TMZ Sports - Page 50

The Iowa Athletic Commission has launched an investigation into the violent gym fight between pro MMA fighter Josh Neer and a social media heckler ... TMZ Sports has learned.

As we previously reported, Neer -- who's had 51 pro fights -- invited the heckler over to his gym for a "full contact" fight earlier this week. The heckler accepted and Josh beat his ass.

Footage of the fight went viral ... and officials at the state's athletic commission were among those who viewed the footage.

TMZ Sports spoke with IAC Executive Director Joe Walsh (not THAT Joe Walsh) who tells us his team is actively looking into the incident.

"We are aware of the situation. I have our legal team taking a thorough look at our rules. We're checking to see if we have anything on the books that covers this."

Walsh says the commission doesn't usually have regulatory authority outside of the ring or octagon ... telling us they generally oversee "events, not what occurs in gyms."

Still, Walsh says, "We do have certain standards that our athletes must meet."

Charles Barkley is a lot of things, but delusional isn't one of them ... because the NBA legend seems to know exactly where he ranks in basketball supremacy ... and it's behind Kobe Bean Bryant.

Sir Charles was at LAX the other day when we asked him if he was disappointed "Selma" didn't win Best Picture at the Oscars. No, not because of THAT ... but because Chuck is from Alabama and famously paid for a lot of local kids to see the movie.

But when we changed the topic to Kobe -- and how the Mamba will be remembered once he hangs it up -- Chuck was quick to say he's not on Kobe's level ... not even close.

Fact is ... Charles is right, but you just don't hear athletes (especially NBA players) admit ANYONE is better than them.

Where does a sweaty ankle cast get treated like a fine piece of art? A podiatry school ... 'cause that's exactly where Robert Griffin III's used cast -- auctioned off by the Redskins QB -- is on display behind glass.

Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine student Rich Bruno ... a die hard Skins fan and lover of feet -- recently purchased the NFL star's stinky cast at auction for $1,522.

Now ... Bruno tells TMZ Sports he's (temporarily) donated the item to his med school so it can be enjoyed by everyone.

"I'd love to share it with my peers or anyone who shares my passion for podiatry and sports by displaying it in my school's clinic."

Besides helping in RG's recovery, the cast actually contains some valuable signatures from several Washington stars ... including DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon.

And get this ... now that the school has had a taste of RG III's feet ... Bruno says they may try to build on their collection.

"We may contact the team to try and have them release his X-Rays," Bruno said. "Something like that would be so fascinating and unique, I'd probably lose my mind."

One of the most bitter celeb breakups in recent memory might be on the mend 'cause R&B star Keyshia Cole and her estranged hubby Daniel "Boobie" Gibson were out together in L.A. Monday night ... looking pretty cozy.

Keyshia and the ex-NBA star were spotted at the premiere of Keyshia Cole's new reality show "All In" and seemed to be enjoying each other's company.

Daniel even Instagram'd a pic of the couple(?) hugged up together with a very affectionate caption that read ... "Look what I found ... full support of this Angel at her premiere."

It's a fairly shocking development considering the split was public and nasty with Keyshia previously telling TMZ Sports that Gibson had turned her off from athletes forever.

Despite the bad blood ... the two never officially divorced, making for a much smoother ride to that town called Reconciliationville.

He coaches BOYS high school basketball ... and GIRLS high school basketball ... and when it comes to brains, Metta World Peace says it's all about the XX chromosomes.

MWP is an assistant coach for both teams at Palisades Charter High School in Los Angeles -- and says he LOVES being able to pass on his basketball knowledge to the kids.

But when it comes to absorbing that knowledge ... Metta says it's become perfectly clear -- the women are just smarter.

Michael Sam is adamant ... his decision to join "Dancing with the Stars" does NOT mean he's giving up his NFL dreams ... saying, "Football remains my unquestioned number 1 priority."

TMZ Sports broke the story ... Sam signed on to join Season 20 ... which begins next month.

Some people have said the move is proof that Sam is throwing in the towel on his football career and wants to focus on exploiting his off-the-field fame.

But moments ago, Sam fired back at the critics ... saying, "Football remains my unquestioned number 1 priority, however, while I continue to train and stay ready, I am ecstatic to participate in a fun, athletic competition like so many players before me have done."

"Filming this off-season is very flexible and allows me to be part of the veterans combine 3/22 if accepted or any other workouts."

MMA fighter Josh Neer -- who's competed for UFC and Bellator -- obliterated a local heckler at an Iowa gym ... dishing out ferocious head strikes ... and recorded the whole thing on video.

According to the 31-year-old fighter ... a heckler named Patrick Martin had been "talking s**t about MMA fighters for a month" via text messages ... so Neer called him out on it.

"I usually ignore him ... but this time I said, 'If you really want to fight come to the gym Monday at 5:30.'"

Among the harassing texts ... Martin wrote, "Lol you are a f**king joke! You will respect me though! And I hope we can be friends afterwards!"

The heckler -- who Josh says is 6'6" and 270 lbs -- accepted the offer to fight on Monday ... and as you can see on the video ... he proceeded to get his ass kicked.

An L.A. mansion owned by former NBA player Earl Watson was robbed Monday night by at least 4 men in ski masks -- who handcuffed the occupants and ransacked the place.

While 35-year-old Watson owns the $4 million Encino home, he currently rents it out to a local elderly couple.

Officials say the men -- at least one of whom had a gun -- broke in through a back door and once inside, they handcuffed the couple and stole various items ... including cash.

Law enforcement sources tell us a maid was in the house -- who hid and called 911.

