Midnight Mania! Chito Slams Aljo: Cutting That Much Weight Is Cheating!

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Marlon Vera has a chip on his shoulder. “Chito” rarely has a nice thing to say about anyone, and despite his poise inside the Octagon, he seems to remain eternally angry outside of the cage. Fortunately, it’s working for him, as Vera has won four straight fights and advanced into the Top Five.

Impressive work for a “journeyman.”

The latest subject of Vera’s scorn is Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. It’s no secret that “The Funkmaster” is among the largest men at Bantamweight. He’s rangy and strong, attributes which certainly help him apply his usual tactics of distance kickboxing and smothering top control. There’s also a reason that Sterling has talked about potentially moving up to Featherweight: his weight cut is not easy.

In Vera’s eyes, shedding so much water weight for the advantage of being the bigger man is a lame move. While a guest on the Believe You Me podcast, he took a few digs at the Bantamweight champion.

“Cutting that much weight is cheating to me,” Vera said (via MMAFighting). “You’re kind of a pu—y if you cut that much weight, because you want to be bigger and stronger. Because he really doesn’t hurt nobody, but he makes you carry his weight, takes you down. I’m 155 pounds in or out of camp. I feel like that’s a natural 135-pounder, and I’m still thinking I cut a s—tload of weight, because 20 pounds is a lot. That motherf—ker weighs like 170, 180 pounds when he’s eating f—king God knows what. Yeah, you can make the weight [but] that’s why he’s been KOed unconscious, because of the amount of weight he cuts. If you touch him, he might go down.”

Interestingly, Vera may have found an unlikely ally in his crusade against giant Bantamweights in Sean O’Malley. “Suga” retweeted Vera’s comments, and then he individually asked several elite Bantamweights about their current weight.

In addition, a flexing “Funkmaster” responded to Vera in a video, denying that he’s all the way up at 170- or 180-pounds. Instead, he claims he weighs closer to 165 lbs.

Insomnia

“I have to return some video tapes.”

I think Ilia Topuria has earned another chance to fight up the ladder after demolishing Bryce Mitchell, but I’d watch him and Movsar Evloev square off!

17-0 or 11-0, another talented Magomedov is joining the ranks.

ACA is throwing around some major cash next year! Think any UFC fighters are drawn overseas to fight dangerous-but-unknown killers?

10/10 leg lock knowledge.

Merab Dvalishvili has some good highlights and fun fights (just not with Jose Aldo), but his out-of-the-ring antics might be even more entertaining.

Does Kamaru Usman nursing a hand injury lend some credibility to the “Wonderboy” rumor?

Colby Covington, king of charisma.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

The 15 year anniversary of one of the most legendary contests in Light Heavyweight history.

Threw that overhand like a fastball!

One more 2022 KO recap courtesy of Glory Kickboxing!

Random Land

Windshield wipers!

Midnight Music: Post-punk, 1989

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