Midnight Mania! AKA Closed To Everyone Except Khabib

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Though the specifics depend on where you live, most everything is closed right now. Anyone deemed non-essential is being asked to stay home, and it seems that only grocery stores and hospitals will keep their doors unlocked in the coming weeks. Northern California — particularly the Bay area — has among the tightest regulations, and it’s now a misdemeanor to break the shelter-in-place law.

The American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) is one of many businesses affected by the lock down, and it’s also home to some of the sport’s premier talents. Most vitally, AKA is Khabib Nurmagomedov’s training base when in the United States, and the Dagestani “Eagle” is still planning to fight on April 11th at UFC 249 in an undecided location.

How does one manage to prepare in a closed gym and environment? Per ESPN’s Marc Raimondi, only Nurmagomedov (and presumably, a couple handpicked coaches and training partners) is currently allowed into the gym for a couple hours each day.

Remember just a few weeks ago when Nurmagomedov was working with a standout high school wrestler in a crowded room? The situation has changed quickly, but it seems like AKA and head coach Javier Mendez are doing everything possible to prepare Nurmagomedov for his bout.

Tony Ferguson is likely facing similar issues in Southern California, but luckily, “El Cucuy” marches to the beat of his own drum and frequently does solo workouts anyway.

Insomnia

Shoes don’t carry COVID right?

Dustin Poirier with the jokes:

This fight sounds like a lot of fun. I don’t know if it’s quite the “huge match up” that Paul Felder said would end his possible retirement, but I’d watch it!

RIP

Perfect practice makes perfect! Gilbert Burns provides an excellent example of one of my favorite quotes with his Demian Maia-killing left hook preparation.

Paige VanZant knows her audience.

Weili Zhang is the freaking coolest.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Highlights of one of the greatest fights ever between two men with multiple bouts of this quality on their resume. Joachim Hansen will forever remain underappreciated, while few deserved to capture the UFC title more than Eddie Alvarez.

Fortunately, there are enough amazing Saenchai knockouts to supply us for many quarantine days to come.

Cross followed by a same side high kick is an all-time great combination. On that note, extra thanks to all who are posting old knockout clips for keeping the MMA Twitter sphere running!

Random Land

This is bidet propaganda.

Midnight Music: I’ll switch it up for the second night in a row and share this video from one of my favorite YouTube accounts, which breaks downs the samples used in different albums.

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