BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - JUNE 26: Shara Magomedov of Russia poses on the scale during the UFC Fight Night ceremonial weigh-in at National Gymnastics Arena on June 26, 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)Shara Bullet is the latest UFC fighter to commit to the RAF mats.The freestyle wrestling promotion announced Friday that Bullet a.k.a. Shara Magomedov is the newest member of the RAF roster.View this post on InstagramAn opponent and date are still to be announced for Bullets first RAF appearance.Bullet (17-1 in MMA) joins a growing list of UFC stars signed to compete for RAF, including former champions Merab Dvalishvili, Henry Cejudo, Belal Muhammad, and Khamzat Chimaev. The promotion recently introduced Crossover Championship titles to accommodate the MMA transplants, with dedicated elite wrestlers like Kyle Snyder, Kyle Dake, David Carr, and Helen Maroulis competing for RAF belts.In the UFC, Bullet has flirted with a top 15 ranking, going 15-0 as a pro before losing a decision to Michael Page. He has since rebounded with back-to-back wins over Michel Pereira and Marc-Andre Barriault.Bullet also has a pair of notable grappling matches under his belt in recent months, having battled fellow UFC fighters Edson Barboza and Arman Tsarukyan under the Hype FC banner, with Tsarukyan largely dominating their un-scored contest this past December.

Heading into last offseason, Luis Garca Jr. was an afterthought, a legitimate nontender candidate. The new regime in D.C. had zero connection to the former top prospect, whose career had stalled out big time for an aimless Nats team. In nearly 2,300 plate appearances as a big leaguer, the Dominican infielder was a below-league-average hitter whose second-base defense was both ugly and untenable. He looked like somebody in need of a new start, a change of scenery. But the new Nats front office and coaching staff saw a reclamation project worth undertaking. The result has been a resurgent 2026 season in which Garca, now a full-time first baseman, has delivered career highs in nearly every relevant offensive category. Hes swinging the bat harder, making contact with more force and barreling the ball up more often. Garca, 26, still hates a walk and is prone to go fishing outside the zone, but in the main, this is an impactful offensive player capable of hitting in the middle of a contenders lineup.Which is exactly why hes now playing for the New York Yankees.The Bronx Bombers made Garca their first major deadline acquisition on Sunday, sending a quartet of right-handed hurlers to Washington in exchange for his services. Its an interesting fit, given that the Yankees injury-riddled lineup is currently relying quite heavily on two different first basemen: Ben Rice and Paul Goldschmidt.Rice has been one of the best hitters in the American League this season. Goldschmidt still absolutely scorches southpaws. Garca, a lefty stick, figures to start in Goldschmidts place against right-handed starters, either at first base or at designated hitter. Rice, he of the .925 OPS, will continue to be an every-day player.While outfield, shortstop or third base might have been the more obvious places for an upgrade, the light-hitting Yankees couldnt afford to be picky. With Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Cody Bellinger all sidelined due to injuries, New Yorks offense has been desperate for a legitimate difference-maker. Garca should provide that pop. And like all lefty swingers in pinstripes, he should benefit from the right-field short porch at Yankee Stadium.So what happens when Stanton, a DH-only guy, comes off the shelf? Thats a tomorrow problem. Given the sluggers injury history, the Yankees had to make plans for the here and now. Maybe they push Garca back to his old stomping grounds at second base (though he has yet to play an inning there this year) and send Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the hot corner.Who knows? Who cares? The Yankees lineup is better today than it was yesterday. MintzGrading the return for the Nationals: BThe Nationals demonstrated with their first trade of this deadline (Curtis Mead for Connelly Early) that they are willing to part with current offensive contributors if it means adding upgrades on the mound, where the organization is desperately