TMZ Sports - Page 19

The love for Damar Hamlin is everywhere -- even Niagara Falls, which was illuminated in blue lights to show support for the Buffalo Bills player amid his recovery.

The landmark -- which is 19 miles from Buffalo and spans the border between Ontario, Canada and New York state -- displayed the tribute for 15 minutes on Tuesday night.

"Our collective thoughts are with him, his family, his team and the City of Buffalo," Niagara Falls' Twitter account shared.

The blue light was featured at the American Falls and Canadian Horseshoe Falls -- two of the three waterfalls at the iconic tourist spot.

As we previously reported, the 24-year-old safety went into cardiac arrest after tackling Tee Higgins during the Bills' "Monday Night Football" game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hamlin -- who was unconscious -- received CPR on the field and was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in "critical condition."

As of Wednesday, he remains in the intensive care unit.

Since the scary incident, fans and celebs from all over have shown support by penning sweet messages and donating to Hamlin's Chasing M's toy drive ... which surpassed its initial goal of $2,500.

The GoFundMe page currently has more than $6 million in donations ... with huge contributions from Tom Brady, Robert Kraft and the Patriots, Russell Wilson and Ciara and Matthew Stafford.

Sasha Banks is back in the ring ... just not with the WWE.

The former women's champ officially joined New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), debuting as "Mercedes Mone" with the promotion.

Mercedes Varnado, who went by "Sasha Banks" during her tenure with the WWE, arrived at NJPW's WrestleKingdom 17 at the Tokyo Dome in front of a packed crowd.

Mone confronted Kairi, former WWE athlete and the current IGWP women's champion, setting up a showdown between the two at New Japan's Battle in the Valley event on Feb. 18 in San Jose, California.

"I am here in New Japan and Stardom to make more [history]," Varnado said on the mic after she attacked Kairi.

You'll recall ... last May, Mercedes, alongside WWE superstar Naomi, reportedly walked out of a taping of "Monday Night Raw." Neither wrestler appeared on any of the company's programming since the incident.

Sasha and Naomi were suspended indefinitely -- and Wrestling Inc. reported WWE released Banks in June.

Ahead of her NJPW debut on Wednesday, which was not publicized, Mercedes -- who spent ten years with the WWE -- thanked a host of individuals who helped her over the years, naming Vince McMahon, Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, William Regal, and the WWE Universe.

Dillon Danis and KSI will NOT be facing off in the ring -- at least not next weekend -- the MMA fighter has allegedly pulled out of their boxing match just 10 days before the event was slated to go down.

The two were supposed to scrap at OVO Arena Wembley on Jan. 14 ... which would have been Danis' first competition since 2019.

But according to Misfit Boxing's Mams Taylor, folks who doubted Danis would actually go through with the fight were right to be skeptical.

"The real reason is, from what they said to me, is that he's underprepared, he has no coach, he might be struggling with weight," Taylor said on Wednesday.

"For someone who cares about his reputation as much as he does, or what people think of him, I didn't think that this would be something, despite many people saying the opposite. Like, 'Look, he's not going to show up to the fight.'"

"They were right."

KSI isn't giving up on the whole event, though ... as he just tweeted, "The show must go on. I’m still fighting January 14th."

Former UFC star Phil Baroni was reportedly arrested for allegedly killing his girlfriend in Mexico over the weekend ... and the details are terrifying.

According to the Mexican outlet, Tribuna De La Bahia, police found Baroni's girlfriend naked and unresponsive in bed with a sheet covering her. The report says cops noticed bruises and markings all over her face and body ... and she showed no sign of life.

When authorities looked at Baroni's body, they reportedly noticed his hands were red. They took photographs.

As for what Phil said transpired, the retired fighter tracked down authorities and told them he got into a drunken argument with his girlfriend in their hotel room when things turned physical.

Baroni reportedly told police he was upset after finding his GF slept with another man, so he told her to take a shower -- but she refused.

Baroni claims he then grabbed the woman by her arms and forced her into the shower ... which led to her hitting her head.

