TMZ Sports - Page 50

Guess Baker Mayfield's over that Rose Bowl loss ... because the Oklahoma QB hit up Staples Center to watch the Clippers on Tuesday night with absolutely no worries.

Mayfield arrived to the game with a hot lady friend -- and the two sat pretty close to the court to watch former OU stud Blake Griffin ball out.

The 22-year-old future NFL Draft pick was still rocking his Rose Bowl hat -- so, can't be too upset, right?

For the record, the Clips beat the Grizzlies ... with Blake droppin' 21 points.

"The Mailman" delivered in his return to the squared circle Tuesday night ... shakin' his hips and smashin' water bottles Stone Cold Steve Austin-style on "WWE SmackDown."

It all went down after the show's final match -- when Karl Malone slid into the ring to celebrate with WWE superstar Bobby Roode, in video posted by ProWrestlingSheet.

The NBA legend toasted Roode before joining him for his signature "glorious" pose -- and he crushed it.

Malone made some appearances with WCW back in the day -- most famously lockin' up with Hulk Hogan and Dennis Rodman -- so we can't say we're too surprised.

Eat your heart out, Triple H.

... And they're off!

LaVar Ball and his 2 youngest sons boarded a plane bound for Lithuania Tuesday -- but LaVar says they'll be back soon ... to join Lonzo on the Lakers.

19-year-old LiAngelo and 16-year-old LaMelo were quiet at the airport ... but LaVar did enough talking for the 3 of them -- spelling out his master plan to TMZ Sports.

"We'll go over there [to Lithuania] for a hot minute just to let 'em know before these boys get on the Lakers."

LaVar says he expects his boys to dominate overseas -- but for "less than a couple years" before returning to L.A. to sport the Purple and Gold.

Ball told us he plans on staying in Lithuania for a couple of weeks to get his boys set up in their new home ... but if he likes it, he might buy a new home over there -- or as he calls it, "Big Baller house!"

One interesting observation ... LiAngelo was still rocking his old UCLA duffel bag at the airport, despite the icy break up. Water under the bridge?

UFC superstar Khabib Nurmagomedov says he's not a DIVA like Conor McGregor -- and would fight the Irish superstar for ZERO dollars ... just to whoop his ass.

Khabib joined the guys on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs weeknights on FS1) ... and went off on McGregor after Conor trashed his homeland, Dagestan, on Twitter.

Backstory -- after Khabib smashed Edson Barboza at UFC 219, McGregor tweeted at Khabib -- "That Dagestani was dog sh*t the other night you's are all nuts. Game full of sloppy bums asking to be slept. Pay me my worth and Kings back."

You better believe Khabib took that personally ... telling us Dagestan has produced WAY more UFC victories than Irish fighters, so Conor should shut his trap.

He also bashed Conor for only taking fights with "45-year-old Floyd Mayweather" and "marijuana guy" Nate Diaz.

"I don't fight for the money. I fight for my legacy. I fight for history. I fight for my people. That's why I'm here."

Bombshell after bombshell out of Tucson, Arizona Tuesday night ... where Rich Rodriguez was fired as the head football coach -- and moments later, he put out a statement denying he sexually harassed his former assistant.

But in the statement, RichRod says one claim against him is true -- he cheated on his wife.

"I was deeply disappointed to learn by email this evening that the University of Arizona is buying out my contract," Rodriguez said in a statement.

"This action comes on the heels of an outside investigation by the University into alleged workplace misconduct. This investigation concerned a complaint by my former administrative assistant, who threatened a $7.5 million lawsuit alleging harassment."

"The University initiated a thorough outside investigation. I fully cooperated with the investigation, including voluntarily taking and passing a polygraph. The University determined that there was no truth to her accusations and found me innocent of wrongdoing."

Then Rodriguez addressed the adultery ...

"Regrettably, the complaint included a single truth -- in the past, I had a consensual extramarital affair with a woman who is not affiliated with the University. It was wrong, and I have apologized to my wife and family."

"I am still working incredibly hard to repair the bonds I've broken and regain the trust of my wife and children, whom I love dearly."

