TMZ Sports - Page 50

UFC star Francis Ngannou is finally responding to Tyson Fury -- telling TMZ Sports if Fury is serious about competing in MMA, Francis is "200% down!"

Remember, Fury -- one of the top heavyweight boxers on the planet -- says he's dead serious about trying his luck in the Octagon ... and plans to train with Conor McGregor.

Fury also said he's eyeing Stipe Miocic and Francis Ngannou and possible opponents.

So, we reached out to Francis to see if he was game -- and man, HE'S ALL IN!!!

In fact, the 6'4", 258-pound heavyweight says he'll make a 2-fight deal with Tyson -- if Fury agrees to meet him in the Octagon, he'll do a SECOND match in the boxing ring.

Ngannou tells us ... long before he became an MMA fighter, he had dreams of becoming a boxing champ -- and he believes he has the skill set to compete with a champ like Fury.

Ngannou says he's already instructed his management team to reach out to Fury to see if there's a way to make it happen ... and thinks the UFC would be on board.

We recently spoke to UFC honcho Dana White who told us he's a huge Fury fan and would love to get in business with him ... but advised Tyson to focus on boxing instead of trying to transition to MMA.

But, if there was a 2-fight deal including a boxing match, you gotta wonder if White -- who's launching a boxing promotion in 2020 -- would be more open to getting a deal done.

Ngannou has already gotten some pointers on how to fight Fury from Mike Tyson -- and Francis says Iron Mike has offered to train him if Fury accepts the fight.

Darren Waller ain't scared of relapsing when he has to move to Las Vegas after the Raiders bolt from Oakland ... in fact, he tells TMZ Sports he's gunning to be a sobriety symbol in Sin City.

The tight end's battle with substance abuse is well known ... the 27-year-old nearly lost his NFL career before it really even began because of issues with opiates and cocaine.

But, Waller's been on the straight and narrow for over two years now ... and he tells us he ain't concerned one bit about how a permanent move to Vegas might change that.

In fact, Waller says once he gets to LV with his Raiders squad ... he immediately wants to help others find sobriety like he did back in 2017.

"Maybe I can step into a community that really is rough to be in for people who may not think they can be sober in that environment," Waller tells us.

"And, really try to be an example or just be someone that people could lean on. And, just build a community there where people feel safe."

It's an awesome gesture from Waller ... and he's the perfect guy for the role -- 'cause this year has been the best of his life.

NFL teams in need of a receiver may have a former All-Pro hitting them up VERY soon ... 'cause Dez Bryant says he's feeling good and ready to get back on the field!!!

Of course, Dez unfortunately tore his Achilles just 2 days after signing with the New Orleans Saints in 2018 ... and hasn't been on a team since.

Bryant recently spoke out about his depression and anxiety on Twitter back in July, saying he had "no interest in playing football right now" ... but made it clear he wasn't retiring.

Now, the 3-time Pro Bowler is ready to hit the gridiron and help out a team in need ... tweeting "I’m not trying to go nowhere and be a starter on a team I want to contribute because I know I will be able too."

"I’m feeling good... in two weeks I’m going to reach out to teams and see what happens.... let’s go X."

Green Bay Packers superstar Za'Darius Smith admitted to cops he had smoked weed shortly before he was pulled over for speeding ... telling an officer, "We had smoked earlier."

It's all in police video obtained by TMZ Sports ... which shows Smith and Packers rookies Rashan Gary and Kingsley Keke getting stopped on Sept. 29 in Racine, Wisc.

Smith was busted for doing 81 mph in a 60 -- but when a cop asked him how much weed he had in his vehicle ... the superstar pass rusher straight-up admitted to smoking earlier in the day.

That's when the officer put Smith and his teammates in cuffs and searched the 2019 Yukon ... and found what appeared to be blunts and a vaping cartridge in the guys' pricey bags.

When the cops came back to ask who owned the blunts ... Smith seemed surprised to learn they were in there -- but took the fall for them anyway.

"I'll put it on me, yessir," Smith said.

As for the cartridge, Smith also took the fall for that, saying again, "I'll put that on me."

The cop cited Smith for speeding and possession of marijuana. Gary and Keke were NOT cited in the incident.

Unclear if the NFL will hand down punishment to Smith for admitting to smoking ... but it'd be a big deal if they did. Za'Darius has been a star for the Packers after signing a 4-year, $66 MILLION deal this offseason.

As for his citations ... Smith's facing nothing more than fines for those, but his attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf to both of the infractions earlier this week.

