The city of Cleveland has filed a lawsuit to stop the Browns from leaving their lakefront stadium and building a domed stadium in suburban Brook Park.

The suit, filed Tuesday in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, seeks to invoke the "Modell Law" to stop the Browns from moving. The state law says any professional sports owner who uses a tax-supported facility for home games and gets funding from the state or a political subdivision can't leave unless it gets permission to play elsewhere or gives six months' notice.

In October, the Browns announced they informed the city of their intentions to build a $2.4 billion state-of-the-art stadium and entertainment complex in Brook Park -- which is in the same county but 15 miles south of Cleveland -- when their stadium lease with the city expires at the end of the 2028 NFL season.

Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam have been seeking a 50-50 private/public partnership for the construction of the stadium. The Haslams said in a statement that the intended move was the result of trying to "find the optimal long-term solution for our stadium."

The Browns also filed a lawsuit in October seeking clarification on the Modell Law. The state law, which was passed in 1996, was used in 2019 to prevent the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer from leaving for Texas. The team stayed and was bought by the Haslams, who are also part owners of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks.

The suit filed by city of Cleveland says that "The Modell Law's requirements are straightforward. It provides that if a team takes taxpayer money and plays in a tax-supported facility, then the owner must either obtain the City's authorization or give the City and others the opportunity to purchase the team before moving the team away from that facility."

In early August, the city of Cleveland offered the Browns a $1.2 billion proposal to renovate the Huntington Bank Field -- the team's current 65,000-seat stadium -- and redevelop its surrounding property that would have included $461 million from the city. The city also offered a 30-year extension of the team's lease.

The Browns have played on the shores of Lake Erie since their inception in 1946. Their new stadium was built in 1999, when they returned as an expansion franchise.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Urban Meyer will join Nick Saban in the 2025 College Football Hall of Fame class, and Michael Vick and Michael Strahan are among the former players who will be inducted.

The National Football Foundation announced Saban's selection last week and the rest of the 18-player, four-coach class Wednesday.

Saban retired last year as the NCAA's active leader in wins with 292-71-1 over 28 seasons at Toledo, Michigan State, LSU and Alabama. His seven national championships -- one at LSU, six at Alabama -- is the most by a Football Bowl Subdivision coach.

Meyer was 187-32 with three national championships over 17 seasons at Bowling Green, Utah, Florida and Ohio State. He won 22 of 24 games at Utah before taking over at Florida, where he won national titles in 2006 and 2008. He moved to Ohio State in 2012, won his third national championship in 2014 and went 83-9 over seven seasons.

Vick was the consummate dual-threat quarterback in his two seasons at Virginia Tech, where he led the Hokies to a 22-2 record and the 1999 national championship game. His 13-year NFL career was interrupted by his 2007 conviction for his involvement in a dogfighting ring. He pleaded guilty and served 21 months in federal prison before resuming his career in 2009. Last month he was hired as Norfolk State's head coach.

Strahan, now co-host on ABC's "Good Morning America" and a "Fox NFL Sunday" analyst, was a terror as a defensive lineman for Texas Southern from 1989 to 1992. He recorded 41.5 sacks in four seasons before he went on to play 15 seasons for the New York Giants. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

Terry Hanratty, 24-4-2 as Ara Parseghian's quarterback at Notre Dame 1966-68, also was selected. He helped lead the 1966 team to a share of the national championship and joins teammates Jim Lynch, Alan Page and Joe Theismann in the Hall of Fame.

Among other picks was Wisconsin's Montee Ball, who won the 2012 Doak Walker Award as the nation's best running back. The year before, he had tied Barry Sanders' NCAA record of 39 total touchdowns in a season. He finished his career with 5,140 rushing yards, averaging 104.9 per game, and 77 rushing touchdowns.

Other players in the 2025 class are Gregg Carr of Auburn, Blake Elliott of Saint John's (Minnesota), Greg Eslinger of Minnesota, Graham Harrell of Texas Tech, John Henderson of Tennessee, Michael Huff of Texas, Jim Kleinsasser of North Dakota, Alex Mack of California, Terrence Metcalf of Mississippi, Haloti Ngata of Oregon, Steve Slaton of West Virginia, Darrin Smith of Miami, Dennis Thurman of Southern California and Ryan Yarborough of Wyoming.

Other coaches in the class are Larry Blakeney of Troy and Larry "Bub" Korver of Northwestern College (Iowa). Blakeney guided the Trojans from Division II to the FBS from 1991 to 2014 and remains the Sun Belt Conference's coaching wins leader with a 178-113-1 record. Korver was 212-77-6 with two NAIA championships in 28 years (1967-94) at Northwestern.

The 2025 class will be inducted Dec. 9 during an awards dinner in Las Vegas. The Hall of Fame is in Atlanta.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Women's basketball teams will be paid for playing games in the NCAA tournament each March just like the men have for years under a plan approved Wednesday at the NCAA convention.

The unanimous vote by NCAA membership was the final step toward a pay structure for women playing in March Madness after the Division I Board of Governors voted unanimously for the proposal in August.

Now, so-called performance units, which represent revenue, will be given to women's teams playing in the tournament. A women's basketball team that reaches the Final Four could bring its conference roughly $1.26 million over the next three years in financial performance rewards.

