TMZ Sports - Page 50

Another twist in the Nicki Minaj, Lewis Hamilton "Are They Dating?" saga -- with more signs pointing to yes. This time, the two were riding ATVs together in Dubai.

Remember, Lewis and Nicki ignited the dating rumors earlier this month when they hung out at NY Fashion week -- and then went on a dinner date afterward.

There was a pretty telling picture where Nicki was touching Lewis' leg with her pinky ... which seemed pretty flirty to us.

Lewis just posted the pic of the two riding a quad in the desert -- but the pic was taken a few days ago because now she's in Brazil.

Unclear if the two had business in Dubai and happened to run into each other -- or if this was a romantic getaway.

Lewis has been pretty private about his relationships -- despite the fact he's been linked to some of the most famous women in the world ... from Rihanna to Kendall Jenner.

So, are they dating or just friends? Our money's on dating.

Rob Gronkowski says he's ain't mad at his big bro for stirring up drama with the Patriots -- claiming Chris Gronkowski just got caught up in the moment when he shaded Rob's team on the radio.

Backstory ... Chris appeared on "Kirk & Callahan" on WEEI this week and told the guys Rob had issues with the team during the offseason that seemed to center on his contract.

Essentially, Chris said Rob wanted more freedom, more respect ... and more money!

"He wanted to get what he deserved. He was being paid like he was just a mediocre tight end, and just wanted to get some respect on that end."

Enter Rob, who faced the media Wednesday and was asked if what Chris said was true. Short answer ... no.

"He doesn't speak for myself and he knows he doesn't. He probably just got caught up a little bit," Rob said.

"To tell you the truth, I feel like he probably was going on for a promotion thing for his ice shaker. No lie."

It's true ... Chris' ice shaker business is kind of a big deal -- Rob pointed out he's even been featured on "Shark Tank" with Alex Rodriguez.

"So, I guess buy his ice shaker is what he was trying to get to ... and he probably got caught up in all that nonsense."

Dustin Johnson is working his way out of Paulina Gretzky's doghouse ... and it seems to be working -- the two were just spotted together in Paris holding hands.

It's the first time we've seen them out since Paulina wiped the PGA star from her Instagram page amid rumors he banged a model that golfs at his home course back in L.A. (rumors she denied BTW).

But Wednesday, the two arrived to the Ryder Cup Gala at the Palace of Versailles dressed to the nines.

DJ clearly knows the way to Paulina's heart -- snapping pics of her on the way in. Smart dude.

Earlier this month, Johnson put out a statement acknowledging the two were going through a rough patch -- but didn't specifically address the cheating rumors.

"Every relationship goes through its ups and downs," Dustin said ... "but most importantly, we love each other very much and are committed to being a family."

So, why are they in Paris? Dustin is part of the Team USA Ryder Cup squad which takes on Europe on Friday.

Victor Ortiz will NOT be boxing this weekend after getting arrested for rape ... so says his opponent, John Molina, Jr. ... who just announced the fight has been scrapped.

Ortiz was arrested Tuesday and charged with 3 counts of felony sexual assault -- including rape, oral copulation and digital penetration -- stemming from an alleged incident that took place inside of a home in Oxnard, CA back in March.

Molina and Ortiz were scheduled to headline a Premier Boxing Championship on FS1 on Sunday -- but Molina just issued a video statement saying it's off.

"All right guys, bad news ... the fight has officially been canceled obviously due to uncontrollable circumstances from Team Ortiz."

"Team Molina was ready. To all my friends, family and fans that were ready to see me get down on Sunday, I'll be in the house still, but I apologize."

Here's a sign Le'Veon Bell's holdout has probably gone on too long ...

Bill Peduto -- the mayor of Pittsburgh and a longtime Le'Veon supporter -- tells TMZ Sports he's beginning to think the Steelers don't need the RB to make a Super Bowl run.

"James Conner's proving to be a worthy back and it's a team sport," Bill says. "It's beyond one player."

It's a bit of a surprising claim ... considering Bell has nearly 8,000 yards from scrimmage in 62 career games ... but Bill -- like some of Bell's own teammates -- seems to be fed up with the holdout.

"He's, I think, getting very bad advice from his manager," Peduto tells us.

"It's getting to the point of a certain tipping point when you can still come back and your teammates and the fans will want to have you back."

As for Bell ... probably doesn't care what Peduto has to say -- he still wants to get paid. Plus, it's hard to hear the critics above the roars of a jet ski!!!!!!

O.J. Simpson is concerned Bill Cosby will be attacked by some "nut" in prison -- and he would know, right?

Juice spent 9 years behind bars in Nevada for kidnapping and armed robbery and warns that people like Cosby -- convicted sex offenders -- don't do well behind bars.

