Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Thursday 19 december 2019
Former Bellator welterweight champ MacDonald signs with PFL

By DAN GELSTON fought Jon Fitch to a draw, moving forward that I have
AP Sports Writer and suffered a crisis of con- a lot more years ahead of
Rory MacDonald stood in- science about continuing me in the sport."
side an MMA cage and in the sport. He is scheduled to attend
questioned his drive to "It takes a certain spirit to the PFL Championship on
continue to hurt people in come in here and put a Dec. 31 at the Hulu Theater
a professional fight. man through pain," he said at Madison Square Garden
MacDonald would find the in the post-fight interview. in New York City.
conviction to keep fighting "I don't know if I have that Ray Cooper III fights Da-
— and he found a new pro- same drive to hurt people vid Michaud for the wel-
motion to continue his ca- anymore. I don't know terweight title and the $1
reer. MacDonald, the for- what it is. It's confusing, but million prize. MacDonald
mer Bellator welterweight I know the Lord has some- could debut in the division
champion, signed a multi- thing in store for me." as early as May 2020 when
year deal with Professional MacDonald fought two the next PFL season opens.
Fighters League and will more times this year for Bel- "Rory MacDonald is a
debut with the company in In this July 11, 2015, file photo, Rory MacDonald, right, fights lator, which declined to champion, world-class
Robbie Lawler during a welterweight mixed martial arts title bout
2020. The 30-year-old Mac- at UFC 189 in Las Vegas. match his contract offer, fighter and MMA star,"
Donald spent six years with Associated Press and said he wouldn't have said Peter Murray, CEO of
UFC -- beating Nate Diaz, signed with PFL if he had the Professional Fighters
B.J. Penn and Tyron Wood- and was courted by PFL, phone. "They made me an any lingering doubts about League.
ley along the way -- and the MMA company that offer that is very motivating his commitment to fighting. "Rory is a game-changer
spent the last 2½ years with has a regular-season for- to perform well. I'm not a "The fact that I was a free for the PFL and this signing
Bellator. MacDonald (21- mat and a championship big talker. I go in there and agent, if I was ready to illustrates our commitment
6-1) beat Douglas Lima to night that awards a $1 mil- I fight hard. The way they hang it up, it would be a to not only develop great
win the welterweight title in lion prize to the winner in have things set up is perfor- time like that," MacDonald fighters in our league, but
January 2018 and lost the each weight class. mance based and I think said. "I wouldn't go ahead to also attract and sign
rematch in his final fight for "They have big goals to that's what suits me." and try and sign a new the best MMA fighters who
the company in October. grow in the sport," Mac- MacDonald made waves contract if I was iffy about want to control their own
He became a free agent Donald said Wednesday by in MMA in April after he my career. I'm crystal clear destiny." q

NBA lando. With the Jazz trail-

ing 97-90, Mitchell awoke
a moribund offense and
Continued from Page 17 had 12 points in helping energized the crowd with
the team win its 12th in a a highlight-reel dunk in
The Lakers looked as row over the Suns in Los traffic. That sparked the
though they had taken Angeles. clinching spurt for Utah (16-
control with a 9-0 run for Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 19 11), which has won three in
a 95-91 lead midway points and Deandre Ay- a row.
through the fourth quar- ton added 18 points and Bojan Bogdanovic scored
ter. But Indiana respond- 12 rebounds in his return nine of his 30 points dur-
ed just as it had all night as from a 25-game NBA sus- ing the late surge, and Joe
the Lakers played without pension for Phoenix, which Ingles had 16 points and 12
All-Star forward Anthony lost its fourth in a row. rebounds.
Davis. NETS 108, PELICANS 101, D.J. Augustin had 22 points
Howard had a season- OT Brooklyn Nets center DeAndre Jordan (6) blocks a shot by New off the bench and Evan
Orleans Pelicans guard Josh Hart in the second half of an NBA
high 20 points. NEW ORLEANS (AP) — basketball game in New Orleans, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2019. The Fournier added 19 for the
CLIPPERS 120, SUNS 99 Spencer Dinwiddie scored Nets won in overtime 108-101. Magic, who fell to 12-15.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Paul 31 points and Brooklyn ex- Associated Press KNICKS 143, HAWKS 120
George scored 24 points, tended New Orleans' fran- NEW YORK (AP) — Knicks
Kawhi Leonard added 20 chise-worst losing streak to 40 attempts from 3-point as the Hornets (13-17) won rookie RJ Barrett scored a
and Los Angeles returned 13 games. range. for the fourth time in five career-high 27 points as
home after two weeks Joe Harris had 24 points, Jarrett Allen had 12 points, games. New York ran away from
away to beat Phoenix. including a jumper that 14 rebounds and six blocks Fox was back on the floor Trae Young and Atlanta.
Leonard and George put the Nets ahead 104-98 for the Nets, including a after missing 17 games Mitchell Robinson had
teamed up in a dominant with 1:28 to go in the extra transition dunk to tie the with left ankle sprain and a career-best 22 points
third quarter that saw the period. Brandon Ingram game at 93 in the final min- led the Kings (12-15) with along with 13 rebounds,
Clippers stretch their lead quickly responded with ute of regulation. 19 points in 30 minutes. and Marcus Morris also
from five points to 21 by a 3-pointer, but the Peli- HORNETS 110, KINGS 102 Monk scored eight straight scored 22 for the Knicks,
the time it was over. The cans, who shot 34%, got CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — points in the fourth quarter, who have won three of
two superstars combined no closer. Malik Monk scored 14 of his including a pair of 3s. He four after a 10-game losing
to score 18 points in a 32- The Nets have won five of season-high 23 points in the went 5 of 5 from the field in streak.
16 run that sent Los Ange- seven. fourth quarter, and Char- the fourth and finished with Young scored 42 points for
les into the fourth leading Ingram had 22 points and lotte spoiled De'Aaron a career-high 10 rebounds. the Hawks, who lost their
90-69. 10 rebounds but missed 10 Fox's return from injury with JAZZ 109, MAGIC 102 fifth straight. De'Andre
Lou Williams added 20 of his first 11 shots before a win over Sacramento. SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Hunter added 19 points.
points for the Clippers, scoring all but two of his Cody Zeller had 17 points Donovan Mitchell scored New York went ahead
scoring their first 11 of the points after halftime. Jrue and nine rebounds, and 30 points, including eight by 31 on Barrett's three-
fourth — including three Holiday scored 21 for the Bismack Biyombo added as Utah closed the game point play early in the third
3-pointers. Ivica Zubac Pelicans, who missed 29 of 10 points and 12 rebounds with a 19-5 run to beat Or- quarter.q