UFC

Tyron Woodley wants to save UFC 249 -- telling TMZ Sports he's willing to replace Khabib and fight Tony Ferguson ...

OR -- HOW ABOUT WE FINALLY GET THAT TYRON VS. COLBY COVINGTON FIGHT!?

"They need a big savior for this. Me and Colby, I think,  is a big enough fight to make to save the day," Woodley says.

As we previously reported, Khabib Nurmagomedov says he's stuck in Russia and most likely won't be able to fight Tony on April 18 ... which leaves the UFC looking for another main event.

Tyron says he's more than willing to battle Tony -- "Sh*t, I'll step in and get that fight."

But, if that doesn't work out, Tyron -- whose March 21 fight against Leon Edwards was postponed over the COVID-19 pandemic -- says he's got a better idea!

"[Colby], quit being a bitch. Quit talking sh*t if you ain't gon' do nothing about it. Step up and fight me, and get your ass beat."

In fact, Woodley even has a message for UFC honcho Dana White.

"Dana hit me up, man. You know I'm not always the motherf**ka that you call on last-minute notice but it's a new year, new leaf. And, ya know, I think I can really come out there and I'm not just sayin' it."

Francis Ngannou says if Dana White can lock down a location for UFC 249 -- the epic Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Tony Ferguson card -- he will be there ... ready to beat the hell outta Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

The 33-year-old, 6'4", 260 lb. monster was scheduled to fight Rozenstruik -- a 32-year-old, undefeated heavyweight -- Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.

Then, Coronavirus screwed everything up ... and the highly anticipated March 28th fight was put on ice.

But, that doesn't mean the men ain't gonna scrap ... 'cause Ngannou tells TMZ Sports that he is 100% fighting -- assuming the UFC honcho can find a place that's down to host the event.

"[Dana] said if they find a location, we will be on the card," Francis says.

Ngannou has even found a facility where he can lift and train with his coaches ... 'cause he's planning to step in the Octagon in less than 3 weeks.

"Since we are expecting some potential fight for April 18th, so we have to stay ready. So, we have a closed-door training. Just me and Eric Nicksick, my coach. So, we keep working out."

There's been a crazy amount of speculation about where 249 could take place ... Khabib's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, recently told us the UFC was looking at locations in Africa.

Francis says even he doesn't know where it'll happen ... but if there's a place that's safe, you bet your ass he'll be there.

"I don't know exactly where the fight will take place," Ngannou says, "However, what I do know is wherever it is gonna be, I'm gonna be there."

Please, please, PLEASE, Dana ... lock down a spot for these fights!!

Chael Sonnen says he's straight up "baffled" by Jon Jones' recent DWI arrest -- telling TMZ Sports it's about time he STOP DRIVING once and for all.

The two have history -- Chael famously fought Jon back in 2013 (Jon won in a 1st round stoppage) ... and they've had a cordial relationship ever since.

So, we asked "The Bad Guy" for his thoughts and he didn't hold back.

"It's baffling. You look at this guy, and this guy is blessed in so many ways. Great family, not just mom and dad, but the brothers and his own internal family, his kids, his career, he’s a handsome guy, charming guy."

"You look at him, there’s nobody that can beat him except for him. Every wound he has is just self-inflicted and that’s just hard. It's to the point where you just grab him and go 'hey man, there's people that care, there’s another way.'"

Of course, Jon has had multiple issues with the law over the years -- including a previous DUI arrest in 2012, a hit-and-run in 2015, a drag-racing stop in 2016 and the newest DWI in 2020.

"Man I gotta tell ya, it just seems like if he would just get the Uber app, it just seems like so many of his problems would go away," Sonnen says.

"I sit back like anybody else and read, Jon and I don't have the best relationship, but I've known Jon for a number of years, I've competed with Jon, I've done stuff with Jon. But I observe Jon, more than anything I can observe him from the outside. And I'll just tell you, it would just seem like if he didn't just get behind the wheel."

"So many of his problems, which are self-inflicted by the way, would not exist."

As for Chael, he's staying REAL busy during the pandemic -- in fact, he's promoting a HUGE Submission Underground event on March 29th, live on UFC Fight Pass.

UFC star Aljamain Sterling -- the #2 ranked bantamweight in the world -- says he's sick and tired of shadowboxing during quarantine ... so he's turning his house into an MMA gym!

It's actually pretty dope ... Funk Master has a bunch of handy roommates and they're all teaming up to renovate their Long Island pad into a prime training center.

The 30-year-old busted out (and disinfected) a bunch of old mats and equipment -- and even installed insulation in the walls -- so they can get back to doing what they love to do ... fighting.

"MMA training and working out, it's my life, it's my sanity ... if we can have somewhere where it's the same training partners training and that would be our quarantine training partners, so be it."

Sterling also wants to set the record straight about rumors he accepted a fight with Cory Sandhagen in May -- saying it's absolutely NOT TRUE.

Alja says it all has to do with his limited training resources. In other words, he wants to make sure he's in the absolute best shape to fight a tough opponent like Cory ... and with the pandemic in full swing, it limits his ability to level up.

"For me to take a fight against a guy ranked #4 in the world and not have the proper training is like a guy going to work doing construction without all of his tools. Like, how do you expect to get the job done?"

He added, "I would love to fight ... but right now's not the time. I want a proper training camp so I can really f**k somebody up."

Once wasn't enough for Alex Volkanovski ... the UFC champion wants to beat Max Holloway TWICE, and establish himself as the GREATEST featherweight fighter EVER!!

