Nikki Bella says she was PISSED WWE decided to introduce Ronda Rousey on the night of a historic all-women's event ... calling the move "a bit of a slap in the face" to the female wrestlers that came before her.
Of course, WWE hosted it's inaugural ladies-only Royal Rumble in Jan. 2018 ... with 30 wrestlers (including Nikki) duking it out for an hour straight. After the Rumble, "Rowdy" Ronda Rousey came out of the tunnel for the first time ever and pointed to a Wrestlemania sign hanging in the rafters.
The moment was supposed to tease Ronda's wrestling debut -- which went down at Mania in April '18 -- but Nikki felt the move essentially stole the thunder from the history-making Rumble.
While Bella says she has no beef with Ronda, she explains her frustrations in the Bella Twins' new book, "Incomparable," which came out this week.
"It was nothing against Ronda -- it is thrilling that she is at WWE -- but it was a bit of a slap in the face to all the historic women wrestlers who had come out for the match, the main event, only to have the moment upstaged by the Ronda announcement."
Nikki says she had planned to retire after the historic event due to a neck injury ... and it sucked to have her grand finale overshadowed by the UFC superstar.
"It just didn't need to happen like that," Nikki says in her book (by way of E!).
Nikki canned her plans and took a match after the Rumble -- and ultimately went on to retire later that year after losing to Rousey in a championship match for the Raw Women's belt at Evolution.
Nikki says her final match was epic and "career-justifying" -- explaining, "That night was worth breaking my neck for."
6'9", 450 lb. Hafthor Bjornsson and 6'3", 375-ish lb. Eddie Hall -- arguably the 2 STRONGEST MEN EVER -- have beef ... strongman beef.
Let's explain.
Thor aka "The Mountain" from 'GoT' deadlifted 1,104 lbs. on Saturday ... breaking Hall's previous world record of 1,102 lbs.
ESPN
Hall -- the 2017 World's Strongest Man winner -- was the first human being to break the 1,100-pound barrier in 2016 ... a lift many thought was impossible.
So, what's the issue??
Well, Eddie set his record at Giants Live World Deadlift Championships -- an official meet -- complete with other competitors and a packed room of rowdy fans.
Thor's record -- 'cause of the global coronavirus pandemic -- was done at his home gym ... which Eddie claims makes the lift and record, bogus.
We talked to Bjornsson ... and uhh, let's just say it's clap back szn.
"I honestly just think that [Eddie] is trying to protect the thing that he had. For him, that meant a lot to him to have [1,102 lbs.] world record," Thor tells us.
"He's just trying everything he can to make people believe that my record doesn't count. But, it does count. It is a world record and that's just how it is."
Contrary to Hall's claim, Bjornsson says the home gym conditions actually made the lift wayyy harder ... not easier.
"With my experience, and I've been in the sport more than a decade. When you can compete with the crowd, that gives you an adrenaline rush, and gives you the extra strength you need to perform better."
"Doing it with just a referee, camera crew," Thor says ... "It doesn't feel the same."
Any way you look at it, the lift was crazy impressive ... but Thor says he could've pulled significantly more if he wanted to truly push himself.
Just how much more?
"I can sit here and say that I could of pulled comfortably [1,124 pounds]. That's just me being completely honest. I do believe that I could have pulled possibly, with a grind, about [1,146 pounds]."
BTW, if you dig these 2 giants -- former-friends-turned-enemies -- going at it ... they're boxing in Vegas next year ... and The Mountain says he's ALREADY training to beat Eddie's ass.
NFL star Earl Thomas is lucky to be alive after cops say his wife held a loaded gun less than a foot from his head ... after she allegedly caught him cheating with another woman.
It's all spelled out in court documents obtained by TMZ Sports ... detailing a violent April 13 altercation involving the Baltimore Ravens player, Nina Thomas and several other people.
The Austin Police Dept. responded to a home in the Austin, Texas area at 3:41 AM after getting a call about a disturbance.
When cops arrived, they say "we observed that a black female wearing an orange sweater with a knife in her hand, later identified as Nina Thomas, was chasing a shirtless black male, later identified as Earl Thomas, with a pistol in his hand around a vehicle."
Cops drew their weapons and ordered both Nina and Earl to the ground -- and they complied without incident. That's when the investigation began and things got WILD.
Here's Nina's story, according to court docs ...
Nina claims Earl, 30, left their home earlier in the day after an argument over the NFL player's drinking. She claims Earl's brother, Seth Thomas, picked him up.
