TMZ Sports - Page 23

Tuesday marked the 2-year anniversary of Shaun Weiss’ sobriety, and he decided to celebrate the occasion with some takeout, but the original plan was meant to be much more symbolic.

Friend and fellow actor Drew Gallagher was supposed to go with Shaun to Brent’s Deli in the Valley. Back in 2017, this was the first place he got a meal once released from jail, so it meant a lot for him to come full circle.

Unfortunately, Shaun has been under the weather lately, but no worries – he chose the takeout option from Brent’s and still got his matzo ball soup!

Shaun struggled with drug addiction for years and at one point was living on the streets. He had multiple run-ins with the law -- arrested for meth and burglary -- but he's since cleaned up his act in a pretty spectacular way.

As we reported in July, Shaun graduated from a drug program and chose to celebrate his graduation at – you guessed it – Brent’s Deli. This place seems to hold a lot of meaning for him.

Brandon Moreno is breaking his silence following his unsuccessful title defense against Deiveson Figueiredo ... saying their next fight -- their 4th -- will settle the rivalry once-and-for-all.

After the fight, 34-year-old Figgy (while being booed relentlessly by the pro-Moreno crowd in L.A.) called for another fight with The Assassin Baby ... but this time, in Mexico.

TMZ Sports talked to Brandon on Wednesday ... and while it's obvious a fight in Mexico would be a dream come true, he says he will take the rematch anywhere.

"I would love to go to Mexico City and fight against him," Moreno tells us. "That would be awesome for me, for the Mexican people, and very brave for Figueiredo. A lot of credit for that. But I understand he has the ball. If he wants to go to Brazil. If he wants to go other places, I don't care, man."

FYI, Brandon was the first-ever Mexican-born UFC champ.

Of course, Moreno and Figueiredo's first fight in December 2020 was a draw. Brandon won the second fight via submission, and the third scrap was Saturday at UFC 270 ... where Figgy won via decision.

Brandon -- who suffered his first loss since 2018 -- says no matter the result, he believes the next bout will likely be the last time the men fight.

"I have 1 fight. He has 1 fight. I just want to see a clear winner in all of this. And if the next one I win or I lost, I think it's the end of the rivalry."

Moreno says it's without a doubt the best fight to make in the 125-pound division.

"It's the only exciting fight right now in the flyweight division. Like 4 or 5 years ago, the flyweight division was dead, and now it's more than alive, man. That fight, I really believe makes sense."

And, it's clear not even 3 fights was enough to squash their beef.

Matthew Stafford's wife, Kelly, was so blown away by the prices of NFC Championship game tickets ... she says she's personally buying a bunch of seats so she can give them away to Rams fans.

Kelly made the announcement on her social media page Wednesday ... encouraging any L.A. fans with good stories to reach out to her so she can start handing out the tix to Sunday's big game versus the 49ers ASAP.

"If you are a hard core rams fan, or just a regular rams fan, a veteran, active in the military, a public servant, etc.," Kelly said, "email me at staffgiveback@gmail.com and tell me your story with some photos attached!"

Kelly -- who married Matthew back in 2015 -- added that she's hoping to give away all the tickets by Thursday night.

It's an awesome gesture ... considering the tickets have reached crazy prices. Even SoFi Stadium nosebleed seats are going for over $500, and seats near the field are selling for thousands.

Kelly, though, is clearly down to help ease that financial burden -- especially because the last time the Niners came into town earlier this month, their fans took over the venue.

A sculptor in Los Angeles has honored the anniversary of the deaths of Kobe and Gigi Bryant by placing a statue of the two at the site where they tragically passed away in 2020.

The artist, Dan Medina, tells TMZ Sports he created the 160-pound bronze figure and pulled it up to the scene in Calabasas via a wagon on Wednesday.

The sculpture is only a temporary piece -- Medina says he'll haul it back down at sunset -- but the artist tells us he's hoping the city will allow him to put up a larger, more life-sized version permanently at the site.

