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The fighting spilled into the stands at an MMA event in Florida over the weekend -- with punches and chairs thrown everywhere -- and culminated with someone firing a GUN twice!!!

... and TMZ Sports has the unbelievable footage.

Here's the deal ... the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident at the RIZE Fighting Championship event which went down on March 20 at the Bamboo Room in Lake Worth Beach.

The event was promoted as a bantamweight championship match between Alexis Fernandez and Filipe Valentim -- but there was more action in the stands than inside the cage ... when fans started to attack each other!!

Unclear how the brawl started ... but as several groups of people engaged in fighting, one man opened up a bag, pulled out a handgun and fired it into the air -- apparently hoping the gunshot would scare everyone into behaving.

But, watch the clip ... there are people watching the fights on the balcony, directly above the shooter -- and it's a miracle no one was hit!

We heard at least one shot -- but cops say at least TWO shots were fired into the air.

Former Bellator middleweight champ Hector Lombard -- who also fought in the UFC -- was in the crowd at the event and captured the shooting on video.

"This guy just shot his handgun in the middle of a melee at an amateur show," Lombard posted on IG ... "Shameful and pathetic cowardly behavior ruined a great night of fights."

When officials arrived on-scene, paramedics treated multiple individuals who were injured in the brawl portion of the incident.

So far, no arrests have been made -- but officials say they've launched an investigation in hopes of identifying the shooter and finding out why the hell he thought it would be a good idea to pop off a couple of rounds with so many people in close proximity!

"The Simpsons" creator Matt Groening needs to do something about Apu, because the character is the reason many Hindu kids get bullied ... at least according to a Hindu-American org.

Matt's getting pushback from the Hindu American Foundation for his recent comments on Apu -- he told USA Today he's proud of the character, despite HAF and many others claiming Apu is a walking stereotype.

Shereen Bhalla, spokesperson for HAF, tells TMZ ... Apu has been the predominant face in pop culture for the 3 million Hindus living in America, and the character makes the community feel marginalized.

Bhalla also says Apu's bad for kids growing up Hindu, because they may not feel proud of their identity due to Apu being used as a punchline, and she adds ... the stereotypes of him on "The Simpsons" lead to bullying in schools and online.

HAF, the nation's largest advocacy and education organization for Hindu Americans, says there are a few changes Matt could make to address the problem ... like taking longtime Apu voice actor, Hank Azaria's advice to hire an Indian actor to play Apu.

The Easter Bunny's making a comeback of sorts, and this time it doesn't just mean Spring is sprung, it's a sign Americans are getting ready to celebrate Easter like it's 2019 ... for better or worse.

The bellwether in this case -- bunny costume sales, and they're super hot with Easter less than 2 weeks away. A rep at HalloweenCostumes.com, the world's largest costume retailer, tells TMZ ... its Easter category sales are up over 75% year-to-year.

For instance, this time last year -- as the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns were beginning -- the retailer had sold just 49 bunny costumes. This year, with COVID cases flat or dropping in most places, they've sold 171 ... and expect to sell out before Easter, which is April 4.

The easy explanation for biz boomin' is two-fold -- the decrease in cases and the increase in availability of COVID-19 vaccines. Not to mention the loosening of restrictions in many states, and total lack of them in others.

What's more ... the CDC also recently said vaccinated people can visit indoors with unvaccinated people of a single household without masks or social distancing if unvaccinated people are in the low-risk category. Great news for grandma and grandpa heading into the holiday!

Important to note, though, that if no one in your family's been vaccinated, the CDC is still recommending keeping celebrations within your household, and gathering virtually with others. And, of course, outdoor gatherings, if weather permits, are most ideal.

Marco Rubio is worried as hell about unidentified flying objects buzzing over military bases and he's on board with the government getting to the bottom of it.

We got the U.S. Senator from Florida out Monday at Reagan National Airport and asked him about UFOs and aliens. Our intent was a lighthearted convo, but Rubio got dead-ass serious about the potential danger the U.S. faces from unidentified aircraft flying over our military installations.

His argument's simple ... we don't know what's flying above our military bases -- or our not-so-friendly skies, for that matter -- and his colleagues on the Senate Committee on Intelligence need to figure it out because "maybe it's another country, and that would be bad news too."

