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Nate Diaz says he is NOT fighting Khamzat Chimaev -- regardless of who wants to see them scrap -- telling TMZ Sports the Chechen fighter is a "rookie" who flat-out just ain't on his level.

We talked to the UFC superstar at Brickhouse boxing gym in North Hollywood ... and we asked him about the potential fight with Khamzat.

"They're coming at me with [Khamzat], and I'm like, 'hold on, don't disrespect me like that, trying to offer me a fight with a rookie.' I'm cool, you got 4 fights in the UFC. Don't even talk my name," Nate told us.

FYI, 27-year-old Chimaev -- 10-0 in his short career as a fighter (4-0 in UFC) -- bursts onto the MMA scene last year ... becoming one of the biggest draws in the sport.

Khamzat last fought Li Jingliang in October ... beating the Chinese fighter less than 4 minutes into the 1st round.

36-year-old Diaz has one fight left on his UFC deal ... and Dana White told us last month the UFC planned to offer Nate a fight with Chimaev.

Something we now know Nate turned down (however, ND does suggest an opponent for Khamzat).

Chimaev's out, but there's a helluva long list of huge fights the future Hall of Famer could accept ... and Diaz says he's ready to go.

"I'm trying to fight somebody in the UFC, like ASAP, but nobody wants to fight. I've been trying to get somebody for a minute," Nate said, exasperated.

The Stockton superstar later added ... "Anybody from the top 10, I've been trying to fight, in any weight division, but they all wanna keep their mouth shut cause they're all scared."

FWIW, Conor McGregor, who says he has 2 fights left in the UFC, recently said the trilogy fight with Diaz "1 billion percent" will go down.

Of course, McGregor is still healing up from the gruesome lower leg injury he suffered against Dustin Poirier.

We also talked to 28-year-old fighter (and Nate's close friend), Chris Avila ... who is fighting Anthony Taylor on the Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury card on December 18.

Taylor is the fighter who lost via decision to Fury on the Jake-Tyron Woodley card a few months ago.

Avila -- who says he's the most experienced fighter on the card -- is clearly pumped for the fight, and even knows who he wants next ... the winner of Jake and Tommy.

Sylvester Stallone and "Rocky" fans are gonna love this ... a bunch of memorabilia from his acting career and the movie franchise is hitting the auction block, including boxing gloves he wore in the franchise.

Julien's Auctions just announced the massive collection, and the highlights include Sly's boxing gloves used on camera in "Rocky III," and his training gloves from "Rocky Balboa."

The haul also includes the boxing mouth guard SS wore as Rocky in the iconic 1976 film ... and his original handwritten notebooks filled with story development ideas for the first four installments of the film franchise.

Hulk Hogan famously fought Sly in 'Rocky III' ... and the original artwork from their on-set fight is open for bidding.

The OG 'Rocky' won the Golden Globe for Best Picture in 1977, and the announcement card from the award show is up for sale ... along with original concept art for the film poster, and a shadowbox display with 'Rocky' themed boxing shorts produced for Planet Hollywood.

Sly's signed boxing training pad from "Creed" can be yours ... as well as his Air Jodan boxing boots from the movie.

The Stallone auction isn't just about 'Rocky' ... there's also memorabilia from his work on the 'Rambo' franchise.

The 'Rambo' gear includes ... knives, arrow quivers, headbands, scripts, watches, duffel bags, combat boots, prop guns and a machete.

Neighbors of Clarence and Jacqueline Avant have been alarmed by the crime wave in Beverly Hills and L.A. ... so much so they hired armed guards before Wednesday's fatal home invasion.

Residents in Trousdale Estate tell us just last week a bunch of neighbors got together and hired a private security firm. Law enforcement tells us there has been a spike in home and vehicle burglaries in Trousdale ... and it's got residents scared stiff.

Our source tells us the neighbors pooled cash and hired the security company ... problem is, the guards hadn't started patrols yet.

