TMZ Sports

Fans and fighters alike will tell you MMA judging is largely broken ... and the solution? Some say open scoring, while others suggest turning former competitors into judges. What's the right answer? If anyone knows, it's Herb Dean.

TMZ Sports ran into the legendary referee at the airport in Los Angeles earlier this week and asked about open scoring ... which would make judge's scorecards visible to everyone in the arena, and watching at home.

Instead of finding out what the judge's scorecards look like after the bout, we'd all know in real time ... a point some argue would make fights more exciting. In other words, a fighter might've previously thought they were up on the cards, but with open scoring, that same fighter would have the benefit of knowing exactly where they stand, and what they need to do to earn a victory.

So, good idea, right? Not so fast.

"There's always an argument for [open scoring]," Dean said, before suggesting it could potentially be dangerous.

"I think there's things that could be problems with it. One, if the scoring is open, and some places where there's a heavy crowd effect, the crowd could track [the scoring], and that might be a problem."

Herb, who made his UFC debut at UFC 47 in 2004 (UFC 299 is next week!), added ... "Sometimes crowds can get violent over sports. I'm not saying that something is gonna happen, but it's something you might consider."

The longtime ref, who runs a top-notch ref/judging program, also talked about the push to bring retired fighters into the mix after they hang up the gloves ... something Herb's actively doing.

Some of his students include Joe Stevenson, John Romero, and Chris Leben ... three guys who have decided to stick around the sport in a different capacity. And there are others.

Dean, who fought back in the day, does caution simply being a fighter doesn't automatically mean you're a superior judge or ref.

Another weekend is coming to a close, and a new week is among us ... and we talked about a lot on TV.

Starting out with "TMZ Live," Harvey and Charles discussed the disaster seen 'round the world -- namely the failed Wonka experience in Scotland ... where a company came under fire throughout the entire week for putting on what many have characterized as a scam.

The videos and images have been wild to see, and on Friday ... Billy McFarland of Fyre Fest infamy weighed in.

Next up, we got "TMZ on TV" ... where the gang discussed Dwayne Johnson's business moves in the WWE -- namely, locking up the rights to a ton of his signature catchphrases.

We already know he has rights to "The Rock," but his trademarks go well beyond that.

Finally, we land on "TMZ Sports" ... where Babcock and Mojo talked about Lil Wayne's mishap at the Lakers game this week -- where he says he was treated like s*** and bolted.

Check your local listings for when TMZ is on in your area or catch up on past episodes!

LeBron James just raced past another NBA milestone ... becoming the first player in league history to break the 40,000 point mark!

James recorded the record-breaking basket just over a minute into the 2nd quarter against the Denver Nuggets Saturday night ... dazzling the packed house at Crypto.com Arena.

40k had some style, too ... Bron converted a pretty spin into a left-handed layup, earning LBJ one hell of an ovation from the Lakers faithful -- as well as family and friends.

It was all but assured that LeBron would smash the 40k ceiling before tip-off ... as the King was just nine points away from the threshold.

In fact, the team was so sure he'd reach the milestone, they had a points counter on the big screens inside the arena.

"LeBron James: Founding member of the 40K points club," the Purple and Gold tweeted after LBJ netted the basket.

It's just the latest accomplishment for James.

Remember, Bron broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time NBA scoring record in February 2023 ... and also became the first player to pass 30,000 points, 10,000 assists and 10,000 rebounds in 2022.

NASCAR star Kyle Busch is giving credit where it's due ... telling TMZ Sports he can only applaud his wife, Samantha, for ruthlessly trolling him over "inches" last week.

In case you missed it -- one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history went down in the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway last Sunday ... with Busch, Daniel Suarez and Ryan Blaney being neck and neck (and neck) right up until the checkered flag.

The 2015 and 2019 Cup Series champion addressed his third-place finish after the race -- going to Instagram and admitting he "Needed a couple inches📏" in order to come out on top ... to which Samantha hit him with a sick burn.

"I’ve been telling you that for almost 20 years 😜" Sam wrote in the comments.

