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Six members of theIranian women's soccer teamwill remain in Australia, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Wednesday, while one of the squad members who was previously granted asylum changed her mind and planned to return to Iran.

U.S. President Donald Trump said in social media posts there were no reports of Iran planting explosives in theStrait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil is shipped. The U.S. said it took out more than a dozen minelaying Iranian vessels Tuesday to help prevent any attempt to close the waterway.

Iran's vow not to allow any oil through the strategic strait has led to market volatility and fears of shortages, especially in Asia, which is dependent on oil shipped from the region.

Israel struck a building in the center of the Lebanese capital Beirut as part of its campaign against Hezbollah. The Lebanese group has been carrying out attacks against Israel in support of Iran.

Here is the latest:

Qatar issues warning of possible attack

Qatar issued a warning to the public Wednesday morning of a possible Iranian attack.

An Associated Press journalist in Qatar heard explosions as air defenses intercepted incoming fire over Doha, the country's capital.

Qatar says it can't mediate while under attack

Qatar says it won't serve as a mediator for Iran as it remains under attack from Tehran.

Mohammed bin Abdulaziz al-Khulaifi, Qatar's minister of state for foreign affairs, made the statement to the Qatari-funded satellite news network Al Jazeera in an interview aired Wednesday.

He noted both Qatar and Oman had been attacked even though they worked to "build bridges between Iran and the West."

"We will not be able to fulfill that role under attack, and that's something the Iranians need to understand," al-Khulaifi said. "The regional countries are not an enemy of Iran, and the Iranians are not understanding that idea."

Russia says consulate in Isfahan damaged

Russia said its consulate in the Iranian city of Isfahan was damaged in airstrikes targeting the central Iranian city.

The state-run Tass news agency quoted Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova saying there were "no casualties or serious injuries" in the strike Sunday, which targeted the nearby governor's office in the city.

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"Windows were shattered in the office building and residential apartments, and several employees were thrown back by the blast wave. Fortunately, there were no casualties or serious injuries," Zakharova said.

Israeli strike hits building in central Beirut

Videos circulating online and broadcast by local news channels from an apparent strike site in the densely populated Aicha Bakkar area of central Beirut show two floors of a multistory building engulfed in flames.

The strike came without warning. There were no immediate reports concerning who was targeted or the number and extent of casualties.

The structure that was hit is several buildings away from Dar al-Fatwa, the country's highest Sunni Muslim religious authority.

The strike was in an area far from Beirut's southern suburbs, where the Israeli military had issued evacuation warnings earlier in the renewed conflict with Hezbollah.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait shoot down drones

Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said early Wednesday it destroyed five drones heading toward the kingdom's vast Shaybah oil field in the Empty Quarter desert. It added that it intercepted and destroyed two drones in the Eastern Province.

Kuwait said it downed eight drones over the tiny, oil-rich nation.

Australia grants asylum to 6 members of Iranian women's soccer team

Two more members of theIranian women's soccer teamwere granted asylum in Australia before their teammates departed the country, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said Wednesday, but one of the women changed her mind and plant to return to Iran.

Six women from the Iranian squad will remain in Australia on humanitarian visas afteraccepting offers of asylumshortly before their scheduled return home, Burke said. The names and photographs of the team members initially granted asylum have been widely published, including by Burke, and it was not immediately clear which of the women reversed her decision.

The rest of the team's departure from Sydney, Australia, happened late Tuesday during fraught and outraged protests at the delegation's hotel and the airport. Iranian Australians sought to prevent the women from leaving the country, citing fears for their safety in Iran.

Ship attacked off UAE

A projectile hit a container ship early Wednesday morning off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Strait of Hormuz, the British military said.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center issued the warning, saying the attack happened off Ras al-Khaimah, the UAE's northernmost emirate on the strait.

The center said the "extent of the damage is currently unknown but under investigation by the crew."

Ships have effectively halted movement through the strait, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all oil and natural gas traded passes.

Lebanon Israel Iran

Iran has effectively stopped shipping traffic through the narrow strait off its coast, through which about a fifth of the world's oil is shipped from the Persian Gulf toward the Indian Ocean. It has also been targeting oil fields and refineries in Gulf Arab nations as part of a strategy that appeared to be aimed at generating enough global economic pain to pressure the United States and Israel to end their strikes.

