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Fans slammed ESPN after sharing a UFC highlight and seemingly shading the fighter in it.
UFC fans didn’t take kindly to ESPN sharing a highlight from the Saturday, February 19 event and not naming the fighter with the highlight-worthy performance.
Here’s what you need to know:
David Onama TKO’D Gabriel Benitez in the First Round With an 11-Punch Combination at UFC Vegas 48
This combo sent his opponent to the canvas 😨
The highlight took place during the Gabriel Benitez vs. David Onama fight which took place on the preliminary portion of the UFC Vegas 48: Johnny Walker vs. Jamahal Hill fight card.
The performance, an 11-punch combination, sent Benitez to the canvas and earned Onama an extra $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus.
“Fifty Gs baby!” Onama said in the Octagon after his win, asking UFC President Dana White to award him the post-fight bonus. “That’s 50 Gs! That’s what I do. That’s what I’m here for.”
The fight wasn’t initially going Onama’s way. Benitez landed a strike squarely on Onama’s eye which gave him problems early on. Somehow he was able to rally from the setback to secure the TKO, and his first UFC win.
That eye injury was serious enough to send Onama to the hospital, skipping his post-fight backstage interview.
“I can’t even see right now,” Onama said in the Octagon afterward. “It was quick. It was pretty blurry. I can’t see sh*t.”
But on Monday morning the talk wasn’t his impressive performance. Instead, it was ESPN’s social post of the moment … and their lack of acknowledging the fighter.
“This combo sent his opponent to the canvas,” ESPN tweeted leaving out the name of either fighter.
Fans Didn’t Appreciate ESPN Forgetting to Tag David Onama in the Highlight Video ‘Say His Name’
“Whoever runs the account didn’t even f****** try. It’s really pathetic. @DavidOnama145 is his name. Tag the man, it’s literally that f****** easy,” someone tweeted.
“Say his name!” someone tweeted in a response to the highlight video.
“His name is @DavidOnama145 … be better espn!!!” another fan tweeted.
“i love seeing all the other sports fans enjoy our sport. bud please espn. at least tag the man?” another fan wrote.
“try tagging the fighters next time,” someone tweeted.
“No need to promote the fighters or even name them when you know you’re getting your guaranteed fight card inventory per year,” a fan tweeted. “I’m guessing to ESPN it doesn’t matter who this fighter is, as long as there’s traffic for ESPN via canvas combos.”
“Didn’t even attempt to name the guy in the tweet. Amazing,” another fan tweeted.
“How lazy is ESPN? His name is David ONAMA, and not bothering to say his name is just trash,” someone else tweeted.
“Whose opponent? Do these athletes have names? Do you know them? Are you a news network?” someone else tweeted.
“can’t even drop an @” a fan tweeted with the laughing emoji.
“Why are they actively choosing to not promote fighters?” another fan tweeted.
Oname is the UFC’s first Ugandan-born fighter and earned his first win under the banner. His UFC debut, which took place on October 23, 2021, ended in a unanimous decision loss to Mason Jones.
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