Fight Island is all set to open on July 11 -- with top-of-the-line facilities and an octagon on the beach, so says Dana White.
... but Dana says there's one big problem.
"The FANTASY of Fight Island," Dana explained, "I'm very worried it will eclipse the REALITY of Fight Island."
"The fighters are not going to walk out lined up with tiki torches on the side. I will not be sitting in a big thrown overseeing the octagon and watching the fight."
So, what will Fight Island look like? Dana explained on "TMZ Live."
"We actually have an arena. We built a little arena there that's very, very cool ... The fighters will have their own private places to train. And, there will be an octagon on the beach too!"
Meanwhile, back on the mainland ... Dana is gearing up for UFC 250 on Saturday featuring the great Amanda Nunes vs. Felicia Spencer.
TMZSports.com
But, White is also stoked for "Sugar" Sean O'Malley -- an 11-0 rising star who's been exploding in popularity after smashing José AlbertoQuiñónez back in March.
One last thing ... you see the mug Dana was drinking from?
George Floyd's killing is impacting the world in a way we've never seen before ... and it's also inspiring more people than ever to donate to a cause.
Launched just a little more than a week ago, the Official George Floyd Memorial Fund has already received the highest number of individual donations for a GoFundMe page ... a spokesperson for the site tells TMZ.
With nearly 500k donations and counting, the fundraiser's amassed nearly $13 million. We're told the campaign has gone global, getting donations from 125 countries.
George's brother, Philonise, says the money will cover funeral and burial expenses, provide counseling, pay for lodging and travel for all court proceedings, and assist the family going forward as they seek justice for George. A portion of the funds will also go to George's estate to take care of his kids and provide for their education.
6/4/2020
As we reported ... the first of 4 memorials for George was held Thursday in Minneapolis. There will be another in North Carolina on Saturday, and 2 in Houston next week.
Interestingly, number 2 on the GoFundMe donations list launched in December 2018 to raise money to build the wall at America's southern border. That has 300k donations, but it's raised more than $25 million.
Third place is a coronavirus campaign raising funds for intensive care beds in pandemic-ravaged Italy. That got more than 206k individual donations in less than 3 months.
Montana Black Lives Matter protesters went toe-to-toe with a very angry, very grown guy itching for a fight ... and it didn't end well for him.
It all went down Thursday evening in Whitefish, Montana where a group of nearly 100 people gathered to peacefully protest near the town's city hall ... and then angry dude got in the middle of the action.
He immediately got up in a few grills and shouted, "Black lives matter? F**k you!!!" Then he ripped signs out of the hands of protesters ... who, BTW, did nothing in retaliation, but to loudly chant, "Peaceful!"
For a couple of minutes, it looked like a fight would definitely break out, but a police officer arrived, ushered away the man ... and lo and behold, he's the one who got in trouble. Whitefish PD tells us he was cited for disorderly conduct.
Whitefish PD went on to say, "The City of Whitefish is dedicated to protecting the First Amendment rights of individuals to peacefully protest and ask all who are involved to respect each other’s rights and protest peacefully."
The Flamingo's making a splash by becoming Las Vegas' first hotel and casino to throw a pool party since the city reopened -- but things look eerily different.
Like several other casinos on the Strip, the Flamingo opened its doors Thursday after a 78-day closure for the coronavirus pandemic. The pool was open too -- but check out the pics ... it's far from the packed scene you'd expect this time of year. Word's still getting out, clearly, that Sin City's open for biz.
Lifeguards and hotel personnel were wearing masks and gloves -- and frequently sanitized surfaces. Obsessively keeping things clean is probably a comfort for those itching to get back to normal.
Interestingly, the staff wore face coverings, but very few guests. Nor were they socially distancing as they lined up to get spots around the pool.
Temperature checks at check-in will be the norm at most hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. pic.twitter.com/WuAuiWZynN
The Bellagio, MGM Grand, New York-New York, Harrah's and Caesars Palace are some of the other casinos that also opened its doors ... albeit with restrictive measures.
For example, gamblers are kept at a distance to help combat the virus, plexiglass was installed between gamblers and dealers and temperatures are taken before guests enter casinos.
