TMZ Sports - Page 18

Adrian Yanez wants to fight Sean O'Malley ... and if the rising UFC star from Texas is right about the kind of crazy entertaining fight it'd be -- we should all hope Dana White makes this fight!

"It would definitely be Sean O'Malley. That's the fight. That's the fight," Yanez told TMZ Sports when we recently asked if Suga, the 13th ranked bantamweight, was his main target.

We then asked Yanez, who just broke into the rankings, how a fight with O'Malley would look.

"For me, this is the way I picture it, it would be almost like a Hagler-Hearns type of deal, and I'm Hagler."

Of course, Marvin Hagler and Tommy Hearns, fought at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on April 15, 1985 ... in what would later be referred to as "The War."

Though the fight didn't even make it through 3 full rounds, it was one of the most violent 7 minutes and change in fight history ... and it was incredible.

Round 1 is considered by many to be the greatest round in boxing history.

Hagler, the undisputed champion, won by TKO. It was just Hearns' 2nd loss in 42 fights.

And, Yanez believes that's the kind of fight he and Sean would produce.

Yanez just beat controversial fighter Tony Kelley at UFC Fight Night on June 18 ... winning by 1st round knockout.

He's now 16-3 ... and in the midst of a 9-fight win streak.

O"Malley, 15-1, is facing #10 ranked Pedro Munhoz at UFC 276 on July 2 ... part of a stacked card.

Adrian believes with another quality dub, a fight between him and Sean could be in the works.

But, if it doesn't happen, Yanez has another opponent in mind.

Dodgers superstar Freddie Freeman was so overcome with emotion in his first time back in Atlanta since he left the city this offseason, he sobbed at the podium in front of a throng of reporters.

The first baseman -- who spent his entire career in ATL and helped the Braves win a World Series last season before leaving in free agency -- was a wreck on Friday afternoon while trying to talk about what his time in Atlanta meant to him.

As media members peppered him with questions before the Dodgers took on his former Braves team at Truist Park ... he needed a huge towel to wipe away snot and tears.

In fact, Freddie was so overwhelmed by the moment, he initially had to walk out of the press conference to gather himself before beginning.

"It's hard to put into words," he said. "Just happy to be back."

Freeman -- who played in Atlanta for 12 years -- is considered one of the greatest Braves of all time ... but following failed contract talks this past offseason, he bolted for Los Angeles, signing a six-year, $162-million deal with the Dodgers.

Freddie's been a star for his new squad -- already piling up 8 home runs with a .303 batting average ... but it's clear, at least part of his heart and soul still remains in Georgia.

NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen says the United States just lost decades of progress in women's rights ... going scorched earth on the Supreme Court for overturning Roe v. Wade on Friday.

The sharp-shooter echoed the statement former First Lady Michelle Obama released shortly after the decision was announced ... saying he, too, is heartbroken over the reversal.

"I just don't understand why a group of people will say that they don't want bigger government, but then want a law passed that gives the government the ability to tell a woman what she can do with her own body," Allen said minutes ago.

"That very same group fought against healthcare for everyone. So, you care about the fetus in the womb but once it's born-no f***s are given!🖕🏾"

"We have now crossed a threshold in this country where guns are more protected than a woman’s rights are. 😥😤."

Allen's comment comes on the heels of two mass shootings -- in Buffalo and Uvalde -- which have led to many throughout the country calling for stricter gun laws.

Allen says the solution is easy -- if you want to get an abortion, get one ... and if you're against it, don't get one.

Instead, the 46-year-old says the country is moving backward ... and the fight for women's rights must go on.

Undefeated fighter Johnny Eblen is fighting MMA legend Gegard Mousasi for the Bellator world championship Friday night ... but the 11-0 fighter ain't content with just one belt in the trophy case -- he also wants UFC gold.

First things first, 30-year-old Eblen, a 6'3" rising star in the middleweight division, has his hands full against 36-year-old Mousasi. The men are scheduled to fight at Bellator 282 on Friday for the 185-pound belt.

"I've been preparing for moments like this my entire life," Eblen told TMZ Sports, adding ... "I'm ready to show up and show out and have fun out there."

But, during our convo it became clear Eblen's goal isn't just to be Bellator champ -- as impressive a feat as that is -- 'cause he also wants to be a champ in Dana White's organization.

"I want to be a champion in Bellator. I want to stay in Bellator for a little bit longer, make money here. And eventually, if the cards line up correctly, I want to make the switch and I want to be the best middleweight in the world. And, you have to go do that in the UFC now."

