TMZ Sports - Page 41

The main event at Saturday's UFC 302 was not fought in the Octagon ... it went down in the stands as two fans got into a vicious brawl, with one guy beating the snot out of the other!

Check out this video ... it opens with the two men arguing in the nosebleed section at Newark, New Jersey's Prudential Center. What sparked the confrontation is anyone's guess, but the man with his hair in a bun ("Bun Man") keeps calling the other guy a "white boy" and begging him -- "Slap me!" For the record ... both guys are white.

Anyway, "Bun Man" starts screaming, "C'mon!," while smacking himself in the face.

Frank Martin's hoping more people keep doubting him ahead of his fight against Gervonta "Tank" Davis ... telling TMZ Sports he uses the criticism as "fuel" -- and can't wait to shock the world!!

The WBA Lightweight World Title fight is slated for June 15 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas ... and Martin (18-0 w/ 12 KOs) says he feels confident to get in the ring with one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world.

"I got a lot of things that him, the world, a lot of people may not expect that I got," Martin told us this week.

Angel Reese has been fined by the WNBA after the Chicago Sky's game against the Indiana Fever ... but, it's not for what most fans might think.

The league announced a fine for the rookie for skipping media obligations postgame ... dinging her $1,000 for not making herself available to reporters. They've also fined the Sky $5k.

Of course, Angel clearly applauded a cheap shot foul her teammate Chennedy Carter hit Clark with during the game Saturday, and some may have thought the league would reprimand her for that ... but, so far, that's not the case.

10:46 AM PT -- Turns out Aaron didn't shade Donald Trump at UFC 302 Saturday night. Instead, it seems he got a little face time with the former prez -- posting a pic to IG where he's shaking his hand. So, seemingly no beef between them.

Aaron Rodgers seemed to diss Donald Trump in a very public way.

Aaron and Trump were both front and center Saturday night at UFC 302 in Newark, New Jersey.

At one point Trump, who got a thunderous ovation, walked right past Aaron, who never got out of his seat and never acknowledged the ex-Prez.

Katy Perry knows how to switch things up ... she has turned Kansas City Chief's Kicker Harrison Butker into a butt-kicker in support of women's and LGBTQ+ rights!

Katy posted an extreme edit of Butker's Benedictine College commencement speech, where he essentially said a woman's place is in the home and the movement for LGBTQ+ rights was downright dangerous.

You gotta listen to Katy's version ... Harrison sounds like AOC!

Travis Kelce had an on-the-surface uncomfortable moment Saturday night when Jason Sudeikis pressed him on sealing the deal with Taylor Swift, but it was all planned out.

The 2 dudes, along with Robert Smigel and George Wendt performed a skit at the Big Slick Celebrity Weekend in Kansas City.

Sudeikis was in disguise -- fake mustache and sunglasses, so no one would know it was him, right -- was sitting at a table with the guys, as they asked Taylor's BF if she was gonna pay for a spanking new stadium. And then they went in for the kill!

Donald Trump was in the building at UFC 302 Saturday night -- just 2 days later and 10 miles away from the NYC courtroom where he was convicted this week -- and the former president received a rousing standing ovation from the packed crowd!

Trump walked into the Prudential Center shortly after the main card kicked off, flanked by UFC honcho and close friend, Dana White, and a gang of Secret Service agents.

45 was shown on the big screen inside the Newark, NJ arena, and many of the near-17k MMA fans lost it!

Look out, future athletes -- WNBA star Brittney Griner says her baby on the way will 100% be involved in sports ... telling TMZ Sports it's a no-brainer!!

The Phoenix Mercury center has been a basketball star her whole life ... from recording 52 dunks her high school senior year to winning a title at Baylor in 2012 and earning a WNBA championship two years later.

Now that Griner and her wife, Cherelle, announced they're expanding their family ... we had to ask if the kiddo will follow in her footsteps and grow up with a ball in his hands.

Josh Gibson is now officially Major League Baseball's all-time batting average leader ... and Albert Pujols couldn't be happier about it -- telling TMZ Sports the MLB's decision to integrate Gibson's Negro Leagues numbers into its record book is "a great thing for baseball."

Rob Manfred's org. made the decision to absorb the legend's stats -- as well as everyone else's who played in the Negro Leagues from 1920-1948 -- on Wednesday ... and Pujols praised the move when we got him out at LAX a day later.

