Korean-American rapper Jay Park attacked by MMA fighter
PHOTO: Instagram/ jparkitrighthere
PUBLISHED ONMarch 09, 2020 10:54 AMByKwok Kar PengWe all know you aren't supposed to shoot the messenger, but that adage apparently doesn't mean much to American mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Brian Ortega.
The 29-year-old UFC athlete attacked Korean-American rapper Jay Park at a match event on Saturday (March 7) at Las Vegas, all because he didn't like what Jay had translated for Korean fighter Jung Chan-sung during an interview.
According to media reports, Jay, 32, was a translator for Jung — aka The Korean Zombie — for an ESPN interview last month.
Jung, also 32, said through Park: "It doesn't matter [if it's Max] Holloway, [Alexander] Volkanovski, or Ortega. But Ortega already ducked [me] once. [I] don't need to fight a fighter that's already ducked [me] one time."
Ortega took offence, and soon warned on Instagram: "When I saw [Jung] in Korea, he apologised and said sorry for the trash talk and I said all good 'cause least you came at me like a man.
"Now you just a b**** dawg. Jay Park welcome to the fight game don't be surprised if I slap the s*** out you when I see you. Having an injury and ducking are 2 different things."
Indeed, Ortega slapped Jay when the two crossed paths on Saturday, and security pulled Ortega away. Jay was not injured.
Jung has since posted a strongly-worded response on his Instagram account where he called Ortega a coward.
"Last night, you sat 10 metres away from me and Jay Park. For two hours nothing happened, so I thought everything was fine. But you f***ing attacked Jay Park while I went to the bathroom. Jay Park is not a professional fighter but a musician. You slapped a civilian who merely helped to translate.
"Even worse, you were sitting there waiting until I would be away and attacked Jay Park. It was not a fight like real men would do. What you have done is the same as a grown-up beating a child."
Jay later said on Twitter that he will not be suing Ortega because "I don't sue people who have less than I do." His agency added that the attack was reported to the police, and they would not take separate legal action.
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