UFC's Jared Cannonier I Quit Smoking Weed ... For My Fight W/ Vettori!
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UFC star Jared Cannonier is turning over a new leaf -- literally -- telling TMZ Sports he's quit smoking weed for his upcoming main event fight with Marvin Vettori.
We talked to the 39-year-old "Killa Gorilla" just days before his UFC Fight Night scrap, going down Saturday night in Las Vegas, when Jared revealed the change in his lifestyle.
"For this camp I have abstained from smoking marijuana, so the clarity is there," Cannonier told us, explaining ... "More mental clarity for me. There is a physical aspect to it. You are putting foreign substances into you [body], especially your lungs."
And, because it's potentially a 25-minute scrap, Jared wants to be ready in the event he doesn't get an early stoppage.
"This is a 5-round fight, so I want to be able to push the pace for 5 hard rounds, make it 5 hard rounds for him, but just another 5 rounds for me," Cannonier told us.
"I want to push the pace, be powerful throughout the whole thing, if it goes 5 rounds. That's a big if, 'cause I plan on putting it on him start to finish. I don't see him lasting long. Mentally, physically, I feel like I'm in a much better place than I was in my last camp, so I'm ready to go!"
The fight has title implications, too. JC is ranked 4, while Marvin is the 3rd ranked middleweight.
Alex Periera is ranked 1, but is moving up the light heavyweight, so he's out of the mix at 185 pounds. Robert Whittaker (who is fighting Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 290 next month) is ranked 2nd. Israel Adesanya is the reigning champ.
With a win, Cannonier believes this puts him "right at the doorstep" of a title fight.
We also talked to 29-year-old Vettori, who, you guessed it, isn't exactly on the same page when it comes to how he sees the fight going.
"Me being young, and me being hungrier, the more the fight goes on, the more [Jared's] gonna struggle. And, I might catch him early, too. I heard he wants to come out like crazy, I welcome that. Please, bring it, 'cause damn sure you're not gonna get me out of there!"
As for what happens after a win over Jared, Marvin tells us he isn't sweating the future.
"I always felt it inside, I always knew a trilogy with Adesanya is gonna happen. So, I'm not even stressing about it. My whole focus is to go out and look amazing in front of Cannonier and the rest will fall into place."
Fight goes down Saturday in Vegas!
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Vegas Golden Knights Continue Stanley Cup Celebration ... With Club Rager
The Vegas Golden Knights are still riding high after winning the Stanley Cup Final ... 'cause the squad continued their celebration by raging their faces off on The Strip!!
The champs have taken advantage of their home turf this week ... staying put in Sin City as they soak in the first Cup in franchise history.
VGK players hit up several spots during their victory tour, including the popular Encore Beach Club inside the Wynn .... and they were treated like kings -- getting treated with confetti, signs, flags and, of course, the song "We Are The Champions" by Queen.
The players were loving it all ... and to show their appreciation, they showered the fans with massive bottles of champagne before stealing a few sips for themselves.
To soak up all the alcohol, the team enjoyed a meal at hot spot Delilah before their night out ... and they brought the Stanley Cup with them, too.
This is the second night in a row of partying for the champs after defeating the Florida Panthers, 9-3, in Game 5 on Tuesday.
FYI, the party ain't over -- the championship parade is going down Saturday night!!!
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Terence Crawford My Match Vs. Spence ... 'Biggest Fight Of The Last 10+ Years!'
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Forget Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, Fury vs. Wilder and Davis vs. Garcia ... Terence "Bud" Crawford tells TMZ Sports his fight with Errol Spence is a bigger one than all of them!!!
"It is the biggest fight of the year," the 35-year-old said out in New York City on Wednesday ... before adding that it could be "the biggest fight in the last 10-plus years!"
Crawford might actually not be wrong ... even though Floyd Mayweather, Tyson Fury and Gervonta Davis have had some huge, headlining bouts since 2013 -- both Crawford and Spence have been must-see fighters for boxing fans all over the globe for the last few years.
The two are undefeated, have rare knockout power -- and are still considered to be in their primes.
And, Crawford tells us there's no way the match will let anyone down ... promising fight fans there will be "fireworks" in the ring when they get after each other next month.
As for who's going to come out victorious ... Bud insisted he's got it in the bag.
"I'm going to win this fight," he told us. "And I'm already the best fighter in the world!"
First bell is set to ding on July 29 in Las Vegas ... can't wait!!!
