Conor McGregor beefed up (Credits: Conor McGregor Twitter)
Conor McGregor is impressed by a video of a Slap Fight clip, while UFC veteran Michael Chiesa despises it
Conor McGregor sent a congratulatory message to the new RXF heavyweight slap-fighting champion. Slap fighting consists of two competitors on opposite sides of a podium slapping each other as hard as they can in the face. While some may find it too raw for their liking, there’s no denying that the format has become an enormous success. Even UFC president Dana White has come out with his new venture in the space called the Power Slap League.
The objective is to knock out or force your opponent to quit, and as a recent RXF event in Romania demonstrated, the results can be extremely brutal. On Monday, Sorin Comsa knocked out his opponent after ten rounds and a severely swollen face. His opponent surrendered after receiving one too many slaps.
Comsa was awarded the RXF heavyweight championship, £4430 (€5000) in prize money, and unexpected praise from one of the world’s most famous athletes. McGregor tweeted alongside a video of Comsa’s fight:
“Absolutely gorgeous technique congrats the new heavy weight champion.”
However, ‘Notorious’ was responding to a clip of Comsa’s opponent landing a ferocious blow, and it’s unclear whether he’s praising his ‘great technique’ or Comsa, who expertly absorbed the slap and remained in the fight.
The former UFC champion’s newfound appreciation for slap fighting is timely, as Dana White’s Power Slap League will debut on Wednesday evening.
On the other hand, Michael Chiesa, who was once embroiled in a legal dispute with McGregor, couldn’t help but express his abomination towards the sport. He wrote:
“This makes me sick to my stomach.”
Several other UFC fighters reacted under the post. Arnold Allen wrote, “Fuck that 😂”
Derek Brunson wrote: “How much did you get paid to say this 😂”
While Chris Wade wrote: “I’ll bet you used your star power to make sure these guys get benefits and health insurance for destroying their faces and brains for a few bucks right? Nahhh you just through up a post to support Bald bull in his time of need.”
UFC fighters Conor McGregor and Michael Chiesa settled their lawsuit in Kings County (New York) Supreme Court last year, four years after the Irishman threw a dolly through the windshield of a bus carrying Chiesa. On Friday, attorneys for McGregor and Chiesa submitted a stipulation of discontinuance with prejudice, which means that their clients have agreed to drop the lawsuit and will not be able to refile it in the future. A source familiar with the lawsuit, who asked not to be identified due to the sensitivity of the situation, confirmed to MMA Fighting that a settlement had been reached; the details of the settlement were not disclosed. Chiesa and McGregor’s representatives did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
After the infamous UFC 223 bus attack, Chiesa filed a lawsuit against Conor McGregor, McGregor Sports and Entertainment, the parent company of Madison Square Garden, and others in September 2018. McGregor eventually reached a plea deal and was released from jail. Criminal proceedings were finally wrapped up, but it took another four years of legal wrangling between Chiesa and McGregor’s respective teams to reach a settlement in civil court.
At first, Chiesa filed a lawsuit against McGregor, accusing him of various wrongdoings, including negligence, negligent infliction of emotional distress, intentional infliction of emotional distress, assault and battery. McGregor’s lawyer claimed his client was innocent of any wrongdoing because the Irish star had not intended to harm Chiesa. A judge agreed, at least at first, and limited what could be claimed against McGregor. In a recent ruling, however, an appellate judge reinstated several of the original lawsuit’s claims, including Chiesa’s claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress, and ruled that it was appropriate to name MSG as a party to the lawsuit.
More MMA news
Follow our dedicated MMA page for instant MMA news and update