TMZ Sports - Page 50

A high school wrestling star was so hyped after winning the state championship ... he literally body-slammed his coach to the mat in a hilarious video!!

Southside H.S. (Youngsville, LA) wrestling coach Mike Stelly told his wrestlers they could slam him if any of them won a Louisiana state title ... and sure enough, after two of his wrestlers won the 'chip, they took coach for a ride!

After wrestlers Landon Reaux and Wiley Boudreaux won big-time matches (120 lbs., 138 lbs.) ... Stelly made good on his promise.

Coach, wearing a suit, was so fired up, he bounced up right off the mat after taking the vicious belly-to-belly suplex!

The wrestling move has a longstanding history in the sport ... WWE stars Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle and Bayley have all mastered the move throughout their careers.

Southside finished 7th in the overall team standings, according to NOLA.com.

Tiki Barber says Aaron Rodgers would likely struggle in New York if traded to the big city, but it's got little to do with football or the team's roster ... the Giants legend says AR couldn't handle the cold-blooded reporters!

Of course, Barber would know firsthand ... he spent 10 seasons with the G-Men in New York, where the pressure is incredibly high, and he received his fair share of criticism.

With talk of the Jets exploring the idea of trading for the future first-ballot Hall of Famer, Tiki isn't so sure it's a great idea.

"It just made me start to realize that if he is that sensitive, he gets upset that people, reporters, opinion makers, influencers, whoever, wanna talk about him, he is going to struggle in New York," Barber said on his show with Brandon Tierney on WFAN in NYC.

"I don't know if it's the right fit for him. I don't know if I want him in New York if this is going to be his reaction to things that don't matter."

Barber went on to say the Green Bay Packers quarterback brings the attention on himself, talking about isolation retreats and other things most people aren't accustomed to, and then gets upset when people talk about him.

"If Aaron Rodgers doesn't want people talking about him" Barber said, "He needs to stop talking!"

"We're gonna talk about it. you have to. It's our job to and for him to get offended by that, he's not gonna handle the intensity of the New York mediascape."

The New York Jets aren't the only organization interested in potentially bringing in the 4x MVP -- there are several other teams -- though, Rodgers has not even committed to playing the 2023 season.

Move over, Mel Kiper Jr. ... Taylor Lautner's now comin' in hot with the NFL draft advice -- telling TMZ Sports he wants his beloved Lions to go defense in the first round this year!!

We got the "Twilight" actor -- who's a MASSIVE Detroit fan -- out in L.A. on Wednesday ... and he made it clear, when Dan Campbell's guys get on the clock in April, he's hoping for some players who can scare the hell out of opposing offenses.

"Defense was lacking a little bit this year," the Grand Rapids, Mich. native said.

Lautner clearly knows his stuff (he has been, after all, a Lions supporter since he was a kid) -- Detroit had statistically one of the worst D's in the league in 2022 ... giving up the third-most points in the NFL, and the most yards.

The good news? The Lions have two first-round picks this year thanks to the Matthew Stafford trade with the Rams in 2021 -- and most mock drafts have them going with defenders at both picks.

In fact, in ESPN analyst Todd McShay's most recent mock on Wednesday, he had Detroit going with a Clemson pass rusher and a Georgia cornerback.

Rihanna tends to live in luxury wherever she goes -- and her week in Arizona preparing for the Super Bowl was no different, 'cause she spared no expense for her desert hideout.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... RiRi was renting a home about 30 miles from the stadium where SB LVII went down ... in the town of Paradise Valley -- and, we gotta say, it's a fitting name when ya see this place!!!

The price tag is a real eye-popper -- we're told she spent $85,000/night to stay here, and booked it for 6 nights ahead of the game ... so, about $510K more or less.

As for the crib where the multi-billionaire and her fam hunkered down ... well, it's a beaut. The house has 5 bedrooms and 5 bathrooms over a sprawling 6,434 square feet.

It's a one-story pad, but it feels palatial when you take a peek inside.

For starters, there are 2 living rooms, as well as an open kitchen and accompanying walk-in wine cellar. There's also a private gym nook, and a separate office as well ... lots of room to spread out.

There's even more to marvel at outside -- in addition to the gorgeous courtyard seen out front, the backyard has extra perks ... like a huge pool with built-in waterfall, a pickle ball court, a bar area, big ol' barbecue grill, a freaking putting green and a bocce ball court!

It's been over three days since the Chiefs won the Super Bowl, but the party is still raging on in K.C. -- with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce dancing their faces off at a club on Wednesday night!!

The guys -- plus Brittany and Jackson Mahomes -- rolled through Mosaic in the hours after the team's parade ... and despite going strong since Sunday, they were still certainly in the party mood.

