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You don't want to be an MMA fighter in Chechnya, especially when your opponent is the dictator's son.

There was a ridiculous "fight" between Ali Kadyrov -- the 15-year-old son of Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov -- and a dude named Islam Akbarov.

Kadyrov had Akbarov on the mat after landing a blow, and as he hovered over his opponent, the dictator's son delivered feather punches that looked anything but damaging. Akbarov was defending himself well, but the ref jumped in and stopped the fight, declaring the dictator's son the winner.

Some fans were outraged, saying the fight was clearly fixed.

As if more evidence was needed, the dictator Ramzan owns the promotion that hosted the fight.

More than a quarter million bats are suffering from the sub-freezing temps in Houston, and some kind folks have jumped in to provide them some warmth.

Houston is an ice box ... it's also home to 300,000 bats, which are going into hypothermic shock and falling from under a bridge to the pavement.

The Mexican free-tailed bats live near a bridge, and there's no buffer from the cold and the wind.

The Houston Humane Society's Wildlife Department is corralling the bats and placing them near heat sources. The Director of the org says her people are giving the bats fluids under their skin to provide hydration and then offering them food.

They've actually lined the ground below where the bats live with foam, to cushion the blow when they fall.

As for why all the fuss, well aside from the humane aspect, bats eat moths, mosquitoes and other pests, so it's all part of ecosystem balance.

Kathy Hilton is shutting down all the naysayers who had something bad to say about Kim Kardashian's outfit at Kathy's holiday party.

We got Kathy out in Bev Hills to get her thoughts on Kim's holiday fit ... after fans blasted her for missing the fashion memo.

Kathy makes it clear ... there was no theme for the party, and guests could wear anything they wanted as long as they were comfortable. She says there was nothing wrong with Kim's getup ... calling the whole thing silly and ridiculous.

ICYMI, the SKIMS founder rocked a cropped concert T-shirt and black leather pants, while others at the party were in festive holiday red and green ... as with many things, it didn't sit right with some folks on social media.

One user wrote, "did kim not get the message that it was a... CHRISTMAS party???" Another flat-out called her outfit disrespectful.

Nathaniel Hackett deserves at least one more season in Denver ... so says former Broncos star T.J. Ward, who tells TMZ Sports his old team shouldn't can the coach after his first year in the Mile High City.

Hackett is believed by many to be on the hot seat -- following the disastrous first 14 games of his Denver tenure. The team is just 4-10 ... and he's made some calls that fans believe have cost the Broncos several wins.

But, Ward told us this week Denver honchos just have to give the guy more time.

"One year shouldn't define you as a coach with one particular team," Ward said. "That's just my opinion."

Ward did acknowledge Hackett has made some missteps ... but he told us Denver's just got to live through the growing pains -- at least for 12 more months.

"It is his first time being a head coach," Ward said. "He's still learning."

As for Hackett's QB, Russell Wilson, Ward preached patience there, too.

He said he doesn't believe the former Seahawks star -- who was traded to Denver in the offseason for a boatload of draft picks -- is washed ... but he did say it's painfully obvious the signal-caller needs a better running game in order to succeed with his new team.

Ward also said he thinks the quarterback would benefit from a quieter offseason -- one where distractions and pressures won't be as great as this past one.

The Broncos have just three games left to go in the 2022 season ... after that, will they gear up for another year of Hackett and Wilson like Ward wants?

The stars obviously love a good spotlight, however during Christmas time their trees bring out the flashier side of them ... allowing them to shine even brighter than usual!

A handful of your Hollywood faves like JoJo Siwa, Jisoo and Michelle Yeoh decked their trees to the nines with decadent decorations and draped their branches in gold and white.

Some celebs are feeling oh so right in their spruced-up wardrobes to compliment their holiday displays, while some opted for a more cozy look like Lance Bass!

And Reese Witherspoon was thrilled about her snowy Christmas tree and paired it with a white turtleneck!

Check out our gallery of stars getting lit by their trees and spreading the holiday cheer!

Hang your stocking and say your prayers ... cause Santa is riding in on his slay!

