WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt Dead At 36
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5:43 PM PT -- Wyatt died of a heart attack, according to wrestling reporter Sean Ross Sapp, who says he spoke to the Rotunda family after the fatal medical emergency, which occurred earlier today.
WWE Superstar Bray Wyatt has tragically died at the age of 36, WWE executive Triple H announced on social media.
"Just received a call from WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda who informed us of the tragic news that our WWE family member for life Windham Rotunda - also known as Bray Wyatt - unexpectedly passed earlier today. Our thoughts are with his family and we ask that everyone respect their privacy at this time," the Hall of Famer wrote.
Wyatt joined WWE’s main roster in 2010 under the name Husky Harris, before leaving a year later. He rejoined the main roster in 2013 as the leader of The Wyatt Family.
He was a three-time world champion in WWE, including the WWE Championship once and Universal Championship, twice. He took a brief hiatus from August 2018 to April 2019 and returned with a new character, a mix of Bray Wyatt and his other side, The Fiend.
Wyatt came from a long line of wrestlers. His dad was Hall of Famer, Mike Rotunda. His grandfather was Blackjack Mulligan, and his uncles were Barry and Kendall Windham.
Bray was a part of a bunch of big matches throughout his career ... including his WrestleMania 31 match against The Undertaker in 2015.
Before joining the world's biggest wrestling promotion, Wyatt wrestled under the name "Alex Rotundo" in the FCW (Florida Championship Wrestling).
As you'd expect, Wyatt was a helluva athlete ... and even won a state wrestling championship at Hernando High School in Florida, where he wrestled at 275 lbs. Bray was also a star football player in H.S. and even went on to play at the College of the Sequoias (a Juco in Cali) for two seasons, before transferring to Troy University. Wyatt, a guard, was listed at 6'2" and 295 lbs.
The WWE Universe was crushed by the news ... with fans and fellow wrestlers sharing condolences on social media.
The Rock wrote ... "Im heartbroken over the news of Bray Wyatt’s passing. Always had tremendous respect and love for him and the Rotunda family. Loved his presence, promos, in ring work and connection with @wwe universe."
Johnson continued ... "Very unique, cool and rare character, which is hard to create in our crazy world of pro wrestling. Still processing losing the goat, Terry Funk yesterday and now Bray today. My love, light, strength & mana to the Rotunda family and Funk family during this tough, heartbreaking time."
FYI, Funk, a legend, passed away on Wednesday.
Ric Flair also shared his thoughts on the awful news ... "When Your Great Friend And Someone Your Son’s Age Dies Within 2 Days, It Really Makes Me Reflect & Think About Life! Don’t Take Any Second For Granted! Rest In Peace Terry Funk & Bray Wyatt!"
Alexa Bliss weighed in, as well ... "I’m just in shock. Extremely heart broken And at a loss for words. What I can say is what an amazing human being Windham is. Amazing friend & one of the most creative minds to ever walk this earth."
"Windham, you’ve brought so much joy and happiness to everyone around you. It’s going to take me some time to really process this. Sending my love to the Rotunda Family & Jojo. We love you Windham 🖤"
Details surrounding Wyatt's death are not yet clear.
R.I.P.
Story developing ...
Originally Published -- 3:57 PM PT
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Polo G & Trench Baby Guns, Drugs Found During Raid ... Both Charged in Robbery Case
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5:56 PM PT -- Polo’s lawyer Bradford Cohen tells TMZ … regarding the Burbank arrest, "We are waiting [for] additional information. The charges against Polo are very unusual given the timing and alleged knowledge of the police."
He continues, "We believe once all the facts come out it will be a very different picture than how the charges look on paper. We look forward to challenging the accusations and vindicating our client."
Polo G and Trench Baby's arrests ended with them both getting booked for crimes -- the rapper for gun possession and his brother for robbery.
LAPD says Wednesday's raid at Polo's house was in response to a report from August 15, which alleged Trench Baby robbed a man in Granada Hills during a music video shoot.
