TMZ Sports - Page 50

Chaos erupted at UConn's campus following the Huskies' national championship win on Monday night -- with the team's fans smashing windows, tearing down light poles ... and even lighting fires in the streets.

The hectic celebration in Storrs, Conn. happened just moments after the UConn men's basketball team completed its dominant NCAA tournament run by beating San Diego State in the final, 76-59.

Videos from the scene show fans were ruthless with property on and near UConn's campus ... with supporters at one point grabbing a huge pole and ramming it into a glass door over and over again until it completely broke free.

Other footage shows people lit fires that authorities had to deal with. Fans were also seen climbing light poles ... before ripping them down.

There was even an overturned car in a parking lot.

No word yet if any arrests were made -- a UConn spokesperson tells us they're still gathering information.

As for how the team celebrated the W in Houston, Texas ... it was far less disorderly. The guys soaked in the confetti -- before they cut down the nets.

There will ultimately be a party when the guys get back to campus -- but here's to hoping it features a whole lot less destruction.

Despite losing to Alex Pereira last year, Israel Adesanya is a slight favorite against his bitter rival heading into their rematch at UFC 287 ... and Izzy admits it surprises him, and shows the oddsmakers in Las Vegas actually do know a little something about fighting.

"I am surprised [that I'm the favorite] to be honest, cause I thought these bookies were not as smart as they are," 33-year-old Adesanya told Mike Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weekdays on FS1).

"I'm surprised they actually picked me as the favorite cause I am the more polished fighter, but he's the guy who got the tools, he's got that nuke. Only a few fighters in history have that," Izzy continued, explaining why he assumed oddsmakers would've given Pereira the advantage.

"[Coach] Eugene said in an interview, you're lucky to face a Mike Tyson, you're lucky to face a guy like David Tua, you're lucky to face a guy like Deontay Wilder even just once in your career. You're lucky to face a guy like Alex Pereira even once in your career. So, lucky me."

BetOnline.ag has Adesanya as a -137 favorite (risk $137 to win $100). Pereira, who won by 5th round TKO -- a fight he was losing on the scorecards -- is listed at +117 (bet $100 to win $117).

FYI, bookmakers aren't necessarily picking who they believe will win a fight when they set odds. It's about trying to get as close to even money wagered on both sides -- allowing the sportsbook to collect the vig (essentially a fee charged by the sportsbook). However, bettors generally pick the man or woman they believe will win a fight. So, Adesanya's the favorite.

Sticking with the first UFC fight, we talked to Izzy about the end of round 1, where he landed a 3-piece combo, buckling Alex's legs.

"One more shot, one more shot is all it took. I did the same thing when I fought my guy Rob [Whittaker] at UFC 243, the last second I dropped him. I'm dangerous every second of every fight."

There's much more ... we talked to Izzy about parallels he sees between him and Muhammad Ali and whether he's added size to combat Pereira, a huge middleweight. Also, with Endeavor buying WWE, to go along with UFC, which Ari Emmanuel's company already owns, we asked Adesanya if he'd consider wrestling.

"That's later on down the track. Later on down the track."

New police video, obtained by TMZ Sports, shows Stetson Bennett was seriously pissed at cops during his arrest back in January ... at one point accusing the officers of ruining his reputation.

Dallas Police Dept. cops initially responded to the scene in Dallas, Texas on Jan. 29 at around 6:15 a.m. ... after a 911 caller said the ex-Univ. of Georgia star quarterback had been knocking on her door, yelling, and appearing to be "very" intoxicated.

During the 911 call, the woman told dispatch that Bennett had screamed outside of her home, "I'm going to ruin your night if you don't open the g**damn door."

Body cam footage shows when police arrived, Bennett was not very cooperative. When asked to step away from one of the home's doors and show his hands, it took him several moments to comply -- and later, during questioning, Bennett didn't seem to want to answer many of the cops' inquires.

Bennett ultimately did reveal he was in the area training -- and claimed he was looking to link up with one of his former UGA teammates, Owen Condon. But he wouldn't tell cops what he had been doing prior to getting into the neighborhood, and appeared to have very little idea of where he was.

In fact, according to cops, he had someone else's ID on him.

While speaking with Bennett, one officer noted the 25-year-old reeked of booze.

