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Paulo Costa was 26 lbs. overweight just 3 days before his fight with Marvin Vettori, but despite the extra pounds, the UFC star tells TMZ Sports he's staying at middleweight.

"I will come back to 185. The very next one. I want to fight for the title and get the title," Paulo says.

FYI, Costa (#2 ranked middleweight) and Vettori (#5 ranked middleweight) were supposed to fight at 185 lbs., but PC told reporters he weighed 211 lbs. on Wednesday ... less than 48 hours before he was supposed to weigh in.

As for why he missed weight, Costa explained it like this, saying, "I came a little bit heavier than usual, and they suggest to make catchweight."

He never identifies "they."

It only takes one glance at Costa to see he's huge for the division. He's got muscles on top of muscles, so, cutting a lot of weight is nothing new for Paulo. But, to shed that weight in mere hours is all but impossible.

Despite the embarrassing situation, the fighters have verbally agreed to fight at a catchweight of 195 lbs. -- 10 lbs. over the originally contracted weight limit.

Costa intending to stay in the division is significant. With a win over Vettori, an argument for a rematch with Israel Adesanya (Izzy handily beat Costa in September 2020), although unlikely, could be a possibility.

If he moved up, Paulo would have to claw to the top of another division.

But, it might not be up to Costa ... 'cause the UFC could force him to move up after nearly losing the main event for the Fight Night card.

We also talked to Marvin (before the weight drama) ... and the 28-year-old fighter, who compared Costa to a fake Conor McGregor, had a message, albeit short and sweet, for his opponent.

nZo, formerly Enzo Amore, is returning to the ring years after parting ways with WWE, telling TMZ Sports he's performing at an upcoming MLW show ... and he doesn't want it to be a one-time appearance.

"Is MLW gonna be a one-off? Absolutely not. Line 'em up and knock 'em down," nZo tells us.

The 34-year-old says he's signed on to wrestle at MLW (Major League Wrestling) Fusion Alpha on November 6 in Philadelphia. The event will air on TV at a later date.

Of course, Amore was a big star in WWE ... linking up with Big Cass to form one of the most successful tag teams of the decade. Amore was released by WWE in 2018.

Even though his split with WWE ended less than ideally, nZo says he's grateful for his time with Vince McMahon's company.

"I have nothing but good things to say about the opportunity I was given [in WWE] because without it, I don't know where I'd be."

Since parting ways, the wrestler has occasionally worked local shows ... while also creating music. But, this is the first time the wrestler will be back on television.

nZo left us with the following message for the MLW roster.

"Now it's time for me to get in the ring with real competition and beat the hell outta them. I'm not playing games. If you can beat me up, then do it. I'm standing in from of you, I'm in the ring."

Meghan McCain is pissing off some of her old bosses with her scathing assessment of her tortured time on "The View" -- because they believe it's the exact opposite of how she's framing things.

Sources close to the production tell TMZ ... ABC honchos are furious about Meghan's new memoir, and the subsequent interviews she's recently done -- characterizing "The View" as a toxic work environment, full of coworkers/cohosts who despised her.

We're told there are many points of dissent -- for instance, ABC execs say the notion Meghan left on her own volition is wrong, and ditto for her claim everybody except her was oozing toxicity.

Our sources tell us Meghan was essentially forced out of her role after an internal investigation into the environment she describes -- which we're told was, in fact, real ... but mostly due to Meghan's behavior on and off camera, not her coworkers' -- other way around.

Our sources say new ABC chief, Kim Godwin, did a thorough investigation -- meeting with key stakeholders of the show, like talent and producers -- and in the end, we're told she found Meghan was the source of a lot of the in-fighting that ultimately played out on the show ... something Godwin had to address head-on in an emergency Zoom meeting.

Those on-camera blow-ups are well-documented, and even though a lot of the hosts are often seen bickering ... we're told many at ABC feel Meghan was, more often than not, the instigator of these arguments -- or she was the one who kept them going longer.

We should say, however, there are some execs at ABC who have confided in TMZ, telling us the environment was hostile and the bullying is what led to McCain's exit ... so clearly, not all honchos feel the same way.

As for her departure ... our sources didn't have details on the negotiations behind the exit, but we're told the bottom line is it wasn't simply her decision after hitting a breaking point. The network was ready to move on too.

Of course, we're told this was a long time coming ... as many at ABC apparently felt the old boss, James Goldston, didn't have the stones to give MM the boot earlier, because he allegedly feared a conservative backlash.

