TMZ Sports - Page 18

Rhea Ripley and Buddy Matthews are ready to take their romance from the squared circle to the altar ... 'cause the two wrestling stars just revealed they're now engaged!!

Rhea -- a WWE Superstar -- shared the huge news on Instagram on Wednesday night ... saying after Buddy proposed to her, she said "1000x YES!"

"Pure F***ing happiness! ❤️," she added.

In the announcement, Ripley also showed off her new ring ... and you can see Buddy -- an AEW star known for his stoicism -- was clearly thrilled over her decision to say yes too.

The engagement all went down at Cocoa Beach in Florida ... with the couple showing on social media they had been having quite the vacation day prior to the life-changing moment.

The Australian duo confirmed their relationship in 2022 ... after they had met just a couple years earlier while they were both wrestling for the WWE.

Now, their love is split across two promotions -- as Matthews is one-third of the AEW World Trios Champion. Ripley, meanwhile, is currently involved in a WWE storyline where she has an on-screen romance -- of sorts -- with Dominik Mysterio ... the son of luchador legend Rey Mysterio.

Notre Dame High School will have some serious star power this upcoming season -- both on and off the court -- 'cause LeBron James' son Bryce and Master P's son Mercy Miller are joining forces on one of the best teams in the country!

16-year-old James, a 6'6" guard, is transferring from Campbell Hall (he was only there for a few months after transferring from Sierra Canyon, where he spent 2 years) ... where he'll join an ND program that won a state championship (CIF division 1) last season.

Stars Caleb Foster and Dusty Stromer are now with Duke and Gonzaga, respectively, after graduating, but the squad is still stacked.

Mercy Miller, P's 6'4" shooting guard son (a 4-star recruit ranked in the top 65 nationally), helped lead the team last season ... and is gunning to go back-to-back before heading to the University of Houston, where he has committed to play college ball.

In fact, Mercy and P recently sat down with Babcock in the TMZ offices -- prior to Bryce transferring -- and talked about his final year of high school hoops, and his aspirations going forward.

Notre Dame is coached by Matt Sargeant, a former Princeton University player, who has been on the coach as a varsity head coach for over a decade.

WNBA star Kahleah Copper got into it with a reporter after a loss this week ... going off about his question and firing back with a heated response before abruptly leaving the press conference.

The interaction went down following the Chicago Sky's matchup against the Minnesota Lynx at Wintrust Arena on Tuesday ... and despite Copper's 23 points, her team fell 79-88.

During the post-game media availability, the three-time All-Star was asked about the lack of bench scoring after a solid outing from the supporting players the game prior ... and let's just say it struck a chord with Copper.

"What they gotta do?! What they do last game?! That's a real question?!" the hooper asked. "You for real!?"

He definitely was ... and when Copper realized that, she gave a basic answer before storming off the stage.

"So what they gotta do? Score, right?! Alright, bet!"

Dana White revealed he recently had a meeting with Italian officials about holding the Mark Zuckerberg vs. Elon Musk fight at the historic Colosseum in Rome.

The UFC honcho provided the update during his appearance on Mike Tyson's "Hotboxin'" podcast this week ... saying he did, in fact, talk to the folks in Italy about bringing the billionaire brawl to one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

"I actually did have a meeting with the Minister of Culture's team in Italy to actually hold that fight in the Colosseum if it would happen," White said. "We're talking."

TMZ Sports broke the story back in June -- sources told us administrators in charge of the landmark location initially reached out to Zuckerberg, who then connected them with Dana's people.

The Ministry of Culture's Office claimed at the time there had been "no formal contact" between the two sides ... but we were told there were conversations that occurred, and now White is confirming it himself.

As for the fight, White believes it can rake in more than a billion dollars in revenue ... saying it's an event everyone in the world wants to see.

"Think about how big that fight is -- two of the richest, most powerful guys in the f***ing world are gonna fight on the biggest stage ever," Dana said.

"Who the f*** doesn't wanna see that fight?? ... That's the kind of fight your f***ing grandmother would watch that fight."

Taylor Swift wrapped up the final night of her L.A. shows with a bang -- tons of stars showing up to watch her perform, and a big reveal onstage to stir up Taylor's diehard fans.

SoFi Stadium was packed to the brim Wednesday night for her 6th and final concert, but it wasn't just your regular Swifties in the crowd -- because A-listers like Sydney Sweeney, Emma Stone and Karlie Kloss were rocking out to her hits all night long.