Early Wednesday, Kuwait said its defenses had downed eight Iranian drones over the oil-rich nation and Saudi Arabia said it had intercepted five drones heading toward the kingdom's vast Shaybah oil field. A projectile hit a container ship off the coast of the United Arab Emirates in the Strait of Hormuz.

Israel, which launched the war with the United States on Feb. 28, said it had had begun a new wave of attacks on Tehran, following multiple strikes the day before that residents described as some of the heaviest during the war. Explosions were also heard in Beirut and in southern Lebanon after Israel said it had started a new assault on targets related to the Iran-linked militia Hezbollah.

Israel pounds Lebanon with new wave of attacks

The attacks set a building ablaze in central Beirut in the densely populated Aicha Bakkar area, engulfing the top two floors of the multistory structure in flames. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the strike, which came without warning.

An earlier Israeli strike in southern Lebanon killed five people in the Nabatieh district, while two more were killed in strikes in the Tyre district and the Bint Jbeil district, Lebanon's Health Ministry said. A Red Cross worker also died early Wednesday of wounds sustained Monday, when his team was hit by an Israeli strike while they were rescuing people from an earlier attack.

Nearly 500 people have been killed so far in Lebanon since Hezbollah triggered the latest round of fighting with Israel when it fired rockets into the country's north after the American and Israeli attacks on Iran started.

Iran launches multiple salvoes at Israel and Gulf Arab nations

Israel warned of three Iranian attacks across the country early Wednesday, with sirens heard in Tel Aviv and elsewhere but no immediate reports of casualties.

In addition to targeting Saudi Arabia's oil fields, the kingdom's defense ministry said it had destroyed six ballistic missiles launched toward Prince Sultan Air Base, a major U.S.- and Saudi-operated air facility in eastern Saudi Arabia. The ministry also said it intercepted and destroyed two drones over Hafar al-Batin, a major city in the eastern province.

In the Strait of Hormuz, Iran hit a container ship with a projectile off Ras al-Khaimah, the UAE's northern-most emirate on the strait, according to a monitoring site run by the British military.

It said the "extent of the damage is currently unknown but under investigation by the crew."

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The United Arab Emirates said early Wednesday that its air defenses were working to intercept incoming Iranian fire. The wealthy Gulf nation — home to the business and travel hub of Dubai — said Iranian attacks have killed six people and wounded 122 others there.

Bahrain sounded sirens early Wednesday, warning of an incoming Iranian attack. The warnings came a day after an Iranian attack hit a residential building in the capital, Manama, and killed a 29-year-old woman and wounding eight people.

Oil prices stay high on fears of prolonged shipping disruption

Oil pricesremained well below the peaks hit on Monday but the price of Brent crude, the international standard, was still up some 20% Wednesday from when the war began, and consumers around the world are already feeling the pain at the pump.

The spike in oil prices has been rocking financial markets worldwide because of worries that the war could block the global flow of oil and natural gas for a long time.

Amin Nasser, the president and CEO of Saudi Arabia's oil giant Aramco, warned on Tuesday that if oil tankers continue to be unable to transit the strait "that will have a serious impact on the global economy."

The U.S. military said Tuesday it had destroyed 16 Iranian minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz, though U.S. President Donald Trump said in social media posts that there were no reports yet of Iran mining the passage, a prospect that experts warned of in the buildup to the war.

Foreign nationals flee region as death tolls rise

In addition to the nearly 500 people killed in Lebanon, Iran has said more than 1,300 people have been killed there and Israel has reported 12 people dead.

The U.S. has lost seven soldiers while another eight have suffered severe injuries.

Many foreign nationals have been getting out of the Persian Gulf region since the war began, including over 45,000 U.K. citizens, the British Foreign Office said. Some 40,000 people returned to the United States, according to the State Department.

Magdy reported from Cairo, and Rising from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Sally Abou AIJoud in Beirut, Giovanna Dell'Orto in Miami, Julie Watson in San Diego,

In a federal complaint unsealed on March 9, authorities said the teens — Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, and Emir Balat, 18 — told police following their arrests that they were inspired by the Islamic State. The two were taken into custody on March 7 after New York City police said they attempted to ignite twoimprovised explosive devices, or IEDs, duringdueling protestsnear Gracie Mansion, the Manhattan home of Mamdani, the city's first Muslim mayor.

