TMZ Sports - Page 50

An awesome new twist in the Dana White vs. John Oliver feud -- Dana is now selling UF-SEA t-shirts as John suggested ... with all of the proceeds going to one of John's favorite charities.

Okay, some brief backstory ...

Over the past few months, the 'Last Week Tonight' host has been clowning White over the name, Fight Island -- saying White would have been better off calling it UF-Sea.

"He was making fun of Fight Island," White says ... "Basically saying 'This idiot is gonna build an island where people could fight during COVID-19.'"

Dana tells TMZ Sports ... he ultimately took Oliver's advice and trademarked UF-Sea -- and now, he's getting ready to sell UF-Sea merchandise on the official UFC website starting this week.

White -- who says he's actually a John Oliver fan -- tells us he wants to use the attention to do something positive for people in need.

"I did some research on John Oliver," White says ... "One of his big charities is the Bob Woodruff Foundation."

FYI, the Bob Woodruff Foundation was established "to raise money to assist injured service members, veterans and their families."

"So that's one of [John's] big charities, so all the money from the UF-Sea- shirts are gonna go to one of John Oliver's charities."

Donald Trump appears to have real issues with the Redskins and Indians for considering name changes ... saying Monday he believes the nicknames are signs of strength for the teams.

Both Washington's NFL franchise and Cleveland's MLB squad announced over the weekend they will have discussions about changing their monikers in the wake of America's social justice movement.

But, Trump seems to have problems with that ... writing on his Twitter account, "They name teams out of STRENGTH, not weakness."

"But now the Washington Redskins & Cleveland Indians, two fabled sports franchises, look like they are going to be changing their names in order to be politically correct."

Trump then renewed an old rivalry with Mass. Senator Elizabeth Warren, adding, "Indians, like Elizabeth Warren, must be very angry right now!"

As we previously reported, the Redskins have faced HEAVY pressure over the past few weeks to change their name ... with both Nike and FedEx expressing concerns over it all.

Also, Fawn Sharp -- president of the National Congress of American Indians (which represents more than 500 tribal nations) recently said the Redskins name is VERY offensive and called for players to boycott.

Owner Dan Snyder said Friday the team will look into it ... and just hours later, the Indians piggybacked on the Redskins' statement, saying they, too, would go forward with internal discussions as well.

Ex-Penn State basketball player Rasir Bolton says he left the program due to racially insensitive comments made by head coach Pat Chambers ... including a reference to a "noose" around his neck.

Chambers is how apologizing -- saying it was never his intention to offend.

20-year-old Bolton says the incident went down in January 2019 ... days after Chambers was suspended 1 game for pushing another player during a timeout.

"A 'noose' around my neck is why I left Penn State," Bolton -- who transferred to Iowa State after his freshman season -- said in a statement on Twitter.

"Due to other interactions with Coach, I knew this was no slip of the tongue."

According to ESPN, Bolton claims Chambers' whole comment went as follows:

"I want to be a stress reliever for you. You can talk to me about anything. I need to get some of this pressure off you. I want to loosen the noose that’s around your neck."

Bolton says he reported the incident to his academic advisor and the athletic department ... only to hear back from the school 6 months later, after he decided to leave the program.

Chambers has owned up to the comment ... and has since apologized.

"I didn’t realize that word would hurt him, and I am truly, truly sorry for that," Chambers told ESPN.

Bolton says he went public to bring awareness to what players have to deal with ... and he wants change.

"I wasn't the first and I know I wasn't the last. Everyone's position to speak out isn't the same, so I am only speaking for myself. There is a serious need for change in the way players are protected and helped across the country when faced with these situations."

"Surface level resources are not good enough. In most cases, it is the Coach who is protected, while the player is left to deal with it or leave."

"BE the change you want to see."

President Trump has now resorted to attacking Bubba Wallace, claiming the driver owes his bosses at NASCAR an apology for sounding the alarm over a noose that was found in his garage -- going so far as to call it a "hoax."

45 tweeted out the outrageous message Monday morning ... "Has @BubbaWallace apologized to all of those great NASCAR drivers & officials who came to his aid, stood by his side, & were willing to sacrifice everything for him, only to find out that the whole thing was just another HOAX?" He added, "That & Flag decision has caused lowest ratings EVER!"

What Trump didn't say ... the garage in question was the ONLY one that had a rope fashioned like a noose. Trump, of course, has no regard for how an African-American driver might react to a symbol of hate, death and racism.

As for why Trump is suddenly pissed off 2 weeks after the incident came to light ... well the Team Trump car with "Trump 2020" emblazoned on it crashed during the 16th lap.

