TMZ Sports - Page 47

Darby Allin is taking his daredevil reputation to new heights -- the AEW star tells TMZ Sports he plans to climb Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, next year ... one of the most physically and mentally demanding feats known to man!

30-year-old Allin says he's on a mission to surpass what other wrestlers have done before him, not just inside the ring, but outside, too, "pushing the boundaries."

"That's been my whole MO since AEW started," Darby told Mojo Muhtadi, adding, "That's why it's so important for me to meet up with guys like [Travis] Pastrana, and make stuff happen. Do stuff that no wrestler's ever done before."

That's when Darby revealed his intention ... to climb one of the most unforgiving mountains on planet Earth.

"The thing I'm going to be doing next year that no wrestler's done before is climb Mount Everest. You heard it here first."

Of course, at 29,035 feet above sea level, Everest, located in Nepal and Tibet, is one of the most unforgiving and challenging mountains to climb. In fact, hundreds of climbers have died attempting to summit the peak.

Around 4,000 have successfully climbed the mountain.

As daunting a task as it is, Allin's known for his death-defying stunts in and outside the squared circle ... and he seems up for the challenge, telling us he's looking for his "next rush."

You may recall ... last August, DA completed a 96-foot jump over his home in a jeep, calling it the "sketchiest stunt" he had ever attempted.

When we spoke to Darby about the insane jump, he told us he was "terrified" because the stunt car had no breaks or speedometer.

Travis Pastrana helped organize the stunt for Darby last year, and even the notorious action sports star told Darby there was a good chance he'd break his back.

The X Games gold medalist introduced us to Brandon Taylor, who nailed a motocross backflip at his famous "Pastranaland" compound in Maryland ... and the clip is pretty sick!

Hollywood's all about the fast life, and this weekend proved to be no different with the number of stars that made it out to the Miami Grand Prix ... including some big, big names.

Sunday turned out to be quite a who's-who at the Miami International Autodrome -- where F1 was hosting its latest professional race ... and where the stars came flocking to catch a glimpse of the action up-close and in person. There was some heavy hitters walking the grid.

Among some of the most famous people noodling around the grounds ... Tom Cruise, Shakira, Nick Jonas, Ludacris, Roger Federer, Serena Williams, LL Cool J and Patrick Mahomes, to name a few.

There were even more A-listers, though, beyond that -- folks like J Balvin and his girlfriend, Valentina Ferrer, DJ Khaled, Paul Wesley, Michelle Rodriguez, Will.I.Am, Becky G, Blaise Matuidi, Jason Oppenheim, Cowboys stars Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb were also roaming around and posing for pics.

Indeed, the Grand Prix turned out to be a huge celebrity draw, and it's becoming more common with each passing year. Formula 1 seems to really be growing on the masses here -- and with more starry outings like this ... it's bound to expand its reach even further.

BTW, this wasn't just a one-day thing either. Like we reported ... Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos were on the scene on Saturday during the final practice rounds, so it brings in techies too.

Vida Blue -- one of the greatest pitchers in the Oakland Athletics' history -- has died.

The team announced his passing Sunday, writing ... "There are few players with a more decorated career than Vida Blue. He was a three-time champion, an MVP, a six-time All-Star, a Cy Young Award winner, and an Oakland A's Hall of Famer."

The A's add ... "Vida will always be a franchise legend and a friend. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends during this arduous time." No other details about a cause of death were released -- the condolences, however, are pouring in from all over.

The man certainly left a mark on the game. As the A's noted, he'd won three World Series with the team in '72, '73 and '74 ... serving as an integral part of the starting rotations during their five years of dominance in baseball. And, as they note ... he was voted in as the best pitcher in the American League during his breakout year with the A's in 1971.

His stats, at times, were off the charts ... once achieving a 1.82 ERA in a season -- which means people weren't getting very many hits off him. He was a southpaw pitcher, and Vida had nasty stuff for that era. By and large, he was considered a massive threat on the mound.

VB was also known for his shrewd business savvy behind the scenes. He famously locked horns with the A's ownership for a big bump in salary -- and he ultimately got it.

Like we mentioned, just about every organization tied to MLB is sending a tribute to the guy ... which speaks to his impact. In addition to playing for the A's, Vida was also on the SF Giants and the Kansas City Royals before he retired in 1987. Vida was also a 6-time All-Star and the American League MVP in 1971 ... on top of all his other accolades.