The artwork, while smaller than what Medina hopes it'll ultimately end up being, is incredible -- it's a depiction of Kobe in a Lakers uniform with his arm around Gigi, who's also in a basketball uniform holding a ball.

At the base of the statue, Medina added the names of all nine of the victims who tragically died in the helicopter crash on the Calabasas hillside on Jan. 26, 2020.

"Heroes come and go," words on the base of the statue read, "but legends are forever."

As we previously reported, Kobe, Gigi and the others were on their way to a girls basketball game, when the chopper suddenly wrecked in the terrain.

Tributes to the Bryants and the other victims of the crash have poured in on the anniversary Wednesday, with athletes and celebs from all over remembering them all on social media.

In fact, Kobe's old Lakers teammate, Lamar Odom, was gifted a diamond pendant on Wednesday to honor and remember the Bryants.

Ryan Lochte is reflecting on the 2016 gas station incident in Brazil that changed his life forever ... saying he was so distraught over it all, he at one point felt like the worst man in the world.

Lochte -- a 12-time Olympic medalist -- joined ex-NFL QB Jay Cutler on his "Uncut" podcast this week ... and the two discussed the infamous incident that landed him in hot water.

"I had rude awakenings," Lochte says, "being where everyone loved me and I was on top of the world, I felt like." "And then in one stupid night ... gone. I was like the worst guy in the world or something at one point."

Remember, Ryan claimed he and other U.S. swimmers had been robbed at gunpoint at a gas station during the world's biggest sporting event.

After looking into Lochte's allegations, Brazilian authorities ultimately charged him with filing a false police report ... but he claims -- aside from one detail -- he was telling the truth.

"They did the investigation," Lochte said. "I didn't do anything wrong. What I said was right. The only thing I fabricated was when the gun was pointed to me, I said it was pointed to my head, but it was like three or four feet away."

The swimmer's lawyer told USA Today Sports a few months ago that the charges against Lochte had been dropped ... after a judge ruled Brazilian prosecutors could not prove their case.

Lochte later returned to the pool after serving a suspension, but failed to qualify for the 2021 Olympics.

"That was very tough," Ryan said. Throughout my whole swimming career and everything I've been through, I never went through depression."

"It was one of the hardest things besides 2016 ... was just waking up and looking myself in the mirror like, 'Damn, I'm a failure.'"

The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing will be a homecoming for 17-year-old skiing phenom Kai Owens ... and the Team USA superstar tells TMZ Sports she can't wait to return to her birth country for the very first time.

Owens' story is inspirational -- she was abandoned by her birth parents as an infant and was adopted by a Colorado couple when she was around 16 months old.

Now, the mogul skier is set to make the ultimate return and compete at the highest level during the 2022 Games ... and she tells us it's going to be an incredible experience.

"I'm just trying to explore everything I can and enjoy the moment," she told us at LAX this week.

Owens says she won't try to track down her biological parents during the trip ... but plans to make a return to China after the Games if the pandemic calms down.

"Right now, I'm mainly focused on competing, but my family and I have plans to return to China once COVID allows us to, to kind of go back to the province that I was born in and maybe do some birth parents research," Owens said.

"My primary goal for this trip is the Olympic games, but I'm definitely hoping to do a cultural experience later this year."

Big break for Nate Hobbs in his DUI case ... prosecutors say toxicology results revealed the Raiders player was UNDER the legal limit of .08 following his arrest earlier this month.

The Clark County District Attorney's Office made the announcement Wednesday ... saying blood analysis following Hobbs' Jan. 3 arrest in Las Vegas showed "Hobbs was under the legal limit for a DUI charge."

Prosecutors say as a result of the tests ... they did not pursue a DUI charge against Hobbs, and instead, they say the NFL cornerback ended up pleading guilty to a misdemeanor careless driving charge.

Prosecutors said in a statement they hit Hobbs with that charge after they say he fell asleep at the wheel of his car in an exit lane of a parking garage at a Vegas hotel -- just hours after Hobbs and the Raiders beat the Colts in Indianapolis.

