UFC Champ Brandon Moreno 4th Fight w/ Figueiredo Biggest Fight In Division History

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TMZSports.com

Newly crowned interim UFC Flyweight champion Brandon Moreno tells TMZ Sports his highly anticipated 4th fight with champ Deiveson Figueiredo -- where they'll unify the belts -- is the biggest fight in the history of the 125 lb. division.

And, it's not even really up for debate.

We talked to the 28-year-old fighter on Wednesday, and asked him about the significance of the fight.

"Man, tell me another example [of a bigger fight], please. The 4 fights between Figueiredo and I is the biggest one, easily. Tell me the second place," Brandon told us.

It's hard to think of a more anticipated fight. Demetrious Johnson vs. Henry Cejudo fought twice ... and Cejudo's win over Mighty Mouse in 2018 was improbable and thrilling. But, as legendary as both fighters are, Brandon and Deiveson's rivalry is just different.

In fact, just a few years ago, the division was in jeopardy of being scrapped altogether. Now, it features arguably the best current rivalry in MMA.

Speaking of those fights, Brandon and Deiveson already fought three times ... each man has one win. The first and third fights were incredibly close.

UFC 256, Dec. 2020, Draw
UFC 263, Jun 2021, Moreno won, submission via rear naked choke
UFC 270, Jan 2022, Figueiredo won, unanimous decision

Fast forward to last Saturday in Dallas, TX. After Moreno defeated Kai Kara-France with a perfectly placed liver kick to capture the interim title, Brandon and Deiveson came face-to-face in the Octagon.

But, despite a lot of s**t talk in the past, the men kept it respectful ... and that's the way BM says it'll stay.

"I understand I had the opportunity to make more drama, but it's not my way. I understand the business I'm in, I'm trying to entertain the people, but I'm entertaining people with my fight. I'm done with the drama, with all the bad feelings."

Moreno says the plan now is to heal up (his eye needed 10 stitches), relax with his family and book the biggest fight in flyweight history!

Guess Who This Kid With Cake Turned Into!

Before this cake-lovin' cutie turned into a big-time YouTuber and singer, she was just hand-feeding herself, relishing in her school theater and hitting the beaches of Orange County, California.

This cute kid's breakout year came in 2011 when her first single dropped, and kids all over the world were jamming out to her catchy song ... particularly on one specific day of the week. She recently celebrated her 25th birthday on a karaoke stage, doing what she loves most ...

Need one more clue ... maybe you should hold out your guess until it's FRIDAY!

Can you guess who she is?

Bob Saget SCLERODERMA FUNDRAISER TURNS INTO TRIBUTE SHOW ... Celeb Friends Step In

Bob Saget is still helping to raise funds for a cause near and dear to his heart even in death ... an annual fundraiser he hosted is coming back, with an assist from his famous friends.

The late "Full House" star was a tireless advocate and fundraiser for the Scleroderma Research Foundation, hosting their signature event for 30 years ... but now that he's gone, the comedy show is turning into a special tribute to Bob.

The SRF tells TMZ a trio of Bob's celebrity pals are the new hosts for "Cool Comedy • Hot Cuisine" ... with Jeff Ross, John Mayer and Jimmy Kimmel picking up the baton for Bob.

The fundraiser, which costs at least $500 to attend, will pay tribute to Bob and also feature comedy sets from Nikki Glaser, Regina Hall, Howie Mandel, Joel McHale, Kevin Nealon and John Stamos, just to name a few.

Under Bob's stewardship, the annual show raised over $25 million to find vital research to find a cure for scleroderma, a group of rare diseases that involve the hardening of the skin and connective tissues.

Bob's sister, Gay, died from the disease back in 1994 when she was only 47, and he's been involved in SRF through "Cool Comedy • Hot Cuisine" since 1991, as an attendee, performer, organizer and producer.

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ON A MISSION

Remember ... Jeff and John were really close to Bob, even braving Los Angeles traffic to pick up Saget's car from the airport, their way of remembering their late friend.

In addition to headlining SRF's big event, Bob also took time over the years to reach out to families suffering from the illness to offer comfort and support.

The event is going down Sept. 21 at the Beverly Wilshire hotel ... and Jeff says Bob's show must go on until they find a cure.

