Not many were watching the preliminary-card fights over at World Series of Fighting 23. Those who did, however, were treated to some less-than-sporting conduct by intriguing Russian prospect Vagab Vagabov. The middleweight scored an impressive win over Brian Grinnell with vicious clinch striking. Unfortunately, he didn’t slow down even after officially winning the fight. Check out the video here:
Vagab Vagabov gives Brian Grinnell an extra kick to the face and hammerfist to the head. https://t.co/UzcBdoVp5z
— caposa (@GrabakaHitman) September 19, 2015
After eating a boatload of knees and punches in the clinch, Grinnell turtles up, waiting for the ref, Al Guinee, to wave off the fight. As he attempts to do so, however, Vagabov continues to lay on punishment, throwing an extra kick and hammerfist until Guinee shoved him into a corner. Vagabov was apologetic after, but the damage was done.
WSOF has been criticized as being too accepting of dirty, “dangerous” fighters in the past, and Vagabov going out of control is not surprising in the least. Bloody Elbow editor Zane Simon had these observations:
There’s the Vagabov that can never fight for a major promotion ever.
— Zane Simon (@TheZaneSimon) September 19, 2015
Been saying it for a long time. Vagabov is fun but that dude can never go to the bigs.
— Zane Simon (@TheZaneSimon) September 19, 2015
Vagabov is, basically, the Dagestani equivalent of Rousimar Palhares, another one of WSOF’s biggest names. “Toquinho” was recently stripped of the WSOF welterweight title and suspended indefinitely due to a controversial win over Jake Shields that saw him scratch at Shields’ eyes and give an extracurricular twist to an otherwise beautiful Kimura lock. Not only that, but at WSOF 18, a bout between Cody McKenzie and Andrew McInnes ended via DQ when McKenzie smashed McInnes with a headbutt.
Officially, Vagabov will remain the winner by TKO at 2:29 of Round 2. That said, expect some manner of punishment to be handed down to the prospect, whether it comes from an athletic commission or WSOF itself.
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