TMZ Sports - Page 50

Ian Machado Garry is fighting Carlos Prates in the main event at UFC Fight Night on Saturday, but that doesn't mean his (very real) beef with rival Colby Covington has been squashed!

TMZ Sports caught up with the #7 ranked welterweight contender just days before his highly anticipated scrap ... and while we talked a bunch about Prates, we also asked about Chaos.

"There's a reason I've said it before and I'll say it again when that man [Covington] goes to bed and he closes his eyes, he fears me. He's never going to step into the Octagon with me and back it up and he knows why," Garry said.

Lisa Leslie is adding a few more assists to her stat sheet -- by surprising small businesses with $20,000 checks!!!

The WNBA legend made the special announcement in honor of Small Business Hero Day. Leslie, alongside Intuit QuickBooks and Intuit Mailchimp, presented three mom-and-pop shops with financial support at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

"It actually gives me great pride to be able to tell your stories," she said during the event. "It really warms our heart and inspires us."

Tragedy for Purdue University and the Boilermakers' famous mascot ... it's been involved in a deadly crash in Indiana.

Purdue's mascot -- the Boilermaker Special -- was involved in an accident Thursday that claimed one life and put two people in the hospital ... according to multiple reports.

The Boilermaker Special looks like a locomotive, but it's actually a truck customized to look like a steam locomotive from the Victorian era.

Stephen A. Smith has an opinion on just about everything ... and that includes a rape lawsuit involving his co-worker Shannon Sharpe, who is now stepping away from ESPN amid the legal process.

Stephen A. reacted to Sharpe's decision to "temporarily" leave his duties on "First Take" in a Friday episode of his YouTube show. The media personalities are friends and folks are interested in how Stephen's processing Shannon's legal issues.

For Stephen, he says it's his personal opinion Shannon is NOT guilty ... though he admits he wasn't there for the allegations and only knows what's been reported in the media.

Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Tommy Pham's obscene gesture made too much of a mess for MLB ... and the league is hoping a one-game suspension will help him clean it up!!

The incident happened Wednesday night during the Buccos' tilt against the Los Angeles Angels ... when Pham and a fan shared a heated moment -- and unfortunately for the 37-year-old, it was caught live on TV.

People speculated Pham might be hit with a fine ... but MLB elected a ban was necessary.

Fitness during spring ... is in full swing! And, American actor and singer Max Ehrich kickin' off bulk season with this fit photo!

We've got a rock-solid photo gallery of stars breaking a sweat, including studs like Mark Wahlberg, Jason Derulo, and Alex Rodriguez. And not to fret, we've got ladies in there too! Catch a good glimpse at workout babes like Kate Upton and Khloe Kardashian ...

Donald Trump's usually the one getting mimicked, but the 47th prez was one doing the mimicking on Friday ... pulling off his best Mel Kiper Jr. impression, blasting NFL execs for failing to draft Deion Sanders' son!

Trump took to Truth Social to let his frustrations fly before the second round of the NFL Draft officially kicked off ... after 23-year-old Shedeur Sanders was NOT selected Thursday night.

"What is wrong with NFL owner, are they STUPID? Deion Sanders was a great college football player, and was even greater in the NFL. He's also a very good coach, streetwise and smart!" Trump wrote.

Shannon Sharpe is explaining why he was willing to give his rape accuser at least $10 million to not move forward with her lawsuit ... saying it was a drastic attempt to keep the "intimate details" of his life from going public -- NOT because he did anything wrong.

The Hall of Famer's legal team released a lengthy statement on Friday ... addressing a number of topics in one swift motion -- most notably, the eye-popping settlement offer that was presented to the woman earlier this year.

Mitchell Schuster, litigation counsel to Sharpe, said in the statement his client was "willing to pay her a substantial amount of money to avoid the intimate details of his personal life from being exposed, as many high-profile individuals often do when they are being threatened" ... but noted things have since changed.