UFC fighter Tony Ferguson was no match for cops early Sunday ... he was busted for DUI.

Tony apparently crashed his pickup truck into 2 parked cars outside a Hollywood club just before 2 AM. His truck flipped on its side. Miraculously, he was not injured nor was anyone else.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... Tony refused to take a field sobriety test and was "very uncooperative" at the scene.

According to our sources, the cops who eyeballed him say he reeked of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes.

Tony was arrested at the scene and is facing misdemeanor DUI. He's also facing license suspension for refusing the field sobriety test.

Rapper Cash Gotti, the owner of one of the cars Tony allegedly hit says he came out of the club to find his Mercedes destroyed.

Kevin Costner is shooting his shot in the middle of his divorce drama ... he was spotted taking some solid swings at a driving range in Utah while he shoots his latest movie project.

The actor was at BigShots Golf in St. George Tuesday night, just hours after TMZ broke the story his wife Christine's calling it quits after 18 years of marriage ... and those at the range tell us he was having a great time.

He's in the Beehive State for his new western epic, "Horizon: An American Saga," so the group he was with was likely part of the cast and crew. Kev had a pretty great swing and even appeared to be doing some coaching.

As we reported, sources familiar told us Kevin was completely blindsided by Christine's filing ... and it was devastating for him. There were internet rumors Kevin got a woman pregnant on the set of "Yellowstone," but sources close to the actor called it "total BS."

Bad Bunny impressed Kendall Jenner in addition to millions of wrestling fans Saturday night, after defeating Damian Priest in a featured event.

BB made his grand entrance to his 2017 hit, "Chambea," as fans sang along.

The show went down in Bad Bunny's OG stomping ground ... Puerto Rico.

Kendall's BF is on a roll ... he defeated The Miz in a tag team match at WrestleMania 37.

It's kinda interesting ... both Bad Bunny and Priest are from Puerto Rico, but the crowd was squarely on BB's side.

Simone Biles, an expert in gold medals, just added a new ring to her collection, because she tied the knot Saturday night with Jonathan Owens!

The two got hitched in Cabo, and they both looked awesome.

Simone and Jonathan got engaged in February, 2022. He proposed to her on Valentine's Day, and the rest is history.

The NFL star designed the ring with the help of celeb jeweler Zo Frost ... and it's quite the sparkler.

Simone got exactly what she wanted. She said last year they would have a wedding on the beach, and that's exactly what she got.

The wedding is kinda a formality ... the couple reportedly had a more intimate courthouse union in Texas, last month. The 2 have not only been inseparable, they've been building a house together.

Despite the bad reputation Dillon Brooks may get, fellow NBA player Wendell Carter Jr. tells TMZ Sports the Grizzlies forward is a solid player AND person ... and he'll do just fine on another team.

ICYMI, the 6-year-vet -- who becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason -- has been catching heat from fans and analysts for his villainous antics recently, especially in Round 1 of the NBA playoffs against LeBron James.

To make matters worse for Brooks, the Grizzlies lost the series, 4-2 ... and now the Memphis organization reportedly wants to move on from the controversial player.

However, some are vouching for Brooks ... like Carter who told us great things about Brooks -- both on and off the court.

"I think Dillon Brooks is a great person and a great player," the Orlando Magic forward/center said.

"A lot of people like to make their narratives about a lot of players from whatever they may do, which I don't think is fair. But I feel like he's a great player."

Now, when it comes to Brooks' status in the league, Wendell thinks he'll be alright ... and his NBA career is far from over, regardless of what's being said about his character.

"He'll be in this league for a long time, whether it's with Memphis or somewhere else," Carter said. "He'll do just fine."

Antonio Gates LOVES his former team's Super Bowl chances -- telling TMZ Sports he thinks the Chargers have a real shot to take home the Lombardi Trophy this year!!!

But, when it comes to Aaron Rodgers' Jets ... the future Hall of Famer says he ain't feeling it quite as much.

The ex-Bolts tight end talked ball with us for several minutes at LAX this week ... and he made it clear, he loves the way Los Angeles maneuvered around the draft last month.

In fact, he said he believes the Chargers' pickups -- which included TCU star receiver Quentin Johnston, USC edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu and Washington State linebacker Daiyan Henley -- set them up nicely for a potential championship run this year.

