Justin Gaethje Bringing 'Miracle On Ice' Energy ... Into Topuria Fight At W.H.

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Justin Gaethje has some things in common with the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team -- he's a huge underdog like the boys were in Lake Placid -- and he's gunning to replicate that American Pride with his main event fight against Ilia Topuria at the White House!

"I get to control my destiny. What an opportunity. This is 'Miracle On Ice' type of energy that I'm trying to drive into this country," Gaethje told Babcock on Monday.

"I have an opportunity to do something special and I could not ask for anything better. I think 250 years ago, I think we were definitely bigger underdogs. And look where we are now. So I'm ready."

Justin says he understands he's an American fighting a man born across the Atlantic Ocean at an event celebrating the 250th birthday of the country ... and that brings extra pressure.

Taylor Swift’s Wedding Miles Teller and Wife Keleigh No Plans to Attend Wedding Due to Rift

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Taylor Swift had a falling out with her former close pals, Miles Teller and his wife, Keleigh Teller -- and whether the two will attend the singer’s wedding to Travis Kelce remains up in the air, TMZ has learned. 

Sources familiar with the situation tell TMZ ... Keleigh and Taylor are not the BFFs they once were ... with mutuals of the two are hopeful things will be reconciled before the wedding. The source described it as being a “sad time” for the friendship.

Another source said Taylor and Keleigh grew apart due to differences in their lifestyles. As for what that exactly means ... no one is willing to say. Not yet, anyway.

Rick Adelman Longtime NBA Coach Dead At 79

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Rick Adelman, who spent nearly 3 decades in the NBA as a coach, has died at the age of 79, the National Basketball Coaches Association announced on Monday.

The cause of death is unknown.

After seven seasons in the National Basketball Association as a player, Adelman joined the Portland Trail Blazers as an assistant coach in 1983 ... serving in the role until 1989 when he was hired as head coach.

Adelman coached the Blazers, led by now Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler, to two NBA Finals ... before being let go in 1994.

Rick wasn't without a job for very long, spending only one season away from the bench.

Coach Adelman went on to serve as head coach for the Golden State Warriors (2 seasons), Sacramento Kings (8 seasons), Houston Rockets (4 seasons), and the Minnesota Timberwolves (3 seasons).

Adelman's time in Sacramento was especially successful. He led the Kings to eight straight playoff births.

SAC remembered their former head coach after his passing, describing him as a "beloved coach whose leadership, character, and vision helped define an era of Kings basketball that inspired our city and captivated fans around the world."

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The Kings added ... "Coach Adelman represented the very best of Sacramento basketball, and he will be remembered for the way he inspired those around him – with humility, integrity, kindness, and an unwavering belief in the power of teamwork. His leadership helped establish a culture that continues to resonate throughout our organization today."

"Our thoughts are with Mary Kay, his family, friends, former players, and all who loved him.”

In total, he spent 29 years on an NBA bench as coach -- 23 of them as head coach -- wracking up an astounding 1,042 wins.

R.I.P., coach.

A.J. Brown Bye, Eagles, Bye!!! Traded To Pats

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A.J. Brown's drama-filled tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles is over -- the superstar receiver is on his way to the New England Patriots

The Eagles will get first and fifth-round picks from the Pats as a result of the transaction.

The writing was on the wall for a bit -- it was clear Brown was not happy in the City of Brotherly Love ... and there were rumblings he was no longer seeing eye to eye with his quarterback/good friend Jalen Hurts.

Ben Askren Wrestling One Year After Double Lung Transplant ... Vs. Belal Muhammad In July

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If you're impressed by Serena Williams' comeback at 44, check this! Ben Askren is returning to wrestling just over one year after nearly dying, and requiring a double lung transplant -- one of the most improbable returns in sports history.

41-year-old Akren, during a conversation with Ariel Helwani, revealed he was returning to the mats on July 18 at RAF 11 ... where he'll take on UFC star Belal Muhammad in a freestyle wrestling match.

"Well, I'm gonna wrestle," Ben said. "I was the first signing for Real American Freestyle back in May of 2025, prior to all my issues. I love wrestling, I love what they're doing. I've been back coaching for about three months now."

Askren says he lobbied for a show in Milwaukee, and it just so happened the date was July 18, his birthday, explaining, "something spoke to me. I said I need to wrestle on that [card]."

And, BA says he didn't want a tomato can. He wanted a tough opponent. That's exactly what he has now in Belal.

It's nothing short of a remarkable comeback for Askren, who came frightenly close to death last year during a month-long hospital stay.

Ben's health battle began with pneumonia, caused by a staph infection on his elbow ... and ultimately required the 2x NCAA champion to undergo a double lung transplant on June 30.

That surgery was less than a year ago, and it saved Ben's life. Now he's wrestling again. Never doubt Ben Askren.

Myles Garrett About Ram Time ... Getting Traded

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Myles Garrett is finally getting his wish -- just a year late -- as the Cleveland Browns superstar is being traded to the Los Angeles Rams.

The 30-year-old will be sent to SoCal in a deal involving Jared Verse and several draft picks, according to Adam Schefter.

Garrett made noise last offseason when he requested a change of scenery ... but ultimately signed a four-year, $160 Million extension to stay in Orange and Brown with $123.5 Million of that being guaranteed.

