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Jake Paul's leaving a ton of money on the table in his upcoming boxing match ... telling TMZ Sports he's more focused on being a world champion than selling Pay-per-views.

The 26-year-old Problem Child is facing off against 35-year-old pro boxer Andre August in Orlando next month ... which is a stark contrast from his usual big-name opponents like Tommy Fury, Nate Diaz and Anderson Silva.

Paul says that's by design ... as he needs to take on real-deal boxers to both silence his haters and move toward his goal of being the best fighter on the planet -- even if it doesn't line his pockets like his other high-profile bouts.

"This is probably just a break-even fight for me," Jake told Michael Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show on FS1. "I probably won't even make money on it. Who knows what the outcome is. It's $200,000 for a private jet to fly around just to get me there and back."

But, that's not fazing Jake -- he makes it clear his only concern is polishing his skills and taking on a bigger challenge against a guy with more wins and knockouts under his belt.

"He's a beast, he's a dog and he's coming to win," Jake said of his opponent. "This is his make-or-break moment as a boxer himself. It's gonna be a really good fight."

Jake made a great point -- the entire world has watched all of his fights from the very beginning ... which is unprecedented for someone in the sport. Usually, dudes take on smaller bouts to gain more experience before getting big.

Jake explained he's not going to leave the massive PPV opportunities for good -- which might be good news for former boxing champion Andre Ward, who previously told us he was interested in taking on one of the Paul brothers in the future.

Before this cool kid in sunglasses turned into a Hollywood hunk and actor, he was far from being a "Hidden Figure" ... he was playing football while growing up in Austin, Texas and cheering on the Texas Longhorns and Dallas Cowboys.

Starting out with smaller roles like "Dark Knight Rises", his breakthrough came from playing Chad on "Scream Queens." He recently bared his backside and broke the Internet -- showcasing what his buns are made of!

Need one more hint? He's got a movie coming out soon with costar Sydney Sweeney!

Elon Musk's social media platform X is dragging a media watchdog group to court ... claiming Media Matters is engaged in a smear campaign against him and his company.

The billionaire followed up Monday with his previously announced plans to sue Media Matters in response to a recently published story suggesting pro-Nazi advertisements were running alongside organic user content ... an assertion Elon claims is BS.

According to the lawsuit, obtained by TMZ, Media Matters "knowingly and maliciously manufactured" side-by-side images depicting advertisements next to neo-Nazi and white nationalist posts on his X app, formerly Twitter.

X claims Media Matters is driving advertisers from Elon's platform by passing off the images as something the typical X user might encounter on the app ... something Musk says is far from true.

What's more, X alleges Media Matters went to great lengths to manipulate the X algorithm to create situations where paid posts from huge companies would appear next to racist and incendiary content.

X says Media Matters then took screenshots of the posts as the basis of a negative story ... "leaving the false impression that these pairings are anything but what they actually are: manufactured, inorganic, and extraordinarily rare."

The suit says it's all part of a wide-ranging smear campaign Media Matters is mounting against Elon and X ... claiming the group is hellbent on driving advertisers away from the platform in order to destroy Elon's company.

As we reported ... Elon announced Friday plans to file a "thermonuclear" lawsuit against Media Matters for what he says was a "fraudulent attack" on his app.

There's lots of reasons Elon's pissed ... including the fact the Media Matters report seems to have spurred a mass exodus among HUGE companies advertising on X.

Media Matters is not backing down though ... its president, Angelo Carusone, tells TMZ ... "This is a frivolous lawsuit meant to bully X’s critics into silence. Media Matters stands behind its reporting and looks forward to winning in court."

Nick Hogan was working a bikini contest at his father Hulk Hogan's restaurant hours before being arrested for DUI in Florida.

TMZ obtained video from Friday's event at Hogan's Hangout in Clearwater ... and you see Nick working from the DJ booth, playing music and introducing some of the winners.

Hulk was one of the judges, and he was also hosting the bikini contest, which featured $5,000 in cash prizes to three winners ... with Nick serving as MC/DJ.

When the contest started, Hulk announced they were giving out free shots ... which is interesting because ... as we first told you, later that night Nick got busted on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Nick's yet to address his DUI bust ... which comes 16 years after a scary car wreck in Clearwater that left a passenger with severe brain damage ... but now we know what he was doing earlier in the night.

