Money

MMA star Lance Palmer -- who famously won the PFL $1 Million tournament TWICE -- is upset the organization is not up and running yet and is now demanding they book him a fight or else he'll take legal action.

FYI, the Professional Fighters League has put all fights on hold due to the COVID pandemic -- and Palmer is really frustrated.

Palmer's issue ... the UFC and Bellator have returned to action and he thinks PFL should follow suit.

As of now, he's got nothing booked -- so he tapped his attorney, Harley Breite, so try and figure out a way to get him back in the cage.

Breite tells TMZ Sports they don't want to take legal action, but they will if they have to.

They'd much rather come to an amicable agreement -- whether it's booking a fight or releasing him from his contract so he can fight with another promotion.

If PFL refuses, Breite says a lawsuit is definitely a possibility.

"We're not going to sit back and wait for somebody to dictate the terms of when my client can do what he does for a living. He's a fighter! He must fight!"

Palmer hasn't seen action since Dec. 31, 2019 -- when he won the $1 million prize in a 5-round decision over Alex Gilpin in NYC.

We're told there are other fighters in the PFL who feel the same way -- they realize their window to make money as a pro MMA fighter is short and they need to get back to work already!

The UFC barely missed any time due to the pandemic -- and now, they're putting on fights every weekend in both Las Vegas and on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi.

Nathan Apodaca -- AKA the Fleetwood Mac "Dreams" skateboarder -- has a couple of huge reasons to smile today, as well as an explanation for why he chugs huge bottles of cranberry juice.

Nathan was on "TMZ Live" Wednesday talking about how his life's changed dramatically since uploading that now-viral skateboarding clip to TikTok. He calls it a blessing, because it led to him getting that brand new truck, delivered Tuesday by Ocean Spray.

As we told you ... Nathan said the donations that poured in shortly after would be used possibly for a new ride, but then he got Ocean Spray's gift. By the way, he told us how his first drive went in the truck went -- it's gonna make ya smile.

Nathan says his family had been talking about saving money for his daughter's upcoming 16th bday party and getting a new place. Now, they're plans are changing ... for the better.

As for why Nathan sips on that large 64 oz. jug of his fave beverage while skateboarding -- it's pretty simple. It's all about time, size and value. Doggface (his TikTok handle) broke it down for us, and reacted to rumors Travis Scott even wants to collaborate with him now.

Derek Chauvin -- the former Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd -- is a free man for now ... he just got released from behind bars as he awaits trial.

Chauvin was cut loose Wednesday from the Oak Park Heights prison in Minnesota after court records show he posted a non-cash $1 million bond backed by a place called A-Affordable Bail Bonds. His trial is currently scheduled for March.

Chauvin was the last of the 4 accused cops still in custody. As we reported, the other 3 -- Alexander Keung, Thomas Lane and Tou Thao -- were released some time ago, and are all seeking a change of venue ahead of their trials.

Chauvin faces the most severe charges out of the group -- he's been rung up for 2nd-degree murder, 3rd-degree murder and 2nd-degree manslaughter after leaving his knee on Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds.

Lindsey Vonn says she seriously considered switching sports from downhill ski racing to Formula 1 racing ... but claims a policy about pregnancy prevented it from happening.

The 35-year-old Olympic legend explained the whole thing on "In Depth with Graham Bensinger" ... saying she was specifically told she would need to make a 3-year commitment to NOT getting pregnant in order to get a shot as a pro driver.

"I was thinking about switching, going to Formula One. Like actually trying to be a racer, a driver. But, I couldn't because they wanted me to commit, what was it, 3 years? And, they're like you can't get pregnant, you can't do anything. I'm like hmm, I don't know if I really want to do that."

Vonn says the opportunity would have been with the Red Bull racing team -- and it's something she would have "loved to have done" ... but ultimately, she wasn't down to put off having a family.

BTW, Vonn is engaged to NHL star PK Subban -- and it's clear having kids is definitely on the table.

Lindsey is a huge fan of race car driving -- she's a natural behind the wheel. And, says if F1 didn't work out, jumping to NASCAR was also a possibility.

During the interview, which airs on TV this weekend, Vonn also mentions how much MONEY race car drivers make compared to skiers.

"Probably the salary of one racer is probably the total amount of money that ski racing has for their annual budget as a sport. [Lewis Hamilton] makes more money than all of ski racing combined!"

An ultra-rare, 110-year-old Honus Wagner baseball card is about to hit the auction block ... and it's expected to sell for OVER $1.2 MILLION!!

The 1909-11 T-206 Wagner is regarded by hardcore collectors as one of the most desirable cards in existence.

