WWE

Huge news from Saudi Arabia ... where WWE just announced its very first WOMEN'S wrestling match in the country -- and it will all go down THIS WEEK!!!

Saudi officials had previously blocked WWE from holding a women's match -- but Triple H had noted the country was going through a "significant cultural shift" and was hopeful things would change.

Now, Triple H has gotten his wish ... with WWE commentator Michael Cole making the announcement from Riyadh on Wednesday morning.

"I am so proud to announce that tomorrow at WWE Crown Jewel we host the first ever WWE women's match in Saudi Arabia."

So, who's getting the ring? Lacey Evans vs. Natalya ... two superstars with a storied history.

And, get this, Evans is a real-life veteran of the U.S. Marines who served for 5 years -- and her WWE finishing move is called, "The Women's Right."

Evans spoke out about the match saying, "When I signed up for WWE my goal was to really impact the world and the people that I can, and we're doing it one day at a time."

One thing the world will definitely be watching when "Crown Jewel" goes down on Thursday -- the ring attire.

During a women's match in Abu Dhabi back in 2017, the women wore outfits that covered most of their bodies. Guessing they will go with a similar look this time around.

Hulk Hogan says he's been forced to change planes in Iceland after things went horribly wrong during the landing ... with his plane taking serious damage to the tires and brakes.

Hogan was on his way to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday with fellow WWE legend Jimmy Hart for the upcoming 'Crown Jewel' PPV event, when things hit a snag.

"Just had a really hard landing," Hulk said from the tarmac ... "blew out the tires and brakes have melted."

Hogan says the plane was grounded due to "all that crazy stuff happening" -- but says a friend of his from Minnesota who stopped at the same airport offered seats on his plane to get them to Riyadh.

We're working on trying to find out exactly what went wrong -- but as far as we know, Hulk and the rest of his passengers are expected to make it to Saudi Arabia in time for the event.

Scary stuff.

Hulk isn't wrestling at 'Crown Jewel' -- but he's selected a 5-man team to take on another 5 superstars hand-picked by Ric Flair.

Some of the stars on Team Hogan include Roman Reigns, Rusev and Mustafa Ali. Team Flair includes Randy Orton, Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre.

John Cena's putting LOTS of money where his mouth is ... donating $500,000 to first responders helping to battle the California wildfires.

"Right now, California is in dire straits," the WWE superstar said in a video ... "It is burning. It is under siege from massive wildfires statewide."

And, as fate would have it, Cena also happens to be promoting his new movie, "Playing With Fire" -- a comedy about firefighters which opens next month.

Cena says shooting the movie has given him an even greater appreciation for people on the front lines battling the blazes ... so with the Kincade Fire, Tick Fire and Getty Fire raging, he's decided to reach into his own pocket to help out.

"On behalf of 'Playing With Fire' and out of respect to the people who I truly believe are heroes, my response will be to immediately donate $500,000 to this cause," Cena said.

"In times like this, when people are giving their lives and working around the clock, what they need from us is resources."

Cena challenged the studio behind the flick, Paramount, to pick the charity where his donation will land ... but says he's more than happy to write the check when they figure it out.

Finn Balor is breaking his silence on his shocking heel turn -- telling TMZ Sports he kicked Johnny Gargano in the head Wednesday because the guy had it coming!

Balor pulled a total sneak attack his fellow good guy on "NXT" sending WWE fans into a frenzy. Seriously, NOBODY SAW THIS COMING!!

So, when Finn touched down at LAX on Friday, we asked if the incident officially makes him a bad guy.

"Am I a bad guy or do I just do bad things sometimes," Balor told us ... "I don't know. You tell me."

"Lines are blurred in this day and age. We don't know what's going on."

Now, everyone wants to know ... who does Balor want to take on next? Finn says he's got someone in mind but won't be revealing a name until Friday night on "WWE Backstage" on FS1.

WWE star Jimmy Uso swerved all over the road while speeding before he was arrested for DUI ... and TMZ Sports has obtained the police footage that shows the scary scene.

The 34-year-old wrestler was busted back on July 25 in Escambia County, Florida after cops say they noticed Uso driving recklessly throughout the night in his Cadillac Escalade.

New police video shows the moment when an officer catches Uso -- real name Jonathan Fatu -- in the act ... and it's frightening.

