Fights

Roy Jones Jr. tells TMZ Sports he doesn't believe Canelo Alvarez's loss to Dmitry Bivol will affect his star power one bit ... saying the guy is "still the biggest ticket in boxing" outside of the heavyweights.

Canelo suffered just his second-ever loss on Saturday night after moving up in weight to fight Bivol ... dropping the contest via a unanimous decision.

Some believe the L could hurt Canelo going forward ... but, when we spoke to Jones Jr. about the result on Monday, he said he doesn't expect it to impact the 31-year-old at all.

In fact, Jones Jr. said the 57-2-1 fighter's elite legacy is still in-tact ... and no matter who he fights next, his name will still draw plenty of eyeballs.

"[He's] the biggest ticket in boxing outside of the heavyweight division right now," Jones Jr. said.

Jones Jr.'s advice for Canelo now is simple -- fight Gennady Golovkin for a third time, and then go from there.

"Fight Triple G first because that's one that people will pay big money to see," Jones Jr. said. "It's one that'll generate interest and you could do it as a middleweight."

No word yet on what Canelo's plans are next ... but when we spoke to Bivol on Monday, the boxer sure seemed like he wasn't in any race to give a rematch to Canelo.

Bivol told us his goal by fighting Canelo was to gain notoriety ... and then pursue more belts elsewhere.

Christopher Koch -- New Era Cap's CEO -- is accused of trying to run over his girlfriend's ex-husband in a crazy dispute outside of a Buffalo restaurant on Saturday night.

Erie County District Attorney John Flynn spelled out the allegations against Koch on Monday ... saying the incident began after Koch's GF's ex got into a dispute with Koch in a parking lot.

According to Flynn, at one point during the argument, the man got out of his car ... while Koch remained inside his. A short time later, Flynn said the man alleged Koch then drove his car at him and attempted to hit him with it.

The D.A. says the man was able to jump out of the way, but still suffered a hand injury in the altercation. Flynn said Koch's car continued into the man's vehicle, causing damage to its passenger side.

Koch was charged with one count of first-degree reckless endangerment, a felony, and was arraigned in Buffalo City Court on Monday morning.

If he's convicted on the charge, Flynn said Koch could be facing up to seven years behind bars.

Koch is due back in court on May 25.

MMA light heavyweight Joel Bauman might be the most honest person on the planet -- the fighter made a jaw-dropping revelation in an interview this weekend ... blaming a recent loss on herpes and NFTs.

"King Bau" was inside the cage after a win at Fury FC 61 on Sunday ... when he opened up about a fight that didn't go his way earlier this year.

"Last fight I was tired, I was exhausted," he told the reporter.

Bauman said an NFT project he has been working on was to blame for the exhaustion ... and claimed he pulled 30 all-nighters before his fight against Josh Fremd, which he lost via submission.

But it's what Bauman said after that had people turning their heads.

"I had herpes before that fight, two outbreaks in the span of a week," Bauman said.

Worth noting -- Bauman seemed genuine with his words ... and it didn't come across like he was trying to be funny. Regardless of his intent, the clip of his interview quickly made rounds on social media.

Don't worry, though -- Bauman seemed fully recovered against Reese Forest at Bert Ogden Arena in Texas, winning via TKO.

It's been less than a week since the Dave Chappelle bum-rush at the Hollywood Bowl, and another comic's already headlined the venue, apparently without incident ... John Mulaney.

The beloved comedian took the stage Saturday night with a couple of openers where Dave was attacked by a guy just a few short days ago -- and, according to reports, everything went swimmingly ... which might have to do with the beefed-up security on high alert.

THR's got a pretty description of the guards on hand and the vibe in general -- they say everyone had to go through the metal detectors and have their bag checked, per usual.

The difference now ... a wood panel that used to line the very front row and the stage was replaced by a fence -- and not just that, but apparently 10 security officers lined the stage from down below in addition to other guards that were in the second level and off to the sides too.

