Zion Clark Taking MMA Fight ... Despite Being Born Without Legs

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TOTAL LEGEND
TMZSports.com

"It's the same as it was wrestling for me. I just wrestle against able-bodied people, and I beat able-bodied people. Now I'm fighting able-bodied people, and I'm gonna knock out able-bodied people. It's as simple as that. I'm a fighter."

Zion Clark is once again proving there's absolutely NOTHING he can't do -- despite being born without legs -- the former All-American wrestler tells us his next crazy accomplishment ... is taking an MMA fight!

"I'm trying to run this s**t up! It's not just a rinky-dink fight. This s**t's going on pay-per-view. This shit is a legit sanctioned fight," Zion told Babcock and Mojo on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1), adding, "It's gonna be big!"

There's a good chance you've seen or heard about the 25-year-old's incredible story.

Clark was born in Ohio in 1997 with a rare birth defect called Cadual Regression Syndrome which caused him to be born without legs. Zion was put up for adoption after he was born. He bounced around the foster care system.

In elementary school Clark was introduced to wrestling ... but he wasn't very good at first. In fact, he didn't win a single match for years. But, after meeting his H.S. wrestling coach, Zion and the man developed a bond, and ZC's wrestling ability improved dramatically.

As a senior, he finished 33-15 ... wrestling against kids who had four limbs. Clark then went to Kent State, where he continued his successful wrestling career.

Zion's now training for the 2024 Olympics ... where he'd like to wrestle. He's also gunning to compete in the Paralympics in wheelchair racing ... where he's one of the most elite racers in the world.

He's also known as the "fastest man on two hands" ... Zion was a track champ in high school, too.

Clark also recently set two Guinness World Records ... for highest box jump (record was 24 inches. Zion jumped 33) with the hands and most diamond push-ups (248 in under 3 minutes).

As for Clark's MMA fight ... it's scheduled to go down December 17. Zion says he doesn't even know his opponent's name ... that's how unbothered he is about the fight.

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It's not that he isn't taking the fight seriously ... in fact, it's just the opposite. Zion says he's beating his ass in the training room, sparring with MMA stars like Rampage Jackson and AJ McKee.

Check out the clip ... Zion talks about training with those legends, and what we can expect when he steps in the cage for the first time in just a few weeks.

Awe-inspiring!

Keyontae Johnson Scores 13 Points In First Game Back ... Since Collapsing On Court In 2020

Keyontae Johnson is back playing college basketball for the very first time since collapsing on the court almost two years ago ... and the guy got back to doing his thing -- dropping 13 points!!

Johnson -- who transferred to Kansas State this August -- was in the starting lineup for the Wildcats on Monday against the Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros ... helping the Wildcats secure a victory.

After the 93-59 win, Johnson talked about how emotional the moment was for him.

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Kansas State Basketball

"I'm feeling good," Johnson said.

"Just thanking God every day for giving me the opportunity to get here and play again, just staying patient."

"The feeling before the game, I was a little emotional, but I knew the game was going to go so I had to keep going, just play and just lay everything right out for my team."

As we previously reported, the small forward crashed onto the court during the Gators-Florida State Seminoles game on Dec. 12, 2020.

The 23-year-old was transported to the hospital in critical but stable condition ... and was put into a medically induced coma.

Three days later, he was awake but never returned to the hardwood ... until now.

Dick Vitale -- a legendary college hoops announcer -- was hyped for KJ and is happy to see the young man ballin' again.

"Scored 13 points," Vitale said on Twitter, "but it really was the BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY that he is healthy & doing what he LOVES!"

Welcome back, KJ!!!

Vanderbilt University Football Coach Sidelined ... Over Pro-Kanye Post

A Vanderbilt University assistant football coach has been temporarily relieved from his duties ... after he wrote out a social media post that appeared to be defending Kanye West in wake of the artist's recent antisemitic remarks.

