TMZ Sports - Page 50

Bad news for anyone hoping to see two ex-NFL stars settle their longstanding beef in the ring ... 'cause Vontaze Burfict is slamming the door on a boxing match with Le'Veon Bell -- saying he wants to golf instead!!

In case you missed it, Bell was talking about potential future opponents on the "Misfits Boxing" podcast recently ... and said he wanted to get revenge for what he felt was a dirty play during a game in 2015.

It's pretty obvious who he was referring to, considering Bell suffered a knee injury in Week 8 against the Bengals that season ... after Burfict and another Cincinnati defender made a tackle on the running back.

"It's someone from football," Bell said. "They had purposely injured me. I don’t think I want to say the name, but people who watched my career when I hurt my knee, people know. Yeah, people know. I would love to put my hands on him in a ring."

Vontaze got wind of Le'Veon's comments, and instead of accepting the offer the ex-Steelers running back laid down, Burfict suggested they do a charity golf event instead.

“[Le’Veon Bell] why we lookin to fight?" Burfict wrote on Instagram. "Why not show everyone WE can change the narrative. Let’s show the world WE can squash beef in other ways than boxing. Let’s meet and compete on the golf course."

He continued ... "Get some charities involved so WE can help people in need and show kids that we resolved our differences to make the world a better place.”

Le'Veon didn't seem too thrilled with Burfict's idea ... writing, "lol sure bro."

But that didn't stop him from clapping back at Burfict's former teammate, Adam "Pacman" Jones, who said he'd bet $100k that VB beats Bell in a fight.

"I throw hands, I don't wrestle .. tell em step in the squared circle tho & i’ll beat the dog s*** out of him … & you can put whatever you want on dude, it’s yo money to lose," Bell tweeted at Jones.

Jimmy Graham ain't letting his horrible bike crash stop him from pedaling again ... the ex-NFL star said Tuesday he's already back on the road -- "stitches and all."

The former Saints tight end was all smiles as he, once again, cruised through the roadways on two wheels in Miami ... less than a week after a car slammed into him and his bike, injuring his back and leg.

Check out footage the 36-year-old posted of his AM ride to his Instagram page ... he looked overjoyed to be healthy and riding again.

"Back on it," Graham captioned the video.

Graham was initially hurt last week ... when the 5-time Pro Bowler said a vehicle turned into him while he was going around 20 MPH.

Graham initially thought his leg was broken when he got hit ... but, thankfully, all of his bones were intact. The former footballer said he did suffer wounds, though, sustaining a massive gash on his calf while losing skin on his back.

"I guess the guy in the one lane didn't see me because the sun was coming up and just took a left and T-boned me," Graham said of the accident on "The Pat McAfee Show."

"Luckily I had a helmet on."

You can also see in Graham's clip that he got a new ride ... and thanked MPH Paint and Elite Cycling Miami for "getting me back on the road with the new Pinn-Daddy."

Stephen Jackson defended Ja Morant when he flashed a gun on IG Live in March ... but the former hooper says he can't have the back of the Grizzlies superstar this time around,  calling the act "the dumbest thing he could've done."

"It's not what you do, it's what you do after. And, what you do after is not do the same thing again, like what [Ja] just did," 45-year-old Jackson said on I Am Athlete's Paper Route show.

"All the people like me that was taking up for him, that's said 'it was a mistake, he's a young kid.' We can't go to bat for him this time. This is the dumbest thing he could've done. This is a moron move."

Of course, 23-year-old Morant was suspended by the Grizzlies over the weekend after another video surfaced, showing the 2x NBA All-Star holding a handgun while in a car with his buddy.

The video comes just two months after Ja was seen holding a pistol on Instagram Live while in a Denver area strip club on March 4. Morant was suspended 8 games ... and decided to seek treatment, entering a counseling program in Florida, where he stayed for a few days.

