Money

Leon Edwards' crazy upset win over Kamaru Usman at UFC 278 made Drake's pockets a bit lighter this weekend -- 'cause the rapper lost out on a $200k bet!!

"The Nigerian Nightmare" was handed just his second professional loss after a head-kick knockout in the fifth round ... a result that had the fighting world absolutely shocked.

Drizzy was so confident the fight would end up in Usman's favor, he actually put up nearly a quarter million on an Usman knockout.

Of course, that didn't happen ... so all that dough went down the drain.

Edwards got wind of Champagne Papi's bet ... and made sure to clap back at the rapper in his post-fight interview, telling him to make the right decision next time.

As it turns out, Drake was taking Ls left and right on Saturday ... because he also lost $230k after Jose Aldo lost to Merab Dvalishvili.

It's become a trend for Drake to place massive sports bets ... but it hasn't gone too well for him over the years -- he's lost close to a million bucks on UFC fights alone.

One of Kenny Lofton's former employees is now suing the ex-MLB star ... alleging the famous baseball player exposed one of his female subordinates to pictures of his penis.

Brandyn Toney -- who claims he was hired by an investment firm and NFT marketplace back in 2021 that Lofton founded and co-owned -- made the allegations on Monday in a new lawsuit, obtained by TMZ Sports.

In the documents, Toney says he began working for Lofton's companies, Centerblock Asset Management LLC and Proxime Corporation, in December 2021 and was promised a salary of $85,000.

Toney, though, says issues began popping up just a few months after officially signing on.

Toney claims he wasn't paid a cent for his work -- and then on June 8, he said a female employee who was hired to monitor Lofton's Instagram account told him the ex-Cleveland outfielder had been sending photos of his penis to various women through his direct messages on the app.

Toney says shortly after the conversation, he approached the companies' in-house attorney to make them aware of Lofton's sexually inappropriate actions.

But, Toney says he was fired within two hours of making his complaint.

Toney is now suing Lofton, the baseball player's companies and others in the orgs ... claiming he was fired in retaliation for reporting Lofton's behavior and complaining about wage and hours violations.

He's asking for damages and more in the suit.

"Lofton and his executive team thought they could fire our client for objecting to obvious sexual misconduct and even thought they could get away with not paying him for his work," said Toney's attorney, Ronald L. Zambrano. "That speaks to the arrogance and dysfunction at play every day at Centerblock and Proxime."

Antonio Brown's decided to treat himself following the success of his new song and dance by copping an insane "The Godfather" watch ... that's filled with 666 diamonds!

TMZ Sports has learned the former NFL wideout hit up Jacob and Co. earlier this week to pick up the timepiece ... and the classic mob film-inspired watch came pretty epic.

We're told it features a miniature Vito Corleone (played by actor Marlon Brando) in the middle of it with his iconic black tux. It also has a hand-painted black piano ... and a Swiss music box that plays the first 120 notes of the movie's theme song!

And, get this ... the music box is played by two cylinders that are paved with 666 brilliant round diamonds and 18k of rose gold!

We're told AB also got a second watch on the shopping spree -- a rose gold Bugatti Chiron Tourbillon that has a crankshaft that turns 16 piston pumps up and down ... like a real engine.

The Super Bowl champ spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $800k for both watches ... and even though AB hasn't earned any money on an NFL field in a few months, he has collected over $80 million in his 12-year NFL career.

Tom Cruise keeps on winning -- his smash hit blockbuster movie, "Top Gun: Maverick," just reached new heights by tapping on the Marvel box office door ... and taking out Thanos.

The sky-high sequel hit a massive benchmark this week, topping "Avengers: Infinity War" to become the #6 highest grossing movie of all time with a total domestic haul of $679 million ... narrowly beating out 'IW' which was at $678M and holding down its spot for years now.

You'll recall ... it was just a couple weeks ago that 'Maverick' sunk "Titanic" to claim the #7 spot -- and now, it's continuing its snowball roll and gunning for #5, "Black Panther."

Another Marvel flick, obviously, and it clocks in at about $700 million ... so it might be a little while longer before TC and co. can potentially overtake it. But analysts say it's well within its reach, especially since the movie shows no signs of leaving theaters anytime soon.

People are still hitting cineplexes to catch it ... mostly because of a lot of natural buzz that's been generated and killer reviews. Indeed, it's one of this year's best -- without a doubt.

While it's possible 'TGM' could topple 'BP,' chances are "Black Panther" might reclaim its throne as the sequel approaches in the fall. Many expect Disney to rerelease the OG to promote the new movie, and if people come out ... it'll help the box office numbers anew.

