Josh Hokit's fighting Derrick Lewis at the White House in just a few days, but you wouldn't know it listening to the up-and-coming UFC heavyweight ... who stayed mocking Alex Pereira during a recent, albeit brief, conversation with TMZ Sports!
"Chama," the 28-year-old said when Babcock spoke to the 28-year-old fighter earlier this week ... using a faux-translator to seemingly jab Pereira.
Of course, Alex is from Brazil, and English is not his first language. Hokit, meanwhile, is from Bakersfield -- about 100 miles outside Los Angeles -- and very much does.
Donald Trump's arrival at Madison Square Garden was almost as anticipated as tipoff itself ... with POTUS instantly becoming part of the show when he stepped into the building for Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
Watch for yourself ... the MSG faithful made their feelings known ... turning Trump's appearance during the National Anthem into one of the loudest moments of the night so far.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez thinks President Donald Trump'sreception at the NBA Finals could come down to one thing ... the price of admission.
Jacobcaught up with the Congresswoman from New York on Capitol Hill Monday, where she kicked things off by joining in on a viral Knicks rallying cry that's been making the rounds online -- "My mayor is Muslim, my bagel is Jewish, my Christian's Dior ... Knicks in 4!"
Waiting for your permission to load the Twitter Tweet.
Check out the clip ... after sharing a laugh over the chant, AOC was asked what kind of welcome Trump can expect when he shows up at Madison Square Garden for Game 3.
The NY Knicks are two games from their first NBA title in 53 years, but President Trump's presence at Madison Square Garden has dominated much of the conversation... begging the question, will it distract the hometown team?!
No, not at all ... according to former NBA star Zach Randolph, who TMZ Sports ran into at LAX on Monday.
"At this stage where these guys are playing for a championship, I don't think that's going to distract [the Knicks] because it's more important things than, you know, getting distracted by the president," the 2x NBA All-Star said.
Cardi B is making the first NBA Finals game in New York City in 27 years even more epic ... TMZ has confirmed she's performing at Game 3.
A source tells us the "WAP" singer will be the star of the halftime show Monday night when the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs head to the locker room.
Cardi will be among a huge list of celebs in the house at Madison Square Garden for the first NBA Finals matchup at MSG since the Knicks and the Spurs back in 1999.
PresidentDonald Trump's trip to the NBA Finals is getting boxed out by Rep. Hakeem Jeffries... who says POTUS has a knack for making every big event about himself.
The House Democratic Leader weighed in when Jacob caught up with him on Capitol Hill Monday. Watch the clip ... Jeffries questions Trump's sudden Knicks fandom and explains why he's not exactly thrilled about the prez showing up to Madison Square Garden for Game 3.
Jeffries told us New Yorkers have waited decades to see the Knicks back in the NBA Finals ... and suggested the spotlight should stay on the team instead of the controversy surrounding Trump's visit.
Cut the music ... John Summit says his DJ set in Monaco came to an abrupt end after another artist forced his way on stage ... and his production director is seemingly blaming TravisScott.
Here's what happened ... John was playing Lilly's Club in Monte Carlo for the F1 after party on Sunday when someone climbed up onto the stage, causing such a commotion that the whole show got shut down.
Waiting for your permission to load the Twitter Tweet.
You can see in the video ... it looks like Travis is the person who pulled himself up on stage. John sounded off on the incident, saying ... "last night was out of my control. my show got shut down due to another artist showing up late and forcing his way onto the stage."
BrookeHogan isn't celebrating the Clearwater Police Department closing the book on HulkHogan's death investigation ... telling TMZ she believes authorities botched the case from the very beginning.
After police announced there has been no evidence to indicate Hulk's death was anything other than natural, Brooke tells TMZ she was stunned to see the department publicly thank her for her cooperation ... 'cause she says she felt like an outsider throughout the entire process.
Brooke says ... "There's been a lot of inconsistencies from the BEGINNING. I think CWPD missed the mark by not IMMEDIATELY making this a big investigation and not questioning everything and everybody out the gate. This should have been treated as a taped off, locked down, thorough investigation from day one."
She also says the department's public acknowledgment felt like "a slap in the face." Clearwater police have declined to comment on her statements.
Further proof a massive scandal can't rock the Vrabels -- Mike and Jen were a united front while celebrating their son's engagement over the weekend.
