MMA

UFC superstar Joanna Jedrzejczyk is telling us once and for all the CORRECT way to pronounce her last name ... and says you better remember it because she plans on being champ for a while!!!

We also played a little name game with the fighting Pride of Poland and asked her if she could correctly pronounce Mike Krzyzewski's name on the first try.

Don't worry, we also talked some MMA (JJ is fighting at UFC 211 in Dallas this weekend) ... and Joanna told us straight-up why rising star Rose Namajunas hasn't earned the right to fight her next.

They were enemies in the Octagon, but Eddie Alvarez just delivered a pretty awesome compliment to Conor McGregor ... explaining why the UFC superstar is going to be a great dad.

"If he puts 10% of the effort into his child as he does fighting, I think he's gonna do dang good. So, I wish him the best of luck."

Conor and Eddie faced off at UFC 205 back in November -- but Eddie clearly doesn't hold a grudge.

In fact the father of 4 explains why being a dad is the best thing in the world for Conor.

By the way, Eddie is gearing up for a big fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 211 in Dallas this weekend ... and says he's already coming up with a plan to piss off his haters.

Dana White says if Anderson Silva is even thinking about retiring he should DO IT ... 'cause the UFC simply ain't gonna give Silva the title shot he's asking for ... at least right now.

Earlier in the week Silva went public threatening to retire if he didn't get a shot at Yoel Romero for the interim middleweight championship.

When we got Dana out in Beverly Hills he had some advice for Silva ... get to steppin' ... telling our guy there's no way in hell Anderson is gonna get that shot.

If we're keeping it real, White seemed aggravated about the whole thing, making you wonder if Silva might've overplayed his hand a little.

Dana White says he's not sure if Nate Diaz or his brother Nick Diaz will ever fight in the UFC again -- telling TMZ Sports straight-up, "They don't seem like they wanna fight."

Dana says the UFC has offered multiple fights to both Diaz brothers but they keep turning them down -- and White says he's not really sure why.

"If they want to fight next week or if they never want to fight again, that's up to them. It's not up to me," White says.

"They don't seem like they wanna fight ... either one of them."

White also responded to incendiary comments Nate made on "The MMA Hour" on Wednesday about his rematch with Conor McGregor ... a fight Nate lost by decision.

"The decision went to him because the company wanted it to go to him," Nate said (around 15:30 in the YouTube clip).

White says the comments are nothing more than "crazy talk" -- because the UFC has nothing to do with the judges or their decisions.

Floyd Mayweather is laying out the reasons why Conor McGregor could actually WIN if they ever face off in a boxing ring ... saying the guy has real talent as a stand-up, boxing style fighter.

The boxing legend was out in L.A. on Tuesday for a fancy event at Catch with Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey ... but afterward is when the real fun started.

"Conor McGregor is the 2nd biggest name in MMA," Floyd said (in the past he's called HIMSELF the #1 name in the sport).

"So, I'm not gonna sit right here and knock Conor McGregor. He's gone out there and done what he's had to do. It's obvious he's done something right thus far to get to the point where he's at ."

So, where does Floyd admit Conor has a shot?

"I've been off for a couple years and I'm 40 years old now. So, I'm a lot older and he's still in his 20s and I'm in my 40s now. So that could play a major key, we don't know. And he's a heavy hitter."

Floyd also says he can't ignore the fact Conor's been crushing dudes while fighting standing up -- saying, "Every time he goes out there and defeats fighters, he's standing up. He's in a boxing position and he's beating fighters."

Ex-UFC heavyweight champ Frank Mir tells TMZ Sports he will probably NOT fight the 2 year ban he just got from the USADA for a banned substance ... and will likely look to fight in another country instead.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency says Mir failed a drug test following his UFC Fight Night 85 bout with Mark Hunt and hit him with a retroactive 2 year ban that will end in about 11 months.

But 37-year-old Mir tells TMZ Sports he doesn't wanna wait around -- "I'll keep looking for ways to fight."

Could 5'3", 125 pound Demetrious Johnson beat up a massive NFL linebacker in a real-life bar fight???

That's what we asked the UFC flyweight champ ... and he had a pretty good idea how things would go down.

Here's the deal ... DJ is considered one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time -- but we really wanted to know if things got violent in the real world, does skill trump size and brute strength??