In the first year, $15 million will be awarded to teams out of the fund, which is 26% of the women's basketball media revenue deal. That will grow to $25 million, or 41% of the revenue, by 2028. The 26% is on par with what men's basketball teams received the first year the performance units program was established.

This will start in March in the 43rd year of the women's NCAA tournament. The lack of a units system for the women's tournament has been a point of sharp criticism.

"It's great women's basketball is getting the long-deserved financial reward for NCAA postseason success," Louisville coach Jeff Walz said.

The women's March Madness plan is similar to the men's basketball unit program. Each of 32 conferences that receive an automatic bid to the tournament will receive a unit, and additional units will be rewarded for teams that receive at-large bids to the 68-team field.

The longer a school's tournament run lasts, the more units the school's conference receives. Conferences decide the distribution of unit revenue to each of its members. Each unit was worth about $2 million for the 2024 men's tournament.

Men's basketball teams now receive 24% of the media rights deal, which is $8.8 billion over eight years, starting this year. Women's basketball is valued at $65 million per tournament in the NCAA's new media rights deal with ESPN -- roughly 10 times more than in the contract that ends this year.

The women have a higher percentage of the media revenue deal to bolster the value of each performance unit.

The NCAA sharing March Madness revenue with its member schools has long been a feature of the men's tournament. The 2018 tournament, for example, brought in $844.3 million in television and marketing rights, the vast majority from a contract with CBS and Turner Sports to televise the games.

Most of the money flows through the NCAA to conferences and then back to member schools, more than 300 of which field Division I basketball teams eligible to play in the tournament. The schools mostly reinvest in athletics, from scholarships for athletes in all sports to coaching salaries, training facilities, stadiums, ballparks and arenas.

The women's tournament is coming off its most successful year ever, which included a record audience of 18.7 million for the title game won by South Carolina over Iowa, the highest for a basketball broadcast of any kind in five years.

It outdrew the men's championship game -- UConn winning its second consecutive title with a victory over Purdue -- by nearly 3 million viewers. The women's tournament also had record attendance.

Many MMA fighters had a great year in 2024. We saw some claim their first title in a major promotion. And there were those who reclaimed titles they previously held. But no MMA fighter had a better 12-month stretch than UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

Pereira reeled off three successful title defenses, including wins over two fighters who previously held the title, Jamahal Hill and Jiří Procházka. But even with such a great performance in 2024, Pereira isn't projected to have the best year in 2025. So, who is the fighter who ended Islam Makhachev's two-year run atop our MMA rank list?

Which fighters are poised to have the best 2025? We assembled our panel of MMA experts to determine who will thrive the most. This isn't a ranking of the best fighters on the planet. Instead, it's a projection of who will succeed over the next 12 months based on current performance, upcoming fights and other out-of-the-cage variables. Did your favorite fighter make the cut?

Brett Okamoto, Andreas Hale, Jeff Wagenheim and Dre Waters assess what might be in store in 2025 for 50 of the sport's top fighters.

1. Tom Aspinall

Previous rank: No. 8
UFC interim heavyweight champion
MMA record: 15-3

The interim heavyweight champion entered 2024 with seven UFC wins via finish, and no opponent had lasted longer than seven minutes in the Octagon with him. Aspinall added another knockout win last year, avenging his only UFC loss by flattening Curtis Blaydes in 60 seconds. His unique combination of technique, speed, size and power has many fans considering the Brit as the future of the heavyweight division. And if he hits his target in 2025, there will be no "future" but rather a glorious present: Aspinall will have become one of the most dominant forces the division has ever seen. A seemingly obvious collision course with Jon Jones is on the docket. Should the fight with Jones come to fruition, Aspinall could become the first man to truly defeat "Bones" in a fight. And if he accomplishes that feat -- which many believe he can do -- there's not much any fighter can do to take the top spot from him. -- Hale

2. Alex Pereira

Previous rank: No. 2
UFC light heavyweight champion
MMA record: 12-2

The only reason Pereira isn't No. 1 is that Aspinall is expected to fight Jon Jones next, which is the biggest fight in the sport. Pereira has established himself as one of the most entertaining and active fighters in the world. And as he flirts with the idea of moving up to heavyweight, he'll be firmly in the conversation about the most influential fighters in the game. -- Okamoto

3. Ilia Topuria

Previous rank: No. 10
UFC featherweight champion
MMA record: 16-0

Topuria marched through 2024 by defeating two of the greatest featherweights in UFC history with knockout wins over former champions Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway. What can he do for an encore? He could defend the 145-pound title against one of the worthy contenders. Or he could move to lightweight and attempt to become a two-division champion. Whatever he decides, the heavy-handed Georgian will have the spotlight on him and the potential to have a 2025 that is just as good as, if not better than, his 2024. -- Hale

4. Khamzat Chimaev

Previous rank: No. 20
UFC middleweight
MMA record: 14-0

For the first time in recent memory, there's optimism around Chimaev's ability to finally reach his potential. He appeared to do a lot of growing up in 2024. If he can remain healthy and not disappear from the sport for long periods, no one has as much potential. If he fights two or three times in 2025, he could go into 2026 as the biggest star in MMA. -- Okamoto

