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Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson says his attack on Rangers players earlier this week was completely justified ... insisting all he was trying to do was defend his goalie.

The 27-year-old explained the situation in his first meeting with media members since Monday night's drama ... saying New York players started it all when they messed with Caps goaltender Vitek Vanecek.

"Their guy goes to our net and kicks at our goalie and goes in there with his stick," Wilson said.

"At a young age in hockey, you’re taught to stand up for your goalie, so that’s what I was doing."

Wilson then explained he violently took down Rangers star Artemi Panarin because he claims the dude just straight up jumped on his back in an aggressive way.

"I think anybody’s first reaction would try to be just to throw them off you and wrestle them down to the ice," Wilson said. "And, that’s what I thought about it at the time."

Wilson added he believed it all to be a "fairly routine hockey scrum."

Seemed the NHL agreed, 'cause Wilson was NOT suspended and was only hit with a $5,000 fine ... which enraged the Rangers, who called the punishment complete B.S.

In fact, they were so upset with it ... when the two teams met again on Wednesday night, NY players could not stop going after the Capitals -- inciting brawls seconds after the puck dropped.

The two teams fought so much, Wilson was ultimately forced out of the game due to injury.

Wilson -- who appeared to be contrite about the whole situation at his news conference Friday -- did say he personally reached out to Panarin after the incident, and is glad he's doing better.

The Rangers, meanwhile, paid a $250,000 fine for blasting the NHL's head of player safety, George Parros, in a scathing statement after Wilson's punishment was announced.

Tyrese is looking to transform his crib into cash ... he's selling his mansion for millions, and there's a movie-size Transformer on the property!!!

The 'Transformers' star just listed his 5-bedroom home in the Woodland Hills area of Los Angeles for a cool $3,499,000 ... and the first thing that jumps out is the huge Bumblebee figurine standing guard over the property.

Bumblebee's chilling on the back patio towering over the pool and hot tub, and this Transformer is so big it's peering into the home's second floor!!!

Sounds like Bumblebee could hang out inside ... the place is 5,225 square feet with 26-foot ceilings ... but he does look pretty epic in the backyard. Totally feng shui.

The master suite comes with dual walk-in closets, plus a steam shower and a soaking tub. Oh and there's a home theater with surround sound, perfect for watching the 'Transformer' movies.

The garage has room for 3 cars -- regulars ones, not Transformers -- and there's a huge kitchen with stainless steel appliances, plus a home gym.

Bill and Melinda Gates are shifting more of their fortune into Melindas' name ... and new documents show she's gonna be a big fan of Mexican Coca-Cola.

Here's what we know ... the day after Melinda filed her divorce docs, the estranged couple filed docs with the Securities Exchange Commission that show she now owns more than 5 percent of Coca-Cola Femsa  ... which is why they had to notify the SEC.

According to the docs, Melinda acquired 25,793,660 shares of the Coke bottler which is based in Mexico, and Bill has zero shares. Those shares would be valued at around $120 million today.

It appears the shares were transferred from The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. For reference, the Foundation still retains more than 62 million shares of Coca-Cola Femsa.

Another doc, also filed on May 4, shows Melinda now owns more than 155 million shares of Grupo Televisa ... which is a Mexican multimedia company that produces programs, several of which air on Univision.

For those keeping score ... the Grupo Televisa stock is worth about $386 million.

As we reported, nearly $2 billion in shares of AutoNation and the Canadian National Railway were also transferred to Melinda on May 3 ... the day she filed the divorce docs.

One of the best baseball players of this century is now team-less -- the L.A. Angels have cut Albert Pujols ... and it now begs the question, is this the end of the MLB legend's career??

The Angels announced the parting of ways with the slugger on Thursday morning ... saying they've designated the future Hall of Famer for assignment.

"The Angels organization proudly signed Albert Pujols in 2011 and are honored that he has worn an Angels jersey for nearly half of his Hall-of-Fame career," owner Arte Moreno said.

