Former champion picks a fight with the athletic commission after controversy at UFC 329.

Bisping promotes UFC event. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/UFC

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Paddy Pimblett 's celebration at UFC 329 ended up costing the Briton dearly. In the co-main event, the fighter submitted Benoit Saint-Denis in just one minute and then jumped the fence to celebrate his victory with the crowd. This action resulted in a $2.500 fine (approximately R$13,4) deducted from his purse and also provoked a reaction from Michael Bisping , who harshly criticized the athletic commission's decision.

In a video posted to his YouTube channel, Bisping called the punishment excessive and pointed out that Pimblett wasn't the only athlete to jump the fence that night. According to the former UFC champion, Max Holloway and Gable Stevenson also did the same and ended up in the sights of the authorities, with the possibility of having their purses withheld or receiving fines of thousands of dollars.

“He beat Benoit Saint Denis . And what did he do? He celebrated. Pimblett just climbed the cage, like many fighters do. He wasn't the only one that night to climb the cage. Max Holloway did it, Gable Stevenson too, and they are also being investigated. They could have their purses withheld or potentially receive fines of thousands of dollars. This is completely ridiculous. I hate this rule,” said Michael Bisping.

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The Englishman also recalled that he had already had a similar celebration at UFC 199, held in California, a state known for the strictness of its athletic commissions. For Bisping, climbing the cage is one of the most traditional ways for a fighter to celebrate a victory and should not be treated as such a serious infraction.

“I did it at UFC 199, which was held in California, one of the strictest places in the world. Many fighters climb the cage. It’s one of the best ways to celebrate. In boxing, they climb the ropes and greet the audience. It happens all the time and, apparently, there’s no problem at all. But if MMA fighters climb the cage, then they’ll be fined. They can have their purses withheld. That’s complete and utter bullshit. It makes no sense,” concluded the former champion.

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