This is an early candidate for Twitter feud of the year
Irish MMA fans were treated to a massively entertaining war of words between two Irish fighters this weekend. The action kicked off when Derry welterweight Tommy Quinn sent out a tweet imploring the public to pressure the UFC to sign more Irish athletes to their roster.
Show your support for #IrishMMA http://t.co/AWLOMGkasD
— Tommy Quinn (@TheRolyPolyKid) January 9, 2015
Quinn cited Conor McGregor, Norman Parke and Neil Seery as the catalysts for the recent influx of Irish fighters into the world’s largest MMA promotion. He asked the public to get behind fighters such as Paul Redmond, Tommy McCafferty,Ryan Roddy, Alan Philpott and, naturally enough, himself and start a campaign to get them signed up by Uncle Dana.
However, Artem Lobov, who trains under John Kavanagh at Dublin’s Straight Blast Gym seemed to take offence to not being named in Quinn’s post. The featherweight implied that Quinn’s lack of fights in recent years means that he was undeserving of a UFC contract.
@tommyq89 Tommy promote yourself by fighting rather than talking, 2-1 in three years?…you can barely be called a fighter as you dont fight
— Artem Lobov (@RusHammerMMA) January 9, 2015
An MMA scribe tried to insert some humour into the clearly tense situation. Unfortunately for the writer, it came at the the expense of Lobov. Another Irishman, Peter Queally entered into the fray. Queally contested that Quinn, who fights out of Newcastle, England, was some sort of a turncoat.
@prospectkiller @tommyq89 you can be a dick sometimes Tommy! Trying to help bring attention to your fellow country men like that. For shame!
— Alan Murphy 🌐 (@AlanMurphyMMA) January 9, 2015
@powerhousemma @tommyq89 @prospectkiller Tommy brings attention to English MMA…. Ireland wasn't good enough for Tommy.
— Peter Queally (@peterqueally) January 9, 2015
@peterqueally @powerhousemma @tommyq89 Tommy 'fights for the' Quinn
— Artem Lobov (@RusHammerMMA) January 9, 2015
@peterqueally @powerhousemma @prospectkiller makes sense when I was promoting Irish fighters 👍
— Tommy Quinn (@TheRolyPolyKid) January 9, 2015
The journo, perhaps foolishly, brought up the fact that the first Irish fighter to be signed to the promotion, Tom Egan, is now based in the States. Queally came back with a below the belt burn to put him in his place. The Ultimate Fighter 19 contestant, Chris ‘The Killing’ Fields thoroughly enjoyed the retort.
@peterqueally @tommyq89 @prospectkiller do you hold the same opinion of Tom Egan? He moved to America and often fights there now?
— Alan Murphy 🌐 (@AlanMurphyMMA) January 9, 2015
.@powerhousemma @tommyq89 @prospectkiller I wish YOU would fuck off to America….. That's my opinion!
— Peter Queally (@peterqueally) January 9, 2015
@peterqueally @powerhousemma @tommyq89 @prospectkiller haha
— chris fields (@chrisfieldsmma) January 9, 2015
While all this was going on, Quinn and Lobov continued to slug it out. Cue hilarity.
@prospectkiller injuries, degree and setting myself up for after fighting has gotten in the way, just because we have a future old man 😊
— Tommy Quinn (@TheRolyPolyKid) January 9, 2015
@tommyq89 Bachelors degree,masters,3 jobs, multiple injuries and 22 fights…you look like a little biatch compare to me kiddo
— Artem Lobov (@RusHammerMMA) January 9, 2015
@prospectkiller @prospectkiller alright there butch, what ways that record looking though…it's called a career, I'm in it for the long run
— Tommy Quinn (@TheRolyPolyKid) January 9, 2015
@tommyq89 Tommy the Drama Quinn!
— Artem Lobov (@RusHammerMMA) January 9, 2015
@tommyq89 For the long run of not fighting but tweeting from your couch
— Artem Lobov (@RusHammerMMA) January 9, 2015
@prospectkiller @prospectkiller I like it, your a whitty guy! I'd be annoyed too though doing all what you've done and got where?
— Tommy Quinn (@TheRolyPolyKid) January 9, 2015
@prospectkiller some may say the same for you and MMA, some being I 😂 here is Samson and I laughing at lobov pic.twitter.com/7zQk5fn2nR
— Tommy Quinn (@TheRolyPolyKid) January 9, 2015
@tommyq89 @prospectkiller seems a little unfair seen as lobov has beaten some of the top guys in Europe on numerous occasions
— chris fields (@chrisfieldsmma) January 9, 2015
Pissing myself at @tommyq89 & @prospectkiller tweet battle
— Jon Ferguson (@MMAFERGUSON1) January 9, 2015
@MMAFERGUSON1 @tommyq89 @prospectkiller promoters should be queuing up to get those two to agree a catchweight.
— Jessica Fletcher Fan Account🐌 (@FigFletcher) January 9, 2015
@FergOFMMA @MMAFERGUSON1 @prospectkiller my sofa is too comfy Fergus, I'll send someone to stand in
— Tommy Quinn (@TheRolyPolyKid) January 9, 2015
@FergOFMMA @MMAFERGUSON1 @tommyq89 No need for catchweight #AnyoneAnytimeAnyplace
— Artem Lobov (@RusHammerMMA) January 9, 2015
@prospectkiller @FergOFMMA @MMAFERGUSON1 I bet you have a bigger dick too lobov…damn you the man
— Tommy Quinn (@TheRolyPolyKid) January 9, 2015
@tommyq89 @FergOFMMA @MMAFERGUSON1 Fair enough. Looks like you are now 2-2 in the last 3 years!
— Artem Lobov (@RusHammerMMA) January 9, 2015
@prospectkiller @FergOFMMA @MMAFERGUSON1 funny that, I've only lost the one fight and that was to @JackStoneMason
— Tommy Quinn (@TheRolyPolyKid) January 9, 2015
@prospectkiller @FergOFMMA @MMAFERGUSON1 this is all starting to seem like the fight scene from anchorman "no touching of the hair or face"
— Tommy Quinn (@TheRolyPolyKid) January 9, 2015
