TMZ Sports - Page 50

Rising undefeated MMA star Victoria "The Prodigy" Lee -- who competed in ONE Championship in Asia -- passed away last month, her family announced. She was only 18.

Lee's older sister, MMA fighter Angela, broke the sad news via Instagram on Saturday ... saying Victoria died on Dec. 26.

"She has gone too soon and our family has been completely devastated since then," Angela said in the caption.

"We miss her. More than anything in this world. Our family will never be the same. Life will never be the same."

Angela added her baby sister was the best person she knew ... and she was beautiful inside and out.

"We love you Victoria. I love you Sprout. Until the end of time."

Lee was an up-and-coming mixed martial artist ... but recently put her career on hold to focus on graduating from high school.

ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong said she was an "extraordinary martial arts prodigy" and "watched her blossom over the years as a martial artist and a human being."

"I will always remember Victoria for the beautiful and precious soul that she was. May you rest in peace, Victoria. We will all miss you."

Victoria was also a Junior World Champion ... and IMMAF Junior State and World Champion.

Besides Angela, Victoria's brothers -- Christian and Adrian -- are also MMA fighters.

Lee had an undefeated record of 3-0 and dedicated her last win to her parents.

"I am so lucky to have such incredible parents," Lee said in an IG post. "This victory goes 100% to you mom and dad."

Cleveland legend Bernie Kosar was booted from his radio gig with the Browns on Sunday ... and it's all because the ex-quarterback bet on his former team to beat the Steelers.

Kosar -- who played for the Orange and Brown from 1985-93 -- placed the $19,000 wager (in honor of his jersey number) with the Tipico Sportsbook app last weekend ... becoming one of the first legal bets placed in Ohio.

The former Pro Bowler claimed if Cleveland (+120 in most sportsbooks) ended up beating Pittsburgh, he would donate the winnings to charity.

The Browns ended up losing, 28-14, but not only did Kosar lose his $19k ... he also lost his pregame radio show job with the team -- due to breaking one of the league's most unforgivable rules.

"Earlier this week we notified Bernie, that per league policy, we were required to remove him from our pregame radio coverage for the season finale after he violated the NFL gambling policy by placing a bet on an NFL game," the Browns said on Sunday.

"We understand what Bernie means to this community and our history but as team contracted personnel hired to provide content on our media platforms, his bet was a violation of NFL rules and we must adhere to all NFL policy."

Kosar addressed the move on Twitter ... saying, "I am shocked & disappointed. Brown & Orange is my life … Go #Browns."

Chicago White Sox star Liam Hendriks -- arguably the best closer in the MLB -- has been diagnosed with cancer ... and is slated to begin treatment for the disease ASAP.

The right-handed pitcher revealed the news on his social media page Sunday -- saying docs recently discovered he had non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He went on to say he'll begin medical care to try to eradicate it all on Monday.

The 33-year-old, though, vowed to beat it ... saying he's going to use "the same determination I have used when facing other obstacles in my life."

"I am confident that I will make a full recovery and be back on the mound as soon as possible," Hendriks said.

"I know with the support of my wife, my family, my teammates and the Chicago White Sox organization, along with the treatment and care from my doctors, I will get through this."

Several MLB stars commented on three-time All-Star's post ... including future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera, who left praying hands emojis.

Hendriks has been in the major leagues since 2011, but has blossomed into one of the game's best just recently. He had a breakout year with the Oakland A's in 2019 -- and has gone on to become one of the most reliable ninth-inning guys in baseball since.

The White Sox -- who signed Hendriks to a 3-year, $54 million contract in 2021 -- said Sunday night they plan to help the pitcher on his journey to recovery ... adding they're "optimistic he will pitch again for the White Sox as soon as viable."

No, Clipper Darrell ain't on his way to becoming Celtic Darrell after being punched at a game earlier this month ... the L.A. superfan tells TMZ Sports he's still in love with the Clippers -- even if he's still ailing from the knockout blow.

We broke the story ... the iconic NBA fan -- real name Darrell Bailey -- was left unconscious after a Crypto.com Arena security guard socked him in the face following a dispute at the Clippers' game against Boston back on Dec. 12.

