UFC

Kanye West took us all for a crazy ride ... and brilliantly created that bizarre media firestorm as part of a diabolical plot to promote his new album -- so says Tyron Woodley.

The UFC champ had always been skeptical about Kanye's outbursts -- including the one during "TMZ Live" -- and had been adamant Yeezy was putting on an erratic front to grab headlines.

And after listening to Kanye's new album ... Tyron says he is CERTAIN he's right -- because he thinks it is the work of a pure genius.

Woodley spells the whole thing out in this week's "The Hollywood Beatdown With Tyron Woodley" -- where he also blasts hecklers and finally addresses UFC contender Colby Covington ... threatening to beat his ass.

Mike "The Truth" Jackson says he's already got his victory party planned if he beats CM Punk at UFC 225 this weekend ... FOOD AND HOT CHICKS!

"I'm knocking him out, man," Jackson tells TMZ Sports ... "I'm knocking him out."

Jackson knows Punk will be the fan favorite when they step in the Octagon since it's all going down in Punk's hometown of Chicago ... but Mike says all the fans in the world can't save CM.

"These people can't fight for him. He can't tag them in."

Afterward, Jackson says he ain't about to hit the clubs -- he wants some delicious Chicago-style pizza to go along with his W.

Bad news for Conor McGregor ... Floyd Mayweather's changed his mind about an MMA fight -- telling TMZ Sports he's way too busy to take a fight in the Octagon any time soon.

"I'm not thinking about fighting right now," Floyd told us while shopping with his crew in Beverly Hills.

Remember, Floyd was flirting with the idea of taking an MMA fight in 2018 -- with his eyes on McGregor -- and even reached out to UFC champ Tyron Woodley to set up a training program.

But Floyd says life has gotten in the way ... and he's been spending way too much time focusing on his family and growing his real estate business.

In fact, Floyd says he's a MAJOR investor in One Vanderbilt -- which he says will be the tallest skyscraper in New York.

Floyd says he's got more than $100,000,000 invested in NYC real estate projects -- and that's more important to him right now than learning a new combat sport.

The good news ... Floyd isn't completely closing the door on MMA, and insists he's keeping himself in shape just in case.

Stay tuned ...

UFC superstar Yoel Romero has a big rematch with Robert Whittaker this weekend ... but there's a MUCH bigger opponent he's already got his sights on -- SHAQ!!

TMZ Sports started asking The Cuban Missile about meeting The Big Aristotle at an event in Miami back in May ... and that's when Y.R. revealed he wants to get in the Octagon with the 7'1" giant to give him the whoopin' of a lifetime.

FYI, Yoel is 6'0" and 185 lbs.

Yoel might be teasing about the fight ... but one thing he's NOT joking about is what the outcome would be if he DID end up fighting the NBA legend.

As for Whittaker at UFC 225 ... Romero says he's gonna get his revenge on the loss at 213 and hints he's gonna make sure the outcome is indisputable this time around.

As for Shaq ... dude can fight -- he's been in the ring with both Oscar De La Hoya and Sugar Shane Mosley and held his own!

CM Punk says he would LOVE to get back in the cage with Mickey Gall ever since he got destroyed in their tilt two years ago ... but Gall says Punk's a liar -- telling TMZ Sports, "HE DON'T WANT THAT!!"

Gall is convinced Punk's been talking about running it back knowin' damn well the UFC won't let the former WWE star back in the Octagon with him and let him get his ass kicked AGAIN.

"I think he's a liar. I think he's a liar. I don't think he actually wants that," Mickey told us.

"I don't think they'll let that happen to him again."

BUT ... Gall says there is a scenario where he WOULD give Punk a rematch -- and it involves CM's bout with Mike Jackson at UFC 225 this weekend.

Dana White says he has nothing but respect for CM Punk for having "the balls" to get back in the Octagon after his first UFC fight ... and can't wait to see what he's got on Saturday night.

Punk will face off against Mike "The Truth" Jackson at UFC 225 -- and White says he's been hearing positive things about Punk from his training camp.

"What comes out of his camp is everyone respects this guy and how hard he works and the commitment he's made to become a mixed martial artist."

