nuts here. Gutierrez is in real trouble here. What a wild round.

My score: 10-9 Serrano

Man this is a slugfest, and Serrano is just picking great shots here. Gutierrez is landing though and, given she’s a bigger fighter, she should be careful. 

That said, the difference in hand speed is huge here.

My score: 10-9 Serrano

Much quieter round here. Serrano still controlling the fight however. I give her this round.

My score: 10-9 Serrano

Serrano is attacking the body hard here. She’s running away with this fight as you might have expected.

But Gutierrez has landed a few clean, heavy shots here. Don’t seem to affect Serrano much however. 

Serrano backed Gutierrez into the ropes there, and the pair of them began slugging it out, with Serrano getting the better of it.

My score: 10-9 Serrano

Gutierrez very flat footed now, just getting absolutely punished here. Serrano looks incredibly sharp and I’m already thinking about Serrano vs. Taylor right now.

My score: 10-9 Serrano

Serrano continues to punish the body here. This is a clinic, marching forward with great shots and combinations. Credit to Gutierrez however, who’s game and trying to match the exchanges unsuccessfully. 

My score: 10-9 Serrano

Serrano is on a mission here. She’s absolutely going full terminator here. She clearly wants this finish and I wonder if the ref will ultimately stop this. Gutierrez is really fading here and running out of fight. 

Serrano lands a massive shot to finish, but Gutierrez makes it another round.

My score: 10-9 Serrano

Gutierrez and Serrano are in the pocket just firing short punches at each other. Serrano just has no respect for Gutierrez’s power at this point and keeps marching forward.

My score: 10-9 Serrano

Can’t believe the fight has made it this long, here we are!

Serrano has slowed down a bit here, I think on the advice of her corner, who asked her to save some juice for the final round. She still does enough to win this round.

My score: 10-9 Serrano

Serrano is back in terminator mode. Crazy volume, so many shots and Gutierrez is a punching bag at this point.

Man, this final round is just pure toe-to-toe stuff. Slugfest there. What a fight. Great performance from Serrano. She didn’t lose a single minute of that fight.

My score: 10-9 Serrano

Amanda Serrano wins va unanimous decision: 99-90, 99-91, 100-90

Deron Williams at the weigh-ins.

As is customary with Jake Paul cards, there has to be at least one freak show fight with folks coming from other sports to try their hand at boxing.

In this case we’ve got Frank Gore, a former elite player from the NFL facing off against Deron Williams, an ex-NBA player and three time all-star. Both highly decorated players in their respective sports.

This is an exhibition bout and I have zero idea what to expect beyond potential chaos?

This fight is rounds, which is about right. I expect these two to tire very quickly. After that initial burst, no idea what happens.

Let’s go!

Williams lands hard coming out and Gore went for a double leg? Hahaha! Strange one there. Both look surprisingly sharp here and Gore lands some tight shots on the inside. This is a fun fight!

When Williams fights long he looks real sharp, when Gore gets inside, he looks good.  Oh! And Williams lands a few bombs in the final minute.

This is a great fight!

My score: 10-8 Williams

Damn these guys are swinging! Both are landing hard to the dome, both have huge chins on them! 

Gore lands a huge shot that has Williams on wobbly legs. He survives, then a collision sends Gore through the ropes? Ruled a push though. Wild stuff. 

Something’s happened with Gore though, and the doctor has come in. Looks like he’s going to continue.

And now Williams has been pushed through the ropes. Hahaha wow. Incredible stuff. Now they’re swinging. This is the wildest fight I’ve watched in a while!

My score: 10-9 Gore

This fight is amazing for all the wrong reasons.

Bombs are flying here and both are landing HUGE shots. How are they standing. Incredible show of heart from two elite athletes. 

Gore gets a standing 8 count after getting wailed on by Williams in an exchange.

The fight continues and there’s just some wild exchanges, zero defence. Love it. The ref is having the fight of his life trying to make sense of this chaos.

My score: 10-8 Williams

These fighters are exhausted now and understandably so. Crazy showing from both guys, leaving it all in the ring.

Man, huge overhand from Gore. Williams is tough as nails. Gore is winning this round, but both are slowing down considerable.

My score: 10-9 Gore

I don’t know if they’re actually going to score this, if it’s an exhibition. I’ve got Williams winning, but it was a great fight. Incredible entertainment.

Split decision win for Williams: 38-37 Williams, 38-37 Gore, 40-35 Williams

Australian boxer, Liam Paro at the weigh-ins.