Darrell told us at the time he was left in a load of pain -- and he actually had to be taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Many wondered if the situation would sour his feelings on Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and the rest of the guys on the hardwood -- but the 55-year-old told us this week he ain't going anywhere ... even if the experience he had with the arena staffer was traumatic.

"I look forward to returning to Crypto.com Arena to root for my 2023 NBA Championship Clippers!" he said. "Let's Go Clippers Let's Go!!!"

Darrell did add he's still hurting from the punch -- saying he's continuing to receive medical care for his ailments. But, he did appear to be in better spirits.

"What happened that night came as a complete shock, and it left me heartbroken," he said. "I'm still dealing with the emotional and physical aftermath of being assaulted and knocked unconscious by the AEG security guard. I'd like to thank the fans, athletes, the Clippers organization, and AEG for their love and support and for reaching out to me to check on my health and well-being."

"I'd ask that my privacy be respected while I continue treatment for my injuries."

The Buffalo Bills were ready to play football again this weekend, but they were also ready to honor their teammate, Damar Hamlin ... and they did both in equal measure.

The squad took the field Sunday against the Patriots, with a ton of players -- including QB Josh Allen -- carrying custom flags that asked people to "Pray for Damar," which also bared his official number, 3. The Bills are at home, so their crowd was completely fired up.

There were several fan-made posters with their own messages for Damar ... bottom line, everyone had the safety on their mind. And everyone paid tribute in their own unique way.

This wasn't the only nod to Damar ... before kickoff, the team acknowledged and thanked the medical staff that worked on DH almost a week ago, who undoubtedly saved his life.

On the football field, itself ... even more magic from Buffalo. Nyheim Hines caught the opening kickoff and sent back a 90-plus-yard return -- running practically all the way down the field, breaking tackles along the way, and scored a touchdown in a miraculous play.

It was a helluva way to start the game ... and you could see and hear the excitement both among his teammates and even in the booth -- where the broadcasters described it as "storybook" type stuff. Damar himself seemed to love it ... tweeting, "OMFG!!!!!!"

Speaking of Damar ... his condition continues to improve, and he was showing his guy support from his hospital bed -- posting a photo of himself with a "Love for Damar" tee, and telling the Bills it was "GAMETIME."

Eric Wood believed the Bills were destined to win the Super Bowl before the season started, but with the endless tragedies the teams endured, including Damar Hamlin's medical emergency, the former Pro Bowler thinks this is the year the Lombardi trophy finally arrives in Orchard Park.

TMZ Sports talked to Wood, who played all 9 seasons in Buffalo (2009-2017), and now serves as the color analyst on the radio (the ex-star was calling the game when #3 went down), and we asked if he believes the team's fate is to win their first ever SB.

"I do and I felt that way before the season," Wood said, adding, "The Bills started this season as the unanimous betting favorite to win the Super Bowl and these injuries have derailed some things. It's games being moved and a lot of adversity that these Bills had to deal with but in my mind, it does feel like destiny."

In May, 10 people were shot and killed in a Buffalo supermarket -- targets of a racially motivated hate crime. Team owner Kim Pegula battled health issues earlier this season. The western New York area has also been hit with multiple snowstorms, including a historic blizzard that killed at least 44 people. Dawson Knox's brother died unexpectedly. Then there's Damar. The area has been through so much.

The Bills have never won a Super Bowl. They made 4 straight between 1990 and 1993, but lost all the games.

FWIW, they won 2 AFL Championships in 1964 and 1965.

Eric believes after all the pain and suffering, this is the year the drought finally comes to an end.

Of course, the Bills are 12-3 and considered one of the best 2 or 3 teams in the league.

As for the mindset as the team steps on the gridiron again for the first time since "Monday Night Football," Wood says the message is straightforward.

News of Aaron Rodgers and Mallory Edens' new romance was just confirmed this week, but the clues were there as early as last month ... with the two sharing candy as they watched the Milwaukee Bucks from their courtside seats.

As we reported on Friday -- the Green Bay Packers quarterback and Bucks owner's daughter are, in fact, dating ... with the news coming off as a surprise to many.

But upon further review of Rodgers and Edens' recent public outing ... folks shouldn't be so shocked.

In the short clip from the Dec. 2 matchup against the Lakers, Aaron grabs a handful of what appears to be Mike and Ikes and downs 'em before passing it to Edens, who takes the box from him.

