MMA

UFC star Max Holloway is calling for a tag team match -- a 2-on-1 meg-brawl with Cub Swanson and Frankie Edgar ... and let's be honest, THAT SOUNDS AWESOME!!!

TMZ Sports spoke with Holloway about the next man on his hit list -- and he told us he's ready to fight both dudes ... even if it's at the same time.

Yeah, we know it ain't gonna happen -- but we can dream, right?

UFC lightweight Michael Johnson has a message for the UFC -- vacate Conor McGregor's belt already!!

"Who knows when he's gonna come back?" Johnson told TMZ Sports. "As I look at the division, I don't see a champion right now."

FYI -- McGregor hasn't defended his 155-pound title since winning it way back in November. Clearly, Johnson's not convinced Conor will return to the octagon after making BANK boxing Mayweather.

As for Johnson ... he's fighting an undefeated Justin Gaethje in the main event of Friday night's "The Ultimate Fighter" finale -- looking to move one step closer to Conor's gold with a W.

Gaethje's a scary dude -- seriously, go watch his highlights -- but MJ says he's shook ... and promises to wreck the UFC newcomer for talkin' smack.

If the sight of blood makes you sick ... it's probably too late.

Here's UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov bleeding more than he ever has in a cage ... giving up his back to the medieval practice of wet cupping (aka "Hijama").

FYI, cupping's a form of Eastern medicine that's meant to detoxify blood ... but it's rare you see a celeb messing with Hijama -- which involves making actual incisions.

It's not the most visually appealing process, but Khabib -- a practicing Muslim -- says it's the medicine of the prophet Muhammad (according to the Google translation of his Instagram caption).

Ronda Rousey says some "little punks" with a death wish broke into her home a few months ago and jacked everything from guns to Olympic rings and jewelry ... but her fiance tracked down the perps.

Aaron Rajman, a teammate of several UFC superstars at the American Top Team (ATT) gym, was murdered during a home invasion in Boca Raton, Florida ... local authorities announced on Tuesday.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office say several men got into an argument with Rajman after entering the fighter's house late Monday night ... firing at least one shot before fleeing the scene. Rajman, who just turned 25, passed away the next day.

Detectives told the Sun Sentinel they're treating this as a homicide. There are currently no motives or suspects in the case.

Rajman was famous for being one of the few orthodox Jews in MMA. He often talked about his religion publicly -- though it's unclear if he was targeted for that reason.

A local fight promoter says Rajman's teammates at ATT are in shock.

UFC champions Amanda Nunes and Joanna Jedrzejczyk, as well as former heavyweight champ Junior dos Santos, are some of the gym's higher-profile members.

UFC fighter Sam Alvey is usually the one bringing the pain on the mat ... but he had the tables turned on him when he got choked out by a U.S. soldier in Iraq.

UFC rising star Robert Whittaker is hungry to fight the best, and Michael Bisping AIN'T IT -- even though he's the champ in their division.

The way Whittaker sees it, Bisping's fragile ass hasn't done much of anything since winning the middleweight belt last year ... so he and Yoel Romero are fighting to see who's really #1 at UFC 213.

"I want to fight the top of the food chain," Bobby Knuckles told TMZ Sports. "Bisping's out ... he hasn't fought a dude in the top 10 in a long time."

FYI: Bisping's only title defense was against 46-year-old Dan Henderson.

UFC badass Valentina Shevchenko is down to rumble with Ronda Rousey ... but don't get it twisted -- she's gotta put a beatdown on Amanda Nunes first.

Shevchenko told TMZ Sports the champ is getting SLEPT when they do the dance at UFC 213 ... Valentina says she's been training her ass off to avenge the L Nunes hung on her at UFC 196 -- and the new version of herself is too damn dangerous.

And once it's night-night for Amanda, Ronda can get hers -- if she wants it. Shev says that's up to her.

FYI, Rousey's kinda busy right now ... crushing obstacle courses on "Battle of the Network Stars."

UFC rising star Kevin Lee had no idea someone had pooped in the Octagon before his match with Michael Chiesa on Sunday until AFTER the fight ... and jokes, "There shoulda been a disclaimer!"