Jay-Z's Roc Nation and Philadelphia Eagles star Malcolm Jenkins are putting up big money to share the heart-wrenching stories of parents who've lost children to social injustice.

Malcolm's Players Coalition released a powerful video Wednesday focusing on the tragic death of Danroy "DJ" Henry ... a Pace University football star who was fatally shot by a police officer back in 2010.

The PSA is narrated by DJ's mother, Angella Henry ... and makes the point that what happened to her son could, sadly, happen to anyone's child.

You might have seen the hashtag #EveryonesChild trending on Twitter today -- and that's not by accident. Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Roc Nation is throwing its full support behind the message, spending $1 million on social media and several other outlets to advertise the PSA.

Roc artist Meek Mill even tweeted about the PSA, as did CNN's Van Jones. Of course, both men have been on the frontlines of the push for criminal justice reform.

When Jay-Z announced his partnership with the NFL, he promised to help players get the word out about social issues important to them and their communities -- and we're told Roc Nation plans to do that through its new "Responsibility Program."

We're told the program will produce a series of videos, similar in tone to the DJ Henry one ... aiming to not only raise awareness but also to push for legislation supporting criminal justice reform.

As Malcolm, cofounder of the Players Coalition, says, "We have a responsibility to use our platforms to unite people and foster positive change ... but we can't achieve that goal without education." He added ... that's the ultimate goal of the DJ Henry video.

Alex Morgan truly is a superhero ... the USA soccer superstar says she's still planning to play in the 2020 Olympics -- just months after she has her baby!!!

The 30-year-old striker announced last month she's having a baby girl with her husband, LA Galaxy stud Servando Carrasco ... and the due date is April 2020.

Of course, next year's summer Olympics are scheduled to kick off in Tokyo just weeks after that ... with opening ceremonies slated for July 24.

For all you non-math whizzes out there ... that's just about 3 months!!!

But, in an interview with USA TODAY Sports earlier this week ... Morgan says she's gunning to get back on the pitch with her American teammates despite that tiny time frame.

"After having a healthy baby, I want to get back with the national team and look forward to playing in Tokyo," Morgan said.

It's not exactly unprecedented ... her fellow Team USA squadmate, Sydney Leroux, returned to the field in September for her NWSL team just 3 months after she had her baby earlier this year.

In other sports, it's been done too ... remember, Mackenzie Dern straight-up fought in the UFC just 4 months after she gave birth!!

Baker Mayfield is breaking down his decision to shave right before AND right after the Browns' devastating loss to the Broncos on Sunday ... saying he "didn't deserve" to wear a handlebar mustache.

Aside from Cleveland's awful performance, the most notable takeaway from Sunday was Baker's facial hair switcharoo -- shaving his beard to a handlebar look for the game, and then chopping it down to a porn 'stache for post-game interviews.

Baker explained his decision after practice on Wednesday ... saying he had been undefeated while wearing the handlebar look ... and after the Browns took their 6th L of the season, he felt he wasn't worthy.

"The quarterbacks had a 'Movember' mustache, and the original thought for me, do handlebars," Mayfield said.

"I was undefeated before Sunday with the handlebar mustache, so I shaved it off cause I didn’t deserve it."

Baker also weighed in on his stats being a LOT worse than in his rookie campaign ... and unlike last week's presser, he seemed calm in the pocket and admitted he's not playing great right now.

The 100-year-old, super rare, game-worn jersey rocked by one of the world's first basketball stars is on the auction block ... and it's expected to rake in a quarter of a million dollars!

The threads belonged to Basketball Hall of Famer Joe Lapchick ... a star on the New York Original Celtics in the 1920s (no relation to the Boston Celtics, who didn't even exist until 1946).

Lapchick -- a 6'5" big man known for his athleticism and agility -- is regarded as one of the best centers of his generation.

In 1923, JL joined the famed Original Celtics -- the 2nd incarnation of the New York Celtics -- who were disbanded during World War 1.

Lapchick's Celtics barnstormed around the country -- beating up on local teams -- until 1926 ... when they joined the American Basketball League (ABL) and won 2 straight titles.

The Reach Sporting Goods jersey that Lapchick donned during this time -- which he originally gifted to director Harry Glynn (and held by Glynn's family since) -- is on the block at SCP Auctions ... and the site tells us they expect it to pull in major money.