The 46-year-old -- who was reportedly under the influence of drugs and alcohol -- reportedly claimed the woman couldn't get out of the tub by herself, so he assisted. She then complained of being cold, so Baroni said he took her to bed, removed her clothes and wrapped her in a blanket.

Baroni then says he went out for cigarettes and beer, per her request.

When he got back, Baroni reportedly told authorities he believed the woman was asleep. Tragically, she was deceased.

Authorities are planning to conduct an autopsy on the alleged victim to determine her cause of death.

Baroni was arrested for murder ... and is currently behind bars.

The former MMA star fought for a bunch of top promotions during his career ... including the UFC, Pride and Bellator. Baroni last fought in September 2019 ... where he lost via submission.

The daughter of rally star Ken Block is speaking for the first time since her dad's fatal snowmobile crash on Monday, penning an emotional post about her dad, calling him her "best friend."

Lia, 16, shared a photo on Instagram Tuesday evening showing her and her famous dad walking side by side in their racing gear.

"Yesterday I didn't just lose my father, I lost my best friend," Lia wrote, "He was truly my whole world and the only person I ever looked up to."

"No matter what I did he was always there to support me. I can't believe how fast he was taken from all of us."

Lia continued, saying her dad -- who was also the co-founder of DC Shoes -- was an amazing person who accomplished so much in his 55 years of life.

"He always did what he loved no matter what, right up to the last second, and always was there for me and my siblings and my mom whenever we did what we loved," Lia said.

"He was one of the most amazing people in the world, not to mention the best dad I could have ever asked for. I will strive every single day to make you proud. I love you to the moon and back kenny boi. ❤️ #kb43ver"

Lia is one of Block and his wife Lucy's three children ... and she was following in her dad's footsteps in racing.

In fact, on the day of Block's death, he posted an IG photo of Lia and her new '85 Audi Ur Quattro.

"Will her newly-refinished vintage Audi finally do a donut?" Block said in the caption hours before his death.

According to the post, he was supposed to go Live on YouTube with Lia to show off her new whip Tuesday, but never got the chance.

Shannon Sharpe made his return to the "Undisputed" set after missing Tuesday's episode over co-host Skip Bayless' controversial tweet about Damar Hamlin's medical emergency ... and it only took a whopping 40 seconds before an argument broke out.

Shannon kickstarted Wednesday's show by addressing Hamlin's situation in his opening monologue ... saying, "Watching that game on Monday night, what happened to Damar Hamlin struck me a little different."

Sharpe explained he's witnessed his NFL brothers suffer serious injuries throughout his career ... but added that seeing someone have to be revived on the field was a completely different experience.

Shannon then addressed Bayless' tweet head-on ... which, according to Skip, wasn't supposed to happen.

"Skip tweeted something and although I disagree with the tweet -- and hopefully, Skip will take it down."

Bayless immediately interrupted his co-host ... saying, "Time out -- I'm not going to take it down because I stand by what I tweeted."

Sharpe was clearly pissed with Skip interjecting ... replying, "I cannot even get through a monologue without you interrupting."

The Hall of Famer then explained his reason for missing Tuesday's show ... saying the discussion should be about Hamlin, not Skip's tweet.

"I didn't want yesterday to get into a situation where Damar Hamlin was the issue. We should have been talking about him, and not get into your tweet. That's what I was gonna do. But you can't even let me finish my opening monologue without you interrupting."

Skip says he was under the impression his tweet was not going to be discussed on the show ... claiming producers did not have an issue with what he said.

People are looking to profit off Damar Hamlin's tragic injury by creating fraudulent GoFundMe campaigns, advertised as helping the athlete who's currently fighting for his life ... but we're told the online company's already cracking down on anyone pretending to help the Bills player.

A spokesperson for GoFundMe tells TMZ ... there's only 1 verified fundraiser on the platform confirmed by Damar's family -- The Chasing M's Foundation Community Toy Drive, which has surpassed $4.7M since Damar's incident, as we reported.

We're told anything not authorized by the family is already being taken down in real-time.

