Cornerman Marcin Bilman handed nine-month ban for hitting Norman Parke at KSW 40

Everything descended into chaos in the second round of Mateusz Gamrot and Norman Parke’s rematch in Dublin at KSW 40.

After their first fight, Parke was convinced that the KSW lightweight champion had bitten him to escape a front headlock. Gamrot, on the other hand, thought Parke had intentionally fish-hooked him.

The pairing enjoyed a fiery back and forth in the lead up to their second meeting, with Parke accusing Gamrot of PED abuse and the champion promising to “humiliate” Parke on Irish soil.

Their rematch on Oct. 22 had to be stopped on two occasions in the first round when Parke was on the receiving end of a low blow and an eye poke. When the fight had to be stopped in the second round for another eye poke, cage-side medics determined that Parke was too visually impaired to continue. The fight ended in a no contest.

After the fight was officially called off, Parke approached Gamrot’s corner and appeared to push KSW welterweight champion, Borys Mankowski. Immediately after that, another one of Gamrot’s corner men, Marcin Bilman, cracked Parke with a left hand.

Bilman is a fledgling bantamweight pro with a record of 2-0-1.

Over the weekend, KSW released a statement confirming that they had fined both Parke and Gamrot for their behavior, while also handing Bilman a nine-month cornering ban at KSW events.

The statement read:

“Since it was Norman Parke who started the scuffle, as he approached the corner of his opponent and then pushed away Borys Mankowski, he will be fined for this unprofessional behaviour.

“KSW Federation condemns the reaction of Marcin Bilman, one of Gamrot’s cornermen, who hit Norman Parke. There is no place in KSW for such unsportsmanlike actions, both from fighters and their cornermen. Such behaviour is very different from the professional standards that KSW Federation requires from its fighters.

“As a result, Marcin Bilman will be banned from cornering fighters on KSW shows for 9 months, while Mateusz Gamrot will be fined as he is responsible for the behavior of his cornermen.”