Conor McGregor Arrested In Ireland ... Allegedly Drove Dangerously In Capital

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UPDATE

1:52 PM PT -- Conor's rep, Karen Kessler, tells TMZ Sports ... McGregor was on the way to the gym when he was stopped for alleged traffic violations, and was taken to the station. Kessler says police gave McGregor drug and alcohol tests -- which he passed -- and was released.

UPDATE

We're told Conor's Bentley will be returned to his possession shortly.

More legal trouble for Conor McGregor ... the UFC superstar was reportedly arrested on Tuesday in Ireland for driving dangerously.

The Irish Independent reports McGregor was pulled over in west Dublin in a pricey Bentley Continental GT after officials say he committed multiple traffic offenses.

The 33-year-old was eventually arrested, according to the outlet, and his car was seized.

McGregor was reportedly taken to the local station and later released on bail. He's since reportedly been charged with dangerous driving.

McGregor -- who's been photographed in a Bentley in Ireland repeatedly over the last few weeks -- has a court date next month for a hearing on the matter, the Irish Independent reported.

The outlet explained if he's convicted on the count, he could face up to six months in jail.

We've reached out to McGregor's camp for comment, but so far no word back yet.

This is far from Conor's first trouble with the law ... there was the dolly incident in Brooklyn, the punch in Dublin, and the cell phone incident in Miami -- among other things.

Conor, though, has managed to evade any serious punishment in the cases.

After breaking his leg in July 2021, Conor has been rehabbing in and out of Ireland with the hopes of returning back to the UFC octagon soon.

Originally Published 1:22 PM PT

Colby Covington Masvidal Punched Me Twice & Broke My Tooth ... In Miami Attack

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UFC star Colby Covington told cops Jorge Masvidal punched him in the face twice and fractured his tooth in an attack outside of a Miami hotspot on Monday night ... police documents, obtained by TMZ Sports, show.

In the docs, cops say Covington told them as he exited Papi Steak restaurant, Masvidal "ran up to him from his left, and without notice, punched him with a closed fist two times in the face."

Cops in the report say Covington told them one punch landed on his mouth, while the other connected with his left eye.

According to the docs, cops say Covington heard Masvidal yell, "You shouldn't have been talking about my kids."

Several other males then allegedly tried to get involved, though cops say Covington told them he pushed one of the men away and ran back into Papi Steak, where he called police.

Cops say Covington told them he fractured his front left tooth in the attack, and also suffered an abrasion on his wrist. Police in the documents say Covington's watch was damaged as well.

Masvidal is listed as a suspect in the docs. The incident type is described as a battery/felony. Police added an investigation into the allegations is underway.

"No additional information is currently available," a police spokesperson said in a statement.

Mike Tyson Wants $1 Billion To Fight Jake Paul ... 'I Aint Got No F***ing Money'

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NEED A BILLY

Mike Tyson is down to fight Jake Paul ... in what'd be one of the most talked-about boxing matches of all time.

There's just one catch -- Iron Mike wants a BILLION dollars.

55-year-old Tyson made the comments on his "Hotboxin'" podcast this week ... when his convo with boxer Jermell Charlo and Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce turned to a rumored fight against Jake.

Pierce said he heard Mike was going to fight Jake, but Tyson seemed to be unaware of the rumor.

"Nobody told me that," Tyson said. "Hey, I ain't got no f***ing money. So, where's the f***ing contract?"

"I've never heard this from nobody, I've just heard this from you guys."

Now, Tyson and Paul are buddies.

In fact, you could argue Jake owes at least some of his boxing success to Mike. The Problem Child's career exploded after he flatlined Nate Robinson on the Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. undercard in November 2020.

The men have become good friends ... and Mike even said they were recently together in St. Barts, where they partied.

When Pierce asked Mike if he'd ever fight again, specifically against Jake, Tyson quickly said "a billion bucks" ... setting his price tag to fight Jake.

Tyson previously denied reports he was in "advanced talks" to fight Jake in a $49 million boxing match ... though his latest comments seem to suggest the fight isn't totally off the table.

That is if anyone can find an extra bill lying around.

