TMZ Sports - Page 50

This is pretty epic ... Tyson Fury went to Vegas last week -- and his crew is a collection of G.O.A.T.s!!!

Check out the boxing superstar at Jewel nightclub at the Aria -- where he partied his face off with the likes of Floyd Mayweather, Ric Flair and WWE superstar Roman Reigns.

We're told the hangout went down after "Smackdown" in Vegas on Friday. Fury was there to promote his upcoming bout with Braun Strowman at WWE's Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia on Oct. 31.

During his Vegas outing, Fury hooked up with Floyd -- and we're sure they had plenty to talk about ... not only with the whole boxing thing, but Floyd did a stint with WWE back in the day too.

Remember, he famously fought Big Show at Wrestlemania XXIV back in 2008. Big Show busted Floyd's ass for most of the match ... until Floyd got his hands on a steel chair and bashed the giant's head in.

Good times.

Hundreds of birds launched themselves into the side of the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Tuesday night, killing themselves ... and the surreal scene was all caught on video.

A woman in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina filmed the chaos ... saying for OVER AN HOUR -- birds continued to kill themselves by running into the building's windows.

According to the Carolina Waterfowl Rescue ... 310 birds total were found at the scene -- with 97 dead on arrival and another nine needing to be euthanized once they got to the shelter.

Paige VanZant has a message for the UFC -- GET ME BACK IN THE OCTAGON ALREADY!!!

The 25-year-old says she's got the green light from doctors to fight again after undergoing surgery on her right forearm back in June ... and she's DYING to test it out in combat!

Of course, Paige initially injured her arm while delivering a spinning backfist during a 2018 fight against Jessica-Rose Clark and needed surgery to fix it.

Paige returned to the Octagon in Jan. 2019 and defeated Rachael Ostovich ... but required another operation in June 2019 to get a metal rod reinserted in the arm.

Now, VanZant says she's all healed up and she's already hit up Dana White to book a match ... and she wants a fight in the next 2 months!!

"I told the UFC, actually, almost a month ago. Like 4 weeks ago. 'Hey, I'm ready to fight. Give me a fight.' And its been a month and I haven't heard anything," VanZant says.

"I'm trying to force the hand and get a fight because I've been ready this whole time and we're kinda just waiting to hear who they match me up against."

Paige had offered to step in and fight Michelle Waterson if Joanna Jedrzejczyk dropped out of their Oct. 12 main event due to weight issues. But, Joanna made weight, so no go for Paige.

VanZant says she's still down to fight Waterson when she heals up from the Joanna fight -- but if Michelle needs months to recover, Paige would rather find another opponent because she doesn't want to wait.

Alex Smith went under the knife SEVENTEEN TIMES to repair the leg that he gruesomely mangled in a Redskins game back in 2018. Yeesh.

According to The Washington Times, the 'Skins QB was speaking at an Inova Sports Medicine event earlier this month in Fairfax, Virginia when he made the revelation.

It's a pretty shocking figure ... considering in December, it was reported 35-year-old Smith only needed SIX surgeries to fix the issues.

Of course, given how violent the injury looked when J.J. Watt sacked the QB in a Nov. 18, 2018 Texans-Redskins game ... it's not exactly a surprising number.

Smith has battled heroically throughout the whole recovery process ... remember, it was just a few months ago when his leg was spotted at a Wizards game with a nasty metal brace on it.

Alex has since had the contraption removed ... and told reporters at Washington's training camp this summer that he still has hopes he can return to the field someday.

Ever seen Obi-Wan Kenobi rage his face off?? Well, this is as close as you're gonna get ...

Pitcher Sean Doolittle was close to making that a reality after the Nationals punched their ticket to their first-ever World Series ... whipping out a lightsaber for an epic locker room celebration!!

The Washington Nationals threw the most epic -- and equally nerdy -- party after beating the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 4 on Tuesday ... pulling out all the stops to take in the huge win.

Don't believe us?? Just check out Nats aces Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer turning the NLCS trophy into a beer luge!!

Of course, there was also the other usual champagne poppin' and beer showers, Trea Turner rocking his alma mater NC State's football helmet and Brian Dozier losing his shirt somewhere along the way.

Look -- when we say nerdy, we say it with love. We're just trying to figure out how Washington will top this if they end up winning it all.

HE'S STILL GOT IT!!!

He hasn't fought in almost 15 years, but 53-year-old Mike Tyson can still hit like a Mack Truck ... and here's the video to prove it!!