Lapchick wasn't only a stud hooper ... he was also a damn good coach. After his playing days, he was the head coach of the New York Knicks from 1947-1956. He also coached St. John's University to 4 NIT championships during 2 stints in Queens, NY ... between 1936-1947 and 1956-1965.

Here's Mike Tyson giving a few pointers to UFC superstar Francis Ngannou on how to fight Tyson Fury ... and the video is awesome!

So, why is this happening???

Remember, Fury has been teasing a move over to MMA -- he's apparently dead serious -- and he even called out Ngannou as a potential opponent.

"Who’s the heavyweight champion of the world in the UFC? The American-Croatian, Stipe Miocic. I’ll fight him in a heartbeat, no problem. Or, Francis Ngannou," Fury said.

"Any of the heavyweights they’ve got, I’m not afraid of any of them. I’m the Gypsy King. I’m a boxer, but I’m one badass motherf**ker."

So, when Ngannou met up with Mike Tyson to appear on his 'Hotboxin' podcast recently -- Mike decided to run the heavyweight fighter through a few moves to help him out.

Ya gotta watch the footage ... 53-year-old Tyson sticks, moves and sticks again -- the guy clearly still has explosive power and skill. Even the footwork is still super impressive.

Will Ngannou get a chance to unleash his new moves on Fury? UFC honcho Dana White told us it's "possible" Fury could step in the Octagon ... but unlikely.

Texas Longhorns star Andrew Jones picked up right where he left off nearly 2 years ago ... balling out in his first game with significant minutes since battling leukemia.

The 21-year-old was leading the team in points when he was diagnosed with cancer in January 2018. He underwent several rounds of treatment ... and was adamant he would return to the hardwood.

Jones briefly made 2 appearances last season, but proved he was officially BACK in Tuesday night's season opener against Northern Colorado ... dropping 20 points in 29 minutes in UT's win.

Not only was it a great performance ... it was Jones' CAREER HIGH!!!

The story is incredible ... but Jones said after the game he wasn't letting the big moment affect his play.

"I didn't know what to expect. It was a great feeling to be back out there," Jones said. "I didn't have any jitters. I wasn't nervous.''

Horns coach Shaka Smart also spoke about Andrew's strength after the game, saying "I'm happy for Andrew. I'm happy for his family."

"Sometimes in life, when you are dealt a tough hand, it's really about how you respond. He was the best offensive player on the floor. He played with great energy. He played with an aggressive, confident and loose mindset.''

San Jose Sharks superstar Evander Kane SUCKS at gambling -- the hockey star blew $500,000 at a Vegas casino during the NHL playoffs and never paid back the casino, a new lawsuit claims.

Kane allegedly hit up the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino around April 15, 2019 ... when the Sharks were playing the Vegas Golden Knights in the 1st round of the NHL playoffs.

According to the lawsuit, the 28-year-old decided to try his hand gambling during the road trip ... and took out several markers (essentially loans from the casino for gambling) totaling $500,000.

The order of the markers is telling ...

Kane started out with a $40,000 marker ... and when he lost that, he took out $20,000 more.

As time went on, the amount of money Kane took increased ... 2 installments of $80,000 followed by 2 installments of $100,000.

In the end, the casino claims Kane is in the hole to the tune of $500,000 -- and "refuses" to pay them back.

Now, the Cosmo wants their money PLUS damages, attorney fees, court costs and more.

Turns out, being a pro tennis player helps keep Caroline Wozniacki in INSANE shape!!!

Check out the 29-year-old showing off her shredded bod while rocking a bikini on an L.A. rooftop this week.

Wozniacki has been super busy this year -- when the former #1 ranked player in the world isn't playing tennis, she's been taking classes at Harvard Business School as part of a program that helps athletes build a second career outside of sports.

Caroline is enrolled in the course with her husband, ex-NBA star David Lee, figure skater Ashley Wagner, Knicks guard Reggie Bullock and more.

There are rumblings Wozniacki -- who had a rough 2019 season -- could retire soon, partly due to her battle with rheumatoid arthritis. But, her brother, Patrick, recently announced she will be playing in at least 2 major tournaments in 2020.

"Right now, in January, she plans to compete at a WTA tournament in Auckland and then the Australian Open," Patrick told TV2 in Denmark.

"So she'll play in 2020, and that's always nice. But I don't know what else is on the program."

Alex Rodriguez says the Mets are going to be SUPER HAPPY with their new manager, Carlos Beltran ... telling TMZ Sports he thinks the guy is "a baseball savant."