5. Islam Makhachev

Previous rank: No. 1
UFC lightweight champion
MMA record: 26-1

Makhachev's reigning dominance and a little inactivity are the only things preventing him from competing for the top spot on this list. But after turning back Dustin Poirier in 2024, ESPN's No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter is primed for a strong 2025 that will likely see him fight twice this calendar year. He kicks things off with a highly anticipated rematch with Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 311 this weekend, and if he wins, his options are plentiful. He could defend his title and stake his claim as the greatest lightweight in UFC history or pursue another championship in the welterweight division. -- Hale

6. Zhang Weili

Previous rank: No. 5
UFC strawweight champion
MMA record: 25-3

Last year was ho-hum for the UFC's strawweight champion, as she recorded just one title defense by decision against Yan Xiaonan. This year could be a lot more interesting. The title defense against Tatiana Suarez at UFC 312 in February is one the sport has been waiting on for a long time, and if the right dominoes fall, this might be the year we see Zhang try to become a two-weight champion at flyweight. -- Okamoto

7. Kayla Harrison

Previous rank: No. 50
UFC women's bantamweight
MMA record: 18-1

Harrison started 2024 as the newest member of the UFC roster and punched her ticket to a title opportunity with wins over Holly Holm and Ketlen Vieira. She'll inevitably get a shot at the women's bantamweight championship this year against Julianna Peña, and you'll be hard-pressed to find anybody who believes Harrison won't exit the cage with gold around her waist. Should she win, would that be enough to persuade Amanda Nunes to come out of retirement and face her in possibly the biggest women's fight in UFC history? It could happen and place Harrison squarely in the debate for best women's fighter in MMA history. The potential is there; all Harrison needs is the opportunity. -- Hale

8. Shavkat Rakhmonov

Previous rank: No. 11
UFC welterweight
MMA record: 19-0

Rakhmonov is on pace in terms of when we thought he'd arrive at a title fight. He goes into this year on the short list of fighters who could enjoy a serious breakthrough because his next fight will be for a title. He's a proven finisher and holds the support of an entire country in Kazakhstan. If he continues to finish fights and command the enthusiasm of that region, his stock will rise. -- Okamoto

9. Alexandre Pantoja

Previous rank: No. 6
UFC men's flyweight champion
MMA record: 29-5

Any questions about Pantoja's place among the flyweight greats were quelled with a strong showing in 2024, when he knocked off Steve Erceg and Kai Asakura in defense of his UFC flyweight championship. He will attempt to improve on that standing in 2025. Although the likelihood of pulling Demetrious Johnson out of retirement is remote, Pantoja can tighten his grip as the flyweight king by turning in two title defenses this year as well. The only real issue preventing him from being higher on this list is that he has already knocked off most of the division. He is just now reaching his final form and will be a tall task for any fighter looking to challenge him. -- Hale

10. Umar Nurmagomedov

Previous rank: No. 31
UFC men's bantamweight
MMA record: 18-0

Nurmagomedov has always had the talent, and he has always had the name. What he needed were opportunities. He's getting them now, as he's starting 2025 with a title fight against Merab Dvalishvili on Saturday. Just like his cousin Khabib and his teammate Islam Makhachev, he has No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world potential. -- Okamoto

11. Charles Oliveira

Previous rank: No. 21
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 35-10

There's not another active fighter on the planet who makes a sold-out arena pop quite like Oliveira. And it doesn't matter where -- the world loves itself some Charles Oliveira. Potential big fights await in a lightweight title fight, a BMF fight against Max Holloway and maybe a fight with featherweight champ Ilia Topuria. If Oliveira wins in 2025, he'll be an even bigger star than he is now, which is saying something. -- Okamoto

12. Diego Lopes

Previous rank: NR
UFC featherweight
MMA record: 26-6

It will be tough to top 2024 for Lopes. The featherweight contender won three fights last year, including beating former title challenger Brian Ortega. Now Lopes has his eyes set on the title, an opportunity he will likely get before the year ends. But he might have to take another fight before getting a title shot, perhaps against former title challenger Yair Rodriguez or rising contender Movsar Evloev. -- Waters

13. Valentina Shevchenko

Previous rank: No. 24
UFC women's flyweight champion
MMA record: 24-4-1

It's not yet known if Shevchenko is truly slowing down or if Alexa Grasso was her kryptonite, but "Bullet" snatched the flyweight title back with a strong showing in 2024. Although she's closing in on age 37, Shevchenko remains remarkably well-rounded and could round back into the dominant form that saw her peel off seven consecutive title defenses. New challenges await in 2025 as Manon Fiorot, Erin Blanchfield and Maycee Barber are waiting for their number to be called. -- Hale

14. Merab Dvalishvili

Previous rank: No. 17
UFC men's bantamweight champion MMA record: 18-4

A year ago, Dvalishvili was a contender who seemed destined for the top. Today, he is at the peak of the sport as a champion. But that elevated status will be threatened Saturday when he defends the UFC bantamweight title against Umar Nurmagomedov, so Dvalishvili's path ahead is unclear. -- Wagenheim

