KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 26: A detail shot of the gloves of Anthony Smith after his final fight in the UFC after being defeated by Zhang Mingyang of China in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at T-Mobile Center on April 26, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC)
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Zuffa LLC
Edson Barboza called it a career in Philadelphia on the main card of UFC 330. Esteban Ribovics proved to be too much for the Brazilian legend, battering him to a TKO loss and into retirement. Let's talk UFC.
Venue: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Card position: Main card
Barboza's age: 40
Professional record entering: 24-14
Last win: Sodiq Yusuff, October 14, 2023
Ribovics finished it at 1:32 of the second round, and Barboza split his shin in the first and kept going. His last win came against Sodiq Yusuff in October 2023, and this loss makes four in a row. He told Joe Rogan afterward, "Every single fight I promise, I did my best," then laid his gloves down on the main card he had fought his way onto.
The end came as it does for many once-great fighters. Barboza, 40, has lost four straight and hasn't won since October 2023. What's worse, he has lost by stoppage in the last two fights and taken tons of damage. Once known for his fierce striking, power leg kicks, wheel kicks and punches. Unfortunately, he has been reduced to a shadow of the fighter who once made his mark in the featherweight and lightweight divisions.
It's been an era of retirements as several fighters have announced an end to their careers in 2026. Perhaps there are more to come. It's especially interesting timing as we're seeing another season of Dana White's Contender Series inject new blood into the roster.
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MMA Retirements in 2026
Cub Swanson: retired in the Octagon after a TKO win over Nate Landwehr at UFC 327, April
Gilbert Burns: retired after a TKO loss to Mike Malott at UFC Winnipeg, April
Ronda Rousey: final MMA fight at MVP MMA 1, May
Colby Covington: retired from the UFC, May
Hailey Cowan: retired at 34 after a body-shot KO at UFC Belgrade, August
Darren Elkins: retired after a 35-second TKO loss at UFC Vegas 120, August
Court McGee: announced UFC 332 on October 3 as his retirement fight, August
Edson Barboza: retired in the Octagon at UFC 330, August
The star has told fans she may not tour again for a "long, long" time
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By
Music correspondent
It feels inconsiderate of Ariana Grande to bring a tour called Eternal Sunshine to the UK at the tail end of the year's fifth heatwave. Haven't we suffered enough already?
But the fans packed into London's O2 arena on Saturday night didn't seem to care about the heat and the sweat.
They came ready to dance. Thousands of them, dressed in cat ears, bridal gowns and elaborate floral headpieces.
They scream when she references rumours she's back together with her ex, Ricky Alvarez. And they bounce in unison when she plays colourful club anthems like Into You and Break Free.
It's the first time Grande has played in the UK since 2019, partly because of Covid, but also because of her Oscar-nominated role in the movie musical Wicked.
She rewards fans with a few of Glinda's signature hair tosses, external and, more importantly, a two-hour show that highlights the incredible agility of the star's voice.
Sure, the production has all the paraphernalia a major pop tour - big sets, plumes of smoke, inspired choreography - but there are long stretches where it's just Grande on stage with her band. Her stunning, four octave vocals come first. Everything else is a distant second. And rightly so.
It's a bravura performance that showcases her facility with melody and arrangement - and she essentially recreates it live on stage at the O2.
After the opening run of songs, she hushes the audience and spends two minutes looping her voice. First the lyric, "I don't care what people say, it's true", in high and low registers. Then she adds short phrases: "Won't break. Can't Shake. Deep breaths…. Tight chest. Life. Death. Rewind."
They become the backbone of the next song, Eternal Sunshine.
They're also the backstory of the whole show.
Image source, Katia Temkin
Image caption,
The tour kicked off in California two months ago, and will wrap up in September after 10 dates in London
Like the characters in Michel Gondry's 2004 film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (which gives the tour its name), Grande has tried to erase some of her most painful memories.
The singer is a survivor of tragedy and heartbreak, including the death of her former boyfriend Mac Miller and the Manchester bombing that killed 22 fans after one of her concerts in 2017.
Over time, however, she's realised it's better to hold those memories. To honour her losses. To learn and adapt.
That narrative - mostly told through lavish video interludes - is about reckoning and reconciliation. But since the tour began in California two months ago, it has taken on added significance.
Intense public scrutiny about Grande's personal life, her health and her weight have prompted the star to withdraw from the public eye when the tour ends in London next month.
Grande reassured fans that the decision came from a "thoughtful, empowered place", and had been planned "a long time ago".
