Midnight Mania! Garbrandt Heading To Flyweight After Assuncao

Photo by Christian Petersen/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC

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

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

The last few years have been difficult for Cody Garbrandt. After capturing the Bantamweight title from Dominick Cruz in December of 2016, Garbrandt has since lost three consecutive bouts and struggled with injuries. He was supposed to make a return to the cage in March against Raphael Assuncao, but kidney issues forced “No Love” off the card, and the event was cancelled anyway due to COVID-19.

Though Garbrandt is still pursuing Assuncao, he told Brett Okamoto today that he’s interested in relocating to the Flyweight division.

“I never really cut weight, even to 135. I’m looking at going to 125,” Garbrandt explains. “I’m young and I can do it. I walk around at 145 lbs. Sometimes after sparring, I’m down to 142, 143. I’m still strong, fast at my weight, I can keep that at 125. So that’s the plan … you know, go down and really save the Flyweight division.”

The Flyweight division slowly rebuilding and definitely still in need of more talent, which would make Garbrandt a welcome addition. Plus, as Okamoto mentions, a switch in weight class can produce title opportunities quickly, which would definitely help Garbrandt move past his recent obstacles.

From personal experience, I can say that Garbrandt is telling the truth about his weight and size. He’s a small Bantamweight, one who walks around roughly 10 pounds lighter than many of his peers. Though moving to a new weight class always presents challenges and questions — How will his speed and power transfer? — it seems like a great move for “No Love.”

Insomnia

I don’t want to be cruel, but Joanna Jedrzejczyk’s pizza is a war crime.

Gilbert Burns accuses Tyron Woodley of ducking him in the comments! I’d like to see any of these match ups.

A pretty badass move:

Francis Ngannou’s level of fitness is absolutely absurd for a Heavyweight.

“Lil Heathen” has definitely pet a tiger at some point.

This is your chance creepers, go for it!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Caposa has been dropping awesome highlights of forgotten fights all over Twitter. Big shoutout to him, and you can expect those posts in this thread with great consistency until live fights resume:

What an absolutely slick counter to an attempted arm roll!

Takeru breaks his opponent down:

Random Land

A smiling skink!

Midnight Music: I’ve heard a lot of good things about Buffalo rapper Benny The Butcher, but I put off listening to him for a while largely out of laziness. Don’t make the same mistake — The Plugs I Met is primo mafioso rap.

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