TMZ Sports - Page 50

Khabib Nurmagomedov has officially made weight for his 155-pound championship fight with Justin Gaethje ... though he needed to strip down naked to do it!

The Eagle couldn't have looked more relieved Friday morning when he stepped onto the scale and hit exactly 155 pounds ... meaning the lightweight title fight with Gaethje will proceed as planned.

UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje is going down this Saturday LIVE from UFC Fight Island -- the main card kicks off at 11 AM PT.

Gaethje also weighed in perfectly.

Khabib has struggled with weight cuts in the past -- in fact, he pulled out of his UFC 209 fight with Tony Ferguson due to a bad cut.

But, no issues Friday ... though Khabib's people needed the famous UFC naked body ring to shield him while he stripped naked for the scale.

Justin Gaethje also made weight -- and later on, the two came face to face to "square off" for some promotional photos leading up to Saturday's main event.

As we previously reported, Dana White says the hype for UFC 254 is real -- it's currently tracking to be the most-watched PPV event in UFC history ... bigger than any Conor McGregor fight!

The fight is available on PPV through ESPN+.

LET'S GOOO!!!!!

An Australian boxer suffered a GNARLY broken jaw during a fight Thursday -- and the video of the injury might make you puke.

CONSIDER THAT YOUR WARNING!!

The fighter is Benjamin Hussain -- who was 2-0 as a pro before he stepped into the ring against fellow undefeated fighter Ben Mahoney.

Hussain was cracked hard in the 2nd round and appeared to suffer a break in his jaw at that point -- but tried to tough it out and keep going.

Blood poured out of his mouth as he continued the fight -- the announcers speculated he could've suffered a cut on his tongue.

But, as the fight progressed, it was VERY obvious the injury was serious ... and finally, the doctor stopped the fight in Round 5.

You could hear the doctor tell 21-year-old Hussain -- "Your jaw is broken mate. I mean it’s badly broken, we’ve got to stop it."

Hussain was transported to a nearby hospital to be treated -- and despite the obvious pain, he felt it was important to show off the injury on social media.

You can see his jaw is clearly broken -- and it's so gross!!

But hey, that's boxing.

He could ... go ... all ... the ... wait, did he just trip and fall?!!

Yep, NY Giants QB Daniel Jones tripped over his own two feet Thursday night while heading for a wide-open end zone while playing the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jones had taken off from his own 12-yard line and quickly found daylight -- tucking the ball and sprinting 80 yards with ZERO defenders in the area to stop him!

All he had to do was walk the final 8 yards and he would've scored a TD -- but he lost his footing and came crashing to the ground.

Everyone watching had to pick their jaws up off the floor and shake their heads.

Even announcer Joe Buck couldn't believe it -- "He trips! Absolutely all alone and he trips going to the end zone!"

"A walk-in touchdown and he tripped himself!"

Don't worry, the Giants eventually scored a TD on that drive -- with Wayne Gallman punching in a 1-yard run that gave NY a 14-10 lead at the time. They did end up losing 22-21 to the Eagles.

The trip and fall was a hit on social media -- where fans and NFL players clowned Jones for the goof.

Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs even got in on the jokes ...

Patrick Mahomes didn't clown Jones -- explaining, "I mean i can’t even say anything cause i would never be able to run that far either."

Rough moment for the Giants. Rough game for the Giants. Rough season for the Giants.

The Reign Man ... is now the Strain Man -- because ex-NBA star Shawn Kemp is officially in the marijuana business.

The 50-year-old Seattle SuperSonics legend is opening Shawn Kemp's Cannabis in Seattle on Oct. 30 -- a shop poised to become the first Black-owned dispensary in the city.

In fact, Kemp's even hosting former Sonics teammate, Gary Payton, at next week's grand opening.

"I'm looking forward to welcoming Sonics fans on a regular basis, starting with opening day," Kemp said in a statement.

"I hope that Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis will be an inspiration for people to get involved with the legal cannabis industry, especially people of color."

Oh, and if you have trouble finding the store ... it's the one with the giant mural of Shawn Kemp on the side!

Kemp isn't going at this alone ... he's got 2 partners who have already had weed success co-founding a business called Main Street Marijuana, one of the top pot shops in the area since 2014.

Kemp -- a 6-time NBA All-Star -- played for Seattle from '89 to '97 and was known for being one of the exciting players in the league.

"My name is on this company and I have worked hard to bring Shawn Kemp’s Cannabis to fruition," Kemp said. "I want to provide nothing short of the best selection, customer experience and prices in Seattle."

