Fights

UFC legend Diego Sanchez says he WILL attend a UFC Hall of Fame ceremony just 24 hours before his UFC 239 fight ... telling TMZ Sports he thinks it'll help him build momentum!!!

Sanchez and Clay Guida are being honored for their famous "Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale" fight back in 2009 ... a 3-round war that's being enshrined in the UFC's Hall of Fame fight wing. 

10 years after getting the victory in that fight, Sanchez is still a VERY active UFC fighter -- who's set to take on Michael Chiesa at UFC 239 on July 6. 

Some fighters refuse to do anything the night before a fight -- opting to keep things low-key (meditating, relaxing, etc) as part of their pre-fight routine. 

But not Sanchez!!!

"I think it's a great build up of momentum going into the fight," Sanchez says ... "I'm gonna go up there, put my jacket on, take my little walk!"

"I look at it as positive energy ... it's great. Something that I see as normal."

Sanchez says he doesn't think the honor makes him feel old -- "I feel like I'm a legend continuing to be a legend!"

Sanchez is 29-11 in his pro MMA career -- and he's currently on a 2-fight win streak after beating up Mickey Gall back in March. 

Jon Jones has NEVER been beaten (no, the DQ doesn't count) ... but Chris Weidman says he's gonna be the guy to hand Bones his first real "L" in the UFC Octagon!!!

Weidman -- the former middleweight (185lb.) champ who recently jumped to light heavyweight (205lbs.) -- has been Twitter beefin' with Jon ... and both guys seem down to a scrap. 

TMZ Sports talked to Chris at LAX earlier this week ... and the UFC star had a short, but ominous message for Jones.

"See you soon, Jon."

After winning his first 13 pro fights, Weidman's been in a slump ... losing 4 of his last 5 fights -- taking L's from killers like Yoel Romero and Luke Rockhold.

Still, Weidman is the guy who took out Anderson Silva (TWICE) -- and the 35-year-old former champ feels he's got what it takes to stick it to Jones too.  

"I definitely think I have the tools to beat him."

But, Chris knows he won't just be handed the title fight ... "I gotta fight some other guys first, but at some point, [Jon's] the goal."

Chris also tells us who else is on his UFC hit list (hint: he badly wants to avenge a loss) ... and answers an age ol' and fiercely debated question.

Jeff Francoeur says he was JUST KIDDING when he said he wished he had punched Willson Contreras in the face ... telling TMZ Sports, "I actually said it more joking!"

If ya missed it ... the Cubs and Braves nearly got in an all-out brawl earlier this week after Contreras hit a massive home run and chirped about it after.

Francoeur -- a former Braves star who now broadcasts games -- said he actually got into a scuffle with the Cubs catcher back in 2016 ... and said on TV after the dustup he now wishes he had punched the guy in the face back then!!!

"Quite frankly, I wish I had just thrown a haymaker and been done with it," Francoeur said ... “If I knew that was my last year, I would have."

But, when we got Jeff out in NYC on Friday ... he backpedaled off those comments, telling us he was just playin' around!!!

"If you go listen to it, I actually said it more joking! I laughed while I said it. It was fun."

In fact, Francoeur had nothing but praise for Willson ... telling us, "He's a hell of a player."

As for fighting in baseball in general, Jeff tells us he doesn't think knuckle-chucking should ever be allowed in the sport ... saying fights should NEVER escalate from a casual dust-up.

Nothing like a good ol' fashioned street fight -- with a hint of MMA action -- to top off a night out on the town ... and this one even has a hype man and a very distressed damsel!

The "Clash in the Crosswalk" (every great fight needs a title) went down Thursday night outside Poppy in West Hollywood. Two dudes, one with his shirt off -- 'cause why not -- squared up for some bare-knuckle boxing.

Here's what we know from the bearded hype man who repeatedly shouted things like, "Welcome to L.A." and "WEST SIDE!!!!" ... the shirt-off dude started the fight, or at least wanted the fight initially.

But, after one shot to the face, the topless tough guy went down ... and the other guy unleashed his ground and pound game, including an attempted rear naked choke. Attempted.

Colorado police have busted even more people in that wild youth baseball brawl ... saying they've now hit 12 TOTAL people with disorderly conduct citations -- including a 16-year-old kid.

Cops had initially cited just 5 people in the June 15 melee -- but after more than a week of investigating and reviewing some pretty clear brawl footage, officials have identified at least 7 more people involved in the fracas.

Among the accused, cops say there was a 55-year-old man, a 47-year-old man, three women (27, 30 and 30) and a 16-year-old juvenile. Most of the men are in their 20s.