That's not all ... Adam Sandler, Sadie Sink, Anya Taylor-Joy, Kerry Washington, Hilary Duff, Jason Bateman, Miranda Cosgrove, Halsey, Miles Teller, ex-NFL star Andrew Whitworth and Becky G showed up to jam out.

Even John Krasinski and Emily Blunt headed to Taylor's sold-out show for a date night ... but it certainly wasn't a quiet place at SoFi.

Taylor took some time out of Wednesday's show to announce the release date for her "1989 (Taylor's Version)" album ... which obviously drove fans crazy.

As we reported, celebs have been showing up at her L.A. shows over the past week, including folks like Flavor Flav, Kevin Costner and Vanessa Bryant with her daughters.

You'll recall, Taylor kicked off her "Eras" tour back in March in Arizona, and has been crossing the country with her 3+ hour setlist. L.A. is, technically, the end of her U.S. leg -- she's going international next year -- but she's now added a few more U.S. shows for late 2024.

So, we're saying there's still a chance if ya missed her this time.

As for her overseas shows ... she's starting 2024 in Tokyo, and then globetrotting to places like Australia, France, Spain, Ireland, Germany and the U.K.

Cole Tucker made his first Big League start of the 2023 season on Wednesday and Vanessa Hudgens was there for every second of it ... fangirling out over every pitch her future hubby saw at the dish!!!

Tucker -- who the Rockies called up from the minor leagues on Monday -- made the start for Colorado in the outfield during their game against the Brewers in Milwaukee ... and Hudgens had some sweet seats for it.

The "High School Musical" star was right near the plate ... and when her 27-year-old fiancé came up to bat for the first time, she was smitten.

She got up out of her chair and pulled out her iPhone -- and even though Tucker grounded out to third during the at-bat, she clearly couldn't have cared less.

Tucker, though, ended up playing a solid game despite the first AB ... he went 1-for-4 and nearly scored a key run in the 10th inning of the Rockies' 7-6 loss.

It's safe to expect Hudgens will be in attendance for the rest of Tucker's games this week too ... Colorado's now off to Los Angeles -- a city the actress knows all too well -- for a series with the Dodgers until Sunday.

After that -- a wedding between the two shouldn't be too far away ... you'll recall, the couple got engaged in late 2022, so a ceremony's gotta be right around the corner after the MLB season ends.

Bam Margera's got an avenue to maintain a relationship with his son ... but it looks like the former "Jackass" star will have to settle for FaceTime calls with Phoenix, at least for now.

According to new legal docs, obtained by TMZ, Bam's estranged wife Nikki is getting sole legal and physical custody of their 5-year-old boy for the time being, while Bam's being limited to FaceTime visits.

The judge's ruling came down Tuesday ... Nikki was physically in court and Bam appeared via video conference, a foreshadowing of his upcoming interactions with Phoenix.

Remember ... Bam was requesting joint legal and physical custody of Phoenix, asking for overnight stays with his son every other weekend and accusing Nikki of doing everything she can to keep the boy away from him.

For now, Bam's only being allowed to see Phoenix over FaceTime via 20-minute calls on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, plus 30-minute calls on Sundays. Nikki's not allowed to monitor the calls.

Bam and Nikki are due back in court in a few months, so it seems this will be the status quo until then. As we reported, Bam was taken into custody Wednesday morning in a suburb just outside of Philly, being cited for public intoxication.

Sources told us officers saw him arguing loudly with a woman outside a hotel, and claimed he smelled like booze and was slurring his speech.

Caris LeVert's super rare watch was allegedly stolen at a party earlier this month ... and now, TMZ Sports has learned the Cleveland Cavaliers forward is asking cops for help in getting it back.

Law enforcement tells us ... LeVert told cops it all went down on Aug. 1 during a bash at his Los Angeles-area home.

According to cops, someone was seen in LeVert's bedroom during the festivities ... and when the hooper went to check out the situation, he noticed his watch case was open and his $93,000 Peugeot was missing.

We're told LeVert went to the LAPD and filed a grand theft report ... and while no arrests have been made -- the case is currently under investigation.

LeVert -- the No. 20 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft -- began his career with Brooklyn ... though he's been on Cleveland's roster since the 2021-22 season, averaging 12.4 points per game.

