MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz are both chasing history in the Australian Open men's final on Sunday night.
Djokovic, who shares the all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, is chasing an unprecedented 25th major championship to become the most decorated tennis player of all time.
Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, a 22-year-old Spaniard, is bidding to become the youngest man ever to complete a career Grand Slam.
The 10-time Australian Open winner was still doing interviews at 3 a.m. inside the depths of Rod Laver Arena.
Djokovic's record in finals at Melbourne Park is 10-0. Alcaraz is playing his first Australian final.
Rod Laver Arena was sold out, with ticket prices surging ahead of the championship decider. Formalities for the final were due to start at 7:30 p.m. local time (0830 GMT).
Conditions were cool and cloudy with some gusting breezes, and light rain showers possible.
Minnesota Timberwolves (31-19, fifth in the Western Conference) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (18-29, 12th in the Western Conference)
Memphis, Tennessee; Monday, 7:30 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Memphis plays Minnesota looking to end its four-game home losing streak.
The Grizzlies are 14-17 against Western Conference opponents. Memphis is fourth in the Western Conference with 33.9 defensive rebounds per game led by Zach Edey averaging 7.2.
The Timberwolves are 18-14 in Western Conference play. Minnesota is seventh in the Western Conference giving up only 114.1 points while holding opponents to 46.0% shooting.
The Grizzlies are shooting 45.4% from the field this season, 0.6 percentage points lower than the 46.0% the Timberwolves allow to opponents. The Timberwolves average 119.3 points per game, 2.7 more than the 116.6 the Grizzlies give up to opponents.
The teams square off for the third time this season. The Timberwolves won the last matchup 131-114 on Feb. 1, with Anthony Edwards scoring 33 points in the win.
TOP PERFORMERS: Cedric Coward is averaging 13.8 points and 6.3 rebounds for the Grizzlies. Jaren Jackson Jr. is averaging 18.6 points over the last 10 games.
Julius Randle is averaging 22.3 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists for the Timberwolves. Edwards is averaging 22.4 points over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Grizzlies: 2-8, averaging 112.1 points, 44.5 rebounds, 28.8 assists, 7.6 steals and 6.0 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 116.4 points per game.
Timberwolves: 5-5, averaging 116.9 points, 46.0 rebounds, 26.2 assists, 9.8 steals and 6.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.3 points.
INJURIES: Grizzlies: John Konchar: day to day (neck), Scotty Pippen Jr.: out (toe), Ja Morant: out (elbow), Jaren Jackson Jr.: day to day (quad), Santi Aldama: day to day (knee), Zach Edey: out (ankle), Brandon Clarke: out (calf).
Timberwolves: Terrence Shannon Jr.: day to day (foot).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
New Orleans Pelicans (13-38, 14th in the Western Conference) vs. Charlotte Hornets (22-28, 11th in the Eastern Conference)
Charlotte, North Carolina; Monday, 7 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte will try to keep its three-game home win streak alive when the Hornets play New Orleans.
The Hornets have gone 10-13 at home. Charlotte is eighth in the league with 12.2 offensive rebounds per game led by Moussa Diabate averaging 3.6 offensive boards.
The Pelicans are 5-19 in road games. New Orleans averages 13.4 turnovers per game and is 11-17 when turning the ball over less than opponents.
The Hornets are shooting 46.4% from the field this season, 1.7 percentage points lower than the 48.1% the Pelicans allow to opponents. The Pelicans average 10.8 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.5 fewer made shots on average than the 13.3 per game the Hornets allow.
The teams square off for the second time this season. The Pelicans won the last meeting 116-112 on Nov. 5. Trey Murphy III scored 21 points to help lead the Pelicans to the victory.
TOP PERFORMERS: LaMelo Ball is scoring 19.0 points per game and averaging 4.8 rebounds for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is averaging 24.7 points and 5.2 rebounds over the last 10 games.
Murphy is averaging 21.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.6 steals for the Pelicans. Saddiq Bey is averaging 2.4 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Hornets: 8-2, averaging 116.7 points, 47.8 rebounds, 28.4 assists, 6.1 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.3 points per game.
