Free-agent quarterback Johnny Manziel has expressed interest in the XFL's new Houston team, saying he would relish the chance to play in his home state and be reunited with coach June Jones.

While appearing at the TriStar collectors show in Houston on Saturday, Manziel discussed his XFL possibilities with multiple reporters. He told the Houston Chronicle that part of his interest would be based on the team's proximity to Texas A&M, where he was a Heisman Trophy winner.

"It's a stone's throw from College Station," Manziel said. "A lot of Aggies drove from Houston to College Station. Houston's a great city that'll always be near and dear to me."

After two seasons out of professional football, Manziel signed with the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats last year and played under Jones, a former NFL and college quarterback and coach. Manziel told Fox 26 that it would be "very cool" to play for Jones once again.

"Coach Jones is a great guy," Manziel said. "I enjoyed him from an offensive standpoint, from a personal standpoint. He's been there for me, especially when I was in Hamilton, getting to a new place, a different country. I enjoyed my time with him very thoroughly, and I think it would be a great opportunity."

Manziel also said he would be willing to play for the XFL's Dallas franchise, telling the Chronicle that he was intrigued that the league has two Texas teams.

The 26-year-old Manziel has previously addressed playing in the XFL, which is slated to begin play in February 2020. He told TMZ in April that he would be open to "any football options," including the resurrected league that operated for one season in 2001.

On May 20, Jones said Manziel "played very good for me" in Hamilton and that he expected the quarterback to be in the XFL draft pool.

Manziel never played in a game under Jones in Canada and was ultimately traded to the Montreal Alouettes, where he played in eight contests before his contract was terminated.

There had been some question about Manziel's eligibility for the XFL, which has a policy excluding players with a criminal record from the league. Manziel had faced a domestic violence charge after he was accused of hitting and threatening his ex-girlfriend in January 2016. Those charges were dismissed in November 2017. But XFL commissioner Oliver Luck told the PFT PM podcast in April that Manziel wasn't ruled out from joining the league.

Manziel was selected 22nd overall in the 2014 NFL draft, and the XFL would be his fourth professional league since leaving Texas A&M after the 2013 season. In 2018, he was kicked out of the CFL for violating the terms of his agreement with the league. The AAF folded less than a month after he joined the league.

"I think I'm in a good place personally. I think I've been doing the right things," Manziel told Fox 26. "When the opportunity presents itself moving forward, we'll see how things go."

NEW YORK -- Though many have assumed that Anthony Joshua would insist that his rematch with Andy Ruiz take place on his turf in the United Kingdom, the former unified heavyweight world titlist is seriously considering fighting Ruiz again at Madison Square Garden, Matchroom Boxing promoter Eddie Hearn told ESPN on Saturday.

Joshua, a megastar in the U.K., made his United States debut on June 1 at the sold-out Garden and lost his three world title belts to Ruiz via monumental upset. Joshua dropped Ruiz in the third round but suffered two knockdowns later in the round, and two more in the seventh round, before the fight was stopped, marking one of the biggest shockers in boxing history.

On Wednesday, Joshua exercised his right to an immediate rematch. Because the Joshua side controls the logistics of the bout, including the site, it was assumed it would be in the U.K. -- especially because after the bout, Hearn said it would be there, likely in November.

But it won't necessarily take place in the U.K., Hearn said on Saturday.

"[American broadcast partner] DAZN would prefer it in the U.S. They'd still cover it in the U.K., of course. [British broadcaster] Sky would prefer it in the U.K.," said Hearn, who turned 40 on Saturday. "For me, I want to win the fight, so there is an edge to doing the fight in the U.K., unquestionably. But AJ is like, 'Do you not think I should go back to where it went wrong and put it right?' I said, 'That's an incredible attitude to have, but we need to win the fight.'

"He said, 'I almost feel like it's a cop-out making Ruiz come to my backyard. He's the champion. It will be more spectacular if I beat him [at Madison Square Garden].' I'm like, 'I agree, but...' That's the conversations at the moment. He's thinking if he put it right there it would [be] even more spectacular than if he put it right in the U.K."

