TMZ Sports - Page 50

UFC star Derrick Lewis says he doesn't mind watching men bleed in the Octagon -- but he gets squeamish when it comes to bloody women because it makes him think of messy periods.

The 34-year-old heavyweight spelled it all out on "Bernie & Sid in the Morning" -- saying, "I really don't like watching women fights."

When pressed on the issue, Lewis explained ... "Last week, I finally had thought I forgot they had periods. I wonder if they still fight on their period?"

Lewis continued ... "You would think they get cut in the face, something like that [and] they're bleeding and stuff like that ... but no, it's from them being on their period."

"So, I don't like watching women fight."

For the record, this has NEVER been an issue in the UFC or any other pro-MMA or combat sports organization, as far as we know.

Chargers reinforcements might not be on the way after all ... Derwin James tells TMZ Sports he's not sure yet if he'll be able to return from a foot injury this season.

"I don't know, man," the stud safety says. "I just got to keep healing and we'll see what happens."

Derwin -- who's one of the game's brightest young defensive players -- has been out since the summer after he needed surgery to fix a foot he busted up back at Florida State.

The 23-year-old was put on injured reserve and was expected to make a return sometime this season ... but now, he doesn't seem entirely sure that's going to happen.

In fact, when our camera guy asked if Derwin would be able available for either game against the Chiefs this year (one is Nov. 18, the other is Dec. 29), he said, "You gotta see. Tune in."

It ain't like James has suffered a setback or anything ... in fact, when he was out promoting phone company ROKiT in L.A. on Tuesday, he showed no signs of a limp and was having a blast.

It just seems like the dude's trying to get back to 100% ... telling us, "Feeling good, getting better, man. Getting healthy. Trying to get back out there."

Remember when Serena Williams absolutely obliterated her racket at a Wimbledon match in 2005??

That piece of history is now up for grabs, 'cause the destroyed racket has hit the auction block ... and the starting bid is $8,000!!!

According to Nate D Sanders Auctions, Serena signed and gifted the busted racket to a fan after losing the first set of her first-round match against longtime friend Angela Haynes.

In true badass fashion, Williams came back and won the match ... after she replaced her busted racket, of course. She went on to place 3rd in the tourney. Her sister, Venus Williams, went on to win Wimbledon that year!

Don't feel too bad for Serena, she's won the tourney 7 TIMES in her storied career -- and racked up more Grand Slam titles than any other woman in tennis history. So yeah, she eventually got over the smashed racket incident.

Bidding on the item kicks off on Thursday with an $8,000 starting bid -- but since people are CRAZY for Serena memorabilia, this thing could skyrocket in price real quick.

Good luck rich people!!!

Justin Verlander's super famous wife, Kate Upton, was BLASTED on social media after she tweeted about a controversial call in Tuesday's World Series ... and she fired back by callin' her critics misogynists!!

Late in Game 6 of the Astros-Nationals series ... Nats SS Trea Turner hit a ground ball to the pitcher, and while he scooted his way toward first base, he was ruled OUT for not running within the baseline.

The call was IMMEDIATELY panned by almost everyone watching the game ... but to Kate -- who was sitting just a few rows behind home plate -- she thought it was the correct ruling.

"He wasn’t within the base path," Verlander's wife said. "Those who don’t know the rule you HAVE to run inside the 2 lines. Not sure why the review is taking so long..."

Upton was ripped apart by baseball Twitter ... receiving thousands of comments in just a few minutes -- and so she followed up with another tweet clappin' back at her haters!!

"I LOVE talking about sports and reading all of the dumb misogynist comments," she said.

"It reminds me that women need to keep fighting for equality. It’s 2019 but feels like the 1950s. #feminist"

Kate feels vindicated by MLB reporter Jon Morosi, who tweeted out:

"MLB rule: 'When running the last half of the way to first base while the ball is being fielded in the vicinity of first, a baserunner must stay within the three-foot runner's lane to the right of the foul line unless they are avoiding a player fielding a batted ball."

So, it seems Kate is technically right ... but historically, there's been wiggle room with the rule. Umps will generally let it go unless it appears the baserunner is making an intentional effort to mess with the defensive play.

Minutes later, in the same game, Astros star Jose Altuve ran way inside the designated 1st base basepath and didn't get punished for it.

Most felt Turner's route was fine ... and, in fact, Trea and the Nationals made their opinion LOUD AND CLEAR on the field.

Nats manager Davey Martinez was ejected over the call ... while Turner himself was caught on a hot mic calling MLB's chief baseball officer, Joe Torre, a coward for not stepping in and overturning the ruling.

