At least he won’t be a sore loser. (Photo: M-1Global.com)
Cheating in MMA is actually pretty common, but it generally rears its head in minor infractions such as grabbing the cage, punches to the back of the head, and all-things Cheick Kongo. Cheating before a bout is also somewhat common, but it usually involves creative diet supplementation or concerns over greasing.
In a move straight out of the 1993 Vale Tudo circuit in Rio, Maxim Grishin, one of the two men vying for M-1′s coveted Heavyweight Interim Champion title on Friday night, was caught getting the ol’ Bengay rub down prior to his bout with Kenny Garner. If you’re not aware, that’s a no-no.
As reported by SBNation.com:
According to Garner’s striking coach, Paulie “Gloves” Gavoni, the team immediately sensed something amiss as they were warming up in the locker room.
“One of our guys walked by and smelled the aroma of Bengay in the back,” Gavoni explained to MMA Nation. “So we had the commissioner check and they had to wipe the Bengay off (Grishin) before he walked in there.”
“They were rubbing it on his legs,” said the corner-man who spotted the infraction. “As soon as they noticed I was there, he took off back into the dressing room.”
As we mentioned yesterday, if Grishin’s legs were sore it wasn’t from an excessive cardio routine, as the fighter eventually halfheartedly tapped to punches and fatigue after a plodding affair that saw both men exhausted early on. Had the violation not been noticed, things could have gotten very interesting during the fight; moments before he tapped out, Grishin’s armbar and triangle choke attempts put his legs on and around Garner’s eyes.