Cam Ward was number one overall in the NFL Draft Thursday night ... and now he'll also be rocking the number one jersey for his new squad in Tennessee -- 'cause Warren Moon is handing down his retired jersey to the Titans new rookie!

The Hall of Famer made a surprise appearance just before Ward spoke to the media for the first time in Music City, surprising the former University of Miami star with the news about his number.

Warren's reasons behind the decision was pretty simple ... he rocked the number for the team back when they were the Houston Oilers -- and now he wants Ward to forge a new legacy for the digit in Tennessee.

Absolutely heartbreaking news -- Pittsburgh Steelers first-rounder Derrick Harmon's mother has passed away ... shortly after the former Oregon star visited her at the hospital to share the news he was selected with the 21st overall pick in the NFL draft.

Harmon's mom, Tiffany Saine, suffered a stroke when he was a freshman at Michigan State ... which left her paralyzed on the left side of her body.

Leading up to the draft, Harmon stated his mom underwent roughly eight brain surgeries during his childhood ... and her resilience was what inspires him to this day.

The serious car crash that sent 5-star hooper Alijah Arenas to the hospital with serious injuries was likely caused by excess speed, law enforcement sources tell TMZ Sports.

The Los Angeles Police Department was on the scene of the 5 AM crash, which occurred along a two-lane residential roadway in the Winnetka neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley, in a 40 MPH zone.

18-year-old Alijah was alone in the Cybertruck -- owned by his father, ex-NBA star Gilbert Arenas -- at the time of the accident ... which was a single-vehicle wreck.

Margot Simond -- an 18-year-old skier -- died following a training accident at a ski resort, it was announced this week.

In a statement released by the French Ski Federation, the organization extended its condolences to Simond's family, saying the whole community is "deeply affected by Margot's passing."

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation described Simond as "a promising young athlete" in its statement and offered its full support to her family and loved ones in this incredibly difficult time."

Incredible update on Alijah Arenas -- the high school basketball star and USC commit is out of his coma and making strides in his recovery just 24 hours after his terrifying Cybertruck crash.

An Arenas family rep shared the positive news just minutes ago ... saying the 18-year-old's development has been "remarkable and hopeful."

The statement said Arenas remains intubated ... but at one point, was able to open his eyes and write on a piece of paper to ask if anyone was hurt as a result of the accident.

WNBA star Rickea Jackson may be off the market after being spotted with Atlanta Falcons draft pick James Pearce Jr. at a watch party on Thursday ... but after her appearance made waves on social media, she elected to handle it all with some humor.

The chatter began after the Falcons traded up to pick the former Tennessee linebacker with the 26th selection of the first round ... when the broadcast went live to Pearce's viewing setup, which revealed the fellow ex-Volunteer was seated to his right and rubbing his leg.

Fans expressed their thoughts on the apparent hard launch on social media ... with some sharing their heartache after realizing the L.A. Sparks star might be unavailable.

The NFL draft is a stressful time for both the prospects and the media covering it ... so Pat McAfee decided to unwind a little while working the event -- hitting a vape pen to put his mind at ease!!

Fans taking in McAfee's first-round coverage out in Green Bay caught the 37-year-old enjoying a product that was thrown to him at one point in the night ... although it's unclear what exactly was in the device.

A loud cheer erupted after he ripped the Pen Stiller ... and even though McAfee knows sharing is caring, former head coach and special guest Mike McCarthy politely elected to decline joining in on the fun.

Adrian Peterson was busted for DWI Thursday night in Minnesota ... where the Vikings legend was booked into the county jail, even posing for a mug shot.

TMZ Sports has learned the former league MVP was pulled over at 3:20 AM in an Audi Q5 ... after a state trooper says they saw AP speeding, going 83 in a 55 MPH zone.

The cop suspected Peterson, 40, was drunk ... and when the future Hall of Famer ultimately submitted a breath sample on the scene, he blew a .14.