Oct 10, 2026 · 6 min listen · Last updated October 10, 2026
From storyflo. This is your daily audio brief. Brock, October 10th. Five from the leagues — here's where I'd start. Let's get into it. First, from The Guardian Sport. Golden State Valkyries vanquish Las Vegas Aces to reach WNBA finals in second season.
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Daily Sports Brief · October 10th
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Golden State Valkyries vanquish Las Vegas Aces to reach WNBA finals in second season
The Golden State Valkyries pulled off an impressive feat, defeating the defending champion Las Vegas Aces 87-77 to complete a three-game sweep in the semifinals. Gabby Williams was a standout in overtime, scoring eight crucial points that helped seal the victory.
The game was intense, with Golden State staging a comeback in the final minutes of the fourth quarter to push the match into overtime. Once there, they dominated, outscoring the Aces 16-6. This win marks a significant milestone for the Valkyries, who are now heading to the WNBA finals in just their second season. They'll face the Atlanta Dream next, setting the stage for an exciting championship series.
Angel Reese powers Atlanta Dream past New York Liberty into first WNBA finals since 2013
The Atlanta Dream are heading to the WNBA finals for the first time since 2013, following a nail-biting 85-83 victory over the New York Liberty. Angel Reese led the charge with 22 points, while Rhyne Howard contributed 21. The Dream's Jordin Canada also had a standout performance, notching 19 points and 11 assists. Despite a strong second-half push from New York, Atlanta held on to complete a three-game sweep in the semi-finals.
This marks a significant moment for the Dream, as they aim for their first championship title in franchise history. It's a thrilling time for the team and their fans, who have waited a long time for this opportunity.
New Zealand v Australia: Bledisloe Cup rugby union international – live
The All Blacks are set to face the Wallabies at Eden Park in Auckland for the opening match of the 2026 Bledisloe Cup. Kick-off is at 7:10 PM local time, which is 5:10 PM AEDT. There’s a buzz around this game, as Australia’s rugby team seems to be finding its footing again. Fans are cautiously optimistic, feeling that the Wallabies might actually have a chance at Eden Park, a venue that hasn’t been kind to them in the past. With the World Cup on the horizon, there's a sense of excitement building among supporters. It’s an intriguing matchup, and everyone is eager to see how it unfolds.
UFC Vegas 122 delivered an exciting night of fights at the Meta APEX in Las Vegas. In the main event, Brendan Allen faced off against Christian Leroy Duncan in a middleweight showdown. Allen entered the octagon riding a three-fight win streak, while Duncan was looking to extend his impressive five-fight winning streak.
The co-main event featured Matheus Camilo taking on Jai Herbert in a lightweight clash that had fans buzzing. Other notable matchups on the main card included Loopy Godinez against Ketlen Souza, Andre Fili battling Kai Kamaka III, and Malcolm Wellmaker squaring off with Otari Tanzilovi.
The preliminary card also showcased some thrilling bouts, with Julius Walker going up against Gerald Meerschaert, Francisco Prado facing Ismael Bonfim, and Niko Price taking on Leon Shahbazyan. Felipe Franco fought Brendson Ribeiro, while Allen Frye met RJ Harris. Alice Pereira faced Daria Zhelezniakova, and Ernesta Kareckaite fought Melissa Gatto to round out the night.
Overall, UFC Vegas 122 was a night packed with action and showcased the talent in the octagon.
The Buccaneers finally broke their losing streak, earning their first win of the season in Week 5. However, four teams still remain winless, including the Chargers and Texans, both of whom made the playoffs last year. This is a rare situation; the last time two playoff teams started the following season 0-4 was back in 1999 when the Broncos and Falcons both struggled out of the gate.
Historically, no playoff teams have ever started a season 0-5. The last team to do so was the 2017 Giants. This year, the five teams starting 0-4 ties the record set in previous seasons, including 2009 and 1996. With the Texans facing off against the Titans, there's a chance that three teams could end up 0-5: the Chargers, the Dolphins, and the loser of the Texans-Titans matchup. It's an unusual and tense moment in the league.
Sophie Cunningham: Candace Buckner is ‘just thirsty’ after column urging Fever to get rid of her
Sophie Cunningham is pushing back against a column by Candace Buckner that criticized her value to the Indiana Fever as she heads into free agency. Buckner suggested the Fever should part ways with Cunningham due to the distractions she allegedly creates, particularly following her comments on trans athletes. In a recent podcast episode, Cunningham and her co-host Drew Hanlen labeled Buckner’s piece an “absolute hate piece,” emphasizing they wanted to focus on basketball rather than personal attacks.
Hanlen defended Cunningham’s performance, noting she ranked fourth among WNBA bench scorers and had a strong effective field goal percentage, countering Buckner’s claims about her effectiveness. Cunningham, meanwhile, expressed indifference to the criticism, stating she doesn’t care what others say about her. She believes that if you’re affected by praise, you’ll also be impacted by hate. She’s determined to continue being herself and contributing in ways that might not always show up in statistics. The conversation then shifted to discussing a recent game between the Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty.
Joey Porter Jr.'s illness invites speculation that it was contract related (even if it wasn't)
Last night's Buccaneers-Cowboys game was preceded by the unexpected news that cornerback Joey Porter Jr. would miss the contest due to a sudden illness. In light of a back injury that prompted him to decline to play for the Steelers until he was traded — and given that the back injury instantly disappeared once he was traded to the Cowboys — some connected the dots from the illness to the lack of a long-term deal. As noted by Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing, Prime Video analyst Richard Sherman went there during Thursday night's pregame show.
Gregg Giannotti ‘felt terrible’ getting booted from private jet en route to Boomer Esiason’s Hall of Fame induction
The Radio Hall of Fame inducted its 2026 class on Thursday evening in Chicago. The honorees included SiriusXM 60s Gold’s Shotgun Tom Kelly, WLTW’s Helen Little, legendary on-air personalities Charlie Van Dyke and Fred Winston, and WFAN’s Boomer Esiason. The former NFL quarterback has been a pillar at one of the country’s premier sports radio stations since joining WFAN in 2007. He helped build two highly successful iterations of WFAN’s morning show: first with Craig Carton for a decade, and now with Gregg Giannotti for eight years.
Russo’s return to form is vital but Lionesses still lack bite against low blocks | Suzanne Wrack
England edged out Greece in the first leg of their World Cup playoff, but the win highlighted ongoing challenges for the team. Sarina Wiegman's squad struggled to break through Greece's tight defense, taking 39 minutes to score. The breakthrough came from a clever sequence: Laura Blindkilde Brown passed to Alessia Russo, who flicked it to Georgia Stanway. Stanway finished smoothly past the Greek goalkeeper, Fafailia Petaloti. Despite the goal, the muted celebrations showed the team's frustration at the difficulty of finding their rhythm against a lower-ranked opponent. It's clear that while Russo's return is promising, the Lionesses still need to sharpen their attack.