Uso is all over the road ... bouncing from side to side in his lane -- even at one point crossing the double yellow line -- all while the cop clocks him at 86 MPH in a 45.

Eventually, the officer was able to pull him over ... and, you can see in the video, Uso looks trashed.

The 6'3", 251-pound wrestler was stumbling as he walked to the back of his car ... and when the cop tried to take him to a nearby parking lot to complete field sobriety tests, Uso talked in circles.

Jimmy kept questioning what was happening ... and aggressively asked the officer several times why he couldn't have his lawyer present during the stop.

Eventually, the cop got fed up with Uso and arrested him for DUI. And, in fact, in the police report, the cop says Uso reeked so much of alcohol, he had to roll down his window on the ride to county jail.

Jimmy was eventually hit with misdemeanor DUI ... and he's been fighting the charge in court over the last few months -- with his next hearing set for next week.

Of course, this is the SECOND time Uso's had issues with law enforcement this year -- remember, back in February, he was arrested in Michigan after cops say he tried to fight them during a traffic stop.

In that case, Uso struck a plea deal and was ordered to pay $450 in fines.

Uso is a big deal in the pro wrestling world -- his father is WWE legend Rikishi and his cousins are The Rock and Roman Reigns.

Good news wrestling fans ... Ronda Rousey WILL return to the WWE -- it's just a matter of time.

That's according to WWE honcho Triple H, who says the superstar just has a lot going on right now.

Ronda hasn't been inside the squared circle since WrestleMania back in April -- since then, she's been shooting TV shows and taking time to begin family planning.

Some people are worried we've seen the last of Ronda as a wrestler -- but The Cerebral Assassin says, "She'll be back at some point. She's just getting a lot done."

There's more ... Triple H hit on a bunch of topics while out in NYC.

-- Will 50-year-old Triple H get back in the ring and wrestle again?

"It all depends. Hopefully not. I'm too busy right now to try to. It's a lot of work to get in the ring. Still training all the time, but a lot of work."

-- Is WWE targeting boxing champ Tyson Fury for a full-time contract?

"I'm sure he's got a lot left to do in the boxing world. He's got Deontay Wilder coming up at the beginning of the year ... but never say never. He's custom-made for what we do, right??"

One issue with Tyson Fury ... after this clip was shot, Fury reportedly injured his ankle in a WWE training session. Scripted injury? Maybe. But, maybe not!

WWE superstar Big Show -- who's fought guys like Hulk Hogan, Floyd Mayweather and John Cena -- has a warning for newcomer Cain Velasquez -- there's NO ONE as scary as Brock Lesnar!!!

TMZ Sports spoke with the wrestling legend about the ex-UFC star's upcoming fight with Lesnar at 'SmackDown' on Friday ... and we had to ask if Cain has a snowball's chance in hell at winning his first match.

"I'mma be real honest with you, I’ve been wrestling for 25 years, I have never seen a monster like Brock Lesner and the warpath that’s he’s been on for the past few years," Show tells us at LAX.

"He's stronger, he’s faster, he’s seasoned, he’s confident in where he is. He’s tough."

Big Show knows what he's talking about -- he's had several legendary matches against Lesnar in his career ... including SmackDown in 2003 when the freakin' RING COLLAPSED!!!

Of course, Cain and Lesnar met in the Octagon years ago, with Velasquez taking the win at UFC 121 ... but Big Show doesn't see history repeating itself.

As for critics of the matchup complaining about putting Cain against Brock in his first-ever WWE event, Show says people should just enjoy the fight for what it is.

Boxing? Check. WWE? Check. MMA?!? Tyson Fury says HELL YEAH ... 'cause he's telling TMZ Sports he wants to dominate ALL combat sports!!!

The Gypsy King -- who's taking on WWE Superstar Braun Strowman in Saudi Arabia in a few weeks -- was out at Pier 17 in New York on Thursday ... when we had to ask what his next move is.

Of course, the 6'9", 260-pounder knows his way around the squared circle -- he's also prepping for his highly anticipated rematch with Deontay Wilder -- and how he's looking for another challenge.

"I'm taking over all combat sports," Fury tells us. "So, whatever combat sport you're in, BEWARE. 'Cause the Gypsy King is coming!"

