Ryan Garcia No Regrets Sharing Mental Health Struggles ... Despite Mixed Reactions
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Ryan Garcia -- one of the best young fighters in the world -- has no regrets sharing his personal battle with mental health ... despite the mixed reactions he says he received from fans.
TMZ Sports talked to 23-year-old Garcia -- who's ramping up for his in-ring return in April -- and asked what the response has been like since stepping away from boxing because he was battling depression and having suicidal thoughts.
"Boxing fans are a little bit more harsh than say, if you're a singer," Garcia says. "Even in the NFL or NBA, if you come out, maybe you'll get a better response. But, I guess for boxing, you gotta be as tough as you can be."
"Or you're scared if you don't fight but, you know, it just comes with territory."
The last time we saw Garcia in a boxing ring was January 2021 ... when he defeated Luke Campbell via knockout in the seventh round.
Ryan tells us the long layoff led some boxing fans to question his toughness -- something he says is never in question when he steps inside the squared circle.
"It's been tough just hearing all these things about me, all these opinions on why, or what's the truth on the reasoning on why I'm not fighting," Ryan says. "I gotta hear about myself and character."
"This hate, this noise, I know how special I am when I step into the ring -- that's never been a problem!"
"When I get in the ring, I always show heart and I always show determination."
The silver lining is, Garcia says for all the hate and criticism he's received for his transparency, a lot of athletes, influencers and even people on the street have reached out to him ... commending him on speaking up before it was too late.
Garcia's also got a Snapchat series coming out on mental health ... where he'll interview guests on the topic -- and he tells us it's releasing before or after his upcoming fight with Emmanuel Tagoe on April 9.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
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MMA Fighter Mark Martin Hoping To Make Comeback ... After Eye Pops Out During Fight
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Professional Fighters League star Mark Martin says he's NOT contemplating retiring after his eye popped out during his fight last week ... telling TMZ Sports he's 100% committed to returning to the cage -- as long as he's physically able to.
"Showtime" suffered a broken orbital and blood around his retina after the first round of his bout against Dilano Taylor on Friday ... with his eye coming out of its socket after he blew his nose.
The cageside doctor waves off the fight inbetween rounds. Dilano Taylor gets the W!#PFLonFuboTV LIVE NOW
— PFL (@PFLMMA) February 26, 2022 @PFLMMA
🇺🇸 https://t.co/R67yD8VVFQ
🌍 https://t.co/StPf5kcxnW pic.twitter.com/eKZ6bmEoFS
Yes, it's tough to watch.
We spoke with Martin this week about his recovery journey ... and he says he's hoping to find out more after visiting with two specialists.
Martin says he doesn't know how damaged his retina is or if he'll be able to see out of his left eye again ... and it hasn't been determined if he'll need surgery.
Despite all the uncertainty, Martin knows one thing for sure -- he's not walking away from fighting as long as he can help it.
"I mean, I'm definitely not ready to get back into the cage now," he told us. "If everything heals 100%, I'll definitely go back."
"It's not something where I will retire unless I can't see. If I can't see right, then it's time to hang it up."
Martin also shows us how his eye currently looks ... and it's MUCH better than it did a week ago.
Get well soon, Showtime!!
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'Good Times' Star Johnny Brown Dead at 84
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Johnny Brown, who played housing project superintendent Nathan Bookman on the massively hit show "Good Times," has died.
Johnny's daughter Sharon Catherine Brown tells TMZ, he was at his doctor's office in L.A. Wednesday getting his pacemaker checked out, and shortly after he left he went into cardiac arrest and collapsed. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he passed. She says the appointment was routine, so his sudden death was a shock.
Sharon said, "Our family is devastated. Devastated. Devastated. Beyond Heartbroken. Barely able to breathe."
Johnny was a protege of Sammy Davis Jr. Sammy scored Johnny a role on Broadway, and from there, his career soared. He starred in "Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights" ... directed by Sidney Poitier. Neil Simon took notice and put Johnny in "The Out of Towners."
"Good Times," however, was his breakout role. He joined the show in 1975, in the middle of season 2.
Co-star Jimmie Walker tells TMZ he's hurting because he loved his compadre on the show.
Johnny racked up a bunch of credits, including 3 seasons on 'Laugh In,' 'Julia,' 'Maude,' "The Jeffersons," "Archie Bunker's Place," "Family Matters," "Sister, Sister," "Moonlighting," and "Martin."