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50 Cent Partners With Las Vegas Knights ... Official Booze of Champions
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50 Cent's booze brand is adding ice to the mix ... as in, a new partnership with the Stanley Cup champions ... The Las Vegas Golden Knights.
The NHL club, which hoisted professional hockey's trophy Tuesday night, announced a multi-year partnership Wednesday with the rapper's spirits company.
50 Cent's Sire Spirits, which makes Branson Cognac and Le Chemin du Roi Champagne, will now be the official cognac and champagne of the Vegas Golden Knights ... giving 50's brand a presence in the team's arena and on its digital platforms.
In fact, Fiddy was on hand to watch the Golden Knights beat the Florida Panthers in Las Vegas to secure the franchise's first Stanley Cup Tuesday night ... and the team partied with his booze in the locker room after the series-clinching win.
The collab isn't just about alcohol ... 50 Cent's G-Unity Foundation is also teaming up with the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation to serve the community in Sin City.
50 Cent's Sire Spirits is on a win streak just like the Golden Knights ... as we first reported, the brand just squashed a beef with Remy Martin over its cognac bottle design.
Cheers!!!
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Las Vegas Golden Knights Celebrate 1st Title ... Soak Stanley Cup, Mark Stone In Booze!!!
The Stanley Cup is going to be smelling like booze for quite some time ... 'cause after the Golden Knights won it on Tuesday -- they absolutely doused it (and their captain, Mark Stone!) with bubbly!!!
The scene was electric ... following Las Vegas' emphatic 9-3 Game 5 victory over the Florida Panthers, Stone walked the famous trophy into the Knights' locker room -- and then the guys went crazy.
You can see in video from the celly, about a dozen of the new champs busted out champagne -- before unloading all of the bottles' contents on Stone and the Cup.
"THE ONLY PAIN WE WANT IS CHAMPAGNE," the team said of the party.
WHO ELSE BUT THE CAPTAIN 🕺 #CupInSix https://t.co/3Spap1XWKi pic.twitter.com/2PaTx7LKd1
— z - Vegas Golden Knights (@GoldenKnights) June 14, 2023 @GoldenKnights
Later on, Stone kicked the celebration up one more notch ... putting on the team's Elvis wig and sunglasses -- plus a makeshift championship belt!
Eventually, the guys brought the Cup to a Vegas club -- hoisting it for all to see ... before confetti rained all over them.
There was at least one PG moment with the Cup before all the alcohol started flowing -- Knights star William Karlsson placed his newborn in it, and it was adorable.
A ton of celebs were in the building to help with the party too ... Owen Wilson, 50 Cent, Darius Rucker and Steve Aoki were all spotted going crazy for Sin City's hockey team.
And, get this, according to the Knights -- all of the postgame bubbly was provided by none other than Fitty himself!
Congrats, Vegas!!!
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Rams DC Raheem Morris Helps Save Drowning Child From Vegas Pool
Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is a real-life hero ... the L.A. assistant coach helped save a 3-year-old boy from drowning at a Las Vegas hotel pool over the weekend.
The terrifying incident happened at the Encore, when, according to a post on Morris' wife's social media page, a little boy was pulled from the water without a pulse by his father.
An on-duty lifeguard raced over to provide aid to the toddler ... and, thankfully, a quick-thinking Morris jumped in to help too by grabbing a nearby automatic external defibrillator (AED).
"I saw people calling 911 so my first question was, where is the AED?" Morris said to ESPN on Wednesday. "When I got back, we had a doctor on site that was able to start the compressions. I was able to hand the AED to him, get it open for him, put the pads on the child, and he ended up being OK."
Morris' wife said the kid was taken to a nearby hospital ... and, thankfully, discharged a day later.
Morris -- who joined Sean McVay's Rams staff in 2021 -- said training he received recently in the wake of the Damar Hamlin medical emergency helped him know what to do in the horrifying situation.
Rams COO Kevin Demoff added that he believed the training played a significant role in the heroic efforts as well.
"Very possibly seeing the life-saving CPR Damar Hamlin received inspired our organization to get trained & saved another life," Demoff wrote on Twitter. "CPR & AEDs save lives."
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Dana White Tom Brady & I Will Bro Down In Vegas ... After Raiders Purchase!!!
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Get ready, Sin City ... Dana White tells TMZ Sports he's planning to bro down with Tom Brady way more in Vegas now that the former NFL star is in line to be part-owner of the Raiders!!!
