Category Archives: Mmamania.com

The biggest boxing card of the year is finally here as Ring of Fire gets underway today (Sat., May 18, 2024) live on DAZN PPV from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with heavyweights Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk colliding in a massive main event.

It seems like this undisputed heavyweight title fight has been years in the making, but fight fans finally made it. Fury and Usyk will duke it out for all four major heavyweight belts and give boxing its first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis accomplished the rare feat back in 1999. That’s incredible to think about, but another reason why Saturday’s $ 150 million superfight between “Gypsy King” and “The Cat” is such a hyped event.

Before the PPV main card gets underway beginning at 12 p.m. ET, the official Ring of Fire “Prelims” undercard will play out LIVE and FREE via YouTube starting at 10 a.m. ET. The official stream can be seen in the above video player.

The Ring of Fire “Prelims” undercard will feature the below matchups:

Daniel Lapin vs. Octavio Pudivitr
Isaac Lowe vs. Hasibullah Ahmadi

For complete Fury vs. Usyk results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

There’s no love lost between Sean Strickland and Belal Muhammad.

Since 2021, the two have traded barbs repeatedly despite fighting in different weight classes. At one point, Strickland even confronted Muhammad in person at Xtreme Couture. When the two didn’t come to blows in the gym, Strickland mocked the top-ranked Welterweight contender online for cowardice.

Now, as an unexpected result of content creator Nina-Marie Daniele’s fairly innocuous prank on Belal Muhammad (watch below), the two are once again beefing.

Strickland replied in the comments, immediately referencing their aforementioned Las Vegas run-in. “If you told him that in person he would put his head down and walk away,” Strickland wrote. “Then try to fight you on Twitter lol.”

That doesn’t rank highly in terms of the most aggressive things Strickland has ever written on social media, but “Remember The Name” didn’t hold back in his response. Muhammad dug into Strickland, painting the former champion as a hypocrite who doesn’t walk his crazy talk.

“If sean tells you he’s gonna fight you to the death,” Muhammad wrote on Twitter. “It means he’s gonna jab you and play defense for 25 minutes … if Sean sees your a harmless kid or homeless man on his ring camera he’s gonna walk out side with a gun and record it to make it seem like he’s crazy … if sean goes on a podcast it means he’s probably gonna cry.”

MMA Twitter is unanimous: this is a rare 10-8 Muhammad round.

Sadly, the two remain unlikely to settle their beef in the cage. Muhammad is next-in-line for a shot at Welterweight gold, as his UFC 304 title shot versus Leon Edwards was recently announced. Strickland, meanwhile, is looking to bounce back from a close title loss to Dricus Du Plessis by taking out Paulo Costa at UFC 302.

… If the Brazilian signs the contract!

Insomnia

Who will be God’s favored boxer this weekend?

Anecdote of the week: I rode my bike for primary form of aerobic conditioning in my last two fight camps. I only ate s—t once!

Alex Pereira seems to have a great sense of humor.

Do Tim Sylvia next!!!

Combat sports trash talk is usually at least a little homoerotic, and this is unsurprising given some of Mike Tyson’s more legendary quotes.

Charles Jourdain can always be counted on to deliver a fun fight.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Rakhmonov did a great job of landing off the kick directly back in his stance, ready to fire.

Click through for a full recap of the career of Oleksandr Usyk!

I don’t know what happened to Jesuino here, but I hope he’s alright.

Random Land

A chunky marmot.

Midnight Music: Alternative, 1985

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

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Tyson Fury is on the cusp of capturing all four major heavyweight titles in a matchup with Oleksandr Usyk tomorrow afternoon (Sat., May 18, 2024) live on DAZN PPV in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but all “Gypsy King” has on his mind is pure violence.

Fury, who has never tasted defeated in his 35-fight professional career, is a small betting favorite for Saturday’s heavyweight superfight. The towering Englishman may have been a heavier favorite in year’s past, but he’s coming off a close decision win over former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou his last time out. Fury was knocked down and nearly upset in that fight so oddsmakers are being cautious for his matchup with Usyk.

On Friday, the two heavyweights finally stepped on the scale for official weigh ins and one final staredown. After making weight, Fury and Usyk came together face-to-face before Fury shoved the Ukrainian champion and forced security to break things up. It was a completely different scene compared to Thursday’s pre-fight press conference when Fury refused to look Usyk in the eyes.