In a sitdown interview with Jalen Rose, Ja vowed to make better decisions going forward ... though Jackson always doubted the effectiveness of the treatment Morant received in the Sunshine State.

"It's just a f**ked up situation, but you gotta really just put everything in his lap and let him deal with it. He gotta deal with everything that comes with it because he done the same dumb thing again that he act like he went and got help for," Stak said.

He continued ... "Just like I told yall, he didn't talk to nobody and get help that fast. There was no way. That was a publicity stunt. This is all on him and can't nobody defend him. I definitely won't stand up and defend him because that was the dumbest thing you could've done."

Jackson, who played 14 seasons in the NBA, says he had Ja's back before the first incident because he was once in a similar situation to Morant ... but Stephen says he learned and made changes where necessary.

"I was one guy that actually went to bat for him because I've been a guy who was thrown a lot of money at a young age and made a mistake, but I'm totally different than the person I was. A lot of people commend me on the changes I made after the mistakes I made."

Fans wanting to pay their respects to Pelé will now be greeted by an epic memorial ... the soccer legend's tomb in Brazil has just opened to the public -- and it's lavish.

The shrine -- which is located inside the world's tallest cemetery in Santos, Brazil -- features a golden casket, turf on the floor ... and even life-sized statues at the entrance of the room.

On the ceiling, there's a painting of the sky ... and on the walls, there are images of thousands of fans cheering.

In total, the monument occupies roughly 2,000 square feet of space.

Fans can visit the tomb by signing a form on the Ecumenical Memorial Cemetery's website ... but only a select, lucky few will get in -- at the moment, only 60 visitors are allowed per day.

Pelé's son, Edson, was emotional at the unveiling of the tomb on Monday ... telling reporters he was thrilled with the memorial.

"It has the essence of what he was," he said.

Pelé -- a three-time World Cup winner -- passed away on Dec. 29 at 82 years old ... and tributes for the legendary footballer have poured in from all over the globe nearly every day since.

In fact, his name was just added to the Portuguese dictionary ... recognizing "that or someone who is out of the ordinary."

The Houston Astros were getting LIT before taking the field on Monday ... 'cause the locker room got a personal preview of Travis Scott's upcoming album!!

La Flame was the guest of honor before his hometown team's tilt against the Chicago Cubs ... and the dude gave the whole squad some musical motivation -- throwing his "Utopia" project over the speakers.

A lot of people will be jealous of Alex Bregman and Co. -- Travis fans have been patiently waiting since 2018 for the rapper's next piece of solo work.

The good news?? Utopia is finally expected to drop soon ... and as Travis told reporter Mark Berman, it's "on the way" as he threw on some Air Jordan 1 "Black Phantom" sneakers in the dugout.

"I had to come here to play Utopia for the boys down in the locker room," Scott said. "Had to get them right for the game."

Travis added there's still some work to do, however -- adding they still have to "finish the master."

On top of the listening party, Scott also got in some batting practice ... and even checked out the weight room.

It's a special week for Conor McGregor -- it's the UFC superstar's youngest son's birthday ... and to celebrate the occasion, The Notorious decided to take a trip to Los Angeles ... with a new look!!!

Ditching his signature beard for the first time in months ... McGregor was thrilled to carry around baby Rian throughout the streets of Beverly Hills on Monday -- just hours before the toddler turned two years old.

McGregor was in great spirits while holding the kid -- making sure TMZ Sports' photog was well aware of Tuesday's big day.

"That's it, that's it," McGregor said, grinning ear-to-ear. "Birthday boy tomorrow! He's two tomorrow!"

Conor also talked a little fighting in between showing love for his baby boy ... telling us he and the UFC will be announcing an official date for his return fight against Michael Chandler "very soon."

He appeared to add that his UFC comeback won't just stop with a tilt against MC either ... telling us he's got his sights set on recording a few more knockouts to break the UFC's all-time career KO record.

"I'm only five KOs to go," the 22-6 fighter said. "So I'm almost there already!"

