'Hunger Games' Jena Malone Helps Save Dog From Abuser ... Beatdown Ensues

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UPDATE

12:49 PM PT -- Turns out, the folks over at PETA appreciate Malone's quick action as much as we do. The org tells us Jena's now the recipient of one of their Compassionate Action Awards ... and compels anyone who sees animal mistreatment to act like Jena in the future.

UPDATE

"Hunger Games" actress Jena Malone acted fast to help an innocent dog who was being abused at the side of the road by his owner ... and other bystanders joined her cause, unleashing a brutal beatdown on the animal abuser.

The whole thing went down Tuesday near Sunset Blvd. in L.A. when Jena and others witnessed the attack. She told NBC LA she chased the man as he abused the dog, signaling for others to help.

Jena says 5 men joined in, and restrained the abuser, but not before kicking the crap out of him first.

Cops eventually showed up, taking the pup -- named Champ -- to an animal hospital ... he suffered from a fractured rib, broken bones in his hind legs and a fracture in the right paw.

Jena posted a series of tweets about the incident, saying while she wishes it didn't have to end in a "brawl," she is grateful Champ is ok.

Turns out the man abusing Champ wasn't his actual owner, and he has reunited with his actual family thanks to a microchip last week. The dog is still in the hospital and will be undergoing surgery.

A GoFundMe has already been created for the family's medical bills -- almost hitting the $10K goal in under 24 hours.

WWE Legend Tammy Sytch Involved In Fatal Car Crash ... Cops Suspect DUI

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WWE legend Tammy Sytch allegedly caused a car crash last month in which a 75-year-old man died ... and police suspect she was under the influence of booze at the time of the wreck.

The Ormond Beach Police Dept. spelled out the allegations against Sytch in a new traffic crash report, obtained by TMZ Sports, saying the accident happened at around 8:28 PM on March 25 on U.S. Highway 1 in Volusia County.

According to the docs, Sytch was driving a 2012 Mercedes when she crashed into the rear of a 2013 Kia Sorento that had been stopped at a stoplight.

Police in the docs say the front of the Kia then crashed into the rear of a 2011 GMC Yukon that had also been stopped at the stoplight.

Cops say two witnesses said Sytch had been "driving at a high rate of speed" before hitting the Kia.

In the docs, officers say the driver of the Kia was transported to a nearby hospital, where he died from injuries suffered in the wreck. The officers say Sytch was also transported to the same hospital with unknown injuries.

In the docs, cops say the driver and the passengers in the Yukon complained of neck, back, side and head injuries -- but were not transported to the hospital.

Police say in the docs that they believed Sytch was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. They added that a blood sample was taken -- though the results of that test are still pending.

In a statement to TMZ Sports, a spokesperson for the Ormond Beach Police Dept. said they are actively investigating the crash -- and said toxicology results could ultimately lead to criminal charges against Sytch.

"OBPD has requested an expedited timeframe on the processing of these samples," the spokesperson said, "and the results will be made available as soon as the department receives them."

Sytch has been accused of drinking and driving before -- she's been arrested at least six times for DWI, including back in 2019 in New Jersey.

Sytch -- who was elected into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011 -- was also arrested earlier this year for allegedly threatening to kill a man with scissors.

Story developing ...

Kirsten Bloom Allen Ballerina Helps Ukrainian Dancer-Turned-Soldier 'Artists Helping Artists'

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SUPPORTING THE RESISTANCE

Ballerina Kirsten Bloom Allen is pulling off the near-impossible ... getting life-saving supplies to a fellow dancer in Ukraine, who's been forced to put aside his true passion so he can defend his country.

Oleksii Potiomkin says he wanted to help his fellow Ukrainians and protect his family at all costs, but supplies were scarce. When he and Kirsten joined us Wednesday on TMZ Live, she explained why she refused to sit by idly while a fellow dancer was in need.

Kirsten tells us she reached out to Oleksii online -- they knew each other through dance -- and they created a list of things needed for the Hospitallers, a volunteer paramedic group he joined that tends to Ukraine's wounded soldiers.

Kirsten says she shipped the supplies to another ballet dancer in Amsterdam, who took them through Poland and to Oleksii in Ukraine. Now, she's launched a fundraiser, hoping to get more supplies into the country such as medical supplies and food.

Oleksii tells us this war is forcing people from all walks of life to step up and fight for the cause. He started helping people on his own with medicine and aid, even before joining the Hospitallers.

