Midnight Mania! Neal Vs. Magny Likely For August

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

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Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Geoff Neal has been vocal about his frustrations with finding an opponent. The knockout artist has been refused by several high-profile foes, which has proven a major obstacle to climbing the ranks.

Enter Neil Magny, the well-traveled veteran always willing to take on the latest-and-greatest Welterweight threat. Per a report from ESPN, Magny and Neal have agreed to fight. While contracts have yet to be signed, the bout is targeted for UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada near the end of August.

One of the fastest rising Welterweights on the roster, Neal is on a major roll, as the Texan has won five straight inside the Octagon. More than just the victories themselves, Neal is winning in style. He’s stopped three of his last four wins via strikes, and two of those were head kicks!

Meanwhile, Magny returned from an unusually long layoff back in March, proving the oddsmakers wrong in dominant fashion opposite Li Jingliang. Afterward, he picked up another solid victory opposite Anthony Rocco Martin, reasserting himself into the Welterweight picture.

Who ya’ got?

Insomnia

Multiple-time ADCC and Worlds gold medalist Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida is making the cross to MMA, and it’s time to get excited! At 30 years old, it will be interesting to see how well Almeida is able to pick up kickboxing and wrestling.

An awesome piece of animation celebrating a pretty incredible moment in Alexander Gustafsson’s career.

Ahead of his final UFC bout, let’s remember the good times with Fabricio Werdum, namely his world title win, Colby Covington boomerang-ing, and Edmund Tarverdyan front kick.

A good mix of intensity and control in this sparring clip:

Best of luck to Martin on his recovery, but it sounds like it’ll be a while before he’s back in the Octagon.

“The Predator” is a great name for an intimidating man, but Francis “Sand Miner” Ngannou also has a neat ring to it.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Showing the right hand to load up the left:

I love seeing a fighter wrap up the d’arce and then use it to drag their victim back down, Tony Ferguson-style.

I am genuinely amazed this choke landed. What a wild ride!

Random Land

Yeah, so this is terrifying.

Midnight Music: I do my best to give an open-minded listen to any new album that is universally lauded by critics or recommended by a trusted friend. As such, I listened to Taylor Swift’s new album Folklore despite a personal history of disliking her work. I think I like it?

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