TMZ Sports - Page 50

If Kenyon Martin thinks the Based God curse is a load of crap, rapper Lil B says he'll have to prove it on the court ... 'cause he's getting challenged to a 1-on-1 showdown ... and the stakes are high!!

ICYMI ... K-Mart straight-up dissed Lil B's Based God curse earlier this week, calling him "a nobody" and claiming his opinion "don't mean sh*t" when we asked him about being hexed.

TMZ Sports spoke with Lil B ... who says Martin can end the debate once and for all by taking up his offer to go head to head on the court.

"I want to say to Kenyon Martin, I challenge you 1-on-1 to a game and we'll see if the curse is real or not. You beat me, you're right ... the curse is fake."

The holidays are over for us normies, but not for UFC star Anthony Pettis and his smokin' hot fiancee ... who are out in sunny Aruba getting their safari on!

It ain’t just any average trip -- Anthony popped the question on NYE at the Aruba Ritz-Carlton ... and Lisette said yes!!

Since then, the future Mr. and Mrs. “Showtime” have been living it up on the island -- exploring ancient ruins, off-roading at a safari and hitting the beach with flamingos are just a few of the activities they've been getting into.

Not like Anthony really cares -- anything with Lisette is winning.

Congrats!!

Khloe Kardashian's facing a big challenge in keeping her revenge body -- pregnancy -- but she's still giving it her best shot.

We got the mom-to-be at LAX Wednesday and asked her some tough questions about staying fit during pregnancy ... but even Khloe doesn't have all the answers.

Even so, she tells us she's exercising when she feels up to it and seems to be in great spirits ... all good news for mama and baby. Still no official reveal on whether she's having a boy or a girl, though.

As we reported ... Khloe and Cavs star Tristan Thompson are expecting sometime around late March, and he agrees with us -- she looks bomb at 6 months.

Season 2 of 'Revenge Body' premieres Sunday.

Tampa Bay Bucs safety T.J. Ward had 99.9 grams of weed in plain sight when cops entered his apartment back in October ... and that's ultimately why he was arrested Wednesday morning.

TMZ Sports obtained the criminal report from the Oct. 25 incident -- that shows cops responded to Ward's apartment for an active intrusion alarm at 4:45 PM.

When cops arrived, they knocked on the door and announced themselves -- a woman inside the place told the officers to "come in."

Just one problem ... cops say all the weed was in plain view on a coffee table. Oops.

There was apparently no emergency -- the alarm may have been an accident -- but when cops saw the weed, they busted both T.J. and the woman for felony marijuana possession.

We're told, Ward was only formally charged on Dec. 29 -- and that's when a warrant was issued for his arrest. On Wednesday morning, cops went to his apartment and arrested him.

As for the weed, cops say Ward didn't exactly play the "it's not mine" card -- and admitted to occasionally smoking.

Ward has been released from jail on a $2,500 bond.

And in case you're wondering what 100 grams of weed looks like, here's a video ...

LaVar Ball has touched down in Lithuania -- and he's getting mobbed like he's the damn POTUS!!

A hoard of photogs and reporters waited for hours in the Vilnius airport ... and went NUTS for LaVar as he made his grand entrance.

LaMelo and LiAngelo came out after their pops ... and had to fight through a crowd to make their getaway.

There was a celeb sighting too ... kinda. Famous local singer Jurgis Didziulis was also at the airport, jammin' out with his "Welcome to Lithuania" song.

Jay did it again ... signing another high profile college football superstar to his Roc Nation Sports agency roster -- this time, it's Penn State running back Saquon Barkley.

Saquon is projected to be a top 10 pick -- and has been hailed as the best running back in college football. He finished 4th in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Barkley is the 4th running back on the Roc Nation roster -- joining Todd Gurley, Leonard Fournette and C.J. Prosise.

Craig Sager's oldest children are blasting their father's 2nd wife -- claiming she's a shameless gold digger who drove a wedge between the family and ultimately had them cut out of the legendary NBA reporter's will.

"She's greedy," Kacy Sager wrote ... "She didn't even let us say goodbye to him because she wanted to spend his last day of consciousness alone with him. My brother saved his life & she still tried to poison our father against us."

The rift went public on Tuesday -- when Craig Sager Jr. said he was being pestered by sheriffs and court officials over "a will that myself and my sisters are not only 100% excluded from but do not even have any interest in contesting in the first place."

