Money

The L.A. Dodgers got their World Series rings on Friday -- and good lord, SO. MANY. DIAMONDS!!!!!

The ring ceremony took place right before the Dodgers home opener against the Washington Nationals ... and it was special!!!

Each of the Dodgers players was introduced to the crowd by their childhood MLB heroes.

So, Mookie Betts was intro'd by Jimmy Rollins. Chase Utley introduced Cody Bellinger. And "Big Papi" David Ortiz did the honors for Julio Urias.

But, let's get to the hardware ...

Of course, each ring featured the Dodgers iconic "L.A." logo on top -- made from 17 genuine blue sapphires.

Notice the baseball diamond design -- featuring 4 large diamonds representing each of the bases.

The "infield" is loaded with 29 smaller diamonds, representing the number of home runs hit by the Dodgers during the 2020 postseason.

There are 16 more sapphires and 44 diamonds surrounding the perimeter of the top of the ring.

And, the sides??? You guessed it -- MORE DIAMONDS!!

According to MLB, the total number of diamonds just on the sides totals 96!

So, congrats to the champs -- the 32-year drought is over! Just make sure to keep those things in a safe!

Jake Paul's brutal knockout of ex-NBA star Nate Robinson is now being sold as an NFT -- and the asking price is $10 MILLION!!!

Triller, the company behind the fight, is also behind the sale of the 1-of-1 NFT -- but there's a pretty significant twist here.

In addition to owning the digital collectible from the Nov. 28, 2020 event -- the buyer will also get a custom 1-of-1 NFT featuring the last 30 seconds of the April 17 boxing match between Jake Paul and Ben Askren.

So, if the fight ends with a bang, that moment will be memorialized in a collectible non-fungible token.

The token is available through the new Triller NFT Marketplace -- which the company says is "based on peer-reviewed, audited Ethereum blockchain infrastructure."

NFTs are all the rage in digital collectibles at the moment -- with some tokens selling for more than $50 MILLION!!

If you're still not clear on what an NFT is -- think of it as a digital baseball card that's built on blockchain technology to ensure authenticity.

Just like a baseball card, people can buy, sell or trade NFTs -- but they don't own the copyright to the actual art itself.

Make sense? Okay great.

Athletes and entertainers from all over the world have been jumping on the NFT train -- Rob Gronkowski, Tom Brady, Snoop and more have issued their own NFT collections, some have sold for a fortune.

Move over, Kylie Jenner ... Kim Kardashian's pockets are actually much deeper than Forbes estimated, she says her SKIMS line is worth more than a billion dollars ... making her the richest of the Kardashian-Jenners.

In an interview with the New York Times, Kim revealed her successful shapewear line, SKIMS, has a valuation of $1.6 BILLION!!! That's a huge number in and of itself, but what's truly significant about it is that Forbes estimated its value at a mere $500 million. Now ya get it, right?

The SKIMS value -- which Kim credits to an influx of $154 million in funding -- more than triples the value of the company, and she's still its biggest shareholder. So, although Forbes put Kim's net worth at a nice, neat $1 bil, it's actually much higher than that ... according to NYT.

Meanwhile, Kim's little sis, Kylie, is no longer even in the billionaire club. Don't get us wrong, there's NO reason to cry for Kylie -- Forbes has her new net worth at $700 million -- but the new numbers do reset the family rankings.

As we reported, Kim told us this week ... she fully expects ALL of her siblings, and probably some of their kids too, to eventually achieve billionaire status.

Elon Musk's monkey officially has the power of mind control ... but so far, it's only using it to play outdated video games.

Still, it's a remarkable feat from Neuralink -- the company Musk founded that's developing implantable, artificial-intelligence-powered microchips to go in people's brains.

The company shared apparent proof of its neural tech in action -- video of Pager the macaque using his brain to play "Pong." Elon recently claimed the Neuralink chips had enabled a monkey to play video games with its mind, but this is the first time we're seeing it ... and it's pretty incredible.

