TMZ Sports - Page 50

Logan Paul's hardcore training for WrestleMania 38 is going off without a hitch ... so says WWE Superstar The Miz, who tells TMZ Sports the YouTube sensation is an "absolute natural" in the squared circle.

As we previously reported, the "Maverick" made a surprise appearance at Raw last week ... officially confirming his spot as Miz's tag team partner against Rey and Dominik Mysterio in April.

We spoke with The Miz about the preparations leading up to the big event ... and he says he was floored by how quickly Logan got comfortable with the complicated moves.

"Training's going really well, actually," he tells us ... saying Paul was even able to nail his signature Skull Crushing Finale in no time.

"Logan -- I showed it to him like, once. Literally picked it up like that. I was like, 'Oh, okay. This is gonna be fun!!'"

Miz says Logan's amateur wrestling background (he was a beast in high school) and boxing training has helped him immensely ... and it's going to show in his performance.

As for Paul's future in WWE, Miz says he truly thinks Logan could go full-time with Vince McMahon's organization.

Juli Boeheim -- the wife of legendary college basketball coach Jim Boeheim -- was robbed at gunpoint in Syracuse on Tuesday, according to local reports.

Boeheim was sitting in her car in the Destiny USA parking lot at around 2 PM ... when a minor approached her and started a conversation, per Syracuse.com.

A short time after, cops say the boy pointed a gun at Boeheim, reached into her car and grabbed her purse.

The boy then ran off with the purse and fled the scene with two accomplices in a car that was reported stolen, according to the report.

Luckily for Boeheim, she was not injured during the incident.

A search for potential suspects is underway ... and Syracuse cops are asking for anyone with additional information to call 315-442-5222.

Juli is co-founder of the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation, which helps young kids fight cancer in the New York area.

Juli and Jim first met at the Kentucky Derby in 1994 ... and were married in 1997.

Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta "Tank" Davis -- the super fight that's been years in the making -- may finally be on the verge of actually happening, 'cause King Ry's promoter, legendary fighter Oscar De La Hoya tells us he wants to make the bout this year!

TMZ Sports talked to De La Hoya -- who was promoting Garcia's return to the ring vs. Emmanuel Tagoe on April 9 on DAZN -- when the conversation turned to a possible title fight with Tank later this year.

"The perfect scenario is Ryan Garcia versus Tank Davis, right? The crazy part is that Floyd Mayweather is Tank Davis' promoter and I'm Ryan Garcia's promoter so it will be -- just imagine me and Floyd putting on the gloves after Ryan and Tank. It would be the Super Bowl of boxing," ODLH says.

Garcia hasn't fought since January 2021 (he beat Luke Campbell) ... after Ryan courageously opened up about mental health issues he was facing.

Tank and Ryan are two of the best (young) fighters in the world. 27-year-old Davis is 26-0 (24 KO's) and has some of the most devastating power in the sport.

23-year-old Garcia is also undefeated ... with a record of 21-0 (18 KO's). Ryan is blazing fast and has knockout power.

Both guys -- and their people -- have gone back-and-forth for years ... challenging each other.

Davis is likely to fight Rolando Romero sometime over the next few months. Garcia has the bout with Tagoe (who ODLH says is no scrub) the second week of April ... and in a perfect world, Oscar would set the Ryan and Gervonta fight for later 2022.

"I would love to get that fight done in 2022," the boxing Hall of Famer says.

"I strongly feel -- like Ryan Garcia, he's coming off a 15-month layoff, this is a perfect fight for Ryan Garcia. This kid from Ghana is no pushover. He only lost one fight in his pro debut and he's been undefeated since."

Oscar continued ... "When I think of his opponent, I think of about Azumah Nelson and Ike Quartey, these are tough, tough fighters from Ghana so it's not going to be easy. After this fight, everything goes well then I'm gonna go after Tank Davis and the very best for Ryan Garcia."

First things first ... both men need to win their next fight, then it could *finally* be on!

The Major League Baseball season will not be 162 games long this year ... commissioner Rob Manfred is now canceling contests after the league and its players failed to ratify a new collective bargaining agreement.

