TMZ Sports - Page 50

Forget Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier ... the BEST heavyweight mixed martial artist is Bellator's Ryan Bader -- so says the man himself!!!

TMZ Sports talked to Bader -- Bellator's heavyweight AND light heavyweight champ -- before his clash with Cheick Kongo at Bellator 226 this weekend.

Ryan's been DOMINANT -- he ran through the promotion's HW tournament, beating guys like Matt Mitrione and the legendary Fedor Emelianenko ... prompting Bellator honcho Scott Coker to declare Bader "the best heavyweight fighter on the planet."

Guess what? Bader says his boss is right!!!

"I went through that tournament, I didn't get punched in the face one time," Bader tells us. "Why shouldn't I believe that? I believe I can beat anyone at any given time and that includes heavyweights."

"So, I don't think that's a crazy statement. You put myself and Stipe or Cormier in there, I do believe I can beat them."

Bader says he's hopeful that the future may hold some cross-promotional dream fight that'd pair him against the UFC's top big guys ... but before that, he's gotta deal with 6'4, 235lb. Kongo who was a part of one of MMA's craziest fights ever.

Remember this???

Mickey Rourke says he's ready to end the beef with Lenny Dykstra once and for all -- but says if Lenny disrespects him again, he's not afraid to throw them hands!!

Remember, Lenny says he wants to have a celebrity MMA match with Mickey to settle their years-long beef over an alleged $30,000 debt ... one of the nastiest feuds in Hollywood.

They've been trashing the hell out of each other in the media for years -- but it seems like Rourke is sick of all the drama.

Rourke spelled it out for us at Mulberry Street Pizzeria in Bev Hills ... saying if Lenny has real interest in squashing the beef, he's down to have a friendly beer summit and make peace.

But, if he wants to brawl ... Lenny knows where to find 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."

Dustin Johnson ain't gonna let a knee surgery keep him from helping those in need ... 'cause the golf superstar's spending his downtime stuffing backpacks to send over to the Bahamas!!

DJ just had arthroscopic surgery to repair cartilage damage in his left knee on Thursday ... while he's expected to return to the course later this year, he's sidelined for now.

The 35-year-old and his smokin' hot lady, Paulina Gretzky, are doing their part to help those affected by Hurricane Dorian ... hitting Costco to buy out a bunch of backpacks and supplies to send over to the kids in the Bahamas.

"Even surgery won’t stop me from helping our friends in the Bahamas.! #helpthebahamas," DJ said in his IG pic, showing huge piles of coloring books, crayons and other supplies.

DJ and Paulina ain't the only sports stars helping out in a big way ... as we previously reported, Sacramento Kings star Buddy Hield is currently trying to raise $1 million for his native country for hurricane relief ... and his coach, Luke Walton, has chipped in $10k as well!

Great gesture by everyone involved.

... and just for the hell of it, here's Paulina. You're welcome.

Eyes up!!!

Lindsey Vonn made one helluva fashion statement at a Vanity Fair party in NYC on Thursday -- rockin' the hell out of a see-through top ... and yeah, she stole the show!!!

The Olympic downhill skiing legend definitely turned heads at Vanity Fair's 2019 Best Dressed List party at L'Avenue Sacks. Her NHL superstar fiance P.K. Subban didn't make the event, but the MASSIVE emerald engagement ring he gave her sure did!!!

The two announced their engagement last month. They've been together since 2018. No word on when the big wedding will go down.

34-year-old Vonn definitely ain't shy when it comes to showing off her body -- remember she posed in PAINT (and only paint!!!) for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition a few years ago.

Antonio Brown hurled a racial slur at Oakland Raiders general manager Mike Mayock during their heated altercation this week -- calling him a "cracker" -- so says ESPN.

ESPN's Josina Anderson says multiple sources confirm Brown "unleashed a barrage of cuss words during the altercation" ... including using the word "cracker," a derogatory term for white people.

Anderson reports Mayock "tried to keep his cool during the situation" and tried to walk away as he saw things starting to escalate.

