Bray Wyatt Died During Nap ... Wasn't Wearing Doctor-Recommended Heart Defibrillator
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WWE superstar Bray Wyatt experienced a series of heart complications in the months leading up to his death, and a doctor-recommended heart defibrillator was not with him when they found his body ... TMZ has learned.
According to law enforcement records, obtained by TMZ, Wyatt -- real name Windham Rotunda -- told his girlfriend he was going to take a nap Thursday, and she became concerned when she heard his alarm going off about an hour later without stopping.
The report says Windham was discovered in his bed, not breathing, and was turning blue. Windham's girlfriend called 911, as her mother attempted CPR ... but he was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Cops spoke with Windham's immediate family members who said he had COVID in March 2023 and developed heart complications -- causing him to have a "weak lower part of his heart."
In fact, just a week before he died, Windham was hospitalized for a heart issue. He had a follow-up appointment with doctors the morning he died and was advised to continue to wear an external heart defibrillator -- a device designed to treat people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest.
Though it's not known if the device would have saved his life, investigators determined Windham was not wearing the defib at the time of his death ... they later located it inside his vehicle parked in the driveway.
He was only 36.
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VIVEK RAMASWAMY Protest Trump's Prosecution, But No Violence!!! I Won't Be His VP, Though
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Vivek Ramaswamy is calling for peaceful protests if Donald Trump is tried and convicted in any of his 4 criminal cases because he says he firmly believes violence is not the answer.
The 2024 Republican Presidential candidate joined us Monday on "TMZ Live" and we asked if he would publicly discourage and denounce violent protests in the wake of a potential Trump loss in court -- a scenario lots of folks fear could happen.
Vivek, who emerged victorious in the first GOP debate, says peaceful demonstrations and self-expression are a core part of American life ... but he says he's dead set against violence in this country.
That's in line with his publicly stated view of the Jan. 6 insurrection.
The businessman-turned-politician says Trump's actions that fateful day were a "very bad decision," but he's not sure it rises to the level of a crime. That might seem like a backpedal from him ripping Trump's Jan. 6 behavior as "abhorrent" in his book, "Woke, Inc." ... but Ramaswamy says both statements can be true.
Vivek's also called Trump the best president in the 21st century, and yet, he told us would not be Trump's vice president ... if Trump wins the GOP nomination instead of him.
The conversation also features Vivek's thoughts, or lack thereof, on the strikes in Hollywood ... which he says don't have much of an impact on Americans by and large, so he hasn't given the issue much thought.
Vivek also touches on racism, white supremacy and discrimination ... and there's a pretty healthy debate.
The full interview airs on Monday's "TMZ Live."
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Sam Asghari Here's My Next Act Post Britney
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Sam Asghari has his sights set on his acting career in the midst of his divorce from Britney Spears ... and we're told his family's been a pretty big priority, too, in recent weeks.
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Sam, who's a SAG-AFTRA member, is planning on continuing with acting gigs when the actors' strike comes to an end. In addition to playing characters, we're told he's interested in hosting gigs.
We're told he wasn't in the middle of any projects before the strike, and obviously has nothing in the pipeline as Hollywood remains shut down, but that's where his head's at.
BTW, Sam's got no plans to get back into the personal training game -- something he'd been doing at L.A.'s Royal Personal Training when he and Britney started dating.
Apart from work, sources say Sam's been focused on spending time with his family ... mainly taking care of his mom in L.A. She came home from the hospital a few weeks ago and needs the help. She was injured in an accident but is on the mend.
Sam filed for divorce from Brit last week after getting into a massive fight over claims she cheated on him.
There's been a lot going on since the relationship was called off -- they've cut off communications, and agreed on custody of their 5 dogs ... but the big, unsettled issue is whether Sam will challenge their prenup.
For more Britney news be sure to check out our new podcast, "Fake Or Fact: Britney Spears," available on all podcast platforms!
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Neil deGrasse Tyson You Really Think Our Gov Has UFO Secrets? ... Come On, Man!!!
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Neil deGrasse Tyson is happy UFOs are being taken more seriously by our government ... but he highly doubts we've been visited by aliens, and he's got one big reason.