Pelicans: 4-6, averaging 112.5 points, 48.0 rebounds, 23.7 assists, 8.6 steals and 6.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 114.9 points.
INJURIES: Hornets: Mason Plumlee: out (groin).
Pelicans: Dejounte Murray: out (leg).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
BOTTOM LINE: Chicago faces Miami in Eastern Conference action Sunday.
The Heat have gone 13-14 against Eastern Conference opponents. Miami is third in the league with 54.3 points in the paint led by Jaime Jaquez Jr. averaging 10.5.
The Bulls are 16-17 in conference play. Chicago ranks third in the NBA with 29.9 assists per game led by Tre Jones averaging 5.8.
The Heat are shooting 46.3% from the field this season, 1.0 percentage point lower than the 47.3% the Bulls allow to opponents. The Bulls average 14.7 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.7 more makes per game than the Heat give up.
The two teams match up for the fourth time this season. The Bulls defeated the Heat 125-118 in their last matchup on Feb. 1. Ayo Dosunmu led the Bulls with 29 points, and Pelle Larsson led the Heat with 22 points.
TOP PERFORMERS: Bam Adebayo is scoring 18.1 points per game with 9.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists for the Heat. Norman Powell is averaging 17.8 points and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 42.3% over the past 10 games.
Dosunmu is scoring 15.1 points per game and averaging 2.9 rebounds for the Bulls. Coby White is averaging 3.2 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 5-5, averaging 120.4 points, 49.8 rebounds, 28.3 assists, 8.9 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 43.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.7 points per game.
Bulls: 6-4, averaging 119.9 points, 43.9 rebounds, 32.2 assists, 6.8 steals and 5.0 blocks per game while shooting 49.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.2 points.
INJURIES: Heat: Tyler Herro: day to day (toe), Norman Powell: day to day (personal), Davion Mitchell: day to day (shoulder).
Bulls: Noa Essengue: out for season (shoulder), Nikola Vucevic: day to day (rest), Zach Collins: out (toe), Tre Jones: day to day (hamstring), Coby White: day to day (injury management), Josh Giddey: day to day (hamstring), Jalen Smith: day to day (calf).
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Jan 23, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Dennis Schroder (17) shoots over the defense of Cleveland Cavaliers guard Craig Porter Jr. (9) during the first half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
There are three main benefits to this deal for the Cavs:
It adds a proven backup point guard who can attack off the dribble
Bolsters a poor perimeter defense
Helps the Cavs save money this season and possibly next
Schroder will help the Cavs immensely. The Lonzo Ball experiment has been a disaster. The scoring just hasn’t been there as his three-point shot has completely fallen off a cliff. That has been problematic since he doesn’t have the athleticism to get inside and finish in the paint anymore.
Ball wasn’t brought in for his scoring, but, you can’t be the orchestrator of an offense if defenses don’t respect that you can make them pay for leaving you open. This has led to him being benched recently for Craig Porter Jr., who isn’t ready to be a top-eight rotation player on a contending team.
Schroder solves this issue. He’s a bona fide backup point guard who can create for himself and others off the dribble. He also brings plenty of playoff experience, which is something this group needs.
The 6’4” Ellis is more of a wildcard. He’s a 26-year old, undrafted fourth-year swingman who’s an incredible perimeter defender. That’s an area where the Cavs could use help.
There's a reason why Keon Ellis is one of the best guard defenders in the NBA.
Look at that footwork. Tremendous last step. Always in balance.
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To say Ellis is disruptive is an understatement. He’s currently in the 95th percentile for blocks and 96th percentile for steals for wings.
Despite his defensive skills, the Kings weren’t giving Ellis the minutes he deserved. He was averaging just 17.6 minutes with Sacremento this season, which is down from the 24.4 he was getting the year before.
Ellis isn’t a well-rounded offensive player, although he is a three-point threat. He’s a career 41.6% outside shooter and is connecting on 36.8% of his threes this season.
