Fights

Sure, Terence Crawford's the undisputed welterweight champ, but out of his 40 professional fights, the only legit threat was Errol Spence ... so says Canelo Alvarez who tells TMZ Sports he respects the dude a great deal, but their resumes aren't comparable!

Obviously, Crawford (40-0) has been the talk of boxing since his TKO win over Spence on July 29, with many calling him the face of boxing, and the world's best pound-for-pound boxer.

Since then, Alvarez has been hounded with questions about whether he'd fight Crawford. We asked Canelo if he was tired of talking about Bud.

"No, look, like I always said, I respect Terence Crawford," Alvarez told Babcock. "He's a very talented fighter but he just won one big fight."

"If you see his record, he just beat one good fighter in Errol Spence. Other than that, I don't think he's beaten other great fighters like Spence."

Alvarez, on the other hand, has fought a bunch of beasts over his legendary career 59-2 career, including Floyd Mayweather, Miguel Cotto, and Gennady Golovkin. Up next is the undisputed super middleweight champ, Jermell Charlo, who he's fighting on September 30 in Las Vegas.

"Jermell Charlo is a great fighter, he's a talented fighter and he's undisputed in his weight class," Alvarez said. "It's going to be a good fight so I'm happy to be in this kind of fight, in the big fights."

"The fight is almost here so I'm excited. I'm excited because I feel great."

Jason "Mayhem" Miller has found himself in trouble with the law yet again ... this time, TMZ Sports has learned the former MMA star was arrested for allegedly choking a fan at a hotspot in Los Angeles.

Law enforcement tells TMZ Sports ... the incident happened on Aug. 29 at the Sunset Marquis in West Hollywood -- only a few months after Miller had been released from prison.

According to law enforcement, a fan had approached Miller to say hello, but a verbal confrontation somehow ensued. Things then allegedly turned violent -- with Miller being accused of putting the person in a chokehold.

We're told the altercation got so bad, security had to intervene and help the man break free from Miller.

Sheriffs were called to the scene, but Miller had already left by the time they arrived. An assault report was taken.

However, law enforcement says Miller showed up at the Sunset Marquis the next day ... and when someone called the cops after recognizing him at the venue, officers showed up and arrested him.

Miller was released from custody a short time after being booked. The case is still under investigation -- we're told detectives are still pouring over footage of the incident -- and charges are still pending.

Erica Mena apparently wasn't just kicking and screaming during her arrest last weekend in Atlanta -- she was allegedly biting too ... not to mention dropping some fake baby news, so say cops and her lawyer.

The 'Love & Hip Hop' star was one of four people arrested Friday at a lounge there in town after police say all hell broke loose when they were asked to leave by the security -- and according to the police report, obtained by TMZ, it was a lot uglier than what we all saw.

The doc lays out what APD officers say went down -- and one of them describes a chaotic brawl he says he was trying to break up ... and says EM was in the middle of it all.

According to the cop, Erica was fighting like hell ... even brutalizing security guards as they tried to get her out of the facility. During the melee, the officer says one of the guards told him Erica had chomped down on his forearm ... and she allegedly kicked another in the face!

The officer claims he took some licks from Erica as well ... but after a lot of physical struggle, he was finally able to get her under control.

Another interesting tidbit -- the officer in this report says Erica made clear she was pregnant. Unfortunately, that didn't prevent her from getting busted ... and her lawyer tells us she was fibbing.

Erica's attorney, Drew Findling, tells TMZ ... "On behalf of Erica Mena (who is not pregnant), we will immediately start investigating the events of August 25, 2023. It is clear that this was an incident between citizens, private security and off-duty police officers that was not properly handled or de-escalated."

He continued, "We know this because the officer readily admits in his report that he punched a private citizen in the face 4 or 5 times and used unnecessary force against Erica as well. While Erica regrets some of the circumstances of that night, it is also important to understand the context and details of the incident so we will do our due diligence and review accordingly."