Dan Jackson, the school's defensive backs coach, initially posted the comment on his Facebook page -- saying in it, "Kanye is two steps ahead of everyone." He added in the post, "He's not crazy."

Jackson later apologized for it all, calling his wording "careless."

"I accept full responsibility for my words and will learn from this experience going forward," Jackson said.

But, the Commodores announced almost immediately after the post was discovered that they were investigating it all ... and on Monday night, athletic director Candice Lee said the coach will be sidelined as the probe pushes forward.

"Coach Jackson and I have agreed that he will step back from his responsibilities with the team," Lee said in a statement ... adding, "To be clear, Vanderbilt rejects antisemitism, racism and discrimination in all its forms."

Jackson is in his first year at Vanderbilt. He previously coached at Northern Illinois and South Dakota State.

The Commodores -- 3-6 this season -- play next against Kentucky on Saturday.

Arkansas Football 2 Players Arrested, Suspended ... After Alleged Altercation With Cops

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2:43 PM PT -- Razorbacks head coach Sam Pittman just announced both Slusher and Brown have been suspended for at least one week due to their arrests over the weekend.

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"It's unfortunate," Pittman said. "It's not acceptable, but part of our job is to teach these kids. Hopefully, we'll get that done."

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The Arkansas defensive backs will miss Saturday's game against the LSU Tigers, the 7th-ranked team in the nation.

Two Arkansas football players were arrested after they were allegedly involved in a physical altercation with police ... just hours after the Razorbacks lost their homecoming game.

According to the Fayetteville Police Dept., Anthony Brown and Myles Slusher were involved in an alleged incident at 2 AM on Sunday ... when officers were on foot patrol near a pub less than a mile from campus.

In court documents, an FPD officer said Brown -- a freshman defensive back from Tennessee -- was standing in the street and was instructed to get on the sidewalk ... and he initially complied.

However, according to the docs, when officers circled back around, Brown was "intentionally" standing in the street again.

"I walked to Brown and grabbed his sleeve of his right arm," the officer said in the docs. "I walked with Brown to the sideway."

That's when things allegedly got physical ... with the cop saying in the documents that Brown pushed him away -- which forced him to take the 19-year-old to the ground and into custody.

"Brown engaged in fighting behavior," the officer wrote, "congregated with two or more other people in a public place refusing to comply with a lawful order to disperse, and obstructed vehicular traffic in a public place."

According to cops, while Brown was getting cuffed, Slusher -- a junior defensive back -- grabbed the arresting officer in order to try to pull him off of Brown, according to the docs.

Slusher was eventually taken into custody as well.

Brown and Slusher were transported to the Washington County Detention Center and released later Sunday morning. Both are facing disorderly conduct charges. A court date for the duo has been set for December.

The incident happened shortly after the Razorbacks lost to the Liberty Flames. Arkansas head coach Sam Pittman said in a statement Sunday the team was aware of the arrests.

"We are in the process of gathering information from the proper authorities," Pittman said. "Once we have that information, we will determine their status with our team."

Originally Published -- 8:20 AM PT

Deion Sanders Bans JSU Players From Leaving Houston Hotel ... After Takeoff's Death

Deion Sanders is forbidding his Jackson State football players from leaving their Houston hotel rooms this weekend ... giving the demand in a heartfelt speech following Takeoff's tragic death.

The NFL Hall of Famer addressed the Migos rapper being shot and killed in Houston with his players on Tuesday ... pointing out the incident happened in the same city where they will play the Texas Southern Tigers on Saturday.

"Takeoff was murdered in a dice game in Houston -- where we're going," Sanders said.

"So, that eliminates all y'all leaving that hotel, 'cause it ain't happening until I give you further notice."

The 55-year-old explained to his team they may need to make drastic life changes to prevent similar incidents from happening to them.

"You cannot kick it with the same dudes you kicked it with," Sanders continued. "You cannot associate in the same realms that you associated with. You gon' have to change if you expect change."

