Midnight Mania! Government Monitoring Cash Werdum Takes to Rep this Genocidal Dictator

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Werdum is reportedly part of an effort by the US government to monitor payments from murderous Russian dictator Ramzan Kadyrov. Werdu…

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Werdum is reportedly part of an effort by the US government to monitor payments from murderous Russian dictator Ramzan Kadyrov. Werdum wears the gear of Kadyrov’s MMA promotion, Akhmat, used as PR to promote the strength of the Chechen dictator’s regime.

Maybe stop taking money to represent a Chechen warlord dictator who openly wants to kill all the gays?

“It’s only for MMA, so its chill”…. Oof

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It’s hard to root for a guy who doesn’t see the issue with that. Previously, fighters such as Frank Mir and Chris Weidman, as well as boxer Floyd Mayweather, have visited Chechnya at Kadyrov’s behest, but Weidman have since distanced themselves from the dictator. Floyd Mayweather has not.

Insomnia

I like fight art, and this caricature of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone is very well done. It almost looks like a fusion between Cerrone’s face and his Jackson-Wink teammate John Dodson.

@dan_alsheimer

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Not sure how this altercation got started, but this guy should have left well enough alone.

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Somehow I don’t think Claudia Gadelha is going to get this takedown.

Trying to grab that single ??? #teamcg

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This is a cool kick, but also an illustration of why we don’t see all that many karate fighters “use their karate” in MMA.

I say that, but then there’s this:

@caged_steel #repost What do you think of this sidekick knockout?

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This is superb fight analysis.

Robert Whittaker was in GQ Australia.

Check out this months issue @gqaustralia

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Joe Lauzon getting choked out seven years ago today

How abuse gets passed on in one cute video

The next unlockable UFC 3 character

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Mike Bisping did some padwork with YouTuber KSI, who has a celebrity boxing match coming up with an obnoxious American YouTuber who made a viral video about a Japanese person who committed suicide. Needless to say I won’t be supporting the match, but I will be rooting for KSI by default.

Doing a little training with YouTube sensation @ksi last week. @reebokuk

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Derrick Lewis has a response for Ngannou’s callout. Ngannou really wants Brock Lesnar, though.

Kajan Johnson with the good memes.

Been memed again!! . . . . #meme #ufc #ufclondon #danawhite #kajanjohnson #memefamous

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Ali Abdelaziz signing Nick Newell could mean we see Newell in the UFC sooner rather than later.

Weird video time

Max Holloway hit Angela Hill with the Dim Mak

@blessedmma hit me with that #ChiBullet and it was all over

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Angela is making the most out of her time in Hawaii.

#UFCHawaii #MakeItHappen

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I’m still amazed this happened not once but TWICE on Saturday.

Holly Holm says riding bulls is her new sport.

Formidable crew including Cub Swanson, TJ Dillashaw, Tom Duquesnoy, and Jake Ellenberger.

Max Holloway spending quality time with his son outdoors.

This guy not only trained Conor McGegor, but he is going to fight in a cage.

Idog shaking tail #movementculture #idoportal

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Whoever does these in the middle of the night is pretty talented.

Almost 4am Hail Caesar #caesar

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I would say so.

that hurt like fuck I’d say

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Matt Brown with the Muay Thai legend.

