Filipino MMA fighter taps out vs unprepared foe

MANILA, Philippines — Is there room for mercy in the physical and often violent world of mixed martial arts (MMA)?

For a Filipino fighter, there is.

Mike Pantangco took sportsmanship to a whole new level after opting to tap out despite visibly dominating his overmatched opponent Jeremy Rasner in a fight card for the Prison City Fight League in Jackson, Michigan.

In a video on YouTube which had been seen over four million times since its posting last Tuesday, Pantangco was clearly winning over the taller Rasner—landing definitive punches, kicks and knees.

Filipino fighter Mike Pantangco voluntarily tapped out against replacement fighter Jeremy Rasner whom he has dominated in the match. Screengrab from AXS TV Fights Youtube account.

But instead of inflicting further damage to his foe, Pantangco kneeled and tapped out with just seconds left in the opening round.

“I just feel like there’s no point fighting him because he didn’t train against me and I didn’t train for him,” Pantangco told AXS TV in an interview, explaining his surprising act of mercy rule.

Rasner was a last-minute replacement after Pantangco’s original opponent begged off.

“And I just feel like we’re amateur fighters. We don’t get money, we don’t get paid and I know the only thing that the only thing I’m going to finish the fight is him to go in the hospital or get hurt. I just feel terrible so I’m just going to give him the win,” Pantangco added.

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