TMZ Sports - Page 50

Wrestling star Cody Rhodes got a HUGE assist from T-Pain during his AEW match Wednesday -- getting a steel chair from the artist that he used to smash his opponent with!!

The wild scene all went down during Rhodes' insane "Dynamite" match with Andrade ... when Rhodes spotted Pain in the Atlanta crowd.

Rhodes -- who's buddies with the "Buy U A Drank" crooner -- went over to embrace the musical genius mid-match ... and that's when Pain handed over his steel chair to help him get an edge on Andrade.

Rhodes took the ringside furniture and proceeded to whack his opponent in the back with it -- causing Andrade to wince in pain.

Of course, it was all legal as the two wrestlers were fighting under "street" rules -- but the craziest thing is the whole interaction wasn't even the highlight of the match!!

Cody's wife, Brandi Rhodes, later entered the ring and poured gasoline on a table that had been set up ... and then lit it on fire.

Rhodes then hit Andrade with a sick reverse DDT through the flaming table ... sending the raucous crowd into a frenzy.

Conor McGregor is helping a fellow Irishman and MMA fighter ... by donating $11k to a man who needs money for stem cell treatment after being paralyzed from a horrific injury during training.

The terrible incident happened in July ... when the 1-1 welterweight Ian Coughlan had a freak accident while training for an upcoming fight.

The 29-year-old fighter spent months in Ireland hospitals and rehabilitation in an effort to get back on his feet ... but was told by doctors he may never walk again.

However, another hospital in Germany -- which specializes in spinal cord injuries -- says they can help him out with their Stem Cell and HAL treatment ... but Coughlan needs $73,000 euros ($82,779 in USD) to cover it.

McGregor wasted no time stepping up to help -- sending the Irish fighter 10,000 euros ($11,339 in USD) to his GoFundMe on Thursday.

McGregor is also planning to attend a fundraiser for Coughlan with his coach John Kavanagh -- a super seminar called "Unstoppable" on Dec. 18 in Dublin.

"Guys let’s get together and support this young Irish fighter who suffered a terrible injury at a gym in Ireland," McGregor said via Twitter.

"Coach John and the team at SBG are hosting a training day and my own recovery permitting, I hope to be in attendance. There will be signed fight wear also!"

Other stars like UFC's Johnny Walker and Ultimate Fighter's Brad Katona will also be there in support.

"We’re looking forward to this," coach Kavanagh said, "The 'Unstoppable Seminar’ raising some much needed funds for the unstoppable Ian Coughlan."

"Let’s do this for him. Let’s do this for his family. Let’s show the strength of the MMA and martial arts community."

Pour one out for this fan's beer -- 'cause one unlucky courtside spectator got leveled when a player dove for a loose ball on Wednesday ... and lost his drink in the process!!!

It all went down with 3 minutes left in the Georgia Tech vs. Wisconsin game ... when 6'4" guard Brad Davison tried like hell to keep the ball inbounds with the Badgers up 65-61.

In the effort, Davison ran right into a Tech fan in the front row ... sending the guy into the laps of fans next to him before hitting the deck.

To make matters worse, the guy was holding a brew at the time of impact ... which naturally went flying into his face and all over his clothes!

Unfortunately for Davison, his foot was already on the line ... so the whole thing was all for naught.

But, everyone involved appeared to be okay -- the fan even dapped up and hugged Davison before play resumed.

The Badgers went on to win, 70-66 ... so not only did the fan go home soaked, he also went home with a loss.

Evander Kane's estranged wife released a video on Wednesday showing the NHL star pointing a gun at her -- but the hockey player says the whole thing is not what it appears to be.

Anna Kane -- who's in the middle of an extremely contentious divorce with Evander -- posted the footage on her social media page ... saying it showed the 30-year-old with a "loaded" firearm.

In the clip, Evander -- wearing a white button-down shirt -- can be seen walking into a garage with the gun, before he eventually raised it in the air and then pointed it in Anna's direction.

