TMZ Sports - Page 50

Khabib Nurmagomedov wants Daniel Cormier to retire after fighting Stipe Miocic.

TMZ Sports talked to The Eagle days before his AKA gym mate headlines UFC 241 on Saturday.

It'll come as no surprise Khabib thinks Cormier will win ... what might shock you, KN says this should be Daniel's last trip to the Octagon.

"Honestly I want him retire, honestly. He have job, he have money. He's like one of the greatest athlete who ever compete in the UFC."

"I really want him to retire. Because 40 years is not like 30 years. I really want him to win this fight and say, 'Hey, I enjoy with you guys long time. Right now, I have to stop this.'"

Just to be clear, these guys are tight (as you could see when DC came into the TMZ office). It's not that Khabib thinks DC's lost a step ... he believes Cormier's been so successful outside of fighting, he doesn't have to risk his body anymore.

Question is, will DC actually hang up the gloves?

Khabib doesn't think so.

"I think, no. Know why? He's like Olympic athlete level. These people cannot say 'I'm finished.'"

Nurmagomedov continued ... "I don't think he's gonna retire after this fight. Me, Coach Jav, all team, we really want him retire, cause we love him."

If DC doesn't listen ... and he fights again, there's a good chance the opponent would be Jon Jones.

Anthony Pettis and Nate Diaz have beef... BUT, AP says that doesn't mean he won't spark a J with Diaz after they fight.

Their relationship is icy -- there's been bad blood between the fighters for awhile -- and they're gonna duke it out Saturday night at UFC 241.

"We're not cool. Me and Nate are not cool," Pettis tells TMZ Sports ... "I mean we never had any kind of relationship other than him throwing his middle fingers up at me. So, you do that to me, then I'm assuming we have a problem."

So, yeah, they ain't friends ... which made Pettis' answer to, "Would you smoke with Nate after the fight?" surprising.

"F**k yeah. Hell yeah. Honestly after this fight is done, there's no beef," he says, "I'm gonna settle it in the Octagon, and if we spark one up, we spark one up."

It could happen.

Diaz isn't shy about his love for weed, and even lit up a joint (it's unclear if it was marijuana or CBD) at his open workout on Wednesday.

Pettis loved it.

"That's dope, that's dope. Hell yeah. I support that. I smoke weed too."

Former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins was burglarized in Los Angeles ... and TMZ Sports has learned the thieves made off with the NBA star's shoes and luggage.

Law enforcement sources tell us the 24-year-old -- who's been in L.A. training for the NBA this summer -- had his place broken into earlier this month.

But, we're told cops described the scene as "amateur hour" ... because the burglars left jewelry and other valuables in the heist, and only took about $1,000 worth of the stuff instead.

We're told the thieves stole a pair of Wiggins' casual Nikes and his luggage -- and also made off with his rental SUV Escalade. But, we're told authorities were able to locate the vehicle a short time later.

As for Wiggins' property, the LAPD is currently investigating ... but no arrests have been made, and his stuff hasn't been recovered yet.

By the way, sources close to the situation also tell us the break-in appears to have had nothing to do with the string of burglaries that impacted celebs in the city over the past year -- describing this incident as random.

Wiggins has been one of the Minnesota Timberwolves' best players since entering the NBA in 2014 ... starting in 400 games in his 5-year career.

"Rowdy" Roddy Piper's daughter Teal Piper is following in her legendary father's footsteps ... and TMZ Sports has obtained training footage showing her first in-ring action.

We've learned Piper has signed on with Lakers owner Jeanie Buss' WOW (Women Of Wrestling) promotion ... where she'll wrestle at live events and appear on season 2 of their TV show.

Remember, Piper told us she's debuting later this month at an AEW event -- but for now, that's just a 1-time appearance -- so the WOW deal shows she's all-in on wrestling.

In the footage we obtained -- taken at a training center in Long Beach, CA -- Piper is learning the wrestling basics in the squared circle.

We're told she's been training alongside the other WOW performers ... several times a week.

