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In fact, she’s not even in the top 10. So what makes Obiri such a formidable contender at the Boston Marathon, and why is she a favourite for victory on Monday, 21 April? Read on Olympics.com to find out. 🥇","event":null,"destination_url":"","entry_point_tag":"base","entry_point_type":"instory_campaign"}" data-tracking="click" href="https://www.olympics.com/en/sign-in?entry_point_type=instory_campaign&entry_point_tag=base&template=base&origin=https%3A%2F%2Folympics.com%2Fen%2Folympic-channel" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Olympic Membership - Free Live Stream Sports & Original Series - join now While the fastest time in this year’s Boston Marathon women’s field is the 2:14:58 set by Amane Beriso in 2022 which makes her the fifth-fastest woman over the marathon distance in history is over six minutes quicker than that of Obiri Obiri’s time was recorded on the notoriously challenging streets of Boston where many have struggled with the daunting hills including the aptly named ‘Heartbreak Hill’ that rises over 600 metres between the 32 and 34 kilometre marks of the race Obiri has rapidly made a name for herself as a master of such hilly courses with her three Marathon Major victories coming in Boston (2023 on a course in which she also came second in 2024 Challenging elevation was again a feature of the Paris 2024 Olympic marathon course despite only training fully for six weeks due to injury Obiri raced to a bronze medal she later described as “like a gold medal to me” due to the challenges she had faced in the build-up while she lags behind 10 other runners in this year’s field in terms of marathon times it may be that Obiri’s ability to deal with the more gruelling aspects of the race next Monday will see her once again crowned champion View this post on Instagram A post shared by Hellen Obiri (@hellenobiri) While the Boston Marathon has been won by a Kenyan woman 16 times in history Obiri is aiming to become the first-ever to triumph three times in a row in the famous race The first official winner of the women's open division is now listed as Nina Kuscsik in 1972 the year after Berman’s third win in the race directly followed by Roba’s three-peat in 1997 Race wins in 2000 and 2001 were followed by consecutive victories in 2004 and 2005 making her the winningest female athlete in Boston Marathon history Obiri has the chance to join the illustrious list of three-time winners and while her past endeavours will put her in good stead come raceday the two-time 5000m world champion is acutely aware that in the world of the marathon I will again push for the win and hope to make it three in a row.” JTBC’s “Heavenly Ever After” is a transcendent new romance drama starring Kim Hye Ja as Lee Hae Sook a woman who reunites with her husband in heaven after death Unlike the other residents of heaven—including her husband Go Nak Joon (Son Suk Ku) who has chosen to return to the 30-something version of himself—Lee Hae Sook makes the unusual choice to keep her 80-year-old appearance but Nak Joon suspected that she was a runaway from hell the runaway in question turned out to be someone else and the latest episode of the drama ended with a glimpse of the real Young Ae in hell In newly released stills from the drama’s next episode both Hae Sook and Nak Joon arrive in hell—though not together Hae Sook is forced to leave heaven and head to hell on her own When Hae Sook arrives at the gates of hell, she meets the team leader responsible for managing the entirety of hell (played by Park Soo Young) Just like the security check that everyone had to pass through when they arrived at the gates of heaven Hae Sook finds herself facing a checkpoint where the sins and punishments of everyone who arrives in hell are calculated But unlike the warm and friendly staff who greeted newcomers in heaven the team leader wears a cold and gruff expression as Hae Sook gazes at him in fear Nak Joon voluntarily chooses to leave heaven for hell in order to find Hae Sook As he gazes off into the fiery distance with a hollow expression he looks like a man who has lost everything—but deep in his eyes remains a burning determination to rescue his wife According to the “Heavenly Ever After” production team the fifth episode of the drama will depict the journey of three characters who arrive separately in hell: Hae Sook Please look forward to the story that unfolds in hell where countless people’s sins and punishments are judged without mercy.” The next episode of “Heavenly Ever After” will air on May 3 at 10:40 p.m In the meantime, watch Son Suk Ku’s film “Troll Factory” with subtitles on Viki below: Or check out Kim Hye Ja and Han Ji Min’s previous drama “Radiant” below Source (1) Be one of the first to try our new activity feed Obiri says she's prepared to "create history." And at 35 the two-time defending champ is only getting wiser and stronger Hellen Obiri is a generational talent But when the two-time Olympic medalist in the 5,000 meters announced that she was moving up to the marathon in 2022 and up-and-down bob would translate to the 26.2-mile distance “Many people thought Hellen would struggle with the marathon because of her uncharacteristic style but I think that is misplaced and misunderstood She is actually incredibly resilient in her strides,” her coach Dathan Ritzenhein said Sure enough, her gangly stride did the talking—especially when the hills mattered most. Obiri won the 2023 Boston Marathon in just her second crack at the distance. She went on to win the New York City Marathon that fall and defended her Boston title last spring adding a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic marathon to her accolades as well the 35-year-old from Kenya is back to try and claim an elusive three-peat at the Boston Marathon on Monday Few have accomplished this feat in the race’s 129-year history It’s been almost 30 years since Fatuma Roba (Ethiopia) triumphed in 1997-1999 the fourth and final woman to win the Boston Marathon three consecutive times (Kenya’s Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot last did it in 2006-2008 for the men.) Obiri’s marathon personal best is two hours top American seed Keira D’Amato (2:19:12) or top-seeded Amane Beriso Shankule (Ethiopia) who boasts a PR of 2:14:58 Obiri’s seed time puts her 11th on the 2025 Boston Marathon women’s start list and it takes a unique skillset to excel here one that includes exceptional strength on the hills and foot speed on the finishing stretch on Boylston Street if “My mindset is to try my best to win and create history,” Obiri said but I am confident in my preparation and will run my race and wait for the good moment to make a move.” Obiri is uniquely positioned to rewrite history—and she’s only getting better The two-time defending champ will once again face stiff competition and—perhaps most notably—good friend Sharon Lokedi (Kenya) the 2024 Boston runner-up and 2022 NYC Marathon winner who also excels on tough courses Unlike the flat-and-fast courses that define other World Marathon Majors—London where world records have fallen on multiple occasions—Boston is not considered a race of pure speed starting at 490 feet above sea level and finishing at 10 feet runners must navigate a series of significant climbs over a six-mile stretch and leading into what many consider to be the most demanding ascent “Heartbreak Hill has its name for a reason,” Obiri said Hopefully my experience of the course will help me this year.” Smart race-day tactics play heavily into managing the race successfully, says two-time Olympian Des Linden who in 2018 became the first American woman in 33 years to win the Boston Marathon master’s marathon record of 2:27:35 at the 2023 Chicago Marathon is in the elite field for the 12th time this year “Boston does a great job of bringing in a very balanced field—competitors with a combination of fast PRs winning in Boston typically takes all those ingredients coming together perfectly on race day She’s been the superior athlete on this course and in this race Despite the Boston Marathon’s reputation as a punishing race a former professional distance runner who retired in 2020 as the fourth-fastest marathoner in U.S Now at the helm of the Boulder-based On Athletic Club (OAC) backed by the eponymous Swiss sportswear brand he oversees the pro distance training group that includes Obiri as well as 1,500-meter Olympic bronze medalist Yared Nuguse and Alicia Monson who holds the American record in the 10,000 meters moving with her daughter Tania and husband Tom 9,000 miles from her home in the Ngong Hills morphing into one of the world’s best road marathoners After an illustrious track and cross country career that spanned a decade and included two Olympic silver medals in the 5,000 meters and four world championship golds She signed with On specifically so she could train under Ritzenhein as she transitioned to the marathon has been an advantage as she has navigated her journey into the daunting distance—from learning how to control and relax her body to understanding sports nutrition fundamentals “I’m learning so many things to become a good athlete,” she said she’s learning what contributes to the longevity of one’s career and how to remain on top who was previously guided by her agent Ricky Simms two and a half years ago—just before her debut at the 2022 New York City Marathon and was escorted from the finish line in a wheelchair due to inadequate eating and drinking we didn’t have many weeks to practice the small things but she didn’t have the perspective on fueling or fluids [or] how to relax I told her many times to drink more and be patient but it was such a big change from the track,” Ritzenhein said “We worked on those things after the first race Ritzenhein bumped up her volume to an  average of 115 miles a week plus strength training He was also careful to implement fueling and hydration strategies which Obiri had learned the hard way in New York were critical to success over longer distances and she learned big lessons in the first marathon that she has taken to all her other races,” Ritzenhein said Obiri returned to New York City the next year and emerged victorious made her the favorite at the hot-and-hilly Olympic marathon in Paris last summer But she sustained an injury after winning Boston last spring leaving just six weeks to prepare for the Games She followed that up with a runner-up finish at the New York City Marathon in November before taking a long break She’s been in her home country since mid-January to train in the Ngong Hills Located approximately 90 miles south of the equator the area is not only a warm training base during the winter months slightly higher than her primary training grounds in Boulder Wiser and more experienced with three marathon major titles and an Olympic medal in the marathon behind her Obiri’s marathon performances continue to showcase her unwavering commitment to remain at the uppermost echelon Obiri has learned to pivot her speed to serve her in the marathon unleashing her lethal kick at just the right moment “She just believes in her abilities and trusts her preparation,” Ritzenhein said “She is really the definition of a champion The world saw just how much belief Obiri has in herself as she finished the 2023 Boston Marathon pulling away from the lead pack that included five women as she sprinted into the finish line tape she returned to Boston and retraced her footsteps out-kicking Lokedi and successfully defending her title “When it comes to closing at the end of the race she is ready for any pace that is thrown at her “She has one of the best finishes out there So if it comes down to the finish in a non-rabbited race Villages-News.com 2024 at her residence surrounded by her loving family New York to her parents Nathan Segall and Olga (Krause) Segall Andrea and her loving husband Raymond moved 20 years ago to The Villages She was a Teacher in the Public School system working at North Babylon UFSD as a Spanish Teacher and Eastern Suffolk County BOCES as an ESL Teacher (English as a Second Language) teaching English to those students who did not speak English as a primary language She was a volunteer at Eastern Farm Workers of Long Island helping migrant workers learn English She was also involved with the Wildwood Soup Kitchen helping as she was able Andrea was of the Catholic faith and was a member of St She contributed to many organizations and was a very giving person Andrea was greatly loved and respected by all who knew her She is survived by her husband of 52 years: Raymond B FL; three sons: Steven Hellin and his wife Sarah of O’Fallon Spencer Hellin and his wife Melissa of Petaluma NY; a brother: Bruce Segall and his wife Marguerite of Nutley NJ; a sister: Barbara Mistaras of The Villages FL; a brother-in-law: Eugene Hellin of The Villages Davina and Beckett and many wonderful nieces and nephews as well as many A Mass of Resurrection will be held on Monday Timothy Catholic Church in Lady Lake with burial to follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens No, I didn’t fully get it at the time, but I kind of get it now (since, like the rest of us, I’ve lived through it all, including his close loss in 2020). Still, twice? Him? A convicted felon I do think italics are all too appropriate under the circumstances Two times as the president of these increasingly disunited states of America And that’s just to start down an endlessly expanding (The question is: Before we’re done with the madness of it all all great imperial powers go down the tubes — or do I mean the drain Just ask any of the emperors of imperial China or Winston Churchill or But to have almost 50% of the population vote to send this country directly (no stops along the way) whooshing down those tubes into the basement of history on a planet already going to hell in a climate-changed handbasket I just can’t seem to help myself when it comes to italics and him though he’s all too literally not a small thing Who can make any real sense out of it when you’re not comfortably outside looking in or in the present peering into the long-gone past distinctly experiencing everything from the inside out — or do I mean may be the lesson Donald Trump(ed us all) has to offer when it comes to our ever stranger world And perspective isn’t exactly available to us how can anyone perspect — if you don’t mind my making up a word to fit our ever-stranger world — anything since he’s distinctly wound us up in an endlessly convoluted world however jokingly — no joke there for the rest of us of course — you should feel distinctly nervous (if the fate of this country means anything to you) You can undoubtedly understand his position when it comes to a third possible round in the Oval Office (“No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.”) If it were of any importance Donald Trump’s second (and third?) term(s) is (are) guaranteed to turn much in this country (though not its wealth disparities) upside down perhaps it’s time to think of this land as the Dis-United States of Trumperica he will once again be inhabiting the place built during George Washington’s presidency and occupied by Abraham Lincoln Need I say more when it comes to matters of decline and fall it’s a rather straightforward fact that this country is now visibly going down in a potentially big-time fashion and that great powers do go down in various ways and Donald Trump’s version of that (just like his version of going up) could mean a distinctly failed state for the rest of us Imagine this: I was born when FDR was still president (I was eight months old when he died.) And 80 years later If that doesn’t count as a political lifetime Whether the 78-year-old Donald or the 80-year-old me will live to see the end of “his” presidency is his greatest skill in life has been in making such perspective inconceivable you can never quite fully take him in or know what he’s likely to do if things go as they now look like they might it might be possible to think of this country (and even this planet) as Donald Trump’s last bankruptcy This piece first appeared in TomDispatch This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The main event of ONE Fight Night 29 on Prime Video will see highly touted ONE Championship newcomer Marie McManamon step up on short notice for the biggest opportunity of her career On March 7 in U.S. primetime, the highly touted debutant will challenge Brazilian superstar Allycia Hellen Rodrigues for the ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Title. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ONE Championship (@onechampionship) Set to go down at the iconic Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, this matchup is McManamon’s chance to become an overnight star on the global stage. Although she’s yet to compete in the world’s largest martial arts organization, the 34-year-old represents a serious threat to Rodrigues, who has looked practically untouchable when competing in her weight class. These are five reasons why McManamon has what it takes to spring the upset and claim the atomweight Muay Thai gold at ONE Fight Night 29. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Marie Mc Manamon (@mariemc_mt) McManamon is guaranteed to come into her World Title clash well-conditioned and with a carefully devised game plan She trains out of the United Kingdom’s top Muay Thai school – and one of the best Muay Thai gyms in the entire world – Knowlesy Academy in England Headed up by renowned fight mastermind Christian Knowles, the London-area academy is home to the country’s best strikers, including reigning ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty. With Knowles in her corner and a room full of elite strikers pushing her to the limit each day, McManamon has put herself in prime position to claim 26 pounds of gold. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Marie Mc Manamon (@mariemc_mt) McManamon has defeated practically every top fighter in her division from the United Kingdom, proving that her talents belong on the global stage. Widely recognized as the area’s best female Muay Thai athlete, she boasts Victory League and Roar Fighting Championship titles in the UK. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SUNCHAI TV™️ (@sunchaitv) While McManamon is a supremely well-rounded striker with elite skills in all areas of Muay Thai, the centerpiece of her game is fundamentally sound yet venomous long-range kicks. Fighting out of the orthodox stance, she loves to hammer away with her lightning-fast switch kicks and will often punctuate punching combinations with a thunderous right head kick. Any time she’s fighting at long range, look for McManamon to bomb Rodrigues with a plethora of punishing kicks. View this post on Instagram A post shared by MUAY THAI WEAPONS (@muaythaiweapons) The World Title challenger is perhaps just as dangerous with her close-range weaponry in the clinch, whether she’s slicing her opponents open with elbows or blitzing them with knee strikes. This world-class clinch game could pay serious dividends against the forward-marching Rodrigues, who typically dominates at close range. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fight Record (@fight_record) With plenty of championship experience under her belt, McManamon is no stranger to five-round battles. Notably, she tends to pick up steam as the fight progresses. Despite the short-notice nature of her World Title showdown at ONE Fight Night 29, the challenger is sure to be in peak physical condition, and if she can drag Rodrigues into deep waters, she might be able to leave Bangkok with the golden belt. © Drone-OpsFunctioning / Circulation - The 105 housing units are distributed across six buildings and six stairwells Each lobby is directly accessible from both the public space and the central courtyard Residents have the freedom to choose their paths The sloping roofs are also inhabited (attics or loft spaces) The ground-floor apartments all have private gardens enclosed by planted beds and/or embankments that shield them from the communal area The ground floors and first floors (G+1) house commercial spaces with mezzanines The offices on the first and second floors (G+1 and G+2) create an intermediate level between the commercial spaces and the residential units ensuring a seamless transition between these distinct volumes A covered passage serves as the pedestrian entrance to the heart of the complex You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email Ayoo Irene Hellen is a fellow at Refugees International and a South Sudanese refugee in the Kiryandongo refugee settlement in Uganda Her work centers around climate adaptation and mitigation with a focus on promoting solar electricity for cooking – a sustainable solution that can significantly reduce conflicts and minimize cases of assault in the settlement she serves as a Partnership Officer with Last Mile Climate in Uganda contributing actively to environmental initiatives She also volunteers as a Community Engagement Lead at the African Youth Action Network and is a board member of CECI Uganda Follow her on LinkedIn at Ayoo Irene Hellen and X @ayoo_irene3 Sign up for our updates on the most pressing displacement and humanitarian issues we create a more welcoming world for people seeking refuge Refugees International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization John is the deliciously dark side of paradise Before me spreads the crimson disk of a forbidding its silky surface undulating with the blurping viscosity of a bowl of thick tomato soup defies the Garden of Delights just a few yards behind me: a riot of Caribbean waves pounding the rocky shore of Drunk Bay a rugged seascape that would seem more at home in the neighborhood of Bar Harbor just beyond the red lake and a low hedge of trees bathers snorkel and sun on blazingly blue Salt Pond Bay You’d be hard-pressed to find a more diverse patch of earth than this thin strip of land: two pristine shorelines separated by the bleeding wound of red Salt Pond is far from dead: Thick with minerals stranded here from runoff the pond gets its startling rust color from the billions of microorganisms that thrive in its shallow coral bowl The bus stop at Salt Pond is a lonely shed flanked by cacti The bus from the ferry port at Cruz Bay winds its way here taking the better part of an hour to traverse the 13-mile journey exhaling nearly all of its passengers at easier-to-access beaches long before reaching this Seated in the bus stop shelter is a bearded young man who has clearly been waiting awhile How long until the bus comes back this way Sidestepping potholes and hopscotching over loose rocks in a quarter mile or so I emerge onto a curved beach occupied by a handful of hardy souls who have preceded me on this fine The waters of small Salt Pond Bay are clear and sublimely smooth Even the hawk-billed turtles that often snort at the surface seem to have headed elsewhere I set up my folding chair and step into the water shuffling my feet to avoid stepping on a hiding stingray The water seems a bit cooler than at the nearby beaches but that is like saying the Pyrenees aren’t quite as pointy as the Alps you really ought to just go home and pull the drapes About three-quarters of the way down the beach I find a narrow trail disappearing into deep brush The passage from the beach to Salt Pond is barely 50 yards but to traverse it is to trade the teeming spectacle of the sea for a still I’ve read the pond is barely two feet deep because the water of Salt Pond — if you can call it that — is the impenetrable red of what you’d find pouring out of a rusted pipe that’s been opened for the first time in years Two things feed Salt Pond: The rare rains that make their way this far across the island and the occasional rough seas that crash across a thin rocky bridge of land between here and the ocean Evaporation and relentless sun do their dirty work taking the pond’s water but leaving its minerals behind Salt Pond is by far the saltiest — up to 280 times saltier than the ocean When the water level reaches its annual dry season minimum locals turn up with buckets and shovels to collect the crystalized sea salt that rings the pond like a saline halo (The National Park Service apparently suspends its strict “no souvenirs” policy during the Salt Season.) strong wind is blowing across Salt Pond in my direction Small waves beat against the shore at my feet causing the red mineral soup to froth up into a salt-scented head And there’s something else: hundreds upon hundreds of the smallest fiddler crabs I’ve ever seen It’s a madhouse down there; crabs everywhere scampering away from me like residents of Tokyo fleeing Godzilla others take refuge in the bubbly suds at the pond’s edge The presence of these little guys is good news: scientists who study St Johns’ salt ponds say the more fiddler crabs you have it turns out Salt Pond isn’t a dead zone after all following the trail for one rugged mile — up and down hills and along a narrow blue-stoned beach — before it abruptly rises 200 feet to a rocky outcropping called Ram Head The plant life around me is a reminder of how dry it is at this end of St John — Yatu cacti stand taller than me; closer to the ground lie bizarre-looking Turk’s Head cacti listening to the echoing waves that crash to its rocky base 300 slaves did the unthinkable: They plunged off this cliff to certain death getting a good look at the afternoon sun reflecting dully on the filmy surface Countless round stones spread from my feet to the breakers and on either side of me rise jagged rock monoliths sending curtains of spray flying in a fan-shaped spectacle the white foam contrasting with the deep blue of the cloudless sky but I am not alone: Besides a petrified forest of rock cairns left by visitors — some stacked 12 stones high or more — the beach is also populated with tiny human figures all of them fashioned by creative visitors out of stones She’s wearing a Little Mermaid-style shell bra as evidenced by a strategically placed stalk of coral extending from a patch of dark coconut husk hair as if to mock the strict no-nudity rules on St a naughty au naturelle vibe enlivens the folk art of this remote stretch I sit on a sea-smoothed rock and soak in the scene I clamber up the rocks to the path and trudge back along Salt Pond strewn like oversized pearls upon the sand stands an innumerable army of tiny white fiddler crabs They’re somehow emboldened: Instead of racing away like they did before But I prefer to think they’re waving goodbye Cruise passengers arriving at Charlotte Amalie on St Thomas can catch ferries for the half-hour to 45-minute water taxi ride to Cruz Bay on nearby St but the only real way to experience the island end-to-end is to hop on the VITRAN bus Just hand the driver a dollar and you can go as far as you like jostling along with the friendly and helpful locals sort of: The north shore offers spectacular views of the British Virgin Islands I left St John right before Irma/Maria and happily read anything about the island I love and miss so dearly The Virgin Islands naggingly beckon me back again like a beguiling and sultry siren… Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" A massive World Title showdown has been confirmed for ONE Fight Night 29 on Prime Video, as Brazilian superstar Allycia Hellen Rodrigues will defend her ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Title against Israeli phenom Shir Cohen in U.S. primetime on Friday, March 7. That bout will go down in front of a raucous Thai crowd at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ONE Championship (@onechampionship) the fight will mark the third defense of her belt and a chance to further solidify herself as the dominant queen of the division The 26-year-old made waves in her promotional debut back in 2020 when she dethroned Thai icon Stamp Fairtex by majority decision to claim the gold. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ONE Championship (@onechampionship) Since then, she’s employed her elite fight IQ, vicious clinch game, and crispy-clean striking technique to earn two more World Title wins over former two-sport titleholder Janet Todd and decorated Spaniard Cristina Morales. Rodrigues hopes to continue her reign of terror over the atomweight Muay Thai division, but she’s in for a serious test against the all-action Cohen. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ONE Championship (@onechampionship) After a lengthy and accomplished amateur career that saw her win gold at the World Games in 2022 Cohen kicked off her professional career in style winning the Road to ONE: Thailand Season 2 tournament to earn her spot on the global roster The 24-year-old has since lived up to the hype and enjoyed a breakout year in 2024 She scored impressive back-to-back wins at ONE Friday Fights before making her U.S. primetime debut last October at ONE Fight Night 25, where she defeated Scottish veteran Amy Pirnie – a woman many had pegged as the next World Title challenger. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ONE Championship (@onechampionship) Cohen will now aim to keep her momentum going in the biggest opportunity of her career at ONE Fight Night 29 this matchup has all the makings of a back-and-forth war While Rodrigues is an undeniable master of technique with plenty of five-round experience ultra-aggressive destroyer who will happily engage in a firefight Keep checking onefc.com for all the news and announcements about ONE Fight Night 29 on March 7 UPDATE: Perkins Coie Gets Temporary Restraining Order Against Trump’s Punitive Executive Order The complaint wasn’t written by a “bunch of pussies.” No I mean — this is from paragraph 1 of the complaint: The Order is an affront to the Constitution and our adversarial system of justice Its plain purpose is to bully those who advocate points of view that the President perceives as adverse to the views of his Administration whether those views are presented on behalf of paying or pro bono clients The firm is comprised of lawyers who advocate for clients; its attorneys and employees are not activists or partisans But Perkins Coie’s ability to represent the interests of its clients—and its ability to operate as a legal-services business at all—are under direct and imminent threat Perkins Coie cannot allow its clients to be bullied The firm is committed to a resolute defense of the rule of law and therefore brings this lawsuit to declare the Order unlawful and to enjoin its implementation Legal filings aren’t often a fun read It goes hard on the Trump administration’s violation of separation of powers: “[T]he Order’s peculiar title betrays its oddity as an Executive Order for its purpose is not executive in nature the Order reflects a purpose that is judicial—to adjudicate whether a handful of lawyers at Perkins Coie LLP engaged in misconduct in the course of litigation and then to punish them.” And it just goes on — calling out the “retaliatory aim” which is “intentionally obvious to the general public and the press” and seeks “to chill future lawyers from representing particular clients.” the hardest hit is the graph that just slams every single constitutional protection the EO violates It’s a long block quote but very much worth it Because the Order in effect adjudicates and punishes alleged misconduct by Perkins Coie it is an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers Because it does so without notice and an opportunity to be heard and because it punishes the entire firm for the purported misconduct of a handful of lawyers who are not employees of the firm it is an unconstitutional violation of procedural due process and of the substantive due process right to practice one’s professional livelihood Because the Order singles out Perkins Coie it denies the firm the equal protection of the laws guaranteed by the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment Because the Order punishes the firm for the clients with which it has been associated and the legal positions it has taken on matters of election law the Order constitutes retaliatory viewpoint discrimination and violates the First Amendment rights of free expression and association and the right to petition the government for redress Because the Order compels disclosure of confidential information revealing the firm’s relationships with its clients Because the Order retaliates against Perkins Coie for its diversity-related speech Because the Order is vague in proscribing what is prohibited “diversity equity and inclusion,” it violates the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment Because the Order works to brand Perkins Coie as persona non grata and bar it from federal buildings deny it the ability to communicate with federal employees and terminate the government contracts of its clients the Order violates the right to counsel afforded by the Fifth and Sixth Amendments The Trump administration picked a fight with some of the best and brightest lawyers and they’re about to find out exactly what that means Syria is reeling the country witnessed one of the bloodiest events in its troubled history Gunmen loyal to deposed president Bashar al-Assad launched a ruthless attack on the coastal region Clashes spiralled into revenge attacks on civilians leaving hundreds dead and thousands displaced The killings have stoked an atmosphere of sectarianism and intimidation and posed a massive challenge for the credibility of Syria's nascent government Civilians belonging to the Alawi community which Assad and most of his loyalists belong to Tensions in the area had been high ever since Assad's ouster with Alawis saying they have been victims of occasional reprisal attacks While the new Syrian administration's defence ministry said it had completed its operations against “regime remnants” residents of the coastal cities say violence has not ended The Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR) has documented 779 “extrajudicial killings” since Thursday saying it did not count the deaths of Assad loyalists in combat This includes 211 civilians and 179 security personnel killed by Assad loyalists and 396 civilians and unarmed loyalists killed by armed groups and security forces a UK-based activist group that monitors the war The deadly weekend started on Thursday night when armed groups loyal to Assad attacked the new government’s security forces in Jableh an Alawi man in the port city of Baniyas 25km south of Jableh security forces quickly responded to the incident and told residents of Syria’s coastal areas to stay in their homes and not to be afraid initially overwhelmed government forces and took control of Qardaha Syria’s government scrambled to bring in reinforcements but eventually managed to regain some