The news comes in the wake of NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reporting that Brown threatened to punch Mayock in the face during the altercation that started over Mayock's decision to fine AB roughly $54k for missing workouts.

The Raiders are currently weighing their options with Brown and could cut him before their season opener on Monday Night Football -- which would be a HUGE move considering they just signed him to a 3-year, $50 million contract this offseason.

Brown's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, says he's working like a maniac trying to salvage the relationship ... but most people believe Brown is done in Oakland.

Reggie Bush says there's no way anyone who actually knows Drew Brees could call him homophobic -- and the ex-NFL All-Pro is doubling down on his support for his former QB.

Brees has been under heat all week after it was discovered he made a video for Focus On The Family -- an organization condemned by gay rights groups as VERY anti-LGBTQ.

Drew has since addressed the controversy, posting a video saying he had no idea about the group's anti-LGBT politics -- and explained that a key part of his Christian faith is to love EVERYONE.

Bush -- who won a Super Bowl with Brees on the Saints -- defended Brees on Twitter, and when we saw him at LAX, he made it clear he'll ALWAYS have Drew's back.

"Anybody who doubts Drew, don't know him. Period."

Reggie went on to say he feels the entire issue was "blown out of proportion" -- and wasn't really a big deal to begin with.

"You need to be terrified of me too, bitch."

Yep, the guy who uttered those words to the mother of his child just got PAID by the Kansas City Chiefs.

The NFL team just announced Tyreek Hill has signed a 3-year, $54 MILLION contract extension ... this just weeks after prosecutors ended an investigation into allegations the star WR had physically abused his 3-year-old son.

The 25-year-old -- arguably one of the 5 best WRs in the NFL -- has been mired in controversy all offseason stemming from an incident with his son back in the winter.

Prosecutors in Kansas say they believe somebody hurt Hill's child ... but after they couldn't determine whether it was Tyreek or his ex-fiancee, Crystal Espinal, they decided not to bring charges against either person.

Of course, shortly after prosecutors made that announcement ... secret audio of Hill and Espinal talking about their son's injuries was released -- putting Hill's NFL future in doubt.

Here's a partial transcript of that conversation ...

Crystal Espinal: "He is terrified of you. And, you say that he respects you, but it's not respect."

Tyreek Hill: "He respects me."

Crystal Espinal: "He is terrified of you."

Tyreek Hill: "You need to be terrified of me too, bitch. That's why you can't keep a f**king man."

The NFL also investigated the incident and ultimately decided NOT to discipline him saying, "Based on the evidence presently available, the NFL cannot conclude that Mr. Hill violated the Personal Conduct Policy."

The Chiefs reinstated him after the NFL's decision ... and clearly felt comfortable enough with him over the last few weeks to sign him to a new deal that will pay him $18 MILLION per year.

For his part, Hill -- who's still battling with Espinal in court over custody of their kids -- has adamantly denied the child abuse allegations, calling them "false."

"To the fans, friends, and family that I have made in Kansas City: I love you and thank you for your continued support," Hill said in a July statement.

"To the NFL, Commissioner Goodell and everyone who assisted in this investigation: thank you for your time and for conducting a thorough investigation. I will not let you down."

The Cleveland Indians REALLY want to get the world's most famous Biebers together -- and it could finally happen next week ... in Anaheim!!!

Justin Bieber and Indians pitcher Shane Bieber have bonded on social media due to their famous last name -- and they even wore baseball jerseys recently jokingly paying tribute to the other.

Shane wore a "Not Justin" jersey during MLB Players' Weekend, when the athletes get to wear whatever name they want on their jerseys. And, Justin responded by rockin' a "Not Shane Bieber" jersey during a recent motorcycle outing.

Now, we're told the team wants to take the bromance to the next level by trying to arrange a face-to-face next week when the Indians come to California for a 3-game series with the Angels.

Our sources tell us reps for the Indians have reached out to Justin's camp to invite him to one of the games so he can meet Shane ... and we're told JB is seriously considering the offer.

Justin is a big sports fan and loves hanging with athletes ... from Neymar to Floyd Mayweather and he's also obsessed with hockey.