Jorge Masvidal Held Back From Covington After Alleged Fight ... Video Shows

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Jorge Masvidal yelled at Colby Covington and needed to be held back by several men following their alleged fight outside of a Miami hotspot on Monday night ... new video, obtained by TMZ Sports, shows.

In the clip, you can see as Covington, wearing a tan shirt and grey pants, retreated back into Papi Steak, Masvidal -- wearing a hat and a black t-shirt -- screamed at him, "Don't talk about my kids!"

Masvidal appeared to be charging at Covington while yelling, though a couple of guys outside of the restaurant prevented him from getting to the UFC star.

Masvidal then appeared to say, "I got you, bitch," before he got into an awaiting car.

As we previously reported, sources say Masvidal attacked Covington after Colby had stepped outside of the restaurant following dinner with the Nelk Boys.

In footage we obtained of the aftermath, Colby can be heard saying, "He's over here swinging, trying to come at me, and I ran ..."

Later in the video, Colby asked social media star Bob Menery, "How would he know I'm here?!"

Covington has yet to publicly comment on the incident. Masvidal, meanwhile, has posted several videos appearing to poke fun at Colby over it all.

He also tweeted Tuesday morning, "Good morning to everyone except those that think talking about someone's kids is cool."

We're told cops took a report at the scene ... but we've reached out to them for comment, and so far, no word back yet.

Colby Covington Surrounded By Cops After Alleged Fight ... With Jorge Masvidal

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TMZ Sports has obtained video showing Colby Covington just moments after he allegedly fought with Jorge Masvidal outside of a Miami hotspot ... and you can see the UFC star was surrounded by cops.

The footage was shot at around 11:30 PM ET ... roughly half an hour after sources tell us Covington and Masvidal got into a physical altercation outside of Papi Steak in Miami Beach.

Colby ate dinner on Monday night with the Nelk Boys inside of the restaurant -- and we're told Masvidal did NOT eat at the restaurant.

Sources say as Colby was leaving the restaurant after dinner ... Masvidal allegedly attacked him outside.

In our video, you can hear Colby appearing to describe the alleged attack, saying, "He's over here swinging, trying to come at me, and I ran ..."

Colby can later be heard on the footage asking social media star Bob Menery, "How would [Masvidal] know I'm here?"

"I don't know," Menery responded in the clip. "You're all over the internet."

It should be noted, earlier in the night, Menery and the Nelk Boys posted video of Covington inside of the restaurant. Colby had been a guest on their "Full Send Podcast" earlier in the day.

We're told cops took a report at the scene. We've reached out to police for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

As for Masvidal's side of the story, he posted a video shortly after the alleged altercation, challenging Colby to show his face while saying, "If you talk that s***, you've got to back it up."

Jorge and Colby -- best friends turned bitter enemies -- just fought on March 5 ... where Covington won by unanimous decision.

Chael Sonnen Hit With 11 Charges ... Over Alleged Hotel Fight

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Chael Sonnen ain't in the clear over his alleged role in a hotel fight after all ... TMZ Sports has learned he's just been hit with 11 charges -- including one felony -- over the December 2021 incident in Las Vegas.

According to court records, prosecutors filed the charges against the UFC legend last week ... hitting him with felony battery by strangulation and 10 other misdemeanor battery charges.

In the docs, officials accuse Sonnen of roughing up six people -- including one woman -- during some sort of altercation at a Vegas hotel on Dec. 18.

Officials say in the docs Sonnen choked a man, punched and/or struck a woman, and punched and/or kneed others in the head and face during the incident.

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LED AWAY BY COPS

We obtained video shortly after the alleged altercation, showing Sonnen being led away in handcuffs.

As we previously reported, Sonnen had initially been slapped with 5 battery citations over the alleged fight ... but a judge in Nevada dismissed the case in January after the Clark County District Attorney told us "the citation’s notice to appear failed to comply with the legal requirements as set forth by Nevada law."

The case was dismissed in January "without prejudice" -- meaning the state could refile the charges if they chose to -- which it clearly opted to do earlier this month.

We reached out to Sonnen's team for comment ... so far, no word back yet.

The 44-year-old was a legend in the Octagon -- beating Rampage Jackson, Wanderlei Silva, Shogun Rua and Michael Bisping in his career -- and he's since gone on to become one of the top MMA analysts in the world.