This trade doesn’t get the Cavs out of the second apron. They’re still over by $13.9 million. However, it does give them more breathing room this offseason.
Schroder is making $10 million less than Hunter next season. Ellis will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer, but is eligible for an extension starting next week. How much future money the Cavs save for next season remains to be seen. This move could help them get under the second apron in the offseason if that’s their goal.
Those benefits came at the cost of Hunter.
Things weren’t working between the Cavs and Hunter. He struggled with his shot at the start of the season, and it never really felt like he bought into the team’s vision after he was moved back to the bench. Still, it’s fair to wonder if the Cavs ever put Hunter in a position to truly succeed.
The ideal version of Hunter was someone who could fit alongside their core four of Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. Hunter had the shooting and size to be the perfect small forward that the team has been looking for to complete that group. That said, he wasn’t given a chance to prove that.
The Cavs played that five-man group just a combined 90 minutes over the last two seasons. That unit did well. They outscored opponents by an outstanding 46 points when they all shared the floor.
Hunter was given a fair shot in the starting lineup. He opened up 23 games with the Cavs this season with just three alongside the core four. Injuries to the other members of that group are mostly to blame for that, but the Cavs didn’t make the most of their various opportunities to see how Hunter worked with that group. That’s frustrating since the little we saw was tantalizing.
Instead, Hunter was mostly asked to be a small-ball power forward — a role that he struggled with immensely. Hunter doesn’t rebound well for his size, which is essential to playing power forward on a team that doesn’t have good guard rebounding.
Moving on from Hunter leaves little depth at small forward. Jaylon Tyson’s emergence makes Hunter more expendable, but the only other players you’re okay giving small forward minutes to in the playoffs are Ellis, Dean Wade, and Max Strus. If you could guarantee perfect health for Wade and Strus in the playoffs, that wouldn’t be a concern.
Still, the Cavs are a more well-rounded team after the move. They needed the skills that both new players bring, and are also in a better financial position because of it. It’s not easy to find deals that accomplish both goals.
Overall, this trade was a win, but it’s difficult to see it as a homerun. Not figuring out how to make things work with Hunter was a swing and a miss. The Cavs gave up two key rotation players, Caris LeVert and Georges Niang, to acquire Hunter at the deadline last season. In hindsight, that move looks like a disaster.
There’s no reason to throw good money after bad, but last season’s failed trade is going to bump the grade of this one down slightly.
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd was not feeling a reporter's question about rookie Cooper Flagg following the Mavericks' 111-107 loss to the Rockets on Jan. 31 at Houston's Toyota Center.
Kidd was asked about reports of "criticism" he'd received for playing Flagg, the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, at point guard. Dallas' fifth-year coach interrupted the question, responding with a profanity-filled rant slamming those reports while flexing his career resume.
"I don't give a (expletive) about the criticism. Criticism? That's your opinion. You guys write that bull(crap)," Kidd said. "That's not ... I've done this. I've played this game. I've played it at a very high level. I know what the (expletive) I'm doing.
"But I don't give a (expletive) what you guys write. Because you guys have never played the game. And so, I build players. So, I know what the (expletive) I'm doing. So, to take criticism, it only makes me better. Because if I wasn't doing it right you guys wouldn't be poking holes in what I've done."
The Mavericks have lost four consecutive games. Their next matchup is Tuesday, Feb. 3 against the Boston Celtics at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
For weeks, the buzz had been that Keon Ellis was the most likely player to be traded before the Feb. 5 deadline. It didn't even go down to the wire.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have traded De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Keon Ellis and Dennis Schroder in a three-team deal that sees Dario Saric heading off to Chicago, a trade first reported by Shams Charania of ESPN and since confirmed by multiple reports. Michael Scotto of Hoopshype had laid out a framework for this trade earlier in the day.
