Midnight Mania! Watch GSP Get Tossed Around With Wrist Locks

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

As MMA fans, we tend to see wrist locks as ridiculous, unrealistic stunts, reserved for Steven Seagal books (books?? Yes, books), unconvincing Aikido demonstrations, and choreographed spy movies. After all, if they were ‘real’, we would see them in the Octagon, right? Seagal would have taught them to Anderson Silva and Lyoto Machida along with the front snap kick he totally was responsible for.

Just like with many obscure grappling tactics, though, wrist locks can work, if you can get to the right position and secure it. George St. Pierre’s ‘crazy old School Sensei’ Kristof Midoux showed how effective they can be on the former two-weight UFC champion, putting the hold on him and tossing him around with it. As GSP’s wincing afterwards showed, the hold can be painful.

They even have been used in MMA before- though, as with all low-percentage submissions, they have a better chance when the person applying it has a vast skill advantage over their opponent. Here, Shinya Aoki ends a fight with a well-timed wrist lock throw.

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Insomnia

Judo Olympic champion Kayla Harrison winning her MMA debut via armbar can only draw comparison to one person…

You have to feel for Jason High here. Banned from the UFC for shoving a ref after a controversial stoppage, now screwed again in the PFL million-dollar tournament over a referee blunder.

I don’t always get Khabib’s sense of humor, but I do love how ordinary and unimposing he appears in street clothes. You would never guess just how badly he wrecks people in the cage.

Who is Cris Cyborg in camp for?

Chad Mendes practicing ground and pound

I’ve never seen this wrestling technique before.

This account has some of the best fighter photoshops in the game.

Even UFC athletes aren’t always up to every challenge, as Tarec Saffediene tries his hand at shoulder scooting.

Bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw drilling takedowns

Anderson Silva just wants to spread the joy he sees in the world.

Matt Brown’s nickname has always been particularly appropriate.

Maybe the expression on the face of the fighter on the left is because he just realized he is fighting Gollum’s son.

Sage Northcutt outdid Eddie Alvarez on the pool flips

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Slips, Rips, and KO Clips

Vinny Maghalaes is one of the better grapplers not signed by the UFC

For some reason people rolling ankles or otherwise getting injured is harder to watch than people just getting knocked out.

The clinch knees set up the punches

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Podcasts and Video

Breaking down Leon Edwards’ back control! Follow MMA Mania on Youtube

Will Donald Cerrone’s slick triangle setups be a factor on Saturday morning?

The MMA Ratings Podcast

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Random Land

Whoops

I’ve been posting a lot of juggling clips lately, and that kick was astonishing.

Shoutout to the reporter for including this clip in her segment. It may be trolling, but it’s A+ trolling.

Fly away home

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