After Saturday’s weigh-in, Fury took to the microphone to deliver one last message to Usyk and his team. Fury is not one to mince words and always says what’s on his mind, but his final words to the heavyweight champion were downright terrifying. Check it out below:

“I’m going to knock this little f—ker spark out,” said Fury. “I’m coming for his heart, f—k his belts. I’m coming for his f—king heart. F—k him.”

Usyk, who is always cool, calm, and collected with his trash talk, had a simple message in response to Fury’s on-stage outburst.

“Let your hands talk in the ring,” said Usyk following Friday’s official weigh ins.

For the complete “Fury vs. Usyk” fight card and DAZN PPV lineup click here. For more boxing news and notes click here.

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Bellator Paris is set to go down later TODAY (Fri., May 17, 2023) from inside Accor Arena in Paris, France, headlined by a Bantamweight title fight as division champion, Patchy Mix, puts his belt on the line against Magomed Magomedov. In the Welterweight co-main event Cedric Doumbe and Jaleel Willis will do battle, while Gregory Babene faces Costello van Steenis in Middleweight action.

Many readers check in before, during and after the fights to share their thoughts on all of the action, which will begin at 12 p.m. ET with the early “Prelims,” and then transition to the main card at 2 p.m. ET. Feel free to leave a comment (or several) about the bouts and chat with all the other Maniacs during the show — it’s always a lot of fun!

BELLATOR PARIS QUICK RESULTS:

135 lbs.: Patchy Mix vs. Magomed Magomedov
170 lbs.: Cedric Doumbe vs Jaleel Willis
185 lbs.: Gregory Babene vs. Costello van Steenis – van Steenis via second-round submission
145 lbs.: Yves Landu vs. Jonas Bilharinho – Landu via split-decision
155 lbs.: Thibault Gouti vs. Archie Colgan – Colgan via unanimous decision
265 lbs.: Slim Trabelsi vs. Louie Sutherland – Trabelsi via unanimous decision
155 lbs.: Mansour Barnaoui vs. Yusuke Yachi – Barnaoui via first-round submission
185 lbs.: Steven Hill vs. Mike Shipman – Shipman via first-round TKO (retirement)
145 lbs.: Aspen Ladd vs. Kateryna Shakalova – Ladd via unanimous decision
145 lbs.: Asaël Adjoudj vs. Bruno Fontes – Adjoudj via second-round TKO

BELLATOR PARIS HIGHLIGHTS!

For all the latest Bellator MMA news and notes click here.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is just one day away from the upcoming UFC Vegas 92 mixed martial arts (MMA) event, which is set to go down tomorrow night (Sat., May 18, 2024) on ESPN+ from inside the promotion’s APEX facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, featuring a featherweight main event between Top 15 contender Edson Barboza and red-hot up-and-comer Lerone Murphy, a five-round headliner with major title implications for late 2024 and beyond.

Before we dive into the main and co-main event, which includes the 170-pound scrap between welterweight veterans Khaos Williams and Carlston Harris, be sure to bring yourself up to date with all the UFC Vegas 92 news and notes by clicking here. Get all the latest “Barboza vs. Murphy” odds and betting props courtesy of DraftKings right here. In addition, the Sound & Pound podcasters took a closer look at this weekend’s APEX card right here.

145 lbs.: Edson Barboza vs. Lerone Murphy

Edson Barboza

Record: 24-11 | Age: 38 | Betting line: -165
Wins: 14 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 9 DEC | Losses: 4 KO/TKO, 2 SUB, 5 DEC
Height: 5’11“ | Reach: 75” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 4.18 | Striking accuracy: 45%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 4.34 | Striking Defense: 57%
Takedown Average: 0.48 (50% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 75%
Current Ranking: No. 12 | Last fight: Unanimous decision win over Sodiq Yusuff

Lerone Murphy

Record: 13-0-1 | Age: 32 | Betting line: +120
Wins: 7 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 6 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 0 DEC
Height: 5’9“ | Reach: 73” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 3.65 | Striking accuracy: 50%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 2.40 | Striking Defense: 56%
Takedown Average: 1.29 (46% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 46%
Current Ranking: Unranked | Last fight: Unanimous decision victory over Joshua Culibao