As for the others who were hauled to jail -- including Bambi Richardson and Zellswag, plus a mutual friend of theirs -- APD says they were all trying to prevent officers from restraining Erica the entire time ... which explains why they were booked for misdemeanor obstruction.

Tom Sandoval got in the middle of a tug-of-war during the wrap party for "Vanderpump Rules" season 11, after a man hurled a glass of wine at a security guard.

The man -- not sure who he is -- just launched as he hijacked the party. After throwing the wine, the dude picked up a chair. You see Tom run into frame trying to calm things down, as another security guard restrains the guy by grabbing his arms. An aggressive tug-of-war then begins.

The TikToker who shot the video says the dude is not a cast member and was not going after Tom. The TikToker said, “We were just sitting at a table and this random guy came and he grabbed the centerpiece [of a] flower vase [and] chucked it at the security guard.”

Giga Chikadze's dad can apparently see the future.

The father of the 8th-ranked UFC featherweight fighter predicted his son would be champion the day he was born on August 25, 1988.

"Giga Chikadze was born here, son of Zaza. In this very hospital. My first-born son. The future World Champion in Judo, swimming. A good fighter and a good man," the proud dad said from outside the hospital in Tbilisi, Georgia (country) more than 35 years ago.

Now, Giga isn't champ -- at least not yet -- but he's a top-10 ranked fighter in the world's most popular MMA promotion.

"From that day, I've been the project of this. I'm UFC's future. I don't even know. They already decided for me what I would have to do, what I would be in the future when I grow up. It's funny we actually have the video," Giga told TMZ Sports.

Chikadze is coming off a unanimous decision win over Alex Caceres last weekend ... in his return to the Octagon following his first UFC loss (Calvin Kattar in 2022).

Caceres was ranked several spots below Giga ... and now he's looking for that to be reciprocated by the UFC by way of a top-ranked opponent like Max Holloway, with whom he shared a locker room at UFC Fight Night on Saturday.

"It was definitely fun to share the locker room with him and I'd be happy and it's gonna be an honor if he would agree on this fight. Love the guy, he's such a nice guy, doing great stuff, great family, and all the stuff. Feel like we can do a nice event together. Maybe even a Pay-Per-View card on December 16."

Blessed is the #1 ranked contender ... in the division where Alex Volkanovski currently rules.

A win over someone like Holloway could set up a title shot for Giga ... who would then have the opportunity to prove his dad's clairvoyant.

Erica Mena won't be on MTV's waves anymore, 'cause she called a Black woman a monkey on one of their biggest reality shows ... and the network's fired her over it.

The longtime 'Love & Hip Hop' fixture was cut loose from her current iteration of the popular show -- this according to the official 'Love & Hip Hop' account itself ... which just announced her departure Saturday.

The message reads, "The Love & Hip Hop franchise has never shied away from hard conversations in our community. Working hand-in-hand with our partners, viewers will see the impact of Erica Mena's remarks play out in the final three episodes of the season."

They add, "Effective immediately, she will not appear in the next season of Love & Hip Hop Atlanta." It's unclear if this means Erica won't/can't appear in other 'L&HH' series ... there are a lot of versions of it, and she's bounced around from coast to coast since way back in 2011 -- when she first started to appear in the franchise.

The news comes on the heels of a recent episode that aired, showing Erica fighting with fellow costar Spice -- with whom she gets into it over fractured family dynamics ... and whether her son loves her or not. Spice suggested he didn't ... and it sent EM into a rage.

During the brouhaha -- which saw Erica flip a table -- Erica called Spice a monkey ... and that appeared to rub people the wrong way on set. BTW, Spice is Black ... and Erica is Afro-Latina, coming from Puerto Rican/Dominican ancestry ... which complicates this a bit.

Anyway, that exchange drew a lot of backlash, with many calling for Erica's job ... and it sounds like the 'L&HH' honchos have given in to their demands. Strangely enough, now their decision is catching some flak as well ... as some argue the whole thing feels calculated.

