TMZ Sports - Page 50

Ric Flair has some WWE matchmaking advice for Vince McMahon -- set Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair, ASAP!!

Ric's daughter is the current "SmackDown" Women's Champion -- and Ric tells TMZ Sports he knows his daughter wants a shot at the newest star on the roster.

Charlotte has previously told TMZ Sports when it comes to Rousey -- "She knows where to find me."

The good news for Rousey ... Ric and his pal Hulk Hogan are big fans. They love the fact she's a TRUE wrestling fan and were impressed with her tribute to Rowdy Roddy Piper.

Speaking of legends ... we also asked Hulk and Ric to name the 4 people who belong on the Mount Rushmore of Pro Wrestling.

Spoiler alert: here are some names that DIDN'T make the cut:

The Rock, Ultimate Warrior, Randy Savage, Undertaker, John Cena, Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Sting.

Chuck Liddell says he's still VERY serious about taking another MMA fight -- he's even naming names -- and kept up his training regimen inside the "Celebrity Big Brother" house ... just in case.

For the record, Chuck's 48 years old -- and hasn't had a pro fight since UFC 115 in 2010.

But he trains like a maniac -- and made it a point to keep up his workouts during "Celebrity Big Brother" because, "I didn't want to get too far out of shape."

So, who does he want to fight? He's got some ideas in mind ... but adds, "Depends on who they offer. I'm down for just about anything."

Chuck's record is 21-8 and he's widely considered one of the most iconic UFC fighters of all time ... beating legends like Randy Couture and Tito Ortiz in their primes.

Unfortunately, he was the first celeb booted from the 'Big Brother' house.

Kansas City Chiefs star running back Kareem Hunt was named in a police report by a 19-year-old woman who claims he shoved her during a heated hotel argument.

But Hunt's friends told police the woman is lying -- claiming SHE was the violent one who went berserk and called Kareem the N-word.

Here's what EVERYBODY agrees on -- all the parties involved kicked things off Friday on a good note, tooling around Cleveland on a party bus and hitting at least 3 bars.

Eventually they went back to the upscale hotel/apartment where 22-year-old Hunt has a residence -- the goal was to keep the party going.

What ensued ... two women were kicked out of Hunt's room and that's when the drama began.

The Accuser's Side

The accuser is a Kent State student who told police she was kicked out of the apartment because she didn't want to hook up with one of the men. The woman says she couldn't afford an Uber back to Kent State and was too drunk to drive so she sat outside the apartment upset, trying to figure out how to get home.

That's when a woman with Hunt's group came outside and told the accuser and her friend to go home. Kareem allegedly came out next and "shoved and pushed her" in an attempt to shoo her home.

The accuser claims she suffered cuts and bruises to her knee, hand and chest.

Hunt's Friends' Side

But Hunt's friends paint a different picture ... saying they refused to let the accuser and another female friend hang out when they learned the women were only 19 years old.

One of Hunt's former college teammates told police the accuser went crazy after they were told to leave -- and "began calling him and Hunt the N-word and specifically she stated, 'F*ck you n*gger. You Ain't sh*t."

The accuser allegedly punched one of Kareem's female friends in the face as she tried to deescalate the situation.

The mother of Pirates catcher Elias Diaz has been safely recovered 3 days after she was abducted in Venezuela ... and several dirty cops have been booked for carrying out the kidnapping.

Elias' mom, 72-year-old Ana Soto, went missing last Thursday in their hometown of Maracaibo -- the state capital of Zulia, Venezuela -- shortly after Elias left her at home.

On Sunday, a group of national and local police officers were able to pull off a rescue mission and place her 6 captors under arrest -- 5 of whom were on the Zulia state police force, according to BBC.

The head of Venezuela's investigative police dept. says no ransom was paid for the return of Ana -- who is reportedly in good health despite the incident.

The Pirates released a statement after hearing the news, saying they are "relieved and overjoyed" ... and "incredibly grateful for the swift and effective work of the local law enforcement officials."

FYI, Venezuelan sports stars and their families being targeted is nothing new. Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped back in 2011 ... and more recently, Tigers superstar Miguel Cabrera claimed his family was in grave danger, specifically mentioning dirty cops.

Mike Vick is officially out of the hole -- a judge has closed the book on his bankruptcy case after the ex-NFL star paid back more than $17 million in debt.

