TMZ Sports - Page 50

Tyron Woodley should be VERY concerned about his upcoming fight against Jake Paul ... so says Gilbert Burns, who tells TMZ Sports he thinks Paul has a shot to destroy the MMA star.

The bout is set to go down in Cleveland at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on Aug. 29 -- and it will be Paul's 4th boxing match -- and Woodley's first.

And, according to Burns, don't be surprised if the YouTuber is the one who walks away from the ring victorious.

"Jake Paul is really proving himself as a hard worker, a great boxer, heavy-handed," Burns said. "He's very big ... I don't see an easy fight for Tyron Woodley."

Burns knows a thing or two about that ... remember, the Brazilian MMA fighter beat Woodley pretty good in a UFC match back in May 2020 -- winning by unanimous decision.

Woodley went on to lose his next two fights after that ... and it's all got Burns really wondering if the fighter can pull out the win over Paul.

"I see the pressure's on Tyron Woodley," Burns says. "He has to win that fight. Otherwise, it's going to be a horrible way to recover from."

As for if Burns has any tips for Paul, Gilbert says the key to beating Woodley is pressure and the counter punch.

"The one thing that I learned for Tyron Woodley, he's very afraid to get tired," Burns says. "I think Jake's go-to stay calm, put pressure on him, watch out for that right hand, but at the same time when the overhand right comes, it opens a lot of things."

Burns continued, "I got to watch this one close, but I'm not that confident that Tyron Woodley's gonna pull that one-off."

A robot basketball player has made its debut at the Tokyo Olympics -- and it turns out, the thing is pretty damn good at shooting baskets ... almost scary good. Actually, just scary.

Check out this robot that Tokyo officials rolled out Sunday for what appears to be a halftime show during a basketball game there between Team USA and France ... which the U.S. ended up losing 83-76.

Besides that news, reporter Ann Killion captured the real headline-grabber ... and that would be this hunk of metal slowly and inartfully sinking shots from a fair distance -- including one basket it made from half-court!

Watch the clip ... the robot starts by swishing a 3-pointer, this after lining it up perfectly and eventually launching the ball straight through the net. Then, it heads down to the mid-court logo, where it does the same thing -- picking the ball up by itself, and then chucking it.

Sure enough, that ball goes through as well. Obviously, the robot can get buckets, and even though it's slow to the draw ... it's clearly quite accurate. Shoot, maybe Team USA shoulda recruited this thing to be one of their wingmen! They sure needed the help.

All jokes aside ... the fact this robot can actually make its way up and down the floor and put up shots on its own is pretty incredible. It's a testament to technology, but also ... perhaps a sign of what may come in the future. Who's to say they won't make a full-blown team of robots one day???

Considering what Boston Dynamics is doing with their robots and how far they've come in making them move seamlessly, like humans, something tells us that possibility is one that could come about. We certainly have the tech to do it -- but do we actually wanna???

Shaun Weiss, the goalie in the 'Mighty Ducks' movies, got all nostalgic celebrating his graduation from a drug court program ... chowing down at a diner that's special to him.

Just days after getting his certificate of completion from the D.A.'s Office in Yuba County, CA ... we're told Shaun and his good friend, Drew Gallagher, hit up the super-popular Brent's Deli in the San Fernando Valley.

Why there? Well, for starters the pastrami is to die for ... but also, we're told the deli's the first place Shaun went when he was released from jail in August 2017 during one of the worst points in his life.

Shaun's had several stints in jail after that, but in going back now, he wanted to reminisce on all the progress he's made ever since.

His pal Drew practically rolled out a red carpet ... showering Shaun with congratulatory balloons and a hearty meal of matzo ball soup.

TMZ broke the story ... The D.A.'s Office was super complimentary of Shaun for staying on the straight and narrow -- and that good behavior prompted prosecutors to dismiss the burglary case against him.

Besides getting sober, Shaun also got a new set of chompers.

Gervonta "Tank" Davis is a proud Baltimore native -- and the star boxer loves his city so much, he just got it tatted all across his upper back!!!

Of course, the Maryland city is where Davis started down his road to stardom ... learning to box there at just 7 years old.

