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Jon Jones LOVED the first fight between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov -- but tells TMZ Sports if they run it back, expect another long night for the Irishman.

It's no secret Conor desperately wants a second crack at Khabib after he tapped out at UFC 229 back in Oct. 2018. Khabib recently said he has no interest in giving that "idiot" a rematch.

But, chances are it's more likely to happen than not -- so we asked Jon Jones who he'd pick if they do it again.

"If I would put my money on it, I'm definitely going with Khabib," Jones said ... "For sure."

"I think the cards are always kind of in Khabib's hands. But, Conor definitely has a chance."

Jon says he believes wrestlers typically have the advantage since they can dictate if the fight goes to the mat or not -- and obviously, Khabib has the superior ground game.

Former 112 singer Quinnes "Q" Parker is rocking with old label mate Mase when it comes to challenging Diddy over unfair contracts, and says their old boss should do more and talk less.

Q was out in Washington, D.C. when he gave us his take on Mase putting Diddy on blast -- calling him a hypocrite for his Grammys speech about demanding the record industry treat black artists better.

Of course, Q's group 112 got its big break on Diddy's Bad Boy Records in the late '90s -- and he told us he signed an identical contract like the one that has Mase so heated.

On the one hand, Q -- who left 112 in 2018 -- warns all artists about putting pen to paper on all contracts. He even admits, legally speaking, Puffy (he still uses the '90s nickname) did nothing wrong to 112 or Mase in getting them to sign deals that were pretty standard back then.

Buuut, check out why he also sees Mase's argument. As we reported ... Diddy called on black artists to take back control of their art. Mase fired back, claiming Diddy keeps his own artists "enslaved."

It's only a matter of time before someone turns Kobe Bryant's story into a major Hollywood blockbuster ... according to Ron Howard, who says the guy had a life fit for the big screen.

Howard is one of the most powerful people in the movie industry -- he recently worked closely with NBA superstar Dwyane Wade for a new documentary that's about to drop.

So, we had to ask if he'd consider working on a Black Mamba project at some point down the road and Howard says he's definitely intrigued.

"If given the opportunity under the right set of circumstances, sure. Without a doubt," Howard said.

One of the biggest issues surrounding a possible Kobe movie is the timing -- Ron says working with the family would be crucial, but they're still reeling from the tragedy and need to grieve before jumping into a movie.

Ron says whoever ultimately tells Kobe's story needs to be especially sensitive about that.

Besides being one of the greatest basketball players of all time, Howard says Kobe was a great guy, an emerging artist and a promising entrepreneur who was about to do some BIG things before his tragic death.

As we previously reported, Kobe was a part-owner of the UFC, was deeply involved in the tech industry and was making big moves in entertainment after winning an Oscar for his animated short film "Dear Basketball."

RIP.

Don't let these two almost-identical images of Kathryn Newton throw you off! Keep your cool since there aren't any big lies to uncover here, just a few sneaky switches that have been made to this pic!

The young actress has been making her rounds this award season and was last spotted in Beverly Hills attending the Costume Designers Guild Awards. We've made some changes to this floral photo and now it's up to you to see if you can figure out the differences between these two super-similar snaps!

Comedian Bryan Callen -- famous for roles in huge movies like "Joker," "Old School" and "The Hangover" -- is getting divorced ... TMZ has learned.

According to court records, Bryan's wife, Amanda Humphrey, filed divorce docs Friday in L.A. County Superior Court after more than 11 years of marriage.

The exes have kids together ... which could make the divorce a lot more complicated.

Bryan and Amanda tied the knot way back in October 2008 ... it's not clear what led to the split.

Lori Loughlin says the government has withheld key evidence proving her innocence in the college admissions scandal, but the government has just fired back ... sarcastically responding that the so-called exculpatory evidence was a statement that the witness had not even made when Lori started complaining.

TMZ broke the story ... Lori and her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, claimed the U.S. Attorney intentionally withheld evidence showing they were giving money to USC and unaware any of the $500,000 was used to bribe University officials.