Eventually, things calmed down on the field and Washington ended up with the win ... setting the stage for an EPIC Game 7 matchup Wednesday night.

Some good news, bad news for LeBron James ...

The good news ... the NBA superstar doesn't seem concerned about the fires near his home anymore. He partied at the Dream Hotel on Tuesday night wearing a Halloween mask.

The bad news ... WEAK COSTUME, BRO!!!

Don't get it wrong, we love Mario Bros. -- Luigi is the beloved neglected younger brother -- but a dinky little mask?! You're better than that Bron!!!

Fact is, the Lakers star has had a rough week -- he was evacuated from his Brentwood home early Monday morning due to the raging Getty Fire and moved into a nearby hotel.

Unclear if Bron is back in his home yet (the fire is still a threat according to officials), but James sent a taco truck to the first responders on Tuesday to show his appreciation.

Great work, now upgrade that mask!!!

FaZe Banks -- one of the biggest names in Esports -- is under investigation for allegedly destroying his hotel room and causing more than $30k in damage, TMZ Sports has learned.

FYI, 27-year-old Banks is the co-founder of the wildly successful FaZe Clan -- perennial contenders in games like "Call of Duty," "Fortnite," "Overwatch" and more. FaZe Clan is so huge, stars like Offset, Lil Yachty and Post Malone have joined the squad.

But, during a Vegas bender on October 14, we're told cops were called to FB's room at the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas on a destruction of property call.

We're told the room was an absolute DISASTER zone -- with smashed furniture, holes in the walls, a smashed window, broken lamp stand, pictures ripped off the wall, stains on the carpet and more.

Our sources say even the plants in the room were wrecked -- with soil all over the ground.

Oh, and it appeared the main flat-screen TV got it too -- it looked like it had been smashed multiple times with heavy objects.

In other words, WHAT A PARTY, RIGHT!?!?!?

The bad news for Banks -- real name Richard Bengtson -- we're told the estimated damage is over $30,000 which means he can be charged with felony malicious destruction of property. The charge carries a maximum 5 years in prison, but there's no way Banks gets anywhere close to that even if he's convicted.

The good news for Banks -- he's RICH AS HELL and can easily afford to cover the damages if he wants to.

One law enforcement source tells us ... stuff likes this happens in Vegas hotels all the time and the hotel usually drops the case if the damages are paid.

In fact, we just got this statement from Banks' rep -- "FaZe Clan and Encore are working together to resolve this matter."

Translation ... CUT THE CHECK!!!

So far, we're told no charges have been filed -- but the investigation is currently active.

What's interesting about this ... FaZe Clan has a reputation for being the bad boys of Esports ... so, the allegations fit the brand.

LeBron James' Taco Tuesday tradition is making a big impact this week ... the Lakers superstar sent food trucks to the firefighters and first responders working to put an end to the California wildfires.

LBJ -- who was forced to evacuate his Brentwood mansion when fires got dangerously close to his home -- sent his thanks to the people battling the blazes with delicious tacos.

L.A. mayor Eric Garcetti thanked Bron for the gesture ... saying "Thank you, @KingJames, for generously sending a taco truck to support our @LAFD firefighters, first responders, and partner agencies working to fight the #GettyFire."

The King ain't the only celeb chipping in to help ... John Cena has also pledged $500k of his own money towards fighting the California fires.

Of course, Bron is known for being crazy excited to celebrate his weekly ritual ... but this one has to be extra special.

LeBron also spoke about it at Lakers practice, saying "My appreciation and loyalty to the first responders. Those men and women are unbelievable, with what they're doing and their bravery throughout this time."

NY Jets safety Jamal Adams says he was double-crossed by the team's general manager Joe Douglas -- who allegedly "went behind my back" to try to deal him to another team.

Adams was on the trade block before Tuesday's NFL deadline -- but ultimately, the team couldn't make a deal. The Dallas Cowboys and the Ravens were each reportedly making a serious run at the 24-year-old.

After the trade deadline passed, Adams went to social media to blast his team ... saying he was NOT the driving factor behind the potential trade. In fact, Adams says he told Jets officials he wanted to stay.

"Any reports of me asking to be traded from the New York Jets are completely false," Adams said.

But, here's where things turn nasty ...

"At the end of the week last week, I sat down with the GM and Coach Gase and told them I want to be here in New York. I was told yesterday by my agent that the GM then went behind my back and shopped me around to teams, even after I asked him to keep me here! Crazy business."

