UFC

It's 26 degrees and snowing like crazy in Montreal.

... or as Georges St-Pierre calls it -- PERFECT TRAINING WEATHER!!

"Training in a snowstorm today has reminded me of something very important," GSP said ... "There’s nothing like getting out of your comfort zone in order to improve!"

The 39-year-old UFC legend has been busting his ass in the freezing cold (running, jumping, strength training) but the big question on everyone's mind ... what's he training for?!!?

There are rumbling GSP could come out of retirement to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov in one final UFC super-fight ... despite the fact Georges recently told us he's happily retired.

"I think for me it's better if I stay retired," GSP told TMZ Sports back in July ... "It's not worth it for me."

GSP formally retired back in 2019 -- saying he wanted to leave while still on top (his last fight was a '17 victory over Michael Bisping).

But, ex-UFC fighter Kenny Florian -- now a broadcaster who's still super plugged in to all things UFC --  recently said he's heard from a solid source that both GSP and Khabib are preparing for a scrap.

So far, nothing has been announced ... but if they do fight, it would be HUUUUUUGE.

UFC champion Kamaru Usman says he would consider fighting Khabib Nurmagomedov IF the Dagestani star really wanted to scrap ... "but that's not something I'd ever pursue."

In other words, Kamaru says he will NOT chase the UFC's reigning, undefeated lightweight champ -- instead, he's focused on defending his own 170 lb. title.

"If Khabib came back, that's the thing with me and Khabib, we have this respect with one another to where we can always talk to each other like men," Kamaru tells TMZ Sports.

"So, if that's something that he was interested in and he came back and he had a conversation with me like, 'I wanna do that', that's something that we visit at that time, but me personally, that's not something I would ever pursue. Absolutely not."

Usman is on a 16 fight win streak ... and is set to defend his welterweight belt against his former training partner Gilbert Burns at UFC 258 on February 13.

Kamaru tells us he has the utmost respect for Burns, but their friendship all goes out the window the moment they step in the Octagon.

"When we step in, I see no face, I see no friendship," Usman says ... "I see none of that! You chose to -- you wanted this!"

We also asked Kamaru about a possible Conor McGregor fight (remember, The Notorious alluded to pursuing the 170 lb. belt last year) ... and Usman didn't slam the door -- but says Conor will have to earn the opportunity, like everybody else.

Too pretty to bare-knuckle fight, not talented enough to win ... that’s what Paige VanZant's heard for months, but now the combat sports star is finally CLAPPING back at the haters.

TMZ Sports talked to the 26-year-old Bare Knuckle FC fighter days before her fist-fighting debut against Britain Hart at Knuckle Mania on February 5 ... and 12-gauge -- who until now has bit her tongue -- had a message for the doubters.

"My idea was if you talk s*** about somebody then you should be willing to say it to their face and not a single person who has said anything negative about me publicly has been willing to say it to my face," VanZant tells us, continuing ... "And I've seen people in person."

Paige parted ways with the UFC last year ... before signing with BKFC in August.

Some fans and "experts" were super critical of the move, saying VanZant was risking her looks -- and future in the entertainment industry -- to fight BKFC.

FYI, bareknuckle fighting tends to open up cuts -- especially on delicate facial skin -- leading to some brutal fights (awesome to watch if you like blood!!)

But, VanZant's entertainment career is already booming ... she'd done everything from modeling in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue to being a contestant on Dancing With The Stars -- and she clearly isn't concerned about her looks.

"'Oh my face' like, grow up! It's a face and it's mine and I can do whatever I want with it! And guess what? I'm still gonna be beautiful even if I get cut open. It's not a big deal."

Jon Jones is gonna love this ...

We did a little rapid-fire round of questions with Dana White the other day -- asking him everything from "Who's the greatest UFC fighter ever?" to "Who's the best UFC fighter right now?"

Of course, Dana answered everything.

Spoiler: Dana says Jon Jones is the G.O.A.T. -- but noted Khabib Nurmagomedov is the greatest "right now."

It's hard to argue against Jon Jones being the best ever -- he's 26-1 as a pro with wins over everyone from Daniel Cormier to Rampage Jackson, Alexander Gustafsson, Ryan Bader and more.

Most people, including White, don't even acknowledge his 1 loss -- a DQ to Matt Hamill for illegal downward elbows.

