Fight fans were left astonished after a bare-knuckle boxer kissed her opponent during their final face-off before a bout.
Former UFC standouts Mariya Agapova and Jessica Eye participated in a tense final staredown on Friday night at the BKFC 76 ceremonial weigh-ins.
Tension was already high between the former flyweight contenders leading up to their encounter.
Kazakh fighter Agapova significantly escalated the situation by kissing Eye directly on the lips after getting very close during the staredown.
Eye, aged 38, did not react positively to Agapova`s unexpected display of affection.
The former UFC flyweight title contender immediately pushed her opponent away, exclaiming, “That`s really strange. Incredibly weird.”
Footage of the bizarre incident rapidly spread across social media, prompting numerous reactions. One fan commented, “That was odd.”
Another user remarked, “I guess Eye handled it okay… but it was pretty awkward.”
A different comment noted, “This is going to be an interesting fight.”
One person expressed surprise, saying, “It`s surprising that both of them used to compete in the UFC.”
When asked about her decision to kiss Eye, Agapova provided a simple explanation:
“She just got too close,” Agapova stated regarding the incident.
An irritated Eye later took to Instagram to voice her frustration. She said, “You disrespected a warrior.”
“Now you`ve just provided fuel for the fire that`s about to burn your reputation,” Eye added.
Both Agapova and Eye are in desperate need of a victory, as they have each lost their last six fights consecutively. Agapova`s recent skid includes losses in boxing, grappling, and MMA.
