TMZ Sports - Page 50

Tekashi69 is getting serious about protecting himself -- he's hired 2 dudes who've proved themselves guarding boxing champ Floyd Mayweather.

Sources close to the Brooklyn rapper tell TMZ ... Tekashi brought on a couple of dudes from Floyd's old security detail -- both of whom are simply known as "The Great Wall." They have actual names though -- Big Church (the biggest dude in the back here) and Big Adam (the slightly shorter dude in the leather jacket up front).

We're told 6ix9ine and his team decided they needed to beef up his security presence after a fan was able to rush him onstage, during a show in Moscow.

His crew stomped out the dude, but our sources say the incident made Tekashi and co. rethink his protection.

NFL player Chris McCain just dodged a bullet ... striking a plea deal that'll keep him outta jail after he was accused of spitting and grabbing a woman by the neck.

TMZ Sports has learned Chris McCain -- a 26 year old NFL free agent defensive end who at the time was on the Colts -- pled no contest to 2 misdemeanor counts of battery in an Los Angeles court.

We broke the story ... McCain was accused of spitting on a woman and forcefully grabbing her neck in L.A. on January 7.

In exchange for his plea, McCain was given a diversion program -- meaning if he keeps his nose clean for a year, he's in the clear.

He was also ordered to attend 12 anger management classes and complete 10 days of community service

If you thought you knew everything about the Rajon Rondo vs. Chris Paul fight, boy were you wrong ... Donnell Rawlings has the only breakdown you need to hear, and he's telling it to TMZ Sports.

We got Rawlings out in L.A. and asked him about all things Lakers, and that's when the "Chappelle's Show" star gave us a blow-by-blow, and a spit-by-spit analysis of the brawl Saturday night.

Highlights include ...

- The exact type of spit that was used, and how it affected the melee.

- How race was a factor (we know what you're thinking, you just gotta listen).

- Why the type of punch that was used meant that CP3 never had a chance.

9:26 AM PT -- A rep for Costume Agent, which originally created and distributed the controversial Caitlyn costume, tells TMZ they're not yanking it from their own site, and certainly not discontinuing it ... backlash be damned.

We're told the 'stume is one of their best sellers -- it's the #6 overall bestseller. Although they have received multiple threats over it this past week, they're standing by their product. The rep says, "It's a costume. It's funny."

A Caitlyn Jenner costume -- which harkens back to her Olympic glory days as Bruce Jenner -- is getting destroyed by critics who say it's insensitive to transgender people ... and it's already being yanked from at least one outlet.

The getup is called "I Am Cait" ... and features a decathlete's jersey with Bruce's number 935, a gold medal and those teeny tiny shorts -- all of that vintage Bruce from his 1976 decathlon victory. However, it also comes with a long-haired wig that's all Caitlyn.

eBay was flooded with criticism for selling the $44.95 costume -- several transgender charities are calling it out as mocking, instead of being an homage.

The caption for one online promo says, "Show your love for Caitlyn Jenner with this awesome adult costume."

The backlash has been enough for eBay to remove the costume, but as of now ... it's still available on Amazon.

Denver Broncos backup QB Chad Kelly was arrested in Colorado early Tuesday morning after cops say he broke into a home around 1 AM.

The Englewood Police Dept. says officers were called to the home at 1:17 AM in reference to a man standing outside the residence. While cops were en route, the man entered the home.

According to court records, Kelly sat down on a couch next to the home owner ... as she held her baby. The woman said Kelly was "mumbling incoherently."

Cops say a male inside the house hit Kelly in the upper back with a 2-3 foot stick shaped piece from a vacuum ... and was able to chase him outside.

Officers searched the area and were able to locate Kelly inside of a black SUV.

24-year-old Kelly -- a former star at Ole Miss -- was arrested and charged with 1st-degree criminal trespass, as first reported by Ian Rapoport.

He was transported to a nearby jail where he was booked and later released.

It's not Kelly's first brush with the law -- he was arrested back in 2014 after getting into a fight outside of a nightclub in Buffalo, NY. He later pled guilty to disorderly conduct.

9:55 AM PT -- The Broncos just released a statement on Kelly's arrest, saying ... "We are disappointed that Chad Kelly was arrested early this morning. Our organization has been in contact with Chad, and we are in the process of gathering more information.”

Alex Rodriguez says enough is enough -- he's been paying his ex-wife a king's ransom for a decade, his income has plummeted, she's now rich and he wants his support payments drastically reduced.

Sources connected to A-Rod tell us, the former Yankee has been locked in a spousal/child support war with Cynthia Scurtis for months. He's been paying $115,000 a month tax free in combined spousal and child support since the couple divorced in 2008. They have 2 daughters, 13-year-old Natasha and 10-year-old Ella.

We're told the agreement was always meant to be adjusted when A-Rod retired from the Yankees. A-Rod claims his income has dropped by 90% ... from $30 million a year, while he was on the Yankees, to around $3 million a year.

Our sources say Alex is especially vexed because he claims Cynthia is now a rich woman with millions in the bank, 3 homes and multiple cars. He grouses she has a master's degree in psychology yet chooses not to work. He also says she has a new child and a fiance, and he feels he's now bankrolling all of them.

