MMA

You're probably not reading this because you're still staring at Sage Northcutt and Eddie Alvarez's irresistible washboard abs ... so, we'll wait.

...

...

... Okay, ready?

HOLY CRAP, LOOK AT THESE GUYS!!! Sage and Eddie were out promoting ONE Championship in L.A. earlier this week ... when our camera guy was thirsty for some 6-packs.

The fighters happily oblige to show off their hard-earned bods ... but when we tried to pin them up against each other for an epic ab-off, say "new vs. experienced" ... they refused.

So, we'll take matters into our own hands -- on your left, you have the 23-year-old Northcutt (new) ... and on the right, you have the 35-year-old Underground King (experienced).

Check out what each guy has to say about each other (they're too damn nice for their own good).

WHO HAS THE BEST ABS!?!?! WE MUST KNOW.

Jon Jones says he's gunning to fight 4 TIMES in 2019 -- and wants to keep that pace as long as he can -- telling TMZ Sports he's already got some high-profile opponents in mind.

Israel Adesanya. Johnny Walker. Thiago Santos.

Yeah, Jones says he's down to fight 'em all ... right after he takes care of Anthony Smith at UFC 235 on Saturday.

Of course, people have been comparing Israel Adesanya to Jones ... saying the 29-year-old has a similar physique, fight style and fight IQ.

Jon's clearly aware of all the talk out there and says he's "got a feeling me and him will eventually fight each other."

"I'd be excited for that challenge."

Israel is on a pretty impressive run of his own -- he's 16-0 -- with big wins over guys like Anderson Silva, Derek Brunson and Brad Tavares.

He's also on track to fight Kelvin Gastelum for the UFC interim middleweight title at UFC 236 on April 13.

As for Johnny Walker, he's on an 8-fight win streak and has been creating all sorts of buzz for himself after a big victory over Justin Ledet at UFC Fight Night on February 2.

"My job is to knock 'em down as they come," Jones tells TMZ Sports ... "My job is just to be like a brick wall."

Jones says he feels bad for missing so much time due to outside-the-Octagon issues -- and wants to repay the fans by fighting as much as possible over the next few years ... 3 to 4 fights a year.

UFC legend Matt Hughes is adamant he NEVER physically abused his wife and nephew -- and claims they're all making up false allegations to drive him out of their lives.

Long story short ... Hughes says he's "not the same person" since his accident -- when a train slammed into his truck in 2017, resulting in a serious brain injury.

"Since my train accident in June of 2017, my life has been changed forever. Some days have been absolute hell," Hughes says.

"The challenges and battles that I have faced have been far greater than anything I ever took on in a cage ... everyday I continue to try to be as normal as someone with a brain injury can be."

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Matt's wife and nephew both obtained restraining orders against him, claiming he's gotten violent and they're scared for their safety.

In fact, Matt's wife claims he attacked her on multiple occasions and threatened to shoot her.

Matt responded to those allegations in a statement posted to social media -- saying the accusations are false.

"Unfortunately, my marriage was not perfect long before the accident, but NEVER, NEVER, NEVER would I, or have I, physically hurt those who I care about most."

"I do not resent those who are trying to hurt me and paint me out to be a monster through these false accusations."

Matt says he also believes his family members are trying to rid him from their lives because he's become a burden due to his brain injury.

Jon Jones tells TMZ Sports he wants to be the first MMA fighter to finish his career with a 50-0 record -- becoming the Floyd Mayweather of the sport -- and he's 100% confident he can do it.

First things first ... we know Jones already has 1 loss on his record, but it's because Jon was disqualified for throwing illegal elbows in a fight he was otherwise dominating. Clearly, Jones doesn't consider that an official loss.

Instead, Jon views himself as unbeaten in the Octagon with a 24-0 record (instead of 23-1) -- and says he plans to chalk up another 26 victories ... starting with Anthony Smith on Saturday at UFC 235.

After that, Jones says he realizes he's on a collision course with Daniel Cormier ... but says it's unlikely they will fight at heavyweight unless the bag is gigantic.

"[The UFC] can convince me to fight Daniel Cormier," Jones says ... "We give the fans what they want to see."

As far as that 50 win mark, Jon explained it this way -- "I think 50-0 would be a really great number ... no one's ever done it. That puts you up there with Mayweather and some of the all-time greats in boxing."

"I'm 31 years old and I believe the best is yet to come."

Jones says he's got the best team around him that he's ever had and says he feels great.

While Jones is considered by many to be the greatest UFC fighter of all time, it ain't gonna be easy to get to 50-0.

Daniel Cormier better watch out ... there's a new guy comin' for the UFC heavyweight belt -- ex-NBA player Royce White!!