Aaron Rodgers Open To Fixing Family Relationship ... 'I Believe In Healing'

Aaron Rodgers believes it is possible to make amends with his estranged family one day ... saying he's truly grateful for his upbringing and holds no resentment over how things played out.

The Green Bay Packers superstar had a messy falling out with his parents and two brothers several years ago ... and his separation from the family was famously covered during Jordan's appearance on "The Bachelorette" in 2016, despite the cause of the rift remaining a mystery.

Rodgers is now opening up about where things stand with his fam ... and he says the relationship is not permanently severed.

"I do believe in healing and I believe in the possibility of reconciliation at some point," Rodgers said on the "Aubrey Marcus Podcast" this week. "But, it's a different journey for all of us, and to judge on the outside about what should be or what it should look like, or who's wrong or who's right is just a game I've never wanted to play and still don't want to play."

"The most important thing for me is deep love and gratitude for them, and for the lessons I learned, and for the way I was raised, and hope for the future," he added.

"But, who knows what that future is gonna look like, when it's gonna look like, when time is gonna come."

"But, I have no bitterness in my heart. I have no resentment," Rodgers continued. "I just have deep love and appreciation for the lessons that I learned, and the fact that if I hadn't been raised that way -- all the good and all the frustrating -- there's no way I'd be sitting here today."

While Rodgers had previously stated he spent time "with my folks" for his birthday in 2018, it was reported as recently as January 2022 that he still does not speak with his family.

But, given his recent comments ... it seems like that could someday change.

Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) Killed In Car Crash

Rep. Jackie Walorski was killed in a car crash in her home state that claimed the lives of 3 others ... according to police.

The fatal, two-car wreck happened Wednesday afternoon near an intersection in Nappanee, Indiana, and it killed all 3 people riding in the Republican Congresswoman's SUV.

The Elkhart County Sheriff says Walorski was traveling with her district director, Zachery Potts, and her communications director, Emma Thomson, when another car crashed head-on into their vehicle.

The driver of the other car, a 56-year-old woman, was also pronounced dead at the scene. She was the only one in her car.

Rep. Walorski was elected to Congress back in 2012 and her death is already sending shockwaves through Capitol Hill.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says he's "shocked and saddened" to hear of Rep. Walorski's tragic death ... remembering her as someone who was "always prepared to work together where there was common ground, always decent and straightforward, and she cared deeply about her work and her constituents."

Rep. Walorski was 58.

RIP

Britney Spears Catholic Church Calls BS ... You Never Asked to Get Married Here!!!

Britney Spears bashed a Catholic church in L.A., claiming they wouldn't allow her to get married there ... but now, the church is calling the singer out, saying she never even contacted them about a wedding.

If you missed it, Britney went on Instagram Wednesday, posting a pic from inside St. Monica Church and the caption, "This is where I originally wanted to get married during COVID. I wanted to go every Sunday." She continued, "Then 2 years later when I wanted to get married there they said I had to be catholic and go through TEST!!! Isn't church supposed to be open to all???"

However, a rep for the church tells us they've checked their records which show Britney's never personally visited the church or asked to have her wedding there ... but they do admit, at least one spouse in a wedding has to be Catholic, a ground rule across the board.

The rep tells us the pic Britney posted appears to be from a live stream, not a photo she took on her own. We're told the church knows the couple getting married in the photo ... and Britney was not in attendance for their wedding.

As we reported, Britney and her now-hubby got hitched at a ceremony at the singer's home in L.A.

Naomi Osaka, Cordae We're Still Together!!! ... Rumors Are Bogus

UPDATE

3:10 PM PT -- Osaka is having fun with the erroneous reports of their breakup ... tweeting a picture of the couple together and joking, "us looking at twitter yesterday 💀😂"

UPDATE

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka and her rapper boyfriend, Cordae, are going stronger than ever and have NOT broken up ... despite reports claiming otherwise.

The rumors began to swirl on social media this week ... when one blog stated the two 24-year-olds had called it quits.

Sources close to the couple tell TMZ Sports the Japanese pro and "Chronicles" MC are actually doing better than ever ... and they're most definitely still "happily in love."

In fact, we're told Cordae and NO have been spending even more time together recently ... which makes the initial report even more of a head-scratcher.

As we previously reported, the duo first started going public with their relationship in 2019 ... and have been each other's biggest supporters during album releases and tennis matches.