Roddy was a wrestling legend who unexpectedly passed away in July of 2015 at the age of 61.

Stipe Miocic says the guy Conor McGregor attacked at a pub back in April is one badass dude ... telling TMZ Sports he's got a CHIN OF STEEL!!!

The UFC superstar says he's seen our vid of Conor clocking the bar patron for rejecting his whiskey ... and Miocic has gotta give props where it's due -- saying the guy soaked in that hit like a pro!!!

"I give that guy a lot of credit, he ate that [punch], too," Stipe says ... "amazing."

"I was like, man, that guy's got a chin of steel."

Miocic is reserving judgment on the situation, though ... saying he'd want to hear both sides of the story before calling out McGregor for the hit.

UFC star Paige VanZant tells TMZ Sports she is officially BACK after multiple surgeries on her broken arm ... saying she's been cleared to start training again.

.... And, her first opponent was a TMZ staffer!!!

PVZ stopped by the office to break the great news ... telling us after that 2 arm breaks and 3 surgeries since January 2018, she finally got the green light to get back in the Octagon.

It's been a tough time for Paige .. who initially suffered the injury against Jessica Rose-Clark at Fight Night 124.

Paige tells us she's gunning to take her next fight before 2020 hits ... but doesn't have any particular opponents in mind.

VanZant -- who has 12 career fights -- tells us she wants to keep fighting for years to come ... saying she won't consider herself a "professional fighter" until she has 20 fights under her belt.

That's important 'cause she has a lot of opportunities outside the Octagon ... she's already been in the S.I. Swimsuit Issue and on "Dancing With The Stars."

But, enough business talk ... we know there's a lot of folks out there who wanna see a TMZ staffer get choked out ... and luckily, we got our in-house crash test dummy, Lucas, willing to step up for the task.

Troubled NFL player Josh Gordon is getting another shot ... the league announced it will conditionally reinstate the receiver on Sunday.

The New England Patriots star was indefinitely suspended back in December for committing several violations of the league's substance abuse policy.

Gordon's been suspended several times since 2012 ... and also stepped away from the game to focus on his mental health last year.

The league made the news official on Friday, saying Gordon will be able to attend team practices and meetings ... but will not be able to play until he's properly conditioned.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement ... saying "We are all rooting for Josh to succeed, both personally and professionally."

Ex-JUCO star Kishawn Holmes -- exonerated this week after being charged with rape -- tells TMZ Sports he was jumped by 18 men and stabbed in jail, and now that he's free, he's gunning to make the NFL.

As we previously reported, Holmes -- a star junior college running back -- was convicted of rape in 2018. But, new evidence emerged, and in December, Holmes conviction was thrown out after it was ruled he didn't get a fair trial. He was granted a new trial.

Fast forward to an L.A. courtroom Thursday ... the district attorney told the judge the state didn't wish to proceed with the case.

We're told the DA has no plans to re-file the charges.

We talked to Kishawn the day after his case was dismissed ... and he walked us through the moment he found out he was free.

"I just broke down in front of the courtroom. I just fell."

Kishawn says his time in L.A. County Jail was TERRIBLE ... where he experienced serious violence.

"I was in jail for 2 years, man. I got jumped by 18 people of a different race. Nose broken. Stitches in my eye, dislocated jaw. I got stabbed. I been in riots. I went to war. Hell and back, hell and back."

Now that he's out of jail ... and in the clear legally, Holmes says he wants to be an advocate for people falsely accused of serious crimes.

"Now I can be a voice. A voice for the wrongly accused. The voice for the females and males out there who actually had something happen to them, and they don't have a voice, and people don't want to hear them out."

Before Kishawn was locked up, he had a legit shot at playing professional football ... and, even while behind bars, he dreamed of playing ball.

"I used to be in my cell at night, like Kishawn Holmes, the 30, the 20, the 10."

Jay-Z had multiple reasons for becoming part of the NFL family, and TMZ Sports has learned one of them is that he is going to become part owner of an NFL team ... and it's going to happen soon.