We get it -- it's not much, but it's certainly something a couple would do ... and just goes to show that they were enjoying their time together.

As we previously reported, the rumors had been swirling all week ... with many pointing out Edens recently hit up a Green Bay Packers game decked out in the home team's gear. Turns out all the rumors were right!!

Aaron Donald ain't just a monster on the field ... he's a hero off of it too -- 'cause Make-A-Wish recipient Kyle Frazier tells TMZ Sports the Rams star helped him beat cancer, and then gave him some great football advice as well!!

The 21-year-old college football player -- who beat Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2019 -- initially met Donald over Zoom in 2020 as part of his Make-A-Wish request.

At the time, due to the pandemic, the duo could only talk remotely ... although Frazier said it helped him recover from the disease, and ultimately assisted him on his way to playing as an offensive lineman at Savannah State University.

This past weekend, Frazier was actually able to meet with Donald in person and fulfill the rest of his Make-A-Wish request ... and he told us following the experience out at LAX this week that it was a life-changing moment for him.

"To be able to meet somebody I really look up to, I aspire to be," he said, "it was just amazing. I don't think words can explain it."

In addition to meeting with Donald, Frazier also got to work out with the guy -- and he says while there, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year gave him some wisdom that he said he'll never forget.

"If it was easy, everybody would do it," the sophomore said of what Donald told him. "So, you know, keep working. Don't stop. It's hard being great."

Frazier also got to sign a one-day contract with the Rams and take in their game against the Chargers as part of his Make-A-Wish dream ... and now, he tells us he's feeling more inspired than ever.

"It's definitely set another goal for me," he said.

Big Show recognizes Mercedes Mone -- formerly known as Sasha Banks -- is a unique talent ... and tells TMZ Sports any wrestling promotion that signs her is getting a superstar.

We asked Show about the rumors that Mercedes could sign with AEW ... on the heels of her debut with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and he seemed receptive to the idea.

"I think she'd be a tremendous asset to any company," said Show at LAX on Thursday. "She's a star and has an incredible fan following. Any company would be glad to have her."

"For a long time, everyone got spoiled because there was one company to work for. Now there are multiple viable companies again to work for."

Show -- real name Paul Wight -- spent 22 years with the WWE before joining AEW as a wrestler and a commentator ... which is why he sees the value in wrestlers having options these days.

"It gives talents an opportunity to express themselves and create the deals they want to make," Show said. "It gives a chance for someone stagnant in one company to reinvent themselves."

Ultimately, Show believes the advent of multiple wrestling companies -- and those companies flourishing -- is a good thing ... and wrestlers like Mercedes should take advantage of it.

Shawne Merriman's bringing back Lights Out Xtreme Fighting -- after more than a year of being dormant -- and the former NFL star and promotion founder tells us won't rule out taking a fight!

"I'm not opposed to [fighting]," the former Pro Bowler told Babcock and Mojo on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs nightly on FS1), saying "I would fight the right former athlete, another guy in the WWE, something that people would pay to see in Lights Out."

The 38-year-old former NFL star continued ... "They got my Instagram. They got my number. If anybody really thinking about it and it's a good fight and people wanna see it, come on and step in Lights Out. I got no problem!"

Of course, Shawne wouldn't be the first former football player to transition to fighting. Former NFL star Greg Hardy, who had no combat sports background, fought in the UFC.

Matt Mitrione, former Giants, 49ers and Vikings defensive lineman, was a UFC and Bellator star. Matt beat heavyweight legend Fedor Emelianenko, amongst a bunch of other top fighters. Not to mention Brock Lesnar ... and the list goes on and on.

6'4" Merriman would have had the best football career (though Hardy was dominant on the gridiron, too) of all players if he fought. Shawne played around 265 lbs. and was an athletic freak. He ran a 4.68 40-yard dash and put up 25 reps of 225 lbs. before he was drafted 12th overall in 2005.

Merriman, a huge MMA fan, founded Lights Out (his nickname during his playing days) in 2019. They've had 7 events -- all taking place in southern California -- with the last going down in December 2021.

