Kicking Opponent's Face In Football Style, Japanese MMA Fighter Criticized By Fans

Japanese MMA fighter Daichi Abe. (PHOTO/INSTAGRAM @daichiabe.jp)

JAKARTA - Mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Daichi Abe was criticized by fans for kicking his opponent's face that was already lying on the canvas.

The action occurred when Abe fought former UFC welterweight fighter Marcos Yoshio de Souza at the RIZIN 37 event at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, late last month.

Abe knocked Souza down in the second round with a heavy blow. When the opponent had fallen, Abe immediately launched a follow-up attack. She kicks him.

The soccer-style kick into the opponent's face angered fans and blasphemed Abe on social media.

"Football kicks definitely have a reason. This guy should be ashamed," read one tweet on Twitter as reported by The Sun.

"I support football kicks but don't know when to do it because the guy is already down," wrote another.

“Unfortunately… football-style kicks are legal,” another commented.

Actually soccer-style kicks are illegal in MMA in most of the world. Including the UFC which has adopted the unified rules of the sport.

However, foot and knee strikes to the head of a fallen opponent are considered legal in MMA fights based in Asia, such as ONE Championship and RIZIN.

This incident led some fans to call for illegal kicks to be no longer allowed. There are those who demand that MMA should apply the best rules.

Victory over De Souza saw 30-year-old Abe take his record to 5-1 in his last six games.