MMAmania’s 10 Most Popular Articles Of 2022 — Pt. 2

What storylines kept our readers engaged the most in 2022? Let’s recap the articles that drove massive amounts of traffic last year!

Merry Christmas Eve, Maniacs!

As part of our yearly wind down here at MMAmania.com, it’s time to continue recapping our most popular stories of the year. Are these stories indicative of overall trends? Do they accurately depict the truly biggest story lines of the year? No and no! But, it’s a fun capture of the random nature of popular stories, as well as a nice recap of … different stories from 2022.

If you missed part one, check that out right HERE! Otherwise, strap in for our five most popular articles of 2022 …

Photo by Veli Gurgah/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Number Five: How to watch ‘Thor vs. Eddie Hall’ live video stream on SEGI.tv
Writer: Dan Hiergesell
Summary: The start time and streaming details for a freak show boxing match.
Why It Blew Up: I guess people really wanted to see a pair of massive strong men box? Admittedly, our “How To Watch” articles are typically pretty popular. Are the fights on DAZN, ESPN+, Fite.tv, Fight Pass, or Showtime? Fight fans look here for the answer, which in this case is whatever SEGI.tv is! Either way, fans who did manage to tune in witnessed a wild fight and crazy comeback (HIGHLIGHTS).

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Photo by Gaelen Morse/Getty Images

Number Four: Here’s that brutal, one-slap knockout video from Arnold’s Slap Fighting Championship
Writer: Jesse Holland
Summary: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Logan Paul oversee a brutal slap knockout.
Why It Blew Up: Dang it! I know that in the next 12 months, I’m going to have to write more and more about slap fighting. Resist as I may, that future is inevitable. Apparently, it begins here for me, as the combination of two mega stars stacked on top of a nasty slap knockout was enough to go viral.

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Photo by Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC

Number Three: Knockout! Watch 49ers mascot step to Nate Diaz, get floored with a single punch
Writer: Jesse Holland
Summary: Nate Diaz takes out Sourdough Sam, walks away with a title
Why It Blew Up: I have to credit timing here. Nate Diaz strangled Tony Ferguson on Sept. 10, 2022, securing his free agency and arguably becoming an even bigger star in the process. All eyes were — and to some extent, still are — on his next move, and apparently, even Diaz beating up a dude in a costume was enough to drive the general public wild.

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Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Number Two: Jake Paul hospitalized with broken back, bravely vows to fight (and promote) Hasim Rahman Jr. anyway
Writer: Jesse Holland
Summary: Jake Paul dons a hospital gown and mocks his opponents for their lack of star power.
Why It Blew Up: I said it before in the first half of this post in reference to Paul’s belly-filled Tyson Fury callout, but “The Problem Child” knows how to stay in headlines. I’m not a huge fan of Paul, but his commitment to the bit here is to be commended. Meanwhile, Jesse Holland — proud author of nine out of 10 of this year’s top stories — did his part by knocking it out of the park with his ambiguously hilarious headline.

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https://www.instagram.com/dustinpoirier/

Number One: UFC star Dustin Poirier remains hospitalized — ‘It’s getting serious’
Writer: Jesse Holland
Summary: Dustin Poirier’s battle with infection takes a bad turn.
Why It Blew Up: There’s a lot of element here. For one, Poirier’s foot infection turned serious just a few weeks after his victory over Michael Chandler, which stands out as one of the most high-profile performances of his illustrious career. That recent spotlight surely helped her, as did the gross-out factor of Poirier’s swollen foot! A beloved veteran afflicted by a gnarly infection shortly after a “Fight of the Year”-type scrap — that’s a recipe for huge success!

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Still hungry for click-worthy content? Take a look back at last year’s recap, which features a whole lot of broken legs and brutal knockout clips.

Until next year, Maniacs!