UFC

UFC legend Michael Bisping seems pretty fired up about the organization's decision to hold fan-less fights during the coronavirus pandemic ... telling TMZ Sports the first event in Brazil was a smash hit!

"The fights were fantastic! They were really good," Bisping told us when he arrived back at LAX from Brazil.

"We've done it before. It's like 'The Ultimate Fighter,' 'The Contender,' there's not much difference. Obviously, there was no crowd so it wasn't the same. But, the fights were fantastic. They delivered."

Bisping was one of the few people allowed into the Ginásio Nilson Nelson arena in Brasília, Brazil on March 14 ... since he served as the event's color commentator and post-fight interviewer.

There was criticism surrounding the event -- with some people saying Dana White should have pulled the plug on the whole thing in the wake of coronavirus warnings from health officials.

But, the fights continued ... and WILL continue ... with UFC actively trying to find a way to hold ANOTHER big event on Saturday.

Bellator star Ryan Bader says he wants to avenge his loss to Jon Jones -- the guy he calls the GREATEST MMA fighter ever -- 'cause he's got what it takes to beat Bones' ass.

TMZ Sports talked to the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight champ at a Bellator media event in NYC this week ... and the 36-year-old star says he'd LOVE another crack at fighting Jones.

"That's one fight I'd love to get back," Bader tells us.

"It was 2011 when that happened. I've grown and changed so much since then. Physically, mentally. We'd love to be able to do some cross-promotion deal."

Remember, Jones submitted Bader via a guillotine choke at UFC 126 in February 2011. It was Bader's first loss of his career.

Fast forward to current day ... RB's a double champ, and hasn't taken an L since 2016.

So, Ryan's got revenge on his mind ... and he's dead serious about getting payback.

If Chuck Liddell wants a job with WWE, all he's gotta do is pick up his phone and call his buddy, Shane McMahon ... who tells TMZ Sports he wants to bring the Ice Man on board!!

Of course, we spoke with the UFC legend last week ... and the 50-year-old told us he's officially retired from MMA for good ... but would still love to beat the crap outta folks in the squared circle.

We spoke with Vince's son outside Craig's in L.A. about our interview with Chuck ... and it's safe to say the feeling is mutual ... 'cause Shane thinks the idea is AWESOME!!

"I know Chuck very well, so all he has to do is give me a ring," McMahon tells us.

"I'd love to do that with Chuck, that'd be awesome."

So, what are you waiting for, Chuck?!?!?! Hit your boy up!!

UFC superstar Joanna Jedrzejczyk says she's feeling "good" and recovering well after that 5-round WAR with Weili Zhang -- and tells TMZ Sports she's down for the rematch!

"I feel good, calm, quiet [and] surrounded by good people," Joanna says ... "People who love me so much, my family."

Of course, Joanna was hospitalized after her March 7th fight with Weili -- and even though she lost in a controversial split decision, JJ is in great spirits about her health and fighting future.

Joanna says that massive hematoma on her forehead is gone down in size -- and is also gravitating down her face.

Her face is still bruised, but Joanna says her team of top-flight doctors say she has no serious long-term injuries.

Joanna says she has surgery scheduled for next week to take care of some minor problems -- but nothing substantial.

"I had an ultrasound on my organs, X-ray. Everything is fine. I'm healthy."

Joanna also credits Dana White and the UFC for getting her set up with the best doctors available.

Conor McGregor is being hailed as a HERO by a foundation that helps the families of emergency responders who died in the line of duty ... claiming CM's $1 million donation will have a REAL impact on families in need.

The UFC star, along with Proper Twelve Whiskey company, officially wrote a $1 million check to the Tunnel To Towers Foundation ... which was founded by the brother of FDNY hero Stephen Siller, who was killed in the World Trade Center attack.

We spoke with Stephen's brother Frank Siller ... who tells us McGregor's gesture is nothing short of incredible.

"What we do as a foundation is that we relieve the mortgages of the first responders who died in the line of duty that have young kids left behind," Siller tells us.

"So, this will go to many, many houses, depending on what part of the country it is -- but that's what Conor wanted."

Siller even offered up an emotional personal message to McGregor ... and warning -- you might wanna get some tissues ready.

"Conor, you're gonna change the lives of many great heroes and the families left behind."

"You're telling them that people care, that America cares. And, that if somebody goes out there and gives their kids a kiss goodbye and doesn't come home, Conor McGregor is gonna make sure that those families are taken care of."

"Thank you and God bless you, Conor.