Shane has previously told us interacting with Justin on social media was one of the great thrills of his life!!!

Anthony Davis might not be "Taco Tuesday" material ... 'cause the Lakers superstar is admitting LeBron James told him he's not FUN enough for his weekly ritual!!

The NBA 2K20 cover athlete was invited over to LBJ's L.A. mansion for the epic mealtime back in July ... joining in on the craze that's gone insanely viral. Seriously, the King's even trying to trademark the phrase, it's been THAT popular.

AD is finally giving some behind-the-scenes details on the experience in a Q&A with fans on Friday ... saying he wasn't up to snuff on LeBron's fun meter.

"I've been invited once ... he said I wasn't fun enough, so hopefully I get invited back soon and make you guys laugh. If you can, make sure you enjoy Taco Tuesday with LeBron!"

To prove his value to LeBron's prestigious dinner ... AD let out his own "TACOOOO TUEEESDAYYYY" impression ... and we gotta admit, dude seems like he's been practicing.

Obviously, not just ANYBODY gets invited to the table for Taco Tuesday ... and now we know why.

"[Antonio Brown] is like the worst human in the world but I'm actually on his side on this one."

That's Barstool Sports honcho Dave Portnoy breaking down the drama between AB and the Oakland Raiders ... saying Oakland should have seen this coming from a mile away.

"The Raiders ... it's like, if you sign a guy you know is a punk and a jerk, you can't complain like, 'Hey, the punk jerk is acting like a punk jerk!'"

"Like everyone knew he's a jerk! You signed a jerk! Now, he's being a jerk! You get what you signed up for!"

El Pres -- who was leaving one of his famous Pizza Reviews in NYC -- wasn't done picking apart Mike Mayock and the rest of the Raiders organization for the way they've handled AB.

"He's just doing what he did at Pittsburgh at the end of his career. I don't know what the Raiders expected. The Raiders got exactly who he was advertised to be."

So, what happens now? Portnoy thinks Brown's options are extremely limited -- "I don't know where else he's gonna go. Who else would want this guy?"

Are you a history-making former leader of the free world?! Game-changing music mogul??!? Or look super hot in a thong???

Well, good news -- Anthony Joshua wants YOU front and center at his upcoming rematch with Andy Ruiz!!!

The boxing superstar has a massive celebrity following -- with stars like Dame Judi Dench and Ed Sheeran throwing their support behind the 29-year-old heavyweight.

But, who's on AJ's dream list of ringside stars for his massive "Clash on the Dunes" fight in Saudi Arabia on Dec. 7? We asked. He answered. It was awesome.

"Barack Obama, The Rock, Will Smith, Jay-Z, Beyonce ... some Instagram models ... I'm getting to the fantasy part of my brain now!"

In all seriousness, AJ tells TMZ Sports he has a totally different approach to Ruiz this time around -- and realizes how many people are counting on him to avenge his loss.

You gotta watch this clip ... Joshua says he now realizes how devastated his fans in England (and around the world) were after his loss and it motivates him.

"I took my first L as a professional and started realizing, yo, there's people out there who are REALLY rooting for me, feeling emotionally, who really want me to win."

"And, now mentally, I know I don't just fight for myself. I fight for the nation, I fight for the continents, I fight for the people who love boxing. So, it's just more than that."

We also asked Anthony if he's already considering a fight with Tyson Fury down the line -- but he told us one of the mistakes he made before the Ruiz fight was thinking AHEAD instead of focusing on the present ... and he vows not to make that mistake again.

NBA superstar Damian Lillard is a hardcore Raiders fan -- he's even got the logo tatted on his arm -- but if Oakland cuts Antonio Brown, Dame says he'd consider getting his ink REMOVED!!!

Lillard is from Oakland and proud of it ... hence the tattoo -- so when we saw him at the NBA 2K20 event in L.A. on Thursday, we had to ask about the drama between AB and Mike Mayock.

Of course, EVERYONE is waiting to see if the Raiders cut Brown for allegedly threatening to punch the team's general manager in the face during a heated altercation this week, but Lillard says he's standing with the WR.