Heroic and inspirational -- both fitting words for what Oleksii and Kristen are doing to protect Ukraine, and to help others heal.

Kirsten is asking anyone wanting to donate to head to her website, kirstenbloomallen.com

Steve Aoki Snowboarding Backflip Fail Caught On Video ... 'Still Feeling This tbh'

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NAILED IT

Steve Aoki's a great DJ -- but clearly a horrible Shaun White impressionist ... 'cause he comically failed at trying to hit a backflip on the slopes this week.

The 44-year-old posted video of his attempt at the difficult snowboarding trick on Tuesday -- and it's pretty hilarious.

In the footage, you can see Aoki in a blizzard hitting a ramp at full speed ... before launching himself into the air and slamming into the powder below him.

To his credit, he did get nearly all the way around -- but before he could land the trick, he pounded the snow hard.

"Still feeling this tbh," Aoki said of the failed stunt.

Waiting for your permission to load TikTok Post.

The DJ, though, seems to be pretty good on the board nonetheless -- and in a TikTok, he posted later Tuesday, you can see he's actually got at least some skills on the mountain.

Then again, he didn't land that trick either. So, maybe stick to the 1s and 2s and let White handle the snow tricks from here??

GA Youth Basketball Ref Needed 30 Stitches After Postgame Attack ... Tournament Official Says

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The referee who was kicked and punched in the face repeatedly following a Georgia youth basketball game needed 30 stitches to stop the bleeding ... a tournament official tells TMZ Sports.

But, Kenneth Tarver -- the founder of KB Sports who helped put on the youth tourney in Lithonia over the weekend -- says, somehow, the guy is doing better now.

The terrifying incident was all captured on video on Sunday at the Love Of The Game event at the Stronghold Christian Church -- when several young players and other bystanders appeared to beat the hell out of a ref after a game had concluded.

Tarver tells us the game actually featured teams full of eighth graders ... but, he said he has no idea what caused the postgame scuffle.

Tarver said he has spoken to the referee since the incident -- and while he needed to be stitched up after the attack, Tarver said he's going to make a full recovery.

Tarver added that he's banned the team involved in the scuffle going forward ... and he vowed to beef up security at future events as well.

"I'm gonna make it safer for the officials," Tarver tells us.

As we reported, cops are investigating the incident. A spokesperson for the Stronghold Christian Church, meanwhile, added in a statement that they're hoping and praying that future competitors "who enter our facility will conduct themselves in the best manner."

Twins' Nick Gordon Injured In Scary Collision With Teammate ... In Outfield

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Scary scene on the baseball diamond on Monday ... Twins left fielder Nick Gordon appeared to be knocked unconscious after he collided with his teammate in the outfield.

The terrifying moment happened during Minnesota's spring training game against the Boston Red Sox ... when Gordon and center fielder Max Kepler went after a fly ball at the same time.

The two Twins ended up crashing into each other before the ball dropped out of the sky -- and you can see in a clip of the play, Gordon got the worst of the collision.

The 26-year-old's body seemed to go stiff -- and he looked to be knocked out for several seconds.

Somehow, though, the Twins say Gordon avoided serious injury -- but he did have to leave the game and he is reportedly suffering from a minor headache.

It's unclear if the Minnesota utility man will be available for Opening Day later this week -- but here's to hoping he heals up quickly.

Tiger Woods All Smiles At Augusta ... Ready For Masters???

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Tiger Woods took yet another big step this weekend toward competing in this week's Masters -- hitting the course on Sunday for hours ... and looking VERY pleased with his results.

The Masters posted footage of the golf superstar while he was out at Augusta -- showing Woods taking a bunch of swings and smiling big as he took yet another practice spin around the course.

Woods has still not officially committed to playing in the prestigious event -- a tournament he's won five times in his career -- but it's clear, things appear to be trending toward him returning this week.

In other videos of Tiger at the course on Sunday, he didn't seem to have any issues swinging or walking around on his surgically repaired leg.

Woods has a press conference set for Tuesday morning at Augusta -- one in which many believe he'll formally announce his comeback.

Tiger did release a statement Sunday prior to hitting the course for his practice work -- saying it will be "a game-time decision on whether I compete."

As we reported, Woods has only played in one event since he mangled his leg in a February 2021 car crash ... looking good at the PNC Championship with his son Charlie Woods.

First round of the 2022 Masters is slated to begin on Thursday.

