TMZ Sports - Page 50

Big day for UFC champ Jan Blachowicz ... who was invited to sit down with the Prime Minister of Poland after winning the light heavyweight title!!!

Check out the pics of Jan with Mateusz Morawiecki choppin' it up in Warsaw on Wednesday ... to celebrate Jan's big victory over Dominick Reyes at UFC 253.

37-year-old Jan flew back to Poland right after the insane 2nd round knockout and he's been treated like a ROCKSTAR ever since ... with a hero's welcome at the airport and now an invite to hang with the PM.

"Thank you for the invitation from the Prime Minister," Jan said on social media.

"Both for me and the MMA community, it proves that our discipline is not only popular, but also noticeable by the most important people in Poland."

"It is an honor to be an ambassador of this amazing sport."

The two seemed to enjoy the hang out -- sipping coffee and eating snacks while talking about the fight.

Jan is on an impressive 4-fight win streak at the moment -- with victories over  Reyes, Corey Anderson, Ronaldo Souza and Luke Rockhold.

Jan is hoping to fight Jon Jones next ... but so is everyone.

If you're keeping track ... seems UFC's biggest stars are more connected than ever with world leaders.

The NFL is so pissed off over coaches continuing to flout its COVID mask rules ... it's now threatening to pull draft picks from teams if the violations continue.

It's all in a new league memo officials sent to the 32 clubs on Wednesday, which spells out the possible heavy punishments.

In the memo, obtained by multiple media outlets, the league says a forfeiture of picks as well as suspensions are on the table if coaches keep pulling down their masks during games.

Of course, the problem was a HUGE issue for teams in the first two weeks of the season ... and the league handed down some big fines over it all.

Head coaches like Jon Gruden, Sean Payton, Vic Fangio, Pete Carroll and Kyle Shanahan were all docked $100,000 ... while their respective teams were hit with $250k fines as well.

Coaches seemed to clean up their act in Week 3 ... with most of the previous offenders abiding by the rules.

But, cameras still caught Arizona Cardinals head man Kliff Kingsbury, Fangio and a few others once again ditching their masks ... and it's clear the league is tired of seeing it.

The Tennessee Titans have shut down ALL in-person activities immediately ... after 3 players and 5 additional staffers have tested positive for COVID-19.

The Minnesota Vikings -- who lost to the Titans on Sunday -- will also shut down their facilities as a safety precaution ... but have NOT reported any positive tests.

The Titans will reportedly not be allowed back at the team facility until Saturday -- which begs the question ... will they play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday without practicing????

The NFL and Players' Association released a statement on the matter, saying, "Both clubs are working closely with the NFL and the NFLPA, including our infectious disease experts, to evaluate close contacts, perform additional testing and monitor developments."

"All decisions will be made with health and safety as our primary consideration. We will continue to share updates as more information becomes available."

Tennessee also released a statement ... claiming the decision to work remotely was "out of the abundance of caution."

It's bad news for the NFL, which has been able to play 3 regular season weeks without any major outbreaks.

Some of the best basketball players to ever live will be present for Game 1 of the NBA Finals ... but, of course, they won't actually *be* there due to COVID-19.

Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and more headline the insane list of NBA legends slated to be virtual fans for the Lakers vs. Heat on Wednesday ... tuning in to the game from the comfort of anywhere other than the Orlando bubble.

The list is full of players who have hoisted the Larry O'Brien trophy in the past -- including Bill Walton, Clyde Drexler, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, Isiah Thomas, James Worthy, Julius Erving, Manu Ginobili, Robert Parish and more.

Seriously, there's a LOT of rings in the bunch.

On top of the champs in the crowd, there will be 40 first-time poll workers identified by LeBron James' "More Than A Vote" campaign!!

It won't be as electric as years past ... but heck, at least we have ball!!

Eric Reid is still working like a mad man to get back in the NFL ... he just posted videos of his intense workout Wednesday -- and it's clear, the former Panthers star is still a BEAST!!!

The clips show the 28-year-old safety pumping serious iron in the weight room ... and getting after it in drills on the field.

And, the dude looks great -- he's got power, speed and size ... and it's obvious it's all a message to NFL teams that he's still game ready.