"Pointing a loaded gun at me," Anna said in the caption on the video, adding, "Psycho path."

Evander's attorneys, though, say the vid is "intentionally taken out of context" -- and claim it's all another "tactic" by Anna "to defame Evander in the public eye."

"She posted videos, taken intentionally out of context, from a professional photo shoot both parties participated in back in 2020," Evander's attorneys said in a statement to TMZ Sports.

"Her conduct, unfortunately, is consistent with her prior actions throughout this [divorce] case. Each time, we hope it will be the last. Each time, we strive to keep the peace and put the best foot forward. Each time, Evander is exonerated and Ms. Kane's allegations are unsubstantiated."

The attorneys continued, "Evander continues to hope Ms. Kane gets the help she needs, and requests privacy for everyone involved."

As we previously reported, Anna filed for divorce from Evander in July -- and the two have been combative ever since, accusing each other in court documents of heinous things.

Evander said Anna beat him multiple times and faked a pregnancy for months. Anna, meanwhile, claimed Evander sexually assaulted her, hit her on multiple occasions, and bet on his own NHL games.

Tiger Woods might not be healthy enough to play a full round of golf -- but his leg is certainly feelin' good enough for him to bro down on the range with Bryson DeChambeau!!

TMZ Sports has obtained video of the two golf superstars goofin' around with a football on a practice course in the Bahamas on Wednesday afternoon ... and it ain't hard to see Woods is in great spirits.

Bryson was firing footballs off a tee box -- and Woods was loving it, dappin' up his golf buddy and then playing a little catch with him too.

At one point, Tiger put a little too much heat on a toss to Bryson ... and, yeah, watch the clip, DeChambeau needed a second to recover.

Of course, it's all just another good indication that Woods' life is turning back to normal just nine months after he nearly lost his leg in a violent car crash in Los Angeles.

As we reported, Woods has said several times this week that he's doing well -- and he is, in fact, trying to make a comeback to the PGA Tour.

But, Tiger noted there's still a long recovery process to go ... adding that he'll likely never be a full-time pro again due to everything his body's gone through.

Robert Griffin III says he was the victim of sexual harassment while a member of Washington's NFL team ... and the former Pro Bowl quarterback says he will expose the organization in an upcoming book.

The 31-year-old free agent signal-caller announced Surviving Washington will be dropping next year ... and promised to shed light on what he calls "one of the most dysfunctional franchises in all of sports."

Washington drafted Griffin with the 2nd overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He played in D.C. until 2016 ... making the Pro Bowl during his rookie year.

During his time in the nation's capital, Griffin claims the organization was a crap storm, and he's ready to expose the people who allegedly wronged him.

"I'm gonna detail the medical mismanagement that I received during my time in Washington," Robert said on social media while asking fans to preorder the book.

"I'm gonna open your eyes to the sexual harassment that permeated the walls of that building and give you a deep dive into a power struggle between one of the most powerful coaches in all of sports and an owner who many of you want gone."

FYI, Mike Shanahan was Washington's head coach when RG3 was drafted.

Griffin isn't the first former Washington team employee to claim sexual harassment. Last year at least 15 ex-workers alleged they were treated inappropriately on the job.

The league investigated and ultimately fined WFT $10 million ... a record-setting amount.

Chad Johnson did his best Santa Claus impression last weekend ... gifting a $1,000 tip to a single mother waitress -- and the gesture was awesome.

TMZ Sports has learned the ex-NFL star was dining at Bar Louie in Tampa, Fla. back on Nov. 26 -- and after piling up a $102 bill, he decided to get super generous.

The former Cincinnati Bengals wideout added a $1,000 tip to his total ... and when his waitress, Kayla Ashby, went back to him to make sure it wasn't a mistake, we're told he revealed to her it was no joke.