Isla Vista Beach Party Turns Chaotic with Injuries, ODs

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The college community that abuts UC Santa Barbara was out of control Saturday, after a rager left a bunch of people injured and hospitalized.

It was actually an annual event, called "Deltopia" ... and it's become wildly popular in the town of Isla Vista.

There were injuries -- one girl fell from a roof -- and OD's ... and there was enough that the Santa Barbara Fire Dept. declared the party a "multi-casualty incident." The SBFD said there were "multiple medical emergencies including multiple severe traumas."

The party went on through the afternoon Saturday ... it got so crowded that the EMTs had trouble getting the injured out of the area.

It's been a wild couple of days in IV ... on Friday there were arrests made and citations issued.

And, this is amusing ... authorities anticipated problems and imposed various restrictions, including noise limits. Have they ever been to Isla Vista?

X-Pac Tore Bicep In Wrestling Return ... Needs Surgery

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Crushing news for X-Pac ... the former WWE superstar says he tore his bicep last month in his highly anticipated return to the ring, and will require surgery to fix the injury before getting back in the squared circle.

49-year-old Pac, government name, Sean Michael Waltman, posted the gruesome pic of his injury on Twitter and an update on his health status, and it was pretty tough to digest.

"I tried to keep this on the down-low," X-Pac wrote, "but I tore my bicep in the tag match a month ago."

"I'm going to have surgery soon & then have a few more matches."

Pac joined the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weeknights on FS1) last month ... and told Mike & Mojo he was returning to the ring after a 3-year layoff to resume his wrestling career.

Sean announced that he would be fighting under the independent wrestling promotion Game Changer Wrestling, and his first match would be a tag team match.

The 2x WWE Hall of Famer joined forces with "The Bad Boy" Joey Janela to fight Brian Myers and Mojo's old WWE tag team partner, Matt Cardona in his first match back.

Aside from announcing his return to in-ring competition, Pac also revealed that he'd been wrestling with a torn ACL for about 14 years, but said he felt better thanks to surgery.

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WHAT TO EXPECT

Now, the former D-Generation X member will again need to go under the knife.

The silver lining ... Pac says he expects to be 100% after surgery, and will return to the ring. So, no sweat wrestling fans, the king of the bronco buster isn't going anywhere!!

Antonio Brown Hasn't Fixed Injured Ankle ... Only Having Surgery If An NFL Team Wants Me

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Antonio Brown badly wants to play in the NFL again, but the former Tampa Bay Bucs star wide receiver says he'll only have surgery to repair his busted ankle if an NFL team commits to signing him.

AB joined Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weeknights on FS1), and dished on everything from a possible reunion with Tom Brady in Tampa, to the status of his injured ankle, and what message he'd send to NFL Front Offices.

33-year-old Brown -- the President of Kanye West's Donda Sports -- sees himself playing in the league, but tells us the idea of reuniting with his once good friend, TB12, and the Bucs org. is almost certainly NOT going to happen.

"I don't think that's a possibility," Brown said. "How things were handled. How I was handled in regards to the injury. [They] just weren't able to use me for my value. My true value."

"But I was grateful for the opportunity and the position that I was in and I made the most out of it."

It's worth noting, we spoke to AB before Bruce Arians stepped down as Bucs head coach.

Antonio is still adamant he never "quit on the job." You'll recall Brown infamously left the field during the Bucs game against the New York Jets ... leading many to believe the star WR was done playing professional football.

"For them [Tampa Bay Bucs] to try to manipulate the narrative or act like I walked away from my job is far from the truth."

Of course, AB says the beef with Arians all goes back to the coach trying to force the All-Pro receiver to play on a badly injured ankle. So, we asked Antonio, who previously said he was getting the ankle operated on, whether he had yet gone under the knife.

"I need to get my ankle fixed, but I just want to make sure I got an obligation or a commitment from a team," Brown told us, adding ... "It's a lot for a guy to go do surgery without an idea of where you gonna work, or who you going to work for."

Despite making 7 Pro Bowls, Antonio says he would not be content if he never played another down in the NFL.

"I'm a player first," AB said. "I couldn't even be in this position without being a football player. So I never want to take that for granted. I would love to continue my career. I got a lot of game left in me."

In fact, Brown says he sees other wide receivers (rightfully) being taken care of with huge contracts (see Davante Adams' new $141-million deal) ... and he can't help but wonder why he hasn't signed a big-money deal.

"I still feel like I can put up big numbers, and I see what these guys are getting paid. I just wonder why my value isn't being upheld as the same."

