TMZ Sports - Page 50

A UFC fighter learned the new armor for his man jewels works just fine ... and it's all 'cause of Cris Cyborg's powerful kicks!!!

Here's the deal ... UFC's Don Madge was in a gym recently and wanted to try out his new cup -- so he asked Cyborg for a helping foot.

Cris reared back and went to kick the dude pretty hard -- but Madge was having none of that ... pulling away at the last second and screaming, "That was way too hard!!"

Don didn't let that deter him ... he asked for more from the UFC superstar -- and Cyborg delivered -- TWICE!!!

Good news for Madge ... his genitals remained intact and seemingly unharmed -- and looks like he's found a solid cup for his next fight.

If Melvin Gordon cost ya money last night ... the L.A. Chargers running back says he's truly sorry.

"To my fantasy owners ... who lost without my help I’m sorry," M.G. wrote on social media.

Gordon was a monster this year -- averaging 25.15 fantasy points per game -- but a knee injury sidelined him while many needed him the most in fantasy playoffs Thursday night.

Of course, the NFL superstar was probably the reason you were IN the fantasy playoffs in the first place ... but he's still apologizing nonetheless.

"Crunch time in these playoffs and I couldn’t come thru !!"

But hey, it coulda been worse ... at least fantasy owners had a heads-up a couple hours before kickoff to swap him out of the lineup.

As for his teammate, Keenan Allen ... the same can't be said -- and THAT'S the apology we're all still waiting for!!!

Russell Westbrook had touched down in Denver -- getting ready to take on the Nuggets -- when all of the sudden ... BOOM, IT'S MICHELLE OBAMA!!!

The Oklahoma City Thunder star has a game Friday night at the Pepsi Center -- the same spot where Michelle O had a big event Thursday to promote her book, "Becoming."

Unclear who spotted who ... but Russ was definitely excited to see the former First Lady and posted the pic on Instagram.

"It was insane running into Michelle Obama. She has been such an inspiration to my family, and I can't wait to read her new book Becoming," Westbrook wrote.

The two have met before -- when they hugged it out at the 2012 Olympic Games in London when Russell and the rest of the Team USA basketball squad dominated France.

Michelle was sitting in the front row for the action and personally congratulated every single player -- from LeBron James to Carmelo Anthony.

And, get this, we've previously spoken with Westbrook about the possibility of the Obamas becoming owners of an NBA team -- and Russ told us he'd be 100% down to play for Barack and Michelle.

NHL star Evander Kane is calling out "Jane Doe" -- claiming the woman accusing him of stiffing her out of $3 MILLION for aborting his child must reveal her REAL NAME if she's gonna proceed with her lawsuit.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... the accuser filed a lawsuit against Kane claiming she's been dating the 27-year-old on-and-off since 2015 and had 2 abortions during their relationship.

But, in May 2018, the woman claims she got pregnant for the 3rd time -- but decided she wanted to keep the baby. It wasn't until Kane offered a $3 million check that she agreed to terminate.

In her suit, Doe claims she went through with the procedure but Kane never ponied up the dough -- so she sued.

Kane has previously denied the allegations -- and now he's filed new legal docs asking the judge to throw out the case.

In his papers, Kane argues that even if he did agree to the $3 million deal, it was made in a private, consensual sexual setting and the court has no authority to enforce it.

He also argues that since he's not accused of committing a crime, the accuser should not be able to hide behind an alias -- and if the case moves forward, she should use her real name instead of Jane Doe.

Kane's strategy is obvious -- if the judge forces her to reveal her name, Kane believes she would be more likely to drop the suit out of fear of embarrassment.

What's cuter than a puppy playing hockey with the St. Louis Blues??

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ... 'cause this is the most freakin' adorable thing you'll ever see!!!

The Blues adopted a Labrador Retriever just a few weeks ago ... and they finally let him hit the ice with the squad Thursday -- and the ensuing cuteness was uncontrollable.

The pup -- named Barclay, or Barc for short -- showed off his speed AND his stick-handling skills ... all while his ears flopped in the chill and his big paws tore up the ice.

LOOK AT HIM!!!!!!!

The Blues have big plans for the pup -- who was named after legendary Blues defenseman Barclay Plager -- 'cause the squad says they're going to train him to be a future assistance dog.

In the meantime ... he'll forever remain the cutest member of the Blues.

Eat your heart out, Alex Pietrangelo.

Shane Mosley has some friendly advice for Dana White -- DON'T ACCEPT OSCAR DE LA HOYA'S BOXING CHALLENGE ... fight him in the Octagon instead!

Remember, Oscar and Dana have been beefing hard lately -- with Dana calling Oscar all sorts of nasty names on ESPN.

So, Oscar issued a challenge of his own -- going on SiriusXM's 'Luke Thomas Show' and saying, "Let's get in the ring. Three rounds. Let's do this."

De La Hoya also told TMZ Sports that he would beat Dana's ass if things actually came to blows.

And, since "Sugar" Shane Mosley knows exactly what it's like to fight the Golden Boy -- he beat Oscar twice -- we asked if he had any advice for the UFC boss.