These celebrity hotties are ditching the Hollywood heat and are wrapping up their holiday season with these naughty (and nice) Mrs. Claus candid pics that are ready to move the needle as far as the North Pole!

Ciara gifted social media with a red-hot rendition of Santa's SO, while Ivana Camila and Lele Pons donned the iconic cap and fur trimmings to spread some season's greetings ... and Sabrina Carpenter was looking anything but elfish with her Mrs. Kringle costume.

Nick Cannon says he has a lot in common with jolly old St. Nicholas ... because they both have to travel all over the place to see kids for Christmas.

We got Nick volunteering Friday at the L.A. Mission and our photog asked how he's going to spend the holiday ... seeing as he's welcomed 11 children with 6 different women and has a 12th on the way.

Nick was in a jolly mood, telling us he has the same vibe as Santa Claus ... because they'll be traveling all night long.

For Friday's volunteer efforts, Nick was rolling with baby mama Brittany Bell and two of their three kids, Golden and Powerful Queen.

Nick's been criticized recently for spreading himself too thin with the sheer number of children, with some of his other baby mamas seemingly taking shots themselves ... but as you can see, there are some tender family moments between Nick and Powerful, who seems enamored with her daddy's Santa hat.

It's beginning to look a lot like Michael Bublé is aging like a fine Christmas wine.

Here is a 36-year-old version of the über-talented singer performing live on NBC's "Today" show, glistening and glowing at the Rockefeller Center back in 2011 (left). This was the same year he dropped his holiday album, "Christmas."

And 11 years later, the 47-year-old Christmas crooner is still crowd-pleasing with his pipes and handsome looks, which he recently showed off during his "Higher Tour" show in Vancouver, British Columbia (right).

He'll definitely make you ring from the carol that he sings!

The question is ...

Underneath this unknown figure is a lady who definitely put her comedic twist on surviving a troubled Christmas, and even though she's left a family member behind a time or two ... she's still all about "the season of perpetual hope."

And, when she's not road-tripping with a polka band, you can watch her putting up with her other on-screen kiddos, Alexis and David. Needless to say, this Hollywood legend has been around for decades and you've probably already seen her pop up on your screens this holiday season.

Pope Francis' Christmas message was loud and clear from the Vatican -- he condemned greed in all forms ... citing Jesus as the exact opposite of that, downright destitute.

The pontiff delivered his Christmas Eve homily in Rome on Saturday ... and the overarching theme was decrying what he sees as a power-hungry society that's far too focused on consumerism and collecting wealth ... especially at the expense of others.

PF said, "While animals feed in their stalls, men and women in our world, in their hunger for wealth and power, consume even their neighbors, their brothers and sisters. How many wars have we seen! And in how many places, even today, are human dignity and freedom treated with contempt!"

He added, "As always, the principal victims of this human greed are the weak and the vulnerable."

Pope Francis went on to invoke JC's humble beginnings to hit his point home, explaining ... "This Christmas, too, as in the case of Jesus, a world ravenous for money, power and pleasure does not make room for the little ones, for the so many unborn, poor and forgotten children. I think above all of the children devoured by war, poverty and injustice."

He also said that Jesus' birth in a manger proves that "the true riches in life are to be found: not in money and power, but in relationships and persons." The Pope said this to a group of about 7,000 worshippers who flocked to attend the mass that Francis presided over.

He ended with, "Dear brothers, dear sisters, at Christmas, God is poor: let charity be reborn!" PF also encouraged folks to “not let this Christmas pass without doing something good."

Stephan Bonnar -- a UFC Hall of Famer and legend in MMA -- has died ... this according to the MMA promotion itself.

The UFC broke the news Saturday, writing ... "The UFC family is saddened by the tragic passing of UFC Hall of Famer Stephan Bonnar Thursday from presumed heart complications while at work." Per reports, he apparently died a couple days ago ... an official cause of death is pending.

UFC goes on to mention SB's storied career, adding ... "Stephan Bonnar was one of the most important fighters to ever compete in the Octagon," said UFC President Dana White. "His fight with Forrest Griffin changed the sport forever, and he will never be forgotten. The fans loved him, related to him and he always gave them his best. He will be missed."