So, Trump is focused on racist, confederate flags and other symbols. Coronavirus ... for him, it doesn't exist. Racism ... well, he seems to embrace it.

And BTW ... NASCAR's ratings are up.

Former NL MVP Andrew McCutchen says the Yankees need to consider dropping their haircut policy ASAP ... saying straight-up, "There should be some change there in the future."

The Yanks have a long-standing rule where players CANNOT grow facial hair or have their hair length go below their jersey's collar ... and when Cutch was asked about that this weekend, he said ain't in love with the policy.

The Philadelphia Phillies outfielder -- who played 25 games for the Yankees in 2018 -- said on "The Sports Bubble with Jensen Karp" it's just not right ... especially in today's climate.

"I think -- especially in this year, the year of 2020," McCutchen said, "I just feel like these things should be things that people take at heart and realize we have a way of expressing ourselves in different ways."

McCutchen -- who gained fame early in his career for his signature dreads -- had cut his hair prior to joining the Yankees in '18 ... but he was still forced to shave his beard when he arrived nonetheless.

Andrew says he had a hell of a time playing for NYY, even calling it "an honor" ... but the 33-year-old made it clear, he feels the team's hair policy should be nixed.

"I definitely do think it takes away from our individualism," McCutchen said.

Colin Kaepernick is now in business with Disney -- the Mouse House just signed the QB to an overall first-look deal ... and there's already a docuseries in the works.

Disney says the docuseries will feature "extensive new interviews and a vast never-before-seen archive that documents his last five years."

"Kaepernick will tell his story from his perspective."

And, get this ... Jemele Hill -- who used to work for ESPN -- will be involved in the project as well.

As for the overall deal, Disney says "the partnership will focus on telling scripted and unscripted stories that explore race, social injustice and the quest for equity, and will provide a new platform to showcase the work of Black and Brown directors and producers."

Kaepernick issued a statement -- saying, "I am excited to announce this historic partnership with Disney across all of its platforms to elevate Black and Brown directors, creators, storytellers, and producers, and to inspire the youth with compelling and authentic perspectives."

"I look forward to sharing the docuseries on my life story, in addition to many other culturally impactful projects we are developing."

Disney says the Kaepernick projects will be featured on several platforms including Walt Disney Television, ESPN, Hulu, Pixar, and The Undefeated.

Quarantine MVP Tyler Herro and his GF, Katya Elise Henry, are officially at the "thonged-out boat PDA" level of their relationship ... and we're here for it.

Remember, the 20-year-old Miami Heat rookie shot his shot with the 26-year-old model/fitness guru at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic ... and the dude hit nothin' but net.

The new couple is clearly still going strong months later ... with KEH posting a steamy PDA pic while out on a boat.

"All about my baby sh*t is craaazy," Henry captioned the Instagram post ... with Herro adding, "my baby ❤️."

Herro and Henry are the latest hot couple to hit the waters during the pandemic ... with Olivia Culpo and Christian McCaffrey having a fried chicken date night ... and Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Matthews recently adding some "PG-13" PDA.

Friendly reminder to always shoot your shot, ladies and gents!!

"There's one motherf***er in the jungle -- when he roar everything stops ... and I'm about to motherf***in' ROAR!"

You fired up yet?!

Cam Newton sure as hell is -- the Patriots QB just WENT OFF in a new gym session video .. and seemingly took a shot at his old team!!

While stomping around his gym, a shirtless, jacked Newton looks directly into the camera and says, "You gonna choose THAT over THIS?!"

Is it a message to his former team the Carolina Panthers -- who released Cam to later sign Teddy Bridgewater?!

Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, Cam's definitely got a chip on his shoulder ... and he's ready to show the world he's still dominant.

"I'm getting tired of being humble now," Newton said.

"I'm really a killa. I'm really a killa ... You feel me? I'm getting tired of all this humble sh*t. Because, when you humble, they start taking advantage of you."

"When you don't say nothing, they start taking advantage of you."

Cam then described himself as a LION -- the kind of king who isn't bothered by the rest of the animal kingdom.

"The hyenas can be doing all that he do, the elephants can be doing all he do, the giraffes, the antelopes, the chimpanzees, even the gorilla. But there's one mother**ker in the jungle -- when he roar, everything stops. And I'm about to motherf**kin' roar!!!"

Newton just signed a 1-year, $1.05 million deal with New England -- with just $550,000 in guaranteed money.

The deal is incentive-based -- meaning if Newton balls out like he's hoping to ... he can make up to $7.5 million.