Did you know Justin Gaethje has a twin brother?

It's true -- his name is Marcus, and shocker -- turns out knockout power runs in the family!

We spoke to the Gaethje boys (both on Fight Island getting ready UFC 254: Khabib vs. Gaethje) ... and they revealed how they used to destroy people together, while playing high school football back in Arizona!

Both Gaethje's were 2-way players -- Justin was a QB and strong safety, Marcus was a tight end and middle linebacker.

But, they got their kicks on defense -- where Justin says they were a "brotherly force" ... "We both hit hard!"

Marcus tells TMZ Sports he always knew his bro was a talented athlete but didn't think he'd pursue professional fighting until Justin became a star wrestler in college.

"He met one of those wrestling coaches that was kinda in the fight game and he brought some UFC fighters to the wrestling [gym] and I think that's when he made the decision that he wanted to at least try fighting," Marcus says.

"Other than that, he did a couple backyard fights with gloves on but that was really it."

Justin's career choice has panned out -- he's fighting for the UFC lightweight belt on Saturday.

Justin says he always wanted to be an NFL player -- but he just wasn't big enough.

He's still a huge fan of the Raiders and plans to take his UFC belt to the team after he beats Khabib!

There's a lot more ... Marcus also talks about what it was like growing up in the small town of Safford, AZ -- population 10,000.

"You would never think that this was possible for someone coming from our town [to make it big] ... and then it being my brother? It's kinda cool."

Kid Rock and John Daly thought they'd be able to take in the Presidential Debate mask-free and within throwing distance from the stage ... until a staffer caught them.

The singer and PGA Pro -- who attended Thursday night's event in Nashville to support President Trump -- first took their seats sans mask. It didn't take long until both men were approached by an employee working the event who had fresh masks for them both.

Both John and Kid Rock finally obliged, we gotta imagine they would've been asked to leave if they refused.

Daly's lack of caution in protecting himself from the disease is a total 180 from his stance back in August when he withdrew from a PGA event in San Francisco because of COVID.

At the time, Daly said, "People keep asking why I WD from PGA??? California now #1 in cases/deaths, I had knee surgery, I’m a diabetic & I don’t feel comfortable flying. Being too close proximity to even small crowds & risk exposure with my health not worth it! God Bess & y’all be safe!"

The NHL season will NOT be kicking off in the great outdoors -- 'cause the league has just officially postponed the 2021 Winter Classic.

The Minnesota Wild were set to host the St. Louis Blues at Target Field in Minneapolis on Jan 1 ... but NHL officials are now hoping to get it done in 2022, when fans can attend -- AKA, when we're hopefully not still in a pandemic.

The All-Star Weekend festivities -- scheduled to go down in Jan. 2021 -- has also been pushed, the league said Thursday.

"Fan participation, both in arenas and stadiums as well as in the ancillary venues and events that we stage around the Winter Classic and All-Star Weekend, is integral to the success of our signature events,” NHL Senior EVP and COO Steve Mayer said in a statement.

"Because of the uncertainty as to when we will be able to welcome our fans back to our games, we felt that the prudent decision at this time was to postpone these celebrations until 2022 when our fans should be able to enjoy and celebrate these tentpole events in-person, as they were always intended."

The league says it still plans to start its 2021 season at the beginning of the year ... so, at least there WILL be hockey ... just indoors.

No "Sunday Night Football" for Tom Brady this week ... the NFL has MOVED UP the Raiders vs. Bucs game to daytime in the wake of a possible COVID outbreak in Las Vegas.

The strategy makes sense ... at least one Raiders player has tested positive for COVID and there are concerns several more players may have been exposed.

So, for now, the league has shifted the game out of the prime time slot -- instead Raiders vs. Bucs will kick off at 1:05 PM PT.

That frees up the league to move another game into prime time -- Seahawks vs. Cardinals ... Russell Wilson vs. Kyler Murray!

Here's the logic ... there's a chance more Raiders could test positive and the league may have to make a last-minute decision about moving the game to another date.

But, they still want to have a game in that prime time Sunday night spot. Get it?

There don't seem to be any COVID concerns with the Seahawks or the Cardinals at the moment -- and there are big stars on both teams. It's a safe move. Smart.

NFL teams should be champing at the bit to sign free agent Antonio Brown ... so says former star tight end Vernon Davis, who tells TMZ Sports the reward outweighs the risk.

AB is set to return from his 8-game suspension in 2 weeks ... and folks like Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll have expressed interest in the controversial receiver this week.

