NFL Taps 1st All-Black Officiating Crew ... to Work 'Monday Night Football'

History will be made on Monday night when the NFL’s first all-Black officiating crew takes the field for the Rams vs. Bucs game in Tampa Bay.

The league specifically put the crew together to honor the contributions of Black officials, as the NFL celebrates its 100th year anniversary.

Jerome Boger, who is in his 17th year as a league official, will lead the 7-man crew. He'll be joined by umpire Barry Anderson, down judge Julian Mapp, line judge Carl Johnson, field judge Dale Shaw, side judge Anthony Jeffries and back judge Greg Steed.

"This historic Week 11 crew is a testament to the countless and immeasurable contributions of Black officials to the game, their exemplary performance, and to the power of inclusion that is the hallmark of this great game,” said Troy Vincent, NFL executive vice president of football operations.

It's interesting, the Rams and Bucs will be playing in this historic game since the Rams were the first NFL team to reintegrate in 1946 after a 12-year span where NFL owners had banned black players from the league (read about it here) -- and the Bucs are the first team in NFL history with 3 Black coordinators.

The Monday night showdown features two of the best teams in the NFL, as the Rams and Bucs sit atop their respective divisions.

Elon Musk Thank You, $&P ... Jumps to World's 3rd Richest!!!

Elon Musk had a great day on Wall Street to start the week -- helping him leapfrog Mark Zuckerberg on the list for world's richest and landing him in a comfortable third overall.

The Tesla and SpaceX executive saw his overall net worth skyrocket late Monday by a whopping $15 billion after the S&P announced it was bringing his automaker company into the fold among the most prestigious companies on the market.

It'd been a long time coming. Folks anticipated this to happen a few months ago ... but it didn't 'til just now, causing Tesla's stock to jump 14% in after-hours trading. As a result, Elon's personal value -- seeing how he owns a good chunk of stock -- also bumped up.

At the moment, he's on pace to have a net worth of $117.5 billion ... way more than Zuck at $106b, which was edging Elon out not too long ago by about $4b, or so. The two people higher than EM on the list currently -- Bill Gates at $129b and Jeff Bezos $184b.

Some estimates as of Monday morning have Elon's net worth slightly lower because of what Tesla's trading at currently -- around $460 a share -- but either way ... he's in at #3.

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NASA/SpaceX

It's been quite a ride for the tech wiz these past few days -- not only did he see his fortune balloon to new heights, he also saw one of his own rockets take 4 astronauts into space over the weekend ... a feat that promises to firm up SpaceX's role in future orbital travel.

Those astronauts successfully arrived at the ISS, BTW -- so yeah ... helluva week for Elon and co. And, with a Biden-Harris administration eager to pivot to renewable energy, sky's the limit -- literally and figuratively.

Dolly Parton Playboy Wants Her To Pose Again ... 75-Year-Old Cover Girl!!!

Dolly Parton's dream of being a 75-year-old woman gracing the cover of Playboy might soon become reality ... we've learned the ball's in her court.

Here's the deal ... Dolly's had her eye on posing for Playboy's January issue -- when she turns 75 -- and now the feelings are mutual.

A Playboy honcho tells TMZ ... the magazine would love to shoot Dolly again, and she knows all she has to do is say the word, and it's on!

Dolly first appeared on the cover of Playboy way back in October 1978, when she was 32, slipping into a Playboy bunny costume and showing off the big boobs that were part of the rich and famous package.

The country music legend told "60 Minutes Australia" back in March ... she hoped to grace the cover again when she turned 75, and even joked about wearing the same costume as before because her boobs are the same, but she didn't know if the mag would go for it.

Now we know Playboy's totally on board ... so it sounds like it's just up to Dolly.

Fun fact ... Dolly at 75 would NOT be the oldest woman to pose for Playboy ... that honor still belongs to Victoria Valentino, who posed for the mag at 77 years old.

'Jersey Shore' Star Angelina $20k for Butt Lift Sessions ... All Signs Point to Single?!?

If you thought "Jersey Shore" star Angelina Pivarnick was single again, you may be right ... because we got the price tag for her new booty, and it screams READY TO MINGLE!

