Local students who went to China this spring for a “pickleball diplomacy” trip will be guests at the Chinese embassy in Washington, D.C. on Saturday.

Xie Feng, Ambassador of China to the U.S., will welcome the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students.

In April, about 30 student-athletes went to China for a 12-day, 3-city pickleball tour in Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing.

Students made lifelong friends and became ambassadors for “pickleball diplomacy,” which mirrors the phrase “ping-pong diplomacy” that described the exchange of table tennis players between the U.S. and China in the 1970s.

“The people that I met are definitely my favorite part,” rising junior Haley Corkery told MCM earlier this month. “I still keep in contact with some of them today and I think that’s just something that will last forever.”

Earlier this month, the students premiered a documentary from their travels.

MCM attended the documentary premiere at the Washington, D.C. home of Chinese dignitaries who also hosted the students in Beijing. The documentary, filmed by MCPS-TV, is available on the MCPS YouTube Channel in both English and Chinese.

Watch MCM’s coverage from the premiere:

The students’ trip to China got the attention of Chinese President Xi Jinping, who responded to a letter of gratitude from MCPS Systemwide Athletics Director Dr. Jeffrey Sullivan.

The official teaser for the upcoming documentary Unbroken: The Unmukt Chand Story is finally out, reigniting interest in one of Indian cricket’s most intriguing “what could have been” narratives. Directed by Raghav Khanna, best known for his acclaimed Netflix special Modern Masters: SS Rajamouli, the documentary offers a rare, emotional deep-dive into the life of Unmukt Chand, who once stood on the brink of cricketing superstardom.
 
In 2012, Unmukt Chand led India to a sensational victory in the ICC U-19 World Cup, drawing comparisons to legends like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni. Touted as the next big thing in Indian cricket, his graceful batting and calm leadership had fans and selectors alike pegging him as a future international star. But soon after, the spotlight dimmed. Opportunities dried up. And Unmukt, once a household name, seemed to vanish from the scene.
 
Unbroken traces this fall from grace — not as a sob story, but as a powerful journey of transformation. The documentary follows Chand’s struggle with selection setbacks, mental health battles, and ultimately, his bold move to the USA, where he restarted his career far from the frenzied expectations of Indian cricket. It is a story of second chances — of grit, perseverance, and rebuilding a life driven by love for the game.
 
Produced by Riverland Entertainment and Tudip Entertainment, the film promises a raw, personal perspective that goes beyond the headlines, highlighting both the cruelty of fame and the quiet strength of resilience. With a September 2025 release lined up, Unbroken: The Unmukt Chand Story could become one of the most talked-about sports documentaries of the year.

Check Out The Trailer:- 

“Waiting for the next one” is where Rafael Fiziev is at, after picking up an important win at home in Azerbaijan.

Lightweight Fiziev (13-4) returned to the win column for the first time since 2022 with a unanimous decision victory over Ignacio Bahamondes at UFC Baku last month. The card was the promotion’s debut in Fiziev’s native Azerbaijan.

“Win is win, it’s always good. Last couple years, I had three losses, I missed that feeling,” he told Cageside Press in an exclusive interview. “Having a win in my home, in my land, in my city, that’s more than I can wish. So good.”

It wasn’t just three losses, but injuries also weighing on Fiziev. That was a rocky road for the talented lightweight, one that was hard to contend with. “It’s my life. Because I love fighting. I’ve fought since 11 years old. For me, this life, I don’t see myself in other ways. I just know, okay, now I have injuries, now I have a bad time, but I will heal, I will come back.”

In particular, Fiziev maintained his faith in his abilities. “I believe in my power. I can be a top five, I can be a champion, I can fight with top guys and I can give them a good fight, and I’m not an easy guy. I always know that. If we can say this motivated me, this is my motivation.”

While Fiziev had floated the idea of a move to 145lbs, especially after coming in low for his second fight with Justin Gaethje, it appears featherweight is off the table. “Now I gained my weight more, my muscles’ come back. With a good camp, I have big muscles. I cannot go to 145, so 155 for me, it’s a good one.”

What’s up next is a question. He was once booked against Dan Hooker, which is a fight he’d gladly accept again. “I don’t think he’s agreed for this fight now,” noted Fiziev, indicating the fight may not materialize any time soon. There are other names, however. “Now [Beneil] Dariush has come back to the win [column],” he pointed out. At the same time, Fiziev isn’t eager to call out any names, because they rarely agree to fight him.

