PressBox, Author at NXTbets Inc

October 19, 2026

Derek Brunson signs with BKFC for Nov. 20 debut

BKFC signed former UFC middleweight contender Derek Brunson, giving the promotion another possible opponent for Darren Till. Brunson is scheduled to make his BKFC debut on Friday, Nov. 20, at BKFC Fight Night in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, although his opponent has not been announced.

The signing adds another layer to a potential rematch with Till, who previously fought Brunson in the UFC in 2021. Brunson submitted Till in the third round of their UFC Fight Night main event in Las Vegas.

Till has also been linked to a possible fight with Tommy Fury, and he has expressed interest in facing Carl Froch. Till defeated Yoel Romero at BKFC 94 in Manchester in September, and BKFC promoter Dave Feldman said the promotion was excited to have Brunson.
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October 19, 2026

Fermin Aldeguer to miss Australian MotoGP, Iker Lecuona replaces him at Gresini

Gresini Ducati confirmed on Oct. 19 that Fermin Aldeguer will miss the Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island and be replaced by Iker Lecuona on the Ducati No. 54. Aldeguer fractured the first metacarpal in his left hand in the Indonesian Grand Prix, underwent successful surgery on the injury and was seen in Jerez with a cast on his left arm.

Gresini said Aldeguer is working to be fit for the Malaysian Grand Prix in less than two weeks. The Australian race will be Lecuona’s third MotoGP start of the season for Gresini after earlier substitute rides at Hungary and Silverstone.

Lecuona joined the replacement ride after finishing second in the WorldSBK championship with four race wins. He ended the Jerez WorldSBK finale with three podium finishes, including two second places and one third place.
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October 19, 2026

Anthony Hamilton reunites with Max Verstappen and Valentino Rossi in Portimão

Anthony Hamilton made a surprise appearance at the GT World Challenge Europe finale in Portimão, where Lewis Hamilton’s father visited Max Verstappen’s garage and reunited with Verstappen and Valentino Rossi. Hamilton later posted on Instagram about catching up with both men, calling the event his first GT World race and saying he was celebrating 35 years in motorsport.

Hamilton said he was not backing any one driver, but wanted to watch Verstappen’s race closely. He also said he has had a house in Portugal for 25 years, described being at the event as “fantastic,” and spoke with GT World Challenge Europe boss Stephane Ratel.

Verstappen raced during a break in the Formula 1 calendar alongside Chris Lulham and Ben Barnicoat in the No. 3 Mercedes-AMG GT3. The car started 13th after a qualifying setback, received a drive-through penalty after contact involving Lulham, and Verstappen took over with 45 minutes remaining before the trio finished ninth. Verstappen was due back on Formula 1 duty at the United States Grand Prix the following week.
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October 19, 2026

Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island set for October 23-25 with full TV schedule

The 2026 Australian MotoGP at Phillip Island will run from October 23-25 as Round 18 of the world championship, with Jorge Martín entering the weekend two points ahead of Marc Márquez. The schedule begins Thursday with GearUp at 15:30 local time, followed by a press conference at 16:00 featuring Marco Bezzecchi, Raul Fernandez and Jack Miller.

Friday will include Moto3 FP1, Moto2 FP1, MotoGP FP1 and MotoGP Practice. Saturday will feature qualifying for all three classes and the Tissot Sprint at 15:00 local time, while Sunday will open with MotoGP Warm Up before Moto3, Moto2 and the Australian Grand Prix at 14:00 local time.

MotoGP Video Pass will stream every session live. TNT Sports will show all sessions in the UK, including Moto2 and Moto3. In Italy, Sky Sport MotoGP will carry the full weekend live and stream it on NOW and Sky Go, while TV8 will air qualifying for all three classes live and free-to-air, show Saturday’s Sprint Race live, and broadcast Sunday’s Moto3, Moto2 and MotoGP races on delay.
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October 19, 2026

Ferrari set to debut major floor and underbody update in Austin

Ferrari is expected to bring its fourth aerodynamic upgrade of the 2026 season to the United States Grand Prix in Austin, and the package is expected to be the final major development step for the SF-26. It is described as Ferrari’s biggest aerodynamic upgrade of the year and centers on an overhauled floor and underbody, with changes also planned for the sidepods, upper bodywork and cooling louvres. Ferrari said the revised floor, which has been reworked more extensively from the front section to the diffuser, is intended to improve downforce, balance and the car’s operating window.