Of course, Reid has not yet found a home on a roster since his time in Carolina ended after the 2019 season ... and there seems to be concern that it's, once again, due to his political views.

Remember, Reid -- alongside Colin Kaepernick -- settled a lawsuit with the NFL just a year ago after the two accused league owners of blackballing them over their kneeling protests.

Eric was still able to find work in Carolina despite the legal war ... but since his departure from the Panthers this past offseason -- he hasn't had any bites with a new squad since.

It's pretty clear Reid -- who's still SUPER active in his fight against social injustice, even calling out Roger Goodell for his apology to protestors few weeks ago -- is ready for that to change.

Floyd Mayweather says he's down for a rematch with Conor McGregor -- but only for a $300 MILLION paycheck.

He's also down to box Khabib Nurmagomedov -- but again, he wants $300 million.

But, if you're hoping to see Floyd take on a legit contender, don't hold your breath -- Mayweather says he's only taking easy fights from here on out.

TBE spelled it out on Shannon Sharpe's "Club Shay Shay" podcast -- where he explained why his longterm mental health is more important than a paycheck ... which is why he'll only take fights he knows he can easily win.

"Conor McGregor can't punch," Mayweather said ... "He can't punch."

Floyd says he remembers taking a shot from Conor during their 2017 fight and thinking to himself, "Man, this dude punch so soft. It's cool."

Mayweather says he looks at fighters like his uncle, Roger Mayweather, and Muhammad Ali as cautionary tales ... saying, "Your health is your wealth."

Floyd says he's still training and working out -- and isn't far from his fighting weight ... but it doesn't sound like he has anything lined up just yet.

Of course, he's been mulling fights with Conor and Khabib for years but nothing has materialized.

There's more ... Mayweather also explained why he should be considered the greatest boxer of all time -- ahead of legends like Muhammad Ali and Rocky Marciano.

"Is Ali the same fighter that got beat by a guy with 7 fights? Leon Spinks beat Muhammad Ali when he only had 7 fights," Mayweather said.

"If we really tell the truth, what's the heavyweight guy that Ali fought 3 times? Ken Norton really beat Ali all 3 times. Go back and look at the fights."

Mayweather says he loves Ali ... but he's "just telling the truth."

He also spoke about Muhammad Ali's activism outside the ring -- and claims he would have done the same thing if he were around in the '60s.

"Ali will always be a pioneer because of what he stood for in that era. And, I commend him for that."

Ali famously refused to be drafted to fight in the Vietnam war and was subsequently stripped of his boxing titles.

Serena Williams is officially OUT of the French Open ... the tennis legend withdrew from the tournament Wednesday, saying she has an Achilles injury that's hurting like hell.

"Struggling to walk," Serena said of the injury. "So that's kind of a tell-tale sign that I should try to recover."

The 39-year-old hurt her lower leg at the U.S. Open in New York earlier this month ... and thought she had given it enough time to heal to be effective in Paris.

But, Williams said during her opening-round victory over Kristie Ahn on Monday, she felt the tendon aching -- and decided to pull out of the event.

"I had to focus on walking straight so I wasn't limping," Serena said. "And, I tried."

The good news ... Serena says she doesn't think the injury will be a long-term thing -- she told reporters she believes 4-to-6 weeks of rest and recovery should do the trick.

"I feel like my body is actually doing really, really well, and I just ran into, for lack of a better word, bad timing and bad luck, really, in New York," Williams said.

"It happened, but my body is actually doing really, really well.”

Conor McGregor is making some major changes in his life ... he shaved his beard!

The UFC superstar has been sporting his trademark facial hair for years -- the last time he fought without a beard was in 2012 in a Cage Warriors match against Dave Hill (Conor won that fight by rear-naked choke).

He grew out the beard for his next fight ... and rocked it in the cage every time since -- including for his 2017 boxing match with Floyd Mayweather.

So, why the new look? Maybe it's one of the "turn the page" things?

After all, Conor is going through a LOT at the moment -- from legal issues in Corsica (where he's accused of attempted sexual assault and indecent exposure) to his beef with the UFC and Dana White.

One thing's for sure ... McGregor is still in insane shape and fans across want to see him fight again ASAP.