"I'm sad because it always seems like it's us, but we wanna say we matter, we wanna say we keep it 100, but it's always us!"

Of course, Sanders and the JSU Tigers went through this type of loss almost a year ago ... when Young Dolph was tragically killed in his own hometown of Memphis.

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"I'm just sick and tired of the consistency of people, that are influential to you, are leaving us consistently -- that's our rappers," Sanders said.

"Rest in Peace, Takeoff."

Ole Miss vs. LSU Women's Soccer Punches Thrown During Wild Fight ... Three Players Ejected

All hell broke loose during Ole Miss and LSU's women's soccer match on Sunday ... with players throwing punches before getting ejected.

The madness unfolded during the second overtime of the close match ... when LSU's Maya Gordon and Ole Miss' Ramsey Davis were trying to gain possession of the ball ... and Gordon took issue with Davis grabbing her by the waist in defense.

That's when fists started to fly -- Gordon and Davis threw a series of punches at one another, with some shots appearing to connect with their intended target.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the end -- LSU player Rammie Noel sprinted across the pitch to insert herself into the fracas ... seemingly dragging Davis down to the ground by her hair.

Coaches were able to restore some semblance of order ... but Gordon, Davis, and Noel all received red cards and were ejected from the match for their actions.

Cameras showed a visibly upset Gordon crying as she exited the field ... while being consoled by what appears to be an LSU staffer.

In the end, the Tigers lost 3-0 ... and all three involved players reportedly received one-game suspensions.

MSU vs. Michigan 4 More Spartans Suspended ... Over Postgame Brawl

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2:58 PM PT -- Michigan State announced it's suspending four more players over their roles in the postgame melee.

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Malcolm Jones, Jacoby Windmon, Justin White and Brandon Wright have all been banned indefinitely, the program said in a statement Tuesday.

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An investigation is ongoing.

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11:58 AM PT -- Gemon Green -- the other Michigan player attacked in the tunnel after the game -- has lawyered up ... and his attorney, Tom Mars, claims he suffered a concussion and other injuries as a result of the altercation.

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"There has to be severe consequences for this kind of misconduct," Mars said in a statement to Sports Illustrated.

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"I've got news for the MSU players who did this to Gemon. They are going to feel the full wrath of the law."

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9:38 AM PT -- Jim Harbaugh addressed the incident with reporters once again on Monday ... calling it all "sickening" -- and telling media members he "can't imagine that this will not result in criminal charges."

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"The videos are bad," the Michigan head coach said.

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Police on Monday, meanwhile, said in a statement to TMZ Sports they have no new updates on the probe.

Four Michigan State football players have been suspended for their roles in a disturbing postgame brawl with a Michigan player ... and now, cops say they're investigating it all.

Several Spartans were seen attacking Wolverines defensive back Ja'Den McBurrows inside a tunnel at Michigan Stadium following a 29-7 loss -- pushing, kicking and punching the guy before ultimately letting him head into his team's locker room.

The scene was unnerving, the Michigan player appeared to be defenseless -- as the MSU athletes whaled on him for several seconds.

After reviewing it all, MSU coach Mel Tucker announced Sunday that four of his players who were involved in the ugly moment -- cornerback Khary Crump, linebacker Tank Brown, defensive end Zion Young, and safety Angelo Grose -- have been suspended indefinitely.

He said more punishment could be handed down as well ... particularly after other MSU players were seen in more video appearing to strike a different Michigan player postgame.

The University of Michigan Police Department said in a statement Saturday night it's launched an investigation into it all as well.

"Situations like these," a UMPD spokesperson said, "and the safety of the community, are taken very seriously."

As for the Wolverines, head coach Jim Harbaugh said following the game he believed two of his players had been "assaulted" -- and he urged authorities and officials to investigate it all thoroughly.

