TMZ Sports - Page 50

Here's your feel-good story for Friday afternoon ... a Milwaukee Brewers fan just had HIS LIFE SAVED and it's all because he put his need for help on a t-shirt and wore it to a game.

The man's name is Lenny Zweig -- a 43-year-old father of 3 -- who became so desperate for a kidney transplant after falling ill several years ago ... he took his plight on a t-shirt and wore it to a Brewers game last spring.

A fellow Milwaukee fan spotted the shirt -- which had Lenny's contact info and blood type listed on the back -- at Miller Park and threw a pic of them on social media.

The picture went viral ... and fast forward to Thursday -- Lenny announced that all the noise his shirts made had resulted in a donor!!!

"I’d like to thank this person for all she is doing for me and the gift of life she is willing to share," Lenny shared on his Facebook page.

If you're thinking Lenny is going to take the donor out and buy her a beer (least he could do right??), he can't because, of course, the donor is anonymous.

"In this situation, I do not know who my donor is. It is hard to thank people you don’t know, and you aren’t sure if they are even reading but I am so truly grateful."

Ever wonder what it feels like to get punched HARD by Conor McGregor?

Well, this guy knows -- he's Conor's training partner -- and tells TMZ Sports the raw power is strong enough to OBLITERATE every bone in Khabib's body.

Meet John Redmond -- a pro MMA fighter who trains with McGregor at the legendary Straight Blast Gym in Ireland.

In fact, you might remember John as the guy who was fighting at Bellator 187 last year when Conor jumped into the cage and started going berserk on the ref. Good times ...

Now, John says Conor is just too strong, too skilled and too experienced for Khabib -- HE'S GONNA SMASH THE GUY!!

"Khabib, he has a record of 26-0 but he's fought a lot of bums along the way," Redmond says.

"He's never fought a precision striker who can put a shot on your jaw and leave you unconscious."

"I've been in the cage with Conor, I've felt his power, I've felt his shots. The guy's not coming to play around here."

Watch the clip ... John says this fight's over in the FIRST ROUND -- when Khabib meets a particularly violent end.

BTW, John didn't make the trip out to Vegas -- he stayed in Ireland where he says the entire country is going crazy and pounding Conor's whiskey to gear up for UFC 229.

Ex-NBA star Steve Kerr vs. 67-year-old NFL coach Pete Carroll in a basketball shootout ... WHO YA GOT?!?!

If you took the Golden State Warriors head man -- you'd be wrong ... we think.

The Dubs are up in Seattle for a preseason tilt with Sacramento Friday, but they popped by 'Hawks practice beforehand (we're told Kerr and Carroll are long-time bros).

Turns out ... there's a basketball hoop in the Seattle team meeting room -- so, of course, a shootout went down.

Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Tyler Lockett all got buckets ... but then it was time for the main event -- Carroll vs. Kerr.

Unclear exactly how it all went down ... but it looks like it came down to a final Carroll shot -- that cornerback Shaquill Griffin conveniently cut out before the ball went in.

If you're asking Griffin ... he swears Carroll made the bucket -- "He made the shot !! Seahawks win !!"

Guess we'll have to take his word for it ... after all, Seattle doesn't get to see much hoops success these days.

Every so often a man finds himself at a crossroads, where the choice he makes will forever alter the course of his life. Or, in Matt Damon's case -- he has 2 awesome choices and really can't lose.

Here's the deal -- Damon's a huge UFC fan and, on Saturday night in Las Vegas, Conor McGregor will take on Khabib Nurmagomedov for the lightweight championship at UFC 229. It's a highly-anticipated fight and will be a huge draw, and Matt's got a seat Octagon-side for the action.

But as we all know ... Damon also KILLED as Brett Kavanaugh on last weekend's "Saturday Night Live." Almost everyone wants and expects Matt to play the role again this weekend ... especially with the full Senate vote on Kavanaugh expected on Saturday.

Apologies to Lorne Michaels ... but sources close to Damon tell us he's decided to go to Vegas for the fight.

We're told the lure of McGregor's return to UFC outweighed a reprise as Kavanaugh.

TMZ Sports has obtained footage of Everson Griffen moments after he jumped out of an ambulance on his way to a mental health evaluation ... and you can hear cops talking football to Griffen in an effort to calm him down.

It all went down on Sept. 22 after cops had been called on the Minnesota Vikings star following a string of bizarre and troubling behavior in the Minnesota area.

As we previously reported, Griffen allegedly threatened to shoot somebody at a hotel, wandered into a teammate's yard and forced a stranger to drive him around town against his will.

Cops ultimately got Griffen to agree to take an ambulance to a nearby hospital to be evaluated -- but he jumped out during the ride fearing someone was trying to harm him.

When cops approach Griffen, you can hear him saying, "I jumped out because I was scared for my life."

Griffen then explains that someone in the ambulance was "digging in his pocket pulling out something. He was digging in his pocket pulling out something and I called him. They had gloves on there’s something in here and they tried to get me. I’m not crazy."