If you're still intercourse'n ... there's no divorce'n -- so says ex-NBA star Stephen Jackson ... who's asking a judge to throw out his wife's divorce petition because they're still knockin' boots like a married couple.

It's one of the strangest legal docs we've ever seen ... Jackson says the judge should NOT grant his wife Renata a divorce because he believes she's just trying to score a prenup payout ... when in actuality, they're still very much a couple.

FYI -- Jackson says Renata's payout under the prenup is based on his net worth at the time she filed for divorce in 2013 ... and since he was still playing in the NBA at the time, the payout would be significantly larger.

But in new docs filed in state court in Georgia, Jackson says he can prove his marriage wasn't dead then ... and it isn't dead now ... because he's still banging his wife on the regular.

In fact, Stephen says he often still takes her on fancy vacations to places like the Bahamas, Cancun and Jamaica ... and presumably bangs her there too.

Which leads to this explanation Stephen included in new court docs -- "Despite filing for divorce, [Renata] continued her relationship with [Stephen] in an effort to 'have her cake and eat it, too.'"

We can't imagine this case is going to have a happy ending for Jackson -- because if he gets his wish, he's still gonna have a pissed off wife on his hands. And if he loses, he's gonna have to cut a big, fat check.

Michael Sam just dominated a TMZ photog at LAX like he was The Mountain ... and we were Oberyn Martell ... and it's pretty damn hilarious.

Here's how it went down ... One of our crack camera guys got the newly engaged Sam to not only tell us when and where he's getting married ... but who he's inviting and where he's registered.

Awesome, right?

Now for the twist ... He's getting married in Westeros with Tyrion and Tywin Lannister -- AND Daenerys Targaryen (good luck with those three) -- and he's registered at King's Landing.

Yeah, it's Red Wedding-level deception.

Here's the thing ... most of you probably got the fact that those are all references to the HBO show "Game Of Thrones" -- but the one dude who didn't was our camera guy.

Auburn wide receiver Sammie Coates -- a projected 1st round NFL Draft pick -- customized his cleats at the NFL Combine to honor a 12-year-old girl with leukemia ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Coates became friends with Kenzie Ray after she attended a game back in 2013 -- and they've maintained a strong friendship ever since.

And get this ... Coates recently signed a deal with Under Armour -- and the shoe giant flew out famous cleats customizer David Zambrana (aka DezCustomz) to pimp out some shoes for UA's top guys.

We're told Coates knew exactly what he wanted -- and worked with Dez (along with Kreative Custom Kicks) to pay tribute to his friend Kenzie.

Dez obliged with a VERY cool set of cleats which features Kenzie's name right across the toe.

And that's not all ... Dez says there were other guys who also asked for heartwarming tributes to the people they care about the most. For example:

-- South Carolina RB Mike Davis requested shoes in honor of his mother, who's his best friend and biggest inspiration.

-- Auburn RB Cameron Artis-Payne dedicated his cleats to his late grandmother -- who was very special to him.

Makes you wanna root even harder for these guys, right!?

Michael Sam will be competing in March, not on the football field, but on the "Dancing with the Stars" hardwood ... TMZ Sports has learned.

Michael -- the first openly gay player drafted in the NFL -- will be part of Season 20, which fires up next month.

Here's the problem. Sam -- who insinuated he was cut from the NFL because he is gay -- has vowed to get back in the league and said he'd take part in the first-ever veteran's combine on March 22.

But Sam needs to prove he has what it takes, and we're thinkin' some of the owners might question his commitment if he's focusing on the rumba rather than rumbling.

WWE superstar Mark Henry wants to enter the ring like a BOSS -- which is why he's calling on his doppleganger Rick Ross to remix his famous theme music so he can kick ass with a brand new beat.

FYI -- Henry is well aware of the fact he and Ross look EXACTLY alike -- and says that's exactly why his big bearded brother from another mother is the perfect guy to put a new twist on "Somebody's Gonna Get Their Ass Kicked."

And Henry's convinced there's a real shot it could happen ... thanks to a mutual famous friend -- who happens to be a hardcore wrestling fan.

Philadelphia Eagles player Nate Allen was wrongly accused of driving around while pleasuring himself, and FL prosecutors have cleared his name -- partly due to a well-timed Red Lobster dinner.

Allen was detained last week in Fort Myers after a 16-year-old girl called 911 to report seeing a man driving a black truck with the windows down and masturbating. An officer responded to the area, saw Allen in a black Ford pick-up, and arrested him.

But the State Attorney's Office announced today that further investigation revealed Allen's truck was NOT the one the girl reported seeing.

Also, Allen was having dinner at a Red Lobster at the time the girl called 911. Prosecutors confirmed this from the time stamp on his bill ... and a photo he took with an employee. Great time for some cheddar biscuits!

State Attorney's Office spokesperson Samantha Syoen tells TMZ ... prosecutors thanked Nate for his patience and for cooperating with investigators.

Here's Floyd Mayweather chowing down on a hot dog at the Lakers game Sunday night.

More insane highlights from 10-year-old LeBron James Jr. -- who led his All-Star youth basketball team to victory this weekend in one of the most prestigious tournaments in the country.

Bronny and his Gulf Coast Blue Chips squad ran the table at the John Lucas All Star Weekend invitation-only tournament in New Orleans ... going undefeated in five games against really tough teams.

But once again, all eyes were on Bronny ... who was just KILLIN' IT ... working an insane crossover, dribbling behind the back and hitting some deep 3s.

"We haven't lost a game yet since Bronny joined the team in mid-December," coach Adrian Sparks tells TMZ Sports.

"He's awesome. He played amazing. He averaged double digits. Bronny's just an all around good kid."