Johnny is survived by his wife, whom he married 61 years ago, his daughter Sharon and son, John Jr.
Johnny was 84.
RIP
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Boxer Guillermo Rigondeaux Suffers Serious Eye Injuries In Freak Cooking Accident
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Gold medalist boxer Guillermo Rigondeaux -- who famously fought Vasyl Lomachenko in 2017 -- suffered serious eye injuries in a freak cooking accident, his manager, Alex Bornote, said.
According to Bornote, Rigondeaux was cooking in his Miami home last week, when the contents of a pressure cooker blew up in his face.
"When the pot exploded and we saw how Rigondoaux was left, we thought the worst," Bornote told the El Nuevo Herald, "because his face and eyes looked very bad as a result of the impact of the explosion."
Bornote says Rigondeaux -- who just fought on Feb. 26 in Dubai -- has lost a significant portion of his vision due to the accident ... though he said he's hopeful tests will show Guillermo can recover soon.
If tests reveal the damage is significant ... Bornote said the 41-year-old fighter could require a lengthy surgery and recovery process to fix the issues.
It's a sad blow for Rigondeaux, as the boxer was hoping to get his career back on track after losing his last two bouts.
Rigondeaux owns a 20-3-1 record as a pro ... and earned gold medals at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics. He notably fought Lomachenko on Dec. 9, 2017 ... losing in the sixth round.
Get well soon.
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Stanford Soccer Star Katie Meyer Death Ruled Suicide
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Stanford women's soccer star Katie Meyer died by suicide, officials in California announced on Thursday.
In a statement released by the County of Santa Clara, officials said "Meyer's death was determined to be self-inflicted." They added no signs of foul play were found.
"The Medical Examiner-Coroner extends sincerest condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Katie Meyer," the officials said in a statement.
As we reported, Meyer was tragically found dead on Stanford's campus this week at just 22 years old.
She was the Cardinal's starting goalkeeper and a team captain ... and reps for the university called her "a bright shining light for so many."
Her death rocked her family and friends, Stanford's school and the sports world in general.
"There are no words," Katie's sister, Samantha Meyer, said in a social media post earlier this week. "Thank you for all the kindness extended to my family."
Can never forget this big mood 🤫🔑 pic.twitter.com/PUCkSxAYxR
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 4, 2020 @ESPNFC
Katie joined the Cardinal in 2018 ... and helped the team win a national championship in 2019. A GoFundMe set up in her honor has already raised nearly $150,000.
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
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PGA Tour Star Jason Day Mom Dies After Battle With Cancer ... 'We Are Heart Broken'
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Sad news in the golf world ... PGA Tour star Jason Day's mom has passed away following a lengthy battle with cancer.
The 34-year-old golfer made the heartbreaking announcement on his Instagram page Thursday ... saying his mom, Adenil "Dening" Day, died on Wednesday night five years after she was diagnosed with lung cancer.
"We are heart broken but incredibly grateful for the gift we had in her living with us for the last almost two years full time," Day said. "She fought so hard until the very last breath."
According to the PGA Tour, Dening passed away peacefully with Jason and other family members by her side.
"I am forever indebted to her for the sacrifices she made for me to be successful, and for the person she helped me to become," said Day, who pulled out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational earlier this week to be with his mother in her final days.
"We will miss her so much."
Tragically, Dening is not the first parent Jason has lost to cancer ... his father passed away from stomach cancer when Jason was just 12 years old.
RIP.
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NFL & NFLPA End COVID-19 Protocols No More Masks, Testing, Contact Tracing
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It appears the NFL just declared the pandemic over ... 'cause the league and the players association have put an end to all of their COVID-19 protocols, including testing, mask-wearing, and contact tracing.
The NFL and NFLPA sent a joint memorandum to all 32 organizations announcing the decision ... citing "encouraging trends regarding the prevalence of COVID-19."
Here’s the memo that just went to clubs on the NFL and NFLPA suspending all COVID-19 protocols. No more masks, tracking devices, mandatory surveillance testing or capacity limits, unless required by state and local law. pic.twitter.com/TIdvfCWr9m
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 3, 2022 @TomPelissero
The league and PA say they will no longer conduct mandatory tests, regardless of whether a player is vaccinated or not.