TMZ has learned Angelina dropped $21,600 on a series of butt lift procedures from a go-to doc she and some of the other 'JS' cast members have used in recent years -- one Dr. Tutela, who tells us he's administered three "Bandaid" sessions thus far. That's a helluva lot of dough to spend sprucing up one's caboose, FWIW.

As you can see ... the treatments are working for Angie -- her rear is, indeed, shaping up quite nicely. BTW, Dr. Tutela says the vials he's been shooting her up with are pricey -- about $600-$700 each -- and Angelina has gotten 12 vials per session! Something's definitely afoot ... no ifs, ands or butts about it.

Well, there's a few butts actually.

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Here's the deal ... Angelina's been looking very much so like a non-married woman lately on social media -- even though she's hitched to Chris Larangeira and has been since November 2019. There's lots of pics of her and her girlfriends lately, but not so many with her hubby in frame. That's led folks to speculate they've already split up.

Based on how much she's spent on this new look of hers, that might be the case.

Oh, and we should mention ... Angelina is NOT shy about the fact she's gotten these butt procedures done. In fact, she's documented a lot of it -- and it sounds like it'll be a major topic of discussion on the new season that's debuting this fall.

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Anyway, if it is true that she's unattached ... we're sure that new ass is gonna help a ton. Good luck!

Trippie Redd Drops $11,111.11 for Fancy Robe!!!

Trippie Redd's so deep in the lap of luxury right now ... he could be chilling at this very moment in a robe that costs more than some engagement rings.

TR got his hands on a Chef Henny designed robe that cost a very singular price tag ... $11,111.11. Why all the 1s? Pretty simple ... we're told Henny -- who earned his name by always cooking with Hennessy on YouTube -- believes in number continuity and synchronicity. Hey, to each their own!

The better question is WHY Trippie -- or anyone, really -- would drop 5 figures on a robe??? Well, this one is custom designed specifically for Redd. Henny recently introduced his Daddy Robes luxury line, which are handmade in Beverly Hills and strictly pimped to influencers. The brand boasts that some of its robes can keep ya warm in temps as low as 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

Logan Paul and "Love & Hip Hop" star Moniece Slaughter have also slipped into Henny's robes ... but no word on how much they spent. His fall and winter collection does include robes for as low as $555.55 ... in case you're more cost-conscious. LOL

Seriously, there is a version of Trippie Redd's robe coming soon for a mere $1,111.11.

Stanley Cup Beach Party Stokes COVID Concerns ... Multiple People Chuggin'

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CHUGGIN'
TMZSports.com

Any other year, these images wouldn't be a big deal -- people taking turns swiggin' from the Stanley Cup on a Florida beach.

But, we're in a FREAKIN' PANDEMIC -- with numbers surging in FL -- which is why a victory celebration over the weekend is now a major cause for concern.

The party took place at the famous Don CeSar hotel at St. Pete Beach (22 miles from Tampa International Airport) -- where a Tampa Bay Lightning asst. coach got to spend his 1 day with the trophy after the team won the 2020 championship.

The Tampa Bay Lightning tell us the coach who had the trophy that day is Jeff Halpern -- a former NHL player who spent 14 seasons in the league before joining the Lightning as an assistant.

You'd think Halpern would've learned after the backlash from a previous Stanley Cup celebration back in September -- when players passed the trophy around to random fans so everyone could take a drink.

This time ... we're told 44-year-old Halpern hosted a private celebration on the beach with family members and friends. Witnesses say there were about 50 people at the bash and at least 3 different people sipped from Lord Stanley's Cup.

Again, it happens ALL THE TIME in non-pandemic years -- but with COVID numbers on the rise, passersby tell us they were shocked at what they were watching ... because it did not appear anyone was making an effort to clean out and disinfect the Cup between drinks.

FYI, The Florida Dept. of Health reported more than 10,000 new coronavirus cases on Sunday -- the largest increase in months -- along with 29 resident deaths.

So far, the FDH says there have been more than 885k total COVID-19 cases in Florida since the pandemic began -- with more than 17k deaths.

We reached out to the team -- but so far, no official comment from the Lightning or the NHL.

Ray Campbell on 'Sister, Sister' 'Memba Him?!

