VATICAN CITY — The Vatican on Monday gave a final accounting of its 2025 Holy Year, saying more than 33 million pilgrims had participated and that the only real dispute with the city of Rome concerned the style of fountains built for the event’s main public works project.
Pope Leo XIV on Tuesday will officially close out the Holy Year and shut the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, capping a rare Jubilee that was opened by one pope and closed by another.
For the Vatican, a Holy Year is a centuries-old tradition of the faithful making pilgrimages to Rome every 25 years to visit the tombs of Saints Peter and Paul and receive indulgences for the forgiveness of their sins.
The Vatican said 33,475,369 pilgrims had participated and Italy, the U.S. and Spain were the top nationalities represented.
But the Vatican’s Holy Year organizer, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, acknowledged the number was only an estimate and could include double counting. There was no breakdown between Holy Year pilgrims and Rome’s overall tourism numbers.
The Vatican arrived at the figure by combining the number of people who officially registered for Jubilee events, volunteer crowd counters at Rome-area basilicas and closed-circuit television cameras at St. Peter’s Basilica, which recorded around 25,000 to 30,000 people a day crossing the threshold of the Holy Door.
Assuming that number every day for the past year, around 10 million pilgrims would have crossed through the Holy Door. Officials said they never envisioned more, given its limited capacity and that pilgrims would have visited Holy Doors at other Rome basilicas.
The official number exceeded the 31.7 million people originally forecast by a study conducted by the Roma Tre University.
The Vatican said it recorded a steady increase in participation following the death of Pope Francis in April and the election of Leo, a transition that made this Holy Year only the second in history to be opened by one pope and closed by another. In 1700, Pope Innocent XII opened the Jubilee and Pope Clement XI closed it after Innocent’s death.
Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said 110 of the 117 public works projects initially associated with the Jubilee had been completed, including the most audacious: a pedestrian piazza at the end of the Via della Conciliazione boulevard, opposite St. Peter’s Basilica, that required the rerouting of traffic to an underground tunnel.
The design of Piazza Pia, as the square is known, also saw the major point of disagreement between Fisichella and Gualtieri over the two round fountains that frame the view along Conciliazione toward the basilica.
Gualtieri liked the fountains. Fisichella didn’t, but had to put his preferences aside because the piazza is on Italian soil.
“This was probably the only point on which we had to say, laughing and smiling, that we didn’t completely agree,” Fisichella said. “He liked those two fountains, I liked others, but I had to back down.”
Fisichella said he didn’t think the contemporary stone fountains suited a piazza that looks toward the baroque splendor of St. Peter’s Basilica and along the fascist-era architecture of Via della Conciliazione, which was itself created by razing a neighborhood for the 1950 Jubilee.
One year later, Fisichella has gotten used to them but still doesn’t love them.
“I always thought they looked like foot baths,” he said.
Rome’s relationship with Jubilees dates to 1300, when Pope Boniface VIII inaugurated the first Holy Year in what historians say marked the definitive designation of Rome as the center of Christianity.
Even then, the number of pilgrims was so significant that Dante referred to them in his “Inferno.”
Massive public works projects have long accompanied Holy Years, including the creation of the Sistine Chapel, commissioned by Pope Sixtus IV for the Jubilee of 1475, and the big Vatican garage, for the 2000 Jubilee under Pope John Paul II.
Leo has already announced that the next Jubilee will be in 2033, to commemorate what Christians believe was the 33 AD death and resurrection of Christ.
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
Tyler Bates has announced his departure from Marilyn Manson‘s touring band, bringing an end to a decade-long live collaboration while maintaining his creative partnership with the singer in the studio.
Bates — who co-produced and co-wrote 2015’s The Pale Emperor, 2017’s Heaven Upside Down, and 2024’s One Assassination Under God – Chapter 1 — shared the news earlier today via his social media accounts.
“Hello, Good People. Every New Year prompts reflection on all that has transpired and what lies ahead,” wrote Bates. “In light of this, I have decided to conclude my time touring with Marilyn Manson to focus on my artist, film, and television projects.
“I have enjoyed every minute working and performing with my bandmates, Gil Sharone, Reba Meyers, and Matt (Piggy D) Montgomery. They are stellar humans on and off stage. I will miss performing with them for the incredible audiences we met around the planet in support of One Assassination Under God: Chapter One.
“I’m stepping away, but I will be actively supporting the upcoming release of Chapter Two, my fourth album with Manson, which I believe is our finest work together. I wish M, the band, and the crew the best of success and good times moving forward. Thank you, the fans, for your loyalty and support of our new music and performances. I wish you all the very best for a fantastic and peaceful 2026. TB“
Marilyn Manson recently extended his 2026 One Assassination Under God Tour with newly announced spring U.S. shows featuring support from Australian death-pop duo VOWWS. The shows are sandwiched between Manson’s appearances at festivals like Sick New World Las Vegas and Sick New World Texas, as well as Sonic Temple. Get your tickets here.