Eventually, Bennett was placed in the back of a squad car, where he became extremely agitated with cops. He complained about the tightness of his cuffs -- before he unloaded on officers for stopping him.

"The door shut and somebody fell asleep," Bennett said. "And now five million people gotta see it, don't they? Thank you, boys, for looking out for me. You guys are the best."

He added, "Reputation ruined. Everything I worked for for 20 years, ruined. But ya'll boys just looking out for me, aren't ya? Thank you, sir."

Bennett was later taken to the local police station and booked for public intoxication.

Speaking about the arrest for the first time last month, he said it was all "a mistake."

"I understand why that can’t happen," he said. "I've talked to coaches about it, talked to GMs. I've apologized to my family. That’s who I felt worse about; I felt like I let them down, because no matter where I go now [people are going to know about it]. Even without all this, I've got an obligation. I'm the fourth [Stetson Bennett]. You can't do that if you're last name is Bennett. I know better."

Despite the arrest, Bennett is still expected to be picked in the NFL draft later this month.

The WWE and the UFC are merging into one ... now forming a $21 billion company.

Endeavor, the parent co. of UFC, announced the move on Monday morning ... revealing its shareholders will own 51 percent of the new org. WWE shareholders, meanwhile, will own 49 percent.

Vince McMahon will hold the title of Executive Chairman of the Board with the new group -- while Dana White will continue as the President of UFC. Ari Emanuel, the CEO of Endeavor, will be the head honcho of it all.

McMahon said in a statement Monday he was thrilled over the news.

"Together, we will be a $21+ billion live sports and entertainment powerhouse with a collective fanbase of more than a billion people and an exciting growth opportunity," McMahon said.

"The new company will be well positioned to maximize the value of our combined media rights, enhance sponsorship monetization, develop new forms of content and pursue other strategic mergers and acquisitions to further bolster our strong stable of brands."

White also said Monday he was overjoyed with the merger ... adding, "Vince is a savage in the wrestling space, Ari is a beast at what he does, and then add what we at UFC bring to the table and there is no limit to what this company can accomplish in the next few years."

The move comes following a rocky year for McMahon, who retired as WWE CEO last July -- only to come back in January. At the time of his return, he revealed he would explore all opportunities for a sale of the company.

The newly formed org. does not yet have a name.

Los Angeles Angels star Anthony Rendon was just punished for his heated altercation with a fan last week ... getting slapped with a 5-game ban and a fine.

Major League Baseball senior VP for on-field operations Michael Hill shared the decision minutes ago ... saying unless Rendon appeals, the suspension will begin immediately, which means he would be eligible to return to the Angels on Sunday against the Blue Jays.

As we previously reported, Rendon grabbed an Athletics fan and attempted to hit him after the Halos' 2-1 loss in Oakland ... seemingly over being called a "bitch."

The interaction caught Oakland PD's attention ... and an investigation was launched.

"Although we are still unaware who the victim is, surveillance video of the incident has surfaced," cops said in a statement. "As a result, OPD created an incident, made a report, and is actively investigating."

Wrestling legend Bushwhacker Butch has passed away after a brief illness, his longtime tag team partner Luke announced on Monday. He was 78 years old.

Butch -- real name Bob Miller -- was hospitalized in the ICU on Friday after arriving in Los Angeles for WrestleMania ... which was a result of a "situation with medication," Luke said in an interview over the weekend.

"He flew in from New Zealand on Wednesday, was all good. Friday morning, he was incognito."

Butch started wrestling in New Zealand in 1964 ... and made his way to the States shortly after. Alongside Luke, the Bushwhackers blew up once they signed with the World Wrestling Federation in the late '80s.

Butch was an absolute legend for decades ... and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015 as a member of the Bushwhackers.

Luke released an emotional tribute to Butch just minutes ago ... saying, "Late last night, I lost my friend, brother and tag team partner of over 50 years with the passing of Bob 'Butch' Miller."

"From the early-1970s when we were young mates wrestling for John da Silva in New Zealand, my first impression of Bob 'The Chest' Miller (as he was called in those days) was that he was a first-class redneck, and what bloody redneck he was! But he was also an all-around good guy and a great friend."