control Helicopters fired on areas where clashes took place that night The factions killed the remnants of the regime shootings and bombs did not stop,” Shafik told Middle East Eye What were clashes on Thursday spiralled into uncontrolled mass killings on Friday Convoys of gunmen belonging to groups that fought Assad charged into the northwestern provinces of Latakia and Tartus. They spread out through the coastal towns and cities Shafik recalls the fighters arriving at Baniyas around 11am and heading straight for the Alawi-majority areas of al-Qusour and al-Mrouj “They broke into all the shops on the street and stole everything while shouting and cursing Alawis they burned the shops and from there they started to climb the buildings he said it was “up to one’s luck” whether the armed men would kill them “Entire families were killed, including children,” he said Gunmen knocked on his front door and his mother answered A fighter told her they will only leave after taking “either souls or gold” So he said: ‘You either pay us with money or you all get killed “The whole time we were living in terror and hearing the voices of people being killed and screaming,” Shafik said “The bodies in the streets were terrifying.” A bit further north,just below Latakia city the town of al-Mukhtariya suffered a similar fate “My aunt is in al-Mukhtariya,” said Faisal and their bodies were found in the street." Faisal said the gunmen returned to speak to his aunt Shafik says the killings started again early the next morning Members of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) the faction that spearheaded the assault that toppled Assad in December and now dominates the Damascus government were seen driving around the coast with women in the front of their vehicles were Alawi families that Sunni women and HTS fighters were helping escape and take to areas they could find safe shelter Hassan Abdel-Ghani, spokesperson for the defence ministry, said on Sunday that security forces had regained control of the coast and will continue to pursue the people who led the pro-Assad insurgency Ahmad al-Sharaa, the HTS leader-turned-interim president, delivered a speech promising to hunt down remaining Assad loyalists and people who killed civilians anyone who is involved in the bloodshed of civilians exceeds the state's authority or exploits power for personal gain,” he said The government also announced a committee would be formed to investigate the clashes and killings by both sides Across Sunday, fighting and killing on the coast slowed. In the mountains, where some 5,000 pro-Assad insurgents are believed to be hiding said a mass grave containing the bodies of Syrian security forces was found in Qardaha Ali said some of his relatives were also found in mass graves and there is no space remaining in the cemetery.” A Russian soldier told MEE that hundreds of Alawis had taken shelter in Russia's Hmeemeem military base in Latakia province Alawis have accused the nascent government of failing to protect them Ali said security forces initially refused to allow people to recover bodies from Alawi-majority town al-Qusoor which he believed was because they were trying to cover up crimes committed there Sectarian discourse has skyrocketed online A Syrian NGO in the north even posted a video of Ramadan sweets with a message saying: “the Alawi has the right to live in his tomb in peace” believes acts like Sunnis protecting Alawis from the massacres are a glimmer of hope for Syria's future 'The state should take care of all its citizens “There was a lot of local reconciliation between Sunnis and Alawis,” he said “Sunnis protected Alawis and Alawis protected Sunnis They are friends living shoulder by shoulder.” Abdul Ghany said reconciliation will require acknowledgements from both sides regarding their suffering over the past few years and much of this work will fall within the hands of the state “The state should take care of all its citizens regardless of their religion or sect,” he said “If the state took these initiatives with investigations holding accountable those who committed violations I think we would be moving in the right direction.” Copyright © 2014 - 2025. Middle East Eye Only England and Wales jurisdiction apply in all legal matters Middle East Eye          ISSN 2634-2456                      There’s been a shake-up in the main event of ONE Fight Night 29 on Prime Video, but reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues will still be defending her gold On March 7 in U.S. primetime, talented rising star Marie McManamon will make her ONE debut on short notice to challenge for the coveted World Title at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Marie Mc Manamon (@mariemc_mt) McManamon will be replacing surging Israeli contender Shir Cohen who suffered an injury during her preparations for ONE Fight Night 29 Brazilian superstar Rodrigues has dominated the atomweight Muay Thai division since she made her stunning ONE Championship debut back in 2020, dethroning then-World Champion Stamp Fairtex to capture the belt. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ONE Championship (@onechampionship) the Phuket Fight Club representative stepped away from competition due to pregnancy and the birth of her first child Rodrigues then returned to action in 2023 and scored a sensational five-round decision victory over then-interim queen Janet Todd to unify the belts and once again become the undisputed ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion The 26-year-old subsequently suffered a defeat in her bid for the women’s strawweight Muay Thai gold, but last March at ONE Fight Night 20, she returned to atomweight and successfully defended her crown against decorated Spaniard Cristina Morales. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬𝗖𝗜𝗔 (@allycia_phuketfightclub) Despite the late change of opponent at ONE Fight Night 29 Rodrigues is still in for an extremely difficult test Competing out of the famed Knowlesy Academy – home to current ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty – McManamon has spent the past several years collecting titles while firmly establishing herself as the UK’s top atomweight Muay Thai fighter. A smooth technician with a gritty clinch game and a deep gas tank McManamon has the skills needed to drag Rodrigues into deep waters and overwhelm her with a high-volume will look to employ her forward-marching style and elite fight IQ to ensure that she leaves Bangkok with the gold Stay tuned to onefc.com for more news about ONE Fight 29: Rodrigues vs 22 minutes and 37 seconds to claim her second consecutive win in the capital of Massachusetts after her maiden marathon victory in the same city last year Her fellow Kenyan Sharon Lokedi came in second “I knew that Sharon was very strong so I tried my best at the end,” Obiri said in a post-race interview. “I tried to push, but she was still close behind me. To win here makes me so very happy. “When I won here last year, I was not that familiar with the marathon. This year my training was perfect and I trusted everything we were doing." In the men’s race, Lemma wasted no time in asserting his dominance over the field, breaking from the pack after only 20 minutes and maintaining his lead for the remainder of the race, despite the challenges of Boston's notoriously difficult course and the prospect of running alone for the majority of the 42.195km. The 2023 Valencia Marathon winner and fourth-fastest male marathoner in history was at one point on track to break the Boston course record,- and even challenge the world record time of the late Kenyan Kelvin Kiptum. But despite slowing significantly over the second half of the run, Lemma never looked likely to relinquish his lead and crossed the line first in 2:06:17. He has now firmly established himself as one of the finest men's marathon racers in the world. Lemma's compatriot Mohamed Esa finished second in 2:06:58 with Kenya's Evans Chebet third in 2:07:22. Lemma’s win came at the third time of asking in Boston and followed last year’s race where he failed to even finish his willingness to take the 2024 race into his own hands showed how much he wanted to make up for his past failures as he claimed a first marathon victory since his win in London in 2021 that’s why I came,” he said in an interview after the race but the hills at the end made me really tired.” As well as making a strong statement that he is in exceptional race shape the Ethiopian has another reason for wanting to show the world the strength of his form in 2024 “I raced in Boston is because the course is similar to the Olympic one so hopefully this will be good preparation for the Paris Games,” he said referencing the hilly Paris 2024 marathon route that has a maximum gradient of 13.5 per cent the next Olympics were also at the forefront of her mind as she hoped to impress the Kenyan selectors with just over 100 days until the Games “Winning is something very precious to me,” she said I really hope I’ll be chosen to compete at the Olympics.” As she prepares to return to battle and put her gold on the line at ONE Fight Night 29 on Prime Video, reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion Allycia Hellen Rodrigues is once again leaning on the constant support and love from her sister the Brazilian will defend her belt against dangerous Irish-English standout Marie McManamon in front of a packed house at Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok she wouldn’t be here – fighting the planet’s best strikers on the biggest stage for martial arts – if it weren’t for her sister The Brazilian striker spoke to onefc.com about the unique bond she and Andressa share, explaining that their connection is rooted in sports and athletics: “My sister was the first to train Muay Thai. My story began with her. She took me along and I watched the training, until one day I decided to take a trial class. We both grew up in sports.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Andressa Rodrigues (@andressarodriguess23) With impressive victories over Muay Thai and kickboxing luminaries such as Stamp Fairtex and Janet “JT” Todd Rodrigues has firmly established herself as a pound-for-pound powerhouse Much of her success, she said, is due to the unending support of her family. When Rodrigues relocated from Brazil to Thailand to train at the famed Phuket Fight Club, she was first joined by her mother. Before long, her sister made the move to Asia, as well, allowing Rodrigues to spend her days with her lifelong “best friend”: “My mother already lived with me here and now my sister. I still can’t believe it. We were always very close, we fought like any siblings would, but we always made peace. She is my best friend.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Andressa Rodrigues (@andressarodriguess23) Despite their occasional sibling quarrels, Rodrigues said that she and her sister share an unbreakable bond. Whether they’re working out together in the gym or spending a lazy day at home, they are a unified front and family forever: “We are very united. She was always more intense than me, but we always got along really well. We have always been a family, she much more so than me, because I’m a little more relaxed. But we have always been very much a family.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬𝗖𝗜𝗔 (@allycia_phuketfightclub) While Allycia Hellen Rodrigues is a globally recognized superstar who has reached the pinnacle of her sport, she gets inspiration and motivation from her sister. Rodrigues is impressed by her sister’s work ethic and approach to life. And even though some might assume it would be the ONE superstar handing out advice to Andressa, it’s actually the other way around: “She always gives me a lot of advice, especially about life. She also inspires me a lot because of all the strength and determination she has to succeed in life. She has always been a very hardworking girl. She tells me that I inspire her, but in reality she inspires me. She always teaches me to keep fighting and doing my best every day.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by ONE Championship (@onechampionship) Cult Scuzz Rockers Satan’s Satyrs return with their new track “Hellin’ It Like It Is,” along with the announcement of their forthcoming LP After Dark “Hellin’ It Like It Is” serves as the follow-up to their comeback single ”Quick Quiet Raid,” which was released in the end of 2023 Bassist Clayton Burgess shares his thoughts: “It’s a great fit for us because they can appreciate our odd-band-out legacy.Tee Pee Records has a long history of cultivating a heavy freak rock underground and we feel right at home in that universe.” We were always the riffy band on punk bills with each album sounding different from the last As new material slowly amassed and the right players fell into place After Dark will be released on August 30 through Tee Pee Records Preorder the After Dark LP (Evergreen Vinyl) here Follow Satan’s Satyrs on Instagram Issue 73 featuring Pinhead Gunpowder is available now This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website  Learn more Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker This Friday, March 7, live in U.S. primetime in the main event of ONE Fight Night 29 on Prime Video, Brazilian star Allycia Hellen Rodrigues will defend her ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Title against a supremely dangerous late-notice replacement in Marie McManamon. Set to take place in front of a raucous Thai crowd at Bangkok’s Lumpinee Stadium, that bout will mark Rodrigues’ third defense of her gold as she continues to emerge as one of the planet’s top pound-for-pound Muay Thai fighters. The 26-year-old was originally slated to face surging contender Shir Cohen but when the Israeli rising star was forced to withdraw due to injury McManamon stepped up on short notice for the biggest opportunity of her career Rodrigues didn’t initially recognize her new opponent’s name she was pleased with the chance to compete against such a skilled and experienced athlete The atomweight Muay Thai queen told onefc.com: “Before I was offered the fight, I didn’t know Marie, and from the little I’ve seen of her, I like her style. “It’s going to be a fight. It’s going to be a well-matched fight because of our styles. I am happy with my opponent.” Representing both Ireland and the United Kingdom, the 34-year-old McManamon has spent the past several years cementing herself as the UK’s top women’s striker, employing her long reach, versatile skills, and impeccable cardio to set herself apart and garner attention from ONE Championship’s matchmakers. With that in mind, Rodrigues knows she’s in for a stiff test in Bangkok. She’ll certainly have to work around her opponent’s height and reach advantage, so she and her team have devised a strategy focused on chopping down the challenger’s legs: “Well, our game plan for this fight is – given that she’s a tall girl, you can see she is really tall, we worked a lot on leg kicks to injure her legs and gradually wear them down during the fight. “For me, it’s crucial not to lose my distance because she’s very tall. So we did an excellent job with boxing and leg kicks, but also full Muay Thai. We never stop training the rest of the techniques. So, I’m very well-rounded for this fight.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by ONE Championship (@onechampionship) Rodrigues has leaned heavily on her well-rounded Muay Thai skills over the course of her dominant run as the ONE Women’s Atomweight Muay Thai World Champion, showcasing a dangerous blend of long-range combination striking and a vicious clinch game. With each new challenger to her throne, Rodrigues feels the weight of her lofty status – and her battle with McManamon at ONE Fight Night 29 is no different. But despite all the pressure and anxiety that comes with being a titleholder in the world’s largest martial arts organization, the Brazilian remains confident and trusts in her training: “I always feel pressure. There’s no way around it. As they say, it’s hard to reach the top but even harder to stay there. So, I always feel the pressure — and as always, the anxiety that hits is that urge to fight immediately, and also to defend my belt, to win. “As I said, I’m very focused, and I’m well prepared. I’ve been training for a long time, and I’m very confident, even though she is a good fighter. But so am I, right? I’m number one.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Fight Record (@fight_record) Allycia Hellen Rodrigues will come into her World Title defense against Marie McManamon with the confidence of knowing she’s sought out the best training in the world. Nearly seven years ago, she uprooted her life in Brazil to move to Thailand and train full-time at the famed Phuket Fight Club. The daily grind of long practices both morning and afternoon, she said, has been key to her success in ONE Championship: “Look at my experience in Muay Thai. I feel very confident training and living here in Thailand. This is the birthplace of Muay Thai. I’ve been here for six, almost seven years. So, I trust the training a lot because it’s really intense. It’s a very heavy routine.