TMZ Sports - Page 50

GOOD NEWS! Chris Weidman's "bone through the skin" injury is healing up nicely ... and he's got video of the injury site to prove it!

The UFC star finally removed the bandages from his right leg on Wednesday -- just days after that catastrophic injury at UFC 261 ... and you can clearly see the spot where the bone ripped through the back of his calf.

"I undressed my injury," Weidman said in a Wednesday update ... "The cut on the back of the calf is from when I stepped down in octagon, and bone went through calf muscle and skin."

Weidman was discharged from the hospital in Jacksonville earlier this week and is continuing his recovery at home in South Carolina, where remains in good spirits.

"I know there are many worried about me, including family friends and fans. I will be good. I love you all."

As we previously reported, 36-year-old Weidman suffered the injury while throwing a routine leg kick in the opening seconds of his Saturday night match against Uriah Hall.

Surgeons used a metal rod to stabilize the leg -- and Chris posted photos of the X-rays.

NBA player Sterling Brown was COMPLETELY covered in blood when cops found him after he was attacked at a Miami strip club ... new police video obtained by TMZ Sports shows.

In the footage from the scene, which was captured on an officer's body cam in the early morning hours of April 19, you can see Brown was constantly pressing his shirt hard against a gnarly wound on his head to try to stop the bleeding.

Video shows Brown -- who just minutes prior had been reportedly hit in the head with a liquor bottle -- was clearly annoyed with the situation ... consistently being short with cops and brushing off officers who tried to ask him questions about the incident.

Brown repeatedly asked first responders for an ambulance ... and when he got close to one of the officer's cameras, you can see blood was oozing so heavily from his head, it gushed all the way down to the bottom of his stomach.

Eventually, medical personnel arrived ... but things clearly didn't go smoothly as they tried to tend to the Houston Rockets guard.

Brown's teammate, Kevin Porter Jr., had made his way to the scene ... and for some reason, he became argumentative with cops in the area.

Police redacted the audio -- they said in a document it's currently being reviewed as part of an open internal investigation -- but it's obvious the two NBA players were very upset.

You can see in the clip, Porter Jr. was animated ... waving his arms and making gestures toward one of the officers.

Eventually, things calmed down enough for medical personnel to bandage up Brown ... and he was ultimately stitched up at a local hospital.

The NBA said Wednesday it's completed its investigation into the incident ... and hit Porter Jr. with a $50,000 fine for violating the league's Health and Safety Protocols, which prohibits players from attending "indoor social gatherings of 15 or more people or entering bars, lounges, clubs or similar establishments."

What's interesting -- despite visiting the club with KPJ, Brown is NOT expected to receive a fine, according to Marc Stein.

The report adds the league's investigation into the incident is officially closed unless further information surfaces that would require the probe to be re-opened.

Rich Eisen WANTS ALL THE SMOKE!!!!

The NFL Network star touched down in Cleveland on Tuesday night for the upcoming NFL Draft -- where he was immediately challenged to a footrace by an L.A. Rams fan.

Fortunately for Rich, he'd been training for his "Run Rich Run" event (which raises money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital) and was ready to go ... despite the fact he just got off a plane!!

Watch the video ... 51-year-old Rich had some JUICE off the line -- and then he kicked in the afterburners!

Okay, he's no Ja'Marr Chase ... but at least Rich got the "W" without pulling a hammy!

And, if you're a fan of watching Rich run, his "Run Rich Run" special -- featuring stars like Jerry Rice and Ray Lewis -- airs on NFL Network on May 1.

Bombshell revelation from Canelo Alvarez ... the boxing superstar says his brother was kidnapped in Mexico in 2018 -- and he was the one who was forced to negotiate with the scumbags for 3 DAYS to bring him home.

The 30-year-old broke it all down on "In Depth with Graham Bensinger" during an interview that will air in its entirety this weekend ... explaining just days before his '18 fight against Rocky Fielding, he got some terrifying news.

Canelo says shortly after he landed in New York for the fight, he was told one of his older brothers had been abducted.

And, in the days and hours leading up to the tilt with Fielding, Canelo says he had to make the deals to ensure his bro's safe return.

"Over the phone, I negotiated all the -- I negotiated everything for his release," Canelo told Bensinger in Spanish.

"For three days, I negotiated with those a**holes so they would let him go. Three days!"

Fortunately, Canelo says his brother was returned safely ... and Alvarez was still able to go out and dominate Fielding, scoring a 3rd round TKO.

Canelo did not reveal the terms of the deal they made with his brother's captures.

But, there's more ... Canelo believes crooked cops in Mexico may have played a role in the kidnapping -- and says the entire thing has him concerned about his and his family's safety in his home country.