seeking both depth and upside. That pattern continued with the move to ship Garca to the Bronx in exchange for four pitchers, including three relievers who could help patch up Washingtons shoddy bullpen in the short and long term.Yovanny Cruz and Ben Grable are the prizes here. Grable just represented New York at the All-Star Futures Game and has dominated in relief since being selected in the 11th round out of Indiana University last year. His terrific fastball-slider combo and solid command have enabled a 38.4% strikeout rate and 0.85 WHIP, which both rank among the top 30 of minor-league arms with at least 30 innings pitched. Cruzs stuff is even louder, with a fastball that has climbed to 102 mph; only three pitchers have thrown more triple-digit heaters than Cruz (82) in Triple-A this season. He made his MLB debut earlier this season but has mostly been in the minors top level trying to hone his control enough to be trusted in leverage situations in the majors. The Nationals will have far more patience for helping him reach that back end of the bullpen potential than New York did, which is why he was a sensible inclusion in this deal.Jake Bird, 30, is the only non-prospect of the bunch. He arrived from Colorado at last years trade deadline but has struggled to establish himself in New Yorks deep bullpen, ultimately shuttling back and forth between the majors and Triple-A. But he has a lengthier track record of getting late-inning outs than most of what Washington currently has in its bullpen, and its not unreasonable to think the low-slot right-hander can regain his solid form if given the opportunity with the Nats. Hes under contract through 2028.Jack Cebert is the lone starter of this quartet and the least-heralded prospect as things stand. Quite similar to Grable, he was an unremarkable prospect for most of his college career before blossoming as a 23-year-old senior at a new school en route to a late-round selection by New York in 2025. Hes a well-built 6-foot-3, started throwing much harder after signing and now has a five-pitch mix that has been quite effective in Double-A. He projects as a back-end starter who could compete for a big-league role in 2027.Its strange to get excited about a reliever-heavy prospect package, but considering the state of Washingtons roster, this was a creative and opportunistic use of Garca as a trade chip to address a glaring organizational need. This deal could help Washington become a more viable contender in 2027 if the offense continues to shine as it has this season. Shusterman

The longest-tenured Cincinnati Red choked back answers into shorter sentences as he spoke in front of his locker after what he anticipated was his final game with the Reds after 11 years with the organization.A lot of emotions, said catcher Tyler Stephenson, who hit a home run to right field in his final at-bat before the Aug. 3 MLB trade deadline. To have that (last) hit be a home run is pretty cool.Its been a fun ride.Reds Pirates series Chase Burns Reds top Pirates behind some of their best young starsReds trade deadline Hunter Greene Reds' Hunter Greene goes 6 in final start before MLB trade deadlineThis wasnt the way it was supposed to end in Cincinnati for the 2015 first-round draft pick who was one of the first foundational pieces of this rebuilt Reds core that broke through for a playoff appearance last year.Stephenson and the club negotiated before last season but failed to agree on a contract extension, making this day a possibility ever since.If anything, Stephensons last two months at the plate have served as a reminder of what the Reds envisioned for him long-term in their lineup.In his last 35 games, going back to June 6, hes 39-for-112 (.348) with five home runs 10 doubles, 13 walks, 15 RBIs and a .992 OPS.He said he was proud of what he has been able to do on the field through the increasing volume of trade rumors in a market heavy with contenders looking for catching help.After the Pirates game, players throughout the Reds clubhouse seemed resigned to the likelihood of a flurry of trades involving their roster over the final 24 hours before the 6 p.m. deadline on Aug. 3."I'm just ready for it to be over with," Stephenson said.Stephenson, whos one of seven pending free agents, was asked how he plans to handle deadline day, which