FYI, being both UFC and Bellator champion -- regarded by most as the two top MMA promotions -- is rarified air. In fact, only Eddie Alvarez and Cris "Cyborg" Justino have been the top dog in both orgs.

Of course, just beating Mousasi is an incredibly tall task. He's 49-7 ... and has beaten Austin Vanderford, John Salter, Douglas Lima, and Lyoto Machida in his last four fights. GM has been fighting professionally since 2003.

Like Eblen, the current #1 ranked contender, Austin was undefeated at 11-0 before running into a Mousasi buzzsaw.

But, Johnny doesn't see himself losing that "0" Friday night.

"At the end of the day, everybody's human. So, you just gotta remind yourself that. Obviously, he's a legend of the sport. But, this is what I signed up to do. I want to fight people like Mousasi. I want to fight people who are the best in the world to solidify my name, my skillset, and who I am."

Professional wrestler Gisele Shaw has come out as transgender ... saying it's "super-scary" to open up about her true self, but knows the more she speaks about it, the more she will help herself and others in the process.

The 33-year-old -- who is signed to IMPACT Wrestling -- explained the timing of her announcement ... saying, "There is really no perfect time to be coming out. It’s my journey. Now just felt right for me," she told the San Francisco Chronicle.

"Coming from an Asian background, being the oldest, there was an unsaid rule, the expectation was that I would carry the family name, that I would set an example, that I would take care of my sisters."

Shaw says her sisters look up to her not only because she's living her dream professionally ... but also personally.

Shaw has been wrestling for a number of years now -- she made her debut with IMPACT a few months ago, where she successfully picked up a W over Lady Frost after delivering a vicious corkscrew.

IMPACT Wrestling exec Scott D'Amore has already thrown his support behind Shaw's decision to come out publicly ... telling the SF Chronicle, "Gisele Shaw is a woman and a valued member of our roster."

D'Amore reassured wrestling fans that Shaw's role "will not be affected or in any way changed by her disclosing she’s transgender to the wider public."

Delonte West said he was looking for a job -- and he found one.

The ex-NBA star landed a flooring gig this week ... after some amazing people heard about his tough situation and decided to help out.

As we previously reported, West -- who has battled mental health and addiction issues -- has been working hard at building a better life for himself ... but said earlier this week he was in between jobs.

We're told the team at the Beyer Subaru car dealership in Alexandria, Virginia saw the stories about West and noticed he had been asking for money nearby ... so they put their heads together to figure out a way to help him earn some dough.

As it turns out, the dealership is currently getting some floor work done ... so they asked the company in charge of the project if West could lend a hand.

We're told the flooring company was thrilled to have the extra help ... and West has been working with them for the past two days -- and doing a great job!!

We're told West has been nothing but polite with the whole crew ... sharing stories and talking with everyone throughout the day.

Vince Carter's wife -- while hiding inside of her son's bedroom closet -- mortifyingly spoke with dispatchers as burglars ransacked the NBA legend's home earlier this month, new 911 audio, obtained by TMZ Sports, reveals.

The call is terrifying ... you can hear Sondi Carter pleading on the phone with cops to hurry to her place in Atlanta as she said people had broken in and were stealing things inside of it at around 11:50 PM on June 19.

"Oh, my God," she said on the call. "Oh, my God. Please, Lord, help me. Please, God, help me."

"Don't make a sound!" she added, appearing to speak to her children that were with her inside of the closet. "Don't make a sound!"

The call lasted roughly 10 minutes ... and throughout it, you can hear Sondi was understandably panicked and scared.

"Please, hurry up!" she told dispatch, whispering. "Please, hurry up! Please, hurry up!"

Eventually, cops made their way to the scene ... and while they said in police documents the suspects fled in an SUV before they could be apprehended, no one was injured.

Officers say Vince told them he believed close to $100,000 had been taken during the incident. No arrests have been made, cops say. An investigation is still ongoing.

Folks in Ibiza got an eyeful this week ... courtesy of NFL star Kenny Stills droppin' trou and going balls-out at the pool!!

The 30-year-old wide receiver shared the view with all his Instagram followers on Friday ... posting a shot of him lying down on a yellow float in a swimming pool with two women chilling nearby.

Of course, goin' nekkid is a lot more common in Europe than in the States ...  so ya can't blame Stills for showin' off all his ass-ets with a hilarious smirk on his face.