15. Dakota Ditcheva

Previous rank: NR
PFL 2024 women's flyweight champion
MMA record: 14-0

You can't say Ditcheva came out of nowhere, as she had already started to garner attention in PFL Europe in 2023 -- but the way she dominated top-level competition in 2024 was unexpected. She's the real deal and then some. Ditcheva made hard challenges look easy last year. PFL will be under pressure to give her meaningful opportunities. If they come through, her stardom should rise. -- Okamoto

16. Tatiana Suarez

Previous rank: No. 28
UFC strawweight
MMA record: 11-0

Suarez would take a huge step toward having her best year if she can claim the title from Zhang Weili at UFC 312 on Feb. 8. In a perfect world for Suarez, that would be only the start of the year's accomplishments, though. If she can pair that potential win with shaking off the injury bug that has held her back in recent years and defend the belt at least once, that will be a great 2025. -- Waters

17. Max Holloway

Previous rank: No. 19
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 26-8

Holloway's featherweight run ended on a sour note at the hands of Ilia Topuria, but campaigning at lightweight might be just what the doctor ordered for "Blessed." He already owns the 2024 knockout of the year in the weight class against Justin Gaethje, and he could move up the 155-pound ladder toward a title shot in a new weight class before he calls it a career. It's hard to believe that he just turned 33 years old and could have another run in him. One thing we have learned is never count out Holloway. -- Hale

18. Jack Della Maddalena

Previous rank: NR
UFC welterweight
MMA record: 17-2

After not appearing in MMA Rank a year ago, Della Maddalena fought only once in 2024 but made it count, knocking out onetime UFC title challenger Gilbert Burns for his 17th straight win. Della Maddalena goes into the year in the top five of ESPN's welterweight rankings. -- Wagenheim

19. Dricus Du Plessis

Previous rank: No. 23
UFC middleweight champion
MMA record: 22-2

According to our list, Du Plessis enters 2025 with nearly the same outlook as 2024 -- and we might come to regret not giving him a higher rank. He's favored to beat Sean Strickland in a rematch in February. If he wins that bout, he'll likely face Khamzat Chimaev in a massive fight. And the UFC continues to explore the possibility of having him fight in South Africa. This could be a big year for Du Plessis. -- Okamoto

20. Jon Jones

Previous rank: No. 14
UFC lightweight champion
MMA record: 28-1

The path for Jones to have the best year of any MMA fighter is already laid out for him -- beat Tom Aspinall. That is the biggest fight the UFC could make this year, and it's been speculated that it will be the last fight of Jones' storied career. If Jones wins, it will cement him as the best heavyweight in the sport on his way out the door. -- Waters

21. Caio Borralho

Previous rank: NR
UFC middleweight
MMA record: 17-1

The Fighting Nerds leader has immense potential, and his wins over Paul Craig and Jared Cannonier have put the middleweight division on notice. His extraordinary fight IQ and athleticism have his arrow pointing straight up in 2025. He's almost certain to land a fight with a former champion before the year ends and, if things shake out in his favor, Borralho could find himself challenging for a UFC championship by the end of the year. -- Hale

22. Arman Tsarukyan

Previous rank: No. 25
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 22-3

This ranking could feel too low by the end of Saturday night, as Tsarukyan challenges Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title at UFC 311. If Tsarukyan wins, it will be a big year for him no matter what's ahead, because the 155-pound division is stacked with interesting fights. -- Wagenheim

23. Dustin Poirier

Previous rank: No. 38
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 30-9

This year is guaranteed to be meaningful for Poirier, as he's positioned to make the final walk of his career. His last fight could be in his home state of Louisiana, which would make it only feel bigger. -- Okamoto

24. Manon Fiorot

Previous rank: NR
UFC women's flyweight
MMA record: 12-1

This could be the year Fiorot's seven-fight undefeated streak inside the Octagon leads to a title shot. The flyweight contender has beaten everyone the UFC has placed in front of her, including former title challenger Mayra Bueno Silva, former two-time strawweight champion Rose Namajunas and most recently top prospect Erin Blanchfield. Fiorot should fight for the title this year. If she beats women's flyweight GOAT Valentina Shevchenko to claim the title, that alone could be enough to be one of the best years in all of the sport. -- Waters

25. Sean O'Malley

Previous rank: No. 12
UFC middleweight
MMA record: 18-2

O'Malley's ascension was halted by Merab Dvalishvili in 2024, but that doesn't mean his latest setback won't turn into a major comeback. Due to his star power, O'Malley will likely find himself right back in title contention when he returns to action midyear. His exceptional striking will make him a viable threat to regain the bantamweight title, regardless of who stands opposite him. -- Hale

26. Belal Muhammad

Previous rank: No. 15
UFC welterweight champion
MMA record: 24-3

Why did Muhammad fall 11 spots even though he became UFC champion in the time since the last MMA Rank? Clearly, our voters do not favor him to hold on to the belt with the undefeated and dominant Shavkat Rakhmonov ready to shoot his shot. -- Wagenheim

27. Joaquin Buckley

Previous rank: NR
UFC welterweight
MMA record: 21-6

Buckley debuts on this list after a 4-0 campaign in 2024. It seems unlikely he'll repeat that level of activity, but the fights are also much more meaningful. And he could even see title contention in 2025. -- Okamoto