Dana explained at the time Jones should have been docked a point instead of being DQ'd -- "It shouldn't have happened that way. He shouldn't have a loss, so it's unfortunate."

As for Khabib ... you probably know, Dana is trying to convince the Dagestani to come back for one last UFC fight -- but it doesn't sound too promising at the moment. Fingers crossed.

WWE superstar Bill Goldberg admits he thought about pursuing an MMA career back in the day -- but ultimately went with pro wrestling because the money was better.

... but the whole thing makes ya wonder -- how would Goldberg have fared in the Octagon?!

Probably pretty well.

"If you know anything about my background when it comes to MMA, I had one of largest MMA gyms in the country back in the late '90s. That was a dream of mine."

Goldberg says he trained alongside UFC legends like Randy Couture and Mark Coleman when they were in their prime.

But, let's get to the point ... how would he do in a real MMA fight?

"I think my stand up skills would have played well, no question," Goldberg tells TMZ Sports ... "because a lot of people have no idea as to what I've done in the past."

"But, I'd be lacking in the ground game, there's no doubt -- and the problem with a guy like myself is I'd end up hurting myself more so than getting hurt by the other person. I'll break a hand on someone's face! I'll blow my shoulder out trying to choke somebody! At the end of the day, I'm my own worst enemy!"

"So the longwinded answer is absolutely I would have loved to have done it if the opportunity was such that it was comparable, if not more advantageous, in the world of professional wrestling. But, at the time, it was a no-brainer for me."

Don't feel too bad for Goldberg, he's had an unreal run as a pro wrestler and is set to face Drew McIntyre in a Championship bout at the Royal Rumble on Sunday.

Goldberg -- who famously trained with UFC star Dustin Poirier back in 2015 -- says the plan is to do to McIntyre what Poirier did to Conor McGregor!

The WWE legend also raved about Poirier -- and told us why he's still inspired by the UFC star ... who's one of the most humble and hardworking athletes he knows.

"He's from Lafayette Louisiana, it's a great story and I just hope people understand -- I've said many times about a few people, his talents are at the top of the game but they pale in comparison to what is actually inside his heart. He's a great person."

Yeah, he's a YouTube kid ... but don't count out Jake Paul in his scrap against Ben Askren, so says Joe Rogan who thinks Jake has real talent.

Joe was talking about the April 17th boxing match on his podcast with ex-UFC fighter Brendan Schaub -- who strongly believes Askren is gonna beat that ass.

Schaub's point is Askren is too accomplished and too experienced as a high-level combat sports athlete to lose to a 24-year-old with only 2 pro fights under his belt.

Schaub also says both of Jake's opponents -- including ex-NBA star Nate Robinson -- were bums with essentially zero fighting experience.

Meanwhile, Askren has been in real, full-contact fights with some elite strikers -- which gives him a tremendous advantage.

Still, Rogan says Askren isn't really known as a stand-up striker -- and without being able to use his elite wrestling skills, it definitely levels the playing field.

"[Ben Askren] is strong as f**k. He knows how to grab ahold of guys, and drag them to the ground and implement his style. He won’t be able to do that. His main thing will be out. His main thing will be completely removed."

As for Jake, Rogan says he's impressed from what he's seen so far.

"You can watch [Jake Paul] hit the bag, watch him hit pads, watch him spar -- he’s got good timing, he’s got very good hand speed, his technique is excellent," Rogan said.

"He’s got very good striking technique."

"I love seeing a loudmouth get knocked out."

That's Justin Gaethje explaining why he LOVED watching Conor McGregor get knocked on his ass by Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 ... and man, he's reveling in the Irishman's defeat!

"I don’t feel bad for him," Gaethje told ESPN's Brett Okamoto ... "I’m happy for Poirier. I’m happy Poirier went out there and did his job and finished him."

"There is nothing that makes me happier. Seeing a piece of s*** get put down? That was great. I loved it.”

Gaethje -- who's previously told TMZ Sports that McGregor has been ducking him for years -- went on to explain why Conor is delusional if he thinks he still deserves a title shot in the UFC's stacked lightweight division.

"What do they have him ranked at, #6? I think he should be ahead of [Tony Ferguson] in the rankings. But, for him to come out and say he wants a title shot next? A rematch versus Poirier, or his coach, they are f**king idiots."