Ashby, we're told, thanked Chad ... and said afterward that she and her son, Zaith, are going to have a wonderful Christmas thanks in part to Johnson's generosity.

Of course, Chad's done this many times in the past ... the 43-year-old is known for leaving big tips every now and then.

As for the message he left to Ashby, Johnson wrote alongside the big tip, "Merry X-mas early. You can catch the Black Friday sales."

Johnson added, "'I love you.'"

Tate Myre -- a star junior for the Oxford Wildcats football team -- died trying to disarm the gunman during the tragic school shooting on Tuesday ... and now, the running back's peers want to honor his legacy by renaming the stadium after him.

A 15-year-old was taken into custody after 3 students were killed and 8 others were injured in the 5-minute attack ... with witnesses claiming the athlete tried to subdue the shooter.

16-year-old Myre was shot in the confrontation and was rushed by a deputy to a local hospital. Unfortunately, Myre succumbed to his injuries in the police car.

Myre's classmates have been posting about their grief ... sharing memorable stories about Tate. One person even launched a Change.org petition, calling on the school to rename Wildcats Stadium in his honor -- it currently has more than 55,000 signatures.

Myre was a standout athlete for the Wildcats -- he was interested in playing for schools like Michigan State, Texas, Notre Dame, USC, Texas A&M and more.

In his recruitment bio, Myre had goals of playing at the next level.

"I have been in love with football since I was young and always dreamed of playing college football," he said in his profile. "If I play college football I will be the hardest worker on the field and no matter the situation in the game I will give all my effort."

Myre appeared to be on his way to making that dream a reality -- he recently visited the University of Toledo on a recruitment trip.

Dana White didn't make it through the Thanksgiving holiday unscathed ... 'cause the UFC boss announced he tested positive for COVID-19 -- but thankfully he says he's feelin' okay.

White broke the news during an interview with Jim Rome ... revealing his entire family caught the virus after a weekend at his house in Maine.

“We just went up to my place in Maine and for Thanksgiving, it’s tradition we go up there, and somebody had it, and we get back, and we all tested positive for COVID,” White said.

Dana says he felt fine but realized something was wrong when he couldn't smell anything.

“We got back on Saturday. On Sunday, I cold plunge and steam every day,” White continued. “So I get out of the cold plunge and steam, and I spray the eucalyptus and I was like, ‘What the hell?’ I couldn’t smell anything."

White -- who's fully vaccinated -- says aside from losing taste and smell, his symptoms were minimal.

But, who do you call when you have COVID? Joe Rogan, of course!

Of course, nothing says controversy like Rogan and COVID. The JRE host was slammed by CNN and other outlets for using Ivermectin to battle the virus.

Still, everyone from Aaron Rodgers and now the UFC prez have consulted with Joe ... who himself battled and beat COVID.

As for Dana, he says he's doing fine and is actually gunning to attend the UFC fights this weekend.

Gracie Hunt -- daughter of K.C. Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt -- competed in the Miss USA Pageant Monday night ... and she finished in the top 16!!

The 22-year-old, who won the title of Miss Kansas back in April, competed in the event ... following in her mother's footsteps.

FYI, Tavia Hunt was crowned Miss Kansas USA in 1993 ... and played an instrumental role in influencing and grooming her daughter as the heiress to the throne, literally.

“I can’t express how much I love you. Thank you for your wisdom, sacrifices, and all of effort you’ve poured into walking this journey alongside me. Thank you for being my role model and best friend. I wouldn’t be here today without you. @Taviahunt,” Hunt wrote.

And, even though she didn't walk away with the crown ... Gracie certainly represented herself well at the pageant, one of the most competitive in the world.

Gracie posted a video from the show ... showing off several different looks she rocked during the competition.

In addition to her success in pageants, Gracie was also a promising soccer player back in the day but had her athletic career derailed by injuries.

With the pageant officially behind her, Hunt made sure to show appreciation for her fans saying ... "Thank you to everyone who lifted me and supported me on my pageant journey. I’m grateful to God for the opportunity and experience."