Hearn said if the fight takes place in the U.K., it likely would be at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, where Joshua (22-1, 21 KOs), 29, has drawn sold-out crowds of about 80,000. The reason to do the fight there is because having it outdoors at Wembley Stadium in London, where Joshua has drawn 90,000, is dicey because of the weather in November.

Ruiz (33-1, 22 KOs), 29, of Imperial, California, is the first fighter of Mexican descent to win a heavyweight world title. He said after the fight that he'd prefer for a rematch to be in the U.S., but Ruiz also said he'd have no problem going to the U.K. for the rematch, whose terms were outlined in the contract for the first fight.

Hearn said if the fight is in the U.S., they only want to have it back at Madison Square Garden.

"It's not a case of AJ saying, 'Bring the rematch back to the States.' It's a case of him saying, 'Do it where it went wrong, in that exact ring,'" Hearn said. "He's like, 'If I'm going to put these demons to bed, I will never do that until I box there again.'"

Joshua, who suffered a concussion in the fight, most likely from the left hook to the temple area that knocked him down for the first time in the third round, remained in New York until flying back to England on Friday.

"He doesn't remember a whole lot after the third round," Hearn said. "He said, 'How I lasted four rounds after that I don't even know. I didn't remember where I was.'"

Hearn said Joshua was "devastated" by the shocking loss, even though he smiled his way through his postfight news conference and gave Ruiz ample credit for the victory.

"He's still devastated, but he was putting on a brave face. He didn't leave the house [he was renting in New York's West Village] all week," Hearn said. "He wasn't sleeping, and I said to him, 'You've got to use this pain that you're feeling to motivate you.' I know how much of a competitor he is. He's like, 'I know I boxed terribly. I know how to beat him, and I'm going to put it right.'"

Hearn also brushed off rumors that Joshua had been hurt in sparring in the later stages of his Miami training camp by Philadelphia heavyweight Joey Dawejko and that Joshua had a panic attack in the dressing room before walking to the ring.

"Rubbish," Hearn said. "We need to start giving Ruiz the credit. There was nothing wrong with Joshua. He was 100 percent, he had a great camp, there was no panic attack in the dressing room. The only thing that happened in the dressing room was he had to change his groin protector at the last minute because the one he was wearing was riding up and uncomfortable when he was warming up. So he changed it, and that was that."

NEW YORK -- Sir Winston gave the Triple Crown another unexpected turn, rallying to capture the Belmont Stakes on Saturday in a 10-1 upset.

The win gave trainer Mark Casse the final two jewels in the showcase for 3-year-old thoroughbreds. He won the Preakness with War of Will, who was expected to battle favored Tacitus in the 1½-mile Belmont.

Instead, Casse's other's colt took the lead Saturday after a ground-saving ride by Joel Rosario and held off Tacitus by a length. Long shot Joevia finished third and Tax was fourth.

The Triple Crown grind caught up to War of Will, who ran in all three races. He finished ninth in the 10-horse field.

The Belmont capped an entertaining Triple Crown highlighted by a disqualification in the Kentucky Derby and a horse without a rider in the Preakness. It sparked interest in thoroughbred racing despite no possibility of having the third Triple Crown winner in five years, coming on the heels of Justify last year and American Pharoah in 2015.

UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo is a man who appreciates his hardware.

You'll hear from time to time about a UFC champion who keeps the title belt in a closet somewhere. Or maybe "at mom's house." Every champ is different, in terms of the value he or she puts on the physical belt. Cejudo is one who cherishes his.

He has transformed a prominent wall in his Arizona residence into a shrine of his athletic achievements. Wrestling plaques. Photos. An Olympic medal (perhaps you've heard, he won a gold one at the 2008 Games). Two framed UFC belts.

It's an impressive collection. If Cejudo (14-2) were to retire right now, his legacy would be a strong one. And yet, there will be much at stake for him Saturday when he meets Marlon Moraes (22-5-1) for the vacant bantamweight championship at UFC 238 in Chicago.

If Cejudo wins, he will be a two-division champion and a candidate for best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. He'll have to continue to promote himself, as he has done consistently in 2019, but his level of reach will greatly expand from what it is now. That is a certain perk of reaching the status of "Champ Champ."