Vick filed for Chapter 11 back in 2008 after the infamous dog-fighting scandal -- when he lost his NFL salary and several lucrative endorsement deals. Vick owed approximately $17.6 MILLION to dozens of creditors.

But, Vick busted his ass to pay off his debts ever since he was reinstated with the Eagles in 2009. He reportedly made nearly $50 million in NFL salary in his 2nd stint in the league.

According to the docs, the outstanding debt was owed to Bank of America (related to one of his properties), BMW financial services, and his friendly neighborhood tax collector.

Vick made his final payment back in November -- and now a judge has officially closed the case, granting Vick's discharge and final decree.

Here's Anderson Silva like you've never seen him before -- dressing in drag and twerking like his life depends on it to pay tribute to a huge Brazilian pop star ... and we gotta say, dude's got moves!

The UFC legend shared his crazy dance routine on social media -- explaining that it's a tribute to fellow Brazilian Pabllo Vittar, a singer/drag queen who famously collab'd with Major Lazer last year.

"In the spirit of Carnival I pay tribute to my illustrious peer Pabllo Vittar," Silva said. "Keep giving joy to those who enjoy your sound."

Clearly, the heels ain't slowing Anderson down.

Fun fact: Silva is dancing to Vittar's track, "K.O." -- get the fighting reference?

As for Pabllo -- she's a big fan of exposing more people to the drag world, previously telling Billboard.com, "The drag art is growing. We have drags on ads, TV shows, novelas, movies. People now have more access to knowledge about it and less prejudice."

Ex-MLB pitcher Esteban Loaiza was dealing $500,000 in cocaine from a home located steps away from a preschool ... and was using "sophisticated" devices to hide it, cops say.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Dept. is now releasing details about Loaiza's Feb. 9 arrest -- saying he was busted during a drug-smuggling sting by the Border Crime Suppression Team.

Loaiza was initially stopped by police during a traffic stop for a minor traffic violation -- but a search of his car led to the discovery of a "sophisticated aftermarket compartment used to conceal contraband."

Cops then got a warrant to search a home that Loaiza had been renting since early February -- located "steps away from an area preschool" -- and found roughly 20 kilograms of suspected cocaine.

Estimated street value -- $500,000.

Loaiza was booked into San Diego County Jail for 3 felonies -- Possession of Cocaine Over 20 Kilograms, Possession of Cocaine for Sale, and Transportation of Cocaine.

Some of the biggest stars in the NBA went to La Salle University on Sunday to pay tribute to Rasual Butler ... and honored their friend by circling together for an emotional chant.

Chris Paul, Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Jim Jackson and others were in Philadelphia for the "service of love" for Butler ... who was killed in a car crash in L.A. on January 31.

CP3 was one of the speakers -- he and Butler played together back with the Hornets.

We're told the event was more of a celebration of Rasual's life -- and the highlight was when the NBA stars and Butler's friends huddled together to perform a chant in his honor.

Lonzo Ball was serving up some Migos with a side of booty on "Lip Sync Battle" ... where he performed with a twerking girl who nearly threw her back out during LB's session.

The Lakers rookie performed "Bad and Boujee" on the show (which airs Thursday) -- while decked out in a studded leather jacket and dreadlocks.

Oh yeah, LaVar Ball was on set, too ... because of course.

Chrissy Teigen seemed to love the performance -- and Lonzo invited her to be one of his twerk girls in future performances.

Former MLB All-Star pitcher Esteban Loaiza was arrested Friday in San Diego with at least 44 pounds of heroin or cocaine ... and could now face more than 20 years behind bars.

Loaiza, 46, is being charged with 3 felonies ...

1) Possession of more than 20kgs of heroin or cocaine

2) Possession or purchase of narcotics

3) Transportation or sale of narcotics

He's currently being held at Chula Vista's South Bay Detention Facility with bail set at $200,000. He's due to appear in court on Wednesday.

Loaiza, the second-winningest pitcher from Mexico in MLB history, played for 8 different teams in his career -- earning over $43 million.

He last played for the White Sox in 2008 -- the same team he played for when he was an All-Star in 2003 and 2004.

Most people would sit and sulk after losing the Super Bowl and then having your house burglarized -- but NOT GRONK!!!

The New England Patriots tight end is rebounding like a champ -- flexing his muscles on a boat in Miami ... while partying with one of the biggest nightclub owners on the planet!