Now that Meghan's gone ... our sources say the mood on set is way better, and people at home can see it for themselves. The temperature in the room, we're told, has lowered. Not just that, but the ratings are steady ... with the show remaining #1 on daytime TV.

Nikolas Cruz -- the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High mass shooter -- doesn't deserve a second chance ... according to his victims' families, who want him sentenced to death.

The fathers of 2 of Nikolas' 17 victims tell TMZ ... they're not buying the courtroom apology Cruz offered Wednesday, and they say he shouldn't get another shot as his trial looms.

Max Schachter, the father of 14-year-old victim Alex, says straight-up ... Cruz "is a sadistic murderer and he deserves to die." Max also says his plea for a second chance is "laughable" and believes he should get the death penalty.

Tony Montalto, whose 14-year-old daughter Gina was among those gunned down, doesn't accept Cruz's apology either, saying ... "If he wanted to do something for our families, he would've not killed our loved ones."

The way Tony sees it ... Cruz didn't give his daughter a chance when he shot her 4 times, so why should he get a second chance at life???

As we reported ... Nikolas changed his plea to guilty Wednesday and told the families of his victims he was sorry and he loved them, while begging for a second chance and making it clear he doesn't want a death sentence.

Tony, who was in court to listen to Cruz, says the mea culpa was "ridiculous" and "painful" ... and he wants Cruz prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law as a way to deter future mass shootings.

Mel Gibson will star in the new "John Wick" TV series -- a controversial casting that left even the franchise's own creator in shock, but the guy's still willing to let it be ... for now.

Screenwriter Derek Kolstad -- who penned the initial "John Wick" movie, and contributed to the other 2 installments, tells TMZ ... like many others who heard the Gibson news this week, he too was surprised by the decision -- adding he had no idea it was coming.

Kolstad says that even though his creator status earns him an executive producer credit on the show -- which will be a prequel titled, "The Continental," the name of the hitman hotel in the flicks -- he hasn't been in on the creative process playing out behind the scenes, including casting.

Despite being in the dark, DK tells us he's willing to give the guy a shot, and will watch the series with naked eyes.

As for why Mel deserves a chance here ... well, Kolstad tells us he simply doesn't believe in canceling someone over previous mistakes -- of which, Gibson's had several.

Fact is, Gibson was never canceled -- despite the anti-Semitic moments and alleged domestic violence, he's been acting and directing for years now ... even after the scandals.

Still, the Twitter mob is pissed he's been tapped to carry the flag for a mega-franchise like "John Wick" ... especially in 2021, where folks are getting called out for lesser transgressions than Gibson's old messiness.

Lil Nas X is getting his own special day in Atlanta ... the city just declared a day in honor of the "Industry Baby" rapper.

The Atlanta City Council is behind the move to proclaim Oct. 20 as "Lil Nas X Day" ... and they just surprised Nas with a plaque commemorating the special honor.

ATL says LNX is shaping the city and the world with his "artistic influence and transformative influence" ... mostly through his super-popular songs.

Lil Nas X got the plaque Wednesday night at a special dinner at The Gathering Spot ATL ... and it was presented by city councilman and mayoral candidate Antonio Brown, the city's first Black LQBTQ+ council member.

Nas has deep connections to the city ... he was born and raised in the Atlanta area.

Kandi Burruss, Todd Tucker and Miss Lawrence were among the celebs on hand to see Lil Nas get the special honor.

Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli are gunning to head south of the border once more -- only this time, its for a wedding ... but first, they'll need to get the all clear from court.

The convicted couple just filed legal docs asking for permission to take a week-long trip down to San Jose del Cabo next month ... where they say they plan to be in attendance for someone's nuptials. Lori and Mossimo say they'd be gone from Nov. 5 to Nov. 12.

As for why they should be allowed to go, the pair note they've been compliant with the terms of their supervised release since getting out of prison. Lori cites the $150k fine she had to fork over as part of her sentence and says she's done with her community service.

Mossimo, for his part, says he's paid his $250k fine and says he's making progress on the community service. In other words ... we've paid for our college admission scandal sins.

Worth noting, this is is the exact same reasoning as last time -- remember, they went to Cabo back in June, and cited the same rationale, which a judge approved. So, ya gotta figure they'll be given the green light again.

Lori and Mossimo also claim their probation offices have their back in the ask -- which should help get it approved.

The judge has yet to rule.

Get ready for some history to be made on "The Masked Singer" ... because there's going to be two celebs in the same costume, and we're told they have quite a history between them.

