Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!
Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Top-ranked Bantamweights are heading to Abu Dhabi! According to a first report from Ag. Fight and confirmed by MMA Fighting, Marlon Vera vs. Deiveson Figueiredo is verbally agreed as part of the upcoming UFC Abu Dhabi event, which is scheduled for August 3 inside Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Vera is currently ranked No. 4 at 135-pounds. “Chito” was last seen in the Octagon opposite Sean O’Malley, who used him as a punching bag for most of five rounds. Prior to that defeat, Vera won five of his previous six to establish himself as a top-tier Bantamweight, though Cory Sandhagen did also dominate the Ecuadorian talent in the midst of his rise.
Meanwhile, Figueiredo is chasing gold in a second weight class. The Brazilian’s Flyweight title reign ended with a back-and-forth rivalry opposite Brandon Moreno, but he’s been perfect since moving up to Bantamweight. “Daico” beat up Rob Font then stopped Cody Garbrandt at UFC 300 (watch here), earning the No. 6 spot in the UFC rankings.
Two men enter the cage, but only one leaves as a Top Five-ranked contender relevant to the title mix. Who ya’ got?
Insomnia
Jon Jones is in constant verbal feud with the MMA fanbase over this whole not-fighting-the-interim champion thing.
“Hey Tom Brady, you still look healthy, give us two more Super Bowls and I’ll personally be more impressed by your career!” https://t.co/cnswlzJGVB
— BONY (@JonnyBones) May 24, 2024
Alex Pereira was actually taking it pretty easy until his partner tried to punch his way off the wall.
Alex wasn’t playing pic.twitter.com/iZ8kQKfNQa
— Full Violence ™ (@Full_Violence) May 24, 2024
Paulo Costa is studying his opposition!
I don’t fully understand Alexander Volkov’s latest Instagram skit.
Get more limber with the help of Georges St. Pierre (and a stick).
Islam Makhachev’s UFC 302 fight camp is presumably about wrapped up, and the champ has surely earned some downtime.
Islam Makhachev riding a jet ski and splashes his friend
IG / @MAKHACHEVMMA #UFC302 #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/Tmw5gOQl9B
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 23, 2024
Maybe my immaturity is showing, but I love a press conference shoving match.
MMA fighter got yeeted off the stage at a press conference in Czechia pic.twitter.com/AucwXGYKu5
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) May 23, 2024
Slips, rips, and KO clips
A massive face plant from the recent Road To UFC fights:
Road to UFC stays violent AF
pic.twitter.com/9S6UoE7Xm2— Liam Picks Fights (@LiamPicksFights) May 23, 2024
Gheirati almost chambered his knee before unrolling the push kick, and that angle caught his opponent off-guard.
Parham Gheirati knocks out Jordan Godtfredsen with a sneaky push kick to the face in the Friday Fights main event. He was rocked prior but that took him out. #ONEFridayFights64 pic.twitter.com/F15RUsDoSy
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) May 24, 2024
It won’t happen, but Kyoji Horiguchi getting a second chance at a UFC title would be so cool. His name would go so far in avoiding the constant Flyweight rematches …
Kyoji Horiguchi KO1 Yuta Nezu (Punch)
07.18.2011 | Shooto: Shootor’s Legacy 3 pic.twitter.com/OJyrQNLtvI
— Forgotten Finishes (@FightsForgotten) May 23, 2024
Random Land
The fastest animal on the planet in action.
Falcon Punch at 200 MPH is crazy
— Jordan Germany (@MiguelVIVID) January 21, 2024
Midnight Music: Country, 1974
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.