Welcome to Midnight Mania!
2021 has featured several unexpected storylines in the world of combat sports, but perhaps the most surprising is the return of Nick Diaz. The elder Diaz brother has sat on the sidelines since 2015 and has largely been considered retired. While rumors of a return swell from time to time, it was still a considerable shock when Diaz was officially announced to be rematching Robbie Lawler in September!
Prior to his second clash with “Ruthless,” however, Diaz has another public appearance to make. This Saturday night (July 31, 2021) at 11 PM EST, Diaz will be collaborating with the adult website Stripchat to run a martial arts seminar. Specifically, the self-defense seminar is for the cam girls, but anyone over the age of 18 can watch.
“I will be teaching important self-defense lessons and other sh*t to these cam girls so they can protect themselves if they are ever approached by unwanted creepy men,” Diaz said in a press release (via Drake Riggs). “After we’re done with this training, I would advise against trying anything silly with these models.”
Oddly enough, cam girls and their associated platforms cross paths with MMA surprisingly often. Cam Soda is the premier example, having organized the legendary and insane Fight Circus events as well as bidding on Mike Perry’s corner slot.
Gotta captivate that 18-34 male demographic somehow!
Insomnia
BKFC is extra violent in slow-mo:
Dan Hardy vs. John Wayne Parr in a caged Muay Thai match certainly sounds like a fun watch!
Dan Hardy is one of the good guys of the sport and looking for a dance partner in a Caged Muay Thai match.
Since we are both older it makes perfect sense that I welcomed him to CMT style match.
If Mr @yodchatri agrees to do it on @ONEChampionship I’m definitely down for it. https://t.co/mcMK8iUGdG— John Wayne Parr (@johnwayneparr) July 26, 2021
I don’t know what grappling art we’re watching, but a big slam is a big slam!
Some big news from the jiu-jitsu world: The Danaher Death Squad is the most dominant no-gi grappling team of the last few years, but they are no more.
With Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington 2 booked, is Leon Edwards vs. Gilbert Burns the fight to make?
My favorite part of this clip is how terribly he lands the initial front roll.
Some killer photos from Saturday night’s main event between Cory Sandhagen and TJ Dillashaw:
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Hammers were dropped:
A fast, straight punch to the temple is sometimes all it takes.
This dude waited way to long to address the choke, and he went to sleep as a result.
Random Land
This Popeye fight is badass.
Midnight Music: I spent some time checking out the work of Southern soul singer O.V. Wright, whose music has been sampled pretty extensively by the Wu-Tang Clan.
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.