Tank and Jamie Foxx co-hosted a live performance of "R&B Money Show" last night, which capped Tank's album release career and brought out some energetic moments along the way.

The R&Blowout went down inside The Peppermint Club in West Hollywood with impromptu appearances from Pleasure P, J Valentine, Jon B and even OT Genasis ... who happily blessed the audience with his hilariously bad singing.

Jamie addressed the crowd several times throughout the night, dismissing Tank's retirement … while also sharing heartfelt stories as well as a bubbly rendition of his No. 1 hit “Blame It (On The Alcohol).”

Artists rarely follow through with their retirements but Tank may be the exception ... he's close to going deaf in one of his ears and would rather contribute to music behind the scenes.

He thinks the state of R&B and other music will be fine ... as long as artists spend a decent amount of time with their craft.

Unlike Tank, Diddy has been on a crusade these past few days lamenting that the state of R&B is as good as dead.

The Game has lost another big feature from his "Drillmatic" album ... all because it was just too expensive to keep NBA YoungBoy on the project.

Game's manager, Wack 100, laid out the details in a recent Clubhouse convo attended by Ma$e and several others ... saying that even though YB cut his usual feature price tag of $300k in half, it was still just too expensive to keep it on the album.

According to Wack, it also cost a ton of money to clear samples used on the album -- which actually resulted in 10 additional tracks getting cut.

YB is the most popular rapper of 2022, so his pricey fee makes sense ... but nonetheless, Wack says they have a Game-only version of "O.P.P." ready to upload.

Game also lost a verse from Nipsey Hussle on the album, and it's projected to be his lowest charting project to date ... on top of that, Eminem still hasn't acknowledged his "Black Slim Shady" diss.

James Dolan is shutting down all talk of selling the New York Knicks ... laughing at the notion and straight-up saying it's not happening.

The rumors started to swirl earlier this week ... when investment analyst Jonathan Boyar predicted Dolan would put the team up for sale after the new MSG Sphere opens up in Las Vegas next year.

An MSG rep was quick to deny the speculation ... saying there were "no plans" to sell both the Knicks and New York Rangers.

Dolan doubled down on the statement as he was leaving businessman Noah Tepperberg's birthday party at LAVO in West Hollywood ... smiling and saying, "no" after being asked about the rumors.

Some angry fans have been calling for Dolan to sell the team for years -- and chants have broken out at Madison Square Garden on numerous occasions.

As we previously reported, there have even been cases where Knicks supporters have been BANNED from MSG for telling Dolan to sell the team in person.

It's no secret -- the Knicks have struggled for a while now, but that could always change overnight with a superstar free agent signing or trade.

Diddy is backing Swizz Beatz and Timbaland in their ongoing legal battle with Triller ... and he's advising the culture to do the same!!!

The Bad Boy Records mogul dropped a PSA on Instagram Thursday ... right after confirming a Bad Boy vs. So So Def hit-for-hit battle with Jermaine Dupri. As a result of the pending lawsuit, Diddy and JD also agreed their event will not be on Triller, and will happen in Atlanta.

TMZ broke the story … the legendary producers are suing Triller for $28 million, citing an alleged breach of contract. Triller stated there's no wrongdoing on their part, claiming they paid both Swizz and Timbaland $50 million in cash and stock so far.

The Bills Mafia is teaming up to support star tight end Dawson Knox -- putting their wallets together to honor his brother, FIU football player Luke Knox, after his tragic death ... by donating nearly $100k to a charity that is close to their family.

P.U.N.T. -- a pediatric cancer organization affiliated with the Knox brothers -- has been receiving donations of $16.88, representing their jersey numbers, after news of Luke's passing broke on Thursday.

Dawson has been affiliated with the org. since his rookie season in 2019 ... and as the Bills Mafia is known to do during tough times, they did what they could to share their condolences.

The charity says its inbox has been flooded with contributions ... saying, "Since yesterday [Thursday], over 5000 donations have come in, most in the amount of $16.88, in acknowledgment of Luke and Dawson’s football numbers, totaling nearly $95,000."

"These resources will be meaningful and impactful in our service to WNY families facing pediatric cancer in the ways they need it most."

Thoughtful donations have become a trend for Bills fans -- they also previously made contributions to the Oishei Children's Hospital after Josh Allen's grandmother passed away.

As we previously reported, Luke -- who began his college career at Ole Miss -- died at the age of 22. No details surrounding the cause of Luke's death have been released.

