Middleweight contender Marvin Vettori took umbrage with Paul Felder’s commentary at UFC 266 last month in Las Vegas, which appeared to favor “The Hangman” in what would ultimately end with a unanimous decision victory for the New Zealand lightweight.
Vettori was quick to criticize Felder on social media, leading to a barrage of insults from both sides, including a tweet from “The Irish Dragon” that suggested “The Italian Dream” was perhaps too dumb to understand his retort.
“Like he’s a Stanford PhD professor or some shit like that,” Vettori told MMA Uncensored. “He’s what? He’s a commentator, man. Some people can just smile at your face the first day, then they talk the worst shit at you like they don’t care. I guess that’s what they’re good at.”
Felder is a retired UFC lightweight who like former heavyweight titleholder Daniel Cormier, used his knowledge of the fight game to transition to a spot on the UFC broadcast team. And also like “DC,” Felder has been called out for his favoritism.
“Sometimes I feel like commentators, they just try to bias the public and whoever watches the fight because they have that power sometimes and it’s wrong,” Vettori told MMA Fighting. “We put our heart and soul out there and even him being a fighter and even him talking to the fighters before they fight, he should know better. Sometimes, I don’t know what goes on but I just feel like him in particular, he’s a puppet. I’ll see him and I’ll talk to him. I like to talk face-to-face.”
Vettori and Felder will cross paths at the UFC Vegas 41 fighter meetings this week in Las Vegas, just a few days before “The Italian Dream” takes center stage for his five-round headliner opposite fellow middleweight contender Paulo Costa.
For much more on that upcoming fight card click here.