A few days ago the official Twitter/X account @porqueTTarg shared a video that has managed to put the mythical Pokémon series in the spotlight. In it we can see a fighter who after defeating his opponent throws a pokéball at him, making a clear reference to the series, making this moment remain in the minds of thousands of viewers and fans of the series who understood the clear reference.
MMA fighter taunts his opponent using Pokémon reference
The fighter in question is Michael Page who is a prominent British mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter best known for his unorthodox fighting style and great charisma in the ring. This brutal fighter has gained notoriety for his ability to knock out his opponents with flashy and precise moves that continue to shock those who watch him to this day.
One of Michael Page‘s most memorable moments occurred in 2016, when he defeated Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos with a skull-cracking flying knee, this moment was especially brutal and very shocking to those who witnessed it. After this victory, Page celebrated in a way that quickly went viral in the MMA community and beyond: he pulled out a cap of Ash Ketchum, the protagonist of the well-known Pokémon series, and a Pokéball, pretending to “catch” his fallen opponent, mimicking the franchise’s classic phrase “Catch ’em now!”.
The celebration not only demonstrated Page’s showmanship and confidence, but also highlighted his ability to connect with fans in a unique and creative way, using popular cultural references like Pokémon to add a touch of humor and entertainment to his victories. And that’s how these two legends starred in a brutal and hilarious act that will undoubtedly go down in MMA history.
And boy, did it stay in the minds of many fighting and anime fans, because this fight is nothing more and nothing less than 7 years old, as mentioned before, it happened in 2016, but today it is still as valid as if it had happened yesterday.
There is no doubt that Pokémon has had a significant cultural impact worldwide and remains one of the most successful and enduring franchises in the entertainment industry. Who doesn’t know Pokémon, you may not be a fan, but you can’t deny that it is one of the great references of anime and the otaku community. The story of Ash Ketchum and Pikachu has captivated thousands who have traveled the Pokémon world with them.
We have witnessed the new friends they made on their long journey and accompanied them in their confrontations and various challenges that happened throughout the series. The franchise is known for its “Catch ’em now!” slogan, which reflects players’ goal to collect every Pokémon in existence. Every fan has their favorites, we have our favorite evolutions and arcs.
In addition, the impact of “Pokémon” has been significant in several aspects, do you remember Pokémon GO, this game certainly revived the love for this series, old and new fans were captivated by this augmented reality game, where we could capture, train and battle with different Pokémon in the real world. Its impact was so great that we saw how the game encouraged people to go out and walk, thus increasing the physical activity of the players. In short, anime has a worldwide impact that has often surprised us to see different references in public figures that we had no idea watched anime.
