UFC

Conor McGregor was an awesome rags to riches story ... before he went nuts and attacked a damn bus -- so says UFC star Justin Gaethje.

We spoke with Justin -- one of the top fighters in McGregor's 155-pound division -- and he told us Conor's an extreme example of broke fighters who get too much, too soon.

"McGregor wasn’t rich 5 years ago. Now, you put $100 million in his pocket and you see how it changes people," Gaethje told TMZ Sports.

"It’s a crazy world, this MMA game -- especially being at the top in the UFC."

With that in mind, Justin does NOT wanna see McGregor banned from fighting. He'd rather kick his ass, personally.

"He’s gonna pay multi-millions of dollars to people and that’ll be punishment enough."

There's more -- Gaethje told us why Khabib Nurmagomedov's no more of a champion than Conor ... and put an expiration date on his own MMA career (and it's sooner than you think).

Justin also dished on his scrap with Dustin Poirier this Saturday at 'UFC on Fox 29' ... and considering his last bout was 2017's Fight of the Year, we suggest you tune in.

If Conor McGregor ever returns the UFC, Khabib Nurmagomedov will be ready -- so says Khabib's manager.

We asked Ali Abdelaziz about the grudge match on the heels of Khabib winning Conor's lightweight title at UFC 223 ... and Ali told us he'd "of course" try to broker the big-money fight.

Conor's gotta face the music for his UFC bus attack first, though ... and Khabib has already made it clear he wants to fight GSP before he gives McGregor a shot.

Speaking of the attack ... Ali tells TMZ Sports he really ain't that pissed at Conor for Thursday's incident at the Barclays Center -- instead pointing the finger at McGregor's crew of yes-men.

"I don't think Conor McGregor's a bad guy," Abdelaziz said. "F**k his team, his whole entire team ... they're using Conor to get to places."

Ali also told us Conor's goons are lucky the rest of Khabib's team wasn't with them on that bus, 'cause if they were -- "we would've been burying bodies."

Nick Diaz just posted a cryptic message on social media strongly hinting he's stepping back inside the Octagon after over 3 YEARS away from the UFC.

And the timing couldn't be better ... 'cause Nick's eligible to fight in 8 days!!

You might've seen the news -- Nate's older bro accepted his retroactive punishment from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency the other day ... a 1-year ban for his "whereabouts failures" from 2016-2017.

In other words -- Nick flipped USADA the proverbial bird instead of checking in like he was supposed to.

But, seems like things are all good now, going off this photo Diaz shared with the caption -- "Back where we left off."

Remember -- Dana White told us Nick was interested in fighting a couple months ago ... so it really seems like this is happening.

Now, pleeeeaaaase don't go crazy on 4/20, bro!

Conor McGregor will almost certainly cop a plea in his malicious mischief case, and the deal may include a felony ... law enforcement sources connected with the case tell TMZ.

McGregor has been charged with felony criminal mischief in addition to 3 counts of misdemeanor assault and attempted assault. Conor did $8,000 worth of damage to the tour bus when he threw a dolly at the vehicle, shattering the window and injuring 3 passengers.

Our law enforcement sources say as of now ... there's a good chance the deal offered will be felony criminal mischief. In other words, prosecutors will make the offer and Conor will have 2 choices ... accept it or go to trial.

One source in contact with Conor and familiar with the case says the UFC fighter's team is well aware ... going to trial is too risky ... a conviction is all but certain.

If Conor pleads no contest or guilty to felony criminal mischief, he could go back to court after 1 year and ask the judge to reduce the conviction to a misdemeanor, assuming he keeps his nose clean.

Ronda Rousey gave everything she had in her impressive WrestleMania debut -- and now, she's so wiped out, she can barely stand up straight.

The WWE superstar arrived to LAX early Tuesday morning -- where our photog was heaping praise for her insanely athletic and dominant performance against Steph McMahon and Triple H.

Of course, Ronda also killed it on 'RAW' on Monday night -- putting Steph in another armbar. Two great performances, two nights in a row.

"I tried my best," Ronda told us while noting she hasn't slept in 2 days.

"I don't even know my last name right now, I think."

Things got very real for Ronda Rousey during a session with Tyler Henry -- when the "Hollywood Medium" made a connection with her father ... who took his own life when she was only 8-years-old.

Henry -- a self-described "clairvoyant medium" -- told Ronda he was seeing imagery connected with a a vehicle and someone's final moments.

Ronda instantly become emotional and revealed that her father took his own life inside of a car after suffering from a debilitating medical condition for years.

The UFC legend (turned WWE superstar) began recalling memories of her father and started to tear up during the episode which airs Wednesday on E!.

UFC star Paige VanZant says she was gang raped in high school by a bunch of boys who got her drunk and assaulted her when she couldn't defend herself.

The 24-year-old described the incident and the impact it had on her life in her new book, "Rise: Surviving the Fight of My Life."

"They move me around ... They change my position. I fail each time I try to resist, my limbs like wet cement on my body, my brain a heavy fog. I am awake and conscious, but my body feels dead."

"I know what is happening but can do nothing to stop it. I have no voice or choice but to submit and pray that it ends soon."

It's unclear if VanZant went to the police. We're trying to find out.

Paige says the bullying she experienced after the rape was unbearable -- and led to her changing her last name from Sletten to VanZant because the kids at school nicknamed her "Slutton." Her family ultimately moved from Oregon to Nevada to give her a fresh start.

Here's Conor McGregor trying to convince you he's a not a monster who savagely attacks innocent people ... he's just a family man doing the best for his kid.

You buyin' it?

Clearly aware that his image is in the garbage right now ... McGregor went to social media and posted a photo with his girlfriend, Dee Devlin, and their 11-month-old son, Conor McGregor Jr.