coincides with an off day on the Reds schedule.I dont know yet, he said. My wife and I did talk. Just kind of go around to maybe some different places around the city that we enjoy just in case. Well see.Meanwhile, he reflected on his time in the only professional organization hes known, and the relationships hes built.Its the first time Ive gone through this process, he said. Im just taking it day by day and enjoying each day. Trying to enjoy these moments. Ive been with these guys for a long time. Its been a lot of fun.Thats a weight hes carried these past weeks as his trade stock rose with his production and the deadline neared.Just the business side of it, this being my last year, being a free agent, its definitely a looming day, he said, voice cracking slightly.And that days here.This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Emotional Tyler Stephenson braces for trade after long-ball farewell

Best pitching rotations in MLB: Where Dodgers' group led by Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto ranks originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.After the Los Angeles Dodgers finally landed Tarik Skubal following more than a year of trade rumors, the rest of Major League Baseball was put on notice as the league's best team added one of its best pitchers.The Dodgers now have as many combined Cy Young and MVP awards on their roster (10) as the rest of the National League combined. However, Los Angeles isn't the only team with an elite starting rotation.Four other clubs rank among the top five starting pitching staffs in baseball, while several strong rotations just missed the cut.Here's a look at the MLB teams with the best starting rotations following the Skubal trade.MORE:Tracking news and rumors from the 2026 MLB trade deadlineBest pitching staffs in the MLB1. - Los Angeles DodgersTarik SkubalYoshinobu YamamotoShohei OhtaniBlake SnellTyler GlasnowWhen at full strength, no team comes close to matching this Dodger lineup 1 through 5. For most teams around the MLB, any one of these pitchers would be their ace. With Snell and Glasnow still on the IL, the Los Angeles pecking order has featured Emmet Sheehan and Roki Sasaki, along with the occasional bullpen game.Prior to Skubal's arrival on the team, the Dodgers had the league's fourth-best team ERA at 3.60, according to ESPN. Hitters bat on average .216 against the Los Angeles entourage, which is the MLB's lowest mark, along with only 414 total runs against (2nd). With yet another deep playoff run looking imminent in the City of Angels, their pitching is a key reason why. Anything other than a World Series trophy hoist for the third year in a row would be a colossal failure for this group.MORE:Full details of Dodgers' trade for Tarik Skubal2. - New York YankeesMax FriedCam SchlittlerGerrit ColeCarlos RodonWill WarrenComing in at the second spot in the MLB's best starting pitching lineups is the New York Yankees. While outfielder Aaron Judge has the biggest name in the Yankee organization, their pitching room is among baseball's best. The AL powerhouse has a league-low 3.30 cumulative ERA, along with the third-lowest opponent batting average of .225.Since returning from Tommy John Surgery, Gerrit Cole picked up right where he left off. In his last seven starts, the right-handed flamethrower has pitched at least five innings and notched five or more strikeouts. In front of him stand Max Fried and young phenom Cam Schlittler. The Yankees are widely thought to be the American League's top contender despite currently sitting 3.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the AL East's No. 1 spot.MORE:Who did the Yankees trade for IF Luis Garcia Jr.?3. - Milwaukee BrewersJacob MisiorowskiBrandon WoodruffKyle HarrisonLogan HendersonBrandon SproatWhile the Brewers seem to fall short every year despite a stellar regular season, they've consistently had a strong group of starting pitchers to put them in contention. This year, Jacob Misiorowski has put his name on a pedestal as one of the sport's top arms. The 24-year-old currently tops the MLB charts with 190 strikeouts through 21 games (nine per game), along with throwing a large portion of the fastest pitches in the modern era.Brandon Woodruff has again fallen victim to injuries, with his latest being a season-ending shoulder surgery. Kyle