"[Conor has] been treated special over and over and over and he didn’t capitalize on this opportunity. That event was for him, that event was for him to win, and he wants to be Mr. Humble now??? But, you know he would be an asshole if he won that fight."

There's more ... Gaethje, who's currently ranked #2, says he would think about leaving the UFC if Conor gets to cut the line for another title shot.

"That would be preposterous," Gaethje said ... "For one, he’s sitting at #6. He’s won one fight in his entire life in the lightweight division, and he picks and chooses who he fights. So I have no respect for him in that manner."

First, we fight ... then we booze?!

That's the plan for UFC star Gilbert Burns -- who says he can't wait to beat the hell out of his old sparring partner Kamaru Usman on Feb 13 ... and then pound beers together afterward!

Gilbert has earned a shot at Kamaru's welterweight belt at UFC 258 -- and tells TMZ Sports he intends to go after Usman with everything he's got, despite their chummy past.

"If the fight goes a little close to how our sparring sessions used to be ... people are gonna get crazy," Gilbert says ... "Because we used to go after each other hard."

"What we have between us is a high-level competition. I want to beat Kamaru, he wants to beat me. The best man should win that fight and will win that fight. But, there's no animosity."

Usman and Burns are both on FIRE right now -- Kamaru (17-1) hasn't lost a fight in the UFC, with victories over stars like Tyron Woodley, Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington and more.

Burns (19-3) has looked spectacular in recent wins over Woodley, Demian Maia and Gunnar Nelson.

Gilbert says the only way to show his respect to Kamaru is to come at him with everything he's got ... and he intends to end the fight with a knockout.

Still, he offered these kind words to his opponent -- "Stay safe, we're gonna go out there and give it our best -- and we gonna still have all the respect after the fight."

There's more ... Gilbert also opened up about his bout with COVID-19 in 2020 ... telling TMZ Sports it was rough on his body and took a while before he felt 100%.

UFC legend B.J. Penn was arrested for drunk driving in Hawaii over the weekend, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

A spokesperson for the Hawaii Police Dept. says the 42-year-old MMA fighter was taken into custody on January 23 in Honokaa, which is on the Big Island.

Cops have not released the details surrounding Penn's arrest -- however, there is a video circulating on social media that appears to show Penn ranting at cops while being taken into custody.

The Hawaii PD is aware of the video -- but would not clarify if it was related to the Jan. 23 incident.

Penn's personal life has been a mess over the past few years -- he's been in multiple street fights ... and was even knocked out during an incident at a Hawaii bar in 2019.

In February 2020, Penn crashed his truck and was subsequently investigated by the police for DUI -- but that case is still pending.

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

Penn is one of the original UFC superstars -- beating legends like Matt Serra, Kenny Florian, Diego Sanchez and Matt Hughes before going on a 7-fight losing skid to cap off his career.

UFC's newest, violent superstar Michael Chandler says he's convinced he'll fight Dustin Poirier in the near future ... whether Dustin wants it or not!!

Chandler made his spectacular UFC debut at UFC 257 on Saturday night -- obliterating the #6 ranked lightweight Dan Hooker in an explosive 1st round knockout.

After the fight, Dustin Poirier -- who beat Conor McGregor that night -- shot down a possible scrap with Chandler.

"I can guarantee I won’t be fighting Michael Chandler,” Poirier said after the fight ... suggesting Chandler simply hasn't earned the right to share the octagon with him.

No disrespect to [Chandler]. He seems like a good husband, a good father, he speaks well, has a lot of respect, carries himself very well. It’s not a knock against him. It’s just my feelings toward the division and the sport."

FYI, Chandler has only fought 1 time in the UFC -- but he's had 26 pro fights in other MMA promotions including Bellator where he won 18 of 23 fights and became the Bellator lightweight champ.

So, how does Chandler feel about the situation? Confident.

Chandler says it's Dana White who ultimately calls the shots -- not Poirier -- and he knows Dana respects his resume.

In fact, Chandler says he believes UFC will make the fight -- and he can't wait.

"Chances are we're gonna throw down and chances are I'm gonna have the gold around my waist by the end of the year," Chandler tells TMZ Sports.

"He's gonna be very very surprised by my power and I think I'll finish him in the first 2 rounds."