Prosecutors say as part of Hobbs' guilty plea, he agreed to "pay a $685 fine, complete a victim impact panel, and complete 20 hours of community service."

The prosecutors added that if Hobbs does not complete the requirements, he faces a 30-day jail sentence.

"After reviewing the facts of the case, and the fact that the result of the blood-alcohol test placed Mr. Hobbs under the legal limit for a DUI charge, my office determined that this was the most appropriate disposition in this case," Clark County D.A. Steve Wolfson said in a statement.

"Mr. Hobbs' case will progress through the normal channels of the justice system, as would any other case with similar circumstances."

Wolfson added, "Additionally, he will be submitting to an alcohol treatment program provided by the National Football League and the NFL Players' Association."

Hobbs -- who played in the Raiders' playoff loss to the Cincinnati Bengals days after the arrest -- is due back in court for a hearing on the matter in March.

Some fighters credit boxing, wrestling, perhaps Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ... but Vanessa Demopoulos, she credits the pole.

Yes ... 33-year-old Demopoulos tells TMZ Sports she credits much of her success in the Octagon against Silvana Gomez Juarez at UFC 270 to the strength she's developed dancing on the pole.

"I just walked away from being an exotic entertainer. I'm like so good at pole dancing," Vanessa says.

"I feel like pole dancing and fighting goes hand and hand. I'm 3 stories up in the air, hanging on by a limb, mainly in my underwear. If I sweat too much, I'm falling to my death. It's like fighting, same thing. Except you're not going to die. The ref is gonna stop it before it happens."

Vanessa caused quite a stir last week. She hit a split after the weigh-in ... and she did it inside the Octagon after she won. VD also jumped in Joe Rogan's arms during her (memorable) post-fight interview.

And, then she went into the cage and took care of business ... winning via armbar submission in the 1st round.

Demopoulos clearly feels at home pole dancing, so we asked ... despite the UFC success (and the $50K bonus she won), are you swearing off the pole?

"I was at the club last night and I definitely found a pole to hop onto. It's something I love doing. I'm never not going to dance. But you won't see me in the club doing it for dollars."

So, less dancing for dollars and more punching people in the face ... and Demopoulos is hyped for her future as a fighter.

"I really am a full-time fighter now, and it feels so good. I've worked my whole life for these types of moments. It's like you work your whole life for that one moment that's gonna change the rest of it, and that was that moment, and it was absolutely incredible."

Lamar Odom will now have Kobe and Gigi Bryant with him everywhere he goes -- the ex-Lakers star was just gifted an incredible piece honoring the late NBA legend and his daughter on the second anniversary of their tragic helicopter accident.

TMZ Sports has learned ... LO -- who played alongside Kobe from 2004-2011 and remained close friends with the Hall of Famer in retirement -- received the special tribute to the Mamba and Mambacita from his manager, Tonita B.

The finished product is a diamond chain and pendant featuring Kobe kissing Gigi on the head ... which was based off a famous picture of the two sitting courtside at a Laker game in 2019.

We're told the chain -- designed by Scoobie Da Jeweler -- is made of 25 carats of VS diamonds ... and the whole finished product is worth around $17,000.

The back of the piece features a special quote from Kobe ... which reads, "Rest at the end, not in the middle."

We're told this all came to be when Tonita decided to do something unique for Lamar to commemorate their new Savvy Talent Management Group partnership ... and given his admiration for Bryant and his family, she chose a Mamba-related keepsake.

Odom has previously spoken about the impact Kobe left on his life after the fatal accident on Jan. 26, 2020 ... saying he not only helped him on the court, but was by his side during his darkest times.

Odom posted about his new gift on social media minutes ago ... saying, "To understand that Kobe meant the world to me and have this made as a constant reminder for me to keep going has me at loss for words. 💜"

Baker Mayfield is going M.I.A. when it comes to social media -- saying Tuesday night that after his turbulent season with the Browns, he's quitting all platforms until further notice.

