UFC

UFC fighter Brad Tavares is doubling down on his weekend call-out of Michael Bisping ... telling TMZ Sports the ex-champ is ducking him 'cause he's terrified of getting THRASHED.

"I think he’s scared ... scared to get his ass beat," Tavares said. "What else could it be?"

FYI, the Hawaiian went looking for Bisping backstage after he merked Krzysztof Jotko at UFC on FOX 29 ... to call out the UFC legend for his retirement fight.

Bisping LOL'd at Tavares' challenge -- telling the top-10 middleweight to "get the f**k out!"

But, Brad ain't giving up -- saying there's no better option for him unless he's gunnin' for Conor McGregor (yeah ... ain't gon' happen).

Conor McGregor's lucky UFC star Kevin Lee wasn't in the bus he attacked -- 'cause if he was, K-Lee says he would've gone full Dark Knight on his ass!!

"It would have been totally different -- totally different story," Lee told TMZ Sports. "I would have jumped out like Batman when he threw the dolly through."

Kevin doesn't give a damn Conor was flanked by a full goon squad -- saying all of McGregor's wannabe gangsters would've tasted his hands.

But, "The Motown Phenom" doesn't want Conor to leave the UFC ... 'cause he wants that "easy money" fight inside the Octagon!

But, before Kevin tries to win the McGregor sweepstakes, he's got a date with nasty striker Edson Barboza at UFC Fight Night: Atlantic City this Saturday ... and he told us why it's gonna be fireworks.

Tekashi69 needs to be careful ... because if his feud with Adrien Broner turns into a REAL fight, Broner would knock his ass out in ONE PUNCH -- so says Tyron Woodley.

Tyron was trying REALLY hard to warn Tekashi on "The Hollywood Beatdown" that his hands aren't on the same PLANET as Broner when it comes to fighting ... and the proof is in that weak ass LAX brawl earlier this year.

In fact, Tyron says Broner needs to ignore 6ix9ine and focus on his REAL business -- beating Jessie Vargas at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn on Saturday night (live on Showtime).

There's more ... Tyron also reacts to a videotaped message from Daniel Cormier about his fighting future.

Plus, Woodley rips Danielle Bregoli, Woah Vicky and Lil Tay for that stupid YouTube star brawl in L.A.

UFC fighter Aljamain Sterling loves to rage -- so once he's done kickin' ass inside the Octagon this weekend, he says he's gonna TEAR UP Atlantic City with his boy, Al Iaquinta!!

“Oh yeah ... we’re going to be getting into some trouble. We’re ragin'! Ragin'!” Sterling told TMZ Sports ahead of his UFC Fight Night 128 bout with undefeated Brett Johns.

If ya hadn't heard, Iaquinta got hammered and wrecked his hotel room after winning at UFC 183 ... and Aljamain says Round 2 would've happened if Ragin' Al upset Khabib at UFC 223 earlier this month.

Instead, he took an L -- but Aljo says they'll party on after he beats Johns in their own backyard (they're Jersey bros).

Aljo also told us why Iaquinta steppin' up vs. Khabib inspired the hell outta him ... and changed the way he's approaching his fights.

Daniel Cormier says the clock is ticking on a Jon Jones rematch ... 'cause he's retiring when he turns 40 (next March), period.

We got the UFC light heavyweight champ on the "TMZ Sports" TV show ... and asked if there was any way he'd make an exception for his hated rival -- who could be on the shelf past then 'cause of his steroid suspension.

"If I'm not gonna do it for guys that I really like, I won't do it for somebody that I don't like," Cormier said. "So, if he doesn't come back before that date, our time will have passed."

DC also told us why Conor McGregor wouldn't stand a chance against his boy, Khabib ... and why ya gotta tune in to him and Stipe Miocic (a guy he likes waaaaay more than Jones) coaching this season of 'The Ultimate Fighter.'

Catch the full interview with Cormier -- and the premiere of 'TUF Season 27' -- Wednesday night on FS1!

Forget Conor McGregor ... UFC star Dustin Poirier says he should be the first guy to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov for his strap -- and he's making a damn good case.

"I'm locked on Khabib," Poirier told TMZ Sports. "It's time. I've earned it. No more denying me."