Kelce was seen on the top of a stage area, hittin' the stanky leg -- much to the crowd's delight.

Patrick, meanwhile, was spotted on top of the D.J. booth, firing up the clubgoers.

It's been a wild 72-plus hours for the guys -- after beating the Eagles in SB LVII, they've been going non-stop. The two had a blast with The Chainsmokers right after the win, then Patrick hit Disneyland. The BFFs reunited for a wild parade on Wednesday afternoon ... before meeting up again at the club.

Of course, they're used to all of it by now -- they did pretty much the exact same thing back in 2020 after beating the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl ... even hitting the same K.C. nightclub!!

Jason Derulo sees big things happening for women's pro volleyball after the star musician launched a brand new volleyball franchise in Nebraska ... and the org will be part of a league founded by Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow!

Derulo joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs nightly on FS1) ... where the "Trumpets" singer broke the news, announcing his new team will play in the Pro Volleyball Federation -- a league founded in part by the star QB.

"I'm excited because volleyball is on a crazy trajectory."

The league, PVF, will launch in February 2024, and they plan to play across the country in some of the biggest arenas.

FYI, volleyball's huge in the Cornhusker state. In fact, since 2013, the University of Nebraska's squad has led the nation in attendance, even setting a record last year when nearly 16K fans packed their arena to watch a match.

That's to say, Derulo, who has 57 million followers on TikTok, wholeheartedly believes the sport is on the come up in a big way.

"It's on the way up and to be a small part in what these ladies created is pretty incredible to me. I think it's gonna change sports forever."

And, unlike in a sport such as basketball, where the men's game is more popular, women run volleyball.

"Women's volleyball is actually leading. It's not the guys this time that are leading. I'd like for real pro volleyball to be the platform that just changes women's sports forever."

FYI, Jason also teamed up with his business partner, Danny White, who is from Omaha.

"The trajectory just seems so bright," 33-year-old Derulo said, adding ... "It's just been growing year after year after year and if it continues on this path, especially with this platform, I think it can absolutely be the next big thing."

Jason says he also wants to be the owner of the team with the "happiest players in the world," saying "I wanna make sure everybody is living their dream."

Like him or don't, it's undeniable that Jake Paul can strike ... but if the Problem Child truly wants to brush up on his wrestling skills and take an MMA fight, there's a U.S. wrestling legend who tells us he's happy to train the 27-year-old star -- Bo Nickal!

Nickal is a 3x NCAA Division I wrestling champion (184 lbs. x 2, 197 lbs.) who earned a UFC contract on Dana White's Contender Series last year. On Wednesday, TMZ Sports was talking to the 27-year-old, who just signed a deal with Jake's media company, Betr (more on that soon), when we asked if he planned to train with JP.

"Oh yeah. 100 percent. I'm super excited to train with [Jake]. Not only to be able to help him out a little bit on the MMA grappling side, but also just to learn from him," Bo said, adding, "He's got a ton of experience boxing and it'd be awesome just to be able to get together and work together."

Of course, Paul, 6-0 as a boxer, recently signed a deal with PFL ... and called out Nate Diaz. Jake, a solid wrestler in high school, proposed a two-fight deal with the MMA star from Stockton ... one MMA fight and one boxing match.

As for the partnership with Paul's Betr, Bo says he and Jake have a few things up their sleeves ... including a 'UFC Embedded'-style show that'll follow Nickal as he prepares for his first proper UFC fight.

Speaking of, Bo, 3-0 in MMA, just learned when he'll be making his first non-Contender Series appearance ... and it's on a big card, UFC 285, headlined by Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane. Jones hasn't been in the Octagon since beating Dominick Reyes in February 2020, over three years ago.

Nickal will face MMA veteran, Jamie Pickett at middleweight (185 lbs.) in the first fight on the main card.

Bo has visions of winning a UFC title, but isn't looking past his first fight ... a scrap he intends to end with a knockout or submission, and early on in the fight.

"I think first and foremost, I plan on just focusing on one fight at a time. Taking care of business this next fight, putting on a spectacular performance. I'd like to get a first-round finish. I'm expecting to finish this guy, regardless."

"Getting a finish in my UFC debut is really most prominently on my mind."

To say Bo's pumped about the Pickett fight may be an understatement ... he's ready to go!

Prosecutors said Wednesday afternoon they are dropping the domestic violence case against former Univ. of Texas men's basketball head coach Chris Beard.

Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza made the announcement in a statement ... saying that after reviewing all of the facts of the case and speaking with the alleged victim, "our office has determined that the felony offense cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt."

A motion to dismiss the case was formally filed earlier Wednesday, Garza said.

