TMZ Sports - Page 32

Popular streamer Kai Cenat invaded Shannon Sharpe's show to set the record straight on his height ... confronting the Hall of Famer for calling him "three feet" tall on national television -- and the whole interaction was hilarious!!

Shannon had social media buzzing when he evoked Kai's height while dissing Jaylen Brown's dunk contest performance on Monday's edition of "First Take" -- ripping the Celtics star for leaping over a sitting Cenat ... when other guys had more impressive attempts with big men like Shaquille O'Neal.

Cenat got wind of Sharpe's comments ... and he went BALLISTIC on his livestream, jumping up and yelling expletives directed at the former tight end.

But he wasn't satisfied with sounding off in front of his viewers ... he had to step onto Shannon's turf on his "Nightcap" show to clear the air even further.

"Why you call me three feet?" Kai said. "Hold on, bro. Stop lying to these people."

Cenat insisted he's actually 5'9" ... but regardless, Shay Shay explained his stance, insisting his issue had more to do with Brown's decision-making than the YouTuber's stature.

Ultimately, it appears the two sides are on good terms now ... and were able to bury the hatchet.

The UFC and WWE are now owned by the same company, and that couldn't be clearer Monday night ... UFC star Michael Chandler showed up to Raw and cut a wild promo, attacking "candy ass" Conor McGregor!

"What's up Anaheim? You are now in the presence of the most entertaining UFC fighter on the planet," Iron Mike screamed to the packed crowd at the Hondo Center, and then he took aim at The Notorious.

"There's a man from Ireland that's been making me wait way too long, and I still got one dude on my mind, Conor McGregor, get your candy ass back to the Octagon! We got some unfinished business boys, God bless! I'll see you at the top!"

It was a cool, unexpected moment ... and it likely won't be the last time a UFC star has the mic at a WWE event, and perhaps vice versa.

Last year, the UFC's parent company, Endeavor, merged with WWE ... creating TKO Group Holdings, an enormous company with a market cap of nearly $15 billion. The Rock sits on the company's board. Ari Emanuel is the CEO.

As for what Chandler said from just outside the squared circle, he took a shot at McGregor ... as the pair still doesn't have an official fight date despite almost a year passing since the men coached against each other on "The Ultimate Fighter."

Last month, it finally appeared the guys had decided on a date ... June 29 in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, there's been nothing set in stone since.

A college basketball game looked more like the Royal Rumble on Monday ... with the postgame handshakes going from sportsmanlike to straight-up violent in one of the wildest brawls to date.

The scrap went down after Texas A&M-Commerce defeated Incarnate Word 76-72 at the Alice P. McDermott Convocation Center in San Antonio .... when at some point in saying "good game," two opponents got ticked off and bumped into each other.

It's unclear what exactly led to the altercation, but it quickly escalated ... with players from both teams throwing hands.

Despite the attempts of coaches, staffers, and peaceful athletes to break it all up, the fight continued for at least a minute before the teams were separated.

According to the ESPN broadcast, a "young girl" in the crowd was injured at some point ... and another team manager was bleeding from the face.

Both teams addressed the incident in a statement shortly after the game ... saying, "The University of the Incarnate Word and Texas A&M University-Commerce apologize for the behavior exhibited by our respective men's basketball programs following the game on Monday night."

"There is no place in college sports for such actions. The unsportsmanlike conduct that occurred after the game does not reflect the values of the universities involved, as well as the Southland Conference and their member institutions."

A massive crash marred the final laps of the Daytona 500 ... as 23 cars in total pinballed off each other in a wild mess toward the end of the famed race -- although the carnage ultimately allowed underdog William Byron to come out with the win.

The chaos happened with eight laps to go at Daytona International Speedway in Florida ... when Alex Bowman started the wreck by nudging Byron.

The bump caused Byron's No. 24 car to slide into Brad Keselowski's ... which set off a huge chain reaction of accidents.

Check out the replay from the race's broadcast ... more than half of the 40 vehicles in the field got caught up in the melee.