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by 𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬𝗖𝗜𝗔 (@allycia_phuketfightclub) For her part, McManamon also trains out of a world-class camp – London’s Knowlesy Academy, home to many of the UK’s top strikers, including current ONE Bantamweight Kickboxing World Champion Jonathan Haggerty. While Rodrigues has plenty of respect for her opponent and the work she’s done to reach this level, she still believes that her own training in the home of Muay Thai is superior: “What I’ve always believed is that they don’t train like we do here. They don’t train the way we do. I think they even try, but not the way we train, since it’s every day. It’s morning and afternoon, doing the same thing.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by ONE Championship (@onechampionship) KBS 2TV’s upcoming drama “Pump Up the Healthy Love” has shared a new glimpse of its leads’ entertaining dynamic an assistant manager at a travel agency who joins his gym to get over a recent breakup Newly released stills from the upcoming drama hint at the grueling training that lies in wait for Lee Mi Ran Do Hyun Joong watches her closely with an unforgiving expression Lee Mi Ran—who is an avid eater but a total newbie when it comes to working out—is visibly suffering due to Do Hyun Joong’s intense 24-hours-a-day care Although his rigorous training routine is hell for Lee Mi Ran that exhaustion vanishes momentarily when she gets to eat delicious food The stills capture the amusing contrast between Lee Mi Ran’s misery in the gym and her bliss while eating “Pump Up the Healthy Love” writer Kim Ji Soo teased “Hyun Joong is obsessed with working out and solves all of his problems through exercise He’s serious about his body but also sincerely cares about the bodies of his gym members “Mi Ran is a lovable but weak-willed person who goes looking for food when she’s at the end of her rope,” continued Kim Ji Soo “Although Hyun Joong and Mi Ran can’t understand one another I think they can help each other and grow together for that very reason.” “Pump Up the Healthy Love” premieres on April 30 at 9:50 p.m you can watch teasers for the drama with English subtitles below: Source (1) the brand new band featuring former members of 36 Crazyfists and Diecast will release their debut album ‘With Hell In His Eyes’ on May 2 via Spinefarm will release their debut album With Hell In His Eyes on May 2 via Spinefarm the overall concept of With Hell In His Eyes is to never surrender I’m a 49-year-old man who has lived and learned a lot trying to be better each day is a definitely goal.” Paradise Slaves also shared their video for the song “Dreamers,” a chugging palm-muted riff slips into an airy verse punctuated by a breathy melody offering a deep look at the highly personal subject matter: “Dreamers” follows Paradise Slaves debut single “A Fever to Defeat.” The Boston-by-way-of-Anchorage quartet cements an uncanny union between aforementioned vocal powerhouse Lindow (36 Crazyfists) Mutual admiration and respect sparked the initial flame for Paradise Slaves yet their newly forged friendship lit up their chemistry as brightly as a pyre That same energy surges through their full-length debut album Paradise Slaves ‘With Hell In His Eyes’ album artwork Killswitch Engage guitarist Joel Stroetzel shot a text over to Lindow mid-pandemic his younger brother Tyler was putting together a solo album the duo hit it off as collaborators and buddies Given his longstanding friendship with Brock they nodded to formative inspirations such as Soundgarden and Alice In Chains twisted up with just the right amount of hardcore grit and heavy metal eloquence they performed alongside the likes of Killswitch Engage the group congregated at Tin Bridge Studios in Massachusetts in order to record Lady Gaga Unleashing ‘Mayhem’ on March 7th via Interscope Records I thought that maybe music is a part of my life that is just done?” DOWN Signs with Nuclear Blast Records for 2026 Album Skunk Anansie Debuts Latest Single “Animal” Joe Stump’s Tower of Babel Announce Album ‘Days Of Thunder’ DJ Hydra Set to Release Afro House Album ‘Moyo Wa Upendo’ via OVAVA Music Halestorm Return with ‘Everest’ Album & Massive “nEVEREST” Global Tour Signs Of The Swarm Detail New Album ‘To Rid Myself Of Truth’ Mark Morton: “I was starting to break out of the clouds I could tell that was happening and it felt really free to be creative.” it was like monsters with guitars and I was blown away.” Shadows of a Silhouette Premiere Energetic New Single “No Matter Where I Go” KING 810 Reveal ‘Rustbelt Nu Metal’ Album Details & European Tour Dawn Of Ouroboros Announce Extensive Spring & Summer US Tour Dates Headliner to Date at Boston’s MGM at Fenway Diablo® and Berserk Join Forces with Beast In Black for Epic Collaboration Deafheaven – ‘Lonely People With Power’ [Album Review] ©2025 V13 Media is part of V13 Media Group, owned by V13 Ventures. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy // Terms of Use Jeremy Hanna is a Newsweek contributor based in Los Angeles His focus is on professional wrestling Jeremy has been with Newsweek since 2024 from LA Sports Report. He is a graduate of California Lutheran University You can follow Jeremy on X (formerly Twitter) @JeremyHanna753 and on Bluesky @jeremyhanna753.bsky.social You can contact Jeremy via email at j.hanna@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content While WWE Bad Blood 2024 had some memorable moments nothing was better than the opening match between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre Punk and McIntyre ended their feud in one of the greatest Hell in a Cell matches in wrestling history The duo battered and bruised each other with everything they could get their hands on reminding everyone how brutal these matches could be Punk opened the follow-up episode of Monday Night Raw and his haters for making him the man he is today Punk also revealed that he will be taking a break from WWE to spend time with his family "I haven't seen my wife in about five weeks Punk was then interrupted by Seth "Freaking" Rollins adding further fuel to their feud that has been simmering over the past year Later, WWE shared a clip on Instagram of Punk leaving the stage having difficulty walking due to the aftermath of his brutal match and we'll see you back real soon," the caption read A post shared by instagram Rollins and McIntyre more than deserve a break from the squared circle They left it all in the ring as they brought one of the best current feuds in wrestling to an end Punk was left covered in blood and was barely able to squeak out the victory in the end On the other side of the ring, McIntyre was busted up when he was hit with a metal toolbox, leading to the Scottish Psychopath getting 16 staples in his head Drew McIntyre after the HIAC match last night.“F*ck off” pic.twitter.com/guEBRGICds and it is largely because of the commitment and masterful storytelling both superstars have shown throughout the feud What was once two men fighting over a friendship bracelet became one of the most compelling stories in the modern WWE There's no telling what's next for McIntyre and Punk and it's likely that fans won't see them for the rest of the year they'll both be able to make memorable returns in time for the Royal Rumble in 2025 For more WWE and professional wrestling news, head on over to Newsweek Sports Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all Though those two are greats of the industry and more than capable of delivering an all-timer, they will have their work cut out for them, thanks to a lineage of outstanding matches inside that massive, imposing, intimidating steel structure. Ahead of their encounter at the next WWE premium live event, relive the 10 greatest matches to be held inside Hell in a Cell and find out where the original between Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, held at the In Your House: Badd Blood show in October of 1997, lands on the countdown. Angle would ultimately retain the title in his one and only appearance in the match, but it was Rikishi and Undertaker who would steal the headlines following a jaw-dropping spot that saw The American badass chokeslam the super heavyweight off the edge of the cage's roof and into the bed of a conveniently placed pickup. The Armageddon main event was exactly what one would want from a match with that many stars involved, at a time of great prosperity for the industry and WWE in general. It is a testament to the other nine matches in front of it that it brings up the rear at No. 10 on this countdown. Sacrificing the big bumps and gratuitous violence for a story-heavy layout, Jey Uso and Roman Reigns rewrote the rules on what Hell in a Cell could be at the height of the pandemic era in October of 2020. Inside the Thunderdome, they delivered an instant classic in the first-ever "I Quit" Match held the steel structure. Uso was hellbent on proving that he could be the Tribal Chief, that he was Reigns' equal. No longer willing to be the recipient of questions from fans asking which twin he was, Jey turned in what is arguably the best performance of his career. Ultimately, his championship hopes were dashed when Reigns applied a guillotine choke to his brother, Jimmy, forcing Jey to utter the match-ending phrase and fall in line with the The Bloodline. A masterclass in character work, it is probably underrated, even with its place at the nine spot on this list. The finale of a year-long rivalry that included a WrestleMania main event, the Hell in a Cell match between The Undertaker and Edge at SummerSlam 2008 was an appropriate culmination of the hatred the two had developed for each other. There were ladders, tables, and chairs, trademark weapons of the Rated R Superstar, as well as brawling outside of the steel structure and a spear through the announce table. Undertaker answered with a chokeslam through two tables set up back inside the cage and a Tombstone piledriver earned him the grueling, hard-fought victory. Just to put an exclamation point on things the show went off the air with Undertaker chokeslamming his opponent through the canvas before a ring of fire engulfed the hole, indicating the heel had been driven to a hell. A good, spot-heavy match, it was a fitting conclusion to feud with such depth and history. Seth "Freakin" Rollins (Crown Jewel 2021)4 of 10Seth "Freakin" Rollins spent weeks in 2021 making Edge's life a living hell including breaking and entering the Hall of Famer's home taunting him from a distance with thinly veiled threats directed at his family With the intensification of the hatred between them came the need for a showdown that would bring finality to their rivalry Enter Hell in a Cell at Crown Jewel in October 2021 There was plenty of plunder to go around as the participants punished and tortured each other with weapons before Rollins delivered a sunset flip powerbomb through a table that would have put a lesser competitor away used a steel pipe to apply a crossface on his opponent then added insult to injury by delivering a stomp into a steel chair that earned him the victory Another match that sacrificed unnecessary risk and big bumps for narrative-driven violence it was a reminder that Hell in a Cell can still be incredibly effective even without guys taking big dives off the top of the structure and Shawn Michaels told an epic storyline that included two of the greatest matches of all time between The Phenom and Heartbreak Kid and a battle of attrition between the Deadman and The Game culminating in what was billed as "The End of An Era" inside Hell in a Cell at WrestleMania 28 Undertaker and Triple H beat the ever-loving hell out of each other their bodies wracked with pain and the effects of each blow apparent on their skin Throw in Michaels' superb performance as the special referee and you have an exercise in pro wrestling storytelling that stands right alongside the most epic match-ups in industry history delivering one last Tombstone piledriver to a defiant Triple H for the win stood atop the stage and soaked in the appreciation of the fans for what was essentially a perfect match That is ranks outside of the top five of this list tells you everything you need to know about the quality of the wars that have taken place inside the titular structure including a WrestleMania main event that saw The Animal complete his meteoric rise to the top of the industry by defeating his mentor to capture the World Heavyweight Championship Driven by revenge and the desire to regain his title Triple H set foot inside Hell in a Cell for a showdown with the man he hand-picked to be part of Evolution and guide to the top of the industry The combatants rewrote what Hell in a Cell could be opting not to execute any big bumps from high places they opted to bring barbarism to the steel structure brutalizing and bloodying each other with an abundance of weapons and the challenger's trusty sledgehammer cerebral attack of his opponent to deliver a spinebuster onto the ring steps that drove the fight out of him and a Batista Bomb to finish off the match So appreciative of the efforts of both men were the fans in Las Vegas that they greeted Triple H with a standing ovation as he exited the ring it was absolutely essential to finally establishing Batista as one of the guys in WWE and a reminder that despite his lengthy run on top of the company The Game was still every bit as great as he claimed to be After an extraordinary Street Fight at the Royal Rumble in January 2000 failed to settle the intensely personal rivalry between WWE champion Triple H and No they entered Hell in a Cell at No Way Out the following month for one final showdown in their epic feud unloading months of anger and frustration on The Game by brutalizing him in the cage going as far as to set a barb wire-wrapped two-by-four on fire a use it on his opponent as he did so many times during that fantastic 2000 run weathered the storm and delivered a back body drop that sent Jack through the roof of the cell and the ring canvas some 20 feet below Triple H delivered one last Pedigree to win the match retire his rival per pre-match stipulations and silence anyone doubting his place at the top of the industry Cody Rhodes suffered a torn pectoral muscle leading into Hell in a Cell 2022 and the finale of his feud with Seth Rollins but that did not stop The American Nightmare from setting foot inside the pay-per-view's titular structure His chest and arm nauseatingly bruised from the injury he removed his ring jacket to an audible gasp from fans for whom the reality of the situation was setting in The second-generation performer proceeded to earn the respect and adulation of the audience and his peers as he and Rollins turned in one of the greatest matches of the last 20 years A dramatic masterclass in grit and toughness by Rhodes it saw him take some sickening punishment aimed directly at the torn muscle eliciting looks of terror from fans in the arena he powered through it and the mind games of his opponent who wore the familiar polka dots of the "American Dream" Dusty Rhodes and defeated Rollins with two Cross Rhodes and a shot to the face with a sledgehammer it remains one of the gutsiest performances in WWE history and the match where the connection he had with fans became unbreakable At the 1998 King of the Ring in Pittsburgh's ominous Igloo Mick "Mankind" Foley turned in a performance that could be characterized by some as "foolish" and others as "awe-inspiring," but was undeniably one of the most unforgettable in WWE history his battle with The Undertaker started on top of the Hell in a Cell cage and seemingly concluded with him being thrown off the top of it and through the announce table below catching him in his face and knocking him unconscious The match would have ended there today but the hardcore icon refused rejoining Undertaker for the conclusion of the bout With a tooth sticking out of his nose after it traveled his sinus cavity who ultimately put him away with the Tombstone The gusty performance from Foley instantly elevated his star and made him one of the faces of the Attitude Era not to mention an industry giant that stood alongside his opponent and the likes of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Triple H as iconic members of one of the most stacked rosters of all time It also built on a reputation Hell in a Cell garnered right from the start Mankind has all of the memorable moments and bumps but the best Hell in a Cell match is still that inaugural one from In Your House: Badd Blood in October of 1997 The conclusion of Undertaker's months-long feud with Shawn Michaels the match forced HBK to go it alone against The Phenom and the result was a bloodied battered boy toy and a vengeful aggressor looking to end him for good The Deadman appeared to be well on his way to achieving his goal as he chased his opponent around the ring out of the cell when medics assisted a cameraman sending him crashing off the side of the cage and through the commentary table below an Undertaker win looked like a certainty until the lights went out and Kane made his stunning debut stalking to the ring before coming face-to-face with his brother A Tombstone by the masked newcomer allowed a beaten Michaels to drape a single arm over his fallen opponent and steal the win and topped off with one of the greatest debuts in WWE history helped set the bar for the Hell in a Cell match Despite some truly extraordinary performances in the 27 years since none have perfectly encapsulated all that made the original the iconic match-up that it still is nearly