"The problem is the nature of the crime," O.J. said while golfing out in Nevada ... "Rapists are frowned upon in prison."

"I'm sure there will be guys protecting him but they're gonna have to put him in protective custody ... because it takes one nut, ya know?"

81-year-old Cosby was convicted of 3 counts of aggravated indecent assault -- stemming from a 2004 incident in which officials say he drugged Andrea Constand at his Pennsylvania home and molested her.

He's been sentenced to 3 to 10 years in state prison.

But, Simpson thinks the punishment is too severe -- and he's calling for mercy.

Fabricio Werdum is doubling down on his prediction that Khabib will MURDER Conor in the Octagon ... and now the ex-UFC heavyweight champ is calling the round it'll happen!!

"Khabib, I think, will kill him for sure," Werdum said at LAX ... "They'll have to stop the fight for sure I think in the 2nd round."

So, why does Fab feel so strongly about Conor's impending doom?

"I don't like too much of Conor McGregor's style. He talks too much."

It's true -- but Conor's usually able to back it up with huge wins over guys like Nate Diaz, Jose Aldo and Eddie Alvarez.

As for Werdum, he's been a big fan of Khabib ever since the UFC 229 mega-fight became official, previously telling TMZ Sports he thinks the Russian is tougher and trains harder than Conor.

Tom Hardy says he drew inspiration for his movie "Venom" from the Champ Champ -- saying the character he plays in the movie was hugely influenced by Conor McGregor.

Hardy plays Eddie Brock in the comic book flick -- a tough guy reporter who becomes Venom after merging with an alien life form.

Hardy says there were elements of Brock's character that felt very Conor-ish to him -- so, he ran with it.

"There were more elements of Eddie Brock which needed to be pinned on somebody who's incredibly handy physically. And, obviously, Conor is incredibly handy physically," Hardy told RTE Entertainment.

"There was an aspect the studio wanted somebody who could fight, which they always do in these sort of hero movies. They want somebody who can have a scrap. Conor obviously wants to have a scrap with everybody, so that's useful."

"But then, there were elements like the neuroses of Woody Allen. So, if you put that and Conor together, there was that too."

When asked if he thinks Conor will be flattered by the revelation, Hardy explained -- "I don't think he'd be bothered, really. Conor doesn't strike me as the type of person who might be that bothered!"

It's not the first time a major actor has used Conor for inspiration -- Charlie Hunnam said he drew from McGregor when he starred as 'King Arthur' in the 2017 flick.

By the way, Venom comes out Oct. 5 -- just 1 day before Conor fights Khabib.

Here's frightening footage from INSIDE Yasiel Puig's bedroom -- capturing the moment two burglars raided the MLB star's L.A. home last week and ripped the place apart searching for his safe.

The footage was shot by a surveillance camera which appears to be hidden from the burglars. You can hear the alarm blaring in the background as the crooks tear through drawers looking for valuables.

After going under the bed and raiding the closet, one of the dirtbags locates Puig's safe on the side of the room and yells for his pal to come over and help him crack it open.

It proved too tough of a job -- and they fled the scene without being able to unlock it or boost it out of the house.

The burglary took place on Tuesday Sept. 18 -- while Puig was at Dodger Stadium taking on the Colorado Rockies. Seems the bad guys knew Puig would be out of the home.

As we reported ... it's the 4th time Puig's home has been hit in the past 2 years.

There's more security footage ... Puig's Ring system at his door captured the guys donkey kicking their way into the home before they made their way to the bedroom.

KSI says Logan Paul would be out of his damn mind to try and land a real UFC fight ... telling TMZ Sports the YouTube superstar would "get f*cked" in the Octagon.

We spoke with KSI -- who fought Logan in a YouTube superfight last month (which ended in a draw) -- about Paul's UFC pursuits ... and he says the dude's "delusional" to cross over into MMA.

"He ain't got no chance, bro," KSI says. "Anyone in the UFC would f*ck him up."

KSI's not alone ... Dana White warned Logan last week that it would be a "really bad idea" to step into the Octagon ... even though Sage Northcutt has offered to fight him.

As for their own rematch in the boxing ring ... KSI says Logan got lucky the first time, and vowed to get revenge when they fight in L.A. next year.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Jori Lehtera is DENYING any involvement with a suspected Finnish coke ring -- after authorities raided a cottage he owns in his home country.

Details are sketchy at this point, but Finnish news outlets say 7 people have already been locked up in connection to the suspected drug ring.

Local news outlets are saying cops are focusing on 2 kilos of cocaine (worth about $25k each). Unclear if they found the load during the raids or if that's what they suspect is being distributed.