We spoke with the 2-time Pro Bowler about whether teams should consider swooping in to sign AB ... and he believes it would be a VERY smart move -- as long as he's made the right changes.

"First of all, he's a human being," Davis tells us. "Everyone makes mistakes. I think he's learned from his experiences in life. The time he's had off, I think he's really had a chance to think about that."

Davis says any team who takes a chance should monitor the situation and make sure he remains a valuable asset in the locker room.

"I would definitely do the gamble, 'cause everyone deserves a second chance ... and maybe even a third chance," Davis added. "But, a second chance for sure, and I think this is a great opportunity for him to showcase who he is as a person."

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro's impressive rookie season ain't over yet -- 'cause the sharp-shooter is getting his very own rap song ... courtesy of Jack Harlow!!

The 20-year-old star has made headlines throughout his first year in the Association -- from insane highlights on the court to dating smoking hot model Katya Elise Henry.

On the heels of balling out in the NBA Finals, the former Kentucky Wildcat is getting something most athletes only dream of ... with the "I Wanna See Some Ass" MC announcing the track, "Tyler Herro," coming out Thursday.

The gesture is a pretty big deal -- Harlow is a die-hard Louisville Cardinals fan ... and Herro played at rival UK before becoming a 1st-rounder in the NBA.

But, the rivalry didn't stop Harlow from exchanging jerseys with Herro to promote the album ... and including the young hooper in the single art.

It's not the only connection Harlow has to the NBA this season -- remember, he accidentally snitched on Lou Williams when he snapped a selfie with the L.A. Clippers guard at Magic City in ATL.

Herro now joins NBAers like Kobe Bryant, Mo Bamba and Dennis Rodman ... who have gotten the song treatment in the past.

Best rookie year ever?! ... eh, close.

Ex-NFL star Dana Stubblefield has been sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for raping a mentally disabled woman in a 2015 incident, court officials tell TMZ Sports.

Back in July, the 49-year-old was found guilty of forcible rape while using a gun -- a crime that carries 15 to life.

And, on Thursday, the judge sentenced Stubblefield to exactly that - meaning he'll have to do a minimum of 15 years behind bars. Stubblefield was present in the courtroom when the sentence was handed out.

As we previously reported, Stubblefield was first arrested back in May 2016 after officials say the former 49ers superstar raped a woman he found on a babysitting website and had invited to his Santa Clara, CA home for a job interview.

Stubblefield had argued the sex was consensual -- and claimed he could prove it with a lie detector test.

Prosecutors argued the woman was "incapable" of giving consent because of a mental disorder and developmental and physical disabilities.

Stubblefield was initially hit with 5 felonies -- but in January 2018, prosecutors uncovered evidence they believe proved Stubblefield used a gun to commit the alleged rape. Bail was revoked and he was remanded back into custody.

Stubblefield and his attorneys have denied the allegations for years -- claiming the woman behind the allegations was just looking for a payday.

No money, Mo problems ...

Boris Becker appeared in a London courtroom Thursday to plead not guilty to allegations he's been hiding several tennis trophies from debt collectors.

... another bizarre twist in one of the weirdest falls from grace ever.

Remember, Becker -- a former tennis superstar who made more than $25 mil in his career -- was declared bankrupt in 2017 after racking up what court officials called a "historic debt."

52-year-old Becker was later ordered to surrender any possessions of value to a trustee -- who could in turn sell the items to help satisfy the debt. It's common practice in bankruptcy cases.

Among the items, Becker was ordered to hand over ... his Wimbledon trophies from 1985 and 1989 and his Australian Open trophies from 1991 and 1996.

FYI, Becker was only 17 when he won Wimbledon in '85 -- making him the youngest men's singles champ ever.

In other words, the trophy is probably super valuable to collectors.

But, Becker allegedly failed to hand over the trophies -- along with roughly $1.3 million in cash ... so prosecutors have pushed forward with criminal charges in a new 28-count indictment.

If convicted, Becker reportedly faces several years behind bars. This is a big deal.

Becker's attorney, Jonathan Caplan, says the tennis star is "determined to face and contest these charges and restore his reputation in relation to the allegations made against him."

Yeah, good luck with that.

By the way, Becker has allegedly tried to run from his debt in the past -- back in 2018, he claimed to have a diplomatic passport from the Central African Republic that would give him immunity in his bankruptcy case in the UK.

The insane mansion Wayne Gretzky sold to Lenny Dykstra back in the day -- only to buy back years later -- is back on the market ... with the NHL legend asking a cool $23 mil!