Atlanta Braves star Marcell Ozuna had his hand aggressively wrapped around his wife's neck just minutes before his arrest last May ... new police video, obtained by TMZ Sports, shows.

The incident all went down on May 29 in Sandy Springs, GA., after cops say they were called to a residence regarding "an assault in progress."

In an officer's bodycam footage from the scene, you can see as the cop arrived at the home, Ozuna grabbed his wife around her throat with his right hand.

"Get your hands off her!" the officer can be heard telling the 6-foot-1, 225-pound MLB player in the footage. "Get on the ground! Get on the ground!"

Ozuna -- who was wearing a hard cast on his left hand due to an injury he had suffered in a game just days before the incident -- complied, and was eventually arrested.

In police documents, cops say Ozuna's wife told them the altercation had all begun over cheating claims.

Ozuna was initially hit with felony charges over the incident, including aggravated assault by strangulation. But, the counts were eventually reduced to misdemeanor family violence charges -- and Ozuna agreed to enter into a pretrial diversion program to close out the case.

Ozuna was ordered to, among other things, complete at least 200 hours of community service as well as take an anger management course. He was also placed on six months of supervision.

The outfielder was ultimately suspended by the MLB over it all this week, getting hit with a 20-game ban -- although because the punishment was retroactive in nature, Ozuna is now eligible to return as soon as the 2022 season begins.

"Any instance of domestic violence is unacceptable, and we fully support the decision by the commissioner's office regarding Marcell," the Braves said after the MLB announced the suspension.

"We are encouraged to know that Marcell has accepted full responsibility for his actions and is taking the necessary measures to learn and grow from the situation."

We've reached out to both the MLB and the Braves following the release of the police video, but so far, no word back yet.

The Women's Tennis Association is sending a strong message to China amid the Peng Shuai case ... saying the organization will suspend all events in the country until a full investigation is conducted into her sexual assault allegations made against a powerful government official.

Steve Simon -- the WTA's CEO and Chairman -- sounded off on the handling of Shuai situation in a statement on Wednesday ... saying, "Unfortunately, the leadership in China has not addressed this very serious issue in any credible way."

"While we now know where Peng is," he added, "I have serious doubts that she is free, safe and not subject to censorship, coercion and intimidation. The WTA has been clear on what is needed here, and we repeat our call for a full and transparent investigation -- without censorship -- into Peng Shuai’s sexual assault accusation."

Simon says China's actions are unacceptable -- "If powerful people can suppress the voices of women and sweep allegations of sexual assault under the rug, then the basis on which the WTA was founded – equality for women – would suffer an immense setback. I will not and cannot let that happen to the WTA and its players."

Because of this, Simon says the WTA is suspending all events immediately ... also citing concerns other players could face in the country.

Simon says he regrets the issue getting to this point, but the WTA was left with no choice.

A high school basketball player wound up and sucker-punched his opponent twice during postgame handshakes this week ... and now cops are investigating.

Here's what we know -- Nevada H.S. was facing off against Carlisle H.S. in Iowa on Tuesday ... and when both teams lined up to say "good game" after Nevada's 72-47 win, #4 on Carlisle attacked #5 on Nevada.

Unclear what happened in the game, but it appears the players were going through the line without incident before the Carlisle guard threw punches to the opponent's stomach and head.

The player who was attacked then falls to the ground as other players and coaches step in to put a stop to the altercation ... with the Carlisle player getting wrestled to the ground.

We spoke with Nevada superintendent Dr. Steve Gray, who tells us the player is currently doing okay.

"It's a very unfortunate situation," he tells TMZ Sports. "I'm happy they deescalated it. I thought our coaches and staff handled it well and got everyone out of there without it worsening."

Carlisle PD tells us they are aware of the incident and an investigation is underway.

An officer was present during the game, but the player was not arrested.