They've also done away with the high-tech tracker -- called a Kinexon device -- that players were required to wear at all times, which was used to alert officials of any close contacts with infected individuals.
There's more. Teams can now take down all the signage instructing players to socially distance, wear masks, etc.
That's because masks ... they're no longer required, either.
Now, it's worth noting that state and local laws supersede the NFL's rules ... so, if you live in a city or state that still requires the masks, the new guidelines don't necessarily apply.
When it came to the virus, the NFL was very strict. There were several high-profile clashes between the league and a few top players including Aaron Rodgers, Cole Beasley, and Antonio Brown.
Rodgers was fined for allegedly misleading team and league officials on his vax status. Beasley was hit with $100K+ in fines for multiple COVID-19 protocol violations. Brown was suspended 3 games for providing a fake vaccination card.
But, after 2 seasons of stringent COVID-19 restrictions, barring something very bad, normal is back ... at least at the football stadium on Sunday.
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Novak Djokovic Set To Play In French Open ... After France Lifts Vax Passport Mandate
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Huge victory for Novak Djokovic -- the Serbian tennis star is now expected to play in the French Open after French officials announced they will lift the country's vaccine passport mandate this month.
France had initially barred the unvaccinated from participating in events like the major tennis tournament ... citing health and safety reasons.
Of course, that rule was slated to preclude Djokovic from playing in May's tournament ... because, well, the guy is famously not vaccinated and said earlier this year he would absolutely miss any event that had a mandate in place.
But, officials announced Thursday the order is coming to an end on March 14 ... and with the tourney set to begin on May 22, Djokovic is now slated to, once again, be a participant.
It's a big deal for Djokovic ... because after he was barred from the Australian Open in January, Rafael Nadal ended up winning the tournament and overtaking Djokovic for most career majors with 21 total.
It's still unclear if 34-year-old Novak will be able to play in any other majors following the French Open -- mandates are still in place all over the globe.
But, one is clearly better than none for The Joker at this point.
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Matthew Stafford's Wife Opens Up On Botched Boob Job ... It Was Awful!!!
Matthew Stafford's wife, Kelly, is seriously regretting going under the knife to get a new set of boobs years ago ... saying her experience with the procedure was straight-up horrific.
Kelly detailed her journey on her "The Morning After" podcast this week ... saying she always wanted to have bigger knockers, so she saved up for years to make it happen.
"I just turned 19," Stafford said. "So I went and got a boob job."
Kelly -- who started dating the L.A. Rams QB at the Univ. of Georgia -- said her man was opposed to the move at the time, but she went ahead and did it anyway.
"He was like, 'Do not do it. Please don't do it,' and I was like, 'Listen, love you, but I've wanted this for a long time and this is about me, not about you.'"
Maybe Kelly should have taken his advice ... 'cause she said it ended up being the worst boob job ever.
"It was two balloons on my chest," Kelly said. "It was so, so bad."
Kelly said the botched job was so obvious, Detroit reporters caught on and believed that her then-Lions QB boyfriend must have paid for her implants -- which pissed her off.
"I am independent. I don't need him to buy my boobs. I bought these boobs."
Kelly added, "If he would've bought 'em, they would've been far better!"
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Thankfully, the 32-year-old mother of 4 was able to get them "deflated" a year later, and then eventually redone altogether just a couple years ago.
"They were so bad that it was very evident ... like that looks real bad."
Kelly -- who married Matthew in 2015 -- says even though he was against it, he was very supportive and "sweet" throughout her struggles.
Stafford is now warning anyone looking to make the move -- don't get discounted boobs, or you could go through the same thing.
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'Mob Wives' Renee Graziano Getting Treatment for Pill Addiction 'The Hills' Jason Wahler Helps
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Renee Graziano is getting the help she needs to kick a pill addiction she's been battling for years -- and doing it side by side with another reality TV vet, no less ... Mr. Jason Wahler.
The "Mob Wives" star tells TMZ ... she recently linked up with her "The Hills" compadre and his foundation, Red Songbird, to get treatment for a number of issues she's suffered from since her 20s -- namely, being hooked on prescribed sleeping meds.
We're told just last month, Dr. Drew put her in touch with Jason -- who's since been brought into the fold over at Songbird ... which Renee says has been working wonders in getting her back to a good place.
