Midnight Mania! Stephen Thompson thinks Khamzat Chimaev push is ‘a slap in the face’ to established Welterweights

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Khamzat Chimaev is a person of the brightest new stars of 2020, as a dominant 3- push in a extremely short period of time considerably raised his standing. The hype coach is in comprehensive swing, as he’s now a rated Welterweight booked in a principal celebration reverse surging contender Leon Edwards on January 20.

Stephen Thompson doesn’t acquire into all the pleasure. In actuality, the previous title challenger — not far eliminated from his individual primary event slot towards Geoff Neal on December 19 — feels the total thing is an insult to established contenders who fought tooth-and-nail to climb up the Welterweight ladder.

“I believe he was rated No. 15, which doesn’t make perception to me,” Thompson told MMA Junkie. “I know he’s had just one battle in the welterweight division, and his opponent (Rhys McKee) is -2 right now and generally a light-weight, a 155er, so it just doesn’t make feeling how this male can soar earlier every person who’s worked their behinds off to get to exactly where they’re at, and now he’s ranked No. 15 fighting the No. 3 man, I believe that. It is just absurd to me.

“I experienced to fight via murderer’s row to get to where by I’m at and so did Leon Edwards. He was on a (8-battle) successful streak to get to where by he’s at. I had to struggle a slew of fellas, I signify tough opponents. Robert Whittaker, Jake Ellenberger, Rory McDonald, Johny Hendricks to get to exactly where I’m at, and then this man just jumps previous everyone. I imagine it is a slap in the face to every person who’s worked their butts off.”

Irrespective of the hole in past Welterweight accomplishments amongst Chimaev and Edwards, Thompson is uncharacteristically pessimistic about how the title photo will shake out.

“For Leon Edwards, I don’t imagine it does anything,” Thompson explained. “I think it is a eliminate-drop for him. Even even though Khamzat’s obtained a whole lot of hoopla all-around him, a great earn, the place does that set him? It does not transfer him up any rank, perhaps a title combat, which I assume he deserves anyway. So, yeah, the welterweight division is a very little mad at this stage.

“Guaranteed he’s possibly gonna get a title shot if he beats Leon Edwards, and I kinda termed this,” Thompson claimed. “I was questioning why they had been pushing Khamzat so tricky, and I was like look at Khabib retire, since they’re from the exact neck of the woods, they bought to make sure you that sector, so it kinda makes feeling why they are pushing him so tricky.”

We’ll have to wait and see if Thompson’s prediction is proven real possibly way … or if COVID rears its unappealing head after again to disrupt the match up.

Sleeplessness

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It’s really worth-noting that a considerable total of these checks had been the exact UFC staffers consistently tested, but this is nonetheless an amazing tally!

So significantly Bantamweight drama, but none of these guys are even preventing this thirty day period … or following month!

I take pleasure in Corey Anderson’s sense of humor, but in all seriousness, this seems like a killer fight.

Let’s complete Friday with some pretend martial arts!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

A Judo match turns into an speedy brawl!

A extremely sneaky gi choke:

A good Saenchai facet-by-side that truly demonstrates his ridiculous dexterity.

Random Land

Like anything out of a horror film!

Midnight Music: By the time this content runs, I will probable have cornered my staff mate, Australia’s Isaac Thomson. The kid is a stud, building his professional debut in Mexico at the age of 18! Give him a observe, watch the bout on UFC Battle Move, and look at it out his walkout track:

Update: They never performed his walkout song, but he won by means of next-round TKO!

Sleep properly Maniacs! Extra martial arts insanity is generally on the way.