"Getting off all social media for the foreseeable future," the Cleveland quarterback said. "Gotta do what's best to focus on me, my family and loved ones."

"Appreciate all the support. Time to get right."

The move for the signal-caller always seemed to be a possibility -- considering he and his wife have been unhappy with the Internet community basically this entire season.

Emily Mayfield has had to defend her husband on the apps constantly ... and even said back in December that trolls sent her and the QB death threats following the Browns vs. Packers game.

Baker, meanwhile, has constantly slammed media members and others on social media platforms throughout the season ... even writing in a tweet during the NFL's playoff games last weekend that it was all "toxic."

Baker had a rough year with the Browns outside of all the Internet hate ... throwing 13 interceptions and fumbling 6 times, all while his squad missed the playoffs.

He did have surgery on his injured shoulder last week ... and he's hopeful after recovering, he can return to form next season.

Neymar met Kanye West for the first time in Paris on Wednesday -- and the soccer superstar didn't come empty-handed for the occasion, bringing the musician a custom "Ye" jersey.

Neymar also showered Kanye with praise on his social media following their meet-up ... calling the "Hurricane" performer a "legend."

"Nice to meet u legend 👏🏽," Neymar said while sharing two pictures from their get-together.

Kanye is, of course, in town for Fashion Week ... and he was able to see Neymar during a tour of the soccer superstar's Paris Saint-German facilities.

The two were clearly pumped to meet each other ... you can see in one of the pics the guys were smiling ear-to-ear.

It's unclear how big of a soccer fan Ye is ... but we do know he's a huge sports guy -- he's spotted at big games in the U.S. regularly and he even started his own high school basketball team at Donda Academy last year.

If he had to make the decision today ... Rob Gronkowski says his football career would be over -- telling TMZ Sports he'd retire if the NFL made him choose right now.

"If they're like, 'Rob, you've got to decide right now, right this second if you're playing next year,' I would say no right now," Gronk said. "I would be like, 'No, I'm not playing.'"

The tight end -- who joined Babcock and Mojo on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (nightly on FS1) -- said he's just too beat up right now following his 11th season in the league to go ahead and definitively move forward with Year #12.

"If I had an answer right now," Gronk said, "it would be no."

Good news for the Buccaneers, though ... Gronk does not have to decide at this moment -- and he acknowledged his mind could change in the next couple of weeks.

The future Hall of Famer tells us once his body's healed and he's had some time to reflect on the season, the answer could very well turn into a yes.

"I just want to heal completely, see where my thoughts are from there," Gronk said. "Just let things settle down -- got to just heal a little bit. Fix all the bumps and bruises."

As for if Tom Brady's upcoming decision about his future could affect Gronk's, Rob tells us it all could play a role -- though he has to do what's best for him first and foremost.

There's more, Gronk also told us he does not think the Bucs' messy breakup with Antonio Brown played a role in their early playoff exit ... saying the locker room was full of too many veterans to let it affect them that negatively.

"There's so many experienced pros in our locker room," Gronk said. "It's not like we have a young locker room or anything like that."

We also talked to Gronk about his partnership with Groupon. The superstar tight end teamed up with the company to give one extremely lucky fan a chance to literally celebrate the Super Bowl at Rob's actual house in Foxborough.

As you might expect from Rob ... the house is awesome. It's nearly 5,000 square feet of awesomeness ... and if you're fortunate, you and your buddies could be posting up on Gronk's couch when the big game rolls around on February 13.

Good luck!!

Barry Bonds -- one of the greatest hitters and outfielders in MLB history -- had the Baseball Hall of Fame doors slammed shut in his face on Tuesday ... as he was not voted into Cooperstown in his final year on the ballot.

Bonds -- who was getting Hall consideration for the 10th and last time -- was ultimately denied by a group of baseball writers who believe his connection to performance-enhancing drugs overshadowed the brilliance he displayed on the diamond.