"When you think about a Super Bowl-contending team, you think about your stars at the quarterback position. And we've got one of the best in the league," Gates said of Justin Herbert. "And then you talk about upgrading that defense ... to me, those are recipes to winning a Super Bowl, man."

As for one of the teams the Chargers would have to get through in the AFC to make it to the Big Game, Gates doesn't seem to be buying the hype in New York -- despite the Jets' recent acquisition of Rodgers.

The 42-year-old told us they have a talented roster ... but he'd be concerned if he were a Jets fan about chemistry and continuity.

"You can have the right players -- from a talent standpoint, you can have the best talent in the league," Gates said. "But if you ain't got the continuity or the chemistry, man, it don't make a difference."

LeBron James' high school superstar son, Bronny, just revealed where he will suit up next season -- he has committed to play for the USC Trojans.

The 18-year-old dropped an Instagram post to share the news minutes ago ... simply saying, "Fight On #committed."

The announcement finally brings all speculation to an end -- the 5-star recruit received offers from popular programs like Ohio State, Oregon, Kentucky and more ... but was tight-lipped on his next move until Saturday afternoon.

Bronny is a promising young talent -- the 6'3" guard put together quite the highlight reel during his time at Sierra Canyon ... and balled out at the McDonald's All-American Game with five three-pointers, scoring 15 points on the night.

LeBron -- a massive Buckeyes fan -- was probably hoping Bronny would play for the Scarlet and Gray ... but we take it he'll be happy to have his oldest kid nearby as he continues to play for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Naturally, the news has social media freaking out ... with a ton of Bronny's friends congratulating him on the decision.

One thing's for sure -- the Galen Center will be packed next season ... and don't be surprised if A-listers flock to the courtside seats.

The San Francisco Giants have a new cleanup hitter ... 'cause after Logan Webb admitted most players were dealing with "the s***s" following their Mexico City trip, the whole team got hooked up with a ton of Dude Wipes!!

Remember, the pitcher was brutally honest about how the team was doing after their two-game series against the Padres in Mexico City last week ... saying three-quarters of the squad was dealing with the runs.

TMZ Sports has learned ... the folks at the popular poo companion company got wind of the ball club's issues ... and decided to help out by sending over enough product to keep their asses clean for the rest of the season!!

We're told the team has 100 packs of Dude Wipes coming their way ... as well as four Dude Bomb "toilet stank eliminators" and 12 toilet sprays -- just in case the guys continue to "turn two" in the clubhouse.

It's not the first time the company had to step up to the plate for baseball stars -- as we previously reported, Dude Wipes helped Red Sox player Kiké Hernandez get back on track after he revealed he crapped his pants in the middle of a game.

Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos were on the same Formula One turf this weekend -- and seeing how they didn't cross paths ... it would seem Miami's big enough for the two of them.

The mega-billionaires paid a visit Saturday to the 2023 Formula One Miami Grand Prix at the Miami International Autodrome ... where they visited different garages and took in the sights -- separate from one another -- for the final practice laps ahead of the main event Sunday.

Jeff and Lauren Sanchez hit up the McLaren pit wall... and looked very much like the power couple they often seem to be. The pair was hand in hand and rocking orange lanyards.

Elon, meanwhile, also brought along some company for his trip to Red Bull squad's station ... looks like his young son, X, was the special guest of honor -- and could be seen hanging on tight to his pops while getting an up-close view of the race cars and drivers. Lucky kid.

Now, as far as 'fits go ... you might argue Jeff was looking a little more stylish than his Tesla counterpart -- who was wearing a straight-up dad hat, sans any other accessories.

An Oakland A's announcer copped to a mistake he says he made during a pregame segment ahead of Friday's game against the Kansas City Royals -- in which he used the n-word.

Glen Kuiper, a veteran, was on camera before the match kicked off, and he was describing what he and the A's broadcasting team had gotten into earlier in the day ... including visiting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and hitting up a barbecue hot spot there in town.

The problem ... instead of saying "Negro" he said "n*****" -- which came across very clearly over the airwaves, without any bleeping or censoring whatsoever. It came and went, while Glen and his in-booth partner didn't seem to acknowledge it or even really notice it.

This wasn't addressed until much later on in the game, right around the 6th inning ... when Glen came back on the air and issued an apology as soon as they came back from a break. He said he said something earlier in the day that didn't come out the way he intended.

