American mixed martial artist Kam Arnold has sparked outrage among fans after his recent victory at a regional MMA event in Bangor, Maine.
During the co-main event of “NEF 60: OPEN SEASON,” Arnold faced off against Seth Basler in a bantamweight bout. The fight came to a dramatic conclusion just over three and a half minutes into the third round when Arnold landed a clean left hook to Basler’s chin, sending him crashing to the canvas.
What followed next left spectators and social media users stunned. Instead of showing concern for his fallen opponent or celebrating in a more traditional manner, Arnold grabbed a mobile phone from someone at cageside and proceeded to record a selfie video.
The footage, which has since gone viral, shows Arnold gloating over his victory while filming himself and the still-dazed Basler, who was unsteadily rising to his feet. Arnold then climbed onto the cage to continue his celebration.
The reaction from MMA fans was swift and harsh. One user on X (formerly Twitter) commented, “That’s pretty classless,” while another described it as “next-level disrespect.”
Despite the backlash, Arnold later attempted to make amends by posting a photo of himself and Basler on social media, accompanied by a message of respect. “Thank you for pushing me, to be the best me this camp and to top it all off you’re not just tough as nails but you didn’t lie when you said you have no quit or that your heart is infinite,” Arnold wrote on Instagram.
This incident follows a similar controversy in September when UFC star Ailin Perez celebrated her victory over Daria Zheleznyakova at UFC Paris with an equally questionable display. After securing a first-round submission, Perez proceeded to dance provocatively over her defeated opponent.