Whatever private battles the 33-year-old may be fighting, they are never present on stage at the O2.
If anything, Grande is having a blast - teetering around in perilous heels, blowing kisses to the audience and embracing the physical and vocal demands of her show.
"This is so incredibly overwhelming," she says during a rare pause in the music.
"I'm just going to savour every single second of these last 10 shows."
Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,
The singer received an Oscar nomination for her role as Glinda the Good Witch in the movie adaptation of the musical Wicked
The only time she appears to get emotional is during Hampstead - a ballad that deals with her portrayal in the media and the darker corners of the internet.
Her voice breaks as she sings the lyric, "But I knew who I was when I got here", but it transpires that she's simply reacting to an audience member who's blubbing their eyes out.
"You'll make me cry," she smiles in sympathy.
But that's a blip. At every other point, Grande is locked in.
She opens with a theatrical flourish, striking silhouetted poses with her dancers for several minutes before the lights drop, the curtains are whisked into the rafters, and she struts into view with the defiant Yes, And?
The show proceeds with the fluid choreography of Positions before Grande dons her famous bunny ears for a slinky version of The Boy Is Mine.
There's a little victory dance when she pulls off the live vocal production of Eternal Sunshine. And there's a sly grin when she changes the lyrics of the break-up song Thank U, Next from, "Wrote some songs about Ricky, now I listen and laugh", to "Wrote some songs about Ricky, we don't talk about that."
(Ricky is Ricky Alvarez, one of her former dancers, who Grande is reportedly dating again, 10 years after their initial break-up. They went Instagram official, external last week).
Image caption,
The star performed some of the show on an b-stage that extended towards the back of the arena
The setlist is largely pulled from 2024's Eternal Sunshine album - at the expense of major hits like God Is A Woman, Problem and Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored.
She isn't cavalier enough to jettison everything, though: Both 7 Rings and her Lady Gaga duet Rain On Me raise the roof.
A powerhouse version of Dangerous Woman claps like thunder; and Grande's vocal riffs on Safety Net are so tremendously colossal they should be registered as the eighth wonder of the world.
There's a ripple of laughter during We Can't Be Friends, meanwhile, when a tiny cluster of the audience screams over the "silence challenge", external that's become a meme during the tour's American leg.
Despite that, the quiet moments are the most effective.
On Imperfect For You, Grande sits face to face with her long-time guitarist Johnny Najeraas, as though they're singing together in her bedroom. It's delicate and gorgeous and strangely intimate in a room of 20,000 people.
The lyrics are sad but hopeful, a promise that broken people can find happiness.
And, whatever happens during Grande's upcoming hiatus, you have to hope it's a promise that holds.
Image caption,
Fans like Harry and Damon, from Waterloo in London, came dressed as daisies, in tribute to Ariana's latest album, Petal.
After the concert, fans were bowled over by the star's vocals and stage presence.
"Ten out of ten. A masterpiece," said Harry, a Chinese fan living in London.
"When she came on stage, I was right at the front, so I was literally bawling," added Poppy from Kent. "She's the best singer ever."
"It was probably the best concert I've ever been at," agreed Clare, who'd flown from Monaghan in Ireland for the opening night.
"We didn't get to shake hands with her, but we were definitely breathing the same air."
Asked about Grande's decision to retire from live performance for what she has called "a long, long, long, long, long time", fans said they were fully in support.
"I'm proud of her. She took a stand to keep away the remarks, the critics," said Brian, a French fan attending the first of several shows.
"It's awful," added Cory from Banbury. "The public has bullied her out of it. We've bullied her out of fame. I think that's gross."
"She needed time to recover," said Damon, another Chinese fan.
"Maybe she will make some more movies... I love her movies. And if she comes back, we'll be in the front row."
Classic anime series will always have a special place in our hearts for a reason. You might’ve grown up watching Naruto, Dragon Ball, or Pokémon, which acted as the gateway to all things anime. Conversely, you might’ve binge-watched the entirety of Neon Genesis Evangelion or Cowboy Bebop during a particularly vulnerable time of your life. No matter the circumstance, classic series like these always evoke a feeling of nostalgia. Even if aspects of these shows feel flawed or dated, it’s natural to resist the prospect of them being remade.
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That said, not every genre staple warrants a remake. A classic time travel adventure like Steins;Gate feels pitch-perfect in spite of its drawbacks, while an atypical shonen like Mob Psycho 100 already feels timeless despite being a more recent entry.
With that in mind, here are five classic anime that deserve a fresh interpretation, replete with dynamic animation and a creative approach that must outclass the original.