Michigan plays next against Rutgers on Saturday. MSU, meanwhile, will take the field against No. 17-ranked Illinois on Saturday as well.

Originally Published -- 6:17 AM PT

Vince Dooley Legendary UGA Coach Dead At 90

Legendary Georgia Bulldogs football head coach Vince Dooley passed away Friday afternoon, the university announced. He was 90 years old.

The Hall of Fame coach died peacefully at his home, according to UGA, surrounded by his wife and four children.

The Alabama native spent 25 years coaching at Georgia ... and became the winningest coach for the school with a 201-77-10 record. In 1980 he won a National Championship ... and throughout his career, he was able to secure six conference titles.

Dooley also won SEC Coach of the Year five times.

After retiring, Dooley became Georgia's athletic director ... and during his tenure, UGA sports teams won 23 national titles.

Georgia football alum and Kansas City Chiefs receiver Mecole Hardman paid tribute to Dooley following the news of his passing ... posting a throwback pic of the former coach celebrating.

"REST IN PARADISE VINCE DOOLEY," Hardman said on Twitter. "#DamnGoodDawg."

The Georgia football field was renamed Dooley Field in Vince's honor in 2019. Earlier this year, he celebrated his 90th birthday in front of 70,000 fans at the Oregon versus Georgia game in Atlanta.

By the end of his career, Dooley had been inducted into the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, and the College Football Hall of Fame.

R.I.P.

Camdan McWright SJSU Football Player Killed In Scooter Accident ... 18 Years Old

San Jose State football player Camdan McWright, a freshman running back, was killed on Friday morning ... in a horrifying scooter accident just feet from the SJSU campus.

He was 18 years old.

According to law enforcement, McWright was riding on an electric scooter at around 6:53 AM when he steered into an intersection and was struck by a school bus that was carrying 14 local high school students.

Authorities say McWright suffered significant injuries in the collision ... and died at the scene.

Cops said they do not believe alcohol or drugs factored into the crash. They added that an investigation is ongoing.

SJSU officials said Friday following the accident that they were devastated over it all.

"We lost an amazing young man tragically this morning," football head coach Brent Brennan said. "Camdan had a bright future ahead of him and everyone in this community that had the opportunity to spend time with him knew that."

"We are still trying to deal with the news of this tragedy, and appreciate everyone's support during these difficult times. Our thoughts and prayers are with the McWright family and I want them to know we are all here for them. Camdan will always be in our hearts and he will be profoundly missed."

McWright just joined the SJSU roster this season after starring at St. Genevieve H.S. in Los Angeles. He had played in one game for the Spartans this season, rushing for six yards on three carries against UNLV on Oct. 7.

He would have turned 19 years old in December.

RIP.

MSU's Sam Westmoreland Found Dead At A Church ... Cops Say

Mississippi State football player Sam Westmoreland was found dead on Wednesday at a church ... cops tell TMZ Sports.

A spokesperson for the Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Office says they discovered the offensive lineman's body after they were called out to Blackjack Missionary Baptist Church in Starkville regarding a death investigation.

The spokesperson said they canvased the scene after arriving ... but cleared it a couple hours later.

The OCSO official did not release a cause of death ... saying a probe into the case is still ongoing.

They added, though, that they had "no reason to suspect foul play" at this point.

Westmoreland had just joined the Bulldogs roster this year ... and was playing offensive tackle while majoring in industrial technology at the school.

"Sam was a beloved son, brother and teammate, and a tremendous young man with a limitless future," MSU head coach Mike Leach said in a statement Wednesday. "He will always be remembered and deeply missed by everyone who knew and loved him."

Westmoreland was just two days away from celebrating his 19th birthday.

RIP.

Emoni Bates Apologizes For Gun Arrest ... After Felony Charges Dropped

Basketball star Emoni Bates is asking for forgiveness after a "poor decision" led to his gun arrest ... saying he hopes he can inspire others to learn from his mistake.

