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Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Despite his protests, it’s been the better part of a year since Khamzat Chimaev competed inside the Octagon. Last time out, he manhandled Kevin Holland at UFC 279, but the impressive win was largely made irrelevant by the disastrous weigh-in that saw him miss by nearly a full weight class.
Since then, it’s been uncertain which division Khamzat would return to. Thankfully, his future is now clear: he’s booked to fight against Paulo Costa at UFC 294, a Middleweight bout that could earn him a title shot with victory. Though Chimaev has fought at Middleweight in the UFC previously, he’s better known for his 170-pound accomplishments.
Now that Welterweight is in his rearview mirror, Chimaev can focus on bulking up. He recently shared a photo on Twitter, flexing to show his progress. “Borz” looks huge!
Katsaso I coming for you pic.twitter.com/lEV9N3E43s
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) July 26, 2023
Naturally, fan reactions were varied. Several concluded that Khamzat would never return to Welterweight, and others speculated that he broke into Costa’s stash of “secret juice.” One fan put together a side-by-side of Chimaev’s physical transformation and wrote that Chimaev is on “more juice than Tropicana.”
Less than a year apart and more juice than tropicana pic.twitter.com/leL2HvGMqB
— LinkedIn Covington (@nerdsnfilthyani) July 27, 2023
Now, “Borz” does look beefy, but it’s important to note that the body can appear to change drastically depending on where a fighter is at during their weight, the lighting in the room, and a recently completed workout. Chimaev may not weight drastically more in the latter picture, even if he appears much larger.
Really, the real test will be in the cage against Paulo Costa, as well as on the scale the morning prior.
Insomnia
There were so many banger fight announcements today that this surefire scrap went under the radar!
BANGER ALERT
Daniel Rodriguez takes on Santiago Ponzinibbio on September 16th at #NocheUFC. (Info per @AjAriosa) pic.twitter.com/QJY21NFdda
— Marcel Dorff (@BigMarcel24) July 28, 2023
Sean Strickland has been beefing with the Lee brothers all week, and it’s been very stupid. This seems to be the end though …
Not gonna make it. Hate to disappoint but I got something else to do. What you said about Dewey is what got me. Keith told me not to, so keep the hate https://t.co/Qtwml5rFAY
— Kevin Lee MTP (@MoTownPhenom) July 27, 2023
There haven’t been enough Derrick Lewis quotes this week.
Derrick Lewis appreciates Jon Jones beating Ciryl Gane “because I couldn’t do it.” #UFC291 | Full video: https://t.co/4FQ9Ql7ZHt pic.twitter.com/bpBXrIQ3eH
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) July 27, 2023
A tale of delusion in two tweets! It’s bad when Brendan Schaub looks very reasonable in an interaction.
Oh god, he’s now asking the question to Brendan Schaub of all people pic.twitter.com/32HuKuduBM
— ᴛʜᴇᴀʀᴛᴏꜰᴡᴀʀ (@TheArtOfWar6) July 26, 2023
Bradley Martyn getting ragdolled and choked out by Nelk Boys security gaurd
How does this guy have so much confidence in his fighting ability pic.twitter.com/43bZbp0plo
— schwick (@schwick6) July 27, 2023
A ten second clip that aptly summarizes the chaotic and hilarious nature of Michel Pereira.
Pereira dumps Niko with a leg catch into a nice straight to the body… Then he backflips over Price, hitting him in the forehead with his foot during his landing, as Price is complaining to the ref, Pereira masterfully gets to mount. @MattyH_12 pic.twitter.com/OEYBlabNiz
— Feño (Ninja) (@fenoxsky) July 26, 2023
Jamie Mullarkey is going to get in John Makdessi’s face and give him the fight he wants, but will it work anyway?
Jamie Mullarkey will fight John Makdessi at #UFC293 on September 9th. #UFC #MMA #UFCESPN #UFC2023 #UFCSydney pic.twitter.com/HeMpbtMYpH
— Marcel Dorff (@BigMarcel24) July 25, 2023
Kamaru Usman is back to putting in roadwork. Maybe it helps his next performance?
Slips, rips, and KO clips
RIP to Lethwei champion Too Too.
Call an ambulance … but not for me!
She picked the absolute most chaotic escape option and it worked lmao pic.twitter.com/53DK81gVnn
— BJJotter (@JiujitsuOtter) July 23, 2023
EL CUCUY FOREVER!
October 7, 2017
UFC 216
Tony defeats Kevin Lee with a triangle choke in Rd 3.
Win the interim LW Belt.
McGregor should have been stripped after 1 yr of no defence; close to a genuine belt, IMO. pic.twitter.com/KjAEJrTB4d
— Ocelot MMA (@Ocelot_MMA) July 24, 2023
Random Land
A neat timelapse.
Midnight Music: Electronic, 2007
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