For those unaware, several campaigns went live since Damar's cardiac arrest Monday night ... some saying the funds will benefit him directly while in the hospital, and others are exact replicas of his toy drive fundraiser.

It looks like the unauthorized campaigns didn't pick up a ton of steam ... one campaign was even created with the sole purpose of warning others about Damar-related scams.

It's worth noting that not all of these fundraisers appear to be malicious -- it seems some just want to help but didn't go through the proper channels to get it done properly.

A GFM spokesperson tells us the company's top priority is keeping people safe and to "protect the generosity of our donors" ... adding that it isn't uncommon for others to jump on the platform and try to help out. That being said, GoFundMe will continue to monitor the situation closely.

James "Buster" Corley, one of the co-founders of the Dave & Buster's restaurant chain, has died … TMZ has learned.

A rep for D&B confirmed Corleys’s death, telling TMZ he’ll be remembered as "an innovative and creative force" with a "pioneering spirit."

Cops say they responded to a Dallas, TX home Monday, James’ birthday, to find a man suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was transported to a hospital where he died.

The rep for D&B adds ... "Buster’s passion for hospitality, his demand for excellence, and the deep care he had for his team members were unparalleled. Our hearts go out to his family at this difficult time and while we will miss his wise counsel and his easy laugh, the legacy he and Dave built endures."

James opened the first Dave & Buster's in Dallas way back in 1982, along with his business partner David Corriveau ... with Dave winning a coin toss to have his name first.

Dave & Buster's went on to open more than 140 locations across the country ... combining food with video arcade games.

Cops say they are investigating.

James was 72.

RIP

Shawne Merriman was one of the most violent defensive players of his generation, but was admittedly shaken up after watching Damar Hamlin's heart stop on the field ... an incident he thinks will have a major impact on players across the league.

The former 12th overall in the 2005 NFL Draft joined Babcock and Mojo on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) ... where we asked Merriman how the traumatizing incident will affect the Bills players as they attempt to make a run in the playoffs.

"It's going to be playing in the minds of a lot of them. It was a wake-up call for a lot of people on just the possibilities of how violent this game could be," Shawne said.

"I think football is the greatest sport in the world but we also understand that there's some heavy risk in that."

Shawne also said the incident could show fans that players are humans ... not superheroes or machines.

"I think also it brought a human side. A lot of these players really get looked at as superhuman. This is a human on the ground that could possibly be fighting for his life."

Shawne doesn't believe the incident will have any long-lasting impacts on the league, but it's not something players will forget, and it has Merriman feeling grateful that he left the game in one piece.

"It was the first thing on my mind when I woke up this morning and how fortunate I was to actually walk away from the game the way I did on the up and up."

Skip Bayless hosted Tuesday morning's episode of 'Undisputed' alone, without Shannon Sharpe, and it was no accident ... we're told the Hall of Famer was upset with the opinionated TV host's controversial tweet sent minutes after Damar Hamlin's heart stopped during MNF.

And, TMZ Sports is told the network -- which wants Sharpe back as soon as possible -- doesn't know if he will return to work on Wednesday.

The controversy started when Bayless tweeted ... "No doubt the NFL is considering postponing the rest of this game - but how? This late in the season, a game of this magnitude is crucial to the regular-season outcome ... which suddenly seems so irrelevant."

The backlash came fast and furiously ... with everyone from fans to current and former star athletes like Darrelle Revis, Dez Bryant, "Sauce" Gardner and others going in on Skip.

In the wake of criticism, and less than an hour after his original message, Bayless attempted to clarify his point, writing ... "Nothing is more important than that young man's health. That was the point of my last tweet. I'm sorry if that was misunderstood but his health is all that matters. Again, everything else is irrelevant. I prayed for him & will continue to."

But, clearly, it wasn't enough for his partner, Shannon ... 'cause when 'Undisputed' went live Tuesday morning, Sharpe was nowhere to be found.

Some speculated Shannon could've simply had the day off, but our sources tell us that's not the case -- this was a direct reaction to Bayless' tweet.