28. Sean Strickland

Previous rank: No. 18
UFC middleweight
MMA record: 29-6

For the second consecutive year, Strickland kicks off his new year headlining a UFC pay-per-view. That positions him to have a great year. If he beats Dricus Du Plessis to reclaim the UFC middleweight title on Feb. 8 at UFC 312, his next challenge will likely be keeping the title from Khamzat Chimaev. If -- and that's a big if -- Strickland can win both of those fights, that would be tough for anyone to top. -- Waters

29. Tatsuro Taira

Previous rank: NR
UFC men's flyweight
MMA record: 16-1

Taira's rapid ascent up the flyweight ladder was stunted with a loss to Brandon Royval in a thrilling showdown in October. At 24 years old, Taira has plenty of time to recalibrate and use that loss as a learning opportunity as he charges toward title contention in 2025. The skills are there and his battle with Royval proved that he has what it takes to put it all together and have a strong 2025. -- Hale

30. Ian Machado Garry

Previous rank: NR
UFC welterweight
MMA record: 15-1

A year ago, Machado Garry was undefeated, but he had plenty of doubters as he hovered in the middle of the 170-pound top 10. Now he has a loss on his record -- but he showed, even in defeat to Shavkat Rakhmonov, that he can hang with the best. Overall, a net gain. -- Wagenheim

31. Leon Edwards

Previous rank: No. 3
UFC welterweight
MMA record: 22-4

Edwards kind of fell off the map in 2024, due to losing his title and essentially disappearing from the public eye. He's a quiet, private individual, but the odds are he can still fight. A comeback shouldn't surprise anyone. -- Okamoto

32. Usman Nurmagomedov

Previous rank: No. 26
Bellator lightweight champion
MMA record: 18-0

Nurmagomedov's lower placement on this list is more about the lack of opportunities available to him than his skills inside the cage. Nurmagomedov will have a big fight against Paul Hughes at PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series on Jan. 25, but beyond that, his options are unclear. -- Waters

33. Alexander Volkanovski

Previous rank: No. 9
UFC featherweight
MMA record: 26-4

Two consecutive knockout losses have sent Volkanovski tumbling down the ladder. His lone 2024 fight saw him drop the featherweight title to Ilia Topuria, and many fans have questioned his future. He'll have some time to think about his next move and will aim to get his mojo back in 2025. -- Hale

34. Israel Adesanya

Previous rank: No. 13
UFC middleweight
MMA record: 24-4

Adesanya's only fight of 2024 -- against Dricus Du Plessis -- was a failed attempt to regain the title he had lost in 2023. That's two losses in a row for the two-time former champion. On Feb. 1, Adesanya will face Nassourdine Imavov in his first nontitle bout in six years. -- Wagenheim

35. Brandon Moreno

Previous rank: No. 37
UFC men's flyweight
MMA record: 22-8-2

Moreno is a long shot to outperform this ranking of No. 35. He looked incredible in his last bout. He's 0-3 against champion Alexandre Pantoja, but if he somehow beats Pantoja in 2025, it'd be a huge year. -- Okamoto

36. Cory Sandhagen

Previous rank: No. 29
UFC men's bantamweight
MMA record: 17-5

Sandhagen was just one fight from earning a title shot last year. Though that fight against Umar Nurmagomedov didn't go his way, there should still be plenty of optimism for the bantamweight contender considering his skill and the fresh matchups available for him. -- Waters

37. Yan Xiaonan

Previous rank: No. 41
UFC strawweight
MMA record: 19-4

Yan was overmatched when she challenged Zhang Weili for the strawweight title, but she put together a gutsy performance that proved she belonged in the upper crust of the division. That momentum carried her to a win over Tabatha Ricci to close the year, and she'll look to work back into title contention in 2025. -- Hale

38. Magomed Ankalaev

Previous rank: NR
UFC light heavyweight
MMA record: 20-1-1

Ankalaev won twice in 2024 to extend his unbeaten run to 13 in a row, a streak extending to 2018. If his next step is a shot at champion Alex Pereira, No. 2 in the ESPN pound-for-pound rankings, it will be a high-profile opportunity. -- Wagenheim

39. Renato Moicano

Previous rank: NR
UFC lightweight
MMA record: 20-5-1

"Money" Moicano has already won over the hearts of UFC fans. Now he needs to keep stacking wins in the Octagon for one good stretch in 2025 and his stock will soar. -- Okamoto

40. Petr Yan

Previous rank: NR
UFC men's bantamweight
MMA record: 18-5

Yan ended a three-fight losing streak last year with two solid unanimous decision wins over Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo. Now the former bantamweight champion is firmly back in the hunt for the title, with plenty of interesting options for opponents. A rematch against Sean O'Malley could be a great way to earn a shot at the champ. -- Waters

41. Erin Blanchfield

Previous rank: No. 7
UFC women's flyweight
MMA record: 13-2

The 25-year-old hit a speedbump on her rapid ascent up the flyweight ladder against Manon Fiorot, but she showed new wrinkles in her game against Rose Namajunas, rallying to upend the former strawweight champion to close 2024. Don't be surprised if Blanchfield shows improvement and challenges for a title by the end of 2025. -- Hale

