Vanessa Bryant Files 'KB24' Trademark Plans Kobe Sports And Entertainment Empire

Published | Updated

Kobe Bryant's legacy will live on in the form of media, clothes, trading cards and more ... with Vanessa Bryant filing to trademark "KB24" to create a sports and entertainment empire surrounding her late husband's name.

TMZ Sports has learned ... Vanessa submitted docs earlier this month to lock in the trademark for digital collectible items, websites, training camps, broadcasting platforms, podcasts, TV shows, movies, documentaries and music ... as well as sports cards, food/drink containers and t-shirts.

Kobe, Inc. -- the Lakers legend's company -- is listed as the applicant of the filing ... with Vanessa signing off as the president of the business.

The move almost certainly provides a blueprint for what the Bryant family plans to do in the future ... with the "KB24" brand poised to enter a number of outlets.

As we previously reported, Vanessa decided to cut ties with Kobe's longtime sneaker and clothing partner, Nike, after issues over money and shoe availability.

It appears the "KB24" brand will look to grow without the Swoosh ... naming a large number of clothing items in the application -- although shoes are NOT listed.

However, Vanessa filed for "Mamba and Mambacita" back in March ... with the intent of using it for clothes and shoes, so that might explain why "KB24" may not be focused on sneakers.

"KB24" adds to the growing list of trademarks the Hall of Famer's estate has filed since Kobe and Gigi's tragic deaths back in January 2020 ... including "Mamba Sports Academy," "Mambacita," "Lady Mambas," "Lil Mambas" and more.

Tristan Thompson Praises Khloe's Bod ... 'Abs Of Steel!!!'

Published | Updated

Tristan Thompson and Khloe Kardashian aren't back together, but that hasn't stopped the NBA player from admiring his ex's bod ... 'cause he gushed over the latest pic of her physique Wednesday.

Khloe posted a sizzling photo of her on the cover of Health mag on her social media page ... and just minutes later, Thompson hopped in the comment section with a sweet compliment.

"Wow!!" Thompson wrote. "You are so motivational Koko! So proud of your hard work and dedication to your healthcare and fitness. Abs of steel!! BRB I need to do some sit ups."

Thompson added two heart emojis at the end of his sentence.

The two officially split back in June -- and while we're told they haven't rekindled a romantic relationship since, they have been spotted together an awful lot in the past few months.

You'll recall, the two were seen at LeBron James' wife's birthday party in late August ... and also photographed taking baby True out for activities several times in the weeks prior.

Still ... doesn't seem the time together or Thompson's praise for Khloe's body is changing anything -- just looks like two humans being good people, and a good Mom and Dad.

Kim Jong-Un Cheers As Soldiers Smash Concrete, Break Glass ... Wild Martial Arts Expo

Published
101321_kim_jong_un_training_kal_v1
SHOWIN' OFF THE MOVES
AP

Kim Jong-Un is just like Limp Bizkit -- he's all about breakin' stuff ... 'cause the supreme leader of North Korea was all smiles as he watched soldiers smash bricks and concrete blocks off each other this week.

The video is nuts -- Kim is seen clapping and cheering from the crowd as a group of shirtless dudes destroy blocks off their chests with mallets and whack each other with massive sticks.

In another wild stunt, one dude broke himself out of chains wrapped around his body ... and another displays his martial arts skills by ducking out of harm's way.

Not really clear when these skills will come in handy -- but hey, ya never know.

The whole event was meant to show off the troops' self-defense experience ... and by the looks of it, Kim was very pleased.

Colin Kaepernick Still Gunning For NFL Comeback Training '5, 6 Days A Week'

Published | Updated

Colin Kaepernick is still not giving up on his dream of returning to the NFL ... saying he's still up at 5 AM and training 5 or 6 days a week in case a team finally calls.

The quarterback -- who hasn't played a down in the league since the 2016 season -- made the revelation in a recent interview with Ebony ... explaining he still has a goal of winning the Lombardi Trophy.

