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Sports in brief

 
Published March 7, 2016

MMA

UFC reeling after upsets

LAS VEGAS — Soon after Nate Diaz choked out Conor McGregor and punched a big hole in the UFC's plans, Diaz took the microphone and profanely called his victory "no surprise!"

Maybe not to Diaz. The rest of the sport was still reeling Sunday from the night before.

Miesha Tate, who made previously undefeated Holly Holm submit, and Diaz scored back-to-back upset victories at UFC 196.

A bloodied Diaz (20-10) rallied after getting battered for most of the first 1½ rounds to beat McGregor (19-3), who entered with a 15-match winning streak and gained 25 pounds for the fight. McGregor, who got UFC's first confirmed $1 million payday, was expected to drop back down and defend his featherweight title next.

Tate (18-5) won the bantamweight title and perhaps threw a wrench into UFC's plans for a rematch between Holm (10-1) and Ronda Rousey, who suffered a chocking loss to Holm in November and has beaten Tate twice. Tate appeared to be the person least interested in choosing her next move.

"The right move feels like drinking a Budweiser and eating cupcakes," Tate said. "I'll talk to my management team, and we'll talk to the UFC."

Tennis

Retirement buzz around Sharapova

Former world No. 1 Maria Sharapova, a five-time major champion, scheduled a news conference for today in which she will make a "major announcement," said her agent, Max Eisenbud. Widespread speculation was that one of the world's most recognizable athletes would retire. Sharapova, 28, has had several injuries the past few years and pulled out of this week's tournament at Indian Wells, Calif., with an arm injury. The world's seventh-ranked player hasn't competed since losing to Serena Williams in the Australian Open quarterfinals in January.

Davis Cup: The United States, which advanced overnight by ousting host Australia in Melbourne, hosts Croatia in the quarterfinals, set for July 15-17. Croatia beat Belgium 3-2. Other quarterfinal matchups: Britain at Serbia, Argentina at Italy and France at Czech Republic.

Soccer

Timbers still tops in MLS rematch

Fanendo Adi scored in the 79th minute as defending champion Portland defeated visiting Columbus 2-1 on opening day for Major League Soccer in a rematch of last year's MLS Cup final. Cyle Larin and Adrian Winter scored in the final 30 seconds of stoppage time to give host Orlando City a 2-2 tie with Real Salt Lake before 60,147, an opening day record crowd, in the Citrus Bowl.

U.S. women: Alex Morgan scored a minute into second-half stoppage time as the United States beat France 1-0 in Nashville in the SheBelieves Cup.

ET CETERA

Iditarod: The nearly thousand-mile sled dog race started as Scott Janssen, an undertaker known as the "Mushing Mortician," was the first to leave Willow, Alaska.

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ALPINE Skiing: American Mikaela Shiffrin won a World Cup slalom race in Jasna, Slovakia, and Frida Hansdotter clinched the title in the discipline.

Times wires