"I am not a perfect man, but the claims by my former assistant are simply not true and her demands for a financial settlement are outrageous. I am saddened that these accusations and investigation have caused my family additional stress."

He adds, "I will vigorously fight these fabricated and groundless claims."

Rodriguez will reportedly receive a $6 million buyout from the University.

Rich's former assistant essentially claims the coach ordered her cover up his affair -- which included lying to his wife about his whereabouts, this according to the Arizona Daily Star.

Kenyon Martin wants the world to know he's living a GREAT life despite being slapped with a curse from Lil B the Based God ... telling TMZ Sports the rapper's opinion "don't mean sh*t."

FYI -- NBA players like James Harden and Kevin Durant have been "cursed" by Lil B in the past for disrespecting Lil B's cooking dance and music respectively ... preventing both guys from winning NBA titles.

We spoke with K-Mart -- who was cursed for making fun of Jeremy Lin's dreadlocks back in October -- and he makes it clear he doesn't care one bit about getting blacklisted by the Based God.

"He don't mean sh*t. He's a nobody ... I just turned 40. Life is good, man!"

Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley had a messed up New Year's Eve -- he and his wife were escorted out of a bar during an NYE scuffle ... with Todd reportedly injuring his hip in the process.

The Pittsburgh Police Dept. have confirmed cops were called to the Tequila Cowboy restaurant just after midnight "for a minor scuffle involving Haley's wife."

"The scuffle was quickly ended. Todd Haley was not involved nor injured. Todd and Christine Haley were escorted out. No injuries. No charges."

But the drama continued OUTSIDE the bar, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport who says Todd was shoved to the ground in a 2nd altercation.

The Pittsburgh Steelers confirmed Todd was injured -- but expect him to return to work this week.

So far, no arrests have been made.

Haley's not the first Steelers coach to be involved in a bar fight -- last January, Joey Porter was arrested outside of a Pittsburgh bar after getting into it with a bouncer. He eventually pled guilty to disorderly conduct.

Former boxing champ Vinny Paz -- the inspiration for the Miles Teller movie "Bleed for This" -- says he's the real victim in a VERY violent incident in Rhode Island.

Here's what we know ... cops responded to a home in Providence early Tuesday morning -- where witnesses claimed the 55-year-old pummeled another man during a dispute over money.

Witnesses told police Paz had accused the other man of stealing $16,000 from him -- and that's what started the attack.

Paz, however, is calling BS on the allegations -- tweeting, "I'm the victim." He didn't go into any further detail.

The other man was hurt pretty bad though ... cops say he was hospitalized with broken teeth, a black eye and bite wounds.

Cops told the AP they're still looking to speak with Vinny directly to get his side of the story.

Paz was 50-10 as a pro boxer -- but he's most famously known for bouncing back after a bad car accident in the early '90s left him with a broken neck.

Jon Gruden becoming the next Raiders coach ain't a done deal yet ... but if and when it happens, Raiders legend Charles Woodson says he might be open to joining his staff.

We got Woodson at LAX ... and despite him doing analyst work for ESPN, he told TMZ Sports there's no chance he'd replace Gruden on "Monday Night Football."

But, he left the door open to coaching alongside him -- "Never say never."

It'd be a hell of a reunion -- Woodson was a Pro Bowler all 4 years Chucky coached the Silver and Black (1998-2001), and also played opposite him in Super Bowl 37 (aka the "Gruden Bowl").

So, if Gruden gets the gig ... coach should probably hit up Charles.

No, LaVar Ball did NOT found the NBA -- despite some Google search results -- and now the company admits they "dropped the ball" when creating an online bio for the Big Baller.

Backstory ... if ya searched for "NBA founder" on Google on Tuesday morning, the results kicked back a photo of Lonzo's dad. Kinda funny.

The gaffe was reported across the sports news landscape -- and some people were wondering if it was an intentional "Easter Egg" thing, like Google's been known to do from time to time.

Fun Fact: Type in "Super Mario Bros" in the search bar and when you see the "?" box, click on it -- and you get a coin and 200 points! Keep clicking, you'll eventually get a 1 UP!