Bonnar was an OG in UFC ... competing in the very first season of 'The Ultimate Fighter' back in 2005 ... an appearance which saw him go all the way to the finale. Although he lost his Light Heavyweight fight against Forrest Griffin ... his bout ended up earning him a contract with UFC, where he went on to compete at a high level for several years.

He fought Griffin again in a rematch, and went on to fight some big names in the sport thereafter ... including Jon Jones, Mark Coleman, Krzysztof Soszynski, Igor Pokrajac, Kyle Kingsbury, Anderson Silva and others. His record with UFC was 15-9-0 ... and in 2012, he retired. The following year, Dana White announced Bonnar would be inducted into the HOF.

In addition to MMA fighting, Bonnar also wrestled professionally ... including for leagues like Impact Wrestling. He also fought with Bellator MMA post-UFC.

Bonnar's legacy will be that he was one of the catalysts to help UFC grow into what it is today ... and he goes down as one of the sport's greatest known fighters to date. He's survived by his wife, Andrea, and their son Griffin. He was 45.

Aaron Carter's memory will be honored this holiday season -- thanks to his fiancée, Melanie Martin, who's keeping his spirit alive with a number of tributes as Christmas fast approaches.

Sources close to Melanie tell TMZ ... she is still very much mourning the death of her fiancé, and that this first Christmas without him is, no doubt, going to be incredibly difficult -- especially since last year's was so full of joy as they shared time with their son.

With that said, we're told Melanie is going to pay tribute to her son's father in a variety of different ways during the holiday -- via gifts, decorations and even a home-cooked meal.

For starters, we're told Melanie has put together a scrapbook full of pictures of Aaron, herself and their kid ... which, while not totally complete, will be placed under her tree for him. Speaking of presents, she also got something for young Prince -- with AC in mind.

It's a child-sized dirt bike, which Melanie gave to Prince early this year ... and which has a direct tie to Aaron -- who loved to ride himself. Our sources say Melanie believes Aaron would've given Prince something like this at some point ... so no better time than now.

On top of that, we're told Melanie was gifted a custom ornament in honor of Aaron that she's putting on her tree as well -- a wing-shaped trinket with Aaron's name engraved on it.

There's also the matter of food, which we're told was big for Aaron around this time of the year. In 2021, our sources say he cooked up a feast for Melanie and her family -- which included Kobe beef ... so this year, we're told, she's preparing a similar meal as a tribute.

As we reported ... Melanie has been able to regain custody of Prince in the wake of Aaron's sudden passing -- and it sounds like she's doing everything she can to cope with his loss.

He was 34.

Whoopi Goldberg is ending 2022 by once again invoking her controversial views that have widely been considered antisemitic -- openly wondering what she said that was so bad.

The famous cohost of "The View" chatted with The Times, where her so-called "cancelation" was brought up ... and it got Whoopi on a new mini-rant about the Jewish people and whether they're a race or not -- something that got her in trouble earlier this year.

Whoopi says that Jewish people themselves are divided on whether they're actually a race or not, even quoting one Jewish friend as saying ... "Not for nothing is there no box on the census for the Jewish race. So that leads me to believe that we’re probably not a race."

The author points out what many have already said on this topic -- namely, that the Nazis viewed the Jews as a race, therefore (in this context) they should be discussed as such.

To that, Whoopi replied ... "Yes, but that’s the killer, isn’t it? The oppressor is telling you what you are. Why are you believing them? They’re Nazis. Why believe what they’re saying?"

Whoopi goes on to double down on the notion that the Holocaust wasn't about race, from her POV, by saying ... "Remember who they were killing first. They were not killing racial; they were killing physical. They were killing people they considered to be mentally defective. And then they made this decision.”

When the author points out to Whoopi that physical tests were being done to Jews to determine if they were, in fact, Jewish in Nazi Germany -- again emphasizing that Nazis viewed Jews as a race -- Whoopi pushed back and said ... "They did that to Black people too. But it doesn’t change the fact that you could not tell a Jew on a street. You could find me. You couldn’t find them. That was the point I was making. But you would have thought that I’d taken a big old stinky dump on the table, butt naked."