The government just responded, saying there is no such evidence being withheld, and then doubling down, saying, "the absence of such evidence is a result of their criminal conduct, not any government disclosure violations."

And, now prosecutors get nasty. They say some of the information that was just handed over -- evidence Lori claims was wrongly withheld -- is from interviews conducted with witnesses very recently. Prosecutors say in the legal docs ... "The government has broad powers, but they do not include mental telepathy or time travel. The government cannot disclose witness statements before the witnesses make them."

Tragic day for the Cleveland Browns ... the team's first-ever live mascot, Swagger, has passed away after a battle with cancer. He was 6 years old.

The 145-pound bullmastiff joined the Browns as a puppy at the beginning of the 2014 season ... and ran out with the players before every home game until Week 10 of the 2019 season.

The only home game Swagger missed was in 2017 ... when the Browns played in London.

Swagger's son, SJ, took over the mascot duties as the cancer progressed ... and the beloved dog served as "Dawg Pound Captain" during his final Browns game.

Swagger was a fan favorite at FirstEnergy Stadium ... and even got some one-on-one time with folks like UFC champ Stipe Miocic and Baker Mayfield.

According to Browns fans in our office ... the dog was a true bright spot during some of the Browns' worst years.

Mayfield posted a tribute to Swagger, saying "Doggy heaven got a good one today."

The team says SJ will continue to fill his dad's shoes for 2020 and beyond.

#RIP

Lori Harvey had just one answer when asked if her man Future's been father-approved -- BOY, BYE!!! Yeah, she played it coy with our camera guy.

We got Lori out at LAX Friday morning and, of course, we had to ask if Steve Harvey's got a crazy screening process when it comes to her boyfriends. Lori admits Steve's very protective ... but is he over barring and going full CIA mode?

Well, Lori wouldn't let up but when our camera guy finally worked up the courage to ask about Future, Lori played it safe and bolted. Smart kid.

As we reported ... Future posted a picture up close and personal with Lori last month living it up in Jamaica. He rightfully noted, "Life is Good." They had been linked together in Nigeria but it became official on their Jamaica trip to celebrate her 23rd birthday.

Now ... asking her if Steve's approved of Future's a legit question considering Steve wrote a book for women on playing the dating game. Seems the jury's still out ... or is it?

Shannen Doherty claims State Farm is engaging in a smear campaign against her, and exhibit A is a cheap shot it took about her tobacco use ... which she calls way over the line.

The former '90210' star filed new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, claiming State Farm is invading her privacy and making false claims about her smoking habits. As a result she wants a judge to punish the insurance giant with crippling sanctions.

Shannen says State Farm got it totally wrong when it claimed, in docs, she was smoking cigarettes up until March 2019. Total BS, according to Shannen, who says she kicked the habit back in 2015 ... after her original breast cancer diagnosis.

Of course, her recent stage 4 cancer diagnosis is at the center of her legal beef with State Farm. They're haggling over her home repair costs following the devastating California wildfires.

In the docs, Shannen says it's utterly ridiculous State Farm is attempting to smear her image by raising her tobacco use in the lawsuit.

What's more, Shannen's also pissed her insurer included her medical records and street address in other legal filings -- 2 things she's worked hard to shield from the public.

The NTSB says an initial investigation into the Kobe Bryant helicopter crash shows no outward evidence of engine failure.

The National Transportation Safety Board released preliminary findings into the Jan. 26 crash saying it appears the engine was working at the time of the crash because there was a cut tree branch at the crash scene.

The NTSB report says the helicopter's instrument panel was completely destroyed in the wreckage.

The main wreckage was 127 feet from the impact site -- and that's where investigators found both engines, the entire fuselage, portions of the cockpit instrument panel and other key pieces of the aircraft.

According to the report, the pilot's final transmission to the Southern California Terminal Radar Approach Control (SCT) was to let the controller know he was trying to climb to 4,000 feet to get above the thick fog/cloud layer.