According to the company ... 9-year-old Pager had a Neuralink placed in each side of his brain about 6 weeks ago. He's learned to interact with the computer by being enticed with a banana smoothie that gets delivered through a straw.

When Pager moves the joystick correctly, he gets some smoothie, and all the while ... the Neuralink chips are recording his brain activity for analysis of what his brain does when he moves his hand.

Then, the joystick's unplugged ... and the monkey's technically controlling the game with his mind, even though he's still moving the joystick out of habit.

Neuralink says its goal is to enable a person with paralysis to use a computer or phone with their brain activity alone. As you can see, Pager eventually stops using the joystick ... and he's a pro at "Pong" with no hands.

Chris Brown is a way more chill guy these days, and everyone saw it when his sports car got busted up with the valet -- although maybe he was just happy everyone was okay after the gnarly collision.

CB was inside The Nice Guy in WeHo around 1 AM Friday when the crazy scene went down outside on the street -- we're told a driver slammed into the back of one of the valet parked vehicles ... triggering a domino effect.

As you can see ... it was a pretty alarming accident with one guy's airbag deploying and several whips getting damage, some more than others.

Breezy's charcoal, yellow and white striped Porsche was among them ... and appeared to sustain some damage to both the front and the back.

He wasn't too worried about it though, telling us when he left the restaurant it was all good because, "I got 10 of these." Chris was still able to leave in his car.

LAPD tells us this was a standard traffic accident involving one vehicle slamming into multiple cars. We're told no injuries have been reported and no arrests have been made ... but the crash is still under investigation.

"I've been waiting on y'all to ask me!!"

Draymond Green COULDN'T WAIT to respond to Team USA soccer star Megan Rapinoe on Thursday -- after she ripped him for his comments about the female pay gap in pro sports.

And, when the Golden State Warriors star began to explain himself ... he tried to make it clear they're both fighting for the same thing!!!

"I think what I've said has been extremely misconstrued," Green told the media ... "because I am on their side."

Green had previously said he was sick and tired of hearing female athletes "complain" about the pay gap instead of taking more effective action to get better contracts.

Rapinoe blasted Green on Wednesday -- saying he showed his "whole ass" with the "unacceptable" remarks.

"It's really unfortunate, in the position [Green's] in," the soccer superstar said, "having all of the resources that he has and the ability to have a much more educated opinion, that he just hasn't."

So, fast forward to Thursday when Green tried to clarify his position.

"At the end of the day, what Megan wants and what I want is the same thing," Green said.

"And, if she believes doing something a certain way gets her to the end goal, I'm all for that. And, if I believe doing something a certain way gets to the end goal, I'm all for that. So, if we can both do something to move the needle to get to the end goal, great."

"I have no complaints with whatever it is she wants to do, or any woman athlete wants to do, or anyone who is trying to help drive their cause and what they want to be done. It doesn't matter to me how we get there. What matters to me is that we get there."

Green had previously said female athletes DESERVE better pay -- but advised they need to change their PR strategy in order to achieve their goal.

On Thursday, he reinforced his point that female athletes need to band together to hold sports leagues, advertisers and other influential organizations responsible ... and push them to do a better job marketing women's sports.

Green specifically called out Nike and Beats By Dre.

"All of these companies [can] tell these stories [about top female athletes] in order to help drive that bottom line."

Lil Nas X's Satan Shoes won't see the light of day, because although Nike settled its lawsuit against the manufacturer of the merch ... the shoe giant really won the battle to block the controversial kicks.

Nike tells TMZ ... it's reached an agreement with MSCHF, the company producing the custom shoes based on Nike's Air Max 97. The so-called Satan Shoes were inspired by Lil Nas' demonic-themed music video for his new song, "MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)."

The footwear giant tells us the settlement calls for MSCHF to launch a voluntary recall to buy back all Satan Shoes it's sold for their original retail prices in order to remove them from circulation.

