Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!
Welcome to Midnight Mania!
The following story isn’t quite the irony bomb I first expected, but it’s still a bit silly.
Paulo Costa’s antics at the scale certainly deserve a ton of criticism. The Brazilian appears to be intentionally making a mockery of the whole process, shifting a Middleweight fight up 20 pounds at the latest possible moments. The main event could easily have been cancelled and is only happening because Marvin Vettori is game as hell, and UFC needs its main event if anyone is going to tune into this card. Skip ahead a bit, and there’s a whole bunch of justified criticism/mockery of Costa from various pundits and athletes.
In short, the Brazilian deserves the heat. But … does Anthony “Rumble” Johnson, one of the most notorious weight cutters in the sport’s history, have room to publicly judge? It depends if the details matter to you. Bellator’s Johnson took to his Instagram story to slam Costa, not off missing weight necessarily, but specifically taking issue with Costa’s refusal to even try to make weight.
“I missed weight 3 times while fighting for UFC,” Johnson wrote (via MMAJunkie). “Even if I knew it would be a struggle I’d still try and make the weight and not be a b—h and try to do catch(weight) outta the blue cuz I was lazy. Costa wants the fame and glory without putting in the work. Bash me all you want but even I didn’t make up excuses or cop out.
“If he fights 205 just stay there. That way there’s no more excuses and nobody will see how lazy he is. Trust me going up in weight is much better and makes life easier.”
One way or another, Vettori and Costa face off in less than 24 hours.
Insomnia
This has certainly been one of the most eventful weigh-in weeks in recent memory.
Stop changes pic.twitter.com/nRP5DpthQM
— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) October 22, 2021
Weight classes are an illusion. #UFCVegas41 pic.twitter.com/C3BDYvb6jl
— MacMally (@MacMallyMMA) October 22, 2021
I just looked at the UFC Fight Night: Costa vs. Vettori entire card. I see why they can’t cancel the fight. I assume Costa will be cut after this fight. #UFCVegas41
— Anatomy of a Fighter (@WillHarrisAOAF) October 22, 2021
CHAMPIONSHIP WEIGHT!! https://t.co/rudMsjou40
— Billyq.eth (@BillyQMMA) October 22, 2021
— Stanky (@stankymma) October 22, 2021
Gordon Ryan is absurdly slick.
Madman Dan Hooker calls for the full 25 minutes for his short-notice bout vs. Islam Makhachev.
Let’s make it 5 rounds?
— Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) October 22, 2021
A body shot challenge featuring Teofimo Lopez and Thor Bjornssen! Someone call Francis Ngannou and make this extra interesting.
SOUND THE ALARMS: Mike Perry is moving his head!
Sean O’Malley may not seem to care who he fights next, but he’s at least a bit irritated with Dominick Cruz.
Slips, rips, and KO clips
From my perspective, there’s almost no chance this hold was choking Do Boxe, it was squeezing the back of his neck. Looks like an unpleasant neck crank though!
Ok what are we calling this one. Eduardo Castro submits Klinger Do Boxe via reverse bulldog choke? Modified guillotine? #RoadtoShooto pic.twitter.com/WbHcM2Cr91
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) October 22, 2021
The “ghost” escape from side control to d’arce choke is one of my favorite transitions, and it’s landed at least once inside the Octagon (Mitch Clark vs. Al Iaquinta).
Single-minded thigh destruction:
Random Land
Not for sensitive stomachs …
Midnight Music: I dug this melancholic and strange track from Swedish post-punk group Viagra Boys.
Think you know how to predict MMA fights? Click HERE for info on how to join The Mania Money Pool, a UFC picking competition that’s been going on for over a decade now. $20 to join for a 10 event season!
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.