He told us it was the "perfect time" for Manfred and co. to recognize the greats -- saying it showed big respect for those who performed during that era.

LaMelo Ball just added another whip to his collection that'll make ya jealous ... TMZ Sports has learned the NBA star copped a custom Tesla Cybertruck -- that's loaded with all kinds of sick features!!

Ball worked exclusively with Dreamworks Motorsports to get the ride tricked out to his liking ... and take a look at the finished product he received this week -- it's got ALL of the bells and whistles built into it.

It has his "LaFrance" clothing brand logo all over ... even stitched into the car's headrests. It also has the words "Rare" and "1 Of 1" slapped on it -- an homage to the unique tattoos the hooper has on his hands and back.

Get your first full week of June off to a great start with the best from TMZ TV shows last week.

On "TMZ Live" Harvey and Babcock dive into Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's daughter Shiloh dropping "Pitt" from her last name.

Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever got the win against the Chicago Sky on Saturday but boy, things got physical .... including a cheap shot that sent the number one pick to the hardwood, drawing applause from rival Angel Reese!

It was a full house at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis for the first WNBA match-up between Reese and Clark ... and they picked up right where they left things off in college!

The game was intense, and the Fever was thrilled to come away with their second win of the season. Clark wasn't happy with the body check from Angel's teammate, Chennedy Carter.

Jason Kelce's taken a bizarre stance on X ... claiming he never washes his feet and people shouldn't trust "Big Soap" -- and, many are taking it as a shot at his bro's teammate.

The former Eagles center took to the popular social media site Saturday and engaged a troll who claims JK doesn't wash. Instead of letting the insult lie or firing back, Jason seemed to play into it, writing "What kind of weirdo washes their feet..."

It's a perfect way to handle a troll, ya gotta say ... agreeing with the joke to take its power away -- but, then the big man doubles down on his wisecrack.

Some scumbag pretending to be NBA prospect James McCain has been scamming fans out of their hard-earned money on Snapchat ... and now, the REAL James McCain's team is working to get the account removed from the app.

TMZ Sports has learned -- someone completely unaffiliated with 20-year-old McCain has been reaching out to people on the platform recently ... and after weeks of talking and building up trust, the user will eventually offer gifted items from SKIMS and other companies at a discounted price.

We're told some users have fallen for it -- after all, Kim Kardashian's brand recently partnered with the NCAA for March Madness ... and McCain was all over the campaign.

SKIMS also has a relationship with the NBA ... McCain's next employer.

Khabib Nurmagomedov wasn't in Islam Makhachev's corner for his last fight, but he will be Octagonside for Saturday's title scrap vs. Dustin Poirier ... and he's doing it for free!

TMZ Sports talked to Khabib and Islam's longtime manager, Ali Abdelaziz, this week ... and while all MMA fans are well aware of Nurmagomedov's exploits inside the cage, we asked about his talents as a coach -- and how it's impacted Makhachev's preparation heading into UFC 302.

"[Islam] had one of the greatest coaches you can ever have in your corner, Khabib. He's been coaching in the whole camp," Ali said, adding, "He had some of the best training partners you can ask for mimicking Dustin. We're fighting a dangerous opponent. You know, Dustin Poirier is a dangerous opponent, but I feel right now Islam is a hard guy to beat, you know?"

"And, he's going there for the kill. Everybody talks about Dustin Poirier, he's killed or to be killed. Tomorrow, Islam is going to be turned into a killing machine."

Typically, coaches receive a percentage of a fighter's pay ... but not Khabib, not this time.

"Khabib came to camp. He's not making money. He's not getting a percentage. He's spending his own money for his own flight just to help his brother."

Of course, Khabib, 29-0 (BTW, one of those wins came against Poirier), retired after beating Justin Gaethje in 2020 ... shortly after the tragic death of his father, Abdulmanap.

Since, Nurmagomedov has dedicated himself to coaching ... although he has stepped aside at times (he wasn't in Islam's corner for the Volkanovski fight at UFC 294).

Check out the clip. There's much more with Ali on Islam, Khabib, and some of his other star fighters.

Things are heating up as June kicks off ... and, TMZ TV's no different. Check out our hottest stories from Friday.

On "TMZ Live" Harvey and Babcock talk Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez holding hands in public ... though the light PDA's not masking the tension on their faces.