Volkanovski snatched Holloway's belt in a close fight back in December ... so when the new champ recently came by the TMZ office, we asked him who he wants to scrap with next.

Alex was crystal clear ... he wants to run it back with "Blessed," 'cause Holloway's the biggest threat and best fighter (besides himself, of course) in the 145 lb. division.

"I want that fight [with Max], cause there's no clear #1 contenders, and I just think that he's a great champion. And, for me, the biggest fight in my career right now to solidify myself as the best featherweight of all-time, and one of the greatest of all-time," Alex says.

"I go and take out Max twice in [his] prime, ya know, people are gonna give me the respect I deserve."

Volkanovski's already got a helluva resume ... he's got a pro record of 21-1 and hasn't lost since 2013 -- nearly 7 years ago.

As for when the rematch would go down ... Alex broke his hand during the Holloway fight, but says he was just cleared for combat, and he's ready to rock ... and he already has a date circled on the calendar.

"I don't want to sit on the sidelines too long, and I wanna defend my belt in Australia. That Perth card is June 6. We're gonna make it happen, I reckon."

Kamaru Usman tells TMZ Sports ... he was all set to fight Jorge Masvidal in July -- until the coronavirus killed those plans. But he's still ready to hand out another ass-whooping, stat!

So, while the UFC tries to line up the next fight for the UFC welterweight champ -- he's talking mad trash to Masvidal, Colby Covington and of course ... Conor McGregor.

First ... Masvidal.

"Honestly, if I'm being honest, do I believe that he deserves the fight next? No, I don't think that he deserves the fight. But at the same time, he's got the hype right now."

"He seriously thinks he's a superstar. He's talking about how I'm the most famous fighter, I'm more famous than Conor and this and that. You are drinking your own Kool-Aid right now. He forgets that literally less than a year ago or two years ago he was just 'Journeyman George.'"

"Now you lost some weight, did a little Spanish reality show and came back and now he thinks he's just Jacques Cousteau or something. My man, relax!"

Next ... Colby.

Remember, Kamaru beat Colby's ass back at UFC 245 in December. Covington wants a rematch.

"Colby I'll be more than happy to put another cannon to your face. Easy as that."

And Conor?

"I'd be crazy if I said I didn't want that fight because Conor is one of those guys that's transcended the sport."

"And of course, I think people would love to see me go in there and spank him any way that I want. So, that's a fight that I always want."

"So, if Conor's feeling froggy that fight could happen anytime. So, that's a wild card right there, that could happen any time. If he's feeling froggy, if he wakes up on the right side of the bed and is like 'You know what? I want to get my ass beat today!' ... that fight could happen any time."

Floyd Mayweather's comeback is off ... at least for now ... with the boxer telling people he will likely NOT fight in 2020 in the wake of the multiple personal tragedies and the coronavirus.

As we previously reported, 43-year-old Floyd was planning on TWO fights in 2020 -- one event involving the UFC and another fight against an established, respected boxer.

But, sources close to Floyd tell us ... Mayweather is reeling after both his ex, Josie Harris, and his uncle, Roger Mayweather, died in the span of a week. And, the last thing on his mind is fighting.

Floyd has 3 children with Josie who died unexpectedly last week while in her car in front of her home in Valencia, CA. In fact, she was found by one of their children.

Uncle Roger -- who was also Floyd's trainer -- had been ill for a while, but we're told Floyd was extremely fond of him and is having a tough time accepting that he's gone.

On top of all that ... we're also told Floyd was crushed by the death of his friend, Kobe Bryant -- he took that one particularly hard.

In other words, he's dealing with A LOT right now -- and it would be extremely difficult for him to focus on boxing.

Plus, with the coronavirus pandemic still in full swing -- and so many events being canceled or postponed -- it's unclear when Floyd would be able to lock down a fight date in 2020 anyway.

Khabib Nurmagomedov's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, says the UFC is considering moving the Khabib vs. Tony Ferguson fight to another country ... and if that happens, Khabib is IN!!

As we previously reported, Dana White is adamant UFC 249 will take place come hell or high water on April 18 ... and they're currently on the hunt for a venue.

Ali tells us Khabib is currently training at AKA in San Jose, CA  along with other fighters on that UFC 249 card -- and he's down to travel to any location to brawl with Tony.

"I talked to Dana White white last night. He said there's a possibility the fight is gonna be out of the country. We discussed about going to Zaire or Manila or some distant places. I said hey, Muhammad Ali did it, I'm sure Dana White can do it."

Ali says Khabib isn't worried about coronavirus -- but he IS worried that "this dumb motherf**ker" Tony Ferguson could hurt himself before the fight and ruin the whole thing.

Tony has an unusual training style -- and recently posted video throwing heavy bags around a gym while wearing denim jeans. Khabib and Ali think it's not just weird, it's dangerous.

WELCOME TO FIGHT SCHOOL!!

Paige VanZant welcomes UFC superstars like Yoel Romero, Henry Cejudo, Brian Ortega, Dominick Reyes and more into the secret MMA gym at the TMZ office where they're teaching legendary moves to our TMZ Sports producer, Lucas.

We're talking everything from flying knees to crazy chokes -- and even a human pretzel!!

Of course, the point of the show is to educate fight fans on the art behind these complex moves. But, it's also entertaining as hell to watch.

Episode 1 drops today on Snapchat and it's awesome!!