Brazil’s Amanda Nunes scored a dominant decision victory over Irene Aldana to retain her bantamweight crown at UFC 289 before dancing with her daughter and retiring in the cage as the curtain came down on a stunning career.

The 35-year-old laid her gloves between her bantamweight and featherweight belts on the octagon floor, bringing an end to a sensational run that saw her become the first woman to hold two UFC titles simultaneously and the first openly gay UFC champ.

“Double champion forever, baby!” roared Nunes, nicknamed “The Lioness”, as her gloves were being removed for the final time.

Nunes was originally slated to fight Juliana Pena, who interrupted the Brazilian’s dominant bantamweight run with a surprise win in December 2021 before losing the rematch, but Pena suffered a rib injury and had to withdraw.

Mexican Aldana was thrown into the fray as a replacement and she proved no match for Nunes, who outclassed her in every facet of the game en route to a unanimous decision victory.

As the final moments of her career played out, the Brazilian enjoyed a dance with her daughter Raegan in the octagon before revealing that her wife Nina is pregnant with their second child, adding that family was the reason for her retirement.

“My mom was asking me so much to do this (retire) for so long, she can’t take it anymore,” Nunes said.

“My partner as well, Nina, she’s been around so much with me my whole career … I decided right now I’m still young enough to enjoy everything that I made. I’ve got to travel, I want to be with my family.”

Nunes submitted Miesha Tate in July 2016 to win the bantamweight belt for the first time, and she went on to sensationally knock out Cris Cyborg in 51 seconds to add the featherweight belt in December 2018.

The great players leave records in their wake, depositing them like waves on a shoreline, leaving a high-water mark for others to reach towards or wash away.

First it was Roger Federer, then it was Rafael Nadal, now it is Novak Djokovic who, with a 7-6 (7-1) 6-3 7-5 victory in the French Open final against Casper Ruud, set a new men’s record for the most grand slam titles with his 23rd win.

And, finally, after years of the record moving between the “Big Three,” it could now settle with Djokovic. His dominance in grand slams shows no sign of waning while Federer retired last year and Nadal will retire at the end of next year with injuries preventing him from competing at this year’s French Open.

Despite Ruud breaking him in his first service game of the match, Djokovic always seemed in control, particularly after winning a finely poised, grueling opening set that lasted nearly 90 minutes.

And two sets later, surrounded by other great athletes – Tom Brady, Kylian Mbappé and Zlatan Ibrahimović were all in the crowd – Djokovic confirmed his status as the most successful men’s tennis player of all time.

Novak Djokovic first addressed the crowd in French, wearing a custom hoodie with “23” embroidered on his chest, before speaking in English to tell Ruud he was “one of the best personalities on the tour.”

He added: “My team, my family, my kids, my parents, everyone is here, my two brothers aren’t here but I love them very much. You know what we’ve been through, the trials and tribulations every day.

“I know I can be a nightmare. I want to thank you first of all for patience and tolerance and that stands out. I was really torturing you so I appreciate you being my rock, and my support and really believing in me.”

The greatest

Djokovic has crept slowly into the all-time great debate, his first grand slam wins punctuating half a decade of Nadal and Federer’s dominance when he was seemingly destined to be the odd one out, the one unfortunate to belong to the same era as them.

But, slowly and surely, as their powers waned and injuries took root, Djokovic emerged as the dominant player on tour – his fitness, his return of serve and his ability to make his opponent play just one more shot rendering him virtually unbeatable.

“Many congrats on this amazing achievement,” Nadal tweeted after the match. “23 is a number that just a few years back was impossible to think about, and you made it! Enjoy it with your family and team!”

Where Federer and Nadal are defined by each other, their rivalry and friendship intertwined, Djokovic occupies a space on his own, respected but perhaps not loved in quite the same way as the other two members of the “Big Three.”

His career has not been without controversy. Arguably, he could have won 23 grand slams already had it not been for his decision to remain unvaccinated against Covid-19. As a result, he was deported from Australia before the Australian Open in 2022, and missed the US Open that same year, due to the countries’ requirements for travelers to be vaccinated against the virus.