There's more ... we also spoke with Chandler about luring Khabib Nurmagomedov out of retirement for a 30th fight -- and yeah, he wants a piece of the Eagle!

"If you ever do wanna come back ... try to beat me, but you're gonna end up 29 and Chandler!"

He also ripped Khabib for tweeting about Conor McGregor after Conor's loss -- saying, "It is disheartening, a little bit immature for [Khabib] to be chirping from the sidelines."

The hits keep on coming for Conor McGregor -- this time, it's Floyd Mayweather trashing his old boxing opponent ... "Con Artist McLoser."

In fact, Floyd says the positive way Conor continues to be treated by the public even after multiple losses -- while Mayweather still gets constant hate -- is proof racism is still alive and well.

"The world knows Con Artist McLoser can steal everything from me and be loved but I’m hated," Mayweather posted on IG after Conor got knocked out by Dustin Poirier at UFC 257.

"That just lets you all know that racism still exist."

Remember, Floyd beat up Conor in their 2017 boxing match -- dominating from start to finish ... with the ref stopping the fight in the 10th round.

Then Floyd really dug and unloaded on Conor ... suggesting Conor also ruined his shot at a high-profile boxing match with Manny Pacquiao.

"Just know, that bum will never be me or be on my level. I’m just built different, my mindset is on another planet, my skills are second to none, I’m a natural born winner and yes I talk a lot of trash, but every time I back it up!"

"This is what they hate. It’s sad that you can be a poor black kid from the ghetto that has dealt with racism your whole life and work extremely hard to put yourself and your family in a better position, and most of the hate come from my own people."

"Connor [sic] cannot even win in his own sport, but talking about coming back to boxing to fight Pacquiao. Nobody wants to see that, it's like my leftovers eating leftovers."

So, what now for Conor? He's gunning for a rematch with Dustin Poirier ... and Khabib Nurmagomedov ... and also Floyd.

DUSTIN POIRIER!!!!!

The Diamond just KNOCKED OUT Conor McGregor at UFC 257 -- and man, was that violent!!!!

McGregor seemed to be in control in Round 1 -- but Dustin took over in Round 2, obliterating McGregor with a series of shots before ending it with a strong right hook that sent Conor right to the mat.

Dustin avenged his 1st round loss to Conor when they fought in 2014 -- a fight Dustin has wanted to run back for years!!

Dustin's game plan was obvious -- he targeted Conor's legs hoping to wear the guy down ... and he did just that.

After the fight, Dustin called a 3rd fight with Conor -- and bragged he's the best boxer in the UFC.

Conor was respectful after the fight -- and offered an explanation for the loss.

"I just wasn't as comfortable as I needed to be," Conor said after the fight ... insisting he's been out of the Octagon too long to compete with the best in the world.

It was McGregor's first fight since January 2020 -- when he defeated Cowboy Cerrone in a 1st round knockout.

Before that, Conor got beat up by Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 in October 2018. He hadn't fought before that since Nov. 2016.

Here's the bottom line for Conor -- it would be hard for Khabib to be impressed enough by Conor's performance to warrant a rematch.

In fact, Khabib sent a tweet seemingly aimed at Conor after the fight -- basically saying Conor has strayed from what made him great.

"This is what happened, when you change your team, leave the sparring partners who made you a champion and sparring with little kids, far away from reality."

Conor McGregor is getting ready to enter the UFC Octagon in what promises to be one of the biggest fights ever ... and he could draw some inspiration from this kid, who clearly drew inspiration from Conor.

Brice Gonzalez is amazing. The 5-year-old, with the help of his dad Randy, mimicked Conor after an earlier, 1st round K.O. against Dustin Poirier. The kid's attitude is spot on, and he's exceptional at memorizing his lines.

Randy has created a hugely successful comedy show with his son, which gets millions of views on social media. Randy, who served time in prison, was having a hard time finding a job. Then he came up with the idea of a comedy show, and it exploded.

Randy and Brice have gained a bunch of celeb followers, including Kevin Hart and Snoop.

The UFC just fired one of its top rising stars -- undefeated Ottman Azaitar -- after he allegedly committed one of the most INSANE safety violations we've ever heard.

Ottman -- who's 13-0 as a pro with some crazy highlight-reel knockouts -- allegedly stole a page out of a "Mission Impossible" movie to sneak an unapproved guest into the Fight Island area on Abu Dhabi, risking the health of EVERYONE there.

