Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight
Welcome to Midnight Mania, and Happy New Year!
Insomnia
It is somehow fitting for 2018 to close with amazing events that were headlined with two of the most morally questionable people in combat sports getting dominant wins
The whole fight.
Floyd vs Tenshin at #RIZIN14 pic.twitter.com/pVpAzCQKvn— Davei Boi (@Davei_Boi) December 31, 2018
Like Amanda Nunes, flyweight great Kyoji Horiguchi pulled off a remarkable superfight win against Bellator champion Darrion Caldwell.
Scary ankle pick from Caldwell! #RIZIN14 #RIZINFF pic.twitter.com/vrTD2wLH3D
— Kyle Johnson (@Hamderlei) December 31, 2018
Caldwell was trying to devour Kyoji’s arm! #RIZIN14 #RIZINFF pic.twitter.com/oekAAKDB7q
— Kyle Johnson (@Hamderlei) December 31, 2018
Kyoji Horiguchi taps Darrion Caldwell! What a comeback! He is your inaugural RIZIN Bantamweight Champion! #RIZIN14 #RIZINFF pic.twitter.com/GfVjGbaNIz
— Kyle Johnson (@Hamderlei) December 31, 2018
Like Cris Cyborg, Caldwell took the loss incredibly well, like a true champion.
Just like UFC 232, RIZIN 14 had a series of weird, remarkable finishes
In his retirement fight, Kazuyuki Miyata submits Erson Yamamoto via hammerlock from guard. Dear god. #RIZIN14 pic.twitter.com/zhD3yttILJ
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) December 31, 2018
(inserts random video-game-esque knockout from another promotion)
#BestKnockoutsOf2018:
Islam Sizbulatov vs. Luis Nogueira pic.twitter.com/PLErsDLjeX— ACAMMA (@ACA_League) December 31, 2018
I was sad to see Justin Scoggins lose to this highly unusual submission
Is that a pillory choke!? Yuki Motoya (23-5, 1 NC) taps Justin Scoggins in one round with this unique submission! The three-time, two-division DEEP champ has won five straight with four consecutive stoppages. #RIZIN14 #RIZINFF pic.twitter.com/d0vng5DhqO
— Kyle Johnson (@Hamderlei) December 31, 2018
Japanese MMA is just the best.
Japanese MMA kicks so much ass. #RIZIN14 pic.twitter.com/x6FV8xN8X9
— tyler (@tylertreese) December 31, 2018
“Hey Brandon, suck this shit up right now.” #RIZIN14 pic.twitter.com/HZ5PMakBFg
— inxxane (@inxxane) December 31, 2018
Coming back to weird triangle-ish submissions:
Daniel Cormier doesn’t think Jon Jones should come to the wrestling meet.
@JonnyBones I don’t think you should come, if you do it becomes about you and I and that’s not what this is about. Too much hostility. I believe we should let this match be about the kids. Not fair to the kids. Our time will come! https://t.co/qhduT1nh5A
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) December 30, 2018
Ben Askren doesn’t, either, only he said it without DC’s grace
Most parents don’t want Coke heads who use PEDs and do hit and runs on pregnant women being role models. https://t.co/VD02d0bzAP
— Ben Askren (@Benaskren) December 30, 2018
In case you wondered what 215-lb. Alexander Volkanovski looked like, here are photos of him during his League days:
Last night on the #UFC232 broadcast, @Jon_Anik stated Alexander Volkanovski weighed ~ 215 pounds during his rugby career.
I was skeptical, but a quick google search proved Anik correct. Dude was an absolute unit for 5’6″! pic.twitter.com/Z8QoI1bigA
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) December 30, 2018
Another look at Nunes flatlining Cris Cyborg:
— Streetfight Bancho (@streetfitebanch) December 30, 2018
Like I said, Cyborg took in incredibly well, a true role model in defeat.
This is wild
Total combined significant strikes landed by former bantamweight/featherweight champs Cris Cyborg, Ronda Rousey, Miesha Tate and Germaine de Randamie against Amanda Nunes: 14
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) December 30, 2018
I have to say, Amanda Nunes is growing on me. She’s just a likable person.