The teens, who are both from Pennsylvania, wereindicted on March 9on federal charges of attempting to support ISIS and use of a weapon of mass destruction, court records show. Authorities said Balat and Kayumi traveled to Manhattan from thePhiladelphia suburbsto conduct the "ISIS-inspired" attack.

Conservative influencer Jake Lang (L) and supporters arrive at a protest in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026. Lang and his supporters clashed with counter-protesters.

Two people are in custody after reports of suspicious devices near Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, police said March 7.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A person holds a suspicious device during a protest organized by conservative influencer Jake Lang in New York, in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A person holds a suspicious device during a protest organized by conservative influencer Jake Lang in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A person flees during a protest organized by conservative influencer Jake Lang in New York, in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A person flees during a protest organized by conservative influencer Jake Lang against alleged "Islamification" and to ask for a "stop of public Muslim prayer" in New York, in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A person is detained by police after throwing a suspicious device towards police during a protest organized by conservative influencer Jake Lang in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> View of a suspicious device during a protest organized by conservative influencer Jake Lang in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A person is detained by police after reportedly throwing a suspicious device during a protest organized by conservative influencer Jake Lang against in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Conservative influencer Jake Lang holds a goat on a leash during a protest organized by Lang in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026. Lang and his supporters clashed with counter-protesters.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Conservative influencer Jake Lang arrives at a protest he organized in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026. Lang and his supporters clashed with counter-protesters.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Conservative influencer Jake Lang holds a goat on a leash during a protest organized by Lang in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026. Lang and his supporters clashed with counter-protesters.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Conservative influencer Jake Lang holds a goat on a leash as he arrives at a protest organized by Lang in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026. Lang and his supporters clashed with counter-protesters.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A man holds a goat on a leash during a protest organized by conservative influencer Jake Lang in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026. Lang and his supporters clashed with counter-protesters.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Conservative influencer Jake Lang holds a goat on a leash during a protest organized by Lang in New York, in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026. Lang and his supporters clashed with counter-protesters.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Conservative influencer Jake Lang stands next to a roasted pig during a protest organized by Lang in New York, in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026. Lang and his supporters clashed with counter-protesters.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Supporters of conservative influencer Jake Lang (facing camera) use pepper spray (C) as they face counter-protesters during a protest organized by Lang in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Supporters of conservative influencer Jake Lang (facing camera) use pepper spray (C) as they face counter-protesters during a protest organized by Lang in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Suspicious devices reported near NYC mayor home during protest. See the moment

Conservative influencer Jake Lang (L) and supporters arrive at a protest in front of Gracie Mansion, New York mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence, in New York on March 7, 2026. Lang and his supporters clashed with counter-protesters.Two people are in custody after reports of suspicious devicesnear Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, police said March 7.

Balat, a senior in high school, told investigators he wanted the attack to be "even bigger" than the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 that killed three people and injured hundreds of others, according to the complaint. Kayumi claimed to be affiliated with ISIS, charging documents state.

TheBucks County Courier Times, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported that the FBI found explosive materials while executing search warrants at a storage unit in Middletown Township, a Philadelphia suburb. The FBI andMiddletown Township Police Departmentconfirmed the explosive materials were safely detonated late on March 9.

"Yesterday's search of the storage unit believed to be connected the Gracie Mansion incident revealed explosive residue," the FBI's New York field office said in apost on X. "FBI Special Agent Bomb Technicians and the local bomb squads conducted a controlled detonation to ensure the safety of law enforcement and others in the area."

NYC mayor:Love him or hate him, why Americans are obsessed with Zohran Mamdani

Improvised explosive devices were lit during clash between anti-Islam protesters and counterprotesters

The incident on March 7 occurred during a clash between an anti-Islam protest led by conservative influencerJake Langand a large crowd of counterprotesters, according to police. Tensions between the two groups escalated, and New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said two IEDs were lit outside of Gracie Mansion.