"The Mets are going to love him," A-Rod says.

New York has stumbled the last few years with Mickey Callaway and Terry Collins running the dugout ... but Rodriguez seems convinced 42-year-old Beltran will turn things around next year.

Of course, A-Rod is a bit biased -- dude played with Carlos for a few years with the Yankees earlier this decade -- but he swears the ex-outfielder will kill it with the Mets.

"Love Carlos," Rodriguez says. "Great hire. Great person. New Yorker. His wife, Jessica, lives right here in the city. And, he's a baseball savant. I think the Mets are going to love him."

As for Beltran having NO managing experience heading into the gig ... Rodriguez says he has zero concerns about growing pains, telling us, "He'll do great, he'll do great."

By the way, Rodriguez has some new beginnings going on this week too ... he was out in NYC promoting his new show, "Back In The Game," which debuts Wednesday night.

LeBron James just wasn't in the mood on Tuesday ... shutting down a heckler with 7 simple words -- "Your lady embarrassed to be with you!"

Bron and the Lakers were in Chicago playing the Bulls at the United Center when someone in the stands began running their mouth about LeBron and Anthony Davis.

At first, LeBron tried to ignore the guy ... but then, Bron just shot back at the dude, grabbed his towel and moved on. Pretty hilarious!!!

But, the hecklers, as a group, weren't fazed -- one guy continued to scream at Anthony Davis ... and it got so annoying, security had to step in to try and shut the guy up.

Ultimately, the Lakers let their play do the talking ... L.A. beat Chicago 118 to 112, with LeBron dropping 30 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

His lady is surely not embarrassed to be with him.

Alex Collins had a massive jug of weed and a gun on the floorboards of his crashed Corvette ... and police video obtained by TMZ Sports shows cops making the shocking find and arresting the NFL RB for it.

Collins skidded off the road at around 4:30 a.m. near the Baltimore Ravens' practice facility in Owings Mills, Maryland when he was a member of the team back in March 2019.

In video we obtained ... you can see a cop pulling up to the scene shortly after the crash -- and it's pretty wild.

Collins' pricey ride -- which looks like the Batmobile -- is rammed against some trees and stuck in a snowy ditch ... and Collins appears to be asleep when the officer opens the passenger door.

Collins explains to the cop he had crashed earlier in the morning and was waiting for a tow ... but after Alex had some issues with expired tags, things got dicey for the 25-year-old.

The cop hits him with a ticket, but explains he smells a strong odor of marijuana from the car as well ... and asks him straight-up how much weed he has in the vehicle.

The running back claims he doesn't know ... saying it belonged to his buddy, Tykheem "TJ" Dunaway, who was a passenger in the car earlier but had walked home instead of sticking around.

TJ eventually showed back up to the scene ... and after the cop discovered the jug of weed and a firearm in the car -- he put Collins in cuffs and questioned TJ.

TJ told the cop the weed definitely belonged to Collins ... saying, "It's his. I didn't know it was in the car until it crashed because we were coming from a party."

Eventually, both dudes were arrested for possession of the weed ... while Collins was also booked for having a handgun in his vehicle.

Collins fought the case in court for months ... but in October, he agreed to a plea deal in which he pled guilty to two misdemeanor charges of possession of a handgun and possession of weed.

In exchange, Collins received probation and a fine ... and had his felony charges dropped.

Collins -- who was cut by the Ravens immediately after the arrest -- is still looking for a team this season ... despite being hit with a 3-game suspension by the NFL over the incident.

The city employee who saved a man from an oncoming train this past weekend will be honored as a "hometown hero" prior to the Raiders' 'TNF' game ... the team announced on Tuesday.

The story is incredible -- right after Oakland beat the Detroit Lions on Sunday, a train station near the stadium was packed with Raider fans ... and one man lost his balance and fell onto the tracks.

BART supervisor John O'Connor saw what happened and pulled the man from the tracks and back to safety without hesitation ... saving him from the zooming train.

O'Connor spoke about the incident afterward ... admitting "I thought the train was going to cut him in half, honestly."

Now, the Silver and Black are honoring O'Connor for his heroic actions before the Raiders play against the L.A. Chargers on Thursday.

"The team will host him in front of Raider Nation as this week’s 'Hometown Hero,'" the Raiders said on Tuesday.

TMZ Sports spoke with Raiders star Darren Waller, who says O'Connor's reaction was "legendary" ... and the hero deserves the biggest standing ovation of the night on Thursday.