In fact, Alvarez was very critical of Mexican leaders when talking with Bensinger ... saying the government and law enforcement are doing a "very bad" job.

He added, "This is why I'm not here in Mexico much anymore, because it's not safe."

Canelo says he wishes his home country would create more strict laws and punishments to help make the place safer for all.

Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka just launched her very own signature swimwear line ... and who better than Naomi Osaka to model the bikinis!!

The 23-year-old announced her collaboration with Frankies Bikinis on Wednesday ... adding to her long list of partnerships in the fashion industry.

The line is called the Frankies Bikinis x Naomi Osaka collection ... and features a number of one-piece and bikinis in fun colors ranging from $80 to $190.

FB founder Francesca Aiello spoke about the decision to work with the young star ... saying it was an easy choice.

"To state the obvious, Naomi is extremely creative and has an amazing sense of style that she has made her own," she told Nylon.

"Beyond her style, I also really respect her as a person. I admire the way she uses her platform to inspire, educate, and spread awareness about social happenings."

Aiello added ... "She represents a strong female who is living out her dream and inspiring others to follow theirs, and she is genuinely just an amazing person all around."

Aiello said Osaka was heavily involved in the design process ... and wanted to incorporate her own "sporty yet feminine style" on and off the court.

On top of the bikini line, Osaka has worked with big-name companies like Nike, ADEAM, Louis Vuitton and Levi's.

Naomi's friends have shown love following the big announcement ... including Venus Williams, who said, "Did it on em! ❤🔥"

Osaka's boyfriend, rapper Cordae, added "🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥"

THIS VIDEO IS AWESOME!!

UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou has returned to his native Cameroon for the first time since winning the belt -- and EVERYONE came out to celebrate!!!

Check out Ngannou being paraded through the streets with a military escort while the locals cheer him on like the conquering hero he is.

Ngannou defeated Stipe Miocic at UFC 260 in March -- and after the fight, he talked about how proud he was to win for the people of Cameroon.

And when he returned home, the people flooded the streets to show love to the champ!

"This moment is something I have been waiting for," Ngannou posted on Twitter.

"It is hard to put this feeling into words. The belt is back home where it belongs."

The 34-year-old knockout artist was born and raised in the village of Batie -- where he worked in a sand quarry when he was 10-years-old.

He later got into combat sports -- realized he had legit talent -- and moved to France at the age of 26 to focus on training full time.

Ngannou began his pro MMA career in 2013 and clearly, it's working out well for him!

Francis is currently on a 5-fight win streak with victories over stars like Junior Dos Santos, Cain Velasquez, Curtis Blaydes and of course, Stipe.

Cleveland Cavaliers star Kevin Love just poured his heart out about his bizarre inbound play on Monday night ... admitting he knows he "f***ed up" and apologizing for his outburst.

32-year-old Love went viral for swatting away an inbound pass late in the 3rd quarter against the Toronto Raptors ... easily turning the ball over to the Raptors for a wide-open 3-pointer.

It appeared as if Love -- who's posting career-low numbers this season for the 21-40 Cavs -- had become fed up with the losing and just snapped.

But, the 2016 champ says that's simply not the case.

Love started off his media availability Wednesday morning with an emotional, 15-minute speech ... saying, "My intent wasn't to disrespect the game. My intent wasn't even for the damn ball to go inbounds. It was a moment that I got caught up in."

"I didn't even understand what really happened as the possession even played out. I think I was a little bit dumbfounded."

He added ... "I didn't realize how bad it looked, really, until after the game. I truly didn't ... After that, I just completely shut down. I never want that to be who I am. I don't want to have to be here and defend my character."

Love says he has apologized to his teammates for the outburst ... calling it a "moment of sheer frustration."

So, what caused the disastrous turnover?? Love says it stemmed from blown calls throughout the 112 to 96 loss.

"Not to say too much that could get me fined, but it was the officiating," Love told USA Today.

It's gotta be tough for Love -- he's averaging 11.7 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists in 18 games this season -- and the glory days of the LeBron James-era are long gone.

Love says the moment was blown way out of proportion by the media ... and he really only cares about the opinions of his teammates.

"I take this one on the chin, naturally. I'll do that as a man, I'll do that as a teammate and continue to get better. That's really all I can do."

As for his relationship status with Cleveland?? Love makes it clear he's still their guy.

Scary moment on the MLB diamond Tuesday night ... umpire Kerwin Danley was hit in the face by a foul ball -- and appeared to be knocked out cold behind home plate.