Norfolk native Tim Reid has had a long and prosperous acting career but may be known best for his role as the hard-nosed (and sweet 'stached) father figure Raymond "Ray" Campbell -- who doted over the adoptive twin daughters -- in the classic '90s family sitcom "Sister, Sister."

Tim Reid shared the show with Tia and Tamera Mowry as the double-trouble identical siblings Tia Landry and Tamera Campbell ... and of course Jackee Harry as the fun-filled mother, Lisa Landry Sims.

Tim Reid is also famous for playing Downtown Brown on "Simon & Simon" and Mike Hanlon on the OG "IT" movie.

Guess what Tim Reid looks like now at 75 years old.

Taylor Swift Rips Scooter For Selling Masters ... 'Not For Sale To Me'

UPDATE

3:09 PM PT -- Taylor's ripping Scooter for selling her masters ... she says they "were not for sale to me."

UPDATE
UPDATE

Taylor just opened up on the sale in a lengthy social media post, and she didn't have a lot of good things to say about Scooter, the sale, or the process.

UPDATE

Taylor's claiming she would have had to sign an "ironclad NDA" before the first step towards potentially buying her masters -- comparing the NDA to one that silences assault accusers -- and says Scooter never quoted her a price.

UPDATE

She identifies the investment fund which purchased her masters as Shamrock Holdings, and says she would have worked with them going forward, until she learned Scooter would continue to profit off her masters. She says anything involving Scooter "is a non-starter for me."

UPDATE

Taylor says she's continuing to re-record her old music, and also posted a letter she sent to Shamrock Holdings after learning of the sale.

After nearly a year and a half of beefing, Scooter Braun has said goodbye to Taylor Swift's master recordings ... unloading it for a pretty penny.

Scooter's company -- Ithaca Holdings LLC -- has reportedly sold the master rights to Taylor's first 6 albums to an unknown investment fund. The buyer reportedly dropped north of $300 million for the deal, which closed a couple of weeks ago.

The deal, first reported by Variety, includes Big Machine's client roster ... which includes Sheryl Crow, Florida Georgia Line, Thomas Rhett, Rascal Flatts and the trio formerly known as Lady Antebellum. The label will remain under Scooter and Scott's control.

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I'M GONNA WIN THIS
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It's unclear if the bad blood between Scooter and Taylor will dissipate ... there sure is a lot of bad blood. Remember, Scott's company bought Taylor's old label, Big Machine, back in June 2019. This, of course, pissed off Taylor, who ranted against Scooter for snapping up her early catalog ... claiming the move blindsided her and stripped her of her life's work.

Taylor, whose deal with BM expired in 2018, also accused Scooter of being an industry punk. And, when she tried to sing her songs at last year's American Music Awards ... Taylor claimed Scooter and Scott were blocking her.

But, it's not all bad news for Taylor, who as of this month is free to re-record songs from her first 5 Big Machine-issued albums. The goal here's for fans to stream her re-recorded version instead of the ones owned by the new owner. Same goes for commercial business ... like when TV shows/commercials, for example, decide which versions they want to license.

Originally published -- 12:52 PM PT

Vikings Star Adam Thielen Honoring Trebek With Custom Cleats For 'Monday Night Football'

This wide receiver is rockin' custom cleats to honor Alex Trebek on "Monday Night Football" ...

If that were a clue on "Jeopardy!", the answer would be "Who is Adam Thielen?" ... 'cause the Minnesota Vikings star decided to pay homage to the late game show host by wearing the amazing footwear for his game against the Chicago Bears on Monday.

The cleat artist, Dan "Mache" Gamache, posted pics of Thielen's new spikes for the evening ... and they're pretty incredible.

On one of the cleats, there's an image of Trebek with a halo and the dates 1940-2020.

On the other, there's a painted-on, "Jeopardy!"-style answer that reads, "We Will Miss You, Alex" with a price of $19,000 -- a nod to Thielen's #19 jersey number.

"For #MNF pregame tonight my guy @athielen19 will be honoring the legend Alex Trebek who passed last week," Mache said of the cleats on social media.

"I feel like no matter where you were from I feel like Jeopardy was a part of all of our lives in some way."

