Midnight Mania: Pimp My Ride + Influencer Beatdown, O’Malley Edition

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Social media influencer Adin Ross is no stranger to the combat sports world.

Best known for live streaming with various celebrities and his broadcasts of video games like Grand Theft Auto, Ross has also spent some time training with names regular readers of this column would know. He’s traded blows with the likes of Jake Paul and Ryan Garcia, as well as taken a body shot from UFC Light Heavyweight champion Alex Pereira.

Earlier on Wednesday (April 3, 2024), Ross revealed that he recently spent some time with Bantamweight kingpin, Sean O’Malley, who isn’t a stranger to the influencer scene. As a congratulations for his UFC 299 title defense over Marlon Vera (watch highlights), Ross gifted O’Malley a tricked out vintage car. Being that it was a gift for “Suga,” of course the car was bright pink!

Eat your heart out, Xzibit.

Later in the day, Ross released another video of himself stepping into the cage opposite “Suga.” While I’m not claiming O’Malley dropped a Sean Strickland-esque beating on his influencer pal, he also didn’t let Ross land a shot! In a separate video, O’Malley is seen picking apart the social media star. O’Malley is clearly pulling his punches, but it remains a unique response to a friendly gift!

Watch a small sample below:

O’Malley became champion last year by knocking out Aljamain Stering. His successful defense against “Chito” extended his unbeaten streak to seven, and “Suga” is expected to return to action sometime later this year opposite Merab Dvalishvili.

Insomnia

There’s a real chance this Welterweight contest ends inside a round.

A look into the sparring of Justin Gaethje and Max Holloway! Seeing as Cory Sandhagen is one of like four other fighters (aside from Holloway) who hook off the jab, “Sandman” is a pretty decent analogue.

Speaking of UFC 300, what’s your most anticipated fight?

Nothing like a bit of comedy.

In case anyone needed another reason not to care about Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson …

It looks more like Dustin Poirier is involved in the promotion of this film rather than acting in it, but that’s cool too.

Anyone got a reason why this escape wouldn’t work from the rear clinch in MMA? Looks functional to me!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

The element of surprise is the primary reason the buggy choke works in a sport where slamming is allowed.

Perfect control of distance to slip the jab and land two punches in return.

Kraus did NOT let his opponent treat the clinch as a safe place.

Random Land

Apex predators.

Midnight Music: Hip-hop, 2012

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