Fights

Tyron Woodley isn’t ready to write off Mike Perry after that crazy fight video at a Texas restaurant -- and he’s asking the UFC fighter tell his side of the story before it’s too late.

Woodley admits the video is a horrible look for Perry -- but asks fans to try and withhold judgment until we hear from Perry himself.

Of course, Tyron and Perry have been friendly for years -- and while Woodley isn't justifying Mike's actions, he's asking to reserve judgment until we hear from Mike.

Tyron explains everything in this week's "Hollywood Beatdown" -- and tells us why he still believes Conor McGregor's violent outburst at a bar in Dublin last year was even worse.

Woodley also tells us what he thinks of UFC's Fight Island -- and even picks a winner in the Kamaru Usman vs. Jorge Masvidal fight.

"Even with the 'rona right now, I'll beat the sh*t out of Nate Diaz right now, if I had to."

That's UFC star Gilbert Burns -- who was pulled from UFC 251 for testing positive for coronavirus -- saying he's still down to scrap with Nate Diaz, even while being ravaged by COVID!!!

Yeah, this is some gangster stuff!

Long story short ... Burns was supposed to fight Kamaru Usman in the main event at Fight Island on Saturday -- but COVID killed those plans.

Instead, Jorge Masvidal is taking his place -- and Gilbert says he's super bummed out because he was REALLY looking forward to his title shot.

Still, Burns says he has faith that God has a plan for him -- "My time is gonna come."

In the meantime, Nate Diaz has talked some trash about Burns -- claiming his scrap with Usman wouldn't have been a "real fight."

"This guy is a clown," Burns says ... "I'm as real as it gets."

"If it wasn't for COVID-19, [Usman] would be my 3rd fight in 5 months. And, all tough fights, Demian Maia, Tyron Woodley and Kamaru Usman, the reigning champion."

"And, this guy [Diaz] comes from a loss that he gets beat up from Masvidal."

Burns says simply, "He's just talkin' sh*t ... he don't want no smoke from me."

So, what's next for Gilbert -- he hopes to fight the winner of Usman vs. Masvidal ... but if that doesn't work out, "I would love to beat the sh*t out of Nate Diaz."

As for Gilbert's COVID battle, he's feeling better but he's not out of the woods yet.

"I hope he gets help."

That's UFC fighter Dan Ige telling TMZ Sports why he's rooting for Mike Perry to get his life together after that horrible violent incident this week at a Texas restaurant.

As we previously reported, Perry -- a popular UFC fighter -- allegedly struck several people (including a woman and an older man) while leaving Table 82 in Lubbock.

Fact is, Perry is lucky he didn't kill anyone during the incident.

Perry isn't commenting on the incident -- but several people in the UFC world are concerned the fighter is heading down a dangerous path.

Count Ige as one of those people -- telling TMZ Sports, he REALLY hopes Perry can turn his life around before it's too late.

"Mike Perry is definitely battling some demons in my opinion," Ige says ... "I just feel like he needs some guidance. "

"I'm not trying to tell him how to live his life. But, it's sad. You don't want to see guys spiral downhill. And, I hope he gets help. I hope he gets himself on the right path."

There's more ... Ige is facing Calvin Kattar in the main event at "UFC Fight Night" on July 15 -- in a fight that could lead to a title shot down the line.

"Huge opportunity," Ige says ... "I'm going out there to prove I'm champion worthy."

Ige is on a 6-fight win streak -- and says he's FIRED UP about getting to throw down on Fight Island.

50 Cent flew into a rage, throwing a table and chair, after getting into it with a guy he's beefed with in the past.

The incident went down Wednesday night in the patio area at the Edgewater Commons Mall in Edgewater, NJ ... where the rapper was enjoying drinks with a woman sitting on the other end of the table.

We're told at some point a man outside walked up to 50's area and exchanged words before the incident turned violent. You can see in the video Fiddy grabbed a table and launched it in the man's direction. It ended up hitting a Lexus. Fiddy then picked up a chair and tossed it at the man, who at that point had ripped off his shirt looking for a fight. The man ultimately fled, and 50 and his companion also left ... hopping into his white Rolls-Royce.

Law enforcement tells us no arrests were made and they will NOT pursue charges.

'Platinum' Mike Perry -- a star in the UFC -- punched an elderly man in the face at a Texas restaurant Tuesday night in a violent, angry rage ... and the entire incident was caught on video.

Witnesses tell TMZ Sports ... the whole thing started when Perry got into a physical altercation with someone at his table at the Table 82 restaurant in Lubbock, TX around 10:30 PM on Tuesday night.