Remember ... MSCHF was hawking the limited-edition kicks for $1,018 a pop, an ode to the bible scripture emblazoned on the side, Luke 10:18, which references Satan's banishment from heaven. Buyers snatched up all 666 pairs within minutes after last month's release. The shoes feature an inverted cross, bronze pentagram and a drop of human blood.

As we reported ... Nike filed suit against MSCHF last week, claiming MSCHF was infringing on its trademarks by selling the altered Air Max 97 without Nike's authorization. A judge had already granted Nike an injunction to block all future sales of the shoes.

GREAT NEWS, FIGHT FANS!!!

Jon Jones believes he WILL come to terms with the UFC on a deal to fight heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou ... saying, "I think it's gonna happen."

PLEASE BE RIGHT!

Jones vs. Ngannou would be one of the biggest fights in UFC history -- featuring two incredible champions.

The issue has been money ... Jones has said the UFC needs to write a HUGE CHECK to make it happen. He's already told the fighting org. that $10 million is "way too low."

But, seems there is progress being made ... Jones told FightHype.com he's confident the two sides will come to an agreement to give the fans what they want!

"Hopefully the fight happens. We just gotta stay focused and stay training and see what the UFC is going to do on their part," Jones said between workouts at the Jackson Wink MMA gym in Albuquerque.

Jones added, "I think it's gonna happen ... I think the UFC will eventually do the right thing."

"I think this is one of the greatest fights of our generation and it would be really sad if it weren’t gonna happen. And I believe that it will."

He added, "It’ll happen, all in good time."

In the meantime, Jones says he's training like a maniac -- trying to bulk up so he can match up with the larger Ngannou.

"People want to see two titans. Francis is already a titan and I'm trying to become a titan. I want to look like a titan. I want to be the same size as this guy if not bigger when we get out there."

Jones has fought as a light heavyweight since 2008 -- usually weighing right around 205 pounds.

Ngannou, on the other hand, weighed 263 pounds when he defeated Stipe Miocic for the UFC heavyweight title at UFC 260 back in March.

"I've got a lot of work to do."

Diddy is calling out General Motors ... saying the company needs to step up and open its wallet for Black businesses, claiming GM's promise to shell out big bucks has fallen short.

Diddy penned a scathing letter Thursday, opening with, "The same feet these companies use to stand with us in solidarity are the same feet they use to stand on our necks." Diddy says that his REVOLT network was an example of Black-owned media GM promised to support through advertising, but he doesn't feel the company has done enough.

In his letter, Diddy claims GM spent $3 billion on advertising in 2019 and by his estimation, only $10 million of that was invested in Black-owned media.

As for what he thinks needs to happen, Diddy says, "If the Black community represents 15% of your revenue, Black-owned media should receive at least 15% of the advertising spend."

Megan Rapinoe is firing back at Draymond Green ... ripping the NBA star for his "unacceptable" comments on women's pay, and saying he showed his "whole ass" with the remarks.

Rapinoe went off on the Warriors player during a conference call with reporters Wednesday ... explaining Green's take on the gender pay gap in sports was just "really disappointing."

"It's really unfortunate, in the position [Green's] in," the soccer superstar said, "having all of the resources that he has and the ability to have a much more educated opinion, that he just hasn't."

In a Twitter thread last month, followed by a subsequent double down on the take just days later, Green essentially pinned women's sports' financial problems on women themselves.

The 31-year-old said professional female athletes need to stop "complaining" ... and think of more effective ways to bring in more revenue to their leagues -- and thus, boost their pay.

Rapinoe had a major issue with all of that ... saying, "You obviously showed your whole ass in not even understanding what we all talk about all the time -- WNBA players and us on the national team."

She continued, "You don't think we asked for more money? I mean, what are we screaming about? Nonstop!"

Rapinoe says it's actually men in power who need to help women and aid in the funneling of funds to women's sports ... telling reporters, "We know all this, about all social movements and all people who are marginalized, whether it's by race or gender, religion, sexuality, whatever it is, it is not just their job to be the ones fighting oppression."

