MMA

Soooo ... friends?!?!

Here's Dana White and Floyd Mayweather sitting RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER at the Clippers vs. Celtics game in L.A. ... and it begs the question -- you talk business or what?!

Mayweather's been floating the idea of taking an MMA fight for YEARS -- even back in February, he said, "I can go get a deal right now from the UFC. Probably 3-fight, 4-fight, BILLION-dollar deal if that's what I wanted."

Floyd's also teased a possible Conor McGregor rematch, a fight with Khabib and more.

So, is that what you want? Dana's right there! You guys work it out?!

Probably not ... but ya gotta wonder what they DID talk about.

Of course, Dana is a hardcore Boston guy which is why he was at the game. Floyd's a regular at Staples Center, he supports both the Clippers and the Lakers.

Alberto Del Rio says he's so deadly serious about beating Tito Ortiz in his upcoming MMA fight, he's been training with legit killers like Bellator champ Ryan Bader.

"I moved to Phoenix to train with the best [fighters] on the planet," the 42-year-old, ex-WWE superstar tells TMZ Sports ... "I haven't seen my kids in 12 weeks, I'm completely focused."

FYI, Bader is an MMA monster -- he's the reigning Bellator heavyweight champ and has wins over guys like Rampage Jackson, Fedor Emelianenko and Rashad Evans.

Del Rio -- aka Alberto El Patron -- has a background in MMA, he's 9-5 as a pro but hasn't been inside the cage in almost 10 years.

But, Alberto says he's been training like a maniac -- and even suffered a nasty gash over his right eye during a training session.

Ya gotta watch the video, Alberto gets extremely candid about a BUNCH of interesting topics, including ...

-- Addressing critics who think he's a joke because of his pro-wrestling background

-- Discussing a possible return to the WWE and his relationship with Vince McMahon

-- Why he believes the Tito fight is his last MMA fight (We call BS right to his face.)

-- Why he respects CM Punk

-- Alberto names a current WWE superstar who would be a great MMA fighter

Great news regarding one of the greats ... Randy Couture is BACK in the Hollywood scene less than a month after a serious heart attack -- and he seems better than ever!!

"Everything's great, man," Couture told us on the way out of a late dinner at Craig's with his longtime girlfriend, Mindy Robinson ... "I feel amazing!"

TMZ Sports broke the story ... the 56-year-old UFC Hall of Famer was hospitalized on Oct. 23 after experiencing chest pains and underwent emergency surgery to remove a clot in his Diagonal artery.

But, Couture is so damn tough, he WALKED HOME from the hospital just 3 days later.

Now, Couture says he's been working with doctors and "everything's back to normal."

One of the issues with Randy ... doctors told him he's got thick blood, something he needs to monitor. But, it sounds like Randy's all over it.

We also spoke with Couture -- a military veteran -- about Conor McGregor's $1 million donation to first responders ... and if the move can help CM's badly damaged image.

Couture also dished out some post-MMA career advice to the recently retired Ben Askren.

UFC star Ben Askren wants you to know ... he's retiring, NOT DYING -- and he's got big plans for his life after MMA.

The 35-year-old says a hip injury is forcing him to cut his fighting career short -- which sucks -- but Askren says, "My life didn't effin' end! I'm ready to go destroy my next project!"

So, what's on deck for Askren? A lot ... from opening wrestling gyms to coaching, to a possible on-air MMA commentary career.

"I think there's a chance, I think I'm gonna give it a try," says Askren, who's known as one of the most charismatic guys in MMA.

"I've got a lot of people encouraging me to give it a try. I'm still not sure if I'm gonna like it or not. I'm up for debate on that one."

As for a possible fighting future, Askren says his medical condition will PROBABLY keep him from taking another pro bout ... but he's been speaking to other wrestlers who've been through the same situation, and there's hope.

Askren says he's spoken with guys who have fully recovered from the procedure he's planning to get, which is encouraging -- but he's certainly not committing to a comeback.

Conor McGregor's whiskey is officially one year old ... but the UFC superstar didn't celebrate by getting himself a present -- he's donating a MILLION dollars to a good cause instead!!!

The Notorious announced the milestone of his Proper 12 whiskey on Tuesday ... showing off his pipes by singing "Happy Birthday" to the green bottle and holding up a cake.