8:33 PM PT -- The Mayor of Buffalo says he's "deeply disturbed" by the video and says the elderly man is in stable but serious condition at the hospital.
UPDATE
7:51 PM PT -- The Buffalo Police Commissioner just announced both officers in the incident have been suspended.
Some cops in Buffalo shoved an elderly man, who lost his balance and hit his head on the concrete ... laying motionless and bleeding from his ear.
Protesters filled Niagara Square Thursday night to protest the death of George Floyd and injustices in our legal system. Officers, dressed in heavy gear, started to move in on the crowd while the elderly man approached and started a non-physical confrontation with some of the cops.
An officer from the group shouts "Move!" at the man and then proceeded to push him, causing him to stumble back and fall over.
In the video, captured by WBFO's Mike Desmond, you can see blood surround the man's head almost immediately as he lay motionless ... and officers call for a medic.
A rep for the Buffalo Police Department allegedly told a local reporter the man was injured when he "tripped and fell." His condition is currently unknown.
AP
The protests of the last week have remained mostly peaceful until intervention. As we reported, President Trump fired rubber bullets and tear gas into peaceful protestors so he could make his way for a photo-op at a local church that had been damaged the night before.
Kobe Bryant fans in Europe paid homage to the Mamba in a HUGE way this week ... finishing up a 39-foot-high mural of Bean that's now the biggest on the continent.
Locals in Gradiška, Bosnia and Herzegovina began painting the tribute at an elementary school about two weeks ago ... with one of the guys saying it all started because Kobe helped them find a love for hoops.
"Kobe Bryant was one of my role models and when we heard that he tragically lost his life, we came up with the idea to pay tribute to him," a mural initiator told The Srpska Times.
"That is how we made a mural on the wall of the school next to which we spent time on the playground."
The piece is roughly 39 feet tall and 19 feet wide ... and as you can see in the pics, it's pretty amazing.
The image is of Kobe at the free-throw line in his Lakers jersey set to sink a basket ... and it's complete with his Mamba logo in the upper right corner.
The artist who painted the work said it was painstaking, but worth every minute ... and added he hopes it brings similar pieces of art to the country.
As we previously reported ... there have been a TON of Kobe murals in Los Angeles as well -- and they're so beloved, each and every one went untouched amid the chaos in the city last week.
A swarm of LAPD officers tracked down a sedan, smashed the hell out of the car's windows ... and quickly yanked out the occupants during a pretty violent arrest of alleged looters.
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Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... a helicopter tracked the car leaving an Urban Outfitters Wednesday in Hollywood, a store that had been looted. When officers on the ground caught up to the car, we're told the driver revved the engine ... allegedly lurching toward a cop.
As you can see multiple officers destroyed the side windows to haul the driver and passengers out of the vehicle. They allegedly refused to exit on their own. One woman appeared to be slightly injured from broken glass, and another went down hard as officers tried to cuff her.
The trunk was allegedly chock full of clothes from Urban Outfitters -- complete with merchandise tags still on them -- according to our law enforcement sources.
We're told everyone in the car was booked for burglary, and the driver was also booked for assault with a deadly weapon -- for allegedly driving at one of the officers.
Joe Giudicefinally has an opponent lined up for his celebrity boxing match ... and there's a good chance Jennifer Lopez may be rooting for him to kick some ass.
The ex-"Real Housewives of New Jersey" star will fight actor/producer Ojani Noa ... according to Celebrity Boxing promoter Damon Feldman. As we reported, Joe inked a deal last month for an October 24 fight in the Bahamas.
TMZ.com
At the time ... the opponent was TBA, but Feldman said he was open to anyone. Joe even joked he'd step in the ring with Mike Tyson.
Let's face it, Noa's a much better fit for Joe. If you're unfamiliar ... Ojani was married to J Lo for less than a year between 1997-1998. About a decade later, they had some more drama. He's done film acting, nothing huge -- "Rapping-n-Rhyming" in 2002, "Irish Eyes" in 2004 and "Eye See Me" in 2007.
He'll need to do more than act like a boxer ... Joe's got some hands, for a celeb amateur. They'll go toe-to-toe for three 1-minute, 30-second rounds.