White also says Punk's self-described spectacularly bad debut may have been the result of "UFC jitters" and he expects to see a different guy this time around. "

As for Punk's fighting future, White says he won't rule out a 3rd fight ... especially if Punk wins.

We also asked White about a possible Conor McGregor vs. Khabib fight -- and White told us there are still some hurdles Conor has to get through before that fight can be made.

CM Punk says he's got a "gift" for his fans when he walks into the Octagon on Saturday -- telling TMZ Sports ... "I'm sharp and I'm ready and I'm focused."

Punk will make his long awaited return to the Octagon at UFC 225 against Mike "The Truth" Jackson ... it's CM's first fight since he lost his UFC debut against Mickey Gall in Sept. 2016.

"I lost pretty spectacularly in my last fight but I learned so much," Punk tells TMZ Sports.

One of those lessons ... Punk says he needs to control his emotions and take his time when the bell rings -- "not try to hurry up and just enjoy being in there."

UFC champ Tyron Woodley previously told us Punk has been busting his ass like a maniac in the gym ever since his first fight ... sometimes working out 3 or 4 times a day.

Punk says he's "hyper-focused" on getting a win ... but that's not the only measure of success. The most important thing is to grow and get better as a fighter.

And if he wins ... Punk says he'd be down for a rematch with Gall -- but don't get it twisted, he's laser-focused on Jackson.

There's more ... Punk also says he's had a "real hard emotional couple of weeks" -- a reference to the WWE doctor who sued him over negative comments Punk made back in 2014.

Conor McGregor's gonna LOVE this -- Forbes just named him the 4th highest-paid athlete over the last 12 months ... over guys like LeBron James, Neymar and Roger Federer.

So, how much cash has Conor raked in? Forbes is estimating he's made $99 mil -- most of the cash was from his fight with Floyd Mayweather. Conor was ranked #24 the previous year with $34 mil in earnings.

Speaking of Floyd ... he's #1 -- with an estimated $285 MIL!!! (He was ranked #16 the previous year with only $44 mil).

He's followed by a pair of soccer superstars ... Lionel Messi ($111 mil) and Cristiano Ronaldo ($108 mil).

Remember, Conor once told Ronaldo to his face that he was coming for him on the Forbes list ... to which Ronaldo responded, "I don't think so."

He still might get him one day ... but it's not today.

Others on the list include ... Steph Curry ($76.9), Matt Ryan ($67.3), Matthew Stafford ($59.5) and Kevin Durant ($57.3).

UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber says Conor McGregor is his "boy" -- but even he wants to know ... WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK?!

McGregor hasn't fought in the Octagon since Nov. 2016 when he defeated Eddie Alvarez at UFC 205. Of course, he boxed Floyd Mayweather in August 2017 ... and reportedly made around $100 mil.

Floyd had said he wants his next fight to be in the Octagon -- but he hasn't signed a contract and even Dana White has said he has no idea when the Irishman will fight again ... if ever.

So, when we saw Faber out in Hollywood with Patrick Schwarzenegger ... we asked if he knows anything!

"I don't know what the f*ck's up with Conor ... that's my boy," Faber told TMZ Sports.

Nick Diaz isn't letting his domestic violence case get in the way of meeting new women -- the UFC star was out in Vegas this weekend getting hot and heavy with a new lady ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Diaz hit up XS Nightclub at the Encore Hotel on Saturday night -- where our sources spotted Nick kissing a new mystery lady right in front of everybody!!

Unclear if they're dating or if they were just having a fun night.

We're told this is NOT the woman who accused Diaz of domestic violence.

As we previously reported, Diaz was arrested a few weeks ago after another woman -- who told police she had been in a sexual relationship with Diaz for years -- claimed Diaz attacked and choked her at a Vegas home.

Holly Holm says she's not shooting down a possible rematch with Cris Cyborg Justino -- but cautions she's gotta get through Megan Anderson first.

Earlier this week, Cyborg told us she'd love to get back in the Octagon for another crack at Holm after their extremely violent fight back in December.

