TMZ Sports - Page 9

Guys and gals, take notes ... Russell Wilson and Ciara just put on a clinic for how to celebrate an anniversary -- getting in a romantic dinner in Italy AND personalized fireworks for the occasion!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the couple -- who have been across the pond for the last few days -- hit a swanky restaurant on Lake Como on Thursday to celebrate their sixth year of marriage.

The two looked very much in love as they dined ... but we're told they had to jet out of the place in somewhat of a hurry -- as they had a fireworks show to get to.

According to witnesses at the scene, the fireworks -- which lasted several minutes -- were shot out of a boat that had a sign reading, "Happy Anniversary."

Russ had made it known he was stoked for the day prior to the romantic evening ... writing in an emotional Instagram post, "God has blessed us for the past 6 years of Marriage with our 3 beautiful children and an overflow of laughter, love, & life."

"Cheers to forever. Happy Anniversary my love @Ciara ❤️ I Love You Mrs. Wilson."

Famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump is imploring more NBA players to speak out about Brittney Griner ... clearly believing their voices could help bring the WNBA star back to the States.

The lawyer spoke with TMZ Sports out in D.C. earlier this week ... and he made it clear, if some of the Association's biggest names -- as well as others in the NFL, NHL, MLB and more -- keep raising awareness for Griner, it could help her in her drug case in Russia.

"I think the NBA players should be saying more," the 52-year-old said. "I think that the sports world should be saying more."

As we reported, BG is now facing 10 years behind bars after she pled guilty to drug charges in a Russian courtroom on Thursday.

Griner's legal team said they're hopeful that by taking responsibility for her actions, authorities would go easy on her when it came to sentencing.

Crump obviously isn't feeling super optimistic that will happen ... telling us he believes regardless of what goes down in the case, "She's being used as a political pawn."

He's now urging anyone with a platform to come forward, believing a large, public outrage could hopefully lead to a speedy return for the basketball star.

"It would be a travesty of justice for her not to come home soon," he said.

Rafael Fiziev looked up to Rafael dos Anjos, but now the 29-year-old rising star has to fight the future Hall of Famer Saturday night ... and any lingering reverence is now just a desire to kick RDA's ass!

TMZ Sports talked to 29-year-old, #10 ranked UFC lightweight ahead of his main event scrap with the #7 ranked, 37-year-old former champion at UFC Fight Night from the Apex in Vegas ... and we asked Fiziev about fighting someone he came up watching.

"This is for me a dream fight because I watched him a long time ago. I start to watch him in 2014, something like that, and yeah, followed him long time ago just because his name is Rafa and his style also close to me," Fiziev says.

Is this the most important fight of your career, we asked?

"Yeah, this is the biggest in my career and I'm happy with this."

You're likely aware of RDA's resume ... but Fiziev's is pretty damn impressive, too. He's 11-1 professionally for his career, and is in the midst of a 5-fight win streak. Rafael's beat Brad Riddell (KO, Dec 2021) and Bobby Green (UD, Aug 2021) in his last two fights.

So, if Fiziev beats RDA, where does that put him in the stacked division? He doesn't really care.

"Doesn't matter. I don't think about positions. I know he stays in the top 7 and after this fight, he put me in the 7th or the 8th or the 9th, it doesn't matter. I know he's a good name. He fights with stars, with All-Stars in the UFC before and now and I know when I beat him, this is everyone starts to talk to me."

Awesome gesture from the Milwaukee Brewers ... the MLB team is honoring the 8-year-old boy who was paralyzed in the Highland Park shooting earlier this month at their game Friday night.

The Brewers have already hung a No. 22 "Roberts" jersey in their dugout ahead of their contest with the Pittsburgh Pirates ... an homage to Cooper Roberts, who was tragically shot and seriously injured while attending the Illinois 4th of July parade.

According to multiple reports, the Brewers will also give Cooper and his twin brother, Luke, jerseys signed by the entire team.

Milwaukee superstar and former MVP Christian Yelich also reportedly recorded a video message for Roberts and his family.

The awesome moves reportedly come just days after the team learned Roberts is a "huge" Brew Crew supporter -- the Brewers' Miller Park is, after all, roughly an hour drive from Highland Park, Ill.

According to a GoFundMe page set up for Roberts, the 8-year-old's spinal cord was severed by a bullet in the shooting. A statement from the family on Friday said Cooper is "conscious for the first time and [has] been removed from the ventilator but in a great deal of pain."

A future baller is on the way ... 'cause Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine and Hunter Mar just announced they're expecting their first child together!!