But, a short time later, she decided to check on his whereabouts by logging into his Snapchat account -- and that's when she says she found video of Earl with another woman.
Nina says she used Earl's Snapchat account to track his location to a nearby Airbnb rental home ... and says she called up two other women to help her confront Earl at the pad. Nina also claims she grabbed Earl's pistol, a 9mm Berreta, in the process with the intention to "scare him."
When the women arrived at the house, they "discovered Earl and Seth naked in bed with other women."
That's when Nina admits she pulled out the gun and put it to Earl's head -- stating "that she took out the magazine thinking that the gun could not fire." But, cops say Nina was "unaware that the gun had a round in the chamber."
Cops say one of the women in the house shot cell phone video of the incident ... which they say shows Nina pointing the gun at Earl's head "from less than a foot away and it can clearly be seen that Nina's finger was on the trigger and the safety is disengaged."
Fortunately for Earl, cops say the Ravens defensive back was able to wrestle the gun away from her.
Cops say the cell phone video also shows Nina striking Earl in the nose before it ends.
Cops also spoke with Earl, who essentially corroborated the story ... adding that Nina repeatedly hit him while he attempted to take the firearm away.
In an interview with Earl's alleged mistress at the scene, she claimed Nina also threatened her and the other woman in the house -- pointing the gun at them and yelling "I got something for all you hoes!"
The woman claims one of Nina's other friends was carrying a knife and swinging it aggressively during the altercation as well.
After speaking with everyone, cops ultimately arrested Nina and both members of her posse. Nina was booked for burglary of a residence with intent to commit aggravated assault with a deadly weapon -- family violence, and later bonded out.
Earl was NOT arrested.
Court records show Nina was also hit with an emergency protective order ... requiring her to stay 200 yards away from Earl and his alleged mistress.
Earl is one of the best defensive players in the NFL -- he's a 7-time Pro Bowl defensive back who won Super Bowl XLVIII as a member of the Seattle Seahawks.
When contacted by TMZ Sports, Nina's attorney, Jonathan Goins, told us, "I am here to declare that my client unequivocally and categorically denies these allegations and we look forward to our day in court where we can clear her good name."
We also reached out to Earl Thomas for comment before we published the story -- and he released a statement on social media.
"Instead of talking about us, just keep us in y'all prayers," Thomas says. "Stuff like this happens. We try to live the best lives we possibly can. Sometimes it doesn't go as planned."
Alex Smith's wife is celebrating the QB's 36th birthday by showing just how hard he's working to get back on the field ... and praising him for refusing to give up after his life-threatening leg injury.
It's been a roller coaster 18 months for the Smiths after the Redskins QB broke his leg during a game in November 2018 ... an injury that required 17 follow-up surgeries due to a flesh-eating bacteria.
Despite being told it would be nearly impossible to return to football, Smith has been working out like crazy to prove everyone wrong ... and Elizabeth gave an inside look at his progress on Thursday,
"Happy Happy Birthday to this handsome, hard working man❤️" Elizabeth said on IG ... while thanking fans for their support following the debut of ESPN's "Project 11" documentary.
"The last week we’ve been overwhelmed with love, support and sweet messages. We cannot thank you enough."
Elizabeth shared several shots of Smith crushing workouts on his repaired leg (with a bit of help from his 2 sons) ... from cone drills to throwing -- and the dude looks GOOD.
"#project11 was a look into what the last 18 months have been (mostly Alex refusing to give up)." Elizabeth continued.
"I am in awe of his perseverance everyday. He just keeps getting stronger and refuses to give up... Forever grateful"
As for Alex, he knows his NFL future is uncertain ... but he's made it clear he's not giving up without a fight.
Michael Jordan hated losing so much, he wouldn't allow HIS OWN teammate to eat after bad games -- reportedly taking food off Horace Grant's table some nights in the '90s!
Legendary Bulls reporter Sam Smith revealed the insane story this week ... saying players told him MJ would make airline stewardesses skip Grant on team planes after games if he sucked earlier in the day.
"Players would come to me over the years and said, 'You know what he did? He took Horace's food away on the plane because Horace had a bad game,'" Smith said on the Tolbert, Krueger & Brooks Podcast.
"He told the stewardesses, 'Don’t feed him, he doesn’t deserve to eat!'"
Of course, Jordan and Grant won A LOT together -- so it's unclear how often MJ pulled the savage move ... but it's well known the two didn't exactly have the best relationship regardless.
