Chris Weidman Former UFC Champion Retires

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HANGIN' IT UP
UFC

Chris Weidman, the UFC's former middleweight champion, who battled back after gruesomely breaking his leg in the Octagon, just announced he's laying down his gloves.

"I'm here to tell you guys I'm hanging up the gloves in the UFC. I'm no longer going to be fighting for the organization that changed my life in so many ways. I'm just super appreciative to everybody who got me here," 40-year-old Weidman said on the UFC 311 weigh-in show.

"I just want to thank the UFC for all the opportunities they've given me. It's really become a family, from the Fertitta brothers to Dana White to Hunter Cambell. Joe Silva, the matchmaker who brought me into the UFC originally. Mick Maynard, and all the staff at the UFC. They're all just like family. They're all amazing people. It's just time to move on."

It's unclear if Chris plans to fight elsewhere.

If "The All-American" is done in the cage ... he's had a helluva career. Chris was part of one of the biggest upsets ever ... when he beat Anderson Silva, and took his title and UFC 162 in mid-2013.

Weidman also defeated the likes of Vitor Belfort, Lyoto Machida, Damian Maia, and Kelvin Gastelum over the years.

Of course, Weidman broke his leg against Uriah Hall in the opening moments of his UFC 261 fight ... and missed over two years while recovering.

But, Chris, not one to give up ... quite literally fought his way back to the Octagon, ultimately beating Bruno Silva in March 2024.

Weidman's last fight was against Eryk Anders ... a December 2024 scrap he lost by TKO.

Congrats on retirement, Chris!!!

Costco Chaos Over Pokémon Cards ... Gotta Catch These Hands!!!

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COSTCO CARD CRAZINESS

Chaos at a Los Angeles Costco, where adults were fighting over boxes of Pokémon cards ... and the mayhem is all caught on video.

People literally came to blows at a Costco warehouse in Atwater Village, fighting over the right to purchase a set of the collectible trading cards.

Footage shows folks scrapping to get their hands on the merchandise ... with one man taking an elbow to the face as he wrestles with another shopper.

Roseanne Barr Drops Bars on 'Daddy's Home' ... Celebrates Trump Win in New Rap Video

Roseanne Barr is making a career pivot inspired by Donald Trump's upcoming return to the White House ... debuting a new rap alter-ego in a music video celebrating the president-elect.

Check it out ... the controversial comedian wears sunglasses, leopard print, and her hair braided in blonde cornrows as she raps alongside Canadian rapper Tom MacDonald in their pro-Trump anthem, "Daddy's Home."

The two performers not so subtly rub DT's successful reelection bid in haters' faces, opening up the song with ... "We won, you mad, It's done, too bad, Boo-hoo, so sad."

Jim Harbaugh Meets L.A. Wildfire First Responders

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SHOWING L.A. LOVE
Los Angeles Chargers

Classy move from Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh ... he took time out of his busy schedule this week to thank wildfire first responders with a sweet meet-and-greet.

The 61-year-old headed up the PCH and dropped in on an LAFD base camp near the Palisades on Thursday night to express his gratitude for those battling the flames ... and check out some footage from his visit, it was awesome.

Harbaugh introduced himself to firefighters and officials with his full name and a handshake, despite the guys knowing exactly who he was.

Caitlin Clark Hits Town With Longtime Boyfriend ... Volleyball Date Night!

Caitlin Clark is taking full advantage of her first WNBA offseason ... hitting the town for a cute date night with her longtime boyfriend, Connor McCaffery.

Clark and her man were courtside Thursday night to watch Indiana's professional women's volleyball team -- the Indy Ignite -- as they played the Grand Rapids Rise.

Clark was locked in on the action while chowing down on some sour patch kids ... and not even McCaffery trying to squeeze in a conversation between points got her to take her eyes off the court.

Tekashi 6ix9ine Sues LA Fitness For $1M Over Brutal Gym Beatdown ... You Didn't Protect Me!!!

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JUMPED AT THE GYM

Tekashi 6ix9ine is taking LA Fitness to court, suing the gym over a vicious attack he endured in 2023 that sent him straight to the hospital.

TMZ has obtained legal docs from Palm Beach County, Florida, revealing the rapper is asking for more than $1 million in damages, claiming the gym failed to provide adequate security to prevent the brutal attack by three men -- labeled as Latin Kings gang members in the suit -- at one of the company's South Florida locations.

Tekashi -- real name Daniel Hernandez -- is alleging the gym staff was not properly educated or informed regarding security protocols at LA Fitness, claiming employees failed to promptly request police presence once they were aware of the attack.

Lebron & Bronny James Happy Senior Night, Bryce!!!

Bryce James had his Senior Night on Thursday, and with the Lakers on an off day -- both LeBron and Bronny made it out to celebrate!

The two L.A. stars -- wearing matching sweatshirts -- drove to Sierra Canyon H.S. to watch Bryce's final home game ... and they were joined by Savannah and little Zhuri too.

They all had some sweet seats for the affair -- sitting right on the court -- and they even got to take some pics with Bryce before his tilt to commemorate the special night.

The 6-foot-4, four-star prospect then went on to put on a show in front of his family -- ending the evening with 12 points, five rebounds and four assists in an 84-42 win.

