Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!
Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Da’Mon Blackshear is setting himself up for an incredible August. “Da Monster” fought just a couple days ago at UFC Vegas 78, securing just the third twister submission in UFC history over Jose Johnson (watch highlights). Now, according to a first report from Cole Shelton, he’s filling in for the injured Cody Garbrandt opposite Mario Bautista at UFC 292 this Saturday (Aug. 19, 2023) in Boston, Massachusetts.
Assuming he passes medicals and makes it into the Octagon, Blackshear will tie the modern era UFC record for fastest turnaround. In October 2021, Lupita Goodinez also fought at consecutive events, winning her first bout then coming up short in the second appearance.
It certainly helps that Blackshear won his last one quickly, scoring a takedown early in the round and taking little damage en route to the submission win. He rides a two-fight win streak into this opportunity, and the 29 year old could really make a name for himself with a victory.
Bautista is not an easy opponent, either. The 30-year-old MMA Lab-trained product has won four straight, including his last three via first-round submission. Bautista’s recent strong performances were supposed to earn him a step up in competition against a former champion in Garbrandt, but instead, he’ll face a fellow hungry up-and-comer. It’s better than not fighting, but this bout is a different kind of dangerous for Bautista.
Anyone think Blackshear makes UFC history with two wins in seven days?
Insomnia
It took less than a year for UFC to start pretending Francis Ngannou never existed. The promotion is ruthlessly once ex-athletes are on bad terms (like Randy Couture).
‘only cameroonian in ufc history’ ufc hate francis ngannou pic.twitter.com/lHgFw7crS5
— Dovy (@DovySimuMMA) August 13, 2023
Thierry Sokoudjou was the first Cameroonian in the UFC. I was second. Don’t let them lie and erase history ?? pic.twitter.com/4ZSSRZtcyo
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) August 13, 2023
10 of Magomedov’s 11 wins come via knockout, and Bruno Silva is a guaranteed brawler. Sounds fun!
Bruno Silva will fight Sharabutdin Magomedov at #UFC294 on October 21st. (per @laertevianamma) #UFC #MMA #UFCESPN #UFC2023 #UFCAbuDhabi pic.twitter.com/hLykMnmfxn
— Marcel Dorff (@BigMarcel24) August 14, 2023
Who else lost their ESPN+ stream in the middle of the fights?
whats going on @espn ?? paying to subscribe .. why cant I watch the rest of the fights? Gotta get a stream
— Merab “The Machine” Dvalishvili (@MerabDvalishvil) August 12, 2023
Taken with a grain of salt given the source, but by multiple accounts now, Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz sold like hotcakes.
From Jake Paul’s IG stories pic.twitter.com/TerT3FZsHn
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) August 14, 2023
‘Beyond a Choke’
Finally finished this acrylic painting of Nate stealing the show in true Diaz style.
If anyone is interested in a limited edition print order now at https://t.co/80D697cnWe #MMATwitter pic.twitter.com/LtAtI8lZnk— Ross Baines Art (@RossBainesArt) August 13, 2023
Song Yadong getting after it while sparring a high-level kickboxer:
Former K-1 champion Rukiya Anpo sparring with UFC Bantamweight Song Yadong. pic.twitter.com/pNqVAcw62u
— Beyond Kickboxing (@Beyond_Kick) August 12, 2023
Charles Oliveira was simply too polite to tell Maycee Barber that his jellybeans tasted like garbage.
Slips, rips, and KO clips
34 seconds of pure chaos!
Anis Ekubov sends the Tajik fans into a frenzy with a beautiful flying knee against Asylbek Rustambek. 34 second KO #ACA161 pic.twitter.com/C6MqC0AMS9
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) August 11, 2023
Batting average of 1000.
Chalawan with one of my favourite finishing sequences ever. pic.twitter.com/vsmxUoazCu
— Jamie (@JAMIE92871529) August 14, 2023
It’s always funny when the classic overhand-takedown combination is rendered unnecessary by the initial punch.
Oh my god. Insane KO by Hugo Lezama. He took down a dead man #BudoSento16 pic.twitter.com/QuNHqUHUph
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) August 12, 2023
Random Land
Pre-prepared salad.
Family discovers live frog in unopened package of ‘triple washed’ organic spinach https://t.co/KWlu2cy0h6 pic.twitter.com/TEtq3zcln9
— New York Post (@nypost) August 12, 2023
Midnight Music: Alternative, 1997
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.