During a recent mixed martial arts match, a rare and somewhat comical incident occurred. An athlete was disqualified after his protective cup repeatedly fell out.
The groin is a highly sensitive and vulnerable area, and a direct blow to this region can cause severe pain. That’s why striking the groin area is strictly prohibited in MMA. To ensure further safety, athletes are required to wear protective cups to shield this area during matches.
In mixed martial arts, athletes must wear various protective gear, including gloves, mouthpieces, and cups. These cups, usually made of hard plastic, are mandatory for both male and female athletes.
Before entering the cage, MMA athletes get their gear checked, especially protective cups and mouth guards. However, in this particular match, an MMA star entered the cage and couple seconds into the action a cup rolled off the ground, resulting in his disqualification.
This surprising moment took place during a bantamweight bout between Jason White and Tommy Cox at the Flex Fights: Tiki Takedown Vol. 25 event, hosted by FF Series promotion, on July 15 in Patchogue, New York.
According to a social media report, Jason White wasn’t wearing his cup entering the cage – instead he just stuffed it down his underwear hoping it sticks. Sadly the odd decision quickly backfired on him.
The clip of the match quickly went viral on social media. Jason White entered the cage wearing his protective cup, but the cup rolled off quickly.
Initially, the referee returned the cup to White and allowed the match to continue. But, as the cup continued to fall out repeatedly, the referee had no choice but to intervene and disqualify White for improper equipment and disrupting the match.
Sadly cups do malfunction from time to time. Back in 2021, UFC light-heavyweight Danilo Marques competed with his cup sliding to the back from the front, causing a wardrobe malfunction during the bout.
Commentators Daniel Cormier and Paul Felder found the situation amusing.
Marques’ cornerman had to retrieve the cup from his backside at the end of the second round.
We’ve got a bit of a…cup situation in progress here.@FelderPaul & @DC_MMA can’t control themselves! 😂 #UFCVegas30 pic.twitter.com/mAgRmfWGqs
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) June 26, 2021
Despite the fix-up, Marques was stopped in the next round.
Ezra Samuel is a passionate freelance writer with a particular love for covering MMA news. His interest in the sport dates back to his college days, and he has since established himself as a respected voice in the MMA community. Over the years, Ezra has contributed his writing to a variety of digital outlets, including the popular site calfkicker.