three decades later Your access to this service has been limited If you think you have been blocked in error contact the owner of this site for assistance If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send" You will then receive an email that helps you regain access Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 5 million WordPress sites The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence Click here to learn more: Documentation 6 May 2025 10:13:40 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); After almost a year of animosity, hated verbal jousts and brutal battles, CM Punk and Drew McIntyre will finish their feud inside The Devil's Playground on the 27th anniversary of the first-ever Hell in a Cell match between Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker. Since then, WWE has held over 50 such contests, though over half of them were exclusive to the eponymous event. Giving the gimmick its own pay-per-view took away much of the mystique the matchup had in its early years and how it was mainly reserved for rivalry blowoffs. Upon taking over creative control of WWE in 2022, Triple H wisely abolished the annual show and has only brought back the celebrated stipulation when necessary. That isn't to say there haven't been some memorable wars inside Hell in a Cell in recent years, though. Even the installments without anyone in attendance during the ThunderDome era managed to leave their mark. Ahead of Punk and McIntyre's upcoming clash, let's look back at the last 10 Hell in a Cell matches—ranked from worst to best. By that Monday's Raw, the gimmick had lost a lot of its luster and was hardly looked at as a big deal, but that didn't stop WWE from booking a Hell in a Cell match for the main event of the show in a desperate attempt to pop a rating. Bobby Lashley was fresh off defending the WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre inside the structure the night before when he was forced to compete in a second straight cage match against Xavier Woods. There was no real reason for the match to be made, especially without The All Mighty's coveted title not at stake. It was perfectly fine for what it was and Lashley's domination was on full display, but the HIAC stipulation was practically useless and didn't come into play much at all. This matchup wasn't remotely memorable and wasn't helped by the empty arena (WWE returned to the road post-pandemic just weeks later). Thankfully, it marked the final time the gimmick was used randomly on Raw. Similar to the post-Hell in a Cell edition of Raw, the pre-PPV edition of SmackDown in 2021 also featured such a match, though this one was considerably better. Roman Reigns and Rey Mysterio had been at odds over the Universal Championship for weeks, but days out from the event, their match was moved to SmackDown and the Hell in a Cell stipulation was added. They had a quality match regardless, but the surrounding cell provided them with an extreme environment to work with. Sure enough, The Master of the 619 endured an unbelievable amount of punishment at the hands of Reigns, specifically when he was slammed into the side of the cage. Despite being limited by commercial breaks and television time constraints, they had a fun, hard-hitting contest that culminated with The Tribal Chief soundly defeating Mysterio to retain the universal title. This was yet another instance of why the structure shouldn't be given away without any fanfare on WWE TV as it would have meant much more on a bigger stage. Less than a year removed from the final installment of the Hell in a Cell PPV, the concept was revived for Edge vs. Finn Bálor on Night 2 of WrestleMania 39. The two had been embroiled in a heated rivalry for nearly a year after Bálor, Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest ousted The Rated-R Superstar from the group he helped create, The Judgment Day. They had previously collided in an "I Quit" match at Extreme Rules and the addition of the Hell in a Cell stipulation raised the stakes. Edge channeling his classic Brood persona while Bálor brought back The Demon were nice touches, but something was off about the energy of the bout. They threw everything they had at each other, but it didn't feel like it ever lived up to the audience's expectations. In other words, it was a watered-down version of what it could have been. They threw everything they had at each other while the crowd seemed to sit in silence. It was a good Hell in a Cell match that could have been better, but Edge going over was the wrong call considering he had little to gain before exiting the company later in the year. Bayley (Hell in a Cell 2021)4 of 10The many battles between Bianca Belair and Bayley over the years have been well-documented along with their incredible chemistry inside the squared circle they competed in a ladder match followed by a Last Woman Standing match on back-to-back PPVs They also had their fair share of wars throughout 2023 and 2024 Their underrated Hell in a Cell clash at the same-titled event in 2021 was equally excellent Their rivalry hadn't reached a point where the cage was necessary but they put forth a commendable effort regardless and delivered a strong back-and-forth bout Belair had yet to experience anything quite as arduous as Hell in a Cell excelled in the environment and decisively defeated Bayley to hold onto the SmackDown Women's Championship it's the last women's match to take place inside Hell in a Cell but it shouldn't be long before both decorated competitors find themselves back in The Devil's Playground Drew McIntyre did a commendable job of carrying the Raw brand on his back as WWE champion in the first several months of the pandemic in 2020 and setting back challenges from the likes of Big Show Randy Orton proved to be the toughest rival during his first title reign taking the Scot to his limit in matches at both SummerSlam and Clash of Champions Their feud escalated to new heights by Hell in a Cell that October and thus it was a fitting stipulation for their third encounter on PPV While slightly slow pacing-wise (which was made even more apparent by the atmosphere in the empty ThunderDome) McIntyre and Orton brought the best out of each other and had a highly physical brawl The action eventually spilled outside of the cage and led to a brief exchange up top The Viper reversed a Claymore from the Scot into an RKO to clinch his 14th WWE world title McIntyre regained the gold three weeks later on Raw but the win was at least a monumental moment for Orton in a match he's had a long history with throughout his career After getting the belt back from Randy Orton within weeks of losing it Drew McIntyre embarked on a three-month run as WWE champion that only ended after The Miz successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank briefcase on him That allowed Bobby Lashley to take the title from The A-Lister eight days later and become a one-man wrecking crew on Raw McIntyre failed to beat him for the belt at WrestleMania 37 and at WrestleMania Backlash but was given one last chance to reclaim the prestigious prize inside Hell in a Cell It was also an opportunity for The Scottish Warrior to redeem himself from his Hell in a Cell failure the year prior He held nothing back when brutalizing Lashley inside the structure and used his experience of the stipulation to his advantage though he had to rely on outside involvement from Hurt Business associate MVP to defeat the Scot again The finish was weaker than the one in McIntyre's match with Orton in 2020 but the bout had significantly more intensity and was a worthy way of capping off the event Jey Uso first competed inside Hell in a Cell at the 2017 installment of the event when he and Jimmy Uso survived an incredible outing against The New Day to regain the SmackDown Tag Team Championship His Hell in a Cell match with Roman Reigns in 2020 provided an entirely different dynamic Uso already lost to The Tribal Chief at Clash of Champions when Jimmy threw in the towel for him an "I Quit" stipulation was added to ensure he fell in line and acknowledged Reigns if he fell short again The Universal Championship was also up for grabs but that was far from the focus of this matchup Uso fought with admirable resiliency and persevered through the pain despite Reigns' best efforts to put him down for the three-count Jey uttered the two demeaning words after The Head of the Table threated to inflict further damage on Jimmy who again made his presence felt out of concern for his brother The visual of Jey agreeing to give up while Reigns choked out Jimmy was stunning It was that night that The Bloodline began to take shape as their family drama in the match gave the storyline its first of many cinematic moments that fans would not soon forget Fans waited five years for WWE to revisit the rivalry that changed the game in NXT between Bayley and Sasha Banks on the main roster the buildup was butchered in almost every way possible Bayley being the one to betray Banks was logical given the story they were telling yet not ideal since The Boss was always the better heel of the two Banks returned to television from the "injuries" she sustained by The Role Model far too quickly so the Hell in a Cell stipulation felt unnecessarily rushed and tacked-on They had everything working against them at Hell in a Cell 2020 but they pulled through with a gem of a match they managed to recreate the same magic they had so many years earlier Both women were on their A-game and didn't let the empty arena—again due to the pandemic—deter them Bayley had held the SmackDown Women's Championship for over a year and The Boss was the perfect person to end her record-setting reign WWE miscalculated by not headlining the show with this outstanding encounter In the 13 years that Hell in a Cell served as an annual event WWE didn't often utilize the gimmick for matches that didn't take place on the PPV Crown Jewel 2021 was one of those instances thanks to the personal program Edge and Seth Rollins were having at the time The Rated-R Superstar knocked off Rollins in a thriller at SummerSlam and The Visionary avenged the loss on SmackDown at Madison Square Garden they agreed to settle their score in The Devil's Playground and give their feud the epic conclusion it deserved From the flow of the match to the electric atmosphere to some of the wild spots they pulled off That level of excellence has always been expected of Rollins but Edge in particular had his most impressive performance since coming out of retirement in early 2020 The Rated-R Superstar giving Rollins his comeuppance following a hard-fought clash made for a fantastic finish this was the 50th installment of the Hell in a Cell match and should have been when WWE decided to do away with it as anything other than an occasional attraction Seth Rollins was unfortunately involved in what many fans consider to be the worst Hell in a Cell match of all time with "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt in 2019 but he has since more than made up for that atrocity with two tremendous cage clashes in the years that have followed The first with Edge appeared to be impossible to top but then he and Cody Rhodes set the bar even higher with their exceptional outing at the 2022 installment of the PPV Their rivalry was getting to be just as extreme and the satanic structure was the most effective way for their bad blood to be contained Rhodes was handicapped by a legitimately-torn pectoral muscle that he wrestled with because he was aware it couldn't get any worse than it was That immediately gave the matchup new meaning and added to his growing legacy It was a violent match that told a stellar story with The American Nightmare not only withstanding all of Rollins' punishment but also shockingly emerging victorious That alone embodied what Hell in a Cell is all about As the final match to take place on a Hell in a Cell PPV a weekly feature highlighting the top picks from the editors of America Media the online Catholic world can look more like an abstract pointillist painting than a coherent landscape the internet environment encourages us to think like foxes rather than hedgehogs Virtual discussions roam over many small things (e.g. the kerfuffle last spring over Harrison Butker’s graduation address at Benedictine College) And there is no bigger question for Catholics today than this: Why should anyone become or remain Catholic the answers commonly given to this question focused on individual well-being in the afterlife As many Catholic characters in movies and novels attested a basic reason to be Catholic was “so I won’t go to hell.” The Catholic faith is the best guarantee that they will not spend eternity suffering the excruciating flames of eternal torment Catholic teachings provide a roadmap of the best route to heaven and the sacrament of penance was a sure way to correct course if you lose your way This position is easily caricatured in several ways heaven and hell are often depicted as destinations external to the soul corresponding to external rewards and punishments The soul is the same soul in heaven or hell—but it is happy in the former and miserable in the latter sacraments and other religious devotions are portrayed as external sources of energy that are used by the soul but do not change its fundamental character I go to Mass on Sundays in order to fill up my spiritual gas tank But it is still the same old me that is driving the soul-car the system is presented as both predictable and arbitrary Suppose I commit a mortal sin on Friday and intend to go to confession on Saturday If I am hit by a car leaving church on Saturday The sacramental system is depicted as an elaborate set of machinery almost a soteriological Rube Goldberg machine has always been far richer than the caricatures Catholic theologians would say that the process of moral living itself transforms you because it is an encounter with God’s grace You adopt good habits out of fear and obedience Then you begin to see the holiness and beauty of God which gradually allow you to love God and want to live in God’s presence in eternity A famous question in The Baltimore Catechism asks “Why did God make you?” The answer is that “God made me to know Him and to be happy with Him forever in the next.” the more individually oriented account of the reasons to be Catholic began to be supplemented—if not supplanted—by a different view that approached questions of salvation in a somewhat different way One difference was the reduced emphasis on the details of eternal punishment With the advent of mass media creating widespread exposure to the atrocities of war people in the 20th century understood well the horrors of torture and suffering Theologians and ordinary believers alike began to question the depictions of hell found in poets like Dante and lesser writers How anyone with a shred of compassion could subject any creature to torture or torment was beyond the grasp of many both morally and existentially omnipotent being to inflict such pain on any sentient creature is monstrous; such a god might reasonably be placated the God who became fully human in Jesus Christ could never behave in such a fashion Even the more sophisticated notion of hell as a state of the soul entirely separated from God began to seem morally and existentially problematic allow any of his creatures to be definitively lost the chasm between heaven and hell receded from both academic theology and the popular imagination The post-Vatican II worldview did not so much bridge the chasm as sidestep it Drawing upon the council’s “Dogmatic Constitution on the Church” (“Lumen Gentium”) and the “Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World” (“Gaudium et Spes”) many Catholics envisioned their predominant duty to be helping to build the kingdom of God This kingdom of God is already in our midst inaugurated by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our task is to cooperate with other Christians and all people of good will in bringing it to fruition The focus on building the kingdom of God displaces the heaven-hell chasm in two ways it suggests that we already are where we are going to be for eternity—in the emerging kingdom of God it assumes that our task is not to please God individually and alone in order to obtain divine favor but instead to cooperate with God and one another in the necessary work of construction on the basis that we already have a secure relationship based in God’s gracious love for us Seeing God as someone who graciously and tenderly loves us despite is crucial to postconciliar Catholic theology this insight directs our attention to those whom God loves and who are ignored by society: the poor the excluded and the unsightly “lepers” of our society It frees us from anxiety about our own fate in order to concentrate on these victims of our “throwaway” culture And it affirms a non-dualistic metaphysics and anthropology by emphasizing the continuities between the world we see now and the world as it will be at the end of time we don’t so much “go to” heaven as help to build it reconfiguring our world and our very selves with the help of God’s grace We become or remain Catholic because we are grateful for the opportunity to cooperate with God and one another in nurturing the deepest truths of reality with the spiritual and sacramental resources that the church gives us The adequacy of this