"I am still up at 5 a.m. training five, six days a week," Kaepernick said, "making sure I’m prepared to take a team to a Super Bowl again."

The 33-year-old last played for the 49ers on Jan. 1, 2017 in a loss to the Seahawks ... and never signed on with a team again after that.

Kap claimed repeatedly that he believed the league was blackballing him over the way he started kneeling demonstrations during pregame national anthems.

In fact, the QB sued the league a few years ago ... and the parties settled out of court. The NFL didn't publicly admit to blackballing Colin.

But, in his recent interview, Kaepernick made it clear he still believes teams are avoiding him over it all ... adding that he hopes his training will "expose" the situation.

"You're gonna have to continue to deny me and do so in a public way," Kaepernick said. "And you’re gonna expose yourself by that, but it won't be because I'm not ready or not prepared."

In the meantime, Kaepernick said he's also focused on other aspects of his life -- like his production company, charity work ... and even acting.

Colin said he's been working with acting coaches and wants to have more on-screen roles in the future -- explaining it all feels similar to quarterbacking.

"[It] really felt natural to me," Kaepernick said. "I just didn’t have to dodge any 300-pound lineman while doing it."

Tom Daley Opens Up On Bulimia Battle In 2012 I Was Told I Was Overweight

Published

Olympic gold medalist diver Tom Daley says he was pressured to lose weight in order to perform better in 2012 ... claiming it was "hammered" into him that he was overweight.

The 27-year-old British diver opened up about his eating disorder this week ... saying he would make himself throw up and constantly weigh himself in order to maintain a smaller figure.

Daley -- who won bronze at the 2012 and 2016 Games before earning gold in Tokyo this summer -- says it's always been hard for him as a man to open up about his eating disorder, he revealed to The Guardian.

Daley says it's challenging as an athlete to talk about his struggle with body image ... because let's face it, most people would love to have his body.

"You have these body issues as an athlete. Lots of people would look at athletes and be like, 'What are you talking about? You’re an athlete, you’re in shape, you have nothing to worry about.'"

Daley says the pressure to lose weight didn't come from the media or Internet trolls -- it was his peers in the diving community.

"My body image [issues] came from within my sport – it was hammered into me that I was overweight and needed to lose weight in order to perform."

Clearly, whoever said that has egg on their face now -- Daley was at the top of the podium in the 2020 Games ... and is leaving the door open to return to Paris in 2024.

Bodybuilder George Peterson Dead At 37 ... Found In Hotel Room

Published | Updated

Bodybuilder George Peterson -- AKA "Da Bull" -- unexpectedly passed away this week at only 37, just days before he was scheduled to compete in a top bodybuilding competition.

"It is with great sadness that we report the unexpected passing of George Peterson, a champion on stage and off," officials from the Mr. Olympia competition announced on social media.

Peterson was in Orlando when he died -- preparing for the Olympia competition -- which kicks off Wednesday.

The cause of George's death is not yet clear, but his coach and close friend, Justin Miller -- who found Peterson deceased -- provided additional details on his death.

Miller says Peterson was in incredible spirits the night before he died ... and was pumped for the upcoming competition.

However, the next day, Miller says GP wasn't responding to texts or phone calls ... so he became worried, and went to George's hotel room.

Inside, tragically, Peterson was face down on the floor, cold. Still, Miller, desperate to help his friend, called 911 and was instructed to do CPR.

Unfortunately, Peterson -- who likely passed several hours earlier -- could not be saved.

George was a constant figure on the bodybuilding circuit ... competing at shows across the country, including the Olympia 4 times.

Peterson won the Classic Physique competition at the 2019 Arnold Classic.

Many people from the bodybuilding and fitness world -- from athletes to fans -- have expressed sadness at Peterson's unexpected passing.

RIP

Utah Marathon 22-Year-Old Runner Dies During Race ... Minutes From Finish Line

Published

An Idaho man collapsed and died during a marathon on Saturday ... just minutes from reaching the finish line.

He was just 22 years old.