Manfred made the announcement on Tuesday afternoon following days of negotiation talks in Florida ... telling reporters, "I am going to cancel some regular-season games."

"We worked hard to avoid an outcome that's bad for our fans, bad for our players, and bad for our clubs," Manfred said.

The MLB commish said he will cancel the first two series of the season ... and insinuated there could be far more cancellations if the two sides don't strike a deal soon.

Manfred said both the league and its players worked tirelessly over the last week to try to get a deal done in order to avoid this outcome ... and he said the MLB provided a proposal that he believed was more than fair.

"The unfortunate thing," he said, "maybe the most unfortunate thing is that agreement, the one we've offered to our players, offered huge benefits for our fans and for our players."

No word on where talks go from here and when the parties will sit at a table again ... but if the negotiations stall again -- Big League action could be paused indefinitely.

Rough day for baseball fans everywhere.

New championship bling, new baby, new knee ligament ... and now, new hair?!?!

Odell Beckham Jr. just underwent yet another huge change in his life ... shaving off his famous mohawk on Tuesday.

The L.A. Rams star put his fresh 'do on display in a video on his Instagram ... revealing his purple curls are no more.

"New toppp," OBJ said in a caption on the clip.

The new look comes just over two weeks after he won the Super Bowl, just over one week after his model girlfriend, Lauren Wood, gave birth to their baby, and just days after he had surgery to repair the ligament he tore during February's Big Game.

Beckham said on IG after all the changes and before the haircut that he was excited for all the new chapters in his life.

Colby Covington got himself a sweet pre-fight treat this week ... coppin' a $50,000 diamond chain featuring his nickname, "Chaos," before his massive scrap with Jorge Masvidal.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the MMA star hit up Boodaddy Diamonds to get the piece made prior to his headline fight at UFC 272 -- and the celeb jeweler delivered big time.

We're told the pendant features 14k solid gold, over 15 carats of VVS diamonds, and comes with a crown bale just over the "A" in CHAOS.

We're also told the tennis chain that supports the pendant has 28 carats of VVS diamonds. And, based on the pics of Colby with the chain, it's clear the dude loves it.

The drip is pretty and will look great in the pre-fight leadup ... but one thing seems for sure, his feud with his former friend-turned bitter rival is the exact opposite.

The two mixed martial artists hate each other ... and Covington told us just a few days ago the tension between him and 37-year-old Masvidal is VERY real.

In fact, Covington called it "a blood feud."

Kobe Bryant was one of the most clutch players in the NBA, but he REALLY came through for Chandler Parsons during his rookie year -- 'cause the newly retired hooper says the Black Mamba once paid a $22,000 bill for him at a famous L.A. nightclub!!

Parsons joined former NBA players Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes on their "All The Smoke" podcast this week ... where he shared how the encounter with Bryant went down.

Chandler says Kobe approached him in the fourth quarter of their game against the Lakers in 2012 ... telling the rookie he'd take care of him later that night if his team was spending more time in L.A.

Parsons says he got a text from none other than Kobe himself later that night ... confirming he arranged reservations for Chandler and his teammates at The Supper Club L.A.

When it was time to pay the bill at the spot, Parsons says the waitress walked up and gave him the check ... which came with a hefty price tag at the time.

Parsons admitted on the show he was worried that Bryant stuck him with the bill ... thinking it could have been some sort of rookie hazing into the NBA fraternity.

But, much to his surprise, the waitress told Parsons to "sign for Mr. Bryant" ... 'cause Kobe already took care of the tab.

The coolest part of the story is Parsons says he still has the text messages from Bryant ... proving that Kobe, indeed, did lookout for him after all.

Mickey Mantle's last Yankees jersey just netted a small fortune at auction ... raking in a staggering $2.2 MILLION!!!

Officials at Heritage Auctions tell TMZ Sports ... the sale just closed over the weekend, and it was an historic one, because it's now the highest price ever paid for a Mick jersey.

In fact, the price tag was so high, it was hundreds of thousands of dollars more than what experts initially thought it could fetch.

As for why it sold for so much ... well, the 1968 NYY gear is that historic. It not only was the last jersey Mantle wore in his final baseball season -- it was also autographed, and featured a personalized message from the Yankees legend.

