Hulk Hogan Kurt Angle's Wrong About My Health Does Ric Flair Strut, Woooo!

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MOVIN' & WOOIN'

Hulk Hogan has a message for his fans ... "Don't believe everything you hear!"

Days after WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle provided a bleak health assessment of Hulk's current condition, saying he was in such rough shape he had no feeling in his legs and couldn't walk without a cane, TMZ Sports obtained a video which appears to show differently.

The clip, shot by Hulk's longtime friend and sports agent, Darren Prince, was shot Thursday night and shows 69-year-old Hogan very much walking without a cane, doing his best Ric Flair strut.

"Hulk Hogan here, the greatest of all time, a little stiff, a little sore, but woooooo!" before executing a walk that'd make Ric proud!

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Of course, Angle, on the latest episode of his podcast, said he spoke with Hogan last month during the taping of WWE Raw's 30th Anniversary show and the WWE legend told him he “had the nerves cut from his lower body" during back surgery and "can’t feel his lower body."

Kurt, who's known Hulk for decades, went on to say ... "I thought [Hogan] was using the cane because he had pain in his back. He doesn’t have any pain. He has nothing at all. He can’t feel anything."

FWIW, Angle also talked about how great Hulk is ... so there doesn't appear to be any beef between the men -- just a bit of misunderstanding.

Of course, Hulk has battled severe injuries, especially to his back (he's had at least 10 back surgeries) as a result of decades of professional wrestling.

Bottom line, it appears reports of Hulk's demise have been greatly exaggerated, brother!

Dwayne Johnson Mom Involved In Bad Car Crash In L.A.

Dwayne Johnson's mom, Ata Johnson, was involved in a terrifying car crash on Wednesday night -- one that left her Cadillac totally mangled -- but, thankfully, he said "she's OK."

The Rock shared the news on his Instagram page Thursday evening ... revealing the accident was so bad, his mom's ride suffered a beat-up hood and bumper -- and a completely wrecked right front fender.

Fortunately, the former WWE superstar said the 74-year-old made it out of the accident apparently unscathed.

"Angels of mercy watched over my mom as she was in a car crash late last night," Dwayne said. "She’ll survive and continue to get evaluated."

He added, "This woman has survived lung cancer, tough marriage, head on collision with a drunk driver and attempted suicide. She’s a survivor, in ways that make angels and miracles real."

Dwayne didn't share further details of the crash -- but he did say it happened somewhere in Los Angeles ... and thanked the LAPD and LAFD for their rescue efforts.

"I got one parent left," Dwayne said in his social media post, "so if you still got your mom and dad make sure you hug ‘em hard, cos you never know when you’ll get that 3am call we never want to get."

The Rock Cosigns Kelce's Postgame Speech 'My Boy Said What He Said'

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson gave Travis Kelce a ringing endorsement ... after the NFL superstar ripped the Cincinnati mayor, calling him a "jabroni" following the Chiefs' victory over the Bengals in the AFC Championship Game!

Of course, Kansas City's 6x Pro Bowl tight end channeled The Rock during his on-field postgame interview, telling Cincinnati mayor Aftab Pureval -- who trolled the Chiefs and their QB Patrick Mahomes before the game -- to "Know your role and shut your mouth, you jabroni!"

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MAYORAL PROCLAMATION
Twitter / @Bengals

Well, the WWE legend and A-list movie star clearly got a kick out of Kelce's clap back, going to Twitter Monday night to show his appreciation for Travis.

"My boy said what he said," The Rock wrote. "I appreciate the venomous 'shut yo' over formal 'shut your' 🤣👊🏽🏆."

Kelce's speech was brilliant ... and anyone familiar with The Rock's signature punchlines knows not everyone can pull off the impersonation!

When The Rock was a WWF/WWE Superstar, he routinely made fans laugh by calling fellow wrestlers "jabroni's" and telling opponents ... "it doesn't matter what your name is!" He'd also threaten to take them to the "Smackdown Hotel." 😅

Kelce earned the right to trash talk after his performance Sunday ... he had 7 receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown, making big plays for his team, as has become routine for the league's best pass-catching TE.

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TMZ INVESTIGATES

Now, the 33-year-old tight end will face off against his brother, Eagles star Jason Kelce, at Super Bowl LVII in Arizona ... a.k.a. the "Kelce Bowl", a.k.a. the "Andy Reid Bowl."

And, we can't wait!