The lovely couple broke the news to Instagram on Friday ... sharing pics from a photoshoot that revealed Hunter's baby bump.

"Baby Lavine loading!" Hunter said in the caption, "God has blessed us with the most special gift and we couldn’t be happier."

"Can’t wait to meet you, our little love 🤍👶"

A couple of NBA ballers congratulated the 2-time All-Star and his lady ... including his former UCLA teammate, Norman Powell, who said, "Happy for you two."

FYI, Zach and Hunter are high school sweethearts and got engaged in April 2020.

"It's been a long time coming, been together since I was 17!!!" LaVine said in an IG post after the proposal.

"My first love and my FOREVER love. U with me forever."

The baby news comes just a week after the 2-time NBA Dunk champ signed a 5-year max contract with the Bulls ... which is worth $215 million!!

If you thought Steph Curry's range was limited to just shooting deep 3s, think again ... 'cause the newly-crowned Finals MVP just holed out a golf shot -- from 97 yards away!!

Curry nailed the incredible eagle on Friday afternoon at the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe ... and even the announcers marveled at just how wild the stroke was.

The Golden State Warriors star -- on the par-4, 13th hole at the event -- smashed his second shot just past the hole ... but because of all the spin he put on it, it rolled backward and straight into the cup.

Curry lost his mind celebrating the feat -- dapping up his dad and brother while going crazy on the course.

It's been a fun week for Curry while out at the event in Tahoe ... the NBA superstar also had an awesome moment with a fan on Thursday -- when he made the guy do 30 push-ups to land an autograph.

Jon Rahm is gonna have to wash his mouth out with soap -- the golf star let the expletives fly after a bad shot during the second round of the Scottish Open on Friday ... and it was all caught on a hot mic!!

"Great draw," Rahm shouted after his shot hit a wall. "Great f***ing draw, you a**hole."

Sheesh ... hopefully, the kiddos weren't tuning in to the broadcast!!

The announcer had some fun with Rahm's outburst ... sarcastically saying, "I don't think he liked it."

The 27-year-old clearly ain't happy with his play today -- he's currently +2 and sitting tied for 20th.

Despite being a gentleman's sport, these NSFW moments happen all the time on the links ... from Tiger Woods to Tom Brady to Justin Thomas.

Terrifying moment on the baseball diamond Thursday night ... Padres outfielder Jurickson Profar collapsed following a scary collision with a teammate, and needed to be taken to the hospital.

The tense scene all happened in the fifth inning of San Diego's game against the Giants at Petco Park, when Profar was attempting to make a catch on a pop fly in left field.

As the 29-year-old was racing in to snag the ball, shortstop C.J. Abrams was sprinting out to nab it as well -- and the two crashed into each other with force.

Replays of the collision show Abrams' knee connected squarely with Profar's jaw ... sending the two straight to the ground.

Somehow, both guys got up -- but, horrifyingly, Profar collapsed after walking just a few steps, and appeared to lose consciousness.

Trainers raced to his side, and eventually, he was strapped to a stretcher and taken off the field. He was able to wave to fans as he left the diamond.

The Padres said Profar was ultimately taken to a nearby hospital, where it appears he stayed overnight. The team has yet to provide any further updates on his health.

Abrams, meanwhile, was able to stay in the game, which the Padres ended up winning, 2-1.

Cycling star Daniel Oss is out of the Tour de France ... after the Italian fractured his neck in an insane, high-speed crash with a fan during the race on Wednesday.

Oss' team, Total Energies, made the announcement on Thursday -- the day after the 35-year-old smashed into a spectator on the side of a racing path.

The collision was captured on video ... and you can see Oss -- in a white helmet and racing gear -- flying down the edge of the cobblestone lane before he brutally collided with the bystander who was trying to record the race on their phone.

Oss was able to cross the finish line but medical scans discovered he broke his neck ... leaving him out for the rest of the tour.

"Additional examinations revealed a fracture of a cervical vertebra," Oss' team said, adding that he'll now be required to be immobilized for "a few weeks."

"The whole team wishes you a good recovery Daniel."

Another biker, Michael Gogl, was also injured in the crash -- and suffered a broken collarbone and pelvis/iliac bone. He, too, was forced to withdraw from the race.

Vince McMahon -- longtime chairman and chief executive of WWE -- agreed to pay $12 million in "hush money" to 4 different women over a 16-year time period, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

The paper claims all of the women were formerly associated with WWE ... and all signed agreements with McMahon preventing them from discussing their relationship with the now 76-year-old billionaire.