FYI, Craig Sr. passed away in 2016 after a long battle with cancer. Craig had 3 children from his 1st marriage (Craig Jr., Kacy and Krista) and 2 kids with his 2nd wife Stacy, whom he married in 2001.

But Craig Jr.'s older sister, Kacy, revealed a deeper issue with Stacy.

"[Craig Sager] left his family for a chick in her 20s, & she spent their whole marriage spending everything he made & driving a wedge between us. And is continuing after his death."

"The issue isn't the will. We never cared about the money. It's that she's trying to keep us away from everything, including the Sager Strong Foundation & the kids, and is making lawyers and sheriffs do her dirty work instead of picking up a phone."

"She has the kids in $30k-a-year private school and made him sell everything to build her a 10-bedroom house and two condos in Orlando."

TMZ Sports obtained a copy of Craig's will -- which lists all 5 of his kids, but only bequeaths his estate to Stacy. The estate includes all money, real estate and hotel and airline miles.

As for the sheriffs ... it looks like Craig Jr. was served with the will, so he could have an opportunity to object if he wishes. But it's clear, he does not want to go down that road.

9:40 AM PT -- Craig Jr. tells TMZ Sports ... "I love my dad. I love my family. I am not mad. I am not in a bad place. I am quite fine, loving work and finally taking a breather."

"But I want for myself and my family to move on peacefully and without paranoia over the Sword of Damocles this divorce has dangled over our heads for more than half my life. Enough."

"I shouldn't have Sherrifs knocking on my doors when I'm not in his will or fighting the fact that I'm not. I want to be able to relax without worrying about a Sheriff knocking on my door. That's it."

Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for the comedic stylings ... of Rob Gronkowski!

The New England Patriots tight end -- who's dabbled in comedy before -- is launching his own comedy special called, "Unsportsmanlike Comedy with Rob Gronkowski" ... which debuts Friday on Showtime.

Gronk will do some stand-up -- and host a handful of other comedians including John Caparulo and ex-SNL cast member Finesse Mitchell.

Looks like there will also be some chicks dressed as refs ... if refs wore striped bathing suits.

Gronk roasted David Ortiz last year in Boston ... so, he's got some experience.

Remember to tip your waitress.

The UFC has Cris Cyborg's back in a big way -- banning an MMA photog (who works for the gym where Holly Holm trains) after the guy referred to Cyborg as a "dude."

The man behind the offensive comments is Mark Aragon -- who handles photography and social media for the famous Jackson Wink MMA Academy in New Mexico.

After UFC 219, Aragon posted a photo of Cyborg on Instagram and wrote, "This dude is tough as hell" ... adding, "Holly was the first one to make his nose bleed."

Cyborg saw the post and wasn't happy -- calling for the UFC to take action against Aragon.

"It is not acceptable for an official representative of (Holly's gym) to call me transgender ... I expect an apology or their ability to get credentials for future UFC events to be affected by these actions."

UFC heard Cyborg loud and clear ... issuing a statement saying the org is "aware and troubled" by the comments and Aragon "will not be granted access for future events."

Aragon did issue an apology ... but it looks like it was too little too late.

It's good to be Neymar ...

The 25-year-old soccer superstar spent his Tuesday floating off the coast of Brazil with his smokin' hot girlfriend ... and some of his PSG teammates, who also have model GFs.

See the butt in the main image? That's Victoria's Secret model Izabel Goulart -- who's dating Neymar's Paris Saint-Germain teammate, Kevin Trapp. Kev was there, too.

But the big story is Bruna Marquezine ... Neymar's on-again, off-again lady friend who's been fully BACK ON with the soccer superstar going into 2018.

Guess Baker Mayfield's over that Rose Bowl loss ... because the Oklahoma QB hit up Staples Center to watch the Clippers on Tuesday night with absolutely no worries.

Mayfield arrived to the game with a hot lady friend -- and the two sat pretty close to the court to watch former OU stud Blake Griffin ball out.

The 22-year-old future NFL Draft pick was still rocking his Rose Bowl hat -- so, can't be too upset, right?

For the record, the Clips beat the Grizzlies ... with Blake droppin' 21 points.

"The Mailman" delivered in his return to the squared circle Tuesday night ... shakin' his hips and smashin' water bottles Stone Cold Steve Austin-style on "WWE SmackDown."