That obviously leaves both Adams and the Jets in a pretty awkward situation -- can you imagine what practice is gonna be like tomorrow?

Adams is one of the few bright spots on the 2019 Jets -- he's blossomed into an absolute stud after being selected with the 6th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.

He's still in his rookie deal, and is pretty much locked up in NY until 2022 if the Jets want to keep him.

So, how do the Jets make things right with Adams? Who knows ... might be irreparably damaged.

Drake didn't just cop insane NBA championship swag for himself ... the 6 God also hooked the players up BIG TIME ... buying the Toronto Raptors custom Finals jackets!!

Of course, Drizzy copped a $150k custom championship ring to commemorate the Dinos' first-ever title ... and now he's decided to gift the dope jackets to all the guys who teamed up to beat the Warriors last season.

NBA Finals hero Fred VanVleet showed off the new merch on Tuesday ... and they come with the whole roster listed on one side, the iconic OVO owl on the other.

On the back, there's a raptor clinging on to the Larry O'Brien trophy ... and the phrase "The Best in the World" on top.

If the jacket looks familiar ... it's the same one the Raptors ambassador wore at the championship parade back in June.

Boxing star Ryan Garcia has a little something in common with Arya Stark -- they've both got hit lists ... with Ryan calling out some of the biggest names in the sport!

The 21-year-old -- who's fighting this weekend on the Canelo Alvarez vs. Sergey Kovalev undercard -- was walking through the MGM Grand in Vegas when he started naming names.

"I want the biggest fights, but I know that won't happen until later on," the 18-0 fighter said.

"Gervonta Davis. Devin Haney. Vasyl Lomachenko" ... "Those are the fights I really want."

Gotta hand it to Garcia, those are three REAL KILLERS he just named.

Of course, Garcia's promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, recently told us Garcia has the potential to be the highest-paid fighter of ALL TIME ... and wouldn't be shocked if he signed a $700 MILLION contract later in his career.

The way to get to that number is by fighting -- and beating -- the best in the business and it seems like Garcia is on board.

It'sssss TIME ... for President Donald Trump to attend a UFC fight in person!

That's exactly what's happening on Saturday -- POTUS will be in the house at Madison Square Garden for UFC 244, featuring a massive fight between Nate Diaz and Jorge Masvidal.

Trump has been a longtime supporter of the UFC and Dana White -- in fact, White has publicly credited Trump for being a key figure in turning the MMA promotion into the juggernaut it is today.

Now, Trump has reportedly made time in his schedule to see Diaz and Masvidal fight for the coveted "Bad Mother F**ker" belt when they clash on Nov. 2.

And, get this ... the celebrity guest list that night is insane -- Dana White previously told us Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be on hand to present the winner with the 'BMF' belt.

New England Patriots owner Bob Kraft -- whose also close with Trump -- will be in the house as well. The Patriots play the Ravens in Baltimore the next day.

President Trump's sons, Don Jr. and Eric, attended a UFC fight in New Jersey earlier this year -- when Trump supporter Colby Covington defeated Robbie Lawler.

Donald Trump called Colby after the fight to personally congratulate him.

As for UFC 244, you better believe Secret Service will be swarming that night.

And, it'll be VERY interesting to hear what the always outspoken Nate Diaz has to say if he gets the mic after the fight!

Hulk Hogan says he's been forced to change planes in Iceland after things went horribly wrong during the landing ... with his plane taking serious damage to the tires and brakes.

Hogan was on his way to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday with fellow WWE legend Jimmy Hart for the upcoming 'Crown Jewel' PPV event, when things hit a snag.

"Just had a really hard landing," Hulk said from the tarmac ... "blew out the tires and brakes have melted."

Hogan says the plane was grounded due to "all that crazy stuff happening" -- but says a friend of his from Minnesota who stopped at the same airport offered seats on his plane to get them to Riyadh.

We're working on trying to find out exactly what went wrong -- but as far as we know, Hulk and the rest of his passengers are expected to make it to Saudi Arabia in time for the event.

Scary stuff.

Hulk isn't wrestling at 'Crown Jewel' -- but he's selected a 5-man team to take on another 5 superstars hand-picked by Ric Flair.

Some of the stars on Team Hogan include Roman Reigns, Rusev and Mustafa Ali. Team Flair includes Randy Orton, Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre.

College athletes are one HUGE step closer to getting paid ... the NCAA's top governing board has just voted unanimously to allow athletes to profit off their image and likeness.

