Midnight Mania: Free Fight! Nick Diaz Upsets Robbie Lawler At UFC 47

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every quarantined night!

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

UFC 47 was a fairly important and popular show, the event in which Chuck Liddell finally tracked down Tito Ortiz and pulverized him. It was a major moment for UFC, one which helped push Liddell to the Light Heavyweight title and greater stardom.

Before the collision of Light Heavyweight greats, however, Nick Diaz really began the start of his legend. The elder brother of the 209 collective was not a rookie, as he’d already captured the WEC Welterweight strap and settled his trilogy with Jeremy Jackson in style. However, he was still the underdog to Robbie Lawler, the more powerful man and feared knockout artist out of the Miletich Fighting Systems mega-camp.

Most expected Diaz to rely on his jiu-jitsu background and attempt to take Lawler to the mat.

Instead, Diaz picked up one of the best wins of his career with absolute style points. Against the fearsome puncher, Diaz did more than stand his ground: he walked straight to Lawler, dropped his hands, and mouthed off enough that the referee yelled at him two minutes into the first round.

Diaz ate some shots in the process, but he placed a hook perfectly in the second rough to shut the future champion’s lights off. Both men went on to make their mark and earn championship status at 170 lbs., but Diaz proved himself the better man on the only occasion they met in the Octagon.

Insomnia

These unexpected fight cards are beginning to fill up!

Brian Ortega is the first to accept the Fight Island callout of Alexander Volkanovski. That would surely be an entertaining fight, and Ortega is coming off a loss, so it might happen!

Though it was not my personal goal to blast Tyron Woodley’s rap career, his beef with Israel Adesanya and co. forced my hand. For some perspective, let’s remember that “T-Wood” was not the first combat sports athlete to attempt a crossover:

Claudia Gadelha’s comment is identical to my own first thought, “Shit I will break my hips if I do that.” Impressive flexibility from Michelle Waterson and her daughter!

Who had the greater change in appearance over the years, Joe Rogan or Dana White?

Darren Till vs. Yoel Romero has a real chance of being boring (both men like to counter), but it’s worth that risk for the meme potential alone.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Melvin Manhoef can ALWAYS be counted on to deliver the violence:

A kickboxing legend locks up a submission then still beats his opponent into pulp. The blood splatter on the gi really reinforces the brutality of the whole thing!

The Crippler! The Cat Smasher! Chris Leben may not have been the best Middleweight of his era, but he produced some unforgettable moments like the one below:

Random Land

My eyes aren’t good enough for this.

Midnight Music: This cool Beatles bootleg popped up on my YouTube recommendations, so I feel obligated to pass it on.

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.