The tense moments all went down in the 6th inning of the Giants vs. Rockies game in San Francisco ... when Sam Hilliard foul-tipped a pitch right into Danley's facemask.

You can see in footage from the broadcast of the game, Danley immediately fell backward and laid motionless for several seconds.

Really scary moment.

Trainers rushed to tend to the 59-year-old ... and, fortunately, he was able to get up minutes later and leave the field under his own power.

The Giants said after the game that Danley was "doing well" ... though he was experiencing a "slight headache."

This is not the first time Danley -- who's had a history of concussions -- has had a scare behind home plate ... back in 2008, he was hit in the jaw by a fastball, and a year later, he was hit in the head by a broken bat.

Joe Rogan's suggestion that young people don't need to get the vaccine isn't sitting well with Dr. Anthony Fauci, who says that's a totally selfish approach to battling a pandemic.

The Spotify podcaster got a lot of backlash this week for saying folks in their 20s aren't susceptible to serious illness if they get infected ... and adding that he'd tell them not to get vaccinated.

Fauci was on NBC Today and fired back at Rogan's remarks ... saying the guy is simply wrong. He notes that while, yes, younger people aren't as likely to get deathly ill from COVID ... that's not really the point.

He says those people can still contract it -- even without showing symptoms -- and give it to someone else, who might be more prone to getting sick ... and possibly even dying. So, in other words, Fauci says it's a me vs. the world mentality -- and a selfish notion to avoid getting vaccinated just because you think you're healthy and would be fine without it.

JR, meanwhile, doesn't seem to have been down with a lot of the COVID protocols that were rolled out over the last year, and has often questioned the legitimacy of CDC guidelines. He's also entertained conspiracy theories and speculation over COVID ... without any expertise on the matter.

The Boston Celtics held a touching tribute and a moment of silence for Terrence Clarke on Tuesday -- honoring the Boston-born NBA prospect less than a week after he was killed in a car crash.

Right before the Celtics took the floor against the OKC Thunder at TD Garden, the P.A. announcer took a moment to reflect on the 19-year-old's life and what he meant to the city.

FYI, Clarke grew up in Boston, where he developed into one of the best high school players in the country -- ultimately leading the Brewster Academy to the 2019 National Prep championship.

In fact, he brought the school back to the Finals in 2020 -- but the COVID pandemic forced the tourney to shut down.

As the P.A. announcer points out, Clarke went to the University of Kentucky where he "quickly became a favorite of teammates and fans alike."

"His work ethic, commitment and talent had him on the path to achieving his dream of playing in the NBA."

Sadly, Clarke was involved in a bad car crash on April 22 during a trip to Los Angeles. He was raced to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries.

During the on-court tribute, the Celtics displayed photos of Clarke with stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

"His larger-than-life personality always lit up a room and made him loved by everyone he touched," the Celtics P.A. announcer said.

"His goal was to inspire and be a role model for a generation of youth basketball players across Boston. Quite simply, Terrence was the pride of the entire city."

Evander is out, LENNOX IS IN!!

Mike Tyson tells TMZ Sports ... his next boxing opponent is all lined up and it's a rematch with former heavyweight champ Lennox Lewis!!

"I'm gonna fight Lennox Lewis," Tyson told us Tuesday night on the way out of Catch in L.A. ... "September."

YES!!!

Mike is 54 years old. Lennox is 55.

Remember, Tyson was in talks to rematch Evander Holyfield on May 29 in Miami but the deal fell apart in March because the two sides couldn't agree on money.

So, Tyson's camp continued the search for a big-name opponent -- and according to Mike, Lennox is in!

The two have fought before -- Lewis famously KO'd Tyson in the 8th round when they clashed in June 2002.

In the buildup to the fight, Tyson making some wild threats ... famously saying he wanted to "eat" Lennox's children!

We spoke with Lennox back in February about the possibility of fighting Tyson and he told us he was open to it ... but only "if the public wanted it."

Well, clearly enough people made it clear they'd love to see Lennox get back in the ring!

FYI, Lewis is one of the greatest heavyweight fighters ever -- he finished his pro career in 2003 with a 41-2-1 record ... defeating legends like Vitali Klitschko, Evander Holyfield, Shannon Briggs, Ray Mercer, Frank Bruno and, of course, Mike Tyson.

Tyson was 50-6 in his pro career -- but looked AWESOME in his exhibition fight against Roy Jones Jr. in Nov. 2020.

"As many as you guys know, I've struggled with depression and anxiety for some time."

That's undefeated boxing superstar Ryan Garcia bravely choosing to talk about the reason he withdrew from his July 9 fight against Javier Fortuna ... revealing he's in need of a mental health break.

