Matheus Araújo defeated Anderson Nascimento via submission in the quarterfinals of the Fight do Milhão. Photo: Reproduction/Carlos Ventura/Jungle Fight
Matheus Araújo and Anderson Nascimento were involved in an emotionally charged confrontation in... Jungle Fight 149, held last Saturday (25), in São Paulo. What was supposed to be just another fight in the quarterfinals of Fight do Milhão, a tournament that offers the biggest prize in national MMA, ended in aggression inside the cage. After winning by submission in the first round, 'The Monster' got involved in a fight with 'Astro da Maldade', which ended in punches, corner invasions and harsh repercussions at the event.
The quarter-final fight pitted two well-known names in the welterweight division (up to 77 kg) against each other, with Matheus dominating the action from the start. His superiority was so great that the fighter from Amazonas secured a rear-naked choke in the first round, forcing Anderson to tap out. The controversy began precisely at the moment of the stoppage.
Even after the referee stopped the fight, 'The Monster' hesitated before releasing the submission hold and then pushed and kicked his opponent, who was already on the ground. This action increased the tension, and as soon as he managed to get up, the 'Star of Evil' went on the offensive and even landed a punch on Matheus. The situation got out of control, and members of both fighters' corners invaded the cage, provoking a near-brawl that had to be contained by the organization.
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Commentator Alex Gaze, from the Combate channel, criticized the outcome and stated that everyone involved made mistakes, especially Matheus for the delay in releasing the hold. According to him, the initial reaction was decisive in causing the chaos that followed and should result in punishment.
“It’s regrettable. This ending should never have happened under any circumstances. The mistake started with Mateus Monstro, when he finished the hold and didn’t release. After that, he even pushed his opponent. It was a very serious mistake. This doesn’t justify what Anderson did afterward, much less the cornermen coming in to cause confusion. Everyone is wrong, but it all started when he didn’t release. That should be punished,” the commentator analyzed.
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Matheus Araújo breaks his silence after the controversy at the Million Dollar Fight.
After the incident, Matheus explained that his reaction was influenced by a provocation made by Anderson during the official weigh-in. According to the fighter, his rival had mentioned his mother, who passed away four years ago, something he said he had harbored resentment towards until the fight.
“In the end, things got a little heated and we lost our professionalism. At the weigh-in, he talked about my mother, and that stayed with me. She died four years ago, and nobody knows anyone else's story. I know he has two children, and I never touched on his family because that's sacred. Here it was 'The Monster' versus 'Star of Evil,' there was no need to involve anyone else in this,” Matheus stated while still in the cage.
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After the controversial episode and the victory, Matheus Araújo secured a spot in the Fight do Milhão semifinals and will now face Fabrício Bakai. On the other side of the bracket, Ernane Pimenta will face Guilherme Silva.
Read More about: Anderson Nascimento, Million Dollar Fight, Jungle fight 149, Million Dollar Jungle Fight, Matheus Araújo
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