After signing the contract, Newton said it's not about the money -- "it's about respect."

Cam's only 31-years-old and a former NFL MVP -- and when he's healthy, he's a BEAST!

Nails and hair will have to wait for ex-Miss Texas crown-holder Daniella Correa ... her MLB superstar hubby, Carlos Correa, says he's banning her from beauty salons during the rebooted season.

The Houston Astros shortstop says he's urging his pageant queen wife to stay away from the noted coronavirus hot spots just to be extra careful while he returns to work.

"When I talk to my wife, she knows," Correa told reporters over the weekend. "No getting your nails done. No getting your hair done right now. So, we’re going to be home."

Correa has to be super cautious when it comes to COVID-19 ... a positive test will sideline him for multiple weeks during the season, and could endanger his teammates as well.

So, Carlos says that means no unnecessary things for either him or his wife while the MLB returns to action this summer.

"We’re going to focus on the baseball season and once everything is done, then you can go to get your nails done and do everything else," Correa said.

FYI, Daniella is one of the best-looking people on the planet -- famously winning Miss Texas USA honors back in 2016.

In fact, she's said Carlos originally reached out to her on social media when he saw her on TV during a pageant ... and the rest is history.

She also has over 230,000 followers on Instagram -- where she's a self-described "lifestyle/beauty vlogger" ... so, the ban on hair and nails is a pretty big deal.

Turns out, Hulk Hogan is even more of a physical specimen than a superhero -- 'cause Chris Hemsworth is beefing up beyond God of Thunder size to play the legendary wrestler.

Chris says he has to get more jacked than ever for the upcoming biopic ... and that includes all the 'Thor' flicks, where CH already resembled a Norse god.

Chris told Total Film ... "As you can imagine, the preparation for the role will be insanely physical. I will have to put on more size than I ever have before, even more than I put on for Thor." He added, "There is the accent as well as the physicality and the attitude."

It's supposed to be a full-blown transformation, and BTW ... Chris said he'd probably be balding in the movie.  Of course ... he'll also be sporting Hulk's iconic 'stache.

The movie tracks HH as he skyrocketed to wrestling fame in the 1980s. As wrestling fans know ... Hulk transformed the sport into family-friendly entertainment and the popularity of professional wrestling exploded.

Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona is ready to 86 the team's longstanding nickname ... the 61-year-old told reporters over the weekend, "I think it's time to move forward."

In light of social injustice protests all over the nation ... the MLB squad's brass has said it will now look into changing its name and uniforms.

The team -- which had already canned its infamous "Chief Wahoo" logo years ago -- said in a statement, "We are committed to engaging our community and appropriate stakeholders to determine the best path forward with regard to our team name."

Enter Francona -- the Indians' manager since 2013 -- who now says he's ready to accept only one possible outcome over this ... and that's a complete name change.

"I know in the past, when I’ve been asked about whether it’s our name or the Chief Wahoo, I think I would usually answer and say I know that we’re never trying to be disrespectful," Francona said. "And I still feel that way. But, I don’t think that’s a good enough answer today."

Tito continued ... "Even at my age, you don’t want to be too old to learn or to realize that, maybe I’ve been ignorant of some things, and to be ashamed of it, and to try to be better."

The Indians say discussions over a possible new name are "ongoing" ... adding, "The recent social unrest in our community and our country has only underscored the need for us to keep improving as an organization on issues of social justice."

He's bigger than ever -- but Pablo Sandoval's weight gain isn't bothering his boss ... with  SF Giants Manager Gabe Kapler insisting "Kung Fu Panda" can still ball.

Here's the deal ... Giants fans were shocked when the switch-hitting infielder -- listed at 5'10", 268 lbs -- reported to camp last week looking like he let himself go during the offseason.

Sure, there's been some fat-shaming online ... but the big question -- how will the weight gain affect his performance on the field?

According to Kapler, 33-year-old Pablo is still playing like a world-class athlete!

"I think it's understandable that in today's world we focus on weight," Kapler said on Sunday according to MLB.com ... "I get it."

"In this particular case, what we've all noticed about Pablo is that the ball is jumping off his bat, and his throws have nice carry."

"Obviously, we've had concerns about whether he was going to be ready [after Tommy John surgery] and at what point he was going to be ready to play 3rd base and 1st base. He's demonstrated that he's healthy. That's the most important thing."

Corey LaJoie's "Trump 2020" car barely made it out of the garage Sunday ... the freshly painted ride was totaled in a massive pileup just 16 laps into the Brickyard 400.

The scene was wild ... as several cars tried to squeeze their way onto pit road during the first few minutes of NASCAR's big race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- they all slammed into each other.

