Midnight Mania! Max Holloway vs Frankie Edgar Featherweight title fight headlines UFC 218

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Max Holloway and Frankie Edgar are set to clash for Holloway’s Featherweight strap at UFC 218 inside Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich., on Dec. 2, 2017, according to Brett Okamoto of ESPN.

Holloway has won 11 straight fights, most recently dismantling former champion Jose Aldo over three rounds. The 145-pound title shot had been a long time coming to Holloway, whose hit list before that included such names as Anthony Pettis, Ricardo Lamas, Jeremy Stephens, Charles Oliveira and Cub Swanson. He could justifiably have received a title shot in 2015 after beating Swanson, his sixth straight win at the time. The last person to beat him? A then-little known Irishman named Conor McGregor back in 2013.

Edgar, on the other hand, has had numerous title fights. The former Lightweight champion dropped 10 pounds after two razor-close losses to Benson Henderson in 2012, and has floated near the top of the weight class ever since. He lost twice to Aldo, but Holloway becoming champion has created another opportunity for the veteran. He is currently on a two-fight win streak, having beaten Jeremy Stephens and Yair Rodriguez. Edgar’s never-say-die style, wrestling, toughness and endless cardio make him a tough out for anyone in the division. In fact, only Aldo has had an answer to Edgar at Featherweight thus far.

Holloway is never in a boring fight, and this fight will pit his high-paced striking style against Frankie’s tenacious wrestling. It is a worthy headliner.

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Insomnia

Cody Garbrandt had a friend shot twice in the Las Vegas massacre, detailing how his wife was hysterical.

Jon Fitch plays a Tom Petty tribute to the late and great musician.

Warning: this is sickening to watch.

Mike Perry doesn’t want to fight Thiago Alves ... or does he? I can’t tell.

Hendricks and Cerrone swapping war stories during training:

The fights going on this week in combat sports:

Another great fight on tap at Lightweight!

Phil Baroni explaining why he didn’t defend the choke A.J. Agarzam put him in at Submission Grappling. Whatever you say, Phil.

Never let your girl do this!

Here’s a 5’1” gymnast doing the same thing to a much more jacked dude:

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Slips, Rips And KO Clips

Petr Yan could be an exciting addition to an already exciting division:

This reaching motion is the kind of flinch reflex you want to train away as a fighter:

Always love a good suplex:

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Good Reads

• This profile of up-and-coming flyweight Poliana Botelho is a good read on what it takes just to get to the big show.
• UFC is now free to shop around for a better TV deal. Will it stay on FOX or go with another broadcast partner?
• File this under “just saying things:” Oezdemir says he will sleep Cormier in under two minutes. I guess he is called “No Time” for a reason. Impatient man.

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Podcasts and Video

Five things to watch at UFC 216:

UFC 216 Beer Pairing with Flyin’ Brian J:

DJ and Lee eat lunch and talk to media:

UFC 216 Countdown:

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Random Land

Follow this Twitter thread to see Wingstop and Wendy’s go at it

In Russia, when stadiums aren’t big enough for the World Cup, they just cut the sides open and put up bleachers

Stay woke, Maniacs! Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @Vorpality