"What a journey it has been so far!" Conor said on Instagram. "I am so thankful to you all for your support and love of PROPER No. TWELVE!"

McGregor revealed his company's got a master plan to give back ... donating $5 per case (up to $1 million) each year to first responders.

"In the New Year, we will begin donating the first million dollars to first responder organizations. My team is vetting it all out now to be sure it goes into the proper hands."

Conor launched the company after making around $85 million for the Floyd Mayweather fight ... and the company's expanded to 8 countries so far.

A 26-year-old female amateur MMA fighter died Sunday morning ... just one day after collapsing in the ring following a brutal loss at an event in England.

The Hampshire Police Dept. confirmed they were called to Southampton General Hospital around 1 AM on Sunday to respond to a woman who suffered a life-threatening brain injury.

The woman, Saeideh Aletaha, had competed at the Fast & Furious Fight series event at Central Hall in Southampton, England on Saturday ... and reportedly collapsed in the ring.

According to local reports, an ambulance was called to the venue around 9 PM and Aletaha was rushed to the hospital in "a serious and life-threatening condition."

Cops say Aletaha died at the hospital Sunday morning -- and they're now investigating her death.

Organizers behind the F&FFS event posted a statement early Monday morning essentially saying Aletaha knew what she signed up for ...

"All competitors get in [the ring] prepared that they may be injured and this is something not expected to happen 99.9% of the time."

FFS organizers say they had a full medical team on-site -- with doctors, paramedics and an ambulance -- along with an "experienced team of staff with numerous first aiders."

Exile Gym, where Aletaha trained, posted a tribute to the fighter ... saying, "Saeideh Aletaha was a lovely character with a beautiful soul. Her dedication to the sport was 110% travelling miles every day just to train."

"She found her place with us just a few months ago but has become apart of the family and will be sorely missed."

UFC star Ben Askren is calling it a career -- the 35-year-old is officially retiring from MMA after revealing his hip is shot.

Askren broke the news on Ariel Helwani's MMA Show on Monday saying, "I'm retiring from the sport of MMA. Frankly, I'm retiring from everything."

The biggest issue for Askren -- widely considered one of the best grapplers in the world -- is his jacked-up hip ... which he's been dealing with for the past few years.

In fact, Askren says his doctor is recommending a full hip replacement -- and since he's already 35, it ain't exactly a recipe for a comeback.

"I got really emotional the other day because I just started thinking about all the great experiences I've had and how lucky I've been to have the amount of success I've had," Askren said.

Ben was famously included in the blockbuster UFC, ONE Championship trade back in 2018 involving MMA legend Demetrious Johnson.

Askren raised eyebrows right away -- defeating Robbie Lawler in his first UFC fight -- but things went south in 2019 when he was knocked out by Jorge Masvidal in 5 seconds.

It got worse when Askren fought Demian Maia in Oct. 2019 and lost by submission in the 3rd round. It became clear to Ben he couldn't continue to compete at the highest levels.

Asken (19-2) wasn't just a stud fighter -- he's also one of the most entertaining personalities in the sport and will surely find a career in broadcasting now that he's done in the Octagon.

The MMA fighter who beat up TWO guys in a bathroom stall in a WILD brawl caught on video is telling TMZ Sports why he was attacked in the first place ... and it's INSANE!!!

The man at the center of the scuffle in the s**tter is ex-UFC fighter Jason Knight -- who now competes in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

In other words, HE'S THE WRONG GUY TO FIGHT IN A BATHROOM!

Knight tells us ... he was taking a leak at a club in Mobile, Alabama back in December when he heard two other guys in the bathroom complaining about their wives.

Knight says he jokingly yelled out, "F**k his wife" thinking it would a get a laugh -- but instead, the comment REALLY pissed off the pissers and they bum-rushed him in his stall.

"They snatched my stall door open and started talking crazy to me," Knight says ... and that's when he knew it was time to throw down.

You can see in the video ... Knight's backed up against the toilet, yet still manages to WAIL on the two assailants, landing some solid shots to the head in the process.

"I gave 'em the ol' shoulder shrug and I hit the big guy first. I was trying to put him down and make sure that it was a 1-on-1 fight, instead of a 2-on-1 fight. Either way, I pretty much put him down with the first couple punches. All he wanted to do after that was hug me."

