Thomas Greiss over the past two weeks and has reportedly asked for a trade t

LONDON -- When the judo events kick off at the Rio de Janeiro games, the home team will send out a defending Olympic champion on the first day of competition.With five other top-ranked judoka on its Olympic team, Brazil has a particularly strong home advantage. Although judo has traditionally been dominated by the Japanese, who created the modern martial art, the combat sport has become truly universal. That means the Japanese team, which won only a single gold medal at London in its worst-ever Olympic showing -- is no longer the favorite.Marius Vizer, president of the International Judo Federation, said he expects to see more unexpected winners at Rio.I think Mongolia will be the big surprise of the Olympic games, he said. Vizer also noted strong fighters from the U.S., Greece, Georgia, France, Russia, Cuba and South Korea. There will also be two refugee competitors, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, competing under the International Olympic Committee flag.Vizer said some rule changes to judo -- including the outlawing of leg grabs -- were made to distinguish the sport from others like wrestling and will hopefully inspire more fighters to attempt the big throws judo is known for. Fights can be won instantly if judoka flip their opponents flat on their back with considerable force and speed.While some have criticized the rule changes arguing that they favor the Japanese style of judo, which focuses on throws rather than the groundwork component of judo, Vizer said the tweaks are necessary to modernize the sport.Countries with a strong wrestling tradition, such as those in Eastern Europe and Brazil, have typically produced judo fighters who win once judo fighters end up on the ground. Thats when competitors struggle to either pin their opponents for 20 seconds or force them to tap out by applying a stranglehold or an armbar, a move where the limb is hyperextended to the point it might break.RETURNING STARFrenchman Teddy Riner is simply the most successful judoka of all time. The 27-year-old heavyweight has won a record eight world championship titles, five European titles and two Olympic medals, including a gold at the London games. At 6-foot-8 inches, Riner strikes an imposing figure on the judo mat but moves surprisingly fast for a heavyweight. Riner tends to dominate by throwing his big right arm over his opponents head to take control of the fight, and very few of his competitors have been able to prevent Riner from securing a dominant grip on their uniforms.BEST RIVALRYAfter becoming the first American to win a judo gold medal, Kayla Harrison will be looking to defend her title in Rio. Her biggest roadblock might be longtime rival Brazilian Mayra Aguiar, who defeated Harrison at a Paris competition earlier this year with a match-ending throw. The two have now fought 16 times -- and split the victories evenly. At a world cup final in Sao Paolo several years ago where Harrison won over Aguiar on penalties, she was booed by the local crowd. Harrison described Brazilian judo fans as wild after the experience. Good thing I dont speak Portuguese, because if I did, I might cry.OLYMPIAN EFFORTTwo judoka athletes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo will be fighting as part of the IOC refugee team in Rio. Yolande Bukasa Mabika will be competing in the womens 70-kilogram division and Popole Misenga will be fighting in the mens 90-kilogram division. The two are currently training in Brazil. Misenga sought asylum in Brazil when he arrived to compete in the world championships being held there and credits the technical training he has received with making him a better fighter.You cant let people think that just because they are refugees, they have to stop what theyre doing, he said. Even though they are refugees, they need to continue practicing their sport.---Rachel Cohen in New York contributed to this report. Wholesale Penguins Jerseys . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Pittsburgh Penguins Store . The No. 1-ranked Nadal tweaked his back warming up for the Australian Open final, which he lost almost four weeks ago in a major upset against Stanislas Wawrinka. His first stop after the layoff is the clay in Rio as he tests the back and tries to stay healthy for the French Open in three months. https://www.cheappenguinsjersey.com/ . After the whistle, Thornton skated the length of the ice, pulled Orpik to the ice from behind and punched him in the face several times. Custom Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys . Vaives lawyer Trevor Whiffen claims the former 50-goal man wasnt provided with a copy of the claim beforehand and that he would not have agreed to the allegations made against the NHL had he been asked to review its contents. Penguins Jerseys 2020 .Y. -- Marcell Dareus and the Buffalo Bills defence made life miserable for Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco. NEW YORK -- The Edmonton Oilers got back on the winning track with the type of gritty play that had helped them get off to a fast start this season;Mark Letestu scored the only goal in the shootout to lift Edmonton to a 4-3 victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday night.Letestu beat Islanders goalie Jaroslav Halak to the glove side to snap the Oilers three-game skid (0-2-1) after starting the season with seven wins in eight games.Patrick Maroon, Leon Draisaitl, and Milan Lucic scored in regulation for the Oilers, and Cam Talbot made 30 saves as Edmonton beat the Islanders on the road for the first time since December 1999. The Oilers fell behind 2-0 early, then trailed 3-2 in the second.It was a gutsy win, Letestu said. It showed the guys are willing to stick with it, no matter the circumstances. We played a smart game.Nick Leddy, Shane Prince and Casey Cizikas scored for New York, and Halak finished with 20 saves. The Islanders (4-6-2) have lost three straight, including the last two in shootouts.The bounces arent going our way, Halak said.Halak denied Jordan Eberle point-blank early in overtime before Talbot made a similar sprawling save at the other end.Cizikas put the Islanders ahead 3-2 with 8:42 left in the second, picking a rebound in front of Talbot and snapping the puck into the net for his second goal of the season.Lucic tied it with a power-play goal with 3:10 left in the period with his fifth of the season.The Islanders had more chances in the scoreless third, outshooting the Oilers 11-7 and holding a 29-18 overall edge into overtime.We competed and played hard, Islanders coach Jack Capuano said. The puck luck is just not going our way.The Islanders had a power-play chance in the third when Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse was sent off for high-sticking at 9:43. But the Islanders didnt muster much of an attack as murmuring boos were heard at Barclays Center.Talbot had to work harder in the period. He stopped Prince twice from in close and denied Cal Clutterbuck point-blank two times as well.Tonight didnt start as we wanted to but we did a great job battling back, Talbot said. Both sides had a lot of great chances. Halak made some great saves, too.Halak, who has been splitting time with backup Thomas Greiss over the past two weeks and has reportedly asked for a trade to alleviate a three-goalie logjam on the roster, was shaky as the Oilers scored three times ib 11 shots over the first 40 minutes.ddddddddddddThe Islanders began the night with a new-look line for the opening faceoff with captain John Tavares centering Clutterbuck and Josh Bailey and the trio paid immediate dividends.Leddy took a cross-ice pass from Clutterbuck and rifled the puck past Talbot for his second goal of the season just 13 seconds in.Prince made it 2-0 at 5:49, picking up a loose puck and snapping it past Talbot for his third goal of the season. Dennis Seidenberg also assisted to extend his points streak to four games. The veteran defenseman has four goals and four assists on the season.The Islanders clearly had more jump early against the speedy Oilers, who led by their teenage phenom Connor McDavid and were coming off a 5-3 loss against the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. New York held a 7-1 shots on goal advantage at the seven-minute mark.The Islanders needed the quick start, coming off two frustrating home losses, a 3-2 shootout defeat to Philadelphia on Thursday and a 6-1 drubbing by Tampa Bay on Tuesday.However, the quick-skating Oilers answered at 8:22 of the first when Maroon deflected a soft shot from the right point by rookie defenseman Matthew Benning past Halak for his fourth goal this season.Draisaitl tied it with a power-play goal with 7:47 left in the period for his third.We weathered the storm, Oilers coach Todd McLellan said, recalling his teams visit to Brooklyn last season when they lost 8-1. It wasnt pretty but we found a way.Game notes The Islanders came in with a nine-game home winning streak against the Oilers. Edmontons last road victory over the Islanders was a 4-2 triumph at Nassau Coliseum on Dec. 14, 1999. ... Islanders D Travis Hamonic didnt return after sustaining an upper-body injury in the first period.UP NEXTOilers: At Detroit on Sunday in the fourth game of a five-game trip.Islanders: Host Vancouver on Monday night. ' ' '