Category Archives: Mmamania.com

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

One of the bigger — and certainly more surprising — narratives of the UFC 303 fight week has been black magic.

For the second time, “Czech Samurai” Jiri Prochazka will go to war with Alex Pereira, the power-punching kickboxer turned UFC double champ. “Poatan” won their first match last year via second-round knockout in mildly controversial fashion, but really, nobody needs much selling on the idea of a rematch. It’s nearly guaranteed to be a great fight, brutal stoppage, or both.

Prochazka, however, has a unique reason to be unsatisfied with the first bout. According to a bizarre rant from “BJP,” Pereira is using Shaman magic to help him win fights, which is bad form. Prochazka requested that Pereira stop doing so and fight him on more honest terms, but the champion denied his request.

What does UFC CEO Dana White think about all this black magic, shaman, and witchcraft talk? Surprisingly, he loves it! White believes this unexpected turn in the discussion serves as a great demonstration of authenticity from Prochazka and Pereira.

It’s not some silly WWE plotline.

“I love that s—t though. When Jiri found out about the fight, apparently he goes into a shed for three days. No water, no food, no nothing,” White explained (via Curtis Calhoun). “Prays, meditates, whatever he does. His coach went and banged on the door, told him this fight was available, and he said something to the effect of ‘If this is what the universe wants’. So he’s that dude!

“So he sees him doing the Shaman stuff … witchcraft, black magic, it’s just another reason that this fight is so f—king awesome. This is real, this isn’t fabricated bulls—t when someone wants to come out with a gimmicky wrestling-type thing. This is who these two guys really f—king are, man, this is what makes people really love [the UFC]. You know when someone is authentic, as opposed to some bulls—t f—king wrestling s—t.”

Insomnia

Payton Talbott offers his opponent some rather specific advice.

It’s not the safest career path, but Jessica Andrade deserves serious respect for routinely jumping up to 125 lbs. and challenging the division’s hottest up-and-comers.

The heavily rumored match up between Kevin Holland and Jared Cannonier doesn’t sound like it’s happening.

Tito Ortiz vs. the English language clips never stop being funny.

Vindication for Dustin Poirier’s silly gilly?

Some people are upset about this clip because it shows the beef between Ian Garry and Michael Page isn’t that serious, which always strikes me as a sad reason to care about a match up.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

THIS is how you punish an opponent for trying to circle off! Great example of cutting off the cage rather than following.

Being the taller, lankier fighter means that naked shots at distance rarely go well.

Murilo Rua could always be counted upon to throw down.

Random Land

Nightmarish.

Midnight Music: Hip-hop, 1992

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

MMAmania.com – All Posts

Dana White is looking forward to the future of boxing.

UFC Saudi Arabia has come and gone and kickstarted the new partnership between the promotion and the country. Therefore, fight fans can expect bigger and better things from future events overseas.

Before UFC and Saudi Arabia joined forces, Chairman of General Entertainment, Turki Alashikh, started getting into the boxing world, making some of the biggest match ups possible. After putting on their first event together, White has nothing but good things to say about Turki and is excited about boxing’s future with this involvement.

“I like him. The guy has a vision for a sport that is completely f*cked up,” White told The Mac Life. “If you look at what he’s been able to do in a short amount of time, boxing is so broken and so f*cked up that it takes a guy with that kind of money and that kind of power to make these things happen. So, I think it’s gonna be fascinating to see what he accomplishes over the next several years.

“You know me, I don’t kiss anybody’s ass for any f*cking reasons whatsoever,” he continued. “If I didn’t feel that way or if I didn’t have this feeling about him, I would let you know and I would be all out on it, but I like this guy. I respect him. I like what he has already done and I am actually looking forward to seeing what he is gonna do in the future. He is dealing with a sh*t show of unbelievable proportions, and I like the way he’s handling it.”

White has never been shy to express his feelings on boxing and the promoters involved. Oscar De La Hoya might be the most notorious to catch critique from White, but Bob Arum isn’t safe either. Critical of White’s dealings in the past, Arum caught some strays from UFC’s CEO when compared to Saudi’s leading man.

“It’s gonna take a guy like Sheikh Turki to fix it. He’s making the fights that nobody can make, and it was a fun fight. It was a good fight,” White said of boxing and the recent Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk match (watch highlights).

“In COVID, Bob Arum comes out and says, ‘This guy, he’s a dumb guy, he’s f*cking this and that and everything else,’ look at how long Arum’s been in the game, right? Guy’s in his f*cking 90s, I respect the fact that he’s still — I mean, that guy flew out to Saudi Arabia, went to England, did all this sh*t, gotta respect that part of his game. But he thinks he’s so f*cking smart. He thinks he’s so f*cking intelligent. He’s literally done nothing. He’s made a living for himself on the boxing game, but at the end of the day, what does he have? He has f*ckin’ nothing. He’s created nothing. Always just stripping money, never invested back into the f*cking sport. You could have f*cking fixed it. You had no f*cking vision for the sport. You had nothing. You’re not as smart as you think you are, Bob Arum.”