Harrison is set to return soon after a stint on the 15-day IL with left forearm tightness. Logan Henderson and Brandon Sproat, a young pitcher who was landed in the Freddy Peralta trade with the New York Mets, round out a fine lineup that has a high likelihood of propelling the Brew Crew to another deep postseason run.4. - Tampa Bay RaysDrew RasmussenShane McClanahanFreddy PeraltaNick MartinezGriffin JaxWhile the Tampa Bay Rays have been without Ryan Pepiot for the duration of the 2026 season, Shane McClanahan has picked up another injury after missing the entire 2024 and 2025 campaigns with Tommy John surgery and another elbow procedure. Regardless, Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez have held down the fort before the team added Freddy Peralta in a trade with the Mets.While Griffin Jax was one of Team USA's brightest spots at this year's World Baseball Classic, the 31-year-old struggled to begin this season as a bullpen option. He was eventually moved into one of the team's starting positions and has since recovered well. In his last four outings, Jax has gone more than five innings and recorded six or more strikeouts. Tampa Bay currently boasts the sixth-lowest ERA across the majors (3.68), along with the fourth-lowest opponent batting average (.228).MORE:Grading the Tarik Skubal trade5. - Boston Red SoxGarrett CrochetSonny GrayRanger SuarezPayton TolleJake BennettRounding out the MLB's top pitching staffs is the Boston Red Sox. Despite Garrett Crochet being on the IL since April 29 with left shoulder inflammation and still not having a throwing timetable, the Red Sox have ranked quite well in pitching statistics for the 2026 season. Boston currently has the third-lowest team ERA in the MLB (3.53), along with a league-low 410 runs allowed.Outside of Crochet's misfortunes, Sonny Gray has been nothing short of stellar this season. The journeyman has rekindled the potential from his early MLB career and has tallied a 13-2 record as of August 2, second only to Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez. Behind Gray stands offseason acquisition Ranger Suarez, who has had an up-and-down 2026 season (4-3, 3.15 ERA, 105 K's), and the young duo of Payton Tolle (6-6, 3.30 ERA, 110 K's) and Jake Bennett (6-4, 2.74 ERA, 46 K's).

Leeds coach Daniel Farke directs his team in a 4-2 friendly win over Liverpool at Soldier Field in Chicago (KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI)Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored two of Leeds' four second-half goals as they rallied for a 4-2 friendly win over Liverpool on Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago.The stunning comeback saw Liverpool handed their first defeat under new coach Andoni Iraola, who arrived this summer from Bournemouth to replace the sacked Arne Slot.Liverpool had notched a 4-2 win over Sunderland and a 1-0 victory against Wrexham at Yankee Stadium in the first two matches of their US tour.They looked in control on Sunday with a pair of first-half goals before Leeds stormed back against their English Premier League rivals.US midfielder Brenden Aaronson launched the fightback in the 60th minute and Calvert-Lewin pulled Leeds level in the 71st, firing in at the back post after Joe Rodon flicked on a long Ethan Ampadu throw.Sean Longstaff's scuffling finish in the 73rd gave Leeds a 3-2 lead and Calvert-Lewin made it 4-2 with a near-replica of his first goal in the 85th, when Ampadu's throw was sent on by Sebastian Bornauw and he headed in.The victory was Leeds' second on their US tour, which opened with a 3-2 loss to Wrexham in Tampa, Florida before a 1-0 victory over Sunderland in New Jersey.Liverpool had opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Dominik Szoboszlai's corner was flicked on by Milos Kerkez and slammed home by Luke Chambers from six yards out.Florian Wirtz doubled the tally in the 40th minute, tucking in a cross from Jeremie Frimpong.Germany's Wirtz was one of a trio of World Cup players who returned to action for Liverpool on Sunday, along with Ryan Gravenberch of the Netherlands and Alexander Isak of Sweden.bb/amz