Conor has teased a boxing match with Manny Pacquiao and a charity with Dustin Poirier, but it's unlikely either of those will take place without the UFC's blessing, since Conor is still under contract.

NFL lineman D.J. Fluker has brought in extra security to keep both himself and his daughter safe from the child's mother after she was arrested for kidnapping, TMZ Sports has learned.

We're told the Baltimore Ravens lineman has been working with the team to coordinate security in the wake of the arrest -- though it's unclear if the Ravens are footing the bill or just providing guidance.

We're told the team is being very understanding about the situation.

As we previously reported, Fluker's ex, Kimberly Davis, was arrested on Sept. 22 after allegedly kidnapping their daughter during a supervised visit while Fluker was out of town to play the Houston Texans.

TMZ Sports has obtained a photo of the moment Davis was taken into custody.

In his police report, Fluker says he has primary physical custody of the child -- and did not give permission for Davis to take her.

Fluker has also said he fears for his daughter's safety -- and his own safety. He has previously accused Davis of physically assaulting him, claiming she punched him in the nose back in July.

Sources close to the situation tell us Fluker has tried to work with Davis -- but feels she just won't cooperate to amicably co-parent their child.

In other words, he WANTS to have a good relationship and make peace with Davis -- but she's making it very difficult.

In the meantime, we're told Fluker has added extra security to be in place for future visitation with Davis and their daughter because he doesn't want to cut her out of their lives completely.

Scottie Pippen is channeling his inner McKayla Maroney -- saying he's just "not impressed" with the Chicago Bulls new head coach.

FYI, the Bulls just signed Billy Donovan to a brand new 4-year, $24 million contract last week in the hopes Billy can finally help turn the franchise back into winners.

Speaking of winners, Pippen -- who won 6 'chips with the Bulls -- weighed in on the move during an interview with Forbes and man, he's not happy.

"If you’re looking at it from a fan perspective, I’m not impressed with what they did," Pippen said.

"I don’t think that they have made any dramatic changes that are going to change who they are as a team. That’s just my personal opinion. I like Billy Donovan as a person but I don’t think he’s proved anything in the NBA that proves he’s worth investing in and bringing a team up that needs help like Chicago does."

Remember, Donovan coached OKC with 2 MVPs -- Kevin Durant until 2016 and Russell Westbrook until 2019 -- and still came up short from winning the title.

Donovan was 243–157 during his 5 seasons in OKC -- and made the playoffs every year ... though he only advanced out of the 1st round one time.

Pippen says he just doesn't think Donovan has that certain X-factor that will help change the culture in Chicago.

"[The Bulls are] a team that has been struggling for a long time. To me, I don’t see the value he brings to them. He’s going to be a coach but there are a lot of them out there. He didn’t do anything special in OKC that warranted him a second opportunity. That’s just my opinion."

Also worth noting, Pippen used to work for the Bulls as an advisor -- but got fired from his gig back in 2019.

After the move, Pippen took a shot at the Bulls. -- saying, "It's probably a good thing, right? ... I like to associate myself with winning."

2020 just keeps getting better for Patrick Mahomes and his fiancee, Brittany Matthews -- the couple just announced they're having a baby!!

THERE'S JUST NO STOPPING THIS GUY FROM SCORING!!!

The 25-year-old Super Bowl MVP and his high school sweetheart shared the huge news on Tuesday ... posting an announcement pic with a sonogram around Brittany's tummy.

No, we don't know if it's a boy or a girl -- but we do know he or she will be insanely athletic!!!

After all, Mahomes is one of the top QBs in the league and Brittany is a fitness enthusiast who basically lives in the gym.

Brittany posted about the pregnancy on IG -- saying, "Mom & Dad, taking a small detour to the wedding."

Unclear how far along Brittany is -- but usually couples don't go public until around 12 weeks ... which means the baby is likely due around April 2021.

If that's the case, perfect for Patrick since it'll be the offseason and he won't have to worry about missing a game.

As we previously reported ... it's been one helluva year for Mahomes and Matthews -- the QB popped the question earlier this month after his Super Bowl ring ceremony at Arrowhead Stadium.

And, back in July, Patrick signed that historic $503 MILLION contract extension with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Which brings up another point ... did you see the ring on her finger?? It's as big as the pic of the fetus she's holding!!

