Cachoeira defends coach for not throwing in the towel
Priscila Cachoeira: “And about throwing the towel: this is PRVT, and we’re the ones who know my limits. Throwing the towel, never.”
The #1 women’s bantamweight contender Valentina Shevchenko made her move to flyweight at UFC Fight Night 125 on Saturday night, and outstruck opponent newcomer Priscila Cachoeira by a margin of 230 to 3. Referee Mario Yamasaki has endured severe criticism for not stopping it earlier, the UFC has been questioned for the wisdom of putting a #1 contender vs. a newcomer, and some wondered why Cachoeira’s corner didn’t try to stop the fight.
The fighter replied pointedly to the third criticism on her social network. Translation via Fernanda Prates for MMAjunkie.
Hi, everyone. Just stopping by to say everything is OK,” she began.” Took me a while to speak because I didn’t have my cell on me and I was at the hospital. So I apologize to my fans, friends, and family, who threw a party to watch my fight.
“I caught an extremely tough fighter, who I’m a fan of, and on fight time I wasn’t the real ‘Pedrita.’ Those who know me and are around me on my day-to-day, know how I could have performed. And even having injured my knee early in the fight, I went until the end because I don’t know quitting.
“I will need surgery on my ACL and meniscus. And there are a lot of people talking about how I fought the top one, etc, that my master told me to shut up and blah blah. Let’s go… I will fight any fighter in the world, regardless of her standings. I’d fight Valentina another 10 times without even thinking twice. Those who pick easy battles aren’t true warriors. And the treatment and the intimacy I have with my master, those on the outside don’t know anything to criticize it. This isn’t master and student. It’s father and daughter. And no one will say how he’s supposed to treat me. And about throwing the towel: this is PRVT, and we’re the ones who know my limits. Throwing the towel, never.
“Thank you all for the messages of kindness and support I’ve been getting. I’m sure I have gotten a family for the rest of my life. And to those criticizing: I don’t give a damn, I will come back stronger. ‘A moment will not erase an entire history.’
Cachoeira’s coach said if he had known the extent of his knee injury he would have thrown in the towel. However, corners in MMA cannot stop a fight by throwing in the towel; they would have to enter the cage, causing a disqualification. That is all the more reason why referees have to protect fighters, from the opponent, and from their noble, never-say-die selves.
Cachoeira will shortly schedule knee surgery and is expected to be able to resume training in six to eight months.
