Belal Muhammad has an outside chance at a UFC title shot should something happen to one of the headliners at UFC 296, while the former “Krispy Kreme/Froggy Fresh” Tyler Cassidy has dedicated a rap track to the recent scuttlebutt surrounding Ian Garry. All that and more in this week’s Sunday MMA Quick Hits!
Ian Garry earns a comedy rap track
Does this mean Ian Garry has made it as a crossover star? We’re not so sure. But Garry’s beef with Sean Strickland, with the UFC middleweight champ suggesting Garry’s wife is a predatory cougar, resulted in a comedy rap track from Tyler Cassidy.
“Y’all watch out now, there’s a cougar down there. She done got herself a calf. Ain’t that a damn shame,” the track begins, before breaking into “somebody save Ian, because I don’t wanna see him, with a 40-year old gold diggin’ European.”
Well then. Garry, 26, has stuck by his wife Layla, 40, through the revelation she had published a book entitled “How to Be a WAG.” In this context, “WAG” stands for “wives and girlfriends” (generally of rich/notable people). The book, just a few pages long, was later claimed to be meant as a joke.
Belal Muhammad to serve as UFC 296 back-up
One of the better decisions by UFC brass in recent years is to pay fighters to serve as back-ups for the promotion’s bigger fights. With Colby Covington and welterweight champ Leon Edwards set to face off at UFC 296 next weekend, it’s top contender Belal Muhammad serving as back-up.
Plenty would argue it’s Muhammad, not Covington, who is more deserving of a title shot that “Chaos,” but the UFC is siding with the fighter who will move more tickets.
In an interview with MMA Junkie, Muhammad revealed he was given less than two week’s notice, saying “they just hit me up Friday” asking if he could weigh in for UFC 296.
CSAC gives green light to slap-fighting, bare-knuckle boxing in California
The California State Athletic Commission has approved two forms of unarmed combat to be regulated in the state.
Following legalization in Florida, New York, and other states, the California commission passed, 6-0, a vote for the state regulate bare-knuckle boxing this week. MMA Fighting was first to report news of the development.
With Bare Knuckle FC (BKFC) leading the charge, bare-knuckle fighting has seen a massive resurgence in popularity over the past few years. Former UFC stars including Mike Perry, Luke Rockhold, Paige VanZant, Artem Lobov, and John Dodson have all competed under the BKFC banner, with the promotion exceeding most expectations.
The sport’s comeback has not been without tragedy: 38-year old Justin Thorton died in hospital a month after sustaining spinal injuries in a 2021 BKFC fight that left him paralyzed. An infection in the spinal cord later led to organ failure. Thorton had landed on his head after being on the receiving end of a knockout blow by Dillon Clecker.
Most have recognized the Thorton incident as an unfortunate tragedy that could have happened in any number of contact sports. As for slap-fighting, the sport is built around taking undefended concussive blows to the heard and can barely be called a “combat sport” at all. Despite major controversy, the CSAC also voted in slap-fighting with a 6-0 vote, opening up the state to Dana White’s PowerSlap.