Sources connected to Jay and with direct knowledge tell us ... Jay is going to have a "significant ownership interest" in an NFL team.

As for which team ... we're not being told, but we are told "it is going to happen in the near future."

We're told Jay wants to become a part owner "because he's a huge fan, already has a sports business and wants to continue to be a change agent for the NFL."

There's a question ... can Jay manage players if he owns a team? Our sources make it clear ... "Jay is not an NFL agent and does not take part in the operations of the NFL players in Roc Nation."

Giants god Lawrence Taylor says the G-Men have found a brand new franchise QB ... 'cause Daniel Jones is the future in the Big Apple.

"I've seen him a little bit," LT says ... "He's a hell of a football player."

Of course, the critics were out in full force after New York seemed to reach when it picked Jones with the No. 6 overall selection in April's NFL Draft.

But, the guy dazzled in his preseason debut last week ... and Taylor clearly noticed -- saying he was surprised to see it!!!

"He went to Duke," Taylor said, "so, that's hard to believe he's a hell of a football player!"

But, don't get it twisted ... LT doesn't think Jones' skill set should mean the immediate end of Eli Manning's time as a starter in New York. The pass rusher tells us he'd like to see the 2-time Super Bowl champ stay as long as he wants.

"As long as his terms are reasonable," Taylor adds.

By the way, we had to ask about Khalil Mack -- a guy Taylor said last season is nowhere close to his level -- and ya gotta hear if he's changed his tune since the Bear's monster 2018 season.

There's more ... Taylor was in NYC to celebrate Sapphire Gentlemen's Club's debut in Time Square -- and it sure seemed like he and a buncha other athletes had a great time!!!

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is SERIOUSLY lucky to be alive today ... National Transportation Safety Board officials just announced his plane bounced TWICE on the runway before it eventually crash landed.

Junior, his wife, his 1-year-old daughter and the two pilots on the plane all miraculously survived after their aircraft crashed in Elizabethton, Tennessee on Thursday.

NTSB officials updated media members on some of the details of the accident ... revealing the whole thing was caught on surveillance video -- and it sounded scary as hell.

The lead NTSB investigator, Ralph Hicks, said he could see the plane hit the runway two times before the right landing gear on the aircraft collapsed on the runway.

Hicks said the plane -- a Cessna Citation Latitude 680 -- skidded down the runway, through a chainlink fence and into a ditch before it came to a stop near the local highway.

Hicks said all five passengers -- and Dale's dog -- were able to get off the plane in a matter of minutes ... before massive flames engulfed the aircraft.

Hicks said the flight was only a 20-minute one from a nearby city in North Carolina.

NTSB officials have yet to determine a cause for the crash ... saying it could take about week before their investigation concludes.

Dale Jr. -- who works as a race announcer for NBC -- is taking the weekend off after the crash. He's expected to try to return to his broadcasting job next week in Darlington.

For their part, the Earnhardts released a statement on Friday through Dale's sister, Kelley, saying, "Dale, Amy, Isla and our two pilots are doing well."

Daniel Cormier's fought Jon Jones, Stipe Miocic, Rumble Johnson and Derrick Lewis ... and when it comes to grappling, Khabib's stronger than every one of them.

DC came into the TMZ offices earlier this week and joined the guys on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weekdays on FS1) ... and we asked him about his training sessions with Khabib.

DC and Khabib are close friends and gym mates at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in San Jose, CA ... and they've trained together for years.

So, how does the 155-pound UFC lightweight champion fare against the 250-ish-pound heavyweight champ?

"The other day we started to grapple, and Khabib jumped on top of me. And, I'm like okay, I'm just gonna get up when I want to, but that is not the case," Cormier says.

"He is literally the strongest person I may have ever felt."

DC -- who's facing off with Stipe Miocic at UFC 241 on Saturday -- says when Khabib gets a hold of you, it's basically impossible to get loose.