And now, the 26-year-old champ is deciding to give a major salute back to his hometown ... hitting up his go-to guy, celeb tat artist Josh Levario, for some awesome B-more ink.

The tat came out HUGE ... with the word "BALTIMORE" spanning from Davis' left shoulder all the way to his right.

The piece also came out impressive as hell -- considering Levario (who also did Tank's movie icon tattoo) tells us it only took 3 hours to get done.

Gervonta has already been honored in the past by the city of Baltimore, with Mayor Jack Young once presenting him a key to the city.

Perhaps the new tat persuades Young to give him even more?!?

Cody Garbrandt is ALL IN on a fight with Brandon Moreno ... telling TMZ Sports he wants a tilt with the champ, and he's promising a knockout or a submission when it happens!!

"No Love" broke it all down for us outside the Roosevelt Hotel on Friday ... saying he's been eyeing a move from bantamweight to flyweight for a while.

And, he tells us a fight with Moreno -- who just called Cody out this week -- is the perfect opportunity to finally make that happen.

"I'll finally get to fight at my natural weight [of 125 pounds] where I think I can perform my best," says Garbrandt, who tells us he's already started the process of changing around his diet and workout routine.

"I feel like I'm a way better fighter than him."

Don't get it twisted, though ... Garbrandt respects the hell out of Moreno -- telling us he believes the dude is a legit champion.

But, if the fight does get made ... Cody says he sees it all ending with him on top via some kind of finish.

"I'll finish him for sure," Garbrandt says. "KO, submission. Whatever."

Rapper Blueface won his Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship exhibition match Friday night against TikToker Kane Trujillo, but it was anything but a total crowd-pleaser, because one disgruntled fan jumped in the ring swinging ... and all hell broke loose.

In what was billed as a battle of the influencers, Blueface crushed Trujillo ... winning a lopsided victory by decision. As he celebrated -- hand up in the air -- the fan jumped the ropes and, it looks like one swing made contact with the rapper.

Blueface went ballistic as security swarmed the ring, tackling the jerk, but that didn't end the craziness. The rapper continued swinging and was held back as cops appeared in an attempt to control the situation.

The attacker was dragged out of the ring and eventually things calmed down and the fights continued as fans watched on FITE TV.

As for who got the worst of it ... it's still Trujillo. Blueface barraged him with punches ... his right hand was definitely on point.

As for the other influencers on the exhibition card ... YouTuber and TikTok star DK Money vs. Nick Ireland, and a TikTok battle between Evil Hero and Dakota Olave.

Jonathan Lipnicki is putting his MMA skills to good use ... trying to prevent more anti-Semitic attacks from happening in the L.A. area by escorting Orthodox Jews to temple.

We got the "Jerry Maguire" star in the Fairfax District near The Grove Friday, where he and fellow actor/martial artist Remi Franklin were on the ready to help worshipers safely enter and leave temple.

Jonathan and Remi organized after an attack last May ... where a group of pro-Palestinian men attacked Jewish diners outside Sushi Fumi.

Gymnastics legend Dominique Dawes is keepin' it real ... telling TMZ Sports Simone Biles would've SMOKED her in competition -- even during her prime!!

"Biles is unreal," the 3-time Olympian says. "She is so talented, and I am so grateful that I’m retired because I would have just not even had a chance going up against this young girl."

It's high praise, considering Dawes is a gymnast icon -- remember, she was part of the famous Magnificent Seven Olympic team in 1996, and she also won silver and bronze medals at World Championships in the '90s.

She and teammate Betty Okino were also the first African-American females to win the Olympic gold in gymnastics.

But, despite that resume ... Dawes says she just flat-out wouldn't stand a chance against Simone.

And, she might not be wrong -- after all, Biles has been killin' it, and is the favorite to take home some golden hardware in Tokyo this summer, especially if she hits her Yurchenko double pike move -- a twist that Dawes says is absolutely insane!

"I remember when I was maybe fooling around in the gym once with one of the National Team coaches and he wanted me to try a double," Dawes said. "And, I was like, 'Not going to happen.'"

