TMZ Sports - Page 50

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Marcus "Buchecha" Almeida -- a 13x BJJ World Champ -- just put the whole MMA world on notice, after notching his 1st win with a crazy impressive performance at ONE Revolution.

31-year-old Buchecha submitted Anderson "Braddock" Silva in Singapore using a North-South choke only 2:55 seconds into the 1st round.

Only hours after the ONE Championship fight (the card was 🔥), TMZ Sports talked to the BJJ great about his foray into a new sport.

"Man, it was something amazing. It's hard to describe with some words. I had a great career in jiu-jitsu. I have done so much in this sport, and I feel like I didn't have anything left to prove. So I moved my challenge, and I'm just 31 years old."

Buchecha's been fighting for almost his entire life ... but this is a new sport. So, was he nervous?

"I was pretty nervous because I didn't know what to expect. It was first time. But I was feeling great. Before the fight I was really calm. Then going to the arena I was really tense. Then I got there and was calm again. It was kinda like a roller coaster."

Now, it's likely his future competitors who are nervous ... especially when they hear this.

"Anything that I do in my life, I put my passion in it mixed with hard work," Buchecha says.

"That's what I did my whole career in jiu-jitsu and it really worked out well for me. I will have the same mindset for MMA."

Speaking of impressive debuts ... we also talked to 32-year-old fighter, James Yang, and his mentor, MMA legend Demetrious Johnson.

Remember, we spoke to Yang before the fight about his experiences as a teenager in a Shaolin temple in rural China.

Yang beat Roel Rosauro by TKO in the 2nd round ... but how did Mighty Mouse think his protégé looked?

Check out the clip!

Paul "Bear" Bryant -- arguably the greatest college football coach of all time -- famously wore a Houndstooth fedora on the sideline ... and now you can own an actual game-worn hat rocked by the late Alabama coach, cause one recently hit the auction block.

Of course, Bear was the head man at Alabama for 25 years (1958-1983) ... where he won 6 national championships and 13 conference titles.

The hat -- available at Lelands Auctions -- is a size 7 3/8 hat with a gold stamp that says Paul "Bear" Bryant.

There's also a logo inside the hat that confirms it's an original. There's also a letter of authenticity from Robert Crawford, a photographer who worked the Crimson Tide's sidelines for 4 decades.

The hat shows minimal wear, according to Lelands.

The fedora currently has 7 bids ... with the highest offer coming in at over $4,400.

If the price remains near where it currently is, it's a huge bargain. Lelands previously sold 2 other Bryant hats for a combined $100+K this past year.

And, the 6 figure price tag isn't surprising ... that's how important Bear was to the game of football.

In fact, the Coach of The Year award was renamed to the Paul 'Bear' Bryant Award in 1986.

Bryant also has several buildings on the Alabama campus -- including the football stadium -- that are named after him. He was also honored with a U.S. postage stamp in 1996.

So, if you want that Bryant swag ... ya better act fast. The auction ends tomorrow night.

Josh Gordon is back in the NFL once again.

The troubled former All-Pro wide receiver has reportedly been reinstated by the league on Friday ... and is eligible to return as soon as next week.

30-year-old Gordon has been in and out of the NFL due to substance abuse issues since joining the Cleveland Browns in 2012 ... missing three complete seasons in the process.

Most recently, Gordon was conditionally reinstated in December 2020, but that was short-lived as was booted from the league again just months later in January 2021.

During his time away from the NFL, Gordon stayed competitive by participating in the Fan-Controlled Football league alongside former teammate Johnny Manziel.

Josh's agent released a statement Friday ... saying, "We are grateful that the NFL appreciates the work that Josh put in and now he has earned another opportunity to be part of this league," Zac Hiller said via Adam Schefter.

"We are proud of Josh, and I know all the fans can’t wait to see him on Sundays."

There's no doubt Gordon is a top talent when he's focused ... so here's hoping he can stay on the right track and contribute this season.

Well, this is terrifying.

Tyson Fury has a short, yet super menacing, message for his rival Deontay Wilder ahead of their trilogy fight next month ... saying, "I'm gonna smash your f***ing face in, you prick ... how's that for a message??"

Of course, the two boxing superstars have been going at each other for years ... and it's clear the hatred is continuing to fill every ounce of Fury's being.

Deontay has vowed to get his revenge after his shocking loss back in February 2020 ... most recently saying, "I just want to beat Tyson Fury's ass."

The guys even had a pretty bizarre moment at a recent press conference ... when the two stared at each other for MINUTES without speaking before being pulled from each other.