Over the weekend, the undefeated 22-year-old posted the fight news on IG -- saying he wanted to focus on managing his "health and wellbeing" ... but didn't really expand on what that meant.

"I have decided to take some time off to focus on becoming a stronger version of myself," Garcia has posted.

But on Tuesday, Garcia expanded on his health situation -- saying he's often "pushed through" some difficult moments ... but feels it's important to slow down and get some professional help.

"I pushed thru so many times but I need some time off and I'm choosing to finally get some help with my mental health," Garcia said.

Garcia is currently in Hawaii with his girlfriend, Drea Celina, and their 4-month-old daughter ... and from the looks of things, they're focusing on health and relaxation.

Caleb Farley -- a former Va. Tech star who's expected to be a top 20 pick in the NFL Draft on Thursday -- has tested positive for COVID and has now been barred from the league's official party.

The DB's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, made the announcement in a statement to Pro Football Talk on Wednesday ... saying the 22-year-old is feeling fine, but will now not attend the NFL's in-person draft event in Cleveland this week.

"Caleb Farley tested positive for Covid 19 yesterday on a test administered by the NFL," Rosenhaus said.

"He is totally asymptomatic and feels completely normal. However, he won’t be allowed to attend the draft in Cleveland."

Farley had been just 1 of 13 former college football stars scheduled to be in Ohio for the annual selection process ... so it's obviously a big bummer for the CB.

But, Farley's draft night should still be a memorable one nonetheless -- he's been projected by draft experts to possibly go as high as #9 overall to the Denver Broncos.

Farley -- who opted to sit out the 2020 season over COVID concerns -- played in 23 games in his 2-year career at Virginia Tech, logging six total interceptions.

Antonio Brown is officially returning to Tampa ... the star receiver re-signed with the Buccaneers on Wednesday morning, just 1 week after settling his sexual assault case.

Brown was a key part of Tampa's Super Bowl-winning team in 2020 -- he caught a TD in the title game against the Chiefs -- and he had been campaigning for a 2021 return.

And, after AB struck a settlement last week with the woman who had accused him of a 2018 rape, the Bucs clearly felt comfortable bringing the 32-year-old back.

The deal is a one-year contract worth up to $6.25 million, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported. The agreement also includes a $2 million signing bonus, Pelissero added.

Brown -- who released a joint statement with his accuser, Britney Taylor, last week saying "Their dispute is resolved and they wish each other great continued success" -- played in 8 games for the Bucs last season.

Marty McFly may be a fictional character with a prop that serves as a cool hoverboard but soon your average (wealthy) Joe may have the chance to actually own one ... 'cause they're ready to hit the market this summer.

Alexandru Duru and Philippe Maalouf, co-founders of Omni Hoverboards, tell TMZ ... their company is very close to bringing a new hoverboard model to market.

That means ... the public will soon be able to buy a limited supply that will be made available summer or late 2021. But, hoverboard riders will have to plunk down a small fortune for the craft. We are told pricing is still a work in progress, but the 10-propellor model is expected to fetch around $36k.

We're told Omni wants to eventually sell an 8-propellor model that could retail for around $27k.

Hoverboards are all the rage right now. As we reported ... some dude was seen zipping through the streets over the weekend. And, for the record, that hoverboard does NOT belong to Omni. But, it sure created tons of buzz that the technology's there to make Michael J. Fox's dream a reality.

Truth is ... Omni's past models and most hoverboard competitors last about 1 to 3 minutes in the air, which is why most hoverboard clips on social media are short. The new model could stay airborne for 30 minutes.

Omni has been at it for some time now trying to get its hoverboards off the ground. In 2015, its mark-1 prototype earned a Guinness record by traveling a total distance of 905 feet.

Kamaru Usman vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov?!!? How awesome would that be?!

Kamaru says it would "absolutely" be the biggest fight in UFC history -- but the champ isn't holding his breath that it'll happen.

Remember, Khabib (29-0) announced his retirement back in October 2020 after defeating Justin Gaethje -- but later told Dana White he would consider a comeback if one of the top fighters showed him something "spectacular."

Well, enter Usman ... who's been destroying the best fighters in the UFC's welterweight division including wins over Jorge Masvidal, Colby Covington, Tyron Woodley, Gilbert Burns and more.

The question -- is Khabib impressed enough to consider a comeback against the reigning welterweight champ?! Usman isn't counting on it.

"I’ve lost faith in this one," Usman tells TMZ Sports ... "I think you have more of a chance at making Kamaru Usman and Georges St Pierre happen before Kamaru Usman and Khabib."

We also asked about a possible matchup with Nick Diaz down the line ... and Usman seems interested!