As we previously reported, several parents got into an argument over the rules during a championship game involving 7-year-old players in Lakewood -- when suddenly a pregnant woman came out of the stands brandishing a baseball bat.

When a man tried to rip the weapon away from her ... all hell broke loose -- and HUGE fight ensued.

For their part, the Bear Creek Junior Sports Association issued a statement apologizing for the incident, saying, "BCJSA has ZERO tolerance for this type of behavior....PERIOD."

"I definitely want that fight" ... that's what Francis Ngannou told TMZ Sports when asked if he's down for a superfight with Jon Jones.

Ngannou-Jones is a dream matchup ... but things heated up this week when Jon stopped by the TMZ office, and talked about the possibility of fighting Francis.

"There's a lot of fights at the heavyweight division that are always gonna be extremely appealing. Cain Velasquez, Francis Ngannou," Jones told us.

"That's a scary dude. But, that's why I'm in it. For it to be hard. I'm aware that the greater the challenge, that's what makes it great. The hard is what makes it great."

So, Jon's down ... question is, is Francis willing to put his body on the line against arguably the baddest dude on planet Earth?

We have our answer ... and it's a big hell yes.

"Personally, I mean, it would be a good fight, first of all for the fans, for me, yes," Ngannou told us.

"Even though Jon Jones is a light heavyweight, this guy has made his legacy, dominating the whole division. He's a big dude. I met him once, we almost, we are the same height, we are almost the same thing. I might just have a few pounds on him. That would be a legit fight."

Before a fight with Jones or anyone else (D.C., Stipe), Ngannou's facing badass former heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos at UFC on ESPN 3 this Saturday -- so he's got his hands full.

But, it's very clear that Francis -- who says he ALWAYS gets asked by MMA fans about fighting Jones -- is down to make this fight happen.

UFC fighter Desmond Green was arrested for DUI manslaughter Tuesday after he allegedly caused a 5-car crash that killed 2 women back in August ... and officials claim he had alcohol and drugs in his system and cocaine in his vehicle.

29-year-old Green is facing multiple charges after he allegedly lost control of his 2011 Dodge Durango on I-75 and swerved into a semi truck on August 18.

So, why did it take so long to arrest Green? Officials say they conducted a massive investigation that took months to complete. And now, they feel they have enough information to successfully prosecute Green.

Here's what cops say happened ...

The initial collision started a chain reaction ... with Green's car striking several vehicles, killing a 67-year-old woman and a 76-year-old woman. Cops say 2 others were also seriously injured.

Cops say Green sustained minor injuries from the incident.

According to the police report, witnesses told cops Green threw a container over the highway barrier after the crash ... which cops say was a metal grinder with weed inside.

The report also says Green -- who wasn't wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash -- had a bag of cocaine in the front seat of his car.

Cops claim Green showed signs of being drunk -- he had slurred speech and smelled like booze -- and toxicology tests showed he had alcohol and drugs in his system.

Green is now facing a slew of criminal charges -- including multiple felony manslaughter counts -- and faces serious prison time if convicted.

UFC welterweight champ Kamaru Usman says he's SHOCKED Colby Covington agreed to take a fight with Robbie Lawler in August instead of waiting for a title shot ... saying, "This kid f*cks it up again!"

Usman -- who's recovering from double hernia surgery -- tells TMZ Sports he was REALLY hoping his first title defense would be against Covington ... a guy he HATES with a raging passion.

So, when Colby agreed this week to fight Lawler -- Kamaru says he was massively disappointed.

"I said from the start this was gonna be his fight to mess up," Usman says ... suggesting Covington took the fight for a quick paycheck to pay off gambling debts.

"Those gambling debts might have caught up to him!"

Usman says his fingers are crossed hoping Dana White gives him the Covington fight at some point because "there's no one right now I would love to punch more or hurt more than him."

Of course, Usman and Covington have been beefing for months -- and almost threw down for real in a Vegas casino back in March.

Meanwhile, Usman says he's recovering well after surgery and plans on fighting again in November -- and if he doesn't get Colby ... he'd love a crack at Ben Askren.

Remember, Ben mercilessly mocked Usman by calling him "Marty from Nebraska" leading up to Kamaru's title fight with Tyron Woodley.

Usman says it's time for a little payback.

Peter Greene, the actor known for playing bad guys, is now a real-life hero after seeing 2 women pounding on each other in the street, and stopping to break it up ... as NYPD traffic agents watched it all go down.