Patrick's brother Jackson Mahomes has already chimed in on the pregnancy -- saying, "You guys will be the best parents!! CANT WAIT TO BE uncle Jack!!!"

What goes around, comes back around ... even on the ice -- 'cause a former NY Islanders draft pick was rewarded with a goal by the hockey gods after he corrected some refs on a bad call.

Here's the deal ... Anatoly Golyshev -- an Isles' 2016 4th-round pick -- was playing in a KHL game in Russia on Monday when his opponent was called for a tripping penalty.

The refs thought the dude swept Golyshev's legs out from under him ... and were about to reward Golyshev's Avtomobilist squad with a 5-on-3 power play.

But, Golyshev quickly skated toward the refs and told them he had tripped over the puck -- NOT his opponent -- which negated the penalty call.

Obviously, it's a bold move by Golyshev ... the 2-man advantage would've almost guaranteed his team a goal -- a huge deal in a 3-2 game.

Turns out, though, karma worked in Golyshev's favor ... 'cause just seconds after his display of honesty -- he scored a goal!!!

And, even though his team ultimately lost 6-4, he added an assist later in the game too!!!

The woman accused of breaking into Joe Montana's home and snatching one of his grandkids just got slapped with 2 charges that could land her in prison for a long time.

The L.A. County D.A. just charged Sodsai Dalzell with two felonies -- one count of attempted kidnapping of a victim under 14, and one count of first-degree burglary.

According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Dalzell faces up to 6 years in state prison if convicted of burglary, and up to 11 years on the attempted kidnapping charge.

TMZ broke the story ... cops say Dalzell broke into Joe's Malibu home over the weekend, and took his grandchild out of a playpen where they were sleeping. After being confronted by Joe and his wife, Jennifer, the couple was able to pry the kid away from her ... without any harm.

Dalzell was picked up by cops shortly afterward as she tried to flee the premises.

Prosecutors recommend Dalzell's bail be set at $200,000.

"Cake Boss" Buddy Valastro is sparing no details of his horrific bowling accident, but says the gruesome injury's left him more grateful than ever ... for his family and the doctors who saved him.

Jersey's other Boss joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday to give his account of the freak bowling accident, telling us he's got a long road to recovery ahead due to severe tendon, nerve and muscle damage to his right hand.

Word of warning ... if you're enjoying a piece of cake -- or any food -- right now, finish up before watching Buddy's description of the pinsetter machine impaling his hand.

As we reported ... Buddy was bowling with his fam on their at-home alley and tried to fix the malfunctioning pinsetter. Buddy said the "blunt force" he felt as a metal rod repeatedly rammed through his hand was by far the worst pain he's ever felt.

He also revealed it wasn't just his hand that was severely injured 😬 ... and gushed about the amazing job his family did to free him from the evil machine to get him to a hospital.

As for the road to recovery ... the "Cake Boss" told us it's gonna be a long one -- but he said it's giving him a newfound appreciation for the medical pros doing miraculous work to fix his hand.

Sounds like renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. Michelle Carlson can expect a Christmas card, and probably a cake too!

Mark Cuban is personally helping Delonte West get back on his feet ... with the Dallas Mavericks owner picking up the ex-NBA star at a gas station in Texas.

As we previously reported, the former Cleveland Cavaliers guard has fallen on tough times in recent years ... and was most recently seen holding a sign on the street in Dallas last week.

Sources connected to West's family tell us that Cuban -- who had been trying to reach DW on the phone for days -- finally got in contact with Delonte ... who agreed to meet the Mavs owner on Monday in Dallas.

We're told Cuban took West to a local hotel ... while his family formulates a game plan.

Our sources tell us West's circle of fam and friends have been trying desperately to get Delonte to go to rehab ... and he now seems open to the idea.

We're even told Cuban has offered to help cover Delonte's cost for treatment.

FYI, West played for Cuban's Dallas Mavs from 2011-2012.

As we previously reported, the NBA, the NBA Players Association, Doc Rivers, Jameer Nelson and others have tried to get Delonte help in the past.

We've reached out to Cuban and the Mavs for comment ... so far, no word back.