approach has become a point of contention between more theologically conservative and more progressive Catholics in the decades after Vatican II theologically conservative Catholics have voiced three major worries they worry that a post-Vatican II emphasis on social sin minimizes each person’s own need for repentance and forgiveness they think that framing the Christian task as “building the kingdom of God” risks devolving into secular do-goodism with the church functioning as just another nongovernmental organization they warn that the emphasis on ameliorating the sufferings of this world risks losing a transcendent perspective But I also think they can and should be fully integrated into a post-Vatican II understanding of the church and the individual the reality of sin is both personal and social Sinful social structures make sinful personal choices much easier Our own particular sinful choices may not wreck the world but they can destroy the social ecosystems in which we live or work the church cannot be said simply to be an N.G.O because we keep caring for the poor and the sick and the needy even when there is no measurable progress in secular terms I find myself recalling more frequently these lines from the “Salve Regina”: “To thee do we cry mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.” We are not “building the kingdom of God” in the predictable way a big construction company puts up a skyscraper The fulfillment of God’s kingdom will come in God’s time But the fact that we may not see that fulfillment with our own mortal eyes does not excuse us from the need to make our contribution I also think that many traditional concerns can be recast into an essential reminder to honor divine transcendence When biblical scholars explicate the notion of the “fear of God,” they do so in terms of awe Fearing God means recognizing that the divine life is ultimately beyond our comprehension We cannot even grasp the works of creation; both the vast power of the universe and the compact energy of a single molecule are still mysteries to us And yet these works do not begin to touch the scope of God’s identity I think of the passage from the Book of Job where God asks: is to better communicate a sense of awe at God even as we emphasize God’s love But is it possible to perceive God as tender we can draw upon some of our own experiences as children many of us saw our parents as figures entirely devoted to our quotidian well-being They constructed the world in which we felt safe and loved we had an instinctive sense that they had a life beyond us We snatched glimpses of that life when we saw them sitting quietly reading a thick book or dressed up in glamorous clothing to go out for an evening together in places unknown But they help us to see that understanding God’s love does not entail treating God as cozy predictable and utterly and exclusively concerned with our well-being Abject fear and unconditional love are not compatible while knowing that God numbers the very hairs on one’s head is to experience a sense of profound gratitude This sense can give rise to energy that overcomes despair at the pain we see because we know that our works are not ultimately futile In the divine words of the 15th-century mystic Julian of Norwich: “All will be well and all will be well and all manner of things will be well.” Cathleen Kaveny is the Darald and Juliet Libby Professor of Law and Theology at Boston College Password reset instructions will be sent to your registered email address As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important America’s voice is in the conversation about the church and the world. We can't do it without you—America Media relies on generous support from our readers. Please visit our membership page to learn how you can invest in our work by subscribing to the magazine or making a donation If you’re already a subscriber or donor, thank you! If you login and register your print subscription number with your account, you’ll have unlimited access to the website. Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions On Wednesday, the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced the men’s and women’s elite fields for the 2025 Boston Marathon, set for Easter Monday, April 21. Reigning champions from 2024, Sisay Lemma and Hellen Obiri, will return to defend their Boston Marathon titles headlining a field that includes 21 sub-2:09 men and 17 sub-2:23 women The @BAA has announced today that the professional open division for the 2025 Boston Marathon presented by @BankofAmerica will feature athletes from 20 countries Full field: https://t.co/OBOaeyVUcb pic.twitter.com/3S2ZtbXZdd — Boston Marathon (@bostonmarathon) January 8, 2025 Obiri seeks to become the first woman to win three straight Boston Marathons since Ethiopia’s Fatuma Roba accomplished the feat from 1997-1999. Obiri will come to Boston again in her best form, winning bronze at Paris 2024 in the women’s marathon and runner-up to her Kenyan compatriot Sheila Chepkirui at the TCS New York City Marathon in November Joining Obiri in the women’s field are two of the top five finishers from the Olympic marathon in Paris, including former NYC Marathon champion Sharon Lokedi and 2023 world marathon champion Amane Beriso of Ethiopia Beriso has the fastest seed time in the field with a personal best of 2:14:58 The women’s elite field is also loaded with North American talent, with a trio of American runners—Keira D’Amato, Sara Hall and Emma Bates—looking to follow in the footsteps of Des Linden and become the first American runner to win the race since 2018. There are two Canadian female marathoners in the field: Rachel Hannah of Port Elgin Canada’s second-fastest marathoner, Rory Linkletter will return to Boston in April in hopes of a strong finish The 28-year-old finished 33rd in his first appearance at the race in 2021 but has since lowered his marathon best by nearly five minutes Although Boston is not known to be a fast course Linkletter’s recent 15th-place finish at the 2024 NYC Marathon in 2:11:45 showcased his strength to run well on tough courses Linkletter’s best of 2:08:01 came at the 2024 Seville Marathon which qualified him for the Paris Olympics The Canadian will face tough competition against a strong field featuring former champions Lemma and Kenya’s Evans Chebet Chebet won the race in 2022 and 2023 and finished third to Lemma in 2024 the winner of the 2024 Bank of America Chicago Marathon is also featured in the men’s field and has the second-fastest personal best (2:02:44) next to Lemma Lemma was originally selected to represent Ethiopia at the Paris Olympics but had to withdraw from the race a month out due to injury “I was very happy after winning Boston last year and in 2025 I know it will be an even bigger challenge to win again,” Lemma said in a press release not to be able to participate at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris and I was not completely ready at the Valencia Marathon last December but I will be 100 per cent ready for April because the Boston Marathon is a special event.” A few other international elites to watch are 2023 world champion Victor Kiplangat, who looks to become the first Ugandan man to win Boston, and Lesotho’s Tebello Ramamkongoana who is fresh off a personal best and national record of 2:06:18 at the 2025 Xiamen Marathon A strong U.S. men’s group will match the depth of the U.S. women’s field. Olympic marathoners Conner Mantz and Clayton Young will lead the American charge Mantz and Young come off eighth and ninth place finishes at the 2024 Olympic Marathon and each finished in the top ten at the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon Mantz’s lone Boston finish was 11th in 2023 For the full elite list for the 2025 Boston Marathon, check here Get the digital edition of Running for your chosen platform: Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email E-edition PLUS unlimited articles & videos Personalized news alerts with our mobile app *Refers to the latest 2 years of stltoday.com stories Please subscribe to continue reading… Molly Branigin is photographed outside the St alleging that she was sexually assaulted by a male inmate on March 14 She had just showered and changed her clothes for the first time since she arrived at the downtown jail Louis resident laid down near the front of a holding cell covered by a blanket she’d just been given but awoke with a start: A male inmate was standing over her alleging the jail didn’t properly separate women and men didn’t protect her from the other inmate and left her vulnerable to assault Branigin shared a rare first-hand account from inside the City Justice Center The Post-Dispatch does not typically name victims of sexual assault as she moved through the jail intake process from the first floor to the second and then to a two-person cell she said she went without water and was told to drink from the toilet The floor of the holding cell was disgusting: Vomit and excrement went uncleaned And a man somehow got into the women’s cell “I said it when I walked out,” she continued The allegations in Branigin’s lawsuit mark the latest in a stream of controversies at the Justice Center on South Tucker Boulevard a woman filed a lawsuit claiming she was sexually assaulted by a male inmate in the facility’s medical unit A city spokesman declined to comment on the lawsuit Jail Commissioner Jennifer Clemons-Abdullah did not respond to requests for comment Branigin was arrested in March on a misdemeanor trespassing charge She and a friend were trying to make an urban exploration video in an abandoned home in South St But she also had warrants for a felony drug possession case in St Clair County and a 2015 speeding ticket from Williamson County Louis police arrested her and took her to the downtown jail The jail put her in what she called the “drunk tank,” a windowless rectangular cell with more than a dozen other women so she rested on a soiled floor near people detoxing from drugs suffering from medical issues or mental health crises She made daily two-minute phone calls to her parents in Tennessee She didn’t know who was in the cell with her or what they had been accused of she was moved to the jail’s second floor to its “pre-admittance” area with a handful of other women That cell had a large glass partition on one side separating the women from the men — sometimes as many as 25 men were in there at a time She could talk to the men through the glass One in particular regularly made obscene gestures She could see a guard station near the cell The detainees had to leave the cell to use the bathroom One man started to cry because he so badly needed to go “You’re treated less than human in there,” she said Branigin was eventually given a shower and some clean clothes a male detainee — the same one who was exposing himself to the women she said — was standing outside the cell nearby A jail guard came in and took the man away She was eventually moved into a cell with another woman She filed a complaint using the jail system on a tablet an Illinois transit officer came to take her to St Branigin said she tried to call the jail to make a formal record of her complaint Jail staff wouldn’t take it over the phone So she drove to the Justice Center and tried to make a report She was told by jail staff to contact police She met with a police officer in the sex crimes unit; the officer interviewed her and wrote a report She also said she complained to the city’s civilian jail oversight board Louis University professor Brendan Roediger said both police and the oversight board have opened investigations He said he has handled scores of jail sexual assault cases over the course of his career but it’s incredibly rare to see instances where male detainees assault females Branigin’s lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount of damages Protesters organized by the Freedom Community Center marched through City Hall and filled the gallery at the Board of Aldermen They called for jail reform after18 recent jail deaths Email notifications are only sent once a day Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device She performed the special cover to kick off her Australia tour Dua Lipa has performed a cover of AC/DC‘s ‘Highway To Hell’ in Melbourne Australia – check out footage of the performance below Last night (March 17), Dua Lipa kicked off her Australia and New Zealand tour It marked the first of five shows at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne To celebrate the commencement of her shows down under she paid homage to one of Australia’s biggest bands Dua Lipa performed a rousing cover of ‘Highway To Hell’ sandwiched between ‘These Walls’ and ‘Maria’ She said while introducing the cover: “I thought why not do a new song every night from a local artist from every place we’re in Obviously Australia has an abundance of amazing musicians so we thought we’d go really big from the very beginning As for other Dua Lipa news, last month announced a special re-release of ‘Future Nostalgia’ in celebration of its fifth anniversary The vinyl set will be released on March 28 almost exactly five years after the album first dropped The original album’s release was originally meant to be April 3 but was brought forward by a week coinciding with the beginning of the first COVID-19 lockdown which influenced the decision to move it forward NME described the set as “a powerhouse performance to shut down the critics” It added: “‘I don’t want this moment to pass me by,’ she says looking out in awe at the mass of people in front of her as the night not only becomes a glittering celebration of pop in its highest form but also serves as a reminder that even the most outlandish aspirations can become a reality.” The world’s defining voice in music and pop culture: breaking what’s new and what’s next since 1952 Posted in: streaming, TV, YouTube | Tagged: check out a preview for Evan Husney and Jason Eisener's Dark Side of the Ring S06E01: "Mick Foley - Hell in a Cell." With only three weeks to go until the sixth season of Evan Husney and Jason Eisener's Dark Side of the Ring hits Vice TV we're getting a look at what's in store with the season opener we learned that the upcoming 10-episode run would spotlight Big Van Vader and many others on hand to offer their perspectives it's his infamous "Hell In A Cell" match against the Undertaker that kicks things off – and is also the focus of the sneak preview that was released earlier today Here's a sneak peek at what's in store with the return episode of Vice TV's Dark Side of the Ring Season 6 "Mick Foley – Hell in a Cell" – followed by what else we've learned about the season: Where were you when Mick Foley was thrown off the cage Here's your first look at Season 6's premiere episode "Mick Foley – Hell in a Cell" — airing Tuesday, March 25 at 10pm on @vicetv. pic.twitter.com/B3q2OKWkqT — Dark Side of the Ring (@DarkSideOfRing) March 3, 2025 Here's a look at the trailer for the sixth season that was released back in January followed by a look back at the December 2024 news regarding the shift to Vice Sports that included the confirmation that the docuseries would be back on March 25 We're back! Season 6 premieres March 25 on @VICETV Which episode are you looking forward to the most? 