At first, nobody knew what exactly he was talking about ... 'cause he wasn't specific.

Eventually, though, somebody tracked down the video ... and now, the A's say they're looking into this and considering next steps. A rep for the team announced his use of the slur was "unacceptable," adding ... "The Oakland Athletics do not condone such language. We are working to address the situation." Kuiper's in his 20th season of calling A's games.

Henry Ruggs was back at the Clark County Detention Center in Nevada this week ... where TMZ Sports has learned authorities made him pose for a new mug shot.

Because the former Raiders star took a plea deal from prosecutors in his DUI crash case on Tuesday, cops tell us he was required to head back to the Las Vegas jail on Thursday to be reprocessed.

As part of the procedure, Ruggs took a new photo ... and you can see, he didn't appear to be pleased to be back in front of a jail camera again.

Of course, the last time the 24-year-old had to pose for a mug shot was in 2021 ... after authorities accused him of drunkenly slamming his sports car into the back of Tina Tintor's Toyota, killing her and her dog.

At the time, Ruggs -- who was wearing a neck brace -- had visible cuts and bruises on his face in his mug shot.

Ruggs has since recovered from the injuries he suffered in the crash -- and his attorneys told a courtroom this week he reached an agreement with prosecutors to close out the criminal case against him.

Ruggs said he'll plead guilty to one felony count of DUI resulting in death and one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter. In exchange, prosecutors said they'll drop the rest of the charges against the former NFL player.

Dana White says as long as Jon Jones is around, Henry Cejudo can't be the greatest UFC fighter of all time.

"There's no doubt the guy has broken a lot of records. He's accomplished a lot here. But, to go out there and start saying, 'Hey, I should be on the Mount Rushmore' when you've been retired for 3 years, and when you retired, in my opinion, sort of early," White told Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs weekdays on FS1).

Dana continued ... "Listen, you beat Aljo, there are still a few fights out there for him to really cement himself as one of the greatest of all time."

Of course, Cejudo -- who is making his return to the Octagon after three years away -- recently told us he'd be on the Mount Rushmore of fighters if he defeated the current 135 lb. champ, Aljamain Sterling ... saying he'd join Anderson Silva, Demetrious Johnson, and Jones.

But, that's not the ceiling for Henry ... who went on to tell us he believed he could become the greatest of all time with several key wins, starting with Aljo, then rival "Suga" Sean O'Malley, before going up to fight 145 lb. king, Alex Volkanovski.

With that, Triple C would be Quadruple C ... a feat never before accomplished.

Dana told us he agreed Henry would have a place on Rushmore if he were to beat Sterling at UFC 288, and then O'Malley and Volk ... but he still wouldn't see him as the best ever as long as Bones Jones is still walking around.

"While I agree he would be on the Mt. Rushmore, still tough to call himself the G.O.A.T. while Jon Jones still exists."

First things first, Cejudo has to beat Sterling.

Also fighting at UFC 288 in the co-main event are top ranked welterweights Gilbert Burns and Belal Muhammad ... two guys Dana tells us he has a "ton of respect for," especially considering both guys stepped up on short notice.

There's much more talk with the UFC honcho ... including whether Gilbert or Belal can do enough to jump Colby Covington, and earn a title fight vs. Leon Edwards.

Speaking of, we also talked to Burns and Muhammad about the title eliminator ... arguably the biggest fight in both guys lives.

Great news, Chargers fans ... J.C. Jackson tells TMZ Sports his rehab is going super well -- and he now expects to return to the field at "110 percent" in 2023.

Jackson spoke with us all about his recovery from a ruptured patellar tendon this week out in Los Angeles, and he said while he's not quite at full strength yet, all signs are pointing toward him coming back to SoFi Stadium better than before.

"It's gonna be big," Jackson said.

The L.A. cornerback, who inked a five-year, $82.5 million contract before last season, initially tore up his knee in Week 7 last year against the Seahawks ... and he said for the ensuing six or seventh months, he really wasn't allowed to run.

But, Jackson told us he's now on his feet during workouts -- and he seemed very pleased with all of his progress so far.

"I'm expecting a big year for us," Jackson said. "Especially from me."

J.C. added he was hopeful to "get back to the basics" this season "and do what I do best and that's leading the league in interceptions."