"Albert Pujols' historical accomplishments, both on and off the field, serve as an inspiration to athletes everywhere, and his actions define what it means to be a true superstar."

Pujols inked a massive, 10-year, $210 million with the Angels in '11 after a brilliant career with the STL Cardinals ... but his legendary bat has slowed tremendously over the years.

In fact, the start to this season was one of his worst EVER ... he was hitting just .198 in 24 games before his release Thursday.

Pujols will have the opportunity to catch on with another team ... but at 41 years old, this might be it for the MLB star -- who reportedly had been mulling retirement after this season anyway.

Kim Kardashian was unaware her name was attached to an ancient Roman artifact -- a piece of art the U.S. government is now desperately seeking to return to Italy -- a purchase we're told was made by her estranged husband, Kanye West.

Think "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" meets "Raiders of the Lost Ark" -- in a new lawsuit, the government claims a statue dating back to 1st or 2nd Century Rome ended up getting shipped to the U.S. in 2016.

The problem for Kim is the paperwork listed "Kim Kardashian dba Noel Roberts Trust" as the consignee and importer of said statue. Noel Roberts is, in fact, a trust Kim has used to make other big-ticket purchases -- but a rep for Kim denies she made this deal.

A source connected to the situation tells us Kim only found out this week that the piece was actually bought by Kanye as part of a larger purchase which included more art. We're told it's unclear if Kanye had bought it as a gift, or when he had planned on telling Kim, but our source says she was in the dark.

Now, the reason the feds want it back is because Italy's determined the piece is a cultural treasure that was essentially looted from an archaeological site.

As for the alleged Kardashian ties -- well, there's one smoking gun. The feds say a Belgium designer named Axel Vervoordt shipped the statue to the U.S., and presumably, his company put Kim's name on the customs document. Vervoordt has worked with Kim and Kanye in the past, and back in 2016 -- when the statue was imported -- they were building their Hidden Hills mansion ... which has been compared to a museum.

Still, Kim says she has no knowledge of the statue or its purchase. For his part, Vervoordt tells TMZ ... he acquired the statue "in good faith" from a French gallery, which in turn says it bought it from a German auction house. He adds, "At this point there is no evidence that this piece was illegally imported from Italy. If investigation proves that the piece was actually exported from Italy without a proper export license from the Italian Ministry of Culture, then we will of course take our responsibility."

A source close to Kim says that while she doesn't know the origins of the work, she hopes it gets resolved ASAP.

Ya had to see this one coming -- the New York Rangers have just been slapped with a MASSIVE fine by the NHL ... after the team went scorched earth on a league exec. earlier this week.

Remember, the Rangers were FURIOUS with the league after Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson was handed a measly $5,000 fine for his violent altercation with N.Y. star Artemi Panarin.

The team released a lengthy statement slamming the NHL's head of player safety, George Parros, saying he was "unfit" to serve the position ... and Wilson should have been suspended indefinitely.

Of course, the NHL didn't take kindly to the statement ... handing down a severe $250,000 fine to the organization on Thursday.

Commish Gary Bettman spoke about the punishment minutes ago ... saying, "Public comments of the nature issued by the Rangers that were personal in nature and demeaning of a League executive will not be tolerated."

"While we don’t expect our Clubs to agree with every decision rendered by the Department of Player Safety, the extent to which the Rangers expressed their disagreement was unacceptable.

He added ... "It is terribly unfair to question George Parros' professionalism and dedication to his role and the Department of Player Safety."

Both teams are still dealing with the chaotic fallout from Monday's incident -- the Caps vs. Rangers game on Wednesday started off with a line brawl ... and there were at least 6 total fights in the 1st period alone.

The Bill and Melinda divorce has been a done deal for months, TMZ has learned, and they had a plan to announce it back in March ... a plan that included renting a remote, private island where the entire family -- with one BIG exception -- could avoid the media once the announcement was made ... sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ.