But, don't take that as shade ... 'cause AB says they deserve it.

"I'm happy for those guys. I'm really grateful for those guys who pioneered the game. They take it further, and made their prices go up. So I'm grateful for those guys to get what they deserve," Antonio says.

"My situation is never about anyone else. It's just all about getting what I deserve because I know what I am and what I stand for, and you can't play with me, the numbers are the numbers."

In closing, Brown sent a message to prospective teams who might be on the fence when it comes to signing him.

"Watch the tape. It's not what the articles they sell. It's what I'm willing to do and what I'm capable of doing. I put my heart on the line, I put my will on the line, I put my skills on the line. I'm the best go in the stadium every week."

Bruins' Taylor Hall Sucker Punches Leafs Defenseman ... After Being Shoved Into Boards

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Boston Bruins star Taylor Hall -- a former league MVP -- was so pissed about being shoved into the boards during a game Tuesday night ... he retaliated by sucker punching the dude who pushed him.

The wild scene all went down late in the second period of the Bs' tilt with the Maple Leafs -- after Ilya Lyubushkin hurled Hall face-first into the wall as the Boston winger was trying to cross the midline.

You can see in footage of the play, Hall clearly thought the shove was unnecessary and dirty -- so he ran up from behind Lyubushkin and socked him in the jaw.

The Leafs defenseman went down hard -- and stayed on the ice for several seconds before he wobbled off into the locker room.

No word on if Lyubushkin suffered any serious injuries in the play -- but he was unable to return to the game. Toronto said in a statement afterward that the 27-year-old was being held out for "precautionary reasons."

The NHL, meanwhile, has already announced punishment for Hall over the swing -- saying it's fined the 30-year-old $5,000 "for roughing" Lyubushkin.

Lyubushkin's team was able to get the last laugh on Hall on Tuesday, though, coming away from the game with a 6-4 win.

'Love & Hip Hop's Apple Watts Still Fighting For Her Life In Hospital Following Fiery Car Wreck

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Apple Watts, former star of "Love & Hip Hop," is still fighting for her life after a violent car crash sent her to the hospital with severe injuries.

Sources close to Apple tell TMZ ... the wreck left her with 2 breaks in her neck, a shattered arm and a brain injury. While we're told she's able to breathe on her own, she's still getting oxygen in hopes it helps with the healing process.

We're told she still has not opened her eyes or been able to verbally communicate. Doctors are doing what they can ... she underwent a successful surgery Tuesday night on her neck.

As we reported, Apple was driving on the freeway last week in Baker, CA when her Mercedes collided with a Ford F250 pickup truck. Her car flipped multiple times, bursting into flames before it came to a stop.

The 36-year-old was pulled from the wreckage by the passenger of the truck and was life-flighted to a hospital in Nevada to be treated for her injuries.

The cause of the accident has not been determined. Apple's friends, family and doctors remain hopeful she'll make a full recovery ... though there's a long, uncertain road ahead.

Henry Ruggs Crash Witness Says NFLer Was 'Dangling' After Wreck ... 'I Thought He Was Dead'

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One of the first people on the scene of the Henry Ruggs crash is providing new, horrifying details of the wreck ... saying he thought the NFL star was dead after he saw the football player "dangling" from his car in the moments after the accident.

Tony Rodriguez -- who was driving on Rainbow Road with a friend in Las Vegas just moments after Ruggs slammed his Corvette into Tina Tintor's Rav4 there back in November 2021 -- recounted the terrifying specifics of the night recently to Sports Illustrated.

Rodriguez told SI reporter Jeff Pearlman that as he approached the two wrecked vehicles just seconds after the collision -- he stopped at Ruggs' car first ... and noticed the former Las Vegas Raider was halfway ejected from his sports car.

Rodriguez said Ruggs' lower body was still in the ride, but his torso was "dangling" outside of it. He said he was going to tell Ruggs' girlfriend, who was a passenger in the Corvette, to leave him be, but said she had already begun pulling the wide receiver out.

"She grabbed him and pulled him fully out," Rodriguez said. "I have no idea who he is. I don't care about football. Never heard of Henry Ruggs. But, I didn't see no life in his body."

"I thought he was dead."

Rodriguez said he and his friend then quickly turned to Tintor's vehicle -- and tried their hardest to get her and her dog, Max, out of the burning car.

Rodriguez said he got a hammer from his truck and tried to break her free -- and even though others arrived to help, none could get her out.