OUCH!!!

We caught up with Busch this week and asked about his wife's friendly jab ... and even he's admitting she got him good.

"I think I left the door wide open for those sorts of comments with how I scripted my text underneath my post, so she played that well."

As for the actual race, Busch broke down the "chess game" he was trying to execute in the final laps ... and how Suarez was able to use his own strategy against him.

But, all things considered, the driver of the No. 8 car said he was able to keep his composure in the end (per usual) ... and is thrilled they were all able to cross the finish line without crashing.

Terence "Bud" Crawford is showing just how much he appreciates his team for holding him down throughout his boxing career ... gifting each member iced-out pendants of his signature logo!!

TMZ Sports is told the 40-0 welterweight fighter hit up celeb jeweler and friend Mazza NYC -- whose client list ranges from Jadakiss to Dak Prescott -- with hopes to create something as a "thank you" for their devotion.

Crawford felt his TBC symbol would be the perfect image to make into a keepsake ... and Mazza agreed.

In fact, he took it one step further ... by turning the outline of Crawford's body (the T in the TBC logo) into an actual figure of the undefeated pugilist.

We're told Crawford copped five total pendants, including one for himself ... each decked out in VS E diamonds and 14k rose gold.

Crawford's piece also came with a 21-inch diamond ball chain with VS E diamonds.

"It was created with his team in mind, so they could receive something special for all their commitment and hard work," Mazza told us.

The team certainly deserves it -- they helped Crawford become the best pound-for-pound in boxing following his TKO win against rival Errol Spence.

It's finally the weekend, and best believe ... we finished strong here at TMZ on our shows.

Let's start with 'TMZ Live,' where Harvey and Charles dove into a new interview that Bianca Censori's father gave ... where he tore into her husband, Kanye West, for trotting around all over the world with hardly anything on -- which he seems to find despicable and wrong.

There's been some debate over whether he has any say ... and we kept that going here.

Heading on over to 'TMZ on TV,' the gang discussed Hailey Bieber's sister's wild arrest down in Georgia last week -- where she got kicked out of a bar and landed in handcuffs/jail.

Of course, there's also the allegation that she hurled a tampon at someone ... and, uh, ew.

Last but not least, we got 'TMZ Sports' ... where Babcock and Mojo talked Cam Newton addressing the wild brawl he was involved in last weekend, and his explanation of it all.

Check your local listings for when TMZ is on in your area or catch up on past episodes!

A Baker needs dough to do his job ... and Joe Haden says that's the case for Tampa Bay's quarterback as well -- 'cause he tells TMZ Sports he thinks Baker Mayfield deserves $25-30 million a year!!

The Buccaneers signal caller tops the list of available free agents this offseason ... and many are expecting the former No. 1 overall pick to get a big payday -- and staying put in Tampa seems like a strong possibility.

Haden -- who spent several seasons with the Cleveland Browns, just like Bake -- is all for Mayfield getting money thrown at him ... telling us it's hard to come by a quarterback that has playoff experience.

"I think Baker Mayfield should get a contract, for sure," Haden -- a three-time Pro Bowler said.

"Baker, 25-30 million dollars a year, 100% to take a team to the playoffs. I think give him some dough."

Of course, it hasn't always been sunshine and rainbows for Baker -- he fought through some injuries and got shipped out of Cleveland when the Browns pursued Deshaun Watson, despite leading them to their first playoff victory in forever just one season prior.

He bounced around to two other teams before landing with the Bucs ... and Haden thinks all his struggles are now behind him.

"You leading two different teams, two different organizations to the playoffs, you worth some dough."

Los Angeles Lakers big man Christian Wood was just granted a temporary restraining order against his model ex-girlfriend ... after he claimed the mother of his child made his life a living hell following their breakup in December 2022.

The allegations are all laid out in court documents obtained by TMZ Sports ... with the 28-year-old hooper accusing Yasmine Lopez -- who boasts more than a million followers on social media -- of causing not only mental and emotional stress, but also financial damage to his valuable property.

