McGregor TKOs Mendes for UFC title

UFC: Conor McGregor won the UFC interim featherweight title in dramatic fashion at UFC 189 at Las Vegas, stopping Chad Mendes with three seconds left in the second round after a vicious series of strikes.

McGregor (18-2) spent much of the first two rounds on his back, but the Irish sensation finished the fight with a lightning-quick combination. After a huge left hand put Mendes down, McGregor pounded away for the stoppage and then jumped onto the cage in celebration.

He later sunk to his knees in tears while thousands of Irish fans at the MGM Grand Garden Arena serenaded him.

Mendes (17-3), who stepped in for injured featherweight champion Jose Aldo just 2 1/2 weeks ago, embraced McGregor in sportsmanship after a promotion dominated by high-level trash talk.

• Lawler defends title against MacDonald: Robbie Lawler stopped Rory MacDonald early in the fifth round at UFC 189, defending his welterweight title in a spectacularly bloody bout.

Lawler (26-10) battered MacDonald for much of the final four rounds, leaving the Canadian challenger with a badly damaged nose. Lawler finally ended it with a big left hand directly into the face of MacDonald, who rolled onto his back in agony before Lawler finished him 60 seconds into the fifth.

Lawler also was staggered repeatedly by MacDonald, and he barely made it to the bell in the third round of an occasionally jaw-dropping brawl. Both fighters bled profusely in the final rounds, but Lawler persevered for his first successful title defense and his second victory over MacDonald (18-3).

Spieth fires 61, takes lead at Deere Classic

GOLF: Jordan Spieth shot a career-best 10-under 61 to grab a two-shot lead at the John Deere Classic at Silvis, Illinois.

Spieth was at 17-under 196 after the best round of the tournament since Steve Stricker shot a 60 five years ago.

Spieth’s round was highlighted by a pair of eagles, including a 106-yarder on the 17th hole after he sent his tee shot into the trees.

Spokane native Alex Prugh was 6 under after a 70 and is tied for 40th.

• Yang holds lead at U.S. Women’s Open: Amy Yang shot a 1-under 69 and maintained a three-shot lead over Stacy Lewis through three rounds of the U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Paired together in Saturday’s final grouping, Yang answered every time Lewis tried to trim her three-shot deficit.

Yang, who shared the lead after 54 holes last year, opened a four-stroke lead at the 13th before Lewis capitalized on a two-stroke swing at the 14th, closing within two. But Lewis had a three-putt bogey at the 17th en route to a 69, giving Yang a three-stroke advantage heading into the final round.

• Jerry Smith leads Encompass Championship: Jerry Smith matched a tournament record with an 8-under 64 to take a three-shot lead after the second round of the Encompass Championship at Glenview, Illinois.

Smith is at 14-under 130 in the Champions Tour event as he seeks his first professional title of any kind.

76ers’ Embiid will miss 2015-16 season

NBA: Joel Embiid will need more surgery to fix his right foot, and the Philadelphia 76ers say he is expected to miss the entire 2015-16 season.

The 7-footer from Kansas was the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. He missed his entire rookie season after having surgery to repair a stress fracture in his foot last June. The 76ers said he now needs a bone-graft procedure.

• Nets waive Deron Williams: As expected, the Brooklyn Nets have waived former All-Star Deron Williams, who is expected to sign with the Dallas Mavericks if no team claims him. Williams averaged 13 points last season, the lowest since he was a rookie, and has struggled with injuries since signing a five-year, $98.5 million contract in 2012.

• Timberwolves trade Budinger to Pacers: The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to send Chase Budinger to the Indiana Pacers for Damjan Rudez in a swap of small forwards.

Budinger struggled with knee injuries for most of his stay in Minnesota and was unable to deliver on what he or the team hoped for after signing him to a three-year contract prior to the 2013-14 season.

Hurricanes sign 1st-round pick Hanifin

NHL: The Carolina Hurricanes have signed first-round draft pick Noah Hanifin to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Under terms of the deal, the defenseman will make $832,500 at the NHL level or $70,000 in the minor leagues through the 2017-18 season.

Iker Casillas leaves Real Madrid for Porto

SOCCER: Goalkeeper Iker Casillas is leaving Real Madrid to join Portuguese club FC Porto after 16 seasons in which he helped the Spanish powerhouse win a slew of titles that included three Champions League crowns and five Spanish league trophies.

• Schweinsteiger leaving Bayern for Man United: Germany captain and Bayern Munich icon Bastian Schweinsteiger is leaving the club to join Manchester United.

The 30-year-old midfielder will be reunited with former Bayern coach Louis van Gaal, who is preparing for his second season in charge of United.