The UFC honcho sounded thrilled at the idea of it all, too ... saying he'll even pick up the checks when the two pal around at dinners!!
Of course, Brady is not quite a Raiders boss just yet ... while he and Mark Davis have agreed to a deal for minority ownership in the NFL franchise, the league still requires at least 24 of its other owners to give their stamp of approval before it's all greenlit.
But, that feels like nothing more than a formality at this point ... which has Dana pumped.
If you weren't already aware, the two have been buds for years -- Brady actually owns a small piece of the UFC -- and White made it clear their friendship is about to get way more fun.
"I think there's more opportunity for us to hang out now that he's around more in Vegas," White said. "I don't know about working!"
As for how he sees things going with the Raiders once Brady's officially got his stake in the game, White told us he has no doubt Vegas will benefit big time.
"At the end of the day, Brady's a winner," White said. "The guy's a winner. Winning is what he does. Having that kind of attitude and drive, and everything else he can bring to the Raiders and to this city, I couldn't be happier about it."
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Zedd Dude Knows How to Deliver!!! Woman Goes Into Labor During EDC Set
Zedd knows how to crank out tunes -- and apparently babies -- 'cause a woman went into labor at his Nevada show over the weekend and gave birth.
The Grammy award-winning musician was performing at Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas Saturday when a pregnant fan urgently needed to deliver near the stage.
An on-site medical team assisted the woman and rushed her to a hospital, where her infant girl was delivered.
I heard someone gave birth at the stage DURING MY SHOW 🤯.
— Zedd (@Zedd) May 22, 2023 @Zedd
Can someone pls help me find the person? I’d like to reach out! https://t.co/rLWiOPRVok
After his performance, Zedd heard about the baby drama and took to Twitter to track down the woman. Zedd wrote, "I heard someone gave birth at the stage DURING MY SHOW. Can someone pls help me find the person? I'd like to reach out!" Zedd got it wrong ... the woman gave birth at the hospital, but close enough.
Zedd got a response Monday night from none other than the new mom herself, Cristina Celis.
Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.
Celis tweeted a photo of herself cradling her newborn daughter in a hospital chair with a caption that read, "It was me." She added her baby is "safe, happy and healthy," and thanked the first aid team for their help. The new parents decided to change her middle name to Daisy.
Ecstatic, Zedd responded, "CONGRATS!!!!! So happy you’re both healthy and that I had the honor to be the soundtrack."
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Usher At 'Lovers & Friends' Shows Off Face After CB Fight ... No Visible Injuries Here
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4:20 PM PT -- Usher just showed off his mug to the camera ahead of his performance tonight, and he seems to be telegraphing one thing ... I'm doing just fine.
Usher is unbothered by the alleged altercation with Chris Brown 😅pic.twitter.com/upwaJif6zy
— Hot Freestyle (@HotFreestyle) May 6, 2023 @HotFreestyle
The singer posted a couple clips of himself backstage at the Lovers & Friends concert, and his face is front and center -- with no visible sign of injury or any bruising whatsoever.
Of course, we know something went down between him and Chris -- but even so, Usher appears to be suggesting he's quite alright and ready to get on with it.
Usher's squabble with Chris Brown isn't going to affect his performance later tonight in Las Vegas -- because the guy's taking the stage regardless ... TMZ has learned.
Sources with direct knowledge tell us Usher -- who's currently scheduled as the headliner for Saturday's "Lover & Friends" music festival -- will take the stage as planned ... meaning, the show will, in fact, go on despite what happened earlier this morning with CB and co.
🎧Lovers & Friends Fest🎧
— Lovers & Friends Festival (@lvrsnfrndsfest) January 17, 2023 @lvrsnfrndsfest
Register now for Presale that starts Friday, January 20th, 10 AM PT. All tickets start at $19.99 down.https://t.co/oyvp5F96xk pic.twitter.com/1PmMi2J5J0
We're told that Usher was, indeed, injured during the brouhaha at the skating rink ... and that his nose and face are kinda jacked up right now. And yet -- our sources assure us he's going to power through and put on a good show. He may, however, be covering up a bit.
In other words ... be on the lookout for him wearing sunglasses of some sort tonight, and perhaps rocking some fresh battle scars that might pop out through any stage makeup.
As for Chris -- who was also in the lineup as one of the big acts slated to perform -- we're told it's unclear if he'll do his set tonight. Chris hasn't said anything publicly as of Saturday.