Wood claims on February 23, 2024, Lopez and her friends trespassed at his California residence by climbing a fence ... and she proceeded to scratch the hood and doors of his Mercedes-Benz.

He says Lopez then entered his other vehicle, opened the front gate and began walking in his yard -- and neighbors who witnessed the incident called the police, resulting in her arrest.

Wood -- who has an 8-month-old son, Kobe Sean, with Lopez -- says cops then told him to pick up his son from her friend's house to avoid being processed through child protective services... but she refused to hand him over and began "making allegations against me and misrepresenting facts to the media to gain favor."

Wood also details an August 2023 incident in which he says Lopez broke into his home in Encino ... destroying statues, glass and vases and attempting to hit him. He says friends who were present at the time called the police, who de-escalated the situation.

It doesn't end there -- Wood also accuses Lopez of trespassing at his home in January 2023, when he was a member of the Dallas Mavericks ... claiming she spray-painted his Lamborghini.

Wood believes Lopez is stalking him by using his publicized work schedule to track his location and vandalize his property.

Wood is also accusing Lopez of getting physical with him on numerous occasions and alienating him from their son.

He requested joint legal custody and primary physical custody of their child.

As part of the restraining order, the judge ordered Lopez to steer clear of Wood. She must stay at least 100 yards away from the hooper ... whether he's at home, at work, or even in his car. The one exception is for "brief and peaceful contact" ... which is permitted, but only when it comes to conversations about their child.

The TRO specifically directs Lopez to "not abuse" Wood, including any harassing, attacking, striking, threatening, or stalking of her ex-boyfriend.

There are several other boilerplate restrictions ... Lopez cannot possess a firearm while the order is active.

Taylor Swift is putting her romance with Travis Kelce into song ... reportedly writing a couple tracks about the guy on the Chiefs.

The pop star, famed for writing about her exes, has already written at least 2 songs about her current BF, and the lyrics focus on how she fell in love with him ... according to an Us Weekly report.

The outlet cites a source calling the new songs personal and special, but adds, that doesn't mean she's going to record and release them.

Taylor's got a new album coming out next month called "The Tortured Poets Department," but don't expect her odes to Trav on that project -- in fact, the report says she likely won't share them with anyone.

There's plenty of content for Taylor to write about with Travis -- his summer pursuit of her during the "Eras" tour, each of them appearing at NFL games and concerts and, of course, the Super Bowl and lots of private jet flights.

The speculation is Taylor's next project focuses more on her split from Joe Alywn than her love story with Travis ... so Swifties might not wanna hold their breath for Travis references.

4:22 PM PT -- Tom Porto, the attorney for Ariel Young and her family, just released a statement on Britt Reid's commutation to TMZ Sports ... saying simply, "What’s different between this criminal defendant and every other criminal defendant in the state of Missouri?"

Ex-Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid -- Andy's son -- just had his three-year prison sentence commuted to house arrest.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson made the surprising decision on Friday ... a little over a year after Reid was thrown behind bars for his role in a DWI crash that left a 5-year-old girl, Ariel Young, with life-altering brain injuries.

A spokesperson for Parson explained the move in a statement to media outlets ... saying, "Reid had completed his alcohol abuse treatment program and has served more prison time than most individuals convicted of similar offenses."

As part of his commutation, Reid will remain on house arrest until October 31, 2025. He'll have to abide by a lengthy list of conditions in order to avoid being thrown back in prison, however -- including working at least 30 hours a week, submitting to random drug screenings, and completing at least 10 hours a month of community service.

Reid is also forbidden from making contact with Young or her family members.

Reid was first hit with criminal charges in the case after authorities said he got drunk days before the Chiefs vs. Buccaneers Super Bowl in 2021 and slammed his pickup truck into the back of a car Young had been riding in.

Authorities alleged Reid was going 83.9 MPH in a 65 MPH zone just before the wreck, and had a BAC of .113 two hours following the accident.

Dash cam footage captured at the scene showed Reid was wearing a Chiefs COVID mask and a Chiefs sweatshirt in the minutes after the crash.