The alleged victim arrived on location to film the video, and cops say Trench Baby drew a handgun with an extended magazine, demanding the man empty his pockets and wire money to him into another account.
According to cops, Trench Baby and the alleged victim had a prior working relationship. When officers made the arrest, they say they found a small baggy of unknown drugs on Trench's person during a pre-booking search.
Polo was booked for illegal possession of the short-barreled rifle, and cops say numerous firearms were recovered during the raid.
As we told you earlier, the Chicago-born brothers were released on bond early Thursday but were then promptly arrested by Burbank PD for a separate incident.
Originally Published -- 3:41 PM PT
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Rudy Giuliani Stone-Faced Mug Shot Surrenders In Trump Case
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Rudy Giuliani's mug shot is in, and he certainly doesn't look like a happy camper after surrendering himself for Donald Trump's RICO case.
Giuliani gave the Fulton County camera the disapproving look Wednesday after he and fellow former election lawyer Sidney Powell walked into county jail for one of Trump's ongoing investigations.
RG agreed to a $150k bond, and Powell's was set at $100k. For those unaware, Giuliani's charged with things like engaging in criminal conspiracies and breaking Georgia's racketeering act -- Powell's facing similar charges.
He gave his thoughts about agreeing to work with Trump years ago, especially in hindsight ... but he seems to have no problems with the connection they share.
As we reported, Trump said on Truth Social he will be turning himself in to Fulton County officials on Thursday -- the day after Giuliani and Powell. The announcement follows last week's indictment on 13 counts of 2020 election subversion under GA's Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO.
Apart from Trump, 18 other defendants have been named in the latest case, with Giuliani and Powell being 2 of many ... also facing charges is the ex-president's former Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows.
FYI, Trump's also been indicted in 3 other jurisdictions for alleged incidents like mishandling classified docs, a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, and involvement in the January 6 riots.
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TikToker VonViddy Dead By Suicide ... Final Video Talked Achievements & Struggles
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TikToker VonViddy has taken his own life ... and his final video to fans is haunting, all about the ups and downs of his life -- talking about how he hopes to be remembered.
Von, whose real name is Joe Muchlinski, died Monday after "losing his long battle to mental illness" ... according to his sister, Martha.
In his final video, posted Sunday, Joe talks about the type of guy he wants to be remembered as, citing his music and comedy as a couple of strong points in his life. He also highlights some of his struggles -- saying he doesn't want folks to remember him "as an addict and an alcoholic who put his family through hell."
He ends his final TikTok by saying how thankful he is for the opportunities he's had over the years ... noting he has an abundance of peace and love for his fans.
Folks in both Joe and Martha's comment sections are sharing their grief for the loss of Joe after Martha's sad news -- one wrote, "Von Viddy we love you. Thank you for all of the laughs. Truly heartbreaking 💔."
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Joe garnered over 170k followers and 8.7 million likes on TikTok, sharing his original music and comedy bits since 2020.
He was 32.
RIP.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
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Dallas Cowboys' Sam Williams Arrested For Possession Of Drugs, Weapon
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Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Sam Williams has found himself in trouble with the law yet again ... the 24-year-old was arrested in Texas over the weekend -- the second time cops have accused him of wrongdoing in the last year.
According to a Frisco Police Dept. spokesperson, Williams was taken into custody on Sunday ... and booked on charges of possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a weapon.
Further details surrounding the arrest were not made immediately available.
Cowboys second-year DE Sam Williams is hoping to have double-digit sacks this season. He just got his first of the preseason pic.twitter.com/Yyg3QxGK8i
— Jon Machota (@jonmachota) August 20, 2023 @jonmachota
The 24-year-old had just played in the Cowboys' preseason game on Saturday night against the Seahawks in Seattle ... and he shined, recording a sack and two tackles. He was also seen participating in Dallas' training camp practice on Tuesday -- a day after their off-day Monday.
The Cowboys, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, were aware of the arrest.
