As soon as Leeds United secured Premier League safety on a dramatic final day of the soccer season, the West Yorkshire club announced the signing of long-term target Brenden Aaronson. The 21-year-old is expected to slot straight into the first team and breath some life into a misfiring attack.

This is not only a good move for the player, but it’s also a promising sign for the USA men’s national team. There are various new players gaining vital experience in Europe now, and this will help the side’s chances in the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.

The Latest USA Player to Grace the Premier League

There have been 48 USA internationals in the Premier League up to now, but it’s hard to think of many names that have set the division alight. The most notable player in recent years is Christian Pulisic, but his time with Chelsea has been plagued with injuries. When fit, however, he’s usually one of the first names on the team sheet under Thomas Tuchel.

Tim Howard and Brad Friedel are the most familiar faces to English soccer fans, and both spent over a decade in the English top tier. There’s also Clint Dempsey, who scored 50 goals for Fulham in 189 league appearances.

Aaronson is one of the latest players to cut their teeth in the MLS and then move to Europe to gain more experience. The Medford-born player spent a season and a half at Red Bull Salzburg, establishing himself as a first-team regular and cropping up with vital goals and assists in the Austrian Bundesliga and Champions League.

The promising soccer player drew the attention of Leeds because of his intense work rate and high-pressing style. His attributes were identified by former manager Marcelo Bielsa, and he also fits perfectly into Jesse Marsch’s system. He appears to be an upgrade on all the players that Leeds currently have in his position and he could have an extremely bright future ahead of him.

Aaronson’s Signing Likely to Allure More American Fans to Leeds

Aaronson’s move is likely to be beneficial from a commercial standpoint for Leeds and the USMNT. There’s no doubt that his and Marsch’s presence will draw more American fans to support Leeds. That will also be helped by the interest of the San Francisco 49ers, who currently own a 44 percent stake in the Elland Road club.

American soccer fans can already place outright bets on United’s fortunes in the upcoming season and can speculate over whether Aaronson’s arrival will help push them up the table. At the time of writing, Leeds can be found at around 4/1 to finish in the top half. Obviously, American odds in the moneyline format are preferred by American bettors, where they’d be transcribed as +400. This is arguably easier to understand, as they are written with a plus or a minus symbol. This indicates the amount you need to wager to win $100 or the amount you would win for every $100 staked. For example, if it’s +400 you win $400 if you stake $100. For gamers who are interested, the website explains this betting method and others.

Along with bringing more American eyes to Leeds and the Premier League, Aaronson’s move will increase interest in the USMNT among the West Yorkshire fanbase. These supporters didn’t have a reason to watch American soccer before but may now show a keener interest in the fortunes of their new player and his teammates.

Other American Players Making Waves in Europe

The great news for American soccer is that Aaronson isn’t the only up-and-coming player who is gaining vital experience in the top leagues of Europe. In the past, the USMNT was mainly made up of MLS stars. With the North American league notoriously being of a lower standard than European divisions, this has been detrimental to progress on the world stage. This could be set to change, though.

Tyler Adams is another well-known name in Europe, and the defensive midfielder has become a mainstay in the center of the park for RB Leipzig. Timothy Weah is one of the most exciting prospects for the future of American soccer, and he’s currently plying his trade for Lille in Ligue 1. There are plenty of others on different teams and top divisions too.

Leeds fans will be excited to see their new $30 million signing terrorizing defenses in the English top flight. If Aaronson can hit the ground running, he could usher in a new era at Elland Road and have the Whites looking up the league table. The player will also gain vital skills that he can bring to the world stage for the USMNT. 

Both UFC and Pro Wrestling are fighting duels popular in the US. They are similar in many ways; however, differences also exist. 

UFC or Ultimate Fighting Championships was established in 1993 to manage and host MMA tournaments. On the other hand, the WWE is a form of entertainment with activities carefully scripted. 

WWE is popular among wrestlers, thanks to the high compensation to winners. For example, top wrestlers earn up to $1 million a year. 

Because of the disparities in payment, many UFC players have crossed over to WWE. Let’s take a look at UFC fighters who have crossed over to pro wrestling.

Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar is a professional wrestler, former Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter, and footballer. The 44-year-old wrestler joined MMA in 2007 and signed up with UFC a year later. He won the UFC heavyweight championship in 2009. 

Brock has had four victories but lost three times during his time in the UFC. He first appeared in WWE in 2002 at only 25 years and had a short stint of two years. In a move that surprised the WWE fraternity, Brock walked away from a lucrative seven-year contract worth $45 million in 2004. However, he came back during the 2020 SummerSlam 2020 PPV match. 

Currently, WWE no longer advertises Brock for WrestleMania Backlash. However, they still promote him for Money in the Bank 2022. Therefore, he is still a pro wrestler with WWE. 

Matt Riddle

Matt Riddle is a 36-year-old professional wrestler and a former MMA. He is under a WWE contract where he makes appearances on the Raw Brand. 

Matt Riddle made his debut in the UFC in 2008, and at 22, he was among the wrestlers who fought during the Ultimate Fighter season. After two failed drug tests, he parted ways with UFC in 2013. 

In 2014, he started training for pro wrestling where he performed a year later. He then became the Monster Factory Heavyweight Championship winner. 

In 2015, he joined the WWN for the Evolve performances and in 2016, he made a debut for Pro Wrestling Guerrilla(PWG).

In 2018, there were reports that Riddle signed with WWE and the same year, he made appearances at NXT TakeOver-Brooklyn IV. 

He has competed in stellar performances in the Royal Rumble, SmackDown, Tag Team Champions, and Elimination Chamber matches. 

Junior Dos Santos

Junior Dos Santos is a 38-year-old Brazilian MMA wrestler and professional wrestler. He made his star appearance in UFC in 2008 when he defeated Fabricio Werdum in the first round. 

In 2021, he made appearances in All Elite Wrestling(AEW), supporting American Top Team boss Dan Lambert. 

Presently, he has made appearances for AEW in 30 competitions, where 21 were wins, 15 knockouts, and one by submission.

He's a part of Khabib Nurmagomedov's Eagle FC.10 Mar 2022, an MMA promotion company.

Conclusion

Despite top wrestlers moving to pro wrestling, UFC sport odds and sponsorship deals have increased the sport's popularity. As the numbers continue rising, so will the revenues. With better payments for the wrestlers, there may be fewer crossovers in the future.

If you are a regular sports player or even somebody who is just starting off taking part in sporting activities, it may well be the case that you would like to increase your competitiveness levels. Well, there are plenty of different ways in which you can do this, and it is certainly worth thinking about them in a higher level of detail. This way, you can really compete at your highest level and achieve the goals that you have set out for yourself. Check out this list of ways that you can boost your own competitiveness in sports. 

Set Realistic Goals for Yourself 

First of all, you are going to need to set out some realistic goals for yourself that you can work towards. When it comes to goal setting, you need to work on making your goals stretch you just enough without getting to the stage where they are out of reach and you are never going to achieve them. You should also be thinking about how you can take a step-by-step approach to your goals rather than just setting one big goal that appears like it is totally out of reach. 

Watch Your Favourite Sports and Players 

Next up on the list, there is certainly going to be a lot that you are able to learn from watching your favourite sports teams and players. This way, you are really going to be able to emulate what they are doing, as well as taking steps towards boosting your overall levels of enthusiasm and inspiration. In fact, there is a lot to be gained from watching all types of competitive endeavor, and you can certainly include esports as a central part of this list. You can even bet on League of Legends at Thunderpick if you are already a major esports fan. 

Get a Coach 

Another potential option that you can make the most of is to get a coach of your own. This way, they are going to be able to provide you with much more of a sense of direction in terms of what you are able to accomplish. At the same time, you could also look to get a workout partner or somebody you are close to who is going to push you on to achieve even greater heights. The opportunity to have a sense of friendly competition alongside somebody else can really prove to be highly appealing in so many different ways.

Celebrate Your Wins 

When you eventually get to the stage in which you are reaching your goals, this is your chance to start to celebrate your wins. This is an excellent opportunity to have a little treat for yourself. If it is something that helps you in your endeavors, such as buying an extra piece of sports equipment, this is even better. 