The property is legendary ... Wayne built the 13,300-square-foot estate in Thousand Oaks, CA back in 2002 and sold it to Dykstra in 2007 for $18.5 million.

Remember, at the time Dykstra was being hailed as some sort of financial genius ... when in reality, he wasn't.

The ex-MLB star filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and the bank foreclosed on the home soon after.

The home was bought at a foreclosure auction in 2010 -- only to hit the market again years later. Gretzky swooped in and picked it up in 2018 for $13.5 mil.

Now, Gretzky is selling it again -- asking $22.9 ... which (if he gets full asking) would put a cool $9.4 mil in his pocket.

NO WONDER THEY CALL HIM THE GREAT ONE!!

As for the house ... it's pretty rad. 6 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms -- plus 2 guest houses.

It's got a screening room, gym, game room, office, championship tennis court, outdoor entertainment area, wood-burning pizza oven, wood and gas barbecue, and formal gardens, according to the listing from Arvin Haddadzadeh of The Agency.

Shaq says if the Clippers ever want to win an NBA championship, they gotta ship Paul George’s ass outta Los Angeles ... like now!!

Some background ... after landing Leonard and PG last season, the Clips were favorites to win an NBA title in 2020 ... but ended up getting bounced by the Denver Nuggets in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Doc Rivers was fired as head coach ... and now O'Neal -- who's got 4 rings and knows a little something about winning -- says it's time the team unloads its 30-year-old, 6x NBA All-Star who averaged over 21 points last year.

Here's how the conversation went on Shaquille's "The Big Podcast with Shaq."

Shaq: [The Clippers] gotta get rid of someone.

Co-host: Who?

Shaq: C'mon, bro.

Co-host: Pandemic P? They ain't gonna get rid of him, they gave up the farm for him.

Shaq: Well, guess what? They gave up the farm, but we can change some crops on that mug.

O'Neal went on to say that the Clippers should trade George -- who struggled mightily in the playoffs and reportedly beefed with teammates -- for multiple role players ... so 29-year-old Kawhi Leonard is clearly the man on the squad.

"You gotta use [George] to get 2 good solid players because I need Kawhi to be the man. See Kawhi, I don't want Kawhi to delegate," Shaq says.

"See, when Kawhi was with Toronto he knew he was the man, everybody knew he was the man. Now you got one guy that thinks he's the man, one guy that is the man."

Even following the 2020 disaster, the Clips still have the 2nd highest odds to win the title next year -- behind LeBron James and the L.A. Lakers.

The Dez Bryant comeback is thiiiiiiis close to being complete ... with the Baltimore Ravens reportedly planning to sign the 31-year-old veteran to their practice squad.

The former Dallas Cowboys superstar hasn't seen the field since 2017. Bryant signed with the Saints in 2018 ... but suffered a devastating Achilles injury during his first practice with the team.

Dez tried out for the Ravens back in August ... and many thought it would be a perfect fit after Bryant and QB Lamar Jackson showed serious love for each other.

But, Dez left the Charm City without a deal ... leaving his NFL future up in the air.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that could very well change SOON for Bryant ... reporting the team has brought him back in for a workout and physical on Thursday.

The report says if all goes well, the Ravens plan to add Bryant to their practice squad.

Bryant was drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft in 2010 ... earning 3 Pro Bowl nods, 1 All-Pro selection and leading the league in TDs in 2014.

Eric Andre was seriously injured -- and hospitalized -- after a wrestling stung gone wrong with John Cena ... and it's all on video.

The comedian revealed the whole story on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" ... saying he was shooting a bit for "The Eric Andre Show" which required Cena to hulk out and throw him through a shelf.

Kimmel watched the footage and asked Eric if the stunt hurt as badly as it looked.

"John Cena did the stunt right, but we prepped for the stunt wrong. And, that metal shelf came over and clocked me in the head," Andre said ... "And, I got concussed."

Andre says he went to the hospital immediately -- noting, "I had like a Fred Flintstone, like Bugs Bunny [welt] on the side of my head."

The good news ... Andre seems to be okay now and was joking about it with Kimmel.

"They did a CAT scan, and I haven’t been able to speak English since. I memorized this interview phonetically, actually."

Yeah, we know pro wrestling is fake ... but the stunts are VERY real and come with real risks.

Just ask WWE superstar Ridge Holland -- who underwent REAL surgery after suffering a gruesome injury on live TV earlier this month.