All articles tagged with #debut
Rikuu Nishida’s path from Mt. Hood Community College to the majors culminates in an improbable White Sox debut, with coaches and scouts highlighting his relentless preparation, speed, and contact skills that could keep him in the big leagues.
Former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel earned a first-round TKO over social media star Bob Menery in his MMA debut at UFC Apex in Las Vegas, landing body kicks, a takedown and a full mount before the referee stopped the fight with 44 seconds left in the opening round; Manziel, a Heisman Trophy winner and former Browns QB, said he likely won’t pursue more fights.
Johnny Manziel defeated Bob Menery in a brief MMA bout, dominating early with kicks and a takedown before the referee stopped the fight; Manziel, who outweighed Menery by about 30 pounds, suggested this was likely his first and last MMA appearance in the humor-filled Battle of Dad Bods.
Barcelona youngster Alvaro Cortes made his first-team debut against Alavés, calling it the happiest day of his life; Flick urged him to play as he does in training, and Cortes credited supportive teammates as Barcelona lost 1-0, ending their 100-point bid ahead of a home game with Real Betis.
Vinny Mauri, a 25-year-old self-coached runner from Warren, Ohio, shattered expectations by winning the Glass City Marathon in Toledo with a 2:05:54 debut marathon, the fastest ever by an American and good enough to place him as the fourth-fastest American on a record-eligible course. Mauri trained intensely, running 90–110 miles weekly and fueling a late-blooming career after returning to running with renewed love for the sport, all while staying relatively unknown in the pro scene and working part-time at a running store.
Victor Wembanyama scored 35 points to spark San Antonio’s 111-98 Game 1 win over Portland, setting a Spurs playoff debut scoring record and highlighting the young Spurs core (Castle, Vassell, Harper). The game also marked the first Spurs playoff without Gregg Popovich since 1999 and their first postseason win since 2019, while Portland’s Deni Avdija led the Blazers with 30 but got little help against San Antonio’s defense.
BINI became the first Filipino group to perform at Coachella, delivering a high-energy Mojave Tent set that blended contemporary choreography with Filipino roots, performing tracks from their Signals EP (including the live debut of Blush) and closing with Pantropiko as fans celebrated Pinoy pride and a hoped-for expansion of Filipino artists on the world stage.
Danhausen defeated Kit Wilson on WWE SmackDown in his first WWE match, with a pyro malfunction aiding the finish, leaving him undefeated in WWE.
Former AEW powerhouse Royce Keys made his SmackDown television debut on the Apr. 10 episode, quickly defeating Berto with a spinebuster that looks set to be his finishing move, while he peppered his promo with the new catchphrase “Aight.” Commentary suggests the spinebuster could trouble the SmackDown roster, and Solo Sikoa offered to help Keys as he begins his WWE ascent.
Guardians rookie Chase DeLauter homered in his first regular-season at-bat and again in the ninth, finishing 3-for-5 with a run scored. He became the first Guardians player to start his career with a multi-homer game and the seventh in MLB history to do so, delivering a sensational opening act for his MLB tenure.
Rookie Cole Hutson scored his first NHL goal in his Capitals debut, then endured a shaving-cream pie to the face from veteran Tom Wilson during the postgame interview, a playful ritual Wilson has used on Capitals rookies.
Nineteen-year-old defenseman Cole Hutson scored his first NHL goal and added an empty-netter in his Washington Capitals debut, helping them to a 4-1 win over the Ottawa Senators. He logged 16:22 of ice time, fired three shots, and earned praise from coach Spencer Carbery for delivering a standout first game, becoming the second-youngest Capitals defenseman to score in his debut.
Former WWE tag champion Gzim Selmani weathered an early knockdown from Daniel Curtin and exploded back with a four-knockdown rally to stop Curtin in the second round of his BKFC Newcastle debut, after opening a large cut on his opponent.
The St. Louis Blues will reshuffle their defense for the home game against the New York Islanders, with Theo Lindstein making his NHL debut alongside Colton Parayko, who returns after back spasms and missed five games. Otto Stenberg is recalled and will skate on a line with Drouin and Buchnevich. The projected forwards are Holloway-Thomas-Snuggerud, Neighbours-Dvorsky-Kyrou, Drouin-Buchnevich-Stenberg, Toropchenko-Finley-Suter, with Broberg-Mailloux and Lindstein-Parayko on defense and Hofer in goal; puck drop is 6:30 p.m. and the game airs on TNT, truTV and HBO Max (plus 101 ESPN).
WWE imported Danhausen from AEW and debuted him at Elimination Chamber, but the reception was underwhelming and drew comparisons to past misfires, highlighting the challenges WWE faces in cross-promoting talent—compounded by his injury history and how the company has managed his push.