Dawes added, "Like, it was unheard of, even with a free-foam pit I was unwilling to do it. And yet, she’s doing it almost to perfection, and doing it on a hard landing and even over-rotating it."

Dawes tells us she believes Biles will be "on top of that podium" in this year's Olympics ... beating all types of records -- including her own!

"I mean she’s going to probably surpass what I accomplished." the 44-year-old says.

"But, again I can’t stress the importance of how much I admire her, not for just being an athlete but for her being a spokesperson and activist and recognizing that there’s a lot of changes that need to be made in the sport of gymnastics."

Tyron Woodley says his tattoo bet with Jake Paul is straight-up "childish" -- but he tells TMZ Sports he took it 'cause he says he knows he's going to KO the YouTuber!

Paul and Woodley made the deal earlier this month ... agreeing that whoever loses on Aug. 29 will have to tattoo the winner's name somewhere on their body.

The bet is wild ... if Jake wins, Tyron has to get "I Love Jake Paul." If Tyron wins, Jake has to get "I Love Tyron Woodley."

The former UFC champ tells us the agreement was stupid ... explaining Paul only did it 'cause it's "his way of downplaying and bringing me into his world".

"It’s kind of childish," Woodley says. "But, last time he tried [to bet me] to make it seem like I wasn’t confident."

So, Woodley says he shook hands with Paul on it this time ... telling us he just knows he's not going to lose.

"I’m just not finna just let you act like you run the show," Woodley tells us ... adding, "Yeah, I bet because I’m confident I’m going to win. I have no plan on getting an 'I Love Jake Paul' tattoo."

As for a prediction for fight night ... Woodley wouldn't give a round, but says the outcome is inevitable.

The revamped "Real Housewives of Miami" got its first dose of real-world drama this week when 911 was called due to a medical emergency on set ... and TMZ's learned it was for a brand new cast member.

Sources close to production tell us ... Julia Lemigova began feeling ill late Thursday morning after filming on the roof of an incredible home in Montauk, NY ... where they were staying during a cast trip.

We're told it's likely Julia got too much sun and was overheated, so someone inside the home called 911 because production felt it was best she get checked out by professionals.

According to the East Hampton PD report ... an EMT was called to the scene around 11:30 AM for a person who was feeling weak and nauseated. They were administered an IV, but did not require a trip to the hospital.

Our sources say cameras were rolling for the incident, as the ladies were all brunching to celebrate Larsa Pippen's jewelry line.

Julia -- a Russian former model who's married to tennis legend Martina Navratilova -- was not part of the original 'RHOM' cast when it aired on Bravo, but will be featured on the Peacock reboot later this year.

We're told after she recovered from her health episode, she carried on with the rest of the 'housewives' and kept filming the rest of the day and night.

Team USA has already won big in our hearts with these golden good looks ... And it's no wonder why all eyes will be on these Olympic athletes as they compete in Tokyo for the summer games.

We've gathered some of the hottest shots from team USA to help you see why rooting for the red, white, and blue is the way to go!

Take a look through our gallery of USA Olympic athlete abs to see who has been showing off a lot more than just their stars and stripes ... And while you're taking a look, put your athlete knowledge to the test and try to guess who is in the shredded shot!

Trevor Bauer and his attorney showed up to an L.A. courtroom Friday ... making it clear they're ready to fight the pitcher's assault accuser's allegations.

Bauer -- wearing a purple suit, pink shirt and tie -- showed up just prior to the morning proceedings. His accuser was also in court.

During the hearing -- which was scheduled in order to determine if a temporary restraining order against Bauer should turn into a permanent one -- Bauer's attorney said they want to call 3-4 witnesses to support his case.

Meanwhile, Bauer's accuser -- through her attorney -- said they would like to call around six witnesses to show why the restraining order should be granted.

The parties estimated a hearing on the matter would take around 2 days.

The hearing is expected to begin after a lunch break later Friday afternoon.

As we previously reported, Bauer's accuser got the temporary restraining order in late June ... after she said in court docs the MLB star was violent with her during two sexual encounters in April and May.

In the docs, the woman claimed Bauer choked her unconscious and punched her repeatedly ... leaving her with black eyes, bruises, scrapes and scratches.

