TMZ Sports - Page 50

Hall of Fame wrestler Rikishi says his niece was tragically murdered in a shooting earlier this summer ... and now, he's pleading with the public for help in finding who did it.

Rikishi re-posted a flier Tuesday from the San Francisco Police Department ... which he says spells out the horrific details of his niece's death on July 30.

In the bulletin, cops say they responded to a report of a shooting at around 6:45 PM ... and learned a 45-year-old woman and a 16-year-old girl had been shot.

Police say the 45-year-old was treated for her injuries and is expected to survive ... though they say, tragically, the 16-year-old died from her wounds.

Rikishi says the 16-year-old is his niece, Jaedah Tofaeono, and he pleaded with the public to "PLEASE HELP FIND THESE MOTHERF*****S."

"Need your help," Rikishi added. "They murdered my niece In the BAY AREA 16yrs old ... Check it .. Spread the word."

The SFPD says it's offering a $50K reward for "information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the suspect(s) responsible for the murder."

Patriots legend Deion Branch says Bill Belichick actually HELPED Cam Newton by cutting him Tuesday ... explaining to TMZ Sports the move will now allow the QB to find a starting job elsewhere.

Branch's logic is simple ... he says if Newton had stayed in New England, he would've warmed the bench all season behind Mac Jones.

Now, however, after releasing the former NFL MVP -- Branch says Belichick allowed the 32-year-old to go try to compete for a QB1 role in another city.

"Let's tip our hats off to coach Belichick and the move that he did make," Branch said ... "freeing Cam and allowing him to go and seek another team."

Branch believes there will be plenty of Newton suitors now that he's on the open market ... with the ex-Pats wideout telling us everyone from the Houston Texans to the Miami Dolphins could be interested in signing the 32-year-old.

"For sure he'll be picked up," Deion says.

Jake Paul's retirement lasted a whopping 25 hours ... 'cause the YouTube superstar-turned-boxer says he's officially back in the fight game again.

"Updated status: I’m coming out of retirement," Paul tweeted on Tuesday.

Hey, we tried to warn ya -- there was a super slim chance Jake was actually retiring for good when he claimed he was walking away from the sport on Monday ... especially since he's poised to get a FAT paycheck from the Tyron Woodley fight.

Just as expected ... Paul is back.

Remember, "retiring" really doesn't mean much in boxing and MMA -- a ton of guys have gotten back in the ring after calling it quits.

The legend Muhammad Ali retired a couple times ... and George Foreman and Randy Couture are among others who stepped away before changing their mind.

More recently, Conor McGregor has retired at least 3 times in his career ... and that may very well be the guy Jake is channeling with this latest publicity stunt.

Jake's quick return now opens the door for a Woodley rematch ... which Paul claims could happen as long as Tyron holds his end of the deal and gets the "I Love Jake Paul" tattoo.

Malik McDowell -- a 2nd round pick out of Michigan State in 2017 -- is gunning to make the most of his second chance at being an NFL player ... saying he's in the "best place" he's been in a long time.

Of course, 25-year-old McDowell has yet to play a down in a REAL NFL football game -- he suffered an injury in an ATV accident just weeks before his rookie training camp with the Seattle Seahawks ... and was arrested 5 times between 2017 and 2019.

He was released by the 'Hawks in March 2019 ... and was sentenced to 11 months in jail later that year. Needless to say, most people expected McDowell's career all but over.

But, McDowell has been busting his ass ever since his release -- he signed a contract with the Cleveland Browns in May ... and on Tuesday, he was named to the team's 53-man roster for the 2021 season.

Malik spoke about his journey back to the field ... saying his time behind bars helped put his priorities in order and motivate him to turn things around.

"I know what my life could be without football and the stuff I fell into without playing football," McDowell said Tuesday. "I just wanted to get more structure back in my life."

Malik says he's not going to make the Browns look bad for giving him another shot ... and he's going to give it his all.

"My career's at stake, my livelihood, taking care of my family, chance to take care of my family. Just to do what the everyday person can't do, go out there in front of thousands of fans and play a game and get paid lots of money to do it."

"That's a lot of people's dreams and I get to live my dream."

McDowell also gives a big shoutout to his biggest supporter -- his mother, Joya Crowe.