We got Neil at LAX, and he jumped on the subject of aliens visiting planet Earth, saying it's highly improbable out-of-this-world visitors could escape omnipresent video from cellphones.
Neil says he'd love for our government to be more open about any recorded phenomenon, but he doesn't think a full-on invasion has gone down that officials are keeping a secret.
8/23/23
In case you missed it, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie had a laugh during the Republican debate over UFOs... but promised to give Americans the 411 if he gets elected.
We covered the story on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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Francis Ngannou Vows To Knock Down Fury In Fight 'He's Gonna Hit The Canvas'
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Francis Ngannou is guaranteeing Tyson Fury will "hit the canvas" in their upcoming fight ... telling TMZ Sports that one of his punches will send the heavyweight champ crashing to the ground.
The former UFC star made the proclamation while outside LAX this week ... two months before he steps into the ring against the undefeated Fury (33-0) in Saudi Arabia.
While he stopped short of ensuring it will be a KO -- he told us it wouldn't shock him if that ends up being the case.
"He's good at coming back up," Ngannou said. "We gonna find out how good he is -- but he's gonna hit that canvas."
While it might seem unlikely -- it is, after all, Ngannou's first-ever pro boxing bout and Fury is still at the top of his game -- the MMA fighter has been taking the fight very seriously. He said he's been studying Fury extensively ... and he's also been training with Mike Tyson.
"I'm super ready," Ngannou told us. "I'm very excited about that fight. I'm getting ready. From Saturday, we're 9 weeks out, a good amount of time to get those hands fast [and] strong."
As for what's in the works following the Fury tilt ... he told us his next fight will be in early 2024 with the PFL -- an org. that he signed a multi-fight deal with in May.
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Diddy Invests $2 Million Over 24 Hours ... Supporting Black Initiatives
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Diddy opened up his wallet this weekend to bolster Black entrepreneurs and creatives while in the Atlanta area -- and he did it with a 7-figure amount that's sure to have a huge impact.
The media mogul was in town this weekend, first stopping off at an event called Invest Fest -- hosted by the Earn Your Leisure network, which offers a platform to up-and-coming Black creators and venture capitalists -- where Diddy was front and center fielding questions.
While there, he made a big announcement ... Diddy's launching an investment fund with EYL brass -- founders Rashad Bilal/Troy Millings -- to kick-start financial strategies immediately ... which will undoubtedly help their growing user base and sprawling roster of talent.
Diddy says, "I'm thrilled to join forces with Earn Your Leisure. We're going beyond discussing finances and taking action to demystify the world of investing for our community." He also said any profits from this will go toward his 3 charter schools on the East Coast.
Like we said, the fund is going to pay for educational tools and resources that teach young Black investors how to properly diversify their portfolios, and how to get their businesses off the ground ... so, a great cause. Diddy didn't stop there, though ... he donated another mil.
He also stopped off at the Cricket MEAC-SWAC Challenge Kickoff in the ATL, and followed through on a pledge he made last year ... donating a million bucks to Jackson State University Football, which will be doled out over the years in regular installments.
Diddy adds, "Supporting historically Black colleges and universities is crucial to preserving their legacy and ensuring they continue to change lives. This donation to Jackson State is not just a financial contribution, it's an investment in the future of our culture." Big moves!
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Beyoncé Chrome Outfit Request Leaves Fans Scrambling ... Etsy Stores Slammed
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Beyoncé's most loyal fans are in full panic mode after she asked them to wear chrome to her upcoming concerts ... and we've learned that's prompted a mad scramble online for silver clothing.
We spoke with several businesses on Etsy, and they tell us concertgoers have been messaging online shops, desperately trying to find the perfect outfit to please their queen, and one of the biggest challenges is getting it shipped, STAT!
We're told chrome outfits are sellin' like hotcakes, with items as expensive as a $112 shirt already low in stock.
Sequin Fans, one of the hot-selling companies -- says it's seen a 200% sales increase in silver apparel and a 400% bump in overall traffic.
Radiancy Designs saw more than 4 times its usual traffic after Bey posted her request, with 80% of that coming from folks searching "Renaissance Tour"-related keywords.
In case ya missed it, Beyoncé raved about her concerts thus far, and asked fans to celebrate her upcoming birthday by wearing "your most fabulous silver fashions" as her world tour nears the end.
