MMA fighter’s alleged bout with a chimp on PPV laughed off by fans: ‘Don’t give Netflix any ideas’

Cole Johnson’s claim is being called nothing but a “PR stunt.”

There aren’t many boring days in MMA or in combat sports as a whole.

That was the case on Saturday, despite Michael ‘Venom’ Page and Nursulton Ruziboev’s best efforts in their snoozefest. In MMA at UFC Paris and boxing at Croke Park, some impressive and memorable performances took place.

A day later, however, it is a story from the weird and bizarre realms of the fight game that has taken the internet by storm.

MMA fighter Cole Johnson believes he could beat up a full-grown chimpanzee and he's ready to prove it.

An MMA fighter claims he is facing a chimp on pay-per-view.

The man responsible for the ridiculous idea is Cole Johnson, a 24-year-old amateur mixed martial artist with just one fight’s worth of experience.

‘Wavy’ defeated Harlem Frost in his debut at SFC: Legacy Lives On in New Zealand last December, and he now feels ready to battle it out with a chimpanzee.

Complex shared Johnson’s claim that a PPV has been set up to broadcast his fight with a chimp. It is safe to say fans are not buying it — both in terms of it actually being allowed to happen and Johnson standing a chance of surviving, let alone winning.

Bloody Elbow readers have been reacting to the odd announcement in a TalkingPoints discussion.

“Do not give Netflix any ideas, would be dystopian this.”

“Gone in 60 seconds – a great PR stunt which has captured the imagination of the combat sports world, but it’s a bout he’d probably never survive. The chimp would be champ before you could even say ‘PR stunt’.”

“If it’s anything to do with IQ, I’ll say chimp if this is what he’s up against. Deary me.”

“I think this might be ego talking over brain, no way the chimp doesn’t win!”

“Shouldn’t be sanctioned obviously. I would look up what chimpanzee attacks result in… needs protecting from himself.”

“I get it never back down from a fight! But this is something else😭😭 the sport needs to be taken seriously.”

“Chimp will win, both physically and mentally. I hope it happens and the chimp rips his face off so these idiots finally realise they need to stop being so idiotic for any sort of attention.”

Others poked fun at the fighter’s confidence about beating a chimp with some hilarious predictions.

“Depends which chimp. Some will have no background in martial arts at all. If they’ve got a black belt background it’d be close.”

“The chimp weighs 100lb and doesn’t have any training. The man wins!”