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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Shara Magomedov isn’t likely scoring the Israel Adesanya match up he wanted, but the unranked Middleweight striker is definitely generating waves. That’s what happens when you live up to the hype on a high-profile event like UFC 308 and win via something ridiculous like a double spinning backfist! People take notice, and Magomedov will likely have his pick of potential opponents for what should be a quick return to action.

Michael “Venom” Page probably isn’t anyone’s first guess as to his next opponent, but why not? In a recent interview with MMAFighting, Page revealed he’s already on weight and would love a chance to fight “The Pirate.”

“Magomedov — he just fought, did the double spinning back [fist] knockout and then he called out my boy Izzy,” Page said. “Mate, I’m at that weight right now. You don’t even have to wait too long. That one there, I’ll just take straight away just for the fun of it.”

He continued, “I’m in shape now, ready to go. So that’s a good fight for me, I think. Just a nice stand up fight for everybody, just to come back to the game. and like I said, leave my boy Izzy alone. He’s trying to get back to the belt, to the throne, so I’ll take his place.”

There’s no arguing this would be an exceptional match up. Magomedov has quickly built up a reputation for himself as an exciting and dangerous kickboxer, but that’s been the “MVP” game for a decade now. He’s just as nasty as Magomedov at distance, and he’s one of the rare athletes who can match Magomedov’s arsenal of flashy strikes.

Spinning backfist vs. flying knee is an easy sell. Unless UFC is intent on booking Magomedov vs. a ranked Middleweight next, it makes great sense. Page didn’t win his last fight versus Ian Garry, but the English veteran did still prove himself a top talent and show he’s a great test for up-and-coming prospects.

Why not Shara?

Insomnia

Khamzat’s double leg goes against serious wrestling fundamentals. He outright rejects the core ideas of eyes up, proud chest, and “where the head goes the body will follow.” Yet, it works, because the guy is an animal!

A beautiful duck under:

There are many viable mindsets in elite MMA, but being relaxed in the cage is such a massive advantage.

This whole thread is worth a read — Ilia Topuria used to be unrecognizably different on the feet.

Here’s hoping a speedy recovery for Michael Bisping.

They don’t call him “Groovy” for nothing …

Therapeutic or unhealthy?

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Athletes usually retire for a reason.

Yeah, it doesn’t surprise me that the guy wearing trail runners in a cage fight got instantly erased.

The first overhand here is some real-deal hand speed.

Random Land

Grouse dance!

Midnight Music: Doo Woo, 1961

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

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Well, that came out of nowhere.

Derrick Lewis returns for the second time in 2024 this weekend (Sat., Nov. 2) at UFC Edmonton against Brazilian kickboxer Jhonata Diniz, which will go down inside Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

During UFC Edmonton media day (watch here), “The Black Beast” was asked if there was a fight out there that he wanted to cross off his list. The holder of most knockouts in UFC history chose a rematch with retired former Heavyweight champion Daniel Cormier.

“Probably DC,” Lewis told the media. “Because that one still doesn’t sit right with me, man. Do people really like DC like that? C’mon, man. I told DC to his face that he’s a piece of s—t. He’s a piece of s—t scumbag, man. F—k DC.”

When asked to elaborate, Lewis kept it pretty vague.

“He knows why. DC knows why,” Lewis said. Everyone knows why- he disrespected Popeyes chicken, but other than that, he’s a piece of s—t.”

Lewis and Cormier have sent shots towards each other in the past. While Cormier’s comments were more from a broadcaster’s point of view, like when he said he was done as a top Heavyweight and Lewis should retire after his loss to Sergey Spivak. Lewis, on the other hand, has always just talked trash when replying to Cormier.

Ariel Helwani asked Cormier about Lewis’ recent comments today (Wed., Oct. 30, 2024), and he believes Lewis is still mad that he recommended “The Black Beast” retire.

Indeed, the two Heavyweights clashed back in 2018 at UFC 230, in which Cormier submitted Lewis in the second round (watch highlights).

They won’t be rematching.

MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Edmonton 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 on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET.

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

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“With over 120,000 presale signups, we anticipate that all tickets and VIP packages will sell out very quickly.” —Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP.

Jake Paul is scheduled to fight Mike Tyson on Netflix at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, a professionally sanctioned boxing match that has divided the combat sports community. Probably because “Iron Mike” is 58 years old and as we’ve learned from other former champs, Father Time is a far more dangerous opponent than anyone inside the ring.

Hopefully the 80,000-seat venue is equipped with wheelchair access.

