TMZ Sports - Page 50

Is Blake Shelton the reason Kyler Murray is quarterbacking the Arizona Cardinals?!?

The country star sure made it seem that way when we got him out in L.A. this week ... 'cause he told us he straight-up forced the Cards' GM to take the Oklahoma QB!!!

"I told Steve Keim that we wouldn't be friends anymore if he didn't take [Kyler] No. 1 in the draft," Blake says.

FYI, Blake is a diehard Cards fan -- he says he's backed the team for more than 20 years -- and says he's got a hell of a relationship with A LOT of high-ranking execs on the team.

So, he really might've swayed Steve!!!

Of course, the pick seems like a no-brainer now (Kyler's KLLIN' it this season) ... but at one point, a lot of people had their doubts about the Heisman Trophy winner.

In fact, Joe Theismann told us way back in April he thought Kyler was making a HUGE mistake by picking football over baseball!!!

But, Shelton says he was always super confident that Murray would be a star for his favorite squad ... telling us, "I love Kyler Murray. I love him."

As for what he thinks Kyler is going to accomplish for the Cards this year ... Shelton gave us a big, fat guarantee -- saying Arizona will make the playoffs!!!

LA Chargers star Austin Ekeler isn't just jacked ... he's 1-armed-pull-ups-while-reading-a-book jacked ... and the dude put it on full display in a crazy video on Instagram!!!

Fresh off scoring the game-winning TD against the Chicago Bears on Sunday ... the 24-year-old celebrated a "peaceful victory Monday," complete with a workout and some literature.

FYI -- Austin and his GF, Taylor are OBSESSED with fitness ... and the couple likes to incorporate their relationship into some unique workouts.

Hey, the dude has been putting up numbers this season ... racking up 8 touchdowns, more than 250 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards.

The guy who threw down NASCAR superstar Denny Hamlin during a brawl with Joey Logano on Sunday was just suspended 1 race by the league ... officials announced Monday.

If ya missed it ... Hamlin and Logano really got into it at Martinsville Speedway over the weekend -- carrying some on-track drama onto pit road.

The two stars were discussing their in-race driving ... when all of a sudden Logano gave a hard shove to Hamlin's shoulder.

That's when Denny went after Joey ... and all hell broke loose -- with both of the drivers' pit crews hopping into the melee.

But, before Denny could get his hands on Logano ... one of Joey's pit crewmember grabbed Denny by the neck and threw him to the ground!!!

Denny was pissed ... but the brawl was quickly calmed down by NASCAR officials.

On Monday, the league handed down punishment for the fight ... banning Logano's pit crew member -- tire technician Dave Nichols Jr. -- for one race for his role in grabbing Hamlin.

As for the rest of the guys involved in the fracas, seems NASCAR has let them all off with a warning.

Douglas Lima says he ain't just the best welterweight in Bellator ... he's the best freakin' welterweight MMA fighter on planet Earth.

Yes ... ya listening, Kamaru Usman? 'Cause Lima says (in the most respectful way ever) he knows for sure he'd beat you!!!

TMZ Sports talked to the 31-year-old Lima -- who's got a record of 32-7 with wins over beasts like Michael "Venom" Page and Paul Daley -- 2 days after his Bellator Grand Prix title win over Rory McDonald.

The prize? The welterweight belt and a million bucks.

We'll get to the money later ... but first, we asked Lima where he stacks up when it comes to the badass welterweight fighters in the UFC.

Flat out, Douglas says he's the best ... and he's tired of people shading him and his skills 'cause he isn't in Dana White's promotion.

"I know real MMA fans, they recognize, they know I'm up there with those guys. They know I can beat, I can fight any of them. But, most of them it's like, 'Man, you're not in the UFC, you're a nobody.'"

Lima continued ... "Man, I hate that. That's people who doesn't understand the sport. It's not the name UFC or Bellator or ONE FC. There's killers everywhere."

Usman is the current champ ... so we point-blank asked Lima what'd happen if they fought.

"I'd beat him. I'd probably KO him. He's a great wrestler for sure, he wrestles a lot. But man, at any point in that fight if I connect, I can put him away. I don't even think about that, I just know I can beat him, I can beat anybody at this weight class.

"I'm not talking bad about the guy. He's a champion there. He's doing his thing. But, I just know it, man. If one day something like this happens, I definitely believe in myself to go over there and kill it."

