UFC Fight Night 78 Results: 5 Burning Questions Heading into Fight Night 79

UFC Fight Night 78 is in the books. The results are as follows (c/o Bleacher Report’s own Craig Amos):
UFC Fight Night 78 Main Card

Neil Magny def. Kelvin Gastelum, split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
Ricardo Lamas def. Diego Sanchez, unanimous decis…

UFC Fight Night 78 is in the books. The results are as follows (c/o Bleacher Report’s own Craig Amos):

UFC Fight Night 78 Main Card

  • Neil Magny def. Kelvin Gastelum, split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)
  • Ricardo Lamas def. Diego Sanchez, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Henry Cejudo def. Jussier Formiga, split decision (30-27, 28-29, 30-27)
  • Erick Montano def. Enrique Marin, split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Enrique Barzola def. Horacio Gutierrez, unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
  • Leandro Silva def. Efrain Escudero, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

Prelims on Fox Sports 1

  • Erik Perez def. Taylor Lapilus, unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Bartosz Fabinski def. Hector Urbina, unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Alejandro Perez def. Scott Jorgensen, TKO (Round 2, 4:26)
  • Andre Fili def. Gabriel Benitez, TKO (Round 1, 3:13)

Prelims on UFC Fight Pass

  • Alvaro Herrera def. Vernon Ramos, TKO (Round 1, 0:30)
  • Polo Reyes def. Cesar Arzamendia, knockout (Round 1, 3:42)
  • Michel Prazeres def. Valmir Lazaro, split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Next up? Fight Night 79 on Saturday, Nov. 28, of course.

The UFC is set to take its first trip to South Korea and has put together a deceptively solid show to court the new market. With a lineup of compelling talent, including newcomers such as Seo-Hee Ham and Doo-Ho Choi, alongside established veterans such as Ben Henderson and Dong-Hyun Kim, there is actually quite a lot to look forward to on this card.

So which questions demand to be answered? Read on and find out.

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For the Ladies: Sexyama Gets Naked for ‘Super Akiyama’


(The full photo violates our “no bare asses on the homepage” policy. Check out the whole thing after the jump.)

Let’s get one thing straight: Posting Yoshihiro Akiyama nude photos is absolutely a ploy to generate search traffic. But even hetero dudes can’t resist the allure of the MMA fighter/model/singer known worldwide as SEXYAMA.

We found this tasteful nude photo of Akiyama on reddit/MMA, and after some research, we learned that it came from the book Super Akiyama by Singaporean photographer Leslie Kee, which was published way back in 2011. Check out the photo below, along with one more shot from the book with Akiyama’s junk censored out. It will be your new desktop wallpaper image, probably.


(The full photo violates our “no bare asses on the homepage” policy. Check out the whole thing after the jump.)

Let’s get one thing straight: Posting Yoshihiro Akiyama nude photos is absolutely a ploy to generate search traffic. But even hetero dudes can’t resist the allure of the MMA fighter/model/singer known worldwide as SEXYAMA.

We found this tasteful nude photo of Akiyama on reddit/MMA, and after some research, we learned that it came from the book Super Akiyama by Singaporean photographer Leslie Kee, which was published way back in 2011. Check out the photo below, along with one more shot from the book with Akiyama’s junk censored out. It will be your new desktop wallpaper image, probably.


(Click for full-size version.)

If your confidence in your own sexuality has been shaken, please visit our ring girls page while breathing deeply into a paper bag. You’ll be fine.

Amir Sadollah’s Long Road Back to the Octagon Ends at UFC Fight Night 52

A career in the fight business is one that comes with a fair amount of give and take.
On one side of the scale, there is money and a notable amount of fame or public recognition that will hopefully yield other opportunities to make more of the prior, b…

A career in the fight business is one that comes with a fair amount of give and take.

On one side of the scale, there is money and a notable amount of fame or public recognition that will hopefully yield other opportunities to make more of the prior, but on the opposite side, there are physical tolls where payments are required.

Fighting is a gritty trade by nature, but it’s hardly the bumps, bruises and abrasions suffered on fight night in the quest for glory that linger. Those wounds heal rather quickly in most cases, and what amplified adrenaline won’t take care of in the immediate aftermath, a few days of “R and R” certainly will.