"I think they were expecting me to kinda beg my way out of the stall, and then they beat me to a pulp right there in that little stall. But, I'm not the one to beg my way out. So, I figure, let's fight it out and see what happens."

Oh, in case you wondering ... 27-year-old Knight is 20-6 as a pro-MMA fighter -- and even beat UFC stud Dan Hooker in 2016.

"I fought MMA for years, but before I got into MMA, I was a street fighter, man. So, it wasn't nothing new to me."

"You hit the guy first and you don't stop 'til somebody comes. Somebody came and broke it up. But, I got in more licks than they did in the long run."

FYI, if you like watching Knight hit people ... he's got a (sanctioned) fight Saturday night against Artem Lobov at BKFC 9.

Lesson here ... don't start bar bathroom brawls with a bare knuckle fighter.

Tyron Woodley says the UFC would be crazy not to sign Logan Paul to an MMA contract ASAP ... because he's PROVED he's got all the right ingredients to be a smash hit.

Woodley says he was super impressed with Paul's performance against KSI -- and advised him after the match to take ANOTHER fight.

"I think you should go and do it again," Woodley told Paul ... "You looked good, you just didn't win."

But, Woodley DOES think he can win in the UFC -- and says he wouldn't be surprised if Dana White signs the 24-year-old to a contract in the very near future.

"Logan Paul fits the exact demographic," Tyron said on 'The Hollywood Beatdown.' "He's got a huge following, great build, he looks athletic, he's a Division 1 wrestler, he's insane and he's gonna talk a lot of s**t so the press conferences are gonna be insane."

Woodley continued, "I wouldn't be surprised in the next 2 months if we see some breaking news on Logan Paul getting a couple fight deals with the UFC."

If he does get to the UFC, Woodley says there's only ONE fighter he wouldn't help Logan prepare for ... CM Punk. Check out the clip to hear why.

Another huge gamer is AGAINST the lifetime Fortnite ban on FaZe Jarvis -- this time it's MMA star Demetrious Johnson who says the punishment simply doesn't fit the crime.

As we previously reported, Epic Games permanently 86'd the 17-year-old gamer from all Fortnite-related activities after he admitted to using illegal software to gain an advantage.

Jarvis said he used the Aimbots -- which makes it easier to kill opponents -- for entertainment purposes while goofing around on YouTube and NOT in actual competition.

Enter DJ ... who's not only one of the best MMA fighters EVER, but he's also huge in the gaming world -- and he told us why the lifetime ban feels way too harsh.

The good news for Jarvis, Demetrious -- who's big into PUBG -- says the gamer is more than welcome to switch over and compete in his world as long as he doesn't cheat again!!

UFC star Paige VanZant flew all the way to Israel to watch her husband fight this weekend -- but don't worry, she brought her bikinis!

Paige's husband, Austin Vanderford, is taking on Grachik Bozinyan at Bellator 234 on Friday in Tel Aviv ... and they touched down late last week to get all settled in.

During the trip, MMA couple hit the beach for work and for play -- with some training sessions in the sand ... before switching into relaxation mode.

They hit up the Dead Sea along with seeing the sites in Tel Aviv -- good times all around.

As for Vandeford, he's 8-0 as a pro fighter and has been wrecking people -- in fact, none of his last 5 fights have made it past the 2nd round.

As for Paige, the 25-year-old recently told TMZ Sports she's dying to get back in the Octagon and fight again ASAP but so far, there's nothing in the works.

Terrible news in the case of Aniah Blanchard -- stepdaughter of UFC fighter Walt Harris.

Officials say they found blood in Blanchard's recovered vehicle that's "indicative of someone suffering a life-threatening injury," according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the Montgomery Advertiser.

Officials also say they found a witness who observed kidnapping suspect Ibraheem Yazeed forcing the 19-year-old woman "into [her] vehicle against her will and then leaving with her in the vehicle."

According to the document, the blood in the vehicle was tested and came back as a match for Blanchard.

As we previously reported, law enforcement tracked down Yazeed in Florida on Friday after a nationwide manhunt.

Officials say they chased Yazeed on foot before apprehending him -- and he suffered an eye injury that required medical attention.

So far, Blanchard has not been located. Unclear if Yazeed is cooperating with officials.

Auburn Police Chief Paul Register said Thursday there may be other suspects in the case.