1
Tokyo Ghoul
Image: Pierrot
Sui Ishida’s Tokyo Ghoul is a dark fantasy masterpiece. The manga’s expressive paneling gives us insight into the complex psychological states of its characters, which Ishida enhances with deep symbolism and intricate world-building. None of these strengths are conveyed in Studio Pierrot’s anime adaptation, which follows up its middling first season with the massively disappointing Root A. The third season, Tokyo Ghoul: Re, also suffered a similar fate. The contrast between the anime and the source material became too vast to ignore, compounded by rushed pacing and animation that did little to elevate an adaptation that didn’t understand what makes Ishida’s tale so special.
A remake could address all of these issues. An art style that hews closer to Ishida’s striking, chaotic illustrations would do wonders, while incorporating the source material’s literary references would heavily enrich the story. Tokyo Ghoul was never just about Ken Kaneki undergoing metamorphosis and becoming a half-ghoul. It is also a dense allegory about systemic corruption and cyclical hatred, where the definition of what makes us “human” is constantly challenged and redefined. Trauma informs character decisions at every turn, necessitating an anime adaptation willing to do the legwork for such a nuanced subject matter.
2
Soul Eater
This one’s a bit more complex since the Soul Eater anime is truly one of a kind. A sense of gothic whimsy is woven into the visual atmosphere, and Studio Bones does a commendable job bringing a memorable ensemble to life. It also has a lot of heart and flaunts its distinct identity through the use of a fun, jazz-heavy (and hip-hop-infused) soundtrack. Even so, Soul Eater loses its way in terms of narrative, as it significantly diverges from Atsushi Okubo’s manga and delivers a rushed ending that feels rather anticlimactic.
The argument for a Soul Eater remake follows the same principle as the differences between Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009). While both renditions have their merits (with the 2009 version having the luxury of taking a darker route in the absence of a finished manga), Brotherhood is largely considered the definitive interpretation of the tale. It wouldn’t hurt to have a Soul Eater remake that gets both the tone and ending right, which would allow rushed motivations, unadapted lore, and stilted character growth to bloom without restrictions. It would also encourage new-age anime fans to check out the beloved original, which is always a win.
3
Claymore
Image: Madhouse
Norihiro Yagi’s Claymore has it all. The manga features a gripping dark fantasy setting, a cast of complex female characters who engage in tactical warfare, and a lot of psychological tension. The story is set on a medieval island where humans are terrorized by humanoid shape-shifting monsters called Yoma. The Organization tackles this issue by creating human-Yoma hybrids that can overpower these beasts. These engineered weapons of destruction, dubbed Claymores, are ranked based on their skill, abilities, and sense of leadership.
Although we do have a Claymore anime courtesy of Madhouse, these 26 episodes barely cover the first 11 manga volumes and opt for a non-canon ending. This premature finale leads anime-only fans to miss out on some incredible arcs that unfold later on, including The Northern Campaign and the final confrontation, which is a dizzying spectacle suited uniquely for high-octane animation. Claymore also features some incredible creature designs that would translate into terrifying beasts if adapted well. This, combined with a well-paced plot that banks on the story’s tense survival element, can grant Claymore the recognition it deserves as a buzzy genre tale about the limits of monstrosity.
4
Deadman Wonderland
Image: Manglobe
Most arguments in favor of remakes boil down to faithfulness to the source material. Deadman Wonderland is no exception. Its anime adaptation tells an incomplete story over the course of 12 rushed episodes. The story follows the aftermath of a massive earthquake in Japan that destroys most of Tokyo and sinks parts of the city. Teenager Ganta Igarashi has no memories of this tragedy despite surviving it, but this changes once he encounters a bloodstained individual who massacres his entire class and leaves him alive. Ganta is sentenced to Deadman Wonderland, a prison that doubles as a theme park.
A Deadman Wonderland remake feels overdue. A fresh interpretation of the story could do the source material justice. A good studio can make the brutal body horror elements work without compromising on the emotional weight that ties character fates together. This is also a combat-heavy setting, as some inmates at Deadman Wonderland can turn their blood into weapons with the special ability, Branch of Sin. A remake could turn Ganta’s quest to prove his innocence into an epic tale about guilt and survival, and how these emotions play out in such an uncompromising world.