But Holm says she's got a "one fight at a time" mindset -- and the fight she's focused on now is Anderson at UFC 225 on June 9.

Holm says her Cyborg fight was "really competitive" -- but she might consider switching back to the 135-pound weight class to try and get the bantamweight belt back from Amanda Nunes.

UFC superstar Cris Cyborg says she learned A LOT in her court-ordered anger management class ... and wants to use the knowledge to "be an example for other people."

As we previously reported, Cyborg was ordered to complete an "impulse control program" as part of her sentence in the battery case stemming from a 2017 altercation with UFC fighter Angela Magana.

Cyborg completed the program and the battery charge has been dropped. So, when we saw her outside Cobrinha Fitness in L.A., she was proud of her accomplishment,.

"I studied the anger management," Cyborg said ... "Every mistake you do, you learn."

Cyborg says she knows other people will try to make her snap in the future -- and she plans on using her new skills to avoid a physical confrontation.

"I have to control myself."

As for her fighting future, Cyborg talked about that too ... and told us she thinks she's on a collision course for a rematch with Holly Holm.

Cyborg also got a new Tesla -- and couldn't wait to show off one of her car's new tricks!

UFC legend Michael Bisping isn't planning on fading away now that he's retired from fighting -- dude has BIG plans ... telling TMZ Sports, "I'm taking over Hollywood."

Oh, and yeah ... he definitely FaceTimed us from the sauna.

But Bisping's not joking about his acting career -- he's got 3 big action movies in the works including a new 'xXx' movie and a sequel to the Gerard Butler, 50 Cent flick, "Den of Thieves."

39-year-old Bisping says he's truly touched by the outpouring of support from the MMA community after announcing his retirement ... saying, "I didn't realize I wasn't hated that much!"

TMZ Sports has obtained Nick Diaz's mug shot from his alleged cocaine fueled attack on a woman in Las Vegas ... and he doesn't look too happy.

The mug shot was taken at Clark County Detention Center near Las Vegas after the UFC star was arrested for felony domestic battery by strangulation -- as well as misdemeanor domestic battery.

According to multiple law enforcement sources, the alleged victim told cops Nick had been using cocaine recently and it turned him violent. On the night of the alleged incident, the woman claims Nick threw her to the ground and choked her.

Police were called and found the alleged victim with red marks around her neck and eyes -- as well as an injured hip.

UFC superstar Cris Cyborg is a new woman -- she completed a court ordered anger management course stemming from her battery case with another UFC fighter ... and now she's in the clear!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Cyborg had cut a plea deal with prosecutors stemming from a May 2017 altercation with UFC fighter Angela Magana at a fighter retreat in Vegas.

Cyborg had been cited for battery for allegedly punching Magana in the face -- and faced up to 6 months in jail.

She initially pled not guilty --- but later accepted a deal in which she agreed to complete an "impulse control program" and stay out of trouble for 6 months.

Had she failed to hold up her end of the bargain, the judge could have locked her up for 45 days.

Fortunately, it won't come to that ... court records show Cyborg completed all of the terms, so the charge has been dismissed and the case is now closed.

If you're wondering what an impulse control program is ... it "teaches offenders to be accountable for their actions and provides participants with positive alternatives to inappropriate and impulsive behavior."

What do you give a UFC legend who just whooped Michael Bisping's ass? A HUGE painting that took 40 hours to finish.

18-year-old Shane Birenbaum -- a big GSP fan who's from Canada -- happened to run into St-Pierre while on vacay in Florida.

GSP and Shane chopped it up ... and the artist showed some of his work to the legendary UFC fighter.

St-Pierre was a fan ... and asked Birenbaum to create a piece of his own. The only instructions ... something dope.

Shane worked off of a photograph taken right before GSP put the hurt on Bisping.

We talked to Shane, who told us he delivered the art -- which took him around 40 hours to finish -- to GSP a few days after his birthday ... a belated bday gift.

It's unclear exactly how much dough GSP dropped ... but Shane says he'd normally charge between $2K and $3K for a similar piece.

GSP told Shane the painting will live at Tristar gym -- where St-Pierre trains -- 'cause it's too dope to hang on a living room wall.