42. Jiří Procházka

Previous rank: No. 22
UFC light heavyweight
MMA record: 30-5-1

Procházka's only two losses since 2015 came against the current champion, Alex Pereira, but those defeats came in two of his three most recent bouts. Procházka, a former champ, has an opportunity to turn things around on Saturday when he faces another ex-champ, Jamahal Hill. -- Wagenheim

43. Francis Ngannou

Previous rank: No. 27
PFL Super Fights heavyweight champion
MMA record: 18-3

Ngannou's outlook is lower in 2025 than 2024 only because he's now one year older and there are no obvious opponents for him. He'll always be one of the most remarkable stories in the game, he just simply isn't fighting frequently enough to make the same impact as some others. -- Okamoto

44. Kai Kara-France

Previous rank: NR
UFC men's flyweight
MMA record: 25-11

Kara-France may be low on this list, but he is in a great position to outperform his No. 44 ranking. The former flyweight title challenger is coming off an impressive first-round knockout win over fellow title challenger Steve Erceg. Considering Kara-France is the only UFC fighter in the top five of ESPN's flyweight rankings who has not yet fought Alexandre Pantoja, he could be in the front of the line for a shot at the champion. Dethroning one of the best flyweights in UFC history would be one of the top moments of 2025. -- Waters

45. Movsar Evloev

Previous rank: NR
UFC featherweight
MMA record: 19-0

It may not always be electrifying, but Evloev's exceptional grappling is why he remains undefeated. Turning back both Arnold Allen and former bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling has set the Russian on a course for a title opportunity in 2025, and his high-level wrestling will be a massive hurdle for whoever holds gold. -- Hale

46. Arnold Allen

Previous rank: NR
UFC featherweight
MMA record: 20-3

Allen began 2024 with his second loss in a row, but he got back on track with a July victory over Giga Chikadze. Can he build upon that once he gets booked for his first fight of this year? -- Wagenheim

47. Yair Rodriguez

Previous rank: No. 43
UFC featherweight
MMA record: 16-5

It's a little quiet around Rodriguez at the moment, but make no mistake: That could change in an instant. A big main event in Mexico, perhaps. And one win would put him in line for a massive fight against Ilia Topuria. -- Okamoto

48. Patchy Mix

Previous rank: No. 34
Bellator bantamweight champion
MMA record: 20-1

Mix is in a similar position as Usman Nurmagomedov -- he's one of the best fighters in the sport in his division, but the lack of potential fights for him affects his placement on this list. If Mix can book multiple fights this year, he could have a great year. But will he get the opportunities? -- Waters

49. Julianna Peña

Previous rank: NR
UFC women's bantamweight champion
MMA record: 13-5

Sooner or later, the sport will have to put respect on the name of "The Venezuelan Vixen." She squeezed by Raquel Pennington in 2024 to become a two-time champion and is expected to defend her bantamweight crown against Kayla Harrison at some point. She'll be the betting underdog in that fight, but Peña is used to upsetting the apple cart. Ask Amanda Nunes. -- Hale

50. Alexa Grasso

Previous rank: No. 4
UFC women's flyweight
MMA record: 16-4-1

Grasso was riding high a year ago, having dethroned Valentina Shevchenko by submission early in 2023 and then retaining the title in a rematch that was scored a draw. But she lost the belt last September, and her severe drop in MMA Rank indicates that our voters believe her opportunities will be few after three straight fights with Shevchenko. -- Wagenheim

DALLAS -- After Jamal Murray's best offensive performance of the season, Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone defended his star guard who admittedly struggled to start the season.

"I think the microscope on Jamal is a little intense," Malone said after Murray scored a season-high 45 points Tuesday night to lead the Nuggets to a 118-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks. "Everybody's just got to kind let the kid breathe a little bit. He's not perfect. And if you look, I think his overall stats as of recently, he's been very good for us."

Murray was sensational from the opening tip Tuesday night, scoring 19 points on 7-of-9 shooting in the first quarter. The Nuggets' typical rotation has Murray rest midway through the first quarter, but he made certain that wasn't the case with him sensing that he was in a groove.

"Don't take me out," Murray said to Malone on a couple of occasions early in the game, both coming after he made 3-pointers.

Malone happily granted that request, allowing Murray to play the entire quarter. Murray finished the first half with 32 points -- two shy of his previous season high -- on 12-of-15 shooting.

"You're just in the zone and it's fun," said Murray, who finished 18-of-26 from the field and 5-of-9 from 3-point range while outscoring the Dallas starting lineup by a 45-39 margin. "Your team knows you're in the zone. They're trying to find you as well. The ball has energy and it was finding me today and I was just rolling, so I wasn't looking into it too much. I was just flowing with the game and playing free.

"If I miss a shot or turn it over, it was on to the next play. And it's nice to play just kind of free-minded, you know what I'm saying? Sometimes you can have so many negatives in the game where it just compounds from one player to another. And today it was just the opposite."

As far as Malone is concerned, there has been far too much negativity this season regarding Murray, who signed a four-year, $208 million maximum contract extension during the offseason.

The Nuggets signed Murray, one of the stars of the franchise's only NBA title run in 2023, to the maximum deal despite him playing poorly by his standards in last season's playoffs and for Team Canada in the Olympics over the summer. He is averaging 19.8 points on 44.7% shooting this season, his lowest scoring average since 2019-20 and lowest field goal percentage since 2018-19.