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. Chicago White Sox left fielder Sam Antonacci began Sundays game against the Tampa Bay Rays with a grounder to second base.Ryan Vilade couldnt field the ball cleanly and Antonacci reached on an error.It was the first of a few miscues in the first inning for the Rays. And the Sox took full advantage, scoring twice in the inning as part of a 9-1 victory in front of 23,559 at Tropicana Field. The American League Central-leading Sox (59-52) won two of three in the series with the AL East-leading Rays.Its always great to win these types of games, infielder Miguel Vargas said.The Sox maintained a three-game lead in the division over the second-place Cleveland Guardians (57-56), who topped the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 on Sunday.The first inning set the tone on Sunday for the Sox.After reaching on the error, Antonacci advanced to third on a two-out double by Colson Montgomery. Andrew Benintendi then tapped a grounder back to the mound, which pitcher Griffin Jax bobbled. Jax recovered, but his throw to first was late. Benintendi reached, and Antonacci scored on the error.Then with Tristan Peters batting, Jax bounced a pitch to the plate. Benintendi took off, but slowed as he neared second base when catcher Nick Fortes throw arrived. Rays shortstop Ben Williamson hesitated between going after Benintendi or throwing home when Montgomery started heading to the plate. Benintendi eluded him and Montgomery scored, giving the Sox a 2-0 lead.It was huge, Sox manager Will Venable said. To get two runs early is obviously a nice way to start the game. And really, because of those two errors, right? Those were two tough plays for them, where obviously theyre such a good defensive team that they usually make those. But a good job by our guys to take advantage of it.Were just a really competitive group. When you compete, take advantage of those opportunities, obviously thats a path to winning. We talk about continuing to battle and grind every at-bat and these guys do a great job.Benintendi contributed to the offense in a more traditional way in the fourth inning, hitting a solo home run.Everson Pereira drove in two with a double in the sixth inning against reliever Craig Kimbrel, stretching the lead to 5-0. He added a two-run home run in the ninth against reliever Alex Cook.I thought it was really cool today to see (Pereira) who wasnt even (originally) in the lineup and made that late lineup change (scratching right fielder Braden Montgomery because of a superficial skin infection on his right ankle), and had a big day. It was really a difference for us.You think about his season and ups and downs, obviously dealing with his injuries (left ankle sprain and right pectoral strain) and the concussion. Its been a lot for him, so really nice to see him kind of get calibrated here and make good swing decisions.Pereira added through an interpreter, It hasnt been an easy year. A lot of ups and downs. But you know what, theres nothing I can do about it. Now I just focus on what I can do and all the things that we have ahead of us.Vargas also hit a two-run home run in the ninth against reliever Chris Roycroft.Sox starter Anthony Kay was terrific in the win, scattering seven hits in a career-high 6 1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked one.It was good to go out there and get some length, Kay said. I wanted to all year and it was good to just be able to be out there.Kay worked out of bases-loaded situations in the fourth and sixth while improving to 8-5.He had everything working, Venable said. Really great to see for a guy to work around some trouble there and really do a nice job.And the Sox continue to play well against some of the top teams in the AL East. After splitting four games against the Yankees, they won a series against the Rays (65-46), who have the best mark in the AL. The Sox limited Tampa Bay to three runs in the series.Any time you can win a series, its really good, Kay said. Taking two out of four from the Yankees and then two out of three from here, it shows where were at in the league.The Sox head to Boston, where a three-game series begins Tuesday, excited about their play and the new addition of pitcher Luis Castillo from the Seattle Mariners.I think we did a really good job to put the front office in that position, Vargas said. They can help us, too. Its great.I think we are on the same page thinking about the World Series, thats great for the organization and for the team.

