Mind your manners?
After impressive performances at UFC 140, Jon Jones and Frank Mir are being showered with criticism for unsporting conduct supposedly displayed immediately following their victories.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, MMA trainer Erik Paulson voiced his disappointment in the post-fight behavior of Mir and Jones.
“A little bummed out to see Mir break Nogeras Arm and not check to see if he was okay after the Fight. Also to see Jones Drop Machita on his face after he knew that he was out! safety and Well being of your Brothers after you share sweat and blood. then don’t care about their well being. leaving a statement for the next generation of fighters that do it to you someday.”
In his bout with MMA legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mir recovered after getting dropped with a punch and locked up a kimura. The hold was completely locked in, but Nogueira refused to tap and kept trying to find an opening to escape.
With the fight on the line, Mir was left with no choice but to crank the hold all the way through and break Nogueira’s arm. Nogueira began to tap just as his arm was being wrenched in a complete circle, but it was too late. Fans all over the world watched as Nogueira’s bone snapped, and Mir got up to celebrate.
While Mir didn’t immediately check on Nogueira, he was incredibly humble after the fight.
“I honestly hope that Nogueira ends up being okay,” Mir told UFC commentator Joe Rogan in his post-fight interview. “I idolize him. When you’re our size and you’re as dangerous as we are, things happen. You can get caught. It takes nothing away from Nogueira.”
As for Jones, he ended Lyoto Machida‘s title hopes in the second round of their UFC championship bout with a modified guillotine choke.
The choke was locked in the standing position against the cage. After the referee realized Machida was unconscious, he stepped in to call a halt to the action.
Instead of slowly lowering the unconscious challenger to the ground, Jones merely released the choke, and Machida‘s body crumpled to the floor.
Despite his post-fight actions, Jones was also humble in his post-fight interview with Rogan.
“He didn’t have me hurt, but he did punch me pretty good and wobble me a little bit,” said Jones. “He’s just really smart. He kicks really hard, and he knew his range. He has great tactics. He was definitely a very tough puzzle.”
It’s tough to ignore the incredible adrenaline rush fighters go through. After pushing their bodies for months in training, they come out and compete live in front of thousands, with millions watching around the world.
A rare moment of greatness can overtake any athlete.
For those few seconds, Jones wasn’t thinking about Machida being unconscious and the fact that Mir had just broken Nogueira’s arm was probably the furthest thing from his mind. Their initial thoughts likely revolved around all of the hard work it took to accomplish a goal.
Football legend Vince Lombardi may have said it best in a memorable sports quote.
“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle—victorious.”
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