Midnight Mania! Fight Island Timeline Updated To July
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
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Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Almost all of the COVID-19 related changes to sports are not fun. Yeah, it’s neat to watch fights without crowd audio from some dark room in Jacksonville, but the situation is hardly an satisfying replacement for fans that would love to be in the room with all the action. UFC is hardly alone in this situation, as even NFL and other larger sports are considering the prospective losses of empty arenas.
Fight Island is the exception.
Since Dana White first spoke the idea in existence, fans have been excited. From Bodog Fight events to Enter The Dragon, there’s a long and gripping history between martial arts and beaches. Fortunately, the timeline is clarifying for when Fight Island will see its first bloodshed according to Ariel Helwani.
There’s also a bunch of fun fights coming, which is equally welcome news.
Business definitely picking up on the UFC booking front. Some fights being discussed/targeted at the moment for June: Burgos v Emmett, Good v Muhammad, Robertson v Casey, Hooper v Caceres and (the previously reported) Sterling v Sandhagen (but not for a title).
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 20, 2020
The latter two for UFC 250 on June 6.
Also, starting to hear more chatter about Fight Island events in the summer (July). No specific location yet but for the first time it feels more real with specific dates and fights being discussed.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 20, 2020
An Octagon on the beach alongside some fighter hotels sounds like a really exciting solution to livening up otherwise empty events. Hell, it could even remain operational passed reopening if it lives up to the hype!
Insomnia
Carlos Diego Ferreira calls for a match up with Paul Felder, which sounds like quality Lightweight action!
Marvin Vettori vs. Karl Roberson has been re-booked, but will both men make it to the cage?
We back on, let’s see if they can make it to the cage without folding this time.
— Marvin Vettori (@MarvinVettori) May 20, 2020
The Keith Peterson Twitter account was confirmed fake by Jon Anik online, but that doesn’t mean it cannot drop fire memes.
My plans: 2020: pic.twitter.com/DOCPqliFoy
— Keith Peterson (@KPetersonMMA) May 20, 2020
One Championship strap-hanger Rodtang Jimungnon … or the Thai Gallagher?
Same meme format, but this one made me sad.
My Plans: 2020: pic.twitter.com/zsyZEFEFPT
— Seán Sheehan (@SeanSheehanBA) May 20, 2020
Yeah, I don’t buy that there are 30 Light/Featherweights better than Edson Barboza. That man is still dangerous!
They took me off from the lightweight division ranking. Ige stepped up 4 positions and I am not even in the ranking in the featherweight division, in a fight that the whole word knows that I won. It doesn’t make any sense. @ufc @danawhite
— Edson Barboza (@EdsonBarbozaJR) May 20, 2020
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Some nice stance-shifting violence from Maslov:
Sergey Maslov TKOd Timur Doronin in 1R (M-1) pic.twitter.com/SO9WUZQgdk
— Jolassanda (@Jolassanda1) May 17, 2020
Dear readers … you have no idea how badly I wish I could include emojis in articles. The potential for comedy is so there, but sadly MMAmania’s back end does not allow it.
One year ago today, Alex Pereira broke the internet with this KO. Describe it in one emoji. pic.twitter.com/Zg1UOPe0Jx
— GLORY Kickboxing (@GLORY_WS) May 17, 2020
Corey Sandhagen has some killer kickboxing setups.
Random Land
Allow me to use this post from top Heavyweight contender Curtis Blaydes to segue into the FACTS that Avatar: The Last Airbender is an all-time great cartoon and now on Netflix.
Midnight Music: I quite like Sharon Van Etten and Josh Homme, as well as Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe. So yeah, I approve of this cover!
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
https://www.mmamania.com/2020/5/21/21265727/midnight-mania-fight-island-ufc-espn-july