Great news for Stipe Miocic ... the UFC heavyweight champ says his injured eye is healing up really well ... and he expects to fight Daniel Cormier in just a few months!

"Eye is really good actually," Stipe told us in NYC while promoting his Fire Dept. Coffee brand ... "Getting healed up. Getting better every day. Getting back in the gym slowly."

Remember, 37-year-old Miocic suffered a torn retina in his August 2019 victory over Cormier -- and while both Stipe and DC are down to run it back, everyone's waiting on the eye to heal up first.

Stipe says he's still battling some issues with the eye -- he sometimes sees "spots" -- but overall, Miocic says the injury has "not really messed with my vision, so I'm happy about that."

As for the 3rd fight between the two heavyweight stars, Stipe says it's "looking like summer" ... since the UFC is already booked up with a bunch of sick PPV fights in April and May.

Stipe definitely ain't lacking confidence -- telling us when the guys do face-off, it'll "suck" for Cormier because "he's gonna lose again!"

Cormier beat Stipe the first time they fought back in 2018 -- but Miocic got his belt back when they clashed in the rematch at UFC 241.

DC says the rubber match with Stipe will be the last fight of his UFC career -- win or lose.

As for Stipe, seems he'll keep fighting as long as he's healthy. And, then it's likely to the UFC Hall of Fame for both guys.

Sean O'Malley beat the hell outta Jose Quinonez this weekend ... dropping him with a devastating head-kick that Suga compares to being SMASHED in the dome with a solid wood bat.

TMZ Sports talked to O'Malley -- fresh off a 1st round TKO at UFC 248 -- and the 25-year-old star walked us through the combination that left Quinonez in the fetal position on the Octagon floor.

"That head-kick ... that was a powerful and heavy head-kick! It's pretty much like if I had a baseball bat. I swung as hard as I could at him. Kind of lifted him off, threw him to the back of the cage."

The finish was super impressive ... not only did Sean land the heavy head-kick, he also crushed Jose with an uppercut ... before raining down a flurry of hammer fists -- before the fight was stopped.

It was O'Malley's first fight in over 2 years ... so while the MMA world mighta been shocked at how quick he took Quinonez out, Suga wasn't.

"I knew going into any of my fights, the 1st round finish is always an option. Especially that first five minutes. I mean, I feel superhuman in there. I'm so fast, I'm so accurate. I put on some size, ya know, so I'm just more powerful," Sean says.

"So, I knew a first-round finish, I knew that could happen and honestly I kinda saw it going like that."

That's not all, as we previously reported, O'Malley told us the post-fight celly was gonna include a lot of medicine (the green kind) ... and Suga, who says he hadn't smoked in 3 weeks, had a bad case of the munchies.

UFC star Valentina Shevchenko -- one of the top MMA fighters on the planet -- thinks the judges got it wrong ... and Joanna Jedrzejczyk should have gotten the decision over Weili Zhang.

"I don't believe [the judges got it right]," Shevchenko told us in NYC ... claiming Joanna landed "more clear strikes" than her opponent.

In fact, when you watch our clip with Valentina ... even though she's very respectful about Weili, it's pretty clear she wasn't super impressed with Zhang's performance.

We asked Valentina if she would be interested in dropping down a weight class to fight Zhang, but Shevchenko doesn't think Weili wants the smoke.

The long story short ... VS says if Weili struggled to beat Joanna, she'd get DESTROYED by Shevchenko, who beat up Joanna pretty decisively when they fought in 2018.

"She's a good fighter," Valentina says ... "but it's not enough for the high league competition."

As for Valentina, she's currently on a 5-fight win streak with victories over legit fighters like Katlyn Chookagian, Jessica Eye and Joanna.

Valentina's only losses in the UFC have come from Amanda Nunes, who's widely regarded as the greatest female fighter of all time.

TMZ Sports has obtained video moments after UFC star Brian Ortega allegedly slapped a Korean man at UFC 248 ... and you can hear Ortega say, "I told you I'd slap you like a bitch."

It all went down in the stands at T-Mobile Arena in Vegas on Saturday -- when 29-year-old Ortega approached Jay Park, a Korean musician who recently served as a translator for Korean UFC fighter Jung Chan Sung (known as "Korean Zombie").

Ortega was reportedly upset with Park over comments he made while translating for Korean Zombie during a recent appearance on "Ariel Helwani's MMA Show." Park had claimed Ortega "ducked" a fight with Zombie, which Ortega has adamantly denied.

