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Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Belal Muhammad is not happy with how the Welterweight title picture is being handled.
“Bully” is unbeaten in his last nine fights, and he’s defeated several Top 10 opponents and former title contenders in the process. Furthermore, he’s got unfinished history with the current champion, Leon Edwards. However, he’s far from the biggest draw in the sport, so UFC President Dana White has remained committed to granting former challenger and controversial figure Colby Covington the next shot at Welterweight gold.
Muhammad was offered back up duty for that fight, but he doesn’t sound interested. He wants a fight with Kamaru Usman (not Shavkat Rakhmonov), yet it’s unclear when Usman intends to return to action after his hard-fought loss last month. As a result, Muhammad revealed he’s considering a jump to Middleweight, and he specifically mentioned Khamzat Chimaev and Sean Strickland as options.
“I can fight at 185,” Muhammad said backstage at UFC 287 (via BJPenn.com). “I’m not worried about it. So I’ll move up, look for him, maybe he’ll finally come out and play that game. I made it to the top at 170, 185, I’ll do the same thing. If I’m not going to get a title fight, just give me the fights that really get me excited. Give me like a Sean Strickland, somebody that I dislike, somebody that I hate, that would be fun to punch in the mouth.”
It hasn’t taken Strickland long to respond, as the two have prior beef. The Middleweight contender takes issue with Muhammad’s hatred of him, and he claims the two had a previous run-in at the UFC Performance Institute. Per Strickland, “The Bully” quietly ducked away rather than actually back up his previous trash talk.
“I hate” ask his boys to post what happen at the pi. You got the video
Me “Yo @bullyb170 you ran you’re mouth, I’m in the cage if you want to man up and handle this I’m here”
Him quiet looking around for helped as he walked away.
Had your chance and you were a pussy about it https://t.co/QjEBhBXALG
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) April 10, 2023
I don’t see Strickland as an easy fight for Muhammad nor one that moves him any closer to the Welterweight title, but both men are unbooked and looking for a fight. Interested?
Insomnia
I am glad as an MMA community, we have largely agreed that Israel Adesanya talking s—t after his mega knockout win was hilarious.
— Out Of Context MMA (@oocmma) April 10, 2023
Reminder: MMA prime has almost nothing to do with age and is much more typically based on how long one has been fighting professionally and the assorted damage taken in the process.
Max Holloway is only 31 years old just started hitting his prime. Road to the belt starts this week pic.twitter.com/Xy15p9YiCg
— igor (@ukraniandream) April 10, 2023
Joe Rogan went gorilla mode at UFC 287, but Daniel Cormier is an immovable object, so Jon Anik took the brunt.
why did rogan mush anik like that pic.twitter.com/KtZ0cwOXz2
— Hektic_One (@hektic_one) April 10, 2023
Another combat Sambo world champion — and former Khamzat foe — joins the UFC ranks.
Ikram Aliskerov will fight Phil Hawes at #UFC288 on May 6th. (first rep. ESPN) #UFC #MMA #UFCESPN #UFC2023
(Fight listed as LHW on ESPN. But is scheduled as MW bout) pic.twitter.com/qijTJRZflY
— Marcel Dorff (@BigMarcel24) April 10, 2023
BETTER MATCH UP ALERT! BJJ legend Marcus Buchecha is fighting freaking “Reug Reug,” the massively strong Sengalese wrestler in what’s sure to be the meme fight of the year.
“Estou com o objetivo do cinturão, mas dando um passo de cada vez.”
O plano do @MarcusBuchecha faturar mais um título segue firme, e no dia 5 de agosto a nossa fera dá mais um passo contra Oumar “Reug Reug” Kane!
Só na minha tela você curte o ONE ao vivo!#ONEnoCombate pic.twitter.com/P92iuTJcyY
— Combate (@combate) April 10, 2023
I fought on a couple of amateur cards with referee Keith Peterson. Here he is on the back of the DVD. Circa 2007. Quite nostalgic to see this. My friend sent me this DVD in the mail today… pic.twitter.com/7OhNqIRALZ
— Jared Gordon (@JFlashGordonMMA) April 7, 2023
Slips, rips, and KO clips
The famous “Wave your opponent in and then get knocked out,” a classic maneuver.
Stepan Gorshechnikov knocks out Goran Relji? in the first round. Brutal right hook. #ACA155 pic.twitter.com/QdOBsQ018a
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) April 8, 2023
Prime Mirko Cro Cop would be a Top Five Heavyweight RIGHT NOW!
Mirko Cro Cop vs Aleksandr Emilanenko was insane
— Bloody Elbow (@BloodyElbow) April 8, 2023
Right hand over top the kick:
Starched pic.twitter.com/ePYhAE0bZe
— Cerebral Vigilante (@Delisketo) April 8, 2023
Random Land
Not ideal.
Midnight Music: Punk, 1980
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.