However, radar data collected by investigators shows the aircraft only reached 2,300 feet before trying to make a left turn. Eight seconds later the aircraft began descending (while trying to turn) at a VERY high rate of speed, dropping at rate of 4,000 feet per minute before crashing into the mountain.

As we reported ... NTSB officials said Kobe's Sikorsky S-76 chopper was NOT equipped with a terrain awareness and warning system (TAWS), nor was it outfitted with a flight data recorder (FDR) or cockpit voice recorder (CVR).

In the seconds prior to crashing, the pilot, Ara Zoboyan, took the helicopter from 1,200 feet to 2,000 feet within a matter of seconds. It appeared he cleared one hillside, only to strike the next when it crashed at about 1700 feet. Photos taken by a mountain biker on a nearby trail show the intensity of the crash.

In the days following the crash, a team of NTSB investigators combed the crash site ... rummaging through debris. The agency released drone footage showing most of the aircraft in tiny pieces.

All of the parts were shipped to Arizona, where the NTSB reassembled the aircraft.

The NTSB says it will release its final report in 12 to 18 months. That one is expected to include findings, recommendations and probable cause for the crash.

As we told you, the NTSB says back in 2006 it recommended the FAA require all helicopters carrying 6 or more passengers to have TAWS, and for all rotorcraft to have an FDR and CVR. The FAA didn't mandate either.

Jordan Belfort's not showing Bernie Madoff any sympathy following his request to get out of prison early, due to a terminal illness ... and he doesn't think the judge will either.

The "Wolf of Wall Street" has some history with the notorious Ponzi scheme mastermind, but he tells TMZ regardless of that ... the notion of Madoff getting released -- when he was sentenced to 150 YEARS -- is utterly ridiculous.

Belfort says Madoff got a life sentence for a reason -- because his crimes were horrendous, staggeringly affected people's lives and resulted in suicides ... including his own son's. Jordan doesn't see any justifiable reason to let a guy like that off the hook, even if Madoff claims he only has 18 months to live because of kidney failure.

As for their personal beef ... Belfort reminds us Madoff went after him when Bernie was the chairman of NASDAQ. Jordan admits that was justified, but says Madoff was just diverting attention from his own heinous crimes ... the ultimate hypocrite move.

The Newport Beach surgeon and his girlfriend, who were charged with drugging and raping women and facing decades in prison, are breathing a huge sigh of relief Friday ... the charges against them will be officially dropped.

Dr. Grant Robicheaux and his GF, Cerissa Riley, have been in the crosshairs of a former O.C. prosecutor for a year-and-a-half ... for allegedly using their good looks and drugs to lure women to their home and rape them in an unconscious or semiconscious state.

Robicheaux was charged with 17 felonies, including 5 counts of rape. Riley was charged with 13 felonies, including rape. The prosecutor who filed the charges -- Tony Rackauckas -- claimed at the time he filed the charges there were thousands of photos and videos to support his case and claimed there could be as many as a thousand victims.

But, the D.A. who defeated Rackauckas -- Todd Spitzer -- claims the prosecution was bogus and there was no evidence of sexual assault. Spitzer says not a single video shows any evidence of an unconscious victim or sexual assault, adding this was a shocking and transparent attempt by Rackauckas to win reelection.

Today Spitzer will formally drop all charges against the couple. The alleged victims may be allowed to testify during the hearing.

The couple has maintained their innocence from the start, and Riley told "Good Morning America" the decision by O.C. District Attorney Todd Spitzer to drop the charges has allowed her to "breathe again" and she feels like she's finally awoken from a nightmare.

Robicheaux says they're still in a state of shock and disbelief this happened to them, and they both insist they never even thought they were crossing a line with any of the women they had sex with.

Despite their relief, Robicheaux and Riley feel their lives have been ruined by the allegations and the story going nationwide ... and it's going to be a struggle going forward for quite some time.

Liam Hemsworth's going with a sleeveless look these days ... but it might be because he can't find shirts big enough for his massive guns.