"I don't think they should cut 'em," Lillard said ... "I think it's a 0% chance they cut AB."

"Because if they do that, I might have to get my tattoo removed."

Lillard might want to start researching laser removal specialists ... because there's a strong buzz Oakland could get rid of Brown as early as FRIDAY in order to get out of that massive $50 MILLION contract they signed him to.

Stay tuned ...

Bar staffers are lucky they weren't seriously hurt in a brawl involving Cowboys stud Tyrone Crawford back in March ... TMZ Sports has obtained new video of the Florida fight, and TC was throwing BOMBS!!!

Crawford -- a Dallas team captain -- was the centerpiece of a melee inside of a Coyote Ugly bar on March 15 in Panama City Beach, FL.

In new footage we obtained of the whole brawl ... you can see how it all starts, with bouncers aggressively pulling a man by the neck through the crowd.

A short time later, you can see Crawford -- a 6-foot-4, 285-pound D-lineman -- start getting violent with the bar staffers ... throwing some MASSIVE punches as well as a kick that nearly connects with a guy's head.

The brawl shifts from the heart of the venue to the exit ... where you can see Crawford throw EVEN MORE huge punches at Coyote Ugly staffers.

Eventually, the fight spills out of the bar's entrance ... but the punches don't stop -- Crawford swings several more times at bouncers -- connecting with a few of his looping punches.

The craziest part of the whole melee??? Video shows cops were in the middle of it all -- and still struggled to restrain the 29-year-old defensive lineman!!!

In fact, as cops are slapping the cuffs on one of Crawford's friends ... the Cowboys stud puts his hands on them to try to push them off!!!

Finally, cops and bouncers are able to control the situation ... with Crawford eventually getting separated from the fracas.

Tyrone was hit with a misdemeanor charge of affray for the altercation ... but he reached a deal with prosecutors in July to close out the criminal case ahead of Dallas' season.

We're told in exchange for completing an anger management assessment and keeping his nose clean for the next six months ... he'll have the charge dropped.

As for possible NFL punishment, Crawford said last month he had yet to speak with the league's investigators ... and added, "I did what I had to do as best I could."

"I am going to let God take it. I can’t speak on it too much. I am going to let God take it and handle everything, however it works out, it works out. Hopefully, they see my side."

Even though it might've looked like Raiders camp was an absolute circus because of Antonio Brown ... ex-Oakland LB Brandon Marshall tells TMZ Sports that just wasn't the case.

"He really wasn't a distraction 'cause he wasn't here," Marshall says.

AB has yet to go a full week without making a headline since the Raiders kicked off training camp in July ... there's been frostbitten feet, helmet drama, ex-teammate issues AND a wild lawsuit.

But, Marshall -- who was with the Raiders until a surprising cut last week -- tells us despite all of that ... nobody really viewed the receiver as a headache.

"We just didn't know where he was at," Marshall said. "Everybody was just fighting for a spot on the team."

Of course, things have gotten a little hairier since Marshall left the squad -- Brown reportedly got into a yelling match with GM Mike Mayock, and the team looks poised to suspend the receiver over the altercation.

Marshall says that incident shocked him, telling us, "I never thought I'd wake up and hear that news."

But, the linebacker added, "I think they can still reconcile."

By the way, we spoke to Marshall about his experience with "Hard Knocks" ... and ya gotta hear why he tells us his lone appearance on the show sucked!!!

Add another shiny object to Jerry West's packed trophy case ... 'cause Donald Trump presented the Logo with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Thursday.

POTUS invited the Hall of Famer to 1600 Penn to gift him the highest honor a civilian can receive ... praising West's basketball accomplishments on and off the court -- including helping the L.A. Clippers acquire Kawhi Leonard this past summer.

Trump also praised West's work away from the sport, saying "Jerry works harder than just about anybody I can imagine helping our nation's veterans."

"Jerry West is one extraordinary American."

West joins other huge sports stars like Michael Jordan, John Wooden, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tiger Woods to receive the honor.

"I swear my name is going to look like a misprint on this list," West joked in the Oval Office.