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Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Earlier on Wednesday, news broke that Geoff Neal was injured and forced to withdraw from his planned UFC 292 contest opposite Ian Garry. It’s a major blow to the pay-per-view (PPV) event, which is scheduled to go down next weekend (Sat., Aug. 19, 2023) from Boston, Massachusetts, a pivotal Welterweight contest between ranked contenders fueled by bad blood.
Predictably, Garry wasn’t impressed with the pullout. “Geoff Neal has bitched out,” Garry tweeted-and-deleted (via MMAJunkie). “I’m still showing up in Boston ain’t no one stopping me …”
Later in the day, Garry dropped the video featured above. Putting on my internet detective monocle, it seems pretty clear to me (and just about everyone in the entire social media sphere) that Garry believes longtime Welterweight contender Neil Magny is going to fill in for the injured Neal on just 10 day’s worth of notice!
That’s a big ask of any Welterweight, but Magny is proven in this regard. He’s willingly jumped on difficult short-notice opportunities time and time again, so stepping up against “The Future” would not be new territory. Adding fuel to the flames is Magny himself, who posted a picture signing a new contract.
Now, to reiterate, none of this can be considered an official announcement yet, but if it quacks like a duck? Magny is about as good of a replacement as UFC can hope for this close to the event, and he still serves as a legitimate step up in competition for Garry. He’s won two of his last three, beating Phil Rowe and Daniel Rodriguez (Garry’s last opponent!) but coming up short to Gilbert Burns.
As for Garry, he’s undefeated at 12-0, and this could be his moment to break into the UFC Welterweight Top 10.
Insomnia
MORE RUMOR MILL: Bellator 300 will be the final Bellator event under current ownership? Some people seem to think so …
Just announced on #TheMMAHour…
Bellator 300 will feature FOUR title fights pic.twitter.com/N5l5fxzgEL
— MMAFighting.com (@MMAFighting) August 9, 2023
This should be a fun Lightweight scrap.
IT’S ON!
Fight is finally booked!
Lethal Natan Levy (8-1)
VS
The Executioner Alex Reyes (13-3)
Looking forward to put on a SHOW for you guys.
September 16 – T Mobile Arena Las Vegas!
Get your tickets Now! ️ ️ ️#UFC pic.twitter.com/YdD87CwmvW
— Natan Levy ✡︎ (@Natan_Levy) August 9, 2023
I’m not a Paul brothers or WWE fan, but I’m still impressed by this clip.
Logan Paul’s most recent WWE performance was insane pic.twitter.com/cOXkJKCXkD
— Dexerto (@Dexerto) August 7, 2023
This lukewarm attempt at trash talk from Sean O’Malley has a bunch of people shocked at a professional fighter sleeping for nine plus hours. Very common if not outright mandatory! Sleep equals recovery.
Sleepin goooood. How’s your sleep been @funkmasterMMA pic.twitter.com/JXqyErSIQK
— Sean O’Malley (@SugaSeanMMA) August 8, 2023
Speaking of recovery, Chris Curtis should probably book a Cryotherapy session or something.
Let there be no doubt Chris Curtis is a MAD DOG! pic.twitter.com/GToyhB6zKU
— “The Future” Ian Machado Garry (@iangarryMMA) August 8, 2023
BJ Penn is keeping social media interesting.
This week in BJ Penn, he suggested that Laura Ingraham is a lizard person and that Mother Teresa’s face was actually a mask due to her being a CIA spy. pic.twitter.com/vyaFG4sBxj
— Borrachinha Depot (@FullContactMTWF) August 8, 2023
SWEEP!
Slips, rips, and KO clips
This is an important reminder for the untrained to run away if you find yourself in a street fight and the guy starts throwing low kicks. It’s probably not going to go well!
Signs that you’re about to get whooped.
Leg kicks. pic.twitter.com/GQlMhTUglR
— Eddie Law (@ELaw32) August 9, 2023
Absolutely zero choke defense on display here.
Lucero Acosta chokes out Silvia Juaneda via guillotine 1:24 R1 #CombateGlobal pic.twitter.com/69Almcb0sD
— Neo Vale Tudo (@NeoValeTudo) August 7, 2023
Back-and-forth chaos ends with a brutal elbow!
Tony Cortez knocks out Matias Palma via Elbow 0:32 R1 #CombateGlobal pic.twitter.com/8t3meZgWNb
— Neo Vale Tudo (@NeoValeTudo) August 7, 2023
Random Land
Mountain lion faces off with a bear!
Midnight Music: RIP Robbie Robertson.
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.