Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Let’s start the night off by taking look back over the three biggest stories of Monday, May 5, 2025.
Benoit Saint Denis turned down short-notice Mateusz Gamrot match up: I get that Saint Denis really needs a bounce back win, but damn if this isn’t a much better match up than the one we’re getting …
Belal Muhammad rejects Ian Garry’s back up role: Ian Garry still doesn’t have a Top 10 win and probably shouldn’t be as high up in the immediate title talks as he wants to be. Shavkat, Brady, and even Buckley have better arguments at the moment.
BJJ star Gabi Pessanha upset after massive win streak: This headline served as a reminder to me that I know very little about who the best gi grapplers in the world are right now.
Insomnia
Based on my experience with whiteboards and MMA gyms, this is more of a warm up sequence or training routine than true “fight plan.” While it doesn’t take a genius to know that Jack Della Maddalena is going to try to win the jab battle, use uppercuts against a wrestler, and work his way off the cage, it’s still not cool that the UFC publicly broadcasted it. I’m sure the JDM coaching staff would’ve preferred it kept quiet!
More than one fan speculated that this is some sort of Trojan Horse/trap scenario, which would be quite an exemplary bit of 4D chess.
Well, it feels like UFC 315 is guaranteed to produce at least one finish …
A big booking for the 125-pound class:
Metallica vs. UFC in the ultimate clash of stinginess.
I failed to finish this clip, and it’s only 13 seconds long. Safe to see, I won’t be tuning into future Raul Rosas Jr. podcasts …
After taking a break from fighting to reignite his competitive spark, Brad Riddell eyes a summer return. How about Bobby Green?
Azamat Bekoev scored a major KO over the weekend and is on his way to being a popular X follow to boot!
Can we get 1.000 followers. For the person who will be follower number 1.000 I will do absolutely nothing. But I will have 1000 followers
— Azamat Bekoev (@AzamatBekoev) May 5, 2025
So much of the boxing over the last few days was absolutely unwatchable.
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Wrestler in a karate stance is actually a super dangerous combo!
So I was just put onto a LW mma fighter named Geno Morelli! He’s 5-0 and wrestled outta Penn State like Bo. Here’s a little clip from a finish of his. What do you guys think? pic.twitter.com/13OZpwaUh6
— TheFlowMann (@iflowmannMMA) May 5, 2025
Stiff as a board …
Shifted back to Southpaw to throw a check right hook, a Volkanovski classic.
Random Land
I know I’m aging because this unnecessary goofiness just makes me sad.
Midnight Music: Hip-hop, 2001
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