MMAmania.com – All Posts

“I don’t give a f*ck if they offer me a title shot — it’s me and you.”

Alex Pereira may want to check under his bed before going to sleep.

That’s because Jamahal Hill continues to stalk him after losing to “Poatan” in the UFC 300 pay-per-view (PPV) main event last April in Las Vegas. While there’s no denying “Sweet Dreams” was finished fair and square, the sequence was not “clean” enough to move on.

That’s why Hill, who once held gold at 205 pounds, is demanding a rematch.

“Alex has got his own task ahead of him,” Hill said on YouTube. “This weekend, he’s fighting Jiri Prochazka defending the title. Best of luck to you in your fight, in this rematch with Jiri, because if you lose? I don’t give a f*ck if they offer me a title shot — it’s me and you. You win? I’m going to go starch the next guy, and I’ll see you soon. You lose? I see you real soon.”

Pereira rematches Jiri Prochazka atop the UFC 303 fight card this weekend in “Sin City.”

Hill had an opportunity to close the distance with his own victory at UFC 303; however, “Sweet Dreams” was forced to withdraw from the June 29 fight card after suffering an untimely knee injury. A timeline for his Octagon return has yet to be determined.

For much more on this weekend’s UFC 303 event click here.

MMAmania.com – All Posts

Gordon Ryan is struggling with his health … again.

His ongoing stomach issues could interfere with his plans to win the imaginary medal he just created for his ADCC 2024 Super Fight against longtime rival Felipe Pena, recently announced for Sat., Aug. 17 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Assuming Ryan doesn’t succumb to his life-threatening illness.

“If my body holds up we need to have two more matches, because then it’ll be 3-2 to me,” Ryan said. “For my soul I need that. That’s going to be a tall mountain to climb, going against Pena. This is one of the biggest if not the biggest matches of my life. I’m having a tough time right now. If I could say anything to Felipe right now, if you beat me I’m going to blame it on my stomach issues. But you better not make an excuse if I beat you.”

The score is currently 2-1 in favor of Pena.

Their most recent showdown occurred at Who’s Number One (WNO) back in Aug. 2022 in Frisco, Texas, with Ryan winning by technical submission (forfeit). WNO booked a fourth fight in early 2023; however, Ryan fell ill and was forced to withdraw.

For much more on ADCC 2024 click here.

MMAmania.com – All Posts

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Noche UFC was a major hit last year, but the follow-up will be even bigger.

UFC CEO Dana White is in the midst of writing a $ 16 million love letter — and counting! — to Mexican fighters, fans, and fighting spirit. Also known as UFC 306, the second annual Noche UFC event will take place in the Las Vegas Sphere and will be held on Mexican Independence Day and feature some of the promotion’s top Mexican talent.

Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili — who sort of represents Mexico, depending on who you ask — is rumored as the main event. The pay-per-view (PPV) event will be a one-and-done showcase in the expensive and uniquely formatted sphere, so the card should be expected to go above and beyond average PPV calibre.

In the clip above, the UFC logo adorns the outside of the Sphere venue for the first time. The artwork surrounding the UFC logo is quite reminiscent of Yair Rodriguez’s interim title belt, which received a special Mexican makeover. It remains to be seen just how UFC utilizes the Sphere’s unique graphics to compliment live fighting competition or the PPV feed, but fans can expect big name fight announcements sooner than later.

Of course, those fighters don’t always end up making it to the cage …

Insomnia

UFC Denver loses ANOTHER fight after both Mike Malott and his opponent Gilbert Urbina suffer injuries.

Fortunately, UFC Denver may also have a new match up. Shara Magomedov calls out Kevin Holland, and “Trailblazer” says he’s down!

Last thing on UFC Denver: Two Lightweight sluggers both need new opponents …

Payton Talbott is approaching historical levels of hype.

It’s quite cool to see the amount of support and love Alex Pereira gets from his people.

I expect a bounce back performance and striking showcase from Slava here.

Jiri Prochazka is 1) unintentionally hilarious and 2) woefully uninformed about his own division. I love it!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

I don’t know that I’ve ever seen Gonzaga vs. Cro Cop leg in a women’s MMA fight.

Is it crazier to try to knock out your older, legendary mentor or your younger, highly talented protege? True weirdness over in Japan!

This kind of KO in an LFA title shot probably equals a UFC signing or at least Contenders Series opportunity.

Random Land

A rolling boulder.

Midnight Music: Hip-hop, 1989

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

MMAmania.com – All Posts

Paige VanZant is getting into every type of combat sport imaginable.

