Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!
Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Khabib Nurmagomedov may be long retired (despite Dana White’s best efforts), but he remains a prominent figure in the sport. He’s an active fight promoter, and his opinions and beliefs are frequently headline news.
More importantly, Nurmagomedov is very active in the coaching scene. Specifically, he’s been instrumental in bringing up the next generation of Russian and Dagestani fighters in both UFC and Bellator. In addition, he’s starting to be sought after by non-Russian fighters from longtime teammates like Luke Rockhold to new faces like Belal Muhammad.
Next weekend at UFC 280, Islam Makhachev will battle Charles Oliveira for the undisputed Lightweight crown. Makhachev has been working with Nurmagomedov as a training partner for many years, but now Nurmagomedov is firmly in the role of coach. If Makhachev is victorious, Khabib will bring home his first UFC belt as a coach less than two years into retirement.
That would be a hell of an accomplishment! American Kickboxing Academy head coach Javier Mendez knows a thing or two about coaching a fighter up to the championship level, and he believes the sky is the limit for Khabib’s coaching potential.
“He’s been coaching forever. Even when he was fighting, he was coaching. He’d be sparring through these five rounds and all of a sudden he’d be sitting there with us coaching the guys,” Mendez said on the UFC unfiltered podcast about Nurmagomedov (via Cole Shelton). “He’s been doing that forever. His father had trained him from such a young age to take the responsibility over, as a fighter, as a coach, and he’s taking over his father’s footsteps. He’s learned from me, he’s learned from his father, mostly his father. But to me, he’s on track, in my opinion, because of his age, what he’s doing, the camp I see, the fighters he has, he’s on track to being the greatest coach of all time, in my opinion. I see it. I see the writing on the wall.”
Insomnia
I am actually happy Hasbulla is going to fight inside the Octagon. That sounds like the type of spectacle that would actually be hilarious and not interfere with real UFC fights. Here are some options for his opponent:
The UFC contract has been signed, Abdu Rozik is next pic.twitter.com/GEqmzvMNu9
— Hasbulla (@HasbullaHive) October 13, 2022
I think I have my next title defense @Hasbulla_NFT pic.twitter.com/2NPWYdn7uj
— Francis Ngannou (@francis_ngannou) October 13, 2022
Now that the cat’s out of the bag we might as well make this official ?? @HasbulIah #UFC282 vs pic.twitter.com/SeuW2PCnJG
— Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) October 13, 2022
Sean O’Malley gives his thoughts on all this back up fighter debate.
UFC just informed me I will be the backup fighter for main event and co main
— Sean O’Malley (@SugaSeanMMA) October 14, 2022
Now THIS is a fight poster!
mma fans are the best at photoshop. pic.twitter.com/LOkvg2BAXx
— Dovy (@DovySimuMMA) October 13, 2022
ILLUMINATED BY GOD!
Charles Oliveira after submitting Justin Gaethje (2022)
@jeffbottari pic.twitter.com/QpVP22DpsQ
— Fight Pics That Go Hard (@fightpicsgohard) October 14, 2022
Oliveira’s prep for Islam #UFC280
(h/t @ThaWeasle, via @CharlesDoBronxs) pic.twitter.com/I8PkGElhhQ
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) October 13, 2022
RIP to RIZIN veteran Katsuya Kitamura.
Former Pro-Wrestling and Rizin Fighter Katsuya Kitamura passed away at 36 years old. Last Wednesday, he called an ambulance after feeling bad but his situation changed drastically before his death was confirmed. He faces Bobby Ologon last year in the Okinawa show. pic.twitter.com/ADu1rnQJ9U
— Bruno Massami (????? ???????) (@BrMassami) October 14, 2022
My first instinct was to label this corny, but the bride really went after those kneebars, and that’s pretty rad.
Not your traditional wedding night!! #bjj #BJJTwitter pic.twitter.com/QxOzhqOut4
— Ben O’Shea (@Ben_likescoffee) October 13, 2022
The circumstances are unfortunate, but Victory Henry vs. Raphael Assuncao is a damn good fight that deserved main card status anyway.
Raphael Assuncao vs. Victor Henry has been moved to the #UFCVegas62 main card, UFC officials tell our man @kenshathaway on the ground.
— Nolan King (@mma_kings) October 14, 2022
How does everyone think Cub Swanson’s Bantamweight debut goes tomorrow night?
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Perhaps the best time to throw up a submission from bottom is during the takedown, before the position is actually established.
Takhir Tokarev chokes out Khadzhimurad Abuev via first round triangle. Started with a hook kick#AMCFightNights115 pic.twitter.com/xIn8bAYh7j
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) October 14, 2022
This is Pat Barry vs. Cheick Kongo levels of comeback KO.
Charles Oliveira vs Michael Chandler pic.twitter.com/qrYfwLlcSF
— Cosmic Danny (@falcon_punches) October 13, 2022
These gentleman didn’t waste much time before throwing down.
Mikhail Gazaev KO’s Yuri Kiselov in 16 seconds #AMCFightNights115 pic.twitter.com/qDgk76tuNZ
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) October 14, 2022
Random Land
It’s rare that a tattoo actually leaves me speechless.
Midnight Music: Alternative, 1983
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.