Some residents are so concerned after Wednesday's home invasion ... they've individually hired armed guards. And, on top of that, sources at the Beverly Hills PD tell us they will be measurably increasing patrols in the area. The PD has also hired a private security company to make sure the area is adequately covered.

Our BHPD sources tell us as far as they can see there is no connection to the smash-and-grab robberies in Beverly Hills and L.A. Louis Vuitton and Saks Fifth Avenue were both hit recently in Bev Hills.

TMZ broke the story, Avant was killed in her home early Wednesday morning. We know at least one suspect made their way into the home where Jackie was shot in the stomach ... she was awake and alert when paramedics arrived, but later died at the hospital.

Tiger Woods might not be healthy enough to play a full round of golf -- but his leg is certainly feelin' good enough for him to bro down on the range with Bryson DeChambeau!!

TMZ Sports has obtained video of the two golf superstars goofin' around with a football on a practice course in the Bahamas on Wednesday afternoon ... and it ain't hard to see Woods is in great spirits.

Bryson was firing footballs off a tee box -- and Woods was loving it, dappin' up his golf buddy and then playing a little catch with him too.

At one point, Tiger put a little too much heat on a toss to Bryson ... and, yeah, watch the clip, DeChambeau needed a second to recover.

Of course, it's all just another good indication that Woods' life is turning back to normal just nine months after he nearly lost his leg in a violent car crash in Los Angeles.

As we reported, Woods has said several times this week that he's doing well -- and he is, in fact, trying to make a comeback to the PGA Tour.

But, Tiger noted there's still a long recovery process to go ... adding that he'll likely never be a full-time pro again due to everything his body's gone through.

T.I. and Isaac Hayes III might have helped to end Felicia Moore's shot at being Atlanta's next mayor by spreading fake news about her and strip clubs ... at least according to the candidate herself.

Moore, who just lost ATL's runoff race against Andre Dickens, tells TMZ ... T.I. and Hayes have been spreading "lies" about her and her proposed policies, which likely helped to tip the scales against her in the final days leading up to election day. Now, she's calling them out over it and thinks others should too.

The misinformation Moore thinks they spread is a made-up smear against her based on an article they screen-grabbed and reposted -- its headline read, "Woman Running for Atlanta Mayor Promises to CLOSE ALL STRIP CLUBS!!!"

Neither Tip nor Hayes -- son of late, great soul singer Isaac Hayes -- attached the OG source, but the story can be easily found with a search.

The article posted an out-of-context clip of Moore from years ago -- talking about special use permits for certain businesses -- which had nothing to do with strip clubs.

Instead, it was about recording studios -- Moore says she never mentioned strip clubs during the campaign, and thinks T.I. was well aware of that when he showcased the bogus headline. She says the rapper's been outspoken against her, so she sees this as just another attempt to make her look bad.

Virgil Abloh was a game-changer in the fashion world, but not only for his designs -- he was also committed to bringing diversity to the industry ... according to Billy Porter.

BP was at Dulles Int'l Airport Tuesday when we got his thoughts on Virgil's passing ... which rocked the fashion world and beyond. Like mostly everyone else who got the sad and sudden news, Billy was equally shocked.

We asked Billy what Virgil meant to the culture, and he told us there's a big shift right now in the fashion industry toward more diversity and inclusion -- and he's giving Virgil big props for sparking it.

Seeing how Virgil was the first Black man in history tapped to head up Louis Vuitton's menswear line, it goes without saying he did so much in that regard ... and Billy emphasizes that here.

BTW, Billy had just touched down from overseas, where it sounds like he attended a fashion award show -- and it seems folks there were just as somber about Virgil's passing as here in the States.

Clarence Avant, a legendary music exec who was just inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, had a tragedy at home Tuesday night ... a home invasion where his wife of 54 years -- Jacqueline Avant -- was shot and killed ... TMZ has learned.

It happened in the Trousdale Estates ... a high-end area neighboring Beverly Hills. Law enforcement tells TMZ, Beverly Hills PD got a call at 2:30 AM for a home invasion. The caller told the dispatcher someone had been shot. By the time they arrived, Jackie had already been rushed to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

A family source tells us the people who broke into the house fired shots and hit Jackie. Clarence was home at the time. We do not know if he was hurt.

