TMZ Sports - Page 46

Earl Thomas was arrested Friday night in Texas after he was spotted at a bar ... just days after a judge issued a warrant for the former NFL star after the DB was accused of violating a protective order on multiple occasions, TMZ Sports has learned.

We're told the 33-year-old 7x Pro Bowler was taken into custody around 8:30 PM in Orange County, TX by Orange County PD after the agency received a phone call from a bar patron who spotted Thomas in the establishment.

Officers responded, and Thomas was cuffed and taken to the Orange County Jail ... where he currently remains.

Bond has not yet been set, according to online records.

And, because Thomas allegedly contacted the woman multiple times, he could be hit with a third-degree felony -- a charge that can carry a decade-long prison sentence, if convicted.

The bust comes about two weeks after a judge issued a warrant for the former Seahawks star, after Earl allegedly violated a protective order twice in 12 months by threatening a woman and her kids over texts, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

Thomas' attorney previously told the local Austin paper his client was simply communicating with his estranged wife about their kids, something he says he is permitted to do under the order.

The original protective order was issued in 2021, when Earl was ordered to only contact his ex using an approved co-parenting app. But, according to the allegation, not only didn't the NFL star use the app, but he also allegedly sent menacing messages, threatening violence.

The arrest comes during a time when Thomas -- the 14th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft -- is attempting to get back into the NFL.

Earl, a 5x All-Pro and Super Bowl champion, hasn't played since the 2019 season when he started 15 games for the Baltimore Ravens.

NFL reporter Dov Kleiman was first to report the arrest.

Pacman Jones says he's siding with Antonio Brown on at least one thing from the wideout's Colin Kaepernick rant ... telling TMZ Sports he, too, has questions about Kaep's charity work.

Speaking with us out at LAX just a few days after Brown ripped Kaep, Jones -- who actually watched Kaepernick throw last month and then had a sitdown interview with the quarterback -- said he also isn't entirely sure what Kaepernick has done for his community since settling his lawsuit with the NFL back in 2019.

"As far as the community part, I think AB is right," Jones said. "We haven't heard anything that Kaep did for the community or given back to the community after the settlement."

You'll recall, Brown wondered out loud in a conversation with "Cigar Talk" about Kaepernick's foundation and its results ... saying, "I'm being real. What superhero he enforce? Who he put on? Who he help?"

Jones is clearly wondering the same thing ... telling us straight-up, "That part of the question, I do think AB is right."

As for the rest of Brown's thoughts on Colin -- Pacman did appear to disagree with the NFL free agent on most of those.

The former Tennessee Titans superstar told us after watching Kaepernick practice for 2.5 hours in April, he doesn't think the QB is "trash" like Brown does. In fact, Jones said Kaepernick's arm talent is still certainly there.

Jones also told us, unlike Brown, he believes Kaepernick does still have a desire to play.

"I just think it's hard for a guy to fairytale for 2.5 hours, three hours every day throwing the ball if you don't want to play," Jones said. "I think he wants to play. Do he deserve to play? That's another question. But, do he want to play? I do think he wants to play."

Jermell and Jermall Charlo vs Jake and Logan Paul?!

Not happening, according to Jermell, who tells TMZ Sports the Paul bros ain't on the Charlo bros level right now, but, absolutely no shade here ... 'cause the light-middleweight champ says he's actually a big fan of what they're doing in the sport.

"I f**k with the Paul Brothers."

"I like what they're doing. Let them keep boxing and keep going. They're gaining experience in boxing right now. They're doing what they're supposed to do. They're doing what legacy makers are doing and that's why I feel like the Paul Brothers, they're gonna keep on doing what they doing and making big money in boxing and making money on YouTube."

In fact, Jermell says other fighters could -- and should -- learn from Jake and Logan.

"Boxers need to learn from that s**t, bro."

Of course, the Paul bros, and particularly Jake, have taken the boxing world by storm. Jake is 5-0 professionally.

Jake has beaten fellow YouTuber AnEsonGib, before taking on 2x Slam Dunk champ and all-around incredible athlete, Nate Robinson. Paul flatlined the 5'8" hooper on the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. undercard ... and that's when his popularity exploded.

The Problem Child then beat former MMA champ Ben Askren ... putting the wrestling legend on the canvas.

Then, it was time for his biggest test by far ... MMA legend and future UFC Hall of Famer, Tyron Woodley, whom Jake beat twice, culminating in one of the most brutal knockouts of the year.

As for Logan ... he fought KSI twice. The first fight was a draw, and Paul lost the rematch (LP received an unusually harsh penalty during the fight which affected the result).

So, pretty impressive. But, Jermell and Jermall are two of the top boxers in the world right now. We talked about Jermell's titles ... and he isn't the only one in the fam with belts. Jermall is a former two-weight class world champion.

