Welcome to Midnight Mania!
When thinking back on UFC 313, it’s hard not to think mostly about the main card. The Light Heavyweight title changing hands, Justin Gaethje’s awesome war with Rafael Fiziev, Mauricio Ruffy’s outrageous spin kick KO — those were the big stories to emerge from Las Vegas last weekend.
Those who tuned in early for the “Prelims” may remember Mairon Santos defeating Francis Marshall in the second fight of the evening. It was a competitive enough fight, but Marshall really took over in the second half with his wrestling and pressure. He closed the fight as a massive favorite on the live betting odds, and all 13 media sources cited on MMADecisions scored the fight for “Fire Marshall” as well. Unfortunately, two of the only three scorecards that matter went against him.
Since Saturday night, Santos has had time to rewatch the fight. In an admirable display of humility, the 24-year-old prospect admitted that his opponent deserves the victory.
“When the fight ended, I thought I won,” Santos explained to InsideFighting. “But after watching the fight, I think he should have had his hand raised, because the fight was very close. The takedown made the difference. I didn’t know that he did so well in the striking. That’s my take on the fight.”
The bout versus Marshall was Santos’ first since winning The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). He still has plenty of time to shore up the holes in his game, and hopefully, this difficult fight helped him identify those areas. Of course, it’s a majorly unfortunate for Marshall, who loses out on half his paycheck. Worse still, his position on the roster moving forward is uncertain, as his overall UFC record drops to 2-3.
Maybe UFC CEO Dana White will take notice of the judging failure and hook him up?
Insomnia
You thought Alex Pereira was going to stop making viral content because he lost the strap? WRONG!
Michael Chandler trying to show Dustin Poirier love while “The Diamond” absolutely f—king hates him is very funny.
Michael Chandler said he’ll
“most likely” attend Poirier’s retirement fight:“[Dustin Poirier] is an absolute legend. He’s a guy who grew up inside of the UFC. It will be tough for all fans to watch him lay his gloves down.”
@Shak_Fu ▫️ pic.twitter.com/Y4SNOxi81Z
— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) March 11, 2025
Big Ank is the most successful rebrand of 2025, calling it now.
Maybe this is the highlight clip that swayed the FBI director into hiring UFC trainers?
Whether it landed or not, getting your Superman punch approved by GSP is a pretty sweet accomplishment.
Superman Punch in the NHL last night.
He missed the target because he telegraphed too much but the picture is awesome. pic.twitter.com/WHGcUfX5Us— Georges St-Pierre (@GeorgesStPierre) March 11, 2025
I love the smother choke, but there’s an easy defense to it that most don’t know about: open your mouth!
Amanda Serrano stands up for MVP promotions:
The thing about @jakepaul & Nakisa is they don’t Lie to their fighters. Well they lied about making me a millionaire in a yr. They did it in 6 months!! lol
I’m the highest paid female in boxing today & come July 11th I’ll be breaking Ronda Rousey’s record as the highest paid…— Amanda Serrano (@Serranosisters) March 11, 2025
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Someone to look forward to on the UFC Vegas 104 undercard:
4️⃣ days until #UFCVegas104 and the UFC debut of Yuneisy Duben (6-0)!
The undefeated 28-year-old Venezuelan flyweight is a true finisher with a 100% finish rate.
Relive her viral one-punch KO on DWCS that secured her UFC contract! ⤵️ #WMMA #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/oGS1FoAykR
— Women’s MMA Rankings (@WMMARankings) March 11, 2025
You don’t often see spinning elbows off wrestling exchanges.
The view from the stands of Mauricio Ruffy’s KOTY …
Random Land
A horse that doesn’t gallop.
Midnight Music: Grunge, 1993
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
