Midnight Mania! Islam Responds To ‘Drunk’ Bobby’s PED Claims: ‘I Training All My Life’

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Bobby Green is a widely respected veteran of MMA, but he hasn’t really been a ranked Lightweight contender since he upset Josh Thomson in 2014. It will stand out as an odd footnote that Green was the final victory of Makhachev’s win streak prior to capturing the Lightweight title. The whole situation is not entirely dissimilar to how Al Iaquinta found himself locked in the cage with Khabib the night that “The Eagle” became a champion.

Short-notice circumstances lead to fun facts.

At any rate, Makhachev cut through Green like a hot knife through butter, easily stopping the rarely finished “King.” Green initially took the loss in stride, but a few months later, Green remained baffled by Makhachev’s formidable strength. His explanation? “Imagine if you gave someone steroids from the age of 10.”

Makhachev has a different explanation. In his opinion, his extreme wrestling strength is the result of avoiding “bad stuff” like alcohol, as well as a lifetime of hard work.

“I don’t know. I am not like Bobby Green. I am not drunk, do some bad stuff,” Makhachev said (via MMANews). “I (am) training hard, that’s why. That’s why he feel the power. I told you, all the fighters say, ‘I am going to defend his wrestling.’ … But, when fight is happening, when I take down my opponent, they all feel my power… This is not because I am good. It’s because I (have been) training all my life. That’s why.”

We’ll find out if Alexander Volkanovski can better handle that strength in just a couple more days in the main event of UFC 284.

Insomnia

Khamzat Chimaev gives his honest take on several top contenders at 170- and 185-pounds.

A pair of underrated Lightweight veterans will throw down in April.

Is Petr Yan a small Bantamweight or Muhammad Mokaev a big Flyweight? Cause the two look roughly the same weight.

A couple updates from the world of Power Slap:

This is bad news for the UFC 284 fighters who cut more than the average amount of weight, particularly if they’re on the preliminary portion of the event.

Georges St. Pierre remains a complete athletic specimen how many years into retirement? His ridiculous level of fitness will never not be impressive.

Matt Brown isn’t as quick as he used to be, but “The Immortal” still lands with a thud.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Hand traps are slick.

Beautiful combinations punctuated by nasty low kicks:

Using the left hand to reset after the left kick and punish potential counters is really beautiful technique.

Random Land

Scenes from Switzerland.

Midnight Music: Alternative, 1992

Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.