The underbody update is aimed at giving the SF-26 more aerodynamic versatility and making it less sensitive to bumps and curbs, while allowing softer suspension settings without giving up downforce. Ferrari has chosen not to make a radical sidepod change, instead looking to reduce drag and optimize its current design. The team studied Red Bull’s more aggressive sidepod approach during development, but decided against a major change because of the integration work involved and the limited number of races left. Revised sidepods and bodywork are likely to appear first at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Ferrari entered the weekend second in the Constructors’ Championship with 444 points, behind Mercedes on 578, McLaren on 339 and Red Bull on 332. Fred Vasseur said the title fight among the four leading teams has swung repeatedly this season and that a strong upgrade could quickly change the order again. Lewis Hamilton is third in the Drivers’ standings and Charles Leclerc is fifth, while Red Bull has regained momentum after Max Verstappen won the last two Grands Prix. Ferrari’s future development focus is now shifting largely to its 2027 car.
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October 18, 2026

Denny Hamlin’s Phoenix setback ends 31-race lead-lap streak

Denny Hamlin’s championship push took a hit at Phoenix Raceway when his No. 11 Toyota suffered a right-rear tire failure on Lap 221 of 312 in the Freeway Insurance 500. The flat tire dropped him a lap down, and a later speeding penalty on pit road kept him from getting the wave-around. Hamlin finished 28th after earning 12 stage points, and the result ended his streak of 31 consecutive lead-lap finishes.

The setback dropped Hamlin to fourth in the Chase standings, 31 points behind leader Kyle Larson with three races remaining. Hamlin and crew chief Chris Gayle said the team still remained in title contention.

The race also tightened the fight at the top. Larson’s lead over Christopher Bell shrank to five points after Phoenix, Bell moved to second in the standings and seven drivers remained mathematically alive in the championship battle. The next races on the schedule are Talladega, Martinsville and Homestead-Miami.
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October 18, 2026

Toyota clinches 2026 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturers’ championship

Toyota clinched the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturers’ Championship at Phoenix Raceway after Tyler Reddick won the Freeway Insurance 500, putting the title mathematically out of reach in the standings. The championship was Toyota’s fourth in the Cup Series and its first since 2019, ending a seven-year NASCAR championship drought.

Toyota had 18 wins through the first 33 events of the season, matching its highest single-season NASCAR Cup Series mark since 2019. The title came with three races still left on the schedule.

Joe Gibbs Racing, 23XI Racing and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB helped drive Toyota’s run, along with wins by Denny Hamlin, Reddick, Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell, Corey Heim and Ty Gibbs. Reddick also opened the season with Toyota’s first Daytona 500 victory since 2020, while Briscoe won at Las Vegas and Charlotte, Bell added a Crown Jewel win at Darlington, Heim won multiple races in part-time starts and Gibbs won at Bristol and Iowa.
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October 18, 2026

Austin, Florida, Oklahoma and Carolina win on PBR Teams Sunday

The New York Mavericks finished their Maverick Days homestand 2-1 after edging the Texas Rattlers 263.75-263.30 at Belmont Park on Sunday. Leonardo Castro’s 88.90-point ride in the fourth round gave New York the winning margin and sealed the narrow victory.

Around the league, the Austin Gamblers beat the Nashville Stampede, the Florida Freedom upset the Missouri Thunder, the Oklahoma Wildcatters defeated the Kansas City Outlaws in a walk-off finish, and the Carolina Cowboys blanked the Arizona Ridge Riders on Sunday. Missouri had already secured the 2026 PBR Teams regular-season title, while Austin and Carolina improved their position in the race for first-round playoff byes.

The weekend also produced a PBR Teams record 79 qualified rides across three days.
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October 18, 2026

Zane Smith hits Carson Hocevar after Phoenix race

Zane Smith retaliated against Carson Hocevar after Sunday’s Freeway Insurance 500 at Phoenix Raceway, seeking him out on the cooldown lap and hitting the rear of Hocevar’s No. 77 Chevrolet after a late-race clash between the two drivers. The exchange was captured on video and added to the tension after the checkered flag.

Hocevar slid up the track and hit Smith after the final restart with 15 laps left, and the contact knocked Smith out of a top-10 battle. Smith said he believed Hocevar ruined a chance at a potential top-10 finish for him. Smith finished 15th and Hocevar finished 12th.

Smith’s team later told him Hocevar had been pushed into him by Ross Chastain, but Smith dismissed that explanation and said, “I don’t give a f—.” The two drivers were separated once they reached pit road.
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