This trade is a win for the Hawks, who both save money — nearly $47 million in salary and taxes for a team still over the second apron — and get a better wing defender and 3-point shooter in Ellis. The Hawks had hoped that Hunter would fill their need on the wing, but he is averaging 13.9 points a game, has come off the bench a lot this season, is shooting 30.9% from beyond the arc, and is not a lockdown defender. Ellis, on the other hand, is a plus defender (even if he is three inches shorter) and is shooting 36.8% from 3 this season.
Here are other notes on the trade.
• Chicago picks up one or two late second-round picks — one is reportedly in 2029, the worst of Detroit, Milwaukee or New York's second-rounder — for taking on Saric.
• Ellis and Schroder are going to really help Atlanta's perimeter defense.
• Hunter became someone the Cavaliers could trade because of the emergence of Jaylon Tyson, who has played better for them in the same role.
• Schroder is averaging 12.8 points and 5.3 rebounds this season and gives the Cavaliers depth at the point.
• This could mean less Lonzo Ball for the Cavaliers. He has not worked out as hoped for them this season.
• Sacramento had been looking for a late first-rounder for Ellis but did not get any picks as part of this trade.
• Sacramento is not done dealing — this trade adds $6.9 million in salary this season and moves them over the luxury tax line. Kings' ownership is not going to pay the tax for a 12-38 team that is last in the Western Conference. More moves are coming.
• Sacramento adds $10.1 million in salary next season with Hunter.
• Multiple reports say the Kings are excited and believe Hunter can help them on the wing. Can Keegan Murray and Hunter pair well together? We're going to find out.
• Moving on from Ellis and Schroder helps the Kings clear up a crowded backcourt and get more run for rookie Nique Clifford, who has shown some promise.
• Chicago is waiving guard Jevon Carter to create a roster spot for Saric.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Slovenian Ziga Sesko lifted his game after a shaky first set to beat favored American Keaton Hanse 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday in the junior boys final at the Australian Open.
Sesko had little time to savor his victory, other than to lift the trophy over his head at the after-match presentation. He was due to board a flight home hours after the final to join the Slovenian team for a Davis Cup tie against Turkey, starting Friday.
The seventh-seeded 17-year-old started a slight underdog against fourth-seeded Hanse, from Torrance, California.
Hanse looked the stronger and more steady player in the first set, breaking for a 3-2 lead in the fifth game and comfortably holding to take the set in 38 minutes.
Sesko lifted strongly in the second set, gaining more purchase on serve and beginning to crush his forehand while also mixing in a difficult backhand slice. He broke Hanse in the sixth game and took the set in 37 minutes.
The Slovenian dominated the final set, breaking Hanse in the third game. While he was broken in the sixth game for 3-3, he broke back immediately to lead 4-3. Sesko had two championship points on Hanse's serve in the ninth game and conceded only one point in his last service game to take the final on his third match point.
Hanse and Sesko are close friends on tour and have warmed up together all week. Both were playing for the first time on the Rod Laver Arena, the roof of which was closed against the possibility of rain.
“I'd like to congratulate Ziga on an amazing tournament and really well-deserved win,” Hanse said. “I hope I can get revenge on him somewhere in the future.”
Sesko is the third Slovenian to reach a Grand Slam junior singles final and the first since Katarina Srebotnik won the Wimbledon and US Open titles in 1998.
“Keaton is an amazing man, an amazing tennis player,” Sesko said. “I hope we will play many more times and I hope you don't get the revenge.”
Junior Girls
Ksenia Efremova of France beat Ekaterina Tupitsyna of Russia 6-3, 7-5 in the junior girls final, which was the first meeting of the pair.
She’s a very, very good player,” said Efremova, who is the first French girl to reach a Junior Grand Slam final since Elsa Jacquemot won the Roland Garros girls’ title in 2020.
“You maybe don’t hear a lot from her but I know that she’s practicing a lot in Russia and she’s competing there. She doesn’t really travel much," Efremova said ahead of the final. “It’s going to be a very great and interesting match between us because she’s an aggressive player."