Speaking of brothers ... we asked Jermell if he'd ever fight his twin, Jermall. The short answer? Nope.

But, what about for a lot of money? Nope.

"I don't care about no money like that. I got enough money man, life is great. Never put my hands on my brother," Jermell told us.

There's more.

We also talked to Jermell -- who is fighting undefeated boxer Brian Castano Saturday night on Showtime -- about Canelo Alvarez's recent loss to Dmitry Bivol, and what it means for the Mexican boxing legend's legacy.

Sorry NASCAR and IndyCar fans -- Daniel Ricciardo says he's already got his plans lined up after he retires from Formula 1 ... and it doesn't include racing in the U.S.

TMZ Sports spoke with the McLaren driver out in West Hollywood this week ... and asked if he'd ever take his talents to the States full-time when he's all done tearing it up in F1.

Of course, Daniel is only 32 ... and Sebastian Vettel (34), Lewis Hamilton (37), and Fernando Alonso (40) are all still doing their thing on the track this year.

But, Ricciardo got people talking recently ... when he jokingly said he was delaying his retirement after F1 announced the Las Vegas Grand Prix would debut in 2023.

The guy was clearly just having a laugh, but it put the thought into fans' heads that maybe he was considering hanging up the helmet soon.

While Ricciardo says he's a huge fan NASCAR and American racing, he says he intends to enjoy his time away from behind the wheel.

Iggy Azalea's obsession with Zillow has also translated to the real world ... she just found a buyer for her Hidden Hills home.

Azalea, who has said the home buying and listing website is her "actual addiction" ... has accepted an offer for her 5-bedroom, 5-bath pad for $5.949 million -- slightly less than the $6.2 million she listed it for back in January -- but a nice little bump from the $5.2 million she paid less than a year ago.

The home is perfect for entertaining, with a giant backyard and swimming pool ... not to mention a playground and basketball court. And, it's Kardashian-adjacent!

Funny enough, shortly after listing the home, Iggy tweeted, "I keep selling my house so I have an excuse to Zillow. I'm obsessed. It's my actual addiction." Seattle Seahawks star receiver, Tyler Lockett, who got his real estate license in the offseason, even offered his services to help her find her next home.

Besides her obsession with Zillow, another reason Iggy could have been looking to sell was to get away from her neighbor. Right after moving in last year, she was already feuding with them over renovations.

Jan Blachowicz says he forgot to bring his "legendary Polish power" with him last time he stepped foot in the Octagon ... something he says will NOT happen when he fights UFC star Aleksandar Rakic Saturday in Las Vegas, telling TMZ Sports he's gunning for a knockout.

We talked to the 39-year-old former light heavyweight champ -- now the #1 ranked contender -- just days before his scrap with 30-year-old Rakic, the #3 ranked fighter. A win could earn either fighter a title shot, and Jan knows it.

"I'm very hungry, you know, because I lost something I love. I lost my treasure and I want to get this belt back," Blachowicz said ... "I need to. I want to defeat Aleksandar and be the next contender for the title. First of all, Saturday, Aleksandar, his chin and that's it."

Of course, Jan was defeated by now champ Glover Teixeira via rear-naked choke at UFC 267 in October 2021. It was a difficult pill to swallow for Jan, who never really got going in the fight.

But, the man known for his knockout-inducing power is ready to show he still packs a punch in the cage.

"I see my punches they are clean, they are powerful that I knock him out. This is what I see, this is what I want to do. I want to knock him out. I want to punch him with all my legendary Polish power out on him. This time I won't forget my legendary Polish power."

Jan knows Aleksandar -- who has only lost one time since 2012 -- is a very tough opponent.

"He tough guy, young guy, powerful with dynamic style, powerful kicks, good wrestling, good control on ground, so it's gonna be tough fight. I'm ready for tough fight."

Now, as you'd expect, Rakic has a different vision of how the fight will play out.

The 14-2 star says he plans to beat Jan, and then fight the winner of Glover and Jiri Prochazka ... who are set to fight on June 11 at UFC 275.

If Floyd Mayweather or Oscar De La Hoya are looking for exhibitions down the road ... former boxing star Fernando Vargas tells TMZ Sports he's down to get back in the ring with both!

Of course, it's been 15 years since the 44-year-old fighter has been in the ring ... but with ex-champs like Mayweather, Mike Tyson and Roy Jones Jr. making comebacks for big money -- we had to ask if Vargas has got any interest.

And, he said yes ... emphatically.

"I'm ready," Vargas said. "My phone is open."

The 26-5 boxer said Floyd would be his ideal opponent ... but rekindling an old rivalry with De La Hoya would also intrigue him.

