Tag: Tony Kelley

Tony Kelley Responds To Critics Of Brazil Comments, Cites Cancel Culture

UFC fighter Tony Kelley has addressed his controversial remarks aimed at Brazil that were caught on the UFC Vegas 54 broadcast on Saturday. Kelley was at the UFC Apex to corner his Synergy MMA teammate Andrea Lee for her featured preliminary bout against Viviane Araujo. Midway through the fight, Araujo caught Lee with an accidental…

Continue Reading Tony Kelley Responds To Critics Of Brazil Comments, Cites Cancel Culture at MMA News.

UFC fighter Tony Kelley has addressed his controversial remarks aimed at Brazil that were caught on the UFC Vegas 54 broadcast on Saturday.

Kelley was at the UFC Apex to corner his Synergy MMA teammate Andrea Lee for her featured preliminary bout against Viviane Araujo. Midway through the fight, Araujo caught Lee with an accidental eye poke that prompted an angry reaction from Kelley and the rest of Lee’s corner.

But Kelley took things up a notch in between rounds, as he used his time for a pep talk to attack Araujo and her native Brazil.

Kelley was slammed by his fellow UFC colleagues, including a response from Belal Muhammad. After feeling the backlash of his remarks, Kelley took the time to address his comments and deny any wrongdoing.

“Cancel Culture is real,” Kelley tweeted. “What I said was real and in the heat of battle, and in no way had any type of racist connotations meant…but if that’s the way you take it, idgaf. So many people quick to say racist..that shits getting so old. My reference was to a dirty eye poke.”

UFC President Dana White wasn’t in attendance for UFC Vegas 54 and the promotion hasn’t publically commented on Kelley’s remarks.

Kelley, a UFC bantamweight, is scheduled to battle Adrian Yanez at UFC Austin on June 18. He’s won back-to-back fights over Randy Costa and Ali AlQaisi.

What are your thoughts on Tony Kelley’s controversial remarks?

Continue Reading Tony Kelley Responds To Critics Of Brazil Comments, Cites Cancel Culture at MMA News.

Tony Kelley Defends Statements During Corner Work at UFC Vegas 54: “Cancel Culture Is Real”

Tony Kelley, Andrea LeeUFC bantamweight Tony Kelley has come under fire for his recent corner work for Andrea Lee at UFC Vegas 54. Last night, Tony Kelley was working in the corner of Andrea Lee in her clash with Viviane Araujo. Kicking the event off in the featured prelims, Araujo managed to secure a victory over Lee via […]

Tony Kelley, Andrea Lee

UFC bantamweight Tony Kelley has come under fire for his recent corner work for Andrea Lee at UFC Vegas 54.

Last night, Tony Kelley was working in the corner of Andrea Lee in her clash with Viviane Araujo. Kicking the event off in the featured prelims, Araujo managed to secure a victory over Lee via unanimous decision.

It wasn’t her performance that got most people talking. On a night full of exciting fights, one of the biggest talking points was Kelley’s racist remarks during Lee’s fight.

Kelley shared some not so wise words of encouragement to pump up Lee for the next round.

“That’s what they’re gonna do. They’re dirty f******* Brazilians. They’re gonna f****** cheat like that. Guess what? We came to f**** somebody up.”

As expected, members of the MMA community were not pleased with the derogatory remarks made by Kelley. Brazilian fighters took to Twitter to express their disapproval along with Kelley’s next opponent Adrian Yanez.

“My guy @yanezmma get a finish on your next fight and I will send you an extra money #UFCVegas54“

Tony Kelley responds to the backlash

Following the criticism he faced for his comments, Tony Kelley has now responded to the backlash he received after the event. Kelley seems to be content with his behavior and feels what he said to be okay.

He opened up on what he was talking about when he said “dirty f**king Brazilians” as he referenced a “dirty eye poke”. Taking to Twitter to share his thoughts, Kelley defended his statements.

“Cancel Culture is real. What I said was real and in the heat of battle, and in no way had any type of racist connotations meant…but if that’s the way you take it, idgaf. So many people quick to say racist..that shits getting so old. My reference was to a dirty eye poke.”

Lee has received her end of the criticism as well for her dating choices. In the past, Lee was rebuked by the community for dating a man with Nazi tattoos who eventually ended up assaulting her. Members were quick to point out her taste in men after Kelley’s pep talk.

“Ok that corner work was terrible Lee keeps dating racists”

Do you think the comments from Tony Kelley were racist?

Tony Kelley Criticized For Anti-Brazil Corner Comments To Andrea Lee

UFC bantamweight Tony Kelley is being criticized for Anti-Brazilian comments made to Andrea Lee during the UFC Vegas 54 event. During the UFC Vegas 54 preliminary card, Andrea Lee was involved in an action-packed fight against Brazilian opponent and #8-ranked women’s flyweight Viviane Araujo. Araujo would go on to win the fight via unanimous decision….

Continue Reading Tony Kelley Criticized For Anti-Brazil Corner Comments To Andrea Lee at MMA News.

UFC bantamweight Tony Kelley is being criticized for Anti-Brazilian comments made to Andrea Lee during the UFC Vegas 54 event.

During the UFC Vegas 54 preliminary card, Andrea Lee was involved in an action-packed fight against Brazilian opponent and #8-ranked women’s flyweight Viviane Araujo. Araujo would go on to win the fight via unanimous decision.

Between rounds, Kelley could be heard giving Lee some interesting corner advice that categorized Brazilians, such as Araujo, as dirty cheaters. You can find his comments below.

“That’s what they’re gonna do. They’re dirty fuckin’ Brazilians. They’re gonna fuckin’ cheat like that. Guess what? We came to fuck somebody up!”

It wasn’t long until these comments began to go viral, with members of the MMA community taking exception to Kelley’s controversial remarks.

“Ok that corner work was terrible. Lee keeps dating racists,” wrote top-5 UFC middleweight Belal Muhammad.

“Tony Kelley in the corner: “That’s what they’re going to do, they’re dirty f*cking Brazilians, they’re going to f*cking cheat like that.” Unacceptable…” MMA reporter Aaron Bronsteter wrote.

Former welterweight title challenger Gilbert Burns even put an MMA bounty on Kelley’s head addressed directly to his June 18th opponent Adrian Yanez. Yanez responded by informing Burns that he would gladly dispose of Kelley for free.

“My guy @yanezmma get a finish on your next fight and I will send you an extra money,” Burns wrote.

“Aaayyyyy, but this finish will be on the house,” the Mexican-American Yanez responded beneath a series of Brazilian flag emojis.

Kelley’s hot-mic remarks are reminiscent of Colby Covington’s infamous 2017 promo where he called the Brazilian audience “filthy animals,” thus kicking off his current heel run.

As for Lee, Belal Muhammad’s remarks accusing her of dating “racists” is in reference to her ex-husband and former coach Donny Aaron, who was confirmed to have Nazi/white supremacist tattoos. Though Aaron expressed regret for the tattoos, he also stated that he would not have them removed.

Lee defended Aaron at the time, stating that neither of them was racist and that he got the tattoos during a different stage of his life. She went on to say that Aaron was a changed and loving man. The couple would split months later after Aaron was arrested for domestically battering her.

What are your thoughts on Tony Kelley’s remarks and the backlash that accompanied them?

Continue Reading Tony Kelley Criticized For Anti-Brazil Corner Comments To Andrea Lee at MMA News.