RIP

Francis Ngannou returned to the cage last weekend -- 6 months after tragedy struck his family -- and the combat sports superstar admits he was unsure whether he'd ever fight again.

TMZ Sports talked to the 38-year-old former UFC champion turned boxer/PFL fighter just days after he dispatched Renan Ferreira via a first-round knockout in Saudi Arabia ... and then broke down in tears after the bout while talking about the devastating loss of his little boy, Kobe.

"Oh, yes [I didn't know if I'd fight again]. There was a point that you didn't know anything. Everything seemed so fragile," Francis told us, adding his mind was racing a mile a minute during that horrific time.

Tyson Fury just revealed devastating news ... his wife, Paris, suffered a miscarriage six months into her pregnancy ... the day before the heavyweight boxer lost to Oleksandr Usyk.

The 34-1 superstar boxer opened up on Wednesday, saying Paris -- whom he married in 2008 -- called him to let him know she couldn't make his Usyk fight in Riyadh on May 18 due to high blood pressure.

But, Fury knew something was wrong.

"I asked her what was up and asked her to tell me, but she wouldn’t. So I knew," Fury said.

Ron Ely -- star of the 1960s TV show -- "Tarzan" has died ... this, according to a statement from his daughter Wednesday.

Ely's daughter, Kirsten, tells TMZ he passed away at home at the age of 86 peacefully surrounded by family on September 29th ... and went on to pay an emotional tribute to him in a lengthy IG post, remembering him as one of the greatest men to ever live -- and, a personal idol of hers.

She says her dad always brought a wave of positivity with him wherever he went ... saying his life story was one of relentless perseverance to do what was right, adding she's doing her best to walk in her father's footsteps.

Liam Payne’s heartbroken girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, shared an emotional tribute to the late star, revealing she and the “love of her life” were planning to tie the knot next year.

Kate dropped a carousel of pics of her and Liam on IG Wednesday, along with a heartfelt message saying just weeks earlier he had given her a note he told her not to open at the time -- declaring he hoped to marry her within a year.

Kate wrote, "Liam, I know we'll be together forever, but not in the way we planned. You'll always be with me. I've gained a guardian angel."

Liam Payne's father is offering to help police in Argentina get to the bottom of his son's death.

Geoff Payne has been in Buenos Aires since Friday, flying in from the United Kingdom two days after his son's death, and visiting the memorial to the late One Direction singer.

Argentina's National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor's Office No. 14 announced Tuesday that Liam's father met with officials and was briefed on the investigation ... and they say Geoff told them he would be willing to tell them everything he knows about his son's life in order to help the investigation.

Michael Newman, best known for his role as lifeguard Mike "Newmie" Newman on "Baywatch," has died ... 18 years after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

He died from heart complications Sunday night, surrounded by family and friends -- with the tragic news confirmed Tuesday by his friend Matt Felker, who helmed Hulu's recent "Baywatch" documentary.

Matt told PEOPLE, "I got to see Mike the last time he was conscious, and he looked [at] me and in typical Mike fashion said, 'You're just in time.'" Felker also posted a lengthy tribute to Michael on his IG.

Surfer and influencer Giulia Manfrini has died at just 36 years old ... after she was speared by a swordfish in Indonesia.

The tragic incident happened earlier this month at Masokut Island, a popular spot for surfers ... when a swordfish jumped out of the water and struck Manfrini in her chest.

Manfrini reportedly suffered a wound 2 inches deep ... and was taken to a nearby health clinic. Sadly, she did not survive.

Liam Payne had multiple substances in his system when he died in Argentina, including a mix of drugs known as "pink cocaine" ... according to the initial results from his autopsy.

Law enforcement sources in Buenos Aires tell TMZ ... the toxicology results for the late One Direction singer are in, and they show he had cocaine and crack in his body when he fell to his death from a third-floor balcony at a Buenos Aires, Argentina hotel.

Forensic examiners, we're told, also found "Cristal" in his blood, which is the Argentinian version of methamphetamine. ABC News first reported the news, adding that ketamine, ecstasy and "pink cocaine" were also part of the drug cocktail in his system.

Justin Bieber is thinking of Liam Payne and his fans in the days following the One Direction alum's death ... encouraging those who love the singer to grieve as they see fit.

The pop star posted on his Instagram Stories Monday, where he addressed Liam's passing by sharing a fan video featuring the many vigils assembled in LP's honor.

A caption on the clip read ... "Rest Easy Liam."

Cops in Argentina are digging deep to get answers in Liam Payne's death, and TMZ has learned they're questioning all the employees at the hotel where he fatally fell from his third-story balcony.

