Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Let’s start the night off by taking a look back over the three biggest stories of Friday, July 18, 2025.
- Former UFC champ Sean Strickland suspended, barred from competing following Las Vegas cage attack: I have to assume Strickland will pay a fine and MAYBE film an anti-bullying video. This doesn’t yet feel like the day he suffers actual consequences for his actions.
- Dana White recalls the craziest call he’s gotten during a fight: ‘My wife was losing her mind’: I was expecting something stupid, but that’s a genuinely horrifying phone call.
- Late night talk show host who mocked UFC, Joe Rogan just got canceled by CBS: My genuine reaction to this is a question: does anyone under the age of 50 watch late night talk shows?
Insomnia
Justin Gaethje on the UFC White House card sounds very appropriate, title fight or not.
Justin Gaethje believes it's him or Arman Tsarukyan next for the strap! #UFC318 | Saturday | LIVE on TNT Sports & discovery+ pic.twitter.com/UCsXfXHmsM
— UFC on TNT Sports (@ufcontnt) July 18, 2025
Paulo Costa was twitchy (?) at the UFC 318 pre-fight presser, and fans are speculating that his massive weight cut may have been extra
rough this time around.
Paulo Costa has Khamzat Chimaev in his sights #UFC318 pic.twitter.com/mZqvn2fqwc
— UFC_AUSNZ (@UFC_AUSNZ) July 17, 2025
PFL deserves credit for bring an event to South Africa, but does anyone care without Francis Ngannou fighting?
THEY talked about it for years (blah blah) … WE have DONE IT!
— Donn Davis (@DonnDavisPFL) July 18, 2025
PFL Africa Capetown Tomorrow!!
FIRST major MMA event in Africa! @PFLMMA … taking the fight to the people with PFL International Leagues
Not polite, but you have to watch your space.
Why did he do that? pic.twitter.com/kRNVQHIr2h
— 24hourMMA (@24hoursMMA) July 17, 2025
You thought the Conor McGregor c—k discourse was over? It’s only just begun.
. @TheNotoriousMMA everyone has seen your small . You’ll never fight me and always duck me. Drop your balls not your weight
— Michael Chandler (@MikeChandlerMMA) July 18, 2025
Start on your knees, don’t just tie it on and drop it.
— Chael Sonnen (@ChaelSonnen) July 17, 2025
Talking trash to a guy who knocked you out twice already is a bold move, very BKFC-coded.
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How many Maniacs reading this were watching UFC 143 in 2012 when Max and Dustin first faced off?
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Slips, rips, and KO clips
Alan Belcher retired from the UFC 12 years ago, and yet I’m still a little surprised.
Wow. Zac Pauga stuns Alan Belcher in R1 with a left hand and GNP, didn't see that coming #KC55 pic.twitter.com/rD5FMjYkkV
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) July 18, 2025
Quinton Jackson is smiling somewhere, but he doesn’t know why.
He had to die for the ref to even consider stopping it. pic.twitter.com/3oJsSoy8Qx
— Haduucken III (@HaduuckenIII) July 18, 2025
Japanese kickboxing star Yuki Yoza is now 2-0 under the One Championship banner.
Yuki Yoza puts on another calf-kicking clinic! Nearly stopping Petchtanong in the second round, he earns a hard-fought unanimous decision victory.#ONEFridayFights116 pic.twitter.com/MZAc2ppHqW
— Beyond Kickboxing (@Beyond_Kick) July 18, 2025
Random Land
I don’t agree with the tweet itself, but I cannot help but laugh at the video.
All cyclists should be jailed pic.twitter.com/ibAphZf276
— ꓕNIOԀꓤƎ⅁⅁Iꓤꓕ (@Grxit) July 18, 2025
Midnight Music: New Wave, 1979
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
More from mmamania.com:
- Miocic Responds To Pressure From White And Cormier
- White On ‘Possibly’ Stripping Miocic
- UFC 249 Embedded: Rousey Nearly Knocked Out Cruz?
- Midnight Mania! Sterling Vs. Sandhagen Possible June 6 Headliner
- UFC 249 Odds, Under Dogs And Best Bets!
- Khabib Plans July Return, Vows To ‘Smash Them All’
- Video! Jacare Breaks Social Distancing Rules Prior To UFC 249 Removal