It is not just the grand slam records that he now holds. He has spent 387 weeks as the world No.1, surpassing Steffi Graff in February to set another record. Victory at this year’s French Open moves him back to his familiar spot of world No.1. Federer, meanwhile, holds the men’s record for the most consecutive weeks, 237, spent atop the rankings.

Each of the “Big Three” has become associated with a different surface during their careers – Federer with grass and Wimbledon, Nadal with clay and Roland Garros, Djokovic with the hard courts of the US Open and Australian Open.

But, by winning on Sunday, Djokovic confirmed his dominance on every surface, becoming the first male player to win each grand slam at least three times. Victory also takes Djokovic halfway to the “Calendar Slam,” winning all four major tournaments in a year, the one achievement that has so far eluded him, Federer and Nadal. He also became the oldest ever French Open champion.

An impressive start by Ruud

For all the pre-match talk about Djokovic, it was Ruud who started impressively, rattling off a service hold to love, breaking Djokovic at the third opportunity in the Serb’s first service game, and racing to a 3-0 lead.

But Djokovic displayed the qualities that have carried him to the very top of the sport, breaking back after a 28-shot rally and then holding, despite conceding a break point, to level the scores at 4-4.

Though momentum appeared to shift, Ruud clung on – bringing the raucous crowd to their feet with a between-the- legs shot that eventually won the point – and the first set remained finely poised, all the way to a tiebreak.

As the pressure ratcheted up in the tiebreak, so too did Djokovic’s game. Ruud did nothing wrong, he barely made any errors but Djokovic’s groundstrokes seemed slightly more powerful, his movement slightly sharper, and he did not make a single unforced error as he romped to a 7-1 win to take the set, after an hour and 21 minutes.

After coming so close to landing a blow during the long opening set, Ruud seemed deflated when he walked back onto court and lost the opening three games.

All the energy dissipated from the crowd too, as if they were also accepting the inevitable, that Djokovic was simply too good for anyone to challenge him.

And shortly afterwards, Djokovic took a two-set lead, winning the set with a backhand winner down the line with Ruud marooned on the other side of the court.

Ruud still refused to yield, however, saving a break point early in the third set and engineering a promising 0-30 position with Djokovic serving and trailing 3-4, but there was little he could do in the face of his opponent’s 22 winners in the final set.

Djokovic eventually broke Ruud late in the third set to take a 6-5 lead and held on to complete a famous victory as he fell to the floor, celebrating a record-breaking day.

A punch from UFC star Conor McGregor sent the Miami Heat’s mascot, Burnie, to the emergency room of a local hospital during the NBA Finals on Friday, according to The Athletic.

McGregor punched the performer wearing the mascot costume twice in a pre-planned skit in the third quarter during Game 4 of the NBA Finals at the Kaseya Center in Miami. The skit was meant to promote a pain relief spray, which McGregor sprayed on Burnie after the blows.

Burnie, who sported large gold boxing gloves and a boxing robe, was punched once by McGregor and fell to the ground. Once on the ground, McGregor landed another punch before the mascot was dragged off the court.

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra joked about the incident while speaking to reporters ahead of Monday’s Game 5 in Denver.

“It’s the Miami Heat toughness that we are talking about,” Spoelstra said. “Should’ve been allowed to take the first swing. We won’t reveal who that is but he’s tough. Take a punch and get back up. Yeah, he’s not going to miss any time.”

McGregor has not competed in a UFC event since breaking his left leg in a fight with Dustin Poirier in July 2021.

The Heat lost Friday’s game 108-95 to the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets are leading the best-of-seven series 3-1.

More than 60 million people from Colorado to the Carolinas are under threat for severe storms Sunday, including heavy rain, hail and tornadoes, with the lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys at greatest threat.

Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms could hit the region this afternoon and evening, according to the National Weather Service office in Huntsville, Alabama.

“Damaging winds, large hail, and heavy rainfall are all potential hazards with this activity,” as well as the chance of a tornado, according to the weather service.

There is a Level 3 of 5 risk for severe storms for portions of Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky, including Nashville, Birmingham, and Lexington. Cities including Dallas, Fort Worth, Atlanta and Denver face a slight storm threat. Other cities under a marginal threat include Oklahoma City, Columbus, Ohio, and Shreveport, Louisiana.

