Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Nate Diaz and Dustin Poirier will probably never fight, but that doesn’t mean the beef is over.
The snake-bitten match up is more unlikely than ever given Poirier’s plans to retire and Diaz’s status as a free agent. A potential alternative option proposed as Poirier’s final bout was streaking English talent Paddy Pimblett, who’s recently broken into the rankings and become one of Lightweight’s up-and-coming stars.
Unfortunately for “The Baddy,” it’s “legends only” for Poirier’s retirement scrap. “The Diamond” has fought a who’s who of top Lightweight competition for as long as anyone can remember, so it’s only fair he gets a say in his retirement match up … unless you ask Diaz, who responded on his Instagram story by writing, “Fight Paddy p—sy, he’s better than you.”
Pimblett clearly appreciated the sentiment, responding on his own social media, “[Nate Diaz] knows his s—t, he’s a real G. [Dustin Poirier] fight [Benoit Saint Denis] when he’s rank 12 but not me, you know what would happen.”
Since this is hardly the first time Diaz has thrown shade in Poirier’s direction, it’s hard to imagine “The Diamond” taking the bait. Although, maybe it’s a step in the right direction for actually getting Poirier vs Diaz finally booked? Like it or not, the Stockton slapper at least lives up to the “legends” label.
As for Pimblett, he’ll have to continue his search for a different Miami dance partner.
Insomnia
Flyweight is officially deeper than Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight after nearly being dropped in its entirety a few years back.
Current UFC roster size per division:
HW: 30
LHW: 40
MW: 68
WW: 89
LW: 102
FW: 85
BW: 84
FlW: 50WBW: 32
WFlw: 45
SW: 49Total: 674
* Numbers compiled using UFC’s list of rankings eligible athletes.
— John Morgan (@JohnMorgan_MMA) February 11, 2025
Belal Muhammad is the only UFC champion I’ve ever seen write fan fiction about his own theoretical fights.
I’d come out him with a 1-2 then he’d wing an overhand I’ll duck it change levels and take him down then he’d shrimp and get the underhook to get out but he’ll be to weak to get up so then I’ll hit him with ground and pound for the rest of round 1. Round 2 starts and I come out… https://t.co/vL07RWaPKT
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) February 11, 2025
There will be blood.
Merab Dvalishvili probably demonstrates some wrestling techniques for at least three different people each and every day.
Alexander Volkanovski got a little too into his UFC 312 corner work.
“I shoot, I score. You shoot, I score.”
BJ Penn must be a big Word of Mouf fan.
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Prince Naseem, one of one.
Kick low, kick low, kick high — perfect.
Alan Philpott noticed his opponent ducking/squatting, and he capitalized perfectly.
Random Land
Mark Coleman would be proud of this ground-and-pound display.
Midnight Music: Rock, 1975
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