McGregor has not fought since he badly broke his leg against Dustin Poirier in July 2021 ... but he's been working like a madman to get back -- and, clearly, we're now just a few months away from the return.

Sorry, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Juan Soto ... Steve-O was the star of the show at the Padres' game on Monday night -- throwing out an epic first pitch that featured a fireball!!!

San Diego's MLB team tapped the "Jackass" star for the pregame ceremonies at Petco Park just before the Friars took on the Royals ... and, in true Steve-O fashion, he wowed everyone in attendance.

The 48-year-old stuntman hit the field with a custom No. 62 "Steve-O" Padres jersey and a flaming glove ... before he spat a liquid that set ablaze above him.

Check out footage from the diamond -- the flames were nearly as tall as him!!

The entertainer then put the ball into the fire ... before he chucked it to San Diego's mascot at home plate for a perfect strike.

Steve-O was clearly fired up (sorry) over it all ... 'cause afterward, he gloated about the moment on his Instagram page.

"My first time throwing the first pitch at an @mlb game— I’m pretty sure it’s never been done like this, too!" he wrote. "Thanks so much, @padres!!!"

The Padres were stoked over the stunt too ... tweeting, "Yeah, dude Thanks for stopping by and throwing out an epic first pitch."

Steve-O's first pitch was a sign of good things to come for the home team ... the Padres shut out Kansas City, 4-0, and Michael Wacha brought the heat on the mound, striking out 11 batters in seven innings.

Francis Ngannou is a combat free agent no more -- the former UFC champion has signed with the Professional Fighters League ... and he's getting a seat at the table.

The promotion announced the major news on Tuesday ... saying not only will Ngannou compete in its super fight division starting in mid-2024, but he will also join the PFL Global Advisory Board and represent fellow athletes as it focuses on a "fighters-first mission."

On top of that, "The Predator" will become an equity owner and chairman of PFL's expansion in Africa.

The 36-year-old heavyweight superstar follows Jake Paul, who joined PFL in January. The Problem Child is clearly happy with Ngannou coming on board ... posting a vid welcoming him to the promotion.

Ngannou spoke about the move ... saying, "I am very excited for this game-changing partnership with the Professional Fighters League to continue my MMA fighting career in the PFL’s PPV Super Fight Division."

"I believe in the PFL’s 'fighter first' culture and global vision including developing the sport in Africa. With that, I am also proud to announce that I will serve as Chairman of PFL Africa which will be the leading MMA organization on the continent providing great African fighters the opportunity to compete on a global platform."

It's a huge get for PFL ... as Ngannou has earned a 17-3 record over the course of his career, with big wins over Stipe Miocic, Cain Velasquez and Ciryl Gane. He became the UFC heavyweight champ in March 2021 ... and defended his title until his contract expired.

Ian Garry, soon to be the #15 ranked welterweight, isn't rushing his way to the top ... "The Future" tells us he has a plan laid out, and it starts with fighting a guy he believes is the gatekeeper to the top 10!

25-year-old Garry defeated Daniel Rodriguez inside 3 minutes (it's the first time D-Rod's been finished with strikes) on UFC on ABC 4 ... and joined Babcock on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) where he talked about his next moves.

"Yeah, [Neil Magny is] still the guy I want for so many reasons," Garry said. "I believe that everybody knows who Magny is. Everybody knows how game a fighter Magny is."

Garry admits Magny (27-10) may not have the best record ... but he's a guy who can expose you if you aren't prepared.

"If there's a guy in the division before you enter that top 10 that you wanna test yourself against and see if you're legit, it's Neil Magny."

As it stands, "The Future" is a perfect 12-0 ... in a sport where unbeaten records are a rarity. And, the zero is something that Ian says means a lot to him.

"To be able to sit there and say no one ever cracked the code, to be able to sit there and say no one was able to decipher the game that I bring to the table, absolutely. 100%," he said.

