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TUF Nations middleweight Tyler Manawaroa (10-0) advanced to the semifinals of the Canada vs. Australia themed show on last Wednesday's episode, but his ongoing success could be quickly overshadowed by a recently discovered racist picture posted on his Instagram account. Fellow TUF cast member, Canadian welterweight Kajan Johnson, tweeted the following image (in screen-shot format) to coach Patrick Cote today:
So coach @patrick_cote, did you have any idea we were living with a racist? #noclass #nobrain #ignorant pic.twitter.com/qO6W9RABns
— kajan johnson (@IamRagin) February 9, 2014
If the picture attached to the tweet does not appear, then click on this link.
Cote simply responded to Johnson with this:
@IamRagin wow !!!!! What a loser !!!!
— patrick cote (@patrick_cote) February 9, 2014
Former UFC title challenger David Loiseau also chimed in with his disapproval:
@IamRagin @CyrusDegreat @patrick_cote @tyler2181 I would LOVE to teach him about respect in a cage... #elbowstotheface
— David Loiseau (@DavidLoiseau) February 9, 2014
Manawaroa is of Maori descent, originally from New Zealand but has otherwise lived and trained in Australia over the past several years. The photo, posted 18 months ago, has not been deleted from his account and is still accessible by clicking here.
Putting aside how much the photo was in poor taste and horrendous, this immediately becomes an issue of why UFC officials did not see this prior to selecting Manawaroa to the season's cast. It'll be interesting to see what the UFC does, if anything, to Manawaroa now that this has surfaced.
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