Midnight Mania! Baddy Bracing For Lose-Lose Situation Against Fergie

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Welcome to Midnight Mania!

We’re just about one month away from the return of Paddy Pimblett.

The UFC Lightweight has been away for a while, healing up from an ankle injury since his highly controversial victory over Jared Gordon last December. “The Baddy” is almost ready for his return to action, however, as he’ll face former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) interim strap-hanger Tony Ferguson at UFC 296 next month.

It’s a match up that has faced a ton of criticism from fans. Ferguson is far removed from his days as a contender, as he’s been getting beaten up and finished for the last few years. Pimblett, conversely, is a young talent who should be entering his prime. It’s clear who the promotion wants to build up in this fight …

Despite the obvious promotional intent, Pimblett doesn’t believe it’s an ideal match up. In fact, he argues that it’s a lose-lose situation, because he’s going to face criticism regardless of how the fight ends up playing out.

“This fight is a lose-lose for me, Tony Ferguson. I don’t care what anyone says. It’s a lose-lose. He’s on a six-fight losing streak. If I win — When I win, it’s just going to be like, aw, it’s Tony Ferguson. He’s finished. He’s this. He’s that. If I lose, I don’t think it’s going to happen, but if I lose, everyone’s going to be like, ‘You just lost to a finished Tony Ferguson.’ So it’s a lose-lose for me, but as I told you all in the past, ‘I will never turn down a fight.’ Any fight that’s ever been offered to me by the UFC I’ve signed on the dotted line, and that’s what’s happened here,” Pimblett said on his YouTube channel (via MMAWeekly).

“The name Tony Ferguson got thrown at me. I signed on the dotted line. Now I’m fighting a legend, a future Hall of Famer, so that’s the way I’m looking at it. I’m fighting a legend of the sport who I grew up watching. It’s going to be an absolute pleasure share the cage with such a legend,” Pimblett continued.

Being the three-to-one favorite sounds like a dreadful position indeed.

Joke aside, Pimblett isn’t wrong. The majority of the fighting community seems ready to push Ferguson into retirement, so there’s not a ton of value left on his name. If David Goggins happens to pull off some miracle and revitalize “El Cucuy” to his prior greatness at 39 years of age, then Pimblett could be in for a rude awakening that leaves him the butt of the joke.

Insomnia

This clip from a year or so ago went viral again over the weekend, and thankfully, it’s still very funny.

Watch this clip and then tell me with a straight face that Stipe Miocic fighting for the Heavyweight belt in 2024 isn’t absurd.

Matt Frevola’s eye looks downright nasty after a that Benoit Saint-Denis high kick.

Tom Aspinall’s son didn’t like his dad’s odds!

Alex Pereira’s calf kick really is one of the best weapons in MMA. Forget the left hook that finished the fight, his low kicks were the reason Jiri Prochazka couldn’t open up and fire effective combinations.

How many regular civilians could Robbie Lawler destroy in a brawl? A terrifying amount, surely.

I hope everyone is appropriately hyped for Saturday’s marquee Lightweight matchup.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Heavy low kicks into a jumping switch knee combo shows up every couple years, and it’s cool every time.

The takedown was already secured, so Asan picked him up and slammed him for no real reason other than the slam itself … and it paid off!

Telegraphed the uppercut a bit, but threw it loose enough that it didn’t matter at all!

Random Land

The song makes the clip.

Midnight Music: Jazz, 1969-1974

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