Logan Paul Hits Insane Stunt In Royal Rumble Debut ... Cody Rhodes Wins

Logan Paul returned to the WWE for the first time since he tore his MCL against Universal Champion Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel -- and the Youtuber-turned-boxer-turned-pro wrestler stole the show in his Royal Rumble debut.

Logan -- who's been out of action since November -- entered his first-ever Royal Rumble match as the second-to-last entrant (#29) ... and immediately made his impact felt.

The Maverick had one of the best spots in the match ... when he collided with WWE superstar and high-flyer Ricochet in a jaw-dropping moment, sending over 51,000 fans into a frenzy at the Alamodome in Texas.

Logan and Ricochet -- positioned on the top rope opposite one another -- launched their bodies at each other ... and collided mid-air in the middle of the ring.

The spot in the match was sick -- and the WWE universe showed their appreciation for the high-risk stunt, cheering both men for pulling off the maneuver.

Ricochet has a flair for flying off the top rope ... but the encounter between him and Logan was remarkable, considering the last time WWE fans saw Paul inside the squared circle was over two months ago.

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TMZ INVESTIGATES

Another incredible moment during the Rumble match came when Cody Rhodes, son of WWE legend Dusty Rhodes, returned to the ring after being sidelined with a torn pectoral muscle injury since June.

Cody was the last person to enter the Rumble match ... and eliminated Logan, who tossed Seth Rollins, a prohibited favorite to win the contest, over the top rope.

In the end, Rhodes came out victorious ... eliminating WWE intercontinental champion Gunther -- who spent over an hour in the match -- and punching his ticket to challenge for the Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium.

Hulk Hogan 'I Ran Out Of Toilet Paper, Brother ... Help!!!!!'

Hulk Hogan apparently had a bathroom catastrophe on Wednesday ... and instead of hitting up a buddy, his account sent out a cry for help to his 2.2 million followers.

"I ran out of toilet paper brother, help!!!!!!!!" Hogan's tweet said ... which, naturally, led a bunch of quick social media users to screenshot the message before it was ultimately deleted.

Now, it's unclear if Hulk's account was hacked -- he returned to his regular tweeting by posting a pic with his longtime wrestling pals Ted DiBiase, Diamond Dallas Page, Madusa, Jimmy Hart and IRS a few minutes later -- or if he meant to actually text someone to bring him some T.P.

Regardless, the tweets are hilarious ... and we're just going to assume the latter is what happened.

Hulk has yet to address the tweets ... and chances are, he might never bring it up.

Hopefully you got some help, brother -- if not, that was truly a crappy situation!!!

AEW Honoring Jay Briscoe After Death ... Special Tribute Match

AEW will honor Jay Briscoe with a tribute match this week ... just days after the wrestling star tragically died in a car crash.

AEW honcho Tony Khan announced the details of the match on Tuesday ... explaining Jay's brother and tag team partner, Mark Briscoe, will fight Jay Lethal on Wednesday night in Lexington, Kentucky to honor Jay Briscoe.

Khan said in a tweet that Mark and Lethal, a longtime friend/rival of JB, wanted to fight one another to celebrate the life and legacy of their brother and contemporary in the industry.

Jay and Mark were Ring of Honor World Tag Team Champions at the time of his tragic death ... and won multiple championships together throughout their storied careers.

As we previously reported, 38-year-old Jay Briscoe -- real name is Jamin Pugh -- died in a car crash on Jan. 17 in Laurel, Delaware, after a 2019 Chevy Silverado collided with his vehicle head-on.

Tributes, donations and remembrances have poured in for the former wrestler and his family since the tragedy ... with the AEW even releasing shirts to help raise funds for the Pughs in wake of the accident.

"The Pugh family lost a husband, a father, a brother, a son," the promotion said after unveiling the shirts, "and in an effort to both honor Jay's memory as well as support those left behind, we are offering this 'Reach For The Sky' t-shirt with 100% of the proceeds going to benefit the Pugh family as they cope with this tragic loss."

Wednesday would have been Jay's 39th birthday.

Lorenzo Hunt, Bare Knuckle Champ Here's Why I Smacked Mike Richman ... At BKFC Media Event

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PRE-FIGHT TEMPERS FLARE
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
UPDATE

1:55 PM PT -- 1/23 -- TMZ Sports talked to Lorenzo Hunt and Mike Richman -- who came to blows at a media event promoting their upcoming fight -- and it's apparent there's real bad blood between the men.

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TMZSports.com

Lorenzo Hunt and Mike Richman, Bare Knuckle Fighting champions, were involved in a full-on brawl at a media event promoting their upcoming fight ... after some back-and-forth smack talk turned physical.

