The UFC just banned the nerdiest corner coaching in combat sports history.
After lightweight Marcus “MTG” Torres and his team spent an entire fight shouting Magic: The Gathering card game instructions at UFC 297, officials decided enough was enough. The promotion issued an immediate prohibition on trading card references during active rounds, leaving one of the sport’s most unique coaching systems dead in the water.
Torres beat Jake Matthews by decision in Toronto last Saturday, but his victory was overshadowed by the bizarre spectacle of grown men yelling “tap your lands for mana” and “counter that spell” while he was getting punched in the face.
When Nerds Collide With Combat Sports
The 28-year-old Brazilian-American has been obsessed with Magic since 2019, treating each fight like building a deck. His corner adapted the game’s resource management to cage fighting — stamina became mana, techniques became spells, and apparently nobody thought this might confuse people.
“I’ve been doing this for 15 years and I’ve never heard anything like it,” veteran referee Herb Dean said. “They had this whole system worked out that honestly made no sense in a fighting context.”
Matthews, ranked 12th at lightweight, looked as bewildered as everyone else when Torres’ corner started screaming about “sacrificing creatures for board control” during the second round. The kid went 3-for-7 on takedowns while his team provided commentary that sounded like a fantasy novel.
Head coach Rafael Santos defended the approach with the kind of earnestness that makes this story even better. “Marcus treats each fight like building a deck,” he explained. “He studies his opponent’s tendencies like reading their cards, then constructs a game plan with counters and responses.”
Commission Pulls the Plug
The Nevada Athletic Commission wasn’t having it. Commissioner Mike Mazzulli confirmed the emergency ruling after reviewing footage that probably left officials wondering if they’d accidentally tuned into a Dungeons & Dragons session.
Torres improved to 15-4 with the win, but his celebration was cut short by news that his elaborate nerd-speak was getting the axe. The fighter remained philosophical Tuesday at the UFC Performance Institute, explaining his corner’s “draw your opening hand” call meant throw a specific combination.
“I get it from their perspective,” he said. “But this is how my mind processes strategy. It’s not random gibberish.”
Sure, Marcus. Tell that to the broadcast team trying to explain why your corner sounds like a Comic-Con panel.
Back to Reality for Team Torres
Santos confirmed they’re scrambling to rebuild their entire communication system before Torres faces Tony Ferguson at UFC 299 in Miami on March 15. The camp is translating their card game terminology into actual fight language — “counter that spell” becomes “sprawl and counter-strike.”
Ferguson, never one to shy away from weird, actually welcomed the news. “I already speak crazy enough for both of us,” the former interim champ said. “At least now I’ll understand what his corner is yelling about.”
The ruling specifically targets trading card references but leaves room for other creative coaching. Chess analogies and poker terminology remain legal, though you have to wonder if Torres’ team will find another way to confuse everyone.
This matchup with Ferguson could determine the next lightweight title contender, assuming Torres can function without his Dungeons & Dragons playbook. Islam Makhachev probably isn’t losing sleep over either scenario.