Michael Jordan says Horace Grant was the "Jordan Rules" player leak. Horace Grant denies pic.twitter.com/usFS7MVxQu
Their friction has been touched on several times in ESPN's "The Last Dance" documentary ... with Jordan even accusing Grant on the show of leaking stories in the '90s to paint him in a bad light.
For his part, Grant says he wasn't the snitch ... claiming, "Not one thing I divulged to Sam Smith."
Brett Favre is already taking steps to return $1.1 MILLION in payments he received from the state of Mississippi ... claiming he had NO IDEA the cash was coming from a welfare program.
The backstory is bizarre ... officials claim the Mississippi Dept. of Human Services handed out $98 MILLION in welfare funds to 2 non-profit orgs., which were supposed to use the money to help the poor.
Instead, officials say several crooked people in those groups spent MILLIONS on things like concert tickets, football games, lobbyists and more.
Officials say $1.1 million was paid to Favre to deliver speeches in 2017 and 2018 -- but Favre never actually performed.
Auditors flagged the payments -- and although he has not been accused of any wrongdoing, Brett is speaking out to explain his side of the story.
"My agent is often approached by different products and brands for me to appear in one way or another. This request was no different, and I did numerous ads for Families First," Favre said.
"I have never received monies for obligations I didn't meet. To reiterate Auditors White's statement, I was unaware that the money being dispersed was paid for out of funds not intended for that purpose, and because of that I am refunding the full amount back to Mississippi."
"I have spent my entire career helping children through Favre 4 Hope donating nearly $10 million to underserved and underprivileged children in Mississippi and Wisconsin."
"It has brought a ton of joy to my life, and I would certainly never do anything to take away from the children I have fought to help! I love Mississippi and I would never knowingly do anything to take away from those that need it most."
Officials have confirmed Favre has already repaid $500,000 -- and plans to return the remaining $600,000 in various installments.
"I want to applaud Mr. Favre for his good faith effort to make this right and make the taxpayers and TANF families whole,'' Auditor Shad White said in a statement Wednesday.
"To date, we have seen no records indicating Mr. Favre knew that TANF [Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program] was the program that served as the source of the money he was paid.''
LeBron James is sickened by the shooting death of 25-year-old black man Ahmaud Arbery ... saying African-Americans are "literally hunted EVERYDAY/EVERYTIME we step foot outside the comfort of our homes!" ... and he's demanding justice.
Back in February, Arbery was jogging when he was chased down and killed by a white man named Travis McMichael.
Graphic video of the fatal shooting surfaced online this week ... which has prompted a nationwide call for justice as McMichael has not been arrested or charged.
LeBron is joining the fight for Ahmaud ... speaking out against the horrific shooting on Twitter.
"We’re literally hunted EVERYDAY/EVERYTIME we step foot outside the comfort of our homes!" James says.
FEBRUARY 2020
"Can’t even go for a damn jog man! Like WTF man are you kidding me?!?!?!?!?!? No man fr ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!"
McMichael has not been arrested because he and his father claim they were attempting a citizen's arrest ... claiming Ahmaud fit the description of a suspect in a string of recent break-ins in the area.
LeBron -- who also previously protested over the death of Trayvon Martin -- joins a list of athletes including Reggie Bush and Ed Reed, who spoke out after the video surfaced on Tuesday.
"I’m sorry Ahmaud (Rest In Paradise) and my prayers and blessings sent to the heavens above to your family!!" LeBron added.
Mike Tyson ain't the only heavyweight training for a comeback -- Evander Holyfield tells TMZ Sports he's gearing up for another fight at 57 years old!
"The Champ is back," Holyfield tells us ... "I’d like to announce that I will be making a comeback to the ring."
"I will be fighting in exhibition matches for a great cause."
Holyfield -- who hasn't had a sanctioned fight in 9 years -- says the goal is to raise money for the #Unite4OurFight campaign which "aims to provide students the resources they need for emotional development and education."
We know what you're thinking ... WHO IS THE OPPONENT?
Evander's team hasn't announced that yet -- but we're all thinking the same thing ... Holyfield vs. Tyson 3???
As we previously reported, 53-year-old Tyson has been training again and wants to take exhibition fights to raise money for charities near and dear to his heart as well ... but there's no official deal yet.
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Of course, Tyson and Holyfield had issues over the years after Mike bit off Evander's ear during a 1997 fight -- but Tyson has apologized and they've actually become friends.
So, could there be a 3rd scrap if all the money would go to charity? Don't rule it out.
Holyfield was 44-10-2 as a pro -- with TWO victories over Mike Tyson. He's widely considered one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time.
