Midnight Mania! DC Shoots Down Romero’s Title Shot Hopes

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight Welcome to Midnight Mania!
If you are like me, you have learned to accept this new era of free-for-all matchmaking and even make the choice to enjoy it. Fun fig…

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

If you are like me, you have learned to accept this new era of free-for-all matchmaking and even make the choice to enjoy it. Fun fights- call them money fights if you like- are still fun. Now, there are limits. If it’s a money fight but it’s not fun, I’m not into it. I wasn’t into CM Punk getting two chances in the Octagon, but I was into Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor 1 and 2, Daniel Cormier fighting Stipe Miocic, GSP fighting Michael Bisping, even the proposed Amanda Nunes fight with Cris Cyborg. The carnival boxing match between McGregor and Mayweather was somewhere in the middle; I hated covering it but the actual fight turned out okay, all things considered. I’ll admit many of those choices don’t make a whole lot of divisional sense in terms of rankings, but many of them were and remain incredibly fun fights I ended up enjoying. I see the very valid objections to Brock Lesnar getting a UFC title shot coming off a drug suspension, but it will also likely be great fun for as long as it lasts, so I’ll accept it and make the choice to enjoy it.

Yoel Romero vs. Daniel Cormier falls into this category of extremely fun fight that I don’t feel the need to justify in my head to watch. I’ll watch those two fight on pretty much any excuse. However, Daniel Cormier does not have my resignation to the funhouse version of the UFC we are currently getting. He isn’t about to take a light heavyweight title defense against Yoel Romero for no reason- even if Yoel is one of the only fighters who would have washed him in straight wrestling. He said so on UFC Tonight (transcript via MMAJunkie.com)

“Here’s the deal: I never wrestled Yoel Romero, but in wrestling he probably would have served me up,” Cormier said. “He’s one of the great wrestlers of all-time. But, you don’t fail a class and then get moved up a grade to the next one.”

Of course, Chael Sonnen did exactly that, fighting Jon Jones after a season of TUF (he would have beaten him too, if it wasn’t for that meddling TKO). When reminded of this, DC dismissed it as a Sonnen-esque exception.

“Chael Sonnen did that one time, but I don’t know what was going on,” Cormier said. “Chael has a way of doing that. Let’s just say that.”

He did also say, however, he does want to make a title defense so he doesn’t get stripped the way McGregor did.

“I don’t want them to take one of these belts,” Cormier said. “So I will defend it. I will defend the light heavyweight title if the right fight presents itself.”

I’m not sure if handpicking Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua counts as ‘the right fight’ presenting itself, DC. Might as well wait for the Lesnar fight if that’s your idea of defending the title.

Insomnia

The cast for the next TUF season has been revealed

These workouts are always as enjoyable to watch as they are unattainable.

#workout #level

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In case you thought Conor McGregor WASN’T enjoying his year away from fighting

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Beware, Notorious one

He listened and is back in training. Either that, or he is still wet from his jetski run.

Sage Northcutt’s brand of trash talk is inimitable.

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This man is a treasure

Cub Swanson is going to be featured on a local mural with his sparring partner, former boxing champion Tim Bradley Jr.

Mike Perry asking Joe Rogan about the intersection of free speech and violence is peak MMA Online

At least Perry has a sense of humor

@platinummikeperry making pool side deals

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Here’s Instagram’s translation of the following caption from Paulo Costa:

I’m sure of my ability. I stepped into this octagon today to give a show, and that’s what I did. Thank God in the first place and to every person who cared for me, thank you every message and support! Thanks also to my family, my masters and teammates, my sponsors and supporters and each one of you!

Today more than ever, We Are All condoms!

Maybe this is why Costa uses ‘The Eraser’ (the correct translation of his nickname ‘Borrachinha’) in his official Octagon introductions now.

This was very cool of Junior Dos Santos, who is fighting this weekend.

I turned on the cold water at the end of my shower today so I know exactly how this feels

No better way to free(ze) the spirit!

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Check out this old West style promo from LFA fighting.

Brendan Schaub and Dana White got into it on Israel Adesanya’s page and Brendan is getting serious.

Slips, Rips, KO Clips

This back kick worked because heavyweight is so weird

??? ????? ??????? @ufcboom

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Beautiful throw

This old Zabit Magomedsharipov fight features what seems to be a delayed reaction bodyshot

Israel Adesanya in action

Podcasts and Video

The overlooked event of the weekend had some cool moments Follow MMA Mania on Youtube

Israel Adesanya highlights aren’t getting old to me

BJJ Scout breaks down DC’s dirty boxing

Random Land

I need to visit Barcelona someday because I don’t believe for one second this is real.

Take em to church

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Maybe I just need a vacation because this looks incredibly fun

What is life… #slamthemultitudes #stackingbodies #littlecrowded

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Fennec foxes are very cute

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