If he loses, he'll still be a champion, but in a 125-pound weight class that the UFC has made pretty clear it has zero interest in keeping alive. And while Cejudo will still have an audience, it will be hard for him to maintain the attention of fans if he's holding only a championship belt the promotion is barely in the business of wanting to have.

Cejudo is in a great spot going into UFC 238 -- a card on which he will share the spotlight not just with Moraes but also with women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko (16-3), who will defend her belt in the co-main event against No. 1 contender Jessica Eye (14-6, 1 NC). But Cejudo is also at a crossroads. There is a lot on the line for him.

Men's bantamweight title: Cejudo vs. Moraes

By the numbers

4: Consecutive wins for Moraes, whose streak is tied for the longest active run at bantamweight with those of Petr Yan (also on the UFC 238 card) and TJ Dillashaw (coming off a flyweight loss to Moraes' opponent, Cejudo).

32: Seconds it took Cejudo, in his last fight, to knock out then-bantamweight champ Dillashaw. It was tied (with Tito Ortiz's finish of Evan Tanner in 2001) for fifth-fastest KO in UFC title fight history, behind Conor McGregor over Jose Aldo in 2015 (13 seconds), Andrei Arlovski over Paul Buentello in 2005 (15 seconds), Ronda Rousey over Alexis Davis in 2014 (16 seconds) and Frank Shamrock over Igor Zinoviev in 1998 (22 seconds).

6:59: Average fight time for Moraes, the shortest for an active UFC bantamweight (minimum five fights).

19: Career takedowns in the UFC for Cejudo, according to UFC Stats data. He has at least one in eight of his 10 fights in the promotion.

5: Title defenses for Moraes when he was World Series of Fighting bantamweight champ. Cejudo has made zero defenses of the 125-pound UFC belt he won in 2018.

Source: ESPN Stats & Information

A look back

Five vs. five

Fighting words

"Marlon Moraes is a lot more dangerous than TJ [Dillashaw]. His biggest threat is his power. I mean, look at him: He's knocked out three opponents in the first round. He's got vicious power. In MMA, that's scary. That's scary because it just takes one blow, one hit, and that's it. But so do I [have power] -- so do I, and I'm showing it. I'm getting better. I'm stronger and I'm faster." -- Cejudo, speaking to ESPN

"You are trying to take food from my family. You're trying to take my dream. I'm going to f--- you up, man. I'm aiming to put my hand inside your head. I'm aiming to put you to sleep." -- Moraes, speaking to ESPN

Dom and Gil's film study

Okamoto's pick

This looks like a tough stylistic fight for Cejudo. He's moving up to fight a true bantamweight at the 135-pound limit. Moraes is such a gifted striker, and he won't be easy to take down. My mind says Moraes ... but I don't know, something in my gut is going the other way. Cejudo via decision.

Waiting in the wings

Well, there will be two interested observers right there at the United Center, plus two who maybe can't bear to watch the main event because of a missed opportunity. The winners of the two undercard bantamweight bouts -- Jimmie Rivera vs. Petr Yan, No. 7 in ESPN's 135-pound rankings, on the main card and No. 5 Aljamain Sterling vs. fourth-ranked Pedro Munhoz on the ESPN prelims -- will have put themselves in position to call for a title shot. Which one will have made the stronger case with the more eye-opening performance?

Women's flyweight title: Shevchenko vs. Eye

By the numbers

5: Takedowns by Shevchenko in December's title-winning bout with Joanna Jedrzejczyk, a UFC career high. Shevchenko is 5-0 when landing multiple takedowns, 0-2 when she doesn't.

3: Consecutive victories by Eye, her longest win streak since 2013 and tied for the longest active streak in the UFC flyweight division's short history.

11: Finishes for Shevchenko among her 16 victories (6 submissions, 5 KO/TKOs).

10: Decisions among Eye's 14 career wins.

-1,400: Odds favoring Shevchenko in this fight (wager $1,400 to win $100).