Now, bout that milli ... the check hasn't hit Douglas' account just yet, but when it does -- he's got some pretty cool plans for the dough.

2 smokin' hot models flashed their boobs during Monday night's World Series game ... and now MLB has BANNED the women!!

The incident -- caught by TV cameras -- went down in the 7th inning of Game 5 of the WS between the Nationals and Astros in Washington D.C.

Julia Rose and Lauren Summer -- who have 2.8 and 1.5 million followers on Instagram, respectively -- were seen lifting their shirts up as Gerrit Cole prepared to throw a pitch.

The game was briefly held up ... and security apprehended Rose and Summer and escorted them from their seats.

Rose and Summer's accomplice, Kayla Lauren (also a model), claims the women were taken to police headquarters ... before being released.

Rose posted a letter she says she got from Major League Baseball ... that banned her from MLB events.

The letter, from baseball's VP of Security, says ... "On October 27, 2019, you attended World Series Game 5 at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. During the game, you violated the fan code of conduct by exposing yourself during the 7th inning, in order to promote your business."

"You are hereby banned from all Major League Baseball stadiums and facilities, indefinitely."

"You were also part of a scheme in which you induced others to expose themselves to promote the business."

Why'd they do it? Julia says the motivation was a mix between promoting their publication, ShagMag ... and raising awareness for breast cancer.

Golden State has sucked so far this season ... but Baron Davis tells TMZ Sports it's way too early to put a dagger in the Warriors just yet.

Steph Curry and co. have clearly felt the absence of Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson through 2 games ... losing to the Clippers and Thunder by a combines 47 points.

In fact, Draymond Green summed up his evaluation of the team after Sunday night's loss, saying "we f**king suck right now."

But, Davis -- who played for the Dubs from 2004-2008 -- says all talk of a dethroning is premature.

"I wouldn't count them out ... it's too early," Davis told us at Petite Taqueria in West Hollywood.

"Always judge a team after the first 20 games. After 20 games, you'll know where everybody stand and where they going."

FYI -- the team's biggest free agency acquisition, D'Angelo Russell, had just 6 points in the Warriors' loss to Oklahoma City after getting ejected in the 3rd quarter.

Head coach Steve Kerr has also said there's a chance Klay doesn't come back from his ACL injury this season ... so things aren't looking great at the moment.

Skateboarding superstar Nyjah Huston was totally stoked to see video of a 7-year-old boy with cerebral palsy hitting the ramps with his mom ... telling TMZ Sports the clip is "awesome!!"

As we previously reported ... Avante Leaozinho -- who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 18 months -- had the time of his life as his mom pushed him around the skate park ... and the video quickly went viral.

We showed the touching vid to the 24-year-old X Games champ outside Halsey's Halloween party over the weekend ... and Nyjah couldn't get enough of it.

"That's awesome," Huston says. "I love seeing stuff like this, that's amazing!!"

"I always love seeing people be down for skating, no matter what the circumstances are."

Andy Ruiz sprang into action after seeing an elderly man struggling to push his stalled car over the weekend -- hopping out of his ride to lend a heavyweight hand!!!

The boxing superstar was cruising with his childhood buddy, Alexander Martinez, in his pricey Lamborghini Urus when he spotted a guy struggling to move his Land Rover in the street.

That's when Martinez says Ruiz jumped into action ... telling The Sun, "Andy noticed he was trying to push the car himself and we pulled over and he got out with Anthony Garnica, a fellow fighter."

You can see in the video what happens next ... the two fighters get the stranded car through the intersection and to safety in a hurry -- and it's pretty awesome footage.

Both dudes struggle to keep their jeans up (seriously, guys, get a belt!!!) while pushing the car ... all while Martinez jokes about this being part of Ruiz's training for Anthony Joshua!!!

"They pushed the car and got back in," Martinez said of the deed. "The guy had no idea who he [Ruiz] was which was cool."

Seems like nobody was injured in the whole ordeal ... and it looks like the man's car is going to be fine after some minor repairs.

Ex-MLB star Jim Edmonds is adamant he did NOT cheat on his reality star wife with their nanny ... saying rumors are "disgusting and irresponsible."

The St. Louis Cardinals legend is reportedly splitting from 'Real Housewives of Orange County' star Meghan King Edmonds after 5 years of marriage ... and there are rumblings it's all over Jim's alleged infidelity.