Williams has been previously accused of wrongdoing in December 2022, when authorities alleged he drove recklessly before crashing his Corvette in Plano.
Williams -- Dallas' second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft -- has been expected to have a big role for the Cowboys this season.
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Serena Williams Deuce!!! Gives Birth to Baby #2
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Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian have a lot to celebrate ... the couple just welcomed their second child together!!
The tennis superstar revealed the major news with a TikTok on Tuesday ... showing her get up from a table and leave the frame before returning with the little bundle of joy.
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Alexis and Olympia look happy as can be -- with big sis adorably giving baby Adira River a kiss on the forehead.
The Reddit co-founder also posted about the newcomer ... saying, "I'm grateful to report our house is teaming with love: a happy & healthy newborn girl and happy & healthy mama."
"Feeling grateful. @serenawilliams you've now given me another incomparable gift — you're the GMOAT. Thanks to all the amazing medical staff who took care of my wife & our daughter 🙏 I'll never forget the moment I introduced @olympiaohanian to her baby sister."
Serena and Alexis shared they were having another daughter at a lavish gender reveal just a few weeks ago ... and now that Adira is here, the countdown is on to see her take the court with Olympia -- just like Mama and Aunt Venus!!
No pressure, though.
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Titans' Caleb Farley Father Killed In Explosion ... At Cornerback's Home
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10:15 AM PT -- Authorities say Caleb Farley's father, Robert Farley, was the one who was killed in the home explosion.
He was 61 years old.
A massive explosion at a North Carolina home belonging to NFL defensive back Caleb Farley has left one person dead ... and another injured.
The incident happened overnight Monday in Mooresville, N.C. -- leveling a multi-million dollar property that, according to multiple reports, Farley had just purchased recently.
Iredell County Fire Marshal's Office spokesperson Kent Greene tells TMZ Sports ... one person was recovered from the scene deceased -- while another was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Farley was not a victim, Greene added.
An investigation into the matter is ongoing, Greene tells us ... though the current focus of the probe is centering around the home's natural gas lines.
According to local media outlets on the scene, Farley -- a 24-year-old Tennessee Titans corner -- was seen at the site Tuesday morning cooperating with authorities.
DEADLY HOME EXPLOSION: Aerial footage of land where the multi-million dollar Lake Norman home owned by #NFL player Caleb Farley exploded overnight.
— Queen City News (@Queen_City_News) August 22, 2023 @Queen_City_News
LATEST: https://t.co/5CBghHx3WB pic.twitter.com/Ah2hIA4h7J
Farley is currently on the Titans' physically-unable-to-perform list while dealing with a back injury. Since the team took him with the No. 22 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Farley's played sparingly, seeing action in just 12 total games.
Originally Published -- 8:49 AM PT
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Los Angeles Hurricane Hilary Levels-Up With a DAMN Earthquake!!!
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Mother Nature has a bone to pick with Los Angeles, not only sending Hurricane Hilary to the city of angels ... but hitting its residents with an earthquake at the SAME DAMN TIME.
That's right, just as Angelinos were trapped inside, watching their favorite Netflix shows, surfing social media or deciding where to order some Uber Eats, a 5.1 magnitude quake, centered in Ojai rocked the city.
Luckily, at the time of this post, there doesn't seem to have been any significant damage ... but the whole thing's gotta be scary nonetheless as rain continues to come down.
Most West Coast folks also got a firsthand taste of the earthquake warning system on their phones when an alert was blasted out reading, "Earthquake Detected! Drop, Cover, Hold On. Protect Yourself."
The National Weather Service has been using push notifications for the storm since it hit L.A. early Sunday morning. Just 2 hours before the earthquake alert went out, residents' phones blew up with a warning for flash floods in several areas.
For those unaware, Hilary, which has been downgraded to a tropical storm, made landfall in Mexico, while the neighbors to the north are getting rained down ... officials say it could be the most devastating storm to hit the state in years.
Safe to say, SoCal dwellers have a lot on their plates at the moment ... and the earthquake was the wet and rainy icing on top!!!