"When I ain't believe in myself, she was still believing in me and everyday she told me you gon' play football one day again, even when I didn't believe her 'cause I'm going through all my situations."

"She saw past everything I was going through and she know me the best. That's my real driving force. She was the one who pushed me the most."

Want a pair of Michael Jordan's skivvies??

If your answer is "Yes," ... you're weird. BUT, you're also in luck, 'cause one of the G.O.A.T.'s old pairs of draws just hit the auction block!!!

We're serious -- the MJ-worn grey and black boxer shorts are up for sale via Lelands ... with a starting bid of $500!!

And, get this -- the auction company says there is evidence they were, in fact, worn by His Airness -- Lelands saying this priceless pair "shows definite use."

Okay settle down, nasties ... the proof is the loose threading in the shorts!!!

So, how did Lelands get their hands on Jordan's boxers?? It turns out John Michael Wozniak, MJ's old bodyguard (who was featured in "The Last Dance") had them all these years!!

But don't worry -- there's no way the draws will smell ... there's still a dry-cleaning tag on the inside of the underwear!!

The undies aren't the only pair of MJ apparel on the block ... you can also bid on everything from Jordan's cashmere coat to suits to button down dress shirts and belts -- all gifts from Wozniak.

Jayson Tatum has become the latest NBA superstar to honor Kobe Bryant with a tribute tattoo ... and the Boston Celtics superstar's new artwork is AWESOME.

The 23-year-old revealed the ink this week ... showing off two black mamba snakes on the inside of his knee that form the shape of a "24" -- Kobe's old jersey number.

The tattoo artist who did the piece, Steve Wiebe, tells TMZ Sports ... Tatum got the work done in Los Angeles this month -- sitting for an hour and a half to get it all completed.

Of course, Tatum is a HUGE fan of Kobe's ... he's said often Bryant was his favorite player growing up -- and he's talked glowingly of the time the two spent together.

In fact, Tatum and Kobe would work out together from time to time in offseasons ... and Tatum has said the drills with the Lakers legend helped mold his game.

As we previously reported, plenty of NBA players have gotten Kobe ink on their bodies after the Hall of Famer died in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Matt Barnes all got tats after the tragedy. Vanessa Bryant and celebs like The Game and Snoop Dogg also famously got tribute ink as well.

New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson is doing her part to help ensure Louisianians gets back on their feet after Hurricane Ida ... donating $1 MILLION to storm victims.

Benson and the Saints announced the charitable act on Monday -- saying they're praying for those impacted by the hurricane that has wreaked havoc on Louisiana since it made landfall over the weekend.

"As South Louisiana and the Gulf Coast begin to assess the significant damage inflicted by Hurricane Ida, please know our prayers are with all of those who have suffered from the impacts of this historical storm," Benson and the Saints said.

"We have great faith in the resilience and strength of our community and look forward to doing everything in our power to help lead in the recovery."

Benson and the Saints say the $1 million will go to their Gulf Coast Renewal Fund ... and they urged others to join in with donations as well.

"We will continue to be in close communication with governmental and community leaders to determine where aid and assistance can most effectively be directed," Benson said.

The Saints added that the Superdome suffered only "minor damage" in the storm ... and they're hopeful it won't impact any part of their upcoming regular season schedule.

"We know how much winning games can unite and inspire people in our region," the Saints said, "and we can't wait to take advantage of that responsibility and opportunity."

Dale Brisby is getting hyped as 2021's version of Joe Exotic -- and while he does have a new show on Netflix, Dale says there's one huge difference ... he's not behind bars!!!

The star of "How To Be a Cowboy" joined us Tuesday on "TMZ Live" to tell us how a long-time ranch manager and pro bull rider becomes the subject of a wild new TV docuseries.

As a bunch of city slickers, we gotta say it was eye-opening! Dale says he has a fresh group of interns -- half a dozen of 'em -- hungry to learn how to be a real-life cowboy, or how to ride a bull.

He says they're bucket list items for some, and a career starter for others.

The Netflix show drops Wednesday and the reviews are already comparing it to last year's Netflix phenomenon, 'Tiger King.'

Dale seems pretty comfortable with the comparisons, but he makes it clear he doesn't come with Exotic baggage. His character, though, seems just as bold.