Paige VanZant I'm Not Done Fighting MMA ... After Inking AEW Deal

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Paige VanZant -- one of the toughest women on the planet -- is putting everyone in the MMA community on notice ... saying she's not done with fighting, despite signing a wrestling contract with AEW.

TMZ Sports spoke with the 27-year-old former UFC star/host of "TMZ Fight School" on Snapchat ... and she says any talk of her leaving combat sports full-time for wrestling isn't the case.

In fact, she says she has a Bare Knuckle FC bout coming up later this year ... and has other promotions lining up to sign her when her current contract is up.

Paige says she is in awe at some of the offers she received ... calling them "life-changing."

As we previously reported, the Bare Knuckle fighter officially became a professional wrestler this month ... when she inked a deal the same night she surprised AEW fans by appearing at Dynamite.

The world of professional wrestling is a different kind of combat ... and Paige admits the jump from one sport to the other is a lot.

"It's a big difference, but I got plenty of time on my hands," VanZant said. "I like to stay busy. I have pro wrestling training, and then I have training for Bare Knuckle boxing as well."

As for her future ... it seems Paige is determined to juggle both pro wrestling and Bare Knuckle fighting ... saying she's enjoying her time.

UFC Fighter Eryk Anders Gashes Foot W/ Chainsaw ... Gnarly Photos!!!!

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UFC fighter Eryk Anders suffered a super GNARLY injury this week ... when he was chopping trees down with a chainsaw, and SAWED INTO HIS OWN FOOT!!

And, it's just as gross as it sounds.

TMZ Sports talked to 34-year-old Anders just days after he was forced to seek emergency treatment at a local hospital for the chainsaw injury.

"I was cutting down trees, and of course, I was on the last one, and I'm not a professional or nothing. It was a pretty big tree," Anders says, adding, "and I was cutting it and the tree leaned into the blade, so it kinda got stuck. With my other hand I reached up to push the tree, and I thought the chainsaw would keep cutting."

But, that's unfortunately not what happened.

"I guess I didn't have any pressure on the chainsaw to keep it moving in that direction and it kind of skipped off the tree and bounced off my foot."

Ouch.

How much did it hurt? We asked Eryk.

"I didn't even know I did it. Obviously, I felt the weight of the chainsaw land on my foot. I took a second. And, then the tree fell. So, I had to dodge the tree, so it was a big clusterf**k, all in the snap of a finger."

It goes without saying Anders is one tough dude. Not only is he a UFC fighter ... but he used to be a star on the University of Alabama football team, where he won a national championship under Nick Saban.

Thankfully, Anders was patched up by a doctor at the hospital (he needed 20 stitches) and is already back in the gym (maniac).

But, that's likely the end of Anders's logging career.

"I don't think I'll be using chainsaws anymore."

UFC's Paddy Pimblett Roasts Ilia Topuria After Hotel Fight ... 'Mr. Hand Sanitizer!'

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WHO ARE WE TALKING ABOUT AGAIN...?

UFC rising star Paddy Pimblett is roasting Ilia Topuria -- AKA "Mr. Hand Sanitizer" -- after the rival fighters came to blows in a hotel ... after engaging in a social media tiff a few months back.

TMZ Sports talked to 27-year-old Paddy "The Baddy" one day after he got into it with 25-year-old Topuria ... and it's safe to say the scuffle didn't do anything to squash the beef.

Pimblett -- 17-3 as a pro -- says he was just minding his own business, "warming me eggs up" in the hotel kitchen when Ilia -- "that little bitch ass" as Paddy refers to him -- approached him in an aggressive manner.

Paddy says Topuria made the first move, "So, I bounced hand sanitizer off his head so from now he'll forever be known as Mr. Hand Sanitizer."

"He tried to throw a right hook at me which is about four years away from me because he's like 5'7". It's hard to make it look good on his part when he looks like an absolute idiot. I can't believe he posted that video. He's made himself look so stupid saying 'I warned you.'"

"Well you're the one with hand sanitizer bounced off your head lad. Nothing happened to me. You didn't land a single punch. There was six of you and ya done nothing," Paddy said.

The drama started last April when Paddy Tweeted ... "Lad how stupid are these Georgians man ... no wonder the Russians terrorize their lives." Pimblett erased the message and apologized, but it's clear Ilia didn't forget.

