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Welcome to Midnight Mania! Tonight, we’ve got Conor McGregor supremely confident he will shock the world while supporting an Irish boxer at Madison Square Garden, wrestling knockouts, Sumo, Jon Jones as a pirate, podcasts, and much more.
Insomnia
Conor McGregor walked out debuting pro boxer Michael Conlan to his match at Madison Square Garden tonight (Fri., Mar. 17, 2017) and the crowd went wild. It was an appropriate appearance for the Irishman on St. Patrick’s Day.
Here they come @TheNotoriousMMA and @mickconlan11 pic.twitter.com/AmJQtuFR15
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) March 18, 2017
The appearance, of course, helped hype Conlan, who proceeded to win with a third round technical knockout.
.@TheNotoriousMMA walks out with @mickconlan11 and the crowd, well, just watch. #TheConlanRevolution pic.twitter.com/VAIsf7yD4Z
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) March 18, 2017
The connection to boxing hardly went unnoticed with McGregor-Mayweather brewing. (see Dana’s latest comments on it here). McGregor says he will shock the whole goddamn world. He said this to Dan Rafael from ESPN:
“You’re the boxing guy? I’m the boxing guy! Watch me take over boxing, trust me on that. Floyd does not, no one of his boxing game knows what’s coming. Trust me on that, when I step in there I’m gonna shut the whole goddamn world. Trust me on that! Look me in the eyes, 28 years of age, confident as a mudderfucka, long, rangy, dangerous with every hand, trust me, I’m gonna stop Floyd. You’re all gonna eat your words, the world is gonna eat their words.”
“When is it gonna happen?” asked the reporter
“We’re gettin’ close, don’t worry about it. I’m out of here. I am boxing!”
Bob Arum is the next person in the frame, and he doesn’t have much to say about it, other than saying its for Michael Conlan. Presumably that means he thinks Conor is there to support Conlan. Originally from Los Angeles Times Sports Facebook page:
shock the world @TheNotoriousMMA pic.twitter.com/nchnCk2dpI
— mojahed fudailat (@MojahedFudailat) March 18, 2017
I listened to that with this track playing over it, and it became the most heroic speech ever. McGregor may be counted out by more or less every expert (except former foe Nate Diaz, surprisingly enough) in the oft-proposed bout against Mayweather, but his self-belief is incredible.
Indications are that negotiations are indeed getting close. Mixed martial arts (MMA) insider Front Row Brian posted this ... a possible date and time for the match up.
— FrontRowBrian (@FrontRowBrian) March 17, 2017
Bobs and Weaves
Happy St. Paddy’s Day!
During Conor’s appearance detailed above, Light Heavyweight boxing great Kovalev apparently wanted McGregor’s autograph.
McGregor and Kovalev didn't get into it. Here's Conor patting him on the shoulder. pic.twitter.com/fkI30smupt
— marcos villegas (@heyitsmarcosv) March 18, 2017
This is me.
The NCAA finals have been entertaining for those who follow wrestling. How many of these athletes will we eventually see in the Octagon?
ICYMI: Joey Lavallee's crazy roll through made it to No. 3 in the #SCTop10 last night! #NCAAWrestling pic.twitter.com/4YjGfDTUlS
— NCAA Wrestling (@ncaawrestling) March 17, 2017
I have concluded he just has too much time on his hands.
Captain Jon Jones Animation
— mojahed fudailat (@MojahedFudailat) March 14, 2017
full on YouTubehttps://t.co/oExSdV7c94@JonnyBones @dc_mma @Anthony_Rumble @danawhite @mma_gifs_ #ufc210 pic.twitter.com/0Qn7lrUiJe
Quick Hits
- Dana White says Nick and Nate Diaz keep turning down fights, and says Nate is waiting on Conor McGregor. Translation: The UFC isn’t willing to pay them enough.
- Michael McDonald left the UFC, and he’s got something to say.
- Hotel fires forced UFC fighters to evacuate the night before UFC Fight Night 107.
The scene outside the #UFCLondon fighters hotel. pic.twitter.com/d84qVWW9YW
— Chamatkar Sandhu (@SandhuMMA) March 17, 2017
.@Latifimma is not to blame for the fire alarm at the fighter hotel this evening #UFCLondon pic.twitter.com/Sdqb0ZVije
— Jim Edwards (@MMA_Jim) March 18, 2017
Slips, Rips and Sumo Clips
You know I love my elbows.
MX – Hellbow! Yodpayak Sitsongpeenong KO's Lang Ting Gui (China) pic.twitter.com/CssSFPdOTq
— Jolassanda (@Jolassanda) March 17, 2017
Megaton posted a lot of old knockouts and current Sumo matches and I appreciate all of them.
Seung Woo Choi defends his FW title for the first time at TFC 14 in the morning pic.twitter.com/pJzRgbdHMd
— MEGATON (@BasedDongeezus) March 18, 2017
Shohozan pummels Kakuryu for his first win pic.twitter.com/BPgjPgrhLt
— MEGATON (@BasedDongeezus) March 17, 2017
Harumafuji manages to survive Yoshikaze, still looking shaky pic.twitter.com/OV4YLE0QrW
— MEGATON (@BasedDongeezus) March 17, 2017
Nice 2 on 1 arm drag from Ura pic.twitter.com/gh9OyHXfWV
— MEGATON (@BasedDongeezus) March 17, 2017
— MEGATON (@BasedDongeezus) March 16, 2017
Continuing the theme of returns, Sang Il Ahn's first fight in 3 years pic.twitter.com/FcKx7AE33b
— MEGATON (@BasedDongeezus) March 16, 2017
The main event, former ROAD contender Seo Doo Won returns from a 2 year hiatus to win by leg kick tko pic.twitter.com/6abmdvN7uA
— MEGATON (@BasedDongeezus) March 16, 2017
— MEGATON (@BasedDongeezus) March 16, 2017
Finally got around to looking for video for Gleamon FC again, some nice KOs pic.twitter.com/FeSrNPCYpm
— MEGATON (@BasedDongeezus) March 16, 2017
Podcasts and Video
Miesha Tate, Mickey Gall, Francis Ngannou and Claudia Gadelha did a Q&A in London. Watch a guy named Russell try to get Meisha Tate to hang out with him.
Daniel Cormier’s first win over Anthony Johnson was an amazing fight.
The MMA Ratings Podcast:
Stay woke, Maniacs!
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