There's more ... TMZ can confirm reporting by B. Scott, who said the drama appears to have stemmed from Chris' scrapped AMAs performance last year -- when he was set to do an MJ tribute, only to claim he got the rug pulled out from under him last minute.
Our sources say that is, indeed, true -- and the reason he went after Teyana here is because we're told she was actually involved in the planning of that performance ... but something went awry before the day of. This makes sense, as it's been widely reported of late that TT has stepped into the role of a creative director lately for a number of artists/their shows.
Anyway, Chris clearly felt some type of way, and was confronting her -- which only escalated when she snubbed him. Not just that, but we're told Chris actually demanded Usher make her leave ... in addition to asking her to get out himself, seeing how it was his bday party.
We're told Usher refused, and the rest is history ... some of which you can see on video.
Time will tell, we suppose, if Chris will come out himself, or if he'll address this further. BTW, it looks like Teyana -- who was once a fierce CB defender -- has unfollowed him on IG.
We'll also keep our eyes peeled for anything Usher might have to say later today. Something tells us he just may talk about it.
Originally Published -- 1:41 PM PT
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Kimora Lee Simmons Nice & Slow Reunion with Usher ... Kim K & Khloe Take It In
Kimora Lee Simmons was in Usher's sights this weekend -- which quickly turned into a steamy encounter ... all caught on video by Kim K while in the company of Khloe too.
The three gals were in Vegas Saturday to watch the singer perform, and once again ... Kim snagged great seats. This time, however, it seemed to be a ladies' night ... and KLS was the one Usher focused on with a lot of care and tenderness.
As you can see, the guy was shirtless and in search of some body rubs ... which Kimora provided. He even got her up on her feet and held her close as he serenaded her -- and the kicker ... he eventually fed her a strawberry in a very sensual fashion.
BTW, the attention Kimora's receiving here makes sense -- she played Usher's love interest in the music video for "Nice & Slow" way back in 1998. So this is like a reunion of sorts.
Looks like Khloe might've gotten a feel or two as well -- meanwhile, Kim just stood back and filmed ... seems she didn't really want any part of it.
More for Kimora, as it turned out ... 'cause she had Usher all to herself for several minutes. The irony, of course, is that both Kim and (maybe) Khloe are the ones who are very publicly single ... and yet, neither of them dove in for a taste of Mr. Raymond. Kimora is still technically married -- although she's estranged from her husband, so no harm/no foul.
In any case, it looks like Kim can't get enough of the show. She was there last weekend too -- but, just like here ... she and Usher kept their distance while he sang to her section.
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Lukas Gage & Chris Appleton Get Hitched in Vegas!!! Kim K's Their Witness
"White Lotus" star Lukas Gage and celeb hairstylist Chris Appleton are legally united now ... the duo tied the knot over the weekend with one of their special friends in tow.
TMZ has confirmed ... Lukas and Chris got their marriage license on Saturday, according to Clark County Clerk records.
Lukas and Chris got hitched over the weekend during a secret wedding ceremony at the Little White Chapel in Vegas ... according to Page Six, which first reported the marriage.
It was reportedly a very intimate affair, with only a handful of guests ... one of whom was their pal Kim Kardashian!
Lukas and Chris reportedly got engaged this month, weeks after confirming their romance on "The Drew Barrymore Show". They went public with their relationship back in February while vacationing in Punta Mita, Mexico.
It's not exactly clear when they started officially dating, but they're definitely not wasting any time ... for better or worse.
Busy weekend for them -- they went with Kim to see Usher's Vegas residency, and she also presented the "Hair Artist of the Year" award to Chris Sunday in L.A. at the Daily Front Row Fashion Awards.
Mazel tov!!
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Kim Kardashian Up Close & Personal with Usher During Vegas Residency
Kim Kardashian got some very special treatment from Usher ... not only did she have one of the best seats in the house for his residency -- she got an up close and personal performance, too!
Kim hit the Park MGM Hotel Saturday night to see Usher's "My Way" Vegas show ... a residency that's been hugely successful for months now.
Of course, Usher sang some of his biggest hits, including "Burn," "You Remind Me" and others ... but he also came right up to Kim's seats to serenade her as she watched with hairdresser pal Chris Appleton -- who brought along his fiancé, actor Lukas Gage.
Clearly a fan, Kim was all smiles during the show ... and you could tell Usher enjoyed having her in the crowd.
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A's Legend Dave Stewart Pleads With Ex-Team ... Don't Leave Oakland!!!