For the first time on the FOX competition show, there will be a double-faced costume with two people inside the same mask ... and they're set to debut on 'Masked Singer' as the beachball.

Production sources tell TMZ ... the two celebs hiding out underneath the beachball haven't always seen eye to eye, so it sounds like there could be some drama on tap.

And, get this ... our sources say the celebs making up the first-ever wild card duet have combined for a pretty up-and-down past few years ... which could make things super interesting.

The big question, aside from their true identity, will there be another public blowup between them?!?

Rick Ross says that his weed-smoking and overall health have changed for the better -- and it's all because of a hemp business he's gone all-in on ... which sounds revolutionary.

We got Renzel on "TMZ Live" Wednesday to talk shop about his latest business endeavor -- a company he calls Hemp Hop ... which, as you can probably tell, is a play on "hip-hop." It's a CBD biz, that also dabbles in hemp products ... especially when it comes to toking.

Check out the interview to see what we mean here -- RR tells us that ever since he ditched tobacco-laced blunt wraps and swapped them for hemp papers and other CBD spinoffs ... he's seen vast improvements to his well-being, visibly notable in his dramatic weight loss.

Rick explains why this new source is a miracle-worker ... beyond just blazing up. He's right, BTW -- CBD is used for so many things these days -- and is a great alternative medicine.

Speaking of healing ... Rick says the CBD products that Hemp Hop offers has even helped him with seizures he's suffered from over the years, so you're hearing it straight from the man himself -- this stuff works, and he's got it available to the masses with this new upstart.

Speaking of being a boss ... we had to ask about Rick setting his son up with his own Wing Stop franchise -- which is an empire that runs in the family ... one that Rick's been invested in for years and years now.

He tells us he's just trying to get his boy into the habit of running things early -- and what better way than getting him on the ground floor with something that's already in Ross's portfolio.

Dr. Dre's divorce has been extremely contentious, and something happened Monday that punctuates the bitterness ... a process server for his ex-wife attempted to serve him with legal docs at the cemetery where he buried his grandmother.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Dre was at a Los Angeles cemetery Monday to put the woman who helped raise him in her final resting place.

There's a dispute over where exactly Dre was confronted by the process server. Sources connected to Dre tell TMZ ... a process server came up to him at the burial site as Dre was standing by his grandma's casket and tried serving him. Sources connected to Nicole Young tell TMZ ... Dre was served in the cemetery's parking lot after the burial.

Either way ... we're told Dre recoiled in anger and wouldn't take the documents in hand. Our Dre sources claim the process server dropped the documents by the gravesite. Our Nicole sources say they were dropped in the parking lot.

The papers involved payment of Nicole's attorney's fees. There's a dispute over how much he was supposed to pay. The music mogul paid $325,433.  The judge signed an order that he owed a total of $1,550,000. Dre believes that amount is in error and he paid the full fee. Nicole says the order is clear ... Dre owes a balance of $1,224,567. The legal docs that were served included the judge's final order of $1,550,000.

Either way ... this divorce is about as acrimonious as it gets.

Dog the Bounty Hunter has vacated the state of Florida amid his search for Brian Laundrie -- but that doesn't mean the guy's throwing in the towel ... quite the opposite, in fact.

Sources close to Duane Chapman tell TMZ ... he's back in Colorado -- where he normally lives -- and has plans to meet with his doctor over his recent ankle injury ... which he suffered while on the hunt for the elusive Laundrie.

He might be down and on the mend at the moment, but that doesn't mean Dog is out of the fight -- we're told he still has reason to believe BL is alive ... and will continue filtering through tips.

Speaking of those ... we're told that since he's been back in the Rockies, Dog's received upwards of 4,000 possible leads -- through which he's sifting for one that might be legit. As you can imagine, it's a daunting task -- but DTBH is up for it.

Consider this as well ... Dog was roughing it in the Sunshine State -- which our sources say took a toll on him. The guy was seen wading through marshy swamps in the area -- but even beyond that ... we're told he'd been putting in 20-hour days, and sustained injuries that he hasn't really made public ... leaving him cut up and bloodied.

Now, as to whether Dog will return to Florida once he's back to 100% ... we're told he absolutely will. Our sources say Dog is still invested in the case, and will get back into the field soon.

Cops were called to the scene where an abandoned bike was found just a few miles from where surveillance video was shot of a man who resembles Brian Laundrie ... TMZ has learned.

A used car sales manager named Jon in Hernando, FL tells us he discovered the bike near his shop -- he believes it was left there either Friday night or Saturday morning. Jon called the cops, who came to the scene and fingerprinted the bike Tuesday.