She tells us a lot of these issues stem from anxiety, depression and former abusive relationships -- which included sexual assault -- and because of her new regimen ... her life is finally getting on track in a healthy and productive way.
In addition to having one-on-one chats with Songbird staffers to talk through her issues, RG is also delving into EMDR -- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing ... allowing someone to deal with old wounds, but from a safe distance. It also gives recipients a new perspective on how to deal with the hurt.
Renee also gets therapy ... joining processing groups, anger management sessions, wellness discussions and other meetups that help keep her grounded.
We're told Renee came into treatment in California on Feb. 6, and that she's about a month sober at this point -- with no plans to leave until she feels grounded.
As for the Jason connection, Wahler has had substance abuse issues of his own in the past, with more than a dozen arrests. He said back in 2019 that at age 18-23 he was a "womanizing alcoholic" and went to 12 different rehab centers. He's now dedicated his life to helping others.
BTW ... Renee was booked for DWI in January after hitting a parked vehicle and rolling over on the road ... and allegedly told cops she'd taken Adderall earlier in the day. She tells us that arrest didn't push her to get help ... she'd already been planning for it.
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WWE Legend Scott Hall Hospitalized ... After Suffering Injuries In Scary Fall
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WWE legend Scott Hall is currently in a hospital after he suffered significant injuries in a fall ... his good friend, Jerry Jarrett, announced this week.
Jarrett -- a prominent figure in the wrestling world and the father of wrestling legend Jeff Jarrett -- said Hall broke his hip in the fall and is currently recovering at a medical facility.
"Just got off the phone with my friend Scott Hall," Jerry wrote on his Facebook page. "He fell and broke his hip and he's in the hospital. Prayers will help him recover."
Hall was expected to participate in several events in the leadup to WrestleMania in Dallas next month ... though it's unclear if his injuries will preclude him from those now.
Hall rose to fame wrestling under the alias of Razor Ramon in the 1990s ... and was of the key players in the famous nWo storyline. He was ultimately inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2014.
Get well soon.
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Matthew Coleman QAnon Dad, Child Murderer Felt like Neo From 'The Matrix'
If you thought the story behind Matthew Coleman -- the QAnon-obsessed dad who confessed to killing his 2 kids because he believed they had "serpent DNA" -- couldn't get any weirder ... it just did.
According to new docs in the horrifying case ... Coleman told the FBI, last August, he'd been "seeing all the pieces being decoded like 'The Matrix,' and that he was Neo," before he says he murdered his children.
In that same interview, following his arrest, Coleman also talked to FBI agents about time travel, teleportation and claimed his kids -- 2-year-old Kaleo and 10-month-old Roxy -- had told him about babies being placed in fireworks, food and walls.
The affidavit, first obtained by People, is a truly bizarre read, and includes Coleman's assertion he had to kill Kaleo and Roxy because they might have been corrupted with serpent DNA from their mom ... and he had "to prevent them from becoming an alien species that would release carnage over the Earth."
Also interesting ... months before the kids were killed, Coleman spent hours each day looking up conspiracy theories online, according to one of his close friends.
His court date is set for May 19, and Coleman is being held in federal prison without bail.
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Ex-UK Star Tyler Ulis Injured In Head-On Crash ... Dad Says 'Thank God He Is Alive'
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Former Univ. of Kentucky men's basketball star Tyler Ulis was injured in a scary head-on crash this weekend ... but his dad says, thankfully, he is expected to make a full recovery.
James Ulis told the Lexington Herald-Leader on Monday that Tyler was driving from Detroit to Toledo on Saturday morning ... when a woman ran into Tyler while the two drivers were going roughly 70 MPH.
James said his son suffered a broken ankle in the crash as well as a cut on his leg and a scratch on his face ... but somehow avoided complete catastrophe.
"It was a tough one," James said, "but thank God he is alive."
James added that Tyler is expected to undergo surgery to repair his ankle on Wednesday .. but otherwise is "actually good considering what he went through."
Tyler's former coach with the Wildcats, John Calipari, tweeted his well-wishes to his ex-point guard following news of the accident ... saying, "We've been in touch, but let's send some prayers, #BBN. He's had some setbacks and fate has intervened a few different times."
"I'm here for you @tulis3 until the wheels fall off!!"