He ain't lyin'. Dustin put on a Fight of the Year contender this past weekend on FOX, taking out Justin Gaethje with a vicious 4-round TKO ... and with Conor and Tony Ferguson shelved, that could make him first up.

Of course, "The Diamond" took some SERIOUS damage himself -- dude's getting his hands, knee AND "boomerang shape" nose checked out by UFC doctors -- so he's gonna need some R&R.

But once his face ain't broken, he wants Khabib to know he's comin'.

"Shine that belt up nice, hang on to it tight, 'cause it's gonna come home with me."

Dustin also updated us on his fight gear auction for the Gaethje fight -- so if you dug the scrap, check it out!

Canelo Alvarez just got slapped with a 6-month suspension for his failed performance enhancing drug test that he blamed on tainted meat ... the Nevada Athletic Commission just announced at a hearing in Vegas.

The commission only took minutes to deliberate on Alvarez's case ... ultimately giving him half of a maximum 1-year ban, noting that he's been "cooperative with investigators."

Canelo's May 5 rematch with Gennady Golovkin has already been scrapped ... but, this opens the door for Alvarez vs. Golovkin 2 to happen in September -- a time frame GGG previously told TMZ Sports he's gunnin' for.

As we previously reported ... Canelo got popped for the PED Clenbuterol in March from a test administered on Feb. 17. Because his ban is retroactive to the date of the test, Alvarez is eligible to fight as soon as Aug. 18.

Canelo has maintained his innocence throughout the process ... blaming Mexican beef for pumping 'roids into his veins.

Forget the Pacers ... the Cavs are gonna smash on EVERY NBA TEAM standing in the way of their quest for another ring -- so says UFC heavyweight champ Stipe Miocic.

We got Stipe -- a proud Cleveland native -- after the LeBrons got rocked in Game 1 of their series with Indiana ... and he told us everyone needs to chill the hell out.

"They're fine. It's one game. It happens," Miocic told TMZ Sports. "They'll start smashing people."

Stipe was so confident, he even Guaran-Sheed the Cavs would crush any Western squad that makes it to the Finals (so, the Warriors or Rockets).

"It's my Cavs, of course they're gonna win."

We also spoke to the champ about the 'Ultimate Fighter: Undefeated' reality show he coached on that premieres Wednesday on FS1 ... and he told us why the fighters this season are must-see TV.

If you think Conor McGregor's bus attack pissed people off in New York, wait 'til ya get a load of this old lady from Ireland ... who went NUCLEAR on Conor at LAX!!

THIS CLIP IS HILARIOUS!!!

Our photog was asking Brandon T. Jackson a question about McGregor when this woman came outta nowhere, hijacked the interview and unleashed hell on the Irishman.

"Absolutely disgusting man. Nobody likes him in Ireland," she told TMZ Sports.

She continued -- "Absolute disgrace. And if Mayweather ever sees him again, I hope he kicks his ass!"

There's a lot more .... and Brandon loves it!

"You about to get a whoopin' by grandmama right here ... I got my money on her, Conor," the "Tropic Thunder" star said.

Yeah ... might wanna look into extending that vacay.

Conor McGregor is hitting the beach after hitting the bus ... jetting down to the Bahamas to relax after getting approval from his bail bondsman, TMZ Sports has learned.

Sources connected to McGregor tell us ... the UFC star flew out of NYC on Saturday bound for the islands.

The issue -- because of his pending criminal charges against him in the bus attack case, Conor needed his bail bondsman to approve travel plans before leaving the country.

We spoke with Conor's bondsman, Ira Judelson, who tell us he did in fact sign off on McGregor to travel -- but wouldn't confirm the destination to TMZ.

Judelson also noted McGregor has been "100% compliant" with the terms of his bail package, so far -- which has essentially required Conor to check in and stay out of trouble.

You scared homie?

Here's Nate Diaz getting his party on at Coachella over the weekend -- where he took a few seconds to throw some shade at Conor McGregor.

We spotted Nate rollin' around the desert with his crew and had to ask if there's been any movement toward Diaz vs. McGregor III.

"Scared for his life," Diaz told us while shadow boxing.