That said, the road traveled just to make it to the bright lights on the contracted date is often times a rigorous journey and one Amir Sadollah knows all too well.

With a fighting style that favored the scrap and an offbeat but humorous personality, The Ultimate Fighter Season 7 winner immediately became a fan favorite when he emerged on the scene in 2008. Immediately following his stint on the reality-based fighting program, the New York native dropped down a weight class and jumped into the deep waters of the UFC’s welterweight division. The next four years would come with a mixture of victories and setbacks, but all the gym time in between those showings started to add up in a major way.

When the Xtreme Couture fighter steps in to face Yoshihiro Akiyama at Fight Night 52 this Saturday night in Saitama, Japan, it will be the first live action the 34-year-old has seen in over two years. That is a long time to be away from any professional realm as an athlete, but Sadollah isn’t one to focus on the negative.

Instead, the Las Vegas transplant found a few silver linings to latch onto along the way and feels his time on the sidelines allowed him to get things back to where they needed to be.

“I was just talking to my coach the other day about how the fight game is just as much mental as it is physical,” Sadollah told Bleacher Report.

“It was unfortunate to be on the shelf as long as I have been, but I’ve also been fortunate to still be in the game here and there. I was able to teach a little bit at a school in New York, and even though I was physically unable to fight, that helped me participate and stay connected to fighting.

“You do what you can, but some times you actually learn more from a break. When you step away from things then come back, things can look a little more clear than they once did.

“That time away also showed me just how banged up I really was. But hot yoga is the secret. For real, man. I believe in it as much as I can believe in anything and tell as many people as I can about it. For some reason it’s not the easiest thing for people to get into, but once you do, it is really great for you. It doesn’t help so much with the martial arts side of things but everything else I think it does. 

“I’ve categorized this in my mind where it’s not a comeback or a fresh start, it’s just all cumulative,” he added. “Life is crazy, and I see everything that happens as all being a part of the journey if that makes sense.”

When Sadollah does finally make his return to the sport’s biggest stage this Saturday night, it will come against an opponent who has also been out of action for quite some time. The last event where Akiyama‘s name was on the billing came at UFC 144 back in February 2012, when he lost a unanimous decision to Jake Shields in his official welterweight debut.

Nevertheless, Sadollah is expecting the storied Japanese fighter to bring his signature brand of intensity to the fight, and he believes their respective styles are a solid formula for an entertaining tilt for the fans. Yet, in addition to the possibility of an interesting stylistic squabble, Sadollah is also prepared to face the legendary handsomeness “Sexiyama” brings to the table.

While preparing for such an attribute is an unorthodox practice, the former TUF winner believes he has his own firepower in that department. 

“I’m excited about the fight and think it’s a really great matchup,” Sadollah said. “We both like to scrap, and that should make an exciting fight for the fans. I’m really amped up to fight. I’ve always wanted to fight in Japan, and Akiyama is a great opponent to do that with. I’m looking forward to getting out there and mixing it up with him.

“As soon as I heard about the fight I was excited. Anytime you can go out there and fight a guy that has a name or notoriety in this sport, and do it in a place like Japan, those things would be impossible for me not to get excited about. I think it’s going to be a good one.

“I don’t think his handsomeness is going to help,” he added. “I don’t know if it’s going to hurt, but I’m pretty damn handsome myself so we’ll see how that is going to affect him. When you have two handsome immovable objects collide…we are just going to have to see what happens. It could just be a freakin‘ spectacular display of handsomeness.”

Returning to the Octagon is a moment Sadollah has been looking forward to for the past two years, but competing in Japan is something he’s had on his wish list since his MMA career began. Both of those milestones will become reality on Sept. 20, and Sadollah isn’t one to let opportunity slip through his fingers.

He acknowledges the hectic nature of fight week will limit his time to take in the wonders Japan has to offer, but if he gets the chance to let all of his talents shine, he intends to leave the Japanese people with the show they have all been waiting for. 

“I’m going there to fight, so I’m obviously excited about that, but I’ve always wanted to go to Japan and I’ve always appreciated the Japanese culture,” Sadollah said. “Granted, being in a place during fight week isn’t the same as going to visit, but I’m definitely looking forward to taking in as much as I can. I just may go to one of those karaoke bars people are always talking about and just belt out something amazing. 