Arianny Celeste says she's super happy for Ronda Rousey -- congratulating the UFC legend on her recent engagement to Travis Browne.

Remember, Ronda and Arianny clashed during Ronda's fighting days -- but now, it appears it's all water under the bridge.

In fact, the UFC's most famous Octagon girl praised Ronda for paving the way for female fighters in the UFC and called on the fighting organization to do something special for its biggest star.

See ... what beef?

Tyron Woodley wants big fights -- and he's not afraid to name names ... telling TMZ Sports he wants a piece of Georges St-Pierre if he can't get Conor McGregor.

The UFC welterweight champ co-hosted the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs Thursday night on FS1) -- and told us why he's lost respect for the great GSP.

By the way, Woodley is GREAT on the show tonight -- hitting everything from Ronda Rousey's engagement to the fight at the Royals game and even tells us why Vin Diesel "pulled up" on him at the "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" premiere this week.

Ronda Rousey is getting married!!!

The UFC superstar just revealed she's engaged to her UFC fighter boyfriend, Travis Browne -- who she's been dating since 2015.

Browne popped the question with a massive diamond ring -- and said he proposed under a waterfall in New Zealand about a week ago because "it felt like the right place to do it."

Ronda says she hopes the wedding will be soon -- but says she also doesn't know what goes into planning a wedding ... so, she's keeping an open mind about the date.

Congrats!!!

We reached out Dana White who says, "I'm very happy for Ronda and I'm looking forward to the wedding!"

Cody Garbrandt says Demetrious Johnson better ice up ... 'cause he's coming for the UFC legend right after he smashes through T.J. Dillashaw.

Cody and TJ are set to square off at UFC 213 in July -- it will be Cody's first fight since winning the UFC bantamweight championship back in December. The two hate each other's guts and are coaching opposite each other on "The Ultimate Fighter 25" which premiers tonight on FS1.

But after they square off in the Octagon, Cody tells TMZ Sports he wants Mighty Mouse -- and says meeting DJ at the 125 pounds won't be a problem.

How's this for optimism ... Dana White says the Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather fight is now "probably going to happen" ... and he's focused on getting a deal done ASAP.

UFC superstar Demetrious Johnson says he's dead serious about a fight with Conor McGregor -- explaining that stepping up to The Notorious is his best chance of making a 7-figure payday.

Johnson just beat up Wilson Reis for his 10th title defense in a row -- but despite his UFC dominance, Demetrious still hasn't gotten that fat million dollar check.

Long story short, Mighty Mouse knows the road to riches is through Conor ... despite the significant weight difference.

Demetrious just fought at 125lbs. Conor's last fight was at 155.

DJ says he can't get all the way up to 155 -- but says he's confident the two sides could work something out ... and says it would be a much easier fight to make than Floyd Mayweather.

With Ronda Rousey's MMA career seemingly over, there's another rising female fighter who believes she can be the next great UFC superstar ... Rose Namajunas.

The 24-year-old face-basher joined the guys on the "TMZ Sports" TV show on FS1 after her impressive victory over Michelle Waterson this weekend ... and didn't shy away from the Rousey comparison.

While she's not super into making a career turn into acting, there is one side of Hollywood she'd like to infiltrate ... and she'd be damn good at it too.

Daniel Cormier says he definitely wants in on the Mayweather vs. McGregor fight ... telling TMZ Sports he'd be cool taking 2nd billing in exchange for "life-changing money."

Of course, the fight would be Cormier vs. Jon Jones -- a rematch that would headline any other card.

Cormier says he hasn't been involved in any talks to appear on the card (probably because the main fight hasn't been made yet) ... but if it comes to fruition, he wants in.

"Any human being that gets part of the Pay-per-view would definitely want to be a part of that," Cormier says, "If you are on a card with Mayweather and McGregor, and me and Jon Jones. It would do ridiculous numbers. You'd get paid."

Regardless if the mega fight happens ... D.C. says there's 1 thing he's gotta do to cap off his career ... beat Jon Jones.

Sorry, Anthony "Rumble" Johnson fans, your hero is NEVER coming back ... so says UFC Champ Tyron Woodley,who tells TMZ Sports he knows what Rumble's next move is, and it ain't fighting.

We got Tyron out and asked him if he thought Rumble was done for good, or if there was a chance he'd pull a Jay Z, Michael Jordan type deal and change his mind.