MMA fighter Marcin Szoltysik is shedding some gentle on his notorious insta-tap over the weekend.
Whereas most MMA followers had their eyes on UFC Perth and the PFL’s back-to-back occasions abroad, Babilon MMA 54 supplied up an eight-fight card in Poland that was set to characteristic a heavyweight scrap between Jacek Kujtowski and Marcin Szoltysik.
Simply because the battle started, Szoltysik kneeled on the canvas and tapped out, inflicting widespread confusion all through the venue and on social media.
Hypothesis instantly ran rampant on-line, with some believing it was nothing greater than cowardice. Nonetheless, Szoltysik tried to supply some perception into the controversial choice.
“I went into the octagon and instantly submitted,” Szoltysik’s message learn (by way of worldwide MMA skilled Matysek). “It wasn’t weak spot, that was aware riot. It was riot towards the liars and manipulators who declare to be my staff, however in actuality, deal with their fighters as instruments for their very own acquire.
“From the start, they intentionally didn’t help my preparations — they needed me to be unprepared and simply replaceable. They don’t care about sport, ardour, or dedication — solely about cash and connections. They tried to show me into ‘cannon fodder,’ identical to they’d finished with others earlier than. I gained’t let that occur.
“Opponent has nothing to do with this, I’ve each respect for him. I apologized to him personally within the Octagon, as a result of that’s how it is best to deal with a real warrior. I additionally apologize to the followers — my coronary heart breaks, and tears come to my eyes, however I couldn’t do in any other case. Dignity and honor are above all else.
“This was my cry of protest towards the lies, manipulation, and exploitation of athletes. I cannot be offered. Sufficient is sufficient.”
Szoltysik isn’t the primary athlete to consider their staff set them as much as fail. Decrease-tier gyms typically agree to provide a selected variety of fighters to fill positions at an occasion. Much less moral gyms might do that through the use of underprepared college students who stand little probability towards extra skilled opponents.
Nonetheless, it’s unusual for the ‘cannon fodder’ to succeed in the cage earlier than selecting to not proceed with the battle.
Clearly, this was not a type of circumstances.
