Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Just over a month ago, there was a minor altercation between Team Diaz and Team Nurmagomedov during the UFC 310 Fight Week. As has been known to happen around the Diaz brothers, water bottles were soon flying through the air. Chucking water bottles is a known tactic among that crew, but thankfully, the situation did not escalate further.
Islam Makhachev addressed the situation about a week ago. Per the UFC Lightweight kingpin, there’s no substantial beef between he and Diaz, who is actually a pretty respectful guy when the cameras aren’t around. He even claims that they had a cordial interaction in an elevator at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Diaz doesn’t share that recollection. He denies the elevator meet up ever occurred, and he is adamant that Team Nurmagomedov threw the first water bottle back at the UFC 311 presser. Furthermore, Diaz labels the opposing crew clout-chasing “ewalks,” accompanied by a picture of Ewoks from Return of the Jedi.
“WTH goin on I didn’t even know Islam was there,” Diaz wrote in response on social media. “I don’t even know wich one he is I was just there to corner my boy and these ewalks thru a bottle at me looking for clout wtf did I do lol And I never saw this guy in an elevator wtf i thought religious people didn’t lie wtf is happening?And wtf happened to champ all you had to do was say yes champ I gotta go.”
The beef between the Nurmagomedov and Diaz fight camps goes back all the way to 2015, and it doesn’t seem likely to end now. More to the point, however, is the simple fact that Makhachev and team mate Umar Nurmagomedov are fighting for world titles atop the first pay-per-view (PPV) event of the year, whereas the top Diaz camp representative in the Octagon currently is … Kron Gracie?
I don’t think the Dagestan crew is losing sleep over this “rivalry.”
Insomnia
Punahele Soriano has jokes!
Patricio Pitbull mentioned the word union and was released within a couple hours. I hope UFC picks him up!
Hey @francis_ngannou are you aware of all the absurd things PFL is doing to fighters and putting on the new contracts? Will you ever speak up for us?I’m thinking it’s time we start a PFL Fighters Union. What do you think?
— Patricio Pitbull (@PatricioPitbull) January 14, 2025
We are releasing @PatricioPitbull @PFLMMA is all about opportunity
I founded this company to create new great opportunities for top fighters
PFL has and will continue to do that for all top fighters who want to be here #PFLMMA
— Donn Davis (@DonnDavisPFL) January 14, 2025
Flyweight banger on the way. It’s good to have young blood at 125-pounds!
Umar Nurmagomedov was having a bit of difficulty with Cory Sandhagen’s low kicks in round one, but the Russian talent adjusted well.
Eddie Alvarez is a top-notch negotiator.
Hey @BellatorMMA I was thinking now would be a great time to negotiate the rights to my fights I had during my time there . I’d like to offer $ 7 dollars In total and I’d be willing to go as high as $10 if you included a signed poster of Bjorn Rebney
— Eddie Alvarez (@Ealvarezfight) January 14, 2025
David Onama will get a shot at ranked opposition after his current three-fight win streak over the likes of Jonathan Pearce and Gabriel Santos.
A fun thread to look through:
Slips, rips, and KO clips
SUMO!
Day3Pedigree bout – Hawaiian Yokozuna Musashimaru’s nephew Hikarumusashi (L) vs Mongolian Yokozuna Asashōryū’s nephew Tenrōsei. This is a maezumō bout – bouts by recruits to calculate their ranks for their debut next basho. #hatsubasho2025 pic.twitter.com/4mgDsa0pXy
— Sumo Soul 相撲魂 (@TheSumoSoul) January 14, 2025
71 seconds of chaos.
Don’t let your dreams be dreams … unless that dream is to throw the lowest cartwheel kick of all time in a professional fight.
Random Land
I need to post all the random TikTok clips I have saved for this column before it shuts down in the US next week.
Midnight Music: Alternative, 1987
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