Law enforcement sources in Buenos Aires tell TMZ ... cops are focusing on one hotel employee in particular who they suspect might have supplied the late singer with anti-anxiety meds reportedly found in Liam's room at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel.

We’re told police are investigating to determine whether the employee supplied Liam with any of the drugs found in his system -- including cocaine, crack, ketamine, ecstasy and a form of crystal meth called "cristal" -- according to initial autopsy results.

Liam Payne's fans are pouring their grief into his music, with streaming numbers for both his solo tracks and One Direction songs surging on Spotify.

Before his tragic death last week, Liam had 4.7 million monthly listeners on the streaming app, but that number has nearly doubled to 8 million now. Plus, his 2019 debut single "Strip That Down" featuring Quavo has racked up over 800,000 additional streams since then.

The numbers are also booming for One Direction -- they had 42.4 million monthly listeners before, and now they're nearing 50 million.

AJ McLean is remembering Liam Payne as "a light" in his life following the singer's recent death ... looking back on their time together working on a new Netflix show.

The Backstreet Boys member addressed the late One Direction star's passing at LAX, where he shared how he and Liam became friends while working on "Building the Band," a music competition series where singers get a chance to build the next great pop group.

AJ says they just finished wrapping the TV show ... where he, Liam, Nicole Scherzinger and Kelly Rowland worked closely together over a 6-week period and had "a great time."

Tragedy struck the Houston area when a helicopter collided with a radio tower last night and crashed to the ground ... killing 4 people, including a child.

The moment the chopper hit the radio tower was caught on camera ... and one witness captured the fiery aftermath of the tragedy.

Watch the vid ... a fireball plummets to the ground as debris begins to crumble around it -- shocking residents in the area. Smoke fills the air, as the surrounding area is set ablaze.

Liam Payne's ex-GF, Danielle Peazer, has revealed the last message he sent her just weeks before his tragic death.

Danielle shared a heartfelt IG tribute to her ex Sunday, looking back at their time together and emphasizing that all was good between them since their 2013 breakup -- in fact, Liam had recently sent her a sweet message, saying he was super happy for her and her new family.

Referencing her partner Sonny Jay and their daughter Mia, Danielle wrote directly to Liam ... "Receiving a message from you a couple of weeks ago expressing your happiness for the love I found with Sonny and Mia is something I'll cherish forever."

Liam Payne's girlfriend Kate Cassidy is stepping back into the public eye after the tragic death of her pop star boyfriend.

The late singer's love has been spotted for the first time since the One Direction alum fell to his death in Buenos Aires, Argentina last week ... and the influencer appears to be keeping a low profile in the wake of the tragedy.

Kate, who had been dating Liam for about 2 years before his death, was seen out and about in Florida Sunday, where she ran an errand to grab some dog food not far from her Palm Beach abode.

Liam Payne's sister Nicola is hoping the singer has "finally found peace" after he fell to his death in Argentina last week.

The One Direction alum's older sister posted on Instagram in the aftermath of Liam's death ... paying tribute to the late pop star and revealing her initial reaction to the tragic news.

As Nicola put it ... she learned of Liam's passing through a news notification on her phone, which left her hoping the update was "untrue."

She added ... "I have spent days hoping that it was a mistake and somebody got it wrong. You were truly too good for this earth, you are an angel who just lived for making people smile and happy. You have always shown kindness to everyone you met and it shows with just how many people have confirmed what we always knew!"

As Nicola continued, she declared herself and the rest of the Payne family Liam's "biggest fans always and forever" ... praising her little brother for his "brilliant" talent and dedication.

Before signing off her note, Nicola promised to keep Liam's legacy alive, especially for the singer's son, Bear ... who he welcomed with Cheryl Cole in 2017.

She noted ... "We will make sure Bear knows about his daddy and how much you loved him, we promise this."

Nicola's tribute comes shortly after Liam's other big sister, Ruth Gibbins, posted to social media, in which she apologized for not being able to "save" the singer.

Countless others have honored Liam in the wake of his passing, too ... including Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Simon Cowell, Ed Sheeran and Rita Ora.

As TMZ previously reported, Liam fell to his death from a third-floor balcony at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires last Wednesday. The singer had been in Argentina to support his former 1D bandmate Niall's concert at the Movistar Arena earlier in the month ... ultimately choosing to extend his visit.

Police have said Liam jumped from his hotel balcony ... and that a possibly hallucinogenic drug, called "cristal," may be to blame. However, police are waiting for final test results for substances found in Liam's hotel room before confirming. The investigation is ongoing.