UFC

Ex-UFC fighter Phillipe Nover is now a registered nurse helping patients during the COVID-19 pandemic -- and he just got a video message from Dana White praising him for his efforts!

"Hearing all the incredible things you're doing on the frontlines of New York City," White said ... "You're awesome, kid!"

Some backstory ... 36-year-old Nover first began fighting in the UFC in 2008 and took fights in the Octagon all the way up to 2017. He's 11-8-1 as a pro.

But, he's now a registered nurse working at a hospital in Brooklyn -- where he's part of a rapid response team treating coronavirus patients.

When Dana found out about Nover's story ... he sent a video to us that we could play for him -- and it's pretty great.

"I have so much respect for, not just you, but for everybody who is part of the first responders and the medical staff that are taking care of everybody and putting yourself in harm's way to help others."

"You were a stud on ["The Ultimate Fighter"] and apparently you're still kicking ass, my friend. Congratulations! Thank you so much for all you're doing for everybody."

Nover was blown away by the message -- telling us, "That's awesome! Thanks, Dana!"

Nover also explained why it's so important to him to pitch in during the pandemic -- explaining, "I'm glad I can actually help out."

There's more ... Nover tells us why he got into nursing -- and why he feels his experience as a fighter helps him in his new career.

As for whether he would take another MMA if he gets the chance, Nover says it's highly unlikely.

"At this point, I think my fight is in the hospital."

May 9. May 16. May 23.

UFC star Tyron Woodley says he's ALL THE WAY DOWN to fight 3 Saturdays in a row -- as long as it gets him the title fight he's been craving.

Remember, Woodley was supposed to fight Leon Edwards on March 21st -- but the fight was scrapped due to complications from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since then, Tyron says he's been busting his ass to stay in fight shape so he can get back into the octagon as soon as the UFC gets back in business.

Now, Woodley says he's so fired up about going back to work, he's daydreaming about ways get his welterweight championship belt back from Kamaru Usman ASAP ... even if it means fighting 3 weeks in a row.

Tyron spells the whole thing out on "The Hollywood Beatdown" -- saying he's already been in contact with the UFC to try and get on the May 9th card.

And with most sports shut down around the world, Tyron thinks the opportunity to get on a major UFC card would be HUGE.

If he pulls off "back to back to back" victories, Tyron says he would HAVE to be recognized as the UFC G.O.A.T.

UFC star Tony Ferguson has cut his weight all the way down to 155 lbs -- which would be GREAT ... if the fight wasn't postponed!!!

Remember, Tony was supposed to fight Justin Gaethje in the main event at UFC 249 this weekend for the interim lightweight title (155 pounds).

But the April 18 fight was called off and Dana White is now looking at rebooking the event for May 9th.

Despite all those facts, Tony Ferguson has decided to continue his pre-fight training AS IF the fight were to happen on Saturday ... weight cut and all.

T-Ferg even hit the scale Friday morning to prove how serious he is about his process -- and yeah, it's a perfect 155 lbs.

The issue, of course, is that Tony will likely have to repeat the weight cutting process again next month if the UFC gets the green light to hold the event ... and that's A LOT of stress to put on your body in a short amount of time.

That said, it's still super impressive and shows how badly Tony wants the fight.

Stay safe, stay hungry -- and hopefully, we'll get to see the title fight we've all been waiting for sometime soon!

Booker T is putting Ronda Rousey on blast for her "fake" WWE comments ... saying the remarks were a "slap in the face" to everybody in the org. -- and he wants her to say sorry, ASAP.

"It really is a slap in the face," the wrestling legend said on his 'Hall Of Fame' podcast this week. "And, I just think Ronda, she needs to apologize first and foremost."

If you missed it ... Rousey went scorched earth last week reflecting on her time in the WWE -- blasting her fans as "ungrateful" and calling her wrestling matches "fake fights."

