Midnight Mania! Diego Sanchez Wants To Box?

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Diego Sanchez’s wild ride continues. Admittedly, things have smoothen out a great deal since Sanchez removed ~~toxic parasite~~ former coach Joshua Fabia from his life, but “The Nightmare” still finds himself absent from the UFC roster in the aftermath of all the drama. So while he’s no longer concerned that the promotion will murder him, Sanchez still needs to find a new home to compete.

Based on a recent tweet from Sanchez, the Ultimate Fighter (TUF) champion may be looking in an entirely new direction. Despite his black belt in jiu-jitsu and historical strength on the mat — grappling has been responsible for every moment of Sanchez’s success in the last few years — the veteran is hinting at a move to the boxing ring.

I built my name, I built my skill set, I built my legacy and I will finish my fight career on the confidence I built in my self! Not a coach not a team but blessings from God! #boxing

— Diego Sanchez UFC (@DiegoSanchezUFC) June 10, 2021

“I built my name, I built my skill set, I built my legacy and I will finish my fight career on the confidence I built in my self,” Sanchez wrote. “Not a coach not a team but blessings from God! #boxing”

Of course, this could mean several different things. When Sanchez was first released from the UFC, he tagged Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on social media, suggesting an interest in competing in that brutal realm. Alternatively, these celebrity boxing matches continue happening, and taking on grapplers nearing retirement seems to be the trendy idea at the moment.

Then again, perhaps Sanchez could copy Frank Mir and fight a former world champion in his boxing debut. Really, it remains to be seen what exact path Sanchez takes next, but it seems likely he’ll be in a ring of some kind.

Insomnia

Can Israel Adesanya work his kicking game, or will Marvin Vettori manage to control “The Stylebender?”

Wherever Jeremey Stephens is, he’s suddenly very angry and doesn’t quite know why.

They just told us at weigh ins that if we touch our opponent at ceremonial weigh ins for any thing other than a fist bump, or a handshake, or high five, we will be pulled from the card, suspended, and fined.

GOOD

— Lauren Murphy (@LaurenMurphyMMA) June 11, 2021

Breaking: Edson Barboza has been shredded for at least a decade.

Demian Maia is gunning for that all-time wins record, but I have to be honest and say it seems like a matter of time until Charles Oliveira pulls away from the pack.

At #UFC263, Demian Maia tries to tie Donald Cerrone for most #UFC wins.

Most UFC wins:

Donald Cerrone: 23
Demian Maia: 22
Jim Miller: 21
Andrei Arlovski: 20
Michael Bisping: 20
GSP: 20
Jon Jones: 20
Charles Oliveira: 19
Dustin Poirier: 19
RDA: 19
Diego Sanchez: 19

— Jed I. Goodman (@jedigoodman) June 10, 2021

The many uses of a tire …

You don’t have to be a weed person to recognize that Nate Diaz is a legend who changed the game!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

The cross to the mid-section has to be one of the more underutilized strikes in MMA (mostly because it can go very wrong if countered by a kick or knee).

Yves Edwards kicking ass back in 2000:

Is this the most brutal finish from back mount in the history of MMA? Ouch.