Beard was initially hit with a charge of assault by strangulation/suffocation -- family violence ... over his alleged role in a heated confrontation with his fiancée, Randi Trew.

According to court docs, Trew said Beard hit, strangled, and bit her during a Dec. 12 argument in Austin, Texas. Police said they saw visible teeth marks and redness on her arm and an abrasion on her face and leg. They also said she had a cut on one of her thumbs.

Trew ultimately walked back the allegations in a public statement .... saying, "Chris has stated that he was acting in self-defense, and I do not refute that."

She also added, "I do not believe Chris was trying to intentionally harm me in any way. It was never my intent to have him arrested or prosecuted."

Despite the retraction, UT fired Beard on Jan. 5.

Beard, who was 29-13 with the Longhorns after coming over from Texas Tech in 2021, was "crushed" by the decision, according to his attorney.

Jillian Michaels is not a fan of the latest weight loss trend -- celebs and millions of non-celebs using diabetes meds to slim down -- and she says actual data proves it's just not worth the risk.

The fitness guru joined "TMZ Live" Wednesday and shared concerns about the diabetes drug Semaglutide -- sold as brands like Wegovy and Ozempic -- which got FDA approval in 2021 for "chronic weight management" in adults with weight-related health conditions.

Jillian tells us the injectable drug has significant side effects ranging from typical to severe ... including thyroid cancer, kidney issues and pancreatitis.

Set aside, for just a moment, the fact the diet craze  -- which folks like Chelsea Handler, Elon Musk and Michael Rubin have copped to joining -- is making it harder for diabetes patients to fill potentially lifesaving prescriptions.

But, JM says the drugs don't actually help folks achieve significant weight loss goals. She adds, the real kicker is one study shows some users regained nearly 70% of the weight they'd lost by taking the drug.

Ultimately, Jillian says you can reach achieve much more effective, long-lasting weight loss by getting active and making better dietary choices.

Travis Kelce just delivered an impassioned speech at the Chiefs celebration parade ... calling out all the team's doubters and telling fans, "let's run this s*** back."

The star TE hit the stage wearing an all-white outfit and a massive Bud Light chain around his neck ... as his squad celebrated their massive 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kelce got emotional while talking to the crowd during the rally after the parade ... as he reflected on how some people predicted the Chiefs would take a step back with the changes they made to their roster.

"In all reality, this was the best season of my life," said Kelce, who finished the regular season with 110 receptions, 1,338 yards, and 12 touchdowns ... thanking the fans and his teammates for helping make it happen.

Patrick Mahomes spoke as well ... the two-time Super Bowl MVP took aim at people who thought Kansas City was "rebuilding" before the season started.

"I'mma be honest, I don't know what rebuilding means," 27-year-old Mahomes said. "In our rebuilding year, we're world champs!!"

"I just wanna let y'all know that this is just the beginning. We ain't done yet."

Chiefs LB Nick Bolton -- the man who recovered Jalen Hurts' fumble and returned it for a touchdown in the second quarter of the Super Bowl -- shared his thoughts in an interesting way as well.

The players ended the rally by dancing their asses off -- possibly trolling the Eagles by playing, "Just Wanna Rock," a Philly anthem throughout the playoffs.

NBA guard Bryn Forbes -- who was just waived by the Minnesota Timberwolves last week -- was arrested on Wednesday morning after he allegedly hit a woman "several times."

The altercation, according to the San Antonio Police Department, happened in Texas at around 5 AM after the 29-year-old basketball player and a woman had been out on the town.

Police say the woman told them Forbes had become upset at her while they were out, and when they drove home, the two got into an argument that turned physical.

According to cops, the woman said Forbes struck her multiple times in the confrontation, "causing injury and pain." Police say EMS arrived on scene and provided her with medical attention.

Forbes was arrested a short time later and booked on a family violence charge. Jail records show as of Wednesday afternoon, he remained in custody.

Cops say an investigation remains ongoing.

Forbes went unpicked in the 2016 NBA Draft, but latched on with the San Antonio Spurs as a rookie nonetheless, playing in 36 games.

Bam Margera's wife has tried for years to make things work with her estranged husband, but has apparently decided there's nothing more she can do ... filing for legal separation.

Nicole Boyd filed separation papers Wednesday in L.A. citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for the breakdown in her marriage with Bam.

The two have a 5-year-old son, Phoenix, together -- Nicole's asking for both legal and physical custody -- but will allow for Bam to get supervised visitation as long as he foots the bill and it happens in L.A. County.

Nicole is also asking the court to award her spousal support.

Bam and Nicole got hitched in October 2013, and she lists the date of their separation as September 2021.

