Fights

Tony Ferguson may have lost his last 6 fights, but Paddy Pimblett is NOT overlooking the future UFC Hall of Famer ... telling TMZ Sports he's preparing for the "best version" of El Cucuy!

We talked to 28-year-old Pimblett ahead of his UFC 296 scrap with the 39-year-old legend ... and asked what he expected out of Ferguson.

"We've prepared for the best Tony Ferguson possible," Paddy said.

"What I just say is he's on a bit of a decline, and that's why I've said this fight is a lose-lose for me, cause when I win, people are gonna be like, 'you only beat a washed-up Tony' when he's still a dangerous motherf*****, and then if I did happen to lose, people would be like, 'Oh, Paddy's finished. He's just been beat by a finished Tony.'"

Ferguson, who once went on a 12-fight win streak in the UFC (where he beat the likes of Josh Thompson, Rafael dos Anjos, Kevin Lee, Edson Barboza and others), has dropped his last 6 fights, albeit to some of the best fighters in the world (Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Charles Oliveira).

As for 20-3 Pimblett, he's won 6 in a row, including all 4 of his UFC fights. However, his last victory over Jared Gordon wasn't without controversy, and Paddy is looking to make a statement to remind people who he is.

"Biggest fight of my life, definitely. Biggest opponent. Coming back off three major surgeries. Gotta make a big statement after me last fight, simple as that," Pimblett said.

There's a bunch more with Paddy The Baddy ... we also talk about Ferguson training with David Goggins, and a recent impromptu meeting Pimblett had with Ian Garry (we talked to Pimblett before IG was pulled from his fight) at the UFC's gym in Las Vegas, where PP shared advice with the embattled 26-year-old fighter.

Alexandre Pantoja says it'd be an "honor" to fight Demetrious Johnson -- if Mighty Mouse ever were to return to the UFC -- a guy he's looked up to for years, in and out of the cage!

TMZ Sports talked to 33-year-old Pantoja, the UFC's flyweight champion, ahead of his first title defense against Brandon Royval at UFC 296 on Saturday (more on that in just a minute) ... but we also talked about DJ.

"For me, if I have the opportunity to train with Demetrious Johnson it's gonna be awesome for me. If I think about fighting him it's gonna be like heaven. I have respect for him. He's one of the best guys fighting in the world fighting pound-for-pound," Pantoja said of the ONE champ.

But, it's not just about Johnson's exploits in the cage ... it's about how he conducts himself as a person, too.

"He's a family guy. He's a very good example for me. Not just for me, for everyone. He cares about his kids. He cares about his wife. Don't make mistakes, don't make trash talk. Don't try to go to the media with fake news. He is a true warrior and true man and family guy. A very good example of what this world needs right now."

That's about the best compliment a person could get from a peer.

As for what a fight would look like between the champs ... we asked Alexandre, and he answered with a Dragon Ball Z comparison.

Of course, the 125 lb. division was on life support for years ... but thanks to guys like Pantoja, Brandon Moreno, and Deiveson Figueiredo (who has moved up to bantamweight), who built upon what DJ started, the flyweight division is thriving.

If you need proof ... Pantoja and Royval are the co-main event on one of the year's most anticipated cards.

There's more with Alexandre ... who breaks down the matchup with Brandon, and while it's clear AP has a ton of respect for BR, he doesn't plan on giving up his belt come Saturday night!

We also talked to Royval ... who tells us why he's the best in the world and soon-to-be UFC Flyweight champ!

If Shawne Merriman was in Dean Spanos' shoes, he would NOT hire Bill Belichick or Jim Harbaugh to replace Brandon Staley ... telling TMZ Sports he thinks his former team needs to go younger with its next hire.

Of course, both coaching veterans have been rumored to be on the Bolts' radar following Staley's firing on Friday ... but Merriman made it clear, he would prefer it if L.A. looked elsewhere.