“That’s a damn fine question and one I can answer. I would start with ‘Come on Eileen,’ then I’d bring the house down with ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen. I like to get everyone going then bring it to a dramatic close, and what better way to do than with that song? I would also like to say I’d throw in some Michael Jackson in between, but that’s hard to pull off for anyone that isn’t me.” 

 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise. 

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com

The 7 Biggest UFC Busts of All Time: 2014 Edition

It’s been quite a while since we first penned our list of the 7 Biggest UFC Busts of All Time, and a lot has changed in the time since. While some of our choices are even more relevant now than they were when the list was originally published in July of 2009, most of them seem either inaccurate or simply out of date in light of current circumstances. Knowing what we know now, we’ve decided to update our list to align with today’s MMA landscape. Enjoy.

#7 – Robert Drysdale

Robert Drysdale had already achieved the distinction of being one of the most credentialed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors and sought-after coaches in all of MMA when he signed with the UFC last year. He had also picked up six straight first round submissions in professional competition, and was primed to make some huge waves in the UFC’s light heavyweight division.

But oh, if only it were that simple. Drysdale was first scheduled to take on Ednaldo Oliveira at UFC 163 until he was forced out of the bout at the last minute due to a “lingering staph infection” and definitely not the fact that he had been denied a therapeutic use exemption for TRT days prior. He was then scheduled to face Cody Donovan at UFC 167, but was denied licensure after an out-of-competition drug test came back with an absolutely absurd 19.4:1 testosterone-to-epitestosterone (T/E) ratio.

You’d think the UFC would have shitcanned Drysdale right then and there, but The Baldfather is nothing if not a softie for guys with a great ground game (lol!). Drysdale was given another shot at the TUF 19 Finale in July, and to his credit, he actually managed to show up and submit Keith Berish in just over 2 minutes. The post-fight drug test, however, would reveal that Drysdale was once again competing with an unnatural level of testosterone flowing through his veins. But hey, at least his T/E ratio was only 12:1 this time!

One fight. Two failed drug tests. And to our knowledge, Drysdale is still employed by the UFC. Let’s hope he can get his sh*t together long enough to pick up one legitimate win before all is said and done.

It’s been quite a while since we first penned our list of the 7 Biggest UFC Busts of All Time, and a lot has changed in the time since. While some of our choices are even more relevant now than they were when the list was originally published in July of 2009, most of them seem either inaccurate or simply out of date in light of current circumstances. Knowing what we know now, we’ve decided to update our list to align with today’s MMA landscape. Enjoy. 

#7 – Robert Drysdale

Robert Drysdale had already achieved the distinction of being one of the most credentialed Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitors and sought-after coaches in all of MMA when he signed with the UFC last year. He had also picked up six straight first round submissions in professional competition, and was primed to make some huge waves in the UFC’s light heavyweight division.

But oh, if only it were that simple. Drysdale was first scheduled to take on Ednaldo Oliveira at UFC 163 until he was forced out of the bout at the last minute due to a “lingering staph infection” and definitely not the fact that he had been denied a therapeutic use exemption for TRT days prior. He was then scheduled to face Cody Donovan at UFC 167, but was denied licensure after an out-of-competition drug test came back with an absolutely absurd 19.4:1 testosterone-to-epitestosterone (T/E) ratio.

You’d think the UFC would have shitcanned Drysdale right then and there, but The Baldfather is nothing if not a softie for guys with a great ground game (lol!). Drysdale was given another shot at the TUF 19 Finale in July, and to his credit, he actually managed to show up and submit Keith Berish in just over 2 minutes. The post-fight drug test, however, would reveal that Drysdale was once again competing with an unnatural level of testosterone flowing through his veins. But hey, at least his T/E ratio was only 12:1 this time!

One fight. Two failed drug tests. And to our knowledge, Drysdale is still employed by the UFC.  Let’s hope he can get his sh*t together long enough to pick up one legitimate win before all is said and done.

#6 – Yoshihiro Akiyama

(Photo via Getty.)