Tupitsyna showed that aggression in hitting 21 winners agaisnt 45 unforced errors in the final. But Efremova was steadier, put 72% of first serves in play and won 58% of first serve points.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — David Fuchs scored 30 points to lead San Francisco to an 87-82 victory over Pacific on Saturday night.
Fuchs made 11 of 18 shots with a 3-pointer and 7 of 9 free throws for the Dons (14-10, 6-5 West Coast Conference), adding nine rebounds.
Tyrone Riley IV added 16 points and six rebounds for San Francisco, which led 35-32 at halftime. Junjie Wang and Legend Smiley both scored 11. Ryan Beasley had 11 assists to go with eight points.
Elias Ralph scored 23 points to pace the Tigers (15-9, 6-5). TJ Wainwright had 15 points, Justin Rochelin scored 14 and JJaion Pitt added 10 points and six rebounds off the bench.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nate Ament had 22 points, Jaylen Carey came off the bench to score 13 and Tennessee beat Auburn 77-69 on Saturday night.
Ament made only 4 of 16 shots with two 3-pointers for the Volunteers (15-6, 5-3 Southeastern Conference), but he went 12 for 15 at the free-throw line, adding eight rebounds. Carey hit 5 of 9 shots and 3 of 4 free throws and also grabbed eight rebounds.
Ja'Kobi Gillespie added 11 points and five assists for Tennessee, while DeWayne Brown II totaled 10 points and seven rebounds.
Keyshawn Hall had 21 points to pace the Tigers (14-8, 5-4), who saw a four-game winning streak end. Tahaad Pettiford had 11 points and seven assists.
Ament and Carey both had 11 points as Tennessee jumped in front 13-4 on its way to a 41-31 advantage at halftime.
Sebastian Williams-Adams and Kevin Overton both had three-point plays in the first 1:46 as Auburn quickly cut it to 43-37 to begin the second half.
Hall hit a 3-pointer and Elyjjah Freeman followed with a dunk to cut it to 53-49 with 11:19 remaining. Evans made two free throws and J.P. Estrella and Bishop Boswell had back-to-back baskets as the Volunteers pushed the lead to 59-49 with nine minutes left.
Freshman Filip Jovic turned an offensive rebound into a three-point play and Auburn trailed 59-56 with seven minutes to go. Gillespie scored the final four points as Tennessee answered with a 6-0 run and maintained a two-possession lead to the finish.
EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) — Quinn Hughes had a goal and an assist to set a franchise record for defensemen by extending his point streak to eight games in the Minnesota Wild's 7-3 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday night.
Joel Eriksson Ek, Mats Zuccarello and Brock Faber also had a goal and an assist apiece for Minnesota, which won its third straight game and now has points in five straight games. Kirill Kaprizov, Vladimir Tarasenko and Tyler Pitlick rounded out the scoring for the Wild, while Jesper Wallstedt stopped 39 shots.
Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jack Roslovic scored for the Oilers, who had their three-game win streak halted.
Edmonton's Tristan Jarry gave up five goals on 20 shots before getting the hook midway through the second period. He was replaced by Connor Ingram, who made seven saves in relief.
Penalty killing has been a problem for Edmonton recently and the Oilers gave up two power-play goals to Minnesota and have surrendered six goals on 14 penalties over the last four games.
The game was tied at 2-2 after one period but the Wild took control in the second period with three straight goals.
The Wild took the lead 35 seconds into the second period and never looked back. Ryan Hartman won a faceoff, sliced a pass to Zuccarello and the winger sent a shot soaring over Jarry’s glove to put Minnesota up 3-2.
Draisaitl left the bench for several minutes early in the second, but returned and finished the game. Evan Bouchard extended his point streak to four games with four goals, eight assists across the stretch.
Minnesota swept the three-game season series against the Oilers.
Up next
Wild: Host the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night.
Oilers: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday night.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kaapo Kakko scored the go-ahead goal 3:18 into the third period and the Seattle Kraken held on for their fourth straight victory, 3-2 over the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night.
Eeli Tolvanen and Jared McCann scored in the first period for the Kraken and Joey Daccord made 27 saves. Chandler Stephenson had two assists.