This one is a battle between two currently unbeaten prospects at 140 pounds.Australian boxer Liam Paro is the favourite according to the oddsmakers, but this could go either way. This should be a true high level match-up with the winner potentially looking at some type of huge fight in the near future. A great fight to open with.

Paro pressuring early with a snapping jab, but Alamo lands early also. Bit of a feeling out here, but Paro lands a nice jab to the body and a check hook at one point. A clean left hook as well for Paro. 

Ooft. Alamo lands and sends Paro to the canvas. Bit of a shocker there.

My score: 10-8 Alamo

Paro comes out much busier, clearly trying to make up for the knockdown. Paro is flicking the jab out, but not too many clean shots landed yet.

Pretty nothing round.

My score: 10-9 Paro

Alamo appears to be waiting to counter, but probably needs to get busier. Paro still throwing the jab constantly and landing to the body effectively.

They open up a little mid round and Paro takes a hard jab.

Alamo pressures late here and lands some clean shots.

My score: 10-9 Alamo

Alamo so far seems the more dangerous fighter, but Paro is clearly pushing this fight. 

Paro is landing more here though, Alamo could be slowing down. Another pedestrian round here that’s incredibly hard to score. Anyone could be winning this fight. Tough to call.

My score: 10-9 Paro

Can’t see this fight not going the distance. Both fighters are boxing very conservatively. 

Paro is landing a few straight lefts here, and some good shots to the body. The body is there all day for him actually and Alamo’s output is waning. Paro lands a big left that puts Alamo on the ropes, but nothing comes of it.

Paro seems to be taking over this fight. A better round all up.

My score: 10-9 Paro

Paro opens with a real solid jab that stings Alamo. At this stage Paro’s output is winning him this fight — on my scorecard at least. He’s opening up here, sensing that Alamo’s power isn’t quite what it was.

And then… of course Alamo hits him clean. Was that a knockdown? It wasn’t apparently.

My score: 10-9 Paro

Alamo hit Paro clean early in an exchange, but Paro is still landing to the body. Is Paro still recovering from that non-knockdown? Hard to tell. Paro and Alamo both hit each other hard with an exchange.

My score: 10-9 Alamo

More shots landing here from both. Alamo is hitting harder, but Paro is landing with volume.  He’s winning this round, but somehow feels in more danger from Alamo, who is clearly in wait with counters.

The crowd are apparently distracted by something happening outside the ring?

This fight is pretty dull, so it’s hard to blame them.

My score: 10-9 Paro

Great left overhand by Paro to start the round.

Paro got a warning for a shot to the back of the head. Bit harsh to be honest.

They’re finally opening up here and Alamo has landed some stiff punches, but for me Paro is still winning this round with volume. He just seems to have more in the tank.

My score: 10-9 Paro

The final round of a fairly drab fight. Paro is leading the dance again here and bombs are being thrown on both sides. Alamo has upped the volume here, but Paro has taken the centre of the ring and is controlling this round for me. A sharp uppercut from Paro to finish the round, and the fight.

Let’s see how the judges have it.

My score: 10-9 Paro

Liam Paro wins by split decision: 95-94 Paro, 95-94 Alamo, 96-93 Paro

While we wait for the first match, I might offer a quick prediction on the main event between Jake Paul and Tyron Woodley.

Woodley came close to finishing Paul in the first fight, but the reality: That was a rare high point in a boxing match that Paul mostly dominated. Woodley, like he was during his final matches in the UFC, was incredibly gun shy throughout. Before every fight he promises to let those hands go, but it rarely happens. I see this playing out very similarly to the first fight, with more dominance from Jake Paul, who is becoming a better boxer with each contest.

It’s worth bearing in mind — Woodley is not the athlete he used to be. A huge part of his ability to win fights came from his explosive punching, which has waned as of late. Tyron Woodley is almost 40 years old at this point.

I’m picking Jake Paul here.

The MVP quarterback is partnering with Cash App to facilitate the crypto payment.

“I’m excited about the future of cryptocurrency, and am a big believer in Bitcoin,” Rodgers said in a release from Square, the parent company of Cash App.

Cash App is an app-based money transfer service that allows people to send and receive money. People can also buy and sell stock shares, as well as Bitcoin, using the app. Pro football athletes are starting to invest in Bitcoin. Earlier this year, Kansas City tight end Sean Culkin became the first NFL player to convert his entire salary in Bitcoin.

In the video posted to Rodgers’ official social media accounts Monday afternoon, the star quarterback is wearing a Halloween costume. Rodgers dressed as action movie protagonist John Wick. The video starts with Rodgers taking a drink, then looking at the camera to say, “Bitcoin to the moon,” before going over the details of his partnership and the sweepstakes.