It pains us to say this about the man, the myth, the musical sensation known as “Sexyama”, but to declare his UFC career as anything other than :( would be a far more generous emoji than it deserved. Akiyama — seen above disguised as either a Super Saiyan or a pumpkin — was a K-1 Hero’s tournament winner riding a 14-fight unbeaten streak heading into his promotional debut in July of 2009, which saw him paired against Alan “The Talent” Belcher at UFC 100.

While Akiyama would defeat Belcher by controversial split decision that night, it would be all downhill from there. That he is still competing in the Octagon despite dropping his past four fights is a testament to his drawing power in Japan, a fact made all the more evident by his…let’s call it “convenient” decision to return from a two-year, self-imposed hiatus to take on Amir Sadollah at Fight Night Japan next weekend.

But should Akiyama drop his fifth straight to Sadollah, who himself will be returning from the second prolonged absence of his UFC career, one can expect to see him hang up the gloves for good. If you ask us, though, the UFC really missed the boat by not bringing in Sexyama as a coach on TUF 20. ”Easy on the Eyes, Hard on the Face” is practically the man’s credo, for Christ’s sake.

#5 – Jake Shields

(Photo via Getty.)

There was a lot of public uproar when Shields was suddenly cut by the UFC following his unanimous decision loss to Hector Lombard at UFC 171, and rightfully so. The former Strikeforce middleweight champ had gone 3-1 1 NC in his past 5 fights, was a relatively well known name (if for the wrong reasonzzzzz), and held recent wins over top welterweight contenders in Tyron Woodley and Demian Maia.

The problem was, Shields was never what Dana White would a call a “needle mover” (unlike your Conor McGregors and Royston Wees) and his loss to Lombard proved that he was far too one-dimensional to make another run at the title. As was the case with Jon Fitch and Yushin Okami, Shields simply became “too f*cking expensive” an investment for the UFC to ever see how they would get their return. And, not to pat the promotion on the back and risk losing my job, but they were probably right in letting him go.

The sad truth is, Shields was pretty underwhelming from the very start of his UFC tenure, and if you don’t believe us, look no further than the decision “win” he scored (snored?) over Martin Kampmann in his debut to earn a shot at Georges St. Pierre. Let me ask you this: Of the three victories that Shields would notch following successive losses to St. Pierre and Jake Ellenberger, can anyone remember a single highlight? And no, him getting ragdolled by Sexyama doesn’t count.

#4 – Brandon Vera…Still

What we said back then: “How’s this for a return-on-investment: The UFC paid “The Truth” a total of $76,000 in contracted salary for his first four wins against Fabiano Scherner, Justin Eilers, Assuerio Silva, and Frank Mir — all of them by brutal stoppage, mind you — then paid him $500,000 for his subsequent 1-3 stretch against Tim Sylvia, Fabricio Werdum, Reese Andy, and Keith Jardine. Did the fat paychecks make him soft? Did his long legal dispute with his manager throw off his mental game? It’s hard to know for sure, but by the end of 2008 it was clear that this wasn’t the same Brandon Vera who entered the UFC’s heavyweight division three years before and rocked it like a hurricane.

“The Truth is slated to return in August against Matt Hamill at UFC 102, in a fight that will either re-establish him as a rising star at light-heavyweight, or forever define him as an overpaid can-crusher.”

Ooof. If Brandon Vera was already considered a UFC bust prior to his appearance at UFC 102 (wherein he defeated replacement opponent Krzysztof Soszynski via UD), then the 1-4 1 NC streak that followed should undoubtedly serve as a validation of our assessment. I mean, Vera hadn’t even had his face broken by Jon Jones yet, or been turned into a human bongo drum by Thiago Silva yet, or had his face once again broken by Shogun Rua. Hell, he hadn’t even succumbed to the otherwordly shuck-n-jive skills of Ben Rothwell (IFL neva die!) yet.

For a guy who once claimed that he would hold two UFC titles simultaneously, it would be impossible to dub Vera as anything but a bust by his own assertion alone. He never fought for *one* title, or even in a #1 contender’s match for that matter, but hey, maybe he was just referring to his upcoming OneFC run.