"I think Jamal has been catching a lot of heat this year," Malone said. "Jamal Murray didn't pay himself $[52] million [per season]. We did that as an organization, because we believe in him.

"We don't win our first franchise championship without Jamal Murray averaging 21, 10 and 6. You know what I mean? So I understand that everybody wants our guys to play perfect. Everybody wants us to be undefeated. Doesn't happen like that. Every player goes through ups and downs. The most important thing for Jamal is to know that everybody in that locker room -- coaches, players -- has his back and we're going to ride with him."

Murray, who averaged 17.8 points on 42% shooting while the Nuggets stumbled to an 11-10 start, said he thought he deserved the criticism "to a certain extent."

"It comes with the responsibilities," Murray said. "I'm totally ready for it. That's why I literally signed up for it. ... I admit I haven't been playing well, so it's not like it's a surprise to me to hear from everybody else if I'm saying it as well."

But Malone was adamant that Murray's fifth career 40-point game should be characterized as the continuation of an outstanding stretch, not an outlier performance.

Malone pointed to Murray's production during Denver's run of 13 wins over the past 18 games. Murray has averaged 21.9 points while shooting 47.3% from the field and 43.3% from 3-point range during that span.

"I've had his back and I'll always have his back," Malone said. "It was just so rewarding to see him have the night that he had tonight and how excited his teammates were for him to go out there and score 45 in a very efficient manner.

"It wasn't just a great game tonight. Jamal Murray has played really good basketball for us in the last 18 games. It's not a small sample size, and we just got to keep him heading in the right direction."

Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving is listed as doubtful for Wednesday night's road game against the New Orleans Pelicans, although his intention had been to play both games of a back-to-back after returning from a five-game absence due to a bulging disc in his lower back.

"It's a bulging disc in your back, so just got to do your best to manage it," Irving said after Tuesday's 118-99 loss to the Denver Nuggets, when he scored 11 points on 4-of-18 shooting. "It's not to the point where it's bad enough where I need surgery, which I'm grateful to God, but I have the support of my medical staff. A few other people in this locker room deal with the same thing. So just being smart about, that's it. Not being too cautious."

Dallas starting center Dereck Lively II has been ruled out against the Pelicans due to a sprained right ankle he suffered in the first quarter of Tuesday's loss.

Luka Doncic, Irving's co-star, has not played since straining his left calf on Christmas. Doncic is scheduled to be reevaluated in the last week of January.

The Pelicans will also be shorthanded with Zion Williamson (return to competition reconditioning) sitting on the second night of a back-to-back. New Orleans is also missing starters Brandon Ingram (ankle) and Herbert Jones (shoulder) due to injuries that have sidelined them for extended periods.

The four NBA games postponed last week -- three by the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area and one by a winter storm in Atlanta -- have caused a ripple effect in the league's schedule, with nine games involving nine teams being rescheduled to make up for those dates and one game's makeup date still to be determined.

The Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Charlotte Hornets, originally scheduled for Jan. 9, will now be played at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 19.

Because of that move, the Lakers' home game against the Utah Jazz has been moved up one day to Feb. 10.

A new date for the Lakers' Jan. 11 home game against San Antonio wasn't announced.

The LA Clippers, meanwhile, had four games affected by the scheduling shuffle. Their postponed game against the Hornets on Jan. 11 will now be played at the Intuit Dome on March 16.

The NBA also rescheduled the Clippers' home games against the Chicago Bulls (from Jan. 21 to Jan. 20) and the Washington Wizards (March 16 to Jan. 23). The Clippers' road game against the Jazz, originally scheduled for March 19, will now be played on Feb. 13.

At least 25 people have died as multiple wildfires rage across the Los Angeles area. Approximately 82,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders and more than 12,000 structures, including the home of Lakers coach JJ Redick, have been damaged or destroyed.

The Atlanta Hawks' home game against the Houston Rockets on Jan. 11 was postponed because of a winter storm and "to prioritize the safety of the players, fans and staff due to the severe weather and hazardous icy conditions." That game will now be played in Atlanta on Jan. 28.

Other games affected by the shuffle include the Wizards at Jazz (moved from Jan. 23 to March 19) and Wizards at Trail Blazers (moved from March 18 to March 17).

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

MARIETTA, Ga. -- Bo Jackson is giving up a $21 million judgment against his niece and nephew, whom he said harassed and tried to extort money from the former football and baseball star.

A judge in February ruled in Jackson's favor in the suit he had filed in April 2023 against Thomas Lee Anderson and Erica M. Anderson, also known as Erica Anderson Ross.

Jackson, a running back who won the Heisman Trophy at Auburn and also played in both the NFL and MLB, Jackson had alleged in his lawsuit that his relatives tried to extort $20 million from him through harassment and intimidation.

In addition to the monetary award, last year's ruling included a permanent protective order barring his niece and nephew from bothering or contacting him and his immediate family. It also said they must stay at least 500 yards from the Jacksons and remove social media posts about them.

Cobb County Superior Court Judge Jason D. Marbutt said in his February order that neither Jackson's niece and nephew nor their attorneys rebutted Jackson's claims or participated in the case after a May 2023 hearing, when they consented to a temporary protective order. The judge found the Andersons to be in default, accepting as true all of Jackson's allegations.

