A surprising incident at a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament has sent ripples through Spain’s martial arts community. Jorge Climent, the former coach of UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, was caught on video slapping an 18-year-old competitor during a Summer Camp tournament in La NucÃa this past weekend.
The altercation, which occurred on Saturday, July 19th, was captured on camera and quickly spread across social media. It shows Climent delivering a slap to a young athlete inside the sports center, away from the competition area. The incident has prompted widespread condemnation from the martial arts community and raised serious questions about conduct standards in the sport.
In an exclusive statement following the viral video, Climent acknowledged his actions while providing context for the heated encounter. The veteran coach revealed that the young man he struck was actually a former student at his Climent Club gym, someone with whom he had shared a complex three-year relationship.
“We shared the mat, trips, and sports projects for about three years, opening the doors of our house and our gym to them,” Climent explained, describing how he had treated the teenager like family before their relationship soured.
The confrontation began with what appeared to be a minor disagreement that escalated when the young athlete pushed Climent. This physical contact triggered an immediate response from the seasoned coach, who admits his reaction crossed the line.
“Unfortunately, I reacted impulsively and gave him a slap. That gesture was the result of accumulated tension from previous events that are already in the hands of justice, but I understand that nothing justifies a violent response,” Climent stated in his public apology.
According to the coach, his gym has filed two separate legal complaints involving the teenager and his family. The first involves allegations that the young man’s father appeared at the Climent Club armed with weapons and made death threats against Climent’s family.
The second legal matter centers on accusations that the teenager engaged in harassment and secretly recorded private conversations without consent. Climent alleges these recordings were then “sent to third parties to damage our reputation and our business, causing us serious economic harm that seriously affected my family’s stability.”
Despite these underlying issues, Climent has taken full responsibility for his actions at the tournament. The coach, who has built a reputation as one of Spain’s most prominent martial arts figures, expressed deep regret over the incident.
“I am ashamed of having lost control. As a coach and sports reference, I must be an example of self-control, and on Saturday, I was not,” he said in his public apology. “I offer public apologies to the sports community and to anyone who has felt disappointed by my conduct.”
Climent’s work with fighters like Topuria helped establish the country’s presence on the international MMA stage, making the tournament altercation all the more jarring for those who have followed his career.
Climent emphasized that this incident stands alone in his two-decade career, stating: “In more than twenty years of career, I had never before been involved in a physical aggression outside the regulated environment. I will defend my rights through legal channels, but I have learned that no provocation, however serious it may be, should deviate from my principles of respect and sportsmanship.”
The coach concluded his statement with a commitment to learning from the experience and ensuring such behavior never happens again. “My commitment is to continue working honestly, promote values of respect in martial arts and, above all, ensure that something like this does not happen again,” he declared.
It seems like at times, even experienced coaches and role models can fall short of the standards they’re expected to uphold.
