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This Week in U.S. Sports: Christian Pulisic agrees deal with Chelsea

Just because it was a holiday week, does not mean things were not going on in the United States.

The College Football Playoff final is set, Jon Jones is back — amidst controversy in the UFC — and another pitcher from Japan is set to make a splash in MLB.

 

1. Dortmund agree to €64m transfer of Pulisic to Chelsea

The youngest captain in USA's history, has signed with Premier League giants Chelsea from Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund.

Pulisic joins Chelsea in a deal worth €64million, however, the 20-year-old will be loaned back to Dortmund for the remainder of the 2018-19 season.

 

Kikuchi spent the last eight seasons with Nippon Professional Baseball's Seibu Lions posting a 74-48 record with a 2.81 ERA. He is coming off a year in which he went 14-4 with a 3.01 ERA.

"I'm very happy to be here. Today is a very special day for my family and I," Kikuchi said, via MLB.com. "Playing in the big leagues has been a dream of mine since I was 15 years old. Thank you, Seibu Lions, for letting me go and live my dream."

 

 

The arguably best pound-for-pound fighter in the world is back — under bizarre circumstances.

Jon "Bones" Jones defeated Alexander Gustafsson by TKO in the third round to earn the UFC's light heavyweight title on Saturday, but he did so in an event that had to be moved from Nevada to California at the last minute due to a failed drug test on the part of the former.

"I know there's a guy who's been calling himself champ champ," Jones said in his post-fight interview at The Forum in Inglewood, California. "I mean, what guy just gives up his belt because somebody else made it home? Daddy's home, 'DC'. Prove to the fans you're a champ champ. Come get a taste. I'm here. Get your belt back — it'll be waiting right here."

Cormier has long said he does not want to fight Jones again, but with only one official defeat in his career and another loss vacated due to a failed drug test — both in fights with Jones — the UFC's heavyweight champion may be tempted to redeem himself one last time.