Michael Jordan was SO insanely famous in Chicago during his Bulls days -- he couldn't even shop for groceries without being mobbed.
So, the guy would pay staffers to keep the store open JUST FOR HIM so he could cruise the aisles alone in peace!
Pretty baller, right!?
Jordan's former Bulls teammate Brad Sellers explained to The Undefeated ...
"You saw MJ doing laundry in the first few episodes [of ESPN's 'The Last Dance'] and that was him back then, the country side of him, just living like a regular dude."
“But, he just got bigger and bigger in basketball and to a point where he couldn’t go out. I remember saying to him one day, ‘Hey, M ... how do you eat?'"
"He told me he would call Jewel-Osco [a supermarket chain based in Chicago] about 15 minutes before they closed, and let them know he was coming in. They would stay open later to let him shop."
Sellers says MJ would break off staffers with a fat ass tip for their troubles.
So, MJ got his own version of "Supermarket Sweep" and the workers got some extra bread and the chance to see the most famous dude in Chi-Town?
The New Jersey Devils are doing something angelic for the heroes fighting the coronavirus ... by donating 10,000 game tickets for the frontline employees working non-stop to help the community.
The team announced the gesture Wednesday ... saying the big haul of tix will go toward RWJBarnabas healthcare workers who have been battling in hospitals and other facilities in New Jersey over the past few weeks.
"Each passing day we are filled with more gratitude for frontline healthcare workers who continue to dedicate themselves to help the residents of New Jersey," Devils President Jake Reynolds said in a statement.
The move adds to the Devils' continued generosity throughout the pandemic ... the team also sent 7,000 pairs of gloves, 10,000 hand sanitizer units and soap, sprays, wipes, and other cleaning supplies to the NJ health system earlier this spring.
On top of that ... Devils co-owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer have made several 6-figure donations to help the city of Newark feed those in the community during the pandemic.
Tennessee State running back Jordan Bell is recovering after doctors amputated part of his left leg following a motorcycle crash ... and he's already got his sites set on playing football again!
20-year-old Bell was riding his red 2017 Suzuki GSX-R1000 in Nashville on April 4 -- when he hit a pothole, lost control and was thrown from the bike into a concrete wall.
Several bystanders rushed to help -- and emergency responders were called to the scene to treat the severe injuries, including broken bones and severed nerves.
Unfortunately, Bell's left leg was so damaged in the crash, doctors decided it was in his best interest to amputate below the knee.
Now, the running back is recovering at home -- which SUCKS even more because of the COVID-19 pandemic -- which is why his teammates organized a social distancing visit to show their support.
Several players and coaches (wearing masks) brought signs and balloons to Bell's home on April 29 -- and you can see in the pics, Bell was clearly moved by the gesture.
Bell is currently undergoing physical therapy and will be fitted for a prosthetic so he can walk again.
But, get this ... according to family members, one of Jordan's goals is to "eventually play football again."
Hey, with his work ethic and attitude, anything's possible!
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Meanwhile, Bell's family has started a GoFundMe to raise money for the medical bills -- and the fundraiser was already approved by the NCAA.
Bell played in all 12 games for TSU in 2019 -- and led the team in special teams tackles.
Major League Soccer players are returning to their team's outdoor facilities Wednesday for individual workouts ... and you bet your ass everyone is undergoing medical screenings on the way in.
MLS officials say the league worked with medical experts to come up with new safety protocols to allow players to train while following government orders. The new changes went into effect on May 6 -- and a bunch of players are seizing the opportunity.
The MLS posted video Wednesday showing a number of Orlando City and Sporting Kansas City players wearing masks, using hand sanitizer and getting their temperatures taken as they arrive to practice.
FYI -- the league says all workouts are strictly voluntary ... so no one is being forced to leave their homes if they don't want to.
The league believes it's safer for players to work out in a controlled environment, rather than somewhere like a public park (we're looking at you, Tom Brady).
Players still won't have access to certain team facilities like locker rooms, gyms and training rooms ...but at least they can work out on grass again in a professional capacity.
As for full team workouts ... the MLS is waiting until at least May 15 to lift that moratorium -- and games aren't expected to resume until June at the earliest.
If Mike Tyson is serious about a comeback ... $1 MILLION has already been put on the table for an exhibition match in Australia -- with a promoter wanting Iron Mike to fight a former rugby star!
Australian boxing matchmaker Brian Amatruda says he's already reached out to Tyson's camp with the offer ... and sees pro-rugby-players-turned-boxers Barry Hall, Paul Gallen and Sonny Bill Williams as potential opponents.
