‘That was dirty’: Four-second MMA KO labelled ‘cheap shot’

The MMA world has been left gobsmacked by an insane four-second knockout that had angry fans calling it an unsporting cheap shot.

One of the fastest ever knockouts ever seen in the MMA has divided fight fans around the world, with many describing it as an unsporting cheap shot.

Yannick Bahati was taking on Charles Joyner in a light heavyweight MMA fight at the Cage Warriors 186 event in London on Saturday (AEDT).

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It was a rematch after their first fight in November was ruled a split decision draw when it had to be stopped with two minutes left in the third round because an accidental eye poke from Joyner.

It only took a few minutes for all hell to break loose this time around.

Joyner and Bahati touched gloves, as is customary at the start of fights, but Bahati held onto Joyner’s left hand and punched him in the face with a right hand that left Joyner falling to the canvas.

Watch the lightning quick KO in the video above

He touched gloves before landing the killer blow. Photo: X.

Yannick Bahati got the KO win with the first punch of the fight. Photo: X.

The fight lasted only four seconds. Photo: X.

Bahati went in to finish the job with some ground and pound but he didn’t even have to, with the referee calling a stop to the contest just four seconds into the fight.

The 35-year-old from the Democratic Republic from Congo, nicknamed the Black Mama, celebrated wildly by climbing on top of the cage and flexing.

“It’s a big shot, unbelievable! That could be the quickest knockout in Cage Warriors history,” the commentator exclaimed.

Former UFC fighter Tom Lawlor wrote on X: “There was just an insane KO at Cage Warriors by Yannick Bahati because he went for a glove touch, then held his opponents hand and rifled off a right hand to get a 4 second KO victory

“Yannick Bahati ASKED for the glove touch, then held his opponents hands and rifled off a crushing right hand to get the 4 second KO. Totally within the rules. Totally a chump move.”

Yannick Bahati celebrated wildly. Photo: X.

Respect MMA commentator Ariel Helwani simply wrote on X: “Man.”

Fight fans were furious at said the manner of Bahati’s knockout punch was unsportsmanlike.

One person on social media described it as “dirty” and a second called it a “cheap shot”.

“That was some bum ass sh*t,” a third said. “What a piece of garbage.”

A fourth said: “That’s one way to make sure you never have any fans.”

A fifth said: “That was dirty. Protect yourself at all times but grabbing the glove touch arm and dragging it down to open the guard? Bush league.”

“Cheap shotting and then celebrating like you won the title is diabolical,” said another.

Retired boxer Paul Smith offered a different view, saying: “Never understood why loads in MMA touch gloves. Isn’t disrespectful not to and there’s always the chance of this happening.”

Bahati in an MMA veteran who lost to current UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis back in 2017.

Originally published as ‘That was dirty’: Four-second MMA KO labelled ‘cheap shot’