The 6'8", 260-pounder announced he's now transitioning to MMA and even has a full-time coach in Minnesota.

In his new book "MMA x NBA," the 27-year-old says he's dead serious about becoming a pro fighter -- and he's got some BIG goals.

“I’m coming for the UFC Heavyweight Crown,” RW told The Last Renaissance.

He's even hooked up with famed MMA coach Greg Nelson -- who has trained UFC stars like Brock Lesnar.

It's an interesting move for White who's been making headlines for years -- both for his athletic talent and his fight with the NBA and Houston Rockets over the way they deal with mental health issues.

White's story is pretty well-known ... after dominating at Iowa State, he was selected 16th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft ... but didn't make his NBA debut until 2014 due to a dispute with the Houston Rockets over his mental health condition.

White was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder in grade school -- he's openly talked about how the condition affects many facets of his life, especially flying.

Royce was drafted by the Rockets and immediately became openly outspoken for mental health awareness in the NBA, a stance he believes strained his relationship with league officials.

After a short stint with the Sacramento Kings, White picked up his basketball career in the National Basketball League of Canada, where he was league MVP in 2017.

But, if White is serious about getting a UFC contract, it seems he's leaving basketball for good ... with UFC honcho Dana White having talked about the insane commitment it takes to fight with the best in the world.

Boxing champ Claressa Shields -- a 2-time Olympic gold medalist -- says UFC star Amanda Nunes would get a RUDE AWAKENING if they ever fought ... explaining, "I T-Rex bitches!"

23-year-old Shields is the biggest star in women's boxing right now -- she's the undisputed, unified champ in TWO weight classes with an 8-0 pro record. She's a BEAST!!!

She's also very close with Cris Cyborg -- and was at UFC 232 back in December when Cyborg got knocked out by Nunes.

So, we asked if she's down to avenge her friend ... and she told us she's 100% confident she would destroy the Brazilian superstar.

First off, Shields says she'd need a year of hardcore MMA training to become the baddest woman in the Octagon -- but if Nunes wanted to step in the boxing ring, she'd beat that ass right now.

"Amanda Nunes caught Cris Cyborg because Cris Cyborg went in there wild and crazy," Shields says.

"We got 10 rounds. Amanda Nunes can't beat me in a boxing match."

"Myself, I'm the G.O.A.T. I'm the greatest woman of all time!"

Shields says she's not interested in an MMA fight right now -- but she's not ruling it out down the line.

Right now, she's focused on her April 13 fight against undefeated German superstar Christina Hammer.

Conor McGregor would be STUPID to take a rematch with Khabib Nurmagomedov because it's a fight he'll never win ... ever ... so says Eddie Alvarez.

Of course, Eddie battled Conor back in 2016 at UFC 205 and lost via TKO in the 2nd round -- so he's well aware of what Conor's capable of doing in the Octagon.

But, Eddie says Khabib's wrestling is just too much for Conor -- the Irishman can't stop the Dagestani's ground game -- and if they run their 2018 fight back, it ain't gonna go well for McGregor.

"He can't overcome the style matchup," Alvarez says ... "Khabib just has a style that beats him. That's it."

There's another issue ... Eddie isn't convinced Khabib actually wants to fight again -- and thinks we may have seen the last of The Eagle.

As for Eddie, he's gearing up for his March 31 battle with Timofey Nastyukhin at the ONE Championship: A New Era event in Japan.

**ATTENTION DEGENERATE GAMBLERS**

UFC star Anthony Smith says you can make a TON of cash betting on him to knock out Jon Jones at UFC 235 this weekend ... telling TMZ Sports, it's a safe bet.

Of course, Smith is a huge underdog in the fight ... the current line is Jones (-950) and Smith (+575).

In other words, if you bet $100 on Smith to win, it pays $575. If you bet on Jones, you need to plunk down $950 just to make a $100 profit.

But, Smith tells us, "If you wanna make some money, throw some money on me, man!!! If you don't and you bet against me, I'm sorry you're gonna lose your money."

Check out the clip ... Smith looks locked in and tells us exactly how he plans on beating Jones, who some call the greatest fighter in UFC history.

"I'm gonna finish Jon Jones," Smith says.

"I'm gonna put this fist on his chin and he's gonna go down. And, whether he stays down is up to him. But, if he gets back up, I'll do it again."

Anthony is currently on a 3-fight win streak -- with 6 wins in his last 7 fights. He's got solid victories over guys like Shogun Rua, Rashad Evans and Volkan Oezdemir.

UFC legend Matt Hughes has been ordered to stay 500-feet away from his wife -- who claims Matt has physically attacked her multiple times and once threatened to shoot her.

It's all part of court docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, in which Audra Hughes describes a disturbing pattern of violence and abusive behavior beginning in 2017.