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THE AFTERMATH

Officials later determined Tintor died inside the car from thermal injuries. She was just 23 years old.

Ruggs, meanwhile, suffered injuries in the crash, but is expected to make a full recovery. He's since been hit with five charges -- including four felonies -- for his alleged role in the crash.

If convicted on all counts, he faces decades behind bars.

Christian Eriksen Scores On Same Field As Collapse ... 290 Days After Cardiac Arrest

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Christian Eriksen solidified his incredible comeback on Tuesday ... by scoring a goal on the same field he suffered a cardiac arrest on just 290 days prior -- and the scene is incredibly powerful.

The moment happened in the 57th minute of Denmark's match against Serbia at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen ... when Eriksen fired a shot to the near post and to the back of the net to secure a 3-0 lead and the win.

Naturally, the home fans stood and shouted for the soccer star ... and his teammates celebrated as Eriksen scored his second goal in two games.

BTW -- CE scored a goal for Denmark on Saturday ... in his first game back since he collapsed to the field during Euro 2020 last June.

Eriksen previously did not know if he'd ever be able to suit up and take the pitch again ... but all doubt has been erased less than one year later.

Incredible stuff from Eriksen.

WWE's Triple H Says He'll Never Wrestle Again ... Details Heart Failure

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WWE legend Triple H is opening up about his future in the ring, insisting he'll never wrestle again because of a heart condition that nearly killed him, and now requires him to have a defibrillator in his chest.

Triple H, real name Paul Levesque, joined Stephen A. Smith on his "Stephen A's World" show ... and the former WWE champ said flat out his wrestling days are over.

Levesque detailed a scary medical situation where he says he almost died in late 2021. He wasn't feeling well, and went to see doctors who performed tests. After an EKG and [echocardiogram], Paul says he received an urgent message from his doctor.

"I got a quick text message saying don't take time, pack a bag real quick and head to the emergency room."

When he got to the hospital, Triple H says his heart was functioning at a very diminished level, and the outcome looked grim.

"I was nosediving and was sorta at the one-yard line of where you don't want to be," Triple H told Smith.

Paul got emotional at times when talking about the possibility of never seeing his family again.

"There's moments in there, when they're putting you out and stuff and you wonder, 'Is this it? Do you wake up from this?'"

Thankfully, doctors saved Triple H's life ... but because of the scare, he's done working inside the squared circle.

"As far as in-ring, I'm done. I will never wrestle again," Paul told Stephen, saying, "First of all, I have a defibrillator in my chest, and it's probably not wise for me to get zapped on live TV."

We haven't seen the 52-year-old wrestle in years -- and it was rumored that his wrestling days were over following his cardiac incident late last year.

In fact, Triple H's (aka "The Game") last televised match came in 2019 ... where he was defeated by Randy Orton in Saudi Arabia.

When H wasn't entertaining the WWE universe inside the ring or on the mic, he was busy helping grow NXT, the developmental arm of the company.

Triple H is one of the pioneers in the industry -- his career spans almost 30 years and he's won multiple titles throughout his tenure as a WWE superstar.

TMZ Sports spoke with Ric Flair, who sent his best wishes for the legend shortly after the news.

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IT'S A HUGE DEAL

The announcement spells the end of an era for one of the most dominant athletes to step foot inside the squared circle.

Triple H was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019.

Connor McDavid Gives Pep Talk To 5-Year-Old Fan ... Battling Brain Cancer

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The Edmonton Oilers gave a five-year-old battling stage four brain cancer the moment of a lifetime when they let him be their flag bearer for the night ... and star player Connor McDavid provided him with a pep talk right on the ice!!

The emotional scene went down Thursday night as the Oilers took on the San Jose Sharks ... with passionate fan Ben Stelter getting honored before the game.

In the emotional video, you can see Ben -- wearing a custom Oilers jersey -- accompanied onto the ice by team captain McDavid ... as he was introduced over the PA system to the crowd.

Ben, who's battling glioblastoma (an aggressive type of cancer that can occur in the brain or spinal cord) was diagnosed with a brain tumor a year ago ... and underwent four rounds of chemotherapy and 30 sessions of radiation to remove it.

Unfortunately, the tumor returned in December.

And now, Ben is starting another round of radiation in the near future ... so the Oilers wanted to show the youngster some love and support.

"It was an honor to have such an inspirational #Oilers fan as our @Scotiabank Skater," the org. wrote on social media.

Keep fighting, Ben!! Amazing moment.