A few minutes into the show, Skip seemingly tried to clear the air without directly addressing the reason behind Shannon's absence, saying, "Obviously, my partner, Shannon Sharpe, is not here today. I look forward to seeing him tomorrow."

Bayless also started the show telling the audience he was going to (attempt to) approach the show as he would any other weekday ... though he wasn't sure if he'd be able to get through the emotional topic.

"I apologize for what we've set out to do if it offends anyone because we're going to try to do the show pretty much as we usually do the show but I'll admit upfront, I'm still shook up by what happened last night to Damar Hamlin."

Skip continued ... "In fact, I'm still wrecked. In fact, I'm not sure I'm capable of doing this show today but after barely sleeping on it, I decided to give it a try. Maybe I'll fail, maybe we will fail but we're going to try."

U.S. Men's National Team manager Gregg Berhalter claims someone recently tried to get him out of the job by exposing a violent incident with his now-wife in 1991 ... and now, U.S. Soccer is investigating the matter.

49-year-old Berhalter released a lengthy statement on the situation just minutes ago ... saying an individual outside the organization approached U.S. Soccer during the World Cup and claimed they had information that would "take me down."

The information -- according to Berhalter and his wife, Rosalind -- stems from an incident back in 1991 ... when an 18-year-old Gregg kicked her after a heated argument outside a bar.

Berhalter says he was a college freshman and had been dating Rosalind for four months at the time of the physical altercation ... but adds, "There are zero excuses for my actions that night."

Berhalter says he immediately apologized and took full responsibility for his actions ... and even though police were not involved, he sought counseling to make sure he never acted in that manner again.

"The lessons learned from that night over three decades ago became the foundation for a loving, devoted, and supportive relationship, which we honored and celebrated with our 25th anniversary this past weekend," Berhalter says.

U.S. Soccer launched an investigation into the 1991 incident back in December ... and on Tuesday, the organization announced it is also looking into the person who came forward with the information.

"Through this process, U.S. Soccer has learned about potential inappropriate behavior towards multiple members of our staff by individuals outside of our organization," U.S. Soccer said.

"We take such behavior seriously and have expanded our investigation to include those allegations."

Sources tell us the individual who brought the incident to light is someone Gregg has known for decades ... who was acting out of frustration with how he was managing the USMNT.

Mike Tomlin is devastated about Damar Hamlin after the Bills safety went into cardiac arrest on the field during Monday Night Football ... saying the situation is "a really personal thing for me."

The longtime Pittsburgh Steelers head coach opened his media availability on Tuesday by explaining how Hamlin's condition hits close to home ... telling reporters, "I've known that guy probably since he was about 12."

Hamlin was a standout at Central Catholic High School in Pittsburgh, receiving Class AAAA Defensive Player of the Year and All-State honors.

Tomlin says he was fortunate to have watched Hamlin develop into the player he is today.

"[I] got a lot of respect and love for him as a human being, his commitment to the pursuit of his goals and dreams of doing what it is he's doing right now, which is playing in the NFL," he added. "It's just an honor to get to know young people like that."

Tomlin reflected on the times he eventually coached against Hamlin -- when the Bills and Steelers played each other the last two seasons -- and says he always tells Damar how proud he is whenever they cross paths.

"I had the opportunity to express that to him whenever I see him," Tomlin said. "We play Buffalo each of the last two seasons, and he and I get to have a moment."

As we previously reported, Hamlin went into cardiac arrest after a collision with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins ... and was transported to the hospital, where he remains in critical condition in the ICU.

Hamlin's medical emergency deeply impacted the sports world ... with NFL and NBA superstars like LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees offering support for the 24-year-old.

"I got a lot of love for that young man," Tomlin added. "We lift him and that organization up in prayer. [I] reached out to Sean McDermott to lend whatever assistance I could, but I don't have a lot to add other than that."

The NFL just announced the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills will not return to the field this week ... this after Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the field during Monday Night Football.

