TMZ Sports - Page 5

Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions is firing back at all the critics claiming his huge win over Mike Tyson wasn't legit ... saying there were absolutely zero restrictions stopping either side from performing to the best of their abilities.

There were plenty of naysayers after El Gallo defeated Iron Mike via unanimous decision ... mostly from people who refused to believe a 27-year-old YouTuber could beat a 58-year-old boxing legend.

Some dissected clips of the fight ... claiming there was evidence Tyson was pulling punches, with the belief being he did so to secure a bigger payday for letting Jake do his thing.

F1 star George Russell partied like a champion Saturday night ... hitting the strip and hanging with the Swedish House Mafia after winning the Las Vegas Grand Prix!!

The Mercedes driver held off the competition after starting in pole position ... finishing the 50-lap race more than seven seconds ahead of second-place finisher and teammate Lewis Hamilton.

The 26-year-old was in the mood to commemorate the victory with some good tunes ... so he hit up the Sports Illustrated Circuit Series Party at XS Nightclub inside the Wynn Las Vegas after the victory ... bringing his girlfriend, Carmen Montero Mundt, along for the festivities.

Saquon Barkley was unstoppable in the Philadelphia Eagles' "Sunday Night Football" win over the Rams -- which could only mean one thing -- a drug test from the league!!!

But, except for one thing ... it was just a prank his teammates pulled on their star running back!

Barkley found the fake note in his locker following the Eagles' 37-20 win over the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium -- where SB rushed for 255 rushing yards, a career-high for him, and the ninth most ever in an NFL game.

"That's not me," Barkley laughed, revealing tight end Dallas Goedert put the notice on his locker as a joke.

Steve Gleason's family revealed he was injured prior to a public speaking event in Louisiana on Saturday ... but thankfully, they say the Saints Great avoided serious injuries.

"Steve had an accident exiting his van yesterday to speak at the Gleason Life Skills Volleyball Clinic," the ALS advocate's wife, Michel, said on Sunday. "It was traumatic for him and for all of us who witnessed him mangled on the asphalt."

"Miraculously, he was spared greater injury because he was strapped into his wheelchair and because of the swift action of his care team, a passerby doctor, and family."

7:04 AM PT -- The Sixers apparently caved to the trolling ... 'cause the post was just scrubbed from the team's X account.

The Philadelphia 76ers got a lesson in Graphic Design 101 on Sunday ... when the team used a throwback font to share the final score of the game on social media -- but it ended up being the butt of countless jokes.

The Sixers' X account -- which utilized retro theming to match the squad's classic jerseys worn for the matchup with the L.A. Clippers -- posted the end results of the contest.

Instead of focusing on the 125-99 defeat, many noticed the word "final" in the graphic looked a lot like "anal" ... and naturally, plenty of users pointed it out.

The developers of the super popular "Hitman" video game franchise are severing ties with Conor McGregor in wake of his civil assault case loss last week.

IO Interactive -- which put the controversial UFC superstar in its "Hitman" universe via an update earlier this year -- wrote in a post on X that it will begin removing all of its McGregor-related content this week.

"In light of the recent court ruling regarding Conor McGregor," "Hitman" officials said, "IO Interactive has made the decision to cease its collaboration with the athlete, effective immediately."

Charles Barkley is making it clear -- he hates the way the Lakers are handling Bronny James' rookie season ... calling it flat-out "stupid."

The Round Mound of Rebound went in on L.A. during an appearance on "The Bettor Angle" over the weekend ... after he was asked if he liked the Lakers' G League plan for LeBron's oldest son so far.

If you've missed it, the 20-year-old has been playing home games for the South Bay Lakers ... before joining Dad's squad for road tilts.

Taylor Swift always has to be one step ahead of the paparazzi -- and a new video shows her and 2 famous friends sneaking out of a Los Angeles restaurant to avoid the flashing cameras.

The video, which was shot in January, but surfaced Sunday on TikTok, captures Taylor, Brittany Mahomes and Lyndsay Bell walking through the kitchen of Wolfgang Puck's Spago, Beverly Hills, after their meal.