5
Berserk
Past adaptations of Kentaro Miura’s Berserkhave a few things going for them. The 1997 series is rightfully considered a classic and is adored for its atmospheric storytelling but criticized for skipping major arcs and ending abruptly. The Berserk: The Golden Age Arc trilogy did a commendable job of capturing the highs of the Golden Age, but this is only a flawed snippet of a grander tale that deserves to be told. Then there’s the 2016 series, which features some objectively terrible animation and sound design, along with shoddy character writing.
Huge swathes of the Berserk manga remain unadapted, and the adaptations we have do not do justice to Miura's hand-drawn panels. A remake that tackles the story (while the manga is still ongoing) could lean into the exquisite details of inhabiting such an unforgivable world where trauma inevitably dictates a person’s path. Both Guts and Griffith are stellar characters who deserve nuanced handling, but Berserk also features a stunning cast of secondary characters who enrich the beauty and terror of it all. An anime that pays close attention to these facets while recreating the visceral bleakness of Miura’s art could easily become a contender for a modern anime classic. %!s()
Gombe, Nigeria – On a weekday morning in Pantami District, Gombe, the streets fill with the familiar rush of motorcycles carrying students, workers and traders across the city. But increasingly, some pass almost silently – a subtle sign of a transport shift driven not by climate policy, but by Nigeria’s soaring fuel prices.
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One pedestrian did not realise a motorcycle was behind him until the rider sounded its horn. Unlike the petrol-powered bikes that dominate Nigerian roads, the electric motorcycle moved almost noiselessly and produced no exhaust fumes.
Electric motorcycles are gradually appearing across Gombe as riders seek relief from rising fuel costs following President Bola Tinubu’s removal of Nigeria’s fuel subsidy in May 2023, forcing many to rethink how they travel and earn a living.
The bikes, which typically cost about 1 million naira (about $735), remain out of reach for many households. But those who have made the switch say the savings on fuel and maintenance are significant.
Subsidy shock
Tinubu announced the end of Nigeria’s longstanding petrol subsidy during his inauguration on May 29, 2023, triggering a sharp increase in fuel prices across the country.
In Gombe, petrol now sells for about 1,365 naira ($1) per litre (0.26 gallons), compared with roughly 200 naira (15 cents) before the subsidy was removed. The increase has driven up transport costs and squeezed household budgets across Nigeria.
The economic pressure has coincided with growing concern about the environmental impact of the country’s ageing fleet of petrol-powered motorcycles and vehicles. According to the World Bank, road transport is a major contributor to air pollution in Nigerian cities, with vehicle emissions adding significantly to levels of harmful particulate matter.
A cheaper ride
For Ayuba Abubakar, a farmer and resident of Gombe, the switch to an electric motorcycle was prompted by a friend’s visit earlier this year.
After buying the bike, he rode from Gombe to Kumo and back and was surprised by how little battery power the journey consumed.
Electric motorcycle entrepreneurs in Gombe are part of a growing push towards cleaner transport solutions amid Nigeria’s fuel-price crisis [Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim/Al Jazeera]
“I usually spend the day moving around Gombe without charging,” Ayuba told Al Jazeera. “When I travel to remote areas, I charge it.”
Ayuba said he has been using the bike for about three months and has so far avoided the mechanical problems that often come with petrol-powered motorcycles.
“My charger once burned out because I didn’t use a stabiliser,” he said. “Apart from that, I’ve had no major maintenance costs.”
He estimates that the bike has saved him about 5,000 naira ($3.7) a week in fuel expenses.
“Even with those savings, the price needs to come down for most Nigerians to afford it,” he added.
Ahmed Aminu, another rider in Gombe, told Al Jazeera that he no longer spends money on engine oil, while Yakubu Sule, who also owns an electric motorcycle, told Al Jazeera that he chose it largely because of its quiet operation.
Power constraints
Despite the enthusiasm of early adopters, unreliable electricity remains one of the biggest obstacles to wider use of electric motorcycles.
Nigeria’s electricity supply is notoriously inconsistent, and many households receive only a few hours of power each day. The challenge has become more pronounced under Nigeria’s service-based tariff system, which classifies customers into bands according to the amount of electricity they receive.
Hussaini Isa repairs electric motorcycles in Gombe, where demand for electric bikes is gradually growing amid rising petrol prices [Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim/Al Jazeera]
For Muhammad Abubakar, chief executive officer of Sustenaa, a clean-energy company, the problem is fundamental.
“If we end up charging these bikes with generators, then what’s the point?” Abubakar told Al Jazeera. “We will just be moving the emissions from the exhaust pipe to the generator pipe, and we are back to square one.”
He argues that solar-powered battery-swap stations are a more realistic solution than relying on riders to charge their motorcycles at home.