“In my career, I count only one guy who says yes. Two guys, maybe. First one is [Rafael] dos Anjos, and second one is [Justin] Gaethje. I called them both and they said ‘yes, let’s do this fight.’ But other guys, it’s always like, I called somebody, but UFC gives me some different guy. I called Dan Hooker, I’m ready to fight him if he’s ready. Dariush. I don’t know who doesn’t have a fight now. Gamrot. Who’s ready to fight? If UFC gives me somebody, I’m happy to fight with them. But I can’t say now, some names, like ‘aww I want to fight this guy.’”

“[Mateusz] Gamrot last time he said yes, then after a few days he started to call out Paddy Pimblett. Like ‘hey Paddy let’s fight,’” added Fiziev. “This business sometimes, [you’re] going crazy.”

Still, with luck we’ll be seeing Rafael Fiziev back in action by the end of the year.

Mark Pope‘s coaching staff is casting a wider net following the summer evaluation period. In recent days, we’ve seen a wave of offers extended to players in the 2027 recruiting class. On Tuesday night, Kentucky officially entered the fray for a 7-footer in the class of 2026.

Ethan Taylor shared on social media that he’s received a scholarship offer from the Wildcats. It’s the center’s 15th scholarship offer so far. Oklahoma, Florida State, Kansas State, Missouri, and Kansas are the schools generating the most buzz early in his recruitment.

The 7-foot, 230-pound athlete plays prep school basketball at Link Academy in Kansas. A four-star prospect, he’s the second-ranked center in the 2026 class and No. 23 overall player, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.

It’s been a solid summer for Taylor. Despite only playing 16 minutes a game in the Peach Jam, the Big Man averaged 9.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game. A few weeks prior, he was a standout at the NBPA Top 100 camp.

“Ethan Taylor has a lot of upside with his size, and continued upward trajectory of his game,” said Rivals’ Jaime Shaw. “He rebounded his area well and finished plays around the basket. He also showed interesting passing ability. Still growing into his frame as he continues to add strength, there is a pretty high upside for him.”

Mark Pope’s first full high school recruiting class features a talented 7-footer from the state of Kentucky, Malachi Moreno. The Commonwealth doesn’t regularly produce 7-footers. He’ll have to look elsewhere to find space-eaters in the paint. Taylor is a target that fits the bill.

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Influencer boxing promotion Misfits will host a double main event on August 30th, when three former UFC fighters step inside the boxing ring.

The final fight of the night in Manchester will see former UFC champion Luke Rockhold take on fellow former MMA fighter Darren Till, who recently praised Jake Paul.

In the co-main event of Misfits 22, influencer-boxer Nathaniel Bustamante, better known as Salt Papi, will return to the ring as he takes on UFC veteran Tony Ferguson.

Ferguson, 41, will be the most experienced fighter that Salt Papi has faced, as the Filipino has now received advice from Rockhold ahead of the fight.

Luke Rockhold breaks down how Salt Papi can defeat Tony Ferguson

When Salt Papi competes against Ferguson, it will be his seventh outing under the Misfits banner, an organization partially run by former Logan Paul rival, KSI.

With an exhibition boxing record of 6-2, Salt Papi is considered to be one of the brightest stars in the influencer boxer scene. However, Ferguson will be a new test for the 31-year-old.

Ahead of the fight, Salt Papi was able to get some advice from Rockhold on how he can beat his fellow former-UFC star, Ferguson.

Rockhold told Salt Papi, [Use your] Jab, movement. Obviously, Tony’s got his crazy movement, so take your time. Take your time and flow. Find the rhythm.”

Although Rockhold said that Ferguson is ‘creative’, the former MMA middleweight champion added, “He doesn’t have the shoulders, do you know what I mean?”

The former UFC star then gave credit to Salt Papi by saying, “He’s got shoulders, he’s got looseness. That’s a difference in boxing.”

Although Rockhold said he ‘loves’ Ferguson, he seemingly leaned towards Salt Papi when asked for a prediction on the fight.

Tony Ferguson will be making his boxing debut in first post-UFC appearance

When Ferguson steps into the ring on August 30th, it will be his first time competing in a boxing match.

The former interim UFC lightweight title holder ended his run in the MMA organization with eight consecutive losses, having previously been undefeated for eight years.

As a UFC fighter, Ferguson was considered to be well-rounded in both striking and grappling aspects in his MMA career. His 25-11 MMA record includes 11 knockout and nine submission wins.

During his losing streak, Ferguson was able to achieve knockdowns over the likes of Justin Gaethje and Michael Chandler with single-shot punches. Some fans may perceive this as a promising sign ahead of his boxing debut.

As for Salt Papi, five of his six wins have come by way of knockout. His last win came in November 2024, via stoppage.