The 30-year-old pitcher and his reps have denied the allegations ... claiming the incidents were part of 2 entirely consensual sexual encounters.

Police and the MLB are conducting investigations into the claims. Bauer -- who's been on administrative leave and away from the Dodgers' mound since the allegations -- has not been arrested nor has he been charged.

It's unknown if Bauer plans on testifying during the hearing.

Justin Bieber and Conor McGregor -- "The Biebs" and "The Notorious" -- are just a couple of bros having a "proper" breakfast together ... shirtless, of course.

JB and the MMA star were hanging out in Bev Hills Friday, as McGregor continues to recover from his gnarly leg injury suffered at UFC 264 in his loss to Dustin Poirier.

It may seem surprising -- especially since Bieber used to be tight with Conor's nemesis, Floyd Mayweather -- but Justin and Conor have been getting pretty chummy of late.

Bieber was super supportive of McGregor after his January loss to Poirier and also leading up to their latest fight, and Conor actually hopped on his Instagram Live days before UFC 264 to thank him for all the love.

JB also shouted out CM after his injury to send good vibes his way ... and now, here they are, enjoying good vibes together.

Justin captioned the photos, "Breakfast of champions." and tagged Conor's Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey ... which they both appear to be enjoying.

NFL coach Rick Dennison is now no longer a member of the Minnesota Vikings staff ... and it's reportedly all 'cause the guy refused to take the COVID vaccine.

Dennison, according to ESPN, recently affirmed his decision to not get the shots ... and with the NFL rules making it nearly impossible for coaches to coach without them, he's now OUT in Minnesota.

The 63-year-old had been the Vikings' offensive line coach and run game coordinator ... working with the team since 2019.

If you weren't aware, the NFL made it mandatory this offseason for all Tier 1 staffers -- which includes coaches -- to get the vaccine in order to have direct contact with players in meeting rooms and on the field.

The league did allow exceptions -- saying valid medical or religious reasons would be considered -- but it's clear Dennison did not meet those standards.

ESPN reports Phil Rauscher, who was the team's assistant offensive line coach, will now fill for Dennison in 2021.

Dennison -- who's coached in the NFL since 1995 and helped Dalvin Cook blossom into one of the league's best rushers -- is believed to be the first NFL coach to leave his team over the league's vaccine rules.

The Vikings, meanwhile, are set to begin training camp next week and kick off their season in September.

Story developing ...

Matt Ryan says he's devastated over the death of his former coach, Greg Knapp ... writing in an emotional note Friday that the guy was "one of the most positive, consistent, and caring coaches I have ever been around."

Knapp -- who tragically died Thursday from injuries he suffered in a horrific bike crash in California last weekend -- was Ryan's QB coach in Atlanta from 2018 through 2020 ... and he clearly had a huge impact on the Falcons star.

"He made it a point to know our families and for us to know his," Ryan said on his social media page. "My heart goes out to his family."

In each of his three seasons playing for Knapp, Ryan threw for more than 4,400 yards and 25 TDs.

"Greg made a significant impact on everyone he came into contact with and while he will be missed by so many he will never be forgotten," Ryan said.

"I'm so thankful for the time we were able to spend together."

Knapp was just 58 years old.

Alex Rodriguez is moving on from Jennifer Lopez in an interesting way ... on a yacht with some bikini-clad women along the French Riviera.

The former MLB star's soaking up the sun and enjoying the water while vacationing in Saint-Tropez this week ... while showing off his buff bod and having some fun on a giant inflatable slide.

We haven't seen much of A-Rod recently, and though we know he's renting a summer house in the Hamptons -- not too far away from J Lo -- she's clearly NOT on his mind at the moment. Sources connected to Alex tell us the yacht adventure is to celebrate his upcoming 46th birthday, and the folks onboard with him are friends, family and A-Rod Corp employees ... no romantic hookups.

We'll say this ... Alex has some attractive friends and staffers.

Since their breakup, A-Rod's been more low-profile ... while J Lo's been out and about in multiple cities with her old flame, Ben Affleck. As we reported, she's been house-hunting in L.A., and Ben's come along for the ride -- plus, they've had some romantic dinner dates.