18-year-old Bates -- who was rated one of the top high school hoopers in the class of 2021 -- spoke out for the first time on Wednesday about the situation ... completely owning up to his actions and vowing to do better moving forward.

"The crazy thing about living your life on stage is the inability to escape judgment, and experience the growing pains of lie as a normal adolescent -- privately," Bates said in a statement.

"I hold myself accountable for making a poor decision, and hope you can forgive me as I grow because this will not be my last mistake, however; a lasting stigma to remind me of the severity of such a mistake."

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Bates was arrested on September 18 around 10:45 PM in Superior Township, Michigan after cops say he blew a stop sign.

Police officers smelled weed during the stop, and eventually took Emoni out of the vehicle. He quickly admitted there was marijuana and a gun in the car, and was cooperative throughout the whole ordeal.

The 6'9", 190 lb. hooper was charged with multiple felonies, including carrying a concealed weapon and "altering ID marks" on the weapon ... but on Wednesday, he officially agreed to a deal and pled guilty to one misdemeanor count of attempted illegal transportation of a weapon.

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Bates enrolled at Memphis Univ. after graduating from high school ... where he averaged 10 points and 3 rebounds per game. Emoni transferred to Eastern Michigan, near his family home, after his first season in Tennessee.

"I hope my mistake can inspire others to think before acting," he added. "Growth is a lifetime experience, I will harness the value within this lesson and continue to be of service to my community."

Sam Westmoreland MSU Football Player ... Dead At 18

UPDATE

2:35 PM PT -- A spokesperson for the Oktibbeha County Coroner's Office tells TMZ Sports no foul play is suspected.

Sam Westmoreland, a Mississippi State University football player, has died unexpectedly ... the school announced on Wednesday. He was 18 years old -- and only two days away from his 19th birthday.

No cause of death was revealed.

"My prayers are with Sam's family and friends," MSU president Mark E. Keenum said in a statement, "with his MSU teammates and coaches, and with the Tupelo community during this most difficult time."

Westmoreland joined the school's football team this year after a stellar career at Tupelo H.S. in Miss. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound freshman offensive lineman had yet to play in a game.

Bulldogs head coach Mike Leach described his player as "a beloved son, brother, and teammate, and a tremendous young man with a limitless future." He added that he and his team are "heartbroken" over the passing.

"He will always be remembered and deeply missed by everyone who knew and loved him," Leech said. "Our highest priority is the support of the Westmoreland family and our student-athletes during this troubling time."

Sam -- born in Tulepo, Miss. -- was an offensive tackle and an industrial technology major at MSU.

University officials said they are actively working with authorities -- including the Oktibbeha County Sheriff's Office -- to obtain more details about Sam's tragic passing.

R.I.P.

Originally Published -- 1:21 PM PT

Alabama Star Jermaine Burton Accused Of Hitting Woman In Head ... Following Tenn. Loss

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9:32 AM PT -- Bama head coach Nick Saban spoke about the video ... saying, "We are aware of the situation with Jermaine Burton as he was exiting the field Saturday. We are currently working to gather more information."

Alabama WR Jermaine Burton allegedly struck a female Tennessee football fan in the head following the Crimson Tide's upset loss on Saturday ... and the incident was captured on video.

The clip, posted by Emily Isaacs on TikTok, appears to show Burton hitting the fan as she walked by him after the game. Isaacs says she's the woman in the video.

"Jermaine Burton smacking me in the head while walking past him after their loss Saturday. 👍," the TikToker wrote in the caption.

Another fan claims they had a similar incident with Burton after the game. A fan posted video online, and it appears JB took a swipe at him, too.

Burton -- who transferred from Georgia in January 2022 -- had 2 catches for 49 yards in the loss.

Of course, to describe the aftermath of the game as hectic would be an understatement. It was the first time Tennessee beat Bama in 16 seasons. Tenn fans even ripped the goalpost down from Neyland Stadium and threw it in a nearby river.