The NCAA's Board of Governors is directing the NCAA's three divisions to immediately consider updates to their bylaws to pave the way for the massive change in operation.

"We must embrace change to provide the best possible experience for college athletes," chairman of the board Michael V. Drake said.

"Additional flexibility in this area can and must continue to support college sports as a part of higher education. This modernization for the future is a natural extension of the numerous steps NCAA members have taken in recent years to improve support for student-athletes, including full cost of attendance and guaranteed scholarships."

The Board issued guidelines for the impending changes which essentially says education and the collegiate experience must still be the priority over money.

The guidelines also say students must not be specifically compensated for athletic performance but rather their image and likeness as used for marketing purposes.

The NCAA says the topic was thoroughly researched before the Board voted -- with interviews with past and present student athletes, coaches, presidents, faculty and commissioners. They also spoke with politicians.

NCAA president Mark Emmert also weighed in ... saying, "As a national governing body, the NCAA is uniquely positioned to modify its rules to ensure fairness and a level playing field for student-athletes."

"The board’s action today creates a path to enhance opportunities for student-athletes while ensuring they compete against students and not professionals."

The news comes just weeks after California governor Gavin Newsom signed the "Fair Pay for Play" act, which made it legal for student athletes to get paid in CA without penalty.

The NCAA previously criticized the bill as a major threat to college sports -- but now, they're changing their tune.

If Zion Williamson wants to cut out injuries and cut weight ... he NEEDS to cut meat out of his diet ASAP, so says John Salley who says VEGANISM can save Zion's career.

Look, a lot of people think 284 pound Zion is just too heavy to have a long NBA career. He's already missing the first 6 to 8 weeks of the NBA season after undergoing knee surgery.

Enter Salley ... who says Zion can turn the ship around if he turns his diet around.

"My message to Zion? Go vegan, bro. Drink a bunch of water and find out the best way to heal your body, meaning ... not just ultrasounds, not just a hot tub, don't take pills."

The 4-time NBA champ says Zion was destined to become teammates with Jahlil Okafor, who recently made the switch to "mostly" veganism and lost 20 pounds ... and Salley wants Williamson to listen to the vet.

Jason Garrett says he expects Michael Bennett to stand for the national anthem like the rest of the Dallas Cowboys ... telling reporters, "We anticipate him doing what all of our players do."

The Cowboys just traded for Bennett last week -- pulling the DE out of New England for a draft pick -- but many have wondered how Bennett will handle pregame anthems in Dallas.

Remember, MB has sat for the song in the past as a protest of racial injustices in America ... and during his time with the Patriots this year, he's just stayed in the locker room for the ceremony.

But, under Jerry Jones' watch, he's been adamant that Dallas players stand for the anthem -- regardless of their personal beliefs.

Star Cowboys players like QB Dak Prescott have supported the team's position in the past -- with Dak saying in 2018, "I never protest during the anthem and I don’t think that’s the time or venue to do so."

When Garrett was asked about all of that on Tuesday, he said, "We don't anticipate that being an issue."

Jones also said on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Tuesday that he believes the same thing, saying, "I'm satisfied that, in Michael, we’ve got a player who knows how we do it here with the Cowboys."

The Dallas Morning News reports that Bennett and the Cowboys reached an agreement before the trade went through that he would stand on the sideline for the anthem in Dallas.

Bennett has yet to address the media regarding the issue ... but he's expected to speak with reporters sometime this week.

Can your friends do THIS?!?

NFL superstar DeAndre Hopkins went ALL OUT for his Halloween costume -- going head-to-toe blue paint to recreate Genie from "Aladdin" ... and it's amazing!!!

The Houston Texans WR hit up the team Halloween party Monday night and spared no expense for his look. The only question ... why does a top-flight, insanely fit pro athlete have to draw on ABS?!?!

Hopkins was joined by his mom, Sabrina Greenlee, who dressed up like Cleopatra -- but she also could have gone as herself ... since she's now the basis of a big-time Hollywood movie based on her life story.

Other Texans who showed out at the party ... QB Deshaun Watson who came as Jack Skellington from "The Nightmare Before Christmas."

One interesting thing about Deshaun's costume ... he was rocking sunglasses at night -- and we're not sure if it was part of the costume or a result of him being kicked in the eye during the Texans victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Remember, Watson caught a foot in his eye while scrambling in the 4th quarter -- and even though he couldn't see, dude threw a TD pass anyway!

Watson was checked out on the sideline and went back in and played -- but the sunglasses Monday night make us wonder ... he good??