UFC

Daniel Cormier wasn't interested in watching Jon Jones fight Anthony Smith in person on Saturday ... he had other things on his mind -- like taking his family to Disneyland!!!

Despite the crazy feud between the two, DC tells us he wasn't going to let Jones dictate his weekend -- and instead opted to take his wife and kids to the Magic Kingdom in Anaheim, CA -- 260 miles from the Jones fight in Vegas.

There was a good reason for the trip ... DC's daughter, Marquita, turned 7 years old and the UFC champ wanted to do something special for her birthday.

Of course, while Cormier was enjoying the Happiest Place on Earth, Jones put a beating on Anthony Smith at UFC 235 ... boosting his official record to an impressive 24-1-1.

Jones doesn't acknowledge his 1 loss -- because it was due to a disqualification from an illegal elbow in a fight he was otherwise dominating.

It was almost deja vu for Jones this weekend -- he hit Smith with an illegal knee and was THIIIS close to being DQ'd again ... but Smith took the honorable path out and opted to continue the fight.

Jones won in a unanimous decision.

Cormier -- the reigning UFC heavyweight champ -- and Dana White say he's gunning to set up a 3rd fight with Jones before he hangs it up for good.

DC lost the first time he fought Jones and was KO'd in the rematch -- but that 2nd loss was later ruled a "no contest" because Jones tested positive for a banned substance.

So, will DC agree to one last brawl with his arch enemy?

UFC's new welterweight champ, Kamaru Usman, just can't wait to get a piece of Colby Covington -- so much so, in fact, that they almost came to blows inside a casino.

The two MMA fighters faced off (again) Sunday at the Palm Casino Resort in Vegas -- just a day after Kamaru man-handled former welterweight champ Tyron Woodley ... and was announced to fight Colby next by UFC prez Dana White.

It's also less than 24 hours after Kamaru and Colby nearly got into it just after Saturday night's UFC event. As he was leaving the Octagon, Kamaru came straight at Colby ... who was sitting nearby in the crowd rockin' a MAGA hat and his belt.

They were broken up and escorted away, but this time around ... there weren't as many security guards on hand to keep them separated near the A.Y.C.E. buffet in the Palm. The scene is pretty tense, as there were women and children around.

Check out the clip -- it's hard to tell who the initial aggressor was, but it looks like Kamaru's camp, including UFC manager Ali Abdelaziz, really tries to go in and attack Colby -- who circles back to get closer to Kamaru as punches are thrown by Ali ... but don't really connect.

Later in the video, you hear Colby tell someone on the phone that he just got swung on by Ali.

Eyewitnesses tell us more security showed up just in time before things got really out of control, and both men were escorted out of the building. We're told cops weren't called for this altercation.

If there's one thing Jon Jones knows, it's that Las Vegas LOVES a winner, and he got mad amounts of love inside one nightclub ... hours after he defended his title in UFC 235.

The light heavyweight champ celebrated his victory over Anthony Smith at On The Record -- the speakeasy inside Park MGM -- and was swarmed by fans and friends, raising glass after glass of champagne to him.

Jones was looking pretty pristine after going 5 rounds in the Octagon ... and he probably took more selfies inside the club than he did shots to the face during the bout.

Jon told TMZ Sports he wants to rattle off 50 straight wins -- a la Floyd Mayweather -- and Saturday night was a great launching point ... he won by unanimous decision.

Ex-NBA player Royce White says he's already taken real steps to make his UFC dream come true -- telling TMZ Sports he's reached out to Dana White's team in the hopes of getting a real fight in the Octagon.

We spoke with the 6'8", 260-pounder to find out how he's transitioning from the court to the mat -- and why the 28-year-old believes he can be dominant.

"One thing I am is a supreme athlete, one of the best athletes in the world," White says.

"And, not just because I was drafted int the NBA or because I'm a good basketball player. But because, even for a basketball player, I was one of the most athletic, unique, talented, skilled, composed, skilled athletes in that realm."