We also asked about getting the money side of the trilogy -- "Getting paid regardless!"

Dana White has previously said he's super doubtful Nate ever takes a fight in the UFC again despite offering him several fights.

And don't forget -- Tyron Woodley has also been calling for Nate's head.

CM Punk will NEVER step foot inside the Octagon again after he gets embarrassed at UFC 225 -- so says the fighter who's planning on embarrassing him.

We spoke with Mike "The Truth" Jackson now that Punk vs. Truth is official ... and he told us he's gonna show the world the ex-WWE superstar doesn't belong in MMA.

"I'm just going in here to beat him up a little bit and show him it's not for him," Jackson told TMZ Sports.

That said, Mike's backtracking on his violent threats from last month ... saying he really doesn't wanna hurt the guy.

As for why he thinks he got the call to fight Punk -- "If you bring in someone else ... it's not gonna get this type of buzz. It's getting this type of buzz because of me."

"This is a storyline not even Vince McMahon could write."

Really, bro?

Bruce Lee's the most legendary martial artist to ever live ... but UFC rising star Zabit Magomedsharipov is already EVEN BETTER than him -- so says his manager.

We got Ali Abdelaziz fresh off Zabit's savage Fight of the Night victory at UFC 223 ... and he heaped the highest praise on the Russian, saying he's never seen a more complete MMA fighter.

FYI, Ali reps current and former champions like Khabib Nurmagomedov, Frankie Edgar and Fabricio Werdum -- so that's a bold statement.

But, not nearly as bold as what he said next -- "(Zabit's) a much better version of Bruce Lee ... that's the truth. Bruce Lee cannot do the stuff he does."

"I love Bruce Lee, I respect him, but he's Bruce Lee on steroids."

Yeah ... probably not the best choice of words, but point taken.

Of course, being that he's the modern-day Dragon, Ali says Zabit could beat all the UFC's top 145-pounders RIGHT NOW.

Conor McGregor, Georges St-Pierre, Tony Ferguson ... Khabib's next opponent is way up in the air, so UFC star Dustin Poirier says not to sleep on him skippin' the whole damn line!

We spoke to Dustin ahead of his scrap with Justin Gaethje this weekend ... and he told us things are so crazy atop the UFC's 155-pound division, he could get the nod with a violent W at UFC on Fox 29.

"I go out there and perform Saturday night, I'm a huge step closer, and maybe I'm next," Poirier told TMZ Sports. "Maybe one more after that, we'll see. But I can't look past this fight."

Smart man. Gaethje's the UFC's "King of Violence" ... but Dustin's also been putting bloody beatdowns on fools his whole career.

Conor McGregor is on a collision course to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov -- and it ain't gonna end well for the Irishman ... so says Tyron Woodley.

"If they fought 100 times, i think Khabib would win 99," Woodley said on "The Hollywood Beatdown."

"Conor would not be able to stop him from doing what he does."

Woodley essentially believes the publicity from the bus attack will only draw more interest in a Conor vs. Khabib fight somewhere down the road ... so, don't be surprised if they square off eventually.

There's more ... Woodley also tells us if he's scared to train Floyd Mayweather after someone ambushed the boxer's entourage Monday and opened fire.

He's also weighing in on the Tristan Thompson cheating scandal with Khloe Kardashian and punching himself in the face for his freestyle performance on "The Breakfast Club."

Make sure to check out "The Beatdown" every Friday on the TMZ Sports YouTube channel.

The UFC rising star being hailed as "The Next Jon Jones" says he's sick and tired of it ... and wants everyone to know he's an original.

We got undefeated 185-pounder Israel Adesanya before his second UFC fight this Saturday on FOX ... and he told us why being measured up with one of the GOATs is a diss, not a compliment.

"I don't want to be anyone's second banana or in anyone's shadow."

"Not all black people look the same, contrary to popular belief," Adesanya told TMZ Sports.

Izzy says the only reason Jones isn't being compared TO HIM is 'cause he broke in with the UFC first ... and once fans see more of "The Last Stylebender," they'll know what's up.

To be clear, Izzy ain't holding it against Bones -- and says he'd actually love to meet up and swap skills.