TMZ Sports - Page 50

Corey Anderson ain't mincing words ... telling TMZ Sports the winner of his fight with Vadim Nemkov will without question be the best light heavyweight fighter in the world.

The debate's raged on since 32-year-old Anderson beat the former champ, Ryan Bader, in just 51 seconds over the weekend ... sending "Overtime" into the Bellator light heavyweight tourney finale against 29-year-old Nemkov.

Fighters like Jan Blachowicz have weighed in ... claiming the world's best 205-pound fighters reside in the UFC -- not Bellator.

But, when we talked to Anderson ... we asked him if the fight was for the best LHW, and he said yes, and called BS on the narrative that the UFC has better 205-lb fighters.

"A hundred percent, hundred percent. Especially If I win it, and I already beat two guys fighting for the belt in another promotion. Let's say Glover goes out there and beats Jan, which I think he will, the last time Glover lost was to who? Corey Anderson."

FYI, Blachowicz and Glover Teixeira are fighting for the UFC title at UFC 267 next weekend ... 2 guys Corey has previously beaten.

Anderson fought Jan twice ... winning 1 (2015), losing 1 (2020). Corey beat Glover in 2018 by unanimous decision.

We also asked Corey how important it'd be for him to become champ after being so close in the UFC .. but falling just short of winning the belt.

"That's the most important thing. The financial thing is great, but it's just the cherry on top. We can live the life, my family can live the life. Wife get a new car, I get a new car. Whatever you wanna do. That's all great and dandy."

Anderson continued ... "In the end, I’m in this sport to be the best. I got here to be the best. To finish with that belt around my waist, that means I did it. I reached the pinnacle, I reached exactly what I wanted to do, be the best, and then I did it and made a lot of money while doing it."

"The money is great but gold is the goal."

Former UFC fighter Brian Gassaway -- who fought MMA legend, Diego Sanchez, back in 2005 -- has died, his family and friends announced. He was just 49 years old.

A cause of death has not yet been revealed.

According to a GoFundMe set up in Gassaway's honor, the 29-20-2 brawler was just as good of an MMA coach as he was a fighter -- with his family and friends calling him a legend in the combat sports world.

"Brian's selfless pursuit of improving the lives of his students through the study of martial arts was apparent to all," the statement read. "He gave his students purpose, pulling many up during their darkest moments. Being the light that showed them the path forward."

Gassaway fought for all kinds of promotions in over a decade as a pro -- including Bellator, WEC and King of the Cage in addition to UFC.

He's best known for his tilt against Sanchez at UFC 54 -- a fight that he lost by a 2nd-round TKO.

"He lived his life with purpose and goodness, dedicating every waking moment to being a better person, husband, friend, fighter and coach," Gassaway's family and friends said.

"And, at the same time, he elevated the lives of all the people around him."

Gassaway leaves behind a wife and son.

Wanna be LeBron James' neighbor?? Lakers co-owner Jesse Buss just put his L.A. mansion on the market for nearly $11 million ... and while it's got a dope pool and home theater, the best perk is it's close to the NBA superstar's house!!

The 3-floor Brentwood estate is pretty incredible -- it has 6 bedrooms, 9 bathrooms and a chef kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances, a home theater, full gym, an illuminated bar and a temperature-controlled wine cellar.

On top of that, there's a luxurious pool with views of the city and canyons.

The master bedroom has a walk-in closet and oversized bathroom ... which comes with a steam shower and bathtub that also has views of the ocean.

As we previously reported, Buss got the pad back in 2018 ... which made it super convenient for him to link up with the 4-time NBA champ for neighborhood meet-ups or bro time. But now, he's looking to part ways with the crib.

Evander Kane will not be allowed to play for the Sharks for the first quarter of the season ... the NHL just banned the star forward 21 games for violating the league's COVID-19 protocol.

League officials announced the suspension in a statement Monday ... though they did not specify what rule he broke.

Of course, Kane had been reportedly under investigation for allegedly submitting a fake COVID vaccine card to the NHL ... but the league only said in their statement Monday that Kane was being barred "for an established violation of, and lack of compliance with, the NHL/NHLPA COVID-19 Protocol."

The league added that Kane will not be paid during the suspension ... with his forfeited cash going to the league's Players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

Kane will now not be able to re-join the Sharks on the ice until their Nov. 30 game against the New Jersey Devils.