"Don't take the challenge," Mosley joked at the Smash Global MMA party in L.A. ... "I wouldn't do that. That wouldn't be a smart move."

Mosley's fiancee suggested the boxer give Dana some 1-on-1 personal training ... but Mosely replied, "It's not gonna help."

But, get this, Shane DOES think the guys should fight -- but he wants MMA rules since Oscar would have too big of an advantage in a boxing match.

BTW -- Mosley also reminded us that he and Oscar BOTH fought Shaquille O'Neal back in the day ... and we found the video.

And, it's AMAZING!!!

POLICE BEEF!!!!

The Kansas City P.D. was talking all sorts of crap about the Chargers before they took on the Chiefs Thursday night.

So, when K.C. choked away the game, the LAPD decided to rub some salt in the wound.

It all started before the big "Thursday Night Football" matchup ... when the KCPD threw shade at the Bolts for their lack of fan support in BOTH San Diego and L.A.

"While our football team doesn't have to move cities to get fans, we'd like to keep our city's traffic (both fans & commuters) moving during tomorrow's Chiefs vs Chargers game."

"Stadium full of people will be going to Arrowhead during rush hour. Plan alt. routes or extra time."

So, when Philip Rivers and company stormed into Arrowhead and silenced the 75,000 fans with a last-second, come-from-behind victory ... the LAPD decided to clap back.

"It’s ok...we’ll take the 11-3 playoff-bound @Chargers and their great win over the @Chiefs."

SHAAAAAAAAAAAADEEEEE!!

Of course ... L.A. cops weren't the only ones getting in on the K.C. trollin' -- Rivers made sure the fans at Arrowhead got some in person too!

The best news for all parties?? Both teams have clinched a playoff berth ... which means we could all get round 3 in just a few weeks.

James Harden was channeling his inner Migos before takin' on LeBron and the Lakers ... showing up to the game Thursday in a full Versace snakeskin short suit -- and then he BALLED OUT!!

With the majority of his thighs out on display, Harden swagged his way into the Toyota Center in Houston and then dropped a 50 BURGER on the Lake Show.

The Rockets eventually won the game 126 to 111.

So, how much does drip like this cost? Versace tells us the faux python outfit isn't even available to the public until the start of 2019 -- the top will set ya back $7,595 ... and the pants are $3,495!!!

Harden's also in the middle of a $228 MILLION contract extension, so money is no object when it comes to fashion.

Seems the fit could be a tribute to Bron's trend-setting look from the NBA Finals last season ... when the King rocked a short suit before Game 1.

We gotta say, Harden's got the upper hand on LBJ with this one.

Don't worry, Stephen A. Smith ... your colleagues got your back!

The ESPN star went viral on Thursday because of his DISASTROUS pregame analysis of the Chargers game ... which included a bunch of guys who weren't even playing.

It was a mess ... and HILARIOUS!

He mentioned Hunter Henry as a key player while noting the way he's played this year. The problem? Hunter's been out all season with a torn ACL.

Stephen also mentioned Derrick Johnson as a player to watch for the Chiefs -- despite the fact he hasn't been on the roster since 2017. Good times!

So, when we saw ESPN's Cari Champion at LAX, we had to ask ... WHAT HAPPENED?!

"Stephen A. is a very smart man. He has a lot going on and he is extremely smart," Champion said.

"I think Stephen A. has a lot to do ... a lot on his plate ... he knew exactly what he was talking about ... we all make mistakes."

She added, "[You] try doing live television 20,000 hours a day!"

For his part, Stephen A. called the situation a "brain-lock moment" and clowned himself on Twitter.

"It’s called a MISTAKE because I was think of Virgil Green, but mentioned Hunter because I was multi-tasking. That’s what happens when you’re doing a thousand things."

"But I don’t blame you if you told me to 'Stay Off The Weeeeeeedddddddd.!' That was a brain-lock moment."

Dikembe Mutombo says the 8-year-old boy he flew in from Africa is set to undergo surgery "very soon" to remove the tumor on his face ... and is calling for prayers.

TMZ Sports broke the story ... the NBA legend made it his mission to help the boy, Matadi, after he learned Matadi was being shunned by society back in the Congo.

Mutombo greeted Matadi at LAX earlier this week and connected him with a Beverly Hills doctor who will perform the operation to remove the tumor.

Dikembe says the operation "is coming up very soon, any day" -- and Matadi will likely stay in the U.S. for 3 to 6 months while he recovers.

"Now, we have to pray everything goes well," Mutombo says.

Dikembe has helped hundreds of thousands of people through the hospitals he's built in Africa -- but says Matadi is a special situation and has really touched his heart.

In fact, Mutombo says ever since we published the story he's had people calling him from all over the world to commend him on doing such a wonderful thing for that little boy and his family.

Shareef O'Neal is out of heart surgery -- and he's already thinking about his return to the basketball court!

The UCLA basketball star went under the knife early Thursday morning to correct an irregularity that team doctors had spotted during a routine check-up earlier this year.

The good news ... Shaquille O'Neal's 18-year-old was in great spirits when he got out of surgery Thursday evening -- and posted a message to his fans (that he dictated to his younger sister).