When asked about Ronda's words this week, Booker T was downright appalled ... saying he couldn't believe the former UFC star would say that after everything the wrestling company gave her.

"To slap all those ladies in the face that made her look so good after receiving that check from this 'fake' business," Booker T said, "a check that, like I said, being put in a position where she was the women’s champion, she was in the main event at WrestleMania, that speaks volumes."

Booker's biggest gripe with Rousey is that her colleagues fought tooth-and-nail to make her look good in her first year in the biz ... even though they were more deserving of the praise.

"There are so many ladies in that locker room that really work really, really hard, work their asses off to actually get to that spot, like a Nia Jax, that never had got that kind of praise since she’s been there," Booker T said.

"And, then someone walk from outside, inside to this world and get it. It really is a slap in the face."

Dana White tells TMZ Sports UFC 249 is officially postponed and will NOT take place as planned on April 18.

But, "Fight Island" is still very real and in the works, White says.

The UFC honcho says because of coronavirus concerns ... high-ranking execs at both ESPN and Disney advised him to hold off on the April 18 fight card.

"I got a call from as high up as you can go at Disney asking not to do this event on April 18," White said.

The plan had been for the fights -- headlined by Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje -- to go forward at Tachi Palace Casino Resort in Lemoore, Calif.

But, Dana says he's going to listen to his partners at ESPN ... and call off the fights for now.

"One thing you’ve heard me say is how awesome this relationship has been with ESPN," White says. "So when they call and ask me to not go, obviously, I'm going to respect it and not go."

As we previously reported ... White was going forward with the fights despite losing Khabib Nurmagomedov -- who withdrew from the card after expressing concern over COVID-19.

The card also lost another headliner in Rose Namajunas on Thursday, when she officially pulled out after she lost family members due to the coronavirus.

White tells us he's ain't laying off UFC staff despite the cancellations ... and guaranteed UFC cards would be back shortly.

"We will be the first sport back on television," White said.

As for "Fight Island" -- White says it's "really happening ... the infrastructure is being built right now on the island."

Thursday is the 15th anniversary of that epic Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar fight that launched the UFC on a multi-billion dollar trajectory.

So, we hit up Forrest to talk about how it changed his life -- and the video is awesome.

Remember, Griffin vs. Bonnar was the main event finale of the very 1st season of the "The Ultimate Fighter" reality show competition -- and it's still widely regarded as one of the best (and most important) moments in MMA history.

Griffin won that 3-round war by unanimous decision and went on to have a Hall of Fame career.

Looking back, Forrest says that night -- April 9, 2005 -- changed his life forever.

"I knew at the end of that I did not have to go to a day job. My job was now professional fighting," Griffin tells us.

"That's the bigger moment than winning the belts or fighting the best guy in the world or anything else. That’s the moment for me that really will always stand out."

Remember, 'TUF: Season 1' was aired the U.S. on Spike TV -- and was it was really the first time UFC content was available to the masses without a paywall.

Dana White has often credited the fight with launching the UFC to the next level -- but Griffin is still humble about his role.

"There were other people who laid the foundation for us and I got to help a little bit too."

"The history of MMA -- so many great people have gotten to offer so much to it, I’m really glad I got to offer my little keystone in it. With all the Chucks and the Royce’s and the GSPs, all the great people that changed the game. The Ronda Rouseys the McGregors, they turned it into a mainstream thing."

Khabib Nurmagomedov's manager ain't happy with Conor McGregor -- blasting him as a coronavirus hypocrite and a "jealous prostitute" after the Irishman criticized Khabib.

"It’s crazy because this guy has been telling people to stay home, don’t come outside, he’s donating millions of dollars, which now we know this sh*t is all fake," Ali Abdelaziz tells us.

Remember, Conor -- who made that emotional plea to Ireland to shelter in place -- accused Khabib of "chickening out" of his April 18 fight against Tony Ferguson.

"Khabib scurried out of the U.S. to home, and amid the crisis," McGregor said.