The previous record for the Mick jersey was $1.3 million in August 2018.

Ukrainian UFC fighter Maryna Moroz -- who is fighting in 5 days -- has a message for Russian President Vladimir Putin as his troops invaded her homeland, killing soldiers and innocent people ... "F**k you, bitch! I love my country. Don't touch Ukraine!"

TMZ Sports talked to 30-year-old Moroz less than a week before she's scheduled to fight Mariya Agapova, an MMA fighter from Kazakhstan, as Ukraine is mercilessly attacked by Putin's military.

Maryna was born in Vilnohirsk, Ukraine in September 1991 ... almost exactly the time Ukraine gained its independence as the Soviet Union dissolved.

Now, that independence is threatened ... and Moroz is understandably scared/worried by what's happening back home.

"It's hard time for Ukraine. I want to support my country, my president, whole army in Ukraine, and I want to say we don't want war. I worry about my family right now."

The situation is so bad, MM says her dad has begun making explosives at home.

"My dad makes home grenades."

Despite the tragedy surrounding her, Moroz fights Agapova Saturday night at UFC 272 ... and she hopes to show how tough Ukrainians are as people.

"I will be fighting and I show that Ukraine people are strong, and my flag will be in the Octagon."

Step aside, James Harrison ... Nick Chubb has just made his case for biggest beast in an NFL weight room -- squatting 500 pounds for reps with ease!!

Chubb threw up the footage of the insane feat on his social media page Monday -- proving he is still crazy strong.

In the clip, you can see Chubb -- with 495 pounds (plus the two clips!) on his back -- going up and down five times easily.

The weight was so heavy, the barbell actually bent while he was performing the lift -- but Chubb still took it ass-to-grass and back up with no problem whatsoever.

Of course, for as wild as the feat is ... we should be used to it by now, given what Nick's already proven in the gym.

You'll recall, back in 2019, he cleaned 410 pounds without issue -- and has been seen from time to time doing similar lifts since.

Joe Burrow is spending his offseason the right way ... by playing golf with Kendall Jenner's boyfriend, Devin Booker, and his old Ohio State teammates after losing Super Bowl LVI.

Burrow hit the links with D Book in Scottsdale, Arizona recently .... where Joey B's teammate, Sam Hubbard, and 49ers star defensive end, Nick Bosa joined in on the fun.

Hubbard, a defensive end for the Bengals, took to social media to share a few images of the trip as they enjoyed some nice weather out on the course ... followed by a group dinner after.

The Bengals, of course, are still trying to recover from their disappointing 23-20 loss to the Rams in the Super Bowl ... and what better way to do that than having some quality tee time!!

Of course, Sam, Nick, and Joey Franchise all went to Ohio State -- though Burrow would finish his career with the LSU Tigers, where he led them to a national title after defeating Clemson in the 2019 season.

But, it was those OSU and Ohio roots that forged the basis of the foundation for Sam's relationship with Joe ... and it's spilled over into their professional careers.

While the Bengals season is over, the Suns and Booker are still playing ... and with the best record in the NBA, Phoenix looks poised to make a serious run at an NBA championship.

UFC legend Cain Velasquez spent Monday night in jail ... TMZ Sports has confirmed the 39-year-old has been arrested and booked on an attempted murder charge.

Details surrounding the specifics of his arrest are unclear -- though law enforcement sources tell us the former fighter was involved in a shooting in San Jose at around 3 PM near a local high school.

In the alleged incident, one person was shot while another was arrested. Nothing further surrounding the circumstances of the situation has been released.

Jail records show Velasquez is still in custody as of Tuesday morning ... and has a court date set for Wednesday at noon.

Velasquez -- who was born and raised in Northern California -- is one of the best heavyweight MMA fighters in the history of the sport. During his reign, Cain beat everyone from Brock Lesnar to Junior dos Santos.

After parting ways following his last loss to Francis Ngannou, Cain spent several months with WWE (he's a huge wrestling fan).

Cain trains at the famed American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) gym with Daniel Cormier and Khabib Nurmagomedov, among other MMA stars.

Before getting into mixed martial arts, Velasquez was a star collegiate wrestler at Arizona State University. He was a 2x All-American.