Jackie and Clarence's daughter is Nicole Avant, who is married to Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos.

Clarence is known as the Godfather of Black Music. He's been regularly celebrated by the likes of Jay-Z and Diddy, L.A. Reid and Babyface. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame back in October.

Jackie served as the President of the Neighbors of Watts, a support group that focused on child care. She was also on the Board of Directors of UCLA's International Student Center.

Jacqueline was 81.

RIP

Kenny G says he's not sweating the heavy criticism in a new documentary about his music career ... because he knows some real jazz legends are in his corner.

The famous saxophonist joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and we asked him about his reaction to the new HBO doc, "Listening To Kenny G," which is not always flattering.

Kenny says the director actually warned him about the first 12 minutes because they were anything but kind ... but he says he can roll with the punches because he's been hearing the same critiques for years -- that he's not a great saxophonist and just puts out a bunch of records -- and he's confident in his body of work and almost numb to the noise.

This also helps ... Kenny says he's comforted by the fact folks like Miles Davis enjoy his art, and those opinions definitely outweigh anything coming out of a critics' mouth.

Kenny also takes us back to the time he famously helped Kanye West with a surprise Valentine's Day gift for Kim Kardashian, when the estranged couple was still going strong.

He's not wading into their divorce, except to say they are some of the nicest celebrities he's ever been around.

Jen Shah wants the judge in her upcoming fraud trial to dismiss the criminal case against her, saying it's all because of what federal agents chatted about to Hulu cameras.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ ... "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star says the streaming service interviewed two specials agents from Homeland Security for a new documentary, where they gave out details about the investigation that weren't publicly available and opined on Shah, offering lots of commentary on the "lavish lifestyle" of "fraudsters."

Jen claims Agent Rick Patel specifically commented on the circumstances surrounding her arrest ... and says Agent Agnieszka Norman made "highly prejudicial" statements about her allegedly hiding money in offshore accounts, even going so far as to suggest the origin of the case against Shah came from an investigation into a narcotics smuggling ring.

As we reported ... Jen was arrested back in March for allegedly targeting and scamming folks out of their money, with the feds recently accusing her of "greater culpability" in the scheme. The trial is scheduled to get underway in March, and she's claimed total innocence and pled not guilty.

In the docs, Jen says the agents' statements on the ABC News doc "The Housewife and the Shah Shocker" destroyed any chance of her getting a fair trial by tainting the jury pool because the program is full of opinions that will lead people to presume she's guilty.

Dr. Mehmet Oz can't have his Senate cake and eat it too -- his decision to run for office means his TV fans in several major cities won't see his show for at least the next 11 months, potentially ... and maybe permanently.

Sources with direct knowledge tell us "The Dr. Oz Show" will be yanked off the air shortly in all Pennsylvania markets -- including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and the capital of Harrisburg. But wait ... there's more bad news for Oz fans.

Cities neighboring the Pennsylvania area are also axing his show, and that includes the #1 TV market of NYC, and at least one midwestern city. The issue, of course, is fairness to all the other candidates. The reason ... folks in Pennsylvania can pick up Fox in NYC.

A FOX source tells us ... this is all about the FCC's equal time doctrine. Although it's unclear how much that's being enforced these days, we're told execs are concerned about providing each candidate the same amount of air time.

Remember, Oz's talk show is an hour daily, and there are currently 7 other Republican candidates and 7 Democrats vying for Sen. Pat Toomey's seat in the Senate. Ya get the potential issue. ... just ain't enough time in the day.

As for everywhere else in America ... Oz's show will be airing, but with guest hosts while he's busy on the campaign trail. No word on who's sitting in yet, but we're told they won't be doctors.

Tank Davis and Ryan Garcia may have more Instagram followers than George Kambosos Jr. ... but when it comes to boxing skills, the newly crowned champ's adamant there ain't a 135 lb. fighter in the world who's better in the ring.