This marks the 30th UFC fight for Edson Barboza, who is just a few months removed from his 14th anniversary with the promotion. You don’t often see that kind of longevity for MMA fighters, particularly at this level, and the Brazilian remains a reliable workhorse that can round out a pay-per-view (PPV) card or headline a “Fight Night” event. He doesn’t always deliver, but a Barboza knockout is typically worth the price of admission and the former lightweight already has 12 post-fight bonuses to his credit, including nine “Fight of the Night” honors. That includes his split decision victory over Sodiq Yusuff at UFC Vegas 81 last fall, his third main event before drawing a tough assignment against an undefeated Brit on the cusp of breaking into the Top 15. Hopefully Barboza isn’t overlooking the English “Miracle” because some of his pre-fight chatter about “BMF” belts has me worried.

“If one guy deserves to fight for the BMF title, it’s me,” Barboza told reporters during the UFC Vegas 92 media day (watch it here). “Who has better highlight knockouts than me? Bro, imagine. I love Max Holloway, he’s one of my favorite fighters ever. I love to watch him fight, and he’s a very nice guy, very family guy, but imagine a fight against him for the BMF belt. It’s going to be very, very good for me and him and the company. Like I said, I have 30 fights in the UFC. I think I deserve that. Of course, my focus is 100 percent on the next one, but I think it’s going to be good.”

Lerone Murphy made his Octagon debut to little fanfare back in late 2019, drawing a last-minute contest opposite Zubaira Tukhugov at UFC 242. What ended in a draw kicked off a five-fight winning streak with a couple of knockouts, and “The Miracle” is looking to build on his unanimous decision victory over Joshua Culibao at UFC London last July. Like any undefeated record, Murphy looks great on paper but his opponents on the regional circuit were so atrocious they make CM Punk look like Georges St. Pierre. I know that sounds harsh but the numbers don’t lie: Martin Fouda, Tyler John Thomas, and Nathan Thompson have a combined record of 20-97. No disrespect to Thompson but I have zero training and zero coordination and could probably do better than 7-41 as a pro fighter. I’m not in the habit of punishing combatants for their strength of schedule because that decision is not up to them, particularly at that level, and Murphy has proven his mettle as legitimate UFC fighter.

It just gets harder to pick him against Barboza when you take a critical look at his resume.

“I visited Las Vegas in 2016 to watch McGregor and Mendes, and since then, I’ve always thought this is a place I need to fight,” Murphy told reporters during the UFC Vegas 92 media day (watch it here). “This is the fight capital. Now, we’re here. This is my opportunity. This is my breakthrough. This is my time to shine now. Who I’m fighting is more so the big thing (over being the main event). I’m fighting Edson Barboza, a legend of the sport, a dangerous fighter. That’s what excited me. A win puts me up there, solidifies my name, puts me among the elite of the elite. It gives me a shot at that Top 10 afterward. If we can get through this fight unscathed and with a win, then I’ll definitely be asking the matchmaker to put me on [UFC 304].”

Bookies have Barboza as the slight underdog, mostly because of his inconsistency. The Brazilian turned 38 back in January and is pretty easy to figure out, all things considered. Murphy will need to disrupt his opponent’s rhythm and cut off space inside the Octagon, forcing Barboza to walk backwards while effectively neutralizing his best weapons. Sounds pretty straightforward, except Murphy will be getting slammed with kicks — in all directions — while trying to accomplish that task. Assuming “The Miracle” can make this a dirty fight, I can easily see him grinding out a decision through repeated takedown attempts and wall-and-stall. That said, 25 minutes is a long time to survive without getting tagged by one of the most dangerous strikers in the division.

Prediction: Barboza def. Murphy by technical knockout

170 lbs.: Kalinn Williams vs. Carlston Harris

Kalinn “Khaos” Williams

Record: 14-3 | Age: 30 | Betting line: -105
Wins: 7 KO/TKO, 1 SUB, 6 DEC | Losses: 0 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 3 DEC
Height: 6’0“ | Reach: 77” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 5.77 | Striking accuracy: 39%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 5.33 | Striking Defense: 42%
Takedown Average: 0.00 (0% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 80%
Current Ranking: Unranked | Last fight: Split decision victory over Rolando Bedoya