As we previously reported, Trebek tragically died at 80 years old earlier this month after a lengthy battle with pancreatic cancer.

Tributes from all over the world have rolled in since his death ... with officials in his hometown of Greater Sudbury, Ontario already kicking around the idea of building him a statue.

Thielen appears to be the first NFLer to pay homage with his spikes ... maybe they'll lead to a Daily Double's load of touchdowns?

Michelle Obama We Helped Donald & Melania ... Trump's Endangering U.S. By Not Helping Bidens

Michelle Obama's had it with President Trump continuing to block a peaceful transition of presidential power to Joe Biden ... and she's calling on everyone to put their foot down.

The former First Lady says "This isn't a game," and it's clear she's dead serious in her belief that Trump's behavior is a threat to American democracy.

Much like Barack pointing out how he called Trump to congratulate him in 2016 but the Prez has failed to do the same for Biden ... Michelle says she was hurt and disappointed when Hillary Clinton lost, but she sucked it up and did the right thing for the country in helping the Trumps.

Michelle says this "respectful, seamless transition of power" was granted to them by George and Laura Bush, but despite that ... she admits it was hard for her to do the same for Donald because he had "spread racist lies about my husband that had put my family in danger."

But again, Michelle says she put that aside for the sake of the American people, and because doing so is "one of the hallmarks of American democracy."

She goes on to slam Trump for making this about himself, saying, "our democracy is so much bigger than anybody’s ego. Our love of country requires us to respect the results of an election even when we don’t like them or wish it had gone differently—the presidency doesn’t belong to any one individual or any one party."

Michelle closes by slamming those who are playing along with Trump's "groundless conspiracy theories," and is urging our nation's leaders to put a stop to it ... and encourage the smooth transition of power we should expect from a President.

Bhad Bhabie Watch My Celeb Pals 'Do It Like Me!!!'

Bhad Bhabie -- just dropped a new music video for her first single since finishing rehab ... and she's got some big names helping her out.

Here's the deal ... the 17-year-old rapper, previously known as Danielle Bregoli, made a quarantine version of her "Do It Like Me" music vid, featuring special appearances from her celeb support system, including Demi Lovato, Blac Chyna, Pia Mia, Chief Keef, Charlie XCX and Lexy P.

As you can see ... her famous friends are singing and dancing from home for the new track -- her first since a 30-day rehab stint in June.

Sources close to Bhad Bhabie tell TMZ ... she's had an amazing support system sticking with her through her dark time, and all the celebs in the video believed in her and stood by her during rehab, which helped her get sober.

As we first told you ... Bhad Bhabie was focused on music and business after getting out of rehab, and quickly went to work on her new single.

Our sources say her friends wanted to show support for her sobriety ... so they recorded the clips used in the music vid.

Sounds like treatment and the support system are doing wonders for Danielle ... our sources say she's looking way better physically than she was before rehab.

Jeff Ross Sues Accuser for Defamation ... Statutory Rape Claims are Total Lies!!!

Jeff Ross is going after the woman who's accused him of statutory rape when she was 15 ... and he claims she's trying to extort him.

The comedian's filed a defamation suit against Jessica Radtke, who made headlines earlier this year when an article came out in which she alleged Ross began having a sexual relationship with her in 1999.

According to the legal docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Ross admits he was a work acquaintance with Radtke at a New York comedy club, and he did have a consensual relationship with her ... but not until 2002, when she was an adult.

Ross says all of her accusations of having sex with her when she was a minor are "completely false," echoing his public denial of the allegations in June.

The comedian claims Radtke has been on a campaign to publicly attack him since 2017, but when her efforts to smear him in tabloids failed ... he says she made up the story about his underage relationship with her.

According to the docs ... this culminated with her creating a Facebook page in late 2019 called "Iwas15hewas33," which he says was done to defame him and get attention. Ross says she also "made the preposterous claim that she was Ross’s 'date' at a number of  high-profile public events, including celebrity roasts, that were attended by thousands of people."

He adds ... "To make her false allegations as salacious as possible, Radtke also falsely accused Ross of frequently having unprotected sex with her while she was underage and claimed Ross proposed to marry her."

According to the defamation lawsuit ... Ross says he has multiple witnesses to corroborate him not dating Radtke until she was 18.

