TMZ Sports - Page 10

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."

GloRilla wants to sink her teeth into Damian Lillard -- and the Memphis rapper is willing to knuckle up with anyone who's standing in her way!!!

After the Milwaukee Bucks superstar snagged the MVP honors at last night's NBA All-Star Game in Indy, GloRilla snagged a photo-op of her own ... asking which woman Dame belonged to and marked her territory with a stiff warning.

"Whoever she is can’t whoop me so I really dgaf," Glo wrote on X.

Hopefully, there won't be a need for fisticuffs. Dame filed for divorce from his wife Kay'La last October and has been pushing to get a championship after leaving his longtime Portland Trailblazers team.

Glo's clearly choosing up ... The Milwaukee Bucks superstar had the NBA on Dame Time all weekend.

He partied hard on Saturday after winning the 3-point contest, where he became the first player since a guy named Michael Jordan to win an ASG event and MVP.

St. John's head coach Rick Pitino went scorched earth on his basketball team Sunday night, tearing into his soft players and the "s***" university facilities during an unforgettable post-game presser!

"We are so nonathletic that we can't guard anybody without fouling," the legendary coach said after his team's 68-62 loss to Seton Hall at UBS Arena on Long Island in NY.

Pitino continued, "And, really it's not about losing. Even winning, when I watch the film, I see unathletic plays, I see people that don't handle the ball, that are just interested in taking quick shots. It's been a disappointing year."

The first half went St. John's way ... the Red Storm, which once led by 19 points, took a 41-29 lead into the half. But, thanks to turnovers and poor shooting by SJU, the Pirates came charging back in the second, securing the pivotal W with a late run.

FYI, it's a game that was critical for both bubble teams. St. John's, now 6-9 in Big East play, has a lot of work to do. Seton Hall, 10-5 in conference, is sitting in a much better position after the victory. SHU has a resume that boasts wins over UConn and Marquette, and 3 other quad 1 teams.

Pitino also singled out individual players ... calling Drissa Traore, Chris Ledlum, Sean Conway and Joel Soriano "slow laterally," while calling Brady Dunlap "weak."

Pitino, a 2x NCAA champion (though the '13 Louisville title was vacated), said his team's issues go back to recruiting.

“We recruited the antithesis of the way I coach, with speed, quickness, fundamentals, strength and toughness,” Pitino said, adding, “It’s a good group, they try hard, but they’re just not very tough.”

As for their athletic facilities, Pitino clearly believes they're lacking, but isn't going to blame a locker room for a loss on the court.

“Do we have s****y facilities? Yes, we do. Having s****y facilities has nothing to do with not guarding.”

SJU is located in Queens, NY ... and the school has an on-campus arena, though they play a handful of games at Madison Square Garden and other larger local arenas.

As for his thoughts on the year, Rick, who has been coaching since the '70s, admits he isn't having any fun.

"I’m not gonna lie to you. This is the most unenjoyable experience of my lifetime. This has been so disappointing.”

Damian Lillard and Mac McClung were big winners during NBA All-Star Weekend ... and the two champs celebrated like it -- getting the VIP treatment at a celeb-packed hot spot on Saturday.

The Milwaukee Bucks superstar and G League standout were victorious in the Three-point and Slam Dunk contests, respectively ... and shortly after they got their shiny, new hardware, they made their way to Sei Less NYC's popup party in Indianapolis.

The gathering had an impressive guest list ... including Allen Iverson, Draymond Green, Fabolous, Druski, Paulo Bancero, Anthony Edwards and Trae Young.

Mac was loving the cuisine, even making his way to the back kitchen to hang with the chefs and thank them for the grub.

We're told Dame and McClung weren't the only ones with a reason to party -- ex-NBAer Al Harrington was also feeling the love on his 44th birthday ... getting surprised with a cake!!

Taylor Swift might be some 9,000 miles away from Travis Kelce at the moment ... but he's still clearly on her mind -- as her Sunday outfit featured a whole lot of homages to the Chiefs star.