Carlston “Mocambique” Harris

Record: 19-5 | Age: 36 | Betting line: -125
Wins: 5 KO/TKO, 6 SUB, 8 DEC | Losses: 2 KO/TKO, 0 SUB, 3 DEC
Height: 6’0“ | Reach: 76” | Stance: Orthodox
Significant Strikes Landed Per Minute: 2.93 | Striking accuracy: 49%
Strikes Absorbed Per Minute: 2.44 | Striking Defense: 53%
Takedown Average: 2.05 (29% accuracy) | Takedown Defense: 55%
Current Ranking: Unranked | Last fight: Submission victory over Jeremiah Wells

Kalinn Williams looked to be an absolute terror for the welterweight division after his late-replacement onboarding back in early 2020. He needed less than 30 seconds to treat Alex Morono the way Kento Nanami treated Haruta Shigemo in Jujutsu Kaisen. Just a couple of months later, “Khaos” replicated that performance with his decapitation of Abdul Razak Alhassan at UFC Vegas 14. Then matchmakers gave Williams a step up in competition and his deficiencies started to reveal themselves, proving the Michigan native is not as effective when his power starts to wane (or gets neutralized altogether). The good news is, at least for UFC Vegas 92, is that “Khaos” will be fighting an equally messy fighter, at least in terms of offense, so this has the potential to earn “Fight of the Night” honors — or be over in the early part of the opening frame.

“I’m ready to go 15 minutes, but all my fights, I don’t see none of my fights going the distance,” Williams told reporters during the UFC Vegas 92 media day (watch it here). “I just feel like whoever is in front of me, the guy isn’t going to last. All it takes is one shot if you make a mistake. Whether I submit him or whether I test that chin out and take his soul from his body, he’s not going to last. But I know you can’t knock everybody out. But that’s just what I plan on doing. I don’t want it to go to a decision. Regardless, I’m going to bring it. Whether I’m the first fight, the last fight, the co-main event — I’m going to bring it just like I’m the main event.”

Carlston Harris has been a nice surprise at 170 pounds and would probably have a better argument for a place in the division Top 15 had the promotion not done him dirty and paired him off against Shavkat Rakhmonov at UFC Vegas 47. “Nomad” was still something of an unknown commodity back then but in hindsight, Harris was doomed from the start. Undaunted, “Mocambique” bounced back with consecutive wins over Jared Gooden and Jeremiah Wells, the latter of which ended with a submission — and a “Performance of the Night” bonus worth $ 50,000. Harris is more well rounded than Williams but just as sloppy in his offense, so unless he falls back on his wrestling, he may be walking into the lion’s den.

“I never question when UFC gives me any opponent — I just want to fight,” Harris told reporters during the UFC Vegas 92 media day (watch it here). “I never question. No matter who. I just want to fight. I want to be active. I only fight two times a year. That’s not good, man. Two times a year is nothing for an active fighter. Two times a year can’t pay the bills. So for me, the opponent don’t matter. I want at least four fights a year. I’m not injured. I just want to fight. I don’t know what is the UFC agreement. I’m always on my [Instagram page] asking for fights. Finally, they give me Khaos Williams. So it’s good. I never question it. I just want to fight. It don’t matter what name, who and when. I just want to fight.”

Harris broke out his wrestling against Gooden and I suspect he’ll do likewise against Williams. Whether or not he’s effective remains to be seen, though I’m underwhelmed by his success rate of 29 percent. I think “Mocambique” can win this fight if he’s both patient and tactical in his approach, but the more likely scenario is that both fighters come out of the gate with something to prove and just wing punches until someone drops. If that’s the case, it’s hard to bet against “Khaos.”

Prediction: Williams def. Harris by knockout

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Vegas 92 fight card RIGHT HERE, starting with the ESPN+ preliminary card matchups, which are scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET, followed by the remaining main card balance (also on ESPN+) at 7 p.m. ET.

To check out the latest and greatest UFC Vegas 92 news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive here. For the updated and finalized “Barboza vs. Murphy” fight card and ESPN+ lineup click here.

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

The Heavyweight division took a big step forward earlier on Thursday (May 16, 2024) when interim champion Tom Aspinall booked the first defense of his title opposite wrestling ace Curtis Blaydes. The two are booked as the co-main event of UFC 304, scheduled for July 27 from Manchester, England.

Official kingpin Jon Jones isn’t worried.

Despite resistance from the fan base, Jones and UFC CEO Dana White have made it abundantly clear that the next match up for the undisputed belt — which, again, is currently disputed by Aspinall — will be Jones vs. Stipe Miocic, despite Miocic’s extremely long layoff since his knockout loss to Francis Ngannou.