Well, that didn't sit well with Ali ... who WENT OFF on Conor to TMZ Sports.

"You’re telling everybody to stay home, now Khabib -- the government of Russia says he can’t travel, you’re going to call him a chicken?! [Conor] doesn’t matter."

He continued, "[Conor is not] #1, he’s not #2, he’s not #3. It’s Khabib, Justin, Tony. [Conor is] #4. He’s not even in the conversation right now. He’s just like a jealous prostitute, she’s got too old for her to make money."

Ali also issued this message to McGregor -- "Why don’t you even jump on a plane and come fight Tony Ferguson? I bet he understands that Tony Ferguson would beat his ass too. All those 3 guys would beat his ass. Justin, Tony and Khabib.”

There's more ... Ali also reps Justin Gaethje, who will be fighting Tony Ferguson instead of Khabib at UFC 249 and he told us how that deal came together "within an hour."

As for fighter safety, Ali says Justin and Tony -- and everyone involved UFC 249 -- is in good hands with the UFC.

"UFC for the last 20 years they set a standard about testing medical procedures. There’s never been a death or a serious injury to happen in the UFC."

UFC star Justin Gaethje says he's both excited and terrified about fighting Tony Ferguson at UFC 249 ... saying, "I’m facing my fears right now and I think that’s what we all need to do."

Justin is replacing Khabib Nurmagomedov in the April 18 main event for the interim lightweight title after the COVID-19 pandemic left the Russian unable to leave his home country. White says all fighters on the 249 card will undergo thorough medical screening before being allowed to fight.

The 31-year-old knockout artist says he's never taken a fight on this kind of short notice before -- but explains, "I’ve also never been offered a UFC title and that’s the only thing I’m working for."

"That’s all I’ve been working for since the beginning, so I’m ready to gamble."

So, why did Justin ultimately agree to take the fight?

Gaethje says he didn't immediately say "yes" -- telling his coach he wanted to sleep on it for a night to really think it through.

"The next morning I woke up and said, 'If I lose where are we at?' For me, it’s in the same exact spot I am right now. I’m going to go out there and get a paycheck, which is nice, but ultimately I get a chance at glory."

"Heroes live forever, legends never die and I’m literally here to make a statement. My name will be carried on far longer after I’m here because of my effort, because of my work ethic and because of the skills I possess."

He added, "There’s very few people on earth that would sign up for what me and Tony just signed up for, including most UFC fighters. A lot of guys will say that they’re ready, but a lot of guys would not put their name on the dotted line."

UFC star Anthony Smith -- who's beaten some of the best fighters on the planet -- says he fought off a man who broke into his Nebraska home this weekend ... and, "it was one of the toughest fights I've had in my whole life."

The story is insane ... around 4 AM on Sunday, Smith's wife heard a man in the house "screaming at the top of his lungs."

31-year-old Smith -- who lives in the home with his wife, 3 young daughters (8, 5 and 2)  and mother-in-law -- moved everyone to a room and decided to confront the intruder.

"I'm expecting that I'm gonna hear a gunshot or he's gonna stab me," Smith told ESPN's Ariel Helwani. ... "I figure I've got about two minutes before whatever he's got takes me out."

So, Smith charged hard and tried to subdue the man in his computer room -- but to Anthony's surprise, the man fought back ... HARD.

"No normal human is able to fight like that ... I'm by no means the baddest dude on the planet. But, he's a regular Joe and I had a hard time dealing with him."

"And he took everything that I gave him -- every punch, every knee, every elbow. He took every single one of them and kept fighting me."

During the scrap, Smith says his mother-in-law brought him a kitchen knife to use on the intruder -- but it didn't completely stop the guy.

Eventually, cops arrived and helped to subdue the intruder, identified as Luke Haberman -- who was already bloodied, beaten and cut up.

The craziest part of the story ... Smith says once Haberman was in custody, he apologized -- saying, "Hey man, I'm sorry."