Namely, many are accusing 'L&HH' producers of being exploitative -- having had this footage for a while, airing/marketing it for views ... and seemingly only responding to the public reaction. In any case ... Erica's out of there -- capping off a turbulent 2 weeks for her.

Remember, she was just arrested a little while ago for a brawl at an Atlanta club that allegedly resulted in her attacking police officers. Other 'L&HH' stars were busted too.

Many athletes and celebs have stepped up in a huge way in the wake of the devastating wildfires in Maui ... and perhaps none more so than Bellator MMA star Ilima-Lei Macfarlane, who raised over $2 MILLION on Instagram!

TMZ Sports spoke with the Honolulu native this week as the area is still reeling from fires that killed at least 115 people, with hundreds still unaccounted for. The people who fortunately escaped with their lives are still dealing with property loss, in some cases everything, including their homes.

"We have hit the $2.6 million mark and this is just on Instagram alone," Macfarlane said.

"The beautiful thing that I love so much about this fundraiser is that it wasn't big corporations or big huge donors, it was literally people."

Macfarlane also gives credit to a few celebrities for sharing the fund, including Bretman Rock, Meghan Trainor, and Jason Momoa.

Now, the challenge is getting the money to those who need it ... which can be a difficult job.

"I haven't raised that much for my nonprofit before so I am collaborating with other agencies to make sure it's distributed equitably and efficiently."

Macfarlane also revealed she's teamed up with Bellator to replace gym equipment and training gear at local dojos. They're also inviting a family to Ilima-Lei's upcoming title fight in San Diego.

Speaking of her fight with mentor Liz Carmouche (Bellator 300 on October 7), Macfarlane says it's a bout she's always wanted but hasn't been able to enjoy the lead-up to the event because of the situation in Hawaii.

"It was a super scary time and it was actually weird timing because [the fires] happened the day that we announced my title fight," Macfarlane said.

"I just couldn't be happy. I couldn't be excited for this super awesome fight that I've wanted for so long just because of what was going on."

Hulk Hogan is runnin' wild on his latest fitness journey ... saying this week he's now abstained from alcohol for eight months -- and it's done his body so good, he's down 40-plus pounds!!

The Hulkster joined Harvey and Charles on "TMZ Live" to break down his latest plan to get fit ... and he said it all started back on New Year's -- when he "got sick and tired of being sick and tired of myself."

Initially, the WWE Hall of Famer wanted it to just be a simple booze break ... but it's now spiraled into nearly a full year without a sip of liquor -- and he couldn't be happier about it.

"It changed everything," Hulk said of how his body responded to the new diet. "I wasn't eating late at night -- I wasn't eating junk food anymore. I dropped like 40 pounds right away."

Hulk said his alcohol consumption had gotten pretty bad just before he quit ... saying it'd lead to wild binge-eating moments that were taking a toll on his physique -- and his joints.

Now, however, the 70-year-old said he's feeling so good ... he's having a much easier time keeping up with his 45-year-old fiancé, Sky Daily.

Hulk isn't sure how much longer he'll be booze-free -- he said he could see himself grabbing drinks again socially one day -- but he told Harvey and Charles he'll never go back to the way things were.

Rose Namajunas is the 2nd-ranked strawweight in the UFC, but the former 2x 115 lb. champ is moving up to fight a top flyweight, and she tells us she feels amazing and doesn't plan on going back to her old weight class.

"I'm definitely healthier," Thug Rose told TMZ Sports of the difference between making 115 and 125 lbs. ... as she preps to fight #3-ranked flyweight Manon Fiorot at UFC Fight Night in Paris on Saturday.

Rose hasn't fought since May 2022 ... when she lost to fellow contender, Carla Esparza, by split decision. Physically, Namajunas feels a lot better a year and change later.