Remember, the UFC Hall of Famer nearly died when a train struck his truck in a June 2017 accident that left Hughes with a serious brain injury.

But, Audra says shortly after he recovered from the trauma in September or October 2017 ... he roughed her up badly in the shower.

Audra claims she refused to give Matt his truck keys, saying, "I told him he can't have them because he shouldn't drive due to his DAI (brain injury)."

She alleges Matt then snapped ... choked her -- and asked her for the code to his gun vault.

When Audra refused again ... she says Matt choked her again, smashed her head against the shower wall and screamed, "This is what choking is!"

Audra says nearly a year later on July 21, 2018 ... Matt told her, "I'm going to f*cking shoot you," because she took his phone, claiming, "he was communicating with multiple women."

Audra also says just a few months later, on Dec. 12, 2018 ... Matt hit her in front of her son, their daughter and her step-dad after she accused him of texting other women.

Audra filed for a restraining order the following day ... and a judge has since ordered the fighter to stay at least 500-feet away from Audra and their children.

There's more ... Matt's twin brother, Mark Hughes -- a retired MMA fighter who competed at UFC 28 in 2000 -- has also filed for a restraining order against the 45-year-old, alleging Matt roughed up his son and tried to destroy his tractor.

Mark says the two had a disagreement over which brother actually OWNS the tractor ... and when Matt saw Mark's 15-year-old son driving it sometime later on Sept. 23, 2018 -- he lost it on the kid.

Mark alleges Matt grabbed his son, shook him and told him that's his "f*cking tractor."

Mark also says a week later on Sept. 30, 2018 ... he believes Matt doused the tractor and its surrounding area in gasoline -- and suspects he was trying to destroy it.

Mark filed for a restraining order the next day ... which a judge granted -- ordering Matt to stay away from his brother and his family.

Matt was a 2x UFC Welterweight Champion and piled up a career 45-9 record with victories over legends including Georges St-Pierre, BJ Penn and Matt Serra.

He was recently recognized as a guest of honor on January 14, 2018, at UFC Fight Night in St. Louis.

Evander Holyfield says Deontay Wilder is the best heavyweight in the world ... and he believes that because the most skilled guy, Anthony Joshua, is too scared to put it on the line to be the best.

We got the Real Deal at LAX, and asked the former 4-time Heavyweight champ who he thinks is the best fighter out of Wilder, Joshua, and the unkillable Tyson Fury.

Holyfield seems to think the argument is between Wilder and Joshua and gives Deontay the edge because of one HUGE problem he has with AJ.

"Skills-wise, I can say Anthony Joshua, but he won't fight. Until you fight somebody it don't really make a difference."

Evander isn't the only one critical of Joshua's matchmaking ... AJ has been widely mocked for ducking Wilder, and now some people don't think he's in any rush to fight Fury either.

Random boxing Twitter peeps are one thing ... criticism from a top heavyweight fighter of all-time? That might be enough to make Joshua pay attention.

UFC rising star Mackenzie Dern just revealed she's PREGNANT -- but assures her fans she'll get back in the Octagon to fight again after the baby is born.

The 25-year-old is 7-0 as a pro MMA fighter -- with 2 of those wins in the UFC -- and she's been hailed as "the next Ronda Rousey" because of her dominant ground game.

But, her career will be put on hold for a while because Dern -- who's dating Brazilian pro surfer Wesley Santos -- is now with child.

"God makes everything so perfect! I am so happy to be able to share this news! I’m going to be a Mom," Mackenzie posted.

"I love so much our family and now I have one more HUGE motivation for inside and outside the ring!! Thank you God for this blessing."

As for her fighting future, Dern says ... "I can’t wait to be back in the ring!"

Congrats!

Dern is considered one of the top female jiu-jitsu practitioners in the world. She famously defeated Gabi Garcia at the 2015 World Pro Open.

Dern made her UFC debut in March 2018 -- defeating Ashley Yoder at UFC 222. She fought again in May 2018, beating Amanda Cooper in the 1st round at UFC 224.

During her May fight, Dern weighed in 7 pounds over the strawweight limit of 116 and she was fined 30% of her purse.

Unclear when the baby is due and when Dern expects to return to the Octagon.

UFC champ Tyron Woodley says he tried like hell to get a fight deal done with Georges St-Pierre behind-the-scenes FOR YEARS -- but the Canadian superstar just wouldn't sign a contract.

Woodley says he has tremendous respect for GSP -- and is congratulating him on an incredible run in the UFC ... but Tyron admits he's sad he never got an opportunity to test his mettle against one of the greatest of all time.

Tyron says he initiated the talks with the UFC -- and they went to Georges to try and make a deal -- but GSP ultimately felt like there was too much risk and not enough reward to accept the challenge.