Hall of Famer Warren Moon says he truly believes Drew Brees didn't mean any harm with his stance on the national anthem protests ... but now that he's apologized, it's time to step up and put his words to action.
Of course, Brees faced backlash from his teammates and other major sports figures for condemning kneeling during the anthem on Wednesday.
Moon -- who knows the Saints superstar personally -- is giving Brees the benefit of the doubt ... saying the QB was so passionate about his stance, he forgot to take everything into account before speaking.
"I know what type of guy that he is, but I think he just got so wrapped up into his beliefs on the national anthem and the flag that he forgot to open his eyes and listen to what was being said by others that might not have his same belief about what all that means to them," Moon tells TMZ Sports.
Brees apologized in a lengthy statement and video and vowed to be a leader for the black community ... and Moon says the next step in getting forgiveness is proving he's genuine.
Highlight: @readdanwrite asks @drewbrees what the star NFL quarterback thinks about "players kneeling again when the NFL season starts."@drewbrees: “I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America or our country.”
"I don't know if the apology is going to be enough, but at least it's a start."
"I think he has to maybe now get out there and try and do some things physically to show that he's putting his money where his mouth is and maybe get on camera to talk about those things so people can look in him in the face, look him in the eye and see if he's sincere or not."
(A short time after we shot our interview with Warren, Brees posted an video apology.)
Moon says Brees isn't the enemy people are making him out to be ... but can use this as an opportunity to hear from others with different experiences.
"I know Drew as a person and I just don't think that's him ... I just think he needs to -- and like a lot of other people around this country -- they just need to listen, they need to learn, and they need to see what's going on."
Los Angeles-local Cirroc Lofton was only 15 Earth years old when he gained fame after he landed the role as the young human, Jake Sisko -- who lives on the space station as the son of the commanding officer -- on the '90s science fiction show "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."
Cirroc Lofton was cast alongside a great cast of Earthless actors including Michael Dorn as the cool Klingon, Worf ... and of course Avery Brooks as the bald bossman (and Jake's dad) , Benjamin Sisko.
Fun Fact: Cirroc's uncle is Cleveland Indians' center fielder Kenny Lofton!
More than 15 players -- including Zeke Elliott, Jarvis Landry, Tyrann Mathieu and DeAndre Hopkins -- all joined together to make an impactful video showing their support for the protests going on all over the country.
"How many times do we need to ask you to listen to your players? What will it take? For one of us to be murdered by police brutality?" the stars say in the vid.
"We will not be silenced. We assert our right to peacefully protest. It shouldn't take this long to admit."
We're told the whole thing was put together by New Orleans Saints superstar Michael Thomas ... who organized the video after teammate Drew Brees condemned kneeling for the anthem.
In the video, the players mention several African-Americans who were killed as the result of police brutality or racism -- including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery.
The video ends with this demand -- "So, on behalf of the National Football League, this is what we, the players, would like to hear you state:
"We, the National Football League, condemn racism and the systematic oppression of black people. We, the National Football League, admit wrong in silencing our players from peacefully protesting. We, the National Football League, believe Black Lives Matter."
Unclear what will happen if the NFL does not comply with the players' demands ... we're reaching out to reps to see if there's a plan to hold out or take other action.
Bottom line -- the players are fed up with the way they've been treated and they're not gonna take it anymore.
6:33 PM PT -- Kanye West has joined protesters in Chicago. The rapper is with Chicago Public Schools students to protest the killing of George Floyd as well as to demand CPS cancel their contract with the Chicago Police Department.
UPDATE
Kanye West's giving a huge assist to the families and legal teams fighting for Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd ... and helping in other ways too.
Kanye's donated $2 million, so far, to the cause and set up a 529 college savings fund to fully cover tuition for Floyd's 6-year-old daughter, Gianna. He's also made a separate donation to cover the legal costs for the Arbery and Taylor families.
Along with that, a rep confirms Kanye's donating to several black-owned businesses in his hometown of Chicago and nationwide that have been in crisis and impacted by the unrest in the U.S.