"I'm coming to your sport, whatever sport it is. I'll be there. MMA takeover!!!"

Not sure if Fury was just talkin' to talk or if he REALLY wants to get in the cage. But, if he's serious, his pals at WWE definitely know how to get in touch with Dana White!!!

Fury's definitely tough enough for MMA ... remember he battled through that insane GASH over his eye when fighting Otto Wallin last month.

And, good news, Fury says the wound is healing nicely and should be ready for action by the time he fights Deontay Wilder in February!!!

WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry is now the world's strongest stand-up comedian ... and he's got a surefire way to keep his shows heckler-free -- THREATEN TO WHOOP THEIR ASSES!!!

TMZ Sports spoke with the strongman-turned-wrestler about kickstarting his comedy career ... and he says it's not that much different from beating up big, buff dudes for a living!!!

"Wrestling is just an extension of entertainment, so is comedy," Henry says. "You gotta be able to enjoy it and take it for what it is."

Pro wrestler Jeff Hardy has his second DWI arrest in as many years, and it sounds like the WWE's patience -- as well as his family's -- is wearing thin.

Hardy -- AKA Brother Nero -- was busted in Moore County, NC on Thursday around 10:30 PM. He was booked for driving while impaired, and for driving on a revoked drivers license.

Hardy got his first DWI in March 2018 -- also in North Carolina -- after getting into a car accident. He was totally blitzed, according to cops who said he blew a .25 BAC -- more than 3 times the legal limit.

As TMZ Sports first reported ... he was also arrested in July of this year for public intoxication in Myrtle Beach.

Ric Flair has touched down in Los Angeles ... and there's one thing on his mind -- BEATING UP HULK HOGAN!!!

The Nature Boy tells us he's not only healthy and ready to get back in the ring (in fact, he says he's been by cleared by doctors) ... but he's also back on great terms with WWE.

Remember, Ric  told us in September he had some problems with WWE superstar Becky Lynch using the nickname, "The Man" ... because Rick says he owns the rights to that term and thinks the WWE should pay him for it.

But, when we saw Ric at LAX on Thursday with his wife, Wendy Barlow, Flair said things are definitely cool now ... and he chalks it all up to a case of "agree to disagree."

This is absolutely awesome ... WWE star Lacey Evans did NOT break character for one iota of a second while being pulled over by cops in Canada. Now, THAT is nasty.

The southern belle wrestling personality recorded an encounter she had with police in Edmonton, Alberta over the weekend -- where she was being given a ticket for allegedly speeding down the highway. To non-WWE fans, it might've come off as intense.

In the video that Lacey posted to her own social media, you can see her get pretty testy with the relatively friendly and polite officer. Oh, Canada ... never change.

As he comes back to her car to hand her the ticket, Lacey goes off on him ... demanding to know whether he even knows who the hell she is. It's hilarious ... he definitely doesn't.

Lacey accepts the ticket with some major attitude, even go so far as to drop her signature catchphrase ... telling the cops he's "nasty" for doing what he did. The guy tells her to have a good day, and she fires back by wishing him a terrible day.

He ends leaving it as politely as he started, welcoming Lacey to Edmonton with a wave and smile. Lacey captioned her tweet, " 1.Canada is terrible. 2. You know Exactly who I am. 3. You will be speaking to my lawyer. #YaNasty." True to form, we must say.

Lacey's known for saying "nasty" A LOT on WWE, whether she's kicking ass in the ring or lecturing rambunctious co-workers from the stage. Talk about commitment, huh?

Think wrestling is a bunch of phony hogwash?? Gather 'round, naysayers, 'cause it's 💀HORRIFYING REAL INJURY STORYTIME 💀 ... starring WWE superstar Xavier Woods!!

The storylines may be scripted ... but The New Day member tells TMZ Sports he once had a REAL gnarly injury experience ... and it involves his teeth making contact with a foot.

"One time, I got kicked in the face and my 2 front teeth flattened up against the top of my mouth and it broke my gum in half."

Umm ... OUCH?!

What's crazy about all this ... is Woods says he wanted to keep wrestling after it happened, but he was warned, "You're gonna bleed everywhere!!"

As if this story wasn't cringe enough ... here's what happened after.

"The doctor had to put her foot on the armrest of the chair, put her fingers up underneath my teeth and just pull them back into place before they could numb anything."

