A mixed martial arts (MMA) bout in Rome has sparked widespread attention online after Irish fighter Paddy McCorry was seen shouting "Free Palestine" while defeating Israeli opponent Shuki Farage at the Cage Warriors 189 event over the weekend.
McCorry, 27, from West Belfast, dominated the match and was declared the unanimous winner. But it was his vocal protest during and after the fight that drew global attention. As he pinned Farage to the mat and delivered a series of blows, McCorry was heard shouting "Free Palestine" multiple times, along with expletives directed at his opponent.
Following his win, he held the Palestinian flag aloft inside the ring and repeated the slogan—a public show of solidarity that immediately went viral on social media.
The crowd at the venue could also be heard chanting "Free, Free Palestine" as the match drew to a climax. McCorry later posted a video of the bout on his social media accounts, captioned "Street Justice", along with Irish and Palestinian flags.
Watch the video here:
Street justice 🇮🇪 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/qjgZt0UmZI
— Paddy McCorry (@PaddyMcCorryMMA) May 31, 2025
The match has drawn mixed reactions online. While many praised McCorry for using his platform to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, others criticised the blending of politics with sport.
The fight took place amid intensifying international concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza. According to the United Nations, 100% of Gaza's population is now at risk of catastrophic hunger, with officials describing it as the "hungriest place on Earth."
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