Sports Round-up: Putin congratulates Nurmagomedov; Ex-MLB star Dykstra indicted on drug

Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.

Mixed Martial Arts-Putin congratulates Nurmagomedov after McGregor win

Russian President Vladimir Putin met and congratulated Russia's Khabib Nurmagomedov on Wednesday after he retained his UFC lightweight title against Conor McGregor in about overshadowed by a post-fight brawl. Nurmagomedov's brutal submission victory over Ireland's McGregor on Saturday was followed by fights breaking out in and around the cage.

Ex-MLB star Dykstra indicted on drug, terroristic threat charges

Former All-Star Lenny Dykstra has been indicted by a New Jersey grand jury and charged with drug possession and threatening an Uber driver during an alleged incident in May. Dykstra now faces charges of possession of cocaine and possession of methamphetamine, as well as a terroristic threat charge. All are third-degree crimes.

Not everyone in favour of ESports in Olympic fold

The possibility of esports joining the Olympics program has gained traction in recent years but not everybody involved in the sport favours it. Rahul Sood, the CEO of esports betting company Unikrn, believes the benefits for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) far outweigh those for stakeholders already invested in electronic sports gaming.

NHL roundup: Caps win Cup Final rematch

Evgeny Kuznetsov finished with one goal and three assists while Alex Ovechkin scored twice as the Washington Capitals defeated the visiting Vegas Golden Knights 5-2 Wednesday in a rematch of last spring's Stanley Cup Final. Washington defeated Vegas in five games in the championship round and won the first Stanley Cup in team history.

NFL notebook: Bills' McDermott acknowledges McCoy rumours

Bills head coach Sean McDermott did not diffuse reports of trade interest from the Philadelphia Eagles in Buffalo running back LeSean McCoy on Wednesday. "We're just looking forward to the Houston Texans," McDermott told reporters, a day after News 4 in Buffalo reported the Eagles had interest in trading for the six-time Pro Bowl selection. "LeSean is one of our better players.

Yankees' Sabathia on ump Hernandez: 'Absolutely terrible'

CC Sabathia had harsh words for umpire Angel Hernandez following Tuesday night's series-clinching 4-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox, saying Hernandez isn't worthy of handling postseason games. "He's absolutely terrible," said Sabathia, who gave up three runs on five hits over three innings, with two walks and a strikeout. "He was terrible behind the plate (Tuesday). He was terrible at first base [in Monday's game]. It's amazing how he's getting jobs umpiring in these playoff games."

NHL roundup: Streaking Hurricanes trip Canucks

The Carolina Hurricanes were fast starters and had five different players score in a 5-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night in Raleigh, N.C. Jordan Staal, Brett Pesce, Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov and Warren Foegele scored for the Hurricanes, who have won three in a row.

LeBron's move to LA gives 'new lease on life' to East teams

LeBron James' move to the Los Angeles Lakers gives new life to Eastern Conference teams that have been foiled by the game's greatest player for nearly a decade, basketball Hall of Famer Reggie Miller said on Wednesday. After James romped his way into the NBA Finals in each of the last eight seasons, those left in his wake can be excused if they are breathing a sigh of relief because their nemesis is now in the more competitive Western Conference.

Steelers' Roethlisberger: Conner deserves role alongside Bell

Second-year running back James Conner deserves a significant role in the Pittsburgh Steelers' offence even when Le'Veon Bell returns from his holdout, according to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. "I think James has done some amazing things and deserves to be on the field," Roethlisberger told reporters Wednesday. "We also know what Le'Veon is and what he brings to the table. I guess we'll cross that bridge if and when it happens."

PGA of America signs an 11-year deal with CBS, ESPN

The PGA of America signed an 11-year rights deal on Wednesday that will keep their flagship PGA Championship on CBS and adds ESPN as a broadcast partner. The financial details of the deal were not announced but the PGA's chief commercial officer Jeff Price told Reuters in August that the PGA Championship's move to May in a reshuffling of the golf calendar would add value to the major.