LaJoie was caught up in the middle of the mess ... and his "Trump 2020" car didn't survive -- suffering too much damage in the wreck to keep racing.

At least five others, including Martin Truex Jr. and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., were also forced out of the race because of the crash.

It's a big disappointment for LaJoie's Go Fas Racing team ... just days before the big event -- team owner Archie St. Hilaire had said he was excited as hell to see the ride compete.

"As a Trump 2020 supporter, this team will do everything possible to secure victory on and off the track electing President Donald Trump to a second term," St. Hilaire said. "Let us bring this country back and Keep America Great!"

Although totaled Sunday ... as part of the team's agreement with the pro-Trump Patriots of America PAC sponsor, LaJoie's team is expected to race in a "Trump 2020" paint scheme 8 more times this season.

Kamaru Usman says Jorge Masvidal's BMF belt IS on the line when they fight Saturday -- and he already knows where he'll keep it after he wins.

"After I go out there and beat his ass and ragdoll him, that sh*t is coming home with me so I can throw it in my closet."

Of course, Kamaru is the UFC's reigning welterweight champ -- and he was originally set to defend that belt against Gilbert Burns in the first main event on Fight Island.

But, when Gilbert tested positive for COVID and pulled out the fight over the weekend -- Masvidal stepped in and took his place.

Now, Kamaru says he's ready to rock ... and considers his new opponent nothing more than a "minor change."

"At the end of the day, when you’re in training camp, the way that I train, you see no face," Usman tells TMZ Sports.

"When I cross into that Octagon, I have to turn on the Nigerian nightmare and leave Kamaru Usman on the outside. And, so I see no face by the time I'm in there anyway."

"Now it's a little extra push to get in there and really do some damage."

Usman says he's the champ for a reason -- and Masvidal will learn the hard way that he's "definitely not Ben Askren."

Remember, Jorge's stock exploded when he slept Askren with a flying knee in the opening seconds of their fight at UFC 239.

Usman says Masvidal won't pull that crap on him.

"I'm smarter than doing something that silly and being put in that situation. So, I'm definitely not Ben Askren and he's definitely going to have to figure that out the hard way."

There's more ... Usman also told us why he thinks the Masvidal fight came together so quickly (in just a matter of hours).

The war between Antonio Brown and his rape accuser is raging on ...

The former NFL All-Pro now claims Britney Taylor is "hiding" from giving a live deposition -- and he's asking a judge to force her to show up in person for the depo ... or, if not, throw out the lawsuit.

But, Taylor's attorney tells TMZ Sports ... that's all a bunch of B.S., saying, "It's not that she's hiding, it's just that Florida's a little infected [with coronavirus] right now."

Here's the deal ... in new court docs, Brown's attorneys say they're trying to get Taylor to sit for a live depo to question her about her allegations that Brown sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions.

In the docs, though, the attorneys say Taylor is only willing to meet with them over Zoom ... something they say they're NOT OK with.

"The nature of her allegations," Browns attorneys say in the docs, "coupled with the fact that she has absolutely no corroboration for her claims mandate that a live deposition of Ms. Taylor be had."

They now want a judge to FORCE Taylor to show up in person -- while following all proper COVID-19 safety guidelines -- or throw out the case.

But, when we spoke with Taylor's attorney, David Haas, he told us the only reason Taylor is refusing to show up in person is because of the global pandemic.

Haas says his client is willing to answer questions but adds "we're just trying to keep her safe."

A ruling on the motion from the judge has yet to come down ... but Haas says he expects it to be denied.

As we previously reported, Taylor -- who met Brown while the two attended Central Michigan -- is suing the NFL player, claiming, among other things, he violently raped her in 2018.

Khloe Kardashian's 4th of July celebration at her baby daddy's house seems to be proof that an age-old adage holds up even today ... time heals all.

The youngest OG Kardashian sister was spotted heading into Tristan Thompson's L.A. crib Saturday, with her older sister, Kourtney, and even her mom, Kris, in tow. No sign of Kim, Kanye, Kylie or Kendall -- but still, quite the Kardashian get-together if you ask us.

While we know Khloe and Tristan have hung out a lot in recent months -- word is they've been quarantining together since the lockdown -- it's interesting to see the fam coming around to Tristan again ... this, of course, after he got caught cheating a couple years back.

Since then, though, it would appear Khloe and him are giving their relationship a second go ... as they've been super tight lately, and Tristan has more than professed his love for Khloe. Remember, they share a daughter together -- young True -- and it looks like they've been doing more than just co-parenting for a while now.