Parts of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and the Carolinas can expect excessive rainfall due to the storm, possibly 1 to 3 inches Sunday.

More than 100 storm reports came in Saturday across the lower Mississippi Valley and Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas, most of which were damaging wind reports.

Israeli troops staged a rare incursion into Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian Authority government in the occupied West Bank, prompting clashes the Palestinian Ministry of Health said left at least six people wounded.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the operation early Thursday was to demolish the home of Islam Faroukh, who is accused of two November 2022 bombings that killed two Israelis and injured dozens of others in Jerusalem.

Israeli security forces regularly raid Palestinian cities such as Jenin, Nablus and Jericho, but an incursion into Ramallah on this scale is extremely unusual.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported more than 100 Israeli military vehicles were involved in the incursion, calling it an all-night raid.

Among the wounded was a photojournalist for Al-Arabi TV, Moumen Sumrin, who was hit in the head with a rubber bullet. Video from the scene showed he was wearing a press vest at the time. The rubber bullet fractured his skull behind the ear and caused bleeding inside the skull, but does not appear to have caused an injury to the brain, Dr. Fadel Al-Batran said.

He is conscious and in stable condition, the doctor told journalists.

The IDF acknowledged reports that a Palestinian journalist was wounded in the incursion. They did not name Sumrin in their statement.

“An initial inquiry suggests that a Palestinian photojournalist who was in the area of the violent and crowded riots was injured, likely by a rubber bullet. The details of the incident are under review. The IDF makes every effort to prevent any harm to non-combatants during operational activity and to allow freedom of movement and the press,” the statement said.

The Faroukh family apartment was blown up from the inside because it was on the first floor of a four-story building, Wafa said. Faroukh’s parents and four sisters lived there, the official news agency added.

The IDF regularly demolishes the homes of people they accuse of attacks against Israelis as punishment of suspects and their families.

Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh vowed the home would be rebuilt.

“Every house demolished by the occupation will be rebuilt,” he said Thursday.

The IDF said Israel’s Supreme Court had rejected a petition against demolition of the home.

Faroukh was arrested in December, the IDF said.

The IDF said people threw stones and Molotov cocktails at their forces during the raid and that troops responded with live fire and riot dispersal measures. No IDF troops were injured, the military said.

Fish swept up and dumped by flood waters drive home Ukraine’s claims of Russian “ecocide” while Russian gunners attacked rescuers amid the chaos of the Nova Khakovka dam burst.

Apparently caught unawares, the Kremlin’s own troops were washed away, their trenches flooded, accommodation inundated and, as they ran into the open to save themselves, Ukrainian forces rained death down upon them from the opposite bank of the Dnipro River.

At first glance this looks like an own goal, or two, by Russia. It controlled the dam that burst, is accused by many Western nations of actually blowing it up, and it engulfed its own troops plus Ukrainian civilians under its occupation.

But Moscow has form for sacrificing the lives of many for the motherland, in the same way, on the same river.

As Nazi troops advanced against the Russian army in 1941 across Ukraine, Stalin’s secret police, the NKVD, were given an order of terrible ruthlessness.

They were to blow up the Zaporizhzhia hydroelectric dam that bisected the eponymous industrial city, which stands 200 kilometers (125 miles) upriver from today’s Nova Kakhovka barricade).

On August 18, Stalin’s henchmen carried out his order. The breach in the dam sent a surge of water downstream that killed Soviet soldiers and thousands of civilians. No official history of the atrocity was recorded and historians differ over the death toll sitting somewhere between 20,000 and 100,000 souls.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has again blamed Moscow for the collapse of the Nova Kakhovka dam and said Russia should bear “criminal liability” for “ecocide.”

In an interview with national media on Tuesday, Zelensky said: “In our opinion, this is a crime, the Prosecutor General’s Office has already registered it. It will have evidence. There is a modern classification – ecocide,” he said, adding: “I think that there should be criminal liability… International institutions, including the International Criminal Court, should react.”