The NHL also revealed in its statement it could not substantiate the domestic violence claims that his estranged wife, Deanna, had levied against him in recent court docs.

"There will be no further comment," league officials said.

The news comes just 1 month after the NHL announced it found no evidence that Kane had gambled on his own games -- something his ex alleged he had done in the past.

Legendary college hoops broadcaster Dick Vitale just revealed he has cancer again ... just months after beating another form of the disease in August.

"For the second time in just a few months, I've been diagnosed with a form of cancer," Dickie V said on Monday.

"As a result of some symptoms I've had in recent weeks, I've been undergoing tests and doctors have now confirmed it's lymphoma."

The 82-year-old says medical professionals don't believe the lymphoma is related to the skin cancer he had multiple surgeries on in August.

"What's evident is that the treatment plan for this lymphoma is going to be a lot tougher, and in both cases, early detection played an important role in helping to manage the cancers."

The ESPN great says he will do six months of chemotherapy and treat his lymphoma with steroids -- and, some good news ... "The medical experts tell me it has a 90-percent cure rate," he added.

"They say I can continue to work so I will have to manage my work schedule around my chemo schedule as they will monitor my test results along the way."

Dickie V says early detection is key to getting treatment for the deadly disease ... something he's learned from working with the V Foundation.

"If you see me, please just give me a fist bump and say a prayer that I can return from being 82 years old to acting like I'm 12. Thanks so much for your love."

Chuck Liddell and his estranged wife, Heidi, just caught a break in their domestic violence case ... 'cause the L.A. District Attorney has decided NOT to prosecute the couple after they were allegedly involved in a physical confrontation last week.

TMZ Sports has learned authorities spoke with Liddell, Heidi, and their child ... and determined that they likely were involved in an argument that turned physical, but no one was seriously hurt -- so, no charges.

Chuck and Heidi's daughter did tell prosecutors she witnessed her parents pushing each other. The report also indicated Chuck had a red mark on his face ... while Heidi had no visible injuries.

As we previously reported, Chuck adamantly denies he was the aggressor ... and instead claims he was actually the victim.

We broke the story ... Chuck was arrested early Monday morning after cops received a 911 call for a domestic disturbance.

Chuck was taken to a local Los Angeles jail. Heidi was given a citation.

It's been more than a week since Texas A&M football fans rushed the field after beating Alabama ... but Nick Saban still has the scars bruises to prove it.

Of course, Aggies backers couldn't resist storming onto the gridiron after A&M upset the #1-ranked Crimson Tide on Oct. 9 ... winning 41-38.

Bama's head coach couldn't escape the sea of fans unscathed ... 'cause on Monday, he showed off a baseball-sized mark during a press conference with reporters.

"I still got a big bruise on my arm here from what happened after the Texas A&M game," the 69-year-old coach said.

But of course, Saban was able to spin the mark into a GOOD thing ... saying, "I can always just look at that as a reminder to what it feels like to be in that situation and motivate myself to try and do a better job with our players."

BTW, Saban's not the only coach facing off with fans -- Ole Miss' Lane Kiffin had his share of mayhem this weekend with trash (and even a golf ball) being thrown at him after the game against the Tennessee Volunteers.

With these two incidents in the last 2 weeks, Saban was asked if the SEC should do more to protect the teams ... and he said, "I don't think that's my question to really answer."

"I've said this before -- we're in entertainment business. There's a lot of people that come to the games, they got a lot of passion and excitement for what they do."

"Hopefully, institution and fans will always do that in a positive way."

Ex-Bears star Olin Kreutz is so furious with Aaron Rodgers over his "I still own you" taunt ... he said Monday he wanted to punch the Packers QB in the face over it all.

Rodgers made the savage remarks following a touchdown run in yet another win over the Bears in Chicago ... screaming to fans, "All my f***ing life, I own you."

He added, "I still own you! I still own you!"

After the game, Rodgers explained he had made the comments after seeing fans flip him off ... and Kreutz told "670 The Score" he couldn't stand any of it.

"I'd like to punch him in his face, to be honest," said the former Bears O-lineman, who made six Pro Bowls with the team in his 13 years in Chicago.

"I'd like to punch him in his face. When you see that, that's your first reaction."

