MMA

UFC legend Randy Couture says there's serious momentum in the fight to get MMA back in the Olympics ... with more than 30 COUNTRIES on board and ready to roll.

Couture was leaving an event in L.A. this weekend when he said, "I think there's 34 or 39 countries that have signed petitions" for a sport called pankration ... an ancient form of MMA.

FYI -- pankration was an olympic sport in ancient Greece. The only rules were no biting or eye-gouging.

So, when should we expect to see MMA fighters competing for the gold? Probably not any time soon ... in fact, a UFC exec recently said he thinks it's still 20 years away.

The UFC fighter Thiago Silva would've faced next -- had he not been busted for allegedly pulling a gun on his wife -- tells TMZ Sports ... he's DEVASTATED the fight's scrapped saying "you gotta be f-ing kidding me."

Ovince St. Preux was set to square off against Silva at UFC 171 on March 15 ... but after the Brazilian fighter's insane meltdown, UFC prez Dana White permanently banned him from the Octagon.

St. Preux tells us he's bummed the match is cancelled ... but agrees with the ban, saying "I understand where Dana White is coming from, he has to protect the brand ... Plus, he's my boss."

As for why he thinks Thiago snapped ... St. Preux says "we don't know what he was going through" ... adding, "If he's having personal problems, anyone in his position might've done the same thing."

"Thiago took on the bad boy role ... and he played it well," St. Preux said, "I thought it was an act, but maybe he was being himself."

Thiago Silva's wife Thaysa told law enforcement ... the UFC fighter has a "drug problem" ... and has abused her for months, this according to documents obtained by TMZ Sports.

We've obtained documents Thaysa filed in Florida back in January seeking a restraining order against Silva -- in which she checked a box saying he has a "drug problem."

In the docs, she also detailed an alleged violent incident with Thiago and says she fears for her well-being.

"I am not safe in my own house," Thaysa wrote ... adding, "I can not live more saying 'yes' and 'forgive' everything."

"I am very afraid of him."

In the documents, filed on January 6, Thaysa did not go into detail about Thago's alleged drug problem -- but she did say Thiago got violent with her while she was in a friend's home on Jan. 5th. In broken English, Thaysa seems to explain that Thiago went on a rampage and cut up her work uniform.

She also claims, "Months ago he grabbed me and pulled me."

The restraining order was granted. But last night, Thiago confronted Thaysa in front of a martial arts studio and allegedly threatened to shoot her and her supposed lover.

Was Jon "Bones" Jones trying to DUCK Georges St-Pierre at the Super Bowl post-game bash in NYC last night??? Because it sure as hell looked that way in this clip.

It all went down outside Marquee nightclub ... GSP has no idea he's standing 3 ft. away from his fellow UFC superstar until our camera guy points him out.

What ensues is awkward, funny and confusing ... all at the same time.

It seems "Bones" was trying to signal our photog NOT to alert St-Pierre to his presence ... but our guy didn't get the hint and gave JJ up.

UFC prez Dana White tells TMZ Sports ... Brock Lesnar wants to RETURN to the Octogon ... and White says he'd LOVE to have him back.

Dana was in NYC today getting ready for UFC's Super Saturday ... and told us Brock's still bummed his fighting career ended short due to injury ... and says "he'd like to take another run" in the UFC.

The former UFC heavyweight champ left the world of MMA in 2011 ... after a string of losses that he chalked up to his battle with a potentially life threatening case of diverticulitis (a digestive disease).

Your mom's Zumba class just got HARDCORE ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned, UFC face-smasher Mark Munoz is taking up dancercise -- and we dare you to crack a joke (at least to his face).

Munoz -- who's currently ranked #7 in UFC middleweights -- hit up the LA Fit Expo on Saturday ... where he fulfilled his New Year's Resolution of (that's right) learning Zumba.

And guess what -- Mark says he loved the class so much ... he's actually considering using some of the moves in his regular MMA workout routine.

Former MMA champ Tito Ortiz has been charged with two counts of DUI ... after crashing his Porsche into a concrete median back in January, TMZ Sports has learned.

The 38-year-old fighter was arrested on January 6th ... when cops say he blew a .12 on the breathalyzer, following the 4am crash on an L.A. freeway.

As we previously reported, Ortiz had been partying at the Playboy Mansion in the hours before the incident.

If convicted, Ortiz faces up to 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine -- but since it's his first offense, he probably won't do any time. Instead, he'll likely only be sentenced to probation and will be required to complete an alcohol education course.

Jenna Jameson is slamming Tito Ortiz for his DUI bust ... claiming he's putting their children in danger while committing public relations suicide.

Jenna thinks Tito's arrest after crashing his Porsche proves what she's been saying all along -- that Tito's a bad dude, and told us -- "A lot of people think he's this fantastic guy ... it's just not true."

She added, "Slowly but surely he'll hang himself. Not literally, but figuratively."

Jenna also explains how Tito's arrest could lead to her snatching back custody of their 2 boys.

Georges St-Pierre cut a $737k check to his former manager -- after the woman sued the UFC champ for screwing her out of her contract ... and according to court docs, she could still be in line for a MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR payday.

TMZ Sports has obtained documents filed in Clark County, NV which show GSP was sued by ex-manager Shari Spencer after the two parted ways in 2011.

According to another manager who worked with GSP, Georges' relationship with Shari ended "very badly."