"I did think the weight cut started to get a little tougher each time, even the last cut it was like my eyes were sunken in like 'Ooh this is not super healthy.' I don't think it highly affected my performance, maybe it did, maybe it didn't, I have no idea but I'm definitely super excited to feel healthy going in there and actually eating more, lifting more, just feeling strong."

As for whether she'd go back to the division where she's so highly ranked ... probably not.

"I highly doubt I would ever go back down unless there was a really good reason to. Unless I go into this fight and something totally just like, 'Oh man these flyweights are way bigger and stronger than I expected' but I highly doubt that."

Rose continued ... "I train with flyweights. I have a good feel for that. Even in my amateur career, I fought in flyweight, too. Unless it's totally a surprise and a shock to me, I see myself staying here."

Of course, if RN stays at 125, that would likely mean there won't be a third fight between her and Zhang Weili (Rose defeated the Chinese MMA star twice) ... though Namajunas didn't entirely shut the door on the trilogy.

If it does happen, it'll be down the road.

For the time being, Namajunas -- who isn't ranked in the new division -- is getting one of the best in the world in Fiorot (she hasn't lost a fight since 2018). We asked Rose if she expected a title shot straight away after a win.

"No, I'm not really putting any expectations on anything. I'm just hoping and praying for the best performance that I can give, give glory to God and just let Him do the rest. If that happens, that would be a dream come true."

If she were to get a title shot, it could mean a scrap between Rose and Valentina Shevchenko, who is fighting to win her belt back vs. Alexa Grasso in a few weeks.

Morgan Wallen had a hometown surprise for Pittsburgh fans during his concert Thursday night ... Wiz Khalifa!

The concert was packed when Wiz, who grew up in Pittsburgh, appeared on stage and sang "Black and Yellow," as fans went wild. The optics were pretty spectacular ... flames shooting up in the air with yellow lights surrounding the venue.

Morgan and Wiz embraced as they left the stage. Seems Wiz is a Morgan fan ... he's hit up several of the country star's concerts.

If you checked our site earlier, you'll know the concert went down at PNC Park ... it's where some women got into a pretty epic porta-potty brawl the day before!

Several girls got so upset with each other while in line for a porta potty at Morgan Wallen's show Wednesday night ... they straight up beat the snot out of each other -- and the wild fight was all captured on video.

The incident happened inside the Pittsburgh Pirates' stadium, PNC Park ... and while it's unclear what sparked the melee -- it appeared a dispute over who could use one of the toilets is what set everyone off.

You can see in the footage, two girls were arguing next to a porta-potty ... before they began pushing and shoving each other.

Eventually, the two's tussle spilled into one of the open Johns ... and despite the gross conditions, they still continued to pound on each other.

One of the girls' apparent acquaintances then came in to break it up -- and that's when things turned way more violent.

The girl in the blue romper and white cowboy boots pulled one of the combatants out by her hair and threw punches. She then swung on another girl, before kicking her.

Ultimately, cooler heads prevailed.

Mobb Deep's hit "Shook Ones Pt. II" has stood the test of time for nearly 30 years but the iconic record could've had a tragic legacy ... according to Havoc, who's revealing he survived a near-fatal fight when they shot the music video.

The Surviving Mobb Deep member recalled the wild moment for Vevo's "Footnotes" channel -- he says he got into a fight with a guy from the neighborhood who felt like he wasn't getting enough screen time in the video.

Hav says they started fighting and fell into a puddle, only for one of the camera crew's lights to fall into the water and drastically increase chances they'd be electrocuted.

Mobb Deep hail from the Queensbridge projects in Queens, N.Y. -- an historically rough place, which they detail in much of their catalog, but thankfully cooler heads prevailed.

Havoc tells TMZ Hip Hop ... he settled things up with the guy he was squabbling with, and they still remain friends to this day!!!

The song went on to be dubbed an all-time classic, earning placements in multiple video games and most infamously, the closing scene from Eminem's "8 Mile" film.

A group of Mississippi men got into a vicious battle with a shovel and wooden plank ... leaving one of the dudes drenched in blood.