It's official ... Cassie's lawsuit against Diddy -- where she alleged he raped her and was involved in human trafficking -- has been dismissed.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the case was ended in the eyes of the law Monday in New York. The document reads, "Pursuant to an agreement between the parties, Plaintiff hereby dismisses this action, with prejudice and without costs or fees to either party."

As we reported, it was Friday when both Cassie and Diddy announced they had settled the lawsuit ... Cassie stated, "I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control. I want to thank my family, fans, and lawyers for their unwavering support." Diddy's statement read, "We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best. Love."

The settlement was extremely quick, considering Cassie had only filed her lawsuit Thursday.

However, Diddy's attorney, Ben Brafman, was direct, telling us ... "Just so we’re clear, a decision to settle a lawsuit, especially in 2023, is in no way an admission of wrongdoing. Mr. Combs‘ decision to settle the lawsuit does not in any way undermine his flat-out denial of the claims. He is happy they got to a mutual settlement and wishes Ms. Ventura the best."

Diddy was seen Saturday outside his Star Island home in Miami looking distressed, to say the least.

The lawsuit was shocking -- with claims of human trafficking, drug use and rape -- including one incident Cassie says happened in 2018 when Diddy allegedly came over to her home after she'd tried to break up with him and forced sex on her.

Cassie also accused Diddy of being physical with her, beating and stomping her several times throughout their long relationship.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's parents are putting their plans to meet for the first time on the back burner, due to a change in the popstar's schedule.

As we expected, Taylor will not be able to attend the Chiefs vs. Eagles game Monday night, which is where the families were going to meet. Instead, she'll be performing the Rio de Janeiro concert that was originally scheduled for Saturday night ... the one she postponed for the "safety and well-being" of fans amid soaring temperatures.

The schedule shift means Taylor can't play "Meet the Fockers" in Kansas City, and sources familiar with the situation tell us it just didn't make sense for the parents to meet with Taylor absent and Travis busy on the field.

Remember, we were told last week the plan was for Andrea and Scott Swift and Donna and Ed Kelce to be under one roof at the same time. The plans weren't set in stone, perhaps because everyone realized Taylor's schedule could change.

It would have been a fitting family get-together with Travis's Chiefs, and his bro Jason Kelce's Eagles meeting in a Super Bowl rematch -- and, of course, the Eagles used to be Taylor's fave team and her dad's too. Both of their loyalty seems to be swaying now that she's dating Travis.

2:35 PM PT -- The judge just decided there's enough to take Rocky's case to trial. He'll answer to two counts of first-degree assault with a firearm ... arraignment on January 8.

Potentially huge development in the A$AP Rocky assault case ... prosecutors just showed what they claim is video of him holding a gun before allegedly shooting former fellow Mob member A$AP Relli.

The video was played in an L.A. courtroom Monday afternoon, and prosecutors say that's Rocky in the clip holding a gun during a physical altercation with Relli.

LAPD detective Frank Flores took the stand, and testified cops obtained the video during the course of their investigation. The prosecution also showed still photos from the footage to bolster their claim it's A$AP Rocky with a gun.

Rihanna's baby daddy was in court as prosecutors made their case against him ... wearing a dark blue suit, black glasses and black facemask, remaining stoic throughout the explosive testimony against him.

Prosecutors also played a separate clip of what they say are 2 gunshots ... though there's been no video of the alleged shooting itself. Relli claims Rocky shot his hand.

Police body cam video was also shown in court ... and it shows at least 7 officers arriving at the scene of the alleged shooting and canvassing for evidence ... they never find the weapon.

As we reported... Relli claims he had beef with Rocky leading up to the alleged incident, and he testified Rocky put a gun to his stomach during a heated exchange.

Relli previously testified Rocky didn't shoot right then and there, instead claiming the bullets started flying shortly after they separated. He says Rocky took off running and left him on the street after firing about 4 shots.

While cops say they didn't find any shell casings, Relli claims he came back to the scene later that night and recovered a pair of 9mm shells. Rocky's lawyers grilled him over the claim, asking how he could easily find casings when the cops could not.

Worth noting ... no fingerprints were recovered from the shell casings Relli provided to law enforcement.

We covered the story on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Usher broke down into tears while bidding a public goodbye to his longtime friend and drummer Aaron Spears ... the Grammy-winning musician's life and memory were honored following his untimely death.