The crazy video of the "Pulp Fiction" villain, Zed, -- obtained by TMZ -- starts with a woman in a red shirt and blue pants confronting another woman in a neon green shirt ... who decides to throw down.

We're told the scuffle happened Monday in NYC's SoHo neighborhood. The guy who shot the vid -- underground rapper, R.A. the Rugged Man -- tells us, the lady in blue pants was acting aggressively before this, even spitting on people, and allegedly assaulted another woman minutes earlier.

R.A. says the lady in neon finally decided to step up and deliver a thorough shellacking ... that is, until Peter arrived on the scene. The actor hopped off his bike and got right between the combatants ... even though they kept going at it for several seconds.

Peter was mad as hell too -- at the women and also at the traffic agents standing on the same corner as the brawl doing nothing to stop it. He let them have it, then took off.

No word what happened to the women in the fight ... but the spitter's face is bloodied.

The irony here, of course, is that Greene -- best known for playing evil characters in "Pulp Fiction" and "The Mask" -- got to play the good guy for once.

Atta boy, Zed.

6/26 10:02 AM PT -- TMZ Sports has obtained dispatch audio from the incident in which you can hear a law enforcement official tell officers, "BJ Penn is back there trying to fight everybody. No weapon."

When cops arrived to the scene, the officers told dispatch Penn had "ran off" and was no longer at the club.

8:31 AM PT -- Law enforcement sources tell us ... cops DID, in fact, respond to the club after receiving a call about an "argument at an adult night club."

However, we're told Penn was NOT arrested -- and a warrant for his arrest has not been issued.

In fact, we're told the victim has not come forward to police and cops are not currently investigating.

It's possible the victim could still go to cops ... but seems unlikely at this point.

In other words, they scrapped and it's over.

UFC Hall of Famer B.J. Penn got into a fight with a bouncer at a strip club in Honolulu late Monday night ... with the altercation spilling onto the street ... and TMZ Sports has the video.

We spoke with the owner of Club Femme Nu who told us Penn was escorted out of the bar around midnight because he was acting "very drunk."

While the 40-year-old MMA legend was being escorted out, things turned physical -- and Penn began to fight the door guy.

Multiple witnesses watched as Penn -- a former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion -- smothered the door guy to the ground and took control over the other man. At one point, you can see Penn shoving his forearm into the other man's throat.

Several men can be heard asking B.J. to stop fighting and let the guy up -- but he never does.

One of the bystanders finally decides he's seen enough and begins punching Penn in the head in an attempt to end the fight ... but the other men call him off, so B.J. and the bouncer can finish their fight 1-on-1.

Eventually, someone calls the cops and we're told several squad cars arrived at the scene -- but B.J. had already left the premises by the time the officers got there.

Attempts to reach Penn for comment were unsuccessful.

Blac Chyna says she always knew she'd be vindicated in her hairdresser knife case, 'cause the lady was simply thirsty for the spotlight -- but she ain't gonna drink from Chyna's fountain.

BC says Tuesday's decision by the L.A. City Attorney's Office to reject cases against Chyna and her hairdresser -- each claimed to be the victim -- comes as no surprise ... as she maintains she never did anything wrong.

Chyna tells us her former employee -- whose name she refuses to say -- was obviously only looking for her 15 minutes. The proof, she says, is the woman took her bogus claims to media outlets and also her own social media ... BEFORE going to the police, attempting to smear Chyna.

The City Attorney's Office says there was insufficient evidence to prosecute, and Chyna insists that supports her account .. that she did NOT pull a knife or threaten anyone, as claimed by she whose name Chyna won't speak.

Plus, no other witnesses came forward to corroborate the woman's story, and there was never a smoking gun ... or knife.

What is clear is that something WAS thrown in the surveillance vid, and Chyna says it's the hairdresser hurling soda cans.

1:08 PM PT -- Cardi has officially left the building ... with plenty of love from her fans.

Cardi B is entering her plea on all the new charges in the strip club beatdown case.

Fresh of her Album of the Year win at the BET Awards ... Cardi arrived at the courthouse in Queens decked out in a black pantsuit. Inside the judge told her she's being charged with attempted assault in the 2nd degree and various other charges.

The judge gave Cardi the option of having all the charges read aloud in court. Her attorney said that would not be necessary -- and then Cardi said, "Not guilty sir, honor"

As we reported ... Cardi was indicted last week on 12 charges, including 2 counts of felony attempted assault with intent to cause serious physical injury. Other charges include misdemeanor reckless endangerment, assault, criminal solicitation, conspiracy and harassment.

