Srinagar: It was supposed to be another big night for Kashmir’s MMA/grappling star Owais Yaqoob. Instead, his much-awaited international bout in Istanbul was over before it had even properly begun.
Yaqoob was disqualified just 39 seconds into his 70kg no-gi grappling bout against Tajikistan’s Kamariddin Khasanov at ACBJJ 22, held at the ORA Arena in Istanbul on August 30.
The sudden stoppage left Yaqoob, and more importantly his many supporters back home, disappointed and confused about how quickly the contest came to an end.
Over Before It Began
There was barely enough time for either fighter to settle into the contest.
The referee stopped the action and handed Yaqoob a direct disqualification for what officials cited as a violation of the competition rules.
Yaqoob’s supporters, however, saw it differently. The movement that led to the call was being viewed by many as a normal evasive action during the exchange.
The biggest frustration was that the decision came almost immediately, without what supporters felt could have been a warning or a lesser penalty.
Instead, the contest was simply over.
For a fighter who had travelled to Istanbul carrying the hopes of many Kashmir fans, it was a particularly difficult way to see a major international opportunity disappear.
Yaqoob: “I Don’t Agree, But I Accept”
Despite the disappointment, Yaqoob chose not to make excuses.
Reacting to the decision, he made it clear that he disagreed with the referee but would accept the outcome.
“I don’t agree with the referee’s decision, but I accept it. More importantly, I trust and accept the decision of Allah.”
He went on to say that Allah always wants what is best for him, even when things do not make sense at the moment.
“Alhamdulillah for everything.”
It was a calm response from Yaqoob after what must have been an extremely frustrating night.
Kashmir Was Waiting for Another Big Performance
The disappointment among his supporters is understandable.
Yaqoob had arrived in Istanbul with momentum behind him after his impressive first-round TKO victory over Delyan Georgiev at BRAVE CF 107.
That performance had given his fans plenty of reason to believe that another strong showing was coming.
Instead, they barely got to see him compete.
For many watching from Kashmir, the hardest part was not simply seeing Yaqoob lose. It was seeing the fight end before he had a real chance to show what he could do.
There was anticipation, excitement and plenty of support for the Kashmir fighter. In the end, all of that was replaced by disappointment after a decision that came within seconds of the opening bell.
A Bitter End to a Big Opportunity
The referee’s decision is the official result, and Yaqoob has accepted it despite making his disagreement clear.
But the debate around the call is unlikely to disappear quickly.
His supporters believe the situation deserved a warning or a less severe penalty rather than an immediate DQ. Whether one agrees with that view or not, there is little doubt that the decision robbed the contest of the opportunity to develop into the fight everyone had been waiting to see.
For Yaqoob, however, this is unlikely to be the end of the story.
One disappointing night cannot erase the performances that brought him to this stage.
And if his reaction is anything to go by, the Kashmir grappling star will take the setback in his stride, learn from the experience and wait for the next opportunity to step onto the mat.
This time, the fight lasted just 39 seconds. Kashmir will hope the next one lasts much, much longer.