Speaking of, Cordae is fresh off a buzzing performance at Lollapalooza ... and Osaka just made her first return to the court since May, winning her first-round match of the Silicon Valley Classic.

Osaka said after the match she was "really happy" to be back on the court ... so it sounds like everything's going well for the superstar.

Originally Published -- 7:22 AM PT

Alex Jones Sandy Hook Trial Confronted with His Own Texts ... Attys Accidentally Leaked

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Alex Jones is having a rough go as he sits through a defamation trial brought by Sandy Hook parents -- including this cringe-worthy moment ... where he was caught in a lie.

The InfoWars founder/host was on the stand Wednesday getting grilled, where an attorney repping the parents who are suing Jones confronted him with his own text messages pertaining to the case -- of which he'd previously denied having.

You gotta watch this play out ... because it's pretty embarrassing for AJ. The Sandy Hook lawyer says Jones' legal team actually sent the stuff over to him ... seemingly by mistake.

Jones makes a wisecrack, saying the Sandy Hook attorney was having a "Perry Mason moment" ... but was then asked if he knew what perjury was, because the SH lawyer thought he was venturing into consequential waters with his testimony and prior statements.

There's been a lot of other standout moments in the trial thus far, including the judge chastising Jones for a number of things, like lying ... and even chewing gum. Safe to say, it's not looking great for him right now.

As for why he's being sued ... Jones is accused of spreading conspiracy theories about the 2012 massacre -- suggesting it was all a hoax, and that there were "crisis actors" playing the parts of parents -- even going so far as to say that the bodies of the children were staged.

A lot of this was broadcast over InfoWars at the time -- and since then, Jones has backed off his theories ... but the parents still want him to pay for what he did. Jones, of late, has filed for bankruptcy ... and has said that he's not able to pay any meaningful judgment.

Disney World's Woody Makes Sure Black Kids Greeted ... No Sesame Place Drama!!!

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TikTok/@lifesigma

Someone at Disney World is reading headlines, or so it seems based on how a Woody character went out of the way to engage Black children waiting along a parade route.

Check out this video posted by a proud dad who took his 2 young kids to Disney's Orlando theme park this week -- it shows the little ones shouting out to a costumed Jessie mascot from the 'Toy Story' franchise as the characters walk down the street lined with cheering fans.

Jessie was on the other side of the street and appeared preoccupied entertaining that part of the crowd, but her pal Woody notices some Black kids and actually responds to them.

Check it out ... Woody flags Jessie down, points to the young'ns ... and they both head over to interact with them -- which is obviously awesome, since they were desperately trying to get Jessie's attention and seem to be really big fans.

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Not to turn this into a negative story -- because it's obviously very sweet -- but one can't ignore this happened in the midst of what's become a disturbing trend lately ... namely, mascots/costumed characters at theme parks and such snubbing Black children, allegedly intentionally.

It's been happening all over the country, it seems ... whether it's Sesame Place, Disneyland or even Chuck E. Cheese. All over, some messed-up videos have circulated appearing to show classic characters either ignoring or walking away from kids of color.

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While most of the establishments have denied any overt racist intentions, people are having a hard time buying that.

It's hard to say for sure whether Woody here had any of that on his mind when he did what he did ... but it's certainly possible. Considering how big this controversy has gotten in recent weeks, ya gotta imagine some higher-ups at places like this have had talks with their staff.

NBA's Iman Shumpert Arrested For Felony Weed Possession ... At Dallas Airport

NBA player Iman Shumpert was arrested for having a "sizeable" amount of marijuana in his backpack at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport on Saturday ... TMZ Sports has learned.

According to the police report, officers responded to a potential drug violation call around 2:40 PM ... after TSA screeners found a plastic bag filled with a "green leafy substance" in Shumpert's bag, which he admitted was weed.

Cops say the substance weighed 6.12 ounces and tested positive for marijuana using a mobile test.

The report adds 32-year-old Shumpert -- who was set to board a Delta plane to Los Angeles at 3 PM -- expressed concern about missing his trip to visit his daughter ... but the responding officer informed him he would not be making that flight, as he was being placed under arrest for marijuana possession.

The report says the 2016 NBA champ was then placed in handcuffs and transported to the airport jail without incident.

The charge is classified as a "State Jail Felony" ... meaning Shumpert could face up to two years behind bars and a $10K fine, if convicted.