The "Cruel Summer" hitmaker appeared at a Melbourne, Australia airport following her most recent batch of "Eras" tour stops ... and as she boarded a private jet to take her to her next group of shows in Sydney, she was seen decked out in Kelce tributes.

On her head was a Super Bowl champions hat that Kansas City officials had given to her following Kelce's big win over the 49ers in Las Vegas earlier this month. On her wrist, she wore the Taylor 'N Travis "TNT" bracelet she had made ahead of Kelce's AFC Championship Game last month.

So far, Kelce hasn't made it down undah to return the support -- he was just spotted out grabbing lunch in K.C. on Sunday -- although there's still plenty of time for him to head out to cheer her on.

Swift is slated to play four shows at Accor Stadium beginning Friday night and ending Monday. She'll then head to Singapore to kick off March -- and with Kelce free of NFL obligations for the time being, many have assumed he'll board a plane sooner rather than later.

Of course, it's been an emotional past few days, to say the least for the 34-year-old tight end ... after experiencing the highest high of winning the Big Game in Sin City, several people sustained gunshot wounds while celebrating the feat at his SB parade. To make matters tougher, Kelce caught backlash for appearing at a party just hours after the tragedy.

He and Taylor, though, both donated thousands to shooting victims late last week ... proving it's all very much been on their minds -- even if they've been apart for nearly a week now.

Jessie James Decker and Eric Decker are now a party of six ... they've officially welcomed their new bundle of joy into the world!

Jessie made the announcement on IG Sunday, writing ... "Our beautiful boy is here 💙 Denver Calloway Decker," ... attaching a snap of her cradling her newborn with Eric looking over him in pure awe and wonder.

JJD gave us another snap of the sleeping younger ... who tipped the scales at a healthy 8.7 pounds upon his arrival.

The happy couple -- who are already mom & dad of daughter Vivianne and sons Eric Jr. and Forrest -- kept their news under wraps for a solid 10 days before sharing it with the world ... listing his official birth date as February 9.

Heidi Montag, Kim Zolciak-Biermann and Jennifer Love Hewitt were just a few of the couple's celeb pals who dropped congratulatory comments ... along with the rest of their fans who gave a big thumbs up to the lil one's name choice. Denver's a massive hit!

Jessie's pregnancy was announced in August ... and caught everyone by surprise, including Eric, who'd been considering getting a vasectomy after their third -- but he never went through with it.

Jessie spilled the tea in an IG Q&A shortly after the big reveal ... sharing that Eric was so shocked he thought she was pulling a prank on him. In fact, he was convinced her then-pregnant sister had peed on the stick to fake her own results.

Olivia Culpo and Christian McCaffrey stripped to their bathing suits and hit a Mexico beach ... taking a vacay after a bitter Super Bowl loss.

The engaged couple headed down to Cabo San Lucas with 49ers tight end George Kittle, fullback Kyle Juszczyk and their wives Claire and Kristin ... where they soaked up the sun in some pretty revealing bathing suits.

Check out the pics ... the whole crew's milling about on the sand before hopping in the clear blue ocean for a dip -- lots of pecs and legs for all to see.

Christian and Olivia seem pretty deep in convo in the water too -- maybe talking about wedding planning ... after all, they've been engaged for almost a year, so ya gotta imagine the wedding's comin' up!

On top of the Niners players and their significant others, Peyton Manning was also down in the same area ... though as far as we can tell he kept his shirt on. He chatted up GK, KJ and CMC at a bar near the beach.

All of this messing around in the water comes just a week after the devastating 25-22 loss to the Chiefs in the NFL's biggest game of the year ... the Niners' second loss in a Super Bowl in the last five years.

The whole trip seems to be one big healing retreat for the gang ... with Claire, Olivia and Kristin even posting a video to OC's TikTok about how much the L was affecting all of them -- though they seem in decent enough spirits.

Usher and Justin Timberlake draw a lot of comparisons ... but Usher says he's got a leg up on his counterpart -- 'cause he beat him in a Justin Bieber bidding war.