Remember, Tyron had GSP as a guest on 'The Hollywood Beatdown' in 2017 and asked Georges straight-up to agree to a fight ... but GSP wouldn't commit.

Woodley says he completely understands why GSP ultimately never gave him the fight -- and tells us he's not even mad at the guy.

It's over ... UFC legend Georges St-Pierre just officially announced his retirement from mixed martial arts -- saying, "It takes a lot of discipline, though, to retire on top."

The 37-year-old is widely considered one of the greatest UFC fighters of all time -- some say the best -- racking up a 26-2 record and 3 UFC titles in his 17-year career in the Octagon.

GSP has signature victories over stars like Nick Diaz, Matt Serra, Matt Hughes, Carlos Condit, B.J. Penn (twice)... and most recently Michael Bisping.

During his press conference, GSP thanked Dana White, Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta and other key UFC people.

He also thanked UFC legend Royce Gracie for inspiring him to start MMA back in the day, and thanked Wayne Gretzky for being such an influential Canadian role model.

"I always wanted to be like Wayne Gretzky."

GSP says he's not sad about retiring -- "No tears, I'm very happy to do it."

"It takes a lot of discipline to retire on top ... you should retire on top and that is very hard to do."

As for one final fight with Khabib Nurmagomedov, Georges said he started negotiating with Khabib's camp but "the UFC had other plans."

"I wish Khabib the best of luck. I think he's the best fighter right now ... he's a great guy. I love to watch him fight and I can't wait to see what's next for him."

Khabib Nurmagomedov ain't happy with reports about Georges St-Pierre retiring from MMA on Thursday -- and wants the UFC legend to enter the Octagon one last time ... so they can finally fight!!!

ESPN's Ariel Helwani says GSP has made up his mind and will end his 15-year run with the UFC -- during which he racked up an amazing 26-2 record while winning multiple titles.

But, Khabib wants him to reconsider -- saying, "Let’s do it in November. After this fight you can retire."

Khabib added, "I grow up on your fights, and have nothing but respect for you, and I believe showed that to you George when you were in Moscow."

"But, it would be honor for me to share Octagon with one of the greatest fighters of all time."

"Let’s do it 155 lbs, or I give away 5lbs to you, cause you newer done 155. Well, it’s your choice 155 or 160, Montreal, NYC, Moscow or Abu Dhabi. Send me location my Friend."

Helwani says GSP had hoped to get a fight deal done with Khabib -- but it never materialized. And, instead of looking for another opponent, Georges decided to retire.

He hasn't fought since 2016 ... but Cain Velasquez says he's still a BEAST in the Octagon -- and after he runs through Francis Ngannou, he's confident he could take Jon Jones.

36-year-old Cain is squaring off with Francis on Feb. 17 -- his first fight since defeating Travis Browne at UFC 200 in July 2016. After that fight, Cain was sidelined with bone spurs in his back.

But now, the former 2-time UFC heavyweight champ says he's been training like a maniac and feels like his old self -- and he's ready to compete with the best in the world ... including Jones.

"I think I could beat him," Cain told us ... "I think I'm good enough."

"Jon Jones is an amazing athlete. I've watched him in all his fights. I know what he's capable of. Every guy poses a great challenge. I think he does as well."

Of course, he's gotta get through Ngannou first ... which ain't gonna be easy. That dude's a monster.

MMA fighter Josh Copeland -- who just fought (and lost) in the $1 MILLION match at PFL 11 -- was arrested for domestic violence after allegedly punching his wife so hard in the face, he left her bloodied and bruised.

It's all detailed in the police report obtained by TMZ Sports ... law enforcement in Adams County, Colorado raced to the couple's home on Feb. 2 after reports of an attack.

When they arrived at the home, Copeland's wife had "an obvious bruise on her left eye, a cut and was bleeding. There was blood down the front of her face and neck."

Copeland's wife said the two had been arguing -- when 36-year-old Josh pushed her so she pushed him back.

The two continued to attack each other -- with Copeland's wife admitting she slapped him in the face multiple times.

Finally, Copeland's wife said the 6'1", 265-pound fighter "then punched her in the face" and threw her on the bed. She says Copeland also took her phone so she couldn't call for help. Cops say they later found her phone in Josh's pocket.

Cops say Josh had redness and blood on his face -- but did not remember punching his wife.

Copeland's wife was transported to a nearby hospital. Josh was arrested and booked for second-degree assault, obstruction and child abuse ... since the whole incident allegedly took place in front of their child.

Copeland is due back in court next week.

Copeland is 18 and 6 as a pro-MMA fighter -- and even had a stint in the UFC in 2014 and 2015.