A-Rod says the expenses for his 2 kids are somewhere between $7k - $12k a month, yet he's willing to pay $20k a month plus expenses for the kids, including tuition.

We're told Cynthia is negotiating, but wants nearly $50k a month so the ex-couple is at an impasse.

We attempted to reach Cynthia ... so far, no luck.

The Denver Broncos had a Halloween party ... and man, did it blow.

Von Miller hosted his annual All Hallows' Eve bash for his teammates on Monday ... and the unofficial theme seemed to be people who famously dabbled in the booger sugar, nose candy, devil's candy ... you know, COCAINE!

Check out linebacker Brandon Marshall who transformed into Bobby Brown, complete with a gold chain and king-sized bag of yayo.

Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders rubbed white powder all over his face to become the legendary "Chappelle's Show" crackhead Tyrone Biggums.

And, not to beat a dead (white) horse ... O.T. Genasis was there performing his drug-inspired anthem, "Coco."

Oh yeah, and Pacman Jones was Boba Fett. Good stuff.

A 21-year-old University of Utah track star was abducted and shot to death on campus late Monday night -- and her parents believe it was all because she discovered a horrible secret about the killer.

Lauren McCluskey -- a 2017 honorable mention Pac-12 All-Academic -- had been dating a man named Melvin Rowland for about a month ... until Oct. 9, when she found out he was a registered sex offender.

Lauren's parents say, while the two were dating, Rowland had lied to her about his name, his age and his criminal history, which included a 2004 conviction for attempted forcible sex abuse and enticing a minor over the internet.

Fast forward to Monday night at 8 PM when Lauren was talking with her mother on the phone while leaving campus ... and she was abducted in a school parking lot.

"Suddenly, I heard her yell, "No, no, no!" Lauren's mother says ... "I thought she might have been in a car accident. That was the last I heard from her. My husband called 911."

Lauren was found shot to death in her car. Witnesses report hearing several gunshots. Cops launched an all-out manhunt for the suspect and tracked him down outside of a church in Salt Lake City.

Cops say Rowland forced his way inside the building early Tuesday morning and shot himself to death.

School president Ruth V. Watkins announced all classes Tuesday have been canceled and an on-campus vigil is being set for Wednesday evening.

"As a campus community, we share grief over this tragic loss of life," Watkins wrote ... "Our deepest sympathy is extended to Lauren’s family and friends."

More huge mainstream stars are buying into the eSports biz -- with Drake and Scooter Braun buying an ownership stake in 100 Thieves, the brand founded by gaming legend Nadeshot.

100 Thieves has teams that compete in League of Legends, Call of Duty and Fortnite -- where there's big money to be made in massive gaming tournaments around the globe.

Nadeshot is a former Call of Duty world champ -- so, he knows what it takes to win and has proven to be a big draw for other up-and-coming gaming stars.

Along with the gaming side, 100 Thieves is also a lifestyle and apparel brand, which has already raised $25 million in investment money from other major players including Cleveland Cavs owner Dan Gilbert.

100 Thieves says Drake and Scooter will act as strategic advisors for the company.

Nadeshot points out that Drake has already collaborated with 100 Thieves on custom gaming stations he uses on his Scorpion tour.

Braun issued a statement saying, "With Matt's [aka Nadeshot] experience, talent and vision as a professional gamer he and his team have built one of the most authentic brands in the ever-evolving gaming space."

The daughter of former Washington Redskins owner Jack Kent Cooke has pled guilty to disorderly conduct stemming from an incident where she allegedly attacked a man after hurling an anti-Jew comment.

Jacqueline Kent Cooke appeared in an NY courtroom on Tuesday -- where she was sentenced to 3 days of community service for the incident.

As we previously reported, Cooke -- whose father owned the NFL team from '61 to '97 -- allegedly hurled anti-Semitic language at a 77-year-old woman while leaving a fancy Manhattan restaurant on New Year's Eve.

The victim claims Cooke was being aggressive at the coat check -- so her son confronted her outside and she struck him with her glass purse, causing 2 lacerations on his head.

There's video of the aftermath -- and Cooke appears to be a boozy mess while the two parties cuss each other out on the street.

Cooke is due back in court in January.

Saquon Barkley is great -- but imagine how much better he'd be if he wasn't running behind the NY Giants "sorry" ass offensive line ... so says Eric Dickerson.

The NFL Hall of Famer was at the 29 at Rocco’s Tavern event in Studio City -- where we had to ask the running back if he thinks Barkley has a shot at his rookie rushing yards record (1,808).

But, ED shot that down -- saying, if Saquon wants to have a shot at ANY record, he needs help from the big boys up front ... and right now, that group is playing like trash.

The good news for Barkley -- ED says Todd Gurley was in a similar situation a few years ago, but the Rams brought in the help he needed, and now he's exploding all over the NFL.

The message -- "I don't care how great you are, if you're not getting the blocks, it's not gonna happen."

Conor McGregor has broken his silence on his loss to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229 -- saying he simply didn't train for Khabib's stand-up game.