Ivan Barbashev and Mitch Marner tied it at 2 with goals in the second period for the Golden Knights, who have lost four in a row and six of seven. Jack Eichel had two assists and Akira Schmid stopped 20 shots.
With the game tied at 2, Kakko backhanded the rebound of Adam Larsson’s shot past Schmid to put Seattle back on top. The Kraken have won five of their last six.
Tolvanen scored at 6:50 of the first period to give Seattle a 1-0 lead. McCann made it 2-0 at 13:04 on the power play when he took a pass from Vince Dunn and put it over Schmid for his 200th career goal.
Barbashev cut it to 2-1 at 8:52 of the second period. Marner tied it with 12 seconds left in the period on the power play with a wrist shot past Daccord.
CLEVELAND, OH - NOVEMBER 30: Luke Travers #33 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on before the game against the Boston Celtics on November 30, 2025 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
That trend continued as ESPN’s Olgun Uluc reported late Saturday evening that the team is also waiving former second-round pick Luke Travers.
As part of this three-team trade, the Cleveland Cavaliers are waiving Australian forward Luke Travers, sources told ESPN. He had been on a two-way deal with the Cavs. https://t.co/fBvabEeD11
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The Cavs selected Travers with the 56th pick in the 2022 draft. He spent the next two seasons playing in Australia’s NBL before signing a two-way deal with Cleveland in August 2024.
Travers spent the majority of the last two seasons playing with the Cleveland Charge, the Cavs’ G League affiliate. This season, Travers averaged 18.1 points, nine rebounds, and 5.1 assists on .430/.284/.636 shooting splits with the Charge in 14 games.
Travers has struggled to make the transition to the NBA game. He’s a good team defender and rebounder, but hasn’t found his role on the offensive side. Travers doesn’t have the handle or athleticism to continually get to the basket, so he needed to develop as an outside shooter. So far, that hasn’t happened. Travers shot just 28.4% from three this season with the Charge and shot 26.2% the year before.
The offensive limitations kept him from getting meaningful minutes with the Cavs. He played just 24 games and 191 minutes in two seasons combined with the Cavaliers. Most of which were in garbage time.
With the move, the Cavaliers currently have one open two-way spot with Enaruna and Nae’Qwan Tomlin currently occupying the other two. Tomlin will likely not be in that role for long. He’s eligible for just six more games with the Cavaliers under his current contract, which will presumably be converted to a standard deal after the All-Star break.
SYDNEY (AP) — In a masterful performance, as he’s done so many other times, Alexander Volkanovski successfully defended his featherweight title with a unanimous decision over Diego Lopes at UFC 325 on Sunday afternoon.
New South Wales native Volkanovski (29-4-0) won on all three judges’ scorecards 49-46, 49-46 and 50-45, much to the delight of the crowd inside Sydney Olympic Park.
With precision punches and stellar footwork, Volkanovski looked even more dominating than he did during his unanimous decision victory over Lopes (27-8-0) at UFC 314 on April 12 in Miami.
“We were ready for him to make the right adjustments; his team did a good job,” Volkanovski said. “Last (fight), we moved to the right, he did a great job of cutting that off. But that just means I’m going to use all my other tools.”
Which he did, dominating nearly all 25 minutes of the fight, something the 37-year-old admitted he would have rather not needed against his younger foe.
“I wanted to grab a hold of him and put him down, but he was strong; I didn’t want to stand for 25 minutes, I’ll be honest,” Volkanovski said. “But we got the job done.”
After an uneventful first round that was littered mostly with layered feints from both fighters, the action picked up in the second round.
Volkanovski even attempted a jumped guillotine that Lopes slipped out of before attempting a rear-naked choke at the end of the round.
Both fighters landed massive right hands in the third round, the champion with a double-right that staggered Lopes and the challenger with a quick strike that briefly dropped Volkanovski to his knees.
Volkanovski, who tied Jose Aldo for the most title fight wins in UFC featherweight history with eight, was methodical over the final two rounds to seize the win in front of his hometown fans.