The guy in the driver's seat is Dave Grutman -- who owns LIV Nightclub. Forbes has dubbed him the "King of Miami Nightlife."

He clearly helped cheer up Rob Gronkowski -- who launched into a back workout on the front of the boat.

Look at it this way ... he's still rich, he's still jacked and he's still got 2 Super Bowl rings.

Here's a peek into the rest of Alexis Ohanian's life -- handling daddy duty at a big tennis tourney while his wife sets out to reconquer the world.

That's how it went down Sunday at the Fed Cup in Asheville, North Carolina -- where Serena Williams finally returned to official action for the first time since Alexis Jr. was born.

It didn't exactly go as planned on the court (Serena and Venus lost their doubles match in straight sets) -- but the crowd loved her ... and Alexis Sr. proved he's got the the parent thing ON LOCK!

Excellent bottle form. Great burp cloth placement.

Scary moment for NHRA driver Brittany Force ... who was hospitalized Sunday after slamming into a wall in a fiery crash at the Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals -- but she's gonna be okay!!!

The 31-year-old defending champ lost control of her dragster right off the starting line -- veering across her opponent's lane and smashing into the far wall. Her car caught fire as she skidded back across the track and hit another wall.

Miraculously, rescue workers were able to pull Brittany from the car VERY quickly with no apparent major injuries.

She was raced to a nearby hospital and was evaluated overnight. Doctors say she suffered no major internal injuries -- only minor bruising to her lungs.

Brittany -- daughter of racing legend John Force -- has been shockingly smiley and happy through the ordeal ... even posting a thumbs up pic from the hospital!

"A little bit of a rough start to our season today, but I'm in good hands and will be checking out with only a few bumps and bruises."

Chicago Cubs star Addison Russell is stoked to meet his new (super rich) teammate, Yu Darvish ... telling TMZ Sports he can't wait to LEARN from the accomplished veteran.

We spoke with the World Series champ about Darvish's massive new 6-year, $126 MILLION contract with the Cubbies -- and Russell clearly believes CHI is getting its money's worth.

"It's gonna be a big plus! We're happy to have him ... I've faced him a few times so I know what he brings to the table!"

There's a funny celebrity cameo in the clip -- but Russell's not impressed.

Maybe because Rick Springfield dropped "Jessie's Girl" 37 years ago ... 13 years before Addison was born!

Johnny Manziel says he's been battling bipolar disorder and depression for years -- and had used alcohol as a way to "self-medicate" ... but claims he's sought professional help to work through it.

"I am taking medication for bipolar, and I am working to try to make sure I don’t fall back into any type of depression," Johnny told "Good Morning America" ... "because I know where that leads me and I know how slippery a slope that is for me."

Manziel says he was diagnosed as bipolar about a year ago -- around the same time he decided to start changing his life and begin his pro football comeback.

"I am watching all the other guys doing what I want to be doing, and I am sitting on a couch being a loser."

"The goal of this comeback is to get back to the NFL, ultimately."

As for his battle with booze -- Manziel explained, "I was self-medicating with alcohol. That’s what I thought would make me happy and get out of that depression."

"When I would wake up the next day after a night like that, going on a trip like that, and you wake up the next day and that is all gone, that liquid courage, or that liquid ... sense of euphoria that is over you, is all gone."

"You are left staring at the ceiling by yourself, and in that depression and back in that hole, that dark hole of sitting in a room by yourself, super depressed, thinking about all the mistakes you made in your life."

"What did that get me? Where did that get me except out of the NFL? Where did that get me? Disgraced?"

Johnny says the support from his family and his fiancee, Bre Tiesi, have been key to getting his life back together.

If ya got any doubts about Ronda Rousey as a wrestler, listen to this clip of WWE champ A.J. Styles -- and we guarantee he'll change your mind.

Forget her UFC accomplishments -- Styles says what really matters is Rousey's Olympic pedigree, something she shares with Kurt Angle. FYI, Kurt won gold in freestyle wrestling. Ronda has a bronze in judo.

So, A.J. told us Rousey should have no problem dominating WWE just like Angle ... and following the trail he blazed all the way to the Hall of Fame!

"She’s an athlete. She can adapt. That’s what she does," A.J. told TMZ Sports.

Oh, it's true. It's DAMN TRUE!!