Roger Goodell made the announcement official just minutes ago ... saying he spoke with both teams and elected not to resume the matchup prior to Week 18 -- the final week of the NFL season.

The league says it has not decided what to do about the contest ... and Week 18 will continue as scheduled.

The league says it has been in regular contact with the medical team caring for Hamlin ... as well as the Bengals, Bills, and NFL Players Association.

As we previously reported, Hamlin collapsed after tackling Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins in the first quarter of Monday night's matchup ... and received emergency CPR for several minutes before being carted off the field and transferred to a local hospital.

The game was suspended ... and the league said Hamlin was in critical condition. The Bills later added he was stable, and his heartbeat was restored prior to leaving the field. He spent the night in the ICU, where he remains.

Horrifying moment during the Bills vs. Bengals game on "Monday Night Football" -- Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin collapsed at the end of a play ... and required CPR in the middle of the field.

The incident happened just minutes into the game's first quarter ... right after Hamlin tackled Tee Higgins to the ground.

The 24-year-old -- a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft -- appeared to get up from the stop just fine ... but he seemed to lose consciousness as he got to his feet, and crumpled to the ground.

Medical personnel raced onto the field -- and according to the game's announcer, Joe Buck, officials performed CPR on him for several minutes.

He was eventually strapped to a backboard and loaded onto a stretcher. He was then taken off the field in an ambulance.

Players from both teams were visibly concerned for the defensive back -- Josh Allen buried his face in his hands, while Stefon Diggs had tears running down his face. Reporters on the scene said multiple other players were seen crying.

The league has temporarily suspended play in wake of the injury.

Story developing ...

Rae Sremmurd rapper Slim Jxmmi wants to start 2023 on a brand new foot ... without his PlayStation 5 console, because it's way too much of a distraction!!!

Jxmmi dropped off his New Year's resolutions on his IG stories, revealing he wanted to ditch the PS5 in order to revamp his rapping skills.

The gaming console won't go to complete waste ... Jxmmi revealed he wanted to gift it to a single mother.

Jxmmi and his brother Swae Lee linked up with producer Sonny Digital for their latest single "Torpedo" ... and plenty of fiery "4's" to signify their fourth album together!!!

He just celebrated his 31st birthday on December 29 ... so there's probably a bit of newfound maturity coming into play.

The last time we spoke to him, Jxmmi admitted he wanted to get his life right and was dabbling in the world of boxing.

The sports world is rallying around Bills' safety Damar Hamlin after he went into cardiac arrest on the field Monday night ... with superstars like LeBron James, Tom Brady, and Drew Brees offering words of support as the 24-year-old fights for his life.

LeBron took the podium after scoring 43 points in Charlotte against the Hornets ... and spoke passionately about Hamlin, sending prayers. Bron also talked about the NFL's correct decision to postpone the game.

Tom Brady tweeted Tuesday morning, "We’re praying for Damar and his family this morning in Tampa. Moments like this put into perspective what it means to play this game we love."

"Thankful for our communities in Cincinnati and Buffalo for the overwhelming level of care and support I know they’ll continue to provide."

Retired quarterback and future Hall of Famer Drew Brees also expressed his concern for the second-year player out of Pittsburgh ... writing, "Damar Hamlin represents every one of us and every teammate we've ever had."

"I've never met him, but I know him as a member of our brotherhood. My family and I pray for him and his family as he recovers. God be with him."

Donovan Mitchell had a historic night Monday -- scoring 71 points in an overtime victory against the Bulls -- but the Cavs star made sure to offer his concern for Hamlin during his postgame presser.

"Prayers up for the Bills' safety," Mitchell said. "I had heard about it. I didn't see it, but I wish him and his family, we're praying for him. From the Cavalier organization, we want to wish the best and pray everything goes well."

Hamlin, selected by the Bills in the 6th round of the 2021 NFL draft, was carted off the field during Monday Night Football after his heart stopped beating following a collision with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.

The Bills said Damar was transported to UC Medical Center -- a level-one trauma facility -- where he's receiving treatment and undergoing testing.