Both Kyiv and Moscow accuse each other of being behind the major breach of the dam, although it is unclear whether the dam was deliberately attacked, or whether the collapse was the result of structural failure.

Zelensky referred to a report by Ukrainian intelligence last year that claimed occupying Russian troops had mined the dam.

“The consequences of the tragedy will be clear in a week. When the water goes away, it will become clear what is left and what will happen next,” he said.

His officials have repeatedly said that the dam was destroyed by Russia to frustrate Ukraine’s plans for a large-scale counter-offensive.

Before the surge in water spread it across the low lands on its eastern banks, the Dnipro posed a formidable natural defense for Russian troops.

When they were driven out of Kherson City last summer they retreated east and south, blew the bridges across it, and dug in on the east banks. Within hours snipers were scoping targets and gunners pounded the recently liberated city from the marshes along the river.

Ukraine has, naturally, been secretive about how it plans to unleash a counter-offensive to reclaim territory lost to Russia last year.

It’s been conducting probing attacks, or reconnaissance by fire, along the frontline running east from Zaporizhzhia toward Donetsk City. These are clearly intended to test Russia’s defenses, and keep its generals guessing.

Bakhmut, the eastern city which has been dubbed the “meat grinder” by both sides, flares up sporadically as Ukraine attempts to flank Russian forces that have captured most of its urban areas.

And Ukraine has sponsored the “Russian dissident” forces (all carrying Ukrainian military ID) who’ve been raiding into Russian territory north of Kharkiv for the last couple of weeks.

This opening of this new front has caused even Russian President Vladimir Putin himself to tell his administration to resist attempts to destabilize his government.

“Today we will also address these issues in relation to ensuring Russia’s security, in this case domestic political security, considering the efforts our ill-wishers are still taking and stepping up in order to destabilize the situation inside Russia. We must do everything we can to prevent this from happening at any cost,” he said recently.

So Ukraine has had the initiative lately.

Small wonder then that, perhaps, Russia needed to destabilize Kyiv with a spectacular humanitarian and ecological disaster that, Moscow hoped, could change the course of history – and has changed the course of a river.

Any plans that Kyiv may have had for a cross-river assault are now much more complicated by a much wider body of water, more boggy landscape, and unmapped waters.

Russia has lost too.

A Ukrainian officer in command of men tasked with watching and raiding the Russian forces on the east bank of the river his teams kept a close watch on the floods as they overwhelmed Russian troops – driving them into the open where they could be killed more easily.

“We see them now before they were hiding in the buildings, in the trenches, and it was difficult for us to understand how many of them and where they were. But now, we see them all because they’re just running and they try to evacuate themselves. They left not only their positions, they left all their weapons, equipment, ammunition and vehicles, including armored vehicles, too,” the Ukrainian officer said.

Ukraine’s armed forces have insisted that their counter-offensive included contingency planning for a disaster at the dam.

They said they are “equipped with all the nececssary watercraft and pontoon bridge crossings for crossing water obstacles.”

Kyiv’s military added that Russia had blown the dam (as had the Soviets before them battling the German army) as a desperate attempt to thwart Ukraine’s much vaunted offensive.

But there’s another detail worth considering. The Kakhovka Dam sits at the head of the fresh water canal system which supplies the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula with most of its needs.

“The fact that Russia deliberately destroyed the Kakhovka reservoir, which is critically important, in particular, for providing water to Crimea, indicates that the Russian occupiers have already realised that they will have to flee Crimea as well,” said Zelensky.

He would suggest as much.

But cutting off the water supply to the massive garrisons in Crimea – which is also the head quarters of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet – would more likely serve Ukrainian than Russian interests (at least in the short military term).

So destroying the Nova Khakovka dam which has complicated Ukraine’s plans but flooded Russian defenses on a frontline that was an unlikely first choice of Ukrainian advance has served neither side well.

But it’s cost Kyiv dearly now, and will cost it yet more in the future – and an enfeebled Ukraine, no matter how angry, is Russia’s end game.

With a few words, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky gave his strongest signal yet that his forces have begun their much-anticipated campaign to regain swathes of territory taken by Russian forces.

The president said “relevant counteroffensive defensive actions are taking place in Ukraine” but remained tight-lipped about the details.