It might sound more intense than it actually was though -- while there weren't any phones allowed from the crowd, somebody did get a video of John exiting the stage to thunderous applause ... giving us a great view of the front of the stage, and the fence looks wimpy.

John even acknowledged it in his set -- poking fun at HB security and the Chappelle incident in general ... reportedly saying, "we have great security. This fence is so jumpable it’s crazy."

Another reference to the stage crasher ... John challenged the crowd (jokingly, of course) by saying, "No one’s going to do anything. You don’t have the balls." He went on to riff about how great rushing the stage would be for whatever cause someone was all about.

His two openers, Earthquake and Seaton Smith, also referenced Isaiah Lee ... but kept it mild, it seems. In the end, it appears everyone had a good time -- and no one got hurt.

Blac Chyna is under criminal investigation for battery ... and the alleged victim claims BC damaged her phone and kicked her in the stomach.

LAPD sources tell TMZ ... Blac Chyna is named as the suspect in a battery report filed Friday, and cops are investigating.

The alleged victim, Sequoya King, tells TMZ ... she and Chyna got into a verbal dispute which turned physical.

King says the alleged incident went down early Friday morning at a bar in Los Angeles ... where King says Chyna took her phone out of her hand and slammed it to the ground, damaging it. She also claims BC kicked her in the stomach, causing her to fall down.

King says the incident began after Chyna got upset because she believed she was being recorded by people in the bar. King says BC accused her of using her phone to record, an allegation she denied.

According to King ... they got into an argument and Chyna took her phone from her hand, smashed it down on the ground and charged at her, kicking her in the stomach. King says Chyna's friends pulled her away and got her into a car.

The battery allegations against Chyna come on the heels of her losing a $100 million defamation suit against the Kardashians, in a trial that focused on the alleged violence BC inflicted on Rob.

Remember ... we caught up with Chyna the day after she lost her suit, and she seemed in good spirits, saying her time in court was fun.

We reached out to Chyna's legal team ... so far no word back.

Tony Ferguson is NOT fighting for his UFC life this weekend -- despite losing his last three fights -- with UFC boss Dana White telling TMZ Sports "El Cucuy" is still an elite level fighter in the world's top MMA promotion.

"[Tony's] still the number 7 ranked guy in the world," White said. "Still in the top 10. Still in the top 15. Still one of the most elite fighters in the world. If you look at who he's fought, he's fought everybody. So, I wouldn't say he's fighting for his UFC life."

38-year-old Ferguson -- the #7 ranked UFC lightweight -- is taking on #5 ranked Michael Chandler at UFC 274 Saturday night in Phoenix.

FYI, Tony's lost his last three fights ... the first to Justin Gaethje by TKO at UFC 249 in May 2020. Next was Charles Oliveira ... who, like Justin, thoroughly beat Tony at UFC 256 in December 2020. His last defeat was against Beneil Dariush ... who beat Tony by unanimous decision at UFC 262 in May 2021.

Prior to the losing streak ... TF put together an impressive win streak, scoring 12 straight against everyone from "Cowboy" Cerrone, Anthony Pettis, Kevin Lee, Rafael dos Anjos, and Edson Barboza.

But, sure, the last three are losses ... but losses to top guys. Oliveira went on to be the champion, and Gaethje is the #1 ranked contender. Dariush is ranked #4.

And, that's why White says Tony is still a high-level fighter.

The days of pursuing a belt may be passed -- or maybe not -- but the dude can still fight in a locked cage.

We also talked to Dana about the other fights on the card ... including two of Ferguson's last opponents fighting each other, Gaethje and Oliveira.

"Charles Oliveira has a 91% finish rate, and Gaethje has an 87% finish rate," White says, believing someone's likely going to sleep.