The Carlisle superintendent tells us ... "This is without question an unfortunate incident that is not representative of the school culture that exists in Carlisle Community School District."

"I want to make it clear that this type of conduct is not tolerated at Carlisle CSD. The district will follow the student code of conduct policy and procedures throughout the investigation of this incident and implement appropriate consequences.

"All proper authorities have been notified of the incident including IHSAA."

Dave Draper -- one of the most legendary figures in the history of bodybuilding -- has died ... and Arnold Schwarzenegger says he's torn up over the news.

Draper's wife announced the passing on her Facebook page on Tuesday, saying, "Dave died early this morning."

"I was with him and it was calm and peaceful," Laree Draper added. "It, as his doctor told me a little while ago, was a good death."

Dave was 79 years old.

Schwarzenegger took the news hard ... writing on his social media page Tuesday afternoon that Dave was one of his biggest inspirations.

"In Austria," Schwarzenegger said, "I kept his photo on the wall above my bed for motivation."

In fact, Schwarzenegger said when he eventually moved to the United States, he met Dave and they became pals and training partners.

"He couldn't have been more welcoming, and he always pushed everyone around him in the gym to be better," Schwarzenegger said. "He was an amazing writer and a great family man."

"I will miss the Blond Bomber, but his memory will always be with me. My thoughts are with Laree and the family."

Dave began bodybuilding at a young age -- and famously won the Mr. New Jersey title in 1962, when he was just 21 years old.

Dave went on to win a Mr. Universe crown in 1966 ... and later starred in a bunch of TV and movie roles, including Sharon Tate's famous 1967 flick, "Don't Make Waves."

Tank Davis and Ryan Garcia may have more Instagram followers than George Kambosos Jr. ... but when it comes to boxing skills, the newly crowned champ's adamant there ain't a 135 lb. fighter in the world who's better in the ring.

"Yes, by far. I got all the belts. I'm #1, and I took out the guy who took out the guy, so I'm the top dog in the division. And, they're all hunting me now, which is great cause it shows I am the guy now," the 28-year-old boxing star told TMZ Sports when asked if he was the best lightweight in the world.

FYI, the 135 pound division is STACKED ... with killers like Vasiliy Lomachenko and Devin Haney competing in the weight class, in addition to Gervonta, Garcia and a bunch of other tough fighters.

Of course, 20-0 Kambosos shocked the boxing world Saturday in NYC ... defeating heavy favorite and top-ranked lightweight fighter, Teofimo Lopez, via split decision.

Speaking of the judges' decision ... Teo's dad is adamant his son actually won the fight, a sentiment George says is "delusional."

"That's just delusional. He's probably the only guy in the world that's saying that right now," Kambosos told us, adding, "The world saw the fight. Everybody saw the fight. His own people in New York were booing him and were applauding me."

"Whatever they wanna say. Whatever delusional stories they want to have, that's fine. There's no disrespect there and I am the champion of the world."

We also talked to George about a possible rematch with Lopez, and who he's got his sights set on now that he's the lightweight king.

Mac Jones is following in Tom Brady's footsteps in more ways than one ... 'cause the New England Patriots quarterback just filed to trademark his own version of "TB12's" nickname -- "MJ10."

Records show Jones' "Mac 10 Enterprises" officially filed for the phrase on November 26 ... with the intent to use it for all things clothes -- from beanies to hats to pants to athletic jackets/shorts/shirts/sweaters and more, as reported by Darren Rovell.

We get it -- Brady didn't have the most original nickname to begin with, but the similarity is hard to ignore when the guy who held Mac's job for 20 years built a whole brand around his initials and number.

Now, if Jones ends up making avocado ice cream recipes and raving about "pliability," then we'd call the guy a copycat ... but for now, it's most likely a coincidence.

The filing is probably bad news for Cam Newton's nickname for Jones -- "Mac and Cheese" -- but let's be honest, that moniker didn't really have legs, anyway.