Okay, calling slap fighting “sport” is beyond generous. Regardless, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Strawweight and Flyweight hopeful is trying her hand at the defenseless action next.

As out of left field as it seems, VanZant didn’t think twice about accepting her slap-off against Christine Volmarans at Power Slap 8 this weekend (Fri., June 28, 2024).

“I got called if I would do Power Slap, I said, ‘Absolutely,’ and that was it,” VanZant said at UFC 303 media day (h/t MMA Junkie). “Signed the contract and here I am to do Power Slap. I think it’s exciting for me because it’s like, listen, I am a gangster. Whether people want to admit it or not, I am here to slap somebody, it doesn’t matter what organization, what combat sport, I’m here to take over and have some fun.”

VanZant, 30, went 8-5 in her mixed martial arts (MMA) career, which has taken a backseat since she parted ways with UFC in 2020. Since then, VanZant has primarily fought in bare-knuckle boxing (BKB) but recently put the gloves back on for her professional boxing debut opposite Elle Brooke. They fought to a split draw in May 2024 (watch highlights).

No matter the outcome of her Power Slap debut, it may not be the last time VanZant gives it a go.

“I look back at my UFC career, my bare-knuckle boxing career, everything that I’ve done, you can’t take away how tough I am, and this is like that ultimate test of toughness,” VanZant said. “Stand there, and you’ve got to be able to have the balls to be able to get hit.

“I think the narrative for me right now perfectly falls in line with continuing to do Power Slap alongside my boxing,” she continued. “I still intend to box again at the end of the year. I’m waiting for the date on that. This fits in line with that. It’s preparation, it’s preparing to cause damage and try not to take damage, but inevitably, in Power Slap you’re gonna get hit. So, who knows? I am a woman who does whatever the f*ck I want and right now, I want to do Power Slap.”

MMAmania.com – All Posts

LIVE: UFC 303 media day video stream! Tune in TODAY (Weds., June 26, 2024) at 2 p.m. ET in the embedded video above to watch the Alex Pereira vs. Jiri Prochazka-led media day extravaganza in “Sin City,” held in advance of the upcoming UFC 303 pay-per-view (PPV) on Sat. night (June 29) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Today’s UFC 303 media day is also expected to feature a bevy of main card attractions, including Brian Ortega, Diego Lopes, Ian Garry, and Michael Page, among others.

Check out the complete UFC 303 media day lineup below:

Alex Pereira – UFC light heavyweight champion
Jiri Prochazka – No. 1 UFC light heavyweight
Brian Ortega – No. 3 UFC featherweight
Diego Lopes – No. 14 UFC featherweight
Anthony Smith – No. 10 UFC light heavyweight
Roman Dolidze – UFC light heavyweight
Mayra Bueno Silva – No. 3 UFC women’s bantamweight
Macy Chiasson – No. 7 UFC women’s bantamweight
Ian Machado Garry – No. 7 UFC welterweight
Michael Page – No. 14 UFC welterweight
Joe Pyfer – UFC middleweight
Marc-Andre Barriault – UFC middleweight
Cub Swanson – UFC featherweight
Andre Fili – UFC featherweight
Michelle Waterson-Gomez – No. 14 UFC women’s strawweight
Gillian Robertson – No. 15 UFC women’s strawweight
Paige VanZant – Power Slap women’s striker

UFC 303 media day lineup subject to change.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC 303 fight card right RIGHT HERE, starting with the early ESPN/ESPN+ “Prelims” matches at 6 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining undercard balance on ESPN/ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET, before the UFC 303 PPV main card start time at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN+ PPV.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC 303: “Pereira vs. Prochazka 2” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here. For the updated and finalized UFC 303 fight card and PPV lineup click here.

MMAmania.com – All Posts

Alex Volkanovski was such a dominant champion at 145 pounds, matchmakers have agreed to give “The Great” an opportunity to reclaim his crown in his eventual return to action — assuming the 35 year-old Aussie wants to wait for Ilia Topuria to make his first featherweight title defense against Max Holloway at some point later this year.

“I’ve heard Ilia and Max is confirmed so I need to talk with the UFC and see what’s going on,” Volkanovski told Fox Sports Australia. “I’d said I wanted some time off, and the UFC wanted me to take some time off, so if that fight is made I need to be okay with it. I can’t expect the UFC to wait for me. But if they are going to do Ilia and Max, I just hoped it would be earlier because I want to fight this year, I don’t want to wait.”

Volkanovski (26-4) was dethroned by Topuria in the UFC 298 headliner earlier this year in Anaheim, his second straight knockout loss after getting planished by 155-pound titleholder Islam Makhachev in their short-notice rematch atop the UFC 294 pay-per-view (PPV) card last October in Abu Dhabi.

That hasn’t stopped “The Great” from mulling a return to lightweight.