40-year-old Hunt, the BKFC light heavyweight (and cruiserweight, too) champ and 37-year-old Richman, the interim light heavyweight champ, came to blows while promoting their BKFC Knucklemania 3 main event on February 17 in New Mexico.

FYI, former boxing champ Austin Trout and MMA legend Diego Sanchez are also fighting on the card.

The men started jawing at each other, while BKFC founder David Feldman stood in between them attempting to keep the peace.

It didn't work ... at all.

Hunt, done with the talking, smacked Richman right in the face, and the fight was on.

Lorenzo and Mike then began pushing, before ultimately going to the ground.

Peace was eventually restored ... and we're guessing the guys won't soon find themselves in the same room with each other without a whole gang of security.

But, fortunately for them, they can legally put hands on each other in less than one month!

Originally Published -- 1/19 4:19 PM PT

Luke Rockhold Issues Challenge To Jake Paul ... I'll Beat You In My Sleep!

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JAKE THE FLAKE
TMZSports.com

Luke Rockhold has two hands and he wants to use them to punch Jake Paul.

Hard.

TMZ Sports ran into the 38-year-old (retired, for now, at least) former UFC champion at LAX on Friday ... and asked him about the Problem Child's foray into MMA.

"Stop trying to fight little dudes. F***ing [155] pounders. You're a middleweight. If you want to fight a middleweight, I got hands. We can do anything we want. I really don't care. I'd beat that guy in my sleep."

As we previously reported, 26-year-old Paul recently signed a multi-fight, multi-year deal with PFL ... and wasted no time by calling out Nate Diaz for a boxing and MMA fight.

Diaz hasn't yet accepted the challenge ... and if he doesn't, Rockhold is more than ready to step in.

"I got some freedom to do some things and as you can see, I like throwing hands these days," Luke said, adding, "fight people your own f***ing weight. Straight up. And champions, a real champion, a real contender. A real someone who can put you on your ass. not old guys, 55-year-olds, or lightweights. You can't even get above a welterweight, dog, So, step up."

Of course, Jake's 6-0 as a professional boxer ... with wins over Ben Askren, Tyron Woodley (twice) and Anderson Silva.

Paul also recently started training in jiu-jitsu ... and was an amateur wrestler through high school.

Luke and Jake have some history. Paul was critical of Rockhold after his last UFC fight in August, when he lost a decision to Paulo Costa.

Jake tweeted, calling Luke's performance "dog s**t", saying it was an "embarrassment for the sport."

Rockhold retired after UFC 278 ... but it's clear he's still got a lot of fight left in him, and free of a UFC contract, Luke and Jake may finally get their chance to punch the hell out of each other!

The Miz Praises Steph's Time At WWE ... Did 'A Lot For Company'

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TMZSports.com

The Miz is reflecting on Stephanie McMahon's time at WWE ... telling TMZ Sports he'll always be thankful for her leadership and the impact she had on his career.

"For me, she's always been one of the people you can talk to," Miz said at LAX this week. "She's done a lot for the company, and she's a really good person as well."

Miz shares one example of Steph's positive influence ... saying she green-lit one of his ideas -- The "Dirt Sheet" video series with John Morrison -- which would eventually pave the way for WWE's YouTube channel.

FYI -- WWE now has nearly 93 million subscribers on the platform ... by far the most of any sports-related account.

But, it's not just the wrestling business that impressed Miz -- he also praises Stephanie for creating Connor's Cure, a foundation specializing in pediatric cancer research. Stephanie was inspired to create the charity after Connor Michalek, an 8-year-old WWE fan died from medulloblastoma, a rare tumor that affects the brain and spinal cord.

Stephanie and her husband, Paul "Triple H" Levesque, founded the organization after Connor passed away in 2014 ... and have raised $3.8 million and assisted over 500 families worldwide, according to the org.'s official website.

As we previously reported, Stephanie resigned from her role as Co-CEO of WWE a few days after her father, Vince McMahon, returned from his sixth-month hiatus.

Despite the shakeup, Miz says he's excited about the company's future and is encouraged by the profound impact the Superstars have on people's lives.

"Whoever is at the head at the time, we're just trying to do our job as WWE Superstars to make people happy and give them something to remember."

Kevin Nash Cops Check On WWE Legend No Plans To Harm Himself

Local law enforcement made contact with Kevin Nash after he hinted at having suicidal thoughts earlier this week ... and thankfully, the WWE legend stated he has no plans to harm himself.