Several of the male employees are seen leading the pop star and her buddies to the back, presumably where they can slip away quietly through a door to elude the shutterbugs out front.

Brett Favre thinks Aaron Rodgers still has life left in his arm ... and barring some sort of miracle comeback from the Jets this season -- he tells TMZ Sports he doesn't think the star quarterback will call it quits anytime soon.

Retirement rumors, of course, have surrounded Rodgers throughout the last few weeks ... as he and the Jets have both looked totally cooked so far in 2024.

New York is merely 3-8 ... and Rodgers is having one of the worst statistical seasons of his career -- logging just 17 touchdowns to go along with seven interceptions.

Kim Zolciak's selling Christmas trees ... though it's less like a Hallmark movie and more like a garage sale as she and her family face financial troubles.

The reality television star posted several photos of fake Christmas trees to her Instagram story Sunday ... but, instead of posting about putting them up with her fam, she says these trees gotta go -- and, interested parties should DM her.

It seems she's selling three major Christmas decorations ... including a more traditional $2500 tree covered in candy canes and garland and a beach-themed Christmas tree adorned in dazzling blue with faux starfish hanging from it.

Simone Biles did backflips while watching her husband's football game Sunday ... not literally, but she was pretty dang excited when he made a dynamic play.

The gold medal gymnast was in Chicago Sunday to watch Jonathan Owens' Chicago Bears take on the Minnesota Vikings ... and, in a particularly important moment, her man came up with a big stop short of the goal line.

Owens comes up and rips the ball out of running back Aaron Jones' hands ... running off toward the sideline with his prize.

Big Boom A.J. kept his promise ... as the TikTok sensation was victorious in his All Elite Wrestling debut against Q.T. Marshall at Full Gear -- thanks to an assist from his son, Big Justice!!

The match got kicked off with the special guest timekeeper ... with the Costco Guys' legendary friend, The Rizzler, getting walked down to the ring by former WWE Superstar and current AEW talent Big Show.

After the young influencer hit a few "rizz faces," the match got underway ... and even though he hasn't taken part in a match in years, A.J. seemed comfortable moving about the ring.

Patrick Mahomes got a big penalty for a game, but not for a play ... as far as the refs were concerned, it was way more ominous.

The Kansas City Chiefs QB was fined just over $14,000 for what officials called a "violent gesture" toward the end of the game against Buffalo last Sunday.

Mahomes had just thrown a touchdown pass and decided to celebrate by using his fingers to mimic the firing of a gun.

A ton of celebs moved their heads 'round and 'round as they watched drivers speed around the curves Saturday at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Paris Hilton, Martin Garrix, Sylvester Stallone, Axl Rose, Gordon Ramsay, Winnie Harlow, Terry Crews, Ludacris, and others were front and center watching the action when Max Verstappen took home the championship title.

Jared Leto and Nina Dobrev showed up in Vegas a day or 2 earlier to take in some fun before the race started.

'Tis the season to see Mike Tyson's ass again?? That's at least what one male revue is hoping ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the boxing legend is getting a hefty offer to host a holiday bash with his viral buns on full display!!

The folks over at Kings of Hustler in Las Vegas tell TMZ Sports they were among the millions of people who saw Iron Mike's ass during the Nov. 15 fight night on Netflix ... and shortly after his NSFW moment, they knew they wanted more.

As a result, the joint is now offering Tyson a $125,000 check ... just to show up and sport some chaps AND a banana hammock during its holiday festivities.

Jon Jones is NOT the most dangerous heavyweight MMA fighter in the world, despite dominating Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 ... according to Francis Ngannou, who says that distinction belongs to him!

TMZ Sports spoke with the former UFC heavyweight champ turned PFL MMA and boxing star following Bones return to the Octagon on Saturday at Madison Square Garden ... and we asked him, promotion aside, whether JJ was the best out there.

"You can't deny what [Jon] has done as a heavyweight," Ngannou said, "but I personally cannot classify him as the best heavyweight of all time. C'mon, man."