"If you were to read the story of my life it would say that I am only child, but it would be wrong," Luke added. "In life I had a brother and his name was Bob Miller. I love you, Bob. Until I see you again, WOOOOAHH YEEEEAAHH!"

A GoFundMe page was set up to help with Butch's medical expenses ... and the funds will now be used to pay for a funeral service.

Miller is survived by his wife, Helen, daughters, Sharon and Kirsten, and his grandchildren.

Carson Briere is no longer a member of the Mercyhurst Univ. men's ice hockey team -- the program just gave him the boot ... less than a month after he was seen on video shoving a woman's wheelchair down a flight of stairs at a local bar.

The school announced the move in a statement on Monday afternoon ... saying the 23-year-old had been "removed" from the team. It's the second time in his college career that he's been kicked off an ice hockey roster -- he was previously dismissed from Arizona State's team in 2021 after the program said he violated rules.

Briere had initially been suspended from the Mercyhurst squad days after the March 11 incident at Sullivan's Pub and Eatery in Erie, Penn. ... with the school saying at the time it was investigating the matter.

It's unclear if any new findings in the probe led to the decision Monday -- the school declined to comment further on it all in its statement.

Briere is still facing criminal charges in the case -- he was hit with one count of criminal mischief, one count of disorderly conduct, and one count of conspiracy to commit criminal mischief ... after a police report claimed he seriously damaged the chair that had been purchased for $2,000 in 2022.

Briere is due in court for a hearing in the case next month.

LSU guard Flau'Jae Johnson went from scoring buckets to dropping bars after the Tigers' national championship win on Sunday ... leading the team's celebration by performing her very own rap song!!

TMZ Sports has learned ... the freshman baller took over the mic at the Westin Hotel conference room in Dallas after the Tigers whooped the Iowa Hawkeyes, 102-85 -- and it was a party for the ages.

You can see Johnson -- who scored 10 points in the championship game -- on stage with her teammates, reciting the lyrics to her "BIG 4" track that dropped just a few months ago.

"Are you gonna rap or be an athlete? If I’m still doing both why you asking me?" Johnson fittingly says in the song.

The 19-year-old also mentions her PUMA deal ... saying, "Do it, I run it up, feel like the renegade. I got a PUMA deal, I don't get into Js."

Johnson takes her rap career just as seriously as basketball ... in fact, the 4-star recruit out of Georgia announced her commitment to LSU with a song titled "All Falls Down," which features Lil' Boosie.

On top of that, she's also signed to Roc Nation!!

Her father, Jason Johnson -- AKA “Camoflauge” -- was also a rapper out of Georgia. He was killed before she was born.

When it comes to hoops, Johnson is a problem ... this season, she averaged 10 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game and was named the SEC Freshman of the Year.

Lamar Odom is sharing how he turned his pain into purpose by investing in drug treatment centers ... saying he couldn't be happier to help others and save lives around the world.

The former NBA star joined us Monday on "TMZ Live" to explain why he acquired 3 rehab centers in California, and it's pretty inspiring -- he says his goal is to help others battling addiction turn their lives around, as he did years ago.

Lamar tells us he now feels certain he found his purpose after God saved him from his nearly fatal overdose ... adding the fulfillment he's gotten as a basketball star doesn't compare to the feeling he gets from helping others.

He says it feels amazing to see and hear how he can touch and save lives ... simply by sharing his story.

You'll recall, LO overdosed at a Nevada brothel in 2015 and suffered kidney failure, heart attacks, and several strokes.

Since then, he's done a complete 180... after he himself went through rehab.

And, he has high hopes for others to do the same. As we told you, he teamed up with Christian hip hop artist Dontae Ralston and former Hall of Fame skateboarder Dennis Martinez to acquire the facilities in San Diego, El Cajon and Lemon Grove.

The 2-time NBA champ tells us the 3 centers are only the beginning and his plan is to expand all over.

We also asked him about former "Jackass" star Bam Margera, whose struggle with sobriety has him in a ton of drama with his estranged wife and son. Lamar has a word of advice for Bam and others in the grips of addiction.

Bad news for the dude who stormed the field at Dodger Stadium to propose to his girlfriend last week ... TMZ Sports has learned he's been hit with a 1-year ban for the stunt.