"The game has gotten much younger," the ex-Chargers pass rusher said. "If you look around, a lot of these head coaches are younger. They relate well to the players."

Belichick is 71 years old, while Harbaugh is 59 ... ages that Merriman obviously thinks just won't cut it when it comes to directing guys like 25-year-old Justin Herbert or 27-year-old Derwin James on the field.

But, don't get it twisted, he still loves both guys and their résumés -- he just said, "I don't know if that's the proper move in this situation."

"I really don't."

Merriman didn't have any names that he would rather hire -- though he did say he wants no part of being considered for the role ... as he's a bit preoccupied with his MMA promotion, Lights Out, which has a big event coming up on January 6.

Mark Zuckerberg's torn ACL won't derail his MMA career ... the Meta founder just revealed he's got plans to continue fighting once his knee heals up.

The 39-year-old provided an update on his recovery on his Instagram on Friday -- just about six weeks after he went under the knife to fix his busted-up knee -- and he said everything is "going well so far."

He then added that he's got about nine months to get healthy enough to step back into an Octagon and resume his fighting dreams.

"I can already walk and bike," he said. "Working towards running for the next couple of months. Then full leg strength."

He added, "Taking the time to do this well and come back stronger."

Zuckerberg, of course, has taken his MMA career very seriously over the last few months -- winning gold and silver in a Jiu-Jitsu tournament earlier this year ... while also famously challenging Elon Musk to a scrap.

Zuck has trained with UFC stars Israel Adesanya and Alex Volkanovski to get pointers on how to get better in the cage as well.

Steve Kerr apparently sees no issues with the NBA's choice to hit Draymond Green with an indefinite ban this week ... saying Thursday his star player's recent behavior just needs to change.

The Warriors head coach opened up on the suspension that Adam Silver levied on his star player earlier this week -- and he made it clear, he's in favor of the lengthy timeout.

"The one who choked Rudy [Gobert], the one who took a wild flail at Jusuf [Nurkic], the one who punched Jordan [Poole] last year -- that's the guy who has to change," Kerr said.

"You look at the past year and what's happened," the coach continued, "it's clear he needs the opportunity to change."

Kerr explained to media members that for much of Green's career, he's not had issues with the power forward ... saying he believes most of Draymond's outbursts prior to 2022 included tolerable yelling at refs or innocuous ball throwing.

However, Kerr said the behavior he's displayed in the last year -- which most recently included taking a swipe at Jusuf Nurkic's face during an altercation in Tuesday night's Warriors vs. Suns game -- just cannot continue.

"To me, this is about more than basketball," Kerr said. "It's about helping Draymond. I think it's an opportunity for Draymond to step away and to make a change in his approach and his life."

Jake Paul is keeping his political ties strong, because GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy will be VIP'd up when "The Problem Child" steps in the ring this weekend ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Vivek's spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin tells us the presidential hopeful is heading to Orlando to support Jake during his Friday night showdown with Andre August ... and says they've actually become good friends.

We're told Jake's hooked up Vivek with ringside seats -- he'll be seated next to Jake's pals and teammates when the first round bell rings. Once it's over, Vivek plans to get a quick face-to-face catch-up with Jake and his fam ... before heading straight back to Iowa for 6 scheduled campaign events on Saturday.

The bond between Ramaswamy and Paul is no secret, thanks to Jake recruiting the candidate for a joint TikTok dance in September, which went viral.

While it might have seemed like a stunt done for fun and games, Vivek later explained during a GOP debate why he thinks TikTok is vital for winning elections ... it's all about influencing the next-gen.

Jake Paul ha invitado a Vivek Ramaswamy a su próximo combate de boxeo en Orlando. Incluso le compró un boleto al lado del ring, TMZ ha indagado.

Tricia McLaughlin, la portavoz de Vivek, nos dice que viajará al sur el viernes porque es buena amiga de Jake y quiere mostrarle su apoyo en el partido.

