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Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Khamzat Chimaev is eager for a fight. “Borz” is not all that far removed from throttling Li Jingliang at UFC 267 back around Halloween (HIGHLIGHTS), but he’s already picked up another “W” in a wrestling match vs. UFC Middleweight Jack Hermansson. The Chechen athlete is still unsatiated, and he’s taken to Twitter to call out a bizarre group of would-be foes.
First, Chimaev set his sights on former UFC Heavyweight champion and current WWE superstar Brock Lesnar … who is 100 lbs. heavier and massively unlikely to ever fight again.
Let’s fight till one man leaves the cage @BrockLesnar
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) November 30, 2021
Next up, Chimaev called out Georges St. Pierre, the widely recognized greatest Welterweight of all time. He’s hardly the first to do so, as Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kamaru Usman have been vocally requesting the Canadian’s time as well in recent years. “GSP” opted to stay on the sidelines rather than answer the champion’s call, so Chimaev’s odds of an answer are not great, but we can’t hate on Chimaev for shooting his shot.
New King of UFC vs a Legend. What you think ? @GeorgesStPierre
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) November 30, 2021
Finally, Chimaev offered a wrestling match to another former Heavyweight in Daniel Cormier. Unlike the other two ex-champions, the UFC color commentator actually responded … and didn’t seem completely opposed to the idea.
In a real wrestling match? Are you crazy Khamzat? Love that you’re confident but brother this is 10-0 DC ! @KChimaev https://t.co/yZhpi9Viiz
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) November 30, 2021
“In a real wrestling match? Are you crazy Khamzat? Love that you’re confident but brother this is 10-0 DC!” Cormier replied in a Tweet. Perhaps Chimaev can actually organize a match vs. the Olympian … provided Cormier doesn’t have to make any sort of weight limit, a likely deal breaker for the retired legend.
Of course, there are also active Welterweights looking to fight “Borz” inside the Octagon for real, like this one.
Insomnia
Reminder: Jose Aldo is pretty damn slick on the soccer field too!
José Aldo embarrassing Neymar in a charity football match back in 2014! pic.twitter.com/86A9dLmCxa
— Orbital MMA (@OrbitalMMA) November 29, 2021
UFC booked an absolutely incredible match up between Arman Tsaurkyan and Joel Alvarez. Both fighters are incredibly good, riding some momentum … and have trouble making the Lightweight limit.
Arman Tsarukyan will fight Joel Alvarez at UFC event on February 26th. (per @ILazorin) #UFC #MMA #UFCESPN pic.twitter.com/gJAUAaxHH4
— Marcel Dorff (@BigMarcel24) November 29, 2021
Since 155ers turning down the fight with me, I had to accept the fight against welterweight
— Arman Tsarukyan UFC (@ArmanUfc) November 29, 2021
Eddie Alvarez and Patricky Freire talking about some underhanded Bellator tactics from the Bjorn Rebney era of Bellator on Twitter was pretty interesting stuff.
Actually, things were a bit different. I saw you @Ealvarezfight on a UFC PPV side by side with Dana and news that you would leave Bellator to the UFC. I sent an e-mail to Bjorn asking to fight you then,as I wouldn’t get the chance otherwise.Then they used that to extort me (cont) https://t.co/PiA8SMWuUQ
— Patricky Freire (@PatrickyPitbull) November 29, 2021
The first Bellator contracts were terrible. As I was coming off a loss on the first round of the LW tournament, my purse would be 2500+2500. I tried to negotiate that. They tried to have me sign a contract with infinite renewals at their disclosure @Ealvarezfight (cont) https://t.co/aaVizU5LKw
— Patricky Freire (@PatrickyPitbull) November 29, 2021
and the purse for the fight against you was still relatively small @Ealvarezfight. I said I wouldn’t sign a deal like that. They sent other offers but without changes to the automatic renewals. I said I wouldn’t sign it and wouldn’t fight you for that purse either. Then (cont) https://t.co/8LRNVTC3lf
— Patricky Freire (@PatrickyPitbull) November 29, 2021
they said I would either fight you @Ealvarezfight for the 2500+2500 as I didn’t want to sign the bad new deal, or they would put me in the shelf until the contract was over. I was broke then. That purse was bad, but not having payment for God knows how long was worse. (cont) https://t.co/OSws37dHo9
— Patricky Freire (@PatrickyPitbull) November 29, 2021
I left that fight with less than 1700 dollars after taxes. Then I was pushed around to renew my deal to get back in a Tournament. And incredibly, I got a better (still not really good) deal than the last one I had been offered to fight you @Ealvarezfight (cont) https://t.co/PTSzvuQCA3
— Patricky Freire (@PatrickyPitbull) November 29, 2021
I’m sorry to hear this brother , this game is very difficult to navigate , and is full of people ready to exploit the smallest weakness they see .We are both stronger having went thru it and know better now . You are Champ now and you earned it
— Eddie Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) November 29, 2021
I don’t often link entire articles, but this write up about Teofimo Lopez’s state of mind prior to Saturday night’s loss was pretty fascinating. Check it out!
Teofimo Lopez lost his lightweight title to George Kambosos Jr. on Saturday, but he was fighting more difficult battles inside himself and in his personal life.
A peek into the tortured state of mind Lopez was in 24 hours before the bout.
My story:https://t.co/VzQnhA5ivz
— Corey Erdman (@corey_erdman) November 29, 2021
Some mild controversy on the web: Germaine de Randamie lost her ranking today, but Holly Holm — who last fought on the same night as “Iron Lady” — remains in the same position. Classic UFC!
Germaine de Randamie is still on the UFC roster and has multiple fights left, per sources. She was removed from the rankings due to inactivity and no timeframe for her return.
— Marc Raimondi (@marc_raimondi) November 29, 2021
Shoutout to Mike Perry for the hard-fought and unlikely win vs. Michael Seals this weekend.
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Lyoto Machida, sweep master.
Lyoto Machida sweep ippon. Brazilian Shotokan tournament 2001. pic.twitter.com/cEUksQyCj0
— Karate Pathfinder (@xKaratepath) November 23, 2021
Calf slicers definitely rank highly among straight up pain caused by a submission.
Winner via calf slice!!!! #UWC30 pic.twitter.com/MOtzDTiYi4
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) November 27, 2021
Front kicks to the liver are also not fun.
Javier “El Cholo” Basurto lands a stabbing front kick to the liver to finish Christopher “Anaconda” Ramirez at UWC 30 pic.twitter.com/q6tmxZAyup
— Will (@ChillemDafoe) November 27, 2021
Random Land
Every once in a while, I catch myself thinking that I’m pretty brave, then I see true audaciousness like in the clip below and realize it’s all a lie.
@peter_crawford Videos from a day of snorkeling in the Everglades region. #snorkeling #adventure #fish #alligator #florida #fl #wildlife #swamp #fyp #foryou
Midnight Music: An early pop single from prog rock legends Yes!
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.