Royce also says when it comes to throwing punches, he has an advantage over virtually every person who's ever stepped in the cage.

"I have one of the top 10 biggest sets of hands in the history of the NBA."

That fact checks out -- look it up.

As we previously reported, White was balling out in Canada -- but believes he can be a great MMA fighter and he's already been training with a top MMA coach out in Minnesota.

White says his goal is to become the UFC heavyweight champ -- and he knows he's got his work cut out for him ... with fighters like Brock Lesnar, Daniel Cormier, Stipe Miocic and maybe Jon Jones looking to stand in his way.

G.O.A.T. vs. G.O.A.T?!?!?

It's possible ... with MMA legend Demetrious Johnson telling TMZ Sports he's down for a 3-round boxing match with Floyd Mayweather.

First off, DJ says Floyd is the one guy he would NEVER bet against in a fight -- "because he's just that good."

So, the respect is there.

But, now that Floyd's in the exhibition business -- where he's taking 3-round fights in Japan for roughly $10 mil-a-pop -- would Johnson be interested in testing his boxing skills against the best ever?

"Absolutely, I'll step in there and fight Floyd," 32-year-old Johnson said ... "3 rounds? Just boxing? I'll do that. It'll be fun! I feel like I'll do fine."

And, this isn't one of those hypothetical matchups either -- because as Johnson put it, "I think for Floyd Mayweather if it makes money sense, I think he would do anything."

Mayweather has already proven to be a big draw in Asia -- and with Johnson now fighting in Japan, his popularity is expected to skyrocket there too.

And, if DJ wins his March 31 fight against Yuya Wakamatsu at "ONE Championship: A New Era" -- it'll only help to create interest.

You're probably not reading this because you're still staring at Sage Northcutt and Eddie Alvarez's irresistible washboard abs ... so, we'll wait.

...

...

... Okay, ready?

HOLY CRAP, LOOK AT THESE GUYS!!! Sage and Eddie were out promoting ONE Championship in L.A. earlier this week ... when our camera guy was thirsty for some 6-packs.

The fighters happily oblige to show off their hard-earned bods ... but when we tried to pin them up against each other for an epic ab-off, say "new vs. experienced" ... they refused.

So, we'll take matters into our own hands -- on your left, you have the 23-year-old Northcutt (new) ... and on the right, you have the 35-year-old Underground King (experienced).

Check out what each guy has to say about each other (they're too damn nice for their own good).

WHO HAS THE BEST ABS!?!?! WE MUST KNOW.

Jon Jones says he's gunning to fight 4 TIMES in 2019 -- and wants to keep that pace as long as he can -- telling TMZ Sports he's already got some high-profile opponents in mind.

Israel Adesanya. Johnny Walker. Thiago Santos.

Yeah, Jones says he's down to fight 'em all ... right after he takes care of Anthony Smith at UFC 235 on Saturday.

Of course, people have been comparing Israel Adesanya to Jones ... saying the 29-year-old has a similar physique, fight style and fight IQ.

Jon's clearly aware of all the talk out there and says he's "got a feeling me and him will eventually fight each other."

"I'd be excited for that challenge."

Israel is on a pretty impressive run of his own -- he's 16-0 -- with big wins over guys like Anderson Silva, Derek Brunson and Brad Tavares.

He's also on track to fight Kelvin Gastelum for the UFC interim middleweight title at UFC 236 on April 13.

As for Johnny Walker, he's on an 8-fight win streak and has been creating all sorts of buzz for himself after a big victory over Justin Ledet at UFC Fight Night on February 2.

"My job is to knock 'em down as they come," Jones tells TMZ Sports ... "My job is just to be like a brick wall."

Jones says he feels bad for missing so much time due to outside-the-Octagon issues -- and wants to repay the fans by fighting as much as possible over the next few years ... 3 to 4 fights a year.

UFC legend Matt Hughes is adamant he NEVER physically abused his wife and nephew -- and claims they're all making up false allegations to drive him out of their lives.

Long story short ... Hughes says he's "not the same person" since his accident -- when a train slammed into his truck in 2017, resulting in a serious brain injury.