— Amanda Nunes (@Amanda_Leoa) December 30, 2018
What were the odds again? Do I get 2 houses?
— Nina Ansaroff (@NinaAnsaroff) December 30, 2018
Tyron Woodley’s win over Robbie Lawler felt very similar to Nunes’ win over Cyborg, the faster fighter landing first-round rockets on a champion with a notable advantage in the later rounds.
@Amanda_Leoa She tried to tell you guys!!!! @ufc The Lioness is the Goat
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) December 30, 2018
Speaking of Woodley, Covington won this poll running away, but apparently the UFC has Usman up next:
Who do you guys wanna see me fight March 2nd in Vegas? @ufc
— Tyron T-Wood Woodley (@TWooodley) December 31, 2018
Forrest Griffin is giving up 14% of his manliness for this kitten, apparently.
I got some ideas on this
I mean shit , he should win! Dude starts with a head start everytime #usadafake #jonnybrasco
— Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) December 30, 2018
Let’s not forget the situation surrounding Jones’ licensing didn’t magically go away with his win. This could have repercussions in 2019.
Nor did USADA inform NAC in a timely fashion of Aug and Sept tests despite Nevada Regs requiring Promoter hired drug tester to do so.
— Erik Magraken (@erikmagraken) December 29, 2018
If you are travelling home over the holidays, don’t forget this valuable advice:
I really want to pet a cheetah in my lifetime. They are the best Big Cat there is.
Chad Mendes has reportedly called it a career. Better to retire early than late. Mendes had three cracks at UFC gold, including 2014’s fight of the year against Jose Aldo, and came close twice. He apparently has a thriving trail guide business, which is always a good indication a fighter will really be able to walk away, and hopefully he was able to stash that half a million from the McGregor fight into a nice nest egg.
I can confirm that Chad Mendes has indeed decided to retire. Pretty surprised to hear this. He’s still a top level fighter imo. All the best to Chad in his future endeavors. Aldo/Mendes 2 is one of my all time fave fights. He’s been part of some great moments in this sport.
— Farah Hannoun (@Farah_Hannoun) December 30, 2018
All hail his successor as featherweight prince, Alexander the Great:
Alex Volkanovski (@alexvolkanovski) on his big win over Chad Mendes and why he thinks he’s a bad matchup for Max Holloway. https://t.co/IdFPCg9JIv
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) December 30, 2018
This makes no sense. How is Lineker on the prelims?
The ESPN era is going to have some weird bout orders. pic.twitter.com/i0Wxfwni3q
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) December 30, 2018
This seems unlikely to ever happen.
Jon Jones says he would eventually like to fight to have his second fight against Daniel Cormier overturned and have the win returned to him#UFC232
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) December 30, 2018
Speaking of things that made me laugh with how little sense they made, here’s Dillon Danis:
Mike Beltran just became way more likeable. Poor Gustafsson.
Mike Beltran consoling Gustafsson is killing me, Mike is the king. pic.twitter.com/H0yFoORvsX
— Punch-Drunk Pauly (@punchdrunkpauly) December 30, 2018
Gabi Garcia is a scary human.
Gabi Garcia vs. Barbara Nepomuceno #RIZIN14 pic.twitter.com/H0wIKeJcRr
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) December 30, 2018
Dominick Cruz calling fights where his current or former teammates are in the main event seems like a weird practice.
Brian Ortega with Halle Berry at the fights
Megan Anderson put her toe in Cat Zingano’s eye
Feel so bad for @CatZingano , but that was the absolutely right call by @marcgoddard_uk Cat was kicked with a legal kick, it was a toe that caught her in the eye, but it was not illegal and is not the same as being poked with a finger
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) December 30, 2018
Random Land
Don’t watch this if you like iguanas.
This the most Florida shit I’ve ever seen in my fucking life. And I’m saying this as a Floridian. pic.twitter.com/aw2wXyEypp
— koop (@koopa_kinte) December 29, 2018
This is how that always goes:
Sorry to the boy at McDonald’s pic.twitter.com/oGDl2retmR
— Katie Mckay (@Katie44907025) December 27, 2018
Sleep well in 2019, Maniacs! A better tomorrow is always possible. Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @Vorpality