👀 pic.twitter.com/qzgecyZFOS — Dark Side of the Ring (@DarkSideOfRing) January 30, 2025 Season 6. We're back on March 25.https://t.co/ifkylSLBXS — Dark Side of the Ring (@DarkSideOfRing) December 12, 2024 Every time you fall in this fiery multiplayer de-motivator they are bound together in unbreakable irons Nic does sometimes leap into the abyss without warning they remain divided on precisely what obscene act the giant demon in the game's background is performing with his idle hands But none of this means they can't work together to escape the inferno Brendan: I had to describe Chained Together to someone who does not play games earlier, and settled for "Dante's Inferno meets Total Wipeout everyone attached to that person feels that weight and starts to slip hazardously closer to the edge of whatever narrow levitating box you're currently occupying Nic: I’m actually impressed with how much mileage the game gets out of such a simple concept and I suspect it's down to the designers asking themselves: what would I really not like to deal with right now Each new set of hazards visually communicates the layer cake of fuckery held within You stumble your collective way through one hazard scraping through by the bruised skin of your balls and then your instinctive jubilation is immediately cut short when you behold the next leg of the gauntlet and see the winding route still ahead of you seemingly scattershot but ruthlessly devised to cause you the maximum amount of psychic damage and immediately shit yourself when you realise how all your hard-won progress is but one slip away from crumbling to nothing immediately regret your decision as your gaze in horror at your useless flailing chainmates who have once again failed to heed your wisdom that you all “just eyeball it we’ll be fine.” But we’re not fine old mucker – I think it’s time for a refresher on the concept of a "countdown" Here is the internationally standardised and accepted formulation of a countdown: "3 please compare and contrast with the following non-standard unaccepted formulations of a countdown: "3 Cleave to the official phraseology and you will make many friends in life including the ones you are chained to in hell here are some other lifehacks: when you are the passenger in a hellbuggy it’s important not to tell the driver the pitfalls are "speed pads" When you see a floating island of skulls it is important not to shout "chaos party!" and sprint towards them heedlessly And when you are tethered to people and you fall off a ladder it is important to get back on the ladder promptly rather than swinging around it saying "WHEE" It’s not my fault you failed to pick up on the subtle vocal cues I was putting down we tried to institute a "traffic light system" based on our ragged tunics But we disagreed on the symbolism of the colour orange We did eventually develop some useful shorthands though they were better than simply gunning it into various hazards in reckless acts of individualism I concede our chatter was not always life-saving Like when we were faced with those moving lasers that would trigger big spikes that THWACK you off the tower This manifested as Nic standing on some wooden planks with his back turned to the incoming laser This is the furthest point we can safely stand" The laser passed straight through his knees The spikey block of concrete that erupted from the wall sent him flying (If you go in front it messes up the jumping physics.) Edwin: Chained Together is a surprisingly efficient personality test I was traffic light green at one end of the chain which is a position best saved for people who like taking the initiative and have good timing Shame about that spinning asteroid field further up it is better to serve in heaven than be chained to a couple of journalists in hell No part of this website or its content may be reproduced without the copyright owner's permission Rock Paper Shotgun is a registered trademark of Gamer Network Limited Israel launched a surprise wave of strikes across the Gaza Strip targeting key Hamas infrastructure and leadership This escalation comes after Hamas repeatedly refused to release Israeli hostages under conditions proposed by Israel and backed by US mediators including direct involvement from Washington Hamas chose to reject every proposal put forward prompting Israel to resume military operations aimed at further weakening the terror group’s capabilities.Among those killed in last night’s Israeli airstrikes on Gaza were senior Hamas official Issam al-Da’alis depicted as the king of spades in the playing card collection of Hamas’ leadership targets Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior head of central operations in the Gaza Interior Ministry several Hamas battalion and company commanders were eliminated and key command and control centres were destroyed Israeli officials made it clear that the strikes were only the beginning While Israel’s airstrikes marked the immediate return to war the breakdown of the ceasefire was the direct result of Hamas’ own decisions Already a subscriber? Log in Jonathan Sacerdoti is a broadcaster and writer covering politics Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3 Already a subscriber? Log in The Hell in a Cell match, which was on the undercard of the King of the Ring pay-per-view, left fans in awe of the spectacle unfolding before them. While the contest has been replayed to excess, there is no denying its place in WWE history as one of the most shocking and unforgettable contests in company history. In the years since, WWE has produced countless other matches that have been classified as "extreme," with Superstars throwing caution to the wind and risking their well-being in pursuit of immortality and in the name of entertaining fans. In celebration of 26 years since that epic encounter, these are the 25 most extreme matches in WWE history. Starting in the namesake room and ending in the squared circle, it was a physically demanding contest that saw the competitors absorb tremendous punishment from weapons unlike any that had been utilized before and take bumps on surfaces most definitely not intended to be fallen on. Upping the physicality to match the escalating hatred between the two, it was a brutal match that continued the trend of punishing battles between the hated rivals. Mankind ultimately won the match when Paul Bearer shockingly betrayed The Deadman, ending a six-year relationship that had seen them rise to stardom together. Not the only time a showdown between these two that will appear on this list, but it set the tone for the more famous encounter that followed and is a hidden gem in one of the greatest rivalries in WWE history. Credit: WWE.comHow wild was the Attitude Era in WWE? The Undertaker and Kane had a match in which the only way to win was to light one's opponent on fire. The bout itself was nothing special, undeniably limited by the fire surrounding the ring, but the spectacle was extraordinary. With every big bump, the flames shot higher into the air. With every high spot, even more. When Undertaker took flight, soaring over the flames, the legacy of the match was already secured. By the time he knocked Kane into the fire, setting him ablaze and securing the win, it was merely icing on the cake. Was the match particularly good? Not by any stretch, and each one thereafter was progressively worse. But if there is one shining example of the extreme lengths WWE went to during its most audacious era, it's the Inferno match. Credit: WWE.comTriple H, Chris Jericho, Kane, Shawn Michaels, Booker T and Rob Van Dam entered the Elimination Chamber for the first time in November 2002 at Survivor Series and introduced the world to just how unforgiving the new steel structure could be. Fashioned with steel chain and metal grating, the match was torture for the participants faced with the task of waging war inside of it. Bumps to the outside of the ring left the combatants with welts across their backs. The chains provided no relief when sent crashing into them, and the plexiglass pods threatened to cut any opponent who flew into them. In the years since this match, the structure has been upgraded to better protect the participants. But that first bout did as much damage to the men competing for the World Heavyweight Championship as their opponents. Triple H again proved his toughness, competing with a crushed trachea suffered early on following a Five Star Frog Splash from Van Dam, whose knee caught him in the throat in the process. The Game managed to complete the match while barely being able to breathe, completing one of the most awe-inspiring performances of his career. In hindsight, it is almost a miracle that the Elimination Chamber was brought back. Triple H (No Way Out 2000)4 of 25Credit: WWE.comOne month after an excellent Street Fight captivated fans at the 2000 Royal Rumble Triple H and Cactus Jack rekindled their rivalry in a Hell in a Cell match Adding higher stakes was the stipulation that if Jack lost the man behind the Wanted: Dead or Alive shirt would hang up his boots and never again challenge for the WWE Championship Building on spots and moments from their previous encounter the contest featured Jack again dragging out a sadistic side out of Triple H utilizing a barbed wire two-by-four and threatening to blast the heel champion with a flaming version of the same weapon The Game back-dropped Jack through the roof of the cell A perfect follow-up to the instant classic from a month earlier the battle inside the cell felt more like controlled chaos compared to the unabashed violence of their first encounter accounting for its spot further down the card than that original outing Credit: WWE.comTriple H was on another level from every other in-ring performer as the Millennium arrived and the proof is in the many instant classics he turned in over the course of 2000 a rage-filled Last Man Standing match against Chris Jericho at the Fully Loaded pay-per-view The culmination of a rivalry that started when Jericho repeatedly poked fun at and verbally insulted Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley with The Game brutalizing and bloodying Y2J shortly before the match it featured Triple H dominating his opponent and allowing his hubris to get the better of him laying across the top rope in between beating Jericho down busting Triple H open and appearing close to victory The Game drove him through a table and barely made it back to his feet by the count of 10 The match proved Jericho could run with the best in a legitimate main event setting while further cementing Triple H as the measuring stick that year It also established The Cerebral Assassin as one of the best main event brawlers It would be a trait he would embrace and use to his advantage for the remainder of his career Credit: WWE.comThe "I Quit" match at Judgment Day 2005 was a huge test for John Cena as WWE champion His victory over JBL at WrestleMania 21 did not necessarily live up to the hype and despite having a rap record released and the full support of WWE behind him Cena needed a performance that served as an emphatic statement that he belonged in that position sold everything for JBL and gave fans their first hint of the come-from-behind formula that would become a defining trait of his matches he raised an exhaust pipe from the tractor trailer he rode in on overhead and threatened to hit JBL with it A classic match that feels somewhat forgotten nearly two decades later it was a pivotal moment for Cena and one that proved he had what it took to be the top guy for an industry desperately seeking its star of the future Credit: WWE.comThe Hell in a Cell match between Triple H and The Undertaker at WrestleMania 28 occurred in the heart of WWE's PG Era meaning the competitors could not resort to the same violence or use of blood that they had in previous encounters a generation earlier But that did not stop them from delivering a punishing encounter featuring some of the best storytelling in recent memory Building on spots from their previous matchups they weaved their narrative in and out of spots including steel chairs and ring steps all while beating the life out of each other it was all about ending The Deadman's unbeaten streak at WrestleMania and avenging his friend Shawn Michaels who was retired by The Undertaker following a loss two years earlier it was about defending a streak he had worked two decades to build Add in the drama of Michaels as guest referee and it was as much about extreme storytelling as it was the actual action unfolding before the fans Undertaker earned the win with a devastating Tombstone but both men limped away from the squared circle as they said goodbye to an era Credit: WWE.comSix of the top Superstars in WWE set foot inside Hell in a Cell in December 2000 with the top prize in the industry at stake in the main event of Armageddon Kurt Angle defended the WWE Championship against The Undertaker Triple H and Rikishi in a star-studded affair that would continue the legacy of Hell in a Cell as one of the most brutal match types in the industry their bodies tormented by the unforgiving walls of the steel structure It would be Rikishi who endured the worst of it as he and Undertaker fought to the top of the cage only for The Deadman to guzzle him and send the super heavyweight crashing onto the bed of a conveniently placed pickup truck below but it was his first real test in a big-time gimmick match that required him to introduce a gritty Credit: WWE.comWorld heavyweight champion Batista and Triple H wrapped up their epic rivalry in June 2005 at the Vengeance pay-per-view inside Hell in a Cell Faced with the task of keeping fresh a match that had seen just about every major stunt possible the brawlers sacrificed the high spot for brutality delivering a hard-hitting match that was appropriately weapon-filled and bloody Despite one last attempt by The Game to utilize his trusty sledgehammer to his benefit Batista instead delivered a Batista Bomb onto the ring steps resulting in a thud and a referee's three-count The performers flipped the Hell in a Cell match taking a bout typically associated with some big bump off the top or side of the cage and making it the setting for one last war of attrition with the top prize on the Raw brand at stake A beautifully brutal match that would have been right at home in 1980s Jim Crockett Promotions Credit: WWE.comAt No Mercy in October 1999 The New Brood's Matt and Jeff Hardy and the team of Edge and Christian waged war in a tag team ladder match in the finals of the Terri Invitational Tournament with the managerial services of Terri Runnels and $100,000 at stake While most believed the two teams would shine given the quality of their work to that point no one could have imagined the risks they would take to steal the show and just how much the instant classic would impact the future of the industry The four performers threw caution to the wind creating unfathomable spots and wowing the fans in Cleveland The teeter-totter spot by Jeff remains one of the shinning moments from the match but the brutality of bodies hitting ladders kept fans engaged and the sense of urgency with which the wrestlers competed told the story of four young stars seizing the moment and making it their own The Hardy brothers would ultimately win the match but it was nearly impossible not to recognize the incredible efforts of all four men and how much they put into what was previously a throwaway match on the star-studded card It also laid the groundwork for some of the matches further up this list Hardy Boyz and Edge and Christian waged war in a Triangle ladder match at WrestleMania 2000 The bout built on two prior meetings: the tag team ladder match between the Hardys and Edge and Christian at No Mercy the previous May and the tables match between the Dudleys and Hardys two months earlier big bumps and a jaw-dropping finish that saw Matt Hardy shoved off a table bridging two ladders and through tables below defined a contest that was another important step in establishing the three teams as the faces of a new era but all three would see their stars rise significantly as a result of their performance in the matchup WWE officials would find new ways to introduce extreme to a product begging for it Credit: WWE.comThe rivalry between Brock Lesnar and Undertaker escalated beyond that of a championship program and involved lies about infidelity on The American Badass' part The Deadman took to the confines of Hell in a Cell and looked to put an abrupt end to The Beast Incarnate's WWE Championship reign he found out just how dangerous Lesnar could be Undertaker had his broken hand brutalized by the concentrated attack of The Beast He got his licks in on the former NCAA wrestling champion but it never felt like the title was in jeopardy Lesnar thrived in those conditions and despite reeling a time or two ultimately countered a Tombstone attempt into an F-5 and scoring the pinfall victory in what proved to be a defining match in his still-young career With even Paul Heyman bleeding at cageside it was a match befitting the stipulation and one that continued to carry on the legacy of the cell as a breeding ground for extreme classics Credit: WWE.comProfessional wrestling history was forever changed when "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Bret Hart clashed in a submission match as one of the co-main events of WrestleMania 13 chaotic brawl that saw the combatants unleash months of frustration on each other it also featured the star-making performance from The Texas Rattlesnake Trapped in the Sharpshooter and screaming in agony Austin fought through the pain until his body could no longer take it causing him to pass out and special referee Ken Shamrock to call for the bell A match that was appropriately brutal given the intensity of the rivalry between Hart and Austin with a referee perfectly suited to handle the situation if either competitor got out of hand it was a perfect match and one of the most important in pro wrestling history Austin and Hart expertly executed a double-turn with Stone Cold becoming the rebellious antihero and The Hitman becoming the whiny bad guy who could not come to grasps with the changing landscape in the United States An all-timer of a match and a brawl that earns its place among the most extreme Credit: WWE.comOn the heels of a triangle ladder match at WrestleMania 2000 that introduced tables and chairs to the fray commissoner Mick Foley booked cowardly champions Edge and Christian to defend their titles against The Dudley Boyz and Hardy Boyz in the first-ever Tables big table bumps and high-risk dives from ladders dangling from the contraption holding the tag team titles along with Jeff Hardy took a swan dive off a massive ladder and through an array of tables positioned at ringside but not necessarily because they won the match just narrowly escaping with the gold despite their bodies feeling as if they had been in a car accident The match set a bar seemingly impossible to eclipse but luckily for the competitors and the fans eager for the sequel impossible was not a word any of the six men involved comprehended Credit: WWE.comThe "I Quit" match between Mankind and The Rock was immortalized in the 2000 major motion picture a documentary that took fans inside the world of professional wrestling essential in the evolution of The Great One saw him brutalize the beloved masked babyface culminating in him handcuffing Mankind and bashing him in the face and head with a dozen steel chair shots