And, when a fan referenced the alleged nanny-banging on social media over the weekend, Meghan commented with a thumbs-up emoji, adding fuel to the fire.

Now, 49-year-old Jim is breaking his silence ... coming out swinging hard against the allegations and seemingly taking veiled shots at Meghan as well.

"It’s one thing to be accused of something. It’s another thing to be so negligent and so careless, and ruin the lives of innocent young people," Jim said on Instagram.

"I did not sleep with our nanny."

"She’s not just a nanny, she is someone that we brought into our house and promised to protect and look after while she was in our home. We have been treating and raising this young girl like she is our own child! For someone to accuse me of sleeping with her is not only wrong, it’s disgusting and irresponsible."

Edmonds continued ... "Just because I am an athlete and I was portrayed as a bad person on bravo TV. Doesn’t mean I dont have a clue what life is all about."

"We made a promise to that young girls mom, that We would take care of her and make sure that she was safe while she was in our hands. I will not sit here and take this bulls**t without fighting back."

Here's where it seems Jim goes after Meghan -- who reportedly filed for divorce last week -- though he never mentions her by name.

"Just because you’re extremely whitty and intelligent, and know how to play the Instagram game. Doesn’t give you the right to use that platform to wrongfully accuse."

"Not only is it irresponsible. It is dangerous and puts my family in harms way."

Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone says Conor McGregor has NOT signed the official UFC contract to fight on Jan. 18 ... and now he's putting the pressure on Conor to get the deal done.

Of course, 31-year-old Conor announced his UFC comeback last week during a media event in Russia ... saying he'll fight on Jan. 18 but wouldn't reveal his opponent.

36-year-old Cowboy tells us both his team and Conor's team have been in contact with the UFC, but they're still trying to "figure it out."

"I think it's gonna happen this time," Cowboy tells TMZ Sports ... "I really do. Conor's really serious about making a comeback."

Cowboy says he knows Conor vs. Cowboy is the fight "everyone wants to see" and says he's "pumped" at the idea of sharing the Octagon with the Irish superstar.

"It's gonna be a fun fight! He's a great fighter. I'm not taking anything away from him by any means, he's got a lot of punching power ... and it should be a good time!"

In fact, Cowboy had a message for McGregor -- "Sign the damn deal man, let's get this done!"

Oh, we also asked if Cowboy has tried Conor's Proper 12 whiskey ... and ya gotta hear his review!

L.A. Firefighters desperately needing rest after battling the huge wildfires can hunker down on a very famous piece of property ... the Getty Center museum.

The blaze, dubbed the Getty Fire, is burning in the hills surrounding the world-renowned art museum -- but so far the Getty Center is safe, and it's hosting firefighters for rest breaks ... according to Lisa Lapin, VP for communications at Getty.

The museum is offering weary firefighters a place to shower, sleep and grab some food whenever they need a break. Law enforcement sources tell us all the firefighters are still on the front lines, battling the blaze and haven't taken breaks yet -- but the museum is standing by for when they do.

The Getty Center is built to be fireproof and earthquake-proof, so it's the safest spot in the region for firefighters to take 5.

Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet and Édouard Manet are some of the famous artists whose works are on display at the museum ... and the Getty Center tells us their art collections and archives have been closed and sealed off so smoke from the fire cannot get in and damage the art.

The Getty Fire has already torched 500 acres and prompted tons of mandatory evacuations ... including the home of NBA superstar LeBron James.

Paulina Gretzky DEFINITELY brought it for Halloween ...

Wayne Gretzky's smokin' hot daughter channeled Gabrielle Union in "Bring It On" ... putting on the tiniest Clover cheerleader outfit for her costume this year -- and she KILLED IT!!!

The 30-year-old mother of two celebrated the holiday in epic fashion ... partying it up with her golf superstar husband, Dustin Johnson.

The couple appeared to have the spooky bash at their place -- with golf star Brooks Koepka and his model GF, Jena Sims, in attendance -- but all eyes were on Gretzky.

The Great One's daughter was dancing, hula-hoopin' and waving pom-poms ... and it was pretty great.

As for the rest of the party, Dustin made a good Jackie Moon and Jena Sims CRUSHED her 'Devil Wears Prada' fit!!!