P.U.N.T. Exec Gwen Mysiak said, "Dawson Knox and his family are an incredibly valued and cherished part of our organization. They have stood behind our mission with their whole hearts. In sorrow, we stand with them now at this time of profound loss."

Even posthumously, Hank Aaron continues to set records ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned one of his rookie cards just sold for over $700K, making it the most expensive Aaron card EVER.

Aaron's famous 1954 Topps piece netted $720K at auction on Thursday night -- easily surpassing the old record of $645K for a Hank card.

Officials at PWCC tell us it sold for the staggering price because the card "is one of the finest on the market" ... and "ranks among the most recognized and respected baseball cards in the industry."

The card's front features two images of Aaron when he was a member of the Milwaukee Braves. The back showed off some of Aaron's stats and fun facts. It was given a 9 grade, meaning it's still in nearly perfect condition.

"Simply stated," PWCC officials said of the piece, "this card belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame. It is a national treasure."

During his rookie campaign with the Braves, Aaron took the Majors by storm ... playing in 122 games with the team while logging a .280 batting average and hitting 13 home runs.

"Hammerin' Hank" would go on to have an iconic Hall of Famer career -- setting the record for most-ever home runs (755 in 23 seasons) ... a mark that's only since been topped by one other, Barry Bonds (762).

It's unknown who the lucky buyer of the card is -- but safe to say they're very happy on this Friday morning.

It's no surprise Kendall Jenner's 818 Tequila has some big-name support ... and many of those names all gathered under one roof to talk biz.

The meeting went down in Beverly Hills Wednesday, which was the eve of 8/18. While many of those in attendance included Kendall's relatives -- Kim, Kylie, Khloe, Kris, and Corey Gamble -- some celebs outside the Kardashian family showed up too.

James Corden, Orlando Bloom, and jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer were all there to talk tequila -- you can see OB getting chatty with Kim.

Interestingly enough, Orlando was recently shooting a movie with Kim's ex, Pete Davidson, in Australia.

Brad Pitt stepped in to find a resolution with New Orleans homeowners who sued his Make It Right foundation over defective homes, telling us he's "grateful" a $20.5 million settlement was reached.

Our sources tell us the "Bullet Train" star coordinated with Global Green, an environmental non-profit, convincing GG to pony up the cash to settle a lawsuit the org was not even named in.

Brad tells TMZ ... "I am incredibly grateful for Global Green’s willingness to step up and provide this important support for the Lower Ninth families. We collaborated in the early days post-Katrina and we are very fortunate to have Global Green's generous continuing commitment to help address the challenges around these homes and others in need.

Remember ... Brad formed the Make It Right housing foundation back in 2007 to help New Orleans residents in areas hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina find new homes. He had stepped away from the org, but when the issues began, he got back involved to find a solution.

The charity built over 100 futuristic-looking homes in NOLA's Lower Ninth Ward, but the folks who moved in claimed the homes were poorly built and were plagued by a host of issues, including mold and structural damage ... and in 2018 they sued Make It Right and Brad.

Brad promised to follow up and address the issues with the homes that came up over the years ... and under the settlement reached Tuesday, the program's 107 homeowners will be eligible to get $25k as reimbursement for prior repairs.

A judge still needs to sign off on the settlement, and the remaining funds will be divided among the homeowners ... depending on the condition of their homes.

Meek Mill is going $10M deep to prove he continues to be a big player in the music biz, and he's targeting the music execs who say his career is going downhill.

The Dreamchasers rapper stepped on his Twitter soapbox and asked doubting music execs to put their money where their mouths are ... if they really believe his career is over, put down a cool $10M and see what's up.

And, to hammer home his point, Meek said he was willing to put the bet in a binding contract so no one could squirm their way out.

It seems some of his anger is directed at big labels ... because he said in the tweet he's going to do it independently ... as are lots of musicians these days.

Meek's last album, 2021's "Expensive Pain," was widely considered a commercial and critical disappointment ... only debuting at No. 3 whereas the last LP, 2018's "Championships" debuted at No. 1.

Meek recently parted ways with Jay-Z's Roc Nation brand -- only to bounce back by signing with WME.

Lamar Odom's got another reason to smile -- the ex-NBA star just underwent a 4-hour veneer procedure to give his teeth a makeover ... which cost a pretty penny!!

Lamar's decision to get the work done is a huge deal -- the 2-time NBA champ is famously terrified of going to the dentist ... something that was well-documented on "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" back in the day, when he admitted not getting his teeth checked out for 7 years.