Mike was hosting a bunch of UFC stars at Tyson Ranch earlier this month -- including Ottman Azaitar, a rising MMA star from Morocco.

During the meeting, Ottman and Tyson were talking about striking -- specifically a stick-and-move technique, when Mike decided it was time for the jacket to come off and the guns to come out.

A 19-year-old Univ. of Alabama student was arrested over the weekend after he allegedly made a bomb threat to LSU's Tiger Stadium during the school's game against Florida on Saturday.

Cops say they were able to track down Connor Bruce Croll right after the bomb threat -- and he reportedly fessed up right away ... saying he wanted to stop the game because "his friend was on the verge of losing a large bet."

According to jail records, Connor Croll was booked as a "fugitive from justice." He's being held without bail and expected to be hit with criminal charges including making a false bomb threat on school property.

A University of Alabama spokesperson tells TMZ Sports, "Threats and pranks can have serious ramifications and necessitate an appropriate response."

The spokesperson added, "The University and UAPD are cooperating fully with the investigation, but we cannot provide any additional details on a pending matter."

LSU's Tiger Stadium was packed with over 100,000 people for the game ... and according to a Tigers school spokesperson, officials handled the alleged threats quickly.

"Protocol was followed efficiently and effectively to quickly ascertain the source of the threat," LSU’s media relations director Ernie Ballard said in a statement to The Tuscaloosa News.

"That protocol including an immediate sweep of the stadium and a multi-agency investigation, which led to the suspect being identified within minutes and arrested soon thereafter."

Sen. Ted Cruz has a blistering message for LeBron James ... "kissing up to Chinese communists and tyrants and apologizing for murderers, that's not a good look."

The U.S. Senator from Texas went off on LeBron over the NBA star's comments on China ... saying it sounds like Bron's "more interested in money and making bucks" than standing up for human rights.

"I don't have a problem with [athletes speaking out on politics]. What I have a problem with is when they don't know what they're talking about and they end up defending tyrants."

Cruz is obviously referring to LeBron's repeated condemnation of Daryl Morey's pro-Hong Kong tweet. Bron said the Rockets GM was "not educated" on the topic before creating an international incident.

But, Cruz says if ANYONE needs to be educated, it's LeBron -- "I would encourage LeBron to learn a little bit about the people of Tibet, learn a little bit about Falun Gong the religious persecution and the torture and the horrific human rights abuses that occur in China."

"This is not the time to try to crucify LeBron's character. We all know who LeBron is."

That's ex-NBA player Stephen Jackson going to bat for his pal, LeBron James ... telling TMZ Sports Bron ain't the kowtowing sellout some people are making him out to be.

Look, Jackson admits LeBron probably could have handled the China situation better ... but thinks people need to stop hatin' and consider all of the GOOD stuff Bron does for people.

"He's done so much off the court. We can't let this one incident when we knew he was coming from a good place [destroy his reputation]. He was coming from a good place, he might not know everything he's talking about but we know LeBron, and it's never coming from a bad place. I would stand to say that."

Of course, LeBron has been under fire for condemning Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey -- and suggesting the guy "wasn't educated" when he sent his controversial pro-Hong Kong tweet.

A bizarre ending in the Jon Jones strip club vagina slap case -- the UFC star pled no contest to disorderly conduct ... but officials say they couldn't prove Jon actually did what he's accused of doing!!!

Remember, a waitress at TD's Eubank Showclub in Albuquerque told cops Jones had slapped her in the vagina during a wild April 19th night out with his NFL star brother, Chandler Jones.

The woman claimed Jon came up from behind her that night and put her in a "tight rear-naked choke hold" and then lifted her up in the air in what felt like a "wrestling match."

Once he put her down, the woman claims Jon slapped her right in the genitals.

Jones was initially charged with misdemeanor battery -- though he ADAMANTLY denied all wrongdoing and pled not guilty at the time.

Cops investigated the allegations and interviewed "numerous independent witnesses" -- but NOBODY could corroborate the woman's allegations.

In fact, cops say they tried to work with the accuser -- but she stopped cooperating with law enforcement during the investigation.

Ultimately, the Bernalillo County DA's office tells TMZ Sports, "There was not enough evidence to proceed with the petty misdemeanor charge of battery under New Mexico state law."

Yair Rodriguez SWEARS there will be no eye pokes when he rematches Jeremy Stephens this weekend -- and he even got a brand new manicure to make sure his fingernails don't go rogue and scratch anyone!