One of the devices, Tisch said, contained triacetone triperoxide or TATP, "a dangerous and highly volatile homemade explosive that has been used in IED attacks around the world." The potential damage caused by the explosives could have been considerable, said Rebecca Weiner, the NYPD's deputy commissioner for intelligence and counterterrorism.

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Both Balat and Kayumi, who officials initially described as counterprotesters, were seen on video throwing a pair of explosive devices toward the protesters, according to Mamdani. The mayor described the explosives as being made "to injure, maim, or worse."

The mayor and New York City's first lady,Rama Duwaji, were not home at the time of the incident.

Tisch has noted that investigators "do not have any information that connects" the explosive devices to the United States and Israel's ongoing war with Iran. Following the incident, New York officials increased patrols at houses of worship and deployed National Guard troops to transit hubs as they respond to a "heightened threat environment."

Iran war updates:US destroys mine-laying vessels in 'most intense day' of Iran strikes

Another suspicious device located near Gracie Mansion determined as 'non-threatening'

As part of the investigation, the NYPD found athird "suspicious device"in a vehicle near the scene on March 8. Police froze the area around the vehicle and used a robot to secure the scene as officers conducted limited evacuations of buildings in the vicinity.

Authorities said the car was linked to Balat and Kayumi and that the device was consistent with the other two homemade explosives. Police confirmed that the device was safely removed, and those evacuated were allowed to return to their residences.

Another suspicious device was discovered at Carl Schurz Park near Gracie Mansion on March 10, prompting officers to close down the park and several nearby streets, NYPD said in aseries of posts on X. Police later determined that the device was "non-threatening" and cleared the scene.

Contributing: Christopher Cann and Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY; Jo Ciavaglia and JD Mullane, Bucks County Courier Times

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:FBI finds 'explosive residue' tied to NY attack near Gracie Mansion

Mavericks Hawks Basketball

The Hawks won their seventh straight game — the team's longest streak since the 2021-22 season and best active run in the NBA — by holding off the woeful Dallas Mavericks124-112on Tuesday night.

It wasn't pretty, but was just the kind of effort the Hawks needed as they try to escape a fifth straight trip to the play-in tournament.

"We're becoming more mature," saidNickeil Alexander-Walker, who scored 29 points against the Mavericks. "The way we've won some of these games in this stretch have been really good, because we're proving that we can respond in the middle, like that adjustment period that needs to be made. We're handling runs better. Our unity is more cohesive as a group, and it shows."

Cohesive would not be a word to describe this season. The Hawks came in with high hopes, but injuries and illnesses deprived them of key players Trae Young and Kristaps Porzingis for long stretches. Atlanta struggled at home and tumbled under .500 with a seven-game skid in December.

BothYoungandPorzingishave since been traded away, signaling yet another new era for a franchise that has largely been a remote outpost on the NBA landscape.

Atlanta is now led by Jalen Johnson, who made his first All-Star Game appearance this season, joined by Alexander-Walker andDyson Daniels.

All three came up big in the latest victory, in which the Hawks struggled to put away a Dallas team in full tanking mode with 18 losses in its last 20 games.

But, after the Mavericks tied the game at 97 with just over nine minutes remaining, the Hawks took control. Alexander-Walker hit back-to-back 3-pointers that essentially sealed the victory.Johnson had 27 pointsand eight assists. Daniels contributed 14 points and 10 assists while stifling Dallas rookie star Cooper Flagg.

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"We found a way to get stops, found a way to band together," Alexander-Walker said.

Alexander-Walker has blossomed in his first season with the Hawks after spending much of his career in a backup role.

He credited his teammates for giving "me that confidence to just continue to shoot, continue to play the game, make the reads. Their reactions to whether or not that was a great (read) or not have been a relief to me. To just be able to play and not look over my shoulder, I just feel free."

Already recognized for his defensive prowess, Daniels has assumed many of the playmaking duties once held by Young, recording 50 assists with just four turnovers in the last seven games.

"Dyson has been huge for us, not just during this winning streak but over the whole year," Johnson said. "Dyson brings pretty much every aspect to the game. He's somebody who's always willing to get better, always willing to learn."

Before the Hawks get too carried away, it's worth noting that only one victory in their current streak has come against an opponent with a winning record.