FYI, 30-year-old Ottman was scheduled to fight on the main card at "UFC 257: Poirier vs. McGregor" on Saturday night -- taking on 30-year-old Matt Frevola (8-1-1).

But, that fight was removed from the card on Friday due to a "health and safety violation."

So, what the hell happened?! Dana White explained to BT Sport ... and man, the allegation is bad.

"So [Ottman Azaitar] and his team cut off their wrist bands, gave 'em to somebody outside the bubble," White explained ... "I don't know how they even did it."

"That guy taped [the wristbands], showed up here [on Fight Island] with a bag, went into a room, shimmied across 4 balconies, went in [Ottman's] room, dropped the bag off, changed his clothes and then left."

WHAT?!!??!?!

Dana continues ...

"Now, when security tried to stop him, he wouldn't stop either way and yeah it's just bad."

Dana said he fired Ottman on the spot -- "He's gone. He's no longer a UFC fighter and he's not fighting [Saturday night]."

Wow.

The big question -- what was inside the mystery bag?!!?!? Our UFC sources say they have no clue at the moment. Guessing they're going to try and find out.

As we previously reported, the Fight Island area is incredibly secure -- with multiple COVID testing points and crazy security to keep everyone safe. One violation could compromise the entire thing.

Conor McGregor has big plans after UFC 257 -- most notably, he badly wants a rematch with lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

So, what happens if he loses to Dustin Poirier on Fight Island this weekend? That's the question we posed to Dana White.

"Nothing happens," Dana said ... "People lose man. It happens. It’s part of the sport."

"If he loses, he goes back to the drawing board and comes back and fights another day."

Sure, but who gets the next title shot?

Dana says it's pretty obvious Poirier will gun for a rematch with Khabib if he wins -- but nothing's guaranteed, considering all of the monsters fighting for control of the UFC's stacked lightweight division.

"Charles Olivera (ranked #3) just came off an incredible win over Tony Ferguson (#5). You got Poirier (#2) and McGregor (#4) fighting on Saturday and the co-main event is #6 ranked Dan Hooker vs Michael Chandler, who is making his debut in the UFC. This guy has been fighting everywhere outside of the UFC and is one of the all-time greats in the division. He wants to prove himself now in the UFC."

"So, any one of these guys could end up fighting Khabib."

Conor McGregor has broken his silence about the multi-million dollar lawsuit filed against him by a woman in Ireland ... claiming he's already been "cleared of all wrongdoing."

The UFC fighter is being sued over an alleged incident that took place on Dec. 9, 2018. The New York Times reports the woman is the same person who accused McGregor of rape.

In fact, the NYT says the woman's allegations involve claims she was roughed up and raped by the UFC star at a hotel penthouse in Dublin.

According to the NYT, the woman claims she rejected McGregor's sexual advances -- but he continued to kiss her and remove her clothes. The woman claims she bit and hit Conor in an attempt to fight him off -- but he grabbed her around the neck and lifted her up 3 times until she stopped resisting.

The next morning, McGregor's friend told her the UFC star had sex with her, the accuser claims. She was later examined in a sexual assault treatment at a hospital and went to the police the following month.

News of the suit being filed broke just days before McGregor's January 23 return to the Octagon to take on Dustin Poirier on Fight Island at UFC 257.

McGregor was asked about the allegations during the UFC pre-fight press conference on Thursday morning --  and defended himself vigorously.

"It's old news," McGregor said of the allegations ... "It was investigated thoroughly over the course of 2 long years and I was cleared of all wrongdoing."

McGregor then changed the subject and focused on his fight against Poirier.

As we previously reported, Conor's rep issued a statement denying the allegations ... explaining, "After an exhaustive investigation conducted by the Garda which, in addition to interviews of the plaintiff, included: interviewing numerous sources, obtaining witnesses' statements, examining closed-circuit footage and the cooperation of Conor McGregor, these allegations were categorically rejected."

"The plaintiff knows the facts contradict the assertions in this lawsuit. Mr. McGregor will dispute any claims and is confident that justice will prevail."

As for the rest of the UFC 257 presser, Conor and Dustin were respectful -- and praised each other a lot. The fought back in 2014 and Conor won in just under 2 minutes into the 1st round.