Hayden Holman, from Sugar City, Idaho, was running with family members in the 26-mile St. George Marathon in Utah ... when tragedy suddenly struck near the end of the race.

Holman, according to officials, collapsed and stopped breathing -- but was revived by emergency personnel, who rushed him to a nearby hospital.

Unfortunately, he later died there.

Holman's stepmother, Karin Holman, told the East Idaho News that Hayden had spoken with loved ones just before he went down.

"He called (family members) when he was two minutes from the finish line to make sure someone was there to take a picture," Karin said. "But, he never showed up."

"Hayden was one of the most outgoing and nicest people," Karin added. "He loved everyone and wore his heart on his sleeve. He will be missed for a long time.”

A cause of death has not yet been revealed.

Holman -- who was a student at Brigham Young University-Idaho -- had just gotten married earlier this year. A GoFundme has been set up to help his wife, Charlotte, with funeral costs.

RIP

Britney Spears Conservatorship Fitness Coach Goes Wild ... As Jamie Gets Suspended

Published | Updated
093021_britney_workout_kal_1
BUSTIN' BOOTIES FOR BRITNEY
@thefitnessmarshall / TikTok

Britney Spears was the big winner in court Wednesday, but it's hard to believe anyone celebrated her father's removal from the conservatorship harder than this fitness instructor ... who turned his joy into burned calories.

This TikTok vid beautifully illustrates the joy #FreeBritney folks felt when Jamie Spears was suspended from the conservatorship after 13 years -- as this guy literally jumped for joy when he heard the news.

The coach -- who's known as The Fitness Marshall -- parlayed his excitement into a fabulous "Free Britney" workout, including some hilarious jabs at her dad.

"Jump high, knee Jamie in the face" and "Elbow him in the name of the law" might well become new rallying cries for Brit's supporters ... if the other hashtags wear out.

As we reported ... along with Jamie being removed from Britney's conservatorship, it also looks like the conservatorship is coming to an end after Wednesday's monumental court hearing.

Or as this fitness coach puts it ... "My queen is one step closer to freedom."

Fitness Coaches Tragedy Daring Rescue Turns Deadly ... Wife Films It Unfolding

Published | Updated
092721_fitness_instructor_kal
DEADLY RESCUE ATTEMPT
east2west

Daring heroics from a fitness coach quickly turned into a double tragedy -- after he jumped into rough ocean water to save his friend, both of them were swept out to sea ... while his wife was recording.

The dramatic video shows Daniil Gagarin leaping into the choppy waters to save his friend and fellow fitness expert Emma Mönkkönen at the La Zorra cove in the resort town of Torrevieja, Spain.

Through it all ... Daniil's wife, Darya, is filming the incident. At one point you can see Daniil gets a hold of Emma and they're both holding on to a rock. Darya's screaming to her husband, but suddenly a violent wave crashes on top of them and they're swept out into the Mediterranean sea.

You can hear the despair in Darya's voice, who cries for Daniil ... but both Daniil and Emma disappear.

According to a report ... Emma's body was recovered a couple of miles away from where the incident happened. Daniil's body was found the next day.

Daniil was 30 and Emma was only 24 years old.

Rudy Gobert Unfazed By NBA's 'Random' Drug Tests ... I'm All-Natural!!!

Published
092121-rudy-gobert-kal
ALL-NATURAL GAINS
TMZSports.com

Utah Jazz star Rudy Gobert says the NBA can come knocking on his door any time it wants ... telling TMZ Sports he ain't scared of the league's "random" drug tests!!

Of course, it's become quite the trend in the Association -- you post a jacked pic on Instagram, you get "randomly" hit up for a test.

Just ask Sacramento Kings guard De'Aaron Fox, who posted a shirtless pic showing off his buff bod in the gym earlier this month ... and then got contacted the very next day.

Before that, then-Lakers player Alex Caruso was "randomly" selected to test just one week after a photoshopped pic of him looking like the Hulk went viral on social media.

Are ya starting to see the trend here??