Kreutz also railed against Rodgers' explanation for the taunt ... adding, "I'd like to tell you exactly how I feel about it, but I can't say too much on the radio about exactly how I feel about Aaron Rodgers doing that."

FYI -- Rodgers has, in fact, owned Chicago in his career, piling up a 22-5 record against the Bears ... and while Kreutz acknowledged the QB wasn't necessarily wrong in his crass statements, he didn't want to hear them regardless.

"Just because you're right," Kreutz said, "it doesn't make you right for doing it."

Cam Newton might not be jobless much longer ...

Seahawks head coach, Pete Carroll, confirmed Monday they've reached out to the former MVP in wake of Russell Wilson's injury.

But, a signing might not necessarily be imminent ... 'cause Carroll added the team is also "talking to everybody that could help us."

Still, the contact could certainly precede a contract, with the 'Hawks in desperate need of QB help while Wilson is out for the next couple weeks battling a busted finger.

Geno Smith has filled in well for Wilson so far, but the depth behind him ain't exactly robust -- and Cam is definitely the best option among free agent signal-callers.

For his part, Newton, who was released by the Patriots in August, has insisted he's ready to play, saying in a video over the weekend, "I still get that urge to go out and perform and do something that I've been doing since I was 7 years old."

Newton also explained he's gotten the COVID-19 vaccination ... and added he has been getting "offers" from teams.

"The realization of it is," he said, "it has to be right."

Jonathan Goodwin's terrifying car stunt gone wrong left him riddled with injuries over much of his body ... and it sounds excruciating.

According to the police report, obtained by TMZ, the professional daredevil suffered multiple broken bones in both of his legs, plus cuts all over his face and burns.

It sounds like Jonathan got super lucky ... the responding officer says he was able to observe the stuntman after the incident and he was conscious and alert. Police say EMTs determined Jonathan had good vital signs.

Still, the injuries were bad enough that he needed to be airlifted to a nearby hospital, where he underwent surgery.

We broke the story ... the incident was captured on video, and the footage shows the moment Jonathan is sandwiched between 2 cars, causing a massive fireball to explode.

Jonathan was supposed to fall under the cars before they smashed together, but the timing wasn't quite right ... and instead, he got crunched.

After the impact, the police report notes Jonathan fell another 40 feet and missed the airbag that was supposed to catch him. So, this was a double whammy.

Scary moment for race fans in Connecticut this weekend -- a car flipped and crashed into a fence mid-race ... leaving multiple people injured.

The wild wreck happened Sunday night at the New London-Waterford Speedbowl during a 100-lap event.

In footage from the track, you can see driver Tim Jordan lost control of his car when he made contact with an opponent while fighting for 5th place.

Jordan's ride ended up on two wheels ... before it terrifyingly crashed into a fence where fans were standing.

Video shows the spectators were horrified, screaming and sprinting for cover as the car exploded just feet away from them.

According to track officials, several people were injured in the incident ... though they claim, thankfully, everyone is expected to recover just fine.

"We're happy to report everyone involved in tonight's incident is okay," the officials said in a statement.

"Motherhood’s some badass, primal, beautiful s**t that shouldn’t be hidden."

That's Ronda Rousey's message to anyone who thinks breastfeeding in public is inappropriate -- saying it's about damn time people accepted it as something that's completely normal.

The UFC Hall of Famer posted about the topic on Instagram ... sharing a caption passionately espousing the incredible act that is making and caring for a newborn baby.

"Our boys asked me the other day how I’m gunna feed Pō on the plane when we take her with us to Hawaii. And I was like, 'uhhh, same way I always do' 🤷🏼‍♀️Then it occurred to me that they probably never seen anyone breastfeed before and weren’t sure if it was appropriate in public."

FYI, Ronda and her hubby Travis Browne -- who married in 2017 -- had their baby, La'akea Makalapuaokalanipō Browne, in late-September 2021.

34-year-old Rousey continued ... "It still blows my mind that my body assembled this little person, pushed her out and now makes everything she needs to thrive🤯 It’s really nothing to be ashamed of, it’s something to brag about🤰🏼👩🏼‍🍼"

As we previously reported, Olympian Torah Bright also opened the doors to her breastfeeding experience ... doing a headstand while feeding her son earlier this year.

Many other women have been pushing back after years of being shamed for feeding their children in public ... and now Ronda is joining the movement.