"Yes, by far. I got all the belts. I'm #1, and I took out the guy who took out the guy, so I'm the top dog in the division. And, they're all hunting me now, which is great cause it shows I am the guy now," the 28-year-old boxing star told TMZ Sports when asked if he was the best lightweight in the world.

FYI, the 135 pound division is STACKED ... with killers like Vasiliy Lomachenko and Devin Haney competing in the weight class, in addition to Gervonta, Garcia and a bunch of other tough fighters.

Of course, 20-0 Kambosos shocked the boxing world Saturday in NYC ... defeating heavy favorite and top-ranked lightweight fighter, Teofimo Lopez, via split decision.

Speaking of the judges' decision ... Teo's dad is adamant his son actually won the fight, a sentiment George says is "delusional."

"That's just delusional. He's probably the only guy in the world that's saying that right now," Kambosos told us, adding, "The world saw the fight. Everybody saw the fight. His own people in New York were booing him and were applauding me."

"Whatever they wanna say. Whatever delusional stories they want to have, that's fine. There's no disrespect there and I am the champion of the world."

We also talked to George about a possible rematch with Lopez, and who he's got his sights set on now that he's the lightweight king.

Travis Scott offered to pay for burial costs for the deceased of Astroworld Fest -- but more families of those who died are giving him the cold shoulder ... turning down his cash.

TMZ has spoken to attorneys repping the families of 14-year-old John Hilgert and 27-year-old Danish Baig -- both of whom perished during the event. In each of their cases ... the families have opted to snub TS, with one family suggesting it's a slap in the face.

Attorney Michael Lyons -- who's representing Baig's family in a civil lawsuit against Travis and others -- tells us ... "We received a written offer from Travis Scott's attorney Dan Petrocelli indicating that he would pay $7,500 in funeral burial costs and my clients are rejecting that."

As for why ... Lyons says the Baig family wants Travis nowhere near their son's burial, adding ... "[Y]ou can infer that when a parent has to bury their child that they're not really interested in people who may have contributed to that being involved."

Ditto for the Mithoff law firm, which is representing Hilgert's family in a similar lawsuit against Travis -- although, they didn't explain why they're rejecting the offer -- only saying they turned it down. No word on whether it was also in the amount of $7,500.

Speaking of these lawsuits, we asked Lyons what he and the family hope to gain going forward (besides damages) -- and he tells us his clients are hopeful for legislative reform so that this can never happen again.

As we reported ... the family of 9-year-old Ezra Blount also rejected Travis' offer for burial costs. While it's unclear if any family has taken him up on the offer -- we wouldn't be surprised if all of them forgo his dough.

Tupac Shakur's right-hand man/bodyguard has a treasure trove of Pac-related gems that are seeing the light of day for the first time ... and are expected to fetch a pretty penny.

The late rapper's ex-bodyguard, Frank Alexander -- who has also since died -- once had a computer hard drive in his possession that's said to contain an unspoken amount of content covering all things Tupac ... including unseen photos, unheard music and legal docs giving new insight into his life.

The 83 GB drive -- which is being auctioned off by GottaHaveRockandRoll.com starting Wednesday -- will have an opening bid of $10,000 ... but we're told by people in the know that auction heads think someone will throw down way more for it -- about $600k or beyond.

Why's this thing so dang valuable, you may ask??? It's pretty simple actually ... especially when you get a gander at what's inside.

Among the digital files ... a sea of pics showing Pac and his pals behind the scenes, either hanging out and/or working on music and other projects.

Not just that, but we're told there's also a plethora of legal docs that pertained to Tupac that Frank owned ... such as depositions he gave, lawsuits he was named in, among other paperwork. Bottom line ... it's a very valuable collector's item for any hardcore fan.

Dallas Cowboys safety Damontae Kazee told a cop he had been with Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott hours before his DWI arrest ... saying he had partied with the two just before getting behind the wheel.