How desirable?? Well, Goldin Auctions -- the auction site selling the Wagner card -- previously sold a version of the T-206 for $3.12 MILLION in 2016!!

This Wagner card -- featuring a portrait of Honus on the front with a "Sweet Caporal" cigarette ad on the back -- isn't quite graded as high ... but with only around only 50 in existence, it's one of the most valuable pieces of cardboard in the world.

FYI, Honus -- an 8-time NL batting champion and Hall of Famer -- played from 1897 to 1917. Wagner was a career .329 hitter and he racked up 3,430 hits ... and is widely considered one of the greatest ballplayers ever.

Fun fact ... Wagner earned less than $140K over his 2-decade long career. Now, his baseball card will likely sell for 8 times what he made playing ball.

The card hits the GA block on October 12 ... good luck!!

The former home of Bobbi Kristina -- where she tragically overdosed in a bathtub, causing her death -- is for sale in Georgia ... and the history may explain why the price has already dropped.

The spacious townhouse in Alpharetta was previously owned by Bobbi's mom, Whitney Houston, and despite its macabre past ... it's actually quite beautiful.

The 2,600-sq.-ft. pad comes with 3 beds and 4 baths, a gorgeous great room, a gourmet kitchen, a huge master suite with a fireplace, and 2 guest suites with private baths.

Of course, the home also comes with the underlying tale of the tragic January 31, 2015 incident ... when Bobbi was found face down in a bathtub by her boyfriend, Nick Gordon.

She was put on life support afterward and moved to hospice, where she died nearly 6 months later on July 26.

Gordon was found civilly liable for her death in November 2016, and though cops investigated him in connection with her death for years ... he was never charged. Gordon died of a heroin overdose in early 2020.

All of this could explain why the home has failed to attract any buyers so far. Kayce Davidson, the real estate agent with the listing, tells us the townhome went on the market 3 weeks ago ... but they recently dropped the price $10k to $599,000.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it -- Brie Bella and her twin sister, Nikki, are using the same playbook for real estate ... as they did for childbirth. Allow us to explain.

Brie just listed her Phoenix home for a cool $1,695,000. The 4-bedroom, 4.5-bathrooms crib is 1 of only 16 homes in a coveted gated neighborhood ... and it comes with a spacious 3,000 square feet of living space.

It's a semi-custom, modern farmhouse with soaring ceilings, custom wood cabinetry, stone counters and hardwood flooring throughout. Now, if the "Total Bellas" star's move sounds familiar, that's because Nikki did this with her AZ property just over a month ago.

As we first reported ... Nikki put her place on the market back in August after living in it for barely 3 months, and we're told she already has a contingent offer on it.

Nikki, of course, lived right next to Brie ... and the building process was part of this past season's storyline.

Brie's home listing -- Greg Corbett of eXp Realty -- totally makes sense for the sisters. Remember, they were pregnant the same time, and Nikki gave birth to her baby boy on July 31 ... while Brie followed the next day, also having a boy.

They joked on the show that if they got on each other's nerves, Nikki could just up and sell the house. No word if that actually happened -- we doubt it -- but they're bolting together.

Incredible gesture by Houston Rockets superstar Russell Westbrook ... who showed his thanks to the NBA bubble housekeepers by leaving a fat, $8,000 tip!!!

Remember, most players were stuck in the same hotel room on the Disney World campus for MONTHS ... which means a LOT of stinky socks, clothes and shoes.

The 31-year-old gave mad respect to those doing the dirty work before the Rockets left the bubble ... gifting them the massive tip and leaving his room "virtually spotless," according to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.

Brodie confirmed the act to Taylor Rooks, saying, "They took great care of us. Took the time & energy to do their job at a high level. That was the right thing."

The NBA players and coaches have reportedly been extremely kind to all Disney staffers with tips and other kind gestures throughout their time in the NBA bubble ... and this is just one of many instances.

Michael Bloomberg isn't the only one donating money to help thousands of ex-felons regain the right to vote in Florida, because the movement is NOT about politics ... according to one of its advocates.

Desmond Meade of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live," and told us the $25 million his organization raised to allow former felons to vote in the election came from folks across the country ... and before Bloomberg donated a dime.

While the billionaire is grabbing headlines for adding $16 mil to pay the court fines and fees necessary for the Sunshine State's ex-felons to vote ... Desmond says his coalition is making an impact thanks to a grassroots approach encompassing over 88,000 donors.

Some of the donors you know, like Ariana Grande, Michael Jordan and LeBron James ... but Desmond says lots of non-famous Americans donated their hard-earned money.