Cops also claim Shumpert -- who also won Season 30 of "Dancing With The Stars" -- had a Glock magazine and 14 9mm rounds in his bag ... although he didn't have a gun.

Shumpert last played for the Brooklyn Nets in 2020-21 ... and has also suited up for the Knicks, Cavaliers, Kings and Rockets over his decade-long career. He's averaging 7.2 points a game in his career.

Story developing ...

NICKI MINAJ Dad's Killer Gets Sentenced to 1 Year

The driver who killed Nicki Minaj's father, Robert Maraj, in a hit-and-run was just sentenced to time behind bars.

Charles Polevich was ordered to serve 1 year in jail Wednesday after pleading guilty to two felony charges -- leaving the scene of an incident without reporting and tampering with physical evidence. On top of that, his driver's license will be suspended for 6 months and he'll pay a $5,000 fine.

Polevich was facing up to 7 years behind bars, but Judge Howard Sturim followed through with a commitment to sentence him to no more than one year in jail.

TMZ broke the story ... Nicki's dad died at the age of 64 after being struck in a hit-and-run accident back in February 2021 while he was walking on Long Island.

At the time, cops said the driver fled the scene and tried to hide the car in a detached garage at his place. Robert was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and died from his injuries.

Nicki eventually opened up about the tragedy on her website saying ... "I can say it has been the most devastating loss of my life."

Beyonce Monica Lewinsky Gets Stung ... For Asking Bey to Change 'Partition' Lyric

Monica Lewinsky is taking fire from the Beyhive, after she obliquely asked Beyonce to change the lyric of one of her old songs.

As you may know, Monica chimed in over a word in Bey's song "Heated" from her "Renaissance" album -- Bey used the word "spa***n" and "s**z" ... insulting words referencing a disability. Beyonce's team said there was no offense meant and they were unaware it was offensive, so it was removed from the song.

Apparently, Monica now feels emboldened, and suggested Beyonce remove a lyric from her 2013 hit "Partition."  The lyric in question ... "He popped all my buttons, and he ripped my blouse/He Monica Lewinsky'd all on my gown."

In case you don't know -- but you should -- the lyric references Monica's famed Gap dress, in which Bill Clinton's sperm/DNA linked him to her.

Monica wrote an article years ago in Vanity Fair, informing Bey she was incorrect ... if she was set on the lyric, it should have gone like this ... "He Bill Clinton'd all on my gown." It's a solid point.

The Beyhive is infuriated at Monica, with one member tweeting, "Rap song muse is in your bio. You like the references. Only relevance you have as of lately." Another tweeted, "It's a 10-year-old song and the answer is NO."

Who needs bodyguards when you have the hive?

Vin Scully MLB Honoring Legend With Moments Of Silence ... Before Games

The tributes for the late Vin Scully will continue on all day Wednesday -- TMZ Sports has learned the MLB is asking all of its teams to participate in league-wide moments of silence throughout its afternoon and evening slate of games.

Our MLB sources say the moments of remembrance for Vin -- who sadly died on Tuesday at 94 years old -- will take place prior to every contest played on Wednesday.

The first is expected to happen in just a few minutes, before the Blue Jays take on the Rays in Florida. The last, fittingly, is scheduled to go down just prior to when the Dodgers play the Giants at around 6:45 PM PT in San Francisco.

Of course, the tributes almost certainly won't stop there -- because people have been paying homage to the legendary sports broadcaster since news of his death broke on Tuesday evening.

Dodgers fans made a makeshift memorial for Scully at Dodger Stadium -- and athletes and celebs all over have remembered the iconic storyteller on their social media pages.

Scully began calling games in 1950 -- and didn't stop until he retired in 2016. He's regarded as perhaps the greatest baseball broadcaster ever.

#RIP

Tom Brady Gisele Wishes QB Happy 45th Bday ... Teammate Gets Him Custom GOAT Cake!!!

UPDATE

8:27 AM PT -- Gisele ain't the only one ready to celebrate TB12's birthday Wednesday ... his Buccaneers teammate, Leonard Fournette, got him a custom cake for the occasion too!!

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UPDATE

The Tampa Bay running back revealed he had a GOAT dessert delivered for Brady's 45th ... and it came out awesome -- even featuring a joking, "Happy 100th Birthday" sign.