Fights go down Saturday night ... the fireworks are coming! 💥💥💥💥

Michael Chandler was seconds away from UFC gold, and despite now being ranked 5th in the lightweight division, the UFC star still believes he's the best fighter at 155 pounds, and because of that, he tells TMZ Sports he deserves a title shot after he beats Tony Ferguson.

But, if he doesn't get that ... Michael's got a Plan B -- Conor McGregor!

"There's not an MMA fan, combat sports fan, TMZ Sports fan, that doesn't want to see me fight Charles Oliveira again or Justin Gaethje again," Chandler says.

"And, if the UFC does have a momentary lapse of judgment and gives the title shot to someone else, Conor's gotta beat somebody when he comes back to make himself into relevant status. So, Conor or some big fights. We'll see!"

Of course, 36-year-old Chandler has lost two fights in a row ... but that doesn't nearly begin to tell the story.

At UFC 262 in May, Michael was on the verge of defeating Oliveira with the UFC belt on the line ... dropping do Bronx with a left hook in the first round. Unfortunately for MC, Charles survived the last two minutes of the round.

Then, in the second, Oliveira hurt Chandler ... and ultimately ended the fight via TKO from strikes.

You could argue Chandler was one punch from being the champ.

Then, MC squared off against Gaethje -- now the #1 ranked contender -- at UFC 269 in November 2021 ... a fight that was guaranteed to be amazing.

The fight -- one of the greatest ever -- somehow surpassed expectations ... and although most fans and experts declared no one the loser, Chandler's record says different.

Two losses ... against two beasts, in incredibly close fights. So, a title shot is certainly not out of the equation.

If that's not the direction Dana White and the UFC go, Michael's down to welcome McGregor back to the Octagon.

Conor hasn't fought since July 2021 when he snapped his leg against Dustin Poirier in their trilogy fight. Dana previously told us he expected "The Notorious" to make his Octagon return sometime toward the end of 2022.

Whether it's McGregor or another top fighter, Michael tells us he still believes he's destined for greatness ... not to simply have come close.

"The number one weapon that you can have is not the X's and the O's and the punches and the kicks or the wrestling -- it's self-confidence. I believe in the calling on my life, I believe I got into this sport in 2009 not just to be good, but to be great, not to be great but to be extraordinary and do some extraordinary things. I think UFC gold is still very much in my future."

First things first, Michael has to beat "El Cucuy" at UFC 274 Saturday night. Then, we'll see ... Gaethje? Oliveira? McGregor? Someone else?

The man who charged at Dave Chappelle onstage will have to come up with $30,000 bail before he gets out of a jail cell.

Isaiah Lee made his first appearance in an L.A. courtroom Friday morning to face 4 misdemeanor charges -- and he looked very much worse for wear following the beatdown he got at the Hollywood Bowl.

Lee's right arm was in a cast and a sling when he entered the courtroom and entered a not guilty plea on all charges. He was represented by a public defender who told the judge, Lee had suffered a broken arm -- something that was painfully obvious as he was being hauled out of the Bowl on a stretcher.

If he's able to come up with bail, Lee will be under a protective order ... requiring him to stay at least 100 yards away from the Hollywood Bowl, Dave and any other venue at which the comedian performs.

As we reported, the L.A. County D.A., George Gascon, passed on felony charges for Lee and punted the case to the City Attorney, who charged Lee with possession of a weapon with intent to assault and unauthorized access to the stage area during a performance.

An absolutely insane fight broke out at a card room in California this week ... and it all appeared to start because a man dropped a "Yo Mama" insult on another man.

The wild scene reportedly went down at HUSTLER Casino in L.A. ... after two guys got into a verbal argument at a poker table inside the venue for unknown reasons.

Video from the casino shows the two screamed at each other ... and escalated into a full-on fistfight when one of the men fired off a jab about the other man's mother.

In the clip, you can see the guy was so upset over the quip, that he spit on his rival's face ... and then tried to punch him in the head.

That's when the man in the grey shirt retreated, grabbed a small table and then beat the other man with it.