What?!

"I'm not lying when I said it was one of the toughest fights I've had in my whole life," Smith said ... "I went into that fight ready to die."

As for Haberman, he was hospitalized and hit with a citation which requires him to appear in court in the near future.

Smith says the guy had been wreaking havoc in his neighborhood earlier in the night -- and broke into his home through an open garage door.

"I woke up in a guillotine-ish mood."

That's UFC star Brian Ortega explaining why he chose his trademark GUILLOTINE CHOKE as today's lesson for TMZ's Snapchat show "Fight School" ... and the video is awesome!

T-City joined Paige VanZant to train up our TMZ Sports producer, Lucas -- our human crash test dummy -- in the secret MMA gym in the TMZ office!

Not only did Brian drop all sorts of knowledge on us ... but he also let Lucas try out the move ON HIM!!

Did Lucas actually get Brian Ortega -- the #2 ranked UFC featherweight contender -- to tap?!!?

Dana White tells TMZ Sports he's thiiis close to closing a deal to host UFC fights on a private island -- where he would fly in fighters on private planes.

YES, THIS IS REAL!!!

The UFC boss tells us he's laser-focused on keeping the business alive during the COVID-19 pandemic -- starting with UFC 249 on April 18.

White says the location for that event is still top secret -- though he's locked up the mystery venue where it will take place for 2 months and plans on pumping out fights every week.

But, after that, White says he's planning to move the Octagon to the island -- where he will set up shop and host fights involving massive international fighters.

White says the deal for Fight Island isn't done yet -- but it's very close. And, no, we don't know what part of the world it's in.

White also revealed the rest of the card for UFC 249 ... which includes some pretty big fights including Rose Namajunas vs. Jessica Andrade and Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

Greg Hardy will also be on the card as well as Ray Borg, Jeremy Stephens and more.

White says every person involved in the fights -- from production staff to fighters -- will be screened thoroughly by a medical team before they will be allowed into the venue. White says safety is the highest priority.

White also talked about Khabib Nurmagomedov -- who was initially slated to fight Tony Ferguson in the main event at UFC 249 until the pandemic left him stuck in Russia. White says people should stop blaming Khabib for being out of the fight, there's nothing he could have done.

It's official ... Justin Gaethje will replace Khabib to fight Tony Ferguson in the main event at UFC 249 on April 18!!!

So, many questions remain -- like where will the event take place -- but so far, that's all we know.

There will be a fight. It will be live on ESPN+. Tony and Justin will fight for the UFC interim lightweight title (Tony previously held it, but was stripped when he injured his leg. Khabib then fought Al Iaquinta for the interim title).

As for the location, Dana White has only teased it will go down "somewhere on EARTH!"

No matter where the fight takes place, the UFC will most likely restrict fans from attending due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unclear who will call the fight.

As we previously reported, Khabib Nurmagomedov was all set to fight Tony -- but he's stuck in Russia and unable to fly out.

So, the UFC locked in Gaethje -- one of the most ferocious strikers in all MMA -- to go after Tony instead.

White has said there will be other fights on the card, but he has not revealed the names of anyone else signed on yet.

MMA meets T&A!!

Here's UFC star Paige VanZant and her MMA fighter husband, Austin Vanderford, making the best out of quarantine ... by getting naked and climbing on each other!!

Hey, ya got it? Flaunt it, right?!

Both Paige and Austin have been training their asses off at their Oregon home during the COVID-19 pandemic ... and they've clearly decided the best way to deal with the stress, is to undress!

So, they've basically become nudists in their own home -- they cook naked, the clean naked, the work out naked, they garden naked ... and now they're climbing on each other naked!

Of course, both Paige and Austin are itching for a fight -- Paige recently had her cast removed after suffering a broken arm. She hasn't fought since defeating Rachael Ostovich back in January 2019.

Austin is 9-0 as a pro after locking up another W at Bellator 234 back in November.