Lee (along with guest co-host Tyron Woodley) joined the guys on the "TMZ Sports" TV show and talked about Justine Kish soiling the mat in the fight before the main event.

A UFC fighter got the literal crap beat out of her Sunday night -- and left the proof INSIDE THE OCTAGON!!

The fighter is Justine Kish -- who was trying to wriggle her way out of a killer rear naked choke courtesy of Felice Herrig during "UFC Fight Night" in Oklahoma last night ... when her bowels betrayed her.

Kish lost the fight ... and the contents of her colon.

UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes was badly injured in a car accident in Illinois on Friday when a truck he was in collided with a moving train, law enforcement tells TMZ Sports.

We're told the accident occurred at 10:39 AM. Law enforcement says 1 person was transported to a hospital with serious injuries. Dana White says that injured person is in fact Hughes.

Investigators are at the crash site trying to figure out what went wrong.

White says Hughes suffered head trauma and his family is on their way out to be with him.

Hughes is a UFC Hall of Famer -- a 2-time welterweight champion who beat stars like GSP, BJ Penn and Royce Gracie. He last fought in the UFC in 2011.

Earlier this year, he mulled a comeback.

Nate Diaz says he's not waiting around to fight Conor McGregor for a 3rd time -- but he's not exactly closing the door on it either.

With McGregor tied up with Floyd for the next two months, many are wondering if the Irish superstar will ever return to MMA ... and who he'll fight if he gets back in the Octagon.

So, when we saw Nate out in L.A. Wednesday night, we had to ask if he's down to complete their trilogy.

"We'll see," Diaz told us ... "I've got a lot of stuff going on."

Obviously, a McGregor vs. Diaz rematch would be huge -- the first two fights were epic. Plus, Nate would undoubtedly get a massive paycheck.

Dana White has said he's reached out to both Nate and his brother Nick to book fights -- and neither guy will sign a contract. White says he's not sure either guy will ever fight in the UFC again.

But if the price is right ....

Daniel Cormier says the "Happiest Place on Earth" could be hell for Jon Jones -- telling TMZ Sports if JJ crashes his Disneyland date, he'll fight him right on the damn Matterhorn.

DC says he's already got his victory celebration planned after he beats Jones at UFC 214 in July -- and it's a family fun day at the Magic Kingdom.

And if Jones tries to spoil the fun, Cormier says he'll go all Jack Sparrow on his ass.

Luke Rockhold says he wants to settle things with Michael Bisping once and for all -- telling TMZ Sports he's 100% down for a 3rd fight with the UFC star ... when Bisping's healthy enough to go.

Rockhold hasn't fought since June 2016 -- when he lost to Bisping in their rematch, evening their rivalry at 1-1.

So, when we spotted Rockhold out in Bev Hills on Wednesday we asked WHEN he's getting back in the Octagon and who he wants to fight next.

What's interesting ... Luke says he's down to fight at UFC 213 in July if anything happens to Yoel Romero or Robert Whittaker.

There's more ... we also asked about catching the garter at Daniel Cormier's wedding -- and if he plans on getting married anytime soon. Guess how that turned out ...

MMA superstar Chael Sonnen is a HUUUUGE fan of Donald Trump -- both personally and politically -- but says it's time for his friend to do something no one expects ... forgive Kathy Griffin.

Sonnen tells TMZ Sports ... Kathy's gruesome photo shoot with a beheaded, bloody Trump face definitely crossed the line -- and her attempt at shock comedy failed big time.

But now that Kathy has apologized and admitted she messed up, Sonnen is encouraging the President to accept it ... saying it would be a "really cool move."

Sonnen says he knows Trump won't take his advice -- but he makes a strong case.

UFC superstar Max Holloway says Conor McGregor is yesterday's news in the UFC ... and he's the man of the hour.

Holloway -- the UFC lightweight interim champ who's fighting at UFC 212 -- joined the guys on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) and was asked how he felt about The Notorious.

"Conor was the 2015 champion. We're in the year 2017," Holloway says ... "It's about defending your whatever."

Conor defeated Holloway back in 2013 and eventually won the featherweight title in 2015 ... only to leave the division and take the lightweight title from Eddie Alvarez in 2016.