TMZ Sports - Page 50

UFC heavyweight champion Fabricio Werdum unleashed a featherweight version of a leg kick on an MMA reporter ... and it was still enough to send him to the ground in agony.

Aaron Tru has a history of allowing people to beat the hell out of him for no reason (check out the Ronda Rousey clip below) and this time he allowed Werdum -- who stands at 6'4" and weighs 232 pounds -- to kick him in the back of the leg.

It goes about how you would expect ... with Tru laid out in agony ... despite the fact Werdum claims he only used 40% of his strength.

Seems like he used 39% more than he needed to.

Here's Willis McGahee once again proving NFL tough guys can make anything look boss ... including getting laser treatment on their armpits while wearing designer shades.

The former All-Pro running back channeled his inner Carrie Bradshaw ... and hit up Flawless Icon MedSpa in Miami to zap away that pesky pit bush.

It was McGahee's first session ... it usually takes a few before the hair stops growing back permanently.

Willis claims the process barely hurt ... ranking his pain as a 1 on a scale of 1 to 5.

So, guess this means no more waxing???

Good news Lakers fans ... potential 2nd pick Jahlil Okafor looks right at home in the SoCal sun ... chillin' with his college teammates at an upscale L.A. rooftop party this past weekend.

Jahlil, along with fellow Dukies Tyus Jones, Amile Jefferson and Matt Jones hit up the rooftop pool of the very swanky SLS hotel in Beverly Hills this past Saturday, partying with celebrities like Too Short, and Charlamagne Tha God.

We're told the crew had some lovely ladies in their cabana, but there was no drinking and the guys mostly just chilled out and kicked back while things got crazy at the pool.

As for Jahlil, he has a workout this week with the Lakers ... but let's face it, the team could use all five guys.

Several Miami Dolphins football players -- including Pro Bowl tight end Jordan Cameron -- pulled out of a poker tournament in Florida at the last minute after the NFL stepped in ... and organizers are pissed.

The players AJ Francis (DT) Jason Fox (DT) and Jordan Cameron had already signed on to participate in the "Andy Slater See You Later Poker Tournament" at the Seminole Casino in Coconut Creek on June 9th ... when they were contacted by reps from the NFL.

"The players told me they were advised the couldn't play," organizer Andy Slater tells TMZ Sports ... "The league did then contacted me directly and said their planned participation is not permissible."

Francis, who we're told was very upset with the situation, tweeted out ... "Sorry anybody who wanted to come to the Poker Tournament tomorrow and play with Dolphins players. Can't go anymore."

We reached out to the NFL ... and a rep told us, "There is a long standing policy that prohibits players -- or any league personnel --from appearing at an event in a casino."

The event cancellation comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding Tony Romo's fantasy football convention in Vegas -- another event the NFL says players are not permitted to attend.

We asked the league about that ... and were told the location was a problem because it was set to go down at a casino property ... which violated league policy.

Ray Rice is clearly expecting to return to the NFL -- training every single day at an exclusive athletic facility in Connecticut ... TMZ Sports has learned.

The former Baltimore Ravens running back is a regular at the BlueStreak Sports Training Center in Stamford, CT ... and we're told he's been impressive with speed and footwork drills.

We're told Rice has been at the center for the past "few months."

Rice is eligible to play in the NFL again after serving his suspension for the domestic violence incident -- but the question now ... is there a team that will actually take a chance on Rice?

Stay tuned ...

Here's Justin Bieber pulling off a between the legs layup during the Kanye West birthday hoops game and celebrity extravaganza.

Not bad, right?!

According to people who were there, Bieber was the most impressive player on the court ... racking up a ton of points ... and was ultimately named MVP of the game.

Justin Bieber is NO JOKE on the basketball court ... and absolutely dominated the A-list competition at Kanye West's birthday party ... so says an NBA witness, Dorell Wright.

The Portland Trailblazers player didn't play in Kanye's big bash at Staples Center on Monday -- but he was in the building as a celebrity spectator ... and says the most impressive player on the court was JB.

"Bieber was showin' out," Wright said ... "He definitely had the most points. It was between him and Tyga."

Apparently, Kanye wasn't bad either ... but the question -- who wins in a 1-on-1 between Bieber and the birthday boy?

Wright says the answer is pretty obvious ... and it's gonna make one of the guys really mad.

Things are heating up QUICKLY between Rihanna and soccer superstar Karim Benzema ... 'cause after the two partied in Hollywood together Monday night, Benzema capped off the night with a cheesy romantic finishing move ... ROSES!!!

TMZ Sports spotted RiRi and the Real Madrid stud on their way out of Henry's ... and even though they left separately, it was pretty obvious they were there together.

As we previously reported, the two had been hanging out on the East Coast (after flirting online last year) ... and even met up for a late night food run in NYC just last week.

Which bring us back to last night ... when Benzema shelled out a bunch of cash to the infamous rose lady on his way out of the club ... seems like a shameless attempt to close the deal.

Wonder if it worked.

Despite the fact he's already been on suicide watch AND involved in a prison fight, convicted murderer Aaron Hernandez says he's "doing well" in prison ... and gets tons of fan mail.