We're told a restaurant staffer approached Perry -- who had been ordering Berry Mojitos -- and asked him to leave the restaurant.

But instead of leaving, the witness says Perry PUNCHED the employee in the eye. We're told the employee suffered injuries.

That's when our video begins ... you can see people -- including Perry's girlfriend -- are trying to get Mike to leave the restaurant, but he won't go peacefully and drops several N-bombs on the way out.

It doesn't appear the N-word was directed at any Black people in the restaurant -- Perry is known to casually throw the word around in daily conversation.

As Perry and his GF left the dining area and walked outside, several men followed him out ... and things again escalated.

One of the older men got too close to Perry and Mike swung -- connecting with a haymaker from his right hand.

The older man went down -- and we're told he was later transported to a hospital with injuries.

As for Perry, he sat down on a ledge and challenged witnesses to call police -- which they did.

When cops arrived, we're told a report was taken but Perry was NOT arrested. We're still trying to get more info from law enforcement.

Aside from the alleged battery, we're told Perry also left without paying his bill and sources tell us the restaurant is considering pursuing a theft charge.

We reached out to Table 82 for comment and a rep for the restaurant told us, "Pending the criminal investigation, we prefer not to comment further because one of the victims was an employee of our company who had asked Mr. Perry to leave."

We reached out to Perry for comment but didn't hear back. However he did offer an official "no comment" on his Twitter page.

Perry is 14-6 as a professional MMA fighter -- defeating Mickey Gall on June 27 ... with his GF acting as his cornerman.

The whole incident reminds us of Conor McGregor -- who also punched an elderly man at a pub in Ireland back in 2019.

"Stop being a little salty bastard, get over [losing to me], 'cause I'm gonna do it again this weekend."

That's Alex Volkanovski comin' for Max Holloway's neck -- officially putting an end to their buddy-buddy relationship -- only days before their massive UFC 251 scrap on Fight Island.

The champ and former champ were super cool with each other ... but that all officially stopped when TMZ Sports talked to the 31-year-old featherweight titleholder, and asked if it'll be hard to hurt someone he likes.

"To be honest with ya, I don't go out to ever hurt my opponent, but we've got a job to do. I'm gonna punch his face either way, I'm gonna punch his head through the canvas is what I plan on doing."

Now, cue the beef.

"To be honest, he's sorta showing a side of himself that I haven't really seen before. Some of the things he's saying," AV says ... "He sounds like he's a little sour, he sounds a little salty about losing. Some of the things he's saying take me by surprise."

"I didn't take him to be a guy like that, to be a bit of a sore loser, I feel like I'm getting that out of him. But, again if he wants to act like that, so be it, it'll make punching him in the face even easier."

FYI, Volkanovski beat 28-year-old Holloway -- regarded by many as the greatest featherweight ever -- via unanimous decision in December 2019.

It's unclear exactly what Max -- who is seeking to avenge the L -- said to get Alex so fired up ... but the champ's adamant Saturday night will be less about revenge, and more about Holloway getting his head punched in.

"I can see myself hurting him, getting him to the ground, and if he's still going, just punching the head through the canvas."

Uh, yeaaaaaa, safe to say these guys ain't buds anymore.

Sorry, Kamaru Usman ... your UFC 251 fight against Jorge Masvidal will NOT be for the BMF title -- so says Dana White.

Of course, Jorge won the BMF title in his UFC 244 (Nov. 2019) victory over Nate Diaz -- with UFC spending a TON of cash (around $50k) to get a special championship belt made.

Jorge hasn't fought since ... and now that he's finally getting back in the octagon, everyone wants to know if he's putting that belt on the line!

In fact, Usman -- the reigning UFC welterweight champ -- recently told us how BADLY he wants that belt.

But, bad news for Kamaru ... Dana says it ain't happening.

"It's not on the line," White tells TMZ Sports ... "Usman wants it to be on the line so bad, he will not stop texting me saying, 'I don't understand why this belt isn't on the line! This guy's running around saying he's the BMF champ!'"

"[Kamaru's] like, 'I wanna squash it all. [Masvidal's] not gonna win my title and I'm gonna take his BMF belt!'"

"Believe me," Dana says ... Usman has not stopped terrorizing me about this."

White says the BMF title fight was a "one and done" -- so, basically ... it's been retired.

There's a lot more ... Dana also tells us how he was able to put the Usman vs. Masvidal fight together so quickly after Gilbert Burns dropped out due to a positive COVID-19 test -- and if he ever considered using Colby Covington as a replacement fighter.