Tickets and VIP packages for the Nov. 15 spectacle have been on sale for several months and promoters recently slashed prices on “hundreds” of seats, according to a report from MMA Junkie, with some going as low as $ 30. That’s a far cry from the quick sellout promoters expected when the once-delayed bout was announced last March.

The struggle continues.

“Paul vs. Tyson and Taylor vs. Serrano 2 represents a once-in-a-lifetime cultural phenomenon, spanning six generations of fans, that warrants ticketing options for every fan,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of MVP. “With over 120,000 presale signups, we anticipate that all tickets and VIP packages will sell out very quickly.”

Or not.

For the finalized “Paul vs. Tyson” fight card and Netflix lineup click here.

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That was fast.

Undefeated UFC middleweight sensation Shara Magomedov recently booked his next MMA fight and already began preparations, just a handful of days removed from his highlight-reel knockout victory over Armen Petrosyan as part of the UFC 308 pay-per-view (PPV) card in Abu Dhabi.

“Right now we’re all happy,” Magomedov’s coach, Gor Azizyan, told UDAR. “We already began preparation for February 1st. We don’t know who the opponent will be, but the date is set.”

“It’s going to be February 1st in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,” Azizyan continued. “It may be Israel Adesanya. There isn’t much more of a ‘wow’ out there.”

The promotion is expected to make its return to Kingdom Arena in Riyadh early next year and the Saudi Arabia fight card already has a heavyweight collision attached to the lineup. No word yet on who Magomedov will fight, but “Last Stylebender” doesn’t sound too interested.

Stay tuned.

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Ilia Topuria would like to see a larger reward for his incredible UFC 308 knockout win over Max Holloway (watch here).

It’s a historic win. Not only did Topuria become the first man to crack the legendary chin of the former champion, but in doing so, he stopped two of the best Featherweights ever back-to-back in violent fashion. It’s up for debate whether it’s the best pair of consecutive wins in MMA history, but it’s certainly high on the list!

Naturally, Topuria was one of three “Performance of the Night” bonus winners. That additional check typically earns the recipient an additional $ 50k, but especially big nights and spectacular wins have seen larger bonus. Holloway himself, for example, scored an extra $ 300k for knocking out Justin Gaethje back at UFC 300 … and then another $ 300k for “Fight of the Night” too! Topuria was similarly hoping for some extra scratch after living up to the hype, and he was disappointed in the immediate UFC 308 aftermath.

“I knock out Max Holloway and Dana only give me 50k,” Topuria said shortly after his knockout win. “I hope he’s going to give me a little bit more. I hope so. I’m putting my hope in Dana.”

Sometimes, fighters receive discretionary bonuses that aren’t announced to the public. These “locker room bonuses” are shrouded in mystery and secrecy, so it’s hard to say exactly how often they’re handed out or how much they’re worth. Likely, if any win is worthy, Topuria’s UFC 308 KO certainly qualifies.

In the interim, at least Topuria has a really dope mansion to hang out in and wait for any checks to clear.

Insomnia

There’s nothing like watching a legitimately world-class wrestler do his thing.

So many stories like this come out about fighters — it’s a miracle nothing worse has happened after a UFC fight.

Speaking of injuries and miracles … it’s unbelievable that Oralbai’s orbital isn’t broken.

I’m really curious to see the final numbers on how many tune into Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul. I have a feeling it’s going to be massive, for better or worse.

An interim Featherweight title would be ridiculous, but I don’t blame Diego Lopes for shooting his shot.

Brandon Moreno joins the dope shorts club!

Karate Combat is definitely a better fit for Robelis Despaigne.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

I think I was just convinced that 12-6 elbows should be illegal again.

Ringside camera makes every shot seem more brutal.

Chris Camozzi has been in the combat sports game for a long time.

Random Land

Sometimes I think about the loss of marine life and get sad. Then, I order a poke bowl and continue to be part of the problem.

Midnight Music: Hip-hop, 1998

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

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There might be a new best tattoo in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Charles Jourdain returns at UFC Edmonton this weekend (Sat., Nov. 2, 2024) against Victor Henry inside Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and he is moving down to Bantamweight for the first time in his 24-fight career.

Last week, Jourdain revealed his new tattoo on his social media … and it is incredible.

Check it out below:

“Piracy, she’s always had my back,” Jourdain wrote.

There are some absolutely awesome back tattoos in UFC, including those of Tom Aspinall, Alexander Volkov, Sean Brady, and Cody Garbrandt. But Jourdain’s new tattoo could be the best one yet. Of course, art is very subjective, but its originality cannot be forgotten.

Nevertheless, “Air” Jourdain is riding a two-losing streak, getting knocked out in his last outing by Jean Silva (who also recently got a new tattoo). As mentioned, Jourdain is switching weight classes and going down to Bantamweight.