Luckily for us humans ... the Pentagon's on it after forming a new task force last August to investigate UFOs spotted by U.S. military aircraft. Remember, the Pentagon had already declassified UFO videos they describe as "unexplained aerial phenomena."

And, just last month, an American Airlines pilot flying over New Mexico radioed saying, "I hate to say this, but it looked like a long cylindrical object that almost looked like a cruise-missile type of thing. Moving really fast and went right over the top of us." The FAA later refuted the pilot's sighting ... but it sure makes ya wonder as sightings keep happening.

Illinois artist Jessica Rickleff was in her early 20s when she became famous as the blonde and pink-haired punker babe Jes -- who beats out Heather Chadwell to win Bret Michaels' heart -- in the original season on VH1's "Rock Of Love" back in 2007.

Jes shared the rockin' reality show screen with some legendary ladies including Cindy Steedle as the cougar "Rodeo," Lacey Conner as the trouble-making villain ... and of course Heather Chadwell as the second place babe.

"Rock Of Love" lasted for three seasons total but made a lasting impression in that short time and even spurred the spin-off "Daisy Of Love" with season two contestant Daisy de la Hoya.

Boxing superstar Gervonta Davis just got socked with 14 criminal charges stemming from a Nov. 2020 hit-and-run crash that injured FOUR people -- and now he's facing more than 7 YEARS in prison.

The undefeated knockout artist is suspected of being the driver of the 2020 Lamborghini Urus which allegedly blew through a red light and slammed into a Toyota on Nov. 5 ... just days after Gervonta's huge knockout win over Leo Santa Cruz.

Davis -- who turned 26 on Nov. 7 -- was reportedly celebrating his birthday at a nearby nightclub in South Baltimore before the incident.

Now, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office announced it's moving forward with 14 counts against Davis, including 4 counts of "failure to immediately return and remain at scene of accident involving bodily injury."

He's also facing charges for failure to report an accident, driving on a suspended/revoked license, failure to stop at a red light and more.

If convicted of all charges, Davis faces a potential maximum of 7 YEARS and 55 days in prison.

Prosecutors say they've obtained surveillance footage from a nearby store that shows the Lamborghini "collide directly into the store’s fence and the driver, was allegedly identified by witnesses as Gervonta Davis."

And, what's worse ... officials say witnesses say Davis and his passenger were seen gathering items from the Lambo and moving them to a getaway car that drove them away from the crash scene.

Officials say they have footage that backs that up too!

"The defendant and the unidentified female passenger were captured on camera leaving from the scene in the Camaro," prosecutors say.

State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby says four people were hospitalized as a result of the crash ... but they're expected to be okay.

"Fortunately, the victims in this case were able to survive this alleged hit and run collision with recoverable injuries despite the potential for a far worst scenario," Mosby said.

"My office will continue to do our part to hold reckless drivers accountable when their harmful actions put innocent lives in jeopardy."

Davis -- who was Floyd Mayweather's protege -- is considered one of the top boxers in the sports at the moment ... racking up an impressive 24-0 record as a pro with victories over guys like Yuriorkis Gamboa and José Pedraza.

But. outside the ring, he's had a ton of legal problems ...

Remember, Davis was arrested back in February 2020 for roughing up his ex-girlfriend at a celebrity basketball game in an incident captured on video.

He was also arrested for assault back in 2017 after allegedly punching a friend. The charge was later dropped.

NBA YoungBoy is in FBI custody after LAPD cops pulled him over and tracked him down when he allegedly attempted to flee the scene.

We're told the bust went down Monday ... LAPD and the feds attempted to pull over a vehicle NBA YoungBoy was in because he has an outstanding federal warrant. That set off a short pursuit -- but once the car stopped, cops say the rapper bolted on foot.

Our law enforcement sources tell us the cops set up a perimeter and brought in a K-9 to help find YoungBoy. BTW, we're told the police dog didn't bite him -- but did sniff him out.

We're told the cops found a firearm in the vehicle -- unclear if that belongs to YoungBoy, but we know the feds have him now.

We've reached out to his camp, but no word back yet.

Bracket busted and need a new one?? President Barack Obama's autographed entry from the 2012 NCAA men's tournament is hitting the auction block ... and it's got a $10,000 starting bid!!

Of course, Obama is a huge fan of hoops ... and loves to share his March Madness picks for all to see -- for better or worse.

