Welcome to Midnight Mania!
Let’s start the night off by taking a look back over the three biggest stories of Friday, July 25, 2025.
- UFC 319 bold prediction? Dricus du Plessis will be honored with ‘moment of silence’ after Khamzat steamrolls ‘Stillknocks’: It’s so fun that Khamzat will either win instantly or lose dramatically. That’s just how this match up works!
- Video: Desperate (and destitute) BJ Penn begs Dana White and former UFC sponsors for urgent help – ‘About to have everything stolen’: BJ Penn desperately needs help but not in the way he requests here, sadly.
- Side-by-side: UFC Abu Dhabi’s Bryce Mitchell shows off new Bantamweight physique: I think Mitchell’s move to 135-pounds is the correct decision, but I’m not sure his ceiling changes much.
Insomnia
The three best Lightweights on the planet right now in my opinion (Ilia Topuria, Islam Makhachev, and Arman Tsarukyan) all have massive bankrolls behind them. The time’s they are a-changing?
Though nothing is signed, the rumor mill is churning and suggests strongly that Mario Bautista will face Umar Nurmagomedov in October.
Mario Bautista vs Cousin Umar.
Happening next.
Per sources.— MagicM (@MagicM_MMABets) July 25, 2025
I don’t like his odds at victory, but I will be riding with “The Iron Turtle.”
Paddy Pimblett would rather face Justin Gaethje than Arman Tsarukyan … for obvious reasons.
“Everyone knows Justin Gaethje is a f*cking banger [fight] and he’s a legend. Arman is not. So I’d love to fight another legend, Justin Gaethje.”
– Paddy Pimblett would rather fight Justin Gaethje than Arman Tsarukyan
via one on one MMA
pic.twitter.com/v6ewGjVA3f— Dovy (@DovySimuMMA) July 25, 2025
Dan Hooker vs. Charles Oliveira sounds like an absolutely incredible match up …
Someone wake up Charlie Olives and tell him we fighting in November.
— Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) July 25, 2025
On a side note Armans a bitch and he can get it too, daddy’s home.
— Dan Hangman Hooker (@danthehangman) July 25, 2025
Dricus Du Plessis vs. Khamzat might be my most anticipated bout of the year.
Mike Perry is a natural born storyteller.
Slips, rips, and KO clips
Kickboxing chaos ends in the first.
Max Holloway’s right hand does seem to carry a different level of speed and power at 155-pounds.
This is very similar to the combination Jorge Masvidal threw to knock out Darren Till.
Random Land
I don’t like AI slop, but I do laugh when celebrities try to sue content off the internet and it blows up in their face. The Streisand Effect!!
Midnight Music: Instrumental, 2020
Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.