Our sources say Melinda Gates rented Calivigny Island in Grenada ... yes, she rented the entire island for $132,000 a night. The plan was for Melinda and the kids, as well as their significant others, to come to the island -- everyone except Bill. We're told everyone in the family already knew Bill and Melinda were divorcing. There was a considerable amount of acrimony associated with the split and we're told virtually everyone in the family took Melinda's side. Another way of putting it ... we're told they were very angry at Bill, and that's why he wasn't invited.

The reason for going to the island ... so no one from the media could reach them and ask about the split when it was announced during their stay.

But, there was a problem ... lawyers for both Bill and Melinda were trying to hash out a divorce settlement and there were still outstanding issues that couldn't be resolved at the time of the trip. We're told Melinda decided to go anyway ... well, with everyone BUT Bill.

So here's the takeaway. First, we're told this was not a friendly split. We're told Melinda and most of the family were furious at Bill for various things they claim he had done.

Welp, this is sad ...

Lindsey Vonn and P.K. Subban have sold the Beverly Hills mansion they bought together ... just 6 months after calling off their engagement.

The Olympic skiing legend and the NHL star purchased the 5,500-square-foot pad for $6.75 mil back in 2020 ... and it seemed it would be their home base for years to come.

But, the two called it quits in Dec. 2020 and quickly put the Italian-style villa on the market.

The place is sick ... especially the yard, a private sanctuary that features a slick pool, spa and fire pit.

Final sales price ... $6.9 million, according to the L.A. Times. It's unlikely they walked away with any sort of real profit after all of the expenses and commissions -- but they're probably just happy to move on.

Vonn and Subban began dating back in 2018 and were together for 3 years ... blossoming into one of the most beloved couples in pro sports.

But, things soured in 2020 ... and they eventually broke up. They issued a joint statement vowing to remain on friendly terms.

"Over the past 3 years PK and I have had some incredible times together. He is a kind, good man, and someone I respect a great deal," Vonn wrote at the time.

"However, after much consideration we have decided to move forward separately. We will always remain friends and love each other immensely. We ask that you please respect our privacy during this time."

Kyrie Irving's wallet is now $35,000 lighter ... and it's all 'cause the NBA says the point guard won't stop ghosting media members.

The NBA announced Wednesday evening it's hit Irving and his Brooklyn Nets team each with $35k fines for "violating league rules governing media interview access."

The NBA says Irving has repeatedly refused to show up for postgame media availability sessions -- a big no-no for players.

Of course, this ain't the first time the league has had to step in and slap Irving with a fine for this ... back in December, he was hit with a $25k fine for dodging media during training camp.

At the time, Kyrie famously appeared to react to the fine in a viral social media post in which he wrote, "I do not talk to Pawns. My attention is worth more."

Irving later explained his "pawns" comment was NOT a jab directed at reporters.

"Not even referring to you guys as pawns or media," Irving said. "It's just really how I felt about the mistreatment of certain artists when we get to a certain platform of when we make decisions within of lives to have full control and ownership."

Childish Gambino's "This is America" is a blatant ripoff of a track that sounds similar, has a similar name and was all over the Internet almost 2 years before the rapper's smash hit was released ... so claims a musician in a new lawsuit.

Emelike Nwosuocha, a rapper who performs under the name Kidd Wes, is suing Childish Gambino, AKA Donald Glover, claiming he ripped off his song, "Made in America."

According to Kidd Wes ... he created his track on SoundCloud in September 2016 and released it on YouTube a couple months later, where people could listen to it for free. He says he also registered the song with the U.S Copyright Office in May 2017, and it was set to be the lead single on his upcoming album.

As you likely know ... Gambino's "This is America" was released in 2018, became incredibly popular and went on to win Grammy for Record of the Year.

According to the docs ... Kidd Wes claims the chorus, or hook, of "This is America" is "unmistakably substantially similar, if not practically identical" to his "Made in America."