Jon says officers only spent about 15 minutes on scene, but told him Laundrie tips come in quite frequently to their department ... and most are dead ends.

The location of the bike is interesting ... considering we obtained a surveillance video shot in the area last week of a man who resembled Laundrie, riding a bike on a deserted road surrounded by heavy brush. In the video ... you see the man struggle to pedal on the sandy road, wearing a very large backpack. The area where the man was riding is 3 hours from the home of Laundrie's parents.

We should say ... the design of the two bikes appears to be different, but nonetheless, the abandoned bike was suspicious enough for cops to come out.

Laundrie has been on the run for more than a month now, and it's widely believed he had something to do with the murder of his fiancee, Gabby Petitio. Authorities say Petito was strangled to death, and her body was left in the wilderness for weeks before being discovered.

Lil Yachty's celebrating a major life milestone -- and likely losing sleep -- because he's on daddy duty now!!!

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the "Yacht Club" rapper is father to a baby girl who was born in the last couple weeks in New York City.

We're told Lil Yachty is in the Big Apple right now, where he's spending some time with the child.

It's unclear who the mom is ... to us, anyway. Obviously, Yachty knows, but he has had a few different girlfriends recently. Stay tuned.

We reached out to his reps, but so far ... no word back.

Sara Gilbert and Linda Perry's split is finally official -- because a court has signed off on everything ... including what happens with their kid.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, the former couple's legal separation became official last week, and it looks like a pretty clean break ... with the couple agreeing on a 50/50 split on custody.

As you know, Sara and Linda have a 6-year-old son together, Rhodes, and they will have joint physical and legal custody ... so, both will continue to weigh in on various decisions, such as school and medical issues.

Day-to-day decisions over the boy's well-being will be the responsibility of the parent he's with at any given time. Neither of them will pay child support to the other -- they're both very successful, after all.

When it comes to how they're going to be splitting up their property and other assets ... there's a separate agreement, but those details aren't public.

Sara and Linda got hitched in 2014, with SG giving birth to Rhodes in 2015. She's got 2 other children from previous relationships. Sara created and co-hosted "The Talk" for years, and has since gone on to star in the "Roseanne" spinoff, "The Conners."

Prosecutors in the YNW Melly double murder case could help prove their case against the rapper -- that is, if they can get their hands on his saliva and match it to DNA at the scene.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, prosecutors are asking a Broward County judge to force Melly to submit an oral swab ... because they want to check if his C's, A's, G's and T's match up to DNA samples they found on a key piece of evidence collected during the investigation.

That evidence is a yellow jacket ... which prosecutors say already has DNA that matches Anthony Williams, one of the 2 people killed in the shooting.

Prosecutors claim there are 3 other potential DNA profiles on that jacket ... and seeing as how Melly is one of the people charged with the murders -- prosecutors wanna see if his DNA is also on the jacket.

As we reported, prosecutors allege Melly and his pal, Cortlen Henry, gunned down their buddies, Anthony Williams and Christopher Thomas Jr., and then hatched an elaborate plan to make it seem the men had died in a drive-by.

Watch out Diana Taurasi, there's another G.O.A.T in town -- so says Vivica A. Fox, who tells TMZ Sports Candace Parker should absolutely be in the conversation of being WNBA's best ever.

The Phoenix Mercury superstar was voted the greatest (by fans) before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals last week ... and four games later, lost the championship to Parker and the Chicago Sky.

Fox -- a HUGE hoops fan -- kept a close eye on the series, of course ... so we had to ask for her take on the end result.

"It was a unbelievable series," Fox said. "They were down by 14 in the 4th and seeing them comeback was absolutely amazing."

The award-winning actress -- who's also an L.A. Sparks sponsor -- is a huge CP fan ... and with Parker winning her 2nd title in two different cities (LA in 2016 and now Chicago), we asked if she should be considered the best.

"Oh my goodness, absolutely! Congratulations Candace!" Fox said, "We're very proud of you here in L.A. We miss you."

BTW -- CP has a ton of accolades -- Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, 6-time All-Star, 2-time Olympic gold medalist and first female to dunk twice in an NCAA game.

Of course, the most recent accomplishment is winning Chicago its first WNBA title -- something Chi-town's own Chance the Rapper has vowed to commemorate with a tattoo.

"It warms my heart to see how much the men have come out to support female sports now," Fox said about the upcoming ink.

"From Chris Paul for Phoenix Mercury to Chance the Rapper in Chicago that's what I've been pushing for."