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Tori Kelly Going On Nationwide Tour After Suffering Blood Clots
Tori Kelly must be feeling a whole lot better after her major health scare … because she’s hitting the road for a nationwide tour and in Canada.
The Grammy-winning singer announced her plans for "The Take Control Tour" on Instagram Tuesday, writing, "It’s been too long." She gave a list of tour dates, beginning on September 10 in Toronto, Ontario, before moving on to a number of American cities, including L.A. and NYC.
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Fans can DM Tori to snag presale tickets at 9 AM today -- others can purchase general admission tickets Thursday through her website.
This is great news for Tori, who was hospitalized with serious blood clots last month. TMZ broke the story … Tori was having dinner with friends at a downtown L.A. restaurant when she passed out and was rushed to the hospital.
For a week, Tori was treated for blood clots in her legs and lungs at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center before she was released in late July. Now it seems Tori is back in tip-top shape and ready to perform.
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Donald Trump Indicted by Georgia Grand Jury For 2020 Election Interference
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Donald Trump can't stop catching cases ... a Georgia grand jury just indicted him for 2020 election subversion -- now the fourth criminal case he's facing as he runs for President again.
The ex-POTUS has been hit with 13 counts from a Fulton County grand jury ... according to D.A. Fani Willis. She also announced indictments against 18 other co-conspirators with Trump ... including Rudy Giuiliani and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
The 97-page indictment includes a total of 41 counts ... among them, RICO (Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization) charges -- meaning Trump allegedly engaged in organized crime activity for purpose of overturning the 2020 presidential election results in Georgia.
One key piece of evidence in the case is a January 2, 2021 phone call Trump made to then GA Sec. of State Brad Raffensperger ... imploring him to investigate alleged voting irregularities, and find more votes in Trump's favor.
Meadows, Giuliani and several other of Trump's lawyers -- and now alleged co-conspirators -- were on the call as well.
Remember, Trump has 3 other criminal cases that are currently pending ... one in New York state for an alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election, a federal case pertaining to his classified documents scandal after leaving office, and another federal case tied to his alleged efforts to undermine the 2020 election with his actions on, before and after Jan. 6.
Trump's plead not guilty to the other cases, and he's still pushing ahead -- and leading all other GOP candidates -- with his 2024 presidential campaign, despite mounting legal woes.
There's no date set yet for his first court appearance in Georgia, but D.A. Willis said she would give Trump and the other defendants until Friday to surrender voluntarily.
We covered it all on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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Alex Collins Former Ravens RB Dead at 28 After Motorcycle Accident
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7:30 PM PT -- Alex Collins was involved in a fatal motorcycle accident in Florida around 10:20 PM Sunday night, according to the Broward County Sheriff's Office Traffic Homicide Unit.
BSO says Collins was riding a 2004 Suzuki GSX-600K in Lauderdale Lakes when the accident occurred.
Broward County says the investigation is still ongoing, but the information they've gathered thus far indicates a woman driving a Chevrolet Suburban made a turn, crossing over the lane Collins was traveling in, causing him to strike the rear passenger side of the SUV.
Emergency responders rushed to the location, but Alex was pronounced dead on the scene.
Law enforcement says the woman remained on the scene and is cooperating with authorities ... who are still investigating the crash.
Alex Collins, a running back who played five seasons in the National Football League, is dead.
The Baltimore Ravens, one of Alex's former NFL teams, announced his death Monday ... it's unclear when he died, ditto for the cause of death.
Alex had his two best NFL seasons with the Ravens in 2017 and 2018, and the team is remembering him "for the light and love he brought to so many people in his life."
The Ravens say Alex was "quick to greet everyone with a smile, a genuinely kind person who carried a special joy and passion wherever he went."
The Seattle Seahawks, the team that selected Alex in the 2016 NFL Draft out of Arkansas, says the franchise is "absolutely heartbroken" by his death.