#Repost @muaythai.motivation ??? Today is the traditional celebration of National Muay Thai day in Thailand or, Nai Khanom Tom day. It’s a commemorative day to honor and homage the great Nai Khanom Tom and all the ancient teachers who developed Muay Boran into the contemporary Muay Thai, the art of the eight limbs. In 1767, Nai Khanom Tom was captured after the Burmese sacked the city of Siam of Ayutthaya. The Burmese king held a seven days and seven nights of celebration. A Burmese boxer matched him, but before the fight Nai Khanom Tom started to dance. The referee announced that the danced was a traditional Wai Kru through which the Muay Thai fighter paid his respect to his mentor. He defeated ten Burmese boxer, showed a unique style of fighting. The Burmese king rewards him, asking which he prefer money or wives. Nai Khanom Tom takes the two Burmese girls because he said that money was easier to find. He took his wives in Thailand, where they lived until the end of their life. Every 17th of March, is the day to perform the Wai Kru, and you would pay respects to your trainers. In every stadium in the country, they dedicate their fight to honor the memory and achievements of Nai Khanom Tom. Today is the day to thank your Kru’s or Trainers in your camp. Appreciate their dedication and determination to share their knowledge with you. #muaythai motivation #muaythai #muaythaitraining #motivation #trueheart #champion #inspiration #practice #trainharder #trainingmotivation #nevergiveup #artof8limbs #art #spiritualjourney #spirit #lovewhatyoudo #dontfearfailure #adventure #journey #thedayinthelife #painistemporary #takerisks #nevergiveup

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This is adorable.

Pretty cool of Bisping and courageous of the young lad.

Slips, Rips, and KO Clips

I’ve been watching this sport for a few years now and I still see new submissions.

Speaking of crazy submissions

Ouch

From the weekend:

Matrix-level kick

Great wing block and counter

SUMO

Good Reads

  • John Nash published the definitive guide to understanding not only the union/association debate for UFC fighters, but the history and future of collective bargaining in sports as it pertains to MMA. If you complain about clickbait and shallow stories, then go click on this and read it to support actual journalism. He explains the implications of the Ali Act, Project Spearhead, the MMAFA, the anti-trust lawsuit, and the ways they could interact and possibly counteract each other.
  • Brad Scott had to take a job cleaning heroin needles out of abandoned apartments to survive after his opponent missed weight in London and the UFC paid him half his show money, ten thousand dollars. With that sum, he found himself $2,600 dollars in the hole after financing his camp in the U.S. It’s a prime reason you should care about John Nash’s union/association discussion above; pay and working conditions for professional fighters after half a dozen fights for a multi-billion dollar organization are abysmal.
  • Anderson Silva thinks there may be a chance to fight for the UFC belt again. No, there won’t. If that’s the reason you still want to fight, just retire, Andy.

Podcasts and Audio

Al Iaquinta has a solid grasp on what Paul Felder brings to the cage.

Random Land

This guy, Ben Mcrae, not only has cool pictures but takes the time to tell the human stories behind them.

My tripod is set & a long lens attached. Each time I exhale steam rises to meet the mornings chill. I stand silently in the pre dawn light. As I look east I see the hues of an approaching day. The encroaching colours are accompanied by more light. Its not natural, it’s man made. The line of lights snake through the landscape. It is silent but soon the weaving snake will roar to life. Two by two it carries on. It is the pulsing line of cars coming to Sossusvlei. The drone of tyres are soon heard. Lights overtake lights as each car races to reach the dunes in time for sunrise. I watch on. My Experience has paid off. At least these others should have done their home work to avoid the rush. The first set of tyres screams past. They are not abiding by the rules of the park, but at least they pass. I’m not so lucky with the second. From the bright lights source I hear an inquisitive call, “is this Dune 45?”. Before I can answer another car pulls up. Then another. I yell out as loud as I can that Dune 45 is further on, but already people have stepped from their cars. These lost souls spew from their vehicles thinking this is where the guide book told them they need to be. No guidance or advice from me will change their mind as the sun is starting to cast its contrasting glow on the dunes side. The lights arrival brings hysteria as the one time tourists think they are going to miss the unmissable sunrise from the dunes top. I yell advice but it is too no avail. They don’t speak a word of English. I shout louder & motion to my camera, but they don’t care. Seconds later scaring footsteps crush the dunes crest. In an instant, my mornings composition ruined. They don’t care. The trail of footsteps carry on. Motivated tourists push forward & I know Karma is going to be a bitch. This Dune is three times the size of the one they had set out to conquer. The approaching ranger, another thorn in their side. This Dune is protected, so I decide to sit back & watch the show.

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Capital A Art right here

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