The UFC's newest European acquisition, undefeated Welterweight Benjamin Brinsa, is denying any connection to nazi groups. Here's his statement via his publicist (via MMA.tv):
"I am not a neo-Nazi, never have been, never will be. At no time in my life have I ever made any xenophobic, anti-Semitic or racist statements, either in public or in private. Yes, I do have a past as a football hooligan in my youth, but that is a thing of the past as I have been solely focusing on my professional career for the past couple of years."My grappling coach and good friend Marcin Bandel hails from Poland and I have friends from all over the world. Next week, I will join a training camp with fighters from Bosnia, Brazil, Greece, Iraq, Italy, Morocco, Poland, Russia and Tunesia - do you think I had any interest in training with all these non-German athletes if I was a neo-Nazi?
"There is just no place for racism and xenophobia in an international, global sport like MMA."
UFC president Dana White has promised to investigate Brinsa's background before allowing him to step foot in the Octagon.
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