Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Let’s start the night off by taking look back over the three biggest stories of Monday, June 30th, 2025.
- Video: Boxing’s Deontay Wilder returns with 43rd knockout win, urged to retire anyway — ‘He could be hurt’: Wilder can likely squeeze at least one more mega payday out of his career, but it feels like a bad sign that he fought over the weekend and nobody was really discussing it.
- UFC’s Ben Askren receives double lung transplant, surprising financial support from former foe: If you’d like to support Ben Askren’s medical costs, more information can be found here and here.
- Dude, where’s my car? Daniel Cormier drops beaucoup bucks on fancy new ride, thieves steal it during UFC 317: UFC fighters have to have their vehicles stolen more often than the average American, I’ve read quite a few variations to this headline over the years.
Insomnia
It’s hard to imagine a worse match up for Sean O’Malley than Featherweight Ilia Topuria, but then again, Topuria feels like a bad match up for … everybody! It’s crazy to think O’Malley vs. Topuria was a genuine option less than a year ago given all that’s happened in that span for both men.
Scammers, the lowest of the low.
Fighters beware!
Hackers are targeting you via phishing schemes to gain access to your social media and email accounts.
They are then emailing me requesting payment of your settlement award in crypto!
— MMAFA (@MMAFA) June 30, 2025
I’ve seen enough, give Dylan Fairchild the No. 13 spot in the official UFC Heavyweight rankings.
New #Bengals offensive lineman Dylan Fairchild — who was also a state champion wrestler — showed he’s still got some moves grappling with ex-UFC champ Sean Strickland
Joe Burrow has a new bodyguard, indeed. #UFC pic.twitter.com/krPWysqkKs
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) June 29, 2025
Joshua Van has a legitimate shot against Alexandre Pantoja. He’s tough to take down, so barring an early submission, the potential for a late upset is significant despite how good the Brazilian has looked lately.
On that note, coaches/managers poaching fighters is quite lame.
Fun Joshua Van story, we were trapped on a bus one time because of an accident, a well known coach from a big gym was going in on him for like an hour about he’s wasting himself not training with him, van was polite the whole time, I think it’s working out ok for him! #UFC317
— Zac Pauga (@ZacPauga) June 29, 2025
I don’t expect Oumar Sy will be such a massive favorite this time around, though he should probably still win.
Philadelphia’s recent development into a top-tier MMA town has been pretty cool to witness. How long till a UFC belt resides in the “City of Brotherly Love?”
Slips, rips, and KO clips
An absolutely insane, very Tony Ferguson-coded spinning elbow KO:
Every ACA clip features two of the most dense fighters I’ve ever seen pummeling one another.
Both an instant and delayed reaction to this body shot:
Random Land
When there’s a mysterious crunch in my bite of food that should NOT be there.
Midnight Music: Soul, 2011
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.
This story originally appeared on MMA Mania