The problem with Bloomberg's name getting attached, Desmond says, is the political spin that follows. He's adamant none of the ex-felons getting voting rights restored should feel beholden to vote how donors vote.

The insults are flying between Mark Cuban and Ted Cruz (again!) -- complete with cuss words and personal attacks -- and it's all over the NBA Finals ratings.

This time, Cruz -- the republican senator from Texas -- kicked things off by tweeting out a headline from Sean Hannity's website that reads, "NBA Finals Game 3 'Least Watched in Recorded Ratings History.'"

The article says the NBA Finals ratings are down 45% from 2019.

Cruz added a comment ... "Not surprising. Personally speaking, this is the first time in years that I haven’t watched a single game in the NBA Finals. #GoWokeGoBroke."

Enter Cuban -- owner of the Dallas Mavericks -- who clapped right back.

"A US Senator with 3 @NBA teams in his state, employing thousands of people and he is rooting for their businesses to do poorly.  This is who you are @tedcruz. Every minute of your life, this is exactly who you are."

Think Cruz was going to let that lie? NO WAY!

"I love @HoustonRockets & have rooted for them my entire life. I happily cheer for the Spurs & Mavericks against any non-TX team.  But @mcuban the NBA is engaged in a concerted effort to (1) insult their fans & (2) turn every game into a left-wing political lecture. That’s dumb."

Cuban did not take kindly to that ... and shot back with an expletive.

"You are so full of sh*t. You haven't watched a game of the finals, how would you know what is being said or done? Since when is a desire to end racism an insult to anyone or political? And you don't think using #GetWokeGoBroke is a partisan insult?  Again, this is who you are."

The spat continued ... with Cruz criticizing Cuban over the NBA's relationship with China.

"I wish @mcuban loved his fans as much as he loves Chinese money."

Cuban again responded -- "Shame on me for putting American Civil Rights and Justice, creating jobs, growing our economy and healthcare reform over twitter proclamations."

Bill Belichick removed BOTH of his masks from his face Monday to scream at officials after a bad call ... and it seems obvious a huge fine is coming his way.

The New England Patriots head coach arrived at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City wearing TWO masks ... seemingly trying to send a message that he's taking the NFL's COVID rules seriously.

But, when the Patriots appeared to force a HUGE turnover late in the 2nd quarter -- only to have the play waved off by officials -- Belichick lost his damn mind.

Long story short ... Pats defensive end Chase Winovich appeared to strip Mahomes of the ball during a big 3rd down play -- with another Pats player catching the ball before it hit the ground.

It seemed like a solid turnover that would give the Pats the ball deep in Chiefs territory ... a potential game-changer!

But, the refs ruled that Mahomes was "in the grasp" and blew the whistle dead BEFORE the turnover -- meaning Chiefs kept possession.

Belichick went NUCLEAR -- ripping down his two masks and unloading at the refs ... breaking COVID protocol.

The NFL has been fining coaches for removing masks to yell -- Raiders coach Jon Gruden was hit with a $100,000 fine for similar antics during Week 2.

Belichick is rich and can afford it -- but the NFL is trying to send a message ... STOP TEARING OFF YOUR MASKS!!!!

Rick Ross has reason to smile ... and not just 'cause he's THE Boss, but because he's a Boss with a brand new set of chompers.

We're told the rapper recently headed down to Colombia for an appointment with celebrity and renowned Colombian dentist Dr. Mario Montoya, who performed a 6-hour procedure on Rick Ross to give him a brand-spankin' new smile.

The procedure included 12 veneers on top and 12 on the bottom ... and they were 100% porcelain. You can see from the before/after pics ... the doc did an outstanding job. The "Hustlin" rapper was so excited about his new smile ... dude wasted no time showing it off.

Now, the procedure Rick Ross got usually runs about $10,000. We're told he got the procedure for free 'cause .... he's THE BOSS. Can't argue with that.

Montoya's built a reputation as the guy to go to when ya need a new smile. As we reported ... Tekashi69 also flew down to Colombia for a procedure that lasted about 5 hours.

Boosie Badazz has a deal for you, if you're looking for a brand new car ... that also happens to be freshly damaged by Boosie's nephew!!! Hey, we didn't say it was a good deal.

The rapper shared this amusing family drama Monday, saying ... "My nephew's stupid ass wrecked my Jag," which he claims is a one-of-a-kind 2021 model with only 2,000 miles on it.

Boosie, who sounds like he'd just rolled outta bed, said he's pissed off, tired, and looking to unload the car for a cool $75,000 ... despite a big dent and scratches over the front driver's side wheel well.