The week-long $1 million Bitcoin social giveaway campaign began at 1 p.m. PT on Monday and runs through Nov. 8.

It worked. And Jessica Fox’s kayaking has no unplanned pregnancies that we know of.

Fox didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment (she’s a little busy). But while games organizers have given out condoms to Olympic athletes since 1988 (the tradition began in Seoul in 1988 due to HIV and AIDS), things are a bit different this year. Due to the coronavirus, Olympic organizers haven’t wanted to encourage Olympic hookups, so they reportedly aren’t handing out free condoms until the athletes are ready to leave Japan.

Fox’s ingenuity shouldn’t surprise anyone. She now has four Olympic medals, and Team Australia proudly, and accurately, dubbed her “the most successful female paddler in Olympic canoe slalom history.”

“I’m grateful to everyone who helped me get to this point,” Fox said in the Instagram post. “I’m sending all my love and all my gratitude because I felt the support from all over the world.”

The NFL season may be past its midway point, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stream the rest of the season.

The only way to get a full football experience is to have a whole litany of channels from your TV provider. Sunday NFC games are largely on Fox, AFC games are on CBS and Sunday Night Football is on NBC. Monday Night Football is only on ESPN. Though Fox has most Thursday night games (with additional streaming on Amazon Prime Video), there are several that are available only on NFL Network.

With all that in mind, we offer our recommendations for the best way to watch NFL without cable.

Read more: YouTube TV vs. Hulu vs. Sling TV vs. Philo vs. FuboTV vs. AT&T TV: 100 channels compared

Our pick from last year remains our go-to choice in 2021.

At $65 per month each, FuboTV’s Starter plan, Hulu Plus Live TV and YouTube TV check all the NFL boxes. Local channels CBS, NBC and Fox are included in many markets, as are ESPN and the NFL Network, so you can watch Sundays, Monday night and Thursday night.

Want to follow your fantasy team with RedZone? That’s available on all three services as part of an add-on. If you’re a YouTube TV subscriber, you can add the $11 per month Sports Plus add-on by clicking on your profile and going to Settings, then the Membership tab. FuboTV subscribers can go into My Profile and choose Manage Add-ons to get its $11-per-month Sports Plus with NFL RedZone offering.

After Hulu added the NFL Network in July, Hulu users can now add RedZone for $10 per month with its Sports add-on.

Both YouTube TV and FuboTV allow three people to watch at once (Hulu allows two live streams) and all three have apps on nearly every mobile device and major streaming platform, including Amazon Fire TV, Google TV, Roku and Apple TV.

While all three are largely similar, we like YouTube TV for its superior DVR (unlimited storage compared with 250 hours on FuboTV and 50 hours on Hulu) and that it, unlike Fubo, includes the Turner channels.

Both YouTube TV and FuboTV will stream Thursday Night Football games in 4K, but only Fubo includes the higher-quality broadcasts with its base package. To watch in 4K on YouTube TV you’ll need to spend another $20 per month.

Worth noting: YouTube TV and Hulu are each running promotions that drop their respective $65 monthly prices down to $55 per month for the first three months for new users. This should take you through much of the NFL regular season before the pricing jumps by $10 per month.

DirecTV Stream (formerly AT&T TV) offers most of the main broadcast channels, but starts at $70 per month and lacks NFL Network and RedZone.

Sling TV’s Orange and Blue plan for $50 a month gets you ESPN and the NFL Network, and, in select major markets, Fox and/or NBC, but you’ll still lack CBS. You can also add RedZone for $15 per month with the Sports Extra add-on.

A frequent fan-favorite method of following all the NFL action, RedZone is a way to catch every big play around the league. The cheapest road to RedZone is to get Sling TV Blue for $35 per month and add the $11 per month Sports Extra add-on.

This option can also be streamed on a host of devices including iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV and web browsers.

Sling is currently offering a discount on the first month of Sling Blue, dropping the price to $10 for the main package.

Note: If you only subscribe to Sling’s Orange package you won’t be able to get RedZone in Sports Extra. Your base package needs to be either Sling Blue or its larger Sling Blue Plus Orange bundle for you to be able to get RedZone as an add-on. If you choose the latter, the Sports Extra add-on is $15 per month as you will also get additional channels like the SEC Network, ACC Network and PAC 12 Network.

Those looking to save some cash might want to check out Sling Blue for $35 a month. While it lacks ESPN, meaning you’ll miss out on Monday Night Football, in select markets you’ll be able to get Fox and NBC. The catch is that those markets are mainly in big cities, so if you live outside one of those areas, Sling Blue might not be for you.

