Jeff Monson heard a pop in his arm and knew that something had gone terribly wrong.
Trapped in a ring, surrounded by the likes of current WBO, IBF, and WBA champion Sergey Kovalev, actor Sergey Badyuk, and a host of other Russian celebrities, the former ADCC champion tapped to an arm-bar submission in a matter of 30 seconds. It was a premature end to a fight that was billed as the main event of the evening.
Monson knew he had been tricked. This was supposed to be an exhibition match - purely entertainment value because of the injury he had sustained weeks earlier - but his opponent never got the message. Based on their chillingly silent confusion following the quick ending, the Ekaterinburg crowd was never informed about the program change either.
Jeff left the ring in utter shock. For the first time in his career, he didn't acknowledge his opponent following a loss. Instead, he had to comprehend how he had just lost a professional fight that he was never aware was happening.
As Jeff sat backstage and dwelled on the ill-fated proceedings, he noticed the promoter pass by in the hallway. Monson went up to Titov, "bitch-slapped" him and took him down. The entire scuffle lasted seconds, as Titov's bodyguards lifted Jeff of him and sent him on his way.
"Unfortunately I lost my temper. When I saw him, it turned to anger. His security guards picked me up and kicked me. It became a big thing in the back."
Jeff eventually got back to his hotel room and left Ekaterinburg the following day. He had since been promised that the promotion would release a statement to clear up the incident.
"We've been waiting for three days now for the promoter to come out and release a statement. He was supposed to apologize and say that things got out of hand. That hasn't happened."
LINK: Jeff Monson 'bitch slaps' Russian promoter after being set up at shady boxing event