As if that wasn't enough of a repudiation of her claims, his attorney at Freedman and Taitelman tells us ... "Jeff Ross has been defamed by a serial accuser for financial gain. Her own father, mother, brother, ex-fiancé, former best friends and others have documented proof of her lying and are supporting Jeff in this case. This lawsuit will clear Jeff’s name and hopefully stop others from continuing to be wrongfully accused by the defendant."

Antonio Brown Accused of Smashing Security Camera ... Dodges Criminal Charges

UPDATE

2:54 PM PT -- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers say they were aware of the alleged incident involving Brown before they signed him.

UPDATE

The team added, "When Antonio joined us, we were clear about what we expected and required of him. Thus far, he has met all the expectations we have in place."

Antonio Brown was named in a police report in Oct. -- after allegedly going berserk at a guard gate stand at his swanky Miami community back in October, smashing a security camera in the process.

It all went down on Oct. 15 at the fancy Hollywood Oaks private community, according to a police report obtained by the Miami Herald.

Brown was reportedly furious that the guard at the security gate wouldn't let a guest inside the community unless AB was physically at the gate to grant access.

So Brown, according to the police report, hopped on his bicycle and sped to the gate where he allegedly went crazy on the guard -- and took out his aggression on a security camera.

According to the police report, Brown cussed out the female security guard -- saying, "Why are you wasting my f***ing time? You need to let my guest through the f***ing gate."

Brown also allegedly threw his bicycle at the arm of the guard gate and then yelled at the property manager -- calling her a "racist bitch."

The Hollywood Police Dept. responded to the scene where an officer says a blue bike was still at the guard shack when they arrived -- jammed between the arm and the motor.

It gets worse for Brown, cops say they reviewed security footage which showed AB smashing the security camera and throwing the bike.

So, why wasn't Brown arrested or charged with a crime?

Cops say in the police report the president of the homeowners association did NOT want to press charges against Brown out of fear the NFL star "may retaliate against her employees."

But, when contacted by the Miami Herald, HOA president Sylvia Berman downplayed the incident and said Antonio has since paid to replace the security camera.

Berman also told The Herald she thinks AB simply had an "emotional reaction" that day -- and then praised him as a "hero" for helping the Tampa Bay Bucs beat the Carolina Panthers this weekend.

As for cops, The Hollywood PD "exceptionally cleared" the case on Nov. 5, according to The Herald ... which means it's unlikely he'll face charges moving forward. Prosecutors say they have not been presented with a case.

Of course, Antonio Brown has been accused of having an explosive temper several times in the past -- it's well documented.

He's thrown furniture off the balcony of an apartment complex, he's berated police and the mother of his children on camera and he was arrested for allegedly physically assaulting a moving truck driver.

In fact, Brown was suspended for the first 8 games of the 2020 NFL season due to his off-the-field behavior.

Brown officially signed with the Tampa Bucs on Oct. 27 and made his debut with the team in Week 9 against the Saints.

Our Bucs sources tell us the team is aware of the alleged incident and is looking into it.

Originally published -- 2:01 PM PT

Coronavirus Vaccine Joe Biden Says He'll Get It ... Once Doctors Say It's Safe

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TRUST THE PROCESS
UPDATE

12:57 PM PT -- Joe Biden says he has no qualms about getting the coronavirus vaccine from either Moderna or Pfizer ... once they're fully approved and experts like Dr. Fauci give the green light.

UPDATE

The President-elect made his claim while addressing business and labor leaders Monday on the economic outlook of the country amid the pandemic. Biden says he won't hesitate to get vaccinated once the COVID meds are "ready for prime time," and claims the only reason people are untrustworthy of the vaccines in the first place ... is because of President Trump.

COVID-19 is about to get tag-teamed -- a second vaccine is on the way, and Moderna says this one has an even higher success rate than the first.

On the heels of Pfizer's announcement it has a coronavirus vaccine more than 90% effective in preventing COVID infections, Moderna's apparently one-upping it ... claiming to have one that boasts a 94.5% success rate.

The pharmaceutical giant released its early data Monday, which Dr. Anthony Fauci calls "as good as it gets."