DeVonta Smith cared so much about supporting Henry Ruggs during his sentencing hearing on Wednesday ... the Eagles star was reportedly excused from practice so he could be there in person.

The former Heisman Trophy winner, according to Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Jeff McLane, left Birds camp in Philly in order to be in Las Vegas for Ruggs' proceedings.

At the hearing, Ruggs was sentenced to three-to-10 years in prison over the 2021 car crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog -- though it's unclear if Smith actually made it into the courtroom for the ruling.

Of course, Smith and Ruggs formed a great friendship during their time at Alabama ... the two were roommates, and Smith said back in 2021 before the accident that they had always "dreamed of" playing against one another in the NFL.

In fact, Smith added at the time that he considered Ruggs "my brother from another mother."

Following the crash, Smith said he was heartbroken over the tragedy ... explaining he had to lean on his teammates to help him get through the shock of it.

Ruggs, meanwhile, apologized to Tintor's family at the hearing ... saying in a statement to the courtroom that he knows he "hurt so many" with his actions.

O.J. Simpson doesn't understand how Henry Ruggs drove over 155 MPH, intoxicated, killing a 23-year-old and her dog, but could be out in a few years ... while he received a 9 to 33-year sentence in the same courthouse for an armed robbery where no one was hurt.

"The math just does not add up."

76-year-old Simpson shared his thoughts on X ... talking to his nearly 900k followers only hours after the 24-year-old former Raiders star got 3 to 10 years in the death of Tina Tintor.

"I know I went to college on a football scholarship but somehow this math is not adding up to me. You're driving a car at roughly 160 miles per hour on a public street and end up killing a girl and her dog and you get three to ten years?", O.J. asked.

The NFL legend continued ... "You go to a hotel room that you're invited to to retrieve your own personal stolen property, property I now have because it was ruled to be mine by the state of California, and you get nine to 33 years?"

Of course, in 2008 O.J. was sentenced to 33 years in connection to an armed robbery in Las Vegas, with the possibility of parole after 9 years.

Although Simpson was hit with the sentence because he entered a Palace Station hotel room with a gun in 2007, looking to retrieve memorabilia ... many believe Juice got the book thrown at him as a way to punish him for the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, more than a decade after he was acquitted of their murders.

O.J. was ultimately paroled after 9 years in 2017 ... and is now a free man.

If Ruggs -- who stood up and apologized in court -- is released the year he's eligible for parole, like Simpson, he'll get out when he's just 27 years old.

A notion Simpson clearly believes doesn't make any sense.

Errol Spence and his face are back to normal after suffering his first career loss against Terence Crawford ... 'cause the boxing star is looking good while partying it up in Ibiza!!

The 28-1 welterweight was spotted at the O Beach day club in Spain recently ... and fans who noticed Spence took a couple of pictures with the Big Fish, who appeared to be in great spirits.

It's awesome to see, considering Spence was left beaten and bloodied after taking a bunch of shots just 11 days ago.

Spence is in Spain with his longtime girlfriend Ashra Ortiz ... who shared some words of encouragement after the fight.

"You’re a soldier fr & you never quit. You got the heart of a lion & because of that your name will forever hold weight," Ortiz said on Instagram.

"They gone be talking about Errol Spence Jr. 30 years from now and that’s what makes you stand out, you are one of the greats."

Former NFL cornerback Bashaud Breeland -- a one-time Super Bowl champion -- was arrested this week ... after cops say he was in possession of drugs, a slew of guns and a stolen car.

According to police documents, Breeland was found with the vehicle, the firearms and the contraband at around 3:05 p.m. on Monday after he was pulled over in Charlotte, N.C.

Cops say during the traffic stop, they found the 2020 Mercedes-Benz he was driving had been reported stolen from Florida. They added that during an ensuing search of the car, they found a bevvy of weapons -- including two AR-15s and two AK-47s.

Police also said in the docs they discovered 5.45 pounds of suspected marijuana and 62 grams of suspected mushrooms in the ride ... plus a bunch of cash and drug paraphernalia.

They estimated the suspected drugs to be worth $7,000.

Records show the ex-cornerback was booked into Mecklenburg County Jail at 2:12 a.m. on Tuesday ... on eight total charges -- including possession of a stolen motor vehicle. The records show he was released from custody less than three hours later.