Security eventually stepped in and tased the dude who was wielding the table. As the guy was on the ground, he said, "He hit me first!"

According to poker news website CardsChat, HUSTLER Casino has banned all of the combatants, saying "any form of violence is not tolerated."

Stoolies rejoice -- Dave Portnoy is promising the full "Barstool experience" when he takes the mic for the Canelo Alvarez fight this weekend ... and by the sound of it, viewers will undoubtedly be entertained.

Pres and Big Cat are slated to give their expert analysis on an alternate PPV broadcast of Canelo's bout against Dmitry Bivol on DAZN on Saturday ... a move that Portnoy called "one of the great no-brainers in the history of Earth."

Of course, the gang has experience calling their "Rough N Rowdy" fights over the years -- as well as some work for the Jake Paul fight in August -- but this is the first time they get to provide commentary for one of the world's greatest.

Dave says it's a great idea to get the younger audience to tune in to the champ's fight in Vegas ... and despite going big time, they're not going to lose sight of what makes them unique.

"We're going to be ourselves," Dave added. "DAZN hired us to be ourselves, so we're going to be ourselves and do it how we'd do it if was on Barstool."

The guys are going to look the part and don suits for the bout ... but as Big Cat points out, his might be a bit tight.

"The last time I wore the suit was for the Jake Paul fight in August ... put it on for the first time last night, your boy's gained about 20 pounds. So, you also get to see me squeeze into a suit tomorrow."

This is a huge bummer.

UFC lightweight champ Charles Oliveira just missed weight by HALF A POUND at weigh-ins on Friday ... which means he's no longer the lightweight champ.

Oliviera is slated to fight Justin Gaethje at UFC 274 in Phoenix on Saturday ... a fight that many have been excited about for months.

Charles initially weighed in at 155.5 pounds earlier on Friday ... and in title fights, you HAVE to make weight.

Do Bronx was given one hour to shed the 1/2 pound ... but unfortunately, he was unable to make it happen.

Now, if Oliveira wins against The Highlight, the championship will be vacant ... but if Gaethje is able to come out on top, he'll get the belt.

Charles was confident he was going to make weight earlier in the day ... even tweeting, "weight ✔️ peso✔️ #UFC274."

Oliveira is 32-8 in his career ... and just won the belt after beating Michael Chandler in May 2021 at UFC 262. He has one title defense after choking out Dustin Poirier in the 3rd round in December.

Gaethje is the former interim champ, who came up short against Khabib Nurmagomedov in October 2020.

Dave Chappelle took the stage Thursday night and revealed something shocking ... he spoke to the man who attacked him at the Hollywood Bowl, and the guy told Dave why he did it.

Dave says he convinced Bowl security Tuesday night to let him speak to Isaiah Lee before he was taken away. Dave says, "I needed to talk to him" to find out why he attacked. Chappelle says Lee told him this was all about getting attention for his grandmother ... who he said had been forced out of her neighborhood because of gentrification.

Dave was at the Comedy Store on the Sunset Strip, and there were lots of celebs in attendance, including Kim Kardashian, Diddy, Jeff Ross and Chris Rock. Chris joined Dave on stage and they joked about both being attacked during a performance.

At one point Dave said, "At least you got smacked by someone of repute. I got smacked by a homeless guy with leaves in his hair!" Chris's response ... "I got smacked by the softest n**** that ever rapped."

Dave ended the show with this as he gazed at Diddy ... "I am in the place where you sat in the car with Biggie Smalls as he died," adding, "I hate this city."

Turbulence wasn't the only thing causing an extreme commotion on a flight from Manchester to Amsterdam ... a massive brawl erupted among passengers.

A KLM flight from Manchester to Amsterdam Thursday was the site of a wild scene, with a bunch of passengers pummeling each other. One guy is unloading on a fellow passenger with unrelenting punches.

It got so bad the pilot had to call ahead so cops could meet the plane when it landed.

