Midnight Mania! Dana White bites back at disgruntled Luke Rockhold - ‘Stick to modeling’

Welcome to Midnight Mania! Tonight we’ve got Dana White putting Luke Rockhold in his place, Cody Garbrandt getting his stem cell treatment, Ronda Rousey being proud of her scars, the Diaz brothers getting a magazine cover for repping CBD oil, Poirier and Alvarez talking smack to each other about a rematch, knockouts, highlights and much more.

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Leave the matchmaking to us

Dana White has a pretty good memory when it serves him. He responded to Luke Rockhold’s biting tweets today trashing White’s usual shtick about “earning your place”. Rockhold pointed out, correctly, that GSP didn’t earn his place at middleweight, and ending by telling the UFC president to think before running his mouth.

The comments must have made an impression, because Dana White took the time to respond. He told Rockhold that GSP never lost his welterweight title, and said that Bisping, GSP, and the fans all wanted the fight made. Then he told Rockhold to stick to fighting and modeling, and leave the matchmaking to the company. That’s where the good memory comes in- Rockhold did do some modeling to help cover the bills while he wasn’t fighting.

White is wrong about one thing. The fans, by and large, did NOT want the GSP-Bisping fight (which, thank God, seems to have been cancelled.) More fans would have been on board with GSP vs. Anderson Silva, but St. Pierre seems to have little interest in that fight. Rockhold also hasn’t had a bout since his lost to Bisping; as White says, Maia has earned a title shot and Rockhold, recently, has not. However, Rockhold insisted what he wanted from the company were clear goals to work towards, something that has been a frustration to the middleweight division since Bisping won the belt.

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Insomnia

Ronda Rousey mentions the cyst bursting in her hand after UFC 178, saying she is proud of her scars in this Instagram video tagging Reebok and the “Be More Human” campaign.

Nate has said that smoking the CBD oil after UFC 202 was the best business move he could have done, and it seems he wasn’t lying. He and Nick landed a cover on Dope Magazine because of it, along with numerous other sponsorships and endorsements. Maybe Anthony “Rumble” Johnson could use them to promote “Rumbleweed” (not my idea for a name, but anything else would be a crime, right?) when his new cannabis facility opens.

This is going to be a great fight. Kowalkiewicz has remarkable takedown defense and brutal knees in the clinch, which is where Gadelha makes her hay.

Cody Garbrandt getting the stem cell treatment for his back that Dana White said would keep him in his fight with Dillashaw in July

Tom Breese got medical treatment for his knee as well

Dustin Poirier says he is getting the result of his UFC 211 No Contest with Alvarez appealed- but only because he wants the money. Apparently, he also feels he has unfinished business with Alvarez he wants to take care of- a feeling Eddie shares.

Herb Dean attempts to explain what to many is a decision making process that rewards fouls as long as they seem to be unintentional.

Two of the most unexpectedly violent fighters in the UFC.

Is this real life? Suited henchmen of Turkish ruler Erdogan beat up American protesters on Embassy Row while cops try to stop them. Erdogan had a meeting with Trump today, who called the meeting “an honor”.

No surprise how Brian Stann feels about the melee.

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Good Reads

• California passes ground-breaking weight cutting regulations, part of their effort to make this sport healthier.
• There is a legitimate argument for this:

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Slips, Rips and KO Clips

Insane counter switch kick KO

Albert Tumenov is just anther ranked UFC welterweight who got a better deal elsewhere

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Podcasts and Video

Daniel Cormier says making fun of Jon Jones drug problems is fair game because they have affected his (Cormier’s) career in significant ways.

BJJ Scout breaks down Maia-Masvidal as only he can

Y’all knew UFC 211 in slow motion would be lit

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Random Land

Faces in food

Stay woke, Maniacs!