This is not the first time Breeland has been arrested in the past few years ... he was also jailed in South Carolina in 2020 following a scary encounter with cops at a gas station.

Breeland -- who played his college ball at Clemson -- has not logged a snap in the NFL since the 2021 season ... but he had been considered one of the league's better DBs throughout his career.

Bam Margera got in more trouble this week for allegedly being drunk in public ... TMZ has confirmed.

Law enforcement sources tell us the ex-'Jackass' star was busted early Wednesday morning, around 4:30 AM, in Radnor Township -- a suburb just outside of Philly -- after patrolling officers say they saw him arguing loudly with a woman outside of the Radnor Hotel.

Our sources say they stopped, approached Bam and co. ... and claim he smelled like booze and was slurring his speech. We’re told cops took him into custody and transported him to a station nearby -- where he was issued two citations.

One citation was for public intoxication, and the other was for disorderly conduct.

If Dwight Howard never plays another minute in the NBA, he won't have to worry about being unemployed (forget the $250 mil he made hooping) ... the NBA star and minister officiated a wedding in Spain last week!

The wedding was for London Wilmot, athlete and celebrity stylist, and fiancé, Pure, a model ... and you can't help but notice the 6'10" center standing at the altar as the officiant.

Howard, who received his ministry credentials last year, shared footage and photos of the lovely ceremony on Instagram ... revealing this isn't the first time he's married a couple.

"Took a trip out to Spain to officiate another wedding," the 37-year-old said on Wednesday.

"Man, it's no feeling better than seeing two people come together and unite in love."

From the look upon Wilmot and Pure's faces, they were thrilled to have the NBA champ as their minister.

The 17-year NBA vet has been keepin' himself busy since his last stint with the Lakers in 2021. He's been with the Taiwanese men's pro basketball league and was named an All-Star, All-Defensive First Team, and was awarded the Most Valuable Import of the T1 League for the 2022-23 season.

He also attended a WWE try-out last year ... channeling Sho'nuff from "The Last Dragon" movie, and did a damn good job.

Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards will be writing a hefty check to the NBA -- the All-Star guard was just hit with a $50,000 fine as a result of his postgame chair-swinging outburst last season.

Remember, Edwards picked up a chair and moved it in frustration as he ran toward the tunnel after the Denver Nuggets eliminated the Wolves from the playoffs back on April 25 ... with two female Ball Arena workers claiming they were hit by the seat, suffering undisclosed injuries.

The 22-year-old hooper was cited for assault the day after the incident ... charges his attorney slammed as "baseless" at the time.

The league announced Wednesday those charges were dismissed last month ... and with the criminal investigation closed, it was now free to hand down punishment on the 2020 first-overall pick.

The fine is pretty significant ... but it's not the first time he's had to cough up some big dough to the Association -- back in 2022, he was fined $40K for making a homophobic comment on social media.

Luckily for Edwards, he's reportedly made around $30.7 million through three seasons in the NBA alone.

Former NFL star Henry Ruggs has been sentenced to 3-to-10 years in prison over the 2021 car crash that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog.

The ex-Raiders wide receiver learned his fate just minutes ago inside a packed Las Vegas courtroom.

Ruggs, 24, showed up to the Wednesday morning proceedings in a navy suit and tie ... and issued an apology to Tintor's family right at the outset of the hearing.

"To the parents and family of Ms. Tintor, I sincerely apologize for the pain and suffering my actions the morning of Nov. 2, 2021 have caused you, your family and those who knew Ms. Tina and Max," he said.

"I let my family, my teammates and those who believed in me down with my actions and hurt so many."

He added that there was "no excuse" for his actions.

A statement from Tintor's family was also read inside the courtroom ... before the judge made her ruling. Ruggs was then immediately remanded into custody.

Ruggs was initially facing more than 50 years behind bars in the case after authorities accused him of drunkenly slamming his Corvette into the back of Tintor's Rav-4 in Vegas ... killing her and her golden retriever.

But, the former football player reached a deal with prosecutors back in May, agreeing to plead guilty to one felony count of DUI resulting in death and one misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter in exchange for a prison sentence that would not exceed 3-to-10 years.

Ruggs, who will now be eligible for parole following his third year in prison, was picked by the Raiders in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft ... and had started 19 games in his two seasons with the team. The org. released him following the accident.