BTW, if you're digging Dale's look ... you gotta see him explain why his shades never come off, even when he's riding bulls.

Soulja Boy is ready to settle his beef with Kanye West the ol' fashioned way -- by throwing hands -- telling TMZ Sports he wants to come face-to-face with Ye for a celeb boxing match for the ages.

Draco recently threatened to beat up West on social media, saying he'd "knock out" the Donda artist ... so when we ran into the hip hop star in L.A. on Monday, we asked about the warning.

"That's just me having some fun, you know what I'm saying? We ain't trippin', man," Soulja says ... "Unless Kanye wants to get in the boxing ring, know what I'm saying? I think we could make $100 to $200 million."

Of course, the beef started when West cut Soulja Boy's "Remote Control" verse out of Donda ... and that really pissed him off.

Soulja's got his hands full ... Aaron Carter recently challenged him to a fight (Celebrity Boxing is trying to lock down the match).

But, a scrap between West and Soulja Boy could be one of the biggest celeb fights of all time.

Bottom line, Soulja's message to Ye is this ... "Kanye, lets get in the boxing ring."

Golf fans will now have to find a new way to troll Bryson DeChambeau ... 'cause the PGA Tour just announced it will no longer allow fans to shout "Brooksy" at the star golfer.

At various tournaments throughout the past year, fans have ribbed Bryson with the jeer ... and he's hated it -- snapping at patrons nearly every time.

Of course, the shade is a nod to Bryson's beef with fellow golf star Brooks Koepka -- and it's something Koepka fans have gotten plenty of joy out of the last few months.

But, PGA Tour commish Jay Monahan said Tuesday the taunts will no longer be allowed ... calling the "Brooksy" remarks "disrespectful."

"The barometer that we are all using is the word 'respect,'" Monahan told reporters. "And to me, when you hear 'Brooksy' yelled or you hear any expression yelled, the question is, is that respectful or disrespectful?"

"It has been going on for an extended period of time, and to me, at this point, it's disrespectful. And that's the kind of behavior we're not going to tolerate going forward."

Monahan said the "Brooksy" comments -- and any other acts deemed disrespectful by fans -- will now result in a ban from events.

It's got to be refreshing for Bryson to hear ... 'cause just a few days ago, he reportedly told one fan to "Get the f*** out!" after the person had screamed "Great job, Brooksy!" at him.

Dude's been pretty good despite it all -- so, begs the question ... could the ban now lead to even better performances from the superstar going forward??

Ric Flair's barbed wire bat -- the one he used to smash and bloody Mick Foley's face at SummerSlam in 2006 -- just sold for nearly $20K at auction.

TMZ Sports has learned the Lucille-like bat, which was on the block at Goldin Auctions, was bid on 17 times ... and ultimately raked in $19,680.

The starting bid was $3,500.

The match is pretty iconic ... Flair repeatedly hit Foley in the face with the bat, turning him into a bloody pulp. But, Ric wouldn't stop, demanding Mick say, "I quit!"

It was the culmination of a rivalry between Naitch and Foley that lasted more than a decade.

As for the bat itself ... it's an Alex Rodriguez model Louisville Slugger C271 -- wrapped in barbed wire.

And, you know the bat's legit ... 'cause it's coming directly from the folks at WWE -- who have also included a letter of authenticity.

There's more really cool wrestling memorabilia that sold ... like Big Boss Man's match-used nightstick from SummerSlam in 1988. It sold for $6,765.

There's also Brutus Beefcake's shears from his '89 SummerSlam match ... when he teamed up with Hulk Hogan and took on Randy Savage. The scissors went for $8,400.

Amadeu Campos Silva -- a promising young bull rider -- died after a "terrible accident" at an event in California on Sunday, the Professional Bull Riders announced. He was 22 years old.

Campos was riding a bull named Classic Man during the championship round of the PBR Velocity Tour in Fresno ... when he was bucked off after about 5 seconds.

As he went down, Campos' spur got stuck in his rope, which led to Classic Man stepping on his chest. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he sadly passed away.

Campos was born in Brazil ... and came to the U.S. after competing in PBR Brazil in 2017 and 2018 to pursue a World Championship.

He also competed in the PBR World Finals in 2020.

