Following UFC BJJ 7’s main event in Las Vegas, Andrew Tackett found himself at the center of an unexpected conversation that had little to do with his unanimous decision victory over 43-year-old veteran Vagner Rocha.
Video evidence surfaced showing Tackett apparently biting Rocha during their three-round contest at the Meta Apex, and Tackett wasted no time addressing it on social media with a tone that was more self-aware than remorseful.
His first response came with a fitting soundtrack: Ice Spice’s “Munch (Feelin’ U)” playing in the background as he pointed to what he considered Rocha‘s own transgression.
“That’s what you get for the oil check, Vagner”
“Keep it clean kids”
The “oil check,” a term used in grappling circles to describe a particularly unwelcome form of control applied to an opponent’s backside, but oil checks are actually somewhat legal in wreslting unlike the bite Tackett admitted to. In other words, neither competitor had entirely clean hands on the night.
Tackett followed up with a second post that carried a slightly more measured tone, though not by much.
“I don’t encourage biting. I shouldn’t have done it, but it is still funny”
On the mat, the performance itself was legitimate. Tackett controlled the pace across all three rounds and found his most dominant stretch in the third, locking in a body triangle that ground down the clock and secured the judges’ nod. Rocha kept the main event competitive throughout and left the Meta Apex with his reputation very much intact.
The UFC BJJ product is still working to carve out credibility in a grappling landscape that has its own deeply established hierarchy, and moments like this tend to linger in the conversation longer than the legitimate athletic performances surrounding them.
Tackett, for his part, seemed entirely at peace with that reality. He said his piece, owned the moment, and moved on with a laugh.
