Midnight Mania! Sanchez Slams NSAC Over BKFC Ban While Power Slap Flourishes

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

In recent years, bare knuckle boxing has carved out a niche for itself. To the surprise of some, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is entering its fifth year in the fight promotion business. Last year, BKFC held 20 events all across the country, as well as a trio of trips to Thailand.

Business appears to be booming.

Though ZUFFA boxing is a dead venture, UFC and Dana White are also looking to expand into alternative forms of competition. Power Slap debuted this month, and though there’s been a few viral knockouts, the complete lack of defense has soured the opinions of many viewers.

There’s also the question of how exactly this sport was sanctioned. The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) is a stingy group, but they were quick to rubber stamp White’s pet project … provided nobody dies! BKFC, meanwhile, remains blocked from the state of Nevada.

Longtime UFC veteran and recent BKFC signee Diego Sanchez doesn’t understand it at all. He recently took to Instagram to vent his confusion and distaste for Power Slap. “I guess the NSAC isn’t worried about these guys?” He wrote. “In all my years of combat sports I never took impacts to the head with this type of pure connection and direct positioning! As a fighter you can roll a punch and have vasoline not chalk on our faces.”

Say what you will about the carnage of bare knuckle, but at least its participants can block, roll, and slip punches! Speaking with BJPenn.com, Sanchez elaborated and explained his belief that UFC’s relationship with NSAC is keeping bare knuckle boxing banned from Las Vegas.

“This is the farthest BKFC has gone West (going to Albuquerque) and of course in their expansion, of course, they want Vegas,” Sanchez said. “But, UFC has the lock on that, they won’t sanction BKFC where they are combat athletes that are skilled fighters and warriors that are trained. But, they will sanction Power Slap where you got a powerlifter that is smacking the hell out of another guy giving him real brain damage.”

Next up for Sanchez is a showdown opposite former boxing champion Austin Trout at BKFC: “Knucklemania 3” in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Feb. 17.

Insomnia

I’d like to send good vibes to our sister site Bloody Elbow, which could use your support in the coming months as they navigate a new road forward.

I have a hard time not predicting Kevin Holland to chin Santiago Ponzinibbio in short order, but there’s no one tougher than “Gente Boa!”

Arman Tsarukyan is going to run through the establish Lightweights at some point in the very near future.

In my experience, professional MMA fighting is almost always a very roundabout way to become a cop, sell real estate, or start a small business. All the best to Jimmie Rivera moving forward!

In his first four UFC fights, Rafael Alves will have faced Damir Ismagulov, Marc Diakiese, Drew Dober, and now undefeated Tajik Combat Sambo fighter Nurullo Aliev. I just want to see the Brazilian style on someone!

THEY CAN’T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH IT!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Taking a moment to pause and load up fully can pay off.

Classic Thai style to turn it up as the fight wears on.

This here is an old school guillotine: latch onto the head and try to yank it off!

Random Land

Unsettling.

Midnight Music: Indie, 1997

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