It's all in new police video, obtained by TMZ Sports, which reveals Kazee name-dropped his two superstar teammates after he was pulled over in the Dallas area back on Oct. 19 at around 3 a.m.

In the footage, a cop can be heard telling Kazee he had stopped him due to his failure to use a turn signal as well as some erratic driving.

Kazee -- who seemed to be slurring his words -- said "my bad" ... and then explained he had been with the Cowboys' quarterback and running back earlier in the evening.

"I was just with Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott and we were just having fun -- went out," Kazee told the cop.

The 28-year-old, who just signed with the Cowboys this offseason, told the officer he had "probably like three shots" while out -- adding that he, Prescott, Elliott and others were at a restaurant in downtown Dallas.

"Today we was just going out to eat," Kazee said, "because it's rookie night."

The cop then put Kazee through some field sobriety tests -- and you can see in the video, Kazee didn't appear to ace any of them.

Kazee seemed to struggle to count backwards and didn't walk cleanly in a straight line -- and he was eventually arrested and booked on a misdemeanor DWI charge.

Kazee addressed the situation with Dallas reporters a few days following the incident ... saying, "I apologized to my family, my teammates, my coaches and to the owner, who gave me a job."

"I'm happy the Lord helped me get out," he said, adding that he'd "deal with" any punishment the NFL levied on him over it all. "I didn't hit nobody, I didn’t hurt myself. Just thankful I’m here now."

Cops at LAX are working a sad and gruesome case -- a dead dog was found there, and someone seems to have dumped the poor pup's lifeless body in a trash can ... TMZ has learned.

The horrific scene unfolded Tuesday afternoon when airport janitorial staff were alerted by a citizen who had discovered the animal's corpse in a bin -- and then the janitors alerted airport police.

We're told the dog -- apparently a French bulldog -- was stuffed inside a duffel-type bag that might have been the animal's carrier. Worth noting there was also a ripped luggage tag nearby.

Cops are trying to figure out what happened to the dog, and who placed it in the trash bin. Luckily, it's LAX and that means there are cameras almost everywhere -- we're told officers are checking all available surveillance footage.

Sadly, we've reported on way too many pets dying on airplanes -- usually in cargo holds, overhead bins or occasionally on the tarmac -- but this is the first time we've seen a dead dog turn up this way at an airport.

Aaron Carter thinks his family is actively working to place him under a conservatorship ... and he claims they've been going behind his back and talking to his now-ex to do so.

Aaron tells TMZ ... he was FaceTiming with his friend Monday and was told his fiancee Melanie Martin regularly communicates with his twin sister, Angel Conrad, a revelation that felt like betrayal.

Remember, Aaron is estranged from his family -- in 2019 Angel got a restraining order against him after claiming he threatened to send hitmen to her door -- and he tells us Melanie knew he did not want her talking to his fam.

Aaron and Melanie have an on-again-off-again relationship, and every time they broke up he claims his family would reach out to her and see if she was OK ... but he thinks they weren't being nice, there were ulterior motives.

The way Aaron sees it ... his family is trying to gain an ally in Melanie as part of a plan to get a conservatorship over him, using her to gather information for the case.

However, Melanie tells TMZ .. she doesn’t believe his family is trying to get a conservatorship and they never grilled her on info.

Aaron says he confronted Melanie after Monday's FaceTime and claims she denied talking to his family initially, but then admitted it was true and copped to communicating with them.

Sources close to Aaron's brother, Nick Carter, tell TMZ … Nick and his wife, Lauren, have no part in wanting to put Aaron under a conservatorship, and they haven't talked to Melanie because they have no relationship with Aaron or Melanie.

We're told people close to Nick see this as another way of Aaron trying to bring Nick and his family down.

As we reported ... Aaron and Melanie split early Tuesday morning, only one week after the birth of their son.

Aaron says Melanie wouldn't tell him what she's been talking to his family about ... and that's why he decided to end their relationship. With a newborn baby, Aaron says the timing of the split is unfortunate ... but he says it's his life and he feels like he's being taken advantage of.