4/23 Highland CA Yaamava Theater (no VOWWS) 4/25 Las Vegas NV Sick New World (no VOWWS) 5/8 Minneapolis MN The Armory 5/10 Green Bay WI Epic Event Center 5/12 Louisville KY The Louisville Palace Theatre 5/13 Memphis TN Graceland Soundstage 5/15 Nashville TN The Pinnacle 5/16 Columbus OH Sonic Temple (no VOWWS) 10/24 Fort Worth TX Sick New World Texas (no VOWWS)
Marilyn Manson also has the following festivals lined up for 2026 across Europe.
7/4 Viveiro ES Resurrection Fest 7/6 Seville ES Iconica Santalucia Fest 7/8 Nimes FR Festival De Nimes 7/11 Ferrara IT Ferrara Summer Festival 7/13 Bari IT Fiera Del Levante 7/14 Rome IT Roma Summer Festival 7/16 Zagreb HR Zagreb Arena 7/18 Lodz PL Atlas Arena 7/19 Vizovice CZ Masters Of Rock 7/21 Vienna AT Metastadt Open Air 7/22 Budapest HU Budapest Park 7/24 Plovdiv BG Hills of Rock 7/27 Ghimbav RO Rockstadt Extreme Fest
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Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: “Chuck and Tito,” which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.
Happy New Year, everyone! Before we dive into 10 fights I would like to see in 2026, let’s take a look back on how we did in 2025.
All told, the sport came through on five of the 12 matchups I asked for in 2025. Candidly, we missed a few of the bigger ones. My top two hopes were Jon Jones vs. Tom Aspinall and Jones or Aspinall vs. Alex Pereira. None of those options were booked. Instead of a Jones-Aspinall heavyweight title unification bout, we got a secondhand Jones retirement announcement from Dana White in Baku, Azerbaijan, which still feels strange to think back on.
Five out of 12 still isn’t bad, and I’m optimistic more than half of the matchups on this list will be produced this year. Let’s get to it.
This is a controversial top pick, even in my own head. On the one hand, I don’t like this fight for several reasons: Both fighters moved up in weight in 2025 (Makhachev from lightweight to welterweight and Topuria from featherweight to lightweight), and both have deserving challengers in their respective divisions. And if they were to fight at the 170-pound welterweight limit, Makhachev would have a distinct advantage.
But if I close my eyes and truly ask myself which two fighters I would be most excited to see walking out of the tunnel to face one another, it’s these two. Topuria and Makhachev stand alone at the pinnacle of MMA right now. It’s an imperfect fight, but pound-for-pound No. 1 vs. No. 2? Topuria’s confidence, momentum and finishing ability vs. Makhachev’s dominance and Khabib Nurmagomedov in his corner? That has to be the No. 1 fight to book in 2026.
Can you tell I’m a bit high on Makhachev? The way he overwhelmed Jack Della Maddalena to become a two-division champion at UFC 322 in New York is possibly the most impressive thing to happen in 2025. I am all in on Makhachev at 170 pounds. I want to see him fight every single welterweight challenger, and he has said he plans to.
Machado Garry is the most intriguing of those challengers, but for the record, I don’t mind a potential Makhachev vs. Kamaru Usman matchup first. Usman is getting older. If the UFC is ever going to make that fight, it makes sense to do it now. Usman is a legend, and Makhachev wants to fight him. Having said that, I would be most intrigued, stylistically, by Makhachev vs. Machado Garry in 2026.
I’m going to get myself in trouble with the dedicated MMA fan base here, because we’re only three fights into this list, and now I’m calling for a champion with no registered title defenses to move up a weight class.
Here’s the reality of Chimaev: He won’t be a champion who defends his title for years to come. I’d love to see it, and if he wanted his legacy to be that of a long-term champion, we’d all be up for it. But based on conversations with Chimaev in 2025, that’s not happening. He doesn’t love the MMA grind like he used to. He’s not going to be the 2026 version of Merab Dvalishvili, who attempted to defend the belt four times last year. Chimaev wants to move up in search of the biggest fight possible, and ultimately, his days in this sport could be numbered.
It would be phenomenal to see Chimaev challenge 205-pound champion Pereira for his belt, but Pereira has other plans. Depending on how things go, Chimaev vs. Pereira could make this list next year, but for 2026, it’s more likely Pereira moves up to heavyweight, which makes Chimaev’s biggest fight at light heavyweight against Procházka.
From the prefight buildup to the Octagon, this is the kind of fight that isn’t being talked about yet but would turn into one of the biggest fights of the year once booked.
