We regularly get emails and tweets from avid followers of this web site asking us to stay to the combating as an alternative of politics, however that may be difficult generally contemplating how deeply politics has infiltrated the world of combined martial arts (MMA).
It feels prefer it began when Donald Trump grew to become president of the US. Final Preventing Championship (UFC) — sensing a chance to saddle as much as essentially the most highly effective man within the nation — re-wrote the promotion’s historical past to make Trump a key determine within the promotion’s survival via its troubled early days. Out of that overt flattery got here benefits like new contacts and connections inside the Division of State who assist preserve the move of visas for worldwide fighters going even amidst these tumultuous occasions.
In fact, peer-reviewed research have identified a steep rise in excessive political rhetoric and hate crimes together with Trump’s rise. Around the globe, different authoritarian-leaning leaders have ridden an analogous wave as Trump, they usually’re usually supported by MMA fighters of their nations. A great instance of that is former Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro, who had the assist of 49.1 p.c of Brazilians within the 2022 elections and a a lot increased share of the nation’s fighters.
One such fighter is Jose Aldo, who’s now part of Bolsonaro’s present story because the ex-president left Brazil on the eve of his rival Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s ascent to energy. Bolsonaro refused to be available for the switch of energy, as an alternative selecting to journey to Florida the place he’s staying on the former World Excessive Cagefighting (WEC) and UFC Featherweight champion’s Orlando trip house.
It’s unclear how lengthy Bolsonaro will probably be dwelling in Aldo’s house. Some political commentators suspect he plans on working “in exile” from Florida to keep away from being arrested by brokers of the brand new Brazilian authorities. That’s the extent of tit-for-tat the Brazilian political system is at, as present president Lula spent years in jail over what was revealed to be a politically motivated corruption scandal.
Because it stands, many of us on the net aren’t concentrating on the long-term political implications of this all too acquainted left vs proper strife. As a substitute, they appear obsessive about the truth that Aldo’s trip home is type of bonkers, with a number of themed rooms, together with a whole kids’s bed room adorned with Minions.
Having fled Brazil on the recommendation of his legal professionals, quickly to be ex-president Jair Bolsonaro is seeing within the new yr on the Orlando house of former UFC fighter José Aldo.
Considered one of Aldo’s bedrooms is “minion” themed. pic.twitter.com/AggGYqz3RS
— BRASILWIRE (@BRASILWIRE) December 31, 2022
For years, Bolsonaro supporters have been known as “Bolsominions,” so that you higher consider individuals are getting amusing out of the concept of Jair sleeping in a Minion mattress filled with Minion plushes beneath Minion sheets.
We’ll preserve you up to date if Bolsonaro finally ends up working a Brazilian authorities in exile out of Aldo’s trip area. For now, get pleasure from this video breaking down Aldo’s crib and all of the themed rooms Bolsonaro, his household, and his workers are having fun with lately:
As for Aldo, he retired from UFC competitors in 2022 after a tricky choice loss to Merab Dvalishvili. There have been rumors that “Scarface” will compete in a boxing occasion in Russia someday in early 2023, however no affirmation at the moment.
