MMA

Michael Irvin just caught a HUGE break in his dream to become an MMA fighter ... 'cause UFC superstar Tyron Woodley says he's down to help kick-start the Hall of Famer's career in the cage!!

The 51-year-old told us last week that he's been training MMA and wants to take a real-deal fight ... but his wife's fears of injury have kept him from hittin' the mat.

We spoke to Woodley about Irvin's fightin' ambitions ... and the Chosen One says he's totally down to help the Cowboys legend out, saying he's gonna personally hit up #88 for some 1-on-1 training!!

The champ says he's had celebs and athletes like Wiz Khalifa and Devonta Freeman hit him up to work together on their MMA skills, and even hints he could start a fighting circuit for A-listers.

We also spoke to Woodley about his television special, 'In the Clinch,' airing on FS1 Tuesday night ... and T-Wood won't give out any spoilers, but says he's excited for fans to see how he evolved from a gangster to champion athlete.

Here's a video of terrifying UFC destroyer Khabib Nurmagomedov punching an average dude in the stomach super freakin' hard ... but don't worry, the guy actually ASKED him to.

Now, why this dude wanted to get popped in the guts by a guy who wrestles bears for fun is beyond us, but it 100% happened when Khabib was messing around with some fans in Tajikistan.

We don't know what Khabib says to the guy before the punch happens, but he seems to be telling him how the shot is going to rearrange his organs before he hits him.

Good news? After he delivers the dragon punch to the dude's stomach the two men hug, which is great, but watching the whole thing made us happy we give hugs to bond on this side of the pond.

51-year-old Michael Irvin says he's itchin' for a fight -- a real MMA match -- telling TMZ Sports, "I would whoop somebody up!"

Nate Diaz is firing shots at Conor McGregor and Dana White -- mocking the UFC duo on social media while proclaiming HIMSELF the real champ.

"There's 1 boss here," Diaz wrote under a picture of him busting out the Stockton Slap on both guys.

That's not all ... Nate also ripped into the photo Conor and Dana took together on Sunday after landing in L.A. for their Mayweather fight media tour.

"Little bitches," Diaz wrote ... "Got your ass beat. You lost bitch. Im the champ..."

Diaz hasn't stepped inside the Octagon since losing to McGregor in their rematch at UFC 202 back in August 2016.

White has told TMZ Sports he TRIED to make deals with Nate and his bro, Nick Diaz, to book them in other events ... but they flat-out refused every offer the UFC made.

Neither Dana nor Conor have responded to Diaz's comments -- yet -- but with the Mayweather media tour launching Tuesday, you can bet they'll have some thoughts on this dude.

UFC star Max Holloway is calling for a tag team match -- a 2-on-1 meg-brawl with Cub Swanson and Frankie Edgar ... and let's be honest, THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!!!

TMZ Sports spoke with Holloway about the next man on his hit list -- and he told us he's ready to fight both dudes ... even if it's at the same time.

Yeah, we know it ain't gonna happen -- but we can dream, right?

UFC lightweight Michael Johnson has a message for the UFC -- vacate Conor McGregor's belt already!!

"Who knows when he's gonna come back?" Johnson told TMZ Sports. "As I look at the division, I don't see a champion right now."

FYI -- McGregor hasn't defended his 155-pound title since winning it way back in November. Clearly, Johnson's not convinced Conor will return to the octagon after making BANK boxing Mayweather.

As for Johnson ... he's fighting an undefeated Justin Gaethje in the main event of Friday night's "The Ultimate Fighter" finale -- looking to move one step closer to Conor's gold with a W.

Gaethje's a scary dude -- seriously, go watch his highlights -- but MJ says he's shook ... and promises to wreck the UFC newcomer for talkin' smack.

If the sight of blood makes you sick ... it's probably too late.

Here's UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov bleeding more than he ever has in a cage ... giving up his back to the medieval practice of wet cupping (aka "Hijama").

FYI, cupping's a form of Eastern medicine that's meant to detoxify blood ... but it's rare you see a celeb messing with Hijama -- which involves making actual incisions.

It's not the most visually appealing process, but Khabib -- a practicing Muslim -- says it's the medicine of the prophet Muhammad (according to the Google translation of his Instagram caption).

Ronda Rousey says some "little punks" with a death wish broke into her home a few months ago and jacked everything from guns to Olympic rings and jewelry ... but her fiance tracked down the perps.

