Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight
Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Alexander Volkanovski was able to pull off what only Max Holloway and Conor McGregor had been able to accomplish: he defeated the great Jose Aldo in a UFC bout this past weekend. It wasn’t via a dramatic finish, but he neutralized the neutralizer, taking every round from the former champion in an intelligent and impressive performance. That puts him on a 17-fight winning streak, with seven straight UFC wins, including victories over Chad Mendes and Darren Elkins. A title shot seemed all but guaranteed.
Yet, the UFC, in it’s ultimate wisdom and understanding, has evidently decided to give another title shot to Frankie Edgar. Edgar, who was knocked out brutally by Brian Ortega, bounced back with a decision win over Cub Swanson, who is 0-4 in his recent run. He has fought Jose Aldo twice at featherweight for a belt, losing twice. The fight with Brian Ortega was meant to be for the title as well, but when Holloway was injured, Ortega stepped up and beat Edgar.
Israel Adesanya stood up for his Aussie counterpart today, arguing that Holloway vs. Volkanovski in Sydney, Australia would be a natural fit alongside a title unification bout between himself and Australian middleweight champion Robert Whittaker. He is right; with champion Holloway hailing from Hawaii, a location in the Pacific, it would be a logical choice.
Me vs Bobby Boy
@alexvolkanovski vs Blessed
Sold out stadium in Sydney…
Nothing else makes sense!
Edgar is on a 1 fight win streak and Alex on 7 win streak in the ufc (17 total win streak) and just beat the king of Rio in Rio. Frankie never beat Aldo (twice).
Fax or [emojis for fax machine]?!
Me vs Bobby Boy@alexvolkanovski vs Blessed
Sold out stadium in Sydney…
Nothing else makes sense!
Edgar is on a 1 fight win streak and Alex on 7 win streak in the ufc (17 total win streak) and just beat the king of Rio in Rio. Frankie never beat Aldo (twice).
Fax or ?! https://t.co/74NOfbVLnz— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) May 14, 2019
Before hearing about the announcement, Volkanovski said that he would be ‘pretty pissed’ if Edgar got the shot ahead of him. He said anyone who knows anything about the sport realizes that if he just beat the number one contender on enemy soil, that makes him the number one contender.
If you’re wondering how @alexvolkanovski will feel about being passed over for Edgar, here’s what he said to @arielhelwani earlier today pic.twitter.com/tHnYhZYki3
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 14, 2019
He’s not wrong. Unfortunately, the UFC is willing and able to overlook who deserves what, in favor of its own, often inscrutable choices.
Insomnia
Brian Ortega vs. Zabit Magomedsharipov is a featherweight fight I can get behind.
Zabit Magomedsharipov vs Brian Ortega is in works for #UFC240 (July 27) – per @mma_kings pic.twitter.com/r7QUVYhh9z
— MMA TEAM DAGESTAN (@MMATeamDagestan) May 10, 2019
Does Jon Anik know this guy?
Guy looks high https://t.co/i43Mk2j58U
— Jon Anik (@Jon_Anik) May 13, 2019
I mean… it is not worth it to me, but you do you, Siyar.
How can you not love Anderson Silva. Old, but the mindset of a lion. At this point, it’s worth to see Anderson and BJ Penn just shadow box and pay for the PPV. They’re immortalized!
— Siyar The Great (@Siyarized) May 13, 2019
Anthony Pettis and Nate Diaz is an amazing fight, and hopefully we finally see Diaz in the cage this time.
Tatiana Suarez and Jessica Andrade is the title fight we need to see.
Suarez walked by Andrade and they locked eyes intensely for several seconds
Andrade looked at her knowing she needed to do something impressive or Suarez would be the big story
An hour or so later, she knocks out Karolina in the 1st round
I asked them both about it that night pic.twitter.com/tqB3kEJQpq
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 13, 2019
Credit to Tom Duquesnoy for walking away from the sport early rather than late.
On the weekend Michael Chandler got knocked out, Gregor Gillespie figured out how to do his workout.
This is funny because it’s exactly how Michael Chiesa reacted when all Kevin Lee said was that his mom would be attending their fight.
All things considered, Michael Page is taking his to Douglas Lima loss fairly well, even if he has spent most of his career crushing cans, and this was his first fight against a top welterweight.
Will Rose Namajunas retire?
Rose Namajunas reflects on her time as strawweight champion and hints that retirement may be an option and a possible instant rematch could also be in the cards. pic.twitter.com/wLc18He71T
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 12, 2019
Other notable slams in MMA history:
You already know that will be in there pic.twitter.com/HUIqvYQN7C
— Bestrafer7 (@Bestrafer7) May 12, 2019
Just how big is this guy if he makes Jon Jones look this small??
Angela Hill had a weekend.
When you’re at a sports bar cause you’re too cheap to buy a PPV but the headliner is two chicks you lost to and you’re sitting there knowing people recognize you from the highlights Ufcs been playing all night like.. #UFC237 pic.twitter.com/sQAiaiXRdy
— Angela Hill (@AngieOverkill) May 11, 2019
Slips, Rips, KO Clips
Hailstorm is an accurate description
Rostem Akman (6-0) ignites his hometown crowd, vanquishing Maurício Reis with a third-round hailstorm! The Swede has finished each of his bouts, five by knockout. #SuperiorChallenge pic.twitter.com/45f4323Aus
— Kyle Johnson (@VonPreux) May 11, 2019
Before he got knocked down and out in the second, Michael Venom Page went for this takedown in the first round and Lima effortlessly turned his outside trip into an inside trip of his own.
Takedown by @PhenomLima in round one!#BellatorWGP #Bellator221 pic.twitter.com/6R34recqKK
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) May 12, 2019
This was a well-timed counter
Madness indeed
Random Land
Fun at work
Block or charge? ???
(wait for it ) pic.twitter.com/0EI6d7Q9Xd— Rex Chapman (@RexChapman) May 12, 2019
Sleep well, Maniacs! A better tomorrow is always possible. Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @Vorpality