"Since my train accident in June of 2017, my life has been changed forever. Some days have been absolute hell," Hughes says.

"The challenges and battles that I have faced have been far greater than anything I ever took on in a cage ... everyday I continue to try to be as normal as someone with a brain injury can be."

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Matt's wife and nephew both obtained restraining orders against him, claiming he's gotten violent and they're scared for their safety.

In fact, Matt's wife claims he attacked her on multiple occasions and threatened to shoot her.

Matt responded to those allegations in a statement posted to social media -- saying the accusations are false.

"Unfortunately, my marriage was not perfect long before the accident, but NEVER, NEVER, NEVER would I, or have I, physically hurt those who I care about most."

"I do not resent those who are trying to hurt me and paint me out to be a monster through these false accusations."

Matt says he also believes his family members are trying to rid him from their lives because he's become a burden due to his brain injury.

Jon Jones tells TMZ Sports he wants to be the first MMA fighter to finish his career with a 50-0 record -- becoming the Floyd Mayweather of the sport -- and he's 100% confident he can do it.

First things first ... we know Jones already has 1 loss on his record, but it's because Jon was disqualified for throwing illegal elbows in a fight he was otherwise dominating. Clearly, Jones doesn't consider that an official loss.

Instead, Jon views himself as unbeaten in the Octagon with a 24-0 record (instead of 23-1) -- and says he plans to chalk up another 26 victories ... starting with Anthony Smith on Saturday at UFC 235.

After that, Jones says he realizes he's on a collision course with Daniel Cormier ... but says it's unlikely they will fight at heavyweight unless the bag is gigantic.

"[The UFC] can convince me to fight Daniel Cormier," Jones says ... "We give the fans what they want to see."

As far as that 50 win mark, Jon explained it this way -- "I think 50-0 would be a really great number ... no one's ever done it. That puts you up there with Mayweather and some of the all-time greats in boxing."

"I'm 31 years old and I believe the best is yet to come."

Jones says he's got the best team around him that he's ever had and says he feels great.

While Jones is considered by many to be the greatest UFC fighter of all time, it ain't gonna be easy to get to 50-0.

Oscar De La Hoya says "REAL" boxing promoters don't tamper with other fighters -- and says, if Floyd Mayweather wants to set up a fight with Ryan Garcia, he's gotta do it the PROPER way.

Oscar -- who runs Golden Boy Promotions -- sent a cease and desist letter to Floyd after Mayweather made a fight offer to Garcia during an interview with TMZ Sports earlier this month.

In the TMZ Sports video, Mayweather looked in the camera and told Garcia -- a Golden Boy fighter -- that he'd offer $200k for Ryan to fight Mayweather Promotions fighter Rolando Romero.

If Garcia beat Romero, Floyd said he'd grant Garcia's wish to fight Mayweather's top boxer, Gervonta "Tank" Davis.

Both Garcia and Davis are rising stars in boxing's super featherweight division -- and seem to be on a collision course to battle in the near future.

After making the offer, Floyd invited Garcia to his 42nd birthday party -- and the two seemed to be chatting it up ... with Oscar nowhere to be seen.

Now, Oscar is pissed -- telling TMZ Sports, "There are proper ways of making fights happen. Look, you don't go out there publicly."

Oscar added, "The proper way is you send in a contract, you take a look at it and then we talk about it ... that's what real promoters do."

Oscar says he has not heard "one word" from Floyd's camp before or after sending the letter.

It sounds like Oscar is still interested in making a Davis vs. Garcia fight -- but he refuses to hash it out in the media and wants Floyd to deal with him behind the scenes ... or else.

Meanwhile, Oscar has a lot on his plate -- he's currently promoting the massive Canelo Alvarez vs. Daniel Jacobs fight scheduled to go down May 4 on DAZN.

Daniel Cormier better watch out ... there's a new guy comin' for the UFC heavyweight belt -- ex-NBA player Royce White!!