Officials have reportedly seized more than $700,000 in jewelry and other valuables and have more than 23 persons of interest in the case.

30-year-old Jori was not at the cottage when it was raided over the summer. No charges have been filed against him and he's reportedly denied all wrongdoing.

Jori is a decent NHL player. He's in the middle of a 3-year, $14.1 million contract.

It's IMPERATIVE for the NY Yankees to clinch home field for the AL Wild Card game -- so says Alex Rodriguez, who tells TMZ Sports why a road game could spell DOOM for the Bronx Bombers.

The Yankees are currently in the driver's seat -- up 2.5 games over the Oakland A's. If they keep the lead, the 1-game Wild Card round will go down at Yankees Stadium. If not, it's off to Oakland.

Enter A-Rod -- who we got in L.A. at the Jeep Wrangler Celebrity Customs Reveal Event ... he says a home game vs. away game is "night and day" and explained why having to travel across the country would put his former squad in a real hole.

"The Yankees finish the season in Boston," A-Rod points out ... "You don't wanna have to jump on a plane [and go] 3,000 miles and go play at the Coliseum, which historically has always been one of the toughest places for the Yankees to win."

The AL Wild Card game is right around the corner -- scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 3.

By the way, the last time the Yankees met the A's in the playoffs was in 2001 ... and it spawned one of the most iconic plays in baseball history.

Eli Manning still has the full support of NY Giants co-owner Steve Tisch ... who tells TMZ Sports, "Do not count Eli out!"

Of course, Eli struggled last year and was benched in Week 13 for Geno Smith. And, with the Giants going 1-2 in their first three games this season, some fans are wondering if the Manning era is over.

Not Tisch though ... who says he believes in the 37-year-old -- but wouldn't commit to Manning in 2019 and beyond.

"One game at a time," Tisch told us in Beverly Hills on Tuesday ... "We're going into Week 4. It's a long season. Hopefully an exciting season."

So, who would replace Eli if Tisch and the Giants have a change of heart? Technically, the #2 QB on the depth chart is Alex Tanney from Monmouth College.

The NFL's MVP through the first 3 weeks ain't cashing in on his early season success ... 'cause Patrick Mahomes' agent tells TMZ Sports -- NO BIG DEALS UNTIL THE OFFSEASON!!

Leigh Steinberg -- the super agent who represents the Chiefs' QB -- says it's all part of a plan to make sure Patrick keeps a level head throughout his first year as a starter.

"We're being very, very careful to allow this season to proceed without his face on every billboard," Leigh tells us.

"Without it creating a situation where he throws the first interception and people are saying, 'Well, why's he on every billboard??'"

Don't get it twisted ... Mahomes -- who's tossed 13 TDs with no picks in K.C.'s 3-0 start -- has done SOME deals ... BUT, the big fish are currently on ice.

"We're keeping it low key," Leigh says. "And, once the season is successfully over, then we'll go into marketing in a lot of different brand categories."

Ex-boxing champ Victor Ortiz -- who appeared on "Dancing With the Stars" -- has been charged with 3 counts of felony sexual assault, including rape ... officials say.

The 31-year-old -- who also had roles in 'Expendables 3' and "Southpaw" -- surrendered to authorities in Oxnard, CA on Tuesday.

According to court records, the alleged incident took place inside of a home in Oxnard on March 19. The female accuser contacted police that same day and filed a report accusing Ortiz of sexual assault.

The Ventura County District Attorney's Office has charged the boxer with 3 felony counts -- forcible rape, forcible oral copulation and forcible digital penetration.

He was booked, posed for a mug shot, and bail was set at $100,000.

Ortiz is slated to fight Sunday night in Ontario -- but we're guessing that will likely be called off very soon.

Don't feel too bad for Liv Morgan, injuries like the one she suffered on "Raw" are part of the job for pro wrestlers ... this according to WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett.

"We all know what we signed up for and if you don't know what you sign up for ... it's physical ... things are gonna happen."

Jarrett says pro wrestlers like Liv obviously do all they can to minimize the risk -- but at the end of the day, it's still a risk and ya can't be mad at your opponent when something goes south.

In fact, Jarrett says he still remembers his most brutal wrestling injury -- which he suffered at the hands of Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka back in the WCW "Nitro" days.

Jimmy climbed to the top of a steel cage and came flying down on Double J ... but it wasn't the direct impact that messed him up, it was the whiplash from his head hitting the canvas.

Still, Jeff says he wasn't bitter -- "I knew it was a risk. I willingly stepped in the ring and took a risk."

Would he have gone back in time and backed out of the stunt if he woulda known the outcome -- we're not so sure!