But, alas, Google says no Easter Eggs with LaVar ... telling TMZ Sports it was a simple mistake.

"Clearly we dropped the ball. Our team worked to address this issue quickly and within hours of being notified, we were able to fix the issue."

Former NFL star John Abraham is BLASTING Baker Mayfield for going full Johnny Manziel in Oklahoma's double-OT heartbreaker to Georgia ... saying the QB lost the game by showboating.

"You had a chance to be a champion ... and you wasted energy running around and you got beat," Abraham told TMZ Sports in the ATL. "It's real cute until you lose."

After the Rose Bowl, a Georgia LB yelled at Baker to "humble yourself" ... and John couldn't agree more, warning the Heisman winner to clean up his act before he gets to the NFL.

"It don't ride like that in the pros. You jump around like that and we lose ... people don't wanna be around you like that."

Abraham would know -- he played 15 years in the NFL and was a 5-time Pro Bowler.

It's go time ... 16-year-old LaMelo Ball has announced he's leaving for Lithuania today to begin his new career as a pro basketball player!

Guessing his 19-year-old brother, LiAngelo, will join him on the flight -- they're both expected to make their debut for Prienu Vytautas on January 9.

Unclear if their father LaVar Ball will join them on the flight -- or stay in the U.S. to run the Big Baller Brand.

10:10 AM PT -- Andy Dalton posted a video update Tuesday morning, saying they've raised OVER $100K ... and are gunning for $150K now.

Think Andy Dalton's popular in Bills Country??

Since his miracle TD pass that punched Buffalo's ticket to the postseason, Bills Mafia has given OVER $57K to his charity -- in just 24 hours since the 1st donation!

FYI, Dalton's 49-yard toss completed a shocking upset over the Ravens on Sunday ... and effectively ended Buffalo's 17-YEAR playoff drought.

Pretty soon after the game, donations to the Andy & Jordan Dalton Foundation -- which supports sick and physically challenged kids across Cincy -- came pouring in.

"To all the Bills fans that are donating to my foundation, thank you ... we can't thank y'all enough," Dalton tweeted.

Another round in the Dana White vs. Bob Arum mega-feud ... this time, it's the legendary boxing promoter throwing major shade at White for his plans to get into boxing in 2018.

Arum tells TMZ Sports he welcomes the UFC honcho into the boxing community ... but then he fires this shot ...

"By coming in the business, he is really admitting that boxing is the more popular sport. And in order to keep his company alive, he has to go into the boxing business."

Of course, White hates Arum's guts -- and has been ripping him apart for years ... previously calling Bob the "biggest dirtbag in all of sports." So, no love lost here.

Still, Bob says he thinks Dana could be successful in the boxing business -- and gives him a real chance to make the Anthony Joshua vs. Deontay Wilder fight happen.

"If he puts up enough money, he certainly will land the fight," Arum said. "It's all a question of the money ... particularly in the heavyweight division."

You might remember -- Dana spoke with TMZ Sports last week, and told us Joshua was his #1 target ... and he's meeting with major players like Floyd Mayweather to help his cause.

Sushi doesn't seem like a great NYE hangover cure, but a ton of celebs like J Lo and A-Rod had their first 2018 dinners at Nobu.

The famous Malibu celeb hot spot was also top dinner choice for Drake, Kendall Jenner and her bf Blake Griffin.

J Lo and A-Rod have been getting ready for the New Year with some super intense workouts, so an In-N-Out burger probably wasn't in the cards anyway.

How tough is Holly Holm?? Her eye was essentially SWOLLEN SHUT after her fight with Cris Cyborg ... and she was still all smiles!

Don't get it twisted -- Holly put up a hell of a fight against Cyborg at UFC 219 ... but she got hit with some huge haymakers in their 25-minute title bout.

The result is what you see here -- a MASSIVE shiner, swelling all over her face and what looks like a broken pinky.

UFC octagon announcer Bruce Buffer shared this pic after the fight -- giving mad props to her for being a "warrior in victory and defeat."

True that.