"He might be 53 years old but he's still a huge name," Amatruda told The Daily Mail this week, "and any of those blokes Hall, Gallen or Sonny Bill would jump at the chance to get into the ring with him."
Amatruda says the event would be MASSIVE -- and while he admits the charity fight couldn't take place until the coronavirus pandemic clears up, he says THOUSANDS would flock to see it go down.
"I'd hold it at Melbourne Arena where we'd get over 10,000 or even Princes Park where they got 30,000 for Jeff Fenech versus Azumah Nelson," Amatruda said.
"It would be enormous," he added. "Not just a fight, it would be an event."
Of course, it remains to be seen if Tyson is even serious about a return to the ring.
The boxing legend posted a clip of him recently terrorizing mitts in a scary training sesh and did tell rapper T.I. he's interested in taking some exhibition fights to raise money for charities.
But, Tyson also famously told Joe Rogan just last year he stopped training because he didn't want to turn into a version of himself that he was trying to forget.
Ex-Jacksonville Jaguars star Telvin Smith is fighting back in his underage sex case -- pleading NOT GUILTY to all charges, court record show.
The 29-year-old linebacker is accused of two sexual encounters with an underage girl back in 2019. Florida officials claim they have a mountain of evidence -- including DNA and text messages -- to prove his guilt.
TMZ Sports has confirmed ... Smith's lawyer sent in the not guilty plea in the mail last week ... waiving his arraignment and right to be present at all pretrial conferences.
Smith allegedly met the underage girl at her work in Duval County, FL days before their first sexual encounter at his home. Officials claim the accuser's coworker made it clear to Smith she was underage.
Officials say Smith and the minor had sex again in his Cadillac Escalade a month later.
As we previously reported ... the girl claims Smith pressured her into taking a $100 bill after the encounter, which she used to buy emergency contraception.
In November, investigators executed a search warrant and seized Smith's Escalade to collect DNA evidence. Officials insinuate in court docs, DNA collected in the car matches the alleged victim.
Unlawful sex with a minor is a Felony 2 ... which means Smith is facing multiple years behind bars if convicted.
Smith was a stud for the Jaguars after being selected in the 5th round of the 2014 NFL Draft ... starting 69 games from '14 to '18 while making 1 Pro Bowl appearance.
Charles Barkley says he's still VERY sad about his broken friendship with ex-BFF Michael Jordan ... but he's down to bury the hatchet if MJ would just give him a call.
"The guy was like a brother to me for, shoot, 20-something years," Barkley said Tuesday on ESPN radio's "Waddle and Silvy" show. "At least 20-something years."
"And I do, I feel sadness. But, to me, he's still the greatest basketball player ever. I wish him nothing but the best. But, there's nothing I can do about it, brother."
Barkley says MJ cut off their friendship back in 2012 when Sir Charles criticized basketball's G.O.A.T. for being a crappy owner of the Charlotte Hornets.
"I'm pretty sure I said, 'As much as I love Michael, until he stops hiring them kiss-asses, and his best friends, he's never going to be successful as a general manager,'" Barkley said.
FYI -- Jordan HASN'T exactly been the greatest owner ever ... the team's seen the postseason just two times since he became the majority owner in 2010.
Sir Charles says he felt like it was his duty as a broadcaster to be honest about Michael's failures ... and even says he thought that's why he and Jordan had such a good relationship to begin with.
"Part of my job [as an analyst] is, because I can't go on TV and say, 'Another general manager sucks' and then just because Michael's like a brother to me say, 'He's doing a fantastic job,'" Barkley says. "That would be disingenuous."
Taco expert Danny Trejo is going OFF on Adam Jones for slathering his Cinco De Mayo treats in ketchup ... telling TMZ Sports that's THE WORST condiment a person can add to a taco!!
"You can do taco-anything," Trejo says, "but not ketchup!"
Jones -- a 5-time MLB All-Star -- posted a pic of his ground beef-ketchup delight on Tuesday ... celebrating the fifth of May while defending his choices for taco toppings.
"It’s my plate," Jones said. "I eat them how I want to. Ain’t a specific way. So gracias."
But, the owner of Trejo's Tacos -- a SUPER-popular taco joint in L.A. -- tells us Jones is dead wrong for putting Heinz anywhere near the tortillas!!
"The reality is that you can put anything on a taco," Trejo says, "but ketchup goes on a hot dog!"
In fact, Trejo says he's so appalled by the move ... if he saw the food crime go down in real life -- he'd buy the person's dinner just to make sure no ketchup touched the tacos!!