The New England Patriots head coach's son, Tyler, and Mariah Romano shared the big relationship news on Sunday ... with the new fiancée gushing over the moment.
"The most perfect engagement surrounded by the people I love most," Romano said alongside some snaps from the day.
Michael Jordan'sson Marcus Jordan's summer is heating up nicely ... because he was spotted strolling hand-in-hand with a mystery brunette during a flirty day on South Beach.
The two looked plenty comfortable together Sunday as they soaked up the South Florida sun ... with Marcus rocking an all-black outfit while his companion turned heads in a red bikini top, striped shorts and a cheeky look that had beachgoers doing double takes.
They stayed close throughout the outing, chatting as they walked the boardwalk and beachfront together. At one point, Marcus appeared to place a hand on the woman's shoulder ... and later, the pair held hands as they made their way through the crowds.
The sighting is the latest peek at Marcus' love life since his headline-making relationship with 'Real Housewives of Miami' star Larsa Pippen, whom he dated on and off for about a year and a half before their 2024 split.
Olivia Culpo is positively glowing as she shows off her second pregnancy during a sun-soaked getaway to Los Cabos for husband Christian McCaffrey's milestone 30th birthday celebration.
While the trip was technically all about her NFL star husband's big day, Olivia had no trouble stealing the spotlight in a tiny royal blue bikini that put her growing baby bump front and center.
The model looked radiant and relaxed as she and the San Francisco 49ers running back hit the water ... soaking up the sunshine, and embracing full vacation mode during their Mexican escape.
Spike Lee had the legendary West 4th Street courts lookin' like a Knicks block party on Monday ... just hours before tip-off of the most anticipated basketball game in NYC in decades!
The Academy Award winner and NYK superfan pulled up to The Cage in a royal blue and orange wrapped bus, the Fanatics Fan Wagon, around noon -- as scores of fans surrounded the bus to chop it up with Spike, before he heads to the Garden for tonight's game.
Lee and Fanatics hooked fans up with autographed memorabilia, including a signed Karl-Anthony Towns jersey.
The UFC's iconic Octagon Girls are getting a new look ahead of the White House card -- their Freedom 250 outfits were revealed on Monday ... and they're patriotic from head to toe!!
The full attire lineup features plenty of Red, White and Blue options ... some similar to what Wonder Woman would wear, while others are more formal with flowy stars and stripes patterns, as if Betsy Ross herself stitched them together.
Red Dela Cruz and Chrissy Blair modeled all the 'fits ... which will be worn during the ceremonial weigh-ins and actual fight night on the White House South Lawn, where four different sets of threads will be put on display for all in attendance and watching from home.
A private jet slated to fly MLB great Yadier Molina to Puerto Rico crashed shortly after takeoff in the Dominican Republic on Sunday ... resulting in the deaths of the pilot and co-pilot.
According to what former MLB player Yadier Molina posted on his Instagram account, the plane that crashed in which the pilot and co-pilot, the only people on board, lost their lives was heading to Texas to pick up him and his family. The accident occurred in La Romana, Dominican… pic.twitter.com/hJjDrS5Er0@mikedeportes
The 43-year-old St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer mourned the tragedy on his social media accounts ... revealing the Gulfstream G200 Galaxy aircraft was actually heading for Texas to pick up his family and friends.
The horrific accident was captured on video ... showing the jet attempting an emergency return to the airport after the staffers experienced complications on board.
Brooke Hogan called the police days after her father Hulk Hogan’s death to ask about his autopsy ... TMZ has learned.
According to a Clearwater Police Department report, obtained by TMZ, Brooke contacted an officer to see if an autopsy would be done on her dad following his July 2025 death.
The police told Brooke the decision would be made by the Medical Examiner.
President Trump loves a good wall ... so it's only fitting Madison Square Garden set one up outside the venue ahead of POTUS' attendance at Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
The safety barricade was put in place by Monday morning ... one of the many safety measures implemented in preparation for Nos. 45 and 47's appearance at the World's Most Famous Arena for the Knicks vs. Spurs matchup.
The vibes will be quite different from the usual ... as rowdy watch parties will not take place outside the building, which has upset Knicks supporters. There will be an event at Bryant Park for backers to congregate at instead ... a 15-minute walk away from MSG.