The guys clearly still have issues ... so we asked Paddy if he was interested in fighting Topuria in the future.

"He's beneath me. As I say it, I don't even know his name, lad. He's Mr. Sanitizer to me. That's all he is. I don't know his name, lad. He's gonna get knocked out Saturday by my man Jai [Herbert], and then he'll crawl back to the featherweight division."

FYI, both men are fighting this weekend at UFC Fight Night ... but they're not fighting each other. Pimblett's taking on Rodrigo Vargas (we also talked to PP about his fight).

Many people have compared the up-and-comer from Liverpool with Conor McGregor. We also talked to Paddy about many fans anointing him the next Notorious.

UFC's Ilia Topuria Hotel Skirmish W/ Paddy Pimblett Over Offensive Tweet

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Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett -- two rising stars in the UFC -- threw punches and bottles in a wild hotel lobby altercation  ... and it was all over an offensive tweet.

The skirmish went down just days before UFC Fight Night in London ... where Topuria is slated to fight Jai Herbert, and Pimblett is set to face off against Rodrigo Vargas.

But it was Topuria vs. Pimblett on Tuesday ... as the 11-0 Georgian fighter confronted him for crossing the line in a Twitter exchange last year.

The video is pretty nuts -- Topuria walks right up to 17-3 Pimblett and appears to either throw an object or swipe at him. In response, Paddy throws a bottle.

The two then throw punches ... but nothing seems to connect before Ilia is pulled away by his team.

FYI -- "The Baddy" was called out for tweeting "Lad how stupid are these Georgians man ... no wonder the Russians terrorize their lives" in April of last year.

Paddy later deleted the tweet and apologized ... but it's clear Topuria hasn't forgotten about it, nor has he forgiven the 27-year-old.

Topuria, 25, posted the quick altercation on Instagram just minutes ago ... saying, "I warned you! This is what happens when you disrespect me and my country!"

"You saw me and wanted to greet me because you s*** your pants ... and you should thank my team because if it wasn’t for them separating me, I would have taken your head off."

"This is not Twitter, this is real life!"

UFC Star Kevin Holland Stops Gunman In Shooting ... At Sushi Spot

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UPDATE

11:24 AM PT -- TMZ Sports has obtained the mug shot Jesus Edrai Cardiel Samaniego took after his arrest.

UPDATE
UPDATE

10:09 AM PT -- Cops tell TMZ Sports ... the alleged gunman fired a shot into the ceiling while sitting at a bar area in the restaurant.

UPDATE

According to police, a man near the suspect grabbed the gun and pointed it away from patrons. Authorities say others -- which, presumably, included Holland -- then jumped in to help subdue the suspect until cops arrived.

UPDATE

A Houston Police Dept. spokesperson tells us the alleged gunman was 24-year-old Jesus Edrai Cardiel Samaniego. The spokesperson said he's been charged with misdemeanor unlawful carrying of a weapon and felony deadly conduct.

Kevin Holland is basically Batman at this point.

The UFC star just took matters into his own hands and stopped a crime dead in its tracks -- AGAIN -- this time, subduing a gunman at a sushi restaurant.

The 29-year-old welterweight was at Ra Sushi in the Highland Village of Houston around 11:30 PM on Monday ... when witnesses say someone entered the restaurant and fired a gun into the air.

But, while most of the folks in attendance ducked for cover, three customers -- including Holland -- rushed to stop the alleged shooter.

One of the heroes, Patrick Robinson, spoke with ABC 13 about the heroic effort ... saying, "We were eating and the next thing you know, a gunshot just popped off. So everything paused and then everybody started running to get down under a table."

"We got him down, apprehended him, got the gun away from him and the bag that he had."

By the time cops arrived, the 24-year-old suspect was already subdued and had his weapon taken away!!

The suspect is now facing charges of possessing a stolen gun and discharge of a firearm, the outlet reports.

Remember, this isn't the first time Holland -- who just beat "Cowboy" Oliveira at UFC 272 -- put his MMA skills to use outside the Octagon. Last year, he helped stop a carjacker just days after competing at UFC Fight Night!!

Get this guy a medal.