Source: ESPN Stats & Information

A look back

Five vs. five

Fighting words

"You want to work out next to me? Fine. I'll squat more than you. You want to see me wrestle? You're going to get really scared when you see me wrestle. You want to see me punch? Your whole training camp is going to be nothing about what you can do. It's going to be about me." -- Eye, speaking to ESPN about training in the same facility as her opponent

"For me, it's nothing. I even can say hello to her. For me, it doesn't cost anything, because in the Octagon we have to fight. Right now I have to prepare for my fight. This is what I think about everything, all day long: to be the best version of me for my fight. I don't spend too much energy on different things." -- Shevchenko, speaking to MMA Junkie about the same subject

Dom and Gil's film study

Okamoto's pick

Shevchenko might be the best female fighter on the planet. Currently, that distinction tends to go to Amanda Nunes, for good reason, but there are some who felt Shevchenko actually beat Nunes when they fought for the second time in 2017 -- and she was fighting up a weight class in that bout. She's at home at 125, and she's going to reign for a while. Shevchenko via TKO, third round.

Waiting in the wings

In this case, too, the next in line could be right there in the building. The opening fight of the night pits Katlyn Chookagian, No. 4 in the ESPN flyweight rankings, against No. 5 Joanne Calderwood. Chookagian is coming off a loss to Eye, though, so she'd have to be especially impressive against Calderwood, winner of two straight, to earn a title shot.

What to watch for (beyond the title fights)

The! Greatest! Fight! Ever!*

* That is not billed as a main event or co-main

Having Tony Ferguson or Donald Cerrone on the bill is a win for a fight card. Having them both is a KO. Having them across the cage from each other could mean Fight of the Night.

This is a collision of guys who come to fight and to take the fight out of the other guy. Ferguson (25-3) has 20 career stoppages (11 KO/TKOs, 9 submissions), and Cerrone (36-11, 1 NC) has finished 27 of his wins (17 subs, 10 KO/TKOs).

Ferguson has not lost since 2013; his 11-fight win streak ties him with lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov for longest active run in the UFC.

Cerrone, on the other hand, is on a resurgence. Since dropping four of five fights from early 2017 through mid-2018, he has won three in a row, his past two in a return to 155 pounds after an up-and-down spell at welterweight.

Ferguson has had well-documented personal problems of late. Cerrone is fighting just 35 days after going five tough rounds with Al Iaquinta. Who knows what either of these guys will have in him on Saturday? But their fighting history tells us they'll both unleash everything they have, and "El Cucuy" vs. "Cowboy" will be something to see.

You'll see this fight on SportsCenter in the morning

See above.

Most in need of a win

This is a competition with multiple entrants. That's a big positive for the fans because fights with consequences tend to get the blood circulating at a more urgent rhythm.

And the must-win scenarios are a positive for the fighters involved, too, because in this case they're battling not for their jobs but for championship opportunities.

Beyond the three fights mentioned in the two "Waiting in the wings" sections above, there's one more that also has the potential to earn someone an immediate title shot. Tatiana Suarez and Nina Ansaroff, who meet in the feature fight of the ESPN prelims, both have résumés worthy of calling out new strawweight champion Jessica Andrade with this one more win. Suarez is 7-0 as a pro, and Ansaroff (10-5) has won four in a row.

Nickname of the night

It's tough to beat "Evil" if you're a fighter whose last name is Eye. With every chug of his cageside victory celebration, Tai Tuivasa reminds the world of where his "Shoeyvasa" moniker comes from. There's a certain simplicity in Chookagian's "Blonde Fighter," and mystery to the nth power in Yan Xiaonan's "Nine." But c'mon, Darren Stewart earned his nickname by knocking an opponent's teeth out. Ever since, he has been known as "The Dentist." Open wide and give a cheer for that one.

First baseman Mitch Moreland's return to the Boston Red Sox was a short one, as the team placed him on the 10-day injured list Saturday after he strained his right quad in his first game back Friday.

The Red Sox activated Moreland prior to their 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. He started the game but left after the sixth inning with the quad injury.

Moreland had previously been out since May 26 with a low back strain.

The 33-year-old remains the team leader in home runs with 13 despite missing 16 of the Red Sox's 63 games this season. He is hitting .225 with 34 RBIs with 151 at-bats.

Infielder Marco Hernandez was recalled from Triple-A Pawtucket in a corresponding move. He has played in 61 career games for the Red Sox, but none since 2017.