But, the promotion is back ... "Lights Out Xtreme Fighting 8: The Return" goes down on Saturday in Riverside, CA. The event preliminaries will stream at 6 p.m. PST and the main event will stream live at 7 p.m. PST on Fubo Sports as well as the network's Instagram, Twitter and YouTube plus on Shawne Merriman’s social channels

Merriman says he's signed some super-talented fighters and his only hope is they don't leave for Bellator or UFC.

"I know Scott Coker and [Dana White], I've been around this space for a long time. They all know I have a big appetite for growing and being big in the space but ultimately, it's about giving guys, these fighters more eyeballs. Giving them a platform to fight."

"UFC, Bellator, great organizations. They're actually what made me get into the fight game and watch from the beginning. With Lights Out, I think we have an opportunity to come in here and give these fighters an opportunity to go and take care of their families, be legends in the sport, be champions in the sport," Merriman says.

Listen up, movie buffs -- Wood Harris, a staple in some of the biggest sports flicks ever -- is giving TMZ Sports a list of his top football movies of all time... and, yes, "Remember The Titans" did make his cut!!

The 53-year-old, who famously played Julius Campbell in the legendary 2000 Denzel Washington film, broke down his four favorite pigskin-themed features with us out in LA this week ... and there weren't too many shockers.

Harris started with "Remember the Titans" -- before moving on to "Any Given Sunday" and "Rudy."

The actor then kicked around a few movies like "The Blind Side" and "Invincible" -- before ultimately giving his final nod to "The Waterboy."

Not a bad list at all -- but "Varsity Blues," "The Replacements," "Jerry Maguire" and "The Longest Yard" certainly have their arguments.

Damar Hamlin's health has, thankfully, improved dramatically ... so much so, in fact, that the guy is active on social media again ... and his message is one of gratitude and thanks.

The Bills safety -- who's been receiving treatment in a hospital for several days now, following his horrifying on-field collapse -- posted to IG for the first time since the life-threatening incident. He compiled shots of himself, seemingly from the fateful day in question.

The final slide in his 4-pic post shows a quote doctors told him when he was finally awake and talking on his own. It's the "you won" line, which resonated with him.

Damar adds, "When you put real love out into the world it comes back to you 3x’s as much.. 🫶🏾🫶🏾🫶🏾 The Love has been overwhelming, but I’m thankful for every single person that prayed for me and reached out. We brung the world back together behind this. If you know me you know this only gone make me stronger. On a long road keep praying for me!"

His message comes on the heels of his team providing yet another encouraging update on his condition. They said he was making continued progress, but remained in critical care --noting he was breathing without assistance and that his neurological function was excellent.

This turnaround is nothing short of miraculous, considering we now know that his heart gave out ... requiring immediate resuscitation on the gridiron during Monday Night Football.

Since his injury, Damar's been receiving an outpouring of support in several different forms -- including on the charity front ... which has amounted to millions of dollars being donated to a GFM endeavor he was hosting for the holidays.

Seems he's taken notice of that and all the other well-wishes sent his way. A good sign.

A Cincinnati store that made custom Damar Hamlin shirts in the wake of the Bills safety's medical crisis tells TMZ Sports it's made $50K off the tees ... and is now planning on donating all of that cash to DH's Chasing M's Foundation.

Cincy Shirts put together three designs after the scary incident on Jan. 2 ... when the 24-year-old collapsed and went into cardiac arrest during the Bills vs. Bengals "Monday Night Football" game.

One shirt reads "More Than Football" with Hamlin's #3 jersey number. Another has Cincinnati's "513" area code on it with Bengals and Bills team colors. The third is a design from a local artist that features the Bengals and Bills mascots wearing No. 3 jerseys.

Cincy Shirts co-owner Josh Sneed tells us the custom pieces are selling like crazy, both in stores and online ... and they're trying hard to keep up with the orders.

Sneed went on to say that all of the proceeds from the shirt sales will be donated to Hamlin's foundation.

"It seems no matter who needs something, this city steps up," Sneed said. "I'm lucky to see this happen time in and time out. Very proud of this city."

Sneed also delivered a box of shirts to Hamlin's family at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and to the Bengals. In fact, cornerback Cameron Taylor-Britt took a selfie wearing one on Thursday.

Kyrie Irving showed appreciation for fans eager to meet him in Chicago this week ... by signing autographs and taking pics with a big crowd of supporters.