4. Jon Jones vs. Alex Pereira, heavyweight
It actually pains me to include this. I was not in favor of how Jones handled his inactive heavyweight title reign and drawn-out retirement saga, only to reenter the UFC testing pool days later. He should have fought Aspinall in 2025. Period. And if he never intended to fight Aspinall, he shouldn’t have wasted everyone’s time and should have vacated the belt immediately.
Jones is no longer the champion, thus no longer holding up the division, so there’s nothing really standing in the way of a superfight between him and Pereira anymore. Jones should not be rewarded with the fight he wants in 2026 after what he did (and didn’t do) in 2025, but Pereira also wants this fight, and he deserves it.
5. Tom Aspinall vs. Ciryl Gane, heavyweight
While we’re on the heavyweight division, let’s roll right into this rematch. I could make a case for this at No. 1. Stylistically, it’s one of the best title fight matchups the UFC has. We saw that in October, when Gane was having success pressuring Aspinall in the opening round before the now infamous eye poke. We know these fighters can put on a compelling, entertaining fight. Now, we have drama to add to it.
Aspinall is not a natural trash talker, so it takes a lot for him to be publicly shaming Gane for what he believes was an intentional eye poke. There is now real animosity and a psychological element for Aspinall to overcome here. He went from being on top of the heavyweight world, expected to win within seconds, to shouldering outside doubt about his dominance and his courage to compete. He has something to prove again, making this one of the most anticipated fights of the year.
Prates might be the most exciting fighter in the sport right now. Will he fight for a title? Probably. Is his title quest the most interesting thing about him? No. My interest in Prates is not based on him winning a championship. I just love watching this man fight, and I can say the same about Page. Page’s style is unorthodox, and I’ll admit, sometimes it looks a little clunky because it makes his opponents conservative, but it’s a chess, not checkers, style. It’s smart and it’s clean.
Prates is a master at controlling distance, utilizing different weapons at different ranges. Page is a master of never allowing his opponent to know what range he’s in. I would love to see it as a nontitle, five-round main event.
The story of this fight began nearly 10 years ago, when Harrison made her transition to MMA from judo. Out of all the MMA gyms in the world, Harrison just so happened to land in the same gym — American Top Team — as two-division champion and then-future Hall of Famer Nunes. Harrison’s presence and success in MMA are what Nunes said led to her eventually leaving the team during the latter part of her career. And now, Nunes will come out of retirement at UFC 324 on Jan. 24 to challenge Harrison for the women’s bantamweight belt she relinquished when she retired in 2023.
What a story, and what a matchup in general. Nunes always had such an early, first-round killer instinct. Will she still have that at 37 years old and two years removed from competition? If she does, how will Harrison hold up under that kind of firepower? It’s a great fight to kick off the year in women’s MMA and the sport as a whole.
See? It’s not all superfights on this list. If there is one fight that should happen over any other in 2026, it’s this one. Topuria has the UFC’s lightweight belt but is taking time away from competition to begin the year, so Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett are fighting for an interim lightweight title at UFC 324.
But if you were to ask me who the best, most proven lightweight in the world right now is, I would tell you it’s Tsarukyan.
Tsarukyan deserves to be fighting for a UFC championship, and I’d guess he would be favored by oddsmakers to defeat Topuria in a five-round match. If this sport cares about rankings at all anymore, Tsarukyan needs to fight for the undisputed lightweight belt in 2026. And I believe he will.
Like Tsarukyan at lightweight, Evloev needs to be fighting for a UFC title in 2026. He didn’t manage a single appearance in 2025, so it’s hard to campaign for him too aggressively, but what else does he need to prove? He’s 9-0 in the UFC, including a 2023 win over Diego Lopes, who is getting his second title opportunity against Volkanovski in 10 months at UFC 325 on Jan. 31.
Is Evloev the most exciting figure on the mic or in the Octagon? No, he is not. But he is undeniably great. There is one thing that has proven to be a home run in MMA over the past several years: Volkanovski chasing greatness. Volkanovski is constantly welcoming the toughest opponents, and Evloev is his biggest challenge out there now. Volkanovski wants Evloev, and frankly, whatever Volk wants, I want.
It was unfortunate that Van’s title win came as a result of an injury to Alexandre Pantoja, and we’ll eventually need to see Pantoja back in a championship fight, but in the meantime, Van vs.Taira is a fantastic matchup for the men’s flyweight division.
Van is 24 years old; Taira is 25. It is extremely rare for fighters this young to establish themselves at the highest level the way these two did in 2025. Van looked right at home against veterans with far more top-level experience. And the way Taira broke down two-time former champion Brandon Moreno at UFC 323 showed me beyond any doubt that he is title-ready.