Nos informan que va a estar sentado junto a los amigos de Jake y demás compañeros de equipo, animándolo antes de tener una rápida puesta al día con Jake y su familia, luego de regresar directamente a Iowa para sus seis actos de campaña programados para el día siguiente.

El vínculo entre Ramaswamy y Paul no es ningún secreto. Se sabe que son buenos amigos, y Jake incluso lo reclutó para un baile conjunto en TikTok en septiembre, el cual se hizo viral.

Vivek explicó durante un debate de GOP que unirse TikTok es vital para ganar las elecciones, porque se trata de influir en la próxima generación.

Draymond Green would be breathing a lot easier today if Shaquille O'Neal were running the NBA ... 'cause the Lakers legend says he'd only suspend DG two games if league punishments were up to him.

O'Neal made the declaration while speaking with Babcock and Charles on "TMZ Live" on Thursday -- less than 24 hours after Green was banned by Adam Silver indefinitely for smacking Jusuf Nurkic in the head during an altercation in the Warriors vs. Suns game.

Shaq says he believes Green had no bad intentions when he flailed his right arm into Nurkic's face -- explaining he's buying the Warriors star's explanation that he was simply trying to sell a call.

"I don't think Draymond said, 'Hey, I'm going to punch this guy just 'cause he's pulling my jersey,'" Shaq said.

The Diesel went on to tell the guys that he believes the play was merely a flop gone wrong.

Of course, Silver and the NBA apparently disagree ... because they've banned Green from suiting up for Golden State for the foreseeable future.

Bam Margera volvió a sus viejos trucos, prestando su experiencia en "Jackass" a un nuevo grupo de temerarios salvajes y ayudarles a filmar un brutal video nocaut.

La ex estrella de "Jackass" filmó un par de acrobacias durante el fin de semana en Los Ángeles con los MadHouse Boys, lanzando en un guante de boxeo y desatando algunos haymakers a la cabeza.

En las imágenes, obtenidas por TMZ, se ve a Bam acercarse sigilosamente a uno de los MadHouse Boys por detrás y darle un puñetazo en un lado de la cabeza... y se ve bastante doloroso.

Para los no iniciados, MadHouse es un grupo de acrobacias de última generación, en redes sociales dicen que son básicamente como "si "Jackass" y tu madre tuvieran un bebé".

Nos han dicho que MadHouse se puso en contacto con Bam porque querían que formara parte de su video piloto de Netflix.

Bam Margera is up to his old tricks ... lending his "Jackass" experience to a new group of wild daredevils and helping them film a brutal knockout video.

The former "Jackass" star shot a couple stunts over the weekend in L.A. with the MadHouse Boys... throwing on a boxing glove and unleashing some haymakers to the head.

In the footage, obtained by TMZ, you see Bam sneaking up on one of the MadHouse Boys from behind and punching him in the side of the head, and it looks like it hurts ... which, we guess, is the whole damn point.

For the uninitiated, MadHouse is a next-generation stunt group ... on social media they say they are basically like "if 'Jackass' and your mom had a baby." Great visual.

We're told the MadHouse guys reached out to Bam because they wanted him to be part of one of their videos.

Draymond Green is getting help amid his suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct ... a practice he's quite familiar with, as he previously discussed his emotional struggles in a sit-down with self-help guru Deepak Chopra.

The Golden State Warriors star is reportedly seeking counseling after striking Jusuf Nurkic in the face during Tuesday's matchup against the Phoenix Suns ... with the NBA stating he must meet certain conditions before rejoining his team.

While Draymond said after the game the whole incident was just an accident, the Association clearly felt otherwise ... making his punishment indefinite to allow him to "take the time he might need to deal with challenges he’s facing," according to Adrian Wojnarowski.

As we previously reported, Green acknowledged his on-court rage in the Prime Video show, "The Sessions," last year ... where he explained how rage is "100%" part of his identity as a player.