As you know ... widespread protests and riots have broken out since Floyd was killed in police custody on May 25. The demonstrations are a demand for an end to systematic racism and police brutality ... of which the killings of Arbery and Taylor are also prime examples.
Arbery was shot and killed in Georgia in February after being chased by 3 men who allegedly believed he fit the description of a burglary suspect in the area.
Taylor -- who was an emergency medical worker -- was shot and killed by Louisville cops in her own home in a "no-knock warrant" case, in which cops allegedly busted in without warning.
5:52 PM PT -- Drew Brees just posted a new video ... saying he hopes people can look into his eyes and see how sorry he is for the comments he made.
UPDATE
"I know there's not much that I can say that would make things any better right now," Brees said on Instagram. "But, I just want you to see in my eyes how sorry I am for the comments that I made yesterday."
UPDATE
"I know that it hurt many people, especially friends, teammates, former teammates, loved ones, people that I care and respect deeply. That was never my intention."
UPDATE
"I wish I would have laid out what was on my heart in regards to the George Floyd murder, Ahmaud Arbery, the years and years of social injustice, police brutality and the need for so much reform and change in regards to legislation and so many other things to bring equality to our black communities."
UPDATE
"I am sorry and I will do better and I will be part of the solution and I am your ally."
Drew Brees is begging for forgiveness over his comments about the NFL kneeling protest ... saying, "it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused."
The New Orleans Saints QB has been under heavy attack from teammates and even LeBron James -- claiming his condemnation Tuesday of NFL kneelers is misguided and wrong.
In fact, people chanted "F**k Drew Brees" in New Orleans -- and some people set Drew's jersey on fire in the streets.
"I would like to apologize to my friends, teammates, the City of New Orleans, the black community, NFL community and anyone I hurt with my comments yesterday."
"In speaking with some of you, it breaks my heart to know the pain I have caused."
"In an attempt to talk about respect, unity, and solidarity centered around the American flag and the national anthem, I made comments that were insensitive and completely missed the mark on the issues we are facing right now as a country."
"They lacked awareness and any type of compassion or empathy. Instead, those words have become divisive and hurtful and have misled people into believing that somehow I am an enemy. This could not be further from the truth, and is not an accurate reflection of my heart or my character."
"This is where I stand ... "
"I stand with the black community in the fight against systemic racial injustice and police brutality and support the creation of real policy change that will make a difference."
"I condemn the years of oppression that have taken place throughout our black communities and still exists today.
I acknowledge that we as Americans, including myself, have not done enough to fight for that equality or to truly understand the struggles and plight of the black community.
"I recognize that I am part of the solution and can be a leader for the black community in this movement."
"I will never know what it’s like to be a black man or raise black children in America but I will work every day to put myself in those shoes and fight for what is right."
"I have ALWAYS been an ally, never an enemy."
"I am sick about the way my comments were perceived yesterday, but I take full responsibility and accountability."
"I recognize that I should do less talking and more listening...and when the black community is talking about their pain, we all need to listen."
"For that, I am very sorry and I ask your forgiveness."
Of course, Brees had said Tuesday -- "I will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America."
It seemed Brees missed the point of the kneeling protest -- which is to put a spotlight on police brutality and racial injustice.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed scolded Brees on Wednesday night for his comments ... repeatedly calling the QB a "straight sucka."
@20twentyer / Instagram
But, the most emotional backlash came from his Saints teammate and friend, Malcolm Jenkins ... who told Drew point-blank to "shut the f*ck up."
"You about to lose yo job, 'cause you are detaining me, for nothing!!!"
That's the hilarious freestyle one woman dropped off the dome while getting detained by a police officer ... and the viral video is already getting the meme treatment and a super cool remix!
The clip of a woman in police custody in "Somewhere, USA" started spreading like wildfire Wednesday on social media, and while the original version is gold ... the remix that dropped Thursday is platinum!!!
A cool cat by the name of Random J Pop just popped out the remix, adding a bumping beat to the woman's catchy little ditty ... and ya gotta give them both a listen. The lyrics are great, the tune is catchy, and the best part ... she even has her own dance!!! Watch, 'cause even the cop had to laugh.