The Volusia County Sheriff's Office in Florida tells TMZ Sports ... deputies reached out to 63-year-old Nash following the comments he made about his son's death on the 'Kliq This' podcast.

We're told Kevin explained to the VCSO that he has no intention to act on what he said ... and he was seemingly doing okay when they checked on him in person.

As we previously reported, Kevin spoke about 26-year-old Tristen's passing on Monday ... and his remarks were troubling.

"Today is week 12 that I lost my boy," Nash said. "Time flies when you got a gun in your mouth. I mean -- time flies when you're having fun."

Sean Oliver, Nash's cohost on the show, warned the WWE Hall of Famer not to joke around like that, especially since he owns guns.

However, Nash defiantly told Sean, "I can do whatever the f*** I wanna do. Long as I leave a note."

The conversation then switched to how Kevin has been coping with Tristen's loss ... and how it's been an uphill battle for the pro wrestling legend.

Nash's comments sparked concern throughout the wrestling community ... with fans flooding social media with support for him.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Jay Briscoe Car Crash Wrestler's Two Daughters Injured In Wreck Listed In Critical Condition

The car crash that killed pro wrestling star Jay Briscoe on Tuesday also left his two daughters in critical condition ... cops announced on Wednesday.

According to Delaware State Police, the wreck happened in Laurel at around 5:09 PM ... when the driver of a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 suddenly veered into Briscoe's lane, and slammed head-on into his 2016 Chevrolet Silverado 2500.

Cops say the driver of the Silverado 1500, 27-year-old Lillyanne Ternahan, and Briscoe (real name Jamin Pugh) were pronounced dead at the scene ... but Briscoe's two passengers, his 9-year-old and 12-year-old girls, survived.

Both, however, were taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Ashley Pugh, Briscoe's wife, said in a Facebook post on Wednesday morning that the family needed prayers.

"Gracie is on her way into surgery on her back," Ashley said. "Jamin would want the whole world praying for his little girl. WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYER!! Pray for the doctors and everyone working on her! Pray for her precious legs to move again! Pray for Jayleigh who has some pretty serious injuries, but is stable and resting!"

"Pray for strength for all of us!" she added. "We have a long long road ahead of us!"

The DSP says it's not yet known if alcohol was involved in the crash. An investigation is still ongoing.

Kevin Nash Makes Disturbing Comments About Son's Death ... Fans Concerned

Kevin Nash made dark and emotional comments regarding the three-month anniversary of his son's death ... sparking concern from fans after the WWE legend hinted at having suicidal thoughts.

Nash addressed 26-year-old Tristen's passing on his "Kliq This" podcast this week ... saying, "Today is week 12 that I lost my boy."

"Time flies when you got a gun in your mouth. I mean -- time flies when you're having fun."

Nash's cohost, Sean Oliver, was quick to denounce the morbid comment ... replying, "Don't play like that. You have guns, so you can't say those things."

But the 63-year-old doubled down on his statement ... saying, "I can do whatever the f*** I wanna do. Long as I leave a note."

The conversation changed to how Nash is actually coping with the tragic loss -- the wrestler says it's much easier to tell everyone he's doing fine ... when in reality, it couldn't be further from the truth.

Nash says he struggles to find a reason to get out of bed every morning ... but received words of support from fellow wrestler Tyrus.

Fans flooded the podcast episode's comment section following the discussion ... showing love and praise for Nash.

As we previously reported, Tristen died after suffering a seizure and going into cardiac arrest back in October. He was just 26.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

WWE's Alexa Bliss I'm Happy Logan Paul's Former Pet Pig Was Rescued ... Animals Need Love, Too!!

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THE MINI MYTH
TMZSports.com

WWE Superstar Alexa Bliss is overjoyed that Logan Paul's former pig, Pearl, has found a new home ... telling TMZ Sports all that matters now is that the animal is getting proper care.

As we previously reported, Logan took Pearl to a horse ranch in California before he moved to Puerto Rico a few years ago ... but sadly, after being rehomed again, the pig was found abandoned and in grave condition.

While many were quick to blame Logan for Pearl's state, the YouTuber made it clear he had no idea his beloved pet ever left the ranch ... nor did he know she was in terrible shape until the Gentle Barn animal sanctuary posted about her on TikTok.

The former women's champ -- who had a pet pig of her own for years -- spoke with us at LAX about the whole situation ... and she's not focused on who's at fault, but rather the fact Pearl is on the mend.

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MAKING THINGS RIGHT
TMZ.com

"Unfortunate as it is, I'm happy his pig was rescued and is in a better situation," Bliss says.