He explained his move to 135 lbs on Twitter a few weeks before announcing his fight.

“I will be performing at bantamweight. My walk around weight is 155. In camp I’m 152 max Last weight cut I had 2 pounds to water cut after the UFC protocol. I’ve always been a small featherweight yet performed well(ish) because of my explosive muscle fiber,” Jourdain wrote.

So, Maniacs, who has the best back tattoo?

To check out UFC’s upcoming schedule of events, click here.

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If court appearances were treated like sporting events, reigning UFC heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, would have his number retired by Bernalillo County Court in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“Bones” was back in front of the judge on Tuesday to answer for misdemeanor charges of assault and interference with communications, following an incident with drug testers that took place outside his home last March.

Prosecutors agreed to dismiss the charges on the condition that Jones completes four hours of anger management courses and stays out of legal trouble for the next 90 days, according to MMA Fighting, clearing the way for UFC 309.

“I would like to extend my thanks to the justice system for reaching a prompt resolution in this matter, which affirms my innocence and enables me to maintain my focus on the upcoming fight,” Jones wrote on Twitter. “I am eagerly anticipating the opportunity to defend my heavyweight title on November 16th at Madison Square Garden.”

Assuming Jones can keep his nose clean over the next few weeks, he’ll defend his heavyweight title opposite former champion Stipe Miocic atop the UFC 309 pay-per-view (PPV) card on Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

For much more on that upcoming showdown click here.

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Max Holloway took a slight dip in the pound-for-pound rankings after getting popped and dropped by featherweight champion Ilia Topuria. In addition, Lerone Murphy gained some ground at 145 pounds by outworking veteran banger Dan Ige.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) recently updated its “official” rankings in the wake of the UFC 308 pay-per-view (PPV) event, which took place last Sat. night (Oct. 26, 2024) at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Among the big winners during last weekend’s combat sports extravaganza were Khamzat Chimaev and Shara Magomedov, who both made considerable progress in the 185-pound division.

Chimaev broke Robert Whittaker not long after Magomedov fisted Armen Petrosyan.

Here’s how the rankings are compiled, at least until AI takes over:

Rankings are generated by a voting panel made up of media members. The media members were asked to vote for who they feel are the top fighters in the UFC by weight-class and pound-for-pound. A fighter is only eligible to be voted on if they are in active status in the UFC. A fighter can appear in more than one weight division at a time. The champion and interim champion are considered to be in the top positions of their respective divisions and therefore are not eligible for voting by weight-class. However, the champions can be voted on for the pound-for-pound rankings.

Take a look at what the latest rankings field looks like courtesy of UFC.com. Note: (+/- = movement in rankings, T = tie, *NR = Not previously ranked).

MEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND

1. Islam Makhachev
2. Alex Pereira
3. Jon Jones
4. Ilia Topuria
5. Belal Muhammad
6. Dricus Du Plessis
7. Merab Dvalishvili
8. Tom Aspinall
9. Leon Edwards
10. Alexander Volkanovski
11. Alexandre Pantoja +1
12. Max Holloway -1
13. Sean O’Malley
14. Sean Strickland
15. Israel Adesanya *NR

FLYWEIGHT

Champion: Alexandre Pantoja

1. Brandon Royval
2. Brandon Moreno
3. Amir Albazi
4. Kai Kara France
5. Tatsuro Taira
6. Alex Perez
7. Asu Almabayev
8. Manel Kape
9. Steve Erceg
10. Matheus Nicolau
11. Tim Elliott
12. Tagir Ulanbekov
13. Bruno Silva
14. Cody Durden
15. Charles Johnson

BANTAMWEIGHT

Champion: Merab Dvalishvili

1. Sean O’Malley
2. Umar Nurmagomedov
3. Petr Yan
4. Cory Sandhagen
5. Deiveson Figueiredo
6. Marlon Vera
7. Henry Cejudo
8. Song Yadong
9. (T) Mario Bautista
9. (T) Rob Font
11. Jose Aldo
12. Kyler Phillips
13. Jonathan Martinez
14. Dominick Cruz
15. Montel Jackson

FEATHERWEIGHT

Champion: Ilia Topuria

1. Alexander Volkanovski
2. Max Holloway
3. Diego Lopes
4. Yair Rodriguez
5. Movsar Evloev
6. Brian Ortega
7. Arnold Allen
8. Josh Emmett
9. Aljamain Sterling
10. Calvin Kattar
11. Lerone Murphy +1
12. Giga Chikadze -1
13. Bryce Mitchell
14. Dan Ige
15. Edson Barboza