Remember, Tyson and Deontay fought to a split draw the first time around in 2018, with Fury taking the rematch in 2020 ... which Wilder partly blamed on his extravagant entrance outfit.

UFC star Jon Jones was arrested early Friday morning in Las Vegas for domestic violence and tampering with a vehicle, and is currently behind bars, TMZ Sports has learned.

Our law enforcement sources tell us they received a call from Caesars Palace around 5:45 AM. Cops responded to the hotel ... where they made contact with the UFC superstar.

34-year-old Jones was ultimately arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence and injuring or tampering with a vehicle, a felony.

Jones is in Vegas this week because his 2013 fight against Alexander Gustafsson was inducted into the Fight Wing of the UFC Hall of Fame.

The fight was inducted Thursday night ... just hours before he was arrested.

It's not the first time Jones has been in trouble with the law. He's previously been arrested for DUI, among other crimes.

The circumstances that led to the arrest are not yet clear.

The journey has been long and grueling, but Isaiah Austin has officially made it to the NBA -- the ex-college hoops star has received a fellowship to work for the league’s front office this season!!

Remember, Austin was a talented center coming out of Baylor and was projected to be a first-round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft ... until his medical reports showed an underlying condition of Marfan Syndrome, which affects the connective tissue in the body.

At the time, this would put a halt to his league aspirations ... but the NBA showed love by giving him an honorary draft pick.

After 2 years away from the game, another medical evaluation allowed Austin to play professionally overseas in Taiwan, China, Serbia, Puerto Rico and Lebanon. He even scored the opening point of the 2021 BIG3 season.

Now, Austin is happy to move on from his playing career and start his life off the basketball court in retirement.

"Here I am, in year five, and I’m ready for the next stage of my life," Austin told Shams Charania.

Austin says he's out to prove he's willing to start from the ground-up and earn a living by learning the ropes in each department the league has to offer.

Austin’s fellowship will start October 4 and last a full year ... and he’ll be looking to work with an official team by next season.

This is INCREDIBLE!!

Jordan Spieth almost sent himself into Lake Michigan on the 17th hole at the Ryder Cup on Friday ... but somehow managed to land an insane recovery shot in the process!!

It all went down during the first day of Ryder Cup action at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin ... when Spieth was facing a tough shot in thick grass and couldn't even see the pin.

But, the 28-year-old took his best swing, lost his balance and started tumbling towards the water.

The dude managed to stay on his feet the whole time, but it definitely required some quick thinking as he navigated through the steep terrain.

But, the best part?? Spieth was so busy trying to stay dry that he didn't see his shot land about 10 feet from the hole!!

It was a remarkable effort from the 28-year-old ... but unfortunately, it didn't help Team USA win the hole ... as Justin Thomas ended up missing the putt.

Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia won the hole and the match for Team Europe ... but man, what a helluva moment for Spieth.

Israel Adesanya says it was his dream to fight in New Zealand -- the country in which he resides -- but now it'll NEVER happen ... 'cause the UFC star says the country's bureaucrats have treated MMA fighters like crap in the wake of COVID-19.

“You will never see me fight in New Zealand ever again, ever again,” Adesanya said on YouTube.

“All that money, they can get it from somewhere else. The rugby, the cricket, and all the others they’re f***ing giving exemptions to. But for me, you will never ever see me fight on these shores [again]."

FYI, 32-year-old Adesanya was born in Nigeria, but moved to New Zealand at the age of 10. He's lived in NZ since.

Izzy explained he's pissed because the NZ government -- which has very strict COVID protocols in place -- have allowed other sports teams exceptions to train ... meanwhile, he says MMA fighters like himself and Dan Hooker have been shut down by the politicians.

In fact, Israel, Dan and the rest of the City Kickboxing team previously set up a tent/bubble in Auckland where Hooker could prepare for his upcoming UFC 266 fight ... but they were forced to close up shop when police slapped them with a warning, accusing them of violating COVID protocol.

Now, because of the way they were treated, Adesanya says he'll never fight in NZ.

"That was one of my dreams, to headline a stadium in my backyard. That dream's dead in the water. That's just the way I feel right now."

But, Izzy didn't stop there ... he went on to accuse some people in New Zealand of being racists who don't like an outspoken Black man representing Kiwi people.

"They're racists, some of them are f***ing racists," Adesanya said.

The wives and girlfriends of USA's Ryder Cup team have made it to Wisconsin to cheer their men on against Team Europe ... with the group of ladies rocking matching outfits!!