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A's legend Dave Stewart says if his former team leaves Oakland, he's going to be devastated ... and now, he's hoping for a "last-minute miracle" that stops the squad from moving to Las Vegas.
TMZ Sports spoke with the former World Series MVP just hours after the A's announced they had agreed to buy land in Sin City, seemingly with the intention of eventually moving there ... and Stewart didn't even try to hide his disappointment with it all.
The ex-pitcher, who grew up in Oakland and went on to play eight years for the Athletics, said "it's just heartbreaking to see this happening."
Stewart told us he really feels most for the city itself ... because it already lost the Raiders to Vegas and the Warriors to San Francisco in the past few years.
He added, though, that he understood it might be a move A's ownership just has to make.
"Even though it's heartbreaking, sometimes you just have to make the decision that puts you in a position to be successful going forward," he said.
But, the 66-year-old -- who currently works as an A's analyst for NBC -- told us he's still holding out hope a move is not in the cards.
"We'll keep our fingers crossed," he said, "and we'll continue to say prayers that some type of last-minute miracle will keep the A's in Oakland."
For the team's part, president Dave Kaval sure sounded all-in on a move to Nevada when discussing the state of the A's with the Review-Journal this week.
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Drake Posts Shirtless Thirst Trap... Fans Suspect Surgically Enhanced Abs!!!
Drake's latest thirst trap in the wee hours of the night is a hot shot, no doubt -- but it also has many fans questioning the authenticity of his abs, instead of just salivating over them like he probably intended.
Late Tuesday, Drizzy was obviously feeling the mood when he posted a photo to IG wearing nothing but a towel around his waist ... captioning the pic "5 min cold plunge for the soul."
It probably took about 5 minutes for fans to give their opinion on Drake's bod -- and many wondered if he had indeed gotten work done ... as they didn't spot the same muscle definition in his arms.
Drake's got a big tour this summer with 21 Savage, so it shouldn't shock anyway to see him getting in tip-top shape for those all shows, either. 🤷🏽♂️
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Tom Brady I'm A WNBA Team Owner!!! ... Buys Part Of LV Aces
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Tom Brady never played for the Raiders, but he still made his way to Sin City in retirement -- the 7-time Super Bowl champion just became a part owner of the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces!!
Raiders and Aces owner Mark Davis made the announcement minutes ago ... saying, "Since I purchased the Aces, our goal has been to win on and off the court. Tom Brady is a win not only for the Aces, and the WNBA, but for women’s professional sports as a whole."
The team says TB12 first got hooked on the Aces when he had a courtside seat as LV beat the Connecticut Sun during a home game on May 31, 2022.
Brady -- who also owns a Major League Pickleball team -- released a statement on the business venture ... saying, "I am very excited to be part of the Las Vegas Aces organization."
"My love for women’s sports began at a young age when I would tag along to all my older sisters' games -- They were by far the best athletes in our house! We celebrated their accomplishments together as a family, and they remain a great inspiration to me."
Brady added he loves what the players and coaches on the Aces, as well as the league as a whole, have been able to do to improve the sport and inspire young athletes.
"To be able to contribute in any way to that mission as a member of the Aces organization is an incredible honor."
Naturally, Brady joins a winning team -- the Aces secured the WNBA championship last season.
No word on how much Brady's piece of the Aces is worth -- reports have estimated the average WNBA team to be valued at $13.7 million -- but considering the guy made a ton of money on and off the field over the course of his 23-year career, he can spot the dough.
Tune into the TMZ Sports Podcast wherever you get your podcasts!
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Gene Simmons Unloads Las Vegas Mansion for $11M
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Gene Simmons can officially close a very expensive chapter in his Las Vegas life ... finally closing the deal on his massive Las Vegas home.
Real estate sources tell us the KISS rocker sold the glass palace Tuesday for $11M, a discount from the $15 million he originally listed it for in 2021.
As for what $11 million gets you in the desert, the 11,000 sq ft. home comes with a ton of cool features and amenities -- including 6 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, retractable glass walls, a koi pond and more.
There's also plenty of views of the Strip ... and he even snagged the property next door and planted 137 trees on the land. Of course, the home wouldn't be complete without a gorgeous pool.
If the new homeowner is into cars, they'll have an 11-space garage to fill up.
Ivan Sher and Evangelina Duke-Petroni of IS LUXURY held the listing.
You'll recall, Gene told us while he loved his house, his family didn't like living in Vegas ... especially given the heat and the strippers being down the street.