Midnight Mania! Patchy Mix Cut, Joins RIZIN Roster

[ASFN Admin]

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Welcome to Midnight Mania!

Let’s start the night off by taking a look back over the three biggest stories of Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026.

1. Manager on Justin Gaethje’s UFC 324 pay-plaints: ‘Like every other athlete, he wants to be paid a lot’: Just as a blanket rule, Ali Abdelaziz is not to be trusted.
2. Michael Johnson’s management issues official statement on UFC 324 cancellation, sketchy betting movement: ‘These matters have to be taken seriously’: I highly doubt there was anything fixed in this matchup, but a leaked injury is entirely plausible and even likely based on recent evidence.
3. Motivated Tai Tuivasa returning to UFC 325 to save the ‘Heavysh-t’ division – ‘I had to miss it’: Permission to use “Heavys—t’ division for the rest of my writing career?

Insomnia​

A year ago, Patchy Mix was 20-1 riding a massive win streak over excellent opposition and set to make his UFC debut with a ton of hype behind him. Now, he’s off the roster entirely and heading to RIZIN on March 7 to fight Japan’s Kyoma Akimoto. This sport moves fast!

#RIZIN52 有明大会️
開幕戦メインカード

RIZIN MMAルール：5分 3R 66.0kg

#秋元強真/@Kyoma_mma
超強真星
ーーーーーー
#パッチーミックス/@TeamMixMMA
元Bellatorバンタム級王者

3/7(土)12:30開場/14:00開始(予定)
有明アリーナhttps://t.co/8LCJulF2fthttps://t.co/G74CHgHNzGpic.twitter.com/1Yglpw2CrS

— RIZIN FF OFFICIAL (@rizin_PR) January 29, 2026

Tecia Pennington (15-8) has retired and is also off the UFC roster. Though undersized for the division, Pennington fought literally every Strawweight champion in UFC history, defeating two of them (Rose Namajunas and Carla Esparza). Respect!

Fighter removed: Tecia Pennington

— UFC Roster Tracker (@RosterTracker) January 28, 2026

Arnold Allen does not consent to being a surfboard, this is outrageous.

Likewise brother, thanks for the fight

I am not a surf board though ‍

— Arnold billy allen (@Arnoldbfa) January 25, 2026

These people need to be stopped pic.twitter.com/2Bi5XPkrmV

— 24hourMMA (@24hoursMMA) January 27, 2026

Rafael Fiziev is deep in his UFC 325 weight cut feelings.

Jean Silva know the feeling #weightcutpic.twitter.com/SsA2bhzsLh

— Rafael “Ataman” Fiziev (@RafaelFiziev) January 27, 2026

Any outfit can be a gi if you believe hard enough.

“gI iSnt REaLisTIC”

Korean Parliament: pic.twitter.com/sRYJo1zMPJ

— BJJotter (@JiujitsuOtter) January 28, 2026

Michael Morales punching power explained: he’s a big lad.

Michael Morales is 212.3lbs (96kg) right now pic.twitter.com/F4cpAsJWUE

— Dovy (@DovySimuMMA) January 28, 2026

I actually liked the naked shots from Quillan Salkilld here as a strategy to avoid/stymie the boxing of his opponent.

Quillan Salkilld intercepts Haqparast body cross with a sneaky up elbow pic.twitter.com/d9HgLfV3G1

— Underrated Tribal Chief (@CombatUTC) January 28, 2026

Checking in on a pair of old school legends/former foes:

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Slips, rips, and KO clips​

Some throwback clips of Rafael Fiziev destroying his opposition while fighting in Thailand:

Rafael Fiziev was a Muay Thai monster #UFC325pic.twitter.com/kOEgog21Pr

— Clutch.app | Play & Win (@PlayOnClutch) January 28, 2026

I love the mid-flurry straight right to the breadbasket.

TMT fighter Jasmine Montoya wins her Fury FC debut by brutal 3rd round KO with Floyd himself watching cageside. #FuryFC110pic.twitter.com/2gKS4SHxXO

— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) October 18, 2025

This is what going to a regional MMA fight feels like. All UFC fans should check out their local show in person at least once!

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Random Land​

If anyone missed the spectacle over the weekend, Alex Honnold enjoyed a fun romp up the second tallest building in the world.

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Midnight Music: Psych rock, 1967


Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.

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