You can also add RedZone through the company’s $11 per month Sports Extra add-on.

Fox, of course, broadcasts most NFC and Thursday night games (with the others on NFL Network and/or Amazon Prime Video), while NBC has Sunday Night Football. CBS, which broadcasts the bulk of AFC games, isn’t included on Sling at all. But an antenna can fill those local channel gaps.

Local and prime-time games will also be available to watch for free on your iOS or Android phone or tablet through the Yahoo Sports app. You cannot, however, cast this feed to your big screen.

There are some apps that offer CBS’ slate of Sunday AFC games live, including Paramount Plus’ Premium tier for $10 per month. Depending on where you live, however, your local CBS station (and those NFL games) might not be available. CBS offers livestreaming services in many markets; you can check for yourself if your area has live CBS streaming here.

An antenna is another option for getting CBS, as is watching on the Yahoo Sports app. And as we mentioned above, an over-the-air antenna connected to your TV provides another free option, no streaming required, as long as you have good reception.

The 2021 schedule of NFL Network games.

Thursday Night Football is probably the most complicated part of the NFL streaming schedule. Most games will be available on the NFL Network, Fox, Amazon Prime Video and Twitch.

A handful of games, however, are also being shown exclusively on the NFL Network, including the Week 5 London game between the Jets and Falcons, and the Week 15 Saturday doubleheader with matchups that are yet to be announced.

As mentioned above, if you want the NFL Network you’re going to need FuboTV, Hulu Plus Live TV, Sling TV Blue or YouTube TV or use the Yahoo Sports app.

NFL Sunday Ticket is still largely limited to DirecTV satellite subscribers, though those who live in buildings that can’t add a satellite dish can get a streaming version to watch football starting at $147 for its To Go package for the remaining two months of the season, or $210 for a Max package that includes the RedZone channel (a student version is also available at a discount). You can check your address on the Sunday Ticket site. Both packages have a one-week free trial.

The problem here, however, is even if you’re eligible it doesn’t include local games. You can only watch Sunday games that aren’t being broadcast on CBS, Fox or NBC in your area. They also won’t be helpful come playoff time — as you’ll need your local stations and ESPN to catch all those games.

For $65 a month, you’ll get all the major football channels with YouTube TV. Plus, RedZone is available for an extra $11 per month. Plug in your ZIP code on YouTube TV’s welcome page to see which local networks are available in your area.

Read our YouTube TV review.

Sling TV’s $35-a-month Blue plan includes NBC, Fox and the NFL Network. Enter your address here to see which local channels are available where you live.

Note: This version of Sling TV does not include ESPN. For that, you’ll need to switch to the similarly priced Orange plan or go for the combined $50 per month Orange and Blue bundle. RedZone is also available for an extra $11 per month.

Read our Sling TV review.

Those looking for CBS games will be able to stream them on Paramount Plus with its $10 per month Premium tier. You can check for yourself if your area has live CBS streaming here.

Most Thursday Night games, starting with Week 5 on October 7, will be available on Amazon Prime Video. For millions of Amazon Prime subscribers, the Prime Video channel is already included at no extra cost. But if you’re not a subscriber, it might be worth it to shell out the $9 a month for the stand-alone TV service fee.

Read our Amazon Prime Video review.

UFC 260 is just about to start. Here’s everything you need to know…

UFC 260 will be the second time Stipe Miocic has faced off against Francis Ngannou.

Sadly the co-main event, a compelling contest between featherweight champ Alexander Volkanovski and jiu jitsu savant Brian Ortega has been cancelled after Volkanovski tested positive for COVID-19.

Here’s everything you need to know.

This year the UFC entered into a new partnership with ESPN. That’s great news for the UFC and the expansion of the sport of MMA, but bad news for consumer choice. Especially if you’re one of the UFC fans who want to watch UFC live in the US.

In the US, if you want to know how to watch UFC 260, you’ll only find the fight night on PPV through ESPN Plus. The cost structure is a bit confusing, but here are the options to watch UFC on ESPN, according to ESPN’s site:

You can do all of the above at the link below.

MMA fans in the UK can watch UFC 260 exclusively through BT Sport. There are more options if you live in Australia. You can watch UFC 260 through Main Event on Foxtel. You can also watch on the UFC website or using its app. You can even order using your PlayStation or using the UFC app on your Xbox.

Need more international viewing options? Try a VPN. See the best VPNs currently recommended by CNET editors.

Based on previous UFC times, this is the schedule we expect…

Given how volatile and fluid previous fight cards have been in the COVID-19 era, expect this one to chop and change. Here’s where we’re at right now…