Welcome to Midnight Mania!
UFC 273’s co-main event has enough bad blood to carry the show.
Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling have made it clear they don’t like one another, nor is there any mutual respect. Yan believes Sterling a cheater and quitter, whereas “Funkmaster” is understandably rather pissed about the illegal knee and subsequent s—t talk. Earlier today, Yan took it up a notch by threatening to “kill” Sterling and his team.
Easier said than done! In Sterling’s corner will be longtime team mates and UFC fighters Al Iaquinta and Merab Dvalishvili, both of whom can handle themselves in a scrap. Similar to Sterling himself, Iaquinta reacted by doubting that Yan would make a scene in any way.
“He’s not going to do anything,” Iaquinta told MMA Junkie. “Fight’s on Saturday night and he’s got a lot to be worried about. He should leave the teams out of it … Bad idea. Aljo’s doing his thing Saturday night. Good luck.”
Dvalishvili was a bit more fired up. “The Machine” wants Sterling to take care of business first, but afterwards, he’s down for some team-on-team combat.
“He made big mistake,” Dvalishvili said. “Aljo will show him, Aljo will finish him. .. We gonna let him fight first then we’re going to take care of him and his team after.”
Finally, top Lightweight prospect Ilia Topuria threw himself into the mix! Topuria is friendly with fellow Georgian Dvalishvili, and he wrote on his Instagram story that he’s plenty willing to get involved if there’s a brawl.
“In his team, there is someone who I consider my brother,” Topuria wrote. “Therefore we are from the same team so I hope you behave yourself … we don’t want to crush your head. Thank you.”
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Screenshot via Reddit /u/TomatoTeapot
All this trash talk is unlikely to do more than keep things spicy for another few days, but Topuria is no stranger to altercations at the fighter hotel.
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LIVE! Watch UFC 273 PPV On ESPN+ Here!
CHAMPIONSHIP DOUBLE DIP! Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returns to Jacksonville, Fla., on Sat., April 9, 2022, with a world championship doubleheader that will see Featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski, defend against No. 4-ranked division contender, “Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung. In UFC 273’s pay-per-view (PPV) co-main event, Bantamweight kingpin, Aljamain Sterling, runs it back with interim titleholder and former champion, Petr Yan.
Insomnia
Paulo Costa has responded to Luke Rockhold’s trash talk, but the Brazilian moved in a direction no one could have expected.
After this shits Luke Rockhold said, I will reveal a curiosity . Vitor is my dad and it happened when him and my young and sexy mom gets in romance on Rio de Gerais, Brazil. Now everyone knows.
That’s what when he bring me to UFC the staff called me Baby Vitor. pic.twitter.com/0WhUeQFCAh— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) April 6, 2022
so after being abandoned by daddy, my young mommy found her new man in Syria, fight for his country . She brought my stepdad to take care of us, and here he is to this day we giving his love pic.twitter.com/tljY5Ks8NQ
— Paulo Costa ( Borrachinha ) (@BorrachinhaMMA) April 6, 2022
An incredible display of strength and technique!
Darren Till and Khamzat Chimaev, brothers for life.
UFC? tournaments? In 2022? That’d be awesome, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
Multiple sources have informed me that the #UFC will have 8-man tournaments across 4 divisions (125, 135, 145, 155) starting in Singapore during #UFC275 fight week. One source said that contracts have gone out to Asian fighters and matchmaking is underway.
— John Hyon Ko (@JHKMMA) April 6, 2022
Kay Hansen asks the obvious questions.
Muay Thai play sparring!
Slips, rips, and KO clips
It’s a bad sign when a fighter confidently kicks straight through your check.
Petr Yan vs. Jose Aldo was a really tremendous fight overshadowed by the brutality of the ending.
Yan blocks and counter Aldo’s liver shot, then shift behind the lead hook.
Yan working Aldo’s high guard then notices Aldo teeps and catch his kick to sweep him
Beautiful. pic.twitter.com/omBzvIBjRB— Sweet Punch Memories (@SPM_staff) April 6, 2022
“Willycat” is a reason to tune into the prelims this weekend.
Random Land
Respect to this man.
Midnight Music: 1999, psychedelic pop
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.