Stills leaned into the hilarious moment ... dropping a 🍑 emoji in the caption instead of using words.

It's obvious Stills is enjoying the first week of summer -- besides skinny dipping, he also made an appearance at Louboutin's event in Paris and stopped by Duomo di Milano Cathedral in Italy.

The 9-year NFL vet is currently a free agent after his second stint with the Saints last season ... and has shown some interest in playing for the Tennessee Titans.

Ric Flair is one limousine ridin', jet flyin' tough son of a gun ... but even he admits that he's worried about his health failing him in the final wrestling match of his historic career later this summer.

The WWE legend was speaking to reporters in Nashville on Thursday while promoting his much-anticipated "Last Match" bout ... and he revealed he does have some concerns about previous health issues popping up during the tilt.

Specifically, the 73-year-old said he's worried about his pacemaker ... as well as some inner ear problems he's had in the past.

Flair also hinted blood thinners could have an impact on his body as well.

The Hall of Famer, though, did say he's not horribly concerned about any of it, saying if his pacemaker becomes unplugged, he'll just "plug it back in." He added that he also won't take his blood thinner medication that day as well.

Flair said expects to put on a great show at the event -- one in which he's been training for nonstop with former TNA superstar Jay Lethal since its announcement -- explaining if the crowd is big and rowdy, he'll push way beyond his limits.

"Now that I know I can do it," Flair said, "I'll be flying around if there's 7,000 people."

TMZ Sports spoke to the 73-year-old Hall of Famer wrestling icon recently, and he told us his doctors medically cleared him to compete ... paving the way for the "Nature Boy" to take one final walk down the aisle.

Some more positive news from hoops star Aaliyah Gayles ... the USC recruit is starting to walk again just two months after being shot 10 times at a house party.

The 18-year-old guard shared the amazing feat on Thursday via Instagram -- showing a video of her getting out of her wheelchair and taking a few steps.

"They told me I couldn't do it," Gayles said in the caption. "I told them watch me do it."

"I got the whole world watching. I gotta prove it."

The progress is both inspiring and exciting for the 5-star basketball recruit who was shot in both arms and legs during a house party in Las Vegas on April 16.

Over the last few weeks, Gayles has hit a few monuments during her road to recovery ... the #8 overall girls basketball player in ESPN's 2022 class also graduated from Spring Valley High School earlier this month.

Her father, Dwight, tells us he's as confident as ever that Aaliyah -- who is still committed to playing basketball for the USC Trojans -- will make a full recovery.

"She's going to be just fine," he said, "this kid is built different."

Two Travis Scott fans are somewhere cradling his shoes right now, after Trav blew their minds by handing them a pair of shoes ... apparently, right off his feet!!!

Here's how it went down -- Travis was leaving his event Thursday night at TAO in Hollywood, and, as usual, a group of fans were waiting outside to greet him and hoping to snap some pics or get an autograph.

The rapper hopped in his car and decided to swing by the crowd before taking off ... rolling down his window, and shocking the hell out of them by handing out a pair of laced-up Jordans.

Their faces say it all ... complete and utter shock. Even the security guard nearby was showing some respect for their new gifts.

One of the kids took off pretty quick after getting the Jordan 1 Lows -- gotta stash that in a safe place!

TS has been working closely with Nike for a while ... doing shoe collabs that sell out fast -- one of the latest drops had over a million people going online to clean them out in under 30 minutes.

Rafael Nadal took a well-deserved break after winning his 14th French Open ... hitting the Spanish seas with his pregnant wife and friends on an insane mega-yacht!

The No. 4 ranked tennis star was spotted on the 78-foot, multimillion-dollar catamaran yacht named "Great White" just days after beating Norwegian Casper Ruud in the major tourney -- setting a new record with 14 French Open title wins.

And, the champ was celebrating like someone who just made history ... diving into the water, and hanging out on the deck with his buddies.

His wife, Maria Perello, was also livin' the vacay life ... just days after the couple -- who married in 2019 -- announced they're expecting their first child.

But, the R&R won't last long, though. Nadal -- who's dealing with pain in his left foot -- has Wimbledon to win ... and his first match is Tuesday against Francisco Cerúndolo.

"I'm going to be in Wimbledon if my body is ready to be in Wimbledon," Nadal said after winning the French Open.

"That's it. Wimbledon is not a tournament that I want to miss. I think nobody wants to miss Wimbledon. I love Wimbledon."