Ricardo Juarez revealed the punishment to us on Monday -- saying he can't go back to Chavez Ravine for 12 more months due to his impromptu proposal -- but, as you can imagine, he wasn't all that upset over it.

After all, he avoided time in jail ... and his girlfriend, Ramona Saavedra, did say yes to his question.

"Yeah, one year," Saavedra said of her future hubby's suspension. "But, I mean, he'll live, right?!"

Things did look a bit dire for Juarez hours after the dust had settled on the situation, though -- because the morning after he took that massive shot from the security guard, he was in a great deal of pain.

Saavedra said she actually had to take him to the hospital -- but, thankfully, he was diagnosed with nothing more than just some bad bruising and is OK now.

Juarez also revealed to us the whole thing was not planned at all -- saying he had initially envisioned poppin' the question in the stands ... but changed his mind when he saw how close they were to the field.

"He always tries to do everything with a lot of love," Saavedra said. "He shows a lot of effort."

The couple -- who've been together for 3 years -- is now planning to say "I do" in August ... and, due to all the exposure the proposal got last week, Saavedra said they've been receiving a ton of offers to help make their dream wedding come true.

She also gave us an up-close view of her diamond ring -- and it's beautiful!

Congrats, love birds ... now see ya at Dodger Stadium in April 2024?!

Here's one for the "wrestling is fake" crowd -- WWE Superstar Finn Balor just showed off the aftermath of getting rocked with a ladder during his Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania ... revealing a massive gash on his head.

Balor suffered the injury in his showdown with Edge on Sunday ... which required WWE medical staffers to pause the match to get him checked out.

Balor and Edge were pretty much torturing each other in the squared-circle, but things took a turn when Edge yeeted a ladder at Balor.

To make matters worse for "The Demon," the match finally resumed ... just for Edge to end up taking the win over Balor.

"Just a flesh wound," Balor joked on social media as he put the cut on full display ... with many wondering in the comment section how he was able to fight through the pain.

It wasn't the only injury to happen during the event -- Shane McMahon tore his quad shortly after entering the ring against The Miz, which led to Snoop Dogg finishing the job.

Here's hoping everyone heals up in time for WM40 in Philly next year!!

The romance between Jake Paul and Jutta Leerdam has taken the next step -- the two are now IG official!!

The Dutch speed skater posted three pics of her and the YouTuber-turned-star-boxer in announcing their relationship status ... one of which showed the two holding hands on a boat.

Jake, meanwhile, threw up two photos of the couple on recent dates ... confirming their relationship as well.

"Im Dutch now," Paul wrote in his caption.

"That's it," Jutta said in hers.

Paul also shared a snap of the two on his IG stories Monday -- showing the couple cuddled up on a beach somewhere.

Of course, Paul was most recently linked to model Julia Rose until last year ... and Jutta previously dated fellow speed skater Koen Verweij.

We broke the story, 26-year-old Paul and 24-year-old Leerdam were spotted kissing on a dinner date in Miami last month ... but it was unclear if it was anything more than just two, hot young people enjoying each other's company.

Seems we've now got our answer ... and we're here for all of it!

Famed sneaker artist Kreative Customs -- designer of custom kicks for star athletes like Cam Newton -- was in a horrific motorcycle accident, and may never be able to walk again, according to his business partner and friend Dez Customz.

Dez, a fellow top sneaker/cleat artist, shared the terrible news Sunday evening, posting a photo of Mohammed Gafar in the hospital, saying he was involved in a serious motorcycle accident on March 26 and "faces a very difficult and long road ahead."

"The prognosis for him being able to walk again is not good. But if anyone has the will and stubbornness to prove them wrong it’s Moe."

Dez -- whose client list includes Joel Embiid -- provided another update Monday, saying Moe was awake and talking after having back surgery.

"The situation to be honest is plain and simple -- there's very little opportunity that he will walk again. That's the truth," Dez said.

"His arms, hands, upper body, neck everything is intact. No damage to the head."

Fans and artists from all over penned encouraging messages to Moe, including Mache who shared an emotional IG post ... saying his heart dropped when he got the news.

"Thoughts and prayers are great but Moe needs way more than that," the famous artist said.

