UFC CEO Dana White said a bout between undefeated welterweights Shavkat Rakhmonov and Michael Morales could take place in 2027, but noted that it has yet to be confirmed. During the interview, White was asked whether the UFC planned to arrange a bout between the Kazakhstani and Ecuadorian fighters after…
Real Madrid’s striker Kylian Mbappé has become the youngest player in UEFA Champions League history to reach 100 appearances. The Frenchman played his 100th match at the age of 27 years and 298 days, according to Squawka. Lionel Messi previously held the record. The Argentine was 28 years and 84…
Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina, Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka and Russia’s Mirra Andreeva occupy the top three spots in the latest WTA rankings. Despite early exits at the 2026 China Open, Rybakina and Sabalenka retained their first and second places, respectively. Rybakina lost her opening match, while Sabalenka was eliminated in the second…
The International Judo Federation (IJF) flag has been officially handed over to Kazakhstan, which will host the next World Judo Championships. The ceremony took place during the ongoing championships in Baku, with IJF Secretary General Lisa Allan presenting the flag to Kuanyshbek Yessekeyev, president of the Kazakhstan Judo Federation. The…
On Oct. 8, Scott Munn, general secretary of the Kazakhstan Football Federation (KFF), addressed fans after a 2-2 draw with the Faroe Islands. He described the national team’s recent result as unacceptable and pledged to carry out a comprehensive review of the entire player development system, from the under-15 level…
Cristiano Ronaldo, captain of Portugal’s national football team and a sports superstar, has explained why he left the team. In a post on his Instagram account, he said the main reason was a conflict with Head Coach Jorge Jesus, who allegedly gave him his word but failed to keep it.…
Michael Morales, an undefeated UFC fighter from Ecuador, has identified Shavkat Rakhmonov as a potential opponent for 2027. The Ecuadorian fighter described the Kazakh fighter as the «final boss» of the welterweight division and also called out Islam Makhachev and Carlos Prates. Morales released a statement outlining his desired path…
World No. 1 Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the WTA 1000 Wuhan Open. The Kazakhstani player needs time to recover from a lingering lower leg and foot injury, the WTA reported. Tournament organizers announced Rybakina’s withdrawal. Following the announcement, Rybakina addressed fans who had been looking forward to seeing her…
Kazakhstan’s No. 2 tennis player Yulia Putintseva secured bronze at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. In the singles semifinal, she lost 4-6, 2-6 to China’s Zhang Shuai. For around an hour and a half, Putintseva tried to find a way past her second-seeded opponent. However, Zhang consistently outplayed the…
Kazakhstani figure skater Mikhail Shaidorov rose to second place in the updated ISU World Standings for men. He has 4,193 points. Second place is Shaidorov’s career-high standing after he climbed from third. Ilia Malinin of the U.S. retained the top position with 4,590 points. Japan’s Yuma Kagiyama dropped to third…
Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee clarified the situation around the disqualification of athlete Yasmina Toxanbayeva, who finished first in the marathon race walk event at the 2026 Asian Games. The reason was the athlete’s footwear, which was not on World Athletics’ list of approved shoes. On Sept. 27, Toxanbayeva secured gold…
Kazakhstani tennis players Anna Danilina and Zhibek Kulambayeva lost 2-6, 5-7 to Spain’s Cristina Bucsa and Sara Sorribes Tormo in the quarterfinal of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals. Kazakhstan’s national team, without Elena Rybakina, lost the tie 2-1. In the opening match, Sonja Zhiyenbayeva was unable to beat Spain’s…
Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva defeated Spain’s Cristina Bucsa 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 in the quarterfinals of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals to level the tie at 1-1. In the opening match, Sonja Zhiyenbayeva lost to Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 2-6, 2-6. Had Putintseva lost, Kazakhstan’s World Cup campaign in China would…
Kazakhstani tennis player Sonja Zhiyenbayeva lost to Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 2-6, 2-6 in the quarterfinals of the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in China. Kazakhstan now trails Spain 0-1. Elena Rybakina’s withdrawal from the women’s World Cup of Tennis seemingly shaped Kazakhstan’s game plan. Victories by Yulia Putintseva and…
Kazakhstani MMA fighter Kadyrbek Shynbayev won gold at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. In the final, Shynbayev defeated Tajikistan’s Behruz Khurshedzoda. Shynbayev competed in Modern MMA in the up-to-71kg weight class. The bout ended 3-0 in the Kazakhstani’s favor. To reach the final, the athlete defeated competitors from Bahrain…
Kazakhstani MMA fighter Yerkingali Burkutalin secured gold at the 2026 Asian Games in Japan. Burkutalin took on Mukhammad Nabiev of Bahrain in the final. Burkutalin competed in the Traditional style in the up-to-77kg weight category. The decisive bout ended 3-0 in the Kazakhstani’s favor. To reach the final, Burkutalin defeated…
Kazakhstani tennis player Timofey Skatov defeated Thailand’s Maximus Jones 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in the decisive match of the Davis Cup tie in Astana. The hosts had a straightforward first day, winning both singles matches. Alexander Shevchenko defeated Jones 6-4, 1-6, 7-5, while Skatov edged Kasidit Samrej 6-4, 7-6(7-4). In turn,…
Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko lost 6-1, 2-6, 3-6 to Thailand’s Kasidit Samrej in the second match of the World Group II Davis Cup tie in Astana. Thailand’s national team leveled the tie at 2-2. The second day of the tie in Astana started with Beibit Zhukayev and Denis Yevseyev losing 4-6,…
Kazakhstani tennis players Beibit Zhukayev and Denis Yevseyev lost 4-6, 6-3, 5-7 to Thailand’s Pruchya Isaro and Maximus Jones in the opening match of the second day of the World Group II Davis Cup tie in Astana. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan leads the tie 2-1. Yesterday, Kazakhstan won both singles matches. Alexander…
Timofey Skatov of Kazakhstan secured the second point for the national team in their Davis Cup tie against Thailand in Astana, defeating Kasidit Samrej 6-4, 7-6 (7-4). Kazakhstan leads 2-0 after the first day of play. Skatov made a strong start, breaking Samrej in the opening game and not giving…
Kazakhstani tennis player Alexander Shevchenko edged past Thailand’s Maximus Jones 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 in a hard-fought opening Davis Cup match in Astana. After losing three consecutive ties to Argentina, South Korea and Monaco, Kazakhstan’s national team dropped to in World Group II, the Davis Cup’s third tier. Notably, Alexander Bublik…
World No. 1 Elena Rybakina will bring the 2026 U.S. Open trophy to Astana and Almaty, where she will hold masterclasses for young athletes. However, the three-time Grand Slam champion will not represent Kazakhstan at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals in Shenzhen, China. According to the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation,…
Rick Macci, a renowned American tennis coach who has worked with Venus and Serena Williams, named three qualities that he believes have helped Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina win Grand Slam titles and rise to world No. 1. According to Macci, Rybakina’s first major strength is her groundstrokes. Her relatively simple grips…
The draw for the Kazakhstan-Thailand Davis Cup tie, scheduled for Sept. 18 and 19, took place in Astana. The National Tennis Center Beeline Arena will host the event on hard court. The Kazakhstan-Thailand tie on the road to World Group I will open on Friday with a match between Alexander…