After that ruling was issued, a new lawyer for the Andersons filed a motion in March to set aside that judgment and to dismiss the lawsuit, according to court filings. In a filing Tuesday, Jackson and the Andersons jointly asked the judge to throw out February's order, withdraw the Andersons' pending motions and enter a consent judgment.

"In the meantime, the Parties have conducted two mediations and have reached a private agreement resolving this dispute," the filing says.

Marbutt on Wednesday issued an order vacating his February ruling at the request of Jackson and his niece and nephew.

That consent judgment finds in Jackson's favor on several counts and dismisses others, awards no damages either to Jackson or his niece and nephew and says the parties shall pay their own attorneys' fees. It also says the Andersons must not harass or intimidate Jackson and his wife and children and stay 500 yards away from them, except in certain circumstances, including court appearances, sporting events and family functions. The Andersons are also not to have any contact with Jackson and his wife and children.

Jackson, 62, had alleged that the harassment began in 2022 and included threatening social media posts and messages, public allegations that put him in a false light. He also alleged that public disclosure of private information was intended to cause him severe emotional distress. With the help of an attorney, the Andersons demanded $20 million to stop. He said he feared for his own safety and that of his family.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

BRISTOL, Conn. -- Shohei Ohtani and the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers will be featured on four of ESPN's first 10 "Sunday Night Baseball" broadcasts along with a March 27 appearance on the sport's main Opening Day.

ESPN said Wednesday it will broadcast the Dodgers' Sunday night games against the Chicago Cubs (April 13), Atlanta Braves (May 4), New York Mets (May 25) and New York Yankees (June 1).

The Dodgers appeared in the maximum five Sunday night games last year, as did the Yankees, Braves and Boston Red Sox.

Los Angeles opens the season on March 18 and 19 against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, and most other teams start play March 27. ESPN's doubleheader that day features exclusive coverage of the Yankees hosting Milwaukee and the Dodgers at home against Detroit. The March 27 appearances don't count against each team's five-game ESPN limit.

ESPN's Sunday night games started in 1990.

The Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves backed out of agreements to sign Jeff Hoffman because of concerns about the reliever's pitching shoulder before he finalized a $33 million, three-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays last week.

"The stuff they saw on the MRIs, whatever they saw was what their team docs were saying," he said Wednesday during the Blue Jays' introductory videoconference. "Not any bit in line with the way I feel, though, so it's not something that I'm really concerned about or worried about."

A right-hander who turned 32 on Jan. 8, Hoffman went for in-person physicals for deals with the Orioles and Braves.

"All the flags, physical stuff, was as big a surprise to me as anybody," he said. "If you can check my kind of track record over the past few seasons, I've been as healthy as anybody. It's a nonissue for me. It's just something that they wanted to bring up and the Blue Jays see me for what I am. So I'd rather be in a place like that anyways."

Braves spokesman Jared Burleyson and Orioles spokeswoman Jackie Harig said their teams declined to comment.

Toronto gave Hoffman a deal that included a $5 million signing bonus and salaries of $6 million this year and $11 million in each of the following two seasons. He can earn up to $2 million annually in performance bonuses for innings pitched: $500,000 each for 60, 70, 80 and 90.

"When the team docs got their hands on me and everything for the actual physical orthopedic exam, there was really nothing to worry about," Hoffman said. "My body's moving great, range of motion, everything is normal for me and it's as it would be midseason."

Hoffman was last on the injured list in 2022 with Cincinnati, when he didn't pitch after July 23 because of right forearm stiffness. He was on the IL from May 27 to July 21 in 2021 because of a sore right shoulder and was sidelined by right shoulder inflammation early in the 2018 season while with Colorado.

A first-time All-Star last year, Hoffman wound up with his original big league organization. He was selected by the Blue Jays with the ninth pick in the 2014 amateur draft and was traded to Colorado a year later. He had the Blue Jays' draft card framed and on a wall as he spoke from his home in the Orlando, Florida, area.

"Been a little chaotic, obviously," Hoffman said. "Not stuff that we necessarily agreed with when we were going through the process, but teams have their ways of looking at physicals and stuff like that, and at the end of the day, the ball's in their court on that kind of stuff. So we're really excited that Toronto was kind of in it from the beginning and kept contact through the whole process, and we always kind of felt like it was a really cool place that we could end up."

Hoffman went 3-3 with a 2.17 ERA and 10 saves last season for the NL East champion Philadelphia Phillies, earning his first All-Star selection in July. He set career bests for ERA, saves and appearances (68). He struck out 89 and walked 16 in 66 innings, holding opposing hitters to a .197 batting average with a 0.96 WHIP. But he struggled badly in last year's playoffs versus the New York Mets, going 1-2 while allowing six runs in 1 innings over three outings in their division series.

Hoffman would earn $150,000 for winning a Cy Young Award, $125,000 for finishing second in the voting, $100,000 for third, $75,000 for fourth and $50,000 for fifth. He would receive $100,000 for winning Reliever of the Year and $75,000 for becoming a finalist, $50,000 each for making the All-Star team or winning World Series MVP, and $25,000 for winning League Championship Series MVP.