#3 – Jason Miller

Jason Miller was never what you’d call “championship material” — even the folks at EA Sports knew that much about him. He was, however, one of the better fighters to spend the majority of his career outside the UFC and a charismatic, unique individual to boot, so it’s safe to say that the UFC had big plans for him when they brought him over to serve as a coach on the 14th season of The Ultimate Fighter. 

An intense rivalry with Michael Bisping (go figure, right?) fueled that season, and the expectations surrounding Miller were made all the higher by Miller himself. When he stepped into the octagon against the Brit, fans were expecting an intense, technical battle between two of the sport’s better middleweights. What they got instead was one of the worst — if not the worst — performance of Miller’s career. Between his hilariously awkward attempts at standup and his nonexistent gas tank, Miller looked like plain amateurish next to Bisping, who battered and abused him en route to a third round TKO.

It was a loss that Miller’s career would never come from. One that he certainly wouldn’t learn from, at least. After being tentatively granted another shot against CB Dollaway, Miller once again talked himself into a corner, vowing to retire should Dollaway defeat him.

And to Miller’s credit, he kind of did. Following a “backstage tirade” at UFC 146 and a bizarre string of arrests, he has not fought since. Unless you count that bar scuffle with Uriah Hall, that is.

#2 – Alistair Overeem

(Photo via Getty.)

Replacing Vitor Belfort at #2 (which, wow) is Alistair Overeem, the Hercules-armed, Achilles-chinned PRIDE and Strikeforce star whose hype train went off the rails following consecutive KO losses to Bigfoot Silva and Travis Browne, then careened over a cliff into a school for blind, malnourished orphans at Fight Night 50 last weekend. Metaphorically speaking.

For a time, oh, between 2008-2011, Overeem was nothing short of untouchable. Save a couple losses in the kickboxing ring to top-level competition, Overeem utterly destroyed any and all opposition that was placed before him. That many of his fights during that period could be dubbed as hilariously mismatched squash matches did little to persuade us from declaring that Overeem would be the heavyweight champion within a year’s time should the UFC ever sign him.

Well, they did, and Uber proceeded to kick Brock Lesnar right in the diverticulitis, sending a shockwave through the heavyweight division and a message that he was not a man to be messed with. Four fights later, Overeem’s reputation could not be more different.

The upsides to Overeem’s fledging UFC career: He’s made a sh*tload of money, and he will be given another shot despite suffering a record 9th TKO loss (the most of any active UFC fighter) to Ben Rothwell last weekend.

#1 – Mirko Cro Cop…Still

What we said back then: “As we’ve already discussed in a previous list (Ed note: LISTCEPTION), Filipovic made a strong case for himself as the best fighter in the world after storming through PRIDE’s Open Weight Grand Prix Finals in September 2006. When he jumped ship to the UFC shortly after, we expected him to head-kick his way to a heavyweight title. But in stunning, heartbreaking fashion, Cro Cop flamed out of the organization within a year, becoming the first and most dramatic victim of the PRIDE Curse, as well as the biggest bust in UFC history.”

It’s interesting, they were just having a live discussion over at BloodyElbow about whether or not Alistair Overeem was the biggest bust in UFC History. Surprisingly enough, they almost unanimously agreed that it was Cro Cop, citing the same reasons as we did in our original assessment. Cro Cop was on the heels of the performance of his career and the greatest one-night performance in MMA history, and to see him fall from grace so steadily in the UFC was nothing short of heartbreaking for his legions of fans.

Watching the legend get KO’d three consecutive times at the hands of Frank Mir, Brendan Schaub, and Roy Nelson was tough enough, but if you ask me, the absolute nadir of his MMA career came at Legends 2, where he was submitted via A F*CKING NECK CRANK by some guy we can’t even remember. I guess we can take some small solace away from the fact that Cro Cop is still fighting and winning on the Glory kickboxing circuit. I guess…

Dishonorable mentions: Sokoudjou, “Kid” Yamamoto, Brock Lesnar (SHOTS FIRED)

J. Jones

Watch This Amazing Japanese Promo For ‘UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs. Nelson’, And Shed a Tear for the Way Things Used to Be

The Japanese MMA scene lies cold in the ground, leaving us only with fond memories of PRIDE’s pageantry and DREAM’s cartoonish promo videos. And yet, there is hope.