The 6'8", 260-pounder announced he's now transitioning to MMA and even has a full-time coach in Minnesota.

In his new book "MMA x NBA," the 27-year-old says he's dead serious about becoming a pro fighter -- and he's got some BIG goals.

“I’m coming for the UFC Heavyweight Crown,” RW told The Last Renaissance.

He's even hooked up with famed MMA coach Greg Nelson -- who has trained UFC stars like Brock Lesnar.

It's an interesting move for White who's been making headlines for years -- both for his athletic talent and his fight with the NBA and Houston Rockets over the way they deal with mental health issues.

White's story is pretty well-known ... after dominating at Iowa State, he was selected 16th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft ... but didn't make his NBA debut until 2014 due to a dispute with the Houston Rockets over his mental health condition.

White was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder in grade school -- he's openly talked about how the condition affects many facets of his life, especially flying.

Royce was drafted by the Rockets and immediately became openly outspoken for mental health awareness in the NBA, a stance he believes strained his relationship with league officials.

After a short stint with the Sacramento Kings, White picked up his basketball career in the National Basketball League of Canada, where he was league MVP in 2017.

But, if White is serious about getting a UFC contract, it seems he's leaving basketball for good ... with UFC honcho Dana White having talked about the insane commitment it takes to fight with the best in the world.

Boxing champ Claressa Shields -- a 2-time Olympic gold medalist -- says UFC star Amanda Nunes would get a RUDE AWAKENING if they ever fought ... explaining, "I T-Rex bitches!"

23-year-old Shields is the biggest star in women's boxing right now -- she's the undisputed, unified champ in TWO weight classes with an 8-0 pro record. She's a BEAST!!!

She's also very close with Cris Cyborg -- and was at UFC 232 back in December when Cyborg got knocked out by Nunes.

So, we asked if she's down to avenge her friend ... and she told us she's 100% confident she would destroy the Brazilian superstar.

First off, Shields says she'd need a year of hardcore MMA training to become the baddest woman in the Octagon -- but if Nunes wanted to step in the boxing ring, she'd beat that ass right now.

"Amanda Nunes caught Cris Cyborg because Cris Cyborg went in there wild and crazy," Shields says.

"We got 10 rounds. Amanda Nunes can't beat me in a boxing match."

"Myself, I'm the G.O.A.T. I'm the greatest woman of all time!"

Shields says she's not interested in an MMA fight right now -- but she's not ruling it out down the line.

Right now, she's focused on her April 13 fight against undefeated German superstar Christina Hammer.

Conor McGregor would be STUPID to take a rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov because it's a fight he'll never win ... ever ... so says Eddie Alvarez.

Of course, Eddie battled Conor back in 2016 at UFC 205 and lost via TKO in the 2nd round -- so he's well aware of what Conor's capable of doing in the Octagon.

But, Eddie says Khabib's wrestling is just too much for Conor -- the Irishman can't stop the Dagestani's ground game -- and if they run their 2018 fight back, it ain't gonna go well for McGregor.

"He can't overcome the style matchup," Alvarez says ... "Khabib just has a style that beats him. That's it."

There's another issue ... Eddie isn't convinced Khabib actually wants to fight again -- and thinks we may have seen the last of The Eagle.

As for Eddie, he's gearing up for his March 31 battle with Timofey Nastyukhin at the ONE Championship: A New Era event in Japan.

**ATTENTION DEGENERATE GAMBLERS**

UFC star Anthony Smith says you can make a TON of cash betting on him to knock out Jon Jones at UFC 235 this weekend ... telling TMZ Sports, it's a safe bet.

Of course, Smith is a huge underdog in the fight ... the current line is Jones (-950) and Smith (+575).

In other words, if you bet $100 on Smith to win, it pays $575. If you bet on Jones, you need to plunk down $950 just to make a $100 profit.

But, Smith tells us, "If you wanna make some money, throw some money on me, man!!! If you don't and you bet against me, I'm sorry you're gonna lose your money."