The singer-songwriter revealed in an interview with People that, way back in 2008, he met Bieber and Scooter Braun and offered to bring JB onto his record label ... but first, he said he had to pull out a thicker wad of cash than Timberlake.

Usher said he also used Timberlake's name against him, telling Justin that -- if he went with Usher -- he'd be the only Justin around.

Seems like the war didn't get too contentious ... Usher doesn't say anything negative about Timberlake in the interview -- and actually compliments the guy tons.

Usher said he and Justin are both unique artists, and he loves the producers Timberlake chooses to work with ... adding he even wants to collaborate on an album with the former *NSYNC star.

He finished off by saying he's motivated by people like Timberlake who "should be recognized for who he is and what his contribution has been."

Of course, Usher was recognized for his contribution to music by headlining the Super Bowl Halftime show ... one which his protege decided to skip out on.

We broke the story ... Usher reached out to Bieber directly to get him to join him for his big performance -- but, while Alicia Keys, Ludacris and Lil Jon all hopped onstage with him, Justin decided to sit in his suite and spectate.

No bad blood between the two though ... 'cause Usher said in an interview earlier this week that "he's just wanting to tell a different story right now, and I understand that."

Travis Kelce's got a ton of free time until next year's NFL season starts ... but, he's still hanging around K.C. instead of jetting off to see his lady love down undah.

The three-time Super Bowl champ was photographed by Daily Mail hitting up one of his fav restaurants in Kansas City with a to-go bag in hand ... Taylor Swift was not by his side obviously since she's down in Australia on tour.

Travis looks relaxed in the DM pics ... having a grand ol' time while hanging out with a pal in the hot Missouri sun -- which might be surprising to fans who thought he'd be down in Australia already.

TK did a bunch of press leading up to the Super Bowl BTW ... including one interview where he said he would love to experience "Down Under" -- so him not already being down there's definitely raising some eyebrows.

Remember ... Swift performed a string of shows in Melbourne this past weekend -- including one right on the heels of the death of a fan who was headed to see her.

It's been an emotional weekend to say the least -- Taylor also opened up about feeling "lonely" during the pandemic ... which some people are seeing as a pretty clear shot at her ex Joe Alwyn.

Of course, Travis has been on his own emotional rollercoaster recently. The high of winning the Super Bowl was followed almost immediately by the tragic shooting at the Super Bowl parade in Kansas City.

Both Taylor and Travis have donated thousands in the aftermath of the shooting ... so, clearly the tragedy is still weighing on both of their minds.

Don't worry too much Swifties ... 'cause Taylor's got a few more shows in Australia next weekend, moving on from Melbourne to Sydney. So, Travis has plenty of time to meet up with T-Swift.

Steph Curry's leaving no doubt ... he's the greatest three-point shooter of all time -- gender be damned.

The Golden State Warriors sharpshooter faced off with WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu for a head-to-head three-point contest during NBA All-Star Game weekend ... going shot for shot beyond the arc.

SC won the contest 29-26, but that's no knock on SI's performance ... 'cause her 26 points tied Damian Lillard's number from the NBA three-point contest that took place earlier in the evening -- and, he won the whole dang thing.

BTW ... Sabrina backed up and shot from NBA three-point distance, adding about a foot and a half to where she normally shoots for the New York Liberty. She did use the slightly smaller WNBA ball to shoot.

Curry's an expert on three-pointers ... he's a two-time winner of the NBA contest -- on top of holding the record for most career threes made.

After the contest, the two competitors were incredibly complimentary of each other. Steph said Sabrina's presence at the event would inspire a whole lotta kids to keep chasing basketball dreams while Sabrina applauded Steph for showing her respect by competing against her.

That doesn't mean there wasn't a little gamesmanship before the contest ... with Sabrina telling reporters Steph was talkin' some trash during a practice round before the event.

The Splash Bro reigns supreme ... but Sabrina also said she's jonesing for a rematch. FWIW, next year's All-Star Game is being hosted by the Warriors.