"Floyd knows my number," Vargas said. "Even if it's not Mayweather, it can be Oscar. Exhibition with me and Oscar. Let's go. I'm ready. Let's go, Oscar. We can make it happen!"

But, before Vargas can even set that up, he'll watch his three sons, Fernando Jr., Amado and Emiliano square up in their own bouts on the undercard of Triller's Fight Club on Saturday.

Emiliano -- the youngest of the three -- will be making his boxing debut ... while his brother, Vargas Jr., is 5-0 (5 KOs). Amado, meanwhile, is 3-0 (2 KOs).

"I know they came from me so they got their DNA from their father," Vargas said. "So, it's a blessing to be able to be here and to see them do what they love."

Vargas -- who trains his kids -- expects a win from each of them ... saying, "All of 'em by knockout. I know they got it, so we're definitely excited."

Matt Hamilton's famous locks are no more -- the U.S. curling legend just chopped them off ... but, don't worry, he got the cut for a VERY good cause!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... Hamilton -- who won a gold medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics -- hit up a Great Clips salon in Madison, Wisc. on Friday in order to cut his luscious hair and donate it to kids who have experienced hair loss due to medical issues.

It's a sizeable donation from Hamilton ... considering Matt's had the long hair for FOUR years. And, we're told as of chopping time, it had reached over a foot in length!!

Hamilton also got the cut to help raise awareness and money for brain cancer research.

As for how the good deed turned out aesthetically ... check out the before and after -- Hamilton sure looks good to us!

Two wrestlers in an overseas pro wrestling org. beat the hell out of each other so badly during a match -- they both left the ring soaked in blood ... and now, cops say they are investigating it all.

The gruesome tilt went down on April 29 in an event put on by the Colliery Championship Wrestling org. at the New Seaham Conservative Club in the U.K.

Competitors, Ronnie Thatcher and Blizzard, were headlining the card as the main event ... and roughly 80 people, including children, had seats to the show.

But, as the two were going at it in the ring, they suddenly got ultra-violent with each other -- unexpectedly turning the fight into a "death match."

They brought out weapons, glass, and even a weed whacker -- and straight-up mauled each other so badly they were bleeding from nearly every limb on their bodies.

In fact, one video shows Blizzard slamming Ronnie straight through a piece of wood so badly, that it exploded everywhere.

After the match, the CCW faced heavy scrutiny for the gore ... and an event organizer, James Brass, apologized for it all.

"Things can sometimes not go to plan," Brass said. "Obviously there was a little bit more that went down. I spoke to the two guys afterward. We had discussions and obviously, that will not be happening again."

But, local police clearly feel an apology ain't enough ... 'cause in a statement to media outlets, cops said they are investigating it all.

A tragic end to what was supposed to be an exciting stunt -- after a father miscalculated his cliff jump -- leading to his death as his family watched in horror.

The video is tough to watch, you see the man take a leap from the 100-foot cliff in Spain. Clearly, he knows something is wrong quickly, letting out a scream before clipping the jagged rock and hitting the water ... you hear the woman recording yell, "Oh my God!"

According to the Majorca Daily Bulletin, the woman recording was the man's wife -- his son was also present -- and they had rented a boat for the day to tour the rocks on one of the Malgrats Isles by Santa Ponsa.

The report says authorities were called to the scene shortly after the accident, and they were able to locate the man's body.

Floyd Mayweather's much-anticipated boxing match in Dubai this weekend has been called off ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Sources tell us ... the exhibition fight -- which was supposed to pit Mayweather against his former sparring partner Don Moore on Saturday on the Burj Al Arab hotel helipad -- will no longer go down following the death of United Arab Emirates President, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Government officials, according to WAM, the official UAE news agency, have suspended "work in ministries, departments, federal and local institutions, and the private sector" for the next three days due to the Sheikh Khalifa's passing ... and, according to our sources, that means the Floyd fight cannot happen this weekend.

We are told, though, the two boxers could attempt to reschedule the match for sometime next week.

Floyd has yet to comment on the fight's cancelation ... though he did mourn Sheikh Khalifa's death in an Instagram post early Friday morning.

"Sending my condolences to the entire UAE," he said. "RIP Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed."

Mayweather and Moore have both been in Dubai the past few days promoting the fight ... with Moore saying he was legitimately gunning to beat the 50-0 boxing legend.

Big E's broken neck isn't going to stop him from living life ... the WWE superstar hit up Marlon Wayans' comedy show -- wearing his neck brace -- Friday night in Florida.

The former WWE champ posted a picture on Instagram of him and Marlon at the Seminole Hard Rock Event Center in Tampa ... with the two sharing a friendly embrace.

"Massive thanks to @hardrocktampa for a fun night of hob nobbing. (That sounds filthier than intended…)" E captioned the photo.