By the way, Gabby Union didn't let Paulina get all the "Bring It On" shine over the weekend ... 'cause she went back to her old movie cheerleading days and rocked the famous Clover costume again!!!

Gabby obviously looked amazing ... but she added an adorable twist to the look -- dressing up her insanely cute daughter as a cheerleader as well!

Awwwwwwwwwwww!!!

Donald Trump wasn't welcomed warmly at the World Series on Sunday ... some fans hung "Impeach Trump!" banners in the stands while others booed the president relentlessly.

POTUS made his first appearance at the Astros-Nationals series in Game 5 at Nationals Park in D.C. ... and he was almost immediately hit with negativity.

When 45 was shown on the jumbotron, cameras caught fans booing him loudly ... with a "Lock him up!" chant breaking out in parts of the stadium.

Later in the evening, several people -- including some in Nationals hats -- unfurled multiple "Impeach Trump!" banners ... tying them to stadium railings.

There was more ... at one point during the game, fans behind home plate held up "Veterans For Impeachment" signs too.

Unclear if Trump saw or heard any of it (there haven't been any tweets from the Prez about the game yet) ... but footage from the night appeared to show Trump looking uncomfortable.

As for the game, things didn't go much better for the hometown team -- the Nationals got destroyed 7-1 -- and are now down 3-2 in the series.

Scary morning for LeBron James ... the NBA superstar was forced to evacuate Monday after wildfires raged just blocks away from his Brentwood, Calif. mansion.

"Man these LA [fires] aren’t no joke," LeBron wrote. "Had to emergency evacuate my house and I’ve been driving around with my family trying to get rooms."

The King later tweeted he was able to find a safe place to stay for his family ... but it's unclear if he'll have a home to return to when the fires settle down.

Video of the blaze is intense ... homes just miles away from LeBron's house on Tigertail Road have caught fire -- and the L.A. Fire Department is sending alerts to locals to get out as soon as possible.

"I [pray] for all the families in the area that could be affected by these [fires] now!" LBJ wrote. "Pretty please get to safety ASAP"

Bron added, "My best wishes as well to the first responders right now doing what they do best!"

LeBron and the Lakers played a game just hours before his evacuation ... beating the Charlotte Hornets, 120-101, at Staples Center.

They're slated to play in L.A. again on Tuesday night ... but it's unclear if the wildfires could affect that matchup.

Conor McGregor says he gifted the very first bottle of his Proper No. 12 Whiskey to Vladimir Putin -- but the Russian president wouldn't sip until it was tested for poison.

The UFC superstar says he brought Bottle #1 with him to meet Putin at the 2018 World Cup final in Russia, but Vlad's security team swooped in and took the bottle before they could pop it open.

"President Putin's security detail is second to none as I'm sure you know," Conor told the media in Moscow this week ... "You don't mess around with Vladimir."

"So, I gifted the bottle, I gifted it to his security. So, they had to take the liquid from the bottle to make sure the liquid was safe and it was not maybe poisoned or whatnot and then it was gifted to Vladimir Putin."

Conor says because of the security protocol, he was unable to share a glass with Putin at the World Cup, but McGregor says ... "I'm sure he did have a taste and I'm sure he enjoyed it."

Of course, Conor went on to fight Russian superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov and lost ... and Khabib ended up getting the invite to meet up with Putin afterward.

Tyson Fury wasn't just talkin' that talk when he said he wanted to get into MMA -- he was serious ... now announcing he'll be training with the Notorious MMA to get ready.

The heavyweight boxer confirmed the big news Sunday while talking to Sky Sports News, telling them that he's got something even bigger in the works than his upcoming WWE match against Braun Strowman in Saudi Arabia. What might that be, you ask???

It's the Octagon, baby!!! The Gypsy King himself says an MMA debut is on the horizon, and that none other than Conor McGregor is going to help him train across the pond.

And, when is this gonna be happening, you may wonder??? Tyson had an answer for that too ... he says if all goes according to plan, we may be seeing him get in the cage sometime this year. Keep in mind -- it's October, folks. So, if he's serious, that's a quick turnaround.

Lucky for Tyson, he looks to be in great shape right now ... and is definitely on a tear to take over all combat sports, as he told us just last week in NYC. We couldn't tell if he was simply hyped off his WWE debut by roping in MMA, but clearly he wasn't. He's dead serious.