Things came to a head on Saturday. At 4 seconds into our video, you can hear a slap sound -- followed by commotion and Brian bragging that he slapped Park.

Ortega was escorted out of the arena. Security checked in with Park, who appears to be okay.

After the incident, Park told media he filed a police report with local officials. Unclear if Ortega will be charged with a crime.

"Sugar" Sean O'Malley hasn't whooped ass in the Octagon in 2 years ... so how's he gonna celebrate his win Saturday night? POT & PIZZA!!!!

25-year-old O'Malley was one of the UFC's hottest young stars ... but hasn't fought since March 2018 (he flunked a drug test after taking a supplement that was laced with a banned substance).

Despite the layoff, Sugar tells TMZ Sports his fighting skills -- and ridiculous support from fight fans -- haven't diminished at all ... and he's ready to kick Jose Quinonez's ass at UFC 248.

"It just feels like another fight. 2 years off is not that big of a deal."

O'Malley continued ... "I don't think anything's really changed. I don't think much has changed as far as the attention I'm getting, as far as how excited the fans are."

Snoop Dogg's one of those fans -- remember his "O'MALLEY!! O'MALLEY!!" commentary during the Contender Series? Awesome.

And, once the fighting's done Saturday night ... "Sugar" Sean says it's time to get high!

"I'm gonna take a rip, I'm gonna hang out with my circle. I don't have an after-party planned. I'm just gonna celebrate with some medicine and some good food and that's about it."

His post-fight grub of choice?

"I always crave pizza. I think a lot of fighters do for whatever reason."

Now, that's a plan.

THE DISRESPECT IS REAL!!!!

Khabib Nurmagomedov straight up KICKED Tony Ferguson's interim UFC lightweight championship belt during an intense face-off Friday ... and it got VERY close to getting violent.

Khabib and Tony were doing a media event to promote their upcoming brawl at UFC 249 in April ... and the trash talk got VERY personal.

Tony trashed Khabib as a weak-minded, scared, fake brawler ... and Khabib fired back by calling Tony a "fake Mexican," since Tony was born and raised in California.

Tony was offended by the comments -- claiming he's a proud American AND a proud Mexican.

But, when it came time to square off for their face-to-face photo op, Tony laid his belt on the ground, seemingly challenging Khabib to do something ... and Khabib reacted by kicking the belt.

Tony eventually picked up the belt and accused Khabib of disrespecting the UFC -- claiming Khabib doesn't really care about the company.

Abdul Razak Alhassan -- a budding MMA star who scored a crazy knockout at UFC 228 in Sept. 2018 -- was just found not guilty in his sexual assault case ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.

Alhassan was facing two charges after he was accused of raping two women inside a Saginaw, Texas home back in March 2018.

The two alleged victims claim they were partying at a bar in Forth Worth (where Alhassan worked as a bouncer) ... when the UFC fighter brought them back to one of their homes and sexually assaulted them.

Alhassan maintained his innocence throughout the case ... and after a trial this week, a district attorney spokesperson confirmed to us a jury found the 34-year-old not guilty on both charges.

Alhassan's attorney, Brandon Barnett, told theScore's Nick Baldwin after the verdict... "Razak has been waiting for this day for two years. He's been ready to go to court and clear his name of these charges"

"We're thankful that we got a really good jury who saw the evidence for what it was."

Alhassan hasn't fought in the UFC since KO'ing Niko Price on Sept. 8, 2018. He's 10-1 in his UFC career.

Great news!!!

UFC's most dominant couple -- Amanda Nunes and Nina Ansaroff -- have announced Nina's pregnant and due in Sept.!!!!

"I wanna tell every single person on this planet that Raegan Ann Nunes will be here mid September," Amanda said on IG ... "I cannot wait to see her."

Nina -- the UFC's #5 ranked strawweight fighter -- added, "I am carrying and still plan on fighter after she is born."

The two have been together for years -- and when they came to the TMZ office back in December, they already had big baby plans!

"I’m taking a year off," Ansaroff told us ... but when she returns, Nina says she plans on moving up a weight class and competing in the 125-lb flyweight division.

"I’m gonna be training throughout my pregnancy. I’m gonna stay in shape. I’m not gonna, ya know, just like not do anything and jump in."

One of the people who reached out to congratulate the couple is Mackenzie Dern, the UFC fighter who returned to action just 4 months after having a baby.

Nunes and Andaroff told us they love the fact Dern got right back to work, but they feel no pressure to get back so quickly.