it crossed the line from extreme fun to discomfort as there was no adequate way for Mankind to protect himself as Rock relentlessly swung the chair and made contact especially with the babyface telling his rival he would never utter the words "I quit," no matter how much pain and suffering he was put through The Corporation's chosen one answered by knocking him unconscious and airing an audio clip of him saying it instead earning a tainted win and continuing their rivalry One of the shining examples of the brawl-heavy it is a match that is key to the growth of one of the industry's giants Credit: WWE.comBefore he made Mankind famous Undertaker punished Shawn Michaels in the inaugural Hell in a Cell brutalizing The Heartbreak Kid in the culmination of a months-long rivalry Michaels absorbed the focused attack of his opponent punishing him with hard rights and lefts and throwing him around the steel structure with reckless abandon He obliterated Michaels and appeared to be on track for a blowout win when his long-lost brother emerged from the darkness and came face-to-face with his older sibling After Kane's shocking Tombstone to The Phenom a bloodied Michaels inched his way to his opponent The match was a masterpiece of storytelling and brutality mixing extreme action with a narrative that was easily followed he endured a beating and only won when he had interference from and outside force of nature with a great finish that put over Michaels as a classic cheap heel Credit: WWE.comThe inaugural ECW One Night Stand PPV was the most organically ECW thing that WWE has done with the product It was pitched as one last goodbye to a brand that meant so much to the fans and the wrestlers the show delivered on the extreme nostalgia that fans demanded including a main event tag team match that was equal parts hard-hitting The Dudley Boyz teamed up to defeat Tommy Dreamer and The Sandman in a match that featured run-ins from several stars a staple of ECW party matches and was capped off with a flaming table spot that saw Dreamer powerbombed through it featuring four of the most important and influential stars in that company's history delivered everything fans wanted and put the perfect exclamation point on a show that had even the most hard-skinned members of that roster emotional by night's end Randy Orton disrespected and assaulted Mick Foley Embracing his "Legend Killer" persona he went as far as to spit in the face of the Hardcore Legend and even kicked him down a flight of stairs He would get his comeuppance at Backlash in April 2004 at the hands of Foley's most dangerous alter egos Cactus Jack returned for the Hardcore match for Orton's Intercontinental Championship and wasted little time introducing his preferred weapons into the fray pulling a bag of thumbtacks from under the ring in hopes of utilizing them to his advantage The Viper found himself tossed into the jagged tacks absorbing everything Jack threw at him before catching him with a well-timed RKO for the victory The match did for Orton what Foley's battles with The Rock had done for him in that it proved to the WWE Universe that the young star could be ruthless and violent when needed He dragged those qualities out of Cowboy Bob Orton's son and ensured he would have every necessary asset to be a top-tier star of the next generation Credit: WWE.comMick Foley again found himself faced with the task of elevating a potential main event star this time in a Hardcore match at WrestleMania 22 Not only was it a career-defining opportunity for Edge but it was equally as significant for Foley who had yet to have a legitimate 'Mania moment as he walked to the ring in Chicago on April 2 That would change as The Hardcore Legend and The Rated-R Superstar delivered a near-perfect match only for the babyface to reveal he had wrapped his midsection in barbed wire and therefore damaging his opponent's arm Foley sent his cocky opponent into a bed of thumbtacks and even applied a Mr Socko and barbed wire-assisted Mandible Claw to Lita Edge raced across the ring and speared Foley through the ropes and into a flaming table before crashing to the ground below he secured the most important victory of his career and Foley had that elusive WrestleMania moment And the event itself added another extreme moment to its annals Credit: WWE.comThe match between Eddie Guerrero and John Bradshaw Layfield at the 2004 Judgment Day PPV remains one of the bloodiest battles in WWE history A chair shot by Layfield opened Guerrero up instantly giving the champion a crimson mask The babyface became even more sympathetic to the Los Angeles crowd than he otherwise may have been bleeding buckets as he absorbed punishment at the hands of his bigger He appeared to be slowed by the blood loss at one point and crumbled to the mat at another but he mustered enough energy to blast JBL with the WWE title drawing the disqualification finish and ensuring the feud would continue So caked in plasma is the match that the event itself is rated "TV-MA" on both the WWE Network and Peacock Credit: WWE.comIn the sequel to ECW One Night Stand 2005 WWE produced a show it had hoped would create buzz and excitement for the relaunched brand One of the marquee bouts on the card pitted Tommy Dreamer The match saw Foley and Funk deliver their brand of hardcore violence the likes of which saw them punished with barbed wire Edge and Dreamer formed the foundation of the match and Lita and Beulah added the catfight element to the contest folding her in half to pin her as he added insult to injury The match was better than the tag team main event from the year before and may be one of the hidden gems of the 2000s in WWE Appropriately violent as Foley denounced the hardcore way only to be dragged back into it by his friend and mentor Funk it was a great watch and one that further established The Rated-R Superstar as a main event entity in the company Credit: WWE.comTriple H has gone on record and referred to his Royal Rumble 2000 Street Fight against Cactus Jack as the match that solidified his spot as a main event star The Game had been positioned at the top of the card for months prior to the showdown but had not truly cemented his place as one of the guys in the company which was the culmination of an intensely personal rivalry Triple H and the McMahon-Helmsley regime had toyed with Foley and his family going as far as to fire him and then mock him on a weekly basis That changed when Foley returned and reintroduced the wrestling world to his most extreme persona testing his toughness and daring him to match his sadism he handcuffed Jack and teased unloading a barrage of chair shots only to have The Great One get involved and save his tag team partner it looked like a new champion may be in order but Triple H recovered and delivered a Pedigree into a pile of thumbtacks to retain his title A match as great in overall quality as it is in unabashed violence it was a tone-setter for WWE's extraordinary 2000 and another reminder of how significant Foley was to the careers of more than one budding main event star Credit: WWE.comThe 2001 King of the Ring Street Fight between Kurt Angle and Shane McMahon took the wrestling world by storm devolving into the sort of violence no one could have anticipated and leaving both men licking their wounds suffered a broken tailbone as he delivered a suplex to McMahon on the floor he proceeded to throw McMahon into the glass set He did it again but still not shattering it McMahon bleeding profusely as the fight returned to the ring The combatants took fans on a roller-coaster ride through the final moments before Angle launched himself and his opponent off the top rope with an Olympic Slam to put an end to the match and secure the victory Angle had been a technically sound wrestler but had not proved he could be a gritty brawler with a classic match against a most unlikely opponent The involvement of glass and the manner in which both competitors were legitimately hurt elevates the match up this list and into the top three Credit: WWE.comFaced with the unenviable task of building on a classic TLC match from the previous SummerSlam Dudley Boyz and Edge and Christian ran it back on the grandest stage in professional wrestling Building on spots from their previous encounter with death-defying spots from Matt and Jeff Hardy and fist-throwing from Bubba Ray and D'Von The classic spot from the match saw Jeff dangling from the belts high over the ring only for Edge to leap off a ladder and deliver a Spear that took both crashing to the mat below Spike Dudley and Lita ramped up the extreme action including a chair shot from the latter to the runt of the Dudley clan that just sounded like it hurt en route to Edge and Christian somehow managing to escape another TLC match with the tag titles with more death-defying spots and jaw-dropping moments it is the Godfather II of pro wrestling sequels Credit: WWE.comAt some point in the epic King of the Ring 1998 encounter the Hell in a Cell match between Undertaker and Mankind transitioned from extreme to extremely uncomfortable to watch Perhaps it was around the time that The Deadman flung Mankind off the top of the structure sending him crashing through the announce table below with no protection from the blow it was after Mankind climbed back up to the top of the cage then definitely when The Phenom chokeslammed him through the ceiling of the structure and watched him crash to the mat below maybe it was the tooth stuck in Mankind's beard and knowing the damage that match did to the body of Foley it is impossible not to watch the iconic Hell in a Cell match even 26 years later and not cringe at some point in its 17:38 run time A contest that reached "extreme" status even in comparison to what the stars of ECW were doing in Philadelphia it remains a shining example of demonstrating the escalation of a feud but also what should be considered too far for the safety of the stars involved Undertaker and Mankind will be forever linked because of the utter chaos they caused that June night in Pittsburgh Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time It might come as a surprise given the violence and political turmoil that has dominated the news but 2025 is shaping as a pretty good year for the world’s average person That’s not to downplay the significance of the conflicts playing out across the globe. Peacefulness worldwide has declined for the past five years according to an index prepared by the Institute for Economics and Peace The wars in Gaza and Ukraine are just two of 56 active conflicts identified by the institute; that’s the most “since the end of the Second World War” A United Nations preview of likely humanitarian needs this year described the world as being “on fire” and warned more than 300 million people will require emergency assistance in the months ahead a raft of measures ranging from longevity to literacy suggests humanity is in better shape than ever The world has also never been better able to care for its newborns – the share of children dying before reaching the age of five has halved since 2000 and continues to fall but by last year that number was down to 693 million Medical advances are saving and enhancing millions of lives The global literacy rate is at a record high and a long-standing gender literacy gap between young men and women is now negligible The share of households with access to electricity is at a record 91 per cent underpinning widespread internet use and allowing greater economic participation the CO2 emissions that contribute to global warming have plateaued on a per-capita basis While faster progress to reduce greenhouse gases is needed that’s a positive milestone in the effort to tackle climate change an expert in international development at the Washington-based Centre for Global Development says 2025 is shaping as “at least one of the best years to be alive” for the average human “There’s a good possibility of it being the year with the lowest chance of dying in history the best chance of avoiding extreme poverty and the best chance of having access to electricity,” he told me “But likely not the lowest chance of dying in war or [the chance of] living in a liberal democracy.” The improvement in so many global wellbeing indicators has happened despite the growing prevalence of violent conflict and the hundreds of millions of people requiring humanitarian assistance sums up the complexity this way: “The world is awful All three statements are true at the same time.” The flow of negative world news tends to overshadow stories of gradual progress Opinion polls show most people in countries like Australia believe the world is much more poverty-stricken The rapid decline in poverty rates during the past three decades has improved the lives of hundreds of millions and transformed the global economy But research shows many people are oblivious to that momentous A large global survey by the Swedish foundation, Gapminder asked what proportion of the world’s population live in extreme poverty with three possible answers: around 10 per cent; around 30 per cent; and around 50 per cent The correct answer is around 10 per cent but only one in 10 respondents got it right Around a third believed extreme poverty had increased in recent decades when the opposite is true People are more negative about places that are far away – places which they know less from their own experience and more through the media But that level of public misperception is dangerous The failure to recognise historic improvements feeds into a general pessimism about the possibility of change “If we only see the problems and only hear what is going wrong we have no hope that the future can be better,” writes Roser The unfounded pessimism about global progress may encourage more isolationist policies and limit cooperation and investment in global public goods like public health emissions reduction and climate change mitigation that will improve everyone’s wellbeing and life chances “Global cooperation is more important to continued progress than ever,” says Kenny More tragedy and turmoil is inevitable in 2025 but even so for millions and millions of people around the globe Matt Wade is a senior economics writer at The Sydney Morning Herald It might come as a surprise given the violence and political turmoil that has dominated the news but 2025 is shaping as a pretty good year for the world\\u2019s average person That\\u2019s not to downplay the significance of the conflicts playing out across the globe Peacefulness worldwide has declined for the past five years according to an prepared by the Institute for Economics and Peace The wars in Gaza and Ukraine are just two of 56 active conflicts identified by the institute; that\\u2019s the most \\u201Csince the end of the Second World War\\u201D A United Nations preview of this year described the world as being \\u201Con fire\\u201D and warned more than 300 million people will require emergency assistance in the months ahead Global life expectancy is at an all-time high of 73.3 years despite the prevalence of deadly conflict That\\u2019s almost seven years longer than in 2000 (Australia does especially well on that count; published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in November show we have the world\\u2019s fourth-longest life expectancy at 83.2 years) The world has also never been better able to care for its newborns \\u2013 the share of children dying before reaching the age of five has halved since 2000 and continues to fall The says global poverty reduction \\u201Chas resumed\\u201D after the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic 30 per cent of the world\\u2019s population survived on less than $US2.15 ($3.43) per person per day in 2011 prices (the global measure of extreme poverty) but that fell to an all-time low of 8.5 per cent last year The overall number living in extreme poverty has also fallen sharply \\u2013 data published by shows that in 1990 there were almost 2 billion people living on less than $US2.15 a day that\\u2019s a positive milestone in the effort to tackle climate change says 2025 is shaping as \\u201Cat least one of the best years to be alive\\u201D for the average human \\u201CThere\\u2019s a good possibility of it being the year with the lowest chance of dying in history the best chance of avoiding extreme poverty and the best chance of having access to electricity,\\u201D he told me \\u201CBut likely not the lowest chance of dying in war or [the chance of] living in a liberal democracy.\\u201D sums up the complexity this way: \\u201CThe world is awful All three statements are true at the same time.\\u201D A large global survey by the Swedish foundation asked what proportion of the world\\u2019s population live in extreme poverty with three possible answers: around 10 per cent; around 30 per cent; and around 50 per cent People are more negative about places that are far away \\u2013 places which they know less from their own experience and more through the media \\u201CIf we only see the problems and only hear what is going wrong we have no hope that the future can be better,\\u201D writes Roser emissions reduction and climate change mitigation that will improve everyone\\u2019s wellbeing and life chances \\u201CGlobal cooperation is more important to continued progress than ever,\\u201D says Kenny Matt Wade is a senior economics writer at The Sydney Morning Herald.