One of the reported settlements included a $7.5 million payment to a former wrestler ... who according to WSJ, claimed McMahon coerced her into giving him oral sex. Ultimately, Vince allegedly declined to re-sign the wrestler to a new deal after she refused further sexual encounters.

In 2018, the wrestler and her lawyer allegedly approached McMahon and negotiated a $7.5 million settlement in exchange for her silence.

There were two other previously unknown, alleged payouts made by Vince to former female employees. Each of those women reportedly received around $1 million. Those instances reportedly occurred around 2006 and 2008.

The new report comes on the heels of another WSJ story which led to McMahon voluntarily stepping down from his post at the helm of the wrestling promotion. In that instance, Vince reportedly agreed to pay a former WWE paralegal $3 million after they had an affair following her hiring in 2019.

WWE's Board of Directors -- where Vince sits as the director -- recently hired an outside law firm to investigate the allegations. Despite being at the center of the inquiry, McMahon has said he's "committed to doing everything in my power to help the Special Committee complete its work."

It's unclear what the latest developments will mean for that investigation.

Meanwhile, Vince's daughter, Stephanie, is back with the company as interim CEO and interim chairwoman after briefly taking a leave of absence "to focus on family."

Summer officially started in June ... but it's not really here until Magic Johnson and his famous pals hop aboard a $150K a day luxury super yacht and cruise to some of the most beautiful places in the world!

The 62-year-old Lakers legend and wife Cookie, along with LL Cool J (a staple on the summer vacation), toured an ancient citadel called Acropolis of Athens ... and it looks like they had a great time.

LL and Magic -- complete with a spear and shield -- even posed with a man dressed as an ancient Greek warrior, in addition to taking in all the sights.

The boat trip has been a tradition for years ... going back to at least 2017 when the Hall of Famer dropped $680K weekly on a yacht that he lived on for several weeks. Johnson hasn't missed a year since ... not even a global pandemic could stop him.

In addition to LL ... other celebs like Samuel L. Jackson (who may be on this trip, too), Rodney and Holly Robinson Peete, and others were on the trip in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.

As for the actual yacht -- named the Solandge -- it's pretty darn incredible. The 85-meter ship has 8 staterooms for 12 guests. It holds a crew of up to 34. The yacht was initially built in 2013 ... and it got a facelift in 2019.

Solandge has just about every amenity you could dream of ... including a jacuzzi, swimming pool, sauna, gym, helipad, and movie theatre.

To rent the yacht, it'll cost you about $1 million a week.

Unclear where the group, who also made a stop in Santorini, intends to go next in the Mediterranean.

Saweetie tapped in to throw the first pitch at the Dodgers game on Thursday ... and it was quite an impressive toss -- especially considering she had on some massive nails and high heels!!

The "Best Friend" rapper was at Dodger Stadium for the ceremonial event for Filipino Heritage Night ... and 50 Cent and Conor McGregor need to take note, 'cause she put them to shame.

While the ball doesn't technically make it to the plate, we gotta give her credit for even getting it that far ... as she was wearing Louboutins and 4-inch nails.

Saweetie showed off a close-up of the nails before the game ... and yeah, they're long as hell and icy to boot.

As for the game against the Chicago Cubs, the Dodgers won 5-3 ... so maybe she's a good luck charm and will get invited back to the Chavez Ravine again sometime soon.

The team thanked Saweetie for stopping by ... and she said she can't wait to come back, so maybe part 2 is on the way??

Forget cheering or crying ... Maveric Lamoureux's folks straight up swapped tongues to celebrate their son's selection in Thursday's NHL draft -- and it was such a wet kiss, the broadcast's commentators even noticed it!!!

Just seconds after the Arizona Coyotes drafted Lamoureux -- a Canadian defenseman -- with the 29th pick of the first round ... the 18-year-old's parents got in a little tonsil hockey.

ESPN's cameras managed to catch the PDA -- and, of course, its analysts couldn't help but remark on it.

The guys giggled on-air, with the show's host, John Buccigross, saying, "Get after it, Mom and Dad!"

But, the TV guys weren't the only ones who seemed to notice the makeout sesh ... Lamoureux also appeared to see it, and looked sheepish on stage about it all!

After the kiss, Lamoreux's dad said during an interview that he's very proud of his son, calling it "the best day of my life."

A personal trainer is inspiring the latest exercise fad ... by mimicking what dogs do.