"We need all of the other people as well."

Babe Ruth secretly penned a handwritten letter to his mistress -- behind his wife’s back -- nearly 100 years ago ... and now the super unique item just sold for a fortune at auction, TMZ Sports has learned.

An undisclosed buyer dropped $201,851 on the letter at SCP Auctions ... which was discovered years ago in the scrapbook of Nell Wilson -- Ruth’s alleged woman on the side.

Ruth wrote ... “Dear Nell, Very sorry but my wife jumped over on me without me knowing it this is the first time she ever did that she is watching me so don’t get mad and I will see you Monday night."

Bambino continued ... "The club is watching so the only way I will be able to see you all night is for you to stop in at the Aldine Hotel and I can see you. Babe”

After signing his name, Ruth -- the most famous baseball player in the world -- terrified of his wife catching him, wrote ... “Nell, don’t call me up.”

Ruth married as a 19-year-old in 1914 -- tying the knot with Helen Woodford -- a waitress he met at a Boston coffee shop during his rookie season with the Red Sox.

Over the years, the Sultan of Swat picked up a reputation as a hard-partying womanizer ... which obviously caused serious problems in his relationship.

But, Babe and Helen were devout Catholics ... so divorce wasn’t an option

The letter -- written around 1922 -- shows proper wear on the edges, and contains a signature authenticated by PSA ... important for collectors.

The piece originally sold back in 2004 for $86k ... but like the rest of the collectibles market, the value exploded!

Ruth's letter isn’t the only awesome piece of Yankees history that recently sold ... SCP unloaded a one-of-a-kind signed photo of the '27 Bronx Bombers -- aka Murderers Row -- for $444,031.

Ask we previously reported, the photo contains sigs from Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

Speaking of “The Iron Horse” ... one of the last bats ever used by the dying superstar sold for $715k.

So, go ask grandma if she ever dated a legendary baseball player.

Kris Jenner is gonna love this ... Kim Kardashian says her family will have even more members joining the triple comma club in the future!!!

We got Kim at The Grove in Los Angeles Wednesday and our photog asked about her latest accomplishment, making it onto Forbes' official list of billionaires.

Kim says she's feeling blessed to have finally reached the milestone, thanks in large part to her KKW Beauty and SKIMS brands, and she sounds pretty confident she and Kylie Jenner won't be the only billionaires in the fam when the dust settles.

Kim was at the outdoor mall, btw, promoting SKIMS ... so, she's not taking her foot off the gas just because she's got a billie in the bank.

We asked who she thinks will be next up in the club for the Kardashian-Jenners, and she gave it some good hard thought. We suggested her mom, Kris, or maybe Kendall Jenner -- but Kim's thinking bigger, and says the bucks won't stop with those two!!!

No pressure or anything for Khloe, Kourtney and Rob. Not to mention North, Saint, Chicago, Psalm and -- well, we're not gonna run down ALL her nieces and nephews too. You get the point.

Can you imagine an NBA ref chasing down Zion Williamson for an autograph after a game??

That's pretty much what happened after a Champions League match on Tuesday ... when a ref ran after 20-year-old Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland -- and got him to sign his yellow card!!

The whole interaction was caught on video after Dortmund's 1-2 loss to Manchester City ... with assistant ref Octavian Sovre tailing the striker as he headed to the locker room.

In the footage, Sovre catches up with Haaland, whips out his card and a pen and asks for a quick John Hancock ... and the BVB star obliges!!

Of course, Haaland is regarded as one of the most promising young talents in the sport ... and all the top soccer clubs are lining up in hopes to sign the guy.

In fact, the Norwegian striker has 10 Champions League goals and 21 more Bundesliga goals.

While a Haaland auto is understandably in high demand, Sovre's move has been criticized as unprofessional ... and some folks are pissed.

But, Man City manager Pep Guardiola defended the ref ... saying, "Maybe he's a fan. Why not? The referees were brilliant, the game was not a problem."

"And after, maybe [the autograph] was for his son or daughter, I don't know," Guardiola continued.

