Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!
Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Last December, Jake Shields and Mike Jackson got physical outside of any ordained competition. The two had been talking trash and slinging mud online for quite some time, and when the duo met at the UFC Performance Institute, the scuffle ended with Shields in mount landing shots (watch here).
Neither man can agree who threw the first punch, but as Shields predicted, the law has gotten involved (h/t MMAFighting). Per online court records, Shields is being charged with a single count of misdemeanor battery as a result of the December 2022 scuffle. He was scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 21 but failed to show up. Subsequently, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest by the Clark County court. Back when the scuffle first happened, Shields threatened to counter sue Jackson for defamation for calling him a Nazi, but there’s been no update on that end.
Maybe Nate Diaz can lend Shields his lawyer?
At any rate, legal proceedings seemingly end any chance of these two settling their beef in an organized combat sports fashion. A boxing match was suggested but fizzled quickly. Shields has been retired from MMA since October 2018, but the former title challenger spends his time coaching at Xtreme Couture and trolling on social media.
Jackson, meanwhile, is just about one week away from fighting 55-year-old UFC legend Pat Miletich in his first bout after being cut from the UFC roster. Sadly, elder abuse charges have yet to be filed in regards to that criminal matchmaking.
Stay tuned for further updates.
Insomnia
One’s contracts are kind of wild. Good luck getting a fighter to return their championship belt!
You know those big heavy belts ONE likes to brag so much about?
Fighters have to return then any time ON DEMAND and cannot even appear publicly with them without ‘prior written consent’ of ONE. pic.twitter.com/mrp9PtO7pU
— Erik Magraken (@erikmagraken) October 4, 2023
Why is Dillon Danis, a Bellator fighter signed to make huge money in the ring against Logan Paul, getting 10-8’d on Twitter by Kevin Holland? Make it make sense.
Get in line bucko. Maybe we can get you a rematch on #DWCS against this guy first ? Win that and Dana might just give you a contract to the big leagues!! https://t.co/1XuRD4DOfx pic.twitter.com/u91EhJQZNi
— Kevin Holland (@Trailblaze2top) October 4, 2023
Joaquin Buckley took his shirt off and talked a bunch of s—t — just streamlining the whole presser process.
Joaquin Buckley rips past opponents: ‘What are you doing to promote the fight? …It makes me not want to do it #UFCVegas80 pic.twitter.com/I73QNsgOHo
— MMA Mania (@mmamania) October 4, 2023
Viacom doesn’t want to pay for Ryan Bader vs. Corey Anderson, one of the better possible fights on their roster.
— Borrachinha Depot (@FullContactMTWF) October 3, 2023
Carmen Basilio was at his peak in the late 1950s, won world titles, and retired with a record of 56–16–7.
Former two-division champion Carmen Basilio, “The Upstate Onion Farmer,” sits ins his trophy room and reminisces about the incredible wars he went through. pic.twitter.com/R3hdD81lDS
— Knuckles and Gloves Podcast (@KnucklesNGloves) October 3, 2023
Norma Dumont is officially heading back to Bantamweight, a surefire sign that Featherweight is doomed … but will she make the cut?
Yana Santos will fight Norma Dumont at #UFCVegas83 on January 13th. (first rep. @guicruzzz) #UFC #MMA #UFCESPN #UFC2024 pic.twitter.com/8rmAVB6VP7
— Marcel Dorff (@BigMarcel24) October 4, 2023
Let it be known that peer pressure works even on legendary champions.
Volkanovski’s teammates: “Islam would. Maybe the judge were right, eh?” pic.twitter.com/XQ6szyiZyq
— HOME OF FIGHT (@home_of_fight) October 3, 2023
Slips, rips, and KO clips
If you square up for a street fight in Hawaii, you best come correct.
Street fights in Hawaii are just different pic.twitter.com/rWg3fg08wu
— ??????????? (@TheArtOfWar6) October 3, 2023
All that wildness countered by a single body punch.
Kutman Asekov KO’s Azizbek Nematov with a liver shot in the WEF 128 main event pic.twitter.com/sOs8lCLibu
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) October 3, 2023
Referees can handle themselves!
Random Land
Workplace safety.
Be safe ???????????? pic.twitter.com/E3ENROIxBC
— Hecu Marine (@Hecu_Marine_) October 1, 2023
Midnight Music: Indie rock, 2014
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.