An Irish MMA fighter sparked controversy after shouting “Free Palestine” in the face of his Israeli opponent during a high-stakes bout in Rome.
Paddy McCorry, 27, defeated Israel’s Shuki Farage in the Cage Warriors 189 event on Saturday night. As he pinned Farage and landed a flurry of blows, McCorry could be heard yelling the slogan repeatedly. Clips from the livestreamed event quickly went viral on social media.
McCorry later shared footage of the match on his social platforms, captioned “Street Justice,” along with Irish and Palestinian flags. The audience could also be heard chanting “Free, free Palestine” as the fight reached its climax.
Take a look at the clip here:
Farage, who was previously undefeated, reportedly served in the Israel Defense Forces. Photos circulating online, allegedly from his Instagram and Facebook accounts, show him in IDF uniform posing with a weapon in front of a destroyed building in Gaza. Following the online backlash, Farage appeared to deactivate his social media accounts.
{{/usCountry}}Farage, who was previously undefeated, reportedly served in the Israel Defense Forces. Photos circulating online, allegedly from his Instagram and Facebook accounts, show him in IDF uniform posing with a weapon in front of a destroyed building in Gaza. Following the online backlash, Farage appeared to deactivate his social media accounts.
{{/usCountry}}Ahead of the match, Farage had vowed to "take down" McCorry and "pound his face." Instead, he saw his winning streak snapped as McCorry raised the Palestinian flag over his shoulders in celebration.
The video has divided the internet, with some praising McCorry for using his platform to stand up for Palestinians, while others criticized him for “bringing politics into sports.”
The fight comes at a time of extreme humanitarian crisis in Gaza. According to the UN, 100% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are now at risk of “catastrophic hunger,” making it the “hungriest place on Earth.” Over the weekend, an Israeli airstrike near an aid distribution center in Rafah reportedly killed at least 30 people. The UN also stated that aid convoys have been forced to use unsafe eastern routes through Rafah and Khan Younis, where criminal groups operate and aid trucks have been attacked.