Don't count out a Cris Cyborg vs. Amanda Nunes just yet ... Cyborg tells us she's still down for the fight if her boss at Bellator can work out a crossover deal with UFC.

Remember, Cyborg parted ways with UFC back in August and signed with Bellator the next month. She's set to fight Julia Budd on Jan. 20 in L.A.

But, you can tell Cyborg feels she has unfinished business with Amanda Nunes -- who knocked her out in the 1st round when they clashed back in Dec. 2018.

Now that Cyborg fights for a different promotion, it's highly unlikely the two will ever face off again ... but Cris says there's still hope!

In fact, Cris says she's already asked Bellator boss Scott Coker if he would be open to a crossover fight with UFC and Coker told her that he would be down!

Of course, the issue ... Dana White.

UFC did a crossover event with Pride back in 2003 -- but we can't recall a crossover fight in recent memory involving UFC and another MMA promotion.

The closest thing we've seen is when UFC teamed up with Mayweather Promotions for the Floyd vs. Conor McGregor boxing match in 2017.

UFC superstar Israel Adesanya says he will "eventually" brawl with Jon Jones ... and he's spelling out the situation to TMZ Sports.

"He will face me eventually, but I'm gonna respect the game," the UFC middleweight champ told us.

"I'm gonna honor the game and defend my belt. I mean, he didn't jump up to heavyweight right after he won the belt. I want to do the work. If he wants to come down, come see me. But if not, shut the f**k up and wait 'til I come see you."

BOOM.

Seems Israel and Jon are on a collision course ... but first, Israel wants to continue to wreck everyone in the middleweight division, starting with Yoel Romero.

"I've called the guy out. I've said I want to fight him. The UFC don't think it's gonna sell, but f**k records, I just want to fight," Adesanya tells us.

Israel says he's got a plan B in case the Romero fight doesn't come together, but it's clear Yoel is the priority.

"I said I want Yoel. F**k records, he's a great fighter. I want to beat all the greatest of this era. I've taken Whittaker, I've taken Gastelum, I've taken Silva."

"I've said I've wanted to fight [Romero]. I've never backed down. I'll see you soon, boy."

And, get this ... Adesanya -- who put together one of the greatest ring walkouts EVER for the Robert Whittaker fight -- says he's already planning to TOP IT!!

"Expect the unexpected. I might f**king fly from the rafters like Shawn Michaels right into the Octagon!"

Conor McGregor has fought his way out of ANOTHER sticky situation -- reportedly proving he's NOT the father in a dispute of a 2-year-old "love child."

26-year-old Terri Murray had accused Conor of knocking her up back in 2017 -- just weeks before Conor's GF Dee Devlin gave birth to their son Conor Jr.

Murray claims she and Conor slept together at his hotel during the '17 Grand National in Liverpool. There is a photo circulating of Conor partying with Murray around that time.

But, according to Conor's rep, the UFC superstar has taken a DNA test which proves once and for all ... (switch to Maury Povich voice) ... HE'S NOT THE FATHER!!!

"To conclusively end any and all erroneous media reports, Conor McGregor took a DNA test recently which confirmed to all parties that he is not the father of the child in Liverpool," Conor's spokesperson said in a statement.

The Irish Independent claims they have seen the results showing a "zero percent probability" McGregor is the daddy.

The man officials believe kidnapped the stepdaughter of UFC fighter Walt Harris has been arrested -- and you can see in the mug shot, the dude's eye is swollen shut.

Cops had been on the hunt for 30-year-old Ibraheem Yazeed -- who was spotted at a Chevron station in Auburn, Alabama on Oct. 23, the last time anyone saw 19-year-old Aniah Blanchard.

Now, officials say ... Yazeed was apprehended by U.S. Marshals in Escambia County (western Florida) early Friday morning after a brief foot pursuit. He was booked at 2:32 AM.

You can see the suspect's left eye is jacked up bad -- he was hospitalized after being arrested.

Officials believe Yazeed is a bad dude -- he's awaiting trial in an unrelated kidnapping, robbery and attempted murder in Montgomery involving a 77-year-old man.

Aniah's stepmother, Yashiba Blanchard, issued a statement after Yazeed's arrest -- saying, "I  am relieved that we can finally obtain some answers and locate our daughter."

"I am prayerful that the Lord touches this young man’s heart so he will be honest and truthful and tell the authorities where our daughter is located."