Wes claims Gambino's "flow" is also substantially similar to his, and points to key lyrics in "Made in America" being similar to the hook's refrain in "This is America," for example:

"Made in America / Flex on the radio / Made me a terrorist / Pessimistic n***as / You should just cherish this"

Compared to this: "This is America / Guns in my area / I got the strap / I gotta carry 'em"

Kidd Wes claims there are also scientific similarities in the 2 tracks, and alleges it's not a coincidence -- he believes he was intentionally ripped off, and he wants major damages.

He's suing Gambino, the co-writers of "This is America," the record labels that put it out, Roc Nation, and even Young Thug ... who sings backup vocals on the track.

Kamaru ain't the only member of the Usman family making noise in the MMA world ...

Meet Mohammed Usman -- Kamaru's younger brother -- who's set to compete in the PFL's $1 million heavyweight tournament ... and turns out, fighting talent runs in the family.

32-year-old Mohammed is 6'2", 265 pounds -- and previously played defensive end at the University of Arizona.

Now, he's focused on MMA -- he's 7-1 as a pro and currently on a 4-fight win streak.

Usman will step into the cage to fight Brandon Sayles on Thursday -- and hopes to score a win to advance to in the $1 million tourney.

Mohammed says he knows his brother's rise to superstardom makes him more of a target -- but he loves the pressure and can't wait to show the world he's a legit contender.

"I'm at a point in my life and my career that I'm a complete fighter," Usman tells TMZ Sports ... "So, I'm gonna go out and put pressure and everything that I want to happen will happen."

Kamaru -- the UFC's reigning welterweight champ -- also believes his bro is the real deal.

"The thing is Mohammed ... he was just a raw, athletic specimen and I’ve got him to commit to it. He’s really putting in the time and the effort right now."

Mohammed says he's got a friendly competition with his big bro when it comes to knockouts ... and since Kamaru obliterated Jorge Masvidal in the 2nd round of their fight, Mo is gunning for a 1st round KO on Thursday.

Move over Aaron Carter and Lamar Odom ... Matt Barnes says he's got interest in a big celeb boxing match of his own -- telling TMZ Sports he's down to scrap with Chad Ochocinco!

... but, only if the price is right.

The former NBA superstar was out at Tierra Rejada Golf Club in California on Wednesday when he told us he doesn't hate the idea of getting in the ring with the ex-Cincinnati Bengals receiver, who's looking for an opponent after agreeing to participate on the undercard of the Floyd Mayweather vs. Logan Paul event next month.

Barnes, though, tells us his fighting days are winding down quickly ... so it would take some serious convincing and serious cash to make it all work.

"I do box," Barnes said at the Golf Beef event (which promotes black-owned businesses) ... before adding, "but, to be honest with you, like, it's not something that I really want to jump into, to be honest with you."

"To me, I'm kind of past that stage of my life. But, if it ever came across and the money was right, I'd consider it."

The matchup is pretty intriguing ... both guys are tough dudes who have been known to hit the mitts during workout sessions.

And, with both their ages being similar (Chad's 43, Matt's 41) ... it could make for a helluva tilt!!

Bill Gates lined his estranged wife's pocket with nearly $2 BILLION the very same day she filed for divorce ... and this revelation is a sign they were working out the property settlement long before the divorce announcement.

The transaction went down like this ... an investment firm controlled by Bill transferred millions of shares in two companies to Melinda Monday, the same day the billionaires announced the end of their marriage.

Bill's investment firm, Cascade Investment LLC, sent Melinda more than 14 million shares of Canadian National Railway Co. and more than 2.9 million shares of AutoNation Inc ... according to docs obtained by TMZ.

Based on Wednesday's stock prices, the shares are worth north of $1.8 billion ... including about $1.53 billion in Canadian National Railway shares and about $310 million on AutoNation shares.

As we first told you ... Melinda filed divorce docs that make it clear there's no prenup.

They signed a separation agreement ahead of the divorce filing, and the stock transfer indicates they are already down the road in dividing assets.

It'll be interesting to see how Bill and Melinda divvy up their assets ... and the billion-dollar stock transfer is the first clue.

Tommy Lee's got a new place to call home sweet home ... and it sure is a beaut.