Sounds like fans understand the assignment ... but maybe give them a little more of a heads-up next time, Bey!!!
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CHARLES MANSON ASHES AND HAIR USED IN NEW EXOTIC ART
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Charles Manson's hair and cremated remains are being used in a new exotic piece of art ... and it looks eerily similar to the famous mass murderer.
Ryan Almighty tells TMZ ... he and fellow artist Terry Barr -- who specializes in sculpting shrunken heads -- recently joined forces to create Manson art.
Ryan owns some of Manson's cremated remains and pieces of his hair ... both of which were gifted to him by a close friend of Manson's.
Once Terry sculpted the lifelike Manson head, Ryan added the remains in the eyes and attached grey hairs to the head.
Bad news for Manson followers ... the shrunken head isn't for sale, but Ryan says you can check it out at his private museum in Warren, PA.
Ryan has a history of using Manson's remains in his art ... even using ashes in a "Helter Skelter" tattoo for one Manson fanatic.
11/11/2020
It's dark, for sure, but it's not the first time people were obsessed with mass killers.
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UFC Star Ian Garry Sorry 'Wonderboy,' We're Fighting! ... 'I Have 100% Faith'
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Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson doesn't want to fight Ian Machado Garry ... so, who will the rising UFC star's next scrap be against?! Welp, "The Future" says ... Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson!
"No, the 'Wonderboy' fight is gonna happen. I have 100% faith," 25-year-old Garry told Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1).
Of course, Ian absolutely decimated Neil Magny at UFC 292 ... beating him from pillar to post, and winning by unanimous decision. In fact, one of the judges scored all three rounds 10-8 for Garry, giving him a 30-24 victory. The other cards were both 30-26. Bottom line, it was pure domination.
After the fight, Rogan asked Garry, who has since moved up to 11th in the rankings, who he wanted next.
Wonderboy vs Ian Garry next 👀 #UFC292 pic.twitter.com/JYyoEFJsn9
— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) August 20, 2023 @SpinninBackfist
"I need to prove myself as the best striker that this division has ever seen," Ian told Joe.
"To be the best striker in the world, you need to beat the best strikers. And everybody has Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson on that list, so give me Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson whenever, wherever, for 5 rounds and I will prove to you that I'm the next generation of striker in the world."
The issue ... Dana White, while doing media after the event, told reporters Stephen wasn't interested in the fight.
FYI, Thompson is ranked 7th ... and recently told us he was interested in a fight against former champ Kamaru Usman, the first-ranked contender.
Unlike with Magny, Garry says he has zero beef with Stephen.
"I love Wonderboy. He's a friend of mine. I get along with him. He knows me. He knows my family. There's no malice towards Wonderboy."
Garry added ... "What I want to do is challenge myself against the best, and when we speak about the greatest strikers of all time, Wonderboy absolutely when it comes to the welterweight division, is that guy."
There's much more with Garry ... including when he wants to fight next, and who he wants after Thompson.
Check out the clip!
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UFC's Blake Bilder Beats Up Normies In Wild Stunt
Step aside Steve-O and Johnny Knoxville -- a new crop of stuntmen has arrived ... and the dudes are so crazy, they let UFC fighter Blake Bilder beat the hell out of them on video!!
The Jackass-like guys call themselves "Mad House" -- and for one of their latest exploits ... they hit up a local gym to go toe-to-toe with a man who just fought on the UFC 289 card back in June.
Despite having little to no training whatsoever, four of the men put on boxing gloves and stepped onto the mats to go one, three-minute round with Bilder ... and, yeah, it all went exactly how you'd expect it to go.
Bilder first knocked one of the men out with a massive body shot. He then made another guy bleed after whaling on his face. Later, he put one of the dudes to sleep with a wild choke hold.
Bilder said afterward he couldn't believe any of them had the gall to actually try to fight him.
"Unf***ingbelievable," he said. "These guys are insane. I'm f***ing crazy, but these guys are crazy."
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'Riverdale' Finale Pisses Off Polyamorous Group ... We Shouldn't Be a 'Shocking Twist'
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The "Riverdale" series finale left viewers puzzled, putting the show's main characters in a four-way relationship ... a decision that's really pissed off the polyamorous community.