😲 😲 😲 😲 😲 😲 😲

Again ... OUCH!!!!!!!!

Woods says he got stitched up and now has a new pair of pearly whites, thanks to the accident.

"That was pretty terrible."

WWE superstar Mojo Rawley saw Rob Gronkowski call him out to TMZ Sports ... and he's got a message for the NFL star -- don't let your mouth write checks your ass can't cash!!!

Remember, just a few weeks ago Gronk said he'd consider inking a deal with the WWE just to get a crack at that "wimp" Mojo Rawley -- "I gotta go in that ring and whoop his ass!!!"

So, we hit up Mojo ... and man, HE'S TALKING SMACK!!!

"Sometimes Rob says things he doesn't mean like calling a guy a wimp when he knows he could blatantly kick the crap out of him!!! I mean, these are just things that come out of his mouth that have no meaning!!!"

"Robbie G's been running around calling himself 'Mr. Recovery' -- well, Mojo Rawley will put that to the test when I stomp him the hell out!!! We'll see how CBD medic is really treating him!!!"

Of course, Rob and Mojo are longtime pals -- with Gronk famously helping Rawley win the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 33 in 2017.

And, while it's unclear if they really will go toe-to-toe in the squared circle ... Rawley says there's a VERY real possibility the two could link up for a tag-team match next year.

"We've been talking about doing a tag match together for a really long time," Mojo says.

"SummerSlam is in Boston next year. That might be the one man!!!"

In the meantime, Rawlyer says he's all the way down to beat Rob's ass one-on-one ... saying straight-up, "I'd kick the living crap out of him."

Watch your back MJ and LeBron, "Nature Boy" Ric Flair tells TMZ Sports he signed a fat deal with Adidas ... and he's comin' for Nike's neck!!!

We saw Flair at LAX earlier this week -- and after he broke down his beef with WWE over "The Man" -- he dropped some endorsement deal news on us.

"Ready for the good news? Adidas thinks I'm 'The Man.' I signed a deal with them, and we're fixin' to make Nike the 2nd brand. It's not gonna be Air Jordan anymore, it's gonna be Air Flair, and I can't jump."

"It's gonna be Adidas, Woooooooo!!!"

Naitch wouldn't go into detail about exactly what the partnership entails, but he rattled off a few NBA stars he's pumped to work with ... and he took aim at Nike's founder and chairman.

"This is me and Damian Lillard. Harden, James Harden, who I love and should be the MVP. Nike's gonna be [outta here]. We're gonna fire a shot over Phil Knight's bow."

Ric Flair believes the WWE is ripping him off -- using the phrase The Man without his permission ... and now he's threatening legal action.

Flair says he's been referring to himself as The Man since 1981 -- and even holds the trademark for his famous catchphrase, "To be the man, you gotta beat the man."

The problem ... one of WWE's biggest stars -- Becky Lynch -- has been referring to herself as The Man over the past year and the nickname has become a huge hit with fans.

Ric tells TMZ Sports ... he was trying to work out an amicable, private agreement with WWE where they would pay him to allow Becky to continue to use the name, but WWE blew him off.

In fact, Ric says he escalated the situation to WWE executive, Triple H ... but they still couldn't reach an agreement. So, on August 26, he filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to own the term, The Man, specifically as it relates to pro wrestling.

Now, Ric says the WWE is pissed at him for making the move -- and it's caused a rift between himself and his daughter Charlotte Flair, a current WWE superstar herself.

Flair says he has NO beef with Becky Lynch -- and supports the WWE's women's division -- but business is business and he wants what he believes he's rightfully owed.

Ric says if the USPTO grants him the trademark, he'll happily let Becky use it ... as long as WWE pays him -- because "I want it to take care of my family."

And, if he doesn't get paid, Ric says he's willing to explore his legal options to force WWE's hand.

During our conversation, Ric emotionally explains why the most important thing to him is making sure the people he loves -- especially his wife, Wendy Barlow -- are financially secure after he dies ... and that's why he's willing to fight for The Man.

"When I almost died two years ago, one person stayed by me [Wendy]. The whole time -- 31 days in the ICU, 12 days while I was dying on a respirator -- and I'm gonna take care of her, and her family, and my family that has taken care of me no matter what."