UFC veteran James Vick unconscious for two days from ‘self-induced coma’ after viral KO loss, per Karate Combat President

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

UFC veteran James Vick (13-6) has taken a lot of damage in the latter stage of his career.

Vick began his UFC career with a lot of success. An Ultimate Fighter (TUF) veteran, the Texan won nine of his first ten bouts inside the Octagon to advance up the Lightweight ladder. He actually entered his main event bout versus Justin Gaethje as the favorite, but that’s about where it all fell apart for “The Texecutioner.”

Starting with Gaethje, Vick would lose four straight, including three defeats by knockout. Another knockout loss on the regional scene sent him to the Karate Combat promotion, where the 37 year old has fought three times. In his most recent bout for Karate Combat, Vick was knocked cold by flashy UFC veteran Rafael Alves via jumping switch kick.

It was a nasty knockout that went viral over summer, but the seriousness hasn’t been discussed until now. In a recent episode of the Jaxxon podcast, Karate Combat President Asim Zaidi spoke about how scary the knockout was and how Vick was put into a medically induced coma in the aftermath.

Discussing the knockout, Zaidi explained, “I was there live, and it was such a successful event. [the knockout] ruined my whole mood. I just couldn’t be happy after that. [He was unconscious] for a couple of days. They put him in a self-induced coma. And he had a respiratory [machine] to make sure he stays breathing.

“I went to him when he woke up, and he’s like, ‘What did he catch me with?’ Switch kick, and he’s like ‘Oh man, I want to get back in there’ … Thank God he’s okay man. But, I can’t morally want to do that. I’m not gonna put him back in there.”

Vick retired from MMA after a 2021 regional loss that saw him break his orbital. Hopefully, he takes the hint from Zaidi and stops competing in combat sports, because the aftermath sounds like one of the scariest high-profile knockouts in recent years.

Insomnia

Canelo fans getting weird.

The idea of Kevin Lee fighting and losing to some mediocre unknown with a 9-3 record on Contenders Series depresses me greatly.

One Championship will do anything EXCEPT book MMA fights.

Speaking of One, LinkedIn posting is the absolute worst kind.

Who should Colby Covington face in his alleged November return to action?

I have a really hard time seeing Charles Jourdain having success at 135-pounds, and Victor Henry seems like a difficult match up to start with … so maybe the Canadian proves me wrong on two accounts!

Song Yadong vs. Henry Cejudo sounds like an obvious banger booking IF “Triple C” stays at Bantamweight.

Slips, rips, and KO clips

For whatever reason, referee didn’t want to stop this one.

Every right hand thrown in this clip was crisp and right down the middle.

Left hook is king in pocket exchanges.

Random Land

I’m a fan of covering up your tattoo mistakes with a grim reaper or jaguar as the lord intended, but … this guy gets a pass.

Midnight Music: Jazz, 1964

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