Nathaniel Nolan faced a dilemma ... he wanted to stay fit, but high-intensity workouts caused intense joint pain. So, what's a 31-year-old personal trainer to do ... run like a dog on all 4's.

That's what the Indianapolis dude calls it ... "all fours training." He scurries around on his hands and legs for hours a day ... and it's done wonders for him. Turns out its really good strength training and it made him super flexible. And, you know what flexible dogs can do, so congrats!!!

Nathaniel acknowledges he gets scoffed at by folks who think he's crazy, but he doesn't give a damn. In fact, it's catching on like wildfire ... millions have viewed his doggy-style workouts on TikTok.

He's been doing it for a year and swears by it.

Nathaniel also does exercises of the human variety ... breakdancing, handstands, push-ups, and martial arts ... so exercise doggy-style is not the only game in Indianapolis.

Mike Brito -- the legendary Los Angeles Dodgers scout who was credited with discovering Fernando Valenzuela, Yasiel Puig and many more -- has died, the team announced on Thursday.

He was 87 years old.

"[We] are saddened by the passing of legendary international scout Mike Brito, who worked in the Dodger organization for nearly 45 years and passed away this evening at the age of 87," the Dodgers said in a statement Thursday night.

"Our thoughts are with Brito's family and friends."

Brito, a native of Cuba, became a scout for the Dodgers back in 1978 -- after a successful baseball career of his own.

Known for his stylish sense of fashion and signature Panama hat, Brito helped the team land some of its most famous players.

In addition to Valenzuela and Puig, Brito was also given credit for discovering stars like Julio Urias.

"I have no words," Puig said in a statement following Brito's passig. "You changed my life Mike Brito. You and your white hat, sir."

Following the announcement of his death Thursday evening, the Dodgers held a moment of silence in honor of his life and legacy just before they beat the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium.

Valenzuela -- now a broadcaster with the team -- said his heart was very heavy after learning of the death.

"Mike was a great man and instrumental in my success as a baseball player on and off the field," Valenzuela said. "No one loved the Dodger organization more than Mike, and we will all miss him very much."

"My prayers go out to his wife, Rosario, and all of his family and friends.”

Despite the Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury fight falling apart for the second time, The Problem Child tells TMZ Sports he STILL wants to beat the pugilist reality star's ass ... after he defeats Hasim Rahman Jr.

"I'm considering [fighting Fury] after August 6, but I want to fight at Madison Square Garden, and the show must go on whether or not Tommy Fury's in the arena. I don't wait for people. I don't need to wait around. I have a responsibility to my fans to put on shows."

Of course, Jake and Tommy were set to scrap at MSG in NYC in August ... until Tyson's younger bro learned he wasn't able to enter the United States (backstory here).

Despite the official account, Jake says he's skeptical Fury truly wants the fight.

"I don't buy it. I had multiple people hit me up that said, 'I can get him in. I have connections to people at the embassy. We'll get him his visa, no problem.' And I DM'ed Tommy and he just went into hiding."

FYI, it's the second time Jake and Tommy were scheduled to fight. Back in December, Fury pulled out after saying he developed a "chest infection."

Enter 31-year-old Hasim Rahman Jr. -- a professional boxer with a 12-1 record who previously trained with 25-year-old Paul -- stepped in on short notice to accept the fight.

He's bigger and more experienced ... so, we asked Jake if he believes HR Jr.'s a tougher test than Tommy.

"Yeah, this is a harder opponent than Tommy Fury," Jake says.

The 5-0 boxing star continued ... "Look, [Hasim] has more amateur fights, he has more heavyweight fights. He’s a heavyweight. He’s been in boxing his whole entire life. He’s older, more experienced than Tommy Fury and has been in a lot bigger fights and has sparred with some of the toughest heavyweights in the world.“

If Rahman Jr.'s name rings a bell ... there's a reason. His dad, Hasim Rahman, was a 2x heavyweight champ who once absolutely starched boxing great Lennox Lewis.

In fact, Jake says Rahman Jr. is such a step up in competition, his own brother and team advised him NOT to accept the fight.

"Really my manager, and even my own brother [Logan] was like 'Yo, you shouldn't be doing this fight. Like why do you want to do this? The risk isn't worth the reward.'"

"And I was just like, 'Yo, I'm built different.' I really want to do this. I want to prove to the world that I can knock out a professional boxer no matter how good he, or she is, or anyone. I'll knock out anyone!"

We also talked to Jake about star boxer Amanda Serrano, signed to Paul's MVP promotions, beef he has with Rahman, and much more!