The whole thing goes down on July 11 at UFC 251 on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi ... and White tells us, he's so excited about the location, he's looking to buy a house there!

White says he's planning to return to "Fight Island" for more UFC events after the initial 4-event run in July ... and confirms it will be a regular location for the UFC for years to come.

Video has surfaced of a violent confrontation at a Dick's Sporting Goods store where a customer was punched and put in a chokehold ... all over a candy bar.

It went down in Toledo, Ohio Thursday. Cops say they received a call from an employee at the store that a customer -- 36-year-old Aaron Buckenmeyer -- had stolen some merchandise.

The video begins with Buckenmeyer and an employee are standing toe-to-toe when the employee delivers a crushing blow that sends Buckenmeyer to the ground.

The employee told cops Buckenmeyer had headbutted him and that's what provoked the punches.

You see Buckenmeyer in a chokehold. The employee claims during the takedown Buckenmeyer was grabbing him by the genitals.

As for Buckenmeyer ... he repeatedly told the employee he had asthma and couldn't breathe.

In the end ... it appears the incident was triggered by a candy bar Buckenmeyer had put in a bag that fell out during the confrontation.

The Mystic Quality Inn in Stonington, Connecticut was the site of a brutal attack against a black woman, and she's lawyered up for justice.

Chrystal Caldwell was working the front desk when a guest reportedly called, complaining there was no hot water in his room. He also allegedly threatened Chrystal, warning her his girlfriend would "kick her ass." She says she offered to send someone to fix the problem or alternatively, to switch their room, but they were outraged ... calling her names, including "monkey."

The man and his girlfriend reportedly barreled down to the lobby area and attacked her with multiple punches to the head and kicks to the back. She says he used racial slurs as he pummeled her.

Chrystal, who has worked at the hotel for 7 years, says her injuries include a concussion.

Liliana Barrios -- who starred in a couple of seasons of "Black Ink Crew: Chicago" -- allegedly went on a violent rage after catching her GF in bed with another woman ... this according to cops who arrested her for assault.

The incident went down June 3 in San Antonio where cops say Barrios and her GF got into a verbal altercation at their apartment before it turned violent ... this according to a police report obtained by TMZ.

Cops say during the argument, Barrios decided to take off for the night. When she returned the next day to pick up clothes, cops say Barrios got heated after catching her 22-year-old GF in bed with another woman ... triggering another argument.

Cops allege Barrios pushed her GF onto the couch and a struggle ensued ... with Barrios allegedly scratching her GF's neck, arm and biting her right leg. The officer claims they observed scratches and abrasions on the GF's right knee. Cops say Barrios was the aggressor and “intentionally and knowingly caused bodily injury."

Barrios -- the ex-GF of a recurring cast member on 'Black Ink' from seasons 2 to 5 -- was arrested for assault/bodily injury on a cohabitant.

A heated racial exchange in a Detroit area parking lot -- between a white woman and black mom and her daughter -- led to the woman pulling a gun and pointing it right at the mother's face.

The argument allegedly started Wednesday evening because the white woman bumped into Takelia Hill's 15-year-old daughter, Makayla, as she was entering a Chipotle in Orion Township, MI.

Makayla claims she moved out of the way, but tells The Detroit News ... "She bumped me and I said, ‘Excuse you.’ And then she started cussing me out, and saying things like I was invading her personal space."

Takelia then got involved and that's when the racial tension started rising. As the white woman and a male companion got into their SUV, Makayla and her mom accused them of being racist. The man got out of the car and asked, "Who the f**k do you think you guys are?"

The white woman shouted, "White people aren't racist, no one's racist" -- and then started to back out and leave ... but Takelia was apparently behind the SUV or near it. She claims they were about to hit her, and it sounds like Takelia banged on their window -- and that's when the white woman got out with her pistol ... and aimed it directly at Takelia's face.

The white woman screamed, "Don't you f***ing jump behind my car. Get the f**k back! Back up! Get the f**k back! Back the f**k up!"

Thankfully, the woman finally decided to put the gun down and get back in her SUV to leave ... as cops were called. Takelia says the incident traumatized her and her 3 daughters ... who were in their vehicle.

We've reached out to police, who say they are still investigating the incident but a report has been taken.

Dustin Poirier is clearly rooting for Justin Gaethje to beat Khabib when they battle in Sept. -- telling TMZ Sports it simply gives him a better road to a title shot.