Adidas has suspended its uniform deal with the Russian National Football (soccer) team ... in direct response to Vladimir Putin's unprovoked attack in Ukraine, resulting in innocent lives being lost.

A spokesperson for the company issued a brief statement addressing the suspension, saying, "Adidas is suspending its partnership with the Russian Football Federation (RFS) with immediate effect."

Adidas -- the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe -- has been a partner with Russia's soccer team since 2008 ... providing the club's official sportswear.

The soccer world has responded to the Ukraine tragedy in a big way ... leveling their own kind of "sanctions" against Russia's soccer program.

The Champions League Final -- originally scheduled to take place in Russia -- moved to France after the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) stripped Saint Petersburg, Russia of its hosting rights.

FIFA then banned Russia from playing in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar ... the biggest sporting event in the world.

Former Formula 1 driver Daniil Kvyat is speaking out against banning Russian athletes amid the attack on Ukraine ... calling it an "unfair solution."

As we previously reported, FIFA, the International Olympic Committee and other top sports organizations have expressed desire to prevent Russian athletes from participating in the international competition following last week's invasion ... as well as the Automobile Federation of Ukraine, which has called on the FIA to ban Russian drivers from racing in F1.

27-year-old Kvyat -- the most successful F1 driver from Russia -- sounded off on the idea in a lengthy statement on Tuesday ... saying it's going against everything sports represents.

"I really hope for a peaceful solution to this situation in Ukraine, and that we can all live in peace," he said on Twitter. "Hopefully all parties can find a solution by sitting together and through a respectful dialogue."

"It horrifies me to see two brotherhood nations in a conflict. I don't want military actions and wars to influence the future of humanity, I want my daughter and all children to enjoy this beautiful world."

He added ... "I also would like to highlight and address all sports federations across the world including IOC that sport should remain outside politics and disallowing Russian athletes and teams from participating in world competitions is an unfair solution and goes against what sport teaches us in its principle -- the unity and peace."

"Who else if not us sports people will help to glue nations together in the upcoming times."

Several massive Russian athletes have spoken out against the attack ... including Alexander Ovechkin, Andrey Rublev and more.

Tristan Thompson has a new team, but he's still hearing the same heckles ... 'cause during his game Monday night, fans were still trying to distract him with "Khloe!" chants.

The familiar taunts all went down in Miami during the Bulls vs. Heat game ... when Tristan was at the line shooting some free throws.

In video posted by a fan near courtside, you can hear several people yell "Khloe!" loudly at the Chicago center while he was trying to make his foul shots.

In the footage, Thompson sank his free throw amid the taunts ... but Khloe Kardashian's ex was only able to make two of his four attempts during the evening. Tristan's Bulls went on to lose the game, 112-99.

Of course, Thompson is no stranger to the jeers about his ex -- he's heard the chants at multiple arenas in his career, and even reportedly had a fan ejected from a game earlier this season over the Kardashian heckles.

Thompson -- who was traded from the Kings earlier this month and later signed with the Bulls -- famously dated Khloe off and on from 2016 to 2021.

Hulk Hogan is turning the page after his second divorce, and his ex-wife is doing the same ... with a new set of wheels that were part of the deal, as they say, when they agreed to part ways.

The pro wrestling icon came to an agreement with Jennifer McDaniel when they finalized their divorce last year -- which flew under the radar until he announced it this week -- and one key point of negotiation was making sure JMD had a brand new ride.

According to legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Hulk and Jen's divorce settlement calls for HH to buy her a new car within 45 days, and guarantee she has to make zero payments on the vehicle.

The make and model aren't addressed in the paperwork, but a condition of the purchase is Hulk gets to keep the ride they'd shared during the marriage.

Other takeaways from the divorce docs ... Jen's keeping a property they bought together in Palm Isle, FL, and Hulk holds on to his Clearwater mansion.

As for alimony ... the docs say Hulk paid Jennifer a one-time lump sum of cash, but the amount isn't disclosed. There's a non-disparagement clause that prevents each of them from talking about the relationship without the other signing off.

One last thing ... it looks like Jen responded to his divorce petition the same day he filed it in October -- a sign this was all pretty amicable, and well-planned ahead of time.