"It was amazing to me to think a guy that weights 175, 180 pounds, was able to do that to me. It's positional control, it's strength. He's a phenomenal athlete, man."

The first strikeout ... the first hit ... the first MLB call-up ... and the first shout-out from Justin Bieber???

These are all apparently life milestones for Cleveland Indians superstar Shane Bieber ... 'cause he told us after the real Biebs mentioned him in a tweet earlier this month -- it was a goal reached!!!

"It was a matter of time, hopefully, if things all went well," Shane told us out in NYC.

If ya missed it ... 24-year-old Shane's had a thing with Justin his whole life -- he tells us he's heard the jokes about sharing the last name with the pop legend since he was little.

In fact, the pitcher even poked fun at the whole situation during MLB Players Weekend last year -- wearing a "Not Justin" jersey!!!

But, the two finally linked up on Aug. 4 ... because after Topps called Shane "Justin" on his baseball card -- Justin responded!!!

"I feel like we have a special connection," Justin wrote.

BOOOM!!!

Shane says the tweet was "definitely surprising" ... and the Indians themselves were so jacked up for the call-out -- they made an offer to the Biebs!!!

"Got an 'I'M JUSTIN' #57 jersey waiting for you at Progressive Field. Swing by and pick it up before your first pitch?"

Move over, Jay Glazer ... there's a new NFL Insider now -- Jamie Foxx -- and he's telling TMZ Sports his sources say the Cowboys WILL get a deal done with Ezekiel Elliott!!!

In fact, when we got Jamie out at Delilah in L.A. ... he said people close to the Cowboys are telling him Jerry Jones is going to get deals done with Dak Prescott and Amari Cooper too!!!

Of course, the Cowboys are in contract talks with all three of their superstars ... with Zeke threatening to sit out games this season if he doesn't get a raise.

But, when we got Foxx -- who has spent time out at Cowboys camp in Oxnard, Calif. this summer -- he told us there's no need for fans to worry about any of it.

"I got the word, I got the underlying word," Foxx says, "that it's all the way, all the deals are being worked out. Look out, baby!"

Foxx also gave us his prediction for a breakout player in Dallas this year ... telling us a well-known tight end is going to raise some eyebrows.

Here's the cutest thing you'll see all day ... Raiders superstar Antonio Brown gave a kid his glove -- and when the little fan started crying -- AB gave him a hug too!!!

It's been a brutal month for Brown ... he's made headlines for all the wrong reasons (see: here, here and here) -- but this video shows the guy really ain't the monster some make him out to be.

Brown was getting in some work during the Raiders' game against the Cardinals on Thursday night, when on his way back to the locker room -- he decided to make a pit stop for some fans.

AB singled out two little boys ... and after he started handing out swag to one of them -- the kid started BAWLING!!!

Brown clearly seemed touched by the reaction ... 'cause he handed the kid even more gear and then gave him an adorable hug!!!

Seriously, it's touching.

Brown is reportedly close to putting all of his issues behind him -- from the torn up feet to the helmet drama -- and hit the practice field for the Raiders again soon.

Before Bryce Harper sent a baseball to another planet in walk-off fashion Thursday night ... he told a heckler to "shut the f**k up" -- and the scene was hilarious!!!

The Philadelphia Phillies superstar has heard constant chirping from fans this year after signing a 13-year, $330 MILLION contract this offseason ... 'cause he hasn't quite performed up to expectations.

So, after he was 0-for-3 to start the Phillies' game against the Cubs ... a fan let him have it on his way back to the dugout.

"$330 million, 0-for-3," the fan said ...

"Shut the f**k up, stupid!" Harper clapped back.

Of course, there's no doubt the fan did exactly that just an inning later ... 'cause in the bottom of the 9th with the bases loaded -- Harper sent a baseball 413 feet to give the Phils a series sweep over the visiting Cubs!!!

It had to feel good for Harper -- who's now officially busted out of his slump with 7 home runs and 15 RBI in the last two weeks.

Begs the question ... what does Miles Teller know that the rest of the baseball world doesn't?!?!