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Owens is on a collision course with CM Punk for the Undisputed WWE Championship after his surprise return at SummerSlam

Chelsea Green won the WWE Interim Women's Title at WWE SummerSlam 2026 Night 2.WWEChelsea Green won the WWE Womens Interim Championship as the biggest fan favorite of the match. Embattled by a combination of (mostly) fake and real outrage, Triple H has come under fire for booking the same people in the main event. The sportsbooks had familiar face Charlotte Flair winning her 15th world championship, but Chelsea Green upset the applecart while exciting WWEs fickle fanbase with a career-defining win. Chelsea Green will likely feud with Rhea Ripley assuming Ripley is able to return soon. Earlier this month, WWE announced a rare WWE Interim Womens Championship while current womens champion Rhea Ripley recovered from injury. The chase for the WWE Womens Championship intertwined multiple feuds during qualifying matches, but no feud cast a bigger shadow than Jade Cargill vs. Charlotte Flair (-500), who was the biggest favorite to win her 15th world championship, one behind her legendary father Ric Flair. Cargill and her best friend Alexa Bliss have been at war with Jade Cargill, B-Fab and Michin, and in a ladder match, that feud was more than guaranteed to culminate in a significant spot in the match, if not decide this contest outright.Chelsea Green Wins WWE Womens Interim Title Ladder Match Tiffany Stratton, another hometown favorite, donned the color of the Minnesota Vikings. She was followed by Jade Cargill, who also wore purplenot in honor of Minnesotas zero-Super-Bowl-winning football teambut in homage to Minnesota native Prince. Chelsea Green received the biggest pop among the combatants as she walked out third. Chelsea invited eight friends to the match, but they couldnt make it because there was an airline strike in Canada. Poor Chelsea. Green was followed by Lash Legend and Charlotte Flair. Charlotte Flair and Jade Cargill brawled immediately, with Jade Cargill getting the jump on Flair. Lash Legend powerbombed Tiffany Stratton into a ladder. Strattons friend Chelsea Green tried a suicide dive, but Legend caught Green and ragdolled her. Legend sent Chelsea Green over the barricade as fans chanted Chelsea while Lash Legend dominated the opening minutes. Charlotte Flairs gear was dedicated to a young WWE fan named Scarlett who recently succumbed to brain cancer. Charlotte faced off with Lash Legend, and Lash got the better of Charlotte by slamming her on a ladder. Now it was time for a showdown between Lash Legend and Jade Cargill. Jade Cargill and Lash Legend faced off as US Bank Stadium cheered, but Green and Stratton broke it up and neutralized the Black amazons with 10-count punches. Cargill and Legend hit stereo pump kicks and started throwing hands, but Charlotte reentered the fray and shoved Cargill out of the ring with a ladder. Lash Legend dropped Charlotte with a military press and setup a ladder to retrieve the title. Stratton stopped Legend with a Codebreaker as she faced off with her old opp Charlotte. Chelsea Green went for the title as fans cheered, but Cargill had other ideas and delivered Jaded on a ladder in the corner. Jade Cargill went for the belt, but Stratton stopped Jade with a Backstabber. Tiffany was intercepted by Charlotte Flair, who got the better of Tiffany Stratton in a fist fight. Lash Legend powerbombed Tiffany on a ladder from the second rope. Charlotte saw an opening and grabbed the title but Jade Cargill removed the ladder. Jade and Lash both pulled Charlotte from the top and barely caught her. Lash once again took control with a pump kick on Jade. Tiffany Stratton tried to grab the title, but Chelsea Green entered the ring and apologetically pushed Stratton into the field. With everybody taken out, US Bank Stadium wildly chanted Chelsea as Green scaled the ladder. B-Fab and Michin interrupted to huge heat and dragged Chelsea off the ladder. The Baddies helped Jade Cargill recover and climb the ladder. Fans chanted BS. Charlotte Flair ran wild on the Baddies and met Jade Cargill atop the ladder as fans chanted for Chelsea.Chelseas four opponents all fell off the ladder, opening the door for Chelsea Green who rose up from the dead to take the title.Chelsea Greens Feel-Good Win A Boon For Triple HWith only so many spots for fan favorites to succeed, the likes of LA Knight, Jacob Fatu, Carmelo Hayes, Ilja Dragunov, Giulia and even Chelsea Green have been subjects of glass ceiling talk. This was brought up during last nights press conference after WWE SummerSlam Night 1. You really have to do something. The narrative of, Its my turn. There are no turns. Thats not how it works, said Triple H. "You earn the spot. If somebody is getting over more than somebody else, wed move that person into the spot and move the other person down."Green is often the most popular woman in any match she competes indue to a powerful combination of character work, charisma and wrestlingbut she usually comes up short. WWE shrewdly booked this ladder match to look like another close-but-no-cigar moment for Chelsea, and it worked. Some fans chanted BS as it looked like either Charlotte Flair or heel Jade Cargill was going to take the interim title. In the end, Chelsea Green finally prevailed with a feel-good win in Minnesota. This article was originally published on Forbes.com