Gobert could be the next guy to fall victim to the NBA's far-from-sneaky ways ... 'cause the 3-time defensive player of the year posted a snap looking absolutely shredded on social media earlier this week ... so when we saw him out at LAX, we had to ask if he was worried.

"No, I'm not worried," Gobert told us. "I'm all clean, all organic, all-natural, all work."

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

Now, there's a chance the NBA could see this post and decide to hit Rudy with a "random" test of his own ... and if that happens, we sincerely apologize.

'The Mountain' Thor Bjornsson Shows Off Insane Transformation ... Ahead Of Boxing Match

Published

"The Mountain" is looking more like a sculpted rock ... 'cause he's lost a TON of weight over the past two years -- and check out his new bod, he's SHREDDED!!!

Hafthor Bjornsson -- who starred as the big beast on "Game Of Thrones" -- has transformed his body since retiring from strongman competition in 2019 ... moving to the boxing world, and the results are impressive as hell.

Just two days out from his big celeb tilt with arm-wrestling legend Devon Larratt, Bjornsson -- a 3x Arnold Classic and 2018 World's Strongest Man winner -- showed off all the progress he's made with his physique, revealing chiseled abs, pecs and arms.

6'9" Bjornsson told Muscle And Health earlier this month he's down to about 328 pounds -- roughly 120 pounds under the 450-or-so pounds that he used to tip the scales at when he was lifting competitively.

It's all been an effort to dominate in the ring ... with Bjornsson initially setting out to fight fellow strong man Eddie Hall -- his heated rival -- this weekend.

Hall, though, tore his bicep while training in July ... so Bjornsson is now scheduled to fight Larratt -- a dude he once lost to in an arm-wrestling competition.

The scrap is slated for Saturday in Dubai ... and if body composition even remotely translates into fighting skills, someone tell Larratt he might be in a bit of trouble!

Dr. Oz COVID Lesson #1: Get Healthier, America ... That's Not Fat Shaming!!!

Published
091321_dr_oz_kal_1
AMERICA'S 'BIG' PROBLEM
TMZ.com

Dr. Oz says the coronavirus pandemic is proof most Americans desperately need to improve their outlook on personal health -- especially when it comes to weight loss ... and insists he's not fat shaming.

The doc joined us Monday on "TMZ Live" to reveal the new focus for his upcoming 13th season on the air ... and it's all about folks taking their mental and physical health up a notch.

Dr. Oz says a lot of the problems facing the country in the COVID era are due to people being overweight, and he says it's not fat shaming to encourage people to exercise.

Oz understands it's still important to isolate due to COVID, but he says that doesn't mean walling yourself off from friends and family ... he wants folks to be more social, but in a safe and virtual way.

The doc says you don't even have to leave your house to get in better shape, and he's got a few simple tips on what you can do ... while watching TV.

Bill Maher has long been saying fat shaming needs to make a comeback ... but Oz says it's time for someone other than a comedian to carry the torch.

Of course, Oz breaks from Bill in one key area on the obesity epidemic ... and he's walking a fine line in this day and age.

Karl-Anthony Towns Defends Jordyn Woods' Body Transformation ... 'This Is All Natural'

Published | Updated
UPDATE

4:01 PM PT -- Jordyn's responded to the criticism as well, and echoes many of the same points KAT made ... insisting that finding fitness saved her life, especially after dealing with depression and the loss of her dad 5 years ago.

UPDATE

Jordyn says, "Working out became my therapy and my saving." She adds that her fitness platform is for everyone but doesn't guarantee "you'll look like me" ... but she launched it for people who may be struggling like she was.

UPDATE

She concludes ... "Working out saved me and I wanted to let everyone know we all start somewhere. You're beautiful at any weight, shape, or size, but you're not alone."

Karl-Anthony Towns is going OFF on all the trolls talking down on his GF Jordyn Woods' recent body transformation ... saying he's personally seen her put in the work -- and it's ALL natural.

Woods was the center of awful social media criticism this week after posting a before-and-after pic from her fitness journey ... with some claiming her new look was manufactured.

