TMZ Sports - Page 27

Belal Muhammad already has an idea who he may fight in his first bout as defending UFC champion ... telling TMZ Sports it could be all-time welterweight great, Kamaru Usman, or up-and-comer, Shavkat Rakhmonov.

Muhammad joined Babcock on the TMZ Sports TV show (airs nightly on FS1) ... where the guys talked about everything from what it felt like to finally achieve his dream, to who is on his shortlist for his first fight as the division's king.

"It's been epic," Belal said ... "for me to go down to enemy territory, his home soil in front of his people, that were booing me the whole week, to go out there and dominate them the way I dominated them, it felt so good!"

The Giants and Lions are in the dog house with the NFL before the regular season even starts ... 'cause both teams were just handed hefty fines for throwing hands at their joint practice!!

The NFL confirmed the penalty on Wednesday ... stating both organizations will be hit with $200k penalties for the scuffles that popped off on the practice field this week.

A memo was also sent out to all 32 NFL teams regarding etiquette ... and any fights, like what happened between the Giants and Lions, won't be tolerated.

A glitzy Ibiza mansion belonging to soccer superstar Lionel Messi was trashed this week by climate change activists who proclaimed they wanted people to "eat the rich" following the act.

The vandals hit the Argentinian's pad on Tuesday ... spraying the walls of the multimillion-dollar home with red and black paint.

Afterward, the group of troublemakers held up a sign that read, "Help the Planet. Eat the Rich. Abolish the Police."

The daughter of Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt suffered a serious injury during a hike this week ... and it was so severe, the 18-year-old had to undergo emergency surgery.

Hunt's wife, Tavia, revealed the incident happened when Ava fell "down the mountain" during a hiking trip ... and ended up with a deep wound.

The cut was big enough that Ava was rushed to the ER ... and doctors immediately performed a medical procedure.

Michelle Obama raced to Simone Biles' defense Tuesday ... praising her for bowing to her competitor on an Olympics podium this week -- just hours after an NFL star called the act "disgusting."

Biles -- alongside her Team USA squadmate, Jordan Chiles -- bent the knee for Rebeca Andrade following the Brazilian's win in Paris on Monday in the floor event ... and Baltimore Ravens corner Marlon Humphrey was pissed over it.

As images of Biles and Chiles kneeling with their arms up toward Andrade made their way around X ... the three-time Pro Bowler wrote, "This is literally disgusting."

Chicago Bears rookie Theo Benedet might be from the North, but the lineman proved he's all about 'Merica now ... stripping down to a tiny pair of swim briefs to give a patriotic rendition of "God Bless the USA" in front of all his teammates!!

The hilarious moment was featured on the first episode of "Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears" on Tuesday ... with the undrafted Canadian offensive tackle utilizing his performance in the rookie karaoke showcase to express his love for his new home.

Benedet -- who was born in Toronto and raised in Vancouver -- started off shirtless with a pair of sweatpants ... but he quickly showed MUCH more skin, ripping off his trousers to reveal an eagle-themed suit.

While athletes in the Olympic Village are (allegedly) sifting through their food for worms, Peruvian surfer Lucca Mesinas says everything was smooth sailing over in Tahiti ... telling TMZ Sports he only had one complaint with their setup!!

We caught up with the Peruvian surfer at LAX this week ... not long after he competed in the surfing portion of the 2024 Games. Naturally, we had to ask all about the surfers' HQ on a luxurious cruise ship in the South Pacific ... and it sounds MUCH better than what the folks in Paris have been saying.

"We had good food, we had ping-pong, things to do over there," Mesinas said. "We were allowed to leave the boat anytime to go to surf. It was pretty fun anyway."

Kamala Harris has a running mate, Janet Jackson is closing in on a big deal, and Jacoby Jones has an official cause of death ... all this on today's TMZ TV Hot Takes.

First up on "TMZ Live," Harvey and Babcock break down Harris' pick for the top of the ticket ... Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif will fight for a gold medal on Friday.

The controversial pugilist emerged from her semi-final bout with Thai boxer Janjaem Suwannapheng by unanimous decision in Paris on Tuesday ... making her one of two fighters left standing.

Khelif was welcomed by a mostly supportive crowd ... with some even waving Algeria's green and white flag, and chanting "Imane!"

Former MLB player Billy Bean has died at the age of 60 ... Major League Baseball announced Tuesday.

Bean -- who served as the league's senior VP for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Special Assistant to the Commissioner -- passed away after a year-long battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Bean -- one of the first openly gay players in MLB -- was first diagnosed with the disease in September 2023 ... but only went public with the news during the MLB Winter Meetings in December. At the meetings, Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo got emotional when talking about his long-time friend ... saying it was time to help "take care of you."

The company responsible for providing thousands of meals to the athletes in Paris' Olympic Village is addressing claims they served wormy fish, telling TMZ Sports the claim's bull****!

If you missed it, Adam Peaty, a British swimmer, talking to a newspaper, unloaded on the food selection and quality of the grub, even saying he knew of fellow athletes who claimed they found "worms in the fish."

No photo evidence was provided ... and when we reached out to the French catering company Sodexo Live! about the serious allegations, they went on the offensive.

Jacoby Jones' cause of death has been revealed ... TMZ Sports has learned the Super Bowl champion died from Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease.

The medical examiner released details behind the shocking death on Tuesday ... stating the 40-year-old died from a heart disease caused by long-term high blood pressure.

The manner of death was listed as natural.

Anthony Edwards celebrated his 23rd birthday in epic fashion last night in Paris ... his family, friends and teammates all shocked the superstar baller -- as did Gunna, who gave the party a full-blown performance!!!

Sources connected to the party tell TMZ Hip Hop AE's management team, led by Justin Holland, wanted to do it big for his "Jordan year."

They outsourced to Eva Paris, a private event planner, to curate the experience, and they ran a ruse under the pretense of checking out a spot for a teammate following a team dinner.

Former Team USA gymnast MyKayla Skinner says she's been targeted with a ton of hate after Simone Biles shaded her on social media ... claiming her family has even received death threats amid the drama -- and she's begging for it all to stop.

Skinner released a lengthy Instagram video to address the backlash she's faced after Biles' caption took aim at her previous comments about the current squad's lack of work ethic ... and while she thought it would all blow over, that simply hasn't been the case.

Skinner said Biles' fans have piled on the "bullying" in the days following the diss ... with some folks crossing the line and threatening physical harm on her, her husband and their daughter.

It's hot as hell out and football players are already sick of training camp ... so, no surprise Giants star rookie Malik Nabers and Lions safety Kerby Joseph came to blows at practice on Tuesday!

A fan watching the joint NYG and Lions practice at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in New Jersey recorded the altercation ... and the fists were flying!

The footage shows 21-year-old Nabers -- the 6th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft -- attempting to catch a pass that was broken up by DB Terrion Arnold.

Meet me at the hotel room Pitbull Stadium??? That's what Florida International football fans will be saying for years to come ... 'cause Mr. Worldwide is buying the naming rights to the school's home turf!!

FIU and the popular music artist confirmed the rumors at a press conference on Tuesday ... with reports saying the deal is worth $6 million over five years.

As part of the agreement, the Grammy-winning artist will create an anthem for the school, post on his social media platforms and appear at one athletic fundraising event yearly. On top of that, his alcohol company -- Voli 305 Vodka -- will be the preferred brand available to purchase during games ... and he will get use of the stadium ten days a year.