Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight …
Welcome to Midnight Mania! Tonight we’ve got Dana White putting Luke Rockhold in his place, Cody Garbrandt getting his stem cell treatment, Ronda Rousey being proud of her scars, the Diaz brothers getting a magazine cover for repping CBD oil, Poirier and Alvarez talking smack to each other about a rematch, knockouts, highlights and much more.
Leave the matchmaking to us
Dana White has a pretty good memory when it serves him. He responded to Luke Rockhold’s biting tweets today trashing White’s usual shtick about “earning your place”. Rockhold pointed out, correctly, that GSP didn’t earn his place at middleweight, and ending by telling the UFC president to think before running his mouth.
The comments must have made an impression, because Dana White took the time to respond. He told Rockhold that GSP never lost his welterweight title, and said that Bisping, GSP, and the fans all wanted the fight made. Then he told Rockhold to stick to fighting and modeling, and leave the matchmaking to the company. That’s where the good memory comes in- Rockhold did do some modeling to help cover the bills while he wasn’t fighting.
@LukeRockhold pic.twitter.com/3buw7twqEv
— Dana White (@danawhite) May 16, 2017
White is wrong about one thing. The fans, by and large, did NOT want the GSP-Bisping fight (which, thank God, seems to have been cancelled.) More fans would have been on board with GSP vs. Anderson Silva, but St. Pierre seems to have little interest in that fight. Rockhold also hasn’t had a bout since his lost to Bisping; as White says, Maia has earned a title shot and Rockhold, recently, has not. However, Rockhold insisted what he wanted from the company were clear goals to work towards, something that has been a frustration to the middleweight division since Bisping won the belt.
Insomnia
Ronda Rousey mentions the cyst bursting in her hand after UFC 178, saying she is proud of her scars in this Instagram video tagging Reebok and the “Be More Human” campaign.
Nate has said that smoking the CBD oil after UFC 202 was the best business move he could have done, and it seems he wasn’t lying. He and Nick landed a cover on Dope Magazine because of it, along with numerous other sponsorships and endorsements. Maybe Anthony “Rumble” Johnson could use them to promote “Rumbleweed” (not my idea for a name, but anything else would be a crime, right?) when his new cannabis facility opens.
This is going to be a great fight. Kowalkiewicz has remarkable takedown defense and brutal knees in the clinch, which is where Gadelha makes her hay.
— Claudia Gadelha (@ClaudiaGadelha_) May 17, 2017
Cody Garbrandt getting the stem cell treatment for his back that Dana White said would keep him in his fight with Dillashaw in July
Tom Breese got medical treatment for his knee as well
2 ACL surgery in 3 and a half years hopefully the last. Huge thanks to @ufc covering medical costs allowing me to get the best treatment. pic.twitter.com/fCF5Udf72z
— Tom Breese (@BreeseMMA) May 16, 2017
Dustin Poirier says he is getting the result of his UFC 211 No Contest with Alvarez appealed– but only because he wants the money. Apparently, he also feels he has unfinished business with Alvarez he wants to take care of- a feeling Eddie shares.
When you wanna do it @Ealvarezfight ?????
I owe you some stitches
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) May 16, 2017
@DustinPoirier Next fight is You … don’t get too excited Your not the first guy to hurt me badly before I finished him ..knee or no knee U wanted out
— Eddie Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) May 16, 2017
Lol your silly. I’m gonna stop you next time. https://t.co/rI7Ij8fCuc
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) May 16, 2017
Herb Dean attempts to explain what to many is a decision making process that rewards fouls as long as they seem to be unintentional.
This may be helpful for determining the correct course of action when a fighter has been fouled. It is … https://t.co/c7sH9onjnd pic.twitter.com/YezYa4xoxd
— Herb Dean (@HerbDeanMMA) May 15, 2017
Two of the most unexpectedly violent fighters in the UFC.
New PPV idea: Joanna J?drzejczyk and Doo Ho Choi walk into the wrong bar, win a high-stakes game of billiards, then spill drinks on someone pic.twitter.com/nahDspI7uf
— MMA Goddess (@MMAGoddess) May 15, 2017
Is this real life? Suited henchmen of Turkish ruler Erdogan beat up American protesters on Embassy Row while cops try to stop them. Erdogan had a meeting with Trump today, who called the meeting “an honor”.
#Erdo?an‘?n korumalar? kavgaya kar??t? https://t.co/gsi1iQ68Ye #amerikaninsesi pic.twitter.com/Jv3g5E7AVA
— Amerika’n?n Sesi (@VOATurkish) May 17, 2017
No surprise how Brian Stann feels about the melee.
This is disgusting https://t.co/4hkI9FhveL
— Brian Stann (@BrianStann) May 17, 2017
Good Reads
- California passes ground-breaking weight cutting regulations, part of their effort to make this sport healthier.
- There is a legitimate argument for this:
Joanna J?drzejczyk is the greatest female fighter ever: https://t.co/SfiCKryCzK pic.twitter.com/ygzXjcSfwU
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) May 16, 2017
Slips, Rips and KO Clips
Insane counter switch kick KO
@Bestrafer7 Rukiya may have locked up the KO of the year earlier this year at a K-1 event pic.twitter.com/khqACoVdn3
— Bestrafer7 (@Bestrafer7) May 16, 2017
Agnieszka Niedzwiedz TKO’s Samara Santos Cunha at LFN 4. JUST.. TAP DAMMIT @NiedzwiedzMMA pic.twitter.com/jYQ39ftXH7
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) December 17, 2016
Masaaki Noiri fights Kaew Weerasakreck and Tetsuya Yamato later this year. Violence is on the menu pic.twitter.com/f3Sev8iCaN
— Bestrafer7 (@Bestrafer7) May 16, 2017
Albert Tumenov is just anther ranked UFC welterweight who got a better deal elsewhere
— Streetfight Bancho (@streetfitebanch) May 16, 2017
Podcasts and Video
Daniel Cormier says making fun of Jon Jones drug problems is fair game because they have affected his (Cormier’s) career in significant ways.
BJJ Scout breaks down Maia-Masvidal as only he can
Y’all knew UFC 211 in slow motion would be lit
Random Land
Faces in food
@GordonRamsay dear chef I need your thoughts about my omelet plz my first attempt and I think I nailed it pic.twitter.com/VsYOMpyyPy
— Mais (@mais080) May 16, 2017
Stay woke, Maniacs!