"I go on the floor and no matter what, no matter who gets in the way, it's coming out. But, it's emotionally draining," Green said in the session with Chopra.

Green said he has always had a chip on his shoulder en route to the NBA ... but even after finding success as a pro, he never let his "I'm not supposed to be here" mentality go.

Chopra told the four-time champion there's nothing wrong with anger, as it can be a release for him -- just like laughter or sleep.

But hostility, he continued, is more about seeking revenge or "getting even" ... which is much more dangerous.

While Draymond appeared to pick up what Chopra was putting down, it didn't put a stop to his on-court issues -- not only did he hit Nurkic in the face, but he also choked Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert earlier this season, which led to a suspension.

Giannis Antetokounmpo went nuts on the court Wednesday night, dropping a career-high 64 points -- and then he went ballistic because of it, losing his mind after the Pacers wouldn't give him the game ball from the evening.

The scene was wild ... the Bucks superstar thought he was entitled to the basketball due to his historic performance in the 140-126 victory in Wisconsin -- but Indiana players felt their rookie, Oscar Tshiebwe, should get it for scoring his first-ever NBA points.

Giannis was so incensed that the Pacers wouldn't hand it over -- he actually ran down one of the Fiserv Forum tunnels to insist that his opponents give it back.

A scuffle broke out while Giannis was screaming for the ball -- and Pacers coach Rick Carlisle told media members his team's general manager, Chad Buchanan, took a shot to the ribs from a Bucks player amid the chaos.

Giannis eventually ran out onto the floor to try to get someone to get him the ball -- screaming at anyone who would listen.

It's ultimately unclear who kept the memento -- Giannis was given a "game ball," though he seemed to question whether or not it was the real one after all the commotion died down.

"I have a ball, but I don't know if it's the game ball," Giannis told reporters. "It doesn't feel like the game ball to me. It feels like a brand-new ball. I can tell. I played, what, 35 minutes today. I know how the game ball felt. The ball that I have, which I'll take and I'll give it to my mom, for sure -- but I don't know if it's actually the game ball."

Memorabilia drama aside, Giannis' night was truly one NBA fans will have a tough time forgetting ... his 64 points broke Michael Redd's franchise record of 57. He added 14 rebounds, three assists, four steals and one block during the contest as well.

Nonetheless, Giannis clearly wishes he was ensured to have the real No. 1 keepsake from the evening.

A 71-year-old security guard is suing the Los Angeles Rams ... claiming the NFL org.'s negligence led to him suffering "catastrophic" injuries during a violent fan brawl at SoFi Stadium last year.

The man -- ID'd in the lawsuit as Robert Leahey -- says the incident happened back on Dec. 8, 2022 during the Rams vs. Raiders "Thursday Night Football" game ... when he was hired by Contemporary Services Corporation to help assist people in large crowds and help "maintain an orderly atmosphere."

At around 6:30 PM inside the Inglewood stadium, however, Leahey says a "large fight broke out" between L.A. and Vegas supporters -- and he jumped in to try to keep the peace.

But, in the lawsuit, Leahey says as other guards arrived on scene -- they pushed him, causing him to fall down a set of concrete stairs.

Leahey claims he hit his head several times while crashing down the stairs -- and when he got up, he alleges someone involved in the fight threw a Modelo beer can that connected with his head ... 'causing him further injury.

Leahey says on Dec. 9, he went to a nearby hospital ... "where he was tested and diagnosed with severe and catastrophic brain injuries, including a subdural hematoma with brain bleeding."

In the suit, Leahey claims since the incident, he's had difficulty with his speech and his vision -- while also suffering from headaches. He claims he's been unable to work as well.

Draymond Green is going to be away from the Golden State Warriors for a while ... the NBA hit him with an indefinite suspension after he smacked one of his opponents in the face.

The NBA says Draymond's "repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts" is playing into his indefinite suspension.