Tampa Bay Rays pitching prospect Brent Honeywell has fractured a bone in his right elbow throwing a pitch during a bullpen session and will miss another season.

The Rays made the announcement Saturday between games of a doubleheader in Boston.

Honeywell is the No. 6 pitcher and No. 19 overall prospect in baseball, according to ESPN's Keith Law.

The 24-year-old right-hander was at the team's spring training complex in Port Charlotte, Florida, working his way back from Tommy John surgery in the spring of 2018. He was sidelined for the entire year.

Dr. James Andrews is scheduled to perform surgery on the bone Monday and make sure there are no complications from the elbow surgery.

There is no timetable for his return.

Honeywell was selected by the Rays in the second round of the 2014 draft, and is the No. 3 prospect on their team, according to Law.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

CLEVELAND -- Dellin Betances' rehab from a spring training shoulder injury appears to have hit a snag, as the New York Yankees reliever will be undergoing testing Monday to determine the extent of the soreness he felt following a recent workout session.

Originally, the soreness had been believed to be "normal," according to manager Aaron Boone.

It was after facing hitters Wednesday in the first live pitching outing of his rehab from a right shoulder impingement injury that Betances felt some discomfort. He reported that feeling Thursday but believed it would dissipate.

By Friday, when Betances was scheduled to throw a side session off a mound at the Yankees' facility in Tampa, Florida, it had not.

"He got out and started long toss and got on the mound and felt like it was still there," Boone told reporters Saturday in Cleveland. "He backed off, and I thought that was wise."

Boone said Betances was tested Friday and that he saw an orthopedist at the team's spring-training complex. Although the testing went well, according to Boone, the Yankees are having Betances fly back to New York this weekend so he can be evaluated further Monday by team physician Dr. Chris Ahmad.

"Hoping it's not serious, but we'll know a little more in a couple days," Boone said.

The manager described the pain as being in Betances' back, around his lat muscle. Starter Luis Severino, who also has been out since spring training, is currently rehabbing from a right lat strain himself.

Betances first felt some slight discomfort in his shoulder during spring training. At that time, his velocity was noticeably down. Normally operating in the upper 90s, his fastball was hovering closer to 90 mph. Delayed arriving to spring training by a week due to the birth of his first child, Betances thought he was just easing into form a little more slowly than normal. But an MRI ultimately revealed an injury.

He's been shut down and subsequently rehabbing since then, being administered a cortisone shot as part of his recovery. Betances had reported feeling stronger in throwing sessions he had at Yankee Stadium last week as he anticipated the next stage of his return: facing live hitters.

Without Betances, Yankees relievers entered Saturday's game in Cleveland with a 3.76 ERA, the fifth-lowest in the majors. Their 10.21 strikeouts per nine innings are also the third-best mark in the league.

"He's Dellin Betances. It just lengthens your bullpen [having him]," Boone said. "He's a great pitcher, and hopefully this is just something that slows him a little bit. He's obviously a very important player to what we do.

"No denying how important he is to our club."

There's also little denying the impact All-Stars Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge have on the Yankees. Both injured sluggers are still on the mend from respective calf strain and oblique strain injuries. Stanton could be a little more than a week away from coming off the injured list, while Judge remains slightly further away from returning.

Both players are going through rehab at the Yankees' facility in Tampa.

Boone said Saturday that Stanton will be starting a rehab assignment with the High-A Tampa Tarpons on Monday or Tuesday. It'll be his second rehab stint with them, after he was sent back to the IL due to complications after a pitch hit him on his left leg in an extended spring training game a few days prior.

After a few games with the Tarpons, Stanton will be moved to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to finish his rehab stint. The assignment spread across the two teams is expected to last "at least a week," Boone said.

Judge could begin his own rehab assignment in the next two weeks, Boone said. Earlier this week, he said Judge could possibly return by the time the Yankees travel to London later this month to face the Boston Red Sox.

One Yankees infielder who might miss out on that trip is Troy Tulowitzki. The 34-year-old shortstop who has been rehabbing from his own left calf strain since the beginning of April has paused his rehab for a few days to travel home to Southern California from the Yankees' Florida facility.