TMZ Sports obtained a hand-written letter the ex-NFL star sent to a female pen pal ... in which he starts off by apologizing for the delayed response.

"I'm sorry I couldn't respond sooner but I do receive numerous letters daily!"

He continues -- very politely we might add -- to explain how he's handling life in one of the most high tech maximum security prisons in the country.

"I am doing well and will always, we have so much to be thankful for in life, even when we naturally focus on the negatives."

Kim Kardashian gave her husband Kanye West a set of keys for his birthday -- the keys to STAPLES CENTER ... in what has to be the most baller gift ever!

Kanye turned 38 on Monday, and Kim went all out ... renting the home of the Lakers and Clippers for a day so Yeezy could play a basketball game with his boys.

We're told Kim dropped $110,000 for the gift -- and the only thing more impressive than that is the guest list.

Kanye's running the court with NBA superstars Russell Westbrook and John Wall ... plus his pals Justin Bieber, Tyga, and Pusha T. James Harden and 2 Chainz are coaching, John Salley is announcing ... and freakin' John Legend sang the National Anthem!

Icing on the hardcourt cake? Kim hired real NBA referees, and a few Laker girls to cheer on her hubby.

Oh, and Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Carmelo Anthony, Shaquille O'Neal, and Scottie Pippen ... made videos that played on the jumbotron.

#WifeOfTheCentury

Brittney Griner says she was blindsided by Glory Johnson's pregnancy announcement -- but it wasn't the fact she was preggo that shocked her, it was the timing.

Griner sat down with ESPN's Kate Fagan and said she was surprised that Johnson went public with the news when she did because "it's very early. It's too early to post or say anything about it."

As TMZ Sports previously reported, sources connected to the couple tell us Johnson has only been pregnant for less than a month.

It's still unclear whether or not Griner wants to have a relationship with the child -- or if she plans on helping out Johnson with the financial situation.

During the interview, Griner re-stated that getting married to Johnson was a "huge mistake" and said she only agreed because she felt pressured into it.

The Game turned himself in to police for allegedly threatening to kill an opponent -- who happened to be a cop -- during a basketball game, but his time in custody was very brief.

TMZ broke the story ... an arrest warrant was issued last week when the D.A. charged Game with one count of making criminal threats back in March.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the rapper surrendered to LAPD just after noon on Monday, and was released 54 minutes later -- once he posted his $50,000 bail.

Game posted a photo chilling in a hot tub on Sunday, saying ... "Relaxing in the sauna before I turn myself in..... But what you gone do when you get outta jail... I'm gonna have some fun."

Let the fun begin.

The woman who claims she was raped by former NFL player Ray McDonald just got a huge win in court -- because the judge has THROWN OUT the defamation lawsuit McDonald had filed against her.

McDonald had sued the woman back in March claiming the accuser LIED when she told police he raped her at his home back in December in a diabolical plot to ruin his NFL career.

The woman had claimed she hit her head when she fell at Ray's pool -- and didn't remember having sex with him. Ray denied any wrongdoing and claimed the sex was consensual.

But moments ago, the judge ruled that the woman had only reported her story to the police -- and no one else -- and is therefore protected by the 1st Amendment.

The judge tossed McDonald's lawsuit against her -- and ordered that McDonald pay the accuser's legal fees related to the defamation suit.

President Barack Obama is finally weighing in on the international FIFA scandal -- saying it's important for the U.S. to make sure the sport is clean ... because the Americans are good at it now!!

Obama was at the G7 Summit in Germany when he said, "I will say that in conversations I’ve had here, in Europe, people think it is very important for FIFA to be able to operate with integrity and transparency and accountability."

“And so, as the investigation and charges proceed, I think we have to keep in mind that although football -- or soccer, depending on which side of the Atlantic you live on -- ​is a game, it’s also a massive business, it’s a source of incredible national pride, and people want to make sure that it operates with integrity."

"The United States, by the way, since we keep on getting better and better at each World Cup, we want to make sure that a sport that is gaining popularity is conducted in an upright manner."

Suck on THAT Zlatan ...

Despite the fact she's been accused of beating up a minor and berating cops, the allegations surrounding Hope Solo come 2nd to what happens on the soccer field ... so says a Team USA legend.

We spoke with Briana Scurry -- the Team USA goalie before Hope Solo took over --and asked her if Solo should be yanked from the Women's World Cup in the wake of new reports detailing her alleged reprehensible behavior on the night she was arrested for domestic violence.

Scurry deflected (she's a goalie after all) ... but essentially told us, "Right now what's important is what happens on the pitch."

"The team does need her to be at her best and she needs the team to be at its best ... so right now the important thing is what they do on the field."

Some life updates from Denver Broncos stud linebacker Von Miller ... apparently, he's got a new celebrity partner on his chicken farm ... and he's finally addressing his team's fart tax.

It all went down outside Hooray Henry's nightclub in West Hollywood -- where Miller had been partying with his pal (and fellow NFL linebacker) Melvin Ingram.

Seems Ingram has gotten in on Miller's legendary chicken farm in Texas (yes, he really has a chicken farm) ... though, the dudes appear kinda hammered, so they may have just been messin' around.

As for the fart tax ... there have been reports the Broncos fine players for tearing ass during meetings. So, we asked Miller about it.