The nearly 2-minute fight was caught on video and posted to Facebook ... featuring three men squaring off outside a ramshackle home in the area near Jackson.

One guy screams at the other two ... "It's mine motherf***er" -- although it's not clear what he's referring to.

Suddenly, one of the other men whacks the guy in the head with the plank, causing him to fall to the ground, blood flowing down the front of his shirt from an open wound.

The victim gets to his feet and continues to argue with his attacker, promising a stint in prison for the old man, whose younger cohort retrieves the shovel.

As the exchange becomes more heated, the injured man grabs his crotch and makes a lewd remark ... prompting the cohort to bash him in the head with the shovel.

The man stumbles backward into his truck, climbs behind the wheel and drives off.

A youth soccer coach in Virginia claims he was savagely beaten by an out-of-control parent who attacked him with a metal water bottle ... causing serious damage, including a broken eye socket.

The shocking incident happened Saturday afternoon about an hour west of Washington D.C. in Manassas, VA, where a boys' team scrimmage was going down. Coach Vince Villanueva was manning the sideline ... and told FOX 5 D.C. he attempted to make a substitution in the game.

"The father went over to talk to the son and then when I went to get him and put him back in the game, I said 'Are you okay?' And he said, 'No he’s not,' and he said, 'Coach can I talk to you?'" Villanueva explained.

"Then everything went downhill from there."

Villanueva -- who was filling in for his friend at the Northern VA soccer club -- said the father started hitting him with a metal water bottle multiple times, leaving him with injuries on his face, including two swollen, black eyes and a fractured orbital.

Prince William County Police say they actually located the aggressor after he fled the scene ... and arrested a 45-year-old man, identified as Bletand Hoxha. He was charged with malicious wounding and is being held without bond.

Coach Villanueva was treated at the scene for his injuries ... and has a message for parents who lose their cool on coaches at kids' sporting events.

"Allow them to do their job and just, you know, just make a fun environment," Villanueva said.

"Kids have enough stress in life with everything else in the world. Allow them to have that moment, someplace to escape from it."

Conor McGregor went balls-out during his most recent training session ... putting his bulge on display as he sweated it out in a pair of Versace undies -- and it looks like a scene straight out of "American Psycho."

The Notorious posted the odd video on Tuesday ... showing him crushing it on a stationary bike as he jammed to Robert Palmer's "Simply Irresistible."

If the clip makes you think of Christian Bale's Patrick Bateman character from the 2000 flick, it's by design -- Conor captioned the social media post, "American Psycho II."

Of course, McGregor is getting ready for a fight against Michael Chandler ... and while he claims the bout is slated for UFC 296 in December, Dana White's organization has yet to confirm the info.

Either way, Conor clearly wants everyone to see he's busting his ass as he prepares for a return ... winking at the camera and smiling as he pedaled away on his yacht.

Conor's followers loved it ... with UFC great Urijah Faber saying, "F***ing classic," and announcer Jon Anik adding, "Let’s f***in’ go, champ."

Sean O'Malley is a man of his word ... "Suga" said he'd get a tattoo to commemorate winning the UFC Bantamweight title, and that's exactly what he did!

28-year-old O'Malley revealed the new ink, located on the right side of his forehead, on social media this weekend. The face tattoo reads:

CHAMP
MMXXIII

MMXXIII is the year ... M is 1000, X is 10, I is 1. 2023.

The new artwork isn't a surprise. While talking with the media afterward, Sean said ... "I might get 'CHAMP' on my face somewhere."

It's not Sean's first face tattoo. He already has his nickname, "SUGA" and a "👑" on his face.

Of course, O'Malley won the belt at UFC 292 ... when he beat Aljamain Sterling by 2nd round TKO.

TMZ Sports talked to O'Malley last week, a few days after he secured the title and just before he got the tattoo, and chopped it up about everything from his next opponent (Chito, Cejudo, Sandhagen, Merab, Pantoja) to his future in acting.