Odell Beckham Jr. Big Return In Big Apple ... Rejoining Giants

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One of the most popular New York Giants in the past decade is returning to where his career began -- Odell Beckham Jr. is rejoining the team for the first time since 2019.

The news broke minutes ago ... with Adam Schefter saying after a visit with his old squad, the team is running it back with the 33-year-old superstar. OBJ also worked out for the Giants earlier this offseason.

The ex-LSU star was the 12th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft ... and went on to have All-Pro seasons in New York before being traded to the Cleveland Browns in March 2019.

Raymond Berry NFL Hall of Famer Dead At 93

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Pro Football Hall of Famer Raymond Berry -- a favorite target of Johnny Unitas -- has died at the age of 93.

The family of the Baltimore Colts great released a statement saying he passed away peacefully at his Tennessee home on May 25, surrounded by his loved ones.

Berry, out of SMU, was drafted in the 20th round of the 1954 NFL Draft ... and went on to play 13 seasons in the league, catching 631 passes (a record back then) for 9,275 yards and 68 touchdowns. He led the NFL in receptions on three occasions.

Karmelo Anthony Faces Murder Trial In Stabbing Case

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Karmelo Anthony, the Texas teen charged with stabbing a high school football player to death at a track meet, has a big day in court ... his murder trial starts today, and the first order of business is jury selection.

Anthony's raised a whopping $600,000 for his legal defense fund ... he's claiming he acted in self-defense when he allegedly stabbed Austin Metcalf to death at a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. They were both 17 years old during the April 2025 altercation.

Anthony told police Metcalf got physical with him after he warned Metcalf not to touch him. Anthony allegedly pulled a knife from his bag and plunged it into Metcalf's chest. He was placed under arrest and later indicted by a grand jury for murder after Metcalf died from his injuries.

Serena Williams I'm Baaaaack!!!

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Serena Williams' retirement from tennis didn't last long -- the 39-time Grand Slam winner in singles and doubles just announced she's coming back.

The 44-year-old superstar dropped the news via a Nike ad ... which shows her on the court as her phone blows up with calls and texts.

As she reaches for her phone, the words "Guess everybody heard the news" appear on the screen ... and then Williams says, "I gotta change my number."

Damian Lillard Ex-Wife Wants Answers From Alleged Baby Mama

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Damian Lillard’s ex-wife, Kay'la Lillard, wants to grill a woman she believes may have had a baby with the NBA star ... TMZ has learned.

According to court docs, obtained by TMZ, Kay’La fired off a subpoena asking a woman named Justie Wolf to answer questions about Justie’s child and Damian.

Kay’La wants copies of any communications between the Portland Trail Blazers star and Justie about a child named Aura. She wants Justie to turn over any messages with Damian from when he learned he may be the father of Aura.

Dodgers' Tanner Scott Family Targeted With Threats After Loss To Phillies

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Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tanner Scott's family was targeted with death threats and wishes made toward their kids after a loss ... with his wife exposing the hateful comments on social media.

As the Dodgers held a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning, Scott took the mound against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday ... but gave up three earned runs, resulting in a 4-3 loss.

After the final, some baseball "fans" unloaded unhinged messages to Scott's wife, Maddie ... writing wild things like "gun shot your family tonight."

Adrián Beltré Wander Franco Deserves A Second Chance In MLB ... But Not Sure He'll Get It

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DESERVES ANOTHER SHOT

Wander Franco caught a big break in court this week, avoiding prison ... but that doesn't mean he'll ever walk on an MLB diamond again, despite having the staunch support of many players, including Hall of Famer Adrián Beltré.

TMZ Sports ran into the 4x All-Star and 5x Gold Glove Award winner at LAX this week, when we asked him about his fellow Dominican star, and whether he deserved another crack at playing in the Big Leagues.

"It's a sensitive situation, but I think, I believe that everybody has a second chance," Beltré told us.

Shaun White Look, I'm Back In The Dating Scene

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Shaun White looks like he's getting back into the dating scene after splitting from Nina Dobrev ... and TMZ has photos of him on a date.

Check out the pics ... Shaun is breaking bread with a mystery woman on a Friday afternoon outing in New York City.

We're told they hit up Kiki's Greek restaurant on the Lower East Side, where they ordered lamb chops and washed them down with soda and a bottle of water.

Cody Rhodes My Dream WWE Match ... Get Me On An Aircraft Carrier!!!

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BIG THINGS COMING

We have boxing at the pyramids and MMA at the White House ... so how should WWE get in on the random location gimmick??

Cody Rhodes tells TMZ Sports he'd love to take it back to 1993 and throw down on a decommissioned aircraft carrier -- Yokozuna and Lex Luger style!!

We caught up with the American Nightmare out in NYC this week ... and hit him with a number of topics as he signed autographs for fans.

Pete Davidson Kim Kardashian Is 'Superhuman' ... And Doesn't Give A F***!!!

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Pete Davidson is no longer dating Kim Kardashian ... but he certainly sounds like a man who is ... calling the reality star "superhuman" and a terrific actress during his latest podcast.

Pete sat down Friday with fellow comedian Nikki Glaser on "The Pete Davidson Show," and, at one point, Pete started raving about Kim, whom he dated for 9 months from 2021 to 2022.

Pete told Nikki that Kim is "superhuman" because she knows how to put aside whatever's going on in the news and get "s***" done -- which is something Pete learned from her.