If you didn't catch the episode, it was a strange one -- which became par for the show -- but the "shocking twist" included a sequence where Archie, Betty, Jughead and Veronica were part of a quad-relationship.
Reactions were mixed, but many fans felt show creators only used the relationship for a "wow factor."
We spoke to Brett Chamberlin, Executive Director, OPEN (Organization for Polyamory and Ethical Non-monogamy) who tells us, though "tempting to celebrate every portrayal of non-monogamy in popular media," it needs to be done both responsibly and from a place of understanding.
He continues... "It's frustrating that Riverdale used its characters' non-monogamous relationship as a 'shocking twist' rather than engaging with an authentic portrayal of non-monogamy as simply being part of people's identities."
Chamberlin continues, "We didn't see or hear anything about why these characters practice non-monogamy, what it means for them, the substance of their relationship agreements and communication practices, or any of the other underlying motivations and work that makes relationships of any type function."
So while "Riverdale" might be done ... the drama from the show's ending still hasn't settled.
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Britney Spears Hires New Staff at Home ... Medical Professional Included
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Britney Spears and her (remaining) team are taking steps to make sure she's cared for, especially when it comes to her health ... TMZ has learned.
Sources close to Britney tell us ... she recently hired 2 new staff members at her Los Angeles-area home. We're told one of those staffers has a history working in medicine -- which is obviously really important, considering Britney's needs.
Our sources say the staffer with medical experience will have a wide range of responsibilities, but the primary job is to make sure she stays healthy. A key responsibility is making sure she takes her meds.
As for Britney's remaining support system -- her attorney, Mat Rosengart, and manager Cade Hudson -- we're told their focus is keeping Britney occupied. Our sources say she's been working on music as well as ventures outside the house. We're told Britney doesn't like being alone, so getting her out and about is important.
Britney recently posted a series of photos and videos from what many thought was her divorce party -- surrounded by shirtless men -- but we're told that was actually an old video.
Nonetheless, it seems there are serious steps being taken to make sure Britney gets the care she needs in light of Sam Asghari leaving and filing for divorce.
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Nicki Minaj Fans Attack Stephanie Bell Accounts After Swatting Suspect Called Out
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Nicki Minaj fans are on the hunt for "Stephanie Bell," who has a warrant for arrest after allegedly swatting the rapper, but lots of folks with the same name are getting caught in the crossfire.
Here's the deal, Stephanie Bell just isn't the most unique name, and ever since Nicki name-dropped her alleged harasser ... everyone with that name is taking it on the chin, at least on social media.
Some of the Stephanies are coming forward to air their grievances.
One wrote, "I've never been so angry at another Stephanie Bell. You're f***ing it up for all of us.." and another said, "Why y'all still in my inbox."
For what it's worth, some Stephanie Bells online know all about Nicki, but not about her swatting issue ... so, they're pretty confused about why the Barbz are swarming.
BTW, it doesn't sound like anyone getting dragged is the real Stephanie in question ... at least, not yet.
As we reported, law enforcement sources told us Bell, who Nicki put on blast Wednesday, is facing 2 charges of deliberately reporting a false emergency.
We also confirmed there is, indeed, a warrant out for her arrest, as Nicki claimed.
TMZ broke the story, cops told us the attempted swatting occurred in June, with an anonymous caller claiming child abuse was going down at Nicki's L.A.-area home.
Police also got a call that same night about her house being on fire -- and both reports were totally untrue.
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Mojo Muhtadi Heartbroken Over Bray Wyatt Death ... 'He Was Incredible In Every Way'
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Bray Wyatt is being remembered as an incredible wrestler and an even better person -- the late WWE Superstar's close friend, Mojo Muhtadi, says the community lost a truly special individual this week.
Mojo -- who wrestled alongside Bray (real name Windham Rotunda) in WWE for years -- poured his heart out in an emotional tribute on the "TMZ Sports" TV show ... praising the guy for being the utmost professional and caring coworker.
"Bray was just a very close personal friend of mine," Mojo said. "Someone that I traveled city to city, country to country with for years on the road, some of the best times of my entire career."
