Midnight Mania! UFC Star Paige VanZant Chokes Marine Unconscious

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight … Paige VanZant is fresh off a tour with the troops abroad, which came on the heels of her recent book release. She had a lot of fun, including the time she c…

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

Paige VanZant is fresh off a tour with the troops abroad, which came on the heels of her recent book release. She had a lot of fun, including the time she choked a Marine out on stage. That’s right- while demonstrating a choke, VanZant actually put the soldier to sleep, and Max Holloway, who was also on the troop tour, had to jump over and revive the unconscious serviceman.

Imagine being that guy, on stage for a demonstration, feeling the choke tighten, and next thing you know UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway is waking you up. Not an experience he will soon forget, even if he doesn’t remember much.

Insomnia

So I guess Zuffa boxing is for real — Dana White is attempting to sign Mikey Garcia

Judo Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison is planning her MMA debut on June 21 for PFL 2 in Chicago. She walks around at 156 pounds, so her debut will be at lightweight- but she can make 145 pounds. Cris Cyborg, watch your back.

Coyote in the streets, wily in the sheets.

Stephen Thompson likes Bosslogic too- whose poster with Wonderboy facing off with Darren Till is not half bad.

The officers went full ground and pound on this guy, knees to the body and everything- somehow I doubt that’s in the Best Practices Guide for cops or whatever they use.

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Al Iaquinta took a shot at Dillon Danis for this and Michael Chandler thought it was pretty funny.

Aaron Pico smashes Dillon Danis, and it ain’t remotely close

Scott Coker isn’t really interested in Ben Askren because Askren doesn’t have long-term plans to continue fighting.

Freakishly strong base on display here

Jorge Masvidal and Neil Magny got into a spat online

Will Dustin Poirier take the rematch with Eddie Alvarez when, objectively, he’s done more than Alvarez to earn a title shot?

Alvarez’ contract is up soon and that is complicating the discussion.

This is one of my personal grappling griefs. As a guy primarily interested in how grappling applies to fighting, I hate when people will only ever pull guard.

l Thank God!!

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In remembrance of that Camsoda event, may we never forget.

Video of the MMA Lab sparring sessions

Break that board, kid.

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Imagine if you really could get 1% better every day. That’s a ridiculously high growth rate. Good on Jon Jones for jumping 35 pounds from his last PR though. That’s also a ridiculously high growth rate.

Old guy* schools Muhammad Ali

*’Old guy’ is a legendary boxing coach, whose name I know but can’t recall. Remind me in the comments or it will drive me crazy.

I do hope we get McGregor back in the business of fighting in a cage, because I’m looking forward to this fight.

“Everything else is virtually identical”

Leslie Smith is moving forward with legal action, filing her complaint with the NLRB.

Zuffa having a different story than Smith makes total sense, but the UFC are somewhat wisely staying quiet for now.

Good Reads

Everyone has to find their place in the sport, and their balance with life, and that includes Mackenzie Dern, who was invited to leave Arizona’s MMA Lab so she could get her beach time along with her mat time.

Podcasts and Video

Check out Episode on of Andrew Richardson’s MMA debut! Follow MMA Mania on Youtube

Must-watch UFC fights in May

Into craft beer and MMA? Meet Flyin Brian J!

Heavy Hands discuss Fedor and Horiguchi

Random Land

These are some surreal photographs. Like all pictures of snowy wasteland, I like looking at them but I never want to visit.

Stay woke, Maniacs! Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @Vorpality