Conor is calculating -- so don't think for a second there isn't a plan behind the posting ... he wants to convince you he's not the wild animal he appeared in the bus attack video.

You know ... this bus attack video -- where he threw a dolly at a UFC bus at Barclays Center, injuring Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg so badly they had to pull out of their fights.

Conor McGregor took a giant dump on the UFC and MMA -- so says Bruce Buffer, who's sick to his stomach over the Irishman's violent bus attack.

We got the legendary Octagon announcer after he had a few days to stew on McGregor's window-smashin' rampage ... and he wasn't about to let Conor off the hook.

"It's an insult, it's disgusting," Buffer told TMZ Sports.

"In my 22-plus years of being in the UFC and doing everything I can in my life to build this great brand, to support this fantastic sport ... you s**t on all of us with that one move."

Bruce added that he was "shocked" and "horrified" when he first saw the footage of Conor and his entourage wreaking havoc at the Barclays Center ... and is urging fans not to judge the UFC off this one isolated incident.

He's got two black eyes and bruises all over -- but UFC fighter Al Iaquinta wants ANOTHER crack at Khabib Nurmagomedov ... telling TMZ Sports he's convinced he can win!!

First off ... LOVE THIS GUY!!!

Al not only agreed to fight Khabib just HOURS before UFC 223 this weekend -- but hung in all 5 rounds against a guy many people are calling the most violent fighter alive.

Now ... Al says he truly believes with a proper training camp and the right mindset going into the fight, he'd BEAT Khabib!

Al knows UFC won't just hand him a rematch -- he needs to earn it -- and his plan is to fight his way to the top of the division.

And to the haters who think Khabib carried Al all 5 rounds to give the fans a show, Iaquinta says that's a load of B.S. ... and breaks down why he had a real shot to win the fight.

Conor McGregor should get a 1-way ticket back to Ireland after his violent bus attack -- so says George Lopez.

Like the rest of the world, George saw Conor's dolly-throwing rampage at Barclays Center last week ... and says he was shocked by the UFC mega-star's actions.

"What is that?" Lopez told TMZ Sports. "If you got that much cash, why are you throwing hand carts through the window?"

Our guy then brought up the possibility of McGregor getting a lifetime boot from the US of A, and he voted "yes" ... before making light of Trump's Mexican border wall.

Not sure how exactly that applies to Conor ... but his bottom line -- get the Irishman the hell off American soil!!

Conor McGregor and his gang of Irish thugs were still together in NYC on Sunday night -- this time, without a dolly ... but they did get physical with our photog.

The UFC superstar left the Loews Regency in NYC flanked by Cian Cowley (black hooded sweatshirt) -- the man who was arrested with Conor on Thursday for attacking the UFC bus at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Dillon Danis and MMA fighter Charlie Ward were also with Conor -- both guys were also part of the crew that accompanied McGregor to the bus attack.

This time, McGregor wasn't talking -- but it was definitely a show of force ... with one member of Conor's entourage grabbing our camera to shut us down right on the street.

Shocking Conor is still in the States considering he's facing multiple criminal charges (including a felony) -- but maybe he truly thinks he's untouchable.

Action Bronson says Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov don't have to wait for an octagon bout to beat each other bloody -- they can do it on his turf ... on a full stomach.

We got Bam Bam Saturday outside the Barclays Center in NYC ahead of UFC 223 -- where Khabib went on to strip McGregor of his lightweight world championship belt -- and he tells us the two fighters oughta duke it out in Queens ... Jamaica Ave, specifically.

Action says he'll be there, too, ready with the finest cuisine Jamaica, Queens has to offer -- patties! His pal and fellow UFC fighter, Ilir Latifi was with him as well, and he had a take on why Conor might've pulled the now-notorious bus stunt last week, which got him charged.

Let's just say he doesn't think it's all anger issues.

The big stars put on their Sunday best -- at least some of them -- for wrestling's biggest event of the year -- Wrestlemania 34.

The big names came out in force Friday for the 2018 Hall of Fame ceremony in New Orleans.

John Cena and Nikki Bella were all gussied up ... joined by Michelle McCool, Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon and Booker T.

Bill Goldberg was inducted into the Hall of Fame, along with Ivory, Jeff Jerrett, The Dudley Boyz, Hillbilly Jim and Mark Henry. Kid Rock, who's been involved with the WWE for 2 decades, was also inducted into the celebrity wing of the Hall of Fame.

UFC Middleweight fighter Michael Bisping is extremely forgiving of Conor McGregor's violent antics, but apparently still thinks jail time is in Conor's future.

Bisping, who himself is a smack-talkin' bad boy, was leaving Mr. Chow in Bev Hills Friday night with pal Mickey Rourke.

Michael scoffs at the idea Conor is finished -- after getting arrested for throwing a dolly into a UFC bus and injuring multiple fighters -- and says everyone f's up and that doesn't define the rest of their lives.

UFC super-fan Travis Barker says he's got Conor McGregor's back when it comes to his violent bus attack at Barclays Center ... even though he went a little overboard.

Don't get it twisted -- Travis thinks it's terrible other UFC fighters got caught up in McGregor's window-smashin' madness ... but the blink-182 drummer says Conor HAD TO retaliate after his boy, Artem Lobov, got strong-armed by Khabib's team.

"I would've probably done the same thing if someone punked my friend," Barker told TMZ Sports in Calabasas. "I love him to death ... crazy motherf**ker."

At the same time -- "I can't agree with everything he did ... he has to apologize."

FYI, McGregor bailed outta jail Friday and is facing charges of assault and felony criminal mischief ... but Travis says the UFC should "slap him on his wrist" and let him off so he can fight later this year.