Somehow, Byron escaped it all unscathed ... and after another set of drivers wrecked a few moments after officials got the track all cleaned up, the 26-year-old was declared the winner.

Afterward, he celebrated like crazy ... telling reporters he couldn't believe it all was actually happening.

The race, meanwhile, was delayed a full day ... after rain forced NASCAR officials to move it from its usual Sunday start time to Monday.

While Pitbull could not perform his scheduled pre-race concert as planned ... The Rock still made it out to the festivities -- and fired up the crowd when he told the racers to start their engines.

Adele finally explained why she was making such a goofy ass face at the NBA All-Star game a couple years back -- and, apparently, it all has to do with film crews defying her wishes.

The singer got into the story over the weekend at her Vegas residency and explained what's become one of the most famous Adele memes. You've seen it by now ... the camera cuts to her sitting courtside, but she's awkwardly looking around avoiding making eye contact.

Adele says an NBA film crew on hand had asked ahead of time if it'd be okay to record her during the broadcast, which she says she politely declined because she "really doesn't like being famous" and was content with her boyfriend Rich Paul doing the schmoozing.

Well, they ended up circling back and filming her anyway ... and that ticked Adele off.

Adele says that rather than engage with the camera like she was supposed to -- or how others might in the situation -- she decided to play dumb and just scan the arena, all aloof.

In terms of her very full lips -- another observation people have made about the now-viral clip -- Adele insists it's all-natural, noting she doesn't need filler. Anyway, the bigger point here is that she says she was sulking in the moment ... and expressing defiance against the NBA.

It's pretty funny that Adele thought she could go unseen/unnoticed at a star-studded event -- especially when she was seated next to the most prominent NBA agent in the league ... the dude who literally reps LeBron James and a crap ton of other high-level players.

Since then, Adele has continued to be pretty camera-shy out in public with Rich -- but when she's in her own environment in Vegas ... she's an open book, and very chatty.

Taylor Swift doesn't have Travis Kelce around as she continues to tour in Australia -- but she'll be far from lonely as she ramps up for Sydney ... 'cause Sabrina Carpenter is there.

The two singers grabbed dinner Tuesday at a swanky hotspot in the city's Surry Hills neighborhood -- and as you can imagine, they were surrounded by fans and paps (and bodyguards) who were following their every move into the restaurant.

Taylor was dressed pretty casually, but was rocking some wavy hair here down under ... and SC wore a red getup, while rocking a big grin as she joined her gal pal for a meal.

Sabrina's been hired to open for Taylor for the next handful of shows -- including 4 in Sydney that start up Friday ... and another batch in Singapore, where they'll jet off to next. After that, TayTay's gonna switch up her opening act yet again ... and bring on Paramore for Europe.

In other words, she's back into the swing of things ... just like she was here in the States last year before she went public with Travis and started going to all his games in the fall.

Obviously, she rode that wave all the way to the Super Bowl ... which made for some memorable snaps -- but now, it's back to reality for her ... and thus far, Travis doesn't appear to have joined her on her international leg of the tour, and it remains to be seen if he will.

Of course, T-Swift still has Kansas City on her mind ... something she proved the other day by rocking a Chiefs SB hat -- so not all is forgotten as she delves deeper into the tour.

Sylvester Stallone says he doesn't advise actors to do their own stunts in the movie biz ... and 7 surgeries oughta serve as a warning -- you listening, Tom Cruise???

The legendary action star made the revelation in an upcoming episode of his Paramount reality show, "The Family Stallone," where he said he'd undergone more than half a dozen back surgeries to deal with an injury he suffered on the set of "The Expendables" back in 2010.

Basically, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin -- who's also in the movie -- was body-slamming Sly on set ... and the dude was actually absorbing the blows, going take after take after take.

He says, "I did stupid stuff. I was directing 'Expendables' and like an idiot I’m doing take ten, take whatever, and I remember one slam and I could actually feel one bang. Steve knew. I never recovered from Expendables 1. After that film, it was never physically the same."

Sly adds .. "I’ve warned people -- don’t do your own stunts."