"As a fellow artist and entrepreneur there’s probably no insurance or $401k to tap into to cover the amount of medical bills that are going to face him and his family as he battles in the hospital."

A GoFundMe has been started to help Moe and his family pay medical bills.

"It’s going to be a long hard fight but I know Moe, he will prevail," Mache said "Let’s help him and his family out."

Moe has been in the sneaker art business for years and shared some of his work with us, from Cam Newton's custom dabbing cleats to designing Ricky Jean-Francois's $6K Nike Marty McFly kicks.

Vince McMahon is adamant the scandal that mired his 2022 played absolutely no role in the WWE's merger with the UFC on Monday.

The wrestling icon sat down with CNBC to go in-depth about his decision to form a massive new company with Endeavor, the parent co. of UFC -- and at one point during the conversation, he was asked if the '22 allegations of misconduct impacted his choice to sell his org.

McMahon said firmly they did not -- adding that they didn't push him to make a decision quicker, either.

"I'm always looking into what's best for our stockholders, what's best for the company," the 77-year-old said. "This is the best thing that's happened in a long, long time."

McMahon didn't address the accusations specifically or the WWE's investigation into them ... though he did admit, "I've made mistakes, obviously. Both personally and professionally through my 50-year career."

"I've owned up to every single one of them," he added. "And then, moved on."

McMahon was accused of agreeing to pay millions of dollars to four different women to keep them quiet about their relationships with him. While the probe into the claims was ongoing, McMahon retired as WWE CEO -- but he rejoined the company in January ... revealing he was exploring a potential sale of the org.

LSU hoops star Angel Reese isn't apologizing for taunting Caitlin Clark during the NCAA title game Sunday ... responding by ripping the hypocrites who called her out, but didn't do so for Clark.

The Tigers forward received a ton of backlash after throwing up John Cena's famous "You Can't See Me" hand gesture during LSU's blowout 102-85 win at the American Airlines Center.

FYI, it's the same gesture AP Player of the Year Clark used in the Elite Eight and Final Four.

The difference was the public's reaction ... Clark was praised, while Reese was mostly criticized for failing to show good sportsmanship. But, she's unbothered by the selective outrage.

"All year, I was critiqued about who I was," Reese said during her post-game interview.

"The narrative -- I don’t fit the narrative. I don't fit into the box that y’all want me to be in. 'I’m too hood. I’m too ghetto.' Y’all told me that all year. But, when other people do it, y’all don’t say nothing."

Reese -- who transferred from Maryland to LSU last May -- says this win is for "the girls that look like me," telling them to be "unapologetically you."

"And, that’s what I did it for tonight. It was bigger than me tonight. Twitter is gonna go on a rage every time. And, I’m happy. I feel like I've helped grow women's basketball this year."

Despite the hate Reese is getting, there are a ton of people who've had her back, including LeBron James, who retweeted Emmanuel Acho's comment ripping those who criticized Reese but not Clark.

The Lakers superstar also shared Ryan Clark's message on Twitter, saying, "If you praised Caitlin Clark as competitive, fiery, and passionate for doing the 'You can’t See me' celebration and are criticizing Angel Reese for the same we already know!!"

Shaquille O'Neal also came to the defense of Reese, going at Keith Olbermann, who called Reese a "f***ing idiot."

It was the first-ever NCAA title for the LSU women's hoops team and 4th title for coach Kim Mulkey ... who won three with Baylor before joining the Tigers in 2021.

Congratulations, ladies!!

We covered it all on a recent episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms!

College basketball legend Bob Knight has been hospitalized in Indiana ... and officials at IU are now asking for prayers for their former head coach.

In an email that was sent to ex-Hoosier players over the weekend, IU said Knight was admitted to a hospital in Bloomington on Friday night.

They added that he was dealing with "an acute illness."

"Please join us in sending prayers to coach Knight and his family," the text read, according to WDRB's Rick Bozich. "The family's hope is to have him back home soon."

82-year-old Knight is considered one of the greatest basketball coaches ever -- winning three national championships at IU ... while piling up a career 902-371 win-loss record.

Knight has reportedly been battling health issues the past few years -- though he's nonetheless been a regular attendee at IU practices.

Get well soon, Bob.