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Former sambo world champion and ONE Championship athlete Gantumur Bayanduuren failed in his bid to win the ONE flyweight submission grappling world title against Mikey Musumeci last weekend. The bout, which took place at ONE Fight Night 6 in Bangkok, Thailand, saw Musumeci dismantle the Mongolian's legs to an unrecognizable degree.
Despite getting caught in various submission holds that undeniably destroyed his knee, Gantumur Bayanduuren refused to tap out and finished the bout in a losing effort. While some fans found his refusal to tap into being admirable, some saw it as pure hubris.
In an interview segment with ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong and SCMP MMA, we learned more about the exact nature of Bayanduuren's injuries post-fight.
Here's what Sityodtong had to say:
"I heard the doctor said Gantumur’s injury was akin to a motorcycle accident where the knee completely detached. Meaning he completely ripped off his MCL, LCL, ACL, and meniscus like nothing was holding the knee together except muscle and the ankle was broken."
It doesn't get any more descriptive than "akin to a motorcycle accident." Seeing how Bayanduuren's knee looked so twisted in the fight, we're not surprised by the degree of injury he sustained after.
Watch Sityodtong's interview here:
ONE CEO Chatri Sityodtong says Gantumur Bayanduuren’s injuries are potentially career-ending
Expounding further on Gantumur Bayanduuren's injuries, Chatri Sityodtong implied that the Mongolian may have saved his career if only he tapped out. Talking further into the severity of the damage to the Mongolian's knee and ankle, Sityodtong said:
"The doctor said, from the hospital, it was a catastrophic injury that is potentially career-ending so I don’t know if he’s out for a year or if he’s out forever. When you allow your knee to get broken and your ankle to get broken in nine ways to Sunday like that."
The ONE flyweight submission grappling king Mikey Musumeci himself said that Bayanduuren should have tapped out. Instead, his career is now hanging in the balance. The submission was already locked in, and there was no viable way for him to wiggle out. In addition to his knee already popping and exploding, refusing to tap can mean the end of his career. It's better to tap now and lose than to abruptly end one's career because of a misguided sense of moral victory.
