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Max Holloway broke several records when he pummeled Calvin Kattar for 25 straight minutes just over a week ago. The Hawaiian landed a simply absurd number of punches, knocking Kattar around the cage and nearly forcing a stoppage in both the second and fourth rounds.
It will go down as an all-time great performance from Holloway, but what about the consequences for Kattar? As revealed a in a video titled, “UFC’s Grand New Stage,” designed to promote the Eithad Arena on Fight Island, White was revealed to be very nervous about the recent UFC Fight Island 7 main event.
Speaking with UFC EVP Hunter Campbell, White expressed genuine concern about Kattar’s life and well-being during the mauling, “He took so much f*cking punishment in this fight, I’m freaking out a little bit, man,” White said (transcription via MMAFighting). “I don’t know. I don’t like it. This reminds me of the kind of fight where the fight’s over, and he walks in back and f*cking dies. I think that f*cking Herb Dean should’ve stopped it in the fourth round. He was wobbling all over the f*cking place. He should have stopped the fight right there.”
Throughout the video of White watching the bout between Holloway and Kattar, his priorities clearly shift. Initially, the UFC president was impressed by Holloway’s performance, but it didn’t take long before White was ready for the bout to end. At one point in the fourth, White sounds outright desperate for the fight to end.
Immediately afterward, White made sure that Kattar was rushed to the hospital. “When this fight’s over, no stopping, no talking,” he said. “Get this kid in an ambulance and get him the f*ck out of here immediately. I want him out of here. Don’t talk to anybody and go right to the f*cking hospital.”
Brain injuries may be “just part of the gig,” but absorbing punches in the hundreds is still a scary business.
Insomnia
Michael Chandler talks the proper way to handle a finished foe.
I’ve always had mixed feelings with this (specially after finishes) and I’m glad to see Michael Chandler say that too. I’ve never heard a fighter say that before. pic.twitter.com/z9qieMfmsm
— Philippe Pocholle-Marchetti (@ASAP_Pipa) January 24, 2021
Was Darren Till the secret UFC streamer that Dana White gave an entire speech on?
— karen Till (@darrentill2) January 24, 2021
Dan Ige is set to fight Ryan Hall on March 13, so he bought access to Hall’s instructional videos to help prepare!
Mike Perry is putting in the work with his head coach — who should “Platinum” face next?
A fairly accurate breakdown of the UFC Lightweight division:
Certain Conor McGregor fans are not taking the loss very well …
— Dom (@Frittenpate) January 24, 2021
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Not the best way to exit a boxing ring:
Old school KO of the daypic.twitter.com/Ajgi6EOzHf
— Cerebral Vigilante (@Delisketo) January 25, 2021
This is some smooth top control/ability to flow in switching arms to secure the eventual kimura finish.
This throwback Showtime Kick attempt is definitely worth posting!
@BlessedMMA https://t.co/RahWQbPpHo
— Anthony Pettis (@Showtimepettis) January 24, 2021
Random Land
A race between man and bear!
Midnight Music: I checked out From A King To A GOD, the latest release from Buffalo rapper Conway The Machine. Another member of the Griselda collective, it’s precisely the type of heavy street rap one expect given their overall sound.
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.