Johnson recognizes that this team is still a work in progress. The Hawks are only ninth in the East and remained 2 1/2 games behind sixth-place Miami for the final guaranteed playoff spot.

"We're not focused on the winning streak. That's not the end goal," Johnson said. "The end goal is to make a playoff push."

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/NBA

Rousey and Carano made their first public appearance on Tuesday to promote their comeback bout at Intuit Dome, Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer's sparkling new arena.

While Carano expressed gratitude and excitement about her first fight in 17 years, the ever-feisty Rousey sees the bout as the opening strike in an attempt to challenge the UFC "monolith" for dominance in the sport.

"This is the biggest fight in MMA right now," Rousey said. "There are no two people in this sport with more international name recognition than me and Gina — except Conor (McGregor), but no one is going to sanction that. This isn't a charity card. This isn't a throwback, nostalgia card. This is the biggest fight in the sport right now, and it needed to happen now. This is fate between us. We have been on a collision course ever since I sat on a couch watching her on TV, just in complete awe what this woman was doing."

Both fighters were pioneers in the nascent days of women's MMA. Carano was the sport's biggest early television star in the 2000s — and Rousey said she became aware of the sport by watching Carano, eventually picking it up and honing the talent that single-handedly persuaded the UFC to create women's divisions in the 2010s.

But the sport accelerated past the MMA icons, who both moved on to entertainment careers after their star power appeared to exceed their cage abilities. Carano, who turns 44 next month, hasn't fought at all since 2009, while the 39-year-old Rousey last competed in 2016 before having two children.

Both fighters say they had never fully given up on MMA, and this bout was too tantalizing to pass up.

"We only get to live once, and this makes me feel so alive," said Carano, who also revealed for the first time that she has married her longtime partner, muay thai fighter Kevin Ross. "It's pretty incredible and surreal to be here today. It's healing. It's exciting. It's everything I could have hoped for. I didn't know I needed this so bad."

Rousey and Carano have finally decided to return for a fight that's been anticipated and predicted for many years, despite their long career detours.

Carano said that while she never formally retired, she was persuaded to return after lengthy conversations with Rousey, who was nine months pregnant when she initially proposed the bout in December 2024. Rousey had no interest in fighting for several years while focused on professional wrestling and her family with former UFC heavyweight Travis Browne, but she got the itch after helping her coach in judo training.

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Rousey said she retired a decade ago not because of back-to-back losses to Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, but because of neurological issues "that I didn't really have any clarity about, and it just hurt to be around (the sport)."

Carano also said she has been through several years of medical problems before feeling good enough recently to entertain a return to fighting.

"We both need to rewrite our own endings together," Rousey said. "So I reached out to her, and it's been such a journey to get here. So many obstacles. So many people tried to get between us. We went from barely knowing each other to being like, 'You know what? We're going to fight each other.'"

As to those obstacles, Rousey sharply criticized the UFC for a financial offer that she says was much smaller than what they'll get fromNetflixand Jake Paul's promotional company.

Rousey initially wanted to make her comeback with MMA's dominant promotion on its final pay-per-view card, but she sees the UFC's offer as part of a corporate sickness in the company for which she made untold millions.

Rousey said she still loves UFC President Dana White, but the promotion's corporate overlords have strangled fighter pay. Rousey even joined the sport-wide criticism of the fights announced for the high-profile UFC show at the White House this summer.

"Now it's become about changing the entire landscape of the sport and challenging the monolith that the UFC has become," Rousey said. "Of course, I just wanted to do something fun. I don't have to change the world, but that's the way that we do it. I'm so happy that we're here, and I'm so grateful that Gina trusted me."

The Netflix show is being promoted by YouTuber-turned-boxer Paul's Most Valuable Promotions, but Rousey made it clear she is heavily involved in the promotional end. Paul hopes to promote many more MMA shows in the future, and Rousey said she hopes to fill MVP's version of White's role in the company.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou also will appear on the card, fighting 40-year-old Philipe Lins. The 39-year-old Ngannou left the Professional Fighters League last week, and he said MVP's initial plan was for him to fight Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven before heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk made a deal tofight Verhoeven in Egypt.

AP sports:https://apnews.com/sports