Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight
Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Amanda Nunes doesn’t like being fluffy, evidently, as the UFC double champion is having trouble fitting into her wardrobe… but did she just kill the women’s featherweight division over it?
145 never again. pic.twitter.com/oR1LCFe7l6
— Amanda Nunes (@Amanda_Leoa) January 14, 2019
UFC women’s featherweight was always a strange division. Rankings for it never really existed; it was created to showcase one woman: Cris Cyborg, the queen of 145. Amanda Nunes ended Cyborg’s 13-year reign in less than a minute. Afterwards, perhaps out of sheer pettiness, she said she plans on making Cyborg wait two years for a rematch, saying she wants to drop back to bantamweight and defend her belt in that weight class. Dana White also shot down Cyborg’s call for an immediate rematch.
Cyborg, perhaps the only female fighter (possibly excepting Megan Anderson) on the roster who can’t make 135, has one fight on her contract… but only if the UFC offers her that fight before March. Once March comes and goes, she’s a free agent, with stated ambitions to try her hand at boxing. The UFC have shown they are willing to contemplate closing down whole weight classes, with the future of men’s flyweight currently unclear. With Nunes dragging her feet on any possible rematch, could this be the end of the UFC’s strangest division?
The good news here? Nunes’ girlfriend, fellow UFC fighter Nina Ansaroff, says she still loves her.
I still love you.
— Nina Ansaroff (@NinaAnsaroff) January 15, 2019
Insomnia
Will this scientific-looking approach to Dillashaw’s brutal weight cut work for him?
Just to give you an idea of the mathematical approach to TJ Dillashaw’s weight cut, here is the algorithm his coach Sam Calavitta used to get him there. I won’t pretend to know what it means, but Sam told me there’s a chance TJ could go to bed the night before weigh-in on weight. pic.twitter.com/rE2ZjyaPiQ
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) January 14, 2019
According to him, the weight cut is over- the rest is academic.
“I’m waking up closer now to 125 than I would at 135 coming into fight week.” – @TJDillashaw on his weight cut down to 125lbs #TLTS@lthomasnews pic.twitter.com/UOwYf4nvd7
— MMA on SiriusXM (@MMAonSiriusXM) January 15, 2019
TJ Dillashaw is the most illustrious veteran of The Ultimate Fighter, ever.
T.J. Dillashaw is the most decorated TUF Vet:
1 of 10 TUF vets to win a UFC title.
1 of 3 TUF Vets to successfully defend a UFC championship (Bisping & Rose other two)
Only TUF Vet to be a 2x UFC Champ.
7 title fights, most for a TUF Vet (includes #UFCBrooklyn)#randomstat— Jed I. Goodman (@jedigoodman) January 14, 2019
Hindsight is 20/20
Closing lines:
Barao -910
Dillashaw +710Rockhold -750
Bisping +525 https://t.co/dwrmgpZ0XI— Jed I. Goodman (@jedigoodman) January 14, 2019
Darren Till was excited that Jorge Masvidal wanted to fight him
— Darren Till (@darrentill2) January 14, 2019
Leon Edwards wasn’t so pleased with the callout
What are you talking about
— Leon ‘Rocky’ Edwards (@Leon_edwardsmma) January 14, 2019
Oleksandr Usyk could end up being the greatest heavyweight boxer of our time, and he’s not even a heavyweight.
Te te te te #Usyk pic.twitter.com/TZTDqf7CXz
— NBT BOXING (@BoxingNbt) January 13, 2019
Amateur and professional MMA events have declined year over year in the United States since 2013, when the UFC really began to establish its stranglehold on the sport. That might not be the cause at all, but its definitely an interesting trend.
@heynottheface As per your question yesterday, these are the numbers we’ve dug up at @tapology for US MMA events by year:
2011 – 1,764
2012 – 1,872
2013 – 1,909
2014 – 1,753
2015 – 1,619
2016 – 1,384
2017 – 1,291
2018 – 1,181Certainly some contraction on the US Regional Scene.
— Steven Kelliher (@Steven_Kelliher) January 14, 2019
On that note. the plaintiffs in the anti-trust lawsuit are claiming 99% of fighters were harmed because the UFC was able to pay them less than half of what they would have received in a competitive market. That seems about accurate judging by the effects of the Reebok deal alone.
Plaintiffs say #UFC‘s scheme enabled it to pay fighters “less than half the amount they would have received in a more competitive market.” Also claim over 99% of UFC fighters we’re harmed. 10 total fighters not harmed.
Not much new there, but hey, it’s something.
— Paul Gift (@MMAanalytics) January 15, 2019
When you do a book report on the Cliff Notes:
Florida Man headlines, but with Mike Perry’s face, remain the best.
Stipe Miocic is still angling for his rematch with Daniel Cormier
.@dc_mma March 20 is coming up quick. Let’s settle this and get this fight on the books before you blow the candles out on that cake.
