TMZ Sports - Page 5

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!

If you want an autograph from Steph Curry ... you might wanna start hitting the gym, because one fan needed to drop and give the NBA star 30 push-ups to secure his signature.

The NBA Finals MVP was playing golf Thursday at a celebrity tournament in Lake Tahoe, CA when a young fan asked how many push-ups he needed to do for a John Hancock.

Steph told the fan the magic number was 30 -- the same number he wears for the Golden State Warriors -- so the kid removed his hat and emptied his pockets before busting out 30 perfect pushups right on the tee box.

The fun interaction is all on video ... and Steph even signed the jersey before the fan reached the finish line, drawing a laugh from the crowd.

Fresh off his fourth NBA championship, Steph is playing in the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe along as part of a field stacked with celebs.

Steph's going up against the likes of Justin Timberlake, Miles Teller, Ray Romano, Colin Jost, Nick Jonas, Joe Buck, Bret Baier and Anthony Anderson ... plus famous athletes like Aaron Rodgers, Charles Barkley, Vince Carter, Patrick Mahomes, Tony Romo, The Miz, Emmitt Smith and Steve Young.

Racing legend Carlos Sainz Sr. -- the father of F1 superstar Carlos Sainz -- was hospitalized after a scary crash at the Extreme E Island X-Prix in Sardinia  ... but thankfully, it sounds like he's going to be okay.

60-year-old Sainz -- who races for the Acciona | Sainz XE team in the off-road series -- was leading the pack when he was hit by Johan Kristoffersson of Rosberg X Racing, which caused his vehicle to flip and roll.

Sainz was eventually able to get out of the car ... but it was clear he was in a lot of pain.

He was taken to a nearby hospital and was checked out by a medical team ... but in a statement just minutes ago, he made it clear he's still hurting.

"Luckily all the medical checks were fine and I have just been released from the hospital, although I feel quite a lot of pain," Sainz said on Twitter.

Kristoffersson was handed a 30-second penalty as a result of the accident ... which Sainz scoffed at.

"I am really disappointed nevertheless with what happened on the track and even more so with the fact that there was only a 30-second penalty for who caused this big accident."

"In over 40 years in motorsports, this is one of the most serious actions that I have ever seen without an exemplary penalty. Thanks a lot to everyone for your messages of support."

Sainz is a two-time World Rally Championship winner ... and has received numerous awards for his success in racing.

Sainz Jr. is fresh off his first win as a Formula 1 driver ... winning the British Grand Prix on Sunday.

Red Sox star Chris Sale lost his mind following a rocky rehab start Wednesday night ... destroying items and completely trashing a runway in his team's dugout.

The meltdown was all captured on video following the ace's short outing with Boston's Triple-A affiliate, the Worcester Red Sox.

In the short clip, you can see the 33-year-old pitcher -- who was throwing for the WooSox in another effort to make it back to the Big Leagues from a rib injury -- ripping items off the wall and kicking them violently.

Sale was clearly pissed about his 3.2 innings pitched, which featured five walks, five strikeouts and one earned run given up.

According to Worcester Telegram reporter Joe McDonald, one of the items Sale wrecked was a TV ... though the reporter added it had already "been broken for over a month."

No word yet if Sale -- who's in the middle of a five-year, $145 million contract with the Red Sox -- has been asked to pay for repairs.

Despite the blowup, Sale did say after the game he was ready to return to Boston's Big League roster.

"I know today was a little bit of a hiccup but it's nothing that can't be ironed out," he told the Boston Globe. "I just want to be a part of it. I want to get back to doing my job and pulling my weight."

Sale -- who missed the end of the 2019 season and the 2020 season due to Tommy John surgery -- was expected to be a key contributor to the Sox this season before suffering his rib injury in February.

Israel Adesanya is taking aim at Chris Pratt after the actor criticized him for his performance at UFC 276 ... calling the 'Jurassic World' star "just some fan" and sharing a video of him getting hit in the mouth.

Adesanya unleashed the clap back on his Twitter page early Wednesday morning -- nearly four days after Pratt said he was underwhelmed by the fighter's effort against Jared Cannonier on Saturday night.

"Good morning," Adesanya wrote while sharing a video of Pratt getting smacked by a keyboard in the famous Angelina Jolie flick, "Wanted."

"I’m the man. You’re just some fan."

Pratt initially kicked off the unlikely beef following Adesanya's win over Cannonier, saying on a post-fight show that he wasn't impressed by the way the MMA star fought after days of trash talk.

“I don't know this game -- I'm just an actor, but I'm not a fan, man," Pratt said. "I’m not a fan of coming out like all that talk, and then just kind of putting on a little bit of a pitter-patter. I’m like, 'C’mon, man. You’ve got to cash on that promise of being so badass.'"

Of course, Adesanya clearly isn't all that bothered by Pratt's barbs ... the 23-1 fighter was seen partying his ass off without a care in the world at XS Nightclub in Vegas following his big win.

We're told Adesanya -- alongside Alexander Volkanovski, Nate Diaz, "Rampage" Jackson, Kamaru Usman, and Francis Ngannou -- celebrated for a while at the venue ... and even rubbed elbows with Bengals superstar Joe Burrow.