Despite the immense success so early in his career, Garry isn't resting on his laurels. In fact, he says he's planned a trip to Brazil where he'll work on jiujitsu ... as well as a voyage all the way to New Zealand, where he's going to train with middleweight champ Israel Adesanya.

"Don't tell me that if I'm training with Adesanya, that I can't pick up one or two little details that are gonna help elevate my game," Garry said.

"Traveling and learning and growing and becoming better is inevitably more important to me right now than hunting for the title right now, because when I decide to make that title run, I'm gonna succeed and nobody's gonna be able to take me off that."

Perhaps the coolest part of the win for Ian was his idol Conor McGregor's reaction to the one-sided victory ... when Notorious tweeted, "When you call your shot and hit it, that’s special. The Shot Caller Club has a new entry, Ireland’s Ian 'The Future' Garry! #NotAScratch."

Garry was loving it ... saying, "I'm like a f***ing kid in a candy store when I see that guy post stuff on Twitter," Garry said. "He's also f***ing hilarious."

Damar Hamlin was just handed one of the NFL's highest honors -- the Bills safety has been named the George Halas Award winner for his perseverance after suffering cardiac arrest during a game.

The league made the announcement on Monday ... saying the 25-year-old is the NFLer who overcame the most adversity to succeed in 2023.

Damar experienced commotio cordis after making a tackle during a Monday Night Football game against the Bengals in January ... requiring immediate CPR and being rushed to the hospital.

Despite his medical emergency, Hamlin has been fully cleared to play in the NFL again ... and has been using his story to influence change throughout the country ahead of next season.

In March, Hamlin visited Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., where he urged lawmakers to put more AEDs in schools nationwide.

Hamlin -- who started a campaign to spread CPR awareness and training with the American Heart Association -- also met with President Joe Biden during the trip ... with the two sides having a conversation about the cause.

Tom Brady's now got some company in the underwear thirst trap game ... Conor McGregor just shared a snap of him in nothing but his tiny briefs just like the G.O.A.T. -- and he looks gooooood!!!!

The 34-year-old UFC star posted the pic on his Instagram page on Monday afternoon ... showing off his ripped body in some small undies.

In the photo, Conor can be seen laying out catching some rays ... all while his muscles -- and more -- were on full display.

McGregor seemed to be trying to draw the attention toward his Forged Irish Stout beer with the post -- as he had a can of it in his left hand. Conor also captioned the pic, "🌞 @forgedirishstout."

Fans loved it all ... with one commenter saying they wanted the 22-6 fighter to start an OnlyFans page.

Of course, McGregor is far from the only athlete to showcase his body sans pants and shirt ... Cristiano Ronaldo does it all the time, as did Brady in the days following his retirement back in February.

Josh Allen can drop dimes and apparently hit bombs too ... the Buffalo Bills star quarterback swung by Blue Jays batting practice on Monday -- and swatted several dingers!!!

The 26-year-old signal-caller was in Toronto to cheer on the Jays as they get set to begin a series with the Yankees ... and the MLB team allowed him to step in the batter's box for a few hacks -- and he put on a show.

According to reporters on the scene, Allen hit multiple balls over the fences at Rogers Centre ... with some even landing in the stadium's second deck!!

Check out his swing ... the dude can clearly rake.

Of course, we shouldn't be too surprised by this ... 'cause just a couple days ago, he blasted several balls to the moon during a charity softball game.

But, get this ... he said after stepping into the cage on Monday that he wasn't even the most impressive Bill with a bat.

Allen said that honor actually belonged to backup QB Matt Barkley, who he says hit five "deep shots" during the workout.

WWE Hall of Famer "Superstar" Billy Graham -- known for his prowess as a bodybuilder and wrestler -- is on life support ... and his family says his situation is dire.

Graham's wife, Valerie, shared an update on her husband's status Monday ... saying, "Please urgent prayers needed for my husband. The doctors wanted to remove him from life support tonight. I refused."