All of these factors can really make all the difference in terms of you being able to boost your overall levels of competitiveness in sports.

Most of us in the United States are fairly new to sports betting. With the exception of betting on horse racing and in Nevada, most sports betting has been illegal across the country since 1992. But that’s all changed now, and it’s an exciting new era for bettors.

The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) became a federal law in 1992. There had always been an undercurrent of anti-betting feeling in some of the more conservative parts of the country and the involvement of organized crime in bookmaking gave them a reason to ban betting.

Betting has always been big business in other countries, most importantly the United Kingdom. Americans were able to see that bookmakers and betting shops could be run as legitimate businesses by major corporations. Seeing the taxable revenue it generated helped the government warm up to it too!

In 2018, the Supreme Court decided to overturn PASPA and gave each state the right to decide for itself whether or not to allow sports betting. Most have already passed legislation allowing it or are moving in that direction. Some states only allow online betting, others only allow in-person, and some allow both.

Online sportsbooks have quickly become the most popular way to place bets on sports. Many of the best sportsbooks don’t just provide a platform to bet on, they also offer ways to improve the experience, including features such as betting guides, up to date sports info and interviews, and hot tips.

Online sports books are also attractive because they offer promotions for new and loyal returning customers. Some of these bonuses increase the impact of your initial deposit. One of the most popular of these bonuses is deposit matching.

There’s no way to guarantee a win when you’re betting on sports. There are, however, ways to improve your odds. Here are five tips you can follow to take your sports betting skills to the next level.

Focus on one sport

If you’re just casually placing a bet from time to time, it doesn’t matter how many different sports you bet on. If you plan on becoming a more serious bettor, however, focusing on only one sport is important. It allows you to dedicate plenty of time to studying the stats and latest news on the teams and players.

Of course, you can still put the occasional bet on a big game or when your favorite team is playing, but you should only focus seriously on one sport. Otherwise, you risk spreading your attention too thin and that can lead to making poorly informed bets that don’t pay off.

Know that sport very, very well

If you want to succeed at sports betting, knowing the ins and outs of the sport and all of the team and player stats is essential. It’s not enough to just know about the quarterback and a few players on your favorite team.

If you only focus on the obvious stars, you’ll miss the potential future hall of famers like Minnesota Vikings’ Linebacker Eric Kendricks. Players like Kendricks can slip under a lot of people’s radars and then have a huge impact on the outcome of the game.

The more you know, the less likely you are to be surprised — and have your bets thrown off — by what lesser-known players are capable of.

Take the time to learn the basics

Your first time reading an odds page can feel a bit like you’re reading something in a foreign language. There are pluses and minuses and rows of numbers. There are experts talking about the moneyline, over/unders and parlays. There are decimals or fractions, and it can all get a bit confusing.

Instead of just betting based on who your favorite team is or based on how your friends are betting, take the time to learn the basics. Once you understand how to read the odds and interpret tips, you can make better betting decisions.

Set a budget and stick to it

Making a budget and sticking to it is an important part of becoming a successful better. Both parts are equally important since having a budget you’re happy to ignore is basically the same as not having a budget at all.

Only betting a set amount of money that you’re comfortable losing keeps betting from becoming a stressful problem. If you can just have fun betting, there’s less pressure on you. With less pressure, you don’t have to make risky bets to recoup losses, you can focus on making smart bets.

Be strategic

There is no surefire formula for betting success. If there was, the industry probably would have died out decades ago after all. There are, however, different strategies that you can employ to potentially maximize, or at the very least protect, your investment.

The best tactic is to experiment with different strategies until you find the one that works best for you. Hedging your bets is the classic strategy used to protect your investment. When you hedge your bets, you place money on both sides of the bet, with the amount reflecting the odds.

Betting against the public is a strategy for experienced bettors who have developed the ability to judge the odds and tell when the line has been shifted too far to draw in any more money. One strategy to avoid is the Martingale - because the potential losses would vastly outweigh the winnings, which would be more frequent but much smaller.