TMZ Sports - Page 7

Dana White and the UFC are hosting one of their most ambitious cards ever at the Sphere on Saturday -- and that's saying something for a guy who built an entire "Fight Island" -- an event the UFC honcho tells us wouldn't be happening without Tom Brady!

White joined Babcock on TMZ Sports TV show (airs nightly on FS1) this week ... where he revealed TB12 was the inspo behind the first-ever Sphere sporting event.

"I went to the Sphere with Tom Brady. He invited me to come to U2 with him. Had Brady not invited me, I wouldn't even have been to the Sphere yet. It's almost like this was meant to be," the UFC CEO said of the mega event.

Tua Tagovailoa has suffered yet another scary head injury.

The Dolphins star quarterback -- who battled multiple concussions during the 2022-23 season -- was injured on a run in the third quarter of Miami's "Thursday Night Football" matchup with the Buffalo Bills.

Down 31-10 at Hard Rock Stadium, Tagovailoa was scrambling for a key first down ... when he collided awkwardly with Damar Hamlin -- and appeared to lose consciousness.

Britney Spears is still paying child support despite her son turning 18, Jon Bon Jovi is being hailed a hero, and Shannon Sharpe is feeling embarrassed ... all this on today's TMZ TV Hot Takes.

First up on "TMZ Live," Harvey and Charles explain why Britney is still shelling out $20,000 in child support for a few more months despite Jayden James reaching his 18th birthday.

We now know why Logan Webb pitched poorly in the MLB All-Star Game earlier this summer ... he just admitted he was wildly hungover as he was toeing the rubber at the Mid-Summer Classic.

The San Francisco Giants star made the revelation on Wednesday's episode of "The Chris Rose Rotation" ... explaining that he went just a little too hard in Arlington the night before the big July game.

He said following the Home Run Derby festivities on Monday evening -- the MLB threw a party for the players and their families at the Dallas Cowboys' The Star facility ... and there was a ton of free booze.

Brooke Mueller hit the tennis court with serious energy this week ... after a tough time recently, with her name tangled up in Matthew Perry's ketamine death investigation.

The actress was rocking full red tennis gear in Malibu, looking like a pro and soaking up the sunshine, showing off her skills on the court.

Brooke was all smiles, serving up aces and sunshine -- her sighting coming after we revealed she was in a rehab facility at the same time with Matthew Perry and Jasveen Sangha -- AKA "Ketamine Queen" -- the woman who allegedly sold the fatal dose to the "Friends" star.

Chad McQueen, who famously played Dutch in the 'Karate Kid' movie franchise, is dead ... TMZ has learned.

Chad died Wednesday at his ranch in Palm Desert, CA as a result of organ failure ... according to his longtime attorney, Arthur Barens.

We're told he had an injury a few years ago which led to progressive organ failure and ultimately killed him.

Kendrick Lamar's viral new song validated Dee-1's unyielding message that hip hop culture has sunk into Hades -- and the New Orleans-bred rapper is etching it as a career-changing moment!!!

TMZ Hip Hop caught up with Dee on Thursday, just hours after Kendrick shouted him out on the song being dubbed, "Watch The Party Die."

Kendrick seemingly mutes himself with the somewhat cryptic bars, "I want to be empathetic, my heart like Dee-1 but I would ___" ... and Dee thinks the Compton lyricist was metaphorically saying he would blacken his soul to combat the evils of the world, and decided that silence would be the best punchline to end the rhyme.

Former Washington Capitals forward Stephen Peat -- a second-round pick in the 1998 NHL draft -- has sadly died from injuries he sustained in a recent car accident.

The NHL Alumni Association announced the sad news Thursday ... revealing Peat was involved in the tragic wreck "just over two weeks ago."

Further details surrounding the incident were not made immediately available.

Detroit Lions legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Schmidt passed away on Wednesday, the team announced. He was 92 years old.

"Joe Schmidt had the heart of a Lion," team owner Martha Firestone Ford said on Thursday ... "which made it appropriate that he was also the heart of our team."

"Joe was a key part of our Championship seasons and continued to be an important part of our organization until his passing."

Greatness recognizes greatness ... and Tom Brady did just that on Thursday -- giving WNBA superstar A'ja Wilson a major shoutout after breaking the single-season scoring record.

Brady -- who is arguably the GOAT of the NFL -- gave the Las Vegas Aces center her flowers on X ... singing her praises for accomplishing the feat in just 35 games.

"There are so many incredible players in the WNBA right now," Brady said minutes ago. "But there’s only one A'ja Wilson!"

Nikki Bella wants to keep her son with her ... asking for legal and physical custody of her son Matteo in her divorce from Artem Chigvintsev.

The former WWE star cites irreconcilable differences in the dissolution docs ... citing August 29 as the date of separation, the day Artem was arrested for felony corporal injury to a spouse or cohabitant.

Bella checked the box to block the court's ability to award spousal support to either of them.

Good news for Shannon Sharpe ... the viral video of his Wednesday afternoon romp won't affect his day job -- as TMZ Sports has learned ESPN isn't going to discipline its star for his accidental sex stream.

A source at the network tells us ... Sharpe's absence from Thursday's "First Take" had nothing to do with what went down on his Instagram some 24 hours ago -- as his usual days off are Thursdays and Fridays.

The source says Sharpe is expected back on Monday -- and no punishment whatsoever is coming his way.

"Bachelorette" star Jenn Tran is looking to move on from Devin Strader with a hunky NBA player ... revealing her celebrity crush is Cleveland Cavaliers hooper Max Strus -- and she wants him to hit her up ASAP!!

The gorgeous reality TV star spilled the beans on her dating life on the most recent episode of "The Viall Files" ... where she said she's not looking to get back on the market after her disastrous split from her ex-fiancé.

Tran said she'd make an exception if Boston Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum was interested ... that is, until she was informed he's currently boo'd up with singer Ella Mai.

Illia "Golem" Yefimchyk -- known by many as "The Mutant," and dubbed the "Most Monstrous Bodybuilder" -- has sadly died following a heart attack.

According to local media in Belarus, "Golem" suffered a heart attack on September 6 while at home with his wife, who tried all she could to save her husband ... performing chest compressions while waiting for first responders to arrive.

Yefimchyk was flown to the hospital by helicopter, where he slipped into a coma. His death was confirmed on Wednesday on social media by @whoisthebestbb.

A quartet of former NFL players were forced to pause a heated debate while they were live on television on Thursday morning ... after a terrifying earthquake rocked their set.

It all happened just minutes ago on FS1's "The Facility" -- when Emmanuel Acho, LeSean McCoy, James Jones and Chase Daniel were passionately discussing Baker Mayfield.

Jones was trying to compare the Bucs star's career arc with Derek Carr's ... when, suddenly, the cameras that were filming the guys began shaking.

Kendrick Lamar's not gonna kill Roger Goodell's vibe at Super Bowl LIX ... 'cause the NFL commish says he's "absolutely" a fan of this year's halftime performer.

Goodell was out in the Big Apple with his wife, Jane, on Wednesday ... when photogs asked for his thoughts on the 17-time Grammy winner getting picked to take the stage in New Orleans in February.

"Feeling great [about it]!!" Goodell told a camera person ... while adding he's an enthusiast of the Compton MC's discography.