The Las Vegas Raiders just announced they are hiring Sandra Douglass Morgan to be the team's new president ... making her the first Black woman to occupy such a role in NFL history.

"I am thrilled to join you as we embark on one of the most exciting times in the history of our organization," Morgan said in a letter announcing her hire, obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

"I look forward to meeting each of you in person over the coming weeks," she added.

Morgan -- an attorney and the former Chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board -- steps into her new role just a few months after the then-team exec. Dan Ventrelle was fired by the organization.

Ventrelle claims the only reason he was let go is because he reported to the NFL that team owner Mark Davis did nothing to address the issue of a hostile work environment.

Morgan joins the Raiders with an extensive résumé -- last year, she served as the vice-chair of the Las Vegas Super Bowl host committee and worked with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

The former attorney joins the Raiders after a troubling year for the franchise -- several of the team's biggest stars got into trouble off the field ... and Jon Gruden resigned after he was found to have used offensive language in emails.

Morgan's husband, Don, used to play in the NFL for the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals ... and she's been connected to Vegas since a young age.

"The Raiders have a long legacy of greatness, because of each of you and because of visionaries like Mark’s father, Al," Morgan wrote.

New Orleans Pelicans guard Devonte' Graham was busted for driving while impaired early Thursday morning, TMZ Sports has confirmed.

27-year-old Graham -- the 34th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft -- was arrested by the State Highway Patrol in Raleigh, North Carolina around 3 AM, according to arrest records.

TMZ Sports has obtained Graham's mug shot, which shows the hooper expressionless and staring into the camera.

Graham is entering his fifth year in the Association ... averaging 12.8 points a game. He had a breakout season for the Charlotte Hornets in 2019-20 ... averaging more than 18 points and 7 assists per game.

The former Kansas Jayhawks star and 2018 Big 12 Player of the Year is approaching his second year with the Pelicans. He's in the middle of a 4-year, $47.3 million deal.

We've reached out to law enforcement for more information on the arrest.

James Caan, the legendary actor made famous for his roles in films like "The Godfather," "Brian's Song" has died.

This was just posted on James' Twitter account -- "It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Jimmy on the evening of July 6. The family appreciates the outpouring of love and heartfelt condolences and asks that you continue to respect their privacy during this difficult time."

Caan's breakout role came in 1972, when he played Sonny on "The Godfather." He was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor as well as a Golden Globe.

He reprised the role in 'Godfather II.'

Before 'Godfather' Caan played Brian Piccolo in "Brian's Song."

James was in numerous movies ... including "Misery," "Dick Tracy" and "Elf."

Caan was born in the Bronx ... the son of Jewish immigrants from Germany. His dad was a butcher.

James played football at Michigan State University.

Caan was a fixture at the Playboy Mansion in the '70s and '80s ... he loved to party and was never shy about speaking his mind.

He has 5 kids, including Scott, an actor himself who starred in "Hawaii Five-0."

James was married most recently to Linda Stokes from 1995-2009.

James was 82.

It's Michael, bitch!!

UFC star Michael Chandler traded the gloves for a mic during his appearance on "The Masked Singer" national tour stop in Nashville on Wednesday ... belting out Britney Spears' "...Baby One More Time" -- and it's hilarious!!

Look, the dude ain't gonna win a Grammy anytime soon ... but it certainly looked like he had a blast -- shaking his hips and pulling off some dance moves that would make Brit proud.

Chandler's fam was present for the whole thing -- cheering him on as he made it through the 1999 hit.

No school girl outfit here -- Chandler's masked character was a boombox ... which might explain why he couldn't perfectly execute Spears' signature choreography.

The lightweight badass was eventually revealed by singer Natasha Bedingfield ... with the crowd going wild during the big moment.

Brittney Griner is back in court in Russia as her trial continues onward ... but this time, she made sure to bring a very personal item with her -- a photo of her wife.

Cameras captured the WNBA superstar walking into a Moscow courtroom for another hearing in her drug case on Thursday morning ... and you can see in her hand, very clearly, was a photo of Cherelle Griner.

The picture appears to be a screen grab from one of Cherelle's recent television interviews ... and next to it, there was also a photo of Brittney holding a basketball.

Brittney seemed to want to make sure cameras snapped her holding the pics ... as she held out the paper and stared at photogs camped inside the halls of the courthouse on her way inside.

The 33-year-old hooper wore a red Crenshaw T-shirt, red sweats ... and had a stern look on her face.

The loud-and-clear message from Brittney comes just one day after both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris spoke with Cherelle about Brittney's case.

White House officials said Biden and Harris assured Cherelle on the call they're pursuing "every avenue to bring Brittney home" and promised that they're "working to secure Brittney’s release as soon as possible."

Cherelle said in a statement shortly after the call she was "grateful" for the U.S. officials' contact ... but added at a rally for Brittney at the Footprint Center in Phoenix hours later that she "honestly can't rest until" Brittney is back on U.S. soil.

As we reported, Brittney is facing up to 10 years behind bars in Russia after she was accused of having drugs in her luggage at a Moscow airport back in mid-February.