Issue 159

October 2017

Strange, but true, stories from around the world of mixed martial arts.

1) You snooze, you win

Antalya, Turkey

It’s very impressive when a fighter escapes a tight submission, then goes on to win. It’s arguably even more impressive if someone gets knocked on their butt and still pulls a victory out of the bag. Nashkho Galaev went one better than all that. At ACB 64, he was literally choked unconscious, but woke up after the referee failed to notice. Moments later, he hit a walk-off knee KO.

2) Heave ho

Muskegon, Michigan

“I think we have a small puke incident inside the cage.” In a match of super heavyweights, Jesse Reasoner was beating a defenseless Sean Needham into near-defeat at KOP 57, until he paused, then vomited all over the canvas. The commentary team congratulated the victor for “surviving his way to his debut win.” We’re not sure whether that was necessarily deserved, but we’re certain ‘TKO, opponent threw up’ is a unique new entry in the Sherdog Fight Finder.

3) Cuban fury

Havana, Cuba

It doesn’t matter that Yoel Romero lost his interim title fight with Robert Whittaker: his Michael Bisping call-out campaign is still going strong. After his UFC 213 disappointment, the ATT middleweight was out on the streets of his home country’s capital, rallying support and stomping all over the Union Jack in an unhinged attempt to secure a fight with ‘The Count’. We doubt he’ll soon do the same to Bisping in the cage, though.

4) Don’t call it a contest

Tokyo, Japan

July was an interesting month for everyone’s favorite 210lb woman, with two no- contests. First, Gabi Garcia took on 135lb Megumi Yabushita – kickboxing record: one win, 13 losses – in shoot boxing. It was called off because of two illegal soccer kicks in 90 seconds. Two weeks later, the Brazilian’s bout at Rizin 6 against Oksana Gagloeva was shorter still – stopped after 16 seconds. Garcia accused her opponent of cowardice, but the disappearance of one of her digits into her opponent’s eye socket suggested she had every right to complain.

5) Innovator

Albuquerque, New Mexico

If you were Donald Cerrone and had the frankly terrifying prospect of fighting Robbie Lawler, as well as recovery from a groin injury and blood infection to contend with, surely you’d do everything possible to be prepared? Therefore, we present to you, the all-new ‘Cowboy’ core conditioning workout – wakeboarding with a woman on your shoulders and a beer in your hand.

6) Saddle up

Orlando, Florida

If everyone’s assumptions are correct, Ronda Rousey is done fighting. She may, however, be getting ready to get back in the WWE ring. ‘Rowdy’ was spotted with Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir at a wrestling show, supporting their fellow member of the ‘Four Horsewomen’ of MMA, Shayna Baszler. The group got into a ‘heated confrontation’ with WWE’s Bayley, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, who are part of wrestling’s own Four Horsewomen. Could this be a set-up for the former UFC champ’s return to the squared circle as part of a tag-team feud?

7) Gee Wiz

San Diego, California

The relationship between rappers and mixed martial artists are getting stronger and more numerous month by month. Snoop Dogg is on Fight Pass, Machine Gun Kelly is best pals with Stipe Miocic and now, Wiz Khalifa is taking striking lessons from Cat Zingano. His question mark kick technique is pretty tight, too.

8) Boss woman

Koln, Deutschland

Katharina Lehner is an exciting bantamweight prospect from Germany. She has spoken out about European fighters’ unwillingness to tackle her, so when Invicta signed her up, it was time to celebrate. It’s fair to say there are few people in MMA – male or female – who do it quite like this.

9) Too much, too young

Chengdu, China

An MMA gym is being investigated by police for ‘adopting’ and training more than 400 orphans, according to the South China Morning Post after a short documentary went viral. The video shows the club’s founder, En Bo, claiming the children want to be involved so they can escape a life of poverty and crime, but despite some saying their dream is to fight in the UFC, many appear to compete in full-contact fights against their will.