Seriously, the youngest Hemsworth bro is giving Thor a run for his money in terms of bulging shoulders, biceps and forearms ... and The Hulk for that matter.

Liam could barely straighten his arms as he was seen leaving the gym in Beverly Hills, but he looks pretty pleased with his jacked status. Of course, we're told he was heading to meet up with his new reported girlfriend, Australian model Gabriella Brooks, for lunch ... so that probably put some extra pep in his step.

It's nothing new for Liam to be in peak physical shape, but his muscular transformation in just a few short weeks since he was spotted on the beach in Byron Bay is pretty incredible.

Michael Douglas is among the many celebs who poured in from afar to bid Kirk Douglas goodbye at his funeral.

Michael, his wife, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Steven Spielberg are among the many who are at the funeral Friday morning at Westwood Memorial in L.A. You can also see Kirk's wife, Anne Buydens, arriving as well.

As we reported ... the legendary actor died Wednesday. Michael announced, "To the world, he was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years, a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard of us all to aspire to."

Kirk, who earned Oscar nominations as an actor and producer, served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the U.S. State Department and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981 by President Jimmy Carter.

Kirk's survived by Anne, his 3 sons and seven grandchildren. He was 103.

The Kobe and Gigi Bryant public memorial has been set for Monday, Feb. 24 at Staples Center -- with organizers expecting a MASSIVE turnout, and Vanessa Bryant just announced it.

The date (2/24) is significant -- #24 was Kobe's jersey number and #2 was the number his daughter, Gigi, wore. Worth noting, Vanessa's IG post announcing the event has 24 butterflies.

We're told the event will take place in the morning -- because the Clippers have a game against the Memphis Grizzlies later in the evening. Our sources say the Clippers had to sign off, because, technically, they have Staples rented for the whole day.

We're told owner Steve Ballmer, and head coach Doc Rivers gladly agreed because there's such solidarity and love for Kobe and his family. Plus, the significance of the 2/24 date was not lost on them.

The other issue will be crowd control around Staples. When Michael Jackson and Nipsey Hussle's memorials were held there ... all the surrounding streets were shut down to anyone who didn't have a ticket. You simply couldn't get near the arena. They haven't announced yet how it will work for Kobe and Gianna's memorial.

Event organizers had been discussing a venue for days -- going back and forth between Staples and The Coliseum over concerns about the size of the crowd.

Staples -- where Kobe played for most of his 20-year NBA career -- only holds about 20,000 people. The Coliseum in Downtown L.A. holds closer to 80,000.

As for the event itself, we're told several high-profile people will speak about Bryant -- but organizers are still nailing down the official list.

Kobe and Gigi passed away in a helicopter crash on Jan 26 in Calabasas, CA., along with 7 others.

The Lakers held a massive tribute for all of the victims before and during the Lakers' January 31 game against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Not only was the arena filled with fans -- all wearing Kobe shirts -- but outside, hundreds of people packed the surrounding area to remember the Lakers legend.

Here's Demi Lovato slapping dollar bills on dancers inside a Miami club after the Super Bowl ... and even though she's hanging with Julian Edelman, we're told they are NOT dating.

Our sources tell us ... Julian is boo'd up, but not with Demi. We're told the NFL stud is dating a smokin' hot model who is close with Demi, and during Super Bowl LIV Jules and his girl went over to Demi's private box to say hello, setting the stage for this wild rager.

Sources say the trio ended up going clubbing with Eiza Gonzalez after the Chiefs beat the 49ers ... and they all partied at E11EVEN night club from midnight until 6 AM.

Demi actually posted the video on her Instagram ... but for some reason, she quickly deleted the post. We're told she had a full security detail around her table, and she was having a great time with the dancers.

Plenty of reasons for Demi to live it up on South Beach ... remember, she was fresh off singing the National Anthem at the big game, fulfilling her own 10-year prophecy.

And, Julian is a party animal ... just ask the folks in Bev Hills.

For those scoring at home, we've shot down two Demi dating rumors this week ... Machine Gun Kelly and now Edelman.