Shari clearly felt she helped build GSP's career and therefore deserved a cut of his fight earnings and sponsorship cash.

The court docs show ... the judge agreed with Shari and ordered GSP to cut a check for $737,066.35 -- which the fighter paid back in April.

But there's more ... the judge also ordered GSP to pay Shari's management company the following:

-- 20% of future revenue on various UFC Pay-Per-View fights
-- 20% of royalties earned under a 2008 UFC merchandising contract
-- 5% of future revenues from sponsorships she apparently helped him earn (including Affliction and RUSHFit).

A source familiar with the case tells us ... Shari's final cut could be worth several million dollars.

GSP's had a rough year -- as we first reported, the UFC champ is already stressing out over his sick father and an unplanned pregnancy.

Jenna Jameson is now riding Rampage Jackson's bandwagon, hard ... and wants to see her ex Tito Ortiz go down -- because apparently she doesn't know he's already down.

Jenna was partying in Huntington Beach, CA this weekend when we asked if she still roots for Tito ... and she quickly responded, "I'm rooting for Rampage. He's hot, he's sweet, and he's really good at what he does."

Then she smacked Tito in the jaw ... adding, "And he doesn't cry all the time."

Jenna looks and sounds, umm ... wasted-ish -- which might explain why she forgot injury forced Tito to drop out of his Bellator bout against Rampage.

Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney says he's not interested because, "Risks already exist for the courageous, world class fighters who enter the Bellator cage; without adding further unnecessary risks into the mix."

Sucks for Rousimar -- since a handful of former UFC stars have made the switch to Bellator like Rampage Jackson and Tito Ortiz ... who fight on Pay-Per-View later this month.

Bjorn adds, "Fighter safety is paramount to me and my team."

Jui Jitsu master Rodrigo Gracie -- a member of the legendary Gracie MMA fighting family -- is begging the court for protection against an allegedly drunk and violent enemy ... TMZ has learned.

In one corner ... 6'0", 185-pound Gracie -- a 5th degree black belt and 4-time Pride fighting winner.

In the other corner ... 5'3", 135-pound woman named Tiffany -- who lives in an apartment above Gracie's Brazilian Jiu Jitsu studio in Torrance, CA.

Rodrigo filed a request for a restraining order against Tiffany last month, claiming she's been terrorizing his training center:

"[Tiffany has been] cursing, yelling, hitting my door, hitting the glass ... knocked a hole in my door ... comes drunk every time."

The judge sided with Rodrigo ... at least for now ... granting a temporary restraining order against Tiffany, requiring her to stop pestering Rodrigo and his studio.

The case is due back in court later this month -- when Rodrigo will likely ask the court for more permanent protection from his allegedly pain-in-the-ass neighbor.

Attempts to reach Tiffany were unsuccessful.

UFC badass Miesha Tate says she won't rest until she BREAKS Ronda Rousey's face ... telling TMZ she doesn't just wanna win when they fight -- she wants to knock Ronda's ass out cold.

Tate -- who's currently a coach on Fox Sports 1's "The Ultimate Fighter 18" -- was out in NYC yesterday when she told us how she plans to defeat Rousey when they face off at UFC 168 in December.

"I'm just going to smash her," Tate told us ... "I want her to wake up and see the ceiling and the headlights and me standing over here with the belt on already."

It ain't gonna be easy ... Rousey's undefeated in the world of MMA ... and she's pretty handy with the arm bar.

Still, Tate's confident -- telling us, "I would love nothing more than to break her jaw."

Here's some video of Tate in action -- she's a BEAST!!!

His face was blasted open ... his eyes were swollen shut ... but MMA fighter Mike Barreras still posed for a photo after getting destroyed in a Bellator fight -- and the pic is NASTY!!!!

Barreras' ass-whooping came at the hands of Bubba Jenkins -- who put a hurting on Mike during an undercard fight at "Bellator 97," which aired on Spike TV.

Prince Jackson is one step closer to becoming a cold-blooded killing machine -- TMZ has learned, Michael Jackson's first born just earned his blue belt in Jiu Jitsu last week ... from one of the most famous martial arts schools in the world.

It's no small feat ... sources at the renowned Gracie Academy in Beverly Hills -- where the 16-year-old trains -- tell us, there are only 5 belts total in the Gracie belt hierarchy, and it takes a LONG time to move up in the ranks.

FYI, the Gracie family is Jiu Jitsu royalty -- and has trained scores of MMA stars like Brendan Schaub, Nate Diaz, Antoni Hardonk, Rani Yahya ... hell, even Tim Tebow.

As for the belts, blue is the second belt after white -- and in order to advance, we're told students must learn 34 different maneuvers (such as an arm bar, elevator sweep, and a guillotine) each with roughly 4 different techniques.

After blue comes purple, then brown, then black -- and to get to purple, we're told Prince will have to learn an additional 600 moves.

Some people said it couldnt be done ... but last night reigning UFC champ Anderson Silva LOST his first title fight in seven years ... when Chris Weidman knocked his ass out.

It all went down in Las Vegas as the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Chris and Silva faced off ... with Silva -- considered the best MMA fighter in the history of the sport -- defending his seven-year stronghold on the middleweight title.

But Silva was fighting cocky -- with his hands down -- and by the 2nd round it caught up to him ... when Weidman caught the Brazilian with a nasty left hook. Silva instantly went down and Weidman was crowned the new champ.