— Stipe Miocic (@stipemiocic) January 14, 2019
Yeah, this fight poster is pretty amazing.
Anyway here is the greatest mma poster ever….and goodnight pic.twitter.com/YspqoBIZGP
— FuriouslyHigh (@AcidHaze) January 14, 2019
AJ Agazarm could be a force to watch in MMA
A.J. Agazarm, the Ohio State wrestler turned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, will make his MMA debut at Bellator 214 on Jan. 26 in Inglewood, Calif, according to multiple sources. Agazarm will meet Jesse Roberts (0-0, 3-1 amateur) in a 160-pound catchweight fight, sources say.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 14, 2019
Nate Diaz and Khabib Nurmagomedov got into it on social media about their scuffle
Be real
You know what happened live with it— Nathan Diaz (@NateDiaz209) January 13, 2019
Johnny Walker is having Too Much Fun
“Never give a sword to a man who can’t dance”
Tony Ferguson can dance
Why would Dillon Danis pick a fight with Jakie Shields, when Shields beat him in grappling?
Speaking of MMA fighters that are better grapplers than Danis, here’s Garry Tonon:
Frankie Edgar and Eddie Alvarez are the most likely friends you could imagine in MMA
Mike Perry sparring
Cain Velasquez keeps trying to convince us that he’s really coming back. I’m not buying it yet.
Jacked Cejudo
Dustin Poirier made it weird
Let me feel that squeeze Champ!! https://t.co/2p5DOCnmnc
— The Diamond (@DustinPoirier) January 12, 2019
Brian Ortega in a bowtie
Cory Sandhagen found himself a new opponent, UFC newcomer Mario Bautista
Tito Ortiz is a treasure
This is one of the sample videos on Tito Ortiz’s Cameo page: pic.twitter.com/nESPYkEHrD
— Borrachinha Depot (@FullContactMTWF) January 12, 2019
This is funny by Leslie Smith
Trying to get my hair on my pupper’s level #soclose #matching #twinsies pic.twitter.com/8FDxr0CELE
— Leslie Smith (@LeslieSmith_GF) January 15, 2019
Anthony Pettis is still angling for this funhouse scrap with Stephen Thompson
Derrick Lewis hasn’t gotten his free Popeyes for life ticket yet, even though its ten minutes from his house.
Slips, Rips, KO Clips
Yair’s elbow was better but I posted so many knockouts I forgot about this gem:
If we’re ignoring the name value of the fighters, did Goga Shamatava have the best KO of the year in 2018? Spinning elbow counter to a spinning backfist. (ACB 89) pic.twitter.com/meL9ekSbi0
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) January 12, 2019
An old classic from MMA pioneer Yves Edwards
If you’re curious why I call it a ‘Thugjitsu knee’, it’s because of the @thugjitsumaster‘s innovative KO against Edson Berto. pic.twitter.com/m4lN9VID2b
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) June 1, 2018
Another oldie:
Remember when Scott Smith killed Kyle Noke ? I swear man, Scotty’s hands were made out of stone. Damn ! pic.twitter.com/1tOJfuI5xe
— Cerebral Vigilante (@Delisketo) January 13, 2019
Closing the door with a headkick worked out really well for Arman here
8.22.2018
Arman Tsarukyan def. Felipe Olivieri – Head Kick – Platform S70 pic.twitter.com/I0jw982J31— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) January 12, 2019
Back and forth
This guy throws down
Just want to let everyone know, Sumo is back.
Day2 Kotoyuki (L) is back in makuuchi. He’s vs new makuuchi regular Meisei. Both are scrappy, so I knew this would be good, and it is always fun to see if K’s style is going to get him flying off the dohyo (not that I’d wish injury on him of course). #Sumolingo #Hatsubasho pic.twitter.com/RwWk3SUUZ9
— SumoSoul (@TheSumoSoul) January 14, 2019
Day1. #yokozuna Kakuryu (L) was ailing, lost last 5 bouts after 10 straight wins and then missed last basho entirely. Let’s see if he can get started off on right foot vs Tochiozan, who raised expectations early on but in the end only managed a (still respectable) 8-7 last time. pic.twitter.com/TiJCy6drDZ
— SumoSoul (@TheSumoSoul) January 13, 2019
Day1 mostly post b/c expected a big impact, and that’s what we got. Chiyotairyu (L) and Onosho has flown back up with 11-4 last basho. #Sumolingo #akibasho pic.twitter.com/baozCqTmla
— SumoSoul (@TheSumoSoul) January 13, 2019
Old-school heavyweight
Couture vs Nogueira was a classic. It was everything you expected from two all time greats. pic.twitter.com/ymO7pivfbn
— Scott Bond (@_ScottBond_) January 12, 2019
Random Land
Geometry
Sleep well, Maniacs! A better tomorrow is always possible. Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @Vorpality