Usher weeps while crediting Aaron as an "amazing force" at the First Baptist Church of Glenarden Worship Center last week in Maryland ... also thanking his Musical Director Valdez Brantley for introducing and bringing them together.

Continuing to wipe away tears, the mourning artist adds that Aaron would forever be in his thoughts ... and pledged to love his devastated family members like his own.

Despite his grief, Usher fondly shares a glimpse into his friendship with Aaron ... "He follows me everywhere I go, and I was like, 'Man, you caught that?! ... you cold bro! You the worst'," he says with a touch of humor.

Tear-stricken Usher props his shades back on ... wrapping up his eulogy by reflecting on Aaron's unwavering encouragement, saying, "He would say man you gonna be alright ... he would say tonight is going to be the most incredible night ever!"

As we reported, Aaron's death was announced by his wife on Oct 30 on IG ... and alongside Usher, the likes of Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande left heartbreaking tributes.

Donna Kelce is proving yet again she's just as big a celeb as her two NFL star sons ... receiving a police escort in Kansas City on Monday that included FOUR armed officers.

Jason and Travis' mom got the secret-service-like protection just hours before her two boys will square off at Arrowhead Stadium ... as she was doing some promo work at a nearby Raising Cane's restaurant.

Mama Kelce -- rockin' a half green, half red shirt to represent both her sons' teams -- was working the register and the drive-thru at the eatery ... before cops made sure she got out of the joint unscathed.

Donna, however, didn't appear nervous about the attention at all ... in fact, she was seen smiling and waving to a mob of fans -- all while flanked by policemen.

Of course, Donna has got to be used to all the love at this point ... 'cause after bursting onto the scene during last year's Super Bowl -- she's become an even bigger star following her elbow-rubbing sessions with Taylor Swift at Travis' Chiefs games this year.

Double whammy for Wayne Brady ... he got into a car accident in Malibu, and then ended up in a heated argument that turned physical, and now cops are involved.

Law enforcement tells TMZ ... Wayne was driving down Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu Sunday night when another car hit him.

We're told Wayne and the other driver, a 51-year-old man, pulled over and things got heated ... in the form of an intense argument escalating into a physical altercation.

Cops say Wayne called 911 after the fight, and the other driver got back in his car and took off down PCH. We're told Sheriff deputies ultimately found the guy and ended up arresting him for battery, DUI and hit-and-run.

Wayne's got a rep for being one of the nicest guys in Hollywood -- outside of that hilarious "Chappelle Show" skit -- so it's pretty incredible someone allegedly got physical with him.

We're told the fire department responded to the scene, but Wayne was OK and didn't need to be taken to a hospital.

Snoop Dogg shocked everyone with his declaration he's quitting "smoke" ... and turns out his choice of wording was the marketing ploy many suspected it to be -- he's now promoting a smokeless stove!!!

On Monday, Snoop made the grand reveal his announcement had zilch to do with quitting marijuana, and everything to do with Solo Stove, an outdoor fire pit that brings the blaze without the puff, puff, pass.

The new Death Row Records CEO addressed tarnishing his brand in the ad, but promised he was "done with the coughing and my clothes smelling all sticky-icky."

Yep, Snoop loves a double entendre almost as much as weed.

Keen eyes noticed Snoop said he was quitting "smoke" and not "smoking" -- but not everyone was paying attention.

Both Meek Mill and Coi Leray jumped out the gate with several unfounded claims about cannabis, but vowed they were quitting soon.

We'll see if they hold true to their word now that we know Snoop's just peddling stoves.

Travis Kelce's love for Taylor Swift is much deeper than her looks and musical talent ... the NFL superstar says he's fascinated by her brain and learning new things from her every day.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end opened up on his relationship with the pop icon in an interview with the Wall Street Journal this week ... where he detailed how he's personally growing from their one-on-one time together.

"I've never been a man of words," Kelce said. "Being around her, seeing how smart Taylor is, has been f***ing mind-blowing. I'm learning every day."

Kelce also praised Swift's ability to turn her own experiences into words ... specifically pointing out his love for a line in her hit song, "Blank Space" -- when she sings, "I could make a bad guy good for the weekend."

Kelce -- who referred to Swift as "hilarious" and a "genius" -- added the two are on the same page with their views ... especially when it comes to family.

"Everybody knows I'm a family guy. Her team is her family. Her family does a lot of stuff in terms of the tour, the marketing, being around, so I think she has a lot of those values as well, which is right up my alley."