Dustin -- who's still recovering from that WAR with Dan Hooker over the weekend -- is now the #2 ranked UFC lightweight, right behind Khabib and Justin.

Poirier has fought both of 'em already -- he beat Justin in 2018  but lost to Khabib in 2019.

Now, with Justin and Khabib squaring off at UFC 253 on Sept. 19, Dustin's in a pretty solid spot to fight the winner.

Dustin knows there are no guarantees in the UFC ... but he's convinced a Gaethje victory would put him in a much better position for a title shot.

"It’s more of a guaranteed lock for me to fight for the belt is Justin wins," Dustin says.

"I'm the last guy to beat him. I'm the only guy still in the organization who beat him. So it would make a lot of sense. And, I know he wants that fight as well."

So, how can Justin stop the seemingly indestructible Dagestani champion?

Dustin's got some ideas ...

"If Justin can keep his back off the fence, I believe he can out-scramble Khabib in the open."

"He just has such a pedigree in collegiate wrestling and that open mat area is going to be where Justin shines in the wrestling."

"If Khabib can get him against the fence, I believe Justin will be in trouble but we’ll see if he can stick to the game plan."

"I would assume that's gonna be his game plan -- to stay in the middle, make Khabib wrestle in the open and throw big punches."

And, if Khabib wins, Dustin says he's already been thinking about how he can correct the mistakes he made in the first fight and get the "W" in the rematch ... if Dana White gives him the shot.

There's more ... Dustin also told us about his plans to auction off his fight gear from the Hooker fight to help the less fortunate.

Good stuff.

The man who punched Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert says it wasn't a cheap shot -- insisting he was protecting a friend who was in Dallas' grasp ... and he says he suffered serious injuries as a result.

TMZ Sports spoke with Kyle Hadala, who tells us he feels the viral video does NOT tell the full story of what transpired before that fateful punch was thrown on June 19 at Zoo Bar in South Dakota.

Hadala insists Goedert and his friends had been "harassing" them at a previous bar over the choice of music they were playing on the jukebox.

"They were extremely aggressive and disrespectful," Hadala says.

The group moved to a new spot -- the Zoo Bar -- but Hadala says Goedert and his crew followed them with bad intentions. Very soon, according to Hadala, the situation escalated.

"They picked out my smaller colleague from the group, got in his face, and made very threatening remarks toward his personal well-being," Hadala tells us.

"Then one of his crew told my other colleague, and I quote, 'You’re just a fat f**king pussy. I'll beat the s*** out of you.'"

Hadala says Dallas put his hand on his friend -- which you can see in the video ... and that's when Hadala decided to take action.

"At this point, I was in fear for both of my friends' well-being especially due to the fact there were 10 of them and we were not familiar with the area," Hadala says.

"I protected my friend and then was ambushed by 5 to 7 individuals that punched, kicked, threw beer bottles, etc., trying to cause me bodily harm which I received medical treatment at the hospital for my injuries the next day."

Hadala says he received multiple lacerations in the incident, which required several stitches and staples to close the wounds.

Hadala was eventually arrested and booked on a simple assault charge. He's already lawyered up and plans to fight the case.

A woman in Texas launched a racist tirade against her Black boss after he fired her ... repeatedly calling him the n-word on camera.

The racist meltdown unfolded Monday inside the offices of Gibson Arnold & Associates, a staffing agency for the legal industry based in Houston.

Video shows the woman berating a Black manager seated in the middle of a room, calling him a "n****" and "motherf*****" and then trying to use the n-word to make a freestyle rap.

Gibson Arnold & Associates called the incident "horrific" and said ... "the man she is yelling at is one of our valued employees and a leader in our Houston office who was firing her."

The company says the woman was a temporary worker who was escorted out of the building immediately after ranting and making racist comments.

A melee broke out in Arkansas when one restaurant customer felt others were too close for comfort -- but they all got much closer while breaking bottles and punching each other.

This nasty fight went down at the Saltgrass Steak House in Little Rock, and the video shows four grown adults just going at it Saturday night. According to cops, tensions started rising when one patron complained about social distancing.

You can see her -- the complaining someone else had coughed on her.

Here's your scorecard ... based on the police report, obtained by TMZ: the black woman claims the white guy (in the USA shirt) and his friends were not staying 6-feet away from her ... and when she expressed her frustration, they started harassing her.

Now, in the report ... there are differing accounts of who started coughing purposely on people. At any rate, everyone agrees things escalated from there -- and in the video, you see the brawl really exploded when a Black guy at the bar turned around with a bottle or glass ... and smashed another guy in the head.