There has long been speculation of a Ukrainian counteroffensive, not least as it has been talked up by Ukrainian officials.

But the idea of a counteroffensive may be misleading, giving the impression that there was a discrete before and after period of the campaign.

In reality, Ukraine has been softening up Russian forces for months and is already engaged in efforts to recapture territory. What’s more, as Ukrainians are keen to emphasize, the actions of their armed forces are in response to an invasion.

That is why Ukrainian officials like to stress – as Zelensky did with his careful form of words Saturday – that all their actions should be seen as defensive.

Despite all this, the conflict is entering a new stage, and one which may decide its ultimate outcome. Here are some of the factors at play.

Look to the south

Unlike the fluid opening months of the conflict, when Russia attempted to seize the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and other major cities, the frontline in Ukraine is now settled in the south and east.

That also means, as Ukrainian officials acknowledge, the new campaign won’t have the element of surprise, such as during last September’s sweep through the Kharkiv region.

After retaking Kharkiv and Kherson, the southern Zaporizhzhia region will likely be a main focus for the Ukrainian army. It has been stepping up activities there this month.

Gains for Ukrainian forces in Zaporizhzhia could strike a major blow to Russia’s wider campaign. It is seen as a primary objective for Ukraine to break Russia’s land corridor from occupied Donbas to Crimea, which was illegally annexed in 2014.

In terms of its goals, Kyiv has consistently said that it wants to recapture all of the territory controlled by Russia.

In an address earlier this year Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that included Crimea.

“It is not an intention, it is our land. Crimea is our sea and our mountains,” Zelensky said.

Whether that goal is achievable remains a huge open question.

Russia has dug in – but is vulnerable

Ukraine’s counteroffensive has long been expected by Russia, giving Putin’s army several months to prepare the ground and build an elaborate array of defenses.

Satellite imagery shows the extent of Russian fortification. These include layers of anti-tank ditches, obstacles, minefields and trenches.

Such defenses stretch for hundreds of miles across the meandering front. Breaking through them will prove difficult.

Ukrainian officials have frequently relayed accounts from people in occupied areas such as Mariupol and Berdiansk of long Russian convoys passing through and dozens of buildings being appropriated as military accommodation.

Ukraine has been carrying out so-called shaping operations to lay the groundwork for its offensive, disrupting Russian supply lines, destroying ammunition depots and targeting fuel infrastructure.

Adding to this, there have long been reports of Russian infighting, with particular friction between the Wagner mercenary group and Kremlin military leadership.

Russia’s small gains, especially compared to Putin’s initial ambitious targets in the war, have come at huge cost, decimating frontline units and starving many of manpower, as well as critically important experience.

Bakhmut is still in play

Despite Wagner claiming victory in the eastern city of Bakhmut and handing it back to Russian forces, the city remains a flashpoint.

The city’s fall was a rare gain for Russia but recently Ukraine’s forces say they made limited progress recapturing land to the northwest and southwest.

Ukraine may be using the city to weaken Russia elsewhere by diverting its resources, which similarly may have been the aim of raid by Russian dissident fighters in their home country.

While there are no official figures, it is clear taking Bakhmut came at a huge cost for Russia.

NATO intelligence estimates that for every Ukrainian soldier killed defending Bakhmut, Russian forces lost at least five.

Ukraine has new weapons at its disposal

Ukraine upgraded its weaponry ahead of the counteroffensive.

The United Kingdom delivered multiple “Storm Shadow” cruise missiles to Ukraine, giving the nation a new long-range strike capability.

With a firing range in excess of 250km, or 155 miles, it is just short of the 185-mile range capability of the US-made surface-to-surface Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, that Ukraine has long asked for.

Ukraine has also received at least two Patriot systems, one from the United States and one from Germany, to enhance its air defenses, which have previously been unable to intercept more modern Russian missiles.

Proving its new prowess last month, Ukraine for the first time used a US-made Patriot air defense system to intercept a Russian hypersonic missile, marking a potentially pivotal moment in the conflict.

In addition to military equipment, the US announced a $1.2 billion aid package to Ukraine to support the launch of its counteroffensive.