LIGHTWEIGHT

Champion: Islam Makhachev

1. Arman Tsarukyan
2. Charles Oliveira
3. Justin Gaethje
4. Dustin Poirier
5. Max Holloway
6. Dan Hooker
7. Michael Chandler
8. Beneil Dariush
9. Mateusz Gamrot
10. (T) Rafael Fiziev
10. (T) Renato Moicano +1
12. Benoit Saint Denis
13. Jalin Turner
14. Paddy Pimblett
15. Rafael dos Anjos

WELTERWEIGHT

Champion: Belal Muhammed

1. Leon Edwards
2. Kamaru Usman
3. Shavkat Rakhmonov
4. Jack Della Maddalena
5. Sean Brady
6. Colby Covington
7. Ian Machado Garry
8. Gilbert Burns
9. Joaquin Buckley
10. Geoff Neal
11. Stephen Thompson
12. Michael Morales
13. Michael Page
14. Vicente Luque
15. Neil Magny

MIDDLEWEIGHT

Champion: Dricus Du Plessis

1. Sean Strickland
2. Israel Adesanya
3. Khamzat Chimaev +10
4. Robert Whittaker -1
5. Nassourdine Imavov -1
6. Caio Borralho -1
7. Marvin Vettori -1
8. Jared Cannonier -1
9. Brendan Allen -1
10. Roman Dolidze -1
11. Paulo Costa -1
12. Jack Hermansson -1
13. Anthony Hernandez -1
14. Shara Magomedov *NR
15. Michel Pereira -1

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT

Champion: Alex Pereira

1. Magomed Ankalaev
2. Jiri Prochazka -1
3. Jamahal Hill
4. Jan Blachowicz
5. Aleksandar Rakic
6. (T) Nikita Krylov
6. (T) Khalil Rountree +1
8. Volkan Oezdemir
9. Johnny Walker
10. Carlos Ulberg
11. Azamat Murzakanov
12. (T) Anthony Smith
12. (T) Dominick Reyes +1
14. Bogdan Guskov
15. Alonzo Menifield

HEAVYWEIGHT

Champion: Jon Jones

1. Tom Aspinall
2. Ciryl Gane
3. Alexander Volkov
4. Sergei Pavlovich
5. Curtis Blaydes
6. Jailton Almeida
7. Serghei Spivac
8. Stipe Miocic
9. (T) Marcin Tybura
9. (T) Jairzinho Rozenstruik
11. Derrick Lewis
12. Tai Tuivasa
13. Alexandr Romanov
14. Marcos Rogerio De Lima
15. Rodrigo Nascimento

WOMEN’S POUND-FOR-POUND

1. Valentina Shevchenko
2. Zhang Weili
3. Alexa Grasso
4. Julianna Pena
5. Manon Fiorot
6. Rose Namajunas
7. Erin Blanchfield
8. Kayla Harrison
9. Raquel Pennington
10. Tatiana Suarez
11. Yan Xiaonan
12. Virna Jandiroba
13. Natalia Silva
14. Jessica Andrade
15. Maycee Barber

WOMEN’S STRAWWEIGHT

Champion: Zhang Weili

1. Tatiana Suarez
2. Yan Xiaonan
3. Virna Jandiroba
4. Jessica Andrade
5. Amanda Lemos
6. Mackenzie Dern
7. Iasmin Lucindo
8. Amanda Ribas
9. Marina Rodriguez
10. Tabatha Ricci
11. Loopy Godinez
12. Angela Hill
13. Luana Pinheiro
14. Gillian Robertson
15. Tecia Pennington

WOMEN’S FLYWEIGHT

Champion: Valentina Shevchenko

1. Alexa Grasso
2. Manon Fiorot
3. Erin Blanchfield
4. Maycee Barber
5. Rose Namajunas
6. Natalia Silva
7. Katlyn Cerminara
8. Jessica Andrade
9. Viviane Araújo
10. Amanda Ribas
11. Karine Silva
12. Tracy Cortez
13. Ariane Da Silva
14. Jasmine Jasudavicius
15. Casey O’Neill

WOMEN’S BANTAMWEIGHT

Champion: Julianna Pena

1. Raquel Pennington
2. Kayla Harrison
3. Ketlen Vieira
4. Macy Chiasson
5. Norma Dumont
6. (T) Irene Aldana
6. (T) Mayra Bueno Silva
8. Holly Holm
9. Karol Rosa
10. Yana Santos
11. Miesha Tate
12. Julia Avila
13. Germaine De Randamie
14. Ailin Perez
15. Chelsea Chandler

You can expect these rankings to change around this time next week, particularly in the flyweight division, following the UFC Edmonton: “Moreno vs. Albazi” mixed martial arts (MMA) event on ESPN+, scheduled for Sat., Nov. 2, 2024 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

For much more on that upcoming fight card 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 are legitimate concerns to be had about the upcoming Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul super fight.