Aaron Rajman, a teammate of several UFC superstars at the American Top Team (ATT) gym, was murdered during a home invasion in Boca Raton, Florida ... local authorities announced on Tuesday.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office say several men got into an argument with Rajman after entering the fighter's house late Monday night ... firing at least one shot before fleeing the scene. Rajman, who just turned 25, passed away the next day.

Detectives told the Sun Sentinel they're treating this as a homicide. There are currently no motives or suspects in the case.

Rajman was famous for being one of the few orthodox Jews in MMA. He often talked about his religion publicly -- though it's unclear if he was targeted for that reason.

A local fight promoter says Rajman's teammates at ATT are in shock.

UFC champions Amanda Nunes and Joanna Jedrzejczyk, as well as former heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos, are some of the gym's higher-profile members.

UFC fighter Sam Alvey is usually the one bringing the pain on the mat ... but he had the tables turned on him when he got choked out by a U.S. soldier in Iraq.

UFC rising star Robert Whittaker is hungry to fight the best, and Michael Bisping AIN'T IT -- even though he's the champ in their division.

The way Whittaker sees it, Bisping's fragile ass hasn't done much of anything since winning the middleweight belt last year ... so he and Yoel Romero are fighting to see who's really #1 at UFC 213.

"I want to fight the top of the food chain," Bobby Knuckles told TMZ Sports. "Bisping's out ... he hasn't fought a dude in the top 10 in a long time."

FYI: Bisping's only title defense was against 46-year-old Dan Henderson.

UFC badass Valentina Shevchenko is down to rumble with Ronda Rousey ... but don't get it twisted -- she's gotta put a beatdown on Amanda Nunes first.

Shevchenko told TMZ Sports the champ is getting SLEPT when they do the dance at UFC 213 ... Valentina says she's been training her ass off to avenge the L Nunes hung on her at UFC 196 -- and the new version of herself is too damn dangerous.

And once it's night-night for Amanda, Ronda can get hers -- if she wants it. Shev says that's up to her.

FYI, Rousey's kinda busy right now ... crushing obstacle courses on "Battle of the Network Stars."

UFC rising star Kevin Lee had no idea someone had pooped in the Octagon before his match with Michael Chiesa on Sunday until AFTER the fight ... and jokes, "There shoulda been a disclaimer!"

Lee (along with guest co-host Tyron Woodley) joined the guys on the "TMZ Sports" TV show and talked about Justine Kish soiling the mat in the fight before the main event.

A UFC fighter got the literal crap beat out of her Sunday night -- and left the proof INSIDE THE OCTAGON!!

The fighter is Justine Kish -- who was trying to wriggle her way out of a killer rear naked choke courtesy of Felice Herrig during "UFC Fight Night" in Oklahoma last night ... when her bowels betrayed her.

Kish lost the fight ... and the contents of her colon.

UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes was badly injured in a car accident in Illinois on Friday when a truck he was in collided with a moving train, law enforcement tells TMZ Sports.

We're told the accident occurred at 10:39 AM. Law enforcement says 1 person was transported to a hospital with serious injuries. Dana White says that injured person is in fact Hughes.

Investigators are at the crash site trying to figure out what went wrong.

White says Hughes suffered head trauma and his family is on their way out to be with him.

Hughes is a UFC Hall of Famer -- a 2-time welterweight champion who beat stars like GSP, BJ Penn and Royce Gracie. He last fought in the UFC in 2011.

Earlier this year, he mulled a comeback.

Nate Diaz says he's not waiting around to fight Conor McGregor for a 3rd time -- but he's not exactly closing the door on it either.

With McGregor tied up with Floyd for the next two months, many are wondering if the Irish superstar will ever return to MMA ... and who he'll fight if he gets back in the Octagon.

So, when we saw Nate out in L.A. Wednesday night, we had to ask if he's down to complete their trilogy.

"We'll see," Diaz told us ... "I've got a lot of stuff going on."

Obviously, a McGregor vs. Diaz rematch would be huge -- the first two fights were epic. Plus, Nate would undoubtedly get a massive paycheck.

Dana White has said he's reached out to both Nate and his brother Nick to book fights -- and neither guy will sign a contract. White says he's not sure either guy will ever fight in the UFC again.

But if the price is right ....