National Sports

TORONTO — UFC president Dana White has had more than a few challenging personalities on his roster over the years. UFC middleweight champion Sean (Tarzan) Strickland may take the cake.

CALGARY — The Calgary Stampeders have re-signed American defensive lineman Julian Howsare, the CFL club announced Friday. The five-year veteran was slated to become a free agent next month.

KITZBUEHEL, Austria (AP) — French skier Cyprien Sarrazin crowned his breakthrough season in speed races Friday by winning the first of this weekend’s two World Cup downhills on the storied Streif in Kitzbuehel.

ZAŌ, Japan — Canadian ski jumper Alexandria Loutitt returned to the World Cup podium with a bronze-medal performance on Friday. The 20-year-old from Calgary posted a two-jump total of 216.

OTTAWA — Shane Pinto is one step closer to resuming his NHL career.

Canada Soccer has extended Mauro Biello's run as interim men's national team coach through the Copa America qualifier in March.

OTTAWA — Warren Craney is back as head coach of the Canadian men's junior football team. Carney was named to the post on Friday by Football Canada.

TORONTO — The NHL has passed the halfway point of its schedule. All-star festivities are set for early next month in Toronto. Teams are making moves in the standings.

TORONTO — Winnipeg's Jerin Valel is one of four Canadian referees working Saturday night at UFC 297 in Toronto. A look at his routine: Referees like Valel are hired and supervised by the local commission, not the promoter.

TORONTO — With nine homegrown fighters on the 12-fight card, Canada is well represented at UFC 297. It's the same for the referees. Four of the six working Saturday night are Canadian in Jerin Valel, Todd Anderson, Brian E.