Griffen mentioned that he plays for the Vikings -- and cops began talking football with him. That's when everything starts to cool down.

Ultimately, cops got Griffen to agree to get back in the ambulance and they took him to the hospital without further incident.

UFC badass Michelle Waterson says she's beaten up opponents so badly, they've actually defecated themselves DURING THE FIGHT ... telling TMZ Sports, "It happens."

The Karate Hottie is fighting this weekend at UFC 229 against Felice Herrig -- who famously made Justine Kish soil the Octagon during a UFC fight in 2017.

So, when Waterson stopped by the TMZ office ... we had to ask if she was afraid of Herrig pulling the same move when they square off on Oct. 6.

"I ain't worried," Michelle said ... "She ain't even gonna get there."

"Plus, I've made people do that stuff too!"

Talk about beating the crap out of someone!!!!!

Waterson doesn't name names -- but explains why the in-ring brown-down isn't as uncommon as one would think.

10:09 AM PT -- Conor just showed up and weighed in at 154.5 ... which means both he and Khabib have made weight.

The fight is now officially set to be a lightweight championship bout!!!!

LET'S GOOOOO!!!

Daniel Cormier was right ...

Khabib Nurmagomedov has weighed in for his championship fight against Conor McGregor at UFC 229 ... and he was a perfect 155 pounds.

Khabib has had issues with weight before -- he bailed out of UFC 209 (against Tony Ferguson) after issues with his weight cut went so poorly, he was hospitalized days before the fight.

He also had weight issues at UFC 160 -- when he was 3.5 pounds over the 155 limit when facing Abel Trujillo. They ultimately fought at a catch weight because Khabib couldn't shed the weight in time.

There are much bigger stakes for Saturday's fight against Conor McGregor -- the lightweight championship is on the line.

Dodgeball with Tom Brady and his softball-playing sisters was exactly what it appeared to be -- TERRIFYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This according to Gisele ... who took part in the summer "fun" -- where Tom famously got so competitive in the children's game and chucked a fastball at his own mother!!

Brady's supermodel wife went on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" on Thursday to explain exactly how savage football's G.O.A.T. and his fam get when they square up on the court ... and yeah, she says it's as aggressive as it looked.

"They're pretty strong," Gisele said of Brady's sisters. "They were softball players. They're intense!! I was scared ..."

Gisele says the rubber-ball violence was eye-opening ... especially compared to her family's game nights -- where they played sports AS A FREAKIN' TEAM!!

Don't get it twisted ... Gisele found a way to have fun -- she's just issuing a warning for those underprepared for Brady games.

"If they invite you to play this game with the ball, make sure that you're ready for it."

LeBron James clearly wants Colin Kaepernick to know he's got his back ...

Check out the shirt Bron wore to the Lakers preseason game at Staples Center on Thursday -- featuring the name "Kaepernick" on the upper back -- a pretty huge statement from the most famous athlete on the planet.

The shirt is made by Nike -- the company that just featured Colin as the face of its "Just Do It" campaign.

LeBron also has a deal with Nike and praised the company for having the balls to do business with Kap despite some pretty powerful critics ... including the President of the United States.

"I wore a Kaepernick shirt tonight, one, because it's Nike and I'm a Nike guy. And then, two, I support Kap. I've always supported Kap and what he stands for and what he believes in."

It's not the first time LBJ's publicly stepped forward to join Kap's fight ... after Colin received massive blowback for his new Nike deal last month -- Bron stepped up to say he stands "for anybody that believes in a positive attitude and a positive matter."

LeBron also posted pics of the shirt with the caption, "KAEP Drip #MoreThanAnAthlete," on social media late Thursday night.

David Ortiz is just as surprised as the rest of us by his old teammate, Johnny Damon -- telling TMZ Sports he's SHOCKED that Damon would root for the Yankees to beat the Red Sox in the ALDS.

"Johnny Damon?! That's some bullsh*t, isn't it! Red Sox all the way," Big Papi told us.

Damon and Ortiz were both a part of that special 2004 "bunch of idiots" team who broke the Red Sox curse and won their first World Series since 1918. Damon left Boston in 2005 and signed a contract with the rival Yanks.

So, when we asked Johnny who he was pulling for now that his 2 former squads are facing off in the American League Division Series ... and he went with the Bronx Bombers.

Remember, there was bitterness between Damon and Boston -- and in 2015, Damon said he wasn't on speaking terms with Red Sox owner John Henry.

Still, Ortiz clearly felt like there was enough Beantown love for Damon to pick the Sox over the Yanks.

Nate Diaz is rooting for Khabib and Conor to BOTH lose at UFC 229 -- saying he already "slapped the sh*t out of both of 'em" ... and neither one deserves to be champ!

That said, Nate also believes Conor is the favorite to win ... because "Khabib is scared for his life."

Diaz says it simply comes down to fight style -- noting Khabib "fights like a scared little bitch" on the ground while Conor will stand up and trade blows like a beast.

"I think Conor has got a way better fight style."

Nate also says Khabib hasn't proven himself against any real quality opponents -- "That fool ain't fought nobody."