“So if there is no title fight until next year then I need something exciting — maybe Charles Oliveira,” Volkanovski continued. “There are others but I think Michael Chandler will keep waiting for Conor McGregor and I think Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje also want to wait a bit. There is nobody [at featherweight] that excites me, or that I haven’t fought already. And they’ve said my next one there is the title fight.”

Oliveira, 34, is currently unbooked.

MMAmania.com – All Posts

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight kingpin Sean Strickland is content to sit on the shelf until an opening to fight for the belt arises, but that doesn’t mean he’s staying idle.

Recently, Strickland went on vacation to Japan. While in “The Land of the Rising Sun,” Strickland received an invite to spar from Rukiya Anpo, former K-1 Super Lightweight champion. Though Anpo is significantly lighter — he fights mostly at 70 kilograms or 154 pounds — he promised to throw down with Strickland, who infamously loves a gym war.

Well, the two met up and went to battle! The clip above shows highlights of their sparring session, which was definitely more of a full-on fistfight than technical session. The duo clashed for five rounds, and Anpo found a lot of success early on with his explosive combinations and body punching. That’s a fatiguing way to box, however, and Strickland’s combination of size and pressure wore down “Demolition Man” by the latter half of the match. Their rounds ended with Strickland teeing off on his tired opponent.

“Nothing like some brain damage on vacation haha,” Strickland wrote on social media about the training session. “Yes I know I’m fat. Fuck off lol.” He also credited Anpo with being “tough as nails” in another post.

Anpo, meanwhile, posted a picture of the two afterward and showed off some bruising. There’s an open invitation for Anpo to come visit and train with Strickland in Las Vegas, but he may not be so eager. In one post, Anpo wrote (via Google Translate), “This is the hardest I’ve ever been beaten in my life.”

Will Strickland bring that same aggression to his next UFC fight? His last bout versus Paulo Costa was a solid victory, but it wasn’t nearly as electrifying as the clip above.

Insomnia

Alex Pereira helping a fight fan out of a jam is pretty cool!

Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao still don’t get along.

Strickland remains adamant that he’ll wait for the next title shot, but we shall see if that strategy pays off …

Sean O’Malley finally came up with a response to Merab’s “Suga” impersonator. It’s not terrible?

Khabib Nurmagomedov reacts to a terrorist attack in Dagestan, partially orchestrated by an athlete who once trained at his gym.

My experience in France taught me that spicy food isn’t really their thing.

Paige VanZant putting in the “training” for her Power Slap debut.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

That’s a lot of blood for the first round.

Miller landed his right hand perfectly specifically because he took his head off the centerline while throwing. That’s the difference!

Dear lord, Masumoto can take a shot.

Random Land

My wife and I laughed so f—king hard at this stupid clip.

Midnight Music: Rock, 2008

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

MMAmania.com – All Posts

UPDATE: Barber now expected to be replaced by Tracy Cortez.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) main events continue to change.

MMA Mania has confirmed with sources that the No. 4-ranked Flyweight contender, Maycee Barber, is out of her scheduled main event bout against the No. 7-ranked Rose Namajunas at UFC Denver in two weekends (Sat., July 13, 2024). The reason for Barber’s withdrawal is currently unknown. The promotion hopes to keep Namajunas on the card.

The fight would have been Barber’s first UFC headliner since she debuted in November 2018 after winning a contract through Dana White’s Contender Series. “The Future” has won six in a row after she suffered her second career loss (14-2) at the hands of the now-champion, Alexa Grasso, in February 2021.

UPDATE: MMA Fighting’s Mike Heck reports that Tracy Cortez is now targeted to replace Barber. UFC is close to finalizing a new opponent for Cortez’s original opponent, Miranda Maverick, per Heck. The pair were supposed to fight at UFC Vegas 94 the weekend after UFC Denver (Sat., July 20, 2024).

The former two-time Strawweight titleholder, Namajunas, returned to the win column in her last time out when she earned a unanimous decision win over Amanda Ribas at UFC Vegas 89 in March 2024. Based in Denver, Colorado, Namajunas has never fought in the state in her 18-fight career (12-6).

The current UFC Denver line up can be seen below.

• 125lbs.: Rose Namajunas vs. TBD
• 170lbs.: Mike Malott vs. Gilbert Urbina
• 170lbs.: Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Muslim Salikhov
• 170lbs.: Gabriel Bonfim vs. Ange Loosa
• 145lbs.: Julian Erosa vs. Christian Rodriguez
• 185lbs.: Abdul Razak Alhassan vs. Cody Brundage
• 125lbs.: Viviane Araujo vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
• 125lbs.: Luana Santos vs. Mariya Agapova
• 185lbs.: Josh Fremd vs. Andre Petroski
• 155lbs.: Marquel Mederos vs. Nazim Sadykhov

MMAmania.com – All Posts