Liverpool leave their USA pre-season tour with two wins and one defeat [Getty Images]On the flight home from Chicago, as he reflects on the 4-2 loss to Leeds that ended Liverpool's United States tour, manager Andoni Iraola will have plenty to think about.The first-half display was arguably the best since the Spaniard took charge, but the second was categorically their worst as they conceded four times without reply inside 25 minutes.Iraola did make a raft of changes at the break and in the second-half but that is no excuse for the way they capitulated against Daniel Farke's side.Their lack of squad depth and physicality was alarmingly exposed and Iraola will be concerned with the ease with which Leeds scored, albeit against an inexperienced backline that finished with Calvin Ramsay, Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Mor Talla Ndiaye.With Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz making their return, Liverpool were excellent in the first half and it is important not to be too critical but perhaps Iraola will be glad in the long-run that he saw this second-half display, where Liverpool's set-piece deficiencies were evident too."We conceded two goals from set-pieces. We have to fix that and make sure we deal with them better," said Dominik Szoboszlai.The intensity Iraola demands on the training pitch was evident in the first-half but seemed non-existent after the break. Senior figures like Curtis Jones and Federico Chiesa did not cover themselves in glory."I particularly hate this month of August because you start the competitions and you still don't know if some of the players are going to leave and who's going to come - there is a lot of uncertainty," said Iraola, earlier in the week.Iraola will meet Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Alisson Becker and new signing Victor Munoz over the coming days at the AXA Training Centre. By then, the only first-team player he will have yet to meet will be Alexis Mac Allister, who has been granted extra time off following Argentina's run to the World Cup final. Munoz, who did not play a minute in Spain's successful World Cup campaign, returned earlier to aid his integration into the squad. However, over the course of a fortnight in America, Liverpool have had no incomings. That was in part because Iraola wanted to see the squad at his disposal before making decisions. What he saw in this defeat will play into those decisions. Wirtz and Isak impress on their returnWirtz scored seven goals for Liverpool last season [Getty Images]Even before the second-half troubles, Iraola would have known that there was no time to waste as he plans for the start of the season, his starting 11 reflecting this with Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz in against Leeds - even if the state of the pitch suggested that could be a risk.The inclusion of a pair who cost a combined 225m last summer also gave the teamsheet the star quality befitting the host city of Chicago, home to both the Lollapalooza Festival and Major League Baseball series between the New York Yankees and the Chicago Cubs over the weekend.And in what was Liverpool's best half of the tour, Isak looked sharp and Wirtz scored as they suffocated Leeds with their press and moved the ball around with confidence.Their early breakthrough came from an unlikely source. Luke Chambers spent the second half of last season on loan at Charlton Athletic but, given Liverpool's centre-half crisis, the left-back started at centre-back against Wrexham and kept his place. Fresh from impressing Iraola in New York, Chambers hammered home from inside the box in the seventh minute after Milos Kerkez got a touch on Dominik Szoboszlai's corner.Rio Ngumoha caused havoc down his preferred left flank while 19-year-old Trey Nyoni continued his excellent pre-season with another solid showing. In the 40th minute, he floated a ball across to Jeremie Frimpong, who cut it back to Wirtz and the German did the rest. It was a wonderful team goal that involved Isak too.Nyoni has been linked with a loan move this summer but on these showings, the midfielder will surely stay and get more minutes for Liverpool this season. He only played 229 minutes in 2025-26 but Iraola has spoken glowingly about his attributes, not least his confidence on the ball and his desire to go direct.Latest Liverpool news, analysis and fan viewsAsk about Liverpool - what do you want to know?