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No word if Brady will have a slice -- he doesn't eat sugar, after all -- but, hey, it's the thought that counts, right?!

Tom Brady turned 45 today ... and the star QB's wife, Gisele, made sure to shout out her man on his special day, reminding him he's loved as he celebrates another year of life!!

Gisele -- who's been married to Tom since 2009 -- took to Instagram to pen the romantic post to her 7x Super Bowl-winning hubby QB ... posting a photo of Brady in his Bucs uni with two of his three children.

"Happy birthday to one of the most focused, disciplined, and fashionable person I know! @tombrady" Gisele wrote on social media.

"You are so loved and we are always here cheering for you and wishing you all the most wonderful things in life! ❤️"

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Tom and Gisele have been one of the most powerful and well-known couples in sports and entertainment for quite some time now, and Bundchen has always made sure to support him.

Of course, Tom's super focused on the NFL season ahead ... but it's nice to see Gisele took the time to publicly show her appreciation for him.

Happy Birthday, Tom!!

Originally Published -- 6:52 AM PT

Rep. Nancy Pelosi Little Retail Therapy in Hawaii Before Big Taiwan Trip

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TMZ.com

If Rep. Nancy Pelosi's on edge about her trip to Taiwan -- which is pissing off China -- she certainly knows how to hide it, based on this video of her mid-journey ... fully engaged in window-shopping.

The Speaker of the House was in Hawaii this past weekend, making her way from mainland U.S.A to Taiwan -- and TMZ got this footage of her strolling around a Honolulu store called Pashma.

It brands itself as having the "World's Finest Cashmere," and it's inside the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

It's an interesting stress reliever as the Congresswoman prepped for her Tuesday arrival in Taipei for a visit with government officials there. China's disavowed the visit, because it hates seeing U.S. politicians cozying up to Taiwan ... which it believes is part of the People's Republic.

Anyhoo, back to Pelosi's would-be retail spree. It seems the Speaker was quite interested in a handful of garments, and had employees showing her items as she perused the racks.

All the while, you can see a ton of security standing guard outside.

They're all decked out in very casual street clothes -- gotta blend in while working in Hawaii -- but there's no doubt who they're eyeing like hawks.

Witnesses tell us Pelosi ended up walking away with a few items -- a couple cashmere scarves, we're told -- so she was impressed with the inventory.

We'll see if she rolls out her new purchases in Taiwan, where, quite frankly, she could use some comfort. China ain't going easy on her.

'Ferris Bueller' Star Edie McClurg Allegedly Elder Abuse Victim ... Caregiver Allegedly Sexually Assaulted

UPDATE

10:45 AM PT -- 8/3 -- The judge just granted a temporary restraining order, Ramos cannot contact Edie and must stay at least 100 yards away from her and her home. Not only that, it's been ordered Ramos must move out and not return. There's a hearing scheduled for next month.

Actress Edie McClurg has been victimized by a self-described longtime friend, who attempted to take her out of state and marry her, despite the fact that she suffers from dementia ... this according to new legal docs.

The docs, obtained by TMZ, state a man named Michael L. Ramos has been living at Edie's L.A. home as the 76-year-old actress battles dementia. According to the docs, Ramos, who is unemployed, has 'finagled' his way into Edie's life and attempted to move her out of California in order to marry her, despite knowing she lacked mental capacity.

Edie, who is under a conservatorship, got protection from a judge -- according to the new docs -- who ordered Ramos to stand down on his alleged marriage plan.

The docs go on to say, Ramos allegedly sexually assaulted Edie's caregiver, and a police report has already been filed with the LAPD.

The docs note Edie and Ramos have never been romantically involved, but the caregiver is fearful he may have been sexually assaulting Edie and -- given her condition -- she may not even realize what was happening.

The judge in the conservatorship case had allowed Ramos to live in Edie's home to provide her with companionship, but the lawyer for the conservatorship is now asking for an order to remove him.

TMZ broke the story ... Edie's family went to court back in 2019 to ask for the conservatorship, claiming she'd been living with a male companion who was verbally abusive and tried to influence the handling of her estate by getting her to sign documents.

Edie has been a staple in Hollywood, appearing in show like "Planes, Trains and Automobiles," and has done voiceover work in movies like "The Little Mermaid," "A Bug's Life," "Cars" and "The Rugrats Movie."

Originally Published -- 8/2 1:41 PM PT