Brooks Koepka's fiancee, Jena Sims, posted the snap on Thursday ahead of Day 1 of competition ... showing all the WAGs wearing leather pants, white button-down shirts and black blazers.

Of course, Brooks and Jena got engaged earlier this year ... and have been together for years.

Paulina Gretzky -- Dustin Johnson's fiancee -- is also in attendance once again this year ... which means DJ will most likely take on paparazzi duties once again at this year's Ryder Cup Gala.

Bryson DeChambeau is also back at the Ryder Cup this year ... and his girlfriend, Sophia Phalen Bertolami, will be supporting from the crowd.

Collin Morikawa's gorgeous GF, Katherine Zhu, is also front-and-center among the group of gals ... and you better believe she'll be the Open champ's biggest cheerleader.

Patrick Cantlay's new girlfriend, Nikki Guidish, is also making her RC debut ... after the couple went public with their relationship earlier this year.

The Ryder Cup is full of awesome events for both the golfers and their WAGs to have fun and mingle amongst the star-studded bunch ... so we're sure this is just the first of many shots of the ladies together.

All hell broke loose at a recent Los Angeles Angels game ... when multiple fans grouped up to unleash a beating on a spectator -- and it was all caught on video.

No word on what started the chaos, but it appears a man in a white long-sleeved shirt was the center of it all ... with one fan throwing a huge batch of popcorn at the dude's face ... and another throwing a drink.

A woman -- who fans believe is the spectator's girlfriend -- is seen reaching over several rows of seats in hopes of bringing the guy out of the line of fire ... but that's when things get much worse.

It looks like at least 4 Angels fans rush over to continue the altercation ... unloading punch after punch on the guy from the level above.

What's even crazier ... the alleged girlfriend was still latched onto the male spectator as he got pummeled by the group of Angels fans.

That's when the video ends, but the violent altercation appeared all but over ... despite event security getting involved.

Fans have been getting into fights left and right in recent weeks -- from Browns tailgates to Cowboys and Chargers backers to Bears and Rams supporters getting in scuffles.

We've reached out to cops and the Angels to get more details on the incident and will update you once we hear back.

Julian Edelman says the NFL's most anticipated game -- pitting his old QB, Tom Brady and the Bucs against his old team, the Patriots -- is gonna be be super weird for him ... almost like a child at a party with his "divorced parents."

The teams are playing October 3 ... and it'll be the first time that TB12 returns to Gillette Stadium since leaving the Pats in 2020.

And, Edelman -- who played with Brady and Rob Gronkowski in New England for 11 seasons before retiring -- is hyped about the game.

"It's definitely gonna be weird," Edelman told ABC6.

"It's like going to a family barbecue or like a basketball event and you're the step kid, or you're like the kid who has divorced parents and your mom and dad are there and you don't know how to react."

"Are they going to fight? Are they not going to fight? It's going to be interesting. But, I am excited. Who's not excited for it? It's going to be an exciting game."

So, is Edelman rollin' with his former team or former QB? He says Pats all day!

"I want the Patriots to win," Edelman says, "but I also want them to do well -- Gronk and Tom, so we'll see."

"I hope Tom does great. I hope everyone stays healthy. I hope Gronk does great but I hope like it's just a high scoring battle and maybe lil Mac [Jones] comes out, who knows? We'll see."

But, Edelman then takes it back ... saying he "can't be taking sides right now" since he's now an "Inside the NFL" analyst.

"I'm gonna have to take the fifth on that one, actually."

WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu paid tribute to her mentor and close friend, Kobe and Gigi Bryant before taking the court for the NY Liberty on Thursday ... by rocking a split Lakers/Mamba Academy jersey to the game.

23-year-old Sabrina -- like countless others -- idolized Kobe ... but was fortunate enough to develop a personal friendship with the late Lakers legend during her days at Oregon.

In fact, Ionescu says Kobe would call her every week to break down game footage and give advice ... which helped as she went on to average nearly 20 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists a game and become the #1 overall pick in the 2020 WNBA Draft.

Sabrina even helped coach Gigi at Bryant's youth basketball camp ... where she became closer to the budding hoops prodigy.

Ionescu was able to share her memories and the impact the Bryants left on her life during Kobe's memorial last year ... giving a powerful speech.

Sabrina continued her tribute before the Liberty faced off against the Phoenix Mercury ... sporting the amazing custom threads as she headed into the locker room before the big playoff game.

The game was wild -- the Mercury ended up pulling away with the 83-82 victory ... with Ionescu scoring 14 points, 5 rebounds and 11 assists in the effort.