Draymond was ejected from Tuesday's game against the Phoenix Suns ... when he got way too physical with Jusuf Nurkic, whacking him in the head with a hard right hand during a scrap in the third quarter. Draymond was hit with a flagrant foul 2 and booted from the game.

It's the second suspension for Draymond already this NBA season ... he was hit with a 5-game ban just last month after putting Minnesota Timberwolves star center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold.

The NBA says Draymond's suspension will begin immediately -- the Warriors play the Clippers Thursday night -- and "he will be required to meet certain league and team conditions" before being reinstated.

Draymond is expected to meet Thursday with Warriors brass and his agent Rich Paul to discuss counseling ... according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

A student from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Florida -- where a mass shooting took place a few years ago -- was met with pure brutality by his own peers ... as seen in this shocking video.

Several clips depicting a recent fight among students at MSDHS are making the rounds online, and in all of them ... you can see one kid getting jumped by multiple other teens who are ganging up on him and pummeling him with blows.

Eventually, you see him get picked up by at least a few students ... who then throw him back on the ground, and he lands awkwardly on his neck and head -- instantly going limp.

Of course, a crowd formed around the chaos ... and most of the students cruelly stood by and watched.

But, some did attempt to check on the boy -- who appeared completely unconscious -- and they rolled him over on his back. You can hear someone ask if he's breathing, but others are more entertained by the fact he was KO'd.

The video is rightly sparking outrage in the community, which already went through utter devastation in 2018 when Nikolas Cruz claimed the lives of 17 people.

There's been speculation this might've taken place on school grounds, in one of the parking lots, but the school principal tells TMZ ... that's not the case.

Michelle Kefford says this took place at a nearby park, and did indeed involve students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas. In a note sent to parents, she adds ... "While this park is not a school or district-operated property, the safety of our students is always our priority, and we are working with law enforcement to help identify those involved."

She continues, "Due to the open investigation, I am not able to provide additional details, but I want to assure you this situation is being taken seriously. Please do remind your students to say something if they see something. As always, thank you for your support."

Un estudiante de Marjory Stoneman Douglas High en Florida —donde un tiroteo masivo tuvo lugar hace unos años— se encontró con la brutalidad de sus compañeros, como se ve en este impactante video.

Hay varios clips que muestran la pelea entre los estudiantes. Se puede como un número no menor de jóvenes ataca brutalmente a un estudiante.

Al final, lo tiran al suelo y aterriza sobre su cuello y cabeza de manera violenta... queda inconsciente al instante.

Por supuesto, una multitud se formó alrededor y la mayoría se quedó mirando cruelmente.

Algunos intentaron ver cómo estaba el chico, que parecía completamente inconsciente, y lo pusieron boca arriba. Se puede oír a alguien preguntar si respira, pero otros están más entretenidos por el hecho de que estaba derrotado.

El video ha desatado —y con razón— la indignación de la comunidad, que ya pasó por una devastación absoluta en 2018 cuando Nikolas Cruz cobró la vida de 17 personas.

Se ha especulado que esto podría haber tenido lugar en los terrenos de la escuela, en uno de los estacionamientos, pero el director de la escuela le dice a TMZ que ese no es el caso.

Michelle Kefford dice que esto tuvo lugar en un parque cercano, y de hecho involucró a estudiantes de Marjory Stoneman Douglas. En una nota enviada a los padres, ella añade: "Si bien este parque no es una propiedad operada por la escuela o el distrito, la seguridad de nuestros estudiantes es siempre nuestra prioridad, y estamos trabajando con las fuerzas del orden para ayudar a identificar a los involucrados".

Continúa: "Debido a la investigación abierta, no puedo proporcionar detalles adicionales, pero quiero asegurarles que esta situación se está tomando en serio. Por favor, recuerden a sus alumnos que digan algo si ven algo. Como siempre, gracias por vuestro apoyo".