"I've never seen it before but it's happened. Listen, they did a good job so that's it. Nothing happened."

Just call him the Big Good Samaritan now ...

Shaq paid off some young guy's engagement ring debt at a jewelry store in Georgia this week -- and the amazing gesture was all caught on video.

The Big Diesel explained how it all went down on "NBA on TNT" on Tuesday night ... saying he was in a Zales in the Atlanta area on Monday shopping for some earrings when he noticed a man was stressing over a bill.

Shaq says the guy was trying to figure out a way to set up a payment plan for a ring he was purchasing for his girlfriend ... when the NBA legend felt like he just had to step in.

"I seen the guy come in -- he was just so shy," Shaq said. "He was saying, 'Hey, how much do I owe to pay off my ring.'"

"And I was like, 'My man, how much is the ring?' I'm not going to say the amount, but it's not a lot for me."

So, Shaq whipped out his credit card -- and paid for it right on the spot!!

"I was like, 'You know what? Tell your girlfriend I got her,'" Shaq said. "'I'll take care of it.'"

Shaq added, "At first, he didn't want to take it. He was like, 'Man, I can't do that.' I said, 'Don't worry about it. I do it all the time.' I'm just trying to make people smile, that's all."

The two then posed for a photo -- and it was all really freakin' awesome!!

The best part of the story, though? Shaq says he had an even MORE generous act at a furniture store recently, paying off a bill there for a sweet family.

"This lady, she had an autistic daughter," Shaq said. "And she was also looking to pay for some furniture and I just took care of her. So, I'm into making people happy."

"Whenever I leave the house, I just try to do a good deed."

Nike -- one of the largest sports apparel companies in the world -- has "suspended" its relationship with Deshaun Watson amid the investigation into sexual misconduct.

"We are deeply concerned by the disturbing allegations and have suspended Deshaun Watson," Nike said in a statement released Wednesday morning.

"We will continue to closely monitor the situation."

Watson has been with Nike since 2017 -- the year he entered the NFL Draft.

The bombshell news comes one day after the QB's first accuser came forward at a news conference and revealed her identity.

Ashley Solis says she was the first woman to file a lawsuit against the Houston Texans superstar, accusing him of sexual misconduct during what was supposed to be a routine massage therapy treatment.

"I'm a survivor of assault and harassment. Deshaun Watson is my assaulter and my harasser," she said Tuesday while sitting next to her attorney Tony Buzbee.

"I hope [Watson] knows how much pain he's inflicted on me physically and emotionally," Solis says.

20 other women have also filed lawsuits against Watson alleging he engaged in similar behavior while getting a massage.

Watson has denied the allegations -- claiming the women are lying in an effort to shake him down for money.

The Houston PD announced this week it has launched a criminal investigation into the allegations -- but so far, Watson has not been charged with a crime.

'Real Housewives of Potomac' star Candiace Dillard no longer has to answer questions about living in a townhouse partially paid for by her mom ... 'cause she's sold it.

Candiace sold her Maryland pad for a cool $799k and talk about location, location, location -- the 3-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom crib is just 15 minutes outside of D.C. It's a stately 4-story property for sure, but Candiace could hardly enjoy it with her own castmates giving her crap about the fact her mother, Dorothy, helped foot the bill for it.

During an episode in season 4 ... Ashley Darby made a reference to Candiace's "momma's house," prompting all hell to break loose. There were times when other cast members also made sly remarks about how Candiace didn't fully own her own home.

For what it's worth, Candace later revealed she and her husband, Chris, took over the mortgage payments in full.

And, get this ... she and Chris dropped $1 mil last November for a new house, something she made crystal clear during the season 5 reunion. Candiace said, "It was purchased by myself and my husband."

In a nice jab at her castmates, Candiace added ... "My mother was generous enough to donate a rubber plant."

In any case, her old crib's off the market now, and the new owner can enjoy its 2,960 square feet ... even if their mother chipped in for it!