Midnight Mania: Guess Who Else Turned Down UFC 300 Main Event?

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Welcome to Midnight Mania!

We’re less than 24 hours away from the biggest event since … UFC 100 probably? One of the big Conor McGregor events? I don’t know that UFC 300 will shatter pay-per-view (PPV) records quite like “The Notorious,” but it’s hard to argue there’s ever been a UFC event more rock solid from top-to-bottom.

What fighter wouldn’t want to headline such a massive and marquee event? Surely, every athlete was champing at the bit for the opportunity to star in the most important fight card of the last few years?

Not so much.

A Middleweight grudge match between Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis was widely discussed as a possible option, but Du Plessis wasn’t going to be healthy in time. Similarly, Leon Edwards accepted three possible opponents for UFC 300 (none of them were Belal Muhammad), but all three would-be Welterweight title challengers declined for various reasons as well.

That’s how we landed on Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill as the headlining bout, but according to a recent interview with Magomed Ankalaev, that may not even have been the first Light Heavyweight choice. Ankalaev claims he passed on a title shot because of Ramadan, but he also insists that he’s been promised the next Light Heavyweight shot.

“This fight is especially interesting for me because I was promised that I would meet whoever wins it,” Ankalaev told MetaRatings (via Google Translate). “I was actually offered to fight [Alex ]Pereira at this tournament, but since we had the holy month of Ramadan, I had to refuse.

“I’ve been in this sport for a long time and I don’t see any danger from any of them. I don’t really care who wins. I had different tests, I had both comfortable and uncomfortable opponents. There is only one goal – to win the belt.”

It’s a bold move from Ankalaev, seeing as UFC title shot promises don’t always pay off.

That said, Ankalaev is certainly deserving of a big opportunity. The Dagestani Sambo ace smashed Johnny Walker (watch here) back in January, which extended his current unbeaten streak to 12 fights, though there’s a “No Contest” and draw in that run. The draw came in his first UFC title fight against Jan Blachowicz, a decision Ankalaev found so unsatisfactory that he labeled himself the “uncrowned champion.”

He’ll have to wait a bit longer for any chance of an official coronation.

Insomnia

Alex Pereira said f—k your soundbite DC!

Islam Makhachev offers his thoughts on the crowded upper section of the Lightweight division:

I would never miss a Benoit Saint-Denis or Dan Hooker fight. Put them in the cage together? That’s the good stuff!

JON ANIK IS A REAL FIGHT FAN!

The kimura isn’t a common submission in MMA, but that doesn’t mean the figure-four grip doesn’t hold value as a means to improve position or control an opponent.

New sparring footage from “The Notorious” Conor McGregor.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

MMA needs more left hooks to the body followed by a hook upstairs. Brandon Moreno does it well!

A nice Southpaw check hook, one of Jamahal Hill’s better shots!

These kinds of videos are always funny to me. I’ve seen them happen in person too — highly recommend.

Random Land

Leap of the penguins.

Midnight Music: Alt. rock, 1988

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.