NHL Star Evgeni Malkin Stanley Cup Rings Found ... Days After Burglary

In a week that's been pretty crummy for Evgeni Malkin, he finally got some positive news ... his Stanley Cup rings have been found.

The Allegheny County Police Dept. said Thursday the championship bling that Malkin had thought was stolen in a burglary at his Pennsylvania home over the weekend was discovered.

Cops say the trio of rings was "located inside his residence," though they did not elaborate on the matter further.

Brett Favre, LeRoy Butler Sterling Sharpe Belongs In HOF!!!

A pair of Green Bay Packers legends are going to bat for Sterling Sharpe ... insisting this week the former wide receiver "absolutely" belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Both Brett Favre and LeRoy Butler made no bones about it during sit-downs with TMZ Sports this week ... saying the 59-year-old is more than deserving of a bust in Canton later this year.

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Smartest Football Player
TMZSports.com

Both -- who played with Sharpe in the 1990s -- actually seemed stunned it's still even a question ... with Butler telling us if Sharpe's seven-year career hadn't been cut short by injuries, "He'd be the G.O.A.T."

Jake Paul Hot Shots To Kick Off His 28th Bday!

It’s Jake Paul’s 28th trip around the sun, and we’re celebrating the YouTuber-turned-boxer's birthday by flexing his physique -- because why not showcase those gains?!

Paul has been livin' and lookin' like a champ since switching to boxing ... and despite the criticism, he’s boasting an impressive 11-1 record.

Of course, the biggest fight of his career so far happened only a few months ago ... when he faced Mike Tyson, one of the greatest boxers ever.

Browns' Denzel Ward We've Got To Get A Quarterback!!!

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NOT TOO FAR OFF
TMZSports.com

Denzel Ward loves his Cleveland Browns team, but he tells TMZ Sports it needs just one more thing to be competitive -- consistency at the quarterback position!!

The 27-year-old cornerback got candid with us out in New York City on Thursday ... openly admitting his team simply has to have better play from its signal-callers if it wants to get back to the playoffs anytime soon.

"I don't think we're too far off," Ward said. "We just need to solidify that position."

New England Patriots Made 'Mockery' Of Rooney Rule ... Says Longtime NFL Exec, GM

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PRETTY CLEAR FROM THE START
TMZSports.com

The New England Patriots might've technically satisfied the Rooney Rule requirement, but NOT the spirit ... according to longtime NFL executive/GM Rod Graves who says the Pats made a joke of the policy.

TMZ Sports spoke with Graves, who after decades working in the NFL as a league executive and general manager, now serves as the Executive Director of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, an org. dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion within pro football, about the much-debated rule that says teams must interview a minority candidate before hiring a coach.

Robert Kraft's football team interviewed two Black head coach hopefuls, Pep Hamilton and Byron Leftwich, before ultimately hiring Mike Vrabel ... who was expected to land the job from the moment the Patriots fired Jerod Mayo.

Russell Wilson Mourns His Dog's Death ... 'Heaven Got A Good One'

Sad news from Russell Wilson ... his beloved dog has died.

The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback announced the heartbreaking update on his Instagram page just minutes ago ... revealing his Great Dane, Prince, passed away on Friday morning.

"I got you my rookie year," Russ said in an emotional note to his late pup, "& you have been a blessing to our family with so many memories, hugs, and kisses from our 4 kids and us."

Eagles Vs. Rams Philly Puts Differences Aside Raises Funds For Wildfire Victims

Some notoriously tough Philadelphia Eagles fans just proved they have a soft side ... they're raising some funds for Los Angeles wildfire victims -- in spite of their scheduled faceoff with the L.A. Rams on Sunday.

A spokesperson for GoFundMe tells TMZ Sports ... a group of Eagles supporters who congregate on Reddit created a charity earlier this week in an effort to assist people in need in the Rams' hometown.

The fans who helped kick things off made it clear they wanted to put the playoff matchup aside to make sure Angelenos felt supported, even from those thousands of miles away.

FSU vs. Pitt Nearly Fight In Handshake Line Following Last-Second Dunk

The sound of the buzzer didn't mark the end for Florida State and Pitt ... 'cause the two sides nearly came to blows after the Panthers head coach took exception to a last-second dunk!

It all went down during the postgame handshake line after FSU beat their ACC rival by a final score of 82-70. Jeff Capel, head coach of Pitt, walked up to junior forward Malique Ewin ... who had just slammed a two-handed dunk as time expired.

It's unclear what Capel said to Ewin, but he wasn't whispering sweet nothings ... as players and coaches from both sides converged, attempting to keep the peace. There was a lot of pushing and shoving ... and cops even got involved, directing Pitt players back to their locker room.

Noah Scurry H.S. Basketball Star Dead at 17 ... Shot & Killed In Philly

Noah Scurry -- a high school basketball star in Pennsylvania -- tragically died this week after he was shot just steps from his home.

The Philadelphia Police Department said the fatal shooting happened at around 7:15 AM on Tuesday ... revealing Scurry was on his way to Samuel Fels High School when he was gunned down.

He was just 17 years old.