This particular bracket is from when #44 teamed up with ESPN's Adam Katz to fill out his "office pool" entry back in 2012 ... and the whole thing was recorded for a segment called "BARACK-ETOLOGY."

Barack shared his picks live on the network ... channeling his inner Dick Vitale and explaining why he thought he had the perfect bracket.

Obama's bracket was filled out on a 63 by 36-inch whiteboard (which has since been framed) -- and after he made his picks, Barack signed it with a pen.

FYI, Obama's bracket was anything but perfect -- he picked North Carolina to win it all. Instead, Anthony Davis and the Kentucky Wildcats took home the title that season.

While BO's autographed bracket was busted, it's clearly a collector's item -- and will now go to the highest bidder courtesy of Goldin Auctions ... with bids starting at $10,000.

But, let's get real ... Obama memorabilia is always in high demand and with the sports collectibles market exploding in recent months, this thing could easily hit the 6-figure mark.

Bidding starts Tuesday ... good luck!!

Marco Rubio says Miami Beach looks "unsafe" with all the spring breakers, but he still wants folks to come and have a good time ... as long as it can be done without violence.

We got the U.S. Senator at Reagan National Airport in D.C. Monday and asked him about the state of emergency for Miami Beach, which is struggling to maintain law, order and COVID safety ... amid a flood of partygoers.

Marco admits the videos of spring breakers flooding the streets and breaking the 8 PM curfew is not a good look and unsafe. As he put it, "It's never a good look when you're throwing chairs and tearing the place up" -- but he's also blaming that chaos on just a few bad apples.

Despite thousands of arrests, including 2 men busted for allegedly drugging and raping a woman who later died in a hotel ... Marco says people should still spend their spring break dollars in Miami, if they can do so without getting out of control.

As for a possible super-spreader event -- which Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber has said is a concern -- Sen. Rubio's brushing that off, and told us why he thinks most of the South Beach revelers won't get sick.

Not sure about his logic, but what's clear is the Senator is trying to walk the line between health and economic concerns in his constituency.

Kylie Jenner is clearing the air on her GoFundMe controversy ... she says she was just trying to help an old friend pay medical bills and his family's glad she did.

The billionaire broke her silence Monday after catching tons of heat over the weekend for promoting a GoFundMe for celeb makeup artist Samuel Rauda. Lots of folks dragged her for only donating $5,000, while pushing others to make their own contributions.

Kylie confirms what we first reported ... Sam worked with her back in the day, and he's friends with her current MUA, Ariel.

KJ says she doesn't have a personal relationship with Sam anymore and called Ariel to find out what happened to him. Kylie says when she learned of Sam's accident, she went to his GFM and saw it was at $6,000 so she kicked in $5k to send it over the original benchmark.

Kylie says she posted the link to the GFM on her IG stories to make more people aware of it. It was all a good thing, and she doesn't know why people took it the wrong way.

She says Sam's family reached out to her through Ariel and they're "very appreciative of all the donations, prayers and love towards Sam."

Kylie's encouraging folks to stay positive and keep Sam and his fam in their thoughts and prayers.

Bobby Brown's son, Bobby Jr., died after ingesting a deadly cocktail of drugs ... this according to his autopsy report.

The L.A. County Medical Examiner's Office just released its findings -- and according to the document, obtained by TMZ, the autopsy and toxicology found a deadly combo of alcohol, cocaine and fentanyl.

The report also says a witness told police Bobby Jr. had downed tequila and snorted half a Percocet and the cocaine. The manner of death is listed as accidental.

We broke the story ... Bobby Jr. was found dead at just 28 years old in his L.A. area home in November. Cops reported there was no foul play involved, and our law enforcement sources told us no drugs were found at the scene either.

Bobby's family said he was not feeling well in the days leading up to his death and was experiencing flu-like symptoms. However, a family source told us he did not have COVID-19.

Beer isn't just for drinking at Spring Training -- it may also have SAVED A LIFE!!

Check out these incredible photos showing the moment an MLB player smashed a line drive foul ball directly into a fan's beer can during a Spring Training game this weekend -- causing a massive liquid explosion!

It all went down in the 2nd inning of the Angels vs. A's game Saturday at Diablo Stadium in Tempe -- when A's catcher Sean Murphy stepped up to the plate and smacked a laser beam toward 3rd base.

A quick-thinking fan used his beer can as a shield to protect himself and his lady friend from getting hit by the ball -- and photographer Mark Rebilas managed to snap some pics right at the moment of impact!!!