SS fractured his neck and needed a metal plate inserted to stabilize things -- and as he jokingly notes ... his next role might be Quasimodo in a 'Hunchback' flick.

While he might be discussing it in jest on his show -- the injuries/surgeries are quite serious ... apparently, Sylvester's doctors have told him he might need artificial discs popped into his lower spine down the line, and his wife Jennifer Flavin says on the show it's tough on the family.

Antonio Brown has been ordered to cut a high-profile jeweler a check for over $1 million ... this after he failed to fight a lawsuit that the diamond expert slapped him with last year.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Shuki International -- a world-renowned businessman who's been the jewelry guy for high-profile celebs like Floyd Mayweather for years -- sued AB back in April 2023 after he claimed the former NFL star borrowed a bunch of his prized items in 2022 but never returned them or paid for them.

In his lawsuit, Shuki said he gave AB a pair of his "Shuki International" diamond fingers -- which the jeweler said cost $500K apiece -- under the premise that Brown would eventually give them back ... or simply cough up the dough for them.

Shuki said he also handed over a rose gold black diamond version of the finger piece, a white gold chain, and a ring -- all with the same expectation.

Yet the jeweler claimed Brown failed to ever return the pieces or hand over the money ... so he asked a judge to force AB to fork over $1,095,000 for it all.

And, after Brown never responded to the suit, a judge issued a default judgment for Shuki last week.

Shuki told us he attempted to reach out to Brown over the decision on Sunday ... but the ex-Buccaneers wideout never returned his call. He added that he's disappointed over the whole matter -- considering the two used to be close.

Brown, meanwhile, was just seen out in LA with one of Shuki's diamond fingers earlier this month ... showing it off to our photog on Rodeo Drive.

We're starting off the week strong at TMZ -- but not nearly as strong as our TV segments.

Kicking things off on 'TMZ Live,' Harvey and Charlie tackled what amounted to a fairly startling confession from Taylor Swift in Australia this past weekend ... namely, that she was apparently "lonely" while she was dating Joe Alwyn during the pandemic.

The admission came out during a performance, and she made it clear ... she was just with her cat during those years, which is ... alarming to say the least.

On 'TMZ on TV,' the gang talked about Billie Eilish throwing shade at TikTokers who attended the People's Choice Awards ... apparently with the feeling of, they ain't really A-listers, y'all.

Her remarks got caught on camera ... and it wasn't well-received by all the young'ns.

Finally, on 'TMZ Sports, Babcock and Mojo discussed Breece Hall's unpleasant airport run-in.

Check your local listings for when TMZ is on in your area or catch up on past episodes!

UFC fans might've been shocked to see Mark Zuckerberg Octagon-side at UFC 298, but Merab Dvalishvili wasn't ... 'cause the Facebook founder shot the star bantamweight fighter a text a few days before telling him he'd be in the building for the event!

One of the most memorable moments of the entire card was Merab picking up opponent Henry Cejudo and slamming him to the canvas near where Zuck was sitting, before engaging in a conversation with the billionaire.

TMZ Sports asked the 33-year-old contender about Mark's presence.

"We are following each other on Instagram, and he did text me before the fight that he was coming. He told me 'Don't tell no one.' I can keep a secret, of course," Dvalishvili told us, adding, "I knew he was there, and once I was walking out I saw him, of course, I said hello to him in person."

Although Zuck wasn't technically Merab's corner like he (momentarily) was for Alex Volkanovski, that's not to say Mark didn't share some of his BJJ expertise.

"I had a 4th corner that night. [Zuck] was giving me some tips when I was fighting," Merab said with a laugh.

Remember, Zuck has trained with the likes of Volk, Israel Adesanya, Mikey Musumeci and other top fighters.

Dvalishvili also revealed he was supposed to train with Zuckerberg before the FB exec injured his ACL last year. The men plan to get together once MZ's healed up.

Billionaire tech geniuses aside, there's a bunch more with Merab ... who many fans assume will get the next crack at a title after "Suga" Sean O'Malley and Marlon "Chito" Vera fight at UFC 299 next month.