Originally Published -- 8:25 AM PT

Kayla Harrison Cyborg Fight Could Happen In PFL ... Ready To 'Test Myself'

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GIMME THE GOATS

Kayla Harrison says she happily resigned with PFL -- but only after company execs proved they were serious about making a super fight with Cris Cyborg, the undefeated MMA star tells TMZ Sports.

31-year-old Harrison -- a 2x PFL tourney winner -- has made it clear she wants to fight the best (think Cyborg and Amanda Nunes) ... so when Kayla recently hit the free-agent market, she talked to Bellator and UFC.

But, the 12-0 fighter says the PFL bosses convinced her they could put together a Harrison-Cyborg fight in the near future.

"PFL and I talked in depth about that and they let me know in no uncertain terms that they are gonna -- Cyborg only has two fights left on her contract, but also I know that they're very open to talking with Bellator," Harrison tells us.

"They're very open to co-promoting, cross-promoting, streaming, Pay Per Viewing, CBS, ESPN, they're open to all of it."

36-year-old Cyborg -- who's only lost twice since turning pro in 2005 -- is laying her title on the line, fighting Arlene Blencowe at Bellator 279 in April. But, after that, it's clear Kayla believes there's a path to make the fight.

And, Harrison, a 2x Olympic gold medalist, believes she's ready ... and has been for some time.

"To be frank, honestly, and blunt, I am ready now to test myself. I feel like I've been held back by my coaches, by my advisors for a while. I've been ready, I've been chomping at the bit, I've been ready to go out there and test myself."

Along with the new deal comes a whole bunch of money, too (PFL described it as a “historic new contract”). But, Kayla says the cash comes second to her legacy.

"After talking to [PFL Founder] Donn Davis, I do feel really hopeful. I think that he really wants to make the [Cyborg] fight happen. I think that's he's innovative, I think that he knows that this is very important to me."

"My legacy is, I would argue more important to me than money."

Gilbert Burns I Will Finish Khamzat Chimaev ... 2nd Or 3rd Round

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Gilbert Burns vs. Khamzat Chimaev isn't the main event at UFC 273, but it's the fight everyone's dying to see ... and Durinho says he'd love to flatline the undefeated fighter, he believes the highly anticipated fight will be a slugfest.

"The perfect scenario, I'll go there and take the guy out with a punch. Boom, knockout! That was the perfect scenario but I think it's gonna be a war. I don't think it's gonna be that easy. I think that guy's a dog, he's gonna come hungry, excited trying to put on a show," Gilbert told TMZ Sports.

27-year-old Chimaev burst onto the UFC scene in 2020 ... amassing a 4-0 record (10-0 overall) in Dana White's promotion, all while becoming a huge star.

All but one of Khamzat's fights have ended in the first round (the other ended just a minute into the 2nd round) ... and the man has literally been hit just two times.

But, #11 ranked Chimaev hasn't faced a top 10 opponent ... and certainly no one like Burns, Gilbert says.

"I think [Khamzat's] very tough, I think he's very good, but let's be honest, he's never seen on one on my caliber, grappling wise, jiu-jitsu, striking, speed, in a lot of actual experience. I've been there many times in the UFC title fights, many events. I think I have a lot of experience but I see that guy very, very tough -- very, very dangerous. I'll take him very seriously."

FYI, the 35-year-old fighter is the #2 ranked UFC welterweight ... and has beat the likes of Tyron Woodley, Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson and Demian Maia.

"I think my arms raising. I don't know how, maybe a submission, maybe a knockout but I don't see a decision. I see a knockout or a submission. Second round or third round finish."

Paige VanZant Former UFC Star Signs With AEW ... Jeff Hardy, Too

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Paige VanZant is a professional wrestler now -- the ex-UFC star just signed a contract with All Elite Wrestling ... and is set to begin her training ASAP!!

PVZ literally signed her contract in the ring during an appearance at "AEW Dynamite" on Wednesday ... after coming out of the crowd and attacking wrestler Tay Conti from behind.

The run-in caused Conti's boyfriend, "Spanish God" Sammy Guevara, to lose his TNT championship to The Men of the Year's Scorpio Sky.

"Wanted to give the world one more reason to hate on me 💋😉 PVZ TAKING OVER!!!!," VanZant wrote on Twitter after announcing the news.