In a series of Tweets, Jones reacted to the interim title booking and labeled it the “official number one contender spot,” dismissing any bit of the bout’s credibility as a championship fight.

In addition, Jones revealed November 9th as his planned return date, which hasn’t yet been announced by UFC. Jones rebuked the online critics and laughed off the Blaydes vs. Aspinall match up again, pointing out that the duo are the co-main event to a Welterweight title fight, which would never happen with an undisputed Heavyweight title fight.

Jones’ tweets actually offer a lot of clarity as to how the Heavyweight division will move forward. If both bouts go through as planned, the victor of Jones vs. Miocic and Aspinall vs. Blaydes could seek to unify the titles in the first half of 2025. It’s not ideal to have both champions fighting other contenders just a couple months apart, but at least there’s a game plan moving forward.

… Unless Jones retires with a victory.

Insomnia

Joaquin Buckley wasn’t interested in a quick turnaround opposite Ian Garry.

Boxing payouts are so far beyond UFC salaries.

I hope to be alive for UFC 1000 but I pray I’m not covering it!

Terrance McKinney reacts to his knockout loss last weekend:

Belal Muhammad has more than earned his shot, but also … why are UFC fighters the last to hear that they’re fighting?!?

Sean Strickland’s reply in the comments: “Man its out of respect!! You’re crushing it bkb lol! I just wanna see how good you are!!!!!”

The build up to Sean O’Malley vs. Ryan Garcia is getting weird!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

This is quite the dramatic fall at the end.

Getting booted like a heavy bag is a worst-case scenario.

Incredible spinning elbow set up by falling forward after throwing the teep kick:

Random Land

What could possibly be in those plastic bags that is worth getting gored by a bull?

Midnight Music: Rock, 1971

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

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Islam Makhachev has no issues stepping into the Octagon with Conor McGregor.

Well, it sounds like Makhachev’s best buddy, former two-division Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion, Daniel Cormier, might finally be getting through to the Lightweight kingpin. “D.C.” has been stating in recent months that Makhachev needs to beat big stars to become a big star, and his next match up against Dustin Poirier can help contribute to that at UFC 302 next month (Sat., June 1, 2024).

What comes after Poirier? Arman Tsarukyan is the obvious choice as the No. 1 contender at 155 pounds. However, at the end of the same month that Makhachev next competes, “The Notorious” McGregor returns from his lengthy layoff when he’ll try to get back in the win column against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on June 29, 2024. Should McGregor ever get offered to Makhachev, he wouldn’t decline it no matter how meritocratically illogical it may be.

“People have to be stupid to say no,” Makhachev said on Pound 4 Pound (h/t MMA Junkie). “Of course, I will fight with him.

“This guy not same,” he continued. “I don’t want to, like, make him look bad, but everybody know this guy not same. Before, yeah, for sure. When he was fighting with Khabib [Nurmagomedov], he was in a good shape. He [was] a high-level fighter. But right now, too much alcohol, too much whiskey.”

Makhachev, 32, has expressed his interest in fighting at Madison Square Garden in New York City. If that dream became a reality, Makhachev would fight in November when the promotion visits the iconic arena annually. The champion admits an October Abu Dhabi return is also possible for his second fight of 2024. He added one last note, saying he’d fight sooner than that if UFC happened to offer him McGregor in August or September.

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Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight Jack Marshman is making his way back to combat sports — but “The Hammer” won’t be competing in mixed martial arts (MMA). Instead, Marshman will be ditching his gloves after signing a multi-fight contract with BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting Series.

“The addition of Marshman is just a small sign of things to come. We are only getting bigger, badder and better,” said BYB’s European Director of Operations and former BKB co-founder, Jim Freeman. “I’m ecstatic about the opportunity to work with Greg [Bloom] and the [BYB] team to continue to grow BYB and the sport of bare knuckle across the globe.”

Freeman and his team from BKB merged with BYB Extreme earlier this month. Expect “The Hammer” to make his debut for the bare knuckle promotion at some point this summer.

Marshman, 34, compiled a 23-10 record in MMA, also competing for Cage Warriors Fighting Championship and BAMMA across the pond. The Welsh slugger was last seen dropping a unanimous decision to Sean Strickland at UFC Vegas 12.