So, yeah ... insanity. The University of Tennessee was even fined $100K for allowing their fans on the football field.

We reached out to Univ. of Alabama and Knoxville police, but so far, no word back.

Originally Published -- 7:55 AM PT

Deion Sanders Surprises Cancer Patients At Children's Hospital ... Brings Awesome Gifts

Deion Sanders gave patients at a Mississippi children's hospital an uplifting surprise Tuesday ... visiting them -- and then showering them with very cool gifts.

The JSU head football coach and NFL legend joined Aflac U.S. Deputy President Virgil Miller for the morning ... and the duo unloaded a gaggle of "My Special Aflac Ducks" to kids in need at the Children's of Mississippi Hospital in Jackson.

The ducks are robots designed by Aflac to help provide emotional support to pediatric cancer patients above the age of 3 years old ... and they're awesome, allowing kids to play doctor while they go through grueling medical treatments.

Prime and Virgil handed out the presents one by one ... and took pictures with the kids as well.

And, judging by all the smiles, it was a much-needed pick-me-up.

Deion has given back to the community repeatedly since taking the gig at JSU ... and he's ramping up the efforts this week as a part of the school's Homecoming weekend.

Good stuff, Prime!

Bronny James Signs NIL Deal W/ Beats By Dre ... Like Father, Like Son!!

Bronny James is following in his father's footsteps ... signing a NIL deal with Beats by Dre -- 14 years after LeBron James became the company's first athlete ambassador.

Bronny, 18, is making history with the deal ... becoming the first high school athlete ever to be signed by the company, which was founded in 2006 by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine.

Beats by Dre even dropped a commercial featuring the newest member of its family ... showing 37-year-old James listening to classical music and going one-on-one with Bronny on the court.

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In the video, LBJ and Bronny exchange buckets back and forth ... including a series of dunks and jump shots, all while donning Beats by Dre headphones during the game.

"The Chosen One vs. The Chosen Son," Beats by Dre fittingly wrote as a caption for the commercial. At the end of the video, "The Legacy Continues" appears on the screen.

Last week, the Sierra Canyon High School guard inked a NIL deal with Nike, who signed LeBron to a lifetime contract in 2015.

LBJ and Nike have been partners since 2003 ... when LeBron burst onto the NBA scene as an 18-year-rookie dominating the league, so signing Bronny was a foregone conclusion.

Bronny has already joined Bron with the Nike family, and now the Beats fam ... next up, same NBA team?!

Tennessee Football Help Us Pay For Goalpost!!! ... After Wild Alabama Win Celebration

The Tennessee Volunteers football team is seeking help to replace the goalpost fans tore down after their upset win over Alabama on Saturday ... by starting a fundraiser for the cause.

They're serious, too -- the Vols shared a link to their campaign via Twitter ... one day after Tennessee fans threw the goalpost into the river to celebrate the victory.

"Y'all remember how we tore the goalposts down, hauled em out of Neyland and dumped em in the Tennessee River? Yeah that was awesome," the team said.

"Anywho, turns out that in order to play next week's game, we need goalposts on our field. Could y'all help us out?"

FYI, Tennessee will need that goalpost to play their Oct. 22 home game against UT Martin.

The team even found a way to troll the Crimson Tide on the donation page -- including using the final score as a dollar amount.

"Give $52.49. Final score of the breathtaking game."

There's also a $16 option -- the number of seasons since Tennessee beat 'Bama -- and a $1,019.15 choice ... which is the number of fans who sold out the Vol's stadium.

Of course, many ripped the team for the launch ... one person saying, "Is this real? You have a $130,000,000 budget. Get a new set. Problem solved. Good win."

As of Monday morning, the fundraiser has already received over $75k -- half of what they need -- from over 1,911 donors.

BTW, the fans also cost the Vols $100k for storming the field. Sheesh!!!

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