WNBA superstar Diana Taurasi allegedly took her frustrations out on a locker room door after losing to the Chicago Sky in the 2021 Finals ... with the future Hall of Famer reportedly slamming it until it was completely wrecked.

The incident allegedly happened after the Phoenix Mercury lost 80-74 in Game 4 of the championship series -- with the Sky securing its first title in franchise history.

According to The Next Hoops, Taurasi was apparently so pissed by the loss, she started banging the door ... almost cracking it in half.

If it went down as reported, it's a wild fit of rage from Taurasi, but it's not the first time she had controversy this series -- in Game 3, she shoved a referee while trying to help her teammate, Sophie Cunningham, get off the ground. The 10-time All-Star was fined $2,500.

There may be another fine coming soon ... the Mercury players declined speaking with the media after the Finals loss, which could result in a financial penalty.

However, Mercury head coach Sandy Brondello did speak at the postgame press conference saying, "there's a lot of disappointment in that locker room, as it should be."

"But, I am proud how we worked just to get here."

A Minnesota Vikings fan was sent crashing to the ground after being socked in the face during a wild melee at the Panthers game Sunday ... and all of the violence was captured on video.

The scene went down at some point during the Vikes' win over Carolina at Bank Of America Stadium ... when a man clad in purple got into a verbal altercation with several Panthers fans.

In footage of the fracas, you can see the Minnesota fan immediately started scrapping with a man in a Jaycee Horn jersey ... before yelling at others in the area.

Several people stepped in to intervene ... and pushing, shoving and screaming ensued.

Eventually, the altercation turned seriously violent ... with the man in the purple shirt being thrown to the ground and then being hit by a thunderous punch.

The guy laid on the floor for several moments ... but got up and appeared to try to continue the fight.

Meanwhile, another woman was knocked to the ground amid all of the chaos.

It's unclear what started the brawl, if there were injuries or if any arrests were made. We've reached out to cops, but so far, no word back yet.

Of course, fighting at NFL stadiums has unfortunately been commonplace this year ... with violent scuffles -- including one at the Bears vs. Rams game earlier this season -- breaking out seemingly weekly.

Great news for Darrell Taylor -- the Seattle Seahawks defensive end is doing well after being stretchered off the field in a scary moment during Sunday's game ... with coach Pete Carroll saying initial reports are "really good."

Taylor was carted off and taken to a nearby hospital after suffering an injury in the 4th quarter ... with players circling around him in support as he laid immobilized.

Carroll gave an update on Taylor's status after the 'Hawks' 23-20 loss to the Steelers ... saying all his initial tests came back clear and he was able to travel with the team.

"The CT scans were clear, so that's a really good preliminary report," Carroll told reporters. "There's some more tests to be done and stuff like that, so we're thrilled about that news."

Carroll says Taylor has full movement in his arms and legs ... and admits the pass rusher would have preferred to not have left the field the way he did.

"He was so mad about having to be taken off the field like that," Carroll added.

"He wanted to get up, they just wouldn't let him do it, because they had to do all the secure methods to take care of him and all of that. But man, he didn't want any part of that."

Taylor is one of the best defensive players for the 'Hawks ... with 4 sacks this season.

Patrick Mahomes' brother says he meant "absolutely no disrespect" by dancing on a Sean Taylor memorial Sunday ... explaining the whole thing was a complete misunderstanding.

Jackson Mahomes -- who's gained fame over the last two years for his TikToks -- recorded himself stepping on a swath of grass at FedExField that had been spray painted to honor Taylor.

The moves -- set to a popular song -- were seen as wildly inappropriate ... given that the Washington Football Team had chained off the area in order to recognize Taylor, who was having his number 21 retired 14 years after his tragic death.

Fans blasted the younger Mahomes on social media ... with others noting that he and Patrick's fiancee, Brittany Matthews, had even been standing on the logo prior to the dancing.

Jackson issued an apology hours after the Chiefs left the stadium with a win, deleting the TikTok and saying WFT officials had actually "directed" him to be there.

"I want to sincerely apologize for accidentally being on the Sean Taylor #21 at FedEx Field," Jackson said. "We were directed to stand in that area and I meant absolutely no disrespect to him or his family."

This is not the first time Jackson has created a headline at a Chiefs game this season ... just a few weeks ago, he doused a trash-talking Ravens fan with water.

Patrick said after that incident he was hopeful his brother would "learn from it."