This came after the rapper was initially charged with just 2 misdemeanors for allegedly ordering an attack on 2 strip club bartenders who are sisters -- Jade and Baddie Gi -- back in August 2018.

However, after Cardi rejected a plea deal that would have given her a conditional discharge in return for pleading guilty to a single misdemeanor ... a grand jury was convened and eventually handed up the 12-count indictment.

There are 2 codefendants in the case and they were also arraigned today -- both plead not guilty.

TMZ broke the story ... Cardi was arrested in October for her alleged role in the strip club incident, in which the 2 women claim they were injured when Cardi's people began throwing bottles and chairs.

If convicted on the new felony charges, we're told Cardi faces up to 4 years in prison.

Blac Chyna won't be prosecuted for allegedly brandishing a knife and threatening her hairdresser.

The Los Angeles City Attorney's Office tells TMZ the cases against Blac Chyna and her hairdresser were both rejected ... due to insufficient evidence.

The L.A. District Attorney had the first look at the case, but determined there wasn't enough there to charge Chyna or the hairdresser with a felony, so they gave the case to the City Attorney ... and now it's officially done.

Our law enforcement sources say the case was weak from the beginning.

TMZ broke the story ... BC and her hairdresser got into a heated exchange last month at Chyna's home in the San Fernando Valley. The hairdresser claimed Blac Chyna went after her with a blade and filed a police report, and BC appeared as a named suspect for assault with a deadly weapon.

Blac Chyna insisted she was actually the victim, not the aggressor ... and claims the hairdresser started hurling soda cans during the argument.

"Justin Bieber seems like a wimp" -- UFC star Ben Askren.

Yep, the biggest stars in the UFC are well aware of the possible Tom Cruise vs. Justin Bieber superfight ... and top-ranked welterweight Ben Askren is already picking a winner.

"I'm gonna say Tom Cruise," Askren says ... "Like, Tom Cruise at least seems like he's probably been through some sh*t."

As we previously reported, Bieber's rep, Scooter Braun, recently told Dana White he'd be down to fight FOR REAL if Tom signs on ... and Dana says it would be the biggest Pay-Per-View fight of all time.

Ben agrees ... "That would make a whole bunch of money!"

Meantime, Askren has his fight to worry about ... he's throwing down with Jorge Masvidal at UFC 239 on July 6.

But, if 56-year-old Tom Cruise does agree to fight 25-year-old Bieber, Askren says he'd be down to train the 'Mission Impossible' star ... and he's already got a game plan for him.

"All I'd teach him is [the double leg takedown] and then beat his ass ... little typewriter action on his face!"

DaBaby should be held responsible for allowing his crew to unleash a violent attack ... so claims a fellow rapper who was allegedly beaten into a coma by the group.

Donald Saladin -- whose stage name is Don Trag -- is suing DaBaby just over a month after DaBaby's crew was caught on video beating the crap outta him outside a Massachusetts club.

In docs, obtained by TMZ, Don Trag claims DaBaby failed to adequately train his team of bodyguards and set them loose knowing they had violent tendencies. TMZ broke the story ... Trag was supposed to perform at Centro Nightclub in Lawrence, MA on the same night DaBaby was playing there.

As we told you ... Trag claims he asked to take a pic with DaBaby, got turned down and then he insisted ... DB's crew unleashed a can of whoop ass as DaBaby looked on.

In his lawsuit, Trag says he sustained serious injuries to his head, eyes, neck and spine. Trag's brother told us he suffered significant brain and neck swelling and slipped into a coma. According to docs ... Trag's racked up $30k in hospital bills and anticipates $75k in more bills.

Wanna throw a killer elbow strike like UFC legend Jon Jones?!

Well, good news, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champ came to our office and gave a live demonstration ... right on a TMZ staffer!

Of course, Jones is gearing up to fight Thiago Santos at UFC 239 on July 6 -- and he stopped by the office to talk with the guys from "TMZ Sports" about how he's planning to end Thiago's 4 fight win streak.

Jones hit on a ton of topics during the conversation -- here's a cheat sheet.

On Daniel Cormier ...

Jones doesn't think Cormier will ever agree to fight him for a 3rd time.

"I’ve been hearing things about him fighting [Stipe Miocic] then ending his career fighting me down at light heavyweight, and I don’t believe him," Jones says.

"I don’t think he’s ever going to fight me again."

"I think it’s a lot of pressure for him to get down to the light heavyweight division, and then to get down there, to climb such a mountain and not get to the actual top? It has to be so crushing to come up short against me for a 3rd time, I don’t think he’d put himself through that."