TMZ broke the story, Nicole filed legal docs back in September 2021 asking the court to award her custody of Phoenix, however, at the time, she didn't file divorce documents.

Damar Hamlin is breaking his silence on his controversial Super Bowl jacket ... saying he never meant to offend anybody by wearing it -- and calling it simply "abstract art."

Hamlin rocked the coat -- which featured a crucifix with an altered Jesus head on it -- to the Chiefs vs. Eagles game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. -- and a day later, Adrian Peterson ripped him for it.

The future Hall of Famer called it blasphemous and disrespectful. He said he later spoke to Hamlin to explain his opinion.

The 24-year-old Buffalo Bills safety finally opened up about the situation on his Twitter page Wednesday afternoon ... saying he had absolutely no intent to disrespect anybody with outfit choice.

"After talking with my parents I understand how my coat could have offended some people," Hamlin wrote.

"It was never my intentions to hurt or disrespect anyone, the coat is abstract art to me. It says Eternal which I am Eternally thankful to my Savior!"

He added, "My beliefs and Relationship with God is not tied to symbolic images."

The NFL player, who's still on the mend after going into cardiac arrest during a "Monday Night Football" game last month, then promised to learn from it all.

Terrifying moment for Jon Jones and his family ... the UFC legend says his 9-year-old daughter came face-to-face with an agitated wild bobcat, but thankfully, she wasn't hurt.

The Jones fam lives in Albuquerque, NM ... and the area was hit with a winter snowstorm Tuesday night. Jon says someone accidentally left the door to his guest house ajar ... and as you're about to find out, a wild bobcat hit the jackpot, finding a warm place to rest.

Fast forward to Wednesday morning ... Jon says his daughter Olivia went to the guest house to retrieve a pair of sneakers, but she got a lot more than a Chuck Taylor.

"After completely walking into the room she was met with an aggressive hissing sound, she jumped on a countertop and a bobcat sprung out from underneath the bed, it stared at her," Jon wrote, describing the harrowing situation.

Jones -- who will return to the Octagon at UFC 284 in March -- says the bobcat ultimately bolted in the opposite direction ... a huge relief for dad.

"I'm so incredibly grateful this morning, that could've turned out so many different ways. Been thanking God all morning 🙌🏽"

The Chiefs just held their second Super Bowl victory parade in four years ... and Patrick Mahomes put on a show for the massive crowd.

The big winners took the streets to celebrate another Lombardi trophy ... and some fans showed up as early as 6 AM to join in on the fun.

Mahomes was slugging beers throughout the parade route ... wiggling around to the music as he donned his customized WWE Championship belt and held a silver "MVP" ball.

Of course, his wife and biggest supporter, Brittany, was there to enjoy her second Super Bowl parade as well.

Travis Kelce had his mom, Donna, right by his side on top of his bus ... pumping up the crowd and having a blast.

Kelce also once again proved why he's got some of the best hands in NFL history ... snagging a Fireball shot from a fan and taking it to the head, much to the crowd's delight.

Frank Clark and Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo joined in on the fun ... hopping off the team's buses to shake hands with fans along the parade route.

Fans didn't just pack the streets to show their support for the team -- they also climbed up trees to get a better view of their beloved champs.

Mahomes clearly enjoyed himself ... almost slipping on the team bus as he addressed the crowd. Thankfully, Chiefs QB coach Matt Nagy was there to help the 2x-MVP. 😅

Former Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles was in the celebration spirit early on ... buying Kansas City fans beer at a local tavern before the parade started.

Lewis Hamilton isn't phased by a new rule in Formula 1 requiring drivers to get permission before making political statements during race weekends ... saying, he "won't be silenced."

“Nothing will stop me from speaking on the things that I feel that I’m passionate about and issues there are,” the seven-time F1 champion said Wednesday.

The FIA, Formula 1's governing body, implemented a rule in December prohibiting drivers from making political, religious, or personal statements without permission.

The idea is statements political in nature can be divisive (after all, much of the world is split when it comes to politics), and F1 doesn't want fans alienated. It's like the old Michael Jordan quote ... "Republicans buy sneakers, too."

Hamilton, one of the most vocal superstars in the sport, said he wasn't surprised when he learned of the FIA's new rule, and he doesn't plan to abide by it ... "I’m still going to be speaking on my end."

“I feel the sport does have a responsibility, still always, to speak out as a means to create awareness on important topics, particularly as we are traveling to all these different places, so nothing changes,” Lewis says.

Hamilton's had a contentious relationship with FIA ... he found himself in a battle with them last season after they (attempted to) crackdown on drivers wearing jewelry during races.

The Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 driver said that he's aware he would be penalized if he violates the FIA's new rule ... but contends he won't allow that to deter him from speaking out on issues.