We asked Merab if the UFC has informed him that he will fight the winner. Merab also tells us who he would prefer to fight, and why.

As for his 298 opp, we also asked Dvalishvili if 37-year-old Cejudo should retire after his second straight defeat.

Travis and Jason Kelce took a break from their usual lighthearted banter to weigh in on the tragic Kansas City shooting this week ... thanking the first responders for springing into action and vowing to help those affected.

The two NFL brothers dropped a surprise video ahead of Wednesday's "New Heights" podcast episode ... with Travis explaining it "didn't feel right" to move forward with the pre-taped show without first addressing the incident after the Chiefs' Super Bowl parade on Feb. 14 that left one dead and more than 20 others injured.

Jason said their thoughts go out to all the victims, their families and Chiefs Kingdom ... also sharing his gratitude for local law enforcement officials and all those willing to step up during the unfortunate event.

The Eagles center spoke from the heart ... saying, "One of the things that's evident is how much Kansas City is coming together and rallying around the people that have been affected by this."

He added the Kelces are currently figuring out what they can do to get involved in the recovery process ... but in the meantime, he's hoping their fans will do what they can by donating to the Chiefs' fund for victims.

Travis ended the clip ... saying, "92%ers, we appreciate you. Kansas City and Chiefs Kingdom, we love you guys. We're with you guys and we'll see you guys soon."

As we previously reported, two juveniles are going to be charged as a result of the shooting ... including gun-related charges and resisting arrest.

Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan's relationship was put in the crosshairs during a stand-up routine over the weekend ... with a comedian cracking a savage joke right in their faces!!

TMZ Sports obtained video of the uncomfortable moment at 10XLaw.com's Miami Beach gathering hosted by Russell and Teddy Berman ... which shows Greg Wilson taking advantage of Larcus' presence as he entertained the crowd on the mic.

"Larsa Pippen is here with Marcus Jordan," Greg said at the start of his roast. "You're a legend. You're the only person that's ever managed to f*** up both Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan at the same time."

"You're basically the greatest New York Knick of all time," he added. "You should be in their ring of honor."

The jab was met with some laughs ... but it's clear the vibe was a bit awkward.

Of course, it's no secret Larsa and Marcus' relationship has ruffled some feathers considering Pippen's ex-husband HATES Jordan's pops ... and a lot of folks have chimed in on social media.

But, Wilson didn't need a keyboard to fire off his take ... which is more than any internet troll can say.

It wasn't just a roast sesh for the two lovebirds, though -- they appeared to enjoy themselves throughout the event ... which also featured *NSYNC's Chris Kirkpatrick and Joey Fatone, Jonathan Cheban and others.

Turns out, former NFL player Blake Proehl is good on the gridiron AND on the keys ... 'cause he performed so well on the piano during his recent "American Idol" audition -- he brought Katy Perry to tears!!

The ex-Minnesota Vikings wideout -- who's the son of longtime Panthers receiver Ricky Proehl -- sang his heart out in front of Perry, Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie on the famed talent show ... and when his segment aired on TV on Sunday, it wasn't hard to see the dude's got a bright future in music.

Playing Brett Young's "In Case You Didn't Know" with his grandma by his side ... Blake, who played for the Vikes from 2021 to 2023, belted out every verse perfectly -- wowing Perry the entire time.

She not only got goosebumps, she also at one point appeared to wipe away a tear. After he finished, she even asked for his autograph.

The other judges, Bryan and Richie, were just as impressed ... and the trio gave him a unanimous golden ticket to the show's next round.

It was all quite emotional for Blake ... as he explained that a knee injury he suffered during his NFL days had him wondering if he'd ever run again -- let alone become a music star.

Some of Blake's famous pals congratulated him on social media following the show ... including Kirk Cousins, who wrote, "Cousins fam will be pulling hard for him this spring."

Usher's Super Bowl halftime show had a lot of people raising eyebrows over his Alicia Keys moment -- something he's not sorry about ... but he is apologizing over something older.