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
"You talk about Bray Wyatt the performer, and he is absolutely the most creative, original performer I have met in my entire life. The things that he did in the ring were the things that only Windham could have pulled off. No one else could have done that. He was just incredible in every single way. Even Bray Wyatt just didn't hold a candle to who Windham Rotunda was as a person."
Mojo -- who got his start in wrestling thanks to Bray's dad, Mike -- said Bray was someone who brought all the wrestlers together -- never putting anyone down and taking newbies under his wing.
In fact, he said many of today's Superstars owe their careers to Bray ... as he shared so much of his knowledge with the talent.
"Everyone doesn't really know how to handle it, but it has been awesome to see just the support," he added. "Everybody reaching out, sharing great stories about Windham."
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Consequence Free Ye's Ex-Publicist Trevian!!! Charged in Trump Case, But a 'Solid Black Woman'
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Trevian Kutti, a former publicist for Kanye West and R. Kelly, is charged as one of Donald Trump's co-conspirators in the Georgia election interference case, which is a surprise to Consequence ... who's vouching for her character.
Cons tell us Trevian worked with Ye alongside Chance The Rapper during crucial periods of his political ambitions circa 2018, but isn't certain if she actually performed publicist duties ... or if the media is pinning that label on her to leverage her association with Ye.
Trevian surrendered Friday at Fulton County Jail, and was all smiles in her mug shot ... which doesn't shock Cons, because he says she was always pleasant to be around.
He says he never got any inklings of malintent from Trevian, and suspects her political affiliation as a Black Republican might have put a target on her back.
Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis doesn't see it that way ... Trevian stands accused of pressuring Georgia election worker Ruby Freeman into a false admission of rigging the election -- and the alleged coercion was captured on police body cam.
As for Ye's potential political passions ... Cons admits it's too early to tell if he'll go full-scale with a presidential run in 2024, but promises their reputation as disruptors will be upheld!!!
Consequence is currently rallying around his new track, "Who Shot Jamal?" with his son Caiden The Crownholder ... part of his efforts to get a bill passed ensuring mental health treatment is accessible for all gun violence victims.
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'Suga' Sean O'Malley Reveals What Dana White Told Him After UFC 292
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"Kid, you have no idea how much money you're gonna make."
That's what UFC president Dana White told "Suga" Sean O'Malley as the newly crowned champion stood in the Octagon with the UFC honcho after defeating the great Aljamain Sterling at UFC 292.
28-year-old O'Malley joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show on Friday ... and chopped it up about all things Aljo, how life's changed since becoming champ, reaching Conor McGregor levels of fame, his offer to train Henry Cejudo in wrestling, and what he wants next!
"Chito was acting like he earned a title shot. I think he even tweeted he was the most exciting bantamweight which is just bonkers. I don't know how he sees that. He needs to settle down a little bit, cause I do have options.
"Henry, I pretend like is an option, realistically it's not. He lost his last fight. Alexandre Pantoja, the 125 lb. champ, throwing my name out there a little bit. That's an option. Merab's an option. I might just wait for Cory [Sandhagen] if Chito's gonna act like he earned a title shot."
FYI, Sean and Chito have history. The men fought in 2020, and Vera won. It's O'Malley's lone career loss.
(We also talked to Chito about his win over Pedro, and a possible fight with Suga.)
Sean says there's a way for Vera to lock down the fight, but it'll involve eating a little crow first and saying something along the lines of ... "Ya know what Suga, thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. I didn't deserve it. I didn't earn it, but I appreciate you.
"If he came at it like that I would think about it more. But the fact that he's tweeting, 'I earned that' and stuff, it's throwing me off a bit. I got options. I'm not too worried about it."
Of course, Sean dropped Aljamain with a perfectly placed straight right about 30 seconds into the second round, and after some effective ground and pound, the fight was stopped by ref Marc Goddard ... and just like that, O'Malley was Bantamweight champion.
As for how life has changed ... Sean says while he was a star before winning the title, he's now more than just a big deal amongst MMA fans.
"I kind of had everything-ish before 'champ status,' but definitely getting recognized way more in public by random people you wouldn't think were fight fans. The casuals that don't watch the fight, watched that fight," Suga said.
Speaking of fame and making money ... we also talked to Sean about acting (he's received movie offers) and whether he believes he will ever fight Aljo again.
Check out the clip!