Vanessa Bryant acknowledged Ionescu's tribute on social media ... sharing her pic and adding a pair of hearts.

An L.A. Lakers fan is suing an LAPD cop ... claiming the officer shot him in the head with a rubber bullet while he was peacefully celebrating the Lakers championship last year, and now he wants the officer to pay up.

The fan, Kimberly Marroquin, filed the civil lawsuit Thursday in California … claiming she was peacefully and legally celebrating the 'ship against the Miami Heat on October 11, 2020 ... around 9:15 PM.

"Without warning or provocation", the suit reads, the officer "shot [Marroquin] in the head with a less lethal rubber projectile round."

Marroquin was "unarmed and never posed a threat," according to the lawsuit.

She’s going after an unnamed officer, the Captain she claims was responsible for overseeing the area where she was celebrating, and the City of Los Angeles.

As a result of the alleged excessive force, the plaintiff claims she "suffered severe pain and suffering, mental anguish, humiliation, and emotional distress, and incurred economic losses" from mounting medical bills.

The lawsuit also accuses the LAPD of failing to properly train their officers ... as well as refusing to punish cops who screw up.

Marroquin is asking for unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, medical costs, and attorneys' fees. The exact amount she's seeking is unclear.

We've reached out to the LAPD, who told us they don't comment on pending litigation.

Former MLB superstar Darryl Strawberry says his teenage granddaughter went missing Wednesday in Nevada ... and the 8x All-Star is pleading for help finding her, and prayers to keep her safe.

59-year-old Strawberry took to social media to get the word out, writing ... "This is our granddaughter MyLisa who is missing right now! Please Please Pray for us as we desperately need your prayers! Thank You!"

MyLisa -- who was born in 2007 according to an online bio -- was last seen on September 22 around 7:15 AM. She was wearing all black at the time ... with a pair of white Jordans.

MyLisa's mom is Darryl's reality TV star daughter, Diamond Strawberry.

Diamond also went to Instagram to ask for help.

"PLEASE REPOST!! PLEASE SHARE!!!! Please help us bring MyLisa home!", she wrote, along with a description of MyLisa.

If you have any info on MyLisa's whereabouts, the Strawberry's are asking people to please call the Henderson Police Department at (702) 267-4555.

Blue Jays pitcher Ryan Borucki has just been banned 3 games ... after MLB officials say he purposely drilled Rays' outfielder Kevin Kiermaier in a game Wednesday night.

Borucki plunked the Tampa Bay star in the 8th inning of Toronto's tilt with the Rays ... and EVERYONE in the building knew it had gone down because of Kiermaier's card-stealing antics earlier in the week.

If you missed it, as Kiermaier was sliding into home plate during the two teams' game on Monday ... a game plan card fell out of Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk's wristband.

Kiermaier saw the piece of paper, picked it up, and reportedly refused to give it back to the Blue Jays -- which REALLY ticked off the org.

So much so, Borucki ended up firing a 93 MPH fastball into the guy's back on Wednesday as a clear retaliation shot ... and then he was promptly ejected.

The MLB obviously felt the tossing wasn't enough punishment though ... 'cause it tacked on an additional 3-game ban Thursday evening.

The MLB also hit Borucki's manager, Charlie Montoyo, with a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine as well.

The day after Riddick Bowe was pulled from his fight with Lamar Odom, the former NBA star has a new opponent, and it happens to be a dude who knows what it's like to have an insanely famous wife ... 'cause he was married to J Lo.

TMZ Sports has learned 47-year-old Ojani Noa has agreed to fight the 41-year-old ex-hooper on October 2 at the James L. Knight Center in Miami, FL ... all part of a Celebrity Boxing card.

If you don't remember Noa, a former server, he was married to Lopez from 1997 to 1998 ... before they split.

Of course, Odom, the 2x NBA champ, was married to Khloe Kardashian from 2009 to 2016.

Odom -- who beat pop star Aaron Carter via 2nd round TKO in June -- was originally scheduled to fight former heavyweight boxing champ, Bowe.

However, after 58-year-old Evander Holyfield recently lost to Vitor Belfort ... and didn't look great in the ring, everyone from Celebrity Boxing to the Florida state athletic commission thought it best to remove him from the match.

Riddick isn't totally off the event ... Paulie Malignaggi is also boxing Corey B on the card. Bowe will referee that fight.

Ojani was actually scheduled to step in the ring against a much shorter opponent last year ... having inked a deal to scrap with Joe Giudice. However, COVID screwed up those plans.