On September 20th, UFC Fight Night 52: Hunt vs. Nelson pops off at the Saitama Super Arena, and it’s (tentatively) loaded with so many MMA legends, wild personalities, and physical behemoths that it almost feels like the lineup to a PRIDE New Year’s Eve card. And so, a YouTube hero named PrideDream2013 has made a 27-minute extended trailer previewing some the bouts and fighters that have been confirmed for the event, and a few that haven’t yet.

Part 2 of the promo is after the jump, which focuses on Rin Nakai and Takanori Gomi. Check it out, and ask yourself: Wouldn’t it be nice if all UFC events were promoted like this?

The Japanese MMA scene lies cold in the ground, leaving us only with fond memories of PRIDE’s pageantry and DREAM’s cartoonish promo videos. And yet, there is hope.

On September 20th, UFC Fight Night 52: Hunt vs. Nelson pops off at the Saitama Super Arena, and it’s (tentatively) loaded with so many MMA legends, wild personalities, and physical behemoths that it almost feels like the lineup to a PRIDE New Year’s Eve card. And so, a YouTube hero named PrideDream2013 has made a 27-minute extended trailer previewing some the bouts and fighters that have been confirmed for the event, and a few that haven’t yet.

Part 2 of the promo is after the jump, which focuses on Rin Nakai and Takanori Gomi. Check it out, and ask yourself: Wouldn’t it be nice if all UFC events were promoted like this?

Friday Link Dump: Fighters Who Will Have Successful Post-Fight Careers, The Return of Yoshihiro Akiyama, Sexy Argentinian Soccer Fans + More

(Metamoris 4: Sonnen vs Galvao Official Trailer)

5 Fighters That Will Have Successful Post-Fight Careers (BleacherReport)

Brendan Schaub Says New UFC Game Can “Suck a D*ck” (BloodyElbow)

Twitter Mailbag: Another UFC doubleheader, for Better or Worse (MMAJunkie)

Akiyama, Yamamoto, Gomi All Set to Compete on UFC’s Sept. 20 Show (MMAFighting)

‘Shady’ Chael Sonnen Admits to Biting Opponent (MMAMania)

Can Dominick Cruz Return to the Top of the UFC’s Bantamweight Division? (MMACorner)

17 Photos of Sexy Argentinian Soccer Fans (HolyTaco)

Top 10 Most Controversial Family Guy Episodes (EveryJoe)

Quick Look Behind the Scenes of Jurassic World (EscapistMagazine)

Honest Trailers: Forrest Gump (Screenjunkies)

Underboob – Cleavage From A Different Point Of View (Radass)

The 41 Most Entertaining Celebrity Tweets This Week (Guyism)

Classic Hollywood Starlets Colorized (20 Pictures) (WorldWideInterweb)

40 People Slapping Each Other in the Face…And Enjoying It (PopHangover)


(Metamoris 4: Sonnen vs Galvao Official Trailer)

5 Fighters That Will Have Successful Post-Fight Careers (BleacherReport)

Brendan Schaub Says New UFC Game Can “Suck a D*ck” (BloodyElbow)

Twitter Mailbag: Another UFC doubleheader, for Better or Worse (MMAJunkie)

Akiyama, Yamamoto, Gomi All Set to Compete on UFC’s Sept. 20 Show (MMAFighting)

‘Shady’ Chael Sonnen Admits to Biting Opponent (MMAMania)

Can Dominick Cruz Return to the Top of the UFC’s Bantamweight Division? (MMACorner)

17 Photos of Sexy Argentinian Soccer Fans (HolyTaco)

Top 10 Most Controversial Family Guy Episodes (EveryJoe)

Quick Look Behind the Scenes of Jurassic World (EscapistMagazine)

Honest Trailers: Forrest Gump (Screenjunkies)

Underboob – Cleavage From A Different Point Of View (Radass)

The 41 Most Entertaining Celebrity Tweets This Week (Guyism)

Classic Hollywood Starlets Colorized (20 Pictures) (WorldWideInterweb)

40 People Slapping Each Other in the Face…And Enjoying It (PopHangover)