BYB Extreme returns on June 14 with “Brawl in Duval” in Jacksonville, Florida.

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Perry claims he was MVP’s original option to fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. on the Paul vs. Tyson undercard. MVP replied with their own version of events.

The Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson undercard is coming together quickly as the event’s July 20th date approaches. In the co-main slot is the killer rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano. Also fighting is Darren Till vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.

One name you won’t see on the card, though, is ‘Platinum’ Mike Perry. As for why, there are differing accounts.

Perry himself says he was approached by Paul’s promotion MVP to fight Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., but the paycheck didn’t make sense.

“I was like, oh, I’m interested to be on the Mike Tyson Netflix card, to get that exposure against this certified professional boxer,” he said on the latest episode of The MMA Hour. “But the money.”

“Platinum” made a disclosed $ 600,000 to fight at the last BKFC KnuckleMania, plus undisclosed bonuses and pay-per-view points. He’s willing and able to fight outside BKFC, but has said he won’t do it for less money.

The two sides couldn’t come to an agreement, and MVP went with Darren Till vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. in what certainly feels like a second choice.

Most Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian denied that was the case.

“No offer was made to Mike Perry,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “There was a discussion with his management prior to his last bare knuckle event with the plan to revisit after that fight. We expressed interest, but also highlighted the need to see factual data on Mike’s ability to sell tickets and PPV.”

“We did not revisit the discussion after his fight as by that point we had the entire Paul Tyson card confirmed.”

Bare Knuckle FC’s actual pay-per-view sales are somewhat mysterious. Gone are the days where reporters with access to cable PPV sales could extrapolate somewhat accurate estimates. With everything going through the internet, it’s a black box.

We know Perry gets tons of attention, and probably generates a lot of eyeballs for BKFC, but only on pirate streams? Bidarian wanted to know the answer to that, which is fair enough … but not super relevant when your event is being aired for free on Netflix.

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

In the south of Brazil, the Rio Grande do Sul state is currently experiencing severe flooding after continuously heavy rain fall. The region is expected to continue suffering flood conditions for the next month, which could displace up to half a million people.

Thankfully, at least one hero has intervened, as UFC Middleweight contender Michel Pereira was recently seen helping those affected. Today, more footage released of Pereira, as the Brazilian can be seen rescuing a large amount of dogs — likely trapped or abandoned — from dangerous conditions. In the clips above, Pereira is seen carrying a dog off a roof with a flash light in his mouth, carefully navigating his way to the deep waters. In another clip, Pereira is helping pull a boat containing half-a-dozen dogs through the flooded streets.

Pereira posted a couple times on social media to update the world on the struggles of Rio Grande do Sul.

Translated via Google Translate, the latter post reads, “These are some sad scenes. These are some cool stuff. But there are scenes that you and I need to see to understand how much Rio Grande do Sul needs us right now.

We’re several days into this seemingly never-ending struggle. The water stinks. Water hurts from being cold. Water makes everything difficult. But today alone, 26 dogs and 3 guinea pigs were rescued.

We’re here for you. Let’s get this out of here. Keep donating, keep supporting”

In the cage, “Demolidor” has been nothing short of spectacular. Pereira has won eight straight bouts, mostly in highlight reel fashion. He’s been particularly excellent since moving up to 185 lbs., stopping his last three opponents in less than four minutes combined.

Now ranked at No. 13, a Top 10 opponent is probably next for Michel Pereira whenever he returns to action.

Insomnia

What are the odds Sean O’Malley vs. Merab Dvalishvili ends up headlining the one-off UFC Sphere event?

Daniel Cormier has a chronic case of foot-in-mouth syndrome.

Jose Aldo has the greatest takedown defense of all time, and it’s not even close.

Championship hustle from Alexa Grasso.

Amir Albazi tried to big dog the Raw Dawg, and it didn’t work out.

Dan Ige wants all the ultra tough unranked Featherweights. BMF material!

Are you hype for Oleksandr Usyk vs. Tyson Fury?

Slips, rips, and KO clips

It took me a couple watches to see the shot that finished him.

Mike Trizano was a skilled Featherweight who put on some good fights! Thought his position on the UFC roster was deserved.

A strong sprawl and a head kick on the break — good tools for a kickboxer making the transition.

Random Land

The Simpsons!

Midnight Music: Swamp rock, 1985

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

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