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Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Over the weekend (Sat. Jan. 20, 2024), Dricus Du Plessis dethroned Sean Strickland in the main event of UFC 297, capturing the Middleweight crown via split-decision after a 25-minute battle (watch highlights). The first South African champion didn’t win his belt without controversy, however, as Strickland has some complaints more than bad optics.
The judges’ scorecards are always up for debate, of course, but another big topic of conversation is the cut above Strickland’s eye. According to the former champion, it was opened by a clash of heads late in the fight. Du Plessis denied the accusation, but in five rounds of chaos, who can say what shot exactly caused the cut?
Internet fight fans, that’s who!
Shoutout Redditor /u/UVB076_Enjoyer specifically for isolating the punches that opened up the cut on Sean Strickland’s eye. The quality isn’t the best, but it’s a concise summary of how the cut above Strickland’s eye opened in the fourth round.
Here’s another clip of the same combination landing, as well as Strickland blinking off the damage immediately afterward — prior to any clinching.
Many fans are questioning the headbutt that Sean Strickland is referencing as the reason he lost the fight
Apparently it was an overhand from Dricus that cut open the eye, as opposed to a headbutt
What do you think?
H/T @ThaWeasle pic.twitter.com/IoNHKHDRpU
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 22, 2024
There is definitely some minor head clashing after this exchange, as the first video illustrated. However, it’s pretty par for the course to bump heads occasionally in the clinch and while wrestling. This is more incidental contact than head butt, and if that little bit of rubbing was enough to split the cut further, well, it was probably going to happen in the next nine minutes of scrapping at some point or another.
Insomnia
An unfortunate update to the PFL vs. Bellator super card, but at least Ray Cooper III fights are always fun.
Magomed Magomedkerimov is out of #PFLvsBellator due to injury, sources say.
Ray Cooper III will step in against Jason Jackson. That’s Feb. 24 in Saudi Arabia. Story headed to @MMAJunkie. pic.twitter.com/oAB3LyTum4
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) January 22, 2024
I wouldn’t call it a barnburner necessarily, but I thought Arnold Allen vs. Movsar Evloev was a high-level and interesting fight. Am I a nerd or is Dana White a casual? Perhaps both.
White says that Evloev vs. Allen was “the least fun fight anybody’s ever seen” and that Evloev will have to deal with the fan reaction.
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) January 21, 2024
Vitor Petrino really impressed me in his last fight, and Tyson Pedro is very much a do-or-die finisher. Banger alert?
Tyson Pedro vs. Vitor Petrino is slated to fight at #UFCVegas87 on March 2nd.
(Per: @AgFight) pic.twitter.com/JwkLruZt9W
— COMBAT SPORTS TODAY (@CSTodayNews) January 22, 2024
Oh yeah, Chandler Jones is ready for a career in MMA.
Chandler Jones explains why he believes that CTE is fake pic.twitter.com/KLAuy4j6S3
— Borrachinha Depot (@FullContactMTWF) January 20, 2024
Cory Sandhagen is a gifted analyst and could be a great coach someday if he chooses.
Jiri Prochazka keeping it loose!
Slips, rips, and KO clips
There’s no way this should have worked in a professional fight.
Wow, beautiful leglock transition by Magomed Midaev from bottom mount. #ACAYE44 pic.twitter.com/tV1ti66ws4
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) January 19, 2024
Cris Cyborg can crack like few others, regardless of sport.
Cris Cyborg KO1 Kelsey Wickstrum pic.twitter.com/Cdt45oPvc3
— Neo Vale Tudo (@NeoValeTudo) January 20, 2024
A perfect counter right hand intercepts the start of a lunging combo:
One of the fastest KO’s in KSW history!!
Laïd Zerhouni KO’s Bartosz Fabinski in just 1?2? seconds!!! XTB #KSW90 pic.twitter.com/pvdRjF5sci
— KSW (@KSW_MMA) January 20, 2024
Random Land
Someone to aspire towards: Lawrence Eagleburger.
the list of US diplomats I admire is extremely short but this fuckin’ guy lmao pic.twitter.com/CkRFX1gsmU
— A-100 gecs (@PinstripeBungle) January 20, 2024
Midnight Music: Classic rock, 1977
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.