Reid lost his job with Kansas City's NFL franchise a short time later ... and didn't work in the league again before beginning his sentence in November 2022.

We've reached out to an attorney for the Young family for comment, but so far, we haven't heard back yet.

Victoria Beckham rocked a somewhat unexpected accessory at Paris Fashion Week heading into the weekend -- a pair of metal crutches ... hobbling her way into her own event.

The former Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer was seen limping along on the walking aids Friday -- which just so happened to perfectly match her all-black outfit -- ahead of the launch of her latest collection.

Posh Spice kept a low profile as she offered up no smile for the paparazzi and donned oversized black sunglasses -- still looking as chic as ever. Indeed, it was a sorta bizarre sight -- but Vic did her thing and kept it moving ... even if it was a little slow.

Her hubby, David Beckham, revealed last week that his wife was put in a boot after a "little accident in the gym." The retired soccer star told fans on Instagram that VB suffered from a "clean break" ... so hopefully she'll heal sooner rather than later.

Unclear what exactly happened that led to the injury ... but it wasn't enough to totally sideline her, obviously.

Victoria also spoke out about the injury herself ... having first announced the owie on Valentine's Day. VB posted about it on her IG Story ... throwing up a photo of her foot being treated with ice -- confirming she "fell over in the gym." Ouch!

BTW, these fashionable crutches made their way onto Victoria's catwalk, too -- but ever the professional ... the Beckham matriarch merely smized and tottered along, business as usual.

DJ Akademiks is accusing Meek Mill of being a snitch after cops allegedly showed up to his house -- and if he wants to fight the rapper ... they now have the opportunity to do so!

There's a lucrative 7-figure offer on the table to sweeten the deal between these 2 foes ... and it comes courtesy of Celebrity Boxing czar Damon Feldman.

He tells TMZ Hip Hop ... he's got a cool $1 million purse locked and loaded for Ak and Meek -- in addition to other amenities, if they wanna take him up on this. Damon also says he has a venue in Atlanta booked for May 18, adamant he wants both guys to give it their best.

Meek already has a boxing trainer in his corner, but Damon says he's willing to provide Akademiks with one of his top guys -- if he's inclined to train ahead of the fight.

Ak told Adin Ross this week that he considers Meek a straight-up bully -- while going on to call him cowardly, accusing him of hiding behind his goons ... and he seems eager to take him with his fists.

They've had beef for years, of course, but the latest episode spilled into the e-streets over this wild Diddy lawsuit filed this week by his ex-producer ... who floated salacious claims.

Meek took the bait and went down a wild social media rabbit hole ... responding to Ak but all the posts have since run their course with fans.

Chad Wheeler -- a former New York Giants offensive lineman -- was just sentenced to 81 months in prison ... after he was convicted in November of roughing up his girlfriend during a violent encounter in 2021.

The 30-year-old learned his fate inside a King County, Wash. courtroom on Friday ... in front of some of his family and friends -- as well as the victim in the case, Alleah Taylor.

In addition to the nearly seven-year sentence, the judge also ordered Wheeler to have no contact with Taylor ... and to pay restitution as well. The sentence, according to court documents, is scheduled to begin immediately.

Wheeler was found guilty of one count of first-degree assault domestic violence back on Nov. 9 ... nearly three years after Taylor said he almost killed her during an altercation at their Washington apartment.

Taylor claimed Wheeler attacked her after she refused his orders to bow down to him. She alleged the football player grabbed her, threw her on a bed and choked her until she was unconscious.

Taylor said Wheeler was so violent, she suffered a concussion and an arm injury that required metal hardware to fix.

On Thursday night, just hours before Wheeler's sentencing took place, Taylor wrote on her X page, "Sending Chad to prison tomorrow!"

"I appreciate everyone that has supported me and the legal process to make this happen! It’s been a long road but we are finally here and finally receiving justice!"

Tyreek Hill clearly ain't too worried about the lawsuit a model hit him with last week ... the Miami Dolphins superstar is currently out on a yacht -- celebrating his birthday in some serious style.