Alex had two stints with the Seahawks ... he played with Seattle as a rookie in 2016 and then returned to the club for the 2020 and 2021 NFL seasons.
Overall, Alex played in 50 NFL games ... racking up 1,997 rushing yards, 467 receiving yards and 19 total touchdowns.
Alex was out of pro football altogether in 2022 before signing this year with the Memphis Showboats of the United States Football League, ending the season on injured reserve.
He was 28.
RIP
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Ezekiel Elliott Signing With Patriots ... Wearing No. 15
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Ezekiel Elliott's got a new home and a new number ... the former Dallas Cowboys star said Monday he's signing with New England -- and he'll wear No. 15 when he gets there!!
Elliott announced the move on his X page just minutes ago ... writing, "One Five, all the way live ! @Patriots."
Adam Schefter reports Zeke's getting a 1-year deal with his new team that could be worth up to $6 million.
Ezekiel Elliott tweeted that he’s signing with the New England Patriots. pic.twitter.com/ZZNSm6ciYV
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 14, 2023 @AdamSchefter
The tailback had been one of the best runners in the league after Dallas took him with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft -- leading the NFL in rushing yards twice and earning three Pro Bowl selections.
His production, though, waned over the past couple years ... and following Tony Pollard's emergence as a lead back in the 2022 season -- the Cowboys parted ways with Elliott this past offseason.
But the 28-year-old seems very open to the new start -- he even revealed Monday he's going back to the short hairdo he rocked during his rookie year in Dallas for the occasion.
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Get ready, Pats fans ... a 1-2 punch of Zeke and Rhamondre Stevenson is coming!!
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Toronto Maple Leafs Prospect Rodion Amirov Dead At 21 Diagnosed w/ Tumor Last Yr.
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Rodion Amirov -- the Toronto Maple Leafs 2020 first-round draft pick --- died Monday after courageously battling a brain tumor, his agent announced.
He was just 21 years old.
"It is we great sadness that we announce the passing of Rodion Amirov. Two years ago, Rodion was diagnosed with a brain tumour. From the moment he received the news, he refused to speak in the negative, determined to enjoy every day, facing it with the same positive attitude he showed during his hockey career," agent Daniel Milstein wrote.
Amirov was diagnosed with the tumor in February 2022 after undergoing treatment for an unrelated injury in Russia. Rodion, a left winger, spent his entire career with the Maple Leafs on loan in his native Russia ... before halting his career permanently.
Toronto signed Rodion to a three-year entry-level contract after he was selected 15th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan also released a statement addressing the terrible news.
"The entire Maple Leafs organization is devastated by this tragic loss. Over the duration of his courageous battle, Rodion’s positivity inspired everyone around him, and he made lasting impressions with our team and fans in his brief visits to Toronto."
Shanahan continued ... "It’s incredibly sad to see a young man with so much promise taken from us so soon. We offer our deepest condolences to Rodion’s family and friends as we mourn this loss together.”
Playing on loan in the Kontinental Hockey League for Salavat Yulaev Ufa -- his hometown club -- Rodion scored one goal during the 2021-2022 season and 10 across his six-year professional career.
Rodion also played for Russia internationally and won a silver medal at the World U18 Championships.
"We will always remember his courage, his desire, his will, his smile, all of the great things about him."
R.I.P.
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Mark Zuckerberg Moving on from Elon Fight ... This X Dude Ain't Serious
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Mark Zuckerberg is tired of waiting for Elon Musk to get ready to rumble, so he's moving on -- so says the Facebook founder himself.
The techie billionaire announced Sunday he was throwing in the towel on the planning process, saying it was clear to him that EM wasn't serious about duking it out ... evidenced, at least in Mark's eyes, in all the excuses Elon has offered to postpone this thing.
Post by @zuckView on Threads
MZ writes, "I think we can all agree Elon isn't serious and it's time to move on. I offered a real date. Dana White offered to make this a legit competition for charity. Elon won't confirm a date, then says he needs surgery, and now asks to do a practice round in my backyard instead."