Abubakar also warned that Nigeria must plan for battery recycling as electric mobility expands. He called on the government to reduce import duties on electric-bike components, support battery-swap operators, establish recycling standards and integrate electric mobility into existing solar mini-grid projects.
For now, electric motorcycles remain a niche option in Gombe. But as fuel prices remain high and battery-swap infrastructure slowly expands, the quiet motorcycles appearing on the city’s streets may offer a glimpse of how economic pressure is beginning to reshape transport across Nigeria.
“When you look at how many bikes are pumping out smoke daily across Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt, air pollution levels are alarming,” he said. “Even if we start with a fraction of the commercial bike fleets, the improvement in air quality could become visible relatively quickly.” %!s()
Graphic: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Game Freak/Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
Nickit is getting its own Pokémon Go Community Day, running on Sunday, Aug. 16 from 2-5 p.m. in your local time. This dark-type fox Pokémon will be in the spotlight during the event, spawning everywhere with a pretty high chance to be shiny.
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If you're interested in shiny hunting Nickit or want to know about the other bonuses, we list the rest of Pokémon Go's Nickit Community Day event perks below.
How to find shiny Nickit in Pokémon Go
As per old research by the now-defunct website The Silph Road (via Wayback Machine), Shiny rates on Community Days are about 1 in 24, which means that if you keep playing throughout the three-hour window, you should find quite a few shiny Pokémon.
Graphic: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Scopely Explore
If you’re short on time or Poké Balls, you can pop an Incense, then quickly tap each Nickit to check for shiny ones, running from any that aren’t shiny. Notably, any Nickit you’ve already tapped will face where your player is standing, so that should help identify which ones you may have already checked.
If you evolve Nickit into Thievul from 2-9 p.m. in your local time, it will learn the charged move Icy Wind.
If you miss out on evolving it during this period, you will likely be able to evolve it during a Community Day weekend event in December to get Icy Wind. If you don’t want to wait, you can use an Elite TM to get the move.
What's Thievul's best moveset?
Thievul has no use in PvE content (raids and gyms) as a dark-type. It's outclassed by many other Pokémon and I wouldn't bother raising one up to do damage in raids. Thievul's highest DPS moveset is Snarl and Play Rough, but again, I wouldn't really bother using this Pokémon unless you really like it.
PvP is another story. Thanks to Icy Wind, Thievul has moved up the rankings in the Great League, becoming a fairly solid pick when set up with Sucker Punch, Night Slash, and Icy Wind. It's become stronger in Ultra League as well (with the same moveset), but it's better off in Great League.
The following bonuses will be active during Nickit Community Day:
Tripled Stardust for catching Pokémon
Doubled candy for catching Pokémon
Doubled chance for level 31+ trainers to get XL candy from catching Pokémon
Incense lasts three hours
Lure Modules last one hour
Nickit special photobombs when taking snapshots
One additional special trade
Stardust cost halved for trading
That said, you should definitely pop a Star Piece and an Incense and try to catch a bunch of shiny Nickit.
If you can Mega Evolve Gyarados, Houndoom, Tyranitar, Sableye, Sharpedo, Absol, or Malamar, you’ll score additional Nickit Candy per catch.
Scopely Explore is also continuing the "Lure Module Bonus" it's been running for the last year. From 2-9 p.m., Nickit will spawn in high numbers from placed Lure Modules. Even after the Community Day ends at 5 p.m., you can still find a shiny Nickit (or one with a Special Background) from lures with the increased Community Day shiny rate. %!s()
Image source, Katia Temkin
Image source, Katia Temkin
Image source, Getty Images
Image: GEMBA/Millepensee/Liden Films
Image: Pierrot
Image: Madhouse
Image: Manglobe![Electric motorcycle entrepreneurs in Gombe are part of a growing push towards cleaner transport solutions amid Nigeria’s fuel-price crisis. [Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim/Al Jazeera]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/some-entrepreneurs-with-the-e-bikes-in-Gombe-1786772366.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C1023&quality=80)
![Hussaini Isa repairs electric motorcycles in Gombe, where demand for e-bikes is gradually growing amid rising petrol prices. [Muhammad Auwal Ibrahim/Al Jazeera]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Hussaini-Isa-an-e-bike-electrician-in-Gombe-1786772369.jpg?w=770&resize=770%2C580&quality=80)
Graphic: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Game Freak/Nintendo, The Pokémon Company
Graphic: Julia Lee/Polygon | Source images: Scopely Explore