The clock is ticking

A question mark hangs over how long the international support for Ukraine will last.

During the meeting Trump refused to say whether who he wanted to win the conflict, saying instead he wanted “everybody to stop dying.”

The longer the war goes on, the more likely divisions are to grow among Ukaine’s allies, something that will play to Russia’s advantage.

If the war ends in negotiations or stalemate, Ukraine will want an upper hand. It will be seeking to make as many gains as it can from the counteroffensive, and fast.

Rescuers are searching for three British tourists who are missing after a fire erupted Sunday on the boat they were traveling on in the Egyptian Red Sea, according to state news outlet Al-Ahram.

The tourist boat was carrying 27 people, including 15 English tourists, off the coast of the city of Marsa Alam, according to Al-Ahram.

Twelve of the British tourists were rescued and the search for the remaining three is underway, according to Al-Ahram.

The state outlet didn’t mention how the fire started.

A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign Office (FCDO) said in a statement Sunday that they are “in contact with local authorities” and are supporting British nationals involved.

The incident comes just days after beaches were closed in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, after a Russian man was killed in a shark attack.

Arcangelo finished first at the 155th running of the Belmont Stakes in New York, a historic triumph that marked the first time a female horse trainer won a race in the coveted Triple Crown.

With Arcangelo’s Saturday victory, Jena Antonucci became the first female trainer in history to train a winner of any Triple Crown race, according to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association. Antonucci is only the 11th woman to train a contender for the Belmont, the third jewel in the Triple Crown, in the race’s history.

Preakness Stakes winner National Treasure led for most of the race, before Arcangelo made a late push inside and held off Forte to capture the historic victory. Hall of Fame jockey Javier Castellano tallied his first victory at the Belmont. Castellano previously rode Mage to victory at the Kentucky Derby.

“I don’t know that we have words right now, we’re going to need a minute,” said an emotional Antonucci after the race. “We’re trying to soak all this in, just so proud of this horse right now. It’s amazing.”

Arcangelo has “got the heart of a champion,” she added.

“Never give up and if you can’t find a seat at the table, make your own table and build your team and never give up,” Antonucci said after asked what message she wanted to send. “You are seen, people see you, just keep working your butt off.”

Antonucci’s historic accomplishment falls on the 50th anniversary of Secretariat’s win at Belmont Park for owner Penny Chenery. Chenery is regarded as one of the most successful women in horse racing.

The odds for Arcangelo to win the race were 7-1 as of Saturday morning, according to the Belmont’s official website.

Pre-race favorite Forte finished in second place, while Tapit Trice finished in third and National Treasure came in sixth.

Race comes as horse deaths trigger scrutiny

Arcangelo’s win comes in the wake of a series of unexpected deaths at prestigious racetracks that have shaken the world of horse racing.

The owner of Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby, announced last week that it would suspend racing operations to conduct a “top-to-bottom” review of all safety and surface protocols following the death of 12 horses at the racetrack. The racetrack said it was “troubled” by the deaths. There is no clear cause linking the deaths, according to Churchill Downs.

And at Belmont Park, four horses have died while racing or training since May 13th. The New York Racing Association said each incident would be “closely reviewed and analyzed” to ensure the organization is “providing the safest possible environment for racing and training.”

PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan told employees in a meeting on Thursday that it couldn’t “conduct a lengthy spending war against Saudi Arabia,” according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

According to the report, Monahan during a meeting at PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida told employees that the Tour’s financial model was “unsustainable” while fighting Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, a government-controlled fund that has $650 billion in assets under management, according to its most recent filing.

“We cannot compete with a foreign government with unlimited money,” Monahan told employees, according to the Wall Street Journal. “This was the time … We waited to be in the strongest possible position to get this deal in place.”

The meeting came days after the PGA Tour declared a partnership with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf, as well as the DP World Tour, unifying the trio under a new, yet-to-be-named, commercial entity.

According to the Journal, Monahan told employees that the Tour had already spent $50 million in legal fees and had dipped into its reserves for $100 million to help pay increased purses in elevated events and other bonuses to players.

“Additionally, this transaction will make professional golf more competitive with other professional sports and sports leagues,” the Tour continued.