Again, no clue where, when or why the woman was in custody -- all that really matters is, "You gotta git this dance!"
Note: We hope no one really lost their job, it's just too funny.
Karen has struck again -- this time at a park where a few little kids were taking a Power Wheels toy car for a spin ... and she was ready to pull 'em over.
Check it out ... the old lady -- who one Twitter user hilariously dubbed "grandkaren" -- is upset that the woman watching the children is letting them "drive all over the place."
When the woman says the kids are just playing in their toy vehicle, Karen says she's never seen a car in the park before ... and what really bothers her is that they don't have a driver's license.
Again, this is a Power Wheels ride ... which has a TOP speed of 5 mph.
Grandkaren gets one last gripe in about the kids being unsupervised ... by the woman recording them from yards away.
It's unclear when and where this vid was shot, but regardless ... it's incredible stuff.
1:11 PM PT -- Al Sharpton just finished giving the eulogy and his words also brought the crowd to their feet. He said, "[George] did not die of common health conditions. He died of a common American criminal justice malfunction." Sharpton also took a shot at President Trump's recent photo-op and urged the Prez -- without ever mentioning his name -- to open the bible instead of using it as a prop. Sharpton said "George Floyd's story has been the story of black folks, because ever since 401 years ago the reason we could never be who we wanted and dreamed to being is because you kept your knee on our neck. It’s time for us to stand up in George's name and say get your knee off our necks."
UPDATE
UPDATE
Sharpton also had a message for the flawed criminal justice system: "We don’t have a problem denouncing violence, Mr governor. We don’t have a problem, Mr. Mayor, denouncing looting. But it seems like some in the criminal justice system have a problem looking at a tape and knowing there’s probable cause and it takes a long time for you to go and do what you see that you need to do."
UPDATE
12:59 PM PT -- Floyd's family remembered George as a magnetic presence regardless of who surrounded him. One said, "When he spoke to people, he made you feel special. They felt like they were the president because that's how he made you feel." They also remembered his big bear hugs. "No matter who you talked to, they all felt special. They never felt left out. He would embrace them. What I'll miss the most about him is his hugs. When he wrapped his arms around you, it felt like your problems would go away." They also talked about how George was a HUUUUGE LeBron James fan.
UPDATE
The lawyer repping Floyd's family, Ben Crump, also gave an inspiring speech that brought everyone to their feet. He invoked the names of those who fell at the hands of injustice ... from Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor to Eric Garner, Stephon Clark and Trayvon Martin. Crump also had these inspiring words justifying peaceful protests, "What we are doing is helping America be America for all Americans."
The first of four services to honor George Floyd is about to get underway in Minneapolis ... and you can follow it live right here.
Thursday's memorial service will begin at 11 AM PT at the Frank J. Lindquist Sanctuary at North Central University. It's a private event to be attended by family, friends and invitees of the Floyd family only.
On Saturday, a public viewing and a private memorial service will be held in Raeford, North Carolina. George was born nearby in Fayetteville, and his sister said "his family would remember him" in the state.
According to Hoke County Sheriff Hubert Peterkin ... no protesting will be allowed at this service. Peterkin said, "The memorial is about the life that Mr. George Floyd lived, and this is a time to embrace the family with expressions of love and kindness."
Finally, on Monday in Houston, there will be a public viewing at The Fountain of Praise Church, followed by a private service Tuesday. Floyd grew up in Houston but left several years ago when he moved to Minnesota.
5/25/20
Facebook/ Darnella Frazier
Of course, Floyd was killed while Minneapolis PD arrested him on May 25. The video of his death -- showing ex-cop Derek Chauvin pressing his knee on Floyd's neck as he pled, "I can't breathe" -- set off a firestorm of outrage. Across the country, protests sprung up ... a few of which escalated to riots and violence.
All 4 Minneapolis PD officers involved in the incident were fired within one day, and 4 days later Chauvin was arrested -- initially charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
Fox 9
On Wednesday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison added a 2nd-degree murdercharge.
The 3 other ex-cops -- Thomas Lane, J. Alexander Keung and Tou Thao -- were also arrested and charged with felonies ... aiding and abetting second-degree murder and aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter.