Tyler starred at UK for two seasons in 2014 and 2015, and earned consensus first-team All-American honors following the 2015 season. He went on to be picked by the Phoenix Suns in the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft.
The 26-year-old has bounced around several NBA teams since -- logging minutes for multiple G League squads over the past few seasons. He was expected to return to G League action in March.
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'Rust' Crew Member Spider Bite Victim Recovering, but Many Challenges
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Jason Miller -- crew member on Alec Baldwin's "Rust" -- is still recovering from a gnarly spider bite he got on set ... but says he's made some great progress in his recovery.
Jason tells TMZ ... he's still dealing with severe pain. As we reported, he was bitten by a venomous brown recluse spider while in NM shooting the film. The bite sent Jason to the hospital, where doctors talked about amputation -- luckily that wasn't necessary.
Jason tells us he's taking huge steps towards recovery ... but there are still challenges. He can't lay down without his shoulder getting inflamed, making it hard to sleep at night.
He also has a problem with range of motion ... unable to raise his arm above his head or reach behind his back, making it pretty difficult to do everyday tasks.
A GoFundMe was created shortly after he was hospitalized -- currently sitting at $14,600. Jason says the money has been a huge weight off his back ... putting $3K towards renting a new home and the rest going to savings ... since it's uncertain when he'll work again.
Jason was able to get worker's comp from the insurance company associated with "Rust" ... something we previously reported was a point of contention.
Of course, Jason's spider bite wasn't the worst thing to come from that set, with the death of Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Halyna's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit ... with Alec Baldwin, armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed and assistant director David Halls listed as defendants.
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Mama June's Ex-BF Geno Drops 70 Pounds in Rehab!!!
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Mama June's ex, Geno Doak, seems to be turning his life around, and taking a lot of weight off his shoulders, literally ... cause he's lost around 70 pounds!!!
Geno tells TMZ ... when he and June split up last August he was around 285 lbs. Fast forward 6 months, and he's down to a much slimmer 215 lbs., and he's crediting his time in rehab for the healthy turnaround.
Geno says the treatment facility he's in has helped him stay on track with getting fit. He tells us the folks there prepare his meals, which also keeps him on a better eating schedule.
As far as eating out and snacking at night, Geno says that's a thing of the past. He says he now eats a lot healthier, cutting out foods like pasta and bread. Instead, he's eating a lot more tuna and chicken.
He's also trying to work out more, but says eating better was the biggest reason for his amazing results.
As we first told you ... Geno checked into rehab last September, after he tried to take his own life by chasing 90 blood pressure pills with lots of booze. After the incident, Mama June actually recommended a rehab center in South Carolina.
It's nice to see Geno turning things around. Since starting treatment, he says he has learned a lot about himself ... and clearly, he's also making changes for the better.
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Louis Tomlinson Brings Show to Screeching Halt ... Sees Sick Fan in Crowd
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Louis Tomlinson is ready and willing to pump the brakes on his live shows if one of his fans goes down, and after a Minneapolis show ... it's evident his security is also ready to react quickly.
The former One Direction member put on a sold-out show Thursday night, and as he neared the end of the show -- singing his hit, "Walls" -- he looked into the standing-room-only audience, stopped the song abruptly and then called out on the mic for help.
As security guards rushed over to a female fan in distress, Louis urged the crowd to let them get through. He and the guards yelled, "Make a hole" ... and then LT waited calmly onstage to let the responders do their job.
When security began taking her out of the theater, Louis decided to bring the lights up and take 5. Fans around the incident quickly cooperated and made a clear path to the doors.
This latest incident seals it ... artists are definitely more attentive to audience members who are sick or injured. Of course, Billie Eilish did it weeks ago at a show in Atlanta, giving the whole crowd a chance to relax, sit down and take a step back from the stage.
Billie even passed her inhaler to a fan in need a few weeks ago ... saying she likes to guarantee her fans are safe at her shows. John Mayer also slowed things down for a fan during an L.A. gig.
As we reported ... some people, most notably Kanye West, took Billie's comments as a dig at Travis Scott, whose Astroworld event ended with the death of 10 people, including children.
After his fan was escorted out of the building, Louis returned to the stage and completed the show. Witnesses say he was helpful throughout the ordeal ... aka, the new normal.