The backyard thing is new news -- and pretty eyebrow-raising if true. Mark adds, "If Elon ever gets serious about a real date and official event, he knows how to reach me. Otherwise, time to move on. I'm going to focus on competing with people who take the sport seriously."
Mark has kinda been teasing this move for a while now ... consistently refuting Elon's characterization of things, and alleging that the Twitter honcho was stonewalling on purpose.
In fact, it wasn't too long ago that Mark said he wasn't holding his breath for Elon -- and despite EM trying to hype up the fight just this past week (by mentioning the prospect of Italy as a venue), it sounds like Mark's throwing cold water on the whole thing ... calling BS.
It was a cool would-be event while it lasted, we suppose ... and time will tell if Mark pulling the plug like this will force Elon to actually commit -- but if he doesn't, it might be over.
We covered the story on a recent episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.
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Mark Zuckerberg Refutes Elon Musk ... I Want UFC To Stage Fight!!!
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Mark Zuckerberg is refuting Elon Musk's Friday morning claims ... saying no details of their potential fight have been finalized at all -- adding that he still wants Dana White involved in the process.
The Meta boss unloaded his side of the story on Threads on Friday afternoon -- just a couple hours after Musk told his 156 million X followers that a bunch of the particulars of the future billionaire brawl were now set in stone.
Elon Musk Says He Needs Minor Surgery, But Zuckerberg Fight Set For 'Epic Location'
In one of his tweets ... Musk said the tilt will go down at "an epic location" in Italy. In another, he said all of the action will be live-streamed on X and Meta.
He also said White and the UFC are now out of the planning process, insisting, "The fight will be managed by my and Zuck’s foundations."
Zuckerberg, though, made it clear he hasn't agreed to any of those stipulations just yet ... writing in posts on his social media app, "please assume anything [Musk] says has not been agreed on."
"Not holding my breath for Elon, but I'll share details on my next fight when I'm ready," he added. "When I compete, I want to do it in a way that puts a spotlight on the elite athletes at the top of the game. You do that by working with professional orgs like the UFC or ONE to pull this off well and create a great card."
Zuck then said he's still training like a mad man for the potential bout -- showing off a photo of him working in his backyard Octagon.
The two businessmen initially began the process of setting up a fight way back in June ... when Musk floated the idea of a cage match following the revelation Zuck's Threads was in the works.
While the two sides clearly have a ways to go before anything is officially set ... one thing is clear, Musk won't be able to fight any time soon, 'cause he says he needs minor shoulder surgery that will put him on the shelf for at least a few months.
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'Exorcist' Director William Friedkin Dead at 87
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11:39 AM PT -- Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ William Friedkin died from pneumonia.
William Friedkin, the famed filmmaker who directed "The Exorcist," has died.
The news was confirmed Monday by his wife, Sherry Lansing, who says he passed in L.A. -- but the exact details of his death have yet to be revealed. It's a big hit to the film community -- as Friedkin was an influential force behind some of the 20th century's most iconic movies.
While he might best be remembered for his work on the 1973 horror flick -- which, by all accounts, changed the genre forever -- WF had several other notable credits to his name ... including the Oscar-winning "French Connection," which he also directed.
Other films he helmed included ... "The Brink's Job," "Sorcerer," "Cruising," "To Live and Die in L.A.," "Rampage," "Deal of the Century," "The Guardian," "Blue Chips," "12 Angry Men," "Rules of Engagement," "The Hunted," "Killer Joe" and lots of others.
He also directed a handful of episodes for memorable TV shows ... like "Tales from the Crypt," "The Twilight Zone," "Rebel Highway," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "CSI" and more.
Friedkin was a diverse director ... dabbling in all types of flicks, from horror to drama, and even comedy. While some of his work is more well-known than others, he was respected in all regards -- and certainly carved out his own corner in pop culture.
The last time we saw him, he was out here in L.A. signing autographs and talking "Get Out."
Friedkin was 87.
RIP
Originally Published -- 10:15 AM PT