"Amadeu Campos Silva was a son, a brother, a soccer teammate, and a smiling presence in the locker room, here in the U.S. pursuing his bull-riding dream," Sean Gleason, PBR's CEO, said on Twitter.

"Amadeu was a rising star in our sport; a cowboy with so much potential on and off the dirt," Gleason added.

"The entire PBR and western sports family extend our thoughts, prayers, and heartfelt condolences to Amadeu's family and friends."

"Please say a prayer tonight for them, and may Amadeu's soul eternally rest in peace."

Cam Newton is a Patriot no more ... New England has released the veteran QB in a shocking move.

The Pats announced the cut on Tuesday ... paving the way for rookie Mac Jones to be the starter in New England going forward.

Newton hasn't exactly lit it up for the Pats in his time under center -- he threw for just 2,657 yards and 8 TDs along with 10 interceptions in 15 games last season.

And, his preseason work this summer wasn't exactly inspiring either.

Still, Cam inked a 1-year, $5.1 million contract this offseason to play for the Pats ... and all indications were he would begin the season as QB1 in New England.

As for what's next for the Pats now, it's clear Bill Belichick is ready to ride with Jones -- the former Alabama superstar who the team drafted with the #15 overall pick in the spring.

Jones had a very good preseason -- throwing no interceptions and completing 36 of his 52 pass attempts in three games.

It's unclear, meanwhile, if Newton will find much interest from NFL teams now that he's a free agent.

Naomi Osaka just made one young fan's day at the U.S. Open on Monday ... by gifting her a collectible Olympics pin as a "thank you" for showing so much support during her first-round match!!

The 23-year-old superstar advanced to the second round after winning in straight sets just hours ago ... and the little girl was cheering for her the entire time!!

Osaka -- who had an early exit from the 2020 Olympic Games -- said she had a few trading pins left over from her time in Tokyo ... so she decided to give an extra to her biggest fan in the stands!!

FYI -- Olympic pin trading is a tradition that goes back more than a hundred years ... with athletes, reporters and fans all swapping the little items during the Summer and Winter Games.

Osaka was asked about the gesture in her post-match interview ... saying, "I just heard her when I was playing my match and she was so cute."

"So, thank you for cheering me on!"

The camera then showed the fan smiling from ear-to-ear -- at least, we're assuming, 'cause the whole mask situation -- and waving back at Osaka.

"I thought it would be a nice little memory," the #3-ranked player added.

The Cristiano Ronaldo move from Juventus to Manchester United is official ... and the soccer superstar couldn't be happier about it, saying, "I'm back where I belong!"

Man U formally announced the Ronaldo signing Tuesday ... and it wasn't long after that Cristiano got emotional about running it back with the team he had so much success with from 2003 through 2009.

"Everyone who knows me, knows about my never ending love for Manchester United," Ronaldo said in a statement on his Instagram page.

"The years I spent in this club were absolutely amazing and the path we've made together is written in gold letters in the history of this great and amazing institution."

The footballer continued, "I can’t even start to explain my feelings right now, as I see my return to Old Trafford announced worldwide. It’s like a dream come true."

Ronaldo became a legend in his first stint with Manchester United, winning his first-ever Golden Boot award as well as his first-ever Ballon d’Or honor with the Red Devils.

Jay Cutler might be having problems playing the field after splitting with Kristin Cavallari, but she's doing just fine ... TMZ's learned she's dating a big country star.

According to our sources ... Kristin and singer Chase Rice have been seeing each other for about 2 months now, though we're told it's pretty low-key and casual so far.

Our sources say they've been talking and hanging out pretty regularly, getting to know each other, but seem to be heading toward that territory best described as smitten with each other.

We're told Chase and Kristin were introduced through a mutual friend in Nashville -- where they both live most of the time -- and hit it off, but their relationship isn't exclusive just yet.

As we reported ... Cutler recently admitted he's not had much fun back in the dating world since he and Cavallari officially called it quits in April 2020, describing the scene as "hard as hell."

Jay described the many challenges he's faced, including the major change of using apps and social media platforms to court women, adding ... "I'm at a different phase of my life now with kids and priorities are just changed."

Speaking of kids ... our sources with knowledge of Kristin's situation say Chase hasn't met hers yet.