In fact, Conor gave a round-by-round breakdown of the fight ... calling Round 2 the "worst round of my career."

Here's the breakdown ...

Round 1.

"I believe from a sport standpoint, round 1 was his. Top position against the fence. Zero position advancement or damage inflicted. But top position. From a fight standpoint the first round is mine. Actual shots landed and a willingness to engage. Straight left early. Knee to the head on the low shot. Elbows in any and all tie up scenarios. Opponent just holding the legs against the fence for almost the entire round."

Round 2.

"He is running away around the cage before being blessed with a right hand that changed the course of the round, and the fight. It was a nice shot.

After the shot I bounced back up to engage instantly, but again he dipped under to disengage. That is the sport and it was a smart move that led to a dominant round, so no issue. Well played.

If I stay switched on and give his stand up even a little more respect, that right hand never gets close and we are talking completely different now. I gave his upright fighting no respect in preparation. No specific stand up spars whatsoever. Attacking grapplers/wrestlers only. That won’t happen again.

I also gave my attacking grappling no respect. To defense minded. Lessons. Listen to nobody but yourself on your skill set. You are the master of your own universe. I am the master of this. I must take my own advice."

Round 3.

"After the worst round of my fighting career, I come back and win this round. Again walking forward, walking him down, and willing to engage."

Round 4.

"My recovery was not where it could have been here. That is my fault. Although winning the early exchanges in 4, he dips under again and I end up in a bad position with over 3 on the clock. I work to regain position and end up upright, with my back to the fence. A stable position. Here however, I made a critical error of abandoning my over hook at this crucial time, exposing the back, and I end up beaten fair and square."

Overall Notes

The LAPD has reached out to several L.A. Dodgers stars -- including Yasiel Puig, Justin Turner and Clayton Kershaw -- to make sure their homes are protected during the World Series ... unlike last year.

Remember, Puig's home was hit by burglars during Game 7 of the 2017 World Series -- and cops have said the suspects specifically targeted the place because they knew he'd be at Dodger Stadium at the time.

L.A. Rams wide receiver Robert Woods was also hit by burglars during a Rams game this year -- cops believe the suspects are the same crew of burglars that hit Puig.

Even though cops made multiple arrests, they still believe some of the suspects are on the loose, and they're concerned about copycats and other crime crews. Bottom line -- they don't want to take any chances this time around.

Law enforcement sources tell us ... LAPD officials have reached out to MLB security, agents for the players, personal assistants and other personnel in the hopes of protecting the homes of Dodgers players and staffers.

We're told cops are working with the players to make sure home security systems are up to snuff and, in some cases, additional security personnel are watching their houses.

And, cops will continue to make extra patrols in the neighborhoods where the players live.

WWE's Roman Reigns says his leukemia has returned in a health battle that's he's been fighting for more than 10 years.

Reigns made the solemn announcement on 'Monday Night Raw,' saying his leukemia was back, and that he wouldn't be able to carry out his duties as a wrestler ... and, as such, will have to relinquish the Universal Championship.

Reigns said he'd be heading home to focus on his health and treatment ... adding "I will beat this, I will be back, and you will see me very, very soon." The crowd was noticeably distraught and shocked over the news, but gave him a huge round of applause when he thanked them for their support over the years.

Reigns was diagnosed with leukemia at age 22. He's 33 now.

Nipsey Hussle tells TMZ Sports there's NO WAY IN HELL he was gonna jump in the Lakers-Rockets melee Saturday night ... despite what it might have looked like on camera.

You'll remember ... Rajon Rondo and Chris Paul traded blows near the basket Nipsey was sitting under -- and when cameras panned to the rapper -- it sure looked like he was getting ready to jump in.

But, Nipsey -- who teamed up with PUMA to refurbish a basketball court in South L.A. inspired by the brands new kicks -- tells us there was absolutely no chance he was setting himself up to throw hands.

"I would never jump in no NBA fight," Hussle says. "Hell nah!"

Nipsey says he was readying himself JUST IN CASE the fight spilled into his area of the stands.

As for who woulda won the fight if nobody held the two point guards back ... Nipsey says he ain't sure -- but he does tell us the Lakers have a real shot at the NBA title this season!!

BTW, in addition to the new court ... Nipsey and PUMA hooked 200 kids up with fresh backpacks and shirts ... and gave $10K to a local elementary school.

Thomas John -- the famous psychic who correctly predicted the World Series teams back in July -- is taking his gift one step further ... predicting the WINNER. And, it's bad news for L.A. fans.

Remember, when John made his prediction back in July, the Dodgers were in 3rd place in the NL West behind the Diamondbacks and the Rockies. It was a tight race and the Dodgers were definitely not a lock for the playoffs at the time.

But, he assured us the Dodgers and Red Sox would make the Series -- and he was right.

So, when we saw the "Seatbelt Psychic" star at Avra in Bev Hills Monday we asked for his World Series winner prediction and he came through with the answer from beyond!

We also mined for info about the Super Bowl -- and that's when John had even MORE good news for Boston fans.