“Iron” Mike is an all-time boxing legend, but he’s also a 58-year-old man who looked washed in the ring two decades ago. There’s a reason Tyson retired from professional competition! His body is worn down, and he already suffered a serious health issue once that derailed the initial summer scheduling. Despite the quick mitts clips and brief sparring footage that circulates social media, it’s difficult to know what kind of shape Tyson will enter the ring in … or how he’ll leave it.

Ahead of their fight, which will air live on Netflix on Nov. 15 from Arlington, Texas, Tyson is leaning into the safety concern angle. In the new trailer for the upcoming Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson series, Tyson makes a shocking statement about just how far he’s willing to go in pursuit of boxing greatness.

“If I win, I’ll be immortal,” Tyson says near the end of the promo (H/T Curtis Calhoun). “I don’t want to die in a hospital bed. I want to die in the ring.”

The first episodes of the Countdown series will release on November 7. Per the description, “Countdown: Paul vs. Tyson captures inside footage from the fighters’ training camps, giving viewers a close-up look at the grit, determination and physical demands of preparing for the can’t miss boxing mega-event.”

Hopefully, it doesn’t also serve as a memorialization.

Insomnia

Is Ilia Topuria’s knockout over Max Holloway an all-time great finish or CIA conspiracy? BJ Penn weighs in:

I hope Mark Hunt drops some creative curse words in his court appearance vs. Zuffa.

Having a previous jaw injury is NOT the best base for MMA.

This is a super fun scramble, but yeah, this is definitely a standard gym wrestling match at the end of practice. No points until top position is secured!

Alright, “Pirate” is a pretty badass and fitting nickname. Shara Magomedov has won me over …

Battle of lanky Featherweight lads:

10 years later … for my money, one of the all-time highest level and most entertaining fights in UFC history. If you became a fight fan after this era, go back and give it a watch!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

There is a direct correlation between logos glued onto skin and violence in the cage.

Eyes to the sky when threatened by a triangle choke …

I cannot not think of Luis Saldana as the guy who jumped on the cage while the fight was still going. Skilled fighter though …

Random Land

Zero gravity wrestling!

Midnight Music: Indie rock, 2006

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

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2024 ‘Fighter of the Year’ will be a fun debate for the next two months, but after Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight champion Ilia Topuria became the first person to knockout Max Holloway (watch it) at UFC 308 last weekend (Sat., Oct. 26, 2024) from inside Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the undefeated Spanish fighter may have snatched the crown.

Former UFC Featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, who was in attendance on Sat and locked up a rematch with Topuira after the win, gave his opinion today (Mon., Oct. 28, 2024) on who he believes is the ‘Fighter of the Year.’

“A few things come into play when you’re saving cards,” Volkanovski told Ariel Helwani. “Put it this way, if it wasn’t [Alex] Pereira saving cards and putting his belt on the line while saving cards, it would be clearly Ilia. Yeah, you’ve had three [title] defenses, but the two that Ilia took out and finished us both, it’s hard to pick against Ilia, to be honest. Before this past weekend, I was like, ‘How does Pereira not get it?’ It was pretty clear… It’ ‘s pretty impressive, man. It’s tough to say.”

The debate between Alex Pereira and Topuira for 2024 ‘Fighter of the Year’ will be subjective, and here is why.

Indeed, Pereira saved UFC’s ass this year. He headlined their biggest card to date, UFC 300, then saved 2024 International Fight Week, UFC 303, and then headlined UFC 307. All of the fights were championship bouts, relatively short notice, and he knocked out all three opponents brutally. Oh, all in seven months, breaking Ronda Rousey’s previous record of the shortest time between three world title defenses, which was 175 days.

It is simply incredible.

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Now, Topuira, on the other hand, had quality wins over quantity. He first became the first person to defeat Volkanovski at Featherweight, knocking him out at UFC 298. Then, eight months later, he became the first person to knock out Holloway – something Dustin Poirier, Justin Gaethje, Conor McGregor, Jose Aldo, or Volkanovski could not achieve.

Volkanovski and Holloway are two of the best Featherweights ever, and Topuria knocked them out back-to-back.

I repeat that quality wins over quantity, but the award will ultimately depend on how UFC values the honor.

What say you, Maniacs?

For complete UFC 308 results, coverage, and highlights, click HERE.

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