The wide receiver -- fresh off being sued by an influencer who claimed he broke her leg in a fit of rage during a football drill last summer -- was seen on a big boat with his wife on Friday afternoon in a large body of water.

Hill seemed to party without a care in the world ... smooching his significant other, dancing around and soaking in all of the first hours of his 30s.

Hill also got to enjoy some balloons as well ... and even a custom cake!!

Of course, it hasn't all been sunshine and rainbows for Hill the last few days ... particularly after Sophie Hall filed her lawsuit on Feb. 23 -- suing him for unspecified damages.

"F*** you [Chito]! I'm gonna knock you out, buddy!" 😲

Time doesn't heal all wounds ... more than 3 1/2 years after fighting, Sean O'Malley still ain't fond of Marlon Vera (and the feeling's mutual), with the reigning champ telling TMZ Sports he's going to render Chito unconscious!

We talked to 29-year-old "Suga" just days before he heads to Miami for the main event fight against his 31-year-old rival ... about everything from the effect of his only loss (Vera injured O'Malley during the fight) to if he'll chase double champ status against Ilia Topuria.

On the August 2020 fight -- which Sean lost by TKO late in the first round -- O'Malley had this to say:

"I got a lot of hate for saying mentally I didn't lose that fight. I didn't feel like my skills were beat. It was a freak accident. Yeah, he threw the kid. Yeah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I've heard it all. Mentally undefeated, going in there with that mindset. Going in there with the mindset to kill this dude, and it's as simple as that," Suga told us.

We asked O'Malley, brevity of the fight aside, if he could take away anything from the first outing.

"Not really," he added. "Like you said, it was such a short fight, there really wasn't too much to take away from it. I was confident. I felt very confident in there. Even with the injury, my foot was shut off and I was still piecing him up. Dotting him up, chasing him down. I'm just very confident going into this fight."

It's Sean's first fight as defending champion ... we asked what, if anything, was unique this time around.

"Nothing's been different. My second 5 round training champ. Obviously, that last fight didn't go 5 rounds, it only went 2, 1 1/2. Nothing's really been different other than Chito, big fight, rematch. Same s***, different day. I've been doing this for 13 years."

Speaking of his belt, Sean won it with a masterful performance against Aljamain Sterling at TD Garden in Boston at UFC 292 in August 2023 ... in front of a decidedly pro-O'Malley crowd.

299 isn't in Beantown ... instead, the March 9 event will take place in sunny Miami, a city with a large Ecuadorian population. Chito was born in Chone, Ecuador.

Steph and Ayesha Curry are adding to the family roster ... the NBA superstar's wife is pregnant with their fourth child!!!

Ayesha just revealed the amazing news in her newest Sweet July magazine issue ... explaining that she and the Golden State Warriors guard initially thought they were done having kids after their third child was born in 2018 -- but had a change of heart.

"Last year, we looked at each other and agreed we wanted to do this again," the 34-year-old said.

Ayesha -- a TV personality and cookbook author -- added this pregnancy hits differently ... especially when it comes to her cravings like watermelon, Japanese peaches and McDonald's McGriddles.

She explained she's happy and grateful for the support system helping her through her pregnancy ... but admitted it can be difficult at times.

"I was really stubborn in my earlier pregnancies," Ayesha said. "And that hurt me in the end. It made things really hard on me. I had to learn to put my pride aside and realize it was okay to take help, to have people around me help and to not shy away from it."

"I know I can’t do this alone -- it truly takes a village."

Steph and Ayesha's relationship is like something out of a movie -- they met at a church youth group in Charlotte, N.C. when they were teenagers ... and got engaged in 2010.

They tied the knot a year later ... and since then, Steph has become a four-time NBA champion, while Ayesha hosts her cooking show on the Food Network and runs her lifestyle publication that launched in 2020.

Steph and Ayesha have three other kids -- Riley, who was born in 2012, Ryan in 2015, and Canon, who arrived in 2018.