"As long as the animal is taken care of, that's all that matters."

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PIGGY RESCUE
TikTok / @thegentlebarn

Bliss goes on to give a bit of advice to anyone looking to get an oinker as a pet -- "mini" pigs don't exist ... and she'd know, considering her pet, Larry-Steve, a Vietnamese pot-bellied breed, weighed about 150-200 pounds!!

BTW -- Alexa's pig was a social media star, racking up nearly 90,000 followers on Instagram. Unfortunately, Larry-Steve died in 2021 after battling a severe illness.

As for Pearl, Logan has vowed to help Gentle Barn in any way possible ... and told TMZ he's hoping to assist with her care moving forward.

WWE's Braun Strowman, Packers Create Custom Smackdown Boots ... To Honor Late Waukesha Parade Victim

WWE Superstar Braun Strowman is teaming up with the Green Bay Packers ... to create a pair of custom boots to honor a young fan who tragically lost his life during the Waukesha Christmas Parade attack in 2021.

The Packers shared a video on Thursday ... where the 6'8", nearly 350-pound pro wrestler said he would wear the boots this Friday on Smackdown in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

Strowman, wearing a No.99 Packers jersey in the video, said one of the late victims was a fan of his ... and wished to meet Braun, but that never happened.

The boots, modeled after Braun's conventional WWE footwear, are the Packers' colors -- dark green and gold -- and feature the iconic "G" logo on the side.

Back in 2021, a man drove an SUV through a crowd at the annual Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin ... killing six people and injuring 62 others.

Police arrested Darrell Brooks and charged him with five counts of first-degree intentional homicide. Brooks was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole last November.

The former WWE champ said the custom Packers boots would be auctioned off ... and all proceeds would be donated to the Waukesha Christmas Parade Foundation.

"At the end of the day, I want to leave the world a little better than I found it, and each of you can help do that right now. Thank you."

WWE Company Not Sold to Saudi Arabia ... Sources Say

WWE has not been sold to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund ... this according to sources familiar with the situation.

TMZ Sports is told ... a deal has not been made between the two sides, despite widespread rumors saying otherwise.

The reports started to circulate Tuesday night ... claiming Vince McMahon secured a massive payday for handing over the company reins to Saudi Arabia, which would take the WWE private once again.

The speculation came just days after Vince McMahon brought himself back on to the organization's board of directors ... with the intent to help with TV deal negotiations and explore a potential sale of the company.

Hours before the reported Saudi Arabia deal, Vince's daughter, Stephanie, announced her departure from WWE ... giving up her role as Co-CEO.

A sale to Saudi Arabia would certainly cause backlash with WWE fans ... especially considering the country's history of human rights violations.

The promotion even faced criticism for inking a 10-year deal with SA in 2018.

Things can always change ... but as of right now, we're told reports of a deal being set in stone are simply not true.

Stephanie McMahon Resigns From WWE Days After Vince's Return

Stephanie McMahon is resigning from her role as Co-CEO of the WWE ... just days after her father, Vince, made his return to the company's board of directors.

The 46-year-old made the shocking announcement just minutes ago ... releasing a lengthy statement on her decision to walk away.

"About 8 months ago, I took a leave of absence and within a few weeks, unexpectedly had the opportunity of a lifetime," McMahon said. "I had the privilege to return as the Co-CEO and Chairwoman of the Board of WWE."

Steph took over for her dad in July 2022 ... after he resigned amid an investigation into alleged misconduct. Vince was accused of using WWE funds to pay female employees  "hush money" after having sexual relationships with them.

"I cannot put into words how proud I am to have led what I consider to be the greatest company in the world, working alongside a remarkable leadership team and one of the strongest executives I have known in my Co-CEO, Nick Khan," McMahon added.

As we previously reported, Vince appointed himself back on the board on Friday with the intention to help negotiate WWE's impending TV deal ... and explore a potential sale of the company.

Stephanie says her dad is taking the lead during an "exciting" time for the company as it explores strategic alternatives ... and with Khan and Triple H on board, she believes WWE is in a great spot to keep pumping out great content and increase value for shareholders.

"WWE is in such a strong position, that I have decided to return to my leave and take it one step further with my official resignation," McMahon said ... adding she will continue to support the company -- just as she did when she was a little girl -- and will "remain dedicated to WWE."

"I truly love our company, our employees, our Superstars, and our fans," she added. "And I am grateful to all of our partners. Thank you for everything. Then. Now. Forever. Together."

Khan will now serve as sole CEO of the company.