It all went down after the show's final match -- when Karl Malone slid into the ring to celebrate with WWE superstar Bobby Roode, in video posted by ProWrestlingSheet.

The NBA legend toasted Roode before joining him for his signature "glorious" pose -- and he crushed it.

Malone made some appearances with WCW back in the day -- most famously lockin' up with Hulk Hogan and Dennis Rodman -- so we can't say we're too surprised.

Eat your heart out, Triple H.

... And they're off!

LaVar Ball and his 2 youngest sons boarded a plane bound for Lithuania Tuesday -- but LaVar says they'll be back soon ... to join Lonzo on the Lakers.

19-year-old LiAngelo and 16-year-old LaMelo were quiet at the airport ... but LaVar did enough talking for the 3 of them -- spelling out his master plan to TMZ Sports.

"We'll go over there [to Lithuania] for a hot minute just to let 'em know before these boys get on the Lakers."

LaVar says he expects his boys to dominate overseas -- but for "less than a couple years" before returning to L.A. to sport the Purple and Gold.

Ball told us he plans on staying in Lithuania for a couple of weeks to get his boys set up in their new home ... but if he likes it, he might buy a new home over there -- or as he calls it, "Big Baller house!"

One interesting observation ... LiAngelo was still rocking his old UCLA duffel bag at the airport, despite the icy break up. Water under the bridge?

UFC superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov says he's not a DIVA like Conor McGregor -- and would fight the Irish superstar for ZERO dollars ... just to whoop his ass.

Khabib joined the guys on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weeknights on FS1) ... and went off on McGregor after Conor trashed his homeland, Dagestan, on Twitter.

Backstory -- after Khabib smashed Edson Barboza at UFC 219, McGregor tweeted at Khabib -- "That Dagestani was dog sh*t the other night you's are all nuts. Game full of sloppy bums asking to be slept. Pay me my worth and Kings back."

You better believe Khabib took that personally ... telling us Dagestan has produced WAY more UFC victories than Irish fighters, so Conor should shut his trap.

He also bashed Conor for only taking fights with "45-year-old Floyd Mayweather" and "marijuana guy" Nate Diaz.

"I don't fight for the money. I fight for my legacy. I fight for history. I fight for my people. That's why I'm here."

Bombshell after bombshell out of Tucson, Arizona Tuesday night ... where Rich Rodriguez was fired as the head football coach -- and moments later, he put out a statement denying he sexually harassed his former assistant.

But in the statement, RichRod says one claim against him is true -- he cheated on his wife.

"I was deeply disappointed to learn by email this evening that the University of Arizona is buying out my contract," Rodriguez said in a statement.

"This action comes on the heels of an outside investigation by the University into alleged workplace misconduct. This investigation concerned a complaint by my former administrative assistant, who threatened a $7.5 million lawsuit alleging harassment."

"The University initiated a thorough outside investigation. I fully cooperated with the investigation, including voluntarily taking and passing a polygraph. The University determined that there was no truth to her accusations and found me innocent of wrongdoing."

Then Rodriguez addressed the adultery ...

"Regrettably, the complaint included a single truth -- in the past, I had a consensual extramarital affair with a woman who is not affiliated with the University. It was wrong, and I have apologized to my wife and family."

"I am still working incredibly hard to repair the bonds I've broken and regain the trust of my wife and children, whom I love dearly."

"I am not a perfect man, but the claims by my former assistant are simply not true and her demands for a financial settlement are outrageous. I am saddened that these accusations and investigation have caused my family additional stress."

He adds, "I will vigorously fight these fabricated and groundless claims."

Rodriguez will reportedly receive a $6 million buyout from the University.

Rich's former assistant essentially claims the coach ordered her cover up his affair -- which included lying to his wife about his whereabouts, this according to the Arizona Daily Star.

Kenyon Martin wants the world to know he's living a GREAT life despite being slapped with a curse from Lil B the Based God ... telling TMZ Sports the rapper's opinion "don't mean sh*t."

FYI -- NBA players like James Harden and Kevin Durant have been "cursed" by Lil B in the past for disrespecting Lil B's cooking dance and music respectively ... preventing both guys from winning NBA titles.

We spoke with K-Mart -- who was cursed for making fun of Jeremy Lin's dreadlocks back in October -- and he makes it clear he doesn't care one bit about getting blacklisted by the Based God.

"He don't mean sh*t. He's a nobody ... I just turned 40. Life is good, man!"