You can’t describe either fighter as less than a phenom, and now they’ve simultaneously proven themselves at the top. With all the respect to Pantoja, this would be my most-anticipated flyweight title fight in a long time.
Law enforcement are still working to find a fugitive who has been wanted for more than three years.The Roswell Police Department said 37-year-old Travis Osserman has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor. The alleged female victims were aged 11 and 12 when the alleged acts were committed in 2021.Police also said an arrest warrant was issued for Osserman in August 2022. That came after an investigation by the RPD Criminal Investigations Division.Anyone with information on where to find Osserman are being asked to contact Roswell police at (575) 624-6770.Stay updated on the latest news with the KOAT app. You can download it here.
ROSWELL, N.M. —
Law enforcement are still working to find a fugitive who has been wanted for more than three years.
The Roswell Police Department said 37-year-old Travis Osserman has been charged with two counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor. The alleged female victims were aged 11 and 12 when the alleged acts were committed in 2021.
Police also said an arrest warrant was issued for Osserman in August 2022. That came after an investigation by the RPD Criminal Investigations Division.
Anyone with information on where to find Osserman are being asked to contact Roswell police at (575) 624-6770.
Stay updated on the latest news with the KOAT app. You can download it here.
Ella Langley is one of six country artists chosen to be New Faces of Country Music at Country Radio Seminar in 2026.
The “Choosin’ Texas” singer has seen the most chart success among this larger-than-normal group. Since 2000, five new artists have typically been chosen for the dinner concert; prior to that, 10 or more singers were honored each year.
Country Radio Seminar (CRS) 2026 is scheduled for March 18-20 at the Omni Hotel in Nashville.
The annual industry gathering was established in 1969 and is part educational event, part new music showcase.
Traditionally, the New Faces of Country Music showcase takes place on the final night of CRS.
The six New Faces of Country Music were announced on Monday (Jan. 5). Below is an alphabetical list of the artists announced so far, along with each singer’s best-known song, followed by eligibility requirements.
Kelsey Hart: Kelsey Hart is a Curb Records recording artist who has found radio success with songs such as “Life With You” and “Fireworks.” He also recorded a collaboration with Harper Grace titled “Freedom,” which found success on AC radio.
Ella Langley: Ella Langley is an ACM and CMA Award winner for “You Look Like You Love Me,” her duet with Riley Green. Other well-known songs include “Don’t Mind If I Do,” “Weren’t for the Wind,” and “Choosin’ Texas.”
Chase Matthew: Chase Matthew scored his first No. 1 hit with “Darlin’” in 2025. He’s also part of a Lauren Alaina duet called “All My Exes.”
John Morgan: John Morgan’s best-known song is called “Friends Like That.” It’s a duet with Jason Aldean and was the 19th most-played country song of the year.
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
Jason Kempin, Getty Images
Meghan Patrick: Meghan Patrick scored a 2025 hit on country radio with “Golden Child,” the title-track of her 2024 album. The Canadian singer and songwriter is signed to Riser House Records.
Josh Ross: Canadian singer Josh Ross notched his biggest radio hit in 2025 with a song called “Single Again.” This was the 16th most-played country song of the year.
outlines the criteria for being selected as a New Face of Country Music. The qualification period runs from Nov. 1 through Oct. 31, and an artist cannot have been selected previously.
Artists must have at least one, but no more than five, Top 25 singles on either the Mediabase or Billboard Country Airplay chart during the qualification period. Finalists are determined by votes from full-time country music industry professionals.
The Monday NBA schedule gets underway with a matchup of the top teams in the Eastern Conference as the Detroit Pistons host the New York Knicks. Detroit is atop the East at 26-9 overall, but has lost three of its past five games. New York is 23-12 overall, and is also looking to regain its footing after dropping three straight. New York has covered just once in its past 10 games. Josh Hart (ankle) and Landry Shamet (shoulder) are out for New York. Jalen Duren (ankle) and Tobias Harris (hip) are among the players out for Detroit.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in betting profit for $100 players on its top-rated NBA picks over the past eight-plus seasons. The model enters Week 12 of the 2025-26 NBA season on a sizzling 33-15 roll on top-rated NBA spread picks dating back to last season. Anyone following its NBA betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
After 10,000 simulations of Pistons vs. Knicks, SportsLine’s model is going Under on the total (232.5points). Three of the past four Detroit games have gone Under, while 10 of New York’s 17 road games have hit that side of the total as well. The model is projecting 230 combined points as the Under hits well over 50% of the time!
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) — As Albuquerque Fire Rescue adds a new ladder company to the eight already in operation, they are taking a moment to recognize the department’s stellar maintenance on their fleet of fire trucks. A ladder company truck doesn’t hold water, but instead carries the gear needed to fight fires. The department says getting […]