Remember, Yair and Jeremy were set to do battle in Mexico back in Sept. -- but the fight was stopped in the first few seconds after Yair accidentally jammed his finger in Jeremy's eye.

The fight was ruled a no-contest and the two agreed to run it back on October 18 at "UFC on ESPN 6" in Boston.

Yair says there are a bunch of major changes this time -- this will be a 3-round fight instead of a 5 rounder ... and the fight will be at sea level in Boston, instead of 8,000 feet elevation, like it was in Mexico.

Rodriguez believes the new parameters will give him a major advantage -- "It's gonna be even easier than last time."

LeBron James is FINALLY talking about the Daryl Morey tweet that sparked an international incident ... saying the Rockets GM simply "wasn't educated" about China before he posted his pro-Hong Kong tweet.

"I think that's another situation that should stay behind closed doors," LeBron told the media.

Remember, LeBron and the Lakers were in Shanghai to play the Brooklyn Nets in an exhibition game last week when the backlash over the tweet began.

Chinese officials essentially blackballed the Houston Rockets immediately -- taking down signage, pulling merchandise and blocking TV networks from airing games.

But, now LeBron is back in the U.S. ... and he's calling out Morey for what LeBron is describing as a selfish tweet.

"We all talk about this freedom of speech. Yes, we all do have freedom of speech, but at times there are ramifications for the negative that can happen when you're not thinking about others and you're only thinking about yourself," LeBron said.

Travis Scott has a seriously bum knee after his onstage fall at Rolling Loud -- and all signs point to him going under the knife as fast as possible.

Sources connected to Travis tell TMZ ... he went to see orthopedic specialist Dr. Neal ElAttrache this week at L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute. We're told he was diagnosed with a dislocated knee -- specifically, a stretch or tear in the patellar tendon.

As we reported ... Travis hurt himself this weekend while performing at NYC's Rolling Loud Festival, landing on his leg wrong while he was jumping up and down. He was hobbling around afterward but finished the show nonetheless. Total trooper!

The St. Louis Blues celebrated their Stanley Cup title at the White House on Tuesday ... with President Trump crackin' jokes and picking hypothetical fights with the players!!!

The champs were honored at 1600 Penn. for beating the Boston Bruins in Game 7 to win it all last season ... and one player, Alexander Steen, got POTUS' attention (for obvious reasons).

"Look at that guy, look at the mouth on that guy," Trump told the crowd. "Come here a minute, come here."

"You think he's taken a few hits? You think I could take him in a fight?! I don't know."

There was more funny business ... with the stars of the team, like Jaden Schwartz, issuing a golf challenge to POTUS ... and Trump calling out rookie Jordan Binnington for giving up ONE goal in Game 7.

"He stopped 32 of 33 [shots], so why didn't you stop the other one, Jordan? You coulda made the game a lot easier!"

Ex-Green Bay star Nick Collins says the Lions have nobody to blame but themselves -- not even garbage refs -- for their loss to the Packers ... telling TMZ Sports Detroit just blew it!!!

"They had so many opportunities to win that game," Collins says.

If you missed it ... the refs on "Monday Night Football" were as bad as they've been all season -- throwing flags for two questionable illegal hands to the face fouls that helped lift the Packers to a win.

But, Collins -- who admits the calls were trash -- says despite those penalties the Lions still had every opportunity to take control of the NFC North ... and they just didn't.

"Those calls probably played a factor," Collins says, "but they had a chance to just blow the game out of proportion."

Collins also tells us the Lions were helped out by sloppy play from the Pack ... saying if Green Bay didn't turn over the ball THREE times -- the game would've gotten ugly!!!

Muhammad Ali's ex-wife -- who was married to him during his Vietnam War protest -- says she wishes LeBron James would have stood up for the people of Hong Kong, because that's what Muhammad would have done.

TMZ Sports spoke with Khalilah Ali -- who was married to the boxer from 1967 to 1976 -- and she says she was his adviser for his biggest protest ... refusing to fight in the Vietnam war.

Khalilah says she's aware of China's issues with the NBA -- and the pro-Hong Kong tweet sent by Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey -- but says she'll ALWAYS support people "who are standing up for their rights."

So, when Khalilah heard LeBron's comments -- which condemned Morey's tweet -- it was clear to her Muhammad would have handled the situation MUCH differently.

Listen to the audio, Khalilah essentially says powerful people like LeBron and Muhammad should stand up for people fighting for their human rights.