TMZ Sports is told ... Irving embraced the impromptu meet-and-greet and spent a moment with everyone in the crowd right outside the Nets' team hotel in the Windy City.

In the video, you can see Irving swarmed as he was presumably on his way to the team bus ... with the mob of fans handing the star point guard various items to sign.

As it turns out, we're told there was a group of Irving fans waiting outside the same hotel on Wednesday, and Kyrie promised that if they returned Thursday, he would stay and interact with as many people as time permitted.

Of course, the Nets were in Chi-Town to take on the Bulls at the United Center ... but Brooklyn fell to Chicago, 121-112, snapping a 12-game winning streak.

The Nets have been clicking on all cylinders since Kyrie returned from his suspension on Nov. 20 against Memphis ... reasserting themselves as a powerhouse in the East.

Chris Pronger is one of the greatest hockey defenders ever, but perhaps he's more known for his own terrifying in-game medical emergency ... the former NHL MVP suffered commotio cordis after taking a slapshot to the heart during a playoff game in 1998.

TMZ Sports talked to the retired 48-year-old NHL great about the parallels between him and Damar Hamlin ... as many physicians have theorized the 24-year-old Bills safety also experienced the extremely rare heart issue.

"I got hit with a slapshot literally right in the heart and in between beats and that's called commotio cordis where you get hit in between beats. Your heart thinks it beat so it skips one beat. Sometimes the heart restarts, sometimes it doesn't," Pronger said of the May 10, 1998 incident in Detroit.

Although he lost consciousness and collapsed to the ice in terrifying fashion, fortunately for Chris, his heart started beating again on its own. He ultimately didn't require CPR or defibrillation. Video of the incident involving Chris is here ... but fair warning, it's difficult to watch.

"I kinda get up a little bit, stumble, couple strides and then collapse to the ice. The next thing you know, I'm waking up and I got my shirt cut open, all my stuff's off. I'm looking up at the rafters and looking up at the banners in Joe Louis Arena and looking over to my right, I can see our bench -- guys are crying."

"You don't really know what's going on. You're just kinda deer in the headlights talking to the doctor."

FYI, Hamlin's physicians, in a briefing from the hospital earlier this week, have said it's too early to determine if commotio cordis or another heart issue caused the medical emergency.

Whatever the cause, we know Hamlin's heart did not restart by itself. Fortunately, the Bills medical team immediately sprang into action, saving Damar's life.

"The placement of the trainers and doctors, medical staff, they have to pay attention to the game because you never know when something is gonna happen," Pronger says, adding ... "Kudos to them for being quick to jump out there. When you see somebody fall like that you clearly know something is not right."

When Pronger collapsed in the Motor City, his parents were in the arena to watch the game ... much like Damar's mom was in Cincinnati. Chris empathizes with what the Hamlin's are going through.

"This one seems like it's a lot more critical than mine was. Very similar in the beginning but as you watch, this one plays out, you know, applying CPR for a number of minutes on the field," Chris said.

"You feel for them. It's become a spectacle for them and it's a life-or-death situation. The last thing they're thinking about right now is football. They're thinking about the human side of things in Damar's life and getting back to some sense of normalcy as it relates to just life in general."

Pop Warner has concluded its investigation into allegations a man yelled the n-word at an opposing team's coaches in a postgame incident last month ... and determined he did NOT use racially-charged language.

We broke the story -- an assistant coach for the Highlands Ranch Mountain Lions in Colorado was accused of hurling the slur towards Hamden Hurricanes (CT) staffers at the teams' hotel in Orlando following their matchup in the Div. 2 12U quarterfinals of the Pop Warner National Championships on Dec. 3

TMZ Sports has learned ... the youth football organization formed a committee of three independent regional vice directors to review footage of the altercation.

Pop Warner says the committee concluded the assistant coach actually used a different derogatory word when addressing the Hamden Hurricanes (CT) staffers ... saying, "The coach did not use the 'N' word, as had been alleged."

"The review found that the coach said the other team would have been beat by 'a bunch of f***ing m****ts' had the game been officiated differently," the statement says.

"He used the word 'm****ts' to describe his own undersized team."

The coach was cleared of using a racial slur, but PW still handed down a one-year suspension for "using profanity and acting in a manner that reflects negatively on Pop Warner."