Diaz makes it clear he's not rooting for either guy -- he wants a double knockout, so they both lose.

The big question ... would Nate take a 3rd fight against Conor to settle the score once and for all?

"I ain't fighting no trilogy. He already got his ass whipped. He can fight everybody else. I got shit to do too."

Sorry, Boston ... Johnny Damon's making it 100% clear -- he bleeds pinstripes now.

"New York's my team," Johnny tells TMZ Sports. "The Yankees, that's who I want to win."

Damon says he still does have at least SOME love in his heart for the Sox -- a team he broke a curse with and won a World Series within 2004.

But, when it comes to Boston-N.Y. in the ALDS -- he's got his Yanks cap firmly on.

"I think [the Yankees] upset them," Damon says.

So, why's Johnny -- who played 4 seasons in N.Y. after his 4 seasons in Boston -- picking sides??

Johnny sorta explains -- when he left Boston, contract talks created some drama. But, with the Yanks, it's been nothing but good vibes from them since retirement.

Plus ... it doesn't hurt that he spends a lot of time in N.Y. these days.

Conor McGregor just went off in his UFC 229 press conference -- vowing to destroy Khabib Nurmagomedov ... and claiming he'll be a billionaire by age 35!

Conor showed up almost 30 minutes late to the event in Las Vegas -- blaming crazy traffic. Khabib had left by the time McGregor showed up.

But, Conor didn't disappoint ... screaming about how much he hates Khabib, how great his whiskey tastes and how much money he expects to make.

Dana White had told us McGregor could make a Mayweather check ($100 mil) but Conor says the number will probably be closer to $50 mil.

Conor also accused Khabib's manager of being a terrorist who was pulled off a plane on Sept. 11, 2001 and detained by authorities. We're reaching to Khabib's camp for his side of the story.

Remember, Conor and Khabib HATE each other. When Conor threw that steel dolly at the bus in Brooklyn earlier this year, he was aiming for Khabib.

And, at the last press conference a few weeks ago, Conor called Khabib a "little rat, little weasel" ... "fanboy bitch" ... and "mad backwards c*nt."

Nurmagomedov promised to smash Conor's face in.

They'll finally get a chance to settle the beef once and for all on Saturday at UFC 229.

Who's ready?!

With rumors swirling that AC Milan has interest in bringing 37-year-old Zlatan Ibrahimovic back to Italy ... we had to ask the L.A. Galaxy star straight-up -- true or false?

Good news -- we got an answer!

Bad news -- well, here's what he said ...

"There is always rumors. The whole world wants me. It's okay."

Keep in mind, reports suggest Zlatan has serious interest in going back to Milan -- where he scored 56 goals between 2010 and 2012. But, he didn't seem like he was bursting with excitement when we asked him about it.

The issue ... most people thought Zlatan came to L.A. to wind down his career with the Galaxy, where he's got a pretty good thing going -- 20 goals in 24 games.

So, think he's ready to give it up for one last ride in Serie A?

There's more ...

Remember that 7-year-old singer Malea Emma who impressed Zlatan with her national anthem performance before a Galaxy game last month?

We asked Ibra if he considered her a "lucky charm" and wants to bring her back.

Conor McGregor could be the first 9-FIGURE fighter in UFC history ... judging by the way his fight with Khabib is trending ... so says Dana White.

The UFC honcho tells us ... UFC 229 is trending to get between 2.6 and 3 MILLION pay-per-view buys -- which would make it the 3rd largest PPV event in combat sports history.

The biggest PPV fight ever is Mayweather vs. Pacquaio (4.6 million) followed by Mayweather vs. McGregor (4.3 million).

Conor has famously bragged about pulling a $100 million check for the Mayweather fight -- so we had to ask if he could get a similar check for this fight.

"Of course he can," White told us ... "You start to look at the PPV numbers with Conor McGregor, he's one of the biggest PPV draws of all time."

But, Dana says Conor's bigger play is his whiskey -- telling TMZ Sports he honestly believes Proper No. 12 could turn McGregor into a BILLIONAIRE.

Martellus Bennett wants Kanye West to keep Colin Kaepernick's name out of his mouth -- saying, "Why you trying to drag everybody else down into your sh*t hole?"

The ex-NFL star was at LAX rocking some Yeezy combat boots -- so, we had to ask if it was a show of support for the rapper who's been getting criticism for his support of Donald Trump.

Turns out, Marty B is anti-Kanye -- but he ain't about to light his shoes on fire.

Instead, Bennett says he simply won't buy another pair.

As for Kaepernick, we asked MB if he thinks Colin should take Ye up on his offer to meet with President Trump to hash out their differences.

Again, Marty was against the idea -- telling Kanye, "Don't try to drag other people in to make yourself feel like you're correct."

"Don't try to bring public figures who fight for black rights to help you and the foolishness that you're doing."

But, what about the spirit of reaching across the aisle?

"You wanna reach across the aisle to grab a bear? Or should you reach across the aisle to grab some greatness?"