She seems hung up on semantics -- specifically, between race and ethnicity (which are different) -- all 'cause "Jewish" doesn't show up on the census under race. Regardless, there's no doubt Jewish identity is multi-faceted -- and Jews are, for sure, an ethnic group ... and have been seen through this lens throughout pretty much all of history.

Why Whoopi continues to nitpick this issue is beyond us, but this is definitely a 180 from her apology ... which she delivered shortly before she was suspended for two weeks.

President Biden was persistent in his pursuit of Jill Biden's hand in marriage -- a story he told Drew Barrymore in a pretty long, dramatic fashion ... with a great payoff at the end.

46 sat for an interview with the former child star, which aired this week ... just ahead of Christmas. One of the things DB wanted to get the scoop on was Joe's fabled repeated proposals to his now-wife -- which apparently took 5 times of asking before she said, "yes."

JB explains how difficult it was for him to start dating again in the wake of the tragic deaths of his first wife, Neilia, and their baby daughter, Naomi, following a car crash in '72.

He says he was eventually set up on a blind date with Jill, adding that he fell in love with her instantly -- knowing she was the next woman he wanted to marry. It took some convincing though, according to Joe ... and he has his sons to thank for the "yes."

The Prez says his boys, Beau and Hunter, both agreed that they could all marry Jill (as a family) and it sounds like Jill herself fell in love with Joe's kids as well ... which finally won her over. The final proposal sounds like a movie, BTW -- at least how POTUS describes it.

Take a listen -- he went from S. Africa to her doorstep in Philly ... and kinda gave her a love-it-or-leave-it ultimatum that she caved to ... somewhat underwhelmingly. "Okay." 😅

Chris Beard's fiancée, Randi Trew, says the Texas Longhorns men's basketball head coach did not strangle her ... walking back the initial comments she made to law enforcement nearly two weeks ago that led to Chris' arrest.

Trew released a statement on Friday ... saying, "Chris and I are deeply saddened that we have brought negative attention upon our family, friends, and the University of Texas, among others. As Chris’ fiancée and biggest supporter, I apologize for the role I played in this unfortunate event."

She continued ... "I realize that my frustration when breaking his glasses initiated a physical struggle between Chris and myself. Chris did not strangle me, and I told that to law enforcement that evening."

As we previously reported, Chris, 49, was arrested in Texas after law enforcement officials charged him with a felony -- assault on a member of a family or household by impeding breath circulation.

According to court documents, Trew alleged that she and Beard had been upset at each other for a few days and were having "relationship issues" -- and claimed things finally reached a boiling point with Chris slapping reading glasses off her face and choking her with his arm.

Police said in the docs they observed visible teeth marks and redness on Randi's right forearm and an abrasion on her right eyebrow and leg. They also noted a cut to her left thumb.

"Chris has stated that he was acting in self-defense, and I do not refute that,” Trew’s statement continued. “I do not believe Chris was trying to intentionally harm me in any way. It was never my intent to have him arrested or prosecuted. We appreciate everyone’s support and prayers during this difficult time."

Beard posted a $10,000 bond and was released from custody.

The Apple doesn't fall far from the tree -- and in Gwyneth Paltrow's case ... we mean that literally, especially after seeing these shots of them hitting the beach for the holidays.

The actress flew down to Barbados just ahead of Christmas this week, and it seems she and her brood are enjoying a sun-kissed winter season in the Caribbean -- perfect for taking a dip, which she and the rest of the crew did ... 18-year-old Apple Martin included.

GP's one and only daughter was tagging along with mom ... and just like Gwyneth, Apple was also rocking a two-piece bikini for their splash-fest in the water.

Gotta say ... both Gwyneth and Apple look really good, from the front and the back! Definitely better than what a lot of us can say around this time of the year -- when the eggnog is flowing and the stuffed turkey is making its way around nonstop.

Now, there were other people in their group that we can't quite identify -- including an older man who was with them, but definitely wasn't GP's hubby, Brad Falchuck. It might be grandpa or something ... but in any case, it looks like a sweet vacation getaway.