"He's kind of just trying to weigh everything that's going on with our organization, where he's at," Boone said Saturday, speaking extensively about Tulowitzki's absence for the first time. "Obviously it's been a tough time for him battling back and getting back and having a setback and everything. So he's just taking some time to go through things with him and his family and his agent. So we'll respect that time."

Tulowitzki, who hadn't played a game since 2017 entering this season due to ankle and heel injuries, is hitting .182 with a double and a home run in five games this season. As the Yankees have become deeper organizationally with Didi Gregorius' return from the IL this weekend, there may not be a place for Tulowitzki on the Yankees' roster.

Orion Harriers event incorporates the England Athletics 10,000m Championships

Adam Hickey and Nicole Taylor became English 10,000m champions at the FASTFriday meeting on June 7, winning in 29:08.19 and 33:31.35 respectively at a wet and blustery Walthamstow.

The Orion Harriers-organised event aims to embrace the spirit of modern-day distance track racing with street food, trackside bars, live race commentary and a lively crowd and for the first time it incorporated the England Athletics 10,000m Championships.

In the men’s race, Inter-Counties cross country champion Hickey saw off the challenge of Jack Gray to take the title in a personal best and track record time, improving on his previous best of 29:32.92 run at the Highgate Night of the 10,000m PBs in 2015.

Gray secured silver in 29:12.36, while defending champion Ollie Lockley claimed bronze in 29:26.94 after running a solo second half. Owen Hind was fourth in 29:50.53.

“I always have confidence in my kick but you never know for sure,” Hickey told England Athletics.

“Credit to Jack. We worked together throughout.”

Taylor beat marathoner Tracy Barlow to the women’s title, surprising herself with her victory and time as she had been aiming for around 34 minutes.

Barlow clocked 34:15.20 to secure silver, while Naomi Taschimowitz gained bronze thanks to her 34:17.99, with both athletes making their 10,000m track debuts.

Phoebe Law was fourth in 34:35.26.

Results for the 10,000m races can be found here, while 5000m results are here.

Nigerian sprinter clocks 9.86 and 19.73 in Texas, while Grant Holloway runs 12.98 for 110m hurdles collegiate record

Divine Oduduru stormed to a sprint double at the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas, on Friday, clocking an equal world lead of 9.86 (+0.8m/sec) for the 100m and 19.73 (+0.8m/sec) for 200m.

The top three all ran sub-10 seconds in the 100m as behind Nigeria’s Oduduru was American Cravon Gillespie with 9.93 and Japan’s Hakim Sani Brown with a national record 9.97.

Those positions were matched in the 200m final just 45 minutes later, with Gillespie second in 19.93 and Sani Brown third in 20.08.

COLLEGIATE LEADER ✅
WORLD LEADER ✅#ncaaTF Champion ✅

9️⃣.8️⃣6️⃣ pic.twitter.com/nXDx3vWDiQ

— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) June 8, 2019

USA’s Grant Holloway broke the collegiate record to win an exciting 110m hurdles and behind his 12.98, fast finishing Daniel Roberts ran 13.00 to match the previous record mark in second.

Holloway also formed part of the Florida 4x100m team which ran a world-leading 37.97 and he clocked a 43.75 anchor in the 4x400m.

WOW WOW WOW ???

1️⃣2️⃣.9️⃣8️⃣ ??? pic.twitter.com/7y9pwpNgq8

— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) June 8, 2019

On the first day of the championships, GB’s Jacob Fincham-Dukes had finished fifth with 8.00m in the long jump won by JuVaughn Harrison with 8.20m, while Chris Nilsen cleared 5.95m to win the pole vault ahead of European champion Mondo Duplantis with 5.80m.

Harrison went on to complete a jumps double as he won the high jump with a PB clearance of 2.27m.

DOUBLING DOWN ON HISTORY!

JuVaughn Harrison becomes the first #ncaaTF athlete to win both the High Jump & Long Jump ?! pic.twitter.com/Qph2DvkOUI

— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) June 8, 2019

Anderson Peters of Grenada broke his own championship record with 86.62m in the javelin, while France’s Yanis David leapt 6.84m to win the long jump ahead of Jasmyn Steels with a 6.71m PB.

Results can be found here.

More to follow…