An announced fight between a man and a woman at tonight’s Shooto 45 event in Brazil actually was a publicity stunt to raise awareness about domestic violence.

“I have participated in many fights, and for me it was a great pleasure this time to fight for such a noble cause,” stated Shooto promoter Andre Pederneiras in a press release. “Very many people suffer from this, and reporting it has the power to change this. It only depends on each person.”

The co-ed fight, a bantamweight match between Emerson Falcao (0-1) and Juliana Velasquez (0-0), stirred immediate controversy when it was announced earlier this week. Regulators condemned the promotion and claimed it wouldn’t happen.

Pederneiras, who is best known as the head trainer of UFC champs Jose Aldo and Renan Barao, said safety precautions would be followed and teased that a ruleset would be revealed.

But it was all a ruse.

While Falcao announced on Facebook that he was injured and couldn’t compete, Velasquez and her team talked up the bout as if it would happen.

“She really is in another level, and now is the best time to send that message, so we expect her to prove a point in the event,” rep Pedro Marques told MMAjunkie on Tuesday. “She has been training with men before, and it will not be new for her.”

According to the release, the bout was conceived by a Brazilian ad agency to promote a domestic violence hotline. The firm, Agency 3, enlisted the support of Shooto, the fighter’s MMA teams, and Combate Channel, which broadcasts the promotion’s events.

Shooto 45 takes place tonight in Rio de Janeiro. MMAFighting was the first to report the bout was a no-go.