Despite his fear, we're told this is something Odom has wanted to do for a long time ... and earlier this month, he got the courage to visit Dr. Victoria Veytsman in Beverly Hills, CA to change his appearance.

The 42-year-old had work done on 22 teeth ... a nearly $80,000 procedure.

The before and after pics show the transformation -- and LO thinks it was worth it, saying, "I now have the million dollar smile."

The procedure took roughly 4 hours to complete -- and we're told the hooper was able to contain his anxiety throughout the visit.

Deshaun Watson has learned his fate -- the controversial quarterback has been suspended 11 games this season after reaching a settlement with the NFL.

The league just announced the new punishment for the Cleveland Browns star -- saying in addition to the lengthier ban, Watson also agreed to a $5 million fine. The 26-year-old will also "promptly undergo a professional evaluation by behavioral experts and will follow their treatment program," according to the NFL.

NFL commish Roger Goodell addressed the settlement, saying, "Deshaun has committed to doing the hard work on himself that is necessary for his return to the NFL."

"This settlement requires compliance with a professional evaluation and treatment plan, a significant fine, and a more substantial suspension."

He added ... "We are grateful to Judge Robinson and Peter Harvey for their efforts in addressing these matters, which laid the foundation for reaching this conclusion."

Watson -- who was acquired by the Browns in the offseason -- initially received a six-game suspension from retired Judge Sue Robinson, who spent several days investigating the claims made against him from 2020-21.

The NFL was unaccepting of Robinson's ruling and appealed Watson's 6-game ban ... believing there was enough evidence to lobby for a stricter suspension.

As we previously reported, Goodell ripped Watson to reporters last week ... calling Deshaun's behavior "egregious" and "predatory."

"There were multiple violations here, and they were egregious, and it was predatory behavior," Goodell previously said. "Those are things that we always felt were important for us to address in a way that's responsible."

The NFL Players Association wasn't initially on board with the NFL appealing Judge Robinson's ruling ... but Goodell argued that the league is allowed to do so, thanks to the collective bargaining agreement.

"As you know, it's part of the CBA that two parties had the right. Either party could certainly challenge and appeal that, and that was something we thought was our right to do, as well as the NFLPA," Goodell said.

Former New Jersey attorney general Peter C. Harvey was hired to hear the appeal ... but after the settlement Thursday, it's clear he will no longer be needed.

As settlement talks were being held, Watson was allowed to take the field for the Browns' Week 1 preseason game against the Jaguars ... and the QB was met with boos from the Jacksonville crowd.

Deshaun will be eligible to return Week 13 against his former team -- the Houston Texans.

Mariah Carey's bid to trademark the moniker, "Queen of Christmas" has been opposed by some pretty famous singers, including legend Darlene Love, but there's precedent on Mariah's side ... with the likes of Michael Jackson, no less.

Mariah has filed legal docs with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to own the title, "Queen of Christmas." There have been objections ... singer Elizabeth Chan filed an opposition to Mariah's petition, claiming no one can "monopolize" the word "Christmas."

Darlene Love, whose XMAS song "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" is inarguably one of the best, posted on Facebook, "Is it true that Mariah Carey trademarked 'Queen of Christmas?'" She noted David Letterman bestowed the title on her 29 years ago so it's not available to Mariah.

No one, other than Mariah, has petitioned for the title, but that doesn't mean she'll get it. Michael Jackson never tried to register "King of Pop" during his lifetime, but others tried and failed, because it was so identified with MJ it would cause confusion in the marketplace. BTW, the Jackson Estate did register the title after MJ's death and blunted efforts by others to use the same title.

As for Elizabeth Chan's opposition that no one can monopolize the word "Christmas," that doesn't seem to be the case. We found trademarks where someone was allowed to register "Thanksgiving" for a line of wine, "Happy Valentine's Day" for fruit juices, and there's even "Christmas Spirit" -- yeah, it's booze! So, the path may be clear for Mariah.

Mariah, truth be told, has one of the most if not the most popular XMAS song ever -- "All I Want For Christmas Is You" -- but she has not been identified as "Queen of Christmas" like MJ was with "King of Pop." So, it would seem she needs the trademark to secure the title.

There's a lot on the line for Mariah ... she wants to use the title for fragrances, lotions, nail polish, jewelry, cups, mugs, chocolate milk, coconut water, ornaments, toys, dog clothing, masks for protection against viral infection, lingerie and sweatshirts.

BTW ... Mariah's also trying to register "Princess Christmas" and "Christmas Princess."