He doesn't say how much he paid for the brand new whip, or even which model it is -- so it's hard to tell if his list price of $75k is a deep discount. He also doesn't seem to know the extent of the car's damage either.

Okay, used car sales just ain't his thing.

Boosie says if he can't find a buyer soon, he's going to trade in the Jag for something else. Seems like he's not down with contacting his insurance provider or waiting around at a body shop.

BTW, anyone actually seen Boosie's nephew? Just checkin'.

Calling all (rich) Kobe Bryant fans, an incredibly unique collectible from the Mamba's historic 60-point farewell game is up for grabs ... but it'll cost a fortune!!

A large section of the Staples Center hardwood court -- where Kobe played his final NBA game -- is set to hit the auction block ... and the piece is truly 1-of-a-kind.

The floorboard features KB's original jersey number, 8 -- painted in white, outlined in Lakers purple -- signed by the L.A. legend before he walked off the court he dominated on for nearly 2 decades.

Remember, Kobe -- who was 38 years old at the time -- had one of the greatest final games in sports history ... dropping 60 points on the Utah Jazz during the April 13, 2016 contest.

Bryant started off slow, but was UNSTOPPABLE in the 2nd half ... leading his Lakers squad to a come-from-behind victory.

It was truly a jaw-dropping performance by the Hall of Famer ... and that's why the court section is expected to sell for a whopping $500,000!!

We're told the seller will donate 10 percent of the proceeds to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation -- a foundation named after Kobe and Gigi Bryant -- which promotes youth sports.

Online bidding starts September 4 at Heritage Auctions ... and a live auction will be held September 26.

Mamba would have turned 42-years-old on Sunday, and Monday (8/24) was dubbed Kobe Bryant day ... with everyone from James Harden, Anthony Davis and LeBron James celebrating the basketball legend's life.

Ricky Schroder is looking out for the L.A. County Sheriff's deputies who were ambushed by a gunman in Compton ... sending them a donation with special meaning.

Sources close to the 'NYPD Blue' star tell TMZ ... Ricky donated $11,111 to the two deputies who were shot last month at point-blank range. We're told the actor was one of the first people to donate, and he wanted to send the funds directly to the deputies.

Our sources also say Ricky chipped in another $25,000 to boost the reward for the shooting suspect.

As we reported ... LASD identified the man who allegedly opened fire on 2 deputies sitting in a cop car, and now he's charged with attempted murder.

Ricky's got a special appreciation for law enforcement ... he feels society would crumble without the folks who enforce the law.

As for the $11,111 donation, we're told a Gold Star Mom once told Ricky it's a "divine number" representing new beginnings. Gold Star families are those who've had loved ones die while fighting in the U.S. Armed Forces.

"Just sell the damn team and shut up!"

That's U.S. Congressman Max Rose clapping back at NY Knicks owner James Dolan after the billionaire donated money to his political opponent ... after Rose called for Dolan to sell the team!!

It's a feud that escalated quickly right here on TMZ Sports -- and it's only getting nastier.

Rose -- a decorated war veteran and lifelong Knicks fan -- told us he's sick and tired of watching the Knicks suck ... and publicly called for Dolan to sell the damn team already!

Dolan -- who's banned fans from Madison Square Garden for urging him to sell -- clearly saw the clip and immediately began a campaign to support Rose's opponent, GOP Congressional candidate Nicole Malliotakis.

According to the NY Post, Dolan sent an email to friends bashing Rose and trying to rally support for Malliotakis.

"Max Rose thinks he can make our team and my ownership his political platform," Dolan said in the email obtained by The Post.

"I need to let him know that we will not stand for this. The best way to do this is to help his opponent. He is in a tight race for the US Congress in Staten Island. ... Please join me in helping Nicole defeat Max Rose for Congress."

So, we called up Rep. Rose ... and yeah, he had some thoughts!

"Well, we all know that Jim Dolan has the Midas Touch ... so I'm not exactly too concerned here. Look, I didn't make it political, he did! My message was simple: for the good of New York City to make the Knicks great again -- sell the damn team!"

"Think about what's been happening in the 21st century. On an aggregate basis, the Knicks have the worst record in the NBA and nonetheless, they have spent the most! What more signs do you need that this guy has been a world failure?"

"They've gone through over 10 coaches, a massive amount of executive staffs, trading players left and right. The only constant has been Jim Dolan. So, let's sell! This has been a tough year but in 2021, New York can turn the corner. Jim Dolan sell, we can say goodbye to Bill De Blasio and we can finally beat this pandemic."

There's more ... Rose also brings up Dolan's beef with NYK great Charles Oakley and warns Dolan, "I will not be silenced."