Welcome to Midnight Mania!
A fair contingent of fight fans were upset when UFC opted to release Brazilian striker Rafael Alves from its Lightweight ranks. Although Alves only won one of his first four UFC bouts, his three defeats came at the hands of Damir Ismagulov, Nurullo Aliev, and Drew Dober. This trio of Lightweights knows how to secure victories against a strong roster, and more importantly, Alves proved himself to be incredibly entertaining to watch, regardless of the outcome.
UFC’s loss turned out to be Karate Combat’s gain. Since joining the KC roster, Alves has remained undefeated, recently delivering one of the most brutal knockouts of the year against former UFC contender James Vick. Earlier tonight (Thurs., Dec. 19, 2024), he faced off against another ex-UFC Lightweight, Khama Worthy, at the Karate Combat 51 event in Miami, Florida.
In the first round, Alves showcased his athleticism and Capoeira background, flooring Worthy with a spectacular cartwheel kick. Although Worthy survived to the final bell and lost by unanimous decision, the moment is definitely one to watch.
Check out the awesome sequence below:
Now boasting a record of 3-0 in Karate Combat and 1-0 in MMA since his UFC release, Alves is on an impressive streak. A title shot in Karate Combat seems imminent, but it’s always possible that UFC could look to bring this exciting finisher back into the fold sometime in 2025.
Insomnia
Muhammad Mokaev made a surprisingly strong clap back after Kai Kara-France threw some shade. I still have my hopes set on seeing Manel Kape take on KKF…
“More finishes than you in the UFC bro. Only been in UFC 2 years with 7 fights and 4 finishes, despite 2 heavy injuries. You’ve been in the UFC for 8 years. Now do the math. Kape owns you, by the way.” — Muhammad Mokaev (@muhammadmokaev)
CJI won’t just be a one-off event; round two sounds promising.
Craig Jones announced a new format for CJI 2: “8 teams, battling for 1 million dollars… Let’s see who truly is the best team in the world.”
It seems like Christmas has arrived a little early for the fans.
What was the most recent iconic, memeable moment on TUF? This is the last one I can recall.
It’s been far too long since we’ve seen Marvin Vettori step into the Octagon.
“So who wants to fight an easy top 10 guy on his way to retirement? I’m okay with anyone, just my last few, so maybe I can call it.” — Marvin Vettori (@MarvinVettori)
An update from Patricio Pitbull regarding his pursuit of free agency from PFL indicates a significant concern: “Bellator is PFL’s property; many fighters didn’t fight a single time, and many like me only fought once. You said you’d honor everyone’s contracts and provide 2 fights this year. You didn’t. You cut over 70% of the roster and had many renegotiate their pay.”
Pitbull continues, “As far as PFL providing everyone 2 fights this year, I really hope that’s what’s gonna happen and not because many more will be cut. I want PFL to succeed; it’s good for the sport and for fighters. That said, I want to leave right away. Can we agree to it this week?”
Colby Covington may be feeling upset, but Chael Sonnen is handling his business with Gilbert Burns without any issues.
Jack Jenkins is known for breaking opponents’ legs, and Gabriel Santos stands out as the most talented 1-2 UFC fighter I can think of. Banger alert!
Slips, rips, and KO clips
A powerful open side kick crashes through the guard for a dramatic finish.
Simply outstanding.
There’s a reason “keep your chin down” is a day one striking lesson.
Random Land
I wonder how much that big ol’ block weighs.
Midnight Music: Pop, 2003
Sleep well, Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