The argument for Bonds' enshrinement into the Hall of Fame is simple -- the former San Francisco Giants outfielder put up jaw-dropping numbers throughout his storied 22-year career in the big leagues.

BB is the all-time leader in home runs (762), owns the single-season home run record set by a player, is a 14-time All-Star and won seven NL MVPs -- by far the most in MLB history.

On another note, Sammy Sosa and Roger Clemens also fell short of the 75% of votes needed to be formally inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. David Ortiz -- one of Bonds' contemporaries -- did receive the percentage of votes needed to make it in.

FYI, Ortiz -- aka "Big Papi" -- got in on his first try ... and although David had a legendary career with a ton of home runs (541) and multiple World Series titles, he wasn't the player or defender Bonds was.

Bonds still has a chance at making the Hall via the Today’s Game Era ballot in December ... but it will fall into the hands of a 16-person group that focuses on bringing contributors from 1988-2016 into Cooperstown.

Add Aziz Ansari to the list of people going after Aaron Rodgers -- the "Parks and Rec" star just roasted the hell outta the QB ... saying no one should be surprised about his COVID vaccine stance because he's a football player.

"This guy makes a living getting hit in the head," the 38-year-old said during his Netflix standup special, "Nightclub Comedian," this week. "Can we cut him a break?"

Of course, this all stems from the Green Bay Packers star's choice against getting the jab ... as well as his decision to follow Joe Rogan's instruction to fight COVID-19.

Rodgers has been on the receiving end of hate by a lot of big names -- from Howard Stern to Jon Stewart and even President Joe Biden -- and Aziz mockingly showed sympathy for the MVP in his special.

"People hate that guy," Ansari said. "It's like alright. Calm down!"

"He's a football player! He read some articles, he got skeptical, he did some research. Are you stunned he came to the wrong conclusion?"

He continued ... "This poor guy. It's like we're all in high school and we're making fun of the quarterback for doing bad on the science test."

Aziz calls out Rodgers for trying to pull a quick one in telling reporters he's "immunized" rather than vaccinated ... saying he came off as arrogant.

"He was out there like 'Oh, I'm a critical thinker.'"

"I don't think he's an idiot though, okay?! I don't think him, Nicki Minaj, any of these people are idiots. I just think they're trapped in a different algorithm than you are."

Josh Allen's girlfriend is trying her best to cheer up her man following his heartbreaking playoff loss Sunday ... telling the Bills QB how proud she is of him despite the defeat.

Brittany Williams posted the mushy note to the Buffalo star on her social media page Tuesday -- just days after the Bills fell out of the playoffs following an overtime loss to the Chiefs -- commending him for finishing his fourth year in the NFL.

"It's amazing watching you put your head down and work every day to be the best teammate, leader, and football player you can be," said Williams, who's been dating Allen for years. "Through the ups & downs of this season, you remained calm and confident and it showed every time you stepped on the field."

She added, "I really don’t know how you balance everything, but you always do it with a smile on your face and with the biggest heart."

"I love you ❤️"

Allen will no doubt appreciate the words ... because he's got to be one of the most heartbroken people in the country at the moment.

The 25-year-old played his ass off in the Bills' game in Kansas City ... and came up just short of moving his team into the AFC Championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

He's got a good chance of getting his team there next year, though, 'cause the Bills have surrounded him with a bunch of talent.

Shocking news in New Orleans ... Sean Payton has retired as head coach of the Saints.

New Orleans journalist Nick Underhill first reported the news Tuesday morning.

Payton has been the head man for the Saints since 2006 ... and won a Super Bowl with the team in 2009.

He's widely considered one of the three or four best coaches in the league, and piled up a 152-89 record in his 15 years with the team.

In fact, Payton had been so good in New Orleans, he won more than 10 games in a season NINE separate times.

It's unclear why Payton made the decision this week -- his contract reportedly compensated him well, and he's only 58 years old.

No word yet on where he goes in 2022 from here. There are rumors swirling that he could join a broadcasting booth somewhere -- though heading to another team to be its new head coach might not be totally out of the question either.