On Monday, Usher zoomed in to The Breakfast Club to address his PDA with Alicia Keys at the SB but also came clean about the internet resurfacing his 2014 VMA performance with Nicki Minaj.

During their set at the time, Usher bumped and grinded on Nicki's booty onstage -- and then smacked it with his hand. It got overlooked back then ... but it's been resurfacing lately, with many accusing him of being out of pocket and inappropriate, similar to how he handled AK.

Usher explained to Charlamagne Tha God that dances in Jamaican culture generally involve people getting handsy -- but does admit he was wildin' a bit when he put his handprint on Nicki's Pinkprint, and he seems to feel somewhat about it in 2024.

On the issue of hugging Alicia from behind, though -- which also caught some backlash -- Usher isn't bending the proverbial knee ... saying it was just part of their routine for 'My Boo.'

The R&B powerhouse was also quizzed about the time he was referenced in an episode of "The Boondocks" where a married woman fanned out and turned into an Usher groupie in front of her husband ... all based on the real-life experience of producer Carl Jones and his ex-wife.

Usher blamed the woman's transgressions on the "Usher Effect" but denied any sorcery of the kind contributed to his sexified duet with Alicia as millions watched on in speculation.

Alicia's husband Swizz Beatz immediately laughed it off and Usher tells 'TBC' he also had a hardy har with the couple over the various memes. Long story short, he and Alicia (and Swizz) are all good. But, with that said, he might also be more mindful going forward.

10:45 AM PT -- Breece Hall is breaking his silence on the incident ... saying, "If you know me you know I always show love!!! There’s a time and a place for everything but harassing me at baggage claim ain’t the time or place💯."

Breece also thanked Carl and "my guy Joe" for getting involved ... adding their presence helped keep the peace.

Breece Hall came face-to-face with an overzealous autograph seeker when he touched down in Jersey after a week of partying in Vegas at the Super Bowl ... and things got so tense, NY Giants legend Carl Banks stepped in to prevent things from escalating!

The incident went down last Sunday at Newark Airport just a few minutes after the 22-year-old got off his flight, while he was waiting at baggage claim ... when a fan *attempted* to get Breece's John Hancock.

For whatever reason, Hall, one of the best running backs in the NFL, didn't want to sign, so he declined ... and that's when things went south.

A witness heard the commotion and whipped out his phone and started rolling.

It's unclear exactly what was said/done to kick things off, but the fan was heard telling Hall, "So, be a man. If you're gonna slap me, slap me!"

61-year-old Banks, the 2x Super Bowl-winning Giants linebacker intervened, putting his 6'4" frame in between the fan and Breece, while encouraging the guy to keep it moving.

But, the guy wasn't done ... he continued jawing at Hall, who seemed to keep his cool despite the stressful situation.

At one point, another witness off-camera is heard warning the angry man, "It's a federal crime if you get in a fight at the airport."

Seemingly taking the advice, the man finally walks off ... but not before hurling one last insult at the NFL star.

"Get the f*** out of here, p****!"

As for why Banks assisted Hall, we asked Carl ... #58 said he wasn't going to stand by and let his buddy get screwed with.

Who says the Giants and Jets are rivals?

Los Angeles Angels star Anthony Rendon is currently being pummeled by fans on social media ... and it's all 'cause he basically admitted on Monday he really can't stand baseball.

The third baseman got candid with reporters during a Q&A out at spring training practice in Arizona ... revealing the game that's made him over $160 million the past 13 years has "never been a top priority for me."

Rendon explained he views the sport as "a job," and not much more than that.

"I do this to make a living," he said. "My faith, my family come first before this job."

Of course, seamheads all over haven't taken lightly to his comments ... firing away on him on X for the remarks.

There were Spiderman memes of people who also claimed to hate their professions ... and others who compared his feelings on baseball to the way his teammate, Mike Trout, absolutely loves it.

But, if you think that's going to sway Rendon's opinion ... it almost certainly won't -- as he's been critical of the sport for a long time now.

In fact, back in January he said he wished the season would be considerably shorter ... saying, "It's too many dang games."