As for how they first linked up, the two-time Super Bowl champion said someone in Taylor's circle played Cupid after he publicly shot his shot on his podcast ... and eventually, Taylor reached out directly.

Another interesting point -- Travis claims his mother, Donna, is upset with herself to this day about how she downplayed meeting Taylor for the first time during her appearance on the "Today" show ... when she famously said it was just "okay."

Kelce says his mom was just trying to play it cool ... but he reassured her she handled the question perfectly.

AEW's Full Gear went down at The Forum in L.A. on Saturday, but the match was better suited for the Staples Center ... after "Hangman" Adam Page busted out a Swingline and drove a staple into Swerve Strickland's face, before drinking his blood!

It was as nasty as it sounds ... and the thousands in the building loved it!

If you're a wrestling fan, you know the history ... Page and Strickland HATE each other, and the Texas Deathmatch format (and lack of rules) was the perfect setting for the match.

Ultimately, Swerve pinned Hangman, defeating him ... after some help from Prince Nana and Brian Cage. But, it's what happened before the pin that has fans talking.

Hangman, holding a heavy-duty staple gun, stapled a drawing done by his son to Swerve's face, instantly drawing blood. Page then grabbed the drawing and ripped it, staple and all, out of Strickland's face.

As Swerve writhed in pain, Adam dove to the ground, grabbed Strickland's head, and actually began drinking his blood.

The entire match was brutal ... and Hangman wasn't alone in resorting to the use of weapons. In fact, Swerve used a barbed-wire-wrapped chair to hit Page. Hangman also slammed Strickland through a barbed wire-wrapped table.

The men did everything short of killing each other in the squared circle.

An L.A. Lakers fan not only lost out on $55,000 during a shooting contest at Sunday's game ... he also might have seriously injured his leg in the process.

The wild scene happened during a break in the action at Crytpo.com Arena ... when Lakers officials set up a game where a fan named Anthony could've scored a ton of cash if he hit a half-court shot.

Anthony initially seemed super confident he'd get the job done ... telling an in-arena host, "This is what I do."

A short time later, however, everyone in the building quickly learned this is not what Anthony does.

Check out footage from the contest ... as Anthony released the ball, he somehow hurt his left leg -- and he was hurting so much, he ultimately crumpled to the floor.

While the in-arena host attempted to get him to come back to make another attempt at earning money ... Anthony was in simply too much pain to continue.

"Let's put our hands together for the attempt," the host said as officials walked Anthony off the court.

A couple of Philly brothers are flipping the bird this Thanksgiving ... and possibly sparing some of the dumbest creatures on earth from a death sentence!

Brian and Shaun Kean, who run the Philly Pretzel Factory, have created a soft pretzel version of the Thanksgiving foul of choice. With a pound-and-a-half of dough, they can replicate the bird in the finest detail.

They've already made 80 cooked/bald/dead pretzel turkeys and they're continuing to fill orders right up until the big day.

The turkeys are hollowed out and often served as an appetizer with the help of some dip. They're also a great centerpiece.

The Philly bros have also an Eagles logo pretzel ... a popular item, for sure.

They've also done custom pretzels for Valentine's Day, St. Patty's Day and then a little Philly history ... a salty Ben Franklin.

Shakira decided not to fight the fight in a courtroom in Spain ... she has settled her tax fraud case with the government and agreed to pay millions in fines.

She cut a plea deal in the case after failing to pay $15.8 million in taxes between 2012 and 2014 -- the singer is set to receive a suspended 3-year sentence and a fine of $7.6 million ... as well as the taxes, plus interest. All told, she's in for about $19 million now.

Shakira showed up for the trial Monday in Barcelona, but before anything official happened the parties announced a settlement.

The fine is actually somewhat of a victory for the singer ... prosecutors wanted more than double that. Also, she can certainly afford it ... her net worth is significantly north of $200 million.

Shakira seemed upbeat when she entered the courthouse ... blowing kisses to her fans.

As for why she settled, she said in a statement it was "to spare my children seeing their mother sacrifice her well-being."

She went on ... 'I admire tremendously those who have fought these injustices to the end, but for me, today, winning is getting my time back for my kids and my career."

She's still pissed, going after the Spanish government for targeting athletes and other high-profile folks.

The judge asked her if she accepted the charges against her and she simply said, "I do." The judge said the fine would end the case ... i.e., no prison time.