The good news ... the fan and his friend weren't hurt.

The bad news ... those stadium beers are pricey as hell -- and judging by the explosion, it was a pretty full can!

But, more good news ... the Angels did the right thing and sent the fan FOUR MORE BEERS along with an autographed Mike Trout bat.

Bonus points for sending the beers over in a bag of ice to keep 'em cold!

Krispy Kreme is offering a sweet reward for folks who get vaccinated against COVID-19 ... free donuts!!!

The nationwide donut chain says folks with valid COVID vaccination cards can snag a free Original Glazed donut just by showing proof of the shots ... and the offer's good every day for the rest of the year.

Think about it, a free donut every time you step into a Krispy Kreme with your vaccination card ... this may be a more effective way to get people vaccinated than celebrity endorsements.

Remember, former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter joined forces to encourage Americans to get COVID-19 vaccines ASAP ... but they weren't offering free donuts!

Krispy Kreme says the freebies are good at all of their 369 shops across 41 states with no purchase necessary ... ya just gotta visit the store in person or drive-thru.

NBA legend Elgin Baylor -- one of the greatest basketball players of all time -- has passed away of natural causes, the Los Angeles Lakers announced Monday. He was 86.

Baylor was selected with the first overall pick to the Minneapolis Lakers in 1958 ... and spent his entire 14-year career with the franchise.

The 6'5" forward won Rookie of the Year in 1959 ... and was named All-Star Game MVP that same year.

Baylor was an 11-time All Star and 10-time First Team All-NBA selection for the Lakers. He was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1977 ... and his #22 jersey was retired in 1983.

Baylor was also honored with a statue outside Staples Center in 2018.

Baylor ranks as one of the greatest to ever don the Purple & Gold -- he's ranked 4th in points scored, 1st in total rebounds and 6th in assists.

Baylor went on to coach the New Orleans Jazz from 1974-1979 after his playing days ... and later spent 22 years as GM of the Los Angeles Clippers, earning Executive of the Year honors in 2006.

Elgin's wife, Elaine, released a statement on his passing ... saying, "Elgin was the love of my life and my best friend."

"And like everyone else, I was in awe of his immense courage, dignity and the time he gave to all fans."

Lakers governor Jeanie Buss added ... "Elgin was THE superstar of his era - his many accolades speak to that."

"He was one of the few Lakers players whose career spanned from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. But more importantly he was a man of great integrity, even serving his country as a U.S. Army reservist, often playing for the Lakers only during his weekend pass."

"He will always be part of the Lakers legacy. On behalf of the entire Lakers family, I’d like to send my thoughts, prayers and condolences to Elaine and the Baylor family."

Baylor is survived by his wife, children and sister.

Welp, sounds like Mike Tyson vs. Evander Holyfield is dead ... Evander's camp says negotiations for a 3rd fight between the boxing legends have fallen apart.

"We thought this was a done deal but it quickly fell apart when Tyson’s people declined all offers,” Kris Lawrence said.

"We were negotiating in good faith all along and it appears we just ended up wasting our time."

As we previously reported, 54-year-old Tyson announced on his podcast last week that he'll be returning to the ring on May 29 in a massive event at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Tyson didn't name his opponent -- but all signs pointed to his old nemesis, 58-year-old Evander Holyfield.

Now, Evander's camp confirms the two sides were in serious talks -- "intense negotiations for several months" -- but the deal ultimately went south.

"Team Holyfield sincerely believed a deal was imminent, especially after the Hard Rock threw its support behind the project, and there were multiple other offers conveyed to Team Tyson," Holyfield's camp said in a statement.

"However, Team Tyson’s demands recently became untenable, and not what Mike Tyson had originally agreed on in direct conversations with Holyfield."

Our sources tell us ... Evander claims he personally spoke with Mike on the phone early on in negotiations and they agreed to a 50/50 split on profit.

But, things changed ... with Evander's camp claiming Team Tyson simply wanted a bigger cut.

Holyfield's team says they tried to make a deal in which Tyson would get a guaranteed $25 mil for the fight -- but Mike turned it down.

Now, it seems both sides are at loggerheads -- and willing to walk away from the deal.

Our sources on the Holyfield side tell us Evander still wants to fight -- if Mike's people will come back to the table with a better offer.

So, there's still hope ... but right now, it's not looking good.