Check out the clip ... Smith looks locked in and tells us exactly how he plans on beating Jones, who some call the greatest fighter in UFC history.

"I'm gonna finish Jon Jones," Smith says.

"I'm gonna put this fist on his chin and he's gonna go down. And, whether he stays down is up to him. But, if he gets back up, I'll do it again."

Anthony is currently on a 3-fight win streak -- with 6 wins in his last 7 fights. He's got solid victories over guys like Shogun Rua, Rashad Evans and Volkan Oezdemir.

UFC legend Matt Hughes has been ordered to stay 500-feet away from his wife -- who claims Matt has physically attacked her multiple times and once threatened to shoot her.

It's all part of court docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, in which Audra Hughes describes a disturbing pattern of violence and abusive behavior beginning in 2017.

Remember, the UFC Hall of Famer nearly died when a train struck his truck in a June 2017 accident that left Hughes with a serious brain injury.

But, Audra says shortly after he recovered from the trauma in September or October 2017 ... he roughed her up badly in the shower.

Audra claims she refused to give Matt his truck keys, saying, "I told him he can't have them because he shouldn't drive due to his DAI (brain injury)."

She alleges Matt then snapped ... choked her -- and asked her for the code to his gun vault.

When Audra refused again ... she says Matt choked her again, smashed her head against the shower wall and screamed, "This is what choking is!"

Audra says nearly a year later on July 21, 2018 ... Matt told her, "I'm going to f*cking shoot you," because she took his phone, claiming, "he was communicating with multiple women."

Audra also says just a few months later, on Dec. 12, 2018 ... Matt hit her in front of her son, their daughter and her step-dad after she accused him of texting other women.

Audra filed for a restraining order the following day ... and a judge has since ordered the fighter to stay at least 500-feet away from Audra and their children.

There's more ... Matt's twin brother, Mark Hughes -- a retired MMA fighter who competed at UFC 28 in 2000 -- has also filed for a restraining order against the 45-year-old, alleging Matt roughed up his son and tried to destroy his tractor.

Mark says the two had a disagreement over which brother actually OWNS the tractor ... and when Matt saw Mark's 15-year-old son driving it sometime later on Sept. 23, 2018 -- he lost it on the kid.

Mark alleges Matt grabbed his son, shook him and told him that's his "f*cking tractor."

Mark also says a week later on Sept. 30, 2018 ... he believes Matt doused the tractor and its surrounding area in gasoline -- and suspects he was trying to destroy it.

Mark filed for a restraining order the next day ... which a judge granted -- ordering Matt to stay away from his brother and his family.

Matt was a 2x UFC Welterweight Champion and piled up a career 45-9 record with victories over legends including Georges St-Pierre, BJ Penn and Matt Serra.

He was recently recognized as a guest of honor on January 14, 2018, at UFC Fight Night in St. Louis.

Conor McGregor is scared. Scared of Khabib, and scared of a rematch ... and they ain't fighting, at least according to Khabib's manager.

Manager Ali Abdelaziz told TMZ Sports his superstar fighter wants to return to the Octagon in September ... so we asked, is there a shot Khabib fights Conor in a rematch of their record-setting UFC 229 bout?

Ali's answer ...

"Conor McGregor did not ask for the rematch. He don't want to have nothing to do with the rematch."

In fact, Ali says it ain't just Conor who's shook ... his whole family and homeland is terrified of Khabib.

"His father don't wan't nothing to do with rematch. His mother don't want nothing to do with rematch. His kids. His wife. The whole country of Ireland. They don't want to spell the word rematch. They are fear. It's fear going around Ireland."

"They don't wan't to see anything that starts with 'K.'"

So, if it's not Conor ... who will Khabib fight?

Well, Ali says it could be Tony Ferguson -- but the Eagle's down to fight anyone ... or anything.

"[Khabib] will fight a camel. A donkey. He will fight a bear. He will fight a tiger. But, I know one thing, we're gonna let Conor live rest of his life in peace."

Ali left us with a message for McGregor ... "If you can't inhale the smoke, don't talk about the smoke."