Awful news out of Red Sox nation ... Drago -- the German shepherd who became famous for roaming the field at Fenway Park over the past few years -- has died at 10 years old.

The pup's owner, Red Sox head groundskeeper Dave Mellor, mourned the passing in a message to the Associated Press this week.

"I was blessed he was in my life as he saved my life, changed my life, inspired me, and gave hope to my life in ways I hadn't had in decades and didn’t know were possible,” Mellor said. "I am absolutely heartbroken."

Mellor, a die-hard Red Sox fan and a former star high school pitching prospect, got Drago back in 2014 in order to help deal with the PTSD he was suffering from after he was involved in two horrific car crashes earlier in his life.

The two quickly became inseparable -- and Drago soon joined Mellor at his job tending to the grounds at Fenway Park, where the dog quickly became beloved by Red Sox players, staffers and fans.

Sadly, Drago suffered a stroke before Boston hosted the Oakland Athletics last week, and died two days later.

The Red Sox org. showed a heartfelt message on the video board at the ballpark last Friday when the team played the St. Louis Cardinals ... saying that Drago was a companion who provided countless memories over the years.

"We send love and support to his family, honor his service and recognize a life well-lived," the Sox's tribute read. "We will miss you, Drago.”

The L.A. Lakers' summer roster just got a whole lot more interesting ... because after the NBA Draft this week, the team signed Shaq and Scottie Pippen's sons to deals!!

Both Shareef O'Neal and Scotty Pippen Jr. inked agreements with the Purple and Gold on Thursday night ... after going undrafted in the NBA's annual two-round selection event.

According to reports, O'Neal signed on to play for the Lakers on their NBA Summer League squad. Pippen Jr., meanwhile, signed a two-way deal, meaning he'll also play on the summer roster with O'Neal, but will then have a good shot of getting on the actual regular-season squad.

The sons of both NBA legends were fired up over the contracts ... O'Neal posted a video of him as a baby in a Lakers jersey on his social media page to celebrate, while Pippen Jr. popped a bottle of champagne and then had a long hug with his family and famous Dad.

While the two aren't as gifted as their fathers (who the hell is?!?) ... both bring a ton to the Lakers' table. Shareef -- who played his college ball at both UCLA and LSU -- is a 6-foot-10, 225-pound big man who can stretch the floor.

Pippen Jr. -- a star at Vanderbilt the past three years -- is a 6-foot-3 guard who averaged 20.4 points per game in his final collegiate season.

Terrifying news from one of the stars of the Netflix series, "Cheer" -- Maddy Brum says she was struck by a car that was traveling 20-30 MPH earlier this week ... but thankfully, she escaped with just bruises and cuts on her body.

Brum -- who rose to fame during season 2 of the hit show -- says she was walking with her teammates at a crosswalk when a car turned and drove into her.

Brum posted pics from the hospital ... and appears to be in good spirits, giving a thumbs up.

In fact, the Navarro star -- who's currently on tour promoting the show -- says she will continue to perform during the next upcoming dates "to the best of my ability" after being checked out by an orthopedic surgeon.

Brum's Navarro friends shared kind words for their friend ... with La'Darius Marshall commenting, "I'm praying for you darling 😢get well soon!"

Gabi Butler added ... "I love you Madison 🤍 got them guardian angels around you 🙏🏽"

Navarro coach Monica Aldama said, "I'm so thankful it wasn't worse! ❤️❤️❤️ I love you!"

Brum thanked her teammates Angel Rice, Javon "Jay" Kendrick and James Thomas for taking care of her during the incident ... calling them the "bestest" friends.

NFL linebacker Matt Adams' time in Chicago is off to a bad start -- the 26-year-old was arrested for gun possession on Thursday, TMZ Sports has learned.

We're told Adams -- who signed a 1-year deal with the Bears in April -- was questioned by cops around 6:45 PM after he was spotted near a Jeep that was reported stolen.

Adams allegedly claimed to have bought the car ... but when cops searched the vehicle, they found a loaded handgun in the center console and an extended mag in the trunk.

Adams was arrested and booked on misdemeanor unlawful use of a weapon -- carrying/possessing a firearm ... and was cited for having a high capacity magazine and metal piercing bullets.

We're told Adams had a permit for the gun ... but it was NOT issued by the state of Illinois.

Adams -- who is still in custody at the time of this post -- is due in court in August.

As for the car, we're told the owner did not want to press charges ... chalking the whole thing up as a misunderstanding.