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Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Earlier tonight (Fri., June 24, 2022), Stevie Ray scored perhaps the biggest victory of his professional career when he tapped out Anthony Pettis. The fight began competitively, with Ray pressing through Pettis’ array of kicking offense. The two wrestled along the fence a good bit in the first, but it remained largely a stand up contest that saw both men land some clean blows.
Pettis started the second strong. Despite Ray’s pressure, he was able to partially connect on a powerful high kick and land some stinging counter rights. The momentum shifted when Ray timed a takedown and jumped on the back. Pettis managed to spin into guard, but somehow, Ray kept a tight squeeze on the body triangle.
Pettis looked uncomfortable, so Ray hooked his opponent’s lat muscle and really clamped down. Pettis’ ribs were getting squished — in different but similar circumstances to his Dustin Poirier loss — and he was forced to submit. As a result of his second-round submission win, Ray is heading the PFL playoffs later this year.
Check out the highlights below!
? Kick by @Showtimepettis to close out the 1st round!#2022PFL5 LIVE on ESPN & ESPN+
https://t.co/jPNvomkWj8 pic.twitter.com/dThi7Nm2J2— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 25, 2022
STEVIE RAY GETS THE TAP!!!!
RAY IS GOING TO THE #PFLPLAYOFFS!!#2022PFL5 LIVE on ESPN & ESPN+
https://t.co/jPNvomkWj8 pic.twitter.com/AIwfNlWFtS— PFL (@PFLMMA) June 25, 2022
Insomnia
There’s been a lot of shifting and unshifting of next week’s bout order, but here’s the final outcome.
#UFC276 update (per ESPN)
– Munhoz vs. O’Malley back on the PPV card.
– Miller vs. Cerrone opening the ABC/ESPN Prelims.
– Riddell vs. Turner featured prelim again. pic.twitter.com/0I24y6N8bI— Marcel Dorff (@BigMarcel24) June 24, 2022
The grappling exchanges between Mateusz Gamrot and Arman Tsarukyan are going to be DOPE!
Arman Tsarukyan takedown defense, escapes, and scrambles pic.twitter.com/O4WPScKgbL
— Miguel Class (@MigClass) June 24, 2022
A legendary class of competitors.
Guessing UFC fighter tattoos is a challenging game when 30% of the roster has a lion somewhere on their body.
Beef between Charles Oliveira and Paulo Costa? That’s unexpected.
Brian Ortega and Tracy Cortez compete in a popular TikTok challenge:
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Can “The Action Man” get it done tomorrow night opposite Rodolfo Vieira?
Chris Curtis finished Andre Fialho via TKO in 2019#UFCVegas57 pic.twitter.com/NMAXsXfim2
— Alex Behunin (@AlexBehunin) June 24, 2022
A very ugly punch that apparently landed incredibly hard!
Jojo Rajkumari knocked out Mary Jane Buna stiff in 36 seconds at Matrix Fight Night 9. Brutal KO pic.twitter.com/gQuw3kXaA1
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) June 24, 2022
Now, I don’t claim to understand what is happening here, but did this promotion really create blindfolded MMA and then ban grappling … the only aspect of MMA you can do with your eyes closed?
Always something new from those events #popMMA pic.twitter.com/QxcR2NRZGN
— Matysek (@Matysek88) June 24, 2022
Random Land
As a mediocre rock climber, this gives me hope that when I someday fall inside a scary chimney, I’ll just be able to casually slide to the bottom.
Midnight Music: I’m lucky enough to be marrying my best friend on Sunday, so here’s our first dance song.
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.