Bryan Battle, after knocking out local favorite Kevin Jousset at UFC Paris and playfully embracing a “heel” persona, became the subject of a viral but false Twitter rumor about being fined and banned from France, which he found amusing and indicative of his willingness to embrace crowd reactions for entertainment.
Bryan Battle relished the challenge of fighting on hostile turf, but he wasn’t exactly aiming to stir up animosity after his victory at UFC Paris. Knocking out local favorite Kevin Jousset put him at odds with the crowd, and he seized the moment by giving a cheeky salute during his post-fight interview.
Rumors quickly spread on Twitter that Battle was facing a $250,000 fine and a ban from France. The kicker? It all stemmed from a parody account. Yet, misinformation never stopped anyone from jumping to conclusions—Battle included.
“I knew it wasn’t real,” Battle shared with MMA Fighting. “A $250,000 fine? Banned from Paris? That’s wild. Who’s behind this?” As the day unfolded, comments piled up, and even Chael Sonnen fell for it, prompting fans to urge him to double-check his sources.
Despite figuring out it was fake news pretty quickly, Battle had already suspected something fishy. Another fighter’s fiery post-fight antics made him think twice. “No way I was getting fined,” he said, referencing Renato Moicano‘s comments about the government after his fight in Paris.
Battle admitted to being silly, contrasting Moicano’s more serious remarks. “I said some goofy stuff,” he chuckled. “Moicano talked real issues—he’s the true heel here.” Regardless, Battle enjoyed his brief stint as a notorious figure.
He didn’t deny the rumors outright, opting instead to ride the wave of attention. “People thought I was at war with France!” he laughed. “They threw stuff at us, but once through the tunnel, everyone was cool.”
Fans loved his new “heel” persona, praising his viral octagon moment. In wrestling terms, a heel is a villain; Battle anticipated playing this role against a French fighter in Paris. “If I’m the heel, I’m the cool one people root for,” he mused.
Looking ahead to Las Vegas, Battle pondered how he’d be received stateside. He won’t force the bad guy act but will respond if provoked. His next fight is set for UFC 310 on Dec. 7 against Randy Brown.
“I’m not trying to rile up crowds just for fun,” he noted. “It’s less about being bad and more about speaking my mind.” Good or bad guy doesn’t matter—it’s all about energy and getting fans invested in the fight.
Ultimately, Battle loves any chance to elevate the excitement of a match: “Whatever gets the crowd going—that’s what I want.”