Of course, Paige is no stranger to the AEW crowd -- she's made several appearances since debuting alongside Jorge Masvidal in September ... and got a huge pop from fans on Wednesday.

The terms of the deal have not been revealed, but AEW prez Tony Khan expressed his excitement over the new addition ... saying, "It’s official! @paigevanzant is ALL ELITE!"

You'll recall, Paige made a name for herself as a combat fighter ... going 5-4 in UFC before signing a massive deal with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship in 2020, where she posted an 0-2 record.

The former "Dancing with the Stars" contestant's future with BKFC is unclear, but it seems Paige is now focused on wrestling ... and it's only a matter of time before we see her compete inside an AEW ring.

The move shouldn't come as a complete surprise -- Paige previously told TMZ Sports back in 2018 she was hoping to take her talents to the squared-circle.

Paige wasn't the only superstar who surprised the crowd last night -- former WWE star Jeff Hardy (now known as Jeffrey Nero Hardy) also signed with AEW ... and had one of the highlights of the night alongside his brother, Matt.

UFC's Renato Moicano Happy Ref Didn't Stop RDA Fight Despite Brutal Beatdown

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ROLLIN' WITH THE PUNCHES

Renato Moicano says he's happy the ref didn't stop his co-main event fight with Rafael dos Anjos, despite receiving a beating for much of the UFC 272 match, 'cause he got to test himself in the harshest conditions ... and he'd do it all over again if asked!

"I'm really thankful that the judge didn't stop the fight because otherwise, I would not know what I'm made of. I always try to go forward, I always try to fight back and for me, it was perfect. The referee did his job, it was a great job."

32-year-old Moicano is a bad man. He's beaten the likes of Jeremy Stephens, Cub Swanson and Calvin Kattar. He stepped up to fight a 5 round fight against RDA -- a future Hall of Famer -- on 5 days' notice, and lost a unanimous decision Saturday night.

But, that doesn't tell the whole story. RDA was dominating the fight, and the commentary team and fans and fighters on social media said the fight should've been stopped.

At least twice the ringside doctor examined Moicano's eye, but told ref Marc Goddard the fight could go on. Goddard also warned Renato to pick up the pace or he was calling the fight.

"For me, the referee did his job. Was a great job," Moicano said of Marc.

About the eye -- which looked terrible during the fight -- we asked Renato if it hurt him a day and a half later.

"No, I'm not feeling pain. It's just black, you know?"

In the late stages of the final round of the fight, Moicano somehow mounted an offensive, landing heavy shots on RDA as the fight came to a close.

Renato says because of the short notice, he wasn't fully prepared for the fight. He says he was actually on vacation, eating and drinking good,

"I flew straight to Brazil, and I was enjoying my vacation. You know, drink some beers, eat some steaks. But, the opportunity shows up, and when an opportunity like that shows up you have to give it a try, and I was ready to beat him. His game plan was better than mine."

Win or lose ... insane toughness and will.

UFC's Maryna Moroz Ukrainian Fighter Scared For Family ... I Know Someone Who Died In War

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UFC fighter Maryna Moroz has been on a roller coaster of emotions -- the Ukrainian fighter got a huge win at UFC 272, but tells TMZ Sports she's terrified for her family's safety as war rages in her home country.

"A lot of emotions because after 24 hours, I didn't sleep. I tried to answer everybody for my fans, for my family, for my friends. So back in Florida, a little bit of rest, try to stay more calm but still have emotions like crazy, but happy," Moroz says.

But, despite feeling good about the hard-earned 2nd round submission win over Mariya Agapova, Maryna's still very worried about her relatives in Ukraine.

"My family is okay but I know many of my friends, like, I know this guy died. It was so sad, but for me, it's very important to save my family right now. I don't want somebody to come touch my family. It's still nervous, still scary to me, I'm scared right now, but I try to be strong."

Even though Moroz was on the undercard, her post-fight interview with Joe Rogan got a lot of attention after Maryna talked about the emotions she dealt with leading up to fight night.

In spite of the terrible situation facing her loved ones on the ground in Ukraine, she says her family is thrilled for her success.

"Of course, my family is very proud of me."