*Romance rumors surrounding Cardi B and Nigerian footballer Maduka Okoye continue to heat up after another public outing, while Ryan Clark is reportedly out at ESPN. Rickey Smiley is also speaking out after his son allegedly experienced racism during the 2026 FIFA World Cup festivities.
Cardi B and Maduka Okoye Romance Rumors Grow as His Ex Speaks Out
Romance rumors surrounding Cardi B and Nigerian footballer Maduka Okoye continue to gain momentum after the pair were spotted having dinner together over the weekend in Italy.
According to TMZ, the rapper and the athlete dined at Gio’s restaurant inside the St. Regis, overlooking the canal, where they were seated next to each other alongside friends.
The latest sighting comes just weeks after Cardi B and Okoye attended the Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture show during Paris Fashion Week. A viral video from the event showed Okoye helping Cardi into her seat, further fueling speculation about their relationship.
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Neither Cardi B nor Okoye has publicly confirmed a romance. The headlines surrounding the footballer, however, have also been driven by comments from his ex, Jelicia Westhoff, who shares their son, Isaiah Emil Jr. Okoye, with him.
In a series of social media posts, Westhoff accused Okoye of failing to care for their son, writing that he was “embarrassing” her and making her appear “bitter” despite her previous support.
“You don’t take care of your 1 and only son! Because I don’t want to be with you,” she wrote, adding, “I will never forgive you.”
Okoye has not publicly responded to Westhoff’s allegations.
Ryan Clark Reportedly Among ESPN Layoffs
Ryan Clark is reportedly no longer with ESPN after more than a decade as one of the network’s most recognizable NFL analysts.
According to a report by The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, ESPN has cut ties with Clark as part of what is expected to be the first wave of layoffs at the network.
Clark joined ESPN full-time after retiring from the NFL following the 2014 season.
Marchand reported that Clark had been expected to play a major role in ESPN’s coverage of Super Bowl LXI before the reported decision.
Outside of ESPN, Clark remains the host of “The Pivot” podcast and serves as a host of “Inside The NFL,” which moved to The CW in 2023 and later became an original series on Twitter.
The reported move comes as ESPN has been extending several on-air contracts while also reportedly preparing a significant new compensation package for Pat McAfee.
The reported move will please some and disappoint others.
Rickey Smiley Describes Emotional Moment After Son Allegedly Faced Racism
Rickey Smiley is sharing an emotional account of what he says happened to his son, Malik, while he was working during the 2026 FIFA World Cup festivities.
Speaking on “The Rickey Smiley Morning Show,” Smiley said he initially dismissed online criticism surrounding a broadcaster mistakenly identifying Pharrell Williams as A$AP Rocky during the FIFA halftime show, believing it was simply an honest mistake.
His perspective changed after visiting his son’s workplace.
“I was watching the Argentinian fans… I stopped by my son’s job yesterday, and I just saw some racism in real time,” Smiley said. “I literally drove off crying. I had tears in my eyes.”
According to Smiley, he watched fans allegedly speak to Malik “like he was less than a human being” while he was simply trying to assist them at work.
“You can treat me like trash, but to see somebody treat your son like that… man, when I tell you the thing made me cry, I cried all the way to the airport,” Smiley said.
He added that Malik later told him, “The Argentinians was so racist that he’d be glad to see white people,” a comment Smiley said reflected how deeply the experience affected his son.
Smiley also said he has since been researching racism in Argentina and admitted he was previously unaware of the country’s history on the issue. He encouraged listeners to research the topic themselves and said he plans to continue discussing the experience on future broadcasts.
From celebrity romance rumors to sports media shake-ups and personal testimony, today’s NewsBits rounds up the entertainment stories making headlines.
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