Midnight Mania! Dana White claims McGregor vs Mayweather still ‘not close’

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight …

Welcome to Midnight Mania! Tonight, we’ve got Dana White giving an update (or lack thereof) on Conor McGregor vs. Floyd Mayweather; Cub Swanson fight week; Tyron Woodley training for … someone, Michelle Waterson wearing her fight on her face, knockouts, podcasts, and much more.

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Insomnia

I need shorthand for McGregor-Mayweather. McWeather? MayGregor? McGrayweather? I’ll workshop it!

Dana White is saying the fight isn’t even close. Tonight, the news is that there isn’t any news. It’s still a work in progress. That’s all Dana will say … though he does dish on Ronda Rousey’s potential future.

What could be holding it up? Several things, but the most cited reason is the most obvious: Money. No pun intended. On that score, White said that accounts by Jeff Mayweather and Bob Arum that UFC wants 50 percent or more of McGregor’s revenue are bullshit (but never actually denies them).

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Bobs and Weaves

Cub Swanson fights the most like an old school Wild Western brawler out of any UFC fighter. Just add cartwheel kicks and spinning elbows.

This is a bad example, but the reckless, full-body swings, the all-out aggression — Swanson is inimitable.

Meanwhile, Artem Lobov — his opponent this weekend in UFC Fight Night 108’s main event — fights like a miner. It’s a worthy clash of old West archetypes … even if it does nothing for Swanson’s ranking.

Remember Swanson’s win Dennis Siver? It was a classic:

I’m completely down for Whittaker-Rockhold. That’s a fight that could slingshot Whittaker past Yoel Romero in the Middleweight title queue.

A RIZIN Bantamweight tournament sounds like fun on a bun.

Ladies and gentlemen, Francis Ngannou has got the hands.

Yeah, if you can’t explain it to people, it’s going to be awkward for Michelle Waterson’s husband. That fight was pretty awesome, though, even it didn’t go her way.

Tyron Woodley’s mystery opponent? Please, not Nick Diaz. Just cancel the Jorge Masvidal fight and give Demian Maia the title shot already.

Ian McCall laments over what could have been.

Not sure what’s going on in China. Let’s hope it’s just translation error.

Nice lead hand work here:

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Podcasts and Video

“The MMA Hour,” which was actually 4:12:20 in length:

The Severe MMA podcast:

The CME are responsible for the Bobby Knuckles nickname for Robert Whittaker — it is a result of a re-nicknaming contest to replace “the Reaper.”

“The Monday Morning Analyst” on Whittaker’s performance against Jacare Souza:

The other Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier in a fun interview:

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Quick Hits

• Jon Jones has been offered Daniel Cormier this summer … if he’s up for it.
• A 360-degree camera experience of UFC on FOX 24? Yes please!
• See McGregor’s trashed hotel room here.

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Random Land

Stay woke, Maniacs!