“I almost had my moment in Perth,” Volkanovski said, referring to his lightweight championship loss to Islam Makhachev at UFC 284 on Feb. 12, 2023. “But I got my moment here in Sydney.”
In the co-main event, No. 8 lightweight Benoit Saint Denis (17-3-0) got his fourth-straight victory when he scored a technical knockout of No. 6 Dan Hooker (24-14-0) at the 4:45 mark of the second round.
Saint Denis, who hasn’t seen a third round since his UFC debut in 2021, began a ground and pound with several brutal elbows before finishing with a bevy of punches.
In a lightweight bout, No. 14 Mauricio Ruffy (13-2-0) used a flurry of punches that began with a thunderous right hand to score a technical knockout of No. 9 Rafael Fiziev (13-5-0) at the 4:30 mark of the second round.
In what culminated with a bloodied slugfest in the third and final round of their heavyweight battle, No. 15 Tallison Teixeira (9-1-0) earned a unanimous decision over No. 12 Tai Tuivasa (15-9-0).
Quillan Salkilld (11-1-0) opened the main card by making quick work of Jamie Mullarkey (18-9-0) with a rear-naked chokehold in the first round. It was Salkilld’s fourth-straight win.
CLEVELAND, OH - JANUARY 23: De'Andre Hunter #12 of the Cleveland Cavaliers boxes out during the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 23, 2026 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by David Liam Kyle/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
After a few days of speculation, the Cleveland Cavaliers have traded away De’Andre Hunter to the Sacremento Kings in a three-team deal. They’ll be receiving Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis from the Kings. Dario Saric, a 2029 second-round pick from the Kings, and the Denver Nuggets’ 2027 second-round pick — which the Cavs previously owned — are being sent to the Chicago Bulls.
BREAKING: The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading De'Andre Hunter to the Sacramento Kings for Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis, sources tell ESPN. The three-team deal includes the Chicago Bulls acquiring Kings forward Dario Saric and two future second-round picks. pic.twitter.com/Hoc6bP0hhj
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The Cavs acquired Hunter at the deadline last season, but it simply didn’t work out long-term. Hunter was good for the remainder of last regular season. That didn’t carry over to the second round series against the Indiana Pacers. He missed Game 2 with a thumb injury and wasn’t himself when he returned to the lineup. Hunter averaged just 9 points and 4.5 rebounds on 36.7% shooting from the floor that series.
That carried over to this season. Hunter was given a chance to prove that he could fit with the starting lineup, but struggled to find his role. As a starter, Hunter averaged 15.4 points on .429/.303/.843 shooting splits. The inefficient shooting and lack of effort on defense resulted in him being moved back to the bench.
Switching to a reserve role didn’t do much to help him regain his shot. Overall, Hunter averaged 14 points and 4.2 rebounds on .423/.308/.869 shooting splits in 43 games with the Cavs.
Perimeter defense has been an issue for Cleveland after trading away Isaac Okoro this summer. Ellis should help. He’s known as one of the better defenders for his position, and should help an area of need.
Ellis is only 6’4”, which puts his natural position at shooting guard. That’s a spot on the depth chart that is already clogged with that being Donovan Mitchell, Sam Merrill, and Max Strus’s best position.
On the season, Ellis is averaging 5.6 points and 1.3 rebounds on .397/.368/.625 shooting splits.
Schroder should help shore up the backup point guard position with Lonzo Ball seemingly on his way out. The journeman guard is averaging 12.8 points and 5.3 assists per game on .408/.343/.820 shooting splits.
The move will also save Cleveland $50 million in luxury tax payments this season. How much it helps them financially in the longrun remains to be seen. Schroder is owed $14.8 million next season and $15.5 million (with just $4.3 million guaranteed) in 2026-27. Ellis will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason if his contract isn’t extended with the Cavs.
The Cavaliers are still over the second apron by $13.9 million after the completion of the deal. We’ll see if additional moves are made before the trade deadline on Feb. 5.