"He’s a fighter and his will is strong even if his body isn’t. God is our hope."

According to a GoFundMe page for the WWE legend, the 79-year-old is dealing with a "myriad of very serious health issues" and has been in the ICU for over three weeks.

The once iconic bodybuilder is suffering from a significant infection in his ears and skull, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and hearing loss. His family said he's also recently lost 45 pounds.

Born Eldrige Wayne Coleman, Graham rose to prominence wrestling for American Wrestling Association and later the World Wrestling Federation.

In 2004, WWE inducted Graham -- who mentored the likes of Hulk Hogan, Jesse Ventura, Scott Steiner, and Ric Flair -- into its Hall of Fame.

Graham's family is asking people to donate to his GoFundMe ... as medical bills for the former champ continue to mount.

Chris Claybrooks' domestic assault case has been dropped ... TMZ Sports has learned.

According to court records, prosecutors dismissed the two misdemeanor charges against the Jacksonville Jaguars defensive back on Monday morning.

It's unclear why -- we've reached out to the Davidson County District Attorney's office and Claybrooks' lawyer for comment ... but so far, no word back yet.

Claybrooks was initially hit with one count of domestic assault with bodily injury and one count of vandalism under $1,000 after authorities claimed he got into a dispute with a woman in a movie theater parking lot in Nashville on April 14.

During the alleged incident, prosecutors said Claybrooks grabbed the woman's phone from her hand and destroyed it. Authorities added in court documents that the altercation resulted in bruises and abrasions on the woman's hand.

TMZ Sports spoke with Claybrooks about the alleged incident ... and he's adamant he never put his hands on the woman.

Claybrooks says she showed up at the movie theater with a wig on and confronted him about money ... and he only threw her phone after he feared for his son's safety.

At the time, the Jaguars said in a statement they were aware of the allegations and were in "the process of gathering information."

Joe Fournier is officially appealing his loss to KSI ... just two days after the YouTube star scored an (albeit controversial) knockout victory over the English businessman/boxer, the Professional Boxing Association announced Monday.

The PBA confirmed it received a request from Fournier to review/appeal Saturday night's decision at London's Wembley Arena ... a fight he lost by second-round knockout. However, Fournier says he was put down by an illegal strike, an elbow, not a punch ... and therefore he shouldn't have lost the fight.

Now, representatives for Fournier and KSI will have an opportunity to go before the PBA and state their cases as to why the result should or should not be changed after the fact.

Moments before KSI's elbow came into play, he landed a looping right on Fournier's ear, a punch that appeared to wobble JF. Then, just seconds later, 29-year-old KSI sent Joe crashing to the floor.

Question is, was the strike legal? Fournier believes no.

After the fight, KSI tweeted that the outcome was inevitable, but he did acknowledge there was "unintentional contact made with his forearm" during the contest.

Martha Stewart is proving age ain't nothin' but a number ... 'cause the 81-year-old entrepreneur is gracing the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue this year -- making her the oldest model to ever get the honor!!

S.I. revealed the special cover on Monday ... showing the best-selling author and TV personality wearing a white one-piece halter bathing suit in the Dominican Republic.

Stewart explained her decision to pose for the famous mag ... saying, "When I heard that I was going to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, I thought, 'Oh, that’s pretty good, I’m going to be the oldest person I think ever on a cover of Sports Illustrated,'" Stewart said.

"And I don’t think about age very much, but I thought that this is kind of historic."

Stewart -- who turns 82 in August -- added she wanted to do the SI Swimsuit issue to prove you can look and feel good at any age.

"Age is not the determining factor in terms of friendship or in terms of success, but what people do, how people think, how people act, that’s what’s important and not your age," Martha said.

Stewart was one of four women picked to appear on the cover -- Megan Fox, Kim Petras and SI Swimsuit veteran Brooks Nader also got the nod.

FYI, this isn't Stewart's first modeling gig ... she modeled back in her teenage years for several companies, including Chanel.