Fauci says vaccinations could begin as early as the second half of December for high-risk groups, and be available for the rest of the public starting in late April.

Moderna's vaccine trial included 30,000 study participants -- 15k of which were given the vaccine, and 15k were given a saline placebo.

Among the placebo subjects, 90 of them developed COVID-19 over several months, and 11 of those patients got a severe case.

Among those given the vaccine, only 5 got COVID and none were severely ill. Moderna says its vaccine did not have any serious side effects, but a small percentage of people experienced symptoms such as body aches and headaches.

The incredibly high efficacy -- for Moderna and Pfizer's vaccines -- is great news ... the stock market is soaring. However, think about this ... a reported 30 percent of Americans don't trust a vaccine, and won't take it. So, it's plausible some people will pick their social circles based on who does get vaccinated. Just a thought.

Moderna plans on applying for FDA authorization later this month after more it gathers more safety data.

Originally Published -- 7:10 AM PT

Gas Pipeline Explodes Along Mexican Highway ... Leaves At Least 6 Dead

A gas pipeline went up in flames this week along a Mexican highway that killed at least 6 people ... and video of the incident is absolutely horrendous.

It went down Monday in the Mexican city of Jala, right on the edge of a mountain bordering the Tepic-Guadalajara Highway between Chapalilla and Ixtlan del Rio. It's unclear what set off the explosion, but it was big enough to stop a bunch of drivers dead in their tracks.

One video circulating right now shows a couple guys running toward what appears to have been an initial discharge that caused traffic to come to a screeching halt. As they approach, an even bigger explosion goes off ... sending a massive fireball into the air and everyone running for their lives.

Another angle shows the aftermath from a further distance, and it becomes clear pretty quickly just how massive this thing was. There's plumes of black smoke emanating from every which way as the flames rage. It's a terrifying sight, to say the least.

There are different reports on the official body count -- we're seeing estimates from 6 to 14 thus far, plus several other injuries and word of missing people as well. There's also extensive damage to numerous cars that were caught up in the explosion.

Check out this shot of the aftermath -- an entire vehicle is lodged into the side of the charred mountain, and car parts are scattered about everywhere. Pieces of the concrete barrier were blown to smithereens ... demonstrating the ferocity of the impact.

Authorities are said to be on the scene getting a handle on things. Scary stuff ...

Logan Paul On Mayweather ... I'd Whoop His Ass in a Street Fight!

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ANYTIME, ANYWHERE
BACKGRID

"If I caught Floyd with one punch -- one punch -- I would snap this f**ker in half."

That's Logan Paul GOING OFF about how he would wreck Floyd Mayweather if they ever got into a "real" fight ... while insisting he's still down to fight the G.O.A.T. in a boxing ring, too!

Paul was out at Boa Steakhouse in L.A. over the weekend when he was asked if there's been any progress in a possible Logan vs. Floyd boxing match in the near future.

As we previously reported, 43-year-old Mayweather was recently approached with the idea of having an exhibition bout with 25-year-old Paul ... but no deal has been signed.

Paul was tight-lipped about the plans when we saw him back in September, but now he's calling out Floyd publicly ... and talkin' a TON of trash in the process.

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TMZSports.com

"Let me tell you this, if I caught Floyd in a real fight, street fight, whoop his ass! No question," Paul said ... "MMA? Octagon? Whoop his ass!"

"The only place I think Floyd is safe obviously is the boxing ring, but to be honest, I don't give a f*ck! I don't give a f*ck! I would fight Floyd anytime, anywhere, any place. Doesn't f*ckin' matter to me."

Paul continued, "I'm 8 inches taller, I'm 40 pounds heavier, I'm half his age, I'm 2 times as hungry and 10 times as smart. I'm used to beating up people weaker and shorter than he is. I grew up with Jake!"

When asked why Mayweather won't sign the contract, Logan offered up this explanation.

"Bro, think about it. He's got everything to lose, I've got nothing to lose. Mr. Money wants a money fight!? Let's f*ckin go."

Floyd hasn't fought professionally since beating up Conor McGregor back in 2017 ... though he has taken at least 1 exhibition fight since then, destroying Japanese fighter Tenshin Nasukawa in 2018.

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