MMA Knockout

MMA News: RIZIN Fighter's Disrespectful Mid-Fight Gesture Raises Eyebrows

Sometimes MMA isn't all about mutual respect.
Mathew Riddle|

The featherweight bout between Yoshiki Nakahara and Viktor Kolesnik at RIZIN 46 was capped off by a fairly disrespectful display.

Kolesnik handily won the fight, landing the bigger shots with a higher volume through the three rounds.

Nakahara rallied late with a takedown but was picked up after Kolesnik secured a body lock. The Russian fighter stalled too long before dropping to the mat, and Nakahara swept up his neck for a precarious-looking guillotine. Instead of trying to escape, Kolesnik spent the final 10 seconds giving Nakahara and the Japanese audience a big middle finger.

Fortunately for the Russian fighter, the judges scored the fight in his favor. The heavy-handed English broadcast team tried to justify the fight for Nakahara on damage alone. However, Japanese combat sports are steeped in respect and sportsmanship, and Kolesnik's actions might not sit well with the general audience.

Stick with MMA Knockout for more daily coverage of the UFC and MMA

Published
Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with half a decade of digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on Bloody Elbow, The Fight Fanatic, and Heavy on UFC. He runs Warrior Tribune and can be contacted by his Muckrack profile.

Share on XFollow notMattRiddle