But, KAT is having none of that talk ... shooting down any notion Woods went under the knife in a passionate Twitter rant on Thursday.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

"Are we saying that women can’t work hard and transform their bodies??" Towns said minutes ago. "I’ve SEEN the hard work and I’ve seen the results and trust me, this is all natural."

"Since she was 10 years old, people been calling this woman vile things because of her weight and instead of letting the Internet run her life, she went out the put the damn work in and changed her whole life. FITNESS SAVED HER LIFE!"

Towns says he's not going to stoop to the trolls' levels and respond with hate -- instead, he's keeping positive by hoping they "find the love you are so badly craving."

KAT -- who's been officially dating Woods for about a year -- also sends a personal love note to his bae ... calling her his queen, rock and his everything.

"That comparison picture, as I told you before you posted it, is gonna help a lot of people, especially young girls who feel they can never reach the body that you’ve acquired NATURALLY."

Originally Published -- 3:36 PM PT

Fitness Guru Billy Blanks 'Memba Him?!

Published

Pennsylvania native Billy Blanks was only a kid when he began his life-long dedication to martial arts ... but it wasn't until he started selling the wildly popular VHS workout series "Billy Blanks Tae Bo" that his career really started to kick into high gear.

Blanks didn't stop there ... he worked his way into some epic action films including "Lionheart," "Bloodfist," "The Last Boy Scout" and many more!

BB continues to motivate people to get up and move with both in-person training sessions and online workouts like Boom Boxing and even 1-on-1 private lessons.

Guess what he looks like now at 65 years old!

Britney Spears BF Says She'll Be Back On Stage Soon ... Well, Hopefully!!!

Published | Updated
081821_sam_asghari_kal
IN GREAT SPIRITS
BACKGRID

Britney Spears' boyfriend is as hopeful as her fans she'll return to performing, and seems to think it could happen soon ... but admittedly he's got his fingers metaphorically crossed.

Sam Asghari was leaving an intense and sweaty workout at Bas Rutten's Elite MMA Gym in L.A. Wednesday when he blurted out something that could send Brit's followers into a tizzy ... claiming she'll "absolutely" take the stage again soon.

His absolute statement was quickly followed up with a mumbled "hopefully" -- so it doesn't sound like there's any solid plan in place just yet.

As for recent developments in Britney's conservatorship case -- like her father Jamie agreeing to step down -- Sam has another brief response ... with some added muscle.

Speaking of which, Sam makes a quick pitch to the producers of 'Fast & Furious 10' for a role and he's certainly taking his acting and fitness goals seriously.

081221_sam_asghari_kal
SENSUAL SUGAR

He's been on a hot streak this year -- with appearances on shows like "Hacks" and "Black Monday" -- so don't count him out ... as long as he continues to avoid those ice cream sundaes.

Peloton Sued You're Brewing Serious Drama!!! Coffee Co. vs. Exercise Bikes

Published | Updated

Peloton, the fitness co., is trying to bigfoot another company with the same name -- but in a much different biz -- at least according to a new lawsuit.

Peloton Cold Brew, LLC filed suit against Peloton, Interactive -- the indoor exercise bike maker -- and says it got its trademark to use the P word for coffee drinks back in 2017, but Peloton didn’t get around to officially opposing it until 3 years later.

In docs, obtained by TMZ, Peloton Cold Brew claims the bike maker didn't make a peep, failing to file any objection when PCB filed for its trademark.

PCB claims the bike company finally filed a complaint in October 2020 -- but the coffee crew says their founders are avid cyclists, and they have every right to use "Peloton" for beverages made of coffee ... which has nothing to do with the exercise bike biz.

According to the docs, PCB says Peloton the bike maker's trademarks -- which cover things like "computers and downloadable software" -- don't come close to coffee.

Peloton Cold Brew's asking the court to declare it has the right to the trademark in the coffee space, even if Peloton the bike company has rights in the bike space.

We've reached out to Peloton, Interactive, but no word back. Probably sweating their asses off trying to get a PR.