The event is worth noting 'cause E recently (March 11) suffered a devastating injury in the ring (well, technically outside of it) when fellow Superstar Ridge Holland dumped the 5'11", 285 lb. star on his head, breaking his neck in the process.

After the belly-to-belly suplex went terribly wrong, E was carted out of the arena on a stretcher, and taken directly to a local hospital for treatment. He ultimately had surgery ... which thankfully went well, according to the wrestler.

Things could've been far worse for E ... doctors say he could've suffered a stroke, paralysis, or worse, death.

Seeing Big E out and about, smiling, is a welcome sight for WWE fans ... who are obviously concerned about the WWE Superstar's health.

OnlyFans model and Fortnite gamer Corinna Kopf just got the boot from Twitch ... and apparently, it was all because of her wardrobe choice.

Kopf -- who has a massive audience with nearly 6.5 million Instagram followers, 2.5 million Twitter followers and 834k followers on Twitch -- griped about the temporary punishment on Thursday ... saying the streaming platform is "so picky choosy with what they decide what to ban people for."

Kopf claims to have received an email from Twitch stating she was suspended one day for "inappropriate attire" in her channel profile.

In the message, Kopf claims Twitch said she wore attire that violates the Nudity and Attire policy, which includes "showing visible outlines of genitals or exposed underbust."

"Couldn’t even tell you what got me banned but I see thong bikinis all day long on Twitch," she added. "Doesn’t make a lot of sense to me 🤷🏼‍♀️ actually it’s really f***ing weird."

Kopf says it's not the first time she's gotten punished on the streaming platform ... and based on her confusion, it may not be the last.

WWE legend Tammy Sytch has been thrown back behind bars ... a judge just revoked her bond at a hearing on Friday morning.

Sytch initially posted the bond on May 7 ... one day after she was arrested for allegedly killing a man while driving drunk in March in Florida.

Prosecutors, though, argued that Sytch should not have been given bond -- calling her a danger to the community -- and in a Volusia County courtroom Friday morning, a judge agreed ... revoking it and putting her back in jail.

Sytch is expected to remain behind bars until at least her next court hearing on May 31.

As we reported, Sytch has been hit with eight criminal charges -- including DUI causing death -- after officials accused her of drunkenly causing a fatal car crash on March 25.

According to court documents, prosecutors say she had a blood-alcohol level of .08 or higher when she crashed her car into a stopped vehicle on United States Highway 1 in Ormond Beach. Prosecutors say the collision ended up killing a 75-year-old man.

Kyrie Irving might not have to worry about having "trash" shoes anymore ... Nike is reportedly "unlikely" to renew its signature shoe deal with the Brooklyn Nets star after next season.

Irving's relationship with the company could change "dramatically" in the future, according to ESPN ... but his (potentially) final shoe release is slated to go down as expected in the fall.

If the report is true, there is a possibility retro Kyrie shoes could still be released in the future ... but as of right now, it sounds like the Kyrie series is getting shelved.

Remember, the 2016 NBA champ -- who's been a Nike athlete since 2011 -- went off on the Swoosh back in July ... calling leaked pics of his "Kyrie 8" sneaker "trash."

He claimed he was not part of the design or marketing of the kicks ... saying, "I have Absolutely nothing to do with them!"

Irving later admitted he handled things poorly ... and he was working with the shoe giant to fix his issues with the 8s.

Of course, Irving has been at the center of a ton of controversy over the last year ... missing half of the NBA season after he refused to get vaccinated for COVID. It's unclear if the coronavirus drama is playing a part in Nike's impending decision, considering they already had beef to begin with.

Nike elected not to confirm or deny the claims ... telling ESPN, "We don't comment on contracts or rumors or speculation. Kyrie remains a Nike athlete."

The alleged victim in Jerry Jeudy's criminal tampering arrest wants the case thrown out -- telling a judge she's never felt threatened by the NFL star and he never put a finger on her.

The Denver Broncos wide receiver and the mother of his 1-month-old child appeared in court in Colorado on Friday ... where she pleaded with the judge to dismiss the 23-year-old's domestic violence criminal tampering case.

As we previously reported, the alleged incident went down at around 10:15 AM on Thursday ... when Jeudy was accused of illegally keeping property from the mother of his child, according to the Arapahoe County sheriff.

The ex-Alabama star was arrested and spent the night in jail ... before appearing in court Friday morning.

The judge imposed a mandatory protection order on Jeudy ... but the alleged victim did NOT request a no-contact order.

Jeudy is set to be released on personal recognizance.

The NFLer's lawyer, Harvey Steinberg, told reporters after the court appearance his client should not have been arrested or incarcerated.

"Bad things happen to good people and that's what I think this case is," Steinberg said.

Jeudy's next court date is set for May 31.