The Mötley Crüe drummer dropped a cool $4.15 million for a new pad in Brentwood. The Japanese-inspired modern estate has 4 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and it features Zen-like indoor-outdoor living space.

The 4,266-square-foot house offers picturesque canyon views and, talk about rock star livin' ... the swimming pool comes with waterfalls. There's also a koi pond, dining deck, fire pit, BBQ island and garden room

Tommy's kitchen features antique Japanese tansu custom cabinetry and Brazilian mahogany countertops. It's one helluva place where Tommy can relax and unwind, for sure.

Though, it's safe to say that fresh off buying a new property, THIS is still on his mind. Yes, his Calabasas crib is still on the market.

Terrifying incident involving cricket legend Stuart MacGill ... who was allegedly kidnapped and assaulted at gunpoint in Australia last month -- and cops have now arrested his girlfriend's brother over the incident.

50-year-old MacGill was reportedly confronted by 46-year-old Marino Sotiropoulos, the brother of MacGill's GF, Maria O’Meagher, on April 14 near Sydney ... according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

According to the report, while interacting with Sotiropoulos, MacGill was then approached by two other men ... who allegedly forced him into a car and drove him an hour outside of the city.

Cops say MacGill was beaten and threatened with a firearm for an hour straight upon arriving at a home in Bringelly ... suffering minor injuries.

According to cops, MacGill was then driven to Belmore -- another suburb of Sydney -- where he was ultimately released by the group.

The cricket legend reported the incident to police days later ... and the State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad launched an investigation.

Officials believe the incident was financially motivated ... but say a ransom was not given and money was NOT exchanged.

Detective acting superintendent Anthony Holton told reporters Sotiropoulos was close to MacGill and believes his involvement to be an act of betrayal.

"I’d say the 46-year-old man’s involvement, we'll be alleging, was part of the facilitation of his kidnapping," Holton said, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Four individuals were arrested this week in the case -- Sotiropoulos, a 42-year-old man, a 29-year-old man, and a 27-year-old man.

According to the report, Sotiropoulos was charged with "detaining in company with intent to get advantage occasioning actual bodily harm, participating in a criminal group (contributing to criminal activity) and supplying a prohibited drug (large commercial quantity)."

The 42-year-old was charged with "knowingly directing the activities of a criminal group and detaining in company with intent to get advantage occasioning actual bodily harm."

Both the 27-year-old and 29-year-old were charged with participating in a criminal group (contributing to criminal activity) and detaining in company with intent to get advantage occasioning actual bodily harm.

All men were denied bail to appear in court on Wednesday.

MacGill played on the Australian national team from 1998-2008 ... appearing in 44 Test matches.

Welp, here's a scary threat from Kamaru Usman to Jake Paul -- cut the crap before you get hurt, for real.

Yeah.

Okay, here's the quick backstory ... Jake Paul has been looking for ALL THE SMOKE from UFC fighters after ferociously knocking out Ben Askren.

He's called out Conor McGregor, beefed with Tyron Woodley and went face-to-face with Daniel Cormier at UFC 260.

Kamaru -- the reigning UFC welterweight champ -- told TMZ Sports back in April he was getting sick of Paul's trash talk and said he would love the opportunity to "beat the s**t" out of him.

Paul responded to Usman, "Challenge accepted" -- adding, "If your boss Dana gives you permission to box me and make more money than you ever have, let me know and we can lace them up. I promise it will be your biggest pay day."

The two continued to trade shots over social media -- with Jake accusing Usman of "backing out."

Which led to Usman responding yet again on Wednesday morning ...

"I understand you think this is a game which is probably why you don’t realize that this is how people Truly get hurt," Usman said.

"I don’t play fighting and I can change your life in the worst way."

He's not kidding ... Usman is coming off one of the most violent KO's of the year when he flattened Jorge Masvidal with a killer right hand at UFC 261.

Usman's manager Ali AbdelAziz certainly wants a fight to happen -- telling us he thinks it would be one of the most successful PPV events in combat sports history.