You hear some passengers screaming at the aggressive travelers, trying to get them to stop .... but to no avail. Eventually, the flight crew was able to break it up.

It's unclear what caused the fight, but the passenger who posted the video said tension was "brewing the whole flight" after someone allegedly made a racist comment.

The Netherlands police tell TMZ ... once the plane landed in Amsterdam, officers came on board and arrested 6 passengers, all from England.

Police referred the matter to prosecutors for possible charges.

Comedian Tehran Von Ghasri saw Dave Chappelle's attacker sneak into his area at the Hollywood Bowl just before he tackled Dave ... shedding more light on how the whole thing went down.

We spoke with Tehran outside the Laugh Factory on Sunset Blvd. Thursday, and he says he alerted security the second the attacker snuck into his VIP section ... Tehran knew something was gonna go down but claims the Bowl's security crew couldn't care less.

Theran admits everything happened too fast to personally react once the attacker jumped on stage, but he thinks his words of warning could've prevented the entire thing from happening.

He's thankful Dave's security team got a quick handle on the guy ... he also attributes Dave's safety to two other things -- his workout routine and the attacker's clumsiness.

As we reported, Isaiah Lee was arrested and booked for assault with a deadly weapon ... the L.A. County D.A.'s Office announced Thursday he won't be facing a felony charge, and they've turned the case over to the city attorney.

Kayla Harrison attempts to defend her PFL crown once again Friday night, but, she tells TMZ Sports she was originally scheduled to fight two weeks ago ... against Cris "Cyborg" Justino!

"I thought I was gonna be fighting Cris Cyborg on April 22 in Hawaii. So, yes, I'm interested in the fight," the 2-time PFL champ says, adding ... "I'm more than ready and willing to step up for that opportunity. I think the fans want it, I know I want it, I know PFL wants it. I'm ready! I thought that that was gonna happen this year, I thought it was gonna happen last week."

Then, why's 31-year-old Kayla fighting Marina Mokhnatkina tonight?

It all goes back to Harrison's free agency a few months ago. She and manager, Ali Abdelaziz, tested the waters amongst the major MMA promotions, and actually struck a deal to face Cris.

But, Harrison's contract dictated PFL had an opportunity to meet any offer she received elsewhere, and that's exactly what they did.

"I accepted [against Cyborg] and PFL had the right to match and ultimately they did. I'm happy, I'm very happy with where I'm at. I'm excited about the season, you know, I'm excited for the potential fight with Cyborg but I have four fights in front of me in five and a half months. It's no easy feat. It's a grind."

The fight with Cris is super important to Kayla ... as she's made it crystal clear her desire is to show she's the baddest MF'er in MMA.

How do Kayla and 36-year-old Cris match up? Justino, regarded as one of best female MMA fighters of all-time, has only lost twice in her career. One L was to the G.O.A.T., Amanda Nunes in 2018. The other was literally her first ever pro fight ... in 2005.

Kayla, who got into the sport in 2018 following two Olympic gold medals in Judo, is undefeated at 12-0. She's twice entered, and won, the Professional Fighters League tourney.

Johnny Depp's team is trying to tear apart Amber Heard's testimony ... claiming it's nothing more than performance art.

Johnny's spokesperson tells TMZ ... their prediction during opening statements has now come to fruition ... that Amber has been "preparing to give the performance of her life in this trial." They now say their prediction was dead-on accurate.

They claim her stories of abuse have evolved with "new and convenient details" as time goes on. By contrast, they say Johnny's "recollections have remained exactly the same throughout the 6 painful years since her first allegations were made."

They also say the upcoming cross-examination from Johnny's team will be telling, as Depp's attorneys zero in on alleged inconsistencies in her stories. As you know, Amber wrapped up day 2 of her testimony ... where she told the jury he called her a "nagging bitch" and a "c***."

Amber also claimed Johnny once penetrated her with a glass bottle during one of his alleged violent outbursts.