"I made it, Thank you for all the love and support! I really appreciate all your thoughts and prayers, that's what helped me through this surgery."

He added, "I'm on the road to recovery, and I'll be back soon ... better than ever."

Shareef is already getting support from his famous friends including Dwyane Wade who wrote -- "Love you lil bro. You will come back stronger."

Austin Rivers added, "Stay up bro! Coming back stronger than ever."

Hollywood sets are about to get a lot scarier ... because the most intimidating man in the history of the NFL is taking his terror to Tinseltown ... James Harrison says he wants to ACT.

We talked to the 2x Super Bowl champ, and he told us the plan has always been to get in front of the screen when football was over, and he knows the type of actor he wants to be.

"I kinda see myself as an action type of actor more along the lines of, you might have heard of him, some dude named Dwayne Johnson."

If you think it's ALL about the action, you're wrong. Harrison says he's got tons of range ... kinda like another dude you might be familiar with.

"I feel like I got the range of someone else you might have heard of ... Denzel."

Before you think he's just goofing, Harrison -- who's in L.A. filming an episode of CBS's hit show S.W.A.T. -- says he's been taking acting classes for a while, and is taking meetings with directors, writers, and a huge company by the name of Marvel.

He wouldn't be the first guy to make the switch ... former NFL running back Thomas Jones is making a REAL splash now, having been in big movies and the "Luke Cage" TV show, so James can do it too.

Plus, do you REALLY think any casting directors would have the balls to tell James no? We thought not.

The famous Chelsea soccer team has issued a harsh statement ripping fans who used an anti-Semitic chant during a game in Budapest on Thursday ... calling it "abhorrent."

Chelsea was playing Tottenham in a Europa League game -- but minutes into the game, several fans were heard singing a chant that used anti-Jewish slurs.

"Barcelona, Real Madrid, Tottenham are a bunch of Yids ... Yiddos."

FYI, Yid is a derogatory term for a Jewish person.

A rep for Chelsea issued a statement blasting the bigots -- saying, "Anti-Semitism and any other kind of race-related or religious hatred is abhorrent to this club and the overwhelming majority of our fans."

"It has no place at Chelsea or in any of our communities."

"Any individuals that can't summon the brain-power to comprehend this simple message and are found to have shamed the club by using anti-semitism or racist words or actions will face the strongest possible action from the club."

MMA fighters are terrified of Khabib ... that is, except UFC star Kevin Lee who says he's dyin' to square up with the undefeated champ ... and he's confident he'll kick his ass.

Lee -- the #4 ranked lightweight -- tells TMZ Sports he knows exactly who he wants next after beating up Al Iaquinta at UFC on FOX 31 Saturday night.

Khabib "The Eagle" Nurmagomedov.

Why does Kevin think he'd fare any different than the 27 fighters who were all handed an L from Khabib?

"Everybody's afraid to wrestle with the man and that's what kinda lets him shine through. All of the sudden he thinks he's a good boxer cause he kinda clipped Conor a little bit, but it was really the wrestling threat. Conor was so afraid to wrestle with him."

"I'm bigger, stronger and I ain't afraid to wrestle with no man."

Them fightin' words.

Some good news, bad news for Serena Williams ...

The Good News -- The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has announced massive rule changes allowing athletes like Serena to wear full catsuit outfits during 2019 matches.

The Bad News -- The French Open -- where the whole catsuit drama went down -- could still ban it because the rule change doesn't apply to Grand Slams.

Remember, French Open officials created a huge controversy after they told Serena she couldn't wear her custom-made Nike compression suit ... despite the fact that it was designed to increase blood circulation in the wake of her health issues surrounding blood clots.

The ensuing outcry was LOUD -- with everyone from ex-pro tennis player Anne White to ex-Iran president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad racing to defend Williams.

In an effort to prevent similar drama from happening ... the WTA announced in rule changes this week, "Leggings and mid-thigh-length compression shorts may be worn with or without a skirt, shorts or dress."

Translation ... catsuit's back!!!

The problem -- the rule changes only apply to WTA Tournaments ... NOT Grand Slams.

Jermall and Jermell Charlo are already seein' Money before their huge title fights next weekend ... 'cause Floyd Mayweather was a special guest at their open workouts in Houston!!

The undefeated Charlo twins hosted the training sesh/toy drive in their hometown leading up to their big event in Brooklyn ... and anyone who brought a gift got to check out their workout for free.

But, the guests weren't the only people in the giving spirit ... celeb jeweler Johnny Dang dropped by to hand-deliver a custom diamond grill for Jermall!!

Both Charlos are fighting at Barclays Center next Saturday -- both attempting to keep their undefeated streaks alive.

Jermall is 27-0 and Jermell is 31-0.

And, since they're both fighting on the same card -- how did they determine which fight would be the main event? Coin flip.

Jermall won -- so his fight will get top billing when he defends his interim middleweight title against Willie Monroe Jr.

Jermell is defending his junior middleweight title against Tony Harrison.

Floyd's got his own fight comin' up ... with his New Year's Eve exhibition in Tokyo with Tenshin Nasukawa right around the corner.