Midnight Mania! Bellator Vs. Rizin Light Heavyweight Championship Showdown?
Photo by Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images
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Welcome to Midnight Mania!
If nothing else, the Bellator and Rizin cooperation is proving to be quite fun. There are still some kinks to be worked out — such as the recent debacle in which the Bellator Japan “post-lims” were unwatchable in the US (though luckily the Internet provided this incredible soccer kick KO). Still, there are now plenty of interesting potential match ups on the table.
The most high-profile type of such cross promotional battles are champion vs. champion fights. Ryan Bader wants a part of one, as the Bellator double champ respectfully took to Instagram to call out Rizin Light Heavyweight kingpin Jiri Prochazka.
The Rizin strap-hanger accepted the fight in a comment reply to the post, so long as the timing was right. Prochazka replied, “First I need to make my exams in school, then will be time for fun.”
It’s a good thing both men are interested in the fight, because it’s an excellent one! Bader has thrived in Bellator, winning eight straight fights, scoring some major stoppages, and picking up two titles in the process. It has been a couple years since he defended the 205-pound title due to his Heavyweight run, but Bader seemingly is ready to defend both straps.
Meanwhile, Prochazka has won ten straight bouts, including nine knockout wins. The 27-year-old Czech athlete defended his Rizin title for the first time just hours ago with a brutal knockout, and he seems plenty ready for the best competition either promotion has to offer.
Insomnia
Lance Palmer’s father — the infamous “Wayne the Pain” — is hilariously out of his mind as well as a favorite follow on Instagram. Sadly, I will never, ever be able to post content from his page due to the wildly offensive nature of his content. Woowee!
lol @ProFightLeague cut out Lance Palmer’s stage dad from the celebration shot because of his @ufc shirt (that @danawhite n co. should sue someone for) even tho it’s for the Ultimate Farting Championship #PFLChampionship pic.twitter.com/BhPJVUjl8h
— JASON (@sevenxenemies) January 1, 2020
Your male UFC champions heading into the new decade:
An incredible jiu-jitsu athlete (one who can wrestle pretty well at that) paired with an expert Muay Thai team/coach seems like a solid recipe for success.
Daniel Cormier bought his mother a house!
It must be salad season for Brazilian leg destroyers — this seems like a pretty bad idea, but we shall see!
Aldo made the move to bantamweight and now Edson Barboza has decided to make the move to featherweight.
He’s expected to make his 145 lbs debut in the first quarter of 2020 per @raphamarinho of Combate. https://t.co/zjaNw0DCTW
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) December 31, 2019
Tyron Woodley with the BARS, son!
Dear…God…make…him…stop already! pic.twitter.com/HryX4jE1fa
— Michael Morgan (@mikewhoatv) December 28, 2019
If you click through and check out the whole thread, it’s gloriously hard to look at.
Cringey MMA pics of the past 20 years
Post em if you got em pic.twitter.com/8UjIr9L9CQ
— smoogy (@smoogymma) December 31, 2019
Slips, rips, and KO clips
I’ve shared many Muay Thai clips in this section of the column, but this is the first one that I filmed myself!
A very slick triangle from a very young fighter:
17-year old Rodrigo Muralha def. “Black” David Bittencourt @ 1:19 – R1 (submission) pic.twitter.com/KsJpmB1Wpy
— Farah (@MARDUK_FFC) December 29, 2019
Start your new year with this SUMO compilation!
Sumo Aki Basho 2019 Highlights pic.twitter.com/NFcO22iU7M
— MEGATON (Kai-1 Level Striking) (@BasedDongeezus) December 30, 2019
Random Land
Head movement for days!
Midnight Music: Cheers to the New Year readers! Best of luck with any resolutions and goals for 2020:
“Oh, I do believe
You are what you perceive
What comes is better than what came before”
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the w
https://www.mmamania.com/2020/1/1/21045196/midnight-mania-ryan-bader-jiri-prochazka-bellator-rizin